#it's a chocolate frosty burger day

[after-witch]

my fictional yandere stalker watching me walk out of a Wendy’s with my order, sit in my car, pull out my burger, unwrap my burger, take a bite of my burger, then put a dollop of my chocolate Frosty on my burger before continuing to eat it, alternating between regular bites and burger-topped-with-Frosty bites:

[wtf-tfw]

RENAMING AND RATING EVERY WENDY'S MENU ITEM I CAN THINK OF: Part One

ORIGINAL TITLE: Junior Bacon Cheeseburger

NEW TITLE: Junior Stupid Bimbo Burger

RATING: 5/10 too fuckign small and also stupid and perpetuates a lot of harmful stereotypes like the "dumb blonde" stereotype which is honestly just so tired and outdated. the mayonaisse is pretty good thou.

ORIGINAL TITLE: Baconator

NEW TITLE: Griswald Verdigris

RATING: 8/10 suuuuch a tryhard but i can't deny the fact that i order one of these every single day like i am suuuch a freak about it

ORIGINAL TITLE: Dave's Triple

NEW TITLE: Dave's Bunghole Buster

RATING: 9/10 this is a fat shadwich i can get behind. my bunghole be bustin

ORIGINAL TITLE: Grilled Chicken

NEW TITLE: Dave's Dingle

RATING: 3/10 I just think it would be funny if Dave named this sandwich after his dingle

ORIGINAL TITLE: Chili con Carne

NEW TITLE: Fiendish Delight

RATING: 7.5/10 could use more breast milk

ORIGINAL TITLE: Jalapeno Baconator Fries

NEW TITLE: Jacob

RATING: They aight

ORIGINAL TITLE: Large Chocolate Frosty

NEW TITLE: The Frosty

RATING: 10/10 okay so one time i was writing an essay about the proletariat in 17th century france for an upper level french history course and my boyfriend at the time got really stoned right and he drove to wendy's , just absolutely zooted out of his mind, and i stayed back in my dorm to work on my essay, cause it was due in two days and i was planning on doing nothign the next day because it was my sister's 25th birthday and we were gonna go out clubbing together right. anyways my boyfriend at the time, whose name was Harlan but we called him Harlot , he came home still absolutely zonked lost in the sauce and he had wendy's fries just everywhere in his clothes like in his hoodie pocket, in his shirt hole , underwear i'm talking everywhere. anyways he brought me back a frosty because he had asked if i wanted anything before he left and i said yeah give me the frosty ( i was not stoned i just wanted a frosty just to be clear) and so he gave me the frosty and i ate it and it was like really cold right. and i ate it all

[araccoonthatlikesmurder]

Be me

Yesterday

Sibling gets sick and stays home

Uh Oh

Mom offers to get Burger King on the way back

Sure

Tire has been having issues

Should be fine right?

WRONG! 10 PSI!

Bad news, mom calls Firestone

Shit’s getting worse

We haven’t eaten in a while

Anger

Whatever though. We ball

Tire gets fixed

Mom gets home

Burger King

Phew glad that’s over,

And then it wasn’t.

Different day same shit

Except now it’s finally some time off

Mom gets home early with a spare tire

Nice

Let’s watch the Mario Movie!

We get 20 minutes in

FROSTY THE WENDY’S TREAT WAS NOT A JOLLY SOUL TONIGHT

Spill the frosty all over our surge protector

It makes some and smells

Uh oh part 2

We unplug that shit immediately

It’s a mess of cables like we’re on a jungle

Everything’s fine

And covered in chocolate ice cream

We clean it up

I let dogs out

MY FUCKING CAT RUNS OUT AND CLIMBS ONTO THE ROOF

(MY FUCKING CAT RUNS OUT AND CLIMBS ONTO THE ROOF)

Jesus Shit

I go upstairs to get him in

Where is he?

Go out to the driveway to see him

That fucker STARES AT ME FROM THE ROOF

And starts walking back towards the roof

So I run back in

Get on the window

HE SITS THERE STARING AT ME WHILE I SCREAM FOR HIM

Eventually he comes in

Cut to now

Make a tumblr post about it

[random2908]

I have been conducting a study.

I have been studying fast food chocolate shakes. I am now prepared to share my findings:

McDonald's: it's fine. It's the most generic milkshake possible, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. There's nothing to complain about, but there's nothing to laud, either. If you haven't tried a McDonald's shake in 30 years, give it a try again, they completely revamped the recipe in like the late 90s or something and it's a lot better now.

Jack in the Box: it tastes like chocolate syrup, very sweet, very artificial-chocolatey. Fine if you like that kind of thing; for me, I think it's an ok flavor for a topping but not as the main flavor in my milkshake.

Carl's Jr: tastes very real. Like milk. Tastes like milk and real ice cream but not much like chocolate at all. If you want your milkshake to taste like it's healthy go with this one. I could imagine having this at a diner.

In-n-out: despite the reputation, I really don't think it's particularly better than McDonalds. Its defining feature is that it goes heavy on the vanilla, even in a chocolate shake, which I find very nostalgic. Specifically, it's nostalgic of 9th grade, when used to walk through the In-n-out "drive"-thru across the street from my school and get a shake for lunch like two days a week. I will say this and music are the two things that are nostalgic of high school in a good way. That still does not make this an especially good milkshake, though. I mean, it's fine. Like McDonald's, it's perfectly fine, but it's not especially good.

Burger King: you can get a chocolate oreo shake here, not just chocolate or oreo like at most other places. So I've never had the chocolate shake here.

Five Guys: you can also get a chocolate oreo shake here. The one in Ann Arbor was better 5-10 years ago, chocolatey but not sweet--or at least not so sweet as to completely cover that very specific chocolate bitterness, which is something I've grown to appreciate as an adult. More recently there, and also here, it's not as chocolatey. But it is probably the thickest ice cream of the fast food shakes. Really very good.

Wendy's: I've only had a Wendy's frosty a handful of times in my life--a few times in early childhood when they still existed in my hometown, and then a couple times in college and grad school. My memory is the texture is bad and that's why they call it a frosty rather than a milkshake. It's fine if you just need a chocolate-flavored fry dip, but maybe not as a drink. I don't know, maybe I'm misremembering, though.

Sonic: this one is the best. It tastes like chocolate pudding, and I love chocolate pudding. This is the first time I've ever lived within 50 miles of a Sonic (shocking that that happened in NorCal of all places). But since I was doing a study, I went out of my way to get one. I drove over 20 minutes, telling myself I'd been waiting 18 years for this--ever since I had a classmate in grad school from Oklahoma who used to rave about them and complain that we got radio ads for them in the Detroit area even though the nearest Sonic was well into Ohio. Anyway, yeah, it was worth it. I can't believe it beat Five Guys, but it beat Five Guys by a lot. The one negative, and I can't believe I'm saying this, is there was about twice as much whipped cream on it as I really wanted.

I had been going to extend this test another couple weeks, to give Burger King, Wendy's, and Five Guys their fair shakes (...as it were)--Wendy's because I remember not liking it but haven't had it since... like... since I was a TA and it was the only thing open near the bus stop after my night classes? And Burger King and Five Guys because I only ever get chocolate oreo, and it's not fair to all the other shakes, so I was going to try plain chocolate--but Sonic blew everything else out of the water tonight so I gave up.

[paranormal-pajama-phantom]

Hello!! Your matchups sound amazing, I was wondering if I could get one please?

Female

She/her

Romantic

Personality - I'd consider myself kind and empathic, I love helping out and people come to me to vent or for advice and comfort. I'm smart and ambitious, I love being the best at everything I do. I'm also a bit of a hopeless romantic and I daydream quite a lot. I'm also pretty outgoing and talkative around the people I'm comfortable with. I love adventures, witty and playful banter, pulling harmless pranks, joking around and having indepth discussions on anything and everything.

Bad traits - I'm pretty cynical and I hold most people at an arm's length. I can be quite dramatic and stubborn and I tend to be withdrawn and distant at times. I get frustrated and annoyed at people pretty easily and I'm also competitive.

Hobbies - I love reading, my favorite genres are poetry, Russian lit, and mysteries! I also love true crime very much. I love learning about new things and knowing a little bit of everything, I'm very interested in psychology, history, mythology and folklore, and fashion! I adore all forms of art and I have quite a few creative hobbies. I love cooking and cleaning up since they take my mind off of things and help me relax. I also really enjoy working out and I'm quite fond of sports. I'm a pretty girly girl and I love clothes, shoes, accessories, makeup and skincare 😭

Things that annoy me - big and loud crowds, noisy chewers, extremely cold weather

Introvert for the most part. I love hanging out and doing stuff with my friends and family, it makes me really happy and I really, really value the time we spend together but it gets exhausting if it happens very frequently. I really like my alone time and I'm pretty awkward around strangers

Type - I have no idea but some fictional characters I really like are Steve Harrington from stranger things, James, Sirius and Remus from Harry Potter and spike from btvs! I'm really sorry for not answering this properly!

How others describe me- People who don't know me well describe me as quiet, a little frosty, sweet, and a bit of a bookworm. People who do know well would describe me as fun, mischievous, caring, talkative, supportive, and moody

Sexuality - straight

Favorite food - I really like burgers and I anything with chocolate in it

Favorite color - A warm, earthy red and dark forest green and all shades of pink!

Type of music - I mostly listen to indie rock and I also love classical music

No preference between hero or villain

I like being called sweetheart, honey, baby and angel! I also love it when the nickname is an inside joke

I think I'd be more into a laid back lover, but I don't have a strong preference either way!

Physical description - I'm 5'9 and I have long and curly dark brown hair and brown eyes. I have a fair skin tone, I'm slim and I've got full lips, big eyes that have dark circles under them, and prominent cheekbones! I wear glasses and I have dimples that I really like! I dress mostly in relaxed suits, blazers and coats and I love the occasional dress or sweaters layered over a white button down! I almost always have a red lip when I go out and I love wearing blush and a subtle highlighter.

Taller, but again, no strong preference either way!

Aesthetic - a mix of 90s and dark academia!

Quality time and physical touch

Taurus sun, gemini moon and scorpio rising!

I'm extremely good at picking up others' handwriting and I can pick locks

I'm sorry for how long this got! Thank you very much for doing this, I hope you have a lovely day ❤️❤️❤️

I pair you with

🧪Bruce Banner🧪

General headcanons

Bruce loves you for many things but the thing he likes most is that your probably one of the only people who actually listens

He feels safe and like he can vent around you without being judged

Bruce definitely feels less tense around you and loves your sense of humor

Maybe not the pranks but, he’ll get used to it

Hopefully

Loves snuggling up next to you in bed and reading with you 

If you ever ask him he’ll jump at the idea of cooking with you

Even though he’s not great at it he’d love the thought of helping you 

Date headcanons

For a date Bruce is likely to take you out for Burgers 

It’s simple and sweet at the same time

After he’ll probably go on a walk with you around the neighborhood 

It’ll be pretty late at night so it’ll be empty but peaceful

Maybe he’ll even put on some music as you walk 

He’ll hold your hand as you walk together <3

Romantic headcanons 

Bruce isn’t a very touchy person but to show affection sometimes he’ll hold your hand gently or give you a hug

His favorite nickname for you is ‘Honey’ it’s simple and usually the first thing that slips out of his mouth

Will act annoyed if you drag him out on an adventure but he deep down he loves it ><

Sometime’s the two of you paint together 

Cheek kisses :) 

Height Headcanons 

Canonically Bruce Banner is 5’9 so he’s about the same height as you

But as the Hulk he’s about 7’8 so…

I guess he’s technically taller than you?

