#caulfield cup day

[urfavbooblover]

I feel like max from life is strange was completely underrated IN HER OWN GAME. ((Chloe is amazing tho)) I tried to look for an x fem reader and literally anything barely came up. Can I get an Max caulfield x reader where it’s so obvious that they like each other. So obvious that everyone knows but they refuse to tell each other for some reason. One day,reader just wouldn’t shut up about Kate and how pretty she is and how smart she is and Max gets jealous and just kisses reader mid sentence <3

Hey! I definitely agree, Max is super underrated and deserves so much more recognition!! Your request idea is very cute and I really like it, so I hope you enjoy reading <3 :)

Obvious || Max Caulfield x female/non-male reader

Warnings: just fluff

(remind me if I missed any)

- Life is strange: masterlist link -

Y/N’s pov:

I have liked Max since a very long time now. When we first met, I already felt strange somehow. I immediately knew a few days after, that I started to grow a crush on her.

But I’ve never told her about my feelings, I’m too much of a coward to be honest. I’m scared she won’t feel the same and I’ll make a fool out of myself, even though she has been acting suspicious sometimes, but maybe I’m just thinking crazy.

I think I also made myself too obvious about my love for Max. Everyone basically teases me every time we have a little interaction, telling me I should confess already.

And here we are. We both decided we should hang out together, so we’re currently going for a walk to the park. Just talking about random things coming to mind, searching for somewhere to sit. And that’s when we found the perfect spot.

“Oh man, did you ever realized how stunning Kate is?”, I said, making Max turn her head to me. “Uhm, yeah… she’s really pretty.”, she answered, in a rather nervous tone.

“Yeah and I mean she so smart too, like that’s such a great combo, that not everyone has.”, I continued on rambling about her, not shutting up.

This was all a small test. I wanted to see Max’s reaction to it, to find out if she gets jealous or something and now look at her, it’s too damn cute.

Even though I didn’t tell lies about Kate, I would never talk about another person like that in front of my crush.

And believe me when I say, that I felt so bad. It’s kinda ridiculous that I can’t bring my ass do tell her about my feelings, and do this instead.

“I’m not even joking like, holy shit. I could stare at her forever and just admire her beautiful featu-“, I couldn’t even finish my sentence when a pair of lips smashed against mine.

My eyes widened for a few seconds, before I eventually melted into the kiss. She threw her arms around my neck, while I cupped her face with my hands.

Her lips are really soft and moved perfectly together with mine. It’s like they’re meant for each other. Just like how Max is meant to be with me…

“I’m so sorry! I shouldn’t have kissed you like this!”, she suddenly pulled away, worrying way to much about it.

“Hey, hey, hey. It’s okay.”, I calmly said, taking her hands in mine. “I should be the one to say this…”, I trailed off, making a confused expression spread over Max’s face.

“I kind of tested you… by basically swooning about another girl. I wanted to see if you would show any signs of jealousy or something, in a chance of getting you to tell me you like me.”

Her eyes stared at me for a while, afterwards letting out a cute laugh.

“What’s so funny?”, I asked perplexed, a huge smile starting to form. “You, Y/N.”, “I don’t get it! Wasn’t I obvious enough, I like you a lot!”

“Not obvious enough for me!”, I answered, pushing her back playfully, by her shoulder. “Oh man, Y/N. We could’ve have been together for a while now, if we would’ve confessed already!”

I nodded my head, the smile still not disappearing. “Let’s just tell everybody about it. They’ll be so happy when they hear about the news, they always knew we liked each other!”

“Yes! They would always make stupid comments about us whenever we were together, but I never told them that I liked you, cause I was scared they would tell you before me!”, she chuckled, as my eyes didn’t look away from her once.

Her smile is seriously one of the best things about her. I love seeing her happy and I hope that I will be the one to keep her like this.

“What’s wrong? Do I have something on my face?”

“W-what? No! It’s just… I like your smile.”, I said, feeling my cheeks heating up. That’s the first time she caught me staring at her.

“Thank you, Y/N. I like yours too.”, she mumbled shyly, her eyes looking straight into mine. I didn’t think too much about it, I just leaned closer to her, going in for another kiss.

[ghost-in-the-hella]

Some sweet marshfield fluff for Flufftober’s day 28 prompt: “picnic.”

[Image ID: Digital line drawing of Kate Marsh and Max Caulfield from Life is Strange season 1. They are sitting on a picnic blanket in a grassy field, clinking steaming tea cups together. A tea tray sits on the blanket between them. A small saucer sits by each figure. Two large plates also sit on the blanket, one with a few small sandwiches and one with chocolate chip cookies.]

[johnbrownnn]

Australia’s MotoGP at Phillip Island has been brought forward a day after organisers feared Victoria’s inclement weather could impact the showpiece motorsport event.Instead of the race being held on Sunday it will take place one day earlier – on Caulfield Cup day.Melbourne has experienced ideal spring conditions this week, but the weather is expected to turn sour on Sunday. Rain and cold temperatures are forecast.Race organisers confirmed the switch in a statement on Friday.“This decision has been taken proactively in order to guarantee the best and safest possible show for all competitors and fans attending Phillip Island grand prix circuit this weekend,” the statement read.The main race will take place at 3.10pm on Saturday, with the sprint event to be held on Sunday, weather permitting.More to come Source link

[deenoss]

Dreamcatcher Chptr. 44

This had been the cruellest he'd ever been, to say the least.

To push away somebody he once cared about did not go as intended for Clark. So instead of seeking personal space, he got more space than he intended. Now Max was truly hurt by what he said, and she hadn't even been at Blackwell for not even two days and she wanted to leave. She felt as if returning was a big mistake, that she should've just stayed away.

Shortly after the bell for first break, Clark headed for the boys toilets for isolation.

He burst in and approached the middle sink and ran the cold tap, cupping the water into his hands and splashed his face. His breathing quickened as he looked up at his reflection and distinguished his blue hair and the exhaustion behind his eyes.

"Get ahold of yourself, Price. Snap out of it! I should probably go and apologise," Clark mumbled to himself. "I've got to be nicer. I hurt her feelings. But she hurt mine. I can't hold a grudge against her forever. I mean, it's not like I still have feelings for her. I don't. I totally don't. I'm still in love with Rachel. Not Max. Not... oh God. Not Max freakin' Caulfield."

Clark groaned obnoxiously loud and grabbed ahold of his hair and pulled on it out of frustration.

