#summer days as a kid cosying up in my bed with a book

[dreamerwriternstargazer]

Something I’m trying to not freak out so much over is not having 100% productivity

Today’s my only free day of the week. Friday is too but I still have to go to therapy and stuff

And I only work a little on Wednesday and Thursday sure but there’s a lot more outside the class work to get done now as well as housework so it still feels exhausting

And I was feeling rubbish for, after sleeping in a bit and cleaning, lying down and scrolling for like an hour. But I don’t think I really needed to

I’m not such a huge fan of the scrolling habit but it is just something to fill empty space and I knew why I was doing it; my head was hurting and still in a little turmoil from nightmares. I didn’t want to think I just wanted to rest

The bit I’m pleased with is I realised I don’t like doing this, what would actually be restful? I decided to try to nap. Only my brain wasn’t quite okay with sleeping, but lying down on a sunny day all cosy, hearing the breeze outside the window? So inviting, so I just let myself lie down for an hour or so.

I think the productive part of me still wants to kick myself for “wasting” 2 hours. In the past I wouldn’t have allowed myself the rest though, what I would have done was scroll for an hour and then realise, feel guilty, force myself to try to work but not feeling rested at all, and probably gotten less work done feeling antsy.

I do think the scrolling is a bit of a waste but what I’m glad about is recognising hey this isn’t actually what my brain wants right now. I think I might try asking myself that a bit more when I start to, so then I can actually figure out what my brain does want.

But as for the not-nap (I mean it felt quite dream like, like I was awake but just very rested lying there so… *shrugs* a not-nap sounds like the best descriptor) that’s quite unusual for me and something I would absolutely have never done before, I mean it’s still kind of rare for me to take naps now I’ve only been doing it since burning out.

You know though? It felt really good. And I got up and my head still felt off so I decided a shower would be good and I feel a lot better now. Sometimes it takes a bit of self care effort to figure out how upset or exhausted your body is, to remember how good used to feel.

I still feel a little bothered by it, so that’s why I’m writing this, I’m hoping once I’ve written this then I can try to implement that scroll question and to maybe relax a little let myself feel happy and cared for and to appreciate the rest I gave myself.

And it’s a little crazy right, like beating myself up over my rest day, this is my rest day, but I often don’t see it as that. I think I’ve known for ages you can’t work at 100% all the time every time but I’ve not actually allowed myself learn it. All I can usually think is how I could be so productive on a free day, kind of missing the point.

Learning it now and it feels weird but it also feels very nice

And yes I do have a whole lot to do but honestly right now, I’m feeling way better and more capable of actually getting those tasks done in good time instead of feeling rubbish and reluctantly and slowly getting them down and probably cutting into my bedtime to get them done because I made some goal for myself. There’s totally a time for pushing yourself and the point is that because I gave myself this rest, I can probably push myself now for the rest of the day to get some studying done, to cook dinner, to get my laundry sorted and some teaching admin done. Normally that list feels too big when I’m burnt out and even if I have the whole day I only get two done, I can only mentally prepare doing two. Studying and dinner.

Right now I feel like.. okay yeah this day wasn’t 100% productive, but I think I can make it 50% productive at least. And that alongside the calm I’m feeling?

That feels pretty good.

[janeeyreheresy]

A Happy Ending or An Unreliable Narrator?

Was the ending truly a happy one--or is Jane lying to us?

Let's take a look: Jane Eyre ("I am no bird no net ensnares me") married her much older former master, who, due to his limited use of limbs and visual impairment, requires care. We know there's no hired carer, because Jane explicitly says she was the one who looked after him (hence why she had to send Adele to school) and also, as I noted in my recap post, it's not likely they'd be able to hire anyone. They've got no room for a live-in staff and a live-out one won't be able to make their daily way to Ferndean, which is located away from habitable civilisation.

Ferndean Manor, we are told, is not in a good state. We are told that Rochester didn't move Bertha there because the damp walls would eventually result in her death. This is the house where the Rochesters now live. Jane, however, tells us nothing about any repairs being done. Neither does she mention any decorating, purchasing furniture, wallpaper, carpets, curtains, pictures on the walls--zilch. She got a lot of pleasure out of cleaning Moor House in time for Christmas (shortly after she discovered she and the Riverses were cousins). Just look at this:

“My first aim will be to clean down (do you comprehend the full force of the expression?)—to clean down Moor House from chamber to cellar; my next to rub it up with bees-wax, oil, and an indefinite number of cloths, till it glitters again; my third, to arrange every chair, table, bed, carpet, with mathematical precision; afterwards I shall go near to ruin you in coals and peat to keep up good fires in every room; and lastly, the two days preceding that on which your sisters are expected will be devoted by Hannah and me to such a beating of eggs, sorting of currants, grating of spices, compounding of Christmas cakes, chopping up of materials for mince-pies, and solemnising of other culinary rites, as words can convey but an inadequate notion of to the uninitiated like you. My purpose, in short, is to have all things in an absolutely perfect state of readiness for Diana and Mary before next Thursday; and my ambition is to give them a beau-ideal of a welcome when they come.”

This one paragraph contains more home cosiness than the entire last chapter. The "I have now been married ten years" paragraph may be very poetic, but it tells us nothing. She was his eyes, then he regained some sight, so he can pretty much move about by himself. She says they visit Diana and Mary, but that's all. Nothing else about how they spend their time, the long summer days or the long winter nights.

And then, that "when his first-born was put into his arms" line. Even Katniss Everdeen isn't this cold about her kids, and she didn't want any. She only had them because Peeta talked her into it. There's nothing in the book that would indicate whether Jane wanted children, but neither is there anything that would indicate she didn't want them. Presumably she did, married life would have meant kids (unless, idk, they lived sexlessly, or there was birth control). She only mentions how Rochester felt about the kid ("On that occasion, he again, with a full heart, acknowledged that God had tempered judgment with mercy."), not her. It's baffling.

Lastly, the final words are dedicated to St John. Why? She receives his letter from India, in which he tells her he feels death coming. She gets tears in her eyes. Does she wish she married him instead?

Of course, that would not have been a better option than marrying Rochester in any way, but she may have thought the grass was greener in St John-landia.

So to sum it up, there's certainly an argument against it being a happy ending. Take it any way you wish.

Personally I don't care. I actually think she was, indeed, happy. I may not see caring for a spouse in a dump like Ferndean in Bumfuck Nowhere a happy ending, but that's me. Jane, however, does. This is a woman with a very limited worldview, who has never been anywhere and not met many people, who fell in love with the first man who crossed her path, who at barely twenty years old believes nobody will ever love her the way the Roch did. She doesn't think that she deserves anything better than what she got. So yeah, she was happy.

But like I said, I don't care. What I do care about is that Bertha was happy after her escape and divorce from Rochester.

[pregnant-piggy]

Christmas at the Burrow

Fred Weasley x reader

this is part of All I want for Christmas is fanfiction

Words: 3.3k

A/N: Merry Christmas, my angels! Whether or not you celebrate Christmas, I hope you have an amazing day and have fun while I stuff myself on my mother’s delicious food

The snow had been falling all night and when you woke up the whole world was covered with a white layer of the glistening crystals. It was a precious sight to see; children playing in the snow, making snowmen and throwing snowballs. It took you back to when you were younger and you played with your little brother in the snow before your mother would call you inside for hot chocolate.

As you stood at the window you heard Fred stir in his sleep. He had never been the most comfortable to lie next to, but over the years you had learned how to deal with his constant moving. It had even become something you had grown to appreciate now.

You turned around from the window and looked at the open suitcase on the floor. Tomorrow was Christmas and Molly had invited you and Fred over to spend the holiday at the Burrow. You had gladly accepted the offer; you liked the Weasleys and it was always fun around them. Plus, you and Fred didn’t get to see them very often, so a holiday would be a great way to catch up.

Fred moved again, but this time he opened his eyes. He stared at the ceiling for a moment while his arm patted the empty space next to him, probably looking for your body. When he couldn’t find you he lifted his head. His eyes scanned the room and a smile spread on his face when he noticed you standing at the window.

‘Good morning, love,’ Fred said with his raspy morning voice.

‘Morning, Fred,’ you said and picked up a sock from the floor that had fallen next to the suitcase. ‘Are you ready to go?’ you asked, knowing very well that he had not even looked once at his bag.

‘Uhm, give me a minute,’ Fred said and he stepped out of the bed, scanning the room for his unpacked suitcase.

‘Take your time, babe,’ you reassured him. ‘We’re not leaving yet.’

Fred walked over to you and you saw his eyes widen when he noticed the snow outside. He wrapped his arms around you and rested his head on your shoulder as he looked outside. You placed a kiss in Fred’s neck and then pulled back from the hug.

‘Come on, your mother will kill us if we are late,’ you said and pushed Fred to the closet.

-o0o-o00-

The landscape around the Burrow looked magically in the snow. It looked like one of the paintings your grandparents had hanging in their house. Through the window in the living room you could see the lights from the tree and you saw Molly through the window in the kitchen.

The path to the front door had been cleared from snow but it was still slippery and you had to grab Fred’s shoulder to prevent to fall. He laughed and placed his arm around your waist. Slowly you walked to the door, regretting the sneakers you had decided to wear. The door swung open before you could even knock and you immediately felt Molly’s arms around you.

‘Oh, how lovely to see you!’ she exclaimed as he held you in her arms.

‘It’s good to see you too, Mrs. Weasley,’ you chuckled.

‘Please, call me Molly, dear,’ Mrs Weasley said. ‘You’re practically family now.’

‘You hear that Fred? It’s time for ring,’ Ginny teased from behind her mother. Fred turned slightly red and shot Ginny an angry glare over his mother’s shoulder.

Molly ushered you in and ordered Ron to take your suitcase and bring it upstairs. The youngest son grumbled but quickly disappeared with the bags when he saw his mother’s look. You followed Molly to the living room, where you found Hermione and Harry talking to Bill and Arthur.

The usual welcoming hugs were given and it took a while before you had said hello to everyone. Molly placed you on the couch when you offered to help her with anything and Fred slumped down next to you. His arm was around your shoulder immediately as he started to talk to his father.

You let your gaze wonder through the room. One corner was taken by the big tree, that was full with golden and red decorations. There were actual candles instead of the muggle lights you and Fred had in your tree. On the walls and around the windows were fir branches through which a golden ribbon had been waved. The candles on the coffee table lit up the books on it and the fire place was burning fiercely. The inside of the house was the complete opposite the scenery outside. But it matched the cosy feeling.

The Burrow was one of the few places you actually felt at home. The Weasleys made you feel welcome and safe and you were really thankful that they had taken you into their family without a doubt. You remembered that the first time you had met them, you had been really nervous even though Fred had kept assuring you that they would love you. It’s not every day that you meet the family of your boyfriend. But the nervousness had disappeared after ten minutes and had never returned since.

Molly had prepared the most wonderful dinner. The table stood full with delicious dishes and the kitchen was filled with scents that made your mouth water.

You all cramped around the dining table. You were pressed between Fred and Ginny and your feet touched Hermione’s if you stretched them just a little. But this was how it always was; cosy and, despite the lack of personal space, comfortable.

Dinner was as delicious as it looked. You listened to Fleur and Molly talk about Bill’s abilities as a father, now that Fleur had given birth to their daughter Victoire. Fleur told about the sleepless nights and the early morning and you chuckled to yourself as you internally were glad that you weren’t even thinking about children yet. You loved Fred with your entire being but a baby was not on your planning now and, as you heard Fleur’s complaints, you figured it would be a while before it was, if it even would be.

On the other side of you, Ginny was in a heated discussion with Ron. She claimed that Holyhead Harpies were far better than the Chudley Cannons, because not only were they higher than them in the rankings, they also had much more skilled players. To which Ron said, while waving his fork in the air and sprinkling his friends with pieces potato, that though the Cannons might not be the highest in the rankings, they had been going along for a long time and that showed that they were better.

After dinner, when Arthur had stopped the two youngest siblings’ discussion, everyone was sleepy and in a jolly mood from all the food. You plopped down on the couch and Fred lied next to you, his head in your lap. Your hand was playing with his hair while Molly turned on the radio to listen Celestina Warbeck, making her children groan as one. While the soft music played through the room, Fred closed his eyes for a second. You watched as he drifted off to sleep, his nose scrunching up when you tapped him on his forehead to keep him awake.

‘Don’t fall asleep, love,’ you whispered to him, so no one else could hear you.

‘’M not asleep,’ he muttered and rubbed his eyes as he sat up straight. ‘See? Bright awake!’

You kissed his grin and rested your head on his shoulder, taking his hand in yours. Fred wrapped his arm around you and pulled your closer to him, as he listened to his oldest brother trying to talk some sense in Ron.

‘Ron, just be a man and ask her to move in with you!’ Bill whisper-yelled and Ron shook his head. ‘You’ve been dating Hermione for two years now, you basically lived with her every summer since you met! What is keeping you?’

‘I don’t know,’ Ron mumbled. ‘What if she doesn’t even want to live with me?’

‘Ron, she is dating you. She really likes you,’ Bill said and he pushed Ron against his shoulder. ‘Just ask her. It’ll be the best Christmas gift!’

Ron sighed but he nodded and looked at Hermione, who was sitting on the other side of the room, talking with Ginny. You smiled at Ron’s nerves and lifted your head to talk to him. ‘She really does like you, Ron. Believe me, whenever we’re out she always talks about you.’

Something in Ron’s face changed and he smiled at you. ‘Yeah, I can ask her. She’ll like it. I’m sure she will…’

Fred presses a kiss to the side of your head and he squeezed your hand. ‘You’re too good for this world, sweetheart.’

-o0o-o00-

On Christmas morning you woke up with Fred clinging onto you. He had his eyes closed and his mouth was open a little, sending shivers down your spine every time he breathed out and his breath stroke over your skin.

A warm feeling spread over you as you realised it was Christmas. You nudged Fred awake softly and he lifted his head, his eyes still half closed and his voice sleepy.

‘Whut?’

‘Merry Christmas, dear,’ you whispered and kissed Fred lightly.

‘Merry Christmas, y/n,’ he said back and deepened the kiss.

You both quickly changed your actual sleeping clothes to the pyjamas Molly and Arthur had given you past Christmas and on your way downstairs you came across Harry and Ron, who were also wearing their pyjamas.

‘Merlin, I hope this year’s just jumpers,’ Ron grumbled, his arm stretching to his leg to scratch.

‘I agree,’ Fred mumbled and he shimmered his shoulders.

Though the thought behind the pyjamas was really sweet, they itched like hell. The fabric Molly had chosen was not one you would normally choose for something that was supposed to be comfortable. So the pyjamas were only worn whenever Molly and Arthur were around, because even though they might not be comfortable, you didn’t want to hurt their feelings.

The ground beneath the Christmas tree was covered with surprisingly many gifts. Now that you were all older, the gifts had gotten more personal and less. You weren’t greedy kids anymore. But the sight of that many presents did make you happy.

The sounds coming from the kitchen told you that Molly was already awake and preparing breakfast that would most likely be just as much as dinner last night. Music was coming from the kitchen to the living room, where you were. While, Ron and Fred sat down, you and Harry, as the good children-in-law you were, went to the kitchen.

‘Good morning,’ you said and Molly turned around to you. Her smile widened when she saw you and Harry were wearing the pyjamas.

‘Can we help with anything?’ Harry asked.

‘Oh no, dear don’t worry, there’s not much to do,’ Molly said while she stirred in a pot and gestured her wand at the plates in the cupboard, so they flew through the air to the table.

