#tips and tricks from tara

[bashamanik]

A Guide to Managing Columns and Prioritizing with Views in monday.com | Tara Horn

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[lostintransist]

Fallen Angel | Witching Hour Wishes

Part 1 | AO3 | *This is a story told in scenes and can be read in any order though is listed in chronological order on the masterlist.

Sitting bolt upright in bed John sucks in air like he had escaped the vacuum of space, cold sweat tipping him into shivers. To either side of him lay Kyle and Gary. Every night since the sarin exposure at least one of his men had mended their hurt in his bed. John held each of them together while they let their broken parts out. Tonight he needed someone to hold him together.

One nice thing about being the boss was being able to call it a night early. At twelve-thirty am with an empty cafe and a quick call to the local bars to find out they were also nearly empty, you had decided with your one staff on shift to call it a night early. Tara would still get her full pay for the shift and happily helped finish closing duties and get home.

One-thirty found you rearming the alarm on the house, toeing off your shoes and setting them into the rack, and wandering the dark of the house to your room. Any number of times you would come home and find someone in your bed, fairy lights draped along your wall still twinkling. The faint light seeping out from below your door didn’t surprise you; John pacing your room in nothing but a pair of sweats, hands deep in his pockets, however, did.

He looked up as you opened the door, distress clear in every line of his body. The past peered out of his eyes at you, speaking only of trauma and fear.

“Hi John,” you greeted him softly as you set your bag down on your desk.

No words from him. Oh, this was a bad one. All of your guys would go nonverbal if things got too hard to live with in their heads. He tracked you with his eyes, body swaying side to side.

Reaching out a hand in offer you waited. John settled his hand into yours, the clammy grip informed your plan. This house had several bathrooms, they had decided that one of them needed a massive tub and renovated it soon after moving in.

“Will you come with me, John?” You interlaced your fingers with his as you peered up at him.

He squeezed your hand once, the gentle pressure breaking your heart. Tears pricking at your eyes you lead John into the darkness and into the hall bathroom. With no exterior walls, this room had to be one of the darkest in the house. By memory alone you found the correct drawer and pulled out two glow sticks, cracking them to provide dim light. This had been a trick that a roommate a long time ago had shown you. Sometimes she couldn’t shower in the light due to a migraine and used this as a workaround.

Fingers still tucked firmly between John’s you started a bath for him. Tossing in a lightly scented bath bomb and testing the water you confirm the temperature before turning back to him.

“John, I need you to shuck the pants and get in the tub okay? I am going to get a cup and will be right back. Can you do that for me?” Tilting to catch his eye you offer him an encouraging smile.

At his nod, you stretch up and kiss him on the lips.

“Be right back.”

Ducking from the room you moved quickly on feet as quiet as you could make them. Sliding into the kitchen on your socks you nearly run into Johnny.

“Did you just get home? Didn’t hear you come in,” Johnny drops a kiss on top of your head.

“Been here a few minutes. Putting John in the bath though so can you grab me the large cup we got from the movie theater a few months back?” You point to the cupboard as if he doesn’t know where it lives.

“John doing okay?” Johnny’s concern is evident as he does as you ask.

“He will be. He’s gonna spend the night in my room. Can you tell the guys to leave my room alone for a bit?” Worry crawled up your spine, you had been gone longer than expected.

“Course,” he lays the cup in your hand, heart in his eyes, “We are so lucky you fell into Simon’s lap.”

“We are all lucky for shitty landlords I guess,” rolling your eyes even as you smile and walk away. “Night Johnny. Sleep well.”

John had turned off the water by the time you returned, leaning back in the tub with his eyes still distant. Setting the cup down on the edge of the tub you grabbed your bath supplies and a clean rag. Kneeling beside the tub you dip the rag into the water before spreading soap across the surface of it. Starting with his face, you clean gently before moving on to his hands.

Lifting one from the water you work over each finger individually. When you reach his ring finger he starts to talk.

“Nearly died on the last job. It was bad,” his voice took on a tone of abandonment, “So bad and I still had to be the captain.”

“You aren’t my captain John. Would you like me to be in charge for the night?” The process of cleaning him didn’t pause as he began to release the pressure on his soul.

When his eyes settled on you with the weight of an anvil you cleaned up his arm before setting it down and curling two fingers in invitation for the other one. He ignored your request.

“Why?”

He isn’t questioning why he should let you be in charge, more of why would you offer that?

Lifting a hand to his face you wait until he rests his cheek into your palm.

“Even redwoods require rest. You stand among giants John, let me be your rest.”

The tears that slip from his eyes shock him, as evidenced by the finger he swipes below his eye to study critically. Leaning over the edge of the tub you kiss him. Taking your hand back you gently take his arm you have yet to clean and begin the process anew.

Rinsing the rag you apply more soap and wash his chest and back that are above the waterline.

“Stand up for me John, need to wash more of you.”

The compliance is punctuated by the slooshing water running down his body. The cleaning is perfunctory, and he handles cleaning his groin after you finish everything else. Once he takes the rag from you your attention turns to draining the tub. As the water drains you look at him. Arms dangling to his sides he watches you, suds slipping past his ankles. Softly tugging the rag from his hand you rinse it in the receding water and set it aside.

“I know it’s a bit cold but please stay standing until I can rinse the tub.”

He nods once, gooseflesh creeping along his body. As the last of the bubbles stick you flick the water on to a decent temperature. Using the cup Johnny had pulled down for you you pour the clean water along the basin until it has been cleared.

“Okay, time to sit down. Tell me if the water is too hot,” you close the drain and watch as the water begins to rise along the length of John’s legs.

Needing to give your back a rest you stack your arms on the edge of the tub and rest your head looking at John.

“Tell me something.”

The command is lightly given—a denial allowed, though not encouraged.

“I joined the military when I was seventeen,” his hand drifts through the rising water, trails of motion following him.

You chuckle lightly, “At seventeen the only life-changing decisions I was making involved boys and a fuck ton of substances.”

He smiles at that, the first smile not haunted you had seen in a long time.

“Why did you?” Turning off the water that had reached his nipples gave him time to answer.

“Tradition, I think.”

Returning to your previous position you watch him settle more comfortably into the water.

“Say more about that.”

He puffs a breath of air out his nose, sending ripples through the water like a dragon. The lift of a brow reminds him that for tonight he ceded control.

“My father served,” his eyes grow distant in the dim light, “And my uncle, and their father. They all died before forty. My grandfather’s plane went down, never found it or his body. My uncle took a bullet through the neck and my father’s heart gave out behind his desk. I am scared I will continue their curse.”

Dipping a finger into the water you loop patterns into the warm water.

“Does death scare you?”

“Yes.” The answer immediate and firm.

“It doesn’t scare me.” Flicking your gaze to him you find disbelief mingled with confusion. “I nearly drowned when I was ten. I hit my head at the pool and couldn’t find up. Lifeguard told my mom that I had a concussion and needed to go to the hospital. I found something at the bottom of that water. I found the peace in death. It never left me, that knowing that when this all ends, even if I go screaming, once the pain stops there is only peace.”

It sits like an albatross between you, the fear and acceptance of death dueling.

“Enough of that, death will come in time.” Grabbing the cup again you fill it with water and set about washing John’s hair, guarding his forehead every time you doused his head close to it.

Hair sufficiently soaked through you pump a squirt of your shampoo into your hand and lather it. Focusing on his scalp you work it in until John’s eyes have shut and the weight of his head is resting in your hands.

“I’m thinking of retirement.” He whispers the words as if they carry a shame that would tarnish his bloodline.

The noncommittal hum you provide has him cracking a single eye to look at you.

“Not sure what you expect from me, John. You don’t take advice so why waste my precious oxygen?” You wink at him; he rolls his eyes.

Rinsing his hair you pump some conditioner and repeat the process, infusing tender care into the hair routine.

Eyes once again closed he opens up again, as if the darkness behind his lids allowed him to open the box deep inside of that deep place in his soul.

“I am scared to leave them.”

“You will leave them in death or in life John, you only get to choose one. If you are scared for them I understand, tough jobs you all take on. If you are scared to let them grow beyond you I would have to point out the cowardice in that,” you rinse his hair, avoiding his eyes as he glares at you.

Hair clean you move to the drain, unplugging it and letting the water flow once more.

“Stand up John, I’ll rinse you once more and then we are going to get you dried off and into bed.”

He does as commanded, for a captain was once a private who took orders. Running water through the shower head attachment you rinse him and the tub once more. Cutting off the water you retrieve two towels and hand one to John. Working in tandem his body is dry and his sweats are returned to his body. Dropping the glow sticks into the garbage can you lace your fingers in John’s again and pull him to bed.

Changing quickly into something not wet from work or care you join John beneath the covers. He is curled in on himself. Molding to his shape you begin to drift. The quivering shakes of his body pull you from the brink of sleep.

“Roll over John, let me hold you.”

He does, weeping into your chest until only the slow, deep, even breaths seeping across your collarbone tell you he has emptied his well of pain.

When wakefulness finds you hours and hours later it is in John’s arms as he contemplates the ceiling.

“Thank you.”

Neck stretching you lay a kiss on his cheek above the beard.

“They will understand whatever decision you need to make. And if that includes full retirement I could always hire you as a new barista,” you offer up cheekily.

The glare he sends you has you giggling and trying to escape his grip. Bastard tickles you until you cry uncle and rush to the bathroom, his laughter follows you. The glow sticks still faintly emit light from the can.

Shout out to @isuckatbeeingadult for nudging me with enough of any idea to produce another chapter.

Masterlist | Fallen Angel Masterlist

@lilynotdilly @demothers-empty-blog

[g4yforethan]

love language

pairing: ethan landry x male!reader

summary: ethan and reader have fun on halloween night !

warnings: cursing, smut, top!ethan, bottom!reader

a/n: hii this is from a request so i tried my best ! also im so excited for halloween this year for some reason

it was halloween night and tara and anika had invited you to a halloween party and since you had no other plans going on that night, you figured why not? your boyfriend ethan landry was also going and you didn't want to feel left out or let him go by himself so you went with him. you got there and talked with tara and mindy and soon the three of you started taking shots together. after 2 shots, you started to feel a little sick and went over to ethan. “hey baby whats wrong?” you tell him how you feel and he walks you out. “hey how about we just go home instead?” “yeah if that’s okay with you ethan.” “of course baby let’s go.”

you two walk back to your apartment which helped you get rid of the annoying nausea you felt. once you came back, the two of you walked to your bed and sat down. ��thanks for waking back with me.” “oh come on i wasn’t gonna leave you there was i?” you laughed and gave him a kiss on the lips. you realized it was just the two of you alone since you shared the apartment with chad as well. you looked at ethan who gave you the same look. you two kiss again and more and more. he picked you up and had you on his lap. you kiss his neck and he starts to take your shirt off.

