#teaching early learners

[spanishplaydates]

Manitas Silábicas Demystified | Teaching Spanish to Kids | Spanish Play Dates

[alltoowelltom]

driving lessons

lando norris x reader

a/n: just wanted to get back into writing and i've gotten super into F1 the last few months

"Alright, y'ready to start?" Lando asks from the passenger seat. 

You hum, running a hand over the gear shift. 

"Yeah. Let's get this shit over with."

Lando chuckles at that, rolling his eyes. It's weird for him, turning his head the other way to look at you in the driver's seat of his McLaren. He usually hates to give up control, especially when driving is involved. 

"You might start to really like it once you get confident." He suggests. "Might even put me out of a job if I'm not careful."

You double check in the rearview mirror one more time. It's a crisp, early morning on a quiet residential street that Lando picked for you to practice your driving in. He's determined for you to pass your upcoming drivers' test and finally get a license. When he'd approached you about teaching you to drive a few weeks ago you'd jumped to the wrong conclusion. 

"I'm sorry if I ask you to drive me around too often," you'd apologised immediately. "You can always say no, I don't mind getting an Uber or catching the train."

"Nah, it's not that, lovie," he'd corrected you, pulling your body closer on the couch and resting his curly head atop of yours. "I like being useful to you and driving you places. I just worry about you when I'm away, there's always so many creeps on public transport. I just want you to be safe."

Your heart had squeezed at his words. Maybe he was right, maybe it was time to finally learn to drive?

"You're all clear." he informed you, twisting around to double check the road behind you. "Just take off the handbrake, put the car into drive and pull into the road, okay?" 

You do as he says, switching on your indicator before pulling out. 

"Oh yeah," he laughs his famously high pitched laugh. "Definitely indicate too, good idea."

"I'm better at this than you already." you laugh. 

You continue to drive along the narrow streets, slowing down to let a stray cat scamper across the road. Lando seems to grow impatient at the pace, motioning for you to speed up a bit, please. 

“I didn’t know this car could go so slowly.” he says, rolling his eyes. “Gonna have to have a word with McLaren about it.”

He directs you to an intersection and you blink at the sight of so many cars whizzing past. 

"Lan, help me," you turn to him with wide eyes. 

"You're fine, love." He grins. "Wait for your gap and then merge the way they're going."

"But they're going so fast." You say. "What if I time it wrong and fuck up your car? This is not the ideal car for someone who can't actually drive."

"This is a great car." he defends. 

"The doors open up instead of out." you deadpan. "This car is out of my league."

He shrugs as he stretches out in his seat, the picture of relaxation. 

"I've added you onto my insurance as a learner driver," he says casually, almost yawning. "It'll be fine." 

You ignore the butterflies in your stomach at his statement and follow his instructions, carefully merging in behind another car. Lando cheers, placing his big hand on your thigh and lightly tracing his fingertips along your inner leg. 

"Stop that!" you shriek, slapping his hand away.

"Huh?" he blinks at you in confusion. "I'm being a loving boyfriend? I love when you have your hand on my leg while I drive, I thought you'd like it too?" he splutters. 

You take one hand off the wheel and bring it to your mouth to hide your laughter. 

"No," you say, cheeks tinged with a pink blush. "I physically can't concentrate on the road when you're touching me. Like I cannot think about anything else but you."

It's Lando's turn to blush now and he turns his face towards his window to hide it, pretending to be oh so invested in the stores you drive past. He knows the effect you have on each other, but it gives him butterflies to be reminded of how you see him. You've only been together a few months and he gets overwhelmed at how quickly you can turn him from a confident, sometimes even cocky guy to a pile of pink mush and hearts in seconds. 

"Right," he blows a puff of air out his cheeks. "You're doing great at this. Maybe we can get you driving the Jolly next?"

thank you for reading! feedback and reblogs are very much appreciated <3

[apwtstationery]

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Beginner Reader Printable Bookmark - From APWT Stationery’s Kid’s/Learning Shop

[minswriting]

okay but teaching inexperienced!reid the ways of risky sex!! like leaving a party early or something but you can’t wait because he’s just so cute and just pulling over somewhere quiet and absolutely fucking him in the backseat !!

nsfw | mdni | spencer reid x reader | car sex, unprotected sex, p in v, i rushed this 😔😔

after a party at the bureau, you and spencer were driving back to your apartment. you were dressed in a beautiful red dress that shimmered with each street lamp that you guys drove past while spencer was dressed in a suit. neither of you drank, not wanting to make a fool out of yourselves in front of your co-workers. however, to say you were horny was an understatement.

spencer looked g o o d. his curls framed his face so nicely, looking messy while also looking perfect. his suit seemed as though it was tailored to his frame, accentuating his small muscles. it was why you guys had left the party early, neither of you could wait to get your hands on each other.

“i can’t wait any longer,” spencer sighed as he pulled over on the quiet road. it was semi-late, almost midnight so no one was on the roads at all. “i need you now,” he said as he put the car in park.

“god i need you too,” you exclaimed, unbuckling your seat belt. and within a few movements, spencer’s seat was pushed back while you crawled onto his lap, straddling him as he kissed your lips.

the two of you have never had sex anywhere else other than the bedroom. however, recently, you have been teaching spencer how to be more adventurous with sex and boy was he a quick learner. you had, in passing, mentioned the idea of car sex at some point. but you hadn’t expected it to be tonight. though you most certainly were not complaining.

you kissed spencer heatedly, making out with him as his hands explored your body through your dress. you reached a hand between the two of you, moving it down to his belt buckle as you began to undo it. “i need you inside me, spence,” you whispered.

spencer let out a small whimper at your words. he looked down at his hard cock through his trousers before looking back up at you. “i need to be inside of you, baby,” he whispered back.

you unzipped spencer’s pants, undoing them just enough to expose his cock. spencer grabbed your dress, bunching it up. “neither of us decided to wear underwear, huh?” he whispered to you.

you let out a breathless chuckle, nodding your head. “i guess not.” you grabbed the base of spencer’s cock, causing him to whimper from the touch as you guided his member to your cunt. you eased yourself onto his cock, letting out a small whine.

“oh fuck,” spencer moaned as he finally felt your wet and tight walls around his cock, closing his eyes in pleasure.

when his cock was all the way inside of you, you stayed still for just a moment, adjusting to having him inside of you. you looked around outside the car windows, ensuring that no one was around. and the finally, you started moving up and down spencer’s length. “oh my god,” you gasped, putting your hands on his shoulders.

spencer’s hands went around your waist as you rode his cock. he leaned forward to bury his face in your neck. “you feel so fucking good, so good.”

“you fill me up so good, spence,” you said breathlessly as you moved faster on his cock. you closed your eyes in pleasure, throwing your head back as you rode him. his cock was hitting deep inside of you, making you see stars pretty much. it always did. and you always loved spencer’s cock. just as much as he always loved your pussy.

spencer began to babble into your skin, giving you praises about how good your pussy was, how you’re always so good to him, you absolutely beautiful you were. and it all spurred you on. you let out a choked moan as you angled yourself so his cock hit your g-spot repeatedly.

“am gonna cum, oh my god, i’m so close, baby,” spencer moaned, meeting your hips with his own thrusts.

“o-oh fuck,” you whined, grinding your hips. “me too, spence. please cum for me, need you to cum inside me.”

and with your words, spencer let out a pained sounding chuckle and a “holy shit,” as his cock stiffened and he came inside of you. he filled you up with his cum, his eyes rolling to the back of his head. you let out a high pitched moan, his orgasm making yours happen as well. your walls clenched around his cock as your thighs started shaking.

when the both of you finally, the two of you breathed heavily. the desire that you both felt had finally been satiated. you eased off of spencer’s cock, maneuvering yourself back to the passenger seat. the both of you relished in the post orgasmic glow, not speaking a word.

and after about five minutes, spencer tucks himself back into his pants before turning the car back on. “i’m going to fuck you again when we get to your apartment,” he stated, glancing at you with a grin. he then turned back to the road, driving once more.

you laughed, tugging your dress down. “sounds like a fantastic plan to me.”

[nina-renmen]

How Male demon Kny Characters are in bed pt.1

I seen something like this on here and I thought I’d hop on the bandwagon. Minors DNI!! (This isn’t revised or edited)

This can either go one of two ways. He either A) is super gentle and sweet. He’d most likely prep you before and initiate aftercare. But this would only happen if you two were together for a long time (like three years for example) and the relationship is serious. He might be rough with you if you asked him to or he had a bad day. But let’s just say this man lives for plush thighs. Especially if you sit and your thighs go into ‘pillow mode.’ It drives him crazy. Or B) He’s super rough with you. Not that you mind, but he could be a bit more gentler with you. He dosn’t prep you as much as he would if you guys were together for a long time. He wouldn’t be much for Praise instead he’d be a bit more degrading. Aftercare would happen but it wouldn’t be as sweet. He might lay with you or take a nap or a bath with you but that’s about it.

This man is instantly respectful towards you. Especially if you’re a woman. If you’re a girl he’d see you as a delicate flower that needs to be taken care of and protected. But if you wrap your legs around his waist while he’s thrusting into you it’s like a switch that’s turned off. He’s instantly burying his face in the crook of your neck, he may or may not bite you. His thrusts will go deeper and harder, his grip on your wrists will tighten and he’ll pull you closer into him. He might even put you in a mating press. Either way, whether he’s feral or he’s gentle he’ll always praise how tight you are, or how pretty you sound.

