#"Old Scratch"

[brgndyhydrangeas]

"It took me many years of hatred and self-loathing to get to be someone who loves. And I try to prevent that other people will take just as long, because love is such a wonderful thing. Not the romantic one, oh no— people yearn and ache so hard for romantic love because we are never taught about all the love around us. A friend holding up your hair up when you puke while drunk, the loving hands of a mother cooking a meal, the awkward ways of a father to show affection. A stray compliment from a stranger, a teacher who praised an assignment of yours, a girl who offers you a pad. Love, love, love. Some less meaningful than others, maybe feeble, maybe a lie, but it's so much better to be kind in such a harsh world, because there's no reason to make it unnecessarily harder."

Original posting date: January 25th, 2023 / 11:52 pm

[church-of-the-whisper]

JOB 39:19-25

Do you give the horse its strength or clothe its neck with a flowing mane? Do you make it leap like a locust,   striking terror with its proud snorting? It paws fiercely, rejoicing in its strength,   and charges into the fray. It laughs at fear, afraid of nothing;   it does not shy away from the sword. The quiver rattles against its side,   along with the flashing spear and lance. In frenzied excitement it eats up the ground;   it cannot stand still when the trumpet sounds. At the blast of the trumpet it snorts, ‘Aha!’   It catches the scent of battle from afar,   the shout of commanders and the battle cry.

[nato-obenkrieger]

Hihihi you should totally draw transfem John (idk what her name would be but she's silly) 🥰🥰🥰

IVE NEVER THOUGHT OF THIS HEADCANON BEFORE BUT IM KIND OF IN LOVE WITH IT?????

I DONT KNOW WHAT HER NAME WOULD BE EITHER. BUT I LOVE HER A LOT.

also very very quick record scratch doodle where both of them are transfem under the cut

i’m feeling very yurious so get this

[zentenal]

‘You know the world won’t see it that way’

‘But the history books will’

-A fucking Zukka fanfic (Real Slow by surveycorpsjean on ao3) and not by an ancient philosopher or some shit

[kind-of-a-shitty-wizard]

Tell me about jeeves and wooster like you're a car salesman (I want to get into it now because of you 🤝 just curious what to look for and where, share your mighty old man yaoi wisdom)

HELLO !! AAA tysm for the ask... id be delighted to give a rec to the ceo of old man yaoi herself lol, im putting on my best car salesman voice!! :D

okok so. this car is for you. i remember you mentioning that u like characters who are competent / good advice-givers / surrounded by idiots but arent leaders themselves, and this is jeeves in spades teeheee...

he and bertie wooster are from the series by P. G. Wodehouse set in the 1920s-1930s about this well-meaning dorky guy who keeps getting into trouble (thats bertie) and his amazingly competent valet (jeeves!!!!) - and their dynamic is amazing. it's a little more lighthearted than sheo/haskill or butler/craftsman i think but you may still like it :D

jeeves is so much more competent and intelligent than bertie but always has bertie's best interests at heart. they still have little spats over silly things, like bertie's ugly ties, so jeeves gets to have his prissy little "very good sir 😒" moments <33

the books (all free on Gutenberg) can be read in any order and the tv show episodes (all on Youtube) can be watched in any order :] so u can jump around to see what u like, but if i were to recommend a specific place to begin, it would be this wonderfully-edited video that sums up their dynamic, so u can see if it might be up ur alley:

if u wanted to start w the books id actually give an unorthodox rec which is the short story Bertie Changes His Mind, cos it's brief, it's the only story from the perspective of jeeves, and it offers so much insight into their relationship. and tbh its very gay and basically reads as though it was written by haskill

(^ me revealing the fact that that i got into J&W bc of haskill... the haskill-to-any-other-snarky-butler-character pipeline is so real. plus haskill and sheogorath have been compared to jeeves and wooster sooo <3)

OK THATS IT... thank you sm for the ask i got extremely carried away i just love these two fr <33

[viofficial]

OC Greatest Hits Tag

[pt: oc greatest hits tag. end pt].

rules: Choose an OC and pick 5-10 of your favorite quotes from them (without context). Optional: Tell me why you chose them!

i was tagged by @bee-barnes-author tyyy im sorry i havent gotten around to this till now

anyway top 5 artemis quotes lets gooooooo

"What was all that about youkai, by the way? I only know very little about this place. Guess I didn't do my homework."

"Well, if we're exchanging niceties, then I might as well introduce myself. I'm Artemis, and it would be nice if you didn't kill me or this person... or. Goomba...? That you consider a youkai. I'm sure we can work something out. Maybe..."

"Haven't you heard of 'sharing is caring?' I'm sure there's plenty to go around."

Artemis takes an insect from the concrete and crushes it between his fingers. “Oh, that? They do that sometimes.”

“Guess we have to calm down two people,” Artemis says. “Any takers?”

open tag!! no pressure to reply/reblog

[incorrect-para-quotes]

(Liam: sweats because his parents are fine and alive but they don't want anyone else to know that)

[boiohboii]

The Lost Keychain

(Max Verstappen x f!reader)

When Max loses a key chain gifted to him by his girlfriend, the world realises that a race track isn't the only thing he dominates in.

or

When Max's girlfriend shocks the world about how she has 2 different personalities.

WARNINGS: NOT PROOFREAD, JUST SOMETHING QUICK, A BIT SUGGESTIVE. no actual smut but description of a spicy position in a photo and a suggestive quote engraved on key chain.

Masterlist

Everyone knows how much Max hates media days and reporters invading his privacy, he hates talking about his personal life, especially his girlfriend.

