#College Hoops Chat

[jimmaisano]

1st 20 Days of CBB Season - Things That Popped!

Watch NEW episode of College Hoops Chat Podcast - we discuss the 1st 20 Days of CBB Season & Things That Popped! CLICK LINK!

CLICK YOUTUBE LINK below to watch the new episode of COLLEGE HOOPS CHAT PODCAST!  https://youtu.be/hd_VV1v6G60?si=z-sMg6KXWmJabsY3 I discuss things that “POPPED” in 1st 20 Days of CBB Season w/ guests Gus Kearns of Screen the Screener on X & Joe Budzelek of Stretching The Floor Blog:  What made you say WOW?  Ok, we should have known?  This caught my eye?  Is this team really that bad? We touch…

[twst-drabbles]

Malleus 15

Summary: A way home was finally found a year after you rejected Malleus's advances. Once you got home and were settled in, an invitation made it's way to you, written to you by Malleus Draconia, King of Briar Valley. How many years have passed?

(I've been on an odd writing spree, but for my original writings. It's weird, but I'll take it! Anyways, have a what-if situation of a King Malleus still yearning for the Prefect! Might continue it if people are interested enough in this what-if scenario.)

"Then would it be possible," Malleus reaching out to you as you faced the star-filled sky, "for you and I to share in each others lives?"

…and so the day finally came. When Malleus would gather up his courage and confess in the way all faeries do, in sentences layered over passionate feelings.

Honestly, the thought of being in a relationship with Malleus didn't sound all that bad. He's a sweet man, if a bit air headed with how easily lost in.

You do feel bad, honestly, for the fact that your feelings never ran deeper than general interest. You don't yearn for him, you can't. Especially not when you know that he's a prince. If you want to love him properly, if you want to build upon this general interest, you'd have to accept that specific part of him.

However, when you imagine the future laying before you, you see that it has nothing to do royalty.

Malleus has done nothing wrong. It's just unfortunate that he's a prince. His future was simply not one that will mesh well with your own.

"My life in my own," you said, "I don't intent to share it anymore than I already have. I'm… simply not interested."

You knew him too well. You can't pretend to be ignorant and go through hoops just to convince yourself that surely he didn't mean that, that he meant something different and that it's all platonic. Because, to you, that's just an excuse to not be blunt and say no. To avoid hurting the other party.

But avoiding what needs to be said is worse.

So, you had to reject him and leave it at that. You didn't like hurting him, but you also can't delude yourself and think that everything will somehow work out, especially since your feelings don't match his own.

Malleus didn't push and you didn't make him leave. And so you both stayed, continuing on as you always have, two people with positions too unique to truly be ignored.

The day came that you would leave. You said your goodbyes, you had your parties and feasts, and when all was said and done, you were relieved to be leaving. To finally go back home.

You waved to them all, to all the people you've met along the way, and passed through the mirror without a second glance back.

Time barely passed by when you got home. So little time, in fact, that your phone was still near to full battery. Dust didn't collect on your bed or dining table like you expected, and there wasn't a single voice message or text asking about your whereabouts.

It's as if you didn't vanish at all. Well, to be fair, you weren't the kind of person to keep in constant or close touch with anyone. You liked your alone time a little more than the average person, but it wasn't anything to make you feel guilty over.

In fact, you're relieved, that only a minimal amount of time has escaped you. You didn't have to go home to frantic worries, to people getting angry out of concern for your sudden disappearance. Everything was calm and level. It was easy enough to go back to the routine you had before.

You missed this, you will admit that. You missed the air and scent of your bed, the grocery store and all its busy chatting, the scent of baked or fried snacks surrounding the local flea market, and even the way the wind flows through the trees. Sure sure, the land you were previously in had all these things, but they weren't yours if that made sense.

Honestly, after a while, you were almost convinced that everything that went on back in Night Raven College was just a dream. If only because, like a dream, you can really only enter and exit such places once.

But then an invitation entered your hand.

Addressed to you, handwritten in such a way that can only be taught in professional calligraphy classes. It tells of a tour around the gardens in the abode of the King of Briar Valley.

King, huh? Has that much time really passed? Putting that aside for a moment, you can't say you were shocked that, out of all people to be able to send a letter right to you, you would place your bets on Malleus.

That being said, you couldn't say no. It's been a while but you're familiar with Malleus's language. A simple tour just for the sake of a tour? No, that's not it at all. He probably misses you. And, to an extent, you miss being over there. A visit is probably due right about now.

And, if things go the same way as they did last time, you'll be gone then back in the blink of an eye.

So, you wrote your reply and placed in on the nearest full body mirror.

You probably should've practiced your landing when it comes to mirror traveling. You fell right through, though you were lucky enough to grab the edge of the mirror before you could crack your knees.

Immediately, you were hit with the scent of cold and old magic, that sharp scent, not quite ozone, less metallic than that, less chemical-like than that. It was neutral magic, subdued in smell but overpowering enough to fill your sense anyway.

It's been a hot minute since you've been here. You're not quite to magic anymore, and you couldn't help but start coughing and clearing your throat.

Then, you were practically washed away with the smell of fresh rosemary.

"You…" And, as you expected, his voice stayed the same, and yet you can hear it, that small bit of quivering, as though he can't believe what's before him. "So, the invitation did make its way towards you, dear Child of Man. Are you alright? Are you sick?"

You held out your hand and coughed into your hand, trying to get this weird stickiness out.

"I'm, ugh, I'm fine, Hornton," Ah, should you really be calling him that now that he's king, apparently? Ah, who cares, you're the guest, you can be forgiven. "It's been a bit. Not all that used to magic anymore, is all."

And then, you looked up. Before, you wouldn't say his horns were malleable or soft, but there is a difference to them. Their color has darkened, and there these silver decorations about them that made those horns seem longer than they actually are.

There was a laugh. "Are my horns truly such a marvel? Well, if you so ask, I won't mind you touching them, if only to prove to you that they are no mere illusion."

"No, I'm good on that front," you sighed then finally looked to Malleus's face. "Huh. You look… older."

Older, and that's honestly kind of concerning for you. He isn't aged, not in the same way you've felt around Lilia. Yes yes, Lilia has a youthful face to him, but after a while, you can't help but notice the little things that betray his true age. Much like now, where you can see the slightest dips in his eyes, near his mouth.

Like most fae, they seem forever young, but the signs don't skip anyone no matter long they stay alive.

The fact is, enough time has passed that Malleus visibly aged.

Malleus, in all his kingly regalia, closed his eyes and took a deep breathe in. "It hasn't been that long. How many years…twenty? Perhaps thirty or less? Ah but, that's an age for children of men, isn't it? And yet, time hasn't so much as glanced at you. You look just the same as I remember, perhaps more youthful. But, that aside, I'm glad to know that this invitation made it you, before life has left your body."

…thirty years? Thirty years? So, time really does pass by differently in your home, huh? That's… you don't know what to think, honestly. Awful? Interesting? It certainly doesn't feel good.

"That long? How much did I miss?" Were there reunions? Letters written to you but could never be sent? And how is everyone else doing with their lives? Are they still alive? Did someone die an early death potentially? And what about families? Did they start some?

…ugh, you hate this feeling. You only have theories and questions and already you're feeling left out from it all.

Well, all you can do is take it one step at a time. Get to know what has happened, and move forward from there. You have no choice but to do so.

Malleus placed a gloved hand on his chin. "…it would take too much time to say right now. Perhaps I'll tell you all that I know as I walk you around the garden? You did accept the invitation, did you not?"

Your mind wasn't quite here, so you just nodded with a, "Right, right."

"Then," Malleus turned, his hair much longer now, perfectly groomed without a knot in there, "shall we be off?"

And you followed, feeling a bit awkward in the fact you were just wearing casual wear.

"…is that lipstick you're wearing, Hornton?" Probably not what you should be focusing on, but you couldn't help but notice. You're more used to his pallid lips than that luscious color.

"Hmm? Why, yes. It was shade recommended to me by one of my servants. If I remember right, this was something crafted by Schoenheit."

"Oh, so his stuff's world famous now, I take it?"

"World famous? Hmm, not quite sure what that entails, but the influence has made its place here. So, influential enough. Does it look odd on me?"

"Don't worry, it looks nice."

[siriuslysmoking]

Meddle About

A/N: I'm contemplating on making this a series, telling me if you want more parts. His texts are in italics and reader's is in bold.

Pairing: Fem!college student x sugar daddy!steve

Warnings: fem!reader, she/her pronouns, alcohol consumption, age gap (R:21, S:29)

Word Count: 1.5k

Summary: Working and being a student is tough, you never seem to have a moment to yourself, so when one of you co-workers needs a shift and offers to take your saturday night double, you take it. Finally going out with your friends you encounter a strange man with a strange proposition.

-We only met each other just the other day But you already got me feeling some type of way Now, if I could figure it out I'd take you back to my house So we could meddle about-

You didn't let her take it back, as soon as you saw the text in the waitresses group chat you immediately agreed and texted Mia, your best friend and freshman dorm mate.

