#odd nights of ramadan

[piinknour]

[val-cansalute]

Can u do a drabble or hcs on cuddling Ellie?

Ur writing is so good I love everything U write :>

WREATHE

warnings: not much, mostly fluff, basically the rq, mdni with my account tho😏

a/n: IM SO SORRY THIS HAS BEEN IN MY INBOX FOR I KID YOU NOT LIKE HALF A YEAR IM GENUINELY SO SORRY PLEASE FORGIVE ME 😰 thank you so much for sending the rq even though i took the piss responding, also this is a drabble bc i don’t think i’d be good at doing hcs 😭 i have some shit coming up at uni so i prolly won’t put anything out for a while but i have an idea for a new fic in the drafts !!! very excited…

ramadan has started which means israel’s violence against the Palestinian people will worsen as it does every year, purely for the sake of inflicting even more psychological torture on them. please, now more than ever, pray for them if you’re religious, talk about palestine, boycott, protest, strike, donate if you can, contact the people in charge. don’t let people forget. here’s a link to some details on the situation. everybody stay safe 💗.

10:47 - you return from a strenuous day of patrol and odd jobs around Jackson. You’re slightly tipsy, a drink or two from the Tipsy Bison churning a pool of warmth within your stomach.

The place is stagnant when you push the door open, as if coming home to nobody.

Ellie must’ve gone to bed early today.

You drift to the bathroom despite the fact that the house feels apocalyptic, and sit in the gentle rush of water, scrubbing your skin weakly with aching arms.

When you enter your room, everything is still, except for the rhythmic rise and fall of Ellie’s figure beneath the covers on the bed backed against the wall.

You throw the dampened towel that is slung over your shoulder carelessly and walk over to the bed, gently settling beside her.

For a while, you feel content. Sleep is lulling you in, the room is shadowy, the bed is warm, and the sound of Ellie’s deep-sleep-breaths (totally not snores at all, she swears) are soft like TV static in the back of your mind.

Your eyes are on the verge of fluttering close for the last time tonight so you turn onto your side and nestle into the crook of your shoulder.

Then, there’s a harsh jolt and the bed shifts. You can feel Ellie’s puzzled gaze raking over you, the realisation that you’re home setting, and your lips twist into a smile subconsciously. The night rarely ends without the inebriating buzz of affection.

A quiet sigh escapes the enclosure of her blush-pink lips before she reclines into the pillows once more, eyes never leaving the still curvature of your figure. Not a moment passes and her arms encircle your waist, warmth embracing your torso and pressing against your hair like a wreathe of absolute comfort.

A barely audible mumble tickles the helix of your ear,

“Hey, babe,” accompanied by the phantom touch of her lips against your cheeks in her half-asleep state. You scrunch your nose before turning into the love she offers you.

“Hey, Els.”

You begin to mumble butterfly details about the happenings of the day as you feel the surface of her skin raise with goosebumps under the delicate tracing of your fingertips - down her bare thighs, along the round of her hip, along her stomach and under her boobs - easing airy chuckles out of her.

“Whatcha doin’?”

“Hm? Nothin’…”

You can already picture the smirk on her dazed face,

“Ya sure there? You want somethin’, babe?”

A playful scoff and she’s looking at you with feigned shock against the weight of tired eyelids,

“Can’t I feel you? I just wanna be close to you,”

“I’d say we’re pretty close, ya know?”

“Never close enough,” you clarify and the rasp of her laugh fades into silence and she presses a kiss onto your head, and then another, straining her neck till she’s face to flushed and grinning face, stringing a blizzard of soft, dewy kisses across it.

“Alright, alright!”

“One more- mwah,” she smacks her lips against your scrunched up mouth aggressively, leaving a gross patch of saliva, and smiles dumbly to herself, tightening the hold of her arms around you to which you groan.

Tight against her gentle sway, she mutters a quiet confirmation,

“Never close enough,” and then runs the rough pads of her fingertips along the expanse of your skin, lingering a moment on your thighs.

It’s like the rustle of a spring breeze and it draws your eyes to a close.

As you drift further from the surface, you feel the soft tingle of Ellie’s foot nudging your ankle and the distant haze of her voice whispering,

“You sure you don’t want anything, baby?” and you’re asleep.

also, absolutely no one asked for this but here are some pictures of my fat ass cat (cutest patootie evah 😆😆):

[shegatsby]

Ngl I've been thinking about this for awhile, imagine Hannibal Lecter with a Burlesque dancer like in the movie from 2010 with Cher and Christina Aguilera, reader as Ali/Christina would be really cool

A/N; Hi! Thank you for this request, i love that movie so much i sometimes listen to its songs. I had fun writing this. Happy Ramadan!

Words; 1.413K

Warnings; None.

