#it's such a labor intensive dish

[honeysuckle-venom]

It's a ratatouille day! I haven't made any since this summer and finished the leftovers in the freezer months ago, it's well past time for another batch. Plus it's cold enough that having the oven on for 4 hours straight will be nice instead of horrible. I love ratatouille, I'm so excited to have it for dinner.

[natandacat]

I made bread for the first time in months!!!!!!!!!!

[artificial-condition]

Super excited some day to just be cooking for me. It’ll be so easy to cook smaller meals, so fast, minimal clean up. And if I have too much or want to make large meals I’ll invite people over :)

[hugepenishaver]

I want to eat more Russian and Belarusian food to connect with my culture or whatever but GOD are so many of the dishes labor intensive. like I love me a good borscht or kortofliany soup but I do not have the energy to go through the entire process of making it

[nina-ya]

Ways That Sanji Wordlessly Says "I Love You"

Luffy Zoro Sanji Law Kid Shanks Pairing: Sanji x reader CW: None WC: 1k

After a long day of adventures, you retreat to the comfort of your room. As you approach your bed, you notice a delicate fragrance filling the air– the unmistakable scent of roses. You look towards your bed and notice a single crimson rose carefully placed on your pillow. 

These gifts placed onto your pillow have become a nightly occurrence. Each night, you return to your quarters to discover a new token of Sanji’s love waiting for you. Sometimes it's flowers, other times it's a hand written letter made for you, written in his beautiful handwriting. These notes are filled with his heart and soul, expressing just how deep the cooks’ affection goes for you.

Other nights you might find a small box filled with handmade chocolates, or even a different box filled with a piece of jewelry– each and every gift is tailored to your tastes, reflecting Sanji’s attention to detail and his desire to make you feel cherished.

Each night, you find these surprises on your pillow, and you are immediately reminded about why you love the blonde. You know Sanji loves you when he brings you gifts every day. 

-

-

-

You find yourself in the kitchen with Sanji. He offered to teach you how to cook some of his favorite dishes, and you simply could not resist the offer. "Alright, my love, pay close attention," he says with a confident smile, his eyes filled with passion for the craft of cooking. Sanji begins by guiding you through smaller things such as chopping vegetables, his hands expertly maneuvering the knife to create perfectly uniform pieces.

As you follow his instructions, Sanji's voice takes on a gentle, encouraging tone. "That's it, my dear. Your hands are as skilled as they are beautiful. Just like that."

Sometime through the lesson, Sanji steps behind you, wrapping his arms around your waist. His chest presses against your back, and he rests his head against yours, a sense of intimacy filling the air.

"Let me show you a little trick," he murmurs, his warm breath caressing your ear. His hands envelop yours, guiding the knife with expert precision. "See, it's all in the wrist. Smooth, precise cuts. Just like the way you've cut through my heart." A light chuckle escapes him as the flirtatious comments spill from his lips.

"You're a natural, my love," he whispers, his lips brushing against your ear. "Cooking is not just about the food, you know? It's about creating something that warms the soul."

As you finish preparing the dish the two of you sit down to savor the fruits of your labor. In these moments cooking with Sanji, surrounded by the aromas of the kitchen and the warmth of his presence, you truly realize how deep his love for cooking goes. You know Sanji loves you when he is eager to share his love for cooking with you.

-

-

-

The Straw Hats found themselves in the middle of a scuffle, to absolutely no one's surprise. The air is thick with tension as the crew faces off against a group of enemies. As the first signs of trouble emerge, Sanji immediately positions himself between you and the approaching threat, a human shield fueled by complete and utter protectiveness. His eyes, typically ablaze with passion, now burn with an intense determination to protect you from harm.

Sanji effortlessly defeats the enemies with powerful flaming kicks, all the while ensuring that you remain unscratched. His movements are both graceful and deadly, a form of combat centered with one singular goal—to keep you safe. 

Even when the fight subsides, and the crew regroups, Sanji's eyes continue to linger on you. His protectiveness extends beyond the fight, showing in subtle yet meaningful gestures—guiding you away from potential hazards, offering a supporting arm, or simply standing by your side.

Ever since you entered his life, your safety is his only concern, and every move he makes, every kick thrown, and every word spoken is a testament to his urge to protect you. You know Sanji loves you when his only focus in battle is to protect you.

-

-

-

A calm night fell over the Sunny's deck. The quiet sounds of the ocean is interrupted only by the soft rustling of the sails. You and Sanji sit side by side, sharing a moment under the star-studded sky. The conversation had evolved from tales of the day to fantasies about the future.

"And imagine," Sanji says, his gaze fixed on the horizon, "finding the All Blue. I would never leave once I find it, honestly." he says with a soft chuckle.

You smile, enjoying his gentle voice and the thoughts of the future.

"But there's one thing I've been thinking about," he continues, his tone taking on a more serious note. "When the time comes, when we decide to tie the knot officially, I'd like to take your last name."

Your eyes widen, surprised by the unexpected revelation. Sanji turns to look at you, his eyes soft and earnest.

"I've always hated my last name because of, well you know, the meaning behind it." He says, reaching for your hand. “I want to start a family that is ours. I will be sure to love and cherish my family in a way that I never was, and, well, I think taking your last name would be a good place to start.” His voice rings with sincerity as he shows you his vulnerable side.

"I think your last name sounds perfect with my name, don't you think?" he says with a soft chuckle, his thumb gently tracing circles on the back of your hand. "I want the world to know that I'm yours and that you're mine."

The Idea of building a life together, growing a family with him, it's exciting. You both long for it. You lean in and press a gentle kiss to Sanji's cheek, acknowledging his words. He reciprocates the kiss, and proceeds to go on, talking throughout the entire night about the future. You know Sanji loves you when he wants to build his future with you.

[stoned-eren]

cabin boy eren <3

the solitude of living in a cabin significantly improved eren’s life. he became calmer, much more level headed. of course, he still had moments. bursts of rage and pure passion upon thinking about the circumstances you two were in, the cruelty of the world. but moments like these became farther and fewer in between. he could smile more, love more, live more.

the two of you have to work together in order to get resources like food and water, so you’re in each other’s presence very often. and eren wouldn’t want it any other way. he’s so delighted to spend his days with you.

eren had to cut his hair. although he prefers the way he looks with longer hair, it kept getting in the way(and he kept losing his hair ties), so he figured cutting it would be best. he cut it himself, needing your help halfway through. it came out slightly uneven.

eren always insists on doing the more labor-intensive tasks, so you don’t have to lift a finger. if it means you can relax more, eren is willing to put in extra effort. unless you want to, eren takes it upon himself to carry heavy logs and jugs of water back to the cabin.

he enjoys gathering firewood. once a week he gathers it, and always comes back with just the right amount of firewood. but it takes him a while to do it every time, since he insists on checking the wood for the right “moisture” of bark.

brings back cool things he finds whenever he goes out. whether that’s a colorful rock, or some pretty flowers, he always stuffs something in his pocket to bring back to you. it’s rather endearing that he’s thinking of you even while he’s gone, but you have to remind him not to touch any flowers or plants, since they might be poisonous. not that he listens though

there’s a serene garden in your backyard, full of different kinds of fruits and vegetables. though you tend to the garden more, eren will occasionally do the parts of gardening that you don’t enjoy as much, like pulling out weeds or warding off bugs.

collects little worms and caterpillars while he’s doing his part of gardening. whenever you come up to eren, asking him how he’s doing, he’s got a little circle of bugs next to him, an ecstatic grin on his face as he shows you a massive worm he dug up. and of course, he has different names for each of the bugs.

loves to cook for you. although eren isn’t the greatest cook, he tries his best. typically, he spends extra time in the kitchen, sometimes extra hours, just second guessing himself. he’s slightly panicking as he throws together spices, questioning if everything, at the very least, is acceptable. there’s a sense of pride that flushes through him whenever you enjoy his cooking. the dish he’s the most confident in is his stew, since you seem to genuinely love it.

there’s a small lake by the cabin you two live in. both of you happily spend your time there, either absentmindedly fishing or simply appreciating the way the breeze feels, the way you two can simply be in each other’s presence. cuddled naps are very common by the lake. the area is also perfect for spotting deer and other wildlife that happen to scramble by.

one of eren’s favorite ways to spend time with you is setting up a fire in the backyard area. watching the dusk slowly slip into night, while the stars begin to illuminate the darkness outside, is overwhelmingly calming for him. and having you there with him, your gentle smile and your soft touch, convinces eren that he doesn’t need anything else. just you.