Thoughts ran through his mind regarding something he'd seen just a couple days ago. He'd been going about his own business coming heading out of the cafeteria to head back to his dorm for the rest of the afternoon when he caught sight of Nathan Prescott acting suspiciously around the campus grounds. At the time, Clark took it upon himself to snoop on Nathan where he stumbled upon a controversial sight.

Nathan had conducted a secret meet-up with his sister, Chloe.

At the time, Clark was unable to catch on to what they were discussing due to not having enough cover to conceal his presence eavesdropping on them, but all he could do was make out that it could've been a possible drug-deal. However, when he attempted to leaned over around the corner more to get a better view of the items being exchanged, Clark almost lost his balance and stepped on a twig, instantly snapping it beneath his foot. So without wasting another second, Clark fled with the intent to confront his sister later that afternoon.

But she never showed up at home.

She never answered his calls.

She refused to answer his texts.

Clark knew his sister and he knew something was very wrong.

Nobody could've been aware of the disturbance inside the boy's toilets. Clark had still lingered in there when he reached for his phone and made another futile attempt at contacting his sister. He put the phone on speaker and placed it on the sink and listened to it ring.

Ring, ring...

Ring, ring...

Ring, ring...

Ring, ring...

Ring, ring...

Ring, ring...

Ring, ring...

Ring, ring...

Ring, ring...

Ring, ring...

Ring, ring...

Ring, ring...

Ring, ring...

On the thirteenth ring, Clark gave up and ended the call.

It vexed him unfathomably that his sister went completely dark on him. All he wanted to know was whether she was safe or not.

But one thing that he could not get off his mind was seeing Nathan Prescott with his sister.

He always hated Nathan for what he'd done to others, and now Clark could only fear the worst as to what ill harm could have befallen his sister. He'd already lost his father, his best friend abandoned him, his mother chose to spend more time with her boyfriend than he or his own sister, his girlfriend left him for her own pursuit and now he potentially lost his sister.

Clark gripped the edges of the sink and bowed his head, his eyes squeezed shut in an attempt to suppress the flood of emotions that hit him so suddenly that tears swelled in his eyes. Those tears turned into sobs as the strength in his knees turned to jelly and he'd completely lost balance and collapsed, using the sink as his support from not falling down and smashing his chin on the edge of the sink. Slowly, he pulled himself back up to his feet and found firm footing as he slipped his phone into his pocket and walked out of the boys toilets.

There was no sense of direction as to where Clark wanted to go. All he knew was that needed to clear his mind and find something to distract himself with.

Clark ended up heading up to the boys dormitories to isolate himself from others and the support of his friends. He was yet to cross paths with a friendly face but there was no regard for that, for by the time Clark was in his room, he had already established the desire to not converse with anybody. He approached his desk drawer and stared down at a tape recorder he'd taken from home.

It had never been used by his family, only by Max when she left a message for he and his sister. What memories it brought back by staring at it made Clark all the more miserable. Especially when he hit 'Play.'

"Hey, Chloe, Clark... this is Max. I guess I just wanted to leave you one more message. Because I know this was the absolute worst time for me to go. I thought maybe... if you heard my voice, it could be a little bit like I was there. I don't know. Maybe this was a dumb idea. I would give anything to be there with you now. It's so hard, trying to say what I'm thinking. If I could just see you... But we'll get good at it, great at it! We'll write and talk all the time. And then you'll come visit and it'll be like I never left. I mean it, you don't have to worry about anything changing. You're dealing with so much other stuff. Neither of you deserve any of this. Guys, listen. Even if I never, even if we're moving for good, we're always together, okay? Even when we're apart. We're still Max and Chloe and Clark. I will always, always love you both. Goodbye..."

Tears streamed down Clark's cheeks as he punched the floor three times to express his pain before gently lying down on his side and wrapped his arms around himself.

"I need you, Chloe... I need you," Clark uttered to himself through mixed sobs and hiccups.

[qq3w]

15/10/2022 Horse Racing Tips and Best Bets – Newcastle - Just Horse ..

15/10/2022 Horse Racing Tips and Best Bets – Newcastle - Just Horse .. 15/10/2022 Horse Racing Tips and Best Bets – Newcastle  Just Horse RacingGator"s Caulfield Cup Day Tips - October 15th  RSNThe Odds Couple"s Saturday Selections  SEN16/10/2022 Horse Racing Tips and Best Bets – Nowra  Just Horse RacingMark Guest"s tips and race..

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[4qw2]

DEANE LESTER TIPS - CAULFIELD CUP DAY - RSN..

DEANE LESTER TIPS - CAULFIELD CUP DAY - RSN.. DEANE LESTER TIPS - CAULFIELD CUP DAY  RSNDurston wins Caulfield Cup as an emergency, Giga Kick upstages favourite to claim The Everest  ABC NewsBright colours and happy punters: More winners than losers at this year’s Caulfield Cup  The AgeHistoric first in wild Caulfi..

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[melbournenewsvine]

Bright colors and happy gamblers mean more winners than losers at this years event

Elio Coleto has attended the event since 2008 – but as a protester. Coleto, campaign manager for the Coalition for the Protection of Racehorses, spent the morning in front of Caulfield Station protesting the Cup as people walked through the gates. Racehorse Protection Alliance members protest outside this year’s Coffield Cup attributed to him:Karla Jaeger “We are here to get the message out to the general public that by going to the races, they are inadvertently supporting animal cruelty,” he said. Coleto notes that fewer young people are coming through the gates than in previous years, which he says is driven by a younger generation choosing to boycott the spring races because of animal welfare. This was the first time in the cup for students Clay Vieira, 21, and Joe Howes, 20, who came with a group of eight to celebrate a friend’s birthday. Arriving at the gates open at 11, the group opened their first beer before the first race of the day. “I’m a hypocrite,” Vieira said of the protesters at the front. They believe animal welfare is part of the debate about horse racing, and it is important to listen to it, but they preferred not to pay too much attention because they wanted to enjoy the day. Chris Dolan has been attending the Caulfield Cup for more than two decades, and unlike Coleto, he believes there are more young people in attendance than ever before. loading “It’s always exciting, and always a good vibe. I love fashion and going out with friends,” she said. While attending the Trophy with Dolan, Shane Mutton found the presence of the protesters at the front gate frustrating. “We don’t need to listen to that trash,” he said. In the members, Crowns Bretton, Deb Bretton and Anne Hartley crackled in a bottle of sparkling rose before the first race of the day. It’s a girls’ day out, and they think it’s a little quieter than usual. Not that you’ll notice in a medal club. The bar was wall to wall with punters lined up to place a bet and buy a drink. The crowd stood on tiptoe trying to catch a quick peek at the track and all the frantic energy as the horses skipped the biggest race of the day. But the race ended with a disappointing sigh when emergency horse Durston returned for the Cup. Dorston only entered the field after Maximal was scratched this morning by the wet weather. The Morning Edition newsletter is our guide to the most interesting daily news, analysis and insights. Register here. Source link Originally published at Melbourne News Vine

