#Evan being good at games is also the best let him win always and forever please

[pixlokita]

Painful wing fanart incoming but you already knew about it and colored it so like -w- hiding it for the gore and blood tho >>

I feel like it was less gory in black and white but honestly 👀✨ aight don’t mind me I’m going to the tag now

BEHOLD!!! AN ART TRADE!!! @pixlokita it is time!

Caution, do not click read more if you do not intend to read. This is 12,192 words. And no, I'm not kidding. This is so much longer than most of the stuff I write. That being said, enjoy!!!

Evan said Michael was sick, which worried Jeremy. Being sick should not mean Michael would try so hard to avoid Jeremy, especially since he knew it would make Jeremy worry about him more.

But the main part Jeremy was worried about was the way Evan’s new wings kept fluffing up. Was Michael mad at him?

Don’t worry about it, Jeremy, he told himself. If Michael’s mad, he’ll tell you eventually.

It just stung. Evan and Gregory were wandering around the house, trying to see if their wings would allow them to do various things. Evan’s were too small to do much, and Gregory still hadn’t gotten used to them yet, but at least they had something to do while Mr. Emily tried to figure out what could possibly cause this.

“Ugh!” Gregory exclaimed, plopping down on the sofa next to Jeremy. He took the soda from Jeremy’s hand and took a giant sip. “These things suck.”

“What do you mean?” Jeremy asked, unsuccessfully trying to retrieve his Coke.

“I mean,” Gregory scowled, taking another sip, “that wings are stupid. They don’t even bend the way I want them to.”

“Well…” Jeremy said thoughtfully. “They are just extra limbs, right? With bones and joints and stuff?”

“I guess so.” Gregory finally gave Jeremy his soda back. “But they don’t move how I want-“

“You couldn’t do much when you were a baby right? Learning to crawl?” Jeremy chugged the rest of his Coke before putting the empty can down. “It’s an accomplishment when babies get their heads off the floor on their own, you know. And rolling and stuff.”

“Oh.” Gregory clearly hadn’t thought about it that way. “But Evan’s got excellent control already.”

“He’s had them longer.” Jeremy shrugged. “Maybe he’s just a quick learner. Or maybe, there’s less wing to work with. Could be a bunch of things.”

“But…” Gregory sighed. He inched closer to Jeremy on the couch, his wings refusing to bend in a natural way.

Jeremy awkwardly looped a comforting arm around Gregory. “You’ll get there eventually.”

“They just hurt. All the time.”

“I can’t help with that,” Jeremy chuckled.

“Sure you can! Mike did this thing once, where he…” Gregory chewed his lip. “Well, I’m not exactly sure what he did.”

“You want me to pet you?” Jeremy said in disbelief. “Nuh uh. Go ask Evan. That’s not… No.”

“Why’d you make it weird?” Gregory shook his head. “It was like…”

“Like a shoulder massage,” Evan interjected helpfully. His wings flexed, expanding fully as he explained. They barely went past his shoulders, but the point got across.

Jeremy admired the confidence with which he showed them. He’d personally be too worried about people calling him a freak. Which, thinking about it, was not likely to happen in this house. Everyone was too nice here.

“Mikey went like this,” Evan said, pulling Jeremy’s arm back to get to Gregory’s wings.

Gently, Evan messaged the inner edge of Gregory’s wings, right where they extended from his back. Gregory’s wings convulsed, the claw on one nearly hitting Jeremy in the face. “I think they get itchy,” Evan mused. “We might have to just do this more often.”

“No kidding,” Gregory said with a sigh, his eyes closing and his shoulders relaxing. “But Mike’s still better at it.”

“Wonder where he got his practice,” Jeremy replied. He didn’t mean to sound bitter, but it still came across that way.

Evan winched, but he didn’t comment on it. Instead, he kept focused on his task. Gregory sighed absently. “Wings are a lot of work.”

“Seems that way,” Jeremy replied.

Gregory folded and unfolded his hands while Evan worked. “I just…”

Jeremy spared him a glance as he went to get another can of Coke. “Something on your mind?”

“His girlfriend,” Evan said absently.

“Cassie’s not my girlfriend!” Gregory said, straightening. His wings fluffed up as he said it.

“Oh.” Jeremy had no idea what to make of that. “What happened to her?”

“I don’t know!” Gregory replied. He ran a hand through his hair to try to make it lay flat. “She was at Evan’s party, and she looked really bad. I think Mike took care of it, but he didn’t really say anything about it afterwards.”

“She’s probably at the hospital, Gregory,” Evan replied, trying to be soothing. “We can visit her once we figure out what to do about this first.”

“Stupid wings,” Gregory grumbled. “Making everything harder.”

Jeremy didn’t know how to reply to that. He cracked the can open and took a sip. “Have you asked Mike?”

“He’s sick,” Evan answered for Gregory. His wings fluffed up again.

“Maybe we should check on him then. He’s been resting all week right?” Jeremy asked, trying to be casual about it. Evan had been very guarded about his older brother this whole time.

Jeremy came over every day, and every day, Evan said the same thing. “Mike’s sick. He can’t see anyone right now.”

It had been happening since the day Gregory’s wings had burst through his skin. Jeremy was more than a little concerned. Sure, he hadn’t reacted well to the wings at first, but none of them had. He’d been more supportive when Evan’s had burst through later that same day.

But Michael’s expression became very guarded for the rest of the day, and the next day, he was “sick” and couldn’t see Jeremy. And Evan was very good at shooing Jeremy away when he tried too hard to see him.

“Shouldn’t he eat something?” Jeremy asked.

Evan frowned. “Mikey told me that there’s not much he can stomach right now.”

“Crackers always work,” Jeremy mumbled to himself. Shaking his head, he tried again. “What about water? Maybe he’ll start feeling better with some fluids.”

“I… guess…” Evan seemed less sure. Conflicted, he looked at Gregory and then glanced at the closed door to his cousin’s room.

“I can get it. You keep helping Gregory,” Jeremy said quickly. He didn’t want Evan to change his mind.

Evan relented, nodding slightly. “Okay. Make sure to get him a big glass. And don’t be loud. And-“

“I know how it works when someone’s sick, thank you.” Jeremy set his Coke down and rushed back to the kitchen to grab a glass.

Evan had not been exaggerating. When Jeremy crept into the room with the glass of water, Michael was curled into a tight ball on the bed.

“Mike?” Jeremy whispered into the quiet room.

Michael groaned in response. He rolled over to face Jeremy, exposing the hair plastered to his face with sweat.

“I um.” Jeremy swallowed. He felt a little foolish now. Michael was just literally sick. He wasn’t mad at Jeremy or anything like that. “I brought you some water.”

Michael opened his eyes, feebly reaching for the glass.

“Are you strong enough to hold it on your own?” Jeremy asked.

Michael had to consider that for a moment. Then he shook his head.

“Here-“ Jeremy sat next to Michael on the bed, helping pull him into an upright position so he could drink the water.

Michael leaned heavily against Jeremy, eagerly drinking the water. Jeremy had to brace himself against the wall to support the extra weight. Then abruptly, Michael pulled away.

“J… Jeremy,” Michael whispered weakly. He gripped at Jeremy’s jacket, burying his face in Jeremy’s shirt. “I…”

“It’s okay, Mike-“

Michael seized in Jeremy’s arms, sobbing heavily. His hold got tighter and tighter as his body shuddered with pain. Jeremy tried to set the glass on the bedside table, but he barely had it on the edge and water soaked into the carpet as he pulled Michael the rest of the way into his lap. “I got you,” Jeremy said into Michael’s hair.

“It hurts,” Michael cried, still shaking.

“You’ll get through this,” Jeremy mumbled.

A tearing noise broke through the sound of Michael’s sobs, even as they intensified. “JEREMY!!!” Michael wailed.

“I have you, Mike. It’s okay. You’ll be okay.”

Dimly, Jeremy registered the large wings erupting from Michael’s back. Oh. Oh. This was happening now. Bloody feathers spread out, wrapping around Jeremy to return his comforting gesture.

Gradually, Michael’s crying ceased, and Jeremy was left holding an exhausted teenager with bloody wings. “I am sorry,” Michael whispered, pulling his hands back, the wings retracting slightly. “I did not mean to, uh…”

“It’s okay, Michael.” Jeremy tried to smile at him. He was determined not to squirm in discomfort from all the blood currently soaking into his jacket.

“I… should go shower,” Michael said awkwardly.

“Yeah…” Jeremy wriggled uncomfortably in his jacket.

“Sorry,” Michael said. “I can wash that if you want.”

“It’s not the biggest deal,” Jeremy said.

“It is if you go home wearing a jacket covered in blood,” Michael replied. “It’s only fair that I clean it, since that’s my blood.”

That wasn’t how Jeremy saw it, but he figured he wasn’t getting out of this. “Okay.”

Michael shifted carefully, putting his feet on the carpet. Almost instantly after taking his weight off the bed, he completely lost his balance. His wings flew out, trying to redistribute the weight, but Jeremy didn’t realize that as he caught Michael by the waist. Both of them tumbled off the bed, Jeremy hitting the carpet with a soft ‘oomph.’

“I am sorry. This was not my intent,” Michael said from above Jeremy.

“They take some getting used to, huh?” Jeremy replied, trying to ignore the heat rising to his face.

It hadn’t been much on the bed with Michael clinging to him like a lifeline. But on the floor with Michael on top of him, pinning him to the ground, Jeremy was suddenly aware of how close Michael was to him.

Michael smiled ruefully. “I don’t think I’m strong enough to walk on my own right now. I don’t know how I’m going to wash all this blood off by myself.”

“Maybe your uncle could help?”

“He’s probably back at the library again,” Michael mused as he crawled off Jeremy.

Evan wouldn’t be able to handle it, Jeremy knew that much. And he couldn’t ask for Gregory’s help without alerting Evan to the amount of blood that coated them both.

“Do you want me to help?” Jeremy asked, feeling the heat more intensely in his face. Please say no. He didn’t think he’d be able to handle it.

“Really?” Michael chewed his lip, considering it. “I would not want to be a bother… But if you are offering…”

Jeremy’s heart quickened at the prospect. “R-right.”

“Help me up?” Michael asked.

Jeremy pulled Michael to his feet, unprepared for the wings to wrap around him again. “Um.”

“Sorry. I don’t have much control over them yet,” Michael replied sheepishly.

“Do they want me to carry you?” Jeremy gauged the idea of carrying Michael to the bathroom. It wasn’t the worst idea he’d ever come up with.

“It’d probably be less awkward than walking there like this,” Michael agreed.

“So I’m just going to…” Jeremy twisted around in the space the wings allowed him. Michael hissed out a pained breath, but soon he was behind Jeremy. “How well can you jump?”

Pretty well, apparently. Jeremy barely needed to adjust for the weight of Michael on his own back, hands linked beneath Michael’s knees. “Okay. Let’s get you taken care of.”

“I am not a child, Jer,” Michael said wearily. Still, he pressed the side of his face into Jeremy’s hair. “I am sorry to be such a burden.”

“You’re not a burden, Mike. You’re my friend. I’m absolutely willing to help you out when you’re in need.”

“Mmmmm,” Michael sounded almost mournful. But he didn’t argue.

“Okay,” Jeremy said. “So, I’m thinking they might need a decent soaking, right? Birds like to be fully submerged when they clean their wings right?”

Michael blinked at him from where he sat on the toilet lid. “What are you even saying?”

“The blood.”

“It is not dried yet. Not completely anyway.”

“So what? You were planning to just wing this whole thing, weren’t you?” Jeremy shrugged off his jacket.

Michael snorted. “I was planning to shower, Jeremy. But I guess I was planning to wing it, considering how I have wings now.” His wings stretched as he spoke, emphasizing his point. “I just don’t have the strength to stand there long enough to wash them off.”

“I-“ Jeremy sputtered. Clearing his throat, he tried to skip over the accidental pun he’d made. “Just going to let the water do the work?”

“That’s the goal.” Michael frowned. “There’s just a few problems.”

“Such as?”

“My shirt isn’t going to come off the same way it went on this morning.”

“Are you particularly attached to that shirt?” Jeremy asked.

“Not really. Could try to just-“ Michael pulled at the collar of his shirt.

“I’ll go grab a pair of scissors,” Jeremy said as Michael pulled experimentally at his shirt again.

He had to be careful walking by the couch, noticing Evan curled up for a nap. Gregory was nowhere in sight.

Returning with the scissors, Jeremy nearly dropped them upon seeing Michael. “What happened? I was gone for two minutes!”

Michael’s shirt was hanging off his body in shreds. When Jeremy looked closer, he could see sharp claws on Michael’s hands. “I…” Michael shrugged sheepishly. “I thought I could tear the fabric and take it off myself.”

Jeremy’s mouth twitched, but he didn’t let himself laugh. “Okay. I don’t think you did a very good job of it though.”

“It seems as though I failed…”

“Here, let me just…” Jeremy carefully reached around Michael’s head, one knee resting between his legs. It felt strange to be cutting through Michael’s shirt, but as the fabric gave way, Michael seemed to relax a little more.

Jeremy recalled Gregory and Evan both sitting on the couch as Michael measured the shape they needed cut from their shirts for the wings. Perhaps Michael needed a few of those done as well. Something to keep in mind for later.

“Hey, why is there blood all over-“ Gregory’s eyes widened as he peered into the bathroom.

Michael straightened quickly. Jeremy pulled back, hiding the scissors. “Hello.” Michael waved awkwardly, his wings stiff and very clearly exposed.

“You… you have them too?” Gregory’s voice seemed so small.

“Yes, it appears as though we will match.”

Gregory swallowed harshly. “I can help. I know how to get blood stains out of fabric.”

“I would really appreciate it. Thank you, Superstar.” Michael beamed at Gregory, who flushed a deep red.

“It’s no big deal…”

“Not to you,” Jeremy said softly. “But it helps more than you realize. Thank you.”

Gregory opened his mouth to reply, but no words came out. He scratched his neck as his wings fluffed up, finally saying, “I’ll be quick. It probably won’t be good if Evan finds out.”

“It would be best if he did not know how messy the process is,” Michael agreed.

Gregory nodded, smoothing his hair down before hurrying out of the room.

Michael wadded the scraps of his shirt into a ball and tossed it to the floor. “Now that that’s sorted…”

Jeremy determinedly kept his eyes from wandering as he helped Michael stand. His friend leaned heavily against him for support as he attempted to undo his pants.

Jeremy belatedly realized that the only way this whole thing would work was if the shower ran over both of them. I’m going to be drenched, he thought sorrowfully as Michael muttered to himself in frustration.

“You could probably just sit while I wash the blood off,” Jeremy said when Michael finally stood there in his boxers. “Since it would be less exhausting for you.”

Michael blinked. “I suppose you are correct. I should have thought this through more.”

“It’s no big deal, man. You’re probably dealing with blood loss or whatever.”

“Still…”

“Hey, it’s fine. You spend all this time taking care of everybody. Maybe it’s time someone took care of you, right?”

Michael chewed his lip. “I suppose.”

“Okay. We’ll get you cleaned up in no time, Mike.” Jeremy said, smiling supportively. Michael tentatively smiled back.

As it turned out, it was a lot harder to clean up Michael than Jeremy initially thought. He kept twitching away, hissing out noises of pain at Jeremy’s touch.

Michael clenched his fists in his lap. “Okay. Clearly this is not the proper solution.”

“I can’t do this when it’s clearly hurting you, Mike. I just…” Jeremy leaned forward to rest his head against the back of Michael’s.

“This is nothing. I have endured much worse before.”

“That’s not as reassuring as you think it is.”

“Jeremy.” Michael said calmly, wringing water out of the washcloth. “I am sure it has become clear to you that things are not how they should be. The wings are only one part of it.”

“Yeah? What I’m hearing is that your father is abusive.” Jeremy wearily took the washcloth back, dabbing it gently against the space between Michael’s wings. At least like that it didn’t seem to hurt him.

“Well, not in the way you would think. Actually, I was thinking more of the comparison between growing limbs and losing organs. I think losing organs is still a more painful experience than this.”

“So you want me to just ignore your pain?” Jeremy asked, trying to decipher Michael’s meaning.

“I am saying I can handle it. I can be a man about this.”

No one is doubting that, Jeremy thought grimly to himself. “Maybe I can’t.” He tentatively rubbed at a clump of blood in the inner edge of Michael’s wing.

Immediately, it swung at him, throwing him against the sink. Pain flared throughout Jeremy’s entire body as he hit the floor. Faintly he registered that his face was bleeding.

“Jeremy?” Michael asked, twisting around. “Are you alright?”

“Nnnnngh,” Jeremy groaned. “I don’t think I broke anything.”

“I am so sorry. It appears that the wings are more sensitive than I thought.”

“No kidding.” Jeremy pressed his fingers to his cheek. He was lucky. The clawed joint of Michael’s wing had hit him just below the eye. Any higher, and he might’ve lost it completely. “Now what?”

“I suppose I should just sit under the water and hope for the best.”

“I think Gregory and Evan mentioned messages working out the soreness. Maybe I could at the very least-“

“I think we should avoid that for now,” Michael replied, his voice sounding stiff. “You have already been hurt once today.”

“Michael.” Jeremy tried to make his voice sound stern. “I knew the risks when I offered to help. So let me help.”

“Fine. Just do not do anything that will put you in danger again.”

“Don’t lie about how much it hurts next time,” Jeremy shot back. “Still gotta get all that blood out of your wings, you know.”

Michael clenched his jaw, but he only stared down into his hands. He couldn’t face Jeremy with the nasty cut on his face any longer.

Jeremy was lighter after that. He knew that even pressing a little too hard would make the wings spaz, and over the course of the next few hours, he succeeded with minimal interruptions.

Gregory popped in near the end to check on the progress. “Henry’s back. Do you want me to tell him about this?” He gestured at the entirety of the bathroom.

“I believe he should be informed. Please ensure that my brother does not come to investigate before we are done here.”

“And maybe grab him a dry set of clothes while you’re at it,” Jeremy said. As an afterthought, he looked at himself. “Maybe grab me something too, if you would.”

Gregory rolled his eyes. “Yeah, yeah. How much does it hurt?”

“I suspect that I should be in more pain than I am,” Michael said, considering the question. “But Jeremy has done an excellent job of making sure the process is less than agonizing.”

“Uh, okay?” Gregory shot Jeremy a look.

“I can’t hardly touch him without the wings reacting,” Jeremy explained. “Nearly lost an eye the first time I did that.”

“So it’s bad.”

“It’s bad,” Jeremy agreed.

Gregory shot Michael a look loaded with concern, but he gave Jeremy a thumbs up. “I’ll ask Henry if he can get you guys some dry clothes. Maybe I’ll just imply that something else is going on in here if Evan asks.” He wiggled his eyebrows in a way that made Jeremy’s face burn.

“Gregory-“

But Gregory had already ducked out of the room, laughing quietly to himself. Jeremy sighed, preparing himself for the inevitable glares he’d get from Evan.

Michael sighed softly once Jeremy finally went to smooth out the wings. “That feels really nice.”

“Glad to hear it,” Jeremy said softly. “I think we got all the blood out.”

“Is it time to turn the water off then?” Michael asked, his eyes closing.

“I’d say so.” Thank goodness, Jeremy thought as he turned the dials back and pressed the tab down. “Now you need to dry off a bit.”

“Mmmmm….” Michael hummed to himself as Jeremy stepped into the tub with a towel and started rubbing Michael’s head with it.

Michael’s eyes fluttered open, and he smiled at Jeremy. “You really do like taking care of me, don’t you?”

Jeremy huffed out a sigh. “I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t, would I?”

“I thought you just stuck around to steal our Coca Cola.”

“That too. But I do enjoy your company, Mike.”

The smile broke into a full grin as Michael tugged the towel out of Jeremy’s hands. “That is wonderful news, Jeremy.”

Did he really not know? Jeremy wondered.

Before he had a chance to answer, Henry peered into the bathroom, assessing the pool of water on the floor. He raised a tired eyebrow as he observed the two boys in the bathtub. “I wasn’t inclined to believe Gregory before, but seeing it for myself…”

Jeremy’s face ignited with heat. “I was just helping clean blood from his wings. Nothing else happened, I swear.”

“I was referring to the fact that Michael grew wings. What did you think I meant?” Henry’s eyebrows scrunched, and Michael gave Jeremy a funny look.

“I thought Gregory might’ve said something else,” Jeremy replied, shaking his head. “Forget it.”

“Are you alright, Jeremy? You look a bit feverish…” A frown tugged at the corner of Michael’s mouth.

“I’m going to go grab some more towels. And you two will be wanting a dry set of clothes, won’t you?”

“Yeah.” Jeremy nodded quickly.

Henry hummed at them before walking back out of the room.

“I am grateful for both you and Gregory,” Michael said, using the towel to dry the rest of his body. He slowly rose to his feet, finally able to stand on his own.

Jeremy determinedly did not stare. Instead, he wrung water from his hair.

“I would offer you the towel, but I believe it is too wet to be any real help. Seeing as your clothes are also drenched, the best course of action is to wait for Henry to return.”

Jeremy smiled weakly. “Yeah, that’s true.”

Michael stepped out of the tub, hanging the towel back on the rack after he went. Jeremy could admit that the wings looked pretty good on Mike. He’d been weary of it when he’d first seen the wings on Gregory, and he knew that Gregory was defensive about it now. But maybe seeing him help Michael would help.

“Do you need a bandage for your face?” Michael asked, making eye contact with Jeremy through the mirror above the sink.

“Oh, I uh.” Jeremy blinked at him. “It doesn’t… It’s fine.”

“Are you sure?” Michael’s mouth twitched. “I understand that me being like this must be unpleasant for you, but that does not mean you do not need assistance with that cut.”

Being like this? Was Michael phrasing things like that on purpose? Was he talking about the fact that he was in his boxers or the fact that he had wings? Jeremy crossed his arms before remembering that his shirt was soaked. He uncrossed them and simply said, “There is no problem. I just don’t need a Band-Aid.”

Michael walked back over, and Jeremy tried to take a step back before remembering he was standing in a bathtub. Trapped, Jeremy stood stiffly as Michael ran a thumb over his scratch. Don’t flinch, he told himself, but it still stung. The cut was pretty deep.

“You likely do need a bandage, despite your claim otherwise,” Michael replied. “I can help, if you need assistance.”

Michael gently wiped blood from Jeremy’s face and went in search of medical supplies. It stung when he cleaned the wound, but Jeremy found himself too fascinated by Michael’s cautious care to really notice. The tiniest furrow in Michael’s eyebrows appeared when he put the bandage on Jeremy’s face, and his hands lingered on Jeremy’s jaw for just a moment too long.

He almost seemed sad when he stepped back from Jeremy. “All better. See?” Michael smiled so quickly Jeremy wondered if he’d imagined the pain in Michael’s eyes.

“Y… yeah. Um. Thanks.” Jeremy touched the bandage, surprised by how big it was. “I didn’t realize the scratch was that big.”

“I still feel terrible for doing that to you. Is there any way I can make it up to you?” Michael asked.

Unable to come up with anything to say other than a request for Michael to kiss him, Jeremy shook his head and turned his attention to Michael’s wings. “Do they still hurt?”

“Not as much as they did,” Michael flexed them experimentally. Jeremy smiled faintly, recalling that Gregory was having immense difficulty controlling his own wings. Perhaps the size made it easier.

Michael made a face. “It appears that moving them still hurts, however.”

“Evan mentioned something about messaging the muscles earlier. He was doing it for Gregory.”

Michael brightened. “I suppose I shall have to ask for Evan’s help with that endeavor then. Thank you for the reminder.”

I could do it for you, Jeremy thought desperately. He didn’t want to just have to leave after everything. This was the most time he’d spent with Michael before, and the guy was just so chill about everything. But being in the same space as him, watching him interact with his brother and Gregory made him want to stay so much longer. Michael Afton was the most compassionate person Jeremy had ever met, and he wanted to be able to help the man who tried so hard to help everyone else.

It didn’t help that Jeremy was also hopelessly in love with him.

As Jeremy opened his mouth to speak, Henry returned with the changes of clothes. Michael turned his attention away from Jeremy to thank Henry and apologize for the water all over the floor, and Jeremy was left to awkwardly collect the pile of bloody clothes on the floor to offer them to Henry.

Henry stared at the rags for a moment, his face paling significantly. “These were Michael’s clothes?”

“Yes.” Michael was separating the clothes to split between himself and Jeremy, and he was hardly focused on Henry. “I could not find a way to safely remove my shirt without causing more pain, so Jeremy helped me cut it off. I am afraid blood does not come out of denim very easily, so my jeans are also a lost cause.”

Brightening, Michael put a bundle of clothing into Jeremy’s arms. “You can change in Charlie’s old room.”

“Why can’t you both change in here?” Henry asked, sounding confused.

Pressure built in Jeremy’s throat as he tried to answer that question. It wasn’t that he was ashamed of himself. Not by any measure at all. He just knew it was dangerous, what he was. People didn’t exactly approve of people like him, after all. Especially not here.

Michael gave Henry a scathing look as tears built up behind Jeremy’s eyes. “Maybe we don’t want to change in the same room.”

Henry blinked in surprise, but he glanced between the two boys for a moment before making his exit. Michael patted Jeremy’s shoulder. “I can go to Charlie’s room instead, if you would prefer to change in here.”

Jeremy still couldn’t speak, so he just nodded. The gentle way Michael nodded back at him filled his body with a strange warmth. A few moments later, Michael was gone, and Jeremy could finally change out of the sopping wet layers he’d been in this whole time.

Half-way through changing, Jeremy noticed that most of the clothes were baggy and easy to layer over each other. There were almost too many options. A jolt ran through him when he considered that Michael had sorted through the clothes. Either Michael was very particular, or he knew.

Hurriedly, Jeremy finished changing and practically ran to the bedroom where Michael said he’d be changing. He basically flung the door open to a startled Mike, who had jeans on but no shirt. “Is something wrong?” Michael asked.

His wings and hair fluffed up, like he’d been expecting a threat, but his expression was one of concern. Jeremy knew he was shaking, knew he wouldn’t be able to speak for a moment, but he stood there and just stared. Why did Michael have to be adorable in everything he did? The way his mouth curled into a frown made half of his mouth seem to vanish, like he was biting on it constantly distracted Jeremy from what he wanted to say.

He let his eyes wander over Michael’s bare torso as he tried to find the words to speak. The worst of his secrets was surely out already, and if Michael figured out his feelings, it would be less painful than him knowing the other secret.

Fascination over the jagged scar across Michael’s chest sprouted in his heart. Jeremy had seen it before, of course. He’d seen it in the bathroom, but he’d been trying not to stare before.

“Jeremy?” Michael looked worried now. “Are you alright?”

Maybe Michael didn’t know. Maybe he just hadn’t grabbed a shirt at all, since they had to be cut specifically for the wings anyway. Jeremy was probably just overreacting. And even if he wasn’t, it seemed that Michael wasn’t going to bring it up. “Uhmm. I just… wanted to make sure you were okay.”

Michael relaxed. “I’m quite alright, Jeremy. I’m not as weak as I was before. The shower certainly helped.”

“You’re um. You’re very fluffy right now.”

“Am I?” Michael ran a hand through his hair, feeling where it stuck up all over the place. “Oh.”

“Yeah.” Jeremy cleared his throat awkwardly. “Thanks for talking to Henry back there.”

