#daniel humm

[guy60660]

Eat More Plants | Daniel Humm | Steidl

[syrahqueen]

WINE ACCESS - THE ONLY WINE CLUB YOU NEED

Wine Access - The Only Wine Club You Need

The wonderful thing about a wine club is that you get to try incredible wines from around the globe that are carefully selected and curated by wine professionals.  While there are many wine clubs to choose from, Wine Access is the only wine club you need.  As a wine lover and wine collector, I was thrilled to have discovered Wine Access. WINE ACCESS Wine Access is the premier online wine platform…

[eunoia-writes]

Confessions • Felix Catton x Reader

Summery - after a night of drinking bottle after bottle of wine Felix makes a confession which spirals his and y/n’s life into a whirlwind of romance only to be momentarily put on hold due to his jealousy.

Warnings - Drinking, jealous!Felix, Felix being a bit of a dick, secret romance

There was a soft humm of laughter from the other room while y/n walked into the dimly lit kitchen in search for the other wine bottles. She opened the fridge grabbing a bottle of Red and a bottle of white before she walked back into the living room where everyone was sat reminiscing on old summers stories. She placed the bottles down before sitting back down next to her friend, Farleigh.

“Y/n… do you remember that guy that put the love note your dorm letter box?” Indi said laughed as Felix groaned while y/n just nodded. Felix grabbed the bottle of red and topped up her glass before Turing to face his friend Indi.

“Can we not talk about this for the 100th time?” Felix asked

“Oh but why it was so adorable the way he fumbled over his words and laughed at everything y/n said.” Indi added

“Y/n doesn’t need someone who laughs at everything she says or can’t form a coherent sentence. Hell she’s smarter than all of us.”

y/n couldn’t help but blush slightly. Yes it was wrong and juvenile of her to he crushing on her friend who protects her no matter what cost.

“That’s real sweet of you, Fi.” Oh how he adored that nickname she gave him

“Anything for you.” He said looking at her for what could have been slightly too long

“We should really head off.” India said sharing a look with Felix y/n couldn’t quit read.

“We’ll see you guy tomorrow?” Felix said his arm wrapping around y/n’s waist. The pair had always been close and the physical touch of their relationship had never bothered either of them.

“Definitely we be here around 2.” Farleigh Said before the three of them made there way out of Felix’s flat

“Are you sure you don’t mind me staying?” y/n asked as she helped Him clear away a few things. Felix smiled

“you’re always welcome to stay here you know that.” Felix said pouring the last of the wine down the drain as y/n leaned against the counter

“What was that look Indi gave you about earlier?” y/n more asked him, he immediately stopped what he was doing and turned to her

“What do you mean?” He asked confused

“Fi, don’t do that you know exactly what I’m talking about.” She said as he moved closer to her

“Fine fine, she has been telling me how I should tell you that it wasn’t Daniel who wrote you that letter, it was me.” Felix said

“Fi that’s not funny.” She said looking up at him “come on tell me what it was.”

“Im being serious y/n, I had the biggest crush on you when we first came to Oxford.”

“oh come on that’s not true.” She said she didn’t realise how close they now were neither did he

“I still do.” he whispered

“Felix.”

“I always thought you were the most beautiful girl I’ve ever seen.” He whispered just inches away from her

“Stop it.”

“Y/n.”

“Felix.”

“That’s not funny.” Instead of saying another word Felix just leans in kissing her softly which she immediately reciprocates a surge of electricity coursed through them, igniting a passionate exchange that transcended words. Time seemed to halt as Felix pulled her impossibly close wanting nothing more than her close to him.

“Believe me now?”

—

The pair had been seeing each other for a while now they decided to keep it a secret knowing the complications of their loved ones finding out. They wanted it to be there’s and there’s only.

Felix, with a playful smile masking the excitement in his eyes, told Farleigh he was going for a run. This wasn’t anything new for him every so often Felix took himself off on a run to clear his head if Farleigh wasn’t so caught up in himself he’d of probably noticed the escalations in the amount of times his friend seemed to be disappearing. This worked in their favour though.

Felix jogged down familiar paths, exchanging pleasantries with others on campus as he made his way to the back road that was far less traveled by to the one place he craved to be.

"Hey there," Felix greeted, panting slightly from his faux jog. Y/n grinned, as he walked into her flat and straight over to her "Thought I could use some company for my workout ." They chuckled, finding solace in their secret rendezvous.

Things were going well for a while the two sharing nothing but pure unadulterated admiration of each other Beneath the facade of friendship, stolen glances and secret smiles told a tale of something deeper. Their perfect secret relationship thrived in the subtleties – a brush of hands, lingering gazes, and whispered confessions hidden amidst the mundane. The world remained oblivious to the symphony of emotions playing out beneath the surface, allowing Felix and y/n to savor the intimacy of their unspoken connection for themselves. Y/n adorned nothing more than the late nights in his arms talking about anything they could think of but what she hated most was waking up to an empty bed.

It had been almost three months of sneaking around before anything of great significance had its effect on them. All until the party at Farleighs new flings flat.

As they mingled at the party, Felix couldn't shake the knot of jealousy tightening in his chest. Y/n , unaware of Felix internal struggle, engaged in casual conversation with a charming boy named Jake. Felix gritted his teeth, feigning a smile while attempting to mask the possessiveness bubbling within. In a strained attempt at nonchalance when y/n returned to his side later that night, Felix remarked, "Jake seems pretty interested in you tonight."

Y/n, oblivious to the brewing tension, responded with a casual shrug, "Oh, he's just friendly."

Unable to contain his frustration any longer, Felix snapped, "Friendly? Or maybe you're enjoying the attention a bit too much, y/n." The words hung heavy in the air, and y/n's eyes widened with surprise and hurt.

"What's your problem?" Y/n shot back, her own defenses rising. Felix fuelled by the fear of losing y/n to the allure of someone else, retorted,

"My problem is that everyone thinks you're fair game. Maybe it's time they know the truth – that we're more than just friends."

Y/n now fully grasping the depth of Felix's jealousy, countered, "Are you threatening to expose us? You know we can't do that, Felix. Fuck me you were the one who wanted it to be a secret so bad." The argument escalated, echoing the clash between the passion they shared in secret and the turmoil of emotions exposed in the harsh light of reality.

“Oh fuck me y/n, maybe I wouldn’t have to say anything If you weren’t such an attention whore!”

“Excuse me!” She said through gritted teeth trying not to cause a scene

“Don’t play dumb, god forbid my attention is on something other than you for a moment you start acting like a brat.” Felix said and y/n couldn’t believe what she was hearing, how dare he talk to her this way. She wasn’t one of his little flings that only lived to please him. She had more respect for herself and wouldn’t bat an eyelid at leaving if he didn’t treat her the way she wanted.

“I don’t know where you get off speaking to me like that but you better cut that shit out.” She said tempers growing for the both of them

“God I could have anyone I wanted but I choose to be with you and do nothing if you -“ Felix began at this point it was soon to turn nasty between then

“No one asked you to do nothing.” She snapped

“Fuck off.” He mumbled under his breath pinching the bridge of his nose as she turned to look at him arms folded across her chest while they stood on the balcony

“I will fuck off, I told you do what you want Felix.” she was staring daggers at him while he let out a frustrated sigh there friends all a few feet away watching the whole ordeal go down not a single of of them having a clue what was happening.

“Like you wouldn’t go off at me if I even looked at anyone else!” He said usually if someone as tall as Felix was getting pissed off at you while towering over you it would be enough to intimate anyone, but not y/n. She wasn’t one to back down from an argument.

“Well I didn’t ask you not to, do what you fucking want. Talk to a few girls shag them for all I care I’ll just fucking laugh at ya.” She spat clearly pissed off at not only him but the thought of him touching anyone else made her skin crawl.

“Maybe I will!”

“You know what Felix, go fuck yourself.” Y/n almost yelled as she stormed out of the flat knowing he wouldn’t dare follow her.

The argument with Felix lingered in her mind like a relentless echo, leaving her overwhelmed with a torrent of conflicting emotions. As she stormed out into the night, the crisp air did little to cool the heat of frustration burning within her. The music and laughter from the party slowly faded, replaced by an unsettling silence that mirrored the void growing in her chest, each step marked by the weight of unspoken words and unresolved tension. Tears welled up in her eyes, threatening to spill over, but she fought to maintain composure, not wanting to reveal her vulnerability to the indifferent darkness. The dimly lit streets witnessed the internal storm playing out on y/n’s face, the glow of streetlights casting shadows that mirrored the turmoil within. With each step, she found herself grappling with the realisation that the argument had not only fractured her connection with Felix but also exposed the fragility of the carefully constructed façade they had maintained.

Alone in the dark, y/n finally allowed herself to cry, the frustration and heartache escaping in silent sobs that mingled with the night's hushed symphony. The journey home became a painful pilgrimage through the shadows of her own unresolved emotions, the echoes of the argument haunting her every step.

Days passed in a heavy silence between Felix and y/n after their heated argument. Felix grappling with a mixture of regret and longing, found the absence of y/n more challenging than expected. Each passing moment without her presence heightened the ache in his heart. Felix had never felt this way before. No one had every evoked the same emotions from him that y/n does and the lack of communication became increasingly unbearable. Felix scrolled through old messages, the weight of the unsent apologies pressing down. Pride clashed with the undeniable truth – Felix missed y/n more than words could express. Swallowing the pride, He finally sent a hesitant message, "Can we talk?" The pause that followed felt like an eternity.

Y/n - Come over?

Felix shot up from his bed wasting no time rushing over to her flat rehearsing exactly what he wanted to say to her , everything from how sorry he was for the way he treat her and that he should have never spoke to her that way because he let his idiotic jealousy take the wheel to how stupid he feels for making her keep what they have a secret and how he wants nothing more than to shout it from the rough tops. However upon letting himself in with the key she’d given him not too long ago that all faded when He walked into the flat to find her curled up on the couch in his jumper and her beloved blanket she’s had for as long as he’s known her.

“Y/n.” He whispered as she stirred from her sleep while he sat down on the edge of the couch a few feet away from her

“Hi.” She said as she sat up rubbing her eyes slightly bringing her knees to her chest as she looked over at him

“I’m so sorry baby.” He began but before he could go on his tangent of how sorry he was and how much he adores her she whispered almost inaudibly

“Do you not trust me?” Felix felt his heart sink he hated that he’d upset her

“I do trust you baby, i was just being jealous I should have never taken it out on you.” He said cautiously moving closer to her not wanting to make her uncomfortable “I hate the idea of someone else looking at you the way I do, the idea of you making someone feel the same way you make me feel.”

