#like you know getting MARRIED and going to RENAISSANCE with amazing seats and going on a 2 week trip to Italy with my fam

[whiskeyswifty]

.

#i still think it's absolutely insane of her #after we all survived 3 hours in rain at the gillette show #to give us not only 2 of the biggest DUD surprise songs ever #and for me personally 2 of my BOTTOM TIER SONGS OF ALL TIME like i won in ever other regard but surprise song total strike out #BUT THEN TO SAY THAT FUCK SHIT LIKE #laughing with my friends and gf about this and just like......... #unreal like i couldn't believe after all that she gave us ASS FUCK ALL for sticking it out with her #and if taylor swift not giving me anywhere decent surprise songs at my show is the worst of my problems in my life #then i'm doing excellent i'm doing just fine its just SO FUNNY and SO DEVASTATING #i have like 10 other way more important and incredible life changing things i'm doing this year so i tried twice for metlife and gave up #like you know getting MARRIED and going to RENAISSANCE with amazing seats and going on a 2 week trip to Italy with my fam #BUT i'm never skipping a metlife show again thats the lesson #and we're only on night one. i can't imagine the rest of this weekend #one of my best friends and fellow maroon stan screen recorded our texts last night while trying to screen record the live #we should get an oscar for that drama. i wish i could share it with you people but i will not be perceived. #we were CRYING watching it back like holy shit #what a night and i was a little drunk lmaooooo #her friend had the funniest text of the night tho when she said in the middle of our breakdown #Metlife N1 marked SAFE from wtny!!! #aDKFJADKFJAKDLFJADSF LIKE TRULY #the way n1 was so certain they'd get it that n2 and 3 weren't even worried #and now n2 and 3 are going into their shows TERRIFIED

[innytoes]

Peterpatterlina + Everyone Is Enamored By The Mysterious Lady Knight At The Renaissance Fair

"Okay, so maybe you were right and we would have stood out if we came in our normal clothes," Alex admitted to Reggie and Willie, before immediately being dragged away by his boyfriend to go see the blacksmith making cool stuff.

"At least Alex wore his costume that we painstakingly put together," Reggie sulked. "You're just wearing the leather vest that's supposed to go over your blouse."

"Baby, I love you, but you know I cannot do sleeves," Luke said, pressing a kiss to his cheek. The sleeves had been so frilly and heavy, he’s hated it. Besides, these pants Reggie picked made his ass look amazing, he wasn’t about to cover that up with a frilly blouse. Reggie pouted for all of two seconds before perking right back up again as he spotted one of the stalls.

“Oh, there’s Liz and TJ’s stall! They always have the best gossip about this year’s faire.” He pulled Luke over, before making a deep bow, the lute on his back shifting. “Well met, fair maiden!” Reggie said. “My friend and I have travelled from afar to come enjoy your amazing festival, and wish to hear all about who may be participating in this year’s tournament.”

“Oh, I get it, you love coming to the renaissance faire to flirt with all the ladies,” Luke said. Reggie shot him a pout.

“Well met, noble bard,” the lady, Liz, said. “This year has quite the crop of candidates. It is said that the White Knight, Sir Nicholas, is trying to win to curry the favour of King Wilson, to win the hand of the princess.” She went through the backstory of a few more characters, each with their own colour. She leaned over the table conspiringly. “However, it is said there is a new knight on the scene, who bears the flag of the Purple Dahlia who also fights for the fair princess’ hand, and for her freedom to marry whomever she pleases.”

“Ooooh,” Reggie said, gasping. “Do they stand a chance against Sir Nicholas?”

“The Lady Julie is one of the fiercest fighters on the field,” Liz said. “And my personal favourite.” She winked, showing off the little dahlia pin on her dress.

“Girls can be knights?” Luke asked.

“Of course, dude,” Reggie said. “Hashtag feminism, hashtag ladyknights. Thanks, Liz!”

They went over to what was essentially a merch tent, and Reggie picked out a little Purple Dahlia pin to put on his vest to show his support. Luke rolled his eyes but followed Reggie to the tournament field, buying them both some snacks while Reggie vibrated in his seat on the bleachers in excitement. Up on the podium on the other side of the field, there was a dude in a beard with a crown and a girl in a pink princess dress who was doing her best to look Dramatically Bored while also waving secretly at all the excited little girls who screeched her name.

Luke had to admit the tournament was pretty cool. Reggie leaned over and whispered into his ear about how some parts were scripted, but the ending usually depended on the mood of the crowd. Luke shivered at the feeling of Reggie’s lips against his ear, and promised to cheer very loudly for Reggie’s favourites. He was pretty sure he’d have said yes to pretty much anything Reggie asked at that moment.

So they cheered for the Green Archer and the Brown Knight. The emcee, or town crier, or whatever they called the person who talked in between the joust-y bits, Flynn, was really funny and good. And then it was time for the main event. Sir Nicholas versus Lady Julie. Reggie sat up straight in his seat, clutching Luke’s arm and cheering for Lady Julie as loudly as he could.

The fight was amazing, and well-choreographed, like a dance, but a lot more violent. Sir Nicholas tripped over his own feet, and the crowd gasped. His helmet fell off. Luke wondered if that was for dramatic effect or if it really just fell off. That trip hadn’t seemed very planned either. Still, it made things exciting.

And then, the Purple Dahlia ripped her helmet off as well, a cascade of curls falling out. She held the sword under Sir Nicholas’ chin, tipping his head up dramatically until he admitted defeat. Luke could hear Reggie gulp beside him and yeah, yeah that definitely awoke something in both of them.

In the end, Princess Carrie swooned in Lady Julie’s arms, and she made an unsubtle but don’t-piss-off-the-parents speech about the Princess being free to marry or not marry whoever she wanted. Reggie and Luke cheered as loud as they could, and they could see both knight and princess trying to keep a straight face when someone from the audience (quite possibly Willie) cheered ‘let’s go lesbians, let’s go!’

They walked across the fairgrounds after the tournament. Luke let himself enjoy it, especially when a gaggle of small children surrounded Reggie and begged for him to play a song on his lute. Turned out his boyfriend not only wrote country songs, he also wrote silly little improv songs about dragons and princesses and brave lady-knights. When the kids finally dispersed back to their parents, Reggie’s eyes were sparkling and he looked so happy, Luke just wanted to kiss him.

“What a lovely song, noble bard,” someone behind him said. Reggie looked up and gasped.

“Lady Julie!” He took off his ridiculous pouf-y hat with the feather, bowing dramatically. Luke whirled around. She was even more beautiful up close. She was out of her armour now, but still wearing chain mail, and Luke nearly swallowed his tongue. “Of course your amazing feats on today’s battlefield deserve a thousand more songs and a hundred more sonnets.” 

Lady Julie smiled, and Luke could see the way Reggie’s cheeks flushed even as they made semi-flirty, old-timey conversation. For a moment, the knight’s eyes flicked over Luke’s person, but when she didn’t see a Dahlia pin, she focused back on Reggie, who looked both gleeful at being indulged and absolutely smitten.

When Lady Julie finally moved on, complimenting a little girl on her plastic sword, Reggie watched her go, heart eyes evident until he saw Luke pouting.

“C’mon,” Luke said, grabbing his hand.

“Luke?” Reggie asked, letting himself be dragged. “Look, I’m sorry if the flirting was too much, it was just for fun, you know I...”

“What? No!” Luke stopped, pressing a kiss to his lips to make him stop doubting himself. He liked that Reggie is a flirt. He liked being the one that got to take him home at the end of the night. And also... he really, really couldn’t blame him for shooting his shot with the hot knight. “I’m not mad! We need to go back to the tent so I can buy a dahlia pin as well so the pretty lady knight notices me, too, you dork.”

#julie and the phantoms #this got so long #juliexlukexreggie #lukexreggie #reggiexjulie #fanfic #I wrote a thing #AUs are awesome #renaissance faire au #shout out to the Gilmore Girls fans yes that is an unsubtle easter egg #they totally come back the next day and Luke wears the stupid blouse just so the purple pin is more noticable #Reggie has never been more excited in his life #that day Princess Carrie runs off with Town Crier Flynn and Lady Julie flirts with two cute musicians

[bluezey]

Little Sister - Conception

I decided to work on the birth of Judy fanfic as my first fanfic in google docs, even though it’s gonna be a multi chapter one.  I posted the first chapter in case I lose it cause I don’t know how saving works on this yet.  So, hate to be a jerk, but the next two chapters are going to be released together.  You’re just going to have to sit on the first chapter.  At least it’s got plenty of feels to hold you over.

“Mom, I’m home,” Ian announced as he entered the home.  He placed his staff by the front door and stopped just short of the stairs.  He looked ahead into the kitchen across the way through the living room, spying a small pile of cards and presents building up for his graduation party next week.  It made him smile and feel more relieved that he just survived his last day of high school.  He walked upstairs and into his bedroom, he took two steps and flopped his backpack down by his desk.  He sighed and relaxed, feeling like a big load was mentally lifted from his shoulders, as well as physically.

Ian slumped down into his desk chair, with enough force that it rolled back a few inches.  He looked up after a moment or two to spy a note written on a sealed envelope mailed to him.  Ian could make out the sloppy, bold writing from here, Barley’s writing declaring that something awesome arrived in the mail for him.  Ian picked it up to see the letter was already opened… and it was addressed from the enrollment offices at Willowdale College.  Ian immediately tore the letter out of the envelope and read it, reading it over and over as his chocolate brown eyes grew wider and wider.

The old boom box immediately slammed atop his desk, and Ian had to try once or twice to get the old cassette tape inserted into the tape deck.  Just as he pressed play, the voice of Ian’s dad began to echo from the old speakers.

“Hello?  Hello?”

“Dad!” Ian basically shouted, then tried to control his volume.  “It’s me, Ian.”

“Is that right?”

“Yeah!” Ian replied to the recording as he looked up at the pictures of his dad Wilden pinned to the wall above his desk.  “How ya been?”

“Well, I’m trying to.”

Ian chuckled to himself.  “Well, today was the last day of high school, and I’m gonna graduate next week.  I wish you were there to see it… I know, I can keep a picture of you in my pocket under my graduation robe.”

The voice on the tape laughed to himself.

“Yeah, well… remember that college you went to?  Willowdale College?”

“I know.”

Ian grew so excited he was trembling.  “Yeah, well, I got a letter of enrollment today.”  Ian showed the acceptance letter to the photos.  “I’m in!  I start this fall!  I plan to spend a few years there, and transfer to a college to take my classes in astrophysics!”  After finally revealing the information to his dad, Ian’s face and energy fell when all he heard was the white noise of the tape recording.  “Wow… I hope I get the same college experience as you did.”

“Well, let’s find out.”

Ian couldn’t think of anything else to say, but there was something he wished he could do.  Making do, he unpinned a picture of his dad off the wall and hugged it tight against his chest.  Tears of bittersweetness rolled down his glowing blue cheeks.

“Okay, bye.” The tape ended.

Ian’s face folded into a melancholy frown.  “Yeah… bye.”  He sat down, still clutching the picture to his chest in his makeshift hug.

The long string of silence was broken by Ian’s bedroom door flying open.  “Hey Ian, I- oh.”  Barley stopped mid sentence when he saw the boom box on the desk and the dried tears on Ian’s face.  “I, uh…”

“It’s okay,” Ian replied, sitting up and wiping the tear from his face while placing the picture of dad on his desk.  “Come in.”

Barley stepped into the room.  “I got off the phone with mom and- hey, you got the letter!” he interrupted himself again, seeing the acceptance letter under the picture of dad.

“Yeah.”  Ian looked curious as he remembered the writing Barley added to the open envelope.  “Did you… open it?”

“How else could I have read it?” Barley asked back.

“Barley,” Ian softly scolded with a big smile.

