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jrpneblog · 3 years

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Memories, what memories.

Fifty years ago on Saturday I experienced my greatest high watching our famous club. It took place in London on a Beautiful Spring day by the banks of the Thames. More of that later as first we must concentrate on the matters in hand with an excellent win at Coventry last Saturday and the visit of play-off achievers, Barnsley, to Deepdale on Saturday for our final home game of the season. Please God let this be the last home game ever played at Deepdale when no fans will be there to cheer the boys on.

Last Saturday we mathematically made ourselves safe from relegation and by the time Monday had come I was trying to work out if we could make the top half of the league or not if results went our way. North End beat and in form Sky Blues by one goal to nil scored by Captain Alan Browne and I think on the day North End deserved the victory. Coventry play a lovely brand of football and it is a credit to Mark Robins what he has done for them given the almost impossible circumstances surrounding the club. North End won with a stonewall penalty midway through the second half nicely put away by Browne. To be fair we should have had another but thats another story. The win left North End on fifty five points with two games to go and the real fear after the Luton defeat at home had dissipated.

On Saturday we face Barnsley at Deepdale in our final home game of the season. It has been so tough watching the boys on a computer and hopefully this will be the last time. The Tykes have done an excellent job in finishing in the top six and they have proved that money isn't everything in the Championship and their achievement should really give North End some inspiration for the next campaign. This is one of those game that you just cant judge who will do what. Will Frankie try a couple of fringe players with next season in mind or will he stick with his tried and trusted system and try to make his case to get the job full time stronger. With Barnsley you wonder will they try and keep going for fourth place to get the second semi final leg at home of will they rest one or two of the key players for the big play off games that lie ahead. I think it will either be a very boring 0-0 draw or might be a real full bloodied encounter. Lets hope its the latter.

And finally this week:- Indulge me as I take a personal trip down Memory Lane and to an event which now seems a lifetime away. The date is Saturday 1st May 1971 and the venue is Craven Cottage, home of Fulham Football Club, in West London. The game is Fulham v Preston North End and with the home side already promoted the Football league have brought the Third Division trophy to the game to present to Fulham after they have duly won the encounter. For Alan Ball`s Preston there is a chance of automatic promotion as North End sit three points clear of their only rivals, Halifax, with just two games to play (2 points for a win in those days). The equation is quite simple for Preston - win the game and we are promoted back to the second tier at the first attempt after being relegated 12 months earlier by Blackpool at Deepdale. I cried that night as a nine year old and thought the world had ended after my beloved North End had dropped into the third division for the first time ever. Just ten years after Sir Tom had retired and we were down with the also rans. The day started around 5.30am as I excitedly scurried about bursting with anticipation and anxiously asking my Dad was it time to set off for the coach. Fishwicks ran two coaches to the game from Leyland and they were to depart at 7am prompt with the long journey to London ahead of us.Finally the clock ticked round to 6.40 and we set off on the 10 minute walk to Fishwicks to catch the coach that would take us to our destination. London seemed like the other side of the world to me and as we passed Charnock Richard I thought that we must be getting close as we had been on the road for ages. My Dad and my Uncle chatted to the others on the bus as I just looked out of the window hoping to spot a blue motorway sign saying London. We stopped at Keele for half an hour and my excitement grew as there were hundreds of other North End fans on the same pilgrimage. Off we go with the next stop being Watford Gap. Even more North End fans who were singing and shouting and even though we were 90 miles from Fulham the atmosphere was starting to build. Finally I saw a sign “London 44”, we were getting nearer as Lunchtime approached and we hit the North Circular Road to take us towards Hammersmith. It must have taken us half an hour in those days to do the mile and a half from Hammersmith to Craven Cottage as the traffic was horrendous.At last we are there and are met with a buzzing around this famous old ground the likes of which I had never heard before. The crowd was officially recorded at 25,774 but it seemed almost like Wembley on Cup Final day with the chaos and noise around the ground. The queues to get in were massive but my Uncle Charlie could get where water couldn`t get (God rest his soul). Suddenly he burst out - “stay there, Stan” (to my Dad), I will be back in a few minutes. Incredibly he was back in no time with three stand tickets for the Stevenage Road stand right in the middle of the Fulham fans. Most of the North End fans were on the open Putney End but there were pockets of Blue and White all over the place. We are in and as the clock ticks round the teams run out separately at 2.55 with North End playing in Red.The Teams are announced, Fulham first then North End …. Kelly Ross McNab Bird Hawkins Spavin Heppolette Ham Lloyd Spark and Clark, with Dave Wilson as sub. John Gow from Swansea is referee and the game kicks off to a thunderous roar as North End are cheered by about 5,000 fans.The game is cagey but quite open and North End are holding their own kicking towards the Hammersmith End in the first half. Twenty two minutes gone and North End get a corner on the right hand side. Clive Clark jogs over and takes an in-swinger which Norrie Lloyd flicks on to Ricky Heppolette who gives North End the lead with a diving header into the Fulham net. The Putney end goes mad and all round the ground the satellite groups of North End fans are dancing with delight. Fulham counter quickly but Bird and Hawkins see them off like two rocks in the middle of the North End defence. Half time comes and goes as the Preston fans start daring to dream, can we do it against the odds at the home of the league leaders. North End are on the back foot in the second half but only really have one scary moment as Fulham throw everything forward. Five minutes to go, four, three, two, one, “TIMES UP” my Dad announces to the world as half the stand give him a look of disgust. How long will Mr Gow add on as North Ends slender lead remains intact? All eyes on the man in black as the whistle goes to his mouth Yeeessss…….ah No, wait, the whistle hasn`t blown and Fulham have the ball. Suddenly, from nowhere, the long shrill blow of the three whistles and we`ve done it - yes we`ve done it, Preston are back. Alan Ball runs on to the pitch and kisses the turf as the Championship Trophy quickly disappears from out of the stand. The Putney End is going berserk and me and my Dad and my Uncle are hugging each other amid a crowd of home supporters looking slightly mystified as to why the plan has not worked out. The North End players hug and congratulate but its not euphoria just a job done by the late great Alan Ball and his boys. We come down the steps to the stand entrance and our coach is the first one we see among about 60 others the length of Stevenage Road.Its 5.50 before we move an inch but nobody seems to care as the singing goes on and on until we finally make our way back up the M1. By the time we reach Coventry it is well past 8pm but the coach is thirsty and its an ale stop for the adults and pop and crisps for the ten or so kids on the bus who are entertained by a jovial coach driver. Finally we get back to Leyland, it`s Midnight but nobody seems to care as the streets echo to the sound of “Preston, Preston” and the road back to the second division is finally complete. Without actually trying to count them I have probably seen over 2,000 North End games since then but I doubt anything will ever surpass that day in West London and if it was ever in doubt before where my footballing loyalties would lie I knew from that day that me and Preston North End would be together for a lifetime.

JR`s HIGH FIVES

West Ham to beat Burnley 6/5

A £5 Stake returns £11.00 on bet365

SEASONS STATS

Returns £209.75 Stake £170.00 percentage profit + 23.4%

Predictions 34 won 19 lost 15

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mere-mortifer-writing · 5 years

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Dean Winchester/Reader ❧ Sweet Apology

Rating: Explicit Pairing: Dean Winchester/Reader; Dean Winchester/OFC Word count: 3250 | Chapter 2 of 3 Warnings: None for this chapter Tags: Fluff & Smut, a smidge of Angst; Misunderstandings; Porn with Feelings; Arguing; Reader has a crush on Dean Summary: The plan was to watch a movie in Dean’s room, but without Sam to help her feel less awkward, it’s no surprise that she ends up saying something stupid - and make Dean think she dislikes him, of all things, when she has a gigantic crush on the guy. They start yelling at each other, soon enough they’re kissing, and then - well, Dean’s bed gets put to good use. It kind of sucks, though, that as soon as they’re done Dean puts his clothes back on leaves her like nothing happened. Wham, bam, thank you ma'am. Well, not really. He’s just absolutely clueless. I swear, if these two don’t open their mouths and talk…

Beta’d by @mostly-shawn - Thank you so much for the help and the brainstorming session

Read on Ao3 | Chapter One | Chapter Three coming soon!