“fuck you’re so beautiful.” he whispers in your ear which turns you on even more. you take his shirt off and start to leave hickies all over his neck and chest. he rolls his eyes back and grabs onto your hair. “ethan i want you inside of me.” his face turns red but he listens and lays you on your stomach. he licks yours hole for several minutes before teasing you with his tip. he goes in slowly grabbing you waist and massaging your back. “fuck ethan.” “you like that baby boy?” “yes baby.” each stroke he gave became more intense for you. he goes even faster as you start to arch your back. your roll your eyes back and moan in pleasure which turned ethan on even more. ethan turns you on your back and puts his dick back inside. he grabs your neck and kisses you while he goes faster and faster.

"i wanna ride your dick." you tell ethan as he positions himself on his back. you start to ride which sends an overload of pleasure into your body. you feel ethan's heavy breathing and sweat come onto you as you keep riding. he whimpers and moans in your ear. "fuck y/n i'm close." "cum inside of me baby." he moans as he fills your body with his cum. he kisses your neck as you cum not too long after. you kiss him and lay on his chest while he starts to play with your hair. "fuck y/n i guess those 2 shot really brought out something in you huh?" you laugh and playfully hit him. "whatever ethan. guess i was your treat with no tricks." ethan laughs and slightly cringes at your joke and gives you another kiss on your head.

a knock on the door interrupts you and ethan's pillow talk."hey ethan, y/n, i'm back! are you guys in here?" it was chad who had come back from the halloween party."uhh yeah we were just watching a movie together nothing much." chad seemed intrigued. "oo which movie? chucky? friday the 13th?""yeah one of those listen just give us 5 minutes." he was confused but obliged. you rush to put your clothes back on and leave the room. you run into chad who notices your messy hair. "did you just take a shower or is that sweat?" "uhh it's just sweat it's really hot in here." the temperature read 65 degrees. ethan comes out and asks chad if he could grab something from the lobby. chad leaves and a big sigh of relief rushes through you and ethan's body. the two of you kiss and laugh at the whole thing.

[jynxeddraca]

Small, Soft BG3 Things

Just an ongoing list of small headcanons for Team Tadpole.

Astarion:

Astarion learned how to sew and embroider from his mother. She loved to embroider poems that she sold at market. Most of his word based embroidery looks like her handwriting, even though he doesn't remember that.

He's the go-to member of Team Tadpole for mending because he's the best out of all of them at it. More importantly: as he comes to view them as friends, the basic mending is supplemented with subtle embroidery.

Every child that he ends up spending time around learns some slight of hand trick and/or how to use a knife.

When everyone is asleep and he's particularly at ease, he'll quietly sing to himself while doing other things.

Gale:

As the self-appointed cook - come time to set up camp, Gale might fuss about the bizarre assortment of food stuff they find on their travels, but he secretly revels in the challenge of making filling, delicious foods out of what they're able to scavenge.

Cooking was how his mother and him bonded as he grew up so now it's his favorite way of showing affection/appreciation to others.

Spoils Tara with all her favorite foods when they're reunited (also I headcanon Tara joins the camp most nights in Act 3).

When he was younger, he specifically created an enchantment to enchant his mother's favorite rocking chair so that when it was activated, mage hands would appear and give her shoulders and feet a massage.

Halsin:

He learned to whittle from an uncle and the knife he uses today for his carvings was given to him by his mother - whose favorite animal was ducks.

Halsin likes to go sit in Bloomridge park when the city gets to him, taking Yenna with him if she's agreeable. He has taught her and several other random children how to braid flower crowns.

When he returns to Reithwin Town, he teaches Art how to whittle and Art teaches Halsin how to play the lute.

On nights where Halsin is keeping watch will offer to turn pages for Tara so she can read a book or two.

Jaheira:

Will turn into a cat/dog to give comfort to children if they are inconsolable.

Takes an afternoon with Halsin - both in wildshape - to show him how nature and the city can be more harmonious than he originally thought.

The lullaby she knows how to play on the tin whistle was one taught to her by her late husband - she has put all her children to sleep to it's tune.

Teases Tara about her treating Gale like her kitten.

The rats that show up in camp do give her updates on other Harpers - but most of the time they are updates about her children.

Karlach:

Clive - her teddy bear - was knitted by her mother and she considers him her 'good luck charm'. Before the infernal engine was forced onto her, he could often be found tucked into Karlach's belt at any given point of the day or in her purse/pouch.

Karlach almost left Avernus without Clive, and risked missing the Nautiloid to go back to grab him.

Because she calls Halsin "Bear Man" Arabella starts calling him that too. At the same time, Karlach starts calling Withers "Bone Man" because of Arabella.

Her parents used to dance around the living room with her - in camp she'll get Arabella and later, Yenna, to do the same. When she's especially energetic, she makes Wyll join her.

Lae'zel:

While she originally hates everything about Faerûn, she becomes especially fond of the sunrises and finds she enjoys sunflowers.

After the egg is acquired, she does softly sing an old githyanki lullaby to when she tends to it.

Because she feels it is an important skill to have for when the egg hatches, she learns to sew by watching Astarion. Eventually, she asks him for tips.

Lae'zel seems well-read (on githyanki literature anyways) in my opinion so I feel like even though she's a very skilled fighter, she also spent much of her time in the creche library growing up. In camp, she raids Gale's library bag often.

When Karlach started calling her 'Lae', she began referring to Karlach as 'Kar'.

Minsc and Boo:

When Boo isn't around Minsc, he spends time around Shadowheart curled up on her shoulder or sitting beside her as she meditates.

Amused that it baffles people who can speak with animals, Boo purposefully does not allow them to understand him and sticks with his telepathic communications with Minsc.

Minsc enjoys finding excuses to tell stories and is a good storyteller.

Teaches Tav a few Rashemen songs and stories.

Minsc and Boo both have a faint smell of warm stone about them due to being statues for a while.

Shadowheart:

When meditating, sometimes unknowingly hums an old lullaby her parents used to sing her.

Still sometimes mutters "Lady of Sorrows" when exasperated, and at one point while very tired said "Lady of Sil-rrows" instead.

Has started keeping seeds and nuts on hand for Boo.

Talking to Astarion and Halsin in Elvish is soothing to her, and sometimes it triggers memories of her father.

Tav:

Was gifted a stuffed bunny by her dad when she was a baby. His name is Biscuit.

Biscuit was handed down to Temerity (Tav's little sister) while they were in the orphanage and he currently lives on Temerity's pillow.

Tav and Karlach have introduced Clive (Karlach's teddy bear) to Biscuit.

The smell of leather oil reminds her of her father.

Wyll:

Has a soft spot in his heart for trashy romance novels and anything related to mermaids. An aside: even though he hasn't been home in years, the merfolk around Baldur's Gate remember him fondly as a child trying to swim deep enough to see them.

Actually enjoys debating Astarion about laws and their effects - even though they have wildly different views on the laws.

Has a secret tattoo, and yes, it's mermaid themed.

Offered to teach Lae'zel to use a rapier if she showed him how to wield a longsword.

Also enjoys cooking and likes to show Gale different ways to season/cook in the wilds.

The rapier he has at the start of the game was gifted to him by his father.

[pasta-in-the-pudding]

There is not enough gale x wizard!tav in the world (bonus points if they're a tiefling)

𝕀𝕥 𝕠𝕟𝕝𝕪 𝕞𝕒𝕜𝕖𝕤 𝕤𝕖𝕟𝕤𝕖 𝕥𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕨𝕚𝕫𝕒𝕣𝕕 𝕗𝕒𝕝𝕝𝕤 𝕚𝕟 𝕝𝕠𝕧𝕖 𝕨𝕚𝕥𝕙 𝕒 𝕨𝕚𝕫𝕒𝕣𝕕 <𝟛𝟛

ℂ𝕣𝕖𝕕𝕚𝕥𝕤 𝕥𝕠 𝕕𝕚𝕧𝕚𝕕𝕖𝕣 𝕘𝕠𝕖𝕤 𝕥𝕠 @𝕒𝕟𝕚𝕞𝕒𝕥𝕖𝕕𝕘𝕝𝕚𝕥𝕥𝕖𝕣𝕘𝕣𝕒𝕡𝕙𝕚𝕔𝕤-𝕟-𝕞𝕠𝕣𝕖! 𝔾𝕠 𝕗𝕠𝕝𝕝𝕠𝕨 𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕞 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕤𝕦𝕡𝕡𝕠𝕣𝕥 𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕚𝕣 𝕨𝕠𝕣𝕜!!

𝕋𝕙𝕒𝕟𝕜 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕤𝕠 𝕞𝕦𝕔𝕙 𝕗𝕠𝕣 𝕣𝕖𝕢𝕦𝕖𝕤𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘!!

@gayaristocrat

Gale x Wizard!Reader

While there are plenty of wizards in Faerun, it was a treat to have the constant company of one for months on end for Gale

After being completely isolated from anyone (except Tara) for a year, and suddenly being surrounded by strangers the second he escapes, Gale doesn't exactly find himself adjusting good to his newfound freedom

So upon discovering that you also practice sorcery, it makes him feel a bit more at ease knowing he has someone he can relate to even in the smallest sense

And this is how your friendship begins, bonding over small magic tricks (and this time he doesnt just pull out his cock 😒), trading different useful spells, and different tips and tricks you have picked up on your journeys

This leads you to become good friends, almost always seen chattering about something or another

Most times it's gale doing the talking, because as we know he refuses to shut up, but that's ok we love him <333

Before he even realizes it, he's falling in love with you

It takes him a moment to even process these feelings, and it's a whole other thing trying to accept the feelings

But once he does come to terms with it, he kind of just dives in head first

He confesses to you with magic of course

He gives you a book full of love poems, and each poem is enchanted to display gorgeous visuals of the story

And at the end of the book is a neatly folded piece of paper wedged into the spine

You open it up, and it his very own love poem, describing all of the things he adores about you, the visuals being of you and how he sees you

It's a very surreal experience, seeing yourself through someone else's eyes

When you finally decide to close the book, you peek out of your tent to see if Gale is still out

He is not, he is in fact hiding from you in his own tent, too scared to see your reaction

You decide you will discuss it in the morning, and head back to your bedroll to sleep

The next morning, he is out by his tent reading when you approach him

"Having a bookish moment, are we?" You ask teasingly, placing a hand on your hip

He smiles shyly and averts his gaze "They're a good form of entertainment when one can't stay in once place for too long.."

You move to sit next to him and lay your head on his shoulder "And when the sun itself explodes into a million atoms, know that my love for you will still be brighter"

A blush creeps onto his face "That's from the poem...Did you like it?"

"I don't think I would be sitting here reciting it to you if I didn't" you say with a smile

You lean over to kiss his cheek, then stand up and walk off to preform your morning duties of checking in on every one else, leaving Gale wide eyed and a blushing mess

[thedarkcknight]

Day 31 Happy New Year

Y/N'S POV

The room buzzed with a joyful cacophony of voices and laughter. Fairy lights danced along the walls, reflecting off glittering decorations. The air smelled like pine and cinnamon, with a hint of the hot chocolate bar near the corner. This wasn’t just a party—it was the party. And I had no idea how I managed to get everyone here.