‘’Hey! Y/N!’’ you heard a voice from the director of the show, ‘’It’s your turn now!’’ you looked at your reflection on the mirror for the last time, hair done, nails done, a nice lingerie that had rime stones on it… you were young and sexy and that was enough for your confidence. You’re good at climbing into a huge champagne glass which is filled with water and soup and big sponges and do your number. Years ago when you were a child you grew up watching burlesque dancer and the numbers they did on stage and climbing into a tall glass always entertained you, it was a classic. You were the only one who could do it right in your group, the stage was set, you had two dancers either side of the glass, dancing to the rhythm. When you walked to the stage the spot light found you and your audience started screaming for you, getting good reviews was a part of your every night. You loved the attention, slowly getting rid of your gloves you noticed someone. You knew your regular customers and this man was on the same spot, which was the VIP section, alone, drinking his champagne and admiring you from afar. He never flinched ever and you could tell that he liked dressing up and keeping everything pristine. Most of your regulars loved to send you gifts, mostly flowers, perfumes etc. However, this one never sent you anything, you started to get curious about him and asked your crew, they only knew that he was a psychiatrist and that’s it.

You moved on the stage like delicate swan, so elegant and all of the eyes were on you. As you danced to the rhythm and slowly undressed you felt his burning gaze, you knew that after the show you were going to get lots of presents except from him.

He never made a move. Most of the regular spectators loved to send you drinks and presents after the show but this particular gentleman only occupied his seat at the VIP section every week, drank his champagne, ate his luxurious dish and watched you from afar. ,

Human mind is tricky, the brain loves to focus on that one person who doesn’t have his focus on us.

Nonetheless you were intrigued by him.

Thanks to the help of the dancers on the stage you climbed into the champagne glass, your rime stoned lingerie shining under the spot light. The water was cold just how you liked it. Moving around in the glass, splashing water has always made your audience smile and left them satisfied. Maybe because of the fact that your lingerie was soaked and your damp body shimmered under the lights…

When you were done you were escorted back, it felt so cold so you wore your pink robe, people you work with congratulated you, and you kindly smiled. Before you could open your dressing room’s door and throw yourself on your pink fluffy couch your boss, an old lady with long silver hair and kind blue eyes stopped you, ‘’A gentleman is inside, he has an offer for you.’’ You were puzzled. ‘’Thank you for the heads up.’’ Before you walked in you checked your hair and make-up, and then you walked in.

He was sitting on the pink couch, when you entered and as soon as he saw you he bolted to his feat. ‘’Miss Y/L/N.’’ he addressed you and you smiled. He had a dark grey 3 piece suit which fit him perfectly, he looked odd in this room of pink. He extended his large hand and continued, ‘’It is a pleasure finally meeting you in person.’’ You held his hand and you felt a sudden rush to your  stomach. Why did he have such an impact on you? You noticed the way he emphasized the word ‘’finally’’ he was also aware of you noticing him for weeks. ‘’Please.’’ You gestured him to sit back, you sat across him. The sudden realization hit you, you had your soaking wet lingerie underneath your pink robe. His face didn’t give any clues whatsoever. ‘’Allow me to introduce myself, I am Doctor Hannibal Lecter.’’ You nodded gently, legs crossed. Melodies from the stage floating into the room, in that brief silence you wondered why did your boss allow him inside? It usually never happens.

He must have persuaded the old lady with something… most likely money.

‘’Y/N Y/L/N. At your service.’’ You replied with a soldier tone to break the ice and caught him smirking a bit. His maroon eyes looked into your eyes directly, you felt shiver running down your spine, he was intense. His gaze found the pile of presents resting on the table at the corner of the room, was that annoyance written on his sharp face?

‘’May I ask the reason why you are here Doctor Lecter?’’ you attracted his gaze again, you could feel your palms getting sweaty, his presence made you nervous and you didn’t even know this person.

‘’I would love to hire your service for one of my dinner parties.’’ He bluntly said, he seemed like a guys who would go and get something, a true dominant man. Also the way he used ‘’your service’’ didn’t go unnoticed, he was respectful. His hand went inside his jacket’s pocket to pull out a check book, he wrote something and ripped the page, you were excited when he handed it to you.

When you saw the price you were shocked.

‘’But this is too much-‘’ you said with wide eyes, holding the check as if it is something fragile, ‘’Burlesque is an art and I’m never shy spending money on art.’’ He replied, you could sense the strong undertones. ‘’When is the party?’’

You accepted his offer, this was the first time you went to do a number to someone’s home. He mentioned that his home was enough to bring your essentials. For a week you practiced and practiced. You felt like you needed to make him proud, even though he paid you and this was your job you just wanted to be perfect at it and have a good time.

He didn’t lie, his home was like a castle, more than enough for your show. You were ready and also small group of your dancers were ready too, everything was set.

Dancing so close to the audience didn’t make you nervous at all, you felt alive, the music felt like it was running through your veins, you were one with it. You could feel the public’s eyes were on you in an awe of your art, the energy was immaculate. You could also see the host of the party, Doctor Lecter, holding his drink in one hand, the other in his pocket, his maroon gaze focused on you and only you. Almost predatory.

The champagne glass act made the audience sigh in excitement, it seemed like this was the first time they experience this and it feed your soul.

After the show you went upstairs to change because Doctor Lecter wanted to introduce you to his guests. You were touching on your make up when someone knocked on your door.

‘’Come in.’’

It was Lecter himself. ‘’You are a vision.’’ He said leaning on the door, you smiled. ‘’I have a gift for you.’’ He walked towards you, ‘’You didn’t have to Doctor Lecter.’’ You said when he opened the velvet box he was holding, a golden necklace was in that box, 24 karat you assumed. ‘’Please,’’ he said, ‘’Hannibal.’’

