#keeping the Yuletide gay

[watercolourcritters]

time to be merry and gay y'all!!!

[ID: a watercolour painting of a white unicorn with golden mane and tail holding a progressive pride flag in its mouth and waving it in the air. It is wearing a santa hat. Large text reads "Keep the yuletide gay (heart shape). The background is pink, with gold emphasis lines coming from the unicorn. The artist's signature reads @ watercolour critters. End ID.]

Instagram | Etsy

#christmas #unicorns #be merry and gay #but more importantly be gay #keep the yuletide gay #pride #watercolour critters art

[im-secretly-a-frog]

Most of my Spotify ads are just Twinks singing Christmas songs and honestly, I'm okay with that.

#spotify #One of them keeps telling me to make the Yuletide gay #Bitch I'm trying #It's not easy #Spotify ads #christmas #xmas #holidays #merry christmas #festive #lgbtq #lgbtqia #queer #gay

[meowdejavu]

another nice arrival: my little space lesbian!!! 🥰🌈🚀

#keeping the yuletide gay over here #vel sartha #andor #star wars #@ funko plz cinta next

[penny00dreadful]

Robin and Steve singing "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" to each other over a piano in the most somber and depressing serious tones they can but intentionally and emphatically shouting that one lyric at each other like they're trying to verbally spear the other one.

Have yourself a merry little Christmas,

Make the Yuletide ✨GAY✨

And then they're struggling to go back to the rest of the song in the same way they had started, sad and morose, slapping and hissing at each other to keep it together but they're hitting discordant keys and the sudden and loud noise sends them completely over the edge into irrecoverable laughter.

#stobin #platonic stobin #soulmates stobin #stranger things #steve harrington #robin buckley #penny00dreadful #make the yuletide gay #Christmas

[eiraeths]

quotes from the tv show chuck, but make it the 141

———

Ghost: I’m a Riley, I don’t run. I stalk my prey.

———

Soap: [to Ghost, under the influence of a truth serum] God you're so pretty! And Gaz, your jaw was chiseled by Michelangelo himself.

Gaz: Thank you.

———

Ghost: Relax, I think I see a scenario where we both get out of here with acceptable losses.

Soap: What exactly is your version of acceptable?

Ghost: Breaks and punctures, possible loss of a limb, no major organ damage.

———

Soap: [mimicking Ghost’s voice] Well thanks for saving my life today, Soap.

Soap: Any time, Ghost. Yeah, you know what you're my friend.

Soap: [mimicking Ghost’s voice] Yeah, you know what, you're my friend too.

Soap: That's really kind of you, Ghost. Have a good night.

Ghost: [seriously] Thank you. [closes door]

———

Soap: What's in Dubai?

Ghost: Weap-Con, the greatest weapons convention in the world. I go every year. I find it incredibly relaxing. It looks like I'll get to write this year's off as a business trip.

———

Laswell: Well, it's an interesting group of employees you've put together here.

Price: Oh, they scare me too. Ha ha ha.

———

Soap: I talked to Ghost.

Gaz: And?

Soap: If he'd have me, I'd let him.

———

Soap: [while Ghost is about to leaving for a mission] What am I, what do I say? What do we...?

Ghost: I love you.

Soap: That's good. I love you. I like that. I love you, too. Be safe, okay?

Ghost: Nothing is gonna keep me from coming back to you.

Soap: Better not.

———

Laswell: Lieutenant Riley, after the Yves St. Laurent incident, you will obviously have to sit this one out.

Ghost: [quietly to himself] Stab one guy with a stilleto...

———

Soap: [to Ghost] Do our wedding colors remind you of socialism?

———

Soap: Let's get this party started.

Ghost: [eager to kill mercenaries] My sentiments exactly.

———

Ghost: It made a nasty scar, right over one of my favorite scars.

———

this was more ghoap than the 141

whoops

anyways happy holidays the yuletide is in fact gay or whatever that actually means

i told my dad about the time i got barked at by vultures and he got a sign that says beware of vultures and put it on my door. he thinks he’s so funny. (he is)

#cod modern warfare #call of duty modern warfare #cod soap #soap cod #soap call of duty #ghoap #ghostsoap #soapghost #cod ghost #ghost cod #john soap mactavish #simon ghost riley #gaz cod #ghost call of duty #kyle gaz garrick #cod price #captain john price #incorrect call of duty quotes #call of duty incorrect quotes #cod incorrect quotes #incorrect cod quotes #ear incorrect quotes

[bengiyo]

Comfort Films Tag

Rules: List 7 of your comfort movies, then tag 7 people.

Tagged by @callipigio

1 - Shelter (2007)

I often joke around here about how I’ve been watching queer cinema for over half of my life at this point, and it’s easy to recommend this film. This is a coming of age film about a guy who gave up art school to become the primary breadwinner and caregiver for his family. However, when the older brother of his best friend returns to their town to collect himself, our artist and he reconnect and find something special between them. Great use of a young actor in this shores up the caregiving aspects.

I’m probably going to rewatch it now. Because it was produced by Here! TV, you can only legally watch it via a subscription to their platform. I own it on DVD because I fell in love with it and knew I needed to keep it forever.

2 - Big Eden (2000)

Big Eden. Oh, Big Eden. This is the film equivalent of a warm blanket and a tight hug. It’s about an artist named Henry Hart, who is preparing for a big exhibition in New York when he’s called back home to Montana because his uncle has had a stroke. We are greatest with the most queer-friendly town to ever exist as Henry manages his old angst about his straight best friend as the local general store owner also secretly pursues him. It’s absolutely lovely.

3 - The Blues Brothers (1980)

Luna has great taste, because this is one of the best films ever made. What was originally just an SNL bit turns into a fun road film about getting the band back together so that two brothers can raise enough money to pay the back taxes owed by the orphanage they grew up in. We also run over Illinois nazis in this movie and demolish dozens of cop cars. Cab Calloway, James Brown, Carrie Fisher, Chaka Khan, Paul Reubens, and Aretha Franklin are in it. John Candy orders orange whips. This is the kind of film I would watch with my dad any time it was on.

4 - Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World (2003)

This is one of the most man movies ever made. I don’t know any woman who wants to sit down and watch this film, but me and boys will spend an entire afternoon on this film in a heartbeat. The sexual tension between Russell Crowe’s and Paul Bettany’s characters goes unremarked on this website in a way that lets you know for sure this hellsite is dominated by femmes, because those two have definitely fucked. At least twice. It’s 1805 and oceans have become battlefields!

5 - Clue (1985)

A movie based on the board game of the same name should not have been this good, but it instead goes on to become a camp masterpiece. Many people will end up remembering Tim Curry for Rocky Horror or even Muppet Treasure Island, but this is still one of his favorite performances for me. This film is batshit and I love it. 

6 - Camp (2003)

Speaking of camp films, let’s talk about one of the best of all time. I know we often talk about the bad singing in Thai BL, but I unironically love all of the musical theater in this film. I regularly listen to this soundtrack, and have been for over 15 years. It’s a film about a bunch of weird theater kids who get to escape the bullying and hellishness of their lives for a few weeks during the summer, where they get to put on a bunch of classic plays. It’s so camp. I love this film because it was difficult for me to find queer films that had happy components with them, and this little movie has a wide array of queer kids in it.

7 - Make The Yuletide Gay (2009)

This was the first queer film I ever watched that had a happy ending that was also a comedy. Prior to this, I think I had watched Beautiful Thing (1996), Edge of Seventeen (1998), Get Real (1998), and Bent (1997). Most of those films ended resolved or sad. Yuletide is a silly little gay film of almost nonstop innuendo about a guy who goes back into the closet when he returns home for Christmas, but hijinks ensue when his boyfriend shows up unexpectedly. It’s an annual watch for me around the holidays, and I usually host people for it. 

Also, Adamo Ruggiero is in it! He played Marco on Degrassi: The Next Generation.

This was fun! I think most folks have been tagged that I know, but I’ll tag @warningtothecurious​. If anyone else does this, please tag me back if you do this! I want to know what films you all return to.

#tag meme #comfort films #shelter 2007 #make the yuletide gay #big eden #the blues brothers #camp 2003 #clue 1985 #master and commander #Ben watches #ben writes

[1000punks]

bonding. //meeting

bonding. //masterlist

pairing: spawn!Astarion x named!Tav (non-binary OC)

warnings: 18+. nsft. mdni. (this chapter is actually sft and fluffy!)

word count: 6,630

summary: two gays remodel a house domestic fluff and some character background building, set in post-game baldur's gate. two people who are weird and traumatized work on their relationship and reclaim their sexuality through a shared kink. lots of gooey romantic smut while these two slowly figure out their future together.

named!Tav is my non-binary tiefling ranger, Festé. i was seeing far too few fics with tiefling!Tav and i thought it was crucial, nay, critical to include them in the headcanons. i hope you all enjoy! ♡

The past month or so had given Festé a lot to think about. Withers had invited them and all the other companions to a party on the Sword Coast, and it had been a joy to see everyone once more. Festé was particularly glad to have seen Karlach and Wyll, and to know that they were safe in Avernus -- relatively, at least. They had their suspicions about the nature of Withers' summons, however, and had pulled both of them aside to tell them of their recent engagement. Both Karlach and Wyll were overjoyed, and their fellow tiefling had even pulled them into a searing and back-breaking hug. Once they had broken apart, Festé had commented sadly that perhaps, with luck, she and Wyll would be able to visit for the wedding the following spring.

"Soldier, there's not a chance in the Hells that I would miss it! Maybe if Wyll and I beg granddad Withers very nicely, he'll strike us another deal like this one!" She had chuckled, and elbowed Wyll firmly in the ribs. He had winced in pain, holding his side gingerly, but his smile remained warm and genuine.

"I wouldn't miss it either, my friend. I'm glad to see that our adventure was fruitful for you both, in more ways than one. And I have to say that I'm proud of you for gentling out our… toothsome companion." Festé had laughed loudly, landing a playful punch on his shoulder.

As for the others, Astarion and Festé had announced that they were going to throw a party for Yuletide, and invited them all to come. Lae'zel, through her projection, looked intrigued at the learning opportunity, and had promised to be there -- provided she could tear free of the throes of the civil war for a few days' time. Shadowheart and Gale had agreed more or less immediately, and Minsc had all but begged Jaheira to come, after boisterously announcing that he and Boo would be there. The elder druid had agreed, albeit reluctantly, and with her face in her hands.

Festé smiled at the happy memories, and looked up surreptitiously when they heard the floorboards creak overhead. They went back to what they were doing, which was making a large pot of stew for the party. They let their mind wander once again as they struck their flint with their dagger, a gesture so familiar to them, it was like second nature. The ranger lit the kitchen's wood stove with ease, and their thoughts drifted to their pale elf.