“Hey! No way I’m losing again!” DanTDM shouted, holding a controller with the determination of a warrior. Across from him, Joel Dawson leaned forward, tongue slightly out as he focused. The Mario Kart showdown between the two had somehow drawn a crowd.

“Move over, kids,” Robert Downey Jr. smirked, picking up another controller. “Let the real gamer show you how it’s done.”

I laughed, sipping from my cup as I wandered through the crowd. Dillon was by the fireplace, showing Chris Evans some survival tricks. “You know, if you ever get trapped in the wilderness…” Dillon started, only to be interrupted by Bucky Barnes.

“Steve would never let that happen,” Bucky said, smirking at Chris.

“Okay, fair.” Chris shrugged with a laugh.

Sam and Dean Winchester were huddled near the drinks table, arguing over whether eggnog should have alcohol in it. “It’s tradition!” Dean insisted.

“It’s disgusting,” Sam countered.

Meanwhile, the Power Rangers RPM crew—Scott, Flynn, Summer, Ziggy, Gem, and Gemma—had commandeered the karaoke machine. Gem and Gemma were belting out a hilariously off-key version of “Jingle Bell Rock,” with Ziggy trying to keep up.

I turned to see Jake Webber and Corey Scherer pulling off ridiculous dance moves in the middle of the room, with Aaron Doh and Colby Brock hyping them up. Tara Yummy and Katrina Stuart cheered them on while filming for their socials.

Over by the dessert table, Jacksepticeye and Markiplier were in a heated debate about the proper way to eat a gingerbread cookie. “You don’t just bite the head off first!” Jack exclaimed.

“Why not? It’s efficient,” Mark countered, taking a demonstrative bite.

Near the tree, the Bat Family—Bruce, Dick, Jason, Tim, Damian, and even Alfred—were quietly enjoying themselves. Well, except for Jason, who was trying to convince Damian to loosen up and eat a cookie.

“Look, kid, it’s not going to kill you.”

Damian frowned but took the cookie anyway.

“Happy?”

“Thrilled,” Jason deadpanned.

Marty McFly and Chase Randall had somehow found an old guitar and were jamming out, drawing in NateWantsToBattle and Dookieshed for an impromptu music session. It wasn’t long before Paultin Seppa and Strix joined in, with Strix awkwardly trying not to spill her drink on the guitar.

I felt a tap on my shoulder and turned to see Flynn. “You doing okay, Y/N? It’s your party, and I haven’t seen you stop moving all night.”

“Me? I’m great!” I said, smiling.

“Well, take a breath. The world won’t end if you sit down for five minutes,” he said, always the caring one.

Nearby, MatPat was giving a wildly enthusiastic breakdown of the science behind snowflakes to Diath Woodrow and Evelyn. Evelyn nodded politely, though I could see Strix stifling a laugh behind her hand.

Sam Golbach and Gizzy Gazza were huddled together, plotting some kind of prank. “I’m just saying, fake snow in the vents could be hilarious,” Sam whispered.

“Until someone gets buried alive,” Katrina chimed in from across the room.

The Kratt brothers, Martin and Chris, were showing Josh Hutcherson a mini wildlife documentary they’d put together earlier in the day, while Carter Grayson chatted with Scott Truman about leadership tips.

Before I could even attempt to check on everyone, I heard Chris Hemsworth’s unmistakable laugh booming from the center of the room. He had everyone’s attention as he told a story about the time Thor “borrowed” his hammer for holiday decorating.

The night was chaotic, loud, and absolutely perfect. I couldn’t believe how many incredible people had come together in one place to ring in the new year.

As the clock struck midnight, I found myself surrounded by friends—no, family—as we all counted down together.

“Three… two… one… Happy New Year!”

Cheers erupted, confetti flew, and someone (probably Ziggy) set off a party popper way too close to the ceiling.

Looking around at everyone’s smiling faces, I couldn’t help but feel overwhelmed with gratitude. This wasn’t just a party. It was a celebration of love, laughter, and the bonds that made life extraordinary.

Here’s to another year of unforgettable moments.

[awellboiledicicle]

"But Mok, is it an isekai if the party doesn't all love Fido?"

Who said they don't. It's just super strong power of friendship type bond. My approvals look great for their game and they're overall endearing with a moral fiber that is strong but has some holes. like fishing net. Everyone's happy.

Mostly.

Gale is going to die of embarrassment by the time of the party though because Fido's going to make the nymph joke and he's going to make the musk comment, try to bail on the convo and just. "Mm no, no you're not getting out of this one. My musk huh? Musk?" "I did say it was time for me to stop rambling on, i think it's the wine--" "Nope, gonna need more clarification on that one, chief. I'm glad i smell good in spite of all universal efforts, but also:" Their voice dropped and they stepped closer. He was reasonably sure if he used the right spell he'd be swallowed up in the earth and just quietly pass away. His face was far too close to them and he didn't know if he regretted that fact or not. "Gale, my dear, sweet, adorable mess of a wizard--" "Adorable?" "Yes, adorable. Lead with the cat thing, follow through with compliments that don't sound like you've been smelling my blankets. Just a tip for your next swing at it." A wide, slow blink as they leaned back out of his space. "Next swing, eh?" "Figure sober you deserves to have a rebuttal." "How kind of you." He took a rather bracing drink of his wine and tried to not combust when they laughed. "Perhaps i will have removed my foot from my mouth by then." "It's charming when it's not totally left field, my guy." They gave him a light pat on the shoulder and another grin. "I'll leave you to your drink. You can show me that magic trick tomorrow, assuming we all don't have hang overs." "I... yes, that'd probably be for the best." They turned on their heel and then, pausing, turned back with a finger raised. "I'll pop back over before bed, if that's ok? I kinda want to hear more about this Tara. Pick out your best story for me, alright?" "Alright, will do." A smile as they flashed a thumbs up, turning to trot off toward the tiefling bard. "...Adorable, huh? That's a new one."

[freddabranyon]

Stop That Craving!

Have you ever had a night that right before bedtime, you all of a sudden started craving ice cream or something else to eat? You tell yourself that you know it’s not good to be eating that late, especially junk food. However, all of a sudden you find yourself gobbling it down anyway. Your taste buds just had a romp in the park like a puppy unleashed for the first time. 

An article by Alyssa Raiola gives some hints on how to stop any craving right when it hits you.  No matter if it’s a late-night slice of pizza or a sugary breakfast pastry, everyone has these cravings (especially my teenage grandson)!  It’s so difficult to ignore those cravings that our brains actually play a huge role in.  Of course, those luscious looking food ads on TV don’t help us much either.  These cravings are both mental and physical, according to Michael Mantell, Ph.D., a transformational behavioral coach who specializes in obesity.  He believes it begins in your mind and then in your mouth.

It isn’t just a lack of self-control but could also be your body’s way of asking for more fuel.  The body is designed to do everything to prevent you from starving, so if you don’t give your body enough food, or food that breaks down too quickly, it releases stress hormones.  Tara Coleman, a clinical nutritionist says your body wants fuel fast and it usually wants it in the simplest form (sugar), which is why we tend to crave sweets and carbs and not those veggies.

Those cravings can also be tied to feelings of sadness, anger, boredom, stress and even excitement.  Be aware of this connection because we can’t avoid feeling stressed, tired or really hungry all the time.

Try the following tips to avoid these cravings:

Reach for some organic Greek yogurt or a handful of nuts the next time you’re craving something sweet. Have a high-protein snack and avoid that sugar.

Try some breathing exercises when you feel that craving coming on. Take three deep breaths as a time to check in with your emotions and ask yourself why you want to eat this now.  Gina Hassick, R.D. believes it’s kind of like practicing yoga or any other type of mindfulness.  Just ground yourself.

Change the way you think as it can often change the way you feel. Tell yourself you’ll have it some other time and trick your brain a little by taking the craving off the priority list.

Even if you don’t believe it, write down the ideal response. When it hits you, tell yourself it’s only a craving and you don’t HAVE to eat it now.  No emergency!

Think about how you’ll feel in 20 minutes as it can affect your stress level, mood and alertness, so avoid that indulgence.

Try treating yourself – without food! Engage in a pleasurable activity as taking a bath, calling a friend, getting a massage or listening to your favorite song.  Do something that makes you happy.

Make your body feel better by distraction as sipping on tea, chewing gum or just getting outside to focus on something else.

This is a bit counterintuitive but if we just “can’t” do without, just take a small taste and tell yourself it’s bad or off limits and you can have it later.

It’s important to make sure you’re putting enough fuel in your body before a craving even strikes.  Don’t go too low in calories, protein and fat or you will wonder why you’re spending the entire night snacking.  Steer clear of caffeine, drink lots of water and prioritize your sleep to kick cravings to the curb.  Otherwise, just take control of your own thoughts and actions or treat yourself in a different way to upend those cravings.

Dr Fredda Branyon

[nfr-reviews]

NFR Reviews #3: It

Released 1927 / Inducted 2001

Watch film here

In a meta moment, this film includes a scene where Elinor Glyn, author of the source material, cameos as herself and explains the thesis of the movie. “It” is a charisma people either possess or don’t–if you try too hard to reach it, you’ve already lost. It’s sex appeal, but more than that too, defined as self-confidence and lack of self-consciousness without tipping into emotional frostiness. The slang predates both Glyn’s novel and this movie, originating in the early 20th century, but the film brought the term to newfound heights of popularity.

The romantic comedy stars Betty Lou, a working-class department store worker who nonetheless lives in a “fashionable downtown suburb.” She finagles her way onto expensive clubs and yachts, cuts up plain dresses into party attire, and lays atop her boss’ desk, gaining access with sheer belief that she deserves to be in those spaces as much as those born to wealth. She uses the hapless and trying-too-hard Monty to further her romantic pursuit of department store boss Cyrus Waltham (Ironically, I found the former more entertaining than the actual male lead. Waltham is meant to be the straight man to Betty Lou’s brashness and humor, but he has little appeal besides being rich and powerful). 

The film hinges on the strength of lead actress Clara Bow’s performance. Like her character, she was born into poverty, living in a tenement slum before attaining fame by winning a magazine contest at 16. Audiences found her relatable and engaging due to her naturalistic acting style, energy, and comic timing. Unlike her character, her job consisted of a gargantuan amount of effort and not charisma alone. She was an established star when this film was released, acting in 15 different movies in 1925 alone. She was overworked by studios to the point of needing large amounts of pills to wake up in the morning and sleep at night. 

Even more than the idea of effortless charm, the fantasy the movie presents is being so irresistible that social barriers like class and gender break down to accommodate you. The “It” factor isn’t a party trick, it’s a tool. It’s true that the baby subplot is mostly used to set up a third-act miscommunication trope ubiquitous in romance media to this day. It’s still compelling to see Betty Lou put her reputation on the line to defend a friend who’s a single mother and successfully prevent her baby from being taken away. Hooking up with your boss is a terrible idea in real life, but Betty Lou succeeding in romancing a much wealthier man is another example of using her charisma and resourcefulness to rise above her station. 

