#vintage recipies guy

[injuries-in-dust]

"American ingenuity knows no bounds."

[goldfades]

Okay, it's completely up to you if manager y/n is secretly a super good artist or not but I am 100% convinced that regardless of this she always makes super elaborate handmade birthday gifts for all the girls.

And they make the recipient cry every time. Like, they're always so well thought through and a lot of effort (I'm talking days if not WEEKS) is put into them. And manager is a busy girl so it just means that much more!!

It's gotten to the point that the girls refer to their birthdays as "y/n's gift reveal day".

Manager y/n is going on what can only be described as side quests to make these happen.

Like, for KK's first birthday at UConn (or more importantly, her first birthday with manager y/n) she spent 2 months holed up in her art major friends metal working class to make her a new chain after she accidentally broke it in an impromptu pick up game.

She also bought vintage fabric from a small shop somewhere in Croatia (thank you Etsy) and made Nika a quilt with it because she heard her complaining about being cold at night with the a/c blasting.

The team (and secretly manager y/n) is always most excited for Paige's birthday though because she always gets SO emotional when she sees what manager y/n has made her. When she was injured there was a hand bound bible with a painted cover (she also went through it and highlighted passages that she thought would help her with her injury). There was also a drawing one year (that has since been framed) of a collection of over 20 Photo Booth pictures and polaroids Paige and the girls had taken, all sketched out onto a massive canvas.

And for a special add on: Geno got a mini video documentary manager y/n's junior year which had all of his career highlights and interviews/messages from everyone she could contact that knew/loved him. The poor guy had to sit down when he saw it.

this is the realest thing i've read all day BECAUSE YES!!!!! like we've already covered, manager is super duper thoughtful and she treats birthdays like a special holiday. she grew up with a big family and they were a bday family so it seeps into her work too!!!

THE HAND BOUND BIBLE GOT ME THATS SO CUTE AND Y/N WOULD 10000% DO THAT FOR P!!!!!!!!!! and it would make bby paige cry cus manager is just too thoughtful and sweet!

the geno thing made me SOB because yes, he def had tears in his eyes but will deny it forever

[girderednerve]

has anyone written about truck memorials, those custom vinyl decals that people put on the back windows of their trucks (or, less commonly, other vehicles) in honor of deceased friends & relatives? seems like a bizarre cultural practice to me. why a car, of all places? what's going on there? are you just like, acknowledging how you managed to get a nice truck without the traditionally exorbitant car payment which generally accompanies them?? (probably not, right?)

it occurs to me that it could also be a consequence of the ubiquity of lee brice's critically acclaimed (&, imo, deeply cringe) 'i drive your truck,' a song which i have just learned was inspired by the real dad of a medal of honor recipient who drove his dead son's truck & for some reason did interviews about this specific practice. 'i drive your truck' is a fascinating cultural object: it's about how you're sad about your dead friend, who would probably punch you in the arm for crying about it, so you drive his truck with his dog tags & his go army shirt in it, even though the truck has terrible gas mileage, to go 'tear up' back roads & a field [goin muddin, one surmises, but also it feels very pointed that driving & grief are presented as destructive]. i just find this complex like, hilariously on the nose: oh did your kid die in an imperialist war intended to, among other things, secure american access to oil? and you're so sad about it you go literally waste gas? bro. come on here bro. experience a scruple, or at least like, a moment of self-reflection here, bro

this song also feels like it's in continuity with another popular country song, david ball's 'riding with private malone,' which came out in august 2001 & reached its popular height in the wake of 9/11. it's about buying a vintage corvette from the mother of a guy who went off to die in vietnam (a note left in the car reads "if you're reading this then i didn't make it home / but for every dream that's shattered another one comes true / this car was once a dream of mine now it belongs to you"); the singer nearly dies in a car crash, but is saved by the ghost of the titular private malone. hilariously, wikipedia informs me that this song received critical acclaim for its 'subtlety' in expressing the american psyche after 9/11. the mind boggles, but then i suppose the bar was low

neither of these songs are the same flavor of vile, unabashed patriotism typified by, e.g., toby keith, but they're still making the same 'freedom isn't free' argument, centered on iconic cars: both vehicles are haunted by an american soldier, either with the ephemera of his life (brice lists dog tags, a dirty baseball cap, and a shirt, along with a radio station preset and a half-drunk bottle of gatorade, which one must assume is by now swollen with the noxious fumes of incidental fermentation) or more literally (ball notes that the radio picks up an oldies station, but also the speaker sees 'a soldier riding shotgun'). i'm fascinated by the way that cars are emotionally central, in these songs & in the memorial decal tradition. they're making a claim about what american soldiers are dying for (our ability to drive cars) & operating from the assumption that we all agree that this is a tragic but noble exchange, because cars are just like, so great. there's a sort of self-serving maneuver in both of the country songs in which they acknowledge the radio; as a person who spent a ton of time stuck in the back of other people's trucks listening against my will to the local country station, i can confirm that these songs both got a ton of play (chart data reflects this observation too). fascinating in a sick way, i think. there's some obvious stuff going on here about the narrow straits of country-star masculinity; trucks & vintage corvettes (especially ones which you fix up yourself, of course) are suitably cool & tough to cover for unmanly emotions like 'being sad.'

i know it's sort of popular currently to valorize some idea of american rural culture that is left-leaning or radical, and to imply if not insist that this culture is neatly separate from the toby keith of it all (consider, e.g., the popular 'ghost of dale earnhardt' page, which emphasizes the anti-police origins of NASCAR; needless to say, if you live in the deep south & know NASCAR fans, they are not a group of obvious commies. i picked this example because dale earnhardt jr. claimed that the ghost of senior saved him in a crash once & it felt thematically related, but others abound). the claim that there is a leftist rural history needs no defense because it is flatly true, but the idea that this legacy can be neatly disentangled from racist, reactionary, & imperialist tendencies is much more tenuous, in my opinion. american pickup truck culture (& to some extent other vehicles, which are treated metonymously with rural life; e.g. kenny chesney's deeply annoying tune 'she thinks my tractor's sexy') is so fuckin wild y'all

[imyourbratzdoll]

For fun

Dilf stucky post endgame with younger(20+ reader)

They settle down which is good . After alot of what happened as well as steve handing sam the sheild he , bucky and y/n continue their relationship as a trio couple there may have good and bad times they stay strong together . Times they let out stress is creative from the guys work out or creativity , buck got back to fixing his bike and adopted alpine y/n at awe of the fur bby same as steve (cant deny both are allcat & dog lovers) steve enjoyed learning or re learning recipies he missed out on and for fun (hes getting good promise) while having time to sketch/paint . Reader oh She has a butt full fun(pun intended) it started with sewing and sketching to technical skills then when its the creative part on makeup She goes all out on the look . This time she tries vintage

https://youtube.com/shorts/U2elqtNJYy0?feature=share

(inspired frm this video and youtuber who has amazing beauty history content)

She dose the 20's -60's look the times bucky/steve caught her in th middle they gasp in nostalgia! ^~^ and steve mostly will help if y/n needs reffrencesand buck at just awee

The apartment was never boring pretty fun and lively . With the goofs . Anyone feeling sad, night terrors Recive more love and cuddles or let them space it depends on them.

If quarantine came. All are prepared(esp bucky)

Crack when bucky came home with alpine

Steve:hey buck? What do u hve there?

Bucky*obvious alpine in his jacket while holding a smoothie*a smoothie

Y/n*snorts*

Y/n*randomly sings with headset*Your exciting boy come find me~ your eyes told me~ come and fuck me~

Both:(⁠ ͡⁠°⁠ ͜⁠ʖ⁠ ͡⁠°⁠)

😹the smoothie part😹

reader would definitely dress in the old vintage dresses and do house work, leaving the guys to watch her in shock.

[invisibleraven]

Phantom Carols

For the @jatp-adventevent prompt: What are their Christmas insecurities?

Day Twenty Three: You Make It Feel Like Christmas <-AO3!

Julie was not a fan of shopping for people. Mainly because she was a gift perfectionist. Each present had to be well thought out, and perfectly suited for the recipient.

This year was especially hard because she had four ghosts to shop for. Like, what do you even get for ghosts?

They could only be seen by people not connected to Julie while playing or at the Hollywood Ghost Club in Willie’s case, so gift cards to stores was out. See also anything to do with food, as all it did was remind them how much they missed eating.

She could get them music stuff, but after her dad found out about the guys, that was what he and tia had opted for, so that idea went nowhere. Ditto games because while they had permission to use Carlos’ systems they seemed to be happy enough playing his emulators of games from their childhoods.

She did up a scrapbook for the band, but she wanted something for each of them to unwrap on Christmas morning.

Which left clothes. Not the best gift, but it was one of the few options she had left.

Her dad had gotten the guys a cheap dresser to store stuff in, and they had more basics now, but their wardrobe was still limited. Julie took advantage of laundry day to peek at their sizes, and off to the stores she went.

Willie was easy; crop tops in funky patterns with equally funky socks. She scoured a few stores and found a good collection, and a truly awful ugly holiday sweater, just because she knew he’d get a kick out of it.

Alex liked shirts with 80’s pop idols and anything pink, though he had admitted that his fascination with the colour came from an incident with a red sock that ruined his whites. So for him, she gets him a pair of red socks, to be cheeky, and a few new shirts in soft pastel colours.

Luke was the easiest; cut offs, band tees, and hideaway socks. The problem was finding shirts of bands he liked that he didn’t already have. Thankfully she found a bunch of vintage Green Day and Nirvana shirts at a thrift store and bought those.

She left Reggie for last. Even though she had taken him shopping a few times, he just bought more of the same few staples; monochromatic shirts, ripped skinny jeans, and that was it. She had offered to get him a new flannel, since his was getting worn, or a bigger leather jacket as he had started outgrowing his before he died. But no dice.

Alex was the one who told her that Reggie’s MeeMaw had bought him the flannel for his last birthday, so there was no replacing that. And the guys had gotten him the jacket, and Reggie considered it his signature piece, refusing to give it up.

“It made the bullies stop picking on him, because he was putting out the tough exterior,” Alex admitted. “He got into a lot less scraps then.”

Julie wished she could have known the guys when they were alive, because the little snippets she got made her more and more convinced that they had badly needed friends outside each other, and a caring environment to grow up in. The best she could do now was give them as much love as she could, both her and her family.

That’s when she got an idea. She still got a few new staples plus some fun doggy socks for Reggie and headed off to home.

On Christmas Eve morning, she pulled the guys into the living room, and thrust a present at each of them. Each of them ripped open the packages, and Luke’s face struggled not to fall. “Oh. You got us socks?”

“Not only socks,” Julie said, giving them each a gift bag. On top were the clothes she picked out, but there on the bottom, she had given them each a set of…

“Pyjamas?” Alex asked.

“Every year, we Molinas get a set of matching holiday jammies,” Julie admitted. “This year… well you guys are my family too. Molina or not. So you get pyjamas too. To wear tomorrow morning for breakfast and stockings are the rest of the gifts.”

“Thank you Julie,” Reggie said, and she could see his eyes were a little glassy, and could hear a tiny sniffle in his voice. That was what made Julie sure she had made the right choice.

“Group hug?” Willie proposed.

Everyone nodded and agreed. Getting up in a large embrace, glowing as whatever magic Julie possessed thrummed through the air, letting them touch, letting the guys be more visible, more present… more alive. It came and went, but right now Julie was incredibly glad it worked, because if she wasn’t able to hug them right then, she would cry.

Okay, maybe she was crying anyways, but so were they, so no one said anything.

Happy tears could flow freely, especially at Christmas.

The next morning they all showed up in their pyjamas, grinning and bouncing, humming and singing as Ray snapped a family photo, and they finally were able to see them, not a bunch of orbs. Carlos thought it was lame, but Reggie timidly asked for a copy for the studio. “Our first family portrait.”

“I’d be happy to do that for you mijo,” Ray replied. And no one mentioned when the tears started anew, until it was time for stockings, and they disappeared. At least until the game of charades that afternoon anyway.

Though Julie was totally blaming that on how hard they were all laughing, and not how much they felt like a family for the first time in so long.

But she was totally keeping that photo for after they made it big and made their inevitable Christmas album.

[sylvi-watch-race-with-time]

Unique Diwali Gifts for Men - Top Online Gift Ideas 2023

Diwali, or the Festival of Lights, is a time for celebration, fellowship, and the exchanging of unique and meaningful gifts. Gifting something very exceptional is one of the most considerate ways to convey your love and appreciation during this important occasion. Watches, with their ageless elegance and importance, make one of the best Diwali gift ideas.

Looking for the ideal Diwali gift? Sylvi watch brand, known for its gorgeous wristwatches, has created a collection that not only shows time but also tells a narrative. Let's have a look at why watches are great Diwali gifts for men and look at some of Sylvi's best picks for gifts.

Why Watches Make Great Diwali Gifts for Men?

Watches are more than just timepieces. They are manifestations of personal style, sophistication, and taste. Here are some of the reasons why watches are excellent Diwali gifts:

Timeless Symbolism: Watches represent treasured moments in life and the value of time. Giving a watch expresses your wishes for a prosperous and punctual future.