But being in the family for a while had taught both you and Harry that there was always something to do when Molly was cooking. Harry went to set the table and you took place at the counter kneading the dough for the bread Molly was making. The Weasley mother sent you and Harry a grateful smile and quickly wiped away a tear from the corner of her eye.

Soon you were joined by Hermione, who started to help you with making the bread. There was an easy conversation between the four people in the kitchen. You talked with Harry and Hermione about their jobs at the ministry and they explained the changes that they were trying to push through.

‘It’s not much and even less gets actually through, but it is motivation to see it change slowly,’ Hermione said while she formed little balls from the dough you handed to her.

‘I think it’s great,’ you said. ‘The ministry definitely needs some change.’

Not much later Fleur entered the kitchen, carrying Victoire on her hip. The little girl was slowly starting to wake and rubbed her eyes while she hid her face from the people in the kitchen. Fleur put her in her high chair, that stood at one end of the table, and gave her a bottle that the baby soon started to drink from.

‘At what time is George coming?’ Fleur asked, while she sat down next to her daughter.

‘Sometime after breakfast,’ you answered. From all the people in the kitchen you were the closest to George and apparently, as no one else gave an answer, the only one who knew what time he was coming.

‘Figure he made it late last night?’ Harry asked with a smirk on his face.

‘Yeah, I think so,’ you said, handing Hermione the last bit of dough. ‘He was going out with Lee and well, you know how that usually ends.’

‘That we know,’ Hermione mumbled disapprovingly. The last time you had all gone out together, George had forced everyone to stay till the sun came up and that had not fallen right with Hermione, who had had an early day at work the next morning.

When the bread stood in the oven and the rest of breakfast was done, Molly ordered everyone in the living room. You walked in on Fred, Ron, Bill and Ginny all focusing on a frenetic game of Ludo. From the looks of it, Ginny was winning and none of her siblings was agreeing with that.

‘Oh, come on!’ Bill cried out when his piece got thrown of the board by Fred. ‘Why would you do that? I only got one piece on the board!’

‘Sorry, mate,’ Fred shrugged as he placed his piece on the spot Bill’s had stood just two seconds ago.

All four of them were wearing their pyjamas as well and the colour combination was hideous. Molly however couldn’t be more happy to see her children in the things she had made for them and excitedly asked everyone to gather round so she could make a photo.

You all huddled together on and behind the sofa. You sat on Fred’s lap, Hermione was sitting next to him on the couch and Ron at her feet on the floor. On one arm of the couch Harry sat and on the other Ginny. Bill and Fleur stood behind the couch, their arms around their daughter. Arthur went to grab his camera and hurried off to the garage.

He was gone for a while and the longer it took, the less happy everyone got. Ron was hungry and asked when breakfast would be ready. Harry shifted uncomfortable on the armrest and kept scratching his knee. You were getting hot with Fred’s arms around you. Behind you Victoire wasn’t happy to wait either. Softly she began to whine, while Bill and Fleur tried everything to keep her quiet.

After twenty minutes Arthur came back with a red face and the camera in his hand. ‘I forgot where I put it last time.’

Everyone sat up straight and smiled at the camera. The light flashed and everyone sighed content after. You relaxed and moved away from Fred’s arms. Harry jumped off the armrest while he rubbed his bum and cursed the spot he had been sitting on.

‘Fred could you hold Victoire for a moment?’ Bill asked his younger brother and before getting an answer he pushed the girl in Fred’s arms.

Bill ran upstairs and Fred turned to his niece. ‘Hello little princess, are you having fun?’

You smiled as you watched Fred bounce Victoire around, talking to her as he showed her the room.

‘And this is y/n,’ Fred said when he walked over to you. ‘Can you say hello to y/n?’

You laughed and placed around arm around Fred’s shoulder as you smiled at Victoire. She giggled and scrunched up her face as she looked at you.

‘Merry Christmas, angel,’ you said and pressed a kiss to her forehead.  

‘Smile!’ Hermione exclaimed and when you and Fred turned around to her, she was holding the camera and took a picture. The flash created spots on your retina and you had to blink for them to disappear.

‘Come, come, I believe breakfast is ready!’ Molly said from the kitchen.

-o0o-o00-

That afternoon you were sitting with the whole family in the living room again. George had arrived shortly after dinner and the bags under his eyes told you that he had in fact made it late the previous night. Nevertheless, his smile was still as bright as ever.

The pyjamas had been changed for jumpers, everyone with their own first letter. Yours was dark green with a red letter and Fred’s was red with a green letter. ‘To match,’ Molly had proudly said and you couldn’t get it over your heart to make a cheesy comment.

You were sitting next to Ron, who was fidgeting with the edges of his sleeves. He still hadn’t asked Hermione to move in with him and the anxiety was eating him up. So while Hermione had turned to Ginny, you spoke to him.

‘When are you gonna ask her?’

‘I don’t know. I’m nervous,’ Ron said and he flashed you a little smile.

‘Don’t be, Ron. She loves you and she’d be a fool not to move in with you. I know she will say yes.’

‘It’s a big step,’ Ron sighed.

‘It’s a really big step, but it will be a great one,’ you said and you thought back of when you and Fred first moved in together. ‘It’s a lot easier. You never have to worry about what time you were supposed to meet up or at whose place you’re going to stay. Plus, you know her so well, it will be easy!’

Ron thanked you and apparently decided to just get over with it, because he got up and asked Hermione if he could talk to her for a moment. As they left the room you made eyes with Fred and he made his way over to you.

‘I assume you have given him the final push?’ he asked as he slumped down beside you.

‘Why would you think that?’ you asked.

‘Because out of all people, you’re the only one who can make Ron actually do stuff. Bill and I have been trying to get him to ask her for months now. You’re here one day and now he’s doing it.’

‘He just needed a little motivation,’ you shrugged.

Fred laughed and pressed a kiss to the side of your head. Resting your head on his shoulder you watched Harry and Ginny as they played wizard’s chess. Harry was losing miserably, but you figured he only did so to see the happy look on Ginny’s face. He wasn’t even paying attention to the board as Ginny’s knight dragged his queen off the board, but instead watching her face.  

Outside the sky darkened and little white snowflakes fell from the dark clouds. You stared out of the window and watched the world outside turn white. A warm, cosy feeling spread through your body as you felt the heat from the fire warm your face and the warmth that Fred’s hand around your waist brought. The light was reflected in the shiny golden Christmas ornaments in the tree and spectrums of golden specks showed on the ceiling. The scent of the pine tree and the slight burn of candles filled the room.

There was no other option than to smile at the family that was sitting around you and had made this the best Christmas.

- - - - - -

taglists:

general HP:  @kitkatkl​ @girllety​ @yuptha-tsme​ @sleep-i-ness​ @iamak20​ @thefuturelawyer​ @weasleydream​ @missmulti​ @deafgirltingz​ @moonstarrnghtsky​ @mytreec​ @lilulo-12fanfiction​ @emmaloo21​ @kashishwrites​ @ananad1​ @figlia--della--luna​ @kylosleftbuttcheek​ @mrs-malfoy-always​  @thefandomplace​ @magicwithaknife​ @mt2413​ @aesthetically-hailey​ @superbturtlemakerathlete​ @the-natureofme​ @missswriter​ @hahee154hq​

Weasley twins: @susceptible-but-siriusexual​

MASTERLIST

[commander-hanji-zoe]

Winter/Christmas headcanons with Mike? Hope everything is going well with you!!

Hello! I’m doing OK - not had the best week to be honest, the world (still) feels very scary and things feel a little off. But I am doing my best to focus on the good and enjoy the small things ^_^ I really enjoyed writing these, hope you like them and that all is well with you. 

So firstly I think of Mike as being someone who loves Winter, he loves the other seasons too! Generally he’s grateful for the changing of the Seasons and allows himself to enjoy the highlights of Spring, Summer, Autumn & Winter. Winter is the month though where Mike is likely to indulge in the things he loves most of all and to let his guard down just a little. He is grateful for the long nights as it gives him an excuse to sleep a little longer and the cold/dark days make it easier for him to have more alone time & be unsociable if he wants. Not in a grumpy way, but just that I get the sense that as much as Mike loves his friends and work is pretty much his life - he enjoys hours of just reading, meditating, maybe a little writing, crafting etc. where he isn’t disturbed. Winter is the perfect season for this.

He relaxes most in Winter, again it’s where there isn’t as much pressure as Summer to be out and about. It’s good for him to be able to use the time to switch off and have some quality ‘me time’ & practise self love. (This is of course unless there’s any work ‘emergencies’) 

In a relationship during Winter Mike is just adorable, he does everything he can to make sure his partner is warm/cosy/safe and is a fan of matching jumpers and/or hats. He also likes to cook a lot for friends and his partner, I mean he always enjoys cooking but Winter is 

Mike loves this time of year, it’s an excuse for him to be extra cosy, cuddly, snuggly and so on with you. It’s extra hours in bed getting warm under the covers both in the morning and in the evening, it’s cuddles under blankets and arms wrapped round one another. 

He owns many Christmas/Winter jumpers and has enough for every day of the week - sometimes he’d have you guessing which one he’d wear tomorrow.

Really enjoys baking and baking with you. Mike likes to ensure you’re well stocked up for the festive season as well as  baking cookies, making fruit cakes, cheese straws, homemade jams etc. to give as gifts to friends

Loves long evenings curled up with a book and some festive music in front of the fireplace.

Is really into singing and would love to go Caroling with you and a group of friends (this is an absolute no from Levi).

Doesn’t like how dark it is in the morning and how short the days are - it does make him a little sad and he gets down easy this time of year despite how much he loves it. But in a relationship his partner is the ray of sunshine he needs during the dark days. He might take longer to get up in the morning and a little time to meditate or warm himself by a fire.

Definitely needs extra cuddles and dosages of love when the two of you are alone on the days he’s feeling blue. 

He loves the taste of mulled wine & mulled cider, prefers to make it himself with all the ingredients rather than buying it that way.

Every room is decorated, from the tree to various ornaments, garlands, candles and paper chains that you make together one rainy afternoon. 

Will have no qualms about dressing up as Father Christmas in the bedroom if you know what I mean * wink wink* if that’s your thing. 

He loves taking long winter walks and wrapping up cosy and warm. Holding hands, wearing mittens and a bobbly hat a relative made for him.

Is a little grumpy if he gets a cold - has very, very cold feet. They’re often like ice when he gets into bed and he’ll tease you with them making you jump when you least expect it. 

His nose also gets very cold, he likes it when you press kisses to it to help warm him. When it’s extremely cold and temperatures drop a lot, it can affect his sense of smell. Just a little mind, he still has the finest nose in the scouts! But the result of this is even more scented candles and him wearing more aftershave than normal.

He smells like Yule/Christmas/Winter - all cinnamon and spice. 

Can ‘cook with his nose’ he knows exactly when it’s time to serve up/take cookies out of the oven etc. 

Likes to celebrate the winter solstice by getting up before the break of dawn and watching the sun rise. Spends the day in quiet reflection regarding the year that’s drawing to a close and the one that’s coming up. Has a few yule centrepieces and decorations he makes from gathered twigs, branches, holly, berries etc. 

Wraps presents beautifully, well he tries to anyway - some of them end up a bit messy but it’s the thought that counts! He will decorate them with bows, dried orange slices, cinnamon sticks etc. 

Really enjoys board/table top games with friends, especially when there’s a few drinks involved and it’s an opportunity to appear less serious and let his hair down. 

When it snows Mike is one of the first people to leave his footprints outside, he loves to watch the sunrise with you over the winter wonderland. He isn’t a fan of making snow angels as it’s too cold for him (plus he gets a little self conscious about his height?) but loves to watch you make them. He will however, help you to make the most amazing snowmen & snow creatures. 

Great in snowball fights! Makes the best snowballs and has great aim - he and Erwin are very much in competition with each other and it would be pointless to try and interrupt. 

He’s a very graceful ice-skater who has a lot of patience if you’re wobbly or a bit scared (also a good teacher - the patience/teacher thing is what makes him so good as a section commander)

Sometimes he can be quite quiet during the winter, it’s a time when he reflects on the past, on Scouts who’ve passed, his family etc. When he’s like this he appreciates the space you give him, he knows you’re there for him if you want to talk and bringing him a coffee & whiskey or a cup of tea and kiss on the cheek is appreciated. He just needs his space sometimes.

Will let his facial hair get a little bit messy/grow out a bit (unless he needs to smarten up for a reason) he refers to it as his winter beard and says it helps keep him warm. Mike is 

A few modern headcanons 

Loves sitting in cafes with a drink, good book and just watching the world go by. It’s even better if it’s raining or snowing. It’s an activity he loves to do alone but also likes it when his partner is with him and they can both sit in comfortable silence. 

When Starbucks/Costa Christmas cups come out he’s there on the very first day to get one and is excited to post to instagram - even though he doesn’t quite get it. 

Doesn’t like doing Christmas shopping online, he much prefers carefully selecting presents in person - preferably from local retailers and a few favourite book/record stores. Also have organised with this and will have bought most presents by the start of December.

Likes to drive round to look at all the Christmas lights outside people’s houses - this is especially true if he’s a dad. He would want his children to have the most magical time every year.

Always happy to play Santa for the kids in the family or at a work Christmas do. 

Definitely one who comes out of the shell at the work Christmas do - although a little more quiet and reserved in day to day life, at the party he’ll be dancing, cracking jokes and if he’s single wouldn’t mind a kiss under the mistletoe. 

Will plan a day with his closest friends to just chill, drink, watch Christmas movies back to back and play games like monopoly and Cards Against Humanity - which he’s very good at. 

[yn-dere]

La sorcière • Y!K.TH

Synopsis: The goddess Ashtoreth seemed to have found her worshipper.

Ship/s: Photographer!Taehyung x Antagonist/seductress!Reader

Warning/s: Angst, Yandere/Dark themes, Manipulation, Mentions of killing, Bored and mean reader.

(Note: this takes place in the late 19th century)

'It is not the quality of the desired object that gives us pleasure, but rather the energy of our appetites'

~ Charles Baudelaire, The end of Don Juan

A dejected summer, that's what it was. The suffocating air that leaves you sweltering in your corset but I am anything but, naked on my cold feet with a cigar between those gentil fingers, sluggishly looking out from my apartment window into the florid affluent streets which were once quite and reserved. The sounds of playful squabbling, the occasional delightful squeals of children, the ecstatic laughter of women did nothing to soothe that covetous feeling throbbing at the pit of my stomach. Nor did the family of stars splattered all across the dark night sky with the dazzling moon nowhere to be seen. They seemed to be mocking me with every sparkle, impersonating my woe by disappearing this second only to come back and laugh at my face. Oh well. It hurts my chest as I exhale out the smog; I forgot that I even took a drag. Not even smoke can replace that void in my lungs now.

This moment is slightly pleasant though, accompanied by the crisp breeze that blows in through the drapes, strong enough to make my locks flutter and trigger my cigar to litter on the window railing (that I'm not bothering to clean anytime soon) but not enough to take the glum away with it. The only thing that found me pleasant enough to return. And... the troubled men that found home in my cosy and welcoming bed. Neither of them were guaranteed.

Thinking about men, I glance back into the dark room to spot the man I chose for the night. Blissfully sound asleep between my covers, with a small but radiant smile adorning his regal face. He really emulated the beautiful night sky, the baby constellation spreading across his portrait in the form of les grains de beauté. The way the light reflected off of his unblemished face puts la lune to shame, almost looking as if it is it's own light source. His beauty truly was bewitching and I would've felt envious of it if I didn't know any better.