[mitchfenton1988]

PREMIUM INSIDE MAIL SERVICE - SPRING SPECIAL JOINING OFFER

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OUR PREMIUM INSIDE MAIL SERVICE HAS BEEN ABSOLUTELY FLYING SO FAR THIS SPRING. WINNING STRIKE-RATE: 46% AVERAGE WINNING DIVIDEND: $3.98

 WE’VE HAD SOME BIG WINNER’S IN THE LAST 7 DAYS: ~BENBATL – $10.50 ~SUNLIGHT – $2.20 ~LAND OF PLENTY – $4.20 ~THE AUTUMN SUN – $1.70 ~RED HOT ROMEO – $5.10 ~WRITTEN BY $1.70 ~LUCKY FOR ALL $2.60 ~ALL TOO ROYAL…

[fazcinatingblog]

so. this Marsh Cup thing has been a bust.

smith goes out for a duck, vics and SA have some bizarre run-scoring marathon, handscomb decides to try and bowl for the first time ever, harry bowls for what i think is the second time ever????, jpattz bowls with harper keeping up to the stumps obviously losing his licence in Australia’s fast bowling cartel.... nothing is making sense.

[lambourngb]

For the first line meme: It's later than he thought when the knock on the door interrupts another night of staring at the computer screen.

the heart is a muscle - post season 2, mentions of forlex , getting back together malex fic for you dear @jule1122, and @haloud, and @christchex.

It's later than he thought when the knock on the door interrupted another night of staring at the computer screen.

Mr. Jones and his last words to Michael, before he was forced back into stasis, still haunted him. “You really think there was just one ship? We were in formation, kid. What you should ask yourself is, where did everyone else go? Did they just keep zippin’ on their way to the colony? Or did they stop and take a gander at this planet and what they did to the survivors?” 

The tiny bit of hope that this Max-lookalike psychopath didn’t represent the last of his species, had Michael diving back into his research behind the crash of 1947. The online conversations about Roswell had moved on to other topics since Michael had abandoned the message boards in the wake of Caulfield, but with some effort, he had found new threads detailing neighborhood folklore regarding newcomers with eerie talents, like the ability to grow food in droughts. Stories that peppered all over the world. Stories that might mean an alien colonist on Earth.

The thirst for knowledge about his planet and his people would never leave him, even if the actual urge to go had quieted down into just a soft whisper. Life was finally good in Roswell. After the mind games of Mr. Jones, Michael could admit now that he did have a family here, even if they weren’t related by blood. Sanders, Arturo, Mimi, Michelle Valenti had all stepped in at various times to offer a guiding hand to him, or just a quiet nod of reassurance that he was valued. Max and Isobel would always be his siblings, but now he could count Liz, Rosa, Kyle, and even awkwardly in their new friendship, Maria, as extended his family now.  

It didn’t escape Michael that not even in his thoughts could he attribute his feelings for Alex as brotherly. There was still a vacant place at the head of Michael’s overflowing table of family for a partner, a spouse. That somehow, the seat even as other people came and went, only seemed to fit Alex. 

Except they were still just friends.

Another knock, more impatient this time, rattled the Airstream’s door. Michael sat up, placing his ancient laptop on the counter and rolled off his bed to get to his feet. His life was had changed so much in the last couple of years that he had enough people in it, friends, who dropped by his trailer at all hours of the day, not just Isobel, that he couldn’t even guess the identity of the visitor. 

Backlit from the auto yard’s security lights, stood Alex Manes holding a cardboard drink holder from ‘Bean Me Up’.

“Alex,” Michael greeted, a smile already at his lips. He glanced at the coffee and back to Alex, “Couldn’t wait until tomorrow I take it?” This was part of the new normal for Michael, meeting Alex for coffee, three or four mornings a week. It was something that had grown out of a happy coincidence, Alex’s gym was near the Boys and Girls Club that Michael volunteered at, serving breakfast in the mornings and tutoring kids in math in the afternoon.

Same place at the same time, once, then twice, became a standard thing. Not a date. Just, taking advantage of the mutual collision to talk. And at first, it was awkward to share news with each other, like Alex’s dating experiences with Forrest or Michael’s attempts to recover his memories of his planet, but later things had softened into a routine. Order coffee, find a small table, and then spend the next hour playfully fending off Alex’s attempts to foist food on Michael’s side of the table while also stealing sips of his caramel lattes. 

Perhaps one day Alex would realize that Michael had only ordered the ridiculously sweet coffee drinks because he knew that was what Alex preferred to drink. It was still a damn toxic hold over from Jesse Manes that Alex still persisted in ordering black coffee with no sugar. Dating Forrest might have helped Alex be open with his sexuality, there were still lessons for Alex to learn in being gentle with himself, Michael observed. The act of indulging in pleasures, instead of engaging in deprivation, it was something he struggled with as well.

In the meantime, Michael could at least help Alex in this small way, letting him ‘steal’ his lattes.

“Alex?” Something about Michael had robbed Alex of all speech as he just stared up at Michael in response, still holding the drinks dumbly in his hands. “Are you okay? What’s wrong-”

The switch from teasing to urgent concern finally snapped Alex out of his apparent stupor. “Right, nothing, um, just- since when do you wear glasses?”

Michael’s hand went to his face automatically, realizing belatedly that he was still wearing his reading glasses. He started to pull them off, blushing in embarrassment, when Alex blurted out, “They look good! On you. The glasses. Um great even.” 

“Oh.” Now that. Michael did not know what to do with that. 

In the yellow-wash of light, Alex was clearly the same man from yesterday’s coffee visit physically. His soft mouth was there, but it came with his standard closed expression that he must have picked up abroad, wearing it now as Michael’s least favorite souvenir. His posture was the same too, forever changed from losing his leg, straight-backed and rigid but just then, he was someone Michael hadn’t seen in a long time. That awkward stuttering response was Alex Manes, the seventeen-year-old boy who had whipped off his visor nervously in the museum, the same boy who touched with soft gliding palms newly revealed skin before snatching his hands away at the first sign that it was unwelcome. 