“I’d never do that intentionally.” She said looking at him with her big do eyes that made him melt the same why they did when he first saw her

“I know… I’m so sorry for speaking to you like that and I’m so sorry for making you keep us a secret.” He told her as she shuffled closer to him letting him pull her into his lap

“What?” She asked confused

“You’re my girl, and I want no I need everyone to know that.” He told her and she couldn’t help but smile. Felix had never outright claimed anyone so y/n couldn’t help but feel special that she was the first

“But Fi, I don’t want you to feel like you have too… baby come on it’s about time I tell my parents and everyone else you’re my girlfriend.” Felix watched the way her eyes lit up as he said that word

“Girlfriend?” she whispered while Felix just nodded leaning in to kiss her softly “I like that.” She mumbled into the kiss

“Missed you.” He whispered as he pulled away

“I missed you too, I’ve hardly slept not having you here next to me.” Felix let out a sigh of relief knowing that she missed him just as much as he missed her.

“Then let’s get you to bed, yeah?” Felix scooped her up carrying her into her bedroom just as he had done so many nights before. In one swift motion he laid her down before crawling beside her and letting her get comfortable as she found her place on his chest.

“Y/n.” He whispered his hand running through her hair. It took her a few seconds to hum in response but he didn’t mind “I love you.” He said the words lingering in the soft glow of the bedside lamp. Y/n absorbed the sweet declaration like a lullaby. The words wrapped around her like a comforting embrace, and a tender smile played on her lips as sleep gently claimed her. In that moment, the room held the echo of those three precious words, affirming what they both already knew before they both drifted into the night.

[bon2bonn]

Boooo! , the grid's chilling adventure .....

22!F1 grid X female!driver!reader

Words count : 3.3k?

The grid's local crack-heads are up for a haunting adventure!

*warnings : grammar, cursing, ghosts and creepy clowns, haunted places, (haunters : scare actors), a short change in pov where the cameras malfunctioned .

The camera was pointing slightly to the side framing some of the drivers as they stood before what looks like a deserted two storey building, some of the windows were missing, some were covered with cardboard slaps and the rest were creaking with the wind .

The working crew were going back and forth , sitting cameras and adjusting the drivers monitors as they were preparing for the intro of the video , it was a bit blurry but the sound was clear due to their already working mics as it caught them mid conversation .

Y/N's voice called " I'm just saying, if we got caught , I'm ditching you guys and saving my ass " lando could be heard sassing back " you have to have one to begin with " a smack sounded followed by lando Groaning in pain , Y/N retorts back " I hope Annabelle gets you first " . Max could be heard next as he complains " why am I here again? " Charles answered him " you , are lucky enough to hang out with us " Carlos asked incredulously " in a haunted building!? , I'd rather do more sim hours " Max agrees with a humm but Daniel cuts him " just admit that you're both cowards " Max called him out " says you ! , you screamed about ten octaves higher than an ambulance siren the last time Y/N scared you , lando did too " lando protested at the bashing " I didn't say anything! " Max shrugged " you were about to " lando looked away refusing to deny the accusation , Y/N looked at the building behind them before turning back to her friends " I have to give to them this time , this place creeps me out " they agreed as Charles nods pulling his sleeves over his hands " why is it so cold around here!? " lando replied in an ominous voice getting their attention as they all turned to listen " they said this place was built over an old boarding school , they shut it down after students starts to go missing and they couldn't find anything of them but their shoes, all found in the main dining hall , they say the other students would hear their steps going around the corridors at night looking for their missing shoes and whoever dares to go out would meet the same fate " everyone was looking at him in silence untill they all burst in laughter dismissing his attempt , Carlos clapped his shoulder " yeah , nice one" , Charles agreed " I almost believed it " the crew called for their attention as they stood in line facing the camera , the director gave them the ok after she counted down .

••••••••••••

The camera cuts off to them greeting in one voice " hello! " each introduced themselves and their team , Y/N carried on after everyone was done as she explained " tonight we are doing something a little bit different as you could see " she pointed to the building behind them " our teams couldn't get rid of us legally so they've all decided to sacrifice us to the dark side and hope for the best " lando looked at her in question " wait , what !?" , but Daniel nods as he carries on " yeah , today we're doing a haunted night in a building challenge , we'll be divided into teams of two each team will take a different entrance, each have the task of collecting clues that leads to the way out " Charles piped in an exited voice " the winners gets a three days weekend getaway in a place of their choice " Max spoke next " aaaaaand, the bragging rights of being the bravest in the paddock " Carlos gave a thoughtful nod " not bad " .

The director told them their teams already been set but they protest with Y/N reasoning with " but where's the fun in that !? , come on losers rock , paper , scissor, the winner of each round teams up with the winner of the next round , incase of two winners in one round ,they play one round together and the loser gets back to play with the others " the first winner was lando who paired up with Charles, followed by Max who got Carlos , and that left Y/N to team up with Daniel , the director asked " so , what do you think about your line up ? " , Carlos nods " I think we have a pretty good team " max agreed as he looked to the other teams " I think we have more chances than the others to win this " laughing as the rest booed at him , Danny scoffed " you won't be saying that when we beat your asses " , lando shrugged " not gonna happen with your team mate , I mean you'll be lucky if you could get out " Y/N didn't hesitate to call back " speak of yourself, Charles is the definition of clumsy and you'd lose your head if it wasn't attached to your body " they went on arguing about who'd win and who's going to lose .

The director had enough and called out " alright enough with the shit talk! " And chimed in before they could start heading in " before you go , there's one more thing to know . Whoever get caught earn their team a penalty point , which requires a side task to do in order to move on with your task of collecting clues, in the end the team with less penalty points win and the one with the most lose automatically " Charles looked at lando laughing " now we're definitely doomed" lando nod back laughing as well but both moved on to their door as the rest did the same , all waiting for the count to go down to one before they got in .

The cameras inside showed each team and followed them as they ventured through the three separate hallways , each holding a flashlight and a head mounted camera for more coverage , they crept slowly looking for clues and trying to avoid getting the attention of wandering haunters who roamed in and out of the rooms , even turning their flashlights off when they hear someone close by .

•••••••••••••••

Things with Charles and lando were going surprisingly well as they proceed to look for their second clue , they end up in a storage room at the back of the first floor the both went damaging through boxes and looking through shelves not noticing the figure standing by the door and when they found it they read the instructions " seek and you shall see , which way it might be , where one turns to 100 and where voids are filled with noise " Charles made a face as he reread the clue over again trying to think of something to connect to theses words . (( the clue leads to the copy/printing room 🖨️ on the other side of the floor)) .

Lando turned around to look once more around the room for more insight but froze once he came to see the masked figure standing in a torn dusty suit with a baseball bat in hand , he poked Charles shoulder but he kept repeating their clue unaware of their current dilemma , so he ended up smacking him hard earning a shout of surprise out of him as he face lando " what was that for !? " Only for his partner to point at the figure , all Charles could say is a small " Oh " lando grimaced at him with a " oh indeed! " Charles ignored his tone whispering back " I'll go left " lando nods as he whispered back " and I'll head right , on three " Charles braced himself as he waited for the count but was left in shock as lando screamed " three ! " And made a run for the door , leaving a flabbergasted Charles back as he sprinted down the hall , the masked figure turned to Charles raising his bat and swinging it around as he stepped in , making Charles let a high pitched scream that startled everyone in earshot range and resonated through the whole floor .

•••••••••••••••••

Max and Carlos both looked at eachother at the sudden scream, both laughing as the thought the same thing " Charles got caught" , before going back to making their way to look for their third clue in one of the conference/meeting rooms on the second floor, both dodging as a clown walked by the door holding a long iron rod , skipping down the hall in a creepy dance/walk , a creepy giggle leaving him as he turned the corner . Carlos turned to Max with a shudder " that'll fuel my nightmares for two months ahead" Max gave him a teasing smile " I just figured out what I'd wear for Halloween this year " Carlos groan at him " you're insufferable!" His friend laughed " it's better me than N/N " both shuddering at the memories of being scared shitless by said driver .

••••••••••••••••••

Thing were going relatively good with the last team , collecting clues efficiently , their last clue lead them to an archive unit of sort , the kept looking around before they spotted their next clue peeking out from a file holder on the top shelf far from their reach , they ended up with Y/N on Danny's shoulders with him standing on a chair to finally reach it " imagine if i accidentally dropped you ?" She gave him a sticky eye " bitch! , if I fell down you bet your ass you're going down with me " he snorted " it's my glorious arse , you should be honoured to be in the same capacity " she rolled her eyes at him , yanking at his ear from her place still on his shoulders " yeah, me and the vengeful ghosts are truly blessed " he feigned confidence as he claimed while looking up at her " Casper and his friends can kiss my arse , I'm not scared " she pat his shoulder after she got down safely " mmhm , of course you're not " ignoring him in favour of reading their clue " look twice before you flee , one step , two steps and you may see , for it's your only way out , or it may be " both hummed in thought as they head out and down the hallway , she smacked the side of her head " I swear I'm losing brain cells with every clue ! " Daniel turned around looking for something to connect with their clue but couldn't find anything, after a while they head out , looking through the other room down the Hallway , and as expected they didn't find anything useful to aide them .

They creeped out of the hallway reaching what looked like a break room, and to their luck they found one of the haunters looking around, Y/N crouch down signaling for Danny to follow her , he gave her one look and knew exactly what she was about to do, shaking his face in a grimace he yell in a whisper " but why!?" She shrugged with a wicked smile " why not!? " , she then stomped her foot loudly getting the haunter's attention as he walked back into the hallway unaware of the crouching driver , and just as neared the corner she sprung out with a shout , scaring the wits out of him , causing him to stumble back before falling into the floor, he looked at her with wide eyes as she cackled at his stunned face , but she quickly backtracked with giggles as she kept apologizing as he got hold of himself and got back up with a hammer in hand . Daniel grabbed her hand as he turned to make a run for it .