Bonus round

This man has no sense of fashion so he’ll be very thankful if you ever decide to help him out with clothing! Color theory does not exist to this guy and his main outfits consist of lab coats, so please help him out

Come back soon! 💌

[wendysmenuprices1]

Exploring Wendy's Breakfast Menu Prices

Wendy's, known for its delicious burgers and fresh ingredients, has extended its culinary prowess to the breakfast scene. Wendy's breakfast menu offers a range of tasty options to kickstart your day. In this article, we'll delve into wendys menu, providing you with a detailed overview of menu items and their respective prices, so you can plan your morning meal with ease.

Signature Breakfast Sandwiches:

Breakfast Baconator - $4.69: Wendy's Breakfast Baconator is a hearty option, featuring a freshly-cracked egg, six strips of Applewood smoked bacon, a sausage patty, and Swiss cheese, all tucked between a premium bun.

Honey Butter Chicken Biscuit - $3.49: A sweet and savory choice, the Honey Butter Chicken Biscuit combines a crispy chicken fillet with honey butter and a flaky biscuit.

Classic Sausage, Egg & Cheese Burrito - $2.49: The Classic Sausage, Egg & Cheese Burrito is a portable breakfast filled with sausage, egg, cheese, and a warm tortilla.

Maple Bacon Chicken Croissant - $3.79: A delightful combination of sweet and salty, this croissant includes a crispy chicken fillet, applewood smoked bacon, American cheese, and maple butter on a flaky croissant.

Fresh-Baked Biscuits:

Sausage, Egg & Cheese Biscuit - $2.99: A classic choice for biscuit lovers, this menu item includes sausage, egg, and American cheese on a biscuit.

Bacon, Egg & Swiss Croissant - $3.19: This croissant features bacon, a freshly-cracked egg, and Swiss cheese on a flaky, buttery croissant.

Chicken Biscuit - $2.99: Enjoy a biscuit with a crispy chicken fillet for a simple yet satisfying breakfast.

Frosty-ccinos:

Vanilla Frosty-ccino - $2.29 (small): A cold and creamy option for those who need a caffeine boost, this frosty-ccino combines vanilla Frosty with cold brew coffee.

Chocolate Frosty-ccino - $2.29 (small): If you prefer a chocolatey twist, try the Chocolate Frosty-ccino, which blends chocolate Frosty with cold brew coffee.

Value Menu Breakfast:

Honey Butter Chicken Biscuit - $3.49: This tasty biscuit is also part of the value menu, making it an even more budget-friendly breakfast choice.

Beverages:

Soft Drink - $1.79 (small): For those who prefer a classic soft drink with their breakfast, Wendy's offers various options in different sizes.

Iced Tea - $1.79 (small): If you want a refreshing and unsweetened beverage, Wendy's iced tea is a great choice.

Premium Hot Coffee - $1.29 (small): If you need your caffeine fix, Wendy's offers hot coffee in various sizes, including small, medium, and large.

Why Choose Wendy's Breakfast:

Wendy's breakfast menu is designed to provide a variety of delicious choices that cater to different preferences. Here's why you should consider giving it a try:

Quality Ingredients: Just like their regular menu, Wendy's breakfast features high-quality, fresh ingredients. From freshly-cracked eggs to Applewood smoked bacon, you can count on the same level of quality that Wendy's is known for.

Unique and Innovative: Wendy's doesn't just replicate typical breakfast items; they put their own spin on classic breakfast flavors, such as the Breakfast Baconator, Honey Butter Chicken Biscuit, and Frosty-ccinos.

Budget-Friendly: Wendy's understands the importance of a good deal, and their breakfast menu prices are competitive, making it an excellent choice for those looking for value.

Convenience: Whether you're in a rush or want to sit down and savor your morning meal, Wendy's offers both dine-in and drive-thru options for a convenient breakfast experience.

Promotions and Deals:

Wendy's often introduces promotions and deals on its breakfast menu items. Keep an eye on their website or mobile app for the latest offers in your area. These deals can include combo meals, discounted prices, or even limited-time breakfast items.

In Conclusion:

Wendy's breakfast menu is a delightful addition to their offerings. Whether you're in the mood for a hearty breakfast sandwich, a fresh-baked biscuit, or a Frosty-ccino to wake you up, Wendy's has your morning cravings covered.

With a combination of innovative breakfast options and budget-friendly prices, Wendy's makes it easy to enjoy a satisfying breakfast that won't hurt your wallet. The next time you're on the lookout for a delicious and convenient breakfast, consider Wendy's, and explore their breakfast menu to kickstart your day with flavor. Enjoy your breakfast!

[sinha-ri]

As someone who works at Wendy's, here's is some neat stuff that you prob didn't know

There's a Frosty Key Tag, and for only $2, you get a free mini frosty for the whole year!

When getting any combo, even the biggie bag, you can replace the fries for a baked potato *or* chili.

You can also replace any drink of a combo with a Frosty

You can add or take off ANYTHING from a burger. To sauces, what type of cheese, things seen as only exclusive to another burger (If you want say, a classic chicken sandwich with bourbon sauce from our Bourbon burger, you can just ask)

Our cookies ARE freshbaked. We make them the day of and lotsa batches throughout the day. They just won't be warm or right off the oven because then they needa cool down and can easily rip or get chocolate all over the bag and you

Yes we do lettuce wraps or literally just no bun. It would be put in a tray.

You can ask for only meat. Like literally just ask "Can I have a single patty" and it costs like 2 bucks or less

The only burger without cheese is our jr. Hamburger. You can ask without cheese for all others.

We have the Coca-Cola soda machine!! So essentially we have all coca cola products. From Powerade, Mellow Yellow, Hi-Ci, Ah-Ha, and some other wild shit

If you're looking for cheap, get a jr. Buger. It costs like $5 for two while it costs $7 or more for a single regular burger

[whimsywispsblog]

Nothing More

A/N: Hello Wispies, how have y'all been? So, I finally completed my first Chrisandra (Chris x Cassandra) ficlet! It is quite short and really dramatic, but I hope you like it!

"So, how's our little Cassie doing?" Emily asked, taking a big bite off her sandwich. Chris raised an eyebrow as he took a sip of his awfully cold coffee, trying not to spit the bitter liquid.

"Who the hell is Cassie?"

"Cassandra Demitrescu, of course," Emily gave a deadpanned expression, her lips slowly curling into a smirk, making a few crumbs of bread fall off. "Your...uh...midnight tryst?"

"She's not a midnight tryst, Em. She is just an asset for the intel on the inner workings of the Village and Miranda." Chris rubbed his forehead, slightly irritated.

"Sure." Emily mused, wiping her mouth with a tissue, swallowing down a chuckle that (fortunately) did not go unnoticed by Chris.

Maybe he should have let someone younger from his squad handle the asset. Cassandra Demitrescu. Daughter of Alcina Demitrescu. A dangerous biological weapon walking freely, killing several "preys" who were just innocent ignorant people. And she dreadfully reminded him of Jessica Sherawat, a triple agent. Jessica could hardly keep her hands off him. She was really irritating and petty. She was either dumb enough not to see that he wasn't interested, or she purposefully ignored the signs. He never knew which. Of course, compared to Cassandra, Jessica was a little less annoying. And stupid. Or more like naive.

The two of them engaged in a fight just near the exit of the castle. She was strong and difficult to kill, especially with the mutated insects. But Chris was able to keep up with her games until she took him over with her insects and brute strength. And just as she was about to kill Chris, Cassandra immediately dropped her sickle and rushed to grab a packet of granola that must have fallen off during their duel. Instead of killing her, Chris decided to try and get her to give him more information for a chocolate or a granola bar (Not like he could have killed her anyway. She might be a little distracted, but she could definitely overpower him easily).

A part of him felt awful about manipulating and rattling with her naivete. Still, another part of him knew that she was an uncontrollable and vicious bioweapon. They would always meet up at the Fort, past midnight on days when her mother was at the meeting. To her, it was her moment of freedom (and a chance to initiate a...ahem...a hush-hush intimacy with the handsome outsider). But Chris always tried to dissuade her approaches, at most giving her a peck on the cheek or on her hand. To Cassandra, that was enough for her. After centuries, she was being courted by a handsome gentleman. But Chris- he was stuck in a moral dilemma. Yesterday, they got the information that Miranda has indeed set her eyes on young Rose. They were in their final stages of setting up the cameras to monitor the situation before jumping to conclusions. The fortress was the last place. The squad intentionally left that for the Captain. How kind!

Just as he was ready to step out into the harsh Northern winds, the notification ring of his phone buzzed. There were only 4 contacts (besides his squad) that were never muted: Jill, Claire, Barry and Ethan. And the message was from Jill, a voice message.

"Hey, Chris! So, a little update for you. It seems Ada Wong is liked Connections. We're not sure how. Right now, we're trying to track her down, and we're calling in her little puppy, Leon. Also, I will be leaving for Paris today, there's some intel that we'd like to investigate, and Claire is there too, so hopefully, we'll get to catch up." The voice message ended with her usual goodbyes and see you soon.

Ada Wong. That one name that infuriates him (after Albert Wesker, of course). Although he did know that it was Carla's game and not Ada, after the BSAA received a drive with all the proof from an 'Anonymous Wellwisher' (AW = Ada Wong! Get it?!), he still found it difficult to not blame Ada for it. His fists clenched as he started reminiscing about the Lanshiang incident...Piers...Finn.

-

The inner wall of the fortress echoed the soft sounds of metal clanking and Chris' grunts. There was something about the frosty air and the quietness. Chris enjoyed the languid atmosphere. It was something he craved since the BSAA was formed. Maybe before that. Even sleep was tormenting- somehow, he could hear the snarl of the BOWs, and sometimes he could even feel the icky touch of the creatures. The smell- good lord. That sickening smell haunted him to no end. It was there in everything- even in his favourite burger and fries. But this day, there was something different about it. Or maybe he needed this- some time away from BSAA, away from civilisation and his mission. Just rejuvenate with nature's kisses. The wintery smell and the icy air was just perfect IF...If the sounds of the gravel crunching as someone walked- no, not walked, instead hopped towards him wasn't there. He knew exactly who it was- Cassandra Demitrescu.

"Chris! What are you doing here?" The girl giggled as she buried her face in Chris's shoulder, enjoying the feeling of the harsh fabric on her skin and his scent, of course. Chris gave a soft smile, patting her head a few times. It was only then that Cassandra noticed his gear. "Why are you wearing that funny thing? Are you going on a killing spree?" She giggled once more.

"No. I was just out on a walk before leaving for home."

"Will you come back?" Cassandra asked with her puppy dog eyes.

"Probably. Soon." He smiled.

"Will you stay then? When you come back?"

Chris shook his head with a neutral expression while Cassandra looked down sadly. Her sad face increased Chris' guilt. Ever since he and Cassandra started talking, he learned many things about her. One of the most important: She just wanted a normal life. A human life. Not in the castle, not with her sisters and mother, not in the Village. She wanted to experience a normal human life, and she got it from her time with Chris. It was short, yes, but to her, it was an adventure of a lifetime. A wish fulfilled, but at a terrible cost of having her trust and heart broken eventually. In this situation, he was the heartless monster, and she was an innocent girl who knew nothing outside of her castle.

