#Edinburgh new year celebrations
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January 2024 Witch guide
Full Moon: January 25th
New moon: January 11th
Sabbats: None
January Wolf Moon
Known as: Bear Moon, Chaste Moon, Cold Moon, Disting Moon, Goose Moon, Moon of Little Winter, Moon of Strong Cold, Quiet Moon, Snow Moon, Stay at Home Moon, Sun Has Not Strength to Thaw Moon & When Snow Blows Like Spirits In The Wind Moon
Element: Air
Zodiac: Capricorn & Aquarius
Nature spirits: Brownies & Gnomes
Deities: Freya, Hera, Innana & Saraswati
Animals: Coyote & fox
Birds: Blue Jay & pheasant
Trees: Birch & Hazel
Herbs: Cones, holy thistle &marjoram
Flowers: Crocus & Snowdrop
Scents: Mimosa & musk
Stones: Chrysoprase, garnet, hematite, moonstone, onyx & jet
Colors: Black, blue-violet, grey, silver & white
Energy: Adventurous, ambitious, awareness, beauty, beginning & conceiving; business, career, conserving energy, energy below the surface, organization, political matters, potential, protection, recognition, reputation, reversing spells & spirituality
The name for the January full Moon is believed to have originated from Celtic and Old English roots, which European settlers then brought to the New World.
At one point, gray wolves were among the most widespread land mammals on our planet. According to the Wolf Conversation Center, gray wolves “inhabited most of the available land in the Northern Hemisphere.” Habitat destruction and persecution by humans have reduced their range by about a third worldwide and 90 percent in the lower 48 states.
The wolf’s adaptable nature to survive in a wide range of habitats and ability to prey on the largest mammals living in those regions made it widespread. Basically, if there are enough deer, moose, elk, caribou, bison, and musk ox, wolves can survive. Predation of domestic animals caused friction with European settlers and early Americans who aggressively hunted the wolves.
Werewolf myths can be found in ancient Greek and Roman societies, throughout European history and among some Native American tribes. In modern storytelling the transformation from man to wolf has been closely tied to the full Moon in films like “The Wolf Man” and “American Werewolf In London.”
Howl at the Moon means to waste energy pursuing something unattainable. It’s shorthand for doing something crazy. However, howling is hardly a waste of energy among wolf packs. And they aren’t howling at the Moon. The Moon just happens to be shining during times when wolves most often howl.
A wolf’s howl can be heard miles away. The vocalization helps wolves locate separated members and even communicate between packs marking their territories. One study recorded spontaneous howls and responses happen most often between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m.
The cry of wolves doesn’t play into the Sioux name for the January full Moon, which is known as “The Time When Wolves Run Together.” Wolves do plenty of running to defend territory that can stretch hundreds of square miles to find enough prey to support the pack.
Other Celebrations
• Hogmanay | January 1st: is the Scots word for the last day of the old year and is synonymous with the celebration of the New Year in the Scottish manner. It is normally followed by further celebration on the morning of New Year's Day (1 January) and, in some cases, 2 January—a Scottish bank holiday. In a few contexts, the word Hogmanay is used more loosely to describe the entire period consisting of the last few days of the old year and the first few days of the new year. For instance, not all events held under the banner of Edinburgh's Hogmanay take place on 31 December.
The origins of Hogmanay are unclear, but it may be derived from Norse and Gaelic observances of the winter solstice. Customs vary throughout Scotland and usually include gift-giving and visiting the homes of friends and neighbours, with particular attention given to the first-foot, the first guest of the new year.
• Compitalia/ Feast of Lades | January 3-5: was an annual festival in honor of the Lares Compitales, household deities of the crossroads, to whom sacrifices were offered at the places where two or more ways met.
Dionysius said that Servius Tullius founded the festival, which he describes as it was celebrated in his time. Dionysius relates that the sacrifices consisted of honey-cakes (Ancient Greek: πέλανοι) presented by the inhabitants of each house; and that the people who assisted as ministering servants at the festival were not free men, but slaves, because the Lares took pleasure in the service of slaves. He further adds that the Compitalia were celebrated a few days after the Saturnalia with great splendor, and that the slaves on this occasion had full liberty to do as they pleased.
During the celebration of the festival, each family placed the statue of the underworld goddess Mania at the door of their house. They also hung up at their doors figures of wool representing men and women, accompanying them with humble requests that the Lares and Mania would be contented with those figures, and spare the people of the house
Sources:
Farmersalmanac.com
Llewellyn's Complete Book of Correspondences by Sandra Kines
A Witch's Book of Correspondences by Viktorija Briggs
Llewellyn's 2023 magical almanac: practical magic for everyday living
Wikipedia
Encyclopedia Britannica
#correspondence#witch guide#January 2024#wolf moon#wiccablr#witchblr#paganblr#witch community#witchcraft#witches of tumblr#tumblr witch community#witch tumblr#witch tips#beginner witch#traditional witchcraft#baby witch#witch friends#moon magic#wolves#grimoire#book of shadows#spellbook#spellwork#witchcore#witch#new year#witchy things#witches#baby witch tips#GreenWitchcrafts
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Happy Birthday Sam Roland Heughan, born 30th April 1980 in Balmaclellan, Dumfries and Galloway.
Sam got his name from the Lord of the Rings character Samwise Gamgee. his parents were big fans of the Tolkien books. He attended Kells Primary School in New Galloway before the family moved to Edinburgh when he was 12, he went to James Gillespie’s on the edge of the meadows before finishing his school education at the prestigious Rudolph Steiner School.
After leaving School at 18 Sam worked and travelled before returning to Scotland and enrolling in the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama, graduating in 2003.
Sam built a solid career in theatre in both Scotland and England starring in productions of Plague Over England, Macbeth, The Talented Mr. Ripley, Amphibians, and King John. He has also been featured in notable indie films, Emulsion, and Heart Of Lightness but of course it is one particular role that has catapulted him into worldwide stardom, that of Jamie Fraser in Outlander.
For those who don’t know Outlander it follows the story of Claire Randall, a married combat nurse from 1945 who finds herself hurled back in time to the 1740’s in and around the time when The Jacobites and Bonnie Prince Charlie made the final ill fated attempt to put the Stuarts back on the throne. Sam plays Claire’s “love interest” she is forced to marry. Further series are set in the US in the 1770’s, their remains a strong Scottish presence in the cast, and the show is filmed in studios in Cumbernauld. Sam has won a number of awards for the series.
In the movie To Olivia he played Hollywood star Paul Newman and in the adaptation of the Andy McNab book, SAS: Red Notice, he played SAS soldier Tom Buckingham. Oor birthdat boy also teamed up with fellow Outlander star Graham McTavish Men in Kilts: A Roadtrip with Sam and Graham. The series follows the pair as they explore their homeland delving into the culture and history of Scotland, in a light-hearted way. The second series of the show aired last year, the reviews were mainly positive. The duo are already looking at a third journey, this time to North America but that will likely involve indulging Heughan's thrill-seeking side - much to his friend's dismay
Sam also appeared in the psychological series The Couple Next Door last year, I am yet to catch this, it has average reviews on IMDB of 5.6 out of ten. Born to be Great the story of Alexander The Great's early life has been completed but is yet to recieve a release date.
According to reports Sam celebrated his birthday in Edinburgh at the weekend while also running his My Peak Challenge which included workouts, outdoor activities and a gala night with dinner and dancing. He posted on Instagram describing the event as a 'unique blend of wellness, camaraderie, celebration and more'. The peakers, as they are known has raised millions for charities including Marie Curie.
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The Tin Can Bros have launched a kickstarter to celebrate their 10 year anniversary with SEVEN new projects, and they need our help!
Read on to find out how:
This is Brian Rosenthal, Corey Lubowich and Joey Richter
You may know them from Team Starkid, or you may know them from their own group the Tin Can Brothers (creators of projects such as Spies Are Forever and the Solve it Squad), formed in 2014. To celebrate 10 years, they’re raising a goal of $200k in order to stage seven projects
They’re currently a week into their campaign and have raised almost $50k with 675 backers. But they still have a way to go! And to help, we need to spread the word
TINLIGHTENMENT PROMO SCHEDULE:
Saturday 10th - The Great Debate
What is it?
A live comedy game show featuring Joey, Brian, Corey and special guests pitted against each other to win a debate. It gets silly!
How will I be able to see it?
Live shows in LA (and potentially other places!) throughout the year, digital tickets, and eventually some ‘episodes’ on youtube!
What can I share?
If you’ve been lucky enough to see past great debates on Patreon, talk about favourite topics and moments!
If you haven’t, share moments and clips from the first public great debate livestream happening on Thursday! (I think - if plans are changed then they’re doing a terrible job letting me help them)
Talk about guests! They talked about a Dropout crossover which I know people have been asking for with Starkid. I don’t know what that is but tell the people that do!
Tuesday 13th - Gross Prophets
What is it?
A brand new comedy musical featuring Joey, Brian and Lauren with music by Ali Gordon and Angela Parrish (shitty broadway! https://youtu.be/AZ-bOPiDqo8?si=F6guq3Pk_lOkCB5B)
How will I be able to see it?
Live shows (some workshop-y) in LA leading up to a run at the Adelaide Fringe, with digital tickets and eventual youtube release
What can I share?
We don’t know a whole lot about this project yet, but we do know it’s got a great cast and creative team - talk about those people!
That it’s going to Adelaide!! Australia is frequently in the top backing countries on kickstarters, and those people finally get a chance to see a TCB show live!
Theories on what the show might involve!
Saturday 17th - SIS at the Fringe
What is it?
An Edinburgh Fringe run of the fucked up Scooby Doo parody, with the original cast!
How will I be able to see it?
Live shows throughout the entire Edinburgh Fringe run in August, or a digital ticket!
What can I share?
This is an existing TCB property, so talk about what you love from the original! Share art, gifs, edits, anything!
That it’s going to Edinburgh! As above, UK fans have been desperate for this for ages, now’s our chance! Make sure people know about it!
Tuesday 20th - Spy Another Day LA and London
What is it?
A live concert screening (Hollywood Bowl meets Rocky Horror!) of Spies with most of the original cast for LA and TCB plus Lauren for London!
How will I be able to see it?
A live show in LA in Spring (likely April) with a digital ticket option, and a live show in London in early September following their SIS fringe run
What can I share?