‘’Hannibal you already paid more than the actual price and this…’’ you were blushing, ‘’I’ve wanted to give you this for so long,’’ he confessed, ‘’but I was waiting for the right time.’’ You watched him place the necklace on you through the mirror, both of his hands found their place on your shoulders, he knelt and he planted a soft kiss on your cheek, he turned to the mirror to see your face and lock eyes.

‘’Looks good on you.’’ He said, you touched the necklace, ‘’Thank you, you are so generous.’’ His aura was heavy, his manly cologne filled your nostrils. You were intoxicated, it was wrong, he was your employer. ‘’I hope we will be more close from this night on.’’

You could feel your heart racing, was this a some kind of proposal? Only time would tell. Hand in hand you left the room to mingle.

[poppadom0912]

Her father's daughter

Warnings: Kidnapping, crying, canon-typical injuries, blood

Summary: When all is well, someone just has to barge in and ruin Will and Faith's lives.

A/N: Soo, I am back more than a month later. I didn't mean to disappear for so long... It will happen again i am sorry. This Ramadan has come with more work and I have exams in two weeks that i refuse to fail. I will most likely return at the end of april/beginning of May.

i've been thinking about writing this for a while because of how much I love Faith but I didn't want to hurt her but then I thought, no one can turn down some good old angst. Sorry again for being mia for nearly another month but randomly wrote this all in one sitting after doing some psychology and having an existential crisis soooo. This is going to be a little longer than usual, happy reading!!

Will was at work when it happened.

He was getting ready to assist Connor in a surgery when he got a call as they were scrubbing in.

The part-time nanny he hired was now basically considered family over the two years she'd been looking after Faith whenever she wasn't in school and Will was at work. So to have her calling him at work was odd but when he answered her call and was immediately met with tears and gasping and hyperventilating, Will felt his heart stop.

Will wasted no time. simply telling her he was on his way before hanging up.

Connor, without hesitation, encouraged Will to leave, saying he'd find Goodwin and tell her himself.

As soon as Will was in his car, the first person he called was a no brainer.

Whenever Will called, Jay would always come running, day or night for his older brother and niece, consequences be damned.

Will found himself struggling when Jay answered, grappling for words he couldn't muster.

"What's wrong Will?"

"Faith's gone Jay... Someone's taken her."

*****

The brothers met up at Faith's school, Will arriving before Jay.

The second Will got there, Allison, the nanny, found him instantly. She ran up to him in tears, hysterically crying as if it was her own child that was taken.

"Will I'm so sorry." She gasped, on the edge of a panic attack, eyes impossibly red as she hyperventilated, tears showing no sign of stopping any time soon.

"They- Reception said a woman picked her up in Maggie's name three hours ago-" She cut herself off with a sob. Poor women was a mess, seeing her so distraught made Will want to cry along with her.

"Allison, please listen." Will said sternly, holding her shoulder so she would pay attention to him. "None of this is your fault, okay? If it wasn't for you, it would've been another two hours before someone found out."

She exhaled shakily, nodding fervently when Will pressed her to stop apologising and accept she was at no fault, there was no reason for her to take any blame.

Before either could say anything more, the sound of sirens scared them, making both of them jump at the sudden loud sound.

At the sight of familiar cars, Will wasn't too sure if he felt relief or impending doom.

"Intelligence Will need to take a statement but after that you can go home." Will told Allison, squeezing her bicep with a timid smile for reassurance.

"As soon as they find Faith, you'll be the first to know, I promise."

*****

Jay was struggling to concentrate on the CCTV footage him and Adam were meant to be watching.

He could say with 100 percent confidence the he never thought he'd find himself in such a situation.

intelligence have been involved with numerous kidnappings. So many in fact that it was usually what they would be expecting to be called in for every day.

But, this was his niece's kidnapping. This wasn't the norm for him let alone the rest of them. A five year olds kidnapping was something they'd never want to deal with, especially someone who was family.

"Here it is." Adam said, clicking the mouse a few more times before settling on a frame, the scene being the reception of Faith's school.

Shaking any deprecating thoughts away, Jay pushed his chair forward, looking closely and minimising his blinks as to not miss a single second of valuable footage. Footage that would show the final moments of Faith being alive and safe.

The halls were empty for the most of it, bar the occasional janitor or teacher walking by. Two minutes passed when a woman in a black trench coat walked up to the desk. Her brown hair obscuring her face from the camera's view along with the thick scarf wrapped around her neck.

She spoke to the receptionist, signing a sheet of paper before a lady walked away, soon returning with a small familiar bundle.

Faith was in her little purple puffer jacket, bobble hat covering her ears and mitten on her little hands. She wore little winter boots, her my little pony backpack sat nicely on her shoulders and Will's old scarf held in her hands. Unconsciously, Jay thought about how she always complained about the itchiness of the scarf that Will would always wrap around her masterfully, his method luring out the most wonderful sound to mankind; Faith's laughter.

Faith looked perfect, just like her fathers carbon copy and even from the shitty camera footage, Jay could see the pep in her step and the twinkle that never extinguished from her eyes.

Jay's thoughts trailed back to earlier this morning when he was still fast asleep in bed but his brother had messaged him, sending him a picture of Faith in all her adorableness. Nothing had changed from that picture and it warmed his heart slightly.