It’s been two days, and she still can’t stop feeling…used.

She loathes using that term for something like this. Having incredible sex with the man that she loves shouldn’t, in any circumstance, make her feel so empty and cold – and yet, here she is. Rationally, she knew from the start that Dean isn’t in love with her; it’s not like she was living in a fairytale land where they would fall in bed together and never leave each other. It doesn’t sound much like the Dean she knows, anyway.

She angrily pours some sugar into her teacup, stirring the honey–brown liquid for far too long, trying to distract herself from her line of thought. She fails miserably. It’s just – the sex was not the problem, she wants to make that clear: it was good, it was with Dean, it probably ruined her for any other man. But he left. He left her immediately, when her emotions were still so raw and close to the surface she just wanted to curl under his weight to hide. She drinks down a scalding sip of tea, reminding herself not to be so stupid. Jody needed help, of course he had to go! So… where’s the problem, then? What has left her shaky and feeling ill at ease in her own skin? “He seemed happy”, she answers herself. Dean put his clothes back on, winked at her and walked out of the room, all with a smile on his face. He didn’t even kiss her goodbye, which she’s pretty sure is common courtesy even between strangers who hooked up. How? How could Dean have had such a drastically different experience that he was happy he could immediately hop off the bed and go, no problem?

Hell, she’s heard from other women how damn sweet he is in bed! A barista from a pub close to the bunker saw her looking with moon eyes at Dean and encouraged her to shoot her shot with him ‘cause, and she quotes, “I know he looks all mean and rough, but he’ll treat you like you’re the only woman he has ever wanted.” Another girl, a hunter she spent some time with researching for a case, confessed that the sex was awesome – but the way he couldn’t stop touching her everywhere, for the entire night, was even better.

So, yeah, had Dean been pissed off that he needed to leave immediately, she would have been fine. Some longing in his eyes, a “fucking werewolves” muttered under his breath… anything, really, and right now she wouldn’t feel like a toy he played with and then threw in the trash. And that thing he said, about how he “missed the feeling”, and how he “always forgets how good it is”: very nice words to hear in the heat of the moment, and she admits she found them very fluttering when he murmured them with his lips pressed on her skin. But now, in the cold of the bunker’s kitchen, they are just points added to the ‘He Wanted To Get Laid And You Were Conveniently There’ list.

Well, there’s at least one silver lining. She passes a hand to her neck and feels the familiar ache of pressing on a bruise – Dean left some marks. Hickeys, from under her jaw down to her breasts, an angry purple that is slowly fading away. Sometimes she runs to the bathroom just to see herself in the mirror – and some may call them ugly and trashy, some would even be pissed he left them there in the first place…but she honestly doesn’t give a fuck. They’re a physical reminder of what happened, a proof that Dean wanted her and was as carried away as she felt. She loves them. They’re helping her feel a bit less lonely.

Which is, in her opinion, why what’s about to happen happens. Just to add insult to injury.

Hours after she’s done with her tea, she hears the main door to the bunker open and someone who’s by far too silent to be the Winchesters come down the stairs. Sure enough, it’s Castiel. (And she’s still struggling with the whole “angels are real” concept, by the way, but that’s neither here nor there.)

“Castiel? Hi, Sam and Dean are not here”, she says when he arrives to the war room. His whole existence is so baffling to her, her brain kind of forgets that she’s usually awkward as fuck around men. She can almost have a normal conversation with the guy. “I know”, he replies, voice gruff but kind. “I’m here to retrieve some ingredients for a spell, Dean informed me you would be home. He said to, uh, ‘check how you’re doin’.” She smiles at how squinty Cas gets as he repeats Dean’s words. “I’m doing great, thank you”, she says. You know, like a liar, pops up in her brain in John Mulaney’s voice. “You okay?” “Yes, I’m well, thank you – but you have some bruises on your neck, do you want me to heal them?” Uh oh. “Mh? No, no, I mean–” Can’t he recognize they’re hickeys? “They’re nothing, you don’t need to waste, uh, energy or whatever.” "It’s only going to take a second, it’ll be painless”, Castiel explains, and before she can find some valid excuse he’s already put two fingers on her forehead. A pleasant tingling down her spine later, aches she didn’t even know she had are gone. She’s sure she doesn’t even have a chipped nail anymore, let alone hickeys on her neck – which shouldn’t be so damn sad to think about, and yet.

“There, all done”, Castiel says with a small smile tugging at his lips. And because she like him, and it was objectively a very nice thing of him to do, she smiles back warmly. “Thank you, Cas. I feel better.” She said, you know, like a li- yes, okay, thank you brain, we get it. “You’re welcome”, and he’s off to take the bone of a virgin nun or something from the basement. Man, spells are weird.

And she misses Dean. What else is new?

❧ ☙

“Sammy, get on with it–”

Sam slaps him on the arm, still fumbling with the bunker’s key. “Dude, we slept like four hours, give me a break – ok, there you go, it’s open.” Dean wrestles his way through the door first, more to annoy his brother than anything. He’s actually feeling pretty good all things considered: the case went well and nobody got hurt, which is all he asks for. He’s just excited to be back home, is all.

Okay, yeah, and he’s excited to see her again.

Both Jody and Sam teased him for three days straight because his eyes kept glazing over every time her name came up in conversation. Dean had made the mistake of admitting to Sam how exactly the “movie marathon” was going when he picked him up to go to Jody – queue the continuous Dean–has–a–crush jokes. Thank fuck Claire wasn’t on the hunt with them, or he wouldn’t have survived her added teenage snark.

He realizes that Sam was just happy that he stopped moping after her, but still – leave the guy some dignity.

“Sam, it’s your turn to unpack this stuff” – he pats the bag he just put on the war room table – “and clean the weapons.” His brother stifles a yawn just to shoot a heartfelt “...dude” in his direction. “It’s so your turn, Dean”. “Yes, but I’m still pissed you cockblocked me the other day.” “You said you guys were already done!” Dean scoffs. “What, you think I would have stopped at one round?” “Okay, no,” Sam says, noise scrunched up while he shrugs off his jacket. “TMI, Dean, come on.”

He’d deserved a too–graphic retelling, to be honest, but she’s also Sam’s friend and he doesn’t want to embarrass her just to get back to his brother. Also, it was, you know…kind of special for him, too, and he’s not one to kiss and tell.

Well. Not this time, at least.

Dean has had a soft spot for that girl for a while. She’s unlike any other woman he got to know during the years – the hunter life makes for a completely different personality, more brass and outgoing; and apart from various female hunters he’s met in his life, the other women have been mostly one night stands. It’s not like he knew them, not for real. Meanwhile, she’s more on the shy side (which by the way he finds adorable, especially when she’s doing research for a hunt and stays huddled up with her books for hours. Very sexy librarian of her); a calming presence, level–headed and serene when a lot of things in his life keep falling apart. She reminds him of Charlie, sometimes, especially when she shows what she’s truly passionate about and gets a bit nerdy. He thought the similarities would make for a painful reminder that Charlie is gone, but with time it just made him more fond of her.

He wishes, though, that he didn’t need Sam as a constant buffer between the two of them when they hang out. Dean has learned more about her by listening in to her conversation with his brother than any time it was only the two of them. He’ll admit that was starting to be bitter about it, and that’s why he snapped at her the other day – but thankfully things worked out great. Really great. Like, super great. He’s still riding that high. Admittedly, the fact that they got interrupted before a much-deserved cuddle session (and he’ll shoot you if you go around telling people he’s a cuddler) sucked, but he left happy knowing that they could make up for lost time when he came back.

God, she’s smoking hot. The moment when he slid off her panties down the curve of her ass played in his mind in repeat often during the hunt, keeping him distracted during the boring witnesses’ interviews. Jesus Christ, he swears the way she arched her back when she was finally naked was the hottest part…Oh, perfect, now he’s getting hard in his jeans just thinking about it–

“Dean.” Sam throws to his face one of his dirty flannel shirts taken from their bag. “You’re done for, man. Gross. Go say hi to her!”