Like with SIS, anything and everything you love about the original show! Angsty fics, art, memes, it’s all good
Joe Walker. To me personally he’s just A Guy, but some people are still shocked to be learning he’s doing a show again! Get those OG fans to support this!
That it’s going to London. I need Joey doing a passable to decent depending on how much he’s practiced English accent in London! And again, an opportunity for one of the highest backing cities to see them LIVE
Saturday 24th - TCBoB at 54 Below
What is it?
The songs from their musical This Could Be on Broadway in concert at 54 Below in New York City, with Joey, Brian, Lauren, Esther, Bryce and Clark, plus more performers to be announced!
How will I be able to see it?
Live in NYC in November, with a digital ticket option
What can I share?
The first workshop only got a digital ticket release but if you caught that, share favourite parts! And the soundtrack is available, so talk about how fucking good the songs are
The fact that it’s an opportunity for people to hear these songs live!
Tuesday 27th - Intelligent Life
What is it?
A reading of TCB’s queer sci-fi comedy TV pilot
How will I be able to see it?
Live in LA in early Summer, or by digital ticket
What can I share?
Like with Gross Prophets, this is a brand new (to us) project so we don’t know a lot! But we do know it’s gays in space! We love space gays
Remember, these are just ideas. Share anything you personally are excited for and think other people might be interested in! The aim is to make sure people are aware of these projects, what they entail and why they need to happen! Any other way you have of getting the word out about the projects and the campaign in general is valuable!!
Join our discord for more ways to help or to ask questions! https://discord.gg/4VNEBzpA
And if you’re hearing about all this for the first time, check out the campaign! https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/tincanbros/tinlightenment-world-tour
#i’ll probably share a lot of this info again when it comes to the promo days#cause this is a lot to read lmao#just wanted to get it all out there#tinlightenment#tin can bros#tin can brothers#tcb#starkid#team starkid
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It's my birthday and I wrote Priest smut to celebrate XD
In Perfect Unity - Rated Explicit
3k words. Complete (for now)
Young men in seminary so long ago formed a unique bond, sundered by the vows they were foresworn to take.
A chance reunion rekindles every old spark and ignites new flames between them.
**
They’d met years ago in seminary. Spent evenings with their heads bent over the same assignments. Crowley had a little trouble with the text (they didn’t know the term “dyslexic” in those days) but Aziraphale was always happy to help. Happy to lend a hand.
Except those hands kept creeping closer, first above the table, pinkies overlapping as their faces flushed. Then beneath the table, thighs pressed together from hip to knee, curious fingers wandering. Heated, sweaty palms pressed and groped, clumsily worked at button fly and zipper fly alike. Gritted teeth in red cheeked faces as arms moved in tandem, stroking, sliding, wrists twisting just so.
The Father found them panting and messy and unable to word a proper excuse. It was so close to graduation for an expulsion and he didn’t want the scandal. Instead, he made sure they were sent to very separate towns and kept under close watch for the first few years.
Time passed, as it always does. Father Crowley and Father Aziraphale had no contact with one another for decades. Until there was a conference in Edinburgh and no one in charge knew their history.
Read the rest on AO3
#good omens#good omens fic#good omens smut#aziracrow#azicrow#ineffable husbands#ineffable idiots#ineffable spouses#good ineffable omens#aziraphale#crowley#crowley x aziraphale#aziraphale x crowley#good omens prime#good omens fanfiction#aziracrow smut#ineffable smut
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2023 Writing Roundup
Thanks to @welcometololaland, @rmd-writes, @kiwiana-writes, and @orchidscript for tagging me for this one. I'm also going to say thanks to everyone who tagged me in the ao3 wrapped or other round up type things; I've been putting off doing my annual writing year-in-review because I always post it on the 30th or 31st. This one is new to me and I figured why not, I'll do it now. I published 31 fics this year (so far!), so safe to say I'm putting this partly under a cut to save your dashes.
JANUARY
How’s About Cookin’ Something Up With Me? (TMFU, T, 4k)
Teachers AU, Napoleon helps Illya bake cookies for a holiday party.
Love is a Deserter (TMFU, T, 3k)
Post breakup getting back together fic.
True Hollywood Romance (Lokius, M, 8k)
Actors AU, fake dating, Mobius and Loki have a PR relationship that turns real.
It's Been a Bad Day Lately (Lokius, T, 17k)
Time loop, Loki has to try to figure out how to defeat a deadly Kang variant and save the man he loves all at once.
FEBRUARY
All for a Taste of the Honey (RWRB, E, 6k)
FBI Agents AU, Henry goes undercover as a stripper and Alex has a lot of feelings about that.
MARCH
All Comes Crashing (TMFU, E, 5.6k)
Illya has one night left to live and is forced to admit the feelings he's been holding back.
Nova, Baby (RWRB, E, 67k)
CIA/MI6 AU, forced to work together by their respective agencies, Alex and Henry take on high-stakes missions and fall in love.
APRIL
Kiss Me Like You Mean It (Firstprince, Napollya, Lokius, T)
Various T-rated ficlets featuring kisses.
MAY
All the Old Showstoppers (RWRB, E, 20k)
Canon-divergent AU where Alex and Henry compete in the Great Celebrity Bake Off.
The Sky is Open (RWRB, E, 5k)
1970s Pan-Am pilots AU (with a twist!).
Just a Shot Away from You (TMFU, T, 4k)
Five times Napoleon and Illya were ordered to kill each other, and one where everyone decides they’ve had enough.
JUNE
Tiny Little Movies (RWRB, various ratings)
A drabble collection based on drabble prompts from the Brownstone discord server.
JULY
Always Where I Need To Be (RWRB, T, 5k)
Alex's new roommate has a puppy with a penchant for stealing his glasses.
AUGUST
Please Don't Let Me Be So Understood (RWRB, E, 20k)
Couples Therapy AU, Alex and Henry are workplace enemies and accidentally end up in couples therapy.
Black Moon (TMFU, E, 6k)
For All Mankind AU, Napoleon and Illya are astronauts living on moon bases.
That's My Trouble (RWRB, M, 6k)
Detective/ME AU, aka 'Rizzoli and Isles AU', Alex shows up bleeding on Henry's doorstop.
Theory and Practice (RWRB, T, 4k) My 100th fic!
Grad students AU, former hookups turned enemies to friends to lovers.
Getting Clinical (RWRB, T, 2k)
Non-famous AU, Alex and Henry meet at a sexual health clinic.
Cold Light (Lokius, M, 4k)
Human AU, Loki and Mobius meet in Norway and their relationship grows under the northern lights.
Step Into My Office, Baby (RWRB, E, 2k)
Office AU, friends to lovers, three scenes in a corner office.
The Harrowed and the Haunted (TMFU, T, 3k)
Paranormal investigators AU, Napoleon and Illya visit a haunted house.
SEPTEMBER
Will You Brie Mine? (RWRB, T, 6k)
Non-famous AU, Henry sells cheese at Harrods Food Halls and Alex is his best customer.
Lessons in Foreign Diplomacy (RWRB, E, 5k)
Post-American Revolution AU, Alex and Henry are ambassadors to the court of Versailles from their respective countries.
Something To Be Proud Of (RWRB, M, 3k)
Non-famous AU, Alex volunteers at Edinburgh Pride and Henry makes an embarrassing email typo.
Enemies of the Ocean (Lokius, T, 3k)
Human AU, Loki and Mobius are stranded at sea on a life raft together.
OCTOBER
Falling Down the Stairs of Your Smile (RWRB, M, 4k)
Canon divergence AU, Alex stays another night after the hospital trip and their relationship gets a jump start.
In the Dog Days (RWRB, T, 6k)
Modern magic AU, Alex is jealous and suspicious of Henry's shapeshifter boyfriend, David.
NOVEMBER
Taste the Way You Bleed (RWRB, T, 4k)
WWDITS AU, the Super Six are all vampires living in the same house, and Alex and Henry still hate each other (until they don't).
DECEMBER
This Hell of a Season (RWRB, E, 21k) currently posting
Nova-verse missing scenes and sequels, 3 times Alex & Henry spent Christmas on missions and 1 when they didn't.
[Redacted] (TMFU)
My fill for the annual TMFU winter holiday gift exchange.
WHEW. Ok, tagging! @cricketnationrise, @heytheredeann, @mirilyawrites, @loki-is-my-kink-awakening, @dewdropreader, @celaestis1, @myheartalivewrites, @14carrotghoul, @clottedcreamfudge, @indomitable-love, @dumbpeachjuice, @indestructibleheart, @lizzie-bennetdarcy, @inexplicablymine, @sherryvalli, @iboatedhere, @tintagel-or-cockleshells, @leaves-of-laurelin, @three-drink-amy, and anyone else who wants to play.
#rwrb#tmfu#napollya#firstprince#lokius#rwrb fic#firstprince fic#tmfu fic#napollya fic#lokius fic#year in review#fic year in review
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Are you a Tin Can Bros fan interested in seeing more of their genius work? Do you live in/close to the UK or Australia and have you always wanted to see TCB live? Are you disappointed you only became a fan after their run of Spies Are Forever and would you love to see and hear the songs live?
Are you a Team Starkid fan and interested in seeing the creative writing/directing genius of Starkid members Joey Richter, Brian Rosenthal, and Corey Richter? Or are you interested in seeing Starkid members Lauren Lopez, Joey Richter, Brian Rosenthal, Bryce Charles, Curt Mega, Joe Walker, and possibly more on the stage again?
This is your lucky day! The Tin Can Bros (Joey Richter, Brian Rosenthal, and Corey Lubowich) are celebrating their 10 year anniversary with no less than 7 projects (including a run of The Solve It Squad and Live Concert Screenings of Spies Are Forever), in 4 cities across 3 continents (Los Angeles - USA, New York City - USA, London - UK, Edinburgh - Scotland, Adelaide - Australia), and they need your help to make this come to fruition!
They have a kickstarter, the Tinlightenment World Tour (link in the reblog), that they need to get to their goal of 200k dollar in the next 24 days (before March 3rd). They currently have raised 51k so they are just above 25% funded, and we can help them get to 100%!
Still on the fence? If you send me a message with a screenshot of you backing/upping your pledge at least $5, I'll draw you a pixel art doodle of a character of your choice from a Tin Can Bros or Starkid production!
