#edit: recipe for farewell

[yeommijeong]

Okay, it shouldn’t be salty, so I’ll make a bowl with less salt just for you. I want to eat the same soup as you.

Episode 4, Recipe for Farewell (2022)

[i-got-the-feels]

Favorite Recipe For Farewell Quotes

Dedicating this set to kind, talented and amazing Layla (@moonlightsdream) because without her set I would've missed this show and that would have sucked majorly. Thank you for making that beautiful set

[xbethelight]

Recipe for Farewell 오늘은 좀 매울지도 몰라 (2022)

[wardenparker]

Down the Rabbit Hole - ch 13

Jack ‘Whiskey’ Daniels x female reader Co-written with @absurdthirst

When Jack accidentally shoots a civilian on a mission he takes on not only the guilt of the man’s death, but inherits his soulmate as well. To you, it’s a dream job with more perks than you can imagine - but for Jack it’s a nightmarish complication. Even more so when he starts to develop feelings.

Rating: Explicit for references to violence. 18+   Word Count: 7.6k   Warnings: *Blanket warnings - mentions of deceased spouse, a lot of food and alcohol consumption, family recipes, age gap, cursing.* Angst, guilt, possible unwanted pregnancy, lies, nausea/illness, talk of abortion, anxiety, canon typical injuries. Summary: Your return from New York is bumpy to say the least, and things to awry that no one ever could have predicted. Notes: This chapter is short but packed with intensity, which only means one time. I once again cried during the entire edit 🧡

Ch 1 ~ Ch 2 ~ Ch 3 ~ Ch 4 ~ Ch 5 ~ Ch 6 ~ Ch 7 ~ Ch 8 ~ Ch 9 ~ Ch 10 ~ Ch 11 ~ Ch 12 ~ Ch 13 ~ Ch 14 ~ Ch 15 ~ Epilogue

Jack taps on his thigh impatiently as he waits, the jet steadily sinking towards the ground. He had decided to come to the airstrip to collect you, especially since there had been no text from you beyond that simple text last night before you had gone out with the girls. He hadn’t expected you to stay on your phone but he had anticipated a text Goodnight. When it hadn’t come, he stayed awake, only falling asleep when he had checked your location to find you back in the hotel. There’s a feeling he gets when something’s not right, he had it the morning you disappeared. That sinking, curdling feeling in his stomach. The threat of bile in the back of his throat. That same feeling has saved his skin more times than he can count and he wonders why he has it now as the Statesman jet touches down.

The decision to cut the trip short and come back after one day had been easy, thankfully. Sophia was being called in to start a case and you weren’t feeling too jolly anyway, so the three of you had packed it in on the afternoon of the second day and come home. The last thing you expected to find when you stepped out of the plane was Jack waiting on the tarmac in the Bronco, but he’s there in all his glory making the guilt and worry churn inside you with every step you take closer to him.

You don’t look happy to see him, but Jack keeps the easy smile on his face as climbs out of the Bronco and waves to all three of you, his eyes firmly landed on you though.

“Hey.” Swallowing the bile and fear welling up in your throat, you step onto solid ground with a quick farewell to your girls and acknowledge that your plan of heading straight to Ginger’s lab is now sunk.

“Hey.” Jack watches the way that your eyes shift over towards Gabi and Sophia. “I’m not spoilin’ plans am I? The tower called and said the plane was comin’ back tonight so I wanted to make sure you got home.” The unspoken question of why you didn’t tell him you were coming home lingers in the air.

“Of course not. Nothing to spoil.” Lying to him makes you feel like you’re going to choke on each word, but how could you do anything else? How can you tell him what you’re afraid of? It’s impossible - it would ruin everything. So you force a smile and lead the way back to the Bronco on wobbly legs. “I was going to come and surprise you, but you beat me to it.”

“Hopefully it’s a good idea.” Something is wrong. There’s a nervous tremor to your voice and he doesn’t know what would put it there. “Tired from a wild trip?”

“A little.” Mostly you’re tired from your own frayed nerves, but you let him take your suitcase and get into the truck when he holds your door open a moment later. “We were out late and then up early again this morning.”

“So what you really want is a soak in the tub and the bed?” He asks, shooting you a small smirk. It’s been nearly a week since he’s touched you and he wants to desperately.

“Actually? That sounds pretty amazing.” If he thinks you’re tired - which you are, but emotionally - he might not push tonight. And you don’t want to have to deny him because Jack is still Jack and you want that intimacy with him; but you’re terrified of what might be going on with you and you won’t have an answer until you can go see Astrid.

“I’m more than willin’ to throw in a massage.” Jack climbs in beside you and the second his hand hits your thigh, you tense. Making him pause for a moment in shock. You’ve never tensed around him, not even when you were freshly recovering from your injuries.

“I think I’m still a little hungover.” Lying again makes you feel like you could burst out crying on the spot, but you know he felt the way you froze at his touch and you’re about twenty seconds away from just confessing everything. At least you’re honestly queasy - that would come with the hangover but instead it’s fear. Or the baby…who knows.

“Okay.” Jack slowly slides his hand away from your thigh, making it seem as if it’s a part of starting the Bronco and turning around, but he’s perfectly capable of doing that one handed.

The drive home is quiet – silent except for the sound of the engine and the quiet classic rock playing through the radio like usual. They’re the sounds of home, and you should be chattering away at him about your trip or deciding what to have for dinner tonight but you just feel like a lump of anxieties in that front seat with him. It’s not until the house is in view that you open your mouth again. “Sophia got called up. I—I didn’t know if you knew or not.”

“Yeah– uh,” Jack drums his fingers on the steering wheel. “I’m going with her.”

“Wha—” You look over at him in confusion and see the set look of worry on his face. “I didn’t know you’d passed your tests. That’s—that’s great, honey. You’ve been dying to get back in the field.”

“Yeah, I finished them up yesterday.” Jack tells you awkwardly. “Didn’t seem the type of thing to text and we didn’t talk.”

“Right.” That’s your fault, and you swallow the guilt harshly. “Well…congratulations.”

“Figured I’d go out and do a field assessment on Sophia and give her a little back up.” Jack hums, wondering why you are being so stiff. “Promised Tex I’d look after her.”

“She applied for Statesman status.” Talking about friends is good. It doesn’t fuel the fire of fear in your belly the same way. “Champ probably wants your assessment before he signs the final paperwork.”

“Yeah. That’s the plan.” Jack chuckles, “the kid is worryin’ me to death about it.” He tells you. “Talkin’ about how he doesn’t want to be away from his soulmate. ‘Specially since they are talkin’ about trying for a little one. Says he’s eager to father his soulmate’s babies.” If you weren’t acting strange, it could be a segue way in to a conversation about kids for you and him. But he decides to leave it.

“O—oh, I…Soph hasn’t mentioned it.” All the attention during the trip had been on the dresses and on getting you to feel better, which was an impossible task. “Good for them,” you manage to say the words without being sick, which is better than you thought.

“Might be Tex projectin’ a little. Man wants to be a daddy.” He chuckles again and the silence falls between the two of you again as he parks the Bronco in front of the house.

That feeling of dread pulls at your now perpetually upset stomach, tearing you out of your seat and making you run in the front door as fast as humanly possible to make it to the bathroom before you’re sick all over the front walk or living room. You have no doubt that Tex does want to be a father. You had even talked about it with him at different points, from the point of view of an excited friend. Knowing that you might be the one to make it happen instead of Sophia - instead of his soulmate - has you clinging to the toilet bowl as you hear Jack’s boots rumble across the ground floor of the house.

“Sugar?” Jack frowns, hearing the obvious signs of sickness and the dread that threatens to overtake him nearly has him stuck in place. “You alright?”

“Yeah.” The tears in your eyes are easily dismissible with being sick, even as you’re choking back sobs. “Hangover.” Is your weak excuse, hoping he buys it.

Jack is a lot of things but slow ain’t one of them. He distinctly remembers the night your breasts were sore and you’ve been tired and feelin’ poorly. He’s also pretty damn good at math. Stumbling back from the downstairs bathroom, he swallows down the urge to break something or someone. “I– I’ll go run you that bath then.”

“Thanks…” The fact that he didn’t come in is a blessing, but you’re still pretty sure that you heard hurt in his voice. Some piece of shit soulmate you are…

He feels kind of sick himself, turning around and racing upstairs as he tries to rationalize the information he has. It’s hard to, though. You’re pregnant. You’re pregnant and it’s not his. He closes his eyes after he turns on the water to the tub and sighs.

You stay downstairs a while, getting yourself back under control and rinsing out your mouth before you slog up to the master bathroom with the big claw footed bathtub where Jack is sitting looking gray in the face. “Absinthe…” you shrug like it explains everything, even though you didn’t drink at all after the play. “I took the girls to a 30s bar last night…”

“Yeah.” Jack huffs a flat laugh. “I–I gotta go pack. So I’ll leave you to rest.” He pushes off the small little seat that you had told him was for a makeup area and swallows.

“When are you leaving?” Despite not exactly being ready to have a heart-to-heart with him, you so desperately want to just launch yourself into his arms and beg forgiveness. Beg that he not call off the wedding. Promise him that you have a solution. But you’re too frozen.

“I– we were going to leave tomorrow morning, but I’m going to go early.” Jack offers. “Scout the situation.”

“So you’re leaving tonight?” It’s a punch in your already roiling gut, but you nod.

He isn’t. He’s going to go sit in his office and try not to drive himself crazy. But he can’t stay near you and not ask questions. “Yeah.”

“Do you know how long you’ll be gone?” You can’t ask him where he’s going, or why, or anything about the mission, but a general time frame could be helpful. It would let you know how long you have to recover.

“Not sure. Week, maybe more.” Jack shrugs, not looking directly at you. “Sorry, sugar, but I know you won’t even notice I’m gone. You got the restaurant to baby and –” he chokes on his choice of words and coughs to cover it up. “You’ll be so busy you won’t have time to miss me.”

“That’s not true.” As riddled with fear and anxiety and guilt and everything else as you are, you’re all of those things because you love him. And because you really don’t go a single minute of any day without thinking about him. “Of course I’ll miss you.”

“It’s– it’ll be okay.” It’s more towards himself than you but he manages a small smile. “I promise.”

“Do you at least want me to make dinner?” There’s a scrambling in your thoughts that you can’t account for. He’s slipping away, you can feel it, but you have a plan to fix it. You just need to put it in motion.

“Nah, sugar.” Jack shakes his head, knowing he can’t eat right now. “You aren’t feelin’ good. You relax. I’ll be packed up and out of your hair in a jiffy.”

“Okay.” Something about him is off but you can’t put your finger on it. He just seems jittery. Hopefully it’s just you projecting or your imagination. Jack is already out in the hall by the time you murmur, “I love you,” and you sigh heavily before you start to undress.

In the closet, Jack closes his eyes and tries to remind himself to breathe. He had caused this. He had pushed you away and caused you to date. Because of his unwillingness to admit your connection. It was his fault you are pregnant with a child that isn’t his.

Once you’re in the tub you can hear him moving around in the adjoining closet, packing things and presumably going about his business as normal. The jasmine-scented bath he drew for you is as cozy as it could possibly get, and any other time you would have begged him to join you. There would have been candles and music and glasses of something smooth and heady to drink while you lazily rode him right here in this tub. And the fact that you’re not doing that right now has you staring silently at your silver-painted toenails when you finally hear him in the hallway again.

“Sugar, I’m all packed.” For some reason, he can’t go into the bathroom. Not when you’re vulnerable. He calls out through the closed door. “I’m gunna head out.”

“O–okay.” You know that any other time, you would just pop out of the bath and run into the hallway, but you can’t. You’re rooted to porcelain and fresh tears start falling immediately. “I love you,” you manage, this time loud enough for him to hear.

Jack closes his eyes, leaning against the door frame with his arm braced above his head as his forehead is against the jam. “I love you too, sugar.” He murmurs, the affirmation coming through low but clear. It’s almost ominous, a goodbye. “Be good.” He sighs and pushes away from the door, the bag hooked over his shoulder as he turns and walks away.

The fall of boot steps and the closing of the front door make your volatile stomach drop all over again, and you reach for your phone after wiping your hands on a towel. You need this over with. To Astrid, you type out as vague a message as you can just in case she shows it to Gabi or asks her if anything happened on the trip: “Hey honey! I don’t want to interrupt your night, but would you be able to put aside time for me to stop by the lab in the morning? I’d like to ask your opinion on something. Thanks!”

The text comes back only seconds later. "I've always got time for you. Drop by anytime in the morning and we can have some coffee together."

******

You have to force yourself to wait, the next morning. It was impossible to sleep through the worry and without Jack there, and you blew through an entire novel overnight before showering, putting on clean clothes, and getting yourself out the door to the lab. The door swishes open dramatically but you still knock on the frame, holding two cups from the Statesman cafeteria when you cautiously step inside. Yours is chamomile tea for the seemingly endless nausea, but hers is that quad shot almond milk mocha latte that she loves so much. “Morning,” you murmur quietly when she looks up.

"Hi." Gabi had said that you had been acting strangely, and the slightly wane, waxy set to your face shows that you have been dealing with things. "How are you feeling?" She accepts the cup and takes a sip as she watches you closely.

“Not great.” That’s a fucking understatement, but at least it’s honest. “I need to ask you for a favor, Astrid. Two favors, really. But I need to ask you to keep this entirely between us. Not even Gabi or Jack can ever know.”

Frowning, she pushes her glasses up further on her face, taking this as a more 'business than pleasure' visit. "You have my word and discretion." She promises. "Are you hurt? Did you have a flashback from your visit to New York?"

“No.” Sitting down on the other side of her desk, your hands cradle your cup of tea until they get too jittery and you have to set it down in front of you. Astrid is your friend. She’s Jack’s friend. And now you’re asking her to put the longer-running of the two relationships aside. It’s enough to bring fresh tears, which you breathe away steadily. “I think…” Another shaky exhale has you look down at your hands when you can’t look her in the eyes. “I think I might be…pregnant.” You tell her quietly.

"Oh!" At first the sound is happy, until she reads the moment and slumps back in her chair when the wave of melancholy hits. "Ooohhh." She bites her lip, understanding that with the timing of this, you are not happy. How could you be? The probability of knowing you were pregnant with Jack's child are statistically very low. She sets her coffee down and reaches out to touch your hand. "First thing’s first." She murmurs quietly. "If you are, it will be okay." She assures you quietly.

“No. It won’t.” It should be so comforting to have her reach out, but instead you feel like the act of familiarity is a burn. You jerk away awkwardly before slumping forward again. “The last time I had my period was the week before I slept with Tex. That was months ago. There’s…there’s no way it could be Jack’s and I—I—” If you could get through even a sentence without crying it would be a miracle, but even when you practiced it at home it was impossible. “I know there’s a tiny chance. I just…if I am…is there a way to find out whose it is?”

"Yes there is." Astrid nods, her heart breaking for you, with you, over this. "Would you–" she pauses. "It would take only a few hours in the chamber." She tells you quietly. "If you didn't want to–"

“If it’s not Jack’s, I can’t.” Grateful that you’re not the one who had to say it, you still shudder at the reality of the situation. “What are the alternatives, really? Have Tex’s baby? Have your brother’s baby? I—I don’t— I don’t even think I could live with myself, and Jack sure as fuck would not still marry me, soulmate or otherwise.” It all comes tumbling out, the fears and anxieties, and you find yourself scratching viciously at your arms again as your breathing goes shallow – another panic attack bubbling out of your throat at the thought of losing Jack for any reason.

“I don’t think he would go that far.” Astrid tells you quietly. Would Jack be devastated? Oh yes he would. But he’s also a man who accepts mistakes because he’s made plenty of his own. Especially where you are concerned.

“I need to know, Astrid.” As quiet as your voice is, at least it’s determined. “Because I can’t do that to Jack.”

“We can find that out quick enough.” She promises, patting your hand and standing up. “Why don’t you go get undressed and put on a gown.” She offers, motioning towards the table in the corner.

“Thank you.” It feels like walking to your own death sentence as you disappear to change and sit down on the exam table on the far side of the lab. The thing is…you have to know. You have to. And that’s enough to make you sick all over again.

Astrid keeps her emotions in check and moves efficiently as she prepares for the exam. The machine will do most of it. She moves over and touches your shoulder. “Lay back, okay?”

“Okay.” The best you can do is to remind yourself to breathe, but even that is hard right now.

As soon as you lay back, Astrid presses a button on her table and a line of laser light starts scanning over your body. “Hold still.” She urges when you twitch. “It won’t hurt.”

Presumably the laser doesn’t care if you continue to shed a few anxious tears, but you keep the rest of your body still as it travels. Whatever comes next, you just have to promise yourself that you’ll handle it before Jack comes home. That everything will be done by the time Jack comes home.

Ginger’s face doesn’t give anything away as she studies the tablet, punching the screen with her fingers and she looks up. “There’s going to be a needle for a quick blood draw.” She tells you, not wanting you to be upset if you aren’t expecting it.

“Okay.” Whatever she needs to do, that’s what is going to happen. Right now it just matters that you keep breathing.

The needle is small and the amount of blood taken even smaller. Just enough to run the labs and confirm what she can already see. You wince but you don’t say anything and when the machine moves away, she gravitates towards you. “Let’s get you redressed and then we can talk.” She murmurs softly.

“Okay.” The word passes your lips one more time and you lift yourself up from the table to shaky legs. Frankly it’s a miracle you’re as functional as you are, and you step back behind the partition to put your clothes on silently.

She triple checks the test and when you come back around the small partition, there is a small cup of pills waiting for you. “Here.” She offers.

“What are these?” It doesn’t really matter. You’ll take them no matter what. But if she’s giving you pills to end an unwanted pregnancy, you at least want to observe the moment with some seriousness.

“Some vitamins. Your vitamin B and C levels are low. A Valium to help you relax and sleep.”

“H-how long will the blood work take?” Everything at Statesman - and everything in this lab - is state of the art, but that doesn’t mean knowledge is magical or instant. You take the pills that Astrid is holding out to you and brace yourself for however long she might say you have to wait.

“I’ve got the results back.” She assures you softly, smiling at you. “The blood work and the ultrasound tell me that you are not pregnant.”

For a second you just stare at her. You were convinced. You were sure that you had ruined the very best thing in your life. And now that it isn’t true, the relief you feel punches through you like some kind of Eldritch horror. “You’re—” The tears are different this time, still hot and angry when they come down your face in sheets, but now you’re only angry at yourself for ruining the last few days with the people you love. “You’re sure?” You ask, hiccuping between great, bulbous tears.

“Your womb is clear, there’s no evidence of an ectopic pregnancy. Your hCG levels are low, no chance of pregnancy. I ran the test three times to confirm. You are not pregnant.” She promises, turning the screen around so you can see the ultrasound of your stomach and the test results.

“So I was just…sick?” The screen she shows you is like a perversely high tech version of the ultrasound information you remember from going to the doctor with your sister years ago, so you have some vague notion of what you would see if the test was positive. This, though? This is perfectly normal. Like your body has never even heard of the concept of a baby in the first place. The hand that instinctively moves to cover your stomach goes there out of disbelief, and you lay back on the table with a tight sigh.

“You’ve been under a lot of stress and –” Astrid shakes her head and sighs softly, berating herself. “Sometimes with the healing of traumatic injuries, the side effects of the hyperbaric chamber can be….odd.” She explains. “I thought Jack told you.”

“He did.” He had been very careful to warn you, in fact. “But we just thought my side effect was how tired I was that week.”

“Your body is vastly different from Jack's, especially considering his injury was brain trauma.” Ginger rationalizes. “Yours was more physically manifested and it makes sense that your reproductive cycle has been thrown off.”

“Stress and healing.” All you can do is accept it, especially when the alternative is…alarming. After spending 48 hours panicking about the possibilities, are you really…upset that the answer wasn’t a little month-old fetus genetically encoded with Jack’s soft, coffee-colored eyes and adorable single dimple? Honestly? You really might be…

Ginger’s eyes are quizzical, tilting her head at the riot of emotions crossing your face. “Are you– disappointed?”

“I—don’t know,” you admit softly, staring up at the ceiling so that you don’t have to see the concern on her face.

“It has to be confusing.” She pats your shoulder again. “I know that you have been stressed. I don’t want you going in today. Take the day and relax.”

“Doctor’s orders.” Right now you just want to go home and get back in that bath that Jack had drawn for you yesterday. Pretend like last night had never happened and crawl into his arms in bed. But he’s back out in the field and you’re…you’ve never felt more alone than you do right now, which is not how you expected to feel at all. But that isn’t the fault of the woman next to you. “I…thank you, Astrid. I just need to get my head on straight. But…thank you for helping me.”

“Anytime, sweetheart.” She doesn’t hesitate to pull you in for what she thinks is a much needed hug. Knowing that you must have felt so scared and alone. No wonder why you had suddenly withdrawn if you had thought you were pregnant. “Anytime.”

