#we'd go over there every halloween for pumpkins

[stargirl-int3rlud3]

𝐇𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐲 𝐇𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐧.

satoru gojo x fem! reader

🗯! swearing, slightly suggestive, parenting, child megumi & tsumiki, cute halloween couple-y things !

synopsis; gojo has a fun packed day for your guys' first halloween with megumi and tsumiki and he just can't wait. — ♡ ᵎᵎ

Usually, you and Gojo's shared apartment was only lightly littered with a few Halloween decorations, but this year was completely different. You had spent hours during Megumi and Tsumiki being at school to decorate every inch of the apartment. Even though you were exhausted by the time they got home, the look of pure amazement at the sight of the decoration was far greater than any tiredness. It was even better when Gojo got home and the look of shock flashed across his face.

"My love? Did you do all of this by yourself?" Gojo asks you, nuzzling his nose in the crook of your neck as you finish up cooking dinner.

"Yeah, I figured I should for the kids" You tell him as you scratch his scalp with your free hand.

"I could've helped you" He kisses your jawline, making you want to melt

"It's fine Satoru, I handled it"

After that Gojo tries his best to make sure you are doing as little as possible. You're the love of his life, his princess, so of course you were going to get princess treatment. Megumi needed a costume, Gojo's driving him to the nearest Halloween store. Tsumiki needed help carving her pumpkin, Gojo's there in an instant. The only thing you got to help with is to make treats for Megumi and Tsumiki's Halloween parties at school and that was because Gojo nearly burned down the entire apartment complex when he tried. It was cute to see Gojo shuffle into your room with his head hung asking you to help him with the baking.

Gojo did everything to make this Halloween special for you and the two Fushiguro siblings.

Then came the night of Halloween. Tsumiki was dressed as a witch and Megumi was dressed as a zombie. Gojo pleaded and insisted that you and him go as Dracula and his wife, when you agreed he practically shot through the roof. Even more so now that you were actually wearing the costume. His eyes hadn't left you for the past 7 minutes and you were sure he had started drooling.

"Close your mouth, 'Toru, you're going to catch flies" You snicker at him.

"I can't help it, hun, you're just so stunning" Gojo wraps his arm around your waist, trailing wet kisses down your neck.

You scrunch your fingers into his white locks, biting your bottom lip. Suddenly, the door to you and Gojo's room is opened by none other than Megumi. You almost immediatly notice, pulling away from Gojo to go right to Megumi's side. Leaving Gojo to pout and glare at the young boy. You follow Megumi out of the room as Gojo grumbles to himself.

Watching Megumi and Tsumiki race each other to the houses as Gojo had his arm tightly wrapped around your waist, keeping you close to him. It made a warm feeling bubble in your chest as you looked up at Gojo.

" 'Toru, I'm so glad we took them in" You sigh, placing your head on his shoulder.

"Me too, even if they take you away from me at times" He smiles as you pinch his side.

"Ouchie!!" He pouts at you.

Megumi and Tsumiki had begun to get tired so you were on your way back to the apartment. You carry Megumi in your arms as he softly snores into your shoulder while Tsumiki tightly holds onto Gojo's hand, a sight that made you fall even more in love with Gojo.

On the walk home a woman has stopped the four of you.

"I'm so sorry to stop you, but I just wanted to say how adorable it is that you went out and dressed up with your children. You guys must be the best parents to these little cuties" The woman's words made your heart soar and Gojo could see that written on your face.

Her words stayed with you even after you had tucked Megumi and Tsumiki into bed and were on your way to bed yourself.

You pulled the covers over yourself before turning to Gojo who was already looking over at you, "Do you think we'd make good parents?"

"I think...we already do make good parents" Gojo kisses the temple of your head with love in his eyes.

☆ | HAPPY HALLOWEEN!! i wanted to post something for halloween so here it is, i hope you enjoyed!!

[navybrat817]

Hello Beautiful Navy ❤ I miss the tattoo boys. Always. Seeing as though Halloween is coming up, what do you think their plans would be with their girl? Would they stock up on candy because they secretly love the trick or treaters? Scary movies snuggled up on the couch? I can see the reader carving pumpkins to put outside their shop 😭 Would love to hear your thoughts 😘

Lau! AHH! I love this so much. ❤️ And all of the above!

Traditional

Pairings: Bucky Barnes x Female Reader, Steve Rogers x Female Reader, Bucky Barnes x Female Reader x Steve Rogers Summary: Bucky and Steve spend Halloween with their best girl. Word Count: Over 860 Warnings: Implied explicit sexual content, fluff, innuendos, very slight feels (it’s me, c’mon), tattooed Bucky Barnes and Steve Rogers (they’re warnings, okay?) A/N: I had to do something for our tattoo boys. Not beta read and written on my phone, so any and all mistakes are my own. Thank you, lovely! Banner created by yours truly, but Bucky and Steve photos were provided by the talented @nix-akimbo ! This AU wouldn’t exist without them. Divider by the wonderful @firefly-graphics. Please follow @navybrat817-sideblog for new fics and notifications. Please reblog or comment as it means the world!

Your boys go all out for Halloween. It's one of their favorite holidays.

Bucky and Steve take a day to decorate the place, inside and out, and make sure to include items you used to set out at your old place. It's your home, too, so you get a final say in everything.

While the boys work on the house, Mandy and Natasha sit out back and help you decorate pumpkins for the shop. The boys were nice enough to take you to a farm not too far away to pick them out. 

You do a mix of carving and painting, making sure everyone has one. You don't want anyone to feel left out. 

You're thrilled with how well they turn out and Mandy shrieks with delight when you make her one, too.

Loki pretends he's unimpressed when you drop everything off at the shop, but he softly thanks you when he thinks no one is looking and puts it on display with the others.

Bucky tells you to close your eyes once you get home, going through the back like they ask, so they can surprise you with their hard work. Steve has a blindfold ready if you need it.

"Thought that was only for the bedroom," you tease.

"Don't tempt us," Bucky winks before you close your eyes, allowing them to each take an arm to lead you inside.

You're in awe as they take you through the place, which is completely transformed.

Each room has a different focal point that somehow comes together as a whole: pumpkins, bats, skulls, witches, vampires. The porch combined everything, along with cobwebs and lights. 

Nothing too scary as they don't want to frighten the kids. Not after a rude neighbor made a sweet, little girl cry a couple of years ago.

Bucky managed to calm her down while Steve went to have a word with the jerk about etiquette.

You take photos and make sure to say how proud you are of how great the place looks. You swear they blush when they say it's nothing.

The last decoration the boys put out are the personalized pumpkins with their names on them, intricately designed like tattoos. They surprise you by getting you one of your own, setting it in the middle.

"You didn't think we'd forget about you, did you, Blossom?"

You thank each of them with a kiss, appreciating how thoughtful they are. It's a gift you can't wait to put out every year.

They practically buy half of the candy aisle for the trick or treaters and have comfortable chairs, blankets, and warm drinks set up for the three of you on the porch. 

You somehow convince them to dress like Mario and Luigi while you dress like Princess Peach. And almost regret it when they say they're keeping the mustaches on later.

Bucky smirks and reminds you that the costumes for Thor's "Day After Halloween" party the next night are a lot more risqué and would scar the kids if you change. Steve laughs and says you're stuck with the staches for the time being. 

"Don't you want a mustache ride?" Bucky asks innocently, dodging you when you try to smack his arm.

"For the love of your tattoos, stop," you beg.

"C'mon, Buck. We know she prefers beard bounces," Steve says just as casually.

"Fucking tattooed bastards."

The two hours of passing out candy fly by and your heart warms as you watch how the boys interact with everyone. They're perfectly at ease as they let the kids tell jokes and are patient when some take their time selecting their treats. 

They even give out a few temporary tattoos, after asking the parents if it's okay. 

If Mandy saw them, she'd make comments again about one of them knocking you up. 

You're almost sad for it to end, but you know you still have a night of cuddles and movies to look forward to. They always end Halloween with at least one film.