You and mia have been friends since your first year in college and now that you're finally in your senior year of college and are living together in a small apartment outside of campus.

She loves to go to bars on the weekends, you enjoy it- well you would if you had time.

You text Mia that you have tonight off, she quickly adds you to her plans.

When you arrive to your shared apartment you see some of your common friends in your living room. They're throwing back shots like it's water, pregaming for the long night.

You walk to your room getting ready for the night. You pull on a long sleeved, over the shoulders, black mini dress. Then you fix up your makeup from the day and strap on silver heels, before changing your jewelry from your day to day simple necklace to your thick small hoops and silver chain wrapped around your neck.

You join your friends on the couch for a couple of drinks before the time hits nine and you head out, walking down the street to a popular bar in town.

You arrive in no time. Joining the crowded bar, you and your friends find a booth to share and Mia goes to order you all drinks from the bar.

When Mia returns all of you quickly down your drinks and a couple head to the bathroom as you volunteer to go get the next round.

Travelling up to the bar you take in your surroundings, you sandwich yourself into a man around your age who you've seen around campus before and an older gentleman in a nice looking suit.

'Hey, can I get another round?" You lean against the bar, gaining the bartender's attention.

"'course." He nods as you motion to your table. You hand him your card, paying for the round. He gives it back and turns to make them.

You drum your fingers on the sticky bar impatiently. The next thing you know your fingers are wet with a sticky liquid that paints itself onto the bar.

"Oh shit- I'm so sorry, honey." The older gentleman hands you a napkin, helping you wipe down your arms.

"Oh! You're completely fine." You finish cleaning your arms with the napkin.

"I'm truly sorry, can I buy you a drink to make up for it?" He asks, his eyebrows furrowing.

"Don't be sorry, I was an accident." You wave him off, "I'm okay, thank you though."

"Alright, then." He nods, sympathy still lingers in his gaze.

"Here, you are darling." The bartender hands you a tray with eight shots on them.

"Thanks," You nod to the bartender then your eyes shift to the man a couple years older than you, giving him a smile.

Sundays were usually their busiest days of the week, families having Sunday dinner together, or business meetings that lasted for hours.

The meetings were the worst and the people usually occupy their table for hours and even though they all have suits and expensive watches on they tip a measly five dollars.

Today had not been going great, a young couple having an anniversary wrote that the tip was $16, but they forgot to put it in correctly when adding below. So, no tip for you.

You're frustrated, you're sweaty, and your feet hurt.

You're ready to go home, but you have one table that just won't leave. It's a group of men, demanding that they are still waiting for their other co-worker. They've ordered twelve drinks in total of the five men. One Whiskey and Coke sits alone without the last man to claim it, the ice has probably long melted.

This tip better be worth your damn time or you might actually quit your job on the spot.

"Hey! Dollface!" He's addressing you, you know he's addressing you even though you had told him your name. But you still plant a smile upon your lips, turn and walk over to the group. "I need a refill."

"Of course." You give him your best smile as you take his drink that he dangles in front of you to refill. You get why the last coworker doesn't want to attend.

"Sorry I'm late." You hear a husky voice from behind you where you stand in front of the bar, grabbing Tony's attention for him to mix another drink.

You hear more from the table but you decide to do some of your side work so you don't have to do it when they leave and be here longer than you have to.

"Here you go." Tony slides the freshly made glass down the bar where you were whipping menus.

"Thanks T'." You nod as you grab the glass and make your way over to the table of men. "Here's that refill of the Old Fashioned. Are you gentleman ready to order?"

They all give you their order, "No Scallops, got it? No scallops."

"Yes, sir, I've got it." You send a sharp smile, writing down the rest of his order. When your eyes meet the last-newest member of the group his golden hazel eyes seem to be perplexed at her existence outside of the bar that they met at last night.

You get finally take in his looks, his slight stubble painting his jaw, his light brown hair that frames his face, the lines that seem to pull his lips into a smile."You get finally take in his looks, his slight stubble painting his jaw, his light brown hair that frames his face, the lines that seem to pull his lips into a smile.

He seems to also be studying her in the light.

You shake his stupid smile off your back as you nod and turn to head to the kitchen.

You take a sharp intake of breath as you enter the kitchen entering the men's orders into your tablet.

The kitchen closes in an hour so the kitchen staff are already starting to clean up the griddles.

They seem to sigh as you come in with your slip of demands.

"They've been here for an hour, they haven't ordered anything until this."

"I hate people." One of the cooks sighs as he takes the paper from your hand.

"You and me both."

The next couple of hours consisted of you refilling drinks, balancing plates to carry to the kitchen and sweeping.

You'd think the men would take a fucking hint that you're close to closing, when you start sweeping and flipping chairs.

Thirty minutes till closing and the men finally ask for their check. You have to hold back a sigh of relief as you nod and ask them if they'll be spliting it.

They are, so when you collect their checks you notice that seven of the men left no fucking tip.

You try not to scream.

There's two men left at the table, the man from last night and the one that is allergic to scallops. It looks like a hushed conversation.

The other two checks left fifteen percent of their ticket. It's something.

You lean against the bar, asking Tony for a drink as you rub your neck- you may have slept on it wrong last night.

When the last two men leave you notice something left on their table.

Underneath sat $200.

On your walk home you typed in the number and texted:

Thank you, you really didn't have to make it up to me

-It's no problem, I'm sorry we kept you from going home.

was I that obvious?

-I don't think so, they're also not very observant.

I may need to work on my acting skills if I want this line of work to work out!

-It may be a good investment. I'm Steve by the way.

You mentally scold yourself for the smile creeping on your lips. You type your name and hit send.

-hey, feel free to block me or curse me out, but I'm in town for three months and I have this banquet thing in three weeks, and I don't know anyone here and I have to bring a plus one.

You don't have any plan to chop me up in itty bitty pieces and scatter me across town so nobody will ever be able to find my entire body?

-That's oddly specific... has that personally happened to you before?

No, I watch a lot of crime shows.

-Ah, that explains it.

You pause before your building, are you seriously thinking about doing this?

Alright, If I agree to this what do I get in return?

-Straight to the point, I like it. I'll pay you a thousand an hour including prep, like dress shopping.

You are upselling me way too much.

-You're downgrading yourself way too much.

I'll do it.

To be continued??

-

-

-

Likes and reblogs are appreciated

[sydneyindawoodz]

Heartbeats and Hoops

You’ve always had a thing for basketball, but when you first joined the team as a student manager, you had no idea you'd meet someone like her. Paige Bueckers, the star point guard, was everything you imagined a college athlete would be: focused, driven, ridiculously talented—but there was something more. Her smile, her laugh, the way she’d tease you after practice, it all made your stomach flip every time she was near.

Today was no different. You were organizing equipment after the team's workout, eyes occasionally drifting toward Paige, who was laughing with a couple of teammates across the gym. She glanced over, and for a split second, your eyes met. You quickly looked away, pretending to focus on your task, feeling the heat rise to your cheeks.

You’re not sure when exactly you started falling for her, but it was hard not to. Paige was magnetic. She was popular, but never arrogant. Her passion on the court and her goofy nature off it made her even more irresistible. And, lately, you couldn’t help but notice that she might feel the same. The lingering glances, the way she’d seek you out after practices just to chat, and the slight blush in her cheeks when you complimented her game.

"Hey, you good?" Paige’s voice broke through your thoughts. You looked up to see her standing in front of you, her face glowing from the workout, but still wearing that signature grin.

"Uh, yeah," you stammered, dropping a basketball you were holding. You both laughed as you awkwardly bent down to pick it up.

"You sure?" she teased, leaning against the equipment rack with an amused expression.

You rolled your eyes, trying to play it cool. "I’m fine. Just, you know, busy."

Paige arched an eyebrow. "Busy staring?"

Your heart skipped a beat. "What? No! I wasn’t staring!"

She laughed, soft and genuine, and suddenly your embarrassment didn’t feel so bad. "Relax, I’m just messing with you," she said. "But… I noticed you looking."

Her eyes softened, and for a moment, it felt like the whole gym disappeared, leaving just the two of you standing there. You swallowed hard, trying to come up with something—anything—to say.

Before you could speak, Paige leaned in a little closer, her voice lowering. "You know... I look at you too."

You blinked, completely thrown off by her admission. "Wait, really?"

She nodded, her playful demeanor giving way to something more serious, more vulnerable. "Yeah, I do. A lot, actually."

There was a beat of silence, both of you just standing there, the weight of her words sinking in.

"I didn’t think you…" you started, unsure of how to finish that sentence.

Paige chuckled softly. "Didn’t think I what? Noticed how cute you are? Or how you always make me laugh? Or that I like hanging out with you more than anyone else?"

Your heart was racing now, every word she said making it harder to breathe. Paige stepped closer, her eyes searching yours for a reaction.

"So, what do you say?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. "Maybe after practice sometime, we could… I don’t know, hang out? Just the two of us?"

You nodded, too stunned to say anything coherent. Paige grinned, and before she walked away, she gave your arm a gentle squeeze.

