#beth's recs

[lakecountylibrary]

Read -> Reading -> To-Read

Here's what's been in Beth's TBR pile lately!

✅ Just Finished:

The Lost Bookshop by Evie Woods

This magical novel is a love letter to books, readers, authors, libraries and bookshops. Traveling between 1922 and a modern timeline, Woods captivates the reader by weaving magic with reality. She builds extremely strong, passionate and complex women in Opaline, Martha and Madame Bowden while keeping in line with the events evolving around them. Small but special appearances by James Joyce and Ernest Hemingway will delight readers, as will locations in France, England and Ireland.

Last Call at the Local by Sarah Grunder Ruiz

A charming rom-com, especially perfect for March (set in Cobh)! Raine and Jack's charisma and connection will have readers chuckling and cheering. Jack has OCD and runs the LOCAL pub. Raine has recently dropped out of medical school, copes with ADHD and travels the world playing music. Full of lovable characters, readers will breeze through this novel and feel full-hearted after.

♾️ Currently Listening: Factory Girls by Michelle Gallen

Perfect match for viewers of series Derry Girls. Maeve Murray and her friends work in the local factory as they await the results of their exams and what they hope will be the start of their new lives—away from their small town and The Troubles.

🔮 To Read: We Don't Know Ourselves: A Personal History of Modern Ireland by Fintan O'Toole

I'm looking forward to reading this author's viewpoints on growing up in a changing Ireland. The prelude indicates a promising journey through his experiences.

See more of Beth's recs

#the lost bookshop #evie woods #last call at the local #sarah grunder ruiz #irish literature #memoir #irish history #nonfiction #magical realism #historical fiction #light reading #tbr pile #book recommendations #read reading to-read #beth's recs #LCPL recs #book recs #books and reading #booklr #contemporary romance #Irish books #Irish reads #factory girls #michelle gallen #we don't know ourselves: a personal history of modern Ireland #fintan o'toole

[oficmag]

Book Rec: As Meat Loves Salt by Maria McCann

Medium: Novel

Genre: Historical Fiction

Tags/Content Warnings: graphic depictions of violence, murder, rape/non-con, abuse, major character injury, teeth stuff, period-typical racism and homophobia, protectiveness, possessiveness, unhealthy relationships

This book is everything puriteens hate. You’ve got gay men written by a woman, an arguably abusive relationship, a graphic rape scene, and worst of all, a morally despicable narrator who tries to demand your sympathy, and for the tender-hearted, he may nearly succeed. In other words, it’s awesome.

The story is set in seventeenth-century England, and of the historical accuracy, NPR book reviewer Lionel Shriver says: 

“Apparently, McCann was a schoolteacher when she wrote this novel, and used to get up at 5 a.m. every weekday to write a few more pages—making me feel quite the lazy bones in comparison. But so professional was her work that when her editor showed her manuscript to an expert on the period, the only error he discovered was a particular postal vehicle, which wasn't used until a few years later. That's pretty high marks.” 

The story begins with our narrator Jacob, a servant, badly pretending he hasn’t just murdered a teenage boy in cold blood and thus goes around being shocked pikachu.jpg about it. He’s set to marry, but shortly after the ceremony, the police arrive and he runs away. He gets picked up by the army and because he’s an enormous man (like, physically), he’s forced to fight in the war. There he meets gunman Ferris, with whom he falls in an intense and totally unhealthy kind of love.

Is this book a beach read? Absolutely not. Is it a fast-paced page-turner? Not even close—in fact it took me over six months to finish it because I kept putting it down to read other, faster-paced things that didn’t make me feel wretched inside. Is it a million fucking pages? Oh yes it is. 

So why should you read it? I don’t know man, I just love that it has the gall to exist.

You can find this book here.

Recommender: Beth | Editor-in-Chief

#bookblr #book recs #as meat loves salt #maria mccann #recs #beth's recs

[trulyhblue]

Media Duties (Pt 2 of Communication)

Kyra Cooney-Cross x Dutch! Arsenal! Reader

Warnings: fluff, REALLY bad translated Dutch, language barrier, suggestive if you squint really hard.

