#and to make her homemade carbonara

[softquietsteadylove]

Helloooo, we both know that I’m kind of addicted to your writing and I kind of have a weak spot for stories where the woman is on her period and her boyfriend husband takes care of her while she is in pain… so my request is: could you pretty please write a story like this about Thenamesh?

Gil knocked on the door again, having gone ignored so far. He was worried, though. He had been texting Thena like usual, and he'd thought their last date went really well, too!

Then, suddenly, she went all cold. She told him she couldn't make it to lunch, and when he'd asked why she said she was sick. But when he offered to bring her something she said no. Just plain and simple 'no'.

Gil knocked again.

"I said wait a goddamn second!"

Gil blinked as she whipped the door open, looking just as surprised to see him there. "Uh, hi."

"Gil?" she blinked at him, hunched over and definitely looking miserable. "What're you-"

"Well, I-I know you said not to," he started quietly, clutching the bag he'd brought with him to his chest. The crinkling of the paper seemed loud in his ears and his cheeks flushed. "But I was worried about you."

"Oh, Gil," Thena whimpered, gripping her doorknob. He still didn't know what was wrong with her, but she didn't seem good. "Really, I--ah!"

"Thena!" he startled, watching as she clutched at her abdomen and sank to her knees. "Are you okay?"

She grumbled something, letting him help her up, at least. "It's nothing."

"I really can't believe that," he frowned. She didn't seem feverish, or sound congested or anything. "Will you please tell me what's wrong?"

"It's stupid."

"Huh?" he frowned, seeing her bottom lip wobble a little. "Thena?"

"It's just my period, Gil," she admitted at last. Her hand was over her forehead and eyes as she said it, as if she were ashamed of it. "Sometimes it's just worse than normal. It's nothing."

"Doesn't seem like nothing," he argued, leaning over the back of her couch to try and get a look at her again. She did look at him, and she seemed surprised at his response. He frowned, "you seem like you're in pain."

"Well-"

"Even if it's not always this bad," he continued, retrieving his paper bag from the floor. "I can still help."

"You don't have to," came her miserable little voice from her couch as she pulled a blanket over her legs.

Gil shook his head. "These things happen, right? It's perfectly natural."

Thena shuddered in pain again, her knees curling up around her. "That is not how I would describe this."

"Have you taken painkillers for it?"

"I thought I had some," she snivelled, still teetering between boiling anger and tears. "But I didn't stock up after last time--stupid."

"Hey," Gil cut in softly. What he really wanted was to pull her into his arms completely and cuddle her. But he wasn't sure how receptive she was going to be to being moved at all. He settled for leaning over the back of the couch, looping his arms around her shoulders and pressing his cheek to her hair. "You're not stupid."

She sniffled again. "You're sweet."

Gil looked off to the side with a miserable expression. "This is a pretty low bar, Sweetheart--I'd like to think I'm just...being a person about it."

Thena leaned her head against his slightly, shifting on the couch. "My ex was always telling me-"

"Ugh, that guy," Gil rolled his eyes. Thena muttered an apology, as if bringing him up was the problem. "He's the problem, Thena. And if he couldn't even take care of you like this then he wasn't fit to be called a boyfriend."

Thena stayed quiet as he handed over a bottle of gingerale and a bottle of painkillers specifically listing menstrual cramps on the box.

"You take those," he directed, rifling through his bag of supplies. He pulled out a bag of chocolates he knew were her favourite, "and these. I'll make you something to eat."

Thena immediately tore into all three things he'd handed her. "Gil?"

"Yeah?" he leaned out of the kitchen to look back at her.

"How did you know?" she asked, still quiet. She held up the bottle of painkillers, "to bring these?"

But he shrugged. "I didn't know if it was this, or if you were sick, or what. So I just wanted to come prepared. There's cough syrup and flu stuff in the bag too."

Thena let out a laugh, and thank god, 'cause he missed that sound. "You really are sweet."

Gil set her burner to low and went back to her, leaning over the arm of the couch to kiss her cheek. "Again, pretty basic boyfriend stuff. You've gotta raise your standards, T."

Thena took her time, but she eventually settled against the back of the couch, watching him cook. She smiled at him sweetly, with those beautiful green eyes of hers. "I don't know. I got you, and I can't imagine anyone better."

Gil blushed to his ears. He turned around again, happy for the excuse of frying some garlic before he started on her pasta. "Don't you worry about a thing, Sweetie. I'll get lunch made right up for us, you just sit and relax!"

[sainzzsturns]

Valentine’s

c. sturniolo x fem! reader

warnings: none

category: fluff

It was nearing valentine’s day and Chris’ fresh love clothing store needed a special collection.

After sitting at the kitchen table for hours designing scraps he decided he needed a break. And what was a better way to relax than to call his girlfriend over.

Earlier that day he had taken her to work with flowers and a nice homemade breakfast. Although she still had to spend the day at work.

| babe, i’m here!

Chris saw the message and ran towards the door, immediately hugging her and kissing her cheek, to which she smiled at and gave him a proper kiss.

He dragged her up the stairs and into the kitchen where he showed her the designs he had put together.

“These look awesome Chris! I love all of them honestly.” She said.

“Yeah, I just think something’s missing, I don’t know.” He grumbled.

She nodded her head with a hum, brainstorming possible ideas.

“Oh Wait!” Chris exclaimed suddenly, interrupting her train of thoughts.

He rummaged through his things, grabbing a sheet of paper and a nice pen with a flexible tip, that makes the writing look sophisticated.

He put the sheet on the table and handed me the pen, pulling out a chair so she could sit down in front of the paper.

“Just write fresh love on there with your best writing for me ma.” he says, knowing her calligraphy was impeccable.

“Okay…” She answered

She quietly sat and wrote the brand’s name in her best cursive writing.

Chris chuckled, watching as her tongue stuck out in concentration.

“Perfect…” He said as she finished.

They continued their day normally, watching a movie together and cooking a nice carbonara for dinner.

A few days later Chris ran up the stairs with multiple boxes in hand, meeting his brothers and girlfriend sitting on the couch.

“Y’need help?” Matt asked his younger brother, accent showing through.

“No I’m good thanks though.” He answered, setting the boxes on the kitchen counter.

His girlfriend stood up and went over to him curiously, as he grabbed a pair of scissors to cut the box open.

From out of it he pulled a gray crewneck with the fresh love writing on it in pink.

It seemed to be a simple thing, but the girl noticed that the writing of the logo was in her calligraphy, her writing.

He pulled the crewneck out of its plastic and stretched it out across the counted, looking and his girlfriend.

Her eyes open wide and mouth slightly agape as she stared at the collection her boyfriend had made inspired by her.

She turned to look and Chris and hugged him as tight as she possibly could, kissing his entire face.

“I cannot believe you right now Christopher!”

“Do you like it?”

“Of course I do are you crazy!”

“What’s going on, did you ask her to marry you or some shit?” They were interrupted by Nick’s sassy remarks.

“No” She laughed answering Nick, “But I would’ve said yes! Look at what Chris made!”

“Oh my! A gray crewneck with his logo on it!” The older triplet said ironically.

“It’s MY writing on it!”

“Oh that is pretty cute.” Matt said, shrugging his shoulders, “It looks awesome!”

“Y’all are so corny,” Nick said, “but I guess it is kinda cute.”

After a while Nick and Matt went to their respective rooms, leaving Chris and his girlfriend alone.

“So you would marry me huh?” Teased Chris.

“Shut up.” She answered, facing is opposite direction grabbing some ingredients from the fridge to start on making dinner.

“You love me.” Said the boy hugging her from behind.

“You love me more.” She chuckled pointing to the box of clothes with her writing.

“I guess.” Chris said shrugging his shoulders as he left her to prepare their food and made his way to lay on the couch.

[missguomeiyun]

Homecooking [March ed]

Hiiiiii~

Rolling into spring with some spring rolls xD sorry, that was bad :P

Nothing much this month, I would say. Weather getting warmer. Sun out for longer. .. etc. I did a sketch of my favourite short tracker this season: Kim Gun Woo of Korea. I am watching a Kdrama called The Impossible Heir. Started strong, I caught up . .. & then the female lead kinda got on my nerves. I'm not familiar with her acting profile; however, I'm not sure how she got casted for this role. Were there no other options?! Anyway, you watch for yourself (& maybe let me know!).

I ate out several times this month as well. In fact, I've eaten out the most number of times this month since the pandemic lol it's an achievement. Will work on those posts after this one! But for now. ..

The carbonara Samyang spicy chicken noodles WITHOUT the spicy chicken sauce. I've added some baby bokchoy, tofu & kimchi with it.

Kimchi pancake- I'm trying diff batters. This one was unsuccessful so I won't share. It was so. .. 'hard' =/

Homemade wontons with noodles & baby bokchoy.

Yes. .. more bokchoy -.-" this was thick rice noodles with hot pot fatty beef slices. Threw in some soup seaweed as well.

Pasta - for dinner, then leftovers for lunch the next day.

Also the carbonara Samyang spicy chicken noodles but without the sauce xD I keep the sauce for hotpots & stuff now.

Bro made fried chicken using a new batter recipe. It was alright.

"A little bit of everything" rice noodles - bean curd, bokchoy, napa cabbage (it's so pale in colour that you can't even see it), soup seaweed, kimchi, chicken. .. in a deonjang jjigae base.

Yeah I know, it's expired but it was still good. I smelled it haha I ate the Korean franchise congee recently ("Bon-juk" brand) & I was inspired to create something similar. I used this expired soybean paste soup sauce with another Hmart product that I've eaten before, instant vegetable-flavoured congee, & cooked the two together!

& it became this ^ soybean paste congee. It was actually very good! I had a little taste test while cooking it & it was way too salty (the instant congee pack is seasoned) so I added regular rice to it & more water . .. I essentially diluted out the contents. Ended up with way too much product lol oh well, leftovers, right? This was super successful. I would recommend it, especially if you wanna make a bigger batch & save some for later or if you are feeding 3-4 ppl.