Bucky bets you'll only make it through one before you're begging for them. Steve gives you a little more credit and says you'll almost make it to the end of the second.

You don't make it through the opening credits before you're split open and you feel no shame in that as they take turns ruining you. 

Without the fake mustaches, thankfully.

The orgasms relax you as they snuggle on each side of you after. Bucky is sweet enough to feed you a piece of your favorite candy. 

Steve kisses your temple as Bucky nuzzles your neck, thanking you for giving them such a great Halloween.

"The celebration isn't over yet," you say once you can speak again.

"Oh, yeah? You ready for round two, Blossom?" Bucky asks, kissing over your pulse.

"I was thinking about Thor's party tomorrow. I'm sure we can find a spot there to have some fun," you smirk.

Steve laughs as he kisses your temple again. "And you call us menaces."

"Sex all over Thor's place could be a new tradition," Bucky chuckles, the sound warming your insides like they did minutes ago. 

"I learn from the best, boys. Happy Halloween."

I love them so much. Love and thanks for reading! ❤️

Masterlist ⚓ Stucky Masterlist ⚓ KoFi

[wrestletotheground]

~ promptober day 3 ~

scary movies - ross macdonald fluff

no cws just cute boyfriend ross

the buzz of the doorbell rang through the house, waking me up from my nap. I tapped on my phone to check the time. 7pm. 'shit', I muttered, jumping out of bed and hurrying down the stairs to answer. I swung the door open to see ross standing there with a huge smile on his face. he looked so adorable in his black hoodie and grey tracksuit bottoms, hair tied back into a clean ponytail, the leaves and trees of the garden framing him in red, brown and orange.

'hi baby', I said, diving straight into his open arms, letting him envelop me in him. I breathed in his scent, warm and comforting in the chill of the october air. 'i missed you darling', he said, pulling away slightly to look down into my eyes. 'I missed you too, the 9 hours you've been gone felt like too long', I replied truthfully. we'd been living together for 3 months and it still felt surreal, waking up beside the love of my life every day and spending more time with him than ever on days we had off from work (and in his case, touring).

it was then I noticed the shopping bag on the ground by his side. he saw me looking, and without me having to ask, said 'I thought we could have a little movie night to kick off the start of spooky season. I went to tesco on the way home and got all of our favourite snacks'.

my heart melted at the gesture. after the long week I'd had this was just what I needed. 'ross,' i cooed, pouting my bottom lip. 'what did i do to deserve you?' I asked, resting my chin on his chest. he smile at me before leaning down to kiss me gently. 'go in and pick a film love, ill get food sorted'.

~

10 minutes later he reappeared from the kitchen balancing a bowl of buttered popcorn, 2 cans of cherry coke, a bag of chilli heatwave doritos under his arm, sour cream dip and a bag of m&ms between his teeth. 'jesus, someone took advantage of their clubcard', I laughed, getting up to help him put everything down. 'I got it, I got it', he said around the m&m packet, squatting down to the coffee table. he flicked off the big light, leaving just the warm glow of the lamp in the corner and the tv screen. he then produced a lighter from his pocket and bent down to light the scented candle across from us.

once everything was set up he sat down beside me on the couch. the atmosphere was so cosy and cute, it truly felt like halloween season now.

I returned my gaze to the tv, flicking through the endless films under "halloween" on netflix. 'have you still not decided?' he asked. 'listen. there's a lot of options', I started, looking over to see him looking at me incredulously. 'fifteen minutes I was gone for, unbelievable', he replied, shaking his head. 'ten', I mumbled, pushing his arm playfully, still swiping through the catalogue of spooky films.

'what about one of them tim burton ones you have on dvd?' I snapped my head around, gasping theatrically. 'ross. you're a genius' I replied. I practically ran over to turn on the dvd player. I picked up the corpse bride, my favourite, and showed it to him. 'perfect, whatever you want darling', he said, grinning.

I put it on and sat back beside him. he put his arm around me and I lay into him contently as the opening credits played. I pulled the blanket down from the end of the couch over us and snuggled into him. his thumb rubbed up and down on my arm comfortingly, a constant reminder of his love for me.

I took a moment to look around the room. everything was perfect. ross, the film, the seasonal decorations, the pumpkin spice candle burning on the fireplace in our living room. our home. together.

{s/o to @abiiors for the cutest prompts I'm having sm fun reading n writing them 🤭}

[lucidfallacy]

This Is Halloween (Copycat Part 2) Spencer Reid x Reader 18+

As a child, Halloween was a time for smudged black cat whiskers and a dotted nose, drawn on my face with cheap crayon face paint. Momma would drive me all the way into town in our not-so-reliable blue station wagon so that we could hit the 'rich people' neighborhoods. My pillowcase would be bursting at the seams after just a couple of houses. We'd prance up and down the city streets, hand in hand as I wore my little black leotard and tutu that I'd end up refusing to take off for the next week. Back at our farmhouse, Momma searched my stash for candied razorblades as I cuddled up, comforted by the cherry almond scent of her hair. Daddy still isn't home? Why does she look sad? I remember thinking. But our wood stove carried on, heating the living room in a heavenly glow as I stuffed my cheeks with chocolate. In a pure sugar coma, I'd pass out in her arms to a movie like Halloween Town playing in the background. I found comfort in the restless hum of cicadas on the quiet, rural Pennsylvania nights. My reality was always peaceful like that.

But I was only eight on that Halloween night. After I had just experienced the good things all kids should. The hogs squealed with glee out by the side barn, startling me from my sugar-induced sleep on the couch. When I tiptoed to peer out of the kitchen's candlelit dusty windows, I rubbed my eyes in disbelief. Why is Daddy feeding the pigs trash bags? I wondered. And the swine were far too hungry to pass it up.

Little did I know how numbered my days really were. How I'd end up chasing familiar smells and childhood memories, forever damned to be without the high of blissful freedoms again. The real world, in simple terms, is scary. That fact alone had me maturing overnight. Every day people can be villains. You may have sat next to one on the bus this morning or had a mindless conversation with them while you both stood in line for coffee. But, the real monster in my life will forever haunt my bloodline. The Clearfield Butcher. He's the very real reason I'll never stop working for the FBI. And I swear I'll be the reason that some little girl might not have to grow up so fast someday.

"Oh my god bitch slow down!" Penelope squeaks as I knock back another disgustingly colorful zombie brain shot.

"Yeah L/N it's not going anywhere, we have all night," Emily adds, patting my back.

We are seated at a rounded corner booth of the progressively indie bar, Tipsy Pumpkin. I watch on as the other partygoers lose themselves on the dance floor, dressed in all sorts of intricate costumes and already sloppily drunk. It's intoxicating, how heavy the atmosphere is with shared breaths and hot sensual sweat. The DJ is sporting the same sunflower glasses worn by Art the Clown from the movie Terrifier. He hypes up the crowd with the song Nasty Dog by Sir Mix-A-lot. It's pitch black in here, only illuminated by the occasional white and red strobe light flying around the club. Very cutesy, very gothic.

Penelope surprised me with her rendition of sexy Velma from that one live-action Scooby-Doo film. She's literally in a full fuckin' orange latex suit, zipper pulled down leaving little to the imagination. Morgan is gonna drool all over himself when he sees her ass at the function. Emily decided to match her, wearing a dark green crop top and brown corduroy bell bottoms. Yes, like sexy shaggy. Remember in the movie, when he drank the wrong potion from the fridge? Well anyway, we are already a margarita flight deep now that it's 9:30 pm and still waiting on JJ to arrive. It never crosses our minds to antagonize her about being late. After all, she has two little ones to care for. Hotch is hosting the actual party at his house, surprisingly. Beth probably talked him into it. But that doesn't start until 11 pm and is apparently going until he decides to kick us out.

My buzzing phone catches my attention as the screen lights up from inside my bag. I pull it out, slightly distracted by someone in a blowup dinosaur costume attempting to twerk in the sea of people. My smile quickly fades as I look down at my screen. No Caller ID. I look to both of the girls feigning ignorance and politely excuse myself. I slink away into a quieter side hall next to the booth. Annoyance overcomes me as I prepare to answer.