Subsequent decades led to the meaning of It Girl changing for the worse, becoming another type of barrier. Shortly before retiring from acting at age 28, Bow herself rejected the term and wanted to be considered a serious actress instead. By the 1990s, there were expectations to be an It Girl: rich, skinny, conventionally attractive, socialite, famous for being famous. One socialite of that era, Tara Palmer-Tonkinson, valued “character and wit” over academic knowledge but struggled nonetheless with the media pigeonholing her as “beauty rather than brains.” She stayed out of politics, believing her place in the celebrity sphere to be strictly entertainment. The It Girl (and occasionally It Boy) reverberates through the decades, becoming attached to a myriad of different faces. While the label came with admiration and power, it imposed new limitations and implied a level of effortlessness that, in Bow’s case at least, hid the reality of studio exploitation. 

Sources

https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/It_(film)

https://www.loc.gov/static/programs/national-film-preservation-board/documents/it.pdf

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/It_girl

https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20141222-who-was-the-original-it-girl

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-38918918

[pulsemarket]

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[dreamwritesimagines]

Burn The Witch 20 - Final Warning [Bucky Barnes x Reader]

A.N: Thank you so much for your wonderful support and feedback my loves ! ❤ Here’s the next chapter, I hope you like it as well and please let me know what you think! ❤ Thank you! ❤❤❤

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x Female Reader

Warnings: Enemies to lovers, lovers to enemies, fake dating, mentions of blood, sex, violence, death, manipulation, language, guns, knives.

Summary: Everyone has a past.

Series Masterlist

Not that you had ever been in a situation where you wanted to come clean to a target and blow your own cover, but you could easily say that this was one of the hardest things you had ever been through.

And considering your career, you had been through a lot.

You had no idea how to even begin the conversation, and you were pretty sure that it would completely ruin every chance of happiness you would have with him, every chance of a future together but—

You had to keep him safe. You owed him that much.

Considering your whole relationship had been nothing but a lie.

You were snapped out of your thoughts when you heard your name being called and you looked up, still holding the empty milkshake container.

“Yes?”

“Your boyfriend is here with the Captain America,” Tara winked at you, “Is he single?”

“Sam?”

“No Y/N, I’m trying to steal your man but letting you know beforehand. Yes, Sam!”

“Um—“ you tried to pull your thoughts together, “I’m not sure, I can ask.”

“Don’t make it obvious though,” she pointed at you and walked away. You let out a sigh, looking down at the empty container, then fixed your apron and walked out of the kitchen into the main area. You could feel the warmth in your stomach as soon as you saw Bucky and Sam in one of the booths, and you went under the counter to approach them.

“Hi darling.”

“Hey,” you pecked him on the lips and sat beside him, “Hi Sam.”

“Hey Y/N,” he greeted you as Bucky entwined his fingers with yours, “Anyways, as I was saying. I can look into her but unless you give me more information, we’ll hit a dead end.”

Your heart skipped a beat as you looked between them and Bucky thought for a moment.

“Maybe Sharon might help.”

“I mean she can try—“

“Who are you talking about?” you asked and Sam grinned.

“Bucky’s spy friend.”

“She’s not my friend,” he said almost instantly and your stomach dropped.

“O-oh?”

“I just want to learn who she works for,” he said, “Just in case.”

“In case of what?” you managed to ask and Bucky shifted his weight like he was uncomfortable.

“In case we need it.”

“But why would you need it?”

To that, he looked like he had no answer and Sam cleared his throat, grabbing his phone.

“Well, I’d better talk to Sharon,” he said, standing up from his seat, “To see what we can find. I’ll see you guys later.”

With that, he walked out of the shop and you turned to Bucky, your brows raised.

“So,” you said, “What’s happening?”

“No what you’re thinking right now,” he said quickly, “It’s just… I ran into her. Again.”

You actually wanted to find out how much information he would give you, so you decided to push.

“Oh? I didn’t know you went on a mission.”

“I didn’t, she broke into my house.”

You blinked a couple of times, staring at him as if you were confused. “I’m sorry?”

“I have no idea how she knows where I live, but—“

“She was in your apartment.”

“For like five minutes,” he added, “And she….she told me something.”

If he kept this up, maybe you had a chance to convince him to leave the country for a while by using your cover even if you couldn’t convince him by being yourself.

“What?” you asked him and he paused for a moment, then shook his head.

“It’s not important.”

Fuck.

“It sounds like it is,” you tried again and he cleared his throat.

“Nah it’s just…. Usual secretive spy stuff.”

“But are you safe?” you insisted and he smiled, pressing your hand to his lips, his fingers still entwined with his.

“Of course darling.”

No. No you’re not safe.

You bit inside your cheek, trying to find something, anything to tip him off without blowing your cover but you came up empty except for one thing.

You had to tell him. You had no idea how you would do it, and you had no idea how he would react but you couldn’t—

You couldn’t just sit there and let them take him and blame him for things he quite possibly hadn’t done. Knowing the General, he would pull every trick in the game to convince your superiors that he was dangerous.

And Bucky was one of the very few people you knew who didn’t deserve that.

But how could you do it? You knew it would mean losing him, you were quite sure that he would never trust you again, nor would he ever want to see you again. Not only that, but if the General found out anything about you tipping him off, you would be killed, that was for sure.

As he always said, actions had consequences.

“Don’t look so worried,” he said with a chuckle, snapping you out of your thoughts, “I promise you, everything will be alright.”

For some reason, you were having a hard time believing it but you tried to smile, then leaned in to kiss him.

“Yeah,” you managed to say, “Of course it will.”

                                                ***

By the time you were done at work, you were way too tired but it had nothing to do with the goddamn milkshake shop. You half wished you could ask Keith or Chloe about what to do, but you decided you actually needed to come up with a plan before getting them involved.

If you were going to get them involved, you had to make sure they would be safe even if you wouldn’t be, but it didn’t mean the lack of plan at hand wasn’t making you panic. Even the mind blowing sex wasn’t enough to put you to sleep, not when you kept thinking about how it would end soon.

Either way, you were going to lose him.

The thought of it made the tears burn your eyes but you rolled over in bed and looked down at him. He looked so peaceful without nightmares torturing his sleep and you sniffled before leaning in to press your lips into his dark hair, inhaling his scent. He moved a little, letting out a content sigh and you pulled back to grab your dressing gown, then made your way to the kitchen as silently as possible. After grabbing the wine bottle, you went to the bathroom to get in the bathtub, the cold surface against your warm skin giving you goosebumps.

You were being so stupid. Even more stupid than a Victorian lady risking it all for dick.

You cussed under your breath and took a huge swig of the wine, leaning your head back, desperately trying to find an idea to help you get out of this thing unscathed.

Or not to break his heart in the process.

By the time you had finished the bottle, you were still clueless but alcohol was slowly taking away the panic pulsing through you. You kept your eyes on the wall, tracing the rim of the bottle and only when Bucky knocked on the door that you realized he was awake.

Wow, the spy in you would be so disappointed if it were any other time.

“Darling?”

“Hey,” you called out, “You can come in.”

He opened the door and his brows furrowed as soon as he saw you in the bathtub holding a wine bottle.

“Hey,” he said, “Everything alright?”

You closed your eyes for a moment, then nodded and looked up at him.

“I couldn’t sleep,” you said, “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be,” he said and approached you to crouch down, “Nightmares?”

“Something like that,” you mumbled, still holding the bottle tight, “What time is it?”

“3 a.m.”

You heaved a sigh and he reached out to brush your hair behind your ear.

“Want to talk about it?” he asked softly and that made the burning in your eyes even worse, but you cleared your throat and shook your head.

“Did you know….” You trailed off, waving the empty bottle, “In some cultures people drink at funerals?”

“Nope,” he said, “I didn’t. Whose funeral is it then?”

“Mine I think.”

He tilted his head, stealing a look at the bottle before smiling at you softly. You were aware that he thought it was just the wine and nightmares speaking, and you were way too tired to let him know, to explain-

To lose whatever it was between you.

“You’re not dead, sweetheart.”

“Not yet,” you managed to say, and he took a deep breath.

“Don’t say that,” he said, his voice low as if the thought was too much for him to handle and you let out a bitter chuckle.

“Alright, I won’t.”

“Do you want to come back to bed?”

You shook your head, wiping at your eyes.

“Okay,” Bucky said, “Is it okay if I stay here then?”

“Yeah,” you sniffled, turning the bottle in your hands. His fingers caressed over your hair and the action was so soothing that for a moment you felt yourself getting lost in the feeling before you turned your head to look into his blue eyes.

“Do you think that—“ you paused for a moment, “Do you think we could have a happy ending?”

“A happy ending?” he repeated, confusion flashing over his features and you licked your lips.

“Yeah, do you think….Do you think we could have that house with the red door and the big garden and the treehouse?”

A gentle smile curled his lips and he nodded.

“Yeah,” he said, “Absolutely. And if I’m remembering it correctly, I was told there would be a hammock between an apple tree and a peach tree.”

“And a dog.”

“And a dog,” he repeated, “And kids.”

You could swear your heart hurt.

“I’m going to tell you something but you’re not allowed to say it back,” you said, “Not…not yet anyway. Not right now.”

He tilted his head, “Okay. What is it?”

“…I think I’m in love with you,” you admitted, your heart beating like crazy as you wiped your eyes again. A light crossed his eyes but you couldn’t even decipher what it was, instead you reached out to hold his hand, leaning your head back again.

“Why am I not allowed to say it back?” he asked and a painful smile pulled at your lips.

“Just because,” you said, “And I’m—I’m sorry.”

“For what?” he asked and you opened your mouth, then the fear crashed down on you so you just shrugged your shoulders.

“Can we stay like this for tonight?”

He thought for a moment, then leaned in to press a kiss on your temple.

“Of course darling,” he said, “If that’s what you want, let’s stay like this.”

                                              ***

The next morning, you woke up with a clear decision in mind.

You had to tell Bucky and you had to get him out of the country before the General could lay a hand on him. You even had a speech in mind, but in the morning Bucky had an appointment with his psychiatrist so he had left early. You didn’t have much time anyway, you had to go to the base as well but it didn’t mean you were as calm as you would like to be.

You had to make sure not to make the General suspicious of you until Bucky was out but unfortunately, you hadn’t thought about your best friends.

Keith took one look at you when he saw you, then checked whether anyone was watching you before he placed his coffee cup on the desk and grabbed your wrist to pull you into the hallway.

“What happened?”

You crossed your arms and shrugged. “What? What are you talking about?”

“Something happened,” he said, “Tell me and I’ll help you fix it.”

“Keith-“

“Y/N, I know you better than you think I do,” he said through his teeth, “Is your cover blown? Is Barnes suspicious of something?”

You clenched your jaw, then shook your head.

“Then what is it?” he said, “Chloe says the mission will be over soon and you’ll probably become a handler, I thought you’d be—“

“That’s the problem,” you interrupted him, “The mission will be over soon.”

Keith shrugged, “Okay. So? Isn’t that what you wanted?”

“Apparently not.”