Versatility: Watches may be worn for a variety of circumstances, from formal engagements to informal outings. They're a daily item that goes with everything.

Meaningful Gesture: A kind gesture is to choose a timepiece that complements the recipient's style and personality. It exhibits your knowledge of their preferences.

Top Unique Diwali Gift Ideas from Sylvi

Sylvi's watch line captures the joy of Diwali gifting. Each watch represents time, devotion, and style, making it the perfect gift for the important guys in your life. These watches are more than simply fashion accessories; they are declarations of artistry, quality, and elegance.

When you give a Sylvi watch as a Diwali gift, you're giving more than just a watch; you're offering a piece of eternal beauty. It's a gesture of gratitude and a reflection of your ongoing friendship with the receiver.

Here are a few noteworthy choices:

Classic Elegance: Iconic Watches

The "Iconic" series embodies classic elegance. These watches are minimalist in design, with clean lines and a concentration on luxury materials. As a result, the watch may be worn in both professional and casual contexts. Sylvi Iconic Watches are the ideal present for the man who values refinement and sophistication.

Sporty and Stylish: ProTimer Watches

The "ProTimer" series is ideal for the active and adventurous man. These timepieces blend sporting aspects with a fashionable appearance. They are designed to resist the rigours of an active lifestyle while keeping your loved one fashionable. Sylvi ProTimer Watches are a gift that goes well with their outgoing nature.

Traditional Charm: Timegrapher Watches

The "Timegrapher" line pays homage to classic watchmaking's eternal charm. These timepieces have vintage designs, superb craftsmanship, and a hint of nostalgia. Giving a watch from Sylvi Timegrapher Collection is a great way to celebrate both legacy and contemporary, making it an excellent gift for individuals who like classics.

Sleek and Modern: Imperial Watches

If your recipient is a current trendsetter, the "Imperial" series will pique their interest. This line is intended for urban professionals, with its sleek and contemporary appearance. The timepieces in the Sylvi Imperial Watch Collection combine aesthetics and utility to create a statement item for the fashion-forward guy.

Each watch in Sylvi's line has its own personality, allowing you to select the ideal fit for the man you're honouring this Diwali. The considerate gift of a Sylvi watch not only demonstrates your good taste but also represents the eternal moments of time.

These are just a few of the excellent timepieces in Sylvi's Diwali collection. Each watch has its own distinct characteristics and personality, allowing you to choose the ideal present for the important men in your life.

Shopping Online for Diwali Watches

Diwali gift shopping has never been easier. Sylvi's enormous collection may be explored online, making the procedure both simple and fun. The website has an easy-to-use layout that allows you to browse the handpicked range of timepieces.

When you select the watch that fits your image of the ideal Diwali gift, you can quickly purchase it and have it delivered to your home. Our online store provides a quick and safe buying experience, allowing you to share the joy of Diwali with your loved ones.

Personalization and Special Touch

While a watch is a significant and elegant present in and of itself, there is a chance to enhance its importance via personalization. Adding a personal touch to your Diwali gift may turn it into a treasured keepsake. Here are some ideas for making a unique watch gift:

Engravings: A personal message, a noteworthy date, or the recipient's name may be engraved on a wooden base with purchase of Sylvi watches. This simple yet thoughtful modification may turn a watch into a treasured family heirloom.

Gift-Ready Packaging: Choose a beautifully designed gift box and a thoughtful letter to go with the watch. This presentation adds a caring touch to your gift, making it even more unique.

Adding a personal touch not only assures the watch's originality but also communicates to the recipient that you took the time and effort to pick a present that resonates with their personality. Furthermore, when ordering a Sylvi watch, you can have a personal message engraved on a wooden base for just Rs 49, making it an even more unusual and unforgettable present. Get more information on the Sylvi personalised watch features here.

Gifting Sylvi: A Symbol of Quality and Style

When you give a Sylvi watch as a Diwali gift, you are providing a mark of quality and flair as well as a timepiece. Sylvi is a company recognised for its dedication to quality, and its timepieces show a blend of craftsmanship and modern design.

Sylvi's watches are more than simply accessories; they are declarations of luxury and uniqueness. Giving a Sylvi watch expresses your admiration for quality as well as your awareness of the recipient's refined taste.

Conclusion

The passion for giving and sharing delight grows stronger as Diwali approaches. Choosing a one-of-a-kind Diwali gift may be a joyful experience, especially when you consider Sylvi watches. These magnificent watches are much more than simply a method to keep track of time; they convey your best wishes, appreciation, and thoughtfulness.

Celebrate Diwali with Sylvi this year. Explore the finest collection of men's watches, select the one that best represents your concept of the ideal gift, and make this Diwali extra memorable for the guys in your life.

May your Diwali be filled with warmth, love, and the joy of giving as the Festival of Lights brightens our lives. Visit Sylvi's Diwali Collection today to see the entire collection of unique Diwali gifts for guys.

Originally published at:

[thenewgradianhq]

Hey guys! The events planned for the upcoming Gradian Charity Fundraiser Event are slowly building, so I just wanted to clue you guys in to what has been planned so far!

Under the cut is a vague outline of all the events planned so far. There is absolutely no limit on how many events and fundraisers there can be, or on how many character’s can host one. If you want to have your character host a fundraiser, all you need to do is fill out THIS SHORT FORM and submit it to the main before 5PM EST on February 3rd.

EVENT #1:

HOST(s): Asher McCarthy & Lachlann Anderson

EVENT: Blood Drive

DATE(s): Feb 6th — Feb 11th

LOCATION: Gradian Village Community Centre

CHARITY RECIPIENT: Local Hospital

EVENT #2:

HOST(s): Avi Puckerman & Dany Clarington

EVENT: Tattoo Roulette

DATE(s): Feb 6th — Feb 11th

LOCATION: Gradian Village Community Centre

CHARITY RECIPIENT: Gradian Village Community Centre School Holiday Activities

EVENT #3:

HOST(s): Tobias Wilde & Auggie Abrams

EVENT: Poker Tournament

DATE(s): Feb 9th — Feb 11th

LOCATION: Red Lion Pub Function Hall

CHARITY RECIPIENT: Gradian’s Emergency Services

EVENT #4:

HOST(s): Enzo McIntosh

EVENT: Vintage Kilo Sale [Clothes]

DATE(s): Feb 6th — Feb 7th, Feb 9th, Feb 11th

LOCATION: Gradian Village Community Centre

CHARITY RECIPIENT: Save the Children UK

EVENT #5:

HOST(s): Hunter McClarington & Levi McClarington

EVENT: Kissing Booth

DATE(s): Feb 6th — Feb 8th, Feb 10th — Feb 11th

LOCATION: Red Lion Pub

CHARITY RECIPIENT: Mind — The Mental Health Charity

EVENT #6:

HOST(s): Gabriel Hummel

EVENT: Unique Handcrafted Furniture Auction

DATE(s): Feb 11th

LOCATION: Gradian Village Community Centre

CHARITY RECIPIENT: Local Animal Shelter

EVENT #7:

HOST(s): Damian Rose

EVENT: Gourmet on Wheels [Food Truck]

DATE(s): Feb 6th — Feb 11th

LOCATION: Red Lion Pub Car Park

CHARITY RECIPIENT: Shelter — The Homeless Charity

[becauseiloveyougiftshop]

Unique Ideas For Birthday Gifts For Him

One of the best birthday gift ideas for men is a personalized book filled with fun facts about the recipient. The book can be customized with facts that the recipient loves, and the cover can be personalized with his or her name. Another great gift idea is a book of everyone. If your man enjoys trivia, why not give him a copy of the Book of Everyone?

Book of Everyone

If you're shopping for a birthday gift for your dad, consider giving him a personalized book. This book can feature the names of up to 21 people. It's a comfortable weight, perfect for cuddling or taking a nap. It can also be used to document special memories. The Book of Everyone includes fun facts about the person's life, as well as pages where you can write in personal details.

Personalized Decanter Set

If he's into his booze, then a Personalized Decanter Set will be the perfect gift. It comes with a decanter and a whiskey glass. Each piece is personalized with a message or name. You can also personalize the decanter with a business logo.

A whiskey decanter set is an excellent gift for your husband or dad. It comes in a wooden gift box, which your man will love. Moreover, the glasses are dishwasher-safe and lead-free.

Personalized Leather Travel Pouch

When buying a gift for a man, there are a few items you must keep in mind. A quality leather travel pouch is a must-have, but it's also important to consider his interests. For instance, he may enjoy hiking, camping, or simply exploring new places. A leather cord roll is a great gift idea, and these pouches are available in different colors and designs. You can even customize them with a monogram.

Leather is a classic material that suits men. You can find both inexpensive and luxurious leather gifts. Just make sure you find a gift that will fit his personality, as well as something he will use often.

Whiskey Ammo Can Set

A Whiskey Ammo Can Set is the perfect gift for your dad. Not only does this set feature a whiskey decanter, but it also comes with a bourbon or scotch glass and whiskey stones. This unique set also includes heavy slate coasters and stainless steel ice tongs.

Whiskey lovers will love this whiskey set. These are perfect for long nights in front of the fireplace and will let him enjoy his favorite drink in style. These whiskey stones also make great groomsmen gifts and will look good in a glass.

Personalized Wooden Beer Caddy

When looking for a gift for your favorite beer lover, you can never go wrong with a personalized wood beer caddy. This rustic drink container is laser-engraved and features an antique copper effect bottle opener. It can hold any type of alcohol and is sure to impress. Whether you're looking for birthday gifts for him or a wedding gift, the personalized wooden beer bottle caddy makes an excellent choice.

This beer caddy is crafted from paulownia wood and features a rustic, vintage design. It holds up to six full-sized beer bottles and comes with a rope handle for easy transport. You can have one line of text engraved on the beer caddy, up to 15 characters long, as well as the recipient's name and birth year. Orders may take up to five business days to process.

Personalized Beer Holster

A Personalized Beer Holster is a fun gift idea that your man will love. This gift features a double-wall design to keep the beer cool. It also has space for a personalized message. You can choose from a one or two-line message with up to 16 characters per line. Your message can be in either red or black font.

Personalized beer holsters are also great for a guy's man cave. They are great for storing multiple beers. You can also get him a beer magnet. Wood magnets are also great gifts for dad, and a personalized one can be made with his name on it. They are also durable and will remind him of you every time he sees them.

[incorrectbatfam]

Headcanons about Batfamily secret santa?

Dick was the first to find a gift for his recipient. He walked past a pawn shop in Burnside while on patrol and spotted a stuffed animal in the window that was a teddy bear with an elephant’s trunk, turtle shell, and unicorn horn. His first thought was, “That is so her”

Bruce went with the utilitarian approach—he called up the developers at Wayne Tech and got the latest unreleased line of computers and up-and-coming software for his recipient

While Alfred is personally not a big fan of hard rock, he knows his recipient loves it, so he bought a box set with all of her favorite artist’s albums, wrapped each one individually, and hid it in various locations around the house. That way, if she finds one, then she probably won’t suspect the rest

Jason tracked down the only person in Gotham who owned a pair of 120-sided dice and offered guaranteed home protection from Red Hood in exchange for the d120

Tim had a couple close calls where his recipient almost found out but managed to keep it under wraps with a Christmas stocking decoy. The actual gift? An indestructible bedroom chandelier

Kate had an easy time getting her recipient his gift. All she had to do was make a couple phone calls and buy out a Hot Topic in preparation of a private My Chemical Romance concert

Carrie had a hard time getting the smarty pants owner of a sword shop to take her seriously, so she challenged the owner to a riddle contest, where, if she wins, she gets to take home the 12th-century katana. She won

Damian would rather walk on a road of hot coals than admit who his recipient was. His gift was a drawing of said brother and the brother’s team, which he rolled up like a scroll and sent Titus to deliver it

Similar to Carrie, Harper also had to visit a weapons store for her gift. The employees didn’t give her a hard time, but she had difficulty choosing what to get. Her solution: rent them all for a day and test them on the field. She chose a bazooka and wrote “BATMAN SUCKS EGGS” along the barrel

Duke had a hard time because what do you get for someone who can buy the entire world with her pocket money??? After asking around, he decided to compile a jar full of haikus and poetic encouragement to lift her up on days of self-doubt

Though she is an adult woman, Babs (with everyone else’s permission) made one of those kiddie coupon books offering different services to give her recipient a much-deserved break. Some of the entries: “Bruce will do the laundry for one week”, “A three-course meal from Steph”, “Tim will sleep for eight hours”, “One free zero-resistance Damian hug”

Rather than a physical gift, Cass planned the ultimate girls night with her recipient, including activities like paintball, street racing, and getting matching hair dye

For his recipient, Cullen got one real gift and one gag gift. The real gift is a vintage tank top with her favorite band’s logo. The gag gift is a potato with her face taped over

Like Duke, Steph had the issue of “what to get the richest guy in Gotham”. She got her inspiration at the library, where some kids were making macaroni necklaces at the craft table. Steph forced all the batkids to put on matching sweaters and smile for a photo. She then bought some craft supplies and painted a frame with everyone’s colors and decorated it with dried bowtie pasta and rhinestones like a kindergartener. It’s now his most cherished possession

(gift pairings are under the cut)

Who each batfam member was assigned to:

Dick: Carrie

Jason: Duke

Tim: Dick

Damian: Tim

Duke: Kate

Cullen: Stephanie

Stephanie: Bruce

Cassandra: Harper

Barbara: Alfred

Harper: Jason

Carrie: Damian

Kate: Cullen

Alfred: Cassandra

Bruce: Barbara

[injuries-in-dust]

Like our fleeting youth, summer is almost over.