Me: Look dude I don't-

Caller: Forget something? Leaving candles burning now are we?

Me: What the fu- excuse me?

Caller: Don't worry, I snuffed it out. Smelled so good, just like you.

Me: Okay, haha I'm so scared, you got me. Now fuck off. or I'll-

Caller: Oh? You'll what? Don't be like that. I'm not quite done with you yet-

I hang up the call in a huff. What in the hell? Did I not blow my candle out? No, I must have. I'm good about remembering things like that. Whatever, I'm just about to hand my phone over to Garcia and have her deal with this shit. I stomp back towards the table and see JJ snuggled up in the middle of the other two, wearing historically accurate pirate gear. My brain quickly forgets the strange caller. I really just want to make some good memories with my team.

"No way! Did your boys pick that out? That's too cute! Just remember, I'm supposed to be the one getting booty tonight," I giggle, holding each of JJ's hands from across the table.

"Ahhh stop! I love you. No but seriously, is there a single cute guy in here? I can't tell from all the body paint and blowup dinosaurs," she laughs, tucking a golden strand of hair behind her ear as she adjusts her hat.

It's true. The girls took me out tonight because I'm in a 'rut' or whatever they called it. I haven't been with anyone in a couple of years now. Putting relationships on the back burner was the smartest decision I could've made for my career anyway. I sped through my degree, did my community service, and boom I was hired into the FBI. Maybe I do a decent job of hiding it, but I haven't been interested in anyone really. Well, there's Spencer, but we all know how that's going for me. And the team would bother the absolute dog piss out of me if they knew about it. For now, I'm cool with them believing we are mortal enemies for life.

"I don't know, but there's bound to be a man in uniform somewhere around here," I tease.

The rhythmic bump of the club's music evolves into a sluttier beat. Pain by Boy Harsher echoes in waves through my chest as the strobe lights fade to a deep ultraviolet. Must be the combination of alcohol and musical energy working in my favor to soothe my earlier inhibitions, because now I'm ready to dance. Almost in unison with my eager thoughts, a firm hand wraps around my waist and pulls me close. Penelope quirks an eyebrow as JJ and Emily giggle like a couple of school girls. I crane my neck to look up at the towering man whose chest I'm fitted against. He wears a simple black leather jacket on top of his hoodie. His mask is a dark silver metallic, made to resemble a chiseled skull. It's outlined in intricate lace patterns, with two horns sprouting from the forehead. And his eyes are a jaded hazel, littered with flecks of gold and emerald green. Damn. Did I say uniform? This is fine too. We enter a sort of silent staring contest as the music fades out. Our pupils dilate, darting to meet each other's as we search for unspoken intentions.

"Well you two go have funnn, I'll be here finishing up your drinks... Y/N, play nice," Penelope suggests as she shoos me away.

Before I can protest, the masked man spins me around, leading me to my certain doom. He filters us through the busy crowd, sheltering me from flying elbows in his arms. We find a comfortable spot away from the DJ booth's mammoth speakers and fall into the rhythm. His gloved hands rub tender circles over my hip bones as we sway around. We press close together once more as he kneads my flesh. I must be insanely touch-starved from how weak it makes me. His gloved hand glides up to brush against my bottom lip, making me shy away. The man leans down into my ear as we spin, breath tickling me through his skull-faced mask.

"I've been watching you all night," he admits, voice huskily accented by a language I can't quite pinpoint.

"Yeah? Well, you're not the only one," I reply, hand traveling up his chest. A quiet laugh rumbles in his chest.

"That's why I had to snag you up. God knows who you could've ended up with. There's a bunch 'a freaks out tonight," he explains, voice low.

I finally get a good whiff of his cologne and decide I am definitely a fucking goner. The woodsy musk has my mouth watering, but I gotta play the game first.

"Hmm, well I can take care of myself. And God knows if you're any better. I don't even know what you look like. Hiding something?" I say sarcastically, my pointer finger pressed up against the bottom of the mask. But he grabs my wrist firmly before I press any further.

"I'll make a deal with ya. If you kiss me I'll take off anything you want. Scouts honor, it'll be worth your time," the man groans, taking in my scent through his mask.

I gasp from the cold sharp plastic brushing against my jugular. He backs me into the bar's brick-lined wall, tipping my head up to await my answer. This annoying god damned phone begins ringing once again in my other hand, but I wait a few moments and ignore it. My nose crinkles nervously as I avert his eyes for a moment in thought. I look around his shoulder to the red LED light-lined bar across the room. On the other end of the L-shaped counter, a man sits completely focused on us. He's a spot-on scream copycat. Completely cloaked, almost unnoticeable among the commotion. The three dark voids of his white mask are hypnotizing, making me forget the very situation I'm in. The crimson glow of the bar casts eerily picturesque shadows across him. He crooks his head, fingers wiggling as he brandishes the bright screen of a cellphone in the air. Buzz. Buzzz. No Caller ID. My throat dries, swallowing hard as I clutch my companion's jacket. My thumb slides to answer, never looking away from the ghostly face across the bar. The blaring music is synchronous on the other line.

Caller: How fast do you think he'll bleed out once I cut his dick off?

[equus-sims]

Community Updates | Oct 8th

Important Memos

If you haven't already joined our Discord, please come join us! We're welcoming both TS3 and TS4 players. Don't forget to sign up on our forum if you're interested in entering the challenges shown below.

Be sure to follow us here on Tumblr, where I'll be sharing photos, updates, events, and other goings-on from around our community.

Our first edition of the Sunday Paper has been published! It's a paid bi-weekly newsletter for our Discord subscribers, but a free one will be dropped every other month for everyone to enjoy.

Things to Do:

Our 1st Builder's Workshop Deadline: Nov 1 | For TS3 and TS4 | Forum Event

As we enter into the fall season, your Builder's Workshop task is to design an autumn-themed course for any discipline. The workshop's prize has been revealed–a maple leaf standard and jump pole–which will be available for TS3 and TS4. See below! 🍁

All Hallow's Stallfront Decoration Contest Deadline: Oct. 31 | For TS3 and TS4 | Forum Event

It's Spooky Season 🎃 and we're going all-in over at O'Neil Equestrian by hosting a decorating contest for our clients, team members, and friends! We'd love for you to join in. It's time to go shopping for the best pumpkins and most spooktacular decor you can find to create the best-looking stall at your barn. The contest will end on Oct. 31st, where all of us will come together to vote on their favorite stall.

October's Photo Theme: Spooky Trails Deadline: Oct. 31 | For TS3 and TS4 | Discord Event

With Halloween right around the corner, how's your stable preparing for the All Hallows' Eve? Spooky trail rides, costume contests, and hayrides…show us what your stable is doing this year to celebrate our favorite haunted holiday! 🦇

[babybatscreationsv2]

Thankful ch2

Marvel | Starker

It's been a few weeks since Halloween and Peter can't say he's over what happened between him and Tony. Tony's usual bullying is now tinged with a bit of flirting leading the school wonder what exactly is going on between them. Peter can't help but wonder the same thing.

Rating: Explicit

Sequel to Ghostface

Forever for and inspired by my muse, H <3

Warnings and tags below

Warnings/tags: semi-public sex, humiliation, verbal degradation/dehumanization, Tony is still a dick, a hint of plot

The house smelled like warm cinnamon and roasting garlic. Brown and orange garlands decorated the walls while little paper turkeys sat on every surface. Ben sat in the kitchen, watching over the turkey, while May taste tested a slice of pumpkin pie. Peter's stomach rumbled. He hadn't eaten a thing all day in anticipation of being stuffed later.

"How much longer?" Peter sat down in the chair beside his uncle.

"We're just waiting for the little thermometer to pop," he said.

May scoffed. "Ben, you know those things are unreliable. We'd better check it right."

"That's how I do it every year!" he protested. "You love my turkeys."

A knock came at the front door. "I'll get it," Peter offered. He left the kitchen, leaving them to their playful bickering. He'd expected one of the neighbors to come by with pie or cookies. So when he opened the door to someone else entirely it left him frozen.

