#‘christmas is too commercialized!!’ i don’t care
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hate when assholes use santa clause, the easter bunny, tooth fairy, etc being made up as a reason to be cynical or to make kids sad.
“tHeY LiEd tO uS As KiDs, mAgiC isN’T ReAL aNd eVeRyThiNg SuCKs” ok but did you ever consider that the fact those ARE lies is just as amazing? that the real magic lies in the beauty of millions of adults, with or without kids, all agreeing to tell those stories so young children can experience a kind of joy unique to childhood while they still can?
you rube. you utter buffoon. the most magical thing about this world is a society’s collective cooperation to ensure the happiness of others.
#‘christmas is too commercialized!!’ i don’t care#i do not care#you do not understand how little i am inclined to care#grow up#cynicism for cynicism’s sake is childish and i hate it#there is beauty everywhere get off reddit and go look for it
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rocketman: part i - it's just my job five days a week
Summary: in which lieutenant commander bradshaw is on a three month special detachment in the pacific and the holidays have never felt lonelier for either of you. it's just three months, it'll be fine, right?
OR you and bradley write each other 159 emails
Pairing: Rooster x Fem!Reader 11.8k
Warnings: 18+, explicit language, suggestive dialogue, bradley needs to remember this is a government email server...(okay yes, i am perfectly aware that our esteemed lieutenant commander would probably get kicked out of the navy for some of these emails…that being said, i also don’t particularly care! we’re playing fast and loose with the time stamps too because i may be smart, but math has never been a strong suit of mine!) enjoy the companion playlist! rest of the series can be found here!
12/17 @ 6:19am
I miss you already and I haven’t even left the parking lot. I’m still in my car typing this after having stayed for probably far too long watching your C-40 take off (like people were staring at me I was there so long)(and, yes, I looked up the name of the plane). Pete asked me if I wanted to get breakfast with him, but I said no. Felt too lost. Plus, I need to get ready for work. We’re going to get dinner on Wednesday before I head up to Berkeley Thursday morning, though!
Hope you have a safe transport and settle onboard quickly. I left you something in your duffle bag (yes, it’s safe to open around other people…head out of the gutter, Bradshaw).
Love you and stay safe, x
12/18 @ 5:46pm
Just dropped off the gifts at the Junior League for Caroline’s adopt a child thing. She was completely in her element (they gave her a clipboard and a bullhorn!), though she did say we went wayyy too over the top. But little Carter asked for all that stuff! We couldn’t just not get it all for him? She also appreciated your wrapping skills, very impressed with the bows and tight corners. I met a couple of her friends there, which was nice and they invited me to stay for drinks (the prosecco was flowing…), but I wanted to head home.
I miss you so much already, it feels weird not going over to your place after work and making dinner and prepping lunch together - and it’s only been two days. I know you’re on a comms blackout for the next couple days, so I’m just gonna keep sending these so you’ll have a bunch to read all at once.
All my love, x
12/19 @ 11:48am
My brother and Lauren decided to come out here for Christmas after all! My dad was so excited when he called me, but I think Mary’s a little less enthused. Feels like shit knowing we were the backup option for them. Apparently, Lauren’s mom is sick and the whole house is in disarray (not hard in that family…) so my dad is paying for them to fly in from New York tomorrow. I think it’ll be nice, we’ll almost have a full set (baring you, of course, my darling rocketman), so the house won’t be as lonely. Do you think we’ll get to talk on Christmas or Christmas Eve? You should be getting a package soon (‘twas preemptively sent!) and are under strict orders not to open it until Christmas Eve, buddy!
Going to dinner with Pete tonight, I’ll let you know how it goes. Amelia’s coming with us, but I don’t know about Penny? I hope they like the gifts we got them. I’m going to stop by your place, do a once over, and make sure the tree is ready for Pete to take, etc. before I leave on Thursday.
Love you and talk soon! x
12/20 @ 7:03am
House looked good! In my seat on the plane. If my morals were shakier, I would 1000% have taken Max up on his offer to fly me up to Berkeley. But alas! Climate change is real and private jets account for 20x as many carbon emissions as commercial planes, so I am up at the ass-crack of dawn for this 7:15am flight. I’ll message you when I land, love you!
12/20 @ 9:04am
Just landed - easy flight. Now to find my dad in arrivals…
Love you, talk when you get the chance! x
12/23 @ 4:45am
Hey sweetheart! Back online and all settled in. I’m bunking with Payback and we actually have a pretty decent layout. He graciously offered to give me the bottom bunk, due to my ‘geriatric status.’ Honestly, I’m just glad I don’t have to sleep in the bunk room with the ensigns and rest of the crew. I forgot how noisy it is being on an aircraft carrier, which makes Payback’s snoring surprisingly pleasant. I’m glad he and Bob are with me. The rest of this squadron’s from Lemoore and Bob knows some of them. It’s interesting seeing him and Payback fly together, but they mesh really well.
Glad Mav is there to keep an eye on you.
Okay, I had way too much fun picking out all those presents, so I really hope Carter loves them too. And please tell me you have a picture of Caroline yelling into the bullhorn? I can truly think of nothing scarier than Caroline Calloway ordering the young women of San Diego county around like Santa’s chief elf. And speaking of gifts, I loved my pictures. The one from the Christmas party is my favorite, did Fanboy take it? I saw him running around with his Pentax. When the hell did you have time to print it? I’ve got it hanging up in my bunk so I can see it every night.
I still don’t understand why you don’t fly into Oakland instead of SFO? Like I get it, you’re not a Spirit or SW girl, but kid….it’s an hour and forty minute flight? Live a little. And I think it’ll be nice having your brother and Lauren around for Christmas. How many people do you think it’ll be? I always loved seeing Christmas Eves with large families in movies and stuff, all the chaos and whatnot? But it’s just gonna be you five Christmas Day? I’ve heard rumblings that I might be first in line for a Facetime on Christmas Eve, so save some time for me too, kid. I’ll let you know for sure in a couple days.
Okay, think we’re all caught up now. Talk soon and love you so much,
Your Bradley
12/23 @ 9:08am
Bubs! I read your email four times since I woke up, I can’t stop smiling. I’m glad you’re all settled in - Payback’s snoring and ageism aside haha. How’s the food? Do you want earplugs? A sleep mask? Are earplugs allowed for sleeping? What if you need to get up right away and you can’t hear? I could send you a white noise machine? Or is there a fear of hacking with that? I should’ve done more research on this before you left. Tell me if you need anything, I’ll send it out express! Oh, I’m just so happy to hear from you. Keep me posted!
Lots of love, x
12/23 @ 8:53pm
You and me, hot date tomorrow night at 11:45pst - don’t be late. (And look cute.)
Your Bradley
12/23 @ 8:55pm
I’ll be there 😉 Love you, x
12/25 @ 9:56am
Bradley Bradshaw you absolute sneak! How on Earth did you pull a Christmas miracle off!?! Mary said she had no clue, so I’m extremely impressed you got my dad to keep that secret!? I was totally not expecting another present from you? The cooking lessons and apron were more than enough - to say nothing about moving in together!?! I love the bracelet so much, you have no idea. I started crying when I opened it! Mary took a video, which I’m sure she’ll send you. God, Bradley? You didn’t have to do that! It’s perfect, it’s like we’re locked together. I’m gonna wear it everyday. Please email me later if you get the chance!
(Also, Lauren looked really jealous 😉 my brother was sweating)
Love you and Merry Christmas Rocketman! x
12/25 @ 11:38am
Ummm, not sure what you’re talking about, kid? That sounds like something Santa would do? Probably heard about how good you’ve been this year? x
12/25 @ 11:40am
Thank you, I love it so much and wish I could give you the biggest hug and kiss right now. I’ll have an extra slice of babka for you tonight, talk soon and Merry Christmas, Bradley! Love you x
12/27 @ 4:49am
I miss sleeping next to you. Whenever I can’t sleep, I think about the way you looked at me in the living room after our Christmas party. You looked so happy and I hate that I have to leave you for all our firsts. First Christmas, first New Year’s, first Valentine’s Day. And god, sweetheart, you’re so fucking gorgeous it makes me want to lose my mind sometimes. Always thinking about you, Bradley
12/27 @ 8:38am
I miss sleeping next to you, too (especially since your body is like a furnace and you hold me close when I get cold). And I know you being away during the holidays is hard, but look at it this way - we’ll just have our firsts next year. Next year will be our first Christmas, first New Year’s, first Valentine’s Day together, not an ocean apart. We have all the time in the world, rocketman. Love you today and every day x
12/29 @ 6:02pm
There’s already so many things I’m dying to tell you and stories about the squadron we’re teaming up with, but the Navy will have my ass if I give away too many details so I’m just going to leave it at this: are we sure Max doesn’t have a twin on another continent? Take that as you will. What’re your plans for New Year’s? Your Bradley
12/30 @ 9:20am
Sorry for the delayed response! A minor issue with my brother and my dad that I won’t bore you with had the whole house in a tizzy. Thankfully, he and Lauren are gone even though my dad still won’t tell me what the issue was? Anyway! God, I wish I could hear more about Max’s twin? I am honestly kind of scared about knowing there’s a Max doppelgänger in the Navy (jokes!). For New Year’s, I’m going to this party with Mary and dad in the city, it’s at this fancy venue and I have a cute black dress! It’s very different for me and I wish you were here to see it! I’ll have to wear it again. Message me when it’s the New Year your time! Love you! x
01/01 @ 12:09am
Happy New Year, sweetheart! They had a little party for the officers - we even got cake and Bob snuck me and Payback seconds somehow. It’s always the quiet ones you gotta look out for. You absolutely need to send me pictures of you in that dress, I can’t wait to see it on you in person someday. Hope you have a great time with your dad and Mary, give them my best. Love you and again Happy New Year!
Your Bradley
01/01 @ 12:01am
Happy New Year, Bradley!!! You got cake!! You broke some rules! I approve! Milk them for all the cake they’re worth! I’ll send some pics of the three of us and one just for you big boy 😉 Talk soon and love you so so much! x
01/01 @ 10:59am
Had a late start! Here are the pics from last night! Try and sneak some more cake xx
[mary_and_dad_being_annoying.jpg]
[me.jpg]
01/02 @ 6:12am
You know you labeled the pictures wrong…luckily no one was behind me…
01/02 @ 9:04am
Who? Me? I would NEVER! (Just trying to keep you on your toes.) Hope the flying is going well and you’re staying safe, B! Love you!
01/03 @ 8:00pm
Yeah, it’s going well. It’s so different flying on the open ocean after so long? Last time was in September when I went to Hong Kong. The desert is cool, don’t get me wrong, but seeing the clouds and the water together is unreal. The pink and purple clouds remind me of you (sorry, that was lame). You still gotta let me take you up, kid. I’ve heard Mav is trying to convince you, but you gotta let me be the one. Can’t trust just anyone with my girl. Love B
01/04 @ 10:13am
Bradley…he’s practically your father, I’m pretty sure you can trust him to take me up in a plane, you silly boy. Not that I’m saying you won’t be my first…but come on! And it’s not lame. I like that the pink and purple clouds remind you of me. Every time I see a plane I send a little call out for your safety. Gotta keep you safe, rocketman! Talk soon and love you! x
01/06 @ 4:45pm
My parents just dropped me off at the airport and no matter how many times I leave them, I always cry. I think the only time I didn’t cry when I left their house was when you were with me over Thanksgiving. You always make it better, bubs.
They’re coming down in a couple weeks to help me start packing, anything in the house you wouldn’t want them to see while dropping off boxes? I can still bring my old bed, etc for the guest room, right?
All my love, x
01/06 @ 9:58pm
I think I get that, having you around this time makes it different. I’ve never had anyone to really write to while I’ve been away before. Sure, I talked to my grandparents when they were still around and my aunts and uncles, Nat, Ice, and a couple others, but not like this. And I don’t ever want to not feel like this again.
I’m an open book, kid. Ain’t got nothing to hide. And yeah, anything like that feel free to bring with you for the guest room or office. It was the bed, nightstands, and dresser and then your couch for the office, yeah? We can get new bedding and pillows for it if you want? I’m on comms blackout for a couple days, so message me whenever you want so I can read them all when we’re back online.
Your Bradley
01/06 @ 10:07pm
Perfect! Love you and stay safe, rocketman.
01/06 @ 10:09pm
Love you too, kid.
01/09 @ 6:11pm
Bradley, I don’t mean to alarm you, but there was a raccoon in your garage! Scratch that, a FAMILY of raccoons!??! I’m sure Mr Harrington was ready to call the cops when he heard my scream. They’re so cute, but also terrifying at the same time? So, I called Pete and he came right over, a true knight in shining armor! Amelia and I did a THOROUGH sweep of the house to make sure they were relegated to the garage. Pete got them out safe and sound with a random tennis racket and your 4 iron, but somebody’s coming tomorrow to check on how they got in there. And I know they aren’t hurting anyone, but I just don’t want there to be any issues later on? (The babies were actually so cute and reminded me of my cat growing up, Porter.) Anyway! Enough drama for tonight, I hope that gets a laugh out of you - talk soon!
Love you! x
01/10 @ 8:05am
Well, the exterminator got here around 7:30 and sprayed all this stuff and blocked the hole in the crawl space of the garage. He showed me pictures and let me tell you, there was quite the nest up there. These raccoons were living large over the holidays.
01/12 @ 5:21pm
Okay! I’m in the parking lot, waiting for my first cooking class to start. Is it weird I’m a little nervous? I hope everyone else’s skill level is similar, I don’t like feeling behind. I brought my new apron, ironed it and everything. I feel a little like Ina Garten, isn’t she just divine? Okay, okay, I’m going in now! I’ll let you know how it goes! Thanks again for getting me these xx
01/12 @ 7:03pm
I feel so tired? Like my hand cramped a little bit? We started off the class with knife skills, which we’re going to do every week and then made this “simple” egg dish, which was NOT simple and I overcooked the egg. Ina would be so disappointed. Alas! Onto next week. Love you!
01/15 @ 9:12pm
Bradley you’re not going to BELIEVE what just happened on Succession. My heart is POUNDING? Do you think if I called and asked really nicely the Navy would get an HBO subscription for everyone? That is what I would like my tax dollars to go towards. Can you get me a direct line to someone in charge please? Love you!
01/16 @ 7:47am
Not to worry my little Barefoot Contessa, I have returned back to civilization (ie the internet), though am dismayed to have missed this mind blowing Succession episode? Has Perry Mason started back up again or will we be able to watch that together?
Bob and I were in the gym earlier and he almost dropped a dumbbell on my foot, I swear my life flashed before my eyes. But I had a new PR on the bench press today, up to 285 pounds. Glad the cooking lesson went well though! What’s the class makeup like? x Bradley
01/16 @ 9:04am
I’m glad you’re back online and safe! Perry Mason has not started yet, though I’m still certain you’re the only person under the age of 55 that watches it (I guess I should say we’re the only people under the age of 55 that watch it, but whatever). You’ve also missed a couple Top Chef episodes, but we can always binge this season later.
There’s about 12 of us in the class and it’s pretty evenly split? Though there’s tragically this really annoying couple who were at the station next to me. I hope we get to change next week, I don’t think I can watch them feed each other food another week.
And I’m still waiting for that direct line to the Navy, Bradshaw! Love you! x
01/1 6 @ 6:59pm
Wait, wait, how did I miss there? There was a WHAT in my garage? A raccoon? Multiple raccoons? We need to get a dog or a cat or something. x Bradley
01/18 @ 7:02am
Bradley!! I know we talked about a trip once you got home (provided you still feel up for it with the transition and all), what if we went here? I was talking about our tentative plans with my dad and Mary before I went back to San Diego and they went to Punta Mita this past fall and LOVED it! What do you think? Love you!
01/18 @ 6:03pm
Holy shit! That looks absolutely amazing, yes I’d love to go! Can we afford that though? It looks expensive? xBradley
01/18 @ 6:05pm
YAY!! Ahh, I’m so excited you have no idea! I want to hug and kiss you so bad right now! We can fly for free since I have a bunch of AA points (thank you pwc) and then I have like a million Amex points, so it’s not full price!!
01/18 @ 6:12pm
When you say ‘like a million’ do you actually mean a million or?
01/18 @ 6:14pm
Yes! I’ve had this card for like 15 years! My whole family does the pooling on it! It’s a drop in the bucket, promise! Plus, I always use my other card for work and that has a whole bunch of Bonvoy points on it, too. We could stay at one of those? I think there’s a St Regis next door?
01/18 @ 6:22pm
Sweetheart, I want to go, I just don’t want you to waste all those points on this.
01/18 @ 6:26pm
What if we go for 6 nights instead of 9? Maybe no plunge pool? Or we could pay cash instead? And then I could get 6x the points from paying that way? So, really….the points just keep accumulating, we’ve got to use them sometime! The points can pay for the flights and the hotel and then we can split the room charges and incidentals 50:50?