••••••••••••••

They bot ran away with the poor figure chasing after them hammer held high and face full of vengeance , all three unaware of the stunned Max and Carlos who stood on the side of the hallway eyes wide at the scene that passed by them , both frozen until the three turned a corner and disappeared out of sight .

she let out a scream as she stumbled " I can't run! My legs are killing me!! " Danny scowled at her with a shout of his own " and who's fault is that !? " She answered not missing a beat " it's God's fault for giving me short legs " , he rolled his eyes as he found a cracked door and he was quick to shove her in getting behind her and shove the door to leave it cracked a bit , leaving enough space so they could see what's going on outside, both held their breath as he stood right before their door , he looked around with his back facing them , both driver's eyes widened when they caught their final clue , but much to their luck it was stuck on the back of the haunter's jack , the same haunter who's now looking for them , Daniel looked at his partner with a glare , she gave him a cheeky grin as she whispered " I have no regrets" he rolled his eyes again shoving her head lightly " of course you don't" she snickered before looking out only to find the figure walking away , so she turned to look around room they were hiding in, she found thin blocks of wood and an old ax thrown aside , Daniel shook his head at her " No we're not doing that , I won't trust you with an ax ! " She huffed and picked the wooden log instead, " ok , now what? " , Daniel thought for a moment as he came up with an idea.

••••••••••••••••••

Max and Carlos were seen again in another hallway, both frozen as a loud ruckus was heard down the hallway followed by a bang and footsteps running , another pair of feet were heard before they appeared, now with the haunter running away followed by Danny who was carrying a Y/N on his back and she have a long wooden stick shouting " coward !, get back here !! " They screamed as they rushed at them but didn't stop as they once again passed by them in a sprint , Carlos looked at his partner who shook his head " I for once don't wanna know " he nods in agreement " some things are better left unknown" , they turned and moved on . But stopped once the came face to face with a tall much scarier version of Annabelle, red hair falling all over her face with her hair ties tangled up on the sides , the bottom of her dress is covered in mud and the sleeves are torn with some parts seems to be burnt , they turned slowly to the way they came from and tried to run but got cornered by the clown from earlier, Carlos groaned " come on, not the clown!! ".

••••••••••••••••••

After a long chase they finally got their clue , leaving behind a traumatized haunter that they managed to corner in one of the storage rooms . now they made their way to the exit as the clue turned to be an instructions leading to the way out through the main lobby, both done with their tasks along with the penalty for technically getting caught ( they're the ones who caught/cornered to haunter but they did it anyway ) , Daniel was dressed in a bright pink tutu along with a yellow feather boa and Y/N with matching green boa and a big mustache drawn over her lips with a marker that Danny forgot to mention that is permanent ink .

On their way they came across Charles wearing a balding wig paired with thick glasses as a penalty with lando nowhere to be seen , he shrugged " he ditched me, and I ditched him back " both nods , agreeing with his logic but they stopped as they say lando rounding the corner, wearing A very fluffy clowns wig and a red nose to go with the look , he gave Charles the finger as he approached them , Charles gave him one back " you did the same thing " lando kept his scowl " yeah yeah , whatever, still , fuck you ! " . The camera glitches for a moment before it turned off along with the mics which gave a loud screach before they stop working all at once .

••••••••••••••••

(Third POV):

They all were about to head out but stopped as light foot steps were heard down the hall , they waited as the steps got closer Charles thought aloud " maybe it's max and Carlos" Daniel agreed but they were greeted with a little boy not older than 12 walked out of the dark , his face bale with dark circles framing his blank eyes contrasting his complection, the eerie thing beside his old fashioned and dirty school uniform was the way he walked, his bare feet dragging on the dirty floor and a pair of old worn out dress shoe is held tightly in his small hands , he suddenly came to a stop as he tilted his head looking directly at them causing the drivers to scoot back discreetly . He opened his mouth and asked in a hauntingly innocent voice " have you seen my shoe ? " They grabbed Y/N who was crazy enough to take a step towards the boy all three giving disbelieving looks as she made a protesting sound Daniel shook her shoulders " where in hell do you think you're going!? " She casually pointed at the standing boy " to look for his shoe ? " Lando shook his head " hell no! " Charles hid behind Daniel as he shouted at her " have you lost your mind !?" She shrugged as they turned back to the boy who was standing there looking at them waiting for an answer, lando shook his head as he answered " no we haven't seen any shoe " the boy stood still for a while but eventually gave a creepy smile as he said " okay " turning to leave, walking through the wall and out of sight, but his steps echoing down the hall before they disappear .

The drivers eyes widened in shock , their minds trying to comprehend what they just saw , Charles pointed at where the boy stood looking around unable to voice his thoughts, lando nods , he was looking like he saw a ghost, well he did see one moments ago, Daniel didn't waste time as Y/n tried to step back in to see where the kid go , so he scooped her up turned around and made a run for the door , making the other two follow his lead as he made it out in no time .

(End of POV)

••••••••••••••••

The video ends with them now lined up once again to announce the winners , lando readjust his wig " before any announcement I have one thing to say, It's rigged!" Charles shoved him , scratching beneath his balding wig " if you didn't ditch me we could've won " the director called the results " it's a technical draw between two teams with one penalty each , and the third team with 4 penalties " Carlos asked in confusion as his glittering hight top hat tilted to the side "what does that means " the director answered with " it's a technical draw between the teams because Y/N and Daniel weren't supposed to be penalized but they did serve the penalty so it's counted......" Danny called out in shock " we could've won !? " Y/N gave him a glare " I told you we should've ditch it !!!" They eventually agreed to compromise and share the prize with the other two .

Daniel made a pose while throwing his boa around his neck dramatically giving the losing team a smug look " eat dust , losers!" His partner doing the same as she throws an exaggerated kiss their way. But lando didn't let that faze him as he said pointing at her fake moustache " laugh all you want , but that's a permanent marker" she snapped her head towards Daniel who backed away " I didn't know!" Running away as she charged at him " get back here ! I'll stuff these feathers down you throat you piece of...... Get back here !" .

Max ignored them pressing on his attachable moustache and pushed back his relatively too big cowboy hat, tilting his head back a little to look at the camera as he finished the video " that's it for this time , I hope you enjoy it as much as we did" the three remaining drivers made faces of disagreement shaking their heads but he ignored it as he waved them off " tune in next time for more challenges and haunted establishments to rent , if you're interested call the F1 haunted hotline for more informations , bye " the rest waved as well minus Carlos who was rubbing Charles balding wig as he laughed " this would be us in the next three years " , Y/N and Daniel joined them eventually waving at the camera as the video ended .

[rainysofsunshineao3]

"You don't talk much," Robin notes, eyes scanning the horizon for any sign of those...Things. The sun illuminates most of the dilapidated highway and barren, wilted fields on either side. It would be easy for either of the two to spot one, but then again, that was a double-edged sword, and with how fast those things could move... It was a good chance that if the creatures spotted the trailer-towing van they would tear it to shreds faster than they could escape. Nancy humms in false thought, momentarily bringing Robin's eyes away from the scenery around them.

"Not a fan."

"What, of talking?" Nancy glances away from the road, a look mixed half of genuine questioning and annoyance.

"Not a fan of talking, no." She responds finally, adjusting her grip on the steering wheel, and Robin couldn't help the flutter of relief and something else entirely in her chest when the frizzy-haired brunette finally drew away her gaze.

"You know," Robin wasn't sure where she was going with this. Nancy seems more annoyed than usual, and it wasn't like they hadn't had this conversation before. "You do talk to me. Eventually." She was rewarded with the small chuckle it drew from the woman driving, albeit dry.

"Do I?"

"Oh yeah," Robin smirks. "It's usually around Lyons." She looks down in thought, fiddles with the immense amount of rings on her fingers. "You tell me about the time you went there with your family."

Nancy looks back at her, drawing the taller woman's gaze back up to her crystal eyes.

"Your brother got lost," She continues and Nancy looks away again, biting her lower lip lightly.

"I've never been to Lyons." Oh, the multiple times you've said so would suggest otherwise.

"You tell me your middle name; Danielle." She says it almost like a question, knowing full well that that piece of information had never been disclosed to her. Nancy's answer is harsher than before, quicker, almost like she knows the game Robin's playing.

"That's not my middle name." It's so quiet, almost a whisper, but the murmur carries through the entire van with ease. Robin almost leaves it at that, but something about Nancy's expression makes it impossible to keep her damn mouth shut.

"You find your brother in the arcade, by the way. 'Mike', you said. "

"Maybe I said it all just to keep you quiet."

"But," Robin sighs, "You do talk to me."

"Buckley, I do not need to get to know you." She huffs. "Saving the world doesn't necessarily require deep, personal connection, and," Her eyes darken, brows furrowing in a way that has Robin leaning closer, studying the guise as if it was the last thing she would see on Earth. "And if you knew what was good for you, you wouldn't want to get to know me. It's the only way you get through this...whatever this is."

And because Robin just can't seem to let something go, she whispers again, not meeting Nancy's gaze.

"What about Holland? You get to know him?"

The van screeches to a halt and Nancy whirles around on the soldier.

"How..." Even through the anger, Robin can see the tears filling Nancy's eyes. "How do you know that name?"

She swallows, genuinely wondering if this conversation would lead to another reset.

"You mentioned him."

"That's not possible."

"Then how do I know his name?"

"When..." Nancy pinches the bridge of her nose, closing her eyes. "When did I mention her? Under what circumstance-"

"Her?"

"When, Buckley?" But Robin's brain was still on a continuous loop.

Her. Her. Her.

"Is she the reason you won't talk to me?" She whispers finally, and maybe it was the sincerity in her voice that had Nancy sighing, turning her pricing blue eyes away and back to the road.

"Don't ever mention her name again." Her tone was harsh, but Robin didn't miss the single tear that fell after the shorter woman blinked.

"Why," Her voice cracked. "Are you..." She trails off, because she had originally been going to ask "Are you in love with him?" But...

Her. Her. Her.

"She's dead." Is what she settles on. It's not a soft answer, not a kind one, but she says it without a hint of bitterness.

Nancy only nods.

"I watched her die 300 times over and I remember every single detail." The "I couldn't save her" remains unspoken, but Robin understands.

"I'm sorry," She offers, and Nancy meets her delicate gaze. "You don't, you don't have to talk about it."

"It's fine." The answer is short, clipped. It's said in a way that means finality, but it's Nancy who continues after.

"It's just war."

-Or-

THE EDGE OF TOMORROW - RONANCE AU

Ya'll, should I continue this? I had this thought at 3am and couldn't stop thinking about it.

[the-fiction-witch]

Mummy and Daddy

Media The Queens Gambit

Character Benny Watts

Couple Benny X Reader

Rating SMUT + Sad

Warnings: labour/pregnancy/ loss of children

I sat on the sweet leather chair and held my magazine in one hand, a plastic container of cool whip rested on my heavily pregnant baby bump, and a cheese stick in my hand slowly dunked and nibbled at it as I flipped through my magazine. My hair was up in a ponytail and my long black dress was over my pale skin. 