Masterlist

___________________

While your English was far from great, it was slowly improving.

You spent most of your time at training listening to the conversations around you, trying to match words to emotions and faces to sounds. Your Netherlands teammates had slowly integrated the second language into your Dutch conversations, and your Arsenal teammates urged you more and more out of your shell.

You were still very soft-spoken, ushering a few words here and there, smiling when the group set off into chuckles at something one of them — primarily Katie — had said.

After games and training, Vic and you would go out to dinner, listening to her order before doing so yourself. It was embarrassing at first and continued to be until you memorized the pronunciations entirely.

Viv often invited the two of you over for dinner. It became a sort of tradition after training on Mondays and Fridays; when neither of you were willing to cook. You would listen to Beth talk about everything because she regularly did so whenever she had the chance. Viv would tease her for talking too much, but you enjoyed the blonde’s bubbly personality.

Alessia would come over to yours when she wanted to, using the few Dutch phrases she knew to bond with you. The ex-united player was very giggly, and wouldn't stop giggling until someone had to physically restrain her. In your opinion, she had the easiest accent to read.

Kyra’s on the other hand, was not.

Kyra was stuck to your hip the moment you met. You weren't used to having someone as physically clingy as the Australian, but you didn't seem to mind it. She would bring you a chocolate every morning, cheekily popping her one in her mouth with a smile. She would give you her packet when you left yours in your cubby, and when the two of you were subbed off, she’d sing your ear off with the strangest songs you ever heard.

When she first slept over with you, Victoria and Alessia, she refused to play Monopoly if she wasn't the dog, and you had to remind her that she wasn't actually going into debt — she could've just mortgaged her properties — but she threw her hands up and claimed everyone was gaining up on her. She took the blankets all to herself when you went to sleep, and when you whinged about how you were cold, she curled both her arms around your waist and cuddled you like a teddy bear.

Unrecognizably, Kyra’s Dutch started to improve. Neither of you noticed it at first, having used Google Translate in the first few weeks of meeting each other, but ever so slowly, the Australian found herself talking small phrases to you in your native language.

It wasn't like she went home and practised them on Duolingo, no, she’d never…

“My jacket looks good on you,” Kyra said to your hunched figure. You don't look up at her, but from her tone, you can tell she is smug.

Today's game against Chelsea was a big one. The famous London Derby was well awaited, with the Emirates banking up to pretty much sell out by the morning of. You kept seeing the anticipation of the game on social media. Tweets on the starting eleven predictions and score prognosis were being thrown left and right, causing you to feel slightly displaced regarding the upcoming match.

You had sat next to Kyra on the bus, having done so for every game this season so far. The trip to the stadium wasn't far, yet the suspense of the crowds daunted you as your head leaned against Kyra’s shoulders.

You were a part of the starting eleven, meaning you’d be up against Jessie Fleming and Erin Cuthbert. The young Aussie beside you wasn't, which rattled you even more. The combination of you, Vic, Kyra and Katie in Midfield was unstoppable, but on the rare occasion that you were all on the field at once was rare. Vic and Lessi were sitting in front of you, making TikToks. Vic had gotten up early this morning, but you two still managed to nearly miss the bus. Alessia was wearing her usual multiple layers of clothing, while Vic was only in her kit.

You matched Kyra’s silence for most of the ride, her small conversation being met with your distant hums. She could tell you were nervous, you didn't know how, but she knew.

“Domme meid.” Silly girl. She muttered. This nickname wasn't new to you. In fact, it was used quite frequently by your Netherlands teammates. Nonetheless, the quip made you look up, meeting the Aussie’s beady, brown eyes and childish smirk.

“I am not silly.” You retorted. “You are.”

“I am what?”

“Silly.”

Kyra shook her head, running her hand through her hair, her smile brighter. “Je stress te veel.” You stress too much.

“Ik niet. Je bent te relaxed. Ik benadruk omdat ik het goed wil doen.” I do not. You are too laid back. I stress because I want to do well. Your voice was pointed, the glare from your eyes making your point known.

