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#studies do take a backseat during festivals
girl-please-study · 6 months
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Day 1/11 days of productivity
Desi culture is using Diya instead of candles.
Today has been tiring : cleaned garage, fans. Helped with putting up Deepawali lights. Made mattar paneer for dinner and yes studying
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miekasa · 3 years
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do you have any cute (or h-word) bf headcanons for the Aot boys mie?
Of course I do, I have an ever-expanding list of headcanons for all of them, from how they react to you sitting in the backseat when they pick you up, down to whether or not they would rip your bandages off after your get a shot (spoiler: Eren, Porco, and Levi fucking would)
EREN sfw
He really likes holding hands, though it’s more of a calming habit for him. Holding hands keeps him grounded, and acts as an anchor for his anxiety; so he’ll grab and/or fidget with yours periodically.
He’ll steal your skincare if he’s over at your place, but honestly he just starts… copying it lmfao. Like, he’ll take notice of your face wash when he’s over he’s like “Oh, this is nice” and then a week later, he buys a bottle for himself. Then he buys your toner, and your moisturizer, and you stay over at his place and gotta do a double take bc he’s got damn near the same of everything at this point.
He doesn’t know if he believes that classical music actually helps him to concentrate, but he does know that he’s grown to like it, so it’s become his studying music of choice. He’s got favorite composers and everything.
He’d be upset if you didn’t steal his hoodies. That’s what they’re there for. He’ll make you steal them if he has to.
He hates standing in line. For anything. If he likes a restaurant that gets super busy at lunch, he’ll order ahead for pickup (and he feels special skipping the line). At amusement parks, he pays for the fast passes. If it’s shopping, then he’d rather just do it online.
On that note, he sucks at returning things that don’t fit/he doesn’t like when he shops online, so he honestly just keeps them, or gives them to his friends—it’s much easier than going through the hassle of printing a return label, according to him.
nsfw
He likes the idea of recording you guys during sex, but he’s honestly a little too nervous to do it—nervous about being recorded himself, and about it potentially getting out somewhere.
Likes it when you look him in the eyes when you cum. In fact, he somewhat demands it.
Similarly, he’s always watching you during sex. Mostly your face, for indications of how he’s making you feel and when you’re close to your orgasm (which is why he’s got a thing for you looking at him).
He used to hate masturbating, until he tried masturbating to the idea of you, and now he fucking loves that. He takes his time with it too—if he’s gonna jack off, he’s gonna make a moment of it: sit on his bed, turn the lights off, make sure he’s all alone and can go for as long as he wants.
Threesomes are fine with him, and he doesn’t even have to be the sole one in charge, depending on who’s joining you.
ARMIN sfw
He air-dries the majority of his clothes because he doesn’t want his sweaters and knitwear to shrink. Also, he likes the smell of his fabric softener permeating the room while the clothes dry.
On a similar note, he’s got sensitive skin—not to the point where a shirt less than 75% cotton irritates him; but he is conscious of fabrics and products he uses. Because of this, he takes extra care with his laundry, his pillowcases and bedsheets are satin as are the majority of his pajama shirts, and he never ever walks around without house slippers or he’ll irritate the bottom of his feet.
He’s scared of bugs, but he doesn’t like to kill them either. Honestly, he just kinda hopes spiders and stuff will crawl away without him intervening 😭😭
He likes board games, and has a thing for The Game of Life. He cannot play chess, even though most people would guess that he could, and he’s begun to practice by playing online versions against computers to learn.
He knows everyone’s gossip because everyone comes to him to gossip. And if he’s the therapist friend, then you’re the person who receives the summary of all the tea from him at the end of the week. And man can this boy throw a bitch fest when he’s in the right mood.
nsfw
He’s got a bit of an oral fixation, so he really likes having your mouth occupied; with his fingers, with your panties, with his dick—he’s not really picky.
Likes sex with the lights on. Claims it’s because he wants to “see all of you” (it’s really because he’s nervous he’ll fuck something up if he can’t see properly 😭😭)
He really likes making out. Like, a lot. Though it’s not something that happens often—so he builds up a lot of frustrating thinking about it, and it all comes crashing down, and ends up with you guys damn near dry humping each other on the couch for two hours.
That’s something that applies to him generally, too—he tends to let himself get very frustrated and worked up, whether he means to or not. He also thinks about sex quite frequently, and it only fuels his frustration; so when he snaps, he snaps hard.
He’d let you choke him back if you asked. Just ask nicely.
JEAN sfw
Loves studying in cafés and adores when you study with him; peeps up at you periodically when you sit across from him. He always pays for your drink, but sometimes you guys share, and he likes making a game out of reaching for the cup at the same time as you.
He’s very chivalrous, but he hates when you call him out for it, or make any kind of deal of it. He knows it’s chivalry, but he also knows it’s the bare minimum, plus he’s easily embarrassed—especially in public.
Loves having his hair played with, absolutely adores it. If you’re just holding his face, or resting your hand on his cheek, he’ll move himself further into your touch to maneuver your palm closer to his hair.
He really really really likes back hugs—giving and receiving them. If he’s standing behind you, he’ll most likely reach for a hug at some point (sometimes he won’t let go and you’ve gotta waddle with him on you). His ears get red when you give him a back hug but he always uses a hand to rest over your arms to tell you that he doesn’t want you to let go.
He can play the piano, but he doesn’t tell a soul about it. The only reason you found out it through his mom. He’s got stage fright, so he gave up on performing, but he’s really talented, and can almost play any song by ear.
nsfw
He loves the feeling of your hands on him, particularly if you’ve got long nails. Please scrape your nails against his back, or even just dig them into his biceps while he’s fucking you, it’ll drive him insane.
Along with liking having his hair played with, he adores having it pulled on—the attention and desperation in your actions goes straight to his ego and his dick.
One of his biggest fantasies is getting a lap dance from you. He’d never ever fucking say it out loud or dream of asking for it, but the idea of you stripping in front of him, down to lingerie he’d picked out for you, and teasing him until he can’t take it anymore and jumps you is something he thinks about… far more often than he should.
If you’re wearing his clothes (especially one of his t-shirts to bed, or around his apartment), he’s gonna fuck you in it. Jean has a lot of self control, but that’s one thing that’ll make him snap in an instant. And if you wear his shirt or hoodie out, he’s fucking you when you get home, it’s as simple as that.
CONNIE sfw
He studies with children’s shows playing the background. He doesn’t remember how he discovered that his method works for him, all he knows is that something about Paw Patrol makes for excellent background noise for writing his research papers.
He’s quite touchy with PDA, but if you guys are in a crowd then forget about it—because Connie might forget about you. He’s definitely left you at the grocery store before.
He eats cereal for breakfast every morning, and he’s kind of got a collection of them in his kitchen. He claims there are upscale cereals that he doesn’t just let anybody eat or even touch; so, if he offers you a midnight snack consisting of a bowl of his favorite (and very rare) cereal, then be honored.
He almost always pays with cash, but he hates change. If he gets back coins, he either tells the cashier to keep them, puts them in a tip jar if there’s one in sight, or just pours them into your coat pocket. He understands that its money, but he’ll be damned if he’s just got a sack full of nickels clanging around in his bag.
nsfw
He claims he doesn’t have a thing for exhibitionism, but with the way he’s down to fuck damn near anywhere, he might be a bold faced liar. Changing rooms, music festivals, airport bathrooms, the little corner of the multilevel parking lot that he’s oh-so-certain is in the blindspot of the security cameras... there are so few things off-limits with him.
Car sex on his bucket list… just not in his car lmfao (because trust and believe that’s something that already happens pretty regularly). Maybe his real kink is vandalism and destruction of property.
He is not above begging you to sit on his face. He will get on his knees and pant like a fucking dog for you to do it, he’s so serious. He’ll do it laying down, he’ll do it with you standing up/against a wall, he’ll do it on the couch. Break his neck please he’s fucking asking for it.
He doesn’t mind sharing and he definitely doesn’t mind watching. Honestly, he’d egg you on to kiss someone else at a party, or go as far as to seduce you into seducing someone else just so he can watch it go down.
PORCO sfw
He sends you iMessage games but only the ones he’s good at because he doesn’t like to lose. But also, if he is losing, he doesn’t want you to be supportive about it and tell him “it’s okay uwu” lmfao he wants to either cream you, or have you kick his ass; competition is the name of the game, don’t be soft on him.
He’s a morning person, and he likes going on runs or even just early-morning walks when the weather is nice. He will wake you up occasionally to join him—and if you’re a homebody, you will be joining him. He won’t be responsible for watching you decompose on the couch.
Very picky about his pizza. It’s not a calorie or grease or health thing—he just really fucking likes pizza, and he won’t excuse a bad slice.
Always pulls you closer to him in a crowd or when a group of people are walking by. He doesn’t have to, but he likes to. Tease him about it and he’ll push you right back tho, probably into a shrub if there’s one near by.
nsfw
He’s such a “No, no—answer the call” kind of mf; a sadist, if you will. He lives for torturing and embarrassing you, and that applies to sex, too.
Loves the way his hands look on you, particularly splaying his hand over your stomach when he’s fucking you. Likes the heat of your body against his, when he positions himself just right to feel the outline of his dick against you, and squeezing the sides of your tummy when he gets lost in it.
Loves blowjobs, and loves to cum on you or over your face. His favorite thing tho is pulling away just before he’s about to orgasm, and jacking himself off with your tongue sticking out, ready to swallow.
Okay with threesomes, too; but he wouldn’t like to do much to or with the third person. It’s okay if they touch you—maybe even fuck you, depending on who it is—but he’s not there to get them off.
LEVI
sfw
When he cooks dinner, he always makes sure to make enough for you to have leftovers to take with you for lunch the following day. Especially if it’s a dish you’ve been wanting or try, or specifically asked him to cook.
He’s got a specific tote bag he brings with him to the grocery store/farmer’s market, and separate one for when he’s running other light errands.
He hates soda, not even just because it’s not the healthiest thing to drink—he just doesn’t like the feel of carbonated drinks; the only exception being when they’re mixed with liquor, but even then, it’s not his preference.
After a while, he just starts lying and says you’re married at places where it benefits you both, or to curb a longer conversation about the status of your relationship to people who are inquiring. He thinks it’s fucking weird that marriage is what shuts people up, but if it works, it works; less people prying in your guys’ business.
He likes giving you forehead kisses, and if you do it back, he’ll learn that he doesn’t mind receiving them either.
He’s such a sucker for you rubbing your thumb against the back of his hand when you guys hold hands. He might not act like he notices, but he always does; and somewhat craves little touches like that the longer you guys are together.
nsfw
He would never admit it to anyone, but birthday sex is up there for his favorite kind of sex. He never cared much about his birthday… until he realized he could get that as a gift. He knows it’s not different, but he likes it, nonetheless; one the few times he doesn’t mind having all the attention on him.
King of aftercare, though some of his methods usually lead to another round—in which he teases you for cancelling out his work, when you know he was just as willing and eager.
He likes edging himself and overstimulating you; and with his self-control, that makes for a pretty dangerous combination.
He’s strong and he knows how to use it to his advantage: maneuvering you with a single arm, holding both your wrists above your head with one hand, pushing your head down into the sheets when he’s fucking you from behind.
Sex is one of the few times Levi doesn’t mind making a mess—and in fact, he likes it messy; watching you drip onto the sheets, making you spit on his dick and fucking your face until you drool. He always goes on about how sloppy you are, how you can’t keep anything clean, but he fucking loves it.
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reader being best friends with carter while he's chasing serena but also being in love with him?
CARTER BAIZEN APPRECIATION SQUAD ASSEMBLE! (i promise i’ll get to non carter requests)
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y/n and carter had known each other for a while
they had met during a summer at the hamptons when his parents invited her family over for dinner
she had helped him inside the house after returning from a particular night out which to his parents was a meeting with some of his friends to go over stuff for the new school year
from then onwards carter and y/n became friends
he would meet her in the back of her parents apartment and the two would drive around the nights of new york talking about their problems
it hadn’t taken long for y/n to fall in love with him
he was an attractive, smart man who seemed to have more goals other than the vapid boys she knew from st.judes
it wasn’t like she expected him to return her affections. she was his sister’s age, 3 years younger. she knew he wouldn’t be interested so she hid it deep inside her heart where no one would see it
after all she’d rather have a tiny bit of his heart than have to pretend he never existed
maybe she should’ve seen it coming that he would leave, but she didn’t and one afternoon as she knocked on his door to pick him up to go for their weekly lunch at his favourite spot was the moment she wished she could’ve avoided it
it was his mother who had opened the door, tight smile on her face, pity in her eyes as she stared at the girl in front of her “do you not know, sweetheart?” “am i supposed to know something?” “he left. says he doesn’t want anything to do with this family anymore”
her heart stopped for a while, the buzzing sound of her mind wondering why, why he wouldn’t tell her
it had been his sister caroline who had helped her through it, telling her he wasn’t even worth the hazzle, to instead focus on the much more attractive boys her age attending st.judes
y/n wasn’t interested but as time flew by she slowly learned to accept that he wasn’t returning
she had built a life for herself, becoming one of constance’s shining stars holding near perfect grades
she had also built a friendship with blair waldorf after serena had left her, both of them bonding over having someone leaving unexpectedly 
“my mum was supposed to host a tea party for CeCe and she went to paris. usual” “do you need any help?” “wanna come? might make it less boring besides you still need a date for cotillion“ “well not everyone can have nate archibald for a date” “i am pretty lucky aren’t i? but you need a date, you cannot not have an escort. even serena is taking ... dan” “alright, i’ll go to the tea party” “perfect”
she should’ve not gone. she should’ve just accepted caroline’s invitation to go shop for a cotillion dress but she didn’t. she couldn’t see the future.
as she walked off the lift into the van der woodsen’s apartment, a familiar face showed, sat in a couch surrounded by girls 
“y/n” blair rushed over to her side “i don’t want to frighten you but ... carter’s here” “i’ve seen.” “i want you to know that i didn’t invite him. cece invited him, she wants him to be serena’s escort.” “that’s fine” “are you sure? i could kick him out” “that’s fine”
it wasn’t fine. 
she spent the whole tea party as further from him as possible, not sure of what to say to him or how to even react
although she had to admit it broke her heart that he wasn’t interested in even talking to her, instead looking her way and immediately turning to receive the praise of several girls
“he’s not even that attractive” blair rolled her eyes at her minions which were fauning over him “urgh, imagine being attracted to a wannabe matthew mcconaughey” “you don’t have to make me feel better, blair” “look at that last season suit. disgusting” 
she stayed until the end of the party, chatting up with several people who came to ask about her family business and by the end of the party she had even started to help the maids bring dirty dishes into the kitchen
“you were always an odd one, i have to give you that” a voice made her drop the porcelain onto the soapy water and turn her face towards its direction. carter. “y/n, i’m really sorry” “yeah i could tell since you didn’t call or write after you left” “i didn’t have any way to contact you” “you didn’t even tell me you were leaving carter. do you know how it felt walking up to your house and having your mother tell me you left?” “i had to go y/n” “so have i, carter.”
she didn’t want to speak with him, she didn’t want to fall back into the state
at least she had decided not to speak with him until nate punched him at cotillion 
“you look like shit” “thanks, y/n.” “i gotta say, i wanted to do that myself. nate stole that away from me” “how long are you gonna be upset with me, y/n?” “as long as i want” “c’mon, let’s do something together” “i said i would act civilised with you not lobotomised” “c’mon, y/n. i’ll pay” “do you even have any money? didn’t your parents cut you off?” “i’ll find a way” “... fine. the bar of the lotte new york palace
blair and caroline had told her not to go but she thought that it would be better to get it over and done with. to call it water under the bridge and not have him haunt her what ifs anymore
she found him at the bar of the palace, black suit on. he never used to wear suits, she still remembers him in his messy st. judes uniform, undone tie all the time
“you came” “i said i would” “i know you have every single reason to hate me but i miss you, y/n. i really do. i have so much to tell you” “some people would use a journal” “i fucked up, i know but ... second chance? you can punch me too if you want” “that’s a really good offer, i think i’m gonna pounder it” “how about i pick you up tomorrow night? late driving around new york” “you got yourself a deal, baizen”
soon enough she found herself in the same situation, still in love with him
he was still the same man, still the same chuckle, talking passionately about his projects, making stupid jokes
but one thing still was the same, the same thing she didn’t want to accept, he still would never reciprocate her feelings
“y/n, i can’t pick you up tonight. i have a date with serena.” “serena van der woodsen?” “yeah, do you mind?” “uh ... no... sure, go on”
her blood boiled out of jealousy
she always thought the reason he would never reciprocate her feelings was because she was younger but serena, serena was the same age as her and it stung, it stung so badly
she ended up at the house of the same person who could understand being jealous of serena : blair waldorf’s
“oh, please, y/n. seriously? carter? he’s so ... boring. god” “well i’m sorry blair not everyone can have their first time in the backseat of a limo with chuck bass” “hey now that nate is single maybe you should go out with him” “i’m not gonna go out with nate” “why you two would make such a nice couple” “i’m not in love with nate” “i’m sorry, y/n.” 
she pretended it was okay
she would smile whenever he talked about serena
she would be next to him when she undoubtedly got him inside her petty little games with chuck
she would be there when he quit her and she would be there when he took her back
she was there for everything until one morning where she was woken up by someone banging on her door
“nate?” “something happened and you might want to sit down” “what happened? are you okay?” “serena left with carter last afternoon” “what do you mean?” “they left y/n, together.”
suddenly she found herself in the same spot she had been years ago abandoned
he returned later that summer during the races but this time she didn’t forgive him
she spent the day with dan and blair, mindlessly listening to serena talking about how carter followed her but she knew better
she knew they’d be back together and surely again they were
carter should feel happy, serena was back but he didn’t feel better
he felt ... empty, like something was lacking
whenever he laid down next to her and feel asleep he dreamed of y/n
he dreamed of her vintage oversized tees reaching her knees as she read her favourite books in his study 
he dreamed of her laughter whenever he took her to a driver in theatre, fingers holding popcorns to her lips
he dreamed of her red tinted lips during festivities, dancing under streetlights singing showtunes, bitting her lips whenever she had a test
he convinced himself it was just missing her but part of him knew it wasn’t that
he should be with serena, her family approved, his family approved
so he stuck it out, convincing himself this was a phase just a phase
as serena dumped him on the side of the street he looked at the streetlight, remembering y/n in an oversized cardigan jumping puddles over it, twirling around it playfully
“what am i doing?”
he rushed down the streets of the upper east side like a mad man
he’d never walked this long
but he kept on walking, he kept on walking until he saw her apartment
he knocked on the door for what felt like a hundred times 
“i’m coming” he could hear her sleepy voice from the other side and sure enough, soon enough the sound of her steps became too loud and she opened the door “carter, what are y...” “let me just say something okay? then you can shut the door” “it’s 1 AM” “please” “20 seconds” “i’m sorry, y/n. i’m so sorry, i should’ve told you when i left years ago, i shouldn’t have left with serena. i should’ve stayed with you. you always listened to me, you always believed in me and i always let you down. i miss you, i miss having fights with you about star wars plots, speaking with you on the phone at 5 AM, trying to make you laugh when you were upset. i miss seeing your sleepy smile every single morning, i miss you” “carter” “all this time being with her i just kept thinking about doing those things with you. taking you to cotillion, dance with you, be at your graduation and help you move into college, take you to fancy bars and restaurants, buy you flowers and everything else money can afford and i missed out on it, i missed out on it and i cannot give them to you. but here’s what i propose ... i wanna be there when you graduate from college, i wanna be there to help you move into your very first apartment, i want to be there when you start your first job, i wanna be there for you.” “you’re not one to stick around, carter” “let me try, please let me try” “isn’t this your third chance?” “i will ask you for a million chances as long as i get to see you for the rest of my life” 
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nanabansama · 4 years
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all this talk about yorishiros from the latest chap made me remember that hanako is disbanding the 7 wonders , does that mean after this arc its his turn?? are we finally getting to the climax? or we going to mitsuba first? or maybe he's stopping now? since he did said he disband the wonders to know the traitor but i think none of them are the traitor, its tsukasa right? what do u think nanabansama?