When they first started dating Max tried to keep her away from the media as much as possible, and no one blamed him seeing how sweet, kind and lovely she is, nowadays some of his fans even save her from reporters during race weekends, everyone loved her and they all followed Max's footsteps into protecting the sweet, shy girl.

So maybe this was his fault, actually scratch that, it is definitely his fault, he shouldn't have lost such a precious gift. He feels like everyone is watching his every move much more than usual ever since the incidence at the redbull garage got out, but what can he do, after all a gift like that shouldn't have even been outside of his hotel room.

"Guys, who lost their keychain?"

A redbull mechanic screamed over the noise as he waves the found item around, jiggling sounds from what appears to be multiple house keys and two gate keys gradually drawing the attention of the entire redbull garage.

"Why would anyone even bring their house keys to the garage?" an intern dismissed "none of us have a house in this country man."

Shrugging, the mechanic decided to keep it with him until it's owner realises, and until then he decided to just examine it, maybe there'd be a clue of who it belongs to.

The chocking sound alerted some fellow mechanics, making them get closer to the one who was now red faced with wide eyes looking at the lost keychain.

"Damn," a mechanic said as he took the keychain "that's one lucky motherfucker"

Other mechanics make their way over to the commotion, a crowd forming to see why such an item is taking so much attention.

It was a silver keychain, that much was seen by all the mechanics from afar, what wasn't seen from afar however was what had all of them coughing awkwardly, some even blushing.

On one side of the diamond shaped chain you can see the words 'welcum home. Dinner is ready.' Now, you would think that the pun is just weirdly placed and doesn't match with the sweet message, but the message was intended to be anything but sweet. Turning the chain to its other face, you would see another engravement. A picture. A woman who appeared to be resting on a flat surface supporting her weight on one elbow so that she can lift her torso up, with her legs wide open, palm covering her and a bike helmet on her head. But it wasn't a bike helmet, it was a helmet with an outline that's eerily similar to the design of Max Verstappen's 2021 helmet.

"Holy shit."

"Do you think-"

"Hey, has anyone seen a silver diamond shaped keychain?" The familiar voice of their three times world champion cut through their talking, making them all look like they were 5 year old children with their hand in a cookie jar way past their bedtime. And Max noticed.

Walking closer to the mechanics Max's cheeks got redder and redder with each step, coughing and smiling awkwardly.

"So," clearing his throat in a failed attempt to make things not so tense "that's mine, give it back."

Trembling hands dropped the silver item into Max's awaiting palm before he clenched it around the treasured chain, turning and taking his leave.

"What did you guys do to Max? His face and ears are all red." GP's voice cut through the awkward atmosphere, no one knowing what to say or do.

Noticing the environment and reading the room, GP laughed as he looked at the rest of his colleges. "Did he lose the keychain again?"

[7s3ven]

Hear me out guys… retired soldiers now bodyguards! task force 141 x spoiled heiress! reader

( just an idea )

You’re like, a nutcase. Your father adores you but sometimes you can go out of control. Like for instance, the time you jumped off a cliff into the ocean below to impress a boy.

Yeah, your father wasn’t very impressed with your behaviour.

On top of your recklessness, your father has enemies who always seem to target you. You’re his obvious weakness and he can’t spend another moment of anxiously wondering if you’re okay while he’s working.

So, he hires the best bodyguards he can find. And they turn out to be retired soldiers from an elite unit known as Task Force 141. Perfect.

You don’t take kindly to being continuously followed by four large men who don’t even try to be subtle. It’s not like taking care of you is easy either. You’re a troublemaker, you always have been since your mother left you for another family (your reckless tendencies tend to stem from the fact that you’re causing trouble to get her to notice you again).

Task Force 141 has had enough when you attempt to sneak out of the house to a party on a Friday night. But it seems apart from shopping and acting like a brat, you aren’t good at anything else.

They hear a crash and someone swearing loudly before you roll off the roof, landing in the bushes right outside the window where the four men have a perfect view of you. They were watching a football came until you interrupted.

Jonny bursts into laughter, slapping Gaz out of amusement, while Price fetches you and forces you back inside.

“You know, your house has a back door for a reason.” Simon utters as he cleans your scratches but there’s a mocking indication to his tone.

“Yeah but like, going out the window felt more cool.” You argue back, furrowing your eyebrows.

“Was it cool when you face planted into the ground?”

You can only pout in annoyance.

From then on, they don’t leave you alone, especially not on Friday nights. You have to deal with being squished between Price and Simon as they watch a boring documentary on… fish? Jonny definitely chose that one.

But hey, you aren’t exactly complaining. Being stuck between the two men means being able to feel their muscles and smell their strong cologne. You tolerate the four men more after they cleaned your scratches from landing in a bush and carried you to your bed.

And so what if you catch feelings? Anybody else in your position would have done the same.

“We can’t date ya, lovie. We’re too old and we work for your dad.”

Do you care? Not really.

“My dad literally hired you because I was a troublemaker. Ya think I give a shit? ‘Sides, the older the better.”

Jonny jabs a thumb in Price’s direction, “Even the captain? You should’ve seen ‘im in his prime. Way better looking.” He hands you a picture that he just happens to have of Price.

You glance at it then lift your head to look at Price. Your lips curve into a teasing smile. “Yeah, you’re right. What happened, Captain?” You joke.

INCORRECT QUOTES FOR THE LAUGHS:

Kidnapper, negotiating with TF 141: We have the annoying heiress. Give us ten thousand dollars and they will be returned to you unharmed

Y/N: Whoa, whoa, wait, you think I’m only worth ten thousand dollars. MAKE IT ONE MILLION–

Price: Y/N, STOP

Simon: Can I be frank with you guys?