"Cool. It’s a date then," she said with a wink before jogging off to join her teammates, leaving you standing there, a smile spreading across your face.

Maybe, just maybe, your crush wasn’t so one-sided after all.

[rems-writing]

The bear & the queen of Storybrooke University

》 Pairing: student!Jongho × student!Regina (platonic)

》 Genre/AU: Fluff/college AU (OUAT crossover)

》 Wordcount: 1,345 words

》 Rating: pg-13

Nets: @mirohs-aurora-society @othersideoutlawsnetwork @illusionnet

The first time Jongho met Regina Mills, he was afraid he’d be in some deep shit with her when she found out that he knew about Robin Hood stealing all the professors’ pens and using them as arrows just because. After all, when Regina cares for someone, she will go as far as she can in order to protect them. They were both in San’s history class and they had to be partnered up for a project. Jongho was sweating bullets as he saw the young black haired girl walk towards and sit down next to him. The way she moved with the poise and grace of an actual queen made the bear feel intimidated. She turned to face him and studied him for a bit. Little did Jongho know, she was actually checking him out. 

‘Oh! He’s really cute. Wait actually… he’s kind of hot! Oh what am I saying? He is hot!’

When Regina first heard that San’s little brother was going to be joining Storybrooke University, she would’ve expected a sheltered nerdy looking boy who had problems ranging  from something simple as saying ‘Hi’ to showing her his collection of Yu-Gi-Oh cards and following her around like a lovestruck puppy. Seems it was the other way around. Choi Jongho wasn’t sheltered at all! He was just shy. After all, being in a new country was overwhelming so she decided, for once, to not act like a bitch. That was her scare tactic for new students. As she observed him more, she felt smitten. 

‘Bitch, you have a man.’

‘But… but… Jongho.’

Regina then looked over the outfit he was wearing. Jongho certainly had style! He was wearing a fitted black tee underneath the slightly washed out black jean jacket that covered his impressive build. Gray corduroy cargo pants were paired with the fit and on both of his wrists, black bracelets, ranging from leather to beaded, hung loosely. Regina looked down to see black combat boots underneath the flared out part of his pants before looking back up. She noticed a stone necklace (the kind that surfers wear, except it was black, not white) and a long silver chain necklace decorating his neck. To top off the look, he had small diamond encrusted hoop earrings and a black beanie that covered his black hair. 

‘Holy shit… he’s actually so fucking hot. I think I’m down bad. Sorry, Robin…’

Regina’s eyes finally landed on Jongho’s face. Round cheeks, a sharp jawline (not nearly as sharp as professor Jung’s jawline though), soft lips stuck in a frown (was he intimidated by her?), and big brown eyes that looked at her curiously. 

‘He’s so handsome…’

“Oh! T-thank you.”

Regina cursed internally as she accidentally said that aloud, but the cringe died down as she saw the shy grin on this young boy’s face. She shook her head and stuck her hand out eagerly. She heard from Killian & David that he had an impressive hand strength so she wanted to see it for herself. 

“Regina Mills, law major and student body president of Storybrooke University! Pleased to meet your acquaintance.”

Regina almost melted when Jongho took her hand in his and shook it. Seems the football captain and quarterback were right. His hand strength was impressive! After she pulled away, she took out her textbook and opened to the section they were assigned. Jongho looked over her shoulder and nodded before opening his own textbook to the same section. 

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Class soon ended and the two went their separate ways since they had other classes to attend to before their days ended. They agreed to meet up in the library after their classes ended so they could get started on the project. Regina was the first to exit her class and find an empty table in the library. As she took out her materials, she saw the campus librarian and decided to have a small chat with him before Jongho arrived. 

“Did you see the new student, Mr. Park?!”

“I most certainly did.”

“He’s so dreamy. And I heard his singing voice on the way over here in one of the practice rooms. He has the voice of an angel!”

Seonghwa couldn’t help but chuckle as Regina talked about Jongho. He was happy that her first impression of his baby (yes he adopted him. Don’t worry about it) was a positive one. However, with the way she was speaking about him, the androgynous man couldn’t help but tease her a bit. 

“You better not let Robin find out about your sudden infatuation with Jongho now. Who knows what he might do?”

“I’ll be fine! Besides, it’s just quiet admiration.”

“Quiet admiration, but loud as fuck simping. I can practically see you drooling!”

Seonghwa let out a pretty laugh as Regina reached a hand to her face to check if she really was drooling. She wasn’t. She gently hit his shoulder before sighing and making her way back to the table. A few seconds later, she saw Jongho walk through the library entrance and make his way to the table before setting his stuff down. 

“Sorry I’m late. My vocal lessons took a bit longer than usual since professor Chen was late.”

“You’re actually on time! Have you eaten yet?”

Jongho shook his head and Regina ‘tsked’ before pulling an apple out of her backpack and setting it on the table. Out of all the apples she tasted, she found that gala apples were simply the best. The color was her favorite shade of red and the taste was a perfect balance of sweet and tart. 

“Oh shit! I forgot a knife! Let me go fetch one real quick.”

“No worries. I got it.”

Regina was confused by Jongho’s statement and watched curiously as he reached over for the apple that she took out. He placed his thumbs over the top of the apple and broke it in half with ease. Not even a sweat or a grunt of effort! He broke that apple like he’s been doing this all his life!

‘He broke that apple in half… with his bare hands… like it was nothing! What the hell?’

As Jongho handed one of the halves to Regina, he explained that he had a secret talent for breaking fruit in half. Whenever his parents didn’t have the right knives to cut fruit with or they were all in the way, he’d just simply break them and boom. There was enough for everyone to share! Regina nodded wordlessly, still trying to process Jongho’s insane talent. Regina bit into the apple slowly before opening her textbook so they could get started on the project. She had to pull herself together in order to get through this. A few feet away, Seonghwa was quietly snickering over her awestruck expression over Jongho’s fruit breaking skills. 

“Right! Uh… shall we get started, Jongho?”

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The next time Regina saw Jongho, she was walking quickly to where he was sitting. An amused smirk was on his annoyingly handsome face as he saw her adjust the scarf around her neck so she could cover the hickies that Robin left on her. And speaking of the archer, Robin walked towards Regina with a shit eating grin on his face. After the teasing was done, Jongho spoke. 

And boy did Regina almost cry on the spot. 

After the passing of her father, she was afraid she’d act way too much like her mother. After all, Cora ruled the law industry with an iron fist and since Zelena didn’t want to take her mantle, it was passed down to Regina. However, it warmed her heart knowing that Jongho felt at home with her and the rest of the friend group. Being the leader of said group, she was the one to speak what everyone else was thinking, including one statement that stuck with them for the rest of their lives. 

“You finding solace in us is the highest form of praise we’ve ever gotten.” 

From there, Regina made sure no one messed with the bear of the SU Squad. 

[offbrandkyoya]

63 Pac-Man

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‘Today is going to be a great day!’ You tell yourself. You’ve been down in the dumps lately because of your boyfriend and friends going on tour. You aren’t going to let that stop you though. You have Thoma and Albedo to keep you company. You haven’t been in an arcade in a long time but that’s okay. You’re going to have a lot of fun and make great memories.

You and Thoma chat along the way towards the arcade you picked out. Once you guys got closer, you spot Albedo, waiting around awkwardly. You smile and wave, “Albedo!” You called out to him and he jumps hearing his name. He sees the both of you and smiles. You and Thoma made it and your excitement bursts out. “It’s so good to see you!” You hug him tight and he laughs. “It’s good to see you too, y/n.”

You pull away then introduce Thoma and Albedo. “Thoma, this is Albedo. He’s in the art contest I’m in. Albedo, this is Thoma. We go to college together.” “It’s nice to meet you.” They say to each other and shake hands, bowing slightly. You grin at the sight. Seeing your friends get along made you happy.

“So, should we head in?” Thoma asks and you nod. “Mhm. I can buy us the coins.” “Are you sure?” Albedo speaks. “I can buy the coins.” You chuckle, “It’s okay. I’ll do it.” You all go inside and you head towards the front to buy the coins. The boys wait at the side and when you finally retrieved the coins, you all went straight inside.

“What should we play first?” You ask. “I don’t know.” They say and you pout. “Come on, guys! Don’t be party poopers!” You swung your arms around like a child. Thoma laughs at your childish tantrum. “Let’s play something easy first.” “Like what?” Albedo looks at him curiously. Thoma shrugs then looks around. “Oh! How about we play Pac-man?” He points at the game in the corner. “Sure.” The three of you head right in front of it. “Two coins.” Thoma reads out and you give him the tickets needed.

He enters them in the slot. “It’s up to two players.” He looks at you guys. “I’ll play.” You say and stand right next to him while Albedo stands to the side and watches. “I’m gonna beat your ass, Blondie.” “Oh really?” The game starts and you guys start start pressing buttons and move the joystick like crazy. Albedo was pretty amaze at how competitive it’s gotten. It was best of two outta 3 and your eyes didn’t leave the screen at all.