[midn1ghtdreamer]

Kuroko’s Basketball boys x Pregnant Reader

These are head canons on how Aomine, Kagami, and Kise would be during your pregnancy.

Aomine

He’s not shocked at all. He claims that he knew you would be pregnant after one night in particular.

He doesn’t seem like he would want a baby, but behind closed doors you could tell how excited he was. His love for you and the baby did not stop his complaints whenever you asked him for weird cravings at night. Despite all of his complaints he would make sure you had everything you needed. No matter how difficult it is to get it. He even asks Murasakibara to help find the rare foods.

He starts making competitions with everyone else about whose kid would be better at basketball. Kagami was his main target.

“My baby’s going to kick your kids ass on the court.”

“Oh yeah, well see about that, Aomine.”

Kagami

He very shocked. You two hadn’t touched the topic of kids yet. That didn’t stop his excitement though. As soon as you told him he grabbed you and spun you around, reassuring you that he was ecstatic about the baby.

The news couldn’t have come at a more perfect time. Kagami’s basketball was taking off, leaving zero concerns about money. He was concerned about you though. He wouldn’t be able to stay with you, especially when his team went on tournaments. You had to convince him that you would be ok so he would go to his games.

He couldn’t wait to share the news with everyone either. Alex was one of the first people to find out about your pregnancy. She even volunteered to watch over you while Kagami was away. Kagami was worried about you to say the least

Remember when I said Aomine would challenge everyone else’s kid? Yeah, well Kagami made a bet with Aomine that his baby would win a basketball game. He didn’t;t tell you about his little bet either you found out about it years later.

He was outside teaching your son different moves to use and out of nowhere he says, “You can keep all the money if you win this game.”

You gave him an earful about it later and all he had to said was, “It was a good motivator for him.” You couldn’t deny it either. Your son did everything he could to make sure he beat Aomine’s daughter during that game.

And yes Aomine’s pride was hurt when his baby girl lost, but he didn’t hold it against her. She was his sweet little girl after all.

Kise

Literally will not shut up about it. He tells anyone and everyone he can, even when your standing next to him obviously pregnant. As in added bonus he walks around with a picture of your ultrasound in his wallet, showing it off at every opportunity. He just can’t stop himself and you don’t have the heart to stop him either. You both waited so long for this baby.

Anytime your around a large group of people, Kise goes into security mode. He won’t leave your side for anything. You want to talk to your friends, he’s there with you. Getting a drink, he’s there too. The probability of you going anywhere without him is .0001% out of 100.

He will also become your personal servant. You could be in the nesting stage of your pregnancy, feeling the intense urge to clean, and he wouldn’t let you lift a finger. Dishes? Clean. Laundry. Done. When he can’t handle all of the chores he calls in his mom. She makes sure everything is in order before and while your in labor. Making sure that you brought your baby home to a clean house.

If you thought that Kise would stop talking about your child after birth, you would be dead wrong. A newborn picture of your baby in a pink onesie would replace the ultrasound that he carried. He was a proud father and he was going to let everyone know it.

[plumpedxprincess]

once you mate with a werewolf there's no going back.

first they start out simple, plumping you up and getting you to put on extra weight. they care for you and cook and help you around the house, buying new clothes and squeezing and rubbing all the new curves that bloom along your hips, thighs, torso and breasts.

then they tell you what's coming. they're going into rut soon and they will fill you so full of seed you'll feel fit to burst. a shiver of excitement runs through you.

the night of the full moon you fuck for hours, and by dawn you're rubbing your belly, bloated with cum and happily sated. you don't think about what the next few months will bring until the morning sickness comes.

and it comes with a vengeance. by the time you realize you're pregnant, you're showing which should be impossible right? but no, werewolves reproduce in litters and you are full of more than five pups at least.

you grow steadily, halfway torn between loving watching your body grow and change and scared because it's only been a few months-- how are you so large already?

by six months you're struggling to get out of bed. your werewolf mate helps you dress in the morning and tears off your clothes at night, fucking you mercilessly into the mattress.

by seven months your nesting instincts are in overdrive. you prepare your delivery room and prepare the nursery and you enjoy learning to cook for your mate.

he comes home from work to see you bent over the oven, checking on the food. he squeezes your hips to alert you of his presence.

he kisses along your neck, leaving little bite marks as you lean against him. he lifts your belly with his strong hands and you moan as the pressure leaves for small stature for a few moments.

"smells good," he rumbles against your skin.

"it's almost ready," you reply, opening the oven to take the dish out.

"i meant you," he says, "you smell heavenly, wearing my mark and so full of my pups. perfect."

as soon as you turn off the oven he hikes up your skirt, which has barely been able to cover your ass for weeks.

he sticks his cock in you, rutting into you at a quick pace, leaving you breathless with pleasure.

it doesn't take long to come, and you feel his cum fill you up even more. you've felt so full for weeks, there's simply no room.

the pups inside you squirm, having woken up from the aggressive movements, and you groan as they kick against each other and you.

the pack's healer said he counted at least six during your last wellness check in, but the pups move around so much it's hard to tell. they are growing big and strong, constantly worrying you about how much bigger you could possibly get.

you'd seen other women in the pack with pregnant bellies, but they were also werewolves, biologically meant to carry pups.

it wasn't every day that a werewolf decided to mate with a human, and while it was perfectly safe, it was definitely more intense.

your belly expanded with each passing day it seemed. with so many pups to grow, you ate throughout the day, and watched as your hips widen, your walking turned to waddles, and your tits grew.

around the nine month mark, you still tried to cook, still gave into the nesting instincts, but you found yourself sitting more often than not.

your shirts barely fit, your hands couldn't reach around your entire midsection, and the pups squirmed every second of the day.

you were so full. your skin ached and your womb worked overtime to expand with the growing pups. they were heavy and strong, and you feared what labor would bring.

but your werewolf mate came home, and like clockwork he bent you over the couch, whispering possessive sweet nothings and bringing you to orgasm.

when you finally went into labor you felt bittersweet. feeling plump and overwhelmed by your belly had become normal.

you couldn't help but dream of doing it again.

[missroki]

you think you may be a bit of a narcissist. it would explain the intense annoyance you feel at the fact that nanami has not shed a single tear. he’s calm, eyes tired, but still calm. not like you, stuffy–nosed and tear stained.

you aren’t entirely sure how it happened, but nanami kento has managed to find his way back into your apartment despite the rather abrupt way he had left it only a few weeks prior.

one moment you were half awake and listening to the heavy sounds of rain from outside your window, watching thick droplets fall from the glass with red and heavy eyes. the next? you hear two hushed voices and your front door is being opened.

ironically, the initial click of dress shoes is all you need to know who stood at the edge of your couch — heavy and familiar against your tiled entrance. your ex meets you halfway with your roommates not far behind, looking down at your disheveled appearance as you lean up groggily on the couch.

under normal circumstances you wouldn’t be nearly as self conscious, but he’s your ex now. you had to make it clear that he’d made a mistake. that this breakup hurt him more than it hurt you.

unfortunately, kento is just as beautiful as the day he left, dressed formally in his tan suit and blue shirt, sporting the patterned tie you’ve grown to love. if it was only a few weeks ago, you would tug him down by it, eagerly pushing up to meet his lips in a tender kiss. he’d place a gentle hand on the nape of your neck, deepening the kiss just enough to light a spark that could quickly be simmered out by the promise of a home cooked meal.

it takes you a moment to realize that his left hand is reaching for your neck, but he notices at the same time you do, a slight furrow to your brow that makes his cheeks burn.