[ggukcangetit]

Tomorrow: Jungkook x Reader

**

Pairing: Jungkook x reader

Genre: Fluff. Grad student au!; grad student! jungkook; grad student! reader; grad student! bts

Word count: 4.6k

Warnings: Suggestive language, mild kissing. Not much else really.

Summary: At the beginning of your third year of your PhD program, you didn’t expect many changes. Until the new PhD cohort started classes, and Jeon Jungkook became part of your group of friends.

A/N: i just wrote this randomly with zero plot in mind. idk what this ended up becoming but read it and lemme know if you like it? 

“Choi is a madwoman. I swear she makes me do so many lit reviews just to see me suffer.” Park Jimin, 2nd year PhD student, works part time at HopeWorld dance studio, and is currently regretting many of his life choices.

“I told you not to say yes to every single project that came your way.” Min Yoongi, 4th year PhD student, weekend DJ at Club Moonlight, recipient of the university’s most prestigious research grant, currently lives in a posh apartment four streets away from the main research lab.

“We’re older. Which means we have more experience. Which means we tend to be right more often.” Kim Seokjin, another 4th year PhD student, enrolled into the PhD program after realising that the completion of his MBA meant he would have to join the family business, amateur chef with professional sass, and sole reason behind Min Yoongi being able to afford living in a posh apartment four streets away from the main research lab.

“Not when you bet Tae he couldn’t finish grading Kang’s first year Intro class papers in 24 hours.” Jung Hoseok, 3rd year PhD student, simultaneously working on a second Master’s degree, also happens to run HopeWorld dance studio during his oodles of free time.

“Speaking of, weren’t you supposed to treat us if you lost the bet, Seokjin?” Kim Namjoon, 3rd year PhD student, plant dad, head of the graduate student council, and all-around overachiever.

“Tae was supposed to choose the place. Did you decide on which exorbitantly expensive restaurant Seokjin is going to take us to, Tae?” Y/L/N Y/N, 3rd year PhD student, roommates with Namjoon and Hoseok, addicted to bubble tea.

“I have a better plan. The incoming first year PhDs are supposed to have their orientation tomorrow. I think Seokjin should organise a mixer to welcome them.” Kim Taehyung, aforementioned ‘Tae’, 2nd year PhD student, works part time at the local art gallery, roommates with Park Jimin, deceptively fast at grading papers.

“I do not remember agreeing to that,” said Seokjin, with a frown, shutting his laptop with a definitive snap.

“Come on, it’s not like you can’t afford it,” Yoongi remarked, not having looked up from the large stack of papers in front of him. “If you can insist on paying 3/4ths of the ridiculously high rent of our apartment even though we could have moved into the perfectly reasonable priced place 20 minutes away from the lab, you can damn well afford to host a mixer for the incoming cohort.”

“20 minutes by car. It takes 45 minutes to walk there, Yoongi. Or do I need to remind you of the fact that only Y/N and Sooyoung own cars in our department?” scoffed Seokjin.

“Do I hear trouble in paradise? Have Yoongi and Seokjin finally had their first fight after years of marital bliss?” Lim Sooyoung, 4th year PhD student, part-time yoga instructor, full-time reluctant designated driver due to being the only other PhD student in the department with a car. 

“Hilarious,” grumbled Seokjin. “That joke is about as old as the milk carton at the bottom of Namjoon’s fridge.”

“That’s still there?” asked Hoseok, scandalised. “You told me you threw that out 4 months ago!”

“It’s a limited edition Blue Bean milk carton! I couldn’t throw it out, Hobi,” replied Namjoon, sheepishly. The use of Hoseok’s nickname meant that he had run out of logical arguments against throwing out the milk carton that had been purchased three months into their first year of doctoral studies. 

“Have you ever considered emptying out the contents and keeping just the carton?” you asked. This suggestion was met with the raising of an eyebrow and the throwing of an airpod by Namjoon. Unfortunately, this also meant that the airpod didn’t reach its intended target.

“Ow!” exclaimed Hoseok, rubbing the side of his face where the airpod had made contact. “This is why you’ve been through 33 pairs of airpods in the last year, Namjoon! You have dormant violent tendencies and terrible hand-eye coordination.”

“Now back to that mixer,” said Taehyung, turning towards Seokjin. “I’m thinking around 5 pm at the Underground should be good. What do you think?”

“Fine,” sighed Seokjin, reluctantly. “I’ll send a message on Slack. Who’s got the first years’ contact info?”

xxx

The next day, you found yourself struggling to find parking outside the Underground, despite it being 4.30 pm on a Tuesday. Namjoon and Hoseok were sitting at the back and discussing ways in which they could watch as many of the student films that were being shown over the weekend, while Taehyung sat shotgun and muttered to himself as he tried to destroy some kind of adversary on that godforsaken game that he always seemed to play. You whipped out your phone and started texting Sooyoung about whether she had found any parking.

SY: just parked… sending you the location… its behind the club

SY: is seokjin with you

Y/N: thanks!

Y/N: no i’ve got tae joon n hobi 

SY: ok… wonder how he’s getting here… yoongi’s with me… said seokjin left a while back

Y/N: idk… sure he found something… uber or lyft or whatever… don't worry he won't ditch lol 

Y/N: i found a spot damnnnnn. cya in a bit

SY: lol tae wouldn’t let him live if he ditched

SY: nice :D yoongi and i are in the purple section

The purple section was undoubtedly the best spot in the Underground, as you had discovered almost 2 years ago. Being new to the city, you had basically followed Joon and Hobi wherever they went to socialize or get food. It was around the end of your second month in the program that Seokjin planned a mid-semester gathering, refusing to eat at, in his words, “another cheap taco truck masquerading as kitschy Instagram bait”. That was your first encounter with the Underground as well as your first experience in the purple section. Simply put, it had the best sofas and chairs, an abundance of vintage arcade games, easy access to the bar and food counter, and a separate music setup. It also cost a lot more to sit at the purple section, but Seokjin had never been the type to scrimp when it came to anything. It had become a kind of tradition after that; every time someone had a birthday, Seokjin would reserve the purple section for the evening. Not having grown up surrounded by luxury and riches, it was sometimes difficult for you to understand how Seokjin never thought twice before spending money on things. Then again, you doubted you would’ve been this thoughtful even if you had this kind of money at your disposal. Seokjin might’ve been hard to read at times, but his heart was in the right place.

Speaking of, you spotted Seokjin standing next to a couple of people you didn’t recognise. Deciding that this was probably the best time to get introduced to the first years, you walked over to them with a smile.

“Just deposited Joon, Hobi, and Tae near the bar. I feel sorry for your tab today, Seokjin.”

Seokjin lifted one of his thick arched eyebrows at you and then burst into his signature windshield wiper laugh. “I’ll give them a free pass today. Afterall, it’s the beginning of a new academic year!”

“You’re planning on dumping all of Kang’s data analysis on them, aren’t you?” you asked, trying to suppress a grin.

“Ah, Y/N, you know me so well,” he grinned, his features lighting up mischievously. “By the way, here’s two thirds of the new cohort. Song Yeri and Jeon Jungkook.”

You glanced at the two unfamiliar people and smiled in greeting. Yeri was a petite girl with long black hair who quickly fell into conversation with you. Jungkook, on the other hand, gave you a soft nod and walked over to where Jimin was opening a couple of beers. 

“So is Professor Kang someone we should be worried about?” asked Yeri, not giving you much time to pay much attention to Jungkook. “I wouldn’t want to be unprepared.”

Seokjin laughed at her worried tone. “Straight off the bat, huh?” 

Yeri flushed slightly, tucking her hair behind her ear self-consciously. “Oh no- I mean, it just seemed like that from your conversation!”

“Don’t worry, Yeri,” you assured her. “Seokjin’s a fourth year - not much phases him. He’s doing his PhD under Kang so he has to do tons of data analysis for her projects. Which he sometimes dumps on people who have been bothering him.”

Yeri looked suitably concerned at this new piece of information. She glanced at Seokjin’s handsome profile and smiled uncertainly. You couldn’t help but giggle at her reaction. It really was difficult to get a grasp on everyone’s personalities just by their looks. Each and every guy in the department was strikingly handsome, and Sooyoung, the only other female besides you, looked like she had walked out of a fashion show. It would’ve been extremely intimidating if you hadn’t personally been a witness to how clumsy Namjoon was, how lame Seokjin’s puns were, how scared Yoongi and Hoseok were of anything remotely resembling an insect, how Tae hadn’t managed to cook a single meal without setting off the fire alarm or giving Jimin food poisoning, how Jimin often collided into objects because he was laughing too much, or how Sooyoung had gotten lost multiple times on her way to campus in spite of driving along the same road for more than 3 years. You were sure Yeri, and the other two first years, would definitely get over the initial nerves and intimidation surrounding their colleagues. In fact, if Jungkook’s animated conversation with Jimin was anything to go by, it seemed like he had gotten over that already.

“Come on, I’ll introduce you to the others.” You steered Yeri in Sooyoung and Yoongi’s direction.

xxx

“Thanksgiving next week! I cannot wait to get away from this blasted Ethics class!” 

You were currently in Seokjin and Yoongi’s shared posh apartment, trying to proof-read a paper before the conference deadline. On the couch next to you sat Seokjin and Namjoon, eyes blinking rapidly in tiredness, while Jimin sat across from you, his silver hair tied into a messy ponytail. 

The door to the apartment swung open at that moment as Jungkook walked in, armed with takeout from at least 4 different places.

“I come bearing sustenance,” he announced, as Jimin jumped up with surprising alacrity and rushed towards him. 

“Your Busan blood runs strong, my friend,” said Jimin, appreciatively, eyeing all the different containers on the table. “I knew I could count on you.”

“That makes zero sense, Jimin,” scoffed Sooyoung. She was buried deep inside Yoongi’s favorite bean bag, having taken it over since the owner was currently not at home. “But li’l Jeon has proven to be a valuable addition to our department.”

“Ugh! Don’t call him that! Li’l Jeon sounds like something else,” you said, scrunching your nose in distaste.

“I agree,” replied Jungkook, rolling up his sleeves as he began opening the containers carefully. “But i can assure you of one thing - there is nothing li’l about this Jeon. In any sense of the word.”

“I’ve lost my appetite,” you declared, throwing a particularly soft pillow over your face. 

Three months into the semester and Jungkook had become an integral part of your group of friends. It had turned out that Jungkook and Jimin knew each other very well, having gone to school together in Busan. It’s not as if you hadn’t become well acquainted with the other two first years - Yeri still consulted you whenever she needed advice on how to deal with grading or professors or classes in general; and Lauren, an international student from France, was very friendly and turned up at all the department hangouts. But Jungkook seemed like he had been part of your group forever - not someone who had met almost everyone for the first time about 3 months ago. As was customary with first year PhD students, they were required to complete a few mandatory courses before being allowed to customize their coursework around their individual research interests. So even though Jungkook had all the same classes with Yeri and Lauren, almost every moment outside of classes was spent with one of you.

“I can’t believe it’s already time for Thanksgiving,” said Jimin, popping an entire dumpling into his mouth. “-ime eeli plyz.”

“Chew your food, you barbarian,” scolded Seokjin, blowing on a particularly large piece of fried chicken before putting the entirety into his mouth. A couple of chews and a large swallow later, Seokjin was ready for a second piece.

“Speak for yourself,” remarked Sooyoung, holding onto her food protectively.

“I remember Yoongi telling us during our orientation,” Namjoon piped up, a can of beer in his hand. “‘In a PhD program, days are slow, but semesters are fast’. I thought he was high at that time, but I realise now that he’s a true genius.”

“I still don’t get why you’re such a Yoongi fanboy,” grumbled Seokjin, settling comfortably into the couch once again. “I’m just as wise, and definitely a lot funnier.”

“Don’t forget about being a drama queen,” said Sooyoung, nudging Seokjin’s knee with her toes. “You’ve got that one over Yoongi as well.”

“Four years and you're still as ungrateful,” sighed Seokjin, looking uncharacteristically cheerful at the teasing. 

“At least I’m consistent,” shrugged Sooyoung. “Gimme some of your kimchi.”

“Consistency is only useful across data samples,” remarked Seokjin, picking up a small amount of kimchi with his chopsticks and feeding Sooyoung. “Not sure how desirable it is in human relationships. Life would be unbearably dull in that case.” 

“They’ve been dancing around each other for as long as I’ve known them. Why can’t they just get together and stop their incessant flirting in front of the rest of us,” you muttered darkly, vigorously pouring chili oil over your ramen. You, Namjoon, and Jungkook were still getting your food from the kitchen, while Jimin had gone ahead and joined the incessantly flirting pair in the living room.

“Y/N is always so bitter about anything to do with romance,” chuckled Namjoon. “Jungkook, do you know how annoyed she was when Hobi started dating last year?”