Yeah, he’s gonna do just that. She’s probably in the library, that’s her favorite spot.

And while he appreciates Sam’s support, he flips him off anyway while he leaves the room.

❧ ☙

Dean enters the library and immediately spots her on an overstuffed armchair, wearing headphones and scrolling on her phone. The bobbing of her head in time with the music explains why she hadn’t heard them arrive.

He takes a moment to observe her from afar, his eyes falling on the curves of her bare legs. It runs hotter in this area of the bunker, and she’s down to shorts and a tank top. Fuck, he’s missed her.

Dean decides to sneak up on her from behind, 'cause he’s a bit of an asshole and he wants to scare her, and when he’s close enough he sneaks an arm around her shoulders. She immediately jumps up with a yelp, and he takes one of her headphones out before planting a wet kiss on her neck. “Dean, holy shit”, she pants when she recognizes him, “what the hell?” He laughs while he goes to stand in front of the armchair. “We just got back. Sorry, it was the perfect opportunity to do that.” “Sam would never.” It’s obviously supposed to be a joke, but there’s an edge to her voice that makes him frown. “Yeah, well, Sam’s boring like that. Is – is everything okay?” She gives him a tight-lipped smile, so very different from the warm, inviting one she usually reserves for him.

Dean’s confused, to stay the least. He thought she let go of the awkwardness around him somewhere between kissing and telling him a detailed fantasy of how she wanted to fuck him in a diner’s bathroom. I mean, there’s no coming back from that…right?

Maybe she doesn’t know where we stand now, Dean thinks. It’s not like we had time to talk about it. And actions speak louder than words, in his opinion, so he ducks down to kiss her. She stays frozen for a second, the leather of the chair creaking under her grip. Dean cups her jaw to angle her face better, and she kind of…melts into him, warm lips moving on his. Dean’s heartbeat quickens the more she responds to him – he can feel it shaking his chest under the layers of cotton and flannel. He sinks to his knees in front of her, tugging on her legs until she’s sitting on the edge of the chair, caging him between her knees. He breaks off the kiss to attach his lips to her neck – and, wait, didn’t he leave some marks there? He remembers getting, uh, a bit carried away, last time. She didn’t seem to mind, though… Maybe they already healed. Whatever, he has other things to focus on.

“Dean”, she says, and sinks her hands in hair. He sighs at the feeling of her fingertips on his scalp, and he loses focus of what he’s doing. “Dean, wait a second–” Her grip turns less kind, and he gets the hint. He sits back on his haunches but leaves his hands on her thighs. “Yeah?” “I– Dean, I can’t do this again.” He blinks, surprised at the sudden shift in mood. She looks so damn uncomfortable he has the urge to hug her, but he sets his hands on his lap instead. Did he do something wrong? He knew he would fuck things up eventually, but not so soon. “We don’t have to do anything now, sweetheart,” he reassures her. Maybe he came off too strong. “You’re not feeling okay?” "That’s not really the problem. Last time” – she avoids his gaze, looking down at her hands – “last time wasn’t good for me.”

It’s like she dumped freezing water on his head. He thought – he thought the sex had been awesome, and now she tells him she didn’t enjoy it? But she came, he thinks, immediately followed by maybe she faked it – which, ugh. Oh God. He’ll drive straight into the ocean. “I thought–” he starts, face burning up in mortification. He even told Sam they were amazing together, and that he couldn’t wait to do more – earning a “spare me the details” from his brother. "Well, nevermind. I’ll leave you to your music”, he grumbles.

He’s not making this any better, is he? It’s just – what the fuck is he supposed to say? Something mature, probably. Not his forte.

She opens her mouth, but Dean stands up before she can say anything – he doesn’t want to hear her soften the blow with some excuse. “I’ll see you at dinner”, he quickly adds while he dusts off his pants. And then, bruised ego in tow, he leaves the room.

As he hurries down the hall, he can’t help thinking back to what he did differently, with her, that didn’t work like it always has on other women.

Of course, he knows that everyone is different, that there isn’t a universal how-to guide for pleasing a woman in bed…but still, he did pick up a thing or two during the years. Dean would like to think that he got way better than his first time stumbling in bed with a girl, back when he was seventeen, arrogant but unbearably self–conscious under all the bravado.

He did the things that he usually does, warming her up before the main event, going at her pace 'cause he knows that it takes girls longer to really get into it. And he likes drawing things out – the undressing, the exploring of each other’s body; letting the desire turn desperate and all-encompassing. So? What was the problem?

He thinks about it some more, losing himself in the memories from time to time, but then his steps falter as he remembers something. Which is that he did, in fact, skip one of his favorite steps: he didn’t eat her out. He forgot, alright? He was worked up because of all the arguing and the kissing and the weeks of tension between them before that…and she was so wet and responsive, he let it get to his head, and then…then…

Arrived to his room, Dean glares at the door like it stole his money and scratched his car. When he yanks it opens it creaks, offended at the rough treatment. As he face-plants into his bed, he wishes he could make a similar sound that to properly express what he’s feeling at the moment. He’s so fucking embarrassed that he gave this girl – that he’s genuinely interested in, that has always been kind to him, that he lives with and has to see every day – less attention than he would a one-night stand.

But the problem, he reasons, can’t possibly be only his lack of cunning linguistics – as his smartass, clever-world-play lover of a brother once called it – even though he’s sure it helped lessen the overall experience for her.

Well, there was also a moment where he accidentally hurt her – but it was just the position, he probably went too deep, and he knows damn well that the first time with someone you’re bound to fumble, to have some awkward moments. That’s why he was excited to be with her again: he doesn’t have the opportunity to try a second time very often. They could get better, fall in tune with each other until it all becomes natural and effortless and good.

Yes, the thrill of the first time, of something new, is amazing – but the times that he got to feel the familiarity seep in, to see that sense of performing instead of just enjoying disappear…? God, he wants that again. He hoped– Well, nevermind what he hoped. If she doesn’t want him anymore, good riddance. The only thing he prays for is that things won’t be oh so terribly tense between them. If nothing else, because Sam would get caught in the middle.

Then he remembers he left her with a “see you at dinner” – which means he only has a few hours to decide if he wants to face this whole thing like a man, or just drive into the ocean like he was thinking about earlier.

He loves Baby too much to let her rot in the Atlantic, and that’s all that’s stopping him.

He groans in his pillow, defeated – give him a nest of vampires, and he’ll know how to deal with it. This whole mess? Not so much.

Taking a deep breath, he realizes the fabric still faintly smells of her – that flowery shampoo that she uses; the natural scent of her skin. Predictably, snapshots of how she looked tangled in his sheets flash behind his closed eyes, details soft and hazy in his memory. Despite everything, it makes him smile and snuggle deeper into the pillow.

“Oh my God. I have feelings for her”, Dean mumbles with his face still squished in the fabric. “Fuck my life.”

❧ ☙

Every comment is cherished and/or framed and put on a wall to read when I’m sad

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Sweet Apology Tag List @perpetualabsurdity @thatgirl1456 @boredtotearz100 @sister-winchesters99 @fuckthealarm @fangirlanotherjust @deansgirl79 @sparklypandemonium

#Dean X reader #Dean Winchester X reader #Dean/reader #Dean Winchester/reader #Dean/you #Dean Winchester/you #Supernatural #Supernatural fanfiction #spn #spn fanfiction #Supernatural Reader insert #spn family #Dean Winchester #Dean #Dean Winchester pov

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suitofvibraniumarmor · 4 years

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Yours Truly [Part Nine]

Summary: Layla leaves for Minnesota with her grandparents, which allows Sadie and Chris to explore the feelings between them. Pairing: Chris Pratt x OFC, Chris Evans x OFC Word Count: 2115 Warnings: FLUFF. A/N: This fic was previously posted on my multi-fandom account; in honor of OC Appreciation Day, I figured I would queue it all up for your reading pleasure throughout the day! This was a collab with @captain-s-rogers , and I will link her chapters at the end of all of my posts! Some GIFs were difficult to find again, so if there’s no credit, they’re from Google Image Search or from the original post.