[Plain text: Still on the fence? If you send me a message with a screenshot of you backing/upping your pledge at least $5, I'll draw you a pixel art doodle of a character of your choice from a Tin Can Bros or Starkid production!]
#tcb#tin can bros#tinlightenment#tinlightenment world tour#starkid#team starkid#solve it squad#spies are forever#pls help them reach this goal#i'm so excited for thissss
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dear reader - chapter 1
summary: Miguel took the reader’s love and friendship for granted. Something he learns reading her column, when it’s too late…Or is it?
ship: miguel o'hara x f!reader // matt murdock x reader
______________________________________________________________
Chapter 1
The tears falling from your eyes should be happy ones. It was a huge accomplishment, a dream you never thought would come true. You got a scholarship to attend the University of Edinburgh summer writing course. Almost two months of writing and learning for free in a city you’ve wanted to visit long before Outlander was even a thing.
You would have the opportunity to focus on your writing while exploring the town that inspired so many writers before you. It was all you ever wanted.
Yet you were laying down on your bedroom floor, all the lights off in your apartment, the outfit you spent so much time trying to find (and so much money to buy) still on your body. You felt paralyzed. No heartbreak has ever felt like that before, not even the ones also caused by Miguel.
When people asked you what type of relationship the two of you had, you just answered friends. It was easier, usually killing any follow up questions. You know that was his answer too, you’ve heard it before. His tone, however, was much different than yours. Miguel would play it down, as if it was a ridiculous question, more ridiculous than the idea that the two of you could be more to each other.
But friends don’t go home together after the bar closes late at night, laughing and whispering, drunk on more than the drinks you had. Friends don’t flirt with each other crossing all the lines, just to leave you hanging, wondering to yourself if you imagined the whole thing, if you saw more than it actually was.
But also, regardless of any time of messiness, friends don’t bail on each other at the last minute, making up some excuse which you can quickly find out is a lie.
“Is mr. O’Hara joining us anytime soon?”, the waiter asked you politely. It was obvious you had never gone to such a nice restaurant, but it was a celebration. You wanted to dress up and share your news with the person you cared about the most. Earlier you had been so excited you barely slept, hoping that things went smoothly, that maybe a change of scenery reminded him of what the two of you could be.
You had been waiting for an hour, sipping from the least expensive soft drink on the menu, when Miguel sent you a monosyllabic text saying something happened at Alchemax. Your body was familiar with that disappointment. Miguel was a prolific scientist, head of the biotechnology and genetics department, always doing important work. Things that could actually save people’s lives. You were so proud of him, but couldn’t help feeling sad. You scheduled the dinner almost a week prior, checking in with him several times during the week to make sure he could go.
On the Uber home, you tried not to think about the pang in your chest so much. You opened Instagram and scrolled for a bit, then started watching some stories, without paying much attention. Until you saw him. It was his assistant’s, Lyla, profile. The video showed people singing happy birthday to someone called Scott. There was Miguel. You recognized a few faces from Alchemax, but couldn’t for the life of you remember any Scott — and Miguel loved telling you all the company gossip. Next story, still from Lyla: people dancing to “Party in the USA”, by Miley Cyrus. Far back, Miguel said something in a woman’s ear. It was Dana, a pretty brunette with short hair, brilliant like Miguel and also crazy for him, which you couldn’t blame her for. In the video, she hands Miguel a bottle of beer. He then kisses her.
You loved Miguel O’Hara, was there for him every single time he called and waited years for him to realize you were the one for him. The soul crushing truth was that he never would. The only time you asked for him, where all he had to do was show up, he didn’t. He went to some random guy’s birthday instead of being there for you. There was your answer.
***
“C’mon now”, Miguel flexed his back, a red drink in his hand. “You know I don’t kiss and tell, buddy.”
“I think you and pretty Dana have been doing more than just kissing and that’s what you ain’t telling”, Hobie had a smirk on his face.
Pavirt approached the group holding two beers.
“Two beers? Are you in a rush, mate?”
Pav took a breath, trying to open one bottle without letting the other slip from his hands.
“You know, I should have, it’s packed today and it’s not even game day”, Pav looked around The Bar, the place Miguel and his friends would go to after work almost every day.
Miguel preferred the nice bars downtown, but after going to The Bar a few times to meet Hobie, the place started to grow on him. It had been years and The Bar just got bigger and better. Apparently he wasn’t the only one who noticed, the place was becoming such a staple that now there were lines to come in. Thankfully, Foggy, the owner, always made sure to find a spot for his “day ones”.
“Passing through, passing through!”, Gwen made her way to the group, followed by a tall guy with glasses who looked slightly disoriented.
“Am I seeing right?”, Miguel pointed at the man, who smiled back at him. “If it isn’t Peter B motherfucking Parker!”
“How many of these have you drunk?”, Peter approached his friend, giving him a hug. “Oh shit, he is hugging me back, this is really serious!”
Miguel laughed, patting Peter’s back. He had no idea how many drinks he had at that point. They were all just so red and sweet.
“Friends, this is Pete, a friend of mine and Gwen’s from college.”
Hobie and Pav nodded at Peter, who smiled at them.
“What are you doing here, buddy? Haven’t seen you since your Daily Bugle days.”
Gwen had taken the second beer from Pav’s hand and opened it. “I found him wandering around like a lost puppy”, she pointed at Peter.
“I spent some time abroad, now I’m back in the city, taking photos here and there”, Peter shrugged, looking uncomfortably at Hobie, who was squeezing his eyes and seemed to be whispering something to himself.
“Hobie, are you ok there, pal?”, Gwen asked, arching one of her eyebrows.
“The math isn’t mathing”, he answered.
“How much have you drunk?”, Pav asked his friend.
“Just a bit, smoked a lot though”, Hobie was still analyzing. “There is someone missing…where is y/n?”
Miguel’s eyes widened. “Shit, I was supposed to reschedule this thing with her”, he grabbed his phone from his pocket, struggling to type his password correctly.
“Don’t bother”, Gwen told him. Her arms were crossed and she glared at him while taking a sip of beer.
Miguel realized he was indeed very drunk and confused. He noticed Gwen hadn't looked at him since she arrived, but he hadn’t thought anything of it at first. He felt weird, like he was being reprimanded for something.
“What do you mean?”, Miguel’s brows furrowed.
“As we speak, she is flying across the pond.”
“Oh, shit, already?”, Hobie sobered up for a moment.
“What is the time difference again?”, Pav asked.
“What are they talking about?”, Miguel froze. They were speaking as if she was far away. They were speaking as if they already knew she was going far away.
“She got the Edinburgh summer writing program scholarship. She left tonight”, Gwen answered.
“I don’t remember her saying anything about it.” Miguel wondered if you were mad at him because of the dinner and didn’t tell him because of that. You would do that sometimes, ice him out. That annoyed him, but you were more affected by it than him. He was always able to charm his way out of it.
“Of course you heard, mate, c’mon, she took you to dinner to celebrate”, Hobie sounded frustrated.
“Which didn’t even make sense, if anything, you should have taken her out to celebrate”, Pav added, giving Miguel an exasperated look.
“I canceled the dinner, something came up at work.” Miguel looked at his feet, still confused, but feeling the weight of the guilt.
He looked up, only to find Gwen’s eyes, full of anger and disappointment. She knew he was full of shit. Miguel wondered how she would even know…unless you knew it too.
“¡Mierda!”
“I take it your friend is a writer, then. That’s really cool”, Peter said to Gwen, Pav and Hobie. “She writes fiction?”
“Non fiction, mostly”, Gwen answered, her expression softening. She was so proud of you. Your writing barely paid your bills and less people were reading nowadays, but you took your art seriously, refusing to give up such an important part of yourself. “She is a freelance writer these days. She just published a profile of Mary Jane Watson, the actress who’s all the buzz on Broadway, in Bliss magazine.”
“Wait, that is the y/n you are friends with?”, Peter got excited. “God, I love her interviews. Honest to God, I cried when she told Mary Jane that it’s ok to express your opinions, that they can be fleeting and not set in stone.”
“Ugh, I love that part!”, Pav agrees, putting his hand on his chest.
“Did you read it, Miguel?”, Peter asked gently. He was clearly trying to light up the mood, Miguel kind of hated him for that. Peter didn’t even know you and seemed to know so much about you already.
“No”, Miguel answered coldly.
“Miguel refuses to spend US$ 5 on the paywall”, Gwen snorted.
“Buddy…aren’t you, like, rich?”, Peter looked at him.
“That’s how he stays rich, alright!”, Hobie clapped, drawing the attention of the people around them.
“What the fuck…?”, Miguel’s head started to throb. It might’ve been the drinking, but he had the impression his friends were ganging up on him. It was annoying. Especially because they were (mostly) right. “I’m not paying that for an article”, he grunted.
“It’s a subscription!”, Gwen rolled her eyes, growling. “It’s a way to support the writer's and editor’s work, so y/n can keep writing profiles, think pieces and her great col…her great work”, Gwen corrected.
While the group kept discussing what they had been reading lately, Miguel tried his password on his phone a few more times, eventually getting it right. He was pretty sure Gwen was about to say you had a column, so he typed bliss magazine + column. The first result was “dear reader: the advice you didn’t know you needed”. He clicked on the link: the pop up alerting that the content was behind paywall appeared.
***
Dear reader,
I’m a firm believer in the power of words. It’s what moves me and what both excites and terrifies me about writing this column. The same word can be heartfelt or cutting, it all depends on the delivery. Speaking out loud can be just as important of a tool as listening attentively to what people have to say.
I guess I have spent so much time looking for words, either from myself or others, that I haven’t always paid attention to actions. They matter too. There is a lot of meaning in what is left unsaid. If the actions don’t match a person’s words, it’s time to take a step back and think deeply about it.
That’s a lesson I learned too late. I wanted someone so badly I was willing to accommodate it all, the excuses, the absences and the stolen glances that never led nowhere. It took me years and many mornings waking up by myself to realize that if he wanted to, he would. It seems obvious, but things are so much more complicated with matters of the heart.
And our hearts are precious, no matter what others say. So, in truth to my words, I decided to share a big accomplishment in my life with people who I knew would celebrate me and recognize what this goal means to me. And in truth to my actions, I’m on my way to a big adventure.