“my apologies,” he clears his throat, adjusts his glasses. “force of habit.”

you fail to notice the way his hand clenches at his side, resisting the urge to reach out for you again.

“it’s fine.” you respond quietly, clearing your own throat as you feel an imaginary lump clipping your words. admittedly, you should be more alarmed to find him in your home, but one look at the clock and you suddenly remember that it’s his time to finally get the rest of his things.

if he’s saddened by this, kento doesn’t show it. dumping you was obviously easy for him, like a business transaction he needed to muscle through. like labor.

you keep your thoughts to yourself, hoping he doesn’t notice the way you haven’t changed the pillows on the side of his bed or the way you’ve left the curtains open despite the blinding sunlight, just how he always likes them to be.

your bedroom is not even slightly out of place, spotless with not a shirt in sight or used dish. in the past, you’d laugh as he scolded you for not putting your clothing in the hamper, eventually doing it on purpose just to have him do it again.

there is nothing but a half-made bed in your space now. nothing for him to clean or tease you over.

suddenly kento feels as if he no longer fits here.

it’s hits him now that maybe he never has.

MISSROKI. all original work. do not plagiarize, translate, or repost. this includes feeding my work to ai apps and sites.

[starryeyedadmirer]

Could you make a stuffing story about this?

✨Y’all, don’t hate me, but this has been in my inbox since July of last year. I’m so sorry I’ve been sitting on it for that long… but, I’m in the process of writing a full story for it. I promise. Also, thank you to @nvtwhalk07 for this amazing edit you’ve done! Anyway, here’s a snippet of what I’ve got:

_________________________________

Kit stood in the kitchen, doubled-over against the bar counter, his massive stomach stretched to its limits... the aftermath of yet another epic stuffing session, orchestrated by his adoring partner, Joe. His elbows resting on the cold granite, Kit struggled to keep his balance.

The couple's stuffing sessions were typically hot and intense, never failing to push Kit's body to its limits. He was accustomed to the extreme bloating, feverish sweats, and unrelenting gassiness that plagued him after each trial... but this time, Kit had eaten more than he ever had before, and his digestive system wasn't prepared to take on such a hefty load.

Large chunks of solidified food and pools of sloshing liquid made their presence known inside his swollen belly, turning and shaking inside of him as though his stomach were a compact tumble-wash... but, in spite of his intense discomfort, Kit tried to play it cool, putting on his best pokerface, in an attempt to conceal his agony.

With a strained smile, he turned on his charms, concealing his discomfort. "Wow." He sighed, taking a moment to catch his breath. "That stuffing session was amazing. Look how big and round I am right now."

Joe looked over at him, a mix of amusement and concern on his face. Kit had become much larger than he was the last time Joe had attempted to make his gut burst, having consumed an excessive amount of food. "Are you sure you're okay, Kit?" Joe asked, genuinely worried about his well-being.

"I'm sure." Kit replied, his voice strained. "You've really outdone yourself this time, sweetheart. I'm massive!"

It was true. Kit had greatly surpassed his previous threshold, having gulped down the better portion of Joe's large feast during his feeding, which left their refrigerator almost barren. He had indulged in a bounty of homemade dishes, savoring every mouthful... but now, faced with his oversized belly, in the wake of his gluttonous feat, Kit longed for some relief.

Still maintaining his facade of nonchalance, Kit continued, his voice a seductive whisper. "Once I find the strength to move again, I expect this belly to be showered with love... the way you always do it. And... I think my belly button deserves some attention too, this time. I've earned that much, don't you think?"

His navel had been overlooked for far too long, having gone completely untouched for months. Joe used to adore his belly button — the way it looked; it's funny smell; the bitter taste of his flesh; the way that the tight hole would hold onto his fingertips — but, for some unknown reason, he'd simply stopped looking after it. Kit missed the days when he'd wake up to the feeling of Joe's tongue burrowing it's way down into the deep pit, and eating it out... all of the thorough shower cleanings, and sensual fingerings. Having fervently devoured his grande meal, he felt as though he'd proven himself worthy of receiving that kind of affection once again.

Joe, still gazing at Kit, with a mixture of pride and desire, rose from his stool. Like a cat, he tiptoed around the stretch of the bar — his wool-socked feet hardly making a sound against the tiled floor — and approached Kit from behind. Without a word, he wrapped his arms around Kit's body and placed his hands on his lover's engorged stomach, feeling the gravity of it's weight, and it's radiating warmth beneath his touch.

Slowly, he began to circle Kit's navel with his fingertips, applying a slight pressure to the area around the hole. Kit felt like he might burst — still doubled over, his breath labored — and yet, the feeling of Joe's hands against his skin sent a shiver of delight down his spine. His eyes fluttered closed as he relished in the euphoric sensation... the heaviness of his belly all but disappearing in his partner's firm grasp. Joe's fingers worked into his flesh, as though he were a large lump of clay — his hands gliding smoothly over the expanse of Kit's bloat, molding it. With each gentle stroke, he felt his discomfort fade away, replaced by a growing sense of pleasure.

Keeping a tender hold on Kit's midsection, Joe lifted him up from his slump against the countertop and turned him around, so that he could rest his back against the cool surface, and draw some of his tension away of his aching spine. Desire gleamed in Joe's eyes as he slowly knelt down and gave Kit's belly a shower of loving kisses, his hands massaging either side of his lover's bulging abdomen. Kit watched with excitement, his discomfort a thing of the past. Joe's tongue delved deep into the crevices of Kit's belly button, exploring every nook and cranny that the had been etched into the walls of the dark hole during his infancy. It was absolutely filthy, having gone unwashed for months — each wrinkle bearing a new bitterness.

The sensory overload only amplified Kit's pleasure, causing him to squeeze out a small, pungent fart, in a moment of heat. "Oof! Sorry." He muttered, acknowledging his accidental emission as he fought to catch his breath.

Instead of reacting with disgust, Joe encouraged him, his lust unwavering. "No... don't apologize." He murmured, his voice filled with adoration. "You're so tight. Make yourself comfortable."

Joe's worship continued, his tongue swirling in large circles, exerting a immense force against the edges of Kit's belly button. Kit writhed in ecstasy, moaning like ghost, with the occasional accompaniment of yet another unapologetic fart. Time seemed to stand still as he surrendered to the moment, completely lost in the revelry. Joe's tongue reached every filthy nook and cranny, with a sloppy motion, leaving no pore untouched.

"Aahhh." Kit sighed, reveling in the rapture of that familiar tingling. "That's nice. I... missed this."

Feeling as though Kit was sufficiently primed for further pleasures, Joe removed his tongue from the depths of his navel and invited Kit to join him on their bedroom. "Why don't we take this... elsewhere?" He proposed. Urging him to follow, Joe inserted his finger into the slimy, warm crater, giving him a taste of the joys that lay ahead, and bent his knuckle — pulling Kit up from the counter like a fish on a hook.

"Mmm. Okay." Waddling behind Joe like an obese penguin, Kit eagerly followed him.

It was clear to him that Joe had further plans to cater to Kit's desires, setting the stage for an intimate and fulfilling evening. Both men, enthusiastically embarking on the intimate adventure that awaited them on the other side of the open door, made their way into their private quarters.

[monsteraficionado]

One of the things that keep bothering me about the whole reaction to Watcher TV is the fully malicious misunderstanding of what Worth It was by people who clearly never watched an episode of it.

It's how people kept insisting that the only thing Steven (because neither Andrew nor Adam were ever mentioned. Much to think about) did was eating gold and ridiculously expensive food, when Worth It always was about showing how excellent food can be found at any price point. One of their earliest featured restaurants, Pasta Sisters, even got to open more locations because of the people visiting because of Worth It.

Especially how Worth It quickly evolved into focusing in highlighting underrepresented cultures, featuring tiny businesses helmed by minorities and showing how haute cuisine isn't only white people cuisine. The highest price point also became lower overtime, and instead of featuring dishes with truffle, caviar and/or gold, they started featuring dishes with incredibly elaborate and labor-intensive recipes.