He lives between your thighs….No one can change my mind. If this man could, he’d eat you out all day, every day. But sadly he can’t since he has his duties to attend. But don’t think that he won’t take a quick snack early in the morning or just before you go to bed. This man has no shame. He urges you to scream his name, to let all of his followers know who’s making you feel this good. He loves it when you pull his hair. The harder you pull his hair the more he’ll eat you out. He likes to see you on top of him from time to time. He loves looking up at you, especially if you’re struggling to take him fully. He wants you to ask for help, so he won’t move to help you out until you push your pride aside and ask him to take over.

I feel like he’s a bit more traditional since he was raised in a different era. Hell court you first before me makes any sexual gestures or tries to take you. When that does happen, you’ll find out that he has a lot , A LOT of energy. He’ll fuck you from dawn all the way to dusk if you let him. If he’s feeling a particular way he’ll put you in a mating press so you can’t squirm as much. He likes seeing you struggle at times when you’re overstimulated. He’ll tease you until you’re crying and begging him to just get on with it. He’s in the middle about making you scream for him. One part of him wants you to scream his name, and moan so everyone knows who’s making you feel goo. But the other part of him dosn’t want that. He feels that only he should be able to hear your moans. None of the others are worthy of hearing such a tune.

Bottom…..That’s all I have to say. The first time is his actual first time. He’s never even touched a woman sexually before. Sure he’s thought about it, but he’s clueless. You’d have to take the lead. He’s be a little bit stiff at first, he wants it he really does. But he dosn’t know where to put his hands. You’re gonna have to teach him how to make you feel good. But don’t worry he’s a quick learner. After a night or two your positions will switch and your thighs will be squeezing around his head. Gyutaro is another one who will eat you out all day, every day. The only thing that’s different from Doūma is that he actually has the time to do it. So if you agree to it, he’ll shove his face in between your thighs until the sun goes down. If you try and move away from him because of overstimulation he’ll only pull you back and hold your lower half slightly above the ground so you can wiggle free.

[leaawrites]

Valentine's day kisses

Percy Jackson x Daughter of Apollo reader

Warnings: fluff, kisses, valentine's day mentioned,

Summary: Percy brings flowers in hope of getting a Valentine

For everyone who needs a bit of love today! I love and appreciate you all so dearly <3

Masterlist

The first thing she woke up to was a fresh Bouquet of flowers beside her bed. Y/n looked around the room, trying to figure out who the mysterious sender was. No one looked at her in a way that told her they were it, they all only looked at her in expectation. None of her brother’s or sisters knew who had smuggled the flowers in here. Or more importantly, who was crazy enough to sneak into the Apollo cabin before dawn to surprise someone.

Apollo kids were always the first to wake, but not today. Today it was someone who wasn’t too afraid of potentially getting caught, but too bashful to admit that they were it.

“Looks like you’ve got a Valentine,” Laura chirped in from across the other side of the cabin, making the others laugh.

Y/n looked down, flowers in her hand, cheeks growing red. Whoever it was, she wanted to know who they were.

“Are you going to find out who it was?” It felt like Laura could read her mind. That wasn’t the first time it happened. She already did it when Y/n stared into the distance at one of their traditional campfires.

“He’s cute, I know. But stop thinking about him,” she told her back then.

“Who are you talking about?” Y/n asked since she wasn’t looking at anyone in particular.

“The new kid. Peter?” Laura guessed his name wrong.

“Percy,” Y/n corrected her.

She guessed wrong on purpose.

Y/n looked at her best friend, she knew her all too well.

“Of course, I will,” she answered confidently. Even though she had no idea where to start. “But where?”

“What is with outside the cabin?” Another camper said as he walked through the door.

Y/n furrowed her eyebrows at 1. How he knew about what they were talking about and 2. What he meant by it. The girl pushed her blanket away from her body, freeing her legs from the heat. The cold morning air hit her bare skin the moment she stepped outside the cabin. Everyone was watching her as she walked outside. She had no idea who or what would be outside, until she saw Percy Jackson leaning against the wall of Cabin 7.

“Percy Jackson,” she mused. “What brought you out here this early?”

“So, you like them?” He asked, partly answering her question, when only vague.

“You slipped the flowers beside my bed?” Y/n asked holding his gaze. She was always someone who would look the person she was talking to in the eyes out of respect.

“Happy Valentine’s day.” He smiled at her like a innocent boy.

Y/n laughed at him and his unusual shyness. He acted all relaxed when he was still leaning against the wall, but now that he’s face to face with the girl he secretly admired, the words left his mouth. There was no other sound coming from his vocal chords but a small laugh when he heard hers.

“Thank you,” she said, kissing his cheek in gratefulness. “What about, I get dressed and then we could go down to the lake or so?” She asked, trying to stop the tension between them.

“Yes,” he answered, smiling at her still. “Or you could teach me how to use bow and arrow?”

“I’m not sure if that will end well,” she said, amused at the memory of his first try with the gear.

“I mean, I’m a fast learner,” he shrugged, playing the embarrassing off with a cool facade.

“Sure you are,” Y/n said, before disappearing again into her cabin to get dressed for the day ahead.

[dokushoclub]

Japanese Reading Resources for Absolute Beginners

A question I encounter often is "How much Japanese should I study before I can begin reading in Japanese?"

From my experience as a learner and reader myself and from managing a Japanese book club for other learners I can honestly say that you can start way earlier than you probably think!

There are many resources that only require knowing hiragana. Those texts usually teach vocabulary through pictures and only use basic grammar.

Some are even simpler than that: The Japan Foundation's Hiragana Books are great for those, who are still remembering hiragana characters. Every short book introduces only 1-2 new characters, so it's a great reading exercise for those who've just started.

The free graded reader 「どうぞ、どうも」 by the NPO Tagengo Tadoku only uses the words 「どうぞ」 and 「どうも」 to write an entire story. Again, this makes for a great exercise in reading hiragana and understanding context. Another "level 0" recommendation by the same NPO would definitely be 「しろい？くろい？」. This book uses the full range of hiragana characters but the grammar is simple and all used vocabulary is illustrated.

Another site with great resources for absolute beginners is Nihongo Tadoku Dōjō. If you have memorized both hiragana and katakana and know how the particles を and で work you will be able to read this text about stationary (ぶんぼうぐ) and understand everything by looking at the pictures!

The resources linked so far can all be accessed completely free on the linked websites. If you have the money to spare, please also have a look at the box 「スタート」 from the series reberubetsu nihongo tadoku raiburarī published by the NPO Tagengo Tadoku and ASK (affiliate link). This box includes 8 little books in very simple Japanese.

All these texts for absolute beginners will get you started reading in Japanese with very little knowledge of characters and vocabulary.

Reading in Japanese is a skill that requires practice. But once you get used to it, it can be such a valuable tool to reinforce new vocabulary and grammar. So please don't wait until you're "ready" before you start reading - start early at your own level!

[fandomunite2107]

Help Wanted (Pt. 1)

Summary: Finding a part time job isn’t easy, especially if the owner doesn’t realize he’s hiring.

Bringing in the last box and placing it on your kitchen counter, you look around at your new apartment. Happy to have carried the last box up your flight of stairs, you wipe your hair away from you face, even though it was pretty early in the morning the temperature was still warm. Looking down on your counter at your to do list that you have made, you figure you might as well cross off a couple of items before its lunch time.

Deciding that the first thing you should do is clean your new apartment before you start to put things away, you find the bag of cleaning supplies that you bought a day ago. Starting with the kitchen and working your way through the bathroom and bedroom you dust, scrub, and vacuum until your new apartment is clean. Feeling satisfied with your work and a bit gross from sweating, you find the box marked bathroom and begin to put your shower items away along with your new bath rugs. After taking a shower and throwing on an outfit, you head to the kitchen and cross off the items that you had accomplished. Looking down at your phone you notice that it is well past lunch time and that you are starving. Figuring that it was time to take a break and explore your new neighborhood, you put on some shoes and grab your to do list and throw it into your bag.

Walking down the stairs leading up to your apartment building, you make the decision to find a local restaurant for lunch. After a couple blocks, you find a small cafe that looks promising. Walking in and looking up at the menu above the register, you notice that they have a variety of sandwiches and soups along with pastries. After you place your order, you find a table near a window looking out onto the street. The food that you ordered comes out and it tastes amazing, you make a mental note to try a pastry at some point.

You take out your phone and your to do list from your bag. You scan your list over, seeing what else you can accomplish today. One item on your list that you are dreading is checking your bank account and seeing what kind of budget you are going to be working with. Sighing, you open up your bank app and log in. The amount that you see in both your checking and your savings isn’t that great. You have a small amount of savings, but you hate to touch that. Your checking account isn’t that much better. You’re not sure that it will tide you over until your teaching job starts up in August. You knew that moving to the city was going to be a risk, but you didn’t have that much of a choice. Deciding that you’d like to eat more than just ramen noodles and crackers for all of your meals and wanting to decorate your apartment so that it feels like home, you add a new item to your to do list: find a part time job. You know that once school starts you won’t have too much extra time, but you’ll be able to work weekends and possibly a few nights. Gathering up your items, you throw away your trash and decide to walk a couple more blocks before heading back to your apartment and unpacking boxes.