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I do think the traitor is clearly Tsukasa, as this description clearly fits him and Sakura, unless another mystery is working with him. If Tsukasa is linked to No. 7 (either through being apart of No. 7 or being Hanako's yorishiro), then it could mean that Hanako is technically the traitor. Whether that's intentional on Hanako's part or not is hard to say, but it seems like he opposes Tsukasa.
For the most part it seems like the yorishiro destroying objective is taking a backseat to trying to save Nene. Hanako doesn't destroy No. 1's yorishiro for this reason, as he wants to use their time powers in case Nene needs them.
So as such I don't think it'll be Hanako's turn until the other yorishiros (like Mitsuba's, Kako and Mirai's, and No. 6's) are destroyed. And whether we even get to that point is another question; they might just drop it entirely, or realize it's been Tsukasa the whole time and try a new strategy after knowing who is actually behind it.
I do think Hanako's yorishiro will be destroyed eventually though! I don't know if it'll be after the Study Camp arc or not, but it seems like an appropriate way to learn more about Hanako's past.
I'm personally predicting that something will go wrong, probably during the Obon Festival, and the God governing the seven mysteries will show up after we get through the No. 6 and Aoi drama. What happens after that, idk, but I think Hanako might get in trouble with God! And then we still have whatever business Tsukasa is planning with Shijima Mei... so so many plot threads to explore!
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merakiaes · 4 years
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Halloween - Xavier Plympton
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Pairing: Xavier Plympton x reader
Requested: Yes. 
Prompts: None. 
Warnings/notes: Part two? Comment if that’s something you would want. If the interest is there, I’ll make a part two where they get to know each other a bit better. This isn’t proofread so sorry in advance for any mistakes and sorry if it’s bad. I didn’t really know what to write for this one, hopefully my future Xavier pieces will be better😅 Send in more requests!
Wordcount: 2485
Summary: Halloween, the only time of the year when the spirits can leave Camp Redwood. Bobby takes the squad with him to a college party, where you’re one of the hostesses. 
Halloween. The only time of the year when the trapped spirits of Camp Redwood could step over the border and wander off into the world.
Granted, they couldn’t really get much further than Los Angeles, the very place they had been trying to escape by signing up as camp counselors in the first place, as they had to be back by midnight. But after being stuck in that wretched place, constantly surrounded by death for over thirty long years, anything was better than there.
The first times they discovered this loophole, they had, of course, tried to stay outside camp after midnight, but every time, they would pass out and wake up inside the border again. They were really stuck, and Halloween was the only time the curse was lifted.
Most years, Benjamin, his mother and brother would go off with Bobby as the camp wasn’t safe for him and he couldn’t visit them there, while the other spirits went off on their own.
But this year was different. This year, the Richters were on Ramirez guard duty, and Bobby’s college just so happened to be throwing a Halloween party with an 80s theme. It was an opportunity too good to pass up.
Bobby brought his car up to the camp early that morning, waited right by the border and called out for the spirits, letting them know of the festivities they were going to be participating in that evening and no one made any protests to it.
On the contrary, Montana and Xavier practically fought their way to the front seat, Xavier coming out on top at the end of it and forcing Montana to take her place in Trevor’s lap in the backseat. Not that she was complaining.
You went to the same college as Bobby and had made yourself acquainted with him as you shared more than a few classes. You would say you were good friends, but you didn’t really hang out other than in an academic purpose.
You were a sorority girl and a popular one at that, and he had always been kind of an outcast. Probably not very surprising, as his dad was the infamous Mr. Jingles.
He had told you the entire truth about what really happened at Camp Redwood, about Margaret Booth being the real villain and how she had framed his father to get away with fulfilling her twisted needs.
But he hadn’t told you about the way they were ghosts at camp and that he regularly went up to see them.
Even though you were pretty much the only one who believed the story about his dad and Margaret Booth, it seemed a bit too farfetched that you would also believe in ghost stories, and even though you didn’t hang out on a regular basis, he wasn’t ready to lose the only living friend he had.
It was your sorority that was hosting the costume party, and you were… not too thrilled about it. You may have been a sorority girl, but you were in it all for the friendships and sisterhood, and less so for the parties and boys.
Majority of the men of the 21st century were pigs, especially the frat-boys. To them, everything was theirs, objects and women alike. Although really, to them, there was no distinction between the two.
And their rich dads feeding their massive egos and toxic masculinity with ideas and promises that they were going to be at the top of the world one day didn’t make things better, either.
The sexual revolution had been even more intense during the 20th century, but at least then they’d had some manners about it. When finding out the theme of the annual party, you had found yourself wishing you were actually in the 80s.
But unfortunately, time travel had yet to be discovered, so all you could do was put on a smile, get dressed in some skimpy outfit consisting of a bright purple bralette, a black mesh top and a skintight leather skirt, and go around the party greeting everyone like the good host that you were.
Only half an hour into the party, you had been hit on by more guys than you could count, of which none had made a courteous approach.
It was always the same. They would slide up next to you with a smug, self-righteous smirk, touch your hair or your face while ogling your chest or legs, and ask in a voice they probably intended to be seductive but came out as anything but, “Wanna get out of here?”.  
Every time, you would smile and politely turn them down with the excuse that your sisters were counting on you to looking over the order at the party, and every time you got the same response.
“Whatever, you’re not that hot, anyway.”
At this point, you were so used to it you didn’t even bat an eye, which was actually really sad, because it shouldn’t have to be that way.
Eventually, you just retreated to the back of the living-room, leaning against a wall with an untouched drink in your hand as your friends and enemies danced along to ‘You Spin Me Round’ by Dead Or Alive in all their drunken glory, all dressed in neon, mesh and headbands and behaving as if they wouldn’t have to go back to studying early the next morning.
By the time Bobby walked into the house with everyone else in tow, the party was raging on, the entire house feeling as if it was shaking with life.
After having had to adjust themselves to the new century the previous years they had gone out during Halloween, they were all astonished at the familiarity of it all.
The costumes looked just like their actual clothes, and the music blasting from the speakers was the very same music that had been the latest hits during the time they were still alive.
“Oh, Bobby, this is tubular!” Montana gasped excitedly as she looked around the room, holding on to Trevor’s arm tightly.
Chet nodded, looking around with equally as much fascination. “Toooh-tally tubular!” He agreed.
Bobby chuckled, but before anyone could say anything else, Xavier had grabbed a hold of the human boy’s sleeve and tugged on it, looking rather distraught as he stared at something at the other side of the room.
“Bobby. Who’s that?” He asked, eyes not once blinking.
Bobby and the other’s followed his line of sight and instantly caught sight of you where you stood, looking over the room in a bored manner with your arms crossed over your chest.
Your hair was styled in wild curls, your hips hugged beautifully by a black leather skirt and your stomach and arms on display underneath the black mesh, your chest barely covered by the lilac bralette.
You were unlike anything Xavier had ever seen, and he had seen a lot of lightly-dressed girls during his time as an aerobics instructor. He couldn’t take his eyes off of you, his head spinning at sight of your smile.
“She’s hot.” Montana was quick to comment, to which Bobby chuckled once again.
“Yeah, she is.” He agreed. “And she’s totally out of our league. Out of anyone’s league, really.”
Xavier finally tore his eyes away from you, turning to look at the human beside him. “You know her?”
He shrugged. “We’re in the same classes.” He informed. “She’s the only one I’ve told about my dad.”
“She knows about us?” Ray spoke up for the first time.
“No…” Bobby hesitated, watching as yet another guy approached you, having to hold in the snort when seeing the annoyed and disgusted look overcoming your face. “I kind of left out the whole… ghost part.”
“Introduce me.”
Bobby averted his gaze to the blonde boy beside him, eyebrows raising in surprise at the demanding tone in his voice. “What?” He inquired, to which Xavier yet again let his eyes leave your form to look at him.
“Introduce me. To her.” He demanded, eyes flickering over to you for a brief moment before looking back to Bobby, adding in a more hesitant voice. “Please.”
Bobby hesitated, looking between the two of you. “I don’t think that’s a very good idea, Xavier.” He admitted but having felt their stares burning into the side of your face, you had already spotted them, and wasted no time in heading over in their direction, eager to get away from the conversation you were currently forced into.
“Oh, thank God, you’re here.” Was the first thing you said to Bobby as you got close enough for him to hear you over the music, dumping the drink in your hand at a table on your way. “I’m at the brink of going crazy.”
You came to a stop before him, your arms crossing over your chest, which only made it even harder for Xavier to tear his eyes away from your… assets.
“I take it you’re not having a very good time, then.” Bobby smirked, amused.
You met his eyes with a playful glare, before looking around sourly. “I would’ve rather stayed at my dorm, watching a movie or something, but oh well.” You snorted, turning back to look at him. “What to do, right?” You asked, attempting a small smile.
He returned it with one of his own, and you suddenly became very aware of the stares from the people he was with, direction your eyes to them. Your eyebrow raised slightly at the sight of them. All of them looked like they were pulled straight out of the 80s.
You hummed, giving them all a once-over before turning back to Bobby. “So, are you going to introduce me to your friends?” You asked, and Bobby quickly snapped into it.
“Oh, right.” He realized. “Guys, this is (Y/N). (Y/N), this is-“
“I’m Montana.” The only girl in the company stepped forward, holding her hand out to shake with a big smile on her lips. “I just have to say, your bod is like, rad. Do you take aerobics?”
“I-“ You were at loss for words at the sudden compliment, your eyes widening slightly. But nonetheless, you took her hand in yours, shaking it.
“I do actually.” You answered, chuckling. “I haven’t met anyone who’s into aerobics around here before. It’s not really a thing anymore. Where did you say you were from?”
She smiled proudly. “Los Angeles, born and raised.”
You hummed, narrowing your eyes slightly at her, trying to process her face in your head, but came out with a blank. “Weird.” You said. “I haven’t seen you around before, and there’s only one aerobics studio left here.”
She only shrugged and smiled, and Bobby took the wheel from then on, beginning to introduce everyone else.
“This is Ray, Chet, Trevor, aaand… Xavier.” He introduced them. All of them gave you a smile and a small ‘hello’ accompanied by a wave each, and you kindly returned it all, until your eyes finally met with the last person to be introduced.
You had never been one to believe in the clichés always used in chick flicks about love at first sight, but as you met his eyes, you could’ve sworn you felt the rest of the room just… melt away.
He was absolutely gorgeous, looking as if he was pulled straight out of a magazine.
A feeling resembling a high came over you and your body moved on its own as you held his gaze, your hand coming out in front of you. “I’m (Y/N). It’s nice to meet you.” You said, smiling, and he wasted no time in taking your hand in his, giving it a squeeze.
“I’m Xavier.” He introduced himself, even though Bobby had just introduced him a second ago.
You smiled and nodded, holding his gaze for a moment longer before turning to look at Bobby again. “Well, you know the drill by now.” You told him. “Drinks are in the kitchen where they always are, and if there’s anything else you need, I won’t be far away.”
Bobby smiled, leaning in to hug you quickly, an act of friendly affection that you accepted with open arms.
“Thanks, (Y/N).” He told you, letting you go and turning to his friends. “Let’s go get some drinks.”
They didn’t need to be told twice, all of them heading in the direction of the kitchen without a second thought, weaving their way through the people crowding the room. But Xavier didn’t move from his spot, his eyes staring down at you.
For some reason, however, you didn’t mind, simply looking up to meet his eyes with a small smile.
Your head tilted to the side slightly as you inspected his face, eyes narrowing as your smile widened. “Don’t I know you from somewhere?” You asked carefully, finding him awfully familiar.
A nervous smile overcame his features, but you thought nothing of it as he shook his head. “No, I don’t think so.” He answered.
You hummed, analyzing his face for another moment before shaking yourself free of your thoughts, chuckling. “Sorry, you just look so familiar.” You confessed.
The sound of your laugh instantly caused his smile to widen, and his confidence quickly rose when you let the subject go. “I guess I just have one of those faces.” He shrugged.
“Yeah, I guess.” You chuckled again, smiling. You were quiet for a few seconds, your eyes leaving his to gaze around the room.
In one of the corners, you could spot your sorority sisters playing beer pong with some guys from one of the fraternities, and by the looks of it as Savannah had her tits out, they were playing the hit-or-strip version.
The sight brought a slight sigh from your lips, and you shook your head. You could only comfort yourself with the knowledge that your other sisters would look after her and keep her out of harm’s way. God knows she wouldn’t be able to do so herself in the state she was in; she had never been able to hold her alcohol very well.
“Look…” You began, finally tearing your eyes away from the scene and turning back to the blonde boy in front of you. “I know this is kind of sudden and that we don’t know each other very well but… would you want to get out of here?”
You smiled sheepishly, fiddling with the large bracelets on your wrists. “I’m not much of a party person and I’ve been desperate for an excuse to bounce since this thing started.” You confessed.
But rather than finding your sudden and bold request strange, he only smirked, holding his hand out for you to take. “I go where you go.” He told you without as much as a second thought.
You raised an eyebrow at that, but smirked at him and put your hand in his, and wasted no time in leading him towards your dorms.
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Evak Fics - Public Sex
There were a lot to look through for this one so I’m bound to make mistakes. Let me know if I forgot a whole category of public sex or what fics I’m missing from this list.
** PDA (no smut) ** Outdoor/Tent/Car Sex ** With People Around Them ** Public Bathroom ** Other Public Sex
***** PDA (no smut) *****
nape of his neck he made his descent by boxesofflowers, Eeyoreneedsahug (232 words)
where is home? by retts (576 words) - Moving in, the Isak and Even way
Seriøst? by CiaraSky (716 words) - Isak and Even go Ice Skating.
can i borrow a kiss? by spoopydumpling (1.2k words) - The boys pregame at Isak and Even’s place, then head off to a party with a large amount of drinking and a whole lot of flirting.
We are by ReadingDreams07 (1.4k words) - The au where Isak starts to do more PDA because the first years wouldn’t stop looking at this boyfriend.
Let’s go home by nneazzz (1.5k words) - This is a sequel to Evak texting:) Light PDA. Some homophobia.
For science by nofeartina (1.9k words) - The smut in this is not in public. Prompt fill for: Isak getting all worked up from “neck stuff” at inappropriate times
(Not so) Public Displays of Affection by radiantarrow (2.3k words) - five times Isak was comfortable with PDA around his friends, and the one time he was comfortable with it in public
Push by nofeartina (2.9k words) - So, normally, Even tries to be supportive of Isak’s ban on PDA. But sometimes, like tonight, he just hates it. (With smut)
affection by alotofphandoms (3.3k words) - Isak notices something enticing Even starts doing, and Isak can’t help getting flustered every time.
***** Outdoor/Tent/Car Sex *****
ease away by Skamtrash (984 words) - Even turns Isak on while eating a banana. They fuck it out in the backyard.
Cotton Candy Pink by riyku (1.4k words) - It’s the kinda place where a seventeen year old boy in knee highs and a short schoolgirl skirt can belly up to the bar and order a beer for himself and another for his boyfriend, and the bartender won’t say a word. Dark alley sex.
Frisky by evaksskam (1.8k words) - “Officer, I know you’re frisking me and all, but what the fuck? Your hand is on my dick?” Isak asked, trying to keep calm. Car sex.
Pulls Me In Enough to Keep Me Guessing by plumclouds (2.2k words) - Even partakes in a traditional hunt. He doesn’t expect anything to come out of it, but the night has many surprises in store. They’re all named Isak.
Packing Heat by Laika_the_husband (2.3k words) - Even and Isak are lost on a road trip. There is an airsoft gun in the glove compartment. Isak really likes the way Even looks holding it. Car sex.
if you know you’re in love and he feel like the one by orphan_account (2.4k words) - A sequel. “Are we going to your place?” “Nah, my parents are home,” “So… the car? We’ll park somewhere?” Isak asks, smiling shyly.
Mouse Hunt by Laika_the_husband (2.4k words) - A fluffy smutty summery fun with Isakitty and his kitten daddy Even. Isak has arranged a surprise for Even, to explore felinity further. Forest sex.
Come For Me by cami_soul (2.6k words) - Isak and Even go camping, but I don’t really talk about the camping. lol Very light Dom/Sub action. Even pushing Isak’s boundaries, in a good way.
you the one that i’m feeling, you the one that i’m loving by orphan_account (3.1k words) - A sequel. “I’m horny,” Isak breathes out against his neck as he plants a wet kiss there. Even knows he must taste like sweat. “We need to go somewhere so you can fuck me.” They fuck outside.
I want everything with you by MeOnly (3.1k words) - Isak and Even goes out to the countryside to hike in the mountains and camp. Even will soon move to Stockholm to study at the University and how it will affect the two of them is still unclear. They need to talk … and maybe use that tent too.
The second time I followed you home by Tuii (3.5k words) - When they had left Oslo at the end of May to do a tour of the Scandinavia, there was no way he would have thought he would find this beautiful boy in Denmark. That he would fall in love and end up traveling with him instead of his own squad. Camping.
what I have is right here by arindwell (3.5k words) - Listen, it’s not like Even’s been pining away for Isak, stuck in the hot swelter of summertime Oslo. He’s been fine on his own, really. Outdoor sex plus bearded Isak.
in the backcountry by Jules1398 (3.7k words) - Isak hates camping, but his time at Nissen has come to a close and his friends wanted to do a big trip together, so he figures three days in Ytre Hvaler National Park can’t be that bad until he finds out they’re camping in the backcountry. Luckily he meets a dashing blond guy with space in his tent that’s near actual bathrooms.
