#my role here is to spend time with my parents and buy them a meal | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

let-me-luve-you · 3 years

Text

Oscars Over Birthdays

Tom x Sister

Summary: The day Tom gets fantastic news is the same day your family forgot about your birthday.

Warnings: forgotten birthday, angst, slight cussing, rude family, fluff ending

MASTERLIST

You woke up and smiled as you smelled Sam cooking your favorite breakfast meal, cinnamon waffles. Tom introduced you to them on your grub tour in New York City. Weirdly enough, only the two of you liked them. The rest of the family didn’t. You quickly got dressed and had to stop yourself from running downstairs. You walked into the kitchen with a smile on your face seeing all four brothers and your parents there.

“What do we have here? Is that cinnamon waffles I smell?” You asked, faking confusion as why your favorite breakfast was being made.

“We have some celebrating to do Y/N.” Dom said, smiling at you.

“Tom has been nominated for an Oscar.” Nikki said. You looked at Tom shocked.

“Oh my gosh T!” You said running over to him to give him a hug. “That’s amazing! I’m so proud of you.”

“Thanks Y/N/N.” He smiled at you.

You walked over to the counter and made you a plate. Sam smiled at you as you grabbed a couple of extra waffles. “Eat up Y/N. I’m making a big dinner tonight. Everyone is coming.”

“Really?” You said trying to hide the smile of maybe your family was going to surprise you with a small party.

“Yup. Haz, Tuwaine, and the rest of the gang will be here.” Harry said.

“Cool.” You said trying not to sound hurt. You sat through breakfast and everyone just talked about Tom’s nomination and the rest of the nominations. You were quieter than normal, but your family didn’t notice.

You got a text around lunchtime from your best friend Ryann. It was always tradition to go out and eat on each other’s birthdays. No matter what your schedules were.

“Hey Y/N.” She said as you sat across from her at your favorite Italian restaurant. “How’s your birthday so far? What did your parents get you? What did your brothers get you?”

You sighed, “it’s been alright. I haven’t gotten anything. They haven’t even acknowledged my birthday yet. I thought maybe they would surprise me with dinner tonight when they mentioned Sam cooking, but they are doing it for Tom.”

“I saw that online this morning. I’m happy for him, but that’s no reason to forget your birthday.” Ryann said. You sighed once again and nodded in agreement. “Well you know what, forget it. I’ll give you the best birthday ever just with my presence.”

“My day is already better.” You said with a laugh, but you actually meant it. Throughout lunch, you and Ryann joked around and talked. You hadn't seen her in over a week due to her work schedule working against yours. It was nice to catch up in person.

“Here. I know you told me not to buy you anything, but I couldn’t help myself. Now after you telling me about your morning, I’m glad I did.” She said handing you a gift bag with Happy Birthday on it. You gave her a glare but she could see happiness in your eyes.

You took out the tissue paper and pulled out a basket with a bunch of small gifts in it. You saw a bath bomb with some bath salts, all of your favorite snacks, the new Ryan Reynolds movie, and an envelope. You gently set the basket onto the table and pulled out the card. You felt the thickness of it and glanced up at your friend. Ryann just smirked at you as you opened the card and saw a bunch of gift cards to your favorite restaurants, your favorite cafe, and your favorite shops.

“You didn’t?” You asked, shocked seeing the multiple different gift cards.

“Oh but I did because you deserve it.” She said smiling brightly at you.

“I don’t deserve you.” You said as you started to tear up. “This is too much.”

“No it’s not. Plus it makes up for that trip to LA you bought me.” Ryann said matter of factly.

“I invited you to Tom’s premiere. It only made sense to pay for it.”

“Yeah, but then you continued to buy everything. Even bought my dress for the premiere.” She said with a raised eyebrow.

You sighed before setting the card down and getting up to hug her. “Thank you Ry. You’ve made this birthday one of the best.”

She looked at you sadly, “I’m here to always make your days better.” You grabbed your gift and moved to exit the restaurant. Ryann followed. “Will you let me know how it goes with your family?”

“Yeah. Hopefully they’ve remembered by now.” You said sadly. “You’re welcome to come over for dinner tonight. Tom won’t be mad at you crashing his celebration dinner.”

“I’m meeting with Jake tonight or I would.” She said. When she looked up at you she added, “but I can reschedule. He’ll understand.”

“No, don't do that. You two are so close to making it official, I don’t want to get in the way of that.”

“You would never get in the way. Jake likes you and he knows how much you mean to me.” Ryann said as you stopped at your car.

“Please don’t cancel on him.” You begged. “Just call me when you get home so I can hear all about it.”

“I will.” Ryann gave you one last hug before she walked to her car. You got into yours and drove to your house. When you walked in, you could hear a movie playing and the light sound of your family talking. You walked upstairs to your room to set your gift down. When you walked back downstairs, you decided to join Sam in the kitchen.

“Hey Sammy.” You said as you sat at the counter.

“Hey Y/N/N. Where have you been?” He asked. He kept his head down as he chopped the vegetables.

“Ryann took me to lunch.” You said.

“Fun. Hopefully you didn’t feel up too much? I’m cooking a big feast.” He said jokingly.

“I’ll always have room for your cooking. What are you making for dessert?” You asked, hoping maybe it would be your favorite pie or red velvet cupcakes.

“Crepe bar.” He said lifting his knife to point towards the table in the corner where the fillings already set. You stared at it for a moment so you could hide the disappointment from Sam.

“Yum. I love your crepes.” You turned and smiled at Sam. He smiled back. “What movie are they watching in there?”

“I think they’re watching that new KJ Apa movie. What is it?”

“Songbird?” You asked.

“Yeah that’s it’s. Have you seen it yet?” He asked.

“No but I’ve been wanting to. I’m not going to walk in there to start it in the middle. I’m going to go take a nap.” You said standing up. “Come get me when dinner is ready.”

“Okay, I will.” He said, turning towards the stove. You walked upstairs and went into your room. You felt tears building in your eyes but you refused to cry on your birthday. After shutting your door, you threw yourself onto your bed and pulled out your phone. You don’t get on social media much, but figured it was time just to do a quick check on all of it. You got on Twitter first and saw that Tom was trending. You clicked on it to see what everyone was saying.

Tom being nominated for an Oscar is what he deserves.

We stan an Oscar nominated king

You kept scrolling through the fans congratulating Tom when you saw one that caught your eye.

Tom being nominated for an Oscar on his sister’s (who’s his best friend) birthday is what I live for. Congrats Tom and happy birthday Y/N. You didn’t want to post until later tonight so you wouldn’t get bombarded with tweets, so you saved the tweet to thank the fan later. You then decided to search your name. You knew looking yourself up brought nothing but pain, but you wanted to see what people were saying. Seeing if anyone else wished you a happy birthday. What you didn’t expect was everyone hating on you for being the only family member that hadn’t posted about Tom’s nomination.

You knew it shouldn’t bother you because you had told Tom personally, but it hurt that these fans were saying such horrible things because you didn’t post on social media. You saw some try to defend you, but then you saw a fan had taken a picture of you and Ryann at lunch.

Y/N can’t congratulate Tom for his Oscar nomination but she can go out to lunch with a friend. What a bitch.

You immediately closed the app and took a deep breath. You’re not a bitch. You were spending your birthday with your best friend. There’s nothing wrong with that, you thought to yourself. You decide to delete the social media apps off your phone so you didn’t risk getting back on them today. You set your phone down and stared at the ceiling. Insecure thoughts flooding your mind.

You didn’t remember falling asleep but when you woke up you saw Tom smiling down at you. “It’s about time you woke up. I’ve been trying to wake you for five minutes.” He laughed.

“Sorry. I didn’t realize I fell asleep.” You whispered. Tom leaned down and kissed your forehead.

“Come on. Everyone is here and dinner is ready.” Tom said, pulling you up from the bed. “After dinner, we are getting a fire started in the backyard.” You smiled at him and followed him to the dining room.

You sat down and noticed all of your family sitting there with Tuwaine and Harrison sitting there as well. You could tell they were all waiting on you.

“Good nap Y/N?” Harry said laughing.

“Shut up.” You whispered as you stared at him.

“This dinner is for Tom.” Dom said, raising his glass to cheers Tom. “He worked his butt off to get to this point and it’s only the beginning. Cheers.”

“Cheers!” Everyone said as they held up their drinks. You turned and smiled at Tom.

“I know I said it earlier, but I’m extremely proud of you. I'm glad I have you as my role model. Love you.” You whispered and kissed his cheek.

“Thank you Y/N/N.” He said smiling at you. “I love you too.”

Dinner went by quickly with everyone talking and laughing. You couldn’t remember the last time you had all sat down and ate dinner like this. Now you all sat outside around the fire pit. You sat next to Tom and shared a blanket with him. You just sat back and watched everyone interact. You get lost in your thoughts wondering how your family could forget your birthday. After an hour of sitting there, you decided you would go to bed. Even though it was still early, you just wanted to be alone.

“It’s been fun you guys, but I’m off to bed.” You said.

“Are you sick? You’ve been sleeping a lot today.” Nikki said, full of worry.

“No, I'm not sick. Just didn’t get a lot of sleep last night.” You lied. “Thanks for dinner Sam. And congrats again Tom. I’ll see you in the morning.”

“Goodnight Y/N.” You heard everyone say. You walked up stairs and switched into pajamas. You were too mentally exhausted to shower. You figured you could just do it in the morning. Once your head hit your pillow, you were out.

Outside everyone kept talking. Harry was explaining something that he learned on set. Tom had heard the story a thousand times already so he pulled his phone out and got on Instagram for the first time today. He was scrolling through his timeline to see what his friends were doing when he came across a post Ryann had posted. He saw his sister smiling at the camera as she sat at a restaurant with a piece of cake in front of her with a sparkler candle on top. He looked at it confused and decided to slide through the multiple pictures. He saw one picture of her with a basket of goodies in front of her as she read a card. He scrolled down enough to see the caption.

A happiest 23rd birthday to my best friend and soulmate. I’m so lucky I got to spend time with you on your birthday. I love you and hope you have an amazing day.

Tom gulped as he stared at the phone with wide eyes. Paddy noticed his older brothers change in demeanor.

“What is it Tom?” Paddy asked concern. Tom looked up to him with pain lacing his eyes.

“Your nudes get leaked or something?” Harry joked. Nikki slapped him in the back of the head.

“It’s Y/N birthday.” Tom said. Everyone went silent. “We forgot her fucking birthday.” Tom stood up and paced. He was mad at himself for letting himself forget his best friend’s birthday. You and Tom had always been so close that everyone thought you were twins. You were only a year apart. It made sense that people would suggest that. Some even said they didn’t think Sam and Harry were the twins in the family.

“That’s why she’s been quiet today. We’re so horrible. I can’t believe I forgot my daughter’s birthday.” Nikki whispered more to herself but everyone heard. Tom looked at his parents and siblings before walking towards the house. He quickly walked in and ran to your room. He hoped you weren’t asleep yet. When he knocked on the door and didn’t get an answer, he decided to walk in. Your face was lit up from the lamp on your bedside table. What hurt Tom even more was he could see the tears that stained your face.

“Y/N?” He asked quietly. Thinking maybe you weren’t asleep. When he got no response and didn’t even see you flinch, he knew you were out for the night. He grabbed your extra pillow and blanket and sat next to your bed.

The next morning you woke up. Your eyes feel like sandpaper from crying. You didn’t even remember crying, but with the emotions from the day before it made sense you would. You gently sat up and jumped when you saw a figure lying on the floor. You leaned over to see Tom asleep.

“Tom?” You asked. He didn’t move. You got up and sat next to him. “Tom?” You asked again as you shook him. Tom slowly opened his eyes and looked around confused before looking at you. “Why are you sleeping on my floor?”

“I came in here shortly after you left so I could say how sorry I am for not remembering your birthday.”

You sighed. “It’s okay Tom. You got amazing news yester-“

Tom interrupted you, “it’s not okay. I don’t care if I was elected queen of England, no news is big enough to forget your birthday.”

“Queen of England?” You asked with raised eyebrows and a smirk.

“I think I would be an amazing queen.” He said with a small laugh. “Seriously though, I feel horrible.” Tom pulled you to him. You nestled your head into the crook of his neck. “I’m going to spend the day making it up to you. I promise. So get dressed. We’re starting with breakfast.”

You nodded and pulled away trying to hide the smile on your face. After getting dressed you walked downstairs and heard your family talking in the living room. When you walked in your whole family looked at you.

“Happy birthday Y/N!” They all yelled. Nikki ran over to you and crushed you in a hug. “I’m so sorry baby. We’re going to celebrate you tonight.”

“Yeah! I’ll cook all of your favorites.” Sam said.

“Don’t do that. You cooked all day yesterday.” Sam went to protest, “how about just make some red velvet cupcakes and we’ll call it good. We can order a pizza and have a nice family movie night.”

“Deal.” Sam said. After all members of your family apologized, you turned to Tom.

“Are you ready? I’m hungry.” You said with a pout.

“Then let’s go. Anyone want to join us for breakfast? We are also going to get lunch as well.”

“We will join you for lunch. Enjoy the morning together.” Dom said. Tom smiled at him before he turned to you and held his arm out for you to grab so he could lead you to the car.

“I’m going to treat you like the queen you are today. So if you want to do anything specific, just tell me.” Tom said as he got into the car with you.

“Just spending time with you and everyone else is enough. Thank you for making up for yesterday. I appreciate it.”

“I’ll go all out next year to fully make up for it.” He said.

“As long as there’s a bounce castle.” You joked with a laugh but Tom knew you weren’t joking.

#tom holland #tom holland imagines #tom holland fanfic #tom holland fanfiction #brother!tom holland #brother!tom holland x sister!reader #tom holland sister #tom holland x sister!reader #tom holland x sister #tom holland x reader #tom holland x holland!reader #tom holland x y/n #holland!reader #holland!sister #tom holland rpf #y/n holland #tom holland angst #tom holland one shot

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simkhira · 4 years

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I Have 300+ Gameplay Mods?! & Yes, They All Work Together...

Yes, you read that correctly. I have over 300 gameplay mods / overrides in my game. 340 to be exact. & Yes, they all work just fine together. By that I mean hardly any last exceptions / errors. So if you are looking for ways to spice up your game - here you go, sis:

⭐ = my ultimate faves

PLEASE SEE ALL 300+ LINKS ON YOUR MOBILE DEVICE! desktop tumblr won’t let us be great.

BIG DISCLAIMER: Use these mods at your own risk! Just because all 300+ of these mods work for me, does not mean they will work for you. ALSO - when patch day comes, do not refer to this list for the most up-to-date versions of mods… I will only be updating this list when I feel like I need to.

O K A Y

let’s start with... the basics:

MC Command Center ⭐

UI Cheats Extension ⭐

More Columns in CAS ⭐

No Mosaic ⭐

CAS Background

CAS Blob Remover

CAS Immersive Lighting

CAS Tidy Accessories + Details

New Loading Screens

Cube Map Remover ⭐

Into the Light (Lighting Mod)

Out of the Dark (Lighting Mod)

Twinkle Toes (Lighting Mod)

No Fade on Sims and Objects

Build/Buy Camera (Tab Mode) ⭐

Lot Trait Effects Hider

Smaller Plumbob ⭐

& then you need... realistic socialization:

Chat Pack ⭐

Whim Overhaul ⭐

Meaningful Stories ⭐

Personality Please

Better Elders

More Face to Face Conversation

Call Over Sims (Higher Distance)

Call Anytime + Chat Longer on the Phone

Unlisted Phone Numbers ⭐

Low Fun is Boring

Family Matters (Share Big News with Family Members)

Share More News ⭐

Congratulate More

Ask What Happened More

Conversation Tweaks

Chat Standing Still

No Stand Up to Greet

No Rude Intro Animation

No Flirty Animation

Apology Fix (Don’t Apologize if Your’re the Victim)

Angry Walk-style Only When VERY Angry

Less Intrusive Conversations

NPC’s Get Out of My Convo

Autonomous Parenthood Social Interactions

Autonomous Social Interactions

Reduced Idle Chatting

Know Your Coworkers / Classmates ⭐

More Away Actions

More Social Activities

Spend Weekend With

Teach Me the Rumbaism

now let’s talk about... realistic romance:

Chemistry System ⭐

Pillow Talk After Woohoo ⭐

No Shy First Kiss

No Woohoo Dance

Shower Woohoo Tweaks

No Romance for Family

Restricted Romance Interactions

Less Jealousy

Simda Dating App

Can I Come Over?