Astarion had been rather distant lately, engrossed in some sort of project in the spare bedroom upstairs. He had converted it into a workshop of sorts, but Festé didn't have the nerve, nor the gall, to have looked inside. Astarion had also never bothered to lock the door. It was pleasant that they could keep small secrets from one another, but it had nevertheless been an elephant in the room for a number of weeks. They stoked the stove absentmindedly before shutting the small hatch, and went to work peeling and chopping vegetables at the counter. The tiefling shook their head, their eyebrows furrowed, and they wondered for the umpteenth time what it could be. As they removed the top of a carrot, it came to them, and they rolled their eyes with a chuckle. Festé had come to know the elf all too well. With a satisfied smirk, they set the chopped vegetables aside and took up the freshly plucked pheasant, dropping it carefully into the pot of now-boiling water. Nodding at their work, they crossed over to the modest dining table and settled down on one of the benches, resting their chin on their palm and gazing out the window. To their delight, it had finally begun to snow.

"My love!" Festé called softly; they knew that Astarion could likely hear their breathing from upstairs, never mind their voice. There was a slow creak, and they heard the doors to his room slide open and closed again. They got up from the table, and moved back to the stove to check on their broth. Momentarily, Astarion's cool palms descended upon their shoulders and his lips brushed against the hollow behind their right ear. He smoothed his hands over their biceps before crossing his arms around their waist, brushing his nose over their neck with a soft sigh.

"What do you need, darling?" he murmured, looking down into the open pot.

"Turn your head to the left and tell me what you see, my love," they answered, pushing the pheasant around in the pot to check its tenderness.

"Hmm?" Astarion did as they asked and rested his chin on their left shoulder with a soft chuckle. "Ah. I suppose you'll want to go and make snow angels before morning hits, won't you? Such a child."

"Look at the lights on the street, my dear." Festé turned and pointed with their spoon this time, beaming. "That's what has me so excited."

The elf did as they asked once more, taking a deep breath and studying the lights this time, with his eyes narrowed. He tilted his head, noticing the way that the snowflakes danced around the lamps, throwing millions of diamond facets against the night sky. They swirled slowly in midair when a gentle wind caught them, seeming to burst around the dim light like a firework in miniature. A smile crept over his lips slowly, and he nodded. "I understand now, darling. Snow can be beautiful, I suppose," he chuckled, squeezing them gently. "It's all about the little things with you, isn't it?"

"That it is. It's that, or I'm just easily amused." They patted Astarion's hand with a laugh, putting the spoon down on the counter and turning in his arms, stretching up to kiss his cheek. "Mm! This broth will take at least two hours, love."

"That's just enough time for me to seduce you on the couch." Astarion smiled, cocking an eyebrow at them questioningly. "It's been so long, love, we've both been so busy…" he reached up to brush his fingers over Festé's cheek. The tiefling hummed appreciatively, their eyelids fluttering, but they bit their lip to resist the temptation.

"Speaking of which, Star: have you been making wedding outfits for us both?" They asked pointedly, resting their hands on his hips and swaying slowly side to side. The elf's mouth gaped in shock, and he scowled.

"You peeked? Are you serious? It was supposed to be a surprise! Gods below, darling, I do one selfless thing, and you have to go and ruin- "

"Oh, relax, Star. I didn't need to look. You haven't exactly been subtle about your project, and I helped you cart all of your sewing supplies up there months ago." Festé patted his cheek gently, before raising their hand as if to swear an oath. "I promise, I haven't looked. I just know you too well." Astarion rolled his eyes in disbelief, and they pinched his cheek. "And you know me, if I had stumbled upon what you've been working on, I would have come to you and very guiltily owned up to it." They kissed his other cheek, and the elf sighed exasperatedly.

"If you know me so well, darling; what's the colour scheme?"

"Oh, my love. You don't want me to start guessing colours, it would just make you more riled up." Festé tilted their head, grimacing a bit.

"You swear you won't go poking around, then?" Astarion mumbled after a moment, biting his lip and breaking away from them. He crossed his arms protectively over his chest.

"One, I don't need to, I trust your stylistic choices. Two, you're entitled to your privacy, and if you wanted me to see, you would have shown me already." They winked at him, reaching forward and gently resting their hands on his elbows.

Their elf sighed deeply. "You're right, darling. I'm sorry for accusing you. I… Well, you know. I just wanted to make you something nice." He cast his eyes to the side, looking down at the floor and shaping his hands around an imaginary figure in the air. "I'm so excited to see you wearing…" His eyes snapped back to theirs, and he smiled sheepishly. "It. You're going to look divine."

"I trust you." Festé repeated, smiling warmly, and Astarion wrapped them into a tight hug, planting his chin on their shoulder. "I do want to talk about the ceremony, though. Is there anything special you would like to do?"

"Besides absolutely stunning you with my wedding vows? Hmm…" He shifted his weight slightly, and drew in a long breath. "There was something I wanted to discuss with you, actually."

"What is it, my love?" Festé swayed gently with him, humming and resting their cheek on his shoulder.

"Well. There is a certain old ritual that was somewhat common in elven clans." His imp nodded against his shoulder, encouraging him to continue. "I would have to research it more closely, but it involves linking one's mind with their spouse's. It's an odd request, to be sure, but I can admit that after the ability to walk in the sun, the next best thing about being infected was being able to hear your beautiful voice in my head every day." Astarion wrapped his arms low on the tiefling's hips, sighing once again.

"You miss that? Are you okay with that potential invasion of your privacy?" Festé lifted their head and leaned back, surveying their elf's features and waiting patiently for his response.

He shrugged. "It was a far different thing for us to share a telepathic connection with all of our companions, not to mention a mindflayer attempting to manipulate us all at every turn. I had to be careful about imagining you in the nude that whole time, darling." He raised one hand dramatically to his forehead and laughed. "If it were just you, I think it would be a damn sight more comforting. And… intimate." His eyes flashed, and he gave his imp a dashing grin.

Festé nodded thoughtfully. "I see your point, and I'm comfortable with the idea, provided we research it together," their voice was soft, soothing. Astarion pursed his lips regardless. "I'm curious about it, love. I'm not saying 'no'."

He suddenly picked them up, spinning around slowly with a soft chuckle, before setting them on the surface of the table. Their elf gave them an adoring smile before leaning down and pressing his lips to theirs. "Thank you for considering it, my darling," he whispered, cool breath ghosting along the tiefling's cheek. "Tell me what you would like to do." Astarion sat at the bench, looking up at Festé, and running his fingers over the tops of their thighs.

They pushed their hands into his hair, cradling his head as they played with his curls. "I would like to say our wedding vows in our native tongues. I would just love to hiss and spit at you romantically in front of all of our friends." They were straight-faced, but a small quiver in their lip made Astarion burst out laughing. Festé joined in with a soft chuckle, and continued, "I've never heard you speak in Elven, but I'm positive that it would be captivating." They stroked down his cheek, their touch light as they bent to kiss their elf's forehead. "And, I want to give you a dagger."

"Darling, you're sweet," Astarion sighed appreciatively, tilting his head up. "However, my days of casual murder are behind me. Well… for the most part."

Another chuckle. "No, no. My father gave my mother a very ornate dagger when they were married, so I was told. He said that it was supposed to symbolize putting his life in another person's hands entirely. I would like to continue that little tradition."

The pale elf's face fell, and he heaved a great sigh, leaning forward and resting his cheek on Festé's thigh. Their fingers wove through his curls and he tilted his head to their touch. He shifted so that a single red eye caught the tiefling's gaze, and they smiled, their fingertips grazing his cheek. "You're too kind to me, darling. And you trust me far too deeply for your own good," he murmured wistfully.

· · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · · A soft knock came at the door shortly after darkness fell. Festé's head snapped up from the stew that they had been nursing since they had awakened that afternoon, panic marring their features. Astarion shot them a look, taking the bread gingerly from the oven and setting it on the counter. Silently, he rested his hand at the small of their back, and gave them a soft kiss before leading them to the front door. He leaned close to their ear and murmured, "Relax. They'll love it, it smells delicious."

"It's not just that," Festé paused with their hand on the doorknob, "We haven't had anyone visit yet, and I want to make a good impression."

The elf scoffed, chuckling softly. "I think as long as they see that it's not a blood-stained brothel in here, we'll both survive." Festé rolled their eyes and opened the door to a smiling Gale, an apprehensive Shadowheart, a tired-looking Jaheira, but no Minsc. Lae'zel wasn't present either. Jaheira made eye contact with the tiefling, and shook her head from the back of the crowd, holding up one hand as if to say, "I'll explain later."

"Ah! My friend!" Gale broke the silence, grasping Festé's hand briefly and nodding kindly at Astarion, who nodded back. "I'm so glad to have been invited to your lovely home. May we?"

"Please do, Gale. Shadowheart. Old Lady." Festé winked at Jaheira, who rolled her eyes and laughed. Astarion kept his hand on their back, and both moved aside to let the others in from the cold. They felt his hand drop to their hip when Gale moved close for a hug; and the pale elf tensed at their side when the wizard threw his arms around the tiefling. Shadowheart smirked subtly, shooting a look at Astarion over Gale's shoulder. He released Festé after a moment, and Shadowheart moved in for her turn as Gale began to chatter excitedly.

"This is such a lovely place for the both of you!" He gestured around, taking in the sitting room with a crooked smile. "I'm glad, if I may be so bold to comment, that you're both settling down so well."

Astarion bowed his head politely to Shadowheart, then Gale and Jaheira, before speaking up. "Why, you've got this lovely little imp to thank for- "

"Oh, my love, don't chalk this all up to my doing, you were the one who found the place- " Festé interrupted, but Astarion slid his hand over their mouth and continued with a laugh.

"As I was saying, Festé practically rebuilt this place with little more than their bare hands." He glared directly at Gale with a smirk, standing behind his imp and bending to kiss their temple. "All of the furniture, the floors, the bed; and we're remodelling the back porch in the spring. Not to mention they dug the garden…" Festé waved one hand dismissively, though they had begun to blush.

"Oh, so you've been exploiting their labour then?" Shadowheart quipped, chuckling softly.

"Naturally." The pale elf replied sarcastically, squishing Festé's cheeks when he removed his hand. "Feel free to hang your coats and make yourselves comfortable, we were just finishing up with dinner." Astarion wrapped an arm loosely on their hips and steered the tiefling back into the kitchen, while the others abided his request. "The table is through here," he called as they each began to follow.

"It's funny, Astarion," Jaheira said, sitting on one of the long benches, "This place was set to be condemned before the brain crisis. I had no earthly idea that the city officials had sold it to anyone." She raised an eyebrow, her lips curling into a grin as she watched Festé freeze in the middle of the kitchen, holding the heavy pot of stew.

"Well…" they began, tilting their head and clicking their tongue, "We didn't buy it. But we did find it." They set the pot in the middle of the table with a dull thud. "It was dirt cheap, you could say. And with all of the confusion with the Upper City restoration, it was a little too easy to move ourselves in."

"I like to think of it as a little gift for all of our efforts to save this damned city," Astarion murmured, setting the fresh bread and a few bottles of wine on the table beside the pot. He moved to help Festé with bowls and goblets.

Gale had his face in his hands, and Shadowheart looked sideways at him with a shrug. "I suppose that's logical enough reasoning. Logical enough for the two of you, at least." She began to spoon the stew into bowls, passing one each to the wizard and the druid. "Not to change the subject, but this smells delicious. Chicken?" she asked.

