#organic baby clothing made in France | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

helio-nex · 2 years

Text

title - rebellion

pairing - tommy shelby x fem!reader

summary - one year after tragedy, your husband finds it difficult to continue, complicated even further by your daughter.

word count - 2.4k

warnings - character death, angst angst angst, series typical violence

author’s note - i really liked this idea and reallllly wanted to write some angst, hope you enjoy!

The papers of business swam on Tommy’s desk as he shuffled through them, his headache beginning once more. He rubbed his temples, hoping the recurring ache would disappear, but it was no use, so he soldiered on, reading through contracts and ledgers, signing them off as he went. Soon, the papers became more organized as he worked, a stack of completed papers sat to the side. It was nothing compared to the pile of uncompleted ones. This was nothing new. His eyes flickered to your picture sitting on his desk in its golden frame, your smile beaming up at him, your eyes sparkling like they always had.

He sighed, sitting back in his chair, still staring at your photograph as he lit a cigarette. He blew a puff of smoke, his eyes never leaving yours. He swallowed thickly. Work had consumed him since he had gotten back from the war. His ambition, his want, his need to give you more turned into a swamp of papers. It turned into Tommy never being home, of guns and blood and death.

He tore his guilty eyes away from yours, running a hand over his face, instead choosing to stare at the chipped corner of his desk. He wasn’t there for you, he never had been after the war. He knew you were a saint for dealing with him when he came back. Tommy came home different. You were more than understanding, his cold nature was different from the man who had made you laugh, but you loved him still. He was at his worst then, nightmares every night, screaming, yelling, paranoia. You dealt with the situation each time with grace, a trait not known to most Small Heath women. You never left his side during these times, when he would scream himself awake, when he shook and tears pricked his eyes, you were there. Even with the girl.

Guilt creeped into Tommy’s mind. He hadn’t been there for you, he hadn’t been there for the girl either. Violet had been born a couple of months after Tommy left for France. When you had written Tommy to tell him you were pregnant, Tommy had never felt so much happiness, or fear, until that point in his life. His little wife at home in Small Heath, getting ready to have his baby, and he wasn’t there. He knew, deep in those tunnels, that he might never meet his child.

As the war continued, as months passed and yours and Tommy’s letters flew back and forth, you began to talk of names. It was the only normalcy he had during the war, your letters. The two of you decided on Violet if it was a girl, named after the beautiful flowers you had at your wedding. If it was a boy, he was to be named Benjamin Thomas. He remembered the days after he got your letter saying the baby was to be born any day. He had been so worried about you, and so incredibly sad he wouldn’t be there.

Days later, another letter came, saying his daughter Violet had been born. He remembered the joy he felt, how he couldn’t wait for the war to be over so he could meet her, who he knew would be just as beautiful as you. He swore to himself he would give the two of you everything, and he would be there for the birth of his next child. He swore this to you in letters, but his promises were worth as much as the dirt he had dug through.

Tommy couldn’t give you the things he had promised. The light in him had died. Violet was four years old when he came home, and even she, who looked the perfect mix between you and Tommy, couldn’t bring back the sparkle that you used to observe in his eyes.

Tommy had sworn to give the girl everything she could ever want, horses, toys, pretty clothes, everything. But she didn’t know him when he came home from war, and even when his body returned, she never met the man her mother had told her of. Tommy was away, always working, always doing something to avoid sleeping and the terrors that came with it. Still, Tommy promised to give you, the woman he had promised his eternal love to, and Violet everything he could manage to grasp, even if it meant he would hardly see the two of you.

Tommy gave everything a little girl could possibly want. And three years after the war, he gave her the most dreadful gift imaginable.

You were gone, a year ago almost to the day. It had been a blur, but Tommy still remembered exactly how the flurry of emotions had drowned him. Fear and utter despair when he felt the shudder of your last breath, how he could physically feel your heart stop beating in your chest, the way your body grew cold under his touch. Tommy had seemed devoid of all emotion since your death.

The day he laid your body to rest, the girl stood next to him. The two had unbelievable grief, one for a mother, one for a wife. They were father and daughter, but they felt like strangers.

He knew what it was like to lose a parent, he knew that was the sort of grief that you carry with you forever, especially at such a young age. His aunt Polly had tried to step up as a motherly figure, but Violet had rejected her. Ada had also tried, but still, Violet pushed her away too.

Tommy didn’t know what to do with the girl. They lived in their big house with their maids and cooks, and Violet with her private teachers, but Tommy didn’t know how to care for her. You had always been her main caregiver, since she was born, you were all Violet had really known.

The poor maids tried their best, even her teachers, but the months following your death had turned your once good-natured child into one with a rebellious streak and a penchant for trouble. No one could seem to control her, not Frances, not the threat of punishment, not Polly’s lectures on how to be a well-mannered lady, and certainly not her meetings with Tommy in his office. It was the only time the two spent together, with him telling her not to do it again, knowing full well she wouldn’t listen, and her stomping off to go find something or someone to cause trouble with.

Tommy sighed, his gaze slowly moving back to your picture. Even though it was in black and white, he could still remember the exact color of your eyes. When he had first met and fallen in love with you, Tommy knew he would never see that color anywhere else, and he was right. He didn’t see it in the tunnels under France, he didn’t see it on the battlefield, or when he boarded the train to go home. He could only find it in your eyes, in the way they lit up each time you looked at him. And now he only saw it in his dreams.

He had tried searching for your eyes, even unconsciously, he looked. In a store with dresses of satin and silk he knew you would’ve loved, in the flowers near Arrow House, he looked for the right shade, but never could seem to find it. It was impossible, he knew he would never get your haunting eyes out of his dreams, but he didn’t want them to leave.

Tommy knew if he didn’t drag himself from his thoughts he would remain there, scattered in the fields of his mind, distracted by the thought of you. It was perhaps the most difficult thing Tommy had to do, bringing himself to not think about you, but you consumed him entirely. You were an oasis in the Sahara and he was a frail man, desperate to swim in your beautiful waters. He could get lost in you, drown in you. He would let you rush over his head, pulling him under. If it meant being yours once more, holding you in his arms, hearing your sweet laugh… he would submerge himself underwater, not even bothering to look at the surface.

But he knew it was futile. He was here, still alive, and you weren’t. There was nothing to be done other than take care of the girl you had left him with. The girl reminded him of his own destructive nature, but he knew that you had loved her with everything you had, and so he swore to you, the day he buried you, that he would protect her since he couldn’t protect you.

Tommy returned to the paper work with a sigh. The headache continued, and he wasn’t sure if it was the lighting or your ghost come to haunt him. He found it difficult to concentrate, but he found his muscles moving on his own. He relied on his muscle memory on days like these, when he wished he could feel you standing next to him, whispering to him.

He had barely become focused again when a knock sounded hard and heavy on his office door.

“Oh for fuck’s sake.” He muttered, his eyes darting to the door. “Come.” As he said the word, Frances, his poor, poor maid, walked through the door, looking rather exhausted, and if Tommy didn’t know any better, annoyed. He waited for a moment, watching the poor woman gathering herself before she sighed.

“Mr. Shelby, I’m sorry to interrupt you--”

“Send her in, Frances.”

“Yes, sir.”

Outside the door, he heard a grumbling that he recognized all too well. He sat back in his chair, waiting for the girl to enter. He heard Frances shush her before sending her in. Violet, the defiant eight year old. Almost nine, he reminded himself. She had lost you so close to her birthday. The door quickly closed behind her as she shuffled in, her brow furrowed and not looking at him.

He sighed, mostly to himself, but she must’ve heard him, because she glared up at him, but he didn’t look her in the eyes. It was then that he noticed a scuff mark on her cheek paired with a small cut on her cheekbone. He was used to seeing her in trouble, in fights even, but he quickly grew angry at her antics.

“Sit.” He commanded, and she flopped into a chair, seemingly ready to get this over with. He stood, ready to inspect the girl for any other injuries she may have had. He crossed from his desk to the chair next to her and sat in it, and she turned her body towards him, but looked at the ground. The dark hair Tommy had given her shielded her from him now. “Who did that to you?” He asked, pointing at the cut.

“Butcher’s son.” She replied mechanically.

“Mulligan’s?” She nodded. He ran a hand over his face, his anger still stewing, boiling in the pit of his stomach. “You cannot do this. You are a Shelby. You cannot go around fighting every other person just because you want to.”

“You do.”

“I am an adult, you are a child. Children do not go around fighting anyone, least of all my child.”

“Mum would ask if I’d won.” Quiet as a mouse, he wondered if he’d heard her right.

“What?” He questioned, his voice as deadly as the guns he stocked in the house.

“Mum would’ve asked if I’d won.” She said, speaking louder. “Why can’t you be like her?” Her voice trembled.

“I am not your mother.” He said, the fire in his stomach easing with each passing second. He didn’t speak of you hardly ever, you remained in his mind and in pictures only, he had never spoken of you to her, nor she to him.

“I wish it was you!” She screamed, flinging herself off the chair and onto the floor in front of his desk. He froze, seeing drops of tears spill onto his rug. Her face was still covered by the dark mat of hair, but it was clear she was crying, and he heard her gasp for air as she sobbed. He couldn’t remember how to hug, not since you had shown him how, but this might be good practice. He knelt to the floor, wrapping his arms around the girl, who immediately thrashed in his arms. “I wish it was you! Why wasn’t it you?” She screamed. She tried to pull away, beating at his chest with her small fists. He held her in his arms, a scene reminiscent, but reversed. Familiar. He stared at the top of her head.

“I don’t know.” He whispered.

It should’ve been him. Even in the chaos of the noise and rush, he knew it should’ve been him that laid there. Your blood covered the tiled floor, soaking into his clothes, his hands dipped in the scarlet liquid. The gunman was stuck in time for a moment before attempting his escape, but he didn’t get far before John and Arthur had tackled him.

Your eyes were looking to a place beyond Tommy, even as he held you in his arms, even as he cried to you, even as he called your name, begging you to stay with him. Your hand reached up, using all the strength you had left, and you pressed it to his cheek, leaving a bloody hand print before falling to your side. He never heard your voice again.

He felt you grow cold, felt himself grow cold. Whatever love he had left after France had died with you, with the bullet that had been meant for his heart, not yours.

Violet looked up at him, a familiar flame set in her eyes. It died away as she looked into his blue ones, before looking back down, pressing her head into his chest.

“Why did she leave me?” Her voice came out as a whisper, as shaky as before. He gripped her chin, guiding her face to look at his.

He held his breath as his eyes met her teary ones. Blurred by the tears, yes, but no doubt, the color he had been searching for was in front of him. She had an exact copy of your eyes, staring up at him with so many questions, so much pain. He swallowed the lump in his throat. After an arduous search for your eyes, he found them in the first place he should’ve looked.

“She loves you, and that means she never left.”

Tommy held his daughter, and for the first time in many months, it finally felt like you were there too.

#tommy shelby #tommy shelby x reader #peaky blinders #peaky blinders x reader #cillian murphy #cillian murphy x reader

397 notes · View notes

nerdularnerdence · 1 year

Text

I've never been happy with how little info Wikipedia has on Charles Brandon.

Here are bits from Winter King, a book about Henry VII by Thomas Penn. I don't really recommend reading unless you are a severe Tudor nerd. It's pretty dry. I hope this will help anyone who daydreams / writes fics about Charlie (maybe @rmtndew ?)

(As this is a book about Henry VII, the "prince" mentioned below is baby Henry VIII.)

~~~

“Another familiar face in Essex’s household was Charles Brandon. Brandon had an impeccable pedigree as far as Henry VII was concerned. Back in 1484 his father William and his uncle Thomas had fled to join Henry in France after an abortive uprising against Richard III in their native east Anglia, and later that year they had spearheaded the special-forces style raid on Hams that had liberated the Earl of Oxford. Henry’s standard-bearer at Bosworth, William Brandon had become one of the regime’s first martyrs. Thomas had become one of the king’s intimates: royal counselor, Master of Horse, and trusted diplomat. His nephew Charles, meanwhile, had grown up in the royal household, working as a sewer, or waiter. A job in which you needed to have your whits about you, full cunning, and diligence, it involved descending into the ‘veritable hell’ of the royal kitchens to liaise with cooks, taste the innumerable dishes, and supervise their presentation. It was also a role that needed an awareness of the minutia of precedence, as well as courtesy, impeccable manners, charm, and good looks, attributes that Charles Brandon had in spades. In his spare time he had ready access to the royal stables through his uncle, and had evidently become an exceptional horseman. By the age of 17, when he jousted at Arthur and Katherine’s wedding, Brandon was already the consummate courtier. In 1505, around the time he became one of the king’s Spears, he landed the prestigious post of Essex’s Master of Horse. Seven years older than the prince, Brandon was frequently around him at court, in the tilt yard, and probably his own small household, where Brandon’s uncle was the prince’s treasurer.

Brandon, though, had inherited a distinctly unchivalrous approach to women. His father’s own behavior made contemporaries wince. One one occasion, William Brandon had raped an “old gentlewoman,” and “not there with eased,” moved on to her older daughter, and was only narrowly prevented from doing the same to the younger. Charles, it seemed, was a chip off the old block, though his behavior was altogether more calculating. Sometime around 1503, he confided to a friend and fellow servant that he was in love with one of Queen Elizabeth’s gentlewomen, Anne Brown, the daughter of Sir Antony Brown of Calais castle and the troublesome lady Lucy, to whose company he “much resorted.” His resorting was so enthusiastic that she was soon pregnant. In the ensuing scandal, Brandon was hauled in front of the Earl of Essex’s council, where he pledged to marry her. Shortly after, though, he broke off the engagement, instead marrying Anne’s aunt, Dame Margaret Mortimer, twenty years older than him, a shock which apparently induced Anne to miscarry their child.

Charles, however, only wanted to get his hands on Dame Margaret’s assets., Selling off his wife’s portfolio of property, he pocketed the proceeds to fund his extravagant life at court: clothes, horses, and, undoubtedly, the organization for the spring 1507 jousts, into which the participants plowed their own funds.”

“…Henry Guildford was a fully paid up member of the jousting set. Both Compton and Guildford, in their different ways, were vital conduits to the world from which the prince was by in large insulated, bringing the news and gossip he craved. The talk of the town, more often than not, was Charles Brandon. Brandon’s behavior had gone from bad to worse, having jettisoned the pregnant Anne Brown to marry her aunt Dame Margaret Mortimer, Brandon, flush with the proceeds of the sale of Dame Margaret’s lands, had annulled his marriage on ground of consanguinity, and transferred his attentions back to the more fragrant Anne. As the inevitable court case ensued, late in 1507 he rode into Essex, where Anne was living in traumatized seclusion, and whisked her away. The witnesses to their shotgun marriage in Stepney Church early the following year included Brandon’s partners in crime Sir Edward Guildford, and the Earl of Surrey’s belligerent second son, Sir Edward Howard. With his limited freedom, the prince probably viewed the dashing Brandon’s liaisons with something like a scandalized, envious admiration, but there was, and always would be a strong romantic idealism in him. Brandon’s grubby, exploitative behavior may well have acquired a chivalric luster in the retelling, an adventure story in which he swooped to carry off his damsel in distress, heedless of the consequences. This, after all, was the way the prince’s own parents’ love story had been portrayed in verse, with the dashing Henry Tudor “banished fullbear” in Brittany behind the scenes coming to rescue his golden-haired bride from her lecherous uncle Richard III…”

~~~

My goddamn two cents:

These pieces of writing pretty much call out Charlie for being a total creep, and I think I love it. He was too hot and charming to give a fuck, and it sounds like he sure didn't. It's interesting that Henry VIII was so obsessed with the idea of being Chivalrous and Kind and Good, but was BFF's with someone who clearly didn't value those things. Well, not when it counted, anyway.

#charles brandon #the tudors #henry viii #henry cavill #duke of suffolk #henry vii of england

9 notes · View notes

hvassulrich52 · 5 months

Text

Prime 10 Yves Saint Laurent Women Purses Greatest Ysl Baggage

Finding equipment for sale for girls ought to be easy, however there are 22 pieces available to browse for men in addition to unisex, too. Small model Betty Yves Saint Laurent bag in black leather-based. Black and white Cheetah print leather Saint Laurent YSL Classic Baby Duffle bag with silver-tone hardware, twin rolled high handles, foil-stamped emblem at entrance, protective feet at bas... Our high 10 must-have Saint Laurent luggage embrace the brand’s best-selling items, inspired by their distinctive heritage as one of France’s iconic ready-to-wear luxurious homes. The metal and leather-based strap permits the bag to be worn crossbody and features the signature tassel that appears on several of their best-selling baggage. This tote bag is a callback to one of the brand’s iconic early-2000s designs known as the ‘Cabas Y Tote’ that had a similar construction and featured the ‘Y’ brand. Furnished with chain handles and characterized by a chevron-quilted exterior, Loulou is as versatile as it's trendy. This chic shoulder bag is made with leather in addition to a mix of the best materials and is out there in sizes starting from small to giant. Seductively easy, Kate is typically a night bag worked into a wonderful shape. Rendered in an all-time favorite silhouette—the flap-bag—it has a transitional design with an interchangeable chain strap that might be eliminated for the bag to be carried as a clutch. Much like the opposite in style YSL luggage, Kate too flaunts the brand emblem on the front and is predominantly accompanied by a metallic tassel. Practical in development, the bag has a compact however well-designed inside capacious enough to carry your cellphone, pockets, cards, and keys. Its fringed, suede shoulder luggage give a 70s-inspired vibe, whereas textured totes are modern, trendy alternatives. When it involves preserving your necessities safe, count on the buckle detailing and drawstring closure on Saint Laurent's backpacks to all the time have you ever covered. The Becky bag is one of the most versatile in Saint Laurent’s equipment arsenal, ideal for these who need a bag that may transition seamlessly from day to night. It has a rectangular shape and a diamond-quilted leather end accented by a series strap and the YSL emblem in the middle. wikipedia handbags This bag has loads of room on your necessities with two separate compartments and a zipped pocket. Available in five colours at Nordstrom, this tote features the ‘YSL’ interlocked logo with a chevron-quilted overstitching. Originally designed as a pouch, it is a versatile piece that can be utilized as an organizer inside larger baggage or as a clutch. This bag is big enough to carry your telephone, a small pockets, and sweetness necessities. This signature piece is on the market in five totally different colours at Mytheresa and is an ideal accent to add to your wardrobe that could be worn daily or saved for special events. The trend bible Vogue has hailed recent designs as cult-favorites, whereas Harper’s Bazaar has regularly named Saint Laurent bags as their selection of ‘must-have’ bag in latest seasons. While the ‘YSL’ emblem remains, the change of name to ‘Saint Laurent’ was deliberately accomplished to convey the model back to its roots to respect its legacy while coming into a new era for the style home. I bought a gorgeous David Yurman cuff that I wear often! Quilted calfskin leather with leather-based lining and vintage hardware. Browse an extraordinary collection of Yves Saint Laurent evening clothes, shirts and extra right now on 1stDibs. The costs listed beneath are accurate as of today on the official Saint Laurent web site. We advocate checking the hyperlinks below for the hottest pricing data. With their iconic interlocked ‘YSL’ logo, these bags can carry you whenever life may take you and are the perfect funding for any Parisian loving style follower. Each YSL bag is a foolproof investment, so if you’re set on buying one, discover The Luxury Closet for all the basic baggage from Saint Laurent available at nice prices. We have handpicked the most effective women’s handbags by Saint Laurent from crossbody to shoulder baggage and totes you could purchase now and cherish forever. Find a rare variety of ysl bags obtainable on 1stDibs. For ysl bags, Black is a pretty popular color, but we even have Brown, Gray, Red and more in inventory now. The ideal objects for you would possibly be waiting among the distinctive equipment we now have obtainable, which embrace variations made as long ago as the twentieth Century in addition to these produced as lately because the 21st Century. There have been many classic iterations of ysl bags through the years, but those made by Yves Saint Laurent, Saint Laurent and Yves Saint Laurent Rive Gauche are sometimes considered among the many most stylish. Initially obtainable in black and red leather, the Jamie also now comes in a lightweight pink that subtly softens the edge of dark fall/winter outfits. This contains the Saint Laurent Black Large Monogram Kate Satchel. This satchel is 'Grain de Poudre calfskin with a curb chain shoulder strap. There is a brand plaque face with a magnetic press-stud fastening. Another well-liked YSL handbag sale is the Saint Laurent Shopping Leather Tote. On any of our minds, Yves stands amongst the ten most prolific and superb dressmaker there was in the twentieth century. Yves Saint Laurent has places all round the world; together with Japan, Berlin, Munich, Rome, Moscow, and extra. If you want a trendy and complex twist in your outfits during a fancy evening out, YSL is the perfect model to go to for that. They have revolutionized clothing for each women and men in sophistication, creativity, and boldness. I must admit Neiman Marcus Gift Card Events are my absolute favorite as you presumably can get hold of reward cards on items that by no means go on sale by YSL, and Burberry to name a couple of. The leather is smooth and lustrous and comes with a long over the shoulder strap to make carrying it easier. Another nice YSL handbag sale item includes the Saint Laurent Black Quilted Monogram Zip Around Wallet. replicabags.to saint laurent replica Included inside are card slots, note slots, and zippered pockets. Celebrities which have endorsed the Saint Laurent model embody Kate Moss, Mia Jovovich, Ellen Paige, and Emma Roberts.