Date Night Event

Movie Night Event

Set Family Relationships ⭐

Set Extended Family Relationships ⭐

Bathroom Privacy Tweak

Bridal Shower Event

Bachelor(ette) Party Event

Auto Engagement / Wedding Ring ⭐

Vacation Weddings

Sit at Weddings

Better Wedding Presents ⭐

Honeymoon Event

Buy More Gifts from Phone

Ask for Romantic Massage

Realistic Divorce ⭐

Traumatic Divorce for Children

Improved Relationships

No Restaurant Bill When Invited ⭐

Faster Cooking at Restaurants ⭐

Better Food Quality at Restaurants

Finish Eating in Restaurants

Restaurant Guests Overhaul

Restaurant Sit Tweak

(can y’all tell that restaurants annoy me? lmao)

first comes love, then comes... pregnancy / toddler / kids / fur babies:

Ages Behavior Tweaks

Toddlers Spawn at Parks (with Parents)

More Children at Beaches

Pregnancy Overhaul

Rub Your Baby Bump (Small Pregnancy Overhaul)

Determine Baby’s Gender for All ⭐

Ultrasound Scans ⭐

Baby Shower Event

Amazing Birth (Rave About Your Delivery)

Advanced Birth Certificate ⭐

Sibling Care Tweaks

Make Less / Clean Less Mess

Auto Brush Teeth After Puking

Auto Put Activity Crafts into Inventory

Allow Toddlers to go to Services

No Call Out of High Chair

Toddler Power Nap

Better Toddler Milk

Better + Younger Nanny

Call a Babysitter ⭐

Call a Dog Walker

Shorter Dog Walks

Dog Walkers in Other Worlds

Scold All Pets

Sell Grown Up Pets

Pet Food Serving Overhaul

More Efficient Pet Brushing

Kids Can Walk Dogs

Kids Can Order Espresso

Kids Can Ride Bikes

Kids Have More Phone Interactions

Kids Can Cook

Kids Can Do Retail

Kids Can Garden

Kids Can Make Flower Arrangements

Kids Can Make Robots

Kids Can Workout

Kids Can Do Spa Activities

Kids Can Play Guitars

Kids Can Play Ping Pong

Birthday Anytime

Let Friends Age Up ⭐

No Auto Put Away Toys

No Auto Put Away Pet Toys

No Puddles Under Tubs (Toddler Bath)

Has to Pee Walk-style for Kids Only

Better Homework ⭐

Better Grade School ⭐

Better High School ⭐

Preschool for Toddlers ⭐

School Projects are Fun

More School Holidays

25 School Vacation Days

Prom Night Event ⭐

Sleepover Event

Pizza Party Event

Field Trip Event

Family Reunion Event

Pool Party Event

speaking of school... university:

Less Credits for Degree ⭐

University Costs More ⭐

University Holidays Fixed

Higher Scholarships ⭐

Rejection Letter

Harder Distinguished Degree Acceptance ⭐

Degree Required for Promotions

Faster Run to University Class

Teens Jump to University

Choose Your Helmet

Choose Your Roommates ⭐

Roommate Age-Checks

Roommate Significant Other Fix

Roommates No Random Outfit Changing

Roommates No Random Item Spawning in Dorms

Roommates No Spawning Meals

Roommates No Trash

Roommates Sleep All Night

Roommates Less Music

College Org Members Are Uni Students

Faster University Homework ⭐

Faster Tutoring Class

Copy Graduation Photos and Diploma

No Bad Microwave Buffs

No Ghosts on Campus

Sports Fixes

Game Day Event

Graduation Party Event

once you graduate... careers & aspirations:

Plan Career Outfit

Better Work Actions

Enlist in War ⭐

Live in Business

Faster Retail Actions

Faster Record / Edit Videos on Video Station⭐

Higher Acting Gig Payouts & Royalties ⭐

More Realistic Overmax Pay ⭐

Higher Payments for Paintings ⭐

Higher Royalties for Apps/Games ⭐

Higher Royalties for DJ Mixing ⭐

Higher Royalties for Lifestyle Brands ⭐

Higher Royalties for Song Lyrics ⭐

Higher Royalties for Music ⭐

Freelancer Edits are More Successful

Sketchpad No Fees

Campaign Rally Event

Visible Political Position

Watch Political Speeches at Podium

Retirement Party Event

The University Aspiration Pack ⭐

Accomplished Lady Aspiration

Family Aspiration

Grow Up Aspiration

Teacher’s Pet Aspiration

Knowledge Aspiration

Retirement Aspiration

Romance Aspiration

Famous Pastry Chef Aspiration

Twilight Years Aspiration

All-Rounder Aspiration

Programming Genius Aspiration

Travel and Culture Aspiration

Wellness Aspiration

9 to 5 Career Pack ⭐

Night Shift Career Pack ⭐

Part Time Career Pack ⭐

Fitness Career

Health and Beauty Career

Modeling Career

Journalism Career (Adult + Teen)

Trust Fund Career (Adult + Teen)

Welfare Recipient (Adult + Teen)

Saturday Jobs (Teens)

Oceanography Career (Teens)

Private Tutoring Career (Teens)

All Freelancer Careers (Teens)

Tutor (Odd Job)

Woohoo (Odd Job) - lmao

Art Show Event

hahaha... adulting sucks:

Basemental Alcohol ⭐

Happy Hour Event

SNB Realistic Bills ⭐

SNB Banking

Invest in Stocks

Lowered Thermostat Bills

Instant Thermostat ⭐

Auto Wrinkles for Adults

Life Decider

House Warming Party (No More Fruitcake)

Door Knock Notification ⭐

Island Events Notifications ⭐

No Strangers Knocking at Your Door

Quick Showers / Baths ⭐

Shower + Bladder Reliever (don’t judge me)

Power Nap ⭐

Sleep All Night

Smarter Robot Vacuum

Functional Tide Pods

Clean Your Bedsheets

Auto Put Away Clothes

Auto Start/Dry Clothes

Laundry on Community Lots Costs

No Idle Laundry Animations / Sparkles

Don’t Prep Food Where You Angry Poop ⭐

Don’t Wash Dishes Where You Angry Poop ⭐

Eco Dishwasher

Faster Cooking ⭐

No Auto Set the Table

Ask to Cook, Bake, Grill

BBQ Event

Custom Food + Recipe’s ⭐

Custom Drinks + Recipe’s ⭐

Grannie’s Old Cookbook + Recipe’s ⭐

Bake Cupcakes in Oven

Coolers are Cooling

Advanced Fishing ⭐

Fishing Trip Event

Fish for Crabs, Lobster, & Shrimp

More Seafood Servings

More Snacks in Fridge

More Food at the Bar

More Food in the Cafe

Flea Market Every Sunday

Get to Church

just in case you... get famous:

No Fame Decay ⭐

Celebrities Never Reject Fans

Celebrities are Quarantined in Del Sol Valley ⭐

Get Famous Award Overhaul

Less Celebrity Reactions

Famous Sims Gain Followers Automatically

More Follower’s Resolution for Everyone

Free Staff (Chef, Barista, Bartender, etc.) ⭐

Gardeners and Maids on Weekends

Red Carpet Event

whatever you are... just be happy and healthy:

Fitness Controls ⭐

Balanced Calories ⭐

Go for a Walk

Hiking Increases Herbalism Skill

Power Workouts

Athletic Outfit in Winter ⭐

Healthy Drinks

Improved Meditation Stool

Improved Spa Day Tablet

Improved Yoga Mat ⭐

Craftable Pottery

Less Elder Exhaustion

Less Sickness

Longer Basketball Games

More Fun Stuff

Online Gaming with Headsets

and I can’t forget these... more gameplay mods:

NPC Controller ⭐

Improved Autonomy

Simulation Lag Fix

Simulation Timeline Unclogger

Improved Autonomy During Loading Screens ⭐

No Empty Venues When Arriving ⭐

No Temperature Deaths ⭐

No Death from Murphy Bed

No React to Stranger’s Death

Realistic Death (Mortem) ⭐

Memorial Event

Freezing Sims Don’t Turn Blue ⭐

More Club / Holiday Icons

Make Hidden Holiday Traditions Selectable

Random Holiday Traditions

Wellness Traditions

More Holiday Icons

Less Rain More Sun

Less Snow More Sun

Summer Blow-Out Event

Christmas Eve Event

New Year’s Eve Bash Event

No Ugly Rain Outfits

More Umbrella Variations in World

Open Umbrella on Rainy Days Only

No More Broken Umbrellas

Destroy Leaf Piles ⭐

Dress Code Lot Trait

Gender and More Lot Trait

Preferences Lot Trait

Add Sims to Groups During Events

No Auto Club Gathering ⭐

Flower Arrangements Slower Decay

Take Photo Overhaul (Moschino Stuff) ⭐

Snorkel Everywhere

Don’t Turn NPC’s into Spellcasters

No Role Outfits for Sages

ROM Portal Only for Spellcasters

& you also need these... much-needed overrides:

More Sponge Colors

More Sippy Cup Colors

More Dog Leash Colors

White Ice Skates

Better Food Textures (All of Them) ⭐

Hidden Bassinet ⭐

iPhone X Phone Replacement

Playing Cards Replacement

Military Salute Overhaul

Small Saucer Light ⭐

Working Medicine Cabinet ⭐

Working Alarm Clocks ⭐

Realistic Fighting Animation

Oasis Springs + Island Living Palm Trees ⭐

special thank you to all of the wonderful mod creators! seriously, I could not play this game without you guys... (no, really.) There are way too many of you guys to name without missing someone... so if you reblog this, all I ask is that you please tag your favorite modders! (& maybe even add your favorite mods?)

#ts4 #sims 4 #the sims 4 #s4 #s4 mods #the sims 4 mods #sims 4 mods #simkhira #prettyxsimblr #s4cc #ts4cc #reblog to save a life #mods 2020 #ultimate mods list

7K notes · View notes

bonny-kookoo · 4 years

Text

Bunny Boy (JJK x Reader)☁️⚠️🔪(💜)🔞 Part 3

Pairing: Jeon Jungkook x Reader

Genre: Angst, Yandere!AU, Stalker!AU, questionable romance, smut, Oneshot

Warnings: (oh boy) Stalking, Obsession, Yandere themes, cute Koo but aggressive, he ready to fight, graphic description of violence, blood, very twisted JK, oblivious! Reader, kinda Stockholm-syndrome Reader?, soft romantic lovemaking, body worship, Dom! Jungkook, Sub! Reader, Handjob (fem. receiving), oral (fem. receiving), protected sex because even with your mind scrambled up in a frying pan we still wrap it before tapping it y’all hear me STDs ain’t cute Susan

Summary: It all started with a hello kitty charm.

A/N:(IMPORTANT) I’d like to note here that I do not condone nor romanticize any of the things depicted in this. This is purely fictional, and only to be seen as a work of art, not as a depiction of real life relationships. For short: if he a creep, kick his balls, don’t kiss. Thank you.

Part 1 || Part 2 || Part 3

His eyes had seen the words written in neat lettering time and time again, yet he still read it again, trying to calm himself down.

They were trying to take you away.

Your parents were basically not as financially stable as you thought, basically having the audacity to ask you for money.

He was trying not to snap.

He'd known that your mother was a whore, already trying to safe your situation by digging up information he'd rather delete from his mind, forever scarred with the blasphemic image of her showing herself off to strangers on the web like a cheap commercial before a video starts, desperation being an understatement to describe her actions. Or maybe she did it only for the thrill.

She was a vile and distusting woman after all.

It was quite confusing to think of her as the woman who'd been responsible for bringing you into this world. He had a hard time believing it as he thought about your gentle and sweet nature, pure and caring while this sorry excuse of a human being did everything to play with karma it seemed.

Well, maybe he'd change his name for a day and play that role for her.

After all, she was an impatient woman he'd noticed from her constant reminding to buy obscene photos and short videos of her truly underwhelming body for an amount of money he'd rather spend on a coffee and a small breakfast to share with you, if he was being honest.

Why someone would genuinely pay for content like that was beyond him.

"I dont.. understand-" The female voice quivered on the other side of the line, making the corners of his lips turn upwards a bit as he listened to it, gaining some sort of satisfaction in knowing he'd gotten under her skin.

"Oh but I think you do." He said, voice smooth like velvet as he watched her pace back and forth in front of her admittedly bad webcam of her opened laptop. Living off of her husbands money couldn't be so luxurious he thought, if she couldn't even afford a decent laptop for the things she did whenever no one was looking.

It was truly making his saliva taste bitter merely thinking about it.

"If you think deleting your account will safe you, you're even more stupid than I initially thought." He mumbled into his phone as he saw her eyes widen, hands stalling as her gaze locked with the tiny device on top of her screen. She probably paled, yet the quality was too bad to tell for sure. "Everything has already been saved and will remain in my possession for as long as I have need of it." He stated, and clicked his tongue as she seemed to think of something to get herself out of it. "And remember; calling the police or informing any other authority will only result in you having to admit to your crimes as well. And I believe that isn't truly what you want." She snapped, hitting her table as she watched the camera, unknowing how Jungkook didn't even pay attention anymore, knowing he'd finally caught her head inside his noose.

"How much do you want?" She gritted out, and he chuckled, before clearing his throat.

"Your mindset truly disgusts me." He said, before sighing. "I don't want your fucking money."

He sat down properly again as he looked at his screen again.

"But I want you to do something for me.."

"It's nice to know that she finally found someone who can look after her." Your father stated, smiling at Jungkook who sat next to you at the table,taking your hand in his as he mirrored the gesture, spotting the way your mother tensed up in the corner of his vision, making him chuckle a bit.

"No, really, I am happy I've found her." He said, rubbing the back of his neck a bit shyly, making you giggle at his antics. Initially, you'd been a little worried when your parents wanted to meet Jungkook, not even knowing how they got to know about your relationship- your mother, however, had cleared things up for you, explaining that he'd updated them on your condition when you were in hospital. Maybe she did care, after all. "Right, angel?" He said, and you nodded, smiling with a bit of redness on your cheeks.

Absolutely divine.

"Alright, let me clean this up, You guys can head to bed, its already late." Your father said as he stood up, everyone else following after, when you'd suddenly grabbed Jungkooks plate and empty glass, smiling. Out of the corner of his he could see your mother empty her glass greedily, making him smile even wider.

Greed was a sin to be punished, after all.

"I'll do that, don't worry." You smiled, and he cooed at the sight. You were so absolutely sweet, he was always astounded at it, even though he should be getting used to it by now. He'd never get used to you, however. He nodded, giving you a kiss to your cheek as your father called for your mother, who'd been about to leave the table.

"Can you show Jungkook here where the guest room is? Help him set the bed, will you." He spoke, warmth as fake as her eyelashes as she smiled tensely, nodding towards Jungkook as he followed, comfortable with leaving you and your father alone for the moment. He wasn't a threat at all.

Your mother however, was a different story.

If she'd thought he wouldn't pick up on her dark gazes and blunt lies she truly was brainless. But then again, considering what she did with her freetime, he wouldn't be surprised to find her entirely empty.

Opening the door of the guest room, your mother closed the door behind him, slowly walking towards his back which was turned towards her, hands running over his shoulderblades as he shuddered.

But not with pleasure.

"I bet a young boy like you has stamina, heh?" She said, trying to form a seducing tone with her voice, yet failed as his eyes continued to stare forward, cold as ever as he stood unmoving, even when she came even closer. "Why would you get yourself someone like her anyways? There's nothing about her.." She chatted away, before stopping. "Wha-" She breathed out as she felt something poke her hip.

She was dead inside already, so why was she still up and walking like a zombie?

"You truly are disgusting." He murmured, turning around to hold his hand against her throat, backing her up until she could feel the wooden door against her back, chin pushing itself upwards as she looked at him with wide eyes. "To imagine that your rotten womb gave birth to an angel like her.." He said, eyes still trained on hers as he pushed a bit more, feeling and hearing her struggle, before moving away from her, snapping the knife he'd in his other hand shut to put it back inside his pocket as he opened the drawers, searching for fresh sheets. "I advise you to not ever touch me again if you want to keep your skin intact. It's nauseating enough that I have to share the same roof with someone like you tonight." He said, as he finally found what he was looking for, not caring as she swallowed hard, leaving the room and him alone, but not before running into you.

"Oh, sorry, I.. Uh, Jungkookie?" You asked, peeking into the room as his entire demeanor made a full 180 in front of your mothers eyes, body language suddenly speaking a different dialect it seemed, as he smiled, walking up to you, and leading you inside the room, closing the door with a last warning look thrown at her.

"Please angel.." He hummed against your skin, as you shyly touched his skin, making him sigh in bliss. He'd showered after his encounter with your witch of a mother, yet he couldn't help but not feel clean enough- he needed your touch, your salvation, to finally feel good again, to exorcise the demonic memories of her gut wrenching hands on his back, or her obscene words towards him. He needed your purity to cleanse him again, to give him back his wings you'd granted him.

"They won't hear." He promised, but in reality he wanted them to, craving deep down inside his being to drench the walls in your heavenly sounds, to clean this room of her presence with the help of the pleasure he was giving you. He felt you give into him with ease, smile warm and happy as his fingers entered you, knowing that he could not nestle himself inside you without sacrificing safety. And getting you pregnant was far from his mind.

No, the only thing ever being inside you would be him, and no one else.

You breathed out in sweet euphoria as he worked you with his hand, before dipping down, taking the covers with him as his tongue got in contact with your pearl, mouth feasting on you like a starving man enjoying his first meal, humming in pleasure as your hand found its way into his hair, gently tugging, never hurting.

He highly doubted you could ever hurt a fly.

And you'd never have to, with Jungkook at your side ready to soak his hands in the blood of anyone you wanted to have killed in cold murder, all of it with a smile on his face. He was ready to flood the streets in his own guts just to make more room for your praise and affection inside of him, he'd do it all for you in a time shorter than his heart could ever beat.

Your sighs turned into mewls.

He pushed your legs apart gently, hands reminiscing in the feel of your skin underneath his palms as he put even more effort into his actions, making you squirm in pleasure as your back arched like a feline stretching itself after a well deserved rest as you came undone with his touch, mouth finally parting from you, crawling upwards to your face as he kissed you, uncaring of your own residue on his lips.

You loved him.

He suddenly let out a short moan as he felt your delicate hands touch his bulge, eyes questioning as you silently asked for his permission.

Who was he to deny you anything?

As you pulled him out of his underwear he sighed at the view, your entire body showing off how lost you were with the task you'd taken on, making him smile as he began to help you, placing your hands around him in a proper way and showing you how to please him.

You learned quick.

Slowly growing more confident, you started to grip him with a bit more confidence, brushing a strand of hair behind your ear as you suddenly dipped down, making his eyes as wide as the moon before he huffed out a breath, head falling back as he could only stare at the white ceiling when your tongue touched his tip. Your soft lips took him in, inviting him inside the warmth of your mouth as you gently sucked before releasing him again, using your saliva and his own precum as lubrication for easier motions.

He was in heaven.

Of course he'd though about it, yet it seemed almost embarrassing how he fell apart so quickly under your touch, cum suddenly spurting out as he came violently, not prepared to last under such circumstances. He caught his breath, smiling apologetically as he stood up on slightly unsteady legs, reaching for some tissues inside his backpack near the bed before crawling back to you, cleaning up your face and neck with the outmost care as you suddenly spoke. "So, was that.. good?" You asked, and he scoffed, kissing you deeply before he rested his forehead against yours.

"Angel, you just sent me to heaven." He said, making you giggle as he made you lie down, cleaning between your thighs as to not make too much of a mess of the sheets.

His cum stained tissues however, he'd leave as a present for the witch to find.

If she was to wake again, that is.