“No, I don’t think I’ve had the pleasure of hearing that story.” Jungkook glanced at you cheekily, while popping open a can of beer.

“She didn’t speak to him for an entire week. Which was particularly inconvenient because the three of us had just started living in the same apartment, and we were all assigned to assist Choi on her year-end department survey. Poor Hobi thought he might have to find a new place to live.” 

“I’m sorry? Were you the one who came back home after extended office hours to find your friend butt-naked and balls-deep inside the barista who works across the street from our lab? I couldn’t get coffee from there for a month because I couldn’t look Sujin in the eye without immediately imagining Hobi in his natural drawers.”

Jungkook, who had chosen this exact moment to take a sip of beer, spat out the amber liquid on an unsuspecting Namjoon. 

“That’s what you get for deriving pleasure from other people’s misfortunes,” you remarked, smugly.

xxx

It was around 11.30 in the morning, when you heard a loud knocking on your apartment door. Classes had broken for Thanksgiving yesterday, which meant that today was your day to catch up on all the sleep you had missed over the last three months. But instead, you had been woken up much ahead of your intended 16 hours of sleep schedule. 

“You look awful.”

Jungkook walked into the apartment, looking far too fresh and sprightly for your liking. He was wearing that godforsaken plaid shirt that hung loosely off his body, but would highlight his rather well-defined muscles every time he happened to move in a particular way. You absolutely hated what a tease his shirt was. Fortunately for you, he wasn’t wearing the skin tight black jeans which always looked like they were about to burst at the seams, thanks to Jungkook’s equally well-defined thighs. 

“It’s not even noon. Why can’t you call before showing up? Where are your manners, Jeon?” you grumbled, checking to see if your pajamas had any glaring holes in them.

“I need help with the data analysis,” he mumbled sheepishly. “Professor Lee gave me a really tough dataset because I breezed through the first two assignments.”

“Still don’t see why you came over without any notice at this ungodly hour,” you continued, tapping your foot impatiently.

“I also got jjajangmyeon, kimbap, and bubble tea from Kimchi Palace.”

“What kind of bubble tea?” you asked, pushing yourself off the doorframe.

“Strawberry milk tea, half sugar, light ice, with extra strawberry jelly, and no boba.”

“I suppose it isn’t that early.”

A few minutes later, you were explaining principal component analysis to Jungkook, while eating jjajangmyeon and sipping bubble tea. The kimbap was put into the fridge for later, in case Namjoon or Hoseok wanted to have some when they got home at night. 

Jungkook was very intelligent; he picked up new concepts quite easily and was one hundred percent committed to whatever he worked on. He also had a refreshing sense of humor, where he didn’t always crack jokes or stay in the limelight, but his occasional quips were enough to send everyone into fits of laughter. He got along extremely well with each of them. He and Taehyung often walked around the city taking obscure, artsy photographs. Seokjin had basically adopted Jungkook as a younger brother due to his video gaming abilities. Namjoon was glad to finally have someone who enjoyed going on nature hikes with him, while Hoseok had been hugely impressed at Jungkook’s dancing and promptly asked him to help out at his studio. Jimin already knew Jungkook quite well, and Yoongi was more than happy to teach someone else the intricacies of cooking different kinds of meat. Even Sooyoung, who usually remained closed off from new people, had allowed Jungkook to use her car whenever someone needed to be picked up but she was too exhausted to drive. 

“I’m sorry I came by so early. I know you’ve been looking forward to catching up on sleep over the break,” he said softly, looking up from his laptop. That was the other thing that had struck you about Jungkook, he was very perceptive and sensitive to people around him. A rare quality which you appreciated far more than you let on.

“It’s fine. You saved me from having to cook lunch. That itself deserves many prizes from my end. You know how I hate cooking,” you shrugged.

“Speaking of, I’m making dinner for me and Tae tonight. Jimin’s visiting his brother, so it's just the two of us. And since I’d rather not get food poisoning, I’m putting Yoongi’s lamb chop recipe to good use,” he grinned boyishly. “You should come over if you don’t have anything else planned. It’ll save you from cooking another meal.”

“I might take you up on that offer. Let me check if either Joon or Hobi are having dinner at home, otherwise I’ll definitely be there.”

xxx

Taehyung and Jimin (and now Jungkook) lived about 10 minutes away from your place. It was a much larger apartment, so three people were more than comfortable there. Jungkook was staying there until he found another place to stay, but judging by how happy Jimin and Taehyung were with him around, he would probably end up staying with them permanently.

“I found parking at your building for the first time today,” you remarked, dropping your bag on the nearest couch. 

“Half the people are visiting family over the weekend. You won’t be so lucky next time.” Taehyung walked over lazily, his thick black hair falling messily over his eyes. He was dressed in his favorite Celine t-shirt and a pair of the loosest pants you had seen till date.

“The perm’s still looking good, Tae,” you grinned at him, taking the soda from his hand. 

“I’m planning on getting it done again once it wears off,” he said happily, settling into the couch. “Catch up on your sleep? Or did Gguk ruin your Thanksgiving plans as well?”

“‘As well’?” you asked, trying to suppress a grin.

“Taking advantage of the nearly empty laundry room and washing all the sheets does not count as ‘ruining’ anyone’s Thanksgiving plans!” yelled Jungkook from inside the kitchen.

“He woke me up at 7 am and stripped the sheets off my bed, emptied all our laundry bags, and locked me out of my room so that I wouldn’t dirty the bare mattress with my grubby clothes.” Taehyung’s grumbling was always extremely funny because he would end up pouting by the end of his rant and no one would take him seriously after that.

“Okay, the bread is in the oven and should be ready in about 15. Lamb chops are almost done as well. We’ll be dining in no time,” said Jungkook, flopping onto the couch beside you.

“That gives me enough time to answer the emails Choi sent me this morning. Jimin was right, she’s a madwoman. Doesn’t understand what ‘a break’ is , apparently,” sighed Taehyung, getting up and walking towards his room. “Lemme know when the food is ready.”

3 years ago, if anyone had told you that you would be more than halfway through your PhD having become close friends with seven of the most handsome guys on campus (or even in the country), you would’ve laughed at them and then silently questioned their sanity. But now, you couldn’t imagine life without them. Even Jungkook, you realised, glancing at the boy next to you. He had also become an extremely important part of your life. He didn’t say much, but his actions made things abundantly clear. He was extremely caring and thoughtful, even if he didn’t always have the right words to express himself. 

“What’re you thinking?” he asked, looking at you sleepily.

“That this soda is almost lukewarm.”

“Don’t lie.”

“I’m not.”

Suddenly, you felt a rough set of fingers poking your ribcage. Slowly, but surely, you were squirming in place as you struggled to not spill your soda while Jungkook continued tickling you mercilessly. 

“I know your weakness, remember?” he managed to say between giggles, his voice turning high-pitched as it usually did when he laughed too hard. 

“Gguk stop! The soda! It’ll spill on the carpet!” you gasped, trying to keep your hand steady.

“Oh shit! Sorry. Yeah, Jimin would freak out if he saw a stain on this carpet.” Jungkook let you go so that you could place the soda can on the nearest table. But as soon as you had freed your hands, you jumped on him and pinned him on the couch.

“I also know your weakness, Gguk,” you grinned, deviously, before tickling him with all your might. 

Needless to say, a scenario with two people in their mid-twenties behaving like 4 year olds, was bound to have certain consequences. In this case, it ended with both you and Jungkook falling off the couch, your faces mere inches away from each other. 

This wasn’t the first time you had been struck by how handsome Jungkook was. In fact, you had noticed the exact number of moles on his face and neck, having stopped yourself from reaching out and touching the one under his lower lip on more than one occasion. His large doe eyes also held a certain innocence and wonder in them, even though he was an extremely bright and capable PhD student with a lot of varied knowledge bases. Not just that, his impressive physique had caught you off guard many times. Particularly because it contrasted so heavily with his boyish face.

None of that mattered at this moment, as you could feel his breath on your face. He was so close… If you reached up a little bit, you would be-

“The oven timer’s been beeping for the last 10 minutes. But you both are too busy eye-fucking each other to notice.”

Taehyung’s deep voice caused you both to spring apart from each other, mortification heating up your face and neck. Jungkook’s ears, you noticed, had turned a very beautiful shade of red as well.

Dinner wasn’t as awkward as you expected because Yoongi dropped by a few minutes after your ‘eye-fucking’ session, extremely hungry and annoyed at Seokjin - who had decided to use this night to slow cook some pork.

“Gguk, this is really good,” said Yoongi, once all of you had finished eating. “Didn’t think you’d be able to get it right on the first go! Y/N, what’d you think? You’ve been awfully quiet the whole time.”

You nodded your head in response, keenly aware of Taehyung’s intense gaze that followed your every move. “It was really good, Gguk. Thanks for a lovely meal.”

“Do you need a ride home, Yoongi?” you asked, once all the dishes had been cleared away. “I’ve got my car.”

“Life-saver. I need to pick up a tin of coffee from the convenience store. I’ll meet you at the parking lot in 10?” said Yoongi slipping on his jacket.

“Wait, I’ll go with you. I need to buy some soda,” said Taehyung, springing up suddenly. Not bothering to change out of his slippers, he rushed out after Yoongi, but not before glancing quickly between you and Jungkook and sending you a rather outrageous wink.

“That was… weird,” you remarked, relieved to see that Jungkook had missed your exchange with Taehyung. “Anyway, thanks again for a great meal. You’re a really good cook, Gguk.”

“Thanks,” he said, not really looking up from his phone. He had also been rather silent throughout the meal.

“I’m heading out then. See you later, Gguk.” You picked up your bag and proceeded to open the door.

“Y/N?”

“Yeah?” You turned around to find Jungkook standing rather close to you. You could see the mole below his lower lip quite clearly from here.

“You never told me what you were thinking about.” His voice was a lot more husky than usual, and you gulped as you realised you had no clue what to say to him.

“I-”

Before you could finish your half-formed sentence, Jungkook’s lips were on yours, kissing you slowly. After being frozen for a second or two, your hands made their way into his soft brown curls, relishing in the feeling of having him so close to you. You realised that you had been wanting to do this for a while now. Maybe even since the first day of classes, when he had offered you his cup of coffee after the machine in the department had stopped working. 

“Never mind,” he said, breaking the kiss with a soft ‘chu’. “You can tell me another time. Yoongi’s probably waiting at the parking lot.”

“And Tae might come back any minute now,” you said, your voice barely above a whisper. 

“I’ll see you tomorrow,” he said, a soft smile on his face. 

“Tomorrow?” It seemed like your brain had short circuited. 

“Yeah.” He dipped down and placed another chaste kiss on your mouth, before displaying his adorable bunny smile. “But even that seems too far away right now.”

You were really grateful that you managed to get both yourself and Yoongi home without crashing the car that night. Once you got home, you checked your phone and found two messages - a text from Jungkook checking if you had reached home safe, and another one from Taehyung.

T: the couch is off limits. don’t even think about it...

xxx

please do not repost anywhere. reblog if you enjoyed the story!

[eyesaremosaics]

“When I look at you, oh, I don’t know what’s real.”

These lyrics echo softly around the room. Dark, enveloping as these times may be, our love for each other just grows stronger. I feel very grateful that I finally found my person. How good it feels to finally be wanted by someone I feel equally as strong for. A rare anomaly.

It hasn’t been easy though. Falling in this kind of love at this point in time. It’s almost as if the universe said: “—well... you got a lot of shit coming, so here, we will throw you this bone but that’s all you get.”

We sit and build gundams together, play Pokémon, magic the gathering, watch adult swim cartoons all day everyday, we both sleep with our favorite stuffed animals, and they sit right on our bed. Our apartment is coming along beautifully. We co-created the space effortlessly. I am so stoked to have a kitchen I can cook in. I’m always cooking or baking something.

My GI issues have gotten better (thankfully) it was truly awful not being able to eat anything. I’ve got my diet down to a science now. I will be sharing recipies periodically for those who are interested. Finally able to start my Etsy store selling vintage. Beautiful Art Deco apartment, room full of plants... we just decorated our Christmas tree last week. Had two people over, it was nice to visit with friends and cook dinner for my guests. I feel so comfortable and at ease here.

My new web series is going to start filming soon. There is a fundraiser on the 21st. I will post links soon as I have them. Got a tripod and light ring for my phone so I can start making more behind the scenes videos for my IG. Need to be proactive. Did make appointments with all my different doctors though. Haven’t worked the last few weeks because the family I work for hot covid. Luckily I had no contact with them, and at first it was nice having time off, but now I’m a little bored I guess. I think I needed this time off though. The universe gave me what I desperately needed. I was really burnt out from working so many hours. Having my entire industry disappear over night... it’s been a hard year for everyone, actors are no exception. Though I have been fortunate to have ongoing projects. I had three acting gigs in 2020, which is more than any of my colleagues... I should be counting my blessings.