Jonny: Sure, but I don’t see how changing your name is gonna help.

Gaz: Can I still be Gaz?

Y/N: Shh, let Frank speak.

Gaz: In your opinion, what’s the height of stupidity?

Simon: *turning to Y/N* How tall are you?

Price: Where's Simon, Gaz, and Y/N?

Jonny: They're playing hide and seek.

Price: Where?

Jonny: I don't think you get how this game works.

Y/N: You really put aside everything and came all this way for me? How did you even get here so fast?

Simon: Several traffic violations.

Gaz: Three counts of resisting arrest.

Jonny: Roughly thirteen cans of energy drinks.

Price: Also, that’s not our car.

[bkgsdoll]

i wanted this to rhyme like a dr seuss story but lowk some of them don't make much sense so i apologize!! working on other katsmas stuff now, will hopefully get them out soon <3

grinch!bakugou once celebrated christmas, just once, in his life. though truly, it was only because of you, the perfect girl he'd envisioned as his future wife. he remembers it oh so clearly, that day, so grim and dreary when his punk 8 year old self felt the most bleary. stupid shoto todoroki, with his stupid calmness, had stolen your heart with ease on christmas eve.

grinch!bakugou doesn’t recall how you stared at him in agony when he’d threw a heartbreaking fit over the cruel laughs that had pierced him. he never saw the angry tears in your eyes, the hurt that you couldn’t speak. your quiet sorrow made him believe you were just as weak.

grinch!bakugou spent most of his life on a tall, lonely hill, avoiding the world below, hiding from all the chill. every few weeks, when couraged dared to grow, bakugou would venture to torment whoville, that idiotic little town, to spread his own woe. 

grinch!bakugou hated when little eri strolled into his cave and begged him to come to her town to celebrate christmas. he hated it even more when she whispered with a grin, that you’d be there too, at the whobilation as you'd always been.

grinch!bakugou not so subtly quizzed the precious girl about her “interview” with you, in a twist of a swirl. he’d scrunched up his nose when she shyly quoted your words, “he was a gangly thing, katsuki. i almost fell out my seat when he threw the christmas tree.. nobody knew he had such muscles.” if only you could see him now! all grown and spry, with jacked arms and thighs that could surely defy. bakugou's pride swelled, though he’d never admit, he'd certainly show you, just wait, just sit.

grinch!bakugou who had an internal wrestling match with himself before deciding he’d go. 

grinch!bakugou never hated shoto todoroki as much as he did this day, when he came upon him, the mayor of whoville, standing besides you in his usual cool sway. you, his darling, love, and lady. and believe it or not, bakugou was quite shady, throwing grunts and growls of curses toward the man.

grinch!bakugou couldn’t believe it when the whos around him began cheering at his participation in the whobilation traditions. when he’d harshly judge their puddings with a scowl, they cheered. when he rode around in the chair of cheer as the crowned cheermeister of the year (an odd affair), they cheered louder. when he won the sack race, you cheered too loudly, by mistake, joy bubbling from you, making his heart start to shake.

grinch!bakugou’s festivities were cut short when todoroki handed him a hateful “present” to cause pain, to remind him of his past days as a measly 8 year old strain. his scowl grew bigger still when half and half proposed to you with an abnormally large diamond ring with an icy thrill, along with a brand new car. whoville truly believed the brawn was going to blow up into the stars. 

eri thought for sure that he’d blow them all away, but the grinch had his own role to play. he didn’t like the spotlight, not unless it was for praise, but this time, he took it-- much to their daze. with a sharp nail, he scratched the shiny new ride before grabbing some mistletoe, standing with pride. he flocked up next to you with almost cheeky eyes, and bent over, yelling to all of the town, "KISS MY ASS WHOVILLE!"

that's when chaos began.

the great christmas tree, right in the square, caught fire, ablaze with a fiery flare. but that was just the start of grinch!bakugou’s plan to steal christmas away and ruin the the whos' year.

in a manner so vile, he dressed up as santa, sneaking through homes with a wicked smile. he swiped all the presents, the food, the lights, the furniture too-- and the evil did it with delight.

the next morning, whoville awoke with a cry. the town was in shambles, with no gifts left to buy. while eri’s father, aizawa, stood filled with shame as the mayor accused him at fault, eri climbed the eerie mountain once more, calling bakugou’s name.

she pleaded with him, "save the town, please do!" but he'd come to a realization before she arrived. however, her kind words still reached him, and his heart grew. so down he came, with a sleigh full of loot, riding through whoville to present their belongings.

the whos cheered with relief, but then you cried out, “wait!” you took your ring from the sleigh, and handed it to shoto, sealing your fate. "i’m sorry, my dear, but my heart belongs to another," you said, and then turned to bakugou, who also, turned around, before realizing you meant him!

grinch!bakugou, surprised, paused for a beat. though quickly, a wicked grin spread across his face, his joy complete. with a cruel cackle that rang out, dark and sly, he wiggled his finger at an astonished todoroki who'd sighed in defeat.

grinch!bakugou wrapped an arm around you with a loud, proud shove, still laughing in the mayor’s face. his true love was love. “i guess,” said the crowd, “he’s not changed that much, but perhaps he's found a soft touch.”

[brgndyhydrangeas]

"I want to fall in love. I want the quickened heartbeat, the shaky legs, the blush on my face every time they approach. I want the loving touches, the longing messages, the yearning stares. I want the pain, the heartbreak, the tears. I want it all. I want to love and be loved."