First round: Thoma won, Second: you did, and it’s all left to the final round. You both started to sweat as you guys concentrated to win. Your pacmans were close to each other and Thomas kept following you. Suddenly, you see the ghosts and decided to trick Thoma but you had to be quick. You turned your joystick to the left then right and Thoma took the bait, killing him instantly. Big bold letters appear on screen declaring that you’ve won.

You jump up and down. “Yay! I win! I win!” Thoma let’s put a sigh and stretches. “That took a lot out of me.” You laugh and you both did a high five. “That was fun.” You turn to Albedo. “Do you wanna play?” He shakes his head. “Ah, no, it’s alright.” “What else should we play?” Thoma asks, a bit out of breath. You tap your chin then see some guys playing basketball. “Hey,” You gain Thoma and Albedos attention and point at the game. “Loser has to buy the prize.” Thoma and Albedo look at each other then at you. “Okay.”

The game had no players so you three went to play. “Since you won Pac-man yn why don’t you go first?” Thoma suggests and you smirk. “Of course.” You were given three balls and you had shoot the hoop until time is up. ‘Easy enough.’ You thought. You guys are given one minute but the catch is, once the ball entered the hoop, it’s quickly given back to you so you have to score fast. You insert the tickets and crack your neck and fingers.

You look at the timer. “3,” Thoma reads out loud. “2, 1…go!” You start to throw the balls and it’s actually a lot harder than you thought. You missed the first two, which made Thoma and Albedo laugh behind you, but the third one was a success. The balls were given to you fast and you kept slipping your fingers. Albedo was cheering for you while Thoma prays on your downfall. You sincerely hoped he loses.

Times up and you place your hands on your knees. “Im gonna die.” “781. Not bad.” Thoma compliments, collecting the tickets you received. You hit his back with a frown. “Your turn.” He makes his way up and grabs a ball. He watches the timer and starts once it’s time. You and Albedo watch in awe. He didn’t break a sweat at all. “Stupid athletes.” You mumble and Albedo laughs. Times up once again and you see Thomas score, gasping. “2000?!” Thoma smiles at you and gives the ball to Albedo. “Your turn.” “Wait!” You cling onto his arms. “How the hell is he supposed to beat 2000?! I demand a redo!” Thoma crosses his arms. “No, yn. It’s only fair.” You sigh. “Plus, loser buys the prize so right now, you should hope that Albedo loses.” “Die.”

Albedo is very nervous. It was cooler when you guys played so when it’s his turn, he feels left out. “Good luck, Albedo!” “You got this!” Albedo lets out a small breath. Beating Thoma will be hard but all he has to do it beat you and he won’t be a loser. Easy peasy!

Or so he thought. Albedo sighs as they walk around looking for more games to gain a huge amount of tickets. “Don’t be discouraged, Albedo.” You start. “Not everyone is good at basketball.” His score was 302. Albedo pouts and you pinch his cheek. “Don’t worry. Let’s play something easier so you can win! Right Thoma?” No response. “Thoma?” You guys look around for the blonde and then, “Over here!” Thoma calls you guys over and you follow.

He was at a claw machine but it wasn’t just any claw machine. It was an exclusive limited claw machine of 5WIRL merchandise with a DCKZ one right next to it. “Holy shit.” You blurt out. This was a realization you made that you haven’t been thinking of them in a while. It kind of made your heart sink. You noticed the big Scaramouche plush, the only big 5wirl plush actually. It probably had to deal with the fact he’s a new member. Still, you miss him a lot. “I want it.”

You entered the number of coins in and began to play. The boys each stood at one of your sides and watched as you were determined to collect your boyfriend plush. However, it wasn’t that easy since the claw scraped by his fat head and collected a box of Venti pins. You knelt down to retrieve it and frown. “I can buy these at the dollar store.”

“Let me try.” Albedo says and inserts his coins to play. He didn’t have that much luck but he won a mini Aether plush. “What a cutie.” He comments and hands it to you. You smile and said thanks. “My turn.” Thoma hands Albedo the tickets and he enters his coins. You didn’t have much hope but the claw managed to grab Scaramouche’s head. You gasp and you guys watched the claw, slowly make its way to the hole. He went in and you cheered. You quickly grabbed the plush and squeezed it tight.

“Oh my god, Thoma! Thank you so much!!” You hugged him and he laughs. “No problem, yn.” You were smiling hard and you take a look at Scaramouche’s face. He had a grumpy expression but it was so cute. You planted a small kiss on his forehead. “I miss you…” You whispered and nuzzled your face cheek onto the doll. Thoma smiles at you then noticed Albedo staring at the DCKZ claw machine. He was staring right at a particular figure.

Thoma walks next to him and follows his gaze. It was a Kaeya figure in between the Zhongli and Childe figures. It was the main figure and stood on top with duo figures at the bottom. Thoma eyes wandered to the Diluc figure but he shook the urge to get him. He faces Albedo. “Do you want that?” Albedo jumps and that gained your attention. You make your way to them and gasped. “I didn’t know you liked DCKZ, Albedo.” He turns red and stutters. “I-I don’t! I’m just admiring the craftsmanship. These figures are all well done.” Thoma hums while you agreed. “Bullshit that they have figures but not 5WIRL.” You glance back at your friends then back at them.

“Let’s play some more.” Albedo changes the topic and you all agreed and went back to playing. After what felt like 100 games, Albedo had enough tickets to buy you guys rewards. Turns out, you could get 5WIRL and DCKZ merch anyways without the claw machine. Albedo bought you all the 5WIRL plushies and every Scaramouche merch. Thoma received a corgi plushie and cried which concerned you both but he was just very happy.

In the end, you decided to go eat at an ice cream parlor right next to the arcade. “You sure you don’t need help carrying all that, yn?” Thoma asks while taking a spoon of his mixed ice cream bowl. “Nah, I got this.” You smirked. Albedo laughs, “You really love Scaramouche a lot.” “I do! He’s my everything.” You him and lick you ice cream. “That’s nice.” Albedo responds. You guys continued to chat then left once finished. You were all pooped out from playing and decided to head home. You all walked together until the bus stop for Albedo to use.

Still chatting, you guys head that direction until you were forced to stop. A group of girls walked up to you. “Wow, it’s yn and their boyfriend!” Albedo raises a brow. Thoma smiles nervously and you nod. “Yup, that’s us.” “Who’s that?” One of them points at Albedo. “He’s my friend.” You respond. “Oh! Didn’t know you actually had any.” “Hey.” Thoma glared at the girls and they grow quiet. “What’s with all that Scaramouche stuff? You’re delusional.” “Leave yn alone.” Albedo speaks up. They scoff. “What a waste! Leave some for us!” They start to try and grab the stuff and you quickly backed away. Thoma stands in front you while Albedo helps you conceal the merch.

One girl was quick to go behind you and Albedo and grab hold of the giant Scaramouche plush. You felt it being pulled and you tried pulling it back to you. Albedo tries to help but he was getting pushed around. Thoma tried to be civil but began to grab the girls harshly just so they can leave you alone. You felt tears in your eyes as you were losing your grip. The girl was gonna win and you weren’t going to let that happen.

Feeling your anger rise, you pulled the plush with much force, making you almost trip. The girl fell forward and her face slammed right on the concrete. You all froze and watched as she slowly raises her head and her nose was full on bleeding. She bursted out crying and yelled, “YOU BITCH!” Before you can respond, Thoma grabs your arm and gets you guys out of there.

You all made it to the bus stop, catching your breaths. Albedo looks at you with a frown. “I’m sorry that happened, Yn. Are you okay?” You give him a small nod. “I’ll walk you home.” Thoma suggest and you nod again. You wave bye to Albedo and head off to your own place. Thoma wanted to stay with you to see if you were okay but you said no and he respected your decision. “Call me if anything happens.” “I will.” He leaves and you head inside.

You lazily place the merch on your couch, except for the Scaramouche doll, and head up to your room. You lay down on your bed, holding it close to you. You take out your phone and saw a missed call from Scaramouche. You did have your phone on silence so you could enjoy your day without any distractions. He left a voicemail so clicked on it to listen.

“Hi, Yn.” ‘He sounds tired.’ “I’m glad that you’re okay. I’m doing fine too.” He lets out a yawn. “Um, the rehearsals have been okay. The managers annoying as usual.” You giggle. “The guys miss you and they always talk about you, so annoying.” You smile wide. “I miss you, Yn. I’m always thinking of you and I can’t wait to see you soon. There’s never a day where I’m not thinking about you. I know it’s only been a few days but it feels like forever.” He yawns again. “I’m going to sleep now. I don’t know when you’ll listen to this but I hope it’s not at night since you should get your beauty sleep.” You chuckle at that. “Bye Yn. I miss you. I hope when we see each other, I can get to hold you again. Goodnight.”

The voicemail ends and you feel yourself start to cry. You hugged the plush even more as the tears fell on top of it. “I miss you too.” You sniffled. “Goodnight, Scara.”