Will you think about it? You don’t have to give me an answer right away and we can always pick another hotel? But if we want to go someplace in late March/early April, I think we should book soon with spring break and all? Not that I imagine many coeds will be staying at the Four Seasons, but you never know…
01/18 @ 6:33pm
You gotta send me a ppt on all this points stuff, you know math stresses me out. And no, I don’t think many coeds will be staying at the Four Seasons, kid.
01/18 @ 6:37pm
Can I send you a dossier with everything!?! Even if you say no to that I’m doing it anyway ;) just promise me you’ll think about it, please? I’ll do whatever you want, Bradley <3
01/18 @ 6:40pm
Yes, please send the dossier my way henceforth, Moneypenny.
And you’ll do whatever I want, huh? Might have to send you a dossier of my own now…
(But yes, I promise I’ll seriously consider everything. I just don’t want you to feel like you have to spend all this money to make me happy. I’d say we’d both be happy camping out on the beach, but I think that might be a security issue down there, plus neither of us like camping - anyway, you know what I mean.)
01/18 @ 6:43pm
Lieutenant Commander Bradshaw!! Is this a dossier for my eyes only? What will M say!? I’ll send you mine if you send me yours?
(But seriously, thank you! I’ll send you more specifics tomorrow - like pricing and whatnot - and you can take a couple days to think it over. And thank you for clarifying the camping thing, I was worried for a second there.)
I love you so much rocketman and we’ll talk (email) tomorrow
x Moneypenny
01/18 @ 6:46pm
I’d say ‘sleep tight,’ but that’s a given considering you haven’t been fucked in a couple weeks.
(Perfect, I genuinely am really excited about it, just want to make sure it works out for us both.)
Love you so much, kid
Your Bradley
01/18 @ 6:58pm
Bradley Bradshaw!! You did not just say that over a government email server!
Imissyourcocksobadlyit’sdrivingmeinsane
01/18 @ 7:01pm
Couldn’t help it. Plus, we both know it’s true.
01/18 @ 7:04pm
Oh, shut up. Shut me up
01/18 @ 11:43pm
I’m sorry if I came off too strong about planning earlier, I might’ve gotten a little carried away and been a little too eager about planning something five days after you’re home from a three month detachment. If at any time before you come home or even right after you come home you don’t feel up to the trip, please please please tell me. I want to do something nice for you and give you a chance to truly relax, but I’d hate for it to come at a price. So, just let me know, okay? Say the word and we’ll push it, alright? I don’t exactly know what you’re going through, but tell me if it’s ever too much. I’ll always be here, promise. Love you x
[dossier_for_your_eyes_only.ppt]
01/19 @ 8:29am
Kid, no. I promise I’ll tell you. You know I love how excited you get planning things. I think I like it so much because you take care of it all. Sure, you ask for my opinion and what I want, but I just have to tell you one thing, one idea and you take care of it.
Funny though, isn’t it? How it’s totally opposite in the other side of our relationship? You tell me one thing, one idea and I take care of all of it? Bet it’s hard for you not having someone around to do that for you? Maybe next time we Facetime we can talk more about that? x B
01/19 @ 10:11am
Luckily, I have a very creative imagination, Lieutenant Commander Bradshaw.
See right now, I’m in my office, sitting at my desk, feeling so overwhelmed. It almost hurts how overwhelmed and frustrated I am. And you bust down the door, hair windswept like you’d flown to Del Mar, and you have that slutty flight suit on and I don’t even mind that you’re sweaty and gross. You smell absolutely divine and I rake my hands through your hair as you eat me out underneath my glass desk. I get a conference call, but you don’t stop the entire time. You like how squirmy and fussy I get, I can’t focus on the deliverable I’m working on for the client. You like that I can’t control myself, that I squeeze my thighs around your head. Eventually, you can’t take it anymore, your cock is aching so badly, and you need to fuck me on top of my desk. You’re so strong it almost breaks. You fuck me so good everyone in the office can hear me crying out for you.
(actually, I’m on the couch, watching college football, but it’s more fun to imagine you fucking me in my office - see, creative imagination! Make sure you get a quiet room for that Facetime...)
Love x
01/19 @ 7:29pm
You think you’re funny, huh? You have any more of those thoughts, feel free to send them my way. ‘m taking out that picture you gave me for Christmas right now. How you taking care of yourself? My imagination isn’t as creative as yours. B
01/19 @ 7:40pm
Guess you’ll have to wait for our next Facetime…
x
01/20 @ 4:24pm
Your dad and Mary write me emails, you know. They aren’t as good correspondents as you are (for how could they possibly be, my dear?), but they check in about once a week or so. Mary sends me some of the articles she gives her students and talks about the show she’s watching with your dad. Your dad mainly talks about you. It makes me wish my parents were still around to do this stuff with me. Just checking in and writing emails and bragging about me to my girlfriend? How was yesterday’s class?
Your Bradley
01/20 @ 5:39m
I didn’t know they wrote you that often and I’m beyond embarrassed that my dad talks about me that much? But come on, Bradley…you have someone who does that, too? He’s about 5’8” (on a good day), looks great in a leather jacket, and just spent about two hours last weekend cleaning your gutters and telling me about how you won your high school’s debate scholarship?? Like how could you not tell me that? It’s literally one of the hottest things I’ve heard about you!
Class was good! They taught us a trick to cut onions without crying and one of the other girls complimented my apron! We’re doing meats next week, cutting, marinating, cooking, etc. and I’m excited!
01/20 @ 5:42pm
Oh gee, I bet it’s just awful for you to have Mav around all the time. Knight in shining armor…
01/20 @ 5:48pm
He’s not a bother! And it’s not all the time! We’re actually going to get lunch together on Saturday! It’s this new place on the water.
01/20 @ 5:50pm
Sounds like a cute little date! You’ll have to tell me how he is. Love you so much B
01/20 @ 5:55pm
I’ll keep ya posted, bubs! Love you!
01/22 @ 10:01am
Breaking news, kid. Your esteemed, naval aviator boyfriend is going to be on 60 Minutes at the end of February. Totally came out of left field, but I couldn’t say anything until they finished filming. It’s about the Navy in the Pacific and “the lost art of shipbuilding.” They even rigged up a camera on my plane and everything, it was so cool. I’ve been dying to tell you, but again couldn’t say anything until it was official. I probably won’t be on it long since they interviewed the Admiral and Pac Fleet Commander for most of it, but yeah, Payback and Bob and I will be on with my girl Norah. I made sure I had enough sunscreen on so I was camera ready at all times. Love you B
01/22 @ 10:09am
YOU’RE FUCKING SHITTING ME????? Oh my god, Bradley! That’s amazing! Margie even ran into my office to see what made me shriek! I am TOTALLY having a viewing party! Oh my god, how do you think it went? Did they get your good side? What about hair and makeup? I know you get helmet hair, bubs.
Seriously, so so excited and proud of you, Bradley! I’m going to make my dad and Mary come down for it! She doesn’t teach on Mondays, so this is perfect for them to stay over Sunday night! But now don’t go letting all that fame get to your head, Lieutenant Commander Bradshaw 😉 Love you so much x
01/24 @ 12:17pm
Rocketman -
I was sitting at my desk earlier and listening to some music before my 12:30 meeting and Elton John’s Rocket Man popped up on my shuffle. Obviously, as you are my rocketman, I always think of you whenever I hear it, but today the lyrics really scratched that special part of my brain, so I did a deep dive into the song’s origins.
Please note, I’m including this time in my billable hours to the client (re. you). My findings are as follows:
Bernie Taupin was inspired by a Ray Bradbury story written in 1951 titled ‘The Rocket Man’ - not drugs as the urban legend states! Drugs! Imagine!
Bradbury’s ‘The Rocket Man’ was first published in Maclean’s, a weekly Canadian magazine, before it was published in the short story collection ‘The Illustrated Man’ that same year
‘The Illustrated Man’ later was made into a film, though ‘The Rocket Man’ story was notably absent
Some of more popular and renowned stories from the collection include ‘The Veldt’ and ‘The Long Rain,’ the latter of which is commonly read in high school honors English
Was client in honors English? Please confirm in follow up correspondence
Client has mentioned extensive library resources at disposal - perhaps he can check this collection out on his next visit? But for now, an executive summary has been provided:
With space travel more commonplace in society, Doug’s father, an astronaut, is sent on frequent, three- month journeys into space
Despite missing his dad, Doug also longs to be a Rocket Man, though his mother frequently prevails on Doug to beg his father to stay on Earth and be with the family
“What’s it like, out in space?” Mother shot me a frightened glance. It was too late. Dad stood there for a full half minute trying to find an answer, then he shrugged.“It’s the best thing in a lifetime of best things.” Then he caught himself. “Oh, it’s really nothing at all. Routine. You wouldn’t like it.” He looked at me, apprehensively. “But you always go back.” “Habit.”
The father finds that his work is ruining his life, but the draw of the stars is too great: "You don’t know what it is. Every time I’m out there I think, if I ever get back to Earth I’ll stay there; I’ll never go out again. But I got out, and I guess I’ll always go out.”
Even while on vacation with the family, having Thanksgiving dinner, or sitting on the back porch, the father’s eyes are always on the sky…
Doug’s father begs him to not be like him, to not be a rocket man, but what happens when his father goes on one last journey to the stars?
Through much reflection, I have decided that ‘The Rocket Man’ was written about you - and your mom and your dad and me and on and on until there is no longer a need for Rocket Men - or the rocket man simply stops and breaks the cycle
You are both the Rocket Man and the little boy, forever waiting for his father to come home from space
The allure of flying, of being a ‘rocket man,’ is both too great and too sad for you to ignore
None of this is to say the rocket man is selfish, no. He simply cannot resist the temptation. He knows nothing other than the thrill and peace of being amongst the stars
And his mother shielding Doug from the sun at the end is like your mom asking Mav to pull your papers, she does it to save him, but it cannot keep him from becoming his father
Needless to say - I had to postpone my 12:30 meeting until tomorrow as my eyes were far too puffy and any word I tried to say felt like cotton in my mouth.
I miss you and I love you - your ‘Lilly’
01/24 @ 8:22pm
Fuck - I love you so much. My clever girl.
01/24 @ 8:28pm
I pour my heart out to you and that’s all you have to say, rocketman? ‘Fuck - I love you so much’
(of course, I also love you so much, my clever boy.)
01/24 @ 8:30pm
Darling - it’s going to take me a little longer to come up with any commentary you deem appropriate, so for the sake of time, yes. I gotta read this story in full. I’ll be at the library at my earliest convenience. ‘The client’ will send an annotated copy with his notes henceforth.
01/24 @ 8:32pm
Of course, sweet boy. Goodnight, I love you so much. x
01/25 @ 11:44am
As promised, my darling girl. Love you.
[b.bradshaw_the rocket man_final paper.pdf]
01/25 @ 7:14pm
Oh Bradley! I love you so much, rocketman. Yes, I couldn’t have said it better. Yours x
01/26 @ 10:39am
Bradley! They’re sending me to London in February for two weeks! I even get a swanky corporate apartment for the stay. I wish you could come with me - even if it was just for a long weekend? We could go to all my favorite restaurants and afternoon tea and for walks in all the parks. One day it’ll work out!
But tragedy of all tragedies! I just realized I’m going to miss a couple cooking lessons when I’m in London! I already emailed the instructor before today’s class and she said there’s other classes throughout the week that are behind us, so I can make it up with them! Ahhh I’m so excited! Talk soon, love you!
01/26 @ 11:13pm
I didn’t realize how nervous I was about the trip until I went to bed tonight. It’ll be my first trip abroad since I got my promotion in November. Plus, it’s a completely different client than my last trip abroad and I’ve only met one person on this new London team before. Sometimes I go into these meetings and still feel like a little kid? I’m always the youngest person in the room and normally the only woman and on one hand, that’s cool? But sometimes I feel like someone’s daughter instead of their colleague? Like these guys are my dad’s age? And they’re actually supposed to listen to what I have to say about their company? Do you ever feel like that? Like you don’t really belong, despite knowing you’ve earned your place? I wish you were beside me right now. My bed feels way too big tonight. Love you.
01/27 @ 7:48am
Sweetheart! I am so unbelievably proud of you! That’s amazing! You gotta celebrate, go out to dinner with Caro and Darcy, maybe even Nat! I know you’ve been working so hard these last couple of weeks, you absolutely deserve this. I can’t say I know exactly what you’re going through, but yes. I have absolutely felt like I haven’t belonged or deserved something despite having ‘checked off all the boxes.’ I felt that way when I got promoted to LC and when I got that award in October. Everytime I see it on my uniform, I feel a bit like a faker? Like do I really deserve this? But then I remember the way you smiled at me when I got back to my seat that night and how proud of me you were and I think maybe I do deserve it? Plus, I also think of how goddamn gorgeous you looked all fucked out later that night.
And please note, I would happily slip into bed alongside you, especially since my bed feels way too small tonight. Love you, Bradley
01/27 @ 10:56am
Thank you for earlier. I don’t know, sometimes I just feel like I’m just too soft for all of this? Like I’m always trying to prove something to everyone and I get a little lost. Tell me something good? x
01/27 @ 7:01pm
How about this? Every time I go up in the sky and see the way the sun hits the clouds, I think of you. I’ve never wanted to be with someone as much as I want to be with you. I love you so much, kid
Your Bradley
01/27 @ 7:06pm
Sometimes I can’t believe we love each other this much, it feels like a dream x
01/27 @ 7:11pm
I can. Your Bradley
01/30 @ 7:08am
i slept in one of your shirts last night. it doesn’t smell like you anymore, but it feels like you: soft and safe and warm x
01/30 @ 7:23am
Well I spray my pillowcase with your perfume whenever I miss you so I guess we’re even
Your Bradley
ps - can you send me another bottle?
01/30 @ 7:34am
You’re already out? What sort of illicit behavior are you engaging in with that perfume bottle?
01/30 @ 10:33pm
I burrow my face in my pillow so I can smell it while I fist my cock, why? What’d you have in mind?
01/30 @ 10:37pm
How does that work though? Like genuinely? Do you jack off with Rueben in the top bunk? Or wait till he’s in the gym? I’ve been curious about this for a while now. What about the showers? Is it like an open floor plan thing? Or are there stalls? Is there a Zillow listing for this aircraft carrier?
01/30 @ 10:41pm
Now why would I ruin the mystery?
01/30 @ 10:43pm
Bradley!!!!
01/30 @ 10:44pm
Atta girl, that’s the spirit! Love you
02/02 @ 6:30pm
I am so sick of going to the gym. It seems like it’s all Payback and I do lately. We got this new workout regime that’s been killing me - don’t say it’s because I’m old. Though, I have been using my Theragun. Payback does my back if I do his in return. It was only awkward the first time he turned it on too hard and yelped (please tell everyone that).
02/02 @ 6:46pm
Oh, so you and Rueben Theragun each other, huh? Say more Lieutenant Commander!
02/04 @ 2:45pm
Going to Pete and Penny’s in a bit to watch the Super Bowl! Max is at the game, apparently his golf buddy Jimmy G hooked him up, though he neglected to bring me or Caroline. I feel like you would’ve been his first choice, so take that as a compliment I suppose. Do you guys do anything onboard for it? I have $350 on the 49ers winning by 3. Have a lovely day my darling boy x
02/04 @ 9:30pm
Guess who’s as snug as a bug on a rug in her bed AND $1400 dollars richer? That would be me! When you get home we’re going to Juniper and Ivy, my treat, bubs! x
02/06 @ 4:57am
Awww sweetheart are you gonna sugar mama me again?
02/06 @ 7:03am
You do know the only reason you’re getting away with that is because there’s an ocean between us, right?
02/06 @ 6:00pm
Sorry, couldn’t resist! Love you! B
02/06 @ 6:10pm
You’re lucky I love you so much. x
02/08 @ 9:58pm
Can you imagine if I was gone for 20 years?
02/08 @ 10:11pm
Bradley that’s not funny
02/08 @ 10:13pm
It’s not supposed to be. I’m reading the Odyssey and it got me thinking.
02/08 @ 10:16pm
Bradley I love you something awful, but you are such an old man sometimes.
Are you going through some sort of midlife crisis reading the Odyssey while you’re at sea?? Is the Old Man and the Sea next?
(ps i love the thought of you reading in your bunk in your spare time and being so struck by something composed thousands of years ago that you have to email me)
02/08 @ 10:20pm
They wait 20 years to get back to each other - practically half their lives. They miss so many things and barely knew each other before he left, but they’re still so - I don’t even know? They’re just so intent on getting back to the other in Odysseus’s case? While Penelope makes sure there’s something for him to come back to? And I must’ve read this stanza ten times before I had to email you:
"...the gods cast me upon Ogygia, Calypso's island, home of the dangerous sea nymph with glossy braids, and the goddess took me in in all her kindness, welcomed me warmly, cherished me, even vowed to make me immortal, ageless, all my days - but she never won the heart inside me, never"
And I know it’s not a perfect comparison or parallel, but I read that last bit and I couldn’t help but think of you? And how you’re the one who won my heart and it’s always going to be that way. Whether I see you in twenty seconds or twenty years.