Original posting date: August 25th, 2022 / 11:16 pm

[jnkgrnde]

— weak in the knees, clarisse la rue, pjo

summary — in which, you and clarisse make each other weak in the knees.

pairings — clarisse la rue x black!fem!reader (daughter of aphrodite)

content includes — making out, flirting, clarisse getting flustered can u tell i love writing in-love clarisse, jealous clarisse, gets sorta kinda suggestive, thats about it

authors note — YALL DONT JUMP ME FOR THE LACK OF LONG POSTS PLEEK 🙏🏾🙏🏾 school started back (😒) so posts r gonna be slow but just walk w me!

you were laying in clarrise’s cabin on top of her, laughing while she talked about how she hated the new kid. your nails scratched up against her head, giving her a pleasant feeling.

“baby, lay off him. he’s, like, twelve!” you reminded her. “don’t care. he’s old enough to clearly ‘take down a minotaur’,” she said with air quotes. “he’ll be fine if i dunk him in the toilet.”

it was silent for a moment. “y’so pretty.” you told her, staring at her. her cheeks flushed. “shut up.” she grinned.

it was her turn the next time she wanted to make you shy. you were sitting around the bonfire one night. the camp counselors had their own night three times during the summer, and this was one of their nights. there was a boy from hephaestus cabin trying and failing miserably to flirt with you. you cringed at all the ‘pick-up lines’ he threw out.

“y/n, come here.” you heard your lovers voice call out. you thanked the gods for having her pull you out of this situation. she pulled you to her lap as soon as you got 2 foot near her. she looked at the boy with dark eyes. “what were you and him talking about, angel?” she asked. you were about to answer her when she started kissing on your neck.

“what are you doing?” you asked her. “nothin’, sweetheart. keep talkin’.” that night ended in you two heading back to your cabin to have a makeout session.

you were sat in her lap, her hands on your waist. she kept pushing against you desperately, like she was trying to claim you. you separated to look at her.

“i like when you get jealous, clar.” she smiled up at you. “i know you do, precious. makes me feel all nice.” she told you. she connected her lips back to yours like you were gonna run away.

[prlssprfctn]

"Who Is Afraid of Little Old Me?" is so Jason Todd core, and you are READY for this conversation.

'The scandal was contained

The bullet had just grazed

At all costs, keep your good name

You don't get to tell me you feel bad'

You tell me it is not about that one time Batman had finally faced Red Hood, with Joker being between them - as a reminder and a choice - ended up throwing a batarang in his neck (while Jason barely hurt him) and never told anyone else about this?

Is it a wonder I broke? Let's hear one more joke

Then we could all just laugh until I cry

And you tell me this is not about Jason's death? About his last minutes with Joker, about how they forever imprinted in the core of his memory, to the point that sometimes he laughs at them instinctively, until the realization doesn't kick in?

So I leap from the gallows and I levitate down your street

Crash the party like a record scratch as I scream

"Who's afraid of little old me?"

I was tame, I was gentle till the circus life made me mean

"Don't you worry, folks, we took out all her teeth"

Who's afraid of little old me?

Well, you should be

Is it not Red Hood who is back again, trying to return to Manor to remind others what happened to him?

So tell me everything is not about me

But what if it is?

Then say they didn't do it to hurt me

But what if they did?

… I wanna snarl and show you just how disturbed this has made me

You wouldn't last an hour in the asylum where they raised me

Had Bruce and Dick ever wanted to hurt Jason, both in the past and in the present? No. Did it still happen? Is Jason still the one to live with these memories, unable to explain how it makes him feel? Yes.

So all you kids can sneak into my house with all the cobwebs

I'm always drunk on my own tears, isn't that what they all said?

That I'll sue you if you step on my lawn

That I'm fearsome and I'm wretched and I'm wrong

And if I say it is about Jason and all the kids that came after him that doesn't fully know who he is, but heard stories of Red Hood and violent Robin? They don't know a little boy who thought Robin gave him magic, the boy that died a hero — but they know Red Hood. And they heard of what a doomed, angry Robin he used to be.

And you hurt me

And you taught me

… You caged me and then you called me crazy

I am what I am 'cause you trained me

What is it if not Jason's POV towards Bruce? He is the crazy one now, a killer, a wrong one (not to mention these comics, where they actually threaten to send him to Arkham or Blackgate), but he is his father. His mentor. Still.

And some additional parts I want to add, because I think that they speak volumes too:

- "But my bare hands paved their paths, you don't get to tell me about sad"? I can't fully explain to you what I mean by putting this quote, but it is about Jason, crawling out from his grave (literally) and it is about everyone who stepped on the Robin path after. It is about his family making his death and grief about themselves at some point, leaving him nothing;

- "If you wanted me dead, you should've just said. Nothing makes me feel more alive" just one sentence — it is Jason about the batarang incident;

- A little detail, but I heard a lot of people complaining after the song's release that "Who is afraid of little old me?!" parts were at first loud, and they expected it to get to the full scream, but only ever got it becoming weaker, almost a whisper-like. And it is so Jason, too. Because he returns to scream, to yell, and he does at first. Until his anger washes out under disappointment and realization that he will never be chosen in a way he chooses people. And he doesn't scream anymore. Just whispers.

[coollizzylou]

Everyone’s correct in saying that now more than ever we need to be building our communities, but it can be difficult to know what that actually *means*, especially in our isolating society. So here’s some straightforward practical advice I’ve learned over the few years I’ve been organizing in my own life.

You do not have to reinvent the wheel.