- NEW MONTH NEW LAYOUT

- I don’t have any souma 5 star 😐 (Eng server)

- ALSO ENSTARS SONGS R DISAPPEARING FROM SOUNDCLOUD!/!:$

- MY VALKYRIE PLAYLIST IS EMPTY 😭😭😭

- I’m not gonna get a vpn for Spotify ILL JUST USE YOUTUBE

🏷️ @sakiimeo @coquettemaiden @rmiyuki @kur44pika @theblueblub @jxxji0309 @dreamsofminnie @ohmyfinggod @redactedhimbo @kunisbeloved @akagism2 @sketcheeee @thefandomcrow @beriiov @thenightsflower @yukiipc @scaraapologist @scarletttcroww @samyayaya @crucnhice @monaypo1 @feiherp @myaaones @warcelia @hangecanweholdhands @yuminako @valiryyz @screechingxiaolover @tiddieshakeshownu @ilovechuuyaa @d4y-dr3am3r @dazaisfavgf @swivy123 @ganyusbrideee @sagegreenthinks @the-left-glove @wonderland-fan @kylexzz @kaoyamamegami @whycantscarabereal @rvoulte @eunchaeluvr @lxkeeeee @silvermah @baby-bread-in @yelleloww @magica-ren @itzblazekun @im-inlovewithy0u @featuredtofu @ynverse @anastaxiah

[id-rather-be-an-outsider]

Fanboys

chapter 2: making friends

summary: follow y/n through her first day of the quarter!

word count: 1932

a/n: hehe I was very happy to make this chapter! I hope you enjoy! comment on the masterlist, send me a message or comment on this post to be added to the taglist!

When y/n’s alarm woke her up for the first day of Fall Quarter, she could already smell something heavenly cooking in the kitchen. As she dragged herself out of bed, she noticed it felt more like floating than dragging. Maybe this is why cartoon characters hover when they smell good food, she thought to herself, and she picked out her fit for the day.

Y/n figured that nothing could go wrong with lavender Nikes, an oversized lavender tank top tucked into pale gray sweats and a cute half up half down hairstyle with a scrunchy. She completed her look with a simple silver chain and matching hoop earrings, and of course she laid her edges, gelled her brows, and used some highlighter, opting to wait on lipgloss until she’d eaten breakfast.

She heard a knock on her door, and Nobara’s voice followed. “Y/n! Want to try my famous breakfast sandwich?” Before y/n could answer, Nobara opened the door, gasping. She eyed y/n up and down, then said, “I think I’m going to steal your style, because how have I never thought of pastels before?!”

Y/n felt her face heat up and she laughed. “If you can fit my clothes, feel free to borrow them whenever you want! But what’s this about a famous breakfast sandwich?”

Nobara blushed. “Actually, it’s not really mine. It’s our friend Toge’s recipe, but I stole it because it’s really good. But come try it!” She leaned forward and grabbed y/n’s wrist, dragging her out of her room and over to the kitchen counter, where Maki was already seated and chowing down, and two plated sandwiches were waiting to be devoured. Nobara sat in the middle seat, and turned to y/n. “Okay, get this. So, for starters, you toast these sourdough bread rounds, right? Then, you put mayo on each bread slice. Then, you put a piece of this super melty cheese on one of the slices. Then you make an egg over easy, so there’s still runny yolk in it, and add that. Finally, you put your lunch meat in the pan just to heat it up a smidge and put that on top, put your other slice of bread on top, and squish the egg so the yolk drips onto your plate and acts as a dipping sauce. I added seasonings to ours, but I didn’t know what you wanted on yours, so I left it plain and figured you’d tell me what you wanted next time. Now take a bite!” Nobara exclaimed, and y/n couldn’t help but see her as an excited golden retriever waiting to be called a good dog.

Y/n bit into it, and it tasted… “Good,” She said, “Way better than any Starbucks sandwich I’ve ever had. Thanks for making me food.”

Nobara beamed. “I like cooking, but I like eating Toge’s cooking more than anything. He’s just a genius at that stuff!” She sighed, seemingly day dreaming. I wonder if she likes that guy, y/n mused. Whoever he was.

In the middle of her morning class – a college success class – y/n’s phone dinged, and she mentally cursed herself for not turning it on silent beforehand. The few heads that swiveled in the sea of students quickly refocused their attention on the professor when he cleared his throat, and y/n mouthed a ‘sorry’ as she silenced it. Who was texting her this early?

When she checked, she noticed the name “tHe GwOrLz ChAt” in her text messages. That’s new, she thought to herself, and when she opened her phone, she hid a smile. It was her roommates.

Somehow, y/n couldn’t help but feel a bit nervous when the other students in her class started gathering their things. She felt butterflies in her stomach, her hands felt shaky, and she felt self-conscious, as if everyone in the room was watching her. Sure, maybe one or two students looked her way, but she wasn’t that famous. Not Lil Nas X famous, not even Em Beihold famous. She was more like… Avenue Beat famous, where she popped off with one song, and then got a steady enough following from that to be alright if she never went viral again.

Were these feelings first day jitters? Hardly. She knew what it really was. She wanted Nobara and Maki’s friends to like her, and if they didn’t? She stood the chance of losing her two new friends, and if their friends only saw y/n for her internet fame? She’d end up distancing herself and lose out on opportunities to spend time with the girls, because that’s what drove her out of her hometown in the first place.

As she made her way down the stairs, her shoes sounded like bricks on the floor to her ears, thudding almost as loud as her heart in her chest. She was so focused on her nerves, staring at her feet all the while, that she almost toppled over when she crashed into someone at the door of the classroom.

“O-oh!” Her voice cracked, “I’m so sorry! Are you okay?” She asked the guy, and thanked her lucky stars she’d finished her sentence before seeing his face, because… wow.

Long, jet-black hair, melty dark chocolate colored eyes, and a handsome smile to match, along with a completely unfazed demeanor. When he smiled at y/n, she experienced a blank mind for the first time in her life. “I’m perfectly fine. Are you okay? You seem a little out of it.”

Y/n squeezed her eyes shut and opened them back up, confirming for herself that what she was experiencing was real and that she was, in fact, okay. “No, yea! I’m all good. Just wasn’t watching where I was going. Sorry again.”

He smiled at her again, and this time, she noticed crinkles in the corners of his eyes. Somehow, a normal human feature for literally everyone was only sexy on him. “You’re okay,” he said. “See you around.” And walked away. He’s fine as fuck, y/n thought as she stood there, under a spell.

When he was out of sight, she finally remembered she was supposed to meet up with her friends. She hurried down the hall and out of the building, heading straight to the cafeteria, knowing she’d either spot them outside, or they’d spot her first.

“Y/n!” She heard her name being called, and turned to the right to see her two friends, and a group of guys — all ridiculously hot guys. She recognized each of them based on their descriptions. Yuta had his arm thrown around Maki’s neck and was giving her heart eyes, Toge was sitting next to them eating something, Nobara and Megumi were sitting next to each other sullenly, and Yuuji and Gojo were standing behind them, running around and laughing. From where y/n was standing, it looked like Gojo and Yuuji were the cause of Nobara and Megumi’s soured moods. Maki was waving to her, and Nobara looked up and over to y/n, her scowl being replaced with a smile of relief.

Y/n jogged over to all of them, and said, “Hey, guys! Where should I sit?”

“Oh! Sit right–”

“You can sit next to me, cutie. You know, I really like your music, but I’ve never gotten a tweet back. It breaks my heart, honestly.” Gojo cut Nobara off, tugging y/n by the wrist to sit down right next to him. As soon as y/n had come over, he’d quit his fooling around and had peered at her over his sunglasses, but she’d been too focused on the group as a whole to pay it mind – normally it would’ve left her flustered, but right then, all she was worried about was not making the entire group hate her.

“Oh, really?” Y/n asked him, “I see a lot of tweets from people, so I’m not super great about responding to fans on that account. Maybe uh, maybe I could retweet you?”

He pouted his lower lip. “Not even a follow back? After all I’ve done for you?”

Nobara cuts in. “All you’ve done for her is obsessively like and retweet all of her stuff and then invade her space bubble without introducing yourself, like the heathen you are.”

Gojo scoffed. “That’s called being a true fan. And anyways, I was about to tell you that my name is Gojo Satoru, but you can just call me Satoru. Am I allowed to call you by your real name, or do I have to call you Emile?”

Y/n felt Nobara’s glare and remembered what Nobara said. Never call him Satoru. “You can call me y/n, I’d rather that less people connected my face to my stage name.”

The pink haired boy sat down on y/n’s other side and said, “I’m Yuuji. I always wanted to know, what inspired you to start making music?” When y/n looked into his soft brown eyes, he looked like a sad puppy begging for a treat.

She laughed as she said, “Well, that’s a long story, but music’s always been there for me, and I’ve always connected with it emotionally.”

Yuuji’s face looked like it was buffering as he processed what she said. “I don’t know exactly what that means, but I think I understand half of it?”

Nobara rolled her eyes and chided him. “Then why did you ask her a complicated question if you weren’t gonna understand the complicated answer?”

Megumi said, “You’re expecting too much, Nobara.” His face softened a bit as he said, “I’m Megumi, by the way.” Y/n nodded at him, taking in his words at the same time that she took in his eyes being a deep, dark blue. They looked beautiful.