"I'm so sorry, she isn't feeling well-" Your father apologized, yet Jungkook simply waved him off with a sympathizing smile. You nodded next to him, agreeing with Jungkook that this was simply a bad day for her. Everyone got sick once in a while. "I hope you have a safe trip home, and thank you for the wine Jungkook, you really have taste." He said, pale skin showing to him that he'd seemingly been affected as well. "We'll stay in touch." He told Jungkook, hugging him in a friendly manner as a form of goodbye.

He was collateral damage.

He actually liked the man a bit, noticing how calm and collected he was, even though he had to share his life with a woman such as your mother. He admired him really, for spending his time with her every day, for simply coexisting with her, without feeling the need to end his own life.

But maybe this man had exactly those thoughts he wondered, as he though about the wine bottle inside his car, evidence he'd taken with him to discard of in safe distance.

And as you both waved one last time, driving off, Jungkook only had one sentence running around inside his head as he thought of the witch that was your mother.

"This time, please just stay dead."

“I don’t have much space-“ he said, sitting on the engine hood of his car, patting his thighs as an invitation for you. “But it’s gonna be okay. I like having you close anyways.” He mused, voice low and drawled as if exhausted. You sat on his lap, legs hanging off on one side, head leaning on his chest, craving his warmth like a newborn kitten. He snaked his arms around your form, bathing in your presence in pure feelings of bliss as you sighed. He looked down on you, hand running over the top of your head. “What is it angel?” He said, worry a present undertone in his voice. You played with the buttons of his coat as he watched the sun set in front of you both, twilight slowly setting in.

“They.. won’t take me away from you, right?” You asked timidly, unknowing why this option scared you so much. Those were your parents; you shouldn’t be scared of them, should you? Yet Jungkook had told you to be wary of them, and you knew he was to be trusted- when has he ever been wrong? He only wanted your best, just like he said; he only wanted you safe and protected, and it made you feel oh so special. The pure option that you could be forced to live without him now seemed utterly terrifying, like a phobia you didn’t know you had.

“No, no angel.” He said, smile ever so present as if he’d just been gifted the thing he’d always wanted. You seemed so upset with the mere possibility of being away from him, it showed him that you had finally accepted him fully; you finally were his and his alone. “I won’t let anyone take you away from me.” He growled possessively, eyes growing cold as you leaned even closer to him, making him take a deep breath in fondness. “I’d rather die.” He whispered, and your head shot up, delicate hands on his chest, and an absolutely divine and desperate look on your face.

“Then I’ll die with you! You can’t leave me behind-“ you said, wide eyes looking at him in pure horror of the simple mention of his death, and he chuckled, brushing a piece of hair behind your ear with gentle hands, as he answered you lowly.

“Don’t worry angel-“ he said, his hand resting on your cheek, eyes watching you like a piece of art. “I’ll take you with me wherever I go.” He said, leaning in for a kiss you eagerly accepted, uncaring of how his hands gripped your waist tightly. Dangerously. And you were just as uncaring of his next words that left his lips between heated kisses.

“Even if I’d have to kill you myself.” he mumbled into you as you smiled.

You felt like Romeo and Juliet.

Or bonny and clyde for that matter.

The news should've hit you hard, yet it only left you with questions. You by now had your suspicions on what had happened, yet instead of igniting fear, it only left you with more things to wonder about. Why would he do these things?

Was he this scared to loose you that he even killed in his desperation to keep you close?

Would you one day be his victim as well?

"Angel?" He asked, standing behind you as his eyes scanned your form, noticing how you'd stopped packing your stuff, simply sitting in your old bedroom, on the floor, on your knees, in the middle of the room. "Are you okay?" He asked.

Well.. were you?

And if you were-

For how long?

Taglist:

#bts #bts imagine #bts fic #bts fanfic #bts smut #jungkook #jungkook imagine #bts jungkook #jeon jungkook #bts reactions #bts yandere #bts yandere au #yandere jeon jungkook #yandere jungkook #yandere bts

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annabellumm · 3 years

Text

Can we please appreciate Slytherin Dream for a moment?

Pureblood Dream whose mother is the Minister of Magic and whose father is an auror, so he’s always been highly regarded.

He's always around the Ministry of Magic when he was younger while his parents were at work. There, he met other wizards, aurors, and Ministry officials and learned from them.

Dream who has been dreaming about being in Hogwarts since he was young

Because he wanted to meet other wizards his age, instead of the old people working at the Ministry

And he also wanted to prove himself as someone who was also outstanding like his parents, but as an separate individual

The Sorting Hat took some time to place him in a house because he was courageous enough to be in Griffyindor, intelligent enough to ne in Ravenclaw, and had a lot of heart to be in Hufflepuff.

However, even grander than all of these is Dream's desire to be bigger than himself, to continuously improve, and to be a leader.

Dream who is very smug and tries to appear chill, but spent way too many late nights studying and working on extra credit to achieve his high scores.

Who, because of his high grades, social skills, and attitude, became a prefect in his third year--the youngest to be given this role

Slytherin Dream who is the star seeker and Captain of their Quidditch Team

He is speed.

Dream who can be found usually by the Quidditch Pitch training.

He would be a great chaser, but he loves the speed and challenge of being a seeker.

Dream who loves to show off and does special tricks on the field that he has practiced for so many hours secretly

And gets a bit pouty if his friends aren't the ones cheering the loudest at his Quidditch Games

"Are you still being a big baby?"

"..."

"Oh come on, Dream. What was I supposed to do?

"You were supposed to cheer for me, George!"

"You were against Ravenclaw! I'm supposed to root for my own house."

Dream who, because of his family lineage and status, feels a lot of pressure to be the best

There were so many nights where he questioned whether this need to be the best is inherently his or from his parents

Which is why he likes being around his friends George, Sapnap, Bad, Karl, and Quackity

With them, he's not the Minister's son, or a dignified pureblood, or a Slytherin prefect. He's just Dream who is confident and flirty and dorky and laughs the hardest out of all of them.

Dream who loves a good challenge and always tries to be ahead of his studies

He's great all at subjects (except for Divination because he thinks its absolute garbage), but his favorite is Defense Against the Dark Arts.

Dream who is great at Potions as well and would sometimes try and sneak some potions away.

He does have a soft spot for Care of Magical Creatures, and his favorite creature is a dragon.

Slytherin Dream who's fighting for the spot of Head of the Dueling Club against Techno. He's one of the top duelers in his year and actively participates in club activities and matches.

Who is chill enough to agree with Tubbo on the existence of some made-up creature and keep the bit going, but passionate enough to start debating with Bad on the morality of using certain spells in Charms class.

Dream who plans to become a Minister of Magic just like his mother

Although some part of him just wants to be an auror and join George, Sapnap, and Bad

Or maybe a Quidditch Player. Or maybe all three.

A lot of First Years look up to him because of his status and because he's so nice to younger wizards.

Because he remembers clearly how much of an absolute wreck he was on the way to Hogwarts. But when a certain upperclassman Ravenclaw joined him in his compartment and made him feel at ease, he knew that he had to do his best to make sure no First Year goes through that.

Dream who has a special spot on the Grounds under a tree where him, George, Sapnap, Bad, Quackity, and Karl hang out frequently.

Students have called it the DTree for giggles.

Dream who wears the Slytherin colors with pride and incorporates it into his casual clothes

And although he likes his wizarding clothes, he loves to wear the green muggle hoodies that George and Bad gifted him for Christmas

Dream who has a parrot instead of an owl to deliver his letters because why not

Who has a lighthearted competition with Tommy from Gryffindor for the position of best seeker in Hogwarts

But he will always train with Tommy if the boy asks for help

Dream who sometimes goes to George's or Sapnap's for Christmas and holidays

Even though he loves his parents and spending time at home, he actually prefers Christmas with his friends. He can't stand another fancy Christmas party at home where people only care about his achievements and not him.

Dream who always helps out anyone in need without a price or condition

Who, as a Slytherin Prefect and future Head Boy, is a tiny bit biased towards his friends and would let them get away with more stuff than others

His professors try to turn a blind eye on this because they don’t want to get in the way of his path to becoming Head Boy, and most of the things that they do are harmless anyway.

“Quackity, why are you carrying a box of full of fireworks?”

“Uh, just a uhm...it’s none of your business?”

“...okay. Just make sure to take the far right corridor so no one spots you, and if that’s a business, owl me a portion of your profits.”

Dream who has won the Quidditch Cup a couple of times

People always wonder how he’s able to stay on top of his class while being the Quidditch Captain and practicing dueling regularly.

The answer is a secret time-turner that he asked his parents for.

Slytherin Dream who is known to successfully sweet-talk even the strictest professors into either overlooking something his housemate did or giving him a favor

Boy has a silver tongue developed by years of being around schmoozing adults and he knows how to use it

Dream who sits in Ravenclaw or Gryffindor table at every meal just to talk to his friends

He will challenge anyone to a duel if they talk negatively about any of his friends, especially George. Even if they so much as look at him wrong.

Because he’s loyal to his friend to the very end.

He even buys out the sweets cart for his friends and gives lavish gifts just because

Dream who has been offered to try out professional Quidditch teams such as Montrose Magpies and Chudley Cannons after Hogwarts

He’s still debating about doing it or not. It’s not every day that you get offered an opportunity like that.

Dream who can be seen flying multiple paper cranes with secret notes at night and in between classes just so he can continue talking to his friends when they’re far away.

He even has portkeys that transports him to his friends’ houses. The feeling of traveling using those things was definitely uncomfortable, but he wouldn’t hesitate to use one if needed.

Slytherin Dream, you guys!

A/N: And here's my headcannon for Slytherin Dream! As always, if you have any additional headcannons or if you have any suggestions for the other dsmp charcaters, hit me up in my ask box! I'd love to hear your thoughts! Also, please click on “Masterlist” below to see other hcs that I’ve made.

Masterlist

#dreamwastaken #c!dream #c!dream.hc #dsmp hc #dsmp hogwarts au #dreamwastaken au #dsmp au #dream team #hogwarts!dream #dream smp #mcyt #had to make my own panels with the text #ngl kinda proud of the 'outwit outplay outlive'#i have no idea which member to do next #but methinks ranboo?? hmm #yes i did just reference lion king lol #be prepared is a bop and a half and a slytherin aesthetic i don't take criticism #tiny bit of dnf just a smidge

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awed-frog · 3 years

Note

Hello! I see that people are asking you about diets right now. I started living independently fairy recently, and I still haven't figured out an ideal way of feeding myself. Not sure if my autism plays a role here, or if it's just me being inexperienced, but would you maybe happen to have any advice for NT people regarding food? Like how I can get myself to eat enough fruits + vegetables and how I can keep from eating the same two dishes for the rest of my life (I WILL, if I don't pay attention)

Hi, thanks for the message! I’d say first of all take it easy, planning your meals + groceries is harder than people think, especially in the beginning. Just remember not to buy too much (produce will go bad, stuff like flour will develop flies) and take it easy. I can suggest a few things:

1) If you can, get good cooking appliances, especially a rice cooker or multicooker or Instant Pot, depending on where you live and what’s available. A rice cooker is a good option because they’re generally cheap, but most of them can only handle white rice, which isn’t the most nutritious meal. I finally got myself a multicooker two years ago and I’m really happy. You may have to experiment a bit in the beginning, but it halves the time you spend in the kitchen, can reheat food, and also makes things like bread and yogurt.

2) If you have a freezer, use the hell out of it. The best option for varying your meals is to always cook twice the portion and freeze half. If you don’t have a big freezer, remember that most vegan meals will also keep fairly well in the fridge for a couple of days, so you could eat your delicious meal both on Thursday night and for lunch on Saturday, which is Not Bad. You can also look up ways to freeze vegetables and fruits - I started keeping batches readily available to add to soups, stir-frys, and fruit purees/smoothies.

3) Be realistic. Like, unless you’re a Michelin cook, you’ll need some time to learn a new or complicated recipe, so start trying on a Saturday and give yourself a few tries. And if you get home really late, you probably won’t want to spend two hours in the kitchen, so either prep your meals beforehand (you can find tons of good advice online), or keep some ingredients for a quick meal (like a pesto sauce or ready-made dips).

4) Pantry, pantry, pantry. Most cookbooks will have a pantry list in the first pages, and those are the first things you need to buy. Remember that if you keep the same old recipe but swap out ingredients, you’ll magically have different dishes and you’ll get a lot of nutritional benefits because you’re eating different stuff! For instance, for a quick meal you can make hummus but use borlotti beans instead of chickpeas, or peanut butter instead of tahini. Why not? God is not watching.

5) Change up your greens. For your produce: if you live on your own, don’t buy too much, and choose variety instead. For instance: weekly, only buy two kinds of fruits (one perishable you’ll eat first, like stone fruits or berries, and one that’ll last longer, like bananas, apples or pears) and three kinds of vegetables (one cruciferous: cauliflower or broccoli, for instance; one root: turnips or carrots or sweet potatoes; and one leafy green: spinach, Swiss chards, kale and so on), plus mushrooms (a nutritional godsend and very yummy) + onions and garlic. Add whatever salad material is in season (summer or winter greens, zucchini, beets, avocado) and you’re basically all set. By thinking in terms of categories instead of specific foods, you’ll ensure variety without too much effort.

6) Stick to easy cooking. As for meals: you don’t actually need a lot of fancy recipes. Find two or three things you like to cook, and repeat them twice or three times a week. By alternating your lunches and dinners, and swapping out ingredients a bit (one evening rice, the other barley, for instance; one lunch roasted pumpkin, the next one roasted Brussel sprouts) you can cook on autopilot while still ensuring you’re getting your nutrients and don’t get bored.

7) Cheat. If you struggle to eat your veggies, there are tricks you can use. For instance, smoothies and soups are good ways to eat tons of stuff fairly easily. If you eat cheese, it will make anything taste good - although garlic has the same effect and zero bad fats. Nutritional yeast is also something most people love. Adding finely chopped veggies to a normal tomato pasta sauce is another way of hiding a few greens without much effort. You can find a lot of recipes for ‘hidden’ fruits and veggies by looking up parenting tips - and remember that the way you cook stuff also changes the flavour considerably, so if you don’t like steamed zucchini, try roasting them, or adding them to a stir-fry, a soufflé, a savoury bread and so on.

8) No rules apply. And finally, remember you’re an adult now, and if you decide that you want to try miso soup and fried rice for breakfast, or that Friday night is ice-cream-instead-of-dinner night, that’s perfectly alright. You don’t have to cook for yourself for every single meal, or stick to your own culture and family traditions for what is acceptable to do.

Also: a slightly unethical life tip. On b-ok, you’ll find most cookbooks that exist - for free. If you need ideas, you can look up a book on Amazon, see if it looks good, then download it on b-ok. I’d suggest trying three or four recipes and if you like them - and can afford it - buying the real book to support the author. I sometimes do this because you can’t always tell at a glance if a cookbook is what you’re looking for or not, so this makes it easier to decide what to buy.

Good luck and happy cooking!

#ask #cooking #adulting #in my house we do an 'end-of-week' minestrone #just toss everything you have left in some water and let it boil 20-30'#with some pasta and lentils and stuff #takes care of the waste issue #and generally tastes really good #but yeah most people struggle with this #if you're worrying about it #you're already miles ahead of many people #so you'll get there!#i have no doubt

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pixieminutes · 4 years

Text

4th August, 2021 | KSM

genre: fluff, husband!seungmin

members: kim seungmin x reader, bang chan, hwang hyunjin, seo changbin, yang jeongin, lee minho, lee felix, han jisung

warnings: none

4th August, 2021: 10:42

“not too hard!” you gasped out as your bridesmaid, yerin, dragged the brush through your hair, “it’s always knotty after i get out the shower.”

she rolled her eyes, “you’re so overdramatic.”

“hardly!” you exclaimed, turning to face her, “look, how about we just wait for the hairdresser to arrive, hmm?”

she chuckled.

“what? what’s so funny?”

“your boob’s come out your dressing gown,” she snorted.

you looked down, sorting yourself out before giving her the finger.

“you just need to relax, okay? this is supposed to be the best day of your life!”

you sighed, playing with the ring on your fourth finger, “i know, i’m just nervous.”

“guess who’s here! and with alcohol!” your maid of honour, nari, exclaimed.

you laughed, “maybe that’ll fix it.”

yerin rushed forward, grabbing the bottle, “i’m not having you get drunk before the ceremony, y/n!”

nari frowned, “why not?”

when yerin opened her mouth to shout at her, your maid of honour just laughed.

“i’m joking! y/n’s not a lightweight, a glass of champagne is not gonna affect her,” nari said, rolling her eyes.

“fine,” yerin sighed, “but i need two times more than her.”

your other friend, and temporary make-up artist for the day, taemi, just rolled her eyes, “why don’t you just grow a pair and ask him out?!”

“i think he’s quite traditional! i don’t wanna be the one to do it and then make him feel bad!” yerin exclaimed with a sigh, “but i am tired.”

“me and seungmin did put you next to each other at the tables,” you shrugged, taking a sip of your champagne.

“you did?!” yerin shrieked, “what?! what am i supposed to do?!”

“talk to him,” nari shrugged, “you both like each other, it’s clear. chan’s not exactly good at hiding his emotions, is he?”

“and besides, after today he’ll be the only non-married member. he deserves someone. especially if that someone is you!” you exclaimed, “just take the lead. he’ll become comfortable with it in no time.”

“ladies!” your mum smiled, walking in the room, “hairdresser’s here!”

12:03

“seungmin’s gonna love you,” nari said, watching as you straightened out your skirt.

“thank you for being here, ri. there’s a lot i couldn’t have done without you.”

nari chuckled, climbing on the podium behind you, leaning her head on your shoulder, “you’re telling me. we’re so close my parents are crying. they barely did that on my wedding day.”

“shut up, they so did!”

“yeah, cause they hate hyunjin,” she laughed.

you shook your head with a laugh, looking down to your manicured nails, remembering the nights you’d spent with nari at sleepovers, both squished into either her bed or yours; talking, dreaming, thinking.

“it is everything we always talked about it being, isn’t it?” you asked, “getting married.”