There are people who have been fighting this fight for decades. You are not starting from scratch. You do not have to do it all by yourself. All you have to do is find your allies and engage.

On the ground resistance movements/aid organizations that have legs under them may not have much of a social media presence. You may have to do some legwork find your place.

Check the local papers if you have one for your area. Sign up for your city government newsletter. Go to the library and ask what events are being hosted. Check Churches! Schools! Small businesses! Ask your local old ladies!!!! They have time on their hands and know what’s going on in their communities.

It’s ok if you don’t know anything. Listen to the people around you, ask questions, be respectful and curious. Just show up!! As you do this, you will learn more about the place you’re in and the people that live there. Those people will guide you, and there’s a non-zero chance that you’ll find a mentor willing to take you under their wing.

The logistics make the movement.

Demonstrations are important and powerful, but they are NOT the be all end all. Not even close.

There are people who’s job it is to take notes, people who host meetings, and people who pick up snacks. Some folks are especially good at getting the word out through tabling and canvasing, others are better at making the pamphlets that get handed out. You could be in charge of carrying heavy boxes of donated food, or you might be better suited preparing a hot meal sitting at the table. Are you able to watch young children? Drive carpool?

All of these tasks and more are essential to maintaining a healthy community group. Don’t be afraid to try new things and experiment to figure out where you can do the most good.

Your stories are your power

One of the most effective tools in your arsenal are your testimonies. When shared with friends they remind us we are not alone in our struggles. When shared with adversaries, they are undeniable proof of our humanity. You can quote facts and statistics all day, but a personal experience will always punch above it’s weight.

Think over your life and explore questions of what your personal stake in the game is. What about your life makes you want to fight. Really dig in deep. This can be uncomfortable. I recommend doing this among friends and being gentle with yourself. You don’t have to have any particularly special reason. This isn’t supposed to be performative. You aren’t trying to get a good grade in leftism, your goal is to identify your self interest. For example, I first got involved with the tenet union because I wanted to go to college in the city but knew I couldn’t afford to live there. I first got involved with planned parenthood because I was scared when Roe v Wade overturned. These are selfish reasons, they have to be for this to work.

With that information, you are prepared to sit with other people and ask them the same thing. If you are open and willing to listen to people’s stories, a casual conversation can lead to strong bonds of friendship. And when you’re friends with someone, you fight for them. This is the core of relational organizing.

There is joy here

Organizing can be difficult. Many things are in life. But from personal experience I can tell you that not only is this work worth it, but it can be *fun*. You can sing and dance and play music and scream and laugh and you’ll do it all together. Hold onto your hope, find your joy where you can, and take the plunge. You’ll be better for it, I promise.

[mysecertdiaryofableedingheart]

A Lil Office Romance

Terry Richmond X OC (Troi)

No warnings: Light heart fluff. AU Terry

This was the year, Troi was going to be unafraid, bold, Free to be herself not just in the comfort of her head or bedroom.

The first step was not to go straight home after work and finally take her Manager Celeste up on after-work dinner. Celeste extended the offer for two weeks since Troi being promoted to her junior accountant

"That's a yes? Have I woken up in an alternate universe?" Troi playfully rolled her eyes at Celeste's teasing. Celeste is someone she could consider a friend if Troi's shyness would allow their relationship to blossom outside of the four walls of their shared office. And Troi knew that to get a friend, you have to be a friend—at least that's what her mom keeps telling her.

" I thought we could go to starland yard around 4pm. The Puerto Rican Truck you mentioned is going to be there" initiative people like that, Troi remember the recommendation from her Mom. "You remembered! Troi you are the sweetest! How about we ride together I can come pick you up around 3! You live way closer to Starland yard than me" Celeste excitedly reached over pulling Troi into a side hug

Troi set out a sigh of relief. Step 1 complete.

♣️♥️♣️♥️♣️♥️♣️♥️♣️♥️♣️♥️♣️♥️♣️♥️

Troi could help but be nervous, the worst scenario always popped into her mind. Like Muscle memory. What if Celeste thought her outfit was ugly, or her card declined in front of a bunch of people.

Troi took a deep breath. " You're overthinking it. Celeste wants to be your friend, your outfit is cute, and you have more than enough money." She smoothed down the simple tank top while repeating her affirming statements in the bathroom mirror.

The vibration of her phone on the counter startled Troi. Celeste's message lit up the screen

Hey Boo! I'm outside in the black Camry

Troi took one more deep breath and coated her lips once more in gloss attempting to give her a little more confidence.

Hey I'll be right out!

Checking her crossbody bag, once more to ensure all the essentials were there, phone keys, wallet. After locking her front door. She spotted Celeste bopping along to a Megan the stallion verse.

Troi could help but smile, Celeste had an infectious energy that rubbed effortlessly. It made Troi comfortable

"You look so cute Troi! I ain't know you was hiding all of that in those work clothes girl!"The heat on Troi's face had nothing to do with the June heat in Savannah. She had always been self-conscious about her body. In shorts and a tank top, she felt exposed at the mention.

"You don't think it's too much? I can go and change. I probably need something over my arms"

"Troi hush! It's 7pm Friday and 95 degrees" Celeste quoted Glorilla "Well maybe not 7pm but the 95 is true. We're gonna work out this confidence cause you are too cute to be acting like you ain't"

Troi hand was still on the door handle when Celeste locked it and pulled off effectively shutting down Troi's inner turmoils

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Starland Yard was fairly busy, the outdoor space made from old shipping containers with a bar, rotating food trucks, live music, and even games like Jenga.