Barley laughed proudly as he hugged his brother tight, lifting him up out of the chair.  “I’m sorry, I had to.  I was bringing in the mail after work and I saw the letter.”  Barley finally let Ian go, Ian tried to keep his balance as they stood together, eye to eye.  “Well, congratulations, college man.”

Ian tried to hold back more tears of joy.  “Yeah, thanks.”  Trying to break the tension, Ian suggested, “Maybe you’ll be next.  Perhaps a nice community college?”

Barley scoffed in a playful laugh.  “Nay.  I’m making waves at my part time jobs.  Weekdays stocking at Valiant Taels, weekends at Manticore’s Tavern, renaissance faire in the fall, the occasional engine work out of the garage…”

“Jobs at a comic and RPG shop and a tavern isn’t gonna pay a lot, Barley,” Ian commented.

“No,” Barley shrugged, “but they’ll pay enough, for now.”

Ian chuckled before thinking aloud to himself, “Wow, Willowdale.  I can’t wait to tell mom.  Have you told her?”

“Nah, you can do that tonight.”  Just as Barley said that, the boys could hear the front door open downstairs.

“Boys, we’re home,” Laurel called from downstairs.  “Boys?”

“Up here, mom!” Barley shouted back, loud enough that Ian had to cover his long ears.

“Come down boys,” Laurel replied.  “We need to tell you something.”

“Us too!” Ian replied excitedly.  He grabbed his letter and stuffed it in the back pocket of his jeans as he raced after Barley down the stairs.

“Woah, hold your horses,” Colt laughed as Barley nearly tripped on the last step.

Ian made his way down the stairs, slowing as he saw Barley take his seat on the couch, and Laurel in a chair, with Colt standing beside Laurel.  Curiouser, Ian sat down next to Barley on the couch.  “What’s going on?” Ian asked, realizing that Colt and Laurel are smiling with excitement, but he hasn’t told them yet.

“Boys,” Laurel said, holding Colt’s hand in hers.  “I have big news.”

“Oh, so do I,” Ian said, getting ready to grab the letter from his pocket, but pausing when he heard mom’s words.

“We’re pregnant.”

Barley and Ian, almost in unison, looked at each other then to Laurel and Colt.  “What?”

“Remember how I’ve been sick for the past few days?” Laurel continued, her smiled growing brighter.  “It’s morning sickness.”

“We just came back from the doctor,” Colt continued, happily holding Laurel’s hand.  “It’s positive.”

“Positive?” Ian asked.

“Positive,” Laurel replied.

“You’re positive?” Barley asked.

“Positive!” Laurel almost shouted, hugging Colt and giving him a big kiss.

When it finally sank in, Barley was up on his feet and hugging them as well.  “A little brother?  This is amazing!  Yeah-ha!”

It sank in for Ian, but felt more like it was weighing him down.  He silently let go of the letter in his pocket and just sat there, looking down at the ground.

Laurel finally noticed and asked, “Ian?  Did you say you had news too?”

“... yeah, nevermind.”  Ian stood from his seat and walked back upstairs.

“Ian?” Laurel called out.

“Ian?” Barley called out as well, Colt also concerned.

Ian knew to be excited, he knew not to be selfish.  But the timing… he was going to graduate, he’s going to college, Willowdale College.  And now, there’s a baby.  For the first time since dad, mom is pregnant with Colt, uhm, Ian’s step dad.  Ian’s still getting used to calling Colt dad since he and Laurel got married, guess a part of him is still holding onto his dad, his first dad.  Things were getting complicated, Ian thought graduating and getting the college he wanted would fix things.  But it’s only getting worse.

“I got this, Barley.  Ian?” Laurel opened the bedroom door to see Ian lying on his bed, staring at the ceiling.  He looked downtrodden, maybe even empty, like he wanted to get the thoughts racing in his head to cease just once.  Laurel sat down on the foot of the bed.  “Ian?  You had some news?”

“No, it’s okay,” Ian replied, trying not to look at her.

“Honey,” Laurel brushed a curl out of Ian’s face.  “I still want to know.  Please, tell me.”

That sweet, comforting tone helped Ian break out of his funk.  He sat up and pulled the letter from his pocket.  Instead of reading it to his mom like he planned, he just handed it to her.

Laurel silently read for a moment, but then she was bursting with excitement.  “Accepted?  You’re accepted!  My little college man!” Laurel squealed, practically throwing herself onto Ian as she gave him a big hug.

Ian finally smiled as he hugged right back.  He let those saddened tears fall, but he was happy once more.

“This is so great,” Laurel told Ian. “We’re going to go through so much.”

Ian looked confused again.  “We?”

“Yes.”  Laurel looked at Ian and explained, “You’re going to college, we’re going to have a kid.”

“We?”

“Yes,” Laurel smiled.  “It’s my child, but it’s your sibling.”

Ian looked like a deer in headlights.  “I’m… going to have a little brother?”

“Laurel!  Ian!  Dinner!” Colt called from downstairs.

“Oh!  We’ll talk later.  Race you downstairs,” Laurel announced as she ran out the door.

Ian didn’t move an inch, still staring at where Laurel’s eyesight once was.

He’s graduating.  He’s going to college.

And he’s getting a sibling

#pixar onward #sir iandore of lightfoot #ian lightfoot #barley lightfoot #laurel lightfoot #colt bronco #judith judy lightfoot #judy lightfoot

[liberty-barnes]

Switching Things Up

Louis Tomlinson x Female!Reader 

University AU / Non-Famous AU

Summary: Five times Louis almost asked you out and the one time you asked him.

Warnings: cursing, fluffffff, bit of angst, misunderstandings, and Louis pining.

Word Count: 5k words

ERT: 20 minutes

A/N: i'm so in love with Louis it's not even funny anymore. also, it's finally out!!!!!!!

Inspired by: "Kiss You" "18" "Infinity" by One Direction, that one scene in the This Is Us movie. 

Masterlist | Taglist

Louis's First

It was just another usual day for Louis. Wake up at six o'clock, drink his tea, go to class, pick up the girls from school, have lunch all together, and start his shift at Toys 'R' Us.

He genuinely liked working there. He loved kids, it was fun to be surrounded by toys, and they were quite respectful of his uni hours, so overall, it was quite a nice gig.

He was working on the floor today, greeting costumers, seeing if they need help with anything, trying to keep the shelves tidy. It was quite a slow day so since he was done with all his homework he took some time to play with the toys a bit. 

"Okay, they've got to be here somewhere. Don't worry, we'll find you one just like it."

He lifted his head from where it was bowed over one of the pianos in the lower shelves, giving up on trying to get it to be straight and cracking his knuckles a bit.

The woman sounded pretty young and her voice was very nice so he started playing a random tune on the piano that was a bit more level with him (and sounded better too), just waiting for her to round the corner and spot him.

"Auntie, look, it's right there!"

The girl that passed right by him was absolutely divine. He'd never seen anyone as gorgeous as her and if the way his heart stuttered in his chest was any indication, his body seemed to agree. He straightened his shirt and ran his hands through his hair before turning around, ready to offer his help and maybe get her number after.

And if he pouted when she walked right past him with not the smallest reaction, nobody will ever know.

Louis's Second

He sat on a wooden bench as he waited in front of his youngest sisters' primary school. He was among parents and nannies, waiting for the bell to go off and the children to leave. His fingers tapped a random beat on his thigh while he hummed a melody that's been floating in his brain for a few minutes, trying to match some words to it.

So tell me, girl, if every time we touch

You get this kind of rush

He was about to take out his phone to write it down when a girl sat on the other side of the bench, taking out her headphones and putting them neatly into her bag.

But it wasn't just any girl.

It was the one he'd dubbed 'Future Mrs. Tommo', the girl from Toys 'R' Us. He refused to let her go this time, but he had no idea how to start the conversation.

That is, until she took out a familiar-looking binder, flipping it until she reached her desired page and started filling it out. It had been a mere thirty seconds before she started frowning.

He's never been so grateful to have chosen music as his minor.

"Are you in Charlton's class?"

The girl looked at him and he momentarily froze in place as his blue eyes met her (y/e/c) ones.

"Yeah, are you in his class?"

"Not anymore, I had him last year, though, he's a prick."

She huffed out a laugh and leaned back on the bench.

"Tell me about it, we've been talking about the Renaissance Era for two months and he still hasn't gotten to the interesting part."

"I thanked every deity imaginable that I got Natalie this year, I don't think I could do another year of that old man."

She turned to him and cocked her head.

"I've never heard of a 'Natalie' before."

"Natalie Dubois, she's a new teacher from France. Got a bit of a weird accent but she's a hell of a good teacher, and fun too, she gives us a bit more freedom, nothing like Charlton."

"What year are you?"

"Third, you?"

"Second."

He nodded and she tapped her pen against her binder.

"What're you studying?"

He was quite happy that she kept the conversation going.

"Drama major, music minor."

"Very artistic."

"I live to entertain. What about you?"

"Psychology major, music minor."

"Ooh, a brain doctor, I've always wondered if Psych majors could identify psychopaths from a single conversation."

She laughed at that and he felt his heart wanting to beat out of his chest. He wanted to record that sound so he could listen to it all the time. Use it as a ringtone, a melody for his next song, his alarm in the morning. He was positive he'd wake up in a much better mood if that's what brought him out of his slumber.

Unfortunately, he was interrupted before he could even ask for her number, or name, mind you, by the children's excited cheers.

Sooner than he would have liked, a little black-haired boy came running out and into her arms, Phoebe and Daisy only a couple steps behind.

"It was nice talking to you, I'll see you around!"

He could only wish her luck with that idiot teacher before she was gone and he had to care for his two little girls.

Louis's Third

The music room was quiet as he sat in front of the piano. He took out his notebook and started to play, following the notes messily scribbled on it.

I got a heart, and I got a soul, believe me, I will use them both

We made a start, be it a false one, I know

Baby I don't want to feel alone

He tried out, but something felt off. He tried a different note for the end, content with the way it sounded and scribbling it onto the notebook right after.

So kiss me where I lay down, my hands pressed to your cheeks

A long way from the playground

He frowned, changing a few notes here and there.

It sounded better, but there was still something missing.

"Try a key higher, it might sound better."

He heard her voice from the doorway, heart almost beating out of his chest for two entirely different reasons, though he chose to focus on the "I was startled" one instead of the "My dream girl is here" one.

He did as she told him though, and it did sound better.

"Thanks."

"You're welcome."

She looked entirely too pretty when she smiled. He wondered if the sun was really necessary given that she smiled bright enough to light up this galaxy and the next. He busied himself with writing the changes in his notebook while she went from table to table, searching up and down for something he wasn't aware of. He secretly hoped she wouldn't find it, just so he could stare at her for a bit longer.

"How're classes with Charlton going? Still a prick?"

"The day that man stops being a prick, angels will be falling from the sky."

He didn't see her fall, but he was pretty sure she was an angel. 

"A-ha!"

He saw her lift a blue journal, the word 'Songs' beautifully calligraphed on it in gold. She put it back in her bag and approached him so she was standing right behind him, reading the words in his notebook. 

He felt her shoulder grazing his and smelled her perfume. It was fruity and sweet. Peaches, maybe?

"That's a beautiful song, you're very talented."

He felt his cheeks heat up at the praise.

"Thanks."

He took a deep breath. This is it. He's gonna do it. He's gonna ask her out.

"Hey, I was wondering-"

"Shit!"

She got up in a flash and took her backpack from where she had put it down next to the seat.

"I'm gonna be late for my appointment but hold that thought 'til we meet again?"

She looked so sorry that he couldn't bear to tell her no.

Louis's Fourth

"I'm telling you, Niall, she's the most perfect girl to have ever walked this Earth."

He sighed as he faceplanted onto the couch, the blonde still strumming his guitar as if Louis wasn't having an existential crisis a mere six inched away from him.

"You don't even know her name."

"I'll just call her mine."

The punch that landed on his arm was deserved, he'll admit it.

"The way I'm seeing it, you just need to find out who she is and ask her out, it's really not that hard."