02/08 @ 10:23pm
You’d come home to me whether it took twenty seconds or twenty years. You’d come home to me and I’d know you anywhere. I love you so much.
02/08 @ 10:58pm
“Now help me, please, to get back home, and quickly! I miss my family. I have been gone so long it hurts.”
Your Bradley
02/09 @ 7:03pm
At the airport for London! Taking off! And I may or may not have used points to upgrade to a Club World seat…but like? It’s a nonstop flight, so it’s okay, right? Work’s already paying for business class? It’s points from my work card? It’ll be fine, right?
I had to take an ativan in the lounge. I just hate that I still get so nervous whenever I fly long distance? I fly all the time, I shouldn’t be like this? You know, one time, I pretended you were flying my plane. I know it’s kind of dumb and silly and a completely different type of plane, but it made me feel better because you’d never let anything happen to me.
Anyway, we’re book buddies!! I went to the bookstore a couple days ago and got a copy! I read the Odyssey back in high school, but forgot so much. I was reading in the lounge and this part made me think of you:
“...this lovely house, my marriage home, so full of wealth and life, which I suppose I will remember even in my dreams.”
I’ll text you when I land my darling boy, love you x
02/10 @ 6:02am
You gotta squeeze every last bit of your per diem out of pwc. You’ve been working way too hard lately. Fuck it, on the way home just put the upgrade on your work card or put it on mine. Have a safe (rest of your) flight - maybe one day you’ll let me take you up. Love Bradley
02/10 @ 10:08am
Just landed and on my way to the office (already…)
I thought of you as I read and stared out the window on the plane. I could pretend I’m flying towards you, rather than further away. I can’t imagine how you feel doing this everyday, but I imagine it’s like feeling limitless, like everything is in front of you, there for the taking. Maybe, just maybe, I’ll let you take me up one day.
I’ll keep you posted on how everything’s going if you do the same. All my love x
02/12 @ 5:49am
How’s it going, kid? They working you too hard? You’re in London! Try to enjoy it, you deserve it. One of the guys I’m with gave me a restaurant recommendation for you, said the drinks were amazing, his wife loved it. Do something fun while you’re there! And send me some pictures dammit!
Love you,
Bradley
02/12 @ 8:22am
Bradley! It’s been so so crazy here! I feel like I haven’t stopped since I landed. My ‘flat’ is so cute and right by the client’s offices, so it’s an easy commute. I feel so professional taking the Tube places too! It’s one thing I’d like us to have in San Diego as opposed to all the traffic. Also, it’s CHILLY here and I’m so glad I dug my big coat out of storage. I’ll try and check the restaurant out this weekend, I’m gonna sneak in a trip to the Tate, too. I’ve always wanted to see the Turners. Talk soon and love you bunches! x
02/14 @ 9:54am
Bradley Bradshaw! You absolute SAP! HOW!?! Did you conspire with my dad again? Thank you for the flowers! I’m going to have the biggest smile on my face all day. I love you and hope this is the first of a lifetime of Valentine’s Days together. Always x
02/14 @ 7:33pm
Happy Valentine’s Day to you too, kid. I’m not gonna lie, I gave your dad very specific instructions for the bouquet (I was going to ask Max, but he’d probably swap it for something ugly and cheap and keep the change…kidding (not)), so I’m glad they turned out well. It was a very big day on board today: we got special red heart cookies for the holiday. The mood was infectious, I can still taste the sprinkles. Maybe you could cook for me on our next Facetime? Have you learned anything good in class lately? It doesn’t have to be fancy, just wanna see you (and maybe also live vicariously through whatever you’re making).
02/14 @ 7:33pm
Bradley! I think I can swing that for you, when do you think our next call will be?
02/16 @ 3:18pm
Kid, you spoil me. This package is amazing, I don’t know where to start (just kidding it’s with the Cadbury chocolate and the Sudocrem as my burnt shoulders thank you), but everything is wonderful, thank you. I love hearing about London and seeing the pictures you sent last time. But I do have one complaint…you’re not in any of the pictures, kid, and that’s truly egregious. (Think we won’t be able to Facetime for a while, I gave Payback my slot the other day.)
02/16 @ 3:23pm
That’s not true! I’m in the one in front of the Tate!
02/16 @ 3:25pm
Yeah, but I can’t see you under all those layers! Just want to see your face. It’s been way too long since our last Facetime.
02/16 @ 9:52pm
As requested, Lieutenant Commander. I had one of the girls in the London office take this at dinner tonight. She really did wonders with the lighting and even managed to get my sidecar in the pic! x Love you
02/17 @ 6:55am
You look pretty. New dress? B
02/17 @ 7:17am
Maybe…it was on sale, couldn’t resist. But you’re gonna hate me because all of my clothes are very much not going to fit in your closet. Also, I bought you a new jacket and some socks. x
02/17 @ 7:20am
Ehhh I’m not too worried about the closet thing. But if you keep buying me clothes we might have a problem.
02/17 @ 7:24am
It’s so cute though!! You’re going to look so handsome in it! I got the green one for you!
02/17 @ 7:29am
Okay, admittedly a very nice jacket, thank you. But you are aware that we live in San Diego…
02/17 @ 7:31am
I am aware of that fact, LC Bradshaw. You can wear it when we visit my parents. Hell, I had to get my coat out of my storage closet for this trip.
02/17 @ 6:53pm
Sighhhhh you raise a good point. Alright, alright, thank you for the jacket and socks my darling girl. What’d you have for dinner last night? We had chicken with these absolutely awful biscuits, tasted like saw dust, my stomach was growling for some more of that Cadbury chocolate (yes, Payback and I ate all of it already, though it was mainly Payback) for hours afterward.
02/17 @ 6:59pm
Oh my sweet boy! Who do I need to call about your meal plan? Give me the number and I’ll call the Navy up right now. And I had scallops with truffle risotto. It was delicious. Wanted to lick the bowl clean. Love you bubs x
02/19 @ 10:22pm
Bubs, I cannot eat another meal out. I feel like I’m going to burst. I’ve gone to so many work dinners and lunches even before coming here, it almost makes me feel like a glutton.
I miss you and your cooking (though I’ll have you know that my skills were vastly improving before my trip abroad!) and you standing behind me at the counter while I try to perfectly cut peppers. Sometimes I do it wrong on purpose so you’ll put your arms around me and I can feel the rumble of your voice. Would we call that weaponized incompetence? You better be ready for some Michelin Star meals when you get home, buddy. I just can’t wait to be home with you and roll over next to you in the morning and to tell you to stop snoring and that the battery in the smoke detector needs to be changed. I can’t wait to be home with you and make a life with you. I’m going to be really sappy now, but let me have this because I was reading this poem the other day and thought of you.
“I am supposed to be touched. I can’t wait to find the person who will come into the kitchen just to smell my neck and get behind me and hug me and breathe me in and make me turn around and make me kiss his face and put my hands in his hair even with my soapy dishwater drips. I am a lovely woman. Who will come into my kitchen and be hungry for me?” (x)
Only a month until you’re home with me, I hope you’re hungry.
All my love x
02/20 @ 4:50am
It’s only weaponized incompetence if the other person minds. I, however, do not mind. I loved that quote you sent me, going to be thinking about that one for a long time. I hate to tell you this, but I’m gonna be offline for a couple days. I hate that it’s at the end of your trip, but please please message me when you’re leaving/taking off and again when you land, you know I worry. Love you and am so unbelievably proud of you, kid! You killed it in London. Your Bradley
02/20 @ 7:03am
That’s okay, I totally understand. I’ll give you all the details on our next Facetime. In the meantime, I message you when I leave. Stay safe and love you, Bradley! x
02/23 @ 3:45pm
Taking off soon! I got an upgrade again, thankfully! And I made sure to put your new coat in my carry on - I don’t trust British Airways not to lose it! Taking an ativan again so hopefully I’ll sleep the entire flight - love you and talk soon!
02/24 @ 10:33pm
Just landed, slept through….90% of the flight! Apparently, there was bad turbulence, so probably for the best. Now, I know you would never have me deal with that my darling rocketman! Talk later - love you! x
02/25 @ 7:09pm
Feels kind of weird being back? I can’t quite get back into my routine. I’m not sure if it’s jet lag or something else? Feeling a little lost? x
02/26 @ 7:55pm
Bradley!!! You were so good, I’m so so proud of you! Max had everyone over at his place for us to watch you! We have quite the party here including my parents, Pete, Penny and Amelia, Natasha, Mickey and Cielo, Caroline, and Darcy. I’ll have to tell you about the parents meeting later. I wish you had been here for it, they took to each other like bees to honey.
You looked tragically handsome, I practically had to hold back a moan when you were standing on the flight deck talking to Norah O’Donnell (is she as nice in person as she is on TV?). God, I want to ravish you, you sounded so fucking smart. You know like half the country is going to be in love with you now, right? I’ve got to get back to everyone, Max ordered dinner for us afterwards, but I had to email you as soon as you finished!
Just wanted to let you know how proud of you I am and how much I love you x
02/27 @ 5:09am
Thanks, kid. Sorry it took me a bit to respond, things have been getting a bit crazy, you know, now that I’m a celebrity and all? We’re winding down this training, so the next couple weeks are gonna be full of debriefs and paperwork, which means I should have a more stable schedule. Love you B
02/28 @ 11:48pm
Sometimes I wonder if you were here what would you do? Hold me? Love me? I never feel small except when I’m in your arms. x
02/29 @ 11:48pm
Some nights in bed, if I try really hard, I can imagine I’m laying down next to you. And it makes everything just a little easier. Bradley
03/01 @ 12:56am
I haven’t taken anything besides my fingers in months. You’re going to stretch me out so well when you get home.
03/01 @ 7:19pm
And I’m gonna mark your ass pink for that comment. I can’t believe you sent that in the middle of the day. You getting yourself off at work? Dirty girl.
03/01 @ 9:41pm
Never feels as good as when you do it.
03/01 @ 10:01pm
And my hands pale in comparison to your pretty little cunt. You know that first time we slept together you were so fucking tight, I knew you hadn’t had a good fuck in ages. It gonna be like that again when I come home?
03/01 @ 10:05pm
Where are you going to have me first?
03/01 @ 10:06pm
In our bed, in our house, after you make me dinner in our kitchen.
03/01 @ 10:09pm
Just over two weeks now, I can’t wait to see you. x
03/03 @ 5:55am
How you holding up, kid? You doing a little better this week work wise? Try and log off around 5 if you can. Don’t want you getting all worn down on me.
They had us doing these war games yesterday that made me think of you. You would’ve walked circles around some of these other guys I swear. Think I can get a Facetime for us in a couple days? Probably will be our last one before I come home. Love you, B
03/03 @ 7:12am
Bradley! That's the best news I’ve had in ages! I can’t wait to see you! Definitely felt a little lost after coming back from London, but I hope my rut will be over soon? Tying things up with a client is always so lengthy and tedious.
War games! ‘Would you like to play a game?’ I’d ask if you won, but no one ever wins in the art of war 😉Love you!
03/05 @ 8:54pm
So, here’s a new one. My mom called? She’s going to be stateside and wants to get lunch tomorrow. Could’ve done with a bit more warning, but apparently, she has a layover in San Diego on her way to New York to see my brother? I didn’t even know she was going to see him? I don’t even know if I want to see her? It’s funny, I can already tell you exactly how it’ll play out:
We’ll go to lunch at some sort of vegan restaurant, probably Donna Jean
She’ll make me pay
She’ll try to get me to use some sort of herb to promote weight loss since I’m looking a bit “pudgy” around the face
Though she’ll forget to ask about you, she’ll tell me about her latest string of failed relationships with bartenders and surf instructors in Canggu. Or is it Ubud? I genuinely don’t remember, she started in Ubud, but honestly my knowledge of Balinese geography is rudimentary at best
She’ll ask how ‘that woman’ is doing as if Mary is just the woman my dad is seeing, not the woman who raised me and my brother
And finally, she’ll ask for money though betting is still open as to what for!
So, what do you say? Wanna put a wager on it? Your terms.
Love you! x
03/06 @ 6:30am
$100 she orders the caesar and makes you pay. I’m not even going to entertain the third parlay, pretty girl. Oddly feeling like she’s got a winner on her hands so yes she’ll talk about her new paramour. Does she really call Mary ‘that woman?’ And yes, without a question, she will ask you for money.
Your move my gorgeous girl,
Bradley
03/06 @ 7:49pm
I really wish you were here right now. She doesn’t even know me, but she somehow always manages to make me feel small.
Caesar - no croutons
I paid
Pudgy and frumpy, but she was hawking shakes not herbs
Failed relationship? No, she’s actually GETTING MARRIED
She did not ask about you much other than to say I need to watch my figure for you (see bullet point no. 3)
Mary was called ‘that woman’ six times before I stopped counting
She asked for money as a wedding present
So, you didn’t get them all, but not a bad showing. Love you. Talk tomorrow on Facetime. x
03/07 @ 6:09am
God kid, I’m so sorry. She doesn’t know what she’s missing. Actually, I don’t even think she deserves to know what she’s missing. Did you talk to your dad or Mary about it? I know we’re talking later, but I just wanted you to have a message from me before you start your day. What’re you wearing to the office tomorrow? Have you worn that polka dot dress with the bow lately? You know it’s one of my favorites and that I always love unwrapping it when you get home from the office.
Can’t wait to see you tonight. All my love, Bradley
03/07 @ 9:55am
The dress doesn’t fit. My mom was right, I shouldn’t have gotten the french toast.
I’m planning on talking to dad and Mary later today before you and I have our Facetime. I know they’ll make me feel better, much like you have my darling boy, but it still feels pretty crummy. Especially since I’m sure she’s going to have wonderful time in New York with my brother 🙄 and I’ll have to hear all about it next time I talk to him.
And I’m not sure if I’ve unpacked that dress yet! I’ll have to do some digging. Talk soon! x
03/10 @ 3:26am
We had a little baby. He was always giggling and laughing and we were making silly faces and he looked so small in your arms, Bradley. So small and little and he was ours. And then I turned around and he was toddling around the house and we were chasing him and his little legs were moving so quickly and we all wound up on the couch in a tangle of limbs, giggling under the blankets as we tickled him and he called you daddy.
It wasn’t our house - or what will be our house, I guess? Instead of the leather couch you have, it was white and big and wide and the three of us could easily fit on it, snuggled together.
And I could feel your arms around me, rocking me back and forth. I could feel you humming in my ear and kissing my neck and telling me you loved me. I could feel it. I could feel you. I could feel him and you. And it was nice and I felt warm and safe and cherished and loved. Because I felt so much love for this little boy in my arms - the perfect mix of me and you. Everything felt right and perfect.
Except when I rolled over in bed to tell you about it, I realized I was alone in my bed, in my apartment, and not in the house that we shared or with the little boy that looked so much like you and I haven’t felt so empty and sad since I can’t remember when.
And I just miss you so much, Bradley. I know I can come across as glib and unfeeling sometimes and like this doesn’t affect me as much. But it does and sometimes I feel like my heart is going to burst because I’ve never felt like this for anyone else before? It’s never been so easy for me to love someone and let them love me to the point that I always want to be beside them. And I know with your job - and mine - that can’t always happen, but god Bradley I wish you were here right now so you could hold me and tell me you loved me because I just want to feel your arms around me and know you’re real. I want to tell you about the little boy - the perfect mix of me and you.
I love you rocketman x
03/11 @ 12:49pm
I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said anything. I realize that’s a lot to drop on you, especially since we can’t talk in person. I guess I’ve just never missed a person more in my life and seeing that future showed me what we could have when you come home. God, Bradley I want you to come home so badly. I want you to stay here with me forever and never leave and to have that cute little boy who was the perfect mix of me and you and to have you here in my arms every night. And I know it’s selfish of me to ask or even make you think about it, but I want you right here - in twenty seconds, not twenty years.
How did your hop go today? x
03/11 @ 7:03pm
I have dreams like that, too. I’ll be little, but still older than I was when my dad died and we’ll be at the beach, running around, and he’ll pick me up and spin me around like I’m flying on an airplane.
But then it’ll be me and my kid, running around and I’ll pick them up and spin them around like they’re flying on an airplane. Sometimes it’s a girl, sometimes a little boy. But I always just can feel and tell that I love them and I’d do anything for them.
And I used to hate waking up alone after I had them and I’d feel empty and sad and like I had the feeling that they should still be there? Except now I have you and I know it doesn’t just have to be a dream?
Sorry it took me so long to reply. Today was hectic and I didn’t get to check my email until later. But if I checked it earlier, my day would’ve been a lot easier on my heart.