#saint laurent replica #saint laurent bag replica #yves saint laurent bags replica

0 notes

benson46hester · 2 years

Text

replica dior scarf 28

Finest Site For Replica Dior Scarves Sale Through Paypal This was the beginning of Dior’s rise in the city’s artistic milieu, the place he befriended Pablo Picasso and Jean Cocteau. Just five years later, with the backing of industrialist Marcel Boussac, the ascendant Dior established his own style house, at 30 avenue Montaigne in Paris. I saw comparable piece in on-line assortment of Kate Spade scarf. I love it because of vibrate color, charming pattern and discounted worth. There was a label on the headband that stated the material content and where it was made in French and English. Each piece has been superbly crafted to give the appear and feel of the genuine article, with superb general end. Christian Dior's wonderfully elegant bold floral silk scarf measures 31" x 31" and completed with hand-rolled edges. This fantastic silk scarf is made in France. Christian Dior's signature monogram silk scarf in Midnight blue and pink accented with hand-rolled edges and measures 19 inches by 19 inches. Tags and labels also add value to a classic scarf so if you buy an costly designer scarf never take off the tag. https://phoenet.tw/replica-scarfs-shawls/replica-christian-dior-silk-scarf.html It will depreciate in worth if you do. This Dior scarf had a tag nevertheless it was lacking the designer tag; the one that claims the designer's name and/or logo. The Queen wearing a petal lined hat on a visit to the Isle of Man in 1972 Ms Kelly is now the Queen’s in house go-to designer for day and evening put on, and sometimes uses Swarovski crystals to add glamour to grand royal occasions. The man behind this brand’s name was one of the most necessary fashion designers of the twentieth century. Through his expertise, femininity was reintroduced after World War II within the European fashion world. Eventually, his fame spread outdoors Europe. Christian is the founding father of the label and was born on January 21 in 1905. He grew up in a small village on the coast but later moved together with his household to the French capital Paris. Although his father had a large company within the manufacturing of fertilizers, young Christian was only excited about fashion designing. This is a vintage christian dior scarf in superb condition. Is replica wholesale retailer, We solely supply the greatest quality replicas. We have our own factories to make every thing. The newest fashion news, beauty protection, movie star fashion, style week updates, culture critiques, and videos on Vogue.com. The world is topsy-turvy—why shouldn’t style be absurd too? Jonathan Anderson embraced silliness and strangeness at each JW Anderson and Loewe, but a childlike sense of naivete was additionally palpable at Comme des Garçons Homme Plus and Moschino. Vetements’s tongue-in-cheek irony, which defined the brand’s early days, feels right again too. No fewer than five designers name-checked Giorgio Armani in evaluation appointments. Wholesale new arrivals low cost fake Dior Scarf enjoy free shipping and 66%-OFF with finest quality! The hot on sale fashion Christian Dior Silk Scarf #856391. Saturated tones of purple, blue and black embellish this outsized sq. scarf, large sufficient to put on around the shoulders, in the hair or on your handbag. Christian Dior striped organza scarf in light nude, black, baby pink and brown silk (100%) with a floral organic print across the boarders. Has been worn and is in glorious conditio... The checked pattern on the cashmere is classic, it is extremely in style among each women and men, since it's straightforward to match with totally different clothes in variety styles. The brand brand and name engraved on it reveals its creative thought, what’s more, the tassel adds more charm to this scarf. Fulling of celebrities style, you also is usually a style man or woman. This is a weblog you can find information about and store for Dakini's new line of "Scarfwear"; women clothes made from classic scarves. Have a custom dress or prime made just for you - simply contact Katherine to arrange a time. Off duty, the Queen likes to dress for country life in a blouse and A-line skirt with a green waxed or quilted coat or a rain mac, her wellies and her acquainted silk scarf knotted under her chin. Gorgeous Eighties Christian Dior geometric jewel printed scarf! Both are good for getting a message across. The V&A Shop Online promotes ranges from the Victoria and Albert Museum Shop. wikipedia scarf Shop on-line for V&A books, quilting fabric, fashion, designer jewellery, posters and prints, framed prints, homeware, crafting materials, exhibition ranges and unique items inspired by the V&A Collections. All proceeds go in the direction of funding the Victoria & Albert Museum. On REBELLE, quite a few model merchandise can be found including the exquisite Christian Dior gloves. I posted that Christion Dior scarf on Ebay at a starting bid of $48.00 and immediately got plenty of attention but just one individual bid on it. I thought that was unusual however wasn't too apprehensive about it. After he pleased his mother and father by learning to turn into a diplomat, he invested all of his time working in a gallery. Later he was requested to work with a quantity of well-known style designers but Christian had his personal vision. In 1946, he launched his personal label, which to this day continues to be loved by millions.

#dior silk scarf replica #dior scarf replica #replica christian dior silk scarf

0 notes

grantbachmann4 · 2 years

Text

replica dior scarf 6

10 Menswear Tendencies From The Autumn 2022 Collections Each piece has been beautifully crafted to offer the feel and look of the genuine article, with excellent overall finish. Christian Dior's splendidly elegant bold floral silk scarf measures 31" x 31" and completed with hand-rolled edges. This wonderful silk scarf is made in France. Christian Dior's signature monogram silk scarf in Midnight blue and purple accented with hand-rolled edges and measures 19 inches by 19 inches. Customers who're interested in this designer may additionally find the work of Cartier, Louis Vuitton and Emilio Pucci appealing. On 1stDibs, find designer, classic and high fashion Christian Dior scarves from high boutiques around the world. On 1stDibs, the value for this stuff starts at $119 and tops out at $9,800 while the typical work can sell for $350. REBELLE provides a variety of construction accessories from this designer. In addition to the shawls and scarves, Christian Dior glasses can additionally be obtainable. Go for a simple outfit and add multiple equipment to it. Christian Dior's signature name on the lower right corner. 1970s Christian Dior cotton sq. scarf. Mixed pink, blue and white chintz prints. Tags and labels also add value to a vintage scarf so if you buy an expensive designer scarf by no means take off the tag. It will depreciate in value should you do. This Dior scarf had a tag however it was lacking the designer tag; the one that says the designer's name and/or emblem. wikipedia scarf The Queen carrying a petal coated hat on a go to to the Isle of Man in 1972 Ms Kelly is now the Queen’s in home go-to designer for day and evening wear, and sometimes uses Swarovski crystals to add glamour to grand royal occasions. Wholesale new arrivals cheap fake Dior Scarf take pleasure in free transport and 66%-OFF with greatest quality! The scorching on sale style Christian Dior Silk Scarf #856391. Saturated tones of purple, blue and black embellish this oversized sq. scarf, large enough to wear around the shoulders, in the hair or in your purse. Christian Dior striped organza scarf in mild nude, black, baby pink and brown silk (100%) with a floral organic print around the boarders. Has been worn and is in wonderful conditio... Peony sample on the cashmere materials looks trendy and distinctive, the vivid sample perfectly increases its worth, and then again, it embodies the beautiful workmanship and craft. Rectangle measurement 100×200 cm is ideal for spring and fall sporting. This scarf is fitted for elegant ladies who love to pursue fashion. Elegant silk scarf by Christian Dior Paris. A geometric and floral print sample in a combination of navy blue, purple, pink, grey, white, and salmon-orange colors with a shiny oran... Elegant silk scarf by Christian Dior in blue and lavender colors that includes floral design print. This is a weblog you can find details about and shop for Dakini's new line of "Scarfwear"; girls clothes made from classic scarves. Have a custom gown or prime made only for you - just contact Katherine to arrange a time. Off duty, the Queen likes to dress for nation life in a blouse and A-line skirt with a green waxed or quilted coat or a rain mac, her wellies and her familiar silk scarf knotted under her chin. Gorgeous Eighties Christian Dior geometric jewel printed scarf! Of course, it's solely price it if the item could be very valuable. The print is very detailed and the colours are amazing! The only drawback is that the print on the again is not fairly as vibrant as the entrance - this is a sign that it may not be a very high quality print job. Usually the colors ought to be the same or almost the same on the front as on the back. The Queen was a daily wearer of fur however since 2019 solely fake fur is used to verify she stays warm in winter. The monarch has see-through “Birdcage” brollies made by the Fulton group to match every outfit in case of wet weather, with the edging and deal with comparable to the exact shade she is carrying. The next day I went to publish another Dior scarf that I had and I received a message from Ebay saying that I had reached my limit. I was taken aback because this was the first time I had heard of any limits to the quantity or sort of listings I could make. I contacted the web assistant and after some backwards and forwards she just said to " Just take it easy on the designer labels for a while." So, I assume that somebody had reported that the headscarf could additionally be a fake. I took a second look at the headscarf myself and realized a few things that made me suspect that I had been sold a reproduction Dior. Wholeale low-cost replica Christian Dior Silk Scarf # costs $29.00 USD on-line, outlet ! From high heels to boots to sneakers - uncover designer sneakers from Louboutin to Jimmy Choo. It’s the photographs of the actual replica product. Anyway, so I'm nonetheless unsure if it's real or not. But because the Ebay assistant informed me if you're unsure it's actual then do not list it. dior silk scarf replica They have very strict guidelines now about selling replica's on Ebay which is an efficient thing but how do you know? There are registered appraisers you must use and they'll appraise one thing for you for $10.00.

#dior silk scarf replica #dior scarf replica #replica christian dior silk scarf

0 notes

miraculous-trinity-leo · 3 years

Text

Whacky Gotham, Goofy New York, and Chaotic Paris.

(part 1) (part 2) (Part 3) (Part 4) (Part 5) (Part 6) (Part 7)

Chapter 1: Genius Little Ladybug

★—–—–†–—–—★

It all started when Sabine Cheng and her parents moved from China to America, where she met a rich boy named Tony, they weren't the best of friends at first, but they would always get into crazy shenanigans because of Tony. Sabine always finding a way to get them out of it. After a while they were practically inseparable, they had each others backs, both in the good times, and the bad.

So when Tony lost both his mother and father in a tragic car accident, and had to take over his parents company, she was there to try and ease the pain. It helped a little, but the boy changed and blocked out many people, only keeping a select few close to him. His personality changed, and he started to act differently, it saddened Sabine, but she knew it was his way of coping with his lose.

She would oftentimes find him crying silently in his office. When Tony opened a branch in Paris France, he was paranoid something would go wrong when he wasn't there, so he had Sabine become a sort of co-CEO for the Paris branch. Over the many years of her being a sibling-in-everything-but-blood to Tony, her intelligence was much higher than everyone in the company, other than said boy.

She moved to Paris not long after, always keeping an eye on both the Paris branch and Tony ( because god knows what would happen if she didn't do so). She even met a baker named Tom Dupain. Eventually dating, and marrying him. Tony wasn't the most eager when he heard of Tom, but he accepted him as family (not because if he didn't Sabine would knock some sense into him). He practically exploded with excitement when he heard we would be an uncle a few years after Sabine's wedding.

Tony was there in the waiting room with Tom, when Sabine was having the child ( Tony denies not having a mini heart attack when the nurse came in). Both men looked at the beautiful child through the glass. Tony was put to tears when he read her name "Maria Dupain-Cheng" and was comforted by a teary Tom.

When Maria was 9 months old, her Uncle Tony came to spend time with her, and talk business with Sabine. None of them expected Maria to crawl her way into their conversation and say "Uncle Tony" in the sweetest most adorable laugh both adults had ever heard. Tony had a massive grin on his face, and gave Maria a big hug and lots of kisses saying " I knew i was your favorite hahaha, and you're only 9 months old. Sabine I think we got a little genius on our hands." Sabine was just as happy and told Tom to hurry and grab the camera.

"Come on say it one more time my dear Maria, show your papa who your favorite adult is" Tony said with a very wide grin.

Maria giggled at her uncle's happiness, clapping her hands. "Uncle Tony, Uncle Tony" Tom just smiled giving his baby girl a kiss and handing Tony 10 Euros.

Tony continued to visit his little genius niece over the years. Maria ended up getting the best education a kid could get, becuase his logic was " If she is a genius (which she is) then she is going to have the best education money can buy, for nothing is to much for my Little Genius Maria!" and with that she could officially be called the smartest kid in all of Paris... heck probably in all of Europe even! So when she gained a passion for fashion at 4, Tony didn't hesitate to get her, her very first (kid friendly) sewing set. By the time Maria was 5 she already knew how to speak and write in French, English, Spanish, Russian, and is learning Mandarin.

Maria had met Chloé when they were both 6, although they weren't really friends, they were polite to each other, which surprised a lot of the other kids their age. She had met Alix a few months later. She spent a lot of the time she wasn't studying with her friends, Alix would get in trouble with another kid on the playground, Chloé would criticise the other kid, and Maria would talk to Alix and then apologize to the other kid. Overall, they had a good dynamic going on, and they (as 7 year olds) promised to always have each others backs to the very end.

When Maria was 3½ months away from her 9th birthday, Tony was kidnapped. Maria just broke down, she wanted to help her Uncle, but she didn't know where he was or how she could help if she did. For three months Maria would only speak to Chloé and Alix (they were kinda shocked to find out she was related to THE Tony Stark). A few days before her birthday, Tony came to their home, with rolls of fabric, flowers, and 'I'm sorry cards'. Maria jumped into his arms crying asking what happened, and "If you're the smartest man on the Earth, why the Heck did it take you so long? How did you get out? Are any of your vital organs hurts? Do you need to go to the Hospital? An-"

"Hey slow down My Little Genius Maria, I'm ok. 1, They didn't really give me much to work with at first, and there is only so much a genius like myself can do with so little resources, and time before your Birthday. 2, I made an anime mecha suit and flew out guns a blazing. 3, Nothing I can't live without. and 4, No because I'm spending the week with you lot before a conference I have in about 10 days." He said while holding his small little genius in his arms.

Wiping away the tears she looked her Uncle in the eyes "Wait, you 'made an anime mecha suit and flew out guns a blazing?' How does it work? what's its power source? And why do you have a weird glowing device in your chest?!" He had a lot of explaining to do.

That week, in her words was 'The best week of her life.' She was really happy for the first time since the Tony-napping happened, although she was sad he had to go, she knew he was safe, and that she didn't have to worry (as much) now.

When Maria was 13, both Tony and Sabine decided to have her go to public school with her friends. After hearing this Maria called for a meeting, her two commanders (Alix and Chloé) came for the meeting, and had a talk on how she should go about her first day of public school, asking questions like 'How do non-homeschooled kids act? What are their personalities like? What interests do they have? Are some barbaric like Alix is sometimes? Will they like me? Am I allowed to talk to Chloé in or only out of class? What are the seating arrangements? Who do I sit next to?' the list goes on. They were all excited to finally all be in the same study environment, now all they had to do was wait for their first day.

•~—~—~—~—~—~—~•

The night before her first day Maria may or may not have slept well due to her excitement, she woke up a little later than she ever would have preferred, getting breakfast, her clothes, the 'greeting sweets' (as Alix called them) and heading out in a slight panic.

On her way out she noticed an elderly man with a cain crossing the street, and a car coming a little faster than what was allowed, she pulled the man out of the cars way without losing any of the sweets, after making sure the man was ok, she gave him a sweet before saying good day and heading over to school. She never noticed the man walking away without the use of his cain.

She still got to class on time, when her teacher walked in she greeted everyone in the class "Bonjour, je m'appelle Maria Dupain-Cheng, c'est un plaisir de vous rencontrer! (Hello, my name in Maria Dupain-Cheng, it is a pleasure to meet you!)" after the introductions she sat down in the empty seat next to Alix, both giving a fist bump, and a smile to Chloé, who looked away as if she didn't care (the girl had an image to keep after all). When class was over she handed out the sweets and went with her friends to lunch. During lunch, one of the other students from a different class was mocking one of their classmates that Maria remembered as Ivan, for having a crush on Mylène and not saying how he really feels to her. Ivan ran off into one of the locker rooms, and Maria decided to go and comfort him, she explained that she overheard what happened and that he should try and tell Mylène about his feelings, listing many different things he could do or say, and that he should stay positive.

Ivan thanked Maria afterwards and went off to write a song for Mylène. Ivan later showed Mylène the song he wrote for her, but was teased by other students near them, Ivan ran away not wanting to be embarrassed more.