Jaheira drew in a breath, wafting the steam from her bowl toward her with one hand. "Pheasant," she smiled. "I'm glad to see you're keeping your skills sharp, Festé." They returned the warm smile as they sat down next to Gale. Astarion settled closely on their other side, uncorking a bottle and passing out goblets for the wine.

"Hearing you approve of me as your adopted child is so invigorating, Jaheira." The tiefling raised their goblet and everyone else followed suit. "To being alive, and being together," they toasted, and smiles broke out around the table. Everyone clinked and drank deeply; and Festé felt Astarion's free hand close around theirs under the table. He gave them a sidelong glance and smiled behind his goblet.

"Speaking of being together and alive," Gale swallowed another sip of wine before continuing, "Besides the obvious, is there any other reason why Wyll and Karlach haven't joined us tonight? They're not…" he left the last part unsaid, his deep brown eyes widening with worry.

"Oh, no. Well, not that I'm aware of, at least. The last time we saw them both was at the party on the Coast, same as you all," Festé reassured him. "At any rate, I'm sure we'll all seem them again soon." The tiefling beamed and picked up their spoon.

"Indeed," Astarion agreed. "Tuck in everyone. I'll be eating later on." He laughed, earning a withering look from both Gale and Jaheira, and a snort from Shadowheart, who had started slicing bread and passing it out.

"You truly get less funny every time I see you, Astarion. It's a remarkable skill you have," she murmured, sipping a spoonful of stew.

"Well, at least I can tell a joke properly, darling," Astarion tipped his cup at her, and she cracked a rare smile, shaking her head.

"This is delicious, Festé. Your cooking certainly puts mine to shame." Gale dipped his bread in his bowl and chewed thoughtfully. "I would be keen to have this recipe from you, provided you're willing to pass it along."

"I would, Gale. Of course." Festé answered. "I actually found it in an old book that Minsc gave to me."

Jaheira snorted, almost choking into her own bowl. "I find it hard to believe that you got a book from Minsc," she sputtered, starting to laugh quietly.

"On the contrary, he did give me a book a few months back. However, he said, quote: 'I am not sure that I will be able to read this one. Boo has whispered to Minsc that it will be too scary. And Minsc does not like the horror'." Festé mimicked the larger ranger's voice perfectly, breaking into laughter themself. "Why didn't he make it, anyway?"

"The idiot got himself thrown in jail once again," Jaheira spat, a tired look overtaking her features. "And I haven't bailed him out yet because he actually needs to learn his lesson this time." She paused, taking a sip of wine. "Because of that newfound alliance with the Guild, which is one that I can't afford to have him mucking up."

"What did he do?" Shadowheart inquired, her eyebrows knitting.

"He found one of Nine-Fingers' rings when he was supposed to meet with her one day, and the dumb bastard stole it. Nine-Fingers called in her goons, and he got tossed in jail very easily. It's been two weeks and I still haven't quite smoothed things out with her, nor the rest of the Guild." The druid sighed, then she laughed, if somewhat dejectedly. "He can stay in there until I do. I know that he'll survive."

Festé and Astarion exchanged a look, each taking a sip of wine at the same time. "That is… a pity, because we have some rather exciting news to share with you all…" Festé began, feeling Astarion's hand close more tightly around their own, interlacing his fingers with theirs.

"Expecting?" Gale had steepled his fingers, glancing at the couple with the look of a disapproving father, though he seemed to be biting his lip. There was a beat of silence, and then everyone at the table erupted into peals of laughter. "Seriously, though. If there is something important that you feel we must hear, out with it! Are you rounding us up for another adventure?"

"Gods above, no," Astarion spat, drawing Festé's hand up in his own and resting it on the surface of the table. "I've merely tricked our poor leader into agreeing to marry me." He smiled, sincerely, wiggling the tiefling's ring finger so that the bloodstone glinted in the low light. The elf gently retracted his hand, resting it on Festé's thigh when he saw Gale make to grab their hand himself.

"This is absolutely exquisite, if I may say so. Such a beautiful piece of jewellery." He smiled warmly at the couple, and Astarion felt surprise creep up his back when the wizard spoke again. "You both make a fine pair, and I do mean that from the bottom of my heart. I'm happy for you." he patted Festé's hand, setting it down once more.

"Yes, congratulations are in order, clearly." Shadowheart agreed with a dry smile, lifting her goblet slightly before taking her turn examining the ring. "Did you buy it or have it made?"

Festé smirked, jerking their chin in Shadowheart's direction when they looked up at their elf, who looked positively uncomfortable. "Tell them, my love." They turned back to everyone else, chuckling. "I cried when he told me."

Astarion cleared his throat, tilting his head to the side with a sheepish expression. "That much is true. I, well - I…" he faltered, and Festé met his gaze, nodding encouragingly. "Right. I saved that bloodstone when we were all still struggling for our lives on the coast, and when we finally reached the city, I asked Dammon to cut it into a ring for me," the elf recounted, without his usual bravado. "I don't expect you all to understand, but I think, in some ways, Festé's blood changed me, as did our strengthening bond. I wanted to represent that when I finally worked up the courage to propose to them."

Jaheira had been sitting with her arms crossed, silently, and Astarion shot her a furtive glance when he had finished speaking, his hand tightening around the imp's thigh. She reached slowly for her goblet, taking a long drink and not breaking eye contact with the pale elf. Finally, she murmured, "You had better take care of them, Astarion, and don't you dare do anything that will make me have to hunt you down."

"I-!" Astarion all but yelped. "I wouldn't dare hurt them," he snarled.

"Not to worry, my love. I think that's the old witch's way of saying she approves of our union," Festé stage-whispered, and Jaheira smiled subtly. The tiefling got up with a chuckle, gathering the empty bowls and taking them to the washbasin, returning to their seat after a moment and beginning to refill everyone's goblets.

"Have you found anyone to officiate for you yet?" Shadowheart asked, nodding her thanks at the full goblet, and taking a sip.

"Not that I'm aware of, but you'll have to ask the wedding planner. He's been keeping me in the dark about most things, citing the need for 'perfection'." The tiefling looked up at Astarion, who shook his head.

"It's not that, darling, I just…" I don't want you to have to lift a finger. You need only worry about showing up at the right place and time." He finished with a contented sigh.

"It also sounds like you're a bit of a control freak, Astarion." Shadowheart laughed softly, covering her mouth with her hand.

"Oh, very well," Astarion said in clipped tones. "Have a laugh at my expense, you all." He lifted his hands and let out an exasperated scoff. "But when someone rebuilds a house for you, don't you dare give them a perfect wedding in return, or you'll have to answer to me."

Festé chuckled and shook their head. "Why don't you show everyone your little project, my love?" The others seemed to lean in, and Gale had an expression of confusion and curiosity on his face. "He's hand-sewing us outfits for the wedding," they murmured, "and I haven't seen them, it's supposed to be a surprise. However, I know that he's secretly hoping to show them off to someone." Astarion sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, his free hand moving in the air as if he could wave away their words.

"That sounds excellent!" Gale exclaimed. "I, for one, love knowing life's little secrets; but… if I could choose, of course, it wouldn't be what a vampire is putting together behind closed doors for his lover." He winked at Festé, not hiding his wide smile at the pale elf's discomfort. He stood, straightening his robes, and Astarion stood suddenly as well, glaring at the wizard.

"Fine," he said, acid in his voice as he beckoned Gale to follow. Jaheira got up with a low chuckle, and trailed the two men up the stairs. Shadowheart stayed put with Festé, turning to them, turning to them and shaking her head. She downed her goblet in one and set it aside, drawing in a long breath.

"You've really… softened him, Festé. I don't know how exactly to describe it, but he seems less…" she trailed off, lifting her hands slightly from the table and spreading her fingers.

"Sharp? Feral?" The tiefling chuckled. "He has calmed down a lot since we first met him. I think he feels safer now. It's not my right to decide how he feels, but I think he's beginning to heal, in his own way."

"I suppose we all are, but I've been more worried about him than even myself sometimes," Shadowheart admitted. "I can relate a lot to what he's been through, but even then… I won't ever truly understand him." She smiled. "I'm glad you do, though. And as for you, my friend, I'm glad that you're happy with him."

They both looked up, hearing the floorboards creak above them, and Gale's excited chatter drifted down the stairs. Astarion's voice was velvety, but equally excited. Festé imagined him showing off some fine fabric and commenting with a flourish on his own handiwork, and they smirked. "I am," they said simply. "You'd better go up there, make sure he and Gale don't get in a fight, hmm?"

"I will in a moment, I want to ask you something." She met their eyes, determination colouring her face. "May I officiate? That is, if you haven't found anyone to do so yet. I want to… repay you for all you've done for me, I guess you could say."

"You would do that for me? For us?" Festé was taken aback, and paused, their fingers tracing the grain of the table's surface.

"Well, more for you than Astarion," she chuckled. "But I will say that he was very adept at keeping the daggers from my back during our little adventure; and I can appreciate how much he loves you."

"You're too kind, Shadowheart, I appreciate that. And, of course, I would be overjoyed to have you officiate." Festé smiled, standing and beginning to clear the rest of the table as they heard Gale, Astarion and Jaheira descend the stairs. "You should go look before the man gets edgy." They laughed and winked at her.

Gale and Astarion were trading jabs, but the tone was mostly playful as the two came within earshot. Astarion let out a great sigh and barked, "Of course it's 'old-fashioned,' I'm over two hundred years old."

"Be that as it may, I still think that you could stand to hear a critique or two if you truly wish for it to be a magical day." Gale laughed and clapped his hand on the pale elf's back. "It is a rather exquisite ensemble so far, I must admit. Ah! Festé, let me help you with the washing-up." The wizard strode into the kitchen, rolling up his sleeves, and Festé locked eyes with Astarion from across the room. He smirked at them, raking his eyes hungrily over their body before tilting his head and averting his gaze. They shivered, wondering what exactly was transpiring in his mind as he ushered Shadowheart up the stairs ahead of himself.

The tiefling sighed, stoking the wood stove to boil some water for the basin, and rolled up their sleeves as well. Jaheira chuckled in what sounded like disbelief, and took her place back at the table.

"Well," was all she said, folding her hands on the table in front of her.

"What, is he not a good fit, denmother?" Festé murmured.

"On the contrary, you little imp," she nodded with a small smile playing over her lips. "I think you made a very good choice in a life partner. That man would do anything for you, if you asked him to."

"You think so? Shadowheart said something similar just now." Their voice was quiet, and they kept one eye on the kettle as it began to hiss softly.

Jaheira raised her hands, shrugging. "So I am not the only one who sees it."

"Oh, definitely not, Jaheira." Gale cut in, piling bowls into the washbasin. "Astarion… well, he and I are quite similar, if only in the realm of acts of service, that is. If I were in love like he seems to be with you, I would… Oh! I'll wash, as thanks for a delicious meal!" He interrupted himself, stepping back to let Festé pour the hot water. "Anyway, I would show my partner through my actions how much I respect and adore them. I suppose," he tilted his head in a half-nod, waving both hands in the air, "As a very verbose man, I would tell them as well, but- "

"He might not have the words yet, given his history." Festé finished for him, offering the wizard a kind smile as they took up a dish towel.