"Hey, Pete," Tony greeted, a smirk on his lips as he took in the boy's expression. He held up a foil tray covered in plastic wrap. "I brought something for your table."

"You're not invited," Peter hissed. He glanced over his shoulder, but his guardians were still in the kitchen.

Tony put on a pout. "Come on, Petey. It's a holiday. Can't you play nice?"

"I'm not the one who's a bully."

Tony rolled his eyes. He took a step closer. "You didn't think I was such a bully when my tongue was down your throat last week. Or do you only like me when I have you pinned down behind the bleachers?"

"Fuck you," Peter spat, but the venom in his voice faltered at the memory.

"Peter! Who's your friend?" May called as she left the kitchen.

Peter scowled at the boy in front of him even as Tony put on his most charming grin. He stepped aside and let him enter. Tony offered his hand out, tucking the tray against his side.

"Mrs. Parker, it's so good to finally meet you," Tony greeted. "Peter's told me so much about you. I'm Tony."

May shook his hand, but her eyes cut toward Peter. "Tony Stark?"

"The one and only," he said. "And I brought you something!" He held out the tray for her. Inside was an apple cobbler that admittedly looked pretty good. Peter wondered who Tony got to make it for him.

May took the tray from his hands. "Thank you, Tony! That's so thoughtful. Will you be staying for dinner?"

"If you'll have me," Tony said in his most charming voice. "Peter was so kind to invite me when he heard my parents would be out of town today."

"Oh, that's too bad," May said. "Of course you're more than welcome. We have plenty of food."

"Thank you, Mrs. Parker," Tony said as May turned to head back to the kitchen. He grinned at Peter.

"I hate you."

"I know."

"Don't speak to her again. Or to my Uncle Ben."

"That would be a little rude don't you think? I'm an asshole, but I'm still a gentleman."

Peter scoffed. "Oh are you?"

Tony's eyes darkened. He stepped forward until Peter's back hit the wall. "Maybe I should have left you crying in the woods. Or I have a whole lot of pictures I could send around the school. Everyone suspects we're fucking anyway. Might as well let the cat out."

"You wouldn't..."

Tony smirked. "No. Because I'm a gentleman." He took a step back, laughing. "Relax, Pete. I'm only here to enjoy the holiday. You look so nervous." He patted him on the shoulder.

"Whatever," Peter huffed. "Help me set the table, then."

His eyes never left Tony. He kept waiting for the other boy to reveal what cruel game he was playing, but everything seemed so normal. He was kind and charming to both May and Ben. They all laughed together as the table was set and the food was carried out. Tony joined in the cheering as the turkey was carved by a very proud looking Ben. Everyone settled around the table with plates full of food. Then Tony's hand came to rest on his thigh.

Peter stiffened. That hand was heavy on his leg, spreading warmth across his skin. No one else noticed. Peter tried to keep the guilty look off of his face. The conversation continued as if nothing were happening under the table. Tony's fingers drew tingling lines on the inside of his thigh. He slid his hand up enough to instead run those fingers over his crotch. Peter concentrated on his food and controlling his breathing.

The teasing made him ache. He was already so pent up from Tony's teasing. Getting himself off just wasn't doing it anymore when he really wanted Tony growling nasty things in his ear. He felt awful for it. He shouldn't want that. Something was seriously wrong with him. But he sat there, letting his legs spread just a little, watching Tony smirk in the corner is his eye before he could hide it.

Slowly the meal wound down as bellies were filled. They chatted over empty plates while Uncle Ben began to yawn.

"Excuse me, May," Tony said, interrupting their conversation. "I have to use the restroom. Maybe Peter could show me the way."

"Of course," she said. "It's just upstairs. Peter you'll show him up?"

"Right," Peter jumped from his seat. "I'll be right back to help you clean up, May." He hurried away from the table with Tony following behind. Without his hands on him, his head felt a little more clear. Maybe now that everyone had eaten he could shoo him off.

They went up the stairs and around the corner. Peter flipped on the light switch to the bathroom. He gasped as he was grabbed from behind and pulled into the room. Tony shut the door and pushed Peter up against against it, locking it behind them. He grinned. Their noses were almost touching.

"Finally," Tony said. He unbuttoned Peter's pants and yanked the fabric so the zipper opened.

"Tony," Peter whimpered. "We can't do this here-" his voice broke with a squeak as Tony's hand slipped down into his underwear found his cock.

"Relax, sweetheart. Just be quiet and no one will know." He pressed his face into Peter's neck to lightly suck on his skin.

"B-but, I'm only supposed to be-" He squeezed his eyes shut and bit his bottom lip as Tony rubbed his cock. "Sh-showing you to the bathroom. I can't stay up here."

"Just say we got caught up talking. We're friends after all, right?" Tony purred.

Peter gasped and whimpered. Tony's fingers slipped lower, over his balls to find his hole.

"I can't wait to be in here again. Too bad I can't make you scream this time. Well," he laughed. "Maybe we can find you a good enough gag. You'd love that wouldn't you? You wanna scream on my cock, Petey?"

"Please-"

"Answer the fucking question," Tony snapped. He lifted his head to stare dagger into his eyes.

"Yes please, Tony," Peter sobbed. "Be quiet please."

"I'm gonna make you my fucking toy. You're not gonna let anyone else touch you. If you do, I'll beat the shit out of them. And it'll be all your fault."

"No, Tony-"

Tony slapped him and the tears fell from his eyes. "Yes. You do what the fuck I tell you to. You wouldn't want anyone to get hurt. You're such a soft boy." He gave him a soft kiss and Peter sobbed. "Tell me that you're mine."

"I'm yours," he whispered.

Tony pushed a finger inside of him. Peter whimpered at the dry burn. "And this is my pussy, right?"

Peter nodded. "Yes..."

He rubbed his cock through his pants. "And this is my cock, right?"

Peter nodded again. "Yes, it's yours, please..."

His fingers traced Peter's quivering lips. "And this is my cock sucker."

Peter whimpered. "Tony, please-"

He slapped him again. "Say it."

"It's yours, Tony- I'm sorry. I'm all yours."

Tony smiled cruelly. "Good boy." He gave him a hard kiss, leaving Peter whimpering and his lips feeling bruised. He pulled his hand out of his pants and set it on the door, caging him in. "Go back to the table, I'll just be a minute."

Peter tried to slip away but Tony pulled him back. "And don't go soft on me. I'm gonna fuck you later and whether you're begging me to stop or to keep going is up to you."

He let him go and Peter went straight to his bedroom. He looked at himself in the mirror on the back of the door. His face was red and his lips were swollen. His hair was a mess. He looked like he'd been on his fucking knees. At least Tony's hand hadn't left a mark. If he didn't clean up before he went downstairs it would be obvious something was going on between them. That is if May didn't suspect something already. She was always watching.

He went back downstairs and helped Ben clear the table while May got out the desserts. Peter felt paranoid, as if somehow everyone knew that he was hard, that Tony's hands were just down his pants. He tried his best to act natural, but he internally he was losing it.

Tony came back down and everything seemed so normal. No one questioned them. Desserts were passed around and everyone ate and laughed again. May and Ben seemed to really like Tony. In fact, Peter was starting to like him too. Or at least, he liked this persona he was playing. He'd never really talked to the guy outside of him being an asshole at school or stalking him on Halloween or... their little moment under the bleachers.

It wasn't long before all of the food had everyone drowsy. Ben retreated to the couch and promptly fell asleep sitting up while Tony and Peter helped May in the kitchen.

"Thanks for having me, May. I had a wonderful time," Tony said as he dried the dish she handed him.

"You're welcome any time, Tony. Are your parents always away on the holidays?" she asked.

He shrugged. "My father does important work. The company doesn't take holidays off."

"That's such a shame. But we loved having you." May offered him a sympathetic smile.

"Thank you, May," Tony said all charming and gentlemanly, making Peter feel like he'd gone insane. Everything about today made him feel insane. Was he actually starting to like Tony?

