maddylatteclips

[disney-android-foundation]

Just a friendly moot sending you a Happy Thanksgiving message! Hope you have an amazing holiday this year! ☺️🦃

Oh my goodness aren’t you just sweet

Happy Thanksgiving to you too!

[i-love-def-leppard]

[nadjabear]

First year celebrating thanksgiving since I moved to the U.S but not by choice but because I work tomorrow so there’s no time for me to go to Mexico and enjoy the long weekend lol

[sycamorelibrary754]

Happy Easter

Summary: You are three weeks from your due date, but the thought of you and Natasha missing Easter at the Barton’s farmhouse in Iowa was simply inconceivable. What will you do if your little bundle of joy makes an early, unexpected entrance?

Genre: Fluff

Pairings: Natasha x reader, Avengers x reader (platonic).

Word Count: 5.7k

Warnings: None

A/N: Happy belated Easter! I wanted to post this fic on Easter, but there wasn't enough time. This is part 3 of Happy Thanksgiving and Merry Christmas! I recommend reading those stories first, but it can be read as a stand-alone story as well. This was so much fun to write. I hope you enjoy it! 

"Does anyone know where the purple egg dye is?" you inquired, scanning the table as you addressed the Barton kids. "I could have sworn we had two cups of every color." Cooper and Lila were fully engrossed in the Easter egg decorating contest, meticulously crafting their designs, while Nate seemed to relish in using every color available on the table. "Oh, it's on the counter.”

You were just about to rise from the kitchen table, no easy feat at this stage of your pregnancy. It felt like yesterday when you surprised Natasha with your pregnancy at Thanksgiving in front of her family and announced to the team that they would all be aunts and uncles at Tony’s annual Christmas party. Your due date was three weeks away, but missing Easter with Clint’s family in Iowa was out of the question.

“Don’t get up, Y/N. I got it!” Nat said as she jumped up to grab the paper cup of purple egg dye behind you.

"Thanks, sweetheart," you said as Nat placed the cup on the table.

"How are you feeling?" Natasha asked as she gently caressed your cheek. "Maybe you should take a break?”

“Nat, I promise I’m okay. Come sit back down and color some Easter eggs with us,” you replied, trying to put your wife at ease. 

Natasha was looking forward to Easter, too, but she was more focused on you and the final weeks of your pregnancy. Dr. Cho had given you the green light to go, with the condition that you'd have daily check-ins by phone and go on bed rest as soon as you returned home.

"Auntie Nat, look at this!" Nate proudly showed off an egg with The Black Widow symbol on it.

"Look, Auntie Nat," you echoed with a smile.

"This is amazing! Maybe I should have you design my next suit instead of Stark," she said.

"Shall we start the judging?" Clint asked as he entered the room with Laura.

"Yep, all set," Cooper confirmed.

"Just a sec," Lila said, focused on decorating her egg. "There, done."

"Where are Yelena and Kate?" Laura asked.

"We're coming!" came a shout from the living room.

"It's not a Fabergé egg, you two, come on!" Nat yelled.

"Tada!" Kate exclaimed, revealing a beautiful purple egg with green and orange stripes.

You whispered to your wife, "So that's where all the purple dye went.”

You placed your egg on the table with all the others. Pink and blue with red polka dots. Symbolic of your current anticipation over the impending arrival of your bundle of joy. You and Nat both agreed you wanted to be surprised.

“Hmmm, this is going to be a tough decision,” Clint said, stroking his chin. “As you all know, you will be judged on creativity, technique, and presentation.”

Walking back and forth in front of the kitchen table, you couldn’t help but giggle at his mock seriousness. 

“Allow me to confer with my fellow judge,” he said. After a few moments of hushed whispers with Laura, Clint returned to the group. “We thank you all for your participation. You all decorated beautiful Easter eggs. The competition was tough this year, but one egg stands head and shoulders above the rest,” pausing for dramatic effect. “The 2024 Barton Easter Egg Decorating Champion is Nathaniel Barton!” 

You shouldn't have spent so much time on the sketches!” Yelena said, slapping Kate on the arm. 

“Yes!!” Nathaniel cheered. 

“You are hereby awarded this Lindt Milk Chocolate Gold Bunny,” his father said, handing him the gold-wrapped chocolate as big as his head.

“That you will share with the rest of the family and not eat in one sitting,” Laura added.

“Aww!” Nathaniel whined. 

*^~^*

You spent the evening on the porch, surrounded by the laughter of the kids playing on the lush green lawn as the sun set over the farm. Laura served her delicious homemade Lemonade as you shared stories and reminisced about old times. The air was filled with nostalgia so vivid that you could almost reach out and touch it. Natasha sat next to you, holding your hand gently, her calloused touch a reminder of the strength and resilience she had acquired through years of training.

You were taken by surprise as you felt the baby begin to kick.

"Wow!" You exclaimed as you gently placed your hand on your belly.

All eyes turned to you. Though unspoken, everyone shared the same nervous anticipation as your wife for the approaching due date.

"Are you alright, malyshka?" Nat asked, her eyes filled with concern as she squeezed your hand.

"I'm okay. The baby is kicking. Here, feel." You said as you took her hand and gently guided it to your stomach, trying to find the right spot. 

“Oh,” Nat squeaked. “I’ll never get used to that feeling.”

“Move aside, sestra; I want to feel my little plemyannitsa or plemyannik.” (Niece or nephew).

Yelena playfully bumped her sister out of the way with her hip and eagerly reached to touch your stomach.

"Wow, that's amazing!" she cried out. "Hey there, little one. I'm Aunt Yelena, and I will spoil you rotten!"

"Have you two settled on a name yet?" Kate inquired.

"No," you sighed. "We just can't seem to agree. Since we both want to be surprised, it's been twice as hard to come up with two names."

"Don't worry, you'll know when you see the little bundle of joy," Laura reassured.

"This wouldn't be an issue if either of you were open to any of the names I've suggested," Yelena added with a grin.

“Yelena is not an option,” Natasha frustratedly replied.

“What about—“ 

“Neither is Alaska! That isn’t even a name!” Your wife is exasperated.

“It could be!” Yelena said. “What about—“

“Or Wolfgang!” Nat interrupted.

“You lack all originality, sestra,” Yelena berated.

^*~*^

The soft glow of the table lamp reflected off your glasses as you delved into the pages of your latest beloved read. You placed your bookmark between the pages at the sound of your wife closing the bathroom door and crawling into bed beside you.

"Did you get a chance to talk to Helen today?" Nat asked as she helped me fluff up my pregnancy pillow.

"Yeah, I did. She was glad to hear that the swelling in my ankles went down and suggested taking a warm bath to help with the discomfort," you replied, shifting to get comfortable against the pillow.

"Mmm, a warm bath does sound amazing," Natasha hummed as she settled down on her side, facing me.

“Oh, I didn’t realize you’d be joining me?” You said softly, with a sly grin and a raised eyebrow.

“Of course I would, detka,” leaning over and kissing your baby bump. 

You gently squeezed Nat's hand, feeling a wave of anticipation as your due date drew near. Thoughts of what your baby would look like and who they would become filled your mind. Would they inherit Nat's fiery red hair, or perhaps have your Y/E/C eyes? The anticipation was almost overwhelming, but knowing that Natasha was by your side made it all feel possible.

"Are you looking forward to the Easter egg hunt tomorrow?" You asked, pulling yourself out of your daydream.

Nat giggled, "You make it sound like I'm the one participating."

"Well, you might as well be. I can never tell who's more excited, you or the kids," you replied.

Natasha glanced down at our intertwined hands and then back up at you. Her green eyes sparkled like emeralds.

"I think it's because holidays in my childhood weren’t real. We filled the photo album with fake pictures and empty boxes. But this," looking around at the small details of Clint and Laura’s farmhouse, "Is real, and I’ve always done my best to help ensure that Cooper, Lila, and Nate have everything I didn’t. A carefree childhood filled with love," Natasha explained.

"You’ve done a wonderful job with Clint’s kids, Nat. They love you so much, and I know you’ll be just as amazing with our little one," you said, doing your best to reassure her. “Goodnight, Natasha,” kissing her lips. 

“I hope you're right, detka,” Nat said, kissing your lips in return and laying a hand on your stomach. “Goodnight, malen'kiy (little one).

*^~^*

The following day, you awoke to the sun shining through the window and a soft breeze that caused the curtains to dance gently on the wind. Your back was aching, and you were tired, but you were determined to make it through today. You slipped into the most comfortable maternity outfit you had. Natasha helped you with your shoes, and you both went downstairs to the kitchen. 

“Happy Easter, you two!” Clint said upon seeing you two enter the kitchen. 

You sat down at the kitchen table as Laura placed a plate of eggs and toast in front of you and Nat, along with two glasses of orange juice. The kids were already eating and arguing over who would find the most Easter eggs this afternoon. 

Yelena and Kate walked in a few moments later, clad in bathrobes and their hair disheveled. 

“Against the idea of showering and dressing before breakfast, were you?” Natasha asked.

“Kate Bishop kept me up all night with her snoring, and Lucky and Fanny woke me up by sitting on my face,” Yelena mumbled as she flopped beside you. 

“Hey, that’s how dogs shows affection,” Kate interjected.

“So, I should consider your snoring a Valentine?” Yelena deadpanned. 

After breakfast, the kids ran upstairs to prepare for the Easter egg hunt while Clint got a head start on hiding the eggs. Nathaniel insisted Nat accompany him to help find his Easter basket, but she hesitated to leave you.

“Go ahead, babe. I’m fine.” Motioning for her to follow her namesake. 

“So, how are you really feeling?” Laura asked, now that Nat was no longer in the room. 

You let out a deep sigh, “Tired and sore,” resting your head in your hands. “But this quality time with you all means so much to both of us. I can make it one more day before going on bed rest.”

Laura rubbed her hand softly on your back, “Why don’t you sit in the family room with Kate and Yelena until the fun starts.” 

“Okay, that’s a good idea. Make sure Yelena and Kate haven’t snuck into the Easter candy,” you laughed. 

Laura helped you to your feet and then began to clear the table. As you started to walk, you felt a minor twinging pain in your stomach. You winced but thought nothing of it. With the amount of shifting the baby was doing these days, you had every spasm and cramp in the book. Unfortunately for you, you were in a house full of spies, and Laura picked up your discomfort. She made a mental note to watch you as the day progressed.

*^~^*

"Look, there's one!" Cooper exclaimed, pointing at the leather seat of the tractor in the front yard. He dashed towards it, but Lila beat him by a step. "Ha! Slowpoke," she teased.

From your spot on the porch, you glanced over and saw my wife hoisting Nathaniel onto her shoulders to carefully grab an Easter egg from the crook of an old sycamore tree. 

After about 15 minutes, everyone's baskets were full of eggs. Now came the fun of opening them all. You watched as all three kids dug into their baskets, opening the eggs to find mini Hershey bars, M&M's, jelly beans, or starbursts.

Nathaniel walked over to you and placed an Orange Starburst in your hand. "Here, Aunt Y/N. I know the Orange ones are your favorite."

"Aww, thank you, Nate," you said, kissing his forehead.