When your heart breaks, there is only so much you can do. I’m doing it.
Protect yours and remember, never take advice from someone who’s falling apart.
Love,
The writer
______________________________________________________________
>> chapter 2
all chapters
______________________________________________________________
dear diary playlist
#dear diary fanfic#miguel o'hara x reader#matt murdock x reader#miguel o'hara fic#matt murdock fic#miguel o'hara#matt murdock#unrequited love#second chance romance#Spotify
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He had, honestly, only planned to call his parents after speaking with Marsali earlier that evening. Yet, somehow, his intended short drive to clear his head has instead led Fergus four hours north of Edinburgh to his family's new home, waiting at the end of the half-lit drive beneath the moonlight of the new day. The gravel crunches beneath his tires as he rolls the car to a careful stop and rests his hands on the wheel for a moment before getting out.
He supposes that somewhere in his mind he had known that phoning or even a video call wouldn't be enough. He understands why Marsali needs to be away with her family through the end of the summer; as much as they have all been pretending that the group holiday to Spain is to celebrate her mother's new marriage, and the time afterward to help Laoghaire around the house as she settles into her new home, Fergus has listened too many times to his girlfriend wondering helplessly why her mother didn't have better taste in men to think it was anything other than reconnaissance of the new husband and whether he was suitable to have around Joanie. And yet if he can't have her beside him as they take in this news together, he wants his parents. Perhaps he would want them regardless: his father's face breaking with that smile and that hoarsely overcome pride in his voice, his mother's careful and practical questions, her firm hug and the way she would hold him away from herself by the shoulders to survey him fully, the money Papa would tuck into his pocket even if he didn't need it, just as a reminder that it would be there if he ever did, that they would be there.
Swallowing, a slight ache in his chest at the knowledge that it’s too late to wake them and that for all the time it took to get here he’ll have to wait until morning to speak with them, Fergus climbs from the car and starts around the path to the kitchen door; leftover childhood instincts along with those old ones from his teenage years of occasionally sneaking into and out of their house in Inverness remind him that the front door is heavy and only closes with that certain slam that would startle the sleeping house.
He has a key to the door and has been here more than once, but it's still strange to enter his family's home and remember once again that it isn't the one where he grew up, the one where he would know every corner and creaking floorboard no matter how dark the night or what state he might be in. It is in that split second of necessary orientation to the room that he realizes that he isn't alone. He falls immediately and habitually into a basic defensive Judo stance, sizing up the stranger in front of him and shifting his head to avoid the apple which has just been pitched toward him with a startled shout.
Read the rest on AO3
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I cant believe Im not getting paid for this. by u/Mickleborough
Meghan’s alleged to have said this on their Australia / Fiji / New Zealand / Tonga tour in 2018 when she was expected to do walkabouts, shake hands, and show a civil face. (She couldn’t do even that in Fiji: Sun archived / unarchived.)
To give an idea of what a proper working royal does, the Telegraph spent a week with Princess Anne.
Twice a year, her office invites the 300-plus organisations with which she’s affiliated to submit requests for her time. She gets 1,200 - 2,000 requests a year; sorts them out; and creates a schedule, to which she adheres.
In this typical week, the Princess Royal:
travelled about 818 miles / 1,316
shook over 677 hands
spent many hours in conversation
Her activities ranged from visiting a local National Coastwatch Institution to an equitation centre to celebrate 25 years of the Pony Club Centre Membership Scheme; attending a party to support unpaid carers (spending ‘a few extra moments talking to the building’s cleaner, loudly declaring her “very important”’) to carrying out an investiture; going to a City fundraiser lunch for military veterans to hosting a black tie dinner to celebrate The Duke of Edinburgh’s Commonwealth Study Conferences.
At all of these many and varied visits, she showed a depth of knowledge of their work.
Telegraph archived / unarchived
Admittedly the Princess Royal’s one of the hardest working members of the Royal Family - and this is a normal working week for her.
Meghan didn’t stay long enough to have a typical working week with all 4 of her patronages. She did a few royal tours, which involved far less in-depth work. Sample itinerary from her Australia tour:
16 October 2018:
Meet the Governor-General, his wife, and Invictus Games representatives.
Trip to the zoo (seriously).
Sydney Opera House to watch a performance by the Bangarra Dance Company
17 October:
Flight to Dubbo where the Sussexes met local farmers and hosted a picnic.
18 October:
Flight to Melbourne to meet politicians and the public at Government House.
Visit an organisation offering training to indigenous youth.
etc etc etc. Basically shaking hands and ‘doing the pretty’ (to quote a Georgette Heyer novel). And yet she couldn’t hack it:
Express archived / unarchived
This explains why she can’t put together a simple podcast (still can’t) - mainly because she’s a ‘f**king grifter’. Why American Rubbish Upchuck won’t get off the ground. No work ethic.
When life follows art: the worldwide privacy tour. How will she treat the crowds in Nigeria? Will she demand to be paid? Or will she tell them that they’re stupid?
post link
author: Mickleborough
submitted: May 09, 2024 at 08:41PM via SaintMeghanMarkle on Reddit
disclaimer: all views + opinions expressed by the author of this post, as well as any comments and reblogs, are solely the author's own; they do not necessarily reflect the views of the administrator of this Tumblr blog. For entertainment only.
#SaintMeghanMarkle#harry and meghan#meghan markle#prince harry#fucking grifters#Worldwide Privacy Tour#Instagram loving bitch wife#Backgrid#voetsek meghan#walmart wallis#markled#archewell#archewell foundation#megxit#duke and duchess of sussex#duke of sussex#duchess of sussex#doria ragland#rent a royal#sentebale#lemonada media#archetypes with meghan#invictus#invictus games#Sussex#WAAAGH#american riviera orchard#Mickleborough#top post
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✨ 15 days of Princess Anne ✨
August is Princess Anne’s birth month and her 73rd birthday is on the 15th so until then we will look at her fascinating life, one photo for every year!
The 2020s
2020 1. 2. 3. A series of three photos, taken by John Swannell to celebrate Princess Anne’s 70th birthday!
4. Princess Anne photographed at Gatcombe Park with a pony for Australian Women’s Weekly ahead of her 70th birthday.
2021 1. Princess Anne and Sir Tim cheering on Scotland from home today as they played England for the Calcutta Cup on 6th February 2021
2. Princess Anne leading the funeral procession behind Prince Philip’s coffin at Windsor Castle on 17th April 2021
3. Princess Anne and Sir Tim Laurence marking Armed Forces Day at the National Memorial Arboretum in Alrewas on 26th June 2021
4. Queen Elizabeth II and Princess Anne visiting The Children’s Wood Project in Glasgow on 30th June 2021
2022 1. Princess Anne and her husband Sir Tim Laurence attend an event in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea on 12th April 2022
2. Princess Anne and The Duchess of Cambridge arriving at the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and the Royal College of Midwives headquarters on 27th April 2022
3. Princess Anne curtsies to the coffin of her mother Queen Elizabeth II as it arrives at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh on 11th September 2022
4. Princess Anne and Sir Tim Laurence during their visit to the Falkland Islands in November 2022
2023 1. Princess Anne sending heart eyes to her husband as they visit New Zealand in February 2023.
2. Princess Anne arriving at Westminster Abbey for the coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla on 6th May 2023.
3. Princess Anne attending day one of Royal Ascot at Ascot Racecourse on 20th June 2023.
4. Princess Anne at the opening of the CHIO Aachen in Germany, on 27th June 2023.
#annie 🥺#she was so strong through ‘21 and ‘22 😭#my heart#the photo of her curtsying to her mothers coffins still breaks me now#but it’s so poignant that’s why I’ve included it#princess anne#princess royal#15 days of anne
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On 20th May 685 The Picts won a decisive Battle , in present-day Angus, known as The Battle of Dun Nechtain or Battle of Nechtansmere.
A wee bit longer post than I normally give you, but it is a great story, the first part tells us how a battle against The Angles helped shape the country we now know as Scotland, the second is a tale from the twentieth century, both stories are connected, read on and enjoy.........
Known as 'Picti' by the Romans, meaning 'Painted Ones' in Latin, these northern tribes constituted the largest kingdom in Dark Age Scotland. They repelled the conquests of both Romans and Angles, creating a true north-south divide on the British Isles, only to disappear from history by the end of the first millennium - swallowed whole by the history of another group, the Gaels. Together they created the Kingdom of Alba.
The Picts took part in one of the most decisive battles in Scottish history - the Battle of Dun Nechtain (Dunnichen). If the Picts had lost, Scotland might never have existed. For the Angles of Northumbria it was simply a disaster - ending their domination of Scotland.
The Battle of Dun Nechtain was fought on this day in 685 AD and is one of the best recorded events in Dark Age Scotland.
The Kingdom of the Angles under King Oswui had rapidly expanded north, moving their frontier from the River Forth to the River Tay. Since 653 AD many of the major groups of people in Scotland - Britons, Gaels and much of Pictland - had been subject to the overlordship of King Oswui. In 672 AD, after the death of Oswui, the Picts rose against their overlords, expelling Drust, their Northumbrian puppet king.
The new King of Northumbria, Ecgfrith, wasted no time in wreaking revenge on the Picts. The Picts were massacred at a battle near the town of Grangemouth, where the rivers Carron and Avon meet. According to Northumbrian sources, so many Picts died they could walk dry-shod across both rivers. By 681 AD Ecgfrith had founded a bishopric at Abercorn on the southern shore of the Forth - a symbol of Northumbria's secure grip over the Picts.
The defeated Picts took Bridei, son of Bili, as the king of a much depleted Pictland. King Bridei was actually the cousin of his mortal enemy, King Ecgfrith of the Angles, but, in true Dark Age fashion, this didn't diminish their mutual desire to destroy each other. An almighty battle was on the cards.
The Chronicle of Holyrood gives us an account of the battle: "In the year 685 King Ecgfrith rashly led an army to waste the province of the Picts, although many of his friends opposed it...and through the enemy's feigning flight he was led into the defiles of inaccessible mountains, and annihilated, with great part of his forces he had brought with him." However, we need to keep in mind this account was written hundreds of years after the event.