Back in the classroom Alix and Maria are sitting and talking when everyone hears crashing and screams outside, the class looked out to see a giant rock thing destroying everything on its way to the school. The teachers sent the kids home in an attempt to keep them safe.

When Maria got home she noticed a small box with writing she didn't recognize, she carefully opened it, instantly releasing a glow of bright red-ish pink light.

"Greetings Maria Dupain-Cheng, I am Tikki, the Ladybug Kwami of creation and good Luck, it is a pleasure to meet you." Maria couldn't believe her eyes "Mon dieu..." was all she could say, before going full interrogation mode "You're a Kwami? What is that? How are you floating like that? How am I able to understand you? Do you have some sort of ability to communicate in any language?How did you fit in this box? w-"

"There is no time, Paris needs you! I can only explain the powers I grant and how to use them, so please listen carefully."

•~—~—~—~—~—~—~•

Soon Maria was running in a red suit with black spots and amor. She ended up facing the 'akuma' as Tikki called it in a stadium, meeting her partner (a blonde furry she decided) for the first time.

"Bonjour m'lady, so what's the plan to take this thing down?"

Without hesitation she explained her plan " The plan is for you to have your Cataclysm ready, I'll give you a signal when it's your-"

"Cataclysm!" The boy proceeded to use his ONE attack on a GOAL POST!

"I said to wait for a SIGNAL! Now you only have five minutes before you power-off."

"Oops" The blonde was really wasting her more useful braincells. After the boy was thrown out of the stadium, Maria was left to fend for herself, and she did really well, considering this was her first non(but sort of) official villain fight, up until she lost her footing and was knocked into the side of the stadium. The akuma was gone before she could get back, more and more people were turned to stone, but it showed just where Stoneheart was heading.

She arrived at the Eiffel Tower, where blonde was fighting stone people, he just managed to get away and actually listened to the plan this time.

They defeated Stoneheart, Maria gave her speech to the villain, and did a fist bump (though at this point Maria just wanted to get some sleep), when a reporter came to interview them.

"What are your names, and where did you come from?"

"My name's Chat Noir an-"

"Ladybug, and we're hear to protect Paris from Moth-Man, as much as we would love to give you a bit more details, we don't have much time at the moment" right on que their Miraculous' beeped signalling they had 2 minutes left " Stay safe, and positive, Bug-Out. "

•~—~—~—~—~—~—~•

"Well done Maria!"

"Thanks Tikki." and with that Maria went downstairs to get something to eat, when she saw her parents watching the news.

"Earlier today Paris gained a villain and two heroes: Ladybug, and Chat Noir. Many of our viewers submitted pictures and videos, but only one of Ladybug came out clear."

"Thank you Ladybug and Chat Noir for protecting us, bonne journée à Paris."

.................

"Maria you're taking self-defense classes starting tomorrow" Sabine spoke, though Maria didn't have any complaints, plus it'll help when fighting akumas so it's a win win.

"Yes maman."

•~~~~~later in Maria's room~~~~~•

"Ok, so you're basically goddess of creation personified into a cute little Ladybug creature?"

"Kwami, but yes."

"And you've existed since basically the Big Bang?"

"Correct."

"... how are you able to float like that? How are we able to talk without any ancient god language in the way? And what other kinds of um kwamis are there?"

"I float with magic. Yes their is a language only for the Kwami, but we've learned every other language in existence, so there would never be an issue with communication. And to your last question, there are many different kinds of Miraculi all over the world, some even across the universe, so I am unable to list every single one in existence, but there are just as many Miraculi out there as there are starts in the sky."

"Impressive... does that mean I could learn magic?"

"As a human you are limited to what you can do with magic, but you have a strong creation soul. So yes it is possible for you to learn basic magic, I can teach you some life magic to help you heal quicker if you get hurt outside the suit. You can also learn other types of basic magic based on what Miraculous you are most aligned to. Surprisingly you have a close affinity to most of my brothers and sisters that are here in Paris."

"Are they in the hands of other Miraculous users?"

"... aside from Chat Noir, only two: one belongs to the Guardian, and the other to Hawkmoth."

"What are their names?"

"...Wayzz is Kwami of Protection, and is the partner of the Guardian. The other is Nooroo Kwami of Transmission, Hawkmoths Kwami.

"Ok, so then I assume the 'Guardian' is who you were with until now, right?"

"That is correct."

"And how was I chosen exactly?"

"The Guardian chose you because he saw your kindness in action, and sensed your strong Creation Soul, he has only ever been wrong once, but I can tell you will be a great Ladybug, maybe even one of the few who achieved a higher sence of life."

"... I feel like you kind of described a Sage, also how would he have seen an act of kindness, I mean, I got my things, went out helped an older man with a cain, wait."Maria squinted her eyes at Tikki as if looking for something.

"The elderly man's the Guardian isn't he?"

"..."

"I get it, you don't have to tell me, it's all apart of the 'plot' like some show, I get it. Welp, good night Tikki, have to get up early tomorrow."

"Good night Maria." Tikki never messed up so badly before, then again she never had a user with such a strong Creation Soul before either... Maria is something special.

•~—~—~—~—~—~—~•

And Tikki was right, she excelled at Life Magic, learning a fair bit of healing, luck and slight plant manipulation and communication magic. Tikki wasn't sure if she should be proud of her Bug, or scared at her fast learning skills.

A few weeks passed and Maria was thankful for the self-defense classes, she even started doing her own training routine with Tikki guiding her. She didn't like that her partner was a flirt, it got distracting and almost got Chat killed a few times. She often wondered 'what the hell did I do in my past life to get a partner like this?'

•~—~—~—~—~—~—~•

Tony Stark was called by Sabine to meet her earlier than they had planned, she informed him that Paris now has a villain and two heroes.

"Ok, so what's the problem? We agreed to put Maria in self-defense classes so she would be safe... is it a boy?! Don't tell me it's a boy, she's to young to be dating!"

"It's not about a boy."

"Then what is this about?"

"She's Ladybug, *sigh* I swear she gets it from you Tony. She learned it from your dumb@ss, and it didn't help the need to protect people she loves when you got kidnapped. I need you to teach her how to be a good hero, good combat strategist, and to give her your support. She already has a tactical mind, I'm proud in a way that she shares your bravery."

"Ffffffffudge... ok, where is she?"

"Upstairs."

•~—~—~—~—~—~—~•

After a slightly awkward conversation Maria started to get even more training, and became a pretty much badass on the field, she incorporated the known fighting styles of: Black Widow (her favorite hero), Captain America, Deadpool (favorite hero to some degree), Daredevil, Wolverine, and some moves from famous villains like, Kraven The Hunter, Red Skull, Doctor Doom, Scorpion, Shocker, and Taskmaster ( her favorite villain). And she used ALL of those skills in battle, it was damn impressive to watch, and then Sabine had a talk with Tony.

〜(꒪꒳꒪)〜Bonus〜(꒪꒳꒪)〜

"Ok Tony wtf? I asked you to teach her how to fight for protection when she's out there, But you turned her into a complete badass, I mean none of the akumas have lasted more than 10 minutes with her! I want to hug you and kick your @ss at the same time."

" Sorry not sorry Sabine, but she is our Genius Little Ladybug after all."

•—–—–†–—–—•

First fic, wahoo (mario stile), hope you're all having an Absolutely wonderful day, stay safe, and stay positive, BUG-OUT!🐞💮🐞

〜(꒪꒳꒪)〜 Tag List 〜(꒪꒳꒪)〜

1st place★: @animegirlweeb ☕

2nd place★: @jumpingjoy82

3rd place★: @zalladane

4th place★: @jayjayspixiepop

5th place★: @arty-shadow-morningstar

6th place★: @smol-book-nerd

7th place★: @irontimetravelflower

8th place★: @fandom-trapped-03

9th place★: @meme991001

10th place★: @buginetye

11th place★: @blackroserelina

12th place★: @jessigurl-design

13th place★: @adrestar

14th place★: @moon5608

15th place★: @little-bluestar

16th place★: @batgirljr72

17th place★: @myazael

18th place★: @our-preciousss

19th place★: @wolf2118

20th place★: @nyx-in-line

21st place★: @kking13

22nd place★: @lunerlover2024

23rd place★: @moonlightstar64

24th place★: @corporeal-terrestrial

25th place★: @kashlyn

26th place★: @tbehartoo

27th place★: @heart-charming

28th place★: @solangelo252

29th place★: @t1dwarrior-of-earth

30th Place★: @lady-phoenix-of-tardis

@lupagrimm

651 notes · View notes

liptonsbabe · 3 years

Text

The light is coming [B.W]

Bill Weasley x Lexington! reader

Summary: The reader wants to leave Beauxbatons attending to her sister’s pleadings to join the Order of the Phoenix. Byron Murphy wants to leave with her and the rumors about the two of them having a romance follows them to England

Word count: 2.4K

Warnings: none(?

A/N: Chapter 2 of this new story. I hope you like it! Bla bla bla english not my mother language bla bla, let me know if i screwed something up. Enjoy!

Chapter2: Beauxbatons

You received your sister's desperate letters all the way to your own room at Beauxbatons Academy of Magic. Your brow couldn't help but twitch at the sight of the dozens of letters crowding your window sill after you had finished teaching your classes for the day.

You let the Tonks family owl get in before it fell from the tenth floor of the castle of how gnarled its wings were. France had turned into a huge fridge in the last few days, so you were surprised that the little grayish owl could carry so many letters tied to its legs in the middle of a blizzard.

The owl let out a whimpering sound as you took it in your arms and, removing the tethers, laid it on your bed near the fire in the fireplace; you scooped some food onto a napkin and walked to your desk to read the correspondence.

Although you were familiar with your older sister's great euphoria when sending letters, you recognized that this time they were not just letters asking you to tell her how things were on the other side of the pond or demanding to know the latest gossip about your love life. No, the letters that your sister Nymphadora had sent you were totally serious, mature and direct; in each and every one of them she asked you for help on her behalf and on behalf of Albus Dumbledore.

Nymphadora asked you to return home even though she knew the reasons why you had decided to leave for France. She demanded your help to put an end to an evil that was plaguing the community and was forcing you to be part of an organization that Dora described as 'The Order of the Phoenix' created and spread by the Hogwarts’ headmaster.

You knew Albus Dumbledore very well, you remembered the man who had visited you at the Tonks' house on your eleventh birthday asking you to join the school he ran. No matter how much he begged you, you never agreed to what he asked, not cause you didn't want to, but because you and your adopted family would be better if you went away from there.

Andromeda Tonks was the mother of a little two-year-old girl when someone knocked on her door in the midst of a blast of icy rain. Opening the door she found to her surprise that a small basket was in front of her feet, soaking wet and holding a rain-soaked baby girl who was crying inconsolably.

"Ted! Come look at this, Ted!" She cried out as she carried the wet baby in her arms who snuggled into her arms as soon as she felt the woman's warmth “For Merlin's sake, Ted!

Her husband ran to the doorway as he carried little Nymphadora, who was hugging a stuffed hippogriff. The man stopped in front of his wife, staring in amazement at the gift that had been left in front of their house.

"It's a baby, Ted! Someone has left their baby here and in the middle of a storm!"

"There's got to be a note" Reasoned her husband, shaking with fright "If there isn't, maybe... maybe she was left here by mistake and we'll have to look for her parents.I s there a note? What does it say?"

The note Ted Tonks was referring to was nothing more than a piece of parchment worn and almost undone by the water in the basket. Andromeda held it up to the light to decipher the message, but all she could read was: "HER NAME IS (Y/N)". The message was accompanied only by a golden locket that had the image of a clay pot with hands that molded it; on the back were the initials '(Y/N) and an S at the end. Andromeda didn’t understand why.

Even with all that, they decided that they would keep little (Y/N) Lexington -that was the word that was engraved on the basket, with which Andromeda concluded that that must be your last name- at least until your real parents came back claiming that everything had been a big mistake. Years passed and no one went in search of you.

You caressed the necklace slowly, remembering the story your mother Andromeda told you, always telling you that, even though you were not her biological daughter, she loved you as much as if you were, and that Dora loved you as if you were her sister. So, you felt the need to help her in everything your sister asked you.

Your powers were strange, no one knew what they were due to, but the Tonks family never wondered even when they appeared out of nowhere, at five years of age and after having seriously injured Nymphadora. You decided it was best to leave for France and learn to use your powers away from your family.

Now you didn't know if Madame Maxime would let you go back home, after all, you had thought of quitting being a teacher to devote yourself fully to be an auror because for that you had studied day and night until exhaustion, however your intentions had been an enigma for Madame Maxime, who flatly refused to let you abandon your classes of defense against the dark arts. But, if Dora needed you, you had to be there, because there was nothing you wouldn't do for your sister.

Folding each of the letters, you approached your bed and with your wand made all your clothes fly out of the closet until they dropped into the open suitcase that rested under your chest of drawers. You deftly closed the latch and made it become the size of a coin, loading it into your front pocket. You opened the door and ran down the stairs.

You greeted every student you came across and even talked to each of them on your way to the principal's office. You started running, thinking that you had to be that very day at the address Dora had attached to you in the last letter she sent. You fixed your hair before you reached the office and knocked three times on the door. A light voice gave you the pass on the other side and you rushed in.

“Excusez moi madame” you said as you saw the headmistress sitting in front of her desk. On the other side sat a man you recognized as Byron Murphy, a senior auror who worked as an assistant teacher of defense against the dark arts. You frowned after Byron smiled at you" I'm sorry to interrupt you, but I need to talk to you about something important.

"What is it, Professor?"

"I... well" You cleared your throat, looking down at your shoes "You see, my sister has written to me from England as a matter of urgency and she asked me to return home immediately”

"C'est du jamais vu!"Shouted the woman, kicking her desk. Byron jumped in his place "This must be a joke. Just today my two defense professors wish to resign, is this some kind of loving decision?”

Your cheeks soon turned into two shiny fresh tomatoes from the embarrassment. Byron looked at you with a raised eyebrow and held out his hand for you to take, wanting to play along with what the headmistress had just said. You shook it off, because you were not indifferent to the gossip going around the school about the two of you.

Byron Murphy would take any opportunity to be near you, and you even thought it was all a plan of the auror when Madame Maxime appointed him as assistant for defense against the dark arts; you soon learned that the class itself was very heavy and that even though you refused to accept Byron's help, you had no choice but to lean on him when things didn't turn out as arranged. Even with all that, the girls came up with that both of you were in a romantic relationship. There was the day you overheard your fourth graders whispering about how they had discovered that you and Professor Byron Murphy were getting married next winter. You punished them with extra homework.

"No, god, it's nothing like that."

"Then what is it?"

"My sister needs me, ma’am. There's.... there's a matter in England that I must help her settle."

"What kind of matter?"

"Uh, well" You knew that the next thing you would say would seriously upset the headmistress, but you had no choice but to be honest and get out of there as soon as possible “She doesn't mention much about the situation, but in every letter she has sent me Albus Dumbledore's name comes up”

There was a long silence that was cut short when the huge headmistress stood up and the chair she was sitting in fell backwards causing a frightening clatter. You took a couple of steps back and tried to keep your hands as close to your wand as possible. Byron got up as well, walked over to you and stood next to you, holding your hand in case the situation got out of hand.

“Albus Dumbledore! That unfortunate little man! I've had enough of him since last year!”

“Are you referring to the Triwizard Tournament?” Byron asked

“Of course that's what I mean! That damned Tournament where Hogwarts had two winners, unfairly of course, but nothing could be done cause the laws of the damned Goblet were clear, weren't they? They didn't accept appeals. And then... what happened to that Diggory boy... what they said about the return of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named.... Albus Dumbledore is a liar!” You closed your eyes as a drop of spittle landed on your cheek. Byron shook his head

“You don't believe in the Dark Lord's return?”

“Of course not!” You both knew that the headmistress was really annoyed as her French accent became even more pronounced. You looked at Byron for a second before looking back at the angry woman “I've read about it in the newspaper, in The Daily Prophet, as they call it, Igor Karkarov has kept me informed of the matter.

“Do you still have contact with that man?”

“Sure do i! He and I have been friends for years and he has been affected by the thing as well. The poor man has had to hide in a hut on the outskirts of Bulgaria from where he has been able to get hold of influences who send him copies of the newspaper every month. Otherwise we would both be in the dark. So i’m very sorry for what i’m about to tell you, Professor Lexington, but I will not accept any kind of resignation on your part.

“Madame, if you'll just let me....”

“Much less when you plan to join Dumbledore's madness. I'm sorry, but you'd better get back to your classes”

The thing was, that the issue was about more than just Dumbledore, it was about protecting your family, your friends and in the worst case scenario, the entire magical community. You may not have been present at Hogwarts a year ago, but you firmly believed what Dora had told you about Cedric Diggory's murder; there was no reason not to believe in the Dark Lord's return, cause even those who were Death Eaters had been disappearing overnight. And you firmly believed in your sister's word, she, being an auror, was aware of the severity of the situation and that's why she was strongly asking you to go back home and help her in any way you could.

No, you couldn't stay at Beauxbatons for a second longer.

"It is a pity that you don’t accept my motives, Madame, but I have already made up my mind. I have packed my bags and will leave immediately with or without your approval" The woman was about to retort, however, you stopped her "I believe in my sister's word and of course I believe in Lord Voldemort's return.

"Don't say his name!" Madame Maxime shrieked, covering her ears. Byron shuddered

"Cedric Diggory shouldn’t have died and we mustn’t stand idly by; there are people out there fighting and dying at the hands of dark magic, spreading fear and starting an internal war that we may never be able to get out of. Desolé, madame, but I cannot stay out of this. I have learned much here, and even managed to control my powers, despite that, i’m loyal to my family and, therefore, i’m loyal to Albus Dumbledore.

You turned around, ready to leave when the giant's powerful voice stopped you.

"Professor Lexington, are you aware that if you leave the school you will never return?"

You looked at her over your shoulder

"Believe me, Madame, if you refuse to believe in the return of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named and try to make others believe it is so, then I have no desire to return."

Leaving the office, you ran down the stairs trying to get to the front door. After all, from France to London wasn't too long a walk, you could just disappear and show up at the place Dora had marked for you. You would if you had the slightest idea where that place was.

A few hurried footsteps followed you, stopping you in front of the main door.

It was Byron, who was carrying a small suitcase on his back.

“Hey, you don't have to run away from me, honey”

“Leave me alone, Byron”

“Well, okay, listen” He grabbed you by the cheeks as you tried to leave the castle. Your eyes met his, noticing how a smile began to form on his lips “What you said to Olympe was wonderful, it really was. And you of all people know that I also believe in the return of you-know-who”

“Do you?”