As you were about to open the soft toffy candy, a sharp contraction cut through my stomach. “Aaah!” you reached for your stomach as you bent over at the knees. Much stronger than anything you had felt before.

Natasha rushed to your side. “Y/N?! Are you okay? What’s wrong?” Reaching for your hand.

"I don’t know," you grunted.

Natasha's voice quivered with anxiety as she tried to rationalize the situation. "This—this can’t be it. We’re still three weeks out," she said, her mind racing with worry. "Maybe it’s just false labor."

That was the moment when your water broke. "Oh God—" you took a sharp breath as another contraction hit.

"Okay, not false labor," Nat conceded.

"It’s okay, Y/N," Laura reassured you calmly, gently taking your hand. "Most first births are a long labor. But we’re going to get you inside, okay?"

You felt a surge of panic. "What? No, no. I can't have the baby here. I'm not ready. We had a birth plan; I don't have my overnight bag!" you started to ramble, the anxiety rising in your voice.

"You're not boarding a Quinjet now. “I'm going to call Helen,” Clint said as he started to run inside.

"What's wrong with Aunt Y/N?” Nathaniel asked.

"Nothing, sweetheart, but the baby is coming a little bit earlier than we thought," Laura said calmly as she and your wife Nat gently guided you up the steps and into the warm and welcoming embrace of the house.

"Cooper and Lila, please grab a soft, warm blanket and clean towels from the linen closet?" Laura called out to the older children, her voice steady and reassuring.

I'l boil some water and tear up some sheets!" Kate announced frantically.

"This isn't Little House on the Prairie," Yelena quipped. She looked at you and Natasha with a warm yet nervous smile. "I’ll call Mom and Dad.”

"I thought you said this was a long process?" you managed to say between deep breaths, feeling a mix of excitement and nervousness.

"Yes, but there's nothing wrong with being prepared, honey," Laura replied with a comforting smile, her hands steady as she and Nat helped you onto the bed.

Natasha gently grasped your hand and locked eyes with you. "Y/N, look at me," she said reassuringly. “You’re okay, and I'm right here with you. Let's take a deep breath together.”

You took a deep breath, trying to follow Natahsa's lead. The air came out shakily as it moved around the sharp pain of the contraction.

"Do you remember your Lamaze breathing?" Nat asked, her voice calm and reassuring.

"I think so," you replied, trying to focus on the breathing technique you had practiced during the prenatal classes.

*^~^*

Contractions came and went over the next few hours. You were thankful that childbirth was part of the first aid classes all SHIELD recruits were required to take. Otherwise, the prospect of giving birth in a farmhouse in the middle of Iowa would have been more terrifying than it already was. 

You heard the front door open and the screen shut behind it as footsteps hurriedly approached the bedroom. When you saw Dr. Cho, you just about burst into tears. 

Helen! Oh, thank goodness," you exclaimed just as another contraction began, your face twisted in agony.

"Y/N," Helen responded, rushing to your side and gently pushing the sweaty strands of hair away from your eyes. "Clint and Laura briefed me. They said that you're handling this wonderfully. Let me take a moment to set up, and then we'll check your dilation progress.”

Okay," you managed to say, catching your breath. "Where's Bruce?"

He's in Kamar-Taj with Wong. Something about ten rings? I'm not entirely sure, but don't worry, both of you," she reassured, meeting your and Natasha’s fatigued and apprehensive gazes. "I have a backup.”

Thor strode into the room, effortlessly carrying a collection of Helen's equipment that seemed as light as a feather in his hands.

"Thor? What are you doing here?" Natasha asked, clearly puzzled.

Thor glanced at your wife, then at you, then at Laura, and then at Helen.

"Hello, everyone," he said shyly. "I was, uh, Helen and I—Dr. Cho. She invited me for Easter, and we were enjoying a nice glass of Asgardian Mead when—"

"When Clint called," Helen finished. "Anyway, he's here to help, right?"

"Of course," Thor replied. "I've never witnessed a human birth before, but I've been present for the births of many Gods and am well-versed in many newborn blessings."

You and Natasha locked eyes, your nervousness quickly replaced with gratitude as you realized the significance of having another close friend by your side during this pivotal moment in your lives.

Natasha expressed her gratitude to Thor, finally breaking the silence. "We're both thankful that you're here," she said, her voice filled with sincerity. 

You nodded in agreement, silently acknowledging the sentiment.

"It's my pleasure, ladies," Thor replied warmly.

“Thor, can you bring the rest of my equipment in from the Quinjet while I check to see how far Y/N is dilated?” Helen asked.

“Sure, and do either of you need anything? He asked.

Some ice chips would be great, you said in a tired voice. “Thank you.”

“Water,” Natasha said.

Shortly after Thor departed, Yelena entered, engaging in small talk as they crossed paths in the hallway. "What's the God of muscles doing here?" she inquired.

"It's a long story," Helen responded.

"I spoke with Melina. She and Alexi are en route and should arrive by morning. At least, I think that's what she said. It was hard to hear her over Alexi's ecstatic screams in the background."

"Okay, Y/N, you've done most of the hard work in my absence. You're just about at 10 centimeters. It’s time to start pushing. You two are going to parents soon," Helen announced with a smile.

“Oh my God,” you said, looking over at Natasha. 

“Hey,” your wife said, running her hand through your hair, “I love you.” 

“I love you too,” you said.

*^~^*

“Push. Push, just a little more! Come on, push for five seconds. 5…4…” Helen counted down.

Gasping for air, you exclaimed, '3-2-1 oh!!' as you fought to catch your breath.

Thor gently wiped away the sweat from your forehead with a cloth.

“You're doing great, Y/N. The next contraction should be coming in about twenty seconds," Helen encouraged, glancing at the monitor. 

“I can’t,” you cried. “I can’t push anymore, I can’t.”

Natasha reassured you, "Yes, you can, Y/N. You're so close," she reached out and firmly took hold of your hand.

“Oh God, twenty seconds, my ass!” You shouted.

Natasha screamed in pain and fell to her knees beside you as you squeezed her hand. “Fuck, detka!”

"Here, Lady Y/N," Thor said, taking her hand in his, "Give my hand a good squeeze; you won't hurt me. And when you reminisce on this moment, you will remember that a God has faith in you. You can do this!" Thor's voice was solid and reassuring, his eyes filled with genuine belief in your strength.

Your eyes shone with tears as you held Thor's hand tightly, feeling the strength in his grip while Natasha enveloped you, her arm supporting your back.

I can see the baby's head. Are you ready to push one more time, honey?” Helen asked, “Here we go, on three: 1... 2... 3!”

You let out a final scream and then collapsed back onto the pillows, trying to catch your breath. As the room fell silent, the innocent cries of your and Natasha’s baby filled the air.

"It's a boy!" Helen exclaimed with joy.

Tears welled up in your eyes as you looked at Natasha, who was also crying. It was more emotion than you had ever seen Natasha show before.

Helen held up your son for both of you to admire. His little head was adorned with the beginnings of red hair. 

"He's absolutely perfect," Nat exclaimed with a radiant smile as she affectionately kissed your temple.

Thor carefully cut the umbilical cord, and then Helen gently passed the newborn over to Laura, who began to clean him up. 

Overwhelmed with emotion, you exclaimed, "He's so tiny! Where'd he go?"

Natasha reassured you, "It's okay. They're just wrapping him up," as she wiped away her tears. Concerned for the baby's well-being, you cautioned, "Okay, well, be careful with him. He's really tiny!”

Moments later, Laura tenderly announced, "Here he is," and placed your precious son on your bare chest, swathed in a soft blanket.

"Hi, baby boy," you whispered, tears streaming down your cheeks. "I know you."

As your voice reached his ears, his little Y/E/C irises opened, revealing a world of innocence and wonder.

At that moment, gazing at your son, you experienced a love so profound it felt as though your heart had been laid bare.

Natasha tenderly kissed his head and softly murmured, “Dobro pozhalovat' v mir, moy malen'kiy mal'chik.” (Welcome to the world, my little boy).

We’ll give you a few minutes," Helen said with a reassuring smile as she closed the door behind her. In the serene stillness that followed, the only sound was the gentle cooing of your precious newborn son.

“I can't believe he's finally here,” you said.

"I know. He’s so beautiful," Natasha said, her gaze fixed on the newborn.

"It looks like he’s going to take after his Mama," you chuckled, running your hand over the delicate red hairs sprouting from his scalp.

"Yes, but look at his eyes—sparkling Y/E/C like yours. Wow," Nat said.

You remarked, "I guess this narrows the names down, then."

Nat sighed in relief, "Thank goodness I don't have to explain to my sister why we didn't choose Yelena."

Looking into your wife's eyes, you asked, "So what do you think?"

*^~^*

A short while later, a gentle knock on the door signaled Helen's arrival as she peeked inside. "Hey, you three. I need to conduct a few routine tests, and there are some eager people outside who can't wait to meet your son."

"Please, come on in, everyone," you welcomed them.

You couldn't hold back the tears as you witnessed the heartfelt expressions on their faces as they laid eyes on your baby boy. It was as if he instantly captivated them, just as you were when you first saw him.

"Oh, my goodness," Laura exclaimed as Clint enveloped Natasha tightly. Tears glistened in his eyes as he held his best friend close.

"He's beautiful, Natasha," Yelena said, her eyes brimming with tears. "Privet, malen'kiy plemyannik," she whispered (hello, my little nephew).

"He's so cute, Y/N! Oh my gosh," Kate exclaimed as your son wrapped his tiny hand around your finger.

"He is lovely," Thor added, his voice filled with warmth. "Strong and brave, like his mothers."

Cooper, Lila, and Nathaniel gathered around you, admiring the newborn in your arms.

"Everyone," Natasha began, her hand resting lovingly on your back. "We have someone special we'd like you to meet.”

“This is Nikolai Odison Romanoff," you announced with a proud smile.

"Nikolai! What a beautiful first name," Clint exclaimed, wiping his eyes. "It suits him perfectly."

"Oh, my, Odison," Thor said wide-eyed. "Ladies, this is an honor fit for someone else. I wasn't even supposed to be here, I—" 

"But you were, Thor. You were here when I needed someone the most," you said, looking at him with gratitude. "We'll never forget what you did for us."

The God of Thunder exhaled, visibly touched by your kind words. "I'm truly honored, Y/N. Thank you," he said, kissing your cheek.

Excuse me, ladies," Helen said, "May I borrow him for a moment? We'll be right back.”

Nikolai began to cry at the loss of contact with you, and the sound tugged at both your and Natasha's heartstrings. "It's okay, little one. It's okay," Helen soothed him. 

Then, looking up at your wife, you added, "There is something else we wanted to ask. 

“Clint and Laura, we would be honored if you would be Nikolai’s godparents,” Natasha said.

“Of course!” Clint declared.

“Nothing would make us happier,” Laura added.”

The couple hugged you both in appreciation as Helen returned with Nikolai. 

“You have a healthy little boy on your hands! Born March 31st, 2024 at 7:23pm. He weighs five pounds and eight ounces and measures 16.5 inches long," she said as she gently placed your son in Natasha’s arms. "He's a bit small, but that is because he was impatient and arrived a bit early," Helen explained with a warm smile. "Nothing to worry about.”