"Fuck!" I heard across the room so I glanced across the grey basement to be faced with the sight of an utter mess as Benny sat on the floor barefoot, in his black jeans and black t-shirt. His blonde hair fluffy and fresh from his shower his finger between his teeth. His body was surrounded by cardboard, paper, wood and tools. 

"You alright Benny?" I asked as I sat up with concern, 

"Splinter." He complained,

"You need some help?"

"No, no you stay there." 

"You sure?"

"Yeah I'm fine I can't risk it," he said as he managed to get the splinter out with his teeth, 

"Risk?" I laugh as I put my magazine down and slowly got to my feet, 

"I don't want you getting hurt,"

"From a splinter?" 

He smiled and held my hand as he tugged me close to him his other hand stroked my stomach, "Daddy doesn't want anything to happen to our little bundle," He smiled as he peppered my bump with kisses,

"Even me getting a splinter?" I laughed, 

"Daddy doesn't want Mummy to get hurt even something as small as a splinter," he smiled, 

"You have become so cuddly and affectionate since I got pregnant,"

"Can't I be happy we're gonna have a baby?" 

"Of course, I'm happy too Benny," I smiled and returned to the sofa and my magazine, 

"You thought any more about names?" he asked as he slowly worked to put together the crib, even if it wasn't a very simple task, 

"Not really," I smiled, "I assume you have," 

"Maybe Y/n..." he cooed, 

"Ohh? Go on then share with me," I laughed as I stroked my bump,

"Well, I think Benny Jr would be a very cute name,"

"Benny Jr? Benjamin Watts Jr?" I laughed, 

"I think it would be very cute," He cooed, "Little Jr, Little Benny Jr. Imagine all the chess boys thinking they are safe and then Benny Watts jr comes up in the tournament,"

"As adorable as that would be Benny I don't like double names its uncreative."

"Fine... How about Little Y/n Jr?"

"What if it's a boy?"

"Nate?"

"No Benny,"

"Alright, how about... Michel for a boy?"

"Ehh no,"

"Sam?"

"Sam? Samuel? Or Sammy?"

"Sammy I think,"

"Cause it sounds like Benny?"

"Maybe," he shrugged

"No,"

"Simon?"

"Not feeling it," 

"Danny?"

"Danny or Daniel?"

"Danny."

"I prefer Daniel."

"I prefer Danny,"

"Cause it sounds like Benny?"

"...Maybe," 

"No Benny,"

"Alright," He laughed as he finished the last piece of the crib and he got to his feet and checked the crib over, "Yes! Success!" He cheered, "Now to move it into the-" He began as he tried to push the crib into place but that caused one of the screws to snap and the whole thing to come tumbling down onto the basement floor in a pile of screws and wooden pieces, "...Fuck." 

I couldn't hold back my giggles and he rolled his eyes before he came over, "Can I sit?" 

I nodded and stood up, he sat in the chair and tugged me down to sit on his thigh I smiled and laid my head on his chest, and his hand happily sat on my bump. 

"You are so beautiful, utterly radiant Y/n,"

"You think so?"

"Of course I do." He smiled, "Daddy thinks mummy and baby look very beautiful," He said as he kissed my head, 

"Aww thank you, Benny," I smiled as I kissed his lips, "Any other ideas? for little one?"

"Humm... well," He smiled as he stroked my bump, "Little one will be the most beautiful baby in the whole world, if we get lucky our little one with have sweet pale skin, charming firey Y/h/c hair, precious oceanic Y/e/c eyes."

"You want them to look like me?"

"I would be delighted if our baby looks like you," he smiled, "A perfect clone of their beautiful mother." 

"What about their handsome father?"

"You'd want our baby to look like me?"

"Ummm a charming baby, with fluffy blonde hair and chocolate eyes like their father." I giggled, "I mean Genetics Benny, you have anyone in your family with Y/e/c eyes? or Y/h/c hair?"

"...I don't think so,"

"See, so it's very unlikely my more... recessive traits would make it though," 

"I hope they do," He cooed, "I can picture... a little boy, with my blonde hair, your sweet Y/e/c eyes, your adorable nose and my sly smile, be a chess genius and a fantastic baker. Our little boy," he cooed as he stroked my bump,

"I think that's sweet Benny," I smiled, "... we could name him... Christopher."

"Christopher? I really like that." 

"You do?"

"Yeah, Christopher Watts," He smiled, "Our little christoper." 

"You really like it?"

"I love it, Y/n." He smiled, 

"What about a girl?"

"... Christine. Christine Watts."

"Christine. I like it,"

"Christine Watts. It's perfect." He smiled as he kissed my stomach, 

I sighed as I sat in bed in my little black nightie as I stroked my bump, I felt so big, so fat, so ugly, my body felt so used by the baby, my feet were swollen, my arms chubby, my face swollen, every inch of me felt so wide and heavy. I barely even fit into my nightie anymore.

"Ohh..." Benny smiled as he leant on the door frame in his boxers,

"Hi Benny, you coming to bed?" 

"I think I am," he growled,

"What?" I raised an eyebrow at his growl,

"You look... so sexy."

"I- I do? Benny, do you need your eyes checked?"

"No, I see you perfectly fine Y/n," he smirked as he bit his lip, "Ummm..." he groaned, "You look so good."

"Do I?"

"You do. Something about seeing you... seeing your swollen up tummy," He smirked as he knelt on the bed and began crawling to me, "Knowing... everything I did to you," He bit his lip harder, "How I fucked you so hard, I got you pregnant, how your womb grows large swelling your stomach as my seed grows inside you. To think you're carrying our baby..." 

"...Benny have you discovered a mild breeding kink you didn't know about?"

"...I might have," he smirked as he reached my lips, "That and your breasts have like... tripled in size which also makes me very excited," He smirked as he kissed me rather passionately and aggressively his hands all over my stomach, "Umm you look so good, so beautiful," he muttered before he pulled back with a deep look of hungry lust, "Humm," He growled bitting his bottom lip almost to the point of blood as his dark eyes looked me up and down lingering on my stomach, "Mummy is making daddy very, very hard. And horny. and lusty. Fuck either open your legs."

"Benny," I giggled,

"Now Y/n," he demanded, 

kissing down my neck as he tugged the spaghetti straps of my nightie down tugging the whole thing off my body leaving me naked my nipples hard in the cold of the basement, 

“Ummm you so good,”

“I do?”

“You do,”

“Even when I’m all-”

he smirked tugging his boxers down and wrapping my legs around his hips, it didn't take long for him to slip hilt deep Inside of me making me gasp holding the sheets tightly, “You look like my queen.” He growled, “My Sensualpregnant queen, Mother to my child, I don’t think you’ve ever looked so pleasing,” he began slowly moving from tip to hilt grinding his hips slowly but efficiently quickly leaving me a mess of moans each time he drove deeper often he nibbled at my neck to allow the sounds I made no matter how small not be missed by his ears, gradually he got faster and more merciless which caused my moans and groans to increase, his hand moving to rub on my clit in time with his thrusts

"Ughhh-benny please!" I gasped as my eyes rolled back a little my head rolling against the pillow in pleasure,

"Not till you cum Y/n" he smirked biting on my neck to leave a love bite getting even faster causing me to scream with each of his thrusts "fuck- You'll make me cum already, mummy is far too good to Daddy making him feel so good, why do you have to look so fucking irresistible,"

"I can't help it" I whined,

"Awww I know you can’t, you can’t help winding me up when you look so good." He smirked "Ughh come here!" he smirked pulling out and grabbing my hips pulling me down the bed leaving my hair against the pillows my back further down the bed and my hips off the mattress completely he kept my hips in the air and my ankles in his hands pushing them as far apart as physically possible, and smirking with that evil sky grin before burying his head between my legs nibbling at my inner thigh, kissing my clit, running his tongue across every inch of me even pushing his tongue inside me at moment's which left me a screaming mess often uncontrollably kicking my legs from the pleasure

"Ahhhhh Benny please!" I squealed as he mercilessly continued enjoying my pleads but still ignoring them as he worked I knew how close I was so I began desperately tugging on his hair which made him pull back

"Awww you're so cute when you're hysterically horny" he smirked throwing me completely against the mattress again looming over me "Umm look at you. Bright red. Hard nipples. Giant tits, Dripping cunt. Our little baby resting in your big belly, This" he smirked, stroking his hand down my body "is why I love edging you, Y/n." He smirked "You look so beautiful when your body is craving me," he growled "Say it. And I'll let you cum"

"I need you Benny" I cooed as breathy as I could pulling him into an intense kiss which he happily worked into before pulling back

"Good girl. Down. Now." He demanded so I did as he asked and went down on my knees holding the wooden headboard in my hands he smirked and stroked my waist from my stomach around my side to the small of my back "umm perfect Y/n' he whispered in my ear before slipping back inside me making me moan loudly given how close I was and that he always felt so much bigger when on my knees he didn't waste time being gentle or slow going back to his merciless pase immediately holding my hips hard as he moved often causing the bed to bang and creek his hand moved to cup my breast often twisting my nipple which only increased my moans of pleasure

"Uhhhh Benny!"

"That's perfect, isn’t this how I put the baby in you before," he smirked moving a hand down to rub on my clit making me scream even louder

"Ahhhhh Benny please im-"

"Close?" He smirked and I nodded "Well.. can I cum inside you?"

I blushed hard “I guess so… I mean I’m already pregnant Benny now sure how much hard you could do,” I nodded which only made his smirk grow

"Then my Y/n can cum" he smirked rubbing even faster on my clit as he thrusted

"Uuuuuuuuuuughh uhhhh benny!"

"Louder!" He demanded slapping my ass hard and at that moment I hit my wall making me squeal loudly slightly squirting a little as my orgasm rushed through me leaving me a shaking moaning mess, which only fueled him letting me ride it out still playing with my clit before he moved back to fondle my breasts again still at his merciless pace he got louder too more throaty

"Uhhh fuck. Y/n! Y/n..Y/n!" He growled before biting my shoulder as his hips jerked in a few odd angles and ways finishing deep inside me before he gasped and collapsed his weight onto me. It took a couple of seconds of us both gasping before he pulled out and we lay on the bed, “Fuck… I really love how you look pregnant.”

“I gathered Benny…” I gasped, 

“We best be careful, I might love how you look so much I’ll get you pregnant again as soon as baby comes out?” 

"Will you now?"

"I might," he smirked as he kissed my bump, "Goodnight Y/n,"

"Goodnight Benny,"

"Goodnight Christopher, or Christine." he smiled as he kissed my bump 

"Which do you hope for?"

"Honestly?"

"Honestly,"

"A little boy. A little Christopher. to teach chess and be US champion after me, my sweet son. That's what I want, a son."