"So...this is where it all ends?" Cassandra asked, her voice soft and low. Chris placed a hand on her shoulder, squeezing it gently.

"Yes. But I am glad to have had spent some time with you, Cassandra." He meant it. He truly did. As much as he could feel his inner voice breaking and howling, there wasn't any other way. Or the only other way was killing her, which Chris did not want to do. She didn't deserve that kind of heartbreak. Not today.

"Then...If you did like it, why don't you stay? I can talk to Mother-"

"I have a job and family back home. I am sorry."

"Bring them here! Stay here!"

"I cannot, Cassandra. I have other commitments." Cassandra's eyes teared up as her lips quivered uncontrollably.

"More important than me?" She whispered, pulling her hood back on. Chris nodded softly, whispering, 'Yes'.

"Maybe I shouldn't have met you," Cassandra said, clutching her dress. "Bela was right. Look at me. I was a fool to believe that this would..." She looked up at Chris, the tears trailing down her cheeks. Chris tried to wipe off the tears, but the girl pushed his hand away, turning her face away. "Just go, Chris."

"I am sorry, Cassandra."

"I don't want your apology." She said finally, bursting into a swarm of flies, flying away from the place. Chris stayed alone in the empty corridor, replaying the moment in his head. Cassandra's tears.

"Damn, Captain, you just broke her heart!" Lobo chuckled, unaware of Chris' growing sorrow.

"Yeah." That was all he said, and that was enough for Lobo to get the hint that his Captain had been, unfortunately, emotionally compromised by their enemy.

Little did Cassandra know that not only was that her last time meeting Chris, but it was her last week alive. Chris knew that she needed to be killed, and she knew that whatever was said and done, Chris cannot stay here in the Village because, unlike for her, this wasn't his home. But that never stopped her sad tears from falling, her soft gasps turning into audible whimpers and mewls, as she held the chocolate wrappers that Chris had given her close to her chest.

Her sobs got louder and louder as she collapsed onto her bed, crying harder and harder. Cassandra could have killed him then and there. She was powerful, and she knew it. She could take down Chris without much trouble. Or maybe even force him to live with her and abandon his home. But Cassandra loved him. Or maybe cared for him too much. She really did. And that is why she chose to let him go.

In a way, Chris, too, let her go. He could have taken her and given her the 'human life' she craved for. But knowing the BSAA, they would first imprison her. Then run several tormenting experiments on her, as if she hadn't lived through enough already. She would have been used as a weapon, and they'd make her do all the dirty work. And lastly, she'd be killed off once her purpose is served. It wasn't worth it, and that would have made her more miserable. In this, atleast she is at home. She has a family. Her death is inevitable, but she wouldn't die alone or in some unknown lands. And she was his mission. Nothing more.

"Nothing more," He muttered, walking towards the safehouse.

[lia-jones]

Growing Together - Chapter Twenty - The Green Eyed Monster

It was early dawn when we left the apartment, the cold breeze enough to jolt me awake from my remaining morning sleepiness. Loveland was still asleep, as it would be on a very early Saturday morning, and the only thing we could hear was the sound of our footsteps on the gravel… and my moaned complaints. I’m really not a morning person, and making me leave the warmth of my bed to face the frosty 6 am air without even letting me have my coffee first was pure torture. Needless to say, I was beyond moody.

It had been almost a month since Owen’s grandmother’s first and last contact with us, which meant that probably she took my words to heart and decided to leave us alone. Victor announced a week later that Daniel had been sentenced to 15 years of prison, and was waiting to be charged for other crimes, which meant he would probably never leave prison. All of the things that were taunting us were slowly but surely slipping away, and now we dared to take a deep breath of relief. Which led us to why we were getting up so early in the first place.

We were aware that things would become hectic pretty soon. LFG France was almost ready to make its official debut, which meant that Victor would have to make a long business trip to France in order to tie up the last loose ends, and we would be seeing much less of him in the upcoming weeks. With that in mind, my husband decided to treat the family with a comfort meal, and take the three of us on a small field trip: we were going to Loveland’s Farmer’s Market to get the best ingredients. Early. When it was freezing outside. This meal had better be worth it.

“Are you cold?” Victor wrapped his arm around me as we walked towards the market. “I told you to put on more clothes. It’s chilly early in the morning.”

I grunted in protest, but still leaned my nose on his chest, looking for warmth.

“I see what this is all about.” He let out a chuckle. “Don’t worry, you’ll have your coffee soon enough.”

“I want a hot chocolate!” Owen chimed in, excited. “Do you think I can ask for marshmallows?”

“How are you so perky?” I squinted at my son, offended that he could be so alert while I was still trying to stave off sleep.

“Dad says that all the great chefs go at this hour, and they personally pick the ingredients.” Owen jumped as he explained. “Can you imagine meeting one of those top chefs that we see on TV?”

I grunted again, burying myself in Victor as much as I could. The only chef I wanted to meet was Pillow Boyardee, back in my bed, where it was still warm. But that was so far away that it felt like I had left it in another dimension.

“Hey, sleepyhead.” Victor nudged me playfully, making me look at him. “We’re here. Do you want something else with your coffee?”

The scent of freshly ground beans hit my nostrils, awakening from my stupor. The Promised Land! Finally, I had arrived at a place where I could be happy: the coffee shop. Victor laughed again, as I promptly gave up his warm embrace for the promise of caffeine.

“Two coffees, one hot chocolate with marshmallows and three cinnamon rolls, please.” He asked the cashier, a perky brunette in her early twenties.

“Can I have the names to identify the beverages, please?” The cashier smiled widely at him.

“Coffee for Andrea and Victor, and hot chocolate for Owen.”

“Andrea, Owen and Victor…” The girl rolled her tongue weirdly as she pronounced Victor’s name. “You can have a seat anywhere, I’ll meet you there. After all, you are very hard to miss.” She gave him a sultry smile.

I blinked in confusion as Victor took mine and Owen’s hands, leading us to a table nearby.

“Is it just me or was that girl a little bit too friendly?” I asked as Victor pulled a chair for me to sit.

“What girl? The cashier?” He gave me a confused frown.

“You didn’t notice? I could swear she wa-”

“Here’s your coffee.” The cashier came with our order. “Strong and hot, just like you.” She winked at Victor.

I was so appalled I couldn’t even react. How dare she hit on my husband right in front of me?

“Careful, she said it’s hot.” Victor slid my coffee cup towards me, seemingly ignorant of what just happened.

“Ok, there is no way you didn’t see that.” I glared at him, only to have my glare returned with a confused look.

“See what?”

“Strong and hot, just like you.” I repeated her words with a nasal voice. “She was flirting!”

“You probably heard it wrong. I’m sure she didn’t say that.”

I felt my blood boil.

“So I’m hearing thin-”

“And even if she did, it would be useless. I’m happily married.” He said matter-of-factly. “Drink your coffee, you’ll feel better.”

The table fell silent. Victor was minding his phone while Owen was focused on blowing on his hot chocolate, poking the marshmallows with his little finger so they would melt a bit more. And I was steaming just as much as my coffee, but I kept quiet, not wanting to make a scene.

“What are we buying, Dad?” Owen broke the silence.

“I am glad you asked, my loyal esquire. This quest will not be an easy one.” Victor answered in all seriousness. “It is essential that today we make a meal fit for royalty, since our Queen is discontent.”

He was teasing me to make me laugh, and the sad part was, it was working. I took a sip of my coffee to hide my grin, but obviously he caught it and kept on playing, his tone even more exaggeratedly ceremonious than before.

“We start our perilous adventure fighting the most ruthless of adversaries: the butcher. We must obtain from his bloody hands the most precious cut of meat, the tenderloin.”

“We will go into the woods, holding our mighty swords, looking for the beast to hunt it down.” Owen continued, amused with the story.

“Or, in your father’s case, he’ll go into the market holding his mighty wallet.” I chimed in with a dry tone, although I was melting with how playful these two could be.

“The tool is irrelevant.” Victor smiled at me, sipping his drink. “All that matters is that I win the Queen’s heart.”

And just like that, Victor was making me giggle like a schoolgirl. He was good, I had to give him that.

“Why is there a number written under your cup?” Owen interrupted, frowning at the bottom of Victor’s cup.

“She wrote her number under your cup?” I looked at the paper cup like it was cursed.

“It's nothing.” He lifted his cup at an odd angle, so I wouldn’t see the bottom, drinking his coffee in one go. “Let's go. The market will get busy soon.” He declared as he crumpled the cup and promptly threw it away.

Somehow I managed to let myself be led out of that coffee shop without making a scene, but the truth was I was barely holding myself. Jealousy was churning inside me, and I wanted nothing more than to unleash all my anger. That girl had some nerve, hitting on a married man in front of his wife.

“You are surprisingly quiet.” Victor noticed. “Is this because of that woman?”

“No.” I pouted as I lied. Of course, he wouldn’t buy it.

“Why are you making such a fuss over this? I clearly have no intention to pursue any other romantic endeavors. You are too much trouble already.” He tickled my ribs, trying to get a smile out of me. He got an annoyed scoff instead.

“This doesn’t become you, you know.” He continued. “Jealousy is for insecure people with unfulfilling relationships.”

“I'm not jealous. I’m just annoyed that she flirted with you in front of me. What happened to sisters before misters?”

“I admit it was crass, but since when do you even pay attention to those things?"

“I don't.” I threw, wanting to close the topic. “It’s over, let’s move on.”

I could feel his eyes studying me and all my movements. When I turned to scold him, he was smiling mischievously.

“Well, I suppose you do have reasons to be cautious about other women.” He gave me a smug smile. “I am quite the catch.”

“Self-confident, are we?” I gave him a warning look.

“Rightfully so. You fell for my charms, didn’t you?”

“Ugh.” I walked faster, hoping he would just drop the subject. It was obvious he wouldn't.

“Admit it, I’m irresistible. You tell me yourself every day, I’m handsome, I have a promising career, I can cook…”

“You can be ridiculously annoying sometimes.” I added. “Like now.”

“They called me Loveland’s Most Eligible Bachelor, after all.” He continued, amused. “You can’t blame me for having all these women falling at my feet. Because, in all seriousness, who wouldn’t fall for this?” He pointed at himself like he was presenting an appliance in a game show.

“You're such an idiot." I shook my head.

“You're such a moron." He quipped.

It was true that there would always be some floozie flirting with Victor, he was indeed a remarkable man. But it was also true that, probably due to some lucky star, he only had eyes for me, and he showed me that every single day. Why was I letting such petty things get to me? The green-eyed monster was definitely not a good advisor, and I wasn’t going to let him ruin my day. Especially when I felt my husband’s hand hold mine, his fingers entwined with my own.

We finally stopped at the butcher’s door, Owen looking at it in amazement. He probably was expecting a violent man chopping off some animal’s head inside, and not the scrawny guy with a high-pitched voice that Victor called Clarence. Nonetheless, Victor looked at Owen with wide scared eyes.

“Do not look straight at him.” He warned, and I couldn’t help but laugh at Owen’s excited gasp. “His eyes feed on the souls of fools.”

“I am no fool!” Owen declared. “I will go prepared!”

Of course, he had nothing to prepare for, the butcher shop was as normal as any other, with burgers and meatballs on display, along with some other cuts of meat.