“of course it is,” nari teased, “we’re never wrong, you know.”

you laughed, before turning and looking at her, not through the mirror, “but—”

“but seriously,” she spoke with a smile, taking your hands in hers, “you and seungmin love each other more than i’ve ever seen before. i could see it from the moment you met him.”

you rolled your eyes, hiding a smile, “that’s an over exaggeration.”

“you couldn’t take your eyes off him! and you didn’t listen to anything anyone else said for the rest of the evening,” she giggled, “you’re sure you wanna do this, though?”

“100%,” you sighed with a smile, “love you.”

she chuckled, mostly out of relief, “i love you too, now i believe there’s an army of bridesmaids and your dad waiting for you downstairs.”

12:26

“why the fuck are we here, seungmin?! it is half an hour before your wedding starts,” changbin pointed out, the eight boys piling into their old dorm building, now emptied out and ready to be filled by a group of new trainees.

“y/n might even be on her way now!” jeongin exclaimed.

seungmin shook his head, seeming distracted, “y/n’s never early.”

“can you at least tell us what you’re looking for so we can help you?” chan sighed, stepping up as the groom’s best man, a role he had taken on for all his members.

“don’t worry,” seungmin smiled, pulling up the loose floorboard in his old bedroom, taking out the box from beneath it.

“that’s definitely cursed,” minho commented as seungmin blew off the dust.

the soon-to-be-married man shook his head, opening the box and pulling out the handmade necklace you’d made him on your first date.

“i can’t believe i forgot this,” he whispered, sliding it over his head and popping it into his white shirt.

“happy now?” felix asked.

seungmin smiled with a nod, “yep. ready to get married.”

13:00

“everybody please stand,” the officiant spoke.

seungmin took a breath, shaking his hands out before standing and turning to face the entrance of the ball room.

chan smiled from behind him, wishing the younger boy luck.

the piano started to play and the doors opened, revealing minho and jisung’s daughters in their mother’s arms, spreading rose petals down the aisle as they went. a smile spead across seungmin’s face, watching the babies giggle at their jobs before happily being passed back into their dad’s arms to settle before the boring part.

then, his attention was taken again, by you.

the first time seungmin had met you, both of you were in a group of people. you; hyunjin’s girlfriend’s friends. him; stray kids. but for whatever reason, there was an unbreakable eye contact filled with blushes and shy smiles from the moment you’d seen each other.

he still remembers the first words he said to you: “i’m seungmo– min. i’m seungmin.”

then you laughed, that laugh he’s loved so much since the first moment he heard it: “i think i prefer seungmo.”

but now, you were in a white dress, you arm linked with your dad’s, followed by your friends, their own husbands watching them with loving eyes.

seungmin found himself with his mouth open, a tear forming in his eye as you hugged your dad, allowing him to take a seat.

“this is weird,” you whispered, taking seungmin’s hand.

he laughed lowly, walking forward, “i’m thinking about that chicken we’ll buy tonight.”

you looked to him with a smile on your face. this was it, the man you were going to spend the rest of your life with, “living for it.”

“we’re gathered here today for the marriage of miss. y/n y/l/n to mr. kim seungmin,” the officiant spoke, the real deal.

there were poems and songs, spoken by family and friends, filled with tears and laughs, and finally; the vows.

“mine aren’t as good as they could be,” you chuckled, “because i’m not good at saying things, or writing down things for that matter. but, here goes.”

seungmin smiled shyly, looking down at the floor before looking back in your eyes as you spoke your vows to him, and his to you. not once did either of you look away, not for the reactions of your friends and family and not for any random screams of babies. just you two; right there, together.

“do you, kim seungmin, take y/n y/l/n to be your wife?” the officiant asked, seungmin holding your left hand in his, the tangled silver ring in his other.

“i do.”

unable to hide your smile, he slid the ring on your finger.

“and do you, y/n y/l/n, take kim seungmin to be your husband?”

tears filled your eyes as you nodded, sliding the ring on seungmin’s left hand ring finger, “i do.”

“i now pronounce you man and wife!” the officiant cheered, all your friends and family clapping and crying, “you may kiss the bride!”

“may i?” seungmin chuckled, moving towards you, his hand on the back of your head.

you giggled, nodding as he closed the gap between you.

when he pulled away, seungmin stared at you for a few seconds before the two of you walked down the aisle and into the back room to sign the papers.

“i hope you’re wearing yours, by the way,” seungmin said, his hand not letting go of yours, “because i had to pull up an old floor board to find mine.”

you laughed, “seungmo, that’s your fault for hiding it there.”

he rolled his eyes, looking at you expectantly.

“but, yes, i have it,” you said, pulling the handmade necklace out the pocket of your dress, “and look! my dress has pockets!”

seungmin laughed, leaning forward and catching your lips in another kiss, “i love you.”

you smiled, wrapping your arms around his neck, “i love you too.”

15:28

“and now, the couple’s first dance,” chan announced, everyone in the ballroom clapping as the band began to play when you love someone by day6.

“my lady,” seungmin teased, placing his hands on your waist as your arms loosely wrapped around his neck, your fingers running through his hair as you swayed side to side.

“isn’t it weird that everyone’s watching us,” you giggled, leaning in so only he could hear you.

“they’ll start dancing soon,” he whispered, “though yes, i am sweating lots and lots.”

“and i’m really full. why are they expecting us to dance straight away after a four course meal?”

seungmin laughed, “that’s your fault for eating so much.”

“hey!” you protested, “it tasted really good.”

“you’re adorable.”

21:06

“i’m already tired,” you whined, “i think i’ve danced with everyone in this room.”

“and i’ve been between your mum and grandma too many times.”

you laughed as seungmin came towards you, sitting beside you on the front of the stage.

“these shoes are so uncomfortable.”

“mine too.”

you smiled, “let’s take them off.”

“i don’t think we’re allowed to do that,” seungmin frowned.

“it’s our wedding,” you giggled, already taking the foot-pinching high heels off, “we’re allowed to do whatever we want.”

“in that case, then,” seungmin said, pulling off his black dress shoes and taking off his tie.

“see?!” you laughed, taking some of the pins that were pinching out of your hair and letting it fall around your face, “so good.”

“care to dance?” seungmin offered, standing up with an outstretched hand a smirk.

“can we go up to our room afterwards?”

“and order as much room service as we like,” seungmin smiled, “come on, we have to stay until at least all the kids have left.”

5th August, 2021: 00:11

“finally!”

“in you go, mrs kim,” seungmin smiled, opening the hotel room door to let you in, following close behind you.

“mr kim!” you gasped with a laugh, “chicken!”

“and wine!”

you whined, “i don’t even wanna get out of this dress.”

seungmin laughed, throwing his suit jacket on the sofa before laying on the king sized bed.

“i’m eating chicken before anything else,” he shrugged.

you giggled, jumping beside him, your masses of skirt laying around you as you opened the box of fried chicken, seungmin opening and pouring two glasses of wine.

“to us,” you said, clinking your glass with his.

“cheers,” he smiled, “to us.”

he laid back, casually picking at the chicken as he turned the tv on, “shall we have a bath after this?”

“sounds amazing,” you groaned, “we have to be at breakfast in the morning though.”

seungmin rolled his eyes, “can they not leave us alone now.”

you laughed, pulling out the homemade necklace from your pocket and slipping it over your head, before your gaze fell on your left ring finger.

“thank you, seungmo,” you hummed, “this day has been incredible.”

seungmin smiled, looking up at you with love pouring from his eyes, “i hope everyday is just as incredible from now on.”

“for the rest of our lives,” you giggled, taking a sip of wine.

“thanks, hate that thought,” seungmin snorted.

“hey!” you laughed, throwing a cheese stick at him.

seungmin laughed, “but i love you.”

“nope,” you shook your head as seungmin leaned up to you, “you don’t get a kiss.”

#stray kids #skz #kim seungmin #seungmin #stray kids scenarios #stray kids imagines #skz scenarios #skz imagines #kim seungmin scenarios #kim seungmin imagines #seungmin scenarios #seungmin imagines #husband!au #husband!seungmin #kpop #jyp #jyp entertainment

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moonroads · 3 years

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Animedia (December 2020 Issue) - South Feature

Q1: If Christmas exists in this world, how (and who) do you want to spend the day?

Figaro: If there’s a festival when you spend time with your special someone, I’d probably be asked out by people. I suppose I’d choose a place that feels like ‘I’ll be missing out on something if I don’t go there', you know? I’d like to meet someone close to me before the day ends, though.

Rutile: I heard from Sir Sage that Christmas is a day where we give thanks to our family and god, so maybe I’d like to prepare a feast with Mitile and spend the day relaxing after helping ourselves to the food. Amongst us wizards, there are lots without families, so inviting them and making merry sounds fun too!

Lennox: I don’t have family, nor do I have a lover, so I think I will spend the day together with my lambs. I don’t think it’s a lonely way to spend the day, but if it seems like it’ll be possible to spend time alone with a special someone, perhaps I will extend an invitation to them. I’d ask, ‘I have not prepared anything special, but would you like to have a meal with me?’

Mitile: Older brother* and the adults often hold drinking parties, so I’d like to try exchanging gifts with the young wizards of the wizards’ residence, such as Riquet and Shino. I heard of hanging stars on trees, so I’d like to try that out too!

*The term Mitile uses here is nii-sama, which is a more polite honorific for older brother.

---

South wizards’ relationship chart (?)

Figaro → Rutile – It’s good that he grew up to be a reliable, kind child.

Figaro ← Rutile – A dependable, wonderful teacher**.

Figaro → Lennox – Ex-disciple’s underling, I helped him find the job of a shepherd.

Figaro ← Lennox – A distinguished person with a troublesome side.

Figaro → Mitile – I teach him magic.

Figaro ← Mitile – He’s sometimes careless, but he’s an admirable teacher**.

Rutile → Mitile – A cute younger brother, I love him very much.

Rutile ← Mitile – An older brother I can be proud of, I love him very much.

Rutile → Lennox – A sharp, kind person who is reliable.

Rutile ← Lennox – A beautiful, clever child who inherited the good parts of his parents.

Mitile → Lennox – A trustworthy, cool person!

Mitile ← Lennox – A driven, wonderful child.

**Both Rutile and Mitile are using the term sensei, which is the honorific used for both doctors and teachers. I chose to translate it as teacher as I think their comments are referring to the current role he’s playing in their lives (teacher figure training them in magic)

---

Q2. Have you received a present that left a lasting impression?

Figaro: I assume my answer will not be kept secret, so I’ll be employing a little flattery in saying that it’s my orb. It’s an orb specially made by my teachers whom I respect and adore. If I mention gifts from other people, they’ll bother me with their teasing too, so…

Rutile: When we were celebrating an occasion, Mitile gave me earrings he made himself as a present. It made me happy to think that he made something that suits my aesthetics for my sake, and I felt gratified to see him become so mature. I still wear it often on special occasions.

Lennox: As for me, it’s the precious days I’ve spent together with someone. I don’t think that person considers it as a gift though.

Mitile: For me, it’s the magic instruments and texts that Dr Figaro gave me. I received it when I was not able to go to school, because I was scared of being hated as a wizard. I will cherish the presents I received, as well as the encouragement Dr Figaro gave me back then.

---

If you can, please consider buying the magazine! I bought a digital copy of the magazine from honto. Here’s a guide you can refer to when buying from honto.

All mistakes are mine, if you spot any please feel free to correct me.

#mhyk #tl #type:magazine #c:figaro #c:lennox #c:rutile #c:mitile

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atruththatyoudeny · 4 years

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Monthly Reads | January 2020

Happy 28th! Time for some fic rec! Here are all the fics I read and loved this month. As always, all the love for the authors in this fandom ♥

✦ Foolishly Laying Our Hearts On The Table | runaway_train | friends to lovers - marriage proposal - pining - fluff - light angst - 11k “You think Harry wants that?” “Dunno. Maybe. Wanna make him happy.” Harry takes advantage of the red light he’s pulled up to turn and look properly at Louis’ face. He’s not even looking in Harry’s direction though, focused instead on something out of his side window, head drooped, mindlessly playing with the string of his hoodie between his fingers, lost in his own world somewhere. For some reason, it makes Harry’s spine straighten. “Because he’s your best mate?” Harry questions carefully. “He’s my boyfriend.” He couldn’t have heard him right. “What?” Louis releases a deep breath, still not turning around. Harry wonders who he thinks he’s talking to right now. “He’s so pretty. Want to kiss him all day long. And buy him a big house and give him presents and marry him.” Or The one where Harry is in love with his best friend Louis but doesn't think he stands a chance until some wisdom teeth and a rather unusual confession might just change his mind.

✦ We Can Go On Forever (When Everything’s Gone Forever) | jurassiclouis | a/b/o - mating rituals - fluff - 39k Harry spent most of his adult life focused on either his studies or his books - 5 of which he has already had published before he was 30. Immediately after completing his dissertation, he was offered a lectureship at Cambridge University where he’s been for 2 years now. This wasn’t the first time in his life that he had felt the incessant itch to know more about a subject by any means. However, this was the first time the subject had been an Omega.

✦ keep it sweet in your memory | Safetypinprince | cheating - emotional cheating - divorce - moral ambiguity - 17k 'How'd it go?' Harry pushes them into Niall's room and shuts the door behind him, so Georgia doesn't overhear. 'It was good. We just caught up, mostly... I may have done something a little stupid, though.' And Niall's eyebrows are in his hairline at that. 'I mean. Okay, so I invited Louis out on Saturday.' 'Saturday? Your--' 'Yes, my bachelor party...' and then Harry has to explain himself, 'I just felt guilty. I think. He was like. Telling me he wanted to hook up.' 'He WHAT!?' 'No. I mean, not with me. Like. He wants to go out and meet people.' 'He'll hate that. He's too much of a romantic.' 'Yeah, well. Whatever his name was messed him up a little, it would seem.'

✦ the way the storms blow | rbbsbb | friends to lovers - accidental voyeurism - pining - 21k Louis doesn’t have a habit of thinking about Harry’s dick. That would be weird, seeing as they’re best mates, and they share a flat, and they’ve spent holidays at each other’s family homes. Their friendship hasn’t ever risen to a point where Louis should want to see his mate’s dick, and he’s happy to keep it that way. Except, all that Louis can think about is exactly that. The size of it. The shape. The amount of people it’s been in. Maybe it’s the tequila talking, or the fact that Louis’ just recently walked in to an eyeful of Harry taking turns on some slags that he’s never seen before, but. Louis’ mind can’t stop obsessing over the idea.

✦ The Frying Pan and the Fire | embro | 22k Harry is a former child star who now works at a bar. Louis is an indie artist who wants Harry to be in his new music video. Harry is a grump and Louis is too chipper. Harry is straight and Louis is openly gay. Louis is determined and persistent and at some point Harry stops denying himself.

✦ But When We Kiss... | indiaalphawhiskey | PWP - age difference - Sugar Daddy - strangers to lovers - daddy kink - discipline kink - spoiling kink - 8k Louis only nodded, still smiling. “Right, okay. As much fun as this has been, I really doubt the lovely heated seating of my car will dull our banter. Or...” he dragged out the ‘r’, eyes mischievous. “Are you really going to let a…” he assessed Harry. “Twenty? Twenty year gap,” he confirmed. “Be the reason you get hypothermia? Is that really the hill you want to freeze on, Mr. Principled?” –– Or, while Harry and Louis adore the chase, they find they adore each other much, much more.

✦ thinking about the t-shirt you sleep in | nonsensedarling | a/b/o - emotional hurt/comfort - mutual pining - fluff - friends to lovers - 52k Harry's alpha fraternity donates to a local thrift shop (because of Liam's latent crush on a cute beta in his lecture). Louis' financial situation (and confusing omega instincts) lead him to make some interesting fashion purchases. Lots of pizza, feelings, and not-really-lying.

✦ beautiful sound beautiful noise | delsicle | Guardian Angels - strangers to lovers - famous/not famous - hurt/comfort - light angst - fluff - 53k Louis is a washed-up pop star who has spent nearly a year hiding away from the world. Harry is a guardian angel who is assigned to live with him for the summer. Neither of them quite get what they’re expecting.

✦ once bitten and twice shy | pinkcords | friends to lovers - enemies to lovers - Christmas - angst - mild homophobia - 19k This time as his stomach rolls, there’s no doubt about it. He’s going to vomit. And if he does, it’ll be on Louis’ shoes, a nice little parting gift to go with the embarrassment he’s caused the both of them. “I’m gonna throw up,” he says just as Louis turns to look at him, blue eyes swimming with shock and confusion, and asks, “Is that true?” Or, in a rush of bravery only senior year can bring, Harry confesses his feelings in a letter to his neighbor and best friend, Louis, only for the entire school to hear it and laugh him out of their small town in Wisconsin. Ten years later, Harry's a successful lawyer at Columbia Records, coming home for Christmas for the first time since he departed for college. He plans to work his way through the trip, eat his mom's cooking, and avoid everyone from his past for as long as possible. The only problem is best laid plans hardly ever go as intended.

✦ You Smell Like | mystic_believexx | pack dynamics - werewolves - human pack member - soulmates - friends to lovers - kid fic - scenting - 185k For her part, Jay took everything in her stride, barely batting an eyelid when Louis came into the kitchen the night Harry left and said, “I seem to have accidentally become the pack’s Alpha”. Ever since Harry left town, Louis’ found himself with the role of pack Alpha, despite being human. So he can’t wait to hand over the reins when Harry returns. Except, it’s not quite that simple… OR The one where Louis is the Alpha’s mate and everyone is aware of it except for Louis and Harry. Go figure!

✦ Strangers in Love | sweetums | slow burn - amnesia - car accidents - angst - light dom/sub - enemies to lovers - 42k Louis wakes up to find himself in a marriage with the last man he thought he'd ever end up with.

✦ Just Let Me Adore You | lovelarry10 | kid fic - fluff - single parents - famous/not famous - Christmas - strangers to lovers - 26k When Louis’ daughter presents him with a Christmas gift far beyond the price range of a four year old, he jumps to the worst of conclusions. He’s pleasantly surprised when he finds out how she isn’t as naughty as he thought she was, and who came to her rescue..