All my love,
Your Bradley
03/12 @ 7:11pm
How do you always know exactly what to say? I’m sorry for springing that all on you, know it wasn’t exactly a quick/easy message, but I love that you knew exactly what I meant. My day’s always a lot easier on my heart when I hear from you, too. Love you x
03/13 @ 10:17pm
i miss having you around to take care of me. and telling me what to do and what to wear for you and how you want me and where you want me and when you want me and and and. and how good i feel around you as you come, how you take what’s yours. how i need you to take control and tell me what i need because i’m too much of a dumb slut to figure it out on my own. i need you so much bradley. and it’s so hard because i’m trying to take care of myself like you do and imagine what you’d do if you were with me right now. but i’m so frustrated since no one takes care of me like you do. i feel so empty. nothing stretches me out like you do, nothing makes me feel as small as you do, nothing makes me flush like the sound of your voice against my neck as i come, nothing soothes the ache inside me like you do. need you to call me good girl, pretty girl, sweet girl, anything as long as it’s yours.
i need you i need you i need you i need you bradley bradley bradley bradley
3/13 @ 10:39pm
Awwww sweetheart, did you get yourself all worked up over me? It’s okay, I know it’s hard for you all by yourself. Must’ve been real bad for you to risk this getting flagged, huh? Poor thing, don’t worry, I’ll take care of you.
Want you to pretend I’m next to you, leaning over you as you lay down and touch yourself. Say yes Bradley, more Bradley. Bradley, Bradley, Bradley. Good girl.
Want you naked under the covers, no frilly little pajama set or anything. No, I want your cum to stain the sheets and then for you to have to clean up in the morning, all embarrassed because you did this. You made yourself like this because you can’t control yourself without me around. All that cum being wasted. Nobody around to lick it off your pussy. So what doesn’t get on the sheets, you have to taste. Good girl.
Want you to use your fingers - only your fingers, I’ll know if you use anything else. Start with your breasts. Think of how perfectly they fit in my hands and how yours aren’t quite the same. They aren’t as big. Aren’t as strong. Play with your nipples, drag your nails across the soft skin on the underside of your breasts.
Want you to sigh my name as you slide your hands down your stomach towards your pretty little pussy. Have you shaved? Gotten a wax? You know how I like it, want it just like that when I get home. Pretend it’s my fingers sliding into your cunt. A few touches and you’re already clenching on air and I’m not even around.
In and out, in and out. Circle your clit with your thumb. Add another finger, then another. You rocking your hips yet? I know you’re soaked. I know you want more. Three fingers can’t stretch you out nearly as much as you need. But I don’t know if you can handle anything else without me around. And I know you would never disagree with me, right? Because you’re my good girl and good girls do what they’re told.
Don’t hesitate to get loud. You’re in our house, in our bed, you can be as loud as you want. Bet you’re getting close, huh? Try and last a little longer, can you hear yourself and how wet you are? Are you shaking yet? I know you’re close. Go ahead, speed up your fingers, just the way I do. It’s okay, you can come. Know you’re gonna get sleepy soon, wish I could sleep inside you, nice and tight.
Now say thank you Bradley. Good girl.
03/14 @ 5:49pm
Thank you, Bradley. Thank you for taking care of me last night
You like chicken piccata, right?
03/14 @ 7:33pm
Yeah, kid, I like chicken piccata.
03/14 @ 7:39pm
Okay, that’s good. I’m going to make it when you come home. I ran it by my cooking instructor. Ina’s recipe of course.
(I’ve read your email seven times since you sent it. I’ve thought about it constantly. I want you to take me softly and slowly that first time. But after that? I can’t wait to let go and float. Love you so much x)
03/15 @ 6:09am
You’re the boss. Good thing I’ll be home soon, you’re gonna run out of material. As is, I had to type that last one with one hand.
Love you,
B
03/15 @ 7:21am
I’ll be good till you get home, promise.
Have a good day, do you think we’ll get to talk much from now till Friday? Love you x
03/15 @ 7:24am
I’ll hold you to it.
I don’t think so, might be able to send one out before leaving the boat. Better make it a good one.
All my love
Your Bradley
03/15 @ 7:25am
You got it! Love you bubs
03/18 @ 11:08pm
Kid - there’s this lyric that keeps running through my head: ‘and I want you right here.’ I want you beside me - today, tomorrow, all my days. I want you right here, beside me forever. In twenty seconds, not twenty years. See you tomorrow.
All my love,
Your Bradley
03/18 @ 11:11pm
See you tomorrow, rocketman. I’ll be the one in blue.
Love you x
a/n: thanks for reading! i'll be back with part ii and part iii (hopefully not in...4 months). i had so much fun writing these and getting to explore a different format and side to their relationship! thanks to alexa @sometimesanalice, kylie @ofstoriesandstardust, cass @notroosterbradshaw, elle @dissonannce, nik @cherrycola27, and loren @heartsofminds for all the support!
#bradley bradshaw x reader#bradley bradshaw imagine#bradley bradshaw x you#bradley rooster bradshaw x reader#rooster imagine#bradley and smart aleck#top gun imagine#bradley bradshaw x female reader#rooster x reader
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Christmas at the Compound
Avengers x reader
Summary: Avengers x reader Christmas head cannons because I am a sucker for the found family trope.
a/n: I tried to get this up before christmas but totally spaced it, so… tale it as a christmas morning gift! I tried to make it as age neutral as possible, so it could totally be teen!reader or not.
The holidays are a tough time for the Avengers.
Most of them have lost family members or friends, and the idea of celebrating anything is extremely difficult.
Tony especially - he always gets gloomy around the Holidays.
He always says something along the lines of, "I don't actually care about this, but its social convention."
But secretly he cares a lot.
He overcompensates for his lack of affection throughout the year by buying everyone the expensive gifts he knows they want but could never justify spending on themselves.
At surface level, it just seems like “oh rich guy is spending rich guy money”
But they’re actually really thoughtful gifts
Like last year, he got Peter a new laptop for school.
He bought Bucky new and thick clothes since all of his were old and worn.
He upgraded Clints cellular data so he could talk to his family anywhere.
Things like that.
Sam and Rhodey take one for the team and string the christmas lights on the tower
“It’s too cold for this.” Sam would complain, the sharp wind nipping at his cheeks as he flew from one end of the building to the other, lights in tow.
“Come one man, where’s your christmas spirit?” Rhodey would laugh
“I’m just doing this so stark’s power bill goes up.”
it really was worth it seeing the tower lit up top to bottom though
Wanda LIVES for commercialized American Christmas
"We have to make gingerbread houses and go to Rockefeller to see the Christmas tree and we have to go out to the snow and go sledding-"
She demands family Christmas photos be taken, even though you don't really have anyone to send them to.
This years theme was christmas pjs
Which lead to a few very interesting viral videos of the avengers in an Old Navy
“Tony come on the reindeer ones are cute!”
“Bruce. A man can not hold onto his masculinity while wearing pjs with dancing reindeer.”
Natasha gets tired of the bellyaching and bickering and makes the final decision
She grabs everyone’s size in the Reindeer pjs and marches to the front of the store
After snagging Tony’s credit card, of course.
Actually taking the picture is a whole other ball game, but that’s a story for another day
Thor has a hard time with the idea of Santa
You try to explain it to him, but it doesn’t seem to help
“So a fat man breaks into the safety of your home late into the night… and you let it happen because he comes baring gifts?”
“Well… yeah.”
“But only to nice children. That he stalks throughout the year.”
“He doesn’t stalk the children he just…”
“Hm.” He squints. “what about the naughty children?”
“They don’t get any presents.”
“OR,” Wanda interjects, “Krampus comes to get them.”
“Is that another fat man in a red disguise?”
“No. He’s a demon sent from hell to eat them.”
Thor nods in approval. “Ah. That’s much more asgardian. A fair reward system for the youth!”
You stare at him. “So… you’re okay with Krampus but not Santa?”
“Well I think they work together well, like a team. Like us!”
“I… I guess…”
Decorating the tree was an all night event
You would help happy bring up what felt like hundreds of boxes of christmas decorations
The tree itself was about 15 feet tall, because it wouldn’t be a holiday at the compound if you guys weren’t extra
It was placed in the living space, right next to a huge wall of windows so all of New York could see your festivity
it had to be decorated to the nines to pass Wanda’s inspection
Not a bare branch
Theres tinsel, ribbons, colorful lights, and hundreds of ornaments
But of course, ladders were a no go
You guys liked a challenge
To reach the higher branches, you and Natasha would stand on Steve and Buckys shoulders
And I mean stand
Not sit
It was a thrilling balancing game
You trusted them to catch you if you fell, but you still had to try to avoid it at all costs to save the tree from certain destruction
Peter would dangle from the ceiling, crawling around to hang ornaments toward the very top
Both of these acts nearly gave Bruce and Vision a heart attack
“CAP, you’re moving to fast shes gunna lose balance-“
“Bruce, please take a breath.”
Meanwhile Thor is getting distracted by all the ornaments and forgetting to actually hang them up
“This one’s a little man of snow! How silly!”
Speaking of ornaments
You all have an ornament of yourself on the tree
Or, your super hero alias at least
There’s a tiny black widow, a little iron man, a bity baby hulk, so on and so forth
Tony always demands his be the highest up on the tree to fuel his god complex
Drawing names out of a hat to see who got to put the star on top of the tree
(except you guys would always rig it behind Wanda’s back, only putting her name in the hat)
She would always protest, insisting to let someone else do it this year, but you guys never relented
So with a big cheesy grin on her face, she would use her magic to delicately place the star on the tippy top
You would think Natasha wouldn’t want to see the Nutcracker Ballet after her time in the red room
But it makes her so happy to see dancing as an art form instead of a way to brainwash young girls
She drags you, Clint, Wanda, and whoever else wants to tag along every year
She even splurges on front row seats
You look over and see her eyes glittering while she watches every turn, leap, and stunt intently
Leaving the theater, she’ll walk on her toes and do a few turns, encouraging you to try as well.
She ends up cackling watching you trip and stumble
“We’ll work on it.”
Can you IMAGINE the ginger bread making contest???
You’re all huddled around the long dining room table with christmas music playing
Theres Clint and Natasha, who just make the classic gingerbread house, no fancy bells or whistles.
Then there’s Bruce,Tony, and Peter who are going absolutely wild building gingerbread sky scrapers and gingerbread hotels.
“Mr. Stark look, I made a working elevator!”
Bruce puts an electric system (fairy lights) through his
Steve and Bucky rebuild their childhood homes
Wanda is going all out, delicately hand placing every candy and covering the whole thing in edible glitter
Visions is pretty similar, but more sleek and modern than Wanda’s
And then there’s Thor, who’s totally missing the point and just DUMPING everything on top
“Hey Peter, I think yours is missing something.”
You string a long thread of white rope candy from his structure to yours.
“Webs!”
“You know… we can probably make a web-like consistency with some starch and frosting…”
That becomes a whole sticky project, but you eventually get it to work, connecting everyone’s gingerbread houses with icing webs
Steve and Bucky are TOTALLY participating in the classic christmas traditions they grew up on.
They sit quietly together in the living room, making paper chains and stringing popcorn
“Do you mind if I join you guys?”
they smile gently. “Of course not.”
You sit crisscross in front of the couch while they teach you
They tell you stories of christmases long, long ago, which feels kinda silly considering they’re talking like grandpas while not appearing much older than you
On Christmas eve, you’re all there except for Clint, who went home to his family
Youre all dressed in your pajamas from the christmas card
You make hot coco and cider
Wanda pops in some old vhs tapes and you watch the classics late into the night
“Alright you nutcrackers,” tony would say around midnight. “I know you want to stay up and catch Santa, but he’s not coming if you all stay awake.”
he really just wanted to go to bed
He sauntered off, calling for lights out.
Most of the boys wandered away to their rooms, leaving you, Wanda, Nat and Thor not quite ready for sleep.
“So,” you ask, taking a sip of coco, “Do you guys think we’re on the naughty list?”
Natasha Chuckled. “I’m not sure. Does beating people up count as naughty if you’re taking down the bad guys?”
Thor set his mug down on the coffee table, the bells on his sweater jingling. “Do not fear ladies, I will catch that nasty Krampus if he comes in to devour your soul. I believe you were doing the right thing.”
You all laughed, thinking he was joking. But he just stared at you.
“Thor… you realize Krampus and Santa aren’t… real?” Wanda asked.
He had a hard time swallowing that.
He ended up sleeping on the couch “just in case”
you woke up at 3 am to a loud clattering coming from the living room
You decided to check it out against your better judgement
There was Thor. Hammer in one hand, cookie in another.
Down the hall toward the elevator was a completely destroyed life-size nutcracker.
“What the hell are you doing?”
“I thought I heard something by the elevator.”
“Congratulations. You murdered the Nutcracker.”
“I feared he was an accomplice of the holiday demon.”
“He’s been there for weeks!”
“He could have been a spy. Or possessed.”
“Goodnight Thor.”
Christmas Morning finally arrived
Everyone was sleeping soundly in their beds
Until Sam decided to be a little shit and wake everyone up at 7 am
He pounded on every. single. bedroom door.
“Y/NNNN. SANTA CAME TO TOWNNNNN.” he sing-songed
“No he didn’t.” You grumbled. “Thor killed him.”
“… I don’t know what that means.”
You all stumble out into the living room
Natasha took the time to actually run a brush through her hair and do her morning skincare
You and wanda were far too excited and skipped over that completely, barely remembering to brush your teeth
Tony looked the roughest - he had a silk robe draped over his pjs and looked like he was just awakened from a coma
Essentially, everyone was a little disheveled
Vision made everyone coffee before you started the gift exchange
You all sat around the coffee table in a circle so everyone could see each other
Bruce and Steve passed out the gifts from under the tree
it took a solid few minutes, there was a MOUNTAIN of presents
You went one at a time opening gifts
Some people think this is awkward, but you felt it was more genuine
this way, everyone can see the gift and the joy on the receivers face
as well as a million “thank you”s
It also gave time for the giver to explain why they chose the gift they did, whether it be something they remembered you said you wanted, something they knew you needed, or even just a simple “this made me think of you”
In the end, you loved all your gifts
And everyone loved what you got for them
But mostly, you were just happy to spend the holiday with your family
#domestic avengers#avengers x reader#avengers x stark!reader#avengers x teen!reader#avengers#avengers imagine#avengers fanfiction#avengers fic#avengers headcanon#tony x daughter!reader#peter parker x stark!reader#peter parker x avenger!reader#avenger!reader#marvel x you#marvel x reader#marvel#marvel headcanons#marvel fanfiction#platonic!avengers x reader#platonic avengers x reader#platonic avengers
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it's not that kind of cold shower (pedro x gn/m!reader)
a/n: POLL RESULTS ARE IN... and this was the result! would y'all still be interested in a "pedro takes care of sick reader" fic, too?
(this story specifically comes at the request of two anons, who requested bathing/showering while sick, and emetophobia. I don't have much experience on the latter, so I apologize if it's incorrect??)
you knowwwwww it had to be the Dieter pic, tho.
as always, same vague universe as “marked.” drop a line if you have a sug.
summary: 2am on the bathroom floor.
——————————————————————————————————
You wake up alone.
This doesn’t register, at first. You roll over, running a hand over your face as you blearily open your eyes. You’ve gotten used to having a bed to yourself, with Pedro’s current production schedule. (Although the dogs always end up migrating from the foot of the bed in the middle of the night.)
Except, the bed beside you is still a little warm. Pedro is home— has been home, for two days now. He took a car straight from the Disney lot to LAX, and was on a flight to JFK about three hours after the voice work for Mando wrapped. Something about “needing to see his boy,” which he swore was Edgar, with a wink and a kiss blown over Facetime.
The room is dark, still, and quiet. But as you sit up, a sliver of light becomes noticeable under the crack of the bathroom door. You blink the last dredges of sleep away, waiting for him to finish his middle-of-the-night pee. It’s nice, having him here. Waking up beside him always kinda feels like a luxury; you savor it while you have it. His next job— some stupid commercial for a game on an app? He explained it twice but neither of you really understand it— doesn’t start until the end of the month. If you fall asleep before he finishes peeing, you’ll miss an opportunity to fall asleep wrapped around him. These are sacred in their scarcity, at the moment.
Except, the toilet never flushes. After a few long moments, you swing your legs over the side of the bed.
A quiet knock yields nothing. Frowning, you gently push the door open.
Knees to his chest, head propped backwards on the edge of the tub, Pedro is lying on the bathroom floor. His eyes are squeezed shut against the fluorescents.
“Baby,” you whisper, “Pedge, what’s going on?” You kneel down, rubbing a gentle thumb over his kneecap. He’s just in a t-shirt and boxers, the cold tile leaving his exposed calves littered with pinprick goosebumps.
Without opening his eyes, Pedro grimaces. “I dunno,” he says quietly, in a rasp that makes you wince. “Woke up feeling like this.”