“It was nothing.” Michael blinked at him, wings twitching. “Gregory did a good job cleaning up.” He gestured at the carpet and the bed.

The bed was made very neatly, corners tucked so much better than Jeremy could do on a good day. There were only faint hints that someone had been bleeding there, and they were only visible because Jeremy was looking for them. “Yeah. He certainly did.”

A fond smile crossed Michael’s face at that. “He’s so sweet.”

Jeremy didn’t really believe that, but he nodded anyway. He didn’t want Michael to stop smiling for anything. It was so much better than his frown in every possible way.

“We should… I um. I think we should probably head back to the living room,” Jeremy said awkwardly.

“Right, yes. I suppose it is almost time for you to head home too.” Michael blinked, like he was shaking himself out of a daydream. “Or maybe you could stay for supper?”

Jeremy smiled. “I would love that.”

Evan was awestruck when he saw his brother’s wings. “They’re so big!”

“Soft too,” Jeremy said, trying to encourage Evan’s excitement.

Gregory made a noise in the back of his throat before saying, “You would know, wouldn’t you?”

Jeremy stared at him, mouth opening and closing without words coming out.

“No softer than yours, I’m sure,” Michael said, trying to keep the peace. There wasn’t even a hint of a blush on his face at Gregory’s words. Were the jokes just going over his head? Maybe Jeremy was reading too much into it.

Shaking his head, Jeremy plopped down on the couch beside Gregory. “What happened to your face?” Gregory asked quietly.

“I wasn’t careful enough,” Jeremy answered, glancing at the two brothers as they talked about Michael’s new wings. “And Mike’s wings pack quite the punch.”

“Oh.” Gregory’s eyes widened with understanding. “That could’ve been bad.”

“You’re telling me, kid.” Jeremy shook his head, taking a sip from his can of Coke. “What were you and Evan up to today?”

“Videogames mostly,” Gregory replied. “Although everything here is so old.”

“Old?” Jeremy wrinkled his nose. “Nah, my parents are worse. You’re probably just picky. A bunch of this stuff is newer than anything my family could afford.”

“Your motorcycle is cool though.”

Jeremy smiled. “It is pretty cool.”

“Can you take me on it sometime?”

The smile faltered slightly. “Uh, I don’t know.”

“C’mon, please? All the stuff here is pretty boring, and I know Evan tries to be fun, but you can only play the same game for so long before it’s lame. And I don’t want to have to tell him it’s lame. It’s awful when he cries.”

Jeremy didn’t know what to make of that. “Maybe we could play a board game or something.”

“I wanna go on your bike sometime.” Gregory stuck out his chin stubbornly. “Or I’m going to tell Mike you have the biggest crush on him and-“

“Okay, okay! I get it. But you’ll have to wear a helmet,” Jeremy said, looking away and tugging at his shirt. “And long pants. Just in case.”

“Okay, Dad.” Gregory rolled his eyes.

“Well, you’re the one who said it’s awful when Evan cries,” Jeremy shot back. “And I’ve already seen how Mike cries, and I don’t want to see that again. No thanks.”

Gregory flinched at that. “I…”

“Not to frighten you, but it can be dangerous.” Jeremy sighed. “There’s only so much you can be safe. Not to quote my mom, but ‘I’d rather you be late than dead.’ It’s just that kind of thing.”

Seeing Gregory’s expression, he softened. “I’m a firm believer in the fact that both of us are going to get lectured by Michael when he finds out. So, when he tries, we’re going to tell him that I already told you all the risks and you still wanted to do it. Unless I’ve changed your mind.”

“No, haven’t changed my mind.” Gregory scooted closer to Jeremy. “I bet I’d survive a crash better than you.”

“No way,” Jeremy laughed. “With the way you’re built? No offense, but you’d be a splatter on the cement.”

“Rude.” Gregory scoffed. Not subtly at all, he tried to steal Jeremy’s Coke from his hand.

Amused, Jeremy let him. Gregory immediately started downing what was left in the can. At that moment, Michael glanced over and gasped. “Gregory! Is that Coke? Are you encouraging this, Jeremy?”

“He took the can out of my hand. I didn’t do anything,” Jeremy smiled cheekily. “Not my fault he’s so fast.”

“Mmmmm,” Gregory squinted skeptically at the can. “This is Coke?”

“Yeah?” Jeremy looked confused. “Why? Does it taste weird to you or something?”

“It’s better than I remember.”

Michael sighed, removing the can from Gregory’s hands. “That is because Coca-Cola has different flavoring in it than you remember.”

“Are you talking about the whole cocaine in Coke thing? Because I thought that was a myth.”

Michael shot Jeremy an exasperated look. “That is not what I am talking about. Anyway, Gregory does not need caffeine in his system at this time of day. He won’t get any sleep at this rate.”

“Whoops?” Jeremy held his hands up in surrender. “Look I-“

“It does not matter.” Michael shot Gregory a meaningful look. “So long as he doesn’t keep Evan up with his extra energy, it should be fine.”

Evan peered at them all from behind the sofa. “How did he even take it from you? I thought you kept a tight grip on those at all times.”

“Caught me by surprise?” Jeremy shifted his weight as Michael gave him a skeptical look. “He’s faster than he looks, I swear.”

Evan snorted, climbing over the back of the sofa, much to Michael’s despair as he said, “Well, that gives him a one-up in physical games I guess.”

“Hey, what’s that supposed to mean? I totally crush at Fazblock!” Gregory crossed his arms. “I had more blocks than you did.”

“Gregory, you’re supposed to get rid of the blocks, not keep them on the screen.” Evan shook his head despairingly. “I would’ve explained the rules if you’d asked-“

“It was different than what I’m used to, okay?” Gregory rolled his eyes. “I could totally beat you at Fazzy Kart.”

“I don’t even know what that is,” Evan replied. “I still think you made it up.”

“Did not.”

“Did too.”

“Did not.”

“Did too!”

“Okay, that is enough.” Michael shook his head, smiling faintly. “Gregory did not make it up. Fazzy Kart just has not come out yet.” He ruffled Evan’s hair before walking away with the empty Coke can. “And I have something for you two to do when I get back!”

“A task?” Gregory asked.

“A task.” Evan snorted. “Ah yes, my brother typically assigns me tasks. No, Gregory. He’s sending us to do chores or something. Usually he’s more mean about it though.”

“No one understands my jokes.” Gregory’s wing twitched irritably.

“Doesn’t matter,” Jeremy replied. “He still laughed, even if he didn’t get it. Be nonsensical! Nobody cares as long as you’re funny.”

“That’s a terrible line of logic. I refuse to believe that people willingly follow your example,” Michael said, returning with a sheet of paper. “Evan, Gregory, I am trusting you two to find everything on this list and bring it back here.”

“We don’t have money,” Gregory said, but he still took the list from Michael’s hands. “And aren’t we supposed to stay inside until we figure out what to do about our wings? And wait, is it safe to-“

“You worry too much, Gregory. We can just ask Uncle Henry for help.” Evan peered at the grocery list. “What are you making, Mikey? This looks like spaghetti sauce, but you don’t use half this stuff normally.”

“Wait and see,” Michael said cryptically. His own wings twitched as he spoke, even seeming a tiny bit ruffled.

“With the overabundance of clothes Henry seems to have, maybe he has jackets you can just throw on over the wings or something,” Jeremy said, slowly rising from the couch as Gregory and Evan stood to examine the list closer.

“We can handle this,” Evan said with full confidence. “And we’ll try to be fast so you can get started sooner.”

“Thank you, Evan.” There was a deeper tone of relief in Michael’s voice at that. “My heroes.”

Jeremy smiled wearily at them all. “I should probably get going.” It felt like intruding to stay this long. Sure, they all tried to include him, but Michael probably had other things he planned to do while Evan and Gregory were gone. Perhaps he needed to talk to his uncle more or something. Regardless, Jeremy had overstayed his welcome.

“I thought you said you could stay for supper.” Michael sounded wounded. “Are you feeling alright? Do you need to lie down?”

He pressed his hand against Jeremy’s forehead. “You don’t seem to have a fever.”

“I’m fine, Michael. I just don’t want to overstay my welcome, you know?” Jeremy ducked away from Michael’s hand and kept his gaze on the carpet. “Especially if you’re all going to be busy.”

“I won’t be busy until they get back,” Michael replied as Gregory tugged on Evan’s shirt to lead him away. “And even then, I won’t be too busy to talk. You can sit with me in the kitchen while I cook.”

“Yeah but…” Jeremy hesitated, combing a hand through his hair. “Look, I just don’t want to be in the way.”

“You won’t be,” Michael insisted. He sat down on the sofa where Gregory had been sitting before. Patting the cushion next to him, he waited for Jeremy to sit back down.

When Jeremy sat down, Michael gestured for him to scoot closer. “What are you doing?” Jeremy asked nervously.

“Your hair is a mess,” Michael replied. “I’m going to fix it for you.”

“What do you mean?” Jeremy frowned, patting his hair self-consciously.

“It’s all tangled. That’s going to be a nightmare to brush out tomorrow if you don’t take care of it tonight.”

“Oh.” Jeremy looked away. “It shouldn’t be your responsibility-“

“My wings shouldn’t have been yours,” Michael countered. “Let me do a nice thing for you. Please.”

“I helped with your wings because I wanted to spend time with you. Not because it was a burden, Mike.”

“This isn’t a burden to me either. Let me help. Maybe I want to spend more time with you too.”

Jeremy didn’t have a counter to that, so he reluctantly sighed. “Just… be gentle on it, okay?”

“Of course.” He blinked, seemingly surprised that Jeremy gave in so easily. “I do need to go grab a brush and a comb.”

“Naturally.” Jeremy shifted uncomfortably on the sofa as Michael got up.

What was he even supposed to say to Michael? He hadn’t expected to get this far, and now faced with the opportunity to have a casual conversation with him, Jeremy panicked.

When Michael got back, the hair brush he carried had long strands of dark brown hair in it, and both the brush and the comb were shining with water. “I hope you don’t mind,” Michael said awkwardly. “But I know that hair gets really, really tangled, so I just wanted to make sure I could get the tangles out without hurting you.”

Oh. That was… surprisingly considerate. “And the water is supposed to fix tangles?”

“Better than a dry brush.”

Jeremy just stared. The most he’d been able to do with his hair was to throw it into the world’s worst ponytail when he needed it out of his face. All this talk of the more effective way to brush through his hair without making it hurt stirred something in his chest. There was nothing Michael would do that could possibly hurt more than the way he was currently doing his hair.

Michael sat back down and got to work. It was strange. Jeremy hadn’t had anyone brush his hair in a long time. His mother had been too busy with work to even notice that he needed help with his hair. Or anything really.

“You have really thick hair,” Michael mused softly.

“Yeah. Makes it a real pain sometimes,” Jeremy replied.

Michael was so gentle with it, apologizing softly when the brush scraped his ear or a snag was too rough. Eventually, though, he set the brush aside and started dividing his hair.

“What are you doing?”

“Helping you with your hair,” Michael replied as he started braiding it. “I assume you don’t have a hair brush for yourself, or maybe you just don’t have much time to do your hair every day. But at the very least, braiding it back at night prevents most tangles from getting worse.”

“How do you know so much about this stuff, dude?” Jeremy wondered. “Like, you know more about this than I do.”

“I…” Michael hesitated. “Evan’s not my only sibling. I had a sister. Elizabeth. Her hair was more of a nightmare than this.”

“Oh.” Jeremy fidgeted. He didn’t know what to do with that information.

“And, there!” Michael twisted a ponytail into the end of Jeremy’s hair. “Less problems for later, see?”

“Yeah.” Jeremy touched a hand to the braid, smiling softly. “Thanks, man.”

“It’s nothing.”

“But I say it is something. Come here, Mike.”

Michael’s wings fluffed up ever so slightly, but he did as Jeremy asked, unprepared for the tackle-hug Jeremy gave him. He gasped in alarm as they ended up on the floor, but when he looked up at Jeremy, it was with what Jeremy could only describe as adoration. Then he was suddenly pressed completely up against Michael as his wings wrapped around them both.

Of course, that was also the moment Evan and Gregory came back from their shopping trip with the supplies Michael had asked for. Letting Jeremy up, Michael immediately accepted the groceries from Evan and went straight to the kitchen. Gregory and Evan were left staring at Jeremy, who was sitting with a ridiculous grin on his face.

“Might need some help preparing this!” Michael called.

Before any of them could move toward the door, however, Henry walked by to go help Michael. Which left Jeremy to get teased by the two younger boys.

“What was that about?” Evan asked, picking a long blue feather out of Jeremy’s hair.

“What were you doing on the floor?” Gregory asked.

“Mike did my hair,” Jeremy replied, gesturing at the hairbrush that now had long strands of gold intertwined with the brown.

Evan looked thoughtful as he fiddled with the feather. “I didn’t know Mikey knew how to do hair.”

“Didn’t you tell me you had a sister?” Gregory asked, picking a smaller, brown feather from Jeremy’s shirt. “He could’ve done her hair once or twice.”

“Maybe…” Evan didn’t sound very sure. “Mikey wasn’t… I don’t know. Maybe he did. I never knew, though.”

“He did mention it when I asked…” Jeremy said, suddenly embarrassed to know more than Evan.

Evan fiddled with the feather more. “He seems to like you a lot.”

“Mike?” Jeremy asked, even more embarrassed now.

“Yeah. He smiles when he talks to you.”

“Except that one day,” Gregory interrupted. “He came inside and cried.”

“That was something else, I think,” Evan responded. “I think the Nightmares finally got to him.”

“So I take it Mike doesn’t usually talk about his issues then?”

“Not usually.” Evan squirmed, his wings puffing up. “Can we talk about something else?”

“Yeah sure,” Jeremy shook his head and finally got off the floor. “Do you want to try playing Kings in the Corner again?”

“Ugh, that’s so boring,” Gregory replied, but Evan was already rushing off to get the cards.

“I need a second. I’ll be right back,” Jeremy said, slipping into the kitchen to grab another can of Coke.

Michael glanced over from where he was cutting an onion and just sighed. “Jeremy-“

“I know, I know. It’s bad for me or whatever. But I need it, okay?” Jeremy took a long swig from the can. “Better than some habits.”

“Still…”

“It’s fine dude. Cut your onion or whatever.”

Henry said something that Jeremy didn’t catch as he rushed back to the living room. “Okay, are we ready to start?”

“This game is stupid,” Gregory grumbled. He was holding his seven cards, and Evan had already laid out the board.

“I dealt, so Gregory goes first,” Evan replied, ignoring Gregory’s comment.

“Lucky,” Jeremy said, eyeing the board.

“I don’t even know how to play,” Gregory complained. “This game is for old people.”

“I guess we’re old then.” Jeremy’s eyes twinkled. “You have to play a card from your hand onto one of those four cards.” He pointed at the two of diamonds, the king of spades, the four of diamonds, and the seven of diamonds respectively. “You want it to be a lower rank, or less points than the card on the stack. And it’s gotta be the opposite color.”

“Oh.” Gregory stared at his hand for a moment.

“You gotta tell him about the kings, Jeremy.” Evan shook his head. “If there’s a king, you can move it into the spaces between the four other cards, and put a new foundation card down.”

“Huh.” Gregory frowned. “This is too confusing.”

“It really isn’t,” Jeremy laughed, taking another sip from his Coke. “If you really want, you can add your cards back to the foundation pile and watch me and Evan play a game.”

“I’m just going to do that.” Gregory stuck his cards back in the bigger stack.

“Suits don’t matter,” Evan said helpfully. “Only color does.”

Jeremy set off to move the king, and the game begun. Evan went out on his first turn.

“Okay, that was a bad example,” Evan said with a grin.

“You didn’t shuffle very well,” Jeremy said accusingly.  “That was- arghhh. We’re playing another game so Gregory can actually see how the game works.”

“Are we doing points?” Evan said innocently.

“We will once Gregory joins in,” Jeremy replied, collecting the cards from the board. “These are warm-up rounds.”

“Riiiiight,” Gregory replied with an amused snort. “You just got destroyed.”

“Thank you for the obvious and accurate commentary, Gregory.” Jeremy rolled his eyes.

When he flipped the four cards over, three of them were kings. Jeremy let out an indignant noise as Gregory burst out laughing and Evan grinned at the board. Just like that, he was down to one card. Jeremy scowled at his own cards as it became his turn.

“All four kings on the board in the first turn,” he grumbled.

“Now who’s bad at shuffling?” Evan replied, watching Jeremy’s hand drop to three cards.

“Oh, shut up.”

Evan snickered as it became his turn. “I almost wonder if you were trying to let me win.” He took the ace of diamonds and placed it on the two of clubs that Jeremy had missed during his turn. “Do you have the hang of it yet, Gregory? We may need a third player or this are going to be some very quick games.”

“Ha ha.” Jeremy said as Evan gathered up the cards again. “I’m just used to people who aren’t paying attention nearly as much as you do.”

“I’m just playing the game,” Evan said with a cheeky grin. “You had a six of spades in your hand? You could’ve played that on the seven-“

“I don’t want to hear it!” Jeremy sighed, exaggerating his grief as he drank from his can. “You have eyes like a hawk.”

Evan just hummed at that, his eyes twinkling as he shuffled the cards again. “What do you say, Gregory? Want to try and give it another shot?”

“Sure. Can’t be any worse than Jeremy, right?”

“Alright, I get it.” Jeremy shook his head. “I guess this game isn’t as awful as you want to claim it is, huh?”

“We’ll see.”

Evan pulled out a baggy filled with little red chips and shook it for a moment. “I didn’t have a chance to grab paper, so we can just play with chips, right?”

“Let’s give Gregory one trial run first,” Jeremy said as Gregory stared blankly at the chip bag. “Let him get a feel for the game.”

Gregory’s first round went okay. He managed to play half his cards in the first go, but he failed to notice that he could’ve moved the king to the corner right away, and Jeremy took advantage of that. Humming to himself, Jeremy quickly went through his turn and waited for Evan.

“That is absurd,” Gregory said, watching Evan put down cards and move piles around rapidly. “There’s no way you’re not cheating.”

“It’s all natural, Gregory,” Evan said cheerfully. “You’re just mad because I’m better at games than you are.”

“Grrrrrr….” Gregory scowled as Evan tapped his own card against the table. He put down his one card and waited for Jeremy to go.

Adding another person really did slow down the game a lot, Jeremy thought to himself. This was the first round someone had actually had to draw a card. Evan hummed, but he also needed to draw a card. Unlike Jeremy, however, Evan couldn’t play his. Finally, the game was even again.

Gregory scowled at his cards. “What do I do if I can’t play?”

“Draw,” Jeremy said. “We’ve both done it.”

Grumbling, Gregory drew a card. He brightened as he realized he could play it, and then it was Jeremy’s turn. Jeremy sighed in relief as he was able to play a card on Gregory’s queen, and then move a ten on top of that. Moment of truth, he thought to himself as Evan studied his hand. Michael’s brother shook his head and drew another card. And promptly played it.

Gregory and Jeremy both groaned at that. “See, but now things get interesting,” Evan said cheerfully. “We’ve all been drawing cards and actually have to pay attention to the board.”

“Don’t you always have to pay attention to the board?” Gregory asked as he drew another card. “Ugh.”

“Depends on how close,” Jeremy said smugly, laying down his one card. “I win this round.”

Evan sighed wearily, but he said nothing as Jeremy collected the cards to shove them at Gregory. “Your turn to shuffle.”

Gregory pushed the cards back at Jeremy. “I don’t know how.”

“I guess I can do it for you. But you’re still dealing, alright? Seven cards to each of us.”

Gregory nodded as Jeremy shuffled, and Evan quickly explained how chips worked. Everyone put one chip in at the beginning. Then, when you drew a card, you’d put another chip in. Each card at the end of the game still in your hand was another chip, except for kings. Kings were ten chips.

They all put one chip in the middle as Gregory passed out cards.

“Ready for your first real round, Gregory?” Jeremy asked, looking over his cards.

Gregory huffed, but he nodded anyway. “This is still dumb.”

“What if we made it a bit more fun?” Evan asked. “I’ll put in this feather.” He held up the blue feather he’d picked out of Jeremy’s hair.

“We’re playing for feathers?” Gregory asked. “But we both have feathers.”

“Not just any feathers. Michael’s feathers. I know him better than you do, trust me. He wouldn’t just give those away.”

Gregory considered it for a moment as Jeremy bit his lip. It seemed plenty easy to get feathers in his opinion. Michael shed two of them while Jeremy hugged him before. “Deal. I’ll put in this one.”

Gregory set the brown feather on top of the three chips. Evan did the same with the blue feather. Both of them glanced at Jeremy expectantly.

“I don’t have any. You both took those from me in the first place.” Jeremy rolled his eyes. The feathers were cool, though.

He kind of wished he had some of his own, maybe to braid through his hair or something. But that required winning this game. And since Evan was really good at Kings in the Corner, and also used all the chips in the box, it was really unlikely that he’d win them at the end.

“How about…” Jeremy put twenty more chips in the pot. “I know it doesn’t balance out at all, but you two seem to really want those feathers.”

Evan grinned, and so, the game began.

Gregory surprised them all by nearly going out in his first turn, but Evan still won the first game. They played in relative silence, too busy concentrating to hold a proper conversation. Evan crushed them in the first few rounds, but Gregory eventually got a win when Evan had 6 cards in his hand, resulting in a somewhat decent counter-balance.

It did nothing for Jeremy though. He looked nervously at his dwindling pile of chips every time the game ended and knew it was very unlikely that he’d win. It wasn’t impossible, sure, but it was incredibly unlikely.

“This is eight, Gregory,” Evan said absently, after Jeremy had already played his first turn. “We can play it, but you should pay better attention.”

Jeremy bit his lip at that. He was losing really bad. He really needed a win, and he needed one where the other two were struggling. Accidentally starting a round on eight cards was not a great way to start that.

“How did you even notice that?” Gregory asked.

“Eight feels thicker than seven.”

“How much do you play cards? Jeez,” Jeremy asked as it became Gregory’s turn.

“Enough,” Evan said with an amused smile. “I usually play alone.”

“This doesn’t feel like a game you can play alone,” Gregory muttered.

“You can. It’s just not as fun. But I don’t play this,” Evan said as Jeremy had to draw yet again. “I play Solitare.”

“Right, silly me.” Gregory shook his head. “Dude, how are you losing the game you suggested?”

“It takes a lot of luck, Gregory.” Jeremy sighed, having emptied his can of Coke long ago. “I’ve already accepted my fate. Now it’s just a matter of wondering who wins overall.”

They all fell quiet again as they settled back into their concentration. A few tense rounds went by as they all drew cards. When Evan finally played a card, Jeremy breathed a sigh of relief. Maybe he’d last another round.

Or… maybe not. It was a close thing, that balance between drawing and playing. “Are we going to go through the whole deck?” Gregory eventually wondered.

“Maybe,” Jeremy replied wearily.

The pot was massive at this point. Evan’s brow was continuously furrowed, and even his wings were stiff with concentration. There’s no strategy that trumps the good cards being at the bottom of the deck, Jeremy thought to himself with grim amusement.

“Ha!” Gregory shouted his delight as he finally laid his last card.

Jeremy sighed sorrowfully as he glanced at his four chips. He would only have two left for another game after this. If only it had been Jeremy who’d drawn the card to end the game.

“I don’t even remember who shuffled that one,” Jeremy said as Gregory gathered the pot.

“It was Gregory. He started us with eight cards,” Evan replied. “You shuffle next.”

“I’m not going to make it through this game,” Jeremy muttered.

“Then we’ll just play it out, and you can be done after,” Evan shrugged. “Who knows, maybe you’ll win?”

“For every draw you have that you can’t play, I’ll put in a chip,” Gregory offered as Jeremy put his last chip in the pot. “It’ll keep things fair.”

“I’m sure,” Jeremy muttered.

“Awww, you are a grumpy old man. Evan look! He’s so grumpy.”

Jeremy rolled his eyes. “Thanks.”

Evan put his last card down, and Jeremy shook his head. “I’m out. Good luck, Gregory.”

He wondered what Michael and Henry were up to in the kitchen. It had been two hours of this, after all. Surely preparing a meal wouldn’t take that long, especially since Evan implied Michael was making spaghetti.

“Okay, I gotta know. What spaghetti takes three hours to make?” Jeremy said, sitting down at the kitchen table with Henry.

“It’s not the spaghetti that takes so long,” Michael replied from the stove. “It’s the sauce.”

“But why?”

“The flavor has to soak in from the leaves.” Michael shrugged, moving to sit down with them. “What were you playing in there?”

“Cards.” Jeremy shrugged. “Gregory said it was for old people.”

“Then he must have never played cards before,” Henry commented.

“Maybe it’s his age,” Michael suggested.

“Nah. Your brother got really into it. He’s been beating both of us.”

“THAT’S SO STUPID!!!” Gregory shouted from the other room.

Evan laughed and said something in response, as they all glanced toward the hallway.

“No way,” Gregory said, his voice still projecting from the other room. “That’s so stupid!”

“I think the sauce is about done,” Michael said, rising from his seat again. “I should probably begin on the actual spaghetti.”

“I appreciate you deciding to cook for us, Michael,” Henry said. “And not that I’m complaining about your food, but this seems more complicated than some of the other stuff you’ve made.”

Michael just blinked at him, filling a pot with water. “It’s just spaghetti.”

Gregory and Evan walked into the kitchen and sat down at the table. “It smells great in here,” Evan said.

Michael glanced at his brother and at Gregory for a moment. “Who won?”

“Evan,” Gregory grumbled crossing his arms. “But he cheats.”

“I do not! Withholding cards on my turn is within the rules of the game. Just because it means you have to draw more doesn’t mean it’s cheating!” Evan argued.

“He’s right, Gregory. If he’s withholding cards, it’s still a risk to him since you can easily draw a card at any moment and win the game yourself. There’s a reason it’s ten chips if you’re holding a king at the end of the game.”

“Hmph,” Gregory scowled.

“Jeremy, do you need a new bandage for your face?” Henry asked as Gregory and Evan glared at each other from across the table.

“What? Oh, I’m sure it’s fine.” Jeremy hadn’t realized that the edge of his bandage was peeling off.

“We’ll get that taken care of later,” Henry said. “Were you planning on staying over tonight?”

“I…” Jeremy glanced around the room. “I don’t know.”

“If you decide to stay, let me know so I can tell your parents,” Henry replied, seemingly satisfied. “And would you like another can of Coca-Cola?”

“Yes please.”

“Don’t encourage his addiction, Henry.” Michael crossed his arms as he leaned against the counter.

Jeremy responded by sticking his tongue out at Michael. Michael shook his head and rolled his eyes, but Jeremy saw a faint smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

“Can I have one too?” Gregory asked.

“Absolutely not,” Michael replied. His wings twitched slightly. “You’re done with caffeine for the rest of the night. If you’re this loud after half a can, I shudder to think of what would happen if you got a full can of Coke.”

“You’re not my mom,” Gregory grumbled.

Jeremy’s mouth twitched. “He tries to act like it though, doesn’t he?”

Michael made an indignant noise as Gregory burst out laughing. Evan giggled too, adding, “Mama bird Mike.”

All three of them broke into bad laughing fits at that one. Henry and Michael just exchanged an exasperated look as Michael stirred the spaghetti. “I can act like it if you really want me to,” Michael eventually said. “But I don’t think you’d like the response, seeing as you two are baby birds in this analogy.”