The Angles were advancing up Strathmore, probably aiming for the Pictish fortress of Dunnottar, when they fell into Bridei's trap. Sighting a Pictish warband, the Angles set off in pursuit, then, as they came over the cleft in Dunnichen Hill, they found themselves confronted by the main body of the Pictish army. Caught between the Picts and the loch below the hill, the Angles bravely faced their doom.
The politcal map was altered. The Picts, Gaels and many Britons were freed from Northumbrian overlordship. Gaelic poets as far away as Ireland celebrated the battle's outcome. The Pictish frontier returned to the River Forth near Edinburgh and the Bishop of Abercorn fled, never to return. The Angles never fully recovered as major force in Scotland.
It is no coincidence that the Picts mysterious disappearance occurs at the same time as the creation of the kingdom of Alba. For many years Gaelic influence in Pictland had been on the rise. The Gaelic religion of Christianity had spread throughout Pictish lands and with it many Gaelic traditions. Furthermore, through a mixture of conquest and inter-marriage Gaelic or Gaelicised royalty had succeeded to the Pictish throne (a notable example of this being Kenneth MacAlpin).
Finally in 878 AD the Pictish king, Áed, was murdered and replaced by a Gael - Giric. Giric accelerated the Gaelic takeover of Pictish politics during his reign making the Gaelic language and traditions commonplace. Even after Giric was finally deposed in 889 AD future Pictish kings such as Donald and Constantine embraced Gaelic culture. By 900 AD Pictland ceased to exist. The reign of Donald is listed in the Chronicle of the Kings of Alba as a king of Alba. Pictland and Dál Riata had gone and in their place Alba - a Gaelic word for Scotland - was created. In this simple listing in an obscure book Scotland has its origins.
Fast forward over 12 hundred years to the 2nd January 1950, and a woman called Miss E.F. Smith, described as a spinster, was driving home from a party in Brechin at about 2am. Her car had skidded into a ditch 2 miles outside the area due to the treacherous road conditions. She still had another 8 miles to go so she continued her journey on foot. She felt oddly nervous as she walked along the minor road west of the A932, then she saw a number of strange lights in the distance near Dunnichen Hill. Turning south towards the village, she noticed figure in the field to her right, part of Drummietermont Farm. Each figure carried a flaming red torch in its left hand and they seemed to be searching the ground for something.
Miss Smith then saw shapes on the ground exactly like dead bodies. The figure nearest to her stooped down and examined several of these ‘corpses’, turning them over and back again, as if looking for recognisable faces. This scene lasted for around ten minutes, with Miss Smith’s dog barking throughout. Eventually she simply walked away. She only realised that the whole event was peculiar when she woke up next day and thought about it. Later she gave details of the experience to the Society for Psychical Research. She reported that the searchers wore garb like body stockings, along with tunics and flattened oval helmets. They appeared to be moving around the edge of the vanished mere, the shape of which was later traced by archaeological investigation.
Although this post battle manifestation has not been repeated. some motorists passing through Dunnichen on misty nights have caught sight of fleeting human forms which vanish before their cars hit them.
There is some skepticism as to how real Miss Smith’s sighting was. She was travelling very late at night and had already walked a number of miles, not to mention suffering a trauma from skidding her car into a ditch. The vision could have been brought about as a result of exhaustion and the effects of the cold. However, the fact that it occurred at the exact site of the Battle of Nechtansmere seems to be too much of a coincidence and it is unlikely that the woman’s dog would react to something that occurred only in his owner’s mind.
The pictures are of Pictish stones from around Aberlemno that perhaps tell the story of the battle.
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Are you excited to see Starkid Innit in London in May? Yeah me too!
But what if I told you you had another chance to see members of Starkid in London?
Joey, Lauren and Brian will be appearing for a Spies are Forever concert screening in London in September!
And maybe you’re thinking “it’s always London, I can’t travel that far”. But guess what? They’re going to Edinburgh too
They’ll be performing Solve it Squad at the Edinburgh Fringe in August and they’ll be there for the whole month so you’ll have plenty of opportunities to catch the show
And if you’re thinking “that’s great for the UK but I’m Australian and they’re never going to come here”, I have good news!
They’re taking their brand new comedy musical Gross Prophets to the Adelaide Fringe in February 2025
These are all part of the season of events Tin Can Bros have planned to celebrate their 10 year anniversary. If you can’t make it to any of these places, these and the other projects they have planned over the next year will have digital tickets so you can watch from anywhere in the world
BUT producing shows and travelling is expensive, so they can only do it with our help!
Check out the Kickstarter for more info and back any amount you can, big or small, to help make this happen and give more people the chance to see Starkid/TCB live!
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/tincanbros/tinlightenment-world-tour
#starkid#tin can bros#joey richter#lauren lopez#brian rosenthal#spies are forever#solve it squad#gross prophets#tinlightenment
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The Cambridge/Wales Family moments in 2022
↳ February 26: The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince George attend the Six Nations Rugby match between Wales and England at Twickenham Stadium.
↳ March 29: The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Prince George and Princess Charlotte attend the Service of Thanksgiving for The Duke of Edinburgh at Westminster Abbey.
↳ April 17: The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Prince George and Princess Charlotte attend the Easter Sunday Service at St. George’s Chapel in Windsor with other members of The Royal Family.
↳ June 2: The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis attend the Trooping the Colour celebration in London.
↳ June 4: The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Prince George and Princess Charlotte visit Cardiff Castle in Wales as part of the Platinum Jubilee celebrations.
↳ June 4: The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Prince George and Princess Charlotte attend the Platinum Party at the Palace in front of Buckingham Palace, as part of the Platinum Jubilee celebrations.
↳ June 5: The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis attend the Platinum Pageant on the last day of Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee.
↳ July 10: The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince George attend the Wimbledon Men's Singles Final at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in London
↳ August 2: The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Princess Charlotte attend the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.
↳ September 7: The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis attend a “settling in afternoon” at Lambrook School, their new school in Windsor.
↳ September 19: The Prince and Princess of Wales, Prince George and Princess Charlotte attend the state funeral of Queen Elizabeth II.
↳ December 13: Kensington Palace released the family’s Christmas card photo, which was taken earlier in the year.
↳ December 15: The Prince and Princess of Wales, Prince George and Princess Charlotte attend the ‘Together at Christmas’ carol service at Westminster Abbey.
↳ December 25: The Prince and Princess of Wales, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis attend the Christmas Day Service at St. Mary Magdalene Church in Sandringham with the members of The Royal Family.
#family moments#prince william#prince of wales#kate middleton#princess of wales#prince george#princess charlotte#prince louis#british royal family#royal
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Edinburgh's Hogmanay Torchlight Procession 2023 🏴
Vikings from Shetland's South Mainland Up Helly Aa Jarl Squad lead the Torchlight Procession through Edinburgh city centre for the first time since 2019, on December 29, 2023, in Edinburgh, Scotland. Edinburgh's traditional New Year celebrations mark their 30th anniversary this year and run over four days.
#edinburgh #hogmanay #torchlight #procession #fire #festival #vikings #uphellyaa #jarl #scotland #newyear #citycentre #celebrations #30thanniversary
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Celebrating Scotch Whisky In Style
October 5, 2023 –––––– Julia Higgins
Bagpipes, haggis, and drams, oh my! Some of the biggest names in scotch whisky gathered at a private members club in New York City on October 4 to toast Scotland’s national spirit. This was the second banquet of the U.S. chapter of the Keepers of the Quaich, the Edinburgh-based group that recognizes those who work, write, and otherwise spread the good word about scotch.
The Keepers of the Quaich (pronounced kwaik) was founded in 1988 as a celebration of Scottish culture, tradition, and whisky, and those who have contributed to its success. Marvin R. Shanken, editor and publisher of Whisky Advocate, was inducted into the Keepers in at the group’s ceremony in that first year at Blair Castle in Scotland, and today serves as vice chair of the USA chapter.
At last night’s gala, Scotch whisky luminaries were aplenty, starting with the cocktail hour. There were rarefied pours from Laphroaig (Single Cask—The Jack Rose and Ian Hunter 33 year old) and Bowmore (30 year old and Aston Martin Masters’ Selection 22 year old); Johnnie Walker (Blue Label and Umami, a new Blue Label expression), Mortlach (2023 Special Release “The Katana’s Edge”), and Lagavulin (12 year old “The Ink of Legends” 2023 Special Release). There were also drams of The Macallan (Rare Cask) and Glenrothes (18 year old), and many, many more.
After cocktails, a formal dinner was kicked off by a procession of bagpipes, followed by remarks from Keepers of the Quaich USA co-chair Frank Coleman and co-chair Ed Pilkington of Diageo. A ceremony of bagpipes and a haggis followed soon thereafter, with Scotsman Andrew Weir giving a spirited recitation of “Address to a Haggis,” the famed poem written in 1787 by Scotland’s national poet Robert Burns. Addressing the haggis is a centuries-old tradition for Scots that started in 1801 to celebrate Burns’ life, following his untimely death at age 37. (Haggis is a thoroughly Scottish dish that consists of sheep offal thickened with oatmeal and flavored with onion, fat, and peppery spices; it’s often served with “neeps and tatties,” otherwise known as rutabaga and potatoes, as well as whisky, of course.) Midway through Weir’s address, Scottish actor Sam Heughan of “Outlander” fame joined the fray—Heughan was the evening’s guest of honor and keynote speaker, and also has a whisky brand of his own, The Sassenach blended scotch.
Addressing the haggis was one of numerous interludes throughout the evening, as a series of speakers took the floor for toasts. The first toast featured the presentation of a Scottish quaich. While we drink out of glasses today, centuries ago the quaich—a shallow, two-handled drinking vessel—was used by the Scots. The quaich’s two-handled design is often seen as a symbol of fellowship and trust, and has earned it the name “Cup of Friendship.”
Pilkington and vice chair Wayne Chaplin (also president and CEO of distribution giant Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits) then gave a toast to the scotch industry, citing its growth and staggering volume numbers. “Scottish culture is a cornerstone of scotch whisky, and we are delighted to keep the storied traditions alive with the annual Keepers of the Quaich USA events,” said Pilkington.