He pulled his brows together, “What is that supposed to mean?”

“Maybe Bucky doesn’t deserve to be dragged here and have shit pinned on him. Again.”

He stared at you for a couple of seconds before a look of realization crossed his eyes and he ran a hand over his face.

“You’re not serious.”

“Keith—“

“That guy’s dick game can’t be that good. If you’re willing to put your life in danger just because he’s good at sex, I promise you there are a bunch of people who can fu—“

“It’s not because of that.”

“Oh it’s not? Then what is this about?”

“It’s not about anything, I’m just saying he doesn’t deserve it.”

“Y/N, if the General finds out you’ve gone soft—“

“I haven’t gone soft!”

“You know what happens to the spies who fall for their targets,” he whispered through his teeth, “No matter how much you want to—to put this behind you, to run away with him—“

“I’m not naïve,” you spat, “I know I’d never be able to run away. This is not a fairytale, I’m not going to walk off into the sunset with Bucky. He will never forgive me or want to be with me once he learns who I am.”

“Then?”

“It doesn’t mean he deserves this,” you said, “He tries to help people, and we will make people see him as dangerous.”

He shook his head, heaving a sigh.

“He’s a good person, Keith,” you said, “Unlike you and me, he’s a good person.”

“Y/N?”

You turned your head when you heard the General’s assistant calling out your name.

“Yes?”

“He’s ready for you.”

“Thanks,” you said and took a step but Keith grabbed you by the arm.

“Don’t tell him anything,” he whispered, “We’ll—we’ll figure something out, okay? Trust me, just don’t tell the General anything.”

You bit inside your cheek and nodded.

“We can talk about it later,” you said and walked to the General’s office. He was waiting for you behind his desk and looked up from the file when he heard you come in.

“Y/N,” he said, “Hello.”

“Sir,” you greeted him and sat down on the edge of the seat. “Hello.”

“I’ve been looking over your file,” he said, a small smile appearing on his lips, “And I gotta tell you, it’s….it’s very impressive.”

“Thank you sir.”

“Of all the missions we’ve put you on…” he said, “You haven’t failed. Ever.”

You felt like throwing up, but managed to smile back.

“You’ve taught me well.”

He let out a chuckle. “I’d like to take all the credit, but you and I both know it wasn’t just me, Y/N. You have a talent.”

Talent for killing and using people.

“Your father would be proud of you.”

Your eyes snapped up to his, that familiar ache at your heart making you sit up straighter.

“Growing up without him was very difficult for you,” he said, “I know that. I tried to help as much as I could and trust me, you’re like a daughter to me but I also know that deep down you waited for him to come back. Always.”

You rolled your shoulders back, trying to keep your head high.

“I’m not waiting for him to come back.”

“Y/N.”

“I’m not. He left me.”

He heaved a sigh and leaned in, his eyes locked into yours.

“I’m sorry you have to find out this way but your father didn’t leave you,” he said, making you frown. “The Winter Soldier killed him.”

Chapter 21

[theladyofdeath]

I’ll Be Seeing You {5}

Nesta x Cassian, 1940′s AU

Collaboration with @snelbz​​

Summary: After Cassian gets injured in the war, he’s taken to a war camp to be cared for until he gains enough strength to return to his battalion. While he’s there, he falls for a nurse that couldn’t care less about his title and doesn’t put up with his bullshit. Once he’s healed and the years pass by, he finds that there’s only one thing he wants to remember from the war, and she’s only a letter away.

Trigger Warnings: war, blood

Chapters will be posted every Monday.

Word Count: 2429

IBSY Masterlist

Shelby’s Masterlist

Tara’s Masterlist

“How do they look?”

Nesta removed the bandages, slowly, from Cassian's back. They didn’t look great, had looked far better the day before, but they had certainly been worse.

“A little discharge we have to keep our eye on, but nothing to worry about,” she promised. “How did you sleep last night, Major?”

“I can’t complain,” he said, sighing as she began to clean his wounds. “Only woke up a handful of times. I’ve certainly had worse nights of sleep. And you? How did you sleep, Nurse?”

“Well enough,” she said, as she eyed the book that sat beside his cot, the leather band that typically tied his hair back being used as a bookmark a few chapters in. “I see you’re enjoying the western.” 

Cassian’s back straightened. He’d been caught. “It’s….decent enough.” 

“Decent enough?” she repeated, amused, as she dabbed the wound with alcohol. Cassian hissed, even though it was quiet. “Admit that you’re a fan of Alexander Hillsworth.”

Cassian scoffed. “Alexander Hillsworth is a wannabe cowboy. It’s pathetic.”

“Mhmm,” Nesta crooned, continuing to work.

“Daisy, though,” Cassian went on. “She seems….nice.” 

Nesta suppressed her grin. “She-.”

Her sentence was cut off by commotion going on outside of the tent. Everyone’s attention swiveled to the tent flaps as they were thrown open, and a group of soldiers hurried inside, carrying a fallen man, Madja close on their heels. 

She stood there, frozen for a moment as she took in the gore covering the soldiers, the way the man’s arm hung in bloody ribbons. What was left of it at least. His leg hadn’t been as fortunate.

“Go.”

She looked down at Cassian, who was watching the scene unfold in front of them. She still had the bottle of alcohol in her hand, had barely begun to clean up his wounds, though she’d removed the bandage from his entire back. He jerked his chin towards the battered man they were carefully moving on a cot. “Go. They need you.”

“Your back—.”

“My back is nothing compared to that. That man might not make it the next hour. You need to go help him.”

Nesta nodded, her feet moving before her mind caught up with her.

It never got easier, seeing the blood, seeing the inside of a human being. Nesta didn’t focus on that, though, she focused on the man being laid on the table at the far end of the room. His eyes were wide open, glazed but panicked. 

Nesta stood above his head as Madja and another nurse began to look at his wounds. 

“Soldier, can you hear me?” Nesta asked, getting close to his face, so that she was all he could see. He met her eyes. “Keep your eyes on me, okay?”

Madja began working on the man’s arm while another nurse began stitching up his leg.

So much blood.

Too much blood.

He had already lost more blood than they knew. 

The man’s eyes began to fade, but Nesta shook her head. “You must stay awake, soldier.”

“Nesta, press this against his wound,” Madja said, then hurried away to get the tools she needed from the cupboard. 

Nesta pressed the already blood-soaked rag into the man’s arm, where his wounds were the worst.

It was no use, though.

It was too bad.

He’d already lost too much blood.

Nesta pressed the rag into the wound, though, minimizing the blood loss.

She could feel death hovering outside the tent. Glancing back up at his face, she found the man was nearly unconscious again, but the soldiers who carried him were still nearby. “What happened?” She asked, tossing her head to try and get the loose hair that had fallen out of her braid out of her face.

“Artillery shell,” the oldest of the men said. The other two looked to him, as if he were the leader amongst them. With how young they all were, she assumed he must be.  “Landed just a few feet from where he was laid out. He took a few bad shots to the chest before the shell went off.”

Nesta used her other hand, already covered with blood to move the man’s shirt out of the way. Sure enough, there were bullet wounds in his chest, and not in a place that would heal easily.

Shit. She couldn’t mutter the word out loud, couldn’t let the soldiers think it was something they couldn’t handle, so she chanted the word in her head. Shit shit shit shit shit.

Madja came back with a series of surgical tools and got to work. Nesta remained where she was, rag in hands pressed to the wound that was bleeding out. 

The soldier’s eyelids began to flutter shut again.

“No,” Nesta snapped and got in his face, once again. “No, no, no, no,” she repeated, her voice getting louder with each one that came out. “Madja, he’s fading.” 

But Madja wasn’t moving anymore.

She had stilled.

“Madja!” Nesta yelled. 

Madja slowly set the tools down on the table before her and said, “He’s gone.”

Nesta looked back into the face of the man to find his absent eyes staring at the top of the tent. Nesta’s hands were still pressed into his wound.

“Surely there can be something-.”

“He’s gone, Nurse Archeron,” Madja said, quietly. “You should go clean yourself and return to the patients.” 

She stepped back, nodding, and swallowed harshly. Hurrying towards the tent entrance, she wiped her hands on her apron, removing it and dropping it and the bloody rag into the soiled laundry bin. She heard Madja give the soldiers instructions on where to take the young man’s body, which the younger of the two tended to, while the eldest man filled Madja in on who he was, what battalion he belonged to. She blocked out the answers as Madja asked if he had any living family. She didn’t need to know, didn’t want to know.

Pushing through the tent flaps, Nesta nearly dragged her hands down her face, but she remembered that the dead soldier's blood coated her hands, even if most of it had been wiped off on her apron. She hurried across the camp, to the small area where fresh water was brought for baths every day, and grabbed one of the smaller pitchers, as well as a small pile of rags and a bar of soap that was no more than a sliver. The camp mothers said nothing as Nesta stalked off to a quiet tree and sat down, splashing water onto a rag. It was almost warm after having sat in the sun all morning, but everything felt cold to Nesta as she rubbed the soap over her damp hands and scrubbed. She scrubbed and scrubbed until the blood was gone and her hands were red and raw, but still, she kept scrubbing.

She didn’t stop until a tan, calloused hand wrapped around her wrist, making her pause. After it was clear she was done with the unnecessary scrubbing, he let go of her wrist. Cassian, wearing a loose, cotton shirt, dropped down next to her by the tree. 

“You should be in bed,” was her only words of greeting.

“I’m not tired,” he replied, simply, planting himself in the grass with a grunt.

“You should be in bed, anyway,” she snapped. “You’re injured, you’re in no condition to-.”

“Here,” he said, holding out a couple of cigarettes and one of the small bottles of whiskey that had come from the care packages sent to them a few days prior.

Nesta blinked, her anger fading, just for a second. “What is this?”

“You need it,” he said, outstretching his hand. “Here.”

Nesta stared at his hand for a moment before taking a cigarette and the bottle. She cleared her throat, “Thanks.” 

Cassian nodded and put the other cigarette between his lips. He took out a match and lit the tip, then lit Nesta’s.

“Thanks,” she said, quietly. She took one drag then coughed, quietly.

“Been a while?” Cassian asked.

Nesta repeated the motion, and blew a cloud of smoke. “Something like that.”

Cassian nodded and remained quiet for a moment.  

After a moment, Nesta asked, “What are you doing out here, Cassian?” 

“I’ve done enough battlefield patching up to know how hard it is to lose a man.” He took a longer drag, holding it in for longer than she would have suggested before exhaling. “It’s not easy. And you sure as hell shouldn’t be alone after that.”

She swallowed harshly, but nodded, fighting the tears filling her eyes. Clearing her throat, she said, “It’s something I’ve had to become used to. I suspect it’s something I’ll have to deal with quite a bit more before this war is over.”

He nodded, not saying anything. He knew she was right, no matter how much he wished it weren’t so.

She toyed with the cap of the whiskey bottle in her hands. “I’m surprised Madja let you out of bed.”

“She was a little bit preoccupied when I left. Though I didn’t exactly ask for permission to go anywhere,” he admitted, taking the bottle from her and opening it. The wax seal came loose and he handed it to her.