But your gaze softened upon seeing Kyra’s eyes widen, her nose twitching as her lips fell into a frown. She didn't understand.

“Sorry.” You sighed, smoothing your shorts out with your hands. “I am… I am stressed… I want to…”

“Do well?”

You nodded, her face smoothing over. “Yes.”

“You are a very good player.” Without much thought, Kyra took your hand, her thumb drawing patterns over your palm. The blush that fell over your cheeks was noticeable. You could tell by Kyra’s smile. “You play very well.”

You could tell Kyra was struggling to find the right words to say. She bit her lip in thought, pulling out her phone. You knew what she was doing right away.

When she finished typing, the familiar voice rang out.

“Je zult niet begrijpen wat ik zeg als ik Engels spreek. Je moet je vandaag geen zorgen maken, want je bent een van de beste middenvelders die ik ken. Je hebt ongelooflijke vaardigheden. Je verdient het om trots te zijn op wat je kunt doen.” You won't understand what I’m saying if I speak in English. You shouldn't worry about today because you are one of the best Midfielders I know. You have incredible abilities. You deserve to feel proud of what you can do.

Your cheeks were very red by this point, your grip on Kyra’s hand tightening as you listened to the voice pour out of her phone.

“I want you to… play.”

“I might come on. You never know.”

You shook your head, telling her you didn't understand. She started typing up a storm once more, and you watched in adoration as a concentrated crease formed between her eyebrows.

“Als je je nerveus voelt, kijk dan rond en tel hoeveel mensen je trui dragen. Elke week zie ik hoop. Dat zal je laten zien hoeveel mensen in je geloven, zelfs als je dat niet doet.” If you are feeling nervous out there, look around and count how many people are wearing your jersey. Every week I see heaps. That’ll show you how many people believe in you, even if you don't.

You beamed, moving closer to Kyra by hugging her waist, using one of your arms to push underneath the hem of her shirt. You fiddled with the fabric to whole way there, feeling a wave of calm and peace flow over you.

***

Not once had you interacted with a reporter throughout your time at Arsenal. Never once did you find yourself in the awful situation of being caught out after a game.

Until now.

The game went incredibly well for the Gunner, coming away with a four-one win against the top of the ladder in front of nearly 70,000 people. You played the whole game, assisting one of the goals, and receiving player of the match.

This was your first time accepting an award at Arsenal. Kyra got the fan’s Player of the Month in November, which was definitely well deserved. At first, you had thought Alessia wouldn't obtain today’s award, but you were pleasantly surprised when Kyra came running up to you with the trophy, probably snatching it off someone so that she could be the first to hold it.

“Look at you go, Y/n/n.” She spoke, slipping her arms around your waist, spinning you around. “So proud of you.” This was a very special moment for you. You were trying awfully hard in your new club, and it felt like all of the tough work was paying off.

You were about to answer Kyra, praising her on the game she had, being subbed on in the second half, when you felt a presence come up behind you, alongside several cameras.

This was not your first time in front of the media, being known for your charismatic media presence back at AFC Ajax. You noticed fans loved the challenges you did with your old teammates and the joy you’d bring to the videos that would gain so many more views than all the others. You’d been tagged in all these tweets begging you to be in an Arsenal video, but you knew it wouldn't be the same.

You’d stutter, unable to find the right words you were thinking of in Dutch. Your humour wouldn't be as quick and witty in English. While you had grown an uncanny friendship with all of the Arsenal girls over these last months, you had known your Ajax teammates for four years, some even longer if you played with them at youth level.

“Y/n, congratulations on the game today and, of course, on Player of The Match, how would you describe this moment?”

The reporter was quick to point her microphone at you, waiting as you stood there speechless at her words. You only caught onto snippets of her speech. You hadn't heard the first part of her question, being too caught up in your moment with Kyra.

The Aussie was standing next to you, her arms still wrapped around your waist. She must've caught onto your stunned disposition since she swiftly moved you from side to side, stalling the moment by dancing with you cheekily.

