#i am both surprised and not by some of these things lamao

[randomoranges]

I posted 1,426 times in 2022

141 posts created (10%)

1,285 posts reblogged (90%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@annundriel

@anthonyandaziraphale

@standardizedbogey

@thisnameisquitequeer

@wrathofthestag

I tagged 815 of my posts in 2022

Only 43% of my posts had no tags

#our flag means death - 301 posts

#étienne maisonneuve - 124 posts

#pc: montreal - 122 posts

#edward murphy - 90 posts

#pc: edmonton - 90 posts

#fic - 62 posts

#good omens - 55 posts

#au - 52 posts

#k attempts to draw - 49 posts

#art - 44 posts

Longest Tag: 135 characters

#and then cal returns only to find his bf in bed with his worst sworn enemy who is clearly also an assassin plotting to kill his beloved

My Top Posts in 2022:

#5

Yes, the Maisonneuve twins are die hard Backstreet Boys fans

Yes, AJ really did say that at the end of the song

Yes, MTL really did put the Backstreet Boys on the North American map, you're welcome

Yes, B Centre really did give them special Habs jerseys for the encore

Yes, I finally did get to see them perform 20+ yrs later.

10 notes - Posted September 5, 2022

#4

just a little blurb.

teacher au

Sweet Tooth

 Between the two of them, Étienne is the one with the sweet tooth. He likes chocolates and candies and pastries and cookies. For as much as he can go through most of the day without a proper meal, he’ll keep stashes of sweets in his desk drawer and eat them throughout the day. He’s aware that it’s not the best of eating habits, but he also finds it incredibly hard to resist the temptation of sour candies and velvet smooth chocolates and buttery pastries and decadent cookies and such.

 Edward, on the other hand, doesn’t go for that kind of stuff as much. He prefers to make his pastries and cookies – finds that he can duplicate the recipes and save maybe a grand total of fifty-three cents, but he’ll have enjoyed the process. However, he does enjoy the process of baking and if anything, Étienne makes a good tester to have around, even if he is hopeless in the kitchen.

 As it goes, a very popular item to get a teacher during the holidays and even at the end of the school year, is a box of chocolates. There is even a specific brand that markets itself as the perfect gift to say thank you to someone. Étienne, despite being the art teacher, gets his fair share of various chocolates, what with having hundreds of students that he sees over the year. Edward will get more varied presents, but the box of chocolates or sweets or cookies or such will make its way to the pile. Of course, he is always very thankful to the student and makes sure to write a thank you note to the parents. What the student doesn’t need to know is that more often than not, he’ll give the box to Étienne, who will be more than happy to add it to his stash and reserve.

 Edward knows that in the back of the art room, in the storage room, next to the extra paints and above the Bristol boards, there is an entire shelf dedicated to his stashes of sweets.

 He knows, for, on occasion, if the mood strikes him just right, he’ll sneak off to the room and abscond with a candy or chocolate.

 He figures that – they were his first, anyways.

 FIN

10 notes - Posted January 15, 2022

#3

this is an ancient idea.

from rock band au. this takes place yrs later. i am v much aware that i have yet to finish that au and that there are only 2 parts left. shh.

Key Chains

 “I’m home!” Étienne sing songs as he steps into his shared home.

 From further inside, Edward closes his laptop and pushes back his glasses on the top of his head. He grins to himself and walks over to the entrance to greet his boyfriend.

 “Flight okay?” He asks after they exchange a long hug and one of many kisses. Étienne may have been gone for only a little over two weeks, but it certainly felt like much longer.

 “Uneventful. Boring really. Only got recognised once,” Étienne pouts. Edward laughs and helps him out of his jacket, before hanging it up.

 Normally, he manages to show up partway through a tour, or, if anything, he shows up to the airport to pick Étienne up, but for as much as his work sometimes allows him to be there, there are other times when he can’t follow the band to wherever it is they’re playing next. This had been one of such times and so, Edward had stayed behind, while Étienne had gone on tour with the rest of Les Maisonneuves.

 “More importantly, I got something for you!” Étienne tells him excitedly. Edward goes along, far too used to this strange little ritual of theirs, after so many years, and goes back to sit at the table, while Étienne rummages for whatever it is he has to give him. Edward knows already what it’ll be, but this too is part of their game.

 “Close your eyes,” Étienne warns him and Edward complies.

 For as long as they’ve been dating, Étienne has brought him back two items after every tour. He has a collection of them, by now and Edward treasures each and every one of them.

 When Edward is given the go, he opens his eyes to find a neatly folded concert t-shirt placed in front of him. Edward has one from every tour and they’re used for absolutely everything. Some have turned into pyjamas, others are work shirts for when he has things to do around the house, and there are a few he’ll wear out for a casual ensemble.