"Yeah, I think I'd like a little boy too, but I don't mind so long as their happy and healthy,"

"Yeah so long as their happy," He nodded "I love you, Y/n,"

"I love you too Benny," I smiled before we wrapped up for the night. 

I lay in my bed after the worst pain I could ever imagine, the grey hospital room around me. The only peace is Benny's hand in mine. We had been here so long and I had been through an unimaginable amount of pain, my body had been through so much in these hours and I was in this strange stage of feeling almost like I wasn't alive like a shell of my body. The nurse came in and perked up both of us as she stood with a clipboard in hand, she was nervous and barely looked at us. 

"...Mr and Mrs Watts?"

"Yes?" Benny asked,

"I... I have some news." she said, "There is good news and some bad news, which did you want first?"

I squeezed Benny's hand, and we met eyes and he nodded to me. 

"The bad news. get it out of the way."

"... Your son. He didn't survive." 

I nodded, squeezing Benny's hand as hard as I could as tears began to slip from my eyes no matter how hard I tried to hold them back. "I want to see him..."

"we can't-" She began,

"I WANT TO SEE HIM!" I yelled, "Bring him to me! Bring him to me! Bring me my son!" I demanded, 

"Y/n -" Benny tried to calm me,

"BRING ME, MY SON!" I begged in a scream, 

She nodded and went fetching a small bundled-up baby, she handed him to me and left us to have a moment, Benny held me close as I held our baby close feeling his cold skin, we held each other tight as we cried together, he kissed my hair as I cried and screamed in utter hysterics. 

"Our baby... Our sweet little baby... our son... our Christopher..."

"Our sweet little baby," He sniggled, "Our little boy,"

"Our boy. Our poor boy."

My tears and screams echoed across the room, 

"It's okay. It's okay. So long as you're okay, so long as I will have you. I'm so sorry my darling, I know nothing will ever replace him but I have you and you have me, I promise I will help you through all of this I will keep you safe, I will protect you, I love you so much and no matter what I love you and our baby boy. You and I will hold him in our hearts forever."

"I know... I know... I love you too... we'll love our sweet little boy, Our little Christopher."

"Our little Christopher." he nodded, 

We held our baby close giving him kisses and sweet cuddles until the nurse returned,

"Can I take him?" she asked,

"No... No. You can't take him. Please. Please you can't take him. Please please nooo..." I begged,

"Just another moment please," Benny begged,

"We will take care of him we promise," she explained, as she came closer and slowly removed the baby from me no matter how much I cried and screamed, Benny held me tightly trying to soothe me,

"Nooooooo Please! Give back our baby Please!" I begged but she took him away, Benny held me tightly and kissed my hair as he slowly calmed me until the nurse returned, 

"Are you ready for the good news?" The nurse asked,

I nodded hardly able to focus,

"You had twins. and the baby girl survived," she said, she left a moment and returned with a small wrapped baby girl that she brought over to us letting me take her in my arms, she left and Benny happily hugged me tightly as we held our baby girl in our arms fighting back our joyful tears.

"Our girl... Our little girl..."

"Our sweet little baby girl," He smiled, "I love her already,"

"I do too, Our little Christine."

"Christine, Our little Christine Watts our little daughter."

"Our little daughter." I cooed, "Our angel,"

"Our angel." He smiled giving her head a little kiss, "Our sweet angel, I swear you to Y/n, I will protect our daughter, and you with my life. I swear."

"as will I." I nodded, "I swear it. I don't think the pain... will ever go away about our son, but I can rejoice... with our daughter." 

"We can, and no matter what I will love you, and her endlessly." He kissed my head,

"I will love you and her endlessly Benny," I smiled giving him a soft kiss. 

I sat in the chair my body felt numb, my mind a million miles away as I stared at the box kept on our shelf in the most beautiful of places beside a white rose, where Christopher will rest eternally I felt so hollow about everything I suppose that's why its called postpartum depression even without my grief for Christopher, but I perked up and turned to see a adorable sight,

"Who's daddies little girl? hu? yeah, daddies special little angel." Benny cooed as he held Christina in his arms sitting her on his lap as he plaid chess letting her suck on the pieces he kissed her Y/h/c hair and tickled her nose making her brown eyes open as she giggles away, "Yeah? that's a king. Daddy is a king. Daddies the king of the house, that's the queen mummies the queen, and our sweet little angel is our little chess princess. Yes, yes you are. Daddy's beautiful little chess princess, daddies smart little girl." he cooed, and I couldn't hold back my smile and gentle tears. "Y/n? What's the matter?" 

"Nothing... I love you so much Benny," I cooed as I got up and kissed his head,

"I love you too Y/n," he smiled, "You love mummy Christina? you love mummy?"

"I love her very much," I smiled kissing her little head,

"she loves you too I'm sure of it, I love you too Christina, you love Daddy?"

"I'm sure she does," I smiled giving him a soft kiss before all three of us cuddled up in a big cozy hug. 

[grabsomeironmeat]

Daniel Humm

[dinneratsheilas]

Eleven Madison Park Granola

I found this delicious recipe for making your own outstanding granola in a recent Sunday New York Times, and after reading the recipe and seeing the photos I just had to try it.

The recipe is from the New York restaurant, Eleven Madison Park. After dining in their restaurant, upon leaving they send their patrons home with the ultimate gift, this amazing granola, studded with dried cherries and pistachios!

Sam Sifton, the founding editor of the "New York Times Cooking" column and assisting editor for the Times, has adapted the recipe from the chef Daniel Humm. Here it is...

Eleven Madison Park Granola (recipe by David Humm; adapted by Sam Sifton)

2 and 1/4 cups rolled oats

1 cup shelled pistachios

1 cup unsweetened coconut chips

1/3 cup pumpkin seeds

1 tablespoon kosher salt

1/2 cup light brown sugar

1/3 cup maple syrup

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

3/4 cup dried sour cherries

Heat the oven to 300 degrees. In a large bowl, mix together the oats, pistachios, coconut, pumpkin seed, and salt.

In a small saucepan set over low heat, warm the sugar, syrup, and olive oil until the sugar has just dissolved, then remove from heat. Fold liquids into the mixture of oats, making sure to coat the dry ingredients well.

Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat, and spread granola over it. Bake until dry and lightly golden, 35 to 40 minutes, stirring granola a few times along the way.

Remove granola from oven, and mix into it the dried sour cherries.

Allow to cool to room temperature before transferring to a storage container. Makes about 6 cups.

Note: I omitted the coconut chips since I was eager to make it, and didn't have any on hand. I also added some Marcona almonds which I did have handy.

It will keep well in an airtight container for weeks. Eat it as a snack or with milk or yogurt. It's the best!

[bucketsofmonsters]

The Shapeshifting Detective - Part 5

cw: parental death, grief, slow burn, panic attacks, mild body horror, threats of violence from a partner, misogynistic language, more tags will be added as the story continues

male shapeshifter x fem character

word count: ~6k

part 1  part 2  part 3 part 4 part 5 part 6 part 7 part 8

She could feel everyone’s eyes on her as she entered the ball, their gazes boring into her. People weren’t even trying to hide their staring. She couldn’t blame them, she knew she shouldn’t be here just as much as they did. 

Vincent was at her side, valiantly trying to distract her from their prying eyes. “Do you have a plan? Because I certainly don’t.”

“Have you ever had a plan?” The sharp response was more intended to give her time to come up with something herself than anything. 

“I do my best. Besides, I don’t need to now that I have you. Speaking of, what are we doing?”

“Poke around, try not to get caught.” Admittedly it wasn’t the best plan she’d ever had but it was better than whatever Vincent had been doing. 

He laughed. “I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

“Well, I don’t need to plan ahead to act like a human.”

He clutched his chest in mock pain. “You wound me, Miss Kate.”

As her and Vincet spoke, people slowly lost interest and turned back to their conversations.

The room was a flurry of activity, there wasn’t much time for anything. People were dancing in the center, a humm of chatter audible under the music. 

Theresa Moore’s attention was not so easily stolen. She was glaring daggers at the pair, something Vincent hadn’t noticed and that Kate couldn’t stop noticing. 

Their host began to approach them from across the room and Kate quietly shushed her partner. His talking ceased immediately, following her gaze to see the woman walking towards them with the most strained smile imaginable. 

“She doesn’t look pleased to see us,” he noted.

That was a generous analysis of the situation. “She doesn’t look pleased to see me.”

As the woman greeted the pair, Kate gave her a warm smile. Vincent did not seem to be on the same page, eyeing her warily. 

Theresa didn’t even try to look like she wasn’t inspecting Kate as she greeted her, judgemental eyes tracing over her atypical mourning clothes. “How lovely to see you here Katherine, I didn’t think you’d feel well enough to come.”

Vincent angled himself in front of her, wedging himself between the two of them. “I convinced her to come. It’s always good to get out, get some fresh air.”

“So it is. I guess I’m just surprised you brought her Daniel, I’ve heard you’ve been attending these alone lately.”

Kate knew the comment was meant to hurt her but frankly she didn’t give a shit. It did not take a murder for Daniel to flirt with other women, she couldn’t imagine her sudden lack of availability had done anything but spur him on. 

Not any longer, she supposed. He was a bit indisposed at the moment. 

Vincent stepped in once again. “Well, clearly you heard wrong. Anything else you’d like me to clear up?” He was clearly starting to get the hang of passive aggression, even if his tone came off as more aggressive than anything. She was glad he’d begun to figure it out, his naivete and openness were easier to stomach when it was positive, at last he had the good sense to mask his insults. 

“No, of course not. Sorry to interrupt you two. Oh and, my condolences, my dear.” Theresa leaned over and gave Kate a quick, reassuring pat on the arm, moving past Vincent who looked like he wanted to bite her hand off. 

He waited patiently until she was out of earshot before declaring, “That was unpleasant.”

Kate shrugged.  “You’ll get used to it.”

“I assure you I won’t.”

After one more particularly vicious glare in Theresa’s direction, Vincent stuck out his hand, looking intentionally from her to the people dancing, “M’lady, would you do me the honor of dancing with me?”

He had to be joking. “Aren’t we supposed to be investigating?”

“We have to keep up pretenses, don’t we? This is what people do at these things.”

“How do you know that? Do you even know how to dance?”

He nodded eagerly, a big smile plastered across his face. “I absolutely do. No more excuses, come on.”

As soon as she rolled her eyes and took his hand, his free hand fell into position on her waist and pulled her closer. 

She was more nervous about dancing than she had any right to be. Chronologically, the last time she’d done this couldn’t have been more than a month ago. 