"But I don't know where to find her."

"Wrong, you know that she picks up her nephew at midday. A nephew that goes to the same school as your little sisters. Just figure out the kid's name, find the school records, and trace it back to her. Easy."

He lifted his head from the pillow and glared at Niall.

"That's illegal."

He shrugged.

"Most importantly, though, I'm awful with computers so we'd need to find someone to do it for us."

"I know a guy."

He nodded, that would be plan B, assuming they find a plan A first.

The door opened to the sound of Harry's amazing rendition of Juice, and Louis smiled unconsciously.

"Nialler, you home?"

"Living room!"

The brunette walked into the room and fist-bumped them, lifting Louis's legs so he could slide under them and sit.

"Why do you look like a kicked puppy?"

"I met the girl of my dreams but I don't know her name and have no idea how to contact her."

Unlike Niall, Harry was much more the romantic type. He believed in fate, love at first sight, and all that stupid shit in the books he read his sisters every night. It was no surprise when he gave him the most poetic, love-filled piece of advice Louis had ever heard.

"You just need to have faith, Lou. If she's the one for you then the universe will find a way to get your paths to cross again. Before you know it you'll be married with four kids and a cat, living on a little farm with a giant trampoline in your backyard."

"How did I end up with you two as my best friends? I either get a 'break into a primary school' or 'trust the universe', there is no in-between."

Niall laughed loudly and Harry patted his calves reassuringly before they heard the door open and their friends' voices echoing in the small flat.

"Hey, boys?"

"Living room!"

Liam came in with a couple of packs of beer, followed by Zayn and a third person whose footsteps he didn't recognize.

(Because yes, he'd memorized the sound of his friends' footsteps, sue him.)

"Lou, stop sulking, it's time to drink beers and be happy."

"I'm deeply sorry if my existential crisis is bothering you, Zayn, I'll try to suffer silently."

The laugh he heard made his breath hitch and his heart stutter in his chest.

He knew that laugh.

That laugh had been playing on a loop in Louis' brain for two weeks now.

He tried (read: failed miserably) to sit up naturally, though it looked a bit more forced than he wanted it to.

"Mystery Boy!"

She pointed at him with a gleeful expression on his face and if his soul hadn't left his body before, it sure had now.

"Hey."

Really? 'Hey'? That's the best he can do?

"I never caught your name."

She cocked her head to the side adorably, arm stretched over her knee from her place on the floor, leaning against the armchair.

"I never threw it."

It was stronger than him, he didn't even register his comment until she started laughing and he felt his cheeks burn up, the overwhelming sense of having fucked everything up taking over him.

"Drama majors, always clowning around."

He let out a relieved breath and smiled when she didn't seem to take any offense to it.

"You guys know each other?"

Liam, lovely Liam, looking like a confused puppy but bless his soul for asking because it made her speak and Louis loved hearing her voice so much, it sounded better than any music the world could provide.

"We've kind of met. I'm (Y/n), by the way."

(Y/n).

(Y/n), (Y/n), (Y/n).

(Y/n) Tomlinson.

That had a nice ring to it.

A really nice ring to it.

Mrs. (Y/n) Tomlinson.

Perfect.

"Usually, this is the part where you tell me your name. I can't keep referring to you as 'Mystery Boy'."

She giggled and his cheeks heated up again, though he didn't mind embarrassing himself if it earned him a laugh from her every time.

"I'm Louis. Tomlinson. Louis Tomlinson."

"Nice to formally meet you, Louis."

He smiled and thanked the sun, moon, and stars for this opportunity. Because really, there wasn't a better opportunity than this one.

She's here.

With him.

(And his friends, but who cares about them?)

And he finally knew her name.

He could ask her out.

No fear.

No time-clock.

No hesitation.

"Here's your juice, love."

"Thanks, babe."

She threw Zayn a kiss and he felt his heart break.

Oh no.

"Guys, I have to tell you about this girl I met."

Louis sat down properly on the couch so he had a clear view of Zayn's face.

"Ooh, gossip."

The younger boy swatted him before letting out a dreamy sigh.

"She's just- She's so pretty and kind, and her laugh, she has the most beautiful laugh I've ever heard. She's a psych major so she always has something interesting to say and her friends are so cool. She's... She's just perfect."

Louis's Fifth

And perfect she is.

Louis left the flat right after he realized that the girl he'd been pining over was the same girl Zayn had been seeing, muttering about homework and essays and studying or whatever.

Now here he was, working the register at Toys 'R' Us, his usually bright and genuine smile replaced by an incredibly awkward and forced one, trying not to let the heartbreak eat him alive.

"Tommo!"

His coworker came over to him.

"Switch with me, James asked to see you."

Great, and now he was probably gonna get sacked from the only job he ever liked.

He walked with a frown on his face to his manager's office and sat down on the chair, waiting for him to finish what looked like a very intense phone call about... mechanical kittens?

He hung up a couple of minutes later and turned to Louis, resting his elbows on the desk.

"Louis. Louis, Louis, Louis. D'you mind telling me why my best worker's been sulking all day?"

He shrunk down a bit on the chair, suddenly feeling very small. Toys 'R' Us is a magical place, workers are supposed to be happy all the time.

"Just... Stuff."

"It's okay to be sad, but we worry about you. I mean, some of our regular costumers asked if you were alright cause you weren't jumping and joking. Just tell me what's wrong so I can try to help."

He let out a breath and let his head fall onto the desk.

"I met this girl and she's amazing, and kind, and funny, and just overall perfect."

"So you're sulking because you met the love of your life?"

"No! I'm sulking because the love of my life is dating one of my best mates."

He froze for a while, definitely not expecting that.

"What?"

"Zayn's dating her. I found out yesterday."

Jame took a deep breath and got up from his chair so he could get closer to Louis.

"Oh no."

"Oh yes."

"Not a Jimmy Hug."

"Shut up, you deserve one right now, no matter how much you like to pretend you hate them."

When he came out of his boss's office, more relaxed and with a small smile on his face, he immediately spotted you next to the pianos.

He took his break at that moment and only returned when he saw you leave through his place in the alleyway right next to the parking lot.

Your First

You took a deep breath and tightened your grip on your nephew's hand, steeling yourself before entering the store.

"We have to get one with brown fur, just like Summer!"

You promised little Lucas that if he behaved at the doctor's you'd get him get a new plushie, a German Shepherd, just like your parents' dog.

"Okay, they've got to be here somewhere. Don't worry, we'll find you one just like it."

You looked up and down aisles, trying to find the plushies but not knowing where to look. You could hear someone playing the piano a couple of feet away and let yourself be lulled by the sound of the song, you'd always loved Tchaikovsky.

"Auntie, look, it's right there!"

Your nephew pointed at the shelves just on the other side of the piano (and the beautiful pianist standing in front of it). You let Lucas pull you towards the shelves and search carefully for the perfect plushie while you tried to not let the man get to you.

He was gorgeous. Like, model tier, plaster his face on your walls gorgeous.

And you were shy.

So you dragged the time out and mentally asked him to approach you, pouting when you realized he couldn't read your thoughts and your nephew was asking to leave.

Your Second

You speed-walked to the school, still riled up because of your class with bloody Charlton.

You wanted nothing more than to sit down on the bench, listen to your music, and people-watch until your nephew got out.

But you weren't expecting him to be there.

You were still too shy to approach him so you just took out your headphones and sat on the other side of the bench, taking out your binder and filling out a few things before purposely stopping somewhere and tapping your pen on the paper, pouting and wishing that he'd 'save you' from your boredom.

"Are you in Charlton's class?"

Bingpot!

You looked at him and were temporarily taken aback by just how blue his eyes were, but forced yourself to speak. You weren't gonna get anywhere by keeping quiet.

"Yeah, are you in his class?"

"Not anymore, I had him last year, though, he's a prick."

You huffed out a laugh and leaned back on the bench, trying to look nonchalant.

"Tell me about it, we've been talking about the Renaissance Era for two months and he still hasn't gotten to the interesting part."

"I thanked every deity imaginable that I got Natalie this year, I don't think I could do another year of that old man."

You turned to him and cocked your head.

"I've never heard of a 'Natalie' before."

That's a lie, you knew who she was, you'd even interacted with her.

"Natalie Dubois, she's a new teacher from France. Got a bit of a weird accent but she's a hell of a good teacher, and fun too, she gives us a bit more freedom, nothing like Charlton."

"What year are you?"

"Third, you?"

"Second."

He nodded and you tapped your pen against your binder.

"What're you studying?"

"Drama major, music minor."

"Very artistic."

"I live to entertain. What about you?"

"Psychology major, music minor."

"Oh, a brain doctor, I've always wondered if Psych majors could identify psychopaths from a single conversation."

You laughed at that. Usually, you hated when people were that shallow about your job but when he said it, it didn't sound shallow or mock-ish. It sounded like a legitimate concern, like those things you think of at three in the morning when you can't sleep.

You were interrupted by the school bell and cursed mentally to not have gotten here earlier so you could talk to him more. Your nephew came running towards you and two little girls followed, walking towards Louis. He looked so good with children clinging to him that you had to physically extract yourself from that situation before you said or did something embarrassing.

"It was nice talking to you, I'll see you around!"

Your Third

You walked to the music room, praying that your song notebook was left behind there. You don't know what you'd do without it. It has every single one of your creations there.

You heard someone play the piano and groaned. You were way too sleep-deprived to deal with human interaction.

But this wasn't just any human interaction now, was it? Because Mystery Boy was there.

(He's been dubbed Mystery Boy in your head since you have no idea what his actual name is.)

You stood in the doorway for a while, notebook be damned, just watching him play, then frown, then play again, and light up like a happy little puppy once he found the right melody. Until he reached a complicated part and couldn't find the right combination.

"Try a key higher, it might sound better."

He jumped a bit and you felt bad for scaring him, but the way he blushed after was cute. He didn't answer, just did as you advised and smiled once he found that it sounded like he wanted it to.

"Thanks."

"You're welcome."

You smiled and the blush on his face was entirely too adorable and you went from table to table, pretending you didn't remember exactly where you were sitting that morning just so you could spend a bit longer than necessary in his presence.

"How're classes with Charlton going? Still a prick?"

"The day that man stops being a prick, angels will be falling from the sky."

You couldn't stall anymore, it would just be awkward at this point.

"A-ha!"

You showed off your journal before putting it back in your bag and going down the stairs of the auditorium so you could stand right next to him.

Deciding to be subtle but a little more daring than usual, you stood next to him, shoulders grazing while you read the words on his journal.

He smelled heavenly, like cologne and deodorant, and something that had to be entirely him. You wanted to bury yourself in that scent.

"That's a beautiful song, you're very talented."

You'd never get tired of watching him blush.

"Thanks."

You heard him take a deep breath just as your eyes went to the clock and you remembered your doctor's appointment with Lucas, he had to get the second dose for his shots and you were the only one who could get him to quiet down.

"Hey, I was wondering-"

"Shit!"

You got up in a flash and took the backpack from where you had put it down next to the seat.

"I'm gonna be late for my appointment but hold that thought 'til we meet again?"

He answered a small yes and you dashed out of the room.

Your Fourth

You followed Zayn to his friend's flat off-campus. You had met him a couple of months ago through Gigi, your best friend. Those two had been flirting for ages and it honestly made you sick, but Zayn was an easy-going person and you got along great, so when you mentioned that you had plans of getting drunk alone tonight, he offered to take you to his friend's house so you could get drunk with some company.

You entered the flat with Zayn and who you now knew to be Liam, saying hello to the two men in the room and tilting your head in questioning at the man lying face down on the couch.

"Lou, stop sulking, it's time to drink beers and be happy."

"I'm deeply sorry if my existential crisis is bothering you, Zayn, I'll try to suffer silently."

You couldn't stop the laugh bubbling from your chest as you sat down next to the armrest.

He sat up way too quickly to be safe and you smiled brightly once you realized who it was.