“Hopefully not for this reason.” You sigh out, hugging her back fiercely. “Not until it’s happy anticipation and Jack is back here with me.”

“Did Jack know?” She asks curiously. “Is that why he slept in his office last night?”

“He—?” The panic is back without hesitation, choking you and making you feel dizzy. “He told me he was leaving early to—” Oh god. You’ve ruined it. You’ve ruined it anyway. “No one knew.”

She winces, cursing herself for sticking her nose in where it doesn’t belong. “I’m sure– they left really early.” She supplies hastily. “Maybe he didn’t want to bother you. Since you weren’t feeling good.”

“Maybe.” That isn’t it, and both of you know it. There isn’t a chance in hell that Jack wouldn’t have just slipped silently out of bed early this morning if things had been normal. This is your fault. You must have been acting stranger than you thought, and he’s an especially perceptive man to begin with.

“They should be back in just a day or so.” Ginger reasons quietly, wondering if it wouldn’t be better to talk to Jack herself before he gets back. “It’s a quick op.”

“But—” You catch yourself and nod. Astrid doesn’t need to know that Jack said it would be a week. That your relationship with your soulmate is crumbling before it ever gets off the ground. Instead you stand up from the table and accept another hug. “Thanks,” you murmur quietly. “Again. For everything.”

“Of course.” She tightens her grip on you and pulls back to give you an encouraging smile. “Go get some rest and everything will be normal when you wake up.”

******

It’s after dark when you wake up again, disheveled in one of Jack’s t-shirts and a pair of sweatpants that should probably have been replaced years ago. You’re hungry, which is usually a good sign, so you throw on a cardigan and trudge downstairs in search of food — only to come face-to-face with Diana walking in the front door as quietly as a church mouse. “Di?” Maybe she was coming to check on you? That is perfectly in keeping with her personality, after all. Universal mom friend.

“Hey.” She tries for a smile but it falters, the worry shining through her face is way too obvious to hide. “I need you to sit down, sweetheart.” The slight tremble in her voice makes her words waver.

“What’s wrong?” When your stomach flips this time, you at least know it isn’t from an act of your own stupidity, but it unnerves you all the same. Diana looks pale and you take the last two steps quickly to reach her side. “Di, what happened?”

She guides you over to the couch, aware that you might collapse if you are standing up. Especially since Ginger had indicated you weren’t feeling the best. “Jack is– he’s been hurt.” She tries to break the news gently but there is never a good way to say this. “He’s – they have him stable but it’s serious.”

The first reaction you have, before anything else, is to insist that she’s wrong. Jack is a good agent and he’s with Sophia and there’s no way that could happen. But her face is so serious, lined with anxiety and uncertainty. “Where?” You ask, when you can finally swallow past the fear forming in your gut. “Where is he?”

"He's on a chopper, about an hour out." Diana swallows harshly, trying to tamp down her own fear in order to be here for you.

“How serious is serious?” You’re already up again and walking to the door to slip into a pair of shoes, ready to go wherever you need to be. If the last thing you ever say to Jack was a weak declaration of love through a closed door, you’ll never fucking forgive yourself.

"They've almost lost him twice on the way here." Diana stands and quickly rushes over towards you. "But as soon as Ginger gets him into the chamber, he will be alright."

“What the hell happened?” Your purse is sitting by the door like always, and you grab it without even a second thought. Heart racing, blood pounding, and stomach threatening to revolt is how you went to the lab this morning, and it’s how you’re going again tonight.

"I'm not exactly sure. He was shot. It ruptured his spleen and he had fallen when he was hit so there is internal bleeding." Diana doesn't have much information, but she's willing to tell you what she knows.

“But Ginger can help him.” It’s not a question, as the two of you bolt outside and into Diana’s car. Your mind is racing, but instead of devolving into desperate sadness you feel like you’ve hit some kind of problem-solving mode.

“She’s going to do everything she can.” Diana promises, cranking the engine and throwing the car into reverse. “You know Ginger.”

“He…left early last night, Di.” There’s nothing for you to do while she drives but sit there, and you fidget in your seat. “I was distant when I came home from New York and he slept in his office last night before they shipped out.”

“Did you have a fight?” She could have sworn everything was good between you.

“Not exactly.” It was all just so uncomfortable, and now you’re facing the reality of Jack coming back hurt and you can’t stand it. “Things have been off lately and it’s my fault, but I—I can’t let that be the last time we see each other.”

“Is it because you’re pregnant and the baby isn’t Jack’s?” Diana asks quietly.

“How did—” You stare at her from the passenger seat, jaw almost unhinged, and sigh. Did Jack put your symptoms together just like you did and assume just like you did? “I’m not…just…for the record…I went to Astrid this morning…”

“Jack came by the house last night.” Diana admits quietly, looking over at you. “He wanted to talk to Champ.”

“I haven’t been myself lately, and I was feeling sick,” you begin, feeling like you need to explain yourself. “I added it all up while I was in New York and thought I might be pregnant. He—he must have done the same math. But Astrid said I’m absolutely not, and it must have been the healing from my incident that threw my body out of whack.”

“You don’t need to explain to me, sweetheart.” Diana assures you, giving you a soft smile. “Jack asked Champ – well, he asked him how quickly he accepted Bobby as his own, if it was hard on him.” She bites her lip. “Bobby isn’t Champ’s biological son. He adopted him at birth. I was pregnant when we met.”

“What?” This is definitely new information to you, especially since you had always thought that Bobby looked like the perfect mix of his parents. “I—I mean—I had no idea.”

“It’s not something that many people know.” Diana admits. “Roger admittedly looked similar to Champ. So thankfully there’s never been any questions from strangers. He unfortunately never knew that he was going to be a father before Bobby’s biological dad died. Car accident.”

“I’m so sorry.” It’s a lot of information to take in, but you do your best to wrap your head around it as Diana parks in her designated space outside the main Statesman building and the two of you jump out to go up to the lab. “So…I don’t…Jack wanted to talk to him? About—about accepting Bobby?” It’s such a gut punch on top of all the things you’ve already dealt with over the last few days, to think that Jack was trying to figure out how to support you when you had feared he would call everything off instead.

“Jack admitted that he thought you might be pregnant and that it would be way too soon in your relationship for it to be his child.” Diana had excused herself to make some tea and let the men have their talk, but Jack hadn’t been trying to hide the conversation. “And he didn’t want to lose you over it. Said it was his own damn fault if it was the case and it damn sure wouldn’t be the kid’s fault.”

“I was so sure he’d hate me.” You’ve lost count of how many times you’ve cried today, and it doesn’t matter anymore. Crying over this makes sense. “That Sophia would hate me, or Tex, or even everyone, for making their lives more complicated…”

“It would be complicated.” She won’t deny that. “But if you had been pregnant, that baby would have just had two sets of parents.”

“But now he’s hurt.” That familiar feeling of panic is right under the surface, but you swallow it down as the elevator shuts to bring you both upstairs. “And the last thing that happened between us was awkwardness. I—he—I didn’t even kiss him goodbye, Di.”

“You’ll kiss him hello.” Diana tells you with a certainty she doesn’t exactly feel but she needs you to believe. “And kiss him every time he leaves the room from now on.”

There’s a fear there that’s too great to acknowledge, but you nod and follow her out of the elevator when it reaches the floor that the lab is on. You can’t bring yourself to ask out loud what the machine might do to him this time. He’d come out of it an admittedly different man last time, and when you were healed by it, it had turned your body around on itself. Who knows what effect it might have on Jack tonight, and that is terrifying to think about.

Diana keeps a tight hold on your hand as the lab doors open and Ginger, along with several of her assistants, rush around to get things ready. The screen overhead is on, displaying the camera from the helicopter medic’s helmet. Jack is laying on a gurney, his shirt and jacket cut from his body and his normally golden skin gray, blood covering his torso.

“Oh god…” Instinctively clutching Diana’s hand tighter, you stay out of the way of the bustling medics but keep your eyes glued to the screen. He looks like he’s been ripped open from the side and you have the heaviest instinct of violence you’ve ever felt in your life. Whoever did this to your soulmate had better hope you never find them. You may not be a trained Statesman agent, but you’re certain in this moment that it wouldn’t matter. You’d tear them limb from limb and turn them into dinner.

“BP dropping!” The medic’s staticky voice comes over the speakers. “There’s another fucking bleed somewhere!”

“Diana…” The grip you have on her hand is unforgiving while you watch the monitor, but she squeezes yours back. “Please tell me that they got the guy that did this to him.”

“Sophia got them.” The camera twists as the medic reaches for something from the bag and you get a view of the other agent, sitting along the wall and looking worried, covered in blood. Jack’s blood.

“Fuck…” Sophia looks terrified as she sits on the other side of the stretcher, and you can’t stop yourself from instinctively reaching out even knowing they can’t see you and it won’t make any difference. That’s your friend and your soulmate in that chopper, and the only thing you can do is stand here. “There has to be something I can do,” you murmur, not knowing if anyone even hears. Not knowing if it’s even true.

“Nothing right now.” She knows how helpless you feel. “Just pray right now. Even if you don’t believe, pray.”

The two of you stay sitting in a corner, watching the feed from the camera on board the helicopter. They manage to stabilize Jack again but don’t seem confident about it, and it’s a full half hour before that camera shows the team landing on the Statesman helipad on the roof of the building so they can bring him inside.

When the team bursts through the doors with Jack, Sophia is hot on their heels. Immediately rushing over to you when she sees you spring to your feet. “I’m so sorry!” She cries. “I– I don’t know what the hell happened. He was perfectly fine one moment and then he was–” she gestures towards the gurney.

“You got the guy, right?” Whatever happened, you can’t rewind and undo it now, so when you look Sophia in the eyes that is the one thing you want to know. “The person who hurt Jack is dead?”

“Yes.” Her jaw clenches and she nods seriously. “He’s dead.”

“Good.” The team of medics is swarming Jack right now and you will not get in their way, so you hug Sophia close for just a few comforting seconds. The tears are mighty at this point - seeing him in person feels like your heart is being ripped out of your chest. “Thank you for getting him home.”

“I wasn’t going to do anything less.” Sophia had probably saved his life, if it were told completely. If he had been alone, Jack would have bled to death before the team could have gotten there.

“Thank you.” It’s too much to think about what might have happened if Sophia hadn’t been with him. That’s not something you can swallow right now. You just hug her again instead. “I’m sure you have work to do. I’m going to stay with him.”

She nods reluctantly. “I have to clean up and report to Champ.” She squeezes you tight. “I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

“I’ll be right here.” Under no circumstances would you go anywhere else. Not while Jack was fighting for his life.

Sophia can understand that. If it were Tex, she would be right there in your shoes. “Tex is headed in to sit with you.”

“Thank you.” There isn’t a whole lot else you can say without tumbling into anxiety, and frankly you’re terrified enough as it is. The comfort of friends sounds like a miracle. She squeezes your hand and turns around to quickly walk through the doors to go up to Champ’s office.

It isn't until Jack is fitted into the biometric pod and Ginger has his vitals stabilized that she lets you come closer, putting two chairs beside him for you and Tex. He had come in with water and snacks, warning you that worry is draining and that he was promising to sit up with you as long as it takes.

Diana stays off to the side with Ginger but she walks over to you and touches your shoulder after the first hour. "I am going back to the restaurant. Don't worry about anything. I'll take care of it all."

"Thanks, Di." Honestly you hadn't even looked at a clock since waking up and had no clue what time it was, so it seems a little shocking that the restaurant is even open. All you knew was it was after dark and you had been asleep. It could have been 3 a.m. and you wouldn't have known the difference. "I'm not–I can't leave him."

"Of course you can't." Diana huffs as if the mere idea is offensive. "If anyone has an issue with that, they can deal with me." She knows that none of your staff will argue, they will worry about Jack if they know. However, the civilian staff is normally kept in the dark concerning these matters. "I'll bring some dinner back later." She promises, leaning down and dropping a kiss on your head before leaving.

At a certain point, there isn't a lot you can do besides sit. You're wide awake beside Jack, sitting in silence with Tex as you both watch the monitors around your wounded warrior buzz and beep and flash every few seconds. It's a noisy room for the heavy weight of what's going on, busy despite the fact that no one is scurrying around any longer.

"It's different this time." Tex offers quietly, shuffling in his chair beside you and stretching his long legs in front of him. "He's got somethin' to live for. He fought death the last time and he didn't even have you. He'll pull through."

You huff softly, watching Jack's face as he sleeps in the biometrically-induced coma that is healing his body. "I don't know," you admit, feeling the way your jaw wobbles at the admission. "He's...we...last night was tense before he left."

"Hell, everyone, every relationship has tense days." Tex doesn't know the details, but it can't be that bad. "He knows you love him, he loves you."

"He, um..." The fact is, this concerns the man beside you as much as it concerns anyone else. This is Jack's emotional little brother. Your best friend's soulmate. Your friend. You swallow the guilt and the nerves, and you glance at Tex beside you with trepidation. There was a time barely twelve hours ago that you were resolved for him never to know. Now it feels dishonest to leave anything unsaid. "He thinks I'm pregnant," you murmur, knowing that the only person who could overhear you is Ginger and she's the one who ran the tests. "I'm not. But he thinks I could be..."

"Then he's got everything to live for." Tex lit up for a moment, happy for his friend even if he relaxed slightly when you told him that you're not pregnant. He knows Jack would be disappointed, but he would probably make a joke about being happy to practice some more. He's never seen Jack wanting kids, but it's got to be interesting.

"Not...not really." You glance back at him briefly before refocusing on Jack, deciding that this will be infinitely easier if you're not actually looking at Tex when you say it. "The thing is...because of the timing...he thinks...and even I thought...that it could be...well, yours."

He's silent for a minute. More than a minute, actually. Stunned into silence before he opens his mouth. "But....you're not." He says slowly, clarifying.

"No." The worry in his voice tells you everything it needs to. That if that baby had been real, it would have torn apart the fabric of your friendships just like you thought. "Ginger did the test this morning."

"I'm sorry that you've been going through this." Tex starts and then he hums. "I– did you start thinking you were when you were in New York? Sophia texted me and said she was worried about you."

"Yeah." There's just no way to hide how embarrassed you are, so you just sit there and watch Jack, not letting your eyes waver again. That's your whole life right there on that bed, and you don't know what the hell you'll do if he doesn't wake up. "Yeah, I...I did. Ginger says the pod must have thrown off my system after the kidnapping. It was just a fluke. The symptoms lined up but it was just a coincidence."

He sighs and reaches over to take your hand. It's not meant to be a romantic gesture. Rather, one of comfort. "I want you to know that no matter what, you have people who care about you. We are all a big, dysfunctional family." He jokes quietly. "If you had been, we would have...made it work."

"I wasn't going to keep it," you blurt out, clutching his hand for just the speck of comfort it provides. "I asked Ginger if she could find out. I didn't–" It's so much to hold on to, and you had isolated yourself so much that when it comes out of you it sort of just explodes everywhere. "I couldn't do that to all of you. I couldn't destroy our family and I just kind of panicked and shut down at the dress shop and I could barely even look at Jack when I came home. I couldn't look at him, or kiss him, or barely even talk to him and now he's this and if he doesn't wake up I don't think I could ever forgive myself."

"He's going to wake up." Tex promises you, a slightly desperate undercurrent to his voice. "He has to." His thoughts about you not keeping a baby, he keeps to himself. There's no way he could say what he would do under those circumstances, so he can't judge you.

"He has to." If he doesn't – if you lose the best thing in your life – then anything else around you is just noise. None of it matters.

______ Master Tags: @pixiedurango @chattychell @winter-fox-queen @lady-himbo @artsymaddie @princess76179 @paintballkid711 @missminkylove @pedrosbrat @ew-erin @sarahjkl82-blog @sharkbait77 @justanotherblonde23 @lv7867 @recklesswit @mylittlesenaar @f0rever15elf @gallowsjoker @steeevienicks @athalien @sherala007 @skvatnavle @thatpinkshirt @jaime1110 @girlimjusttryingtoreadfanfics @goodgriefitsawildworld @greeneyedblondie44 @katheriner1999 @littlemousedroid @harriedandharassed @churchill356 @ajathegreats-blog @hardc0rehaylz @beardsanddetectives @kirsteng42 @ladykatakuri @adancedivasmom @madiebear @tanzthompson @emilianamason @bigsdinger @xocalliexo @pedr0swh0r3 @avaleineandafryingpan @charlyrmv @avidreader73 @iceclaw101 @loveslide​ @elegantduckturtle  ​

DtRH: @haileymorelikestupid @spishsstuff @missmarmaladeth @axshadows @a-gay-cryptid @sgt-morgan @1a-ma1a-su3rt3 @flowers4copper @ghost-timelord @the0racl30fd3lphidos @all-the-way-down-here @bobafvcker @ficsbynight @dinoflower @supernaturalgirl20 @xdaddysprincessxx @bobawh0re @amiee-mitch18 @darkhairedmenrule @heyyimlaynna @strawberry-f4iry @3zm33atzbuss33 @whataghost @cyber666slut @nobody-000 @eddiemunsonsgirlfriendirl @lucciolaraven @powergirlsupremacy @secondsistershelby @dreadmars @androgynoushellscape @soytomatecherry @cheesecake-massacre @mylifeisbasedonashow @idiotickiddo @tomfeltonisbae @maratheidiot22 @im-nada @everybirdfellsilent @deepdarkdelights @brokenwhitegirl384 @ur-honey-child @caseket @copperrose15 @we-could-have-been @valkyries-ride @scarletmunson @strawberriricemilk @ghost-timelord @galactigoos @floridawaters @cutiepie6473 @pinball-vance @theslytherinwriter @scorpioswonder @stankyleg05 @fxdsketches @sad-innit @coffeyorky @1a-ma1a-su3rt3 @starlordsonlywife @aura626 @mistresskei @marv3lwhor3 @sadimusprimee @yourwonderbelle @sgt-morgan @spot116 @milybaby018 @loserk1nks @artfulthoughtswp @aavw @babyrunsforfanfic @faceache111 @midnight-huntress @asimpleraccoonqueen @marki-moo0 @pages89 @rawr-bitches @rebel-fanfare @soooosha @luna-is-out-there @im-sylien @timpletance @certifiedhunter @ellenmunn @littlethief78 @tinalbion @eddy-y @tikibabi @whyidkok @bearcoon1666 @littlebirdsbookshelf @a-gay-cryptid @disaster-ahaha @viridiesa @axshadows @purplerain04 @karmarouge @holycyclehomo @sainteredhood @prostitute-robot-from-the-future @the-wishmonger @theliferuiner @raptorclaw24 @asp1r1ngm1lf @ahopelessromanticwritersworld @st4rl1ght444 @litholithium @tusk89 @youjustneedatherapist @nekodemon73 @iceclaw101 @lightningsface @shakespeareanwannabe @jasminemunson @spideysimpossiblegirl @wannabedaphne @sammus-white @jazzieomega @88dragon06 @ishabull @raquel-rial @tuquoquebrute @hotleaf-juice @dantaku @youokhoney @thisiswhyibleedsstuff @maximumkryptonitegladiator @jediknight122 @gadsgikklesen @movievillainess721 @o-sacra-virgo-laudes-tibi @the-strawberrythief @spishsstuff @choppedmugjudgeplaid @haileymorelikestupid @gooddaykate @missredherring @abyssal-zone-stares-back @supernaturalgirl @winterandstars @severewobblerlightdragon @missmarmaladeth @noisynaia @saintbedelia @algressman16 @eaks0710 @mina2000alex @emdraws02 @universallyclodlawyerpainter @rayrayvan @akaleelanie @mishasminion360 @amneris21 @roxypeanut @lunarcatbun 118 @frasmotic @emdraws02 @universallyclodlawyerpainter @rayrayvan @lovelychaos420 @1432690 @no1pornstachefan @thegrimreaperbitch @esmeensheep @izz-ayes-world @kittycatcait219 @loveyou3000tonystark @tintinn16 @igenerallytrynottogiveagoshdarn @motheroftorches @phoenixhalliwell @the-dazzling-urbanite @coffeyorky @trickstersp8 @victorian-cherub @julissadunn @clarysthing @the-girl-that-loves-many-fandoms @mastersurf @theghostofutopia @ncsls0515 @seraphinaivy @hiyorinatsuki @ghostofaboy @yn-hamato @elfwriter1088 @sunnygrey99 @lexinicolenix @lazyemisfandomtrash @curiouskeyboard @qualityearthquakes @spider-284748 @unnecesarysstuff @sgt-morgan @love-affair-with-fandoms @lunarcatbun @kstar770 @kykymarty @supergingerlocks @hell0kittybimb0222 @a-birds-fin @loidforgerishotashell @mythical-writer @ghostshalo @avengersimaginesfan @sccialcasualty @lordecult @petalo-dropsart @i-quite-like-eating-carrots @svudetective @hasta-la-pasta-bb @manicpixiedreamgirly @destinydog @skeppycarnation @anaisweird @critters-beware @fruityforcocoapuffs @linnnniie @spideyromantic @paupeach2024 @faithxyu @fxramir @legomyeggo @jjggdfvvy @hi-my-name-is-riley @kasaikawa @lost-ghost-thats-sleepy @callmegkiddo @2dead2function @generallysleepdeprived   @failingclassesinmygucciglasses @thebeesknees42 @moonmoon007 @wi0na @cilliansangel @lostinsideourminds @angstismydrug @elvenmother @bilibiche @kettlekatie @preschoolispunk @djarinsstuff @generallysleepdeprived @love-affair-with-fandoms @jay-ghostly @wowieitbeme @fanofverymanythings @josephquinnswhore @this-harl0t-shant-be-unalive @djarinsstuff @justherebecausesafarisucks @cedricbitch @rebel-soldat @madisonred88

My Masterlist!