“Yes. I was about to tell Madame Maxime my reasons to resigning when you arrived”

“What are those reasons?”

Byron smiled sideways, stroking your cheeks.

“I want to fight against Lord Voldemort”

“What”

“Just as you hear, dear. After all, that's our job as Aurors, isn't it? I can't stay in this castle and pretend to be a teacher when they may need me out there. I've heard about the Order of the Phoenix, about Albus Dumbledore, his name is going around the world. So i want to be a part of it too”

“Byron...”

“Just... let me come with you, okay? You'll need all the help you can get”

Byron being an auror of a higher rank made everything easier, because then you would have extra help against the Dark Lord; however, you weren't prepared to be around him any longer than necessary. Byron stroked your cheek and, smiling, he opened the door for you. You sighed, taking his hand to disappear from there together.

#bill weasley #bill weasley imagine #bill weasley x reader #domhnall gleeson #domhnall gleeson imagine #domhnall gleeson x reader #harry potter imagine #harry potter cast #charlie weasley #fred weasley imagines #george weasley #george weasley imagine

71 notes · View notes

marsoufrench · 18 days

Text

Kids Clothing: Embracing French Fashion Online

Introduction to Kids Clothing

Children's fashion has evolved significantly over the years, with trends and styles mirroring those of the adult fashion world. From cute and playful designs to trendy and sophisticated looks, there's a vast array of options available for dressing up the little ones. One particular influence that has captured the attention of parents and fashion enthusiasts alike is French fashion.

The Popularity of French Fashion

French fashion is renowned for its elegance, sophistication, and timeless appeal. It's no surprise that this influence extends to kids' clothing as well. French brands have mastered the art of combining classic styles with contemporary elements, resulting in chic and stylish ensembles for children of all ages.

Advantages of Online Shopping

Convenience

One of the biggest advantages of shopping for kids' clothing online is the convenience it offers. Parents can browse through a wide selection of styles and sizes from the comfort of their own homes, eliminating the need to visit multiple stores in search of the perfect outfit.

Variety

Online stores also provide access to a diverse range of brands and styles that may not be readily available in local brick-and-mortar shops. This allows parents to explore different options and find unique pieces that reflect their child's personality and preferences.

Cost-effectiveness

Online shopping often presents opportunities for cost savings through exclusive deals, discounts, and seasonal promotions. Additionally, the ability to compare prices across different retailers ensures that parents can find the best value for their money.

Features of a Good Online Store

When choosing an online store for kids' clothing, it's essential to look for certain features that enhance the overall shopping experience.

User-friendly interface

A well-designed website with intuitive navigation makes it easier for parents to search for specific items, filter results, and complete their purchase seamlessly.

Secure payment options

Trustworthy online stores prioritize security by offering encrypted payment gateways and multiple payment methods, giving parents peace of mind when making transactions.

Return and exchange policies

Flexible return and exchange policies are essential factors to consider, as they allow parents to make hassle-free returns or exchanges in case the clothing doesn't fit or meet their expectations.

Importance of Quality in Kids Clothing

Quality should always be a top priority when selecting clothing for children. Durable fabrics, reinforced seams, and attention to detail ensure that garments withstand the wear and tear of active play and maintain their appearance wash after wash.

Sustainability in Fashion

With growing awareness of environmental issues, many parents are turning to sustainable and eco-friendly clothing options for their children. French fashion brands are at the forefront of this movement, offering organic cottons, recycled materials, and ethically sourced garments that minimize their environmental impact.

French Fashion Influence on Kids Clothing

French fashion exudes a sense of effortless style and sophistication that transcends age barriers. From tailored blazers and elegant dresses to casual-chic separates, the influence of French aesthetics can be seen in every aspect of children's clothing, from design to craftsmanship.

Top French Fashion Brands for Kids

Several renowned French fashion brands cater specifically to children, combining luxury and refinement with playful charm. Some of the top brands include Bonpoint, Jacadi, Petit Bateau, and Cyrillus, each known for its exquisite designs and attention to detail.

Tips for Choosing the Right Kids Clothing Online

When shopping for kids' clothing online, consider the following tips to ensure a satisfying experience:

Check size charts: Refer to the size charts provided by the retailer to select the appropriate size for your child.

Read reviews: Take the time to read customer reviews and testimonials to gauge the quality and fit of the clothing.

Look for sales and discounts: Keep an eye out for special promotions and sales events to maximize savings on your purchases.

Consider versatility: Opt for versatile pieces that can be mixed and matched to create multiple outfits for different occasions.

Pay attention to fabric: Choose soft, breathable fabrics that are gentle on your child's skin and provide comfort throughout the day.

Trends in Kids Fashion

Colors and patterns

Bold colors, playful prints, and whimsical patterns are prominent trends in children's fashion, adding fun and personality to everyday outfits.

Comfortable fabrics

Comfort is key when it comes to kids' clothing, with soft cottons, cozy knits, and stretchy materials favored for their ease of movement and wearability.

Stylish accessories

Accessories such as hats, scarves, and hair accessories are not only functional but also serve as stylish accents to complete the look and add flair to any outfit.

Conclusion

In conclusion, French fashion continues to influence the world of kids' clothing with its elegance, sophistication, and timeless charm. By embracing online shopping, parents have access to a diverse range of styles and brands that cater to their children's individual tastes and preferences. With a focus on quality, sustainability, and comfort, dressing the little ones in French-inspired ensembles has never been easier or more stylish.

#kids clothing #eco responsible dress #organic baby clothing made in France #French fashion online store

0 notes

blackswaneuroparedux · 3 years

Text

No “wine-ing”: a season of ice and fire

A lot of you dropped very kind messages about my well being and I’m happy to say that my recovery from Covid is firmly on track and I’m close to full strength again. My exhaustion and tiredness has thankfully been ebbing away. I’m back running my daily 5 km before I start my work day and cycling to get back to full fitness.

So I managed to escape Paris before the travel lockdown and curfew was imposed before April 26. I’m a country girl at heart and I’ve always felt a little uncomfortable in big cities. I love Paris but I also get tired of it quite easily. So I headed to the chateau vineyard where I thought I could complete my recovery from my Covid illness and work remotely (the work never stops) without too many distractions.

Unfortunately - or fortunately as I prefer to see it - I was mud deep in trying to rescue our wine harvest for 2021 as frost struck over a few nights that left us reeling, and left much of the country’s wine growing region devastated. No region of France was spared as French wine producers fought valiantly over several nights to stop the frost from letting the buds finally come out to sprout. Wine makers fought with everything they could think of, and in the end resorted to fire to keep the temperature warm enough for the vines to survive the cold snap. It was a spectacular sight all across the horizons of many French wine growing regions including ours.

I’m just thankful to be there at the right place and the right time to help out.

I enjoy coming down to our chateau vineyard as it’s a welcome contrast to the busy city life of Paris. I just couldn’t wait to get dressed up (or dress down?) in tatty old clothing, rolling up my sleeves, and getting my hands dirty with any physical chores to do around the vineyard. I always have this urge to make myself useful instead being stuck behind a desk, bored to death in Zoom call meetings. I was looking forward to running and cycling in the open country air to bust a gut or two.

Mostly though I was looking forward to enjoying home cooked country food, be in the fun company of my two Anglo-Norwegian cousins and their French families, and together we’d be preening over the first shoots of the forthcoming wine harvest for 2021.

It is always an emotional moment at this time of year when we see in the vineyards the glistening tears of the vines (‘les pleurs’) that tell us that the new vintage is underway. As the temperatures rise so does the sap in the vines and where the pruners have trimmed the end of the branch, we see this beautiful sight that reassures us – telling us whatever happens, nature continues. The baby buds are beginning to come out timidly but soon the stark branches of the vines will be green again as these fragile leaves unfurl in the spring sunlight.

Back in 2020 many vintners (winemakers), not just in our region but across the whole of France, were unsure what 2021 would bring. Would 2021 be a challenging vintage or an easy one full of sunshine? With the growing season starting so early, the first hurdle - and one of the most crucial - is the fear of late frost. It seems to be more and more of a problem in recent years, this late frost burying any new growth like a fast moving avalanche. For many vintners they have 2017 written into their hearts in painful tears when frost devastated any hope for a healthy harvest and for some even brought financial ruin.

For me - at the time - it was a rude introduction to the vicissitudes of the wine making business by two wine loving cousins co-owning and co-managing an old family owned French vineyard. Family fortunes rise and fall according to the harvest. All the blood, tears, and sweat poured into running an efficient high yielding grape vineyard comes to naught when you realise that you are not the master, nature is.

The risk of frost has increased in recent years due to global warming, which does not just warm but makes the climate more erratic and temperatures more extreme. Good news for the moderately temperate climate for our wine making region where hotter drier summers have produced a string of good recent vintages (2015, 2016, 2018, 2020). But the negative side of this is that frosts have become more common right up until the end of the usual cycle – last year it was on 6th May.

Except this year, 2021, now looked like 2017 because of the devastation of continued frost on the vines. In talking to the French family of my cousin’s French wife, who have faithfully made wine for a few generations they ruefully pointed out past bad frosts. Apparently 1956 was legendary with a very cold winter frost some minus 20 °C following a warm period when the sap rose from the roots into the vine foot and branches. It killed the vines. The last disastrous late spring frost before 2017 was 1991. It seems to be striking significantly every two years now and a every year to a degree. Who would have expected the devastation again this year, 2021 some forty years on.

This year, particularly around April 7th and 8th, brought despair to vignerons right across France from Champagne to Cognac, Burgundy to Bordeaux as thousands of vineyards’ new growth was obliterated by frost (resulting in zero yield for harvest 2021). There may be some new growth and some secondary budding but this is a repeat of 2017 (if not worse) and few were able to harvest any grapes worth speaking of.

My cousins had been in contact with friends and other peers who are wine makers in other regions (friendships are built at trade shows overseas and other association events) and in totality the picture appeared bleaker than previous years. The scourge of frost had been catastrophic. Around half of the vines in Burgundy have been damaged, according to local producers. Some vineyard owning friends in the Inter Rhône region told us that the whole of the Rhône has been hit dramatically and that some plots are affected 100%.

According to the CNIV, the official French council for wine appellation, the frost has affected 80% of French vineyards. We already know that we will have a very low harvest in 2021. Nearly all French wine growers have just suffered a dark week in April.

It’s not just wine growers but fruit farmers too. It’s been like winter coming in spring. Below-freezing temperatures in the Drome and Ardèche regions of central southern France have led to fruit farmers losing up to 90 percent of their kiwi, apricot, apple, and peach harvest. Even in Bordeaux the severity of the frost damaged the growth on fruit trees such as apricots, peaches and nectarines, and field-crops such as rapeseed and sugar beet.

Desperate times call for desperate measures. How does one protect the vines from frost?

There have been a variety of ways vineyard owners have been dealing with the problem of frost. There’s no one size fits all and the solutions are often handicapped by the size of one’s vineyards, financial resources, and manpower.

Two solutions in fighting frost have been aeolian wind turbines and air fans. It takes the warmer air from higher up, and pushes it to the ground. These machines can raise temperatures by up to 2C. The problem is that some of these wind turbines and air fans are permanently set so they can only be set in one direction whilst others one can wheel around to move the air and stop frost settling. Both are very expensive solutions and the cost may outweigh the gain.

Air heaters are another solution. No less expensive though. One of our vineyard owning neighbours wanted to use paraffin fuelled heaters. But he said he would have needed 4,500 paraffin-fuelled heaters to cover all his 15 hectares at a cost of nearly €50,000 for the two worst nights, and even then growers it would protect only the vines for his finest wines.

Some of the vineyards also launched helicopters to fly above their vineyards, a method that can help to prevent frost by encouraging warm air to circulate. In effect they push the cold air around so that it does not sink down to the ground causing its damage. I was all for this solution as I’m an ex-army helicopter combat pilot and so I felt my old training could be put to use in civilian helicopters. But we ruled this out once we did the maths. At about 1600€-2000€ per hour one can only fly from 6am but this is the coldest time when the sun comes up. At best the helicopter’s range of effectiveness was a mere 10 hectares. So you don’t get more bang for your buck. But that didn’t stop some vineyards that we knew doing exactly that. These were corporate owned vineyards who tend to be well heeled and can afford to spare no expense.

There are less expensive solutions but are more costly in terms of manpower.

Some vineyards used water sprinklers, allowing a fine coating hitting sub-zero temperatures as the ice acts like a mini-igloo and protect it from outside colder temperatures.

Conversely, vineyard owners hit upon another relatively low cost solution of using candles. They usually last 12 hours and so in effect can be used for the two crucial nights of severe frost. We calculated that at 10€ a candle you would need 300 for one hectare alone. Of course the chief problem is that they need to be lit by hand and hope the wind was kind.

For the biodynamic wine producers they fell back on organic solutions. They sprayed their vines with a spray composed of pectins from apples which is supposed to lower the temperature around the vines. More common and perhaps more effective was spraying vines with Valerian to give the vines some added fortification to survive themselves.

By far the most common response by vineyard owners to combat the frost was to burn fires by burning hay bales amongst the vines. The smoke causes a blanket which heats up the atmosphere. In the old days I was told they actually burned rubber tyres! For it to have any chance of being effective you have to be aware of wine direction and make sure the bales are in the right places. It also helps if your neighbours do the same.

Speaking for our chateau vineyard, we had to make tough decisions to see how our chateau vineyard could combat the frost and minimise the damage to the future harvest. Although I own a small financial investment stake in the vineyard I have always deferred to my two cousins who actually run the vineyard with their married partners on a day to day basis. It’s their life long passion and I’m happy to play a small part in getting my hands (literally) dirty in building something from the soil up and for purely selfish reasons, just love being so close to nature itself. The fact that the French family of one my cousin’s wife - they actually owned the land and were reputable wine makers for generations - added invaluable weight to the wisdom of any decision making we had to do.

We sat around the kitchen table and talked through our options whilst nursing a glass of wine from a past vintage. My cousins and their kids especially thought I was a weirdo - they’re probably right! It’s not that I enjoy it (the mud, sweat and lack of sleep etc) but it was the challenge that really got me energised. If it’s a forlorn battle against the odds that’s when I really come alive. So I was quite jolly and full of vim whilst those around me were bleary eyed and groaning for bed and a hot shower as we were out in the fields in the dead of night. We ran it like a military operation - thanks to me ha! - I put everyone on detail and even the small kids saluted and got to work on their task. We made sure we had hot soup and beers constantly on tap for our staff and workers to take a food break and take a breather. Not that they needed motivating. Every one of our staff and also volunteers worked bravely to limit the damage.

So in the end we fell upon a series of actions which indeed many of our immediate wine making neighbours also followed suit. We sprayed, we watered, we burned. We tried everything to save our vines from further damage from frost.

We concocted an organic solution that had thyme, oregano, and wild sariette to which we added valerian and meadowsweet and a dash of yarrow and horsetail as well as honey; all of which help the whole organic solution to work. In effect this helps the vine to prepare for ice, by changing the composition of the sap a little, by enriching it with sugar. The infusion is then sprayed onto the vines at least 24 hours before the first freeze is forecast. The solution only works if the temperatures stay just below freezing but no lower, at around -2C or -1C maximum. With this solution on the plants, we could increase temperatures by 1-2 degrees. If it drops even lower, to around -5C, as we had in 2019, it’s not enough. It might save some plants, but not all.

We soon followed with watering the vines using our irrigation system we had on hand. It was labouriously time consuming.

When it was clear that this wasn’t going to work out because of the severe temperature drop we fell on fire as the saving solution.

It was all hands on deck as we also roped in some volunteers to help us start small controlled fires amongst our vines. We burned straw bales and piles of wood in very large jerry cans to save what we could. The aim was to create a blanket of smoke so that when the sun came up it didn't burn the vines because of the humidity. One vineyard neighbour of ours actually used a flame thrower and lit more than 700 small fires but had to start all over again because the fires didn’t last one night.

This was our experience too. We had a lot of hectares to cover and so little man power and so we just worked around the clock until we were able to light fires and keep an eye on them should they go out. We ran between the selected vines to make sure the fires remained lit throughout the night starting around 2am to 6am. I don’t think any of us had more than a few hours sleep over a crucial 48 hour window. We took turns to cook for everyone and made sure everyone was well fed on home cooking as well as hot showers and adequately winter clothed. I’m used to being sweaty and getting by on little sleep from my army days but it’s a measure of how far I’ve succumbed to civilian life that even I found it a little hard going.

I’m not very good at lighting fires as I tend to over compensate on the fuel lighter and I feared that I would burn the whole vineyard down by trying to start a small controlled fire. I got singed here and there but nothing to complain about. Others were just marvellous in their work ethic and shared bonhomie as we tried to save our vineyard. One person on our staff did get singed with flames and in his case we rushed him to hospital with minor third degree burns. We all felt like roasted chestnuts standing between the small fires. But what a spectacular sight the landscape was with all these lighted fires. This wasn’t just our vineyard but all across the landscape of neighbouring vineyards. It looked as if the whole region was on fire. It was quite hypnotising to look at. As to its effects, it’s harder to discern. I do know that even cities of Lyon and Bordeaux had a layer of smog that was visible to others from far away.

Looking back it was both exhausting and exhilarating to experience such a time. It’s the kind of rite of passage that either breaks you or makes you. For us it certainly brought us all together more tightly than before. With our neighbours too there was a collective sense of togetherness and rather than act selfishly or just worry about our own fortunes, neighbours lent a hand towards each other in terms of equipment, expertise, or voluntary labour.

Perhaps the more wealthy chateau vineyards’ expensive techniques were able to save their best vineyards but most who could afford creating smoke blankets from burning hay bales – they were no match for the frost with temperatures down to minus 5 in some areas. Hopefully insurance had been taken out, which involves a substantial expenditure each year. We are fortunate to have insurance and the damage done to our vineyard has been mitigated to some extent. But I do know for instance that many are not insured against the effects of frost because of the cost of the coverage and many French wine producers were already struggling financially.

It was reported that many chateau vineyards in lesser known areas (Castillon, Bourg, Blaye, Côtes de Franc, Graves, Satellites of St Emilion) who could not afford these payments and who played ‘Russian roulette’, this year lost for perhaps for the last time. For them it’s personally heart breaking. For French wine making it’s a cultural tragedy. It’s hard enough for small independent vineyards (often run by families or young couples with a dream) to survive - the economies of scale as well as being aggressively overshadowed by the high volume output and superior marketing power of wealthy corporate owned vineyards - but never really expected nature, or vicissitudes of global warming, to make it that much more harder to make wine.

Unlike Bordeaux, Burgundy, the Rhone valley, in the Champagne region, we heard that not many Champagne wine producers didn’t even bother fighting the frost because they thought it would have done little good. One of the reasons why so few people engaged in frost protection in Champagne is these wine makers have as their biggest buffer against frost is their Individual Reserve (RI). In case appellation requirements are not met in the vineyard, they can draw from it.