That's all~ Bye byeeee~~

PS: I visited the Stanley A Milner (downtown) library for the 1st time since the renos were finished. I don't exactly know when the renos were done as I don't travel to that area often. ..

The atrium area between 2nd and 3rd level, feat. my nieces.

The facility was actually really nice! I remember spending time here when I was in high school . .. it was sooooo dim & the place was so old-looking. The most amount of time I was here was during extended essay writing period.. . had to read, write notes, & cite references for my paper, which was on Sun Yat-sen lol I don't recall the title of my paper anymore...been too long! But yeah. The library is very good-looking, with some really cool areas. The crowd. .. ughhh.. There was a strong security presence, which was good, I guess, but the amount of questionable ppl was also abundant. Sometimes I wonder if having a security gate/bag xray machine at the door would be a good idea. Of course, I acknowledge the fact that it's a "public" library but I also think measures should be taken to make all members of the public feel safe. Then again, if such measure was applied to a library, malls should get it too? *shrugs* Let's just say the facility was upgraded BIG time but the population hasn't changed.

Off I go to work on other things now :P seeeee ya!

[readyforthegarden]

Pairing: Sam Kiszka x Reader

Warnings: None, pure cute date night fluff!

AN: This is based on the absolutely adorable post made by @sunfl0wer-power about date night with the guys, and Sam’s being pasta night. Brenna thank you so much for this inspiration and okaying me to write this! (To anyone who sent in a prompt the other week, I am working on them, I promise!!)

🍝 🍝 🍝

Date nights with Sam were always incredible. Since you met, he always knew how to have a good time, taking you out to dinner, dancing, a little dive bar for some drinks, even to a line dancing competition where you almost won fourth place (which was entirely based on charisma, in your two-left footed opinion). You always left the night with your cheeks hurting from smiling and laughing so much, and hot from blushing under his attentions and touches.

All that being said, you were relieved when he texted you one day, asking if you’d be okay with a date night at home, well, his home. You were excited for something a little more casual, asking what he had in mind.

‘I thought we could make some dinner together, watch a movie…makeout on the couch until our lips fall off?” you giggled, knowing the lanky man would quite literally go on kissing you until that happened.

“All of that sounds wonderful to me. Can I bring anything?”

“Just your cute self. And a dog treat for Rosie, she won’t forgive you if you forget.”

“I already have a milkbone in my bag for her 😉”

“Perfect. I’ll see you tonight, around six?”

“See you then, 😘”

“😘😘😘😘😘😘😘😘😘😘”

Laughing at the string of emojis he sent back, you focused back on your work, glancing towards the clock and counting down until you were done and could leave for Sam’s.

After the longest four hours of work of your life, you were knocking on Sam’s front door, hearing the excited tapping of Rosie’s nails on the floor as she ran to see who was there, and Sam telling her it was you in an excited voice.

“Hi baby!” Sam grinned as he swung open the door. He ushered you inside, pressing a kiss to your cheek as he closed the door behind you and you knelt down to give some love to Rosie, having her sit before giving her the treat you’d tucked away in your purse. Standing back up, you turned back to Sam and wrapped your arms around his waist, just happy to be in his embrace. You pulled back and looked up at him, pressing a soft kiss to his pouty lips before turning towards his kitchen, hearing music spilling from the speaker in there.

“Are you playing Sinatra?” Sam shrugged and nodded.

“Fits the theme,” was all he supplied with a smile. You set your bag down and kicked off your shoes and put them next to Sam’s by the door and followed him down the hallway. The lights in the kitchen were lowered, the atmosphere already starting to feel romantic, making your heart beat excitedly in your chest. You saw a big mound of flour on the large, square island, and a small, metal machine with a crank. Fresh herbs were peeking out from a reusable cloth grocery bag, along with a crusty loaf of bread.

“Are we making pasta?” you turned to him, eyes wide. He smiled and nodded.

“I hope you don’t mind, but I thought a nice Italian dinner sounded good, and making it together from scratch sounded like fun.” Sam took your hand, gently leading you to the mound of flour and picking an apron from the other counter, draping it over your head. “Besides, there is nothing like the taste of fresh, homemade pasta. I had some when we toured in Italy and it just hits different. I made sure when we came back to learn to make it.”

“I bet that was amazing. Italy sounds amazing and beautiful.” you sighed wistfully, imagining drinking a glass of wine looking over the Italian countryside with a plate of carbonara.

“I’ll take you one day, I promise.” Sam murmured, reaching down and around you, tying the apron strings around your waist before putting his own on. He leaned his head back, shaking his hair over his shoulders and gathering it into a small bun at the back of his head, and you bit your bottom lip, trying not to stare at how handsome he looked with his hair pulled back. “Are you ready?”

“I’m ready!” Sam brought you in close, picking up a mixing bowl and gently pressing it into the middle of the flour mountain, making a divet. Explaining that there were two types of flour in the mix, semolina and all purpose, he handed you the bowl, and instructed you to pour in the contents, bright yellow egg yolks, into the hole. Setting the bowl aside, you took the fork he handed you, and watched him as he showed you how to mix up the yolks and incorporate the flour. He had you try and soon enough, you’d made a large ball of dough.

“Okay, now we need to…well, knead.” Sam chuckled, sprinkling some more flour on the work surface. He left you try first, but soon his hands were over yours, arms around your body and front pressed to your back, helping you apply the right amount of pressure to work the gluten in the dough. He was letting out soft, quiet grunts from the exertion and your cheeks flushed.

“You keep grunting like that in my ear, we’re not going to finish this dinner.” you giggled, causing Sam’s body to shake against yours with a laugh.

“Trust me, you’ll hear them later, baby.” he pressed a kiss to the shell of your ear. “Focus on the pasta, and you’ll get a nice cannoli for dessert.” you shook your head, letting him know his joke was bad and he just laughed more. “Okay, no more jokes, let’s roll this out.”

After another surface dusting of flour, Sam grabbed a rolling pin, coating that with flour and starting to flatten out the dough. After a few moments, he handed it to you, and you took your turn rolling, before it was the perfect thickness to roll.

“What kind of noodles are we making?” you asked as Sam cut wide strips out.

“Papardelle. It’s just a little wider than fettuccine and holds sauce really nicely.” you nodded and took the sheet he handed you, listening to him as he instructed you how to run the sheet through the pasta cutter. You couldn’t help the excited squeal you let slip through your lips as you watched the separated noodles come out the other end of the machine as Sam turned the crank.

“Look!” you picked one up, pinching it between your thumb and forefinger and holding it up in front of his face. “I made pasta! Barilla who?” Sam just grinned at you as you admired your handiwork, and noticed a small bit of flour on the apple of your cheek. He reached out and cupped your face, swiping it away with his thumb as his warm, coffee brown eyes gazed down at you. If you’d been in this relationship longer than you had, you would’ve sworn it was a look of love he was adoring you with. You were certain your eyes were filled with the same emotion as he slowly, gently closed the space between you and pressed his lips to yours. You couldn’t help the little spring in your feet as you popped up to his level so he wouldn’t have to bend his back too far, making him smile as you softly placed your hands on his sides, using the fabric of his shirt to tug yourself closer to him.

After a few moments of the sweet embrace, you parted, both of you smiling and getting back to work, making more noodles. Once that was done, Sam lifted a large pot onto the stove after filling it with water.

“We’ll boil the noodles and while we wait for the water to heat up, we’ll start our sauce.” He pulled out a saucepan from a cupboard and placed it on the stove. Turning to the bag, he pulled out the herbs, a clove of garlic and a large onion. He handed you the onion to peel and dice as he took care of mincing the garlic, saying he’d handle the stinkier of the two.

“I already blanched and peeled the tomatoes before you got here, I didn’t think you’d want to sit here and peel them, it can be frustrating.” Sam informed you, grabbing a strainer from the sink. The soft flesh of red tomatoes shone under the kitchen lights.

“I didn’t realize we were making the sauce from scratch too!” you looked up at Sam, smiling excitedly. So far cooking with him had been amazing, you were excited to do more of it.

“This is not a jarred sauce household, babygirl.” Sam winked at you. “You’ll never use store bought again once you taste this.”

“Ooh, I’ll be the judge of that.” you teasingly challenged him back as you finished your last cut through the onion. Sam guided you back to the stove, drizzling olive oil in the saucepan and letting it heat up before having you add the onions in and then him the garlic. While that cooked down, you and him made quick work of cutting up the tomatoes, scooping out the seeds and putting the halves back in the strainer. Once that was done, he added them to the pot with the fresh oregano, thyme, basil and salt and pepper.

“Okay, we’ll let that boil for a little bit and meld everything together.” Sam started cleaning up a bit, and you pitched in, starting to wash the plastic cutting board and knives in the sink as he wiped down the counters and cleaned them until the pasta water starting boiling. You washed your hands and nearly danced over to the pot, watching Sam toss some salt into the water as the bubbles rolled. "I'll let you do the honors of the first pasta drop."

"Why thank you, what a gentleman." you chuckled, picking up one of the little nests of noodles. You let it gently slid from your palm into the water, and Sam picked up the next one, plopping it in unceremoniously, making you laugh. You finished putting the noodles into the pot, wiping your hands on your apron before moving around Sam and stirring the sauce. Sam came up next to you, a clean spoon in hand and dipped it into the sauce, blowing on it when he brought it back up and held it to your lips, cupping a hand under it in case a drop spilled. You opened your mouth, taking a taste of the sauce and humming as the fresh flavors coated your tongue. "That's so good, Sam." he smiled as he put the spoon into his mouth, pulling it out clean, nodding and doing a little dance.

"I think this is my best batch of sauce yet." he proclaimed, tossing the spoon into the sink and turning back to you. "And it's all because you helped me make it, I think."

"Oh I don't know if that's true." you shook your head. Sam wrapped an arm around you, pulling him into his side and pressing a kiss to the top of your head.