“And I’m Yuta! I hope we can become good friends.” Yuta said, planting a kiss on Maki’s cheek. “It’s what Maki wants, so it’s what I want, too.”

Maki furrowed her brows and lightly shoved him away. “Don’t say it like that! It sounds like you only care because I do.”

Yuta’s face reflected confusion. “What? I’m just saying that anything that matters to you matters equally to me. That’s not a crime!”

Y/n hid a smile. She knew what he meant, but it was sweet of Maki to worry about her feelings. “I think it’s nice, to have someone who values the same things as you.” She glanced over at the only person who hadn’t introduced himself yet, and her heart skipped a beat. It must be Toge.

He appears to perk up when their eyes meet. “I’m Toge. Nice to meet you.”

Y/n could feel in her bones that she would not be able to address them individually, so she said, “It’s nice to meet all of you, too.” She spotted that beautiful, raven-haired man from earlier heading through the cafeteria doors, and decided that was her cue to get up and grab food from the cafeteria. “I’m hungry. I’ll be back in a few!”

Everybody said their goodbyes, and when y/n entered the cafeteria, she gave a sigh of relief. She couldn’t believe she made it through that without embarrassing herself, especially after her mishap in her morning class. She was disappointed that she couldn’t see her gorgeous classmate, but she was not disappointed at the smell of seasoned food cooking in the kitchens. As she stepped into line and grabbed a tray, only one thought was on her mind:

This year is going to be very interesting.

chapter 1 << masterlist >> chapter 3

taglist: @kfmcykdy

[ilajue]

i hope the entire internet collapses and we can finally be free I'm so serious I loathe the internet I need it gone I hate ai I hate chat gpt I hate google docs I hate using the computer for everyone of my godforsaken assignments 300 to 400 word reading response make a video or a podcast or a paper if you want to write a paper you need to jump through 100 little hoops to find peer reviewed sources that are actually reviewed and accessable I hate paywalls I had the commercialization of the internet I hate capitalism I hate that I could never go to school without a computer I hate that all my data is being collected and stolen I hate that I have to use google I hate blackboard I hate canva I hate google I hate Microsoft I hate the money I hate how much money the internet produces for the greedy freaks that run our godforsaken planet I hate it I'm so so tired and I wish that I had options I wish I could just get an assignment, write it up and submit it the next day I hate you 11:59 pm deadlines I hate schoology I hate zoom I hate you zoom classes I hate that I spend so so so much money to attend college and half of it is already online why am I here I hate growing up in the transition period I hate knowing what classrooms where like before chromebooks I hate you chrome books I hate you google I'm so tired guys I want to throw the whole thing out and start over I hate you deregulation I hate you extractive industries I hate you lithuium ion mining I hate you planned obsolescence I hate phones I hate computers I hate all of it I want it gone I hate screens I hate bluelight I hate you bluelight glasses no I should not have to buy a product to fix the problem created from another product get rid of all of it I hate checking and double checking my spelling because I've been conditioned to always doubt my knowledge and why wouldn't I check its so easy the information is right there I hate that I've gotten lazy and complacent with technology I hate you Grammarly I hate you grub hub I hate you uber eats I hate you temu i hate you shein i hate you blackboard i hate you college board i hate you online standardized testing i hate you digital sat i hate you software updates i hate you censorships i hate that in the past few years the internet is so enmeshed into american culture that we dont even use money anymore i hate our dependence i hate our consumption i hate technology in places where we dont need it i hate typing i hate arthritis i hate back pain i hate migranes i hate the fact that i know it was never like this before and i hate the fact that im expected to accept it as normal now i need to throw my laptop into a volcano i need to eat my entire phone and spit it back out and smash it with a hammer and eat it again and then shit it into a volcano i hate the internet release me

[robthegoodfellow]

Step 9

pre-Harringrove, references to addiction/recovery, references to AIDS epidemic, 90s earworms

originally published in @strangerthingscharityzine | read on ao3

.

Steve didn’t know what he’d been expecting until the bells above the diner door let out a merry jingle—and there he was.

Apparently his subconscious had imagined someone gaunt, haggard. A shaky mess. Not that he’d sounded like that on the phone, despite the obvious nerves.

I’m looking for Steve Harrington? Dunno if he lives here anymore. The voice was gruff in a way that enticed, so he’d said this is Steve, and the ensuing silence was broken by a cough. Oh—uh, hi. This is… Billy Hargrove. From high school?

Sense memory knocked him flat—Hargrove taunting him at practice, pressed against him, tongue wagging; crouched above, pummeling; on his knees, clinging to consciousness, the Mind Flayer melted mush. 

Hargrove stumbled through a semi-rehearsed spiel. How he was in recovery, had reached the step of compiling the people he’d done wrong. How he wanted to make amends—could do it over the phone or in person or not at all, which he’d understand.

I’m back in Hawkins, but I can drive—and Steve had interrupted that he was in Hawkins, too. Did not say he’d been back a couple months, ever since Nance said they needed to talk.

It was a little pathetic, how eager Steve had been to meet up with a guy he hadn’t thought of in over a decade, because the only friends nearby were his and Nancy’s friends in Indianapolis.

So they’d made plans, and here they were: Steve, a soon-to-be divorcé working a soulless job at the family business, who at least had his hair, health, a measure of wealth; and Billy, not even slightly a woebegone waste case—scanning the booths with piercing baby blues, hair shorn on the sides, tawny curls piled on top. His ears glittered with metal hoops and studs, and that skin was bronze as Steve remembered. New tattoos twined his arms, disappeared under the white tank hanging loose from his shoulders, tucked into tight jeans.

He’d gained some weight—stood solid. Thick. It suited him.

Spotted, Steve raised an awkward hand, pursed awkward lips, and when Billy scooted in opposite, the exchanged hellos were—yep—awkward.

Unsure of the protocol for amends, Steve tried small talk—learned Billy lived with Max, who was caring for her ailing mother. His dad was still in the wind, vanished post-flaying while Billy was comatose.

Far as Steve knew, Billy had likewise vanished after a spell in the ICU. Rumors he’d been abducted by the government, but most figured he’d run off. Done the reasonable thing and put Hawkins behind him.

Turned out it was both. In exchange for his silence plus months in a secret lab, they’d set him up in the city of his choosing—and he’d chosen home. San Diego.

“Got an apartment, started community college…” Billy shrugged. “Over-indulged in the club scene. Couldn’t keep a job, couldn’t sleep. Tipped some bad dominoes. Hurt some good people.”

He’d been sober about a year, fully committed to the whole body-is-my-temple mentality. Been using music and exercise as his outlet whenever he itched.

“Went from bar hopping to gym bunny?” Steve suggested, and Billy flicked an assessing glance, wondering if the pun was deliberate.

It was. Steve’s mouth twitched, and Billy huffed a laugh. “Least I’m not eating rabbit food,” he said, nodding at Steve’s very sad salad.

“Hey, it’s tough diving into singlehood at our age,” he protested. “Gotta whip myself into shape.”

Billy guessed it—divorce?—and winced, commiserating. 

“How about you?” No ring, he noted. “Seeing anyone?”

“Ah—nope,” Billy replied, with a self-deprecating snort. “Not the marrying kind.”

And that… wasn’t quite what Steve asked. “Not the dating kind, either?”

Billy grimaced, conducted a short debate with the middle distance, and cleared his throat. “How about I say what I came to say and then we can… keep chatting. If you want.”

Steve pushed his plate aside, hands folded like it was a contract negotiation. “Okay.”

Deep inhale, and Billy mirrored him. “All right. So—I’ve been working backwards through people I’ve hurt, and you’re part of the last group. From when I was still a kid, technically, but old enough to do real damage. And… whether or not I need to… I want to. Like, it feels good to… purge, I guess.”

Beating Steve’s head in—that’s what he wanted to apologize for. He could have inflicted some lasting traumatic injury, hoped he hadn’t—you didn’t, Steve assured him, I’ve always been this confused—and had since developed other ways to cope with and express his anger.

“Like what?” he asked, curious. Billy blinked, lost track of his mental cue cards.

“Like—meditation,” he said, and Steve pictured him cross-legged on the beach at sunset, centering his chakra. “And journaling. And…” He scrunched his nose, flushed. “Uh—crochet.”

“Is that… when you hit balls through little hoops?”

“That’s croquet. Crochet is like—” Billy huffed, dragging hands down his cheeks. “It’s like knitting, okay? Will you let me just…?” 

Steve waved for him to continue, mimed zipping his lips. Covered his mouth at the thought of Billy knitting blankets of rage. This was serious, he scolded himself. Knock it off.

But… teasing Billy was fun. Gave him a strange thrill. Like when they used to spar at school. Banter.

Taking a deep breath, Billy found where he’d left off. “Right. Anger management. But I’ve also been re-examining my—motivations. Because for awhile, I told myself you deserved it, that I was protecting Max from shady dudes who’d lured her to the woods—”

Well, that’s fair, Steve thought, his perspective on that night radically shifting. Optics not great.