As you were about to turn around and head back towards your apartment, you glance at a window with a piece of paper taped to it saying help wanted. You glance up at the sign to the building, seeing that it is a beef restaurant. You don’t have any experience working in the food service, but you’re a quick learner. Hoping that this is a way to cross off finding a part time job, you walk into the restaurant. There is a pretty decent line of people placing orders to go, so you wait in line hoping to ask for an application. Once the lady in front of you orders, you step up to the person taking orders at the register.

“What can I get you hun?” The man at the register asks, taking the pencil behind his ear to write down your order.

“Hi. I. Um. I saw your help wanted sign in your window.” You point to the window and smile. “I was just hoping to fill out an application.”

The man puts the pencil back behind his ear and looks around. Noticing that all of the other customers are either eating or taking their food to go, he sees that there is no longer a line behind you. “Do you have any experience in a restaurant?” He asks you.

“I don’t. But I am a quick learner and I work hard.” You say, hoping that not having any experience wouldn’t hurt your chances at the position.

The man smiles. “I see. Well, there isn’t too much to learn. I just need help out here in the front. You’d be cleaning tables, restocking the napkins, helping bag to go orders.”

“I can do that! Do you have an application that I can fill out?” You cut in, happy that the job isn’t for a cook, because you have very little skills in that department.

“Eh. We don’t need applications here. Think you can start now?” He asks.

Surprised by how fast this is going, you nod your head. “Oh. Sure. Y-Yes. I can start now.” Looking down at your outfit you wished you would’ve worn different shoes.

“Good. You seem like you’d fit in here.” The man holds out his hand for you to shake. “I’m Richie.”

Shaking his hand, you smile. “Nice to meet you. I’m y/n”. Adjusting the bag on your shoulder, you look around at the now almost empty restaurant. “What would you like me to do first?”

“Give me your bag. I’ll put it behind the counter here. You can start with cleaning the tables that are empty. The supplies are underneath that counter over there.” Richie points to where the supplies are hidden. You hand him your bag and make your way over to get the supplies. Once you have them, you pick a table by the window to get started.

As you start to spray down the table, you realize that you didn’t ask any of the important questions. How long are the shifts? How much money do you make? Is it fine if you are just doing part time and not full time? A bit embarrassed that you are going to have to ask those questions at some point after you were hired.

You eventually find a rhythm to cleaning. After you clean and wipe off the tables, you move on to cleaning the window by the door, noticing that it probably hasn’t been cleaned in awhile. Hearing a crash come from the kitchen and someone swearing, you look over to Richie who is taking a customer’s order. He doesn’t seemed phased by whatever is happening in the kitchen so you go back to cleaning the window.

“Dammit Richie! Why in the hell didn’t you call about the order I told you about yesterday.” Glancing over you see a man with a blue apron come out of the kitchen, shouting at Richie.

“Chill out cousin. I got it covered.” You hear Richie say.

“Just get it down. Now!” You take one more glance at Richie and the other man, making eye contact with him you give him a small smile.

“What are you doing?” The man asks you with his head tilted to the side. His volume a bit lower than when he spoke to Richie.

Placing the rag on the window sill, you turn to face him. “Oh. I’m cleaning the window. It looked like it needed it. I already finished with all of the tables.”

“Cousin. This is y/n.” Richie says pointing to you.

“Why is y/n cleaning my restaurant?” You feel the heat rise to your cheeks, as the man turns to ask Richie this question.

“Because I’m slammed up here! You got me making calls and taking orders on top of cleaning. I needed some help so I hired her.” Richie says that last statement with a poke to the man’s chest.

“Why the fuck would you hire someone when this isn’t your restaurant?! You can’t do that.” The man pinches the bridge of his nose and seems to take a deep breath. “Richie. We don’t have the money to hire anyone. We barely have the money to keep this place running as it is.” You’re not sure what you should do and you don’t want to make anything worst, so you slowly gather up the cleaning supplies and place them in the bucket.

“Look y/n. I’m sure you’re great. We just can’t hire anyone at the moment. I. I can pay you for your time that you did today, but that’s it.” The man runs his hand through his hair making it more messy than it was.

You walk up to Richie and the other man, feeling a bit defeated, hoping that this would’ve worked out. “It’s fine. You don’t have to pay me, I was only here for an hour or two.” You place the bucket of cleaning supplies on the counter. “Richie, it was nice to meet you” you hold out your hand to shake his. Turning to the other man. “Um..” You realize that you didn’t hear this man’s name yet.

“Carmen.” He responds going to shake your hand that you have left up mid air.

“Carmen, it was nice to meet you too.” You give a small smile.

Looking at Richie. “Would you mind handing me my bag?” After you grab your bag, you say to Richie. “Thanks. You might want to take down the help wanted sign.”

Carmen looks at Richie. “Seriously. You even put up a sign without asking?!”

“How are people going to know we’re hiring without a sign?” Richie yells back.

“We’re not hiring! Take the sign down now.” Carmen yells before going back to the kitchen.

“Sorry kid. Thought it’d work out.” Richie says to you on his way to take the sign down.

You sigh. “It’s fine. Something will work out.” You walk out the restaurant and turn towards your apartment building.

Walking into your apartment, you set your bag down on the kitchen counter and take out your to do list. Figuring it’s a bit late to look for another job at the moment, you settle in on unpacking some of your boxes. As the hours go by, you are able to set up your bedroom and front room, leaving only the kitchen boxes left to unpack. Feeling satisfied with what you have accomplished so far, you sit down to check your phone. There are a few text messages from people wondering how you are liking your new apartment and new city. After you type out a few responses, you decide that you need to figure out what you want to eat for dinner. You haven’t gone to the grocery store yet and you don’t have anything here to eat. Remembering your bank account from earlier, you know that eating out isn’t really an option until you start getting a paycheck. Sighing, you get your shoes back on and head to the grocery store that you remember passing earlier today.

Once at the store, you grab a basket and start to walk down the aisles. Trying to stretch your money, you pick up some off brand cereal, ramen noodles, and some soup that is on sale. Making your way to the check out, you notice that this store is actually pretty crowded and that the line is decently long. Scanning over some of the magazine covers as you wait to put your items on the belt, the person behind you accidentally hits you with their basket.

“Uh. Sorry.” The person says. Turning around to respond to them, you notice that it’s Carmen from the restaurant.

“Oh. It’s. It’s fine. Nice to see you again.” You give him a smile. It seems like it takes him a moment to figure out who you are.

“Right. Yeah. Sorry about earlier. My cousin doesn’t always think.” Carmen says rubbing his hand over his face.

It’s your turn to put your items up, so you unload your basket, not that it takes that long to do. “It’s okay. Really. Things happen.” As the lady at the checkout starts to ring up your items, Carmen places his items on the belt. Noticing that the final price of your total is more than what you had in your head, you look at the computer screen and realize that the soup that you thought was on sale actually isn’t. Feeling a bit embarrassed, you look at the lady checking you out, and give her a small smile. “I’m sorry. I guess I wasn’t paying attention to the signs right. I thought that soup was on sale.”

The lady looks at the soup that you picked out and then back to the screen. “Nope. They’re full price. You want them?”

“N-No. No thank you.” You reply. The lady takes the cans of soup out of your bag and makes some adjustment on the computer screen. You try to avoid eye contact with everyone.

Carmen looks up and takes in the situation. “I can get those for you if you want.” He says.

The man who fired you, well you guess not so much fired because there wasn’t a position to begin with, offering to pay for your soup turns out to be too much. You could feel some tears coming. You turn to him but don’t look him in the eyes. “Please don’t do that. It was just a mix up.” You whisper.

You quickly pay the lady and grab your two bags before walking out. You probably should have said something to him before you just ran out of there, but you were embarrassed and flustered. As you get a block away from the store, you see a car slow down beside you and the window rolls down.

“Hey.” You hear from the car. Not wanting to be involved in anything, you look straight ahead and starting walking at a bit of a faster pace. “Hey! Y/n!”

You slow down and look at the person in the car, seeing Carmen behind the wheel. “Oh. Hi again.”

“Do you need a lift?” He asks as he pulls the car over to the side.

“I’m fine. I only live a few more blocks away.”

“Get in. I’ll take you. It’s getting late. You shouldn’t have to walk alone.” Carmen says. You contemplate whether or not to get in. You don’t even know this person other than he owns a restaurant.

“Y/n.” You look back to him. “Just get in.” Making a decision, you open up the passenger door. Before sitting down, you notice that there is a bag on the seat from the grocery store with the soup that you didn’t get. You look to Carmen and notice the there’s a faint blush on his cheeks. “I wanted to get you those to make up for earlier.”

Moving the bag to the floor by your feet, you smile at him. “Thank you. You didn’t have to do that.”

Hearing a notification, Carmen reaches into his pocket for his phone. After reading something on his phone, he looks to you says, “Hey. I know that you were on your way home, but do you mind if I swing by the restaurant first?”

“Sure. That’s fine.” You adjust the bags at your feet and put on your seat belt. “Thanks for the ride. Um, and thanks for the soup Carmen.” You turn your head to look at him as he pulls back into traffic.

“Carmy.” He says as lights a cigarette.

“I’m sorry?” Not sure what he is referring to.

“Call me Carmy. Most people do.” He says, as he makes a turn onto another road.

You nod and smile, turning and watching the buildings go by as he drives.