Long Boi Season by Laika_the_husband (3.8k words) - humanoid. Long bois are in season and Isak is determined to catch himself one. He gets what he wished for, and more. Forest sex.
these are just a couple of my cravings by Treehouse (4.2k words) - A festival a couple of hours drive from Oslo, just the two of them. There’s always people around them, in kollektivet, at Even’s place and Even has longed for this - to have Isak to himself. Sex in a camper.
the thing you didn’t know you wanted by Treehouse (4.5k  words) - Isak feels his cheeks go red just from looking at the box. He reads the short description on the side. Male vibrating prostate massager. Wireless remote control, USB charger, seven stimulation patterns. Fuck. A little bit of balcony sex.
Take a deep breath, baby (let me in) by nofeartina (4.5k words) - Even only pauses for a brief second before he continues zipping the tent closed and says, “You or me?” Isak turns around all the way and he’s such a sight like this. On his knees, face tilted down, eyes half-lidded and seductive. Tent sex.
Burning One Hell of a Something by MacksDramaticShenanigans (5k words) - Even’s sharp inhale was audible, and suddenly it seemed as though all the air in the tent had been removed. The whole atmosphere felt electrically charged, and Isak could feel his entire body thrumming with anticipation like it was a livewire. Tent sex.
Sommernatt by Bewa (5.1k words) - Even grabs his hand and start walking, pulling Isak along. “You know how I don’t like not knowing what’s about to happen?” Isak says as they walk across the road and down to the river close by. “I know.” Even giggles. “That’s why it’s so much fun.” Swimming.
In the backseat by sherllycolmpels (5.3k words) - It takes Even a few moments to see what Isak is doing, but when he sees, he has a really hard time looking at the road in front of them.
Back to the Backseat by sherllycolmpels (2.7k words) - A sequel. The one where Isak and Even are doing it in the backseat of their car. Again. Plus bathroom sex in the beginning.
Summer by DickAnderton (5.8k words) - Isak and Even have been crushing on each other for a whole year when their paths finally cross at a hipster music festival during summer break and they spend the night together.
All of Me by MinilocIsland (5.9k words) - Luckily, Isak knows just how to catch Even when he falls. (Or, as in this case: when his attempt at taking Isak camping doesn’t go as planned).
(I know, I know) I make it hard to let go by colazitron (6.2k words) - Isak and Even go camping. Isak wants to look at the stars. Even wants to look at Isak. One thing leads to another.
(all its own work, no) vacation by colazitron (1.7k words) - A sequel. Isak and Even are feeling a little frisky after waking up on the morning of their overnigh camping trip.
live happily with sugar on by colazitron (9k words) - While Even tries to work up the courage to approach the cute boy on the tram, the cute boy approaches him. Berries are involved. And a garden.
Take Me As I Am by givemesumaurgravy (9.9k words) - the one in which Isak is the coach of Even’s daughter’s football team and Even likes Isak’s bum. One day there’s a parent football game and Isak, just maybe, starts hitting on Even and, just maybe, Even gives in. Roadhead.
RoadHead by Skamtrash: Chapter 1 - Its the beginning of summer and Even and Isak are on a roadtrip to Even’s cousins house to ring in the summer. Car sex   Chapter 2 - Even’s cousins are throwing a pool party later. Even cant stop touching Isak in the pool.    Chapter 5 - In the woods.  
Nowhere to go (now) by nofeartina (12k words) - This fic is part of the amazing series, Rearranged. It’ll be best to read the previous parts first. Things are good, it’s so fucking comfortable between them that Isak is just waiting for the other shoe to drop. Balcony sex at a party.
Trollbundet/Spellbound by Crazyheart (16k words) - A summer fling soulmate AU. Isak has graduated from Nissen and he’s attending Trolsk (Enchanting), an alternative Fair/music festival with his friends. When he meets a guy called Even, they bond. However, Even is reluctant about bonding. Is a summer fling all they will have?
Can you feel the Love tonight? by skambition (17k words) - When Even let his gaze scan the masses, he caught a pair of green eyes staring at him shamelessly. Even raised an eyebrow, before looking the guy up and down. Tent sex. DELETED :( 
Skamløs by Skamtrash (18k words) - Even is Isak’s professor and they have a thing going on. Car sex. DELETED :(  
Beneath the Milky Way by sweetfire (31k words) - Isak is looking forward to a trip into the Norwegian wilderness with his friends before they all start their post-Nissen lives, hoping to get in some relaxation and bonding time with them. Cue Even, their hot wilderness guide, who instantly turns Isak into a flustered, blushing mess.
An Affair by skamsnake (33k words) - ‘An Affair’-inspired AU, featuring a sweet and innocent substitute teacher and a hot and confident third year student in all the scenes we already know and love. Sex in the woods. DELETED :(  
***** With People Around Them *****
Not so boring movie after all by Tuii (623 words) - Isak’s mind easily wonders to sex. And without actually doing it on purpose, he notices that his hand is wondering up on Evens thigh, towards his croch. At the movie theater.
prompts and one shots by noeller: Chapter 3 - Isak blows Even while their friends sit right in front of them   Chapter 4 - 3 times their friends accidently find out way too much about their sex life   Chapter 5 - Their friends see the scratches on Even   Chapter 6 - Magnus walks in on them having sex  
The Dance Floor by Tuii (1k words) - The club is full of people and noise and lights but Even has eyes only for his own man, those long legs and that amazing ass and his long neck and beautiful lips. On the dance floor.
Bus Drabble by Laika_the_husband (821 words) - A tiny little thing where Isak plays with Even on a bus ride. Just some silly filth.
Magnus is Confused About Gay by lovetommo (1.1k words) - Magnus kinda spies on Isak and Even a little bit.
The Things You Do by Skamtrash (1.2k words) - Even gets Isak off during a meeting in the auditorium
Kinky Boys by Skamtrash (2.7k words) - Even has a exhibitionism kink, he likes getting frisky in public. On a road trip with the boys, the couple tries to fulfill Evens needs
Masters of Impatience by Victory4 (3.5k words) - Isak is being a bit of a brat to everyone. Even knows how to chill him out. All while they’re having a movie night with their friends.
we’re lost in the heat of the moment (and i’m moving in you) by empty_venom (6.3k words) - Thanks to Eskild, Isak had no choice but to wear a tiny, skimpy, black cheerleaders outfit with Daddy emblazoned across the front of the crop top to a party where he meets Even and ends up on his lap in a room full of people.
The Beach by Laika_the_husband (7.4k words) - The one where they get banned from the beach
Chapter 4 of Hand In Hand by unfancyandy (10k words) - Even gets handsy in a movie theater.  
Oslo 05:59 by unfancyandy (15k words) - Isak meets a young man one night during a gay orgy at an underground sex club in Oslo. After building a special connection, they meet outside the club where they realize not everything was as perfect as it seemed.
***** Public Bathroom *****
cherry popsicle by cammm (1.1k words) - Even sucks his popsicle like it’s a dick and Isak says something about it. And then it escalates.
maybe it wasn’t such a bad idea by evenplussisak (1.1k words) - Isak and Even have sex in the bathroom where they first met
The one where they dance real close by colazitron (1.3k words) - They’re definitely not the only ones on the dancefloor taking things a little Far, but they go to find the bathroom anyway.
Monday 12:46 by anaisanais (1.6k words) - Even sexts Isak during class and they decide to ditch classes.
bathroom visits by cammm (1.7k words) - Isak steals Even away at lunch to go have some fun in the bathroom.
You Get Me Fired Up by HazyCosmicJive (2.8k words) - Isak has a public bathroom kink. Isak fucks Even in a university bathroom
i guess we should get a room by orphan_account (2.8k words) - Isak and Even are horrible hosts and friends. Technically it’s not a public bathroom but their friends are right there in their apartment.
so you play it wild by birthmarks (orphan_account) (3.1k words) - Before, during, and after Isak and Even made out at school on that fateful Wednesday.
I’ll Come With My Boyfriend by glbertblythes (3.1k words) - isak is kind of in love with even – isak kind of asks even to be his pretend boyfriend to a wedding.
Peep Show by riyku (3.5k words) - This might be the kinkiest thing Isak’s ever done, the only kinky thing he’s ever done, but he’s committed to it by now, and screw it, he’s gonna give this guy something worth watching. Plus exhibitionism.
The Booth by Laika_the_husband (5.3k words) - Featuring genderplay, glory hole, and Magnus.
Orion’s Nebula by thekardemomme (5.6k words) - Even Bech Næsheim was enrolled in an astronomy class for one reason and one reason only: the cute ass boy he saw standing in the registration line. University bathroom.
When I See You, I Keep Getting Chills by plumclouds (8.8k words) - Isak is asked to be Even’s tutor by his teachers. It doesn’t go like anyone’s expecting it to.
Back to Back by unfancyandy (13k words) - 5 times Isak’s obsessed with Even’s back and 1 time it’s a little different. A little bit of bathroom sex.
we still fuck by evak1isak (13k words) - Isak and Even had broken up. Period. But they couldn’t keep their hands off each other.
For Your Little Trooper by colazitron, nofeartina (15k words) - It’s bad enough that he has to sit here with his hand around his dick, milking his knot, in the school toilets no less - but apparently now he has company. Or the one where they meet while knotting in the school toilets. Public masturbation.
All this and heaven too by champagneleftie, nofeartina (28k words) - The first time, it’s just a hookup, a quick blowjob in a club bathroom. The next time Isak pretends he’s never seen him before. But maybe that’s because they’re at church. And the pastor is Isak’s dad.
A Silky Nightmare by Fxckxxp (40k words) - This is an AU set in the summer of 1970 based on the coordinates in the season 3 Skam header, which leads to Kjærlighetskarusellen (the love carousel): a public urinal doubling as a secret meeting spot for gay men before homosexual acts were decriminalized in Norway.
Alphabet Aerobics by nofeartina : Chapter 3: Z - Bathroom at a party sex.  Chapter 13: U - University bathroom sex. 
(WIP) take me to the stars by iriswests (230k words) - last update Aug 2017. Isak thinks Even is pretentious and impractical. Even thinks Isak is arrogant and uptight. They’re not each other’s biggest fans, even if they do happen to have spectacular sex on a very, very drunken night. They have public sex somewhere in chapter 5.
***** Other Public Sex *****
Smutty Tumblr Prompts and Drabbles by isaksforelsket: Chapter 4 - Isak is really loud in bed  Chapter 7 - This one should be in the 'with people around’ category but it’s easier to put it here.   Chapter 11 - Vibrator in public  
Work by Tuii (1k words) - “Put your headphones on, sit and watch.” says the message from Isak and it’s followed with a link to a Youtube video.
But if you are, I am quite alright, hiding today by notcooljimmysteve (1.1k words) - They go to the beach.
you can still see my ankles by cammm (1.3k words) - Isak and Even go clothing shopping. Even hates it. His height makes shopping difficult but Isak is a good boyfriend. He tried his best to cheer Even up. Implied public sex. No smut.
Vibrator by evak1isak (2.1k words) - Even buys Isak a vibrator which he can control so that his boyfriend can have it on all day. Isak, though, didn’t expect his friends to find out. (They don’t actually have sex in public)
let’s go somewhere they might discover us (sometimes it’s better when it’s publicly) by orphan_account (2.3k words) - Even and Isak fuck in a classroom.
Psycho by sensualstalker (2.4k words) - Even goes looking for Isak after school only to find him doing a different kind of after school activity. Locker room, shower sex.
poolside convo by ohsusie (2.4k words) - "Isak,” he says, swimming closer until they’re right in front of each other, looking into each other’s eyes, and Isak’s probably trying to tell him to stop, they can’t lose this stupid bet, but Even can’t handle it anymore and wraps his arms around him, pulling him closer. “Fuck, baby. You drive me crazy.” Pool sex.
Take me Higher by HazyCosmicJive (3k words) - “Hey lets sneak off and fuck in the locker room”. “Wtf Even, no”
just a little bit out of my limit by theyellowcurtains (3k words) - Isak is pissed about where he got placed for work experience, that is until he meets his fine ass supervisor.
Fitnessboys. by Krumme (5.8k words) - Isak promised Eskild to go to the gym. Even is, of course, there. First meeting. Pining, eventual smut.
watch me fall at your feet (all to make you feel complete) by empty_venom (6.1k words) - They’ve been out Christmas shopping for almost two hours now, and Isak’s been bored since about thirty minutes in. And when Isak gets bored, Isak gets annoying. Changing room fun.
Overtime by Laika_the_husband (6.5k words) - Isak smiles as he steps inside and opens his messenger bag. He pulls out a black toiletry bag and when he sees how Even’s eyes are glued onto it he feels like purring. Yes. He has brought the mobile sex kit with him. He is prepared to use it. Office sex plus sex tape.
Winter Cabin by alijan (7.5k words) - The boys overhear Isak and Even at the cabin.
More than enough by nofeartina (7.7k words) - Sounds travel in Kollektivet. Which is a problem when you can’t keep your hands off each other and Linn and Eskild are eating breakfast in the kitchen next door. But then you’ll just have to (try to) be quiet…
Where the Lovelight Gleams by Sabeley (7.9k words) - the one where Even and Isak are stuck at different Christmas parties, but they’re determined to have sex anyway. Phone sex in a public place.
I’m Always Here by nofeartina (9.3k words) - “Did you know that Even is working this summer? At that pool at the Plaza?” Jonas says. Isak actually sits up in excitement at this. “Fuck yeah!” Lifeguard Even. Shower sex.
(WIP) Loud and clear by Bulle (9.7k words) - Isak is loud when it comes to what goes down in bed. It’s not just quiet moans and small whines. It’s loud moans, whines and he’s awfully verbal too.
The Lifeguard by evak1isak (11k words) - In which Isak and his friends spend some weeks at Eva’s cabin during the summer, and Isak happens to develop a crush on the local pool’s lifeguard.
All I Ever Wanted by MinilocIsland (14k words) - Isak is such a good friend. Probably the best there is. How else could he explain that he’s agreed to join Magnus to this place deep in the woods for six full days of silence, meditation, and utter boredom? One thing, he knows. There’s nothing exciting for him there. Right?
I call'em as I see'em…But Sometimes I Don’t See So Well by HazyCosmicJive (15k words) - Isak just wants to study, he doesn’t want a new roommate who walks around naked all the time and constantly tests his patience. Featuring gym locker room sex.
Blanket Fort Gospel by Sabeley (58k words) - Isak Valtersen met the love of his life when he was eleven years old. It was a truth he had long tried to deny, but it was the truth nevertheless. Church sex.
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7official7moose7 · 4 years
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Part three.
Hey kids! this chapter will be a bit longer than the others, soo yeah. Happy valentine’s day!! Part four will be out by Monday.
TW: Angst, Nightmares, Mentions of family loss.
The sun had set a little over an hour ago, and the boys were three-fourths of the way to Lawrence. Dean was driving the Impala, of course. Jack pleaded to sit in the passenger seat this time, and Sam was all for it. Him and Cas had it made in the backseat.
Though he was feeling better than that morning, Sam still got a little woozy halfway through the drive, but it wasn’t too much to handle. He was still exhausted from lack of sleep throughout the week, so he fell asleep with his head against the window, Cas holding his hand gently. Though, he made sure Dean and Jack could not see them through the rear-view mirror, because he knew that Sam would have another freak-out if they saw. But, what they didn’t know wouldn’t kill them. Jack smiled. 
The car was quiet, save the music from the radio, which was turned down.
But as the Impala thundered down the road, Sam frowned in his sleep as a violent storm thundered in his dream.
Sam opened his eyes with a start. 
Where am I?
Everything was pitch black, cold and wet. It was raining outside, and the thunder rumbled above him. He moved his head to look around, and his hair floated away from his face, revealing dark, murky water.
Sam was in a lake, sinking.
The water stung his eyes as he held his breath. He looked up, and saw that he wasn’t too far from the surface. Sam tried to swim up, but the surface got farther and farther away as he did. So he swam faster.
It finally became closer, but Sam couldn’t hold his breath for much longer. He tore at the water furiously, desperately. But no matter how hard he tried, he just couldn’t make it. He felt lightheaded.
I’ll never see my brother again. I’ll never see Cas or Jack again, I won’t get to tell them what happened, I won’t get to say goodbye! 
The Winchester’s vision clouded with tears, but the water washed them away. He felt a lump in his throat that he could not swallow, and an emptiness in his mind that he could not fill with anything but the word breathe.
It was soft for a while, but then it grew louder and started to sound like Dean. Sam refused, but it grew louder and louder and soon, he couldn’t take it anymore.
Sam gasped and sat up as stiff as a board, his chest and throat burning as he coughed. He was still in the car, but they were parked at a motel. Dean was leaning into the backseat, a hand on Sammy’s arm, shaking him awake and was telling him to breathe. Jack watched in confusion and fear as Castiel led him out of the car to their motel room. “He’s fine, Jack. It’s another human thing,” he said.
Sam took deep breaths. He took hold of himself, yet still shaking and panting as Dean asked him if he was okay.
“Yeah, I-I’m fine,” he said, but he still felt like he was drowning. He ran a hand through his hair and sighed. “Just.. a dumb dream. I’m okay.”
Sam shook Dean’s hand off of his shoulder and scoffed. Dean studied him a bit longer before shrugging and hopping out of the Impala and grabbing the bags out of the trunk. As Sam stepped out into the open air, he staggered and braced himself on the car. He felt dizzy for a moment, and passed it off as standing up too fast. Dean looked at him with concern as he slammed the trunk. “You sure you’re okay?” he asked, starting off to the motel room. “Dean, I said I’m fine. I just had a weird dream and got up too fast,” Sam said, following.
“What kind of weird dream?” 
“I dunno, I was just.. Drowning, I guess.”
“Huh,” Dean mused and walked into the room with Sam, locking it behind them. Jack and Cas were waiting.
“Sam, are you alright?” Jack asked with worry. Sam smiled softly, ruffling his hair. “Yeah, I’ll be fine. Don’t worry.”
Cas looked up to the younger Winchester. “I told him about dreams, and how they can affect humans. I must have worried him,” he said. Sam shrugged. “It was just one of those random dreams, I’m sure it didn’t mean anything.”
But Sam wasn’t sure at all. He knew what the dream meant, and he remembered what he said the night before when he was drunk. Yes, he was drunk, but he knew good and well that what he said was true. He was stressed. Really, really stressed. He just didn’t want to admit it to himself again.
And so he distracted himself with his family, and they sat down for a nice pow-wow before getting their rest.
Dean and Jack shared the bigger bed, leaving Sam alone in the smaller one. But it wasn’t small enough. Sam still felt an emptiness beside him, a cold spot. Cas wasn’t there, he was off doing some angel errand.