“What do you mean?” Gregory asked, bewildered.

“I think what he’s getting at,” Jeremy said, amusement glinting in his eye, “is that mother birds regurgitate food into their chicks mouths.”

“Ewwwww,” Gregory gagged.

Evan snorted. “Mikey wouldn’t do that.”

“Wouldn’t I?” Michael raised an eyebrow. “I’ve certainly done worse.”

Evan froze at that. He seemed to be considering Michael’s point. “He totally would…” Evan sounded horrified.

“And with that terrible mental image, it seems that the spaghetti is done!” Henry said, putting a can of Coke in front of Jeremy before going to fetch everyone plates.

“I just need to strain the noodles, and we’re all set,” Michael said. “Could you grab the strainer please?”

Henry nodded and retrieved the strainer. Evan hummed to himself as he fiddled with the two feathers he’d won in the card game. Gregory said nothing, but Jeremy could tell it he was still bitter from his loss. Surely Michael wouldn’t be unwilling to give up feathers if they asked, Jeremy thought to himself. Maybe he’d be uncomfortable with the idea, but if Gregory said how much he really wanted them, Jeremy was sure Michael would give in eventually.

“It’s going to be hot.” Michael warned, carrying the pot of spaghetti to the table.

Henry quickly placed a potholder beneath it, and Michael went back to retrieve the sauce for the spaghetti. “Do you want to get cups out, Evan?”

Evan nodded and got up from his spot. “Gregory, you can get the plates.”

The whole group cycled around the kitchen like a little family, and Jeremy felt a little self-conscious about his place in everything, so he went and grabbed forks for everyone. It was the least he could do.

Michael dished out the food, putting just enough sauce on their spaghetti that they could avoid it if they wanted to. All of them were a little skeptical of the meal, but they all trusted that Michael knew what he was doing. Gregory and Evan both seemed startled by the taste, but Henry simply raised an eyebrow as he took a bite. Michael didn’t seem particularly concerned about their reaction, though.

He was too busy observing Jeremy when he tried it.

It was… spicier than he expected. Jeremy glanced at Michael, suddenly suspicious of him. Michael blinked at him, casually taking a bite of his own spaghetti. Jeremy glanced at him again before moving his plate to the saucepan full of spaghetti sauce and adding more to his plate.

Michael’s slow smile made Jeremy feel even more confident about his decision. Somehow, Michael had figured him out yet again, almost without effort. Jeremy stuck another forkful in his mouth and smiled back at him.

“Gregory, slow down. You’re going to make yourself sick,” Evan said.

“It’f, fine.” Gregory swallowed hard.

“Careful you don’t choke,” Henry said warningly.

Gregory set his fork down quietly, his eyes watering. He coughed a little bit, causing Michael to turn to him with concern. “Gregory? Are you alright?”

Gregory fanned himself, and Jeremy immediately figured out what was going on. “Too spicy for you? You barely had any!” He shook his head and poured Gregory a glass of milk. “Drink this. It’ll help.”

Gregory eagerly took the glass, draining it in less than a minute. “Mmmmm.”

The rest of the meal went in relative silence, with Evan and Henry occasionally teasing Gregory for eating too fast and being unable to handle spicy food. Michael seemed oblivious to the main conversation, smiling softly to himself.

Jeremy knew he was staring, but he figured it wouldn’t be the biggest deal. Plenty of people stared at their friends, right? At the way they twisted spaghetti noodles onto their forks and brought their forks to their mouths. At the way their eyes glowed with joy at making something new successfully.

Michael caught his eye, and the smile widened. Jeremy felt himself smiling back easily. He’d already finished his food, and Evan and Gregory had finished half the spaghetti by themselves. There wouldn’t be many leftovers anyway.

Henry was the first to move from the table. He collected plates from everyone to take to the sink. When Michael moved to help, Henry waved him off, insisting that since Michael made the meal, he shouldn’t have to clean it up, with a meaningful look toward Evan and Gregory. He stopped Jeremy when he tried to get up too, insisting that guests shouldn’t need to help.

“But I thought we were guests,” Gregory grumbled when Evan tapped his arm to help him get up.

“Jeremy, that bandage really does need to be changed before you go,” Henry said quietly, gathering the leftovers into different containers.

“I can help him with it,” Michael said.

“Michael, you’ve done enough today. Especially with how you were feeling this morning-“

“I can help,” Michael interjected stubbornly.

Jeremy raised a confused eyebrow at the way Michael’s wings and hair ruffled.

“You need rest,” Henry said in a tone that brokered no argument.

Still, Michael persisted, the feathers now completely refusing to lay flat. Jeremy wondered how this could possibly be something he’d need to be so defensive about. “Hey, maybe Henry’s right. You have done a lot today.”

Michael scowled at that, and he grabbed Jeremy’s arm and practically dragged him out of his chair.

“What- Hey!” Jeremy stumbled into Micheal, expecting him to apologize or something.

“There’s the old Mike,” Evan mumbled quietly.

Michael’s face was right in front of Jeremy’s as he spoke. “I know my limits.”

“Do you?” Gregory challenged. He didn’t seem frightened in the slightest, which was very different from the atmosphere surrounding Michael at that moment. “To me it seems like you keep going until you drop. Maybe you should just get rid of that chip on your shoulder and let someone else handle it for once!”

“Like you did?” Michael snapped, and at that, Gregory actually flinched. “Sometimes, you can’t trust that help will come, Gregory. You should know that better than anyone.”

Gregory’s grip on the plate in his hands tightened. “Yeah, well, I didn’t have a family who took care of me like you do! So just suck it up.” Jeremy heard tears behind those words, and Evan mumbled something gently to him and tried to get him to turn his back on Michael.

That seemed to break something in Michael’s resilience. His wings twitched, and he let go of Jeremy’s shirt. “Right. Sorry.” He sounded just as torn as Gregory. “I…”

Jeremy figured nothing would be helped by Michael sticking around in the kitchen, so he tentatively put a hand to Michael’s shoulder. “Hey, you can help with my bandage. Maybe just tell me how to put it on so I do it right tomorrow morning, yeah?”

“So you aren’t staying then?” Henry asked, looking worriedly between the four boys.

Michael’s ashen expression was not particularly reassuring. “No, I mean. If it’s okay for me to stay, I plan to. I just… Maybe it should be my responsibility to fix that?” Jeremy gestured at the scratch on his face. “Seems like all I’m doing here is making more messes anyway. Might as well try to clean one up myself, right?”

Henry frowned but he said nothing.

Jeremy leaned close to Michael’s ear. “Come on then.”

“I didn’t mean to… I hurt his feelings,” Michael mumbled as he mechanically peeled the rest of the bandage away from Jeremy’s face to wipe at the scratch with a wet cloth.

“Energy was running high. Maybe you are a bit more overwhelmed then you thought? Frayed nerves break way for anger sometimes. Or so I’ve heard.”

“I still shouldn’t have done that.” Michael couldn’t even look Jeremy in the eye. He was too distraught.

“Why did you get so defensive, if you don’t mind me asking? And I’m not just talking about Gregory. You were adamant about helping me with my bandage.”

“I just…” Michael hesitated. “I haven’t had a chance to see you in days, and I wanted to get every moment I could?”

“An afternoon together wasn’t enough?” Jeremy teased, even though he knew exactly how Michael was feeling. “Look, that’s okay, Mike. But you gotta take care of yourself too.”

“Yeah, but-“

“What do you want? I know you think you have to help everybody all the time, but you’ve gotta have desires too, right?”

“Maybe I don’t deserve to have my desires realized,” Michael replied. He still wasn’t looking at Jeremy. “Maybe I’m just a rotten person who doesn’t deserve joy or anything that doesn’t directly benefit anybody else.”

“Michael Afton.” Jeremy said, trying to sound stern. “You are a human being just like everyone else. We all make mistakes. And you sound like you’re trying to atone for yours. I don’t know about you, but someone who tries to learn from their mistakes sounds like someone who deserves to have what they want every now and again.”

Michael completely froze at that. When he met Jeremy’s eyes, he looked utterly shattered. “I…” He swallowed. “I can’t do this anymore.”

“That’s okay, Mike. No one is asking you to do everything-“

“No, you don’t understand.” His voice was hardly a whisper. “I’ve… That scolding… You’ve said that to me before.”

“I have?”

Michael nodded mutely. “It was right before…” His wings stretched their full length as Michael squeezed his eyes shut. “I can’t.”

“What can’t you do, Michael?” Jeremy asked softly.

A pained noise rumbled in Michael’s throat, and he dropped the cloth, yanking Jeremy forward by his shirt. Their mouths crashed together, and all Jeremy could think was finally. His own hands went behind Michael’s shoulders, and he gently guided the wings back into a folded position before stroking them gently.

He didn’t want to stop kissing Michael. It was freeing and exhilarating at the same time. Michael tasted like bubble gum and smelled like clean laundry. He was the weirdest man Jeremy had ever met, but maybe that was what made him so alluring. Or maybe it was something else. Something about all this just seemed so… right.

When Michael broke away, Jeremy tried to follow. Michael looked at him fondly and laughed. “I thought you said I needed to take care of myself.”

“I can’t be that addicting,” Jeremy said impulsively.

Michael snorted. “I need air, Jeremy. We were both going to pass out if we kept that up.”

“Can we do it again?” Jeremy didn’t care about air. He just wanted to be close to Michael, wanted to make him smile, wanted to make him laugh.

Michael laughed again, a brilliant sound, before Jeremy pressed their lips back together. It was completely perfect.

[startanewdream]

I have this multichap WIP in the works for ages and now thanks to @sunshine-marauders' prompt ("Insecure James") I finally got around posting the first day!

Read on AO3 or below:

____________

Not a bad day

Chapter 1 - Not a bad game day

The moment the portrait closed and all sounds of the party vanished, James let the smile slip out of his face and his hands grabbed his hair nervously, fighting back a will to just tear them away.

Ten points.

In his first match as Quidditch captain, Gryffindor won by ten points.

It had never happened before in all twelve matches James had played; James remembered easy winnings, even in that match last year that he had to play as Seeker when Godfrey had broken his arm the night before the match, but back then they had a decent captain. Or two, because the Prewett twins were co-captains and they knew how to be a captain.

He’d thought he had done everything right. He had trained with the other chasers, making sure they worked as a team; he’d instructed the keeper in how to detect and avoid any tricks, sharing with him even James' secret manoeuvres. He’d practised with the two beaters, spent afternoon days with them with himself as their target and James had been to the Hospital Wing with two broken ribs, but he was certain the beaters could hit any target. And James had spent even more hours with the new seeker, developing all skills that were already there and making sure she was confident enough.

And then everything had crumbled in the first ten minutes of the match.

James had called for two time-outs and had talked to his team, bestowed upon them his best confident charm, but nothing seemed to work; and despite his words, he was equally lost. He didn’t know if he should try to redirect his team or make sure they had enough goals to not matter if they lost. If he wasn’t the captain, he would be scoring as many as possible — but everyone was looking at him in search of an answer he didn't have and the narrator was gladly commenting about every mistake Gryffindor was making and…

And a miracle had happened when Vance had caught the snitch, but James knew it had been more an accident than actual talent.

He hadn’t said anything about it though. His team — his carefully chosen and well-trained players — knew the match had been horrible and James didn’t have the spirit to let them down even more. So he had done his captain duty: he had praised everyone for whatever he could (‘That pass was amazing, Jones. You almost hit that bludger perfectly, Merryweather. Spectacular diversion of that bludger, Vance), and he had congratulated them for the victory.

None of the Gryffindors seemed to think anything was amiss. The victory party was raging when the team arrived — loud music and bottles of butterbeer all around. Sirius was drinking something that definitely wasn’t butterbeer and James had been tempted to lose himself too, but he had passed.

He had expected to drink to celebrate, not to drown away his misery.

After a while, he had just risen and left the Common Room quietly. With luck, his friends would just think he had left to celebrate with someone or had fallen drunk behind some couch.

The halls were quiet and empty, which James considered a small blessing. He wasn’t in the mood to deal with any joke about his performance as captain or even worse, any compliment about it.

He just wanted to be left alone to brood, really, and to think how everything had gone so wrong.

He found an empty classroom to sit in, watching the sun shining over the surface of the lake. The good thing was that the game lasted only one hour — the bad side of it meant it was still early and the party would last until nightfall. He wondered if he could just hide there all day — probably not, James thought as his stomach rumbled. He just wanted that horrible miserable day to end.

James lasted another thirty minutes until he agreed that he needed something to eat. The only question was if he would rather risk going to the kitchen or back to the Common Room — if people started clapping his back again, James was sure he would just throw up. What he needed, really, was to go to Professor McGonagall and return the captain badge so she could pin it on anyone else — and then he would be free to do what he was good at, that was scoring goals without worries about what everyone else was doing.

The Common Room, James decided. From there he could just slip back to his bed and then pretend he was too drunk and just try to sleep. Anything to end that day, to pretend it had never happened at all.

He left the classroom absently, and he was closing the door when he heard a voice that made him jump.

‘Potter?’

His hand went to his hair, in a gesture that was more reflex than anything. There were a lot of reflexes that James couldn’t help whenever he heard her voice — such as that redness that came to his neck or the way his heart beat faster whenever Lily Evans was around.

Mostly the last one.

And especially when he turned around and his eyes found Lily Evans standing in the middle of the hall, watching him leaving the classroom. She was still dressed in Gryffindor colours: wearing the uniform lazily, the tie hanging undone around her neck over two open buttons of her shirt; her face was painted with two lines of red and gold in each cheek, and her red hair was combed in two braids that were lined with golden flecks. He felt he could stay there watching her forever.

Good Godric, she was beautiful.

James refrained from sighing.

‘Hi, Evans,' he said, and his voice did that melodious thing that always happened when he was near her.

James really wished he could talk to Lily Evans as if he was a normal human being, but his body was always full of reactions when it came to her, no matter how much he tried to control them.

He was trying to forget her after all. Evans had already made it clear that she wasn’t interested in him — which was becoming more evident now as she watched him with a sudden suspicious expression, her eyes narrowing.

‘What are you doing?’

‘Going back to the Common Room?’ he answered, feeling a little unsure. There was something about Evans that always made him feel guilty as if she could find the worst faults in him.

Even when he wasn’t doing anything wrong such as now.

‘You left the party,' mumbled Evans, still sounding accusing as if he had no right to leave in the first place.

‘So did you,' James smirked, which he knew wouldn’t work with Evans but he had to try anyway. ‘What are you doing, Evans?’

‘Patrolling,' she answered easily, pointing to the prefect badge pinned on her robe, in the same place James had his captain badge pinned. ‘Which is why I get to ask what you were doing alone in an empty room — oh.' Evans looked away from him, an annoyed expression crossing her face. ‘You weren’t alone.'

‘What?’

‘No one is supposed to enter classrooms without permission, you know that, Potter,’ reprimanded Evans, ignoring him. ‘I will have to report it to Professor McGonagall.'

‘Ah, come on,' James complained, the unfairness of it making him grimace. ‘I can’t even brood alone without getting detention? Really?’

Evans blinked.

‘Alone? I thought — you left the party, and Vance too and — brooding?’ She paused, watching him with concern now, which James realized was even worse. On top of all his failures, he also didn’t need Evans’ pity. ‘What happened, Potter?’

‘Nothing.'

‘You look like someone stole the last piece of chocolate tart that you always pick up first at dinner — really, what’s up? Shouldn’t you be celebrating your victory?’

‘Just let go, Evans,' he asked, turning away from her and walking down the hall. He could hear her rushed steps after him.

‘Potter —'

‘I am a crappy captain, is that what you wanted to hear?’ he cried, turning around to face Evans. He hadn’t noticed how close she was, but for once James didn’t let this thought distract him. ‘I had one job that was to keep the team working and I screwed it up.'

‘Butt —’ Evans looked really confused. ‘But Gryffindor won.'

‘By ten points. We needed a good margin of points to not depend on the result of other games and now we have to double our work —’

‘You still won,' she insisted, watching him closely and there was no pity or annoyance on her face now. ‘Winning by ten points is better than losing by ten and, be honest, even if you had won by a thousand points, would it have made a difference?’

‘What do you mean?’

‘A victory by a giant margin — would you have relaxed your efforts with the team? Would you stop working so hard with Matt and Lucy? Or stop all those night meetings with Emmeline?’

James blinked slowly, not understanding what Evans meant by that. Of course he would keep trying to improve his team.

‘No.'

‘And if Gryffindor could lose by three hundred points and still win the Quidditch Cup — would you want the team to play poorly?’

‘No, of course not!’

‘So, Potter.' Evans crossed her arms like she had done a thousand times before at him but James didn’t think she was exasperated this time. ‘This one match doesn’t change anything. You still have work to do with your team.'

James shifted the weight from one foot to another, thinking. Evans was still watching him, her green eyes giving him the impression that she could see every thought unfolding in his mind; she didn’t look surprised when he nodded.

‘I guess the game wasn’t so bad. I mean, there is room for improvement, but now I saw everyone’s weakest points and I can work with that.'

‘Exactly, captain,' Evans said, and James dared to think there was a teasing note in her voice, one that he’d heard her sharing with others but never with him.

He fought very hard his desire to grin.

‘Ready to go back to the party?' she asked.

'Yeah. And you?'

He tried not to sound too hopeful. Considering Evans didn't look repulsed by his question, James thought he had been successful.

'It was a little boring,' Evans said, shrugging. 'I don't know, I expected it to be more fun.'

'It's because I wasn't there,' James teased, but this seemed the wrong thing to say. Evans took a step back, frowning; panic flooded him and he added hurriedly: 'I mean, who left Sirius in charge of the music? He grew up with classical music.'

Her expression softened.

'Maybe you could tap the radio to Muggle stations? Like you did last year?'

James fought to keep a neutral face. She had noticed he was the one that did it, then? He'd thought Evans was too mad at him back then — during all that party, James had tried to draw her attention, certain that him leading Gryffindor to the victory would make Evans want to go out with him, but she had refused to even glance in his direction.

But she had noticed his charm.

'I could,' he replied slowly. 'It is much better to dance.'

'Yeah,' she agreed and then Evans smiled at him.

She smiled. At him. On purpose. That warm glorious smile that had first attracted him years ago, long before he knew what it meant.

His heart was doing full acrobatics dancing steps inside him now.

'Are you going back too?' he asked, desperately willing himself to look normal, though his hand wanted very much to comb his hair — or touch her braids, he wasn't sure.

Evans bit her lip, looking down the corridor that led to the Astronomy Tower.

'It's Saturday,' James added as charmingly as he could, his voice again melodious and nice. 'Do you really need to be patrolling today?'

'Actually… no, I wasn't scheduled. It's just —'

'The party was lame, I know.' She looked back at him; it was difficult to concentrate under her gaze, but James had to try. 'But still better than patrolling empty halls, I’d say.

He tried that puppy look he always saw Remus using when he wanted something; at least it should be more efficient than his confident gaze that Evans never seemed to find amusing. But she took one look at his face and she averted her eyes quickly, looking suddenly flustered.

'Well, it wasn't my schedule anyway,' she agreed, walking next to him in the direction of the Gryffindor Tower. 'And I could use a drink.'

'Sirius' version or the normal butterbeer?'

'What's in his version?' Evans asked, and James could hear the amusement in her voice as if she was already predicting his answer.

'Probably not butter, only beer — and worse.'

She let out a giggle. James pretended the sound did not fill his heart with hope and joy.

'I will stay out of his version then. I would like to remember this day tomorrow.'

James thought of sharing a smile and a decent conversation with Evans — she had noticed he always saved a chocolate tart for himself? Or that he had charmed the radio to play Muggle songs? And she was actually going back to the party because he had asked? — and decided he would like to remember that day too. It had not been that bad.

_________

[lilchibi-chan]

So I was listening to the Dear Evan Hansen soundtrack and had a thought. Kenma and Yamaguchi (separately) having a crush on the reader 🥰 Kinda like “If I could tell her” (that’s the song name)? Could u maybe write something for it? 👉👈🥺

Of course!! I hadn’t seen the show previous to this request, so I took a watch and did my research. Also, it’s so nice to see you requesting again💖 I hope you’ve been doing well and if not, I hope this helps and I’m open to talk if you need someone 🌸 Hope you enjoy 🌸

Kenma

You, Kenma and Kuroo were all at Kenma’s house doing homework/studying. You all live close to each other, so it’s not completely unusual that you all are at one of the other person’s house. Whether it be doing homework or just hanging out, you guys are always together.

You all had a literature assignment to write a poem about love, whether it’s in the form of a person or a place that makes you feel that way and etc.

Kenma decided to write his poem about how he feels about you. He’s had a crush on you for a while and he’s never had the courage to tell you. He still doesn’t, but he thought a good way to get his feelings out would be through this poem.

You all decide to switch papers to see what the other think of the poem you each wrote. Kuroo and kenma switched papers first, or so you thought, and you were gonna go after the two of them read theirs out loud.

“I’m going to read Kuroo’s first to get it over with,” Kenma says

You and Kuroo get comfortable to listen to Kenma read.

Kuroo secretly cheers him on, which you don’t notice

“The poem reads Her hair is dark like the wings of a raven Eyes bright like the sun is behind them Heart made of gold and skin made of satin These feelings I have stay quiet as I hide them Behind these eyes, she doesn’t see I wish she could because I want her with me I lay awake, thinking of her Wishing one day that I could tell her The way she smiles makes my heart skip a beat The way she laughs sets my soul on fire We’ve been friends for a while But I feel like we’re miles apart Due to the feelings I hide in my heart”

“W-wow,” you say taken aback by the words written on the paper

You also noticed that Kenma looked at you the whole time he read it. He was usually the type that avoided eye contact, but it was like he wanted you to hear his feelings and feel them pouring into your soul.

“Kenma, w-would you mind if I took a look at the paper,” you ask

“Uh.. um.. sure,” he says reluctantly handing it over

You read the paper and see that it’s Kenma’s name at the top.

“Kuroo, would you mind if Kenma and I spoke alone,” you ask

“Uhh.. no, go ahead,” he says, leaving the room

“S-so, how long have you felt this way,” you ask Kenma lowly

“A while,” he says not wanting to look you in the eyes

“Kenma, you can face me. I’m not scary,” you say trying to comfort him

“I-I know, but I’m not really good with people,” he says

“Well I’m not just anyone, I’m your best friend and...I kinda..have feelings.. for you..too,” you confess

“R-really,” he says surprised

“Yeah. I love spending time with you and your passion for video games and you teaching me how to play. I love that you never go easy on me either. I know games are like your everything and for you to share that with me took a lot and I know that.”

“Everything is easy with you, y/n” he confesses,“it kinda feels like I’ve known you forever and I’ve never really been that comfortable with anyone.”

“What about Kuroo,” you ask laughing

“He kinda just claimed me as his, but I don’t mind having him around. To be honest, I do feel lonely without him being here, but sometimes even then, I think of you and I don’t feel lonely anymore. Just the thought of you being here brings me comfort.”

You sit there again, this time almost on the brink of tears.

Kenma looks up at you and notices the tears brimming your eyes.

“A-are you okay,” he asks worried

“Y-yeah, I’m fine,” you say,“it was just really nice to hear you say that because I feel the same way. You’re my comfort person and whenever I think of you, I just feel warm and fuzzy inside. It sounds cliche but that feeling is indescribable”

“Y-y/n, would you..maybe...wanna hang out this weekend...but like, a date,” he asks

“Of course, Ken. I would love it.”

He smiles and you hear Kuroo open the door

“Ugh finally! I thought you two were gonna let me stay out there forever,” Kuroo says being dramatic, causing you to laugh

“You would’ve been fine,” Kenma says

“Gosh Kenma, you’re so cold. Why can’t you be nice to me like you with y/n” Kuroo says, fake crying

“You’re both two different people who I have different relationships with. You are not the same,” kenma says

“Wow Kenma,” Kuroo says holding his chest where his heart is

“Guys c’mon,” you say interrupting,“we all love each other now let’s just hang out like we usually do and have fun.”

And you all do just that until you and Kuroo decide to leave.

Yamaguchi

Today at Karasuno, there is an assembly being held with a talent show right after.

A couple weeks ago, when the talent show was announced, Yamaguchi decided that he wanted to do something big. He wanted to confess his feelings to you through a song.

Yamaguchi isn’t the most confident, but he wants to prove that for you, he would do anything.

He spent the two weeks doing research on different songs that explained exactly how he felt about you until he found the perfect one.

He also asked Tsukishima to help him by playing guitar and asked Daichi and Kageyama if they would do background vocals for him.

Tsukishima agreed because he was glad to see Yamaguchi grow some balls and take charge. Kageyama took a little more convincing and finally agreed when Yamaguchi offered to by him as much milk as he wanted and snacks after school if he helped. We all know Daichi being the dad friend agreed no questions asked.

They practiced everyday after practice.

Although they were tired, they knew how important this was for Yamaguchi.

Finally, the day has arrived and the boys are backstage getting ready.

You and Yachi are sitting in the crowd anticipating their performance.

“Wow this is so exciting. I know I could never do it because I’m really bad at dealing with people staring at me, but the good this is that it’s not me up there,” Yachi says to you

“I know,” you say, smiling big,“who knew?! Yamaguchi, Kageyama and Daichi can sing and Tsuki can play guitar!”

“I know this is amazing,” Yachi says gushing with you

After the student council presented what they had to, they announce that Yamaguchi, Tsuki, Kageyama and Daichi were the first act.

They all walk out on the stage and you can see Yamaguchi tense up once he turns his eyes to the sea of people.

You start cheering louder so that Yamaguchi can find you in the crowd and you hold up the poster that you and Yachi made last night.

“H-hi,” Yamaguchi says into the microphone,“I uh..I’m going to sing a song today that describes a really special girl in my life. It’s called Truly, Madly, Deeply by One Direction. Y/n, I hope you like it.”

“I haven’t heard this song before,” you say to Yachi as you both clap for them to hype them up and know that they have your support.

“Me neither,” you say,“but it should be good. One Direction have some amazing songs.”

Yamaguchi starts singing and you couldn’t believe your ears. He was actually really good. You couldn’t believe that he had hidden this talent from you.

You start listening to the words in the song and you realize that this is Yamaguchi’s way of confessing his feelings to you.

You didn’t know that he did, but there were times you thought maybe and you just were never really sure.

At this moment, they were solidified. Yamaguchi has feelings for you and he’s done hiding them. He also wants the whole world to know about it.

This is the most romantic thing anyone has ever done for you and you think to yourself ‘this is the kind of thing that happens in movies’

This felt like a dream to you. A dream you didn’t want to wake up from.

He looked in your direction the whole time and it felt like you were the only two people in the auditorium.

The song was beautiful and everything about this moment was perfect.

Sadly for you, it did come to an end.

The rest of the acts perform and the talent show ends.

Yamaguchi got second place.

You go see Yamaguchi and the rest of the boys back stage.

“You guys did amazing! You totally deserved first place,” you say pouting

“Y/n, can w-we talk for a second,” Yamaguchi says pulling you aside

“Yeah...you did amazing by the way. I really wish you would’ve gotten first place,” you say reiterating that he should’ve won the talent show

“It’s fine y/n,” he says honestly,“this performance was for you and only you, so I feel like I did win.”

“Yamaguchi,” you say smiling

“Y/n...I really like you and I had to tell you. I couldn’t hold it on anymore.. I hope you’re okay wi-,”

You interrupt him by crashing your lips on his.