"Aha! Exactly." Gale smiled as well, pointing at them with the sponge. "He is not yet loquacious; but, given time, I think he could be as adept with his words of affection as he is with a pair of daggers." He shook his head, smile widening as he looked down into the basin and started to scrub out the dinner bowls. "He has put together quite a fine outfit for you. You're going to look dashing on your wedding day, Festé."

The tiefling blushed involuntarily, and let out a nervous chuckle. "Astute as always, Gale." They took the bowls he passed to them, and began to stack them on the counter once they had wiped them dry.

"I have to say, I agree with Gale. You're going to look wonderful." Shadowheart's voice drifted across the room, and Festé's head snapped up for the second time that evening as Astarion's hands rested on their hips. He dodged their horns expertly, dropping pointy ear to shoulder in a split second, and leaning down to press a kiss to their cheek before taking the bowls to put away. "Both of you, I should say," Shadowheart continued, surveying the couple. "He's working in something for himself too, and it matches- "

"Hush." Astarion held up a disapproving hand. "Darling, don't spoil it. I wouldn't be working in secret if I wanted them to be in on the surprise, now would I?" He scowled, but his tone was light.

Gale flicked his hands over the basin and took the dish towel when Festé offered it. "I'm glad to hear it, but I trust Star. Whatever he's making is sure to be good." They smiled at their pale elf.

"Oh, you kids." Jaheira sighed, standing up and putting her palms firmly on the table. "I hate to eat and leave, but I should go and meet my late-night appointment; and try to get Minsc out of jail. I would hate for him to miss the big day." She smiled widely, and made her way to the tiefling to give them a tight hug. When she broke away, she reached out to shake Astarion's hand. He stiffened at the gesture, but returned it regardless. "Congratulations, both of you."

All four of the companions saw Jaheira to the door, hugging and waving their goodbyes before retiring to the living room. Festé busied themself starting a fire while Gale admired the couch. Astarion had disappeared temporarily for more wine, and pillows for himself and his imp. He sat and pulled them into his lap as soon as the fire was crackling. His touch felt anxious and desperate, but he relaxed marginally as he pulled Festé to rest back against his chest and wrapped his arms over their waist.

"…so fortunate that you moved in with a carpenter, isn't it, Astarion?" Gale's voice entered the tiefling's consciousness once again as they focused. Astarion's chest rumbled slightly as he spoke from behind them.

"It is, isn't it? Perhaps that's your calling, darling. Maybe Gale wants you to make him some furniture as well," he murmured, and Festé caught the sharp edge of jealousy in his tone, even if Gale did not.

"Oh, oh. I perish the thought of carting Festé off to Waterdeep just to toil away on some furniture for me. Goodness." Gale waved away the notion with a hearty chuckle.

"Funny… I do as well," Astarion's grip tightened about the tiefling's waist, and Festé shot Shadowheart a pleading look. She merely raised her eyebrows and sipped her wine quietly.

"On another note," she finally spoke up after a tense silence, "I was wondering how adjusting back to nights has been for you, Astarion. Are you doing well?"

He relaxed once more, considering the question as he rested his chin on Festé's shoulder. "It's been much easier as time goes on, I'll admit. No guess as to why that is, hm?"

"Have you considered finding a way to walk in the sun again?" Shadowheart asked in a soft tone, "If… such a thing exists, that is."

"Do you know something, Shadowheart?" Festé asked, studying her face, but they couldn't quite tell if anything was out of the ordinary.

"No, not any more than anyone else, I would imagine," she shrugged.

Astarion waited, humming softly. "I have considered it, but I have no more leads than you do on how to achieve that. If anything, I want to stop being so selfish, and forcing Festé to life my lifestyle."

"Oh, as if you could force me to do anything, my love." Festé said lightly, resting back against him, and they felt his lips brush against their earlobe.

"Well, not here, darling," he whispered almost silently, and felt them shiver in his arms. He spoke aloud again almost immediately, "Like I said, it would be for their sake more than my own. And, well -- I imagine not burning to a crisp when I want to go for a walk would be nice, too."

Gale and Shadowheart exchanged a glance as Festé looked on, studying the complexities of the gesture. The two of them were hiding something, weren't they? The tiefling relaxed further, deciding to push the issue from their mind for the time being. If they wanted to share, they would have, they thought.

· · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · · Festé had no idea when they had fallen asleep, but they hung in a half-awakened haze as they heard Astarion hiss softly, "No, I wouldn't consider that. I couldn't ask them to do that for me."

"Astarion, I'm merely speaking in hypotheticals- " Gale's voice was equally as low, but firm in tone.

"And I am speaking from experience, Gale, it would guarantee them immortality; but it would also greatly reduce their safety. I can't have that, I won't lose them, and I won't have any harm that comes to them on my conscience." Astarion's tone was harsh, but his hold on them was gentle, careful not to jostle them. The tiefling opened their eyes halfway, seeing Shadowheart dozing on the couch through their eyelashes in their peripheral vision. Festé considered the tone of the discussion, and kept their breathing even and slow, trying not to arouse suspicion. They closed their eyes as they heard Gale speak again.

"If we had a plan, would you consider it?" he asked, and Festé could almost feel his gaze on the back of their neck.

"I… this isn't just about what I want, you know." Astarion's voice faltered slightly. His hand slid protectively up their back, and Festé took the opportunity to shift slightly in the elf's lap, sighing out as they would in their sleep.

"What if they were okay with it?" Gale asked, and Astarion sighed in disgust.

"It's almost morning, Gale, will you- " he started.

"What if they were- " the wizard countered.

"Drop it." Astarion snarled, louder than before. Festé listened as Shadowheart shifted on the couch. She must have sat up properly, they guessed. It was safe, they decided, to slowly blink their eyes open when she spoke.

"What's wrong, are you two arguing again?" she mumbled, and Festé lifted their head slowly, looking up at Astarion's face. He had composed his features into a blank mask, before smiling at them warmly.

"Gale is just annoying," he said, and the wizard scoffed from his end of the couch.

"Astarion is just inflexible," he retorted, crossing his arms.

"Just like usual, then," Festé remarked calmly, narrowing their eyes at their elf before smiling. Astarion knew that they knew something, it was plain on his face.

"Well, I'm sure that you can pick it up again when we see each other next," Shadowheart rolled her eyes. "Come on, Gale, you and I should probably put those rooms at the tavern to use for a few hours, at least." She stood, casting a cursory glance between the two men, and jerked her chin towards the door. "We'll stop by for a proper goodbye tomorrow, before we leave."

"Okay, that sounds good to me." Festé met her eyes, moving to get up as well, and tugging Astarion along with them. The tiefling helped the two collect their coats, and after a few moments, the wizard and the cleric were making their way up the snowy street, side by side. Festé turned after closing the door, sighing as they all but collapsed in Astarion's arms. "You," they mumbled against his chest, "You have some explaining to do." The elf flinched, and they continued, "But we should get some sleep first."

A sigh. "Okay, darling," he conceded, leading them into the bedroom.

a/n: hey! thank you for waiting for this fic! i know it's been a couple weeks since i've update but to all of you out there: thank you for continuing to support this fic!! you rock! you matter! you're awesome! GIF CREDIT: here!

#.fic #fic: bonding. #baldur's gate 3 #bg3 #bg3 fanfiction #astarion acunin #astarion x tav #astarion bg3 #spawn!astarion x named tav #bg3 astarion #i'm all pointy ears #oc: festé #astarion

[sourcreammachine]

fuck it, let’s die on this hill

FAIRYTALE OF NEW YORK IS THE ULTIMATE QUEER YULETIDE SONG

the straights have been getting increasingly uncomfortable with it in the last few years. you’re going to see a big resurgence of the censored version this year because Shane MacGowan died last week, but it has been well on the decline - meaning a wide open gulf is forming to allow the cheap, lousy faggots to swoop in and continue colonising it. here’s why we should

firstly it’s an absolute banger. traditional irish music combined with modern drums into a sound that fits the yule aesthetic perfectly whilst bringing drama and emotion. it’s cozied up by the fire, but alive and dramatic

the biggest source of discomfort for most people is that it’s MacGowan and MacColl aggressively arguing at each other, rattling off textbook sexist vitriol. and MacColl calls MacGowan a faggot, with total sincere usage of the slur, hatred and all. putting the slur aside, the nastiness of the song gets people’s ire. it’s a couple having a stereotypical domestic and they seem to kiss and make up in the final act, all unacceptable behaviour forgiven. it’s everything modern straights want to put in the past. so let them. it’s a het couple being toxic, cool. queer celebration has attached the bandwagon to worse things and it’s always taking up the castoffs of heteronormative society. queer love can be made of FONY all the same:

MacGowan’s first verse stings, does it not? sadness, desperation, and longing. in queer society, we have all been MacGowan’s character and we have all been the Old Man, even if it’s not the bottle and the drunk tank. we’re survivors, we’re bloodied and bruised, we refuse to go away no matter how many AIDS-genocides, moral panics, and hate-murders they do to us. there are nights where we think by all mercy we Won’t See Another One, and we turn our face away and Dream About You. there’s always hope. there’s always reasons to continue the fight, and they don’t have to be abstract

when the sobbing’s over, the Pogues immediately come to life for the main body. we go up and down the rollercoaster of emotions while the band keeps playing, while the air is always jubilant. the wonder, the delight, the hope, the madlove, the melodrama, the bile, the hatred. for a song making allusions of broadway, it sounds fresh from broadway - our story is painted through feelings, not words. and when it’s over, MacColl’s character (seems to, judging by the tonal finality of MacGowan’s lines and her participation in the final chorus) forgives her abusive partner and reattaches her hopes to him, her drunkard patriarch. but we’re queer, remember - we’re not celebrating these straggot pieces of shit. we find identity in the feelings. we have all been MacColl’s character, finding wonder and hope and the chance to become who we want to be, and being given false promises by false starts. and if you’ll forgive me for entertaining MacGowan’s character’s bastard misogynist perspective for a second, we’ve all found ourselves having to defend our queer communities, having to stand by our old sluts on junk, even as doing so takes its toll and sometimes feels like a burden. those feelings happen. they are irrational, they are bad, and they happen. and a new day comes and we’re thankful we stood by. it’s a melodramatic broadway banger - we can find meaning in all places, even the ‘b*tch-wife’ slurrings of a misogynist

it’s that power that lets a queer reading of FONY stick the fucking landing. again i repeat myself, from a surface reading the ending is toxic as shit. but queer reading is in the feeling. this lament, this mournful lament, of misplaced hopes, of lost dreams, and a commitment to what we have, and looking forward despite unbearable challenge. you’d scream ‘leave him!’ to every straight MacColl in the world, that’s like, feminism 101 - but queer life is nothing if not complicated. the queer-read MacGowan isn’t a toxic gay lover. he is queer life itself. he took our dreams from us when we first found him, so it may appear. the hatred we feel inside, the emptiness, the pain, it’s all there with the phantasmic joy, the discovery, the love, the everything. and the band always keeps playing. straight MacColls returning to their straight MacGowans is stupid, but we don’t have a choice. our community is everything, our support is everything. it’s rough. it can almost kill you. but would any of us trade it for anything else? we are MacColls and MacGowans all at once - we are the ones with fragile hopes, we are the ones who damage it, and shepherd it still. we’re our own worst enemy and we’re all we have

when Shane MacGowan adapted the original lyrics of a lonely seafarer, he did not turn it into a queer song. in fact, he wrote a character yelling the f-slur. there is not a gramme of queercoding here. but exactly what is the difference between the actual faggots finding commonality in the villain songs penned to mock us, or old broadway songs that have nothing to do with us, and the yuletide song that actively hates us? fucking little, i would argue. queer celebration’s power is its ability to reconstrue. they call us faggot every month of the year with nary a second thought, and we spit it right back at them with reclamation and solidarity. we should do the same in december. we dance to the tune of their bigotry and we sing along at the top of our lungs. they are quietening down out of embarrassment - long may our party reign. FONY, a bigoted song, is a queer anthem because it has been made so. the madness. the love. the sadness. the dreams. that is queerness. and queer revolution is not giving one single, solitary shite about straight people’s discomfort about what the cheap, lousy faggots choose to celebrate. the way the ending instrumental tapers off into beautiful emotion - the straights have abandoned it: that feeling of love, that feeling of joy, that feeling belongs to us now

sing it like you would all queer songs. hold your friends close and celebrate them. love everyone around you. and when the naughty word comes around, scream it