It felt like a lifetime ago. Like maybe this week that felt like it contained years worth of emotions might have stolen memories that should be well within reach. 

Her worries were unfounded. Muscle memory kicked in. She’d done this before, danced to this exact song with Daniel. 

It didn’t hurt that Vincent was a good leader. 

She expected him to have two left feet. Maybe that was a mean assumption but in all fairness, he hadn’t shown much aptitude at other human activities, she had no idea why this one was so drastically different. 

But it was. Not only was he not bumping into her, he was leading with grace. For once she felt like she was seeing him doing something other than flounder. 

She spoke quietly, keeping her words between them. “You’re shockingly good at this.”

He seemed proud of her assessment, standing up a little straighter as they moved. “I have interacted with people before, this stuff is more my speed.”

She couldn’t help but tease him. “Oh, so you’re more of a party boy?” 

A blush immediately spread across his nose and cheeks. “I just go wherever Evelyn takes me. She likes these sorts of things and I picked some stuff up.”

“Didn’t really imagine this would be her scene either.”

“She’s always loved humans, she drags me along to all sorts of things. I never really got it.”

Kate couldn’t help but laugh. “Well, I’m sure this whole situation hasn’t helped your perception of us.”

“I don’t know, you might be surprised.”

She couldn’t understand what he could be getting at. Surely he wasn't talking about her, she's been nothing but an ass to him. 

Who else could have helped change his mind? She felt a twinge of something in her chest at the thought that it might have been someone else who did it 

Before she could pry any further and figure out what he meant, the music faded and the dance drew to a close. 

She dropped her hands, suddenly self conscious about the whole situation. His hand lingered on her waist for a second too long, his blush growing even deeper before he finally pulled away. 

She remembered too late that she should be scared of him. That kept happening, the thought falling away. He’d become more comforting than anything. 

He was the one to break the silence, clearing his throat and avoiding eye contact. “I think that was enough to keep up pretenses. Come on, we should go.”

Sneaking around wasn’t hard. The second she got them out of the line of sight of the partygoers she was off, dragging Vincent behind her. 

She remembered this place. She used to play here when she was little while her parents caught up with the Moores. 

They never had any children. When she was younger that had only been irritating, upset that she had no one to run around with. Now that she was older she understood the situation better, had heard all the rumors about how they were unable to have a child and how frustrating it was for the two of them. 

She led him to the study, a place she’d snuck into many times when she was younger. She’d been banned from the room when she had spilled a well of ink and gotten little handprints all over the curtains. 

Vincent ducked in after her, visibly nervous about the situation.

“What do we do if someone finds us?” His voice was so hushed Kate strained to hear him. 

She waved off his concern. “I’ll think of something. Isn’t this supposed to be your thing? Worming your way in places where you don't belong.”

“Yeah, as people who belong there. If we get caught like this we’ll be in trouble.”

She shook her head. “All that subterfuge and you can’t even sneak around a little? You’ll be fine either way, it won’t matter if you get caught in here anyways. For you or for Daniel.”

“I don’t care about Daniel. I feel like I’m more concerned for your well being than you are Kate.”

She made the decision to ignore the accusation and instead opted to start shuffling through the papers on the desk, looking for anything useful. 

Vincent was doing his best to help. He had a paper that he was holding up to his face, so close his nose was almost touching it. His brow was intently furrowed and Kate could practically see the gears turning in his head as he attempted to decipher the document. She grabbed it from his hands and he gave it up with little protest. Hopefully she could spare him the headache that appeared to be forming as he tried to make any sense of the paper. 

He stared eagerly at her as she looked it over, waiting patiently for her insight into the paper that had plagued him. 

Finally she handed it back to him and said. “Well, they're in good financial standing, not that that helps us.”

It didn’t take Kate long to give up on the papers already laying around, opting instead to search through the desk for something a little more hidden. Surely if incriminating documents existed they wouldn't just be sitting around. 

She found a drawer with a stack of papers in it and lifted them onto the old wooden desk, starting with the one on the bottom in an attempt to find anything someone was trying to hide from prying eyes. Prying eyes like theirs. 

The second she looked at the paper sitting at the bottom of the stack on it she recognized exactly what it was.

“I found his will,” she said and Vincent immediately turned to look. 

It wasn’t completed, remaining unsigned and unnotarized. It looked pretty typical of what she would expect with one exception. 

She scanned it once more, making sure she hadn’t missed anything before reporting her findings. “There’s some pretty hostile language in here, he’s cutting her out completely.”

“Who?”

“His wife. It looks like he was searching for someone to leave basically everything to to make sure she got literally nothing.”

“I wonder what happened between them.” Kate could tell immediately he wasn’t wondering anything, that there was something he wanted to say. She didn’t want to wait for him to find a way to tactfully say it, knowing they needed to hurry before someone found them. 

She resisted the urge to snap at him, opting instead for a pointed, “Is there something you’d like to say?”

He sighed, “I don’t know how you do that. Figuring out what people are thinking all the time seems exhausting. Maybe you’re psychic.”

He wasn’t going to distract her that easily. “Spit it out.”

“Listen, I know you didn’t like the idea last time but the evidence does bring an affair to mind and…”

“No.”

“Come on, don’t you think your closeness to the situation might be clouding your judgment?”

“Anything could have happened,” she replied defensively. “Who’s to say it has anything to do with my father?” She was getting louder and louder as they argued, as if she was trying to drown out the thought along with his voice.

“You have to admit that the timing is suspect.”

“Maybe his death reminded him to get his papers in order.”

“His papers disinheriting his wife?”

She knew what he wanted her to think as he tried to gently lead her to a conclusion but it wasn’t true. It couldn’t be. 

And even if it could be, she would have known. He would have told her or she would have found out. She wasn’t a fool and her father wasn’t a liar. 

Her arguing was cut off as she heard the old, heavy door to the study begin to move and realized too late that they’d been noticed. Someone had heard a noise and came to investigate, how could they not considering how loud she’d been. 

There wasn’t time to do anything but act. 

She pulled Vincent so she was in front of him, making his face the only one visible and hopefully shielding her from sight. 

If she was lucky the intruder would be in such a rush to leave the intimate moment they wouldn’t notice her distinctive outfit. She couldn’t imagine there were many people in mourner’s garb attending the ball. 

As the door swung open, she smashed her lips into his. 

She knew she needed to put on a show but that was quickly forgotten as Vincent sunk into the kiss just as genuinely as he did everything. 

It was clumsy and desperate, his hands coming up to cup her cheek and try to pull her even closer to him. She leaned into him, the reason for the kiss slipping her mind until she heard the sound of a door hurriedly being closed behind her. 

Whoever had entered the room was only there for a moment. The kiss felt like it must’ve lasted longer than that. Maybe it had, she wasn’t certain. 

She pulled away, although their faces were still entirely too close. 

She could feel his breath on her face as he panted, his breathing coming much harder and faster than it had been before. 

His voice was soft and breathy as he said, “You could’ve just hidden under the desk.”

She smiled up at him. “And leave you alone to talk to someone? Not on my watch, you’re more useful when you’re not talking”

She didn’t think it was possible for him to get any redder. 

He was still at a loss for words as she turned back towards the papers on the desk. 

His senses came back to him slowly. “No, hold on, what about your reputation?”

She waved off his concern. “They only saw me from the back for a second. If they came in and recognized that I’d snuck off alone with a man who is known to be courting me that would be infinitely worse for my reputation, promise. I’d be willing to bet if they recognized anything all they saw was Daniel with some girl and that’s hardly anything new.”

He watched her carefully, the way she was endlessly searching through the papers as she spoke to him. “You’re kind of on a warpath, aren’t you?” he asked. 

“You’re just figuring that out?”

“No, I just think I’m starting to really understand it.”

She kept on her search, hunched over the desk, scanning every paper in the stack she’d grabbed. 

“Listen, I think I should go,” Vincent said.

She looked up, hoping she was misunderstanding him, that she hadn’t scared him off that badly. His eyes were glassy and unfocused and he still couldn’t meet her gaze but he seemed to quickly gather what she was gleaning from his words. “Not from the party, obviously. This whole papers thing just isn’t really my scene. I’m going to go do my thing, I’ll meet you back here, okay?”

She nodded, still sorting through papers and files, looking for anything else that might be useful. She didn’t look up to watch him leave. 

Although she was absorbed in her work, she was still on high alert. The second she heard someone press against the door again she ducked under the table, thanking god for the modesty panel that blocked her from view. Hopefully whoever just entered wouldn’t come to the other side of the room. 

Theresa’s voice was the one that echoed off the walls as the figure finally spoke. “Kate, it’s just me.”

She let out a sigh of relief, leaning back against the wood of the desk.

Before she could pop up and admonish Vincent for scaring her, someone else entered the room She pushed herself as far into the corner of the desk as she could go, praying she was out of sight. 

She could just barely see the bottom of a green dress and a pair of a man's shoes under the desk. 

“Where have you been all night?” the man hissed, slamming the door behind him. She recognized him immediately as Peter Moore and felt excitement flood through her. This was exactly what they needed. Him coming in here and finding Vincenrt looking like his wife was perfect, surely he’d be able to gather all the information they needed. 

“Just trying to make sure everything runs smoothly.”

“Don’t act like we didn’t have this thing just to maintain my reputation, so no one suspects I have a whore for a wife.”

So maybe Vincent wasn’t entirely offbase, but the affair could have been with anyone. He’d been right, disinheriting his wife was abnormal but an affair with anyone would make that a reasonable response. For all they knew, it could have nothing to do with her father.

Peter’s voice kept getting louder as he continued, getting angrier and angrier as he spoke. “And you’re doing a shit job of running this thing, that little murderer is running around our home. So much for making things seem normal.”

Kate winced at the mention of her. “I didn’t realize you cared so much about bringing her to justice.”

Kate could practically hear the man rolling his eyes. “You’re delusional. I do hate her, you know. I can’t stand looking at the kid. I wish she’d left him alone so I could have had a go at him. The bastard is lucky he was murdered because if he’d lasted a few more hours I would’ve been able to get my hands on him and I would’ve gutted him. Maybe I would’ve done you too, finished off the whole set.” She could see his feet inching closer and closer to Vincent as he shouted at him and the reality of the situation set in. He could get really hurt out there. 

“You don’t mean that.” His voice was shaky and Kate knew that he couldn’t act out fear well enough for that to be what this was. He was terrified and Kate was desperately searching for a plan. 

“Of course I do. You know what I can’t stop thinking about. You couldn’t even get yourself into his will. Useless as a wife and unimportant as a mistress, couldn’t make anything of yourself.”