“I couldn’t ask for a better confession. That was so romantic and I would love nothing more than to be your girlfriend...if you’re okay with it too,” you say with a giggle

“I would love nothing more than to be your boyfriend y/n”

You kiss again and walk back over to the group hand in hand.

There’s clapping and cheers and whistling.

You were so happy. The both of you were.

You couldn’t ask for a better day or a better boyfriend.

I hope you enjoyed this. I really wanted to try and make it perfect for you. I hope this met your expectations 🥺🌸

[twoidiotwriters1]

Halloween with the Marauders

A/N: Sorry I'm late ... and it's not Halloween anymore, but I hope you like it. -Val

Request:by  @stardusthigh​ Marauders hold a Halloween party 🥳 but something (doesn't have to be murder, can also be something light and funny) happens and they're all seen as suspects!! (People included the marauders, lily, marlene mckinnon, Dorcas meadowes, Alice fortescue & Frank longbottom). Would love it if it was a comedy, but I love angst too!

Words: 1,315

Only the marauders are able to find the Room of Requirement and use it as the best location for Hogwarts' biggest Halloween party. They planned everything since August and today it’s finally ready. All students are invited. Just for one night, the four boys forgot the feuds between houses.

Pumpkins, skulls, lights, decorations, music, treats, punch, name whatever you want to take for the perfect party and you'll find it here. Little by little, the room fills with students, the music begins.

"Miss Evans. You shouldn't be at this party alone,” James growls, raising his lantern without light. "I'd better take you to someone you trust, maybe that Potter boy. He’s perfect for you, isn't he, Mrs. Norris?" He asks the stuffed cat on his arm.

"This could not be more creepy,” she says when she sees the boy's costume.

"Lily, it's me!” says James, straightening up with a smile and Lily rolls her eyes. "A great costume, right?"

"I would’ve preferred to see you like Gilbert Blythe,” She answers with a pout and now James rolls his eyes.

“I won’t argue about that book character again. He's not that perfect,” The boy complains.

"Yes he is! At least he would be willing to wear a costume with me!” says the redhead fixing one of her braids.

"And who are you supposed to be?" James asks.

"I am Anne! The protagonist of the book, Gilbert's girlfriend?” She says offended.

“Oh, yeah. The one that doesn't stop talking– Hey! You are a lot like her!” He jokes and Lily slaps his shoulder.

"Miss Evans, fifteen points from Gryffindor for being so aggressive towards Mr. Filch!” says another high-pitched voice.

They both turn to see Sirius in a robe and a green pointy hat.

"I do not accept this behavior from you!” He says raising both eyebrows.

James lets out a laugh and Lily shakes her head.

"Don't tell me you all dressed up as teachers…”

"Well, you'll be disappointed, Miss Shirley,” adds another deep voice coming from her side. Remus adjusts his half-moon glasses and strokes his white beard. "Mr. Filch, Professor McGonagall, it's a beautiful evening to be together."

"Oh, Albus. I totally agree with you,” Sirius replies.

“Where's Peter?" Lily asks.

"The apple contest has started," Sirius says, going back to normal. “He wants to break his record. Although I don’t know how he will do it with that huge beard…”

“Not for nothing did he practice in Hagrid's disguise. It was pretty funny,” adds Remus.

"What a great party, guys!" says Marlene with his angel costume and a huge smile. "Sirius, I could kiss you, but your costume disturbs me a lot," She adds.

"We'll fix that later," Sirius replies with a wink.

Lily frowns.

"You're good? You sound a bit drunk…”

"No, no!” She replies laughing. "Well, maybe a little".

"James! Did you put alcohol in the punch?" The redhead gasps.

“It was just a little bit! If not, it wouldn't be a party. Everything is controlled…”

"Don't worry, Lily,” Says Remus. “It's not that strong.”

"We should drink more!" adds the blonde.

"I don't think it's a good idea…”

“Please, Evans. Have a little fun. Its Halloween!”

"Just a glass?” tries James.

Lily sighs, but finally agrees. Sirius is right, you can relax for one night. A risky decision on Halloween. The five friends drink the punch and it may have been more than one glass. By this time, they’re very happy and laughing at anything, dancing without rhythm and having fun.

"I'm going for more," Lily squeals and in the company of Marlene they return to the appetizer table, pouring more punch. "I love it, it's so sweet!”

"Yeah, it's great," Marlene answers, but then her face changes and she frowns. "Although I don't like that song very much…”

Lily looks at her confused.

"But it's from the boyband you like, you've always liked them!”

"Ugh, no. Actually, I hate them, but all the girls like them, I didn't want to be the bitter one in the group…” She confesses and then is surprised by her words.

"I didn't know that.”

"You shouldn't know."

“Marlene, calm down. You shouldn’t always appear to be a cool girl, sometimes it’s tiring,” Lily confesses.

"What?"

"I'm sorry,” Lily gapes. “I did not mean that!”

“Hey, they put something in the punch. It already tastes different to me,” says James, getting closer.

"Love that song!" Remus jumps in place, drawing the attention of the group. "I hope they play the whole album, I love that band!”

They all look at him in surprise and he realizes what he said.

"Uh, I mean, uh- me…” he stutters.

Sirius and James tease their friend.

"I can't believe you like that song, the best one from their new album!” says Sirius and then covers his mouth looking at his friends in horror.

"What's going on?" yells Marlene.

"Hey, I know you always make practical jokes, but I can't believe you have come this far!” says Dorcas, arriving at their side with makeup smeared all over her face.

"You're good?" Remus asks.

"No! I just got humilliated in front of the oldest students!” She says.

"Uh, I like your princess costume," says Lily, trying to fix things.

“Sure, San Lily always supporting others. Did you know that you don't always have to be the good one in the story?” She also covers her mouth “Lily, no! I didn't want to say that!” She turns to the marauders. "What did you put in the punch, you clowns?

"The punch!”

"Someone must have put veritaserum," says Marlene.

Everyone looks at each other in horror, each one thinking of their biggest secrets that can easily be revealed if they're not careful.

"No!" Remus says and Sirius can't help but laugh.

"Sorry, Moony. But now they know that you have all the records of the boyband.”

Remus looks at him annoyed.

"So? At least I don't sleep with a teddy bear every night."

“It's a stuffed wolf! How difficult is it to tell them apart?" He complains and the others look at him funny. “Shit."

"That's pretty embarrassing," laughs James.

"Not as much as the time McGonagall found your parchment where you wrote all over 'James Evans' 'Lily Potter' 'James and Lily forever' and the possible names of your children…”

"What!?"

James blushes and points towards Remus.

"But you can’t deny that 'Harry James Potter' is the best name for my future son!”

“James!”

"Oh come on, Lily. It's your chance to tell James everything you thought about him that day after Quidditch practice!” says Marlene amused.

"What did she say!?" screams James excitedly.

"I remember!” says Dorcas. "Something like it was hotter than fire whiskey…”

"Hotter than the sun, especially when he smiles when he wins a game,” corrects the redhead abruptly.

"Did you hear that, Padfoot!?" James says shaking his friend by the shoulders.

"They just need to end up marrying for this joke,” says Remus.

"Uh, I think we left that to Alice and Frank,” says Dorcas pointing to the couple that is a few meters away from them, who, after many months of flirting finally share an increasingly uncomfortably intense kiss.

"We have to find the antidote or at least report what's going on," says Lily.

"Uh, yeah,” says Sirius. "You guys do that, I'll go with Peter, it seems he confessed his love for the Slytherin girl and now he's taking a beating…”

"Dorcas, stop crying, they’ll miss how great you are!”

“I threw up on him, Marlene! This is the end of my life!"

“–It's not that I have all the records, I only like one or two songs!” Remus argues to no one in particular.

"So you think I'm hot, Lils?"

"Leave me alone, James!”

Did you think Veritaserum was needed at the perfect party? The Marauders didn’t, but now they have it too.

[my-emotional-self]

Forever Ago Chapter 3

Pairings: Chris Evans x OFC

Warnings:  Mild Angst, Swearing

Summary: After losing touch with your childhood best friend after graduation, he comes crashing back into your life 15 years later. The feelings you’ve had for him never left you.  But do you forgive him for all those years he ignored you?  Or do you decide he lost his chance with you for good?

The door opened to reveal a smiling Sebastian.  “There’s my best friend!” he cheered, wrapping his arms around you and pulling you into a hug.  

You couldn’t contain the laugh that escaped passed your lips.  “How much have you had to drink already?”

“What?  Can’t I just be happy to see my best friend?  We live like a mile from each other and I haven’t seen you in forever!”

Rolling your eyes you walked into his apartment.  “You know I’ve been busy with work Sebastian.”

“Yeah I know Jess. You’re such a hot commodity in the photography world.”  The two of you walked into his kitchen and you looked at your phone.  You were about an hour early before the party started in case Seb needed any help.  “Hey I’m going to hop in the shower before people start to get here.  Make yourself a drink.  You know where everything is.”

You in deed did just that. In case Chris was going to be here, you didn’t want to be completely sober for that meeting.  

After taking your drink into the living room, you sat down on the couch and reminisced about the time you met Sebastian.  

Summer of 2009

It had been ten whole years since you graduated high school, and nearly three years since you last saw Chris.  He had moved away right after graduation to pursue his acting career; which you couldn’t have been more supportive of.  You had seen him a lot over those first few years, but slowly he began to get busier and he had then moved out to Los Angeles; the complete opposite side of the country.  You were still getting your foot in the door as a photographer and didn’t have too much money lying around to just fly out and see him.  

But it wasn’t just about seeing him.  The phone calls and texts were beginning to be fewer and longer in between.  To be honest, it broke your heart.  You didn’t want to seem like a clingy friend, even though you were madly in love with him, so you let it go.  He would text or call you when he had the chance, right?  

Oh how wrong you were.  While you lived in New York City now, you still stayed in contact with Lisa as she became the only mother figure in your life after your parents died in a car accident from a drunk driver when you were 16.  

You were waiting around the room for Sebastian Stan to arrive as you were photographing him for the cover of a magazine.  

When he walked in, the two of you instantly clicked as you liked to get to know your muse somewhat before photographing them.  He was so down to earth and easy to talk to; almost like your relationship with Chris back in the day.

It was what he said at one point that made you freeze.  “Yeah I just got done filming a movie for the Marvel Universe.  It’s called Captain America: The First Avenger.”

“Wow!  That sounds amazing!  Those Marvel movies have been doing really well recently,” you remarked as you began to set up your camera.  

“Yeah and it was so much fun to shoot.  Chris Evans plays Captain America and he’s a real great guy. We had a lot of fun on set.”

As he mentioned Chris, you froze, eyes growing wide as you stared down at your camera before quickly recovering.  Your heart gave a pain of sadness just hearing his name; you missed him so much.  You had even given up on trying to text him over the last year because you never got a response.  

All you could do is hum in response as he talked enthusiastically about the movie and his role. You didn’t keep much tabs on Chris lately, including his movies and girlfriends because you just seemed to spiral into some sort of depression each time.  So, after many lonely nights thinking about it, you decided to just move on as much as it pained you.  

~~~

Over the course of the years you and Sebastian became best friends; it helped that the two of you lived very close to each other. Naturally he had invited you to the sets while he was filming the Captain America movies but you always declined, not wanting to see or deal with Chris.  The way you saw it, he broke your heart.  

As much as you wanted to tell Sebastian all about your personal life growing up, you just knew that if he were to explain to Chris about you, Chris would find out.  Sebastian was very understanding that you didn’t want to talk about anything; all you did mention was the death of your parents and that was it.

It seemed petty in your eyes, but you were in love with Chris, had been for years and when he moved away and became a big time actor, it seemed like he just tossed you on the side; after all those years of friendship.  

End Flashback

By the time Sebastian got out of the shower, your palms were beginning to sweat.  You had known Sebastian for a decade now, but you not once told him about Chris; about how the two of you were best friends growing up; about how you had been madly in love with him.  It was beginning to dawn on you that perhaps Sebastian might get pretty upset with you if Chris were to arrive and find out the two of you had known each other since kindergarten.  

“Shit,” you murmured to yourself, but not quietly enough.  

Sebastian chuckled from the kitchen.  “What’s wrong?”

You wanted to tell him right here and now, but with the off chance that Chris wasn’t going to be here, you didn’t want to risk it.  But you still felt like a shitty person and an even more horrible friend.  

“I’m just a dumbass, that’s all.”

~~~

Sebastian’s little ‘friend-gathering’ was in full swing a few hours later.  You were able to meet Jeremy Renner and Elizabeth Olsen.  Toby Hemingway and Chace Crawford were also there, but you had met them plenty of times.  They were good friends with Sebastian from the movie The Covenant and the four of you hung out quite a bit in New York.  

There were also some others that you didn’t recognize and as the hours passed, you were starting to finally let loose and get comfortable, thinking Chris wouldn’t be showing up.  

You were off in the corner playing beer pong with Chace when there was a loud ruckus coming from the kitchen.  “Here he comes to save the day!” you overheard someone shout.  

“Captain America himself!” came Jeremy’s voice and you shut your eyes tightly.  When you opened them, Chace was staring at you with his brows furrowed.  

“You ok over there Jess?” he asked.  

“Mmmmm,” you replied. At this moment all you were happy about was that your back was facing the kitchen and maybe you could hide and then make a dash out of here before he noticed you.  

“Alright well it’s your turn.  Unless you want to forfeit and admit defeat,” he joked with a sly smile.  

You scoffed, never admitting defeat when it came to beer pong.  The score was pretty even and with your pre-party drinks you were feeling really good.  Raising your hand, you sunk the ball into one of the cups.  “HA!” you teased.  

Chace threw his ball and it landed in one of your cups.  You downed the drink quickly, hoping to win this game as fast as possible and make a run for it.  

There were only two cups left on Chace’s side, and four left on yours when you heard Sebastian shout out, calling your name.  

“Oh no,” you whispered.

“There she is!” Sebastian said as you felt him come to stand behind you.  “Chris, this is my dear friend Jessica, the one I’ve told you about.”

Sebastian placed a hand on your shoulder and there was no going back now.  Slowly, you turned around to face the man you were in love with; the man whom you hadn’t spoken to in over ten years.  

Chris’ eyes widened when he saw it was you who was standing in front of him.  “Jessica?!?!?” he asked with both confusion and excitement before wrapping his large arms around you and squeezing you to his chest.  You had to admit, it felt great being back in his arms again; the swirl of emotion tugging at your heartstrings.  

“Wait wait wait wait wait a damn minute,” Sebastian barked; Chris’ arms still tightly wrapped around your frame.  “You two know each other?”

Chris let go of you and instead placed his hands on your bare arms.  His eyes bore into yours as you felt your face heat up.  It had been too long since you last seen him, last heard his voice, and every emotion you had placed on the back burner came rushing back to the center.  

“We grew up together. We’ve known each other since kindergarten,” Chris blurted out, a large smile plastered on his face.  

You could feel Sebastian’s gaze on you as you slowly turned your head to face him.  He looked disappointment, and sad even and it made your heart break.  

The room felt stuffy; suffocating you and with everything happening, you felt like you couldn’t breathe. Your breaths were coming up short and you tore your gaze away from Sebastian.  “I…I need a minute,” you rasped out as you hastily made your way to the sliding glass door to the balcony.

The fresh night air felt wonderful on your heated skin as you took deep breaths in through your nose; exhaling through your mouth.  Your body and heart were beginning to betray you.  Years you spent getting over Chris, getting over the fact that he somewhat acted like you didn’t even exist.  Yet now, when you see him, your body immediately clung to him, missing the way he felt in your arms; how manly he smelt.  But worst of all was your heart.  

So many emotions were running through your body in this moment, you could barely keep up; anger being the most prominent.  Seeing Chris again after all this time, knowing you had reached out to him dozens of times before giving up, made you so angry that he didn’t contact you back. Love was another one coursing through your veins.  Fuck you loved Chris so much.  You had been in love with him for years, but you finally broke that feeling, only for it to come all crashing down on you again.  

Gripping the balcony railing in your hands, you dipped your head down; unsure of where this was going to go.  You didn’t have time to take another breath before you heard the balcony door open; his voice ringing in your ears.  

“Jess,” was all he said in his soft voice to make your heart melt all over again.  

Tag List: @patzammit @brastrangled @miss-cap21 @princess-evans-addict @pumbibaby @guera31 @kanupps06 @zohoffman @the-real-kellymonster @white-chocolate-mocha-fan @remember-that-one-blog @sincerelyfan @hispeculiartreasure @libbitinasdeath @projectxhappiness @ssweet-empowerment @sfreeborn @badassbaker @poerebel @jjlevin @sophiealiice @mrs-captain-evans @crushed-pink-petals @thisismyhappyplace @supernatural-girl97 @laochbaineann @esoltis280 @coffeebooksandfandom @3dsaunt @joannie95 

[pixeldreqms]

september 2018 

there's an estimated forty days left of filming and already, ian's dreading the end. he's been trying harder to enjoy the little moments, and not just be miserable because he knows they won't last forever. it's hard, but he's trying. he's almost never as happy as he is when he's with these people, his fellow losers, and he doesn't want to waste the time he has left with them.

forty days.

probably closer to thirty nine now since it's past midnight. one more day down. but that's something he's not letting himself linger on. instead, his eyes settle on kennedy who is getting his ass kicked in a video game but is still laughing so loud that the sound is filling the entire basement of the rented house. he focuses on that sound and can't help but smile. he focuses on it and he swears every sad thought in his head floats away, just like that.

he accepted earlier in the summer that his feelings for kenny weren't as platonic as he had originally thought. but in his defense, he was only twelve when they first met. he had a lot of figuring out to do.

he's figured it out now.

he loves all his friends, strongly and deeply, and he's a little co-dependent with more than a couple of them. if he goes a day without talking to evan, he genuinely misses him. he goes out of his way to visit the burgess' at every given chance. each member of the cast has expressed annoyance with the way he spams the group chat while they're all asleep. he's entirely convinced he needs june to survive. and he feels all that with kenny, too, so it took him some time to realize just how much more he felt. and how he felt things for him that went well beyond the things he felt for everyone else he loved.

he doesn't get an overwhelming urge to lean in and kiss any of his other friends when they get too close, for starters. that was a big tip off for ian.

kenny jokingly winked at him once and he felt like someone had lit him on fire.

he constantly found himself shoving others aside just to stand by him in group photos or to sit by him on a couch during a movie.

his own behavior should have been a giveaway right away, but he's not exactly very experienced in that area. not in just dating, but even with liking people. he's only really had one real crush before, and he'd been twelve. and he'd never liked one of his guy friends before either - but he'd accepted that fact easily. given how many male tv characters he'd been infatuated with over the years, and his long-standing secret harry styles obsession that started back when he was ten years old, he'd always suspected he wasn't totally straight. he still hasn't slapped a label on himself yet, but he doesn't think he needs to know for sure what he is to know that he definitely has feelings for kenny.

feelings that are so intense that sometimes he can't even think about anything else. feelings that are so all-consuming that all he wants to talk about 24/7 is kenny and he has to force himself, multiple times a day, to shut up about him or else he'll give himself away or let too much slip. and he knows better than to say anything, to kenny, or to anyone.

but god he wants to.

he's kept this feeling bottled up for months now, though it feels like so much longer, and sometimes he feel like he's gonna burst from how bad he wants to talk about it. his journal only has so many pages he can wax poetic about kenny onto, and he's sure even the inanimate object is sick of hearing about his crush. he needs a pair of real ears. and maybe someone to tell him he's not stupid or crazy for falling for his best friend. because boy oh boy does he feel like he is sometimes.

evan's loud hooping and hollering covers up the sound of kenny's laughter, and ian rolls his eyes but can't help but grin in amusement. his victory had been predicted since mid-game, but evan was still celebrating like he'd done something impressive.

in an attempt to show kenny support, ian raises his arm and gives evan and his win a thumbs down. "booooooo."

he gets two middle fingers raised at him for his efforts. he thinks that's all he's getting in return for voicing his disapproval, until evan drops the controller and comes flying past the gaming area, past the couch, and leaping onto ian where he's sprawled across a huge bean bag chair.

"hey, i wanted to play the winner!" jeremy shouts from the couch in front of the tv, where the other four teenagers had been sat, partially watching the game, partially on their phones, mostly having their own conversations.

ian easily could have squeezed in with them, but he couldn't resist a good bean bag. plus, he was closer to the little mini bar area that this place had. the bar itself wasn't stocked with alcohol, not that ian cares or jeremy's mom would have let them drink anyway, but she kept the shelves and mini fridge stocked. ian likes being close to the snacks.

"well i'm over here now!" evan yells back. the loud volume right in ian's ear makes him wince. "play the loser. kenny, that's you. you're the loser."

ian shoves evan off of him and onto the floor. "dick."

"no," evan says, rejecting his removal from the chair. "move your ass."

"no." but he does it anyway. he can't move much or else he'd be on the floor, because yes it's a big seat, but they're both months away from being sixteen and are not the same small twelve year olds they'd been when they first met. they've hit massive growth spurts since then. sharing small spaces isn't as easy as it once was, but it doesn't stop them from trying. evan ends up with one of his legs completely over ian's and their shoulders pressed together. ian lets it happen, but he's still mildly annoyed about it. "wow, this is so comfortable. i'm so glad you came all the way over here to dig your elbow into my stomach. feels great."

"are you saying you don't want to sit with me, you a**hole?" evan asks.

evan's elbow digs deeper into his side and ian's pretty sure it's on purpose. he grimaces and shifts as much as he can but still doesn't move out of the seat.

"that's literally exactly what i'm saying, yeah. you stink."

the bickering continues, because it never really ends with them. there's an almost constant flow of jokes and jabs between them. but for as much as they give each other sh*t, him and evan have definitely had their fair share of genuine moments between them. anytime ian has an anxiety attack in a group setting, evan's one of a few who knows how to calm him. ian's called him crying about his family or about wanting to go home more than once. there was also the time on set during their first movie together where after an intense, emotional scene, they'd both cried and hugged each other until they got it out of their system. sometimes his relationship with evan reminds him of his relationship with his sister, and the way they can pick and pick at each other, but at the end of the day, they'd die for one another.

it's just really fun to insult each other, so they do it often.

eventually, after evan shouts at ian to eat an ass, they're informed they're being too loud.

anna, the only girl in a group of boys, shushes them with so much aggression that it terrifies ian a little. she puts up with so much nonsense every time she hangs out with them, he's just waiting for the day she finally snaps. he knows he doesn't want it to be his fault, so he does as he's told and shushes.

"they're all haters," evan mutters.

ian nods. "they wanna be us so bad."

and just like that, they're on the same team again.

ian feels a vibration against his leg and realizes his phone's fallen under his thigh. as he digs it out, he sees evan's own attention has momentarily returned to the game on the tv just as the loading screen transitions back into gameplay, so he feels less bad about checking it. reading kenny's name on his screen, he visibly lights up, grinning at the text.

'if he's being a dick, come escape and play me next,' kenny has written.

ian quickly types back. 'he's not, but i might anyway. wanna be next to kick your ass.'

he glances across the room, but he can't see kenny at all where he's sitting on the floor in front of the couch, so he has no idea if he's grinning as big as ian is just from seeing a new text from him. he can't imagine he is, but it's still a nice thought. as soon as the round on the tv ends and the loading screen is back up, kenny starts typing.

'I THINK I'M WINNING THIS TIME.'

ian's smile widens, his cheeks sore from it, but he doesn't get a chance to start replying before -

"is it a meme?" evan asks, neck craning to look. ian clicks back to his homescreen quickly.

"is what a meme?"

evan slumps back a little once ian drops his phone to his lap. "whatever you were staring at like that."

"no, or - yeah." he answers, then changes his answer when he realizes he can't tell him what he was actually grinning at.

he wasn't as subtle as he had hoped.

"you lookin' at something nasty?" evan asks. "you fvcking freak?"

ian blinks, then deadpans, "yes. i'm looking at something nasty while surrounded by my friends. with you practically in my lap. you caught me."

"thought so. looking like a blushing school girl over here." that one's a little too close to home considering he feels like a smitten school girl every time he sees or talks to kenny, so ian shoves evan for it. he almost rolls over the edge of the seat but gets a palm on the ground to steady himself. "come on. seriously. what was it? what's so secret?"

"fvck, you're nosy."

"invested in your life," evan corrects him.

"nosy," ian insists.

evan gives him a look, a raised brow and a silent dude, come on, tell me, and ian takes a breath.

he reminds himself there's a reason he's kept this secret so under wraps. as much as he wants to scream from the rooftop how much he likes kenny, the risk of him finding out isn't worth it. he'd ruin not only their friendship, but probably the entire group. they'd never be able to all be together. not with kenny inevitably being weirded out by ian's crush, and ian being too mortified to be around him anymore. the rest of filming would be a nightmare. getting through press and the promotion would be torture. he'd lose his favorite person.

nothing good could possibly come from people knowing.  

then, he reminds himself this is evan. they may thrive off of giving each other sh*t, but he can trust him. he's never let him down before. not when it mattered. if there's anyone he can tell and trust they won't screw him over by letting it slip, he feels like it's evan.

if for no other reason than he'd suffer, too. not just because ian would never forgive him, but he'd hate it if the group dynamic was thrown out of wack, too.

evan feels like a safe place to finally be honest.

so he exhales, and speaks.

"it was a - i was looking at something from - it's a someone."

a bit of a rocky start, but he got where he was trying to go after a few attempts.

"you have a someone?" evan asks, seeming mildly offended that this isn't information he was already privy to. "someone i don't know about?"

"i don't really have someone," ian tells him. "i just... want to. i want to be with them."

"who is she?"

"it's..." ian's voice is barely a whisper at this point. "it's not a girl..."

the silence that follows is the longest, most anxiety inducing silence ian has ever experienced. it can't be more than twenty seconds, probably not even that long, before evan speaks again but it feels like a lifetime. he doesn't know why he's so nervous about the reaction to this. he knows evan well enough to know he won't care, but people can be surprising in the worst ways sometimes. and he's never done this before. he's pretty sure his sister has an inkling, but he's never come out and admitted it to her. this is the first time he's having the actual conversation and god it's fvcking terrifying. he kind of wants to cry suddenly but he's really holding himself together.

even while fearing and preparing himself for the worst, he mostly expects evan to react with some generic but kind sentiment. a that's okay with me, dude or an i love and accept you, pal.

that's not what he gets.

after a moment, evan's brow furrows, his head tilts just slightly, and he asks, as sincere as can be, "man, is it me?"

it's just what ian needs to hear to ease his tension. he throws his head back and lets out a cackle. the ache in his stomach is no longer due to nerves, but from how hard he's laughing. "absolutely fvcking -" he has to stop, pausing as he got through another fit of laughter. "oh, absolutely fvcking not."

a tear rolls down his cheek and he flicks it away as he finally starts to calm down. then he gets a good look at how unamused evan looks and it sets him off again.

"okay, it's not me, i got it!" evan says in a hushed whisper, just loud enough to be heard over the sound of ian's own laughter. "who is it then?"

the nerves are back, suddenly. and again, he doesn't even know why. he wants this. he wants to be able to talk to someone about his feelings. he wants evan to know. but his palms are still sweating.

"you can't tell him," ian says softly. "i'll literally strangle you. you have to swear."