Indeed with sales still stagnating and small yield expectations, growers may have to dip in the RI because frost season is not over till after the Saintes Glaces, a period in the middle of May after which frost generally doesn't appear. But not every vineyard can do that.

To their credit, perhaps recognising the commercial and cultural role French wine has in daily life and international prestige, the French government had agreed to step in to help. President Emmanuel Macron tweeted a picture of a candle-lit vineyard and promised that help was on the way, “À vous, agriculteurs qui, partout en France, avez lutté sans relâche, nuit après nuit, pour protéger les fruits de votre travail, je veux vous dire notre soutien plein et entier dans ce combat. Tenez bon ! Nous sommes à vos côtés et le resterons.” (“To you, farmers who, throughout France, have fought tirelessly, night after night, to protect the fruits of your labour, I want to give you our full support in this fight. Hold on tight! We are by your side and will remain so." )

To that end President Macron has declared an "agricultural disaster" and Prime Minister Jean Castex has promised that the government will provide emergency relief to those who were affected. He has also removed the limit on the amount of financial compensation that can be provided. It said it would help the smaller independent vineyards and co-operatives with tax breaks as well as pushing banks and insurance companies to help out. It’s unclear if any of this will come to pass or indeed what effect it might have in the short and long term. We shall see.

It’s been estimated that at least a third of French wine production worth nearly € 2 billion (£ 1.7 billion) in sales will be lost this year. It's another blow for France's wine industry whatever assistance is given. The French wine industry has already been dealing with the knock-on effects of the Covid pandemic, with decreases in restaurant orders due to the country's series of lockdowns. Independent producers have been hit hard by the cancellation of wine fairs due to Covid. Then there have been the effects of the tariffs that former President Donald Trump imposed as a result of assorted disputes between the administration and the European Union. In late 2019, Trump hit French wine with a retaliatory 25% import duty, a cost increase that the Economist says contributed to a 14% drop in French wine exports in 2020. Last month in March, the United States and the EU announced a four-month suspension of the tariffs.

But that doesn't necessarily help winegrowers right now - especially since a significant percentage of this year's crop may already be lost. Tradition has it that it is well into May before vine growers can sleep easy without worrying about the risk of further frost damage.

Even though we did our best to save our vines we couldn’t save all of them and even had decide which ones to forgo even trying because we lacked manpower and resources at such short notice. I heard someone amongst ourselves say losing the vines that one has cultivated so lovingly was like the loss of a family member. It may seem puerile, but that is close to what many feel. Perhaps only winegrowers can understand this sentiment, but they have found themselves out in the vines in the morning with tears in their eyes. I’m not one for sentiment and displays of emotion but even I was a little moved to see the heart break in tear filled eyes of some of the older generation who have for decades given their sweat and tears to tilling the soil. We did our best to console one another and remarkably in that crucible we experienced together we all became closer.

What is clear is the tradition of wine - beyond national politics and international trade disputes - is under long term threat from something much more existential. There is a saying amongst the older generation of wine makers in our fertile wine making region who say, ‘wine history is climate history’. Wine making is about the vines, the ‘terroir’ (a French way of saying the earth or the soil), but also the climate. Nature is very much the master and wine makers are but humble servants of the soil. For those who don’t believe in climate change or think it’s overly dramatised by scientists or worse, a hoax, then I would say wake up and smell the coffee. Climate change is real as any wine producer or arable farmer will tell you. Wine can make you do or say many things, but it won’t ever make you tell a wilful lie.

The French wife of my cousin, whose family the vineyard had been for several generations, told us that the wine harvest time used to span her grandfather’s birthday - September 28 - but now, the bustle of harvest is over and cleaned up in time for his birthday party - that’s two to three weeks earlier than when her grandfather used to make the wine. As she memorably put it, things are “bien cramées” (really screwed up).

All of this means that wine producers will have to change their ways as the climate changes. All the measures taken to combat frost were in reality delaying tactics to fight a losing battle with the climate. The wine industry, not just in France but around the world, needs to evolve if it is to face up to increasing climate challenges. This might include planting more weather-resistant vines that flower later, and are therefore less vulnerable to late frosts and cold snaps.

Wine, in France, is built into the fabric of the culture. The many variety of grapes across the wine growing regions indigenously grow and adapt to the precise climate conditions of the region for centuries. Winemakers know the growth stages intimately: the look of the vines before they bud; the look of the vines as they mature over long seasons; and the fat, sugary, fragrant curve of the grapes when they’re ready to be made into wine.

That harvest point is crucial. Too long on the vine and the grapes have too much sugar in them, meaning the wine will be more alcoholic—not the subtle feel most winemakers in the region care for. Too long, and the acids that give wine some of its feel in the mouth may disintegrate. Not long enough, and they might not have developed the right balance of fragrant chemicals that give the wine its characteristic flavours.

Winemakers keep careful track of harvest dates, with some regions have records stretching back to the Middle Ages. In the 1800s, scientists and historians realised that those careful records could be used to keep track of how the climate in different parts of Europe has changed over time.

Grape harvest date records are the longest records of phenology in Europe. There are hundreds of years of records of what the summer temp was like, and we can use them like a thermometer.

Grape harvest dates reflect the temperature the grapes have felt over the course of the growing season, from about April until they’re picked. If the spring and summer are hot, the grapes mature faster and need to be picked sooner. If they're cool, the opposite is true.

Climate historians started to pull together ancient information from other sources, too. They matched up the patterns in the grape harvest data with records made from tree rings and the length of glaciers in the Alps. They used records like those to figure out that much of central Europe warmed up during the Medieval Warm Period, from around 900 to 1300. It had cooled down during the Little Ice Age, from about the 15th to the 19th centuries.

The historians saw that over the past few hundred years, temperatures wobbled around, skewing warm for short stretches and cooling down in others. But overall, climate rocked up and down around a fairly consistent average value - until recently.

Wine is first and foremost an agricultural product. The grapes used to make it are grown and harvested with intent to be fermented. This means that wine production is vulnerable to the effects of climate change from the tangible health of vines to the taste and quality of the finished bottling they create. So for this reason, all winemakers see themselves as being on the front line to see what happens with the weather, with the climate. The fluctuations we have today are more significant than any time before.

If you don’t believe any of this or think wine producers are exaggerating the dangers, then taste your wine the next time you open a bottle. The chances are it has a high alcohol content. This is no accident. Because of the changes in temperature world wide, the alcohol content of wines has bumped up from about 12% in the 1970s to about 14% today. Of course that number varies from region to region and is also due to the wine maker’s preference. But a large part of it is because grapes are maturing faster in the heat. The more sugar they accumulate, the more of it is converted to alcohol during the winemaking process.

Warming has also caused the boundaries of viable growing area to swell. Typically, successful vineyards have been found between 30 and 50 degrees latitude. But as global average temperatures continue to climb, the most ideal areas to plant are moving farther from the equator. Now, areas as far up as the island of Föhr and Stargarder Land in Mecklenburg, at the tip-top of Germany, are legally permitted to produce table wines. Belgium, whose vinous history has been overshadowed by its beer culture, quadrupled production between 2006 and 2018; it’s forecasted to become a champion, alongside Finland, Sweden and other boreal climes. Shockingly, even England has also successfully entered the modern fine wine scene.

With better wine from regions we know and new wine from previously uncharted areas, it may appear the wine world is becoming better off. In truth, however, this is a thin silver lining to ever-worsening viticultural challenges.

If the growing season becomes too hot, fruit will push through its life cycle too quickly and characteristics like tannins and anthocyanins, the compounds responsible for giving grape skins their colour, won’t develop properly. Muted acid and increased alcohol levels are also possible and often undesirable.

Variations between daytime and nighttime temperatures are in jeopardy as well. In warmer growing regions, that difference can be crucial to achieving freshness and encouraging certain flavour and aroma development.

Intense heat or too much direct sunlight can lead to dried fruit notes or create flabby and dull wines. Fruit that’s left too long on the vine can be damaged from sunburn or may simply shrivel. Vines may just shut down to protect themselves.

This is already happening in some places. Wine growers in northern Italy have already seen sunburnt crops with increasing frequency. The summer of 2019 in Southern Australia was the hottest since national records began in 1910, and it ushered in an 8% loss of white wine varieties, with Chardonnay dropping 12% to its lowest yield in the past five years. Growers in Priorat, Spain, reported devastating vine damage, scorched leaves and desiccated grapes when temperatures shot up to a record 107.6˚F.

Climate change is complicated, however, and, even though temperature is the most influential factor in overall growth and productivity of wine grapes, there’s more than rising mercury to think about.

Winter, and all of its prescriptions, is one of those other things. We typically talk about warming, yet, freezes during the winter or extreme frost in the spring don’t go away. They may become less frequent, but potentially more severe. A decrease in regular winter frosts may also encourage the spread of pests and insect-borne diseases that would normally die off during cold seasons.

Moisture is pivotal. Too much rain approaching or during harvest can lead to watery grapes and a weak vintage. Similar to mild winters, damp, soggy and humid conditions open the door to a variety of pests, fungi, mildew and disease pressures.

All of these intricacies and others work in conjunction with temperature to dictate what vines can successfully grow where and for how long—and all are increasingly unpredictable or totally upended in the face of climate change.

The people who grow, make and sell wine are tuned in to these nuances.

A greater number of producers are rethinking canopy management, vine trellising or pruning techniques, developing cover crops and extensive shading methods, increasing vineyard biodiversity and finding ways to reuse water.

Still, there are some challenges that cannot be overcome.

In the future, I expect growers to struggle with maintaining varieties in certain regions without major interventions. If they don’t make major changes, wine producers will see declining yields - already seen in Europe - and declining quality as the varieties become increasingly mismatched to the climate.

Producers have begun grafting new rootstocks and experimenting with different grapes. In South Africa, Vinpro, aided tests of drought-resistant varieties including Assyrtico and Marselan, for example. Australian producers have tried Italian grapes like Fiano, Vermentino and Nero d’Avola that thrive in warmer settings.

In Old World regions, where grapes and blends may be prescribed by law, the idea of swapping plantings is monumental.

Bordeaux is one such place, and, at a 2019 General Assembly meeting, it finally relented. The Union of Bordeaux AOC and Bordeaux Supérieur winemakers unanimously approved a list of seven “varieties of interest for adapting to climate change”: Arinarnoa, Castets, Marselan, Touriga Nacional, Alvarinho, Liliorila and Petit Manseng.

The approval of these new plantings signals just how committed the region is to preserving the future of fine wine.

Each of the various tactics being implemented worldwide take lots of time, tests and research. Some experienced wine producers think it would take about 21 years to change course because of how long it takes to plant vines, grow grapes, and then create and age a wine; finding sustainable farming practices for a plot takes trial and error.

Further, the methods being devised now may not be applicable down the road. Though there are several models in use to try and predict changes, they are attempting to track a nonlinear problem that’s dependent on a range of forthcoming scenarios.

Basically, the only thing we do know for certain is that it will get warmer, and that we may be able to anticipate that heat before it hits us.We have to be asking what we can do now to preserve the integrity of the grapes and vineyards we work with and look for where our opportunities are to continue making wine. The one line that works for everyone is to cut carbon emissions, that is the emergency action that needs to be taken.

We’re all starting to see this and we’re all affected. We know we can’t turn it backwards, and we’re not even sure we can slow it down. But we have to try.

Think on all this the next time you take a sip of wine.

#wine #vineyard #frost #climate change #environment #economic disaster #harvest #france #bordeaux #bourgogne #champagne #weather #wine business #personal #personal pics #family

36 notes · View notes

sweeethinny · 3 years

Text

James is Dating - Part 2

I love part 1, but I felt that Ginny's reaction to that was missing, so here goes, one more mother and son moment between James S. and Ginny

Part 1 | AO3

read bellow the cut :)

'Busy?' Ginny said, head into James' messy room, looking for him in all that mess of clothes, gifts, new things, and a lot of other things he kept inside.

'No. Do you need anything?’ He stepped out of the small closet by the window, still wearing only the old, dirty paint-dry shorts he had used to help build the new house for Sir, their dog.

'Do you want to go with me to the market? Your father asked me to buy more ice cream, fish and beer.' Today all the Weasley and aggregates would gather at the Potter house, Harry seemed more anxious than ever to open the new room, which was now not just a forgotten room at the back of the house, with everything that couldn't fit in the attic, which almost never had the windows open. It was an appropriate place, with comfortable armchairs, a wallpaper of flamingos that Ginny had chosen and an incredible view of the pool and the sunset.

'Sure, I'm just going to put the shirt on ... will I meet you down there?' She nodded, closing the door and walking to the stairs.

It had been a day since James told Harry that he was dating and so far he has remained silent to Ginny, which saddened her a little, since James always told her several things. She waited patiently after dinner, guaranteed to get James to help clear the table with her, and yet, today during the morning run, she tried not to say too much, hoping that he would bother with the silence - as he always did - and talk about the news she already knew.

Harry summed up what the two of them had talked about and how happy James looked about how it all went down, but Ginny wanted to hear directly from him, not just what her husband remembered.

Harry couldn't tell if James had that sparkle in his eyes that she saw appear during one of the dinners, while he and Mira talked softly in the other corner of the table, and her son seemed to almost sparkle every time she laughed. Or when he hurry down the stairs while the owl hooted to announce it arrival with the mail. And Ginny wouldn't even comment on the time she caught him looking at Mira' breasts. It was a quick thing, while she and Mira talked about Quidditch, the girl fixed the collar of her sweater, without any apparent malice, and out of the corner of her eye Ginny had been able to notice the movement of James' eyes.

She wanted to laugh and make some comment about it, but the boy soon managed to get them off track and take Mira away from Ginny, saying they were going to play Quidditch - and they went.

Mira was a girl that Ginny had been cheering James on to notice her, since the first day Ginny met her, she was a sweet person, and it was understandable that even Scorpion, always tried to be around her on vacation. She was also beautiful; tall, almost the same height as James, with blonde hair similar to Fleur's, but more wavy and messy than the perfectly smooth strands of her sister-in-law, dark eyes that seemed almost unreal, and a way of behaving that exuded confidence. Not much to detriment her, just enough that she could survive the world without being too affected. And she was smart, which was a very important point for Ginny not to worry about.

As far as James talked, her mother was a witch and so was her stepfather, while her father was a muggle, as were her grandparents. They even got to know her mother on a day when they went to get Mira to go with them to the Quidditch Cup, the woman had studied in the same year as the twins but was a Ravenclaw, just like her husband.

Mira was the perfect girl that Ginny could have imagined for James.

Okay, aside from the fact that maybe she was in as much or more trouble than the boy, but it was something to let go of.

'Is Dad going to make fish? I thought Teddy had convinced him to make that meat pie,’ James appeared, startling Ginny who was concentrating on watching the yard through the big window in the living room.

'You know what he looks like, when he put something on his head, forget it.' She turned, smiling at the boy and giving him her arm to hold, in order to apparate to the dark and safe alley where they landed. The market was a block and a half away, but today was a Saturday during the holidays, which meant crowded streets and long lines for even the simplest things.

'Excited to start classes?' She asked, needing to restrain herself from releasing a million questions about the courtship he had kept hidden for so long.

'Yes, at least I’m not going to see Professor Johann anymore, which makes me very happy. ’

'I thought you liked DADA.' The two stopped in the fishmonger line, surrounded by conversation.

'I like it,' James shrugged, fussing with his hair like his father did, almost making Ginny laugh. 'But he is very annoying, and he hates me.'

'I doubt it.'

'I'm serious, he hates us all but Mira, but it's because she and he share the same terrible taste for books, and they've been reading the same saga lately, but if it weren't for that, he would make her organize more than thousand of his books in alphabetical order too, as he does with us. '

‘And what does he tell her to do?’ Ginny wanted to jump for joy because they were talking about Mira, knowing that now it would be much easier to pull James’s secret.

'He almost never gives her detention, really, it's almost like he was blind to her walking down the corridors or in the forest at night, but the times he had to do that, Mira said that she just kept separating the tests by year and home' James denied, looking incredulous.

'Well ... and what would she be doing in the hall at night? Or in the Forest? ’

'Nothing I know of, of course.' James smiled in that way that always made Ginny and Harry watch, his eyes shining in something malicious, as if hiding to death what the hell they were up to at school. 'I am usually in my room, you know? Respecting the schedule and sleeping early. ’

‘Oh sure, I sure believe that,’ She smiled falsely. 'Will Mira come to dinner?'

'No, she traveled to her uncles' house in France, her cousin just gave birth to a baby.'

'Hm ... We should go to France for the next vacation, it is a pretty beautiful destination, especially in the summer.' James smiled in agreement, but if Ginny knew her son well, he was not thinking about French landscapes. 'I like her.'

'From whom?' The boy looked at her, curious, as if he were caught in the act.

'Mira. She is very kind to us. ’

'She is like that naturally.' James defended her, even though Ginny was not implying anything.

'A great quality, by the way ... And she is beautiful.' James' cheeks turned pink, but he continued to look confidently at all the fish exposed in the ice basins, it was almost their turn.

'Scorpion agrees with that, I think I saw him looking at her legs more times than I can count.' He looked at Ginny, his brown eyes looking so much like the ones she saw in the mirror when she caught herself thinking about Harry as she dressed for her class, trying to ignore how all the girls seemed to like him now that he was in sixth year and had grown up.

'And you? Do you agree?' She took a risk, biting her cheek to contain her smile when her son's face caught fire.

'She is my best friend.'

'Hermione was Ron's best friend.' She shrugged. ‘That didn’t stop him from finding her beautiful.’

'Daddy told you, didn't he?' James stared at her as if Ginny had just said that she knew his biggest secret, eyebrows raised.

'Did he tell what?' Before James could speak, however, the fishmonger called them.

They didn't waste a lot of time in the market, exchanging few words while choosing the products and then paying, walking at a slow pace and almost as if they were postponing their return home, feeling the breeze of that summer night, and seeing the city brighter and more awake than ever.

James didn't open his mouth, seeming to think well before speaking, but Ginny wanted to laugh and ask her son if he thought she was an idiot and that she hadn't realized that overnight, there were pictures of him with Mira in his room, especially the one of the two in Hogsmeade where he had his arm around her waist.

'He told you what I told him.' The boy finally spoke, and Ginny stopped walking, thinking that if they went home, there would be no way to talk without Albus, Lily, Harry or her whole family arriving and hinder, then, she preferred to stop and sit on a bench that was in front of a square they used to run, discreetly putting a spell so that the fish that would not spoil by staying out of the ice.

'Yes.' She looked at him as soon as they were seated, smiling from ear to ear. 'Your father is a gossip, you know that.'