“I’m sorry.” She doubted he knew what he was apologizing for, it seeming more like an automatic response. 

“Just fix this. Get the murderer out of here.”

“Of course.”

He stormed out of the room without so much as a goodbye and she heard Vincent plop down in a chair, catching his breath. 

She sat under the table, her knees pulled close to her chest, even as the door closed, stewing in her thoughts now that the danger was gone. 

The rationalizations kept coming. It didn’t matter how much she’d heard, a new excuse popped into her mind with every word that had been uttered. 

The excuses were what did her in. All at once, in an increasingly rare moment of clarity, she saw what she’d been unable to see. 

Sitting under a table making excuses for a dead man wasn’t doing her father any favors. Lying to herself wouldn’t fix anything. She was defending a man who never existed, desperately shielding an image in her head that never was.

She’d never get to know the man who’d done this. 

The affair didn’t bother her. It was a lapse in morality, maybe, but it was true. He could lie to anyone else and she’d excuse it but he’d lied to her. And she’d never learn why. 

Her head popped up over the table and she saw Vincent looking just like Theresa, hunched over himself in a chair by the door. 

There was something so recognizable about him, no matter what he looked like. Even before she knew about the shifting she’d been picking up on it but now, she was certain she could pick him out of a lineup if she needed to no matter who he was mimicking. 

“Are you okay?” she asked. He still looked disoriented from the encounter. 

He nodded. “You?”

“I’m fine. Maybe you were right about the affair,” she conceded, her protests seeming foolish now. 

Maybe she was too close to the situation. She’d denied it but the proof was in front of her. 

He shrugged sheepishly. “Broken clocks and all that.”

“No, it was a good call. I shouldn’t have fought you on it.”

“You know if you want to talk about anything…”

“Please just take the compliment and move on.”

He nodded, reaching over to grab what looked to be Daniel’s folded up clothes tossed in the corner, presumably thrown there when he’d first come in. “Right, thank you. Now if you could turn around that would be wonderful.”

Kate spun on her heels, for once having no trouble ignoring his shifting. Her thoughts incessantly turned to their arguments. She’d clearly been wrong about this. Too wrong. Dangerously wrong.

What else was she missing? 

A familiar voice broke her out of her trance. 

“You doing alright over there?” The uncharacteristically warm voice of Daniel had returned and she looked back to see him tying his tie once more. 

She nodded. “I’m great, we learned a lot.” She did her best to feign sincerity but her heart wasn’t in it.

“Yeah, we did. I think we’ve learned everything we can though, we should get you home.”

He bunched up the dress he’d been wearing. It was the same color as the one they’d seen Theresa in earlier, although it absolutely wasn’t an exact match. Presumably he’d stolen it from her closet when he’d left Kate in the study. 

She inspected it as he tucked it away in a corner of the room where someone would inevitably find it and be very confused as to how it arrived there. 

“How’d you know someone wouldn’t recognize that it’s a different dress?” she asked as he finished hiding his dirty laundry.

“I didn’t. Just hoped, I suppose. Worked out pretty well though.”

“I guess it did. Do you have, like, a gender preference? For when you shift, I mean.”

“Not really. I mean, I stick with men more often but I think that’s just because I prefer… topping.” 

She could hear him reconsider his words as he was saying them. He winced as the words left him and her eyes widened as their meaning set in. 

She snorted, not even at the poorly considered sexual reference but at how sheepish he seemed, like the words escaped him without his say-so. She couldn’t help but wonder if he’d ever fully thought anything out before saying it. “Right, yeah, makes sense to me.”

“Sorry.”

“Don’t be, I asked,” she reassured him, although it didn’t seem to help much. 

The conversation lulled for a moment before he blurted out, “I blame Evelyn.”

“How could she possibly be to blame for you being bad at speaking normally?”

“She provides a poor example,” he explained, the justification sounding a bit too desperate to be convincing.  “Now come on, I’ve gathered that we’re not exactly welcome here, we should go.”

“Eager to change the topic, are we?”

“Please can we just go,” he begged and she decided to take mercy on him.

Kate opted to take them out the back door. She wasn’t sure she’d be able to stomach running into anyone.

Vincent seemed perfectly happy to avoid everyone else, trailing behind her as he always did. 

She could feel him thinking. It wasn’t hard to tell when he was working through something in his head. It wasn’t hard to tell anything with him.

She just waited. It was a long walk home, he could have some time to think if that’s what he needed. 

He started his question about 8 times, only getting a few seconds in before backing out to reconsider for a moment. Finally, he settled on something and asked, “You planned that kiss didn't you?”

Kate shrugged. “It’s a good way to make people leave. I’ve done it before. More organically back when I was a stupid teenager, but still. Was only planning on using it if I really needed to.”

“Well, it worked so I can’t fault it. I’m glad it wasn’t your first kiss, I was a little worried I’d messed that up. And sorry if I was weird after, it was just unexpected.”

“No, you were fine, sorry to surprise you like that.”

She couldn’t blame him for dwelling on it. She’d been trying not to think about it too much herself. The thought that circled back to her again and again was that it hadn’t felt like he knew it was a cover, at least not at first. It hadn’t started as a real kiss but it felt like it had ended as one. 

She couldn’t help it, couldn’t sit on the thought any longer. “Maybe the kiss wasn’t just a distraction, I don’t know.” She was uncharacteristically timid, almost regretting the words as soon as they left her. 

He stopped in his tracks, forcing her to double back and look at the heartbroken look on his face.

“Kate, what are you doing?” His voice was soft and guarded. 

She’d never hated it more. That gentle tone in his voice felt mocking and she wanted to take it all back, wanted his eyes off of her. “Nothing, I wasn’t…”

“No, I wasn't being mean! You’re just in a vulnerable state right now and that’s normal…”

She tried to cut him off, this absolutely not helping the burning embarrassment. “Please stop talking.”

“No judgment! You just can’t be saying things like that right now. I won’t take advantage of you like that. I just mean, come talk to me when all of this is over if you still want to. Who knows, maybe you can have your own little affair. I mean, oh god, I probably shouldn’t have said that.”

She fought back a smile, her embarrassment fading as he became affixed on his own. “You really never do think before you speak, huh?”

“Oh, so one second it’s maybe that kiss meant something and now you’re insulting me again? I see how it is.”

“Didn’t mean it as an insult,” she insisted, and for once it was true. “That might be nice, my own little affair. One thing me and Daniel might actually have in common, infidelity. And we’re not even married yet. God, I’m going to make an awful wife.”

“I don’t think that’s true.”

“I do. But it’ll be fine, an awful wife for an awful husband.”

“He might surprise you! I’ve found humans are good at doing that. And hey,” he said, an uptick in his voice as he tried to lighten the mood. “You kissed your future fiance for the first time, that’s something, Or maybe it wasn’t the first time, I shouldn’t presume, it just…”

“I didn’t kiss him, I kissed you

He shrugged. “Same difference.”

“Not really. You know, I kept forgetting you look like him. You just seem so… you. All the time. It’s kind of unmissable when you know what you’re looking for.”

His inability to lie went further than just that. She could see exactly who he was from everything about him, he was entirely incapable of being anything but himself, no matter who he happened to look like. 

He shrugged. “As long as you’re the only one noticing, I don’t mind.”

“I’m sure other people notice,” Kate said. He was very suspicious. Even back before she knew who he was she could tell when people were being weird, could spot his lies from a mile away.

“Not the lying,” he clarified. “The.. I don’t know, me-ness.”

“Yeah, as long as they don’t see the Vincent of it all.”

He threw his head back as he laughed. “Yeah, that’s what I meant. Much better than me-ness. It’s so strange, talking like this about shifting. I’ll never get used to it.”

Kate wanted to understand how he talked about it normally, what life was like for him outside of him trying to fit into stuffy human rules. It seemed delightful if they all acted as sweet as Vincent, although she couldn’t imagine he wasn’t an incredibly kind outlier. It wasn’t possible that everyone could be like him. 

She hadn’t even realized that they’d arrived home until he was walking her up the steps. 

“Do you want me to come in or do you want some time alone?” he asked. 

“Don’t you need to keep an eye on me, to make sure I don’t tell anyone your little secret?"

He shook his head. “I trust you. You won’t tell anyone.”

He was right and they both knew it. She wasn’t sure when she’d decided to keep his secret, decided to care about him, but somewhere along the way it had happened.

And all in all, it was rather inconvenient because it meant that now she had to ask him to stay.

“Come in with me. Please.” It was a hard request to make without sounding vulnerable but Kate did her best. 

Vincent just smiled at her, leading her inside. 

They hovered inside the doorway for a while. She knew Vincent was waiting for her to lead him but she didn’t want to do it, didn’t want to face anyone else in the house. As long as they stood there, she could imagine she wasn’t inside yet, that they could still spend some time alone. That she could not pretend for a little while longer. 

The flowers he’d ripped so rudely from their vase the first time they’d met had returned to their spot by the entrance and she watched him sneak pointed glances their way like he had a personal vendetta against them. “You shouldn’t keep those in here,” he finally said as he kept a careful watch of the bouquet. 

“What?”

“The flowers. There are lots of kinds of shapeshifters, people ones, object ones, all sorts of kinds. They’re not all as nice as I am. One of the particularly nastly ones favors flowers, they let out a sweet smelling poison that no one would ever be suspicious of and before you know it, bang, they’ve hunted themselves a meal. You really should throw them out, you could get hurt.”

Her thoughts immediately fell to dozens of bouquets people had been bringing to the house with cards containing condolences and sympathies tied to them. “Great, thanks for telling me.”

“I could help you throw them out. You know, make myself useful. You could get some rest in the meantime.”

“I’m fine. Can we just, I don’t know, stand here a while?”

“Of course we can.”

As they stood in silence in the entryway, Kate was running through the suspect list in her mind. She’d been doing that a lot lately. It seemed to be shrinking, every lead they had a dead end. 

“What if it's Daniel and we’ve got the killer knocked out and tied up somewhere?” she asked. 

“It’s not Daniel.”

That was too certain. He knew something she didn’t. “You’re sure?” she prompted.

“Do you really want to know?” 

If he thought anything about Daniel could hurt her feelings he was sorely mistaken. “I cannot explain to you how much I do not give a shit about that man.”

“And he doesn’t give a shit about you. I spoke to him pretty early on, he’d prefer if you hadn’t killed him, he has that going for him. He’s ready to jump ship if he needs to, find someone else. He seemed more annoyed by the prospect than anything, having to find a new wife to hold that position so he could get it out of the way, so his family would stop nagging him to get married. I thought I might be missing something but..”