**Part Two will pick up at the restaurant**

[what-even-is-thiss]

Hey I saw you talk about comprehensible input for Spanish, and you said it was easy and it seems effective. I'm learning German, and I wanna ask what comprehensible input is and how I could do some of that

Comprehensible input means watching or listening to stuff in the language where you understand 90% or more of what’s going on. If you’re reading it’s more like 98%. Early on this usually means either watching stuff for babies or watching stuff made for adult learners if that exists. Watching stuff for adult learners is generally better because it works better if you’re interested in what’s going on. Once easier stuff is too boring for you then you move on to slightly harder stuff etc etc. it’s supposed to take about a thousand hours of good quality input for you to be able to understand native speakers with no issues give or take depending on your native language and the language you’re studying. Right now I’m at like 50-ish hours in Spanish which means I’m watching slightly harder videos that still have a lot of visual cues but it’s not piss easy either. I can also understand most quick things I overhear people say on the street to each other but I don’t really know how to talk yet. My brain hasn’t pieced that part together.

For German specifically resources for this are YouTube channels like Comprehensible German and Natürlich German. And Deutsch Welle’s learn German section of their website has a couple series like Nico’s Weg that follow a similar idea.

The key is to not translate in your head or assign meaning to specific words or try to figure out the grammar when you watch videos or read but just try to understand what’s going on.

Some people supplement this with flash cards strictly doing vocabulary and no grammar. Especially if good comprehensible input resources aren’t available for the language you’re studying. Doing vocabulary drills and watching tv with subtitles in the language you’re learning can also be effective.

Another way to do this if you can’t afford a special class or there’s no good videos available but you do have native speakers on hand who are willing to be a “language parent” for you is for them to sit down with you and only teach you the words for yes and no and then they pick up something like a kids picture book and start pointing at things and slowly explaining it to you and asking you questions like you’re a baby for an hour or two every day. Most people do not have a native speaker on hand willing to do this though. But if you do then this video where a guy documents learning Arabic with this method should give both you and the native speaker an idea of how this works.

If you want resources googling “comprehensible input (language)” should get you started. There’s also a lot of different communities for language learners of different languages or language learning generally on Reddit like r/French, r/Portuguese, r/swahili or r/languagelearning for example. Most of those places have a dedicated page for compiling resources from the community and you can also ask questions to the community and in my experience they’re usually pretty helpful people.

Right now I’m mostly using Dreaming Spanish for Spanish but also other channels like Easy Spanish and Español con Juan. I’m also dabbling a bit in the channels Comprehendible Japanese and Nihongo-Learning for Japanese but Spanish is my main priority right now.

[deliciousangelfestival]

Flour Power - 2

Character: Amnesia!Bucky x Baker!Female Character

Summary: A baker helps a stranger, only to discover that this individual not only aids the bakery but also brings trouble along with him

A/N: Because Bucky got amnesia, his name was temporarily changed to Bob.

Chap 1, Chap 2 , End

Main Masterlist || support: Ko-fi

Thank you to everyone who has read this chapter. Leave a comment and Reblog, please. I'd love to hear your thoughts. ❤️

With each passing day, Bob's strength began to return. He wasted no time putting his newfound energy to good use, eagerly diving into his tasks at the bakery. Rising early, he matched your dedication, lending a hand wherever needed.

In the kitchen, Bob proved himself a quick learner, diligently tackling each task. Whether he was cleaning, lifting heavy bags of flour, or manually whisking dough, his commitment never wavered.

His presence brought a renewed sense of energy to the bakery. Bob's help made the workload lighter, and the atmosphere buzzed with productivity.

As you watched him work, you couldn't help but feel grateful for his assistance, realizing that having Bob around was a valuable asset to the bakery.

As the day progressed, the usual hustle and bustle of the bakery continued. Bob, wiping the counter with a thoughtful expression, broke the silence with a question, "Why is it so quiet here?"

With a hint of bitterness in her tone, Tammy pointed her fingers towards the bustling bakery across the street. "That's because our loyal customers got stolen by them," she lamented, her frustration evident.

Bob's gaze followed Tammy's gesture, his expression a mix of curiosity and disbelief as he saw the crowded shopfront.

"The ungrateful not only stole the family recipe but also put this bakery into debt," Tammy continued, her voice tinged with resentment.

Bob's sense of justice was stirred. "Not fair. This bread is more delicious," he remarked, his loyalty to the bakery evident in his words.

You couldn't help but feel gratitude towards Bob for his unwavering support. "Thanks, Bob," you interjected, a sense of appreciation coloring your voice.

"You want to learn how to make croissants?" you asked, noticing that each time you prepared the flaky pastries, Bob's gaze would inevitably drift towards you, silently observing your technique.

As you spoke, you could see a flicker of curiosity in Bob's eyes, his interest piqued by the prospect of learning something new. His shoulders straightened slightly, and he nodded in response, a tentative smile tugging at the corners of his lips.

Bob's face lit up with childlike excitement as you extended the offer, his eyes shining eagerly. "Can I?" he asked, his enthusiasm palpable.

You nodded with a smile, touched by his genuine interest. Your family had always believed in sharing their knowledge with others, and Bob was no exception. Teaching him how to make croissants would strengthen his bond with the bakery and equip him with valuable skills for the future.

"Of course," you replied warmly. "My family has always believed in passing on our baking expertise to anyone who's eager to learn. You're no exception, Bob."

You gestured towards the work surface, inviting him to join you. "Come on, I'll show you," you said warmly, your voice filled with encouragement.

As Bob diligently worked on crafting the croissants, you couldn't help but feel a sense of anticipation, eager to see the results of his efforts. But as the baking process unfolded, it became apparent that things weren't going as expected.

🥐

"This isn't what I expected," you remarked, disappointment coloring your tone as you examined the misshapen and oversized croissants that emerged from the oven.

Bob's attempts at normal-sized croissants had ended in failure, but to your surprise, he had inadvertently succeeded in creating jumbo-sized croissants. The sheer scale of the pastries was impressive, a testament to Bob's determination and creativity in the face of adversity.

Tammy's arrival only added to the excitement, her eyes widening in amazement as she beheld the oversized croissants. "Whoa... This is incredible," she exclaimed, reaching for her phone to capture the moment and then upload the photo to her Instagram.

"How did you upload it so fast?" you asked, surprised by Tammy's quick actions.

Tammy shrugged nonchalantly, a mischievous grin playing on her lips. "You know me," she replied coyly, her fingers flying across her phone as she shared the extraordinary sight with her followers on social media.

The 'Ping' of notifications continued incessantly, and you couldn't help but grow curious. "What's that?" you asked, glancing at Tammy as she retrieved her phone.

Tammy's eyes widened in astonishment as she scrolled through her notifications, her expression a mix of disbelief and excitement. "I've never received this many notifications this quickly," she exclaimed, her voice tinged with awe.

One comment: "Omg, is that real?"

Another comment: "Can I try? I think it's perfect for brunch with my girls."

"Oh, I know this bakery. It's called Sunrise Bakery. I used to go there with my mom. I should go there."

Another comment: "Eating and coffee time with friends? Sign me in."

You and Tammy exchanged a glance, realization dawning upon you. Could Bob's oversized croissants be attracting attention on social media?

With a shared nod, you turned your gaze towards Bob and the jumbo croissant behind him. "Alright," you said with a newfound sense of determination. "I think we could do this."

🥐

The jumbo croissant and coffee craze continued to sweep through the neighborhood, and your bakery became a bustling hub of activity, filled to the brim with eager customers clamoring to get a taste of the viral sensation.

Jumbo coffee, expertly crafted by Tammy, only added to the allure, drawing in even more patrons eager to savor the perfect pairing of freshly baked bread and aromatic brews.

But amidst the excitement and flurry of activity, a new phenomenon emerged – the presence of Bob, the enigmatic baker behind the scenes. His silent demeanor and skillful craftsmanship had captured the imaginations of many, particularly the female customers who flocked to the bakery in droves, hoping for a glimpse of the mysterious baker.

Because of your best efforts to maintain privacy and respect Bob's wishes, the allure of the elusive baker only seemed to intensify. You banned taking photos of the employees, hoping to preserve their privacy and dignity.

But rather than deter them, the ban seemed to fuel the customers' curiosity, sparking a fervor that only drew more attention to the bakery.

You felt a surge of gratitude as you served the bustling crowd, the familiar hum of activity reminiscent of the days when your grandparents had run the bakery.

As you delivered a loaf of bread to an elderly couple, you noticed they were foreigners, likely Japanese.

The elderly man nodded at you and spoke in Japanese, his request catching you off guard. "Sumimasen, koko de keitai o juuden shite mo ii desu ka? Watashi no keitai no battery ga shinde shimatte, hon'yaku appu o tsukau koto ga dekimasen." ("Excuse me, can I charge my phone here? My phone battery died, and I couldn't use the translation app.")

Feeling momentarily lost, you quickly excused yourself and approached Tammy. "Can I use your phone?" you asked urgently.

Tammy shook her head. "My phone is live right now, showing it to my followers," she explained.

Realizing your phone was also out of reach, you returned to the elderly man at the table, feeling helpless.

"Sumimasen," he said, following you to the cashier.

Confused, Bob suddenly appeared and approached the grandpa, asking in Japanese, "Doushite? Nani ga okotte iru no?" (What's going on?")

You explained the situation, amazed to hear Bob conversing fluently in Japanese. "Dekinai desu ka?" ("Is it not possible?") the elderly man asked, his expression crestfallen.