The reporter laughed at the interaction, the cameraman panning to catch Kyra’s cunning smile and your flushing cheeks. She took the trophy from your hands, holding it up like Simba from The Lion King. You were giggling at the sight, and the camera caught Kyra’s beaming, proud response to your reaction.

“Well, I think this moment speaks for itself. Kyra, do you think Y/n’s commendation was well deserved?”

Kyra took her arm and swung it over your shoulder, giving you the trophy back with a toothy grin. “Who else would they give it to?”

“Lessi.” You suggested, modest in your attempt to calm the hyper state Kyra was in. The reporter laughed as Kyra gasped.

“You’re just being humble. She's a stress head, y’know, always worrying about the game. But look,” She pointed at the trophy, specifically your engraved name. “The amount of jerseys with her name on it says enough.”

“How are you going to celebrate now?” The woman asked, the microphone now between the two of you.

“Play a game of Monopoly.” Kyra smirked, watching you scoff.

“No.”

________________________

victoriapelova

Liked by leahwilliamson, and 32,363 others

victoriapelova — disgusting, the two of them 🤢

Tagged : yourusername, kyracooneyx

comments :

bethmead_ — let them be!!!

user1 — I wonder what they’re smiling at 🤔

^ yourusername — google translate 💗

^ user2 — SHE’S SO UNIRONICALLY FUNNY LMAO

^ user3 — IKR LIKE THE HEART SHES SO CUTE

alessiarusso99 — I'm already motion sick! Don't need that 🤧

^ victoriapelova — AGREED

^ kyracooneyx — your TikToks make us sick. Keep them in drafts, no one wants to see them ‼️

user4 — my two pookies 💞

* liked by kyracooneyx

katie_mccabe15 — @ yourusername where is my cuddles?! 😡

^ kyracooneyx — why cuddle you when she's got me?

^ charligrant — your cuddles are lethal, Kyra. I've nearly been suffocated to death.

^ alessiarusso99 — blink if you need help.

User12 — THEM IN THE INTERVIEW TOGETHER UGH THEY WERE SO CUTE

^ User15 — THE WAY KY DANCED WITH Y/N/N CAUSE SHE WAS NERVOUS OMG

yourusername — Vivi in the back 🤣

^ viviannemiedema — I was sleeping, shush.

^ user5 — looks like she's manifesting a win

^ viviannemiedema — I was.

user7 — they are so dating

^ user8 — they literally met like four months ago I doubt it

^ user9 — call me delulu, but they are trululu

^ user10 — no one can tell me otherwise after her POTM interview

^ user11 — THE WAY KYRA LOOKED SO PLEASED WITH HERSELF WHEN Y/N STARTED GIGGLING

^user10 — “who else would they give it to” “lessi” LIKE AWWWW SHES SO HUMBLE

(pretend its the Arsenal jerseys hahahaha)

kyracooneyx

kyracooneyx — Domme Meid

*comments are limited*

yourusername — silly girl 💗

alessiarusso — cute ig

*liked by victoriapelova

___________________________

#arsenal wfc #caitlin foord #arsenal #beth mead #chelsea #chelsea women #jessie fleming #katie mccabe #kyra cooney cross #kcc x reader #australia #matildas #vivianne miedema #charli grant #alessia russo #social media #social media fic #blurb #fic rec

[munacy]

As you may know, yesterday, September 23rd, was Bisexual Visibility Day, which happens to overlap with National Hispanic Heritage month. Please enjoy this collection of (partially headcanoned) Chaotic Biconic Hispanics.

#bisexual visibility #hispanic heritage month #wow holy crossover #rick and morty #rick sanchez #beth smith #breaking bad #gus fring #wednesday addams #parks and rec #april ludgate #red white and royal blue #alex claremont diaz #game of thrones #oberyn martell #grey's anatomy #callie torres #brooklyn 99 #rosa diaz

[arabelladarlings]