Natasha cradled the baby in her arms, swaying gently back and forth as a soft yawn slipped from his tiny lips.

“We’ll spend the night here, but I want to bring Mom and Nikolai back to the compound tomorrow. I want to perform a thorough examination in my lab before sending you all home.” Helen explained.

"Of course, whatever you think is best," you agreed.

Natasha nodded in approval before a sudden realization struck her. "Oh, Mom and Dad! They're on their way here."

"They can join us if you'd like," Helen suggested.

"That would be great," you said. "Right, Nat?"

"Yeah, great," Natasha said, her mind racing as she tried to imagine the chaos of the Quinjet flight home with Alexi and Melina.

Yelena couldn't help but burst into laughter, fully aware of what her sister was thinking, until Kate elbowed her in the ribs.

"We'll leave you all to get some rest," Helen said. "I'll be outside if you need anything, and I'll be back in a little while to help you with breastfeeding him.”

"Thank you, Helen, and all of you, for everything," you said, feeling the exhaustion and emotions of the day overwhelming you as tears began to fall.

After exchanging warm embraces, everyone exited the room, leaving you and Natasha in peaceful solitude with your precious newborn son, savoring the tender moment.

Natasha gently settled Nikolai in Nathaniel's bassinet, a family heirloom lovingly retrieved from storage by Clint and Laura. As your little one drifted into a peaceful slumber, you both couldn't help but marvel at the miracle of life, watching his tiny chest rise and fall with each breath. It was a moment you never wanted to forget.

“Rest, detka. I'll take care of Nikolai," Nat offered, her voice filled with warmth and reassurance.

"I can stay up; it's fine. You should rest," you insisted, determined to take responsibility.

"Y/N, you've just brought new life into the world. You deserve to rest for the rest of your life," Nat chuckled, her eyes filled with affection and concern.

She settled beside you on the bed and enveloped you in a comforting embrace.

"Look at your face," Nat suddenly remarked, her expression softening with genuine admiration.

"I must look a mess," you replied, a tired smile tugging at your lips.

"No, Y/N, you look absolutely beautiful," Nat insisted, her words filled with sincerity. "I've never seen your face more radiant than it is right now.

Natasha's soft lips met yours in a tender kiss, and in that moment, you felt the truth of her words resonate deep within you.

*^~^*

The following day, Laura prepared a delicious breakfast and brought it to you and Natasha in bed. Both of you had barely gotten any sleep with Nikolai waking up every couple of hours. Despite feeling utterly exhausted, you didn't mind one bit. This weariness stemmed from the joy of caring for your precious newborn son on his very first night.

Twenty minutes later, the tranquil moment was interrupted by familiar voices outside. Natasha gently pulled the curtain back to glimpse her parents making their way up the front porch steps.

Yelena strode into the room with her arms folded and a mischievous smile on her lips. "Brace yourselves," she teased, "The grandparents have arrived.”

"Where's my little guy?" Alexi eagerly shouted as he entered the room.

"Shh!" Natasha hushed him with a grin, motioning to Nikolai nestled in her arms. "Oh, look at him!" Alexi whispered in awe. 

"Mom, Dad, this is Nikolai,” Nat said, wiping a tear from her eye.

"He's beautiful, Natalia," Melina murmured.

"May I hold him? I washed my hands," Alexi asked eagerly.

"Of course," you replied, carefully passing the baby to Alexi. The sight of the mighty Red Guardian tenderly cradling your newborn son made you smile.

"Hello, Nikolai. I'm your dedushka," Alexi said affectionately. "You're so adorable; yes, you are."

As he spoke, Nikolai slowly opened his eyes, and you could have sworn you saw your father-in-law's heart swell with love. 

Alexi gently placed the baby in Melina’s arms. Your mother-in-law had always been a complex and enigmatic figure. She was one of the longest-tenured widows, and her resilience made her one of the strongest women in your eyes. As she cradled your newborn son in her arms, a single tear traced its way down her cheek, revealing a depth of emotion and vulnerability that you had never seen before.

Yelena inched toward you and whispered, “He won them over faster than you did.” 

*^~^*

The next morning, Thor joined in to assist with packing while Clint hurried to the store to purchase an infant car seat for Nikolai. You were a family of two when you arrived, and you were leaving a family of three.

After a swift diaper change, Natasha placed your precious bundle of joy in his carrier. "Time to head home, Nik," you said, taking his tiny hand in yours. 

You bid farewell to everyone and securely placed Nikolai's carrier beside you on the Quinjet.

Nat smiled as she prepared the Quinjet for takeoff. Your first Quinjet ride," she said. "You're already an overachiever, moy sladkiy mal'chik" (my sweet little boy).

Your phone suddenly vibrates with a flurry of notifications.

"The team group chat is blowing up, sweetheart," showing Natasha your phone.

Nick Fury: Congratulations on the arrival of your precious son, Nikolai! It's heartwarming to see the Avengers family welcoming the newest member. Everyone at SHIELD looks forward to meeting him and supporting you and Natasha.

Steve Rogers: Hey, Y/N and Nat, huge congratulations! I'm so excited to meet Nikolai, the newest addition to our Avenger family. 🎖️

Wanda Maximoff: Congratulations to you both! All those cliches, those things you hear about having a baby and motherhood—all of them are true. Motherhood is the most beautiful things you will ever experience. I’ll drop off some food for you both in the morning. 🥰

Clint Barton: Hey, Y/N! Make sure Nikolai is securely fastened in his infant carrier. I hope he sleeps the whole way back. If he gets fussy, ask FRIDAY to turn on the cabin pressure stabilization. It's a feature I insisted Stark add to the Quinjet after SHIELD found out I had kids. You're welcome. 😏

Laura Barton: I know things didn't go as planned, but I'm grateful we could share in your special day, Y/N. Nikolai is absolutely beautiful! Please let Nat know that I'll give her a call tomorrow. 😊

Tony Stark: Rushman! Y/L/N! Congratulations on the arrival of your precious son. Nikolai will bring you endless joy and fulfillment and become your favorite reason to lose sleep for the rest of your lives. 😉

Pepper Stark: Congratulations, you two! I'm so happy for you and Nat. I can only imagine how incredible it must feel to look into Nikolai's eyes and feel like everything is right in the world. Please don't hesitate to reach out if there's anything I can do to help. Sending lots of love! ❤️

Bruce Banner: I'm truly sorry I couldn't be there; I’m thrilled for you and Natasha. I can't wait to meet Nikolai! 💚

Maria Hill: Congratulations, Y/N and Nat, on the arrival of baby Nikolai Odison! I can't wait to meet the little bundle of joy and see those tiny fingers and toes. The name Nikolai Odison Romanoff is absolutely beautiful. I spoke with Thor this morning, and the honor deeply moved him. 🥹

Thor Odinson: I am incredibly grateful to have been present for the birth of your son, Nikolai Odison Romanoff. Your decision to include me in this momentous occasion is a great honor, and I want to assure you that I will always be there to support and care for all of you. The arrival of Nikolai is a joyous event, and I am committed to being a steadfast presence in his life. ⚡

Peter Parker: Y/N! Congratulations on the arrival of Nikolai! I'm so thrilled for you and Nat. What does he look like? Does he have your hair or Natasha’s? What color are his eyes? I'm already thinking about all the adventures we'll have with him. I'm going to text Nat right now. I can't wait to meet him! 💙

Yelena Belova: Give my little nephew a kiss and hug from me. Also, heads up - Mom and Dad are considering staying with you for eight weeks to help care for Nikolai. Happy Parenting! 😂

Kate Bishop: Yelena is sitting next to me, and she can't stop laughing, so I'm going to assume that everything is going well. Please give Nikolai a kiss and hug from me! 🩵

*^~^*

You and Natasha stood together at the front of the Quinjet, the hum of the engines surrounding you as the aircraft soared safely through the sky. 

“Nikolai is sound asleep. I don't think your parents have taken their eyes off our son since they got here,” turning around to see Melina and Alexi lovingly admiring their grandson. 

Nat lovingly reached for your hand. “Our son,” she repeated with a big smile.

Nat took her place in the pilot's seat and turned off the autopilot as you settled in beside her.

"Come on, Y/N. Let’s go home.”

[lilacliquors]

pairing: billy butcher x reader

word count: 1166

notes: on the twelfth day of ficmas, lilacliquors gave to me ... billy butcher learning the true meaning of christmas!

and this is the final day of ficmas!! i said it the other day, but thank you so much for participating in our very successful 12 days of ficmas, and for enjoying the little one shots.

the full masterlist will be queued up for christmas day as a little gift to you, and then i'll go back to posting the stuff in my inbox / some other things in the coming days! have a happy holiday if you celebrate, and a very happy new year <3

if anyone was a pre-roast beast carving grinch, it was billy butcher. he was never one to get into the holiday spirit, claiming he had nothing to celebrate. nothing you did could help change his mind, he was so set in his ways. you, on the other hand, loved the holidays. they filled you with a kind of joy that only came around once a year. it had always been a big holiday with your family, and you carried on a lot of the traditions you all had. 

you had your three types of cookies to bake: almond crescent, peppermint pinwheels, and gingerbread men. you started playing christmas music on black friday, queueing up your favorites right away and changing the radio station on the weekends to the one you knew would be playing nonstop holiday tunes. you had your whole apartment decorated just days after thanksgiving, and it looked perfect every time. so perfect, in fact, that billy couldn’t help but be in awe when he came by to visit you.

he knew you loved the holidays, he just couldn’t understand why. to him, it was just any other time of year, just much colder and far more annoying when you had random people ringing bells and collecting for sham charities. it was a load of bullshit to him, but rather than dim your light, he kept his mouth shut when he was with you. today was going to be a little harder, though, because he was joining you on a little shopping trip.

“why are we doing this again?” he asked, watching as you wrapped your scarf around your neck.

“because i picked a few names from an angel tree, and we’re going to give those kids a merry christmas. come on, this is the fun part,” you said.

“angel tree? the fuck is that?” he held the door open for you, and you both ventured out into the cold.

“okay, so, it’s a tree that has the names, ages, and christmas wishes of children from families that might not have the means to celebrate christmas. so, you pick a name, or a few, from the tree, and you fulfill their christmas wish! i think it’s a really great cause, i do it every year,” you explained, walking beside him down the sidewalk. billy said nothing, but just simply shrugged his shoulders. sounded like a load of shit to him, but you were excited for it, so what was the harm in humoring you?

you made it to the department store, and once inside, you pulled out the tags of the children whose names you picked. to billy’s surprise, you had around five tags in your hands, and he guided you to the side as you read them out.

“okay, i picked ones who asked for clothes, but not as many toys. they’ve got the sizes listed, so this will be a piece of cake. come on!” you tucked the tags away, took billy’s hand, and started making your way to the children’s section of the floor. 

“i thought kids wanted all them fuckin’ noisy pieces of junk. why’d you pick clothes?” he asked, watching as you thumbed through the wracks of clothes.