 Sometimes, Étienne will even steal one from him, which Edward thinks is hilarious. Étienne defends himself saying that it smells like Edward.

 “Oh, this one’s a nice shade of blue. New colour?” Edward asks as he unfolds the shirt, knowing full well that the second item will be inside of it.

 “Yeah, we wanted an update on t-shirt colours. Figured you’d like the change from the others.”

 Edward nods and as expected, he finds six different key chains, from six different cities inside the shirt, each one of them a place where the band had performed at during their latest tour.

 “Aw, I love these; thanks Sweetheart.” Edward rewards him with a kiss and Étienne beams, utterly pleased with himself.

 It started during Étienne’s first tour shortly after they’d started dating. Due to the health restrictions, Edward hadn’t been able to tag along and so, late one night, as they’d been on a video call, Étienne had asked Edward if there was something he could bring him back.

 There wasn’t anything that Edward needed, but Étienne had insisted, and so, in the end, Edward had asked him for a keychain, just to get Étienne off his case.

 Of course, Edward had failed to take into consideration the fact that Étienne never backed away from an opportunity to pull one on him. Therefore, when he’d returned from his tour, Étienne had brought him a keychain from each of the cities he’d played in.

 They weren’t fancy key chains, or even pretty ones. They were slightly tacky, this side of gaudy, but it became a thing – their thing, and soon enough, Edward found himself with a collection of them. Each one had the name of the city, sometimes there were other little ornaments on the ring, and – Edward cherished each and every one.

 When it got to the point that he had amassed quite the collection, Edward made himself a corkboard on which he put up the different key chains. First, there was the one at home, for his home office, then there was the one for his work office.

 “You know, at this rate, I’m going to need another board.” Edward remarks as he observes each keychain in turn. They’re just as spectacularly tacky and gaudy as all the rest and he loves each and every one.

 “Well, you don’t have a board back at our place in Montréal, so, that’s an option.”

 It’s crazy to think that Étienne’s original Montréal place is now their place, but then again – the same can be said about their place here in Edmonton.

 “It’s a good thing the band is still touring, in that case.”

 Étienne grins at the comment and Edward invites his partner to tell him more about his latest tour, even if he’s heard the main points of it over their many calls and text exchanges.

 FIN

11 notes - Posted August 21, 2022

#2

St-Étienne du Bagel

There's a new giant ring downtown.

I had fun taking silly selfies.

I had to then draw this.

11 notes - Posted July 3, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

'Tis the season, 2022 edition

358 notes - Posted October 24, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

[randomoranges]

Sometimes you wake up with a really dumb idea. and then it just grows into its own thing hahahaha.

hey, imagine if all these xmas fics were connected lamao ha lol.

Merry Christmas Darling [Take a Walk with your Favourite Girl]

 Edward lay on his back, ramrod straight, hands crossed over on his stomach as he stared up at the ceiling of his childhood bedroom. He counted the once glow-in-the-dark stars he had glued up there when he was eight and tried to steady his breathing. His heart sped up, instead of slowing down, as he felt the weight of the object he was holding in his hands burn into his very flesh.

 This, he decided, was utterly ridiculous.

 Beside him, Étienne rolled over in his sleep (wasn’t that a novel thought – he was awake and Étienne-Never-Sleep-Can’t-Sleep Maisonneuve was sleeping like a log (good for him – he’d looked more exhausted than usual – Étienne deserved all the rest he could get)) and curled up closer towards him, seeking out whatever extra warmth he could find. The way Étienne was dressed was also utterly ridiculous, but at least it was endearing.

 Edward spared him a glance, looked at the hood Étienne had pulled over his head, the sweatshirt he was wearing over his flannel pyjamas (the sweatshirt, Edward noted, that happened to be one of his own, but was he even surprised at this point? No, he was not,) and this time his heart did settle down for a moment and a small smile graced his lips. He loved this lunatic, a whole damn lot, actually and being back home, for the holidays, with Étienne, made the whole thing even more special.

 Then he remembered what he was holding in his hands and whatever calmness he had achieved went out the window. Again. (Because, obviously, this wasn’t the first time this had happened to him.)

 See, the thing was that Edward had been dating Étienne for more years than he could count. They’d gotten off to a rocky start, but eventually had grown into their relationship and Edward never wanted to look back or change a thing to it. He remembered the first time Étienne had come to Edmonton with him, and how nervous he’d been at the prospect of officially introducing Étienne to his parents as his official boyfriend, officially, but luckily, everything had gone off remarkably well. (Because thankfully, he had very understanding parents, and thankfully, Étienne was a total charm around people, and thankfully, he had worried for nothing.)