#196 #fairytale of new york #the pogues #shane macgowan #christmas music #rule #apartmentofawesome #fagposting #lgbtq #queer

[sapphicbookclub]

The Holiday Treatment by Elle Spencer

By day, Holly Hudson’s a story editor for Wifetime Network. By night, she’s the writer for the network’s very cheesy, very straight holiday romance series―Christmas in Evermore. Holly took the job to accomplish exactly one thing: a gay Christmas movie. She’s been shot down before, but things start to look up when Meredith Drake unexpectedly moves into the network’s holiday division.

On the heels of a brief (but totally hot) fling, Holly and Meredith agree to keep things professional now that they’ll be working together. Especially since the network has a strict policy about workplace relationships. Instead, they vow to channel their passion into a pitch for the network’s first Christmas movie to feature two female leads.

In this contemporary romance, Holly and Meredith work to make the Yuletide gayer while discovering that happy endings aren’t only for the movies.

Genres: contemporary, romance

Order from Blackwell's here and get free worldwide shipping!

#sapphic books #lgbt books #wlw books #booklr #book recs #contemporary

[pb-dot]

Yuletide Ramblings

While I'm not religious by any measure, Christmas in Norway is honestly a decently secular experience once you tune out all the songs about Jesus and roses springing from barren fields and whatnot. This is to say that the holidays have always been about family and the people close to me. I may be overstepping my bounds a bit, but let's include my dear tumblr moots and general tumbl-o-sphere in the proceedings and talk a little bit about my 2023 on Tumblr.

If I'm going to be frank, and I want to unless the opportunity to be earnest should present itself, 2023 was a tough year for me. My ongoing journey to finding treatment for my depression stalled out, and my job search has similarly been quietly moved from the "top priority" box to the "it'll happen when it happens"-pile. I've been able to do this much thanks to the welfare systems in my neck of the woods, and although the process has kind of sucked along a number of axises, I do acknowledge it has helped me.

What has also helped me, though, is you guys. After starting using the platform in June of this year, I have found replete friendship and support, an almost overwhelming torrent of commisseration, enthusiasm and the particular brand of weird that seems to be the first language around here. Y'all have helped me get writing and stay writing, and really have honed my "take it easy, but take it" approach to a razor's edge.

While many parts of the internet are slowly but surely content-ifying themselves into a desolate wasteland of human connection, Tumblr keeps going with actually trying out the "social" part of this whole social media thing. Granted, that may be because of incompetence in trying to follow the trends on Tumblr's end. Still, I want to thank all y'all for keeping it personal, for keeping it weird, and keeping it as free of the scourge of "personal branding" as one could conceivably make a site full of artists and freelancers.

Cheerleading social media sites isn't really my bag, but I will concede that I've grown quite attached to the way Tumblr does things, and the weird arbitrary ways it prods us into acting. It's all down to the people, of course, and I've found quite a batch of good eggs on this here site. I almost don't want to shoutout specific users because I'm afraid I'm going to forget someone truly marvelous and even though there's every chance they'll never notice, I will know and the snub will eat at me.

That said, I do want to shout out a couple of people who've made my first half a year of tumblr great. @toribookworm22's timely asks have certainly helped me keep track of the weekdays, as well as helped me with a bunch of worldbuilding and minutiae. @dyrewrites and @teacupsandstarlight have both been great to talk to, and I would be in dereliction of my duties if I didn't at least mention the illustrious @scifimagpie in this context as well. @jeahreading and I seem to mostly pass as ships in the night, but sometimes the distant sound of a foghorn can be just the thing, to torture the metaphor a little. @that-weird-kid-from-your-school is also a joy to talk to, and her palpable enthusiasm is great.

Now for some people whose work I follow who I don't speak to much because I am intimidated by their skills. @canisalbus and their adorable gay dog-men never cease to fill my heart with love. @secondlina and their crows similarly also make me smile. @mlm-blues and @were--ralph have both done wonders for my self-esteem, and it is nice to see and share the enthusiasm for lads on occasion. @shyroism is mostly off-site what with the streaming, but they're definitely an underrated streamer who could do with some more eyeballs on their work. @fidgetspringer is an awesome punk, an awesome artist (shoutout @fidgetspringer-art,) and has a truly magnificent beast of a bird hound. @everythingfox is an endless source of cute animals which is an obvious lifesaver, @bearotonin-international is Important, @raccoon-central similarly does some heavy lifting for my mental health with their lil' grabby hands. @bodhrancomedy is a good lad who does good videos and do the acting real good. @sootchild has good art and I like it.

I'm running out of steam, which is a shame because there are a lot of people who deserve just heaps of praise heaped upon them on here. Hell, if you're still reading at this point, rest assured I think you're at the very least awesome and deserve good things happening to you.

In closing, I would like to once again express my delight and joy for how Tumblr has been in my first half year, and I hope the however long until I get maudling again is just as good if not even better!

#peebs thinks #year-end retrospective

[allyricas]

Make the Yuletide Gay

I would like to read a fic where Dustin is scheming to get Steve and Robin together during the christmas season. So he keeps trying to trap them with mistletoe but it just hysterically gets worse and worse.

First it's Nancy and Steve which is just super awkward for everyone involved. They share a quick peck that feels bittersweet. they loved each other once, but those feelings have transformed into a solid, lovely friendship.

Then it's Robin and Eddie and they cackle uncontrollably because they are both oh, so gay. Eddie peppers robin with sloppy kisses all over her face everywhere except her lips. Dustin is thinking maybe Eddie likes Robin, but then what about Steve? Steve obviously likes her too.

Unfortunately Joyce and Hopper are next, and of course, they start borderline making out. All of the younger teens are making gagging noises and Dustin momentarily considers giving up completely. He wants to see Steve happy though, so he carries on with his little plan.

When Jonathan and Argyle find themselves under the same mistletoe that same night, they just shrug and kiss. No fuss, no romance. They are basically platonic life partners at this point anyways. It helps that they are high as kites. The kiss makes them both giggle a little.

Things escalate when Nancy and Robin find themselves to be Dustin's next unwitting victims. He watches in rapt confusion as Robin is stammering and wildly blushing while Nancy sweetly kisses her. It's a soft, chaste kiss but zinging with emotion.

People are starting to catch on that someone is messing with everybody.

Dustin is getting very, very confused and frustrated. It seems like Robin and Steve are doubly sure to avoid the mistletoe at this point. He just escalates it further. As things go on, Lucas and Max keep "accidentally" finding themselves under the mistletoe. Dustin yells at them to just get back together and get out of the way.

El and Max, Eddie and Nancy (which once again, they are both giggling so much they can barely kiss. Eddie licks her) and a bright red Will and Mike round out the next round of awkward kisses. Mike kisses Will on the cheek and they are both tomato red.

Every single pair you can imagine get stuck but never Steve and Robin. It's driving Dustin mad.

The thing is Robin and Steve absolutely know what Dustin is doing and they think it is hilarious. It's Christmas Eve at Steve's house and everyone is having dinner and exchanging gifts when they decide to finally put Dustin out of his misery. Robin notes the mistletoe Dustin has hidden and allows her and Steve to get trapped.

Dustin has no chill as he watches with eyes wide, waiting for Steve and Robin to finally kiss. Only for Eddie to gently shove Robin out of the way and pull Steve into his arms. Then Eddie kisses Steve on the lips in a very, extremely romantic way. Like, something out of a goddamn movie.

Steve kisses him back. Oh god, they are kissing each other enthusiastically. Dustin is watching the two men he looks up to most passionately kiss each other.

oh oh oh

Dustin thinks back to Nancy and Robin. The connection between them. The many times that Steve and Robin have sworn they are platonic with a capital P. The laughs and smirks all four of them share with each other. The easy way Eddie touches Steve and gets in his personal space. The way Steve lets Eddie call him Stevie and touch his hair. He'd missed some major signs here.

"Why didn't you just tell me you're all super gay?! Could have saved me a whole lot of effort!" Dustin yells, exasperated but clearly thrilled for his friends. "You can stop shoving your tongues down each other's throats now, I get it ok. Talk about making the Yuletide gay."

#I have christmas fever along with ronance and steddie brainrot #steddie #ronance #tiny hint of byler and lumax #stranger things

[fonulyn]

so since I've now posted all of my @yearoftheotpevent fics, I figured I'd make one compilation post of them. here's my year of nivannedy!

January: good to be prepared

Leon gets stuck in a snow storm when his car breaks down, and a handsome stranger saves him from the roadside. Of course they hit it off, but only later they realize they actually do know of each other.

February: 'cause you know the love we have is always gonna be

Finally Piers and Leon get married, surrounded by their loved ones, in their very own home. It's been a long road, they've deserved their happy ending.

March: at the shore of the unknown

The end of the world comes quietly, almost secretly, despite them fighting it all these years. But even if the world is ending, Leon and Piers find each other, and their story is only beginning.

April: I crave therefore I am

Piers has been half in love with Leon for as long as he can remember, but no matter how much he's pining, he's not going to be the kind of a dick who tries to come between Leon's current relationship. Except that relationship is not exactly as real as he's been lead to believe.

May: as long as you'll have me

Leon gets infected on a mission, and although there is a known cure, the cure fucking sucks. At least, after Leon alarms him with a few incoherent texts, Piers is there to help him through the worst of it.

June: you're a dream

Piers has been dreaming of his soulmate ever since he was eleven years old, and not even the continuous stream of monsters can keep him from finding whoever that is. Of course, nothing in life can ever be that simple.

July: that heaven in your eyes

Piers and Leon have some honeymoon fun by the lake. It's exactly what they wanted.

August: light in the darkest place

Leon and Piers grew up together, and when at twenty-one they both got a job at the RPD they thought it was a giant stroke of luck. They had no idea their first day was going to be one hell of a long day.