If I didn't own an enormous dressing mirror in the corner which kept reflecting the street lights back onto my eyes; it was adorned with pink crystals, fresh roses and myrtles, white feathers and burnt out incense that left behind a soft but strong scent. It truly looked like an altar for venus herself, towering over me to have me take a look at the highly sexual, supremely confident, alluring female that offers endless pleasure and a bit of... danger. At least, that's what people men see. And I agree with it. I know the expression does sound like something that would come out of Narcissus' mouth as he stares into his reflection but can you really blame me?

It's the huge impact left on me by years and years of society misjudging me as just another pretty face in the crowd. No matter how hard I worked on something, it would always be de-emphasized. All the blood, sweat and tears only to be wasted because individuals couldn't see the nimble brain past the pleasant portrait. I wanted to stand out, and I did at times but.. not in the way I wanted to. But soon enough, I began to convince myself that maybe this isn't so bad at all, and wearily...

... I accepted it.

I accepted my place in the stupid community as one of those women, a blood sucking succubus is just how they saw me to be exact. Mind you, I've never stood sturdy in any of my subjects until I slowly started to abuse my power and it made me feel competent and sure enough I felt powerful enough to destroy families, to get someone to chase me so feverishly that they lose control but I guess I was never that valuable to keep nor was I important enough for someone to actually care about me. The only difference between your pompous narrator here and a poor mistress is that I don't have a fickle of hope nor do I really care enough about a particular visitor to be left heartbroken.

It still kills me to feel impotent at the end of the day (or the start of the day, when they leave me with nothing). I feel like THE FOOL, a frail dog chasing a car....

....But as the lonely sun finally decides to set to rest and the family of stars gets more discernable with every shimmer against the dark and misty horizon; I, once again find myself repeating history as if my life's a record on the phonograph. But as one get sick of listening to the same song over and over again, there's a momentary pause... and then an appalling revelation; it's seems as though you've been singing the most important part of the song, the chorus, wrong.

And suddenly I can grasp it all..

.

.

.

You see, lust is what makes one take a glance at you. Temptation is what makes them throw caution in the air, when they know they shouldn't. But is it really enough to keep the attention on you? Is the beauty really enough for the sirens who beckon sailors to their destruction? If that was the case, wouldn't mermaids be able to do the same? Love is-

"...h-hey?"

That deep voice...

Then suddenly, lean icy fingers grabbed my arm and pulled me back into reality just when I started inching through the darkness in my mind.

Oh God. How did I not see him wake up? Especially with the mess he made in an effort to get up from the bed? One of the pillows accompanied with the sheets are on the floor... those velvet covers are really hard to wash. I will never forgive him for that.

But my irritation soon turned into embarrassment when I pondered over how crazy I must have looked, naked while just staring into my mirror with a cigar in hand. Or what was left of it, the soft ash on my fingers, my bare breasts and one of my thighs.

"Is everything a-alright?" He questioned. I looked down to his palm which was still holding my arm with a firm grip. He followed my gaze, his eyes widening slighting as he quickly let it go. "I m-mean, you were kind of dazed off or something. I thought..." he muttered after clearing his throat in a futile attempt at ceasing the stuttering. "Yeah.. I was just thinking about something" I replied as I looked up at his eyes and his orbs that were just suffering with nervousness and uncertainty were now swimming in curiosity. I couldn't help but let a giggle get past my lips. He hummed in response as his brows furrowed. "about.. this." I uttered, feigning a bashful look. His brows furrowed even further, creating small lines on his otherwise smooth forehead. "What do you mean by "this" ?" He seems to have forgotten his tense stance and the risqué side of me wanted to bring it back so I tried. "Our liaison, everything we did and...." if it weren't for the pin drop silence in the room, I would've never heard his breath hitching as he waited for me to continue. "Us." I finished with a whisper...

... After what seemed like an eternity of waiting for him to answer, my patience wore thin so I couldn't help but gently poke his chest. It surely did broke the trance he was in and the cute timid man was back. "Uh- I- uhm" he stuttered, looking at everything but my presence. I slowly started to feel the disappointment building up in the bottom of my stomach. Why do I when I didn't even expected anything else? If this is the only way it can go for me, why not have a little fun? I couldn't help but let out a smirk which I covered in a second, hoping he didn't see it. "I might be quite racy at times but I don't just do this with anyone. I thought I told you in the tavern that if you are to leave, leave already..." as soon as I finished bluffing the sadness in my voice, I casted my eyes downwards at his feet as I anticipated the same white lies but they never came. I awaited the "I will never leave you", "you're the best thing that ever happened" or my personal favorite one " I have a wife and kids that I love very dearly" but he didn't say anything. And just as I was about to look up, the smooth dark honey voice cut me off.

"And I thought I told you that I didn't want to follow you back home for whatever fleshly pleasures you had to offer.." the hint of disappointment was evident. This was a new one to add in the book, eh? "But because my precious cameras are all in vain without your figure and your lively soul.. like an empty canvas to an artist with no references or muse." My ears couldn't help but perk up as he continued, " Sure, they might not be too good at capturing the enigma that is you as the films only render in shades of grey which evidently fails to recognize the different shades of your blush and the undertones, but this is all that I have..."

It's his time to wait as I, for the first time, didn't know what to say. He opened his lips once again "I would be lying if I said I didn't gravely fell in love the second I took my first glance at you months ago. Love at first sight was never my thing but you cleared all my doubts about the idea". I wanted to mock him and tell him about how lust in first sight is a thing, not love but I rather chose to humor him. "That's what they all said..." I slowly look up at his face, looking at each and every feature carefully leaving out his mors than intense eyes. "Who are "they"?" He asked with a slight fury in his voice and the sharp edge of the words spoken almost gashed my already tainted soul. I wish I didn't faked the courage and take a glance into his orbs since I saw the immense anger and hatred through his narrowed eyes as he scrutinized my very existence. I withered uncomfortably under his glare, already regretting opening my mouth without thinking.

"You seriously didn't just compare me to those men, did you? After everything I've done? After I got rid of those hideous women that had nothing else to do but spread nasty rumours about you because the same husbands that couldn't get it up for them were lusting after you? Because they couldn't hold their husbands accountable so they were threatened by you?" He took a sharp but shaky breath before continuing, "Or after I got rid of those men who bonded over their heinous fantasies about violating you?..." I cover my mouth, I feel like throwing up. Not because I don't want to/can't believe it but because this is alot of information to take in in a few minutes. I heard him sigh and his voice suddenly changed from being gruff to soft in a second as he saw my terrified look, "you see these hands, sweetheart?" He said in a slightly coaxing voice as he laid his large hand on top of mine, "They were only used to clicking pictures of everything beautiful and developing them but now, they're stained with shed blood of anyone who dared to lay a finger on you.... You made me this way. You made me so empathetically challenged. You did this."

Me? Me...

I did this. I made him this way.

"How could you have been so blind?"

How could I have been so blind?

Maybe I didn't give myself enough credit.

And as he continued to stare into my frame with such adoration that it reminded me of what I was thinking about before he startled me by waking up...

As I was saying previously, lust is what makes one take a glance at you. Temptation is what makes them throw caution in the air, when they know they shouldn't but it's still not enough to keep the attention on you. Love is. It is the greatest weapon of all. It's the most exceptional power that you can have over someone. Making them do what they never thought they ever would do, act in ways they might've mocked previous to meeting you, taking up any space in their mind that was left for rationality and instead plaguing it with sweet obsession. Not even fear dares to compete with love when it comes to power. If anything, they go hand in hand. It truly turns a mermaid to a siren.

Wow. It's not the family of stars that I envied, who would want to look like some aliens just jizzed all over the sky? I was made to be la lune, who with all her blemishes littering her skin still stood unfazed as her admirers wrote poems about her beauty. It's not the homely women that I envied, I have always been quite sophisticated but I just wanted to belong somewhere.

I wanted power over someone or something.

And the thought of me making this man do the most vile acts of crime that humanity cannot even begin to visualize in their brains flared up the familiar feeling of ascendency and competency but this time? It was about to stay. Why? Because he is to stay.

I softly smiled at that thought and slowly held my small hands up to his face to caress his cheeks. The shyness got to him as he squeezed his eyes shut to relish in the contact without having to look at my amused face. I could feel him slowly shaking under finger tips, his face was warm unlike the rest of his body. The effect that my small gesture had on him is unlike anything I've ever seen or experienced. This isn't vulgar, this is sensual. And sure, what I feel might not be love but it has one thing in common with it. It's a drug. A high we're both on, and not even my cigar, my only companion for so long can compete with it.

Let's see how long this lasts before I drain all life out of him... or maybe, this is forever but I doubt. Then again, he- wait a minute... what's his name, again? This is going to suck. As I was saying, he does like to surprise me so let's hope for the best.

"Okay, let's just forget we met like this... hello, my name's y/n", I reached out for his hand to shake with a small smile on my face. He erupted into giggles as he took my hand, "Nice to meet you y/n, this is taehyung." Taehyung. Oh taehyung. And suddenly the cheerful atmosphere turned into something sinister as I pulled him in.

"Taehyung, I am like a raging flame.. don't be a moth and get too close or I might destroy you" I whispered in my raspy voice, the smirk that played in my rouge lips being incredibly devilish along with that red unnatural glint in my eye.

"I want to be destroyed."

[casualmaraudering]

Do you have any hcs on Lyall and Hope? I’d love to know what your personal characterization of them is.

Hope comes from a very big family - she has three sisters and three brothers, and she's the youngest of the bunch. kind of chaotic with so many people at home, so she's been out and about the neighbourhood and the woods ever since she was little

Lyall has an older sister, but they're not really that friendly. they are friends, it's just usually they do their own thing without interacting much

they met when they were in their young teens and Lyall hated Hope at first

she was a bit of a troublemaker, she had a skateboard, she was bold and very much out there. Lyall was a quiet boy who very much kept to himself and he didn't appreciate the noise that came with her

ofc that didn't last long. sooner rather than later Lyall would look forward to that noisy girl driving on the pavement right below his window. and Hope loved to throw pebbles at his window just to annoy him

they started dating when Hope was 16 and Lyall 15, and they had Remus about a year, year and a half after that (shit happens, whoops)

Hope actually didn't know Lyall is a wizard until she was pregnant. he kind of panicked and whatnot. she took it well tho (and she took advantage of him having magic, of course. she came to really love that just a flick of a wand did the dishes)

despite being very young parents without much of a plan, Hope was very optimistic about the situation. they lived at Lyall's parents (Hope's family wasn't very happy about her having a baby without being married. they'd only get around when Remus is a couple years old) and yeah it was a bit cramped and a bit confusing, but they were happy together

Lyall took a job with the ministry, and Hope started studying magic theory. not something muggles would usually do, but she couldn't find anything better to do and she didn't just want to sit at home and take care of the baby

and she was quickly very brilliant and the theoretical aspect of magic. Lyall got her books, and was her lab rat in case she needed someone with magic to test her theories, but she was really good at understanding everything. she became very successful at spell creation and modification - kind of a private profession, people would come to her if they needed her services, you know the deal

they had a little secluded cabin in the woods. not that much space, but it was cosy. they had enough money to pay the bills, they weren't exactly Comfortable, but it's not like they cared. they had each other, and that was important

any money to spare, they'd put away for when Remus would be older

Lyall isn't really that good at expressing emotions. he's very much what boys were brought up to be - stern, quiet, doesn't know how to express positive feelings or love. He'd take care of Remus when Remus was a baby, yeah, but Remus would run to Hope first if needed a hug or cuddles or whatnot

but still, he's not a bad dad, he's doing his best ok. he sometimes took Remus to the ministry with him to show him around, and he was always the one to check for any monsters in the closet or under the bed. After the werewolf incident, Remus was afraid of the dark, so Lyall made him a little handmade magical lap (basically lumos in a little cute jar - & Remus added some glitter in there too)

and of course, no matter what, they both really love Remus, he's their pride and joy, despite any hardships

Hope got a motorbike from one of her siblings when Remus is around 5 years old. she loves tinkering with it, riding it (Remus and Lyall were both scared of it) - her dad is a mechanic so she loves cars and bikes. said bike will, one day, be given to a certain boyfriend of Rem's 🤔

Lyall was taught how to knit and sew by his mother and sister, so he's usually the one to fix or alter clothes. (and he'd make baby clothes for Remus sometimes, as a side project)

Hope and Remus are basically best friends. they live in the middle of nowhere so Remus has no one to talk to but his parents, so if he's not out in the woods, he'll be with his mum and dad. when it comes to Lyall, their little activity to do together is being in the woods and trying to catch fairies (usually frogs, but sometimes they'd spot some fun magical creatures)

Lyall is much more distressed about Remus going to Hogwarts than Hope is. the werewolf thing and whatnot, and he's worried Remus won't make friends, and also Remus is a part of their life and now the house will be so quiet and sad.

Remus sends them both letters, though. Hope answers for them both but Lyall keeps Rem's letters and rereads them a lot, especially during the fulls

and they're still quite young, so they also travel a bit when Remus is at school. ofc there's not much money to travel to exotic places, but even just taking hiking trips around the country, or walking through the woods

they buy a dog when Remus moves out. it's huge and white, it sheds like crazy, it barks a lot, but at least it helps a little with the void that is their son being an adult

(the next bit is more specific to my personal rem hcs - trans bi remus - so this is just free real estate for those who like that)

they don't really bat an eye when, after second year, Remus comes home with shorter hair - it's not quite down to his shoulders, but almost there. Remus very excitedly tells them about his friend, Lily who helped cut it. then he asks to be taken to the barber and get it cut shorter - "like a boy's". they don't mind either, it's just hair

Remus never grows his hair long again, and after he's back home before 4th year, he tells them everything. says he doesn't like his old name, that Remus is what he wants to be called, that he doesn't want the girls' uniform or the summer dresses.

Lyall is a bit confused at first - he slips sometimes, but he tries his best. and Hope smacks him if he happens to use the wrong name

Hope goes all out, ofc, she's just that kind of person. within a few weeks, Remus's name is officially changed, all of his clothes are replaced (most of his old ones, he gives to Lily). no matter what, she wants her boy to feel loved at home

Remus dates Lily in sixth year - Hope and Lyall can't be happier. they've both met her plenty of times, she's a lovely girl, would make an excellent daughter in law, all that. sometimes, before going to sleep, they'll jokingly talk about little ginger grandkids

in seventh year, though, Remus dates a boy. Sirius Black, who has long hair and dresses like a punk and has a tattoo and bulky combat boots. he's loud and brash and walks around with far too much confidence in his step

Lyall doesn't like him

and Hope adores him

Sirius, sooner than later, becomes a permanent addition to their little family. Remus makes it clear that they're together for the long run. Lyall doesn't like him any more than at first, but he tolerates him. Hope treats him as her second son, gives him her old bike, jokes about marriage to Remus any occasion she gets

there's plenty of times Hope and Lyall will sit in the lounge, or the kitchen, or talk before bed, and share their worries about Remus. there's just so many hardships for this boy. his identity, being a werewolf, and now dating another man. they sometimes wish there could be something to do to protect him from the world. whisk him away to their little cabin, where no one can hurt him again

but they can't do that. so they just try to be a steady support for him, no matter what he decides to do or who he is

also as much as Lyall doesn't like Sirius - he's enamoured when him and Remus have kids. Sirius has good genes, the babies are adorable with their bushy black hair and Remus freckles and stubborn little chubby faces. you can't not love them

[owlsbride]

Icha Icha and Prejudice: The Book Club

Chapter VII: Under the Suna Sun

Kakashi was a man of war, of battlefields, makeshift camps, nights under the stars but surrounded by insects, earth and who knows what else. He was a man who had spent more than a day without bathing with questionable hygiene and eaten the most diverse foods, even some that he would never want to remember ever again. Kakashi had shared missions with both comrades and traitors at the same time. He had forever soiled his hands with blood for Konoha, and after many years of self-pity, regrets, little self-esteem, psychological torture and a considerable amount of therapy he could say that he felt Ok, with everything... Much of the time.