2019 was hard. Losing one of my oldest and dearest friends, then watching his mom almost die of a heart attack right in front of me and all Michael’s friends on thanksgiving. Yeah. Traumatic. But nothing could have prepared me for 2020. Between losing my career, meeting the love of my life and then watching their mental health deteriorate from stress. His dad almost dying, my step fathers suicide, covid, isolation from all friends and family, being overworked with virtually no life of my own. Yury getting jumped, rushing him to the ER with his head split open in two different places. No luck finding a place because of our credit. Being diagnosed with GERD, unable to eat anything without being in excruciating pain. Had to give up alcohol and drugs completely, along with coffee, chocolate, gluten, garlic, tomato, onion and anything fried. I lived off lentil soup for six months. Constant panic attacks, being doubled over in pain, clutching my stomach crying constantly. My throat burned from stomach acid. Horrible side effects from the drugs I had to take to keep my acid levels low. Dizzy, heart palpitations, fainting. Panic disorder triggered by reflux. Unable to eat, lost 15 lbs because of this—not in a healthy way. Had to go in for endoscopy, had a biopsy taken of the pollups in my stomach. Luckily no cancer. Have to go to the gynecologist to get checked, dr. Thinks I may not be able to have children, freaking out about that. We’ll see tomorrow... feeling very nervous. My eye sight has gotten significantly worse. I may need surgery for detached retinas. Freaking out about that too. Sigh.

Let’s pull back. I am grateful that I am still being paid even though out of work due to covid, grateful for the sweet, handsome, wonderful man in my life. Every day I thank the universe for him. My family is all healthy and okay. My friends too. I have an ongoing acting project. I just bought a new camera, going to start my YouTube channel. Open my Etsy store. I am grateful for this time off for self reflection and self care. I really needed it.

That’s plenty for now. This was just one long run on sentence, but I felt the need to purge all these thoughts swirling inside my head. Also wanted to explain what had been occupying me the last few months, and why my presence on tumblr has dwindled. I’m still here for you guys though. I promise to get back in the saddle with new and interesting material for you to peruse. Just been a lot.

[iguessishouldbethankful]

what do you think the sf team does in their free time? like... when they have a "day off" and get to relax? ♥️🐦

You ask me this and you don’t specify which generation of the team. SMH. Lmao I know you meant the current main one but I feel the need to kinda explore a little with all three gens? Let’s see how this goes.

Star Fox 1st Generation: (of note, it’s interesting how all of them but Pigma had established families)

James McCloud - Smoker, suave, not as energetic as his wigmate, Peppy. And yet, he had enough in him to keep following his friend around. But honestly, James interested were more quiet and work oriented. A workaholic. Mind always on the team and the responsibilities he took on. Almost a complete perfectionist with a calming nature. His hobbies outside of work were few, and most were made with spending time with Peppy, Beltino, Pigma, the Greys and their families. Forming a taste for alcoholic beverages with Peppy, and appreciating the retro military look of space ships with Pigma, and the techno babbles of Beltino. Honestly, it still surprises him that he was able to find a wonderful wife in the end considering how work oriented he was, and focused. Vixy was possibly the only thing that kept him focused outside of work the most until she passed away. Then it was just Fox. And their times together were mostly focused on military history, documentaries, a continuous path of learning and studying. It was fulfilling and relaxing for James.

Peppy Hare - A much younger Peppy would be a spry little thing. More in shape, physically stronger and beaming to high heavens. And of course, a young husband and father like James. For his free time, besides catching up with the Toads and the Greys, Peppy would usually just spend time with Vivian and little Lucy. Before them, he was mostly into bar hopping with James around Corneria’s capital. Dancing with the single ladies and flirting. He was much better at it than James, honestly. He’s also a really good dancer. But once he tied the knot with Vivian and had Lucy, his world became just the two of them outside of work. He’d take them to picnics and spoil both with flowers and stories and nothing but his time to give to them. He’d even read his newspaper out loud so Lucy would know what the subjects were. She loved the voices he’d make. His family was everything…

Pigma Dengar - First time I’m thinking about this fool before he went to the dark side. And honestly, I can easily see him being more relaxed on his own. In the hangar after a hard day’s work upgrading Arwings with Beltino’s help. A good pack of cigarettes, a deck of cards, a handful of dice or maybe online gaming to keep his mind off things. Hell, I still see him being the kind of guy that would sit down with the kids and show them how to gamble honestly. Fox, Lucy, Slippy and Bill… And both Bill and Lucy remember the nasty little betting tricks too. Pigma was very much into gambling and taking bets on his off time too. He would get a lot of money, lose a lot of it, but in the early stages, it calmed him. Working on older models of ships helped him too. It’s rather unfortunate that this is where Lucy got some of her fascination for old model space ships, because of the magazines and books Pigma would let her look at. Modding was a big part of his younger life and he enjoyed that before joining the team. It… went away when things got worse.

Beltino Toad - I headcanon that, even if Beltino wasn’t part of the team, he was still a very important external force that helped out a lot. Especially with Pigma. So I will count him into my headcanon piece. He’s into making little machine toys. Like making little machine creatures and devices. To him, it keeps his mind sharp and there is always a new project on his table to go home to that isn’t an all consuming one. In fact, it’s one he could share with Slippy when he was old enough to walk. It helped with the two of them bonding and getting into other geeky stuff. Hell, Beltino was the type of father that would get into anything Slippy wanted to get into, so after that, he was a goner. Trading card games to video games, even modding them on the computer and making his own became his hobby as much as Slippy’s. In a way, spending time with his family was his way to relax.

Star Fox 2nd Generation:

Fox McCloud - I see Fox as being rather similar to his father in many ways. At first, he didn’t have as many hobbies that were formed on his own. Most of them were things he got into with his friends, Slippy, Bill and Lucy. With Slippy, he actually tried watching some of the cartoons but instead he was into more live action fighters (similar to Power Rangers). And with Lucy, he got into model kits of space ships. He has a few still. Whereas with Bill, he got into sports like baseball and handball. Hell, all four of them were into playing against each other in any game. But once his father died, Fox became more sullen and quiet. His interests were more work focused with the occasional gaming with Slippy. His shell started to break after the war however. So gaming is something he’s into now, as well as reckless space racing which, much to Peppy’s dismay, is something he got into with Falco. And meditation. That he learned with Krystal.

Falco Lombardi - This bird has no chill. Joking, he does. Falco’s free time is dictated by what he feels like doing. Besides trying to not be the worst gamer in the team–and that doesn’t exactly relax him at all but he keeps doing it. But what he does enjoy is watching cartoons with Slippy. Funny enough, they both have an unofficial established bond over ‘anime’ series such as Dino Ball Z and Sailor Papetoon. Something about the sailors legs, man… Ahem. But out of everything, Falco is into anything that will give him a sudden rush. Flying for any reason, races, pushing his own limits in the cockpit. And outside of his Arwing, well… Falco is reckless due to him wanting that rush continuously. From bar fights to even amusement park rides. Not the best of hobbies, to want to feel the danger behind his actions, but it’s something he became addicted to in a way. Staying cooped up somewhere will only make him more aggressive due to ‘my thoughts won’t stop, I need to drown them’ so he needs to keep moving.

Peppy Hare - In comparison to his younger self, a much older Peppy is much more sullen. Quiet, always looking after the younger team. His free time is usually dictated by what he needs to show them–trying to find the patience to guide them when anything sparks off. But when things are quiet, he finds himself mostly contacting old friends such as Beltino and Pepper, especially after Vivian passed away. Sometimes he’d contact Lucy, ask her how the cadets are doing, how she is doing. However such things aren’t as often as him sitting down with either Fox or Falco to chat with them. And even then, strangely, he seems to bond a little more with Falco at times, taking the time to pry open the avian. Why? Just a hunch. They have quite a bit in common without either of them knowing. He’s also very much fond of tea. Don’t bitch at him about his leaf water, leave him be!!

Slippy Toad - Listen here. Slippy is a bucket of hobbies. When he’s not working on machinery, making new inventions for his team, guess what he’s doing? This guy is making games on his computer for fun, testing them with Falco on the side (because he knows the difficulty curve Falco secretly needs to get shit done in a game, and if Falco is able to complete a task, the games is way too easy). When not making or playing games, he is having forum/server discussions with some of his online friends about cartoons and shows he’s into. He will actually share this with Falco a lot if it’s something the avian is into as well. He will also get into online trading card games and goes into bidding wars over certain real cards that are mega vintage. He also has a toy figure collection he keeps around in his dorm on the Great Fox (most of them are at home with his dad though). He’s also into music. All of the music that slaps in the Great Fox? That’s all Slippy. Bless him. Lastly, one more thing. He owns a ukelele. He knows how to play it. That is actually the mostly relaxing thing he can do for himself when he does feel absolutely anxious. Just sit somewhere quiet, away from everyone and string away.

Krystal - She’s a bit more simple in comparison. Used to living on her own in the wilderness, most of her free time consists of returning to Sauria to help restore the planet as much as she can. Empathy work is also something she truly enjoys doing when the recipient permits her to do so. So far, Fox and Slippy permitted her to work on some of their mental wounds. And yes, taught Fox how to meditate and relax in the silence as she found out Fox was never comfortable being alone. Out of the entire team, she’s possibly the one that’s most comfortable being herself.

Star Fox 3rd Generation:

Marcus McCloud - Unlike his father and his grandfather, Marcus is actually much more active when it comes to fun. A bit of a sports jock when in school and the Academy, he very much enjoys exercise to keep himself in shape and to keep his mind off things that can get under his skin. He enjoys gaming as well, but nothing compares to Skipper and Abby. Still better than Falco though, lmao.

Abigail Hare - Possibly the edgiest out of the team. She’s into reading books because of her mother, Lucy, and most of them are dark and spooky. Why? No dad, it’s not a phase. She also enjoys cartoons and is into retro space ships like Lucy (and got to drag her father into it as well). Now, the one thing her and her little brother, Valentino Hare, share in hobbies is that they both are actual super into healthy foods. This is mostly due to the shared rabbit disease passed down by mothers in Vivian’s bloodline. After Lucy passed away, Falco helped his kids to get into a much better diet and it became a shared thing between all three.

Skipper Toad - The oldest of the Toad siblings. He had to fight his way to stay relevant and boy, he’s merciless when it comes to his energy. Non stop, naturally caffeinated young man. From video games to schematics for lunch, to learning how to hack into different systems and databases to get information in a more proactive manner, he’s pretty much into many things that keeps him busy all the time.

Falco Lombardi - Like Peppy, he’s much older now, mellowed out, widower and a father of two. Abigail is his oldest, Valentino is his youngest (and that one stays on Corneria under the watchful eye of General Peppy). Ever since Lucy passed on, he’s been much more attached to his kids than ever, constantly checking on Valentino while with the team, and making sure the new team is able to stand on it’s own two feet. He finds it amusing how he’s the ‘gramps’ now, even though he still gets guidance from Peppy along the way. Sometimes Fox as well, but most of their conversations are just casual updates on how the new generation is doing. Honestly, he’s still kind of reckless, mostly to keep Marcus on his toes and to teach Abigail how to fly much better than what the Academy taught her. Honestly, the new team itself is his free time. He’d trade his place in there for nothing in the universe.

[watery-lane]

Untitled

Pairing: Modern!Ivar Lothbrok x Reader

Summary: We never grew up, did we?

Warnings: Angst, bad characterization, Ivar has a bigger heart than he should. Cliché?

Words: less than 1K

A/N: Just a little drabble I wrote sleep deprived to let y’all know I’m still alive and that it’ll take a little bit more than sadness and overall dread towards existence for my brain to ruin my life.

Also, I’m writing this on my phone so I don’t have the taglist here, will tag you guys when I get a hold of my laptop

“Hold on,” The voices of your friends resonated against the two walls and half ceiling of the cinema entrance as soon as you opened the door, the whistle of the wind sounding like a melody compared to the orchestra of words in front of you. “so basically you’re saying you would bone a clown.”

“If you put it that way—” a girl hugging herself as she rocked her body back and forth on the spot, rolling her eyes as she protested.

“A demon clown.”

“N—”

“A demon clown that is also a spider.”

“Remind me to not beg for you guys to pick me up after work anymore.” You teased, making them turn their heads to look at you as you reached where they were standing.

“Ah c’mon,” your best friend approached your covered from head-to-toe frame and wrapped one of her arms around you. “Don’t you say you don’t need emotional support after dealing with pre-teens and watching horror films on repeat.”

“I’m more concerned about your cousin’s weird fetishes!” Your roommate shouted, making you turn around to look at your favourite family member who protested and tried to make clear that she was not, in fact, crushing on a clown.

Truth be told, you were not paying much attention to the shenanigans of your girl gang as you kept walking.

You were indeed thinking about clowns, just not the scary or cheerful types.

The Lothbroks were surely a special kind of breed. You were pretty sure they had a cinema room in their penthouse and possibly thousands of films in their streaming services and vintage VHS. Yet they chose to barge into the cinema howling like wolves as your shift started, women stitched to their sides and careless grins on their faces asking for tickets for an old film replay.

It still got you everytime you thought about it and it didn’t help the fact that you had that scene on repeat in your brain: how Hvitserk approached the booth you were comfortably, a polite grin parting his lips as he indicated with his fingers how many tickets they wanted for the night. The tone, warm and restrained, left an odd aftertaste in your mouth as you heard him say your name with the ease of a brush stroke and the unfamiliarity of a burning fire in a bell glass. It was as if you were never strangers, yet you didn’t know enough of each other to call yourselves acquaintances. But it wasn’t that what got you.