Aware that it was his turn to stare at Alex, Michael forced himself to smile naturally, “I guess not even my alien physiology can beat back the glare of a computer screen. I forgot I had them on.”

“Did I interrupt something? I can go if you want,” Alex stopped, probably hearing the past echo between them but not in the benign way of before. “Or I can stay and help, even if it’s with surprise coffee?” This time he lifted the tray up between them, an offer or a barricade of politeness, Michael wasn’t sure.

“I’m looking for other survivors,” Michael admitted, before looking down to avoid Alex’s sharpened gaze of interest. “On the internet, obviously, since I don’t think I can trust that I could sense them with my mind.”

It was clear that Alex hadn’t forgotten any of the various tactics Jones had employed against them, but Michael in particular. A frequent repeated taunt was about how damaged their psychic abilities were for adults, to the point no one had sensed Caulfield, but that from his pod prison Jones could hear Nora calling for help nightly right until the end. The twisted knife of how Michael had grown up waiting for someone to save him. Alex pursed his lips to object, “Michael-”

“Jones was full of shit about a lot,” Michael assured him quickly, “but I think he was right about the ships, that it wasn’t just one that crashed. I’m just combing through stories, basically internet mythology, looking for clues about strangers who might have some sort of power. It’s a lot of ‘world’s biggest cucumber’ stories right now, but hey, come in, you’re the computer genius and I could use your help and your coffee.” He placed his hands on the coffee holder, carrying it for Alex and backed away from the steps to let Alex have as much room as possible to navigate the cumbersome metal steps into the Airstream.

The seating area of the Airstream had been folded away and stored in order to make room for the drying rack of his clothes from laundry day, leaving only his narrow bed for seating. Michael had half-a-minute’s pause in reconsideration. They could relocate outside to his fire pit with the cheap camp chairs, and sit pressed together elbow-to-elbow around the dim screen of the laptop between them. Or. Or they could squeeze together on his bed, a place where that sort of contact between them had always led to sex. What was the safer option for their friendship? 

His heart always strayed too far from the safety of his bones when it came to Alex. 

Ignoring his pounding pulse, he grabbed the coffee cup marked “Alex” and pulled it to his lips to drink and made a gesture to the bed. At least he had made the bed up earlier with clean linens, the spread was neatly tucked into the corners, almost military sharp. That made it feel slightly less risqué to him than inviting Alex into warm mussed sheets that reeked of Michael’s skin. That rain and bourbon scent that Alex had pointed out.

“Um, your coffee was the other one.” Alex picked up the abandoned cup marked with a ‘M’ and followed him over to the bed. 

“No, I’m drinking the coffee I always end up with. Your black tar juice.” 

Alex smiled slightly, caught out by the observation before gingerly sitting next to Michael as Michael scooted over toward the wall of the Airstream. “Yeah, I guess I do end up stealing yours.” He brought his left leg up easily on the mattress and then passed his coffee cup over to Michael’s waiting hands as he brought his prosthetic up with both hands for balance. The smile faded, as Alex reclaimed the ‘M’ cup to sip from deep in thought as he seemed to review the history of their morning encounters. “I’m sorry-”

“Alex, come on,” he teased leaning his shoulder against Alex’s. “You haven’t caught on by now? I only order that sugar monstrosity because I know you won’t let yourself do it. I don’t even like caramel that much.”

“What? Come on, that’s what you ordered that first time-”

“I ordered that for the director at the community center.” Michael placed his coffee on the window of the Airstream and concentrated on bringing the laptop back up to rest on his knees between them not daring to look at Alex. He would never be able to confess the next bit and see Alex’s too-expressive gaze at the same time. But. As he had reminded himself earlier, he needed to work on indulging in pleasures as well, not just holding on to the pylon weight of depriving himself, of never believing he was worthy of good things. And being Alex’s friend was that. A pleasure. A good thing. The best thing.

“Once I saw you though, I kinda forgot the errand I was on in the first place. Then, I might have gone back at the same time the next day. And the day after that. For reasons.” He glanced to the side, meeting Alex’s wide eyes briefly before turning back to the laptop. “So I guess it's my turn to apologize? I might have had an agenda.”

It was quiet between them, as Michael clicked through a few different forums. He wasn’t paying any attention to where his cursor landed, he just kept scrolling through window after window as a distraction because the urge to pull back, to crack a joke, to do anything but let Alex process in silence was hard to suppress but needed. That was a part of becoming friends, learning that Alex needed extra time to formulate a response, something that came from needing to shut all emotional responses off during a drone operation at work.

“Me too,” Alex replied softly. “About the agenda. I mean, I don’t even have a membership at that gym.”

Michael frowned, the words not making any sense to him.

“That first time was dumb luck, I mean, I stopped in that morning because I had stayed the night at Forrest’s for the first time and I found out he doesn’t drink coffee. Doesn’t even own a coffee maker.” Alex scoffed quietly, before leaning against Michael affectionately, “I should have known that it was doomed from the start, just on coffee alone but what really put the nail in the coffin was the fact I pretended to go to that gym for two months because I had a bag of clothes with me when you saw me.”

“That was your clothes from staying over with him,” Michael said slowly, almost to himself, before he frowned even deeper as the connections fell into place. He didn’t know whether he wanted to laugh or not, but this was a new level of avoidance of an awkward subject for Alex.  It did make sense considering the timing, and maybe that was why he was confessing now to Michael because not that Michael allowed himself to show it, the early days of Alex’s relationship with the historian were difficult for him. He didn’t begrudge Alex being happy or being with someone else, but there was still an old, gnarled bit of Michael’s heart that pinched painfully at seeing the romance play out for everyone in Roswell to see. “Alex, I know you guys are dating, you didn’t have to lie about that and pretend you had gone to that gym.” 

“Were dating,” Alex patiently corrected. “Pay attention, Michael. I just said it was doomed from the start.”

“Because he didn’t drink coffee?”

“Because I was engaging in a deep cover operation that involved a fake gym membership, rescheduling my appointments to the afternoon and blocking out time in my mornings all, so I could see you.” The gears were still turning too slowly for Alex’s liking as he rolled his eyes at Michael and continued, “I ended it with Forrest about a month ago. Or well, he ended it with me because I was always too busy in the morning for breakfast and I never wanted to stay over at his.”

Michael blinked, then looked down at his laptop. The ancient fan and processor were making a soft whine of effort, much like his own brain at the moment. Alex was single. Alex has been single for over a month. A month where he didn’t mention it once during their get-togethers. 