Suddenly, Bob's revelation left you and Tammy stunned. "Nanika o tasukeru koto ga dekimasu ka?" Bob asked in Japanese. ("Is there something we could help with?")

The elderly man's face brightened as he explained his predicament. "Watashi no keitai no battery ga shinde shimatte, koko de juuden dekimasu ka? Watashi no teburu no chikaku ni denki no soketsuto ga mienai node, keitai ga nai to hon'yaku appu o tsukau koto ga dekimasen." ("My phone battery is dead. Can I charge my phone here? I don't see any power sockets near my table. Without my phone, we couldn't use the translation app.")

Bob extended his hand. "Wakarimashita. Anata no keitai o kudasai. Koko de juuden shite kudasai," he offered in Japanese. ("I understand. Could you give me your phone? You can charge it here.")

Grateful, the elderly man bowed his head. "Arigatou gozaimasu," he said sincerely. ("Thank you very much.")

The Japanese grandpa told Bob "Arigatou. Mae no pan'ya wa koko mitaina basho ni wa tetsudatte kurenakatta yo." ("Thank you. The bake shop in front were not helpful like this place.")

Bob replied "Maa, bokutachi wa kanojo-ra yori umaku iu." ("Well, we're better than them.")

The grandpa laughed and went back to his table.

You and Tammy approached Bob with a mixture of surprise and curiosity evident on your faces. "Wait? You could speak Japanese?" you asked, incredulous.

Bob seemed equally surprised by the revelation, his brow furrowing in confusion. "I did?" he echoed with a hint of disbelief.

"How come you didn't realize? It was you who was speaking?" you asked, your brow furrowing in confusion as you tried to make sense of the situation.

"Wow, Bob. You're amazing," you exclaimed, unable to hide your admiration.

Hearing your compliment made Bob's ears turn slightly red, a shy smile tugging at the corners of his lips. Without a word, he turned on his heel and dashed back to the kitchen, leaving you and Tammy to exchange bemused glances.

"What was that?" you asked, still trying to process the unexpected turn of events.

"Hmm..." Tammy mused, a thoughtful expression crossing her face as she watched Bob disappear into the depths of the bakery.

🥐

Luck seemed to be on your side with the Japanese grandpa's glowing 5-star review, praising the bakery's hospitality towards foreigners and the elderly.

This drew in a wave of foreign customers eager to experience the warm welcome for themselves.

Equipped with a translator app, you managed to communicate with foreign customers, though sometimes the language barrier proved challenging, especially with fast speech or colloquial expressions. In those moments, Bob became your secret weapon.

To everyone's surprise, Bob displayed an unexpected talent for understanding and speaking various foreign languages like Mandarin, French, Spanish, and Turkish. His proficiency was impressive, though he couldn't explain how he acquired it.

Speculating that his past self might have been bilingual, Bob's newfound linguistic skills proved invaluable in connecting with foreign customers, enhancing the bakery's reputation for hospitality and service.

As business flourished, you couldn't help but marvel at the mystery of Bob's talents and how they'd unexpectedly contributed to the bakery's success.

With the influx of customers to your bakery, the business's overall income increased significantly. This allowed you to pay off your debts on time and provided the means to give bonuses to both Tammy and Bob for their hard work and dedication.

However, when Bob received his bonus, he seemed unsure what to do with the money. "I don't deserve this."

He hesitantly handed it back to you, expressing his belief that he didn't deserve to be paid since you had provided everything for him.

You stopped him in his tracks, shaking your head. "You deserve it, Bob. The success of the bakery is in large part because of you. Your hard work and dedication have made all the difference."

Despite Bob's initial reluctance, you insisted on him keeping the bonus as a token of appreciation for his invaluable contribution to the bakery's success.

Grateful and touched by your words, Bob accepted the bonus with a humble smile, understanding that his efforts had truly made a difference.

As you stepped outside to take out the trash, you were unexpectedly blocked by someone. You let out a sigh of annoyance when you realized it was Rick, the former employee who had stolen your family recipe.

"What are you doing here?" you asked, your tone laced with frustration.

Rick wore a smug expression on his face as he replied, "Oh, nothing. Just checking on you, who stole my customers."

You rolled your eyes at his audacity. "Funny you should say 'stole,' considering it was you who stole in the first place."

Rick laughed dismissively. "I was just putting it to good use. I knew I could do it better."

You scoffed at his arrogance. "Even though you stole it, it still tastes flavorless."

Rick snorted in disdain before turning on his heel and walking away.

As Rick left, you couldn't help but feel a surge of indignation at his brazen attitude. Despite his attempts to undermine you, you remained steadfast in your commitment to your bakery and its loyal customers.

Tammy's eyes narrowed with disdain as she watched Rick's retreating figure. "Was it him? Next time, call me. I'll hit him with my Louis Vuitton heels."

You winced at the mental image. "Ouch."

Bob, sensing the tension, interjected with concern. "Is he bothering you?"

You shrugged, trying to downplay the encounter. "Just my mortal enemy. Forget it. He always stops by to throw an insult."

Despite your attempt to brush it off, Bob could see the frustration etched on your face. With a sympathetic nod, he silently vowed to watch for Rick in the future.

🥐

As you lay sleeping, a loud crash shattered the stillness of the night, jolting you awake. Instantly alert, you noticed Bob also opening his door simultaneously, both of you exchanging a concerned glance.

"A burglar? Or a cat?" you mused aloud, your voice tinged with apprehension.

"I don't think a cat could destroy a window," Bob replied, his tone serious.

Your eyes widened in alarm, and without hesitation, you reached for your phone, fingers trembling as you dialed 911.

Intent on investigating, you moved to go downstairs, but Bob's firm grip on your arm stopped you in your tracks. "Stay here," he commanded softly but firmly.

"But—" you protested, the urgency of the situation driving you to action.

"I don't want you to get hurt," Bob insisted, his voice laced with concern for your safety.

Reluctantly, you acquiesced, remaining on the second floor as Bob descended to confront the intruders. For a tense moment, the house was eerily quiet, broken only by the muffled sounds of a struggle downstairs.

Unable to resist the urge to see what was happening, you cautiously approached the railing, peering down to the first floor. Your heart skipped a beat as you witnessed Bob engaging in a fierce battle with the masked intruders, his movements swift and calculated as he fought them off one by one.

Despite being outnumbered, Bob displayed remarkable skill and determination, his body language exuding confidence and strength as he defended your home against the would-be burglars.

With each precise strike and well-timed block, he gradually gained the upper hand, ultimately emerging victorious in the intense confrontation.

As the last intruder fled into the night, Bob stood tall and triumphant, his chest heaving with exertion but his gaze steady and unwavering. With a sense of awe and gratitude, you realized how fortunate you were to have someone like Bob by your side in peril.

"I'm here. Oh my god. Who would want to steal from this bakery?" Tammy exclaimed, rushing over from her apartment in a daze. She had been deep in slumber when you called her.

Surveying the damage, her eyes widened in shock. The bakery window lay shattered, tables and chairs lay broken, and the bread display case lay toppled on the ground. It was a heartbreaking sight, a stark contrast to the care and effort you had invested in preserving the legacy of the bakery.

As Tammy took in the devastation, a mixture of anger and disbelief crossed her face. "This is terrible. How could someone do this?" she muttered, her voice trembling with emotion.

Just then, the police arrived on the scene, their presence adding a sense of urgency to the situation. As they began their investigation, one of the officers turned to you with a questioning gaze.

"So, it was your employee who beat up all four of these burglars?" he inquired, his tone incredulous.

You nodded firmly at the officer's question. "Yes, officer. He saved me and this place."

The mention of saving the bakery seemed to catch the officer's attention, and he glanced around at the damage with a hint of sympathy in his eyes. "Do you have insurance?" he inquired, his voice softening slightly.

You nodded again, a sense of relief washing over you. "Yes," you confirmed, grateful for the reassurance that you would not face the financial burden of repairing the damage alone.

"Good, I will give you a letter from us as soon as possible, then you can send it to the insurance," said the police, offering you a reassuring nod.

"Thank you," you replied gratefully as the officers began to depart, their presence comforting in the wake of the chaos.

You approached Bob, who stood with his head bowed low, his expression weighed down by guilt and regret.

"I ruined the bakery," Bob muttered, his voice heavy with self-blame.

As you drew nearer, you could see the turmoil etched on his face, his shoulders slumped in defeat.

Approaching Bob, who stood with a troubled expression, you offered a gentle smile. "You didn't ruin the bakery, Bob. You saved it. I don't know what would have happened if you hadn't stopped them. Thank you," you said sincerely, your gratitude evident in your voice.

Glancing at the tools the burglars had brought – gasoline and a lighter – you couldn't help but shudder at the thought of the destruction they had intended to unleash upon your cherished bakery.

Tammy's voice broke the silence, her tone filled with awe and admiration. "Did Bob really fight all of them?" she asked incredulously.

You nodded emphatically. "Yes. He's amazing," you affirmed, your pride in Bob's actions evident.

Bob blushed at the praise, his humility shining through even in the midst of the chaos.

Tammy smirked mischievously. "He can bake, speak foreign languages, and fight. I think his old self was a Jack of All Trades," she remarked, her eyes twinkling with amusement.

You considered her words thoughtfully. "That means your brain and muscles still remember. Do you start remembering something?" you asked, hoping for a breakthrough.

Bob was quiet for a moment. He shook his head sadly. "No," he replied, his expression filled with frustration at his continued lack of memory.