"It is, this sauce is made with love. You can taste it." you snuggled into Sam's side, letting him sway you around to Dean Martin's "You're Nobody 'Til Somebody Loves You" as the sauce simmered and the water bubbled in the background. Sam was humming along to the melody, and just as you wished he would sing, his voice softly filled your ears, his cheek resting on top of your head. "As sure as the stars shine above you're nobody 'til somebody loves you, so find yourself somebody to love."

You could've stayed like that all night, but the timer he set for the pasta started going off, and you had to leave the warmth of his embrace. You leaned up against the island and watched as he took a pair of tongs and pulled out a few noodles, taking one to the sink and running it under cold water to cool it before testing the doneness. He bit off a bit of it and then held it out for you. You took the noodle and bit into it, a perfect al dente. Dipping a measuring cup into the pasta water, he set that aside and went to drain the pasta.

He took it straight from the strainer and into the sauce pan, coating the noodles with the rich tomato sauce and adding just a little bit of the reserved pasta water and letting it simmer a bit to thicken the sauce. In the mean time, he took the bread from the bag, slicing it and laying the slices on a baking sheet, rubbing a cut clove of garlic over the bread and sprinkling some extra herbs on it once he'd put some butter on top. Popping the tray in the oven on broil, he timed it a few minutes before pulling out perfectly browned, crispy garlic bread.

Once the consistency of the sauce was too his liking, he had you grab two bowl-like plates from the cupboard and hold them for him as he plated the pasta, twisting it into a cute spiral on the plates.

"Okay, now just a little extra." he reached into the grocery bag and pulled out a wedge of parmesan cheese, and found a grater in one of the drawers of the island. He unwrapped it quickly and shaved it over the pasta, sprinkling it with the finest snow of cheese you'd ever seen, and then a pinch of some parsley he got just for garnish. "There. Perfect."

"This looks and smells incredible, Sam, I can't wait to try it." you rubbed your hands together excitedly.

"Follow me to the dining room." you expected Sam to lead you to his actual dining room, but instead, he took you to the living room. You hadn't noticed it when you'd passed by earlier, but he'd rearranged the space to fit a small table and two chairs. There was a bottle of wine at the table and glasses ready for a pour as he set the plates down. He came back and reached forward, untying the knot at the front of your apron and tugging the strings loose before taking the apron off you. He did the same with his and took your hand leading you to the table. You noticed as he tucked your chair in for you, instead of sitting across from you, he was right beside you, his knee brushing yours under the table as he sat.

"Sam, no matter what this tastes like," you began. "I just want you to know, this has been one of the best dates I've ever been on." Sam blushed and smiled, moving the hand closest to you and taking yours in his.

"For me too." he agreed. "You're easy to work with. And the kissing between tasks is a plus."

"Yeah, I'll cheers to that." you giggled. "Well, once you pour the wine." Sam reached out and grabbed the bottle of wine, opening it and pouring both of you a glass before raising his and meeting yours with a small cheers and taking a sip. From there, you both dug in, and you couldn't help the praises that slipped from your lips at how good the dinner was, glad that you'd made so much so you could ask for a little to take to work the next day for lunch.

"Okay, can I ask something?" Sam pushed the pasta around his plate for a minute.

"Sure, what is it?" you asked, dabbing your napkin against your lips as you set yours down. Sam took a small breath.

"I know it's dumb and silly, and you don't have to, but..." he squeezed his eyes shut before looking at you. "I've always wanted to have a Lady and the Tramp moment with pasta..." you took a moment to realized what he was trying to ask.

"Oh! Well...neither of us are wearing white, and it's kind of cute you want to do that...why not?" Sam lit up, picking up a long noodle from his plate and sticking one end in his mouth, and holding out the other for you. You got the other end in your mouth and both you and Sam had trouble keeping your giggles at bay as your lips inched closer and closer before the final bite, and your lips were planted firmly against one anothers.

"Rosie probably thinks we're idiots." Sam laughed, wiping sauce from his chin as you wiped some from your cheek.

"She always has," you shrugged. The two of you finished your meal together, and you helped him clean up, packing up the left overs into tupperware and into the fridge, nearly squealing with delight when he told you that two of them were for you to take home.

Sitting on the couch, you were snuggled up into his side watching the movie on the television, when you realized something.

"Hey Sam, is there any dessert?" Sam looked down at you, eyebrows furrowed.

"I thought you were stuffed?" he asked, and you leaned up, taking his chin in your hand and gently shaking his head back and forth.

"Well, someone promised me a cannoli..." Sam smirked immediately and wrapped his arms around you, leaning you back on the couch until you were flat on your back.

"Oh, there's dessert alright, c'mere baby."

Taglist: @lunaindigoraven @lvnterninthenight @allieisacrybaby @xserenax-13 @sarakay-gvf @shutupdevvie @myownparadise96 @watchingovergvf @gretavanfleetposts @gardenofgreta @streamsofstardust @joshkiszkas @jakewhorecore @fictional-duchess @like-a-woman-in-a-dream @josiee-gvf @ascendingtostardust @joshkiszkatoothgap @andeejoness @gardensgatedaisy @kkdarling @demonrat444 @teddiie @writingcold @livinginthevioletsounds @dannyandthekiszkas @gretavanbestie

[moodymelanist]

Potential nessian prompt-

Cassian thought his gf was just super into Halloween but turns out she’s an actual witch and Nesta dated him against her better judgement after Tomas but he doesn’t even care he just gets excited about magic lol

this is amazing thank you so much for sending this one in. happy Halloween 🎃👻

“So let me get this straight,” Cassian said, still in a state of disbelief. “You’re not just really into witch cosplay?”

“Oh, for the love of…” Nesta trailed off, throwing her hands up in the air. “I’m a witch, Cassian! I thought you knew this already!”

Cassian had been dating Nesta for almost six months at this point, and she still managed to find ways to surprise him. He’d always thought she was just super dedicated to the Halloween aesthetic all year round, so he’d never thought anything of the spooky to downright creepy stuff he’d seen and experienced with her.

Really close relationship to her cat? He just figured she had a soft spot for strays. Super old books written in Latin? You could get anything off Etsy these days. A heavy pot that looked like something out of Hocus Pocus? Maybe she was just super into cooking stews.

But then he’d walked in on her doing an honest to God ritual in her living room, fully intending to use the spare key she’d given him to surprise her with a homemade dinner, and instead had come to the realization that she was actually a witch and not just someone who looked phenomenal in black robes.

“Well now I just feel kind of stupid,” Cassian eventually replied. He finally unfroze from where he’d stopped right in the entryway and started making his way over to the kitchen so he could prepare the dinner he’d intended. “So what kind of a witch are you? Wait, is that rude to ask?”

He heard Nesta sigh from the living room before she got up and walked into the kitchen, snagging a seat at the nearby table. “Kind of, but I’ll let it slide because I like you. Witches — spellcasters, really — train in all sorts of things, but I’m most talented with Old Magic. Death magic, to be specific.”

“Old Magic?” he asked. He turned to face her as he stopped unpacking the ingredients for spaghetti carbonara. “What does that mean?”

“I’ve definitely complained about this to you before,” she grumbled, an adorable frown taking over her face. Death witch or not, she was just as beautiful — even more so, now that Cassian was seemingly finding out the truth. “All the kids today got hooked on Harry Potter and think magic is about charms and using wands and flying on a broomstick. Back in my day, you joined a coven and became someone’s apprentice if you were lucky.”

“Right. New Magic is stupid, then.” He made a choice not to think too hard about the back in my day comment for his own sanity, but to be honest, if his girlfriend turned out to be a serious cougar… well. It wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world. “Wait, but when did you tell me you were a witch?”

“Cassian, we literally met right outside a spellcasting supply store,” Nesta answered slowly. “You’ve met members of my coven. You’ve heard me speak demonic languages. Why wouldn’t you know this?”

Cassian thought back to all the things she’d mentioned and realized just how oblivious he’d been. Not noticing the store was one thing, but now that she was pointing things out, it seemed incredibly obvious. Emerie and Gwyn had been lovely, although at the time he’d just assumed equally committed to the Halloween aesthetic as Nesta, and he’d just figured the languages were something he’d never heard before.

“I just assumed you were really into Halloween,” Cassian said sheepishly. Now that his girlfriend had laid everything out for him, he felt like the biggest idiot on the planet. What the hell was someone as clearly powerful and accomplished as her doing with a regular guy like him? “Which… feels really stupid and I completely understand if you don’t want me around anymore.”

Nesta just stared at him like he’d grown three heads. “Why would I not want you around anymore?”

“Because I’m an idiot who didn’t even realize his girlfriend was a real witch? And an insanely powerful one at that?”

“You’re not an idiot. If anything, I’m the idiot for assuming you already knew and thinking you didn’t have a problem with what I am.”

“Why would I have a problem with it?” Cassian asked, even more confused about the turn in conversation. Nesta was staring at him like she expected him to freak out in a bad way, and that wouldn’t do. “Nes, this is so fucking cool. Are you kidding me? My girlfriend is powerful as hell and can keep herself safe. Who wouldn’t think this is awesome?”

Nesta looked at him like she couldn’t quite believe what was coming out of his mouth. “Really? You don’t think this is… weird?”

“Sweetheart, this is the coolest thing that’s ever happened to me,” he told her, delighted when she blushed and looked down at her knees. “You’re the coolest thing that’s ever happened to me. Who the fuck made you feel differently so I can beat them up?”

“Trust me, it’s been taken care of,” she promised, looking back up with a secretive smile. “I’m just glad you feel that way. Now move over, I have a spell for this.”

“You’ve had all these spells and you’ve been holding out on me all this time?” he asked. He was more than happy to move out of the way and let her do her thing, but now he had even more questions. “Wait, have you been holding out on me?”

“Of course not, baby,” Nesta responded sweetly. She muttered an incantation and the food began unpacking itself, utensils and pans easily maneuvering around the kitchen before Cassian’s eyes. “Why do you think you leave here so well-rested?”