Women have minds and souls as well as just hearts —

and they've got ambition and talent as well as just beauty

little women (2019) | 135 mins

directed by greta gerwig

#❀˖°♡₊˚ my moodboards #arabellas movie rec .ೃ࿔*:･ #𖦹 ⁺｡°arabellas movie moodboard #moodboard #aesthetic #messy moodboard #moodboards #girlblogging #random moodboard #movies moodboards #little women #little women book #little women movie #little women 2019 #greta gerwig #saoirse ronan #florence pugh #beth march #meg march #emma watson #jo march #amy march #little women aesthetic #film aesthetic #film #film moodboard #filmedit

[annacoleman]

PARKS AND RECREATION Save J.J.'s (7x06)

#mine* #usercallie #usercassidy #userlarri #useryusi #tuserandrea #userpotterscar #usercharlieb #usersnat #addys-beth #parks and recreation #parks and rec #donna meagle #tom haverford #donna x tom #parksedit #userbbelcher #sitcomedit #cinematv #filmtvcentral

[nonasuch]

starting to get bored with the giant 40hr playlist I leave on shuffle all day at the shop. anyone got suggestions? I wanna get this thing up to a full 48 hours.

#vintage shop life #the last time i asked for music recs someone suggested the Beths #which was perfect because i really like music that sounds like it should have been on the soundtrack for Ten Things I Hate About You in 1999

[juuuuunaaaaaooooo]

Brio Fic Week 2024 : Fic Rec

Day 1 : Fake Dating

Worth the Risk - ShadowsFiction

Don't Flinch - merelyafigment

Make You Mine - Ronni_Right

Boyfriend - abi1821

A Night to Remember - MichelleElizabethTanner

They thought it was fake... (for only 10 seconds) - Kaaaaarooooo

Day 2 : Surnatural Au

Let's embrace the point of no return - Ronni_Right

Hunger - abi1821

Bergamot and Amber - MichelleElizabethTanner

Blissful Breeze - abi1821

An Immortal Love - Kaaaaarooooo

Day 3 : Write something based on a song or quote that reminds you of them

I Bite (So Do You) - merelyafigment

Fall in You - Kaaaaarooooo

Skin & Bones - abi1821

Dial Tone - ShadowsFiction

SHOTGUN KISSES - badgyalmimi

Day 4 : Brio and each other kids

Picasso - Littleengine

small moments (Chap 6) - Strawmari

Good Reads and Meet Cutes - ShadowsFiction

The joys of being parents-in-law - Kaaaaarooooo

Day 5 : They wear each other's clothes or accessories

Is That My? - ShadowsFiction

Little Thieves - Kaaaaarooooo

Day 6 : They were Neighbors

A new beginning - Kaaaaarooooo

Day 7 :  Movie Or Book Au And Or Activities as a couple

Bring It On - Kaaaaarooooo

We Just Stopped for Cigarettes - JustAnAnon

Day 8 (Bonus Day) : Post Everything You Want

Accidental Phone Sex - Kaaaaarooooo

Second Chances - ShadowsFiction

#fic rec #brioficweek2024 #brio fic week 2024 fic rec #beth x rio #rio x beth #Brio #brio fic #brio fanfic #brio fanfiction #brio fic rec #Thanks again #<3 #nbc good girls #gg #good girls nbc #gg fic

[pleasantfanartist]

From the fic A Better Man by @wle0416

#otpsource #roswell new mexico #malex #malexedit #cwladsdaily #michael guerin #alex guerin #alex manes #addys-beth #flintsjohn #userhuntress #userlauren #userjamiec #atangela #userranch #userrlaura #rnm fic #fic rec #malex fic #my edit

[lakecountylibrary]

Read -> Reading -> To-Read

An inside look at what's on librarian Beth's shelf lately:

Read: Happy Place by Emily Henry

I'm at the point that Emily Henry is on my list of to-read anytime she has a new book come out! Full of sweet and hilarious scenarios, her books are must-reads for those enjoying a quirky romance with lots of feels. Happy Place did not let me down!

Reading: The Queen of Dirt Island by Donal Ryan

I just started this one which was recommended to me by a co-worker and is set in Tipperary, Ireland, so clearly it belonged on my TBR list!

To Read: I Swear Politics is Messier than my Minivan by Katie Porter

I don't know anything about Representative Katie Porter but the title got me. As a minivan driver and someone who tries to be civically-minded, this seems like it will be a humorous but realistic look at what goes on in Congress by someone who is "one of us."

