#thread: 002

[kransen]

Closed Starter: Astrid & Isla (@wvsteria)

"Seriously?"

Astrid's tone is incredulous as she takes in the row - and it's more than just one row, at that - of bread. It's true, they once had a competition amongst traders on Berk for the best tasting food but that was cooking, with spices. This is something else, she thinks, picking up a half-loaf of nutty honey wheat bread. "Why does anyone need this many types of bread?" She's speaking to herself, but she's not exactly quiet about it.

[mr-stjames-icon]

Thread 002: Autumn Air (St. Anderson)

@imcooperanderson

Jesse leant over to the bedside table to shut off the gentle humming which was growing louder from his phone. He smiled looking over at the sleeping Cooper next to him and made his way to the bathroom. Jesse had a very strict ritual when he woke up.

First, he would wash his face in cold water, then moisturise and then, brush his teeth. Then, he would hop in the shower for roughly fifteen minutes, or however long it took him quietly sing along to his ‘Show Jams’ playlist. Lastly, Jesse would moisturise his face once again. He had a bad case of acne when he was fourteen and had never looked back on taking care of his face.

He walked out of the shower, water running down his chest as he made his way over to the dresser. He picked up his clothes which he had left on top from the night before and looked down once again at the sleeping Cooper. It was strange to watch someone when they were sleeping, yet Cooper seemed so peaceful and quiet. It was a rare treat.

He checked his watch. 09:30. If he was quick, he could still catch that early morning breeze that came with being an early bird. He fastened up his running shoes, placed his sweatband over his forehead and strapped his iPod to his arm as he set off out of the streets of New York City for his morning run.

New York surely seemed to never sleep as he already saw the streets moving with life, cars running down the street and school children on their way to school or a lack of intention to go to school. God, how he wished he grew up in this city. The crisp, cool, September air bit his nose and cheeks but he didn’t mind, it made him feel alive.

The run went smoothly only this time, something caught his eye. A new flashy poster had been put up on his favourite, quiet, café. He stopped outside to catch his breath and took his phone out of its holder and took a picture of the poster, his face lighting up. “Good morning Ronda…” Jesse said happily as he walked into the café for his morning porridge with jam and hot cup of tea.

                                                            *

At 10:30, Jesse returned to their apartment. He changed into his casual clothes; a black shirt, black denim unbutton shirt, a pair of black skinny jeans and even though he barely wore hats, a black hat which he borrowed from Cooper, turned backwards. Today didn’t feel like a great hair day.

He sat at his usual spot, turned on the TV to whatever was on and set to work replying to emails, playing the Sims and social media, his wait for Cooper to wake up starting. However, he knew if he wasn’t up before 12pm then he would have to wake him up. He checked the picture on his phone which he took earlier and grinned happily. He was going to win big boyfriend points for sure.

[caedinsampson]

         Nervous? What? He wasn’t nervous. Caedin Sampson does not get nervous. That’s not palm sweat, that’s humidity in the air that he will wipe on the cloth napkin when they are actually sitting down. For now, they’re in the car to arrive as a family, Paxton in the second row in a booster seat while Caedin reiterates one more time to Jenny how to act with the people. And some specific things to mention and do. He already tried to tell Pax again, but the kid was smarter than Caedin ever hoped his self would be, or that’s what he said as he chuckled to the responses given before turning attention back to Jenny. “There’s no script, so don’t sound robotic, be natural, please.” He had to remind himself that in his head and he was feeling like a real ass playing it this way. All he wanted was more vacation time. He could have just asked and explained why and what he’d have actually done with it rather than what he’s doing now, but he got himself into this situation and was burying himself deeper, as you do, right? But deep inside he was berating himself, you best believe. Oh well. This had to work, and whatever, this would ensure it so happy. He was happy. Happy couple. Happy son. Happy wife. Happy life. Tough each of those words should have quotation marks -- “happy,” “couple,” “wife,” “child,” -- moving on.

Soon enough, they were at the restaurant to meet with his boss and the rest of the invited co-workers and their families. Deep breaths as they walked to the table behind a seater and his entire demeanor almost changed, suddenly Caedin was acting, well, not himself -- not as Jenny and Pax had seen him. It wasn’t right, but. But. Taking his head boss’ hand, he shook it with a “hello, sir,” then a “may I introduce you to my wife,” and a step aside to reveal her and Pax, “Jenny and Paxton,” to which the boss joked, “so which name is which and Caedin fake laughed to before they were pointed to open seats and he looked back to Jenny, before leading the way and pulling her chair out before taking Paxton toward the end of the table with the kids so he could have more of a fun time than he ( Caedin ) was likely to. They’ve got this. Maybe. ( @jennydalton / @harrymarkle )

[thehitwoman]

Silver knew she looked good in her dress. It was a well fitted one with a sizable slit down the leg that meant she could access her weapons easily. It clung to every curve in the right way and hid anything that she might have been insecure about. Perhaps that wasn’t something that the hitman should have been worried about, given what she was planning to do that night but it helped if you felt confident. She knew that much. Confidence had a lot to do with her job. Her hair laid in soft curls down her back and her make up was light for once, giving her the air of someone who was easily broken when the opposite was true. It felt as though she was playing a character.