However, what Kakashi was not, and maybe he had his new job to blame, a man of high temperatures. He was perfectly fine with Konoha's weather. It was a nice one: with all four seasons developing naturally throughout the year. A winter that invites you to sit by the fire, but that does not soak the bones. Stable autumns and springs with the necessary rains and a hot but bearable summer, with sweet fragrances, long sunsets, cosy beaches, soft breezes and the eternal smell of the cherry trees. Even in those days when the heat was oppressive, Konoha was still comforting, comfortable and pleasant.

Now Suna, Suna was terrible. Kakashi hated Suna. No, he didn't hate his people, the villagers, the Kazekage nor nothing like that. He just hated the weather. There was a hideous winter or a hideous summer, and he wasn't sure which one was worse. He had been there on many occasions, and he never had been one to complain, but this heat? This heat was killing him now with all the protocol clothes and the village tour under the midday sun to take the dimension of the damage caused by Naruto and if he has to be fair also by the Kazekage. The same Kazekage that could not be found anywhere because he was busy in reunions and meetings with very important people.

"Gaara is going to be busy with very important politicians, Hokage Sama..." Baki began, Kakashi lifted an eyebrow "Not that you are not import..."

"It's ok, Baki, will he be available in the night?" Kakashi interrupted tiredly. He had been travelling the whole night for nothing, he didn't give a damn if he was an important person or not. He just wanted to go to what would be his room and wash off all the sand that he already had on parts of his body that he didn't even know existed.

"What a drag" Kakashi heard Shikamaru snarl and agreed with the boy, nodding only his head "He must be afraid of you, Lord Sixth." The Hokage smiled to himself. Shikamaru could be a bit of a pain in the ass at times and a lazy one, but he would never admit a disrespect to Konoha or his leader. And this time, he didn't correct him.

"Hey, crybaby," Temari spoke to Shikamaru, lifting her chin full of proud and arrogance "My brother is not afraid of no one."

"Troublesome" Shikamaru answered, looking down.

Kakashi's head was about to explode, but Shikamaru was right. Knowing Gaara's social skills, the most probable thing was that the young man would be hidden in his office trying to figure out how to handle the situation. After all, what he had told Sakura the other night, was correct.

The Kazekage had a difficult childhood, like most of them, but somehow he hadn't been able to fully heal the wounds of the past, (has someone actually done it?) and with his too rational mind and his emotional part repressed he was an introverted, quiet and distant being. Gaara was more like a child than an adult. However, the Kazekage had earned his respect. Suna had never been better, and his performance in the fourth war was outstanding, nothing to do with the boy with the deep gaze who was always seeking answers. Gaara was doing well as Suna's leader. Until two weeks ago that Naruto came up with his plan. And so it was now. He really should have brought Sakura, at least now it would be easing his headache. He could hear from behind him the merry couple fighting about something.

"Hey, you two" Kakashi addressed them both "Don't you have something to do? Like catching up, maybe?" He shooed them away with his hands.

"But Hokage Sama..." Temari tried to protest bowing a little.

"It's ok, Princess," Kakashi said mimicking some kind of courtesy he learned over the years "I'm sure Baki, here, is willing and able to show me the place around. I'll see you all of them later tonight after recognising the situation" Kakashi finished with a bow from his own.

Temari and Shikamaru stood still watching Kakashi walk away into the village with Baki. They both had to recognise that as idle or hunched or oblivious he may seem, he was a really regal Hokage.

"Oh, Temari..." Kakashi spoke again without turning to look at her "Make sure that your brother is available for dinner." It was not a suggestion, not a request or a wish, it was an order.

"Jeez, you are so fucked up." Shikamaru whispered.

"Yeah, what a drag" Temari finished realising her breath soundly. Shikamaru smiled at the use of his words.

The situation was absolutely irrational and surrealistic. There were hordes of villagers asking him things about when the improvements that the future Hokage to be promised them were going to arrive. The answers were never, but of course, he couldn't say anything remotely closer to that. What were they thinking? Would Naruto have drugged Gaara to agree or did he just convince him with a few words? If so, he would be a great Hokage if it could mature even a little.

Naruto and Gaara promised that through new jutsus they would stop the sandstorms. That they both would build hot springs bath and aqueducts coming from the outskirts of Konoha to Suna, to create their own spa and recreation centre. They had also promised that they would control the winter temperatures and that soon the houses would not need to have hermetic closures to fight against the sand. How the hell were they going to achieve that? Yes, the times were changing, but a whole new infrastructure to generate the energy necessary to fulfil Naruto's plans was impossible. At least for the moment. In fact, they had to be grateful that they could connect the required antennas to access the telephone lines and the internet.

Fortunately for Kakashi, time was on his side, and all his responses were "I'm sure, my dear sirs, that by the time Uzumaki Naruto takes over as the Seventh Hokage he will have all his plans in motion." With good fortune and favourable wind that would still be within a few years.

"There is one more thing, Hokage Sama" Baki spoke once all the villagers were already returning to their homes not so happy with Kakashi's half-lies, half trues answers.

"What now?" Kakashi felt light, almost floating. The heat was finally having its effect, and the headache was throbbing. Fucking Sakura, she was right, a heatstroke was coming.

"If you prefer we can discuss it later, you look..."

"I'm ok, Baki, what is it? what did those two do?" Now he was starting to get mad.

"Well... Uzumaki Naruto, and Lord Gaara, had promised all the kids in the village that they will form a special camp to train future academy aspirants and genins, and that Naruto would be in charge of assigning missions, all of low rank of course, in order to practice his duties as a Hokage and that Gaara would be his advisor. Kankuro would train the kids. We have all the village children signed up waiting for the special camp to start."

"What you are saying is that they want to form an academy prior to the academy just to simulate the work of the Kages and that not only are Naruto and your Kazekage involved but also Kankuro?"

"Yes, Sir" Baki was so embarrassed.

"Definitely not" Kakashi was about to pass out.

"But Lord Sixth, the kids are so excited, what will we tell them?"

"There is no we, Baki. I'll speak to Gaara tonight, and he will have to take care, now I want to go to my lodging."

The dinner with Gaara wasn't comfortable at all. The Kazekage would bearly looked Kakashi in the eyes. He much more preferred the terrible and strong Gaara from the Desert than this excuse of a boy playing the leader. Yes, he had messed up the things a bit, but nothing beyond repair.

The new infrastructures would arrive sooner or later, and the camp thing could be a summer camp and not a pre-academy. He would give them the possibility to do it in Konoha where Kakashi himself could control them, and Naruto would only be a simple instructor. That way, Gaara would not have to neglect his village. It was the best measure for damage control.

Even so, Kakashi did not put aside his job as Konoha's leader in this meeting. With the tenderness worthy of a good older brother, but the Hokage's firmness, he asked the youngest to please not listen to Naruto's follies anymore. Being a good friend did not mean putting the village's stability at risk just by being complacent. Kakashi also gave Gaara a friendly reminder: to never get over his persona again. He was Konoha's Hokage, not Naruto.

Gaara still had a lot to learn yet, so Kakashi incentivized him to not to hesitate to ask for advice outside his closest circle. Sometimes the objectivity of others was the best advisor. And for that, the councils were hostiles towards him, except of course for the two brothers and Baki. That annoyed him a lot, but somehow everything turned out ok.

Kakashi arrived finally at the luxurious room that Gaara had prepared for him. He didn't see Shikamaru in the whole day after he dismissed him early in the midday and during the dinner they bearly address each other and it was ok. He didn't need the Nara witty mind talking and complaining around in the same room. Besides, Kakashi suspected that Shikamaru was involved in much more satisfactory endeavours than politics, and plans for future summer camps.

After the longest shower of his life, Kakashi finally was ready to go to bed, it was still hot out there and in the room but the cold shower and the conditioner helped a little. He collapsed on the mattress as he had not in a long time. Only on his underwear, he didn't even take the bother to rearrange his mask. This time he was as tired as if he had been fighting all night for the Anbu. It was a very comfortable bed, enough for more than one person, and suddenly he remembered Sakura.

22:40: Are you there? I'm so so so sorry...

22:40: Sakura this have been madness

He waited for the answer, his eyes closing slowly.

22:41: You were right Sakura, I should have brought you with me. The heat is killing me, my head is killing me, everything is killing me

22:41: Ok... Let's talk later.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Notes:

Well, Kakashi is having a hard time at Suna right?

Next chapter: chatting, texting, reading... and he will come back to Konoha eventually.

I just realise that I'm always asking for likes, and kudos and comments, but I've never thank you before! so here I go: Thank you, everyone!! you make my day when you do something like that, so please keep going and make me happy. See you soon.

[jessiemuks]

Half Marathon

My last public post was June 23rd. A lot has happened since then! I check my dashboard every day during work, so I want to accompany that by writing more.

In my last post, I talked about being 10 days late with my period, staying up until 1:00 AM, and not feeling rested or restful. Well, I was diagnosed with PCOS! After missing another period in September, I went to a gynecologist in October who diagnosed me, but then prescribed birth control, which I did not want to take. (I intentionally stopped birth control a year earlier in 2019 when I noticed it negatively affected my moods.) So, I went to a naturopathic doctor in November instead. Naturopathy has a high success rate in treating gut health and female hormones, in particular. Three months later, it has made a world of difference for me:

I'm ovulating again and having regular periods. I spoke too soon on this bullet point, as I missed my period in January.

I'm going to bed earlier and sleeping through most nights.

I feel more rested and less stressed.

I feel more focused overall.

While I'm still fatigued, it's just pandemic fatigue. My energy is low, but it doesn't feel unhealthy or unsafe.

Between my last post and my PCOS diagnosis, I trained for and completed a 10K, the longest distance I’ve ever run. I used a 14-week training program on my Garmin watch. I was so proud of myself, but it was a strange experience because I still didn't feel good—mentally or physically.

Now I'm in a totally different place. After the 10K, I took a few months off running to heal PCOS and get cosy for winter. I've started running again in the past couple weeks. Right now my goal is running once a week during the weekend to maintain low winter mileage. Once the weather breaks for spring, I might...train for a half marathon? I'd have a lot of training to do—both to work up to my 10K endurance and build strength for twice as many miles.

As stressful and scary as this past year has been in a global pandemic, I really loved last summer. I felt like a kid again—nothing to do, nowhere to go. Summer felt endless. As much as I miss traveling and going to concerts, I'd like to experience that feeling one more time while I wait for the vaccine. I want to use the whole summer to settle into a running rhythm. With PCOS under control, I'm feeling confident enough to run 13.1 miles.

At the time of my last post, I had just started a writing class. It was a generative workshop through Catapult. Work and life were incredibly stressful during that time, so I didn't commit to the class and didn't get much out of it as a result.

At the time of this post, I'm starting another writing class on February 16th! It's children's book writing with Erin Entrada Kelly through Gotham Writers Workshop, and I couldn't be more excited. I read one of her books in preparation (Hello, Universe), and I'm currently reading another (We Dream of Space). I also started outlining my own middle grade novel last night. It's a 10-week course, so I'm going to need a lot of endurance and focus in that part of my life.

[joe-young-stories]

A Week.

Hey, new to tumblr. This is something I wrote in an enclosed, dodgy Christian community in 2018.

The last time I saw Dad in person I was seventeen, and I’d either just finished my A-levels or I was halfway through them. I’d seen him a year before, for Grandad’s funeral. After we’d got home from the wake I’d nicked a crate of Guinness, and thrown up on my suit. I’d thrown up all over the guest bed as well, and I’d left all the empty cans in the waste paper basket. I told my dad that the emotional stress of the funeral must have affected me, and I didn’t really give a shit about the fact that he knew.

This time it was summer, and it was that one week of the British summer that is actually scorching hot. Dad was waiting for me at Oxford train station for my visit. Visa Skank was there too. Visa Skank is my dad’s Russian wife, and perhaps she married him for a visa or perhaps she really loves him. I’ve never actually had anything against her. It was rude, offensive, calling her Visa Skank, but it made me feel really savage and clever back then.  This day at Oxford train station she was in her late forties, and she was wearing this shimmer- shimmer peach linen halter top harem pants combo thing with a dainty cream pashmina and a big floppy straw hat. She was basically just easy mockery.

We went straight from the station to this ultra quaint Riverside pub/restaurant garden. I had Peronis. I had a burger too. We didn’t really have a conversation because Visa had seen a picturesque riverside photo opportunity, and she had my dad take pictures of her next to a drainage sluice for almost an hour, at different angles and filter settings. At the end we walked back through the pub to get to the car and she started draping herself mystically around rustic beams and cosy fireplaces, or sat herself next to like, napkin dispensers that pleased her. And my dad took more pictures. I just wanted to get back to the house. I don’t remember too much more from the meal.

In the daytimes that followed I fell into a routine. Dad would wake up late (his teaching job at the schools wasn’t on) and he might mooch about or he might go into Oxford, or he might just go to Headington High Street. Visa Skank had a busy social schedule attending a young mum’s social club in the Florence Park Cafe. She would spend a lot of time there. I would wake up and take a walk into Central Oxford. And I would stop for a pint in the White Horse, where we used to go for Lunch when I was little. In town I would walk the old streets around the Radcliffe Camera, and this was back when I had academic ambition before I stopped caring about most things, and the scholarly atmosphere excited me. I walked past the cathedral boys’ school – my first school—and into the Eagle and Child, or the Kings Arms, or the Turf Tavern. I would read Franz Kafka stories or Iris Murdoch novels or I’d listen to pretentious students talk shit and praise myself for being more intelligent than them. After a few pints I’d saunter back over Magdelen Bridge and back up towards the house in Headington.

Dad’s house had changed a lot over the years. The retro porn PC used to be in the dining room, and all my 9 year old self used to do at my dad’s was either play SimCity on that computer or watch Dad’s porn. He’d archived literally thousands of pictures, all categorised according to hair/boobs/race etc. Albums of particular stars. I got up early at that age, and if you were proper stealth about it could get up with the dawn and watch a four second clip of a woman getting pleasured by a mechanised shoe buffer. Only if you were stealth though. The computer screen could be seen from the stairs via the dining room mirror. You had to listen for footsteps. God forbid that Visa or even Grandad would walk in. View me wanking it to Dad’s shoe buffer porn.

Now though the house layout was different. Grandad had been a cantankerous twat since Nan died, and all he ever did was sit in the living room watching cartoons and chat shows. GMTV, Pokemon, Digimon, Homes under the Hammer. That was all I ever saw him do on visits to my dad’s.  I left him to it.

But he started losing control of his faculties, and Dad and I would walk in from the pub to a stray smell of nappies, the CBBC channel playing in the background. His osteoporosis got worse. The last time he was alive I was seventeen and he’d been moved to a hospice. He was half asleep next to his colostomy bag but he murmured a greeting and a goodbye. The three of us, Grandad, Dad and me, sat in near silence for approximately fifteen minutes. “Good to see you, Grandad,” I said to him as I was leaving. Grandad had written “to a very impressive grandson” on my birthday card seven months previously.