September: all the tears and the fears and the lies and the cries of the past

Krauser kidnaps Leon on Wesker’s orders to use as bait. Things get messy.

October: before I even knew your name

Leon gets an accidental text sent into the wrong number and it ends up changing his life for the better. They might both suck at flirting, especially through text, but that doesn't matter when inexplicably they're still into each other.

November: right from the start

Leon gets some unexpected backup on his rogue mission in the Eastern Slav Republic. Later, he might just have to thank Chris for sending Piers in. Especially as he learns he and Piers work together well in more ways than one.

December: a merry little christmas (make the yuletide gay)

Piers and Leon and their first holidays as a married couple in their own home. Of course with a visit from the Redfields.

I am both incredibly content that I managed to write something for all of the months (even though two of these fics are still technically unfinished, for the Damnation au I haven't posted the last chapter and for the RE2 au I still need to write the rest of it) and really really happy with how they turned out :3

#nivannedy #me and my fics #my fics #my nivannedy fics #i'm gonna make another compilation #of ALL the fic i wrote this year #but i figured these deserved their own post :3

[sadhappylady]

1, 6, 13 and 17 pls <3

Thank you so much for the ask!

Please, people, send more. My answers will be a little slow, because I don't have a good system, but I'll get to them eventually.

1.            favorite fanfic of all time

I will be unoriginal and say Everybody Loves You Now by @im-a-king-baby. It's just amazing. But Language of roses by despassurlaneige and That's how you make history, baby by waybeforeyourtime are close behind, I guess.

6.            favorite one-shot fanfic

There is no doubt about this one. It's The Upgrade by @groenendaelfic . (It's 12k, though. Does it really count? Yes, it does!)

13.          christmas fic recommandation

Oooh! I like this! I was thinking of making a list, actually, but didn't have the energy yet. But here you get it kind of from the top of my head (not rated)

1. not if it's you by @prince-simon

Nanny!Simon AU and Christmas kid fic that is totally cute, but stays just at the right side. (Kids are people, which means they are annoying and needy and have bad days, just like you and me, and I can't with the fics where they are always behaving and always cute. Sorry, a me issue!)

2. merry crisis by pysanky

Part of the third year things series, which I adore. Not a very merry one, but who says Christmas is always merry? Simon and Wilhelm are totally happy spending their time together. Why do they have to spend Christmas with their respective families?

3. 'Tis the Damn Season by littelbluefish

Seriously super cute getting back together fic, set during Christmas. Aged-up characters, and some really great original characters, that we unfortunately don't see enough of. 

4. Make the yuletide gay by @cloudywilmon

A Christmas fake dating fic for you, my loves! Wille is convinced to help Sara out by pretending to be her boyfriend over Christmas. A splendid idea until he meets Sara's brother, Simon.

5. Almost Is Never Enough by This_time_its_just_me

Ok, this is not a Christmas fic. But there is this super cute, very fluffy Christmas celebration part that I just love, between all the angst and pining etc.

17.          the most reread fic of your year

I have no idea actually. Sometimes I read other people' rec lists, and I'm reminded of a fic that I haven't read for a long time, but really loved. Or I wake up at 4 o'clock and can't fall asleep, and I start thinking about something from a fic I read, and get the urge to go find it again. That's what happened last night with this one: You Have Reached the Voicemail Box of... by @zee-has-commitment-issues. I don't really keep track of how many times I read fics, even though I reread fics regularly. Sorry 🤷

Adding these, as well, to promote some less known writers and fics:

the last writer you suscribed to on AO3 ? NenasMom

the last work you suscribed to ? I think that was Where Have You Been All These Minutes? by NenasMom ☝️, I love it so far!

your last bookmark ? 'Tis the Damn Season by littelbluefish (the Christmas fic I recommended)

#young royals #young royals fanfiction #young royals fanfic #ao3 fanfic #fic rec list #ask list #yr fic rec

[thehauntedinfirmary]

Fic Rec Friday Edition 22

Welcome to Fic Rec Friday! It's December! Time to make the yuletide a little gay! So welcome in the weekend with this week's selections - and feel free to like and reblog this post to spread the word!

what are you doing new year's eve? ✨ by PhyllisDietrichson

And Ryan knows. He knows that it’s probably been obvious for a while, how he and Shane have been circling around each other, pulled into a tighter orbit as the years have passed. The way that if Ryan is somewhere without Shane, he’s the first person people ask him about. The way that Ryan can’t remember the last time he’s gone out without Shane. He’s not sure that Shane’s noticed, though. He wishes that Shane would notice.

Complete | 21k words

In These Frozen and Silent Nights by beethechange

“You know me,” Shane says, “I love a good cabin. I’m a cabinhead.” “I’ll show you cabin head,” Ryan rebuts without thinking, and then he turns his face into the pillow to stifle a nervous snicker. “Oh shit, wait, that’s—” Planning a shoot at a remote cabin in Vermont the week before Christmas wasn't Ryan’s best-ever idea. Taking a leisurely walk in a blizzard wasn't Shane’s. Scrap the ep, there’s a new plan: survive the storm, stay warm, try not to kill each other, and figure some shit out along the way.

Complete | 25k words

Mistletoe by quackers

There's only room for one very specific cat in Ryan's life.

Complete | 4k words

Like Wildfire by makemadej

“Is this gonna be a thing with you?” Ryan demands. “You can’t keep committing to stuff that no one else knows about! When people online say they want you to be more open and vulnerable, this is not what they mean.” “I know!” Shane wails. “I fucked up.” “Again,” Ryan points out, which is true but really not necessary. (Or: the one where Shane accidentally tells Ryan's mom they're a couple and they commit to the bit)

Complete | 20k words

The Zest of One Orange by sequence_fairy

“You got plans?” Ryan asks. “Naw,” Shane says, “nothing ‘til I have to go to the airport on the 23rd.” “Wanna get a drink? I’ve got something for you,” Ryan says. “We said no gifts, man." “I know, but I just—well, you’ll see.” It’s not like Ryan to be cryptic. Or: Old Fashioneds and tequila shots and a Christmas gift.

Want to learn more about The Haunted Infirmary? Check out our pinned post!

#shyan #skeptic believer #shyan fic #shyan fic rec #otp: we took an oath #friday fic recs #haunted fic recs

[hillzhqs]

'𝚝𝚒𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚜𝚎𝚊𝚜𝚘𝚗

hear those silver bells? it's christmas time in los angeles. some families actually do make the yuletide gay, managing to leave their troubles far away. other families have a merry little christmas even when their troubles aren't so far away. some presents might end up returned but some gifts are for keeps. other presents come when you least expect them and everyone knows the biggest present comes in the smallest box. then there are those boxes you wish you had never opened. have a holly jolly christmas, xoxo.

‹   ⅰ.   › you have been cordially invited to celebrate christmas eve at the kennedy estate in hidden hills, california. this year's theme is 'the colors of the season.' there will be different themed rooms throughout the home that will be color coordinated - red, green, white, silver, gold and black. the dress code is to wear one of these colors. admission to the party will not be granted if you are not following dress code. this is not a casual event by any means, so please do dress your best.

‹   ⅱ.   ›  the party will be taking place on discord. please keep an eye out for the link. while the event will be taking place over the span of one night rp time (december 24th, 2023), you can start writing on sunday, december 10th, 2023. threads can continue until everyone completes their writing.

‹   ⅲ.   ›  in the spirit of the season, kathy kennedy hosts an annual 'kathy kringle' where she pairs up people from the party to exchange gifts with one another. under the cut, please find your partner. there will be a channel in the event server where you can drop pictures and edits of the gifts called 'kathy kringle' and you can write out your characters exchanging gifts in the 'grand foyer' channel

‹   ⅳ.   › gossip girl has eyes everywhere, especially in an event as star studded as this one. if there's anything specific that you don't want leaked, please be sure to come to me before hand. if not, everything is up for grabs and can potentially be blasted for everyone to see.

‹   ⅴ.   ›  be inclusive! make sure you're writing/plotting with everyone and most importantly, have fun!!

✳    𝐤𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐲 𝐤𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐥𝐞 𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬   ﹕please see under the cut!

LEX -adrian fitzgerald . - DEE - julian calvary

SOPHIE -mallory wells - T - travis buckley .

KELLY - tyler cobb - SOPHIE -kaya khalid

KELLY - drew monroe - CANDICE -bentley hart

CANDICE -sienna spencer - T - vincent hart .

KELLY - madeline kennedy - CANDICE -genevieve evans

DEE - lilian hawker - CANDICE -sebastian davis

KELLY - roman barlowe - LEX -teddy taylor .

LEX -camryn kennedy . - T - hunter valmont .

BECCA - juliette hart . - KELLY - matteo rossi

SARA- oliver van horn - LEX -madden kennedy .

BECCA - stacey ortiz . - KELLY - franz wanger

SOPHIE -angel griffin - CANDICE - felicity dupont

SARA- avett marie - LEX -keanu carter .

SOPHIE -ford anderson - LEX -jade santos .

LEX -beau calvary - SOPHIE -archie sinclair

DEE - ezra basel - T - james vanderbilt .

SOPHIE -everly blackwell - CANDICE -jackson blackwell

SOPHIE -zion davis - FREY - na-eun seo

T - austen sinclair . - CANDICE -johnny kennedy

KELLY - charlotte windsor - SOPHIE -maddox mckelvie

CANDICE -adelaide windsor - BECCA - erin halliday .

KELLY - ayaz demiric- SARA- caleb khan

DEE - dominic law - FREY - penelope kennedy

DEE - gigi majok - SARA- finley kennedy

T - jordana kennedy . - CANDICE -brooke hawker

KELLY - ethan briggs - T - hana hershey ratanavadi .

SOPHIE -kacey king - DEE - carter talbot

KELLY - afia amoabeng - T - caiden sharpe .

FREY - kwame amoabeng - KELLY - seo sieun

KELLY - merve baysel - CANDICE -persephone sinclair

SOPHIE - ophelia evans - BECCA - farrah osmond

LEX -selene sinclair . - T - alabama messi .

DEE - derek taylor - CANDICE -bianca sinclair

T - bristol decker . - SOPHIE -mackenzie kennedy

#hillzevent

[mass-convergence]

Delayed Departure

AO3

Summary:

You thought your time being stranded at an airport in a blizzard would be Hel but things are made better by the arrival of Soma.

Definitely not based off of any recent travel horror stories the author may or may not have been involved in regarding one of the worst winter storms to hit North America in a long while.

Rating: For General Audiences - though I guess there's a little bit of cussing

Pairings: Soma x Reader

Fandom: Assassin's Creed Valhalla

A/N:

I just got stranded in a random ass city due to weather shit for the second time this year. For the past two weeks I've been dealing with a four day long blizzard and then whatever the hell this thing that descended from the arctic was. I don’t know what god I pissed off but I am absolutely f e r a l  I need this self indulgent fic. And I shall have my damn indulgence Merry friggin’ Christmas. May the Yuletide be gay as fuck.

----

You practically shoved your way off the jetway, mentally apologizing to the family you nearly bowled over in your attempts to make your connecting. Outside the wind howled and snow swirled against the windowed walls of the terminal but you paid no mind to the icy scene outside that all but guaranteed your flight probably wouldn’t be leaving the tarmac anytime soon.