✦ Looking for something dumb to do | rainbowslovehl (Larrymateforlife) | meet-cute - marriage proposal - fluff - 4k Louis somehow gets coerced into accepting a challenge to propose to his crush. Somehow, the night doesn't end in a disaster.

✦ Meet Me Underneath The Mistletoe | 4ureyesonly28 | christmas - fluff - 9k Louis flies out to Chicago for business just before Christmas... His flight home is cancelled because of a snow storm and he ends up going to his colleague Niall's Christmas party where he meets the most gorgeous man he's ever seen. And if they end up under the mistletoe within less than an hour then that's nobody's business but theirs.

✦ Just Say Yes | GMTYUniverse | fake relationship - fake marriage - friends to lovers - university - 19k “Well, given that I’ve run all out of options - I’d like to propose,” Louis says with a sharp grin. ‘Propose what?’ Harry questions, frown on his face. ‘Honestly Louis, you’re in trouble here and we have to find a way that’ll allow you to stay. Now’s not the time to be cryptic.’ “I’m not being cryptic – I’m proposing, here.” He sits down on one knee and quickly fashions a ring out of the hair-tie he’s still got wrapped around his wrist. “Harry Styles – please marry me and make an honest, British citizen out of me.” -- or the one where Louis and Harry fake a marriage to keep Louis in Britain, and it's suspiciously easy, until it isn't anymore.

✦ Won't You Help Me Make This Wish Come True? | DuchessKitty16 | bucket list - grandparents - 13k Harry is determined to help his grandfather Richard get through his bucket list. Problem is, #3 on the list is to "propose to the pretty girl down the lane", who just happens to be the grandmother of Louis Tomlinson, the boy Harry had a crush on as a teen. Harry and Louis work together to make dreams come true and make a love connection between their grandparents. But will some magic spark between Louis and Harry along the way?

✦ Don't Call Me Angel | larryent | a/b/o - strip clubs - stripper/exotic dancer - 16k Manhattan is a dangerous playground for the rich and entitled Alphas of New York. Those same wealthy Alphas are robbed after spending one night in the presence of a blue-eyed Omega and Officer Styles is assigned to the case.

✦ i'll be yours for christmas | rina_a | christmas - fluff - 5k My family invited you to join our holiday meal as an obvious setup and i’m so sorry.

✦ The Goat Guy of Bethlehem | lululawrence | advent fic - christmas - fluff - humor - strangers to friends to lovers - 25k “What a pretty little thing!” a voice cried, catching Harry's attention. Harry looked up, assuming it was a merchant talking to Gemma or some other “citizen” of Bethlehem, but when he did, he found a woman with bright eyes and long dark hair walking over to him. “Me?” He wasn’t sure what to expect from any of this since she wasn’t a merchant he had met before. “Yes, you! I think you’d make a very good husband for my son. Are these your parents?” “Uh, yes?” Harry said, almost like a question. Robin and his mom just watched on with amusement, much to his chagrin. Turning to Anne and Robin, the merchant woman said, “I’ll give you six goats for the marriage of your son to mine.” Or every year, Harry and his family attend a church festival called Bethlehem. Harry's freshman year of high school Bethlehem expands, bringing in new vendors, including one that just might change everything for Harry. But first, he has to see if Anne and Robin are willing to part with him for the price of a few goats.

#fic rec #28th appreciation #my reads #my fic rec #larry fics

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unabashedmusiccollector · 3 years

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Commitments

It all started when my dad died last March 15/2019 I have learned how to drive because no one will drive my mom. I drive everyday just me and mom to go to the supermarket and to buy the ingredients for our menu of the day because we have a little dinner beside a hospital and yet I tried to be responsible in everything that was not suppose to be done by me.

March 15/2021

On this day our family commemorate the day when my father died. In that day our family is very busy in planning and to setup the tables and foods that we prepare for that day. We commence my dad’s death anniversary inside the eternal gardens in which where is my father currently buried. I have a friend which is a girl surprised me on the day before my dad’s anniversary. She told me that she will be attending to my dad’s death anniversary and on that statement that she say just surprised me and it felt like someone is with me in this time of sadness. I admit that I already courted her so many times and yet I am unlucky, but it is not the first time that she attended on any of my family activities or celebration because she already attended on my mom’s birthday. The fact that her presence is there, it just helped to decrease my depression and sadness and yet even though I did not have her answer but she is still there for me as a friend and I will never forget that she makes me feel happy even if we are not that serious on a relationship.

March 16/2021

In today’s fast-paced society, commitment is not something that pops into most people’s minds on a daily basis. We are constantly presented with numerous choices and opportunities with little encouragement for making long-term and thorough commitments.

No, I am not talking only about relationships but also everything else that fills your calendar (this is after all who you really are), whether that be church activities, family get-togethers, college classes, work, and friendships. Here, I discuss some important commitments we can make for a more meaningful and fulfilling life.

Joshua 24:15 says “But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”

We must commit to our faith in Jesus Christ and live our lives according to that commitment, daily.

March 17/2021

We all have, or will have, families in some form or fashion. Commit to those relationships, whether that be your fiancé, spouse, kids, or extended family and show your love for them. Play a game together as a family, watch a movie, go for a trip, have a meal together, discuss, read the same book, and so forth.

This day and age we have an endless list of activities we can do together. Going to my home, greeting my family, and then withdrawing to my room with my home and/or other devices in another room while interacting with my family is quite gratifying.

March 18/2021

As the Coronavirus pandemic forced everyone into spending more time at home, it also forced people to go through home supplies at much quicker rates. The expedited use of food, cleaners and toiletries led to an even more important role for grocery stores and their workers.

Like most businesses, grocery stores have been forced to change, but unlike most the demand for in person employees grew. During the early days of uncertainty with unsettled shoppers flooding supermarkets, workers like Mary stepped up to work long hours, six days a week

Grocery store workers have been called heroes throughout all of this because as rules and regulations have changed, they’ve changed right along with them. From face masks and social distancing to deep cleaning stores and product shortages, they’ve been coming in day in and day out to make sure as many people get what they need as possible.

March 19/2021

As I fall asleep I remeber may past experience when our city is under lockdown Space is something we Filipinos don't care too much about. To name a few examples: our houses our built right next to each other; there is minimal to non-existent personal space; shoppers are literally rubbing elbows at the biggest public market in the city; and passengers are squished inside a small jeepney.

But space is something our founders thought an important factor when building a child-caring center. During this pandemic time, where children are prohibited to go out of their homes, our children are still able to "go out" of their homes. They are still able to enjoy a game of soccer and kickball in our huge playground. Our toddlers are still able to ride their scooters on our driveways. Our children are still able to run around and chase each other in a game of tag. The space we have makes the lockdown endurable for everyone.

March 20/2021

On this day after we go to the market and buy our groceries for our canteen I heard a story on a radio about bullying. When I was in elementary school, I was happy and kind, and I had many friends. But when I was in middle school, some adults started flirting with me. I left because I didn't want to see all my friends in elementary school. At school, everything is money and clothes. I have a big cup, and it's terrible, and everyone laughs at me. A boy (I think he's in his second year of middle school) started chasing me. He called me by several names, arrested me, and spread rumors about me. One day he and his friends hit me on the bus. No one wants to be my friend anymore. I made friends with two girls in my class.

They started shouting at me. Everyone started telling me how bad I was. In sixth grade, the bullying got worse. I was bad, so everyone said I was going to kill myself. When I was in the first year of middle school, my mother sent me to afternoon classes (my school has a full-time option). The kids in the afternoon class started bothering me. They chase after me, take my photo in the bathroom and send it to all schools. When I came home from school, I went to my room and cried all night. I tell everyone. I hadn't finished the exam when the teacher started talking to my parents.

They told me that I was lazy and refused to take part. They knew I was being bullied, but they didn't do anything to stop it. Everyone hates me and I have no friends. I want to tell everyone who has one thing in common: things are getting better. I thought it was very sad. This can be frustrating, but you have to believe in yourself. Keep them away from you. I know you suffer, but sometimes you have to brag about everything you've been through.

I have one lesson from this story and it is that those people have no idea what you’ve been through. They probably couldn’t even take it. But you had to take it. And you’re still here going on with your life. And that’s why you can be proud of yourself.

March 21/2021

On this day our family went to our clan reunion and it was a sad experience for me. I remember when my dad used to bring us in those family reunions that our family has, and as the reunion is commencing, I always feel confident to talk to my relatives and interact to people. Today everything is different and I don’t even feel that kind of confidence because my dad is not already in our touch and don’t even feel a part of our family clan anymore because my dad used to introduce us and my uncles and aunts usually accommodate us with a smile and ease. On that day I just felt the changes when you loose you father.

March 22/2021

Today me and my friends got ourselves to have an a little bit of celebration inside MPLAZA and that day I was very happy, every time that me and my friends hangout I found my self to be happy and I forgot all the things and depressions that I have. Coincidentally I am really feeling so down because I remember again my father. When the time came that I feel I will cry my bestfriend called me and invited me if I want to join them because one of my friends is celebrating its birthday. I did not tell them that I am feeling down that day but that feeling faded because of the jokes and stories that we have. I am really thankful for them and I wish that I will be always be there for them

March 23/2021

Today I've finally made my decision to get my old dad's car to drive it going up to the parking lot of SM and drove It going to Pasacao Camarines Sur, and It was a very emotional time for me because my dad's car was stored inside to an auto repair shop for almost a month and I did it just to test the agility and strength of the car. I really love the car and it is a 1998 model Nissan Sentra manual transmission, I love it because I have so many memories of it from my dad and my family once decided to sell it because of the maintenance problems and loss of budget for it. Later then I rushed to the tomb of my dad and prayed and talk to him about how I love that car and I will cherish it for the rest of my life. My mom really supported me in fixing my dad's old car but only one broken part of the car per repair because of budget management and the cost of it. The car is the last thing that I have so that I can feel my father's presence because when I see that car, it reminds me of his presence which is I do not want to fade.

March 24/2021

Today early in the morning I drive my mom's car so that i can bring her to the supermarket and also help her to carry the bags. Today's system of buying for groceries to the supermarket is so different than last 2019. We are required to bring the E salvar QR code which is installed on our smartphone and to wear face shield and face mask. It is very difficult to carry the heavy bags because of the face mask that makes my breathing hard. I am really paranoid that time because my mam is having hard time to breath because we are carrying heavy bags and our faces are covered of the face mask and face shield. Fortunately my mom made it and we got to our little dinner with no harm. I've a lesson from what happen to me this day, it is to commit and have patience to help and do your responsibilities, even though there are obstacles and hardships in life, because there are people that are relying on you and you cannot afford to fail them or just to fail to be with them.

March 25/2021

The first day in the morning I got to our little dinner and I've seen my uncle which is having a very high blood pressure. My mom is really mad at him because my uncle is really stubborn because the doctors advised him to stop drinking alcohol and stop walking when it is very hot. A minute later my aunt called me from Hong Kong, she called my while she was crying because she is tired of sending money to our uncle, grandmother and other uncle because all of them are stubborn and they are not listening to the advice of my aunt and my mom. Today I've realized that what ever the person did to you or whatever or how is a person to you, as long as you have a personal connection to him, you will always love them no matter what because that is a function of a family March 26/2021

On this day I have learned that teenagers need to be inspired to help their parents especially if they are a solo parent, because they are doing their best as a solo parent. Don’t count the things that you have done for your parents because they didn't list all of the things that they provide to you. Learn how to be cool if you fell that your parents is hurting you or sometimes wrong because after all they are just humans and they are not perfect

#therealcommitments

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the-tiva-og · 4 years

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His Ninjas

Final chapter of my fluffy fic for @talisbirthdaychallenge!

Chapter 3: Like Ima Ninja, Like Daughter Ninja

“Cat town, cat town, cat town,” Tali sang, swinging her and her father’s joined hands as they departed the hotel. They set out toward Yanaka Ginza, a shopping street that Tony and Ziva wanted to visit to see the shrine and that they had lured Tali into agreeing by telling her that, on quiet mornings, there were sometimes stray cats roaming the streets. Unfortunately, their first cat spotting took place as Tony was absorbed in reading his map and, not looking where he was going, trod on the tail of a black cat sunning himself on the sidewalk. The cat yowled and darted off and Tony jumped as though he had just stepped on a landmine. “Daddy!” Tali cried out, “Did you hurt the kitty?!” “Not on purpose!” Tony insisted, looking for the cat. He spotted him, perched on a wall and watching Tony with a look that, Tony would insist, was pure hatred. “See,” he gestured toward the cat, who was now casually licking his tail, “he’s right over there, he’s fine.”

The rest of their visit to the neighborhood went smoothly, Tony was definitely more careful with where he placed his feet, but they spent most of the time looking at the traditional crafts and foods. They didn’t pass back by the wall for at least an hour. Tony initially sighed happily, seeing that the black cat had apparently found somewhere better to be. Then he heard Tali cooing, “Kitty, kitty, kitty.” Tony turned to see his daughter crouched and holding out her hand to the black cat, leaned cooly against a bicycle. It only took a few more coos from Tali before the cat was rubbing against her legs and purring happily while the girl giggled and gently pet his silky black fur. “Ima, look!” Tali called. Ziva knelt beside her daughter and scratched the cat behind the ears, “He’s pretty, isn’t he, Tali?” “So cute!” Tali said with a smile, “Do you think he’s the same cat that Daddy stepped on?” Seeing how loving the cat was to his partner and daughter, Tony decided to kneel down and try giving the cat some attention. The cat walked toward him, sniffed, raised the hair on his back, and hissed at Tony before returning to Tali. “I would say that this is definitely the same cat your father stepped on,” Ziva said, fighting a laugh. Tony huffed and turned away, “We need to go so that we don’t miss our train.” Ziva rolled her eyes and stood, beckoning for Tali to follow. “Bye, kitty!” she called, waving at the black cat and following her mother. As the girl reached out to grab Ziva’s hand, she asked innocently, “Can we get a cat when we go home?” Tony could only grit his teeth.

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After a trip to an arcade and filling their bellies with gyoza, they arrived at an aquarium. Ever the animal lover, Tali always begged to visit zoos and aquariums. Tony always tried to sway her to pick an aquarium since they tended to be indoors and, in his opinion, didn’t smell like a county fair. The excited little girl pinballed from one exhibit to another, calling to her parents anytime she saw something notable. “Daddy! Look! Stingrays!” she called out, watching with awe as a massive ray gracefully swam through the tank. Before Tony really had a chance to respond, she was at the next exhibit, calling, “Ima! An octopus! A real octopus!” The tank of reef sharks held her attention long enough for her parents to actually get to look around, but once she spotted a tunnel of jellyfish, they were back on their trek.

“Where does she get the energy?” Tony sighed, throwing his head back as Tali oohed at a tank of piranhas before trotting off to look at some salamanders. “You were an athlete,” Ziva commented while Tali called for her parents to hurry because she had found the seals, “are you telling me that you were not an energetic child?” “Look at the seals, you guys!” Tali insisted as they stood in front of the large icy tank, “Aren’t they cool?” “I had plenty of energy,” Tony quipped, Tali too absorbed in the animals to realize that her parents had not responded, “but this feels more like a Ziva trait.” “Ha!” Ziva laughed, “Of course you would say that.” Tony didn’t have a chance to ask her what she meant because Tali grabbed his arm, calling, “Daddy! Daddy! Look! It’s Dory and Nemo!” The final area of the aquarium was almost more excitement than Tali could handle. Between the otters and penguins, jumping fish and sea lions, the little girl was practically buzzing with excitement.

This excitement only built as they went to the mall next door to get a snack and ended up finding a Snoopy store, Disney store, and something called the “Pokemon Center MEGA TOKYO,” that Tony never thought they would drag Tali out of. “How about we go to a park?” Tony offered as they left the mall, desperate to go somewhere that wouldn’t have Tali insisting on buying more souvenirs. Ziva, who was now holding the energetic child’s hand, quickly agreed and mentioned a park that they had found in the city guide. Tony found the dog-eared page and the trio set out for their next destination.

The park Tali and Ziva picked out turned out to be, essentially, a massive obstacle course. “Perfect place for my ninja duo,” Tony joked, standing to the side while Ziva led Tali across a balance beam. After a seemingly endless string of rope ladders, rope bridges, climbing walls, and rope nets, they reached a bridge made of a series of log platforms. Watching several people ahead of them wobble on the platforms, linger for too long, and begin to sink into the shallow pond, Tony shook his head. “Nope, I’m out,” he said. “I’ll wait for you guys here.” “Scared of a little water, Tony?” Ziva teased. “I just don’t want to spend the rest of the day walking around in wet socks, Zee-vah,” he replied, “but if you think you’re so graceful, go right ahead.” Her eyes lit up with the challenge and she completed the obstacle with ease, Tali following a bit more clumsily behind her. Next came a log bridge and a zipline, which Tony observed from the ground, teasing Ziva anytime she gave an indication of frustration. “Our little ninja’s got some skills,” Tony quipped as they watched Tali paddle a round wooden boat through the next obstacle, “still not wanting to admit that she gets that energy from you?” Ziva grinned, looking at their daughter with so much pride, “She does get that from me.” Tony laughed a little, wrapping his arm around Ziva’s shoulder and giving her a little squeeze as Tali clambered out of her boat and ran to the next obstacle.

Another rope ladder, another zipline, another log bridge, and a rope swing led to a bathroom break. Tali came charging out of the bathroom, intent on finishing the course. She made it through most of the remaining obstacles only taking help from her parents with great reluctance. As she slid off the log slide at the end of the course, she made a running jump at Tony who reacted just in time to catch her. “I did it! Daddy, I did it!” she shouted, “I finished the ninja path!” “Hey, yeah, you did,” he said, squeezing her, “Great job, T-Bird, I’m proud of you.” “Does this make me a real ninja now?” Tali asked excitedly. Tony smiled and nodded, “Yeah, you’re a real ninja, just like Ima.” He tossed a wink at Ziva who smiled and rolled her eyes. “Just like Ima,” Tali said proudly, raising her head from her father’s chest.