'What do you think?' James also smiled, but his cheeks were flushed.

'Well, I like Mira, and as long as it doesn't interfere with your studies or hers, everything is fine. I've been waiting for this for some time.' The boy laughed, denying and looking at the lake that shone ahead, lit by the various lampposts.

'Her grandmother wants to talk to us.'

'Grandma?' James nodded, laughing even more.

'She says she wants to meet our family, said she is tired of just hearing about the Potter but never sees them in person.' The two laughed. 'It's all right? Are we going to have dinner with them after they get back from the trip?’

'Of course, it will be a good time, I'm sure.' She sighed. 'Do you like her? Isn't it just something to pass the time?' Ginny didn't know if she would be able to overcome the disappointment she would feel if James did that, even though she thought it unlikely that he would be able to play with Mira's feelings like that.

'Nooo, I really like her. We get along well.' He looked happy, in fact, during the Easter break he looked a little miserable, and Ginny wondered now if it had anything to do with her. James was no longer hiding in the room and remaining silent and scowling in the corners

'Good, because I like her very much, and we would fight if you were playing with her.'

'It is more capable of her making me cry than the other way around,' he joked. 'But I wouldn't have told you if it was nothing.'

'You didn't tell, your father told me.'

'Yeah, whatever.' He shrugged. 'I think I was embarrassed... Lily made the whole trip miserable, sitting in our compartment just to provoke, talking nonstop to Mira.'

'She's jealous of you, you're her big brother.' Ginny smiled, remembering how sulky her daughter was every time James went out with friends and she needed to stay. 'You did the same with Teddy. It's normal.'

'But it sucks.' He made a face. ‘Albus wasn’t like that when he heard.’

'He's better at hiding his feelings, we'll have to wait a few more weeks to find out.' The two were quiet, the music from the pub across the street was loud, as were the laughter and conversation, and Ginny almost started to worry with when it would James who wanted to go to places like that, wondering if she would stay up all night like she did when Teddy first went out.

Not that she didn't trust James, but it was still a little disconcerting to look at him, and realize that he was no longer that little boy who hugged her legs whenever he was embarrassed.

'Are you happy?' She looked at him.

'Yes.' James smiled, that shy dimple appearing on his left cheek. 'I was afraid that she would reject me. She’s a little scary. ’

‘But she didn’t reject it.’

'Yeah, something like that... She tried, and we fought, but then everything went well and I kissed her.' He smiled sheepishly, making Ginny laugh and that maternal concern dissolved a little.

'Well, this is what matters.' She stood up. 'Come on, let's go before your dad pulls out his hair and calls the Aurors to look for us.'

'He wouldn't do that.' The two walked to the alley.

'Never doubt Potter' drama.' Ginny lined them up, James holding her arm. 'I'm happy for you.' She kissed her son's forehead - which was almost starting to get taller than she was - and apparated them back to the house.

#hinny #hp next gen #harry potter next generation #next gen harry potter #James Sirius Potter #oc #james sirius x oc #Ginny Weasley #hinny headcanon

48 notes · View notes

readingsoyoucanavoidlife · 3 years

Text

In Denial

Sometimes I just want everyone to be happy and alive, so here is my headcanons for if Tom Riddle never existed.

~James and Lily never have to fight in a war, so James becomes a professional quidditch player and he became the longest reining Captain before he quit, bought the club and became the manager for it, as well as the coach for the players. Lily becomes a healer at St. Mungo’s and was able to invent a cure for dragon pox. When James’ parents died as a result of the disease she worked tirelessly researching it and came up with and affective cure. She has a portrait hanging in the hospital and after a long day sometimes has conversations with it (it the only way she can have a decent conversation in her current state). James teases her about it a lot.

~They get pregnant at a later age, because their relationship doesn’t move as fast since there is the lack of war pressure and not knowing what will happen to them. Same goes for the Weasleys and Andromeda so they all have their children later. (Canonly Molly and Arthur got married quicker because of war) And I’m just going to say that the Grangers had fertility problems, so had Hermione later. (this way the ages and relationships stay the same)

~After Harry they have three more children; Grace Iris Mia Potter, Sophie Lily Potter and Danial Charles Monty Potter. (In that order) (Iris and Charles are Lily’s parents names and Mia and Monty are shortened from Euphemia and Fleamont). Remus becomes Godfather to Grace, Peter (since he couldn’t betray them) becomes Godfather to Sophie, and Marlene becomes Godmother to Danial. Grace is two years younger than Harry (the year bellow Ginny), Sophie is one year bellow her and Danial is two years bellow that.

~They don’t see Dudley or their actual Aunt and Uncle often, they tend to meet up to have a tense cup of tea once a year. The Potter’s always send them birthday and Christmas gifts but the Dursley’s never do. They hardly heat from them until Dudley reaches out saying that he thinks his child is magical. James laughs a lot at this and more specifically the looks on Petunia’s and Vernon’s faces. They do agree to help him and his family understand.

~When McGonagall becomes Headmistress, the sorting becomes more based on personality and not character and bloodline. Thus ending the prejudice towards the houses. This is the thing that she brings to Hogwarts like the other Heads have done before her. (Dumbledore's was giving people, like Remus, chances) However this is before Minnie’s time so they are all in Griffindor. She becomes Headmistress in Harrys 6th year when Dumbledore leaves to retire in a tropical country, there is no imminent threat so why should he stay at school? His only problem is that sometimes it’s too hot to wear socks.

~Grace works for the ministry and falls in love with a guy who went to Durmstrang but now works in England, named Eric Luka. They end up having a daughter together, Scarlett Luka. Although when Scarlett is a year old, he walks out on them. Grace becomes a single mum for four years before her co-worker Aiden Murphey asks her out. They had always been friends as he had been a year above her at school, although he was in Ravenclaw. They get married and Scarlett changes her name to Luka-Murphy. They have three children together Liam, then a year later Finn and a year after that they have Owen.

~Sophie become a wizard robe designer and manages to bring some more modern and muggle aspects to the wizarding world. She starts her own clothing brand and falls for some one in Danial’s year. Zoe Phillips, they get married but don’t have any kids. They are perfectly content with spoiling their nieces and nephews.

~Danial is the perfect child of the family and people try to not like him because of it, but end up giving in because he is so nice. He is an architect for the wizarding world and marries a Hufflepuff in his year called Audrey, she is also an architect. Again they are the perfect couple that is so sickening but you can’t help liking them. They have two daughters, Emily and Olivia, who is four years younger.

~Wolfstar is a thing (as it always has been), they are together up until Harry’s 7th year. They are facing difficult struggles and are always shouting at each other, even though they still love each other. They decide to take a break and they each are set up on dates. Sirius with some guy and Remus with Tonks. On this date Remus gets very drunk because he misses Sirius and they sleep together.

~ A week later they promise to be better and stop their break. Although after three months, Tonks contacts Remus to tell him that she is pregnant, and it is his decision whether he wants to be part of it or not. Remus has his freak out about whether the baby will be like him and what Sirius will say.

~Sirius understands what has happened and doesn’t blame Remus because they were on a break, but is upset that he was with someone else. After a talk with James, Sirius feels better and is by Remus’ side the whole way and becomes excited for a baby when Remus calls Tonks to say that he wants to be a part of it (secretly he had always been jealous about the way his nieces and nephews look at James and Lily). Tonks knows how in love the boys are.

~Wolfstar begins to miss out on baby stuff and Sirius complains that its not how its meant to be when the kid arrives, so Tonks come to live with them. Tonks love the arrangement because she doesn’t have to be alone and the boys dote on her and the baby once he arrives. James becomes a Godfather. They continue living together until Teddy a bit after Teddy turns one. Tonks moves to London to be closer to her work and they co-parent using floo network all the time. Sirius normally watches him during the day since he is a wizarding writer and Remus is a professor at Hogwarts (floo’s into work) and Tonks is an auror.

~Harry and Ron become Friends with Hermione when they save her from trouble with Filch for being out after bed (she was in the Library for too long). They help her with the invisibility cloak and she lies for them when McGonagall reveals them from under the cloak when she stepped on the end of it.

~Neville has a happy childhood and is coated in his parents love, by the time he gets to school he is much more confident. He still takes a toad but his parents gave him an owl. Alice and Frank support all of his choices and are proud of every accomplishment he makes, even if his Grandmother says that it’s a waste of their time and effort. He and Harry are close friends from a very young age because of their parents, although they never really were best friends. When they went to Hogwarts and Harry went off with Ron they still looked out for each other and laughed together.

~Ron and Hermione (Ginny when they got older) came over to the Potter’s for some of the holidays, like they would go to the Weasleys for some before parting for a week before September 1st for “family time” and so their parents could see them off. Because of this Sirius and Remus become close with Ron and Hermione, so when Mrs. Weasley hosts a party (when Teddy is around three) they are invited too as part of the Potter family. Tonks comes along too as a family outing with Teddy. Teddy and Victorie hit it off and begged their parents to have play together more. Tonks sees Charlie at the party and starts talking to him as they were in the same year at school, though in different houses. He introduces her to his friend who works with him and is recently moving to London to lead the organization for dragon well-fair in England, protesting to let the Gringotts dragons free. In short Tonks and the person get together. (still unsure on what her partner identifies as but they are from a Greek pure-blood family with the surname Samaras).

~Charlie never marries or truly settles down but treats his dragons like children and is the best uncle ever.

~Bill comes to England not because of war but because he accidentally got promoted and had to move back. Him and Fleur still get married quickly, and have Victorie a year after that, Dominique come after two years and Louis three years after that. They pretty much lead the same lives other than the fact that their wedding isn’t crashed by Death Eaters and Fleur insists they have it in France (since they don’t have to stay in England for it)

~Hemione and Ron get together in 7th year in a similar sort of way. Ron is caught by Hermione tell off some kids for playing pranks on the house elves and teaches they about their history and situation. She can’t help herself, so she snogs him in the deserted corridor after the kids have gone.

~Ginny and Harry break up after his 7th year, she wanted more independence especially since this was her last year and the only year attending the school without her family there. Harry was also going to auror training and starting his own path in the world and wanted to experience being by himself in the world, with new responsibilities. They both date a few people whilst broken up and remain close friends, they were each other’s firsts (Harry’s 7th year) but were with other people too. After four years, Ginny made the Harpies first team and one the match for them. Like before, Harry and her ended up kissing in front of the entire stadium, they have been together ever since.

~ Ron and Harry both became aurors but shortly after Remus retires (he was getting more tiered after the full moons with his age and Sirius’ book became a best selling novel in the muggle and wizarding world so he could support them comfortably), he became the DADA professor. After joining the aurors he never felt like it was a good choice for him and didn’t know what he wanted to do, so he just stuck it out. That was until Remus mentioned he was retiring early and that they were struggling to find a competent professor.

~Ginny does take maternity leave with each of her children (Jake, Samuel and Lyra - because no one is dead) but still play for the harpies until she is forced to retire. After retiring she writes sports articles for both the Prophet and the Quibbler, becoming chief editor of both. Harry is able to take care of the kids whilst she is away, with the help of a nanny. They both couldn’t see a reason to put either of their careers on hold.

~Ron revolutionized the strategies that were used and as a result far less people were harmed and more people joined the force. He still took a 7 year break to be a stay at home dad whilst Hermione was being a boss, but practically worked part time since everyone respected his opinion and always asked for his advice (he got paid half time wages because of this). When Rose and Hugo both went to a muggle primary school, Ron worked for them officially again, but because of all the work he had done he rose quickly through the ranks and when the old head of the aurors retired, he became head of the department.

~Fred didn’t die so him and Angelina became a permanent couple (they never wanted to or could be bothered with getting married). They always had an on and off thing since the Yule Ball, they were the only people that they ever were in love with, despite their previous inconsistency. They only had one kid together. Joseph Weasley. Fred wanted him to have a sibling like he had but Angelina only ever wanted one and he had many cousins, George had his second kid at the same time and the boys were practically twins. (Fred II is renamed to Luke Weasley, since Fred didn’t die)

~George married Katie Bell after running into her at Diagon Ally whilst locking up the shop (Fred was out with Angelina that night). They agreed to catch up and it resulted in them having an amazing time, which ended with Katie giving George her contact details. They got pregnant with Roxanne just after George had proposed, so the wedding was preponed until she was there. Unfortunately Katie got pregnant again with Luke just when they started planning the wedding. two years later they finally got married and their children walked down the isle (it was the cutest thing, Molly was weeping).

~Percy and Oliver fall in love ( how do you expect two guys that are the definition of opposites attract share a room for 7 years and have nothing happen) Oliver stops Percy from being a complete prat as there is no ministry fall out with his family to get him to that point. Oliver makes him realize that his family are the greatest gift, especially with all their flaws. They have a small ceremony with only family and close friends and adopt a little witch naming her after Molly, three years later they adopt another witch and name her Lucy.

~Snape and Lily still fall out with him calling her a mudblood, just because there wasn’t an group to kill those like her doesn’t mean he didn’t hang around with prejudice people and have those views. He still become potions professor when Slughorn retires. Though occasionally he will get howlers from the Potter’s and Longbottom's shouting at him for his behavior towards his students along with some howlers from Marlene and Dorcas, Emmeline, Mary, Sirius and Peter with use of his old nicknames they had for him. (because how dare he disrespect their friends kids)

~Peter still is friends with the marauders, but he moves away from them and distances himself every year to the point where they only write to each other to celebrate special occasions. He never finds a partner or has children but does become a pub manager and lives comfortably.

~Draco and the Golden trio make their peace at the end of 7th year. They never become friends, they just forgive each other ( for the most part, him calling Hermione a mudblood is not forgiven). They act civilly towards one another, especially when Scorpius and Samuel announce that they are dating. They learn to tolerate but nothing more.

15 notes · View notes

words-in-air · 4 years

Text

00:00

Mikan sets her phone down on the nightstand and rubs her eyes, keeping them closed as she stretches. It's been a long day. Mikan looks next to her, where her boyfriend grunts peacefully. In his sleep, Natsume looks like an angel, the juxtaposition within him of elegance and something raw and ethereal.

As if he can sense her eyes on him, Natsume's eyes flutter open. When he sees Mikan very much not asleep, he props himself up sleepily on one elbow, his eyes asking a question.

Mikan obliges. The kiss is salty. "I'm nervous," she admits.

"I wish you would have let me done it."

"It wouldn't have worked, if it was you. Hotaru and I have a special connection that can't be explained, just like Alices can't be explained."

"Still, I'm the one who owes Imai," Natsume says quietly. "I owe her my life."

"No," Mikan smiles. "I owe her my life. I get to go to bed and wake up in the morning to this bad breath. Go to sleep already."

"Only if you spoon me, Polka," Natsume smirks.

"Big baby." Mikan tugs the bedroom lamp, plunging the room into darkness. She wraps her skinny arms around Natsume’s hot skin. I love you, she mouths against his back.

“”MmLove you too,” Natsume mumbles. He’s already dreaming. As usual, Mikan is in his dreams. They are sweet.

06:00

When Mikan and Natsume arrive at the Alice Academy Hospital Wing, Narumi and Yuu are there to greet them. “Narumi-sensei!” Mikan cries, running into his arms.

“Mikan!” Narumi crows, hugging her tightly to his chest. He catches Natsume’s eyes playfully. Natsume glares and ignores him: “Hey, Yuu.”

“How are you feeling?”

“Like shite.”

“Language.”

The two men share a laugh. “You know what I remember?” Yuu says, almost wistfully. “That time my Alice was stolen, and how Hotaru got shot, and how you and Mikan and Ruka and Tsubasa-senpai tried to find the antidote. You were all trying to out hero each other even then. I hope that you know you don’t have to do anything. Hotaru wouldn’t want that.”

“You know Mikan. It isn’t about debt or trying to be heroic,” Natsume replies. “It’s about love and necessity. That Hotaru is Mikan’s soulmate I’ve already known for a long time. Because I know she needs to do this, I’m standing back and letting her make her decision. Because I understand. It’s like me and Ruka.”

Yuu is raising his eyebrows.

“What,” Natsume says, a little embarrassed at the passion he put into that little speech.

“Just waiting for you to say no homo.”

“Yes homo, dude. I love Ruka. No need to hide anything.”

“I love how humorous you’ve become after dating Mikan,” Yuu remarks.

Meanwhile, said subject is going over paperwork. “Mikan, are you sure?” Narumi sensei asks. He thinks of Mikan as his own child. He also thinks Mikan has never resembled Yuka more than in this moment, determination emanating ferociously from her expression.

Of course, her response is relaxed and chipper. “Yes, sensei. It’s not that she’s done so much for me. It’s that I don’t know who I am without her. And I don’t want to know who I am without her, either. I’m sick of living a half filled life. I want to live with Hotaru by my side.”

Before Narumi can say anything, Mikan cuts him a look. “Please don’t say anything about her body and soul still being in the hospital. I know. I come here to see her everyday. And I also know that she’s not going to get better by herself at this rate.”

“You don’t know that though,” Narumi finds himself arguing. “This is a gamble. You’re gambling half of your organs away, not to mention a significant portion of your lifespan—“

“Sensei,” Mikan says kindly. “I know it as well as I know Mr. Bear, or Jii-chan, or Natsume — I feel it in my bones — that it will be fine. Me and Hotaru, we will make it work.”

12:00

Natsume is allowed one last hug before Mikan disappears behind the double doors. “I love you,” he whispers gruffly.

“Love you,” Mikan says, remembering the way that his heart beats. “I’ll see you soon, so stop looking at me like that.”

“I always look at you like this,” Natsume says, but he’s averting his gaze. Subaru’s coming his way, and he’ll be damned if he actually cries in front of someone. Why couldn’t Imai be like her brother, he thinks not for the first time.

Subaru and Hotaru were successfully brought back from the time warp a few months ago, after nearly half a decade of studying and experimenting with the full efforts of the Academy, who made the Imais’ return a top priority. Subaru recuperated quickly, the only traces of the time warp now left in his head as memories, because he has the Healing Alice. As for his younger sister, well... once again she was on life support.

Natsume thinks of the way Mikan had looked the first time they visited Hotaru’s room. He coughs. Yuu pats him on the back.

“She said she was coming back,” Natsume reasons.

Yuu finds that watching his friend is too painful. He can only silently nod.

Inside the room, Mikan begins the procedure of removing her clothes. Subaru goes through the clipboard, marking errant notes awkwardly.

“You can speak, Dr. Imai,” Mikan laughs as she puts on the hospital gown.

“I just don’t understand you girls.”

“I don’t understand what you’re about to do to my body, but as long as Hotaru gains consciousness, consider it a job well done.”

Subaru shakes his head. “Anyhow, thank you for doing this.”

“Thank you,” Mikan says. “For helping me do this.”

18:00

Hotaru is alone, walking on a beautiful garden filled with flowers made of metallic petals. Penguin is here, next to her.