She gave him a look of pure disapproval before taking the bottle. “You know, there’s a reason we give you specific instructions.”

“You know how I feel about staying in bed,” Cassian muttered. 

Nesta took a sip from the whiskey bottle before handing it to Cassian. He looked at it for a moment before taking it and taking a swig.

His face contorted as he swallowed it. “I can’t wait for a decent glass of whiskey.”

Nesta snorted, even though there was no emotion behind it.

“I guess it does the trick though, doesn’t it?” He asked, handing the bottle back.

Nesta nodded, taking a bigger sip this time. “Yeah, that it does.”

Cassian looked down and froze before he slowly reached over and grabbed her wet, bloodied rag.

Nesta jumped back as he reached for her. “What are you doing?”

“You missed a spot,” he replied, softly, and when he reached for her arm again, she didn’t move.

He flipped her arm over and just below her elbow, Cassian began to wipe off a patch of nearly-dried blood, that cigarette dangling from between his lips.

Her throat felt tight, but she let him clean her up.  It was quiet between the two of them for a few minutes, as they passed that cheap whiskey back and forth between them. Finally, Nesta breathed, “It’s never going to get easier, is it? Seeing… seeing death?”

He looked over at her and for a second, she wondered if he’d even answer. “I won’t lie to you, I’ve been on the front since the day the war started. I’ve seen battles that ended in victories and some that I was lucky to walk off the battlefield. I’ve lost some good friends.” He paused at that and looked out into the trees they were camped in. “I still see the face of every man I’ve lost and every man I’ve killed. Death isn’t easy. I’d be worried if you told me it didn’t affect you. But the fact that it does tells me you’ve got a good heart, and that you’re even here, helping take care of us, tells me what kind of person you are.”

Nesta followed his gaze, over the rolling hills and the gemstone-colored treetops.

“I could see myself loving a woman like you.”

Nesta’s eyes jerked to Cassian, but his eyes were still fixed on the woods beyond.

“You hardly know me,” she said, quietly, even as her heart began to beat a little bit faster.

“I like what I know,” he replied, without missing a beat.

Nesta chuckled, and shook her head. “I think you’re a little drunk, Major. Between the whiskey and those pain meds.”

“You know what they say about the drunk,” Cassian said, and met her gaze, at last. “They say what’s on their minds and they tell the truth.”

Nesta’s eyes narrowed as her cheeks turned a soft shade of pink. “Well, I think you’ve been reading too much of that romance novel and your heart is going soft. Perhaps you’re lovesick.” 

Cassian’s grin was heartstopping. “Blame it on Daisy.”

Despite herself and what she had just endured, Nestas head fell back and she laughed. 

“You’ve only just begun reading it!” She protested. “How can you grow to like a character so quickly?”

Cassian shrugged, lighting another cigarette. “I like how she’s described.”

“Mhmm,” Nesta crooned, “and how is she described? Do tell.”

“Let’s see,” Cassian began, looking up at the sky. “Gorgeous, with the voice of an angel. And, apparently, she has quite the wardrobe.”

“She’s an entertainer at a brothel!” Nesta protested. “She’s going to have quite the wardrobe.”

“You just don’t like her because she pleasures men for a living,” Cassian argued.

Nesta laughed, shaking her head. “Oh no. There’s a reason I dislike her and that certainly has nothing to do with it.”

Cassian gasped. “Are you spoiling the book for me, nurse?”

She opened her mouth to reply, but then it snapped shut as she realized that she indeed was about to spoil a few key details of the book. A laugh sputtered out of her instead. She very well may be a little drunk as well, since it had been quite a while since she’d imbibed in the slightest.

Turning to look at him, anything she was about to say died on her tongue as she found him already looking at her. There was something in his eyes, something aside from the glaze of the liquor and the pain meds, that made her chest tighten.

Clearing her throat, she stood, holding out a hand for him. “We should go. You need to be in bed resting.”

Rolling his eyes, Cassian took her hand. The rough calluses felt good against her skin, but he stood and grabbed what was left of the whiskey.

Nesta walked Cassian back to the tent, feeling something that closely resembled peace.

Not quite peace, but close.

She could at least carry on with her day, doing her duty with her chin lifted high.

Their hands remained touching each other’s, lingering, for just a moment after Cassian rose, after they began to walk toward the tent.

Nesta pretended that she hadn’t noticed.

But she certainly had.

~

Cassian had no idea what time he awoke, but it was dark, an oil lamp burning by his cot.

It wasn’t the only thing that was burning.

Cassian was drenched in sweat, his sheets soaked, his clothes sticking to his body. 

As he opened his eyes, a wave of nausea swept over him that had him quickly closing them, once more.

He was going to be sick.

He tried to roll over, tried to pull himself up, but couldn’t. 

His back ached, throbbed, burned as he moved against the sheets.

It had him hissing or groaning or something, he wasn’t sure, but he knew that a noise must’ve come out of him because he felt cool hands against his head a moment later, then hurried, hushed voices saying something that he couldn't quite make out.

He said something.

Her name.

Nesta.

Or, maybe he thought it, maybe his lips had simply moved, had formed her name but hadn’t quite gotten it out.

Either way, it was her face he saw behind his closed lids.

“He’s burning up,” a voice said, and Cassian heard it this time.

He tried to open his eyes, but he couldn’t quite muster it.

He heard someone curse.

That was her.

A filthy word portrayed beautifully from the woman who had captivated him.

He tried to say her name again, but wasn’t quite sure if he was successful or not as he faded into darkness. 

[doublekrecs]

Going Live

Spencer Reid x Reader

Synopsis: You're an intern for the FBI but double as a camgirl in your spare time. You thought you kept things pretty well under wraps but who knew one of your mentors watched you all along. 

Warnings: smut, unprotected p in v action (remember to wrap it), face fucking, use of sex toys, tiny bit of degrading

a/n: writing this in the setting of season 10/11 because spencer looks so damn good and i wanted to include my girl tara

also part 2 of more than physics should be up later today! hope you enjoy -🧞‍♀️

You had been a paid intern for the FBI for about a year, paid being said lightly. But the job was definitely worth it. While being under the wing of the BAU you had not only learned so much about your hopefully future profession, but you had made a family with the team. Especially under the wing of Tara Lewis, she had been there for a little while but you looked up to her work and she was more than happy to offer advice and a good wine night.

The team knew you had a second job on the side but weren’t exactly sure what it was, just that you worked from home. They respected your personal life enough to stay out of it, however that didn’t stop Rossi from offering you a little extra because “that's what uncles are supposed to do”. You would always wave him off and say you could handle yourself, because you could. 

You thoroughly enjoyed working. The money and gifts were obviously a big reward but there was always something so exciting about being on camera. Maybe it was how risque it was, being exposed for thousands to see. Or the fact that many were pleasuring themselves to the sight of you.

It was Friday night and you were getting your setup ready. You already had your outfit and glam on. Someone had sent you a set from your wishlist, lilac lace hugged your body in all the right places, accentuating all your assets and boosting your confidence. In your hair were the same color streaks you did with a tinting spray. You set the camera and laptop up in front of your bed. Silk sheets and plush pillows behind you where you could rest comfortably before your show started. 

Little did you know across town Spencer Reid was getting ready to tune in to said show. He was never one for tech, having Garcia still hand him paper files and would refuse to upgrade his phone. He had gotten a computer just so he could video chat with doctors quickly about new medicine for his mother. However he quickly found out there was so much more the internet had to offer.

_

He had stumbled across your show one lonely night. Spencer couldn’t see himself going out to find a one night stand so the pleasure of his hand it was. He was looking through videos when he saw the thumbnail with a girl wearing glasses similar to the ones you wear when you forget contacts. His curiosity got the best of him and if he was a cat he’d be one life down. He couldn’t believe the sight on the screen in his lap. 

There you were the bubbly intern, body trembling as waves of pleasure washed over you from the pink wand you held over your clit. He was delightfully flustered and the moans spilling from the computer’s speakers weren’t doing much to help.

He was entranced by you writhing in pleasure but was knocked back into reality after hearing you giggle. God he loved when you made that noise in the office, usually after fake flirting with Hotch or hearing about JJ’s boys. But this situation was totally different and if he was honest with himself he was very into it. 

You reached over to grab a large pink dildo. Taking it in your mouth before swiping it through your folds. It easily slipped in and you started rapidly pumping it into you chasing your orgasm. 

Spencer was too enthralled to even think about touching himself. He was using the gift which was his eidetic memory to the best of his ability to make this something he’d never forget. 

You came with a loud moan, hips lifting and grinding against the toy to chase the friction. Quickly you turned off the wand and took the toy out. You sat up and looked into the camera before sucking it off. Spencer's eyes widened as he let out a groan shifting on his bed. 

“Alright guys that was fun for tonight,” you said as you sat criss cross on the bed. “I didn’t think I’d be able to get to five.”

FIVE?? He thought in his head. He felt like he was gonna explode just watching those last few minutes. How was he supposed to last watching you make yourself cum five times. 

“Thank you so much for all the tips and support! My links are all in the description and I’ll see you angels next Friday! Muahh” you signed off blowing the camera a kiss. 

Spencer knew it was wrong of him to view a coworker in such an exposed light but he couldn’t help himself. So he spent the night viewing some of your old videos which brought him to what he swears to be the best orgasm of his life. Of course he sent gracious tips and made sure to buy little items off the wishlist, mentally noting to return every Friday night. Even if it meant hiding in the bathroom from Morgan in their shared hotel room on cases. That was two months ago. 

_

Just as you finished your session the phone rang signaling a case. Quickly you got in the shower and put on comfy business clothes since you usually stayed with Garcia doing extra research and taking notes. You quickly grabbed your bag and keys, making your way straight to the office. 

In the elevator you heard someone calling to keep it open. Spencer made his way in, buttoning his cardigan and adjusting his bag, quickly saying thank you. You pressed the button to the floor as you felt a pair of eyes on you. Looking over Spencer was eyeing you with a confused look on his face. You were about to question him when he spoke up first. 

“I thought you had streaks in your hair”

“I did… Earlier tonight but they washed out.” He looked even more confused, then his brain put two and two together. He just realized what he had said. For a genius this wasn’t one of his brightest moments. 

You looked at him amused as a deep blush spread from his neck to the tips of his ears. There was only one way someone would know about your quick hair change: by watching your show. The door to the elevator opened and you walked out giggling as he started sputtering apologies behind you. You quickly cut him off. 

“Spence, it's alright. If you want we can talk about this later because right now you have a bad guy to catch. But may I suggest making your name something less obvious, not that I don’t love ‘magiclover187’.” He stood there mouth gaping as you patted his shoulder and walked up to the conference room to meet the rest of the team. 

_

The case was one of the easier ones. Very minimal killing and the team was back by Tuesday morning, ready for a week of paperwork. Spencer had been dancing around you the whole time, he could barely keep eye contact with you and would rush to leave the room if you walked in. If he was this flushed around you with clothes on you could just imagine how much of a mess he would be when he watched you perform. Which brought an idea to your head. 