Usually, whoever picked her up was met with the biggest hello, the widest smile and incessant talking and she retold the adventures of her day but this time, Faith's steps faltered at the sight of the stranger.

Jay struggled to watch the rest.

*****

All Will could hear was his baby girls cries echoing in his ears.

He'd heard her cry plentiful, he raised her since birth for goodness sakes but this cry was different. It was like he could hear just how scared she was and it felt like a literal stab in the heart.

Will forced Allison home twenty minutes ago after Hailey took her statement and was told everything. She was still very torn and upset, she refused to leave Will for several reasons but before she started blaming herself again, Will forced her to leave, promising once again to call her later.

Jay had shown Will the footage of the woman who never showed her face, maybe there was some chance Will could recognise the back of her. Somehow, she knew the exact school Faith went to as well as knowing the list of very few people that were allowed to pick her up. The list consisted of Will obviously, Jay, Allison and Maggie.

Somehow, whoever this person was, they knew who was on the emergency contact list, information that only the school and said people were privy to.

That small bit of information made Will want to be sick.

They had tried other means to try identify the woman but they were coming up with nothing. Another hour had passed, now being give hours since Faith had been taken and Will was slowly losing the plot.

"I've contacted a bunch on my CI's." Jay said, face set in stone as he finished presenting. "Still waiting to hear back."

"I have several CI's in that area." Antonio added, Kevin nodding to also confirm. "Waiting for a call any time now."

Voight hummed, giving no indication of what he was thinking or feeling. But not too long ago, he had taken Will aside and promised they would bring Faith back to him, no matter the cost.

No matter the cost. Ethically, Will wasn't too sure what to feel but emotionally, he felt relieved.

Will must've zoned out for a bit because the next thing he knew, only him, Jay and Antonio remained in the bullpen. Everyone else seemingly disappeared.

Wow, he really needed to fix up.

"Hey, how are you-"

Just as Jay opened his mouth, he was cut off by a phone ringing.

*****

Jay wasn't allowed to accompany Antonio to his CI, instead taking Kevin with him. The Latino was never once persuaded by Jay, even when he promised to stay in the car.

The sun was now starting to set and there was a clear shift in the atmosphere as the sky grew darker. To ease broth his own and his brothers fears, Jay sat with Will, sitting together in a silence neither could stand.

This was an uncommon occurrence since Will had returned from New York, the two brothers being alone together. Since coming back, it had always been the three of them. So to be in this moment, both Halstead's would rather die than to have to repeat this again.

"You want a coffee?" Jay asked, eyeing up the half empty coffee pot. At the rate this investigation was going, they'd be needing more than just coffee to help them stay up.

"Sure." Will hadn't meant for his answers to be monosyllabic, Jay had done nothing but right now, he had not much left in him to continue being so forth coming.

The silence enveloping their space, Will usually relished in any moments of silence he could get but this was just uncomfortable. Never did he ever want his little girl to be causing such a ruckus.

"Maggie called me back." Will said, watching Jays' back, following his actions as he made both their coffee's. "She doesn't recognise the woman nor has she told anyone outside the ED's staff about Faith - that's all people I know and none of them know that woman."

Jay hummed as he stirred the tiniest bit of sugar when his tasted a little too bitter for his liking. "That's good but it does mean we have even less of an idea as to who this is."

Will didn't reply, only mumbling a small thanks as he took the mug from Jay's outstretched hand and sipping the lukewarm drink.

"Have you butted heads with anyone at work recently?" Jay asked, knowing his brothers stubbornness very well.

"No." Will rolled his eyes. "I've been under Goodwin's strong scrutiny after the last stunt. Go ask anyone, I've been good."

And for a second, nothing felt as heavy but such a feeling didn't last.

"Antonio and Kevin are back." Trudy suddenly appeared in the doorway of the breakroom causing both of them to flinch. "Go see them downstairs."

*****

"My CI works in a restaurant. When I reached out, his story matched up with ours." Antonio started, standing tall besides the computer screen where Kevin was trying to connect it to the USB they were given.

"At the same time Will called us, a different woman came and ordered a takeaway with a kid he said looks a lot like Faith."

Will felt his heart rate picking up the more Antonio spoke. Hearing all of this felt like a fever dream, he didn't want to get his hopes up just in case they reached another dead end.

The camera footage started to play, Kevin skipping it when nothing was happening, only to abruptly replay it when someone walked in.

All they could see was the back of the woman, her black hair in a braid, scarf wrapped around her neck with a long jacket on. As Will's eyes studied the stranger, he followed her outstretched arm to-

Faith

Will's breath hitched at the sight of his little girl who hadn't seen since the early hours of the morning when he dropped her off to school. He held his breath, watching closely to see if a single hair was misplaced on her body or to try and see what she was feeling from either her scrunched up eyebrows or her quivering lips.

But he couldn't see anything.

The woman went to the counter, ordered her food and stood there for however long it took for the food to be made. Only when she was handed a carrier bag with several containers did she finally turn around and show her face.

Will's face paled in recognition instantly.

"What's wrong Will?" Jay noticed his change immediately, his question causing everyone in the room to turn and look at him. "Do you recognise her?"