“clothes tend to be more expensive, and not as many people feel inclined to pick them. they think toys are easier, and that all kids want toys, no matter what. but sometimes, all these boys and girls want is a new winter coat, since theirs is two sizes two small. or warm pajamas, or new sneakers because their feet are too big. they don’t ask for much, they know they can’t. so why deny them this in favor of some plastic?”

billy fell silent as he watched you hold up a coat. it was purple with a soft lavender lining, a hood on the back, and pockets that zipped shut. it looked warm, cozy, perfect for a little girl. you set it over your arm and went back to looking, and billy held out his hand.

“here, let me hold the tags. i’ll read them out to you,” he said, and you smiled.

“thanks. here you go.” you handed him the tags, and he read them over himself. just like you had described, four out of the five asked for winter jackets. one asked for a sweater, another for new winter boots. he glanced up at you, and you now had a few more coats in your arms, and you looked over to confirm you had the right sizes.

“all right, you think these will do?” you asked, holding up your haul.

“i think they’re perfect. let’s go find that sweater, and those boots.”

you walked along together, and with him beside you this time, you looked through the children’s sweaters. this one was for a little girl, age six, and nothing was really speaking to you. but then, to your surprise, billy held up a light blue sweater with beautifully knitted snowflakes on it.

“what do you think of this one?” he asked, angling it so you could see better.

“i think it’s perfect, but check the size.”

“already did. it’ll fit her, promise.”

you smiled, then gave him a thumbs up. he smiled a bit, then draped it over his arm before you went on to find the rest of the items on the tags. soon, both his and your arms were full of other clothes, the coats, and one teddy bear that billy picked out for a little boy. you made it to the register, and together, you split the cost of everything. once it was bagged and you were on your way, billy wrapped his arm around your shoulders and tucked you close to his side.

“you’re a good one, you know that?” he asked as you walked.

“so are you,” you replied.

“nah, not me. always been a heartless bastard.”

“a heartless bastard wouldn’t have found that teddy bear. or that sweater. give yourself some credit here, butcher. you’re gonna help make this christmas the best one some of these kids have ever had. it’s the most wonderful time of the year, after all. season of giving and all that,” you said, nudging him gently. he glanced down at the bags between you, then shrugged again and offered a small smile.

“yeah, maybe it is. but that one woman in the toy aisle was a right cunt. did you see the look she was givin’ me?” he asked, and you laughed.

“oh my god, of course i did! it was like she’d never seen a grown man with a teddy bear before. he was a cutie, by the way.”

“mh, cute little fucker. guess that’s what this is all about, eh? making other people happy?” 

“that’s how i’ve always seen it.”

“then … as long as i get to make you happy, i can give this holiday shit a try. starting next year.”

a whole 365 days away? you smiled. after all, it was a start.

[savelockwoodandco]

A quick note of housekeeping...

We're stunned, honored, and awe-struck by the sheer amount of energy, time, and passion that our wonderful LockNation puts into this campaign. Nothing could happen without you all, and it's a privilege to see it all unfurl before our eyes -- and to be a place where people can find the information they need to participate, of course!

That all being said and 100% meant, we've seen a handful of scattered posts about a Certain Issue, so we feel the need to address it, and feel that there's no better time than right before what is, for a large portion of the online LockNation presence, a long 4-day holiday weekend.

Everyone has, in addition to their love and passion for Lockwood & Co, a life to live. While some of the fandom has few obligations and pulls on their time, others have barely a second to spare to send the odd tweet or reblog the odd post before being pulled back in to their duties and responsibilities. Twitter Mod and I (Tumblr Mod) are the only two examples I can personally cite, knowing our circumstances, but on any given day we both have jobs (in the plural), family obligations, general life duties (cleaning, cooking, stocking the pantry, taking care of those we're responsible for, and myriad health issues -- not to mention the right and duty to ourselves to relax and have fun. Some days include all of those things, some include 'just' a handful.

And despite all that, we're far from the busiest members of this fandom.

Some people manage to pack a lot of campaigning into their "L&Co Time", some manage very little. Some have a lot of time and energy to give, some have very little. And, depending on the day, week, month, time of year, or any other designator, some people fall into all of these categories.

It is not, never has been, and never will be helpful, kind, or even a little acceptable to belittle others for what you may perceive their level of contribution to the campaign to be.

Minus a few notable incidents that would not be appropriate nor productive to discuss here, this fandom is in general known for its kindness, politeness, and welcoming nature. It would be a shame if anyone let their zeal for saving the show get in the way of how they should treat others.

We sincerely wish you all a very happy Thanksgiving, whether you celebrate or not, and are proud to stand tall with some of the kindest and most helpful people we've had the pleasure to meet over the many decades of our lives. Let's keep working, keep helping, and keep standing -- and sincerely and warmly love others when they cannot stand as tall or as often as we think they should.

[am-i-the-asshole-official]

AITA for not cooking for/not attending a work function?

I work in a pretty traditional office setting. There's maybe 60-70 employees. All the admin staff (like me) are exclusively female, and most of the higher earning staff are male. We routinely have office wide potlucks, like the one today to celebrate Thanksgiving. It's only ever the (female) admin staff who bring food; those higher up the ladder never bring food or help to make these events happen, but they're all too happy to eat.

I usually cook for these events. I'm a good cook and a baker, I frequently win friendly baking competitions around the office and have become known over the years for certain dishes I'll make. People will ask for them.

This year I'm disenchanted with the business; some recent structural changes have negatively impacted my income and my enjoyment of my work. I am tired and stressed and wasn't in the mood to cook, and on top of that I'm in the process of overhauling my diet but I don't want to talk about that at work. So I chose not to make anything, and I also chose not to attend. I didn't want to answer questions about why I wasn't eating and why I hadn't brought anything.

Here's where I think I might be the asshole; while I'm grumpy about internal politics, I do generally like the people I work with, and these meals, like the one happening right now, are as much about hanging out and enjoying each other's company as they are about the food. I can hear everybody down the hall eating together but I'm sitting at my desk. I'm sure people will notice I'm not there and I'm sure there will be questions later. I'll play it off but I wonder if I look ungrateful or anti social for not participating at all. I'm wondering if I should have just bucked up and made something/attended and not eaten. So AITA for not doing it?

What are these acronyms?

[dameronology]

I’d love any HCs you have about Matt and Thanksgiving, maybe with a reader that doesn’t have any family either? Obvs Matt’s childhood is a little short in the holiday traditions, but maybe they’ve been together a while and the could do something together?

disclaimer/trigger warning: i am english and quite honestly have no clue what thanksgiving is. i've seen all the friends thanksgiving episodes though, so i'm calling that revision

matt would celebrate thanksgiving with his dad as a little kid; it was just the two of them, so jack would do the best he could to make the holidays special. some of matt's favourite memories are those cold winter mornings, listening to the thanksgiving parade on their shitty little t.v.

after jack's passing, he kinda disassociated from those celebrations. there was normally a little thanksgiving thing for the kids at the orphanage and a bigger one at christmas. it was always loud and overwhelming for matty though, so his participation was always bare minimum.

so, it always takes a little convincing on your part to celebrate the holidays, since they're a little tainted for him now. when you first get together, matt is happy to just have a few drinks with you, foggy & karen the night before thanksgiving, but the actual day he wants to be just like any other.

then, as your relationship develops and you get a bit more serious - probably living together now - you try to get him to celebrate a little more. you know exactly how he feels, having no family to celebrate with, but you're each other's family now.

this is where the new tradition begins: you have a lay in, catch the later half of the thanksgiving parade on the t.v (even though matt is sure he can hear the damn thing across the city if he concentrates hard enough) and you order lunch and dinner from a local diner.

there's no cooking, no housework, no stress. just you and him, curled up on the couch with good food and each other's company.

and when foggy and karen return from their own respective thanksgiving, complaining about overbearing parents and irritating siblings, you and matt can't help but smile.

[alphasunpup]

Feedist Kinktober Day 1- Farmers' Market

Hello people! Happy to participate in feedist kinktober again, and doing something new where I schedule out my posts ☺️. Welp as always let me know what you think in the comments, thank you!

You'd always heard about the farmers market but thought nothing of it growing up. Of course you lived right next to the local grocery store as a kid. But living in the city had made you unhappy. Well most would've called you down right despondent and miserable but that was neither here nor there. So, you moved out into the forest and you had never been so happy. But figuring out how to get food had been harder than you thought now that you lived in bumfuck nowhere. Luckily for you there was a farmer's market only a few minutes down the road from your home. You decided to see what these things were about and now you realized you missed out during your college and childhood years. There's people all around all shopping for homemade fresh goods, fresh fruit, fresh vegetables, even small trinkets. You don't notice how all the people around you are fattened like a Thanksgiving turkey. You grab your favorite fruits and some vegetables for some stew. But those who run the farmer's market notice your new face. That gaunt look all city folk have when they first move. So, they offer you freshly baked goods, homemade honey, organic milk and a myriad of gifts. You feel so loved even though you hadn't bought much. The ingredients you bought were so much more delicious than anticipated. You didn't expect the milk to be as sweet and creamy as it was. The thickness reminding you more so of a milkshake than actual milk. The honey every time you drizzled on the freshly baked bread was heaven. You were surprised how the bread still had that airiness to it and crunch even after a couple of days. Within a few weeks, the pounds had deliciously set on you. You hadn't even noticed the new paunch that pushed against your green sweater. Now, you were starting to look like a proper local. So, when you go to pay for the fruits and veggies again, the owners are happy to supply you with more gifts.

[b-00-biez]

What's it like getting festive with the slashers🎄

Warning:none just pure fluff

Characters: Thomas hewitt, Bo sinclair, Lester Sinclair, Michael Myers, Brahms Heelshire

Thomas Hewitt

You for real know that their family celebrates thanksgiving and its Thomas' favorite

They all get together at one table and eat but this time it's with you 🥺💕

Yeah he has work and all but its a holiday give him a break Hoyt

YOU CANT CONVINCE ME THIS MAN DOES NOT WEAR A MATCHING SWEATER WITH YOU

Omg and he helps Luda Mae with the cooking and it's *chefs kiss*

He can't buy presents for you but he makes them just for you🥺

But like if you got married and had a kid. He would have a santa costume

Like those trends where parents plant evidence that santa is there

Big foot prints, Someone ate the milk and cookies etc.

ITS GOING TO BE THE CUTEST EVER

PROTECT HIM AT ALL COST

Bo Sinclair

Not really a festive guy so it's going to take a lot of convincing to get him to join in

#thegrinch😒

"Dress up as Mrs. Claus and maybe I'll join in on the fun🥴"

SMACK

Nu uh he needs to behave this christmas or else santa doesnt give him a present

Although he's not festive, he still supports his brother in celebrating it aka Lester

Like he would help him put christmas lights around the house, inflate santa claus and set more decorations up

You gave him a toy truck

A toy truck.

ITS THE CUTEST THING HE HAS EVER SEEN

Yeah he feels offended that you bought him a kid's toy but like you told him it reminded you of him.

He says he doesn't like it but you see the toy just sitting on his truck at the front.