While Grandad was dying his house was being renovated. The dining room and kitchen had been knocked together into this rustique farmhouse experience, with a big beaten up pine table, a pine dresser and a freshly installed aga. An aga in a nineteen thirties semi. There were a lot of wholesome wicker baskets bought in and gooseberry jam jars were placed in them for effect. Next door the garage was knocked down and a den/conservatory/stargazing lounge/music studio was built. The living room, where Grandad watched all the kids TV, and which I was told was always going to be “His Space” had had all the carpets ripped out and new sofas put in. Floor to ceiling bookshelves covered every wall, and they were all full of this intelligentsia Russian shit no one read. The retro porn PC was upstairs in Dad’s bedroom now, so after I got back from Oxford that last week I’d sit in the conservatory on my laptop. Sometimes if my dad was around I’d bring up an attractive female friend’s Facebook profile and wait for him to ask me about it. He’d talk about organic food and hand picking your own raspberries, and how Russian customs and traditions were the best way to live. But most of those afternoons he was upstairs in his bedroom checking his email, which took about two hours and was a pretty full-on activity for him. If Visa was at home she’d make still life displays from Kitsch crap she found in charity shops. And she’d do photoshoots. Most of the time she was out though. Presumably with the young mums.

When I was downstairs on my own I would drink from the many, many bottles available on the farmhouse shelf. I never drank in front of Dad, but I’d never bother hiding how drunk I was getting either. A little bit of gin, little bit of vodka, whiskey, white rum.

I’d always done this. When I was about twelve, thirteen, fourteen I’d go through Dads bedroom and raid his wardrobe. I’d find his extensive magazine stash and his books on “Tantric Passion”, “The Multi Orgasmic Man”, “Make Her see you Mean Commitment”. I’d find the hamper full of Bombay Sapphire bottles; I never questioned the water bottles full of urine next to his bed. I wasn’t subtle. I’d try and incite his scorn, his discipline, his parental authority. I’d find glow in the dark condoms in his bedside drawers, and I’d take them out of the packets and leave them under his pillow like a treasure hunt. I would neck a bottle of chardonnay, refill it with tap water and leave it in the fridge for him to find. He’d look at the bottle, look at me, deliberate and stammer “I must have rinsed it out for recycling and put it back on autopilot.” I don’t think he knew me well enough to confront me. He once drove me back to mums with me throwing up ass the way down the M40, and we both agreed that I must have eaten some “ropey” quiche.

I didn’t want Dad to parent me anymore; I just didn’t really care. So while Dad was upstairs checking his email I’d access the WiFi and watch naked men beat each other, and I’d masturbate and drink gin. I think on the Tuesday of that week he found me full-on passed out in the stargazing conservatory, sleeping it off. Later on he’d said something about travelling being exhausting, especially across London, and it always took a few days for the mind to properly relax on holiday. I agreed.

In the evenings we’d go out to a pub, the Vicky Arms or The Chestnut or something. I would tell Dad what A levels I was doing. I’d namedrop attractive female friends quite a lot, and talk about parties I went to with them. I’d wait for him to be like, “Are they pretty?”, “Are they into you?”, “Like yeah, get in, my son!”, “Well done, boyo!” and things like that. Visa would come with us. She’d sit there in peach tracksuit bottoms and some kind of burgundy flamenco/matador top, and she would say things like, “Never microwave food because it changes the molecules. Did you know this? We go through a recipe book and you will find meals you would like to try.” We might order popcorn from behind the bar. Visa might demand a photo shoot of her next to an inspiring sunset or whatever.

At home Dad and Visa would go to bed in Grandads old room. Nans room, now the guest bedroom, was being fitted with a “Roman balcony” so I slept on a blow up bed in the living room with all the Russian volumes. I’d drink more whiskey and watch a comedy show about teenage lesbians.

That was it, really. The last week I saw my dad was fairly uneventful. Mundane. If it wasn’t for the fact that it was the last time I saw him I doubt I would have remembered it

Only two events stand out in particular. On the Thursday of that week Dad was playing at a jazz and tango concert at a bar/club in Wantage. He did concerts like that to keep money coming in when the schools weren’t on. Visa took tango lessons down at the community centre, and she’d met a new friend and tango partner called Allan. He had had a stroke and divorce in a five year period and had taken early retirement, so I was told. So I was briefed. Briefed why? I didn’t care.

Allan met us at the house. We all sat about having a back garden beer and then Dad and I set off for Wantage. Allan’s and Visa came later, in Allan’s car, which he could still drive all post stroked up apparently. We had another pint in a pub in Wantage. Dad introduced me to the concept of a “Session Beer”. Advice I have never followed.

Dad gave me money for the evening and then left me to my own devices. I sat on the balcony and drank a lot of Stella, and from my vantage point I could see Dad playing onstage. I could see Visa and Allan as well, and she had her head on his shoulder and he was holding her close around the lower back. This didn’t look particularly tango-ey, but Visa had told me on one pub evening that tango was more about feeling than steps. “Feeling. Yes?” she had said with gusto. This was the passion of the dance I was watching, then. Dad had told me in the car that tango was Allan’s hobby, it’s what got him out the house, like his physio. I looked at Dad, and he was playing some sassy chords on the piano, watching the two of them become one with the dance. He didn’t do anything else. He just sat there, watching them get on with it. I finished one of my Stellas, and later on I thought to myself that he looked like a drooping bunch of flowers in a vase, half dead. A bit sad, maybe. A bit lacking. I was quite proud of myself for thinking of that. It felt very grown up.

Two days later we were having a back garden beer, Dad and I. The garden had changed, and where a swingset once stood there was now a very wholesome vegetable plot. Beyond that was a washing line. It was one of those washing lines with one pole in the ground, and it folded out like an upside down pyramid. You could spin it around for ease of pegging/unpegging. I looked at the washing line and remembered my eight year old self playing by it. I had been playing with a football. I was staying with him for a few weeks or so over the summer. I was out there, by myself, with the football. But I liked to pretend I was playing with all the other children I knew from school. Kids who were actually busy with their own friendship groups or who called me poofty boy by the wildlife pond. But when I was playing with them by myself they were all like, “I did not see this coming! We have not appreciated your serious skills! Hey guys, check out this Baller!” and none of them called me a poofty boy by the wildlife pond.  

I had devised a game where you had to throw the ball into the opened up washing line to score a point. Dad came outside just as I was about to land the sickest shot from ten feet away, the shot which was going to blow George and his gang away, and was going to make Sadia and Carrie-Ann think I was total boyfriend material. He asked me if I wanted anything to eat.

And I really don’t know what came over me, but I said something along the lines of “I’m playing a game. We have to get the ball off each other and get it in the net. Do you want to play?”                          

“Oh, right!” was something like he said “Yes alright then, I will”. I’d never played a game with Dad before, and we were both a bit hesitant. Like, do we just…start, or what? I chucked the ball at the line and missed, and he grabbed it. We ran around the garden, playing the game. He scored a point. I scored a point.  At one point he wrestled me to the ground to get the ball off me, and then helped me up. I remember laughing and smiling, being out of breath. I was tense, too. How did things like this come to a logical end? Did, like, the session finish?  Was there a way for this to end without Dad having to just be really rude? Like: “I’m sorry Joe, but I need to stop doing this at this point and go back to my day. You are welcome to continue though.” How did it work? After approximately fifteen minutes it mercifully started raining, and we went inside. It was the only time we ever played the game.

Sitting and having a beer with my dad that last week was the last time I looked at the garden, or indeed spent any time with him. Halfway through our drink Visa came out of the stargazing conservatory doors, and she was wearing a floor length lacy white gown, a white bonnet and silky white gloves. She was carrying a large wicker hamper, and she put the hamper down and pulled out a silver teapot. “I am English lady at tea,” she said, and she raised the teapot in the air. Then she laid the patio table for a country manor high tea, and started demanding a photoshoot. I went inside.

The next day I was due to go home. I woke up that morning to find that I’d drunk too much and pissed the blow up bed. I put my soggy boxers in a plastic bag, and I covered the damp sheet with my duvet and left it to fester.

I hardly spoke to dad after that week. There was no reason to most of the time. I rang him twice to ask for money, once to say merry Christmas can I have some money and once to tell him I’d just left rehab. In 2018 I had written to him to tell him he was a cunt and I wanted to burn his house down. “Past wounds” with my Father had become a significant part of my “Life Story” by that point, and I thought that sending such a horrible letter might activate a Life Event in some way, some dramatic finale.

Dad has always had his settings such that I can’t find him on Facebook, so I have to log in as my mum to see his profile. Him and Visa quote Oscar Wilde and Shakespeare sonnets on each other’s pages. Visa’s profile has about 64 photo albums. They’re all called things like “Casserole dishes on the patio”, “Beauty In Autumn”, “Sensuous mermaid has adventure”.  Her name isn’t actually Visa Skank. All the photo albums are silly and innocuous. When I’m drunk, or self pitying, or feeling like a victim, or all of the above I sometimes find myself thinking about the game me and Dad played with the washing line and the football.

[haleths]

BIG hugs to @glorfindels for tagging me!! ♡ ♡ ♡ how did you know i’m an absolute sucker for these?! i loved reading your answers and i likewise spent way too long answering the most basic of questions...

1. what is the colour of your hairbrush? black 2. name a food you never eat: strawberries, i’m allergic 3. are you typically too warm or too cold? too cold, but i prefer that to being too hot! i’m soooo hyped for autumn/winter weather you wouldn’t believe 4. what were you doing 45 minutes ago? the washing up. i lead a very interesting life 5. what’s your favourite candy bar? kit kat chunky UGH 6. have you ever been to a professional sports game? god no 7. what is the last thing you said out loud? "shit” two minutes ago when i nearly split my drink lol 8. what is your favourite ice cream? chocolate👏🏻every👏🏻time👏🏻 preferably with chocolate chips or chucks of some sort 9. what was the last thing you had to drink? water. it’s good for you what can i say 10. do you like your wallet? i actually do! it’s the perfect size and shape, and in my favourite shade of green 11. what is the last thing you ate? dinner, which was sweet potato, tuna, and spinach 12. did you buy any new clothes last weekend? nope 13. what’s the last sporting event you watched? .......i’m drawing a blank idk 14. what is your favourite flavour of popcorn? toffee/butterscotch probably. i’m not the biggest popcorn fan tbh, it always gets stuck in my teeth 15. who is the last person you sent a text message to? my brother. he’s great 16. ever been camping? oh yes, every year for our family holiday. my dad loved it, my mum not so much they’re divorced now it’s all good 17. do you take vitamins? nah 18. do you regularly attend a place of worship? not any more but i was a seriously committed christian until i was 17 19. do you have a tan? if you squint 20. do you prefer Chinese or pizza? PIZZA 21. do you drink your soda through a straw? i never drink soda but no 22. what colour socks do you usually wear? black. i’m boring sorry 23. do you ever drive above the speed limit? can't even drive lmao 24. what terrifies you? f a i l u r e . lack of control. eternity. death. not living up to my full potential 25. look to your left, what do you see? my bed, houseplants on the windowsill 26. what chore do you hate most? taking out the bins 27. what do you think of when you hear an Australian accent? koalas?? 28. what’s your favourite soda? i HATE fizzy drinks and avoid them at all costs. my parents never gave them to me as a kid, and when i finally tried lemonade at a party when i was 14, the sensation of something fizzing in my mouth was so unnatural and i’ve never adjusted to it!! 29. do you go in a fast food place or just hit the drive thru? eh fast food isn’t really my thing but i prefer drive thru/takeaway just so i can eat at home in my pjs :) 30. what’s your favourite number? errr do i have one? 17 is pretty good 31. who’s the last person you talked to? does talking to myself count?? 32. favourite meat? chicken, or tuna if we’re counting fish as meat 33. last song you listened to? oh you pretty things - david bowie 34. last book you read? currently rereading the silmarillion 35. favourite day of the week? sunday. very chill 36. can you say the alphabet backwards? absolutely not! not even gonna try 37. how do you like your coffee? i don’t drink it. i looovvveee the smell of coffee and the flavour of it in other things like coffee cake, but the actual drink is too bitter for me 38. favourite pair of shoes? my doc martens 39. time you normally get up? oh god, anywhere between 6:30 and 11am 40. what do you prefer, sunrise or sunsets? sunsets definitely! it’s my favourite time of day 41. how many blankets on your bed? just the one 42. describe your kitchen plates: they’re quite quirky actually! colourful and floral, very cottagecore 43. describe your kitchen at the moment: clean and tidy, small but cosy 44. do you have a favourite alcoholic drink? i don’t drink alcohol either (no soda, no coffee, no alcohol. wtf is wrong with me?!?) 46. what colour is your car? don't have one but if i did......blue? maybe? 47. can you change a tire? hell no 48. your favourite state or province? i’m not american babes! but my favourite place in the uk is northumberland. i fully intend on retiring there one day 49. favourite job you’ve had? probably the one i’m at now. i work at a museum and have been there since i said goodbye to restaurant work last summer, good riddance! it’s not perfect and it’s far from my dream job but i actually feel respected?? and appreciated?? and valued as a part of the team?? it’s sad that my standards are this low but there you have it 50. tagging: @going-there-and-back-again, @kilioferebor, @andtheirlovewasrenewed, and @oreliel-from-valinor ♡ ♡ ♡

[hansolmates]

vernon; the big kid league

a pokemon gen viii au

feat. researcher!Vernon x gym apprentice!reader

genre/warnings: this is pure word vomit. pokemon and svt fandom trash. ambiguous flirting, shameless wooloo fluff and squealing over nessa, former rival!Vernon x reader (also, hop is the best thing that has ever happened to me in poke!verse, next to my boi piplup)

word count: 1.1k

summary: former rivals-turned-friends-with-some-benefit are on vacay, reflecting on how old they are since their pokemon journey

“Wow,” Vernon whistled, tightening his grip on the leather strap of his backpack. “This place is huge.” 

Huge was an understatement. Thank goodness there was a rail system in place, otherwise you would’ve turned down Vernon’s summer vacation idea immediately. His idea of a summer vacation didn’t involve lazing around beach chairs and bottomless drinks. The vacation was a two-for-one: Vernon would be further extending his Dynamax research to bring back home, and you would get your last bit of freedom before you take over the Pastoria Gym. 

“This place,” you wheezed, holding onto the bannister of yet another tall building, “has way too many freakin’ stairs.” 

“Stairs have history, little lass,” a smooth, honeyed voice replied to you. 

“Holy shit,” you hear Vernon hiss excitedly, his attempt at a whisper sorely failing because you were still meters away from him. “It’s Nessa.” 

You felt your stomach do waves. The Nessa? Making small talk with you? Lowkey calling you a little girl, and yet you’re feeling like she’s given you the biggest compliment since landing in the Galar region? You can’t help but give a slight one-over, in awe over her beauty and reputation as their water-type gym leader. 

“Although, stairs do get a good daily workout outta ya.” Nessa added good-naturedly, rolling her shoulder. “You two trainers?” 

Vernon beat you to it, pointing proudly at you, “She’s in training under Wake to be the next water-type gym leader.” 

“Nice, a water girl like me.” Nessa nodded, and you squealed on the inside. “The lab coat gives away you’re a researcher,” she gestured to Vernon, who looked absolutely wired that a top gym leader was talking to the two of you. “Sonia’s in town, if you wanna get lunch with us.” The invite was so casual and mature, you couldn’t believe it. 

You agreed to the invite, you had a few hours to kill before you check in and you were both famished. As you followed Nessa and exchanged gym talk, you felt Vernon throw an arm around your shoulder, giving you a quick squeeze as if to say we’re totally adults now. 

- 

None of you spoke a word of it, but The Budew Drop Inn made you and Vernon feel terribly old. 

It astounded you as to how each region thought it was socially acceptable to let children roam around—you had a little hope for the Galar region, but nevertheless you were impressed by the enormity of their Gym Challenges. At least they offered the kids a place to stay, your mother surely would’ve felt safer knowing you were in a hotel with a Rotom Phone rather than a tent in the wild area. 