Will swallowed harshly, blinking repeatedly to bring himself out of shock.

"Yeah, it's Faith's mum."

*****

With this newfound information, it didn't take Intelligence long to track her down.

Stephanie Brooks, 'Steph' was what she insisted everyone call her. For just over a year, she was Will's girlfriend and as of five years ago, she was Faiths absent mother.

Ever since that night five years ago, Will never thought he'd see his ex again but here he was, sitting in the back of his brothers truck as he waited for Intelligence to get his daughter back.

Once they had her name, they found the car she had under her name in Chicago and the place she was renting out as of three months ago. Three months of which she had been watching them under a microscope.

Will actually had to go be sick in the toilet when Kim turned around with all of Stephanie's activities since she arrived in Chicago, all of which suspiciously looked very familiar and aligned with everything he and Faith did recently.

That aside, all Will had to do now was wait.

Jay and Kevin stood in front, Kevin ready to kick the door down before Jay could go in first. All they were waiting for was for Voight's signal.

"Now!"

Within seconds, they were all entering the bungalow, guns out and pointed in any direction, covering all corners as they searched for Stephanie.

"Clear!"

"Clear!"

They all went separate directions, covering every room in search of any life and soon enough, they found their culprit.

She screamed.

"Stephanie Brooks, your under arrest..." Adam went on, reciting the words they all had memorised for years now, his gun lowered slightly as Antonio went forward to handcuff her.

"What, no! You're crazy!" She shouted, struggling against Antonio's grip. Despite the cheap bungalow she rented, she was dressed as if ready for a night out. Her hair was curled, makeup perfect, heels and a tight fitted dress on.

"Kidnapping?" She scoffed, continuing to struggle as she was forced onto her feet. "She's my child, my daughter!"

"You can't take her from me." She told them, getting more riled up when she saw Adam rolling his eyes at her. "I want my lawyer, you have no right to take my daughter from me."

On the other side of the bungalow, Jay heard nothing but thundering in his ears as he frantically looked up and down for his niece. Nearly every room had been covered and they hadn't found her yet-

Jay felt his heart break the second Faith was in his sight.

He found her stuffed in the bathtub shivering. He had to kick down the door, finding her with zip ties around her wrists and ankles, sat in the bathtub with on her knickers and vest on.

Faith started crying.

Without another thought, Jay dropped his gun and rushed forward, kneeling at the edge of the bathtub before picking her up and dropping her into his lap.

"Oh Faith." Jay sighed, wrapping his arms around her as she curled into him. "It's okay, your safe, Jay Jay's got you now."

As sobs racked her little body, Jay took out his knife and carefully cut the zip ties off. As soon as the were chucked to the side, she wrapped her arms as far as they could around his torso.

Standing up, Jay took strides out the bathroom and made his way outside. Hailey found him on the way, taking her scarf off with Kim not too far behind taking her jacket off.

Both garments swaddled Faith, protecting her bare limbs from the torturous snow but she continued to shiver.

Jay felt himself breathing easier with her in his arms but Will was firmly on his mind.

Only a metre away from the premises did Jay find Will who was already bounding towards them.

"Faith, look." Jay gently poked her, watching her carefully pick her head up and turn in the direction Jay was pointing.

The cry she let out, it would forever haunt him.

"Faith."

Jay handed her over to his older brother who's arms encased her small body. Will dipped his face in her hair, inhaling the comforting smell that he never wanted to forget.

"Oh baby. It's okay, it's okay." Will repeated as she sobbed, showing no signs of stopping any time soon. "Daddy's got you."

Will pressed several kisses wherever he could: in her hair, her forehead, her ear poking out from her curls, her cheek anywhere. His arms tightened in their embrace and if it wasn't for Jay who was supporting him, he would fallen into the snow as soon as he lost all feeling in his legs.

Will could barely hear his own thoughts over Faith's gut wrenching cries. Somehow, her tears weren't running dry. To see her in such a state but to have her back and safe with him, Will finally let his emotions get the better of him.

He sniffled, hiding his face in her wild curls he always struggled to tame, his tears dropping like rain but his cries were muffled. Screwing his eyes shut, he tried to even out his breathing, Jay's hand on his back comfortingly rubbing circles kept him somewhat sane.

"We're driving to Med." Jay told him, directing the father-daughter duo towards his truck.

Sitting in the back, the outside world no longer existed, his entire universe was sat in his lap. Will had lost track of time, she had been continuously crying but Faith was silent now as she was knocked out, crying herself to sleep, that's how tired she was. All he could hear was the occasional soft snore, but he could feel everything from her rising chest against his own, her curls that needed to be brushed, her skin that was slowly warming up from both his own body heat and the garments wrapped around her and the tears that were drying on his shirt.

Will felt like he could finally start to relax.

*****

Faith remained in Will's arms at Med, even when he woke her up, neither of them made any move of letting go.

As soon as they got to the hospital, Will was surrounded by all his colleagues, all riddled with stress that was slowly disappearing when they saw Faith.

Currently, Natalie was doing the standard tests, letting Will do all the convincing which wasn't a lot. As soon as he asked, Faith complied.

"I'll go grab some heating blankets." Natalie said, stepping back as she finished off. "I'll make sure to put a rush on these."