[snap-blogz]

TikTok Cooking Grandma Lynja: A Culinary Icon's Farewell

In a world dominated by fast-paced online content, TikTok sensation Lynn Yamada Davis, fondly known as Lynja, captured the hearts of millions with her lively and comedic cooking tutorials. However, a somber tone envelops the culinary community as news breaks of her passing due to esophageal cancer on January 1, 2024, leaving behind a legacy cherished by many.

A Culinary Star's Journey

Lynja's rise to fame began with the launch of her "Cooking With Lynja" YouTube channel in 2020, a collaboration with her son, Tim Davis. With over 9.6 million subscribers on YouTube, 2.2 million Instagram followers, and a staggering 17.6 million TikTok followers, she became a beloved figure for her vibrant personality and mouth-watering recipes. "When she would go to award shows or was invited to these amazing things, it's kinda cool that she was this older... Asian American woman that was doing these things in the spotlight," praises her daughter, Hannah Shofet.

https://www.tiktok.com/@cookingwithlynja/video/7323254005742996782

A Maverick in Culinary TikTok

A third-generation Japanese American, Lynja brought a unique flair to bite-sized cooking tutorials on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube. Her videos, marked by over-the-top edits, cheeky jokes, and wacky visuals, showcased her adaptability to changing social media trends. "She was the best. So glad you guys got to experience how wonderful of a person she was and that you guys treated her so well," reflects her son, Tim Davis. https://www.tiktok.com/@cookingwithlynja/video/7323254005742996782

Image Credits: Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images

Breaking Records and Collaborations

In collaboration with fellow creators like Nick DiGiovanni, Lynja achieved several Guinness World Records for creating super-sized culinary delights, from the world's largest cake pop to the biggest chicken nugget and sushi roll. Love you Lynja," shares DiGiovanni in a heartfelt Instagram post, reminiscing about their Guinness successes, ice-skating, and go-kart racing. https://www.tiktok.com/@nick.digiovanni/video/7323256494407896350

A Battle with Cancer

Lynja was open about her health battles, revealing her diagnosis of throat cancer in 2019, causing her voice to mimic animated characters. In 2021, she faced esophageal cancer but completed treatment with resilience. "Long story short, I'm doing great and I love making these videos for you. Lynja out!" she assured her fans, fondly called "Lynja-turtles."

A Lasting Legacy

While the culinary world mourns the loss of Lynja, her impact on the online community remains indelible. Her son, Tim Davis, continues to share unreleased content as a tribute to her vibrant spirit. "She was the best. So glad you guys all got to experience how wonderful of a person she was, and how you guys treated her so well. So thank you for these last couple of years, we had so much fun making videos."

Conclusion

 Lynja's departure leaves a void in the culinary landscape, but her recipes, humor, and warmth will continue to resonate with fans worldwide. As the TikTok cooking community says goodbye to its beloved grandma, Lynn Yamada Davis, her legacy lives on through the joy she brought to countless kitchens. Read the full article

[kelleah-meah]

My Fourth Mabon – Plans for My 2023 Autumnal Equinox Celebration

Once again, I’m making plans for next week’s Autumnal Equinox, but for some reason, this year feels different. I can’t quite articulate why or how it feels different, but let’s just say my spidey sense is tingling. Not in a “beware of danger” kind of way. But in a “you’re on the precipice of something significant” kind of way. 

Edit: I've since learned why I feel my spidey sense tingling. It's because of the recent Nodal Shift into Aries/Libra. This is technically my reverse nodal return. My NN is in Libra and my SN is in Aries.

Anyway, until I can suss out the why of it all, I’ll just make plans for the equinox that feels in the spirit of what I’m sensing at the moment. Either way, I’m sure I’ll overdo it and put too much on my plate like I always do. 😏

Let’s dive in shall we … 

Since the equinox falls on a Saturday (September 23rd) when I have to work, this is going to be a little different from years past. My plans will likely fall over 2 or 3 days because that’s just how I roll when it comes to celebrating the arrival of my favorite season, so that part is actually the same as years’ past. 

Even though I have to work, it’s not all bad. It just so happens that I’ll be working outside at an arts & culture festival in the park, so it’s a chance to enjoy nature throughout most of the day (keeping my fingers crossed that it doesn’t rain though). 

But once my work day is over, my plans look like this: 

Note: The arts and culture festival has been cancelled due to a rainy forecast, so that changes my plans a little bit. Also, because we're behind at work, it looks like I'll have to work Monday and Tuesday next week. Oddly enough, I'm not too upset about that. 🙃 We have a lot going on that will finish off the year and kickoff the fall season like we haven't done before. A little extra work feels justified in order to pull it all together.

Friday (9/22) –

Prep & bake apple crisp dessert 🍎 ✅

Saturday (9/23) –

Meditation + Study of the Tao + a Tarot Spread for Mabon 🧘🏽 ✅

Work at the gallery 🖼️ ✅

Return home & cook Mabon dinner 🥘 ✅

Enjoy Mabon dinner 😋 ✅

Watch a movie from my Fall/Halloween theme list (probably Clue) 🎬 ✅

For dinner, here’s what I’m making:

- Hobo Meatball Stew (recipe found here, except I’m using ground turkey and adding tomato sauce, zucchini, corn, potatoes, carrots, garlic and paprika – and this year, instead of using the crockpot, I’m just going to cook it straight on the stove) ✅

- Cornbread (nothing fancy)

- Apple crisp topped with ice cream (for dessert, as a farewell to summer and hello to fall) ✅

I’ll probably have some hot chocolate later in the evening as a final hat tip to the beginning of autumn. 

Sunday (9/24) –

Join my hiking group for a morning hike 🥾 [cancelled due to rainy forecast]

Sleep in! 🛌 ✅

Read my book 📕 ✅

Do light cleaning around the house 🧽 ✅

Stretch 🤸

Shoot TT vid 🎥

Paint and reflect on my journey 🎨

Write in my journal ✒️

Monday (9/25) –

Work at the gallery 🖼️ ✅

Return home and relax 🏡 ✅

Continue organizing home office 🗄️

Lift weights or stretch 🏋🏽‍♀️

Do confidence spell 🕯️

Tuesday (9/26) – 

Work for gallery from home 🖼️

Go for a walk or ride bike in park 🚲

Continue organizing home office 🗄️ ✅

Write new blog post 🖥️

Promote new blog post 🎺 

Also, since I had lofty plans to do this last year, but didn’t even get close to starting it, let’s see if I can actually give the Fall Photo Challenge a genuine try this year. 

Here are the photo challenge prompts (forgive the blurry screenshot):

All in all, I’d say this is a reasonable plan for celebrating the spirit of the equinox and the start of my favorite season. I'm interested to see how it all turns out.

[theendcaller]

What's the secret to star quality? Bling and more bling!

So Mary Sue's unprompted Valentine's gift for Fandaniel comes in the form of...glittery heart cookies! (She wanted to try stars, but it's important to stick to the theme on an important holiday like this!)

The handwritten letter is nice and legit too, with rose-scented perfume and everything. Wow, did she use a fountain pen just for him?

Dear Mister Mushroom Head,

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY! MAY ALL UR DREAMS COME TRUE! TODAY U R THE MAIN CHARACTER TO MY HEART! I HOPE YOU GET TO MONOLOGUE ALL U WANT, AS A TREAT!!

Mary Sue

Shamelessly, Fandaniel devours all of these appropriately blinged out cookies in one sitting, then promptly records this to send to Mary Sue without missing a beat. Improv is a love of his, after all.

“What dazzles my senses on this holiday? Perfume. Glitter. Penscript, perfection! Such a simple yet ingeniously executed worship. An address that both tickles and flatters. Yay, my dear, your hopes will be answered, for monologue I shall. Let the first of my relentless deluge be wrought by your shimmering gift. That is my inspiration, and may the pathetic denizens of this city never hear the end of me as a show of gratitude for the cookies I’ve completely devoured with unabashed pleasure! –Really, truly, they were positively scrumptious, I insist you divulge to me the recipe.—Anyways, I shall deign to shout at the top of my lungs each and every lengthsome spiel so that none, NONE, within hearing range shall miss MY DEDICATION TO SPIRALE CITY’S FINEST INGENUE! SILENCE, FAREWELL, AND ALL’S TRANQUILITY, ADIEU!”

The recording is punctuated by an ear splitting fit of maniacal laughter comparable to the most evil hyena known to man before he taps ‘end recording’, and no, he does not edit it out. He sends everything to the girl as is.

[bbqbutchernz]

How I Get Perfectly Grilled Salmon Every Single Time! Sweet & Spicy Grilled Salmon Recipe

How I Get Perfectly Grilled Salmon Every Single Time! Sweet & Spicy Grilled Salmon Recipe https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=96EcHfuy_nM Are you ready to elevate your grilling game and achieve salmon perfection every time? Look no further! With our Sweet & Spicy Grilled Salmon recipe, you'll unlock the secrets to mastering this delectable dish with ease. With our Sweet & Spicy Grilled Salmon recipe, you'll become a grilling pro in no time, impressing your friends and family with your culinary skills. Say goodbye to dry and overcooked salmon – this recipe guarantees succulent and flavorful results every single time! "Unlocking Grilling Perfection: Sweet & Spicy Grilled Salmon Recipe"Discover the ultimate secret to flawless grilled salmon with our Sweet & Spicy Grilled Salmon recipe. Elevate your culinary prowess and ensure perfection with every bite, leaving your taste buds tingling with delight. With our Sweet & Spicy Grilled Salmon recipe, you'll master the art of grilling salmon to perfection, delighting your family and friends with each delectable mouthful. Say hello to grilling greatness and bid farewell to anything less than extraordinary! Mastering the Grill: Sweet & Spicy Grilled Salmon Perfection"Unveil the secrets to grilling perfection with our Sweet & Spicy Grilled Salmon Recipe, guaranteed to leave you with flawlessly cooked salmon every single time. Elevate your culinary skills and tantalize your taste buds with this irresistible combination of sweet and spicy flavors. With our Sweet & Spicy Grilled Salmon Recipe, you'll become a grill master in no time, impressing friends and family alike with your culinary prowess. Say goodbye to guesswork and hello to grilling perfection with this sensational dish! Title: How I Get Perfectly Grilled Salmon Every Single Time! Sweet & Spicy Grilled Salmon Recipe ♠️ 𝖂𝖆𝖙𝖈𝖍 𝕺𝖚𝖗 𝕺𝖙𝖍𝖊𝖗 𝖁𝖎𝖉𝖊𝖔𝖘: ▶https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fL69r4KteHQ ▶https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fL69r4KteHQ ▶https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X1jQBk1VFrk ▶https://studio.youtube.com/video/qfLJdAOzwHA/edit ▶https://www.youtube.com/@BBQButcher/videos ♠️ 𝕮𝖔𝖓𝖓𝖊𝖈𝖙 𝖂𝖎𝖙𝖍 𝖀𝖘: ▶E-mail: jeff@bbqbutcher.co.nz ▶Facebook:https://ift.tt/vXTyNVk ▶Website:https://ift.tt/k6bQOUL ▶Instagram:https://ift.tt/Ru0d1pM ▶Linktree:https://ift.tt/lsieEQ6 ⚠️ 𝐃𝐈𝐒𝐂𝐋𝐀𝐈𝐌𝐄𝐑: We do not accept any liability for any loss or damage incurred from you acting or not acting as a result of watching any of my publications. You acknowledge that you use the information I provide at your own risk. do your own research. © BBQ Butcher NZ ✖ 𝐂𝐎𝐏𝐘𝐑𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓 𝐍𝐎𝐓𝐈𝐂𝐄: This video and my YouTube channel contain dialog, music, and image that are property of "BBQ Butcher NZ" You are authorized to share the video link and channel and embed this video in your website or others as long as a link back to my YouTube Channel is provided Keywords: #GrillMaster #SalmonPerfection #FlawlessGrilling #GrillGoals #CookingPerfection #SizzlingSalmon #GrilledToPerfection #SalmonMastery #SpicySweetSalmon #GrillLikeAPro #PerfectlyCooked #GourmetGrilling #GrillAndChill #SavorTheFlavor #DeliciouslyGrilled #TasteSensation #CulinaryPerfection #GrillMagic #FlavorsOfSummer #BBQDelight #EasyGrilling #SalmonSecrets #GrillLife #MasterTheGrill #grilledgoodness BQz&x% via BBQ Butcher NZ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCl3vnLR_1Q1_8QS74m6bbxw June 02, 2024 at 12:00PM

[homelysolve]

🌟 DIY Magic: Garlic Paste Edition! 💚 Transform your toenail care routine with the power of garlic paste. Dive into our latest post for simple recipes, expert tips, and success stories. Time to bid farewell to toenail fungus and embrace a journey towards stronger, healthier toes. 👣✨

#GarlicPasteDIY #FootCareEssentials #FungusFreeLiving

[fuckyeahdindjarin]

Palomino Masterlist

COMPLETE | Explicit 🔞 NO minors allowed

Jack Daniels x F!Reader

Series tags: Dude ranch cowboy Jack AU | mini-series | solo travel romance | lots of horsey details | self-indulgent AF | set in Wyoming | no physical descriptions of Reader

Note: You guys voted for Palomino to be the next WIP after Consent, and who am I to refuse? But honestly, thank you for voting for Jack, because I've been dying to write this story. If you'd like to be tagged, please comment, reblog or sign up at my taglist.

Part 1: Palomino

Unable to get a refund for a week-long horse-riding pack trip you'd booked with your ex, you decide to go solo. As it turns out, a rebound with a cowboy named Jack while traversing the wild landscapes of Wyoming might just be what you need.

Part 2: Buckskin

It's an eventful first day on the trail, to say the least.

Part 3: Dapple Grey

Tinder is a dangerous game. So is Never Have I Ever.

Part 4: Strawberry Roan

Jack pulls out all the stops for your birthday. All of them.

Part 5: Appaloosa

You and Jack play house for a day.

Part 6: Mustang

On the fifth day, you leave the Halfway House behind, and the conversation turns homeward.

Part 7: Fleabitten

You and Jack spend your last night together in the mountains - for now.

Part 8: Silver Pony

And just like that, your week at the Statesman Ranch comes to an end, leaving you grappling with the prospect of saying goodbye to Jack.

Part 9: Warmblood

The hardest goodbye you’ll ever say.

Oneshots & drabbles

Deleted scenes from the series that I didn't have the word count for.

Bernaise: You watch Jack cook. Deleted scene from Part 4 - Strawberry Roan.

If Only: Jack smiles and brushes a thumb across your cheek. If only you knew.

Peeks into Jack and Darlin's life after the end of the series.

Pressing: Jack marks you as his in an unexpected way.

Real: You call Jack after running into your ex at a wedding.

Cowgirl Aesthetics: 'This dress won't last ten minutes in a real horse yard and you know it, darlin''.'

Headcanons

Miscellaneous headcanons - some requested, some no one asked for.

Silver Pony | Jack’s moustache | Jack and horses | Jack's guilty pleasures | Jack is king of the two step | Jack's allergies | Teak the artist

Visuals

Mostly made/commissioned for A Palomino Farewell.

Special edition chapter banners

Horses of Palomino

Palominogram: About last night

Palominogram: The cellar

Commissioned art

Belt buckle inspiration

Moodboard: Buckskin

Moodboard: Palomino

Horse girl representation

Recipes

Mama Daniels' express chili: featured in Fleabitten

Poppy's chocolate & rum cupcakes: featured in Strawberry Roan

Chapter sneak peeks: two | three | four | five | six | seven | eight

Bonus content

Art and misc. generously gifted by my sweetest friends ❤️

A Palomino Farewell

Palomino playlist

A birthday message from cowboy Jack and Cowboy yearning by the most talented @guiltypleasure-art

Palomino edit by the loveliest Heidi @wildemaven

Moodboard by the sweetest Keira @k-ra

Playlist by sweetest Sil @psychedelic-ink for A Palomino Farewell

Palomino-inspired cocktail recipe by darlin' Skye @iamskyereads

I can't believe that Palomino now has its own cocktail!!! I'm so honoured that Skye created and shared this recipe with us. All the elements are perfect, from the Campfire whiskey (Darlin's favourite time of the day - snuggling with Jack by the fire), apple (If Only reference) and Ginger (who convinced Darlin' not to cancel the trip). I cannot wait to try this cocktail myself, thank you so so much my love ❤️

More notes: This is a very personal story to me as I grew up loving and riding horses. I've been lucky enough to go on several horseriding holidays, and I'm writing directly from experience - except the hot cowboy part, sadly. Even if you don't ride, I hope you enjoy this story, and I will be the happiest writer if I impart to you even a fraction of the joy of exploring the great outdoors from the back of a steady (or speedy) steed.

{ Inspo }

{ Main Masterlist | Taglist }

[griavian]

the 36 questions that lead to love

x <- read on ao3

dream finds a list of questions that can supposedly lead to two people falling in love, so him and george try it out on stream. turns out, they don't really need all 36.

“Come on, George. It’s just a couple of questions.” Dream pleaded into the call, making George roll his eyes. He’s been trying to end stream for the past 15 minutes, but Dream always convinces him to go “just a little longer!”.

“36 questions is not just a couple of questions, Dream.” George glances at his second monitor to make sure his green screen was still black and to check a few discord messages. He had no intention to fall into Dream’s trap for another hour of streaming.

“But it says it’ll lead to love!” Dream says, exasperated. He googled ‘questions to ask your friend’ earlier and found a list of them that apparently lead to falling in love. To George, it was bullshit.

“That’s such bullshit.” He expresses.

“You’re no fun.” Dream’s voice lowered, and George can feel the pout Dream has plastered on his face. He can already predict what the next 12 hours would be like with Dream: silent treatment and being a general dickhead. George was used to it when they lived an ocean apart, and even found it amusing, but it was a totally different experience living with him. Dream would mope around, go into George’s room randomly just to not talk to him, and go as far as to blast sad music from his own room across the hall while George was trying to finish up some editing. Sure, it was all light-hearted jokes, and Dream would stop his act in a heartbeat if George was truly annoyed by it, but George still dreaded it.

“Fine.”

Dream immediately cheers up and starts typing on his keyboard while George watches his chat fly by, seeing a lot of emotes and positive messages.

“Okay, um- first question. Given the choice of anyone in the world, whom,” Dream mocks the formality, “would you want as a dinner guest?”

George’s nose crinkles. “How is that gonna make me fall in love with you?”

“Just answer the question.”

“I don’t know! The queen?”

“That’s a stupid answer.”

“What!” George screeches and Dream barks out a laugh. “You’re so dumb.”

“You gotta give me a better answer than that, or else we won’t fall in love with each other.”

George rolls his eyes, but decides to think about his answer. Truthfully, he wouldn’t want anyone special as a dinner guest. “Um. My mum.”

George eyes his chat as it’s filled with “aw”s. He almost scoffs.

“See? That wasn’t so hard.” George wants to punt Dream into another universe.

“Alright, who would you want as a guest?”

“Tom Brady.”

“That’s the stupidest answer ever!” George yells, his eyes wide, perhaps offended that Dream picked Tom Brady out of anyone else in the world.

“Question two!” Dream ignores, “This one is kinda dumb, but would you like to be famous and if you do, what for?”

George hums. “Probably don’t want to be famous-famous. Maybe being well-known for being the first person to invent IRL-VR. I want my body to be submerged in the Minecraft universe.”

“That’s sick. I dunno what I’d want-”

“You’re already famous.”

“Shut up. I don’t even- I don’t even want to be famous, really. I just want to make whoever knows me smile.”

“Aww, isn’t that sweet, Dream.” George teases and he knows Dream waved him off. George has his habits practically memorized.

“Whatever. How about you ask some questions?” Dream sends a link on discord and George reads through them.

“There’s no way these can make people fall in love. What even is this question? Before making a telephone call, do you rehearse what you’re going to say and why?”