“Mr. Lee!” We heard Clarence’s high-pitched voice, very unlike someone who can eat your soul with his eyes. “Came to take your order?”

Victor was distracted for a few moments, staring at the door.

“Yes, my wife will take it for me. Here.” He quickly put some money on the counter, turning to me afterward. “Wait for me outside, me and Owen will be right back.”

“Where are you going?”

“On another perilous mission.” He gave me a smug smile. “Don’t worry, Owen will swat away all the women that throw themselves at me. I will be safe.”

“Not as safe as you think.” I frowned.

I turned to face the counter again, part of me happy for seeing him in such a good mood, the other part a bit concerned that now that he knew I was jealous, he would be teasing me all day. I caught one of the workers watching our interaction, a large bag in her hands.

“Here’s your order.” She smiled. “May I interest you in anything else?”

“No need, thank you.” I smiled. “To be honest, I have no idea what he’s cooking.”

“Mr. Lee is cooking?” She sighed. “You are lucky. A good-looking husband that can cook? Most of us can only hope.”

I felt the green-eyed monster poking my shoulder.

“Don’t get too excited, he doesn’t cook that well.” I lied through my teeth. What was with Victor and women today? Jesus.

As agreed, I waited by the butcher’s door, holding a bag full of meat, wondering where the hell could the two men of my life be. I felt a hand on my shoulder and immediately turned around, expecting to see my husband’s smug smile again. I had a whole different thing coming.

“Andy?”

“Levi!” I threw myself into his arms for a big hug. “I haven’t seen you in ages, how are you?”

“Last time I saw you was when Victor had that accident. I never heard from you since.” His voice had a tinge of hurt. “I knew you moved from the guys that were taking your stuff from your apartment.”

“Oh God, yes.” I grimaced. “A lot has happened since.”

“Oh, I know. I saw your wedding on TV. You looked beautiful, by the way.” He gave me a sweet look. “And congratulations on your award. And for the new job position.”

“Thank you, like I said, I have been pretty busy.” I smiled, feeling awful. I had been a terrible friend. Levi was a very close friend before I met Victor, my greatest support when I was alone and had no one to help me, and I didn’t even invite him to my wedding. Even worse, I couldn’t find the time to make a call. All he knew from me, he had to learn from the media. “I’m sorry, I am a bad friend.”

“It’s alright, it’s never too late to catch… Oh, hi, Victor, how are you?”

Victor was standing right behind me, his earlier playfulness gone, a grim expression instead, eyeing Levi like he was one of the monsters he and Owen were supposed to be slaying. Levi extended his hand for Victor to shake. Victor shamelessly ignored it.

“Mom! Mom!” Owen pulled my arm, excited. “We got something for you!”

I looked back at Victor’s hands and spotted the bouquet of roses he was holding.

“You’re a mom?” Levi asked, seemingly incredulous.

“Oh yes, I am sorry.” I took my son’s hand. “Levi, this is Owen, my son. Owen, this is Levi, my friend. He used to teach me Krav Maga. It’s a martial art.”

“You taught my mother how to fight?” Owen’s interest in Levi peeked instantly. “Will you teach me too?”

“I sure will.” Levi nodded. “Ask your mom to bring you to the studio one of these days, we have a kids’ class you can attend.” He turned to me with a smile. “And maybe she will let me buy her some coffee, see if we can catch up on lost time.”

“I can’t really promise you that for now, I have been super busy with work. But text me the time, maybe I’ll ask our nanny to drive Owen.” I looked at my beautiful boy. “Would you like that?”

“Yes, yes, I would love it! I want to be strong like Levi!” Owen turned to Victor. “Can I, Dad? Can I?”

“We’ll discuss it later.” Victor answered dryly. “Shall we?” He took my hand.

“Yes, we need to go. So nice to see you, Levi.” I let go of my husband’s hand to give Levi another tight hug.

“Don’t be a stranger, will you?” He ruffled my curls. “And no excuses, I want your sweet tushie in my studio for proper training!”

I had no time for Krav Maga, but the truth was, I did miss it. I had been so stressed the last few weeks, I definitely could use blowing off some steam. Owen definitely seemed excited about it.

“Mom, do you think he will teach me how to kick, like this?” He lifted his little leg haphazardly, kicking the air. “I bet he is super strong! I bet he can lift forty pounds!”

“Who cares if he can lift forty pounds?” Victor muttered. “Elephants can lift a lot more, they don’t waste their time bragging about it.”

“He didn’t brag about it, Owen was the one who mentioned it.” I pointed at the flowers in his hand. “Are those for me?”

“No.” Victor almost pouted, pulling the flowers to himself. “And you don’t need to defend Leonard. If he is so incredibly strong, he can defend himself.”

“Ok, number one, I wasn’t defending him, I was merely pointing out an inaccuracy.” I spoke gently, trying not to aggravate my already very aggravated husband.

“You’re an inaccuracy.” He childishly muttered, but I wouldn’t be deterred.

“Number two!” I called his attention again, holding up two fingers. “His name is Levi and you know it.”

“I do not have the time nor the interest to memorize Larry’s name.” He scoffed.

“Did you know that the elephant communicates with others by purring as cats do?” Owen chimed in, completely oblivious to the subject at hand. “And that they are the only mammal that can’t jump?”

“That does sound like Lenny.” Victor quipped. “Quick to purr, but slow on the jump. ”

I looked at my husband, reading his expression and posture as he stopped by one of the many colorful stalls to pick some vegetables. His eyes were focused on whatever produce he was handling, but his jaw told me he was churning over something else. He was jealous.

I observed him for a while longer, wondering if I should take this moment to my advantage and tease him as he teased me. The answer was pretty simple.

“Come on, Victor, are you jealous of Levi?” I joked. “You said it yourself, jealousy is for insecure people with unfulfilling relationships.”

“I am not jealous, why would I be jealous?” He frowned. “Because Lemur was flirting with you, despite the wedding ring you have on your finger? Maybe I’ll have to buy you a bigger diamond, or a traffic cone. Do you think he will see that?”

“Why would Mom wear a traffic cone?” Owen giggled, again completely unaware of our argument. “That’s ridiculous.”

Victor scoffed as he took the bags full of groceries from the vendor, and I prepared to deliver a final blow.

“Ok, I will let you have this one.” I threw my hands up in defeat. “You are right.”

“You don’t need to tell me, I know I am.”

“It’s just like you said earlier.” I gave him a cocky grin. “I can’t help being this irresistible.”

He paused to look at me, right before unlocking our car.

“So, that’s how you are going to play this.”

“Well, it’s not like I can turn it off.” I continued. “Of course I will have men throwing themselves at me.”

“Fine.” He declared before getting in the vehicle.

“I mean, I did get Loveland’s Most Eligible Bachelor to marry me, that has to count for something.” I stuck my tongue out to him.

“Can I drive us home in peace or do you want to cause an accident?” He glared at me before starting the car.

“Can you acknowledge your jealousy is just as ridiculous as mine?” I glared back.

“Shut up.” He pressed the Start button.

Victor seemed to be incredibly tense the whole ride, so I decided to leave things as they were. It was pointless to discuss things that would never happen anyway, we were both loyal, I knew that. And talking only seemed to make things worse, so the best thing to do was to hope that cooking would distract him, and eventually the green eyed monster would leave him as well.

Sadly, that was not the case. After I helped him put all the food away, I found him flattening the steaks with a hammer, his blows so hard he almost punched a hole in one of them.

“Victor, you’re hurting the food.”

“Do you think Lawrence would do a better job?”

Even though I knew it would only upset him more, I had to laugh. Victor’s commitment to not mentioning Levi’s name was truly commendable.

“Why are you laughing? Is my distress amusing to you?”

“I have to admit it is a bit amusing.” I came closer, running my hands through his chest. “Come on, let’s end this.”

“There is nothing to end.” He stiffened.

“You know, I’m an idiot.”

“I agree.”

“So are you!” I playfully smacked him on the chest. “We love each other. Why waste time with this?” I wrapped my arms around his neck, prompting him to come down for a kiss. Victor, however, stood tall, unwilling to give in.

“Come on, let me make it better.” I purred.

“I need to get lunch ready.”

I wasted no time. I grabbed his shoulders and basically jumped up, knowing he would catch me so I wouldn’t hurt myself. I wasn’t wrong. His arms wrapped around my waist out of instinct.

“Are you trying to get yourself hurt?” He scolded.

I kissed him, my tongue grazing his lips. He hardly resisted, deepening the kiss as he placed me on top of the kitchen island, so his hands would be free to roam my body.

“Now, doesn’t it feel better?”

“Not really. I burned my tongue drinking my coffee so fast.” He was still trying to appear upset, but his tone told me otherwise.

“So I wouldn’t see what she wrote?”

“So you wouldn’t get upset. I don’t want you to ever feel insecure about other women. There is no need for that.” He gave me an earnest look.

“Same goes for other men. I’m yours.”

“I guess we both are idiots.” Victor reached behind my back, presenting me with the bouquet he bought.

“Aw, Mr. Lee, those are for me?” I smelled the beautiful red buttons.

“They were always meant for you, and you know it.” He complained as he slowly pecked the tip of my nose, moving to my mouth, and then my neck, making me shiver with pleasure.

The sound of our doorbell echoed through the apartment.

“Are you expecting anyone?” I gave him a curious look.

Without a word, Victor walked to the hall. I followed him.

“Mr. Victor Lee and Mrs. Andrea Lee?” I heard a man ask.

“Yes?”

“You have been served.” The man handed Victor two envelopes, turning to leave.

Victor closed the door with a stern look and went to the study to find a letter opener. I found him wide-eyed, reading the contents of the envelopes.

“Pamela is suing for Owen’s custody.”

“What?” I took one of the letters from Victor’s hands to read. “She said she wouldn’t interfere in the adoption.”

“And you believed her? It’s irrelevant, either way. She won’t get him.” Victor declared, narrowing his eyes at the piece of paper. “He’s our son.”

Sometimes, jealousy -- or in Pamela’s case, greed -- gets the best of us. It tells us that we don’t deserve something, and urges us to do the craziest things to secure them. Crazy like throwing an irrational fit, or like removing a child from a safe loving place. Either way, at the end of the day, we all fall prey to the green-eyed monster.

[punfit]

9/10/21

Breakfast - serving of mango yoghurt with fruit and nut mix, plain cashews and Frosties; sweetened black coffee.

Dinner - 2 servings of cheesy spaghetti and mince meat with veggies.

Dessert - serving of watermelon, sweetened black tea.

Snack - 2.5 servings lemon chicken chips.

Water - 2L, excellent.

Exercise - 30 mins on the treadmill at 4.0km/h and incline of 9%.

Ate way too much spaghetti, bit enjoyed the walk. :)

10/10/21

Breakfast - 1 banana, serving of salted crackers, 2 servings brie cheese; sweetened white coffee.

Dinner - 1.5 servings cheesy spaghetti and mince meat with veggies, 1.5 servings garlic bread, 1 fish cake, sriracha.

Water - 2L, excellent.

Exercise - 30 mins on the treadmill at 4.0km/h and incline of 9%.

I'm going to keep doing 30 min walks until my endurance returns. Felt better during today's session than the last two days combined, which I think is a good sign. :)

I've lost all flexibility in my legs though. All this sitting at the computer ain't good for me.

11/10/21

Breakfast - serving of mango yoghurt with fruit and nut mix, plain cashews, and Frosties; sweetened white coffee.