Cassian didn’t have an immediate response, but by the time his girlfriend was through with him for the evening, he’d certainly gathered an answer.

tag list: @perseusannabeth | @bookstantrash | @nestaspegasus | @a-court-of-valkyries | @rowaelinismyotp | @live-the-fangirl-life | @sv0430 | @brieq | @positivewitch | @sayosdreams | @nesquik-arccheron | @talkfantasytome | @simpingfornestaarcheron | @vidalinav | @swankii-art-teacher | @that-little-red-head | @secretlovelybeauty | @starksravings | @dustjacketmusings | @katekatpattywack | @claralady | @gwynethhberdara | @duskandstarlight | @arinbelle | @vanserrass | @mrs-shadowsinger04 | @houseofcalores | @imsointobooks | @silvernesta | @planet-faerie | @teagoddess99 | @champanheandluxxury | @catplayinvioline | @flora-shadowshine | @nerdperson524 | @story-scribbler | @vasudharaghavan | @dealfea | @snickerdoodlechittybangbang | @charming-butt-insane | @highqueenofelfhame | @julemmaes | @oversizedbats | @readingismyonlyhobby | @milkkand-honey | @wildlyglittering | @thewayshedreamed | @goddess-aelin

[jopetkasi]

please forgive the constant food postings. when you get to my age, your feeds will be mostly about dogs, food, pamangkins and piolo pascual. 

anyway, the fare today, as always is simple. carbs over carbs. we had chowking chaofan imitation, topped with homemade siomai and store bought dumplings. and a hefty serving of carbonara paired with repurposed (lol) butter toasted pandesal.

now ko lang na realize and it all makes sense. ang mom ko, step mom ko were classmates at the college of home economics sa UP Diliman. Manang Cion (our cook) is my mom’s kababata, also studied Home Economics at the same school but did not finish since she find the commute from grandparent’s house in Binondo to Diliman too tiring back then. Besides, she (Manang Cion) learned from her mother who then was a sought after cook in Pampanga. 

kaya pala they always use the same terms like:

a. “wag muna itapon, tignan muna baka magamit pa?” when discarding old items at the house. 

b. “konti lang muna. pag gusto, kumuha pa”  a perpetual advise for us kids para hindi takaw mata sa pagkain. 

c. “patingin ng nails mo saka me panyo kana?”

d. “look at people’s eyes when being introduced and smile with your eyes” 

e. “do not be the center of attention”  legit teaching, peeps. 

f. “kumain ka ng gulay at isda” 

g. “you do not need a lot of shoes. ano ka, alupihan? madaming paa?

h. “cover your mouth when you laugh. sino ka si ruffa?”

i “kahit panget ka basta matambok pwet mo, panalo ka” personal advise to yours truly. 

j. “mag siesta ka” that obligatory one hour and a half nap time after lunch. 

I can go on and tell you guys how these women have transformed the ordinary things and situation in our family life, extra ordinary. they never asked for things or concession, rather they worked with what they have and created something beautiful. 

i guess, in our present situation, when privileges are demanded, I would like to have even a small portion on what these ladies have: simplicity, sense of humor and faith. 

[crabbarts]

Ough Zeke if I could send you all these soft asks I would they're so adorable 🥺🥺🥺 but I'll settle for 5, 10, 12, 13, 18, 19, 20, 23 uwu have a lovely day <33

wahhh sara you're the sweetest 🥺 thank you for the asks and I hope YOU have a lovely day!

5. who do you feel most you around?

IRL I feel the most myself around my sister! We have some deep talks and she's very good at talking me through tough subjects. And in the online space, I feel like I can truly be myself with you! 💚💚

10. what’s something you’re excited for?

I'm going to see my best friend on Sunday! We're going to visit a Japanese bakery that we haven't been to before, but their bun and dessert selection looks impeccable,, I'm hoping to get one of everything on the menu 🤧

12. how are you?

I'm doing really well, thank you <33 I have a lot of ideas for art, my shoulder and neck have been feeling better these days, I've been reading some new books, I'm less stressed on the employment front, I'm having a great time rn!

13. what’s your comfort food?

Any creamy and/or cheesy pasta tbh... homemade mac & cheese, fettuccine alfredo, carbonara, mentaiko udon,, ough those creamy pastas are the way to my heart

18. do you still love stuffed animals?

Ooooo well, I do still love stuffed animals, I like admiring them in stores or in claw machines, but I don't really like buying them. I don't have much space in my room for plushies and I don't like sleeping with more than one or two of them. I have a stuffed horse named Cinnamon that my parents gifted me when I was three, and I still sleep with her next to my pillow (she's very threadbare)

19. most important thing in your life?

Hmm this is a hard one...currently I think connecting with other people is the most important thing in my life. I've been socially isolated for the past year or so, and I've been very lonely and depressed at times, so now when I do get out & about I really enjoy making small talk with strangers or complimenting people's outfits. Like I really do understand the importance of social interaction after being cut off from it for awhile 😅 even a few sentences exchanged with a stranger can make my day feel so much richer, if that makes sense.

20. what do you want most in the world right now?

I'm pretty satisfied with what I have atm! (aka nothing's coming to mind atm, sorry sara 😅)

23. favourite piece of clothing?

OOH this is tough,, I want to say my patch jacket, which I've had since 2018, it's covered in Amazingly Curated and Thoughtfully Placed patches and it's getting very heavy and stiff,, but I also recently thrifted a sherpa-lined acid-washed 80s style denim jacket that is so comfy and just warm enough for spring, I've been wearing it almost every day when I walk the dog and I feel so cool wearing it...ig I'll have to go with my patch jacket but the acid washed one might dethrone it someday soon

[we-the-chefs]

Homemade Simplicity: Easy Recipes for Busy Lives

The Convenience of Home Food Delivery

Home food delivery has revolutionized the way we eat, making it possible to enjoy delicious, home-cooked meals without spending hours in the kitchen. Whether you’re juggling work, family, or other commitments, having healthy and tasty meals delivered to your doorstep can be a lifesaver. With just a few clicks, you can have a variety of cuisines, including Anglo-Indian and Italian, ready to enjoy.

Chef Ruth Phillips: A Fusion of Flavors

Chef Ruth Phillips brings a remarkable fusion of Anglo-Indian and Italian cuisine to Gurgaon. Her culinary creations are perfect for those who appreciate the depth of Indian spices and the simplicity of Italian cooking. Here are a few standout dishes you can expect from her menu:

Anglo-Indian Delights

Chicken Vindaloo: A spicy and tangy chicken curry that pairs perfectly with steamed rice or naan.

Anglo-Indian Meatball Curry: Juicy meatballs simmered in a rich, spiced gravy, served with fragrant basmati rice.

Fish Moilee: A coconut milk-based fish curry with delicate flavors that transport you to the coastal regions of India.

Italian Classics

Pasta Carbonara: A creamy, comforting pasta dish made with eggs, cheese, pancetta, and pepper.

Margherita Pizza: A classic Italian pizza with a thin crust, topped with fresh tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, and basil.

Tiramisu: A traditional Italian dessert made with layers of coffee-soaked ladyfingers and mascarpone cheese, dusted with cocoa powder.

Easy Recipes for Busy Lives

If you love the idea of homemade meals but struggle to find the time, here are a few easy recipes that can fit into your busy schedule:

Quick Chicken Stir-Fry

Ingredients:

2 chicken breasts, sliced thinly

1 bell pepper, sliced

1 onion, sliced

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon olive oil

Instructions:

Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat.

Add the garlic and onion, and sauté until fragrant.

Add the chicken slices and cook until browned.

Toss in the bell pepper and soy sauce, and stir-fry until the chicken is cooked through and the peppers are tender.

Serve with steamed rice or noodles.

Simple Caprese Salad

Ingredients:

2 large tomatoes, sliced

Fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced

Fresh basil leaves

Extra-virgin olive oil

Balsamic vinegar

Salt and pepper

Instructions:

Arrange the tomato and mozzarella slices on a platter, alternating between them.

Tuck fresh basil leaves between the slices.

Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serve immediately.

Conclusion

Balancing a busy lifestyle with the desire for homemade meals is easier than ever with home food delivery services and quick, easy recipes. Whether you choose to indulge in the culinary delights of Anglo-Indian & Italian food Near Me in Gurgaon — Chef Ruth Phillips, or whip up your own simple dishes at home, you can enjoy the best of both worlds. Embrace the convenience without compromising on flavor, and savor the simplicity of delicious, homemade food.

[unhingedwomandiaries]

50 Things To-Do Before I'm 50

1. Write my will.

2. Solve a Rubik's Cube.

3. Visit Aigre, France.

4. Go mining in the Mines in Hare Hill, New Cumnock, East Ayrshire, Scotland, UK.

5. Earn £50,000+.

6. Get the tattoo design I've wanted since I was nine.

7. Try olive oil and sea salt on vanilla ice cream.

8. Go golfing in Scotland.

9. Finish a tube of chapstick.

10. Take a photo of my Aunt to Paris. Show her picture around all the sites.

11. Figure out x's surname and meet the people from my half-family.

12. Run in the London Marathon.

13. Complete the hidden Tetris levels.

14. Run a mile in under 15 minutes.

15. Go to the corner bodega and pick out a soda flavour that sounds completely disgusting or out of the ordinary for me.

16. Make at least one Strava Art.

17. Adopt a cat and name it after my late Aunt.

18. Eat a homemade quiche that doesn't make me gag.

19. Try Opiate Dentiare toothpaste.

20. Own an ereader with a digital pen.

21. Try a deep fried Mars bar from the chippy shop.

22. Buy a bottle of wine and drink it in twenty years.

23. Start a women's football team at work.

24. Discover a new band.

25. See a Yankees game in London.

26. Fast for a day.

27. Go to a restaurant and order something completely different from my usual.

28. Reconnect with an old friend.

29. Grow my cuticle back on my pinky finger on my right hand.

30. Don't dye my hair.

31. Own a set of bed pillows from The Ritz.

32. Eat a hog roast leg at Peppa Pig World.

33. Eat fufu with my hands.

34. Kiss the blarney stone.

35. Find a four leaf clover.

36. Go to Turf Tavern in Oxford and have a cider.

37. Read a banned book.

38. Bowl a strike.

39. Eat a Colin the Caterpillar cake on my birthday.

40. Learn Korean.

41. Become a British citizen.

42. Eat insects that aren't covered in chocolate, sour coating, sugar, or spicy dusting.

43. Be the Mother of the Bride/Groom at a godchild's wedding.

44. Petition to get a statue of John Woodcock next to Baxter Hulme's.

45. Try a Korean corn dog.

46. Time travel to experience New Year's Eve twice.

47. Watch the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace on the 25th anniversary of 9/11.

48. Try carbonara the traditional way without cream.

49. Swim in Bulgaria's Black Sea.

50. Put a flag on my bicycle.

I'm just minding my business on my lunch break, trying to savor a few moments of solace in the bustling chaos of the office, when x decides to make my midday sandwich a lot less digestible. He strolls up, bold as brass, seeking my profound wisdom on the intricate dance of romance. I mean, really? Do I emit the vibe of a seasoned dating guru?