“Nauseous?”
The muscle of his jaw twitches. “Hate throwing up.”
“I know, love, I’m sorry.” You bring your hand upwards, carding a few fingers through his hair before palming his forehead. Alarmed, you brush it with the back of your hand, as well. “You’re really burning up, Pedro, Jesus.”
His Adam’s apple bobs as he swallows reflexively, but says nothing. Then swallows again.
You reach for the closed lid of the toilet, before returning to your feet. “If you need to throw up, throw up. You’ll feel better afterwards.”
Busying yourself with filling a glass by the sink, you purposefully don’t look, attempting to give him some privacy. But he doesn’t move. Barely lifts his head up, when you offer the water. A sheen of sweat glistens on hollow of his throat, and the collar of his sleep shirt (yours, actually— some soft old 5k thing he always reaches for) is damp.
“Fuck,” he whispers. “Thought I escaped the curse this time.”
The curse, of course, being your nickname for the way his body absolutely freaks out at the panic of having downtime. Without fail, every time he gets a break, he’s down with something— at best a cold, at worst, what was eventually dubbed the “shittiest Christmas present ever” last year. It’s like his immune system decides it’s on vacation, as well. You’ve started planning around it, blocking off the first few days he’s home just in case. After two days, though, it really seemed like he was in the clear.
Your train of thought is interrupted by the sounds of a grown man gagging. All you can do is kneel behind him, rubbing a hand softly down the length of his back. The muscles flex and tremble beneath as Pedro coughs and coughs. Any part of you that might have been grossed out, is eclipsed by concern. You can feel the heat of the fever through the thin cotton of his t-shirt.
When he finishes, you flush without looking while he reassumes his position against the tub. “M’sorry,” he says, after a sip of water. “Go back to sleep, I’m good.”
“Don’t apologize, and don’t be dumb.” You press a kiss to his shoulder before resting your cheek there for a moment. “You gonna puke again?”
His jaw clenches again. “I don’t think so?”
Abruptly, Pedro sits up, and you tense in anticipation of another round of heaving. Instead he reaches back, grabbing the collar of his shirt to tug it over his head. Lacking his usual gusto, he tosses it towards the hamper in the opposite corner of the bathroom, and misses spectacularly.
“I won’t tell the Lakers,” you tease, “if they call to offer a job.”
Pedro huffs a quiet laugh. “Snitches get stitches.”
“Real tough threat from the man on the bathroom floor.”
He pouts. “You have to nice to me, I puked. I could be on my death bed.”
You press another kiss to his shoulder; the skin is clammy. “America’s Peepaw Pedro Pascal Found Dead at 47, In Bathroom Like Elvis But Way Less Cool. Turn to A7 for story.”
“Now who sounds old! Who reads celebrity death announcements in tabloid magazines anymore?” The joking puts you at ease, a little. He is less green in the gills than he was when you found him, although the tops of his cheeks are still flushed with fever. It seems like he has to convince himself to reopen his eyes after every blink; his eyelids rest at half-mast.
“Mm. You got me there, I guess. Do you feel okay enough to go back to bed?”
Pedro runs a hand across his chest. “Think I might need to rinse off first.”
He braces himself on the edge of the tub, and you reach out a hand to steady him as he slowly rises to his feet. If his knees audibly crack, well, you didn’t hear anything.
Pulling off your own sleep shirt (his, also stolen; some old Fleetwood Mac shirt that hangs to your fingertips), you tuck it into the towel rack, and move to turn the shower on.
“What are you doing?” The invalid has paused changing with his boxers halfway down, in a way that would be so fucking funny if it wasn’t equally, achingly endearing.
“You are leaning on the counter to stand up right now. I’m not gonna let you slip and fall to your actual death in the shower.”
He looks down at his own hand in betrayal as you adjust the water to an acceptable lukewarm— not so cold as to be unbearable, but cool enough that it might take the edge off the fever. Pedro frowns mournfully as you step out of your own boxers.
You roll your eyes. “We will do this again when you can enjoy it.”
The shower is plenty big enough for the two of you, and you position yourself behind him, legs splayed, arms wrapped around his waist. Cheek smushed between his shoulder blades, close enough to let the warmth of his skin deflect the chill of the water.
It’s not really a shower for washing. Moreso a “stand under the water until you feel human again” type of rinse. But you twist anyways for the body wash Pedro likes, when you are sure he isn’t about to faint into the glass door. He sighs as you rub the gel across his shoulders, reaching around to wash the sweat from his chest and stomach. It does something to you, having him here— within arm’s reach, pliable, soft with sleep. Comfortable beside you.
You stay there awhile, letting the water wash over you, until you feel him sway, ever so slightly.
“Love,” you say softly.
“Mm?”
“Are you falling asleep?”
Pedro reaches blindly for the handle, twisting until the spray subsides. You place a kiss to the wet center of his back. Revel, one last time, in the feeling of his body against yours, before you hand him his towel.
There is a coordinated, albeit wearily measured, return to bed. Pedro foregoes a new shirt, choosing instead to fall face-first on top of the rumpled duvet. You track down some Tylenol PM, with fingers crossed that maybe this is just a 12-hour thing. But, just in case, the bathroom waste basket is also placed beside the bed.
Finally, you slip beneath the comforter, maneuvering your patient until he is at least partially covered as well. And then, in turn, allow him to manipulate you into precisely the position he wants to be held: your face tucks into the damp, curling hair at the base of his neck, arm wrapped snug around the middle of his torso, legs entangled.
In the morning, you’ll deal with the next hurdle. Hopefully not the next hurl. But for now, you sleep.
#pedro pascal#pedro pascal imagine#pedro pascal one shot#pedro pascal x male reader#pedro pascal x you#pedro pascal x reader#pedro pascal rpf#pedro pascal fanfiction#pedro pascal fluff#the last of us#joel miller#joel miller x reader
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Here's a completely random ask for you: what holiday (halloween, valentine's day, national ice cream day, etc.) would each member of the Gaang feel unreasonably strongly about? Can be positive or negative feelings.
oh this is a good question! (i hate so many american commercial holidays so this is a great avenue for me to project my frustrations with us capitalism onto these little guys. and to be clear im just doing us holidays bc otherwise there would simply be too many options and i’d be stuck here forever)
aang: he’s not enough of a hater to dislike any holidays. he’s a big fan of april fool’s day, valentine’s day, and halloween, because he appreciates fun and joy and love and merriment duh
katara: every thanksgiving she goes on an impassioned rant about the historical revisionism of the us empire deployed as a propaganda tool as it continues its genocidal imperialist project and the absolutely sick and twisted audacity of americans to celebrate a known lie in a mockery of the atrocities committed from the past into the present (this one may or may not just have been me, yesterday). every november-december she goes on an impassioned rant about the commercialism of christmas, and how it’s largely a fake holiday devised by capitalists to glorify the sanctity of the nuclear family, and how the supposed “secularization” of christmas is in fact a product of christian hegemony, it’s propaganda and you’re all falling for it because you crave hollow comforts in your cold and dismal life, and instead of attempting to look beyond the scraps you are given under capitalism you all just force yourselves to enjoy a facade of happiness and nostalgia because you refuse to admit that you’re fundamentally uncomfortable in your society!!!!!!!! (this is what i think but wisely refrain from saying because it’s not worth it. katara, however...) also she likes valentine’s day sometimes (depending on whether or not she has a boyfriend). she also has a lot to say on columbus day and the fourth of july of course, but this bullet point is already far too long.
sokka: his favorite holiday is pi day. he does not care for any other us holiday (but he has been known to enjoy a halloween here and there), but he specifically hates april fools because aang insists on pranking him every time, for some godforsaken reason. (he’s just so prankable!)
toph: her least favorite holiday is valentine’s day because it promotes m*rriage, one of her most hated institutions (it’s a long list). her favorite day is taco tuesday
zuko: he insists on celebrating shakespeare’s birth/deathday as if it is a real holiday that anyone actually cares about. and he gets offended when no one else cares. his least favorite holiday is the fourth of july, but not for any political reasons, it just has really bad vibes.
suki: she loves halloween because it has everything you could ever ask for in a single day: dressing in elaborate costume, eating so much candy, and getting really drunk. she’s also one of those people who gets really obnoxious on 4/20, at which point mai is like “you know it’s hitler’s birthday, right?” and immediately kills the vibe. just because she can :)
mai: she has a love/hate relationship with halloween, because theoretically it’s a celebration of the gothic, the liminal, the macabre, the ghostly. but in practice it’s just an excuse for everyone around her to get wasted. she hates christmas more though. santa freaks her out and cloying, forced cheer and merriment is unnerving and infuriating, actually.
ty lee: she dreads valentine’s day every year because she simply has too many suitors and it is very stressful. she likes april fool’s day because it gives her the opportunity to exercise her more devious inclinations. she can prank people so well they don’t even know they’re being pranked; on april first the world is her playground.
azula: she has no real opinion on any specific holidays. they’re petty distractions for mindless drones who require a modicum of frivolity here and there to spice up their otherwise dull, worthless lives. however, she quite likes tax day.
#bonus: yue’s favorite holiday is mid autumn festival <3#lawful-chaos#asks#the gaang and#modern au#sorry for the katara rant in the middle of this post. it was thanksgiving yesterday. im hearing xmas music in stores. i couldn’t help myself#i should make a holiday tag#since a lot of these points are references to other similar posts ive made#okay:#holidays#if u go thru this tag you can find prev posts#instead of having to add bulky links to the post itself lmfao
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The raison d’etre for this trip, in its conception, was to see the Christmas markets of Germany and the UK. I don’t know if I’ll say that is actually how it turned out, given how many UK markets Mom has taken a quick turn around and then decided to go do something else, like sit in a pub or sit in a different pub*. It must be said that, in this department, Germany beats the UK as rightly and soundly as [insert inappropriate WWII joke here]. The Christmas ‘markets’ in the UK are largely consisting, at least based on my survey of four large and major ones, repackaged items that are largely not handcrafted by the seller, a lot of food stalls, and, bless it, a number of bars. Not a bad tme if I lived in any of these cities but assuredly not something worth crossing that Atlantic for.
But the German Christmas markets were mostly as advertised. Even the more commercial among them had foods that carried the air of the traditional, made extensive effort to continue the line of culture that had been there for generations, and curled around themselves in long circles that invited more of a chance to meander than a strict row system that kept you going down a shooting gallery of booths. The Frankfurt market, even straight off the plane ride with a roughly 3 hour night, dazzled with its sense of history and its easy strolls through to the bar. It was at this market that I tried what I might call, “The drink of the trip”
Fuerzangenbowle, the best hot alcoholic drink I had never encountered even in writing, even in passing, truly a genius invention.** What this is, is mulled wine, already getting points from me, but then they soak a cone of sugar in rum and light it on fire so it drips down into the wine. I would have told you i wouldn’t care for that because it would make it too sweet, but it really doesn’t. What it does, is add a note of toasted caramel to the wine, a slightly burnt taste that adds to the larger whole. It is so good, that I am going to go home and see if I can buy some kind of piloncillo that’s small enough to work for the single serving cup. I don’t know that I would try and make it for a crowd, I’ll leave that to the professionals, but I do love lighting things on fire as my wife will, sighing heavily, attest to.
All of them were good, and Cologne in general was much more charming than I had been led to believe it would be, but it was there we came upon the best market of them all:
The old town market.
We stopped there simply because it was the next place on the little train that takes you from market to market, but I was immediately captured by it. Busy and crowded, people miling around each other like little bees, the hum of their voices uniting into a low buzz. A violin plays “Come Emmanuel” at the door, and the long, high voice of it carries above and weaves through. The bright and bustle as the lights glow against the darkness, fairytale in the way that I could never hope to describe to another human being. I had to take a breath as i stepped inside. It was a Christmas market as you imagine them, a watercolor made real, the cold of the air touching your cheeks, the smell of mulled wine in the air, all of it immediate and total. All of it something that somehow seemed a dream, as if i’d been pulled into a book though admittedly in my fairy story slightly less people would be wearing beanies and puffy jackets, but what is fantasy without a little grime on it?
In this one it also seemed that the traders had been vetted to some extent in the main square, and so was near-exclusively people who had made the objects in their booths. We spoke to people when possible, given my hilariously limited German, about their stuff, and gawked at it, and I bought a little mug for my daughter with her name on it, that the woman painted right in front of us.
Whether the rest of the markets were a disappointment*** or not was hardly material at this point, because my mother was so entranced by the old market. She spoke of it all the time on the trip, as we were going through other markets, as we sat in a pub, as we put on our pajamas. I think it will probably take the crown for experiences on this trip. I can think of only a few that might unseat it. My mother’s face as we wandered through the market was all the confirmation I needed that this was the right choice.
And so I am delighted to inform myself that Germany was a success. I said I would never return there, I let myself be talked into it, and I had a wonderful time.
*This sounds like a complaint, but is full of delight. I have two favorite things to do when I travel: Walk miles and miles around a city (absolutely not happening here, there is a hot short list of people in my life who can walk as fast and far as I can) and go to pubs, bars, etc where there are a fair amount of locals and people like to talk. See my unwieldy essay on how much I like people for reference.
**The best mulled wine I had, however, does in fact go to the UK. Specifically, Peacock’s Tea Room in Ely had the absolute best mulled wine I had in the entire trip, the seasoning was exceptional, it was not overly sweet, the cup contained some soaked fruit and sliced almonds, it was truly exceptional and I know I’ll be trying to style my mulled wine off it for a long while.
***Things are rarely a true disappointment to me because I operate on the idea that everything in life is a lesson, is information, and if it wasn’t what I built up in my head, that is information, and it’s information I can pass on to others. Sometimes i love a miserable story as much as a successful one. Attitude can change the color of many situations, and I tend to be very adpatable and cheerful, and also i froze to death or it was crowded or whatever whatever is more often than not, not what I will carry away from any given situation. But, this is somewhat unique to me and I’ve spent a long time cultivating a sense of appreciation for these things, so I felt a little bad for my mom.
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Abel The Rebel Angel x Reader
"It's only November!"
Day 2! I hope you like this one, I tried to add romance but not too much at the same time yk? Enjoy!💕💕
Published: 12-3-2023
Words: 543
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Y/n was walking through a mall in her home city. She wasn’t shopping for anything in particular, just browsing through the sections.
It was only November 5th, and the whole mall was decorated for Christmas.
After walking for a bit, Y/n stopped in a local family owned store. It was decked out with festive decor. Ornaments glistened from the front windows, and Christmas music sang from the speakers.
As she was looking around, she didn’t notice a toon walking towards her, busy looking at his phone. When Y/n looked up, it was too late; the human and the toon bumped into each other, causing them both to take a few steps back.
“I am so sorry! I didn’t mean to bump into you!” Y/n panicked, trying to make sure the toon was alright.
“First it’s Christmas in November; now I get hit by some daydreaming idiot.” She heard him grumble as he steadied himself.
Y/n leaned back, giving him an offended look.
"Well, excuse me, Mr. Grinch!” Y/n glared at him with a sassy tone.
Abel looked at her and into her eyes, staring into her soul with his pie cut eyes. Unexpectedly to Y/n, he let out a small chuckle.
She didn’t notice it before, but she did now; the toon had major wings on his back. His head had a tilted halo hanging above it, and he was in a nice suit. The toon's hair was well kept as well. All in all, he seemed to care for his appearance, and she wouldn’t lie if she had to admit that he was pretty attractive. But that doesn’t automatically mean she’s head over heels—no, not at all.
“What?” Y/n frowned.
“You have weird insults.” The toon smiled.
“Well ok then, why not tell me some of your ‘oh so great’ insults?” Y/n mocked, putting her hands on her hips.
“First off, don’t call someone a Grinch-” The toon began before being cut off by Y/n.
“It’s true though! You were acting like The Grinch.” She states matter-of-factly.
He just deadpanned.
The two of them talked for a long time, sometimes bantering or playfully arguing. They eventually learned each other's names.
~~Time skip~~
It had been a year since the two met, and now they’re inseparable.
Currently, the two were simply lounging around on Y/n’s couch. Y/n was lying down, her legs laying on top of Abel’s lap. Abel was sitting up, scrolling through channels on Y/n’s TV.
He tried to ignore how pretty she looked right now; they were just friends after all. Nothing more.
As Abel scrolled through the channels, he stopped on an interesting one. It was going on about how electric cars are made.
“We’ll be right back after this short break.” The channel spoke. As the screen of the TV faded to black, it was replaced with blaring Mariah Carey and red and green lights.
“It is November! Why are there Christmas commercials out?!" Abel shouted at the TV.
Y/n couldn’t help but burst out laughing at his anger.
He looked over to her, a smirk flashed over his features. Shoving her off of him and the couch, Abel couldn’t help but laugh too.
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domain
She may have a home of her own these days, but Lucy’s true domain is her office in the English Department.