 Edward knew, the moment they moved in together, that this was it for him, that he’d grow old, and grey, and partially deaf with Étienne by his side and the fact that he looked so much forward to it had only unsettled him a little.

 That had been years ago – almost a lifetime ago.

 At some point, they’d sat down together, somewhere between one anniversary and the next, and they’d openly spoken about marriage – where they stood on the matter, before things got too serious. They’d both been remarkably grown-up and frank with each other about the whole thing and even to this day, Edward still wasn’t convinced he hadn’t dreamt the conversation up.

 Edward had always wanted to get married. For as long as he could remember. It was, and had been, a dream of his since boyhood. He dreamt and imagined the setting, the clothes, and how happy he would be. Of course, once he had come to terms with his sexuality, he had revised his dreams and plans, and had figured that if ever he actually found a man who loved him, he would be happy enough. If ever they both mutually agreed on marriage, it would be that, but if not, it would be fine, but then he’d met Étienne and he wanted to commit to that so very goddamned much.

 He hadn’t been surprised with Étienne’s answer. Étienne had never really considered marriage. Je never even thought he would find a long-term partner. He never saw himself settling down and committing to such a thing, but he did admit to his views having shifted in the last few years. Given the right person, the right circumstances, maybe marriage was a thing he could do - eventually (and there were advantages to it, for the long run, common-law partner laws or not).

 Therefore, it really shouldn’t have been anyone’s surprise when the following summer, when they’d been on vacation together, Edward had, quite honestly and accidentally, stumbled upon a gorgeous wedding band that he had impulsively purchased for Étienne, while Étienne had been lingering in a museum. He hadn’t done anything with it. Had stashed it in a pocket of his backpack. Had then buried it in his luggage amongst socks and other odd souvenirs. Had then purposely left it in a drawer at work. And then had tried to come up with the Best Proposal Ever.

 (He’d checked with Étienne, afterwards, to see if this was still a Thing he might be interested in, before he made a right old fool of himself, and they’d had other subsequent conversations on the topic. They’d agreed that Eventually, it would be nice, later, once they’d settle, once this event had passed, after such and such a thing...)

 That, had been exactly two years, five months, three weeks and four days ago.

 The problem was that Edward A. Murphy could not, for the life of him, settle on what he considered a proposal worthy of Étienne M. Maisonneuve. It wasn’t that he hadn’t tried, lord knew he had. There had been many dinner dates and museum dates and dates in general where he had brought along the ring with him, safely tucked away in his pocket, waiting for the opportune moment to Ask the Big Question.

 He had rehearsed. Countless times. In front of mirrors, in his car, while grocery shopping, while showering, and almost once a day in his head. He thought of doing it at home, of doing it after they got ice cream, after a nice walk through the city – he thought of doing it in the car, once, in a desperate attempt to get it Done and Over With, but – Étienne deserved the best proposal and this was getting beyond ridiculous.

 None of the moments ever felt totally right and he was wondering if there would ever come a time when he would deign it right. (There had been one time, when Edward had taken Étienne out to one of the rooftop terrasses Étienne kept going on about. The view on the Old Port was spectacular, the food had been sublime, and Edward was going to ask him when the fireworks went off, (softly, quietly, because he did not want a public proposal, thank you very much,) but then two other couples did the exact same thing and that took care of that.

 So that was how he found himself in his childhood bedroom, with his boyfriend sleeping beside him, clutching the wedding band he had purchased almost two and a half years ago.

 But today the comedy would end.

 He had decided that he was going to propose to Étienne today, Christmas Eve morning, or so help him. He would not exit this room until he had put the ring on Étienne’s finger and until he had a fiancé. (Hopefully, Étienne would say yes, or else this would be all very awkward and sad.) (The fact that he had said the same thing every morning for the past week was irrelevant and not here nor there.)

 He had barely slept. Had tossed and turned (and finally started to understand how terribly Étienne most probably felt on every second night). Had done his best to rehearse the proposal scene one more time. Had tried to keep busy, until finally, somewhere around three AM, he had slipped out of bed, walked over to his dresser and had pulled out the ring from its box. Then he’d crawled back into bed, had lain on his back, ramrod straight, hands crossed over on his stomach, staring up at the ceiling of his childhod bedroom, and had waited for Étienne to wake up.

 Finally, after what felt like an eternity, after hours and minutes and seconds had passed, Étienne finally started to stir. Edward observed the spectacle, watched as Étienne stretched and yawned, how he immediately curled back on himself and how he sought out Edward’s body to snuggle up to. He watched the sprawl of messy curls that covered half the pillow and couldn’t help but smile. He liked being the one who got to see Étienne like this – he liked seeing him at his essence – sleep-tussled hair and pillow lines etched in his face. Étienne said it was his unrefined look, Edward thought he looked lovely and beautiful this way. Unguarded and vulnerable.