Tammy's eyes lit up with excitement as she proposed a new idea. "How about we enroll him in acting classes, poetry classes, singing lessons? Perhaps he's good at those too, and it could trigger his old memories," she suggested eagerly, her enthusiasm infectious.

As you considered Tammy's suggestion, a sense of hope stirred within you. Perhaps there was still a chance to unlock the secrets of Bob's past and help him reclaim his lost memories. With determination, you resolved to explore every avenue in the quest to uncover the truth.

🥐

As the bakery underwent renovations, you decided to accompany Bob to try new activities in the hopes of triggering his old memories. Despite your efforts, there was still no progress in unlocking his past, but you couldn't deny that his instincts and strength seemed to be growing stronger by the day.

"Perhaps you were an MMA fighter? Or a boxing player?" you suggested one day, pondering the possibilities.

"Really?" Bob asked, his interest piqued by the idea.

Determined to explore this further, you took Bob to a boxing trial class. As you watched him don boxing shorts, you couldn't help but gulp nervously, realizing you had never seen him shirtless. His well-defined six-pack muscles and faded scars on his back hinted at a past filled with physical prowess and strength.

The trainer eyed Bob skeptically from the ring and asked, "Are you sure he's a newbie?"

You nodded, though the trainer seemed unconvinced. From a glance, he could read the muscles rippling beneath Bob's skin, indicating a level of proficiency that belied the term "newbie."

"Let's start," the trainer announced, motioning for Bob to step into the ring.

In the blink of an eye, the trainer let out a pained cry as Bob delivered a powerful punch, catching him off guard.

"Ouch!" the trainer exclaimed, clutching his stomach in agony. "Get out of here. I'm banning you both from this place," he declared, his voice strained with discomfort as he struggled to recover from the unexpected blow.

As you walked home together, laughter bubbled between you and Bob, the sound echoing through the quiet streets. Despite the challenges you faced with the bakery being closed for renovations, you couldn't help but feel a sense of lightness and joy in Bob's company.

Never in your wildest dreams had you imagined that you would be able to laugh during such a difficult time. Yet, with Bob by your side, everything seemed to fall into place, and the day's worries melted away in the warmth of his laughter.

🥐

After two weeks of renovations, the day finally arrived for the reopening of the bakery. As you unlocked the doors and stepped inside, a wave of apprehension washed over you. Would anyone still remember your bakery? Would the customers return after the temporary closure?

To your surprise and delight, as the day progressed, a steady stream of people began to trickle in through the doors. The familiar aroma of freshly baked bread filled the air, and the sound of chatter and laughter once again filled the cozy space.

You couldn't believe your eyes as you watched the tables fill up with eager customers, each one eagerly sampling the delicious treats on offer. It was as if the temporary closure had only heightened the anticipation, drawing even more people to your bakery than before.

As you busied yourself behind the counter, serving up delectable treats to the eager crowd, you couldn't help but feel a sense of pride and satisfaction in the resilience of your beloved bakery.

Many familiar faces returned, offering their condolences for the recent ordeal the store had faced. Their gestures of support were deeply appreciated as a reminder of the strong community surrounding the bakery.

Amidst the familiar flow of customers, however, a sense of unease settled over the bakery as a tall man with blonde hair rushed in, commanding attention from all who watched.

His hurried movements and searching gaze drew curious glances from the patrons, their eyes following him as he made his way through the crowd.

His attractiveness is on the same level as Bob's. That made female eyes at the bakery follow him.

Suddenly, the man stopped beside Bob, arranging a new batch of bread on the counter. With a relieved sigh, he enveloped Bob in a tight embrace, causing gasps of surprise to echo through the bakery.

"Huh?!" you exclaimed, along with Tammy and Bob, as the unexpected display of affection unfolded before you.

The blonde man spoke, his voice filled with emotion. "Bucky, I finally found you," he declared, his words hanging in the air.

The implications of his statement dawned on you, and a sense of confusion and apprehension washed over you. It was clear that this man knew Bob, but the nature of their relationship remained unclear.

Bob, visibly uncomfortable, pushed the man away and stepped back, shaking his head in disbelief. "I don't know him," he stated firmly, his expression betraying a mix of confusion and disgust.

You couldn't help but wonder about the connection between Bob and the blonde man. Was he a friend? A relative? Or perhaps something more?

Sensing your silent question, Bob moved closer to you, his gaze meeting yours with a silent plea for understanding. "Don't look at me like that," he murmured, his tone filled with unease.

Before you could respond, the blonde man approached, his eyes fixed on Bob as he repeated the name again. "Bucky."

Bob's voice cut through the tense atmosphere, his tone devoid of emotion as he addressed the customer directly. "Who the heck is Bucky?" he demanded, his words sharp and pointed.

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Author Note: Hey friends,

If you've been enjoying the content, I've set up a Ko-fi account.

Your support through tips would mean the world and help me keep creating.

Only if you feel like it!

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[spanishplaydates]

A Spanish pronunciation practice session (Tug of War).

Strengthen your Spanish pronunciation with our exciting Tug of War session! 🎙️🔥 Fun and effective language practice. 🇪🇸💪 #SpanishPronunciation #LanguagePractice

View: https://youtu.be/J0-U4YcGgVk

[deadtired-highkeyenergetic]

Market Day

Thank you to @spacebarbarianweird for the Astarion x barbarian!Tav headcanons that inspired this fic!!

Summary: You drag some of your companions to the market to restock on supplies and run into a little spot of trouble

Today was Market Day, as you had come to coin it, where you and your companions would visit a nearby market to purchase various supplies, whether it be food, drink, weapons, potions, or anything anyone happened to need. With a slight skip in your step, you make your way into the marketplace, dragging along a weary vampire, a less than interested cleric and a very very reluctant wizard who wanted nothing more than to be fast asleep in his bedroll or be buried deep in a musty book.

“I don’t understand how you can be so cheerful this early in the morning,” Gale yawns, rubbing his eyes.

“Why was I chosen over Lae’zel to come along?” Shadowheart groans, dragging her feet along. Astarion looked the most alive among the three but you could tell he wanted to be anywhere but here.

“It’s a bright and sunny morning! There’s no better time than now to get all our shopping done!” You cheer, pumping your fist in the air.

“Why didn’t you invite Karlach along if you wanted some life in the party?” Astarion rolls his eyes, folding his arms across his chest. The market is rather quiet today, much to his distaste, for it meant there were less pockets to…well…pick. To you however, the lack of a crowd meant that there was more time to peruse the wares available without the person queuing behind you breathing down your neck to hurry it up, so you were more than happy about it.

“But I can be the life of the party!” You huff, giving him a pout. He should never have taught you how to gives puppy dog eyes, Astarion thinks to himself, watching as you give him your best shot at said eyes. He sighs in response, knowing you will never let this matter rest until he agrees with you and numbly nods.

“Of course you can, darling. Now, don’t we have quite a bit of shopping to do?”

With that, you’re off, heading towards the butcher while the others go their own ways to various shops of interest. Gale, to no one’s surprise, heads straight for the merchant selling a bunch of magical items while Shadowheart meanders around until a particular store selling carvings of the various gods catches her eye and she makes a beeline towards it. Astarion, meanwhile, looks for his first pocket to pick and eyes a rather wealthy human strutting around that made for easy pickings.

You quickly gather all the food items on the list and shove them all into your backpack, proud of the bargains you had made on your own. Astarion had been teaching you how to haggle, and although you were a slow learner, you were steadily getting better at it. Today proved as much. You couldn’t wait to tell him about the discount you had haggled from the fruit merchant and show him all his teachings hadn’t been for naught. As you made your way to Astarion who was at the other end of the market, something caught your eye — black leather bound book with words you couldn’t quite make out in gold lettering.

You go to take a closer look, curious. Did Astarion have this book? You don’t remember seeing such a cover before, would he appreciate the book? You weren’t even sure about the contents of the book, words always proved a challenge and you hated how you couldn’t just beat the words into submission so that you could read them.

“You can’t just beat up every problem you come across!” Astarion exlaimed when you angrily swore at the paragraph he had been trying to teach you to read.

“Everything would be so much easier if I could.” You huffed in response.

“Some things require a little more finesse, darling. Don’t you worry your beautiful self, leave such things to me.” He pressed a kiss to your forehead with a small smile.

The fond memory caused the corners of your lips to quirk up. Astarion had never once blamed you for struggling with learning how to read, he had been patient, as patient as he could be but had given up some time after. He had never pressed you to learn to read afterwards, instead he did all the reading for you which you very much preferred as you got to hear his melodious voice while understanding whatever was scrawled on the pages of the book you had looted from a corpse because you found the cover pretty.

“Didn’t know barbarians knew how to read, I thought they were all brawns and no brain.” A sneer comes from your right. The merchant selling the book you were looking at gives you a look of disgust and snatches it out of your grasp.

“Get your grubby hands off my wares,” he spits, “someone who lacks the intelligence needed to understand such fine craft shouldn’t be here in the first place.”

You scowl at him, a low rumbling erupting from your throat, “I may not be able to read but I sure as hells can understand what you’re saying.”

“The creature speaks!” The merchant feigns a gasp of surprise. You snarl, a hand moving towards your axe when a cold hand gently rests on your hand. Astarion meets your gaze, giving a small shake of his head and puts himself in between you and the merchant.

“It seems intelligence and basic common courtesy does not go hand in hand,” he says nonchalantly, but poison drips from every word. “To think a man so well-learned would only have the manners of a beast.”