“Trust the process. I mean, I do that. I don’t want my brain all jumbled up, I guess. Words are hard.” Dream answers.

“I don’t think I’ve ever done that. I wing it.”

“That’s very you. Next question.” Something about Dream saying that made George smile the tiniest bit, made the serotonin flow through his brain.

“What’s a ‘perfect day’ for you?” George reads. It’s quiet for a moment.

“Hanging out with you,” his voice is sincere, “You and Sapnap. Recording, streaming, anything like that. What about you?”

“Hm. Me too.”

George isn’t one to show his feelings often. He remembers being asked if he did, and he answered with “not ones that matter”. It still rings true to this day. His walls are still built up and that’s okay to George. Mushy feelings aren’t important, but he’d be damned if he didn’t say his heartstrings were playing a beautiful melody during this moment.

The questions and answers fall easily after that. George knows it’s around 1 am, and he should go to sleep, but answering the questions was kind of addicting.

“Do you have a hunch on how you’ll die?” Dream reads the question with a chuckle. “That’s such a weird question to ask someone you wanna fall in love with.”

George tries not to read in between the lines.

“Heart failure. For both of us.”

“You know how I’ll die?”

“We’re Minecraft streamers, Dream. We’ll probably die at 40.” They share jokes and giggles of scenarios where they die and what they’d do, and something about it feels a bit too honest.

“I’ll die the day you die, George. Emotionally and physically.” Dream says, dramatic as ever. George only huffs, and they leave it there.

“Name three things you and your partner have in common. Dream, do you have a secret girlfriend?” They start to bicker back and forth, because of course they do.

“It doesn’t mean romantic partner, you dumbass. Like- it’s like a science partner,” Dream sighs, “Well, we do have a lot in common. We have the same job, we care about the same things, and we love each other! Easy.” Dream answers.

“Who said I loved you?”

“You literally did last night.” George had closed chat a while ago, already prepared for what was to come. He can only imagine what they’re saying.

“They’ll never believe you.” George says with a sadistic grin.

“Ugh. Okay, what are you grateful for in life? You have to answer this.” George can hear Dream get a little closer to his mic, almost anticipating George’s answer. Dream knows how much he doesn’t like to express any feelings, and probably expects him to skip the question overall. George prevails.

“You. Obviously,” and before Dream can get out an aww, George says, “You made my career, dummy, and I’m grateful for that. And my friends, family, all the normal things. Chat! I’m even grateful for chat.”

“Well, I’m incredibly grateful for you especially.” Dream’s voice is soft, almost loving. George rolls his eyes. He could’ve guessed Dream’s answer, but it weirdly hurts him when it was spoken aloud. He doesn’t know whether it hurts because it might be a fun little joke or if it’s because someone might care about him that much. George decides to stop thinking.

They answer more questions, from taking four minutes to tell each other their life stories (“There was no reason to add that detail; you’re so gross, Dream.”) to what significant quality they would want to wake up and suddenly have (“You’re already good at code shit, George. That’s the saddest answer ever.”). They move onto section two of the list, which are deeper questions.

“Is there something you’ve dreamed of doing but haven’t yet, and why haven’t you?” George asks. He knows about Dream’s unfinished projects. There’s probably a million answers to the question, and George would listen to every single one.

“Uh, well. You know I was writing a book, yeah? I was halfway done with it, and I can’t make myself finish it. It’s probably writer’s block, but I don’t think I’ll be able to do it.” George frowned.

“You can’t finish it with that attitude, silly. You’re annoyingly amazing at everything.” George says with a snort, “I don’t have an answer to this. What did you say that one time? Your future is my future? Well, your dreams are my dreams, then.”

George cringes a little at what he said. He doesn’t know his viewer count, but knows that at least a million people will watch that clip out of context. Dream doesn’t say anything back and moves on to the next question.

“What is your most treasured memory?” Dream asks, and George immediately laughs.

“I definitely know your’s.”

“Do tell, George.”

“Our first Christmas together. Sapnap insisted on getting a real Christmas tree, and when we started decorating the stupid thing, Sapnap sees a spider and screeches. Then, our neighbors come knocking on the front door and you had to explain to them that nobody was being murdered, it was just your roommate being a big baby. And as if it could get any worse, I got tree-sap all on my fingers and clothes and you couldn’t help me because you were laughing too hard.”

“Pretty sure I almost choked on my own spit.” Dream adds, and George scoffs. “But no, that’s not my treasured memory.”

George sputters. “What? You’re telling me I told that to thousands of people for nothing?”

“To be fair, you were all soft on Christmas morning, so our first Christmas might be your treasured memory. Anyways, remember the first time you helped me with a code?” George stays silent, giving Dream the answer. “Well, that was the first time we had a real conversation. I made you laugh, then I started to laugh because you laughed, and we didn’t get the code done. It sounds dumb, but I always smile whenever I think about it.”

George’s face falters a bit. God, he just wants to hug Dream; he wants to make a beeline for his room and attack him with affection and make sure he knows that George loves him, platonically or romantically, George wants him to know.

He just can’t express it with words.

“That… sweet.” George’s eyes travel down the following questions and panics, seeing how personal the questions are. He fakes a yawn. “As mushy and stupid this thing is, I’m really tired.”

Dream doesn’t say anything. It almost scares George, but he deafens on Discord and bids farewell to his viewers, who were completely freaking out. George doesn’t blame them. He’s abruptly leaving after a sweet moment? That’s a recipe for disaster, and George knows better. Yet, he clicks the end stream button.

The door to his office swings open instantly and startles George. It was Sapnap, someone he didn’t particularly want to see.

“What the fuck was that?” His roommate whisper-yells.

George groans and slides deeper into his chair, covering his face. “I don’t know,” he muffles.

“Are you even trying to hide your feelings at this point?” He can hear Sapnap close the door and flop on his office’s couch. “You might as well buy a billboard that says ‘I’m in love with my best friend! His name is Clay!’ with a big ass picture of your dumb face beside it.”

“I know,” George whines. “Do you think he knows?”

“He’s not the one I’m worried about knowing. I’ve told you a million goddamn times that he’s too whipped to notice. I’m worried about the fans. They’re gonna go fucking bonkers because of this stream. Clips are gonna be shared. People are gonna speculate.”

George uncovers his face and narrows his eyes at his friend. “Thanks for the reassurance,” he deadpans.

Sapnap rolls his eyes. “I’m being serious, dude. I know you’re very deeply in love with him in the gayest of ways, but you gotta be careful in front of the fans.”

“Oh my God. I know, Sapnap! I know. I forgot we were even streaming. It felt like it was just the two of us, and I got too comfortable. And it was so nice. I can’t even do anything about it now, so it doesn’t even matter.”

Sapnap sighs and pulls himself from the couch. “You need to talk to him before this gets out of hand. You know I love ya, and that I’m here for you.” George cringes out of habit, but nods. It reads as ‘I love you too, I guess’.

Sapnap leaves without another word, and George is left alone with his thoughts. It’s not long before he sluggishly makes his way back to his bedroom. He opens the closed door, enters, and shuts it. He turns around, only to be greeted by a familiar person in his bed, and yelps.

Dream laughs. He’s wearing blue pajama pants and a white t-shirt. His hair looks messed with, and his cheeks seem to have more color to them. George can’t help but stare.

“Well? Aren’t we gonna finish it?”

George cocks an eyebrow.

“Finish what?”

“The questions, dummy. You don’t… you don’t have to. I mean, it’s kinda stupid that I want to do it in the first place, but…” Dream trails off. George hops on his bed and grins lightly.

“Go for it.”

They answer questions they skipped, like what is your most terrible memory (“My, uh, grandma. She died when I was about 14. It was… hard on me.” “Oh, George…”).

The overhead light was off at this point, the only light coming from a lamp on his desk and the stars shining through the window. The two are on their sides, Dream on the right of the bed and George on the left, facing each other, occasionally looking at their phones to ask the questions.

“What roles do love and affection play in your life?” Dream asks, his voice softer than ever. George can almost not answer. He doesn’t know.

“I’ve never been a super affectionate person, so I don’t know. I’ll give you guys quick hugs of course, but with really close relationships, I don’t know what to do.”

Dream looks as if he’s searching for something in George’s face, and George can’t tell what he’s looking for. His movements are hesitant, George sees.

“Do- um. You wanna maybe,” Dream pauses, closes his eyes,and scrunches up his face. “Try?”

“Try what?”

“Affection.” Dream lets out a breath and opens his eyes. “Affection is my strong suit, afterall.” His mouth forms into a teasing smirk despite his eyes showing nervousness.

“Um. Take the lead.”

It’s slow. So, very slow. Dream’s hand raises up and lands itself on the dip of George’s waist. He’s whispering instructions, and George listens. His hands are hung around Dream’s neck, and their legs are starting to tangle together. They laugh when they realize how far apart they are, and Dream pulls him closer. George can feel his heart beating out of his chest as he lays his head where Dream’s right shoulder meets his neck.

“Do you want me to ask the rest of the questions, sweetheart?” It sounded like a coo, and George is surprised at how effortless the pet name comes out of Dream’s mouth.

“Was that okay?” Dream whispers after a moment of George going still. He perks up.

“Yeah! Yeah.”

“Okay.” Dream pulls George closer and rests his left hand on his back. He starts rubbing up and down in slow motions.

George simply melts.

The questions and answers go by slower, and their voices become gentler. Dream announces that they’re on section three now, and to state three true “we” statements. Dream goes first.

“We… are cuddling?”

“Obviously, idiot.” George chuckles. “We are really tired?” Dream hums.

“We meant everything we’ve said tonight.”

“We are going to mean everything we say tonight.”

“You can’t just steal my answer.”

“Just do your third one.”

“We will be ‘Dream and George’ forever.”

Forever is a long, long time. And yet, Dream’s statement is still true.

“We don’t know what is going to happen tomorrow.”

There’s a beat of silence.

“Very vague.”

“Next question, Dream.”

“Alright, alright. Complete this sentence: ‘I wish I had someone whom I could share…’”

Without a second thought, George replies, “My emotions with. Your turn.”

George swears he felt Dream squeeze him.

“My everything with. Every single little thing. Physical, metaphorical, emotional.”

“Even Patches?”

A laugh.

“Yes. Even Patches.”

“Next question.”

“Tell your partner what you like about them and be very honest.”

“Your voice. It’s like… I don’t even know how to describe it.”

“Does it get you going, George?”

“Shut up. I definitely don’t like your smart-assery.” George can feel Dream lean down into George’s shoulder and smile. “I like how you act around people. It’s always different depending on the person. Different with me.”

“I like how you act around people too. You’re almost always bubbly, even though you like to say you aren’t. And, God, your laugh. It’s so overwhelming, but in the best way possible. You have no idea how many times I’ve said the stupidest shit just to hear your little laugh.” George digs his head deeper into Dream’s shoulder. “I also… really like it when you say my name. My real name.”

George raises slightly, gaining the tiniest bit of confidence. “Clay?”

“Yeah. Yeah, that.”

“Clay,” George whispers.

“George.” Dream sounds weak. So, very weak. George gets closer to his ear.

“Clay.”

George can’t tell if he’s joking.

“You’re gonna kill me, George.”

George’s lips brush against the outer of Dream’s ear, and his friend shivers. He decides this isn’t a joke anymore. He thinks the invisible line they had drawn in the sand many years ago has been kicked and stomped on to the point where neither of them remembers the line being there. George goes further.

“Clay, Clay, Clay,” George is still whispering, slowly brushing his lips across Dream’s jaw, and the hands around his waist get the littlest bit tighter.

George finally raises his head to meet Dream, who was a mess. His cheeks are glowing and his eyes are almost bloodshot. His breath is labored and his hands are shaky.

“Calm down, love.” George whispers and raises his right hand to meet Dream’s cheek, who leans into the touch.

“Kiss me.” Dream begs quietly, as if saying anything louder would shatter the moment in little pieces.

An adrenaline rush fills George’s veins. “Anything you want,” he says, and closes the gap.

The kiss is soft. Dream is maneuvering their bodies to be more comfortable, meaning George is pulled on top of Dream. Their lips didn’t part once.

They move together in harmony, both in the kiss and their bodies, putting everything they got into it. It was unsaid feelings and years and years of thoughts, and George felt every single one of them. George is straddling Dream’s middle and Dream is leaning up to meet George’s touch. His hands are rubbing up and down and squeezing George’s hips and George’s hands find their way into Dream’s hair. It’s perfect and imperfect and everything George has been waiting for, yearning for.

They part, and Dream pushes their foreheads together. George assumes they look dumb, but how could he care in this moment?

“Beautiful. You’re beautiful.” Dream says, his breath tickling George’s mouth. He lets out a breath and breaks out into a smile. His hands start brushing through Dream’s hair and George backs away to get a good look. Dream is staring back.

George lunges forward and wraps his arms around Dream’s neck, sending him flat on the bed with an “oof”.

“Jesus Christ, George. A warning would be nice.”

“I love you. I-love-you-I-love-you-I-love-you-I-love-you-I-love-you-I-love-you-” George couldn’t get enough of saying it. George’s dam cracked when Dream held him and fucking exploded when they kissed. He doesn’t have to hold back anymore, so he doesn’t.

“Slow down, baby.” Dream says through a chuckle. He makes George lean up with tans hands on pale cheeks and a lot of eye contact. “I love you, too.”

George’s breathing slows down to a normal, less-adrenaline-filled pace, and Dream kisses him again. George forces his head back up.

“What does this mean for us?”

“Isn’t it a little obvious?”

“Not really.”

“Boyfriends, George. We’re dating now.”

“How do you know I wanted to even be your boyfriend.” George narrows his eyebrows in faux-suspicion.

Dream’s stare is blank. “I mean. You’re- well- you know, um-”

George dismisses this shortly and confirms, “I want to be your boyfriend.”

Dream sighs in relief. “You’re such an idiot.”

“Yeah. Whatever.” George slides off Dream’s waist and lays facing him. Dream turns as well. “Was that question the last question?”

“No, actually. There were a few left.” Dream blinks, then muses, “Guess we didn’t need 36 questions after all.”

“That was the cheesiest thing you’ve ever said and I hate you for it.”

“You wound me, George. You wound me.”

George makes up for it by letting himself be engulfed in Dream’s embrace, and feels tiny kisses on the top of his head. George nuzzles closer.

Yeah, everything was going to be fine.

[still-a-morosexual-help]

OBEY ME! LESSON 59 DETAILED SUMMARY + DISCUSSION/THEORIES

*I wrote this days after the lesson was first posted and never bothered to go back and edit it so meaning there will be me theorizing about the next lesson as well

*I write a small para for each chapter and I write it immediately after finishing that chapter so there’ll be theorizing about the next chapter too

*I swear more than usual here

*Some of the dialogue is heavily plagiarized and a few is lifted directly from the story, the game is to figure which is which.

*Summaries and Discussions/theories for all the other lessons can be found on this blog under #obey me spoilers or #my theories or #my headcanons

There’s spoilers for The Arcana down there too in the 6th para…. Don’t ask me how or why it just happened

Asmo greets them in the morning and they have normal breakfast/early morning talk sprinkled in with things like how great the waffle maker is and ‘get a cuppa coffee yourself it’s just a button on the espresso machine’ and ‘remember when Satan thought the Roomba was a vehicle was cats?’. Satan blushes and says he meant it can ALSO be used as a cat vehicle but Levi says they all know that’s BS. Lucifer already looking tired tells Levi to sit down and eat and that Beel’s got whipped cream around his mouth. MC, now power crazy after becoming a legit sorcerer, uses their magic to make a napkin float and wipe Beel’s mouth. Beel blushes and thanks them. Belphie says it’s impressive that they don’t need to recite an incantation to use simpler magic. Mammon comes down half asleep and yawning and nearly trips over the cat’s vehicle when MC uses wordless magic to create a gust of him to pick him up and drop him on the couch. Lucifer praises them for it and Mammon snaps at them to be gentler next time they do something similar. Belphie asks if getting the full seal means anything has changed in MC’s magic and they say they can use more spells in this world now. Mammon says ‘cool just don’t use it to send me flying about again’. Beel asks if they can use summoning magic. Satan says it’s not the type of thing novices can do and even though Solomon will teach it to them now it’ll take a lot of practice. Lucifer tells them to start practicing soon and Asmo remembers the rest of them will be leaving soon (ugh I knew this was coming but I still hate it). Mammon asks if they really have to go back. If they can’t stay here longer and call it a homestay. Beel and Levi agree saying there’s more food/anime events here they want to experience. Lucifer tells them all to quiet down and eat breakfast, MC’s quiet an contemplates having to say goodbye again soon.

In Levi’s room he’s playing Devil Crossing and gushing over it. Asmo says he doesn’t get the game at all and Levi (kinda) explains why it’s so great. Satan asks Crowe to play the theme for “Another Purrrfect Day for Kitties in the Devildom” at max volume. Levi asks if Satan did that to be mean and he says the two of them were being so loud he couldn’t read his book, Levi tells him to go read in his room then. Beel tells Crowe he’s hungry and they say they’ll send a snack recipe to his DDD, Beel says forget snack and to send him one for a huge amount of food. Levi scolds him for ordering crowe around when they belong to him and Asmo says he thinks they should ask Barbatos to connect this house and the HoL together via portals so that they could visit whenever, and that it’d be the best example for friendly relations between their worlds. MC says they don’t know if Diavolo would agree and Levi agrees with them. Belphie says when Diavolo talks about peace and harmony between the three worlds he doesn’t think he means visiting the human world whenever. And Levi agrees with that. Asmo asks what makes them so sure and that they’re no fun at all. Satan says the two angels will probably stay here for longer. Asmo asks why angels et to stay and they don’t. Beel asks why they were sent down to the human world in the first place. Belphie says probably for the same reason they were sent to the Devilom – to learn about the world. Mammon comes to the door asking if MC’s there and they reply, he asks if they all never get sick of gaming (isn’t he the one who has weekly gaming nights with Levi, MC and sometimes Beel?). He tells MC they need to go to the angel’s halo asap cause Lucifer needs to deliver something to Barbatos. Belphie says that Lucifer probably told Mammon to do it and he’s heaping it on MC. Mammon tells him to stay quiet, that he’s busy and MC’s free. They don’t get much of a choice but I like to think they put up some token protest.

On the way they run into Diavolo and ask him where’s headed. He says he’s on the way back from the market. He asks where they’re going and when they reply he says he’ll join them as he’s craving Simeon’s coffee. They tell him that they heard about them all having to head home soon, he says he wants to stay longer but the new term at RAD is starting. He says they don’t need to feel sad though cause as a sorcerer all they need to do is learn summoning magic. He laughs and says that he’s never heard of a sorcerer summoning demons to their side just to hang out though. He says he knows Solomon can be a drill sergeant but he knows MC can do it and to hang in there. MC says that’s cool and all but I want to meet up with you too. He thanks them for saying that and says he feels the same and is sad that they won’t be able to see each other but without a pact between them they can’t summon him. And MC who has bigger balls than I could ever imagine having, whose bluntness gives me anxiety irl says cool so let’s forge a pact (WHEEZEEEE. You can’t just say that!? He’s the ruler of an entire dimension he can’t be under your control you dumbfuck I’m- Pls stop saying the first thing that comes to your mind! That moment in S2 where Diavolo and Solomon were acting all secretive and shady and MC just goes up to Solomon and says I wanna know the secret too still gives me anxiety. Fucking stop have some subtlety pls) And they don’t even ask it as a question? They just say “I’d like to forge a pact with you.” Ugh. I love MC but I could never be them. Diavolo, as expected, is stunned and speechless. He then bursts out laughing and later apologizes for it saying he didn’t mean to laugh and it just took him by surprise cause not even Solomon has had the guts to ask him that (You just know if the demon king was up and active MC’d just walk up to him and demand a pact too). And that he is happy they said that. He then gets serious and says he can’t cause as the future demon king he has his position to think of (Do you think the demon king will ever wake up? Or pass away? I mean Diavolo’s already doing his job I feel like this is something that can’t stay stagnant in the long run. And the demon king waking up would be an interesting storyline cause he’d technically outrank Diavolo but it was Diavolo who called the truce with the Celestial Realm so the last he knew the Devildom was still stuck in a war with the Celestial Realm, Lucifer and his brothers were still angels and humans were probably still on the menu…) Diavolo says though they can’t forge a pact he’ll always be there when they needed him and tells them not to forget that.  They can then hold his hand or put their arm through his. If they hold hands he asks if they can hold hands the rest of the way to the café and if they don’t mind that it feels a bit like a date. If they link arms he blushes and ask if they could slow down a bit cause it’s nice to walk through town together.