Lunch - cheesy chicken breast, shepherds pie.

Snack - 1 apple and 1 banana with honey.

Water - 1.8L, good.

Exercise - none.

12/10/21

Breakfast - serving of toasted buttered white bread with baked beans, mince meat and sliced cheese, sweetened white coffee.

Dinner - 2 servings BBQ chicken and pineapple pizza.

Dessert - serving of Boston bun, green tea.

Snack - 1 mango.

Water - 1.8L, good.

Exercise - none.

So much bread.

13/10/21

Breakfast - serving of mango yoghurt with fruit and nut mix, plain cashews, and Frosties; sweetened white coffee.

Lunch - 2 servings sushi half-rolls, 0.75 servings iced coffee milk, serving of Boston bun.

Dinner - 2 pieces damper bread with beef curry.

Water - 1.8L, good.

Exercise - none.

14/10/21

Breakfast - 1 Montague apple, K-time bar, 2 servings beef jerky, sweetened white coffee.

Snack - 2 servings brie cheese with 1 serving crackers.

Dinner - 1 jr whopper burger, small fries.

Dessert - 2 serves ice cream, sweetened black tea.

Water - 1.6L, alright.

Exercise - none.

15/10/21 Weight

SW: 80KG

CW: 64KG

GW: 60KG

0.4KG down from last week.

Breakfast - chocolate filled croissant, sweetened white coffee.

Lunch - 1.25 servings scrambled eggs, serving of beef chipolata sausages, serving of creamy fried mushrooms, 0.5 avocado with sriracha.

Dinner - serving of white rice with beef curry, pumpkin curry, bacon, gotukola, 0.5 avocado.

Dessert - serving of chocolate mousse, sweetened black tea.

Water - 2L, excellent.

Exercise - none.

[angrylizardjacket]

the memory of what we would become // Charlotte&Lola

Summary: High School AU But As Adults. Winter 1997. Charlotte, one year shy of 30, has come back from jet-setting around the world as Rolling Stone’s international correspondent for Christmas, and decides to stop in at Lola and her father Leo’s diner.

A/N: 3749 words. WTF this wasn’t meant to be this long. File this under; things that will not make sense since I haven’t published the actual High School AU. so for reference, in the HS AU Lola’s dad doesn’t die, instead he leaves her mother, takes lola to LA, and opens up a diner there. this is set 12 years after the actual HS AU. UNEDITED. @misscharlottelee @summersummerland THIS IS SO SAPPY IM DYING

----

The walls of Leo’s had changed colours several times over the years, and the latest was a serene lilac. Charlotte steps in, out of the cold, out of the snow, pulling off her scarf and gloves in the sudden warmth of the heated seating area; it’s a relatively slow day, at least for Leo’s, so it’s still bustling with activity. It had been over a decade since Leo’s had opened, and slowly but surely it had turned into something of a landmark of their little suburb as word of it’s reputation spread along the coast, and then through the nation, with bands like Motley Crue, stars like Keanu Reeves and Peach Perry, mentioning it in interviews, and even a certain Rolling Stone writer bringing it up occasionally in articles. Despite it’s popularity, it had retained it’s heart, clearly, as a teenager greets Charlotte, a kid with too many piercings and no eyebrows, smiling all kinds of bright in a way that most probably wouldn’t expect from such an boy who looked so alternative. 

“Welcome to Leo’s, was it just yourself today, or will others be joining you?” He asks, and Charlotte gives a warm smile at the familiar greeting.

“Just me; do you know if Lola’s in?” She asks, and for a moment, the kid hesitates, and looks over his shoulder. 

“Lola?” He calls, and through the familiar window into the kitchen, Charlotte sees Lola, hair short and eyes bright, look up expectantly. Her whole face lights up at the sight of Charlotte in the entryway.

“Charlie!” She exclaims, and the kid visibly relaxed, nodding to Charlotte, affirming what they both already knew, “Nathan, can you take these burgers to Roan and his sons? Charlie’s an old friend,” Lola calls out to the boy, who zips away, picking up the plates of burgers as Lola put them up to be collected.

“Is that Charlie?” From the back of the kitchen, Charlotte hears Leo call, and after a moment, she also sees his head pop out of the walk-in refrigerator as she approaches the counter. From somewhere further in the refrigerator, out of sight, she hears a faint, child-like, ‘Auntie Charlie?’ followed by Leo disappearing again, though she could still hear him; “yeah, buddy, Auntie Charlie!”

“Hi Leo! Good to see you!” Charlotte calls out, and sits as at the counter as Lola bustles out from the kitchen and around the counter to wrap her friend up in a hug. It’s been months since the girls have seen each other, and to walk into the diner, so familiar and warm, smelling like herbs and spices, to hear the food cooking and the music playing, it felt like coming home.

“Charlie, look at you, you’re so grown up!” Lola holds Charlotte at arm’s length, giving her an approving look over, which she does every time Charlotte comes back to town since they’d both graduated college, like they’re not still the same age, that being almost thirty. Charlotte rolls her eyes with a good natured smirk, brushing off Lola’s smirk as she tucks her gloves and scarf into her purse, “where’d you fly in from this time, Miss Jet-Setter?” Lola’s grinning from ear to ear, moving back behind the counter to start on a milkshake for Charlotte without her even needing to ask. 

“Australia,” Charlotte settles into one of the stools by the counter, beaming with pride, “wrote a piece on this rock band, Silverchair, only sixteen, can you believe that?” 

“Tommy was sixteen when Motley first got together,” Lola pointed out, to which Charlotte’s grin turned soft and nostalgic.

“Yeah, but they didn’t make it big for a few years,” she reminded, “but Lola, you and Leo would love them, salt of the Earth kind of boys; actually, you might have heard some of their stuff, they were kind of big here too, Tomorrow? Their album’s called Frogstomp.”

“Dad,” Lola calls over her shoulder, “have we played any Silverchair? Frogstomp? Song called Tomorrow?” After a moment, Leo emerges from the freezer with a small, dark-haired child balanced on his hip.

“I think I’ve heard of them, maybe on the radio? Should be play them; what do you think, Charlie, you’re the expert here?” And his smile is so bright, so familiar, that it hits Charlotte square in the chest; he’s still so tall, broad, and intimidating, but his smile offsets it all, kind and gentle, and when she sees he’s wearing a Motley Crue t-shirt -

“Hi, Auntie Charlie!” The kid on his hip, who looks to be about five years old, is waving broadly to her, beaming.

“Fuckin’ love Silverchair,” says a girl with bright green hair from where she was watching burger patties cook on the grill, not even turning around, hip cocked and spatula in hand.

“They are very good,” Charlotte agrees with the girl, before waving back to the kid, grinning just as broadly, “hi Mal!” Much to the kid’s delight. 

Both Lola and Leo grin, talking about how they’d have to look into the band. Leo takes a moment to look over the various people in his kitchen cooking and preparing meals, more than Charlotte thinks she’s ever seen, but it makes sense seeing as how the demand has risen. But then he’s joining Lola by the counter, putting the child down and stepping around to wrap Charlotte up in a hug.

“Sorry if I’m a bit frosty, Mal and I were putting away the produce, weren’t we buddy?” Stepping back, he grins at the child, who’s standing by the counter wearing a blinding, and also familiar smile, stepping up onto a stool that made him the perfect height to serve if he so chose.

“Tutu Leo says he’s gonna teach me the special spice mix for the patties soon,” the child, Mal, delights, and Lola puts Charlotte’s milkshake down, and ruffles the kid’s hair. 

Maleko Jr already looks like his namesake, and like his mother, but Charlotte would know Nikki’s green eyes anywhere, and there’s something about the bassist in the kid’s smile too, that has Charlotte’s heart warming at the sight. 

“Momma, can I have a milkshake too? A chocolate one?” The kid turns to Lola, wide-eyed and hopeful, and Lola gives a fond grin.

“I think so; it’s a special occasion, Auntie Charlie’s back. Do you want me to make it for you or -?” but before Lola can even suggest, Mal hops down from his stool and strides over to the milkshake equipment, claiming that he could do it himself, radiating pride. 

“Mal’s really starting to help out around here,” Lola says with pride of her own, her smile turning so adoring as she watches her son, “Since school’s on break, I told him he’s more than welcome to play with his friends or watch TV, but no, he just wants to listen to Motley records and help out Tutu Leo.”

“Lola your kid is a delight,” Charlotte all but wheezed, watching Mal focus intently as he tries to applying a chocolate sauce drizzle to the inside of his cup, the way they did when they made milkshakes here. Charlotte raises her voice just a little, “Mal, last time I was here, you were just handing out napkins, look at you now!”

“I was four then, Auntie Charlie,” Mal says with surprising seriousness as he puts his cup on the bench, and then drags his stool from the counter to the milkshake area, pulling the milk out of the fridge below the counter and climbing atop his stool, “I’m five now, I’m almost an adult.” He says it so matter-of-factly, in a tone that sounds so much like Nikki, that Charlotte has to stop herself from laughing, and from the endeared look on both Leo and Lola’s faces, this was the sort of thing he said often.

“He thinks once you turn ten you become an adult,” Lola whispers to Charlotte as clarification, and it does little to stop the endearment from blossoming in her chest. 

Around them, the staff still works, still moves and cooks and prepares, a well oiled machine, competent thanks to Leo and Lola’s tutelage, able to work well while giving Leo, Lola, and Mal, time with Charlotte. 

“How’s Razzle?” Leo asked amicably, changing the subject. Before Charlotte can answer, he quickly asks if she’d like anything from the pastry display, and Charlotte accepts a strawberry tart with thanks.

“He’s good, he’s at my parents’ house, sleeping off his jetlag; he spent the last week with me in Australia, so it’s been kind of a whirlwind for him,” she says with a gentle fondness. In the years since that fateful Junior year, so much had happened to all of them, and the development Razzle and Charlotte’s relationship was some of the most surprising. 

During their last year of high school, communication with Razzle was mostly via phone calls and letters, and despite trying their hand at long-distance, after a year, with his band’s growing success, and Charlotte’s growing academic demands as she finished school and started looking at colleges, they both decided that it wasn’t the right time.

After graduating, Charlotte managed to get a scholarship to study Journalism in New York, giving her room to breath, to think, to reinvent herself away from her family and all the pressure and drama that came with her. It had been hard at first, especially being so far from her friends and her cousin, but at least she had Eileen, the two of them sharing a shoebox apartment in the city, studying side by side. 

So Charlotte had her fair share of flings and hookups through her first year of college, boyfriends and one night stands and things that were sort of in the middle, still talking often with Razzle as friends, but nothing ever seemed to stick. In her second year of college, when presented with the opportunity to study abroad, she took it, heading to the UK with an ulterior motive. 

They’d needed the time apart, to grow as people and as friends, but the moment Charlotte steps off the plane, and Razzle’s waiting with her name on a sign, a bunch of flowers, and a bright smile, Charlotte knew she was still absolutely gone for him.

They’d been more or less together for the better part of a decade, with Charlotte often joining Hanoi’s tours, or Razzle following Charlotte to wherever Rolling Stone had sent her since she’d become their foreign correspondent in 1994. Both were now well versed in being understanding, with such hectic and conflicting schedules, but when they’re together, Charlotte can’t help but feel seventeen again, falling in love with him all over again, and she knows he feels the same. 