They took the train to Odaiba and spent the late afternoon playing in arcades and browsing in a retro candy store with Tony just as eager as Tali to buy all sorts of mysterious snacks and sweets. Ziva, however, insisted that this would not be eaten instead of a meal, leading Tony to snark, “You’re such a mom, David.” Which, between any other two people might have been an insult, but the smile shared between the couple made it clear that Tony was using the lighthearted jab to continue his assurance of Ziva’s role in their solidifying family. The family ended up in a conveyor belt sushi restaurant, which Tony had spotted in the city guide and insisted that he had to see it in action. Like her father, the little plates crawling along the counter fascinated Tali. She wanted to grab the first one that she saw, but with a parent positioned on each side, her picks were a bit more policed. They were cautious with her at first, letting her take egg, shrimp, and grilled pork nigiri, as well as a cucumber roll. Anything she didn’t finish was finished by either Tony or Ziva, but there wasn’t much of that. Despite being a picky baby, Tali had grown to be an adventurous eater, another thing that each parent would insist was a trait inherited from the other. She swiped a tuna nigiri from Tony’s plate and a salmon nigiri from Ziva’s. They began offering her half of everything that they took from the conveyor belt and were happily surprised to see how much of it Tali enjoyed. She barely even flinched at the heat of the wasabi on a piece of squid nigiri. However, she almost spat a piece of eel back onto the plate. Tony laughed a little at the disgusted face that she made while he ate the other piece. Fortunately, the only other similar incident took place when she excitedly grabbed a roll from the belt before Tony or Ziva could stop her. She smelled the sushi and tried to refuse to eat it. Ziva insisted that, since she took it off of the belt, she needed to be responsible and eat at least one piece of it. Tali whined and pouted for a while, but Ziva did not relent and eventually the little girl managed to eat the natto maki. Tony volunteered to eat the remaining pieces from the plate and they wore matching grimaces until they were able to wash the taste out of their mouths. As they left the restaurant, Ziva praised their daughter for being such an adventurous eater with Tony adding that she even ate the “stinky bean thing.” Proud of herself, Tali puffed out her chest and walked with a purpose.

“We’ve got some surprises for you when we get back to the hotel room,” Tony told Tali as they left the train station in Asakusa and began walking back to their hotel. Tali gasped, “More surprises?!” Tony held his hands up in a defensive pose, “Now, I can’t promise that they’ll be as good as a trip to Disneyland, but I think you’ll like them.” Ziva smiled at him, knowing what he had planned and also knowing that her morning run had taken her past a bakery today and that there was a small strawberry shortcake currently stashed away in the room’s refrigerator. Tali skipped the rest of the way to the hotel and waited impatiently for the elevator. “Your surprise won’t be there until we are, kiddo,” Tony laughed, watching the little girl shift her weight from one foot to the other, a spitting image of her mother. Tali huffed as the elevator dinged and the doors slid open.

Once they got up to the room, Tony went to his computer to set up the surprise while Tali opened up a coloring book she had gotten at one of the plethora of shops they had visited on this trip. “Okay,” he called out, gesturing for the little girl to join him, “come sit in the chair and close your eyes.” Tali hopped off of the bed and rushed over to the desk. She clambered into the chair and squeezed her eyes shut tight. “No peeking, okay?” Tony said, lightly, starting a program on the laptop. The little girl clapped her hands over her eyes and nodded. “Alright, just give me a second, okay?” he said. “Okay,” she agreed. Familiar voices called out, “Happy birthday, Tali!” and her hands flew from her face and her eyes opened wide. “Uncle Tim! Uncle Jimmy!” she shouted, looking at the faces of her parents’ friends on the laptop in front of her, “Hi!” “Hey, kiddo, how’s Tokyo?” McGee asked. “Your dad said that you went to a ninja restaurant, that’s so cool,” Palmer added. Tony smiled in the background, happy to see his friends, but also happy to let Tali have some time with her unofficial uncles. He could tell from the background that they were huddled around the computer in Palmer’s office in the basement. It was just a bit past seven a.m. in Washington, so he wasn’t exceptionally surprised that they were both there and looking wide awake. Tali was regaling them with stories of their trip and all the places that they had gone and about the surprise trip to Disneyland they were taking tomorrow for her birthday. The men listened in rapt attention as she told them about the souvenirs she had bought for Victoria, Johnny, and Morgan and how she couldn’t wait to meet them in person so that she could give them their gifts. As McGee was promising to come visit Tali and her parents really soon, Ziva called out to tell Tali that they had one more surprise for her. Her head whipped around to her mother and her eyes widened, “Is that cake?!” “I know that today is not actually your birthday and I am sure that you will have many treats in Disneyland tomorrow, but since we are having your birthday with family tonight” Ziva said, eyes twinkling and smile brightening when she said ‘family’, “your father and I thought that we should have a birthday cake.” The cake was small, but still large enough that they would probably each get to have another slice or two before it was gone. It was iced with whipped cream and topped with florets of cream and slices of strawberries. Tony had poked six small candles into the icing and they were currently burning with little, dancing flames. “Go on and blow out your candles,” McGee encouraged. Tali nodded excitedly as her mother placed the cake between the little girl and the computer. “Don’t forget to make a wish!” Palmer added. Tali nodded again, closing her eyes for just a second before dramatically blowing out the candles. Her family clapped and cheered, then Tony wiped the computer screen and Ziva set to cutting slices of the cake for the three family members currently sharing a room. They talked for a while longer, long enough for Tali to finish her slice of cake, but her eyes soon began to droop. “Hey, kiddo,” Tony said, putting a hand on her shoulder, “why don’t you say bye to your uncles and start getting ready for bed?” Tali nodded sleepily and exchanged goodbyes and good nights with Palmer and McGee before sliding out of the chair and heading toward her pajamas.

“So, everything good with you guys?” McGee asked, once Tali had left the area. Tony looked at Ziva and smiled, “Yeah, things are great.” Jimmy’s face somehow grew even brighter, “It's so great to see you guys together, I mean, really together together. You’re just… so damn cute!” Ziva chuckled and Tony rolled his eyes, “Slap him for me, McGee.” McGee rolled his eyes back at Tony and said, “I agree with him.” “I didn’t ask if you agreed, McCupid,” Tony snarked, hiding a smile. McGee chortled and gave Jimmy a light smack to the back of the head. Tony smiled and nodded, “You’ve all gone soft. I never got such a gentle hand when I was there.” “And that explains so much about you, mon cher,” Ziva teased, taking the seat vacated by Tali. She leaned over and pressed a light kiss to the corner of his mouth. “Eww! Cut it out!” McGee teased, “Gross!” “You know that we made a child together, right McGeek?” Tony said as Ziva leaned back, smirking. McGee grimaced, “Yeah, but that doesn’t mean I have to think about how you made one.” Tony continued teasing, “You see, when a mommy loves a daddy very much--” “Hey!” McGee called out, “Everyone here has been involved in the baby-making process. We are all very much aware of how it happens.” “Oh wow,” Palmer interrupted, “We’re all parents.” There was a moment of silence as the former coworkers let that sink in, as they all took in how much their lives had changed since they met. “We are,” Ziva said, voice full of the emotions that they all felt. “That’s crazy, isn’t it?” McGee vocalized, “I mean, did you ever imagine that happening?” Tony shrugged, “I mean, I certainly didn’t.” “We’ve gotta get all the kids together sometime soon,” Palmer said. They all nodded or voiced their agreement.

In the silence that followed, Tony spoke up, “Uh, so… we’re engaged.” “What?!” Palmer and McGee shrieked. “When?!” McGee asked while Palmer shouted, “Really?!” over him. “Yeah, last night at the Skytree tower thing, I just sort of… asked if Ziva would marry me,” Tony shrugged. “Well, you first asked, hypothetically, if you proposed, would I say yes,” Ziva corrected. “And you told me that I should ask,” Tony replied, “and I did.” Ziva smirked, “He didn’t have a ring.” Tony smirked back, “You still said yes.” “He’s had a ring for ages, Ziva,” McGee said, smiling from ear to ear, “Trust me, I’ve seen it. It’s perfect for you.” Palmer nodded in agreement. “So everyone knew about the ring except me?” Ziva asked, shocked. Tony shrugged, “Well, I had to get the approval of my council of men.” Ziva gestured at the screen, “Your ‘council of men.’” Tony chuckled, “I said what I said.” Before the bickering could continue, Tali called out for them from the other room. “Ah, duty calls,” Tony said, turning to the screen. A faint buzzing sounded through the speakers and McGee pulled out his phone, “Yeah, that’s Gibbs. Looks like we’ve got a case.” “Give the best to the old man for us,” Tony said. “Will do,” McGee responded with a little salute. “Take care of yourselves,” Ziva called. “We will,” Jimmy responded, “Congratulations!” The call ended and Tony and Ziva were left looking at their reflections in the blank computer screen. Reflections of the people they had became-- parents, partners, fiances, civilians. “Did you ever think we’d get here?” Tony asked, standing and offering a hand to Ziva. She shook her head, “I never imagined it. Never let myself imagine it.” He pressed a kiss to her temple, “And now?” She smiled, leaning against him, “I wouldn’t trade it for the world.”

#HappyBirthdayTali #tiva #tiva fanfiction #tiva fic #Tivali

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totally-incorrect-theatre-quotes · 4 years

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Photograph (Fanfic)

I call this “Paige didn’t want to study for chemistry anymore, got home from work late, and even though she said she was going to wait until after finals she compulsively wrote a 4,000 word short story”

Or ya know, “Photography” ...the title of the fanfic

To say Lydia was excited was an understatement. Her and three students from her photography club at school were nominated as finalists in a statewide competition, the winner of that would go on to the nationals. Lydia was the youngest of the four, the only freshman with two juniors and a senior so while she didn’t think her chances of winning were all that great she was just thrilled to have simply been nominated. Of her portfolio, the nominated piece was a photograph of a chemical reaction she had been doing in her chemistry club. Her photography teacher said it was the strangest photo he had ever seen, but he claimed to be mesmerized by it. He actually wanted her to submit another picture but she didn’t think it would be fair to submit photos she took with the help of Adam, Barbara, or Charles. None of the other students could be floated to an ideal location for a picture, so she simply took these for fun.

Going to the competition was a whole week off of school, and four hours away from home. Not that she hadn’t been away from home before, her parents used to send her to sleep-away-camps all the time when she was little, but this would be the first time she would be away from her family since….well she didn’t want to think about it that way. She just wanted to be able to go and have a good time like a normal person would. She marked down the days on the calendar in the kitchen excitedly as the trip approached. Breaking the news to Beetlejuice was the hardest, even though he didn’t like to admit it he thought Lydia was funny and without her, it would just be adults in the house. Lydia promised to make it up to him and that they’d play a fun prank on her dad and Delia when she got back. In the end, the negotiated deal was two pranks on her dad and Delia as well as the guarantee that she would bring him back a zagnut from wherever she was going because “they taste different depending on where they’re from.” Lydia didn’t argue with him on that as the discussion had already gone on longer than she would have liked.

It was the night before the trip and shockingly the person most anxious was Barbara. She help Lydia pack her bag, constantly asking her if twelve outfits would be enough for a seven-day trip or if she needed a new toothbrush even though the one she had was perfectly okay, and hardly a month old. She expected this kind of behavior from her helicopter parent of her father but he was actually very laid back about the whole situation, probably trying to not overwhelm her because even though Lydia denied it she was anxious about the whole thing. Not only that but she really did want to win. She worked really hard at her hobbies, and it took her begging her teacher to let her redo the reaction eight different times just so she could get the photo exactly how she wanted it. She knew her shot of winning was really slim considering that not only was she the youngest in her group from school but she was one of the youngest in the whole competition. She was right in between the two different age categories as a freshman, but she managed to be nominated.

Lydia was sitting on her bed, the suitcase of her belongings on the floor beneath her. She glanced around the room trying to make sure there wasn’t something important she was forgetting when she smacked herself on the head for forgetting to grab at least one of her cameras. She picked up her favorite camera, though she only had two and the one was a very old polaroid camera she only used for aesthetic purposes and walked down to the kitchen to see what everybody else was up to that night. It must have been later than she expected because the only person downstairs was Barbara who was making herself her typical late-night snack of peanut-butter toast drizzled with honey.

“Too excited for tomorrow that you can’t sleep?” Barbara asked

Lydia shrugged, “No, I was just going over my last-minute checklist. Making sure I had all my ducks in a row.”

“Oh, so you’re back to being the duck queen?”

Lydia went to playfully smack Barbara’s arm but her hand simply slide through her as Barbara went non-solid to avoid the blow. Both laughed and she gestured for Lydia to join her in the late-night feast.

“I’m only teasing. So do you think you’re ready? Have you written your acceptance speech for when you blow the competition out of the water and win first prize.”

“Unlikely, all the other pictures I’ve seen look really impressive and I haven’t even gotten to see people from out of our district. I’m just looking forward to getting to spend time with my friends on the trip, they already talked about staying up late to tell ghost stories,” she laughed, “I guess I will be winning that game.”

“And you’re sure that you have everything all set? Did you pack your camera.”

She nodded and pointed at the camera around her neck, “It would take a lot for me to lose this thing.”

“And you have an extra outfit for every day of the trip plus the fancy dress that your dad bought for you to wear to the awards ceremony.”

Lydia simply groaned in response to that one. Her dad should understand by this point that she isn’t a bright and colorful kind of girl, but he insisted on a red and blue dress, arguing that black is too formal for the event she’s attending. The dress wasn’t ugly, it just wasn’t her style at all, but the fact that her dad went out of his depths to get it for her made her a little more willing to compromise and wear it.

“And it’s four hours away from here, do you have all your medicines packed. I know you’re allergic to penicillin so even if you have to go to the doctor out there because you got some kind of infection don’t let them prescribe you penicillin, amoxicillin, ampicillin-”

“I think I’m old enough to know my own allergies,” she laughed, “Besides I’m not sick so I don't think I’ll be needed an antibiotic any time soon.”

“Just making sure, and if you don’t like what they have to eat I convinced your dad to give you an extra twenty dollars so you can go buy yourself something else because I know you and you’d rather just skip that meal than say you don’t like something. I know it’s part of your anxiety so I figured this would be the easiest solution for you. So no skipping meals okay?”

“I did that twice because they were serving fish at school!” Lydia retorted trying not to be a little agitated with the lack of confidence Barbara had in her about this trip. She was still a kid, but she’s been alone before, she didn’t need the whole run down that she’s already gotten from her father and Delia.

Barbara smiled at her gently and the agitation faded, “I’m just so proud of you! This is a huge deal and when you get back with your first place trophy.”

“Ribbon and that’s if I even get first place which I’m not-”

“We’re going to have a celebratory dinner and cake!”

“I don’t get cake if I don’t get first place?” Lydia faked whined, knowing the answer

“Nope, so you’d better hope you get first place because I don’t just make a vanilla cake with cream cheese frosting for anybody.”

Lydia rolled her eyes, and without even thinking the words slipped off her tongue, “Okay mom.”

Neither of them said anything, nobody wanting to be the person who acknowledged it. Lydia felt the heat rising to her face instantly and tried to stammer out some kind of correction but she just got more and more flustered the harder she tried to fix it.

“No, no it’s okay!” Barbara tried to put the girl at ease but before she could even get the next sentence out Lydia ran upstairs and slammed her door shut. Feeling terrible Barbara tried to go and talk to Lydia but there was no answer when she knocked on the teenagers door. She only knew for sure that she was in there when something was thrown at the door in anger when Barbara tried talking to her through the door. She had no clue what she was supposed to do next, it was an accident. She knew Lydia didn’t mean to say it and Barbara certainly didn’t want to be viewed as a replacement for Emily. She never tried to be, she was always very careful about how she referred to Lydia. Though she often laments to Adam and Beetlejuice how Lydia is like the daughter she never got to have, she would never dream to say that to Lydia’s face. Instead, she tried to seem more like a friendly aunt who just so happened to live upstairs and also be there for Lydia anytime she needed her and help her with her homework and school problems. Suddenly Barbara felt really guilty, she hadn’t even realized it until then but she really did encroach into the motherly role maybe a little too much for Lydia’s comfort. She had been pretty overbearing about this trip ever since Lydia told her about it. She should have read the signals Lydia was giving a little more closely, then maybe this whole thing wouldn’t have happened. She didn’t notice that she was sitting with her back to her door until a groggy but concerned Charles was standing in front of her.

“What happened?” Barbara asked him

“I guess I could ask you the same thing. I just about thirty texts from Lydia telling me that she doesn’t want to go on the trip anymore. That she isn’t feeling well and doesn’t want to get anybody else sick and ruin it for them. You’ve clearly been with her tonight, what are we talking because I’m pretty squeamish. I can deal with her having a cough but please don’t tell me she has the stomach flu. I’m no good at seeing other people puke.”

“She’s not sick. Look this is all my fault, I’ve really been overstepping my bounds recently with this whole trip four hours away. I’ve been on her case about making sure she has everything packed and I know she didn’t mean it...Charles, she called me mom earlier. In the kitchen.”

He sighed, placing his hand on his temples, “Not exactly the problem I thought I would have to handle tonight, but I can’t say I didn’t see it coming. Look no offense, but I think it might be for the better if I’m the one who talks to her. She’s probably confusing her anger at herself for being angry at you.”

“Yeah, I’d be careful walking in. She threw something at the door when I was trying to talk to her. It sounded like it broke, I’m not sure if it’s glass.”

Barbara desperately wanted to make sure Lydia was okay but she knew Charles was right, it was better off if she left Lydia to cool down about the whole situation. She couldn’t imagine how confused she must feel. It’s one thing to accidentally call a teacher mom, but Lydia’s situation was a world of difference. She wandered around the house aimlessly for a little while until she just went back into the attic and told Adam about what happened.

“Well I mean it’s kinda cute that she called you mom.”

Barbara threw her book at her husband, “Adam! No, it’s not, she was really upset about it. I feel awful.”

“I know you feel bad about it but that just means that Lydia loves you so much that she sees you as someone she can trust like a mother. I know she knows you aren’t trying to become the new Emily. Nobody could compete with Emily Deetz for her. Look she’s just embarrassed about it, she’ll get over it by the morning and I’m sure she’ll be feeling fine for her trip.”