"Thanks Nat." Will said, letting Faith curl back into his embrace.

"It's no problem." She smiled, her eyes looking down at the little girl, the sight of father and daughter making her think of Owen. "We're all just glad she's safe and mostly unharmed."

Will tried not to think of the scrapes and clotting up scabs that littered her body. He hadn't seen any of them till they got to Med, his chest restricting to know she had been hurt and he wasn't there to relieve her of the pain.

"Thank Ethan for me." Will added when Natalie was about to leave. "Faith loves the my little pony band aids."

And with that, they were left alone for the first time surrounded by the muffled sounds of the bustling department and the occasional beeps of machinery and the faint drips of the iv.

Despite being a doctor for years, Will found it difficult to see the iv needle in Faith. To have two worlds collide, Will would never wish this upon any parent.

Small pokes to his collarbone caught his attention, Faith poking it ever so gently as she stared up at him imploringly with the widest eyes that still glistened, their colour identical to the woman who was going behind bars.

"Missed you." She whispered, voice breaking towards the end. It was the first time she had spoken since she found her and the two words made his eyes water.

"I missed you too. Missed you so much baby." Will replied, tucking her hair behind her ears so he could see her whole face. "I'm so sorry baby. Daddy loves you so much."

A smile appeared on her cherry lips, her dimples not too far behind. Seeing them made it feel like nothing was wrong with the world and only the two of them mattered.

"Home?" She asked, her voice filled with so much innocence and hope that Will has to give himself some time before replying.

"Not yet, I'm sorry bubbles." He apologised, rubbing circles into her back. "Jay Jay still needs to come back and Maggie needs to bring you some medicine. She might even ask you to sleepover."

For once, Will was glad she was so eager to stay at his workplace. She had such wonderment surrounding his job, the thought of sleeping over at his work was almost a dream come true.

To finally see her mood pick up, her eyes glistening now with newfound happiness at the prospect of a sleepover, unaware of the connotations it had, Will allowed himself to feel good.

For now, all that mattered was that his daughter was rightfully back with her father and surrounded by family that would do anything for her.

[julaibib]

The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:

“Search for the Night of Decree in the odd nights among the last ten nights of Ramadan.”

Source: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 2017, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 1169

[sabrgirl]

ramadan series: the last 10 nights (laylatul qadr)

the last 10 days of ramadan are among us in which one of the odd nights will be Laylatul Qadr - "the night of destiny is better than a thousand months" (97:4)

it is important to maximise as much of these nights as possible as: 1000 months = 83 years 1 hour is better than 9.8 years 1 minute is better than 58 days 1 second is better than 23 hours, subhanallah.

here are some tips on how to maximise Laylatul Qadr:

pray voluntary prayers every night pray taraweeh and tahajjud every night. do not just pray on the odd nights, try and pray on all of the 10 nights to reap the full rewards

recite this du'a: Allahumma innaka 'afuwwun, tuhibbul afwa, fa'fu anni (O Allah, You are forgiving, and You love forgiveness, so forgive me) (narrated by Aisha RA - Sunan Ibn Majah 3850)

prepare a list of du'as you intend to make sometimes we can forget to make specific du'as when it is time to pray so having a list that you can look at before each prayer can help

give charity and recite the Qur'an every night good deeds are rewarded as though you have done it for 83 years

wake up your family the Holy Prophet ﷺ would make sure that his family is awake to participate to reap the rewards too - follow the sunnah

limit distractions get off of social media/tv/games etc and make use of the night. we do not know if we will make it to the next ramadan so maximise these 10 nights to the best of your ability and remain in worship.

dhikr and du'as outside of prayers remain in the remembrance of Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ even when your prayers and voluntary prayers are done to please Him. recite istighfar and send blessings upon the Holy Prophet ﷺ too.

[wrappedinamysteryy]

Six Signs of Laylatul Qadr

1. Night is Pleasant Neither Hot nor Cold

The Prophet PBUH said: "Laylat al-Qadr is a pleasant night, neither hot nor cold" [Sahih Ibn Khuzaymah 2192, Sahih]

The Prophet PBUH said: “The weather is calm" [Musnad Ahmad 22765, Hasan]

2. No Meteors are visible

“And no meteors are visible until the morning" [Musnad Ahmad 22765, Hasan]

3. Clear Bright Night with No Clouds

The Prophet PBUH said: “The signs for Lailatul Qadr are that it is a clear bright (night)" [Musnad Ahmad 22765, Hasan]

4. Moon is Bright and in the shape of a Bowl

The Prophet PBUH said: “In which the moon is bright" [Musnad Ahmad 22765, Hasan]

The Prophet PBUH said: "Who among you remembers when the moon rose looking like part of a bowl?" [Muslim 2779]

5. Sun rises dull having no Rays

The Prophet PBUH said: "The sun rises on the day after it like a shield, having no rays until it has risen" [Abu Dawud 1378, Sahih]

The Prophet PBUH said: "And the sun on the following day rises without any rays like the moon on that night" [Musnad Ahmad 22765, Hasan]

The Prophet PBUH said: "And the following day the sun rises red and weak" [Sahih Ibn Khuzaymah 2192, Sahih]

6. Small scatter shower during Fajr Prayer

The Prophet PBUH said: "It is in the odd nights of the last ten nights. I saw in my dream that I was prostrating in mud and water". Narrator said: 'At that time the sky was clear and no cloud was visible, but suddenly a cloud came and it rained. The Prophet led us in the Salat (prayer) and I saw the traces of mud on the forehead and on the nose of Allah's Messenger, So it was the confirmation of that dream' [Bukhari 813]

Shaykh Abdul-'Aziz b. Baz (رحمة الله):

"Whosoever establishes worship in all of the last ten nights (of Ramadan) will attain (the reward of) Laylatul Qadr."