In front of my entire team, he unveils his quest for love counsel, completely oblivious and unbeknownst to him my questionable dating history – like that time I tolerated a man who thought physical abuse was an acceptable form of communication. Oh, and let's not forget the somnambulant escapade with an ex who had a peculiar fetish. According to him, consent is optional if it aligns with one's peculiar predilections. Not exactly credentials for Cupid's advisory board.

To add a splash of absurdity to this charade, the guy is a whole fifteen years my senior. I'm left pondering what peculiar rites of passage the Gen Xers engage in. Amidst his quest for love, he drops the bomb that he's on a race against time to conquer a checklist of fifty exploits before hitting the half-century mark. At 49, he's got his sights set on the Andes Mountains.

As he rambles on about his bucket list, my mind drifts to more pressing matters – namely, my unfulfilled yearning for an Andes candy bar. You know, the one with those charming mountains on the packaging? A moment of whimsy amidst the absurdity of it all.

Yet, amid the lunacy, a spark of inspiration ignites. I crave my own checklist, one that transcends the mundane. To outlive my father and face the challenges with unwavering courage – now that's a list worth crafting.

[thatlittlered]

Unprofessional, To Say The Least | Jim Hopper

Summary: Jim accepts Flo’s proposal for a replacement as a last measure, but never once realizes quite what that entails.

Note: Pearlman is a placeholder surname.

Read previous chapters

A few days go by, and there is an odd routine settling out of nowhere. You take El shopping on your day off with the excuse of her best fitting pants having been ruined, buy her ice cream and a glittery lip gloss you’re not too sure Hop would be happy to see. She’s beaming the whole time and you love it.

Jim is making dinner when you drop her off, not wearing an apron to your great disappointment, but still looking incredibly homely in his funnel. It’s sweet to see him like this.

He smiles at you a little longer than usual when he thanks you, but is too embarrassed at his cooking skills to invite you in. So you stay in the doorway for a few seconds, just looking at each other. This is the most unprofessional you’ve ever been.

“She really wanted a lip gloss and I got it for her, I hope that’s okay with you. I mean, I checked and it seemed age-appropriate.”

He has no idea what you just said.

“Yeah, yeah, sure. Shouldn’t have used your money, but it’s fine.”

Oh, lip-gloss. That’s the shiny stuff.

Is it age-appropriate?

Mike isn’t age-appropriate, yet here we are.

“No, it was so much fun, I loved it. So… I’ll see you Monday?” your lips tilt.

You must be wearing lip-gloss and he briefly wonders what it tastes like.

“Monday, yeah. Thank you again, this means a lot.”

“No problem, Chief.”

Your bodies stand close in the doorway, close enough that you could touch with a subtle move but every fantasy of that happening is shattered when you wave goodbye and move backwards, turning around to walk towards your car.

Things are very, very unprofessional.

Monday comes quickly through Sunday’s blur of watching TV on the couch and hearing Mike and El blasting music and giggling obnoxiously in the background. On Monday, he’s on time and you’re already there with a grin and hot coffee left on his desk, alongside a plastic container filled with cookies.

‘Chocolate chip, to share with El.’ written on a note with a smiley face next to it.

Around ten, you knock on his door and quickly enter when he says come in.

“Hey there, boss-man.”

“Come in, sweetheart, I'm just taking care of your paychecks.”

Sweetheart.

He says that a lot for a man who’s fighting tooth and nail to not make eye contact for long. He’s always looking somewhere else these days, close to your face, but not directly at you, like a nervous child who’s trying to be polite but not be caught staring.

“Oh, I should’ve snuck in some more cookies then.”

“I’m not really in charge of the numbers on the check, unfortunately, it’s the government that pays you.”

“That’s a shame, I would have upped my game with a homemade carbonara.”

He sighs, “Damn shame.”

“By the way, I don’t know if you’ve talked to my aunt recently, but she’s doing really great and the doctor says she could be back at work in two to three weeks.”

“Oh, yeah, she let me know,” you knew she did. He calls and checks up on her every couple of days. You just wanted to see his reaction, “We’ll be sad to see you go when she does.”

Silence ensues, mostly because neither of you know what to say.

You want to say you’ll miss them; miss him and his smile when you walk in his office. The way he calls you ‘sweetheart’ without making you uncomfortable like any other work creep and how he looks when you watch him smoke through the blinds of his office.

He wants to say he’ll be the saddest because he’s growing used to you and your cooking and your lovely office dresses that remind him you’re too young for him to ever really tell you this.

“Speaking of which, I looked into what you asked me, and I think I could put in a word with the mayor’s office. Larry’s trying to pump up his image with new hires and I think you’ve proven you’re a great secretary. How’s that sound?” this time he looks at you, straight into your eyes.

You might not have to miss him after all.

Series Masterlist.

Taglist: @blyatypus @esoltis280​ @lolacolaempath @mermaid-trash​ @mina2000alex​ @onceuponathreetwoone @xxcxrolinexx @missishart23 @agirlinherhead​ @0hour9am @omgikwangminwoo @always-hiding-behind-smiles-blog @jointhehunt67 @fingersock1 @ollyoxenfrees @dewy-biitch @smilechannie @multifandom-fangirl4 @bottled-poet @lemursfemur

Permanent Taglist: @ateliefloresdaprimavera @sunflowersandstringlights @memyselfandmaddox @geeksareunique @thepoet1975 @laneygthememequeen

[deadravenclaw]

Table for two

(gif by me)

Summary: Emily and Reader make dinner together when your little surprise ends up being a disaster Pairing: Emily Prentiss x Reader Word count: 1.3k Category: Fluff Warnings: Very brief mention of alcohol A/N: Written for @sweetprentiss' birthday bingo - prompts used: cooking/baking together and "it's not as bad as it looks." Happy birthday bestie (: Hope you have an amazing birthday!

TAGLIST: @temilyrights @ellcsgreenaway @leftoverenvy @lcvingprentjss @ssa-sapphic @demonof-the-psoriasis @writingquillsandpainpills

Read on AO3

You rush around frantically, pots and pans clanging as you try to figure out where the timer was. You had set it for ten minutes nearly fifteen minutes ago and the ringing is about to drive you insane. Finally, you see the timer half buried in the rubbish. Reaching for it, you quickly turn it off before throwing it onto the counter. With the kitchen silent once more, you let out a sigh of relief.

You and Emily had planned to go out for dinner today, but instead, you decided to give her a little surprise. It was supposed to be a simple dinner for you and Emily, with a homemade pie for dessert. You had spent the previous day scouring the internet for a pie recipe that you were confident you could replicate, and had sought help from Tara for a particular spaghetti carbonara recipe that you knew Emily liked. Now, six hours after you began, your kitchen was a mess. Flour from your attempt at handmade pasta cover the walls, and utensils litter the counters from when you were too preoccupied to clean.

However, your brief relief turns to panic once again when you hear the rattling of keys and the front door opening. You quickly toss the burnt food into the rubbish and try to wipe off any remnants of food on the counter. You manage to hide the slightly (or extremely) deformed pie dough in the oven and step out of the kitchen just as Emily neared the entrance.

“Um, hi?” she says, a hint of caution in her voice.

You position yourself to hide as much of the mess as you could. “Hey, Em…” you say, a wide grin on your face. She walks closer to you to give you a peck on your cheek, stopping when she notices the flour covering your shirt.

“What’s going on here?” she asks.

“Nothing…”

Emily raises an eyebrow, unconvinced, and in a split second, she darts around you and enters the kitchen. She freezes in her tracks, eyes widening as she sees the state of your kitchen. You grimace, knowing how bad it looks. It takes a full five minutes for Emily to come up with a response.

“Wow,” she mumbles, her voice barely above a whisper.

“It was supposed to be a surprise,” you grumble, pointing towards the mess lying in the rubbish. Emily winces, reaching for a string of burnt pasta. She takes a closer look at it, and you try to grab it back from her. She throws it back to you, where you promptly throw it back in the rubbish.

“It’s not as bad as it looks,” you argue weakly.

“You burned boiled pasta, love,” Emily pointed out. She looks around the kitchen, and her eyes land on the oven. You wince as she opens the oven door, pulling out the disfigured pie crust.

“It’s supposed to be a pie…”

“Right.”

You pout, sticking out your tongue and Emily chuckles, pulling you into an embrace. You close your eyes, grinning as she presses a kiss to your lips. She pulls away a moment later, and you open your eyes to see Emily grabbing the recipe you had pasted on the wall earlier.

“Emily, what-”

“Hush, I’m helping you now.” Emily walks past you, pot in hand. You stand sceptical, as you watch Emily move seamlessly around your kitchen. As she waits for the pot to fill with a fresh batch of water, Emily studies the piece of paper, chuckling to herself. You’re starting to wonder if she’s forgotten about you when Emily tosses you an apron from seemingly out of nowhere.