"Mystery Boy!"

It was fate, it had to be. This was the universe's way of telling you that you belonged together.

"Hey."

You giggled at his awkward greeting.

"I never caught your name."

"I never threw it."

You started laughing at his sassiness. If you weren't completely smitten before you sure were now.

"Drama majors, always clowning around."

"You guys know each other?"

Liam asked and you jumped into an explanation.

"We've kind of met. I'm (Y/n), by the way."

He said nothing for a couple of seconds and you worried you were being too forward.

"Usually, this is the part where you tell me your name. I can't keep referring to you as 'Mystery Boy'."

He blushed again, he seemed to be doing that a lot and you wondered if that was as unusual for him as it was for you to be this confident.

"I'm Louis. Tomlinson. Louis Tomlinson."

(Y/n) Tomlinson.

That had a nice ring to it.

A really nice ring to it.

Mrs. (Y/n) Tomlinson.

Perfect.

"Nice to formally meet you, Louis."

He smiled and you wanted to yell at the sun to hide because it was stopping you from seeing the true brightness of Louis's eyes.

"Here's your juice, love."

"Thanks, babe."

You threw Zayn a kiss and he rolled his eyes, already used to the fact that you were kind of nickname-addicted and very endearing.

And also kind of drunk, which is why he brought you the juice.

On second thought, that might be why you were being this confident.

You thought everything was going well, but as suddenly as it started, the object of your affection was out the door, muttering about appointments, or homework, or something you didn't understand, but that sure made you frown for the rest of the evening.

Your Fifth

You walked into Toys 'R' Us for two reasons that day. 

The first is to get your nephew a birthday present.

The second is to (hopefully) see Louis.

You wanted to talk to him, the way he left the flat was strange, so you took advantage of the fact that you needed to get something from the store to try and see him.

You saw him go to the back as soon as you got here and decided to wait a bit for him to come back, looking at everything slower than you needed even though you knew exactly what to get. After fifteen minutes, you were pretty sure he wasn't going to come back. Maybe his shift ended already? 

You took your present and left the store, looking around to see if you found him, to no avail.

The One

You marched to the door with only one goal in mind: ask Louis Tomlinson out on a date. It's been a week of him ignoring you, running away as soon as he saw you, barely answering your greetings and you were more than done. 

If he wanted to turn you down, then it at least he would do it to your face, none of this ghosting nonsense. You don't want to spend the rest of your life thinking what might have been if you'd just reached out.

So, you talked to Niall, who gave you Louis's address and his schedule. You knew he was home and he had no way to escape you. He was babysitting his sisters, after all, so there was no way he could just run away.

You rang the doorbell and nervously wrang your hands in front of you, taking deep breaths and mentally going over what you wanted to say.

"I'll be right there! No, Daisy!"

His voice rang through the door and you smiled fondly at the sound, imagining him taking care of his sisters did something to you for some reason.

"Hi, sorry for the-"

He froze when he saw you, eyes going wide and mouth hanging open.

"Hi."

You said, and that seemed to bring him out of his stupor.

"(Y/n)."

"Yep."

"(Y/n)."

It seemed like he couldn't quite believe you were here.

"That's my name. Don't wear it out, though."

He shook his head and started stuttering his way through a response, trying to ask what you were doing here, at his house.

"Um, Niall told me where you lived. I had something I wanted to ask you."

When he didn't answer, you went for it.

"So, um, you've kind of been avoiding me lately which is quite unfortunate because I happen to like you... a lot... and so I-"

"Does Zayn know that?"

You were cut off in the middle of your rant and tilted your head confusingly at him.

"What?"

"Does Zayn know you 'like me a lot'?"

He looked angry, jaw clenched shut and arms crossed in front of his chest, which was no help to the attraction you felt towards him, that shirt did wonders for his biceps.

"Why should Zayn know about it?"

"Well, he's your boyfriend after all."

Wait, what?

"Well if he's my boyfriend then I should probably let Gigi know he's cheating."

He seemed to blanch at that.

"Gigi."

"Yeah. Gigi. You know, the girl he's been pining over since the beginning of the semester, they got together officially two weeks ago."

Only his sisters' voices could be heard.

"Oh."

"Yeah."

"So, um... you and Zayn... you're not..."

"Together? No."

You laughed and tucked a strand of hair behind your ear nervously.

"Would you like to go on a date with me?"

You snapped your head up and grinned devilishly.

"I believe I asked you first."

He laughed and took a step forward.

"Then I will most certainly go out with you, as long as you let me pay. Take it as an apology for how stupid I was."

"I guess that could be arranged."

He was so close you could smell his cologne. Still so, so tasty. Still so, so wonderful.

"Do I have to wait until the end of our first date to kiss you?"

"I think you've done enough waiting already."

"I think so too."

And he kissed you.

And you were happy.

here it is babes! finally out!

i hope you liked it and if you do, don’t forget to comment, reblog, like and stuff

have a nice day/morning/afternoon/night/whatever

-Love, Libby

«────── « ⋅ʚ♡ɞ⋅ » ──────»

Taglists: (if your name is striked through it means for some reason tumblr wouldn’t let me tag you) 

PERMA TAG 

@jeezkiddo​ @beananacake​ @yoinkyourheart​ @averyfosterthoughts​ @onebigolemess​ @samoney69​ @agirlwithpointlessideas​ @ddaawwssoonn​ @inhumanwithpowers​ @imagineshere-forall​ @stiles-banshees​ @orowit​ @spideynut​ @deathofmissjackson​ @parkersbliss​ @ephemeral-limerences​ @write-from-the-heart​ @cardboard-ben​ @my-alignment-is-bisexual @mendes-marvel​ @shawnsnovel @inthecornerchair​ @lovelynerdytraveler​ @niallssweetheart22​ @incorrect-things​ @lost-in-the-stars03​ @harishaanne​ 

ACTORS/RPF TAG 

@bubblegumbarnes​ @sofiaconlaz​ @hyluas 

ONE DIRECTION 

@hhighlydisfunctional1  

#libby writes #libbys stuff #louis tomlinson #louis 1d #louis tomlinson x reader #louis tomlinson imagine #louis tomlinson fluff #liam 1d #liam payne #niall horan #niall 1d #harry 1d #harry styles #zayn mailk #zayn 1d #gigi hadid #university au #uni au #non-famous au #1d #oneshot #one direction #1d reunion #kiss you #infinity #18

[okaynicolette]

Lunch Between Friends - Liam x Jacob

Jacob pulled up to the lunch restaurant, unsure if he had the right place or not. It seemed rather crowded and also rather pink. After he found parking, which was not an easy task due to the Saturday brunch crowd of locals and tourists alike, he checked his messages from Liam again. Yep, this was indeed the right place. Jacob sighed, why couldn’t Liam be happy with just meeting up at a more adult restaurant, rather than something he read about in some food blog, he thought rather discontentedly. Walking to the front of the restaurant, which had bright pink umbrellas shading the sidewalk tables, he saw Liam leaning up against the gold and black painted wall (which was no doubt intended to be a tourist photo op). Jacob gave a light wave to his friend as he walked up, hoping that Liam was actually looking at him behind the dark aviator sunglasses he donned.

Liam arrived early to put his name down, knowing that this restaurant would be crowded at this time of day. It was a popular brunch and burger spot in Venice Beach and it was constantly full of trendy LA millennials– so of course, Liam loved it. Though it was a Saturday, he couldn’t help but check his work email while he waited for Jacob to arrive. He didn’t become one of the most sought after CFPs at his firm by taking weekends off, after all. Just as he sent one final email, he looked up and noticed Jacob walking towards him. Liam gave a head nod of greetings and said, “I put our name in with the host about 20 minutes ago, should be any time now.”

Jacob was thankful that Liam arrived early to put their name in– neither of them were very patient people, but Liam tended to be the more proactive one. Jacob would likely just suffer and complain. The two of them were roommates at USC for the last two years of school, so they knew each other very well. Nowadays, they tried to hang out as often as they could, but things got difficult since Jacob got his girlfriend pregnant right after his graduation. Liam was finishing school then climbing the corporate ladder at his job, while Jacob was learning how to be a father. Liam did his best to be a good uncle though, and Jacob was glad for that as an only child himself– his son, Isaiah, loved his Uncle Liam. From the time Isaiah was born until he was around six, Jacob and Isaiah’s mom, Aidy, lived together and had a fairly normal life. That was until about a year ago. Out of the blue, Aidy decided that she was disappointed she missed out on so much of her life and needed to “experience more”, which was apparently code for “sleep with other people”. They did their best, tried counseling for a few months, but eventually decided to go their separate ways. Jacob originally thought it would be easy because they weren’t married, but they both wanted full custody of Isaiah. The custody battle dragged on for months, when finally, in January, the court decided that they would have joint custody, with Isaiah going back and forth every two weeks. Jacob wasn’t taking it very well, though he tried to put on a good face for his son. He was grateful when Liam called to invite him on a spur of the moment trip, because it felt a little bit like old times.

Moments later, the host called to seat them and they headed into the restaurant. The inside carried the same millennial aesthetic as the outside with mismatched colorful vintage furniture and gold mirrors and picture frames lining the walls.  Jacob found quiet solace in the fact that Liam had good taste in food, which meant this whole Instagram-trap might be worth it. Once they were seated, Liam asked, “So did you book your flights?” He rarely beat around the bush, especially when he was nervous or eager. Something in his tone told Jacob that it was a bit of both.

“Yeah, I got them for the dates you told me and let Aidy know– not that she cared very much since it doesn’t affect her or Isaiah,” Jacob replied, unintentionally sounding bitter at the end of the statement. He was bitter, but he didn’t like showing it, even if it was just to Liam. “So, are we wedding crashing?” He asked before picking up the menu to try and find a decent lunch.

Liam laughed, idly skimming the offerings, even though he had already checked and double checked the menu before even deciding that this was the place they would be eating at. “I don’t know yet. I told you, it’s going to be a surprise for Nik– she doesn’t know I’m coming at all,” he replied, with a facade of excitement. Inside, he was beginning to worry about whether or not this was a good idea. Hoping that Jacob would have good advice, he asked, “Do you think I should tell her? I mean, I’m trying to be romantic and all that.”

Jacob was trying to read through the very long burger menu and make a decision about lunch, but everything sounded amazing since he accidentally skipped breakfast. “I mean if you want to be romantic, then showing up to surprise her at her best friend’s wedding is definitely that. It sounds like a fucking rom-com, for god’s sake,” he said, barely looking up. In all honesty, Jacob felt like the last person who should be giving advice on that sort of thing. He had been with one woman seriously for the last seven years and she had all but shattered his heart.

Liam sighed, setting down his menu. It was rare for him to let his guard down, but Jacob had seen him at his worst, so there was no image to uphold. “My friend from work, Riley, said that Maids of Honor usually have a lot of responsibilities. Do you think I’ll just be distracting her? Oh, and also the bride thinks I’m a dick, so that’s not great either,” he said, rather frustratedly.

Jacob decided on his food and set down his menu to face his friend. “Well I don’t know very much about weddings,” he began, again subtly playing the sad-heartbroken card, “but, like I said– it sounds like a rom-com. I’m sure she’ll appreciate the grand gesture and it’ll be fine. Also, you didn’t tell me Nikki’s best friend doesn’t like you!” He laughed a little bit, giving Liam a hard time. His attitude did rub people the wrong way sometimes, but that usually just meant they hadn’t taken the time to get to know him well.

Liam rolled his eyes as the waitress arrived to take their orders. Once she took their menus and left, he began, “She thinks I’m too showy or something. I get it, but like– she hated me from the jump, so what am I supposed to do?” He shrugged.

Jacob smirked, “Lease a Subaru, move to Arcadia, and become a high school guidance counselor, obviously.” The sarcastic response elicited a genuine laugh from both men. “Kidding, but who knows– This trip might show her friend that you’re serious about the relationship and she’ll get off your back,” he nodded, optimistically as the waitress dropped off their drinks.