Sure, she has to share it with another master’s student. Who cares? She has a desk of her own, a side of the room filled with her books and pictures, and best of all, the feeling of being a twenty-four-year-old professional. In a few months, when she graduates and moves on for her Ph.D., she’ll get a new office. That will be good. But she doesn’t want to think about that. This is her very first academic domain, and that means something, even more than her first home.
It’s the third week of the new semester, and she’s having one-on-one meetings with her first-year composition. This student is the last for the day. He’s also the one Lucy’s been looking forward to the least.
There’s nothing wrong with this guy. He writes well, he’s not disrespectful, and he participates in class discussion. It’s just that he’s so … eager.
He knocks on the door hinge, and Lucy takes a sharp breath in.
“Hi, Luke,” she says. “Come on in.”
Luke Egan looks like he should be in a Campbell’s Soup commercial. He has short hair, freckles, and bright blue eyes, which is what Lucy thinks she would have looked like if she was a man. He takes a seat in the student chair and smiles a little too widely. Lucy suppresses the urge to cringe in front of him.
“Hi, Lucy,” he says. “I like that you let us call you that. Lucy. It’s very college.”
“Yeah, well,” Lucy says, “Ms. Callaghan would feel too high school, and if we don’t make it very clear we’re not professors, we get crushed.”
“Crushed. What a great word.”
Lucy nods. This kid couldn’t be anymore obvious if he tried.
“You know, my mom is friends with your mom,” Luke says. “Avery Egan. She teaches Women’s Studies at Eastern.”
“Oh. Yeah, we’ve met. Smart lady.”
“The smartest. You’re probably that smart, too.”
Lucy smiles, but inside, she wants to rip off all her skin and maybe die. Don’t these students know she’s married? Don’t they know she’s a mother?
“I’ve got a long way to go,” she says. “So … this is your second semester?”
“Yeah,” Luke says. “I’m from the Ann Arbor area. Saline.”
“And you didn’t go to Michigan?”
“I only got into the commuter campus. This was the best I could do. Full scholarship isn’t bad, either.”
Lucy tries not to think about how different her life would be if she’d gotten a full scholarship anywhere. Not even faculty parents could fix that.
“Definitely not,” Lucy says. “So, what do you think you want to major in?”
“Business.”
“Hmm. Somebody’s got to make the money.”
“That’s what I was thinking. You’d like my brother better than me. He’s still in high school, but he’s really good in English class. He writes short stories. Kinda reminds me of the kid in Stand by Me.”
“Wouldn’t that make you dead John Cusack?”
“I guess so.”
Luke looks around Lucy’s desk until his face falls. Lucy traces his eye line all the way to her favorite photograph – one of her and Will, holding hands and grinning outside the Fox Theatre around Christmas two years ago, a bouquet of light behind them. They never even spotted Sadie with her camera.
“Is that your boyfriend?” Luke asks.
The question is, of course, overstepping. But Lucy sees no point in lying. She holds up her left hand in case he missed the bands before.
“Husband,” she says.
Luke’s face falls even closer to the floor.
Lucy takes no pleasure in it. Poor kid can’t control it. This is just the price of having your domain exactly where you want it.
And after this, she’ll get to go home and see Will.
(part of @nosebleedclub january challenge -- day 2! yes, this was kind of purposefully written as a crossover with my new fiction blog, @irishhills, but i kind of felt like i had to do a soft launch, lol)
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Santa Paws
Criminal Minds
Garvez
WC 1,587 of Christmas fluff
Friday, December 22nd
Petsupply
Penelope and Luke looked on adoringly as Roxy posed for her picture with Santa Paws, bone shaped snowflakes hanging all around and a red and white dog house-workshop in the background.
Somehow he’d let her convince him to leave his apartment and go shopping on a rare day off, three days before Christmas, in light snow and DC traffic. This trip also happened to see him agreeing to donning matching green and red Nissehue hats while shopping, and pet portraits with the jolly old elf- something he’d absolutely never do on his own, but somehow didn’t have the heart to turn down where Penelope was involved.
She nudged him with her elbow, still beaming at the dog, but inclined her head talking softly, “Now you can have copies made and send out New Years cards for your family. I know even though you had gifts shipped, we’ve had so many cases you didn’t have time to write cards and update your family on your exciting life here in DC.”
Luke chuckled at the jab to his personal life, looking down at her, but a pang struck knowing he didn’t have much new to share with anyone this year, certainly not the thing his mother hadn’t stopped asking about since he’d admitted to he and Lisa calling it quits so long ago…How Penelope was this involved, this close, this caring…and yet, still insisted they were only friends… He didn’t care to explain he would take her companionship in any way she deemed worthy to bestow, that it filled a space until “his person” eventually did come along…He knew how she’d react, he didn’t need that.
Luke, lost in a maze of thoughts, was startled out of it as the elf pet-handler returning Roxy cooed, “What a beautiful little family you have! Are you sure you don’t want one with the three of you?”
Quickly, Luke responded, “Oh, hah, no, thank you. Ah,” he looked to Penelope, hoping the assumption hadn’t made her uncomfortable, “we’re not together, we’re friends. But thank you.”
Thank you for assuming the woman I’m in love with loves me too.
Thank you for stating we outwardly look like a couple.
“Oh, well, the picture can be picked up around the corner, and you can have them made into cards at the kiosk if you want. Some people like to do that,” the elf offered as she handed the leash back to him.
Luke just gave a small, polite smile and nodded his thanks again before placing his hand on Penelope’s back, turning in the direction the worker had indicated.
Errands run and cards made, he couldn’t help but notice how off she was on the drive back to his place, how quiet she’d been ever since leaving the shopping center… She’d turned down hot chocolate at that fancy new french cafe and hummed noncommittally at all of his attempted conversations. Thinking back on it, he realized she hadn’t said a word since leaving the pet store. Penelope Garcia: Silent Human was not a side he’d ever seen from her. Frankly it was not a side he was liking. Chancing a glance from the icy road, taking in her strange expression, he thought he’d push his luck.
He’d felt her bite so many times over the years her lashes were more like a gumming at this point, and better that than this- “Penelope…everything okay?” He knew the holidays tended to be hard for people who lacked family nearby, maybe all the festivities and sad ‘home for Christmas’ songs had stirred things up. But Penelope, for all her attachment to the team, never really seemed particularly bothered by the distance between her brothers and herself…still, maybe she was thinking about her parents? The Morgans? Any number of past victims and their families, or her support group members. When he thought about it, the things that could upset someone who dealt with what they did were endless…He couldn’t blame her if all the commercial joy and nostalgia had suddenly put her in a funk.
Penelope looked at him thoughtfully, brow pinched, a dismissive quip primed, but then impulsively, rapidly, it poured out, “Why did you say that? I mean- I know why, we’re not- it’s just-” she frowned, stopping herself, “Never mind.”
“No. Wait. Hold up, it’s something I said? Why did I say what?” His head bounced back and forth from road to face trying for clues. He’d made some jokes while they were out shopping, and he’d made a face at the faux fur coat she playfully held up for the Black Queen, but it was all in fun-
Somehow she’d shrunk, Penelope small, voice smaller, shying from the shame, but she’d opened the gate, and there was no going back, “The elf. She said we were acute family and you told her- we’re friends.”
His head snapped back again, confusion evident. “Penelope, we are friends. As much as you may like to deny it publicly, if we’re out getting pet portraits together, there’s no other way to explain it.” Why would she be upset he politely corrected someone? What did it matter? It’s not like this person knew either of them, there was no pretense to keep up over fake-hating him.
Detecting a conversation he’d need to give his full attention to, Luke pulled over to the side of the highway, decelerating, then putting the SUV into park. But at the vehicle’s halt, that same impulsivity that seemed to possess her mere seconds ago saw Penelope rapidly lunging across the center consul, hands snatching at the lapels of his wool coat, leveraging herself closer, steady, belt straining against her as her lips crashed into his, Luke only just turning to face her, taken off guard. Their mouths met in a rapid, electrifying mash of teeth and lips, skin to skin, scraping stubble, supple flesh -and concluded in a halting gasp as she froze, pulling away.
“Oh. Oh god. And now I’ve done that. That is not what I meant, and I know, I’m sorry…I know I have no right to be upset about the friends thing, we are friends. I’m sorry. I know, what I just did was not a friends thing it didn’t feel- are you- I know we decided there was nothing here-” she was faltering and floundering watching his shocked face, Luke processing what she’d just done, what it could mean, not what he hoped it meant or felt it meant, but really, in the context of Penelope meant, he needed to know where to go from here. “-nothing between us and we’re just frenemies -or friends, and I’m sorry,” she continued, “I’ve just, I’ve been thinking, the truth is, lately…Luke, theres no one else that’s felt more like family…that I’ve felt like a family with…than you. The two of you.”
Her hands still on his lapels, shook them, gripping as she forced out the untimely confession, eyes pleading, every part of her pleading he understand…he was her friend, but he’d become more than that…she hadn’t realized it until some stranger thrust it at them, but now she couldn’t shake it, and she couldn’t deny it and worse yet she didn’t want to, and she hoped…he didn’t either…
His eyes flickered over every millimeter of her face, taking in all of her at close range, was she really suggesting? Everything she’d said was true for him too, the five of them becoming this little family unit…something he was happy to indulge in, but softly softly, knowing his partner hadn’t felt the same way, until apparently she did.
Luke twisted in his seat, angling towards her, his hands flexing, releasing the death grip he’d unwittingly been inflicting on the steering wheel, then softly, softly, he brought one to gently cup the back of her shoulder, the other, combing over ear and through hair to guide her towards him. He hadn’t said a word back yet, but lips parted, he continued to watch her, gauging her reaction as he inched closer, fingers tightening, a breath a part, her mouth dropped open in response, quietly he confessed, breath to breath, “Family to family, I’d like to try that again-” and with that his lips fell on hers, or her’s descended on his, he wasn’t sure which, though it didn’t really matter as the result was the same, soft, but powerful, respectful, but demanding, Luke kissed her breathless, kissed her endless, kissed her until she broke away with a shuddering ragged breath.
Hands still locked on each other, embrace intact, he sunk into her eyes warm as tea, “Still think there’s nothing here?”
Her head shook briefly, gaze locked on his own before a quiet smile twitched into place, “Not a chance-”
Darting in, he snatched her lips to his, brief, sensual, then, hand cupping her cheek, parting, he smiled down at her, “Who knew Santa Paws was granting wishes early”
Penelope grinned up at him, hands slipping under his coat and up his chest, Luke silly, Luke happy, Luke, comfortable, like home. “We should go back and get that family portrait, thank him.”
His skin burned under her touch, Luke on fire in the drivers seat, Penelope finally his, “We’ll send him a card- right now there’s nothing I want to do less than sit on Santa’s lap” and with that he put the truck in drive, taking them home as quickly as conditions would allow.
#criminal minds fan fiction#garvez#penelope garcia#luke alvez#christmas fluff#snails tales#ao3#criminal minds
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Insert Holiday Pun Here
Well folks, the holidays are upon us, and I’ve been too busy to attempt to be funny. SO, I thought I’s treat you all to something a little different.
[This joke would be funnier if my name was actually Gina]
I’m going to go through the holiday (read: Christmas, because let’s be honest: Hearth’s Warming is a Christmas expy) episodes and give my thoughts on each. This will not include the Equestria specials because I haven’t seen them (but I have read the IDW 2014 holiday comic and oh boy, that’s a post of its own). I’m not going to recap them (much) because it would take less than two hours to watch them all. Take a break from Charlie Brown and Rankin Bass to appreciate some true holiday classics.
Hearth's Warming Eve, Season 2 Episode 11
I don’t like it.
It’s hard to be the first of anything. You’ve got a lot to set up and only twenty-two minutes to establish lore and tell a complete story. I didn’t care for the Nightmare Night episode the first time I saw it, but upon rewatch it held up better than I remembered. Plus, it had the benefit of being really funny. This only has a few moments that gave me a sensible chuckle.
What a shocker! An earth pony with no ideas.
Ostensibly, this is a very important episode because it introduces the holiday and gives us some Equestria history, but I never expected this show to have such a mean-spirited holiday episode. And I don’t just mean the pony summit that is supposed to show animosity. The beloved Mane Six begin the episode by grousing with each other.
The holidays stress me out too, and I wouldn’t have a problem if they resolved this by the end of the story, but they don’t. The name of the show is “Friendship is Magic.” This grinch’s heart should be growing three sizes, not reminded of family gatherings that turned into verbal brawls.
And then there’s the play. Obviously, the personalities of Pinkie, Rainbow Dash, and Rarity get turned up to an eleven in their respective roles, but it just rubs me the wrong way. Especially since the other three are depicted normally. The three heroes bond over how much they hate their bosses. This is a relatable notion, but a weird choice for a children’s program. In the beginning, the three races of ponies were divided by hate, and now they’re being brought together…by hate. Talk about your mixed messages.
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: I don’t like it when they fight unnecessarily.
2/5
Hearthbreakers, Season 5 Episode 20
It was a long wait for another holiday episode, and it was worth it. This one delves into a topic that I don’t see too many shows acknowledge: that different families have different traditions. And more importantly, that someone else’s traditions aren’t bad or wrong just because you might not enjoy them. It should be an obvious lesson to respect other’s differences, but the amount of people who lose their minds when told to have a happy holiday is any indication, it bears repeating. This time of year can be difficult for blended families or people coming together for the first time, and it’s especially relevant for this changing world. It stands to reason that the very stubborn Applejack would be a stickler for tradition and have difficulties being flexible.
How rare it is to see Pinkie Pie be the peace keeper?
4.5/5
A Hearth's Warming Tail, Season 6 Episode
This one is a mixed bag for me. I am a big fan of A Christmas Carol and I do enjoy when shows do their own version. The story itself is fun, with the added twist of higher stakes than the original, but the framing devices gives me pause. Twilight freaking out because Starlight doesn’t want to celebrate a holiday is a little over the top. No one should be pressured to celebrate a certain way or celebrate at all if they don’t want to. Maybe someone has bad memories with the holiday and doesn’t want to be reminded of past events. Maybe they can’t stand the over consumption and commercialism of this time of year. Maybe they belong to a religion that doesn’t celebrate Christmas and are very tired of being constantly ignored. Maybe they work in retail. The reason doesn’t matter.
It’s such an easy fix. Maybe instead of being indifferent towards the holiday, Starlight’s nervous that she’s going to be in such a big group and worried that she’ll mess things up. Twilight gives her the book to show that you can’t really ruin Christmas Hearthswarming because blah blah blah togetherness. I don’t know.
Maybe I’m reading too much into it, but this episode aired a year after people lost their minds over a red paper coffee cup, so my concerns aren’t unfounded.
3.5/5
The Hearth's Warming Club, Season 8 Episode 15
It was like the writers saw inside my brain and realized the issue with only recognizing one holiday that gets celebrated in the pony equivalent of December.
The set up for the Breakfast Club-esque story has some issues, but I'm willing to look past them because I enjoy the episode. The best things that come from the magic school storylines are the exploration of the non-pony lore.
We had to wait eight years, but there was finally an acknowledgement that other holidays exist.
4.5/5
Best Gift Ever (aired between seasons 8 and 9)
The gold standard by which I’ve held all the other episodes. Everyone is perfectly in character. No one had to resort to stupid “Gift of the Magi” BS that they could have easily done.
I’ve never seen a kids show display so succinctly how stressful the holidays are, while simultaneously expecting you to have a good time. It’s the most wonderful time of the year, right? Why aren’t you having fun? What do you mean you don’t have time to clean, decorate, bake, wrap presents, send out cards, do crafts, mail gifts, and spend time with loved ones while also working/going to school/ continuing to be a human being?
I have been in this exact position, spending an hour inputting packages, and explaining that the delivery times were not guaranteed.
But this friend group really needs to discover the magic of waiting until after Christmas to have your get-together. It lessens the stress and gives you something to look forward to. Plus, you can snag those post-holiday deals.
I have pulled a Pinkie Pie and ignored the rules of a White Elephant exchange because I had already gotten everyone a gift. No one seemed to mind.
Forget the magic anthropomorphic horses, the most unrealistic thing about this show is how easy it is to make friends as an adult. It's trite to say that friendship is the greatest gift of all, but I am going to see my friends after New Years, and after not being together for over three years, I really couldn't ask anything better.
A totally heterosexual explanation for this image exists.
The chef’s kiss of holiday episodes. I will even forgive them for airing it in October. I will be watching it again this year while the rest of the family watches Die Hard.
5/5
Shoutout once again to whoever posts the images on the wiki gallery. You remain the funniest person on the internet.