It was the hard glance turning soft as you laid your eyes on Ivar, like fire meeting wax. The slight hand wave as he passed the booth the last one, lips perking up as if he was actually happy to see you after all these years.

And after all these years, you felt it again. The invasive feeling of your throat tightening up as your cheeks flushed red and your tummy got dizzy. The unexpectancy itched on your eyes wide open, as you processed little by little what you just experienced.

You were not supposed to feel like this. At least not after all this time, specially after how he treated you and how he left for years after secondary school ended.

See, you were just a kid. You didn’t understand the importance of personality or morality. You simply saw a kid that looked cute, way too busy fighting with his brothers, way too grumpy to deal with anyone else. Yet, you felt like you could understand him. Like you could share yourself with him. And it didn’t take long for the rest of that fancy school to know how you felt about Ivar Lothbrok, the most exhausting kid among his brothers. Soon enough your name was released from every single mouth maliciously, how a clumsy, grant funded plain Jane pinned after the “leftover” Ragnarsson. Even within the Lothbrok clan, you were just a lost child who crushed on one of them. It was not the best time of your life, Ivar Lothbrok himself made sure it wasn’t.

“So I’ve decided to buy the Ouija board and invoke those spirits because my roommate seems to not give a damn about what I say so I might aswell get new flatmates.” You zoomed out, eyes looking forward as you got closer to home. It felt like your feet tingled at the touch of the cold hard pavement, snow crunching under your soles.

“That’s amazing baby.” You mumbled with an absent smile, eyes travelling to the ground as your bundle of old feelings absorbed you into the void again, as if you were passing your fingers over an ugly scar that was starting to reopen. Your roommate sighed.

“Alright, Imma speed up and let you think about your own things. I think there are some hot dog leftovers. In case you want to have them, I’m just telling you that I’m eating them beforehand.” She trembled as she sped up, looking back at you to flash you a cheeky smile under the scarf as you waved goodbye at her with an apologetic look on your face. You did need your me time, though. You didn’t blame her. You still had ten minutes to get home and she wasn’t as heavily dressed as you were.

You gave yourself some time to stop and contemplate how snowflakes fell down to earth swiftly, the light from the closest lamp post making it look like diamonds sparkling in the dark. It made you wonder, whether you were a tiny snowflake too. How you were simply a drop of water at first, slow and steady or fast and destructive, pace marked by your surroundings, always at the same rhythm as the rest. Flowing like a river. Until you started to rise little by little, queen of the clouds as you worked on your arts degree and everything else seemed to be irrelevant enough to be looked down on. It wasn’t until real life came knocking on your palace doors when you found yourself colliding with everything else, hardening as reality rocked you with coldness and wind.

The sight of the youngest Ragnarsson seemed to be a sign that tonight, it was your time to fall down back to earth again.

“Hey!” You heard a faint voice behind you, making you speed up a little bit in fear. “Hey!” It reached your ears again, your breath hitching on your throat as you moved faster, this time holding your handbag tightly. “Penguin!” Your feet stopped responding, stomach way too full of butterflies to command your core to move. You didn’t want to turn around. You couldn’t. “Oh thank the gods, it would have taken me ages to get to you with these crutches and the icy floor.” You heard Ivar speaking to you, not striking any nerve that could make you turn around.

You probably should say something. You probably shouldn’t have stopped, it would have been easier.

“Are you following me?” You responded harshly, finally turning around to find the recipient of your first infatuation. He stopped, just like your breath did the moment you laid your eyes on him.

He was taller, stronger. You saw his hair grew long enough to cover part of his neck, some strands brushing his cheeks as the rest remained high in a bun. And he was walking towards you, making you feel small, weak again. His features were hardened like the bark after years and years thriving in the harsh environment, strong enough to endure anything life put him through. Ivar seemed to have grown a lot. You just hoped he matured enough to let you be.

“If you call ‘dragging my crippled self through the icy snow’ following then yes, I am following you.” He showed you his whitened teeth with a cheeky smile as he approached you.

You pursed your lips, taking a step back as you avoided his eyes. The weather may be cold in Scandinavia, but his eyes were always colder. Ivar sensed your tension, a sour taste filling his mouth as he watched you slipping away slightly.

“Oh.” You mouthed. “That’s cool.” You wanted to punch yourself. ‘That’s cool?’ What the hell was that?

“C’mon penguin, I haven’t seen you in years, how have y—”

“Stop.” You interrupted, raising your hand as you closed you eyes. Ivar stared at you with his head tilted to a side, confusion itched in his brows. “Stop calling me penguin. We’re not kids anymore. It’s not funny. It never was.” You knew you were a disaster of a child, way too clumsy to even walk through the cafeteria without dropping your lunch or bumping into someone else, voice way too harsh and way too loud for someone your age. Just like a penguin.

“Sorry, I thought—”

“Why are you here?” You asked, feeling how your chest tightened as your heart started to beat way too fast for your liking.

“I... I saw you working at the cinema and,” Ivar hesitated, taken aback by your sudden outburst. “I was just wondering how were you doing.” He shook his head.

“I’m... fine.” Your words were soft, reserved. “Thanks for asking.” He nodded.

“Mind if I... huh...” His broad hand slipped into his nape, gloves brushing against his hair and scarf as he scratched. “walk you home?” Your forehead wrinkled as hesitation washed over you, your insides feeling way too tender for him to come back and mess up with your feelings again. Because you knew, you knew that he always knew. That is why he took his time to tease you, that is why you were an easy target for his childish manners. Yet you swallowed your lump, head moving up and down as you retook your steps. Maybe this time he sees how you have got over him. Next to you, Ivar followed, pressing his lips together as he cautiously saved his smile for himself.

The walk was silent, the eyes of the boy with the cheeky smile and hardened glance discreetly watching you as you let your mind wander, the direction of your thoughts driving towards the past this time.

You liked him a lot, way too much at that time. From the way he attentively observed his surroundings to the little signs that showed how smart he truly was, never letting the world swallow his little frame when everybody told him he was not enough.

By the gods, you wanted to cry, the inner corner of your eyes feeling the pressure build as you suppressed your tears. You knew it wasn’t up to him just like it was not up to you, but you wished he felt the same for you. And now you’re ten years older, hoping for the past to hurt you a little bit less, so you could be a proper person to the man who was walking you home.

“Why are you doing this?” You asked with a flat tone, softer than the touch of the snowflakes on your numb skin.

“Doing what?” Ivar asked, eyes contorting as he saw your delicate state. His ribcage seemed to clench at the sight of your lip tremble, eyes crystalized as you refused to lay your eyes on him.

“We were never friends, weren’t we?” You dared to ask, cold tone making Ivar shiver under his thick goose feather coat. “Why did you come after me? Your brothers seem to have left.”

“Well... I did have fun with you.”

“You mean you did made fun of me.”

“Penguin...”

“We’re here.” You cut him off, not sure if you ever wanted to hear his response, thankful that you could now run away and hide in your nest. You two were grown adults now, giving you the reassurance that he would never ever make you feel humiliated again. You were now able to talk back with no consequences. “Thanks. For... walking with me.” You mumbled, letting your eyes wander all over his face one last time, your dilated pupils capturing his parted lips and helpless glance for a brief moment.

“It’s— no problem.” He managed to say, the sound of the door cutting his words short as he took a step back.

Just like in his teenage years, he never figured out how to show people how much they meant to him. After all, his dad never appreciated his vulnerability and the only woman he ever told he loved her laid delicately five feet underground, leaving her four children drifting away from their family legacy.

Guess he never grew up, didn’t he?

[talltalesandbedtimestories]

A View To A Winchester (Part 7)

Series Page

Summary: Julie’s starting a new life after divorce in a home with a very nice view.

A Dean X OFC story. I got this idea staring out the view of my home office window and thinking how nice it would be to have Dean Winchester to ogle. Gotten pretty cute and fluffy, with some angst. I’m a few sections ahead now in my writing so the outline of the story is taking shape and smut is on the near horizon. This has been a fun escape during stay-at-home orders. Getting to know Dean through my heroine’s eyes has been a great writing exercise and therapeutic reduction in anxiety. There should be studies done on what staring at photos and video of Dean/Jensen does to the human body. (But the SPN fandom has probably done one already; if not, it could be the next big scientific breakthrough.)

Section Word Count:  3,385

Section Content: fluff, angst, R-rated language, drinking, Spice Girls references, Dean being Dean and turning ladies to puddles