The remarks were followed by a toast to Scotland from Chris Thomson, head of Scottish Government in the USA, and later, a charitable presentation from Paul Ross, CEO of Edrington America, and Rory Hedderly, head of business development at the Entrepreneurial Scotland Foundation, who outlined the evening’s beneficiary—the Entrepreneurial Scotland Foundation. Heughan, introduced by chapter secretary and senior director of premium seed brands marketing at Beam Suntory Kathleen DiBenedetto, then gave a spirited keynote address. As the night wound down, Coleman took to the podium once more to recognize leaders of the industry, and finally, Dewar’s scotch whisky vice president Brian Cox made the closing remarks.
The Keepers induct new members at ceremonies held in spring and fall, and only at Blair Castle in Scotland. To qualify, potential new Keepers must have worked in scotch whisky for a minimum of seven years, and must be recommended to the society by at least two existing members.
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📖"The Carter Academy for Omega Excellence" Pt 8
Rated: Explicit
Pairing: Steve Rogers x Bucky Barnes
Tags: age gap, boarding school au, a/b/o, dub-con/non-con, spanking, feminization, dumbification, sexism, misogyny, prostate milking, discipline, D/s elements, hurt/comfort, mentions of past self-harm, predatory behavior, teacher/student, bathroom use control, humiliation, omorashi
Summary: Bucky Barnes is young, confused, and conflicted - a real "rebel without a cause" type. His parents ship him off to Steve's reform school to help him get straightened out into a "proper young omega."
Wait! I haven't read an earlier part of this fic! Story Masterlist
I've gotten a couple of asks about the worldbuilding behind this fic. If you'd like to read a little more context about how things are in this world, my answers to the asks can be found here and here
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Part 8
"Extended Suppressant Use in the Omega Patient: a literature review" (Mueller et al. 2019)
The bathroom incident does not give Steve high hopes of an easy first week with Barnes. Many new students wind up requiring extra attention in their early days at the school, so Steve is honestly surprised when he isn’t paged that Tuesday with a similar fiasco. He’s outright impressed when Wednesday and then most of Thursday passes by with no incidents, either. Whatever Sharon’s doing, it must be working well.
Steve can’t say he doesn’t think about the boy regardless. He can’t help but remember their encounter in the bathroom; holding him down and dominating him into submission, pressing on his belly until he finally lost control. The sounds of the boy’s sweet whimpers are burned into Steve’s memory, the earthy and lightly floral hints of his scent still so easy to draw up in his mind. It’s a good thing that this is a busy week for Steve, otherwise he’d hate to think of how much more preoccupied he’d be by thoughts of his new omega charge.
As it is, his schedule is chock full, his time eaten up with all of his normal headmaster duties (which are considerable), seeing through the end stages of the Academy’s formal division between the girls’ and boys’ sides, and a renovation that they’ve got going on in the south wing corridor. All of that, coupled with the small squabbles that Peggy manages to come up with on an almost daily basis, helps to keep Steve’s mind occupied. And on top of everything, there’s still a lot to be done for the upcoming parents’ weekend.
He spends most of that Thursday morning dealing with matters directly related to the event that is, in essence, their biggest fundraiser of the year. All day, he's coordinating with his faculty; making sure that everything’s been ordered, scheduled, and arranged just how it needs to be to give the right impression to their guests, provide the right experience.
It’s crucial that all of the right people be well taken care of over the three day weekend, in order to ensure that their endowments to the school keep flowing in. Steve liaises with his staff over the details of the family picnic, the various assemblies and presentations that will be made, the planned activities for each afternoon and dinners that’ll be hosted each evening, and—perhaps most important of all—the formal presentation ball that caps off the weekend of festivities. This year they’re having a few ice sculptures flown in from Edinburgh. Silly in Steve's view, but a classic touch of extravagance that the guests will appreciate.
European nobility, old-money aristocrats, and even some high profile celebrities have been known to show up to the school’s annual matchmaking ball, always seeking amenable, traditional omega mates for themselves. And when your guest lists regularly include names like Vanderbilt, Kennedy, and Stark, good first impressions become very expensive and very necessary. Last term, a Greek shipping heir worth billions had scooped up one of the graduating class’ students, and once news of that had gotten around, enrollment for the next semester skyrocketed.
Steve takes great pride in the academic education provided by his school, but he’s also a realist: He knows that parents place high value on the promise of even a chance for their offspring to be so suitably matched. That, along with the behavioral outcomes the school is known for achieving, is a big reason why many families elect to send their sons to Carter Academy over other, similar schools on the continent.
With so much to get done, Steve doesn’t get around to eating his lunch that day until well into the afternoon. He eats alone at his desk—a decision that has very little to do with the fact that he can monitor the school’s video surveillance system from his desktop computer. It’s not because he wants to check up on Bucky and hasn’t been able to stop thinking about the kid since Monday. Nope, not at all. Steve always uses the camera system to check in on the happenings around campus, it’s nothing new. And it’s good practice, anyway. A headmaster needs to be involved in his school for it to run smoothly.
If Bucky’s seventh period class is gym, and the gymnasium is the first area Steve decides to check, well that’s just happenstance.
He logs into the system and scrolls through the long list of camera views. He has the most heavily trafficked areas bookmarked, but there are hundreds to choose from, every inch of the Academy’s buildings and grounds monitored by the StarkTec cameras.
Carter Academy has its own dedicated security team to keep an eye on things, of course. Rumlow and his men do a very good job of making sure the close to three hundred hormonal teenage boys that the school houses stay in line. Every year there are inevitably fights, students caught in each other’s bedrooms at the wrong hours for the wrong reasons, or a few runaways who gravely underestimate the distance and terrain between Carter Academy and the nearest town. Nothing that isn’t always quickly remedied, but parents appreciate the close eye that Steve and the rest of his administration are able to keep on their children at all hours of the day.
He navigates to the camera views of the gymnasium and sports complex. The majority of students get scheduled for some sort of physical activity at the end of each school day. Exercise is important for omega bodies, and the gym period is thus positioned after all academic lessons have concluded, to allow for the running off of excess energy. It’s a time when their Handlers can take their well-deserved breaks. With only Mr. Odinson and the other Phys-ed staff looking after so many boys, gym period can get quite chaotic, and it predictably takes Steve a few moments to locate Bucky in the throng.
Eventually he sees him: loitering off to one side of the indoor soccer field, half heartedly kicking a ball back and forth with the Parker boy. He’s changed into his gym uniform, though he hardly seems to be exerting himself. Rather, he’s in deep conversation with Parker, which Steve is happy to see. Every first year student coming into Carter Academy usually struggles at first, but it’s always a good sign when they make friends quickly. Parker, who can normally be found bouncing off the complex’s obstacle courses, seems to have dialed it down a notch to hang out with Bucky, the two of them talking animatedly between themselves. Steve even catches Bucky smiling a time or two, which lifts his hopes that the kid will assimilate well into his new routine. Perhaps this won’t be as hard as he’d imagined.
“Sir?”
He flicks off the monitor when his secretary knocks at the door. “Yes?”
“Ms. Carter here to see you, Sir.”
Sharon comes in, and the two of them hold their pre-planned meeting about Barnes’ first days on campus and how Sharon has assessed his needs so far. Barnes is attitudinal, but Sharon seems to be amused by him, more than anything else. She hands over her recommendations for protocol, telling Steve that she’s not sure a male handler wouldn’t be in the boy’s best interest.
“Oh?” Steve raises an eyebrow as he’s perusing her checkmarks along the list. “Why do you say that?”
“You’ve seen what a handful he can be,” Sharon drawls. “Not that I don’t think I can handle him, but he responds more submissively to the male staff, and I think he’s primarily same-sex oriented.”
“You think?” Bucky’s transcripts from his old school had noted that he was equally as promiscuous with boys as he was with girls.
“Yes. And after Monday’s bathroom incident, I think he might do better with a man.” At the mention of ‘the bathroom incident’, Sharon fixes him with a meaningful look. “He responded well with you.”
Steve nods, flipping through the assessment packet. “Yes, well I am the headmaster. They tend to kowtow faster to me.” He tries to think of which male Handlers he has available at the moment. Typically, he doesn't over-prioritize students’ attractions when placing them with a Handler, as romantic attachment is something to be avoided at all costs, but if it’s a behavioral issue that can be corrected with something as simple as the gender of an assigned Handler, then Steve will consider it. “Thank you Sharon,” he tells her, once they’ve wrapped up the meeting. “It sounds like he’s doing alright, so I’ll keep him with you for now.”
“You’re the boss.”
“Alas, yes.” Steve sighs and so does Sharon, mocking him in a friendly sort of way. When she heaves a genuinely heavy inhale and declares that she has to 'get back to the grind', Barnes’ seventh period is almost over, Steve steps in. “Why don't I take him off your hands for the evening?” he suggests. Sharon looks pleased, but not overly surprised, her knowing smirk making Steve feel the need to defend himself, “It’s been a few days now, I should check in with him.”
“Sure.”
Steve frowns at her continued smug expression. “He’s got an appointment with the doc I need to escort him to, anyways.”
“Sure thing, boss.” Sharon is still smirking when she bids him farewell, leaving the office to take the rest of her day off.
Steve huffs and rolls his eyes. Whatever. He’s not giving Bucky any more attention than he’d give any other troubled new student. He grabs the boy’s folder and rolls out from his desk, planning to head for the gymnasium complex and intercept him there.
… If he checks his reflection in the little mirror by the door on his way out, it’s only because he always does that and it's habit at this point. It’s the professional thing to do, to make sure one looks put together before heading back out in public. Certainly it doesn’t have anything to do with how he’s heading out to deal with Barnes. That’s just happenstance.
Seeing Bucky again after several days is refreshing, and seeing him being friendly with another student brings a literal smile to Steve’s face. This is a good sign. It bodes well for how Bucky will do adapting to his new life.
Peter Parker can be hyperactive and spirited, but he’s a sweet boy at heart with a solid head on his shoulders and a brain between his ears that he actually chooses to use more often than not. He’s done well in the Academy’s program, and he’ll be an excellent person for Bucky to attach himself to during his time here. Steve stands by the gymnasium door with a delighted smirk on his face, because he really couldn’t have chosen better himself.
The boys still have a few minutes left to their gym period when Steve gets there, so he leaves them to their uninspired soccer ball kicking and goes to touch base with Odinson in the athletic director’s office. Thor is all smiles and has nothing negative to say about any of the boys, as per usual, and Steve thanks him and tells him to make a note that perhaps Barnes could be encouraged to put a little more effort in and try out the parkour courses or the rock walls with Parker, moving forward.