Sam lay awake, but had his eyes closed in hopes of falling asleep. But no matter how hard he tried, he just couldn’t. His mind was racing, thinking about Castiel, his dream, their conversation from last night.
Ah, last night.
It was so wonderful being curled up against such an amazing, adorable, admirable angel like Castiel. And Sam sort of laughed at the fact that he thought Cas was cute, considering it wasn’t actually Cas, but Jimmy Novak’s vessel. Jimmy was pretty, not gonna lie. Sorry you lost such an awesome meat suit, man.
But Sam snapped himself out of it. Stop pining, that’s stupid and you can’t date an angel of the lord. It’s literally in the bible.
But is it?
Technically Castiel isn’t male or female, he thought, unless angels have assigned genders. Do they? I’ll have to ask when Cas gets back.
And then he remembered that Cas wasn’t there, and he was back to square one.
The other angels had reached out to Castiel through Angel Radio, asking for his help retrieving a soul who had escaped from their heaven and was roaming the halls of other gates. Her name was Abigail Scott, was no older than thirteen and she had been in a plane crash east of an airport in Michigan three weeks ago.
The angel immediately responded to the situation. It was dangerous having a wandering soul, as she could open another soul’s gate and then there would be two souls roaming around. And they would know that it isn’t real, and they would tell others that it wasn’t real..
It just wasn’t something that the angels had the time to deal with.
And so Castiel walked around the halls until he spotted her. She had bright orange hair and heavy freckles, and she had hazel eyes, just like Sam’s.
Ah, Sam.
Cas felt his wings flutter and his grace spark at the thought of him. He was so, so beautiful and amazing and-
Cas suddenly shook the thoughts out of his mind. Not now, focus.
“Abigail,” he started, and the girl at the other end of the hall startled and looked at him with those eyes. He resisted the urge to look away as he flushed red. “You can’t be out here, child. It’s dangerous.”
Abigail clenched her fists as she stalked towards him. She stopped about half way. “Who are you? Where am I?” she asked fearfully, warily. Cas averted his gaze, unable to concentrate. “You are in heaven. So is your grandmother, in the other hall.”
The girl relaxed, but still stared at him. She stepped closer. “Are you.. An angel?” she asked, and Cas nodded. “Yes, and I must take you back to your heaven.” he said gently, trying to make this quick. Abigail looked away, frowning. “Do I have to go back? I don’t want to live in a lie again,” she said sharply. 
The angel looked back to her. Their eyes met again, and he held back the off-topic thoughts. 
“You can, or I can take you to your grandmother. But you can’t stay out here,” he said. Abigail looked disappointed for a second, but then smiled. “It would be nice to see her again,” she said, and so they set off to find the room labeled “Francis Scott”.
As they walked, Abigail asked, “So, what’s your name? Do you have a name?” 
Cas smiled softly. “Yes, I am Castiel. All angels have names, even the lowliest.” he answered. The girl smiled. “What’s it like being an angel? My mother has.. Or, had theories, but they were a bit over the top.” 
“Well, it depends on the rank. If they are a leader, they listen to prayers and give the soldiers orders. The soldier’s job is the most tiring, doing as told and always on the run. The rest are just there for support or backup, if needed.”
“And where are you on that chart?”
Castiel thought as they rounded the corner to the next hall. “I don’t know. I caused a bit of trouble in the past, so the others wouldn’t really approve of me being in heaven any more than I have to.”
“Then where do you go? If you aren’t here?” Abigail asked.
“On earth. I have friends there. Sometimes, they’re even more like family.”
“Oh. Is that why you don’t talk like the other angels here? You sound different, you use more human-like words and ways of explaining things.”
“Yes, I must admit, they rub off on me.”
“These friends, what are they like?”
“Well, they are all hunters. They hunt dark creatures like werewolves, vampires or demons. First there’s Dean Winchester. He’s more on the tough side, always seems grumpy. Then there’s Jack Kline. He’s a Nephilim, half angel-half human. He’s very kind, and he’s powerful,” Castiel hesitated, “And then.. There’s Sam Winchester. The boy with the demon blood.”
Abigail looked at Castiel. “Demon blood? Is he bad?”
The angel looked back. “No, not at all. He’s the sweetest, most loving, caring and accepting human being I know. And he has eyes just like yours,” he said, smiling as his face flushed again. His grace spiked.
“It sounds like you really care about him,” Abigail said, “And I bet he cares so much about you too.”
Cas beamed at that thought. “Yes, I suppose he does.”
There was a moment of silence, and then Cas continued.
“You don’t seem to be upset that you’re.. You know..” 
“Dead? Yeah, I guess I am a bit sad. But I know that this will be better than my life down on earth.”
“How so?”
“My life started out as just a big lie. I was adopted as a baby, and I’ve lived with these people who didn’t care for me much. My grandmother, my real one, found me at a music festival during the spring a couple years back. She wanted to take me with her, and I wanted to go, but my adoptive parents wouldn’t let me.
But they did agree to let me see her on the weekends, and we had the best time together. But..” she paused to rub her eyes, “In fall of last year, she suffered from a stroke, and.. didn’t make it out of the hospital.”
Castiel blinked, not knowing what to say. “I’m sorry, Abigail.”
The girl gave a teary smile. “It’s okay, I’ll be able to see her soon.”
“Speaking of soon,” Cas said as he came to a stop at a door that said, “Francis Alicia Scott”. 
“Are you ready?” Cas asked, and Abigail nodded, tears rolling down her freckled cheeks. Her hazel eyes glistened with sadness and excitement, and she grabbed Castiel’s hand and squeezed it. He squeezed back. 
And so, Castiel opened the door, revealing a beautiful field of grass and flowers. The sun was shining and the sky was a soft blue with white, puffy clouds scattered across. And up on a hill stood a great wisteria tree. And under it sat a petite older woman, with reddish gray hair and freckles, wearing a yellow dress and sunhat with a book in her hands and a picnic blanket spread under her. She smiled softly as she turned the page.
Now, Abigail was crying. Castiel showed concern, but she waved them off as ‘happy tears’.
“Well?” he said after a minute, gesturing to the woman. “Would you like me to come along?”
The girl shook her head, but threw herself onto the angel and whispered, “Thank you, Castiel.”
And with that, she began to make her way through the lush field, and when she called out to her, Abigail’s grandmother smiled greatly as she sprung up and rushed to her. She embraced the child and Abigail returned it, and they walked back to the tree hand in hand.
Castiel smiled, feeling something prickle at the corners of his eyes.
A single tear fell to his trench coat.
And as he was about to leave, he heard a shout from behind him. He turned, and Abigail and her grandmother were waving with sad smiles on their faces. He waved back, beaming, and disappeared through the wall.
As he closed the door behind him, Castiel lingered before starting back down the hallway. Another tear escaped his eye, and he wiped it away with his sleeve, like he saw Sam and Dean do.
Maybe they have rubbed off on me, he thought.
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minuete-blog · 5 years
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Philes’ Xmas Advent Calendar Prompt Day 25: Christmas Day
🎄 Merry Christmas!!!🎄
The very last advent prompt story is finally here. It is the first and only multichapter I’ve drafted for a series on AO3. Thank you to all who traveled through this journey of various degrees of angst (there were only 5 stories?) to the early msr fluff. Special thanks to @only-txf-fanart for the Advent Calendar Prompts. My writing muse came back in time to participate.
🎁 For those of you who haven't read the series, it can be found here. 🎁
❤️For those who just want to read the subtle romance that blossomed from this advent calendar series, read in this order: I’m Offering You The World, Last Minute, The RomCom Gift, and Christmas Offering. ❤️
Tagging @today-in-fic @txf-prompt-box
Christmas Offering
Chapter 1. Movie Missed
Scully feels warm and cozy as she sinks deeper into the couch. She hears Mulder calling her from a distance, strands of hair being swept away from her face with a gossamer touch. She hums in defiance, wraps the afghan blanket more securely around her.
“That won’t do.” She hears Mulder chuckle. She furrows her eyebrows and manages to crack open her eyes making out a blurry image of Mulder kneeling on the ground, his chin resting on the crook of his right elbow upon the couch, facing her at eye-level. He smiles softly.
“Hey there, Scully. The movie just ended.”
“What?” She asks confused, disoriented as she sits up, her hair plastered on the left side of her face. Pouting a little, still groggy from sleep, she remembers what happened. “I missed the movie?” Mulder nods and gets up off the ground to run his fingers along her left cheek and loosen the strands of hair stuck to her face. She thinks she felt a featherlight kiss on her left temple.
“Come on. Go freshen up. I’ll have coffee ready for you before you head out.”
“Mmkay,” she mumbles and untangles herself from the blanket. A few minutes later, she re-emerges from the bathroom looking somewhat awake and decent, her hair looking more windswept than bedhead. She can smell the pot of coffee brewing in the kitchen as she sits down on the couch to put on her boots. Mulder reappears in the living room, and hands Scully the travel mug he just gifted her a couple hours ago filled with coffee. She offers her thanks as he walks her to the door. She turns around.
“Mulder, are you sure you don’t want to come to my mom’s? You’re always welcomed.” He shakes his head.
“Nah, I’m good, Scully. I won’t be the best company considering how tired I feel.”
“Well, what are you going to do the rest of the day?”
“Once you leave, I intend to fully pass out since I hadn’t slept yet. I’ll be okay, Scully.” She frowns a little, looking up at him from behind her shoulder as she opens the door. Mulder leans against the door frame as she exits. “I kept you long enough away from your family. I need to be nice and share.” Scully gives him a small smile.
“Merry Christmas, Mulder.”
“Merry Christmas, Scully.”
Chapter 2. Scully Christmas Gathering
Scully arrives at her mom’s home on time with 15 minutes to spare despite the fresh snowfall. She gulps down the last of the coffee in her travel mug before stepping out into the cold, and retrieves the large shopping bags containing the presents in the trunk and backseat of her car. Just when she reaches the front door, it suddenly opens revealing a man standing nearly six feet with ruddy brown hair and dark green eyes clad in a burgundy plaid shirt and jeans.
“Charlie?!” Scully exclaimed surprised and excited to see her little brother. She drops the bags and gives him a huge hug. He laughs.
“Hey, Sis.”
“That’s it?! A ‘hey, sis’ after years of not hearing from you, and you decide to show up on Christmas Day?!” She playfully punches him in the arm.
“Hey, now! You get photos of my whereabouts. They’re a small fortune, you know.” Scully rolls her eyes at him, though she’s not the least bit irritated by his remark. Her free-spirited brother found his true calling as a freelance photographer right after college, landing assignments every so often from travel guide magazine publishers.
“Those don’t count. You’re not even in them.”
“Yeah, but I took them.”
“I still can’t believe you’re here.”
“I know. Mom’s pissed at me right now for not telling her I’m in town. She’s upset that I won’t have any presents to unwrap. Come on, let me help you out.” Charlie reaches for the bags and brings them inside as Scully follows him to the tree. The house smells like holiday spices from the mulled spiced cider their mom prepared in the kitchen the night before. The living room looked picturesque with a roaring fireplace, complete with hung stockings and a fully decorated tree with all the ornaments handmade and collected over the years. She notices Melissa’s stocking with her favorite horse sleigh ornament hanging on the mantle. Scully smiles a small bittersweet smile as she heads over to the tree to place the gifts underneath. She sees a light flash from the corner of her eye.
“Charlie, really?” She turns to him only to be greeted with another flash of light.
“I’m creating memories, Dana. Just go about doing what you’re doing and pretend I’m not here.” She scoffs.
“Don’t worry, Dana. I’ll be turning off the flash once daylight breaks.” Scully hears footsteps coming down the stairs and sees their mom in cozy, festive flannel pajamas and a fluffy robe. Their mom smiles at the two of them beside the tree.
“I see you two are catching up. I’ll make some coffee. I already woke up Bill and Tara. They’re getting Matthew ready. The King’s Mass is held at 9 this morning. That should give us more than enough time to unwrap presents and get ready.” Their mom looked at them amused by their dubious expressions. Both Scully siblings seemed to have forgotten about the Christmas Day mass they hated attending as children. Bill hosted Christmas last year, and Scully’s previous holiday seasons had been overshadowed with life-altering events. Their mom shakes her head smiling as she heads to the kitchen.
“Shit! Crap! Sorry for cussing on Baby Jesus’ birthday. I totally forgot all about The King’s Mass. This is probably why I subconsciously avoided visiting during Christmas season,” Charlie murmured to Scully, “I guess I’ll have to don on some khakis.” He glances over at Scully, “and you look like you’re a government agent. Shouldn’t you dress in something more festive?” Scully shrugs.
“I packed an overnight bag, but I didn’t account for Mass this morning. I’ll be fine. I’m sure Tara or Mom bought me a nice scarf or something this year for me to throw on.”
Within the next couple of hours, the Scully family festivities went underway filled with chatter, coffee, spiced cider, cinnamon buns, and Christmas music playing in the background. Matthew is the main star as he wobbly walks to his Nana, allows Auntie Dana to hold him, and pats the shiny boxes that keep coming his way. Charlie stays in the background taking photographs. The adults exchange presents, with mostly Tara and their mom oohing and ahhing over presents they unwrap. Scully merely grins and offers her thanks until she opens a box from Tara that housed a royal blue blouse tunic with a scoop neckline. She gasps in amazement; she hears a click and shutter from Charlie’s camera.
“Looks like you have your festive outfit,” he says. Scully admits to her family that she plans to wear the tunic for mass as her family breaks out in laughter. She excuses herself to quickly change.
As Bill, Tara, and their mom get ready for mass, Scully tidies up the living room while Charlie entertains Matthew. “So what’s up with Fox? Why doesn’t he join us?” Scully looks at Charlie in surprise.
“He goes by Mulder and he doesn’t celebrate Christmas.” Charlie hums.
“I’ve been taking photos this whole morning, Dana. You’re here, but you’re not here. It shows.”
“I just have a lot on my mind.” Charlie shakes his head as he lets Matthew study his camera.
“No, you have this far-off look in your eyes. A restlessness about you. I recognize that look anywhere.”
“What are you trying to say, Charlie?” He purses his lips and shrugs, their conversation ending as they hear the rest of the family returning downstairs.
Bill rented an SUV that could transport all of them to the church, but Charlie insists that they take two cars.
“I wanna catch up with Dana!” Charlie announces as he runs to the passenger side door.
“Really, Charlie? I’m tired of driving,” Scully whines, but she walks to the driver’s side and unlocks her car.
Chapter 3. The King’s Mass
The Kings’ Mass at St. Mary’s Church was full of generational families much like the Scully clan. Their mom waved at many of the churchgoing ladies, offering well wishes and season’s greetings as she led them to her usual pew. Tara, Matthew, and Bill sat in the row first, followed by their mom, Scully, then Charlie. The service started with the usual procession of the pew boys, then the priest, Father Bennett, and the deacons. They had a larger than usual choir having some of the Sunday School children participating in today’s service. Just when the priest welcomed everyone to the church and encouraged all to greet their fellow brothers and sisters, Charlie turns to Scully and says, “I think you should head back home after service.”
“What?” she hissed through a fake grin as she waves at a family two pews ahead.
“You heard me, Sis. Just go.” Scully gives him a look as she sits down waiting to listen to the choir sing before the liturgy. Charlie pesters her again when they stand up to recite the hymns from the church bulletin. He causes enough commotion for their mom to give them a pointed look. Scully glances at her apologetically.
“You two are worse than Matthew,” she whispers leaning back for the two to see Matthew passed out in Bill’s arms. They sit back down again for the sermon after a deacon recited Isaiah 9:6 where Father Bennett spoke in detail of the miraculous birth of their Lord and Savior, symbolizing hope and love to mankind, but not without the struggles and sacrifice that Joseph and Mary had to endure to travel to Bethlehem.
“...so let us be reminded of His enduring love for us as we celebrate his arrival with loved ones. To not forget the road traveled for all of us to be here in this room. Let us honor his arrival with a giving spirit, full of compassion and empathy towards our fellow man,” Father Bennett concluded, “Now, as we begin communion, let us feel His loving spirit surround us.”
“Now’s your chance, Dana,” Charlie says as the pew rows were systematically dispersing to line up for communion, “Just make a break for it. You heard what Father Bennett said ‘celebrate with loved ones.’”
“I am celebrating with loved ones!” she responds a little too loudly as they stand at the ready for the church volunteer to beckon them to get in line.
“Mom, can you talk some sense into Dana, please?” Charlie says turning around giving their mom a knowing look, “I know you saw what I saw this morning. You can’t deny it.” She sighs in resignation, lips pressed together.
“Dana, I’m glad we got to spend time with you this morning, but Charlie’s right-- a part of you isn’t with us, it’s someplace else.” She gives Scully a fierce hug. “We’ll see you later this week. Charlie is staying for a couple more days before he flies out to the Netherlands. Now, go. You have some matters to attend to.” Scully’s eyes turn glassy as she manages not to cry. She smiles against her mom’s shoulder and gives her a quick peck on the cheek. She mouths and waves goodbye to Bill and Tara who each had a curious expression on their faces. Charlie gives her a quick hug and waves goodbye to her as he stands aside to let her out of the pew. She can hear Bill asking their mom where she’s going, and her mom answering that she has to attend to matters of love. Scully walks out of the church with one destination in mind.
Chapter 4. Give vs. Offer
It seems that no one left Hegal Place as Scully had to park a block away nearby a liquor store. She quickly runs into the store and purchases some items for the day. The afternoon weather is nippy, but tolerable with a heavy coat she had placed in the back of her car as she briskly walks on the sidewalk, being careful not to slip. She doesn’t know whether Mulder is at his place or not; it didn’t occur to her to give him a call during her trip. The early snowfall that morning had covered all the parked cars, making it difficult to identify which car is his. She finally arrives at his building, promptly taking off the heavy coat from the extreme temperature change. She knows her hair looks unkempt again from the weather as she takes the elevator up to the fourth floor. She can’t decide whether her heart was rapidly beating from the brisk walk or the notion that Mulder might not be home. Scully raps on the door sharply, causing the “2” in “42” to be slightly askew. To her relief, she hears muffled footsteps behind the door. The door cracks open revealing a disheveled Mulder dressed in sweatpants and a white t-shirt. He braces himself against the door frame with his right forearm as he rubs his eyes. His left hand still on the doorknob.
“Scully? What are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be with your family?” he asks in a gravelly voice, eyes squinting from the hallway light. She realizes she must have woken him up from his sleep. His eyes come into focus, and she can see him take in her appearance. “Is this how you usually dress at family gatherings? Maybe I should accompany you next time you go.” She feels a blush forming on her cheeks.