#incorrect mlp quotes#incorrect quotes#incorrect my little pony#incorrectmlpquotes#mlp#mlp fim#holiday edition#best gift ever#mlp best gift ever#hearths warming
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Scenes from December (3/24)
Written for Klaine Advent 2022. Day Three: Detailed
***
December, 2006
It was cold. Bitterly cold. Thirteen-year-old Kurt didn’t really care. He pushed his shovel forward, scrapping the cement, the light snow easily rising up. The snow had piled up since he left for school that morning, but it wasn’t firm and settled yet. Easy to finish it up before his dad came home. Plenty of time to salt the walk, too. Getting chores done was never hard to accomplish. It wasn’t like he had anything else to do.
It wasn’t even four-thirty and the sun was already beginning to set, the golden, chill light of the day fading behind the trees. Most people hated this time of the year. He didn’t mind it. Dark and frozen was how he felt a majority of the time. Might as well have the atmosphere to suit his mood.
He stopped shoveling for a moment to tighten his scarf, thinking about if he should start prepping dinner or if he should let his dad figure it out tonight. He scoffed at the thought and continued to shovel.
An hour later, his dad came home. Kurt had been unthawing some chicken when Burt unceremoniously plopped the plastic bag onto the kitchen table. A Kentucky Fried Chicken bucket with accompanying sides of mashed potatoes, gravy, and macaroni and cheese. And biscuits. Not Kurt’s idea of a grand meal, and slightly irritating that he now had to refreeze perfectly good chicken breast that could be fried at home, but he didn’t complain. He didn’t say anything - nor did Burt. They didn’t speak much to each other these days. Burt had even stopped asking him how school went. Not that Kurt particularly cared if he did. He didn’t want to talk about school. Not if he could help it.
They made it to the living room - Kurt insisting on using actual plates and silverware. They weren’t completely barbarians. His dad, as usual, kicked off his shoes, opened a can of beer (thank god he only ever drank one at night), and turned on the tv to the first game he could find. It happened to be basketball this time.
Burt ate the fried chicken, his eyes glued to the tv. Kurt watched him for a moment- the detailed lines of his face that seemed tired and haggard that he never really noticed before. Is this what getting older is like? Or did he need to face the actual possibility that he didn’t lose just one parent - but both of them. He suddenly felt colder than he had been shoveling the snow.
“What?” Burt snapped, noticing Kurt staring at him.
Kurt waited a moment, unsure, really, of what to say. “We’re almost out of salt - I used most of it for the walkway.”
Burt let out a grunt as he sipped from his beer. “I’ll pick some up on the way home tomorrow.” Another bite of the chicken. “Good job on the driveway. Hoping next year we can get a snowblower so you don’t have to do that anymore.”
It was the closest thing to a compliment his dad had given him in recent memory - unfortunately undercut by his screaming at the tv over some guy missing a basket. Kurt supposed he had to take what he could get.
“We’re going to Uncle Andy’s Christmas party this weekend,” Burt said once the commercial came on.
“Why?” Kurt asked sharply.
“What do you mean ‘why’? Because I said so - that’s why.”
Kurt rolled his eyes. He hated family parties -- everything always felt so fake. So, forced. Year after year of having to defend his lackluster life against his seemingly perfect cousins. His stomach twisted just thinking about it.
“Also, Grandma wants to know what you want for Christmas,” Burt said. He had moved onto the potatoes, the gravy dripping off the fork and onto Burt’s overalls without much care.
“Just clothes,” Kurt muttered.
“Fine,” Burt said. “Which reminds me, no more purchases from that whack-a-doo place where you got the women’s shoes.”
Kurt’s face flushed with anger. “They weren’t women’s shoes - they were men’s boots. And just because you aren’t comfortable with the way I dress doesn’t mean--”
“Oh, here we go again,” Burt cut him off. “I’m perfectly comfortable--”
“No, you’re not!”
“Dammit Kurt, don’t interrupt me - now you’re going to pick a normal place to go to like Sears.”
“Sears? Really?”
“Or JCPenny or hell, even The Gap - I don’t know where kids shop these days - but it better be some place that Grandma can get a gift card and not feel weird about going in.”
Kurt pursed his lips together - the anger seething out of him. God forbid that Grandma could feel weird for a change - but he didn’t say it. It wasn’t worth it. It would just kick up another round of arguing that he just didn’t have the energy for. He stewed silently for a moment before picking up his plate and taking it to the kitchen. He had lost his appetite. Burt didn’t bother to force the issue any further.
Instead, he went down to the basement - his safe place. Turned on the light, walked right across the room, and sat down by the old dresser that used to be in his parents’ bedroom. Kurt wasn’t sure what his dad did with a majority of his mom’s things - there was a possibility of a storage shed somewhere, but the dresser he just dragged down to the basement one day, threw a sheet over it, and didn’t speak of it after.
Kurt sat on the floor, leaned his head against the dresser and enjoyed the peacefulness of the silence.. The tiny bit of light from the small window near the ceiling was slowly fading away as night fell, leaving Kurt in the dark. Sometimes the ache of missing his mother was too much - too sharp, too painful and he couldn’t stay down there for very long. Other times, he felt comforted - as if somehow she was really there, guiding him to the right path.
This must have been one of those times, because he noticed for the first time her old sewing machine, dusty and forgotten sitting on a cardboard table at the far end of the room. A warmth spread over his heart as he thought of the possibilities.
#klaine advent 2022#s.o. writes things#i'm not sure why i can't ever write something short#glee fic#eventual klaine fic#really honestly - blaine is not that far away
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Hbo War Fluffy Holiday Prompts Day 4
Title: I’ve Got My Love To Keep Me Warm
Prompt: Slow Dancing to Christmas Music
Pairing: Baberoe
Rating: T
Word count: 769
Author’s note: This one is on a technicality tbh. The songs referenced are ON a Christmas-type album. So,, it counts to ME. Lets see what else, its modern au (if you follow tumblr user @bitch-butter you will have seen a semi-recent prompt from the same universe) and its very near and dear to MY heart, so i hope you enjoy. Songs referenced are “I’ve Got My Love To Keep Me Warm” and “June in January” both versions by Dean Martin. [prompt from @almost-a-class-act]
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Sundays are for slowness; on Sunday you’re supposed to roll out of bed slowly, watch the coffee drip at its own pace. Sunday is for “chores” that bring you comfort, changing sheets or making dinner for someone you love. Sunday was Gene’s favorite day.
The flurries outside the window made the apartment feel like the inside of a snowglobe, their darkening blue-gray sky in opposition to the warm golden glow of the living room. Babe hummed a few feet away, some song he heard on a commercial earlier in the week as he organized the boxes of holiday decorations to go back into storage until they were needed in January.
That Sunday had been spent in two distinct phases: frantic cleaning in the morning to ready the space, and peaceful post-shower (together) decorating. After a dinner of hearty chicken and dumplings, they worked in perfect sync; Babe on tree duty, and Gene on… Everything Else duty until Babe decided he didn’t like how Gene did it and would end up completely redoing it.
That was precisely the reason Gene was reorganizing his record shelves for the 900th time, after having been chased away from the mantle. Apparently, if two candles are even an inch too close it can ruin the entire display. So he decided that he would try arranging his music by decade, and if he could the exact year which was a categorization he hadn’t attempted before.
He ghosted his fingers over the 1950’s, perusing the titles he had before he stopped over a Dean Martin he wasn’t sure he had listened to yet. He didn’t remember when he got it exactly, it wasn’t his usual find when he visited music stores. Reading the tracklist on the sleeve, he got an idea.
Babe reentered the living room and flopped onto the sofa, letting out a huff. Gene smirked to himself, carefully removing the protective cover and gently laying the disc on the turntable. Babe had gotten him a whole setup complete with new speakers and everything the year before, upgrading him from the little Victrola he had. He flicked on the system, and Babes head popped up when he heard the tiny scratch noise. Gene found the spot on the record he wanted to begin at and turned to Babe who gave him a puzzled yet intrigued look.
The song began, the light jazz tune filling the space, Gene stood in front of Babe and offered his hand.
“Dance with me?” He asked softly, his voice hopeful. Babe let out a small laugh, but did not hesitate to take the hand offered to him. Gene helped him stand and just as soon wrapped Babe in his embrace.
Soon the lyrics began to swirl in the air and Dean Martin’s voice came from the speakers, but Gene sang them to Babe, his lips close to the shell of the redhead's ear. The pair swayed in the room, their interwoven fingers resting on Babe’s chest.
“But what do I care how much it may storm? I’ve got my love to keep me warm.” His voice was like warm honey in Babe’s ear. Gene never thought he was much of a singer, but he would record a whole album for Babe if that was what he wanted.
“I never took you for a Dean Martin guy.” Babe said, his voice teasing. Gene chuckled quietly, and Babe felt the vibration of his body against his own which made him press tighter to Gene.
“Well we have to keep it interesting somehow, don’t we?” He retorted with a wink. Babe rolled his eyes dramatically, but his smile widened. “No honestly I don’t know when I got this, but I’m glad it came in handy.” He told Babe who nodded before nuzzling his face into Gene’s neck as the song began to wind down.
They continued to sway as the song changed, June in January floating through the speakers. Neither were very familiar with the song, but danced anyway; gazing into each other's eyes silently telling each other everything the lyrics meant.
They swayed together until the motion of their bodies completely stopped, and they stood still in the living room simply holding one another. When the next song began with a much more upbeat tempo, they finally separated looking at each other with dopey grins, their eyes swimming in the depth of their feelings,
The sky outside was inky black, lights from the city illuminated the falling snowflakes for brief moments as they flitted through. It was Sunday, and Sunday was for all the things you loved; Sunday was Gene’s favorite Day.
#HBO War Barely Coherant Christmas Chaos#baberoe#pardon if im a bit rusty BUT#this was a fun one it came super quick too#babe heffron#eugene roe#my wrtitng
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Don’t Crack Your Head
“Don’t crack your head.”
“Put it in the parking lot.”
These phrases, which I picked up during my November trip to Kenya, have become part of my lexicon.
“Don’t crack your head”....means, “Don’t get stressed out about it”. I discovered this after Caren, one of the palliative care nurses, announced to our class that she was passing out pretests and panic ensued. “Don’t crack your heads!” she cried, trying to restore calm. I chuckled and promptly scribbled the phrase in my notebook. Later, Caren would say to me when I was perplexed about something, “Pamela, don’t crack your head” and we’d laugh and laugh. Another phrase, “Put it in the parking lot”....means “Let’s move along, because we’ve already spent waaaay too much time on this topic”. This came from one of the students in our training, who, after listening to his fellow community health volunteers, grew tired of their ongoing circular debates.
Kenyan Nurse Caren
Don’t crack your head....Those words were not yet part of my vocabulary when, in the dawning hours of November 4, I landed at Charles De Gaulle Airport in Paris for a layover before flying to Nairobi. The overnight flight from Seattle and the multiple time zones left me fatigued and slightly disoriented. Imagine my surprise when I stumbled through the duty free shops to be greeted by a lovely display of lights, a trio of Christmas trees, a red velvet chair and a glittery gold Eiffel Tower. Initially, my cynicism flared, and truth be told, I get a wee-bit self-righteous about NOT celebrating Christmas before Advent. In fact, normally, I “crack my head” around Labor Day when stores begin to market Christmas stuff. (Although I’m wondering if Halloween decorations have deflated some early Christmas sales, even relegating Thanksgiving to a blip on the holiday calendar and a day of overeating and already decorating for Christmas). But there I was, in early November, oddly comforted by the sight–lights, shiny bulbs, greenery and ribbons. They all softened the harshness of a sterile airport, even one as posh as Paris with her high end shops: Chanel, Burberry, Dior, Prada. Even at that early hour, they were filled with Parisian black-clad salespersons with not a hair out of place.
Paris!
In Nairobi itself, I didn’t notice if there were Christmas decorations in that airport, but perhaps it was because I was too worried about getting through customs once again. However, in the city of Kisumu, my landing place near Lake Victoria in western Kenya, the shopping centers and parking lots were lit up with the Christmas Spirit.
On my return home,19 days later, I flew through Amsterdam. Again, I was greeted by Christmas trees-Chanel trees no less!-glittering towers of lights and glass, all tastefully decorated. Sipping a cappuccino, chatting with a pre-med student from Canada and checking my emails, I succumbed to it all, putting my normal “It’s too early to decorate” response in the parking lot.
The Glitz in Amsterdam airport
Landing in the United States, this time at the Salt Lake Airport, has its own challenges and usually I have to gear up for “reentry” into the frenzy and culture shock–typically loud Americans and noise. Instead, this time, I was entranced by the escalators trimmed with thousands of shiny, glittery Christmas bulbs. Commercial and too early for me to celebrate Christmas?? It didn’t matter. I was grateful for the beauty of it all. I wondered how many wearied and harried travelers were uplifted by the decorations. Did it help ease their long flights, layovers, and missed connections? Did it soften the missing of loved ones? And most importantly, did it create wonder about Christmas and the true meaning of the Holy Day?
This year, I received another gift. It was an ordinary clear plastic box with a dusty red lid. Nestled inside, were ornaments carefully wrapped in tissue–the Kleenex kind–by my mama. There were ornaments I remembered from my childhood, and newer ones which she had handcrafted years ago. As I hung each ornament, I was grateful for the gift of my mama. Grateful for the gift of family, both near and far. Grateful for the season of joy and for putting my somewhat rigid stance on NOT decorating too early in the parking lot.
My most favorite ornament, THE Reindeer, missing an antler a back leg taped and all made of plastic. This was the gem I was searching for. Note the beautiful beaded ornament, made my my mama
Another childhood favorite
And then there’s my own childhood creations. A true sign of my mother’s love was saving these. Obviously the beaded ornament was not my creation
My creativity has expanded since my early days of styrofoam snowmen and bells
A Christmas tree of joy and memories
No matter when you choose to decorate, may the season of Advent prepare your hearts for the celebration of the coming of the Christ-child on Christmas Day.
Always Mercy and Joy,
Pamela
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Day 2–Where are you Christmas? (25 Days of Ficmas)
A/N: Kind of bad lol!
Summary: Reader and Shawn meet at a movie theater on Christmas Eve!
Warnings: Swear Words
Y/N shivered as she made the short walk from her Uber to the movie theater doors. She placed her hands in her armpits and walked slowly so she didn’t fall on the ice. It was snowing outside, fitting for the people that wanted a white Christmas. Y/N didn’t necessarily care for that. And don’t get me wrong, she loved Christmas, but she grew up in LA where it never snowed, so this was a new thing to her.
She noticed that there were only a few other cars in the parking lot. It made perfect sense though. It was Christmas Eve after all.
She finally reached the sliding glass store and was greeted by the smell of popcorn and a few decorated Christmas trees throughout the lobby. Nobody was in the lobby besides her and the workers.
She walked over to the counter and sighed softly to herself. “Hi. Can I buy a ticket for ‘The Grinch Who Stole Christmas?’”Y/N loved that movie and was excited to hear that the theater was replaying it for Christmas.
The worker—an older man who had to have been in his early 70’s smiled softly at her. “Of course, dearie. Let me ring you up for that. So, you don’t have any Christmas plans?”
Y/N chuckled softly. “Nope. Just spending some quality time with myself. What about you?”
“I took the day off tomorrow to spend time with my grandchildren and my wife.” He handed her the ticket.
“Could I also get a medium popcorn please with a medium fountain drink?”
He nodded his head, typing it into the register. “You haven’t got a boyfriend or anyone that you’re spending tomorrow with? I’m sure a pretty girl like you has a boyfriend.”
She shook her head. He gave off a grandfatherly vibe and she didn’t mind talking to him. He passed her the popcorn and the drink.
“Well, merry Christmas!”
“You too!”
She walked away from the nice man and to the ticket collector. He took her ticket, ripped in half, and passed it back to her. She followed the directions he gave her to get to the correct theater and she found a city in the middle. She looked around and saw that she was the only one in there.
The movie was set to start at 7:00 and it was already 7:30. The commercials were almost over and if there were other people coming to see this movie, they either really didn’t mind being late or they weren’t coming at all.
As the opening scene started, she heard someone coming up the stairs. She glanced over at them and saw that they had sat two chairs away. He was handsome or at least from what she could see in the dark. His side profile was made of sharp lines, and he had a tuft of curly hair.
She quickly looked back to the screen before he caught her staring at him. She saw him look over at her from her peripheral and then glance back at the movie. About a quarter of the way through the movie, when Cindy Lou Who was in the Grinch’s layer, she heard him get up from her seat and move to the one right next to hers.
“Hey, my name’s Shawn. Have you seen this movie before?”
Y/N peeked a glance at him, and holy hell was even more attractive up close. And…wait a minute. This wasn’t just any attractive man, this was Shawn freaking Mendes! Y/N wasn’t a huge fan of his, but she had heard his songs on the radio.
“Um yea. I’ve seen it lots of times. It’s what me and my dad used to watch every Christmas Eve.”
“Hmm.” There was a pause from him for a minute. “Is it too nosy of me to ask where he is?” He had concern written on his gorgeous face and it made Y/N’s heart stammer.
“He’s in LA.”
“Ah, I see. Do you see him often?”