“God if she doesn’t go because of me I’ll probably never forgive myself.”

“She’s a resilient girl, I’m sure she’ll come around.”

Barbara nodded and let her husband envelop her in a much-needed hug, “She’s our girl, huh?”

When Charles knocked on his daughter’s door it was a quick response of “Go away Barbara.”

“It’s dad.”

The door creaked open and standing in front of him was a sullen Lydia wearing a nightdress that was a size too big for her, and rubbing aggressively at her eyes to cover up the fact that she had probably been crying, “What do you want? I told you I’m not feeling good.”

“Barbara told me about what happened.”

She scoffed, “Of course she did. Because everybody has to know how much of a freaking idiot I am.”

“Do you want to talk about it.”

“No I don’t. I just want everybody to leave me alone, but nobody ever listens to me. Nothing that you’re going to say is going to do anything. I don’t want to go anymore, it’s simple as that. It has nothing to do with what happened. I just don’t feel like it anymore. I’m not going to win anyway so what’s the point of even going?” she crossed her arms and slumped back down on her bed, “I’m not even really friends with the other kids that are going. They’re all way older than me, they probably don’t even want a dumb freshman following them around like some lost puppy.”

Charles sat on the edge of her bed, careful not to disrupt the sleeping cat nestled between the covers. He put his hands on the bottom half of her curled up leg, “I think this sudden change of heart runs a lot deeper than you being afraid of not fitting in with the other kids.”

“Gee, what gave that away dad?”

Charles tried to ignore the sarcastic tone she was taking up, trying to understand that she was very emotional right now and didn’t mean to be disrespectful, “So do you want to talk about what’s really bothering you? Because I don’t think it’s Barbara either.”

There was no response from Lydia besides her shifting position to laying face down in the bed, her face smooshed into her pillow. After a few seconds of awkward silence, Lydia mumbled something but it was muffled by the pillow.

“What?”

“I’m happy!” Lydia shot up and shouted, “Okay? I’m happy and I’m not supposed to be. No, like I know I’m allowed to be happy but it’s just...ughh I just don’t know how to explain it. It’s just so confusing.”

“You’re upset because you’re happy?”

Lydia nodded, “It’s just that everything has been going good recently and I don’t like it. It feels wrong, I feel wrong about it.”

“Honey it’s a good thing that you’re feeling happy! That’s what you’ve been working on with your therapist and with all of us here. That’s just the natural progression of your progress.”

“I feel so guilty about it. Like I’ve got so much going on in my life now. I’ve got school and babysitting, and photography club and this competition, and I’ve got Wendy and all you guys. I feel like I’m forgetting about mom. I don’t think about her as much as I used to. I used to think about her constantly and some days all I get is a quick memory, how terrible is that? I can hardly remember what her voice sounds like anymore. I promised her, I promised myself that I would never forget her and I’ve apparently already replaced her in my mind!” She was getting erratic now, the words flying out of her mouth faster than Charles could process them, “I never thought about it until...I just can’t believe I did that.”

“Sweetheart, it isn’t that big of a deal. It was an accident, everybody knows that. You know that.”

“I called her mom!” She shouted, throwing herself back into her pillow again, “I called her mom, dad!”

“It’s okay, it just slipped out. She’s someone you love and value-”

“I have a mother!” Lydia was crying now, “I have a mother, and I just called another person mom. She only died a year and a half ago, I should still be mourning but instead, I went out and found a new mom. I bet she’s really happy about that in the Netherworld, “Oh Emily Deetz, no don’t bother sending any signs to Lydia anymore. She’s completely moved on, in fact, she gone and outright replaced you!” ”

“You’re being too harsh on yourself!” Charles tried to tell her, but she wouldn’t acknowledge him, “You aren’t forgetting about your mother, you are just going through life. It happens, we all get caught up in things in our lives. You’re young, and though a lot of older people would tell you that your life isn’t hard work you’re really busy! Truthfully I would be more concerned if it had been a year and a half and you still hadn’t been able to go about your life. This isn’t a bad thing, it doesn’t mean that you’re a bad daughter because you don’t spend every waking minute thinking about her. You didn’t do that when she was here.”

She still kept her face buried in her pillow. Charles gently pushed her shoulder and rolled her over to look at him. Her eyes were glassy both from tiredness and sadness, “I feel like I’m betraying her and I know that makes me sound insane but it’s how I feel.”

“She would be so happy for you, you’re doing amazing things in your life and she would be so freaking proud of you. All of it, all the progress you’ve made. Just look at how far you’ve come, Lydia! I know how hard it must be for you to stop and wonder if you’re going through this right and honestly that’s just how life is sometimes. There’s a lot you will never know for certain but I can tell you right now that Emily would want above all else for you to be happy, to feel loved, and to love others. You’re doing all of that in spaids. So try not to feel guilty because you’re doing exactly what she would want you to do if she was here.”

Lydia sat up and pulled her cat into her lap, a few tears that had been building up streaked down her face and she quickly wiped them away, “I shouldn’t have lashed out at Barbara. It’s not her fault that I called her mom.”

“She understands.”

“I don’t know why it’s affecting me so much, it’s just that this is the first time that I’m going to be away from all you guys, and I’m...I’m scared. Ever since mom died you’ve all at least been around somewhere, I always had somebody else there that knew what was going on and now I’m going to be going four hours away for a whole week all by myself. I haven’t gotten them as bad as I used to but what if I have a nightmare and they make fun of me? It’s bad enough that I’m the youngest one going but if I have a nightmare and start crying they’re all going to make fun of me.” Lydia began to get more worked up and she leaned her head on Charle’s shoulders in an attempt to soothe herself, “I’m always caught in between being okay and then feeling bad that I’m doing okay and then making myself worse! Then I just take it out on everyone else.”

“I get like this too Lydia, it just feels more intense for you because you’re younger. God when I first proposed to Delia I felt like I was betraying Emily too and then when I told you I was convinced that I was doing the wrong thing, but I eventually knew that she wouldn’t want me to be lonely for the rest of my life. She would know that I still loved her, and missed her.”

“I miss her too.” Lydia lamented as she gently scratched her cat behind the ears, “I wish she could be here for the competition because she would love some of the photographs. Doug Hilton took a picture of like a bunch of people wearing these super creepy rabbit masks in a cornfield. It’s a really neat picture, it scared the teacher but I loved it.”

“I’m sure she would love all of them. Especially yours, but not because she’s biased, but because it is the best.”

“You’re starting to sound like Barbara.” Lydia laughed, her guilt and anger slowly starting to fade away as she thought about how her mom would feel.

“I’m serious though, you’ve got a real talent and I’d hate to see you miss out on this opportunity because you’re feeling afraid that enjoying yourself is somehow disappointing Emily. So what do you say? Do you still not want to go?”

Lydia thought about it for a second before shaking her head, “I want to go.”

Charles smiled at his daughter and patted her proudly on the shoulder, “I knew you would. Now it is way too late for you to still be up. You have to be on the bus for eight o’clock tomorrow morning, try to get some sleep okay?”

She nodded, laying down in her bed, pulling the covers up to her face and closing her eyes. Her cat purred as she snuggled up against Lydia’s stomach. Charles gave Lydia a soft kiss on the forehead before shutting the lights off and closing the door.

In the end, Lydia didn’t win the competition. She was right that she was the youngest one there. First place went to a senior from a school she had never even hear of, but Lydia didn’t care. When she came back home after the week she sat at the dinner table telling everyone all the fun stories she had from her trip, laughing until her side hurt when Beetlejuice threw a piece of cake at her father’s face, but Charles’ just swiped her face with his finger and licked the frosting off in stride claiming he preferred his cake that way. Even though there was no blue first place ribbon attached to her photography it was framed and hanging on the wall alongside her invitation to the event. By the time everyone had been partied out that night it was just Lydia and Barbara still in the kitchen. Without saying a word Lydia leaped into a huge hug before trotting up happily to her room, her kitten scurrying behind her.

“That’s my girl,” Barbara whispered.

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the-blind-assassin-12 · 4 years

Text

It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like... (part one)

A/N: Day Two of the 12 Days of Christmas Fics featuring my first foray into writing for Benjamin and even though writing for him makes me nervous, I decided to go all in and take the three requests I got for this sugarplum, and string ‘em together into one big holiday mess. Starting off with the prompts from @suchatinyinfinity WHO IS CELEBRATING A BIRTHDAY TODAY!! Happy Birthday Dani! Hope you had a great day lovely!!

Word Count: 2,928

Prompt From: @suchatinyinfinity

“Don’t you dare throw that snowball at me. I’m warning you!”

“Don’t worry, I won’t let you fall.”

**here goes nothin!**

With a final heave, you cleared the last of the snow from the driveway, tossing it off to the side before you stuck your shovel into the sizable pile that you’d created. It had finally stopped snowing after three days of consistent flurries, the airy, dry flakes floating down like icy glitter, and amounting to much more than was predicted. You were caught off guard entirely by the storm, having only ever gotten this much snow in December once before, and after you’d finished panicking that the loss of time would cut into the to do list for the Christmas Eve party you’d be hosting, you’d actually found it quite lovely.

It had taken nearly an hour longer to get home on Wednesday night due to the weather, nearly doubling your commute from London, which felt like triple as your mother’s chiding tone filled your head. You know, most of your work is in London. Your family’s in London. It would make more sense for you to move back, really. You tightened your white knuckled grip on the steering wheel, your thick mittens slipping over the leather covering. Thanks but no thanks, mum. You thought to yourself, imagining the horror of surprise pop-over visits and the pressure for you to reciprocate them if you lived just a short tube ride away. You loved London, for all its culture and history. You’d grown up there, gone to school there, University, too. But when your first internship took you out to a church in the shore suburb of Southend-On-Sea to help restore an old bronze relief, you quickly learned that you also loved the slower pace and quirky charm that the town had to offer.

Before your tenure with that first job was through, you’d found a place to rent and followed the whim of your gut. You continued to commute into London 4 days a week, traveling as needed when your work took you to Leeds or Liverpool or any other corner of the UK, renting the same cottage all along until last year when the landlord sold it to you for a price that you couldn’t pass up. It was the only place you’d ever lived outside of your parent’s house, and now it was officially your home. Even crawling over the ice covered roads through this storm at a snail’s pace couldn’t keep the swell of pride from your heart or the smile from your face when you thought about how hard you’d worked for what you had. That feeling grew as it got closer and closer to Christmas- your first since the house belonged to you, the first one that you’d host your family for. The first one with Benjamin.

You’d already accepted that your great love affair would be with your career; that your passion wouldn’t be placed with a person, and the love that you had in your heart would be poured generously into the carvings and sculptures that you painstakingly restored. You were independant and you enjoyed being so, able to come and go without limitations, no one to complain about your long hours or about the lack of time you were spending with their family. So when you met Benjamin, you weren’t looking for him, and honestly he wasn’t looking for you either.

You were starting a new restoration in a library in London, a painted dome ceiling in the research room that depicted a deep navy sky full of silvery stars, constellations and celestial designs swirling overhead. After the library’s development director and the chairman of the restoration committee had given you the run down on the project, you’d asked to be allowed to spend some time studying the artwork. You liked to get acquainted with your work before you started digging. It helped you better understand what needed to be done, let you know what areas would need special attention. They’d agreed happily, nodding and shaking your hand, thanking you for taking on the work, astounded that you said you’d be done and out of their hair in just over a week. Once the door had clicked closed behind them, you slipped your shoes from your feet and climbed atop one of the long mahogany reading tables, laying on your back gazing up at the indoor sky.

I’ll need a sample of the plaster. You made mental notes of your observations, taking stock of what you’ll need to do to get started. Some paint chips so I can mix color to match. I’ll have to even out the- You sat straight up as the sound of the closed door opening pierced the silence followed by two hard soled shoes slapping the marble floor. Swinging your legs over the side of the table, you turned to face the door and the stranger that had just interrupted your prep list. “This room’s closed for-”

“Restoration?” He finished your sentence for you, adjusting his glasses so that they perfectly framed the spark in his dark eyes. “I know. Well, they’ve been talking about it for ages. I think I finally convinced them to get on with it when I brought them the piece of plaster that landed in my lap last week.” He smiled, stepping up to the table next to the one that you ocupied, setting his bag down and draping his jacket over the back of one of the chairs. “I made them promise that they’d let me work while the restoration was going on, and they said it would be fine so long as I cleared it with the restorer.” Rolling up the sleeves of his tan sweater, he leaned casually against the table, eyes sharply focused on you. “I’m Benjamin, by the way.”

You crossed your arms, slightly annoyed by the attitude of entitlement. What, does he think he’s the only arse to ever write a research paper? Special permission from the librarians...and now I’m the bad guy if I say no. You told him your name and that it was fine as long as he didn’t touch anything and stayed out of your way.

“You won’t even know I’m here,” he insisted, a grin pushing the tops of his cheeks up into his eyes.

And for the most part, that was true. You an Benjamin had worked in peaceful silence for the first three days, only breaking it with a “Good morning,” or a “see you tomorrow, then.” He’d come in and set himself up at one of the tables before disappearing into the stacks and not coming back out until his arms were full of titles that he hoped held the references that he could use to prove his thesis. Then he’d skim through them, searching each tome and typing up notes on a laptop that looked older than some of the books he was surrounded by. When the stack on his tabled had dwindled, he’d dive back into the sea of information to pull out more pearls. Taking a break around noon for lunch, he’d be back in less than half an hour, back at it and armed with a cup of tea.

You would get there before him, climb the scaffolding that your team had sent over, and arrange the tools that you’d be using that day. Spatulas and brushes of all sizes, chisels and hammers, paints, plasters and adhesives laid out before you for easy access. You’d know Benjamin was there when you heard the door open, and he’d know you were there from the metallic clanging of tools and the dull scraping of caked on residue. By the third day you’d cleared most of the damaged surface of the mural, leaving large portions of the ceiling exposed and unpainted. I’ll start the base layers tomorrow. Cleaning your tools, you dangled your legs over the edge of the scaffolding, looking down at the library and the only other person in it. You’d expected him to be pompous and cocky after he basically demanded access to a closed section of the library. But as you watched him more closely you realized that he was just dedicated to his work, to learning and to absorbing as much knowledge as was possible, and that was something that you understood and respected. So when he invited you out to grab dinner with him on day four- “Not a date or anything. You can pay for yourself and all, just,” You’d laughed at his offer to let you buy your own damn meal and he shrugged. “People need to eat, right?” - You’d said yes and actually found his conversation as enjoyable as his silence.

You weren’t looking for Benjamin in the patterns of the painting that you were bringing back to life. He wasn’t searching for your name among the millions of words that he scanned. But somehow you’d found one another despite having both closed yourselves off to anything but your work and accomplishments. Four days turned into ten, the two of you sharing dinner three more times before your contract was finished. You’d continued to meet up with him when you were in London for work, and eventually, just as unexpectedly as you found him, you found yourself in a relationship with him- one that worked because he wasn’t jealous of your career and you weren’t sick of hearing about his endless research topics.

He’d been hesitant at first, sharing that he’d just been through a divorce and that he certainly didn’t want another one. You’d shared just the opposite- a severe lack of any long term or meaningful relationship to draw experience from. “We’re genuine rubbish at this, aren't we?” He posed the question through a smile that lit his whole face, and you agreed with a laugh that he cut short with a kiss. When the last four months of his lease ran out, he left his flat in the city and moved in with you, insisting on splitting all household costs evenly despite your considerably larger salary. You knew that money and the fact that he’d been accused of using his ex-wife for hers played a role in the destruction of his marriage, so you understood his need to put those accusations to rest before they could crop up again. He’s protecting this. You appreciated the proactive move, even though he’d already shown you in plenty of ways that he was only interested in you. Truthful and honest, and all in due, natural time. That’s how it was, learning Benjamin; when he was ready, he’d show you another piece of himself, the way the pieces you worked on slowly revealed their original beauty.

You were good for one another, and happy together, supporting the other’s endeavors, nurturing thought and becoming the best, strongest, most complete versions of yourselves. “All I had to do to find you was give up on romance entirely,” he joked one night as he held you close in the dark.

You playfully smacked his arm, his chest rumbling with laughter beneath you.“Oh, just what any woman wants to hear right after-“

He brushed the hair away from your ear and pressed his lips to your skin. “I wish I’d have thrown in the towel sooner.”

That was roughly two weeks ago, and the precise moment that you knew that you loved him. But the next morning you were leaving for work, and you didn’t want to drop that word and walk away from it, from him, so you held onto it as tightly as you held onto the steering wheel upon your return home. The light by the door flicked on as your tires crunched over the gravel, and before you’d put the car in Park he appeared on the front step. Hi, B. You smiled, already feeling some of the tension built up from the drive leaving your body. You saw him stoop down, assuming that he was fixing his boot, and you gathered your things and got out of the car.

“Hey, you, welcome home,” he said, arms folded behind his back. “I missed you.”

“Missed you too, Benjamin.” His cheeks twitched when you said his name, like they always did. You sighed, adjusting the shoulder strap and swiped a snowflake away from your eyelashes. “I’m glad to be home. That was such a stressful drive. The roads are terrible, and all I could think about was how much I still need to do before Christmas Eve.” You hadn’t noticed that he was walking towards you, focused instead on the fact that yours was one of the only houses without lights yet. “We have to do the lights and all the baking and the indoor decorations and-”

“I took care of some of the decorations inside,” he said, surprising you. “You know, lights on the banister and,” he shrugged. “Relax, we’ll get everything done. I promise. Soon as this snow stops we’ll get the lights up and,” he was finally close enough to touch you, and he reached for your waist to drag you closer. Your foot hit a patch of ice obscured by the fresh powder and you felt yourself slipping when his arm tightened. “Don’t worry, I won’t let you fall,” he said as you clung to him. But as sturdy as his words were, they couldn’t help the fact that you were going down. “Not without me right behind you anyway,” he laughed, wrapping you up so that he took the brunt of the fall, cushioned by the snow. You joined in, feeling the remaining tension disappear.