But he gives you a red lingerie from Christmas😒✋ cant complain though it does enhances your body

Lester Sinclair

"ITS CHRISTMAS"

The Christmas enthusiast

He would clearly have the most colorful house around town

He is the one who plans fun activities on Christmas

OMG HE HAS THE BEST HOT COCOA EVER

Like my god it felt like heaven when you took a sip

AND HE DRESSES UP HIS DOG

Like a little elf outfit 🥺

He actually gives you something you like unlike Bo 😒

Like makeup? sure. A squishmello Certainly! ANYTHING

You gave him an Advent Calendar and he was squealing like a lil kid

"omg Y/n you gave me a present!"

He's such a bundle of joy honestly

He also helps Vincent cook

Yes He and Vincent know how to cook in this house

He bakes little sugar cookies with you to complement the hot cocoa he made

OMG I LOVE HIM SO MUCH AAAAAAA

Michael Myers

he doesn't know why you want to celebrate a holiday like this

He cant kill people cause they're all together but does he give a shit no but its an inconvenient for him

If you persuade him until he gives in

He might join in

You have to do all the cooking sorry

This man doesnt like cooking a lot especially if it's just the two of you

PRESENTS OMG

He is the actual grinch

He steals presents and a fucking christmas tree qhen you asked him to buy one

No , hes not going to buy one its expensive😒

So now it's like a surprise since you dont know what you get from the presents he stole

It was mostly toys and some were a bit expensive but nonetheless you thanked your boyfriend for participating

HE REFUSES TO DECORATE THE OUTSIDE OF THE HOUSE

Nu uh hes not going to put christmas lights

Inside is okay like lil ornaments around

But OUTSIDE?! No

His favorite activity in the holiday is just to cuddle with you beside the fireplace

Brahms Heelshire

Is excited for Christmas internally

He gets what he wants and sometimes it gets boring once you get it all

so most of the toys hehad growing up is either displayed in his room or somewhere else in the attic

He is happy when his mother was opening presents for him like a little kid

When he was a kid he would honestly stay up just to see santa claus but falls asleep

He forgot that innocent feeling once he got older

You told him they could make a snowman and honestly

Little by little you restored his childhood

Opening your presents was a fun thing for him

He probably gets another book or maybe just maybe he gets a cellphone or a PS5

Yes you want him to just be aware what is happening to the world outside of his manor

He sometimes sneaks a few orders on Amazon to get you a gift or

This little bastard gives you missing items that are yours!

He gave it back but once Christmas is over he is going to take it again

[generallysapphic]

let’s go everywhere together +18 (riri williams x reader) pt 2

it’s one of your first school breaks with riri and you’ve been trying to avoid any contact with your family for as long as possible, ignoring phone calls and not reading texts. riri notices this, and plans a couple of weeks away for you both, surprising you and accidentally causing some of the problems you wanted to avoid arise.

we’re back again folks. riri my love, i neeeddd you. y’all already know this is that little riri series i’m working on and i really hope you guys are liking it bc i don’t plan on stopping anytime soon! riri means the world to me (part one here!)

my usually warnings; overstim, strap on sex, crying, praise kink, pet names, light bullying, squirting, multiple orgasms, reader gets spoiled/ mild angst, homophobic family, unsupportive family, lesbianaphobia and harsh language, crying (for a different reason), supportive! riri, defensive! riri

song inspo : do you mind by evann mcintosh

tag list; thank you my loves for all the support!! @chidinma @rxcently @vlkyriesverse @verachii @widowmakker @mocha-aya @shuristan101 @dejaonline @supahst4r @no-oneelsebutnsu @an1meslvt @shuriszn @yamsthoughts @6-noir @g4yforu @adharaoaklyn @remwritess @lolas-bunny @msplayas @acommonwhor3

enjoy!! 💟

riri had been spoiling you lately. and you knew exactly why.

spring break was coming up, and the year had flown right past your eyes. your grades were good, you were good, so happy and content living your little life with riri on campus, but it was all coming to an end. in just one short week, your world was going to come crashing down. in one week you’d either have to decide to go back home for three weeks and face the wrath that is your extremely awful mother or nearly empty your already small bank account to rent an air bnb or hotel room long enough for the break.

you couldn’t fathom staying with your mother, it would practically kill you; her terrible, old ways and just all in all intensity was just so unpleasant to be around, but it was overall how much you knew she hated that you were a lesbian. it ate her up inside like she was dealing with her own demons about her sexuality of some sort, but you couldnt take three weeks of fighting, or her threatening to kick you out or end your phone plan or anything like that.

and those thoughts have been weighing on you, making you go quiet during conversations and having a lull in participation in even your favorite class. all your cakes in culinary were failing and your notes had become jumbled and useless to understand, so much so your professors pulled you aside to ask if there was any way they could help.

you always said, “yes, keep me in class over break so i don’t have to go home,” and they always laughed, even though you were completely serious.

riri was picking up on this too. she would constantly buy you things, you spent every single night in her dorm, or you were never in yours alone. she would be at your side, always trying to make you laugh in some way to ease your mind. and you appreciated it, of course you did, but thoughts like these weren’t just going to disappear anytime soon.

it was really weighing you down.

you were leaving your composition and design class, and in two short hours you’d literally be homeless, broke, or driven into insanity and the thought made your chest ache. you sighed as your phone rang in your pocket, you knew who it was, even though you had blocked her after her very disturbing comments on thanksgiving.

once the call dropped, you called riri, already feeling tears weld up in your eyes. she picks up almost immediately, “hey baby, class over?” and you whisper a small “yeah,” walking straight to her dorm with your head down and voice quiet. riri hears it though, “hey, it’s alright baby, she still calling?” and you nod even though you know she can’t see you, but she understands. “when you get home, i have a surprise okay, it’ll make you feel so much better i promise, okay? it’s already unlocked,” and you smiled, eyes still wet but your heart finally slowed, “thank you, baby,”

and you hear her smile, “anything for you,” your steps pick up a bit, and finally you’re at her building.

riri’s music is heard through her dorm room before you even get there and you smile to yourself, happy to know everything will get better the minute you open her door.

when you do, riri’s packing, most of her dorm already barren and empty and your heart sinks. right, you think, riri’s leaving. your mind reels for a second but riri sees you and comes up to you and rubs your arms, “hey, woah, whatever you’re thinking stop it because it’s not it, it’s alright,” and you nod, trying to hear her but your eyes are already getting wet again and you feel stupid and so over it—

and riri pulls up her phone, showing you her screen, and it says,

your two week air bnb has been booked! confirmation code 7HD89JKMA. CHECK IN: April, 4 2:00 pm under name, RIRI WILLIAMS, for destination myrtle beach, south carolina thank you!

you blink for a second, not actually understand the message until riri talks again, “i know you were really stressed about going home and all that shit for spring break, so i thought we could spend it together,” she says, smiling, and your heart swells and you smile, eyes now wet for a different reason, and you want to hug her but you think—

“oh my god, riri, how much was this? we can’t— you shouldn’t have—” and she cuts you off, “actually i didn’t even spend that much. turns out the owners are real but fans of ironheart, so, for a little fee of 10k, i gave them a lil prototype blaster i made,” she shrugs a bit when you laugh at her, shocked, “i honestly can’t believe they bought it, that thing was so useless,” she’s saying but you can’t hear her, your head is ringing and you’re filled with so much joy.

you nearly tackle her into a hug, much like she does you, and she laughs as you kiss all over her face, your lip gloss getting everywhere and you’re saying “thank you, thank you, thank you,” over and over again and riri holds you close, rubbing your back and kissing you when your lips finally meet. she holds you there, a long, deep kiss, and you smile into it, holding on to her like she’s the only think that matters. you pull away, sighing, “i love you,” you whisper against her nose and she whispers it right back, looking deep into your eyes.

you’ve packed nearly everything you could think of, sunscreen, toothpaste, your hair products… you’re fumbling through your bad at the air port, checking one last time and riri comes back with your sandwhiches laughing. “babe, you’ve got it all, we checked like four times, it’s alright,” she says exasperated. you sigh out a laugh as she sits down, “i know, you’re right, okay. i’ll stop, which ones yours?” and she hands you your food and you both sit in comfortable silence.

you smile to yourself as the time passes, riri on her phone watching some show she’s tried to rope you into and you listening to music, head on her shoulder as you wait for your flight to board. you still couldn’t fathom that riri had done all this just for you, just so you could stop worrying and finally relaxing.

you sigh to yourself and glance at her slightly, her eyebrows down as her murder mystery plays. you chuckle and she looks at you, “what?” she says smirking, and you giggle, “no, nothing your show watching face is just so cute, you look so serious,” and she shoves you a bit, “man, look, i’m trying to figure who murder angela! and they keep talking about stupid shit, like i can’t, even the deceive is pissing me of like—,” and she’s rambling again, already eager to talk to you about her show, and you’ve heard a million times but it still makes you smile.

you feel your phone buzz in your pocket though, before riri can get too deep in it, and your heart sinks a bit. riri notices, “how many times is that today?” she says quietly, focusing all her attention on you now. you sigh once the call drops, “15,” whispering it out like it’s a secret. riri exhales right behind you, “fucking shit, that’s insane,” and you nod, leaning back into her shoulder. she wraps an arm around you, kissing your forehead lightly, “when we land you gonna turn your phone off?” she suggested still quiet, and you chew on your lip thinking. she had asked you beforehand, during your packing and you gave her an uneasy shrug.

“what if it’s an emergency? what if she needs me?” you said sadly, fulling sitting down and riri almost rolled her eyes at you, “baby, look at me, if it was an emergency there’s something called voicemail. and who cares?! she treated you like shit!” and you sigh,

“i know, it’s just,” you fold another pair of pants, “she’s my mom, i guess,” you whisper and riri walks over to you, titling your head up, “i know, mami, but look at how much this stresses you out. i just want you happy, baby, in anyway possible. so just, think about it okay?” and you nod and riri kisses you slowly, hands on your waist to pull you closer.

you put your hand in hers, sighing, “i might. i think i will,” you say quietly and she nods, licking her lips to hide her smile. you chuckle to yourself because you see it, she’s so obvious, and suddenly your flight number is up on the screen, the now boarding sign making you and riri jump up and collect your things, shoving a few more pieces of sandwich in your mouths. the plane boards quickly, everyone just like you and riri, rushing to get somewhere else for spring break. you sit once you’ve past all the security and riri, being the sweet girlfriend she is, gives you the window seat. you smile at her, a silent thank you, as the plane begins to take off.

riri’s checked every bed, bathroom, and beyond once you guys arrive to make sure everything is clean and ready to be used. you had gone to the master bedroom and god, it was gorgeous; long wall sized windows against the side that opened to a gorgeous balcony right above a small pool downstairs. the bed itself was huge, you and riri so used to the twin xl’s MIT provided had you both geeked. you’re on the balcony, breathing in and sighing once you hear the all clear from riri downstairs.