Worth It always was a celebration of food and how it intertwines with culture, and that is still at the heart of everything Steven Lim does, and if you aren't willing to get this, I instantly know you are just complaining because you like bandwagons and you just aren't worth it.

[booppooo]

omg could do smut headcannons for abby with a reader who gets super flustered really easily and is almosttt a stone bottom?

also i love your writing<3

Shy

Abby Anderson x Fem!Reader Headcannons

AN: thank you anon!! I hope you like it :) also I've never heard the term stone bottom but I think I have a good idea of what it is? Hope this is ok!

Warnings: dom & sub dynamic, oral (reader receiving), private relationship

-

God, when Abby wants to be, she can be a huge flirt

But as we've seen when she's 'flirting' she's sorta...mean?

Like when her and Owen first discover the aquarium she calls Owen a dick - girl boss.

Anyway, she does it with a smirk and the tone of voice is so playful that you can't mistake it for something else

One day you were wiping down tables in the mess hall and you caught Abby sauntering over to you and immediately you felt your skin tingling

"Mornin', you missed a spot-" she pointed to a spot on the table close to her belt and you knew your eyes were wide like a stunned animal.

"Oh, thanks," you gulped and wiped the cloth on the section, avoiding eye contact purposefully - you could feel her's burning holes into the back of your head

"No good morning back? Hm?" Right about now you would want to groan and try to work your way away from her, but she followed you like a child desperate for attention.

"Good morning Abby."

Her smirk grew, "At least mean it."

You stopped cleaning and placed your palms on the table, looking up at her with a flustered frown. As much as you wanted to match her sarcastic bite, the words always got clogged in your throat and would leave your brain spiraling.

"Alright..." she admitted defeat, "But before I leave you alone, will you be in the library later?" She took it upon herself to pick some lint from your shoulder, taking the opportunity to step closer to you.

You knew what this was 'code' for.

Abby knew her power - physically and mentally - that she had over you. You admired her in every aspect and would fold for her in a moments notice. As much as she got under your skin and teased you in public...in private it was much different.

In short, she wanted to have her way with you this evening, because today would be a long day for her and anytime spent with you was a good stress reliever.

"I might be tired later." You we're lying, it wasn't like making food and cleaning the mess hall was incredibly labor intensive compared to the few sweeps you had been on.

You bashfully enjoyed the hardness forming in her eyes, the chewing of her cheek as she decided if you were finally returning the sarcasm she dished so easily.

"Don't be like that. I'll see you later."

And of course she did. Even if you meant no now, you didn't mean no later. Knowing Abby returned from patrol was music to your ears because it meant she survived another day, miraculously.

Later that night, she did find you in the library, cluelessly scanning through books because you were convinced you had already read them all. With one glance she confirmed your lonesomeness and decided to lock the doors for the night.

She joined you near a shelf and immediately tugged you against her with your eyes still on the spines of novels, arms looping around your waist like a thick belt.

"Hey there," she hummed, diving in with soft, wet kisses along your neck.

You hummed in response, already to warm to speak because if you did you would stutter.

Abby guided you over to some of the ottoman cushions and laid you back for her to crawl over you. Quickly, your heart began to race.

"What do you want babe?" Her lips found your neck again, knee finally slotting between your own until it reached your pelvis and made you grasp her massive shoulders.

"Whatever-" you croaked out, already out of breath and growing hotter by the second.

Her pretty teeth nipped at your skin as she traveled lower on your body, removing what obscured her goal.

"Hope my tongue can get you to stop squirming then." Again, her words were borderline bitter and condescending, but the delivery made your thighs squeeze.

Of course she had to mention your damp undergarments and sweetly shame you before parting you with her fiery tongue that felt like warm honey on your clit.

"Shh," she teased after you wined, "We're in a library." All you could do was sigh in response.

From there she was set to work, juggling three different tasks: swirling her tongue on your clit, keeping your legs stable, and making sure you weren't screaming like a porn star because Abby left you so shy and sensitive you couldn't help but make all these noises for her.

With all the times you had spent together, Abby had grown keen to what scratched your itch, knowing what each buck of your hips meant and even the pattens of your noisy breathing.

She knew when to knead your hips and thighs and when to take a beat - using it to lovingly dig at you:

"If only people knew how filthy you were."

"Maybe I should leave you to finish all on your own."

"Tell me how bad you wanna cum."

The last one especially would get you hot and bothered, because she knew when you were just at the edge, and in that moment she would pull away until you said something like:

"So bad Abby please-!" you would have sweat rolling down your temple, "Don't do this to me." With a whine you'd scoot closer to her face.

She rested her cheek on your thigh and reveled in your shyness crumbling due to desperation, "How could I say no to you, hm?"

And with a few more aggressive swipes of her tongue she would have your lower abdomen tightening and eyes squeezing shut.

Abby could be mean, but that's how she knew how to love.

[joekeeryswife]

Steddie x reader when y/n goes into labor while one of the boys 💖💖 are out the house and the other is helping y/n get through her contractions while she is panicking over one of the dads missing the birth

Home birth ?

Panic - s.h & e.m

hello angel! thank you for your request (this is adorable what🥹). i love dad! imagines they just always melt my heart. kinda hate this because i feel like i’m repeating it over and over but oh well (also hate the ending lmfao). it’s pretty long. enjoy 🤍 set in 1993 (reader is 24, Steve is 26 and Eddie is 28)

taglist (feel free to add yourselves🤍) @eddieamoremio @loverboy-poems @ladyapplejackdnd @alexxavicry @lovurry @bibieddiesgf @plk-18 @Heyyimmissunderstood @m-rae23 @adaydreamaway08 (if there’s a line through your name i can’t tag you xx)

you were in the last few days of your pregnancy, leading up to the 39 week mark and to say you were relieved was an understatement. the past few weeks had been awful from back pain, braxton hicks, swollen ankles, heartburn, headaches, nausea. the list went on and on. you, Steve and Eddie had moved a few hours outside of Hawkins wanting a fresh start in a new house and it was absolutely perfect.

with it only being a few hours away from Hawkins it meant you could still visit your friends and family and vice versa. as you were pregnant you didn't like sitting in the car for the almost three hour drive, it hurt your back and Steve didn't like stopping the car every ten minutes so you could get out and walk around to try and ease the pain. so they usually opted driving to your house.

today, Eddie had to drive back to Hawkins to help Wayne at the garage with a few cars. Wayne hated calling Eddie to help him and Eddie hated leaving you with you being so close to your due date but you insisted you were absolutely fine and he'd left in the morning before both you and Steve woke up.

you had woken up around nine with intense back pain and cramping. you had been having braxton hicks for the past few days and that's what you usually put it down to but not this time, this was painful. so painful it made you groan slightly which you never did. after the pain subsided you sat up in bed, Steve no where to be found making you sigh and get out of the bed.

you could hear the radio playing quietly and Steve's humming to enjoy the silence by Depeche mode making smile softly. you tried make your steps as quiet as possible trying to to disturb his 'party' whilst doing the dishes and he luckily didn't notice you. his back was facing the door as he hovered over the sink, cleaning the few plates that had been left in there from the night before.

you walked towards him and wrapped your arms around his waist trying to hug him as best you could with a huge bump in the way. "morning honey" he put the plates down and turned to face you, wrapping his arms around your shoulders. he placed a delicate kiss on your head and smiled when he felt your arms tighten around him.

"you sleep okay?" he asked as you pulled back from the hug to kiss him and nodded. "i had a really bad ache this morning, it was so painful it woke me up" you said like it was nothing, walking to the other side of the kitchen to grab a bowl to make some cereal but it made Steve's heart race. this could be you going into labour and he was here without Eddie who was adamant on being here for your labour.

you had all decided to do a home birth, the pool set up in the middle of the spacious living room ready to be filled when you went into labour. you'd always wanted to try a home birth, being in your own home made you feel so much more comfortable than thinking about being in a hospital. if something went wrong you were only twenty minutes away from the hospital so there was always that option if you decided to change your mind.

after making your cereal you walked to the living room, sighing as you sat down to finally be off your feet. your legs ached all the time and walking made you out of breath. you rested the bowl on top of your belly, slowly eating as you watched some random tv show but after a few minutes you felt another pain shoot through your lower stomach.

this time the pain was like a period cramp but way more intense. you lent forward to place your bowl on the coffee table and delicately place your hands on top of your stomach, closing your eyes and breathing through this pain as best you could. as luck would have it Steve walked into the living room so he could relax but that thought went completely out of his head when he saw you.