The merchant glares at him but Astarion calmly looks them in the eye, a fake smile gracing his lips, “am I wrong?”

“This is none of your business, elf,” the merchant hisses.

“Oh, but the moment you insulted my lover, it became my business.” His unnerving smile remains plastered to his face, unsettling the merchant who was slowly losing confidence. “Now then, may I see this fine craft of yours?”

“Leave at once! You’re ruining my business!” The merchant snaps. “And I suggest getting yourself a better lover, maybe one not as daft as that barbarian.”

Astarion’s ruby eyes widen, a hand reaching for his dagger but you beat him to it. You grab the nearest and heaviest book you can find and slam it hard into the merchant’s face, “you can have your damned fine craft back! I don’t need it! I’d rather be illiterate than have to resort to insulting others to feel better about myself!”

Astarion chuckles, swiping a few books that caught his eye before grabbing the book you had been eyeing as well as your wrist and pulled you along, “come on, we better leave before the guards come to investigate the commotion.”

“You don’t have to tell me twice!” The two of you make a quick escape, disappearing into the nearby town before the authorities could catch either of you, giggling all the way.

Once Astarion is sure you’re far enough, he rounds the corner and stops to allow you to catch your breath. You pant, bending over with your hands on your knees but you’re grinning the widest grin you can muster.

“That! Was! Satisfying! You can beat up every problem you come across!” You laugh. Astarion doesn’t even bother to hide his smile, the merchant had deserved that blow to the face and better yet, had been robbed of some of his most prized wares.

“They had it coming,” he snorts, ruffling your hair. “We head back for the others once the heat has died down.”

“I’m sorry for ruining your shopping,” you rub the back of your neck sheepishly.

“It’s quite alright darling, I had finished pickpocketing all the rich people in the maket anyways.” Astarion waves a hand dismissively.

“Astarion!”

“I had quite the haul even, who knew there were so many gold necklaces just lying around unattended.”

“They were attended!”

“Well, clearly not attended enough.” He fishes one out and holds it out to you. “What do you think of this one?”

“It’s beautiful,” you breathe, tracing a finger along the precious chain.

“May I?” He holds out a hand to you and you gently place the necklace into his outstretched hand. He gestures for you to turn around and you comply, twiddling your fingers nervously. Would you looks good in it? It was definitely a very expensive necklace, something that should not lie on the necks of the likes of you and would sell for a large amount of gold but Astarion had chosen to slip it around your neck, a look of satisfaction clear on his face when he had you turn around so that he could admire his handiwork.

“Perfect. I knew it would look good on you, my taste is impeccable.” He crows. “I also have a dress for you, but that will have to wait until we’re back at camp, unless…”

“Back at camp back at camp!” You squawk, cheeks quickly heating up. Astarion leans in to press a quick peck to your lips, slipping his hand into yours.

“As you wish, my darling barbarian.”

[moonlit-imagines]

Headcanons for being another displaced Padawan with Cal Kestis

Cal Kestis x jedi!reader

warnings: angst, STAR WARS JEDI SURVIVOR SPOILERS

a/n:

prompt:

you and cal went way back

like, jedi padawan back

so after the purge, about five years later, you guys reunited by chance. thanks to cere junda, no less

and, god, seeing someone so familiar after trying to get by on your own, someone who knew the feeling of the trajectory of your life being thrown off before you were ready, that wasn’t easy to come by

“you’re here” -cal

“i’m here” -you

“we survived” -cal

“just barely” -you

cere was delighted that the two of you could have lifted each other’s spirits so much, which was very much needed in desperate times, as you two were just given a very important mission by a former jedi master in your order

you and cal kicked some serious ass together, helping one another relearn old lessons your masters had taught during your youth

“i think running across walls was the hardest thing i was ever taught” -you

“it took me forever to get that right! i could only get two steps in before i plummeted to the floor!” -cal

you shared a lot of stories and emotions during travels, in private

and not all of them were positive, but this was the first chance you’d had in five years to face these emotions, to air out your feelings

“do you miss the clones? i was so fond of our battalion, they were always so kind to me” -you

“i think…i think that was the worst part. the people who defended us in battle, gave me pep talks before training, always there, that same face at every turn suddenly behind the blaster that was meant to put me down” -cal

“i miss them” -you

cal and you had your missions together…and separately. you’d be on one planet and he on the other, trying to race the empire and inquisitors to the holocron

“it could happen all over again” -you

“it could be the key to saving the galaxy” -cal

“or we’d be creating a generational tragedy” -you

“so would the empire” -cal

“you’ve got me there” -you

cal gifting you ponchos from his travels (lol)

“any chance you like pink?” -cal

“well…” -you

braving zeffo alone while you knew cal was somewhere far more dangerous, you had a bad feeling about it

but your teachings from the order were always the same, no attachment. mission first, feelings second…no, last

but on cal’s adventure, he found merrin, a nightsister from dathomir

you hadn’t seen any nightsisters since ventress, which did happen to make you feel a bit off

“cal…you sure?” -you

“trust me, y/n. things have changed. merrin is just like us” -cal

“cal told me much about you. another survivor. a pleasure” -merrin

you and merrin grew quite close actually

she was truly spectacular, and swapping stories with her was sort of educational

“wait…the jedi responsible for the nightsister genocide? you said lightsabers, plural? how many?” -you

“four” -merrin

“two green, two blue?” -you

“precisely. how did you know?” -merrin

“hang on, no way—” -cal

“my master killed him shortly before we were split up…when the clones turned” -you

“grevious? really? master kenobi finally got him?” -cal

“who is this ‘grevious?’” -merrin

“general grevious, he was a separatist general—a cyborg. he wasn’t a jedi, he stole lightsabers from his kills. he ordered the attack on your home” -cal

“i’m so sorry, merrin” -you

you three were still healing from many scars, but doing it together was much more achievable than trying alone

it was a wonder you even made it to fortress inquisitorius

you, cal, cere. all three of you fought like hell to save those kids.

now, cal and you, you two had much different perspectives than say, cere or trilla

displaced padawans. little guidance. cal was barely old enough to even be a padawan learner, but times were desperate and the order called upon the youngling to start quite early. you were in a similar boat. it made you two see eye to eye better than most

trilla, a padawan with much more training and insight, one who was failed by the order that she was most loyal to. failed by her own master.

cere, a devout jedi master who failed many people who were counting on her. who lost herself to a side of herself that every jedi is supposed to fight.

and just before any resolution could come of all of you together, the famed and feared darth vader showed himself

and the sinking feeling you felt before he arrived froze you

“what is it, y/n? y/n?” -cere

*ominous breathing sounds*

you shook off the feeling, fleeing instead

cal and you were split up when you swore vader made a point to hold you back

“run cal! get out of here!” -you

“y/n l/n, i was hoping i would see you” -vader “where is obi-wan?!”

“i thought you were dead” -you

“is that what he told you?” -vader

“you’re going to kill me to get back at him? i haven’t seen him since the purge, anakin! i left!” -you

“there is no anakin!” -vader “did you leave, or did he leave you?”

“are you just going to let cal get away?” -you

“he can’t get far” -vader

“my journey is not important to you” -you

“you are like me, y/n. obi-wan failed us. these inquisitors are weak, impressionable, disposable. but i know how you think. i know how he thinks. i give you the opportunity to join me. fight with me.” -vader

“i saw the holotapes, anakin. i saw what you did to the younglings and i will not let you do it again. we are not alike, obi-wan did not fail me. i took a page out of ahsoka’s book, i found my own path. and it is not beside you.” -you

“this is not over, y/n. i trust you’ll find your way out” -vader, force pushing you off a ledge

you did find you way back out and merrin was quick to save you before going back for cal

you were left completely unharmed, as well, which was quite the surprise to everyone else

“what happened back there, y/n?” -cal

“nothing i’d like to relive” -you

cal nodded and let it go, focusing on the holocron floating before you all

your mind kept replaying memories as they discussed what to do with it

memories of anakin’s massacre. vader’s speech. younglings you couldn’t save. luke and leia somewhere across the galaxy. the inquisitors.

“destroy it.” -you

in one quick swipe, cal took his lightsaber to the glowing blue cube. no questions asked

and from there on, it was no longer about the order. you remembered why you left in the first place. the purge, the politics, your master couldn’t contain himself. your troops turned their blasters on you. everything you were taught was bantha fodder. and you were just a padawan

it was now about disassembling. scaring the people in power while giving the little guy some hope.