“so after we get all unpacked you wanna head to the beach, relax a bit before the sun sets, yeah?” she says behind you and turn to her, soft smile on your lips. she’s already changed, some shorts (god, look at her thighs) and a crop top, already changed for the warmer weather of south carolina. she smiles back at you when she sees you, “what?” her mouth quirking up to the sides, like she already knows and it’s likely she does.

you walk slowly to her, smiling and biting your lip, before you wrap your arms around her neck and pull her close, “thank you baby,” you whisper lowly and she gets the hint and smiles a bit harder too, leaning in with a, “youre welcome, my love,” whispered back before your mouth is finally on hers.

it starts slow, both you and riri just happy to feel each other and finally having some time outside of school to be in each other presence. you’ve already cut your phone off, riri almost begging you to once the plane lands and you do, agreeing you two should just spend some time together. she’s rubbing up and down your back, lightly groping your ass and you sigh against her mouth, enjoying the foreplay.

you feel riri start to lead you both back inside, walking backwards as you follow, your tongue melting against hers. she whines a bit, pulling away, “all of our stuff is downstairs, shit,” and you sigh, “you want me to get it?” and riri looks in your eyes, shaking her head, “no i can get it, you stay here and look pretty,” she says, all too close to your mouth, before she walks off, slapping your ass slightly earning a small yell of surprise from you.

you roll your eyes once she’s downstairs and sought after the bed, sighing and laying down once you hit the plush covers. riri was right for making you turn off your phone, you decide, your brain was clear and you heart was full; now all you thought about was making love with your girlfriend over and over and over again.

when she finally comes back, she had her boxers on and the small black bag from your luggage full of your sex toys. you sit up, leaning all your weight in your forearms and lowering your eyes. riri smiles a bit and walks towards you, finally on top of you again, setting the bag on your side and rubbing up your thighs under your dress, kissing you deeply. you moan slightly, moving your head in tandem with hers and she moves your dress up to your stomach, reveling your already soaking underwear.

you sigh into her mouth and she pulls away with a drag of your lip, “what do you want, mami? can you ask me?” she whispers agains your lips, hands right before your clothed clit and you whine, your mind fogged, “god, fuck me, riri, please, i need it,” you moan back against her and she smiles again, kissing you briefly before heading back to your neck, kissing you there and slowly taking off your underwear.

you whine and sigh, impatient, and riri grounds your thighs with her hands, “it’s alright baby, i got you.” and toss your head back once she finally adds some pressure to your clit, it’s cute but it’s not enough, “cmon riri, please… please, more, i— i need it—” you whine back desperately and riri sits up and nods, a quick “yeah okay, baby,” and finally moves your thighs around so she can twist your underwear off and you moan once the chilled air hits your lips and riri practically licks her at the sight of you: dress pulled up and pussy wet and pulsing. you feel yourself heat up under her gaze and it makes you try to cover yourself, “cmon, baby, hurry..” you emphasize and riri nearly scoffs.

“we got three weeks together baby, imma take my time with you, okay?” and she says it like she doesn’t care if you object. you moan, frustrated, but you feel her kiss at your thighs and it makes you sigh out in relief to some degree. she finally gets to your pussy and you feel her breathe and your thighs twitch.

“you have such a pretty pussy, mami, have i ever told you that? so fucking beautiful,” and you groan, closing your eyes at the praise and move your pussy closer to her mouth and riri laughs cruelly, “not yet baby, let me look at you,” she whispers and she takes two fingers to pull your lips apart, your entrance pulsing lowly and you jump, sighing and whining. “so wet for me, love, fuck,” she whispers lowly, moving in and kissing your clit; you moan at the suddenly contact, legs shaking a bit under her hand.

riri moans against you, pulling away slightly, “and you always taste so fucking good for me, baby,” and you moan once her whole mouth nearly swallows your clit, riri sucking heavily against you now, and you buck, your thighs threatening to close around her head as you moan out.

“unghhhfffffuuccckkk, ri, baby, right there, right thereeee—!” you squirm against her, riri’s hands holding your legs apart as her mouth works on you, sucking gently and soothing over your thighs, a silent “go ahead and let it out,” you’ve come to realize. and you always do, cursing, moaning, yelling, whatever you can as riri’s tongue opens you up.

your orgasm approaches fast— of course it does with all her teasing— and you sigh, moans changing in pitch as you thrust up in her mouth, whining out, “i’m cumming, god fuck, i’m cumming, baby, please don’t stop— FUCK, fuck, i’m cumming—!” and you feel riri nod against your clit. you yell out as you feel your orgasm trickle through your entire body, clit swelling and pulsing under her tongue as she eases you through it, hands soothing over your thighs as she continues to suck, gentler this time, until she hears you whine high pitched and overstimulated and riri pulls away, chin sticky and huffing.

you sigh once you see her, setting up in your elbows and coaxing her to come forward and riri does, climbing over your body and kissing her deeply, sighing into your mouth as you do too, tasting yourself on her lips. you pull her down completely, arms wrapped around her feeling all her weight on yours.

riri pulls away first, “i really wanna fuck you, baby,” and you giggle, spreading your legs a bit, “well then go ahead,” you tease at her and she laughs too, moving back to where she was, sitting up and toying with your pussy slightly, fingering you slowly, trying to open you and you gasp, still reeling from your last orgasm and she soothes over your thigh, shushing you, “so good, baby, just take it okay?” and you nod, feeling her fingers move in and out of you curling up occasionally to hit your g-spot.

you moan, “i’m — haa, i’m ready baby, please, cmon, ri please—” and riri nods, probably feeling more anxious than you and adjusts the strap against her boxers, taking her fingers out momentarily to grab the lube, lathering herself up and beginning to move against you. you sigh, ready and eager, and you feel her.

your eyes roll back and close as a low moan leaves you, her strap sliding inside you with ease and you feel your head toss back as riri comes forward, and she lets out her own, “fuck,” watching her enter you slowly, your pussy filling out as she reaches the hilt, her lower stomach right against yours, your clit brushing up against her boxers. you whine out once riri bottoms out, holding on her forearms and pulling her down for a kiss.

riri gives you no time to adjust after she feels you whine in her mouth and grind against her, she pulls out slowly and thrusts back in, the skin on skin contact echoing around the room. you disconnect your lips to moan, yelling out curses as she fucks into you. the strap on she’s using you can tell is the newer one; just a bit bigger with rubbed edges to make you feel everything. you’ve only used it maybe twice but, fuck, it’s becoming your favorite. you sigh out as riri leans down and attacks your neck, moving her hands against your breasts.

you gasp, “ohhhh, right there baby, pleaseeee fuck me fuck me right there—!” riri finally changes her angle and fucks deep on your g-spot, thrusts becoming sloppy once she hears how close you are. riri’s dick was always able to drive you over the edge even when you’ve just reached it. you toss your head back but riri says it before you can, still keeping her harsh pace, “gonna cum baby? yeah? ask me mami, ask me,” she grunts out and you claw at the sheets, pussy twitching and full of her dick.

“fuck— haaaffffuccccckk, riri baby, ri please please, PLEASE ughhh let me cum please, i’m so— i’m so close—!” and riri nods, your moans always driving her closer to her own orgasm, you’ve discovered. you feel her thighs shake a bit against yours and you moan once she nods, adding some pressure on your clit, “cum for me mami, let me see it, go ahead,” you sigh out a “thank you,” mumbling praises and such as you feel your pussy squeeze around riri, pulsing and twitching as your head tosses back and you feel your orgasm string though you, your whole body glowing.

riri’s right behind you, clit rubbing against the softness of her boxers being paired with your moans enough to drive her over. she curses lowly, still thrusting some like she’s trying to push her orgasm inside of you and the thought makes you twitch in excitement once your pussy finally calms down. riri sighs out and pulls out slowly, collecting her breath as you do the same. she gently falls next to you and you rub against her cheek with your hand, smiling. she smiles back at you, holding your hand in hers.

you close your eyes, slightly, sighing before you hear riri say, “one more?” and you gasp at her and shove her a bit, laughing and giggling, “sure, sure, cmon,” and she’s smiling once more when you open your eyes and leans over to kiss you. riri’s infamous “one more?” usually meant all night.

you both maneuver in a way that results in you on top of riri, sliding down slowly on her dick and you both sigh, riri watching you intensely and holding your dress up so she can get the full view, “you’re so pretty, baby,” she whispers kissing your knuckles. you’re holding on to her hands to ground yourself, body still quivering from your orgasm and you whine once your completely full again, the dildo rubbing against your walls.

riri thrusts up slightly, asking quietly, “you okay?” and you nod your head, eyes still shut trying to adjust. she sits up properly and captures your mouth, holding on to your back and you wrap your arms around her. she kisses you deeply, slowly thrusting and moving inside you and you gasp lowly against her mouth.

it’s a slow pace, mostly just because you want to feel each other and riri keeps it up until you start to get impatient, rutting against her more aggressively to get some stimulation on your clit. you sigh out once she takes the hint and lays you both down, thrusting up into and still leaving your mouth connected. you moan, separating for a bit, “ohhh, ri, love you—” you slut a bit, pushing back down on her in tandem with her thrusts. she whispers it back, dazed and sighing a bit, thrusts getting sloppier as both of your orgasms approached once more. “i’m— unnnhhhh in cumming baby, i feel it, ohhh ri— fuck, fuck—!” and you feel your orgasm ripple through you again, your brain buzzing lowly and your thighs flexing and twitching against hers. riri cums not a moment later, holding on to your back and moaning lowly in your chin, making you sigh and rub her arms as she pulses in her boxers.

you both fall over now, sighing and collecting yourselves. riri rubs all over your body and kisses your shoulders. you giggle, “i know you said you wanted go to the beach but i literally cannot move,” and she laughs behind you, “me neither, let’s go to bed,” and you laugh as she turns both of you over, slipping out of you and gathering all the toys together and putting them in the sink. you don’t miss how her legs wobble a bit. you joke, “you alright there?”

she’s faced away from you but her middle finger comes up, “fuck you,” she jokes right back and you laugh a bit, fixing your dress and sitting up properly, “you just did, babe, let’s get some rest please,”

and she comes back, different shirt on, still flicking you off. you sigh once she lays down, gathering you up in her arms, your dress now off leaving you in your undershirt. you sigh against her chest as she turns on the tv for some background noise, “i love you, you know that?” you whisper slightly and riri nods, “of course you do, i just got done fucking your brains out so yeah i hope you love me,” she jokes and you hit her chest lightly “oh whatever,” you say but you’re smiling, eyes shutting slightly as you relax in her arms. she whispers a soft, “goodnight,” into your scalp and sleep washes over you, you too content to fight it anymore.

riri takes you on a shopping spree the next afternoon after some quick shower sex. it ends with you steaming and jelly legged and riri walks out wobbling a bit too and you both laugh. the shower itself was huge enough for you both and then some, and you both felt refreshed and relaxed once more.

you wear a simple one piece, the florals of the romper coloring your skin nicely. a gold set matches your dress, one riri had bought for you for your birthday. riri wears another crop top and a small skirt, hugging everything just right and you can’t help but smack her ass once she walks by to get her hair clips. she slaps your hand away laughing out, “exactly why i never wear this shit,” but you know she likes the attention.

you both leave after a small quick breakfast, walking out in the sun and holding hands. you’re right on the boardwalk, thanks to riri’s haggling of her creation, and it’s between a museum, an aquarium, and some shopping centers. you’re already excited, phone still off and head still feeling clear, and you don’t even have to ask riri to follow you into some stores.

you shop for a bit, trying things on with riri and making her try some things on with you. she leaves the boutique with a nice new suit and you a new romper like you don’t already have 6, which is what riri says.

when you’re back on the boardwalk, you make simple conversation, holding bags and walking to the next boutique, “i think we should go shoe shopping next, yeah?” you suggest and riri perks up, her not-so-secret interest was shoes and she smiles a bit, the quirks of her mouth tilting, much like it does when she’s shying up, “yeah, that’s cool,” she plays it off but you smile anyways.

you smile a bit, really enjoying the moment until—

“y/n? holy shit is that really you?”

your stomach turns. it really couldn’t be, there’s no way. riri turns before you do, eyebrows down, making eye contact with a young girl, maybe a couple of years older than you, before turning you, “uh, who is that?”

you eyes feel wet, “girl, you really not gon say hi to your sister?!” riri gapes at you and you turn around before she can say anything more, “charmaine, hey girl!” you laugh out awkwardly and your sister smiles a bit harder, rings blinging in the sun and teeth nearly blinding you. she comes towards you and opens her arms, hugging her with your bags in hand.