You had a plane to catch.

And so you sprinted down the concourse, through the main spine of the airport and past the running trams which definitely would have taken you to your destination faster if you had thought to look. Your heart thudded against your rib cage and the backpack you wore, while not particularly heavy, was just heavy enough to impede your breathing as it slapped against your back.

A bemused TSA agent by the security checkpoint watched you as you sped by, crossing his arms and surreptitiously looking up at the flight information screen and watching as one by one the flights went red. He shook his head and went back to work.

Why the fuck did the flight have to be across the entire gods damned airport?

Your chest burned with the effort of trying to keep your blood oxygenated enough to keep up the grueling pace that you had set for yourself. You hadn’t had to run this fast since you joined that intramural soccer team in undergrad. And that was way too many years ago. 

Your legs were giving out and your vision was beginning to gray at the edges when you finally made it to your gate. It was at that moment your legs finally decided they had enough of their abuse and with a few wobbly steps you fell to your knees on the floor while holding the wall for support. 

“Shit!” you heard someone exclaim and a form rushed to your side. You were too busy gulping down as much air as you could to really register the person who was helping you sit down against the wall, “Hej. Hej. Breathe for me. Breathe.” 

You managed to catch your breath before looking up at your savior. For the second time that day you couldn’t breathe.

‘Oh gods she is hot.’

Piercing blue-grey eyes, a face that looked as if it were etched of stone, and dark hair that was tied up in a half bun. Her brow was creased with worry as she looked at you. She put her hand on your shoulder, over your backpack strap. 

“Do you want me to help you take that off?” she was asking. 

For a moment your mind went completely blank and your cheeks heated up as your brain struggled to process the implications of that statement, “Huh?” 

“The backpack, it’ll help you breathe better if you take it off,” she elaborated. 

You nodded and she helped you shrug off the pack. The back of your shirt was damp with sweat and the moment the air hit it you felt a shiver run down your spine, “Thanks,” you said gratefully - noting her hand was back on your shoulder and massaging it slightly as if to help calm you down. It certainly wasn’t calming you down but you appreciated the gesture anyway. You leaned against the wall and closed your eyes, trying to recover after your desperate sprint. 

“Are they okay?“ another concerned traveler asked from somewhere above you. 

“Fine, I just need to catch my breath,” you said, “Need to make my connecting.”

“Which gate?” the woman asked.

“F12.”

The woman made a noise and you opened your eyes to see her apologetic look, “They just canceled it.”

You finally saw the white out outside and the flight status on the screen by the door. Well shit. Your phone finally buzzed and you pulled it out of your pocket to see the new notification: 

“Flight 4320 to GBI has been canceled. We are attempting to rebook you.” 

Your gaze flitted from the phone to the winter hellscape outside and you just knew in your heart: you were going to be stuck there for a while.

“Well shit.”

“I know,” she smiled sympathetically, “I was on that flight too. What’s your name?”

You gave her your name and she extended a hand for you to shake, you noted her other hand still hadn’t left your shoulder, “Nice to meet you. I’m Soma,” she said. You finally felt okay enough to stand and with her help you got to your feet. Unfortunately that also meant that she finally removed her hand from your shoulder and you couldn’t lie: you were rather disappointed. 

“Well I guess I should go try to see if they can rebook me,” you said as you picked up your backpack, “Though in this weather I think I’m going to be stuck here for a while.”

You let out a chuckle but it was less out of humor and more out of the mounting stress you began to feel. Talking to customer service reps was up there in the list of activities that gave you anxiety. Coupled with an already long and delayed filled day of travel: you weren’t entirely sure you could mentally handle much more of this.

“I’ll go with you,” Soma said and at your look she said, “We’re both in a similar situation. It’d be better to stick together, yeah?” 

You couldn’t (and really didn’t want to) argue with that logic. Aside from the fact that she was very attractive and very caring, you couldn’t deny that you also could certainly use the companionship and camaraderie that develops when everyone is thrown into the same, shitty situation.

As you stepped into the very long line at the help desk, you struck up a conversation with Soma. She was easy to talk to, a woman who certainly seemed to know her way around any social situation. Something you both admired and envied. 

“Why are you flying to Grantebridge?” you asked. 

“I just moved there,” Soma said, “What about you?”

“Not in Grantebridge proper but I’m from the area,” you replied, “Ravensburg, it’s a small town southeast of Grantebridge but I’ve lived there for a while now.”

“Perhaps you can show me around when we get there,” she said.

You grinned, feeling somewhat happy for the first time that day, “I’d love to.”

She revealed she had been in the military to help her get through college, just having returned to civilian life after her term of service ended. She was moving to Grantebridge for a job in business, she was a dealmaker of sorts.

By the time you had gotten to the front of the line, you were feeling a lot more relaxed with Soma. She had a grounding presence, a quiet assuredness that seemed to emanate from her and affect those around her. You groaned slightly when the agent waved you over, your previous stress and anxiety returning like a tidal wave. When you walked up to the kiosk, the agent looked at you and then at Soma who had now stepped up beside you, “Are you two together?” 

“We were on the same flight,” Soma answered before you could, “It’s been a very long day for the both of us, we’d both like to get booked on the next flight out of here.”

The agent frowned, “That’s going to be difficult, we’re already booked through Tuesday…”

That was when you learned Soma could be an incredibly shrewd negotiator.

You could only watch in wonderment as she politely but assertively talked to the ticketing agent, managing to snag you at least standby tickets on the next flights and booked for a flight that he had initially said was already full. However when it came to hotels, even if she could get you two vouchers for a room, you were shit out of luck unless Soma could manage to talk down the atmosphere itself.

Snow had already clogged up the freeways outside of the airport and despite the small army of plows the city operated - they weren’t able to keep up with the drifting and still falling snow outside. You were well and truly stuck at the airport until the weather cleared. With how bad the storm was outside, you were wondering if you’d ever get out of this mess. 

“Ugh,” Soma said once you two had left the desk, “I thought I could get us a better deal, I’m sorry.”

“Are you kidding me?” you said, “If it were only me up there talking to that guy … I’d have been stuck here for the next week.”

“It’s all about knowing their policies and being a bit firm with them also helps,” Soma said with a wink and a smile. 

Your mind went straight into the gutter with that last statement, imagining her being firm with you. In bed. Gods you were hopeless but any distraction from your current predicament was welcome.

It was getting dark and you and Soma agreed to stick together for safety and scope out a quiet corner of the terminal to get some rest in. The airport, bless them, had started putting out mats for stranded passengers to sleep on and you both managed to snag one each. A cozy little alcove between two charging counters in one of the less crowded terminals provided a relatively private spot for you two to get some rest. As you two were getting set up you espied another stranded passenger looking around at the carts that the airport staff had set the mats on. There were none left and she was looking increasingly desperate. 

While you weren’t keen on sleeping on the hard, thinly carpeted floor of the terminal, you also couldn’t bear to see someone else in the same predicament. Before Soma could react, you had picked up your own mat and approached the woman, “Here,” you said as you handed her the mat. 

“Are you sure?” she asked. 

You shrugged with a smile, “I’ll be fine.” 

She thanked you profusely before going on her way, deciding to find her own quiet corner to bed down for the night. You walked back to Soma now minus your sleeping mat and she said, “That was nice of you.” 

“She looked like she needed it,” you said, placing your coat on the ground and fluffing it up a little. It would be painful but you’d be fine for the night. 

And you seriously hoped this storm would only last for the night.

You looked up at Soma and she was watching you, frowning. She didn’t appear to be frowning at you specifically but even so you stopped what you were doing and looked up questioningly at her. 

“You can take my mat,” she said, “I’ll sleep on the floor.”

“No, I can’t let you sleep on the floor,” you said, not wanting her to be uncomfortable for your sake.

“I can’t let you sleep on the floor either,” Soma replied just as firmly, “I’ll be fine. This is a five-star hotel compared to what I’ve slept in.”

“That doesn’t make me feel any better about this,” you said, “It’s your mat. I’ll manage.” 

“Technically it’s the airport’s mat.” 

“Soma.”

She crossed her arms and her face made it obvious that she wasn’t welcoming any more arguments. You sighed in defeat, “I guess I can’t offer the compromise that we both share the mat?” 

“That’s a very small mat,” Soma pointed out.

“It could fit us both,” you said. You weren’t entirely wrong, the mat was about the size of a twin mattress. You could both feasibly fit on it if you weren’t afraid of essentially cuddling for the entire night. While you had meant the statement in a purely utilitarian aspect: you both would be more comfortable on the mat, you could see the slight discomfort on Soma’s face at the suggestion and mentally kicked yourself, “I’m sorry I overstepped-”

“You’re fine,” she said, “Take the mat tonight.” 

She offered to watch your stuff while you went to find yourself dinner. There wasn’t much luck finding any place still open but you managed to snag a sandwich, chips, and a soda from a shop and made your way back to your “camp”. Soma had set up her sleeping spot next to your mat, laying out her jacket so it lay between her and the floor and her pillow was a rolled up t-shirt from her bag. You winced at the arrangement. 

You had friends who were ex-military, you knew they could sleep on a bed of rocks if they needed to, but it still didn’t make it okay. You also knew that most people were uncomfortable with the aspect of cuddling with someone they just met in an airport. Your stupid mouth moved before your brain had time to shut it down, “I’m sorry about earlier. I didn’t mean to sound like a creep, I just didn’t feel okay with you sleeping on the floor.”

She said your name as she put her hand on your shoulder, “You’re fine, I know you didn’t mean anything untoward by it. We’ll talk about this later when we’ve both got a chance to eat.”

At that she gave you a slight smile and left to find food. You stared after her, putting your hand on where her hand had rested on your shoulder and for the third time that day you couldn’t breathe.

You were hungry but you waited for Soma to return before you started eating. You pretended you were busy with building your own little nest in the alcove. The mat wasn’t exactly comfortable (it really did feel like a slightly softer version of a gym mat) but it certainly had more give to it than the floor. Soma returned a while later with a coffee and a hot sandwich. You raised an eyebrow at her choice of beverage, hoping it was decaf. 

She must have noticed your expression because she shrugged, “Caffeine doesn’t really affect me anymore and I needed something hot.” 

“More of a tea drinker myself,” you said with a chuckle.

She noted your still uneaten sandwich and coke, “Are you not hungry?” 

“No,” you said, “I just got distracted with setting up for the night.”

“Hmm.”

Yeah she definitely didn’t believe you.

You both sat and ate in companionable silence for a while, sitting close together with your backs resting against the wall and watching the people go by. Your quiet section of the terminal had gotten a little more active as stranded travelers began to search for a place to sleep. You yourself were beginning to feel tired from the day's events and you laid down on the mat. You scooted over to the edge and looked pointedly at Soma, patting the empty half next to you. 

“You’re very insistent, you know that?” Soma asked with a hint of amusement.

You snorted, “And you’re very stubborn.”

To your satisfaction she took up a spot on the mat next to you, careful not to invade your personal space any more than she already was. You turned onto your side, back to her and facing the wall. You gathered your coat under your head as a pillow and closed your eyes. 