They finished cleaning up and May went to join Ben in the living room. Tony looked at him and waggled his eyebrows. He stepped in closer. His hands ran down Peter's back and tucked into the back pockets of his jeans.

"Just me and you, now," he whispered.

Peter wanted to protest with his family so close. Instead he stood, melting into his touch, looking into his eyes in a clear invitation. Tony kissed him, slow and sensual, making his whole body tingle. He stopped after a moment and looked into his eyes. Excitement ran through him. Tony looked so aroused, like he might fuck him over the kitchen counter. He made him look like that just kissing him.

"Come home with me tonight," Tony said quietly. "You can stay through the weekend. My parents don't get back until Monday."

Peter's skin chilled. Was it really safe to be alone with him like that? He'd been so charming around his family, but he was still the guy who once pantsed him in gym class. "I don't know... I have so much homework."

Tony scoffed. "Blow it off."

"I can't it's AP stuff. They'll kicked me out if I don't keep up."

Tony rolled his eyes. "Tonight then. Come home in the morning."

Peter considered it. It didn't sound too bad. At least when the two of them were alone, Tony wasn't mean to him. Well, aside from all of the chasing him around and stalking him and threatening him and calling him mean names and... And he would have enough time to finish over the weekend.

"Okay. Just for tonight. If it's okay with Ben and May."

Tony smile. "They love me. Of course they'll say yes."

Peter shook his head in disbelief. "Who are you really, Tony?"

"What do you mean?"

"I know you have friends who would have invited you over today. And it's not like you can't get laid. You don't need me."

Tony smirked. He leaned in to speak softly in his ear. "Maybe I just like the way you cry."

[babykentthegent]

Baby Kent Four-ever

Time seems to be moving faster than a freight train, as our little Boo continues developing each and every day. We keep saying he can't possibly get any cuter and then he still manages to prove us wrong. This has to be the most fun stage yet as he becomes more and more aware of his surroundings and of us. Rob has sure had his hands full and he still has six weeks of leave before he returns to work. Watching him father Kent has been beyond fun and I know Kent is enjoying every minute he gets to spend with his dada.

This kid is full of energy and he's so dang strong! He prefers to stand (assisted of course) over sitting. He just locks his legs and will do it all day if you let him. We are in trouble! Once he's walking, we are doomed. He loves bouncing in his car or just playing with you. He still loves to laugh and is honestly one of the happiest babies I've ever seen. He's still sleeping through the night, sucks down a bottle like there's no tomorrow, and likes to turn his neck to follow you every which way.

We spent the last month catching up with old friends and really making the effort to expose Kent to different places and people. So far, he seems to love making new friends. He'll let just about anyone hold him and doesn't fuss. He's also becoming more and more aware, even having giggled the other day when the dogs looked at him. My brother got us a diaper bag that pulls out into a changing table/bed. I call it his little baby tent for Kent. It has sure come in handy for outings! Kent is also extremely aware of girls. In his tummy time book, one of the pages has an image of a little toddler girl and it's the page he pays the most attention to. When he met back up with his friend Mina, he was all smiles. Such a flirt, this one! I have a feeling he's going to be a little ladies man.

Kent has really been bonding with Rob. He loves being dad's little sidekick and they have even managed to go on a couple daddy/son outings, just the two of them. We can tell that Kent knows who we are, but he also treats the two of us slightly differently. It's funny how even a baby can develop unique relationship dynamics with different people in his life. Dad is his protector and he always looks like he feels safe in his arms. When he's with me, he acts exactly how little boys do with their mamas. Like little angels that want to be babied (pun intended).

We are so grateful and feel so blessed for all of the love we continue to receive. We even had several close friends in Japan ship over some wonderful presents for Kent. We can't wait to take him to Japan one day and show him the life we once lived. I can already imagine all of my previous students just gushing over his cuteness. One day, son. We shall go!

This face is just too much for me to handle. The way his ears pop out, his beautiful mystery colored eyes (we're still banking on green), and his big kissable lips. This kid is a looker for sure, and while we can't take any credit for it, we sure do think he's the cutest kid in the whole world!

This should be no surprise to those that know me, but I have been going a little nuts with the Fall attire. I couldn't help myself! Kent is going to be wearing all pumpkins until the last leaf drops. And yes...I already bought our entire family's Halloween costumes. I have been waiting for the moment of being a mama when I could voluntell my family what theme we'd all be going as(dogs and all). No spoilers, but I'll be sure to include photos in a future post.

Well, that's about it for now. We definitely have our hands full with this cutie, but we wouldn't change it for the world. Every day with him is a huge blessing and we are loving every minute of it.

[sparxaf]

Tag Game Tuesday

Thank you for the tags, @wardingoffevil and @mrsbsmooth!

1. Name: Christy

2. Age: HARD PASS

3. Pronouns: She/Her/Hers

4. When is your birthday: Somewhere between when Capricorn starts and when it ends.

5. Where do you call home: Home is anywhere that calls carbonated drinks "pop," and everyone drops the t sounds from the ends of words. "I'm headin back to my apar-meh to see if I got my paycheh. Watch out there's a crack in the pavemeh."

6. Do you have any pets: Nope.

7. What do you do for work: Daytime receptionist/nighttime novelist

8. Current favorite musical artist: Taylor Swift.

9. If you could have lunch with anyone, dead or alive, who would it be: I'd stay home. Alone. I'm not really into meeting new people.

10. What are you wearing right now: I'm afraid to tell you because I don't want you to be overcome by sexual desire for me, but I'm wearing a very sensual pair of baggy grey pajama pants with stars all over them, an "Emo's Not Dead" hoodie, and a pair of slippers with sushi on them. Fan yourself so you don't pass out from my heat.

11. You’re going back to school, what’s your major: Graphic design or Fashion design (ignore my pajama situation).

12. Last fanfic or book you read: I've beta read the next couple chapters of Shiny Demon and I want MOAR.

13. And, finally, share a happy memory with me: I never really had much in the way of family traditions, so having a tradtion is particularly special to me. So, fall is my favorite season and nearly every year we'd go to the local cider mill in October. We haven't been in a few years because of the panny, but we used to go out to their pumpkin patch and pick out pumpkins for Halloween. Then we'd get in line (a long line out the door) to buy jugs of cider and apple cider doughnuts. Oftentimes, they have live music/bands outside (because there's a sitting area for dougnut consumption). The last time we went, there was an Elvis impersonator rubbing his scarf on old ladies who were hooting and hollering like they were 13 years old again and attending their first concert. It was the cutest fucking thing ever. But I digress. We'd get our treats, dump everything in the car, then go to the little gift shop and purchase some cider slushies (they are a gift from the gods/goddess/flying spaghetti monster). We'd suck them down and get brain freeze on our way home. At home, we'd carve the pumpkins, and I'd attempt to bake the seeds. And like every year, I'd burn them till they were inedible 😆. We'd take selfies with our pumpkin abominations and then we'd round out the night having cider and doughnuts while watching a Halloween/supernatural movie (usually Hocus Pocus or What We Do in the Shadows). Just thinking about it makes me feel so happy inside.

[the-kneesbees]

they have so much space why can't they build a drive in theater or a dog park or just leave it as it is and add a few more stands so we could have a farmers market or something. literally anything other than another fucking strip mall

[mysteryshoptls]

SSR Jade Leech Halloween Personal Story: Part 3

"Would you please teach me?"

(Part 1) (Part 2) Part 3

[Classroom]

Everyone: A 24-HOUR-LONG CANDY COLLECTION EVENT!?

Jade: A candy collection... The name alone sounds like your typical Halloween, but...

Jade: From the way you talk about it, it does not seem like that is the case.

Ruggie: Well, yeah. That's because for us, candies are a luxury that we rarely get to eat.

Ruggie: And all we have to say is "Trick-or-treat" and they give those luxuries to us for free.

Ruggie: There's no way us hyenas would let a chance to fill our stomachs like that pass us by.

Jade: Ruggie-san, when you help out at Mostro Lounge,

Jade: It's true that you have always brought storage containers with you.