📚: Majmu' al-Fatawa 15/430

اللهم بلغنا ليلة القدر . آمين ✨

[shifa-ameen]

During the odd nights of Ramadan, also pray for the “common sense” of Muslim nations.

[allieebobo]

heyy! first of all i LOVE your writing so much (actually obsessed), rayyan is on my mind 24/7 and somehow deepal ended up being my favourite character even though they're not an ro lmaoo

anyway i was just curious about some aspects of rayyan's religion, especially as a queer hijabi muslim with really conservative parents myself. i know you've answered asks about her sexuality before, but i was wondering what hijab means to rayyan? like, when does she wear it, does she consider it mandatory, etc

sorry if you've already answered another ask like this, have a great day / night <3

Hi! Aww thank you so much!!

Yes this is a great question that has been asked before, and I'd like to give a relatively detailed, but work-in-progress answer now, and invite thoughts, inputs feedback etc. from Muslim readers! This answer goes for f!Rayyan regarding the hijab, but both genders for the portion of religion.

Rayyan's relationship with Islam/religion in general is complex. They grew up doing everything they're meant to do - pray, fast during Ramadan, abstain from alcohol, go to the mosque etc. But as they've grown older they've come to see their relationship with these practices and festivities as more about culture and family and community than about personal belief.

Furthermore, as they slowly begin to come to terms with their queerness, which places them somewhat at odds with some more conservative beliefs, I think it's reasonable to say that Rayyan is... still in an ongoing process of figuring out where they stand and what they believe.

That said, even while in Egypt (bearing in mind Rayyan was not too old when they move to America), their family belonged to a slightly more middle-class, educated, more Liberal-leaning segment of Muslim Egyptians, and based on my research: while wearing hijab is still mostly an expectation for women, there are apparently a significant number of Egyptian women who do not wear a hijab outside and especially during sports.

I'd say Rayyan is far more conservative in their dressing when they're home with family; in college they wear the hijab on social occasions, but not when they are playing tennis, and typically cover most of their skin / avoids immodest wear (though this is also a personal preference/style choice).

Before I end off, I also wanted to share some pics also of some of my fave Egyptian squash players (Egypt absolutely crushes at squash, by the way, it'a fascinating!)

From left to right: Nouran Gohar (currently world No. 3), Hania El Hammammy (current world No. 2), Nour El Serbini (current world No. 1) and my personal fave, Raneem El Weleily (former world No. 1, retired).

And also in spirit of Eid, thought it would be cool to share a video documentary short video on professional squash players fasting over Ramadan, which I could imagine Rayyan doing!

https://youtu.be/QrJDpVSVvLQ?si=seFQ-DAS3LTn_v63

[39mmn]

Final Nights of Ramadan (poem) by Ibn Rajab Al Hanbali (رحمه الله)

The years have past so carelessly and in jest and in loss

How much have I lost from what I spent in the days throughout my life

What do I have to say about my loss in my life, is there any excuse?

How much have we been heedless of the duty of praise and gratefulness [to Allah

Did Allah not choose us for a special month, and what a month it sure is

A month in which Ar-Rahman revealed the best of all speech

Is it like any month? in it is the Night of Decree

How many narrations have come authentic about the reward in that night

We have been informed through the trustworthy that's it is to be sought on the odd nights

Glad tidings to the one who seeks it in the last ten nights

In it the Angels descend with light and with mercy

And he [Allah] has said {Peace it is until the rise of dawn} [Al-Qadr:57]

So secure it, indeed it is from the most precious of those things saved

How many are freed in it from the fire yet they don't know.

[notetaeker]

April 5, 2024 - Friday | Ramadan Challenge 26/30

I’m on 2 gift committees and honestly it’s so much work and so much time spent looking at product descriptions 😵‍💫 but the stuff I ended up picking out ended up being so cute (pearl hair clips!) super excited for everyone to receive them 💕 In other news, today was the minor earthquake in ny 😰 Allah saved us.

Day 26: Your Laylatul-Qadr worship routine! Dhikr? Dua? Salah? Usually I do multiple rotations of all three. This year I wasn't able to stay up every odd night so my routine was salah, dua, and then dhikr till I fell asleep, and then if I was able to wake up again then I focused on salah and reading qur'an.