Celeste ordered both of their drinks, Troi was way too inexperienced to even know where to start, the most experience she had with alcohol was taking a sip of her mom's wine at home and her only ever drink at a bar that her Dad ordered for her.

"Food ordered , drinks in hand so now I can ask what made you finally come out with me girl. I ain't mad just happily surprised " Celeste bumped shoulders with Troi. Celeste's boldness was something that She admired.

Troi gulped down the drink "well....umm So I made a list of things I wanted to accomplish this year. And the first was to make a friend here, and you're always so nice to me I thought you'd be the perfect one"

Celeste barely contained her excited grabbing Troi into full on hug. " Girl you've been my work besties scratch that off your list! You gotta tell me what else is on your list, as your official work and outside work friend it's now my job to help you complete it"

Troi couldn't contain her smile, and opening her notes she pasted it over to Celeste

* Make a friend * Go on vacation * Stand up for myself * Be confident * Go on a date * Have first kiss

Troi notices Celeste's eyes widen at the last two.

"Troi you've never been kissed? Not even a little peck in high school"

Troi couldn't help but hold her cheeks in embarrassment " Me being shy isn't something new, I was always the nerdy girl and guys don't notice me"

"Well I can tell you that's a lie right now, you've been getting eye-fucked from the moment we walked in her. Niggas love you!"

Troi sucked her teeth "be so for real. Celeste"

" I'm serious, at work for example Terry always coming over and taking your reports to be sent way for you. And hand delivering your mail! "

" he's just nice! They put my mail cubby supper high and he saw I couldn't reach it, so he just grabs my mail when he gets his!"

"I'm gone touch your hand when I say this. Please if that man was so nice he'd take mine, he politely gave me the extension to the courier. And he doesn't even work in our department! He comes down to see you!"

Troi twisted her hands together, She loved it when Terry came by her desk, he'd always compliment her blue light glasses, and gave her a blinding smile over plump lips that made her belly clinch up.

Celeste eyes narrowed "You like him! I knew it! All those lingering looks when he's walking to the elevator. That is a big hunk of man. And y'all into each other!" Celeste reached over to grab Troi's phone. She flipped it over to show off the edit to Troi's list

* Go on a date with Terry Richmond

Troi's heart almost beat out of her chest, but the smile on her face almost made her cheeks hurt.

Troi felt different, maybe it was the new dress for work the Celeste picked out for her it's was fitted showing off Troi curvy figure, hitting just above the knee to show off her "gams" as Nana Troi grandmother would have said.

They decided to pair it with a low pair of wedge sandals to show off the pedicure Celeste and Troi indulged on their impromptu girls weekend.

She pulled and stretched the dress eyeing her usual black slacks and dress shirt combo. Troi could hear Celeste playful threats play back in her mind "if I catch you in them slack sis I'm sending you home!" After spending the whole weekend with her Troi knew she wasn't bluffing. At least a cardigan, Troi could argue the office is always blowing the AC.

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Troi loved where her office building was located right off Bay Street, where you could see the Savannah river with cargo boats headed to the bustling ports and a part of South Carolina across the water. She got lost in the view quite frequently.

"I knew it would look good on you, Terry might actually loss her marbles when he see you in that dress! " Celeste said in a low tone. The whole office didn't need to know about Troi's newly realized crush.

"I don't know, it's probably going to just prove he is being nice."

Celeste rolled her eyes "well we're gonna see now, cause here he comes"

Terry was an impressive man,6'3 full of muscle, sienna brown complexion, a wonderfully maintained goatee that looked just as soft as the lower caser hair cut that was accentuated by waves. And his eyes where a whole different ball game. 

"Mail buddy, looks like you were popular this weekend" as he waves a stack of papers in his hand leaning on the door frame of Celeste and Troi's shared office his eye honing in on Troi "oh hey Celeste" Terry quickly added in.

Troi slowly turned in her office chair and stood to retrieve the mail in his outstretched hand. Upon reaching Terry she tilted her head up to make I contact with him even with her wedges Terry still towered over her.

As she approached Terry’s eyes raked over from from soft pink polish on her toes, then the exposed shining brown calves, the olive green of the dress that complimented her skin tone and the gold necklace she always wore. "You look be- very nice today Troi" Terry’s voice dropped an octave. Troi couldn't help but shift from side to side a mixture of embarrassment and enjoyment from him noticing the dress she quite honestly wore for him. "Not that you don't every day.greens my favorite color and it looks great on you."

"Thank you Terry...I really like green on you too" Troi eyes widened at the words that managed to slip out of her mouth.

Terry returning smile may have mimicked the Chesire Cat. Troi couldn't help but return it forgetting her embarrassment a moment ago .

Celeste cleared her throat breaking up the two's moment before it became too awkward. "Oh Troi I almost forgot I'm gonna have to work through lunch so I can't join you today in the square. I know you didn't want to eat alone"

Troi brown furrowed, they hadn't made any lunch plans for yet.

Terry was quick to speak, " I could be your company if you want I could use a break from eating in the engineer lounge. That burnt popcorn smell is unbearable"

"Sounds good, she'll meet you down stairs at 12pm" Celeste chimed back

Troi couldn't believe what was happening did Celeste just set her up? She couldn't complete her thought before getting a whiff of Versace Eros and the smell she could only assign as pure Terry.

"Is that okay Troi, feel free to say no I can keep the burnt popcorn upstairs company" Terry dipped his head down to meet her eyes.

Troi's eyes connected with his seeing the sparkle with amusement at her shyness "yes, I'll see you downstairs at 12pm" in almost a whisper.