“I couldn’t stop thinking about the movie this entire morning,” she says, averting her gaze away from Mulder’s form, staring down at her boots. “It’s been bothering me, how Sandra Bullock’s character is in love with what looks like a huge asshole.” She looks up at him slightly flustered, “And Mulder! Even if I had watched ‘While You Were Sleeping’, I wouldn’t have caught on with the line you misquoted. The character’s mom gave her dad the world, which by the way is not a snow globe but a regular globe. So, I can only deduce that the actual line is ‘I give you the world’ not ‘I offer you the world.’” Mulder looks amused.
“To be fair, Scully, I only watched the movie once on cable. I thought I got the gist of the phrase, especially when paired with the snow globe I grabbed at Grand Rapids to show you. It appears much later in the movie by the way.”
“But ‘give,’ and ‘offer’ are two very different words, Mulder,” she continues, “Their meaning is completely different in context. ‘I give’ means that there are no strings attached to this phrase, no conditions set in place, while ‘I offer’ allows the other party a chance to accept or decline the option.” Scully knows she’s rambling, but she can’t stop herself. She holds up the plastic bag in her hands.
“For instance, I’m offering you this bag full of items I purchased at the corner liquor store. It contains components to make delicious hot chocolate—you still owe me hot chocolate, Mulder--”
“Of all the things to begrudge me for, it’s hot chocolate?”
“Hot chocolate, milk, whipped cream, chocolate sprinkles, marshmallows, and peppermint sticks. And since it’s around lunch time, I even purchased some gourmet frozen dinners because I know the state of your fridge and pantry, Mulder. A man can’t suffice on sunflower seeds alone.” Mulder’s grinning at this point. He unbraces himself from the door frame and reaches for the bag, but Scully holds it away from him.
“Mulder, this is an offer. Offers usually come with conditions from the party presenting it.”
“State your conditions then, Scully.” He drawls as he leans against the door frame crossing his arms.
“I want you to be the one to prepare hot chocolate for the both of us. I also want to finish watching the movie. I want to see how Sandra Bullock’s character goes from thinking she’s in love with an asshole to falling in love with Bill Pullman’s character.”
“Well, what are you waiting for?” Mulder’s eyes shone brightly as he stared at her intently. Her eyes slightly widened at his question. He straightens himself up and fully opens the door. He motions with his head as he says, “Get in here, Scully.”
She exhales a breath as she crosses the threshold. Mulder murmurs, “I was thinking about you all morning too” as he closes the door behind her.
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little-maynard · 6 years
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Twelve Days of Jack (December 15 - Day 2)
Summary: When Sarah is invited to casually hang out with her Friend With Benefits, Jack, and his group of friends, things suddenly get a lot more serious than she bargained for.
Word count: 2.1K
[A/N] This mini series all takes place in the run up to Christmas. Each chapter takes place the day it is uploaded.
Day One
Sarah had a 9AM seminar and stuck around in a study area to get some homework done. She would stay there until Jack and his friends picked her up around two so they could all go to Winter Wonderland together. It was quiet in the room, apart from the occasional cough and the uninterrupted typing of a boy a few tables over, and when her phone buzzed in her bag and broke the silence she scrambled to get her hands on it to make it shut up. A few people shot her annoyed glances and she gave them what she hoped was an apologetic smile. It was a message from Kailee.
The night before, after dinner, the two girls had sat in Kailee’s room together, discussing the whole thing again. Sarah had shown her best friend pictures of Jack to judge, which had naturally led to Kailee telling a story about a boy she’d slept with a few times the year before. She had broken it off when the boy tried to get serious, even though he was a sweet guy. “There was just no connection”, Kailee had explained. Sarah wasn’t sure what to make of that. Here her friend was, trying to get her to give Jack a chance, while she herself hadn’t done the same thing. Then again, Jack and she did have a connection of sorts. She enjoyed spending time with him and liked hearing about the things that kept him occupied, and he was a good listener who also made her breakfast.
The text she’d just received was some meme to which Sarah replied with an emoji. Just as she was about to put her phone back in her backpack, a new text came in. This time from Jack.
We’re about to leave. Have to pick Mikey up along the way because the lazy fuck refuses to walk, but we’ll be there in 25 mins or so
Twenty-five minutes was plenty of time to get some more work done, but now that her mind had drifted to Jack it was hard to get it back onto linear algebra. Eventually she gave up on trying, shoved all her stuff in her bag, and went outside, where she sat down on a low fence surrounding the bicycle parking area.
“Hey, Sarah.”
Sarah turned around to see Ryan, one of her housemates, put his bike in a stand and walk up to her. “Are you coming out with us tonight? Celebrate Nick’s friend’s birthday?”
“Nick’s friend?” Sarah looked amused. “Do we even know this friend?”
“No, but it’s a good excuse to party.”
She checked her watch, as though that would give her answers, and then nodded, “I think so. No promises, though.”
“Cool, we’re doing pre-drinks in Ella’s room at about eleven and then we’ll head out whenever.”
“Save me a beer.”
He laughed, “Will do, Sares. See you around.”
She said goodbye to him and hopped off the fence. No one had told her how long they’d be staying at Winter Wonderland for, let alone whether they would be going out after. Knowing Jack, they probably would. She wasn’t sure whether she wanted her friends to meet Jack. It seemed to serious, even though she also knew his friends. It was complicated.
--
There was a single spot saved for her in the car; wedged between Josh and Conor in the backseat. Jack and Mikey were sat in the front, babbling about whatever it was that those two boys found interesting. She tossed her bag in the boot of the car and climbed over Conor to get to her seat.
“How was geometry?”
“My lecture wasn’t on geometry, but it was alright. Thanks.”
Conor seemed to have an easy time chatting to whoever about whatever, whenever. She’d noticed this the first time she’d met him, when she realised after half an hour that she’d been talking to this complete stranger for a full 30 minutes without it getting at all awkward, and now that she was tuned into it she was always on the lookout for his tricks. Having someone explain something to him seemed to be one of his top choices for conversation starters.
Despite the fact that she knew how he worked, she still took the bait and explained some things about probability to him during the drive to Winter Wonderland.
--
Finding a parking space at a large festival is always a hassle, but Sarah had never seen anything as bad as this. They drove around for almost half an hour before Jack finally spotted a car pulling out of a spot and immediately jumped on it. By that time the car had gotten nice and warm, and getting out of it was horrible. Sarah zipped her coat up as far as it would go and retrieved her bobble hat from her bag before they left the parking lot.
By the entrance of the park they met Joe, Byron and Will, who had taken a bus, which in hindsight would’ve been a better idea than this whole car ordeal.
“Finally. We’ve been here so long, Joe’s grown a beard.” Byron complained.
“Looks more like pubes on his face to me.” Jack responded.
Joe’s stubble could hardly be called a beard, but it looked good on him. It framed his face and made him look mature, which, if you knew him, maybe didn’t suit him that well.
As soon as they entered the grounds, Sarah spotted a drop-tower. Her absolute favourite ride in any theme park. “Can we go on there?” She asked, trying to play it cool. This genuine hangout with Jack’s friends still felt weird to her and she was unsure of how to behave. Was she supposed to keep to the background or act like one of the guys? Fortunately, the others the others didn’t seem to mind her presence at all.
Will immediately said he’d go with her, and after some convincing Jack, Conor and Byron agreed to go too.
She ended up, how could she not, next to Jack, who was nervously eyeing the tall structure from the queue. “You okay?” She asked him.
“Not a fan of heights.” He responded.
“If I recall correctly, you dangled off a pretty high building during I’m a Celeb.”
He laughed, “Ah yeah, my only trial. Didn’t have a good time. I heard that it was cut down a lot in the episode, ‘cause I must’ve been up on that stupid plank for at least fifteen minutes.”
“Toff totally outdid you on that one.”
“Well, if I’d actually done any other trials I know she would’ve outdone me on those too.” “The ones with the spiders?”
“Every single one. Except for maybe the eating. I think I could do that.”
It was their turn to get on the ride. Jack doublechecked his safety belts, and then checked them again. Just for good measure.
“You know you don’t have to do this right?”
“Bit late for that now.” He responded. “Feel my heartbeat.”
She reached out and placed two fingers on the side of his throat. His heart was pounding away as if he was running a marathon untrained. “Sorry for dragging you into this, but it’ll be fun. I promise.”
“Yeah, if we don’t die.”
“You’re such a drama queen.” She laughed. She dropped her hand and he grabbed it before she could put it to rest on her safety harness. He was shaking a bit – poor guy- and squeezing her hand as if his life depended on it. To him, it probably did.
The ride started moving, slowly gaining height. Jack closed his eyes. Usually Sarah would use the ride up to enjoy the view, but this time she couldn’t look away from Jack. When they were together, they were either having sex or just chilling. She had never seen him experience any negative emotions, and the fear on his face was piteous, but also cute.
“You’re okay.” She said. He shook his head but didn’t respond.
On her other side, Conor and Will were joking around, clearly out of nervousness, pretending to undo each other’s safety harnesses.
She used to be afraid of heights too, when she was younger, but when she was seven years old her brother persuaded her to go on a drop-tower with her and it had done away with her fear at once. The elation she felt during the drop completely diminished any kind of unease she felt. She’d gone on the ride eleven times that day.
The most dreadful part was when the ride stopped at the top and you had to sit and wait until you would inevitably come crashing down. “Do you want to look at the view?” She asked Jack when they were there.
“No, I want to die.” He said.
“I thought you were afraid of dying. Isn’t that the whole point of a fear of heights?”
He was quiet for a moment. “Shut up.”
When the drop finally came, she was surrounded by screams. Jack let go off her hand to grab onto his harness as he screamed his lungs out with his eyes still tightly shut.
The wait and the way upwards were always endlessly long compared to the actual fall, which lasted eight seconds max. Sarah undid her harness and jumped to her feet, “You coming?”
Jack stayed put for a few seconds, catching his breath and trying to calm his heart down. “I’m never doing that again. You can’t make me.”
She laughed, “I won’t. I’m sorry.” She started to undo his harness for him and eventually he raised his hands to help her out.
Behind them, Conor was dramatically prancing around like he was ten beers deep into a night out and struggling to stay right side up, while Byron was steadying himself on the barrier around the ride.
“How are you okay? That was a nightmare.” Will exclaimed.
“I’ve been on this ride more times than I can count.” She said. “These things can’t scare me anymore.”
Jack finally got out of his seat when the operators went around to see if anyone needed help with their safety belts. “Let’s go do something fun now. Like a rollercoaster.”
As if high speeds were less scary when they were horizontal.
--
Two rollercoasters, eight hotdogs, and thirty-seven pounds wasted on claw machines later, they were strolling towards a Christmas market. Jack was a few yards ahead of her, walking with Josh and Conor, while she lagged behind with Mikey.
It was getting close to five, and they had already decided they would be going to Nando’s after the market. They were going out tonight, too, and had acted disappointed when Sarah said she wouldn’t be joining them. She really didn’t get these people. Were they just so laidback that they didn’t care whom they hung out? Or did they really want her around? Was it normal for Jack to bring his flings with him on friend group outings? He wasn’t making things any clearer on her.
--
“Have fun tonight.”
“You too.”
“Maybe we’ll run into each other somewhere.”
“Not if I can help it.” They both laughed and she kissed his cheek, “Bye, Jack.”
“Bye bye.”
He’d given her a ride back to her hall, the gentleman, and was now taking his friends back to his own place for pre-drinks.
It was shortly after ten when she finally walked into the TV room, where most of her corridor was gathered to watch The Hangover.
“She’s alive! Did that boy keep you occupied?” Amber called.
Sarah groaned, “Kailee told you?”
The accused gave her a guilty look.
“I should’ve known.” Sarah laughed, tossed her coat and bag on the floor and sank onto one of the couches. “Yeah, he’s keeping me busy.”
“Is this the boy you said you were ‘casually making love to’?” Tommaso asked.
“Yeah.” “Not so casual anymore?”
“That’s the problem. I don’t know.”
“Sam and I started out ‘just sex’ first. We all know how that turned out.” Ella had been with her girlfriend for two years and had told Sarah from the start that Friends With Benefits never came without complications. Sarah had told her she’d prove her wrong back then, but she was turning out to be right.
Fortunately, the others took this as their cue to all start talking about their own love lives, and Sarah gladly took this opportunity to get out of the conversation and talk about the boy Vada had been dating instead.
--
Sarah and Kailee spent the night playing a game to see who could kiss the most boys, so she could get her mind off Jack.
She won, with four against three.
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asianhealthcares · 4 years
Text
The most awaited time of the year is here, but let crowded festivities take a backseat.
The spike in Corona cases in Kerala right after Onam is a glaring reality that must bite us all, now! A recent government study is also anticipating an explosion of 26 lakhs cases within a month if we collectively do not follow the safety measures to keep Corona at bay during the festive period.
So celebrate, but stay safe!
#Festivals #CoronaPrecautions #StaySafe #Coronavirus
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stunudo · 7 years
Quote
Prayer is not asking. It is a longing of the soul. It is daily admission of one's weakness. It is better in prayer to have a heart without words than words without a heart.
Mahatma Gandhi
The River Bends Us: A Criminal Minds Fanfiction
Spencer Reid x Reader
Rating: Mature   Setting: Season 9
Your name: submit What is this?
The woman dragged herself across the grass by her elbows, each handful of blades slipping through her shaking fists. Her dark natural hair was full of debris, her legs trailing behind were bare with the exception of the panties that were stuck on her ankles and pants lodged in her sensible heeled sandals. A dark figure had been following her, she couldn’t see or hear where they were now. She just knew she had to get away.
“Help me!” She pleaded into the swampy night; her voice coming out in rattled whispers. The night creatures moved on, calling in croaks and buzzes to their kind. Suddenly something grabbed her limp ankle and dragged her backwards into the night. She looked up to see the cloudless June sky as the fist connected with her temporal bone one last time.
David Rossi was burning the midnight oil, he had started another book and he was typing furiously on his laptop. His luxurious study was ablaze, despite the late hour. He had started the evening enjoying a cigar, but inspiration had taken his attention away from his humidor. The surround sound played a swinging big band number and he hummed under his breath. The buzzing of his cell was hidden against the latest crescendo. The voicemail was finally listened to around 2 am when Agent Rossi got up to stretch his legs.
The BAU was ready and waiting on the jet, when Rossi finally joined the team. The older night owl made his apologies and you were all in the air, heading to St Louis. Garcia had filled you in before you boarded: three bodies found in a ten mile radius of the city’s south-side. All victims were in various states of decomposition, but all were found within twenty four hours of each other. The flight was a quick one, but the M.E. wouldn’t be ready for the team right away.
You hide a wide yawn behind your right hand and bunch up your hoodie as a pillow for the short nap the flight allows you. It had been a quiet week of filing reports and parole hearings for you, but it was still too damn late for a flight. You said a quick thank you to the universe as the lights dimmed.
The huddled man muttered into his clasped hands. His room was stark and he was bent over a simple flannel comforter. The night outside brought sounds of festivities: voices and music were on the air. He cringed at the frivolity and continued his prayers. Meanwhile the woman in the corner struggled against her gag.
A rousing sensation tucks the hair behind your ear. You shrug your shoulder to your ear, pinning Spencer’s hand to your cheek. He bends down and quickly kisses your head before leaving the jet. You smile to yourself for the sweet wake up gesture. You quickly unfurl yourself from your seat and grab your go bag.
The standard black SUVs were waiting for you in the early morning air. The humidity coated your skin, but your waking nerves still shivered in the heat. Since you were the last agent off the tarmac, you filed into the closest vehicle with an open door. You slid in beside Derek, who was keeping his drowsy eyes hidden behind his sunglasses. 
You pause when you realize the team has pulled into a diner instead of the local FBI field office. 
“Hotch, you’re a gentleman and a scholar!” You exclaim as you pat the back of the unit cheif’s seat. As you exit the backseat, the grease from the restaurant fills your nose, your stomach rumbles in response.
The parking lot is filled with trucks for the overnight stay; you are all eyed like unsubs walking in. Hotch and Rossi nodded their way into the diner and found a corner booth waiting. You purposely sit across from Spencer, to keep yourself from absentmindedly touching him. You had been seeing each other for a few months, but were trying desperately to keep work and personal time separate.
A waitress with huge bangs fills your mugs and takes your orders. As soon as she leaves, Hotch put Garcia on the line, but not on speaker to keep the case confidential.
“Greetings captain, my captain, “ she piped out in a rush, “the local field office has been at the dumpsites all night. They have confirmed that the bodies were all killed in a secondary location and disposed of within hours of each other. They will be waiting for you, not you personally sir, someone at the final site. They have i.d.’ed one of the victims from missing persons, a one Lenny Evans, 28. He went missing after a local June-teenth celebration, his mother reported him missing a week ago. The other victims were females, also African American are awaiting I.D.”
“Alright, thanks Garcia, we will catch up at the office soon.” Hotch hung up and turned back to the team, “We are going to go from here. Morgan I want you to take Y/L/N to the remaining dumpsite and see what you can gather on how the unsub is moving these bodies. Dave, I want you and Reid to head over the the M.E. I doubt they have gotten through more than one autopsy yet, but we need a report to start building this profile. JJ and I will head to the St Louis field office and get the geographic profile started.”
The Bangs had returned with an extra waitress to hand out the abundant breakfast the BAU had ordered. The silent frenzy of overtired agents made you think of a documentary you had Spencer over to watch the week before, on spotted hyenas. You looked up from your biscuits and gravy to catch his eye. His eyes found yours over his coffee mug, and you blush. He slowly blows on his fresh refill; you forced yourself to look away. Now was not the time to get distracted by Spencer’s mouth. 
Morgan held up the crime scene tape and you ducked below it. The sun was up and the heat was rising. You continued down the hill to the bank of the river to investigate the last body. You wrinkle your nose in disgust as the smell hits you. The body is bagged as you and Morgan pace the process of the unsub’s ingress.
“There are tire tracks leading to the river, but with the amount of traffic on this patch of beach, and the sand content, we won’t be able to pull up any one set of treads.” Morgan shook his head.
“Nope,” you replied,”The unsub just backed up and dragged the weighted body of victim #3 off into the water. And no one saw it?”
“This area is only busy during the day, anytime after dark the unsub could have been here. Now we just need to find someone who would know when each dumpsite would be abandoned.” Morgan speculated.
You twitch your head across the street, letting Morgan know where you are headed. You walk back across the street to check out the salvage yard, grabbing your cell to check in with Garcia. “ Hiya Pen, hows the magic coming?”
“Slowly, m’dear,” Garcia bubbled, “What are you in need of?”
“I need you to check the areas surrounding the other dumpsites. Look for salvage yards, recycling centers or pawn shops. I am heading to interview the owner of the yard nearest victim #3. What are the chances that there are traffic cams around here?”
“ Negative for your location, but there were some two blocks from the first site. I will hit you back when confirm your spectacular gut is right again.” Garcia click clacked on.
“You rock!”
Spencer slipped blue latex gloves onto his large hands as Rossi made the introductions with the M.E. and her assistant.