“—But I didn’t give a shit about Max,” Billy confessed. “I was just mad she got me in trouble with my dad and ruined my date… mad you lied to me about her being there, and that she’d ignored me about Sinclair, and… mad I was in Bumfuck Nowhere. So—I’m grateful you grabbed me off the kid. I’ve already made amends with him. And with Max. And I’m sorry I beat you so bad. Sorry I took it out on you.”

Steve hadn’t even remembered some of those details until Billy blew off the dust—one of those weird moments where you realize a hazy event was crystalline for someone else. Vivid and weighted with meaning.

“It’s fine, man,” Steve said, simple and easy, and Billy nodded, a fine tremor up and down. “Water under the bridge. I’m glad you’re—”

“I’m a fag,” Billy said, blunt. The eyes that rose to meet him were flat. Slate blue. “S'why I’m not the marrying kind.” A short, fractured laugh, devoid of humor. “And don’t think you’d call it dating, what I was doing. Russian roulette, more like. I should be dead several times over by now. Dunno how I’m not.”

Steve swallowed hard, couldn’t wipe the dumb shock—and the blue slate buckled, about to crack. So he revised his sentence from before. “I’m glad you’re not.” Managed a weak smile, heartfelt. “I’m glad you’re not dead.”

Billy ducked, but Steve caught the flash of wet. Slate in the rain. “I don’t have it,” he muttered, single sniff. “In case you’re wondering.”

And Steve meant to say I’m glad, a broken record but a sincere one, only the thing gnawing at him since the separation hijacked his mouth. “Nancy thinks I’m in love with this guy at work. This guy who’s a man.”

Billy’s head swung up, thrown off course for maybe the fourth time since he’d entered the cafe, and Steve facepalmed.

“I’m sorry,” he said. “That’s not why we’re here. I keep dive bombing your… amending. Amendment?”

That might have broken Billy—the poor dude slumped forward, brow on the table.

“I really am sorry,” Steve repeated, earnest. “And I’m glad you’re okay. That’s what I meant to say—that I’m glad you’re okay.”

A long sigh, and Billy propped his chin on folded wrists. “Are you in love with this guy who’s a man?”

“No,” Steve said, heating as it dawned on him that Guy Who’s a Man bore a striking resemblance to Man Sitting Opposite. “It’s more—crippling lust.” 

“Did you cheat?”

“No!” Then, dialing his tone from offended to firm: “I don’t do that.”

“Okay.” Billy straightened, thinking. “I’m not the best person to be anyone’s gay sensei, but I’m gonna give you my number in case you need to talk about this shit. And you better be careful. Be safe if you decide to… dip your toes in the water.”

Through the wall-mounted speakers, Jewel wondered one last time who would save their souls if they wouldn't save their own, the track winding to a close, and Steve had opened his mouth to ask Do you think we could have done that, way back then? Dipped our toes in the water? when Billy scrambled upright, nope, nope, nope under the faint strains of the next tune.

“Gotta go—this song’s gonna wreck my sobriety.” Finger guns, backpedaling. “You pay up. I’ll wait outside.”

Steve cocked an ear, bemused, listening hard all the way to the register. Plucky melody, a crooning boyish falsetto, incomprehensible—then finally, impassioned: Can you tell me who will still care?

The chorus kicked in as he walked out, and Steve caught on—laughed at the sky.

Mmm bop, ba duba dop Ba du bop, ba duba dop Ba du bop, ba duba dop Ba du—

He sang along, full chested: “Yea-ee-yea-ah!”

Billy groaned, slipping him seven scribbled digits with the air of already regretting his decisions.

“Thanks,” Steve said, genuine, running his thumb across the numbers. “Maybe I’ll see you around?”

“Yeah.” Billy swiped his curls. Unwilling smile. “Maybe.”

💛.🎶.💛

[jimmaisano]

Dick "Hoops" Weiss on St. Joe's & Villanova + Top CBB Teams!

WATCH NEW EPISODE of College Hoops Chat Podcast with Dick "Hoops" Weiss on St. Joe's & Villanova + Top CBB Teams! CLICK LINK!

CLICK YOUTUBE LINK BELOW for new episode of College Hoops Chat! https://youtu.be/nJffROfIGHE?si=AzX6g-bxPXILAYNz I interview Dick “Hoops” Weiss! Dick is an award-winning sportswriter who covered college basketball for Philadelphia Daily News & New York Daily News for 40 years. He’s a member of the National Sportswriters Hall of Fame. We discuss the 2 Tops Teams in Dick’s Philadelphia Area, St.…

[reginageorgesgirlfriend3020]

Chad Meeks-Martin adores you!

You met him your senior year of college

He saw you dribbling a basketball chatting with your his sister, Mindy

He was amazed at how tall you are

Chad is like 6’2 and you’re 6’10

He’s not intimidated by your height actually

But the funny thing is since he saw you he wanted to kiss you

Your long arms you shoulders and what he imagines your soft lips

Outside your house he saw you playing basketball shooting some hoops

He smiled. “Wow she’s really good!” He said to himself.

You turned around and you saw him. You waved.

He smiled and waved. He jogged over to where you are. He goes for a run everyday.

”Hey”. He said. “I saw you playing some basketball. You, uh, you’re really good. You play for our college team?” He asked.

”Yeah. I’m a few days away from graduating actually”. You said.

He smiled. “Oh, me too! What’s your major?” He asked.

”Digital Arts & design. Ultimately I wanna do film editing for movies. And play basketball professionally”. You said. “You?”

”Nice! I play football. And I’m majoring in communications”. He said.

”Oh, nice. I’m (Y/n)”. You said.

”Chad”. He said. “So listen a few of my friends and my sister go to this local coffee shop. They have the best muffins and scones. And coffee. So maybe we could uh..we’ll….get a coffee”. He said.

You smiled. “Yeah!”. You said.

Chad smiled. “Really? Oh my god yes! Yes!” He said happily.

You giggled. “Let me know when and where and what time”. You said.

”I will definitely do that”. He said. “Here’s my number”.

Chad loves cuddling you

He has to reach up to you to kiss you which you find adorable

He loves to wrap his hands around your arms softly and kiss your nose then your lips

He will get you Taco Bell on a Friday night

Tropical smoothie on a Saturday night

And love you all over on a Sunday night

He gushes about you to his sister

And gushes about you to his friends

He is so in love with you and he will protect you

[female-buckets]

re: transitioning fans from college to wnba -- what do you think the wnba could do better. I agree whatever it is they're doing now isn't working

I'm from Tucson so am most familiar with University of Arizona wbb. Aari McDonald smashed school records and revitalized our entire wbb program before going to the Dream 3rd overall. the demographics of the fanbase (lesbians, retired people, retired lesbians) completely flipped (tons more students and young families on top of the regulars), but that didn't translate to them becoming Dream fans. Even as a Mercury fan, I don't keep track of what she's doing beyond games she plays against the Mercury. There was more UofA excitement for Sam Smith even though she mostly rode the bench for the Mercury while she was up there.

it seems like part of it is people wanting that "local" identity of supporting a familiar player in a familiar place where they can see them play in person, but that's just a guess based on what I've seen in my small corner

The local hero effect definitely does bring fans!

Besides lesbians and sporty parents, the other WNBA audience is basketball geeks. And that's the category that's easiest to expand. If the WNBA emphasized and promoted that side of things, it would bring in more people.

Think about how many people watch professional chess streamers. Millions. Millions! To watch and enjoy chess, you have to study it at least a little bit. And millions of people study chess just for the sake of watching professionals play. There's no dunking in chess. But millions of people find it exciting to watch because they studied chess a little so they feel involved.

Basketball is like chess. There are only a dozen different plays yet every single game is different. I think the WNBA should be marketed as the league for nerds. The WNBA should provide everything a nerd could ever want. Analysis, scouting, explanations of different strategies. They can even teach the lingo and slang pros use to talk about all this. Then they can have pros chat about it naturally without having to dumb it down. No other league does that and it would set the WNBA apart. They should make all that fun and accessible for someone new to basketball. But also there should be enough depth to keep a hoops nerd interested. People say if you want to learn the game of basketball, watch the WNBA, not the NBA. So let's lean into that and teach the game.

Chess streamers didn't get views through fashion and lifestyle branding. They got viewers by teaching basic chess strategy. People want to feel smart and involved.

[softprettything]

late bloomer, ch 6

AO3 | Previous | Next

Fandom: OHSHC

Pairing: Kyoya/Reader

Tags: 18+, A/B/O Dynamics, College AU, Fake Dating, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Slice of Life, Eventual Smut

Summary: Nobody ever said falling in love with your best friend would be easy.

Taglist (new!): @silverhetdanes​ @lampalooza​

late bloomer, ch 6

“Are you sure you don’t want to revisit the black dress?”

“No.”

“Are you sure? It’s a classic for a reason. You can wear the blue blazer for color?”

She shakes her head. “It’s a date, not a Model UN conference.”

Right.