“Damn, I never even thought of that,” said Liam pensively, realizing that Jacob had made a very good point. He was now somewhat reassured in his plan to go on the trip. “So how are you doing, man? I know these past few months have been shit,” he said somberly, genuinely feeling for his friend. Though Liam didn’t have any desires to be a father in the near future, he did love Isaiah like a real nephew, and was really disappointed to see how things turned out. He had even helped Jacob get a lawyer through his parents, but it was no use.

Jacob raised his eyebrows and sighed before responding. “It’s fucking lonely, dude. Like how do people our age even meet other people? I’ve gone out a few times with people from work, but bars and clubs… I’m just so not used to that scene anymore,” he shook his head and took a sip of his drink.

“Have you tried dating apps?” Liam asked, unsure of what to say to his grieving friend. Emotions weren’t his strong suit, but he was trying his best.

“If one more person asks me that, I think I’ll explode on the spot.” Liam said sharply. Just that morning, his mother had asked the same thing over the phone. Apparently it was time for him to get back out there again, or something.

Liam raised his hands up in mock defeat. “Alright, so no dating apps,” he resigned. “Well, weddings are a great place to meet people. Who knows– maybe we do score some invites and you meet someone there!” He said, trying to cheer his friend up. Just then, the waitress brought by their meals and topped up their drinks. “And if you don’t meet anyone, then I can always take you out. If you want to, that is,” he nodded, unfolding his napkin and setting it on his lap.

“I don’t feel a particular need to meet anyone, has anyone ever considered that?” Jacob muttered, following Liam’s lead and placing his napkin on his lap.

“You just said you were lonely, J. Even if it’s just a friend you meet, that would help! I know you have me, but it would be nice to have other people you can lean on right now and whenever, you know?” Liam explained before beginning to eat.

“I have friends!” Jacob said incredulously. “I have… Aidy?” He offered sheepishly, realizing that his social circle had been pretty nonexistent these days.

“Your baby-mama who you just got out of a five-month-long custody battle with? That’s your other friend? You might need this trip more than me, dude.” He chuckled and shook his head as he took another bite.

“Ew, God. Don’t call her that.” Jacob rolled his eyes, “But fine. I guess I do need to get out more. This trip will be good for that. And even if Nikki is super busy, the two of us can still go out and stuff, right?”

“Yeah, of course! It’ll be like a revival of the good old days– an Apartment 121 Renaissance!” Liam said excitedly, lifting his glass as if making a toast. Jacob laughed and lifted his glass to touch his friend’s. Their glasses clinked and Jacob felt slightly less hopeless than he had while he was driving in.

#para #liam x jacob

[thecloserkin]

book review: E.L. Konigsburg, From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frakenweiler (1967)

Genre: children’s literature

Is it the main pairing: yes

Is it canon: n/a

Is it explicit: n/a

Is it endgame: n/a

Is it shippable: yes

Bottom line: ‘sup i’m here to retroactively ruin your childhoods by excavating aaaaallll the incestuous subtext

“Two middle schoolers run away to New York City and live in the Metropolitan Museum of Art for a week” is a premise that would never fly in our present surveillance panopticon. It works just fine in the sixties though! This is a well-nigh perfect book and I didn’t reread it on account of the incest subtext, but once I had reread it it was impossible not to ship (and when I say ship I mean aged-up characters since these are prepubescent). Elder sister Claudia is a dreamer. Little brother Jamie is practical to a fault. They complement each other like peanut butter and jelly. Here is a typical exchange between them:

”But if we make a real discovery, I’ll know how to go back to Greenwich.” “You take the New Haven, silly. Same way as we got here.” “That’s not what I meant. I want to know how to go back to Greenwich different.” “You can take a subway to 125th Street and then take the train.”

Amazing, right? Initially she’s trying to Prove a Point by running away because she feels under-appreciated at home—props to E.L. Konigsburg who was unabashedly out here agitating for Eldest Daughter Rights:

Claudia was the oldest child and only girl and was subject to a lot of injustice.

Of all her brothers she picks Jamie to accompany her because he’s got the most money squirreled away. That moment when she singles him out still kills me:

Claudia sighed, “I don’t want Steve. Steve is one of the things in my life that I’m running away from. I want you.”

I DON’T WANT STEVE I WANT YOU. If we flash forward to halfway through the novel, by which time a period of sustained teamwork has forged Claudia and Jamie into a single unit:

What happened was: they became a team, a family of two … You might call it caring. You might even call it love. And it is very rarely, indeed, that it happens to two people at the same time—especially a brother and sister who had always spent more time with activities than they had with each other.

This passage establishes conclusively that Claudia and Jamie weren’t especially close before they ran away from home, that this adventure has changed them, and isn’t that what falling in love is, stripped down to the very kernel of its essence? You undergo a transformation. Which is why I’m arguing for a submerged courtship-and-marriage narrative beneath the surface narrative of “kids just want to have autonomy and be taken seriously” (it’s still a superb book even if you just read it on that level though!!! you don’t have to be wearing shipper goggles to enjoy it).

One of the great joys of this book is Jamie’s deadpan humor. This is him after Claudia explains they’ll be stashing a few changes of clothes in their empty instrument cases:

“All in a trumpet case? I should have taken up the bass fiddle.”

Claudia plans their getaway in excruciating detail, and from start to finish it goes off without a hitch—although when she told him to “destroy” the note she wrote, she probably didn’t expect him to swallow it lmao. Watching Jamie be dramatic is fun because he never does it out of an excess of feeling, he does it out of an excess of caution (later on he nearly batters a door down because he’s convinced Claudia is slitting her wrists in the bathtub). Jamie’s sense of humor is most effective when Claudia and Jamie are bickering like an old married couple:

”How come you didn’t take art appreciation lessons with me the summer before last?” “Well, the summer before last I had just finished first grade…It was all I could do to sound out the name of Dick and Jane’s dog.”

Let’s just take a minute to appreciate how on-point this sibling banter is. They find a candy bar on the floor, still sealed in its wrapper:

Claudia: ”Was it bitten into?”

Jamie: “No. Want half?”

Claudia: “You better not touch it, it’s probably poisoned or filled with marijuana.”

Here’s when he picked which wing of the museum to visit with the express aim of boring her:

Many painters of the Renaissance had painted huge billowy, bosomy naked ladies. She was amazed at Jamie; she thought he was too young for that. He was. She never even considered the possibility that he wanted her to be bored.

Tfw when your dumbass younger sibling does something that makes you want to throttle them:

It caused Claudia to want to embalm Jamie in a vat of mummy fluid right that minute. That would teach him inconspicuous.

Among the shenanigans they get up to while living at the Met, the time when these two INVENTED TELEPATHY to avoid getting busted by museum security has got to take the motherfucking cake. Runner-up is the fact they call each other “Sir James” and “Lady Claudia” on the way to the commissary to purchase potato chips for dinner. Then there’s the iconic bathing-in-the-wishing-fountain scene—it’s the next best thing to sharing a bath right? If this were a romance novel there would come the pivotal moment when feelings are confessed to and this is it:

”I didn’t run away to come home the same.” “Well, this has been more fun than camp. Even the food’s been better.” “But Jamie, it’s not enough.” “Yeah, I know it’s not enough. I’m hungry all the time.” “I mean the difference is not enough. Like being born with perfect pitch…or getting the Academy Award. Those are differences that will last a lifetime.” ”I think you’re different already, Claude.” “Do you?” “Yes. We’re all sane, you’re insane.” “James Kincaid!” “Ok ok I’m insane, too. I’ll go along with you.”

Note that Jamie does not disavow his prior claim—Claudia is insane, no two ways about it—but he’s willing to throw in the towel on the whole “being sane” project merely to keep her company. If that isn’t true love I don’t know what is. I just. Can’t get over how they are SO MARRIED and know each other SO WELL:

”You know, Claude, when I’m not wishing I could give you a sock right in the nose, I’m glad you’re on my team. You’re smart even if you’re hard to live with.”

”Jamie, you know, you could go clear around the world and still come home wondering if the tuna fish sandwiches at Chock Full O’Nuts still cost thirty-five cents.”

”You’re never satisfied, Claude. If you get all A’s, you wonder where are the pluses. You start out just running away, and you end up wanting to know everything.”

Yes, Claude is his pet nickname for her and he kind of employs it to annoy her but at the same time, nobody else calls her that do they?? He’s the only one. Just like he’s the only one who gets her. ”We’re the only two people in the whole world who live with it,” says Jamie, referring to a new exhibit they’ve grown attached to, but he could just have easily been referring to this entire scheme of Claudia’s that landed them in the museum in the first place.

SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS

The mystery of the new exhibit, a cupid statue of uncertain provenance, eventually drives the kids to call on the eccentric old lady who donated it from her own personal collection, the eponymous Mrs. Frankeweiler. But first a word about why Claudia is so bloody-minded about getting the dirt on this statue, which may or may not have been carved by Michelangelo. “Finding a secret can make everything else unimportant,” and Claudia is above all someone who relishes the hoarding of secrets. Discovering proof of the statue’s authenticity would enable her to go home the same on the outside but profoundly changed on the inside. If we’re diagramming this story Claudia’s lowest point is definitely when their funds are nearly depleted and they’ve exhausted every avenue of inquiry wrt the statue:

Jamie let her cry for a while. He sat there and fidgeted and counted the number of benches. She still cried; he counted the number of people on the benches. She was still at it; he calculated the number of people per bench.

So Jamie is absolutely useless at dealing with her emotional outburst but he readily acquiesces to spending the last of their money on a taxi to Mrs. Frankenweiler’s house. This is kind of a big deal for Jamie, considering we have him on record saying this:

”I haven’t been a tightwad all my life, have I?” “As long as I’ve known you.” “Well, you’ve known me as long as I’ve known me.”

That’s the sound of me screeching loud enough to bring down the roof. First of all did you notice that for Jamie “being alive” is synonymous with “knowing Claudia”!!! Second, he’s been vetoing Claudia’s motions to take taxis instead of buses/trains for …the entire book up to this point!!! And he says yes to this hail-mary pass in the form of Mrs. Frankenweiler because he knows Claudia needs the truth more than he needs the money. He goes along with it to please her, even if it goes against his most basic instincts. And that’s Jamie Kincaid in a nutshell: he’ll follow his sister anywhere.

The reason I want to dwell on Claudia’s fetish for keeping secrets is because it strongly supports my “submerged romance narrative” reading of the novel:

Claudia doesn’t want adventure. She likes baths and feeling comfortable too much for that kind of thing. Secrets are the kind of adventure she needs … That was why planning the runaway had been such fun; it was a secret. And hiding in the museum had been a secret. But they weren’t permanent.

YOU KNOW WHAT WOULD BE A PERMANENT, falling in love with your brother now there’s a secret you’d have to no choice but to take to your grave JUST SAYIN CLAUDIA. Like, yes they figure out the “truth” about the stupid statue but it’s the way they figure it out that matters, it’s Jamie inadvertently supplying the missing piece of the puzzle because as smart as Claudia is, as much as she’s 100% in the driver’s seat of this marriage partnership she couldn’t have done it without him. And the way it ends!! So open-ended!! So much scope for shipping!!! They resolve to adopt this lonely old lady since they’ve lost their own grandma(s), and to take day trips to visit her, and to keep any future visits secret from their parents too. What I love about Mrs. Frankenweiler as a character is that she’s the friend that Claudia and Jamie both desperately need. It’s instantly obvious why her and Claudia are kindred spirits; she susses out Claudia’s motives with little trouble:

”Because you found that running away from home didn’t make a real difference? You were still the same Greenwich Claudia, planning and washing and keeping things in order?”

What’s less immediately obvious is why Mrs. Frankeweiler and Jamie would get along like a house on fire:

”You won it at cards?” I could see the admiration grow in Jamie’s eyes.