You watched Vernon from your cushioned spot at the lobby, waiting in line with much smaller individuals who were also waiting to get keys to their rooms. Vernon played with his Rotom Phone—new edition, perks to being an assistant professor, when you realized he had sent you a message. 

Quick, do I look like their dad next to these kids or an older brother? 

Stifling a giggle, you check him out. He caught your gaze, and you wiggled your eyebrows suggestively as you kicked your legs in the air. As per standard, he’s a glorified mess. The trip over was long and tiring, and he didn’t have time to change because he left directly from the lab. His bush of carmine hair was all over the place, his bangs overgrown and brushing the frame of his new prescription specs. (“Any more time on the computer and you’ll be as blind as a Zubat!” you joked the first time he got them.)  

You quickly typed up a reply, definitely a hot older brother.  

Vernon’s eyes immediately snapped up at the flirtatious comment. He stuck out his tongue, pink cheeks betraying him.  

Five minutes later, Vernon is flipping a keycard between his two fingers. 

“Couldn’t get two beds,” he said, “with the opening ceremony and all that, Motostoke’s completely booked.” 

“Who said we wanted two beds?” you half-joke, pulling yourself up by grabbing the collar of Vernon’s lab coat. 

He half-whispered your name in a warning, pulling you closer. You challenged his gaze with a teasing one of your own. “Careful, there are children here!” 

With a roll of your eyes, you plucked the keycard from his hand. “C’mon old man, I’m sure you’re very tired from your journey.” 

The hotel is certainly an upgrade from sleepless nights you spent as a kid in the middle of the forest. There are multiple memories of you and your party waiting for the sun to rise, hanging onto a Chimchar flame and a faraway dream of being the Champion. 

The room is warm and the mint sheets are soft. You’re flipping channels whereas Vernon finally abandoned the last of his research on the desk, slamming his laptop shut. 

“Sure beats a ratty old tent in the middle of nowhere,” Vernon exhaled, plopping himself on the bed so hard you bounce with it. 

“That ratty old tent taught you survival skills,” you quipped, and rested your head on his chest. You let the lull of his breathing echo in your ear. The hotel room was small and cosy, trapping you both in time. “You’d be eating microwave ramen right now if it weren’t for your adventure.” 

“It was our adventure,” he corrected, and pressed his lips to your hair, “and I still eat ramen, at least when you’re not home.” 

The ambiguity of your relationship had yet to be explored. That was okay, at least for now. While the two of you may not be children, you were certainly still young with wide futures ahead of you. The only difference was that your bike had upgraded to a car, and your backyard pond will one day be the Pastoria Gym. 

At the very least, the two of you weren’t sitting Psyducks. And you weren’t going at each other all the time like when you were rivals. Butterfrees float in your tummy as you felt Vernon snuggle closer to you. 

The stadium lights glowed through the crepe window, and crept through your room in anticipation for tomorrow’s festivities. Tomorrow would be the start of another adventure, together.

[persephonessister]

my brain is really kicking my butt today so i decided to create a list of my favourite things. In no particular order.

howling wind

cosy sweaters

my parents coming home from a trip

heated blankets

picking up little bugs

childhood toys

pride flags

lavender

gardening

Jennifer Garner making bread on instagram

vanilla

giving people gifts

my cat

swimming

wild animals coming to say hello

cycling/running in the rain

a long hard workout

a good find at an thrift store

tunnocks wafers

custard

sunflowers

baby animals

walking my dog

a deep talk with my brother

my grandparents house

my dads voice when he reads stories

finishing my homework

singing and dancing alone

the coo of pigeons

crunchy leaves

writing letters

ice cold water

coke zero

chicken wraps

at home spa day

coming home covered in mud

my bed

chopsticks

gnossienne no. 1

dessert skittles

my mums art

a hug

crystals

candles

books

old pictures of my childhood

glow stars

the moon

rings

music

eating alone in a cafe

toadstools

winnie the pooh

my grandmas orchard

xbox with my brother

bare feet in mud

skiing with my dad

taking pictures

weighted blankets

a long shower

long skirts and dresses

texts from my friends

when babies smile at me

cargo shorts

old cinemas

kids being excited about stuff

tortilla chips

pain au chocolat

insects

brushing my teeth

dyed hair

a clean(ish) room

being alone in a cinema

head massages

being outside at night

little boxes

my sparkly wallpaper

a loooong shower

painting

finding spare change

old ruins (burrows mump)

St Gervais

nesquik cereal

driftwood art

spiders webs

the forest in summer

cobbled streets

riding horses

teaching people

spaghetti bolognase

cuddling with my cat when its cold

frost sledding

dust in shafts of light

watercolour

midnight antics with my mum

poems

clean sheets

iron on patches

hmm, thats what ive got for today but my idea is to add to it whenever im having a bad day.

[thou-crusty-batch-of-nature]

A light in the darkness - Part 2

Pairing Remus x reader Warnings language, cuteness overloaded A/N Thank you @futurewriter2000 for all your help! Here comes part two. I hope you will like it! Feel free to send me feedback and requests! 

GIF NOT MINE

When I arrived in the great hall, everyone was waiting for me. Aza, Lily and Remus were discussing upon a book they've recently read, while Zoe, James, Peter and Sirius were arguing over quidditch. Zoe seemed the most devastated. "Oh, Peter; even they've realised that they are the worst! They've even changed their motto to: "Let's all just keep our fingers crossed and hope for the best!" On the other hand, Ballycastle Bats is the second most successful team in the League's history!" "Slow down, Miss Fruitbat! There will only be one champion! Your team may be the second, but Puddlemere United has twenty-two League wins!" James interrupted. "Yeah, and another two at the Quidditch World Cup!" Sirius added, before turning to me. "Look, the queen has finally decided to come! I was ready to send your servant to escort you!" "You are too kind, but we all know there'll only be one true queen here!" "Yes, a drama queen!" Remus snorted. "I bet the ladies at the palace would kill for your hair, Snuffles!" James said. "Where shall we go?" "I really need to buy some quills, as a very annoying dog decided to destroy all of them!" I announced. "In my defence, the ulm wood is very tasty!" "I need to buy some parchments, we can go together to Scrivenshaft's." Remus said. James rolled his eyes. "Nerds." "Then we will all meet at the Three Broomsticks in an hour, is that okay?" Lily asked. After everyone had agreed, Remus and I headed for the shop. It was a warm late-autumn day. The sun was shining shyly. I was looking at the quills, trying to choose between a white and a black one, when I heard my name being called. "You won't believe what I've found!" "If it's a very interesting book, you can just say!" "Then I guess I'll just leave with the newest AC/DC album, what a cruel life!" "What!?" He was one of the few friends who knew my love for rock. Growing up in the Black family, I hadn't had access to any kind of muggle stuff, but having Zoe as my roommate soon made me love music as much as her. We paid for our stuff, then we walked for a while, letting the scrunching leaves bring back our happiest memories, slowly getting closer. "Did Padfoot really destroy your quills?" "Yeah, and most of my shoes. Once I've found him on my bed, ready to play with my History of Magic essay! After I'd worked 3 hour for that, I was ready to make him a coat!" "He chewed my wand a few times, too." We were walking up the hill. The village was painted in tones of red and orange. "I know. He came running to my room, begging me to let him hide there. I haven't seen him more frightened before." We laughed. "I still don't know how you managed to find the spell for entering the girls' dorms." "A gentleman never tells his secrets." "Come on, I want to take revenge! He destroyed my favourite trainers!" I tried to nudge him gently, but I accidentally tripped over a root and fell on the ground. Remus attempted to catch me, but he was too slow. "Are you okay?" he asked panicked. He took my hands, helping me stand. "Yes, it's just my foot. I think I sprained my ankle, but I can walk-" "Nonsense! There's no way I'm going to let you limp until we get there!" That's how I ended up on Remus' back, my hands around his neck, while he was carrying me through the sleepy village. My chin rested on his light brown curls. In a few minutes, we arrived at the three broomsticks. When he gently put me down, I didn't hesitate to plant a chaste kiss on his cheek. "Thank you so much!"  "Don't mention it, love!" Roses bloomed on his face, looking so stoic against his freckled cheeks. "Well, you two obviously had some fun!" Lily cheered. "Oh, will you shut up already!" We sat down at the corner table. "Where are the rest?" "Sirius and Peter are at Zonko's, and Zoe and Aza went to Honeydukes to 'refill the emergency stash' whatever that means." James said, "Would you like anything to drink? I was ready to go give the order when you came." "A butterbeer." "I want one, too, but I am coming with you." Remus answered. Seeing the boys leave, I turned to Lily. "So, how did your first date go?" "It was amazing, we went to Madam Puddifoot's." she mused, glancing at James. "Didn't you two hate that place?" "I for sure do, but he doesn't have to know that. I had to see if he was willing to do what I wanted, even if it was pure torture for him." "You know he's been at your feet since our second year; why did you bother?" Lily smirked mischievously. "It was hilarious to see him covered in pink confetti and glitter, not to mention the group of first year's who stalked him all the way here."

"Your order, ladies!" Remus said, putting the beverages down. The others came after that, and we spent the rest of the day talking and laughing. Soon the sun was setting and we needed to go back. As I stepped outside, I realised that wearing a shirt wasn't the wisest decision. The wind was blowing violently, but it wasn't the only thing sending shivers through my body. Remus' hand was around my shoulders 'just in case I needed support to step' as he said. However, I almost fell again when he moved it on the small of my back. "Are you alright there, little one?" my brother asked, noticing my behaviour. "Just a bit chilly, that's it!" Remus removed his hand, only to take off his coat and put it over my shoulders. It smelt like his musky cologne. It's strange how cozy and happy I've felt under his touch. I looked in his eyes, smiling sweetly. "Thank you!" "The pleasure is mine!" he answered, taking my hand in his. 'I used to think love was bound by numbers: first kisses, second dances, infinite heartbreaks. I used to think numbers outlasted the love itself, surviving in the dark corners of the demolished heart. I used to think love was heavy and hard. I don’t think those things anymore.' -David Arnold, Kids of Appetite

Time flew by like a petal in the wind. The Christmas break was only a couple of days away. My friends and I hadn't planned anything this year, so we had to go home. The classes have just finished. Aza, Zoe and I decided to celebrate the winter wonderland by going outside. With thick, woollen socks, scarves and beanies, you could say we were ready to move on a glacier. We were just finishing a snowman, when I felt something cold landing on my back. As I turned to see the attacker, another snowball hit my face. "You blithering idiots!" I took the snow out of my now freezing face, turning to the source of the brutal attack. I immediately saw the innocent faces of the marauders. "It was Remus!" Sirius denounced, hands up in surrender. "Y/N I am truly, terribly sorry! Are you hurt?" "You better fucking start running!" "Oh- I get it." With that, he sprinted through the snow, without a destination. Still, I didn't need more than a minute to catch him. I quickly made the biggest snowball I could, from which he dodged easily. However, when he threw his, I was so taken aback that I fell, sprawling over him. "Hi," I whispered innocently, my thighs around his waist. "'Ello, little one! Got yourself cosy here, didn't you?" "I suppose I did, " I said, slowly grazing my fingers over his face and neck, following the pattern of a scar. I let my eyes turn the same greenish colour as his, observing how they dilated. Frozen as in a spell, he didn't see the fist of snow I managed to take and smash in his face. "Oh, you little minx!" That's not fair!" "Only losers say that!" "Fine, I surrender, you've won!" We went to our rooms wet and filled with joy. With the winter outside, we couldn't ignore the summer from our souls. "Are you going to be okay?" Aza asked. "Yes." "You know, if they do anything to you, you can always send me an owl and I'll be ready to beat their ass." Zoe said.

"I will be fine, I'll be with Sirius." We were in our dorm, packing our stuff. It was a rather cloudy night. Snowflakes were peacefully making their way to the ground, turning the world in a enormous chess board. I finished drying and packing my clothes from today's snowball fight. I was exhausted. "I am off to bed!" I announced.

TAGLIST @futurewriter2000  @booksbeforebois  @puppycat714

[mistymark]

the one with the summer job [part one] // l.j.n

lee jeno x reader // summer camp au // 5.4k words

in which y/n needs work placement and finds herself working in an infirmary helping little kids, and one very injured jeno // masterlist // part of the Hideaway Hollow series // warnings: none? probably swearing, knowing me // part 1 of 4

“Why, why, why did I choose biomed, again?” You sighed, dropping your head onto the textbook that lay expectantly in front of you. Your friend hit you on the shoulder with her pen as you reached into your hoodie pocket to retrieve your phone, checking the time. You closed your eyes when you realised it was almost 11, the stress and panic having taken its toll on you. The library was open until the early hours of the morning, and there were still groups of students at every table studying intently, cups of cold coffee and energy drinks beside them, littered on the floor surrounding them, and in their backpacks.

“Because you’re a kind, smart individual who wants to help others feel better,” you friend stated optimistically, trying to push your head from where it lay against the textbook. Your notebook and various sheets of notes were sprawled around you, and, like the other students, an empty cup sat sadly beside your laptop. “Have you decided where you want to work over the summer?” she asked, leaning back in her chair and watching you expectantly.

“No,” you moaned miserably, having forgotten about the summer work positions until this very moment, being so focused on your studies. “Have you found yours?”

She jumped excitedly in her seat, “That’s what I wanted to talk to you about. You know how Dad owns those summer camps for kids that go on over the break?” She continued when you nodded your head, your forehead still pressed against the cool pages of your medicine textbook, “He said he could get me a work position there, running the books and everything.”

You looked up at your best friend proudly, “That’s fantastic! And working at a summer camp will be awesome, at least you’ll have people of all ages there.” You suddenly wished you had studied accounting like her, but remembering how bad you were when you took the subject in high school made you glad you’d chosen a subject you understood, even though it wasn’t really evident at the moment, as you had previously been rereading your notes, looking lost.

“It gets better!” She was practically bouncing in her seat now, and her excitement was spilling over to you, causing you to be eager for her to continue, “One of the assistant like, nurse people, just got sick and can’t come on camp ‘cause he might infect the other campers, right? Which means… there’s a position available for an assistant in the infirmary. And, if you want it, it’s yours!”

You were so grateful for your best friend right then, leaning over and hugging her tightly, “You’re such an angel, oh my God, of course I accept, thank you so much! And thank your dad for me, too. Oh my God, this is so much better than the GP office I was going to apply for.”

“I’ll get Dad to send you all the forms, though I technically may have already signed you up, so there shouldn’t be much for you to do,” she shot you a grin as she pulled out her laptop from its case, excitedly tapping her nails against its surface.

“Hey, babe,” your friend greeted you on the phone happily, and you smiled at the sound of her voice. She sounded distracted as she ‘uhh’d into the microphone.

“Hi, I don’t think I’ll be able to get there in time for orientation,” you said, dragging a heavy suitcase down the last flight of stairs in your building, looking up sadly at the other one that remained at the top of the staircase, glaring down at you.

“Oh no, what happened?” She asked, her attention suddenly on you.

“I can still come!” you reassured her. “I have to meet with one of my professors this morning before the break, because I might become a TA, but if I leave straight after I can make it there at around 11 tonight, and then do the orientation tomorrow morning, right?”

“I’m sure that’s fine,” she said, her voice suddenly distant, as if she had pushed the phone away from her face. “Sorry, I’m trying to help Dad organise his office now that everyone else is here… Did I mention this was the camp I attended?”