Alex exhaled slowly, draining the latte before placing the cup out of range. “I’m really trying to use my words here, but you have exactly one minute to understand what I’m saying before I have to get creative-”

“Are you saying that you-”

“Yes-”

“Still want me?”

“I never stopped,” Alex reached for Michael’s hand, stilling the rapid clicking. “I came here because I wanted to be honest with you. It occurred to me that somewhere along the line, those meetups for coffee had basically become the most important part of my day. I … I was turning them into dates in my head. With you.” He licked his lips, his eyes drifting down to Michael’s mouth, causing Michael to bite his own lip in response. The anticipation between them thickened, until Alex groaned softly, his head briefly ducking toward Michael’s. “In the past, I’ve been guilty of thinking we were on the same page, and we weren’t, so I’m- Michael, I will still be your friend no matter what, but I want-”

This time, Michael didn’t let him finish and closed the scant distance between them on the bed to kiss Alex. The laptop fell to the side of their legs as Alex surged into it, pushing Michael down flat on the mattress in his eagerness. Michael opened for Alex, letting him have whatever he wanted and buried his fingers in the soft, black hair as they traded kisses.

Suddenly, a bubble of laughter burst from Michael’s chest, the lightness of the situation that felt almost too good to be real spread through his veins. “Oh my god, you brought me coffee to tell me that getting coffee together wasn’t just getting coffee for you, Alex-”

“Shut up!”

“You need a new job, nothing in intel, sweetheart-”

“I am, I did, that is.” Alex lifted his eyebrow at Michael’s too-still pause before he sweetly brushed the long stubborn curl out of Michael’s face, “Done with the Air Force as of next month.”

“Fuck me.”

“I can do that too.”

[rainboq]

I posted 941 times in 2021

77 posts created (8%)

864 posts reblogged (92%)

For every post I created, I reblogged 11.2 posts.

I added 812 tags in 2021

#life is strange - 230 posts

#chloe price - 160 posts

#max caulfield - 120 posts

#pricefield - 77 posts

#kate marsh - 64 posts

#fanfiction - 38 posts

#pricemarsh - 33 posts

#rachel amber - 32 posts

#alex chen - 30 posts

#chenrich - 28 posts

Longest Tag: 95 characters

#i have to wonder how angry gabe would be with steph for putting the moves on his little sister?

My Top Posts in 2021

#5

A huge thanks to @lifeischamlis for doing this totally awesome cover art for my fanfiction Chloe and the Beast! Check them out on twitter here.

78 notes • Posted 2021-09-18 17:09:29 GMT

#4

Some PriceMarsh gift art drawn by @blusthings, inspired by my fic Purity Through a Prism, showing them visiting Arcadia Bay after getting married! (Chloe's working on quitting smoking, but being back in the Bay is always stressful)

99 notes • Posted 2021-07-29 00:51:49 GMT

#3

Oh look, I'm still shipping trash.

I'm in the middle of writing a huge ass PriceMarsh fic that I'll be posting when it's done, and I couldn't help but commission my wonderful friend @blusthings for art of these two massive dorks being incredibly gay.

120 notes • Posted 2021-03-17 21:49:16 GMT

#2

Okay, so I might be shipping trash, I'm pretty sure that's well established by the fics I write, but I'm going to gush about Marshfield a lil bit. I started a replay of LiS since I need to play video games to start healing from my concussion, and just holy crap I totally missed this when I first played.

First off, Kate is basically the only person Max actually knows and spends time with other than Warren, and unlike Warren, she actually has physical contact with her (as seen after you stand up to David).

Max basically doesn't know her classmates outside of her bullies and Kate. Hell, Stella doesn't even know her name.

But Kate? Kate texts Max to ask when she's free to have tea, and Max can offer to spend time with her to 'have a cup o' tea and bitch about life'. For someone as socially anxious and introverted as Max, willingly offering to spend time with someone is a huge thing. She didn't offer to hang out with Warren and watch the movies on his flash drive (which was probably what he had been insinuating they should do when he first gave it to her) and she clearly has very little else to do with her classmates.

Why Kate though?

Kate, as a person, seems driven to help others. We know she's involved in Meals on Wheels and she's eager to help Max when asked in episode 4. Now picture Kate on move in day, nervous about starting a new school where she fully expects to be mocked for her faith, and a girl who seems equally if not more anxious starts moving in across from her.

Kate's urge to help kicks in, she sees a lonely, lost soul and she reaches out. Just meeting for tea. Low key, somewhere of Max's choosing and with a set activity. For someone with Max's particular mental health struggles and implied neurodivergence, that sounds like a lovely combo and a way to actually make a friend, plus Kate's kind, nonthreatening appearance and demeanor don't hurt either.

Jump forwards to LiS. Max frets that her inability to not answer Mr. Jefferson's question makes Kate look back by association, and later Kate expresses concern about Max, remarking that she looks pale. These two care about each other, even if Max's tendency to hole up in her dorm room makes it so she's largely unaware of the rest of Kate's social life.

And then there's standing up to David. Sure she has the time power backing her up, but standing up to people, directly and verbally, is so out of Max' comfort zone. Sure she had to indirectly stand up to Victoria when she was physically blocking her path, and the player can choose to have Max give Victoria some payback when it's one on one, but when Victoria has her friends, that's not an option. And David's an authority figure on campus, he can cause serious problems for Max, and yet she can stand up for Kate.

And then just... look at her face when Kate is thanking and praising her for her actions.

Just look at that dopey little smile and that shy posture!

This, to me at any rate, is the posture of a girl who just impressed her crush and is riding high on those endorphins.

And that's not even getting into how Max's tone of voice is subtly softer when she's talking to Kate, or how Max pulls out a new power to save Kate like she did to save Chloe.

I fully expect that if Chloe hadn't come crashing into Max's life like the blue haired wrecking ball she is, something might have eventually happened between Max and Kate. Or maybe in a post Bay world if they reconnected after Max bailed on Blackwell.

180 notes • Posted 2021-03-13 14:15:06 GMT

#1

A sign of things to come in Purity Through a Prism. Some art I commissioned from the incredibly lovely Taylor on Twitter for my fic, showing Kate's coming growth as a character. Honestly, going pastel punk just seems like a nature side effect of her dating Chloe to me.

222 notes • Posted 2021-09-03 18:10:58 GMT

Get your Tumblr 2021 Year in Review →

[deenoss]

Dreamcatcher Chptr. 41

"W-What?" Max Caulfield stuttered. Her attention was too focused on other things, that she struggled to remain focused on what Kate was rambling on about until she felt a soft, gentle hand brush her shoulder.