"baby, what's the matter?" he sat down next to you and stroked his hand up and down on your back. when the pain finally stopped after thirty seconds you sighed feeling relieved that it had finally stopped. it felt like it was going on forever. "i think i'm having contractions and Eddie's not here" you looked at him. his eyes went wide as he listened to you talk.

he knew how much it meant to you that both of them were there. you were all becoming parents and you really didn't want one of them to miss it. Steve knew some days the shop was so busy that Eddie couldn't physically answer the phone and most of the guys that worked there were assholes and let the phone ring. but he prayed that these were false labour pains.

"it's okay. we need to be sure that they're contractions honey and if they are we will call Eddie. he'll be here" Steve kissed the side of your head and continued to run his hand up and down your back to try comfort you as best he could. "what time did you wake up?" he knew from the many books he read that he needed to time your contractions.

with you saying you woke up with one he needed to make sure he was being precise about this. "i think it was nine" he looked down at his wrist watch and saw it was 9:14- fourteen minutes apart. "you tell me if you have another okay? i just need to make sure these are contractions" he said as the both of you got comfortable on the sofa.

Steve wrapped his arm around your shoulders bringing you into him as the two of you watched the tv, well you were, Steve was sneaking glances at you every so often just making sure you weren't having contractions but after he finally settled down after ten minutes you sucked in a breath and sat up. another contraction. he glanced down at his wrist watch again and realised they were getting closer together.

you were definitely in labour. you grabbed hold of Steve's hand and squeezed it tightly as the pain was almost unbearable. your mum had told you contractions were painful but you didn't realise they would be this painful. you moaned in pain as the contraction continued. "breathe sweetheart, that's it" you heard Steve say as you squeezed his hand tighter.

"could you get me some water please? i feel really hot and i need to cool down" you asked fanning yourself with your hand as the pain from the contraction subsided. "of course, do you need anything else?" with a shake of your head he got up and walked back to the kitchen to get your water.

whilst waiting you felt a popping sensation before water gushing out of you, soaking your pyjama pants. "Steve" you shouted as you slowly stood up, hearing his footsteps quickly approaching you. he looked at you then looked at the sofa which was soaking wet with clear fluid. his eyes widened he honestly felt like he could throw up. this was it.

"holy shit" he whispered walking towards you. "you have to call Mary" Mary was your midwife and would be with you at home whilst you gave birth. she had told you at your last appointment that you needed to alert her as soon as your water broke. he nodded, his eyes still wide "i will but let's get you into something clean, do you think you can walk up the stairs honey?"

his right hand went to your back once again, trying his best not to freak out in front of you. he saw you nod and held out his left hand this time so he could help you walk up the stairs to change. once the two of you were in the bedroom Steve walked to your draws, pulling out a new pair of pyjama pants.

"do you need help changing?" he asked as he walked toward you with the new pants. you shook your head and took the pants from him, whispering a small thank you before you felt a kiss on the side of your head. "i'm gonna go call Mary then i'll call Eddie. shout to me if you need help okay?" you nodded this time and watched as he left your bedroom.

after a few minutes of you changing into your new pants you felt another wave of pain through your stomach making you sit down wincing. the pain was almost unbearable. "i've phoned Mary. she's on her way but i couldn't get ahold of Eddie." Steve said walking into the bedroom.

Steve saw your pained expression as he stood in front of you "another contraction?" you only nodded. he held his hands open so he could help you stand up. "you need to keep calling him. he can't miss it" you squeezed Steve's hands as you pulled yourself up off the bed. "i will honey don't worry. he'll be here" he kissed your cheek reassuringly.

-

"where the fuck is Eddie" you said as you bent over the kitchen island, trying to relieve your pain in any way you could. Mary was behind you massaging your back as you breathed through your contraction. "he didn't answer. he might be really busy-"

"Steve they have people who answer the phone. keep calling" you cut him off. it was now 2pm and Eddie still hadn't answered the phone. your labour was going slow and Mary had told you that you were only at 4cm. that meant you had another 6 to go. "y/n sweetheart try not to stress. it's not good for you or the baby" Mary said as she took her hands off your back.

Mary was old, it may be rude to say but she was. however when she saw you in the hospital for your first midwife appointment with both Steve and Eddie sat next to you she said nothing and just smiled. many people judged your relationship but to be honest you all didn't care. you all loved each other and that's all that mattered.

"but what if he does miss it, he promised he'd be here, he wanted to be here" the last thing you wanted was for Eddie to miss the birth of his daughter. it was special and you'd never forgive him for not being there- he would never forgive himself for not being there. "and he will be, i'm gonna call one more time and leave another message if they don't answer. after that i'm not gonna call again, i gotta look after you honey"

Steve walked to the phone which was in the living room and after a few beats of silence you were met with Steve leaving yet another voice mail. your heart sunk. you couldn't understand why they wouldn't answer the phone. Wayne had two people who sat by the phone all day talking to customers about their cars or if they needed help with their cars but they never answered.

"i'm sorry. they didn't answer but i'm sure they're just really busy, Eddie will be here" Steve said as he came back into the kitchen, a sympathetic look on his face. "but what if he isn't? he wanted to-" you were cut off by another strong contraction, this one hurting so much more than the others you had been experiencing all day. Steve rushed to your side, holding your hand tightly as you groaned in pain.

you could feel your eyes filling with tears as the painful contraction got a bit more intense. after a minute it finally stopped but this contraction was a lot closer than the others. it meant your labour was moving along quickly and you would be pushing soon. you wrapped your arms around Steve's waist hugged him tightly.

"what if he doesn't make it" you whispered to Steve, tears threatening to spill over any second with the crazy amount of hormones running through your body. Steve wrapped his arms around you and hugged you back "he will honey i promise, if not i'll give him an earful don't you worry" he joked as he kissed your head, trying to make the situation better. but it didn't work. it just made you anxious. you just hoped by some miracle that Eddie would make it in time.

-

"hey guys" Eddie said as he walked into the office. he had finally gotten a break after working so hard. he sat down in front of Adam, a 20 year old who had been working with Troy to take phone calls for the garage. it was a system that meant Eddie, Wayne and the rest of the mechanics didn't have to leave their work to answer the phone and so far it had worked.

"it's been so busy today, crazy amount of people just brining their cars in for random shit that don't even need fixing" Eddie said rubbing a hand through his hair. he had a good few hours left before he could leave and come home to you and Steve and to be honest he was counting down the hours.

"did that Jerry guy bring his car in? i swear he comes in every week for the same thing" Troy said as he sat on his desk which was right next to Adams. "yeah he did. i mean he's old, probably doesn't remember bringing it in. i just pretend to fix something and he's on his way within ten minutes. never charged him though. can't make him pay for something that isn't actually real"

Adam and Troy were the only guys who were younger than Eddie in the garage, Troy being 24, meant that he could speak to them about the same sort of thing, he couldn't really speak to the older guys in the garage because he never understood what the spoke about. they spoke about stuff that happened years before he was born.

"anyway, anything happened with calls today? i heard the phone going crazy" Eddie said in a happy tone, he thought it was customers that were calling in for their cars which meant more money in his pocket for you guys and the baby. "don't be mad" Troy said scratching the back of his neck as he spoke. "we didn't actually answer any of them" Eddie rolled his eyes, a little bit of anger filing his body.

"c'mon guys that isn't cool. some people might be stuck of the side of the road and you've left them there" Adam nodded "we know, we just got a little bit bored but i'm sure it's nothing to worry about. i think they've left a few voicemails, the last call was ten minutes ago so we can listen to them now if you want?" Adam was always the mediator, he hated arguments and never wanted to get on anyone's bad side. it was obvious this was Troy's idea and not his.