Thank you to @deanwanddamons​ for reading some of the story so far. Appreciate it.

~~~~~

Dean had not returned the next day. But Julie was apparently on his mind. He’d texted her that morning with an update. Another job had dropped into his lap. One too good to pass up. He wasn’t sure how long he’d be gone. But he was looking forward to seeing her when he got back.

That was on a Monday. She filled that day with decisions about what to make for her “girl power get together” scheduled for the end of the week. There was also the necessary recuperation from overdoing it with the wine. She hadn’t been that hungover in a while. Bingeing on caffeine and “The Office” helped.

By Tuesday, she’d become ancy. Staying home was not going to work. If her mind was going to run around in circles, there would need to be something else to occupy it. Rifling through options landed on a trip to a nearby state park. She’d decided on one with a bit of a challenging hike. Composed of winding hills and trails near the Brandywine River, the nature reserve filled her senses, balancing the whirlwind of emotions. She spent close to an hour sitting beside the riverbed. A turbulent spot chosen where the white water rushed over boulders and splashed into a slight descent. The river’s frantic pace cancelled out the chirping of busy birds. A gauge nearby displayed a healthy amount of rain had occurred over the past few weeks.  

Even the intrusion into her personal space by a talkative, friendly dog walker didn’t bother her that much. The petite raven-haired woman, whose age was hard to pinpoint, made some chit chat while Julie trekked back to her car. Her name was Ina and she was new to Delaware. Currently, she was in search of a server job at a high-end restaurant where the tips would make it worth her time. “Any recommendations for decent food markets? Best place to order take-out, Thai being my favorite?” Ina’s chocolate lab, Cocoa, sniffed at Julie’s sneakers with abandon as questions were tossed in her general direction. Julie pet Cocoa, dodging some inquiries and rambling off information about places near her home. Cocoa got a few good scratches behind an ear before she wished Ina well settling into Pike Creek.

Wednesday ticked by even slower. Her fingers itched to text Dean. The basement had been the lucky recipient of her time and attention. A large amount of progress was made unpacking boxes, sorting out donations, and finding permanent spots in the house for decorative items. She broke down and reached out to her brother and sister-in-law, Patty, and face timed with her nephews later that night. 

By Thursday, she went over her mom’s house. They ended up going to the mall and then shopping for the food Julie needed for her Friday night get together. She was reminded by her mother to feed the ladies well, with various cooking tips. Dean was also a large part of her mother’s focus. Julie feigned as much non-interest on the Winchester topic as possible. But her mother knew her well enough. She was reminded upon leaving to feed him the lasagna in the freezer soon.

Karen, Stacey, and Cat benefitted from a substantial number of Julie’s hours in the kitchen that Friday night. She’d attempted chicken parmesan, one of her mom’s signature dishes. Sauce had simmered on the stove for a couple hours - not as long as Brigida’s, but not bad. They were on the second bottle of red wine, having moved out of the dining room and into the living room. Cat, sensible and responsible as usual, was abstaining and had driven the other former college roommates over to Julie’s house.

Streaming radio played. They ended up singing along to “Holler” by The Spice Girls, sans Ginger. Julie had always been eager to take Posh’s lines, mainly because hers were few and far between. But, Karen, with her mocha colored skin, coiffed haircut, and pencil-thin skirt wrapping a pencil-thin body truly embodied the word posh. In spite of all that, Karen tapped away on her cell phone while covering Scary’s verses.

Julie had always admired Karen’s drive and dedication. She even hoped to get the divorce thing down as well as Karen. Her two teenage boys were spending the weekend at the Ex’s. She was heading up to New York by train to see her wealthy lawyer boyfriend Saturday morning. Karen made more money than “new man” did. She was a partner in a very successful law firm.  

Stacey always loved Baby Spice. She had the requisite long blonde hair and blue eyes and curvy figure. She also apparently loved babies, as she had birthed three of them in her fifteen years of wedded bliss. The youngest child was two and at home with the rest of the brood that night. Her somewhat sickeningly sweet hubby was great with the kids, she gushed. “He doesn’t think he’s babysitting when he spends time with them.” She nodded and pointed at all three women in succession. Her affinity for wine had not faltered either from their college days. Stacey’s lips are already way too loose when she’s sober. Her rouge stained mouth was downright slippery at present, wet with a good Cabernet Sauvignon.

“Lucky you.” Karen quipped. “My ex went to the mat to get shared custody. Yet, every time it’s ‘his’ weekend, there has to be an argument.” Karen’s love for air quotes hasn’t gone away. She smiled over at Cat. “You should have tried harder to seduce me, Kitty Kat. Would have saved me decades of dumb dick.”

Cat, who always seemed relegated to Sporty Spice by default, pushed black rimmed glasses up the bridge of her nose. Her blue eyes crinkled behind the frames. “It wouldn’t have stuck, Kar.” She dipped and sipped at her soda. Sharp angles of her brown bob curtained a pale face. Stubby fingers with short nails - that she probably still bites - flicked the hair back. “Besides, I wouldn’t be happily domesticated with Sheila now. And you hate dogs. I have two, remember? Big ones.” Cat turned to Julie. “What about you, Jules?”

Julie’s eyes widened behind her own glasses. “Are you offering to try and seduce me, Cat?”

Karen and Stacey laughed. Cat blushed. “No, smartass. Are you going to get a pet to keep you company?”

Julie shook her head. “Don’t think so.” She was taking it easier on the wine than the other two, still milking her second serving. There would be no hangover repeat.

“Well, a man, then?” Karen asked.

Stacey guffawed. “It’s only been a few months. Give the woman a chance to grieve.”

“Grieve over what? A shitload of baggage she never checked on the flight.” Karen shot back.

Cat rolled her eyes. “Here they go,” she mumbled.

Julie cleared her throat. All three turned to stare in her direction. “There is… someone.”

Karen slapped her thigh. “That’s my girl!”

“Already?” Stacey’s lids blinked in rapid succession.

Cat waved a hand at Stacey to hush, looking at Julie the whole time. “Details.”

Julie began the very lengthy tale that was Dean Winchester. When she was done, she was met with mixed reactions from the trio.

“He’s been stalking you?” Karen’s brow furrowed.

“He’s a bounty hunter?” Stacey added her concern.

“What’s his name again?” Cat pulled her tablet out of the huge purse by her feet. She was a communications manager at a large non-profit and social media was her specialty.

Julie shifted in her seat. “Dean Winchester.” Defense mode shot up. “To be fair, it’s not like I was innocent in the whole stalking thing, either.”

“Yeah, but you didn’t go much beyond some Googling, right? He got downright illegal in his activity.” Karen shook her head.

“Hm.” Cat frowned. “You said he’s around our age?”

Julie nodded. “43, he said.”

Stacey wagged a sluggish finger. “Hey, we’re 40. Don’t age us all prematurely. Nature’s doing a fine job of that without any additional assistance.” Stacey’s starting to slur. May have to cut her off soon.

Cat ignored Stacey, swiping and typing. “I’m not coming up with anyone around that age with that name. Weird.”

“Why’s that weird?” Stacey asked.

“Everyone has a digital footprint. Something can be found on anyone pretty quickly. Even if it’s the smallest, inconsequential bit of data. But, to find nothing…”

Julie shrugged. “Maybe he’s good at covering his tracks.”

“Even more reason to be wary of this guy, Jules.” Karen attempted a maternal look. “He sounds like the epitome of a bad boy. Come on, a vintage muscle car? You’re a sucker for that type. We were study partners working on our Minors in Psychology together, remember? Think about it. Ten years with a man you thought was a good partner and reliable, only to have that rug ripped out from under you? I’d be searching for the exact opposite, too, faster than you could say peanut butter sundae.” No wonder she makes the big bucks. She presents a damn good argument.

“Karen’s right.” Stacey tried to sound soothing. “You’re in a very vulnerable state right now. Hormones are probably all over the place. Any guy with ill intentions could take advantage of that.”

Julie raised a brow. “If you saw this man in person, Stace… trust me, you’d be all aboard the Dean Train. Remember Gavin Teller?” Julie leaned forward for emphasis.

“Yeah?” Stacey squeaked out the question. 

“Imagine Gavin having aged to perfection, like that fine wine you enjoy so much.” She pointed at Stacey’s glass. “Now, square that. You get Dean Winchester.”

“We all remember Gavin in his heyday.” Karen let out a low-key whistle. “Damn. I may have to reconsider my opening statement.” Her original career path of a prosecutor fell by the wayside midway through her college career. An enticing salary that could be earned helping clients buy and sell publicly traded companies won out.

Stacey shushed Karen. “College quarterbacks don’t turn into bounty hunters.”

Cat raised both hands in the air. “That is an opinion, not fact. And a totally ridiculous leap. Besides, Gavin Teller sells cars at his dad’s dealership now, is bald, and has a pot belly. His local TV spots are downright cringeworthy. Such a pain in the ass when his company sponsored one of our events. Wanted his cheesy grin inserted in so many media posts. How is that better than being a badass bounty hunter?”

Julie smiled at the tension and exchanged a knowing glance with Karen. They had long suspected there’d been some sexual experimentation between Cat and Stacey around college graduation. It had centered around a night of lemon drop body shots.  

Stacey tilted her nose up. “He was always nice to me.”

“That’s because he liked how you looked in that cheerleading skirt, Stace. I know I did. But, really, Julie… you should be careful.” Cat repeated the other’s concern.

The doorbell chimed. Stacey gasped and Karen’s posture stiffened. Cat returned the tablet to her purse. 

“Did you order more food?” Nervous laughter from the ladies followed Cat’s question.

Julie shook her head. She looked at her watch. It was not quite 7:30 pm. Seconds later her phone buzzed. She tapped at the screen to view the text.

Knock, knock

“Oh, shit.” Julie whispered.

“What?” Karen placed her wine glass atop a coaster on the coffee table. Even in high alert, the woman has good etiquette.

“It’s him.”

Stacey cupped a hand over her mouth.

“Dean Winchester?” Cat asked.

“Yeah.”

“Why’s he coming by unannounced?” Karen was in full-blown fact-finding mode.

Julie wrinkled up her nose. “I may have told him to stop by when he got back.”

“How desperate are you?” Stacey scolded.

“Stacey…” Julie sighed.

Karen raised two hands in the air with a smile on her face. “This is great.”

“Why?” Cat asked.

“So we can all get held hostage by Julie’s lady killer?” Stacey’s voice got higher with each word.

“We can vet him.”

“Vet him?” Julie groaned.

“Yep.” Julie had seen that stern nod from Karen countless times. “If he seems like a creep, you’re done with him. I’ll call in a favor to get a court order issued if need be.”

Stacey nodded. “Yeah. Between the three of us, we’ll be able to give you a decent character profile. And Cat’s not affected at all by men…”

Cat slapped both palms on her thighs.

Karen waved Julie to the door. “Hurry up and open it.”

“This is a horrible nightmare,” Julie mumbled. Her stomach was doing somersaults. What the hell will Dean think? What will the girls do?

“Your phone’s buzzing again.” Cat commented. “Anxious little bugger, isn’t he? What did you promise the man?”

Julie took a deep breath, her hand on the doorknob. The last rays of daylight sparkled through the etched glass. Maybe this is good. I may really need an objective opinion. After all, he’s probably not as irresistible as I’m making him out to be. Context.

When she opened the door, Dean greeted her with a full watt smile. “Hey there.” The two words slipped out slow. His hands held the cake box, fingers thrumming against the cardboard sides. “I was told to deliver this as soon as I got back.” His tongue darted out to the side for a quick lick of his bottom lip while he inspected her.

Damn. He was outfitted in a light grey, muscle-hugging t-shirt and faded blue jeans. Positively edible. Fuck context. She couldn’t stop the smile from spreading over her lips. This will be fun.

He stepped up into the entryway, not waiting for permission to enter. His hands offered Julie the box. She was careful to grab the box from the base. He glanced over her head and spotted the company in the living room. His eyes narrowed, tilting down to look into Julie’s eyes. “Sorry. Am I interrupting?” He whispered. “I saw the car parked out front when I drove into the neighborhood… didn’t recognize it…”

Julie arched a brow. “Were you worried for my safety? Or being nosy?”

He grinned. “A little of both.”

She nodded him into the living room. “Come meet some friends.”

He nodded in return and shuffled into the living room, hands stuffed in his pockets, shoulders back, a swirl of timid confidence. The ladies were all up from their seats. The tiny living room felt even smaller with the congregation and Dean’s frame occupying some of it. Julie’s slow steps gave her time to take in the reactions, hiding somewhat behind Dean’s impressive stature. In his wake, she picked apart his scent. The heady mix of leather, sweat, and grease was sharp and crazy intoxicating.

Stacey’s mouth hung open in slight disbelief. Karen fiddled with her hoop earrings and gave Dean the full top to bottom to top inspection. Cat’s eyes narrowed.

When Julie strolled up to Dean’s left, she saw his cautious smile preparing to melt the group. “Dean, these are some college friends of mine.” Julie rattled off their names in order. “Karen. Stacey. Catherine.”

Cat smiled over at Julie, appreciating the replacement of her nickname reserved only for select company.

And, then, Dean unleashed the smile that Julie was certain would topple their wall of uncertainty. He extended his hand and shook each one with the right amount of strength. “Pleasure to meet you, ladies. I didn’t think Julie had any friends.” He chuckled. “She doesn’t get many visitors.”

“And you’d know that because of all the spying you’ve been doing on our dear friend, I hear.” Karen was ready to knock him down a peg or two right out of the gate. But the look on her face betrayed the lackluster attempt at disapproval.

Dean’s eyes widened and he stared at Julie. “Have you been talking about me?”

Julie pursed her lips.

Dean shrugged, intense eyes still on Julie. “Well, if you appreciated beautiful ladies as much as I do, you’d understand.”

Stacey cleared her throat, Dean reddening her cheeks even more than the red wine had. She looked in desperate need of fanning. “Where’re you from, Dean?”

The question pulled his gaze from Julie. He smiled at Stacey again. “Kansas.”

Julie tilted her head, wondering if it was the truth.

“Long way from Kansas.” Cat added.

“Well, I’ve been all over the country.”

The three nodded in unison. Karen asked, “Have you gotten a tour of Julie’s house yet, Dean?”

Julie’s eyes zeroed in on Karen with laser focus.

Dean licked his top lip. Julie caught Stacey and Karen taking particular notice of that sexy tick of his. Not the only one at the mercy of those physical attributes, am I, Ladies?  “Um, no. This is the first time I’ve been allowed entrance into Julie’s compound, actually.” He pointed to the sliding door. “I’m usually relegated to outside chores.”

“Uh-” Julie started.

“We were getting ready to take a look around,” Stacey interjected. “Jules, why don’t we get the full narrated tour with Dean, here?”

Julie could feel her cheeks blushing.

“Oh, that’s…” He laughed, protesting with a shake of his head, “that’s okay. I’ll leave you ladies to your night. I was only dropping off this cake.” He pointed to the box Julie was still holding. “Still pretty damn tasty after a week.” He grinned at her. “I snuck another slice before bringing it back.” He rubbed a hand on his thigh. “It was nice meeting all of you.”

The three nodded again in unison. As Dean turned their gazes all dropped to stare at his ass. Julie stifled a giggle and pushed the box into Stacey’s hands. She met Dean at the door. “I’m sorry,” she mumbled.

He bent close to her ear and whispered, “You’ll have to let me know if I passed the test later,” waited a beat, straightened his posture, then ended with, “Jules.”

The light spilling in through the front door glass lit up his eyes a crystal green. “You’ve already passed mine.” She whispered back.

“Good.” He grinned.

“What are you doing tomorrow night?” she asked.

His tongue peeked out only a sliver between his lips, revving up the grin even more. “Guess that depends on you.”

“Come over around 8:00.”

He tilted his head. “Is that a request or an order?”

She ignored the question. “Make sure you eat dinner ahead of time. Cause I’m not making any.”