"i swear," he assures him. "so it's someone i know?"

he's pretty sure evan knows everyone ian knows. even his few remaining guy friends from back home, evan's met. but he doesn't remind him of that now, just nods and confirms. "yeah. it's someone you know."

"who? i'm not gonna tell, ian."

nervously, he glances towards the couch, just to make sure the game was still being played and their entire group of friends hadn't turned around to stare and listen to his confession. all he sees are the backs of heads, and he can hear everyone's laughter mixed with anna's muffled trash talk as she has a go at the game. no one's paying attention to him except for evan.

for some reason, he's having a hard time looking at him. the hardest part is already over, he tells himself, just spit his name out. but he's also telling himself that it's not too late and he can keep this secret to himself. evan would be annoyed about the cliffhanger, but ian could deal with that easier than he could deal with other possible outcomes of telling him.

no. he's doing this.

suck it the fvck up.

with his eyes on the back of the couch, in the smallest voice possible, he admits, "kenny."

he doesn't know what evan's initial reaction is, because it takes a few seconds for him to finally meet his eyes again, but when he does look at him again, his face isn't easy to read. he doesn't look shocked, exactly - and really, given that ian is arguably closest to kenny and evan out of everyone, it probably wasn't the most surprising name he could have said. if anything, he looks... confused?

"you're not gonna tell him, are you?" ian asks, misreading the look as inner turmoil about not wanting to keep a secret from their other best friend.

that's not at all what it is.

"no, i said i'm not," evan huffs. "but, why the fvck is it not me?"

"i'm - i'm sorry?" ian says, because what else does he say to that? "are you offended that i don't have a crush on you?"

"am i not cute?"

"evan, this isn't how people are supposed to react to sh*t like this -"

"i just can't believe out of everyone - kenny." he whispers it, at least. "and not me? really?"

"i'd love it if you weren't so fvcking weird about this."

"i'm not being weird! it being me just would have made sense, is all i'm saying."

ian squints. "and it being kenny doesn't make sense?"

evan sighs, falling back into the chair a little. "yeah, i guess it does. it does."

"just to make sure - " ian says, putting a hand up. "you don't - i mean, you're not upset because you like - "

"ew, don't even say it. i don't like you."

it's ian's turn to sigh and lean back into the seat. "okay, cool. you're just... fvcking weird. that's good to know."

there's a moment of silence and ian just breathes. he did it. he did it and nothing's changed, nothing world shattering happened. he feels like a weight's been lifted, just by telling one person. it feels really good. even if it didn't go how he'd have imagined it to. still good.

"knew it couldn't have been a meme you were looking at," evan says a minute later. "the memes you send are never that funny."

ian scoffs. "fvck you. i send the funniest memes."

"willow sends the funniest memes."

"you're gonna go to hell for saying sh*t like that. lying is a fcking sin."

"is it?"

ian pauses.

"... i'm not sure. i think so. did neither of us go to church growing up? that kind of explains a lot."

there's an angry cry from the front of the room that draws their attention. anna curses, followed by kenny laughing. once again, ian smiles at the sound.

the laughter, not the cursing.

"did kenny actually win?!" evan shouts over to the rest of the group.

kenny and anna stand up as the other three perk up on the couch to look over at the two in the bean bag.

"i've been winning!" kenny calls back.

jeremy chimes in. "he's on a winning streak!"

"more like a cheating streak," anna mumbles.

"he's beaten everyone except evan," jeremy says.

"ahem!" evan waves a hand, gesturing to ian. "not everyone except evan. let ian at him."

ian tries to suppress his grin. he'd been so worried about the bad outcomes of telling evan, but he hadn't considered all the good reasons. like evan helping him get closer to kenny. even just in little ways, like playing video games. maybe this was a better idea than he thought.

he meets kenny's eyes and when kenny smiles at him, he can't hide his own anymore.

"ian?" kenny asks. "you want the winner?"

evan nudges ian in the side, winking at him as they make eye contact and calling out to kenny, "yeah, he does."

on second thought, he might end up regretting it.

[junker-town]

The start of Western Illinois’ NCAA tournament run in Year 20, continued

We pick up with the Leathernecks facing No. 5 Minnesota in the first round of the NCAA tournament in our College Hoops 2K8 sim.

Welcome back to our simulated dynasty with the Western Illinois Leathernecks in College Hoops 2K8. You can find a full explanation of this project + spoiler-free links to previous seasons here. Check out the introduction to this series from early April for full context. As a reminder, I simulate every game in this series (even the ones we watch on Twitch) and only handle the recruiting and coaching strategies.

We pick up with Western Illinois in the first round of the 2027 NCAA tournament. Here’s a recap of everything that has happened so far this season:

Western Illinois entered the season seeking redemption after losing to Cal in the first round of the NCAA tournament last year. We began the new season rated as a 96 overall with three new starters. We went 3-6 against a difficult non-conference schedule before sweeping the Summit League and again capturing the conference tournament championship.

We enter the tournament as a No. 12 seed. Our opponent in the first round is No. 5 seed Minnesota.

We recruited for one scholarship and are in position to land five-star JUCO shooting guard Edwin Wolfe in the spring.

READ: Western Illinois, Year 20, 2026-2027

Here’s a look at our roster heading into the 2027 NCAA tournament:

Not going to lie, there’s some real pressure heading into this tournament run in my 20th season as head coach at Western Illinois. We saw our season end in the Elite Eight in Year 16, Year 17, and Year 18. We lost in the first round last season. While I already have a strong case as the greatest mid-major coach in college basketball history, we all know this is a “what have you done for me lately” culture. It will be so hard to face the fanbase if we bow out early again.

Unfortunately, our shaky non-conference slate means we got a raw deal by the selection committee. It’s going to be a tough road through the bracket for us as a No. 12 seed, and it starts against a talented Minnesota team. Both teams enter the game rated as a 98 overall.

Minnesota is real good — you can check out the Golden Gophers’ roster here. Their senior shooting guard Carlos Klatsky is rated as a 95 overall — only four players are rated higher entering the tournament — and he’s matched up against our redshirt freshman Mathew Alloway. Their front court is stacked. Their five best players are either juniors or seniors. I am expecting this to be tough as hell.

The one thing giving me confidence is how we performed in the regular season against No. 1 Louisville in a game we watched together on Twitch. We gave the Cards all they could handle in a true road game before losing in the end. I love our inside-outside combination with senior small forward Wilky Henry and junior power forward Allan Cunningham. I trust our guards more than I did last year. While we have struggled in quick sim games, the pieces on this squad fit together better when we watch full games together on Twitch, I think. We need to take care of the ball, dominate the glass, and hopefully get a stellar performance from Henry as our go-to option on the perimeter.

We streamed this game on Twitch on Sunday night. As always, I’m not controlling Western Illinois; we’re watching a simulated game played by the computer. I’m not playing any of the games in this series, I only do the recruiting and set the coaching strategies. We did do something new this year, though: for the first time, I’m allowing myself to make in-game substitutions. Why not? There’s too much pressure to let poor rotation choices cost us.

The game should begin when you press play. Let’s go!

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Win, 89-72! We’re onto the round of 32 where we will face No. 4 seed Ole Miss.

“SECOND HALF TEAM” has become a rallying cry for our Leathernecks during the Twitch chat, and it paid off once again. Thank the heavens, because that first half was tense. Our defense looked good, but Minnesota was still matching baskets with us the entire way. We couldn’t get anything going from three-point range early. I was wondering who was going to step up to be the hero, but instead the whole team pretty much raised its level of play in the second half.

A few shout-outs:

Wilky Henry was outstanding — he was up to 24 points on the night when we pulled the starters with about five minutes remaining. Henry didn’t do anything in our first round tournament loss to Cal last year (7 points in 33 minutes), so it was great to see him splashing threes and using his size (6’8, 240+ pounds) to bully people at the rim. That is exactly the type of performance we need out of him to keep winning.

Allan Cunningham is simply an all-time Stream Team performer. Dude is so big (6’11, 290 pounds) but still so graceful, and has three-point touch to match. For all the praise we give Ham — read our beat writer Matthew Morrow on Cunningham coming into the season — we often overlook his passing ability. Not anymore: Ham was dropping dimes like a vintage Chris Webber in this one, beating constant double-teams in the second half by kicking out to open shooters. Beautiful stuff.

Our center Pat Giddens has been generally maligned by the fanbase for being too short (6’9) and too overweight (close to 300 pounds), but he’s also the highest rated junior in the NCAA tournament. I was waiting for his production to match his ratings, and it finally happened. Giddens looks formidable offensively and held his own protecting the rim. Good stuff — we need more of that is we want to keep winning.

Reader Abby blessed us with clips from the win. My favorites: this three-pointer from Silky Wilky:

Manual subs! Featuring a Cunningham steal and finish:

Nice block by backup center Kevin Brazzle + a knockdown jumper from freshman guard Mathew Alloway:

Bring on Ole Miss.

No. 12 Western Illinois vs. No. 4 Ole Miss, round of 32, 2027 NCAA tournament

Another tough matchup for our Leathernecks. Ole Miss enters the game as a 99 overall, which is one point higher than us. They have five players rated in the 90s, though most of their talent is in the backcourt and on the wing rather than in the front court. Here’s a look at the roster:

We need Cunningham and Giddens to eat inside. Waiting for us in the Sweet 16 would be a matchup with top-seeded Dayton, who are led by junior big man Matt Boswell, the player we created for the first-ever winner of our bracket contest. That would be such a fun game.

We also streamed this game on Twitch on Sunday night. Again: we’re watching a simulated game, I’m not controlling the teams. The game should start when you press play.

LET’S GO!

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Win, 116-85! We’re going to the Sweet 16! Here are the tempo-free team stats from @akulawolf:

@SBN_Ricky not sure it's possible to be much better than this offensively pic.twitter.com/zRvek6XJfz

— Steven (@akulawolf) August 17, 2020

We just witnessed the best NCAA tournament performance in program history. Wilky Henry, have yourself a day!

Here’s what I wrote about Henry at the start of the season: “Henry needs to be a superstar this year for this team to play up to its potential.” It happened in an epic way, and we’re going to the Sweet 16 because of it. Henry was absolutely unconscious, pouring in 46 points on 10-of-16 shooting from three-point range. He shattered the program’s previous tournament scoring record of 34 points set by Kim Kone in Year 17.

Honestly, it felt like he could have scored 60 easily. We pulled the starters with 9:35 seconds left as we were up 22 points. I tried to manually sub Henry back in to get 50, but the game took him out right away. LOL. Still an unreal performance either way.

Seriously, man: 46 points on 27 shots in 26 minutes. We might never see a performance like that again in Leathernecks history. Let’s go the clips from reader Abby, starting with a three and then a dunk from Wilky:

More Wilky:

Nice pass from Wilky to point guard Tron Whaley:

Silky Wilky forever. We’re going to need him to keep going, because we’re moving onto the Sweet 16 to face No. 1 seed Dayton.

No. 12 Western Illinois vs. No. 1 Dayton, Sweet 16, 2027 NCAA tournament

Dayton enters the game as a 97 overall — we’re a 98 overall. This is how the two teams matchup:

Here’s a look at Dayton’s roster led by one-time bracket contest winner, studio host, and created baller Matt Boswell. This is going to be an all-out battle. And we’re going to watch the simulated game together on Tuesday, Aug. 18 at 8:30 p.m. ET on Twitch. Please join us.

Here’s how to watch Western Illinois vs. Dayton in the Sweet 16:

Game: No. 12 seed Western Illinois vs. No. 1 seed Dayton, Sweet 16, 2027 NCAA tournament

How to watch: My Twitch channel

Date: Tuesday, Aug. 18

Tip-off time: 8:30 p.m. ET // 7:30 p.m. CT. The stream will start a little earlier.

If we win: Elite Eight game against the winner of No. 2 Indiana vs. No. 6 Pitt will follow immediately after.

Put Lakers vs. Blazers on one screen and the Leathernecks on the other. This is going to be a blast. A few links before I get out of here:

Join the Leathernecks Reddit for continued discussion on the team. We also have a fan-started Twitter account (with spoilers of Twitch streams before the recap goes out) and Instagram page you can follow.

Reader Evan’s Leathernecks recruiting database now includes size progression over time. He wrote about it on Reddit, but it’s wild seeing some of these changes. For example: Wilky Henry has gained three inches and 43 pounds since he committed. I hope no one gives him a PED test before the Sweet 16.

We had 130 entries in the bracket contest this year. Hell yeah. Check out Sean’s Blog Team app for the current standings, which works on desktop and mobile.

Reader Thanh Nguyen wrote a fan-fiction e-book on the first eight seasons of Ricky Charisma at Western Illinois.

WESTERN ILLINOIS VS. DAYTON

SWEET 16

TUESDAY NIGHT ON TWITCH

I’LL SEE YOU THERE

GO ‘NECKS.

Would you like email updates for this series? If so, add your email to this Google Form.

[trecundiff]

5 Takeaways/Surprises From NFL Free Agency

With the draft only a few days away I thought it’d be the perfect time to discuss some of things that stood out to me most from the NFL Free Agency period.What moves stood out to me the most and what’s surprised me so far. This is a long one so let’s get right into it.

5) Stefon Diggs to the Bills

As a Vikings fan this one is somewhat near and dear to me. Diggs has been one of my favorite players on the team since he was drafted in the 5th round of the 2015 draft by the Vikings. I somewhat followed his career at Maryland during my younger years so when he came to the Vikings I was excited. It’s sad to see him go but it’s something I’ve been preparing myself for. I never felt he was completely happy in Minnesota, especially after the incident early last season when he missed a practice and was sending his cryptic tweets. He has a new home in Buffalo with the Bills after they sent a 2020 1st, 5th, 6th and a 2021 4th round pick to the Vikings for Diggs and a 2021 7th rounder. As much as I’ll miss seeing Diggs in the purple and gold, I’m pleased with the value the Vikings got for him and excited to see what they’ll do with the picks in the upcoming draft.

The grass may not be greener for Diggs who is coming off season with a career high in yards with Kirk Cousin. Now to be catching passes from Josh Allen, who is average at best, may show him what he’s leaving behind in Minnesota may have been the perfect situation for him. It’ll be interesting to see what he can do in the 2020 season, if there is a 2020 season.

4) Cam Newton and Jameis Winston are still jobless

The fact that these two guys are still without jobs is astounding to me. We can start with Jameis. The former #1 overall pick has had a pretty up and down career thus far. It would land him in a tier with the average, maybe a little above average, quarterbacks in the league. However, he did show glimpses of greatness last season, posting career highs in: yards ending the season with a league leading 5,109, yards per game averaging 319.3, and touchdowns with 33. But to go along with all that he added 30 interceptions, making him the first QB in NFL history to throw 30+ touchdowns and 30+ interceptions in the same season. Turnovers have been his achilles heel his whole career due to the unnecessary risks he sometimes takes with the football. With that being said, if I were a GM though I’d take a chance on him. Even if you don’t view him as your starter there’s no reason why a guy with his arm talent should be without a job when he’s shown he can make plays and win games while guys like Mitch Trubisky continue to skate by. There are a couple teams I’d say could use him somewhere on the roster.  Whether it’s a team like Miami, who doesn’t have a QB at all. Or I could see him as a backup in a few places, for example Pittsburgh backing up Big Ben Rothlesburger whose career is winding down or on a team like the Jets or Browns to put some pressure on their early round draft choices who haven’t produced much of anything. Or maybe he should go to the Colts (hint hint).

Cam Newton is a different story. There should no questions on if the 2011 #1 overall pick and 2015 MVP can still start in the NFL. The only question is will he be able to stay healthy. His last 2 seasons have ended prematurely due shoulder and foot surgery, which is unfortunate because he’s easily one of the most exciting players to watch in the league when healthy. In 2018, before his shoulder problems began, he was in the MVP conversation, if not the front runner. He’s had so much time off now I believe he’s finally 100% healthy and ready to get back to MVP form but what team will he play for is the question. This would never happen but I’d love for him to be able to go home and play for the Atlanta Falcons, with Julio Jones, Calvin Ridley and new signee Todd Gurley. This would give Cam the offensive weapons around him that he’s lacked his whole career and make the Falcons truly dangerous. Way more dangerous than they are now with Matt Ryan, who I’ve been saying is overrated for a while now. But that’s a conversation for another day. But since that won’t happen I look at teams like the Chargers and, you may have guessed it, the Colts, as possible destinations.

I hope we see both of these guys suit up to play in 2020, it’d truly be a shame if we didn’t. Especially with players like the next guy on the list getting picked up. 

https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2019/passing.htm

3) Philip Rivers to the Colts

I easily could have thrown this in the last section but I needed to give this one it’s own category. I feel like this one may not have made too many people’s list but this one really angered me when I saw it. I have respect for Philip Rivers, I love the way he plays the game, the attitude and intensity he brings to every game is truly admirable. But why do people think he’s so great? Especially now in 2020. As far back as I can remember Rivers has been in the league and that whole time he’s been praised while never winning anything. Over the course of his 16 year career he’s only led the league in passing once (2010), has never won MVP, never won the super bowl, he’s never even been to the super bowl and he’s only been to the playoffs 6 times with a 5-6 record. When I look at Rivers’ career as a whole he’s been average at best. I view him in the same light as Matt Ryan. Their teams seem to always have the talent to compete, are picked to be there at the end and almost always underperform. So for me to see 38 year old Philip Rivers signed by the Colts while 26 yr old Jameis Winston and 31 yr old Cam Newton are still free agents is sickening. Jameis, with 30 interceptions, still had a better season than Rivers in 2019, who finished 5-11 with 4615 yds, 23 tds and 20 ints. He was on the LA Chargers, who were a hot super bowl pick coming into last season, and finished last in their division. Cam Newton has taken his teams to playoffs nearly the same amount of times as Philip Rivers while being in the league nearly half the amount of time. I can’t seem to find the rationale behind the Colts signing him and I fear there may be an underlying reason that I’d hate to blame. Years ago you possibly could have justified their reasoning but in my eyes Rivers’ career is all but done. If he couldn’t get it done in LA with the weapons he had there I highly doubt he’ll be able to do anything with the few weapons he’ll have in Indianapolis. I guess we’ll have to wait and see what will happen for these 3 players in the upcoming season. Maybe Rivers can justify why he was signed over Jameis and Cam.

2) Brady and Gronk to the Bucs

Of course this had to be on the list and it moved up higher once Gronk decided to join Brady. Although I’m not a huge fan of the man, Tom Brady’s move from New England to play in Tampa Bay for the Buccaneers is one of the most interesting moves of the NFL offseason. On one hand I was completely shocked by the move. One because Tom Brady is synonymous with the Patriots organization, having been quarterback there nearly as long as I’ve been alive (he was drafted 2000, I was born 1999). He won 6 Super Bowls with the Patriots and the team always seemed to be in contention in his time there. I’m also stunned because of the destination he chose, nearly no one predicted he’d land in Tampa Bay until closer to the day his decision was announced. I kept hearing he’d be out in LA with the Chargers but he had other plans.

On the other hand there is also part of me that wasn’t too surprised by his decision to ultimately leave the Patriots. There was almost a feeling of inevitability to it when reports started to come in about him leaving New England. He’d been there, linked with Bill Belichick forever and I feel like they both want the opportunity to prove they can win without the other. In my eyes Belichick is more important to Brady than Brady is to Belichick. I’ve always felt like Belichick’s genius is the cause for Brady’s greatness. But we’ll just have to see how this season plays out because the Bucs have a squad.

Whether they kept Jameis or did bring in Brady, the Bucs offense has firepower with two Pro Bowl receivers, Mike Evans and Chris Godwin. Now adding Gronk and it’s a pretty scary sight. I know Gronk only came back because of Brady but they have OJ Howard on roster as well, who’s a solid target at TE. It’ll be interesting to see what Gronk looks like after a year away from the game, will he be rusty or will he be rejuvenated? Only time will tell.

1) DeAndre Hopkins Trade/Bill O’Brien is completely clueless

This easily took the top spot for Free Agency 20202. The Houston Texans traded, arguably the best wide receiver in the league, DeAndre Hopkins and a 4th rd pick to the Arizona Cardinals for a 2nd rd pick, David Johnson and a 2021 4th rd pick. After reading what the Vikings were able to get for Stefon Diggs above you should see why this didn’t make much sense. Diggs is good but his production in his career doesn’t come close to what Hopkins has been able to do, there’s no reason the Texans didn’t get a 1st round pick for him. I’ve read many reports as to the reasoning why they decided to part ways and it seems to fall squarely on Bill O’Brien, who is not just the head coach but also the GM for whatever reason. The Texans have given him Belichick level power without him doing anything to earn it. He has a career win percentage of .529 as a head coach in the NFL, which is about average for current head coaches, but he’s never made it out of the 2nd round of the playoffs. Over the course of the past several years I have watched the Texans underperform time and time again. And I have to say that I believe Bill O’Brien is to blame. I have watched this man make so many nonsensical decisions between play calling and clock management. His situational awareness is terrible. Yet they gave this man the power to make allll the franchises decisions for the most part. The Texans do not have a first round pick in the 2020 or 2021 drafts after trading them to Miami for Laremy Tunsil and Kenny Stills last season. Which was way too much to give up if you ask me. Especially since they lost Jadeveon Clowney in the same deal and Laremy Tunsil may not even resign with them. They also traded for two running backs last season who played well so to add David Johnson, who had a horrible season last year, instead of sticking with what they had didn’t make much sense to me. David Johnson was coming off injury last year so I’ll cut him some slack. But Carlos Hyde played well last year and would have most likely been a cheaper alternative in the long run. Bill O’Brien should have jumped at that idea since cap space seems to be something concerning him and a contributing reason to why he says he traded D Hop.

But O’Brien was on a roll this off-season because not too long after trading Hopkins he signed Randall Cobb (predominantly a slot receiver) to a 3 yr, $27 million contract, with $18.75 guaranteed. That is waaaayyy too much money for Randall Cobb and he’s not going to come close to replacing what Hopkins gave them. They would have been better off just giving Hopkins more money, his connection with QB Deshaun Watson is special. Then O’Brien proceeded to send one of the team’s two 2nd rd picks to the Rams for Brandin Cooks. Which wasn’t a terrible move, but remember they don’t have a 1st rd pick this year. The two 2nd rd picks should have been used to help that struggling offensive line and defense in my eyes. But it had to be Bill O’Brien’s way as he continues to leave a sour taste in the mouths of Texan fans. I wouldn’t be surprised if Deshaun Watson didn’t resign when his contract is up.

I’m upset for Deshaun but I’m excited to see what D Hop will do in Arizona teaming up with last year’s offensive rookie of the year, Kyler Murray, breakout star from last season RB Kenyan Drake, Larry Fitzgerald (or Larry Legend as I like to call him) and Christian Kirk, this offense is going to be scary. 

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2870915-report-randall-cobb-texans-agree-to-3-year-27m-contract-after-hopkins-trade

https://www.footballdb.com/coaches/index.html

[megaphonemonday]

hashtag blessed

approximately forever ago (I’m real slow filling these prompts in case none of you have noticed) @alwayskels sent me this: Ginny is pregnant with Bawson's first baby and her appetite is insatiable! It turns into a thing where like fans take pics with her at restaurants #EatWithBabyBawson. It's all one big joke in good fun. Mike and the team have a field day with it.

And I have wanted to do a multimedia fic for a long long time. I sensed my opportunity and took it. This was a labor of love and I’m actually really happy with the way it turned out. Hope you like it, too!!

read on ao3 | version with image descriptions

The fact that everyone, from bloggers to commentators to fans to people who’d never actually watched a game of baseball in their life, immediately read into Ginny’s placement on the 60-Day DL shouldn’t have been such a surprise. It seemed like every time Ginny so much as changed her coffee order, the public at large was eager to dissect and discuss the incident ad nauseam.

This was no different.

Another elbow strain. Tommy John for sure. She’s out for the season.

No, it’s just a jammed finger I think. They probably wanna make room on the roster, try out some of the newer prospects in AAA.

But did you see her favor her left hip last week? Her landing was off the entire game against the Rockies. It’s gotta be that.

And, of course: Well, what if she’s pregnant?

By far, that was the most popular explanation.

If it weren’t also 100% correct, Ginny probably wouldn’t be so annoyed about it all.

Then again, the sheer number of times a possible Ginny Baker pregnancy had been rumored and reported on—She walked out of a restaurant with her hand on her stomach? Pregnant. Had a less than stellar outing on the mound? Super pregnant. Sent Mike out to CVS to get tampons because she couldn’t be bothered to pull herself together enough to leave the house? Obviously trying to cover up the fact that she was, you guessed it: pregnant—someone had to hit on the truth eventually. 

It was cold comfort.

It’d be a little funny if it wasn’t her uterus constantly under such scrutiny. And if she hadn’t had all these hormones flooding her system for the past three months.

As it was, Mike was much better situated to find the humor in the situation. He was currently sitting by her side on the couch, one arm draped casually over her shoulders, reading out the responses he liked the most and counting the number of people who’d finally gotten it right. He could afford to find it all funny, though. He’d only been involved in the parts that were fun for them both.

Which wasn’t precisely fair, Ginny knew.

In the three or so weeks since Ginny’d told him the news, her husband had been on cloud nine. It wasn’t as if they hadn’t been trying for this in the general sense—they both wanted kids, but Ginny was still going strong and Mike was willing to wait—but they hadn’t put a lot of effort into it. (Aside from getting as much practice in the baby-making department as they could.) 

So, Ginny’d gone off to Spring Training, not once suspecting what might be forming somewhere behind her belly button.

Not until she couldn’t stop throwing up.

It was so bad, she’d had to skip a start. She’d told Al it was just the stomach flu, and even believed it. Only his skeptical smile and insistence on a doctor’s appointment made her wonder if it was something else.

Needless to say, the skipper’s suspicions paid off. She was pregnant. Nearly nine weeks along.

Ginny will never, as long as she lives, forget the look of awe and tender devotion that took over Mike’s face as she told him, shell-shocked and jittery and still happy as hell, that he was going to be a dad.

His hand came up to cup her cheek, and Ginny could feel the way his fingers trembled. Just like his lips as he swallowed, eyes shining. “I’m gonna be a dad?” he repeated, like he needed to hear it again, just to be sure.

She nodded, covering his hand with hers, and finally letting the brilliant, excited grin spread across her face. “Yeah,” she breathed, just before he crashed into her, his lips stretched just as wide as hers.

And how could she help but laugh when he wrenched himself away, his hands fluttering uncertainly near her stomach. “Shit! Are you all right?”

“I’m pregnant, not fragile,” Ginny promised, though Mike still looked doubtful. To prove her point, she pulled him back in and set about showing him how tough she was.

Since then, Mike had been pretty reluctant to leave her side. Which made the one road trip she’d been on something of an experience. He hadn’t been able to come up with a plausible reason to follow the team to New York and Philadelphia, but Ginny had no doubt that he’d really tried. He’d had to settle for hourly text updates, and when she was too busy to reply, pumping his former teammates as subtly as possible for information on her condition. Since more than one of those teammates asked when Mike had gotten such separation anxiety, Ginny figured he was semi-successful.

Which was why she knew that Mike was secretly relieved the team had elected to put her on the DL rather than risk complications.

If she was being honest, Ginny was relieved, too. Unexpected or not, she’d already grown attached to the little bundle of cells growing inside her. Much as she loved her job, she wasn’t as disappointed to give up a season as she’d once thought she’d be. Then again, after four seasons in the show, Ginny no longer had to battle and grind and push to keep her spot in the rotation. No, she’d probably never move much beyond her spot as the number five starter, but her ERA and win-loss record spoke for itself. She wasn’t going anywhere.