July 9

Caroline,

I … what do I say? Is it awful that I’m excited you finally got some good sex? Okay, so it’s not the greatest of circumstances, and Charlie isn’t horrible, but Caroline – Chris is perfect for you. If I could handpick someone for you, it’d be Chris Evans! Handsome, obviously interested in politics and the country but not necessarily a straight-up politician. He gets your life but he would keep you grounded in the non-political world, too. OH! And if you guys got together, you’d be this amazing husband-wife team, running the country. Tell me that’s not your dream life!

By the way, stop thinking about what other people would think. I know you! STOP thinking that RIGHT NOW. Neither the media nor the public is ever completely pleased with the President and the way he lives his life, so don’t let that dictate anything you’re doing. Live YOUR best and happiest life.

Okay. I’m ending this letter here because I’ve been watching TV while I write this (Layla left for Minnesota with her grandparents this morning) and I just saw a clip about you and Chris. Hot but … yeah. I’m just gonna call.

Yours truly,

Sadie

Feeling under the weather for a few days after Fourth of July, Daniel told the family they would put off the trip back to Minnesota for a few days. It was no big deal; just more time for Chris to spend with his family and more time for his parents to get to know Sadie.

By the time the morning came for Daniel, Kathleen, and Layla to begin their road trip, Layla was on pins and needles. She had convinced herself that once she left, her father and Sadie would – well, actually, Sadie was pretty sure that Layla had no idea what she really wanted to happen, the five-year-old only knew that she wanted them to be together.

“Sadie,” Layla whispered, coming into Sadie’s room before the sun was even up, “I’m ready to go now.”

Sadie forced her eyes to open. She turned on the light and took in Layla’s appearance: mismatched shirt and shorts, and boots on her feet. Her hair was still a mess from a night of excited sleeping. Sadie chuckled.

“Take off your boots and come up here with me, silly girl,” Sadie said, turning off the light and patting the mattress. Layla did as she was told, cuddling up to Sadie. “I’m gonna miss you.”

“I’ll miss you, too. But I’m going to bring you a surprise from Minnesota. Oh! And Daddy has a surprise for you, too.”

“I do like surprises.”

“Good.”

Layla was asleep again not too long after that, but Sadie was awake for some time after, wondering what Chris’s surprise for her could be.

Chris and Sadie watched the travelers pull away from the house in the small camper, head down the gravel driveway, and, finally, out onto the dirt road.

“Can’t believe she’s gonna be gone for a whole week. I’ve got a couple of interviews, but I’m going to miss her like crazy,” Sadie sighed.

“Mmhmm.” Chris was still staring down the driveway, arms crossed over his chest. He seemed distracted by other thoughts, and it suddenly occurred to her why that would be the case. Sadie felt a little selfish; after watching Emily leave, no doubt watching Layla leave, even with his own parents, had to stir up some of those feelings again.

Sadie cleared her throat. “I’m sorry, that was probably insensitive of me. Of course you’re going to –”

Chris turned to her and interrupted her apology. “Do you want to have dinner with me tonight?”

“Dinner,” Sadie repeated. “You mean – dinner. Like a date?”

“Yeah, a date.” His voice read confidence but his teeth gnawing on the corner of his bottom lip gave away how nervous he felt.

Sadie licked her lips, an action borne of her own nerves. “Would this be the surprise that Layla told me you had for me?”

“Part of it,” Chris smirked. “I didn’t tell her everything, but I did want to make sure she was going to be okay if I asked you to dinner. Don’t want to give her a complex or anything.”

“Oh,” Sadie nodded. She licked her lips again and nodded. “Yes. I’d love to have dinner with you tonight.”

Chris’s smirk turned into a full-on smile. “Great. Seven-thirty work for you?”

Sadie nodded. “Sure. I’ll be ready.”

Chris nodded and walked around back of the house to get to tending the fields. Sunflowers would be blooming soon, he had told Sadie the other day, so she knew that tending to them now was as important as ever.

Letting her smile break into an ear-to-ear grin once Chris was out of sight, Sadie headed into the house to write a letter to Caroline.

The phone only rang twice before Caroline answered. The friends went right into a discussion about the news piece covering the pictures taken outside of Chris’s house which hinted heavily toward some sort of affair. Sadie couldn’t believe how relieved she felt after finally having a voice conversation with her best friend after so long.

The conversation started to wrap up, but Sadie knew she couldn’t just let it end without updating Caroline on her life as well.

“Uh, since we’re on the subject of love lives …”

“So I was right then, you got Farmer Pratt to fall in love with you,” Caroline chuckled.

Sadie chuckled, too. “He’s not in love, C. But we do – okay, I don’t know which letters you’ve gotten yet, but Layla is spending a week with her grandparents in Minnesota. Chris and I held hands on Fourth of July – I know, that’s no big deal, but it feels like a big deal. As soon as Layla and her grandparents were out of the driveway this morning, he asked if I wanted to have dinner with him. Oh, and did I mention that he has a sunflower farm? I’m rambling. I need to stop.”

“A sunflower farm? Seriously? It’s like you were destined to find this job and him. So, he asked you to have dinner. What did you say? Yes, I hope. Is he taking you out? Are you staying at the house? I mean, isn’t this technically your first time alone with him since you started the job?”

“I said yes. I’m not sure I’d be capable of saying no. Yeah, except for a couple of times that Layla was in town with her grandparents, it’s our first time alone with each other. I’m still staying at the house because I’m looking for jobs in the area. Is that a horrible idea?” She ran her fingers through her hair. “Why am I freaking out? Also, I’m assuming we’re going out. I should have asked.”

“Good, I’m glad you said yes! And I don’t think that’s a horrible idea at all. Looking for jobs in the area is a great idea, especially if things work out between the two of you. You’re freaking out because you like him, he’s technically your boss, and he owns a damn sunflower farm! It’s like he was made for you. But try not to stress out about it. I’m positive that it’s gonna be an awesome night for you!”

“You’re right. I just need to calm down,” Sadie said, letting out a deep breath. “And you know what? I think things are going to be fine for you, too. You and Chris. Together. I can feel it. This is our summer. Or something.”

“I don’t know about me and Chris but I know it’s gonna be great for you. You’re right, though, it is our summer. Or something.”

They both chuckled, promised not to get into the habit of calling each other, and to stick to letters for the most part going forward. Once the call disconnected, Sadie set her phone down on the couch next to her and let out a few deep breaths. With time to herself since Layla was gone, she decided to go into town and find something to wear for her date with Chris.

At seven-thirty on the dot, Sadie made her way into the front room. Chris was waiting for her there, dressed in crisp, dark blue jeans and a cream-colored button up shirt, sleeves rolled to the elbows. It wasn’t unlike his outfit for Layla’s birthday, save for the tie. He had cleaned up his facial hair, but left some scruff behind. His hair was styled with pomade, and he smelled so good, Sadie’s nerves instantly multiplied.

“I brought this outfit with me for interviews, actually,” Sadie said, somehow feeling underdressed in her blue-and-white striped dress with the brown sandal wedges. “I went into town to find something that would work for a date, but I wasn’t happy with anything they had so I just –”

Chris stepped forward and took her hand. “I think you look amazing.”

Her rambling stopped; she didn’t bother to hide her smile or her blush. “Thank you. So do you.”

“Thanks. You ready to eat?”

Sadie nodded. “Yes. Where are we going?”

Chris squeezed her hand. “Come with me.”

He led her to the back patio. A table for two was set up there, dinner on covered plates, and a few sunflowers in a vase in the middle of the table. Chris pulled out her chair for her, pushed it back in once she was seated, then took up the chair across from her.

“I know this probably isn’t what you had in mind when you accepted, but – I don’t know. I got it into my head that I wanted to do this for you and couldn’t stop thinking about it.”