“Hey love, could you grab the eggs please?”

Confused, you nod, turning to the fridge to grab what Emily needed.

“Now crack them into the bowl over there.”

You work together in relative silence, Emily occasionally passing on instructions. Ever so often, Emily would lift a spoon to your mouth for you to taste. You’ve never seen Emily cook and watching her handle the ingredients with practised ease was mesmerising. Several times, she catches you staring, flicking water in your direction in an attempt to get you to focus.

She fails every single time.

—

Another hour and a half later, you and Emily finally finish cooking, and you place the food on the coffee table in the living room. Two plates of a simple spaghetti carbonara, a bowl of salad and two glasses of wine lay between the both of you. You had left pie to cool on the counter in the kitchen, and for dessert after. Emily sets up the television, putting on a movie that she knows you both were planning to watch.

With the movie playing and food cool enough to eat, you both dig in. Your eyes widen the moment you taste it.

“God Emily, this is amazing! Where did you learn to cook like that?”

Emily blushes at your compliment, shrugging. “It’s nothing interesting, really.”

You nudge her shoulder. “Come on, Em. Please?”

Shaking her head playfully, Emily takes a sip of her wine. She sighs, leaning against the couch as you mimic her position, shuffling closer to her.

“As you know, my mother can be quite… controlling,” she begins. “And so, whenever she was at home, I would hide in places I knew she wouldn’t step foot into, and one of them just so happened to be the kitchen. I spent so much time there that the chef working there decided to teach me some simple dishes. My mother was pissed when she found out.”

“What happened?” sensing the story wasn’t going to end well.

“My mother found out and fired her,” Emily answered simply.

You place a hand on Emily’s arm. “Gosh, I’m so sorry-”

“It’s alright, it happened a long time ago. The last I heard, she retired a few years ago.”

You nod. “That’s good.”

You both sit in silence a while more before Emily’s stomach grumbles, causing you both to laugh. The atmosphere in the room lightens and you and Emily go back to watching the movie and finishing your food.

The food is quickly cleaned off your plates, with the pie being eaten directly from the tin. Emily slices what's left of the remaining pie into smaller pieces to keep in the fridge while you clean up the living room. You do the dishes together, with you washing while Emily dries. As you wash the dishes, Emily

“You know, this was probably one of the best dinners I’ve had,” says Emily. You turn off the tap, turning to face her. You look at her unconvinced. Seeing your reaction, Emily places down the last dish, her attention fully on you. Wrapping her arms around you, she places a kiss on your forehead.

“I’m serious. Sure, there were some technical difficulties- hey!” Emily yelps when you playfully punch her shoulder. “As I was saying, despite the technical difficulties, this was the most fun I’ve had in a long time.”

“That is…”

“And because my cooking is amazing.”

Emily ducks out of your reach as you splutter, trying (and failing) to get back at her. “My cooking isn’t that bad!” you yell as Emily races to the living room.

“Tell that to the poor spaghetti you killed!”

—

That night, you lay in your bed, Emily cuddling beside you with a book in hand. It’s become a little routine, where you would spend the night together after date nights, regardless if you both have work the next day. It didn’t matter anyway, considering how Emily had a drawer in your apartment and vice versa.

You hear Emily close her book and the soft thump when she places it on the nightstand. You do the same with yours, turning off the lights at the same time. The moment you’re back in bed, you feel Emily’s arms around your waist, your head being tucked into her chest.

As you feel Emily’s breathing even out, you hear her mutter softly.

“Hey love? Why were you cooking tonight anyway? I thought we were going out for dinner?”

You shrug, “I just thought you deserved something nice.”

Emily places a kiss on your forehead, holding you closer, “being with you is all I could ask for.

[elen-aranel]

Ok. Don’t worry. I just want to see if you could do one where Christopher Pike is taking care of his wife after she gets side effects from a shot she had to get.

As long as it’s not pushing you out of your comfort zone.

The weather is grey and cold and writing this has made me feel warm. Thank you so much for my first ever request @sitkafay I really hope you like it 💖

Side Effects May Include

Pairing: Christopher Pike x F!Reader (no Y/N) Warnings: fluff, reader is sick WC: 1660 Tag list: @jusvibbbin (to be added to my Pike X Reader taglist let me know)

“It’s bad. Ensign Parsons almost died. Some humans are particularly susceptible, according to Phil.” Chris takes a bite of the pasta carbonara you synthesised for dinner. You thought your husband might need some comfort food – today had been tough.

The transporter’s bio filters hadn’t picked up the infection when the away team beamed back from the planet the Enterprise had been surveying a couple of days ago. So by the time the first person got sick, it had already infected almost all of exobiology and the beta-shift security team.

“They developed an antiviral and a vaccine, though, right?” You say, concerned, taking a sip of your synthesised white wine.

“Yes. Phil came up and administered the vaccine to the bridge crew already, and engineering are going to sickbay to get their doses overnight. Everyone else gets theirs tomorrow.” Chris sighs a little and you see the worry in his blue eyes. “It could have been a lot worse – it’s only as infectious as Earth’s flu, so locking down the ship has worked. Phil said it if had been as infectious as measles we could have been looking at multiple fatalities, even with the antiviral.” He sighs a little and you put your fork down and reach out for your husband’s hand.

“Too close for comfort,” you say, and he nods. You both take a moment, then he brightens up.

“You all right to work from ’home’ tomorrow?”

“I expect I’ll cope.” You grin, happy to see his dimpled smile in return.

*

It’s odd having to synthesise a mask to wear to go to sickbay. Environmental control has been set to filter the virus in the air, but the ship is a closed system and Chris – Captain Pike, you remind yourself; he may be your husband but you are on duty – has let Boyce take the lead. The CMO is not taking any chances.

You sit on a bio bed as a Nurse T’Hara scans you.

“I have confirmed you do not have any of the virus in your system. With your permission I will now administer the vaccine. You should have full immunity within eighteen hours, but prior to that you may experience some side effects as your immune system adjusts. We estimate the probability of this to be less than five percent based on the crew who have received this treatment so far.”

You nod, understanding. Chris didn’t have any side effects, so hopefully you won’t either.

She presses a hypo spray to your neck.

*

Back in your quarters you sit at Chris’s desk, PADD in hand. You look out at the stars going by at warp. In three days the ship is due to scan a nebula with some interesting subspace properties, and you are working on a proposal for the best way to scan it – routes round the nebula and sensor optimisation, as well as probes, possibly to collect more data and to take samples. You love when Enterprise has a spatial phenomenon to investigate – stars drew you to Starfleet in the first place, and you love being on the cutting edge of astrophysics. The proposal is almost done, and you’re due to send it to Spock by 12:00 after you reread it and cross check your supporting data.

But somehow it’s difficult to concentrate. Maybe it’s the way you can see the stars going by? Your office doesn’t have a window, and you don’t usually use this desk. Chris has so much paperwork to handle you understand that he can’t do it all in his ready room; you like that you get to spend time with him as he works. But you don’t often bring work back to your quarters, and if you do you usually sit on the sofa.

You get up and stretch, and walk across to the sofa. You feel like you do the day after you’ve had a particularly rough workout. But the ship went into lockdown before you and Maryam – Lieutenant Ahmed, your friend in security – could have your weekly sparring session yesterday. Weird.

You sit down, tucking your legs under you, and get back to your proposal. You manage to read and edit a couple more sections. There’s only double checking the referenced data to do now. You shake your head a little; you feel a bit spaced out. Not quite connected with your body.

“Computer, what time is it?”

“The current time is 09:55.”

You have time to take a little break. You put your PADD aside, and rub your eyes. You could just shut them for a few minutes – your head is aching a bit, but it’ll probably be fine in five minutes or so.

*

“Sweetheart?”

Someone wants something. But your head is aching and you’re so drowsy. If you ignore them they’ll go away.

“Sweetheart? Are you okay?”

You blink, opening your eyes, squinting. Chris’s face is right in front of you, his blue eyes staring into yours, worried.

“’m fine,” you say. But your voice sounds a little rough. “What’re you doing here?”

“Spock was expecting you to send that proposal. When you didn’t we commed you but you didn’t reply.”

He reaches out a hand and holds the back of it against your forehead. It’s pleasantly cool and you lean into the touch, sighing a little as he flips his hand round and strokes your cheek.

“Sorry. I had a bit of a headache. Thought I’d just close my eyes for a few minutes. Don’t know what happened. What time is it now?”

“13:00. You’re a bit warm. how do you feel?”

“Not great. My head’s pounding, and if I’d known I’d fall asleep I’d have gone to bed.” You groan as you shift. “My muscles are all ache-y, and the sofa hasn’t helped.”

Chris presses a kiss to your forehead. “Sounds like you’re having a reaction to the vaccine. Sickbay reported that a few people had. Come on, let’s get you a little more comfortable.” He puts an arm round you and helps you stretch your legs out along the sofa. He grabs a couple of throw cushions and props them behind your back.

“Don’t you need to get back to the bridge?” As sick as you feel you know that Chris has to prioritise the ship; one of the things you love about him is his commitment to the people under his care.

“Number One has the conn. Actually I’d planned to get caught up on crew evals in the ready room while everything was quiet, but...” you see the love in his eyes as he stands. “You need me. Can’t neglect you when you feel like this.”

“If you’re sure,” you say, glad that he’s staying, but still feeling the need to check. You close your eyes again, now feeling a bit cold.

Next thing you know Chris’s strong arm is around you, and there’s a delicious smell in front of your nose. You open your eyes – Chris must have dimmed the lights because you don’t need to squint anymore.

“Chicken soup. It’ll make you feel better.”

You take a small sip from the cup he’s holding in front of you. It’s the perfect temperature, hot but not too hot, and the savoury flavour bursts across your tongue, familiar somehow, and soothing. You hum in pleasure, and take another sip, bringing your hands up to hold the cup.