See more of Beth's recs

#happy place #emily henry #donal ryan #katie porter #i swear politics is messier than my minivan #the queen of dirt island #nonfiction #adult fiction #TBR pile #book recommendations #bookblr #romance #booklr #read reading to-read #LCPL recs #beth's recs

[hedghost]

Pick a WOSO Player, Get a Sapphic Book Rec!

Part Two

note: please check content warnings before reading as some may have adult or triggering content - feel free to ask me about anything!

Links: Part 1 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5

--------

Guro Reiten: Ophelia After All by Racquel Marie

Lotte Wubben-Moy: The Priory of The Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon

Rachel Daly: Love and Other Disasters by Anita Kelly

Millie Bright: The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Lauren Hemp: Hani and Ishu's Guide to Fake Dating by Adiba Jaigirdar

Chloe Kelly: The Girls I’ve Been by Tess Sharpe

Aitana Bonmati: The Lesbiana's Guide to Catholic School by Sonora Reyes

Beth Mead: The Henna Wars by Adiba Jaigirdar

Frida Maanum: Legends and Lattes by Travis Baldree

Kim Little: The Long Way To A Small Angry Planet by Becky Chambers

Lauren James: She Who Became The Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan

Gio Queiroz: Afterlove by Tanya Byrne

Erin Cuthbert: Late to the Party by Kelly Quindlen

Stina Blackstenius: How to Excavate a Heart by Jake Maia Arlow

Leah Galton: Her Body & Other Parties by Carmen Maria Machado

as requested @russolover <3

honestly i still have more so expect a part 3 at some point

follow me here on storygraph for more recs 🤭🤭

#guro reiten #erin cuthbert #leah galton #stina blackstenius #millie bright #rachel daly #beth mead #lotte wubben-moy #aitana bonmati #frida maanum #kim little #chloe kelly #lauren james #lauren hemp #woso #sapphic book recs #gio queiroz

[mistressheroine]

Bethyl fanfic Roman Empire: The Crow’s Song by SquishyCool ( @im-immortal )

Some stories have such a lasting impact on you that it feels like they’re ingrained on your shipper heart. I think about this story almost daily since I read it a few months ago. Like literally can’t stop thinking about it.

I made this one a while ago and forgot to share it 🖤

#I just watched All Of Us Strangers and it made me think about this fic again. IYKYK. #Stories that make you sob buckets #bethyl #daryl dixon #beth greene #twd #the walking dead #otp #bethyl fanfiction #fic recs #MH aesthetics

[laelior]

Carbonara

By now, Kaidan was used to the sight of the vaunted Commander Shepard decked in a halo of battlefield wreckage. It was hard not to regard the chaos that inevitably trailed behind her with a sense of grudging admiration at the sheer scale of it. That same mixture of awe and dread followed him to the newest battlefield, marked by the trail of dirty dishes left in her wake from what he could only generously describe as an attempt at cooking.

He’d never have guessed that the kitchen in Anderson’s apartment was so well equipped. The admiral didn’t seem like the cooking type. But to judge by the three ruined saucepans lying carelessly in the sink with burned bits of food seemingly melded straight into the nonstick alloy, it wasn’t because he lacked the equipment to do so. On the stove, strips of bacon sizzled in a pan spattering grease everywhere while a pot of water was threatening to boil over onto it on the next burner. 

“Dinner is…what again?” he asked hesitantly, pulling his eyes from the sink to the center of the whirlwind just across the counter from him, at work furiously chopping strips of something that resembled lettuce directly on the steel countertop.

“Spaghetti carbonara and some salad. Now sit back and drink and let me do the cooking.” She looked up from her work to grin at him, projecting that easy confidence that always seemed to carry her through whatever disaster she found herself in. Only this time, he wasn’t convinced.

“Uh-huh.” He flicked a finger at the green mass near her knife. Last he checked, lettuce didn’t have a spongy texture that bounced back. He grabbed his drink and took a long gulp of his beer, feeling distinctly less hungry than before.