"Are you okay, Max? You seem out of it." Kate softly asked.

The brunette with blue orbs met with Kate's and her features softened.

"I'm fine, Kate, really."

Kate hummed, her cheeks flushed red as she raised a hand up to grab ahold of her necklace for comfort.

The two girls stood in the same corridor as their rooms, just around the corner from the girl's bathroom. Given that Max's room was right next to the girl's bathroom and Kate being directly opposite the bathroom, it provided quick and easy access; however there was no escaping the permanent jeering and chastising from Victoria now that she was neighbours with both girls who would be her favourable victims to bully - especially poor, sweet Kate.

"W-Would you like to come in and have some tea with me?" Kate offered.

"Sure. I'll have some tea!" Max replied keenly. "Do you have camomile tea?"

As the two girls entered Kate's room, the Christian girl approached the far left corner of her room adjacent to her work desk to her own mini kitchen where she put on the kettle and prepared two cups of tea for them both to have.

"I believe I have one more left. You're in luck." Kate answered cheerily.

Max observed the layout of the room and all of the belongings that decorated the young Christian girls' room. There were various things scattered around the room that didn't take much interest for Max except a violin and some letters from Kate's family.

"Are you close with your family?" Max asked out of curiosity.

The dirty-haired blonde looked over her shoulder at her companion and smiled coyly before turning her attention back to the kettle boiling and whistling once it was ready.

"Umm... sorta. My dad, I'm pretty close with. And my sisters, Lynn and Taylor. I only have this... religious respect from my mother and my grandmother, but that's about it." Kate said hesitantly.

"That's so nice, you having siblings. I have- had friends who were close."

"Oh? What happened? I-If you don't mind me asking."

"Well... I left when they needed me the most. Their father died in a car accident a few days before I left. And it's been... eating at me ever since and I still can't get over this, this guilt that I've let them down. Now that I'm back, I'm scared."

Kate frowned at this as she poured the boiling water into both cups of tea which she served to each other. They sat on Kate's couch and half-faced each other as they continued their extensive discussion.

"So, Kate... you play the violin?" Max asked casually.

Kate's eyebrows perked up when her features relaxes upon noticing the opened violin case on her bed. By the inconvenient reminder, Kate remembered that she hadn't played her violin that morning just yet.

"Yes, actually. I normally play during the morning as practice. Thankfully the walls are quite thick but I do get some... complaints, about some girls hearing me play at eight in the morning when they pass by my room."

"Can I hear you play?"

Kate was surprised at how invested the brunette was with her. Normally, people didn't give Kate much attention, but the amount she was receiving from Max made her heart flutter. By taking up her request, Kate went to her laptop mounted on her desk and searched up a song of her choosing and hit play while she got her violin ready.

When she began to play, the symphony that reached Max's ears completely hypnotised her over the insatiable talent Kate possessed. No words could form in Max's mind to compliment the dirty-haired blonde as she was too taken away by the melody.

"Kate... that's, that's incredible!" Max applauded the dirty-haired blonde.

Just then, there was a knock at Kate's door.

"Come in." Kate called softly.

The door opened where a young man entered the room. He was holding a book in his hand but was too distracted with something else until he drew his attention to the two girls in the room.

"Hey, Kate, I got The October Country like you as- MAX?!"

Max gasped slightly in shock to find herself witnessing the reappearance of her old friend, Clark Price. It had been so long since they last saw each other, and now that they were both reunited, neither truly contemplated what they would say if they were ever in the same room together.

"Clark... h-hi." Max waved nervously.

"You two know each other?" Kate asked curiously.

The two old friends continued to stare at one another as there was still disbelief that they were truly reunited.

It felt too good to be true.

While it was quite a relief to see one another again, the recollection of the reason behind their disbanding came back to haunt them.

"Yeah, we're... we're old friends," said Clark. He did not share much enthusiasm as he'd hoped, so both girls caught wind of his vexed behaviour.

It hurt for Max to hear that. To recall his unspoken feelings for her that diminished the day Max had to leave left a hole in Max's heart.

At the sound of Kate clearing her throat, Clark handed her the book he'd fetched for her and shared hesitant glares at the brunette before taking his leave after saying goodbye.

There was confliction inside Clark that made him hesitant to contact his sister and inform her of the surprise return of their old friend, but at the same time he didn't want to spoil the surprise. He wasn't sure how long he could keep something like that a secret, but he didn't care to find out, only hope that he would find the right time to do so. So instead, Clark decided to take off before he could be reported for indecently breaching the girl's dormitory.

As soon as Clark stepped foot out of the girl's dormitory, he walked blindly across the yard until he bumped into somebody.

"Whoa. Watch where yo- Oh. Clark. What are you up to?" The stranger growled irritably.

Ever since Skip Matthews left Blackwell for musical pursuit instead of being somebody who gets bossed around to monitor a place where he wasn't quite taken seriously. Because of the security guard vacancy, David Gardner took up the role and sufficed Raymond Wells' expectations to becoming a super cop instead of an ideal security guard.

"David. So you finally got the job then, huh?" Clark acknowledged his step-father nonchalantly.

"That I did. I'm surprised you're not very enthusiastic about it. I expected this sort of behaviour from Chloe."

"Yeah, well, she sorta rubs off on me."

"A little too much if you ask me. So where are you off to?"

"What business is it of yours?" Clark fired back sharply.

"You hidin' something? Or are you trying to protect your sister?"

Their relationship had taken a bad turn ever since Chloe got a tattoo. As much as Clark was disappointed that he didn't get one himself, he still stood by his sister's decision and continued to support her unconditionally.

"I got nothing to hide. And it certainly would be from you if I did because you're just so damn nosy, David." Clark snarked.

"You watch your mouth, boy! Or I might just change my mind and put you through the worst thirteen weeks of your life."

"Whatever. I'm leaving."

David did not protest but simply watched the young nineteen year-old strut off. He had uneasy feelings at Blackwell, even more so when he was sent to greet the new arrival in the parking lot. The war hero calmly made his way over to the parking lot where he spotted a man climb out of a grey Bentley.

The strange man had a short cut with glasses and wore an expensive suit, with a suitcase he carried in his left hand towards the front entrance of the school adjacent to the staff parking lot.

David quickly sprung over and brought his attention onto him by raising his voice out when he got close enough.

"You must be Jefferson," said David. "We've been expecting you for a few weeks, now."

"And you must be the bead of security around Blackwell Academy. David Gardner, right? A pleasure to finally meet you. I'm sure we'll get to know each other very well in the future." The brown-haired man replied uplifting with a rather peculiar manner about him.