Eddie only nodded, bracing himself for the many many voicemails from the different customers who were all probably angry that they didn't answer the phone. the first few were of customers only wanting to book in for a routine check of their cars but after those Eddie felt his stomach drop once he heard Steve's panicked voice.

"hey, uhh this is Steve. i really need to speak to Eddie about something so please call me back. it's urgent."

"hi it's Steve again, i know the shop must be busy for you guys to not answer the phone but this is really serious and i need Eddie to come home. please call me back"

"okay i don't know if this is a prank and you guys are not answering because you think it's funny but Eddie needs to come home. if you listen to these please get Eddie to leave the shop. thank you"

"i've called so many times i can't even count but Eddie needs to leave work now. his girlfriend is in labour and is probably going to give birth in a few hours and he can't miss it. she needs him here and so do i so please stop ignoring these calls and get him to come home"

Eddie stood up, ignoring the shocked looks on Adam and Troy's faces. he picked up the phone which was in front of Adam and dialled your home phone number. he heard it ring a few times before an out of breath Steve answered. "hello?" Eddie could hear you crying in the background as it seemed another contraction had hit you as he called.

"Steve-" "Eddie. you need to get home now, she's at 6cm and i can't speak for long, she's contracting but you need to get here fast. we need you, she is scared you're gonna miss it and i am to" Eddie could hear you call out for Steve and he felt his heart break, you sounded like you were in so much pain. "im coming sweetheart don't worry- just get here quick" and before Eddie could even say anything Steve had ended the call.

both boys looked at Eddie with guilt and sadness as they realised their little prank had gone way to far. "i am so sorry" Adam said as Eddie started making his way out of the office door. he turned around with the angriest expression on his face "this never happens again because look what's happened. i might miss the birth of my daughter because of you guys" he walked out, calling out to Wayne that he needed to leave and with that he got into his van and started making his way home.

-

"10cm finally" Mary said as she pulled her hand out of the warm water. your were sat on your knees facing Steve who was stroking your cheek comfortingly. you felt sad. this wasn't going how you wanted it to and now you weren't even happy that you were going to finally bring your own daughter into the world.

yes one of her dads was here and it should of been enough, but it wasn't. this moment was special, it might be something you never got to experience again and Eddie still wasn't here. it had been almost three hours since Steve spoke to him and your labour had gone pretty quick after that.

"i know it's not how you wanted it but i need you to start pushing" Mary said as she put on some new gloves and sat next to you beside the pool so she could watch you push your baby out. you took your shaky hands and grabbed Steve's holding onto the so tightly. "i want you to start pushing when you feel the next contraction y/n" after a few seconds of waiting you felt the now familiar pain of your contraction and started pushing.

"that's it, we'll done" you could hear Mary counting up to ten and you let yourself relax when she told you to stop. this pain was terrible. a lot worse than what you anticipated. "well done sweetheart. you're doing amazing" Steve kissed your cheek as the grip on his hands loosened slightly.

"and again y/n push with your contractions" you pushed again with another contraction, at this point they were about a minute apart. "keep pushing, keep pushing, well done" you could faintly hear Mary say as you focused on pushing your baby out.

after you finished pushing for another ten minutes you heard the front door slam closed and heavy boots running through the house. "i'm here" you could hear Eddie say and you felt all the sadness fade away. you had both your boys here now and you felt relieved. Eddie rushed to you, hands finding your face as he kissed you quickly, tucking a loose piece of hair behind your ear.

"i'm so sorry. the guys were being assholes and didn't answer the phone. i'm sorry baby" he kissed you again before giving a quick kiss to Steve. "you almost missed it" you pulled one of your hands away from Steve's and laced your fingers with Eddie's. he nodded "i know, but look, Steve took great care of you and i haven't missed her being born. i've probably broken a few laws to get here but it's okay"

you wanted to laugh but you couldn't. another contraction made you cry out in pain "push y/n. you're doing amazing. i think you'll have her in the next few pushes" Eddie's eyes widened as you pushed, he was defiantly not ready for this. both Steve and Eddie hated seeing anyone in pain, but seeing you in pain made them feel awful. "a few more honey then she'll be here and all the pain will go away" Steve tried his best to console you as you cried.

if they could take the pain and give it to themselves they would but now there was nothing you could do. i mean, they were receiving some pretty hard hand holding, both of them wincing silently as you squeezed their hands harder with each push. "keep pushing sweetheart you're doing amazing" Eddie held your hand tighter and used his free hand to stroke your cheek.

"i can feel the head, keep pushing. well done" Eddie looked at Mary who was next the pool with her gloved hand in the water. "one last big push y/n and you'll have your baby" both Eddie and Steve looked at each other, their hearts beating fast, this was it. they were about to become dads.

you cried in pain one last time, face scrunched up as you pushed then it all went away. "5:48pm" you felt your body relax into the water as your pain finally stopped. you reached down and pulled your baby from the now murky water to your chest. you felt kisses all over your face as tears of happiness and relief poured down your cheeks.

you could hear the many praises Eddie and Steve were saying to you as you hugged your baby close. after a few seconds she started crying letting the whole world know that she'd finally arrived. "wow you've got a set of lungs on you haven't you" you heard Eddie say making you laugh through your tears. "look at her, she's beautiful" you said looking down at your daughter.

-

you were sat in your bed, sleep almost consuming you as you watched Eddie holding Penny with Steve stood right beside him, a small sleepy smile on your face. both boys were infatuated with her. she was wrapped in a baby pink blanket knitted by your mother with a matching pink hat on top of her head of thick brown curls.

Steve's hand moved to stroke her cheek making her grimace slightly. "she's perfect, i can't take my eyes off her" Steve whispered not wanting to wake up Penny. both boys couldn't believe that you were all parents now and neither could everyone back in Hawkins. Steve had phoned everyone to let them know Penny was finally here and they all couldn't believe it. they had all waited like you guys and it was exciting to finally get the call that she was here.

Steve had even phoned his parents and was surprised to get an answer. they were never in Hawkins and he expected the phone to just ring into the empty house but his mum answered and was actually happy for you all. she had even cried a little bit hearing that she was now a grandma which shocked him even more.

"her nose is so cute. exactly like her mama's" Eddie lent down to place a small kiss on her nose which looked identical to yours. she was practically your twin. "can you believe she's here. we've waited for so long and now shes in your arms sleeping"

"no. its crazy. we are actually parents now and we have this tiny human to look after" Eddie's eyes looking over her face trying to take in his daughters beautiful features. "i was so close to missing it. i'm sorry i wasn't here to help you guys" Eddie looked up from your daughter to look at you and Steve, eyes darting between the two of you.

“it’s okay Ed’s. you got here just in time” you reassured him, the smile never leaving your face. Penny woke up out of her sleep, face scrunching up as she cried making Eddie quickly make his way over to you. you were all still trying to figure out her cries but he assumed she was hungry and he was right.

she latched on to breast feed pretty quickly and her cries died down. Steve and Eddie were on either side of you watching your little girl with pure adoration in their eyes. the three of you were silent just watching the small baby in your arms. she was just utterly perfect. “thank you for making us dads y/n. we definitely couldn’t do it without you” Steve said kissing your cheek and Eddie hummed in agreement, kissing you before kissing Steve. you now had your own little family and you couldn’t be happier.

[fatehbaz]

Americans [...] would sip the rich cocoa as a hot drink. Cocoa made its way to North America on the same ships that transported rum and sugar from the Caribbean and South America [...] and was heavily reliant on the labor of enslaved Africans throughout the diaspora. [...] [B]y the early 1700s, Boston, Newport, New York and Philadelphia were processing cocoa into chocolate to export and to sell domestically. Chocolate was popular in the coffeehouse culture and was processed for sale and consumption by enslaved laborers in the North. Farther south, in Virginia, cocoa was becoming [...] so popular that it is estimated that approximately one-third of Virginia’s elite was consuming cocoa in some form or another. For the wealthy, this treat was sipped multiple times a week; for others it was out of reach. [...]