“I had to improvise on the ingredients a bit. Wartime shortages and all that.” She shrugged, grabbing handfuls of the green stuff and tossing it into a bowl before moving on to the next vegetable of questionable provenance. “It looks close enough, I think.”

“Didn’t you grow up on a farm?,” he ventured to tease. “You think you’d know your vegetables.”

“Not the kind that grew food,” she replied with a shrug.

“What kind of farm doesn't grow food?”

“The kind that develops soils for other farms to use, Earth boy,” she smirked, then frowned and turned her head toward the stove. “Do you smell something burning?”

“Again?” Kaidan practically vaulted over the counter is his hurry to get to the bacon that was two seconds away from sending environmental alerts to the Citadel’s emergency response crews. He shut off the heat to the burner. “Where I come from, burning bacon like this is an unforgivable crime,” he intoned at her seriously before placing the pan next to the sink where it would soon join the others.

“Have I offended the Gods of Canada by besmirching the foods of your people?” She asked, utterly nonchalant about the food crimes she was actively committing.

“Yes, and as penance, you have to let me help you cook.” Before she could object, he grabbed another pan from the cupboard and placed it on the stove.

“Hey, you cooked for me last time, it’s my turn to cook for you.”

In answer, he simply looked around the disaster zone of the kitchen, then back to her with a raised eyebrow, a look he hoped adequately conveyed you call this cooking? without saying it aloud. Beth merely grunted her acknowledgement of the change in circumstances.

“There’s a few strips of bacon left so we can still make this work. What recipe are you using?” he asked, setting out the strips in the still-cold pan before turning the burner on.

“Ummm, just kind of winging it?”

Kaidan snorted softly. “Of course you are. Tell you what, I’ll cook the bacon and boil the pasta. We’ll do the rest together. Deal?”

“Sure, okay. Deal. Damn showoff,” she muttered at last bit in an audible whisper and Kaidan grinned to himself. Getting her to concede anything was a victory in itself and it would take a bolder man than he to push his luck just then. They both settled into their tasks, and the air between them filled with a comfortable medley of cooking sounds and thankfully not smoke alarms.

When the bacon was almost done, he saw her slow down her chopping out of the corner of his eye—mercifully, for the poor carrots she’s just massacred—and look thoughtfully down at the counter. “This was my dad’s favorite dish to make,” she murmured, almost too softly for him to hear.

Kaidan instinctively slowed down stirring the boiling water, listening not just to her words but to the spaces between them. She so rarely talked about her family.

“Tell me about it,” he said, equally as soft and leaving space in the request for her to fill however she wanted. 

“He was the cook of the family. Mom couldn’t even boil water,” she said with a soft laugh. Kaidan swallowed his like-mother-like-daughter remark. There were times for teasing. This wasn’t one of them.

“Did he make this often?”

“Mostly when he fucked up and wanted to smooth things over with Mom.” She smiled, a small private smile at some memory no doubt. “I didn’t know that at first. To me and my siblings it was just the meal that our dad made that made Mom happy and we all enjoyed it. I asked him to make it for my birthday one year and when Mom got home and saw what he was making, she demanded to know what he was preemptively apologizing for.” She huffed out a small laugh and Kaidan found himself smiling right along with her.

“What happened after that?”

“She calmed down when I told her I’d asked for it. Didn’t ask for it again after that, but I still enjoyed it when he made it.” She moved the carrots into the salad bowl and wiped her hands down the front of her food-spattered shirt, then added almost absently, “You know, I think you would have liked my dad.”

Kaidan swallowed hard past the sudden lump that rose up in his throat. It wasn’t that the memories were so painful that kept her from talking about her family like this, he realized. It was that they were so precious that she guarded them closely, refusing to let them be tarnished by the tragedy that ended them.

He turned to her, almost in awe at the trust she’d placed in him with those words, when a sudden loud hissing from the stove forced his attention back to the currently-boiling-over pot of water he’d neglected.

“Some help you are, Alenko,” Beth laughed, clapping him on the shoulder, back to her usual self with little of the softness she’d held moments ago.