Even after a baby.

So, the public could speculate and take to Facebook and Twitter to talk about her all they liked. They couldn’t change the fact that Ginny Baker was living the dream: a starting pitcher in MLB, married to the love of her life, and expecting her first child. 

That was real. That was tangible, unlike all the talk currently flooding the internet. 

And real life, the life where Mike’s fingers were toying with her hair and she could smell their dinner simmering away on the stove, that was what mattered.

People said pregnancy was magical. 

Ginny had more than a few doubts on that front. 

Going into this, she had no illusions that her North Carolina public school sex education had been anything close to adequate. Which was why she’d set out to fill in the gaps in her understanding.

(Not the process of making the baby—she had plenty of experience with that, thank you—but what came after.)

And the more she read about pregnancy, with all its potential dangers and complications—the more horrified she became. 

“Did you read this?” she demanded throwing What To Expect When You’re Expecting on Mike’s cluttered desk. 

He peered at the book for a second before glancing up to her, his reading glasses slipping down his nose. Which just wasn’t playing fair. He knew how Ginny felt about his glasses. 

(In fact, it was potentially those exact feelings that would wind up taking all of Ginny’s research out of the realm of theoretical and landing it squarely in reality.)

“Which part?” he hedged, closing his laptop and giving her his full attention. 

That was one of the things about Mike. It didn’t matter how irrational Ginny knew she was being, he always treated her concerns and fears with nothing but complete gravity. And he never tried to talk her down without knowing what those concerns were. 

She swallowed. “All of it?”

“Not yet,” he answered honestly. “I kind of figured we had time on that front.” His eyes narrowed and darted down to her flat stomach before landing back on her face. “We do have time, right?”

“Yeah,” she laughed, which was apparently all she’d needed to let this pile of worries melt away for the time being. Ginny wouldn’t forget the things that’d scared her, but Mike was right. She didn’t need to worry about them now. “We’ve got time.”

But that was before she found out she was pregnant. 

In the after, Ginny had become remarkably zen about it all. Sure, she’d probably see pimples in places there hadn’t been since she was an acne-prone teenager and later she’d need to pee every fifteen minutes and the mood swings didn’t sound like a walk in the park, which was to say nothing about the changes she’d have to make to her diet, but—

(And it was a pretty big “but.”)

But at the end of it all, she’d have someone who was the perfect blend of her and Mike. Someone who was proof positive of how much they loved each other. Someone to add to their family. 

And that was a fair payoff for what Ginny would have to go through to get to that point, she thought. 

Just. She didn’t always have to be reasonable about it, did she?

In retrospect, Ginny would acknowledge that she could’ve been less dramatic. But her whole life, she hadn’t been able to eat cilantro without thinking about the time her pop washed her mouth out with soap for repeating the curse Evan Larson had taught her in pre-K Sunday School. Now, she nearly ate half of Livan’s sopes before he remembered to tell her he’d asked for extra of the disgusting herb. 

What the hell had pregnancy done to her taste buds?

She’d honestly thought Mike would find the story funny, maybe even figure out how to get it down to 140 characters so he could tweet about it. 

(He’d really gotten into social media post-retirement. Eliot had been more than delighted to give him a tutorial that first winter, and soon, Mike could give the best of them a run for their money. Privately, Ginny thought he mostly used it to avoid finishing the memoir he’d insisted on writing himself, but whatever made him happy.)

She certainly hadn’t expected him to send out a panicked group text to nearly every one of their friends and acquaintances asking if they knew of her whereabouts. Since she’d been in the clubhouse, trying to keep up appearances that this assignment to the DL was injury-related, approximately half her teammates came rushing into the dining area to check on her and make sure Livan wasn’t in the process of murdering her or something.

Since the Cuban was too busy laughing his ass off at Ginny’s distress, which, while rude as hell, wasn’t going to kill her, most of them wandered off to finish their pre-game prep. Still, not a single Padre had any desire for their former captain to burst into the clubhouse in a haze of Ginny-induced panic. As team captain, Blip took it upon himself to inform his predecessor that his wife and future offspring were fine and headed home.

It wasn’t that Ginny didn’t feel bad for worrying him, but she also felt he could afford to take a step away from the edge of constant panic. Some time after that haze of blissful anticipation wore off, Mike dove headfirst into preparation mode. He called it nesting; Ginny'd call it something else. Currently, he was in the midst of trying to baby-proof the entire house and refusing to believe that they didn’t need a toilet lock for at least six more months.

(Ginny did her best to distract him when he really got going, and while there was a certain novelty in being the calm and steady one now, there were only so many times she could lure him back to bed—or the couch or the shower—without raising his suspicions.)

So, she listened to her captain and went home to talk Mike down. After all, the team wasn’t wrong in assuming it was only a matter of time before Mike burst into his former domain, wild-eyed and terrified. 

When she walked in the door, it was to that exact sight. 

Mike had clearly been pacing a hole in the floor, his car keys clutched in one hand, like he didn’t quite trust Blip’s report and was fully prepared to rush out if Ginny didn’t make it home quick enough. Any exasperation she might have felt faded away at the palpable fear etched across her husband’s face.

The keys dropped to the floor when he caught sight of her. In no time at all, he had Ginny wrapped up in his arms, his face pressed into her hair as shuddering breaths wracked his frame. 

“I’m sorry,” she murmured, smoothing her hands up and down his back. The muscles there didn’t quite relax, so she rucked up his shirt, laying her palms against his warm skin. By degrees, his breathing evened out, all while Ginny promised, low and sure, “I’m fine. We’re fine.”

He nodded but didn’t loosen his grip on her.

“Are you okay?”

Mike nodded again, and Ginny felt the precise effort it took for him to make the high-wire tension of his muscles loosen, approaching something close to normal. She pressed a kiss to his collar bone and another to the base of his throat, waiting until he sighed. 

Finally, she tipped her head back to look him in the eye. There were still more than a few jitters clanging around somewhere in that head of his, but he looked far more settled than he had been. 

“The sky’s not falling, Mike. I’m not gonna tell you not to worry, but this is a good thing, what we’ve done. Let’s enjoy it.”

“Okay, Gin,” he said, nodding his agreement. He’d follow her calls for this. There was still a hint of uncertainty in his eyes, but his smile was steady. 

That was a start, and, with them, a start was all they needed.

After Ginny asked Amelia to issue a statement about the impending addition to the Baker-Lawson family, she sort of expected to be done publicly talking about the state of her uterus. 

She was pregnant. She and Mike were very happy about it. She and the developing fetus renting out her womb for the next however many weeks were healthy. 

What else did anyone need to know?

How she’d ever deluded herself, Ginny would never know because within minutes of the statement going live, the news had exploded across the internet. It probably didn’t help that it wasn’t just ESPN and Fox Sports reporting on it. No, gossip sites and blogs had picked it up, too, and run with it.

Which was to say nothing about Twitter. 

All it took for people Ginny had never heard of, people she’d never meet or even pass on the street, to weigh in on her pregnancy was a valid email address and an internet connection. 

And they were all led by none other than her husband and his crusade to make #BabyBawson a thing.

If Mike was disappointed that she’d nixed all of his social media-based pregnancy announcements, he’d gotten over it quickly. He didn’t respond to every congratulatory tweet, but only because it was an impossible task. As soon as he’d get done with the last of them, a hundred more would’ve been posted. 

When Ginny’d asked him to enjoy the ride, she was pretty sure this wasn’t what she meant. 

But, he was happy, and it was hard to argue with that. 

In fact, a lot of people were happy about this baby. People were excited for her, which was a gratifying change from the usual reaction when Ginny’s name was in the news. 

It was pretty overwhelming, too, if Ginny was being honest. Overwhelming enough that she mostly elected to stay off social media. 

If only her friends had gotten the memo.

Not that Ginny even minded Evelyn sharing this. It was different when it was her closest friend sharing her excitement.

Ever since she first found out, Evelyn had been her rock. Evelyn was her only good friend who was also a mom. She was the only person Ginny could talk to about all the changes her body was going through or about what to expect next.

After the requisite congratulatory hugs and celebrations and check ins, Evelyn Sanders got down to business, peppering Ginny with enough information to make her head spin. Everything from the various pros and cons of a midwife versus a doula to the nitty gritty details of breastfeeding to the best yoga positions to keep her back from getting too sore once she'd swelled up like a blimp was laid on the table.

“Oh, and we still have all the parenting and pregnancy books, so don’t worry about buying those, either.”

Ginny laughed, the weight of keeping this secret from her best friend lifting off her shoulders. “Ev, the boys are twelve! Were you just waiting for this moment?”

“Yes,” she responded immediately, setting Ginny off again. “I tried to donate them once, but Blip snuck them out of the box like I wouldn’t notice. I don’t think he’ll mind them going to you two, though.”

Blip hadn’t quite given up the dream of a baby girl Sanders, but he’d gotten much more philosophical about it all. With Ev back in school, and getting her business up and running, he could admit that the past few years wouldn’t have been ideal timing to add on to the Sanders clan. Anyway, he and Evelyn were still young; they had time.

Maybe—just maybe—by the time Mike and Ginny were done with the books, Blip and Ev would need them again.  

After all, it'd be kind of nice for their families to have two generations and three sets of best friends.

So, the fact that Evelyn was ecstatic for her, that was nice to know, nice to have everlasting proof of, even if the world got to know about it, too.

And anyway, Evelyn’s online exuberance didn’t have anything on Mike’s.

He was an excited first time dad. How could Ginny blame him? 

Honestly, though, it didn’t bother her that people were talking about her. Not really. Sure, it was one thing for her husband and friend to talk about how excited they were and an entirely different one for a stranger to do it. That was more than a little strange, but she’d mostly accepted that that kind of attention was a part of her life now; ever since Ginny first started making waves in the minors, people had been talking about her. If she let it bug her, she’d never get anything done. 

Just, she didn’t particularly want to deal with it herself. 

So, she did her best to shrug off her clogged notifications on Twitter and Instagram and go about the business of growing another person inside of her. 

And, lately, fending off some of the truly ridiculous cravings that had taken over her refrigerator and life. 

The cravings, when they came, were no surprise. Remember, Ginny’d done her research. If anything, she’d been looking forward to them. Someone who’d already enjoyed her food, Ginny looked forward to a period of judgment-free eating. After all, was eating banana peppers on everything for a week straight that much stranger than some of the “health” foods her trainer had tried to convince her to eat?

She knew what Mike would say, but the little disagreements were what made a marriage interesting.

But while Ginny—and Mike, who had cheerfully taken on the sudden increase in grocery store runs—took these cravings in stride, the same couldn’t be said for the public at large.

Ginny’d always liked food and had never bothered to pretend she didn’t. But, since she was a woman in the public eye, this was often treated as some sort of alien anomaly. People always wanted to know what she was eating: her game day meals, what she had on cheat days, secret diet tips. 

Of course her cravings were no different.

Between Ev and Mike, people had definitely clued in and picked up on the fact that Ginny had really settled into the inexplicable cravings stage of pregnancy. There was tons of advice pouring in from all over the world. How to deal with it and what to do when they were impossible to sate. It was all incredibly sweet, even if Ginny couldn’t sympathize with the impulse to send a total stranger pregnancy advice.. 

Less sweet—more puzzling—was how invested people continued to be in these cravings of hers. 

In retrospect, it shouldn’t have been so surprising that run of the mill pregnancy cravings had become such a fixation for people. The public at large was hungry for details—#BabyBawson had trended at least three times—that Mike and Ginny just weren’t providing. Since they’d chosen not to find out the sex of the baby, debates about possible names or future careers were too theoretical to keep anyone’s attention, and even though her and Mike’s relationship had caused something of a stir when they first went public, they’d now settled hard into boring domesticity. Well, Ginny wouldn’t call it boring, but she could see how cozy dinners at home and trips to the farmers market didn’t exactly make for riveting news.

Aside from Mike’s unbridled excitement, the only information anyone really had about Ginny’s pregnancy were the cravings. Where else would all that curiosity fixate?

It wasn’t until she came across Mike taking a picture of their grocery list, though, that Ginny realized just how fixated it was. 

He frowned down at the pad of paper sitting on their kitchen table, next to the neglected bags of groceries and his keys. As Ginny started putting things away, approvingly noting that he’d anticipated her sudden desire for Nutella and bananas on toast, Mike squinted up at the overhead light and shifted, his shadow moving away from the table. 

“What are you doing?” she asked, already unscrewing the jar. Why wait for toast, anyway? A spoon was good enough. 

“Taking a picture,” he replied absently. 

Ginny rolled her eyes, not that Mike noticed. She drifted over to his side and propped her chin on his shoulder, peering down at the phone in his hand. 

“Are you seriously posting our grocery list to instagram?”

“Our third grocery list this week,” he corrected, bumping her hip with his, but failing to dislodge her. 

Ginny just laughed, leaning harder into his side. She didn’t pay much attention as he picked his filter and fiddled with the settings; she was too busy planning on getting him back in bed for an afternoon nap. When he made a satisfied noise, though, she turned her attention back to the screen and couldn’t help but laugh again.

“What?” Mike asked, grinning down at her. 

“Our unborn baby does not need two hashtags. It doesn’t even need one!”

He laughed, too, and kissed her forehead. “That’s not what the internet thinks, Gin,” he said, and sent the picture out into the world.

Whether he meant to or not, with just one post, Mike set off a verifiable social media movement. Seriously, when Eliot looked into it, he couldn’t help but be impressed by how quickly the hashtag took off.

The one time she brought herself to look at the search results, it was mostly full of people talking about how cute it all was, how excited Mike was about her pregnancy. 

Ginny couldn’t disagree.

He was cute. Ginny’d lost track of the number of pictures of onesies and maternity shirts he’d texted her, mostly without comment but the intent clear. Still, she had every single one saved in a folder on her phone. Going to Target with him had become next to impossible since he always ended up in the baby aisle, staring in awe at all the tiny shoes and blankets and toys. 

If Ginny’d thought about it, a picture of that—bearded, take no shit Mike Lawson undone by the sight of some baby essentials—would’ve blown #EatWithBabyBawson out of the water. 

As it was, she liked getting to keep that part of him all to herself. 

Even if the internet was blowing up with her eating habits as fast as Mike could supply them. She’d leave the social media stuff to him.

But then her teammates had to go and get involved. 

Technically, there was no reason for Ginny to keep going into Petco. She wasn’t actually injured. It wasn’t like she had to check in with the team trainers or make sure she was keeping up with her workouts. Which she was; Ginny might be taking more naps than she was used to, but even pregnancy couldn’t completely erase her practically boundless energy.

Then again, she’d spent her entire adult life in and out of stadiums. It didn’t feel right to be anywhere else during baseball season. 

Her teammates were generally pretty good about her and her growing baby bump’s presence in the clubhouse. There were enough dads on the team that no one hassled her.

Well, not in ways she couldn’t take.

Ginny didn’t care what anyone said. That omelette was delicious. She even got Jean-Luc to try it and in spite of his refined Parisian sensibilities, he’d admitted she was on to something. 

So had every Padre that she’d convinced to take a bite. 

Which was, admittedly, a pretty small group. Not that she could blame them considering how territorial she’d been over her bag of Funyuns the other day. Sonny was just too busy smarting from the way she’d smacked the snack out of his hands to admit to her culinary genius.

And really, they were just lucky she hadn’t shown up with the peanut butter and olive kick she’d been on the week before. 

In protest, Ginny resolved to steer clear of the clubhouse for a while. See how much they liked having the clubhouse menu go back to skinless chicken breasts and steamed vegetables every meal. They’d beg to have her back in no time flat.

Habit was a hard thing to break, though, and the following day, Ginny found herself back at Petco Park. Frowning, she stared up at the familiar facade outside the players’ entrance. She couldn’t go inside. Not if she wanted to teach her ungrateful teammates a lesson. 

So, rather than winding her way to the clubhouse, deep below the stands and concession booths, Ginny decided to stay well above ground. Cheerfully, she circled around to the front gates, calling Eliot as she walked.

It’d been a long time since she’d actually had the chance to sit and watch a game; she might as well take advantage of the opportunity. And since Mike was knee deep in edits to his memoirs, Ginny figured her beleaguered social media manager was the perfect recipient for her second standing ticket. 

After all, she’d put him through quite a bit lately. Even though Ginny still replied to the tweets and Instagram posts from her friends and teammates and whoever else Eliot deemed appropriate on her own, he took care of the rest. 

And the rest was substantial.

Technically, this was well above his pay grade. As Vice President of New Media in the Slater Management Group, monitoring one client’s social media presence should’ve been well beneath his notice. But Ginny didn’t quite trust the horde of interns and associates Amelia’d hired to form the base of her sports agency empire. 

And anyway, Eliot was a bit of a pushover. Supply him with enough snacks, and he’d do anything.

Ginny wasn’t exaggerating. She really could only go so fast, which was its own adjustment to make. In spite of all the eating she’d been doing, she hadn’t put on a ton of weight. It was the bump that slowed her down. Practically overnight, it’d blown up, delighting Mike who already had a hard time keeping his hands off her.

Where before she’d been able to hide the swell in loose tops and baggy sweatshirts, there was now no denying that Ginny Baker had been knocked up, and Mike couldn’t be any more smug about it. 

“You popped,” he grinned, coming up behind her as she frowned at her reflection in the mirror. This shirt had fit just last week. How was it pulled so tight now?

His hands landed on the fullest part of her belly, and Ginny couldn’t even bring herself to roll her eyes. Instead, she turned slightly to the side to better observe the molehill that’d become something of a mountain. 

“I guess I did,” she finally laughed, leaning back against Mike. “It’s not so bad, right? I mean, as long as I don’t get bigger.”

Wishful thinking. 

That’d been a few weeks ago and it seemed like all Ginny’d done since then was get bigger.

She didn’t feel slow per se, but she was suddenly so much more conscious of how she had to navigate spaces. Not only did she have to escape the grasping hands of strangers—Seriously, what about a pregnant woman’s stomach made people so eager to reach out and touch?—she had to plan her routes differently, allow herself more time to make it from Point A to Point B. Ginny could no longer slip through crowds or skip down the stadium stairs without a second thought. Maybe Mike and his worries had rubbed off on her, but she was conscious of every step she took now, careful in the extreme.

If some of her teammates were more than willing to poke fun at her for this, Ginny didn’t really mind. 

After all, she was more than capable of getting them back.

(Like he could’ve said anything else when she knew exactly where he slept. Still, Ginny made sure he knew exactly how happy his response had made her the first chance she got.)

And he didn’t keep his petty vengeances to the internet, either.

He did look to it for his inspiration, though.

During the All-Star Break, for those Padres unlucky enough to neither be selected to the team nor have any real plans to get out of it, Mike hosted what he named: “Top Chef: Not-So All-Stars.”

He thought it was funny, at least.

It was less a cooking competition than an excuse to make his former teammates come congratulate him on his impending fatherhood and bring food along with them.

Ginny did taste test every dish, though. Less because she wanted to rank them and more because she wanted to see what their wives and girlfriends had to put up with on a regular basis. 

Either being pregnant was messing with her tastebuds more than she’d thought, or her teammates were less of a disaster in the kitchen than she’d expected. Nearly every single one of them produced something that Ginny wouldn’t mind eating. Most of it even passed Mike’s more exacting standards. 

“Did you seriously make Lorena eat this last time she was pregnant?” he asked Salvi, peering suspiciously at the casserole dish. 

“Make her? It was all she’d eat for four days straight. I though I was going to have to invest in Ore-Ida to keep enough tater tots in her house to keep her and the boys fed.”

Mike still looked skeptical. 

“Just try it, old man,” Ginny teased, already trying to decide which of her teammates’ cooking she was going to try next. Omar’s ropa villeja looked pretty promising. “Or Salvi’s gonna think you’re chicken.”

When the first baseman started clucking under his breath, Mike swept a mutinous glare between him and his wife, who definitely wasn’t holding in a burst of laughter, and scooped a heaping forkful into his mouth. After a long moment of thoughtful chewing, he swallowed and pronounced, “That was disgusting.”

Ginny didn’t bother reining in her laughter after that. 

It wasn’t just her teammates and friends that got in on the fun, though. Ever since Mike had created #EatWithBabyBawson, people had been adding to it like crazy. Eliot always made sure to tell her when it trended in San Diego. 

Which was essentially every other day.

Mostly, it was people documenting their sightings of Ginny in the wilds of the city, creating a spotty map of her movements and the evolution of her cravings from day to day. 

Needless to say, as Ginny’s food swings (as Evelyn had taken to calling them) rolled on and on, there were many points of data to add. Hundreds of little incidents between Ginny and fans, all documented for posterity on social media.

And Mike encouraged them. 

If they were approached in a restaurant and Ginny was feeling up to it, he always cheerfully took a picture of his wife and her fan and often even sweet talked his way into getting a copy of the photo for himself. Ginny wasn’t unconvinced he wasn’t saving them in a scrapbook somewhere. 

He certainly had more than enough material. 

If Ginny wasn’t feeling up to it, though, Mike was the best buffer in the world. Even if he weren’t naturally charming, he’d learned over his close to two decades in the show how to interact with fans, how to joke and cajole and make a stellar first impression without doing all that much. It was one of the things Ginny admired about him. While she could fake her way through any number of uncomfortable interactions, Mike hardly ever got uncomfortable in the first place. He was too easy in his skin for that. 

Either way, the sheer number of positive Ginny-and-Mike interactions with the citizens of San Diego certainly had to be laid at Mike’s door. The bigger Ginny’s belly grew, the testier she got.

While she was always grateful for fans and their support, she was more than happy to leave their appeasement to Mike. After all, he wasn’t the one growing a whole new person. 

And he was more than happy to take that responsibility. Especially since it meant he got to trawl the internet for more fodder for the scrapbooks he swore he wasn’t making.

He showed the last one to her as they sat in bed at the end of a long day at the beginning of August. There were still two months to go until Ginny’s due date, but she couldn’t imagine getting bigger. Lying flat and looking down her body, she couldn’t see her toes unless she lifted one swollen ankle into the air. Which she did to frown at how fat her feet had gotten. 

She paused in this endeavor, though, when Mike waved his tablet at her. Ginny obligingly took it and skimmed over the story. When she was done, she handed it back and informed him, “I don’t even wanna know how you find this stuff.” 

“Then I won’t tell you,” he replied, prompt, before raising one eyebrow at her. The grin on his face had her melting even before he teased, “Sounds like someone’s got a crush on you. Should I be worried?”

Laughing, even as a little foot drummed away inside her belly, Ginny teased, “As long as you don’t cut off my animal style fries like you did all my cheese plates.”

“Listeria’s no joke, Baker.”

She waved him off, but plucked one hand from his tablet and laid it low against her stomach. What only a few months ago had been a slight flutter against her insides had become a definite kick. Mike’s face lit up and he abandoned his device and scooted down the bed so he could press his ear to the dome of her belly. Ginny watched fondly, even when the kicks shifted to her kidneys. 

“Once this thing’s out of me, I’m eating so much brie, Lawson,” she promised. 

“I’ll buy up all the cheese in France if that’s what you want,”

“And the wine, too?”

“So greedy,” he laughed, lifting up so he could press a kiss against her smiling mouth. When he pulled away, he said, “Whatever you want, Gin. It’s yours.”

“Just you. Just you and this one,” she said, laying her hand back against her stomach, right next to his. 

“Sounds good to me.”

By the end, Ginny wouldn’t say that she completely understood the dynamics of #EatWithBabyBawson, but she’d also accepted that that was okay. It didn’t matter that she had no clue what most of these people got out of it. 

There was something, and it didn’t matter that she was on the outside of it.

What she did know was how lucky she and her unborn baby were to have so many people in the world who cared so deeply about them. These were good people who wanted only the best for her and her family, and were trying to make sure, in whatever small ways they could, that she had an easy pregnancy.

(And if she got some excellent restaurant recommendations out of it, that was just a bonus.

Ginny’d be lying if she said she didn’t go out and try each and every one of these. They did not disappoint, either.)

So while her cravings had settled down and she was back to mostly eating like herself, she still appreciated the fact that people took time out of their day to worry about her. 

These were good eggs. Ginny didn’t completely understand them, but she was grateful for them nonetheless.

Which was why, even minutes after her water broke, while Mike dashed around the house collecting her go bag and going through his three separate checklists, Ginny sat down at the kitchen table. 

Waiting at her place was the snack she’d just made for herself. Nothing fancy— the opposite of fancy, in reality—but she’d really been looking forward to eating it. Maybe it was the prospect of her own child’s nearing due date, but Ginny’d been thinking about her own childhood lately, and an after school classic sounded delicious. 

She was just coming back to the table with a glass of water when she felt something wet spill down her legs. 

Frowning at the still full glass, reality didn’t set in until Mike cursed behind her. 

“Did your water break?” he asked, faint. 

“I think it did,” she replied. 

And he was off, leaving Ginny to contemplate her uneaten snack.

Mike rushed back into the kitchen, looking pale and eager and vaguely nauseous, just as Ginny fished her phone from her pocket and gingerly eased into her waiting chair.

“Ginny, what are you doing?” he demanded, sounding like he’d love nothing more than to pick her up bodily and deposit her in the car so they could dash off to the hospital. 

“Taking a picture,” she snarked back. Her fingers flew over the keyboard as Mike shifted impatiently at her side. Once everything was just how she wanted, she tapped the screen one last time and sent the picture out into the world. 

Only then did she turn to look at Mike and, with a smile, say, “What are you waiting for? Let’s go have a baby.”

[wambsgansroy]

1-50 :-))

idk who u are ??

1. what’s your favorite musical?

dear evan hansen :’)

2. favorite character in your favorite musical?

evan in deh or connor tbh

3. what’s your favorite play?

i honestly haven’t seen enough plays rip

4. favorite character in your favorite play?

^

5. what’s your dream role?

answered

6. what’s a role you’d like to play that you’d never be able to?

so many lmao but any belting role lol

7. do you prefer being behind the scenes or in the spotlight?

onstage kldsfhkdjs

8. do you like hamilton?

bitch yeah

9. have you seen hamilton?

twice !

10. how do you feel about hyped up shows like hamilton, les mis, and rent?

love em theyre hyped up for a reason

11. did you like this year’s tony awards?

fuck yeah man dear evan hansen winning everything ? my son ben platt accepting his deserved award? lets go

12. what award should there be that isn’t?

idk like.... a best song

13. what shows have you been in/helped with?

fucking seussical, peter pan and also a bunch of weird discrete plays in middle school sdjgdsfhg

14. have you ever been paid to act onstage or on camera?

no

15. do you prefer broadway or west end shows?

broadway !!!

16. favorite stage actress?

betsy wolfe

17. favorite stage actor?

ben platt or andrew rannells 

18. favorite show currently or recently running?

dear evan hansen

19. what’s your dream #ham4ham (even if you don’t like hamilton)?

uhhh idk i havent seen those in forever

20. who should host the tony’s next year?

me

21. do you watch broadwaycom backstage vlogs?

yes go watch my mans will roland in his current series sincerely me

22. what’s your opinion on movies turned into musicals?

i’m usually a fan

23. do you prefer musical movies or live musicals?

live!!!!!