Sadie smiled at him. “Chris, this is so perfect. I didn’t tell you when you told me about what you farm, but I really love sunflowers.”

“Those are the first blooms of the season,” Chris informed her, pointing to the flowers.

“They’re beautiful,” Sadie replied. “Thank you, for doing all of this.”

Chris nodded. “My pleasure. Shall we eat?”

Sadie giggled at his feigned English accent. “Yes, let’s.”

They carried on good conversation while they ate, and continued over coffee afterwards. Chris set up the iPod speaker and let music play quietly while they sat across from the other, getting to know each other in a way they had toed the line on with Layla around.

“I love this song,” Sadie smiled, humming along to one of her favorite country songs.

Chris stood and offered her his hand. “Then we should dance to it.”

Sadie slipped her hand into his, nervous all over again. “I haven’t danced with anyone in a while.”

“Me either. Let’s see if we can figure it out together.”

As it turned out, after a few moments of stumbling, they found an easy position to hold each other, and swayed back and forth to the music. Sadie held Chris’s gaze as the song began to build up, and Chris willingly stared right back.

“You’re something else, Sadie Coleman. Layla and I always had each other, but you – you filled a hole in our home that I don’t think we even knew was there.”

Sadie shook her head. “You’ve held her together. I just taught her the alphabet and some numbers.”

“You taught her way more than that – academically and otherwise. And you’ve taught me a thing or two.”

“Oh, really?” Sadie chuckled. “What’s that?”

Before Chris could answer her, a clap of thunder sounded from the sky overhead; a shower of rain immediately followed. The couple went into action, picking up the things that couldn’t be left out in the rain and rushed them inside.

With the things on the kitchen counter or in the sink, they looked at each other, and burst into laughter, until the next boom of thunder, when Sadie shuddered.

“Cold?” Chris asked, pushing a wet tendril of hair behind her ear.

Sadie shook her head and blushed. “It’s the thunder.”

Chris slid an arm around her waist. “If I kissed you, would it help you forget the thunder?”

Sadie nodded, the only affirmation she was able to give at that moment. Chris cupped her chin with his free hand, tilting her mouth upwards to meet his.

She was ready for the soft touch of his lips against hers. She was ready for both of his strong arms to tighten around her, pulling her closer. She was ready to find the hair at the back of his neck and comb her fingers over it while they kissed. She was not ready for what happened when he pulled away from her.

“I love you, Sadie.”

Part Ten

#chris pratt #chris evans #fanfiction #oc appreciation day 2020 #new to this blog

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plaidstiel-wormstache · 6 years

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Jessx2 Halloween Challenge

Happy Hallow’s Eve to one and all!

It being the witching hour here in Australia, I thought it appropriate to post @wi-deangirl77 and my master list of all those who have posted their entries for our Jessx2 Halloween Challenge...

Everyone’s submissions were incredibly creative and some quite surprising. Enjoy our spooky mix...

@butiaintgonnaloveem “Sometimes we don’t do things we want to do so that others won’t know we want to do them.” - The Village The Runaway Vessel

@notnaturalanahi Quote: “Hang him on a hook and let me play with him!” - Hocus Pocus Put A Spell On You

@acreativelydifferentlove Quote: “She's mad jealous of you. She'll stop at nothing.” - Snow White and the Seven Dwarves Teasing Bucky

@xxdragonagequeenxx Quote: “Please don't send me away. If you do, she'll kill me.” - Snow White and the Seven Dwarves. Let me Stay

@grace-for-sale Quote: “Cause when you’re alone as a kid, the monsters see you as weaker. You don’t even know they’re getting closer. Until it’s too late. - IT Perhe Älä lopeta veressä

@boomkittywerewolf Quote: “Yeah, he's telling the truth... you know how I know? Cause when I do this… people don’t lie!” - Panic Room Panic

@waywardjoy Quote: “It's a full moon tonight. That's when all the weirdos are out.” - Hocus Pocus Winifred’s Spellbook

@cas-backwards-tie Quote: “You guys are disgusting, obnoxious creeps!” - Casper Familiar Faces

@rebelslicious Quote: “This is my costume. I’m a homicidal maniac. They look just like everybody else.” - The Addams Family Tower Halloween

@kittenofsarcasm Quote: “A little gasoline… a blowtorch… no problem! - Beetlejuice Whoops!

@hopes-archer “You're gonna die.” - The Strangers RESCUE

@dark-taco-castle Quote: “He chose you, honey! From all the women in the world to be the mother of his only living son!” - Rosemary’s Baby He Chose You

@lovemesomepie85 Quote: “Never jump into a pile of leaves with a wet sucker.” It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown My Great Pumpkin

I ran into a little problem with tagging everyone, that’s if my tags work from my queue!

We’re also waiting on posts from @l8nit-l0vr and @riversong-sam

#Jessx2 Halloween Challenge #fandom callenge #writing challenge #supernatural #marvel #dc #originals

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likeaverginpodcast · 2 years

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Day 8 - Disney Springs

We slept in this morning after a long day at Hollywood Studios. We woke up about 9am, got dressed and headed to Chef Mickey’s! We hopped on the bus to Magic Kingdom, then walked over to the Contemporary hotel. It was such a fun place to have brunch, and see all the characters! One complaint was that, they were doing construction, so it was hard to hear the music and get fully immersed in the experience. However, it was just a little hiccup in the grand scheme of being at the Contemporary and seeing Mickey and friends in chef coats. Being a chef myself, I really wanted to do this one! The food was good, my favorite was the cheesy hash brown casserole! Once we wrapped up brunch, we went out to the bus stop at Contemporary and hopped a bus to Disney Springs! It was our shopping day!

We gave the kids each $100 to spend on whatever stuff they wanted to get while at Disney Springs. We bee-lined for the World of Disney store. It’s the largest Disney store in the world, and rumor had it, they had all the 50th anniversary merch! We were bummed because they were out of the 50th anniversary Mickey and Minnie, but we found Pluto, Chip, and Dale! I also got myself a 50th anniversary Loungefly backpack, and Aubrey found a baby Yoda blanket she really liked.

After the Disney store, we found the lego store! It was neat, and we didn’t know you could make an appointment to create yourself as a lego, so next time we will make sure we do that because it looked fun! My daughter got herself a safari lego set, and my son got himself a Lego mug that said “they didn’t have my name” because we couldn’t find Charlie on any of the mugs. That was funny to us because Charlie is a pretty common name! We left the Lego store and wandered around, in and out of stores. We found a couple of Star Wars stores and a Marvel store. We got some pins for the kids aunt and uncle and for themselves as well. A place I really wanted to see and try was Gideon’s bakehouse. There was a virtual queue at the time, but I walked into line and only waited 10 minutes before entering the shop. It was SO cool in there! I tried a pistachio cookie, which was my favorite, a chocolate chip cookie, which was good, and one of their yummy coffees! I let aubrey try it, and it was her first time trying coffee. She said she liked it, but prefers tea. There were a couple other bake shops and patisserie’s I tried items from and I loved them all! I can’t remember the last time I ate so many sweets in a day! We also found a nut free bakery in Disney Springs! The sign outside says “Bakery NYC”. The ladies there were so kind, and my son told them about his deadly allergy and how much he appreciated them offering things that he can eat! We bought a cookie sandwich and some brownie bites from them, and the sweet ladies threw in a cake parfait and an extra cookie for him! If we ever get to go back to Disney, we will absolutely be back!

We stumbled upon a Coca-Cola store, and my husband has always loved coke so we knew we had to check it out! It was 2 floors of coke merch, then the third floor was a coke bar. We got the biggest sampler you could buy and tried coca-cola products from all over the world! Most of them were so disgusting and I’m not a huge soda fan as it is, but it was a fun activity and a nice way to cool off and refresh! My hubby got some coke merch while we explored the shop as well. We bounced around more shops, found a christmas store, a huge pin shop where the kids got some items, and then we stopped at Earl of Sandwich for lunch! It was good and the cheapest meal we had our whole trip! $35 for all 4 of us to get a sandwich, chips and a drink! 10/10!! I had read about a photo studio at DS that if you had the memory maker for Disney, you could get a free photo shoot there! So we found it and even though we had to wear our masks inside, we still got some great photos and now we have the pandemic commemorated in these photos! The photographers were so kind and we didn’t even have to wait, we walked right in! Now that masks are optional, I highly recommend stopping here and getting tons of photos done!