Surprise mixed with amusement on his face. He glanced into the living room. The ladies were seated now, talking amongst themselves, but still staring at the pair. His gaze heated her back up when it returned. “Want me fueled up for any tasks in particular?” Julie shrugged in response. “Hm. Any other commands?”

“Just don’t disappear tomorrow.”

He nodded. “Yes, Ma’am.”

She sighed. “Don’t call me Ma’am.”

His eyes narrowed. “Kind of sexy when you’re bossy.”

She laughed, blushing again.

“And when you’re blushing.” He opened the door for himself, waved a hand to the women and then mouthed “See you tomorrow night” to Julie.

As soon as the door shut, Stacey called out, “I take back everything I said earlier.”

Karen added, “If you get kidnapped, give him my address so he can swing by and grab me, too.”

Julie giggled, walking over to the group. “Seriously, what did you think?”

Stacey’s eyes bugged out. “Oh my god! He’s gorgeous and knows how to use it. That’s dangerous on a ton of levels. But I don’t think he’s a crazy psycho.” Stacey fanned herself. “My husband’s in for it when I get home.”

Karen nodded. “Oh, he’s totally trouble and you’re in for an amazing ride. But, in this case, it’s not the destination but the journey. The journey all over that fine man, of which explicit details will be mandatory. Plus, he didn’t go for the bait to inspect your house. I think an under the radar creep would have been all for that.” She pointed at Julie. “But, we still get a tour as your oldies and besties.”

“Of course.” Julie turned to Cat. “What about you?”

Cat shrugged. “He seems alright. I still think he’s got stuff to hide, though. I’m going to do some serious digging.”

Julie frowned.

“Just looking out for you,” Cat added. “But he did have a really nice ass.”

Part 8

Series Page

[cotton-buds-writing]

Love Letters - Chapter Two

https://archiveofourown.org/works/20815151/chapters/49729598

Word count - 2760

     “David. It's only gonna take a second. Just smile.” Mayer was holding a camera and the three were standing in front of the house, David and Les were holding a chalk plaque each, one read ‘sixth grade’ and the other 'junior year', this was a tradition for the Jacobs family, at the beginning of every school year they'd stand in front of the house and take a photo with the children each holding a plaque that had whatever grade they were going into wrote on it. It was begun by their mother, Esther, and Mayer was reluctant to carry it on at first, after her death, but he decided that keeping her memory alive was what was best.     “Cheese!” Les gave a cheesy smile, scrunching his eyes shut and baring his teeth.     “Sixth grade and junior year, can hardly believe it. Okay, you ready to go?”     “One sec!” Les tossed Mayer the board and David his backpack, before rushing back inside, Mayer turned to David,     “Give me those. Okay, just drive safely. I gotta go.” The older man dumped the plaques on the passenger seat of his own car, then turning back to be met with David’s anxious and tired looking face, “You’ll be fine, David.”     “Alright.” He replied, not even paying attention, suddenly the ends of his sleeves were looking quite interesting,     “All set.” Les came out wearing a bike helmet, a few stringy cobwebs hanging off of the end, he clicked the buckle, already wandering over towards the car shared between the siblings, though it was mainly Sarah who drove, seen as she was the only one confident enough, and of legal age to.     “That's very funny.” David followed, walking around the driver’s seat, searching around his pockets for the keys, he found them after a moment, promptly unlocking the car and climbing inside, dumping the two bags on the backseat.     “Very necessary.” Les added, jumping into the passenger seat, the hat still firmly attached to his head, still grinning cheekily at his older brother.

-- ❀ --

     School was interesting to say the least, the different cliques roaming the halls, an array of posters covering the walls, the corridor was busy, infact one bin in the corner had already started filling up and overflowing, David had already collided with a few people, but both sides brushed it off with an apology, with the hallways this busy he assumed that everyone was bumping into each other, besides, it was high school, it's bound to happen. A head of bright ginger hair caught his eye, her curls bounced a little as she walked, and the way she snorted when she laughed simply drove David insane, he thought it was cute and he wasn’t the only one who thought that, and he knew this, which is why he kept his distance, sure they were on good terms but he wasn’t planning on getting any closer to her. But the fact that he thought her cute was something he was sure about, both personality and looks, there was no denying.     In fact, David was so caught up in his “glance” that he wasn’t quite concentrating on where he was going and collided with another student, he stumbled back a little but managed to find his footing and stood there with his hands stuffed into his jeans pockets,     They let out an “Ow!” sound, “Watch where you’re going!” Darcy’s eyes were glued to his phone but he snapped them up to look David in the eyes, but the height difference proved problematic, seen as he was at least half a head shorter than David.     “Oh, my God, Darcy- I'm so sorry, I wasn't paying attention.”     “Oh, it's you.”

Darcy, Darcy Reid. We used to be best friends, but post-middle school, for reasons having to do with his popularity and my lack thereof, we are decidedly not.

     David shifted awkwardly on his feet and raised an eyebrow,     “Cute jumper.” He looked at the basic blue jumper David wore, his collar was poking out at the top and the bottom of his shirt was untucked and sticking out the bottom, but he made it work, or rather, Les made it work for him. “Classy.”     “It’s vintage, I got it on Etsy.” He explained, shifting awkwardly on his feet. Darcy seemed to be desperately trying to keep eye-contact with David, much to his dismay.     “And it’s amazing! Not everybody can pull that sorta style off. Davey can rock it!” An absolute life saver, David’s friend came over, a goofy but somehow smug grin plastered on his face, “But for you, well, let's just say it's probably a good thing you're playing it safe with that... Superdry hoodie.”

Crutchie. Crutch… Darcy’s cousin, my best friend. My only friend, really.

     “Screw you, Charlie. You know how soft they are, and Katherine brought it for me-” Crutchie cringed at his real name, but kept his head up, he should be used to it by now, but somehow he wasn't.     “Hey, babe.” Speak of the devil. Katherine appeared just behind Darcy, the same bubbly smile on her face as usual, she pecked his cheek and intertwined their hands. Katherine was short, to say the least, she just about came up to David’s shoulder. She had a stunning head of curly ginger hair and a face of freckles to match, some of  her hair was pulled back and tied in a bun at the back, half up, half down, which was decorated with a pink scrunchie to hold it all together. She also had a similar style to David, clothing wise, she wore a pink jumper with a white blouse underneath - collar poking out, and a pair of jeans and brown ankle boots to go with it. Though, unlike David, she switched up what she wore every other day, while David played it safe, even if he didn’t want to admit it.     “Oh, Hi.” Darcy smiled back at her, but something about his smile wasn’t quite right, like it was fake but just not quite. The two of them were a power couple and Darcy knew this, and he definitely wasn’t afraid to flaunt this, and he definitely wasn’t afraid to flaunt Katherine. She had changed him, but in a negative way, Katherine was sweet, a kind girl, so of course she never meant to do this, but her status gave him power, confidence, a little too much confidence and so it went straight to his head. They’d only been together for a little over five months now, and they were going strong, it was well known that there was something going on years before the actual relationship came around. From what any normal person could tell, there was no sign of this relationship ending anytime soon, so people thought.

She was pretty. And yes, you're allowed to think someone is pretty without actually liking them.

     “How you doing?” She asked,     He wrapped an arm around her waist, holding her close, “I'm good. How are you?”     “Good.”

Remember Katherine? The second non-recipient of one of my love letters? That's this Katherine. Darcy’s Katherine. Seventh grade, my first real boy/girl party. Everyone knew that Katherine and Darcy, who at the time was still my best friend, only wanted to kiss each other. It was just a game of spin the bottle, and I just happened to spin the bottle so that it landed on Katherine, I knew something wasn’t quite right so I offered to spin again. “I can spin it again.” “You can't cheat the bottle.” So we kissed, I guess. It didn’t really mean much, it was just because of a game, but still, it sparked some feelings, and maybe they were still there, but I just ignore them and hope they go away, and I was nearly there with that, in fact, they were practically gone.

     “So I was just complimenting David on his… sweater. But I see someone I need to talk to so I’ll see you later,” He gave Katherine a kiss on the cheek, “Bye, Kathy,     “Bye!” Darcy walked away, leaving Katherine with the two other boys, they were looking at her, with a look of both confusion and disgust, she didn’t quite get it at first, “What…?” Then she realised what it was all about, “Look, he just stopped drinking caffeine for some diet, I think he’s in withdrawal.     “Are you sure he just doesn't have a chemical imbalance?” David joked, trying to at least get a laugh, but unfortunately he got nothing more than an awkward smile,     “Right…” She huffed, glancing sideways, but managed to crack a genuine smile, “I gotta go, see you,” she waved and made her way in the same direction as her boyfriend.     David turned to face Crutchie, “Really think my jumper is cool?” David finally asked after she left,     “If you ask, it ruins the whole vibe.” He paused, taking a breath. “Anyway, you think I'm gonna let my cousin talk trash about you?”

-- ❀--

     Lunch was problematic to say the least, Crutchie’s leg was aching too much so he stayed in the medical room for the from lesson three onwards, it was always awkward to sit in the lunchroom alone, though it wasn’t like David would be able to find a seat in there anyway, so he tried the library, which would have been fine, if he brought a sandwich for lunch, instead he bought carrots and only soft foods were allowed to be eaten in the library, which was fair enough seen as it was a quiet place meant for studying. So, he found himself at the bleachers outside, it was an old hang out spot for him and Jack, part of him hoped Jack was there, “Hey.” and he was. “Um, is this seat taken?”     “Yeah… Well, by you.” David nodded and sat down, Jack was sketching, probably just the landscape but he didn’t get a good enough look to say for certain, he closed the book and slid it into his bag, just so he didn’t seem too anti-social. There were a few minutes of silent, somehow both awkward and comfortable.     “I… I gotta ask…” Jack spoke up, “Did she tell you she was gonna do it? Because I just figured you guys talk about everything, right? So…?” It made sense, why he would think that, David and Sarah were always close, despite the age and gender difference,     David shook his head, “She didn't tell me about this.”     “We're still cool, right?” The other boy asked, turning his head to face David, “We can still talk and...you know, kick it?”     “Ugh... Don't say ‘kick it.’” David groaned, but the smile quickly flashed onto his face, “And yes, we are cool.”     “Good.”     “Good.” Jack repeated, bringing his sketchbook out, then David took out his bag of carrots from before, another awkward silence.     “Do you want a carrot?” He offered and held out the bag, there were still a few left,     “Sure, thanks,” So, Jack took one, then pulled out one of his ear buds, “Did you want to…?”     David nodded, shifting closer towards him and putting the ear bud in,

I know what you're thinking, but we really were cool. However I felt about Jack…

“New album?” David asked, maybe trying to start a little conversation and clear the awkward feeling that lingered in the air, Jack nodded,

...I would never do that to Sarah.

-- ❀--

     The end of the day came and the sun still shone bright, Les ran up to David, a smile on his face, "The middle school cafeteria is so enormous! Sally wanted to sit at lunch, but so did Smalls and Boots. I ended up rotating so everyone had time next to me, you know?”     “Yeah, I can totally relate.” David rolled his eyes, opening the car door, and just as this morning - throwing bags in the back, and Les put on his helmet, clicking the buckle at the side,     “Really?”     “Of course.”     After he made sure that the younger boy had his seat belt on, David started to reverse, he checked behind him for a split second then began moving, just a second later he felt a thud, he stopped quickly and looked again in the rear-view mirror, eyes wide, “Oh my fucking god... no, no, no, no-”     “Good thing I'm wearing my helmet!” Les cackled, two people, the ones he just bumped, walked around to his window, one looking more friendly than the other, he recognised both of them, Katherine, once again, and Spot Conlon, Katherine was muttering something to him about not being rude, or not being to harsh,     “It was only an accident,” She said, Spot ignored her,     He tapped on the window on David’s side, David cringed and rolled the window down, “Hi.” He spoke with a thick Brooklyn accent, Katherine glared at him again, a look of warning,     “Hi?” David kept looking forwards, starting to tap his fingers against the steering wheel.     “How you doing?”     “Good.”     “Yeah?”     “Yeah.”     Spot took a breath, trying not to laugh, “You know people usually check behind them before they reverse to avoid killing others, it's a... thing we do.”     “Yeah, I'm just not completely comfortable with using my mirrors yet, so…”     “Yeah, clearly.”     “Think you're gonna be able to make it out of the parking lot?” Katherine piped in, offering some help, maybe trying to cover up Spot’s approach on the matter,     “Yeah. We're fine. Really, seriously. Um- so you should just… go, seriously.”     “Sure, whatever you say, Jacobs. You're in charge.” Spot took over again, the two walked away, chatting as they went,     “Who was that?” Les asked, having stayed silent the whole conversation, he noticed how tough Spot seemed, and the contrary softness of Katherine.     “That was Katherine Pulitzer and Spot Conlon.”     There were a few moments of silence before Les spoke up again, confused, “What are we waiting for?”     “The rest of the cars to leave.”     “Oh my god-”     “Language.”     “I didn’t even- you swore two minutes ago!     "That was different."     "What-?”

-- ❀ --

     The room was silent and dark, just the television screen illuminating just in front of where it sat, Golden Girls was playing, the two boys sat, watching it, David cleared his throat, “What do you think Sarah’s doing tonight?”     “Crack.” Les replied casually,     “Les, why would you say that?” David glanced over, half amused, half shocked,     “It's how Scottish people say fun. Like, ‘You're a good crack.’ I looked it up.”     The older boy just ignored that comment, he spoke up after a moment of silence, “It's weird not having her here, huh?”     “It's weird not having Jack here, too.” Les added, “I miss his Pulitzer impression.”     “Careful what you say, I go to school with Pulitzer’s daughter,”     “How many boyfriends could that naive daddy’s girl possibly have had? Fifty-six?” Les quoted the scene that had just played, half mocking the woman on their screen's voice.     “Excuse me?” He half-laughed, a bit of a scoff.     “You know, Davey, if you had a girlfriend... or a boyfriend, maybe you wouldn't have to drive at all 'cause they would take us places.”     “If that's what it takes, I think you're stuck with me.” He tried to smile a little, it wasn’t like he was actively seeking romance, but the idea of a significant other to hold him seemed nice, even if he did develop a crush on someone, he knew he wouldn’t be able to confess, which is where the letters came in, ‘just keep the feelings inside’ he told himself, ‘that way you don’t need to worry about them, really’, he just found out that it was a simple and healthy way of dealing with it.     “I dunno. What about the girl you almost killed the other day?”     “She's dating Darcy.”     “The other guy?”     “He’s dating Racetrack,”     “What sort of name is that? Mhmmm, anyways...?” He paused, “It's not just that... Don't you find it kinda depressing that it's Saturday night, and you're having a Golden Girls marathon with your little Brother?”     “No. I love the Golden Girls, and I love hanging out with you.”     “Okay, I'm not telling you this to make you feel bad, but Davey, I'm eleven and I canceled plans to be here tonight. And well... you're sixteen, and I don't think you had anything else going on, am I right?     “That’s harsh, Les.” David scoffed, throwing a piece of popcorn over at Les, he swatted it away in response, then picked up a few pieces from the bowl and threw them back at David.     “The truth hurts, David.”