No one ever rests well in an airport and you were no exception. The sounds of people walking around and the quiet chatter kept you in a light slumber for the next hour or so. In the back of your mind, you were worried someone would come over and steal your stuff. Every 15 minutes you heard the chime and the monotonous female voice over the PA system reminding everyone to never leave bags unattended. 

That was never conducive to sleep. 

You pulled the free end of your jacket over your head in an attempt to muffle the noise. 

The airport had gotten chillier in the night, the temperatures outside dropping to below zero in the storm and the heating system could barely keep up. You shivered slightly as you dozed and Soma must have heard or felt you because she asked in a voice thick with sleep, “Cold?” 

“Little bit,” you answered just as groggily, not quite sure if you were in a dream or awake. You heard her shift around and a moment later a warm weight settled over you and you realized it was her jacket. The smell of warm leather and coffee enveloped you and you slowly felt yourself drift off into a deeper sleep. The next time you woke up, you noticed there was a new weight on you and it took you a moment to realize Soma had scooted much closer to you overnight, her arm draped almost protectively over your midriff and her front pressing softly against your back. You weren’t entirely sure if the move was conscious on her part or if she had moved in her sleep but you didn’t particularly mind too much. In moments you were asleep again.

You were awoken again many hours later by someone gently shaking your shoulder. You sat up, disoriented and looked up to see Soma crouched on the ground next to you. She had two styrofoam cups in hand, one with a tea tag sticking out from under the lid, “Morning,” she said as she handed you the cup with the tea tag. 

You took the warm beverage gratefully, rubbing your eyes with your free hand, “What time is it?” 

“A little after 7 am,” she said, “Sorry to wake you but I thought you’d like some breakfast.”

You rolled your neck to stretch it out, thankful you hadn’t gotten a crick in your neck from how you slept. She sat down next to you as she took some breakfast sandwiches out of the bag. The usual greasy fast food fare of some form of sausage or bacon, a fried egg, and cheese sandwiched between two halves of a bun. As you ate you checked your phone, looking over the headlines about the mega bomb cyclone blizzard-pocalypse or whatever the news had decided to call it. You frowned at the news: the blizzard had practically stalled out over your section of the country. The meteorologists weren’t expecting things to improve any time soon with travel being snarled for the foreseeable future. 

“Ugh,” you moaned, “Yule’s going to be long over by the time we get out of here.” 

You buried your head in your hands and took a deep breath. The whole situation did feel hopeless - you knew you were going to get out of this eventually, you’d get on a flight home, you’d get out of this stupid airport… That didn’t change how overwhelmed you felt in the moment.

“Hej,” you heard Soma set down her cup and felt her hand resting between your shoulder blades, rubbing comforting circles on your back, “I know, it sucks.”

You appreciated her comforting gesture. She didn’t make you feel bad for feeling overwhelmed, she didn’t tell you to get over it or that things would get better or a number of other things you knew deep down but couldn’t bring yourself to accept at the moment. She was there for you and it helped you calm yourself down after a few moments. 

Soma kept up the calming motion and when you looked up, she had gone silent, her lips pursed in thought. Finally, she snapped her fingers as her face lit up, “Pack up … I have an idea.” 

She stood up and offered her hand and helped you up, “We’re going to play a little game.” 

“What?” 

Your stress and anxiety was momentarily replaced by confusion and curiosity as to what she was getting at. 

“It’s Yule,” she said, eyes glittering with barely contained excitement, “And what better way to celebrate than with gift giving!” 

For a moment you thought she had lost her mind but she continued on, “You and I are going to split up and look for presents for each other. We’ll meet back here in an hour and exchange gifts.” 

You knew what she was doing: trying to distract you, to get your current predicament off your mind. Begrudgingly you noted that it was working as your mind went into overdrive while you packed, trying to figure out what in the Hel Soma would like. By the time you two had finished packing and exchanged phone numbers in case anything happened, you still were drawing a blank. 

“C’mon,” you called out to her as she walked away, “You could at least give me a hint!”

She turned to you, grinning as she gave an exaggerated shrug, arms half raised in the air, “Surprise me!”

And with that she disappeared into the throngs of travelers and left you alone to your racing thoughts. You closed your eyes and rubbed your forehead, trying to think about what this woman - a total stranger to you 12 hours ago - would even like. While she seemed to have a good read on you, you weren’t sure if you had a good read on her. The airport was massive, a major international hub, and thus was practically a mall that people passing through could peruse while waiting for their connections or panickedly buy a last second expensive present for their friends or loved ones.

There was a wide range of stores from overpriced fashion brands to shops selling marked up candy and essentials and kitschy tourist gear. 

Out of that range where would Soma’s preferences lie? 

You walked towards the stores, ruminating on that question. She didn’t seem the type to be interested in super expensive or ostentatious jewelry - or at least she wasn’t wearing any. Talking to her, she seemed more of a practical woman, everything she owned having to have a purpose. You doubted she’d want you to spend an exorbitant amount of money on her anyway - so the luxury stores were out. 

Behind you you heard a harsh beep and you turned to see an annoyed airline employee sitting behind the wheel of a motorized cart with several equally annoyed looking passengers in the seats behind him. You gave them a sheepish grin as you stepped out of the way. You looked around you, still trying to figure out what she’d want. 

A mug or a bag of candy just seemed too little for her, especially after all she had done to help you. A gift card, while always a safe option, seemed like a total cop out. Gods this was proving difficult. 

You decided to just window shop and see what caught your eye. Five minutes after walking up and down the main concourse where all the shops were, you were still completely and utterly stumped. You thought back to every interaction you’ve had with her so far - she had a leather jacket and overcoat but like you: she seemed to have foregone wearing anything more than a light flannel and a t-shirt inside the terminal. It did get rather chilly that night, you remembered waking up shivering. For a brief moment, you could almost smell the warm leather and coffee scent of her coat. Sure she seemed like a hardened badass immune to the cold but well … 

Everyone likes a warm hoodie.

But what color to get? She had been wearing a lot of blue - a blue t-shirt and a blue plaid flannel. Her rollerboard was a deep navy color. It really brought out her eyes … 

Focus.

You were standing in front of one of those overpriced retail shops that sold various travel essentials as well as random touristy crap. What really caught your eye were the hoodies - specifically the blue ones. They were a nice navy color and bore the name of a sports team you never even heard of. In the back of your mind as you stood in line at the register, you hoped that she at least held neutral feelings towards the team on the sweater. Else this was going to be very awkward.

At the last moment, you threw a sharable bag of Skittles into your purchase. The hour was soon up and you returned to your rendezvous point, bag in hand. Soma was already there, leaning casually against the counter as she played on her phone. She looked up as you approached, giving you a small smile and a nod in greeting, “Were you successful?” 

“I hope so,” you replied and you handed her the bag, “It is a little hard shopping for someone you’ve just met.”

She chuckled lightly, “I wasn’t expecting you to get me the perfect gift you know. I just wanted to get your mind off of things for at least a little while.”

“I know,” you said, genuinely grateful for her help, “Thank you.”

She opened the bag and took out the hoodie you bought for her. She genuinely smiled and sounded absolutely sincere when she said, “I love it. Thank you.” 

“Please tell me you’re at least neutral to that team,” you said. 

She frowned as she looked at the logo and name on the sweater and your heart nearly stopped.

“I’ve never heard of this team. Ever.”

Oh thank the gods.

“I mean it though, this is great - it did get rather chilly last night didn’t it?” she said.

“That it did,” you agreed, “I wish I had worn more than just my t-shirt under my coat.”

She gave you a chuckle as she handed you your bag, “Then you’re going to like what I got you.”

Her eyes twinkled as if holding back more laughter than the reserved chuckle. As if she were amused by some joke unknown to you as of yet. The moment you pulled out the exact same blue sweater you had just given Soma you understood her amusement. 

“Oh gods.” 

“Looks like we were on the same wavelength,” she said with a grin. 

“Great minds and all that, huh,” you replied with a grin of your own and you pulled the hoodie on. It fit well, large enough to be comfortable but not feel like you were swimming in it. She pulled on her own hoodie.

You two decided to take a walk through the airport - it was better than sitting around and waiting for news. You felt almost giddy as she offered her arm and you walked down the halls. You two were probably the only ones in the airport that were relatively happy. After a few laps around the airport, stopping every so often to watch the snow still swirling around outside (and to take a selfie in front of anything vaguely rainbow colored once you two had realized you both were incredibly gay), you returned to your original spot to sit down and rest. Soma got up to grab you both food while you watched the bags. 

She returned a little while later with food and a couple of sodas. You pulled out your laptop and with the spotty airport wifi and sharing a single pair of earphones, you sat next to each other and watched the sappiest Yule-themed movie you could possibly find. You opened the bag of Skittles and offered her some.

The plot was the typical high powered business woman with a boyfriend goes to a small town and falls in love with a conventionally attractive and down to earth farmer-type; and the movie buffered every two minutes … but it was good fun. And you couldn’t deny that you enjoyed being close to Soma. At some point you rested your head on her shoulder and aside from her shifting slightly to make both you and her more comfortable, she didn’t seem to mind, only giving you a gentle smile before turning her attention back to the screen. 

The snow finally tapered off that afternoon with the howling winds slowly decreasing in intensity until the white out conditions were only intermittent. A little after sunset you both had gotten a news bulletin that the roads around the city were reopening as the plows finally were able to clear the major highways. Soma stood up, directing you to stay and watch the bags as she went to talk to one of the customer service agents with the airline.

Half an hour later she came back with good news - she had talked them into getting her a voucher for a hotel room overnight. There weren’t many rooms left with the hotels quickly filling up now that people were able to get to them. She offered to share the room with you and the promise of a hot shower and an actual bed was too good to pass up. 

“The only room I could get has a king sized bed,” she said apologetic. 

“Soma,” you said, “We literally just slept together on a tiny ass mat.”

“Fair enough.” 

As you laid in bed that night, Soma not having any issues now with curling around you protectively in her sleep, you remembered all the cheesy news articles you had read about people finding companionship while stranded at an airport. You hadn’t believed those stories until now. 

You both were able to get on the next flight to Grantebridge, unfortunately though you weren’t in adjacent seats. The last time you saw each other was at the baggage claim, you had offered to drive her to her home but she unfortunately had arranged for her own transportation. 

“Thank you,” you said, “For everything.”

You opened your arms slightly, giving her a hopeful look and Soma laughed, pulling you into a tight embrace. She kissed you on your forehead as you reluctantly separated, “I’ll see you around,” she said and she disappeared out the door to the waiting town car.

-

You practically collapsed face first into your bed when you got back home, groaning into the pillows in relief as you finally found yourself able to relax for the first time in days. Beneath you you felt your phone buzz and you dug around in the pocket of your hoodie until you found it. You pulled the phone out from under you and looked at the screen - a text from Soma:

“So when can you show me around town? :)” 

Grinning and your exhaustion forgotten, you sat up to text her back.

#soma jarlskona #soma x reader #soma assassin's creed #one-hundred-percent a self indulgent coping mechanism for my airport woes #seriously I just have the worst luck with air travel and I think I pissed off a weather god at some point in my life