The art of chocolate-making – roasting beans, grinding pods onto a stone over a small flame – was a labor-intensive task. An enslaved cook would have had to roast the cocoa beans on the open hearth, shell them by hand, grind the nibs on a heated chocolate stone, and then scrape the raw cocoa, add milk or water, cinnamon, nutmeg or vanilla, and serve it piping hot.

---

One of the first chocolatiers in the Colonies was an enslaved cook named Caesar.

Born in 1732, Caesar was the chef at Stratford Hall, the home of the Lees of Virginia, and in his kitchen sat one of only three chocolate stones in the Colony. The other two were located at the governor’s palace and at the Carter family estate, belonging to one of the wealthiest families in Virginia. Caesar was responsible for cooking multiple meals a day for the Lees and any free person who came to visit. [...]

---

The work was oppressive in the plantation kitchens at Christmas time. [...]

[T]hose working in the big house kitchen and as domestic laborers were expected to work around the clock to ensure a perfect holiday for the white family. The biggest task at hand was to cook and serve Christmas dinner, and chocolate was a favorite addition to the three-course formal dinner. [...] Oyster stew, meat pies, roasted pheasant, puddings, roasted suckling pig and Virginia ham are some of the many dishes that would be served in just one course. The night would finish with the sipping of chocolate: toasted, ground and spiced [...] and served in sipping-cups made specifically for drinking chocolate. [...]

---

Decades before the two well-known enslaved chefs, Monticello’s James Hemings and George Washington’s Chef Hercules, [...] Caesar was running one of the Colonies’ most prestigious kitchens inside of Stratford Hall, and making chocolate for the Lees and their guests. [...] [H]is son, Caesar Jr., lived nearby and was the postillion [...].

The stress of cooking the most important dinner of the year was combined with the fear of what was to come on Jan. 1. New Year’s Day was commonly known as heartbreak day, when enslaved folks would be sold to pay off debts or rented out to a different plantation. Jan. 1 represented an impending doom, and the separation of families and loved ones. [...] Caesar disappeared from the records by the end of the 18th century. By 1800, his son Caesar Jr. was still owned by the Lees, but as that year ended, Christmas came and went, and Caesar Jr. was put up for collateral by Henry Lee for payment of his debts.

---

The world Caesar lived in was one fueled by the Columbian Exchange, which was built from enslaved labor [...]: pineapples, Madeira wine, port, champagne, coffee, sugar and cocoa beans. These items traveled from plantation to dining room via the Atlantic trade, and were central to securing the reputation of Virginia’s plantation elite. The more exotic and delicious the food, the more domestic fame one would reap. Having cocoa delivered directly to your home, and having a chocolatier in the kitchen, were exceptional. It was through Caesar’s culinary arts that Stratford Hall became well-known throughout Colonial Virginia as a culinary destination.

---

All text above by: Kelley Fanto Deetz. “Oppression in the kitchen, delight in the dining room: The story of Caesar, an enslaved chef and chocolatier in Colonial Virginia.” The Conversation. 21 December 2020. [Bold emphasis and some paragraph breaks/contractions added by me.]

[thecapricunt1616]

Chapter 2 The Bear & His Honey

Chapter Inspo: Quote - "The only heaven I’d be sent to, is one where I’m alone with you." Summary: (18+ ONLY FIC) Carmy gets heated in the kitchen, makes Winnie lunch, & Meets the famous Sugar. A/N: Heyooo!! I am so proud of myself for like not having writers block and actually continuing a fic I started LOL! I think this one is longer than the last, like 7k characters or smth. I can't make promises abt. when I'll post next, but I can try to make it this week! I hope you're all enjoying so far. Warnings: Swearing, Yelling, smut, alcohol, tad angsty if you can even call it that, and then just overall feminine yearning!! ***As per usual; Reblogs, Likes, Comments, & Constructive Critiques are not only welcomed, but much appreciated! Without further ado, here we go! Woooo!***

𝒞𝒽𝑒𝒸𝓀 𝒪𝓊𝓉 𝑀𝓎 𝑀𝒶𝓈𝓉𝑒𝓇𝓁𝒾𝓈𝓉!

Chapter 1 Here

__________________________

I followed him in to the screaming, bustling pit that was his kitchen. “BEHIND!- Jesus Christ, Tina, watch it - I said Behind! Should I just drop this, huh Chef?!”  Someone cried out, the intensity of the atmosphere causing my chest to tighten as if clawed hands were achingly squeezing ever so slowly around my lungs. 

 “Gosh” I muttered, trying my best to take everything in, every sense of mind becoming slightly overwhelmed. Carmen briskly showed me to his small office, the insanity of his kitchen not even strumming a nerve for him it seemed. He showed me to a desk covered in too many papers in the corner, before thumbing through them until he found what he was rummaging for. “Ah! Yes. Here we go!! Alright. You look at this” he turned to me, handing it over. 

“With that big-booky-brain of yours, sure you could figure some changes to make the dishes sound extra special ‘mm?” He mused. I glanced over the piece of printer paper, nothing more than a piece of plain white paper adorned with dish names and descriptions of them followed by pricing. 

“Uhh…sure thing. ‘M not that smart, slutty books about muscley guys with wings and mind reading abilities only get you so far…” I said jokingly, my eyebrows furrowing as I my eyes glaze over the intricate ingredients I’d never heard of. 

“Alright, uhhh.. you’re gonna have to go more into detail about what you’re getting up to at the bookstore when I get back” he teased and closed the door to the office behind him as he headed to the kitchen. 

I continued reading over the ingredients, adding an appetizing verb here and there, hoping that was what he was looking for. I lean on my hand, looking over the other papers on the desk. Mostly food shipment orders, different labor receipts, jumping in my seat a bit when I hear a huge crash and what sounds like a bunch of aluminum clattering. 

“FUCK, JESUS! ” Carm yells, his voice booming through the kitchen and it was suddenly silent, as if every single thing stopped. “How many times have I told you guys, do, NOT leave empty FUCKING pans ON THE EDGE OF YOUR GOD DAMN STATION. Everyone look over your FUCKING station, RIGHT THE FUCK NOW - if there is an something that needs to be washed- it goes IN THE SINK. NOW. Move!” 

The only response is a chorus of “Yes Chef!” 

“Marcus get the fuck over here deal with this these fucking sheet pans!” He barks. I swallow the nervous lump in my throat, contemplating if I should just grab my purse and go. My eyes flick to the door when I hear the handle, and Carmen walks back in, his face a bit flushed from his outburst I’d assume. 

“Hey” he said casually and smiled a bit, as if nothing was out of the ordinary. He was holding a plate that honestly, looked amazing. “So, not chilli, so sorry, but- we do have Mac salad, and then this fire pork stew type deal, oh, and your onions, and a burger, and a hot dog- feelin frisky today, Winnie?” He puts the plate in front of me with a soft smile. 

All tension I was feeling vanished like sand between my fingers. A smile tugs at the corner of my lips and I look up at him. “And my ketchup?” I asked and he rolled his eyes, taking the ketchup and mustard bottles from his apron and setting them down in front of me. “Sorry, your majesty.” He teased.

I take the ketchup, squeezing a good amount over the top. “I guess… I am feeling frisky” I said, doing the same with the mustard. “Yea? You reading up on more winged muscle man porn while I was out there?” I laughed as I cut up the hot dog and burger on top, a real laugh. Not something someone could usually drag out of me since my brother. But for some reason, Carmen seemed to be very good at it. 

“Ohhh yeah. I was just all spread out here on top of your desk rubbing one out - the yelling you were doing really did it for me. Finished right before you came in.” I teased with a feline smirk, watching as his cheeks heated slightly. “Yeah- sorry about that” he rubs the back of his neck. “Uh- Marcus he just left all these fucking pans and Syd ran right in to them - keep tellen ‘em to put shit where it goes.” He sighed a bit. 