“Ya’ll are up and at ‘em, “ Dr. Burrows observed. “We now have three bodies that have been in the Mississippi overnight. By saturation level of the clothing and animal life it appears the first body dumped was the one furthest south; our victim #3. The killer then worked up the river dropping off the other two bodies within three hours of each other.”
“Have you established cause of death?” Dr. Reid questioned as he did a cursory exam of the male victim on the table before them.
“I have only completed one autopsy, the victim: last name Evans, first name Lenny. C.O.D. is blunt force trauma to the head. He has defensive wounds on his arms and hands. He was clearly restrained for sometime before being beaten to death.” Burrows points out the ligature marks on his ankles and wrists.
“It takes a lot to take down a guy this size.” Rossi noted, “What is he 6′, 220?”
“235″ Reid corrected.
The M.E. looked at the young doctor in front of her, then back at the senior agent. “Didya pick this kid up at a carnival?”
“No, Cal Tech” Rossi deadpanned.
“So Mr. French, you say your lot is cleared of workers by 7pm each night?” You keep your notepad open, but only make general comments on the pages.
“Yes, ma’am, my boys are out as soon as they can be. Some of them out even before I know it. I am the last to leave and that is well before sundown.” The aging man answers earnestly while he is hauling metal tubing from a nearby trailer.
“Do you know of anyone who uses the river access point across the street? Is it ever busy at night?” You continue, the sweat starting to drip down your neck.
“No, ma’am, I don’t think anyone even goes out over there. It belongs to the plant across the way, doubt they give anyone permission neither.”
“Alright, that is good to know. Now, is it possible to get a list of customers or suppliers, especially those that would be making late deliveries or very early pick ups?” You ask, finally getting to the heart of your questioning.
“Let me go talk to Tilly, she does all the phones and such. It will take me a few minutes, ma’am.” The man wiped his hands on a old rag from his back pocket.
“Thank you, sir, that is so helpful.” You flash a smile, solidifying his offer to aid in the case. “May I follow you in to meet her?” He nods you onward.
The praying man is in coveralls, hauling metal tool boxes to the side rack of the old truck. In the light of the day, his balding gray head is visible. He hums to the music from the radio; old choral pieces on a fading AM station. He looks back at the cellar door and checks his watch, nodding to himself.
The girl in the corner, is still held there. She is gagged, chained, and sitting in the dank darkness of the unlit basement. She knows the praying man leaves for hours during the day. “Even evil has a day job,” she thought bitterly. Today she would get free, she told her self. She quietly tried to push her hands through the heavy metal shackles, there was a sudden crunch and she squealed in pain. She had broken her metacarpal bone of her thumb, freeing her left hand. She is dizzied by the outline of her disfigured hand in the faint light and slowly she slumps back on to the floor, unconscious.
After Morgan and you visit each dumpsite, in the order you believe the unsub dropped each one into the river, you are drenched in sweat. You find the other two locations to be even harder to dump a body undetected, but still no witnesses. Garcia is running the street cam footage and a million other requests from the team. It is time to meet back at the precinct and get things ready for the profile, but first the all important coffee run.
You and Morgan roll into the field office’s parking lot behind Reid and Rossi’s SUV. You got extra generic coffees for the local agents, just in case, so you put Morgan to work carrying two trays while you have the BAU’s memorized orders in your two trays. Spencer, always the gentleman, holds the door for you guys and follows you in. As you pass him, you catch the sent of the autopsies he had been observing and hold back a gag. You cough and remind yourself that you smell like sweat and salvage yards at the moment too. Not quite the romantic reunion on this bright summer afternoon, but coffee needed to be drunk and profiles needed to be delivered.
Hotch and JJ had been busy filling in the gaps of the case. The last two victims had been identified by doing a missing persons search including nearby Illinois residents. Sharriel Smith, 24 and Janette Higgins, 30 from East St. Louis. According to Spencer, the bodies had all been bludgeoned to death and showed signs of heavy restraints. Though the bodies had been dumped within hours of each other, the deaths were all 48 to 72 hours apart.
“Unlike Lenny Evans, the female victims did have very clear evidence of sexual assault. That coupled with the restraints and the amount of time spent with the victims alive, we are looking at a sexual sadist. “
“Any DNA found?” JJ asked Spencer.
“None, this unsub is too organized.” He responded.
“What I don’t get is, why Lenny Evans? Clearly there is a racial connection between the victims, but this dude was solid. It would take a lot of work to subdue and transport him.” Derek tapped on the DMV picture of the male victim.
“Blitz attack?” You asked the group, “He was last seen at a festival, chances are he was drunk?”
“Even if that is the case, this guys would have to be strong, mobile and ready for anything.” Rossi interjected.
“We are looking at a team.” Hotch concluded. “Two unsubs could have handled Evans, one wouldn’t be able to. No matter how organized he was.”
You had to get out of this outfit, it was stiff and itchy from the dried sweat. In order to make a professional and intimidating impression on the scrap men the locals were bringing in for questioning; you just had to change. Luckily Hotch gave you the okay to head back to the hotel before breaking off into teams for interviews. You didn’t ask anyone to tag along, but Rossi made a point about driving you, citing a desire to check out the gift shop for his grandson, Kai.
“You know, Rossi, I can go with Y/N, if you would like.” Spencer’s soft voice suggested as you were grabbing your bag. “I was hoping to grab something I had sent with the go bags.”
“Something?” Rossi mused. He smirked at Spencer’s earnest eyes and nodded. “Okay, kid, but find something for me to get Kai, while you’re there?” Rossi handed Reid some cash and strolled off. Leaving you in an unexpected break in your day, with your less than subtle boyfriend.
“But, I really need a shower!, “ You pleaded into his shirt collar. Spencer’s mouth was on your neck, he had one hand on your waist and the other cupping your jawline.
“I could use a shower,” he muttered in a low voice,”the humidity here is stifling.”
You hadn’t even made into a hotel room yet, there you were like a couple of kids making out in the hallway. His large frame boxing you against the door to the room you and JJ shared. After a few more moments of stolen kisses, you sigh.
“Hmmmm,” You hum in exasperation, as Spencer continues to distract you, “Alright, you go to your room, sir. Go shower, get all that death off of you.” You make a circling motion with your opened hand indicating all of him.
He smirks down at your authoritative streak. “Why do I have to go to my room? When there is a perfectly good shower right through there?” He drums the tips of his long fingers against the door next to your ear.
There was not time for this; you grab his face in both of your hands and plant a firm kiss on his now pouting lips. “Because we do not have time to explain to Hotch why you broke my collarbone falling out of a shower.” You raise your eyebrows in mock seriousness. “We will get to shower-fun when we have more than a minute in a tiny hotel bathtub to start.” You promise.
“What scenario would result in you breaking your collarbone, Y/N?” Spencer was clearly visualizing the physics of the two of you in different positions until one became the clear possibility. He was so hot when he did calculations in his head. “You don’t have any past shower related injuries, that could have formed that argument, do you?” He was baiting you, with his chess face on.
“It was on a case, suspected domestic violence turned out to be nothing of the sort.” You clarified, grinning and pushing your Doctor down the hall towards his room. He backed away, kissing the back of your hand as he went; melting you with those crafty brown eyes.
“Sir?” Agent Bald-guy approached the group and addressed Hotch, “There has been a hit on a new missing persons case. A one Amile Turner, African American female, mid-twenties has not reported to work as a CNA for the past two days. The nursing home she works at contacted her mother, who has since filed a report.”
“Thank you, agent.” Hotch responded, alarmed, “ Can you have your team bring the mother in for questioning as soon as possible?”
“I already have a car out.” Agent Bald-guy nodded and headed back to his cluttered desk.
Hotch turned to Morgan, “Take Reid and check out the missing woman’s apartment, see if we can establish a timeline.” He turned to you, “Y/L/N I want you and Rossi to speak with the mother when she arrives. JJ and I will go to back to the festival site where Lenny Evans was abducted. Garcia?”
“Present! Well, digitally, “ chirped Penelope’s eager voice.
“Keep working on the street footage near the first and second dumpsites, cross reference it with any grounds crew or registered vendors from the festival grounds.”
“Consider it searched,” Garcia clicked away.
“One more thing,” Hotch continued, “see if you can ping the phone of Amile Turner, keep us posted.”
“Over and out!” Garcia ended the call.
Amile Turner awoke much later that afternoon. The basement was still and quiet, her hand throbbed from the self-inflicted break. She slowly sat up, allowing her eyes time to adjust to the consuming darkness. With her uninjured fingers, she was able to slip her gag down to her neck. Her jaw was stiff and her mouth was cracked from dehydration. The heavy chain that had held her wrists to the wall was linked to a metal loop in the wall; her newly freed hand allowed two extra feet of motion with her right arm. Carefully she tried to stand, though her legs were bound with similar chained cuffs, these were not secured to the wall or floor.
Once she stood, she realized what she must do. She took the empty cuff in her good hand and slung it over her shoulder. Carefully she started to pull over her shoulder. She strode forward in a lunge, using her body weight against the bolt in the wall. She moaned with the effort, but slowly the metal began to come loose. She stumbled, but she persisted. She turned to face the wall and spun her still cuffed right hand like she was playing double dutch, willing the motion to continue to loosen the bolt further.
Suddenly a large thud sounded overhead. Amile gasped and fell on her back, she was free. She held her breath, not knowing what or who was in the house above her. There was only silence stretching before her again. Amile  hobbled towards the door, the only light source beckoning her onward. She didn’t have time to waste, she had to get out of here. She had no idea what the praying man was keeping her for, she also didn’t want to find out.
 “No, Penny, I did not!” You were getting hounded about slipping away for a quicky while on a case. Of course, everyone assumed it was your idea to sneak off, since no one would suspect Spencer to be the instigator.
“Uh-huh, sure you didn’t. I mean, there was a lull in the case, Spencer drove you back to the hotel, alone.” Garcia was smirking at you, you could hear it through her inflection.
“And I sent him to his room to shower, because he smelled like autopsies and I smelled liked scrappers.” You glanced around to see if any was listening to your unprofessional conversation.
“Eww, okay, yeah that’s a no go for me too.” Garcia finally accepted reality. “But seriously, if you guys, like ever do it on a case, I totally want details.”
“Um, no, I am not going to even entertain the idea. I have a job to do here. Now what have you got for me?”
“Fine, Amile Turner’s cell phone was found in a park about a mile from her apartment. Other personal items also retrieved there, she had been walking back from a monthly jazz show they hold. Is it me or is it weird how this guy, guys, whoever, are grabbing people in super crowded places?”
“That, your tech-nificence, is a very good question.”
“Dude, are you hearing me?” Morgan raised his voice, finally getting Spencer’s attention. Spencer turned and regarded his friend, squinting his eyes in distracted surprise. “Man, where were you? No, let me guess, your mind took you back to Y/N’s hotel room?” Morgan chuckled.
“Not funny, Morgan” Spencer blushed. “Just to clarify, nothing happened.” He cleared his throat. “Y/N is very professional.”
“Oh? And you’re not?” Morgan raised his intense eyebrows. Morgan laughed, “I have seen you in some tough spots, man, but never like this.”
“I have never felt like this,” Spencer quietly conceded, “Morgan, does this get easier?” He couldn’t make eye contact, he just looked at his hands.
“How so?” Derek turned the corner, returning to the local FBI office.
“Does it get easier being around her?” Spencer wondered while staring out the window, “I feel out of myself. As if something else is controlling my body and suddenly I am touching her. I have never felt myself so distracted by the sheer presence of another human being, it is almost infuriating.”
Derek let the younger man talk, knowing there was no easy answer. His friend had been so advanced in so many arenas of life, that this one lagging piece weighed on him. Now that he could move forward with his life, Derek wondered if Spencer would be able to keep up after all. He reached across the seat and patted Spencer on the leg. “Yeah, man, it gets easier.”
Amile had made her way to the top of the stairs, but the cellar door was locked from the outside. She had screamed until she had no voice, she had pushed herself beyond exhaustion. She now slid back down the stairs, defeated. She knew the praying man would return soon, she had to prepare for when he did. She began searching the dim basement for any sort of weapon.
The truck’s roaring engine and squealing belts made its way back outside the house. Times up.
Amile shuffled around the table in the center of the room to hide behind the praying man’s bed. She waited. The undisguised opening of the double door to freedom pierced the silence. The man stomped down the aged steps, glancing to the corner of her former confinement. He dropped the bags he had been carrying in shock. The praying man screamed, “Not again!”
Amile shook with fear in her hiding spot. The contents of the bags now toppling down the stairs in odd rhythmic clanks. But the praying man did not continue into his basement dwelling, he stormed back up into the world. Amile exhaled, but still waited.
“I found it!” Garcia bellowed over the speakerphone on Morgan’s cell. “The same truck was seen outside the jazz concert, the second dumpsite and the June-teenth celebration. Sending info to your tablets.”
“Truck belongs to a handyman, Vincent Givens, 42.” Spencer read over JJ’s shoulder. “His address is right in the comfort zone.”
“All right, let’s roll,” Hotch nodded the team back to the parking lot.
The ride in the SUVs was a quiet and tense one. There were two BAU agents in each, paired with the local agents, you were in the backseat while Rossi sat in the front seat. You ran over the details Garcia had sent you all in your head. Givens, white male, 42, had some minor offenses in his early twenties, but nothing violent. His residence is the basement of a 100 year old house, located on about a half acre of land. Only one entrance to the basement, which means you could be walking into an ambush.
“Y/L/N and Rossi, copy?” Hotch’s voice came over the coms.
“We hear ya, Hotch.” You replied.
“I need you to go to the upstairs neighbors, check that the unsub isn’t leaving any surprises with them. Remember we still don’t have a name for the partner, after you secure the top floors, get some answers.”
“Hotch, what does Garcia have on the main house’s residents?” Rossi inquired.
“Retired parochial school teacher, Doris Bridgeport, 73, never married” Garcia responded herself. “Oh, man, is she scary looking.”
“Guessing a ruler to the knuckles won’t be enough for Mr. Givens’ infractions.” You mutter underneath your breath. After a sweaty car ride, you finally pull up to the Bridgeport/ Givens’ residence.
Immediately, you can tell something is amiss. The gate to the backyard is swinging unsecured, the sprawling front porch has weeks worth of papers collected upon it. You turn to glance at your teammates, Hotch takes point towards the back of the house. You hold back, watching as one by one they pass you and Rossi in the front yard. As you catch Spencer’s eyes, they dilate ever so slightly. You shake your head slightly and wink. His bottom lip curls up, just enough to show he is focused. Then he is gone, flanking the opposite side of the house as Hotch and Morgan.
You wait to kick in the front door, wanting the surprise meant for Givens, to hit its mark. As you wait, there is shouting.
“Vincent Givens, FBI” Morgan calls out.
“Mr. Givens, hands up!” JJ follows up.
You make eye contact with Rossi, he nods you onward. You knock on the front door, as expected, no answer. You try the door, it opens with a creak that would run chills up the crypt keeper’s spine. You enter the old house first, secure the first room, the parlor as it was once called, and move around the house. After Rossi gives the okay to the kitchen, finishing the first floor, you hear Spencer on the coms.
“We need medics to the basement, unconscious female, seems to be dehydrated and suffering a broken hand. Pulse is slow.” You head out the side door of the kitchen.
Morgan rounded the house with a sputtering Givens in handcuffs, “Where was she?! I didn’t lose her? I didn’t lose her!” He was twisting to look behind him, almost giddy that the victim wasn’t gone. Morgan got him into the backseat of a cruiser, but the (now known) subject watched the scene unfold through the reinforced glass.
Amile Turner was alive, the paramedics had her on a gurney. Spencer and JJ followed her to the ambulance. Your tenderhearted boyfriend, squeezed her hand as they loaded her upwards.
“Nice job, Doc.” You teased and bumped into him with your shoulder, allowing yourself to rest on him for two beats.
“Thanks, Agent Y/L/N” Spencer returned. “Anyone inside the upstairs?”
You shake your head, but realize, you never finished searching the house. You look at Spencer and JJ in horror; Rossi never came back outside. You scramble back toward the rotting porch, your gun aimed and reenter the house. Spencer followed you with JJ on his heels.
“Rossi!” You bark. “You upstairs, yet?”
No answer.
“What’s happening in there?” Hotch chimes in on the coms.
“I didn’t finish sweeping the second floor, I went to check on the victim. Oh, Christ, Hotch, I left Rossi without backup.”
“Y/L/N, do you have visual on Rossi?”
“Negative, first floor secure.” Morgan had come in the kitchen door and met the three of you. You head up the stairs, knowing that you were to blame for where ever or however you find Rossi. The stairway cuts back onto a sliver of a landing and sharply ascends again. You pivot, watching each of the three doors as you climb. You slide into the first room, as Morgan, JJ and Spencer file past you. An old desk covered in boxes sits in the corner, no one is here.
You call out, “Clear!” Just as you hear JJ yell, “Hands up!”
Morgan and Spencer run from the middle room of the second floor towards JJ’s voice. You are the last there, Rossi is on the floor, unconscious. A hulking woman is standing behind his crumpled form. She is holding a cane like a baseball bat.
“Doris Bridgeport?” Morgan ventures.
“Ms. Bridgeport, we don’t want to hurt you. Can you put the cane down?” You ask calmly, as you holster your weapon. You catch a look from Spencer, he keeps his weapon ready.
“He attacked me!” Doris boomed, “What was I supposed to do?!”
“It was a mistake,” You placated the old woman, hands raised in surrender. “Let’s help you outside, we have paramedics who can check you out.” You smile encouragingly up at her, she was tall for a septuagenarian.
The old woman looked around at all of the guns still pointed at her and she dropped the cane. Morgan was checking Rossi’s pulse, before you could even bend over.
“Hotch, we need medics upstairs, Rossi is down. Head wound.” He relayed to the unit chief.
JJ and Spencer helped Ms. Bridgeport over Rossi’s limp body. You suck in a ragged breath, pulling yourself back to composure. Something was bothering you, and not just torrential guilt over Rossi. Your gut knew this wasn’t over.
“Morgan, if she was so scared of Rossi, why didn’t we hear her scream?”
You hovered around Rossi as the paramedics got him onto a board and maneuvered him down the steep stairway. You climbed into the back of the ambulance with him; leaving the team to regroup after the bizarre turn of events. JJ was meeting you at the hospital, she was going to stay with Amile for protection and eventually questioning. You remained quiet on the ride, letting the EMTs take care of your mentor. Rossi was conscious, but not yet talking. Your stomach was in knots with guilt, anger and worry.
Once you got to the E.R., you were asked to stay in the waiting area, a nonthreatening corner in an overly bright space. You watched the families around you, profiling them as they filled out their forms and squabbled over if they should have come at all. You were eavesdropping on a Puerto Rican couple worried about their toddler’s fever when your phone buzzed. You stared at the screen, hesitating, on the fourth buzz you slid open the call.