When she walked into the lounge, wolf whistles followed, which she promptly killed with giving them the finger and a glare. She just looked at James, who looked damn good in his suit and gave him a slight smile. Least he was actually doing his job. “Ready to go?”

[theowlthatsaidwhat-blog]

( origin )

;; count your blessings (2) -- @sclvatcr

                     Without fail, every  GOD DAMNED  time he allowed himself to actually break,someone was there to interrupt. Kevin half expected Negan to tell him to ‘put a plug in his vagina’ as his brother had always, without fail, told him because men were  HARD HEARTED  and could withstand the worst emotional upsets. Having to bury his wife with no sight of his daughter had taken its toll. There’d been no red balloon left and it felt that her trail had grown cold even though he  NEEDED   to hold out to the last sliver of hope that his daughter was still alive and  SAFE.  At Negan’s assurances, Kevin wiped at his face, wanting to wipe away the overwhelming loss that he was feeling before he turned to the Savior’s leader.  ❝ Alex didn’t believe her mother really  LOVED  her. Eve had her own  UNIQUE  way of showing her love, ❞ he stood, anger and woe crossing over his features as he leaned upon a counter before the  ANGER  overwhelmed him and the few meager possessions he had were thrown to the floor, ❝ and now that love has my daughter out there somewhere. ❞

He wasn’t angry with his wife nor did he blame her, but contained anger was the  ONLY  way he could truly get through it. Though, he hated that his emotions were boiling over in front of a man that had once threatened him with that shit ass baseball bat.

[kennedyldevin]

you and me | sam & kennedy

@samuelwarwick

     The room was silent, which was completely fine with Kennedy. It had been a while since he was completely alone in a safe place and honestly, he kind of missed that feeling. It wasn’t like Sam was that far away and same with Charlie. Both boys were only a short distance from him. He was trying not to think about what he’d done earlier, but it was difficult. He knew if Sam find out, that would be the end of their relationship. Kennedy had done the one thing Sam asked him not to do. It was the one thing he’d promised never to do. Yet, he’d done it. All because his best friend -- a boy he’d loved his entire life -- had said I love you. To Kennedy those words were all powerful. He had always wanted to hear Charlie say those words in more than a friendship way. It was icing on the cake that Charlie loved Sam too. Kennedy was already having illusions of grandeur about the the three of them together. And that’s what he was trying not to think about because nothing had changed.  

     The boy sat up in bed and looked around the room. It was empty beside him in the bed, but he felt comfortable. Kennedy was still tired and felt like he could sleep for years. Though he did miss Sam. He had no idea where the boy was. Kennedy slipped out of bed as difficult as it was because the bed smelled like Sam and he’d missed the boy. The door creaked open. “Sam!” he exclaimed, smiling at the boy that had walked into the room. “Hey, are you okay? You look a little upset. Was the planning a bit stressful? Sorry I just woke up, but I’ll be there tomorrow.” Kennedy reached out and smiled at the boy in front of them. He wrapped his arms around Sam. “I missed you, my love.” 

[thexsurvivors]

Damien didn’t sleep much—didn’t allow himself to. When he did, he did so in fifteen to thirty minute increments and his hand never left his weapon. The rest of the time he spent checking the other rooms to make sure Rohan was still there, but more importantly that the other two additions weren’t doing anything they weren’t supposed to.

They were seemingly harmless (but nothing in this world was harmless), one of them was always up as the other slept. Damien didn’t acknowledge them as he walked through the building. Mostly for his own self-preservation. Just knowing they were there made him feel murderous.

He was waiting for the other ball to drop.

Apart from his utter lack of sleep and the fact that he was getting more irritable each time he forced himself to wake up, the night was quiet. The rising of the sun came without an ambush, betrayal, or gunfire.

It meant nothing to Damien.

Fireflies were smart. Just because nothing happened in the past few hours didn’t mean that everything was safe and clear. Last he checked head Firefly chick still had a face he didn’t trust and her little miniature was still a wild card.

Just thinking about the two in the next room causes his blood to boil and he has to calm himself down before he does something stupid. His hand twitches to pull the trigger of his gun. It would be so easy—so quick.

The only think stopping him is Rohan.

With a frustrated noise, Damien pushes himself off the dingy ass couch he was laying on and make his way through the main room (ignoring the other two like he does best) and to where Rohan is. 