You smiled, rushing back up the stairs to grab your last suitcase, “You may have mentioned it a few times in the last couple of weeks. Anyway, I should go, but I’ll see you tonight!”

“Okay, I’ll wait up for you,” she grunted as she lifted something and then pulled the phone closer to her mouth, “Get here as soon as, Dad hired a lot of very attractive staff this year.” You could practically hear the smirk on her face.

“He certainly did,” a guy’s voice suddenly yelled into your ear, and you pulled the phone away at the sudden loud noise.

There was laughter on the other end of the phone, as your best friend’s voice returned, “Sorry, that was Jungkook, he’s one of the senior staff, don’t worry, you’ll meet him when you arrive, I’m sure. I’ll see you tonight, y/n, can’t wait!”

You said your goodbyes and hung up, grabbing your bags and pulling them out to your car, opening the trunk and loading everything up and then checking your watch to see how much time you had before your interview with your professor.

There was a ding in your pocket and you pulled out your phone, reading a text from your friend, ‘i forgot to tell u to bring a sleeping bag, you’ll need one xx’.

“Y/n!” There was a loud shout from the wraparound verandah of a large wooden cabin, and you saw your best friend sprinting down the few steps and out to meet your car as you parked. You got out of your car quickly, switching off the engine before getting out and hugging her. When you retracted your arms, you looked around the camp, unable to see very much in the dark light. She gestured for you to follow her into one of the largest cabins, “This is the administration office, and basically where I’ll be living for the next two months, but I’m just going to quickly let Dad know you’re here.”

She disappeared around a corner and you were left on the cute porch alone, the only outdoor porch with a light, apparently. You grabbed your suitcases, backpack, pillow and sleeping bag and dumped them on the deck as quietly as possible before sitting on the steps. Where you were from, there was a lot of light pollution, so you weren’t able to see many stars at night, but here… there were so many, and they were all so bright. You stared in awe at the night sky.

You looked at the sky until your friend came back, “Come on, I’ll show you where the staff stay.”

“We don’t stay in there?” You asked, gesturing to where she had gone.

“No, only the really important, like, senior staff stay there,” she grabbed one of your suitcases and your pillow, already lugging it away towards the staff cabin. “There’s always a light on so that campers can find their way if they’re really ill or lost or something, I don’t really know.” She shrugged, cocking her head in the direction she was walking, gesturing for you to follow her.

“How many people are staying in this cabin?” You walked beyond a path that led to 10 cabins, all arranged in a semi-circle around a fire pit. You noticed a light on in one of them, but you walked past nonetheless.

“Not many, but there are separate rooms, so you and I will be rooming together,” she spun in a circle to shoot you a happy smile, and your mood was instantly lifted knowing that you wouldn’t be sharing a bedroom with strangers for two months. When you finally arrived at the cabin, you realised it was nothing like the cabins you’d seen back at the main part of the camp, but rather one much larger, more modern version. The cabin was still made of wood, but there were three storeys, and the ground floor had a fully furnished kitchen and a large living room, complete with comfortable-looking couches and a flat screen TV, and what looked to be a gaming console.

The two of you silently agreed to go straight to bed, and she reminded you that you had to be awake early for a brief orientation in the morning by the Head Leaders, who “are, like, in charge of the other team leaders but they’re not senior enough to be actual counsellors or directors, so they’re still monitored and everything…yeah”.

The next morning, you woke up and drearily pulled yourself from your cosy bed, moving slowly to the bathroom to get dressed and ready for the day. You noticed an orange shirt had been placed on the end of your bed sometime throughout the night, but when you looked over to your friend for more information, you discovered she was still fast asleep.

You got dressed quickly and quietly, trying not to disturb your sleeping best friend and left the cabin with the soft click of the door, making sure you had your room key with you. Downstairs, the older staff were eating their breakfasts, a feast of eggs and bacon, cereals, different kinds of toast and pancakes. They all greeted you merrily, wearing similar camp shirts to you, but instead of being orange, they were all wearing a deep pine green colour. You suddenly felt very obviously out of place. Older men and women bustled about, grabbing their breakfasts and things for the day before leaving to head to the main camp, but a group of younger-looking guys sat at a large wooden kitchen table.

Awkwardly, you sat down next to a guy in a black jacket and cap, his green shirt peeking out from the collar, and grabbed some toast, reaching over him, “Sorry.”

He laughed good-naturedly, “No need to apologise.” He pulled his hand up from under the table, “I’m Jungkook.”

You raised your eyebrows in shock, before grinning easily back at him and shaking his hand, “Oh! I’m Y/n, I believe we spoke on the phone?”

He smiled at you and nodded, “Did you just get here? I swear I didn’t see you yesterday.”

“Oh, I arrived late last night. I have to meet the Head Leaders at the administrations cabin in ten minutes, but I don’t know where it is,” you said shyly, continuing to eat your toast.

“Easy, we can show you,” he gestured to the group of guys surrounding him at the table. “This is Taehyung, Jimin, Hobi and Yoongi. We’re all semi-experienced, so if you need anything we can definitely help you.”

You smiled thankfully at them, “Wow, that’s so nice of you guys, thank you. Do any of you know who’s working in the infirmary? I haven’t met anyone.”

The guy Jungkook had introduced as Hobi stuck his hand up excitedly, “I am! There’s two experienced doctors that we have on call, but I’m your first aid man. You’ve got experience, right? If you’re working the infirmary this year?” You nodded, and, if it was possible, his smile got bigger, “Great! The last guy we had in the infirmary was absolutely useless, he had no first aid training at all and- “

“Hey!” One of the other boys, Yoongi, you thought, spoke up, leaning over the table to hit Hobi. “I wasn’t that bad! And I was filling in for someone, it’s not like I was meant to be there.”

The rest of the boys were laughing, until Jimin grabbed his phone and said, “Oh shit, Y/n, you’re going to be late if you don’t leave now. Jungkook, you take her to the admin cabin, Taehyung and I can clear up everything.”

You shouted out a quick ‘thank you!’ as Jungkook pushed you out the door, walking speedily towards the main part of camp. In the day light, you could see the whole camp, and you were mesmerised. The cabins that you had seen arranged in a semi-circle all had different coloured rooves, and a sign above the doorway painted with the cabin’s name. The fire pit was black from a recent fire, and the lake beyond sparkled invitingly. Each cabin was a clean, light coloured wood, and they stood proudly, awaiting their campers.

You could see some of the team leaders sitting in the mess hall as the door opened, and two emerged, one tall, older looking boy and a much shorter girl, who talked to him animatedly. Your friend was right, they had hired very attractive staff this year.

Jungkook saw you watching them with interest and waved, “Hey! Jisoo, Jeno! Morning!”

They both looked your way and smiled, calling back greetings. You met Jeno’s eyes, and gave him a small, shy wave before continuing to follow Jungkook’s lead to the Main Cabin, feeling the weight of them both looking at you.

Jungkook dropped you off at Main Cabin’s entrance, before walking inside to begin his own work. He’d told you cheekily whilst you were walking that he wanted to get in early and take all the fun activities for the summer before his older friends got them. He saluted you as he walked past again, wishing you good luck as the two Head Leaders walked up towards the porch.

“Hi, you must be Y/n,” the boy said, giving you an innocent smile and handing you a clipboard with all the information you required for the summer on it. “I’m Mark, and this is my co-Head Leader, n/n.”

The girl shook your hand politely and begun to explain the basics of the camp and your tasks for the summer, and you listened eagerly. You learnt that the two of them were similar in age to you, and were also currently studying at college, which meant that the three of you got along really well.

They dropped you off at the infirmary, a quaint cabin with large windows and a beautiful view of the lake; the back porch hung out over the water slightly. Hobi was already there waiting for you, and he made sure to say goodbye to the Leaders before explaining more thoroughly what your roles in the infirmary were. “It kind of sucks that if a kid gets food poisoning at 2am, we have to be awake to deal with it, and let me tell you, it happens more than it should, but other than that, infirmary’s not that big of a deal,” Hobi shrugged, before flipping open a clipboard that contained a checklist of supplies that were required in the cabin.

“Do you need help with that?” you asked, eyeing the clipboard of at least ten sheets of paper, each with a list of materials. Inventory had to be a boring, monotonous job.

He looked up from his list, smiling at you, “Oh, yes, thank you.” As you worked, you learnt more about Hobi, and he was happy to discuss his college life, as well as the partner he had back in the city, and how he had met all of his best friends through this camp. You smiled softly as you listened, thoroughly going through the cupboards, and making sure to respond to his questions.

You were pretty happy to say that working in the infirmary was really fun, and despite most days being slow, you almost always had a kid come in by lunch time with a red face and a distressed team leader. By the second week of camp, you’d met almost every staff member, spent your lunchtimes with your best friend on the lake’s jetty eating delicious meals prepared by one of the cooks, and developed new and exciting friendships with the older staff. You had to admit; this summer program was a fantastic idea.

It only got better when you’d run into Jeno. You’d seen him around quite a bit, and were lucky enough to have dinner with the team leaders every night, and you couldn’t help the growing attraction you had towards the guy. He would always smile at your warmly as he passed you, his eyes turning into small crescent moons, and he always made sure to include you in the conversations the Team Leaders were having, making sure to always sit beside you at mealtimes.

On the Thursday of your second week in the infirmary, he’d brought in a sobbing nine year old boy, who’d hurt his wrist during archery. Hobi checked over the injury with ease, and the boy was smiling and eating a lollipop happily within fifteen minutes.

That meant you had fifteen minutes to talk to Jeno, uninterrupted. He was pretty distracted, constantly checking over your shoulder to monitor his camper’s injury, but when you assured him it was probably just the string of the bow hitting it too many times, he relaxed.

“He’s going to be fine, you know,” you stated, moving to stand beside him and providing an unobstructed view of Hobi and the younger boy.

“I know,” Jeno said, before glancing at you, a small smile making its way onto his face. “It’s just that… Philip’s my favourite.”

You were confused for a moment, before realising that the boy’s name must be Philip, and you laughed, “Ah, so your worry isn’t for his health, it’s just panic that your favourite won’t like you anymore.”

He fought back his smile, instead feigning hurt, “No, I care very deeply for all my campers, how dare you accuse me of favouritism.” He made a silly face as he spoke, and you noticed the green wristband on his arm slid down as he crossed his arms over his chest.

This caused you to giggle and you tried to be quiet as to not distract Hobi, “Sure, Greenie. Not to be rude, but I’m pretty sure either Red or Orange are like, guaranteed to win camp favourite this year.”

He turned to look at you, furrowing his eyebrows, “You know about camp favourites?”

Now it was you that feigned hurt, “I’m new, I’m not an idiot. And, yeah, you know y/f/n? Her Dad runs the place, so I’ve heard quite a bit about it.”

“Ah, well,” he began pacing the small space distractedly as he talked, swinging his legs as he turned around, “Jaemin’s partner, the Red Leader, was camp favourite last year, and she’s determined to win it again this year, but Jaemin’s super competitive and wants to beat her. I’m pretty sure he’s just using it as an excuse to flirt with her, though.”

You smiled, having seen them together around camp, oftentimes looking to be flirting, but you were never certain, as you were pretty sure Jaemin flirted with anything that had a pulse, including the older staff, the guys (I mean, hey, you could respect if he swung that way) and yourself.

“You’re all good to go, little buddy,” Hobi gave Philip a high five and let him walk towards Jeno, a lollipop hanging from his mouth. Hobi then pulled out a small form that needed filling out from a drawer, giving the details of the injury and what he did to help, ready to give it to Main at the end of the day.

“Jeno, can we go back to archery now?” Philip whined, now apparently eager to do it again.

Jeno nodded and grinned at you, heading for the exit to follow the younger boy out, before spinning around at the last moment, “You’re coming to the bonfire tomorrow night, yeah?”

You looked up from your work, “Uh, yeah, I think so.”

He nodded, “Good.”

“I can’t believe that’s the first group gone,” your best friend stated, watching as the last of the cars drove out of the carpark, the parents pulling onto the main road with excited children in the back seat. One kid waved to her as she stood on the porch, whilst you sat comfortably on the steps.

“I can’t believe how accident prone kids are,” you said, rifling through the pages Hobi had given you to hand off the Admin Senior Squad (also known as the ASSes), which, in your opinion, was really poorly named by Taehyung.

Your friend turned on you, “Lighten up, tonight is the first big bonfire, and we’re going night swimming!”

“In the lake?” you asked, suddenly unsure. Your years of science classes had taught you about the many hazards that could be present in the lake’s water. You wrinkled your nose at the thought.

“Where else?” she raised an eyebrow at you. “Come on, it can’t be that bad. Besides, you’ll get to see Jeno shirtless.”

You were taken aback by her comment, physically shying away from her, “I don’t- I wasn’t – what are you talking about?”

She laughed, “You forget I’ve known you for years. I can tell when you’re into someone.”

You straightened your back, uncomfortably stretching your neck in order to clarify, “I’m not INTO him, I just think he’s cute.”

“Sure, Y/n, and I’m secretly hooking up with a staff member,” she sighed, a small smile evident on her face, stepping inside Main. “Do you want to go to the girls’ sleepover tonight? I’m pretty sure Pink is hosting once everyone’s cleaned up their cabins.”

You shrugged, “Yeah, sounds good. I’ve missed having girls my age around. And, before you say anything, you’re like 85 at heart, so, no, you don’t count.”

She pulled a face and hit you lightly across the arm, “Whatever. Oh, are you busy tonight? If Hobi hasn’t got you doing anything, can you drop of the spare toiletries to all the cabins? Dad wants me to do the rounds, but I haven’t finished the finances for this week and he’ll kill me if I don’t get at least one thing finished.” You laughed with her, nodding and stepping up to grab the bag of toilet amenities; soaps, toilet paper, paper towel, cleaning wipes, fragrant spray, and small first aid replacements – all simple necessities that each cabin was required to be equipped with.

You started at Pink cabin, which was directly opposite White, the cabins holding the seven and eight year olds. You presumed it was best to keep them separated, as they were oftentimes the loudest of all the cabins, from what you’d seen in the past two weeks. The Head Leader opened the door and looked as if she were about to cry, and you immediately stepped inside to help. The cabin was a right mess; you were unsure how such a mess could be left after all the kids had cleared out, taking all their belongings with them.

“Can you take the mattress protectors for me, please?” She asked, struggling to scrape off a hard, previously very sticky substance, on the floor of the cabin.

“Of course, I’ll do it during my toiletries round,” you assured her, gathering the protectors and dumping them outside onto a porch seat.

“You’re a lifesaver, thank you,” she said, helping you unload the amenities.

You moved onto the next few cabins, dropping off the products before moving on. You arrived at Green, and were somehow really surprised when Jeno opened the door, almost as if you had forgotten which cabin he was in. He had changed out of the camp shirt, and was now wearing a plain white T-shirt, letting his black hair flop down over his forehead and a pair of thin-framed glasses rested on the bridge of his nose. For a moment, you were unsure what to say, “Housekeeping?”

You were worried he wouldn’t get the joke, but sure enough a wide, amused grin made its way onto his face as he shook his head at you, pushing the door open with one hand to allow you to duck under his arm and enter the cabin.

He’d already cleaned most of it, the bathroom was the only part he hadn’t got to yet. You wolf whistled jokingly at his efforts, as he had obviously achieved a lot more than the other leaders, and dumped your bag on the ground to help him stock the small bathroom cupboards. Each cabin had a tiny bathroom; just a sink and a toilet, whereas showers were located elsewhere.

When you’d finished, he flopped down onto one of the beds, “Do you know when the campfire is?”

You checked your watch, “Two hours from now?”