You came home from your shift at the coffee shop to find Haruhi in her room, and her room looking so messy that it might as well be your room. That was an hour ago, and it’s only gotten worse since then. An hour of her turning down everything you suggest; trying on every possible combination of clothing she owns; trying on the few articles of your clothing that she wouldn’t drown in.

Your phone buzzes—your group chat with the twins.

Thing 1: y/n. come out.

Y/N: Im busy

Thing 1: busy doing what, sniffing h’s dirty laundry?

Thing 2: EW

Y/N: Youre absolutely vile

Thing 2: ignore him

Thing 2: but also…..come out

Thing 2: pregame in 5 @hikarus place

Y/N: Homework

Thing 1: booo.

Thing 2: its literally friday are u kidding

Thing 2: get your ass over here and lets go frat hopping

Y/N: Ew x a million

Y/N: You know i dont do frats and ALSO i have HOMEWORK.

“How about this?”

You lock your phone, toss it on the bed. Look up. “Oh.”

You recognize the long-forgotten camisole, simple ivory silk. Must have found that at the back of a drawer, though God only knows how it’s so wrinkle-free. She’s tucked it into the dark, slim-cut dress pants (the pants you’ve mended for her at least once a year through college—cheaper than buying new ones, after all), and adjusted it to be just the right amount of baggy. Really, it’s not that much different from what she usually wears. There’s no reason for you to feel as though your heart has made a play for your esophagus.

But then she turns back to look at you, and something about her eyes, something about the arc of her neck, something about her smile, her smile, her smile —faint and familiar and more vulnerable than any you’ve seen—something about it has you lost for words.

Though the smile quickly disappears when she sees your lack of reaction. After all, you aren’t usually the stoic one. “Oh good? Or…”

“Yeah. No, yeah, it’s perfect.” You cross to the dresser, doing your best to seem very interested in the slim selection of costume jewelry you two have amassed over the years.

“Really?”

Your eyes meet in the mirror. And it’s funny, because you and Haruhi have been friends for years and years. Nearly two decades, at this point. You’ve seen each other through every year of school, through every major life milestone, through first kisses and funerals and everything in between.

But here’s the thing: you can’t remember the last time you ever saw her looking anything close to insecure.

You look down at the little gold hoops you have in your palm. You walk over to her, and place them in her hand. “Really.”

She swallows, and nods. Outside, you hear the sound of a car door opening and shutting. Haruhi turns back to the mirror to start putting in the earrings. “That’s probably him. Could you—”

“Already on it.” You stop at the door. “You know he’d be an idiot not to be into you, right?”

There’s a short moment of quiet. “Thanks, (Y/N).”

*****************

After awkwardly greeting Tamaki at the door (her brought her a small bouquet and a single rose for you, which, you begrudgingly admitted to yourself, was very considerate), giving him a half-joking version of your typical “hurt her and you’ll be sleeping with the fishes” speech, and closing the door behind them (because you’d already forbidden yourself from torturing yourself by watching them walk to the car), you check your phone again.

Thing 2: here btw

Thing 2: its raining pls come get me

Thing 1: y/n.

Thing 1: are you still playing dress up with haruhi.

Thing 1: you ARE aren’t you.

Thing 2: y/n just say youre coming so hikaru can come unlock the door

Thing 1: you know the door code, dumbass.

Thing 2: oh yeah

Thing 2: k im in

Thing 1: y/n. pls come save me from this idiot.

They must have started drinking, because the next text was twenty minutes later—and significantly less comprehensible.

Thing 2: look if ur.not gonna pregame at leastt meet us out

Thing 2: hango n ill drop the addres

It’s not far from your apartment; just a seven minute walk. Which you could probably make in five.

No! No. You are not going out walking alone, in the middle of the night, only to ruin your only sneakers on some filthy, sticky frat room floor, come home too exhausted to even take off your makeup, and wake up tomorrow morning smelling like sweat and beer and other unmentionable fluids. That is the last thing you want or need.

Thing 2: u promised back in aaugust youd come out with us atl east onxe

Thing 2: onxe

Thing 2: ONCE

Thing 2: cmonnnn

That last text was five minutes ago. Surely they wouldn’t have left for another party that quickly?

Chewing on your lip, you type:

Y/N: Still there?

[fruitbasketball]

Now that the NBA finals are over and I've had my post vacation glowup I hope we can chat W/college hoops again ☘️

yessirrrr i’ve been on it 🫡

[itainteasy-beinchzzy]

Five Steps to DCP

Recently I was accepted into the Disney College Program. Disney runs this internship program to give college students a chance to work at Walt Disney World and see a glimpse of what keeps Disney’s gears turning. Getting accepted to this program is quite challenging. There are several hoops to jump through before you can get into the program. I have compiled a quick five-step guide as an overview for getting into the program.

Before I start, I would like to give some context on what the Disney College program is and some of the specs. The program allows curious individuals who want to help create and contribute to the magic of Disney. College program participants will be placed in housing right outside the gates of Disney and will work full-time on property. Program participants can work in a variety of jobs ranging from custodial to being a character performer all while having the chance to network and connect with Cast Members in all fields.

Step 1: Research- Before applying to the Disney College Program there is a lot you need to know. The Walt Disney Company has a lot of its own lingo and procedures that are unique. If you were to apply to the program with no prior knowledge you may become very confused. One of the things I learned in my research was that there are no “jobs” at Disney! Everything is instead referred to as a “role” that Cast Members (employees) perform. Besides researching the company, it is important to research the program itself to be sure it is the right fit for you. There are many aspects of the DCP life I was unaware of before I started looking into participating myself.

Step 2: Planning- Participating in the Disney College Program is a huge commitment. In order to participate you have to move into the Disney housing and pay an acceptance fee. Potential participants need to be ready to put their lives and education on hold for a semester. Participants work full time while they are with Disney so many are unable to do school at the same time. Some folks are able to do a few online courses, but it depends on what your college offers. These are all factors that must be accounted for when you decide to do the college program.

Step 3: Connecting- Some of the most important tips I got for getting into the Disney College Program were from current cast members and program participants. I found it extremely helpful to hear first-hand what the interview and onboarding processes were like. Social media made it easy to find people to talk to. There are DCP pages on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and Reddit full of cast members so I was able to ask questions. Any questions you may have about the program, or the interview can be very easily answered. Part of being a cast member is being friendly and approachable so don’t be afraid to reach out to current cast.  

Step 4: Applying- Applying to the DCP is super exciting but also super stressful. College students from all over the world are applying for the same position as you and spots are very limited. In order to better my chances of getting an early interview, I sent in my application the day the form opened. The official Disney College Program social media accounts post updates as to when applications will be opening. I recommend following them to stay up to date. It is important to have your papers and resume organized before applications open. If applications fill up too quickly, they may close early, so it is important to be diligent.

Step 5: Interviewing- The interview is the most nerve-wracking part of the process. It takes place over the phone so you must convey your enthusiasm and charisma audibly. The Disney recruitment team is looking for a very specific type of person. It is important to smile through the whole interview and to be open to chatting. Some advice I received before my interview is that Disney is a storytelling company. If you want to stand out during your interview, share personal stories of how Disney has positively impacted you. The more personal connections you are able to make with your recruiter, the better. The most important thing is confidence. Carry yourself like a current cast member would so you can make the best impression possible.

            These are just a few things that I learned on my journey to getting into the Disney College Program. The five steps I have laid out are the broad strokes of what you need to know but it is important to find the answers to any specific questions you may have regarding the DCP. There is a lot of information out there, but this is a great place to start.

[vbholidayfestival]

Meet Your Festival Workers!

TRIP runs the Ring the Bronzong stand! He’s a carpenter by trade and a native of Lacunosa. He got roped into helping out with the Village Bridge festivities by his wife the first year the festival took place and he's reprised his role every year since! His favorite part of running his stall is watching all the hopefuls try to aim for the sky. He trains several fighting-type pokémon to help him in his shop and with dwelling construction, and a few of them can usually be seen hanging out by his stand. His oldest partner is a reliable Conkeldurr named Betsy.

MIRA is volunteering to host the MooMoo Milk Knock-Off game once more! She’s a student in Castelia College spending her holiday vacation with her parents, who live in Village Bridge. She decided to help out with the festival during the first year because it looked like a ton of fun and she even got to meet superstar idols Cristoph and Nancy in the flesh! She hasn’t looked back since. She’s not much of a trainer but she does have a companion pokémon, a Minccino she calls Sweetpea.

CAM(ERON) joined the team during the second year of the festival and is in charge of the Holiday Hoop-as! A Nimbasa native, he’s an avid sports fan and a pretty good hoop man himself, though he prefers baseball to most other sports. When he’s not running his stall, he’s hanging out at the nearby sports courts, chatting up on the latest League news, or training with his pokémon partner, Buddy the Mienshao.

AKARI is a pastry chef that came all the way from Sinnoh last year to showcase her sweets. She’s the mastermind behind the extremely popular Cherubi Jubilees and assorted Holiday Poffins and was invited to work the concession stands this year. Though she’s a bit shy, she and her trusty Vespiquen, Cressida, are always down to suggest items from the menu to best suit their customers’ tastes.