“Australia, that’s on my bucket list,” Leo mused from where he had been wrapping napkins around knives and forks, and putting them neatly in a basket.

“Oh, you’d love it,” Charlotte enthuses, “if you ever want to expand your business, I think it’d be a hit down under.”

“It becomes a chain, but only with a store here, and one in Australia,” Leo snorts a laugh at the idea, though it’s amused rather than derisive, before he brushes the thought aside, “nah, I think with the diner as big as it is, and being in talks with the pub, that’s all I want.” He says with a fond grin, though that second part was news to Charlotte.

“The Kings’?” Charlotte says with interest, looking over her shoulder at the now rather tired-looking pub across the road. 

“The owners are looking at selling it,” Lola says tentatively, looking to her father who wore a small smile, giving a nod of confirmation, “since we started started selling merchandise, we’ve been pulling a little bit more of a profit than usual, which, you know, that’s not what’s important, but I was kind of interested in buying the pub.”

“Oh shit,” Charlotte muttered, “you’re talking about me being all grown up, Lo, you guys are buying a pub?”

Behind Lola, Mal had thoroughly mixed his milkshake, and took the cup off of the mixer, putting a bright, paper straw into it and carrying it around the counter to sit himself next to Charlotte as they all spoke. 

“It’s not finalized yet, but hopefully in the new year some time.” She sounds so fucking proud, and for a moment, Charlotte barely recognizes her from the girl she’d met twelve years ago, the standoffish, closed off, new kid at school. It was strange, knowing that the girl she’d first met reading a porno mag in the beer garden across the road, had a Masters in Business Administration, and was successfully running the business side of her family’s restaurant. Without sacrificing the quality, cheap price, or heart of Leo’s, Lola had taken over the the successful business, and helped it to thrive. 

“That’s so exciting!” Charlotte’s eyes shone brightly as she leaned on the counter, beaming at her old friend, “and how’s Nikki; I heard Motley’s last tour went well, is he back yet?” 

“He’s actually due back from the studio any minute,” Lola grins, “I wish I would have known you were coming, he could have brought the band.”

“It’s no worry, I mean we’re all coming for lunch on Saturday, right? After Eileen and Keanu fly in -?”

Mal made a noise of protest as Leo bent all the way over the counter and angled to take a sip of his milkshake.

“Sorry Mal, usually they’re a hundred, million dollars, but I will settle for one sip,” Leo told him, and Mal clicked his tongue, shaking his head in a way that looked so much like Lola.

“They’re four dollars, Tutu, it says on the menu, but you can have a sip because I love you,” he said, with an uncompromising sincerity as he angled the cup and straw to his grandfather. Leo’s expression melted to adoration, thanking the boy as he took a small sip, while both Lola and Charlotte looked on in awe as they watched the exchange. 

“How did me and your dad ever make something half as sweet as you?” Lola cooed, and Mal gave her a toothy grin in response, before joyfully slurping down his milkshake. As if on cue, the door to the diner opened, and Nikki Sixx himself stepped in, shivering from the cold.

“Hey Nikki,” Nathan, the boy by the door, says with an easy familiarity, not even bothering to ask if he wanted a table, and Nikki greeted him kindly in turn, while greetings from other nearby staff were also offered to the newcomer. Leo offered a wave and a greeting, but his name was called from the kitchen and he followed the call quickly.

“Dad!” Mal yelled at the top of his little lungs, jumping from his stool and leaving his milkshake forgotten, to practically tackle the bassist who had just arrived. Nikki picks him up with ease, swinging him around before wrapping him up in a hug, making his way to the counter where Lola had taken a sip of her son’s milkshake, and Charlotte had watched the encounter with delight. 

“Charlie Lee-Dingley,” Nikki smiled warmly at her, carrying his son over, who was hugging his father tightly, face hidden in the mess of Nikki’s black hair, “it’s good to see you, how long ago did you get in?”

“Like three hours ago,” Charlie laughed, honest, and his eyebrows rose as he moved behind the counter to press a kiss to Lola’s temple in greeting. Mal, in his arms, surfaces only to take his milkshake out of his mother’s hands, content enough to just be quiet and drink, tucked up against his father. Like this, they make a strangely picture-perfect family, and Charlotte’s heart warms at the sight. “Razzle’s sleeping off his jetlag at my parents’ place; how’s the new album coming along?”

“Apart from Vince walking out on us like a -” he hesitates for a moment, gaze flicking to his young son, “- dweeb,” he settles on, “we’re great, actually our new singer, John, he’s fantastic.”

“So Vince is really out for good?” Charlotte asks, and has to hold herself back from pulling out a notebook, journalistic instincts kicking in at the hint of a scoop in her field. But these are her friends, so she restrains herself.

“He’s being -” again he hesitates, which Charlotte finds strange considering Lola swearing with seemingly no consideration for her son earlier, “not nice, and his priorities weren’t with the band; it was for the best.” He concedes, and then puts Mal down when the kid starts wriggling, following after Leo into the kitchen.

“I’m so sorry, am I allowed to swear in front of him?” Charlotte asks, lowering her voice, and both Nikki and Lola grinned.

“Yeah, of course, we want Mal to know that swearing’s just words, so we’re okay with it, but we just try and keep from using language about other people that���s too harsh around him, like Vince is still a good Uncle to the kid, we don’t want him to think negatively about his family just ‘cos of business stuff, you know,” Nikki explains, and oh what the fuck, when did they become so reasonable. 

“Of course,” Charlotte nods in understanding, before asking, “so is Vince coming to lunch on Saturday or...?”

“Between the band stuff and People Magazine telling the whole world that Peach is expecting a kid with that 90210 actor she left him for? Probably not,” Lola snickered, “but he gave me a call the other day and said he’s going to stop in and give Mal his Christmas gift while the band is at the studio some time next week.”

“He’s so fucking petty,” Nikki hissed, rolling his eyes. Lola wrapped an arm around him, pulling him into a side-hug as a show of support, still so short next to him, like she had been ever since the end of high school. She bounces up on her toes and kisses Nikki’s cheek where he’s scowling.

“It’s cute that he got Mal a gift,” Charlotte points out, which Nikki begrudgingly agrees. Despite the fact that neither Lola nor her father celebrated Christmas, Nikki was raised to, and so were most of the kid’s not-technically-related family, like the Lees, the Austens, and the Neils, and Lola was more than happy to participate, in part, for the people she loved. 

Lola and Leo did a lot for the people they loved, in their own way, and the diner was a testament to that. There were photos and articles all over the walls, posters, magazine covers, CDs on shelves, all of the bands, the people, the places, or the things they loved. There’s a wall that’s just covered in polaroids of everyone who’s ever worked here, photos of people who have become friends of Leo and Lola’s, the covers of Leo’s favorite albums spanning back through the decades, articles with glowing reviews of the diner, and three photos of Lola from her three different graduations; high school, her Bachelor’s, and her Master’s.

The first Summer Charlotte had returned after being hired by Rolling Stone, she’d come to see her first article up on the wall of Leo’s, right beside the photo he’d taken of them all from after their Junior prom, when they’d all come back to Leo’s to celebrate the night, and themselves; all of Motley Crue, Charlotte with Razzle, Lola, Peach, Eileen, even Keanu was there, beaming with his arm around Eileen’s shoulders. Now, when she looks to that photo, she not only sees her first article beside it, but she sees the one she wrote on Motley Crue, which she’d had them include in the actual printed article, a scanned image of the badge Lola had hand made for her at 17, black construction paper cut into a star that said ‘Punched Nikki Sixx’ in silver pen. There’s reviews for the movies that Keanu’s been in, TV shows Peach has been a part of, a New York Times article about a big case Eileen had won, and her business card, as well as the CD booklet that had come with the first Hanoi Rocks album, and a signed Motley Crue poster above it all. It was close to a shrine, a dedication to the people who mattered to Leo and Lola, a reminder that no matter how far they all went, they could still call the diner home. 

Charlotte doesn’t look at it for too long, or else she knows she’ll start crying.

By the time Charlotte looks away from the wall, Nikki’s moved into the kitchen, put his hair up like she remembers him doing so many times before, back when he’d worked here in high school, and he’s chattering away to Leo about how the album’s coming along as they’re preparing dishes. Lola’s serving someone at the counter, and Mal’s standing beside her on his stool, diligently counting the money the customer’s given before handing it over to his mother to cash. 

Charlotte recognizes it when Home Sweet Home starts playing around the same time Mal seems to, his whole little face lighting up, and he looks like he wants to call out to Nikki, but when he sees his father focused and working away in the kitchen, he stays quiet. But he sees Charlotte, and he trots over to her, bringing his stool, and standing across from her. 

“Do you know this song?” He asks, seriously.

“Of course I do! My cousin and your dad wrote it!” She grinned, and Mal nodded, beaming, “you know, they started writing this when they visited me with your mom, because I was living very far away.” She tells him, “and I couldn’t come home, and it was pretty sad for all of us.”

“Why couldn’t you come home?” Mal asked, his little face all concerned.

“Because I was at school, and it was very important to me.”

“But you came back,” Mal frowned a moment, looking to his mother, and then over his shoulder at his father and grandfather, “because they came back, you didn’t all stay there.” It’s not a question; obviously Charlotte was here, he was just trying to wrap his mind around it.

“Yes, I came home; I always come home.”

“To Leo’s,” like it’s the only real answer, which, to him, who lived above the diner, it was. But as Charlotte considered, she let herself smile, let herself agree.

“Home to Leo’s.”

[inanotheruniversemusings]

i can see you there with the city lights; fourteenth floor, pale blue eyes

fill for Supercorptober2020 prompt: warm

read on ao3

“I have no idea how you’ve managed to convince me to do this.”

It’s the truth. Lena genuinely doesn’t know.

It’s a winter night, the coldest one yet in National City according to dozens of weather reports, and the temperature that flashes on the widget in her phone’s home screen.

There is absolutely no reason for Lena to do this, yet, she says yes anyway.

Maybe it’s the way Kara’s lips purse into a pout when Lena asks why, or the enthusiasm that she counters Lena’s puzzled frown with, well why not.

Or maybe it’s the playful glint in Kara’s eyes, her grin spright and her entire face radiant as she stands under the dim lights of Lena’s kitchen, pulling two modest-sized mugs from the drawer under Lena’s island counter.

And then she’s dipping the scoop in the tub, the muscles in her arm flexing along with the movement, and Lena absolutely isn’t mesmerized at all.

“Because you love me,” Kara says, shaking the scooper above one of the mugs and  begrudgingly forcing Lena to avert her gaze.

Well, that in itself is some kind of truth too, but it’s one that Lena isn’t willing to admit yet. At least not out loud, even in the safety of her very own apartment.

So Lena just hums in response, long and teasing, like she’s debating whether or not she does.

She does. Of course, she does. But Kara can’t know that, so she says, “Perhaps. But I’m not sure if it’s enough to make me eat ice cream when it’s five degrees below zero outside.”

“Really?” Kara asks, wide eyes looking confused. But the slight tilt of her head gives her away. “I don’t feel it.”

Lena rolls her eyes, grabs her Supergirl mug that she bought in irony but Kara loved, and saunters towards her couch, lest she does something incredibly stupid. Like kissing her best friend right in the middle of her kitchen, just because her smile is soft, and tender, and warm, and she’s looking at Lena in a way that makes Lena feel like she’s really more than just her name.