Jamie, an inveterate cardsharp, is duly impressed. Mrs. Frankenweiler displays wily strategic thinking by extracting information from Jamie while Claudia’s in the bath, which devastates Claudia because she knows information is the only coin they possess to bargain with, but poor Jamie is like IN MY DEFENSE I HAVEN’T TALKED TO ANYONE ELSE FOR A WEEK AND I FORGOT HOW TO KEEP A SECRET. This is so sweet that these kids have not spoken above three sentences to another soul since they ran away from home. Their unplanned sleepover at Mrs. Frankenweiler’s also yields the funniest exchange in the entire fucking book, which goes like this:

Claudia wanted very much to let us know that she was annoyed and why. She acted cool. I pretended I didn’t notice. Jamie didn’t pretend; he simply did not notice.

“I’ll skip the soup,” Claudia announced.

“It’s good,” Jamie said. “Sure you don’t want to try it?”

I am DEAD and GONE. Claudia is subtly snubbing Mrs. Frankenweiler, but subtlety simply does not register for Jamie who operates entirely on a surface-meaning level. So he does what he does best (other than cheating at cards) which is urge Claudia to eat delicious food. He’s constantly thinking about food and whining about how hungry he is. But here he’s coming from a place of “this soup is lit, I care about Claudia so I want her to enjoy it too.” I love this scene sfm because it’s a harbinger of their future: Jamie’s totally the type to walk around obliviously in love with Claudia because as we’ve established he’s incapable of ascribing non-literal meanings to things, and she’ll have to clobber him over the head with the truth and it will be glorious. For those of us who ship incest because we like the idea of “secret” knowledge or a “hidden” text that only we have access to, this is it: This book is pretty much perfect.

While we’re here allow me to rec this pitch-perfect futurefic (11k words) chronicling Claudia and Jamie’s further adventures after they go home. It’s not shipfic but it’s startlingly in-character—even the authorial voice reads like Konigsburg’s—and since canon itself is a trove of shippy content, i’m a happy customer. This is Jamie’s BFF Bruce (the one he regularly cheats at cards): “Look, Jamie, am I your best friend or not? Or is it your stupid sister?” “SHE’S NOT STUPID!”

#book review #e.l. konigsburg #mixed up files

[ghiblichallengesims4]

STUDIO GHIBLI CHALLENGE

Generation One: Kiki’s Delivery Service (Berrified Color: Cherry Red)

You’ve spent your entire life living in the countryside and crave the energy of a bustling city. The catch is that the big city is expensive, and you’ve only got the clothes on your back and your beloved cat. How will this work out?! Maybe that weird kid you keep running into could help you out…

Traits: Ambitious (roll/pick rest)

Aspiration: City Native

Start in San Myshuno

You must live in a studio apartment with three negative lot traits, and you cannot move or change said lot traits. Any positive lot traits are banned.

You must start with a cat in your household

Max your cooking, baking, and handiness skills

Attend all city festivals, and I do mean all of them, unless something more important (I.E. work/parenting) gets in the way.

You can have two kids maximum.

Generation Two: Whisper of the Heart (Berrified Color: Yellow)

Living in the city isn’t for everyone. Growing up in a horrible studio apartment has made you pretty jaded, but hey, your writing skills are amazing!

Now if only that stupid jerk would leave you alone…

Traits: Creative, Gloomy (roll/pick rest)

Aspiration: Bestselling Author

Stay in San Myshuno, but you can move if you wish.

Max your writing, violin, and cooking skills

Marry someone who you start out having a poor relationship with, but repair said relationship with.

Max out writer career

Have at least one child, three maximum.

Generation Three: Spirited Away (Berrified Color: White or  Light Grey)

Oh no, a family vacation went terribly wrong, and you’ve been separated from your family, and you’re trapped in…well, whatever this place is. Maybe if you work for this grouchy old lady, you can go home?

Traits: Good (roll/pick rest)

Aspiration: Soulmate

Move to Forgotten Hollow as a child, and live with a family of vampires.

Do not contact your family in San Myshuno until you’re a young adult

Change your name when you move to Forgotten Hollow, and if you remember your heir’s original name off the top of your head without writing it down, looking it up on your blog, or from any mnemonic devices, you can return to San Myshuno!

However, if you CAN’T remember your heir’s original name, you must transform them into a vampire and keep them in Forgotten Hollow.

Max your handiness, cooking, gardening, and vampire lore skills.

Marry the vampire closest to your age (who you may or may not have had an encounter with when you were younger…) once you become a young adult.

Must have at least four children, all of whom are vampires.

Generation Four: Ponyo (Berrified Color: Fuchsia)

You’re not quite human, but you wish with all your heart that you were! Your rebellious spirit led you to a seaside town, and possibly to the love of your life. Hopefully your parents won’t follow you…

Traits: Self-Assured, Childish (roll/pick rest)

Aspiration: Friend of the World

Move to Brindleton Bay.

Cure your vampirism!

Marry the first (single) person you meet in your new town, but only after you really get to know them.

Max your cooking, charisma, mischief, and gardening skills.

Your spouse must master the fishing skill.

You can only have three children. No more, no less.

Generation Five: From Up on Poppy Hill (Berrified Color: Ocean Blue)

One of your parents died when you were young, which has always weighed on you. You hope that if you keep raising the flags every morning, they’ll come home. Doing this on top of taking care of your siblings and your grandparents’ bed and breakfast running is taking its toll on you.

Will your life ever become interesting?

Traits: Family-Oriented (pick/roll rest)

Aspiration: Super Parent

Stay in Brindleton Bay.

Max your parenting, cooking, gardening, handiness, and fishing skills.

Have at least 8 sims in your household, and have the majority of them not be related to you.

Join/form a club in high school, and work for it to succeed. (For bonus points, build a grungy old clubhouse and fix it up as the club gets more successful!)

Marry someone you meet in high school who has similar genetics to you, but isn’t related by blood.

Have at least two kids, but more than two are encouraged!

Generation Six: Arrietty (Berrified Color: Light Green)

The world is a mysterious place, do you think you know all of its secrets just yet?

Traits: Kleptomaniac (pick/roll rest)

Aspiration: The Curator

Adopt a very fat cat.

Attend every flea market that happens during this generation and buy at least five things every time.

Find every possible collectible in the game.

Steal at least 10,000 Simoleans’ worth of goods from your neighbors’ homes.

Buy the most expensive dollhouse in the game at the beginning of the generation, and do not sell it until the generation is over.

Max your handiness, cooking, and mischief skills.

For bonus points, use cheats to scale down your sims and their objects!

Have two children. No more, no less. This will make sense in the next generation.

Generation Seven: My Neighbor Totoro (Berrified Color: Dark Grey)

You’ve been living in harmony with nature for almost four generations now, but there’s still secrets hiding around every corner!

Traits: Childish (pick/roll rest)

Aspiration: Freelance Botanist

Max your gardening, mischief, and cooking skills.

Grow every plant in the game.

Discover all secret worlds.

Have one of the two children this generation “go missing” by having them move out for at least a week, and do not contact them. If you find them on a community lot, you’ve “found” them and can add them back into the household!

Have at least two children.

Generation Eight: Princess Mononoke (Berrified Color: Dark Red)

Your family hasn’t split up much, for good reason. After a terrible curse comes over you, you have to go out on your own to save yourself and your entire family.

Traits: Self-Assured, Athletic (pick/roll rest)

Aspiration: Outdoor Enthusiast

Move out of your family home to the neighborhood of your choosing (NOT San Myshuno, though)

Max your herbalism, logic, and handiness skills.

Travel to Granite Falls at least five times, and meet your spouse there.

Discover the secret neighborhood in Granite Falls

Have your spouse max out their painting skill, and reach the top of the painter career.

Adopt two large wolf-like dogs.

Have at least one child.

Generation Nine: Castle in the Sky (Berrified Color: Peach)

Life is good. You’ve got a decent job, and your family is out of the woods from all that “supernatural” stuff. It can’t exist, right?

RIGHT?!

Traits: Loner, Ambitious (roll/pick rest)

Aspiration: Nerd Brain

Max your handiness, logic, and cooking skills.

Move back to San Myshuno, and live in the same crappy apartment the founder lived in, but it’s become much more worn down over the years. (If possible, add the “Needs TLC” trait to it.)

Stay below level 5 at your job.

Meet a sim at a festival who seems to be normal, but has…something very strange about them. This is your spouse.

Have at least five children. The youngest is your heir.

Generation Ten: Howl’s Moving Castle (Berrified Color: Orange)

Tacky hat shops; they’re the thing that everyone takes for granted. You’ve lived in San Myshuno for your whole life, and you’ve taken the back seat to your older, “prettier” siblings.There’s talk about a wizard living on the edge of town, but that’s just hogwash, isn’t it?

…Wait, did someone just come in the front door? Didn’t you lock that a few minutes ago?

Traits: Creative, Family Oriented, Dog Lover

Aspiration: Renaissance Sim

Buy a business and convert it into a “tacky” hat shop.

Change your heir into an elder once they age up to YA, then age them backwards until they reach teen. (I.E. When they’re within a few days of dying of old age, change them to an adult. Then when they’re about to age up to an elder again, change them to a young adult, and so on. Once they age “down” to a teen, let them age naturally again.)

Adopt an “ugly” small dog.

Have an unrelated child live in your household, and move them out once they age up to YA.

Have an unrelated old woman live in your household until she dies.

Marry a “wizard” who you start the generation with a poor relationship with.

Max your painting, woodworking, and cooking skills.

Have a child after becoming a YA naturally.

Once your last child becomes a YA, you complete the challenge!

Created By: @ssoulpeace 

#Studio Ghibli #Sims4 #Ts4 #Ts4 Challenges #Theglowworm2008 #studioghiblichallenge

[glorioustrainwreckmom-blog]