“Mom made the program after you said you liked it last time we visited. It’s the soup she put in a flask for us when we went for a ride on the last evening we were there. She said it won’t be as good as homemade, but she hoped you’d like it anyway. I’ve been keeping it to surprise you... now seemed like a good time.”

“Thank you,” you say, leaning back into him. You remember that ride – he had taken you to his favourite place for stargazing as a kid, and you had sat there looking at the Milky Way, the horses nearby, you and Chris snuggled under blankets, warm together in the cool desert night. You need to thank her, you think, when you feel better.

“Thought this was the best to get some food into you, get you hydrated.” He squeezes you and kisses your temple. “Would you like to go to bed?”

“You have reports to go through, right? Maybe I can sit with you, while you read them here?”

“We can do that,” he says, voice warm, and he helps you move up so he can sit next to you. He flips the throw from the back of the sofa down over you, then he pulls you against him, and you lean back. He puts an arm round you again, and holds his PADD in his other hand. You doze, feeling comforted.

*

“...should resolve by themselves? Thanks. Yeah. I’ll make sure. Let me know if you— All right. Pike out.”

“Hmm?”

“Phil. He wants me to keep you hydrated, but thinks you’ll feel better by the morning.”

You stretch against him. You’re already feeling a bit more yourself – your headache is easing, even though your muscles are still a bit sore.

“Thank you for taking care of me, Chris. You—you didn’t have to.”

“I wanted to. In sickness and in health, right?”

“Right.”

“I’m going to get you some water, then something to eat if you can manage it, then hot shower to soothe those muscles, then bed. How does that sound?”

“That sounds perfect. But—”

“Your proposal? Spock has it. He’s pleased, says your idea to use the probes is a good one.”

“You think of everything, don’t you?” You swing your legs round, pulling away from him a little as you sit up, keeping the throw over your bottom half. You turn toward him, reaching out to touch his face. His mouth quirks into a smile.

“I’m not Captain for nothing, sweetheart.” He leans toward you and gives you a gentle kiss.

[flowerandthesongstress]

What I think you are like based on the bachelor you married in Stardew Valley

Alex: you’re convinced that there are entirely too many types of pasta, it’s just redundant, come on, three hundred and fifty with new ones invented every year? Not to mention there’s too many fillings for tortellini, and spinach just doesn’t belong in dumplings that are boiled, what is this, and why is there one that has both spinach AND truffle, and also people posting carbonara recipes must always specify that the pasta base should be eggless, because there is plenty of egg yolk in the sauce and eggs in the dough make the dish too heavy. 

Elliott: you think that it’s frustrating how they cancelled ‘My Name Is Earl’, it should have been given five seasons instead of four to complete the arc, and the way it ended on a cliffhanger was simply unforgivable, but the main reason is, there’s just not enough smart and wholesome and a little idiotic but in a good way sitcoms on TV anymore, at least ones that aren’t mockumentaries, also it’s such a shame how ‘Boston Legal’ was cancelled, too, and ‘The Blacklist’ wasn’t, James Spader is just wasted in this last one. And Sense8?! Yikes! And oh dear, all of the space sci fi shows? Tragic that they are all basically doomed from the very beginning.

Harvey: sure, you absolutely did follow your friend’s advice to drink more water, because it helps keep your skin clear, and with other things, too, and you thanked them after, but you were horrified by the amount of peeing that you now need to endure, you’ve turned into a lavatory animal with zoomies, running there and back again five hundred times a day and making savage sounds, but of course you’re not gonna tell your friend, however you suspect they feel the same way, judging by the amount of hydro memes they send you, although those are still funny.

Sam: you think that the war on drugs was a mistake, a waste of resources and time and money, and is absolutely not the way to go, people need to be helped and not punished, there should be more special establishments to help addicts, and decriminalization is the first step, too, also you don’t understand this flaming hate some people have for raisins, it’s not like they’re poison, and it’s not like anyone is shoving raisins down anyone’s throats, also, honestly, oatmeal with milk and raisins is not that bad, some children really like it. 

Sebastian: so during the covidiot protests in Stuttgart when one of those well off men who isn’t struggling financially, but refuses to wear a mask, or get vaccinated, or shave, or take off his fedora, was holding a sign that says, “No Fascism! No Dictatorship! Freedom of Press!” you would have really, really liked it, just once, if Merkel appeared out of thin air in one of her monochrome suits right in front of him and told him, “Yeah, sure, done, what else? You want a fresh piping hot flammkuchen, to maintain your last brain cell? ‘cause here it is, homemade by Steinmeier, eat up.” 

Shane: you are convinced that Butt Is Legs, and you will die on this hill. 

(yes, this is nothing but a parody did I say parody I meant satire and yes, have a good day)

[jadonsanhco]

18th of April

alternative title: happy birthday badass bitch

for my dear friend emily @travellvogue

“Working on your birthday shouldn’t be allowed,” you thought to yourself as you stepped inside the house, where you had longed to be all day, exhausted from a full work day. Your birthday started off amazing – with breakfast in bed prepared by your lovely boyfriend, a dozen presents that were way too expensive for your liking though you loved them a lot, and several bouquets of the prettiest flowers from that florist down the street decorating every room in the house. “Only the best for my favourite girl,” Trent had said with a smug smile, having really outdone himself for your birthday this year and he was proud. Even though he knew you’d be happy with some lush bath bombs or some books (which were of course included in the presents as well) he couldn’t stop himself completely spoiling you on your special day.

After that great start to your day you had reluctantly gotten dressed in your work outfit, hopped in your car after a goodbye kiss from Trent and drove to your work for a full day of phone calls and meetings. Now that you were finally home, you couldn’t wait to spend the final hours of your birthday with your man.

“There she is!” Trent smiled at you, coming from the living room to greet you in the hall. “How was your day baby?” he asked, pressing a kiss to your lips and gently brushing one of his hands through your long hair. “Tiring. I missed you,” you mumbled, leaning closer again for another kiss, and another.

“Mmm I missed you too,” Trent smiled against your lips. “I told you, you should’ve taken the day off,” he added, quite disappointed he didn’t get to spend the entire day with you, but it was alright – his plans for tonight would make up for it. “I definitely will next year,” you giggled, definitely having learned from this mistake, knowing you would have enjoyed your birthday much more if you could have spent it at home with him instead of having to smile at everyone who wished you a happy birthday at work – you could have done without all the birthday attention. Besides, you had discovered that planning other people’s birthdays on your own birthday wasn’t exactly ideal either, seeing all the great plans you were putting on paper and in moodboards for strangers while you spent your day at the office.

“Well madam, to show you what you’ve missed all day, I have prepared something for you,” Trent smirked, making you raise your eyebrows at him. “Oh? And what is this something that you have prepared?” you asked, the night already starting to look promising. “That’s a surprise, you’ll see in a few minutes,” he winked. Of course it was. “I hate surprises, you know that,” you rolled your eyes, but you couldn’t help the small smile appearing on your lips.

“Trust me?” Trent asked and came up behind you, covering your eyes with his hands after you nodded. He led you through the house, making sure you wouldn’t trip or bump into anything, until you could feel a breeze on your face, the sliding doors leading to the garden being pushed open. “Mind your step here,” Trent said as you stepped outside, letting you go a little farther to the place he had prepared everything.

“3,2,1… Tadaaa,” Trent removed his hands from your eyes so you could see, a small table in front of you with food that looked delicious, table decorated with flowers and even the plates were all set in a fancy way he had seen you do on special occasions like Christmas and other family dinners. As you looked around the garden you noticed how pretty it looked, fairy lights decorating the trees, some lanterns hanging around the area as well, and there were even some white and pink balloons floating in the air that said “Happy birthday Emily”, the strings attached to the railing of the steps that lead up to a raised terrace in the back of the garden. The fire pit was on for some extra warmth since evenings in April were not quite warm enough yet to stay out for too long, though since the sun was only just starting to set you could still feel the warmth of the sunlight on your face.

“Did you do all this?” you asked Trent with a smile, turning around to see a proud grin covering his face. “Yes. Well… I have to admit, mum helped me out a lot, especially with the food,” he chuckled a bit, knowing that if he would have done the cooking all by himself it would probably be a takeout, but he wanted you to have the best homemade food possible and his mum happened to be a real chef, your favourite meal being one of her specialties.

“I love it, thank you,” you pressed another kiss to Trent’s plump lips before taking a seat at the table, Trent serving you your food before sitting down in front of you. “Bon appetit,” he winked at you and took a forkful of carbonara in his mouth. You ate in a comfortable silence, talking about your day a bit but you didn’t want to talk about work too much while you were enjoying your birthday dinner. Instead, you listened to Trent telling you all about how he and Di spent their day preparing for your birthday, cooking and decorating.

“I know it’s getting a bit chilly out now,” Trent said after you had finished your meals, “but I feel like only now the sun is setting you’ll really be able to appreciate what I did with all the lights.” You laughed a bit, but nodded your head, agreeing that you couldn’t go inside now dusk was finally setting in and the lights lit up the garden beautifully. You couldn’t let all his hard work go underappreciated. 

“The fire should keep us warm, and I’ve got some blankets so we can cuddle.” You followed Trent to where he had set up some blankets and pillows, happily sitting down in front of him with your back leaning against his chest, his arms wrapped around you to both keep you warm and pull you as close as possible to him.

“I love you so much,” he whispered after a few minutes, both of you looking up at the stars as if you could try and find constellations, though you never really managed to. “I love you too,” you smiled, turning your head to give Trent a kiss before letting your eyes go over the stars in the sky again, more of them appearing the darker it got.

“I’ve got one more present for you,” Trent broke the silence again after a while. “Trent! You’ve spoilt me enough!” Trent laughed, having expected this reaction from you since he had already given you a bunch of presents before, but this last one was perfect to give to you right now.

“I promise it’s not something expensive or fancy.”

He stood up to go inside and get you your present. A shiver ran over your back from the loss of warmth, the cool air getting to you now you no longer had Trent’s body heat keeping you warm. Trent quickly returned with a gift bag in his hand, thin paper on top to cover up what was inside.