Jade: I suppose that means that your voracious appetite is still the same now as it was back then.

Ruggie: I would always take the opportunity to gather the neighborhood kids, assign them areas of the village, and then we'd all go and make our rounds.

Ruggie: ...In order to make sure not a single house slipped through our fingers.

Jamil: What frightening tenacity...

Ruggie: Since we could get more candy if we changed up who went where, we'd switch everyone up and go back to the same houses over and over againー

Silver: Going that far...definitely seems like it would become a problem.

Ruggie: How perceptive. I've forgotten exactly how many years ago it was now, but there was a time our operation was exposed to the leader of the neighborhood watch.

Ruggie: They wasted no time in setting a trick or treat ban.

Jade: Oh, well that's a shame. Was everyone disappointed?

Ruggie: Well, of course. I was also just a kid who messed up 'cause I got too greedy.

Ruggie: And since I was like the big brother of all the kids in my hometown, I was the one who got scolded the most.

Jade: While hearing you tell your story, I couldn't help but think that you're unexpectedly very good at looking after others, Ruggie-san.

Jade: Although, I had the impression that you only worked for compensation...

Ruggie: ...Well, let's leave that talk for now.

Ruggie: My grandma couldn't stand seeing the kids so dejected, so she made them all pumpkin pie.

Riddle: Pumpkin pie... Hmm, that does sound delicious.

Jade: Sounds like a new candidate for our Halloween menu.

Ruggie: Ah, that's a closely guarded Bucchi secret family recipe, so if you want me to teach you, that'll cost extra. Shishishi!

Jade: How shrewd of you, Ruggie-san.

Jade: It's grander in appearance than cookies or muffins, and it would be beneficial to us to have something more substantially filling.

Ruggie: Of course. Cause it all comes down to having a full stomach. But it wasn't anything fancy or nothing.

Ruggie: That's because the ingredients for the pumpkin pie are just the insides that were scooped out of the Jack-O'Lanterns.

Jade: Oh... I never thought of that kind of use.

Ruggie: So, that next year, I started a part-time job making Jack-O'Lanterns just for those pumpkin pies.

Azul: You really have an abundance of experience when it comes to part-time jobs... I have to say I admire that.

Ruggie: Not only did I get paid for it, the pumpkins were supplied to me,

Ruggie: And I was able to take the scooped out insides home...

Ruggie: It was like, "Is this sweet deal even real!?" Hip hip, Halloween!

Jade: Splendid! Allow me to apprentice myself to your business spirit that allows you to turn every possibility to profit.

Silver: ...So everyone's enjoyed Halloween in different ways, huh.

Kalim: Yeah. Let's enjoy the school's Halloween event as much as we can and make some good memories!

Floyd: Enjoy as much as we can?

Azul: Good memories... you say.

Kalim: ...? Isn't Halloween something to enjoy?

Jade: At the very least, for us merfolk from the depths of the northern oceans, that is not the nuance of the event.

Jade: For those who have lost their lives to the ocean, there are many that carry regret and despair.

Jade: Those that were caught in heavy storms, those that lost sight of the route to their destination and withered away aboard their ship...

Jade: Either way, it is not unusual for the returning ghosts to be violent.

Azul: Indeed. One could even say that the ghosts of pirates lead that group.

Jamil: Didn't you just say earlier that "Halloween is celebrated with lighting up Noctiluca or playing lively songs"?

Floyd: Y'know, the lantern's just like a guide so that no merfolk accidentally goes to the land of ghosts～

Floyd: And apparently the whole reason we play music is so that ghosts don't get lonely.

Azul: In addition, it seems to be designed to quell their anger and sadness.

Riddle: ...You're not saying there are ghosts all the way at the bottom of the sea, are you?

Jade: In truth, I have not actually seen many before; however...

Jade: It is to the point where during Halloween our schools would send out notifications.

Jade: Places we shouldn't go near, or times we should avoid going outside... Especially since there would always be some that go missing every year.

Ruggie: Wait a second... That's too scary.

Floyd: That reminds me～ Once during middle school, I think I remember coming across three Jades in different places～

Jade: I also remember there was a time that I thought I was speaking to Floyd, but on the following day, he said he had heard nothing of the sort from me.

Jade: At the time, I didn't pay much heed to it, believing that he had just not been listening, but...

Azul: It is Halloween, after all. There's bound to be those kinds of incidents.

Jamil: Those kinds of incidents... huh.

Silver: It seems that to us, it is an inconceivably terrifying world under the sea...

Jade: Halloween in the Coral Sea is a great way to enjoy a thrilling experience that you ordinarily would not have.

Floyd: Well, at least you won't get bored～

Azul: This goes back to Ruggie-san's talk earlier, but it is also spectacular with an abundance of business opportunities!

Jade: Putting Azul's business chatter aside...whether land or sea, I greatly enjoy the events put on for Halloween.

Jade: I become quite excited imagining all the unexpected things that could happen.

Jade: And as I was selected for the Halloween Committee, I wish for those of you on the surface to also experience something different from usual.

Jade: A thrill beyond just enjoying oneself that we are able to provide simply because we have come from the ocean instead.

Jade: Let us make this year better than all previous years and hold a fantastic Halloween. Fufufu...

Jade: Happy Halloween!

(Part 1) (Part 2) Part 3

[wybielune]

I've always celebrated Halloween. I was brought up with it, but this year will be the first time that I celebrate Samhain.

I've been a practicing witch for three years now but shamefully, this is my first year actually observing the holidays and festivals, so until now, I've had no idea what they were or how they worked, and so began my research into Samhain.

Now, when I first started looking for information, I felt overwhelmed. "This is such a big thing! It's too much! I'll never get my head around all this!' I thought. So I'm gonna break it up into more easily digestible chunks.

First off, how it's said. I know it looks, 'Sam-Hane,' but there are silent letters... and invisible ones. 'Sah-Wayne.' Where the W came from is beyond me, but considering what we are, I'll say, Magic.

Secondly, it was a festival celebrating two things, the end of Summer and Harvest time, and the celebration and remembrance of our ancestors.

Thirdly, it lasts longer than just one night. It began when the sun set on October 31st, and would keep going through November 1st and 2nd. But once again, the Catholics came along and Christianed everything up. Samhain became All Hallows Eve, November 1st became All Saints Day, and November 2nd became All Souls Day.

That's right guys! Three days of spooky goodness!

All Saints Day was a time when Christians would celebrate their Saints. Holy people that grant blessings based on the subject they are considered the guardian of, for example, the Saint of Travelling, the Saint of Lost things, the Saint of Protection in battle, and all of these people were Hallowed, (a word meaning holy) So All Hallows Eve (Eve meaning, the day before) literally translated to, 'The day before All Holy Saints Day.'

All Souls Day was quite similar, except that instead of Saints being celebrated, it was the ancestors, so it was a lot more personal. It would be celebrated by offering up prayers for the dead that were stuck in Purgatory/Limbo, a place that wasn't quite Heaven but wasn't Hell either. People who had committed minor sins would be sent here and people could pray for them to be released into Heaven.

Over time, these new celebrations picked up practices and rituals of their own, like children playing pranks on Halloween night, visiting graves to be with family and conducting rituals to frighten/ward bad spirits away from the home, one such method being, the Jack 'o' Lantern which was traditionally carved from a Turnip rather than a Pumpkin. Imagine hollowing that out.

The term, 'Jack 'o' Lantern,' actually comes from an Irish legend of a drunken man named Jack. He would make a bet with the devil, and then lay down the sign of the Cross to trap him there. He would only release the Devil if he promised to not claim his soul upon his death. Well, eventually, he died, and God didn't want such an unpleasant person in Heaven, and the Devil, still angry about being tricked, stuck to his word and refused Jack entry into Hell. From that day on, he was forced to wander the earth for eternity with only a hollowed out turnip for a light.

The lantern was then carved every year by folks for a few reasons, to keep Jack away from them, and to prevent evil spirits from entering their homes.

Well, that's the Christian and historical bit out of the way.

There is of course lots more, but we'd be here forever otherwise.