He intercepts Bucky just as he’s coming out of the locker rooms. His hair is curling at the edges after having showered (amusing—the boy was barely exerting himself) and changed back into his regular uniform. The relaxed expression falls right off of his face when he sees Steve standing there. “Oh,” he says, coming up short. “You.”
Steve smiles indulgently. “Yes, I’m afraid. Me.”
“Hey Bucky I’ll see you at dinner maybe?”
“Yeah,” Bucky says distractedly, eyes still on Steve. “Sounds good.”
Parker heads off with his handler—Natasha, Steve notes, one of the very best and most dominant females he keeps on staff. "Making friends?" Steve asks.
Bucky ignores the question. “Why’re you here?” he asks mulishly, as Steve begins escorting him in the direction of the medical office. “Where’s Sharon?”
“Sharon’s taking a well-deserved break,” Steve drawls. "She and I had a progress meeting about you in my office, just now.”
Bucky gets tightlipped then and doesn’t say anything, but Steve can see the wheels and cogs turning in his head as he wonders what was said about him. “She had mostly good or neutral things to report,” Steve offers, figuring the boy could use some reassurance. “But of course, I already knew from our interaction on Monday that you're having some difficulties adapting to school protocol.”
Bucky scowls at the floor as they walk. “Just because I don’t like pissing in front of people every day,” he grumbles. “At least we get some privacy to shit around here. Go figure.”
Steve laughs, then decides to strike the fear of God into the boy by remarking, “Oh, that’s a privilege that can be stripped away, too, if needed,” as they approach the end of the hall where the medical offices are. Bucky’s eyes shoot up to him, wide as saucers, and Steve snickers. “Yeah, I know. A true case of a ‘this is going to hurt me more than it’s going to hurt you’ punishment, that’s for certain.”
Bucky all but ‘meeps!’ and Steve snickers and puts a hand on his back to guide him into the office. “Appointment for James Barnes,” he tells the receptionist, who immediately starts checking the computer screen.
Bucky turns on Steve, leery, as he gets a look at their surroundings. “What’s going on? Why are we here?”
Steve ignores him until he’s gotten the go ahead from the receptionist and is guiding Bucky back towards one of the exam areas. “Just a check up. Standard practice for incoming students.” He pushes Bucky into the curtained off area and draws the curtain around to Bucky’s squawks of protest.
“What?! I don’t need to see anybody. I’m totally healthy.”
“That’s the goal. But we need to get you checked out, make sure there’s nothing that needs addressed.” Bucky opens his mouth to complain again, but Steve beats him to the chase, bending to pick him up by the waist and depositing his protesting butt onto the exam table. “Sit.”
“Hey!” Bucky’s scowling, but Steve doesn’t miss the light flush in his face at having been manhandled and reminded of his size and comparative weakness in the face of an alpha like Steve. He doesn’t try to get off the table at least, only shifting in annoyance and making the paper cover crinkle under his butt. “Could’a done it myself,” he grumbles.
Steve shakes his head fondly. “We need to get you examined. Behave, or I’ll have no problem with disciplining you while you’re under my care." Bucky goes tight-lipped at that. Steve nods in satisfaction. "Good."
“When’s Sharon coming back?”
“I told you: she’s been given a well-deserved night off. You’re with me until bedtime, young lady.”
“Don’t call me that.”
Steve sighs and shakes his head. What might’ve been considered affectionate a generation ago, now elicits only indignation and pushback. It’s sad. “Just behave for the doctor, will you?”
Bucky doesn’t say anything, but when the nurse arrives and introduces herself, he’s generally obedient as she runs through his medical history with him. He speaks more quietly when answering the questions about his sexual health, but Steve doesn't get the sense that he's lying—only that he doesn't want Steve to overhear. (Steve still hears everything, including the boy's very reluctant answer of having had "thirty something" past sexual partners).
Far from evoking displeasure, it mostly just makes Steve sad for the boy. Omegas may have very high sex drives, but they don't fare well in promiscuous situations. Bucky's lack of a reliable partner is probably one of the major contributors to his present mental health issues.
Steve remains quiet and allows Bucky his illusion of privacy on the other side of the curtained off area. The nurse listens to Bucky's heart and lungs, charts his blood pressure and other vitals, and takes a blood draw. It isn’t until she hands him a privacy sheet and tells him to undress below the waist that he kicks up a fuss. “What?"
“The doctor will be right in to do the pelvic exam.”
“What? No. Why?!”
Used to tantrums, the nurse completely disregards him and looks to Steve. “Headmaster?”
“I’ve got him.” The nurse nods and leaves, and Bucky starts to move to try and get off the exam table. Steve rolls his eyes and goes over and pushes him back into place. “Not so fast, son. Now if you can’t behave we’ll have to do this the hard way.”
“What’s the hard way?”
“Strapped face down on a bench,” he tells him, no-nonsense (though really, that's the easier way for omegas. He just knows Bucky will fight it more). “And that'll earn you a guaranteed spanking in my office, after.”
Bucky growls an angry little omega growl at him, “Why do I have to do this? What’s the friggin’ point?!”
With his hands clamped on Bucky’s shoulders, Steve bends down and gets in his face. “Because you were popping suppressants for two years, Honey. That stuff can cause all sorts of problems.”
“No it can’t!”
Steve ignores him and gives him a warning look to keep him in place. He reaches down and pulls one of the exam table’s metal stirrups out, which makes the kid even more visibly upset.
When Steve reaches under the skirt of his uniform to get his underwear down, Bucky growls and tries to kick him, nearly kneeing him right in the nose. Oh. That does it. Steve gives up on playing nice, standing up and grabbing him, using one hand to scruff him while he wraps the other around his waist. “Okay, bud. That was your one chance. If you’re gonna be difficult, we’ll do it your way. Let’s go.”
“Nngh! Lemme go!”
“Calm down, Honey. Stop fighting, it’s not going to work.”
The kid whimpers and goes limp for a few seconds from the endorphins of the scruff, but still wiggles in Steve’s arms once he’s manhandled him into the next exam room over—where there’s an exam bench quite similar in function to a traditional spanking bench. Bucky balks when he sees it. “No! Wait!” It takes laughably little effort to get the boy face down on the bench. Steve gets him strapped to it, and by the time he’s removing his underwear and securing his ankles, all the fight has left Bucky and he’s begging instead. “Please, Mr. Rogers. I’m really sorry.”
Steve grabs the room’s extra chair and pulls it over to sit by his head. “I know Buck. This won’t take long. Just try to relax.”
“Please lemme up. I’m sorry. I’ll go back. I’ll do it the other way, I will!”
“Can’t do that, Sweetheart. We need to check that everything’s alright and you’ve proven to me that you can’t be trusted to hold still.” He might’ve considered the request to go back and ‘do it the other way’, if he didn’t already know full well that the prone position is much more soothing for omegas to be in. “This’ll be better,” he promises. “It’ll help you stay relaxed. It feels nice to be strapped in like this, yeah?”
“But I don’t want tooo,” Bucky whines, not refuting Steve’s statement, and with less fight in him as he realizes that he’s been stripped of all control. “It’s embarrassing.”
Steve smiles sadly and pets his face. “It’s for your own good, Sweetheart. Something every omega has to do. The doctor’s just going to come in and use a tool to examine you and make sure everything’s alright. It’ll hardly take a minute.”
Bucky sniffles and turns his face into Steve’s hand, nuzzling his inner wrist and subconsciously seeking out the alpha’s scent for comfort. “Will it hurt?” he whispers.
Steve’s heart constricts—both at the question and the scenting behavior. “No, Honey. Of course not. Haven’t you ever had a reproductive health exam?” It’s supposed to be a standard part of healthcare after an omega’s first heat, but with only two beta parents in the home, Steve doesn’t know why he’s surprised. “It won’t hurt,” he reassures him. “Just relax down against the bench and be good from now on, and we won’t do a punishment spanking after, okay?”
“Really?” Bucky is clearly motivated by this promise, as he stops sniveling as much and nods when the doctor comes in. “Okay,” he says quietly, and Steve smiles and praises him,
“Good girl.”
The school’s doctor is a calm and friendly beta male, and though he doesn’t make any attempt to ascertain Bucky’s consent or opinion on what they’re doing there today, he does speak calmly to Bucky and talk him through each and every step of what happens, before it happens. Steve stays sitting right in front of Bucky the whole time, holding his hand and keeping his own wrist up by Bucky’s face so that the boy can continue to use his scent to self-soothe.
Bucky goes red in the face as soon as the doctor flips his uniform up and starts palpating and examining his genitals. Even though Bucky's almost certainly trying his absolute best not to get aroused, the faint scent of slick still hits the air after only a moment or two, and he cringes and whines in embarrassment. "Hngh ..."
“It’s okay,” Steve murmurs, trying to placate him with the words and a gentle rumble in his chest. “It’s completely normal to have a reaction. The doc's used to it. No big deal.” Frankly, for an omega to be touched between their legs and not become aroused would be cause for concern. They’re so sensitive down there that it’s to be virtually expected. But Steve can tell that this is little comfort to Bucky, who goes even redder in the face when the doctor hums in agreement and makes an additional comment about Bucky's arousal responses being healthy.
“I’m going to prep the speculum now,” he tells Bucky. “It’ll be cool and hard, but it won’t hurt you.”
Bucky whines in mortification, his eyes clenching shut. Steve shushes him and pets his hair, which he seems to like because he pushes into it and untenses somewhat. Steve knows the precise second that the speculum goes in though, because Bucky's eyes pop right back open and he makes a small, shocked sound of, “Oh!"
Steve cups his face and tries to keep his attention. “Hey, you’re doing so good,” he praises, swiping his thumb at the corner of the omega’s eye, right where an overwhelmed tear has broken out. “Doesn’t hurt, right?”
Bucky trembles and shakes his head. “N-no.” He whimpers when the doctor does something from behind, and then his eyes go a little unfocused. “Oh …” The next time he whines, it’s verging a little closer to a moan of pleasure than one of sheer worry. “Ohnn… nngh, just … mmm, s’weird.”
Steve tuts sympathetically, slightly aroused himself at seeing Bucky react this way. He clears his throat and tries to remain professional. “I know, Sweetheart, I know it’s a lot. Just hang in there for me.” He meets the doctor’s eyes from over Bucky’s back, shooting him an anxious look.