Terry slowly backed out of the small office in almost a skip. "Alright Mail Buddy now we're turning into lunch buddies"

Once Terry was out of view, Troi plopped exhaustedly into her chair

"Pssss , yeah that man is into you. Your ole blind ass" Celeste spoke up looking over at Troi "and you oblivious ass is just as smitten"

Troi couldn't help but swat at Celeste's smirking face with the her reports she just acquired

"And just so you know this doesn't count as your date with, but the way he was looking like he wanted to throw you over his shoulder and have his way with you. Your bottom two things are going to be crossed off sooner rather than later"

[fratttymatty]

The Bro And The Babe

(All characters are 18+)

Sam Goldberg adjusted his glasses nervously, peering over the top of his laptop in his cluttered apartment. "Maggie, do you ever wonder if there's a parallel universe where we’re, like, the exact opposite of ourselves?" he asked, his voice tinged with curiosity.

Maggie Kane rolled her eyes and flexed her biceps casually, her workout tank stretched tight over her muscular shoulders. "You’re really spiraling into one of your sci-fi tangents again, aren’t you?" she teased, setting down a protein shake and leaning against the table.

The two had been best friends for over a decade, bonded over their shared love of comics, progressive activism, and long, caffeinated discussions about queer theory. Sam was a self-proclaimed nerd who could quote Star Trek in Klingon, while Maggie, with her shaved undercut and love for lifting, was equally passionate about gaming and LGBTQ+ rights.

That evening, as Sam researched theories about consciousness and parallel dimensions, Maggie scrolled through Reddit on the couch. Suddenly, an ad popped up on both of their screens: "Transform your life forever! Click here for an experience you’ll NEVER forget!"

“Ugh, spam,” Maggie muttered, but Sam was already clicking. A blinding flash of light erupted from their devices, and everything went black.

When Sam woke up, he felt… off. Like, seriously off. His entire body tingled, his clothes felt tighter, and his thoughts were foggy. He glanced down and nearly screamed—except the sound that came out wasn’t his usual nervous stammer. It was a deep, confident, carefree bro laugh.

“Yo, what the actual heck?” he muttered, except it came out as, “Duuude, what’s even happenin’, bruh?”

He staggered to his feet, stumbling over a pair of sneakers he didn’t recognize—chunky white Nikes. Glancing down, he realized he was wearing a tight tank top that showed off his absurdly muscular, tan arms. His glasses were gone, replaced by perfect vision. His old face? Gone too—now replaced with a chiseled jawline, sharp cheekbones, and a boyish, smirking charm.

He caught his reflection in a nearby car window and gasped. “Daaaang, I’m lookin’ so rad, bro!” He flexed his biceps instinctively. “Wait… what’s happenin’ to me?”

“Like, OH MY GOD, what is even goin’ on right now?” a high-pitched, bubbly voice squealed nearby.

Sam turned to see a girl—no, Maggie—only… she was unrecognizable. Gone were her muscles and practical workout attire. In their place was a slim, tanned, barely-18-looking blonde with bouncy curls, a bright pink crop top, and a dangerously short skirt. She had a cheerleader’s pom-poms in one hand and a glossy pout on her lips.

“Mags?” Sam asked, his deep voice cracking.

“Ew, who’s Maggie? Like, my name is Madison now, duh,” she replied, twirling a strand of her hair. Her eyes were wide and vacant, as if her usual sharp wit had been erased and replaced with… bimbo vibes. “Wait, who are you? Ohmygawd, you’re, like, sooo cute!”

“Madison? I’m Sam, your best—uh, wait…” Sam scratched his head, his memories slipping away like sand through his fingers. “No way, I’m, like, Brad now. And, uh, I guess we’re totally supposed to be boyfriend and girlfriend or somethin’?”

Madison giggled and clapped her hands. “O-M-G, Brad! Like, yeah, we are!” She grabbed his arm, pressing herself against him. “You’re sooo strong, baby!”

Brad couldn’t help but grin. “Yeah, babe, I, like, totally work out all the time. Gotta keep the guns lookin’ sick for football season, ya know?”

Madison nodded enthusiastically. “OMG, totes. And, like, I’m soooo pumped for cheer practice tomorrow! We’re, like, gonna crush it at the pep rally.”

Their old lives—Sam and Maggie, the nerdy, liberal best friends who championed justice and intellect—were completely erased. In their place stood Brad and Madison, a carefree high school jock and his bubbly cheerleader girlfriend. Neither had any desire to question what had happened or return to their former selves. Their new identities were as comfortable as the sun-kissed, athletic bodies they now inhabited.

Brad and Madison strolled hand in hand through the high school parking lot, the sun gleaming off Brad’s newly tousled dark brown curls. His hair, which had always been fine, straight, and perpetually disheveled in his Sam days, now bounced with a voluminous, carefree energy that seemed to match his new persona. Madison giggled, running her manicured fingers through it.

“Babe, your hair is, like, so dreamy now,” she cooed. “It’s like you’re in one of those rom-coms I totally love!”

Brad smirked, running a hand through his own curls. “Yeah, it’s pretty sick. Totally matches my whole vibe, right? Like, natural curls for the win, babe!”

Madison squealed in agreement, flipping her own bouncy blonde hair over her shoulder. Not only was her hair now platinum and shiny, but it somehow always seemed to be perfectly styled, as if she had just left the salon. Gone were her practical, low-maintenance buzzed undercut and dyed streaks—replaced by soft, flawless waves cascading down her back.

As they reached the entrance to school, a group of students waved enthusiastically. Their new friends were waiting: Chad, the quarterback; Ashley, the head cheerleader; and Brittany, who always carried a Starbucks cup and scrolled endlessly on her phone.