"Riiiight. I'll show you the way-"

"Uhhm, thank you, but I think I got it from here. Don't want to keep you from watching out for any... potential danger to the students."

David didn't respond but merely kept his eyes trained on Mark Jefferson as the famous photographer made his way up the steps to the front doors, where he was intercepted by young aspiring artists.

Even though they just met, David had a bad feeling about him. But instead of trying to be the same asshole that he was, he dismissed the feeling and returned his focus to ensuring that Blackwell and its staff and students were kept safe.

[bleehhhhgirl]

Book review

THE CATCHER IN THE RYE

By- JD Salinger

Holden Caulfield is a character with whom the readers can identify. Holden is said to be a cynical teenager by many but in reality he's innocent and alone. He's crumbling due to the experiences he's been through but no one seems to notice it. Coping with incidents like the death of his brother and a classmate's suicide and him being kicked out of another school have been really hard on him and when he tries to share his feelings with people around him, they treat him as if he's just being intuitive and crazy.

Holden is a 17 year old boy who has been kicked out of another school again for failing in most of his subjects, takes off early, before the term comes to an end and decides to stay in a cheap hotel for a few days and reach out to some old friends before the news of his being kicked reaches his parents and he's sent to yet another school. Holden is deeply troubled by the death of his younger brother and his classmate's suicide, such that it affects his mental health. He's alone in a city like New York and has no one to reach to. While his 3 days journey he comes across different sort of people and observes them carefully.

In this book JD Salinger has openly talked about a teen struggling with the dark thought that maybe everything is fake and meaningless. To write about mental health and adolescence in 1951, when it was hardly a concept is very bold and impressive . The book gives us a peak through Holden's mind and leaves the reader wandering about what happens to him next. The book might not be everyone's cup of tea but I really enjoyed reading it and would definitely recommend it.

Yours,

Teen with a review

[sodistinctlyhuman]

13, 15, 34 for the SAYER ask game

oh, thank you!!! ^^ i like these a lot!

13. You have to be roommates with one of the main characters - who do you pick?

okay i am a little scatterbrained and disorganized and for this reason i almost want to say SAYER, because i think the passive aggression would force me to get my act together, but also because i feel it would be a pretty calm scenario once SAYER sasses me into better organizational habits. it would prob use me as a sounding board early in the morning when im half-asleep over a cup of coffee and then we would just go our separate ways for the day and i think thats fine. sayer talks a Lot though and i think seeks out the audience subconsciously so its a good thing i dont mind

but for less stress i think Brady because then we have tired coffee drinker solidarity and brady would be amenable enough to head into town and pick up the good cough drops if im ever, like, dying. i think that one would be a markedly warmer setup. brady could be persuaded to binge x files w me i think. i would bring him snacks when he is working on reports. symbiosis

its a coin toss

15. Which of the main characters do you trust to do your makeup?

....... caulfield? feel like he's got an eye for coordinating colors and his pride won't let him get away with anything but perfection. like he could do it but i prob would ask him to unless i was desperate. excellent work but at what emotional cost. 6/10?

brady's blending is smudge-ridden and cakey although he did try and he feels kinda bad, 3/10 for effort

mayyyybe hale, actually. he wouldn't do a great job but he would be very gentle about it, 6.3/10

34. Are there any things that aren't related to the podcast at all but that you still associate with it for one reason or another?

definitely! i really like bee motifs bc of the recurring No Bees on Typhon thing. i think abt it when i see or work with speakers and subwoofers too, bc i like to listen to the podcast on my setup in my room and you can feel it in your bones whenever sayer speaks. uhh corporate aesthetics and language in general bring to mind aerolith! also the colors red-black-white :) oh, and the moon. stargazing in general. birdsong

also just media that is even remotely about artificial intelligence because sayer is the quintessential example of AI and philosophy !

[melbournenewsvine]

Watchdog issues News Corps Betr show cause notice two days after launch

News Corp-backed online wagering group Betr has been hit with a regulatory investigation just two days after its highly anticipated launch, with a key state government authority warning a promotion the outfit ran this week may have breached advertising laws. Liquor & Gaming NSW on Friday issued Betr a “show cause” notice after the company ran advertisements in News Corp’s tabloid newspapers offering 100-1 odds for bets up to $10 on any horses racing in the Melbourne Cup in November. The regulator said it would investigate the issue and if necessary respond with the “full force” of the law. Betr, the new venture from veteran gambling entrepreneur Matthew Tripp and former BetEasy executive Andrew Menz, launched this week ahead of the Everest Carnival and Caulfield Cup, two of the biggest horse racing events of the year. The outfit is backed by News Corp – the owner of a string of prominent newspapers in Australia and controlling shareholder of pay TV giant Foxtel, Las Vegas-based investment firm Tekkorp Capital and ASX-listed BetMakers Technology Group. The Murdoch family, which controls News Corp, has pushed heavily into sports betting in the US after it became legal in certain states in 2018. Betr is the media giant’s first foray into wagering in Australia. Betr founder Matthew Tripp.Credit:Jesse Marlow Liquor & Gaming NSW told this mashtead that Betr had until October 20 to respond to its concerns that the advertisements breached the state’s gambling laws. The authority will then “consider what enforcement action, if any, can be taken”. Print advertising that includes inducements to open betting accounts is prohibited under NSW legislation. About 30 Betr advertisements will be investigated for possible breaches, the regulator said. Under the Betting and Racing Act of 1998, Betr faces a maximum fine of up to $110,000 for each public ad or prosecution in court if it fails to persuade the regulator it was not in breach. The Australian Financial Review first reported the suspected breach on Friday morning. Betr declined to comment. Betr’s app became available on Thursday, a couple of days after the outfit was selected as the preferred bidder for the WA wagering licence. Wagering sources close to the situation said the WA government had granted the new bookmaker two weeks to demonstrate it has the financing required to hold the $1 billion WA TAB. Source link Originally published at Melbourne News Vine

[litwitlady]

Date Nights (3/5)

Read on AO3.

ALEX’S BED

The hour for date night had come and gone not at all noticed by either Michael or Alex. Probably because Alex had answered the door half-naked and still dripping wet from his hurried, after-work shower. Or maybe it was the new olive green sweater Michael had been wearing, the color bringing out his eyes and slapping Alex in the face. Whatever the reason, they’d fallen into Alex’s bed less than one minute after quick hellos and blatant lustful stares.

It had been a long week and the science exhibit at the Roswell Museum of Modern Art wasn’t going anywhere anytime soon. Date night could wait.