“this is a much better gig than obi-wan playing by the rules” -you

“from what you told me, him and anakin never played by the rules” -cal

the name made you shudder, but you pushed past it

“well, anakin was known as the rulebreaker. obi-wan always tried to reel him in. but, i’ve noticed a rule or two that master kenobi had bent” -you

“anakin has a padawan too, right?” -cal

“he did. she was also a rule breaker. when she left the order, i almost followed her. last i heard, she went to mandalore with half of the 501st. i, uh—” -you

“right…” -cal

you were still haunted from the encounter on nurr. still hadn’t told cal and it was eating you up inside.

but the fighting made it feel better

dismantling, stealing, helping

and then merrin left. and cere. and greez settled down. and you and cal were just two makeshift jedi knights with your tragic pasts and your need to keep your place in the galaxy

and keep each other close

but not too close

those rules you followed, the one’s obi-wan followed, you threw them out a long time ago. the jedi order was corrupt. you examined each council master postmortem and decided that they were all flawed despite their rank. you hated them for it.

but decided the one teaching you would follow would be to lose hate, a step to the dark side.

you didn’t really even know at this point, what was the difference between right and wrong anymore

cal and you continued fighting. joined up with saw gerrera. never left each other’s sides

which…sparked feelings you’d never really been taught or told how to deal with

only aversion, really. but it wasn’t like you didn’t really talk about it

“i don’t really see the problem with it. look at everything else we do, that’s not exactly the jedi way” -you

“it’s dangerous” -cal

“love is dangerous?” -you

“attachment is” -cal

“i figured you already had attachments. we were all a crew before this” -you

“i let them all go” -cal

“and you’d let me go?” -you

you began constantly questioning these ways and trying to fight for a new future with cal, without pressing too hard

but it was hard to ignore those feelings and harder to constantly be denied by your old life

and it was harder when the new crew always teased you two

“come on, kestis. if you don’t, i will” -gabs

“yeah, just go for it. who’s it hurting?” -bravo

“i’m just not ready to go there” -cal

you were more bothered than you let on

but you always put the mission first

up until your trip back to coruscant

“this is just a reminder of how little it all matters now. there’s no one left.” -you

“that’s why it matters” -cal

the intensity of this mission made it so it was just the two of you again

and maybe that would spark something…but you doubted it

taglist: @alwaysananglophile // @locke-writes // @sweetheartlizzie07 // @queen-destenie // @captainshazamerica // @ravenmoore14 // @gabile18 // @sweetjedi // @retvenkos // @swanimagines // @randomfandomimagine // @dontyousassmeok // @dindjarinsspouse // @zoeyserpentluck // @summersimmerus // @scarthefangirl // @sheridans-dynamos // @lady-violet // @simsrecs // @xoxobabydolls // @ruvaakke // @simp-legend // @evilcr0ne // @thedarkqueenofavalon // @your-local-simp0 // @elenavampire21 // @pheonixfire777 //

[transgenderer]

good article on cat colony behavior. highlights under the cut

Cats recognize colony members vs. non-colony members. Aggression is exhibited by most or all colony members toward unfamiliar cats that are not members of the colony. Thus, as is typical with most social species, non-group members are not allowed to casually approach and enter the group. If non-colony members are persistent in attempts to join the colony, they may eventually be integrated into the group, but only by a gradual process that involves many interactions (Macdonald et al., 1987; Wolfe, 2001). Within the group, a number of affiliative behaviors are exhibited, particularly between cats that are preferred associates. Preferred associates are cats that can be found close together (e.g. less than 1 m) more frequently than they are found with other members of the colony. Preferred associates can be found together in a variety of contexts and locations: they do not simply go to preferred resources at the same time of day, but come together because of the social bond that exists between them (Wolfe, 2001).

In addition to the active social behaviors described above, cats engage in the affiliative social interaction of simply lying together in physical contact. One cat may use another as a ‘pillow’, with the ‘pillow’ readily allowing the position (Fig. 6). This behavior occurs even in conditions of extreme heat, indicating that it occurs as a consequence of social bonding, rather than for thermoregulation.

Affiliative and contact behavior between females and males is not exclusive to the breeding situation. Intact and neutered females and males may be preferred associates, engaging in a variety of affiliative behaviors (Wolfe, 2001). When a female and male are familiar with each other, mating may involve substantial courtship behavior, including allogrooming between the queen and the tom, lying side by side, and rubbing of each other occurring between copulations (Fig. 8). Mating is polygamous. Females mate with multiple males and males mate with multiple females. Yamane et al. (1996) found that, while the largest males had the greatest mating success overall, males that were members of a colony had the greatest mating success within that colony, even if they were small. Thus, social attachments between males and females affect mating success of males.

The critical role of the queen in teaching her kittens hunting techniques has long been recognized. Among free-living cats, the mother starts bringing her kittens prey when they are about 4 weeks of age (Baerends-van Roon and Baerends, 1979). At first she brings them dead prey, and later they are brought live prey. The mother will release the live prey at the nest, providing the kittens with an opportunity to develop their hunting and killing techniques. In the early stages of this learning opportunity, the queen will often demonstrate hunting techniques to the kittens. Both kittens and adult cats are excellent observational learners. They can learn arbitrary tasks that are not species typical behaviors simply by observing another cat engaging in the behavior (e.g. Chesler, 1969). This ability has likely been selected for because rapid learning of critical hunting skills is essential to survival. While the cat is socially gregarious, hunting is conducted in a solitary fashion as a consequence of the typical prey of the cat. The majority of the hunted diet of free-living cats is small rodents, and it requires several small rodents a day to sustain a single cat. Sharing the kill, such as happens with species that hunt large game, is impractical.

[dearest-lula]

🌱 02.10.2024 Apologies for my long absence >< I've been so busy this 2nd semester like there's so much work to do. Now, I'm giving myself even more work by enrolling in a side class hehe. Anyway, I'm taking an online program for teaching early childhood learners. Personally, enrolling in this program serves as an alternative for not being able to get the course I wanted, which is Early Childhood Education, because it was not offered to me back then. I ended up taking Secondary Education.

[glacierclear]

Can I... can I ask for some househusband Leon hcs?

alright. okay. we're gonna work with a few assumptions for these headcanons.

this all comes from the hypothetical of leon being fully retired from his line of work. he still has the same backstory, skillset, traumas, everything, it's just...now he's your loyal house husband!

cooking? this all depends on where he's at in life. mid-30s and onward? he's a chef. i don't believe he'd be terribly gourmet about it. you aren't coming home to a roasted duck served with a reduced wine glaze and a perfectly made risotto...but god. he can make some damn fine spaghetti. he'd likely shoot for simple dishes, with perhaps an added flair or two. homemade burgers. lots of steak dinners. he'd prefer anything that can be prepared with minimal mess. recipes that are made with one pot or one pan...a big hit for him. he is not a pretentious eater, and that would reflect in his cooking.

now, if we're talking early to late-20s leon? erm. well. let's just say he's learning. his transition from zombie apocalypse policeman to military meat shield didn't do much for his cooking skills. and a diet of MREs and scrounged up viper parts did even less. if post-re4 leon is your house husband you're gonna be eating a lot of questionable meals. he's not completely oblivious. he won't try and feed you absolute slop, but his abilities don't much exceed kraft mac and scrambled eggs. still! he's a domestic man now. plenty of free time to try out all sorts of new things in the kitchen! be on standby with a fire extinguisher when he decides 3am is a great time to make fried chicken from scratch!

leon's independent food preferences likely revolve around utility. protein. nutrition. careful rations. compact energy a growing boy needs to kill bioweapons. he doesn't strike me as having a particularly strong sweet tooth, but he also won't say no to a bit of dessert! but he's adaptable, of course. one must be in his line of work. your tastes and favored dishes will influence his palate a lot. he'll naturally associate flavors with you and will, over time, come to adopt a lot of your dietary choices.

cleaning? leon will do his best. you can count on him to not accidentally mix mustard gas in your bathroom, but his knack for cleanliness would be...odd. i choose to believe leon has a strict standard for bodily hygiene. his extended exposure to all manner of glop and viscera means he strives to smell nice and stay on top of dirt the best he can when he is able to...on his body. a house is different. he's never had to see it as a home, merely an empty room where he sleeps and eats. so maintaining it as a tidy space might not come naturally, and it's not as if he had a proper upbringing to teach him proper housekeeping techniques (cough, cough, he's an orphan).

man's a fast learner though. expect a lot of trial and error. him accidentally using glass cleaner on the stove. or not understanding the exact purpose of fabric softener. why do we need make our bed if we're just gonna sleep in it and mess it up again? he likely has a lot of bad habits from living on his own, but gentle guidance and persistent advice will go a long way.

of course, leon needs his private time. space for him to isolate and be alone...but, you're at work all day. the loneliness is easily accessible, and now that he has all the time and freedom to be with you...it's grating. his favorite sound is the noise your key makes when it unlocks the front door. he's careful, not incredibly overbearing, but you don't make it more than a few steps into your home before his head is poking around the corner. "how was your day? you look tired. here, let me take your coat off-" leon is a listener. he doesn't talk about himself much, if at all, so he'd prefer to just hear you ramble on about whatever you need to or want to. neck rubs. gentle squeezes on your arm. light kisses on your brow. he doesn't smother. he doesn't drown you in the touch he's so starved of. but you can tell, he misses you a lot.

the real issues will probably stem from the quiet. the absolute lack of danger. take a person out of their traumatic environment and things start crumbling real fast before they can start to heal. he's hyper-aware. paranoid. has all this pent up energy and an instinct to fight. and he has to redirect it all somewhere, right? it'd come out in bizarre ways. diy projects. you come home from work and he built you a fucking chair. you don't even need a chair, but now you have one. lots of yard work. he renovated your patio and set up a birdhouse (also handmade). you didn't really want him to rearrange your living room but he did it anyways.

and it's hard for him to relax. for him to feel truly safe. he'd insist on installing locks on all the doors. bulletproof windows. guns hidden and stashed in corners of the house, just in case. any tech that could impede on his privacy (ie, amazon echos, doorbell cameras, etc) are out of the question. he'd run you through drills and hypothetical scenarios. make sure you know what to do in any situation. he's vigilant, and honestly, you've never felt safer, but it wears him down and you aren't sure if it's truly good for him.