“Yo, Brad! Dude, where were you yesterday? We missed you at the gym!” Chad called out, giving Brad a fist bump.

“Yeah, for real,” Brittany chimed in, snapping a photo of Madison. “Madison, your outfit is, like, soooo cute today. And OMG, you two are legit couple goals.”

Brad grinned. “My bad, bro. Had to help my dad with some, like, backyard stuff or whatever. Totally made up for it with extra squats this morning, though.”

“Of course you did, bro!” Chad laughed, clapping Brad on the back.

Madison jumped into the conversation. “Oh my God, you guys, I was, like, totally thinking—what if we make a TikTok to, like, pump everyone up for the pep rally tomorrow?”

Ashley clapped her hands excitedly. “Yes! You’re sooo right. We could do one of those dances—like, the trending ones!”

“Totally!” Madison squealed, pulling out her phone.

As the group planned their video, Brad caught himself admiring how easily they all fit together. It was a far cry from his and Maggie’s old days of debating social issues in coffee shops or campaigning for progressive causes. He shrugged off the thought as easily as brushing sand off his shoulder.

Later, at lunch, Brad and Madison sat at the “cool table,” surrounded by their friends. The conversation turned to the upcoming student government elections.

“Honestly, I hope Jacob wins for class president,” Chad said, shoving a handful of fries into his mouth. “He’s got the right ideas about, like, cutting funding for those lame clubs no one cares about.”

Madison nodded, sipping her diet soda. “Yeah, like, why should the school waste money on dumb stuff like, um… science fairs? We totally need more spirit weeks and cute uniforms for cheer instead!”

Brad nodded in agreement, surprising himself with his own words. “For sure, babe. And, like, don’t get me started on all the stuff they spend on those nerdy STEM kids. They should put that cash into, like, upgrading the football field or whatever. Priorities, ya know?”

Chad grinned. “Preach, bro. Sports are what make this school awesome!”

Madison clapped her hands, delighted. “Exactly! Like, if people wanna be all nerdy and boring, that’s fine or whatever, but they shouldn’t take away from, like, the stuff that makes school fun!”

After lunch, Brad found himself in the locker room with Chad and the guys, preparing for practice. As he slipped on his jersey, he noticed how natural it all felt—joking with his teammates, flexing his biceps in the mirror, and strategizing for the next big game. Meanwhile, Madison was across campus, huddled with Ashley and Brittany as they debated which glitter eyeshadow would look best for the pep rally.

At practice, Brad caught the ball effortlessly, his natural athleticism shining. “Nice catch, bro!” Chad yelled, slapping him on the back.

Afterward, Brad and Chad sat on the bleachers, cooling off.

“Dude, life’s pretty sick, huh?” Chad said, grinning.

“Totally, bro,” Brad replied, sipping a sports drink. “Like, no worries, no drama. Just football, babes, and hanging out. What more could you ask for?”

That night, Madison was sprawled out on Brad’s bed, flipping through a glossy fashion magazine while Brad played Madden on his PS5.

“Babe,” Madison said suddenly, “do you ever think about… like, deep stuff?”

Brad paused the game, looking at her. “What do you mean, Mads?”

She twirled a strand of her hair, her brow furrowing slightly. “Like… I dunno. Sometimes I get this, like, weird feeling that I used to care about… other things? Like, boring stuff. Science, or whatever.”

Brad shrugged, scratching the back of his neck. “Nah, babe. That stuff’s lame. You’re, like, perfect just the way you are now. Cheerleader Madison is, like, the ultimate you.”

Madison’s face lit up with a bright smile. “Aww, you’re right, Brad! You always know what to say.”

Brad grinned, pulling her close. “Course I do. Now c’mere—game’s over. Time for some quality time with my girl.”

As the two leaned back, laughing and playfully poking each other, the faintest flicker of their old selves might have stirred in the depths of their minds. But the feeling was fleeting, drowned out by the overwhelming simplicity of their new lives.

Because Brad and Madison didn’t need to wonder or analyze anymore. Life was perfect. Simple, sunny, and carefree. And honestly? They wouldn’t have it any other way.

A week later, Brad and Madison found themselves at the beach, their favorite hangout spot after a long day of football and cheer practice. Madison adjusted her pink bikini and squealed, “Brad, let’s, like, take a selfie! We’re, like, the hottest couple at school, duh!”

Brad smirked, slipping an arm around her tiny waist. “For sure, babe. Gotta show off how shredded I am, ya know?” He flexed dramatically as Madison snapped photos with her phone.

The two sprawled out on their beach towels, sipping soda and laughing at dumb jokes. Brad stared out at the ocean, his mind blissfully empty. “Man, I’m, like, so stoked for the party tonight. Gonna shotgun, like, a million beers.”

Madison giggled. “Brad, you’re soooo silly. But, like, don’t get too crazy, ‘kay? I need you to, like, carry me when my heels hurt later.”

“Anything for my girl,” Brad said, planting a kiss on her lips. For a moment, a shadow of their old selves flickered, like a ghost of Sam and Maggie trying to break through. But it was quickly drowned out by the pounding surf and the warmth of the sun.

As the waves crashed against the shore, Brad and Madison held hands, their new lives stretching out before them like an endless summer. Nerdy, progressive Sam and Maggie were gone for good, and neither Brad nor Madison cared to remember them.

“Life’s, like, sooo perfect,” Madison sighed.

“Totally,” Brad agreed. And together, they watched the sun dip below the horizon, lost in their carefree, simple happiness.