So I’m dead, she thinks bluntly. Then: why is death so boring?

She has been walking this same path, listening to the same electronic hum, for the past few months. At least she thinks it’s a few months. She didn’t know how to keep track of time when she first arrived, but then her instincts clicked into place after a certain amount of time and she built herself a clock.

It’s boring, she thinks again. Penguin heees. “What’s that, Penguin?”

“Hee! Hee!”

“Mikan? What about Mikan? She’s in danger?”

Penguin only hees again, urgently. It must be this place messing with its reception, Hotaru thinks frustratedly. Stupid place. Stupid Penguin. Stupid—

“Hotaru. HOTARU!” She hears, and looks up right as a dark mass drops onto her.

For one split second, Hotaru thinks she’s died again. And then she hears something: “Oh my god. Oh my god. Oh my god. Hotaru, it’s really you...”

Hotaru knows this voice. She hears it often in her head, in her memories that surface like gifts in her dreams. “Mikan?”

“Hotaru!”

“Mikan...!”

21:00

“This place is so weird,” Mikan says. She sniffles. The first hour she wouldn’t stop crying, and the past two hours she has gone over everything that’s happened in Hotaru’s absence. When it was Hotaru’s time to share she took Mikan for a stroll along the path.

“I know,” Hotaru says.

“It’s very you, though. Look at the robotic flowers. Look at these baby robot bees. Where even are we?”

“I don’t know,” Hotaru said. “I’m still amazed you even found me.”

“It’s the power of our love,” Mikan smiles. “Right, Penguin?” Penguin hees.

Hotaru feels a surge of emotion for her best friend and she combats it by taking out her Baka Gun, Heaven Edition. “Look what I made.”

Mikan shakes her head. “Of course you did. Oh my gosh, Hotaru, look!! There’s a turtle!!”

The two girls watch as it leisurely crosses the path ahead of them.

Hotaru takes this chance to say what’s been on her mind: “Mikan, what if we’re stuck here?”

Mikan doesn’t even miss a beat. “Then at least I’m stuck here with you.”

“Mikan...”

“Hotaru,” her best friend says. “I think the reason you haven’t come back Earthside yet is because.. you don’t want to. And that’s okay, as long as I get to he by your side. When you’re ready we can go back. But we have all the time in the world, so there’s no rush.” Mikan pauses. “Do you think we get to bring Penguin back?”

“No, you idiot,” Hotaru replies. “I think this is a place for wandering souls. Like in a time warp, but not in the sense of time. Like you said, there’s an element of indecision, I agree.”

Mikan peeks over at her best friend.

“What?” Hotaru feels compelled to ask.

“Don’t you think I’ve become, like, smarter? And more intelligent? Subaru said— OW! Hotaru!”

“The Baka Gun Heaven Edition thinks otherwise,” Hotaru says. “My sincere condolences.”

22:30

“Hey, what’s Ruka been up to these days?”

“Why’re we asking? OKAY okay, no need to pull out the cannon. He’s a vet. In France. He’s flying back this week to see us though. By us I mean me and YOU.”

“...”

“Why do you ask—Hotaru! Stop running! Wait up!”

23:15

“Do you think we’ll remember this when we wake up?” Mikan wonders. “It’s so beautiful. I want to remember this.”

“Probably as a dream if we do,” Hotaru says. “We’re actually really close to the real world. Hear that electronic hum? It’s hospital equipment, I think.”

Mikan’s mouth makes an O. “Hotaru, you’re so smart!”

“Damn straight.”

23:45

“It surprises me that Hyuuga hasn’t asked to marry you,” Hotaru remarks. She and Mikan are laying down now, watching the periwinkle sky ripple with color.

Mikan hums. “Even if he did, I wouldn’t say yes.”

Hotaru turns her head to look at her best friend. “What if I never woke up? You never were going to get married?”

“Yep,” Mikan says cheerfully. “It’s okay, Natsume understands.”

“You’re crazy,” Hotaru states simply.

“You’re my most important person! And don’t lie to yourself, Hotaru. You would do the same!” Mikan exclaims.

“No,” Hotaru argues. “I would find a way to wake you up way sooner because I’m a genius.”

Mikan sticks her tongue out and shuffles closer to Hotaru, draping her arms around her best friend. “Was it lonely?”

“No,” Hotaru thinks. “Just boring. I might’ve been lonely if you hadn’t found me sooner, though.”

“What were you thinking?”

“I was thinking that when I come home, I want to be brought home on an elephant. The time warp once dropped me and Onii-chan in India once, and that’s how they carried royalty.”

“That actually sounds really nice.” Mikan muses.

Penguin hees softly. Mikan snuggles in. Hotaru smiles. She’s content, in this moment.

She’s ready.

“You’re ready?”

Hotaru squeezes her best friend’s hand. “Yeah, let’s go back.”

00:00

“Natsume,” Mochiage urges. “You need to stand up straight. Natsume.”

The entire class of 2B is congregated in the hospital’s waiting wings. Natsume’s face is gray. Mikan’s been under operation for 12 hours now, during which Natsume has refused to eat or drink or move from his spot.

Ruka shakes his head. “Leave him be. It’s been a long day.” Mochu sighs, throwing his hands up.

In another corner, Sumire is pacing, biting her nails. Koko pulls her hand from her mouth, encircling it within his own hands.

“I’m not nervous, because there’s nothing to be nervous about,” Sumire declares sharply, looking at her husband.

Koko only smiles. “I know, Mire. I know.”

“They’ll come back. Where’s Anna and Nonoko? Anna! Nonoko!” Sumire pulls her hand from Koko’s grasp and marches purposefully across the room. “I swear I told them to...”

Koko sighs. He doesn’t need to be a mindreader right now to know what everyone’s thinking. He wishes he had an Alice limiting bracelet, because at a hospital especialy, everyone’s thoughts are so damn loud. His hearing is amplified to an exponential amount.

Hey, Hotaru, Koko suddenly hears.

What? Koko thinks, alert. That was definitely Mikan’s dumb voice.

What, you idiot.

This voice is so familiar and heartbreaking to Koko that he falls to his knees. He’s spent the past few years trying to remember and memorize this voice, as proof that she had existed. Hotaru Imai had existed, because she had a voice in his mind.

“Koko?” Yuu rushes over. “Koko, what’s wrong?”

Natsume knows. Natsume knows, and his head whips up and focuses on Koko with a burning intensity.

Do you remember? Mikan now, her voice clear, a little weak.

Yeah. Hotaru responds, quiet. Yeah.

So it wasn’t a dream. Then, I’m glad.

Koko nods at Natsume, who is up on his feet in less than one second just as Dr. Imai appears through the doors. He’s sweaty, exhausted. His bangs are sticking to his head. Natsume thinks he’s never seen anything more angelic when he speaks.

“The operation was a success.”

Subaru finally cracks a smile.

“You can go see Hotaru and Sakura now.”

｡o° ✧༺ ✿ ༻∞ ❀ ∞༺ ✿ ༻✧ °o｡

It’s been a week since the two girls’ release, and every single day Mikan has fallen asleep next to her best friend. Natsume, grumbling, has been relocated to Ruka’s place in Tokyo. Today, though, Hotaru is moving out. Mikan sits as Hotaru goes through her suitcase one last time.

“Do you have to move out,” Mikan says, for the umpteenth time.

“Hyuuga—“

“Don’t lie and make this about Natsume.” Mikan is petulant. “We spent so many years apart, the least we could do is—“

“No,” Hotaru breaks in. “You are a slob, you never clean up after yourself, there are crumbs in the bed. Plus, you drool, and you move around in your sleep. And you sleeptalk. Only Hyuuga deserves to put up with this. Not someone like me.”

Mikan pouts. “Where are you going to stay?” Upon seeing Hotaru’s face, horror dawns upon her. “Hotaru, no.”

“Nogi was kind enough to offer, who am I to refuse his hospitality?”

“Is Ruka not going back to France?” Mikan is shocked. “He’s just leaving his entire house to you?”

Hotaru looks into her luggage. “Well, it appears that he’s staying in Japan for the time being. To open a Japanese branch for his clinic.”

Mikan is scandalized. “So you’re willing to be roommates with him, but not with me? Hotaru!”

“He’s not going to bother or distract me. I have a multi billion dollar corporation to launch. I have all these years to catch up on. Stop pouting, you look ugly.”

“Hmph!” Mikan snorts. She takes a different angle. “At least let me visit.”

“Twice a month.”

“Hotaru! Twice a day.”

“Twice a week.”

“Seven times a week.”

“Seven times a week for half an hour each.”

“One hour. I’ll be quiet. I can be quiet, you know.”

“No, I don’t know,” Hotaru smirks. “Fine. You have yourself a deal.” She closes the suitcase and secures the clasp, pulling it as she drags it out of the room. Mikan follows, a little woefully.

“How are you getting there, at least?”

“Oh,” Hotaru smiles. “I called in a few favors.”

Outside the house, a familiar blonde Frenchman sits atop a big, grey elephant. The two of them are happy, playing around, unawares of the gaping brunette and the pair of unimpressed violet eyes.

“It’s just as sickening as I remember,” Hotaru mutters.

“You’re insane, Hotaru!” Mikan whispers.

When Ruka notices them, he blushes. “Hi, Mikan! Hi, Imai! Are you ready to go?”

“You heard the man.” Hotaru turns to her best friend. “Wanna ride with me?”

“HOTARU! I love you!” Mikan leaps and crashes into her best friend. “You know the answer’s forever yes.”

Yes, it was forever Mikan and Hotaru, and Hotaru and Mikan. They had found ways to be together no matter how big the obstacles that faced them were. The future was going to be no different — there was undoubtedly going to be a great amount of uncertainties, but Hotaru and Mikan would find a way to be together through it all. Because it was Mikan and Hotaru and Hotaru and Mikan. They belonged to each other.

—

For @crimsoncitrus who requested a Hotaru and Mikan fic! This got so much longer than anticipated, sorry (*´ω｀*) hope you enjoy!!

#gakuen alice #alice academy #imai hotaru #hotaru imai #mikan sakura #sakura Mikan #natsumikan #slight rukaru if u squint #gakuen alice headcanons #alice academy headcanons

25 notes · View notes

wilburmacaulay · 3 years

Text

The shirt should be a French cut style and cufflinks can be worn.

Yes it only counts as one point and might not be the highest percentage shot in the book but it sure gets ones teammates, as well as the crowd, all fired up.. After the animals had been tended to, the riders shared a simple supper of salt pork nike jean jacket and cold white beans, washed down with ale. And Herman doubts the winner will be disappointed. "For example, something as simple as test results for cholesterol and lipid levels it's important to not only tell the patients the numbers, but also what that number means in the context of the patient's overall health, specific habits and lifestyle changes.". The shirt should be a French cut style and cufflinks can be worn. To give him more children you would first need to get him into your bed. "We turned on the sprinklers and neve e sale amazonthere was water everywhere. A full moon floated above the mast. We spent the majority of today going from private suite to private suite at the Grand Hyatt hotel in Taipei where several companies are showcasing their latest products. It is also important to note that while nearly 3,000

nike phantom vision academy

people died on Sept. Walker found guilty on all charges of sexual misconduct less. Nike solve the problem by enhancing the air volume and air capacity. Augusta County was formed in 1738 and

scaun rulant inchiriere

a courthouse built at Staunton, the county seat, in 1745. The countess listened to him attentively. The system isn broken. It is rather made of slate, tile, or stone as whether one 7 is in political statements and nike air max 102 essential white as warnings to others. It put her in select company she surpassed the 4:49.86 in 1991 by Boulder Melody Fairchild; the 4:47.54 in 2014 by Niwot baby nike trainers Elise Cranny and the 4:46.22 at last year state meet by Cherry Creek Jordan Coulter.. At last she really did fall asleep, and to my great delight she slept quietly without delirium or moaning. Robert Reed has had a distinct effect on my life, not because of my job I currently make my living imitating his portrayal of Mike Brady of "The Brady Bunch" in "The Real Live Brady Bunch" at the Westwood Playhouse but simply because j s authentic vans tibetan red true white I'm an Amnerican in my mid 20s. The resort purchased 1,200 sets of new skis and 200 new snowboards for the season and added an outdoor deck in the midst of the terrain park. Even that had not been so agonizing as the fire in his guts, crackling along his wings, devouring him. The main question you should ask is should I shell out thousands of dollar to buy a MacBook. The snowdrifts are waist deep in places. The scorching heat and the sand around him makes him dizzy. "Last year we got bumped early not that it matters, as this is a different team but the mind set is you've got to play."For me, it's the most exciting and fun time of the year because it's win or you're done. Even though she clearly could not devote the time necessary to be a day trader with her current work schedule and mentality, she realized that her polo raflorene routine and dedication must change completely no matter what the trading time frame. Obey. Viserion. The army covered twenty-two miles the first day, by the reckoning of the guides Lady Sybelle had given them, trackers and hunters sworn to Deepwood with clan names like Forrester and Woods, Branch adidas mariposas and Bole. Victarion’s head had begun to pound, though whether from the sun, his hand, or the doubts that troubled him, he could not say. Kellogg and Charles W. Seamans Gulch: For a sample of trail running, try the 2.2 mile outer loop from the Seamans Gulch trailhead on Seamans Gulch Road north of Hill Road. But he was making very good money. But what happened next? Life can exist without oxygen, but without plentiful nitrogen to build genes essential to viruses, bacteria and all other organisms life on the early Earth would have been scarce. The sporty style likes casual comfortable clothes and prefers natural fabrics. The brand's latest flagship wagon is the V90, which arrived only a few months ago and went on to take a maiden road test victory against the Audi A6 Avant. And I think for them. Anna Andreyevna stood with clasped hands looking at him imploringly. For the sake of our soldiers and their families we must eliminate 15 month tours. “More trouble than they’re worth, that lot. On the ride over to the 737 factory, I Tweeted out a photo of the AvGeeks on my bus and was told they looked sad. Take one step. Driver license and blue and green bifold wallet, all valued at $15; a fraudulent transaction of $5.81 was made on the PNC bank card; investigation ongoing. The other half of the vented area can be used to install a 120mm fan or small liquid cooling radiator.. That's down from 79.4 percent last May and 79.6 percent in April. I don know that they quite as big as they been in the past, size wise. Is it the issue of them taking jobs? That does seem logical at first, but does that mean that the US cannot support an expanding population? Or perhaps it can't sustain growth past a certain rate? Mexicans do take up jobs, but they also consume just like the rest of us. More followed, when they saw that no harm had come to those who went before. Let him wander off into a whorehouse alone while he lingered like a mooncalf in the square. Poor, child! She had never expected to find such friends, to win such love, and I saw with joy that her embittered little heart was softening and her soul was opening to us all. In the morning, when they ascertained that one of the slaves was dead, they were so shocked and indignant that they refused to eat in the house, and reproached Castleman with his cruelty. It's a fact: walking with dog is different than walking without. Charlie orders the emergency medical responders to set up a makeshift morgue. In this bikes btt usadas book, Adelaide Thom, who appears as Moth in The Virgin Cure, opens a tea shop with a partner, a former medical student, who describes herself as a witch. Dany looked for Ezzara and did not see her. McCardell was one of the first American designers to break away from the couture fashion culture of France. How full of joy and thanksgiving will you be, if you shall find yourself placed on the right hand! but how full of misery and despair, if the left shall be appointed as your portion! * * * *. In terms of dimensions, it is a sizeable fella, measuring 4.5 metres long, 1.8 metres wide and 1.7 metres tall. The ones the Others kill don’t stay dead … and they remember. You were looking through the eyes of the heart tree in your godswood. They lived on crushed acorns and raw fish. Additionally, free lunch will be offered on Saturdays during the grand opening event, March 26th and April 2nd, from 11am to 1pm. He shivered violently for hours, even when they cut him out of his sodden clothes, wrapped him in warm furs, and sat him by the fire. It was Passion Week, which fell that year very late; I went out in the morning; I was obliged to be at Natasha’s and I intended to return earlier in order to take Nellie out for a walk.

1 note · View note

spamela-hamderson · 4 years

Text

Because I’m still thinking about that letter.

It’s taken Victoria a while to realise what’s happening, she’ll admit that, but it’s not like Aaron hasn’t turned into even more of a recluse lately. And with the whole letter incident, and then with Liv’s diagnosis as well, she’d thought it best to give him a little extra time. Some space.

And it’s not like she’s not got enough on her plate to keep her busy.

She’s tried reaching out to Robert again, cautiously hopeful that his sending that letter meant she could nudge him towards allowing visitations again. And she’s been nervously preparing for the birth as well, checking and rechecking her hospital bag so she doesn’t have to think about the barrage of unsolicited birthing horror stories offered up by nosy neighbours and overly-friendly expectant women she’s met while waiting for her appointments at the hospital. Wendy’s presence looming over her everywhere she turns hasn’t helped in calming her nerves one bit either.

She pushes through her door quickly and locks it, desperate to avoid run-ins with anymore “Oh, you look ready to pop! It’ll be any day now”s and the intrusive hands that often comes along with it, reaching out to touch her belly like it’s a watermelon in David’s shop. If she has to listen to one more person comment on her size or inform her of how far along she must be, things will turn violent very quickly.

She’s been on her feet for 3 hours now. She feels trapped in her jumper, sweaty and uncomfortable even with the weather app on her phone informing her she shouldn’t be, and all she wants to do is get out of these clothes, wash away the smells of the pub kitchen, and lie starfished out in bed.

That’s the only thought that gets her up the stairs instead of allowing her to fall straight into the sofa like a part of her wants to.

She’s in her room, finally stripped of her jumper that she’s quite defiantly thrown onto the floor—an action she immediately regrets, knowing the awkward bend-squat hybrid of a pose she’ll have to perform to pick it up later—when she catches her reflection in the mirror.

Vic wants to look away. She does, for a few seconds, before screwing her eyes shut a further few seconds and deliberately turning her whole body to face the mirror.

This, it’s her, she thinks shakily. She can handle looking at it- no. At herself.

Vic looks. It’s been a while since she’s considered herself like that. As a whole, instead of isolated sections of organs and muscles and bones and skin, broken down by uses and senses. Of hands (stirring and chopping) and feet (swollen and aching), and even eyelids (wet streak of a brush and a trail of black). Of the taut skin of her belly, the womb on the other side of it (keeping her baby alive).

She looks at her entirety and is hit by just how much she’s changed. She runs a hand through her short fringe, pushing it off where it sticks to her forehead with sweat. Looks at the small transformations of her face: her cheeks, her jaw, the set of her mouth. There’s something about her eyes too, but she’s not sure it’s not just a trick of the light. She looks at the way her arms hang by her side, bridging her shoulders—and the freckles there that fade as they move down—with her wrists. Is surprised by the way she’s subconsciously, perhaps nervously, pressing her palms to her thighs, and watches herself unfurl when she moves to relax them like she’s seeing her body work for the first time.