“Y/L/N” you answered, overly professionally.
“It’s Hotch. How is he?” Your boss clipped.
“Stable, no word since we arrived though.” You answered succinctly. “JJ says it will be awhile until we can get to question the victim, sir.”
“Y/N?,” Hotch never used your first name.
“Sir?” You felt the phone become slick with the sweat on your palm.
“Are you alright?” Hotch asked softly. You pause, but power through the surprise.
“I’m fine, thank you.” You try not to over sell it. “I just want you to know, that I messed up and I am sorry. I broke protocol and I accept whatever consequences I will need to.”
“I am not seeking disciplinary action at this time, but we will talk about this when we return to Quantico.” Hotch added calmly. “What we need now is intel, once Rossi is awake, get him talking. This Bridgeport woman knows something, but we haven’t gotten to speak with her yet. We need anything we can use on her.”
“Of course, of course.” You agree, nodding your head dutifully. “Thank you, sir.” He hung up. You fell back into the chair you had been pacing around. After a few moments of quiet, you decided to meditate to get centered before Rossi was ready to see you. There was no way you were taking your shoes off in a hospital waiting room, but you got as comfortable as possible.
The room disappeared around you, you were on a pier at a lake and the sun was behind you. The light lapping of the waves against the wooden posts calmed you and you were at peace. A blue heron was foraging in the tall grass around the bend, it watched you from time to time. The sun was warm on your shoulders. A river otter had found its way into your lake, it floated by enjoying the sun’s rays as you did. You glanced down at the otter, you realized it was a water moccasin, heading directly towards you. The blue heron flapped its wings in alarm and took flight. Suddenly you return to the waiting room.
“Agent Y/L/N?” A concerned nurse had been talking to you.
“Um, yes?” You focus your eyes up at her bespectacled face.
“Agent Rossi is ready to see you, he has a slight concussion with some contusions. He will be fine in a few days.” Nurse Glasses reassured you. “We can get him discharged in a few hours.”
“Wow, thank you,” You directed her with your hands like Vanna White, finally standing to follow her back to Rossi and towards some answers.
Spencer knew he had his choice of interrogations; Y/N and Rossi were still at the hospital and JJ had only stopped in briefly before returning to the surviving victim’s bedside. Did he want to speak with the man who had shackled at least four separate African Americans in his basement or did he want to speak with the upstairs neighbor, who had struck Rossi down flat, despite her age. If curiosity was a resource, Spencer Reid ran the market.
He stood behind the faux mirror in the annex to the second interrogation room. He was absently, yet consistently checking his phone. He was concerned about Y/N. She had made a mistake in the field and Rossi had been the consequence. He knew she was beating herself up over it. All Spencer wanted was for her to call him, to let him know she was alright, and let him help her feel better. He sighed and squinted his eyes back through the glass, landing them upon Doris Bridgeport.
She was a large person who had sat quietly in the room alone for ten minutes. Most people would have been annoyed at being ignored or left alone for so long. Doris just sat there with her hands on the table, fingers intertwined. Her eyes were closed as if she had dozed off, but her mouth would twitch every so often. She’s praying, Spencer realized.
“Mr. Givens, this is SSA Morgan, I am SSA Hotchner.” Hotch entered the first interrogation room and sat down in front of the cuffed suspect. “Can you tell me why you had Amile Turner chained in your apartment?” Hotch’s no nonsense approach was legendary, the fact that Derek was sitting in on this interview was intentional.
Vincent Givens, was hunched over in his seat, he was wringing his hands below the table. “Well, uh, sir, I was trying to save her.”
“Save her?” Derek chimed in, honestly surprised by the response, more specifically its genuineness.
“Yes, I found her on my truck, like the others. So I bring them in, and pray for them. If I can get the demons gone; Ms. Bridgeport will take them upstairs and feed them and get them all cleaned up.”
“Has Ms. Bridgeport taken anyone upstairs lately?” Hotch asked, understanding the dominant/ submissive partnership in action.
“Um, no, sir. You see, I have been losing folks. The Lord has trusted me with his lost sheep, and I have been weak.” Vincent was truly ashamed. He was tearing up.
“How have you been weak, Vincent?” Morgan asked.
“I get angry at the sinners, the temptations around at night. So I leave my prayers, those I am supposed to protect and walk around at night.”
“And when you get home, they are gone?” Hotch concluded.
Vincent nodded, crying openly now. Hotch glanced at Morgan, they both knew this man was not lying.
Rossi was shaking his bandaged head at you as you sheepishly made your way to the lone taupe chair by his bedside.
“I am not going to let this one go for awhile, ya know.” Rossi teased, you welcomed its reassurance. “An old lady took me down with her cane? Yeah, just because my partner left me high and dry. Oh, Christ, who is going to believe that?”
“Dave, you know I would have not done that intentionally. I was just caught up in finding a victim alive after all these bodies.” You pleaded. “I really messed up today and I am sorry.”
He smiled over at you, “I know, kid. Now, what do we know about this Bridgeport broad? Do you want to do a cognitive?”
You sit up, resting your elbows on your knees. “Alright, I want you to close your eyes...”
Spencer had not gone in to question the landlady yet. Instead he was now outside Hotch’s and Morgan’s interrogation room, certain he had made the right choice in waiting. He stood with one arm a crossed his chest while his hair slipped into his eyes. He clutched at his pocket, his phone was actually buzzing this time. Relief flooded through him as he saw it was your picture on the incoming call screen. “Hey, Spence.” You began cautiously.
“Y/N? How are you, darling?” He asked, so casually, so sweetly.
“I’m alright, just got through a cognitive with Rossi.” You share, pleased with yourself. You could hear the anticipation over the line. “He was blinded sided by Bridgeport, Doc. She didn’t hit him out of self-defense, it was a trap.”
Spencer smiled into the phone, you could hear the “eureka” in his voice,”Of course, Doris must have seen us pull up. She had been hiding out from the outside world. But to Givens, their world was pure and safe. She just used him for a scapegoat.”
Hotch and Morgan had finally left the room with Givens in it. They both approached Spencer while he was on the phone, sensing his incoming revelation. He caught their eye, but he spoke to you. “Doris Bridgeport is a man.”
You texted Garcia while you paced the hallways, awaiting Rossi’s discharge to go through. She had figured out that Doris Bridgeport was actually her brother, Dennis. Who had a record for sexual assault, theft, B&E and mail fraud. It was unclear exactly when Dennis had taken over Doris’ identity, but it had been before the very devout and very impressionable Vincent Givens had become a tenant six months earlier.
The locals were searching the Bridgeport property for Doris’ remains. Spencer and Morgan had gone in to interrogate Dennis together. The racist, sexual sadist couldn’t have seen what was coming. They praised “her” on taking care of Vincent, on being so devote and of course reassured her that she was not at fault for what happened to Agent Rossi. Then they dropped the ‘ma’am’s and the ‘Ms’s.
Derek looked the suspect in the eye and asked, “Now, Dennis, do you want to tell me why you have been beating down a brother and doing a whole lot worse to sisters?”
The man being questioned froze.
“Or perhaps you would like to tell us why you let Vincent babysit them so long before you killed them?” Spencer prodded.
The man’s nose was flaring. He was trying to keep from exploding at the agents across the table.
“Did you need to dress up like your sister to feel in control, Dennis?” Morgan asked in a suggestive whisper, “Maybe, a guy like you, you need a beaten up, helpless black girl waiting, just for those two minutes you can keep it up.”
Dennis Bridgeport dove at Morgan, his meaty hands still in cuffs. “ I will show you control, boy!” He bellowed.
Spencer stood, projecting himself between Bridgeport and Morgan. “That’s enough!” He nodded Derek out of the room. He calmly sat back down at the table. Bridgeport finally sat back down, eying the two way mirror behind Dr. Reid’s head.
“Mr. Bridgeport, here is what is going to happen. You are going to start writing your confession, that way I can tell the DA that you have cooperated. Otherwise, we will guarantee you will be standing trial in Missouri AND Illinois, not to mention be charged with hate crimes. Something that is not forgotten when you get to prison, especially for a man your age.”
Spencer dropped the legal pad on the table and left the suspect to his writing.
Rossi was sitting in a wheelchair when you got back to his room. You hid your excitement in being the one to whisk him away from the awful decorating job. “Dr. Reid got a full confession out of Bridgeport.”
“Of course he did.” Rossi mused. “Morgan play the belligerent black man?”
“It was more emasculating than belligerent.” You admitted, stepping through the double automatic doors and out into the muggy night.
“Emasculating?” Rossi chuckled, “Man they are good.”
“So?” You pause, “Whats the new book about?”
Rossi, turns to look back at you. “How’d you know?”
“You never miss your phone, unless those expensive speakers are on full blast at your “estate”. You use air quotes and a snobby voice. You lean down and offer the best selling author your arm. He takes it, patting your hand in both of his.
“Team building.” Rossi admitted, as the convoy of two black SUVs pull up to drive you both off to the hotel. You laugh at your mentor, knowing his veiled jokes better than most.
Back at the hotel, you find JJ already showered and talking to Will on the phone. You slide the door gently closed and wave at her. She gives you an appreciative smile. You don’t want to eavesdrop, so you get out of your gear and into your hoodie and some sleep pants. You know the guys aren’t asleep yet, so you walk barefoot down the hushed corridor and knock on Spencer and Rossi’s room. You wait, knowing that Spencer is checking the peep hole. You hear the chain drop and swiftly the door opens in to reveal the best part about your day, “Hiya, Y/N” He whispers.
He is out of his shirt and tie, in just a plain white tee and his loose fitting dress pants, that hang low on his narrow hips. Spencer stands in his mix matched stocking feet, looking down at you with such care. “Would you accompany me on a midnight stroll, Doctor?”
“Yes, yes, I would.” Spencer smiles. He checks in with Rossi before heading out the door with you.
The ice machine closet is not a romantic rendezvous spot, it is however a good place to mask noises from a romantic rendezvous. You had slipped into the space between the wall and the hulking ice maker and Spencer had followed. You had stood on your tip toes and closed your eyes, waiting for his mouth to crash into yours. It had been twelve hours since you were alone together and you needed him tonight.
He obliged and bent down to match your kiss, caressing your face in his outstretched hands. His hands moved into your hair, your back, he pulled you up, so he was bracing you against the wall. There was a decorative edging to the middle of the wall that dug into your back, but you did nothing, but kiss him back, hungrily.
His skillful hands found your bare skin below your hoodie, he gently outlined just below your breast with his right thumb. Your back arched in pleasure, you wrapped your legs around his sure hips, needing to feel him against you. He was agonizingly wanting, you purred at the base of his neck and nibbled up to his ear. He froze. You realize you had been grinding against him, your wetness on his pants and shirt front. Slowly you peer over his shoulder, knowing some external force would only get him to freeze now.
Glancing over the door to the ice machine, you see Derek Morgan, with his ear buds in. You whisper into your Doctor’s ear, “Its Derek, but he hasn’t seen us yet. He must have been at the gym, he’s listening to music.” Spencer drops his forehead to the wall behind you, in defeated embarrassment. This simply will not stand. You get an idea.
Keeping your voice as a whisper, “Spencer, let’s show him how its done.” He pulls back to see your face, perplexed. You grind back into him, slipping your hand between your thighs and into his pants. You feel his desire in your hand and your own against your arm. He moans at your touch, you kiss him to keep him quiet.
The crash of the ice machine lid is lost in the distance as you keep pumping Spencer. You know you are in an impossible position, your pants are a barrier that must be dealt with.  Carefully you push off the wall, sliding down the length of his lean body. As you untie the drawstring to your sleep pants, both your phones buzz.
“Are you fucking kidding me?” You stage whisper in defeat. You grab your phone from your pouch and check the text. And recheck it. It’s from Hotch, stating that Rossi would be staying with he and Morgan, since they needed to wake him up every two hours due to his concussion. You glance up at your boyfriend, biting your lip. “I am guessing you got the same message I did?”
“Yes, Y/N, I received the message.” He answered all breathy, grinning down at you. You, pull down his tee shirt, rubbing your hand over your remnants. He adjusts himself, so his pants stay on for the hall length walk to his hotel room.
The jet leaves the air strip at 0900, you smile lazily out the window. JJ and Hotch are going over reports. Rossi and Reid are playing chess. Derek strolls up to sit opposite you, kicking the toe of your boot, teasingly. “Well, doesn’t someone look all tired and content this morning.”
You roll your eyes at the comedian before you. “I suppose I owe you a thank you?” You ask Morgan.
“I have no idea what you are talking about, Y/L/N” Derek smirked at you. “I got to give you mad props though, never thought my boy would be into public indecency.”
You smirk back. You arch your back because it was sore, where a bruise had formed from a certain piece of decorative edging. “I guess you never know what can be drawn out of a person, until they meet their match.”
“No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it’s not the same river and he’s not the same man.” - Heraclitus
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emilyslifeinlondon · 7 years
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Monday February 20th-Monday March 6th
What a first few weeks I’ve had here in London! The following are just a few of the many sites/places/landmarks that I have visited during my first two weeks or noteworthy things I have done:
- The London Eye - “Big Ben” - Buckingham Palace - The British Museum - The Tower Bridge - London Fashion Week Festival (ahhh) - St. Paul’s Cathedral - Her Majesty the Queen (👑) - Oxford, Oxfordshire 

It is important to note that moving thousands of miles away from home, to a city you once visited for four days, does not come easy. I was beyond excited when I decided in late-November that I was going to spend three months in a city that I remembered loving when I visited in May of 2015. I said goodbye to my friends and family, and hopped on the plane with two suitcases and a backpack.
I was exhausted after the flight while I was waiting to meet the CIEE (program I am studying through) staff and some students. After arriving at our housing (Chapter at King’s Cross), I was surprised by how small the apartment was! Of course they seemed larger in the photos, but the room consisted of two twin beds close enough in proximity to one another that I could hold hands with my roommate, two desks with a lamp, a tiny tiny tiny kitchen with a sink, two stove tops, a mini-fridge, and a microwave, and a small bathroom; my guess would be that the whole living space is 7.5 x 28 ft.
We had orientation for the next two days which included tips on adjusting to life in London, how to get around on the underground or tube, and what to expect of the classes. Yes, I have to constantly remind myself that I am here to study, hence the term study abroad! For the first block I am taking International Marketing and Transatlantic Relations: United Kingdom, Europe, and the United States. So far I am loving transatlantic relations! Our British instructor has quite a sense of humor and reminds me of a pretty well known actor whose name I cannot remember for the life of me. He’s quite relaxed and always gives us a much needed 20 minute break during each class. As far as marketing goes, our American instructor knows a lot about marketing and business in general, but she’s not my favorite. I can’t believe I’m already a third into my first block (each block is six weeks and I am here for two blocks). That means that we’re headed to Dublin this weekend, but it also means that my marketing research paper is due in three weeks. Ugh 😫
I’m glad that I have class at 9:00 am on Monday, Thursday, and Friday since it forces me to get up and spend time out and about as opposed to wasting half of the day in bed (which I love to do back home). It takes about 25 minutes to walk from Chapter to the CIEE Global Institute, so I am up by 7:40 am for class. Wednesday mornings are reserved for class site visits (aka field trips) and Tuesday mornings for CIEE related optional events such as walking tours and museum visits. So really, my only days to sleep in are on weekends.
During my first two weeks, I have explored some nearby neighborhoods and have taken the tube more than I had originally expected. Only a few stops away are Oxford Street and Piccadilly Circus. The latter is referred to as the Times Square of London. Although it’s much smaller than Times Square, there are some huge billboards and lots of places to spend money! Oxford Street is another story; I have not left at any point without buying something. Spending way more than I had wanted to in one shopping trip to Zara (I had to buy a new outfit for the London Fashion Week Festival), I have been trying to budget my money so that I’m not completely bankrupt when I return home at the end of May.
I’ve been to McDonald’s three times already (I’m slightly ashamed to admit this) as well as KFC once. I’m trying to expand my palate just a bit and try places that are unique to London (or that I can’t find easily back home in Boston). Food definitely isn’t cheap here and can cost upwards of £20-25 for a simple meal! Thank god I don’t have to pay for my own food, or I would probably be approaching bankruptcy already.
During one of the walking tours through Westminster, we saw the Queen! We were just a block away from Buckingham Palace and saw three black cars (one with flashing lights) approaching us. I thought it was a member of parliament, but when I looked up I saw the Queen sitting in the backseat of the car just 30 feet from me! I couldn’t believe it!!! Two weeks into my trip and I already saw the Queen! I wanted to wave but I was in shock and didn’t realize what had hit me until the cars were long gone. Fun fact: when the Queen is home in London the Union Jack flag is replaced with the Royal Standard, representing that her majesty is in town.
Zoey, one of my friends on the program for this block had wanted to hear some music at St. Paul’s Cathedral. You usually pay a small fee to see the Cathedral but because of the performance, admission was free. I thought it would be a nice cultured thing to do on a Sunday afternoon so a few of us walked about 30-40 minutes to get to St. Paul’s. We ended up attending mass and my the choir was magnificent. I cannot describe how beautiful their singing was. I was so glad that I got to experience mass at one of the city’s most well-known and historic cathedrals. Of course I had to tell my Mom, since she attends church on a weekly basis.
On Saturday we went to Oxford. I had no idea that the university was made up of 38 colleges and that students remain loyal to their own college as opposed to the university as a whole. The college town was beautiful; from its architecture to its rich history you could easy spend a few days exploring the little nooks and crannies of the town. JRR Tolkien (The Lord of the Rings) and CS Lewis (The Chronicles of Narnia) are among the many well know authors that studied at Oxford. We had lunch at The Eagle & Child, a pub that Tolkien and Lewis were fond of and could be found at having a few drinks and laughs with friends. Mimi, Becca, and I climbed an extremely small winding staircase to get to the balcony at the top of The University Church of St. Mary the Virgin. From this balcony, you got a birds eye view of Oxford! We got a couple of great photos before it started to downpour on us. It’s not a day in England unless it’s sunny one moment, and windy and rainy the next. After this, we went to a covered market and got amazing milkshakes (I got a peppermint one where they crushed up an actual chocolate bar) and warm, gooey cookies! A day well spent in Oxford if you ask me.
There’s so much more that I could say, but this post would drag on forever. I’ll be back next week for another update on life in London, cheers! 🇬🇧
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ruthsulivan · 4 years
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FDA Review On Vapor Products Delayed Due To Crisis
Ongoing Outbreak Pushes Back Federal Ban
The ongoing global pandemic has delayed or outright canceled, pretty much every conceivable event planned this year. From festivals to conferences, to even entire sports seasons, it seems like nothing is going to go ahead as scheduled this year.