“You can look,” Trent smiled and sat down behind you again, the warmth radiating off him already protecting you from the chilly air better than the fire could. You reached your hand into the bag, your fingers touching soft fabric. A grey sweater was revealed when you pulled out your present, the material being so soft you instantly wanted to wear it and feel it on your skin. You held it up in front of you, the size definitely way too big for your body, and the sweater was just grey other than something small embroidered at the bottom of the sleeves.

“You know how you always steal my hoodies? I’m about to have none left since they’re all on your side of the closet, so that’s why I bought you this. It’s in my size, so it fits you the same as mine fit you. And my initial is on the sleeve so you can always think of me when you wear it,” Trent pointed out the small black T you noticed earlier.

“I’ve even put my cologne all over it already so it smells like me,” he winked, making you giggle a little, knowing one of the reasons you always wore his shirts was because they smell like him.

“Thank you, I really like it,” you smiled, pulling yourself out of Trent’s embrace a little so you could pull the sweater over your head, the soft fabric feeling so comfortable, and the scent of your boyfriend’s cologne making it even better.

“Thought it was perfect to give you this now so we can stay out here a liiittle longer,” Trent said and wrapped his arms around you once again, not ready to go back inside yet as he was enjoying spending time in the garden with you a lot. The doggies, that had been sleeping in the living room most the time, eventually came out for a cuddle as well, a bit afraid of the fire at first but they enjoyed being all close to you and wrapped up in blankets with you, happily continuing their nap outside.

You spent your night in such a simple way – dinner, cuddles, kisses, and just Trent’s company – but it was all you ever needed. You didn’t need a big birthday party or many visitors, you just needed Trent to make your birthday a memorable one. Even going to work earlier in the day couldn’t ruin it for you, and the idea of your and Trent’s families visiting later in the week was something to look forward to, but in that moment, cuddling by the fire with your little family, you felt happiest and more content than ever.

[sagessoftwings]

Heyyyy can I ask for a haikyuu and jjk ship + hcs please? ヽ(*゜∀゜*)ノ I’m 5ft 8, she/her, long brown wavy hair, hazel eyes and tanish skin👨🏻‍🦼 I’m an ENFJ and may Taurus btw idk if that helps lmao. I’m really into baking and reading, my favourite food is pasta carbonara and book is either ‘the obsession’ or ‘pride and prejudice’. With my friends I’m probably the most extroverted cause they’re all introverts and I have to order their food all the time (I don’t mind tho <3) but I can be quiet when you first meet me and when I warm up to you I can get too loud. I always say I hate being involved in drama but MY GOD is it fun to watch😩 my dream job is to be a house wife of a very rich guy but if that never happens I’d want to be a teacher😔also I’m a hopeless romantic and it SUCKS my expectations are WAY too high smh 🦷 my favourite singer is Lana del Rey but my favourite songs of all time include, ‘somewhere only me know’, ‘video games’, ‘million dollar man’, ‘killing me softly with his song’, ‘oh no!’ and ‘more than a feeling’.🤌🏼 yeah that was a really long list but yeah lmao. My favourite films are coraline, the nightmare before Christmas and the great gatsby👺 I don’t really know what else to say sorry if that was long but thanks 🧞‍♂️

AWE YOU SOUND SO SWEET AND PRETTYY!!!ABSOLUTELY MY LOVE!!

For jjk I ship you you Nanami Kento 😩💦

HE IS LITERALLY THE BEST LET ME TELL YOU BABY

He will definitely meet you expectations

When you first met it was Kento’s birthday and you had never met the guy so you asked Gojo what to get him

Gojo listed off what the man liked most and a bread maker seemed like a good idea sooo

Maybe it was too good because Gojo got him that but luckily you couldn’t find one so you made him some homemade bread

he might have creamed his pants when he tasted it and asked you so many questions about how you made it leading to you at his place on Saturday

He fell in looove

You two talked about what books you liked, your favorite hobbies and past times

He loves that when you finally warm up to him you become louder

And normally he doesn’t like loud but you ugh

An Angel

And this man can cook whew

For your first date he made your favorite dish and GREAT SCOTT

His smile was ear to ear when you went on about how good the meal was

He also loves to read to you while you lay on his chest

Your head would be facing up towards the book as he drew his fingers along your cheek and lips

So romantic ugh he is the fine example of a man

He does everything from stand behind you when you bend over to pick something up in public to holding you hand while opening the door for you to his car

Loves to take baths with you, he’ll make a whole fruit platter just for you based around your likes

And of course has the most expensive bath products

He loves to call you ‘princess’ ‘Angel’ ‘dove’ ‘sweetheart’ and so many more but his favorite is ‘honey bee’

But regardless he loves you dearly and would do anything for you no matter what

For haikyuu I ship you with Akaashi Keiji!!

HE LOOVES TAKING TRIPS WITH YOU TO THE LIBRARY

He’s a whore for it

He is literally such a good boyfriend and makes sure you have everything you need

With this scenario you would be a teacher and he lives to hear your teacher gossip

Loves to cook for you as well

He might need a little bit of your help tho..

His favorite thing in the world is coming down from bed in the morning and seeing you sway your hips to you favorite songs as you bake

He can’t conceal his blush tho- you’re too perfect

Cafe dates are your thing miss gurl

He also loves to read to you but looses his place when you kiss him

He will also get so flushed if you kiss his belly but GAH HE LOVES IT

Loves to do night skin care with you too, it makes him feel like a baddie heheheh

Also thinks it’s so funny if he’s in the shower after a long day at work and you come in while he’s in there and tell him about your day and ask about his

ALAKAKAJ HE’S SO CUTE

He likes to call you ‘hunny’ and then bite you softly because “you’re so sweet”

You do end up hitting him softly but that’s not the point

He loves to compliment you so that you don’t forget that you’re a bad bitch and hot as hell

Period-

A/N: AHHH I HOPED YOU ENJOYED BADDIE HEHE I was so happy to write this because it was my fist anime ask and UGH IM OBSESSED but anyways love youuu

-Sage

[you-cant-spell-subtext-without]

whew ok but Dean COOKING.  the first thing he learned to use his hands for other than killing things. not being able to put his love for people into words but sharing it through the food he made for them.  throwing palmfuls of salt in  pasta water instead of saving it for ghosts.  caramelizing onions, watching them turn into a buttery gold and somehow forgetting the world was coming to an end.  enjoying the sweet music of sizzling bacon on the stove and burgers searing on the grill.  baking Jody a pie after Asa Fox’s wake - spending extra time freezing the flour, chilling the butter, adding just a touch of brandy to the cherry filling because he knows that’s her favorite. making a meatloaf and sharing it with Mary, cracking jokes about where his skills came from.  coming up with gas station food recipes for Sam as a child, canned chicken, ramen, and slivered almond casserole, that botched Winchester surprise, hand-strung popcorn balls and egg nog on Christmas Day.  throwing together his favorite chili fries from the Roadhouse for movie nights, laughing about how long he begged Ellen for the recipe (Ash ended up swiping it for him).  asking Stevie to teach him how to make those perfect eggs Charlie won’t stop talking about so he can surprise her whenever she visits.  assembling a layer cake made out of bread and peanut butter and grape jelly (not jam) for the anniversary.  rage-trying to make something with kale for Sam’s birthday.  that birthday cake for Jack. a perfect fluffy Dutch baby with homemade whipped cream for Cas, to be eaten only in bed on lazy mornings.  stirring pancake batter and dropping it on a hot skillet, smiling quietly at that third one because you never get the good pancake on the first and second try.  thinking about that stupid salad Bobby liked but making fried chicken instead, because dammit he will not be caught dead making a salad.  winking at Cas while tossing tomatoes into the Ninja for salsa on taco Tuesdays.  tucking ham sandwiches in the cooler before a hunt, double-wrapped in wax paper and tin foil so they won’t get soggy.  spooning sour cream on enchiladas and telling Eileen the story of how he served them to Death, homemade. gently placing poached eggs on the plate with the same care he uses when holding a baby.  screaming son of a bitch when his hollandaise breaks, but trying again because he doesn’t give up. making literally the biggest pretzel anyone has ever seen.  recreating the turducken slammer but still feeling cautious about actually eating it.  pounding pork chops with a meat mallet while making a suggestive joke.  shedding a single man tear while looking at the excellent steak selection at the butcher counter.  a dusting of powdered sugar on his jaw and the entire kitchen floor covered in it because they HAVE to have homemade donuts for Donna’s visit to the bunker. trying to make Jody’s chicken, complaining that he can never get it *quite* right.  pulling ribs out of the oven after roasting them low and slow for hours, the scent of the sauce taking him right back to Fat Mack’s Rib Shack, across the table from Crowley.  making Jimmy Novak’s favorite recipe as a surprise for Claire because Cas told him what it was. sending a tin of scones to Hell for Rowena. taking a burrito rolling class that’s a Christmas gift from Cas despite complaining about how pointless it is and then afterwards its burritos for dinner for a week straight.  finding and eating a HOTTER pepper.  wiping his floured hands on the back of his jeans and forgetting about it until Sam scolds him for getting flour all over the couch.  learning that jambalaya recipe Benny always talked about in purgatory.  giving a soapbox dissertation on carbonara (”it’s the perfect food - spaghetti, bacon, eggs”) while Cas looks on endearingly and Sam rolls his eyes. homemade pizza for date night, over and over, never failing to mention that he “is the pizza man now,” with an appetizer of deviled eggs, presented ironically (reassuring Cas he does not ever miss Casifer). immediately rushing to the kitchen to plug in the brand new waffle iron on Christmas Day.  feeling giddy over knives that aren’t for killing but for dicing, chopping, slicing, filleting.  how he is always in the kitchen.  how Cas’s happy place when possessed by Lucifer was the Winchesters’ kitchen, Deans kitchen.  cooking keeps Dean’s hands and mind just as busy as hunting, but it’s rooted in creation and love and not destruction and revenge, and he will never admit it, but that is why it is his favorite.