Excerpt from "Platitudes of Gratitude" releasing March 20 Day 8 - What place are you grateful for? They’re all asleep. The girls are all home including Dannie who’s on Thanksgiving break. Hayhay is off next week. I homeschhool the Bunny so the only day off she gets is Thanksgiving. Even then cooking is learning so you better believe I'll have her in the kitchen working. She'll make rolls, mashed potatoes, cranberry relish with orange garnish, and a turducken. Learning never stops. I have a feeling the girls will stay with the others when Thanksgiving actually rolls around. I have mixed feelings on that. I’ve always tried to keep some form of relationship between Bunny and the Ex going. I just don’t see how her staying in the house by herself will help that. I suppose Hayhay’s mom may be working nights and home during the day, but the lady has to sleep sometime. There’s another reason I think; it may be I actually enjoy my children and like having them home with me. Don’t get me wrong, we definitely have moments of, “Oh my Gods, I’m going to duct tape you to the ceiling fan, turn it on high speed, and use you as a pinata.” One day my girls were arguing, screaming, and bordering on World War 3. Short Blonde Daughter had taken (borrowed is what she called it) Tall Brunette Daughter's favorite shirt. She had committed the most egregious error against a sibling ever recorded: taking without asking. "What do you want me to do about it?" I asked. "Can you get a firing squad?" "No. That's a bit extreme, don't you think?" "No, it's totally reasonable. Besides, you'll want worse when you see what she did to your skirt?" "Whoa, wait, what did she do to my skirt?" "Go look." Five minutes later I was holding the shreds of my favorite gauze skirt in one hand and dialing my Uncle Joey from Philly with the other. Plane tickets were too expensive for Skinny Joey, Fat Tony, and Johnny Toothpick. Joey Bagodonuts couldn't get time off at the cleaners. I love my kids. I hate when they’re not here, and I wish I could spend more time with them that wasn’t always brush your teeth, do your homework. No, you can’t get your nose pierced, stop painting the cats, put down the blowtorch, that's not how we make s'mores. I think it might be the reason we Love Walt Disney World so much. Our trip to Disney World in May 2014 was the first time we all felt like a family. I put tremendous care into the planning of this trip. I researched how to travel with a seven month old baby. The answer always came back the same. You don't. I looked into car games and portable snacks that wont make a mess. I made a Pinterest board with all these Martha Stewart-esque ideas. I went to the dollar store and bought games and tubs to keep snacks in. Everything looked so perfect once it was all set up and packed, then we got in the truck. We didn’t argue, much, or fight or yell. Every ten miles would I have to turn and tell someone to stop touching her, stop eating her snacks, stop using her markers, stop breathing her air, or stop looking out her window. The baby was the best behaved out of them all. Take that, Facebook mom groups. We lived, laughed, and loved on the way down. This was no easy feat fitting all six of us (one in a rear facing carseat) in a pickup truck. Yes, they say it seats six. What they don't tell you is don't expect to be able to cross your legs, take a deep breath, or turn your head without intruding on someone's personal space. Don't even get me started about the smell. Oh my gosh, I swear these children were eating dead skunks and beans at the rest stops. That is the only excuse for the smell and sounds emitted from their rear ends. "Babe, did we hit a family of skunks?" "No, I think Tall Brunette Daughter's butt exploded." "No way, it wasn't me." We must have picked up a new child. His name was "Not Me." Not me was responsible for every noxious odor released in that vehicle. He was also responsible for snoring, spilled drinks, and kicking my seat from Tennessee to Georgia. And speaking of rest stops, I think we must have visited one every twenty miles. Small Blonde Daughter has an input output ratio glitch in her kidney wiring. One ounce in. Ten ounces out. Again, input should not exceed output. Not in fluids or solids. But at the park itself and even the ride back, we got along not as a blended family but as just a regular family. I think the King saw it and recognized it for what it was: a bonding moment for our family. You would think the birth of the baby, or the King and I getting married, or any other number of things that happened to and for us before Disney would have helped stitch us together. Yeah, that’s a negative, ghost rider. Let me tell you why. My break up was a disaster, an unmitigated catastrophe of biblical proportions the likes I hope to never relive. I’m talking restraining orders, death threats, name calling, custody threats, Child Protection Services calls, animal control calls. You name it, it happened. No lawyer got involved because we were not actually married. Dodged a bullet there, am I right? The King’s actual divorce went a lot smoother than my pseudo divorce. Quick, easy, and cheap. Not painless. Divorces and breakups are never painless. There are victims. Unfortunately, it's usually the kids. Some handle it better than others. The Bunny was good at seeing the inherent flaws of my relationship with her father and realizing everyone is better off. That doesn't mean she did well with the abrupt change of our living situation. The Bunny didn’t handle that well at all, but that’s a topic for another day. Hayhay didn’t handle it well. I was the cause of her parents divorce. I became the bane of civilization, the causation of everything from paper cuts to cancer. I was the one who put razor blades in Halloween candy and made it hot on Easter so all the chocolate in the eggs melted. I was the one fairy tales were written about. I had become the Stepmother. I didn't realize how strong her disdain for me was until I saw the hand drawn wanted posters offering six gabillion dollars for my arrest. My crime? I put pineapple in the sweet and sour meatballs. Oh yes, children, run and hide! It’s the Wicked Witch of South Philadelphia. Things just haven't been the same for me since someone dropped that shoe truck on my sister. That was 2012. It’s been a long road. A long, winding, sometimes back tracking, beast of a road that made us walk uphill, both ways, barefoot, in four feet of snow, crawl through broken glass, and swim in a sea of lemon juice before coming to the plateau we are currently standing on. Would I do it all again? Hell yeah. I love the King and He loves me. I knew he was a package deal like I was. I love our son together and I wouldn’t trade this life for anything. It’s taught me how far I’ve come and that I’m like spider web, way stronger than you’d expect and tougher than I look. That’s where our Disney trip comes in. My parents paid to meet my new family when in reality I was still learning who we were as individuals and as a family unit. I worried because I didn’t know how they would all react to and receive each other. They were not particularly fond of the last one. I think the exact words were, "If I never hear or see him again I would be okay with that." Wish granted, Dad. I was still worried until we got home. Yes, Mom and Dad said they liked everyone. Yes, Mom and Dad said they like the King. Yes, Mom and Dad said I looked happier. It wasn’t until I saw a post on Facebook that my mom wrote that I felt like we had finally made it being a family. She talked about meeting a good friend, an old friend she had not seen in a while, down at Disney. When we are at Disney I tend to spend as much time as possible with my parents. I even wake up at four in the morning just to have coffee with them. I was confused who my mother was talking about. I didn't remember seeing anyone down there. This friend, she said, had grown up a little, but was still the person she had been years ago. Even though the woman had disappeared for some time she was now back and as amazing as ever. The woman had a lovely family and a wonderful husband and was happier than she had been in a long time. My mother was so happy to have found this woman again. So much so she said, “She’s the type of woman I want to be. I’m so happy to know she’s my daughter. ” It's OK to cry. I did. I'm crying typing it. That’s when it hit me. It was that moment that I knew the hard work paid off. No one could tell we were a mixed family. No yours, mine, and ours. No one cared. We were a family like everyone else at Disney World: curbing I want syndrome and pointing outprincesses, talking about rides and what does everyone want on their pizza, and taming tantrums. I made decisions for our children, not just Baby T. Rex or The Bunny. I didn’t say, “Ask your dad,” or “I’ll have to ask your dad.” There were no major arguments or fits or tears, well until we left but that’s me and my dad. That’s another story for another day. What can you take from this would be don’t give up. Step mom, birth mom, adopted mom, grandma raising the grandkids, whoever, it’s worth it. It really, truly is. Yes, it’s hard and you’ll want to run away and join the Renaissance Faire (which I did in my younger days. Forget the circus. That was too mundane for me). When they come home holding a report card of A’s and B’s because you helped and they know it, you know it's going to be OK. When you’re looking up St. Patrick’s Day hairstyles so she’ll stand out in class and she appreciates it, you know it's going to be OK. I'll never forget riding next to them on Tower of Terror and the look they got right before your we fell faster than the speed of gravity, thirteen floors straight down. That sticks in your head and replays in your dreams. That’s when you know it’s all going to be OK. My mom had that moment when she saw her daughter being the mom. Hey, Ma, I learned it by watching you. Thanks for doing the hard things and not giving up. Love you. For that I am grateful. So, as cheesy as it may sound, the place I'm most grateful for is Walt Disney World. Not just because it provides an escape from all things adult and gives me ample opportunities to embarrass my kids on Facebook. Yes, I am that mother that still hugs Tigger and bounces with him. And you better believe I buy each ride photo available. It's not often I'm in front of the camera. Most family photos do not include me so I take every chance I get to have all six of us in a picture together. Everyone smiling at the same time is optional. In fact, when dealing with teenagers smiling in a photograph becomes as rare as unicorns farting rainbows that have pots of gold at the end of them. I am grateful for every picture I can get that doesn't have someone flipping off the camera or showing a mouthful of food. If you get the chance to take your family to the House of Mouse, I recommend it. I also think we should fly next time. Less chances of picking up Not Me and his noxious gas.

#disney #family #roadtrip #familyvacation #waltdisneyworld

[mialipsky-blog]

A Charming Italian Villa Meets a Rainbow of Pastel

Any time that Brancoprata is involved in a wedding, it’s a given that all out beauty is sure to follow. And this celebration of a fellow wedding mastermind so lives up to all that hype. It’s a mix of old world beauty, modern touches and the softest, prettiest pastel hues set against the backdrop of an Italian Villa. Pore through the vault filled with two gorgeous ceremonies and one of the prettiest tablescapes to ever grace SMP all right here.

Share this gorgeous gallery on

  Colors

Seasons

Summer

Settings

Castle

Styles

Destination

From the Bride… Working in the wedding industry and being exposed to different styles of venue, décor etc meant we had already discussed in advance the type of place we wanted the wedding to be and roughly how it would look. I love photographing the details when I attend weddings so really wanted to focus on creating those in our own. We wanted a relaxed outdoor wedding and so going home to Italy (from the UK) was a must.

Every Sunday when in Italy, my family and I all go to an agriturismo (a farm where they cook you fantastic food) for lunch and we wanted to recreate this at the wedding. These lunches have a very villagey feel often to them and so I wanted the dinner to be relaxed featuring long tables with boards of amazing food in the middle. Our vision for the day was to include our interest of art, music and our respective cultures (Scottish, Italian and Indian). It was also an opportunity for both sides to get to know us better as a couple. We have been together for years and know each others families very well but there are lots of interests, memories, life events you share as a couple that often people don’t see. I love Ancient, Etruscan and Renaissance art and so I knew I wanted to incorporate elements of these into the design and feel of our wedding.

We also love a large variety of music genres: R&B, rat pack, classical, bossa nova, Indian instrumentals, West African music and Madagascan reggae, and knew we wanted the day to reflect and work with these. We sectioned each part of the day with a different style of music. Classical, West African and Madagascan Reggae during the different stages of our wedding ceremony followed by Bossa Nova for cocktail hour, Indian for the Hindu ceremony, Italian and Rat pack over dinner and R&B for the dancing.

I looked to my home and wardrobe when choosing the color palette for our wedding before playing around with textures, material and color samples on a physical mood board to narrow down. We chose a mixture of pale pink, ecru and off white for our main colors with pops of champagne and silver. I did have a few concerns because the colors were also the colors that make up the brand colors in my business and I thought that might seem a little strange (A little “I can’t leave work at work”), as well as being colors you’d typically associate with weddings and I considered that I may want something a little different. However in the end they are color combinations I find most beautiful and they are also rarely seen in Indian weddings so I liked that we could create a visually unique version of the Hindu ceremony.

I went totally overboard with the DIY details. I had the strange idea that it would be super romantic to handcraft a wedding for the love of my life. I am known to get a little carried away and whilst working on one thing I’d get an idea to do another. I really love making things but in the lead up to our wedding both parents got quite sick and so I found I hadn’t budgeted enough time for DIY and unexpected life events which added a little more stress than I had anticipated.

I created all the stationary from invites, programs, signage and table stationary as well as made my garter and made hand dyed silk ribbons for the bouquets as well as napkins and tablecloths (Sofia kindly helped me with the latter last minute). I also painted plastic garden urns with a concrete based paint mix (for easier transport) for the tables. We made the garlands for the Indian wedding ceremony and my mum made the muslin curtains for the wooded ceremony.

The most fun project was designing my Indian wedding outfit. I knew I wanted something a little different and less heavily decorated than the usual. I couldn’t find what I wanted anywhere so I decided to create it myself. I travelled the length of the UK to source the right fabrics and it was amazing to see it come to life! The detail we got the most comments on were the personalized letters we wrote for each of our guests in lieu of having actual favors. This also doubled as their name card at their allocated seat. We chose to describe a favorite memory with them or/and give thanks to them in a specific way and I think that touched quite a lot of the guests. Your wedding is the one opportunity where you will both have all your loved ones in one place and we thought it was the perfect opportunity to not only share with them how we felt about each other but how we felt about each of them too. 

Seeing my husband to be, teary eyed at the end of the aisle was a beautiful moment. As well as reading our personalized vows to each other. Giuseppe from Blessings from Italy helped us create the most unique and personal ceremony and I didn’t realize quite how emotional it would be. There were a lot of tears. We did quite a lot of homework for the ceremony and it felt really special that every word truly reflected us as individuals and as a couple.

My favorite crafted detail had to be the stationary and our wedding timeline board. I took a calligraphy class and practiced for weeks before handwriting all the stationary myself. The stationary took around 3-4 weeks so quite an arduous and stressful job but once finished I was quite happy with them given I am a total calligraphy amateur! With our wedding timeline I painstakingly painted a serif-roman style font onto a sheet of thick glass and it was displayed amongst the foliage and crumbling arches of the Convent.