We were winding down our day, the kids were hot and tired and we had walked the whole place! On our way toward the exit, I had a feeling that I wanted to check the Disney store one last time for the 50th anniversary Mickey and Minnie. So my son and I decided to check, and they were restocked!! They were flying off the shelves, so we grabbed one of each, squealed with joy, checked out in the app and ran to my hubby and daughter screaming “WE FOUND THEM!!!” They were so excited! What luck and Disney magic!! As we headed out, we stopped by the Luxury of Time jewelry store for our free necklaces! Yes, free necklaces! If they have them in stock, be sure to get your children one! They have leather bracelets for the boys too! It’s first come first serve and they do run out, but hey it doesn’t hurt to ask!

Once we got back to the resort, each of us showered, and ate the food we had in our room, since we were leaving soon and had to eat as much of it as we could! It was a great, chill evening of looking through all the things we had gotten! Then my son and daughter gave me a pin they had secretly purchased that said “World’s Best Mom”. Such a sweet surprise, I have such great and thoughtful kiddos! It was a perfect ending to a really fun day!

Breakfast - in the room, oatmeal, fruit, coffee, tea and water

Lunch - Earl of Sandwich! Good sandwiches and soup! And the price was GREAT!

Dinner - In our room. Soup, fruits, veggies, cereal.

Snacks - We packed light today! Threw a few snacks in our backpack, and water bottles!

Rides - The bus.

Extras - Each kid got money to spend, and Matt and I splurged on some fun stuff too!

Transportation - Bus to contemporary, then from contemporary to springs, springs back to our resort!

Funds - this day cost us about $700 with our Chef Mickey’s reservation, cash for the kids, lunch and our mini shopping spree!

Weather - Nice and hot! Not as bad as the other days, but it may be because we were mostly in air conditioned stores all day!

Things we packed - Magic bands, masks, extra masks, cash and IDs, and a couple snacks. We didn’t pack heavy today!

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cinewhore · 1 year

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I’ve gotta say, I’ve always really admired your fashion sense, Tish - whether you’re wearing neutrals or something eyecatching, you always look so pretty in your selfies. 🥰🥰🥰

This is such a nice compliment :)

I’ve never had a relationship with clothing or style and now i get to explore everything and it’s been so much fun! I’m glad you think I’m stylish 😅

#wheresthewater #cori i love you #it’s the great queue Charlie Brown

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weenie-moon · 6 months

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#queue #my gifs #its the great pumpkin charlie brown #peanuts #fall #october #halloween #retro cartoons #60s #spooky

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rnd-1d · 6 years

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a Niall blurb...

I wrote this a while ago and I’ve edited it lightly. It was supposed to become a full Niall au, but life got in the way... so here is a blurb consisting of a girl and a stranger at an airport. (3,008 words)

I didn't like airplanes. Never did.

Yet there I was, alone, about to get my luggage checked; I was preparing to board a flight to a little known city called London, England.

Flight 1048, last call for flight 1048, please make your way to the terminal, the voice announced from a speaker somewhere above me. I saw a family rush in the direction of Terminal 3.

The line to airport security was moving incredibly slow. I stood on my toes to get a better view of what the hold up was. Behind the conveyor belt, a plump lady with her hair in a tight bun was fishing through a man's bag as if hunting for gold.

Oh great, I thought. Is this how it always is at airports?

I studied the scene: the lady's pinched lips turned up in a wicked grin, and she yanked out what appeared to be a bottle of shampoo.

"A-ha!" She proclaimed, victorious. "Nothing over 3.4 ounces."

She turned on her heel and promptly dropped the little container in the trash. Before the shampoo's (former) owner could protest, the lady plopped the disheveled bag in the man's hands and shooed him away.

"Next!" She called, her nasally voice sharp.

I rolled my eyes and put my heels back down, silently praying that her shift would be over before it was my turn to play the victim. But of course, that didn't happen.

"Put it on the belt," she directed, referring to my carry-on. I obeyed, then watched my blue duffel bag slip through the frill and make it out on the other side. I glanced skeptically at the metal detector, which looked more like a death machine than a scanner. Feeling her gaze on me, I took a step toward it.

"Uh uh uh," she scolded. Her eyes were trained on my neck. "All jewelry must be removed." My hand shot up to my necklace and I twisted it delicately, watching as she held out a palm.

"Uh," I stammered, my gaze darting everywhere but her face. I didn't have to look up to know that her eyes were burning holes in me. I quickly pushed a strand of brown hair behind my ear and bit my lip.

"Just take it off, ma'am." She was growing impatient.

Just take it off. I couldn't remember the last time I took off that necklace. I didn't want her, or anyone, to handle it. Not after all it had gotten me through.

"Oh, come on, just do what she says," a voice chimed in behind me.

"Wha-?"

I jolted in surprise and spun around, my hand still at my neck. The man - if you could call him one - looked about my age, his layered brown hair even darker than mine. He leaned his elbow against the extended handle of his suitcase, giving me a smug look under raised eyebrows.

"I said," he articulated as if I was hard of hearing, "just do what she asks."

That face looked familiar, but I'm positive we had never met. I shoved my confusion aside to focus on his snide remark. He didn't even know who I was and he was giving me orders. Who did he think he was?

There was just something about this kid that made me want to slap him. Maybe it was the plethora of confidence or the hard blue eyes that challenged me or-

"What I do and don't do is none of your business," I snapped, surprising even myself with my short temper. People in the line behind us turned their heads, but it didn't matter; I kept my eyes on him, daring him to make another snarky comment.

He didn't seem to mind the added attention either. He raised his wrist and tapped his watch with a single digit. "I've got places to be, miss, and I believe that is me business."

"You are unbelievable," I muttered incredulously.

"Ma'am, do I need to call back-up?" I cringed when I remembered the plump lady, still awaiting the removal of all jewelry. Her hand was rested comfortably on her walky-talky.

"Fine," I mumbled. I couldn't get in trouble now; I was on my way to university. I unclasped the thin chain and handed it to the lady, who snatched it away before I could protest.

I set my jaw as I walked through the detector, looking straight ahead of me. When I was through, I lifted my carry-on abruptly from its bin: per-plunk as the wheels hit the carpeting. I threw my hand in between the lady and me and grabbed my necklace.

The man-boy chuckled at the scene, evidently amused by my suffering. I straightened my shirt, shoved the necklace in my pocket, and stocked toward the waiting area for Terminal 2: London. When I peeked over my shoulder, I caught a glimpse of him chatting with the lady. He was gesticulating wildly, as if acting out a scene for her. They both found something hysterical, her bringing a hand to cover her mouth and him releasing a cackle from the pit of his stomach.

"What a perfect pair," I muttered under my breath.

I turned and kept walking, the sound of their laughter still ringing in my ears.

My suitcase clunked behind me as I made my way to the waiting area for my plane. Wherever I looked, there was no shortage of people; travelers were milling about, walking in large groups with the burden of their luggage to bear; they were waiting in immense queues for vending machines and take out restaurants and hokey gift shops. The noise of it all filled my ears until I couldn't distinguish one conversation from the next.

The chairs in the waiting area were lined up in rows of about ten, all facing into the center as if it was some sort of worship circle. I took a seat on the end in one of the blue plastic chairs with the cushion backing and slipped my phone out of my jeans pocket, checking for any missed texts from Charlie. As I had suspected, these notifications were nonexistent. I sighed lightly through my nose, shaking my head at myself for being foolish enough to expect anything more from him. I shoved my phone into my back pocket.