Adding to the growing list of delays and cancellations are critical steps to implementing what is, in effect, a full federal ban on vapor products. The Food and Drug Administration announced they would be delaying its review of vapor products due to complications caused by the coronavirus crisis.
Manufacturers had previously had until May 12th to submit applications for their devices to the agency for review. The agency has now pushed the deadline back until at least September 9th and may be further delayed as the crisis continues to unfold.
The review is a part of the FDA’s larger effort to regulate the vaping industry, following concerns over youth access and questionable marketing practices. Last year, anti-vaping activists successfully sued the agency to speed up its review process, establishing the May 12th deadline.
Delayed Ban
In line with everything else scheduled this year, the Food and Drug Administration has announced a delay to their review process for vapor products and devices. The agency had previously given manufacturers until May 12th to submit applications for their products, the new deadline has been pushed back until at least September 9th, and may be delayed further.
In a statement, FDA Commissioner Dr. Stephen Hahn stated that vaping companies had reported problems completing research for their applications due to various travel restrictions and limitations on laboratory access. The commissioner also stated that many staff within the FDA who would have otherwise taken part in the review process are currently tasked with assisting the agency’s response to the pandemic.
The FDA premarket process requires vaping manufacturers to provide detailed information on the design and effects of their products to determine if they’re appropriate for the protection of public health. The review is expected to take a minimum of 12 months from the application deadline, during which time the products are continuing to be sold. The FDA has stressed that products currently being sold are being illegally marketed, and are only permitted as an exercise of enforcement discretion.
Vaping Facts
A series of studies have highlighted the efficacy of vaping as one of, if not the most effective, smoking cessation aids available. According to a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, researchers found that vaping was more effective than traditional nicotine-replacement therapies in helping people quit smoking and remain tobacco-free.
Vaping is already responsible for saving thousands of lives throughout the world every single year. According to a study from University College London, researchers found that vaping was responsible for helping up to 70,000 British smokers quit in a single year.
In addition to being one of the most effective smoking cessation aids available, vaping has also been proven to be a reduced harm alternative to tobacco. Studies from both Public Health England and the Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center found that vaping is 95% and 93% safer than smoking, respectively.
Not only is vaping an effective smoking cessation aid and reduced harm alternative to tobacco, but there has been no evidence of long-term harm to users of vapor products as well. Research published by the National Academy of Sciences found that vaping is less harmful than smoking, and there are no known long-term health effects associated with prolonged usage as well.
Going Forward
The focus and priorities of enforcement agencies are rapidly shifting as the coronavirus crisis continues to unfold. What was once decried as an epidemic by anti-vaping activists, has taken a backseat to the very real pandemic unfolding before our very eyes.
While the FDA premarket process is expected to be costly to the industry not only in the long-term but during the application process as well, the delay extends a lifeline to an industry that has been devastated by regulatory crackdowns and quarantine orders.
The vaping community must do its best to stand behind the industry as the crisis continues. Consider supporting your local vape store in any capacity you can. These small mom-and-pop shops need your patronage now more than ever amid these trying times.
What are your thoughts regarding the FDA delaying its review process? What do you think its impact will be on the broader vaping industry as a whole? Let us know what you think in the comments below, be sure to like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to receive all the latest vaping news!
(Image Credit – Pixabay – https://pixabay.com/images/id-677940/)
The post FDA Review On Vapor Products Delayed Due To Crisis appeared first on ChurnMag.
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213hiphopworldnews · 5 years
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How Teen Pop Idols Are Reckoning With The Despair Of The Late 2010s
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“I was told very often that I was a comedian only for 13-year-old girls, and f*ck yeah I am,” Bo Burnham exclaimed at the Independent Spirit Awards earlier this year, while the comedian/writer/director was being honored for his 2018 comedy Eighth Grade. “I’m really proud of that. They deserve to be paid attention to and to be taken seriously.” Indeed, popular culture has seemingly shown a greater investment than ever before in providing teen-focused entertainment that speaks to the harrowing highs and lows of adolescence—besides the brutally emotional Eighth Grade, the hormonal hijinks of Pen15 and Big Mouth have plumbed teenage depths deeper and more hilariously than ever before.
It’s interesting that these teen-focused vehicles have proliferated over the past two years, considering that popular music has typically seen its own teenage-targeting wave crest near the end of the last several decades. The end of the 1980s saw New Kids On The Block finally breaking big after their self-titled debut flopped a few years previous; at the close of the twentieth century, popular culture was awash in teen-heartthrob pop ranging from boy bands Backstreet Boys and N’SYNC to Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera. The era’s soft-focus lasciviousness — never quite breaking past a slow-dancing embrace when it came to embodying adolescent lust — took a backseat during the teen-pop resurgence of the late 2000s, replaced by the Catholic inspo-pop of Disney Channel Extended Universe stars like Miley Cyrus, Demi Lovato, Selena Gomez, and the Jonas Brothers as well as the boy-band revival acts One Direction and 5 Seconds of Summer.
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As the 2010s come to a close, we’re in the midst of a similar teen-pop frenzy. Earlier his month, R&B-pop megastar-in-the-making Khalid’s Free Spirit was the No. 1 album in the US, itself a follow-up to the 21-year-old singer/songwriter’s 2017 debut American Teen — and it dethrones 17-year-old goth-pop phenom Billie Eilish’s debut When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?. Fresh off a jail stint, the genre-bending and barely-old-enough-to-drink Dominic Fike is doubtless poised to break through to mass consciousness this year after his 2017 release Don’t Forget About Me, Demos netted the Florida artist a hefty deal from Columbia; in the world of indie rock — a genre that’s increasingly rubbed elbows with mainstream pop throughout the decade — Snail Mail’s Lindsey Jordan and Soccer Mommy’s Sophie Allison cut impressive figures last year with their respective debuts Lush and Clean, showing songwriting wisdom well beyond what’s typically expected from their age group.
Clearly, this wave of teen pop (specifically, music made by teenagers or artists who have only recently shed their teendom, more often than not carrying direct appeal towards teens themselves) is different from previous eras. Not better, necessarily — a distinction I feel compelled to make only because the wholly elitist practice of judging younger listeners for what they consume is best left in the past.
Fittingly, there’s a post-taste openness to this crop of young musicians when it comes to influence, mirroring their similar refusal to work within the increasingly unnecessary confines of genre. You might hear Sonic Youth’s jagged guitar shapes or Liz Phair’s honesty-streaked jangle in Lush or Clean, but the influence of perpetual teen totem Avril Lavigne has been cited by both artists; Fike is one of a few teen-beloved artists who have cited perpetually uncool artists like Red Hot Chili Peppers, Jack Johnson, and John Mayer.
Eilish is but the latest pop star to evoke the still-living specter of Marilyn Manson, an artist who’s remained in the public conscious simply by continuing to exist as the cultural hot stove youngsters are repeatedly told not to touch. Khalid’s own cited reference points hew closest to what tastemakers would call “hip,” ranging from Frank Ocean and Father John Misty to Grizzly Bear, Lorde, and James Blake — less a reflection of being in the know and more the natural result of streaming culture’s ability to dissolve genre lines for musicians and listeners alike.
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That the music on Free Spirit typically resembles a smooth, watered-down take on R&B’s moodier corners seems both irrelevant and essential to his appeal; the latter adjective gesturing to his embodiment as the festival-headlining equivalent of a “chill beats to study to” Youtube playlist, the former gesturing to what’s going on underneath his placid sounds. Free Spirit is lyrically loaded with doubt and uncertainty, addressing concerns about masculinity and breaking out of adolescence with the sweet scent of marijuana constantly perfuming its air. His tendency towards self-reflection and analysis is indicative of a generation that, both voluntarily and without choice, is constantly evaluating their place in the world around them as the world itself constantly breaks down into new, threatening shapes.
Eilish’s whisper-laden horrorcore speaks to this generational tendency too, even if it’s not quite obvious at first blush. She’s one of the most eye-catching pop stars in recent memory, and the imagery Eilish tilts towards—tarantulas crawling out of her mouth, blood wiped across her face, vacant stares accompanying songs with titles like “bury a friend” and “my strange addiction”—are at once grotesque and humorous, like a kid running a homemade slime operation in the back row of history class, and the generational receptiveness to Eilish’s icky approach could possibly be interpreted as a way of coping.
Mass shootings at schools are frequent enough that this generation and every one that will follow are subjected to active shooter drills, the mere act of attending school turned into a mandatory and regular invitation to the possibility that you, your friends, and the educators once thought to be protecting your present and future could be murdered in front of you at any moment. If you blessedly make it out of the various school systems unscathed, the threats of economic instability, structural violence and bigotry, and the increasingly inevitable calamity of climate change loom large — and thanks to the internet’s ever-present swirl of fact and fiction, finding new reasons to dread the future are as easily accessible to this generation as throwing their fingerprint on the TikTok app.
As a 31-year-old constantly struggling with the desire to bring children into such an increasingly horrifying world, the giddily gruesome imagery that Eilish traffics in is oddly comforting, and I imagine that’s part of the appeal to her teen fanbase as well. All the blood, dark liquid, and corpse-play potentially defangs the association that many connect this imagery to the very real threats of daily American life — if you can see it in this light, what is there to be afraid of? (There’s a measure of irony, too, that Manson’s influence carries this use, considering the mistaken blame placed on him following the Columbine shootings at the turn of the new century.) Through this lens, the kids are weirdly alright purely through the fact that they know they’re not — and whether this new crop of artists offers to hold their hand or jokingly chop it off with a machete, they’ll undoubtedly be guiding them into the new decade.
source https://uproxx.com/music/teen-pop-despair-billie-eilish-khalid/
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blacksuncork · 6 years
Text
In Crisis Mode? Here are 5 Tips to Handle Holiday Weight
Did this headline strike a nerve?
If so, you are not alone. I’ve been there. Confession: I’m actually close to there now as I managed to put on a few pounds this fall — and it hasn’t all been muscle. This time of year is especially tough for hitting weight-loss goals (read: holiday parties, hot chocolate, sweet potato pie and love handle-hiding puffy coats). Studies have shown Americans gain the most weight between Halloween and New Year’s adding about 0.7% to their frame on average.
For an average man weighing 195.7 pounds, that equates to 1.4 pounds (which is actually lower than I expected). So if you’re already above your goal weight, be realistic with yourself: Instead of focusing on trying to lose weight during the holidays, focus on not gaining additional weight. If you wind up dropping a few pounds with this mindset, great! Consider it icing on the cake.
When it comes to weight loss, maintenance is a victory in itself as it can sometimes be harder than losing in the first place. Here are some tried-and-true weight-maintenance tips I use during the holiday season:
1. ACKNOWLEDGE WHAT CAUSED YOU TO GAIN THE WEIGHT
Knowledge is power and the best way to prevent repeating past mistakes is to reflect on where you may have gone offtrack. Did you fail to prioritize your workouts? Did you start eating dinner later? Have you been snacking more than usual? Did you stop logging your food?
The key here is not to beat yourself up but use this reflection as an opportunity to make better decisions going forward.  
READ MORE > WHAT THE FAFH? 5 KEYS TO EATING ON THE ROAD
2. MAKE YOUR HOME AND WORK A SAFE SPACE
In most cases, you’re in control of the food in your home, so get rid of potential landmines in the kitchen! My former trainer, Errick, always says, “If you keep good food in your fridge, you will eat good food.”  
So, if you know you have a propensity to snack on candy at night, keep it out of your kitchen. If you find yourself constantly raiding a coworker’s junk food jar (which was totally me at my last job!), then start bringing in healthy snacks to keep at your desk or in the communal snack area. I️ started bringing in clementines, Trader Joe’s Omega Trek Mix and dried seaweed. Bonus: Healthy habits are contagious, so your coworkers will probably appreciate it, too! Plus, if you have healthy food at home you can start meal prepping and bringing lunch to work or school, making it much easier to log your meals and stay on track.
3. GET MOVING (EVERY LITTLE BIT COUNTS)
It’s sounds super basic, but whenever you have the opportunity to add activity to your day, take it. Take the stairs, set up a walking meeting, go to the coffee shop that’s a couple blocks further and walk around the building (in the hallways or hit the streets) instead of spending 10 minutes on Instagram or Facebook at your desk. Schedule workouts on your calendar so they don’t fall by the wayside. The holidays are NOT the time to stop exercising altogether.
4. MULTI-TASK
Next time you are watching “This Is Us” (Beth and Randall are #CoupleGoals) or any TV show, do some pushups or crunches. The workout will go by faster because you’ll be distracted and it will also prevent you from wanting to snack.
READ MORE > FEELING STRESSED? FIVE REASONS TO MAKE SELF-CARE A PRIORITY
5. GO INTO HOLIDAY FESTIVITIES WITH A GAME PLAN
Be proactive in prepping for holiday festivities by scheduling a morning workout, hydrating throughout the day and eating filling, high-fiber foods during the day so you don’t do a face-dive into the holiday spread when you arrive.
Something I always do is grab a healthy snack before I head to a party. (Did you know a single apple has 5 grams of fiber?) I’ve even been known to Uber to a party while eating an apple in the backseat because I️ knew there’d be temptations like pizza and chocolate cake. Being proactive with a game plan can help keep you in control.
READ MORE > AIR TRAVEL ADDING INCHES TO YOUR WAISTLINE? 5 TIPS TO BEAT THE BLOAT
And remember, the holidays should be fun! They often come with travel, food and family, so don’t forget to enjoy this time … but they can be a tough time to focus on losing weight, so if you find yourself starting at a disadvantage, shift your focus to maintenance mode, which sets you up for less frustration and more success.
How do you stay on track (or get back on track) during the holiday season?
Better Than Ever
We all strive for wellness and to live better! Every month, this column will bring you advice on how to feel and perform Better Than Ever. Check out tips to improve various aspects of your health: from fitness, nutrition, sleep and recovery to everything in between. Have a topic you want to hear about? Feel free to reach out here (I’ll be checking the comments!) or on Twitter or Instagram. I look forward to hearing from you.
GEAR UP FOR YOUR NEXT WORKOUT
> Men’s Workout Tops > Men’s Workout Pants > Women’s Workout Tops > Women’s Workout Pants
[Read More ...] http://blog.myfitnesspal.com/crisis-mode-5-tips-handle-holiday-weight/
0 notes
almajonesnjna · 6 years
Text
In Crisis Mode? Here are 5 Tips to Handle Holiday Weight
Did this headline strike a nerve?
If so, you are not alone. I’ve been there. Confession: I’m actually close to there now as I managed to put on a few pounds this fall — and it hasn’t all been muscle. This time of year is especially tough for hitting weight-loss goals (read: holiday parties, hot chocolate, sweet potato pie and love handle-hiding puffy coats). Studies have shown Americans gain the most weight between Halloween and New Year’s adding about 0.7% to their frame on average.
For an average man weighing 195.7 pounds, that equates to 1.4 pounds (which is actually lower than I expected). So if you’re already above your goal weight, be realistic with yourself: Instead of focusing on trying to lose weight during the holidays, focus on not gaining additional weight. If you wind up dropping a few pounds with this mindset, great! Consider it icing on the cake.
When it comes to weight loss, maintenance is a victory in itself as it can sometimes be harder than losing in the first place. Here are some tried-and-true weight-maintenance tips I use during the holiday season:
1. ACKNOWLEDGE WHAT CAUSED YOU TO GAIN THE WEIGHT
Knowledge is power and the best way to prevent repeating past mistakes is to reflect on where you may have gone offtrack. Did you fail to prioritize your workouts? Did you start eating dinner later? Have you been snacking more than usual? Did you stop logging your food?
The key here is not to beat yourself up but use this reflection as an opportunity to make better decisions going forward.  
READ MORE > WHAT THE FAFH? 5 KEYS TO EATING ON THE ROAD
2. MAKE YOUR HOME AND WORK A SAFE SPACE
In most cases, you’re in control of the food in your home, so get rid of potential landmines in the kitchen! My former trainer, Errick, always says, “If you keep good food in your fridge, you will eat good food.”  
So, if you know you have a propensity to snack on candy at night, keep it out of your kitchen. If you find yourself constantly raiding a coworker’s junk food jar (which was totally me at my last job!), then start bringing in healthy snacks to keep at your desk or in the communal snack area. I️ started bringing in clementines, Trader Joe’s Omega Trek Mix and dried seaweed. Bonus: Healthy habits are contagious, so your coworkers will probably appreciate it, too! Plus, if you have healthy food at home you can start meal prepping and bringing lunch to work or school, making it much easier to log your meals and stay on track.
3. GET MOVING (EVERY LITTLE BIT COUNTS)
It’s sounds super basic, but whenever you have the opportunity to add activity to your day, take it. Take the stairs, set up a walking meeting, go to the coffee shop that’s a couple blocks further and walk around the building (in the hallways or hit the streets) instead of spending 10 minutes on Instagram or Facebook at your desk. Schedule workouts on your calendar so they don’t fall by the wayside. The holidays are NOT the time to stop exercising altogether.
4. MULTI-TASK
Next time you are watching “This Is Us” (Beth and Randall are #CoupleGoals) or any TV show, do some pushups or crunches. The workout will go by faster because you’ll be distracted and it will also prevent you from wanting to snack.
READ MORE > FEELING STRESSED? FIVE REASONS TO MAKE SELF-CARE A PRIORITY
5. GO INTO HOLIDAY FESTIVITIES WITH A GAME PLAN
Be proactive in prepping for holiday festivities by scheduling a morning workout, hydrating throughout the day and eating filling, high-fiber foods during the day so you don’t do a face-dive into the holiday spread when you arrive.
Something I always do is grab a healthy snack before I head to a party. (Did you know a single apple has 5 grams of fiber?) I’ve even been known to Uber to a party while eating an apple in the backseat because I️ knew there’d be temptations like pizza and chocolate cake. Being proactive with a game plan can help keep you in control.
READ MORE > AIR TRAVEL ADDING INCHES TO YOUR WAISTLINE? 5 TIPS TO BEAT THE BLOAT
And remember, the holidays should be fun! They often come with travel, food and family, so don’t forget to enjoy this time … but they can be a tough time to focus on losing weight, so if you find yourself starting at a disadvantage, shift your focus to maintenance mode, which sets you up for less frustration and more success.
How do you stay on track (or get back on track) during the holiday season?
Better Than Ever
We all strive for wellness and to live better! Every month, this column will bring you advice on how to feel and perform Better Than Ever. Check out tips to improve various aspects of your health: from fitness, nutrition, sleep and recovery to everything in between. Have a topic you want to hear about? Feel free to reach out here (I’ll be checking the comments!) or on Twitter or Instagram. I look forward to hearing from you.
GEAR UP FOR YOUR NEXT WORKOUT
> Men’s Workout Tops > Men’s Workout Pants > Women’s Workout Tops > Women’s Workout Pants
The post In Crisis Mode? Here are 5 Tips to Handle Holiday Weight appeared first on Under Armour.
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