I had huge apprehensions about my gown. I knew a lot of the styles I liked wouldn’t be best suited to my petite but curvy body type. I decided to step away from Pinterest and try some on so I would really know what felt right. I had planned on just browsing and getting an idea so that when I went with my mum and bridesmaids, I’d not be swayed heavily by their opinions. Hence, off I went to visit the Coco & Kate Atelier. Sophie and I have worked together quite a few times and every time I have visited her atelier I have fallen in love with at least a handful of her grown up dresses. I walked in and spotted my dress. It was the first I tried on and was different to what I had anticipated I would want (I imagined soft tulle with three quarter length sleeves) but I have always loved the heavily beaded gowns from designers like Elie Saab, so what better time to wear such a lavish dress. Sophie encouraged me to try on more and her honest opinion of each was incredibly appreciated. I really liked the fact that I had went alone. It made the decision seem so easy.

There were no preconceived ideas about what I should wear. Luckily, once I had softly decided and sent a photo to my mum, she loved it too. My seamstress worked wonders in recreating the v-neck at the front to bring it a little lower and to shape it in at the waist and under my bottom to give a little more height to my petite height.

The flowers I chose were quite simple. I love foliage like eucalyptus, olive leaves and ruscus so I wanted to create a look that was foliage heavy. I decided to go for white, creams and pale pinks to keep in with the rest of the décor. I loved our ‘concrete’ urns so wanted these to be the focal point of the tables. I had actually under ordered the amount of flowers we needed but yet Sofia created the softest and freshest looking tablescape and really saved the day!

For our wedding cake, we chose to have a pandoro table in multiple sizes along with my favorite Italian pastries, bigne. Pandoro is traditionally a cake you would eat at Christmas but I love the taste and we just wanted to have food that we enjoyed eating rather than worrying if it was typically wedding or not. I also wanted our guests to experience all the parts of Italy that I have grown up with and love.

Don’t be fooled by thinking that DIY is a more budget friendly option. It really isn’t. Unlike the professionals there is a lot of trial and error and there were times when the stress and time it took was quite a lot of pressure. If you are like me and absolutely adore making things, then I strongly recommend working out how much time you have and planning jobs that take only half that time because life does get in the way, unexpected things crop up and the stress of not having enough time to do things can overshadow the fact you are marrying the love of your life! (The satisfaction of making all the details is lovely though). If you are having a destination wedding too without doubt I would recommend hiring a wedding planner throughout your wedding planning journey. The week running up to our wedding we had quite a few issues and it really created so much stress. You definitely can plan a wedding yourself but sometimes it is worth every penny to outsource!

Photography: Brancoprata | Videography: Marco Caputo Films | Event and Floral Design: Brancoprata | Shoes: LK Bennett | Jewelry: Poetry Jewelry On Etsy | Bridesmaids' Dresses: Jenny Yoo | Hair and Make Up: The Hair And Makeup Atelier | Celebrant: Blessings from Italy | Bride's dress: Coco & Kate (Jenny Yoo Collection) | Catering and Furniture Hire: Love Banqueting | Ceremony and Reception venue: Convento Dell' Annunciata | Day of Coordination: Revelry Events | Flower Girl Dress: Zara | Groom's shoes: Churches | Groomsmen's Bow Tie: Gucci | Maid of Honor Dress: Monsoon | Maid of Honor Dress: H&M | Music: Italian Wedding Music | Ring Box: The Mrs Box | Scent: Eau des Merveilles by Hermes | Sent: Chanel | Tux Jacket: Dobell | Veil: Custom Made By Helen Martin | Watch: DW

© Style Me Pretty, 2017. | Permalink | Comments | Add to del.icio.us Post tags: Post categories: Destination, Real Weddings, The Blog

A Charming Italian Villa Meets a Rainbow of Pastel published first on their blog to my feed

[samboine123]

A Charming Italian Villa Meets a Rainbow of Pastel

Any time that Brancoprata is involved in a wedding, it’s a given that all out beauty is sure to follow. And this celebration of a fellow wedding mastermind so lives up to all that hype. It’s a mix of old world beauty, modern touches and the softest, prettiest pastel hues set against the backdrop of an Italian Villa. Pore through the vault filled with two gorgeous ceremonies and one of the prettiest tablescapes to ever grace SMP all right here.

Share this gorgeous gallery on

  Colors

Seasons

Summer

Settings

Castle

Styles

Destination

From the Bride… Working in the wedding industry and being exposed to different styles of venue, décor etc meant we had already discussed in advance the type of place we wanted the wedding to be and roughly how it would look. I love photographing the details when I attend weddings so really wanted to focus on creating those in our own. We wanted a relaxed outdoor wedding and so going home to Italy (from the UK) was a must.

Every Sunday when in Italy, my family and I all go to an agriturismo (a farm where they cook you fantastic food) for lunch and we wanted to recreate this at the wedding. These lunches have a very villagey feel often to them and so I wanted the dinner to be relaxed featuring long tables with boards of amazing food in the middle. Our vision for the day was to include our interest of art, music and our respective cultures (Scottish, Italian and Indian). It was also an opportunity for both sides to get to know us better as a couple. We have been together for years and know each others families very well but there are lots of interests, memories, life events you share as a couple that often people don’t see. I love Ancient, Etruscan and Renaissance art and so I knew I wanted to incorporate elements of these into the design and feel of our wedding.

We also love a large variety of music genres: R&B, rat pack, classical, bossa nova, Indian instrumentals, West African music and Madagascan reggae, and knew we wanted the day to reflect and work with these. We sectioned each part of the day with a different style of music. Classical, West African and Madagascan Reggae during the different stages of our wedding ceremony followed by Bossa Nova for cocktail hour, Indian for the Hindu ceremony, Italian and Rat pack over dinner and R&B for the dancing.

I looked to my home and wardrobe when choosing the color palette for our wedding before playing around with textures, material and color samples on a physical mood board to narrow down. We chose a mixture of pale pink, ecru and off white for our main colors with pops of champagne and silver. I did have a few concerns because the colors were also the colors that make up the brand colors in my business and I thought that might seem a little strange (A little “I can’t leave work at work”), as well as being colors you’d typically associate with weddings and I considered that I may want something a little different. However in the end they are color combinations I find most beautiful and they are also rarely seen in Indian weddings so I liked that we could create a visually unique version of the Hindu ceremony.

I went totally overboard with the DIY details. I had the strange idea that it would be super romantic to handcraft a wedding for the love of my life. I am known to get a little carried away and whilst working on one thing I’d get an idea to do another. I really love making things but in the lead up to our wedding both parents got quite sick and so I found I hadn’t budgeted enough time for DIY and unexpected life events which added a little more stress than I had anticipated.

I created all the stationary from invites, programs, signage and table stationary as well as made my garter and made hand dyed silk ribbons for the bouquets as well as napkins and tablecloths (Sofia kindly helped me with the latter last minute). I also painted plastic garden urns with a concrete based paint mix (for easier transport) for the tables. We made the garlands for the Indian wedding ceremony and my mum made the muslin curtains for the wooded ceremony.

The most fun project was designing my Indian wedding outfit. I knew I wanted something a little different and less heavily decorated than the usual. I couldn’t find what I wanted anywhere so I decided to create it myself. I travelled the length of the UK to source the right fabrics and it was amazing to see it come to life! The detail we got the most comments on were the personalized letters we wrote for each of our guests in lieu of having actual favors. This also doubled as their name card at their allocated seat. We chose to describe a favorite memory with them or/and give thanks to them in a specific way and I think that touched quite a lot of the guests. Your wedding is the one opportunity where you will both have all your loved ones in one place and we thought it was the perfect opportunity to not only share with them how we felt about each other but how we felt about each of them too. 

Seeing my husband to be, teary eyed at the end of the aisle was a beautiful moment. As well as reading our personalized vows to each other. Giuseppe from Blessings from Italy helped us create the most unique and personal ceremony and I didn’t realize quite how emotional it would be. There were a lot of tears. We did quite a lot of homework for the ceremony and it felt really special that every word truly reflected us as individuals and as a couple.

My favorite crafted detail had to be the stationary and our wedding timeline board. I took a calligraphy class and practiced for weeks before handwriting all the stationary myself. The stationary took around 3-4 weeks so quite an arduous and stressful job but once finished I was quite happy with them given I am a total calligraphy amateur! With our wedding timeline I painstakingly painted a serif-roman style font onto a sheet of thick glass and it was displayed amongst the foliage and crumbling arches of the Convent.

I had huge apprehensions about my gown. I knew a lot of the styles I liked wouldn’t be best suited to my petite but curvy body type. I decided to step away from Pinterest and try some on so I would really know what felt right. I had planned on just browsing and getting an idea so that when I went with my mum and bridesmaids, I’d not be swayed heavily by their opinions. Hence, off I went to visit the Coco & Kate Atelier. Sophie and I have worked together quite a few times and every time I have visited her atelier I have fallen in love with at least a handful of her grown up dresses. I walked in and spotted my dress. It was the first I tried on and was different to what I had anticipated I would want (I imagined soft tulle with three quarter length sleeves) but I have always loved the heavily beaded gowns from designers like Elie Saab, so what better time to wear such a lavish dress. Sophie encouraged me to try on more and her honest opinion of each was incredibly appreciated. I really liked the fact that I had went alone. It made the decision seem so easy.

There were no preconceived ideas about what I should wear. Luckily, once I had softly decided and sent a photo to my mum, she loved it too. My seamstress worked wonders in recreating the v-neck at the front to bring it a little lower and to shape it in at the waist and under my bottom to give a little more height to my petite height.

The flowers I chose were quite simple. I love foliage like eucalyptus, olive leaves and ruscus so I wanted to create a look that was foliage heavy. I decided to go for white, creams and pale pinks to keep in with the rest of the décor. I loved our ‘concrete’ urns so wanted these to be the focal point of the tables. I had actually under ordered the amount of flowers we needed but yet Sofia created the softest and freshest looking tablescape and really saved the day!

For our wedding cake, we chose to have a pandoro table in multiple sizes along with my favorite Italian pastries, bigne. Pandoro is traditionally a cake you would eat at Christmas but I love the taste and we just wanted to have food that we enjoyed eating rather than worrying if it was typically wedding or not. I also wanted our guests to experience all the parts of Italy that I have grown up with and love.

Don’t be fooled by thinking that DIY is a more budget friendly option. It really isn’t. Unlike the professionals there is a lot of trial and error and there were times when the stress and time it took was quite a lot of pressure. If you are like me and absolutely adore making things, then I strongly recommend working out how much time you have and planning jobs that take only half that time because life does get in the way, unexpected things crop up and the stress of not having enough time to do things can overshadow the fact you are marrying the love of your life! (The satisfaction of making all the details is lovely though). If you are having a destination wedding too without doubt I would recommend hiring a wedding planner throughout your wedding planning journey. The week running up to our wedding we had quite a few issues and it really created so much stress. You definitely can plan a wedding yourself but sometimes it is worth every penny to outsource!

Photography: Brancoprata | Videography: Marco Caputo Films | Event and Floral Design: Brancoprata | Shoes: LK Bennett | Jewelry: Poetry Jewelry On Etsy | Bridesmaids' Dresses: Jenny Yoo | Hair and Make Up: The Hair And Makeup Atelier | Celebrant: Blessings from Italy | Bride's dress: Coco & Kate (Jenny Yoo Collection) | Catering and Furniture Hire: Love Banqueting | Ceremony and Reception venue: Convento Dell' Annunciata | Day of Coordination: Revelry Events | Flower Girl Dress: Zara | Groom's shoes: Churches | Groomsmen's Bow Tie: Gucci | Maid of Honor Dress: Monsoon | Maid of Honor Dress: H&M | Music: Italian Wedding Music | Ring Box: The Mrs Box | Scent: Eau des Merveilles by Hermes | Sent: Chanel | Tux Jacket: Dobell | Veil: Custom Made By Helen Martin | Watch: DW

© Style Me Pretty, 2017. | Permalink | Comments | Add to del.icio.us Post tags: Post categories: Destination, Real Weddings, The Blog