 Edward spared one hand to run up and down Étienne’s back, until Étienne opened bleary green-brown eyes at him and give him a sleepy good morning.

 Edward knew, after years, months, weeks and days, that this was his moment – whole proposal scene be damned.

 “Bouclé?” He started, turning over so that they could face each other. He reached out and gently pushed down the hood of Étienne’s (his) sweater and brushed a curl away from his face. Étienne grunted at the change in position, but twined their legs together, forever looking for more body heat and Edward chuckled to himself. He wanted this for the rest of his life.

 “Étienne,” He started again, feeling his heart rate speed up and his palms grow sweaty. Étienne rubbed at his eyes, but looked at him nonetheless, curious as to what all this was about, “I love you,” He blurted out and at least he got the reaction he wanted when Étienne smiled that little sweet smile he liked so much. It gave him courage to go on with this crazy plan of his. Pushed him to form the words that were struggling to form a coherent sentence. “Marry me?” He whispered, without a doubt in his mind, looking straight at him, laying the words between them, for Étienne to look over and decide. He didn’t need no fancy words, or scenes, he just needed Étienne – the simplicity and easiness of their friendship, the constant support he got from him – the love and the sense of home he got when he was with Étienne. He took Étienne’s hand in his own and delicately placed the ring he had been holding on to in the palm of his beloved’s hand.

 Étienne stilled and then blinked rapidly, wondering if all of this was real. He studied Edward’s face, looking for any trace or clue that would tip him off to this being some grand scheme or joke, but he only found a determined look (and lots and lots of hopeful love). He then felt the weight of the ring in his palm and chose to focus his attention on that instead – anywhere but those beautiful hazel eyes that threatened to engulf him whole.

 This time he gasped.

 It was a beautiful ring. Étienne immediately loved the rose gold colour and the braided design of it. It was unique, it was pretty, and it was, apparently, his to accept.

 Étienne could not believe that Edward had just proposed to him. To him! Someone had proposed to him – Étienne Maisonneuve. This was a dream. It had to be. There was no way this was actually happening to him. Sure, they had spoken about it. Sure, he had said that eventually, they could consider it, but he had never thought that this would be a reality he could ever live. He knew he had his issues, he knew he wasn’t perfect, but somehow or other Edward kept staying by his side and loved him despite his flaws and Étienne would have been ready to content himself with that for the rest of his life (or for however long Edward decided he was worth the trouble). But apparently Edward had been serious when he’d said he wanted more and Étienne wanted to burrow his face in his chest and never let him go.

 His hand shook a little when he brought the ring closer to his face, to look it over and marvel over its beauty. (And was it his vision that was faltering or the tears in his eyes that made everything blurry?) He was stalling for time, he could feel Edward hold his breath beside him, but he needed a moment. This was – this was a lot. He loved Edward. He truly did, and they had spoken about this, but never in a thousand years did he ever think that anyone, let alone Edward, would ever propose to him.

 And yet, here he was. In the childhood bedroom of his boyfriend, with said boyfriend by his side, proposing to him.

 He was a giddy mess. He let out a giddy laugh and wiped at his eyes with his free hand.

 Étienne took a deep breath to steady his nerves, swallowed thickly and gave the ring back to Edward.

 Edward stopped breathing all together and he absolutely wanted the floor to swallow him whole.

 Étienne realised a second later how his gesture was being interpreted and tried to back pedal fast, “Oh, Hon, no – I mean, that’s not what I – wait, I –” He cut himself off with a laugh, realising how ridiculous this all was. He closed his own hand over Edward’s and looked into uncertain hazel eyes, “I’d be honoured, Eddy, of course – yes, I accept, but I want you to put the ring on my finger,” He clarified, soft smile playing on his lips.

 Edward looked at him, blinked, and then pulled him in for the tightest of hugs, “Jesus Christ, Curly, I thought you were turning me down easy – you really have a way with words,” They both laughed, a little wet, a little relieved and a little nervous, and Étienne snuggled closer into Edward’s embrace, feeling completely at peace and utterly loved.

 After a moment passed, Étienne presented Edward his left hand and wiggled his finger. Edward chuckled, but took the offered hand and gently slid the ring on (and if both their hands shook slightly, neither passed a comment). Edward then raised Étienne’s hand to his lips and placed the softest of kisses to his knuckles, turning Étienne into a flustered mess.

 “It’s a beautiful ring,” Étienne tried to recover, settling back into Edward’s arms as he looked at his hand – at his hand with a ring on it (and his entire body did many funny things at the sight, but he’d never felt so elated or so happy).

 “A beautiful ring, for my beautiful fiancé,” Edward murmured and oh – how Étienne absolutely loved this man.

 FIN