I watched out of the corner of my eye as an older gentleman with a cane tottered to the seat next to mine. The man glanced up and caught me watching, and we exchanged polite smiles. Soon enough, more travelers began filling up the remaining seats, purses and paperwork and suitcases crowding the space between the chairs, until all of them were occupied.

My hand slipped to my belly, which was growling with hunger. I had an abbreviated breakfast because I had to leave in a hurry to make my flight. I heaved myself out of the comfortable chair and ambled to a small food court next to the gate. I walked up to the counter and peered at the menu (pointless - I was feeling like chicken tenders anyway) and my order came out within 30 seconds. I should have taken the lack of customers as a clue to the quality of the food, but I found myself munching on a French fry on my way back to my seat.

As I got closer to the gaggle of chairs, I realized that the elderly traveler that was sitting next to me had vacated his seat; I immediately observed that the gray hair and hunched figure had been replaced with a mop of short, chocolate brown hair and a sturdy build. A young woman with denim shorts and red lips was standing in front of him, her hip jaunted and a smile plastered over her face. She was engaging the new fellow in conversation - she was no doubt his girlfriend. I saw him hand her a piece of paper and a pen. I was a few feet from my chair when she plopped into it, crossing her legs and leaning into him, her smile glowing as she took a picture of the two of them.

I winced, popping another French fry into my scowling mouth. Now two of us didn't have seats, all because of them. I mean, our bags were right there. Could they not see that?

I quickened my pace. When I stopped in front of my chair and glared at the girl, she scoffed, but reluctantly stood. She gave the newcomer a quick hug, her smile returning to her face as she waved and sashayed in the opposite direction. I turned and saw him waving back; it was then that I realized he was the one from the security line.

I knew I recognized that obnoxious laugh.

He glanced up and saw me standing there, and a smirk crawled across his face; he remembered me too.

My patience was diminishing as fast as my chicken was getting cold.

He sat back and put his leg up, resting his ankle on his knee. Slinging an arm over my chair, he asked, "Can I help ya?"

The anger brewed inside me and I struggled to find words that would both explain the situation in a way he would understand and piss him off the most. God, I wanted to make him as angry as I was.

"You can start by getting your arm off my seat," I shot at him, my eyes darting to my duffel. “And, there was someone else sitting here - you know- before you and your girlfriend sat down."

He cocked an eyebrow at me, keeping his blue eyes steady as he put his hand back in his lap. "You think she was me girlfriend?" He asked, his amusement unhidden.

"Um, well - yeah, I assumed she was," I shrugged, indignant, sitting down beside him. "I mean, you did kind of hug her and you both seemed pretty...happy." I dipped a chicken tender into the little cup of honey mustard and took a bite, the crunch of the batter filling the brief silence between us.

"Well you're wrong," he said, "about her being me girlfriend." He opened his mouth to say something else, but he was cut off by a little voice:

"Hi, Niall."

When I turned toward the delicate sound, I saw an equally delicate girl- no older than six- clad in a pink top and matching tutu, standing in front of this apparent "Niall." An expression of delight danced across her face as she bounced up and down on her heels. A man and woman stood behind her, their bright eyes watching the girl.

Niall's features softened upon seeing her, as if he had known her since she was a baby.

"Hey sweetheart," he cooed, leaning in so his face was flush with hers. He held out a large hand for her to shake, but instead, she wrapped her arms around his neck.

He laughed- it was gentler than I had heard it before- and scooped her onto his lap.

"What's your name?" He coaxed.

"Anna," she answered quietly. She giggled when the boy- Niall- gave her tummy a tickle.

"What a lovely name," he praised. He offered a polite nod of acknowledgment to her parents, who smiled in return.

"Would you like a picture?" He asked her, catching sight of the camera in her mother's hand.

They looked down the lens together and said "cheese," and by the third photo I noticed he was giving her bunny ears.

She was about to scoot off his lap when she suddenly stopped, as if she had just remembered something. She cupped a hand around her mouth and raised her lips to his ear, whispering.

"Who?" Niall replied, pulling away slightly so he could meet her eyes. She pointed in my direction. Niall glanced over to me, then back to Anna.

"Why don't you ask her?"

The girl's eyes widened as she shook her head vigorously, her pigtails bouncing from side to side.

"Ok, it's ok," he soothed, "I can ask if you want."

He met my gaze.

He spoke more tenderly than I expected. "Anna wants to know your name."

Me?

I felt four pairs of eyes focused on me. They were all anticipating a response. I felt the heat rise in my cheeks.

"It's Marianna." I stated hurriedly. "Mari, for short."

"Mari," the girl repeated. A look of concentration passed over her face. "My friend has the same name as you."

She was so cute - her big eyes, her innocent observations, her tiny pink lips that parted even when she wasn't speaking.

"How cool," I enthused awkwardly, and she smiled, satisfied.

She turned to Niall and gave him one last squeeze, then hopped off his lap and grasped her mom's waiting hand. My heart melted as she pressed her tiny palm to her rounded mouth then held it in front of her, blowing an imaginary kiss to Niall. She skipped away, my gaze following her before I finally asked, still dumbfounded, "Who is she?"

"She," he began, shifting his gaze from her to me, "is Anna."

The corners of my mouth turned down and I shot him a look. "I know that," I grumbled. I decided to rephrase. "How do you know her?"

He paused for a moment and looked away, as if contemplating his answer. "I met her in this airport," he started, pointing at the ground, "about...five minutes ago?" He glanced at his watch and nodded, pressing his lips together. "Yep, just about," he confirmed for himself.

I scrunched my eyebrows in confusion. Why had Anna wanted to greet him? She seemed so giddy when she was talking to him; they had to have known each other. Although I didn't know much about kids, I did know they seemed to have a surplus of energy. Maybe she indulged in an extra long nap yesterday? But had called him by his name before he even had the chance to introduce himself... it sounded foolish, but I could think of only one solution; it explained why the teenage girl had been talking to him, too.

"You're ... famous."

Once I uttered the words, I knew why he had seemed familiar: his picture, alongside three other boys,' had been splashed across magazines covers, online articles, and promo posters everywhere I went.

"I guess you could say that," he mused, "but we all know Harry wouldn't be too happy about that wor-" He cut himself off when he noticed the perplexity written on my face. "Never mind," he said quickly.

There was a pause. "You're in a band, aren't you?" I questioned, because hey, I wasn't up-to-date on the latest in music.

"Yes and no. It's a little complicated," Niall decided, and I wondered what could be complicated about a "yes" or "no" question.

"You see," he continued, matter-of-factly, "One Direction - the band I was in- we decided to take some time off, because, you know, the tours were incredible, but they were fucking relentless." (He cussed unapologetically, which I didn't mind, but still.)

I took in the information and couldn't resist. I cocked an eyebrow and smirked. "So you could say you all headed in... different directions?"

I laughed when I saw the expression on his face - or rather, the lack thereof. His deadpan looked practically rehearsed.

"Aren't you witty," he snipped, but I could tell by the tug at the corner of his mouth that he wasn't being rude.

"So those two were your fans?"

"Yeah," he said, a smile sweeping across his face. "Best fans in the world, they are."

"So, where would an ex-boybander possibly want to travel in the middle of autumn after visiting every continent on Earth?"

"Actually," he informed pointedly, "we never did get to Antarctica."

I know he was being sarcastic, that he hadn't wanted to make me feel stupid, and that he didn't know my temper was that of a ticking time-bomb. I didn't know what it was this time - the busy morning, the practically sleepless night, Niall's cocky attitude, or maybe I was just in the mood to piss someone off: something I specialize in.

"Screw off," I said, agitation building in me once more. "I'm just trying to make conversation."

Niall leaned back and held his hands up in surrender. "Jesus, take a joke," he mumbled, "I didn't go off on you when you made your terrible joke." He crossed his legs and, leaning his cheek on his palm, looked straight ahead of him as if I wasn't there; any hope of small talk had been lost.