[wordofprophet]

Signs of Laylatul Qadr (The Night of Power) 1) It is a Peaceful Night. (Surah Al-Qadr, verse 5) 2) The Moon Looks Like a Piece of a Plate. (Sahih Muslim, 1170) 3) Find Laylatul Qadr In the Last Odd Nights (Sahih al-Bukhari, 2023) 4) There is a Possibility of Rain. (Al-Bukhari, 813) 5) Sunrise with no rays the Next Morning (Sahih Muslim 762a) #laylatalqadr #laylatulqadr #lailatulqadar #lailathulqadr #ramadan #ramadanmubarak #islamicvideo #islamicreminder #islamicstatus #islamicchannel #islamicreminders #islamicreels #muslimreminders #ramadanreminders #dua #dhikr

[speck-ofdust]

Narrated `Aisha رضي الله عنها:

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "Search for the Night of Qadr in the odd nights of the last ten days of Ramadan."

—Sahih al-Bukhari, Book 32, Hadith 4

[howtomuslim]

"Search for the Night of Qadr in the odd nights of the last ten days of Ramadan."

🌙 Assalamualaikum everyone! 🌙

As we enter the final third of Ramadan, let's take a moment to reflect on our journey thus far. We've prayed, we've fasted, and worshipped in so many ways. Let's end off this month on a high inshaAllah!

We are now approaching the most blessed nights of the year, with the potential for 🌟 Laylat al-Qadr 🌟, a night better than a thousand months! SubhanAllah, what an incredible opportunity for us to multiply our deeds and rewards.💪

🌌The Prophet ﷺ said:

"Search for the Night of Qadr in the odd nights of the last ten days of Ramadan."

(Bukhari 2017)

🤲And an especially powerful dua to say in this time is the beautiful supplication taught by the Prophet ﷺ to Aisha رضي الله عنه :

"Allahumma innaka 'afuwwun tuhibbul 'afwa fa'fu anni" (O Allah, You are All-Forgiving, and You love forgiveness, so forgive me). (Tirmidhi 3513)

Our purpose in life is to worship Allah, so if there was any time to really hustle, it’s this. Let's make the most of these precious nights inshaAllah. May Allah accept our prayers and grant us forgiveness and His pleasure Ameen. 🤲

[stumpyjoepete]

I'm watching a Chinese person's travelogue video about visiting 沙甸村, a village in Yunnan that is almost entirely (Hui) Muslim. I just got a midroll ad that was targeted at Muslims, and it was offering an, uh, interesting service?

So, apparently there's something called Laylat al-Qadr, the night when the first verses of the Quran were revealed to Muhammad. And it's so holy that all your good deeds are multiplied a thousandfold on that night (and that night only, limited time offer, get it while it's hot).

Except Muslims don't agree on what date it is? Oops? It's during Ramadan, and maybe it's in the last ten days, and maybe it's on an odd day, and maybe it's the second to last of those, or maybe it's especially likely if it happens to be Friday that year? Or who knows?

Anyhow, this website offers the service of automating your donations to charitable causes to be distributed across the last 10 days of Ramadan, and you can optionally add multipliers for the odd days and the second to last one. Delightful.

[yjhariani]

Omw imagine Simon seeing reader wake up at like 3 or 4 o'clock for suhoor and fajr for his fist Ramadan and then reading quraan most of the day etc etc and then reader still pulls all nighters for Laylatul qadr and she trys to make him stay awake too and he came back from a mission recently and he's dying trying to survive 😭😭

Sorry for only writing half the prompt, btw.

Usually, Simon would be surprised if he arrived at home at three in the morning and found you awake. This time, he found you cooking in the kitchen. 

You were by the counter, a cutting board in front of you and a kitchen knife in your hand. You looked cautious when Simon presented himself. However, you soon exhaled in relief when you realised it was him.

“I’m home,” Simon simply said.

“I thought you’re someone breaking into the house or something,” you admitted.

By now, Simon had arrived very close to you and wrapped his arms around you from behind. Following that were kisses scattered on your cheek.

“Sit,” you said. “Food should be ready soon. We’ll have plenty of time to eat before fajr.”

Simon had promised that he would be home before eid and that he would participate this Ramadan. That was why he was determined to finish his latest mission as soon as possible and accomplished said intention. So far, he tried. Going to work that involved violence did not seem to go well with the practice and purpose of Ramadan.

Now that Simon was home and had you by his side for approximately the last two weeks of Ramadan, he believed that he could do it. If it was not for himself, then for you. 

“You arrived at the best time,” you informed. “Tonight’s the peak of Ramadan.”

“Yeah?” Simon replied. “How so?”

“Well, centuries ago, tonight, the first word of the Quran was descended to the prophet Muhammad. It says ‘Read’,” you said. “The seventeenth of Ramadan.”

“It’s a celebration?” Simon asked.

“Kind of,” you lifted your shoulders. “Whatever goodness you’re doing today, tonight, and all the odd night for the rest of Ramadan will be returned to you multiple times over.”

Simon hummed in understanding. He moved to stand next to you now. He leaned his back against the counter.

“What kind of goodness are you planning to do?” Simon continued.

“I think I’m just gonna read the Quran today. Pray. That’s what this is all about anyway,” you said. “You don’t… have to do anything I’m doing. I’m sure you’re tired and it’s probably better if you rest.”

Regardless of what you said, it would really be nice to have someone who would do all your routine with.

For a moment, Simon only looked at you.

“You really want me to do this with you, don’t you?” Simon said.

Your response was to look at him and smile.

“I’ll do it with you. Every single thing,” Simon stated. “Though I might need the translation of the book.”

"Let's see if you'd survive it," you said.