The doctor nods. “Everything seems fine, Headmaster Rogers. He’s just a little swollen.”
“Swollen?” Steve straightens, concerned. “Is it bad? He was on oral suppressants for about two years.”
The doctor smirks and shakes his head. “No, not that kind of swollen, Sir.”
“Oh.” Steve’s shoulders untense. "I see." He's maybe read a few too many medical journal articles since Bucky told him on Monday that he'd been on suppressants. "Good. That's ... good."
The doctor hums and looks back down, examining Bucky for another long moment before humming in approval and removing the speculum. Bucky’s back slumps and he makes another tiny noise—this time one of relief. “Is it over?”
The doctor pats his hip with an approving nod. “He’s a healthy boy. Nothing to indicate any lasting effects from the medication.” Over Bucky’s back, he meets Steve’s eyes again. “The risk for complications doesn’t go up very high until after the five year mark. We’ll wait on his bloodwork, but I expect it’ll all come back normal.”
“Oh, good.” Steve can’t help but be relieved. He’s definitely read too many articles, seen too many students come through the school's infirmary with much more serious side effects. “So no chance of infertility?”
“Very low,” the doctor reassures, even as Bucky makes a hurt little sound of concern over hearing that possibility. The doctor rolls his stool out from behind Bucky, pulling off his exam gloves and tossing them in the waste bin. “Nope. He looks perfectly normal, Headmaster, both inside and out. From the state of things I’d say he’s about midway through his cycle. So you can expect a heat within the next two weeks.”
Steve nods. “Yes, he reported as much. He's used an app for tracking on his phone.”
“Oh. Would you email that data?” The doctor is already standing and heading for the curtain that divides their little area from the rest of the room. “It’ll be good to have in his records.”
“Sure thing. Thanks, doc.”
“Of course.” At the edge of the exam area, he looks back at Steve. “Ahm … he’s fairly aroused right now.”
Steve smirks. “I know.”
“Right.” The doctor glances back at Bucky, then to Steve. “I can send one of the nurses in, if you have anywhere to be.”
Steve shakes his head and dismisses the man. “That’s alright. He’s mine for the evening. I’ll handle it.”
Reassured, the doctor nods and ducks out around the curtain. He’s barely gone for a second before Bucky’s shifting in place on the table. “Um, Mr. Rogers?”
Steve looks back down. Bucky is blinking at him, flustered and uncertain. Steve pats his shoulder. “You did really well, Bucky.” He stands up and goes behind him, over to the room’s glove dispenser. He pulls out one of the large sized nitrile gloves and pulls it on. “How’re you feeling?”
“Uhm. Okay.” Bucky can’t see him from his position, so he wiggles impatiently. “Can you help me to, erm, get off of here?”
“Hmm.” Steve walks over and sits on the doctor’s abandoned rolling stool. He rolls to Bucky’s side, popping into his field of vision and giving him a knowing look. “You sure you don’t want help with this first?” At ‘this’, he lets his gloved hand touch Bucky’s flank, edging closer to his exposed backside. He watches as the boy's eyes widen and his cheeks colors anew. “It’s okay to ask for help,” he reassures. “You don’t have to be embarrassed.”
“I’m not embarrassed,” Bucky lies.
Steve arches an eyebrow. “You sure? Masturbation isn’t allowed. Did you remember that rule? You need to ask the staff if you need release.”
Bucky huffs angrily. “Why not? Why do we have to ask you guys? Why can’t we just—”
Steve taps his ass lightly, more to get his attention than anything else. “Submission, Honey. We’ve been over this already. That’s what everything here comes back to: learning to depend on somebody who can take care of you and give you what you need. You have strong sexual urges, and that’s okay. It’s completely natural. But you need to learn to turn to your alpha to get your needs met., otherwise they never fully will be.”
Bucky pouts. “You’re not my alpha.”
“That collar around your neck says different. And so does the paperwork your parents signed.” Bucky's face twists into a frustrated moue, stubborn little thing. Steve sighs. “Hey, I know you didn't choose this. I’m your official alpha right now, but one day you’ll find someone you actually want to be with, someone you want to marry and have a family with. All these rules you're learning are just to help you adopt healthy habits. So you can model correct relationship patterns.”
"I already do."
Steve snorts. "Honey, casually sleeping with 'thirty-something' people by your age is not a healthy relationship pattern."
"You just want us all to be lily white virgins."
Steve rolls his eyes as he rolls the stool farther back towards Bucky’s backside. "Certainly not. But hookup culture only serves irresponsible alphas and betas. It doesn't do anything to help you guys with your needs for bonding hormones."
"Another scientific study?" Bucky sneers.
"You got it." Steve looks down, a quick glance showing him what he already knew he’d find: a wet and swollen, little pink rim, clenching hard on nothing. He tuts sympathetically. "Oof. That looks painful."
“Hey, don’t … don’t look,” Bucky complains.
“Oh, hush.” Steve pats his butt—he really does have the sweetest little ass. “You’re very beautiful, Bucky. Every part of you is.”
That, right there, is Steve stepping over the line. Oh, he’s got no qualms about personally appreciating the form of an attractive young omega student, it’s only natural for him to find Bucky beautiful. What’s less appropriate is him commenting on it. Because, to be blunt, not every student in Steve’s care is traditionally attractive. Steve’s still responsible for helping them all equally, and thus it’s always been his policy to avoid complimenting students on their looks when possible. It avoids hurt feelings, subverts any competition between the students who are more naturally prone to jealousy over their shared Alpha headmaster.
But the words are out of his mouth before he can think better of it, and Bucky reacts obviously in the way that he flushes and squirms, instinctively pleased at being approved of in such a way. Steve decides that, since it’s just the two of them alone, he might as well let his guard down a little bit. Bucky’s shown a propensity for skewed thinking, after all, and he needs to be helped to form a positive self image. “You’ve got a lovely body, Buck. Even here.” At ‘here’, he lets his thumb dip a little further into his crack, not touching his hole, but pulling his cheek out enough to get a really good look at the sweet little clench of his rim. Steve hums appreciatively. “Just like the doc said: very healthy.”
Bucky whines and squirms. “Let me up.”
“I can do that. But you’re very wet, Honey.” Steve reaches down between Bucky's legs to glance fingers over his stiff little prick. “And hard.”
“Nnn.”
“You’re not going to have a very pleasant evening if I leave you like this. Are you sure you don’t want some relief?”
Bucky’s body stays tensed, his asshole blurting out more slick from Steve’s hand touching him even just that little bit. He seems to consider it as a real option for a moment, waffling over his decision, but eventually gets out a terse little, “No,” forcing himself to ignore what his body needs. “I don’t.”
“Really?”
“I don’t want you to do it,” he grits.
Steve sighs, not too surprised by that. Bucky’s still resentful of the one person who has complete authority over him. Steve'll probably be the last person he yields to. That’s the way it often goes with the bullheaded kids: they come around to their teachers first, Handlers second, and submit to Steve as their alpha last of all. It’s to be expected, but Steve can’t say he isn’t more disappointed than usual, in this case.
Because he isn't lying to the kid just to improve his self esteem: Bucky really is uncommonly beautiful. A handsome, small but strong boy who is exactly Steve’s preferred type when it comes to omegas. And his scent is … Well, all omegas smell lovely, but Bucky's scent is unusually fascinating.
Ever since that first day in Steve's office, when he'd submitted with such an easily provoked release, Steve’s wanted to get a better sense of him. This would have been the perfect chance to do that. Steve would’ve relished the chance to coax an orgasm out of him today, but if Bucky needs more time to truly relax into it, then he's willing to wait. Not like there won’t be plenty of opportunities in the future, once the boy's sexual urges have built up enough to have him eagerly submitting.
Steve closes his eyes and takes one last, indulgent inhale of that spiced, floral scent that’s only made stronger by the arousal. Viburnum, he realizes. That’s what it reminds him of. It clings to the edges of the earthy undertones of Bucky's scent, enhancing it to something truly alluring. Regretfully, Steve pats his hip and rolls away on the stool. “Okay,” he says, trying not to let the disappointment come through in his voice. “That’s alright, Sweetheart. I’ll have the nurse sent in to help you.”
“What? No.” Bucky twists his head in the restraints once again to look back at Steve where he’s removing the medical glove and standing up. His eyes widen when he sees the blue glove going into the waste bin, not having realized that Steve had donned it, having literally been prepared to finger him to orgasm. His mouth works helplessly for a moment, open and shut in a loss for words. “I don’t want anybody to do it.”
Steve walks back around in front of him and crouches down to his level, fixing him with a doubtful look. “Well that’s your choice, Honey. But you still won’t be allowed to touch yourself, you do realize that? If you change your mind after lights out tonight, then you’ll have to wait all the way until tomorrow morning to get a staff member to give you any relief.”
Bucky pretends to be unaffected, but Steve can see the brief flash of panic in the boy’s eyes at the prospect of going that much longer without an orgasm. “Fine,” he says, putting on a brave face. “I don’t care.”
Steve isn’t a fool. He knows that Bucky is almost certainly planning to break the rules and touch himself at the first available opportunity. Still, some lessons can’t be taught until mistakes are made and bad behavior corrected, so Steve nods and stands up to start unbuckling the bench’s restraints. “Okay, your choice, bud."
Bucky climbs off the bench once he’s able to, and Steve hands him his underwear to put on. His little prick is completely erect as he hurriedly pushes the uniform’s skirt back down, and he winces in discomfort as he pulls up the two layers of his underwear and gets them into place on his oversensitive body. “Ugh,” he huffs quietly. “Stupid.”
Steve chuckles, though he honestly feels more pity for the kid than anything. Bucky’s regret over having turned down an orgasm is so obvious it’s near palpable, his scent still rich with arousal. And just like Steve knows without a doubt that the back of the boy's underwear is already getting a wet spot, he also knows that he'll be checking the dormitory’s security feed later that night. With the level of certainty he has over Bucky’s plans to break the rules and touch himself, Steve figures he might as well start planning out what corrective measures they’ll inevitably be instituting as punishment.
“Come on,” he says, putting an arm around the kid’s shoulders and guiding him out of the room. “It’s dinner time. You must be getting hungry.”
Bucky says that he isn’t, but his stomach betrays him by growling loudly not two seconds after.
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