Luke and Simeon greet them at the café. Barbatos is surprised to see Diavolo but thanks MC for the delivery. After Simeon brings the coffee he’s told about the start of the new term at RAD. Luke is surprised that Lucifer and the brothers are leaving and asks if this means Diavolo will be going too, Diavolo says that as sad as it is they will have to. Luke looks really sad and says “…oh…” and says he hoped at least he’d be able to stay longer. This initially shocks Diavolo before he says he wishes so too but that in addition to the new term he has lots of personal business to take care of as well. Luke then asks if Barbatos will be leaving too. He says his place is at Diavolo’s side and he must follow him wherever he goes. Luke seems even more upset and doesn’t reply. Simeon says he understands that Luke is upset but if he keeps looking that sad it’ll only make it harder for everyone else. Luke blushes and says he’s not sad and that all he was thinking about was how boring it’d be without all of them around causing trouble. MC asks if the two angels will still be there. Simeon says they will be able to still each other and Luke cheers, Simeon then says it’ll still be sad that they won’t be able to see everyone whenever they want to, Luke blushes and insist he’s not sad. MC suggests throwing a farewell party. Diavolo thinks it’s a great idea and Simeon suggests calling it a ‘till we meet again party’ saying it has a nicer ring to it. (I really really love how far they’ve all come since S1, that they’ve all made this mix and match chaotic friend group and that they’re all really sad that they won’t be able to hang out as a group anymore). Diavolo becomes very excited about doing “the thing”, “the thing?” asks Luke, “ah the thing…” says Barbatos. Simeon’s surprised that Barbatos can actually understand Diavolo and Barbatos says it’s because they’ve known each other for so long. Luke says being a butler is like having superpowers.

On the way home MC runs into Solomon, they ask him where he’s heading, he’s says he’s heading over to the café for a cuppa. He asks if something good happened to them, and then specifies and says he’s not using some sorcerer’s clairvoyance to see that cause their expression is telegraphs it. They tell him about the party and he says it sounds fun. He then tells them he’s been thinking about where they go from here and how to improve as a sorcerer they’ll need training, and he asks what sort of magic they’d like to specialize in, in the future. A.) Summoning magic – he says that makes sense cause it was why they wanted to become his apprentice/a sorcerer in the first place. B.) Healing magic (which MC used once in S2 without even having to be taught after observing Satan doing it just once – given their protective nature I’d think they’d be good at it) – He says that sounds like something they’d want to learn. C.) Badass attack spells (which they used against Diavolo’s kidnapper) – He says he’d be happy to teach them but asks he exactly they’re planning to fight (the way in S1 the answer would have genuinely been Lucifer is so funny to me for some reason). He says as a novice there’s a lot they need to learn about the magical arts and not just the spells but its history and origin in the three worlds. He says in order to master the stronger spells you need to understand its origin and relevant background. And that it might not be a bad idea to go back to RAD to study these things (the way my hopes soared at this, the way I got giddy imagining starting S4 already in the Devildom after MC leaves at the end of S3), then Solomon gets sad saying if they’re around the brothers he’d get to spend less time with them (BRO leave aside your jealousy and do what’s right for your student! If they need to be around 7pretty boys who just so happen to be in love with them, to study then that’s what needs to be done, I have no biases here I swear!) MC says they’ll do whatever he thinks is best (or they can say that he’s special to them and no one else will make them feel what he does). He’s surprised that they’d leave the decision up to him and says he’ll give it more thought and choose what’s best for them. He then hands them a ring. He says it’s a sorcerer’s ring and that cause they have the ring of light protecting them (aka stopping them from going super nova and destroying all three worlds) they don’t technically need another talisman but he wants to give this to them. They thank him (or they ask if it’s okay if they kiss him). He says they ‘re welcome and says that as his student and his apprentice they deserve nothing less and that they’re important to him (wonder if S4 will give insight to his first apprentice). He says there’s still so much he has to teach them and that he’s looking forward to it and that he’s happy to have them at his side.

Even from outside the manor MC can hear Levi and Mammon arguing. Mammon’s apparently got a part-time job in the human world and yesterday for payday and Levi wants his money back (and okay this is a question I’ve always had…where does Levi get his money from?????? As far as ik Mammon’s the only one with a stable part-time job but Levi always seems to have so much money? Not only is he able to spend a lot on akuzon but he always has money to spare for Mammon??? Where the fuck is he getting it from? Also does Diavolo pay Lucifer?) Mammon says he already spent it all and Levi says he wishes he would keel over and die, Mammon tells him to shut up and show his older brother some respect, Mammon tries to run away and Levi summons Lotan right as MC steps inside (Do you think Lotan ever gets tired of being summoned into small cramped spaces for no reason?) Mammon screams and asks why kinda idiot summons a sea monster inside a house, Levi screams at MC to watch out as (guessing by the noise) MC’s swept back outside the house by a tidal wave. In the bathroom, Levi’s sobbing and apologizing to MC, he says he was so pissed at Mammon he lost his cool, MC asks if they should be fighting like that as brothers, and he says they weren’t “fighting” fighting and the way I’ve said this same thing multiple times to my mother as a kid/teenager is…. Levi then says Mammon’s the worst cause he keeps buying things through crowe without asking Levi, he says that no matter how many times he changes his password Mammon keeps guessing it, MC tells him to stop using TSL passwords, he’s surprised that they figured it out as well (I mean…) He suggests they combine a word to make his new password -  something related to a special date or time and they spend more time in the bathroom bouncing words off each other until they come up with the perfect one. Levi blushes and says it feels special to have a password only the two of them know. IF you tell him it’s cause their relationship is special he asks them to keep telling him that he’s different from the others so that he’ll feel less anxious and that he wishes he could stay with them forever and that they could be a family and MC asks if he’s proposing to them and that’s when I screamed HOLY SHIT and noped outta there because HOLY SHIT!!!??? S2 the last two lessons was MC going around collecting special items from the brothers, is S3 gonna be them going around tryinta have a shotgun wedding with one of them so that they don’t have to stay in the human realm??? God MC’s so fucking proactive I could never. Remember early in S2 when MC told Mammon things would be easier if he just admitted to being in love with them!??? It’s the same with The Arcana and Last Legacy MC’s too??? Last Legacy’s MC is such a fucking little shit I actually prefer them over the LIs but the way they’re so forward scared me like YES she’s super pretty but she’s also holding a sword to your throat should you really be flirting with her rn!? And The Arcana’s MC is on a whole other level (specifically in Julian’s route) like this is the second time you’re meeting him why the FUCK are you trying to strip search him on your doorstep in broad daylight WHILE he’s wanted for a murder YOU were hired to investigate!? Or better yet this is just the third time you’re meeting him why the fuck are you pinning him to a wall and pressing your palm into his open wound on the off chance he turns out to be a masochist!?? Actually wait. MC had known Julian for possibly years and worked closely with him for sometime before shit went down and they both lost their memories of each other, but after meeting again even without memories they both realized the other was familiar to them so do you think it’s possible some deep unconscious part of MC that already knew it sparked the strong hunch in MC that Julian was a masochist??? BACK TO OM! MC can also say it’s all in levi’s head (a little too harsh for my taste but whatever) Levi says he’s lost his happy moment - crushed into teeny tiny pieces and that of course he’s the only one that feels like it’s special. He sniffles. (CAN’T WE SAY IT’S SPECIAL IN A FRIEND WAY!?)

In the kitchen Beel is trying to get Belphie to eat celery by offering to juice it and mix it with other stuff so you can’t taste it (I’ve never had celery but someone said it was like water but crunchy which doesn’t sound that bad?) MC asks what they’re up to, they’re using the juicer to make juice and are trying to decide what to add to it. Belphie says they’re making fresh fruit juice and want something a little extra and ask MC what they think should be added. “Celery,” says MC. Because they’re a shithead and I like to think this is revenge for that one time in S1…y’know what I’m talking about. Beel likes the juice, Belphie says he cans still taste the celery >:) Despite only making juice the kitchen’s an absolute mess and they’re all about to clean it before Lucifer sees when Belphie hears the ice cream truck. Belphie says he’s never bought anything from the ice cream truck before and Beel says he can go check it out and when Belphie brings up cleaning the kitchen Beel volunteers MC and himself to do it (y’know MC should really start putting their foot down) Once Belphie runs after the truck Beel says that Belphie being unable to stop himself from checking out something fun has never changed. Beel asks if they want the remaining fruit. They can ask him to feed it to them or say he can have it. After the second option he eats it before they can even get their whole answer out. He then gets sad about how after he leaves they won’t be able to do stuff like this again. He asks if there’s something they can do so that they can stay this way together. (MC can ask to take their relationship to the next level) MC says they can be made part of the family leaving whatever that means up to Beel’s interpretation (watch Beel go up to Lucifer and ask him to sign the adoption papers of a fully grown adult human being). He agrees that this could work and says while he already thinks of them as family that alone wouldn’t be enough to make it official. And says they should ask Belphie and that together the three of them will have to think of something. He says eventually they’ll think of a good way to keep them all together forever. He then tells them he’ll put the dirty towels in the laundry room and that he’ll catch up with them and Belphie later.

Outside Belphie hands them one of three ice creams and says they should head to the pool, they ask about Beel and Belphie says he’ll just follow the smell of ice cream (does ice cream have a smell? Like even a faint one? I mean it must right?) Belphie says that the twins also have a way of always knowing where the other is because they know each other the best, he says though it’s fainter he’s also sort of able to tell where the other 5 are and what they’re doing. And recently it’s become the same with MC as it is with the others. MC asks if it’s because they’re all family. He laughs and says that’s probably it. Before amending it and saying he’s sure that’s the reason. Belphie says that the brothers – Specially Mammon and after Belphie pauses to give it some thought, Asmo – would be thrilled about MC officially becoming family. MC – cheeky lil shit that they are – asks if only his brothers would be happy. He tells them of course he’d be happy and he asks them if they want a bite of his ice cream (they can ask to be fed it), they tell him no, it’s okay. He asks if they don’t like the flavour and then Beel shows up. Belphie says, “see when you’re family, you just know.” And When Beel asks what they’re talking about he smiles and says nothing.

So that’s the semi last lesson and then we’re done and each time they have to get separated again I feel so emotional but this time I feel like S3 really set up S4 with all this talk about the angels and Lucifer and Simeon’s worst fear and Simeon’s backstory and Simeon and Luke’s purpose in the human world, and possibly Solomon’s backstory too and maybe even Barbatos and just ugh I’m so excited for season 4 and the last lesson of S3 hasn’t even been released yet???

[give-baek-my-love]

Second Chances

Summary: “Tell me you want me. Tell me I’m not crazy for thinking that you want this too.” 

Pairing: chef!jin x waiter!oc

Word Count: 8.053k

Warnings: mentions of infidelity and sex, asshole ex boyfriend acting as a prick, fluffy with a sprinkle of angst because apparently whenever I write about Jin I always see him as such a fluffy and sweet boy

Note: I haven’t edited the text yet, but I wanted to post it as soon as possible! I will fix any errors in the next few days. ❤️

You had just graduated form culinary school when you met him. Kim Seokjin. You were the newbie in the noddle restaurant that he and his brother owned. While his brother mainly managed the finance part in the restaurant as well as the waiters and waitresses, Jin was in charge of creating new recipes and managed the kitchen staff members. As the newbie, you took the very bottom spot on the hierarchy of roles the staff members played. If the chefs needed a second hand, someone to cut more ingredients, you were the one to call. If the waiters needed an extra hand, you were the first one that they called. If the washrooms needed cleaning, but the cleaning staff were busy washing dishes, you were always the first to be called. The beginning was always chaotic and hectic, but you understood that everyone has to start somewhere in their career, and this was just your beginning.

He worked in the kitchen during most of the day shift, but worked in the front of the restaurant during during the night when there were most customers. He was a good talker. Very well mannered. Sometimes even made lame dad jokes when the restaurant wasn’t too busy. If you were being complexly honest, ever since the very first moment that you saw him walking out of the kitchen as you took your first steps into the restaurant as a new staff member, you were immediately attracted to him. You took every part of him in. His tall stature. His wide shoulders. His plumped lips. His beautiful, almost painfully beautiful face. You took it all in, amazed by how someone could look like that. Even though the two of you rarely talked, whenever he caught your gaze, which you did way too often to admit, you found your cheeks heating up from getting caught. He tend to have that kind fo effect on you. One minute you’re fine, but then the next, right when he looked at you, you were a goner. Your mind would go blank, and the blush on your cheeks would give away how you truly felt about him.

As oppose to you, he never paid much effort to you, or attempted to talk to you. You didn’t expect him to anyways, because you were still a new member at the restaurant, and which customers constantly coming in and out, there was rarely a time to talk to him, let alone for him to talk to you. The timing was just never right. Whenever you were called to help in the kitchen, he worked out front, and vice versa. However, whenever you had a mistake and anger a customer, which was quite often at the very beginning of your career, Jin or his brother would always be there to defend you. Jin’s brother defending you was a request that Jin himself made, although this would be something that you will never find out about.

Three months after you started working at the restaurant, you made a lot less of your previous mistakes and even became much closer to a lot of the staff, many of them joking around and treating you like you were their little sister. But even three months after your eyes first laid on his perfect face, he never spoke a single word to you directly besides a simple greeting during the morning, and a farewell when you left your shift at night. That is not until one hot summer afternoon, when your ex-boyfriend, James, came into the restaurant asking for a table for two. Beside him was a who had her arms linked in his, as the latter tapped his foot on the ground, waiting impatiently for an empty table. Luckily, you were called to help in the kitchen earlier, so you didn’t actually have to face him. It had been over four months since you last saw him with the exact same girl who was now clinging onto his arm beside him in bed at his apartment. 

You still remember that day very clearly. You had just gotten home from a long day of school, after six hours straight of lectures, you were dying to see your boyfriend of two years and hope that he could cheer you up. He had been distant lately, and you were worried that he thought you were neglecting him because of your busy schedule, but the moment that you saw him and the girl panting while they were in the midst of pleasuring each other, you were obviously wrong. He clearly didn’t care about how busy you were, because he was just as busy himself, but rather than with school, he was busy with someone else. 

You left that day, without him even realizing because you couldn’t find the courage in you to face him and talk about it. You simply broke up with him over text message, not caring if he had anything to say, because before he even had the chance to text back, or call, you had blocked him off of every social media account that you had and even blocked his phone number, so he would never be able to reach you. 

For the remaining weeks until your last year in school, you had sure to go to school early and leave to go home right after classes were over, so that you would never run into him. Even on graduation day, you lied to your parents and said that you weren’t feeling well so that you couldn’t have to attend and face him. He was also part of the reason why you decided to move away from your hometown and moved to another city even trying your phone number, just so that you would never have to see him again because being betrayed is the worst feeling that you had ever felt and you never wanted to be confronted by the boy who had taught you what betrayal feels like.

However, luck wasn’t on your side that day. Even if you ran off and moved to another city, your past still came to haunt you. What made things even more complicated was you were asked to helped out front at the restaurant because there were a lot of customers and not enough staff to tend to them. What made things worse was that you were specifically told to escort James and the girl to their table. Fuck. As much as it bothered you, you still had to do your job, so you gave your best smile and greeted them, to which at first when James caught your eyes, he looked stunned but soon he looked amused and smirked at you.

“Hello Y/N. Long time no see.” He snickered as you gestured them to their designated table.

“Hi.” You shortly greeted, trying your best not to snarl at him. To control your emotions, you shifted your attention towards the girl, who although you despised for the role that she played in your break up, James was the one to blame.

You left the two with menus gave them two cold cups of water before turning around to give them some time to look over the menu. But before you could leave, James called out and said that he wanted a hot cup of tea instead. Asshole. You knew that he never drank hot beverages, and how much he despised drinking tea, so clearly he was just messing with you, but even so, you remained composed and went back into the kitchen to pour a cup of hot tea. While you were busy with your own thoughts, Jin, who was in the kitchen tasting the soup base watched you carefully. He noticed how upset you seemed. How your eyebrows furrowed like as if something was bothering you. You looked stiff. Something was clearly upsetting you, but he didn’t know if it was appropriate to ask you, since he didn’t hear anything about a customer’s complaint. As you walked out of the kitchen with the hot cup of tea, he followed quietly behind you and stayed by the doorframe leading to the kitchen, and watched at you approached a seated couple with the hot beverage.

Jin watched as you stood by the couple, observing the male drink the tea, before his face turned into disgust and said that he changed his mind and wanted a cup of cold water instead.

“Of course.” You said, still trying to stay as unfazed as possible.

As you walked towards the kitchen, you noticed that Jin stood by the doorframe by the front of the kitchen. He had his arms crossed on his chest, while he stared at you with a frown on his face. For a second, you granted yourself the time to wonder why he was looking at you with such displease on his face, but you quickly reminded yourself that you had a job to do, and worried that spending too much time getting James’ drink would only bother him more allowing him to cause more of a ruckus. So you walked around him and poured a new glass of cold water, before heading back to James’ table with the drink. Never once did Jin take his eyes off you, not even when you headed back to the couple’s table.

James sipped his drink, and finally seemed satisfied as the girl in front of him watched you and your ex-boyfriend exchange glances. You were about to ask them if they were ready to order when James beat you and said,

“So you left me, didn’t come to graduation and even moved to another city just to become a minimum waged waitress?”

Embarrassed. That’s exactly how you felt. You bowed your head, unable to say anything. You wanted to walk away and ask another staff to take care of James’ table, but you were too embarrassed to look around and see how many people were looking at you.

When you don’t say anything, James continues with his mockery and snickered,

“She went to culinary school and was even the most one in the class, and look where she is. A waitress in a small restaurant.”

Fuck you. Oh how you wanted to slap the smirk on his face and give him a piece of your own mind, but you knew better than to cause a scene.

“I’ll go get you a new waiter, I think that will make us all more comfortable.” You said, staring directly into James’ eyes and smiled, making sure that he knew that no matter what he said, you would never act as low as he’s doing right now. You took James’ shrug as an agreement and turned around to wave a staff member over, but before you could, Jin was walking towards you with a frown on his face.

“I’m sorry but I’m going to have to ask you and your guest to leave.” Jin said gestured towards James as he was speaking.

“Excuse me?”

“You’re clearly causing a scene and you’re making it very uncomfortable for our other customers. Like you said, we are simply a small restaurant who are hoping to give our customers the best restaurant experience, but unfortunately the scene that you are causing is making not only the customer around you, but also our beloved staff members, who have been very accommodating to your needs very uncomfortable. So I kindly ask that you and your guest leave now. Or I will call for the police if that becomes necessary.”

All eyes were now on Jin. Not only was his appearance enough to make others admire him, but seeing how civilized and calm in this situation for sure made me at least ten times more attractive than he already was. Or at least that how you felt in your case. If you were to react in this situation, you would have to hold yourself back from screaming at James, telling him how you knew about his cheating.

James was about to refuse and claim that customers are alright ‘right’ and how everyone had a right to freedom of speech, but when he noticed how all the customers around him were glaring at him, he knew it would be impossible to continue this meal without someone cussing out and glaring at him.

Without much of another word, James quickly walked out of the restaurant while the girl hurried and tried to catch up to him.

“Let’s go talk.” He said to you and he lead you to follow him into the kitchen before heading outside.

Once the two of you headed outside from the back of the kitchen, you took a seat at a bench next to the door, while Jin leaned against the doorframe with his hands in his back pockets.

This would have been the first time since the three months you’ve started working at the restaurant that the two of you were left alone and conversing with each other about something other than work related. Unlike most times when you are around him, you are much less nervous around him this time, rather you were embarrassed that he saw and heard the whole commotion. It was one thing to talk to your ex boyfriend, but it was a totally different and most more conflicting of a situation to have the commotion happen in front of someone that you had a crush on. It was a simple crush, but nonetheless, it was mortifying embarrassing.

“Are you okay?” He asked as you started retreating back to the kitchen where the other staff members were taking turns asking if you were okay. Some customers were doing the same as well.

You nodded and thanked him for helping you out.

“You really didn’t need to.”

“Even if I didn’t know you, I would have stood up for you. I would have stood up for anyone in that situation. No one should be treated like that.”

You laughed slightly, not because you found it funny, but because you felt nervous, vulnerable, to talk about James to Jin.

“He was very nice and sweet in the beginning. He did anything for me then to make me happy…”

The two of you then fell into an awkward silence. You wondered if he stopped talking because you had burdened him with too much of your past. You picked anxiously at your fingers, debating on wether you should think of what to say next, or just excuse yourself and head back to work. But before you could make up your mind, Jin sat down next to you on the bench and turned attentively towards you, meeting your stare.

“Never give excuses to cheaters.”

There was a sort of bitterness in his voice, but as you looked at him, he remained calm. Seemingly unbothered. You wondered if perhaps you had heard wrong.

“Never take anyone’s negative comments to heart Y/N, especially if they don’t truly know you.”

Smiling at him, you thanked him for his advice and walked back into the restaurant, not noticing how Jin’s gaze lingered on you as you walked away.