She wonders how much of this change is due to the pregnancy, wonders how else her life has left its mark on her body. If she looks long enough, will she be able to see it all documented on her skin? The family she’s lost, the joys, the heartache. That night.

She wants to stop looking. Instead, she tamps down on the panic climbing up her chest. She’s changed so much in such a short time and she hasn’t even been looking. What else has she missed? Has she lost more of herself than she knows?

Vic looks away from the mirror then, blinking off the layer of tears that was starting to cloud her view anyway.

No. Whatever she thinks she’s lost, she’ll just have to find it again. She’s got time to look.

As for the family she’s lost, well. Andy’s… No news is good news. Maybe. Or at least she has to believe that, because what’s the alternative?

She doesn’t want to think about Adam right now.

And Robert’s not lost, not when he’s finally reached out. I’ll write again soon, he’d said. Promised, even. So no, he’s not lost. Just hidden. And too much of a stubborn idiot for his own good.

She wants to laugh at finding reassurance in the words of a man stuck in prison for 14 years, who won’t even let his family see him, but it’s something. It’s a lot, actually. It’s Robert. Robert, who knows her. Who she was and who she is. Sure, he’d had his pig-headed moments that made her want to scream and cry in his face, but all she’s thinking about now is the time they’d spent in France, just the two of them, a much needed retreat from everything that was once home.

Much of it was a blur, if she’s honest. She didn’t leave the hotel some days. Couldn’t even leave her bed some mornings. On those days, all she could manage holding on to was the smell of freshly baked bread Robert had bought from the bakery across the street and his warm hand pressed alongside hers as he went on about the shop clerk who he swears thought he was a native speaker, and the security guard downstairs who’s been teaching him new phrases. All in a voice almost too gentle for her to handle.

On the days she did allow him to show her around, he’d played inept tour guide, making up ridiculous, elaborate histories of places and people just to see her exasperated smile.

She thinks about the letter. He’d wanted her to have fun for the both of them, and she decides she’ll have to, won’t she? She’ll live and cry and laugh and look for the both of them, and then she’ll tell him all about it once she’s badgered him into allowing phone calls and visitations. She can be his inept tour guide this time, let him know there’s a whole ridiculous world waiting for him on the other side.

She’ll have to read the letter again, she thinks, as she carries on getting ready for bed.

It’s only when she’s an exhale away from sleep that she remembers she doesn’t actually have it. The letter’s still with Aaron.

Aaron, who she hasn’t seen or heard from in days.

:::

It’s not like they’ve been attached at the hip or anything, but she’s grown used to the odd shared meals and Aaron asking if she’s alright, if she’s been getting anymore grief from you-know-who, while Vic does her own covert checking-in to see if Aaron’s… well not okay, but holding on somehow.

And then Vic’s letter had arrived and Aaron’s hadn’t, and things had gotten a little...

So she’d decided to give him some space.

Now, it’s been days, and she’s wondering if she’s given him too much of it. She’s not gonna have him start hiding away and all.

By the time she makes her way into work the next day, she’s beyond worried.

“Chas, have you seen Aaron about?” she asks, as soon as she walks through the woolpack doors.

“Yeah? Just did, a few minutes ago. Why, has somethin’ happened?”

“No! No, just curious. Haven’t seen him around, that’s all.”

So he’s not been hiding away, then.

She wonders if it’s just her he’s been hiding from, but that’s probably too paranoid a thought. Why would he?

Unless… was this about the letter? Was he angry with her for getting one when he didn’t?

Right, that’s it. She’s not letting this go on any longer, if only so she can get her sanity back.

“Er, I’ll be back in a bit, just got to nip ta the loo, haha, you know how it is,” she says, pointing vaguely at her stomach, before waddling out of there as quickly as she can, away from Chas yelling after her that the loo is that way.

:::

She’s so out of breath by the time she’s beating the Mill’s door down, having decided all sorts by now. What if he hates her, she thinks. And then she thinks, how dare he hate her. Does he think she’s got any control over this?

Once she’s decided no one’s going to answer the door (coincidentally around the time her arms start to tire), she pulls out her phone and sends him a text.

where r u???

It’s only when she’s about to turn back up the street towards the woolpack that she sees him, clearly walking towards his house, his attention trained on his phone screen and his thumb endlessly scrolling.

He must’ve seen the text then, just not wanted to send one back.

“Aaron!”

She’s not prepared for the way he jumps, eyes snapping up and phone being hurriedly pushed into the pocket of his jeans, and it’s almost got her jumping as well. She did come off a bit sharp, she supposes. She blames it on the stress.

She’s also not prepared for the way he’s looking at her like a trapped mouse, sneaking looks past her and around them like he’s searching for a way out. He has actually been avoiding her, then.

“I’ve been looking for ya,” she says, much calmer now.

“Oh?” he says, sounding unsurprised.

Now that she’s actually looking at him, she can’t help but notice the changes in him as well. She knows they’ve been present for a while, she’s not blind, but seeing him anew after having not seen him for a few days seems to have refreshed her view of him, made it more precise.

She looks at how pale his skin has become, at the red rim of his eyes, and the circles under them. His shoulders are slumped around him, matching the downturn of his lips and the sad slope of his eyes. Did he get sadder in the few days she wasn’t looking? Or has he been like this for months?

“Vic, you alright? Did something happen with...” He glances back up the street, and Vic realises he means the Posners.

She hurries to reassure him, not wanting him worrying over that when he’s looking this miserable.

“No,” she flaps away at his worry, “See, I remembered you still had that letter, and,” she doesn’t miss the way his body stiffens at that, “realised I haven’t seen you in a while. That’s all,” she adds, trying to sound casual.

“Letter?” he asks, eyes addressing the air beside Vic’s left ear.

She was hoping they could just skim over that bit. Why did she even mention the letter?

Vic’s not sure why she hasn’t just changed the subject by this point, but it doesn’t stop her from clarifying, “From Robert?” Although Aaron clearly knows which letter she means. His eyes are already wet.

She feels rooted to the ground, waiting for a response she doesn’t need, to a question she didn’t even ask. She can’t remember why she was so adamant about seeing him in the first place.

She watches helplessly as Aaron chews on his lip and continues to avoid her gaze, searching for a way out of the awkward spiral she’s dropped them both in.

“Oh, that,” is what he finally settles on, his voice sounding like it’s being dragged through gravel. He’s looking at the ground in front of her, expression resigned, like she’s about to start marching him towards his execution block.

She wonders if he thinks she’s here to ask for the letter back. Wonders if a part of her had been looking for him for that very reason.

“Anyway, I really need to be heading in to work before Marlon sends out a search party.”

She picks up on the surprise on his face, and it confirms what she’s already accepting. She’s not seeing that letter again.

“Shouldn’t you be resting?” Aaron asks, now with a questioning frown, face growing more expressive knowing there’s no immediate threat of losing his letter.

“Oh don’t start. I’ve already cut back on my hours.” She’s glad they’re back on less tense ground though.

“But you... you’ve been doin’ alright, yeah?”

“Yeah. C’mere,” she says, before moving to hug her arms around him.

“Good,” he says, and she can feel his cheek moving from where it’s pressed against the side of her head. “That’s good, Vic. Sorry I haven’t been around much. Been busy.”

“Don’t worry about it,” she mumbles into his jacket, metal zip pushing uncomfortably against her nose. She doesn’t move away.

She thinks back to when they were both teenagers. She never thought their lives would end up so entangled then. But here they are, having married each other’s brothers and lost each other’s brothers with one or two other shared experiences thrown in. She thinks they probably understand each other in a way not many others do, and she holds on tighter at that thought before stepping back and clearing her throat.

She nods at him, about to be on her way again, but he stops her.

“Meet you at the pub for lunch?”

Vic raises her eyebrows.

Aaron rolls his eyes at her silent question, sighs like this is the biggest struggle of his life. “My shout,” he confirms.

“I could get used to this,” she says, smirking up at him.

“Well, don’t.” He scowls at her in that way he only reserves for people he likes, and she almost sees a shadow of the boy she once knew.

She doesn’t know yet if the man he’d grown to be over the last years, the happy, content one, is entirely lost. She hopes not, because she knows how proud Aaron had been of that man. She’d seen that quiet pride shine out of him.

But she does know that she knew him before all of this and she’ll know him again after. And maybe that could mean he can’t be all lost.

“Okay, I’ve gotta go.”

“Go, then!” Aaron says, affecting exasperation with his widened eyes and gesturing arms.

She’s staring at him, mouth open in shock, barely suppressing the urge to smile. At least he’ll never stop being unbelievably rude. And after she was so nice to him too, the prick.

“Just for that, I’m ordering two deserts.”

#Victoria sugden #robron #emmerdale #*mine: fic

44 notes · View notes

prcttylittlethings-a · 3 years

Note

💘 + Zeo

headcanon meme - dating edition ! zeo / what is you is me verse ~

where they first met and how - they’ve known each other their entire lives ; their parents were friends, their grandparents were friends, there was never a chance for them not to meet. as for when they became actual friends, it was probably in grade school when zelda & avery would bully him into hanging out with them ( and zelda would dare avery to kiss him before going “no I’M going to kiss him he’s MY prince!!!” )

how long their ‘flirting’ phase was before feelings got involved - zelda has known she’s been in love with leo since the third grade, when they were ice skating in central park and he helped her up when she fell down. as for when leo discovered it, it probably wasn’t until zelda kissed him for the first time and he went ‘oh damn. yeah, okay.’ because he’s an idiot.

who fell for who first ( if applicable ) - definitely zelda. she’s a hopeless romantic and she spent their early years both mocking him endlessly and flirting with him shamelessly. she just couldn’t figure out how he didn’t know they were totally MFEO.

where their first date was and what it was like - their first Real Date was something leo probably panicked over a lot. they’ve hung out their entire life but when does it count as a date now ???? we go to the zoo is that a date ?? we went to tiffany’s is that a date ??? but they both count their first real date as a movie at the angelika and eating at a shitty diner in midtown they’d normally never get caught dead in where they talked for hours and a demure kiss at the door of her apartment building, it was the cliche date zelda always wanted and never knew how to ask for.

who asks who out and how ( with a sign? spelled out on a cake? just a simple ‘will you go out with me’? ) - zelda and avery attempted to tank his date to cotillion by being naked in a hot tub and making out in an attempt to seduce him. except then avery chickened out and went to kiss someone else to act like it was nbd she just made out with her best friend and zelda was like my time has come. after that he was her Boyfriend and no one else was allowed to touch him again.

who proposes first - oh boy that would have to come waaaaay down the road. like, after college when all three of them are in the city again. avery and zelda have been trying to figure out what the Fuck they’re doing, and leo would have to be like “why can’t i just have both of you” and it would be super confusing. zelda definitely talks about it the most - in the end, they’d probably decide on “ this is my wife zelda, and her girlfriend avery who sometimes we have a threesome with so i don’t feel left out “

if they keep / kept their relationship secret or let everyone know right away - if it wasn’t tacky, zelda would have put a billboard up in times square.

where the proposal happens and how ( kiss cam at a baseball game? on a hillside surrounded by ducks? at a disney park? ) - zelda has planned her proposal since she was thirteen. the ring was picked out at harry winston and she knew exactly what she wanted. leo and avery take no part of this because the thing they both know she likes most about both of them is their spontaneity. so on a vacation to visit her dad in france, leo proposes at the vineyard during a small, intimate party - enough attention for her to feel like all eyes are on her, but small enough that she feels its exclusive and not broadcast to everyone until she’s ready to announce it.

if they adopt any pets together - zelda has a cat, but when they’re in their 20s living together, they definitely have her cat and leo just walks home with a dog one day. “it was following me.”

who’s more dominant - zelda 100% because she is Bossy and likes things a certain way. but leo can surprise her and she loves when he makes a decision or stands up for her or tries to boss her around. she thinks its cute.

where their first kiss was and what it was like - instead of their first kiss ( because, duh, already talked abt ) lets talk about their first kiss when they get back together after the avery drama comes out - they spend most of senior year broken up and they’ve both missed each other the entire time despite neither of them acknowledging it but she’s a big sister again ( her mother has a fucking baby i swear this is a real plot in the books ) and she looks so happy and light and he hasn’t seen her like that in forever and so he just goes for it and it’s the first time he’s really initiated things between them and it Feels Perfect but it’s familiar and warm and it’s when zelda finally loses her virginity

if they have any matching couples stuff ( mugs? sweaters? pillowcases? ) - pLEASE matching yale sweatshirts !!!!! even when he ends up going somewhere else ( brown ? HARVARD imagine a harvard!leo and yale!zelda the tension ) she still makes him wear the yale hoodie all the time at the house because the navy looks Very Good On Him

how into pda they are - Image Is Everything so quick kisses and hand holding and hugging is acceptable but she is Not about to let him grope her in public. that being said she’s also an attention whore and an exhibitionist so there are times in college / etc where she lets him get handsy in clubs or bars because she loves it.

who holds the umbrella when it rains - lmao leo obviously. as if zelda isn’t busy with her bag and her phone. leo ! my hair ! hold the umbrella straighter !!!

where their usual ‘date spot’ is ( if applicable ) - they go to various restaurants and bars, but they spend most of their time in central park. it’s right there, and zelda loves how romantic it can be ( if you ignore the tourists, pigeons, and hot dog vendors ).

who’s more protective - zelda would think she is, but leo does a lot to protect her. he knows how to distract her and make her relax and when people talk shit about her or gossip about her he’s usually the first to defend her.

how long it is before they sleep together ( can be as in ‘had sex’ or as in ‘shared a bed’ ) - they’ve been sharing a bed since they were like eight on random sleepovers, and it never really meant anything until they were dating. but she’s a ball of insecurity, even if she doesn’t show it, and doesn’t sleep with him until right before their high school graduations.

if they argue about anything - they argue about everything. or, zelda argues and leo just thinks about when he can get stoned again. the crux of most of their problems is really avery - she thinks he’s in love with her ( he is, a little ) but he also thinks zelda puts avery first ( she does, usually ) but instead they fight about things like where to get dinner or why he’s not listening to her

who leaves more marks ( lipstick, hickeys, scratchmarks etc. ) - lmao zelda of course. leo is Hers and she will let the world know. this makes him leaving his mark on her ( hickeys and scratches sometimes, usually not until college ) even sexier.

who steals whose clothes and how often - zelda has an entire drawer of his clothes at her house. she has for years. she wears them to bed because they’re comfy and smell like him. when he stays over he loves to see it. he has definitely accidentally put on her sweatshirts sometimes in a rush, though. she thinks its cute.

how they cuddle ( spooning? facing each other? ) - if they’re sleeping, they usually start spooning ( zelda is the little spoon, obviously ) but they’ll spread out throughout the night and sometimes they wake up with him as the little spoon. if they’re just on the couch or the bed watching tv or something she usually rests her head on his chest or shoulder so he plays with her hair, or vice versa. they’re very physical and touchy.

what their favourite nonsexual activity is - leo loves sailing, so they go out and do that whenever they can during the summer. but despite zelda’s constant demand to be Seen, they really just love quiet nights in with take out and an old movie playing.

how long they stay mad at each other - zelda will hold a grudge forever. leo has never understood this concept. it confuses him and he buys her a present so she’s not mad anymore. it almost always works. unless he sleeps with her best friend and keeps it from her for a year, y’know.

what their usual coffee / tea orders are - caffeine makes leo jittery, and while her friends have all these complex ‘girly’ orders, she just likes coffee, one sugar, splash of milk. sometimes at night she’ll drink some herbal tea to help her sleep.

if they ever have any children together - zelda has had the Dream of children since they were kids, and in the end the three of them end up with twins - it’s a strange parenting system they have with all three of them, but they make it work. besides, leo is never more grateful for avery’s partnership in their throuple than a pregnant zelda. can you even imagine.

if they have any special pet names for each other - typical cliche things - babe, sweetie, baby. zelda and avery call each other ‘z’ and ‘a’ and leo likes to think of himself as the bookmark in the middle of the bookcase ( get it. a - l - z ? its cute. ) but they don’t usually have anything too unique.

if they ever split up and / or get back together - once a week ? jk. they’re pretty stable until avery comes back from boarding school, and then they break up for most of the year. they get back together before graduation just to break up a few weeks alter, and college is a mess of ‘i love you / i hate you’ and trying to figure out avery’s place within the three of them before they all collectively figure out their shit in their 20s.

what their shared living space is like ( messy? clean? what kind of decor? ) - very clean, but not like, super organized crazy. zelda likes things picked up and clean ( and they have maids, obviously ) but she doesn’t like, color code her wardrobe. they’d hire an interior designer when they got their own place, but it would be a little chaotic like they all are - a crazy colorful bedroom but a muted living room, a bright vibrant kitchen and a dark bathroom. a mixture of all three of them all over the place.

what their first christmas / hanukkah / etc as a couple was like - they always went to see the nutcracker as kids, and once they’re dating, they start going Together as a date. they split cigarettes during intermission and walk home through the snow together. they pick out a gift to exchange on christmas eve if they’re in the city, or before they’re forced to separate if they have to go with their family. in college, she spends a winter break with him in maine, and once they’re old enough to do their own holidays, they throw huge parties a couple days before to celebrate with everyone they care about before the three of them have their own, quiet holiday.

what their names are in each other’s phones - if leo has it as anything other than ‘zelda’ he’d never find her, but she does force a heart emoji on there. she likes her phone organized correctly, so he’s also labeled ‘leo’ but it does have a matching heart emoji. their groupchat name, however, changes based on zeldas mood and if she’s angry or enamored with them. sometimes she deletes it entirely and that’s when it’s time to go to tiffanys.

if they have any ‘couple traditions’ ( buying a new mug for their collection every year? baking every friday evening? ) - after he discovers the heart in his sweater, there’s small exchanges of little trinkets like that. they’re definitely into present giving - it’s the way they were both raised to show love - and they have annual traditions ( the nutcracker, sailing, etc. ) but most of their habits are just engrained in them from their own environments.

who falls asleep first and who wakes up first - leo falls asleep if you let him sit still too long and zelda has never heard of sleeping.

who’s the big spoon / little spoon - both of them at any point in time - it’s really just a matter of who’s more emotionally unstable at the moment.

who hogs the bathroom - zelda has a thousand beauty and hair supplies and leo’s just like ‘guess ill go use the guest bathroom then’

who kills the spiders / takes them outside - the maid, obviously.

#this is the longest meme holy shit #but it gave me too many feelings hdu #[ meme - ooc ]#zelda monroe ( hc )#this ended up being a lot of zaveo tbh #v. what is you is me #mctionsick #question

1 note · View note