He groaned, grabbing his pillow and pulling it over his face, “You know, we’re supposed to go night swimming tonight.”

You wrinkled your nose, “I heard.”

He noticed your slightly disgusted tone and sat up on his elbows, letting the pillow fall away and sit neatly beside him, “You got a problem with lakes, Doc?”

You rolled your eyes at the nickname, “What I’ve got a problem with is your attitude.”

“Oooooh, sticks and stones, y/n,” he clutched his heart dramatically. After a moment, he turned to face you again, “So you’re not coming with us?”

“No, I’m coming,” you smiled at his expression. You couldn’t quite pick his emotion, but you didn’t dwell on it. “I’m just not sure about whether I should swim or not. I could conduct a few tests easily before our next opportunity-“

“Another two weeks from now?” He groaned again, the sound contradicting the smile on his face. “Come on, Doc, how bad can it be?”

You sent him a smile, using your index finger to point matter-of-factly as you began pacing the floor beside his bed, “I’m glad you asked; VERY bad. Do you know what that water could contain? It could-“

“Jeno?” There was a call from the other side of the door, and Jeno stood up to answer it, lightly brushing his arm against you as he walked past. When he opened the door, Jisoo began talking rapidly, “Hey, I just wanted to know if you’re still planning on coming night swimming with us tonight.”

Jeno glanced back at you with a smirk before focusing back on Jisoo, “I don’t know. Could be dangerous.”

She looked confusedly at him and then noticed you behind him, her eyes widening, “Oh, well. Um, either way, I hope you can come. And, you, too, Y/n.”

You waved, “Thanks, Jisoo.” She promptly turned around and walked back down the steps towards her own cabin.

“I thought Jisoo was Renjun’s partner,” you said, sitting down on the floor to organise and inventory the leftover amenities. This was normally a job you’d do back at Main, but for the rest of the summer, you found yourself doing it in Green.

He smiled at you, and you couldn’t help but feel as if he was accusing you of something, a glint in his eye as he turned away from you to go through one of his suitcases, “She is. But, I think she thinks I’m her partner sometimes.” He chuckled, rifling through his bag.

When you were finished with the toiletries, you grabbed the mattress protectors the Head had given you, and bid him goodbye, after promising you’d see him later (but not necessarily to swim).

After a noisy dinner in the mess hall, everyone shouted excitedly as they returned to their cabins to get changed. It was only the start of summer, but it was already really hot, so the weather in the evening was perfect for swimming. Despite your earlier protests about the lake, you put on your swimsuit anyway, pulling a short black dress on over the top. Making sure you’d packed your towel, and inserting a small antiseptic spray into your bag at the last minute, you turned around excitedly to look at your best friend, who was still getting dressed, “Come onnnnn. It might actually be night by the time you’re ready.”

“I’m sorry not all of us are desperate enough to get changed in a second because we’re so excited to see a boy,” she teased you back, poking out her tongue childishly.

You laughed and flicked her towel towards her, making a satisfying whacking noise, before stuffing it into her own bag. You ignored her comment, “Are the other guys coming? Jungkook and the other ASSes?”

She snorted at the nickname, “Uh, no. Typically, these nights are just for the leaders, but since most of them are our age, they invited us anyway.”

When she was finally ready to go, you let her lead you down a path using a flashlight. You found that you weren’t going to the area of the lake you’d seen the campers heading, but rather onto a path that circled the lake. You walked for a few minutes through some trees, until you heard you best friend mumble a “yes”, as she stepped out into a clearing.

The small section of the lake that had been turned into the leader’s night swimming location was almost set up like a beach. There was a large deposit of soft sand, on this side of the lake, and you could see a bonfire somewhere off the lake’s edge. A small jetty jutted out towards a deck a few metres above the bedrock in the lake, floating calmly.

It looked as though all the team leaders had arrived, and most were standing around talking, waiting for the sun to set fully for night swimming.

“Hi, guys!” Your best friend excitedly bounced over to where Donghyuck, Mark and the other Head were talking, greeting the other female leaders as she passed.

You were unsure where to join in, so opted to walk to a small spot to put down your belongings on the beach. When you turned around, Jeno was standing beside you, peering into your bad, “Where’s all the testing equipment, Doc?” He immediately began laughing at his own joke, and you found yourself laughing along with him, despite the fact that you hadn’t even found the joke remotely funny.

“Left it back in the lair,” you shrugged, looking at your bag. You turned around and surveyed the scene in front of you, “What have I missed so far? Care to fill me in?”

He crossed his arms and examined the group, sucking his lips in and scrunching his face up before looking back at you, “Not much; Donghyuck has been complaining about this being lame, Renjun has been arguing with my partner for the last fifteen minutes over God knows what, the two Heads have been off doing whatever – they arrived like a minute before you – and Jaemin, Jisoo and I have just been hanging out, waiting for you to arrive.”

You felt a small blush creep up your neck when he said he’d been waiting for you, though you tried to oppress it; they’d probably all been waiting so the real fun could begin. You pointed to where your best friend was talking to Donghyuck, “Yeah, well, she takes a very long time to get ready in the morning. Chuck in a day of financing work, and she’s EXTRA slow. Frankly, I didn’t even think she could go any slower.”

He laughed, opening his mouth to say something before Jisoo walked over, “Hey, Y/n. Jeno, here you go.” She handed him a cup of… well, something, and stood expectantly waiting for someone to say something.

“When are we going to actually swim?” She asked no one in particular, despite looking at Jeno most of the time.

He looked towards Mark, before shouting across the beach, “Mark! We ready to swim?”

Mark looked confused, cupping his ear with his hand, and Jeno yelled again. The second time, however, Mark leaned back and smiled in understanding, before shooting the younger boy a quick thumbs up and clapping his hands together, walking towards where the rest of the group was huddled, not too far from where you were currently standing with Jisoo and Jeno.

“Alright, children, into the water!” He gestured dramatically towards the lake, as if the leaders were kids who needed to be shown where to go.

Instantly, the group began whooping and undressing to swim, and you shyly looked away as Jeno removed his shirt, tugging it over his head.

Jisoo began to remove her t-shirt and jean shorts, “This is going to be so much fun!”

Jeno tossed his shirt to the side, placing his hands on his hips he turned to you, “You’re coming in with me.”

You quirked an eyebrow at him, slowly removing the straps of your dress from your shoulders, “Bold of you to assume I would listen to your demands.”

He watched as you tucked your dress into your bag, “Was I wrong in my assumptions, though?”

[moonmunson]

dorm rooms pt 2

is it good? is it shit? is it going anywhere? lemme know fam!!

“No,” He said. I looked over at him, and cocked my head to the side, confused. “Wow, you. I’ve known you less than what,” He glanced down at the watch on his wrist. “Ten hours? And you have completely captivated me.

.    .    .    .    .    .

Going to that party a few months ago ended up being the best decision I’ve ever made. Harry’s personality completely drew me in, and I’d been hooked ever since. The school year had ended, leaving the two of us to hang when the both of us happened to be free. I had been accepted for an internship at a popular magazine as their photographer, so I didn’t get to see much of him. The summer, however, was nearing it’s annual transition back into fall, as well as the end of my internship. Students make their way back up to campus, saying goodbye to family and friends and pets, to throw themselves back into a seemingly endless pile of work.

Autumn, in New York City, is absolutely breathtaking. So beautiful, it has inspired countless works of art describing the pure wonder you feel while roaming the streets. So, as I found myself doing the same, I turned on Billie Holiday’s “Autumn in New York” and was humming along to the melody when a hand reached out and grabbed my shoulder. I let out a squeak, preparing to turn back and defend myself. A sigh of relief escaped my lips when I looked behind me and was met with a familiar mop of curly brown hair.

“Goddamn, Styles. You always do that.” I chuckled and rolled my eyes while turning to face him. Ours eyes met and my breath hitched. We were just friends, but I couldn’t deny the butterflies I felt whenever we were together. There was just no way he felt the same. I had gone through the whole process before. You make a new friend and inevitably fall for them, but they just “don’t see you that way” I knew that would happen here as well, so I tried my absolute best to keep that from occuring.

“Sorry, love, you were jus’ walking fast ‘n I wanted to catch up with ya.”

“Of course I was walking fast, Harry. If you don’t walk fast they let you know.” I gestured to the passers-by, and sure enough, some of them gave us looks for standing still in the middle of the sidewalk. As a fan of not having to deal with confrontation, I pulled Harry to the side. After regaining my composure, I let my eyes flicker up to his green ones once more.

“I haven’t seen you in a while. How are you?” He inquired. It was true, the both of us had been busy getting ready to go back to school, and hadn’t had time to see each other. We sent a text here and there, but other than that didn’t have time.

“I’m good. On my way to pick up my last paycheck for the internship, then to campus for my dorm listing. You?”

“Mostly to campus. I ‘ave to get my schedule to see what books I have to buy. Hey-” He reached up and laid a hand on my shoulder. “I miss you. What do you say we get dinner tonight? We can stay up talking all night like old times.” Harry missed me? It was hard to imagine, but it still felt good. I let the thought linger for a moment, before realizing Harry was still waiting for an answer, and snapped back to my senses.

“Of course, Harry! I’ll be done with all of my errands at like…” I checked my notes to see my schedule for day. “Five-Thirty? I can meet you at a restaurant if you like.”

“I was actually thinking you could come to my place. I actually meant to tell you, I won’t be living in the dorms this year. I got my own shoebox studio.” He giggled, and his dimple popped out. Jesus Christ.

“Are you sure there’ll be enough room for the two of us?” I smirked up at him, and our eyes met. He rolled his, which made me laugh.

“Yes, love, there will be room for the both of us. I’ll get takeout from my favorite Chinese place and text you the address. Sound good?” The offer sounded promising. My favorite brit, my favorite food, all to myself.

“Sounds good.” An alert went off on my phone, letting me know I had to be on my way to my next errand. “Just - text me, yeah?” I looked up with a hopeful glint in my eye, hoping that even though he invited me two seconds ago, that he hadn’t changed his mind.

“Of course.” He returned my question with a smile, and pulled me in for a short lived embrace before continuing down the street.

.    .    .    .    .    .

The rest of my day was full of waiting in line to speak with incompetent workers. Several times I had to pull out my “I’d like to speak with the manager tone” which I didn’t usually like to use, but today prompted it. The only thing that got me through the whole thing was the thought of Harry, and chinese food.

As promised, at around five-thirty, I received a text from my big-headed friend.

Hey pet, it’s me. Still on for dinner? Xx   He always ended his texts with a double x. It was endearing.

Yeah! Just let me know when and I’ll head over, yeah? Xx

Harry responded with his new address, and I got on the subway to the closest street. I still had to walk a few blocks, but I didn’t mind, seeing as it was getting cooler. It was also my favorite part of the day. We called it the “golden hour”, and it was beautiful. There’s about a half an hour where the sun is making its way down before peeking below the horizon where it basks everything in this beautiful honey-like glow. I was standing below his new apartment building taking photographs of the way the sun laid over the surroundings when I heard a shout from above me calling my name.

“Oi! Stop taking pictures and come up here to eat with me!” I looked up and saw Harry leaning out his window.

“Get your head in before you fall out, dumb dumb.” I made my way through the front of the apartment building as soon as I heard the buzz letting me know he had unlocked it. By the time I had exited the elevator, Harry was standing outside his door, a fake scowl plastered across his lips.

“Took you long enough, sista.” He had a hand rested on his popped hip. I couldn’t tell if he was using ‘sista’ seriously or not. I went along with it regardless. I rolled my eyes before responding.

“I was gone two minutes, babe. Missed me that much?” I jokingly kissed his cheek as I entered his apartment. Before I made it all the way in, a sly smirk appeared on his face.

“You know it, pet.” and winked at me before pinching my bum. I let out a squeak and a light laugh. We always played around like this, but I knew it didn’t mean anything. He wasn’t kidding about it being a shoebox. Right when you entered you saw the whole apartment. Straight across from the doorway was his bed. A familiar Fleetwood Mac poster hung above the bedpost. To the left of the door was a small kitchen area, equipped with a fridge, and an oven. A small cupboard and a few drawers accompanied them. To the right, was a small door which I assumed led to the bathroom. I looked down and noticed the picnic-style area for us that Harry had set up for us to eat at, with the lack of table. (“I usually eat in bed.” was his answer to the question you asked while on the floor later.) There was a blanket in the middle of the room with a few select throw pillows, as well as some candles.

“Harry you didn’t have to do all this!” I was genuinely awed by the effort he put in. Did I mean this much to him?

“Wanted to.” A blush sprouted across his cheeks as he grabbed my hands and let me to the blanket on the floor. “Sit, please.” He gestured to the general area.

“Delighted to.” For some reason, I was really nervous. As I sat down, Harry made his way to a record player, and started playing - you guessed it - a Fleetwood Mac vinyl. As the first song started, he sauntered back my way.

The food and utensils were already on the blanket, and as he joined me, I felt the atmosphere shift from two friends eating dinner, to a date. I didn’t know whether or not to say anything, because I wasn’t sure if he felt it, and I definitely did not want to screw this up. Luckily, he said something before I worked up the nerve to.

“So, pet, you’re probably a little confused to as why it’s so cosy.” He paused, and took a deep breath before continuing. “That night I met you at that party was absolutely amazing. You have become a great influence on my life and -” He stopped abruptly, and our eyes met once before I felt his mouth crash on mine.

[airbnbfestivals]

Thrown out on the street today by a host for a bogus reason.

Sorry, this a bit long.

So I’m Denmark with my family( my wife and our two daughters 5 and 2 years old) on the last days of our summer vacation. We reserve a nice little apartment with a short notice and while the apartment is listed for two we ask if it’s OK to bring our two kids, one sleeps with us in the big bed, the other on the sofa, this is all fine by the host. We arrive, it’s nice and cosy and we are only staying there for two and a half days, we book three days though.

So my wife’s brother lives there with his family and he comes over to visit with his little girl and later we had planned to go to dinner. We take a stroll outside and on the way back my wife and her brother go to pick up some wine and I take the three kids upstairs to wait.

As I’m waiting there is a knock on the door and outside is our host. She goes on to say that she had rented her place for four people (me and my family) but now she sees that there are six people staying there. No no, I say, that other man is my wife’s brother who lives in Copenhagen. “But there are three children!” “That’s his daughter, they aren’t staying here” For some reason this doesn’t seem to change anything and she goes on and on about how there are only supposed to be four people there and they have to cancel our agreement. She wants us to vacate the apartment immediately. This is where I lose my temper and ask her what the fuck is wrong with her. I call my brother-in-law and tell them to hurry back because we were getting evicted. Him and my wife try to reason with her but she doesn’t budge and stands there just expressionless (but that is most likely due to the massive amounts of Botox in her face). She wants us out. By this time my kids are crying, my wife’s in shock and I’m furious (and tell he to go fuck herself).

We end up crashing at my brother-in-law’s place and have to catch a plane early in the morning.

Airbnb called my wife after this and offered to find us a new place and but we didn’t want to waste the last few hours of the day moving our giant stash of luggage to any more places.

The host claims we broke our agreement but we know we didn’t. She refunded our last day but I want this terrible person to pay us every cent back for ruining our last day and throwing my kids out on the street.

Incidentally it’s fashion week in Copenhagen and all available space is booked up, we believe she got a long term offer that was on the verge of falling through so she wanted us out no matter what. This was actually brought up to her and she refused but we checked her calendar and now it’s all booked up, even our day tomorrow that she cancelled.

We have talked to Airbnb and they are trying to help us out but I fear she might know every loophole in the biz.

What can we do?

Original post here =+-+= Get $20 off your first AirBnB stay.