“No, no, no need to be sorry. A book store and a kitchen are 2 very different places to work, just glad everything’s alright” I took a bite, my eyes widening at the amazing flavor. It definitely wasn’t home, but that was okay. It was fucking amazing. I bring my hand up to my mouth to cover it as I speak, unable to wait another second to tell him. 

“That? Is Fuuucking heat dude. Wow.” I said swallowing and immediately going for more. “Really? You are…unbelievable” he chuckles, sitting back with a small smirk on his lips. “No you are unbelievable, Chef, great work. 5 stars on yelp” I giggle and he shakes his head rolling his eyes in amusement. 

“Why thank you, your review is valued” he gets up and leans in. I swear I feel my heart stutter in my chest when his chain brushes my temple as he reaches around me and grabs the menu I had been scribbling notes on for him. I could smell the musk of his cologne, a bit of tobacco from his cigarette, and a tinge of salty sweat from being in such a hot kitchen all morning. It was intoxicating. I wanted to bury my nose in his chest and just inhale, I could get drunk off the scent.  “Sorry” he said softly, sitting back down and looking at the menu. 

My cheeks had to be on fire, and I’m sure if his chain grazed my face again, its icy touch would sizzle at the contact. I swallow the bite I had forgotten about in my mouth when he was so close and look over at him. He was still looking over the menu, eyebrows raised slightly, “mm, like that” he mutters, rubbing his chin in contemplation. 

“Wow, look at what your slutty books taught you, ‘opulence to the core in your mouth’ hmm? What were they describing?” He smirks, his eyes meeting mine. I swear I could burst into flames and be left as nothing but a pile of ashes. I can’t remember a time that I’d been so melted by the attention of a man. 

“Uh-“ I stutter, clearing my throat, trying to rack my now empty brain (other then that pesky vision buried deep, of him rage fucking me over his desk. Sending waves of soaking warmth to my core, so strong I’m more petrified of the vision of me getting up and his chair being wet with my arousal) “Oh, you know…” I trail off with a shrug, my gaze finding my plate again and taking another bite to avoid embarrassing myself any further. 

“Well, I just may have you edit these more often little miss vocabulary” he continues reading over. “I like this, exactly what I wanted. Thank you” he smiled softly, setting the paper down on the desk. Our hands brush, and goosebumps immediately rose everywhere from my shins to my jaw. 

I look over at him, to find him looking right back at me. “This is…like so good” I said to take my mind off the ache growing between my thighs and he grinned. “Glad you like it. Swing by anytime I’ll make one for you, on the house of course. Gotta make sure we treat our official menu editor well” he rested his hands on the top of his curls with locked fingers. His biceps looked much more pronounced this way, the tattoos I hadn’t been able to see on the back of his arms making an appearance. 

He looked as if he was a fucking statue, a Greek god carved from the masterful hands of Myron. He is beautiful. He has such a strong nose, a muscular jaw and neck, god his fucking neck. Those veins, I can imagine when he gets all fired up they protrude powerfully. I trail back up to his nose, god that fucking nose. My core clenches around nothing at the sudden dirty image of messily riding his face comes to the front of my mind, his beautiful blue eyes darkened in lust due to his blown out pupils, his beautiful sexy nose nuzzling my bundle of nerves, my arousal dripping down his neck and chest as he drinks up all he can. Flushed at the Hollywood porno in my mind, I quickly shut it out like slamming a door and my eyes flick to his beautiful blues, a satisfied smirk on his blush pink lips. 

“What?” I questioned, my cheeks growing hotter. “Mm. Nothin’. Enjoying the view or somethin’?” He questioned and I look at my plate. “No- I mean, well” I stuttered, picking up another bite and putting it in my mouth to avoid the confrontation as it had worked for me shortly before. 

He playfully smacks a hand over his heart “wow!” He said earning a giggle from me “here I am, slavin’ over the stove like a damn housewife for you to make your- whatever the hell - and you have the gaul to insult me!! In my own restaurant at that!”  He feigned offense, a real smile adorning his features, eyes crinkled, dimples on proud display. 

“You’re cute! There. Is that what you wanted, Carmen? Your ego stroked a little? Awww, Carm, you’re such a handsome little boy” I laughed, leaning in and pinching his cheek playfully. He rolled his eyes, swatting my hand away with a grin. “So you only go out with guys with wings, that it?” He raised his eyebrows. 

“Wow!! Look at you, big player!” I gently kick his clog with my boot “you askin’ me out?” I asked, my heart picking up speed once more. “No, I just asked if your preference is a buff dude with wings. But since you mention it, sure, I’d love to go out with you. Thanks for the offer” he teased, a pesky smirk on his lips. 

“Wooow!” I drew out and laughed. “Wow!! Big sexy muscle man can’t ask a girl out, hmm? Need to trick her in to asking you?” I took a sip from the water bottle I’d brought in my bag. His cheeks heat, raising his eyebrows he says “well I’m no big sexy muscle man, I’m just ahh…how did you put it?” He asked. 

I leaned in, gently adjusting the pendant of his chain to face front and center again before resting my hand on his chest, palm flat, and feel the heavy thump of his heart when I speak again “a very handsome little boy” I said softly, my eyes flicker to his lips as he gently tugged his bottom one between his teeth. “Mm” he hummed, I felt the vibration under my hand. “That was it. Yeah” he said just above a whisper, his voice richer, deeper, like the dark chocolate cake described on the dessert menu. 

The door flies open and I jump back in my seat, resuming eating as naturally as I could manage. “Bear! There you are, Jesus Christ. Since when do you take breaks? The fuckin’ glassware company left three boxes of cocktail glasses off- three Carm!” A very loud blonde storms in, dropping her large purse in a slump at my feet and kicking it under the desk like I wasn’t even there. 

“Sorry,” she gives me a sympathetic smile “just restaurant shit.” She looks back at him “who did the order?” He asks. “Syd!! I told you, Carmen, you are putting too much on her plate right now! Stop being such a jagoff” she pushes his arm gently “and fucking divide the work!! Fuckin- fuckin’ teach Manny how to order!! I don’t know!” She said exasperated and frustrated. 

“Sugar I’ll call them, I’ll fix it, I fucked up.” He admitted with a sigh and rubs his face. “Yes. You did. And you better fix it. Or else how in the fuck are we gonna do your stupid little house cocktail on family night in three days?!” She asked, holding up 3 fingers and waving them in front of his face as he shook his head. 

“I don’t know. I don’t know.” He muttered and ran his fingers through his curls. “Sorry should I-“ I grabbed my purse from the back of the chair and motioned to the door “ahh fuck. Ye’ I’m so sorry I-“ he blinks hard, thinking. 

“What time do you get off?” He asks “5:15 usually” I said and got up, my plate of food mostly gone. “Shit…uhh..” he rubs his chin in contemplation. “Can you swing by at like- 10? If not, it's totally fine, we- we can have a drink? If you want..” he offered. I nod, a soft smile gracing my features. “Sure thing, I’m a night owl anyway. See you at ten, Chef, thanks again for lunch, it was great”. But before I leave the office, I lean in and whisper in his ear. 

“Be a good, handsome little boy while I’m gone. No more yelling over dropped trays, mm?” I rub my hand over his bicep giving a gentle squeeze and my eyes flicker to his lips, watching as his Adam’s apple bobs when he swallows thickly, bright red flushing his cheeks.  “S-see you at ten” he stuttered in reply. I shut the door behind me, giggling quietly to myself as I hear who I now knew as ‘Sugar’ saying “Where’d you meet that pretty thing?”

Read Chapter 3 Here!

[thunderandsage]

so we all know the underlying issues of the tradwife trend/aesthetic, but something that i don’t see discussed so much in its critiques is that intense house labor can be, you know, literally damaging to your health and wellbeing? the effects of breathing in fumes from cleaning products have been compared to the damage caused by intense smoking, bending over for long periods of time cause pain in your back, the skin on your hands peels and shrivels and cracks when you wash dishes over and over again, and that’s not even mentioning what sorts of fuckery an endless sisyphus cycle can do to you, especially when the vast majority of work falls “automatically” onto you