From that day on, something between the two of you changed. You noticed how he started to talk to you more. You greeted him more often with a more friendly tone to which he would also reciprocate, and you started catching his gaze on you more and more often, but whenever you met his gaze, you were amused to see him fumble a little and shift his gaze elsewhere before walking away. Sometimes he would even ask you to go to the kitchen and try his new recipe. For two months all the staff members, even his friends when they came by for a meal, sometimes even his parents who came to visit and help out in the restaurant watched the two fo you dance nervously around each other, exchanging shy smiles and hesitating to talk to the other person.

-

“You should ask him on a date.” Suzy, a staff member that you were growing close to giggled, when she witnessed the stare that you and Jin shared just seconds ago, lingering on each other, as he entered the restaurant with groceries and headed into the kitchen.

“I’ve never actually asked someone out before...” You fumbled with the cloth and cup in your hand. Suzy and you were in charge of drying the washed dishes during the afternoon break when Jin walked in.

“So? Try it out. I doubt he’ll say no. We’ve all seen how he looks at you. Please don’t torturing each other and just ask him out. Please save us all from the agony of watching the two of you dance around each other.” She laughed.

You hesitantly agreed, but still said yes nonetheless. You had to agree that two months of hesitating around each other was more than enough. If he didn’t have any interest in you then he would have either changed how he was acting around you, or he would tell you if you were making him uncomfortable.

You nervously waited until Jin was done unloading all the groceries from the truck and walked into the kitchen where all the other chefs were out of sight, noting that this was the perfect time to talk to him. While Jin crouched down in front of the opened refrigerator to put some of the food in it, you stood by him and greeted him.

“Oh hey” He smiled the moment he saw you.

“Are you busy tomorrow night?” You asked, nervously placing putting your hands together behind your back so that he would notice that you were nervously picking on your fingers.

He noticed how you couldn’t look at his face, and instantly knew that you were trying to ask him on some sort of date, or at least that was what you were hoping for. The thought instantly felt the corners of his mouth go up, but he had to bite his lips to stop himself from smiling like an idiot.

“No why?” He asked as he got up and closed the refrigerator, thinking that he could wait a little longer before he finished unloading the groceries into the fridge.

“I… Um… It’s nothing really. I was just wondering if you wanted to… Um. Go on a sort of coffee date with me, and then maybe if you want, I can take you to one of my favourite parks in the city that oversees a river. It looks really pretty during the night time. I mean you don’t have to, and if you don’t want to I get -“

“No. Let’s do it. Tomorrow night.” He chuckled.

Shocked. Would have been an understatement. You were amazed by how willing he sounded, relieved even. But that might have just been your own wishful thinking.

That night, you tossed and turned tirelessly in bed as your heart pounded, anticipating what is to come for tomorrow’s date.

-

One the day of the day, right before the morning shift ended after lunch hours, a girl, very pretty you must admit, came into the restaurant and when you were about to escort her to an empty table, she asked to talk to the head chef, specifically, she asked for Jin. You turned to the other staff members, hoping to find Jin’s brother, but he was no where to be seen and none of the other staff seemed to know what to do.

Before agreeing, you asked her why she wanted to see Jin, and her answer was simple and seemed appropriate. She said that she was an old friend of Jin who just got back in town and wanted to see an old friend. So you agreed and walked into the kitchen to see Jin and another chef discussing something about changing up an item on the menu. When he saw you walk in, he greeted you with a wide smile to which you reciprocated before telling him that there was someone out front that wanted to talk to him.

He walked out he stopped immediately when he saw the mysterious girl standing by the front door giving him a wave and a little giggle. He stopped so suddenly that you bumped right into his back, and embarrassingly apologized. When he didn’t move, you moved towards his side and just like the other staff members, watched as he froze and kept staring at the girl, never reciprocating her smile. It didn’t make any sense. Why was he so stunned? Because she was pretty?

When he seemed like he finally came to his senses, he turned specifically to you, and said that he was going to go out but will be back within ten minutes, and if he didn’t show up by then, you were asked to call him. You agreed of course, but you wondered why he had the set to set out only ten minutes to talk to her, as if staying any longer with her would be a mistake or become an issue. Without another word, he left the restaurant with the girl following behind him after thanking you for helping. Something in you left a sick feeling, as if you shouldn’t have told him to come out in the first place.

During the ten minutes that Jin was gone, you fumbled a bit with orders because you were distracted, something that you haven’t done in a while, but when he didn’t show up after ten minutes, you waited another minute, than another, until five whole minutes had passed. You finally picked up your cell phone and called him.

The phone rung a new times because he quietly answered and said that he will be on his way. When be came back alone however, he didn’t pay anyone any attention, not even you, he just had his head down the whole way from the front door and into the kitchen. Everyone stared at his brother, who looked nervously at his younger sibling, an expression that he had on his face that moment that he came back to the restaurant and found out that his brother had left with a girl. His brother looked like he knew something about this mysterious girl, but you didn’t dare ask him about it, it seemed too personal.

When it came timer or the midday break, the restaurant was closed off for three hours, this was usually the time for everyone to prep for the dinner round or for the staff to take break. You usually spent this break either taking a nap or riding a book. Today however, during break time Jin finally came out of the kitchen and asked to talk to you privately, to which the other staff members teased and snickered, but something in you told you that the look on his face meant something bad was about to happen.

Jin walked out of the restaurant from the front door to an empty bench near the restaurant, but far from the eyes of the other staff.

“I’m sorry I have to cancel our date tonight.” He quietly said as he stared down at his hands unable to look at you. You weren’t surprise to be honest, especially after the look on his face when he came back. But still you pushed for an answer as to why he wanted to cancel. He simply said that he wasn’t feeling well and needed to go home right after work. You knew that it wasn’t the truth, but this time you didn’t press further, just in case his real answer would hurt more.

“Let’s do another day.” He said more cheerfully this time, hoping that he sounded more like himself, but you saw right through his act.

“Right.” You curtly said, before you got up and walked back into he restaurant without looking back to see if he was following you, and you especially did not see how hurt he looked when you walked away, looking so cold at him for the first time sense he’s met you.

That night you went home and your mind wandered to the endless reasons as to why he cancelled last minute. Was he never interested in you in the first place? Did he simply say yes just so you wouldn’t feel rejected? Did it say yes to ease himself to not feel as bad because he at least accepted your offer? Did any of this have to do with his meeting with that girl?

That next day at work, Jin didn’t show up for the morning shift, after which you expected that he wouldn’t show up for the rest of the day. But to your surprise, and to the others, even his brother, Jin showed up for work again during the midday break, but this time he showed up with the same girl from yesterday, this time when her arms happily linked in his.

It all made sense now, Jin cancelled the date to meet this girl and it probably had something to do with what they talked about yesterday. I can’t believe that I literally gave him away. She took a seat at an empty table and carelessly flipped through the men which one of her elbows brought up to the table to support her hand. Although you hated doing it, you silently scanned over her body from head to toe and started comparing yourself to her. She had longer black hair than you that flowed freely down her shoulders while your hair was tightly tied back to prevent it from getting in the way at work. She had very natural and light makeup on her face, every touch of makeup on her face did nothing but compliment her natural features. Her long legs caught your eyes. They were long, lean and looked perfect in the miniskirt that she was wearing. You bowed your head, staring at your feed, hating how less confident you the more you ok in her appearance.

“Don’t do that.” You heard him before you saw him.

Jin was standing behind you, so close that you could now smell the faint scent of his cologne. You were standing by the doorframe in the kitchen and since he was behind you, not one from outside the kitchen could see him. To everyone else, you were just leaving by the doorframe while the other staff were either pretending to work while staring at her, who seemed completely oblivious of all the attention she was getting, or. The others were actually working not giving her a second glance.

“Do what?” You asked as you continued to observe her from afar.

He told you not to do anything that would make you upset. It made you angry how he wounded like he actually gave a shit about you. You turned to stare at him with his eyebrows furrowed as he looked into your eyes, almost as if he was trying to interpret how the look that you were giving to him. But you didn’t give in. Hurt. Was what you felt, but you made sure to hide it from him. Emotionless. Was what you hoping he saw. You didn’t say anything, you simply held your eyes on him. You were afraid that if you said anything, you would only hurt more or slowly allow him to see exactly how much pain you felt, for a man that you never even got to go on one date with, ridiculously enough. You were angry that he chose her over you. Upset that you clearly all the stolen glances and smiles that you too shared meant absolutely nothing to him, when it meant the world to you. You were annoyed that he was doing the exact same thing that your James did, expected he wasn’t even dating you, but it already hurt more than the first time.

You were the first to turn away, but before walking too far away from him, he pulled your arm and dragged you into the storage room.

“What’s wrong?”

You didn’t answer. Your eyes never met his gaze.

“Are you mad at me for cancelling our date yesterday?” He asked.

You shook your head as an answer, but gave no effort to expand on your answer. Although you stayed still, he knew you were anything besides okay. So he let go of your. hand and let you go, which you gladly accepted and walked out of the kitchen to join the other staff. Jin thought that if he gave a you time he could ask you again and maybe then you’d be more willing to talk. However, for the rest of the night, you did your best to distance yourself from him. The girl stayed for the rest of night shift, barely ordering more than a drink after every other hour, typing way on her laptop. When everyone saw that Jin’s brother didn’t bother approaching her and telling her to leave, none of the staff dared to do anything else other than take her order and refilled her water when it was getting empty. You however didn’t dare serve her, scared that if you saw her up close, you would start comparing yourself again. Throughout the shift you observed how Jin seemed to busy himself throughout the day, because he never once went up to her and talked to her.

Whenever he talked into the kitchen, you hurried into the front pretending that you needed to talk to a staff or when he walked out to the front, you would walk into the storage room pretending that you needed to get something. This was literally his restaurant and you would never be able to get away from him forever. Maybe today, but certainly one day you would have to talk to him. You knew that if you were going to avoid him the best option was to actually stay as at from the restaurant as possible. You need a break. That’s it.

When the restaurant closed, and everyone was tidying up for the night while she sat still in her seat with her eyes following Jin where ever he went. You pulled Jin’s brother aside and told him that you wanted to take a vacation leave. He agreed, and of course he knew why you wanted to go.

“How long do you need?”

Considering that it was Wednesday, you told him that you wanted at least the reaming of the week okay, which I left four days including the weekend.

“I may need longer. I understands that this is very sudden, and if you feel uncomfortable you can.. fire me.”

He laughed it off and said,

“I wouldn’t dare do such a thing.”

He sounded as if he would be in big trouble if he fired you, but you shoved that though aside thinking that you’re probably thinking too much.

But before he walked away, he said that the girl at the restaurant is nothing more than an ex-girlfriend of Jin’s who is begging o have his brother take her back.

Ex girlfriend.

His brother then stumbled, embarrassed that he had just spilt the secret that Jin begged him to keep quiet. It finally all made sense why he was so out of it when he saw the girl, and why he had to cancel the date. Clearly it wasn’t one sided if he cancelled the date on you and even brought her to work. To you, it seemed more like Jin’s brother was the one who misinterpreted the situation.

After everything was cleared up, you quickly excused yourself out the door before any of the other staffs left. It was your mission to leave without him knowing, which proved to be a lot easier when she approached him and pulled him into the kitchen to ‘talk.’ With your back towards him, you would never know that even while his ex girlfriend was pulling him away, his eyes never left yours. He knew by the end of the day that he had fucked up when you wouldn’t even be in the same room as him, let alone look at him. Jin knew that he need to fix this misunderstanding between the two fo you, but he needed to first clear the air with his ex girlfriend. Now.

That night he called you. Far too many times for you to count as you packed one big duffel bad with enough clothes that would last you much longer than 4 days, just in case you wanted to go away longer. You knew exactly where you were going. You ever going to take the train to and head back to your grandma’s house, the place where you found comfort whenever out were upset. Growing up your parents were always busy with work, especially sine they usually had to travel a lot for their jobs, so your grandma was your main caregiver growing up.

You arrived at your grandma’s house during the early hours of the morning, but it was perfect because this was exactly around the time that your grandma woke up and went to water the plants in her garden. Although she heard your voice and knew that something was wrong, the moment she saw you, she saw how much more upset you were in reality to what she imagined. You felt silly, but tears welled up in your eyes as you ran into her arms and let her fold you into a hug. When you finally calmed down she’s asked what happened and you told her everything, from seeing James again to seeing Jin’s ex girlfriend. Never eating a small detail out.

“It sounds like you’re very fond of this new guy.”

Which you were. Of course. But when you saw Jin and her, you did what you knew best when things got hard. You ran away. Running away was always easy. You didn’t have to actually face your problem. Because what problem is there if you can’t actually see it?

-

For the next four days you spent most of it with your grandma, accompanying her as she went to the supermarket, helped her when she was gardening, helped her clean around the house, even learned how to cook a few of your favourite childhood dishes. You made sure to keep yourself busy so that your mind wouldn’t drift and think about Jin.

However, on the fourth night when you and your grandma were sitting peacefully in the front yard, you on the grass while your grandma was seated in a wooden lawn chair, you saw Jin walk towards the house. Panic. Was what you felt when he came closer and closer to you. You didn’t know how he knew to look for you at your grandma’s house, perhaps from Suzy because you told her so she couldn’t have to worry about you, but this time you had no where to run off to.

Your grandma watched as you and Jin exchanging glances, but neither on spoke up. She then cleared her throat and excused herself and headed back into the house, claiming that she was tired, but it was only 8 at night. He took a seat next to you on the grass and your anxiously started plucking on the grass in front of your making sure to never look up.

“Why did you leave without telling me?” He asked as he stared at you hoping that you would meet his eyes, but you didn’t budge.

“It’s really none of your business why I went on vacation. Bosses don’t ask that kind of stuff.” You answered, still keeping your eyes on the grass near your feet.

“You’re running away from me.” He said, more as a statement rather than a question. Because well, it was most definitely true.

“Where’re your ex girlfriend? Or should I say girlfriend?” You changed the subject.

He visibly stiffened at your question, wondered how you knew. He stumbled on his own words, not knowing what to say next, but you weren’t going to help him.

Seconds passed, or even minutes who knows as your heart pounded into your chest waiting for an answer while your hands worked tirelessly on pulling the grass in front of you. Without a doubt, your grandma was going to be mad tomorrow if she saw the aftermath of what you had done to the grass.

Finally he spoke up.

“I wanted you since the day you walked into the restaurant asking if we were still hiring. Although I was in the kitchen, I saw you. Y/N. I had just one glance of you and I knew that I wanted you. I wanted you even when you fumbled and screwed up on customers’ orders. I wanted you even when I watched you fall asleep with your mouth gauged open during break time. I wanted you even when I angrily watched you just stand there in front of your ex boyfriend as he taunted you in front of everyone. I wanted nothing more than to protect you. To defend you. To tell him to fuck off. To stop you from feeling pain. So I did. And when we started talking and starting to get to know each other, I knew then that you wanted me too. I was about to ask you on a date when you asked he first. It isn’t often that a girl asks me out before I get the chance, but you did. And that only made me want you even more. But then Jessica showed up. She was the only person that I had ever truly loved and she broke me. She let me for someone who she claimed to be better for her. And when she came back, I couldn’t think straight. I didn’t want her but I needed to know why she would come back after all these years… She told me that she was getting a divorce and she looked to me for comfort. There wasn’t a single part of me that wanted her. I simply talked to her as a friend, as someone who once knew her… I though that it I talked to her sooner rather than later I would be able to have her stop coming to look for me.”

You sat solvency with her knees now bent into your chest and your arms wrapped around yourself, rocking back and forth listening and he continued talking. You didn’t know what to do with yourself or how to act now that he said he wanted you all along.

“I saw the way you looked at her. I saw you stare at her linked arms with mine. She was always touchy so I didn’t realize how it looked like to other people who didn’t know her. But then I saw you watching her and analyzing her every movement. I knew what you were doing even if I was just standing behind you. I knew that you were comparing yourself to her. You only see your flaws and see your different from her as flaw in your character, as if Jessica is the definition of perfection or what you need to look like to be loved. But you never read lied that all this time I only had eyes for you. I wanted to tell you everything. Explain everything to you that night but you were avoiding me the whole time. And you left before I could even get a chance to talk to you. It took me four damn days to find where you went. I have to beg Suzy to tell me.”

The two fo you sat in silence as you continued to rock sickly with your arms wrapped around your body while feeling him stare at you, but you looked straight ahead instead. Neither of you saying saying a word as time flew by. This time he couldn’t take your silence as an answer.

Jin moved himself to face you so that he could hold your gaze.

“Tell me you want me. Tell me I’m not crazy for thinking that you want this too.”

You contemplated on telling him the truth. You wondered if that was the best thing to do, but everything he said just left you feeling overwhelmed. At the end of the day he wanted you. He had wanted you since the very first day, just like how you had wanted him. Although the feeling was mutual, it didn’t mean that he didn’t hurt you. He could have simply tike it what had happened but instead he kept everything to himself. Throughout your dating experience, you had learnt how important communication is in a relationship, and you worried that is he couldn’t communicate this one time over which a superficial issue, who is to say that he wouldn’t do the same when things get hard, or even worse next time?

“Go home Jin.” You said as you started to unfurl the arms that you wrapped around your body.

He called out for your name, but you were already getting up. He tried to reach for your arm but you swung away from his grip. You needed the night to think, and you were worried that if he tried to talk to you now that you would give in to anything that he said. You needed time to think this through. According to your friends, and to your own admit, you were notorious to getting into relationships too fast without getting to know the personal well. You wanted to give Jin time to think too and see if he really did mean that he wanted a relationship with you.

He called out for you again, but he never pulled you to stop this time because he knew that forcing you to talk to him will only make things worse.

“I’ll see you tomorrow.” Was the last thing that he said before he left out into the dark night, away from your eyesight when you turned around.

That night you were restless once again. The conversation played over and over again as you digested every single word that he had said. You finally came to the conclusion that the feeling was indeed mutual, and he knew what he did was wrong. He told you his true feelings and now you felt like it was your time to make a move.

By the time the sun rose up, you had made up your mind and texted Jin’s bother that you were going to be at work today, before checking to see the next boarding schedule for the train back home. Before leaving, you wrote a note to your grandma to tell her where you were going and promised that you would come back and visit her soon.

During the whole ride back home you felt butterflies fluttering from within as you anticipated what is to come once you go back to work. Without a doubt you knew that you would have Jin again, talk things through and decide what is to come for the two of you.

It seemed like forever until you finally for home and dropped off your luggage. It was already too late to go for the morning shirt, so you decided to wash up and eat a little bit before you head to the restaurant during break time.

Your heard pounded as you walked into the restaurant, all eyes were on you, but there was only one pair that you cared for. Jin was walking out of the kitchen when he saw you, but he wasn’t stunned like the others, as if he knew you would come back one day, instead he looked relieved that you came back sooner rather than later.

After greeting the staff, you handed them some souvenirs that you brought from your grandma’s hometown. As everyone else gather around your gifts, each claiming what they wanted, you walked up to Jin and asked if he had time to talk to you now, to which he gladly agreed to and led you into the kitchen and into the storage room.

With your back against one of the shelves that was filled with table clothes for the restaurant, he stared into your eyes waiting for you to speak up while you struggled to bring your eyes on him. Speaking about your feelings was never an easy task for you to do, but you knew you had to.

Jin reached out for one of your hand, urging you to speak up, to save him from his own anxious thoughts. He couldn’t hep but imagine the worst possible scenario. Maybe you didn’t like him. Maybe you only wanted to be friend. Maybe you were still so hurt that you didn’t want to be with him. Either way, he knew that he would wait until you were ready to date him no matter how long it would take.

Your voice started off quiet and shy,

“I didn’t think much when I applied for the job here. I loved cooking so much that i went to school for it. I also loved the good here, so when I saw that the restaurant was hiring, i jumped to the chance to take part in working here and learning how the food served here is made. When i applied it was your brother who interviewed me, so I never knew of your existence, not until on my first day when I saw you walking out of the kitchen.”

Jin smiled at that memory himself.

“I didn’t know that you actually co-owned the restaurant with your brother until one of the staff members told me. It was stupid of me to think way, but when I first saw you and even if I didn’t know you, I wanted you. I wanted to get to know you. But I would have never imagined that you want me too…”

You smiled, remember his confession from last night. As if it was cue for him to respond, his smile widened and he stepped closer to you, cupping the side of one of your cheeks with his hand as your eyes fluttered shut. You leaned into his touch while your heart beat way too fast for it to be safe.

“I fucked up. I know. I should have told you and explained what happened but I hesitated. I wanted to settle the situation with Jessica before I told you.” He said, as his soft gaze stared into your eyes.

You brought a hand to hold the one he had on your cheek. He blushed at the gesture. The way you were looking at him made him fee so warm and happy. Something he had never felt in any of his past relationships.