Friday rolled around and you walked over to his desk where he was nose deep in one of his Russian books. You put your hand in it to bring it down. Once he noticed it was you he was about to start with another ramble of apologies when you stopped him.

“Alright I’m tired of the awkwardness and I want my friend back,” you said with a soft smile. “Why don’t you come over tonight and we can have that talk. I’ll even order a pizza and we can watch Doctor Who.”

“Y/n are you sure? I-I mean it is um uh Friday.. And ya know you usually film,” he said as he played with his tie. 

You giggled at how nervous he was. Poor little genius didn’t know he was the only one with tricks up their sleeve. 

“It’s fine I promise. Just a night with my favorite customer,” you said winking at him. He choked and looked around to see if anyone was looking at his outburst.

“I’m kidding.. Sort of,” you trailed off. “But I mean it about you coming over. I’m going home now but I expect you there in an hour with drinks.”

With that you turned around and walked off, adding a little extra sway to your hips. Obviously that did the trick as you heard a small groan behind you. Spencer dropped his head back as he started wracking his brain to figure out how to live through the night without making a bigger fool of himself or cuming in his pants. 

_

You know maybe you were evil, you thought to yourself as you put on the finishing touches to your outfit for the night. Once you got home you sped into the shower to freshen up for him to come over and get your setup ready. You were wearing a cream colored strappy bodysuit. Over it was a large cardigan, almost resembling the maroon one he owned, strange. To top it off you were wearing your glasses and your legs were adorned with your favorite thigh high socks. 

The three knocks on the door instantly made a smirk appear on your face. This might just be one of your best schemes yet. Looking through the peephole you saw Spencer gnawing on his bottom lip holding a few bottles of soda. Taking a deep breath you opened the door greeting him with all the casualty in the world. 

“Hey! I’m glad you came, come in.”

He followed you in and tried to keep his eyes above your neck, trying to act like he wasn’t getting completely hard by just your outfit.  You sat down on your couch and patted it for him to sit next to you. He took the seat and gulped not really sure what you had planned. 

“Um how long for the pizza to get here?” 

“The pizza’s not coming Spence,” you said shaking your head. “But you are.”

You leaned forward to place your hand on his on the couch. “I want you to fuck me on camera Spencer,” you said with sweet confidence, fluttering your lashes. His eyes kept flashing between your cleavage showing through the cardigan and your lips before finally landing on your eyes. He didn’t see a single hint of humor in them, nothing transparent but lust. 

He pulled his hand from under yours to place in your hair, pulling you into a heated kiss. You pushed back on his chest a bit to try and get some air. 

“Save that magic for the show,” you said as you pulled him up to lead to your bedroom. 

The camera was set at a little bit of a lower angle. The audience would just be able to see you and at most Spencer’s chest. You had made sure it was fine and even turned it on as a test so he could see what he looked like. After you got everything out of the way you hit the button to go live and instantly people started flooding in. If the bulge in his pants told you anything, it was that he was excited to be on the other side of the screen this time. 

“Hello my angels!” you said into the camera, Spencer was taken back at what was going on. After months of lusting over the young intern he was finally seeing the show in person. 

“Today I have a special guest with me. My very good friend, the Doctor,” you took his hand to pull him into frame. “He’s very excited to be here,” you said, hand moving down to palm him through his pants. 

His hand reached out and wrapped around your throat, making you look up at him. Huh. This was a new Spencer you wouldn’t mind seeing more often.

“Let's not play games princess. Or else the only thing making you cum tonight are your pathetic little fingers. Am I clear?”

You shivered at the intensity of his voice instantly trying to nod the best you could within his grip. He let go and you went back to task at hand, undoing his pants and pulling them down along with his boxers. He was long and pink. Precum already spilling out of the pretty tip, you couldn’t wait to have him in your mouth, among other places. You wasted no time in licking a broad stripe along a vein under it. His hand went to grab a handful of your hair giving it a testing tug as a warning to stop teasing. 

Your hand went to grip what couldn’t fit in your mouth but you tried your best to take him all in. You could hear the pings of tips and comments being said. Spencer could too and leaned over slightly to read them. 

“Face fuck her,” he murmured. He pulled you off of his cock and looked down into your eyes, “Is that what you want princess? Hm.” His thumb went to clean up the spit dripping down your chin before rubbing your lips. “You want me to fuck your face?”, he said in a condescendingly sweet voice. 

“Yes Doctor please! Fuck my throat.” 

“Good girl.”

Both his hands made their place nested in your hair, guiding you to his cock. He wasted no time in being brutal. Tears were leaking down your cheeks as he kept on hitting the back of your throat. Spencer was enjoying himself to the fullest letting out curses and praises at how good your mouth felt. He knew he wasn’t going to last much longer and you could feel it too as he started to throb in your mouth. He then pulled you off, a trail of spit connected from your lips and his cock. 

“Such a dirty whore for me. Show everyone how messy I make you,” he took your head and made you turn to look in the camera. Comments pinged talking about how pretty you looked with mascara running and smudged lipstick. 

“Thank them and ask if you deserve to cum on my cock,” Who knew Spencer had this in him. But you were loving every second of it and put on your best pair of puppy dog eyes to beg the camera for Spencer to split you in half. And you had no shame in doing so. 

“Please let the Doctor fuck me. I’ve been such a good girl for you guys,” you pleaded into the camera. The audience was pleased with your begging as they said you deserved it for being so good. 

Spencer took his time in unbuttoning the cardigan you had on, teasingly rubbing your arms as he slipped it off. His hands then went to the bodice of it, groping your breasts and teasing your nipples through the fabric. 

“Ah shit doctor, please fuck me already.”

Who was he to deny you of such a thing when you asked so nicely. He pushed you back down on the silk sheets. Pulling you by your thighs to the end of the bed where he moved the thong of the bodysuit to the side and slid his cock up your folds. Lubricating it in your juices before slipping right in. You both gasped at the intrusion, his hands grabbing your hips with a force sure to leave bruises. He used the leverage to set a brutal pace, ramming his cock into you. 

Your ears were ringing from the pleasure but you could hear the constant pings of your tip box and comment section flooding. 

“Shit baby you’re so tight. Perfect little pussy squeezing me so good.” You babled off thank yous and whimpers from being so close to your climax.

 You felt Spencer stop for a second and reach over to grab something. Then you felt it. Your wand set to the highest setting placed on your clit as he started to thrust into you again. Sounds of your moans and skin slapping together filled the room along with the buzzing of the vibrator. You were sure there was going to be a noise complaint notice on your door in the morning. 

You were so close to having the bubble in your stomach burst and so was he. 

“I'm gonna cum Doctor,” you practically yelled. “Please cum inside me!”

“Cmon princess. Let me feel you let go.”

With that the knot broke and you swore you died and went to heaven. Your walls squeezing Spencer led him to his end a little after you. Thrusts faltering and groaning at the feeling of pleasure washing over him. He turned off the wand and put it to the side before slipping out of you. 

Looking into the camera you gasped at your appearance. Hair disheveled and face messy from crying in pleasure multiple times that night. Your mixed release leaking down your thigh and onto the sheets. 

There were non stop pings of people calling Spencer a lucky bastard and asking for him to come back next Friday. Spencer nodded his head over to your bathroom to get you guys something to clean up with and let you do your closing. 

“Thanks for the love tonight angels,” you said with a smile on your face, entirely blissed out. “As always the links are in the description and I’ll see you guys next Friday. Maybe I’ll talk to the Doctor about future appearances. Bye!” 

With that you fell back on your bed and closed your eyes. Your body jolted at a sudden coldness between your thighs. 

“Right sorry,” Spencer whispered.

“So where did that come from?” you looked at him with an eyebrow raised. 

“A magician never reveals his secrets,” he stated seriously. 

You giggled and took his hand, “Thanks for doing this with me.”

“Of course. Now why don’t you shower while I get us a pizza. For real this time.”

“Or we can shower together then call the pizza.”

He contemplated it before smiling at you, “You always have the best ideas.” 

“Don’t I know it.. Doctor.”

[curlyhairedbrock]

Did you just call me... daddy? -Colby Brock

Request: did you just call me... daddy?

Summary: The reader gets dared to call bestfriend!Colby daddy

Warnings: Makeout session, slightly graphic

Word Count: 1,218

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Y/N, Truth or dare!” Tara exclaims, bringing the can of White Claw to her lips as she awaited your answer eagerly. You looked around the circle of trap girls, before pulling your bottom lip in between your teeth and chewing on it anxiously. You knew that Tara was known for giving outrageous dares, yet it was almost as if something was compelling you to pick dare. You knew that the second you picked dare; you would instantly regret it.

“Dare” you breathed out, releasing your bottom lip from in between your lips and bringing the cup of alcoholic beverage in your hand to your mouth, before tipping your head back and slightly chugging the drink. An excited squeal escapes Tara as she hears you pick the dare option, a smirk sneaking onto her face.

“I dare you to go and call Colby daddy.” A chorus of giggles and laughs escape the trap girls as the words leave Taras mouth. The entire friend group- discluding Colby, knew that you had a big crush on him and it wasn’t too big of a secret that Colby had a daddy kink. Hell, even his fans knew about it which drove them absolutely crazy. You had somehow managed to hide your feelings from Colby in your few years of friendship, afraid of ruining the meaningful connection that the two of you had created.

You knew that this dare would somehow backfire on you, that somehow, you would end up regretting doing the dare, yet you weren’t one to chicken out of a game. So, after chugging your drink in an attempt to gain some liquid courage flowing through your veins and to calm your nerves, you stood up with a small mumble, “Fine, I’ll do it” as you stood up and headed into the kitchen.

You walked into the kitchen where he was alone, leaning back against the sink with a red solo cup in one hand and his phone in the other. He hadn’t noticed you when you initially walked in, too busy engrossed in whatever app he happened to be currently scrolling on. You swiftly moved to the kitchen island in front of him, hopping up as nervousness flowed through your body, leaving your knees weak.  

“Colebear” you spoke up, causing his head to look up at you, a warm smile instantly etching onto his face as he sees his best friend in front of him, “What are you drinking, daddy?”

Your words caused Colby to choke on his saliva a bit, his eyebrows furrowing and his mouth slightly open as he tries to replay the words over again to make sure he heard you correctly the first time. He wasn’t sure whether his mind was playing tricks on him or whether you had actually called him daddy, which would undoubtably turn him on.

“Wait wait- what did you just say?”

“What are you drinking?”  

“No no, did you just call me... daddy?” His words caused your heart rate to escalate, his big blue, dilated eyes staring intensely into your soft ones, as he pushes himself off of the counter and moves his body so that he stands in between your legs. The height difference between the two of you, despite you sitting on the counter, is quite noticeable as Colby cranes his head down to continue staring into your eyes.

Your nerves didn’t let you take notice in the fact that Colbys chest had started to heave up or down, or even the fact that a darker, more lustful look rested on his face. You simply were too worried over Colby reacting badly, that you hadn’t even given the thought of Colby actually enjoying being called daddy.  