“girllll, it’s been so long!! where you been?” fuck, you wanted to leave, but you laugh away your tears as she pulls away to look at you. “oh yknow, still MIT, remember?”

charmaine smacks her lips, “oh yeah, i remember that, you thought you was all that getting into that school, huh? didn’t tell nobody nothing!” you feel the heat in your stomach grow, you did tell them, you had told everyone and they acted like you were supposed to stay home and refused to help you and didn’t bat an eye when your mama kicked you out and— “yeah, i guess i just wanted to keep it to myself,” you mutter and charmaine laughs again, pulling out her phone.

riri’s watching you intensely, mostly because she knows you’re lying, she’s heard this story before— you wanted so badly for your family to be proud of you, and when the time came for affirmative action and you got into MIT early they had cast you out like they couldn’t fathom you leaving let alone so far away.

“and who is this? mama was talking about you being with somebody, but i ain’t know she meant a girl,” charmaine says the last part like it physically pains her to get it out, and you feel it all over again, everything you wanted to avoid, your memories flood back— thanksgiving, your senior year, charmaine telling you to suck it up and stop crying when your mama would yell and embarrass you every year—

“yeah, well, fuck you too,” riri mumbles only for you to hear, folding her arms. “my name is riri, and i think that’s our que to leave,” and she offers her hand to you and you stiffen, ready to go but hear charmaine’s voice, “oh my god, you’re really a dyke? like for real, holy shit no wonder you never call anybody,” charmaine doesn’t even pay attention to what riri had even said and you chuckle eyes still wet and heart still beating and she scoffs, “girl if you gon be smart be smart to my face, stop saying shit under your breath,”

“why are you here, charmaine?” you finally ask, looking up, tears spilling and you catch riri look at you for a second but your sister doesn’t miss a beat, “girl it’s spring break, you’re not the only one in school, yknow. i know you think you hot shit but i got classes and all that bullshit too,” and she’s already getting offensive, much like she always was, you’d ask a simple question and she’d treat it like an interrogation.

“okay, you’re right; it is spring break. but you’re here. the beach, of all places. and you hate the beach, remember? for my birthday all i wanted was to go to the beach and we left four days early because mama believed you when you lied about being allergic to fucking sand,” your voice is raising now, all the bottled feelings coming up in your throat and you feel riri put her hand in your back but it doesn’t settle you, “yeah, well that was forever ago—”

you cut her off, “and yet here you are, faux sand allergy and all, the day after i haven’t returned any of mamas calls, a week after you had texted me that you was really disappointed in the way i was acting, right? so, you, my sister who i havent seen in nearly five years with a hatred of the beach so big she ruined my birthday, are here, on the fucking beach. so i ask, why?”

charmaine opens her mouth to speak but you can’t stop whatever train your on, “why are you here when you told me that no one would ever love me? when mama kicked me out five years ago and you threw my stuff out with her? why are you here when last year you told me you were ‘proud to be an only child’? why the fuck are you here when i’m finally fucking happy and forgetting about the fucking shitty family i came from?!” you finally yell, a couple of onlookers walking by and staring but you don’t care, all the shyness you had felt are replaced by white hot rage, the feeling deep inside your stomach like a pit that’s been sat for too long.

charmaine sighs a bit, clearly not going to give you the answer you were looking for, and says, “mama was worried,” you laugh, a deep, cruel laugh that even shocks you a bit. “yeah if she was so fucking worried, she wouldn’t have kicked me out two fucking months before i started classes.” you spit out harshly and she’s about to retort but you remember what riri had told you, and get it out before she can stop you, “tell mama, if she calls me again, i’m calling the police for harassment. and if she ever sends you to follow me again, i’m reporting you both for stalking,”

you hear riri stifle a bit of a laugh, and charmaine is about to speak, but youre turning away before she can, picking up some of the bags your dropped and letting out a deep breath, riri coming to your side immediately. “are you okay?” she whispers as you both walk away and you feel everything you had been holding back in your throat once again, wet, hot tears burn at your eyes and you shake your head “no,” you whisper out and she nods, holding you close and walking away faster, trying to find a bench for something for you to sit on.

your mind is racing, heart still beating out of your chest and once your sat you sigh and riri stands up, wrapping her arms around your head and you rest your face in her stomach, sobbing quietly. you can hear riri, she’s whispering everything you need to hear, much like she always does, and it has you smiling despite your face wet and eyes still leaking. you were just happy to be alone with her again.

she pulls you back after a second, making you look into her eyes and she smiles, “you cried all your makeup off, oh no,” she says and you laugh a bit, “yeah and i got it all over your crop top, so, we’re even,” you say, sighing and wiping your face. riri chuckles again and sits next you, both of you facing the river banks outstretched on top of the sunset.

riri breaks the silent moment, “you okay?” she whispers once again, and you sigh, leaning back and settling into her shoulder, “yeah, i’m okay. i’m sorry i never told you about her,” you whisper the last part.

riri scoffs a bit, “i totally get why you didn’t, she fucking sucks,” and you laugh a bit again, sniffling some. riri speaks again, “no but seriously. you don’t have to tell me about your family if you don’t want to. every detail and like, who wronged you how, if you want me to know i’m here to listen but if you wanna forget and start over? i’m here for that too,” she whispers the last part, a sweet secret she wants you and you alone to know. you smile, face heating, even at your most honest, heartfelt moments riri could still make you shy up and blush like a little girl.

you sigh again, “i hate that she was here, but… i don’t want to talk about it anymore. i just wanna spend the rest of my break with you,” you say looking at her and she looks at you again, tilting your head with her fingers, leaning in, “me too,” she whispers back, closing the space between you.

riri fucks you deep and slow that night. she runs you a bath and you wear a silk nightgown to bed just to pull it over and nearly devour you like she hasn’t had you before. and you know why— riri takes the ability to put your mind on something else incredibly seriously like it’s her second job. and you love her for it.

“unnmmfffuckkkk—!” you’re gasping out, the third orgasm you’ve had racking through you as her left hand works on your clit and she fucks you from behind, a position you’d never admit to her was your favorite. she nods, hearing you completely fall apart, kissing your shoulder blades as you moan out, sighing when you feel your pussy squirt out a bit, legs clamping and thighs flexing. you sign once it’s done and done, falling on your forearms and gasping to catch your breath. she leans down against you totally now, kissing you all over.

she whispers against your skin, “you wanna go again?” and sigh and nod, and riri pulls out, a slick wet noise escaping you and she taps your thighs asking you to turn over. you sigh, moving on your back and she’s on top of you once more, capturing your mouth and rubbing over your breasts and your stomach. you feel her start to slide against you, the strap already covered in your cum and it makes you moan against her mouth.

she finally pushes inside again, startling you a bit and you whimper, feeling her again. riri moves away from your mouth, kissing your cheeks and ears as her thrusts start, whispering lowly in your ear, “i love you, baby,” and it makes your body nearly glow, you sigh out and claw at her back, the whisper in her voice enough to be stimulating. “riri, fuck— haaaa—”

and riri keeps talking, strap kissing your g-spot as her thrust grow faster and harsher, “you’re so perfect, mami, you know that? so good for me, i’m so happy you’re mine, my love,” and you can hear it all over your entire body it seems, your head is spinning and your legs feel locked under hers but your orgasm is approaching and you can feel it, whimpering and tossing your head back, claws deep into riri’s back, “i’m— fuck, riri, i’m cumming, i feel it, ohhh i’m cumming—! please, please baby,—!” and you don’t know what you’re begging for, her pace doesn’t slow and she doesn’t relent, kissing you and holding you open and your orgasm pulls through your body, your pussy clenching around her dick and your clit twitching once more, you moan unabashedly, tears spilling a bit as riri kisses and praises you through it.

you buck against her once you’re done, sighing as riri’s assault finally stops. she pulls out and lays next to you, sighing as you catch your breath again. you laugh a bit once you’re back to earth, “i’m sorry i know you wanted to go look at shoes, but i cannot move again,” you laugh out and she smiles and waves you off, “we’ll go tomorrow yeah? got three whole weeks remember?”

and you smile, three weeks and a lot more, you think and reply, “yeah, we do,” too happy beyond your own comprehension.

i changed my name just for this story ; i am now riri’s femme lesbian wife i love her sm i can’t deal with it

sorry if the homophobia and lesbianaphobia got a little too intense but i needed some angst because then we get protective and sweet riri and i fucking love it sm

anyways i’m in class again you guys so bear with me!! i promise i’m still writing but they got me in three studio courses back to back like all fucking week so just give me some time!!

i hope y’all have a good one byeeee🫡🤎

[orthodoxadventure]

what does prayer mean to you? What is prayer for you?

In Anthony Bloom's Beginning to Pray (a book I would strongly recommend for everyone, no matter their denomination or how long they've been Christian) he says

"First of all, it is very important to remember that prayer is an encounter and a relationship, a relationship which is deep, and this relationship cannot be forced either on us or on God. The fact that God can make Himself present or can leave us with the sense of His absence is part of this live and real relationship. If we could mechanically draw Him into an encounter, force Him to meet us, simply because we have chosen this moment to meet Him, there would be no relationship and no encounter."

This is how I would also define prayer and what it means to me. Prayer is about communicating, and participating in that relationship with God. And by extension, this means that there are a lot of ways we can pray.

I pray a mixture of pre-written prayers from a prayer book, but I also speak to God with my own prayers. I think both are important and good for a healthy prayer life.

There is the more defined and obvious prayer, which can be on your knees or sat down, closed eyes, and being like "Dear God" or praying the "Our Father". But think about all the different ways that we communicate with our loved ones, even in their absence. Those little moments that remind us of God, are in a lot of ways, prayer. It's very much a non-verbal prayer of essentially "I saw this and thought of You, and it makes me happy, You make me happy God, glory to You."

Prayer can be petitioning God, it can be asking Him for things, or verbalising our troubles and difficulties. But most of all, prayer is thanksgiving to God. It is about bringing our love to God. Offering our hearts up to Him.