Next up, we have the witchy aspect of it.

To begin with, it's a festival marking the end of Summer, and the completing of the Harvest. The time when farmers crops have finished growing and been put away to last over the winter. Way back when, this was a very big thing, since MacDonalds was only a glimmer in it's Daddy's great ancestors eye at the time.

Either you had a good harvest, or you died. This was it. The cold months were coming in. Nothing would grow. You and your family would starve. It was a very real threat then. So a successful harvest was a time to celebrate!

There was more to it though. This was only a single facet of it. Anyone and everyone celebrated this once upon a time. The Witches went and kicked it up a notch.

Since everything in nature was dying at this time, it must have seemed only natural to our ancestors to honour and remember their own ancestors at this time. This was and is done in a number of ways-

which will be covered next time! Because this post has gotten a bit long and I don't want it to turn into a wall of text.

Have a Blessed day and see ya next time! 😇🙏

[nancypullen]

IT'S AUGUST!

You guys, we're just a short walk to the "ber" months! If this month zips by like the last couple, we'll be smack dab in September before we know it! I love that. I 'm not wishing my life away, but I sure am wishing this summer away. With Tennessee still at a 30-something percent vaccination rate, we haven't really gone anywhere or done anything. No baseball games, no festivals, no fun. Sure, we're vaccinated but that shot is meant to keep us from severe COVID, hospitalization, and death. I don't want it at all. I've got friends who had it, never ended up in the hospital, but months later are still battling symptoms. No thanks. Soooo, on Saturday night we got real fancy and picked up a sack of Taco Bell and went to the drive-in to see Jungle Cruise. The movie was bad, but the company was excellent and the nachos were delicious. No regrets.

What can I say? I'm a cheap date. Before I forget- I've had some questions about the refrigerator pickles. Yes, they were a success. When the first jar was ready for the frig I had the mister taste one and critique the flavor. He said there wasn't enough of a vinegar bite. I added an extra tablespoon of vinegar to each jar and after that he deemed them perfect. In fact, he's enjoyed them so much that he's mowed through the whole batch (4 jars). Today I'll be picking and pickling some more. After that I may pull up the cucumber plants. They're starting to look like they've lived a good life. Besides, IT'S AUGUST. We're nearly finished with summer! Can I get an amen? The bell peppers still have plenty of production time, I've had a pretty good crop and there are still lots of baby peppers on the plants. I'll give them a stay of execution for now. I've been at my desk making cards again. No special occasions, just nonsense.

Today I plan to make one for someone special who is battling health issues and maybe a couple of back-to-school cards for teacher friends. It would be kinder just to send them haz-mat suits. That's it, you're all caught up on the fast-paced life we're living - drive-ins, pickles, and paper crafts. In about three weeks we'll mask up and FLY to Baltimore. This will be the first time I've been on a plane since February of 2020. Holy cow! Eighteen months feels like a lifetime. Anyway, we've got a meeting with a builder, we plan to visit a couple more towns that we missed the first time we went exploring, and hopefully, HOPEFULLY make a final decision of some sort - even if it's just agreeing on a spot. We've had zoom meetings with the builder and have been going over floorplans and options - I'm still not convinced it's our wisest choice. I'd love a sparkling new home with hand-picked finishes, but there are a lot of hidden costs. We built this house in 1999 and it was all pretty straight forward and we knew exactly what we were getting for our sale price. This time around everything is an "option". Oh, you want a light above the kitchen island? That's another $800. What's that, you want steps to the front porch? We can do that for $1800. Every extra window is $500 or more, and (surprise!) most rooms only have one. The optional stone fireplace is $7,000. They don't sound like much one at a time, but added together it's a bundle. Buying finishes through the builder is very convenient, but far more costly. The same granite or quartz kitchen counters the builder will install are a thousand dollars more than Lowe's or Home Depot - the very same granite! And you know darn well that the builder is buying them at a contractor's price. The catch is that you must have a countertop in order to close. So if you have them install a basic laminate and choose to replace it with granite of your choosing, then you're paying the new installers extra to remove and haul away the laminate that you didn't want in the first place. Ugh. We've also remembered that we are not HOA people. The neighborhood we are considering is really lovely - it sits on a golf course (we don't golf) and has a community pool, fitness center, etc. Of course, there's a fee for all of that. That fee also includes trash pickup and lawn maintenance. Mickey would never mow again! He likes that. BUT, and for me this is a big but, they control every shrub or tree you might want to plant. No trees with a trunk diameter over 12 inches. They also hit you for $650 every January for maintenance of water and sewer. They're on public sewer and water, so I'm not sure what that covers. Of course, we can always purchase a lot elsewhere and build on that, but odds are that would entail having a well and septic put in and I am not a fan of that at all. The allure of building is that we could control the timeline (pretty much). If we broke ground in September or October could list our house in the spring and make our move. That gives us time to book a moving company and have a schedule that doesn't create panic. Our other options are to keep scouring real estate and jump on a house that meets our needs, list our house, close on our house and the new house in a timely manner, cross our fingers we can hire a reputable moving company on short notice, and drive to Maryland with two cats...or...list our house, close, hire a moving company, drive to Maryland with two cats, put everything in storage, rent a place until we find what we love, then hire movers again to get everything from storage to the new place. I'll be honest, the worst part of both scenarios is the idea of driving with two cats. They may have to be drugged. I'm currently liking this house in Ocean Pines. It's a little wonky-looking, but the interior and the lot are appealing (that dappled shade is perfect for hydrangeas!). I'm crazy about that screened room. https://www.homesnap.com/homes/for_sale/MD/Ocean-Pines/p_(21,21266)/c_38.381705,-75.146285/z_12/m_7,107492455 I've

already decorated it in my mind. It's 5 miles from the beach, the community has 5 pools ( 1 indoor), tennis courts, pickleball courts, walking trails, playgrounds, etc. No hidden fees. Every Saturday there's a farmer's market, and everything we'd need from a good hospital to Home Goods is nearby. The biggest drawback is that it's two hours from the grandgirl. Two hours is much better than our current eleven hours but that's definitely not the easy drop-in we'd hoped for. Arrgh! They'll just have to move. Ha! Alright, I've dumped my brain out on here and I'll leave you to pick through the mess and make sense of it. I have to run out to mail a box, then I'll feed the mister, fold some laundry, and make a couple cards. That's kind of a terrific Tuesday. No complaints from me. Besides, we're now just 89 days from Halloween! The stores have had fake pumpkins out since mid-July, they know the way to my heart. One more reason not to buy a lot outside of a neighborhood- no trick-or-treaters! Can you imagine if this was to be my last official Halloween? Tragedy! Gotta' run. Stay safe. stay well, and be kind to each other. XOXO, Nancy

[zombiiesque]

Seasonal Series: FALL For Nocturne Alchemy

Originally published 10/3/2019

So I've been meaning to work on this series for a while, but I keep getting distracted! I'm terrible, I know. I've had the idea to write up a series of four posts, one for each season, of scent suggestions from Nocturne Alchemy - both LC (Limited Collection) and PC (Permanent Collection). I've asked my fellow House of Nocturne Alchemy Tent members for their suggestions, too. If you are not already in the Tent on Facebook, please join us - we'd love to have you! It's a wonderful group. So, fall. It's October, and here in Florida the temperature hasn't really given us any relief, and I'm dying to wear my heavier fall scents. I am really glad not to have snow here yet, but I really would like to have some cooler days! Bring on that crisp fall air, I am ready.