“Communication is really important to me. I need us to be able to talk about our problems. I don’t want you to hide anything from me, just like how I won’t hide anything from you. If we’re going to work… we have to be able to talk about anything.”

He nodded.

“Okay. I can do that. I can do it all for you.”

Your smile stretched, to the point that your cheeks were started to hurt. It’s been way too long since you’ve been this happy. His eyes started to shift from your eyes to your lips and then back to your eyes. You then followed and did the same thing. Although no words were said, he stared at you, asked silently for permission to which you gladly tilted your head up for his lips to meet yours.

Sweet. Gentle. Were the only two words that you could use to describe the kiss. He brought his other hand, so now both of his hands were delicately holding your face, while your hands held onto his biceps preventing your wobbling knees from giving in. The kiss sealed a promise. A promise that no matter what came in the way between the two fo you, you two will do whatever it takes to stay together.

-

Sometimes second chances aren’t given even to the most deserving people. Sometimes second chances are given to those who are not worthy of them. Sometimes even after a second chance, people will fuck up. But not Jin. Jin accepted his second chance without ever taking it for granted. For him, you were worth it all, and he will never take his second chance for granted.

[tsumtsumland]

“for me?”| o.tooru x reader

genre: fluff

warnings: none

author’s note: here’s my first entry of my and @honeybunny-sawamura​ Valentine’s event! Hope you guys enjoy some sweet Oikawa fluffiness!

Being in love with Oikawa Tooru was an experience, sometimes good, sometimes bad, full of adventure, laughter, some tears, soft lips, tender touches, the occasional alien stakeout, you know, normal relationship stuff…

The repetitive motion of your wrist is precise as you whisk together the chocolate and heavy cream. It’s a delicate task to get the perfect consistency but after years of practice, you knew how to do it now to avoid destroying the truffles.

You smile fondly remembering the first time you made these very same chocolates for the boy with hair and eyes to match the sweet treats. It was during the last semester of your first year of senior high school, February 14th. You stood in front of his locker fidgeting uncertainly at the sight. Dating Oikawa Tooru meant accepting that he would always be the centre of attention, the one that stood out in the crowd, the one who shined the brightest.

Despite dating him for months at that point, it still unnerved you to see tons of presents flooded outside his locker, all looking more extravagant than yours. Clasped in your hands was a pink box wrapped with ribbons of a brighter shade, full with homemade milk chocolate truffles you’d stayed up most of the night making for him. 

When a familiar, “Yahoo~ y/n-chan!” sounded from close by, you hastily hid the box behind your back, embarrassed to present him, your boyfriend, the school’s heartthrob, something so mediocre.

He never missed a beat though, stretching to see behind your back, “Is that for me?”

“No!” you blurted out, eyes widening after you say it.

A pout formed on his face instantly at your words. “You’re giving a present to another guy on Valentine’s?”

You sighed heavily knowing there was no escaping at that point. You couldn’t meet his eyes when you hesitantly offered the box to him, “It’s not much but…Happy Valentine’s Tooru.”

He had accepted with so much gusto that you wanted to disappear when he opened the box. Some were lopsided, quite a few were partially melted, overall, it was not a pretty sight. They weren’t perfect that first year, but he ate them all anyway.  

You vowed to perfect the recipe the next year, and they were better that next year, but not yet perfect. He still ate them all anyway.

In your third and final year of high school, they were close to perfection, but not yet there. When you told him that, he looked at you with one of his rare, real smiles.

“Kinda like me huh?”

His question caught you off-guard and you weren’t sure what to say.

“Tooru…”

“Ah, I just meant they were the right fit for me y/n,” he pops one into his mouth and hums contentedly, “just like you...”

The eruption of butterflies in your tummy is inescapable.

Being in love with Oikawa Tooru meant always being surprised, in the best way possible.

Your hand reaches for a spatula to mix together the biscuit flour and the chocolate-cream. You meticulously fold the mixture then cover it with some cling wrap to refrigerate for 20 minutes.

In the meanwhile, you busy yourself with doing some dishes, and labelling a few boxes strewn about your apartment. Your hands stop short over a box of old polaroids and purikuras, documenting years of your relationship. Gently, you tuck them back into the box, except for one that keeps sticking out. When you take it out, the irony has you laughing, it’s a polaroid from another Valentine’s Day, one from your college days. Back when your rising star athlete boyfriend had a minor addiction to boba, oh what a moment in time.

“Tooru, how much of those have you had this week?” you questioned, slightly concerned.

He gives you a look, you know the one… O_O

He’d dragged you to the boba place on campus during your short period of free time on Valentine’s Day, claiming it was his ‘right’ as it was a special occasion. Of course, you gave in.

“We can share this one,” he smiles cheekily at you, waving an extra straw in your face.

You groan but plop down next to him and stick the straw in anyway. You completely failed to see the sly look on his face as he inched closer to you with his own straw, until his lips replaced the straw in your mouth.

The polaroid was taken at the exact moment by one of the students in the photography club. You two made the cover of the Valentine’s edition of the school newspaper that year.

The timer on your phone goes off and you sigh at the time, 11:24pm. You take the chilled truffle mixture out of the refrigerator and wet your hands.  It takes about another hour of scooping teaspoon after teaspoon of the dough and rolling it into roughly the same sized balls, then covering them with assorted sprinkles, cocoa powder, and coloured sugar. You smile at your handiwork and put them to chill again before preparing for bed, they’d be perfect in the morning.

Being in love with Oikawa Tooru was a whirlwind of emotions that sometimes nothing could prepare you for.

There’s a lump in your throat when you lie in bed that night.

“I’m moving to Argentina…”

The words stopped you in your tracks, your phone slips from your hands and lands with a clatter on the hardwood flooring.

“You- what?” the words are wobbly, your voice sounded foreign coming from your own mouth.

“Come with me,” his voiced tinged with hope, and a little desperation.

 He explained it all, but the white noise in your ears made it hard to hear, far less process, or understand.

Eventually you came to terms with it, accepting his path, knowing fully well that his raw talent, potential, and hunger to succeed would take him far no matter where he went.

The airport was busy as usual, swarming with people from every walk of life, teeming with excitement, anxiety, sadness, happiness, a concoction of emotions.

Yet the only sound you could hear was that of your heart breaking.

“Come with me,” he pleads one last time. He knows your answer.

The boy with the chocolate hair and eyes looks at you, really looks at you. He memorizes your features, imprints them in his mind and heart. He turns to walk through the gates then, and doesn’t look back.

You look at the date on the arrival/departure board, February 14th.

The memory almost brings you to tears, but you fight them off and force yourself to sleep.

When your alarm goes off you rush to shower and get ready. On your way out of your apartment, you grab the truffles and take one last look at the place you called home for two years, bidding it a silent farewell.

The airport is busy as per usual, but this time you see it, the buzz, the excitement, you feel it, the anxiety, the exhilaration. There was truly no place bearing more emotions than airports. Clasped tightly in your hands is your phone, the truffles, and a one-way ticket to Buenos Aires.

1 day and 2 flights later, phone and truffles clutched in your hands, you step off the plane. Your ears are immediately accosted by the voice across the loudspeakers, jabbering rapidly in Spanish. You’re a bit startled, but carefully make your way through the process of exiting the airport.

The baggage claim is the last stop, and you feel it before you see him, the rush of butterflies.

“Is that for me?” his velvety voice pierces right through you.

This time you answer immediately, “Yes. Happy Valentine’s Tooru.”

Being in love with Oikawa Tooru was an experience, but being loved by Oikawa Tooru was untouchable.

Taglist: @kiyoo-omi @mitzuya @vs-redemption

[osakaso5]

IDOLiSH7 5th Anniversary Special Story: Opening Doors...

Chapter 1: A Gathering Of Idols

Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4 | Chapter 5 | Chapter 6

Audience: ...Are they coming yet..?

Audience: They'll be here soon!

Audience: I'm getting butterflies..!

Audience: Ah..! The music and lighting changed!

Audience: Look! Over there..!

Audience: ...Kyaaa...

Riku Nanase: Sorry to keep you all waiting!

Audience: Kyaaaaa..!

Iori Izumi: Good evening.

Yamato Nikaido: Good evening!

Mitsuki Izumi: We wanted to see you guys so badly!

Tamaki Yotsuba: How about you? Did you guys wanna see us?

Audience: We did!

Sogo Osaka: Haha... Thank you. We're happy to hear that.

Nagi Rokuya: Hi, girls! Let us have a most lovely night together!

Audience: Kyaaaaa..!

Riku Nanase: Okay, here we go!

IDOLiSH7: IDOLiSH7 is here!!!

Audience: Kyaaaaa..! 

- - - -

Tenn Kujo: I can't hear you. Yell louder!

Tenn Kujo: Let's get our hearts racing!

Audience: Kyaaaaa..!

Audience: Tenn-kun..!

Gaku Yaotome: Are you guys ready to go wild!?

Gaku Yaotome: Let's make his one special night of many!

Audience: Kyaaaaa..!

Audience: Gaku-san..!

Ryunosuke Tsunashi: Forget all about tomorrow, and dance with us..!

Audience: Ryunosuke-san..!

Ryunosuke Tsunashi: Let's make this night even hotter!

Audience: Kyaaaaa..!

Audience: TRIGGER..!

Tenn Kujo: BANG! 

- - - -

Re:vale: Good evening, everyone!

Audience: Kyaaaaa..!

Momo: I'm Momo!

Yuki: And I'm Yuki.

Momo: Together, we are..!

Yuki: Re:vale.

Audience: Kyaaaaa..!

Momo: Man, it's been hot lately!

Yuki: Sure has.

Momo: In case this weather continues, Momorin's a pretty good way to stay hydrated. It's bubbly and delicious.

Yuki: You sure love your Momorin.

Momo: I do.

Yuki: What about me?

Momo: I love you even more!

Audience: Kyaaaaa..!

Yuki: Hehe... I really enjoy our work as Re:vale.

Momo: Why?

Yuki: Because I'm sure the younger idols are all running around dancing right now.

Momo: That's the main job of an idol!

Yuki: But all I have to do is sit in an air conditioned studio and listen to you say you love me for the crowd to go wild.

Momo: It sure is nice! I love our fans as much as I love you, Yuki!

Audience: Kyaaaaa...

Yuki: Hehe... You said it again.

Momo: This is all thanks to you guys! We really appreciate it!

Audience: Kyaaaaa...

Momo: Keep making sure that we get to stay inside a nice and cool studio!

Yuki: Momo will keep saying he loves us, too.

Audience: Ahahahaha!

Momo: Sure. Though I wish you'd say it more too, Yuki.

Yuki: No, I'm good...

Audience: Kyaaaaa...

Yuki: Don't get them worked up so suddenly. You know I suck at ad libs like this.

Momo: Huh!? Don't be so shy! Say it like an idol would!

Yuki: Say what?

Momo: "I love you", for starters! 

- - - -

Haruka Isumi: I love you guys!

Audience: Kyaaaaa...

Audience: ŹOOĻ..!

Haruka Isumi: Oh man, this is so awesome! You guys rule! Say it again!

Audience: ŹOOĻ..!

Toma Inumaru: That's right, we're here!

Toma Inumaru: Here to make a new music scene with you guys!

Audience: Kyaaaaa..!

Torao Mido: You've been waiting for us, right?

Minami Natsume: We've been waiting for all of you, as well. So...

Minami Natsume: Let us become one with you tonight.

Audience: Kyaaaaa..!!! 

- - - -

Tsumugi's Thoughts: Four idol groups are dazzling the world right now!

Tsumugi's Thoughts: Re:vale, TRIGGER, ŹOOĻ, and...

Tsumugi's Thoughts: Takanashi Productions' very own IDOLiSH7!

Tsumugi's Thoughts: A secret project that will put all of these popular groups together is already underway!

Tsumugi's Thoughts: Its name is... 

- - - -

Riku Nanase: We'll be the 5th anniversary guests in that popular gourmet cooking show, "Shining Rainbow Kitchen"!?

Tsumugi Takanashi: Yes! They said they'd love to have you!

Iori Izumi: That show is famous for making its guests do everything from planning the menu to getting the ingredients.

Mitsuki Izumi: It's popular as both a cooking and a variety show, so some of the recipes they use have become mainstream home cooking!

Yamato Nikaido: Wow, like which ones?

Mitsuki Izumi: The Niagara Falls bowl.

Yamato Nikaido: Aah! That one! I didn't know it came from this show! It's a standard item in lots of eateries by now.

Tamaki Yotsuba: Nia bowls are so good! I order it every time a place has it.

Nagi Rokuya: YES! The way it  replicates a waterfall is truly amazing!

Iori Izumi: And it's not the only menu item from Rainbow Kitchen that's become a restaurant staple. There's the "Oly bowl", and the "skin bowl"...

Yamato Nikaido: Ah, I like the Oly bowl. In all honesty, I prefer it over the Nia bowl.

Riku Nanase: I've had a skin bowl before! It didn't have as much meat as I thought, but it was really yummy!

Sogo Osaka: I hope we'll be able to come up with a menu item that'll go down in history, too.

Tamaki Yotsuba: Like what?

Sogo Osaka: Huh? I can't come up with one on the fly.

Tamaki Yotsuba: Just gimme an example.

Sogo Osaka: ........

Sogo Osaka: Something like the "Grand Canyon bowl", maybe?

Iori Izumi: Based on the name alone, I'm guessing you want to surpass the Nia bowl.

Banri Ogami: Your theme has already been decided for you, so I'm not sure you can make a Grand Canyon bowl.

Riku Nanase: Really?

Nagi Rokuya: Manager, what shall our theme be?

Tsumugi Takanashi: The theme for your menu will be...

Tsumugi Takanashi: Idols!

IDOLiSH7: Idols...

Yamato Nikaido: ...So an idol bowl?

Mitsuki Izumi: Nah, I think "idol plate" sounds better.

Iori Izumi: An idol-themed menu item... That sounds difficult...

Banri Ogami: Don't worry! The seven of you won't be the only ones taking this challenge.

Tsumugi Takanashi: Shining Rainbow Kitchen will be celebrating its 5th anniversary with a cast of 16 popular idols, all in all!

Riku Nanase: 16! Does that mean..?

Tsumugi Takanashi: Yes!

Tsumugi Takanashi: TRIGGER, Re:vale, and ŹOOĻ will be joining you in the studio!

- - - -

Ryunosuke Tsunashi: We'll be on Shining Rainbow Kitchen with IDOLiSH7 and the others! I can't wait!

Gaku Yaotome: You're a great cook, after all. The dish you made last time is still really popular, Ryu.

Ryunosuke Tsunashi: Ah, you mean the Olympus bowl?

Gaku Yaotome: Yeah, that one.

Tenn Kujo: The Oly bowl is so good. It turned out great when you made it for us the other day, too.

Ryunosuke Tsunashi: I used more summer appropriate ingredients for that one. So it was more of a special summer edition Oly bowl!

Gaku Yaotome: No wonder it tasted so refreshing.

Tenn Kujo: Rainbow Kitchen is celebrating its 5th anniversary, huh.

Tenn Kujo: It's nice that they've invited us to commemorate such an important day with them.

Gaku Yaotome: True. Five years... That's a pretty long time.

Gaku Yaotome: That's probably more meetings, farewells, troubles, and celebrations than we can even imagine.

Gaku Yaotome: And that's how they got to be one of Japan's top shows. Let's send those five years off with a bang.

Tenn Kujo: Right.

Ryunosuke Tsunashi: Yeah, of course!

Ryunosuke Tsunashi: I'm exited just to be making an idol-themed dish with everyone, though.

Tenn Kujo: I'm sure we'll all bring different ideas about what it means to be an idol to the table.

Gaku Yaotome: What it means to be an idol, huh. ...Hey, Tenn, Ryu.

Tenn Kujo: What?

Ryunosuke Tsunashi: What is it, Gaku?

Gaku Yaotome: What seasoning do you think I'd be?

Tenn Kujo: Seasoning... And here I thought you were going to ask something serious...

Tenn Kujo: Noodle soup base?

Ryunosuke Tsunashi: No, Gaku's not that sweet. I think he's more like wasabi salt.

Tenn Kujo: Don't you think wasabi salt's too vague?

Ryunosuke Tsunashi: Hmm, I guess you're right. Wasabi salt isn't really wasabi or salt... It's a little hard to interpret.

Tenn Kujo: Maybe... I don't think it's that mysterious, though.

Ryunosuke Tsunashi: How about ponzu sauce?

Tenn Kujo: With or without sudachi?

Gaku Yaotome: You guys are so all over the place. I thought you'd have an answer right away.

Tenn Kujo: Seasonings are tough to figure out.

Ryunosuke Tsunashi: What do you think you'd be?

Gaku Yaotome: ........

Gaku Yaotome: Katsuobushi?

Tenn Kujo: Really?

Gaku Yaotome: The name's got a samurai vibe. Like bushido.

Tenn Kujo: Shouldn't you be picking based on flavor, and not what it sounds like?

Ryunosuke Tsunashi: I'll put katsuobushi into your Oly bowl the next time I make some, then.

Gaku Yaotome: Sure. That'll be the special Gaku Yaotome edition.

Tenn Kujo: So, what flavor do you think would be essential to idols?

Gaku & Ryunosuke: Idol flavor...

TRIGGER: ........

TRIGGER: That's a tough one... 

- - - -

Yuki: Here you go, Momo. Sorry for the wait.

Momo: Wow! It's been ages since I had a Nia bowl! Looks delish!

Yuki: The Nia bowl's become like a national treasure ever since we made it on Shining Rainbow Kitchen.

Yuki: Even though it was originally one of the many struggle meals we had when we lived together.

Momo: That's because you're such an amazing cook! And to me, it tastes like the days of our youth~! Bon appétit!

Yuki: Dig in.

Momo: Yup, tasty as ever~! The waterfall's so full of flavor!

Yuki: The the first Nia I've made in a while, so I worked harder on it than usual.

Momo: Your love is the spice of the century, Yuki~!

Yuki: Give me some fanservice, then.

Momo: Smooch! A flying kiss for you!

Yuki: Ahaha. That brings me back. I feel five years younger.

Momo: Speaking of which, Rainbow Kitchen's invited us to their 5th anniversary show!

Yuki: Oh, the show that popularized the Nia bowl. I can't believe it's been airing for 5 years already...

Yuki: They've done well to stay afloat in this restless world.

Momo: They have! And so have we!

Yuki: True.

Momo: We'll be making an idol- themed dish with other groups.

Yuki: Hmm. So we're not only making idol food, but eating it with idols as well?

Momo: Yep. Let's create another memorable flavor!

Yuki: But will it surpass the Nia bowl?

Momo: I'm sure it will! Like I just said, love is the greatest spice of them all!

Yuki: I see.

Momo: Gimme some fanservice this time!

Yuki: Smooch.

Momo: You're such a dreamboat, Yuki..!

- - - -

Haruka Isumi: An idol-themed dish?

Minami Natsume: Yes. It seems Shining Rainbow Kitchen will be celebrating its 5th anniversary soon.

Minami Natsume: They've asked us to help come up with a memorable new menu for them.

Torao Mido: But what makes a meal memorable isn't what you're eating, it's who you're eating with, right?

Toma Inumaru: Oh, well said. Remember when we went out to eat that one time, Tora?

Torao Mido: You mean that buffet that would let you deep fry just about anything.

Haruka Isumi: You guys went there!? I wish I could've gone, too!

Torao Mido: Deep frying is better when you leave it to the professionals.

Toma Inumaru: Nah, it's better when you get to fry whatever you want on your own! Don't you think so too, Mina?

Minami Natsume: I'll go with both.

Toma & Torao: Both?

Minami Natsume: I'd like to hire the two of you to fry all sorts of delicious foods for me.

Toma Inumaru: Now that's an interesting idea...

Torao Mido: We were the ones doing the eating, but now all we get to do is feed you?

Minami Natsume: Hee hee, that's why you shouldn't get too careless.

Haruka Isumi: What are you guys even talking about..? By the way, Minami, didn't you say you went on this show once?

Minami Natsume: Yes, though I was still in middle school at the time. I did well enough to win the grand prix that year.

Torao Mido: Huh. So, what did you make?

Minami Natsume: The Good Luck Snake Skin bowl.

Haruka Isumi: "The Good Luck Snake Skin bowl"..?

Minami Natsume: The "skin bowl" for short.

Toma Inumaru: I have no idea what that would even look like...

Minami Natsume: Hmm. I suppose not. It's...

Minami Natsume: Sort of crispy?

Torao Mido: Great, now I can't stop thinking about the mouthfeel of dried up snake skin...

Haruka Isumi: What did you use to make it taste like snake skin?

Minami Natsume: A food you like, Isumi-san. Perhaps it was made using snake skins.

Haruka Isumi: What food..? ...Wait, don't answer... I don't wanna know...