24. do you have an opinion on american psycho?

nope

25. what movie would you want to be turned into a musical?

titanic j because it’s my favorite movie

26. what role would you like to see your favorite actor play?

ben platt should play jean val jean a few years down the road

27. do you prefer musicals, plays, or operas?

musicals

28. dramatic plays or comedies?

both !!

29. andrew lloyd webber or stephen sondheim?

neither but sondheim i guess

30. neil patrick harris or james corden?

nph bitch !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

31. did james corden do a good job hosting the tony’s (in your opinion)?

mm i dont remember last years tonys that well but i find him so annoying

32. create a show mash-up and explain the plot (ex: legally todd = sweeney todd + legally blonde)

jdkshfsdjfad wow kinky awakening ;)))) spring awakening and kinky boots

33. what song always makes you cry?

fucking you will be found

34. how do you feel about musicals using other artists’ music?

uh i mean... with permission i have nothing against it lmao

35. what celebrity would you like to see on broadway next?

my husband aaron paul should be in a play

36. favorite show you’ve been in?

i guess my current show

37. would you like to act professionally?

yes ://///

38. television or stage acting?

stage but both tbh

39. what disney movie should be a musical that isn’t?

tangled !!!!

40. if you could see one show on broadway or west end, what would it be?

i’d see deh again lol

41. what musical should be revived next?

the last 5 years !

42. are musical sequels okay?

yeah i cant think of any examples rn

43. what musical sequel would you like there to be that isn’t?

lets uhhhh get a deh sequel

44. have you ever had a crush on a character from a show?

betsy wolfe is literally the hottest person besides u so yeah everyone she plays

45. how do you feel about musicals being done live on tv now?

i feel like theyre usually bad but a cool idea nonetheless

46. did you like grease live?

didnt watch

47. are you excited for hairspray live?

how old is this ask game

48. what show do you desperately want your school/community to do?

heathers lmao

49. are you a stronger singer or dancer?

singer

50. would you rather design the set, direct the show, or help with effects?

i’d rather act tbh dsjfhksadj

[phoenixknightv2]

New State of the REALUnion plus Drama Vs Trauma The Blog Version

One thing i will say is i’ am so glad that the one thing that has been more true to me than anything or anybody officially returns in 24 hours. I have missed it so much and it has been so long since i needed it back at this level. The first half of this year was amazing. The second half outside of meeting my girlfriend has been a fucking Disaster in so many ways. Felt like the darkest time of my life all over again. Basketball Season especially when it comes to Texas Hoops is like what Kills to Dexter Morgan are. So anybody doesn’t freak out, if you haven’t seen the show Dexter then A) It’s a great show up until the final season but also B)Since he is more of a vigilante, Well......You’ll just have to watch the show to get it. Basketball season keeps me Sane. Not just another team to me, they are a part of me. When they win, i win. When they lose, i lose. Either way, i would be a jackass if i didn’t start off with that. HAPPY BASKETBALL SEASON MOTHERBLEEPERS!!!! I DON’T CARE WHAT ANYBODY SAYS THAT IS THE BEST TIME OF YEAR!!!!!! EVEN BETTER THAN ANY OF THE HOLIDAYS!!!!!!

The fact that people in this society put mental health way below the level of importance is just really heartbreaking. I haven’t seen it yet but The Joker movie (which I heard is surprisingly really good) states just that. Before I begin I just want to say a very special shoutout to my mom and my girlfriend who finally get why I do what I do. With my movement and my show. I wanna make one thing clear, I forgave my mom a very long time ago. I just still bring it up on my show and then some because a lot of you out there still don’t get why I do what I do. Why i’am doing all of this!!!! And although like my aunt says I can’t change everything in this broken society, as long as I make even just a little bit of difference then I know I did the best I could.

It’s been awhile my firebirds and realbies. Let’s begin.

Originally posted by allreactions

I’m gonna begin this edition of the real Time blog by saying I’am done. This summer multiple times I’ve had to explain myself multiple times and i’am done. I don’t have to explain myself to all the doubters out there anymore. If you still don’t understand then fine but if you choose not to understand because your ignorance is so far up your ass then those are the ones I’m not explaining myself too. Far as I’m concerned, if you still want to doubt me then as far as I’m concerned you can kiss my ass. The only person I will compromise with regarding my movement somewhat (also because she is right on some things) is of course my girlfriend. Somewhat but just a teeny tiny bit my father only because I live with him still for now (hoping that won’t be the case for much longer) but I do got some things I need to figure out. Tell you one thing, it won’t be here. As a matter of fact, within the next year or year and a half, I don’t want to be in Austin anymore. This city more and more is getting fucked because of shitty leadership and all they care about is Money!!! OH LIKE YOU DUMBASSES DON’T HAVE ENOUGH MONEY!!!!! OH PUHLEASE!!! Fuck off on out of here. Because of that kind of ignorance and greed, this city is falling apart. It’s going to continue to fall apart and same with this society. Yes I get we all have to make money and yes I get it’s a capitalist society but it has gotten too far into greed and corruption. It is fucking up this society and Austin, Texas is an example of that. These news sites and rankings can rank it all it wants but do they not realize that there is a dark side to this city and what they are doing is contributing to said dark side of this city? Apparently not. Who knows maybe they’re getting bought off. But what I do know is I don’t want to be here anymore. It’s not the same city and other than my father and girlfriend, I have nothing here anymore. I mean yes I have the one thing that has been true to me (alas Texas hoops) but it’s not just another team to me. It’s apart of me. However I can’t be held back forever. I gotta do what’s best for me. For my future. Within the next year I want to be in San Marcos for the short term end game and then the long term End game, I wanna be in Miami. More of the Boca/Deerfield beach area. Man wouldn’t it be fun to be in a beach community. It so would.

Lets do the blog edition of Drama vs Trauma. I already did it in the show now it’s time to read it.

-Did I asked to be raped by Some of the neighborhood kids when I was a kid? No. Tell me I’m full of Drama

-Did I asked to be very badly mentally abused by my mom and ex stepmom? Definitely my ex stepmom more? No. Tell me I’m full of drama

-Did I ask for a certain bitch who I was kind of seeing before I started seeing my way better more amazing way hotter more kind hearted girlfriend, do what she did with the whole (country accent) I won’t abandon you one minute but then the next minute she abandoned me? Nah playa tell me I’m full of drama. (yes I’m taking shots at said someone but again I should thank her because her immature actions led me to my amazing girlfriend)

-Did I ask for two of my FORMER best friends at my FORMER job to fuck me over the way they did for about a year? After everything I’ve done for them assholes. Putting everything I got for them, that place, having their back, etc yet it still wasn’t good enough? No, tell me i’m full of drama. I dare you

-DID I ASK FOR A NEAR DEATH EXPERIENCE SEVERAL YEARS AGO?!?!?!??!?! NO I DIDN’T. TELL ME I’M FULL OF DRAMA!!!!!!!!

-Did i ask for my mom back then to have an affair behind my stepdad’s back with a man who i was pretty much forced to move out with her to his house when i hardly knew him and pretty much forced to look at him like a father figure? NAH FUCK NO I DIDN’T!!!!! TELL ME I’M FULL OF DRAMA I FUCKING DARE YOU!!!!!!!!!

-DID I ASK FOR MANY PEOPLE THROUGHOUT MY LIFE TO FUCKING GIVE ME THEIR WORD AND SHIT ON IT YET I’M THE ONE WHO’S GIVING ALL THE EFFORT?!?!?!?!? NO I DIDN’T!!!!!! AS A MATTER OF FACT, ONE THING I CAN’T STAND IS PEOPLE WHO FUCKING THINK I’M STUPID WHEN I’M ALOT SMARTER THAN YOU THINK!!!!! (Translation: I cannot stand ghosting and as a matter of fact, there’s alot of that going on lately.)

I got something i want to say to that but i’ll say it later on. Basically goes to one of my major points. Back to Drama vs Trauma!!!!!

-Did i ask for a mental condition like Asbergers, Anxiety and depression that have fucked with me my entire life? That made me unfortunately have to take special ed classes in high school? That made me look like a freak to where i was being treated differently and then some? No i didn’t. Tell me i’m full of Drama

-Anything else in my book or my show that alot of you have yet to learn about me, but yet decide to still question me and who i’am, I DARE YOU TO TELL ME TO MY FACE I’M FULL OF DRAMA!!!!!

Finally to end this portion of the REALUnion because there is alot more i got to say,

- DID I ASK FOR ONE OF MY OWN?!?!?!?!? ONE OF MY OWN WHO WAS A GOOD MAN AND LOVED BY SO MANY YET HE WAS SUFFERING TO FUCKING SAY HE COULDN’T DO THIS ANYMORE SO HE DECIDED TO TAKE HIS OWN LIFE?!?!?!?!?! NO, AND ANYBODY GOING FORWARD WHO HAS A PROBLEM WITH WHY I DO WHAT I DO CAN KISS MY ASS

Now before i continue, i know for a fact that i’m not easy and yes, i’ am a little too much at times. I get that i’ am overwhelming at times. However you know what, despite my imperfections i know that i’ am alot better and there are alot of good about me and that i have done alot for alot of people. Some of you see it, the rest unfortunately do not. It’s fine, i’m used to it. But if you think i’m just going to just sit by and take ALL THE BLAME......You clearly don’t know who i’ am.

For so long, i have had people tell me one thing one minute and then a complete different the very next. I can’t even begin to tell you how many times that has fucked with my head. It has happened throughout my entire life. I wonder how anxiety and depression could’ve developed? Hmmmmmm (I say that with major sarcasm)?!??!?!?!?!?!??!?!

Also i may have said it already but in case i haven’t. I’ am going back to therapy because with all the events that have been happening lately, i have once again reached the point of wondering if i can do any of this anymore. Let me make one thing clear. A lot of the work is on me, the inner to make myself better. I get that. However like i have said with my anti anxiety medication (I can only take it so much and it can only do so much) the rest needs to do its part. Going back to the first part? I can only do so much work on myself but in any situations, relationships, it takes both sides and after what’s been happening.... i’am done doing all the damn work. Outside of my father,

These are the only ones who i know that will do their part and won’t make me feel like I HAVE TO DO THE DAMN WORK 100 PERCENT

AKA (The i trust you list)

Because i may love you but trust is a much different thing

-My Amazing Girlfriend Nicole (Number 1)

- Andria my amazing long time Best friend and the Big sister i’ve never had

-Glenn

-Michelle

-My Big 12 Country Brothers

-My Longhorn Nation Brothers

-Evan

-My Uncle Dave

-My Aunt Carla (Even if we don’t agree on everything)

-My Grandpa Lou

-My mom

-Will

-Devonna

-Daniel

-Chris(tian)

-Mary

-my Stepdad Jesse

-Jaclyn (My life coach)

-Jon

-Jon’s family

If you have made the list so far, congratulations and thank you for being the people who have been consistently trustworthy. Who have accepted me for who i’ am even when i haven’t been easy.

Now if you haven’t made the list, one of three things.

A) I May love you but i don’t trust you. I’ve had to do all the work and no effort in return. When you need something, i’m there always unconditionally but when i need something, WHERE THE FUCK ARE YOU?!?!??!?!

B) Because my trust has been violated so many times by so many, if you aren’t consistent then you are under evaluation but you got a chance to earn yourself back into my good graces. I’m done putting everybody at a level 10 when level 10 needs to be me and then 9 needs to be those i trust the most.

C) Don’t talk as much but nothing personal

I made a promise that i was never going to go back to rock bottom again. I made a promise to someone who i gave a tremendous shit about that i would never let anybody who was a good person suffer ever again. Now once again if anybody ever wants to question me, then go right ahead but have the balls to say it to my face. Don’t beat around the bush.

Let me say something that alot of people are probably wondering. ‘’Sky you have a girlfriend? Why are you still acting like the way you are acting?”

Well i’ll respond to it with this, just because my amazing girlfriend is in my life now, doesn’t mean that everything is fixed!!! No my fight and my movement still is going strong and it will continue to get strong. My amazing girlfriend is just my amazing support system. Is there boundaries we have to follow? Especially me? Of course and we both are a constant work in progress. It hasn’t been easy and she’ll even tell you. But you know what, after she read my book even if we won’t agree always on everything, she gets it and she is someone i can confide in. Obviously i don’t want to ALWAYS BE AS REAL AS IT GETS WHEN I’M WITH HER because i do want to enjoy my time with her and i want her to enjoy her time with me. However she gets it and then some. It hasn’t been perfect and hasn’t been easy but we just continue to get stronger and she continues to be an even more amazing girlfriend and amazing partner. It’s why she will always be my number 1. And while to everyone else yes i should sit back and enjoy it (which i do), it doesn’t mean that everything else is fixed. Doesn’t mean that i’m going to be a fake ass SumBitch. That is not how i roll

And once again, IF YOU LIVE BY THE GOOD VIBES ONLY SAYING AND YOU ARE IGNORING SOMEONE WHO IS SUFFERING THEN YOU ARE SO FULL OF SHIT AND YOU ARE PART OF THE PROBLEM OF THIS GREEDY HEAD UP YOUR ASS SOCIETY!!!!! Tired of that saying. Ignorance

One more thing, and this is in regards to something i found out, I’m going to say this one more TIME!!!!! WE ALL HAVE OUR FIGHTS!!!! I GET IT!!!! I GET THAT CERTAIN THINGS ARE PART OF LIFE BUT I’M DOING WHAT I’M DOING AND WILL CONTINUE TO DO SO BECAUSE THERE COMES A POINT where ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!!!!!! ALSO I’M JUST ME AND THE PEOPLE AROUND ME!!!! I get that sometimes caring about others before myself is not always the greatest thing but it’s who i’ am. When others suffer, i get upset or i get mad. My girlfriend is the same damn way which is why we are such a great match and indeed soulmates. But unless you know my story then sit down and shut your mouths!!!! Because just like how i don’t get alot of other people and things, alot of other people and things won’t get me. EVER!!!! But at least i care

As of today November 5th, 2019.....Opening night of the one thing that has been true to me more than anything and anybody. The following shit ends here...

-The ghosting fucking ends.

-People who give me their word and then shit on it.

-Me doing things for others and then when i need something, a good chunk is MIA!!!!!

-Everything similar to this summer, if it ever happens again, I WILL SHUT IT DOWN FASTER THAN A HOG TRYING TO GET AWAY FROM A HUNTER TRYING TO PUT A BULLET IN HIS ASSHOLE!!!!!

I will do whatever it takes to never hit rock bottom again but i will do it again. After all the shit that i’ve been surrounded by majority my entire life, NO MORE!!!!! Some of it is indeed out of my control. But the rest, i will get justice. I will continue to be who i’ am, i’ am not changing for anybody. I’ ll tone it down for certain situations (aka things that are important to my girlfriend) but otherwise No!!!! Because although i’ m not perfect and sometimes i’m not easy to be around, i need to remember the great things about myself. and there is alot. I’ am fair and respectful and kind until i have a reason to not be any of those things. I don’t like being the not so good side of me but if i have a reason to be that way and right now after everything again that has happened up until this point, If anybody has the right to be that way, it’s me because as i have said....Smiling and being happy go lucky isn’t always the answer. After what happened with that stupid bitch who i was somewhat seeing before i met my amazing girlfriend (who got together with me right after the last State of the REALUnion which i wrote right after the stupid bitch who i was seeing before i became a couple with my amazing way better girlfriend, what are the odds that me being REAL won me my amazing girlfriend over. Guess i did something right. It’s just hard to do so in this greedy stupid fucked up society these days), just proves my point even more.

Finally in closing, if anybody is wondering and some probably will, why you aren’t on this list? If it’s because i’m not happy with alot of things still and i will put everything else under evaluation until it is revealed whether i can trust you or not? Then you’re damn right because i will not put up with much more for much longer. Things are going to change or i’ m done. I get that life and shit gets in the way, that’s fine. That’s not the issue but it’s the effort and giving me your word and then shitting on it. Everything i’ve said to this final point is basically what i’m saying.

I will rise back up to the top, i will rise from the dead, or i will die trying.

Mr. Real as it gets is back. THE PHOENIX KNIGHT IS BACK!!!

REMEMBER MY FIREBIRDS

I WILL ALWAYS LIGHT THE WAY

ALL YOU HAVE TO DO

IS

LET

ME

IN

THE TRUTH SHALL SET YOU FREE

PHOENIX KNIGHT FOREVER

ON TO HOOPS SEASON

TILL NEXT TIME MY REALBIES AND FIREBIRDS

-S-

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• A child who does not play is not a child, but the man who doesn’t play has lost forever the child who lived in him and who he will miss terribly. – Pablo Neruda • A good hockey player plays where the puck is. A great hockey player plays where the puck is going to be. – Wayne Gretzky • A name, for me, is a short way of working out what class that child comes from. Do I want my child to play with them? – Katie Hopkins • A person might be able to play without being creative, but he sure can’t be creative without playing. – Kurt Hanks • All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players: they have their exits and their entrances; and one man in his time plays many parts, his acts being seven ages. – William Shakespeare • All work and no play doesn’t just make Jill and Jack dull, it kills the potential of discovery, mastery, and openness to change and flexibility and it hinders innovation and invention. – Joline Godfrey • All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy – and Jill a wealthy widow. – Evan Esar • All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. – Stanley Kubrick • American writer 1803-1882 Play is our brain’s favorite way of learning. – Diane Ackerman • And forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet and the winds long to play with your hair. – Khalil Gibran • And yet the artist will go on with his work without knowing in some way if any of his representations are sound or unsound. The artist knows nothing worth mentioning about the subjects he represents, and that art is a form of play, not to be taken seriously. – Plato • As a matter of fact, I rarely ever play myself. – Frank Langella ��� As a performer, you can’t just sit around waiting for the phone to ring. You have to write and develop projects for yourself, because casting people aren’t always going to see you the way you want to be seen. Write a one-person show, shoot a short film, do plays, whatever – activity breeds activity. No one’s interested in a stay-at-home actress. – Wendi McLendon-Covey

jQuery(document).ready(function($) var data = action: 'polyxgo_products_search', type: 'Product', keywords: 'Play+', orderby: 'rand', order: 'DESC', template: '1', limit: '68', columns: '4', viewall:'Shop All', ; jQuery.post(spyr_params.ajaxurl,data, function(response) var obj = jQuery.parseJSON(response); jQuery('#thelovesof_play').html(obj); jQuery('#thelovesof_play img.swiper-lazy:not(.swiper-lazy-loaded)' ).each(function () var img = jQuery(this); img.attr("src",img.data('src')); img.addClass( 'swiper-lazy-loaded' ); img.removeAttr('data-src'); ); ); ); • Be glad of life because it gives you the chance to love, to work, to play, and to look up at the stars. – Henry Van Dyke • Bobby Fischer started off each game with a great advantage: after the opening he had used less time than his opponent and thus had more time available later on. The major reason why he never had serious time pressure was that his rapid opening play simply left sufficient time for the middlegame. – Edmar Mednis • But I’d play on everything from pop records to a lot of the glam stuff to rock stuff to classical stuff. I used to get called to do all those things, it was great. – Rick Wakeman • Champions keep playing until they get it right. – Billie Jean King • Colin Morgan gives a stunning performance in Parked; he plays Merlin in the BBC TV show and he says the two characters are like night and day. Watch him. He’s got everything it takes to be top notch. – Colm Meaney