But just like in relationships we have with people in our life, if we never reach out to them to talk, they may begin to withdraw and we can more clearly feel their absence in our lives. So to, if we continually neglect prayer, may feel the absence of God in our lives. And we have to work to cultivate that relationship again. So too, if we inauthentically pray - praying things that we don't really believe in or don't really want but are doing so out of some forced obligation. We may feel like our relationship with God is inauthentic, insincere. And He of course, knows what it is actually in our hearts, what is actually going on in our heads. So we must try to be as authentic as we can be in prayer. If you cannot sincerely pray on something, e.g. praying for your enemies. Then that doesn't mean you shouldn't, it just means that you should also turn to God and say "Hey, I can't pray for my enemies. And at this point in my life, at these particular circumstances, I don't think I even sincerely want to. But I know that you want me to. And I want to want the things that You want." And so there, you can bring something that would have originally been insincere, and make it more meaningful and you can present your problems while still ultimately trying to align yourself with God's will.

[commsroom]

heres an essay prompt: how do you think hera engages with the passage of time? especially milestones e.g. "in case you've forgotten, i am four" or "happy birthday officer eiffel" . speculation is more than welcome; youre not restricted to canon.

okay!! good question!! there are tons of factors there, so i'm going to try to just... touch on some of them. first, obviously: she's only ever been in goddard labs + space, so she has no real first-hand concept of day/night cycles, seasons, etc. in the way those mark time on earth. their "year" orbiting wolf 359 is only about two and a half months, but obviously they keep track by earth's calendar + they use military time, so... even in smaller ways, she's used to these methods of timekeeping.

there's also the consideration of time as distance ("somewhere, 13.7 light years to the left...") and overlapping time, how she experiences any given length of time simultaneously many times from multiple perspectives, etc. as part of how she might perceive it.

re: milestones in particular, of course the big thing is still going to be... what the writers said, how hera cares about holidays because the people in her life invite her to care about them. she cares about eiffel's birthday because it matters to eiffel, and she cares about him. she feels left out from thanksgiving because she can't participate the way the others can. etc. and i think she might have some complicated feelings about her own birthday, or maybe even want to consider a different day her "birthday." since, unlike most people, she can remember the earliest days of her life, and that's not a pleasant association.

which ties into the next part, "in case you've forgotten, i am four" is one of those lines that frustrates me so much in how i feel people misinterpret it. like, yes, it's important to realize she only has four years of life experience. it's equally important to realize those are four years she has lived as an adult woman with an adult perspective and responsibilities. it can't be dismissed as just "she's an AI" because so much of what hera experiences directly, intentionally parallels the effects of real life trauma. it is extremely common, as a sheltered adult who has recently escaped trauma, especially with the additional limitations of being disabled, or neurodivergent, or trans (all things i think hera either directly, canonically experiences, or can be drawn in close parallel to), to feel that you've only been alive for a few years, that you've been thrust into adult life without the necessary formative experiences to make sense of it. that your peers all have some shared experience or understanding that you missed out on. i hate so much to see her infantilized for that; i don't think a lot of people fully realize how real or how painful that can be.

... which is a bit of a tangent off the point re: time, but i think it's relevant. since she has... both a very limited life experience, but also so much overlap within that timeframe, there's a sense of urgency about it. i think hera has always felt that she's running against the clock to live some type of life, anything at all. she thought she was going to be left alone up there and had a few years at most. and while a lot of sci-fi presents AIs as long-lived... in the context of wolf 359, where they're a product constantly under development, where the timespan between rhea's series and hera's was only a few years... i think the average AI in that universe probably has a much shorter expected lifespan than the average human. and since hera is very much in uncharted territory re: living an autonomous life... maybe that's getting into a different topic, but i do think time is something she thinks about a lot.

[awesomesauce2929]

Goku introduces Zenon to various earthly things (you just look at this guy, he made time for the little god)

Like "this is a frog environment, my dudes". Goku brings a frog to Zenon's house, specifically on Wednesday. And basically just to show Zenon the creature (Zenon eats the frog when Goku is distracted, Saiyan thinks it escaped)

HUGE PILES OF DRY AUTUMN LEAVES. Goku rakes the leaves into big piles and Zenon watches people jump into those leaves and have fun, and participates too. (Now I'm thinking about Whis being introduced to this once, and now he periodically comes to Earth for more than just food)

Maybe introductions to holidays and food (Christmas, Easter, Thanksgiving, Halloween, and etc)

Fishing with rods???

Maybe Zenon meets Goku's family and Chichi tells him about Goku's adventures and how they got married. (Daishinkan asks Chichi about her food recipes and she is happy to share them with him)

All of this, please someone make this into an slice of life anime of the Adventures of Goku and Zeno (alternative title: DBS: Make Zeno happy saves the Earth, haha)

Goku loves his little friend and personification of destruction - giving him a Earth tour, Zeno-sama will enjoy this very much, considering his interest of that planet may have peaked as most fighters in the tournament were from Earth.  Earth got numerous cultures, traditions and whatever Goku shows would cover a small percentage what the Earth offers but it's a good start introducing Earth to Zeno, navigating through the goods, the bads and often the ugly of humanity. I see Goku being a guide and teacher to Zeno in this.

I like to think that Zeno love to swim in the sea, so I can imagine Goku and others go to the beach, have ice cream or fish and chips or crack a coconut and drink the coconut water.  Then Zeno seeing people surfing on the wave and want to get lessons on it. Beerus and Whis is always with them because Beerus does not trust Goku alone with Zeno-sama, he still fears for another universal tournament of erasure. Zeno had a problem at first with the god following them around but Goku would ease this, making sure this tour would be enjoyable for all.

How I imagine Goku introducing Earth to Zeno, is similar how Goku was introduced to Earth, by humble environment and technology (Capsule Corps). Yes I can imagine Bulma would give Zeno a capsule to put his stuff away if he wants. Ah Goku and Zeno fishing with fishing rods and getting fishes, yes to that a lot. Why not Zeno wants to collect the seven dragon balls with Goku and Bulma, later meeting the earthlings during this adventure, what kind of wish Zeno wants to make, the earthlings wonders? (actually Zeno wants to see Shenron, and ride on him, that would be fun to see)

Zeno likes to stay Earth for much longer, but the Grand Minister picks him for his duty but there's always a next time, especially Goku invited Zeno and Grand Minister for the supper/an event, maybe, hanabi, the fireworks and Zeno and Grand Minister in yukata, so so cute.

Chi-Chi will be more than happy to share recipes with Daishinkan, I can see them making food together under Chi-Chi's direction, a feast fit for the gods. Why not they bond over kids and gossip, they can have couple of teas over this.

""Maybe introductions to holidays and food (Christmas, Easter, Thanksgiving, Halloween, and etc)"" chef's kiss to this idea, yes yes, especially they come to visit, please imagine Zeno having fun during the easter egg hunting around the field finding the eggs, or Zeno wearing a cute costume during Halloween.

Thank you for this ask, I had so much fun answering this (thanks for waiting)

[acgenvs3000f24]

Unit 5 Blog Post: Citizen Science and Conservation Practices

Happy thanksgiving everyone!

Given that this week’s blog prompt is open, I wanted to share some thoughts inspired by our course content so far.

While watching Washington Wachira’s TED Talk "For the Love of Birds," I began reflecting on the role of citizen science. Apps like iNaturalist, which is widely used in Guelph, offer a powerful tool to connect people with nature by allowing users to log observations. However, they also inadvertently filter participation.

For instance, I’ve spoken with older individuals who possess immense knowledge of local flora and fauna but do not engage with these apps. Their insights are invaluable, yet their observations remain undocumented in digital platforms. This raises a concern: Are we excluding certain demographics from contributing to citizen science simply because of a technological barrier?

This issue highlights the need to design more inclusive citizen science initiatives. If older generations or non-tech-savvy individuals struggle to access these platforms, we may miss crucial knowledge. Digital platforms should be complemented with physical or analog extensions—perhaps logbooks or community-led observation notebooks that can be collected and digitized by volunteers.

            During my time in Kenya, I witnessed how citizens live in harmony with their natural environment. Kenya’s incredible biodiversity, which spans savannahs, tropical forests, deserts, and highlands, surpasses that of Canada. Yet, despite this richness, much of the local knowledge remains undocumented in apps or digital tools. Conservation in Kenya requires more than just technological solutions—it depends on community engagement and biocultural conservation. One of my professors, Carol Muriuki, a conservationist with the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA), shared insights that transformed my understanding of conservation. She emphasized that conservation cannot follow a “one-size-fits-all” approach. Community stewardship and biocultural conservation is crucial for designing conservation initiatives that have a lasting positive impact. Instead of crafting a conservation plan that looks good on paper but is not feasible in the real world. Each initiative must account for ecological, economic, and cultural realities.

            A compelling example is the Lake Naivasha region, where rising water levels—likely caused by climate change—are displacing communities that rely on the lake for food and income. As Carol explained, simply forcing people to relocate isn’t a viable solution. Instead, NEMA is working on a more holistic approach, such as restructuring hydrological infrastructure, planting mangrove trees, and compensating displaced families. This approach integrates the needs of both people and the environment, exemplifying how inclusive conservation practices can lead to sustainable outcomes.

        Figure 1. Blurry view of Lake Naivasha from the campground in Kenya (Griffiths, 2024)

I see Carol’s work as a model for future conservation efforts, where citizen science plays a central role in shaping projects rather than just being a tool for data collection. For citizen science to be effective, it must evolve beyond passive contributions. It should foster continuous dialogue between scientists and the public, ensuring citizens actively participate in research and conservation initiatives. This approach could help address the issue of bias in scientific sampling. Scientists often focus on charismatic species—those that are easy to observe or already have a wealth of knowledge available from past studies. As opposed to cryptic or under-studied species. In contrast, citizen observations tend to be more exploratory, as participants are not constrained by preconceptions about which species are significant, enriching scientific understanding in unexpected ways.

            One of the biggest takeaways from this course is the realization that academic science offers only a narrow lens through which to engage with nature. As students, it’s easy to become trapped within the confines of scientific rigor and overlook the many other ways people connect with the natural world. Yet, through this course, I’ve learned that storytelling, art, and lived experiences are equally powerful tools for interpreting the environment. For example, conservation is as much about understanding community needs as it is about protecting ecosystems. Similarly, citizen science is not just about data—it’s about fostering a deeper relationship between people and nature.

            Ultimately, effective conservation requires both emotional and intellectual engagement. Successful initiatives depend on integrating scientific knowledge with community stewardship. Similarly, citizen science can only reach its full potential when it invites participation from all walks of life—from scientists, to tech-savvy citizens, and those more comfortable with traditional forms of engagement. As I reflect on what we’ve covered so far, I believe we are just beginning to scratch the surface of how we can engage an audience with nature. The challenge lies in finding new ways to connect with both people and the environment—whether through technology, community dialogue, or personal storytelling.

[fanworkrewind]

This week’s word/theme is THANKS. Happy Thanksgiving to those celebrating, and Happy Thursday to all!

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