With a small blush creeping up to your face at the fact that Colbys body was mere millimeters away from your own, your legs unconsciously opened up more as your head raised to keep eye contact with the indigo haired boy in front of you. With a shaky voice, you spoke, “I uh... I asked what you were, uhh... drinking," you gulped as you watched a smirk form on his full, pink lips. Colby pressed his body against yours, which your legs automatically wrapped around his waist in reaction to the warmth escaping him. It was almost as if your body had a mind of its own, and its only goal was to reveal your undying love for your best friend.  

“No, no...” Colby trailed off, finally breaking the intense eye contact as he placed a sweet kiss on the end of your jawline, right under your left ear before whispering, “I’m pretty sure you just called me... daddy”

Your body shuddered at the feeling of the kiss that lingered on your skin, even after Colby had pulled away. “I don’t- I don’t know what you’re uhh...,” you physically gulped, “What you’re talking about, Colebear.” You struggled to remain collected, your heart racing as you squirmed on the counter, the wetness pooling in your underwear hard for you to ignore. Colby smirked at your stuttering, bringing his hand up to your face, caressing your cheek with his thumb.

“Is this okay, Y/N?” His deep voice caused your eyes to flutter shut, and as you yet again pull your bottom lip in between your teeth, you answered with a content hum as you rested your hands on Colbys chest. Suddenly, you feel Colbys soft, pink lips brushing against yours, causing your heart to flutter. You felt every single feeling that you had towards Colby multiply by a million, the intimate moment of your kiss only increasing your attraction towards him.  

What started as a gentle, loving kiss quickly turned fierce and passionate as Colby continued to press his body flush against yours. Your hands roamed his body, moving from the top of his chest to the nape of his neck, your fingers slightly pulling at the bottom of his hair which caused a deep groan to emit from Colbys chest.  

After what seemed like ages, when in reality had only been a couple of minutes, you pulled away from the fiery make out session with your best friend, the both of your chests heaving up and down in an attempt to contain the erratic beating of your hearts.

“I... uhh, that was supposed to be a dare, Colbs...” You breathlessly murmured, your hands resting on the back of his neck as you stare up into his intense blue orbs, your tongue running over your bottom lip, wetting it. You watched Colbys lustful look in his eye quickly turn bitter, his heart suddenly dropping at the fact that the whole thing might’ve been a prank on him. As a faint pink falls across his face, he clears his throat and attempts to move away from your grasp when you quickly press your lips against his, once again, for a quick peck.  

Colby furrows his eyebrows in confusion for a second, before a small smile falls on his lips, pressing a kiss to your cheek before connecting your lips together for a soft, passionate kiss. Colby brought his hands to your thighs, gripping on tightly before pulling you off the counter and heading out of the kitchen, towards his room as the both of you continued to make out into the lateness of the night.  

[it-was-all-a-beautiful-dream]

Silva Lining (Saul Silva x Reader)

Warnings: None 

Word count: 1.4k

Prompt : So this just came to me after wanting so many Winx fics, Y/N is found in the woods by Silva, she’s a changeling like Bloom but she has multiple powers, he takes her back to Alfea where she will start her journey with the other students, however the time spent with Silva leads them to get attached to each other etc...... it’s gonna be a series.

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He had found you in the woods, crying, alone, next to a Burned one. A dead Burned one. That’s how your story started. Alfea was next on the list. 

When Silva had found you, you were a runaway, no family left, no place to call home, a human… well he thought. Until you told him your “Magic powers” killed someone. The someone, being the Burned one. The powers, meaning you were a fairy who had been brought up in the mortal realm just like Bloom, but obviously you didn’t know that. To you, fairies were things of myths and legends, little girls bedtime stories. 

That was a couple of months ago, just before school had started. After Silva had taken you to headmistress Dowling, she was shocked to learn there was another Changeling on earth, learning about your background, no family, no where to go, she offered you a place at the prestigious school for Fairies and you agreed, wanting to know how to use your abilities and more about where you came from. Part of you knew that even if you had said no, Farah wouldn’t have let you leave, having multiple powers wasn’t usual, at least it hadn’t been heard of in hundreds of years, she basically said she’d keep an eye on you. 

Luckily for you, you got to grips with the place before all of the other students filtered back in for the new school year. You’d been put into a room that you would eventually share with 5 other girls, apparently one of them was a princess? You’d think being there before everyone else would be a little boring, but it wasn’t, you had Silva. 

Since he found you that day in the woods you’d become pretty close, actually, really close. You confided in him when ever you needed someone to talk to and he even started giving you lessons on how to fight, hand to hand combat was never something a fairy needed to do, that’s what your powers were for, but he had promised that it wouldn’t hurt to learn a few nifty tricks. Between training with him, you’d also met Tara, one of the girls you’d be sharing a room with. She’d arrived early with her brother and dad. Her dad being one of the professors at the school. You got on like a house on fire, she quickly became your friend much to Silva’s annoyance, it meant that you spent less time with him, but he didn’t let you know that.

Tara knew everything there was to know about you. Where you’d been raised, about your past non-existent family life, the day you realised you had powers, multiple powers, and then the day Silva found your crying over a mound of burned flesh. You told her about the time you’d been spending with Silva, the lessons he’d been giving you, and it didn’t take her long to figure out just how much you liked him. She was all for it, even though there was a huge age gap. “The heart wants what it want’s, and to be honest, I think he likes you back.” That’s all she had to say on the matter. Did he? Did he like you back that way? 

It was the day before everyone was due to arrive at the school. To say you were nervous was an understatement. You’d heard that there would be another girl from earth arriving too, so at least you weren’t the only one people would look at like a freak. You’d been having lessons with Headmistress Dowling, she was helping you practise and explore all of the abilities you had before you were thrust into classes, hopefully that would help you seem a little more ‘Normal.’

Also, you now knew Sky. Silva had introduced you one day when you were having your lesson with him. He was practically his son, which… was a little weird considering Sky was the same age as you, but it didn’t matter in the long run. You hadn’t known Sky long, but you knew that you would get on just like you did with Tara.

It kind of bummed you out that today would be the last day you’d get to train with Silva. He’d have to go back to being the strict soldier of a man he was, a teacher… your teacher.. long gone would be the carefree happy man you joked and messed around with openly when no one was around. It didn’t surprise you when you saw him angrily hacking away at a wooden dummy with his sword as you approached the outdoor training area. You frowned, maybe he was feeling as bummed out as you were. Or maybe you were deluded and his anger had nothing to do with you and the fact that you’d both have to stop spending as much personal time together.

“Oi, what did that dummy ever do to you hu?” You laughed as you sauntered over to the make shift arena. He looked up, his forehead beading with sweat, smiling at you as you approached. It was a smile that didn’t reach his eyes like it usually did when you greeted him. Yup something is defiantly wrong. 

“Saul, what’s wrong.” He sighed and put down his weapon, leaning it against the now lop-sided dummy. He came over to you, putting his hands on your arms in a comforting way, something he did often. He liked to be close, touchy feely, it relaxed him. 

“Well for one darling, you’re going to have to get used to calling me Mr Silva and not by my first name, and two, I’m annoyed that things will have to change when tomorrow comes. You won’t be around as much, i’ll be training the future of the army…” His thoughts wondered off, his hands still lingering at your sides. It confused you a little, you knew that you were miffed, but it was unusual for Saul to show his emotions so openly. Maybe you hadn’t realised how much he liked spending time with you. It gave you butterflies. In his daze, you moved his arms so they were more at your side, then moved in wrapping your arms around him in a hug. Your cheek pressed firmly against his chest. For a minute he was still, then he leant into it, his large arms coming around you and his chin resting on the top of your head. “Y/N, you know this is wrong right? If you feel anything like how I feel then it’s wrong.” He sighed and hugged you tighter. That confirmed it, he DID like you as much as you liked him. But to you it wasn’t wrong, and you knew he didn’t actually feel that way either. It was just wrong by societies standards. You didn’t care. 

“No one has to know Saul, it’s no one else’s business okay?” He looked down at you sadly. You didn’t like the way he looked at you. You had a feeling, you knew what was coming next.

“Y/N, we can’t be together. Not while you’re a student and i’m a teacher. It goes against so many rules here..” Tears were pooling in your eyes, before they could drop, you felt Silva’s soft rosey lips collect them, kissing your face tenderly. “Please don’t cry darling, you know how I feel about you, but it can’t work, it won’t work…. by the end of the week, you’ll think of me as nothing less than just another one of your teachers.” This couldn’t be how the two months of you being with each other every single day ended, finally letting each other know how you feel and ending up with this outcome. It wasn’t fair. Life wasn’t fair. You wouldn’t stand there and beg though. One thing Silva had taught you was how to be stronger, since being found that day in the woods to now, you’d grown immensely, you weren’t as weak as you used to be. 

“Fine, whatever you want Saul. But you also know how I feel about you and it isn’t going to change.” With all the confidence you could muster, you stood on your tip toes and looked him in the eyes, his grip on your waist tightened and you leant in, lightly taking the back of his head, your fingers dancing softly at the nape of his neck, and you kissed him with everything you had in you. They say when you meet your soulmate, you’ll see sparks fly, fireworks erupt, feel like you were floating. You didn’t have any of those. You had all of them and then some, when you opened your eyes you knew he’d felt it too. 

But that’s where you left him, standing with his mouth slightly slack, staring at your retreating figure, the sky opened up, only to start crying with you. 

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Please let me know what you think, as per usual if you want to be tagged let me knowwww in the comments. Please please reblog and like, follow etc.... I plan on making this into a series, because I love like magical, powers, forbidden love kinda shizzzzz <3 

PART 2 --- CLICK HERE 

[tomb-raider-merchandise]

Tomb Raider: The Official Cookbook and Travel Guide

Author: Tara Theoharis, Sebastian Haley, Meagan Marie

Pages: 116 Pages

Publisher: Titan Books

Release: October 26th 2021

ISBN-10: 1789098793

ISBN-13: 978-1789098792

Original Price: £22.99

Released for the 25th anniversary of the franchise, there is a brief introduction from the authors before the content is broken up into continents. Within each section there is a travel guide that talks through the various locations that Lara has been to, followed by cultural recipes. Not all the recipes have photos of the dish an many have information boxes that link the recipe to the games. At the back of the book are helpful 'travel tips and tricks' and 'terms and measurement conversion' sections.

Its official description reads: 'Inspired by the hit Tomb Raider videogame franchise, this book features over 40 recipes from the many locations Lara Croft visits and explores across the globe, with food and drinks inspired by key characters and locations. Also included is expert information on the cultural history of the many beautiful cities and countries to which she travels. A global exploration, this unique cookbook and travel guide takes fans on an exclusive journey across the planet chasing the thrills and adventures of Lara Croft. Featuring beautiful full color photography as well as stunning art from the games, this is the ultimate gift for fans, travelers, and food aficionados alike.'

You can still purchase this cookbook on Amazon in new and used conditions for less than the RRP.