“Yea. I live in LA, so I see him quite a few times a month. I’m just here for Christmas.”
“Nice. What part of LA do you live in?”
“I live over by Westwood. I’m a student at UCLA so it’s nice to be close to that.”
“Ok, cool. I have a house that’s over by there.” Shawn nodded his head and smiled at her. Her heart fluttered again.
“So, what brings you to Toronto?”
“Umm, well this is super embarrassing. I was actually coming here to surprise my boyfriend. His family lives here and he was spending Christmas with them. But when I tracked down his hotel and everything, I walked into the room to see him cheating on me. And umm, my flight doesn’t leave here until New Year’s Day, so I’m trapped.” She laughed in a painful way and Shawn felt sorry for the girl.
“I…I didn’t mean to bring up such a sensitive topic. I’m sorry.”
“No, it’s ok. Seriously. He was a douche anyways,” There was a lull in their conversation. “So, what brings you here?”
“Umm, family. Like I said, I live in LA, but my family lives in Pickering. I have a condo in Toronto that I’m staying at right now.”
“Well, that’s nice. I wish I was spending Christmas with my family.”
“Yea. I mean it’s definitely nice to be by them, but I’m not sure they even want to see me tomorrow. We kind of got into a fight because I hardly ever come home to visit. I’m not sure if they’re still expecting me or not.”
“Oh. That’s not good. But I mean it makes sense. What with you going on tour all the time.”
Shawn chuckled. “So, you do recognize me. I couldn’t tell. I thought you might’ve when I first walked in because you sort of stared at me.”
“Y/N felt her cheeks flooding with blush. “Yea. I like your music. It’s got a good vibe to it.”
“Thank you! It’s always nice to get a compliment from a beautiful girl.” Y/N ducked her head down and turned her face away. “I guess we’re both in crappy situations then.” He sighed out of his nose.
“Yea.”
They both turned their attention back to the screen as Cindy Lou Who song her song about searching for the Christmas spirit. They kept sharing glances and smiling at each other. After a few seconds of this, Y/N felt something soft hit her face. She turned to Shawn who was smiling cheekily at the screen and eating his popcorn.
Y/N picked a piece of popcorn out of her own bowl and tossed it at Shawn.
Shawn turned to Y/N with a mock offended voice and put his hand over his heart. “How dare you?! What was that for?!”
Y/N giggled. “I know what you did Mendes. Just because you are famous doesn’t mean you can get out of it.” She threw another piece at him.
“Oh, it is on Y/N.” He picked up a handful of popcorn and tossed it into her hair.
“Shawn?! I just washed my hair today and now there is going to be butter and salt in it.”
“Serves you right for throwing two pieces at me.”
Y/N picked up her half full bucket of popcorn and dumped it onto Shawn’s head. She started to make a run for it and Shawn grabbed her around the waist, turned her around and, poured his popcorn onto her head.
They both sat their giggling and laughing as they stared into each other’s eyes. There was a pause before Y/N cleared her throat and said, “We should probably go before they find out we made this mess.”
Shawn nodded and followed Y/N as they went through the emergency exit. “Where are you parked?” Shawn asked.
“Oh, I took an Uber here.”
“That’s fine. I was actually hoping you would want to grab ice cream with me anyways?” He looked at her with puppy dog eyes and she couldn’t resist saying no.
“Sure, but maybe we should go for hot chocolate. It’s freezing out here.”
“Sounds like a plan.”
*****
“And then Brian had milk spilling out of his nose. It was so disgusting, but honestly the funniest thing ever.” Y/N smiled as she listened to Shawn tell stories about his tour.
“That’s hilarious.” Y/N got up to throw away her hot chocolate cup and pulled out her phone. She needed to search for a nearby hotel to stay the night at.
“You ready to go?” Shawn stood from his seat and started walking to the McDonald’s exit. He held the door open for her and they ran to his car to get out of the cold. “So, Miss L/N, to which hotel am I taking you to.”
Y/N laughed nervously. “Do you have any recommendations? I haven’t really thought about booking a different hotel than my ex until now.”
“Don’t worry about it. You can just spend the night at my place, it’s not a big deal.”
“No, Shawn. I’m not letting you do that.”
“You really don’t have a choice since I am driving this car. Now buckle up.” Y/N set her backpack that was carrying all her travelling stuff on the floor and buckled her seat belt.
The drive to his condo was short and they small talked, trying to get to know one another. Once they got inside his condo, Y/N retreated to the bathroom to change and get ready for bed while Shawn put out pillows and sheets for himself to sleep on the couch.
When Y/N walked out of the bathroom she made a beeline for the couch, but Shawn stood in front of her. And he was shirtless, only wearing a pair of gray sweats. “You’re sleeping in my room, not on the couch.”
“Well, you’re doing a kind thing for me. Plus, isn’t it weird that you just met me today and now you’re allowing me to sleep in your bed.”
“Yea, if you were some random girl I picked up off the street. But I feel like I know you pretty well now that we’ve spent a whole night together. I don’t know, I feel some sort of connection to you. Is that weird?”
“Is it weird if I tell you I feel the same thing. Like we were supposed to meet tonight.”
“Exactly! I don’t know.”
“Well, I still feel like I can’t let you sleep on the couch. You have been way too generous to me already.”
“There’s only one way to solve this problem. We either both sleep in the bed or we both sleep on the couch. So, you go ahead and choose. That is if you feel comfortable enough to share with me.” He scratched the back of his neck.
Y/N laughed nervously. This attractive famous guy had just offered to share a bed with her, and he was nervous about her response! “Umm probably the bed.”
“Ok, let’s go then. I have a TV in there and we can watch a Christmas show or something. Maybe a Hallmark. Do you like Hallmarks? Aaliyah, my sister, loves them.”
“Yea, Hallmark sounds good. That is if you’re up to it.”
Shawn nodded and grabbed her hand, pulling her past the grand piano and into his room. “Sorry. It’s a little messy, but yea.” He seemed embarrassed of the slight mess of clothes on the floor as he shoved some of them under the bed with his foot.
“It’s fine. My room can look worse than this if I get too stressed out.”
Shawn grabbed the TV remote as Y/N awkwardly sat down on his bed. Her feet hung over the side as she watched Shawn channel surf until he got to Hallmark.
“You can get in the bed you know,” he whispered to her as he slid under the covers, prompting her to do the same. They didn’t touch. In fact, Y/N scooted to the furthest edge of the bed.
They lay there for a few minutes before Shawn finally spoke up. “Ok, quit being awkward. It’s not like we’re strangers. I know more about you than like half the people in my life. In fact, I’ve had some of the deepest conversations I’ve ever had with anyone tonight. So, unless you really don’t want me to, I want to cuddle with the beautiful girl next to me.”
Y/N tucked her lips into her mouth as she tried to hide her smile. There was no way that Shawn Mendes wanted to cuddle with her!
He slowly inched closer to her and turned sideways to wrap her up in his warm arms. “If you’re uncomfortable tell me and I’ll stop.”
“No, this is great. I…I think I’m just in shock. I never thought a guy like you would want to even talk to a girl like me.”
“I know how I can be perceived through the media, but if you’ll let me, I want to show you that I’m not what the paps make me out to be.”
“No, no. It’s not that I thought you weren’t a good person. You’re too perfect for me.”
Shawn chuckled and pressed a soft kiss to her shoulder. “Sorry. I don’t mean to laugh at you. But literally the moment I set eyes on you in that theater, I thought you were the most gorgeous girl I had ever seen. And getting to know you has made me like you even more than I did. I hope I’m not scaring you off with all these feelings.”
“You’re not. I know I just broke up with my boyfriend today, but that seems like so long ago. So, thank you for helping me forget and for helping me turn the worst Christmas Eve into a better one.”
*****
The morning sun awoke the two. Y/N’s head lay on top of Shawn’s bare chest and his arm was wrapped around her waist. “Morning,” he whispered in his raspy voice. She heard his stomach growl and they both laughed. “Guess we need to get some food.” He sighed. “You know, my mom always makes this monkey bread on for breakfast, but I’m not getting any of that this year.”
Y/N felt bad about Shawn’s strained relationship with his parents, so she decided to speak up. “You don’t have to miss out. You should go over there and fix it. Christmas spirit and everything. Remember Cindy Lou Who’s song? Where are you Christmas? Well, you can find Christmas by making up with your family.”
Shawn breathed in. “Why do you have to be right about this. You’re coming with me though. I’m not leaving you alone on Christmas day. Or ever if I can have anything to do with it.” He rubbed his nose against hers and gently kissed the tip of it.
The two of them quickly got ready and were out the door on their way to Shawn’s childhood home in a split second.
Shawn tentatively knocked on the door. When his mother answered, her face went from shock to pure joy. She pulled her son into a hug and started to apologize for their fight. “No, no. You don’t need to apologize. You’re right, I’m hardly ever home. And trying to get out of coming home for Christmas was to make you mad. I just wanted to have the upper hand in the fight. But Christmas should be about forgiveness and love. So, I’m going to try harder to make it home more often.” Karen had soft tears pooling in her eyes as she pulled Shawn into another hug.
She gasped as she pulled away, catching sight of Y/N. “Shawn! You didn’t tell me you met a girl!”
Shawn chuckled. “Yea. She’s my…friend.” He scrunched his eyebrows up and looked towards Y/N for confirmation.
“We’re not sure what we are. But friends is a good label for now.”
Shawn nodded and grabbed her hand, pulling her into the house. “Well, whatever you two are, we welcome you…” she paused for her name which Shawn quickly told her, “Y/N. What a beautiful name and you look like such a lovely girl.”
After breakfast was served and Manny, Aaliyah, and Y/N had sat down to play a game of Monopoly, Karen called Shawn into the kitchen to ‘help’ her grab something.
“That girl out there, is a keeper. You better not let her slip through your fingers. I know this sounds weird, and I’m not sure how long you guys have known each other, but she is special. She could be the one.”
Shawn felt himself blushing. “We just met last night. But we both think that there’s definitely something more between the two of us. I think you might be right. You know, she was the one who convinced me to come here this morning. Otherwise I would’ve been my stubborn self and spent today alone.”
“Well, you better kiss that girl by the end of the day. And I see a wedding on the horizon. And maybe grandkids in the next two to three years?”
Shawn shooed his mom off with his hand but couldn’t resist smiling. “We’ll see mom, we’ll see.
A/N: Thanks for reading! If you wanted to be added to my taglist PM me!
#Shawnmendes#shawnchristmas#shawnmendesfanfiction#shawn mendes#25dayaofficmas#shawnmendesxreader#shawnmila
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Rules: Tag 9 people you want to get to know better.
Tagged by: @thasminsbeach & @thirteensfavoritetoy
Favorite time of year: I really like the run up to Christmas as cheesy as that is. Like, I don’t really care for Christmas and all the commercialism around it, but I love hearing the songs, seeing the decorations and thinking about what presents to buy people. The Yogscast Jinglejam takes place then, too, and it’s always fantastic.
Comfort food: I don’t have a go-to food to make myself feel better. But a food I always look forward to eating, am so happy whilst I am eating it, and I don’t have that often, is pizza. Fajitas are another good one, too.
Do you collect something: I’ve never got rid of a book I’ve bought ever. So maybe that? I literally have hundreds. I used to collect Magic the Gathering Cards, but stopped when I needed to save money. But I might start again?
Favorite drink: Filtered Water from my Brita filter. Coffee, black usually, but sometimes with a dash of oat milk. If I’m drinking anything alcoholic, Leffe, but Corona and San Miguel are fine, too.
Favorite song: ‘Starlit Hearts’ by Resident (fishkid). I love it so much I made it my first Thasmin gifset. To be honest, anything by Resi I’m a little bit in love with. I made Thasmin gifsets for ‘Pretty Boy’ and ‘Little Prince’, too. I often have those three songs just on a loop lol I have 2 or 3 more I’d like to make as well, but we’ll see. I worry I overdo the lyric gifsets lol
Current favorite song: ‘You Haunt Me - Amtrac Remix’ by Sir Sly
Favorite fic: It’s been a long time since I read fanfic, but I remember there used to be three I re-read over and over on fanfic.net. A Cloud x Tifa fic, a Cloud x Zack fic, and then a Yuna x Tidus fic. I wish I could remember the names.
Tagging: @ichiharakazu, @lefttigerobservation, @singing-mockingbird, @queerestqueertoeverqueer, @whattheflux, @come-back-to-the-light, @taka-chan, @arsuf, @withered-rose-unbreakable-lotus
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What's the last sweet treat you've had?
A chocolate chip cookie.
Would you ever or have you gone golfing? (mini golf counts)
I’ve played mini golf when I was a kid.
How about bowling?
Yeah, I’ve gone bowling a few times.
What's something you've been wanting to try but don't have the nerve or time?
I kinda want to give a select few seafood foods a try, buuuut. I’m not a seafood fan so i’ve been hesitant and haven’t really cared to give it a try, but not being able to eat actual food (I only get fed some supplements through feeding tube) for well over a month now makes just about everything look and sound good. I keep seeing this commercial for fried shrimp and lobster, which sounds good in theory with lemon and butter. I’ve heard fried calamari is good, too. Plus whatever dipping sauces go with them. I mean, fried makes stuff good, right? Haha. I actually used to eat tuna sandwiches sometimes, but I mixed in a lot of mayo, mustard, and chopped pepperoncini peppers, so it was fine. I can’t eat spicy food anymore, though. :/
Are you able to walk or jog more than 1 mile without stopping?
Ha, no. Definitely not now. I can’t go anywhere right now, but even before I had become pretty weak and didn’t have the energy to do much.
Do you enjoy decorating your home for any occasion?
I love decorating for Christmas. That’s when I do the most.
What did you last have to drink?
Water.
What's your favorite color in the rainbow?
All of ‘em.
Do you tend to stumble over your words when you're nervous?
Yes.
Are you a fan of Ozzy Osborne?
Nah.
Have you ever caught Covid19? or any of the variants?
I’m pretty sure I did.
What color was the blanket that you last covered up with?
White.
How long do you lay in bed until you get up if you can't sleep?
It varied, but it took me awhile. Especially these past couple of years. Just in recent months it was getting more and more and I just didn’t have the energy and was requiring a lot more help.
What's a dance move you can confidently do?
None.
Do you know a Lucy?
Nope.
Do you ever listen to any A.M. radio stations?
No.
Do you stream most of your music?
I use Spotify.
What is something you dread?
The long journey ahead of me regarding my health. I just want to be better. I’m making progress, though. It’s just going to take a long time.
Would you say you're an overall nice person?
I think so, but I haven’t been the nicest these past few years. I’ve become this irritable, miserable, moody, frustrated person and just not always the best to be around. it’s been a struggle and I feel like it has hardened me. I don’t enjoy things like I used to. I definitely don’t laugh like I used to. I haven’t felt like myself in so long.
What was the last argument you got into about?
*shrug*
When did it last rain?
It’s been so long. Earlier this year some time.
Do you use big words in your vocabulary?
Sure? I don’t pay attention. I don’t do it purposefully, I just talk how I talk and use whatever words I feel fit.
Do you keep Christmas bags and old wrapping paper to reuse?
I often keep the bags.
What's a charity you support strongly?
I haven’t donated to any in awhile to be honest. :/
What's the first flowers or trees you notice that bloom when it gets warmer?
I don’t pay attention to that.
Have you ever accidentally punched yourself in the face while pulling your covers up?
Ha, yes. Not fun.
How about dropping your phone on your face?
Yeppp. D:
Have you ever been in a mosh pit?
No.
What's one of your favorite TV shows?
There’s so many.
What are 3 words or phrases you use most often?
”Like”, “I don’t know”, “oh my gosh.”
When did you last trip or fall?
It’s been a long time, thankfully.
What type of pain pills do you use for a headache or do you just tough it out?
I have to just ride ‘em out pretty much cause I can’t take aspirin, and Tylenol and Ibuprofen don’t help me for headaches. In fact, Ibuprofen makes me sick. I sometimes will drink some peppermint or chamomile tea, but usually if it’s really bad i’ll just put a cold washcloth over my eyes and try to sleep it off.
What did you last say out loud to a family member?
I don’t remember, I haven’t been able to talk for almost 2 months.
Can you remember the last time you dressed up nice for an event?
Like 6 years ago for a wedding.
What did you last thank somebody for?
Helping me with something.
Do you see any stuffed animals from where you are?
Yes, the teddy bear my bro brought back for me from his vacation. It’s so cute, he’s wearing a robe with the name of the fancy hotel my brother stayed at.
Do you or anyone you know suffer from food allergies?
I’m just allergic to tangerines. I’m lactose intolerant, but that’s different.
Look up from your device. how much black do you see?
Not much.
What color do you dislike the most?
Brown.
Can you whistle good enough to get through a whole song?
I can’t whistle at all.
What did you last tie a knot for?
My shoes.
How many surveys have you taken so far today?
This is the first one today.
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