Rohan is already awake when Damien walks in. She’s lacing up her combat boots, preparing for the journey to come. She looks up at him when she’s finished and looks him up and down analytically. “You didn’t sleep at all, did you?” she asks him.

“You brought strangers,” he replies, making his way to the other side of the room and looking out the window. “You’re telling me you slept the entire time?”

“I would have,” Rohan replies as she stands up and makes her way over to him. The sunlight shines on her and makes her eyes squint. She lifts her hand up to block it. “But someone—Damien—decided he was going to have a temper tantrum and slept in a separate room.”

They both knew that wasn’t the only reason, but neither of them were going to bring it up. 

He brings his hand up and grabs her wrist in order to un-shade her eyes. The sun brings out the golden tones deep within her eyes that reminds him of a simpler time. 

Rohan looks away and then goes to grab her jacket, slipping it on. “As fun as it is to watch you mentally run down memory lane and remind me that you have emotions not shadowed by survival, we need to get food and supplies.”

Damien lets the memory pass and focuses on the task at hand. “Those extra ration cards are coming out of your stash—they can starve for all I care.” 

The two of them walk back out to the main room, Rohan standing in front of him as a barrier. Rohan tells them that they’ll be back and for them not to leave. “Unless you absolutely want to—I’m sure the guards won’t notice.” Rohan shoves her elbow into him and then drags him out of the room and downstairs.

It’s a little over half an hour before they’re back. Rohan tosses some bread, jam, and water at the two girls. “Alright, where are we headed?” she asks, regarding the question mark that is what they’re supposed to be smuggling. Something Damien already went off on her for not knowing when she admitted it to him earlier.  

[jchnnybender]

more than words

@clairestcndish

Valentine’s Day had snuck up on John. It was only when he woke up in the morning and rolled over in bed to press his morning wood against his redheaded girlfriend’s shapely ass in greeting, and heard her murmur “Happy Valentine’s Day, indeed.” that he was even aware that today wasn’t just an ordinary Tuesday. This observation was heightened when he walked into school with Claire and saw couples and friends alike exchanging cards, flowers, and chocolates. There were even a few girls with big stuffed teddy bears. 

He felt bad that he didn’t have anything special planned for Claire, and that was exacerbated by lunch time when Claire mentioned that today was also their five month anniversary. Sure, John played along in front of their friends like he hadn’t entirely forgotten, but internally, he tried to come up with some idea of what to get for the girl he loved. While bored during a lecture in English class, he even wrote out ideas on a scrap of paper:

Big stuffed teddy bear

Flowers

Chocolate

Eat her out

Sex?

Lingerie??

They were wholly unoriginal ideas. He’d bought her lingerie for Christmas, so that was out. And getting her a stuffed bear would just end with her cuddling more with the bear and less with him. Eating her out was essentially a given, they’d been fooling around more and more since they first night he’d moved in. But sex? He didn’t wanna hold his breath, but he did feel a little hopeful. After school, he made out with Claire by his truck before she went into her cheer practice. Saying goodbye to her kind of sucked but he had an errand to run (but he told her he had to stop by the garage for a bit) and made his way to CVS. He poked around there, picking up a bouquet of red roses and a heart-shaped box of chocolates before trying to come up with something original to make it seem like he hadn’t planned this at the last minute. Finally, he wound up around the multimedia section and found a set of blank CDs. A mix CD! Confidently, he also picked up a pack of condoms and lube, which earned him a quizzical look from the cashier. 

Once back in the comfort of Claire’s (and, technically, his) bedroom, he opened her laptop and opened her iTunes. He scrolled through the library before opening one of his boxes of records and CDs that were stored in one of the spare bedrooms and pulled out all the albums that had at least one song that reminded him of Claire. It took a while to upload the songs to her iTunes and then longer still to put the songs he had carefully chosen into a specific, natural order. He had just burned the CD and was decorating the cover with Sharpie when he saw a car pull into the driveway. Laying out the gifts on the bed, he ran downstairs to greet her at the door. “Hey, gorgeous. How was cheer practice?” He pressed a kiss to her lips and before she could even really respond, he tugged on her hands, pulling her toward the stairs. “I know today’s our anniversary and apparently also the most romantic holiday, so, um, I got you a little something.” He led her up the stairs and into the bedroom before taking the CD and putting it into the stereo he’d brought from his dad’s. He sat down next to her and looked at her before pressing play. “I made you a mix CD. And it’s got all the songs... Well, not all. I guess there will have to be a volume 2... But it’s these songs that, uhhh, make me think of how I feel about you. So, yeah.” He finished lamely, his face a little flush because talking about how he felt wasn’t really his forte. He bit down on his lower lip and pressed play.