Minami Natsume: It's something crispy and delicious.

Haruka Isumi: Ugh... An idol-themed dish...

Haruka Isumi: Are we really gonna get through this?

- - - -

Tsumugi's Thoughts : Several days later...

Tsumugi's Thoughts : The 16 idols had a meeting to plan their menu together. 

To be continued...

[silvanable]

Sweetest Gift : Shingen Takeda

me before writing this : ah, yes, cute fluff time for my husbando. something i would do for his birthday? baking. i would absolutely bake something for that sexy sweet-tooth fiend.

me as i was writing this : wHEN DID WE INVENT BUTTER? WAIT I CAN USE APPLESAUCE— SHIT WHAT ABOUT CHOCOLATE? I CAN SAY WE GOT THAT FROM SPAIN. WHAT’S A 16TH CENTURY OVEN LOOK LIKE?? CREAM CHEESE IS TOO MODERN I CAN’T MAKE THAT!

not to mention i had one way that this was supposed to go and instead i took 3 devours, a u-turn, and then ended up at a different destination. bUT OH WELL.

and i finished it fairly quickly and then went to edit and what do i do? add 5 more pages of my shamelessly simping my heart out haha.

ANYWAYS ENJOY THIS SHAMELESS SELF INDULGENT MESS FOR OUR BELOVED TIGER OF KAI!

↪  GUIDELINES

✒ tags : shingen x oc, fluff, shameless self insert, we got off track and it got long

✒ warnings : n/a

✒ notif crew : @oikame​

✒ word count : 4,429

Sometimes, just sometimes, she forgot how different her time and this time was. There were things that she desperately missed about the future, but could live without them. That is until it turned out she really needed them… Particularly butter, chocolate, and an electric oven. All the things the petite girl had grown up with and taken for granted until now.

At least she had planned for this early— having that meticulous but mostly anxious drive to prepare for things long before necessary. She was able to gather all her ingredients and learn the necessary skills for the surprise she wanted to bake.

It also helped to have friends in high places though.

If it was not for Masamune and Nobunaga mostly, and a lot of help from everyone else, it might have been impossible. Luckily she had the best time-traveling ninja on her side, as well as the support of all those at Kasuyagama. It was between her and Sasuke’s uncanny knowledge of ingredients and historical markers together, as well as Nobunaga’s influence over foreign trades, that everything fell into place.

Now it was a matter of keeping it all secret. Shingen, after all, was eerily on par with Mistuhide’s tactical and informational gathering abilities. Lying outright was a definite no but without extreme care, he would find out.

Dancing around the topic was not as hard as she expected, then again being evasive or vague on certain things was almost second nature. After all, when one had four other siblings of varying ages, you had to be quick, not-quite-truthful, and convincing when it came to getting or staying out of trouble.

Any time the subject would get too close to becoming an interrogation, she would always change the subject to what Shingen wanted for his birthday. Of course, each time she was answered with another smooth but cheesy line, how he only wanted to spend the day with her. It was a heartwarming thing but she wanted to do more for him, something more than her words or the little bits of artistry she would leave for him to show her affections.

There were a number of things within her arsenal of creativity that she could do but after their trip to the future, she had kept a particular idea close.

Shingen had taken an affinity to the vast array of sweets from the future. Whether he realized it or not, she had been carefully taking notes on what he enjoyed the most. Of course, with the limitation of certain ingredients not being invented or hard to come by in 16th Japan, improvisation was necessary.

Now it only came down to what she was going to make, which at this rate seemed to be every available confection that could come to mind. 

At current, it was truffles, applesauce which was a necessary substitute, and a sinfully hopefully delicious applesauce cake from her Oma’s recipe she could barely remember. At this rate, she might continue her baking spiral and attempt the first edible glitter in the world.

When night came around, the petite girl had rushed off and excused herself to go ‘work’ to finish before tomorrow morning. That was true in part, except that work involved fighting with sugar in the kitchen.

It was probably not the best time to bake but the quiet stillness of the night was an ally. Many people by now would have retired to rest, so it made it easy to move around and do what she needed. Granted, the darkness that stretched over the land also extended into the room the girl needed. Nothing a few quaint candles could not fix nor a nice, warming, bright fire that illuminated all necessary things.

Besides the occasional hum, she was alone with herself and the night. It was far too cold now, being practically December, so there were no nightly sounds from any nocturnal companions. At most, the noises that could be heard were uncontained swears, the crunching of chocolate under a knife, and the occasional hollow ring when she stirred the mixture a little too aggressively.

“I will never call Nobunaga an insufferable asshat behind his back again,” She murmured to herself in the kitchen, “And I will forever worship Masamune’s kitchen skills, he makes it look so easy.” She paused on mixing her ingredients to brush fallen strands of her brown and pink hair from her face, the stubborn few that refused to stay up like she wanted.

She reached off to the side, her hand fumbled across the surface for the sugar. When her fingers reached the edge of the container, she rather haphazardly, pulled it over towards her. A mess she nearly caused when she underestimated the weight and almost sent sugar to dust the floors.

“Oh shit!” Luck would have it no one was around to hear such an unladylike swear to leave her. Equally lucky, she managed to balance the sugar into her arm before she dropped it.

By agreement, Kenshin and Yoshimoto were supposed to distract Shingen for the evening. Sasuke and Yukimura were busy setting things up for the celebration. And she, well she was baking in the growing darkness praying to whatever deity was listening that Shingen would not come looking for her. After all, she had told him she would be busy working and would be done very late because she wanted to spend his birthday with him.

That still did not stop her from stilling every time there was an ominous creak or peculiarly loud howl of the wind. She would pause with a tilt of her head towards the cracked door to listen for the approach of footsteps. Either able to dismiss them being nothing or that the speed and weight of the footfall were not Shingen’s and she would continue.

There were soft voices in the distance this time but too far for her to make out clearly. She shrugged and returned to her mixture. If anything, it would likely be one of the guards who found her in here when they came for a late night snack. She had run into plenty of them like that because they all seemed to have the same thought… which was just their stomach demanding food late in the night.

The bowl was put down with a thud and she turned. Her ingredients all assorted on the counter, just out of reach, with a few measuring tools lying around.

Most of which were left from the evening when she had attempted to make applesauce. It had been a mess, mostly because the help she employed was intent on making a mess rather than cooking. Who was she kidding, she threw the first fistful of sugar. Really she had asked Yukimura and Sasuke for help because it would have taken too long to peel and mash all the apples. That and the fact she hated the texture and taste of applesauce was another big thing, so she needed special guinea pigs to taste test for her before she accidentally poisoned a cake or two.

When the monstrous experiment of a cake was nestled into the oven to cook and the truffles were set aside, it was fairly late into the night.

With a sigh, the petite girl stepped out from the kitchen, and into the cool winter air outside. Brown eyes flitted across the glowing garden, covered in a light layer of powdery snow from the earlier flurry. Her fingers deftly tugged at the collar of her kimono, loosening it and revealing further skin to be greeted by the cold air.

It was a wonder to her how anyone survived before having air conditioning or heaters. Then again, she would not complain after spending so long in a room with a roaring fire. The cold was something she would greet openly but not too much, seeing as she could not get sick until after tomorrow. Still… The snow was tempting to just dive into to cool down.

She took a seat on the edge of the raised walkway, lifting her eyes up to the sky. Stars danced and twinkled, seemingly waving down at her, as clouds lazily breezed across the open sky. The half moon greeted her once again for the night, except this time further in the west, as it descended into the horizon.

That was a sign to how late it was, how low the celestial sphere dipped to signal that sunrise was not far behind its farewell.

The nice was pleasant though. The chill in the air was refreshing and shooed away any sleepiness that had threatened her in the kitchen, enveloped by the warmth of the fire she worked with.

Besides, she could sleep later. There were no rules against a nap in the morning or afternoon before the banquet Kenshin and the others had set up to celebrate Shingen’s birthday. Not sleeping was not entirely uncommon for her either. Staying up late into the night, or dare she say morning, was an old habit that was not entirely her fault. Besides, it was for an important reason she was up right now and she had to use all the time she had to finish her surprise for… well, the man who had stolen her heart completely.

Granted right now, having a break made her realize how much she would have loved to curl into his arms and snuggle against his warm chest. Steal the warmth he radiated to battle the cold she allowed to crawl over her skin.

Her head nodded down, eyes drifted close at the pleasing fantasy. Her body leaned forward and her bare feet caressed over the snow. She jumped up with a start at the sudden damp, frigidness against her skin.

A laugh erupted from her lips as she rubbed her eyes. “Okay, break time is over!” She stretched the wariness out of her bones, not daring to give in to the desire to just hibernate through the pleasant winter season, “Back to the finishing touches!” She turned on her heel, entering the kitchen once more to check on her confections.

Light began to peek over the horizon. Stars began to fade as the deep sapphire of the sky began to fade and instead bled into luxurious shades of red, orange, and pink.

The girl was quiet as she snuck through the halls, careful where she placed her feet as to not make a sound. Luckily she had memorized which boards would creak and groan under her weight after sneaking around at night so often. She made a point to avoid the creaky betrayers, especially as she began to near her and Shingen’s shared room.

A tray in one hand, she slid open the shoji door, almost painfully slow as to not abruptly wake the sleeping figure in the room with any sound.

Teeth sank into her pink bottom lip, quieting the giggle that threatened to escape her as she crept into the room. She knelt beside the futon, the dark material of her kimono pulled aside as she sat on her knees.

The tray, decorated with the special sweets, tea, and fruit was placed safely to the side.

Brown eyes fell to Shingen’s face, admiring the soft way his lips parted and how his chest rose and fell with each deep breath.

He looked so peaceful and calm, she almost did not want to wake him.

A soft smile found its way onto her lips. A tan hand delicately touched over his forehead and brushed the strands of auburn locks from his handsome features. Her loving gaze trailed over his features, following an invisible line over his lips to his jaw, down his neck, and to the exposed skin of his chest that peeked through his sleeping kimono.

The trace of a scar, even in the dimness of the room, could be seen in contrast over the skin of his chest. Unlike all the other scars his battle-worn body bore, this one was the one she was most grateful for, because it had scared her the most. Yet now it meant only one thing to her, that this beautiful and infuriatingly charming man was alive and breathing still, so she could love and adore him for many more years.

She was overwhelmed by happiness, a spark that ignited in her chest and spread from her heart to her fingers and toes. Surely she was dreaming, to have someone as wonderful as him, and to have such a chance to celebrate his life with him.

Slowly, she bowed her head. Soft lips pressed gently against the side of his temple. Warm eyes fluttered closed as her lips lingered. A small, loving smile graced her lips as she barely pulled away.

“Hey, it’s time to wake up, birthday boy,” She whispered against his skin.

Her grin stretched further over her lips as he let out a low, groggy groan. Then she was greeted by his delightfully smoky eyes. The wariness in them faded the moment those silver hues met her dark ones, brought to life with a light that she wished she could bask in forever.

“I will never tire of waking up to see my goddess’s shining smile,” His voice was rough and deep from sleep. How she adored the way in made her heart leap in her chest, eager to listen and hear more of anything he said, so long as it was towards her.

If possible, she smiled wider and stroked his hair gently. “Good morning to you too.”

The smile Shingen gave her caused a giddy feeling to take her over, a mixture of her eagerness and happiness. She should have been ashamed at how easily he made her feel like a little schoolgirl but she could hardly care with how loving that smile was.

She dipped her head again, pressing a chaste kiss to his lips. A fleeting touch she almost rescinded to indulge in him deeper, but she had to behave herself.

“C’mon, sit up now, I want to give you something.” Her petite form shuffled back a bit.

“Oh, something for me?” It was unfair how sinful and tempting his voice was as he shifted up onto his arm to watch her.

The edge of the blanket slid down, further revealing a frame hidden only by a thin layer of cotton. Her eyes raked down the outline of his figure. The lazy, satisfied smirk he offered her shook her back to her senses, somewhat at least. She tore her gaze away.

It was a lot warmer suddenly. How strange.

He caught her cheek with his free hand, gently denying her escape, and forced her gaze back to him. The sultry look, focused solely on her, was enough for her to let out a breath— one she had not realized she was holding. The smoldering heat, she knew now, was what radiated off him and the sinful way his eyes glazed over her features.

 He guided her back down, joining their lips once again. The kiss, unlike before, was far deeper. His lips moved against hers in sensual skillfulness, drawing her further into him. Her hands pressed against his jaw to cup his face. The cool digits trace slowly over his skin as she drowned into him, savouring him.

It was only the need to breathe that caused them to part. Her faced flushed as her chest rose and lungs greedily sucked in air. Their gazes remained fix on each other, Shingen seemingly satisfied with how out of breath he left her. A callous thumb brushed over her lips gently.

“I do hope it’s you.” His hand lowered from her face, following the curve of her shoulder and down her arm until her hand rested in his.

A giggle escaped her as she moved to her knees, reluctantly allowing her fingers to slip from his, as she crawled away to grab the tray she had brought in.

“Well now you’ve spoiled tonight’s present,” She teased, allowing her fingers to curl into his palm, taking in his warmth.

“And what sort of sweetness would you offer otherwise?”

Her heart jumped, his choice of words seemingly all too specific. But surely she was overthinking it, right?

“I wonder what it might be.” The teasing tone and look he cast her made her flush.

How unfair he was, being so astute and observation. Her midnight snacking sampling of the truffles might have been a bad idea but she had been hungry. There was no doubt she had traces of that confection on her lips.

“You’re awful, it was a surprise!” She playful stuck her tongue at him as she shuffled away, “And I was doing so good too!” She returned to his side, “But despite that—” She presented the tray lavished with a surplus of sweets, “—I made you these.”

The way Shingen’s face had lit up with surprise and awe stole her breath. He was truly unfair to be able to make her heart beat like it did and to make her chest swell with giddy excitement.

 Grey eyes flickered up to meet her eyes. Suddenly she felt rather shy under the loving and admirable gaze. The attention and emotions fixed so intently on her made her squeamish. She fidgeted in place, tearing her dark eyes away as she sank into embarrassment, as her face flushed.

“I know it’s not huge but I know how much you loved the sweets, so I wanted to make you some that I grew up around or making. Plus you liked so many of the sweets from the future and I wanted to share that with you—” Was she talking faster, or was that her imagination? “— despite not having everything exactly at our disposal. But just to show you how much I really love you and am so grateful that you’re here so I can make them for you and tell you happy birthday.”

She could still feel his gaze on her while she frantically allowed the words to fall from her mouth. Heat rose up her neck and to her cheeks, dusting the tawny color of her face dusted over with red. 

At this rate, the way he was looking at her was going to cause her to implode on herself. Perhaps a run and dive into the snow would do some good to cool her down but she was afraid it would melt if she went near it now.

As silly as it was, his loving attention was still something that flustered her and it did not help she was confessing her feelings through words— she was only good with those when they were written, not spoken.

His callous hands brushed over her own softer ones as he took the tray from her. Fingers delicately guided her chin up to meet his gaze, one that was so soothing but tempting her further.

“And surely you are a goddess— bestowing me with such a beautiful sight and lovely blessings when I should be giving offers to you.” His lips pressed feather-light kisses from her ear to the corner of her mouth.

“Shingen!”

She let out a girlish squeal she was not proud of as his lips stole her own.

“It’s your birthday and—mph!—I’m trying to pour my heart out here!” She tried to pull away from his lips, only finding herself distracted with each time she tried to speak. She could not escape though, not unless he wanted her to, and she could not resist the flurry of affections pressed against her lips again and again to silence her protests.

When she did manage to push away, laughter bubbled from her lips, and she was met with a charming smile. How effortlessly he could make her flustered and steal it away with a touch or a kiss. She both hated and loved him for it.

“And you’re doing a wonderful job.” Fingers brushed through her unusually colored hair and lingered to twirl the pink ends around them.

“I’ll just write it in a letter, that’ll be easier than and you would have to listen to me stumble so ungracefully through it.” She covered her face with a nervous laugh.

Shingen pulled her hands away, laying gentle kisses over her knuckles as he grinned. “No, continue, I quite enjoy how cutely flustered you’re getting.” Of course, he would find her stumbling endearing. What a lovable jerk.

She huffed, trying to hide a smile, and pointed to the tray. “Stop teasing and try them!” Her order was more of a childish demand, “I slaved literally all night and you don’t even know what it took to get half of these ingredients!” It might have started out as a scolding but before she had finished, her words were broken by laughter.

“Oh, so this is that ‘very important’ work you had?” Shingen mused, a twinkle in his eyes, “And that trip to Azuchi?”

She did not have to answer, he already knew, that look said he always knew.

“You’re so unfair! I tried so hard to keep it a secret and be subtle!” She whined, “How did you know?”

“Well,” Shingen said carefully as he picked up one of the truffles, “I do now, especially after such a sweet kiss from your lips,” He offered her a smirk, “And Yuki rushed me away from the kitchen last night saying you were busy when I went looking to pull you to bed.” His amused gaze flickered from her to the confection between his fingers.

So much for subtly. She was definitely going to throw her sandals at Yukimura later for that.

Shingen popped the sweet into his mouth, allowing the sweet chocolaty flavor to coat over his tongue as it practically melted in his mouth. A satisfied hum filled the air as he reached for another one of the delightful chocolate bites.

All while the girl wiggled eagerly in her seat, an unspoken question reflected on her face.

“Delicious,” He purred the praise praised.

She sighed in relief. There should not have been anything to worried about to begin with, seeing as it was not hard to please a man who would eat anything so long as it involved sugar. But there was always that underlying anxiousness to whatever she did for him and she had worked so hard, so she only wanted it to be perfect.

A truffled was pressed to her lips, the man responsible smiling sweetly at her.

“Open,” The order was obeyed almost immediately, allowing the tasty morsel to melt into sweetness her mouth.

“It was worth all the trouble,” She mumbled from behind her hand with a smile.

It was not long before the tea and confections had been finished off, leaving the tray empty. Something she took great pride in.

She moved to grab the tray but was stopped by a hand on her wrist. In the next moment, she was pulled into a warm, comforting embrace. There was no protest from her, she only nestled into his chest and wrapped her arms around him in return.

“This was a lovely way to wake up,” Shingen hummed, his voice rumbling through his chest. Her eyes closed to listen to his heart and the soft rumble of his voice, a smile on her lips.

“I’m glad. And there’s plenty left in the kitchen. Just don’t tell Yuki I let you have some already.” She giggled against him.

“Of course not,” Shingen replied, laughter in his voice.

Now with the petite girl trapped in his arms, he fell back into the futon, which had began to cool with the absence of their warm presences.

“Wait—!” She made to protest but he shushed her immediately, lips finding her own to steal whatever complaints or excuse might befall those lips next.

Clearly kissing her into submission was his only choice. So when she broke away from the kiss, his lips immediately sought hers again, pulling her further into his warmth and inviting her to melt into him.

“I’m afraid I’m still quite tired,” The playfulness in his tone suggested otherwise, “And my darling goddess has worked all throughout the night without rest.”

She rolled her eyes. “If this is a guilt trip it won’t work. Nothing you can say will get me to stay. I’ve got more to set up for today still.”

“Oh, but it’s my birthday is it not? I can request you stay here with me and rest a little while longer. You would not deny me of my wishes on my special day, would you?” Even his pout was sensual and charming.

Brown eyes met grey ones as she looked up at him. Her glare was far too cute to be threatening and it spoke volumes to him. Apparently, he was playing the right angle and they knew it would work against her. She would never be so cruel as to deny him.

“It will be your fault if I don’t wake up for the party then—” Her eyes widened and she gave him a wary glance, “—you knew about that already too, right?”

He laughed. The sound filled the room with warmth, despite the cold outside, and vibrated through his chest, enveloping her as she hugged him.

“I did,” He replied, “So will you stay, my darling goddess?”

How could she resist such a sweet request and that roguishly charming smile?

She hid her face in his chest, “You’re so mean.” He was anything but mean, but she had a right to whine against his charm.

Fingers laced in her hair, rubbing soothing circles through the curiously colored locks. “You need your rest, I can’t have you drifting to sleep during the banquet—” A pair of brown eyes peeked up at him, “—Or tonight when I’ll indulge in the rest of my gift.” And promptly those eyes disappeared again.

A low chuckle rumbled through his chest, he could feel the heat radiate from her skin. How cute she was.

She pinched his arm in response.

“Be quiet, I’m trying to sleep,” She scolded, the embarrassed tone only barely muffled by his kimono.

“Of course, you will need it…” He paused as she settled against him, “Because you won’t be resting tonight.” His provocative tone left nothing to her imagination, he knew.

“SHINGEN!” She slapped his arm gently, face flushed red as she glared at him. That glare was anything but meaningful, he knew, because those murky, night eyes betrayed how eager she was for night to fall.

Besides, he truly wanted was her.

She was the sweetest gift after all.