He resembled a little kid who was just told no by his mother, if I'm being honest. The worst part was, I felt guilty. My short temper had always been met with equal or greater anger, never submission; no one took me too seriously. Maybe I'd receive a "whatever Mari" or the whites of someone's eyes as they rolled into their head. I didn't know I could have this kind of effect on anyone.

I glanced around and took in the company around us - potential spectators of The Girl and the Boy She Hurt situation. I sighed. I knew what the right thing to do was- so would anyone with a conscience- yet still I faltered. He was less than polite in the security line, so why shouldn't I return the favor? I knew the answer: there was just something about him, something so innocent that even a monster would not want to rend it. His childlike humor, the way his eyes lit up when he met Anna, his ability to befriend anyone. Except me.

I shifted in my chair so I could see his face. When he caught on to my movement, his eyes skirted from me to the large window across the room. His pout deepened.

"I'msorryforbeingajerk," I blurted out, because I've never been good at apologies and I heard they were easiest when treated like ripping off a bandaid. It got his attention, at least.

#niall horan #niall au #blurb #airport blurb #my writings #one direction blurb #fanfic #au #thanks for reading :)))

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southwindscoffee · 3 years

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Halloween, 2020-style

This year is one where nothing feels quite right. I mean that in an overall sense. We’re all going about our days knowing it’s different than last year. And at this time last year, what’s happening now was unfathomable.

I know two people who have died from COVID-19 and lots more people who have tested positive. I know people who can’t pay their rent, have been laid off, have been in untenable situations. And this is just in my tiny corner of the world. When you look at what is happening all over the planet … well, I can’t, frankly. Because it’s too much for my shoulders to carry. I know it’s there, though.

In addition to these very real and serious problems, those of us (mostly) staying home are coping in different ways.

That requires a whole separate set of skills. I’ve been spending a lot of time noticing when I’m anxious and when I’m not. And when it’s so bad it requires Ativan.

It gets kind of easy to focus on what we can’t do. Today, for example. No trick-or-treating. No Halloween parties. No massive amounts of candy.

And that’s just thinking about tonight.

But then I try to pivot and think about what I can do instead. What we have done so far.

My kid dressed up and carved two pumpkins. She dressed up the dog. She roasted pumpkin seeds.

I went in our hot tub and got a manicure. I read a book and listened to an audiobook. I wrote words.

That’s kind of my ideal day, really.

I am the sort who prefers to stay home rather than go be social. So, I do thrive in these limited circumstances. I’ve written more words, read more books, and watched more movies than I have in a long time.

I’m thinking It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown is in the queue tonight.

How are you coping?

I’m thinking that the more we know we’re all in this together, the better it is for us all.

#halloween

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danjaley · 6 years

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Replies

Minus the Summerdream-Name topic, that will get a separate post

This brings back the best memories of playing TS2 ♥ it looks great! ;)

sutzrainbow replied to your photoset: Capp Side, main village. I hope it will look less...

Ohhh, how I loved this neighbourhood. I look forward so much to seeing the finished result!

Thank you!! Seriously, this neighbourhood/world is one of the things I missed most after switching to ts3! tyrellsimsoficeandfire replied to your photoset “Monti Side. Looking better in my game even as I write this. I’ve...”

What a catull reference? Was it in sims 2? (catull the Roman poet, right?)

Right, the poet! I don’t think there was any reference to him in Sims 2 (that I’m aware of). I was just pondering on the fact that the city of Verona is so famous for being the setting of the most romantic fictional story, when actually they are also the home of one of my favourite real-life romantic poets. stormflame replied to your photoset “Capp Side, main village. I hope it will look less like a parade of...”

avtvmnsalad replied to your photoset “Capp Side, main village. I hope it will look less like a parade of...”

I love this!

tyrellsimsoficeandfire replied to your photo “This weekend’s Veronaville Progress. I completely redid all the roads...”

This is wonderful. Can't wait6 😉😊❤️

Thank you!

* * *

nornities replied to your photoset “When the mine is so flooded there are already sharks living it, it’s...”

I see Charly Brown sitting in that cart... it could as well be a comic strip by Charles Schulz!

I feel very honoured by this association! Indeed I love Charles Schulz’ sense of humour! davidmont replied to your photoset “[A word on the mine: I built this lot in September with the intention...”

Woah!!!

nornities replied to your photoset “When the mine is so flooded there are already sharks living it, it’s...”

This is sooo funny! :D

davidmont replied to your photoset “When the mine is so flooded there are already sharks living it, it’s...”

OMG LOLOLOL DEAD 💀💀💀💀😂😂😂😂

acquiresimoleons replied to your photoset “When the mine is so flooded there are already sharks living it, it’s...”

Now that's an intense ride! Dodge the sharrrrkkk

:D It was such fun to play a bit of pure nonsense after all that intense storytelling and building! Glad you enjoyed it too! * * * acquiresimoleons replied to your photoset “[A word on the mine: I built this lot in September with the intention...”

how interesting! I wonder how it got flooded D:

It’s like the Mines of Moria: Too deep they delved... nornities replied to your post “Building tip: In German it’s really easy to remember the Strg+F...”

Lol... I have to keep that in mind :D

;)

hyperkaos replied to your photoset “Arthur: Alright, I can see why you’d want to study anatomy.”

This made me chuckle! Nice for the painting thought bubble to pop up where it did! lol

That’s what made me take that screenshot and post it, actually! nornities replied to your photoset “Arthur: Alright, I can see why you’d want to study anatomy.”

Lol... I never noticed the plumbob in the drawing! :D

And she couldn’t even have seen it in my game! Ah well, maybe it’s still visible to sim-eyes... simsmidgen replied to your photo “Y: “Never mind the skeleton. I wanted to ask if I can draw you...”

Don't think about it too hard, just get your clothes off 😆

Whoops, I didn’t actually mean to queue this as a cliffhanger! acquiresimoleons replied to your photo “Y: “Never mind the skeleton. I wanted to ask if I can draw you...”

Skelly probably has a much bigger bone 😂

I have a feeling there might be a double meaning to this comment... ;) simsmitfeingefuehl replied to your photo “Clarissa: Really I can’t stand this politics talk. I’ve had enough of...”

Ich möchte anmerken, sie hat recht. Geld regiert die Welt!

Das stimmt! Aber seine Qualitäten als Gesprächsthema hängen wahrscheinlich vom Sprecher ab. desiree-uk replied to your photoset “Aaaarrgghh!!” “Aaaarrgghh!!” “I am sorry.”“So am I!”

Lol, so polite! :D

That’s the moments that make me think they’re a perfect match! simsmitfeingefuehl replied to your photoset “Clarissa expressions”

Sie ist toll!

Danke! simsmitfeingefuehl replied to your photoset “Self-conscious silence”

Und sie können sich dabei noch nicht mal ansehen! Das ist wohl keine angenehme Stille.

Ja, irgendwie kommt mir das Gefühl sehr bekannt vor! fleurdeprairie replied to your photoset “Clarissa expressions”

so pretty!

fleurdeprairie replied to your photoset “Clarissa expressions”

so grown sniff

It’s been five real-life years - I’m getting quite sentimental! fleurdeprairie replied to your photoset “Self-conscious silence”

puhahahahaa they are debating on whether their cross eyed look is better or their normal look aha

davidmont replied to your photoset “Self-conscious silence”

They're watching their thoughts!

Love those explanations! tyrellsimsoficeandfire replied to your photoset “The next day, Edward and Clarissa went to a cafe. Edward: I wonder if...”

I love this Shop. The Red windows are soo british

All credit goes to Vendela! Her city of Vendon is such a Masterpiece, she really caught the London spirit there!

tyrellsimsoficeandfire replied to your photo “This is how Yvette’s encounter with Lawrence ended. He finally turned...”

Give him a try, Yvette. I think he's a nice guy

I think so too! Now we only need to convince Yvette!

#simsrebuilt #replypost #saviorhide #tyrellsimsoficeandfire #stormflame #avtvmnsalad #davidmont #nornities #acquiresimoleons #hyperkaos #simsmidgen #simsmitfeingefuehl #desiree-uk #fleurdeprairie #sutzrainbow

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