Let's start with LC scents, shall we? Some of my favorites: Phantasm Kiss. Can't talk about fall without talking about this, the biggest gun of all, for me. The vanilla/smoke/wood balance is absolute perfection, and it's cozy and dark and right in my wheelhouse. To boot, it literally makes everything I have ever layered it with smell just so much more amazing. I don't think I've ever tried it with something I didn't love 1000%. This is VHTF, (very hard to find) though - if you come across one in the secondary market, you'd better act fast. Jack's Halloween Oudh is another iconic fall scent - everyone seems to love this, and it truly is fall in a bottle. It took a long time for me to be able to wear it, because for some reason I amped the dickens out of the spices, but they finally mellowed with age enough for this to truly be an experience, not just a perfume. It's a FALL fall scent, in capital letters. Just a tad on the foodie side, but balanced enough with the other notes that I wouldn't call it a gourmand. I'm not going to pick a particular pumpkin from the 31 Pumpkin Library, but I will say this: If you haven't been following along with this series, you are missing out. This is the last year for these. I was not sold on the idea of pumpkin as perfume, because I was never much of a foodie gal - I liked it well enough for room scents, and will eat the heck outta some pie, or muffins - but I just didn't really ever try any that appealed to me. Now I've accumulated a good 10 of them, and love them all. There's something for every taste, even the folks who don't like pumpkin or foodie scents. Can't wear spices? There's even several without spice in the series, too. Feeling Witchy, with a capital W? Sisters of the Moon was created by Bastet in honor of Stevie Nicks, and it's perfection. Herbal, dark, haunting, mysterious - it's everything you want in a witchy perfume. Always a favorite of mine this time of year. My absolute favorite Halloween subcollection though, is the Mummy series. So many favorites in this - Mummy Crypt, Mummy Tomb Incense, Embalmed Mummy, Mummy Amber, and currently available in the Resurgence, The Mummy Returns. Even better, these all do well layered with each other - I highly recommend experimenting with this! My absolute favorite is Mummy Crypt, but truly, I love them all. I would be remiss if I didn't mention V, also available in the Resurgence. I have to say that one really crept up on me - I really liked it, but I do have a lot of incense, and I wasn't sure it was totally unique to my collection. I wore this recently and it was like I was hit by a lightning bolt - I GOT THE FANFARE. Holy. Freaking. Bats! Don't skip out on this if incense is your jam, because this is a beauty. I am not sure whether it was hormones - mine have been in flux for quite a while - or the aforementioned warmer weather, but although I did like it, I wasn't obsessed with it. I surely am now, and it's going to get a lot of wear over the next few months. Thoth did a spectacular job with it, he truly did. Oh, I don't want to forget to mention the Patchouli Bats. If you love patch the way I do, there are some beauties here, and my two favorites right now are Scarlet Bat - available in the Resurgence section of the Limiteds, and the new Vampire Bourbon Patchouli Bat. I'm not going to say a lot on that, as I've got a review coming up at the end of the week with a more in depth look at Bourbon Bat, but it is divine, and already a fan favorite. Another Patchouli Bat I love that came out with the last Holiday LC is Vampire Cardamom Bat - I added this on as a last minute choice, and wasn't really sure about it, but it's become a quick favorite, and I wore it year round this year, but I think it's definitely more appropriate in the cooler months. Scarlet Bat is sugared patchouli red musk, and it. Is. Sexy. Seriously stunning. Okay, lest I go on too long here, I'm going to wrap this up by mentioning some of the LC favorites in the Tent. Vampire Bourbon Patchouli Bat is a fast fan favorite, and everyone is raving about it. Also

mentioned were Halloween Evening, Skeletonic, Blood Queen, Sandman, and Eternal Ankh Spice. Based on the review thread in the Tent, if you like lavender and sleep scents, Halloween Dreams is very popular. Okay, there are a ton of other really wonderful LC choices for fall, but I obviously could go on and on - let's head to the Permanent Collection!

Nocturne Alchemy has a large and wonderful PC, so if you have not explored this yet, you are truly missing out. Treasures untold, as Ariel says in The Little Mermaid. Right off the bat, I'm going to mention the brand new Halloween 2020. It was available in a special black frosted bottle in the LC section, but it's also part of the All Hallows' Eve subcollection, along with previous Halloweens, including my beloved Bastet Halloween 2016. This is a sandalwood lover's dream. I received a sample with my order, so I'll be talking about it when I post my reviews, but I LOVE it already. This is a great fall section, chock full of perfect cooler weather scents. BOO! is a fan favorite - I keep meaning to get a sample of it, because I want to give it a try and see if I can wear the spices. I do, however, have a sample of Day of the Dead, and it is the perfect Horchata. Sugary rice milk, creamy vanilla, and a touch of musk - it's so wearable, even if you're not into foodie scents. It's a snuggly white scent. I used to have a sample of Black Crow, but I gave it away many moons ago - but it's something I need to upgrade to a full bottle of, I loved it. I do however have a big bottle of Black Raven and I adore that one! The patchouli is prominent, but it's blended well with the other resins, and it's a rich and dark scent. If you love those kinds of scents, don't skip out on this one. I could really go on and on in this section, but I'll stop, and just encourage you to explore this one for yourself, especially for fall. Another section you won't want to miss is the Goblins. This one contains another big fan favorite, Spooktacular. I have the original version, without the addition of Bastet's Ice Cream Accord, but I need to pick up the new one, as well. This is simple - gooey, creamy, marshmallow goodness. If you are looking for a marshmallow scent, Spooktacular is the one you want. And it layers with absolutely everything! Demonseed Cake and Pina Ghoulata are also popular. The Immortals has another favorite - Emerson. This is a beauty for fall, a bright, rich golden resin scent. Mina is another popular one, jasmine with vanilla, musk, and pepper. I'm going to mention Ozymandias here, although I wear this year round, if I had to put it firmly into a season, I would call it a fall scent. I highly encourage you to age this one if you find it faint at first, that is common with this scent. It's a cozy, sweet resinous scent with just a light kick of pepper, and just perfect for snuggling into a jean jacket and thick sweater. It's in the Pharaohs & Queens section. There are a literal ton in the Studio Limited sections that would suit, so I'm going to briefly mention a few favorites: Ember Vanilla. Smoked out, slightly chewy vanilla, and layers well with many other perfumes. I haven't tried Bourbon Vanille solo yet, but having had it in blends, I am yearning for a bottle, and I think it, too, would be a great fall scent. There are many of the Ombres that are heavier and absolutely perfect for the fall, not the least of which are Oud Ombre and Fig Noir Ombre, a darkly sexy, date night fig and resins perfume. The newly released Musk Haven musks are great as well - I'm thinking particularly Vanilla Musk and Amber Musk, with the golden, stunning amber musk of Saphir. Ember is a rich, woody combination of frankincense and myrrh that I crave all year, but in particular during the cooler months. Kashmir - a dark, sexy red musk, and Bloodstone - a deep, spicy dragon's blood - are heavier and well suited for fall. Really, there are a plethora of choices in the Studio Limited, so I'll leave you to browse at your leisure, and just mention a few more that come to mind. Etherias is another section worth exploring, and I have several of these on my wishlist, including Etherian Ambre, which I think sounds perfect right about now. But one I really crave once the temperatures drop is Polichenelle - a gooey marshmallow with a puff of smoke and spicy clove. This to me is the perfect scent if you like clove, but it can amp up on your skin. I have that problem

myself, but not here - the marshmallow really reigns it in and it is beautifully balanced. It dries down to a lightly spiced marshmallow musk on me. The Royal Ambers have so many favorites, but I really want to mention Sky Amber, Thoth Amber, Sekhmet Amber, and especially Horus Amber. The cardamom in this is so smooth and rich, this is a gorgeous golden scent that is just wonderfully warm. Let me put the brakes on, y'all. There are a lot of great choices for fall in the PC, and some recommendations from my friends in the Tent include Burning Jack, Vanilla Pumpkin Pie, Halloween 2019, and Halloween 2017 (I too have this one and love it).

OH, another one - I would really feel bad if I didn't mention this. The Desecrated Tomb is a great little section, and the three I have all layer well with each other - Black Frankincense, Black Myrrh, and Black Vanilla Embalming Spice. But that last one is a perfect fall vanilla, it's dark and smoothly warm with the spices, and totally unique. And it's another fan favorite!

And that's it! Fall is my absolute favorite season, so I get a little verbose with the recommendations. There are so many wonderful possibilities, and not just in the Limited Collection. What are your favorite fall scents? Do you have and love any of these? Happy October, y'all.