“How do you do that, Benjamin, hmm?” You kissed the corner of his eye, the skin crinkling under your lips. “How do you make me feel better so easily?”

He swallowed, eyes dancing over your face to read every change in your expression. “It’s because I... “ He pulled you fully onto his chest before he continued. “It’s because I love you.”

The night twinkled above you as snow fell in your hair and on your clothes, covering trees and shrubs, sidewalks and streets. But you were warm from head to toe as you saw the love he spoke about swimming in his eyes. “I love you, too,” you told him, so happy that you’d waited until you got home. Worth the wait.

He pulled you into a kiss that felt different from any other. You could taste the word love on his tongue and feel it in the way that his body responded to yours, hips and shoulders, arms and chest. When you finally pulled back from lack of oxygen, you sat up and started to extend your arm to help him off the ground and into a hug, when you saw him cock his arm back, a compact white ball in his hand. It hadn’t been his boot he was stopping down for earlier. He’d armed himself with a snowball, carrying it over and dropping it right next to himself before hitting the ground with you. Sneaky trickster.

“Benjamin,” you warned, the serious tone hard to hold from the happiness that you felt. “Don’t you dare throw that snowball at me.” His devilish grin only grew. “I’m warning you,” you scooted backwards, scooping up a ball of your own. “Don’t start a war now.”

He smiled and narrowed his eyes before tossing the snowball behind him. It landed with a soft thud in the snow. “Nah,” he said, standing up and brushing himself off before reaching down to help you up. His hands wrapped around yours. “We’ve got too much to do,” he pulled you closer and pressed his lips to your ear, like he did the last night you’d spent together. “And you said you love me, so,” without warning he changed his level and picked you up over his shoulder. “I think that’s a conversation worth continuing.” He set you down laughing on the front porch. “I think we should continue it upstairs.” He leaned in again, nose brushing yours as he took your face between his palms and kissed you. “In bed.”

Three days of bad weather kept you out of the cold and in one another’s arms, basking in that shift in your relationship, the one that neither of you wanted, expected, or thought possible. You finished the decorations, Benjamin’s arms never too far from your waist during the day, the two of you curled in the window seat with separate books at night. On the third day, the sun finally came out to shine on the facets of frozen wonder that blanketed the world around you, and the two of you grabbed your shovels to clear the walkways and areas that you’d need to access in order to hang the outdoor decorations. Sticking your shovel into that pile of snow you’d cleared, you took a breath, watching Benjamin clear the pathway that lead to the garage. It was still the same house, the same garage and the same pathways. It was the same home you’d had for years. But now Benjamin was a solid part of that home, of your life. You tried not to get too far ahead of yourself. There was still plenty for the two of you to learn about one another. But you knew that Benjamin was a smart man, and you knew he didn’t throw words away like trash. If he said love, he felt love, simple and easy as that. He waved over to you with one gloved hand, the other still holding the handle of his shovel. You beamed and waved back at him. I can’t wait to learn more about you, B.

@something-tofightfor @its-my-little-dumpster-fire @suchatinyinfinity @thesumofmychoices @gollyderek @malionnes @becs-bunker @warriorqueenofnarnia @elanor-of-imladris @traeumerinwitzhelden @songtoyou @michellemybelles-world

#benjamin greene #gold digger fanfic #benjamin greene x reader #benjamin greene x you #12 days of christmas fics #part one of three #because i'm an idiot and everything has to be a series.#who said that?

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britishassistant · 4 years

Text

But I Like One Piece (3)

Her schedule becomes much busier after that.

She gets up an hour before training with Gai-sensei and goes to get Naruto. He’s taken to setting up traps again to dissuade her, growing more complex and subtle by the day.

She’s getting very good at dodging and disarming them.

They train with Gai-sensei for two hours. Usually running laps and doing katas focused on fluidity and strength. He seems to have taken Sanji’s creed as a personal challenge and she’s usually wearing mitten-like weights over her hands or has her arms tied behind her back.

After training, she returns home to practice katas with her father, using a smaller bokken.

She has a very short amount of time to shower and get dressed before Naruto arrives for breakfast with her family.

Sometimes Gai-sensei joins them, and she never knew embarrassment before she had to watch her parents try not to swoon over his every word. She suspects both Okaa-sama and Otou-sama have crushes on him.

Naruto grimaces next to her and they eat their food in double time and shout their goodbyes as they run to the Academy.

They eat lunch separately.

It’s Naruto’s idea, and rather ingenious if she does say so.

They sit at opposite ends of the same table while Ino, Sakura, Shikamaru (sleepy guy), Chouji, and Kiba are spread out between them. She knows their names now. Ino made sure of it.

Ino and Sakura try to get her involved in girl talk, Chouji alternates between talking to her about cooking and to Shikamaru about classes, while Kiba and Naruto discuss what kind of cool ninja moves they know and will learn next year.

They’re close enough that it still feels like they’re spending time together, but the conversation and slight dispersal of the seating positions mean they’re “technically” not eating a meal together.

After the Academy day is over, she goes to the market with her mother to buy groceries. Once they get back, she prepares their lunch boxes the moment groceries are put away, making extra due to the sheer amount of sharing that goes on, with Naruto yelling ridiculous suggestions as Okaa-sama measures him for new clothes.

He seems to be going through a growth spurt, now his body is getting the nutrients it needs.

They finish their homework together in the kitchen while her mother makes dinner. Otou-sama usually arrives in time for them to finish setting the table and they eat dinner together.

On Wednesdays and Fridays they get ramen from Ichiraku’s. Every other weekend is when the Hokage checks in on Naruto, so she’ll not see him for the entire two days.

After Naruto leaves for his curfew, she helps wash the dishes while her parents ensure she’s up to speed on their family history.

She goes to bed early, because she learned quickly not doing so made Gai-sensei’s training that much worse to bear.

They move up a year.

It’s almost a shame, because towards the end there the teacher had begun warming up to Naruto, if saying “Good luck Ketsugi, Uzumaki.” counts as “warming up”.

She supposes she maybe should’ve had a bit more faith in the teacher, even if the woman does have an unhealthy idealization of the World Government-level tyrant Usagi-hime and is completely, totally wrong about pirates being poor role models to aspire to.

Now they’re going to have a new teacher and begin the whole rigmarole over again.

At least their classmates are already used to him, and they get a three week break before the summer term starts.

Her new birthday’s the weekend before classes start up again too, so there’s that.

Naruto’s being stalked.

She notices it a few days into the break, when Okaa-sama begs for them to act their age for once and go play outside instead of just training or cooking.

Naruto knows a good swing set outside the Academy and they spend half an hour trying to see if they can get the swing to go all the way round.

Yes, she has the memories and partial mindset of a twenty year old, but this is the dream of every child who has ever been on a swing, including her, and they are in an anime ninja world.

If there’s anywhere it’ll be possible to fulfill this dream, it’s here.

She’s managed to go almost horizontal on her swing while Naruto whoops in glee behind her, and on the backswing she spots a blur of dark hair hiding behind a tree and watching them.

No, she thinks, slowing a little while Naruto kicks with increased vigor and whoops again once he touches tree branches, the person’s weird pale eyes remaining fixed on his swinging. Watching him.

The stalker follows them everywhere.

She’s getting reasonably sure the stalker is a girl, because just about the only place she doesn’t follow Naruto is the boy’s bathroom.

She’s almost on par with the masks for stealth otherwise, remaining far enough away that it’s not obvious she’s stalking but close enough that she always has a clear line of sight to Naruto.

She’s definitely a member of one of the village clans. Her skills and the symbol on her high-quality clothing attest to that much. But what’s her interest in Naruto?

She waits a minute after Naruto enters the bathroom, and then walks towards the stalker.

The girl knows better than to run and draw attention to herself, but she does backpedal a bit.

“Look,” She says, not unkindly. “I don’t know who you are. I don’t know why you’re watching Naruto. I don’t think you want to hurt him, and I’ll let you off so long as you don’t. Just don’t steal any of his underwear, or invade his privacy and make him uncomfortable, or we’ll have problems. Am I clear?”

The girl blushes tomato red. She opens and closes her mouth several times. She flees.

She sighs. The stalker may have just been too shy for her own good, but it’s always wise to nip a potential yandere in the bud before obsession really takes hold.

That weekend they get an addition to their morning training.

Gai-sensei comes striding onto their training field with a boy about their age trotting along behind him. He has a braid and very bushy eyebrows.

“This is Rock Lee!” Gai-sensei says proudly. “He will be joining our most youthful training!”

“I am Rock Lee and I am eight years old.” The boy introduces himself. “I am honored to meet the students of Maito Gai-sensei!”

“I’m Uzumaki Naruto and I’m seven! Imma be the Hokage, believe it!” Naruto cheers, waking up more with the chance to say his dream.

“Ketsugi Mayu. I’ll be seven two weeks from now. It’s nice to meet you, Lee-senpai.” She bows to him.

“Ah! It is I who should be calling you senpai, as you were students of Maito Gai-sensei before me!” Rock Lee insists, eyes shining. What a polite boy.

“Heck yeah! Just call me Naruto-senpai!” Naruto boasts, hands on his hips and nose in the air.

“No, don’t make him do that...”

“HOW YOUTHFUL!!” Gai-sensei roars, tears of joy streaming down his cheeks. The only person she’s ever seen cry more than him is Franky. “It brings me much joy to see my students getting along so well! Yosh! LET US RUN 50 LAPS AROUND KONOHA ON OUR HANDS!!”

“Yes, Gai-sensei!!” Lee yells back.

“Lee!”

“Gai-sensei!”

“Lee!”

“Gai-sensei!”

She and Naruto share a horrified glance. Oh god there’s two of them now.

There’s a lot of falling on faces, and 50 laps around Konoha do not get completed. They do manage 20 circuits somehow, and Gai-sensei tells them all he’s extremely proud of them.

That’s what’s nice about Gai-sensei. Even if you couldn’t quite reach the goal he set the first time, he’s always encouraging and takes every effort as something to be celebrated and built upon. He makes you want to succeed, but not worry about failing to get there.

They’re doing cool down stretches when Lee’s stomach growls.

Her eyes narrow.

Naruto catches sight of the look on her face and begins snickering.

Gai-sensei, cheerfully oblivious, straightens up. “Yosh! Mayu-chan, would your parents mind if we imposed upon them for breakfast?”

“Of course not Gai-sensei. They’d be delighted to have you.” She smiles.

Lee curls into himself a little, beginning to retreat. “Then I shall meet you all here tomorrow! Have a good morn—”

Her hand clamps down on his arm. She keeps smiling. “Training breakfasts are at my house. Here’s the address for you, so you can join us.”

Lee blinks, eyes shining suspiciously. “Ah...uh..is this...okay?”

“Don’t fight it Lee!” Naruto calls behind her. “Or she’ll hunt you down to feed you, believe it!”

“I did not hunt you down!” She yelps indignantly. “You set traps when I left you food!”

“I just wanted to say thank you!” “With chalk dust?!”

And so Lee joins them for breakfast.

He’s loud and a bit awkward, effusively thanking her parents for even the smallest of things and easily getting caught up in Gai-sensei’s pace.

He doesn’t have a mean bone in his body though, and can be surprisingly level-headed and reliable when not overexcited. Which, admittedly, is a lot of the time.

He also likes her curries, which Naruto wrongly insists are “pure LAVA on a plate, Mayu-chan, curry’s supposed to be sweet and savory, not burn your mouth off!”

She’s just glad she now knows somebody who can appreciate what a real curry is rather than the sweet, spice less sauce that cowards attempt to pretend counts.

Her parents are convinced he’s somehow Gai-sensei’s long lost son. To be fair to them, the eyebrows and enthusiasm are very...similar. Their theorizing ran rampant when Lee mentioned he lived in the Village Orphanage while assuring her he did, in fact, get enough to eat.

Gai-sensei isn’t exactly dissuading these theories with how much he mother-hens the boy either. She suspects he overacts and exaggerates his normal robustness a little bit for Lee, to stop the boy from glancing around during training sessions or meals like he can’t quite believe he deserves to be here.

She can’t exactly criticize, since she and Naruto and Okaa-sama and Otou-sama are also doing all they can to make Lee feel welcome.

The weekend of her birthday isn’t like any birthdays she’s had before in this life.

For all that she grew up in Konoha, she never had any friends before Naruto. Running laps was a much more productive use of her time, even if her mother worried about her being lonely.

A quiet dinner in with her new parents was enough for her.

Naruto missed her sixth birthday because he had to spend the weekend with the Hokage, then insisted on trying to draw Luffy for her from the stories she’s told him as a late birthday present.

It’s not a very accurate drawing—Luffy’s straw hat is upside down and he’s got lasers shooting from his eyes and looks like a distressed noodle overall, but it hangs on her wall all the same.

Naruto has been pulling a vanishing act sporadically throughout the week, which she wasn’t overly concerned about.

She knows about birthday preparations, and if he wants it to be a surprise, she’ll humor him.

Though she did stumble upon a scene where Lee was on one knee in front of Sakura, while Naruto prepared to hit him with a bag of mulch from behind.

All three froze when they realized she was there, stammered out something incomprehensible, and fled like startled mice.

She has no idea what was going on there, but she’d pay good money to find out.

Or at least cook a good meal, because all her ingredient purchases leave her perpetually broke.

Naruto isn’t in his apartment the morning of her birthday.

She gets past all of his traps only to knock on the door and hear no answer. The neighbors yell at her when her repeated hammering on the entrance gets too loud.

Lee isn’t with Gai-sensei when she finally arrives to training. He pointedly ignores all her questions about where the other two are, but teaches her the kata for a dropkick in exchange.

It’s difficult, but the grin she gets when her heel hits the ground and leaves a dent is blinding.

He walks her home too.

That’s when she realizes this was planned.

Sure enough, the curtains on the windows are drawn, and Gai-sensei is a little eager to go ahead of her into the house.

The lights coming on are blinding, and the yell of “HAPPY BIRTHDAY MAYU!!” should not be as loud as it is considering there are only five people in the room.

She’s sweaty and worn out and for some reason she can’t stop smiling so hard her cheeks hurt.

Lee and Gai-sensei present her with a set of weights and a few pairs of orange leg warmers to cover them, like the ones they wear on a daily basis. She grins and thinks it might be nice to wear something that reminds her of the two of them and Naruto, who has insisted on getting mainly orange clothing since Okaa-sama once told him he had the coloring for it.

Okaa-sama and Otou-sama give her a book on baking bread that’s about as heavy as the weights and several bags of different types of flour. She hugs them as tightly as she can. There’s wheat and rye and multigrain and gluten-free and she can’t wait to see what she can create with all of this.

Naruto fidgets and shoves a small pot with a rosemary plant in it into her arms. “Ino let me have this if I helped out at the Yamanaka flower shop with her and Sakura-chan, believe it, and she said it tastes really good in food and its name is Habu-san because plants are living things, so they should have names like people and animals do, right?”

She inhales the slightly salty scent.

Later, after she’s finally had a shower and gotten dressed with the addition of the leg warmers, Sakura and Ino will drop by with a set of sparkly silver hair clips and a chef’s hat keychain.

They’ll all go to a restaurant owned by Chouji’s family to eat, and she’ll devour one of the best plates of chicken katsu, intent on figuring out the recipe through taste alone. She’ll share a chocolate cake with Chouji and Naruto, laughing as the latter pouts when describing Lee’s declaration to woo Sakura when he becomes a worthy ninja.

But for now, she just beams at her best friend and tells him, “I really love Habu-san. Thank you so much for giving this to me, Naruto.”

They return to the Academy.

Lee walks with them there, and they wave to each other as they go to their respective classrooms.

Kiba runs up to them within seconds of arriving in their new classroom, a beam on his face so bright it could outshine the sun itself.

“Igotmyninkenpartner!!!” He bursts out, practically vibrating with happiness.

She blinks. Looks at Naruto, who shrugs. Looks back at Kiba. “Beg your pardon?”

He groans, cuddling a bundle close to his chest. As she’s looking down at it, it squirms.

“I. Got. My. Ninken. Partner.” He repeats, with exaggerated slowness. “It’s a huge thing for the Inuzuka! We get chosen by a ninken, and they can understand human speech and learn cool ninja moves with us, so when we grow up we’ll be twice as awesome as any other ninja!!”

“What’s a ninken?” Naruto asks as the bundle squirms again—

And a puppy pops out.

“Meet Akamaru!” Kiba says proudly. Akamaru is white with floppy brown ears and big dark eyes and—

“Akamaru.” She says seriously. “You are a very good boy.”

The puppy yips in response and she could die right then and there from happiness.

This year they’re actually moving into the ninja portion of Academy learning.

The new teacher is a white haired man and he has them sit criss-crossed on the floor.

“Chakra is a force found in all living beings, a combination of their spiritual and physical energy, or yin and yang. It is a ninja’s greatest tool, the source of genjutsu and ninjutsu.” He drones on.

Does it run on midochlorians too? A voice in her head that sounds like her past brother’s mocks.

It just all sounds so inaccurate, like a bunch of different ideas mashed together to seem cool.

At least Devil Fruits were somewhat understandable. Eat a weird fruit, it messes with your genetics, you get powers. Much more plausible.

She pokes Naruto awake again and the teacher glares at them. “Today we’ll focus on basic chakra awareness. I want you to meditate and locate your chakra center.”

The classmates around her close their eyes. After an especially sharp glare, she does so too.

It’s warm in the classroom.

It’s noisy outside, and she can feel Naruto’s knee press into her leg.

She focuses on her breathing. It’s almost peaceful, retreating inside herself like this—

There’s something inside her.

It wasn’t there before.

It doesn’t belong in her.

She thinks it doesn’t like that she’s found it.

It’s like forcibly being made aware of blood circulating through your body. Not simply your heart beating, but the friction as the liquid scrapes through your veins, the pain as the breakneck current is divided and divided again, until dead ends send the liquid flying back to where it came from at the same terrifying speed.

“What the shit?!” She gasps out, eyes flying open.

Then she hears what she just said and claps her hands over her mouth as the children around her break into surprised titters.

The teacher glowers. “Ketsugi, go stand in the hall.”

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