…

(Sam had told her once that Kara has always looked at her like that. But there’s a part of her that just can’t seem to see, that part of her who’s been trying hard not to find her happiness in the same places she lost it.

But she found Kara in the same place she’s lost her too, like she never really left; like she waited for Lena to make her way back, no matter how long it took.

Lena can’t help but hope it means something.)

…

“God, my lips are freezing.”

Kara stills from scraping the very last dregs of mint chocolate chip inside her mug, her last bite somewhat forgotten as she watches Lena swipe her tongue over her bottom lip.

“Why’d I let you convince me, again?”

“Because you love me,” Kara repeats. But it’s softer, breathless. Like she means it in a completely platonic way, and yet, means something else—more.

Lena sets her mug on the coffee table and shifts on her seat, faces Kara just so she can tuck her toes beneath Kara’s jeans. “That won’t work all the time, you know,” she tries to say. Though there’s a flush on her cheeks that Kara knows has nothing to do with the frosty concoction—but Kara doesn’t quite know what to do about that piece of knowledge—Lena’s eyes fixed on the miniscule bits of lint she picks off of her pants.

She hears the slightest clearing of throat, and the clink of Kara’s mug as she sets it right next to Lena’s. “But it did tonight,” Kara then teases. “I’ll work on another tomorrow. When we get burgers.”

“Oh, we are?” Lena asks. Her brow arches in a playful challenge, a movement that Kara’s eyes follow of their own accord until she catches herself and finds Lena smirking at her. “I’d have to check my calendar, I’m afraid.”

Kara groans out a stop, but she laughs when Lena does. She pulls Lena’s feet from underneath her thighs, placing them over her lap instead; takes that freedom then to scoot closer towards her best friend, her hands sliding up to find the tight knots Lena often gets in her calves after spending a long day in her Louboutins.

(And if a breathless moan slips out of Lena’s mouth, Lena doesn’t think she can be blamed, not when Kara’s hands are magic itself.)

“Anyway,” Kara presses on, pressing a thumb down on a particularly stubborn spot. “It’s burgers or Noonan’s. I’d be fine with anywhere as long as we don’t break our lunch streak.”

Lena’s breath hitches, an inopportune moment that Kara’s ears pick up on. Her fingers turn still, curled around Lena’s leg, and a look of worry quickly settles on her face. “Lena? What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” rasps Lena; waves a hand to hide the way she surreptitiously clears her throat. “You were saying?”

Kara’s eyes squint, not quite believing it. “Is it your lips? Are they still cold?”

Her best friend nods, hesitant and slow. “A little, yes.”

“Want me to warm them up for you?”

“I’m sorry,” Lena says, fumbling for her next words. But seven Earth languages and Kryptonese only has her stammering out, “What?”

Kara then inches closer and leans forward—closer that Lena’s almost afraid she’ll hear how Lena’s heart is hammering beneath her chest, like it wants to escape its cage and leap straight into Kara’s hands, screaming it’s yours, it’s yours, right from the start.

(Kara probably already has, but Lena refuses to think about that now.)

Lena’s entire body stiffens as Kara lifts her hand, her chest heaving as if it’s the only way she knows how to stop her heart from falling out of its place.

Yet, in the end, it somehow does, when Kara’s hand sails past her head and into the thick blanket that’s draped over the couch arm, tugging at it until it slides down so she can wrap it around Lena’s shoulders.

Kara then opens her mouth to speak. Lena’s pretty sure she says there, all warm, but her head is suddenly filled with static, and there’s a buzzing in her ears that she can’t seem to shake. 

(Later she’d try to find the perfect word to describe it, a cross between embarrassment and disappointment. She’d coin it, if she has to.)

Kara’s mouth is still moving, yet Lena’s still unable to hear a thing. Until Kara ducks her head to meet her eyes, and a warm touch presses on one of her knees, trying to shake it.

“Lena?”

Lena, in turn, blinks at her. Once. Twice. Thrice. Then, it’s like her mind kicks itself back up and her tongue suddenly remembers how to articulate. “Sorry, I didn’t catch that.”

Kara frowns in concern. She rubs Lena’s legs to offer comfort, and then asks, “I said I’m going to go make you hot coco. To keep you warm.”

“Oh.”

Lena’s face twists into something Kara can’t quite discern, a split second that makes Kara feel like she’s missing something significant.

“Did you not want me to make you hot coco?”

“I,” Lena starts to say; sighs and then looks away, directing her gaze towards the view in her tall glass windows. “I guess I had something else in mind.”

Kara’s mouth moves again as if to ask her what exactly does she mean, her head shaking in confusion as she tries to come up with something else.

Lena’s it’s fine, don’t think about it doesn’t even register in her brain, her thoughts running a mile a minute, into memories and through snapshots of all their time together that she’s kept inside a proverbial box she named love. Until— 

Oh.

Lena watches a myriad of motions play out on Kara’s face, with a flushed red abruptly blooming on her cheeks almost making Lena worry if Kara’s even breathing.

But Kara settles on one, and it’s the kind of resolute look she’s only ever seen on Kara when she’s resolved to see through a decision she’s made till the very end.

“I want to take you out first. Before—before anything else.”

“Out?” Lena repeats.

“To dinner.”

“To dinner?”

“Yes.”

“Yes.”

“Okay.”

“Okay.”

“Are you just going to repeat everything I say?”

“No,” Lena retorts, finally, finally able to compose herself given what has transpired the last five minutes. But where once there’s only the brink of a heartbreak, there is now the hope that Lena has purposely held herself from giving into, and bright promises of tomorrow Lena can’t wait to embark on.

“But you might. Because I don’t kiss on the first date.”

Kara gasps. “No?! Why?!”

Lena smirks. “Well, why not?”

[nancypullen]

Snow Days

I haven’t shared much lately about our snow and ice, mostly because we’ve been enjoying it and it seemed a bit tone deaf to crow about it when so many were suffering elsewhere. But since many of you kind folks have asked how we’re doing, if we’re without power, etc  I’ve decided to share our week with you. First of all,  we never lost power, water, or anything that would have made life miserable. We did a grocery pickup at Kroger on Saturday so the freezer, pantry, and frig were fully stocked. On Saturday night (the 13th) a wintry mix arrived quickly turning solid on surfaces and freezing everything in place like ice sculptures.  Once we were encased in ice the snow arrived, and it snowed and snowed and snowed and snowed. 

 It’s been absolutely beautiful.   Needless to say, everything ground to a halt.  We haven’t had mail, UPS, or even Amazon deliveries for a week. We were practically Amish, except for, ya’ know, all of the electricity and internet we used. We’ve stayed toasty, we’ve eaten like kings, and we enjoyed being snowed in.  I love the way that snow insulates and quiets the world. Well, at least it does out here - remember that we get a snow event like this maybe once a decade, so the state doesn’t invest in snow removal equipment and supplies.  We just wait for it to melt.  And that’s exactly what it’s doing right now.  We’re up to 39 degrees today and the sun is shining.  Icicles are dripping, snow is sliding off the roof, and roads are getting slushy.  Tonight we’ll dip back down to the low 20′s but tomorrow’s forecast is even warmer than today.  By the middle of next week we’ll be at 60 degrees and it won’t be long before we start to see daffodils nodding their cheerful, yellow heads along the roadsides. Winter doesn’t linger in these parts. Over the last week I’ve cooked, made a few cards, and buried myself in genealogy research.  The mister has worked, eaten my cooking, and tromped around in the woods snapping pictures and flying his drone.  We’ve watched some movies, played some Jeopardy, and read some books.  In other words, it was pretty much like any other week we’ve passed during the pandemic.  This was the view from my desk most of the week.

That’s Peter Ostroushko playing Medicine Bow, with that view and the beautiful music I could gaze out the window for days.  I watched the deer come and feed.

And the action at the bird feeder picked up, one afternoon I counted SIXTEEN cardinals.  This frosty guy looks a bit disgruntled. Zoomed in through a window doesn’t provide a clear photo, but you can see his expression. I feel like I should have invited him in. 

 I was working on this card...

and had plenty of help from the nosiest cat on the block.

And the snow kept blowing. Finally, on Friday, the sky cleared and we started to see some sunshine. I told the mister that I loved the way the shadows of the trees looked on the snow and sent him out to snap pictures. 

While he did that I stayed inside and peeled carrots for the crockpot.  I kept an eye on him though.  Can you see him out there?

At one point I watched a rabbit scamper up behind him and then hit the brakes and speed off in another direction.  Mickey never saw it.  When he’s looking through his camera he tunes out the world.  Glad it wasn’t a bear.  I asked him about it later and he shrugged and said, “I heard some stuff.”  That’s why I keep an eye on him.   Most weekends he goes out for an early morning hike and some zen photography.  I make him give me a decent description of where he’ll be because I fully expect him to step off a cliff or go over a waterfall in pursuit of a shot. His last words will be “I heard some stuff.” So that’s it, we’ve survived a full week of real winter weather in Tennessee without losing power or a pound.  Again, I almost feel guilty writing about this because so many have suffered from this winter storm.  But I appreciate the people who reached out and now you know how we’ve been.  Our neighborhood Facebook page has been informative and entertaining.  People have been great about everything from sharing groceries to getting the kids together for sledding and snowball wars.  At one point there was a big trade of chocolate for toilet paper. These are probably my favorite posts from the week.

Not exactly Mr. Rogers’ neighborhood, but still friendly. And when you live in the south, these are the kinds of warnings that the highway patrol puts out.

 FOR THE LOVEOF GOODNESS, PLEASE STAY HOME!  So that’s what we did.

I’m keeping myself busy this afternoon by making fairy cards.  These are in the works,  still lots to do before I choose a favorite.

I’m partial to #2. A certain black and white cat has absconded with some ribbon, and the clock is telling me that it’s 5pm already.  That means I should wrap this up and rattle some pots in the kitchen.  Turkey burgers tonight, that’ll make for a warm, full tummy on a chilly night.  I hope you’re all staying warm and that if you were caught in this big freeze that you have come through it unscathed.   Stay safe, stay well, stay cozy. XOXO,

Nancy

[american-satanxx]

Hell of a Night//Chapter 4

Author’s note: Let me know if you guys want to be tagged!

Masterpost

If You've Got A Heart That Ain't Afraid Of Love, Ain't Afraid To Break

I’m sitting at a table near the pool, nursing a black coffee, when I see Jimmy stumbling towards me. He has dark sunglasses over his eyes and he has not only a coffee, but a Monster Energy Drink as well. He’s suffering this fine morning. “How are you feeling right now, Casanova?” I ask the QB as he sits down in front of me.

“How the hell are you this chipper this morning?” He groans. “I feel like I got tackled by a 500lb man.” “I’ve partied harder in college celebrating a UGA win.” I chuckle. “Last night was nothing compared to the shit I did when I actually lived here.” “How many more football players are going to make their debut here?” Jimmy asks. “Are they solely going to be former UGA players?” “Nope. There going to be a few Kansas City Chiefs players.” I reply. “I know Patrick Mahomes is coming with his high school sweetheart. I think Kelce is coming and I’m pretty sure Cheetah is coming.” “You’re lucky I know who Cheetah is.” Jimmy questions him. “Can’t you say his name?” “Calling him Tyreek is just weird.” I admit with a laugh. “Just like calling Kelce by his first name. It just can’t happen. Even when we dated, I never called him Travis.” “You and Travis dated?” There is genuine shock in his voice. “Wow. That’s kinda shocking.” “It only lasted 6 months.” I shrug. “It was the tail end of my senior year in college. He just got drafted to KC and my brother just started working there.” “Was distance a reason why you didn’t stay together?” “Fuck no.” I laugh. “Him not being able to keep it in his pants is why it didn’t work out. Distance had no direct cause in our break up.”