‘You smell different.’ Michael nips at the lowest of Alex’s ribs, enjoying his sharp inhale and noticeable flinch. ‘Earthier.’ He bites at Alex again, harder this time and it earns him a harsh yank at his hair. ‘I like it. A lot.’

Alex pushes roughly at Michael’s shoulders, flipping him onto his back and straddling his waist. ‘New soap. They were out of my regular.’ He leans forward to press their chests together and repeats his action from earlier, jerking at Michael’s curls until his throat is fully exposed. Tracing Michael’s adam's apple with his tongue, he shifts his weight backward, grinding his bare ass against the crotch of Michael’s jeans and gasping at the friction, denim rough against his naked skin. ‘Why are your pants still on?’

‘You got distracted earlier, remember?’ Michael sits up abruptly, sliding an arm around Alex’s waist to keep him from toppling over.

Michael’s teeth tug lightly at one of his nipples, and it takes Alex a while to respond. ‘It wasn’t me who got distracted, Guerin. You’re the one who dropped to his knees where I could no longer reach that damn belt buckle.’

They both laugh, and then Michael suddenly falls quiet. Hand gently sliding around the base of Alex’s throat. Alex swallows, not knowing what to make of Michael’s fingers wrapping around his neck. But he waits, trusting Michael implicitly.

‘Tripp’s dog tags. They’re gone.’

It’s not what Alex had expected him to say, but he’s also not surprised that Michael noticed. ‘Yeah. They’re in the box with mine. On the top shelf of my closet.’ He massages his hands up Michael’s biceps and along his shoulders, resting his palms flat against Michael’s chest. ‘That’s where they belong.’

‘But Tripp means so much to you.’

‘I wanted Tripp to mean something to me. And he does. I just didn’t realize what he meant until recently.’ He clears his throat, fingertips tapping nervously at Michael’s collarbones. They haven’t talked much about Michael’s mom, and he’s unsure whether now’s the right time. Or even if there is a right time. ‘I don’t know how to talk about this.’

‘About my mom?’ Alex nods. ‘I want to talk about her. Especially with you.’

‘I let Tripp’s story get in the way of Nora’s. I wanted so badly to see the good in him that I didn’t see the harm he’d caused. The harm he’d allowed to happen to her for decades. Or, really, I ignored it.’ His hands move up to cradle Michael’s neck, fingertips disappearing into his curls. Emotion floods his face, forehead wrinkling. ‘If it was you in Caulfield, I’d never stop trying to get you out. I’d try every day. A million times. Until they locked me up next to you or --’

‘Or you died trying. I know.’

‘Tripp did nothing. Your mom deserved so much better. She deserved the sun on her face and the moon in her eyes and every single wish she’d ever wished on a star. She deserved you. To watch you grow up.’ Michael reaches up to run his fingers through Alex’s pillow-mussed hair while Alex’s arms wrap around him tight, nose buried in his neck. They sit holding each other for a long time, sifting through the ripple effects of their shared history.

Abruptly, Alex leans forward to grab something out of the top drawer of his nightstand. ‘When I finished reading the journal, I found this.’ He hands an old black and white photo to Michael. ‘She looks so happy and so much like you.’

The photo is of Nora mid-laugh. Head tossed back, cheeks rosy and eyes bright. Her happiness radiates off the page, and Michael can’t stop the tears that burn at the corners of his eyes. ‘It was a mess. Stuck between two pages, image garbled and half-gone. But you can find anything on the internet, so I looked into photo restoration and shipped it off. Got it back this morning.’

Michael runs his fingers over the picture, marveling at how complete and perfect it looks. ‘Thank you, Alex.’

‘You’re welcome. I didn’t really do much, but since we’ve started collecting old photos, I figured this one would be a great addition.’ They both glance over to the top of Alex’s dresser - really their dresser these days - where their yearbook photos sit in simple walnut frames that Michael had ended up making himself. ‘Or you can take it with you to the Airstream or wherever you want.’ Alex smiles at him and caresses the bare skin above the waistline of his jeans.

‘I like it here.’ He climbs out from underneath Alex’s lap and sets the picture of Nora next to his own. And it’s instantly clear how right Alex was. He really does look so much like this mother.

He steps out of his jeans before returning to straddle Alex’s lap, sighing at how satisfying it is to press their bare skin together. At how the magic in their touch never seems to dissipate no matter how many years go by. He kisses Alex quick and filthy, all tongue and teeth, pulling back with a loud smack of their lips. ‘Since I don’t think you’re ever going to get there on your own, I’m going to fill you in on a stupidly obvious secret.’

‘Yeah? What’s that?’

Michael cups Alex’s neck in his hands. ‘You are the good Manes man.’ He runs his thumbs along Alex’s jawbone, enjoying the scrub of stubble. ‘Fuck the past. There’s nothing we can do about it. But we get to make our future. And our kids will be the best of both of us.’

Alex’s eyes blow wide, and Michael knows it was a risk to say that out loud so soon in their beginning. The last time he’d mentioned wanting kids to Alex must have been high school. The days of agricultural engineering, dad bands, and dreams that hadn’t yet died.

‘Our kids?’ Alex swallows around the words. ‘Yours and mine? Ours...together?’

He tries not to jump straight to panic at the uncertainty in Alex’s voice. Tries not to worry that maybe Alex doesn’t think he’ll be a good dad which is what he sometimes worries too. Squaring his shoulders, he tells the truth. ‘That’s what I want.’ He needs to ask Alex if that’s what he wants too, but the words get stuck like putty in the back of his throat.

Alex’s eyes dart to the pictures on the dresser and then back to Michael. ‘You’ll be a great dad. Any kid would be so lucky to have you.’ He grabs Michael’s hands that are still clasped at his neck and pulls them down over his heart. ‘Your hands were made to build, to hold, to love.’

Michael threads their fingers together and kisses the backs of Alex’s hands. ‘And yours were made to protect, to create, to love.’ The air between them has grown thick with meaning. He laughs to relieve the tension. ‘I don’t mean tomorrow. We should probably start with a puppy. Or maybe a fish.’ That finally pulls a smile from Alex.

‘When you showed me the yearbook photo of you, my first thought was that I’d want our kids to look like you. That mess of curls, those big, hazel eyes.’ His smile stretches up to his eyes. ‘So yeah. That’s what I want too. One day. And we can tell them all about their amazing, brilliant Grandma Nora.’

Michael tackles Alex into the pillows beneath them, picking up directly where they’d left off.