“Hey, should I ask if you’re preemptively apologizing to me with this dish?” He asked with all the cheek he could muster,

Her eyes sparked mischievously. “Only apologizing for the clean-up you're going to have to help me with tonight.”

He groaned inwardly, surveying the wrecked kitchen all around them. “In that case, grab me another beer, will you? It’s going to be a hell of a long night.”

#mass effect #shenko #kaidan alenko #beth shepard #my writing #lae writes #beth is absolutely aware of what a disaster she is in the kitchen #parks and rec meme: it's about the quality time #and the shared experiences #mass effect fan fiction #a break from the usual angst #cooking together is an underrated form of intimacy and i will die on this hill

[rainy19days]

I found the fic I was looking for!

If you feel like reading a great au one shot with some hot smut check this one out

Summary:

God,’ Guan Shan mutters. He pushes himself up onto his elbows. His thighs are still trembling, and he rolls his ankles. ‘You fuckin’ love control, don’t you?’

He Tian sits back on his haunches. ‘Have you seen my family?’

‘I don’t wanna talk about your family right now.’ Guan Shan huffs. ‘Bet you can’t fuckin’ stand that I have to drive you about, right?’

‘I got used to it. It’s a shame the car isn’t a manual. I’ve enjoyed seeing your hand around the gear stick.’

#is there even anyone who hasn't read everything by Beth already? #every fic by powerandpathos is a must #19 days #tianshan #19 days fan fic #fic rec

[annacoleman]

♡ 1000 FOLLOWER CELEBRATION ♡ @schittspark asked ✨+ ben wyatt

#mine* #userlarri #usercallie #usercassidy #addys-beth #useryusi #usersnat #parks and recreation #parks and rec #ben wyatt #benwyattedit #sitcomedit #userbbelcher #cinematv #filmtvcentral #1kcelly*

[michelleelizabethtanner]

It's rewatch time! Which means, question time! Do you think Rio would have actually gone through with killing Beth if she hadn't made up that baby lie? Or does he care about his Elizabeth too much?

Anon! How is your rewatch going? Sorry for sitting on this. Work nonsense. 🙄 Don’t they know there’s Brio to discuss?

Can my answer to both your questions be no? Because his entire character arc was that he was not able to have any common sense when it came to her. Idk if at this point it was so much caring as it was anger laced with hurt laced with inexplicable empathy for her. I’ve said it before – I think the fascination for Rio about Beth is that she speaks to his particular brand of crazy. His self-sacrifice (his boxing career, his life as an accepted member of non-criminal society, his fatherhood, his self-assessment in what makes him a good son, a good brother, a good partner, a good person) is all tied into the duality of who Beth is. Rio is seemingly much more self-aware, but in reality he seems to be just as confused and frustrated and inexplicably completely drowned in his own bewildering realization that Beth’s existence as she is challenges everything he’s curated his life to be. All these self-denials he’s endured – she doesn’t endure them. And that’s enviable to him. And so attractive. They each have what the other wants and clearly that’s all tied into this whole heated, sexually charged thing they have going. Killing her would be like killing an important part within himself that he desperately wants to have. It’s why he wouldn’t have killed her (I believe) if she hadn’t lied about being pregnant, and it’s why his anger cooled so quickly despite knowing (and he knew; he for SURE knew) that she was lying about her pregnancy to begin with. And if he had killed her, it would have destroyed him in ways he would not have anticipated. It would not have been like his other kills that he was able to easily (or maybe not so easily, but for sure eventually) justify to himself and move past. Beth’s death at his hands would have sent him spiraling in probably many similar ways that Beth spiraled when she thought she killed him. She’s just better at masking her true emotions than he is. He would have been paying penance to her for a lifetime. One killing the other is a self-sacrifice and a personal death that would have fundamentally changed who they are.

And, of course, fic rec on what would happen if Rio killed Beth: Why Don’t We Go to Venus by Brokensatellites. (Thank you @msk3 for recommending it to me all those months back ♥️)

#asks #nbc good girls #good girls fic recs #Brio can’t kill each other #they ARE each other #beth x rio