“Why would your brother invite him to his wedding then?” “Because surprisingly Kelce and I are still friends.” I snicker. “Don’t know how that happened. I don’t make staying friends with exes a habit. I mean Aaron is an exception but he never cheated on me. We just broke up because we realized we were really better off as friends; at least with the second break up we realized that.” “So it’s safe to say I won’t have any competition this weekend?” A smile dances on his lips, showcasing his gorgeous dimples. “None whatsoever Mister Garoppolo.” I return the smile. “But even if you innocently flirt with me, there will be a ton of football players that will go into overprotective mode. Especially the O-Line from UGA. David may have been a former teammate of yours, but he was my friend first.” “Duly noted.” He laughs. “But I’m pretty sure he’d approve of me. He knows I’m a good guy.” “He has mentioned that I could do a lot worse.” I agree. “And besides, how much damage could innocently flirting with each other cause?” “None whatsoever.” He replies. “Plus it’ll make the bride very happy.” “That it would.” I laugh quietly. “Hey, want to know my super secret hangover cure?” “Should I be scared?” “Do you trust me?” “I met you less than 24 hours.” He reminds me. “Do you trust me?” I repeat my question. “Don’t make me regret this.” He sighs, “but yea, I trust you.” “Come on. Whataburger is calling our names.” I smile as I get up out of my chair. “Follow me to my room so I can get my car keys and we’ll head on out to get our food.” “What the hell is Whataburger?” He asks as he follows me to my room. “It’s the thing that is going to cure your hangover.” I smile, despite knowing he can’t see it. “Let’s go cure your hangover!” ** “Ok these aren’t bad.” Jimmy announces with a mouth full of his bacon and cheese burger as we sit at a park bench. “These are kind of like In-N-Out burgers.” “Bite your fucking tongue.” I playfully glare at him as I dip my french fry in my chocolate milkshake, earning a look from the man in front of me. “Don’t judge until you try it.” “People usually only do those with the frosties from Wendy’s.” “While they are good, I prefer Whataburger’s milkshakes more.” I shrug. “They’re thicker and are a lot more chocolatey.” “So this is your hangover cure, huh?” He swallows another bite of his burger. “Why this place and no McDs or Burger King?” “This place has better service.” I shrug. “And it has better fries and milkshakes. The amount of times Brandi and I drove through the drive through after a night of parting is pretty insane. And if we were still drunk, we’d go to Krystals or Taco Bell. Because let’s face it, those places are only good when you’re hammered.” “How did you and Brandi meet?” He asks. “Because obviously it wasn’t because of a sorority. You are nothing like those friends.” “She was my assigned roommate Freshman year.” I smile. “She was this sweet, naive northern girl that I felt like I had to take under my wing.” “I thank you for that.” He sincerely tells me. “Brandi is a big important part of my life. And I was so worried about her making friends when she came down here. She never made friends easily back home.” “I knew from the moment I met her, she would be a big part of my life.” I assure him. “I’d be lost without her.” “What else can you show me from your college days?” He asks me. “I would love to get to know the college version of you.” “You barely know the country singer version of me.” I counter him. “Why would you want to know college me more?” “Because I have a feeling the college version of you is the best version.” He shrugs, a smile playing on his lips. “I want to know the version of yourself your fans don’t get to see. I want to know the girl that doesn’t give two shits what others think about her.” I bite my lower lip, thinking about what I want to subject Jimmy too. “Fine. This weekend you’ll only see College Sutton. Be warned; she’s not for everyone. She can be a crazy bitch. But she means well.” “Where do you want to go first?” “100 Proof.” I reply. “My first real job and a place we would constantly hang out at. Oh the story those walls can tell if they could talk.” “Come on, then.” He says, getting up from what he’s sitting; offering me a hand. A smile creeps on my lips as I take his hand and allow him to pull me up to my feet. “Ladies first.” He moves aside allowing me to walk in front of him. “Are you sure you’re not doing this to check out my ass?” “I plead the fifth.” He laughs, earning a laugh from me.

[wilsons5stars]

Wendy’s

I want to just say, what number is Wendy’s spicy chicken? Always number 7.

This picture is fire. That’s a good picture because it gives the caloric intake, which I like.

I thought it was a number 7, a #7, but it’s a #6, and, maybe they shuffled their numbers, but my favorite fast food restaurant, as an eater, I have to say, since childhood, is Wendy’s.

As a kid, we had a Wendy’s on the mainland. My parents donated a palm tree to the Wendy’s, and it was planted next to the drive thru window. We would have family dining experiences inside that Wendy’s. Back then, if you ate in the dining room, you were offered an amazing salad bar consisting of foods from all over the world, ranging from chocolate jello pudding to a lettuce salad. Also containing, do it yourself (DIY) loaded potato and/or tacos. It was actually fire.

But, during my first experiences as a small child, Mom only gave me the classic cheeseburger patty removed from bun and torn into child bite-sized pieces with an accompanying pile of ketchup. I think we had a discount back then because of donated palm and/or banana tree discount… I think we had a discount because of said donated palm tree at drive-thru.

As I grew older, I experienced the pleasures of which are now unknown to humankind — the Wendy’s extensive salad bar.

Moving on in life, my favorite fast food burger became a Wendy’s single cheese, or with cheese/ mayonnaise, ketchup, letttuce-onion, only.  As I grew, and my palate refined, I moved, into the number 6 (#6): the Spicy Chicken Sandwich combo (what we all now know as: the Spicy Chicken Sandwich combo).

A sandwich consisting of a lightly battered, mildly spiced, breaded white-meat-chicken-product, sandwiched on a bun, and for my liking, with cheese, lettuce, onion (later, tomato added), mayo… I asked for ketchup as well.

On the whole, dining in at Wendy’s, regardless of food quality, was always somewhat of an eating vacation because their tables were covered in old ads from magazines from years past, i.e. Sears-Roebuck, etc, offering wares of a begotten time. And call me history buff, but I like to eat and look at old stuff.

The downfall of Wendy’s, as a chain, and/or fast food restaurant, was when they tried to be too hip and compete with other chains. French fries, case in point. Just trust me. French fries... I watched it happen. Wendy’s, up to a point, served my favorite fast food French fries. I don’t quite remember the year exactly, but I know it was in the 2000s.

But then Wendy’s decides to make new age French fries. NO THANK YOU. Oh, still some skin on, still some skin on the tips... still some skin on the tips, natural sea salt, and even then, I gave them a chance. But they always came to tepid, soggy-ish, and not salted enough.

Other than that, the best fast food cheeseburger ever mass produced, and the best Spicy Chicken Sandwich (#6) that you can still get.

Though the days of the salad bar are gone, and the tables with the Sears-Robuck advertiments may be gone, still, the best fast food restaurant to stand the test of time is Wendy’s.

You can still get a baked potato in the drive thru. And I didn’t even touch on the original Frosty (tm).

If you were ever lucky enough to dip the Wendy’s OG fries in an OG Frosty, you know.

[talktowendysblog-blog]

10 Things You Didn't Know About Wendy's

1. The Frosty has been around since the very first moment. Wendy's renowned Frosty - that cool, smooth, delicate serve sugary treat - has been on the menu since Thomas' first café, alongside cheeseburgers, french fries, stew and wellspring drinks.

It cost 35 pennies. Today, the chain serves around 300 million Frostys every year. In any case...

2. The Frosty isn't all chocolate. It's hard to believe, but it's true. In all honesty, the great Frosty is really a blend of chocolate and vanilla, a "cross between a milk shake and a delicate serve frozen yogurt." Thomas felt an all-chocolate pastry would be too overwhelming to even think about enjoying close by a burger and fries.

In the good 'ol days, Thomas had just a solitary Frosty machine, and would join the chocolate and vanilla blend himself. The Vanilla Frosty ended up accessible to general society in 2006.

3. It's named after Dave Thomas' girl ... Melinda. The vast majority realize that café author Dave Thomas named Wendy's Old-Fashioned Hamburgers after his girl... be that as it may, did you realize her name wasn't Wendy - it was Melinda Lou.

The same number of kids do, youthful Melinda Lou experienced issues articulating L and R sounds, and articulated her own name "Wenda," which stuck as an epithet and was before long received, with a slight change, by her dad's café. Melinda Lou's resemblance was likewise utilized for the brand's well known pig-followed young lady logo.

4. Dave Thomas was embraced - and turned into a long lasting reception advocate. Dave Thomas was received at only a month and a half old, and never met his natural family.

Despite the fact that his youth was troublesome - his assenting mother kicked the bucket when he was 7 years of age, and his supportive dad remarried multiple times and moved Dave between 12 unique urban areas before he was 15 years of age - Thomas was a solid selection advocate. In 1992 he established the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption, planning to have any kind of effect.

5. Thomas was a secondary school dropout. At age 15, Dave Thomas dropped out of secondary school to work all day at the Hobby House Restaurant in Fort Wayne, Indiana. He thought about this his greatest mix-up and, in 1993, completed school and acquired his GED.

He proceeded to turn into a vocal training advocate and established the Dave Thomas Education Center in Coconut Creek, Florida, which gives youthful grown-ups GED classes.

6. ... who prepared with "The Colonel" Harland Sanders himself. Dave Thomas put in a couple of years in the late 1950s and mid '60s under the utilize of KFC (at that point Kentucky Fried Chicken) in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

In 1962, Colonel Harland Sanders dispatched Thomas to Columbus, Ohio, to do what he could to spare a bunch of battling establishments, in return for a 45 percent possession in those areas' benefits. Thomas cut back the eatery's broad menu to a couple of "signature" things - and presented the chicken mammoth's trademark red-and-white pail.

7. The "signature" square patties aren't one of a kind. Wendy's mark "new, never solidified" square patties are something of a calling card for the cheap food chain, yet they're not all to its own.

All through his adolescence, Wendy's author Dave Thomas was a customary client at Kalamazoo, Michigan burger join Kewpee Hamburgers, whose "out-dated" cheeseburgers, square patties and all, have been served since 1923.

8. Wendy's makes a case for the main drive-through window. In November 1970, Thomas opened a second Wendy's area in Columbus, Ohio.

The new area offered a similar menu things up with an industry advancement - a drive-up "get" window, complete with a second barbecue for serving clients in a hurry. Inexpensive food could never be the equivalent.

9. ... also, first cheap food serving of mixed greens bar. Nine years subsequent to acquainting the drive-through window with the inexpensive food world, Wendy's indeed left a mark on the world when it added plate of mixed greens bars to its menu in area the nation over in 1979, the initial phase in its "menu expansion" program.

The café would start serving crisp plates of mixed greens to-go in 1992 - again well in front of the business bend.

10. Its Japanese menu packs in excess of a couple of amazements. At the point when Wendy's relaunched in Japan in 2011, they did as such with a couple of great menu things - burgers, french fries, stew and, obviously, the Frosty - alongside a couple of astounding things restrictive to the Land of the Rising Sun.

Among these are the Avocado Wasabi Hamburger, the Truffle and Porcini Grilled Chicken Sandwich and the Foie Gras Burger, which retails for about $17.