“No money, no emotional attachment.”

“No motive.” He confirmed it sadly, not with the tone of someone who’d just revealed they were right but with the tone of someone who was breaking horrible news.

“It doesn’t matter. I meant it, I don’t care about him.”

“I know you don’t. But we’re running out of suspects, Kate.”

If she were naive or weaker willed she knew exactly how she could have interpreted that. She could force herself to misunderstand, to pretend that they’d run out of people to look into, that they were running out of leads completely. 

That's what she wanted to do. More than anything she wanted to not understand what he was saying. 

But she did. Of course she did. He’d been saying it for a very long time. 

She was too close to this.

“I need to go clear my head.” She stormed out of the room as quickly as she could. She could not have this conversation, not now. As she walked out, ignoring Vincent’s cries of protest, she grabbed the flowers from the vase and threw them into the trash as she fled.

[homomenhommes]

Butter poached Lobster, Uni foam & thinly sliced razor clams Chef Daniel Humm

[claudiashealthyappatite]

Humm do I want to try some Louis/Rashid or Louis/Daniel prompts? I’m fascinated

[talesfromthecrypts]

I’m loving the IWTV and Dance Fever gifsets! Any ideas for Cassandra and Dream Girl Evil? They give Armand vibes tbh humm I’m not sure what would suit Daniel

Thank you! I’ve mostly been doing these by the seat of my pants but all three so far are the ones that I had solid concepts of before I started (for Back in Town as far back as May). Casandra I hadn’t thought of yet but Armand does fit very well. Dream Girl Evil I have forming in my brain but don’t know for sure yet what I’m doing.

[thegrandheist-if]

Hello, I wanted to ask you a question, which RO/s is/are a slow-burn?

Humm...🤔 I think they all fall into this category because of the story progression. If I were to put them in ascending order it would look like this.

From the most slowburn to the least:

James - Valerie - Daniel - Eva

[systementcorp]

When it comes to dining out, there are some restaurants that stand out above the rest. From Michelin-starred fine dining establishments to hidden gems serving up delicious local cuisine, the world is full of amazing restaurants that are worth a visit. If you're a foodie looking to indulge in the best culinary experiences the world has to offer, look no further. Here is a guide to the top 10 best restaurants in the world. 1. Osteria Francescana - Modena, Italy Osteria Francescana is a three-Michelin-starred restaurant located in Modena, Italy. Helmed by chef Massimo Bottura, this restaurant is known for its innovative and creative approach to Italian cuisine. Dishes like "Five Ages of Parmigiano Reggiano" and "Oops! I Dropped the Lemon Tart" have earned Osteria Francescana the title of the best restaurant in the world by the World's 50 Best Restaurants list. 2. El Celler de Can Roca - Girona, Spain El Celler de Can Roca is a three-Michelin-starred restaurant located in Girona, Spain. Run by the Roca brothers, this restaurant is known for its avant-garde approach to traditional Catalan cuisine. Dishes like "Charcoal-grilled King Prawn" and "Iberian suckling pig with melon" have earned El Celler de Can Roca a spot on the World's 50 Best Restaurants list. 3. Mirazur - Menton, France Mirazur is a two-Michelin-starred restaurant located in Menton, France. Helmed by chef Mauro Colagreco, this restaurant is known for its stunning location overlooking the French Riviera and its inventive Mediterranean cuisine. Dishes like "Oyster with tapioca, shallot cream and pear" and "Lamb with chard, beetroot and black garlic" have earned Mirazur a spot on the World's 50 Best Restaurants list. 4. Eleven Madison Park - New York City, USA Eleven Madison Park is a three-Michelin-starred restaurant located in New York City, USA. Helmed by chef Daniel Humm, this restaurant is known for its modern American cuisine and impeccable service. Dishes like "Honey lavender duck with apple and rutabaga" and "Milk and honey" have earned Eleven Madison Park a spot on the World's 50 Best Restaurants list. 5. Gaggan - Bangkok, Thailand Gaggan is a two-Michelin-starred restaurant located in Bangkok, Thailand. Helmed by chef Gaggan Anand, this restaurant is known for its progressive Indian cuisine and innovative approach to molecular gastronomy. Dishes like "Lick it up" and "Charcoal" have earned Gaggan a spot on the World's 50 Best Restaurants list. 6. Central - Lima, Peru Central is a two-Michelin-starred restaurant located in Lima, Peru. Helmed by chef Virgilio Martinez, this restaurant is known for its modern Peruvian cuisine and its focus on sourcing ingredients from different altitudes in Peru. Dishes like "Amazonian forest" and "Sea urchin with cacao" have earned Central a spot on the World's 50 Best Restaurants list. 7. Noma - Copenhagen, Denmark Noma is a two-Michelin-starred restaurant located in Copenhagen, Denmark. Helmed by chef René Redzepi, this restaurant is known for its innovative approach to Nordic cuisine and its focus on foraging and fermentation. Dishes like "The Hen and the Egg" and "The New Nordic Tart" have earned Noma a spot on the World's 50 Best Restaurants list. 8. Asador Etxebarri - Axpe, Spain Asador Etxebarri is a one-Michelin-starred restaurant located in Axpe, Spain. Helmed by chef Victor Arguinzoniz, this restaurant is known for its simple yet delicious approach to grilled cuisine. Dishes like "Grilled baby squid" and "Beef chop" have earned Asador Etxebarri a spot on the World's 50 Best Restaurants list. 9. Quintonil - Mexico City, Mexico Quintonil is a one-Michelin-starred restaurant located in Mexico City, Mexico. Helmed by chef Jorge Vallejo, this restaurant is known for its modern Mexican cuisine and its focus on using local and seasonal ingredients. Dishes like "Octopus with escamoles" and "Green mole with lamb" have earned Quintonil a spot on the World's 50 Best Restaurants list. 10. Blue Hill at Stone Barns - Pocantico Hills, USA

Blue Hill at Stone Barns is a one-Michelin-starred restaurant located in Pocantico Hills, USA. Helmed by chef Dan Barber, this restaurant is known for its farm-to-table approach to American cuisine. Dishes like "Whole roasted chicken" and "Carrot tartare" have earned Blue Hill at Stone Barns a spot on the World's 50 Best Restaurants list. Frequently Asked Questions What makes these restaurants the best in the world? These restaurants are considered the best in the world for a variety of reasons, including their innovative and creative approach to cuisine, their use of high-quality ingredients, their impeccable service, and their stunning locations. How can I make a reservation at one of these restaurants? Reservations at these top restaurants can be difficult to come by, so it's best to plan ahead and book well in advance. Many of these restaurants offer online reservation systems, so be sure to check their websites for availability. Are these restaurants expensive? Yes, many of these top restaurants are considered to be on the higher end of the price spectrum. However, the experience and quality of the food make it well worth the cost for food enthusiasts looking for a memorable dining experience. Do these restaurants accommodate dietary restrictions? Most of these top restaurants are able to accommodate dietary restrictions, but it's best to inform them of any restrictions when making a reservation. Chefs at these restaurants are typically very skilled at creating dishes that cater to a variety of dietary needs. Are these restaurants worth the hype? While opinions may vary, many food critics and enthusiasts believe that these top restaurants are indeed worth the hype. The combination of exceptional food, service, and ambiance make dining at these establishments a truly unforgettable experience.

[sneakpeek111]

Top 5 restaurants in the world

Top 5 Restaurants in the World

When it comes to dining experiences that transcend mere sustenance and elevate food to an art form, these top restaurants stand out on the global culinary stage. From innovative gastronomic creations to impeccable service and awe-inspiring ambiance, these establishments offer a symphony of flavors and sensations that leave a lasting impression on discerning diners. Here are the top five restaurants in the world that every food enthusiast should add to their bucket list:

Noma - Copenhagen, Denmark:

   Renowned for its pioneering approach to New Nordic cuisine, Noma has consistently topped lists of the world's best restaurants since its inception. Helmed by chef René Redzepi, the restaurant celebrates seasonal, locally-sourced ingredients in inventive dishes that reflect the unique terroir of Scandinavia. With a commitment to sustainability and a deep connection to nature, dining at Noma is a multisensory journey that explores the essence of Nordic flavors in unexpected ways.

Osteria Francescana - Modena, Italy:

   At Osteria Francescana, chef Massimo Bottura redefines Italian cuisine with his avant-garde approach to traditional dishes. With three Michelin stars and a reputation for culinary innovation, this restaurant offers a tasting menu that pays homage to Italy's rich culinary heritage while pushing boundaries and challenging conventions. Each dish is a work of art, beautifully plated and bursting with flavor, making Osteria Francescana a pilgrimage site for gastronomes from around the world.

Eleven Madison Park - New York City, USA:

   Nestled in the heart of Manhattan, Eleven Madison Park combines contemporary American cuisine with impeccable service and an elegant Art Deco ambiance. Under the guidance of chef Daniel Humm, this three-Michelin-starred restaurant offers a seasonal tasting menu that showcases the finest ingredients from local farmers and producers. From the iconic duck dish to the whimsical desserts, every bite at Eleven Madison Park is a testament to culinary craftsmanship and a celebration of the vibrant flavors of New York.

El Celler de Can Roca - Girona, Spain:

   Run by the Roca brothers – Joan, Josep, and Jordi – El Celler de Can Roca is a temple of modern Catalan cuisine that has earned three Michelin stars and a reputation for culinary excellence. Combining traditional techniques with avant-garde flair, the restaurant offers a gastronomic journey that highlights the diverse landscapes and flavors of Spain. With an extensive wine cellar curated by sommelier Josep Roca and desserts crafted by pastry chef Jordi Roca, dining at El Celler de Can Roca is a harmonious symphony of taste and texture.

Mirazur - Menton, France:

   Perched on the French Riviera overlooking the Mediterranean Sea, Mirazur is a culinary oasis where chef Mauro Colagreco draws inspiration from the surrounding landscapes to create dishes that are as visually stunning as they are delicious. With two Michelin stars and the prestigious title of World's Best Restaurant in 2019, Mirazur offers a sensory experience that reflects the bounty of the sea and the abundance of the region's gardens. From the delicate seafood creations to the vibrant vegetable dishes, every meal at Mirazur is a reflection of the chef's passion for nature and his commitment to sustainability.

In conclusion, these top five restaurants exemplify the pinnacle of culinary artistry and provide unforgettable dining experiences that captivate the senses and inspire the soul. Whether you're indulging in avant-garde creations in Copenhagen or savoring classic Italian flavors in Modena, a meal at these establishments is sure to leave a lasting impression and create cherished memories for years to come.

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Daniel Humm