[clickbank-storefront-bestselling] • Combinatory play seems to be the essential feature in productive thought. – Albert Einstein • Comedy is simply a funny way of being serious. – Peter Ustinov • Contemporary American psychiatrist It is a happy talent to know how to play. – Ralph Waldo Emerson • Creative work is play. It is free speculation using materials of ones chosen form. – Stephen Nachmanovitch • Culture arises and unfolds in and as play… culture itself bears the character of play. – Johan Huizinga • Dare to err and to dream. Deep meaning often lies in childish plays. – Friedrich Schiller • Darren Fletcher is the type of player who would walk over hot coals to play for his country, and he has done – Andy Gray • Deep meaning lies often in childish play. – Friedrich Schiller • Does it not appear to you versatility is the true and rare characteristic of that rare thing called genius-versatility and playfulness? In my mind they are both essential. – Mary Russell Mitford • Don’t play the saxophone. Let it play you. – Charlie Parker • Don’t play what’s there, play what’s not there. – Miles Davis • Each player must accept the cards life deals him or her: but once they are in hand, he or she alone must decide how to play the cards in order to win the game. – Voltaire • For me right now I think being the world number one is a bigger deal than being the world champion because I think it shows better who plays the best chess. That sounds self-serving but I think it’s also right. – Magnus Carlsen • For my part I think it is a less evil that some criminals should escape, than that the government should play an ignoble part. – Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. • For Ripley I learned to play some songs on the piano, and I never really played them again. – Matt Damon • Generally the younger generation are not hard working. They will have to put in more effort to achieve results in tournaments. most of them can perform well but they cannot deliver when they play abroad. – Jahangir • God does not play dice. – Albert Einstein • He is not someone who went off to play in Europe and only a few Americans follow. He has the potential to be on magazine covers and more newspaper coverage. – Lamar Hunt • He that plays the king shall be welcome- his Majesty shall have tribute of me; the adventurous knight shall use his foil and target; the lover shall not sigh gratis; the humorous man shall end his part in peace; the clown shall make those laugh whose lungs are tickle o’ th’ sere; and the lady shall say her mind freely, or the blank verse shall halt fort. – William Shakespeare • Humor is by far the most significant activity of the human brain. – Edward de Bono • I believe that the artist’s feelings are in some way generative. And I suspect that much of the artist’s most productive emotion – not all of it but much of it – is felt in the course of playing around with form. – Carter Ratcliff • I can play songs that I hear from a movie and just play it a few times on the keyboard. I will hit all the notes on the keyboard until I find the right key, and then I will play the rest of the song. – Callan McAuliffe • I come to sing for the people, not for the government. God made the sunshine for everyone and made the moon for everyone. We have to follow his example so we have to play music for everyone too. We have a message, and in order for our message to reach the people, we have to play. – Ziggy Marley • I didn’t really play dress up when I was a kid, and I’m really T-shirt and jeans-y. – Ellen Page • I didn’t really want to be an actor when I was growing up – I wanted to be whatever I was reading about or seeing at the time. When I read The Firm I wanted to be a lawyer; when I saw Top Gun, I wanted to be a fighter pilot. So that’s why acting probably turned out to be a good thing for me because I get to be people for five minutes or 90 minutes. I’d be curious to see if I had the attention span to be like those guys on 30 Rock and play the same character season after season. – Jason Sudeikis • I don’t give a damn about any actors. What good will John Barrymore do you with the bases loaded and two down in a tight ball game. Either I get the money (more than Barrymore), or I don’t play! – Babe Ruth • I don’t have a favorite place to play. – Keren Ann • I don’t have to support Bibi, his government or any other conservative organization in order to come and play music in Israel, for people who want to come and listen to music. I think it’s b******t to ask me to boycott Israel and not America. It’s interesting that some people choose to pick on Israel and isolate her… I was invited to perform and that’s why I’ll perform, as long as the border is open and I’m welcomed. I’m just coming to play. – Anton Newcombe • I don’t think I’m very ambitious at all. But I seem to play people who have that quality. – Catherine Keener • I don’t wear bright orange clothes or leopard skin boots, but it was really good fun to play someone that does and have an excuse too! – Sally Hawkins • I guess the characters I play may be at the more destructive edge of the spectrum, more damaged or whatever, but I find a lot of female roles uninteresting. – Lili Taylor • I had this health teacher who kept me after class one time, saying, ‘You’re missing a lot of class.’ I was like, ‘Yeah, but I’m doing this play.’ He said, ‘Community theatre is not going to take you anywhere. Maybe you should stay in school’ – Dane DeHaan • I like to be other people, not me. And when you’re on the red carpet, it’s like, ‘Here’s Tom Hardy.’ I don’t want to be me. That’s why I play other people. – Tom Hardy • I like to play smart, three-dimensional women. I also like to play roles where the women are a little crazy. I just have a feel for crazy people. – Lili Taylor • I love doing voiceover work. I started doing voiceover work when I had just dropped out of school, and the first few professional jobs I got were plays, but then I started making money doing voiceovers. – Justin Long • I love the game – and I hate the Russians because they’ve almost ruined it. They only risk the title when they have to, every three years. They play for draws with each other but play to win against the Western masters. Draws make for dull chess, wins make for fighting chess. – Bobby Fischer • I love to play bid whist as much as I love football. – Emmitt Smith • I love to play games. I really like football, and I also like to ride horses. – Mary-Kate Olsen • I must be absolutely clear about this. Britain cannot accept the present situation on the Budget. It is demonstrably unjust. It is politically indefensible: I cannot play Sister Bountiful to the Community while my own electorate are being asked to forego improvements in the fields of health, education, welfare and the rest. – Margaret Thatcher • I often tell my students that you can’t worry about the end of an improv scene because the end is not up to you. You just play as hard as you can until someone changes the scene. The scene has changedthe end is not up to us. – Mark Sutton • I play an 89-year-old man whose wife has Alzheimer’s in a movie called ‘Still.’ I play a World War II veteran, I acted with my son and it’s called ‘Memorial Day.’ – James Cromwell • I play bad golf for good charities like the LA Police. – Robert Stack • I play guitar and I love the Beatles and melodic music. – Stephen Dorff • I play guitar, piano, bass and percussion. – Teena Marie • I play the guitar. I taught myself how to play the guitar, which was a bad decision… because I didn’t know how to play it, so I was a shitty teacher. I would never have went to me. – Mitch Hedberg • I play with microbes. There are, of course, many rules to this play…but when you have acquired knowledge and experience it is very pleasant to break the rules and to be able to find something nobody has thought of. – Alexander Fleming • I play, like, 12 instruments. Guitar, piano, harmonica, African drums… I’m working on mastering the accordion. – Lucas Grabeel • I still get wildly enthusiastic about little things… I play with leaves. I skip down the street and run against the wind. – Leo Buscaglia • I think the media makes it tough to play in New York. There are so many papers and TV channels covering the Knicks and the expectations for the Knicks are so high. • I thought it was such a unique concept to play parents who happen to be super heroes and have a son who is going through puberty and starting high school. – Kelly Preston • I thought people would ask me really personal questions because I’ve shown more of myself, but it’s a comedy, and people understand that it’s a game we play. – Charlotte Gainsbourg • I was in lots of dodgy bands growing up and I always fancied myself in a band. But, you know, I was rubbish at writing music. So maybe one day I’ll play a rock star, or punk rocker. – Gemma Arterton • I wasn’t allowed to play in some universities in the United States and out of twenty-five concerts, twenty-three were canceled unless I would substitute my black bass player for my old white bass player, which I wouldn’t do. – Dave Brubeck • I’ll play Pretty Pretty Princess with you if you just let me watch a little bit of March Madness. – Matt Damon • I’d like to do plays, maybe a one man show. – Jean Reno • I’d like to one day play Amanda, the mother, in The Glass Menagerie. – Bernadette Peters • If I only get to play Malaysian roles, there wouldn’t be very many roles for me to play. – Michelle Yeoh • If music be the food of love, play on, Give me excess of it; that surfeiting, The appetite may sicken, and so die. – William Shakespeare • If music be the food of love, play on. – William Shakespeare • If you can play the first ten or fifteen moves in just as many minutes, you can be in a state of bliss for the rest of the game. If, on the other hand, Bronstein thinks for forty minutes about his first move, then time trouble is inevitable. – Alexander Kotov • If you have the opportunity to play this game of life you need to appreciate every moment. a lot of people don’t appreciate the moment until it’s passed. – Kanye West • If you play an audiotape of a yawn to blind people, they’ll yawn too. – Malcolm Gladwell • If you want creative workers, give them enough time to play. – John Cleese • If your opponent is short (on time), play just as you played earlier in the game. If you are short keep calm, I repeat, don’t get flustered. Keep up the same neat writing of the moves, the same methodical examination of variations, but at a quicker rate. – Alexander Kotov • I’m not afraid to play my age. I never was. I’ve never been an ingenue. I like getting older. – Maria Bello • I’m sure civilizations will still evolve through play, or rather as play, since that seems to be a fundamental mechanism of our humanity. – Diane Ackerman • In academic life, false ideas are merely false and useless ones can be fun to play with. In political life, false ideas can ruin the lives of millions and useless ones can waste precious resources. An intellectual’s responsibility for his ideas is to follow their consequences wherever they may lead. A politician’s responsibility is to master those consequences and prevent them from doing harm. Michael Ignatieff, a former professor at Harvard and contributing writer for the magazine, is a member of Canada’s Parliament and deputy leader of the Liberal Party. – Michael Ignatieff • In art, everyone who plays wins. – Robert Genn • In every real man a child is hidden that wants to play. – Friedrich Nietzsche • In my early life my mother tried to create a nurturing environment in which my mind could play. Her big rule was “Never lose in your imagination.” She told me that thoughts were things and that I would become the thing I thought of most. This kind of empowerment is crucial to creative thinking. – Joey Reiman • In my sophomore year, a kid told me that the secret to getting women is to play really, really hard to get. I followed his advice, and I didn’t have so much as a date that year. – Greg Kinnear • In our play we reveal what kind of people we are. – Ovid • In the midst of wanton aggression, we still call upon the Arab inhabitants of the State of Israel to return to the ways of peace and play their part in the development of the State, with full and equal citizenship and due representation in its bodies and institutions – provisional or permanent. – David Ben-Gurion • It is better to play than do nothing. – Confucius • It is fair to say that insofar as sport is taken seriously by those who play it, then to that extent their conduct in play – their ability to deal with loss or victory, their ability to meld strategic thinking and brute force – can be taken as a small-scale model of how they, or others like them, might behave in life. – Will Self • It is impossible to struggle for civil rights, equal rights for blacks, without including whites. Because equal rights, fair play, justice, are all like the air: we all have it, or none of us has it. That is the truth of it. – Maya Angelou • It is in playing and only in playing that the individual child or adult is able to be creative and to use the whole personality, and it is only in being creative that the individual discovers the self. – Donald Woods Winnicott • It is my opinion that the 21st century will be the century of play, and the heteroglossic activity of artists in the 20th century has been the forecast. – Brian Sutton-Smith • It is paradoxical that many educators and parents still differentiate between a time for learning and a time for play without seeing the vital connection between them. – Leo Buscaglia • It is the fertile hallucination that makes paint so compelling. Paint is like the numerologist’s numbers, always counting but never adding up, always speaking but never saying anything rational, always playing at being abstract but never leaving the clotted body. – James Elkins • It is true that there are few plays of Shakespeare that I haven’t done. – Judi Dench • It may be that other developers are finding that their games play better on one platform over the other, so they’re choosing to migrate to that platform. – Sid Meier • It seemed like the right time. You reach a point when you say to yourself, ‘Do I want to keep doing this?’ There are other things on my plate I want to do — I’ve been writing a play, I’ve been neglecting my standup. – Joy Behar • It should be noted that children at play are not playing about; their games should be seen as their most serious-minded activity. – Michel de Montaigne • It’s been liberating to be able to play someone who’s a bada– or promiscuous, because that’s the opposite of who I am … It’s like a drug. – Jessica Alba • Its impossible to go onto the Tardis set and not play with things and fiddle with dials. – Jenna Coleman • It’s the faster bands that made me want to play guitar, bands like The Jam. – Graham Coxon • I’ve always been attracted to women who are assertive and have confidence – qualities older women possess. They’ve been on the Earth a little longer. They’re more seasoned. They don’t play games. They know what they want, and they’re not afraid to tell you. – Taye Diggs • I’ve always wanted to play a role in inspiring people to be better, to live higher quality lives and to feel good about the way that they look and feel. – Apolo Ohno • Jazz of the sort we play is a happy, extroverted music. You don’t have to think about it too much. – Chris Barber • Just play. Have fun. Enjoy the game. – Michael Jordan • Late in the third quarter the Cougars were behind 12-0. Duva had completed 5 out of 20 passes. Edwards looked at Gifford Nielsen. Giff had never done a thing, in practice or anywhere else, to give us confidence in him. . . . . . . the coach said later. He sent him into the game anyway. First play was a 19-yard completion. Second was a 6-yard run. He threw again on the third play to running back Dave Lowry who ran 37 yards for a touchdown. – LaVell Edwards • Learning is not child’s play; we cannot learn without pain. – Aristotle • Let’s not play games. I was suggesting – you’re absolutely right that John McCain has not talked about my Muslim faith. – Barack Obama • Life is a challenge, meet it! Life is a dream, realize it! Life is a game, play it! Life is love, enjoy it! – Sathya Sai Baba • Life is too short to play bad music – Bob Brozman • Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player, that struts and frets his hour upon the stage, and then is heard no more; it is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing. – William Shakespeare • Looking at the championship-winning quarterbacks, Edwards remembered their particular talents: Gary Sheide: The image of Joe Namath. He even had Joe’s number. Had just a great feel and touch for the game. A great athlete who could play all the sports. He was more of a streak guy than any of them. He could miss two or three passes and then get hot and hit ten straight. He was the one who got it all started. – LaVell Edwards • Love is a game that two can play and both win. – Eva Gabor • Mac Rebennack, better known as Dr. John, once told me that when a brass band plays at a small club back up in one of the neighborhoods, it’s as if the audience—dancing, singing to the refrains, laughing—is part of the band. – Tom Piazza • Man does not cease to play because he grows old, he grows old because he ceases to play. – Drew Lachey • Man is most nearly himself when he achieves the seriousness of a child at play. – Heraclitus • Man’s most serious activity is play. – George Santayana • Men should learn to live with the same seriousness with which children play. – Friedrich Nietzsche • My 10 year old son likes it. He’s trying to play guitar and everything. He likes that kind of music. – Merle Haggard • My acting’s very understated. I think my sad and happy don’t play that differently onscreen. – Bret McKenzie • My family was never cultural in that we never went to see plays, my mum wasn’t very into films. – Gemma Arterton • Nobody plays this life with marked cards, so sometimes we win and sometimes we lose. Do not expect anything in return, do not expect your efforts to be appreciated, your genius to be discovered, your love to be understood. – Paulo Coelho • Of course, money matters to everyone even if some don’t want to admit it. If I won the Race to Dubai, I look at that prize money and think it could pay off my new house or the range I’m building. I am privileged to play golf for a living – look around St Andrews, that’s my office. • One aspect of play is the importance of laughter, which has physiological and psychological benefits. Did you know that there are thousands of laughter clubs around the world? People get together and laugh for no reason at all! – Daniel H. Pink • One man in his time plays many parts. – William Shakespeare • One night I was in the players’ parking lot at the Fleet Center in my Celtics warm-ups about a half hour before a game, waiting for one of my dealers to come up from Fall River, because if I didn’t get my stuff I was too sick to even go through the pre-game layup line, never mind actually play in the game. – Chris Herren • One will only be free when one plays and one’s society will become a piece of art. – Herbert Marcuse • Paul Klee seems to handle colors and dreams as if they both came out of a box of children’s toys. He plays and dreams with whatever he finds. – Jean Helion • Play becomes joy, joy becomes work, work becomes play. – Johannes Itten • Play gives children a chance to practice what they are learning…They have to play with what they know to be true in order to find out more, and then they can use what they learn in new forms of play. – Fred Rogers • Play is a uniquely adaptive act, not subordinate to some other adaptive act, but with a special function of its own in human experience. – Johan Huizinga • Play is the exultation of the possible. – Martin Buber • Play is your route to mastery. – Sara Genn • Playful arising is authorized by both risk and trust in the process and in oneself. To be truly playful and improvisational one must not look for results. – Joshua L. Goldberg • Russia will occupy most of the good food lands of central Europe while we have the industrial portions. We must find some way of persuading Russia to play ball. – Henry L. Stimson • Self-interest speaks all manner of tongues and plays all manner of parts, even that of disinterestedness. – Francois de La Rochefoucauld • Sometimes you have to play a long time to be able to play like yourself. – Miles Davis • Sound is not simply what we hear or play, but equally a feeling in the body – Howard Snell • Surely all God’s people, however serious or savage, great or small, like to play. – John Muir • That’s what I love about acting, you get to find little pieces of yourself in every character you play. – Julianna Margulies • The artist must ever play and experiment with new means of arranging experience, even though the majority of his audience may prefer to remain fixed in their old perceptual attitudes. – Marshall McLuhan • The beauty of playing together is meeting in the One. – Stephen Nachmanovitch • The cherished dream of every chessplayer is to play a match with the World Champion. But here is the paradox: the closer you come to the realization of this goal, the less you think about it. – Mikhail Tal • The creation of something new is not accomplished by the intellect but by the play instinct acting from inner necessity. The creative mind plays with the objects it loves. – Carl Jung • The creative mind plays with the object it loves. – Carl Jung • The creative writer does the same as the child at play; he creates a world of fantasy which he takes very seriously. – Sigmund Freud • The debt we owe to the play of imagination is incalculable. – Carl Jung • The Eeyore Educational System sees childhood as a waste of time, a luxury that society cannot afford . . . Put children in school at the earliest age possible; load them down with homework; take away their time, their creativity, their play, their power; then plug them into machines. • The Holy Spirit, in the variety of his gifts, unites us and enables us to contribute to the building up of the Church in holiness. In this great work, each of us has a part to play; each of us, as a “living stone”, is needed for the growth and the beauty of God’s holy temple. Let us ask the Lord to help us to take an ever more active part in the Church’s life and mission, guided by the Holy Spirit and with Jesus as our cornerstone. – Pope Francis • The master in the art of living makes little distinction between his work and his play, his labor and his leisure, his mind and his body, his information and his recreation, his love and his religion. He hardly knows which is which. He simply pursues his vision of excellence at whatever he does, leaving others to decide whether he is working or playing. To him he’s always doing both. – James A. Michener • The only time it dominates is during a solo, or when we play a low blues and I put figures in behind Eric’s vocals. There’s never any real problem fitting guitar and organ together. – Alan Price • The opposite of play is not work. It’s depression. – Brian Sutton-Smith • The playing adult steps sideward into another reality; the playing child advances forward to new stages of mastery. – Erik Erikson • The Play’s the Thing, wherein I’ll catch the conscience of the King. – William Shakespeare • The play’s the thing. – William Shakespeare • The quality of a play is the quality of its ideas. – George Bernard Shaw • The spirit of playful competition is, as a social impulse, older than culture itself and pervades all life like a veritable ferment. Ritual grew up in sacred play; poetry was born in play and nourished on play; music and dancing were pure play….We have to conclude, therefore, that civilization is, in its earliest phases, played. It does not come from play…it arises in and as play, and never leaves it. – Johan Huizinga • The sun did not shine. It was too wet to play. So we sat in the house. All that cold, cold, wet day. – Dr. Seuss • The supreme accomplishment is to blur the line between work and play. – Arnold J. Toynbee • The true man wants two things: danger and play. For that reason he wants woman, as the most dangerous plaything. – Friedrich Nietzsche • The true object of all human life is play. Earth is a task garden; heaven is a playground. – Gilbert K. Chesterton • The very essence of playfulness is an openness to anything that may happen, the feeling that whatever happens, it’s okay… you’re either free to play, or you’re not. – John Cleese • The world is open for play, that everything and everybody is mockable, in a wonderful way. – Robin Williams • There are children playing in the streets who could solve some of my top problems in physics, because they have modes of sensory perception that I lost long ago. – J. Robert Oppenheimer • There are times when I love to play all kinds of complicated games in painting. But this is one case when I need to be fairly straightforward. I’ll just try to paint the man, his intelligence, his amiability and his stature, maybe paint him fairly close to humor and try to get it just right. – Nelson Shanks • There is for many a poverty of play. – Donald Woods Winnicott • There is something about seeing real people on a stage that makes a bad play more intimately, more personally offensive than any other art form. – Anatole Broyard • There is work that is work and there is play that is play; there is play that is work and work that is play. And in only one of these lies happiness. – Gelett Burgess • There’s such a sense of theatre in getting glammed up; it’s like putting on a play or short film. – Felicity Jones • There’s that thing that can happen to you when you meet somebody and you don’t consider them extraordinary at all and then they do something like play the cello or write amazing poetry or sing and suddenly you look at them completely differently. – Yvonne Prinz • There’s very little to be said for learning a piece note by note, reading the rhythmic markings, practising the fingerings and following your instructor’s suggestions, if you haven’t any idea how the music will eventually sound and feel. If you learn a piece mechanically, you may have to ‘unlearn’ it before you can play it with expression and feeling. – Barry Green • They said I couldn’t play anything but an English boy. I knew I could. So I went to New York. – Roddy McDowall • This is the real secret of life — to be completely engaged with what you are doing in the here and now. And instead of calling it work, realize it is play. – Alan Watts • Those who’ll play with cats must expect to be scratched. – Miguel de Cervantes • To learn to play seriously is one of the great secrets of spiritual exploration. – Rachel Pollack • To start your life as a character of 120 years when you are in your late thirties, and then go back in time about 20 years later to play the same character who is your own age then, its very complicated, but very interesting. – Ian McDiarmid • To stimulate creativity one must develop childlike inclination for play and the childlike desire for recognition. – Albert Einstein • To truly laugh, you must be able to take your pain, and play with it! – Charlie Chaplin • Tony Vigorito has grown a cult following of thousands for one reason – his stuff is fun to read… It’s… filled with the freshness and the freewheeling independence that made his reputation… This book is the ‘work’ of one of the least pretentious and most enjoyable to read novelists at play in America today. – Kris Saknussemm • Usually most characters I play are quite realistic. – Virginie Ledoyen • Very often the effort men put into activities that seem completely useless turns out to be extremely important in ways no one could foresee. Play has always been the mainspring of culture. – Italo Calvino • We are never more fully alive, more completely ourselves, or more deeply engrossed in anything than when we are playing – Charles E. Schaefer • We can’t all be Einstein (because we don’t all play the violin). At the very least, we need a sort of street-smart science: the ability to recognize evidence, gather it, assess it, and act on it. – Judith Stone • We could play them through the week, and then the weekend we could play the black joints. I learned to be very versatile and learned to love it. So it stays with me even up to now. – Little Milton • We don’t play slow and we don’t play fast, we play half fast – Louis Armstrong • We don’t stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing. – George Bernard Shaw • We learned about honesty and integrity – that the truth matters… that you don’t take shortcuts or play by your own set of rules… and success doesn’t count unless you earn it fair and square. – Michelle Obama • We live in a world of entertainment in full color with a lot of fast action, a world in which many children grow up thinking that if it isn’t fun, it is boring and not worthwhile. Even in family activities we need to strike a balance between play and work. – Joe J. Christensen • We often say that psi is like musical ability: it is widely distributed in the populate, and everyone has some ability and can participate to some extent – in the same way that the most nonmusical person can learn to play a little Mozart on the piano. On the other hand, there is no substitute for innate talent, and there is no substitute for practice. – Russell Targ • We tend to think of the Faustian man, the one who fabricates, manipulates, seduces and ends up destroying. But the new image will be man the creator, the artist, the player. – Jean Houston • Well, I am very happy that I was able to play a part in bringing music from the streets onto the radio and into modern culture, I worked very hard and always believed in the sounds I was creating. – Ice T • Well, I play Jews and parrots. Parrots are how I’ve branched out. – Gilbert Gottfried • Well, it’s a marvelous night for a Moondance With the stars up above in your eyes… And I’m trying to please to the calling Of your heart-strings that they play soft and low And all the night’s magic seems to whisper and hush And all the soft moonlight seems to shine in your blush… One more Moondance with you in the moonlight On a magic night – Van Morrison • What if not just women, but both men and women, worked smart, more flexible schedules? What if the workplace itself was more fluid than the rigid and narrow ladder to success of the ideal worker? And what if both men and women became responsible for raising children and managing the home, sharing work, love, and play? Could everyone then live whole lives? – Brigid Schulte What we play is life. – Louis Armstrong • When I play from my mind I get in trouble. – Stevie Ray Vaughan • When I started off many years ago, I made a determination that there were certain roles I didn’t want to play. – Joe Morton • When I tour I’m going to countries to play music for people. My presence in a country is not an endorsement or a condemnation of that country’s policies. My presence in a country is an effort to connect with people through playing music. – Moby • When the band plays fast, you play slow; when the band plays slow, you play fast. – Miles Davis • When you play a match, it is statistically proven that players actually have the ball 3 minutes on average … So, the most important thing is: what do you do during those 87 minutes when you do not have the ball. That is what determines wether you’re a good player or not. – Johan Cruijff • When you play, play hard; when you work, don’t play at all. – Theodore Roosevelt • Whoever wants to understand much must play much. – Gottfried Benn • With passion pray. With passion make love. With passion eat and drink and dance and play. Why look like a dead fish in this ocean of God? – Rumi • Without this playing with fantasy no creative work has ever yet come to birth. The debt we owe to the play of the imagination is incalculable. – Carl Jung • Work and play are words used to describe the same thing under differing conditions. – Mark Twain • Work consists of whatever a body is obliged to do. Play consists of whatever a body is not obliged to do. – Mark Twain • Working with Sturges was like working with a guy who wanted to have a party all the time. He was very serious about his work, but in between shots, he was fun and we would play games. – Eddie Bracken • You have to know 400 notes that you can play, then pick the right four. – Miles Davis • You have to learn the rules of the game. And then you have to play better than anyone else. – Albert Einstein • You play to win, to get that World Series ring, All-Star games and whatever comes with it. – Nick Johnson • Your government has problems…my government has problems. I can’t be a judge. All I can do is be an ambassador of love. I’m a musician, not a soldier, and if I’m invited to a place in order to play and bring love, I’ll always accept the invitation. – Meshell Ndegeocello • Your money is like your willy, it only grows if you play with it – Len Goodman • You’ve achieved success in your field when you don’t know whether what you’re doing is work or play. – Warren Beatty

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[equitiesstocks]

Play Quotes

Official Website: Play Quotes

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• A child who does not play is not a child, but the man who doesn’t play has lost forever the child who lived in him and who he will miss terribly. – Pablo Neruda • A good hockey player plays where the puck is. A great hockey player plays where the puck is going to be. – Wayne Gretzky • A name, for me, is a short way of working out what class that child comes from. Do I want my child to play with them? – Katie Hopkins • A person might be able to play without being creative, but he sure can’t be creative without playing. – Kurt Hanks • All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players: they have their exits and their entrances; and one man in his time plays many parts, his acts being seven ages. – William Shakespeare • All work and no play doesn’t just make Jill and Jack dull, it kills the potential of discovery, mastery, and openness to change and flexibility and it hinders innovation and invention. – Joline Godfrey • All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy – and Jill a wealthy widow. – Evan Esar • All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. – Stanley Kubrick • American writer 1803-1882 Play is our brain’s favorite way of learning. – Diane Ackerman • And forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet and the winds long to play with your hair. – Khalil Gibran • And yet the artist will go on with his work without knowing in some way if any of his representations are sound or unsound. The artist knows nothing worth mentioning about the subjects he represents, and that art is a form of play, not to be taken seriously. – Plato • As a matter of fact, I rarely ever play myself. – Frank Langella • As a performer, you can’t just sit around waiting for the phone to ring. You have to write and develop projects for yourself, because casting people aren’t always going to see you the way you want to be seen. Write a one-person show, shoot a short film, do plays, whatever – activity breeds activity. No one’s interested in a stay-at-home actress. – Wendi McLendon-Covey

jQuery(document).ready(function($) var data = action: 'polyxgo_products_search', type: 'Product', keywords: 'Play+', orderby: 'rand', order: 'DESC', template: '1', limit: '68', columns: '4', viewall:'Shop All', ; jQuery.post(spyr_params.ajaxurl,data, function(response) var obj = jQuery.parseJSON(response); jQuery('#thelovesof_play').html(obj); jQuery('#thelovesof_play img.swiper-lazy:not(.swiper-lazy-loaded)' ).each(function () var img = jQuery(this); img.attr("src",img.data('src')); img.addClass( 'swiper-lazy-loaded' ); img.removeAttr('data-src'); ); ); ); • Be glad of life because it gives you the chance to love, to work, to play, and to look up at the stars. – Henry Van Dyke • Bobby Fischer started off each game with a great advantage: after the opening he had used less time than his opponent and thus had more time available later on. The major reason why he never had serious time pressure was that his rapid opening play simply left sufficient time for the middlegame. – Edmar Mednis • But I’d play on everything from pop records to a lot of the glam stuff to rock stuff to classical stuff. I used to get called to do all those things, it was great. – Rick Wakeman • Champions keep playing until they get it right. – Billie Jean King • Colin Morgan gives a stunning performance in Parked; he plays Merlin in the BBC TV show and he says the two characters are like night and day. Watch him. He’s got everything it takes to be top notch. – Colm Meaney

[clickbank-storefront-bestselling] • Combinatory play seems to be the essential feature in productive thought. – Albert Einstein • Comedy is simply a funny way of being serious. – Peter Ustinov • Contemporary American psychiatrist It is a happy talent to know how to play. – Ralph Waldo Emerson • Creative work is play. It is free speculation using materials of ones chosen form. – Stephen Nachmanovitch • Culture arises and unfolds in and as play… culture itself bears the character of play. – Johan Huizinga • Dare to err and to dream. Deep meaning often lies in childish plays. – Friedrich Schiller • Darren Fletcher is the type of player who would walk over hot coals to play for his country, and he has done – Andy Gray • Deep meaning lies often in childish play. – Friedrich Schiller • Does it not appear to you versatility is the true and rare characteristic of that rare thing called genius-versatility and playfulness? In my mind they are both essential. – Mary Russell Mitford • Don’t play the saxophone. Let it play you. – Charlie Parker • Don’t play what’s there, play what’s not there. – Miles Davis • Each player must accept the cards life deals him or her: but once they are in hand, he or she alone must decide how to play the cards in order to win the game. – Voltaire • For me right now I think being the world number one is a bigger deal than being the world champion because I think it shows better who plays the best chess. That sounds self-serving but I think it’s also right. – Magnus Carlsen • For my part I think it is a less evil that some criminals should escape, than that the government should play an ignoble part. – Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. • For Ripley I learned to play some songs on the piano, and I never really played them again. – Matt Damon • Generally the younger generation are not hard working. They will have to put in more effort to achieve results in tournaments. most of them can perform well but they cannot deliver when they play abroad. – Jahangir • God does not play dice. – Albert Einstein • He is not someone who went off to play in Europe and only a few Americans follow. He has the potential to be on magazine covers and more newspaper coverage. – Lamar Hunt • He that plays the king shall be welcome- his Majesty shall have tribute of me; the adventurous knight shall use his foil and target; the lover shall not sigh gratis; the humorous man shall end his part in peace; the clown shall make those laugh whose lungs are tickle o’ th’ sere; and the lady shall say her mind freely, or the blank verse shall halt fort. – William Shakespeare • Humor is by far the most significant activity of the human brain. – Edward de Bono • I believe that the artist’s feelings are in some way generative. And I suspect that much of the artist’s most productive emotion – not all of it but much of it – is felt in the course of playing around with form. – Carter Ratcliff • I can play songs that I hear from a movie and just play it a few times on the keyboard. I will hit all the notes on the keyboard until I find the right key, and then I will play the rest of the song. – Callan McAuliffe • I come to sing for the people, not for the government. God made the sunshine for everyone and made the moon for everyone. We have to follow his example so we have to play music for everyone too. We have a message, and in order for our message to reach the people, we have to play. – Ziggy Marley • I didn’t really play dress up when I was a kid, and I’m really T-shirt and jeans-y. – Ellen Page • I didn’t really want to be an actor when I was growing up – I wanted to be whatever I was reading about or seeing at the time. When I read The Firm I wanted to be a lawyer; when I saw Top Gun, I wanted to be a fighter pilot. So that’s why acting probably turned out to be a good thing for me because I get to be people for five minutes or 90 minutes. I’d be curious to see if I had the attention span to be like those guys on 30 Rock and play the same character season after season. – Jason Sudeikis • I don’t give a damn about any actors. What good will John Barrymore do you with the bases loaded and two down in a tight ball game. Either I get the money (more than Barrymore), or I don’t play! – Babe Ruth • I don’t have a favorite place to play. – Keren Ann • I don’t have to support Bibi, his government or any other conservative organization in order to come and play music in Israel, for people who want to come and listen to music. I think it’s b******t to ask me to boycott Israel and not America. It’s interesting that some people choose to pick on Israel and isolate her… I was invited to perform and that’s why I’ll perform, as long as the border is open and I’m welcomed. I’m just coming to play. – Anton Newcombe • I don’t think I’m very ambitious at all. But I seem to play people who have that quality. – Catherine Keener • I don’t wear bright orange clothes or leopard skin boots, but it was really good fun to play someone that does and have an excuse too! – Sally Hawkins • I guess the characters I play may be at the more destructive edge of the spectrum, more damaged or whatever, but I find a lot of female roles uninteresting. – Lili Taylor • I had this health teacher who kept me after class one time, saying, ‘You’re missing a lot of class.’ I was like, ‘Yeah, but I’m doing this play.’ He said, ‘Community theatre is not going to take you anywhere. Maybe you should stay in school’ – Dane DeHaan • I like to be other people, not me. And when you’re on the red carpet, it’s like, ‘Here’s Tom Hardy.’ I don’t want to be me. That’s why I play other people. – Tom Hardy • I like to play smart, three-dimensional women. I also like to play roles where the women are a little crazy. I just have a feel for crazy people. – Lili Taylor • I love doing voiceover work. I started doing voiceover work when I had just dropped out of school, and the first few professional jobs I got were plays, but then I started making money doing voiceovers. – Justin Long • I love the game – and I hate the Russians because they’ve almost ruined it. They only risk the title when they have to, every three years. They play for draws with each other but play to win against the Western masters. Draws make for dull chess, wins make for fighting chess. – Bobby Fischer • I love to play bid whist as much as I love football. – Emmitt Smith • I love to play games. I really like football, and I also like to ride horses. – Mary-Kate Olsen • I must be absolutely clear about this. Britain cannot accept the present situation on the Budget. It is demonstrably unjust. It is politically indefensible: I cannot play Sister Bountiful to the Community while my own electorate are being asked to forego improvements in the fields of health, education, welfare and the rest. – Margaret Thatcher • I often tell my students that you can’t worry about the end of an improv scene because the end is not up to you. You just play as hard as you can until someone changes the scene. The scene has changedthe end is not up to us. – Mark Sutton • I play an 89-year-old man whose wife has Alzheimer’s in a movie called ‘Still.’ I play a World War II veteran, I acted with my son and it’s called ‘Memorial Day.’ – James Cromwell • I play bad golf for good charities like the LA Police. – Robert Stack • I play guitar and I love the Beatles and melodic music. – Stephen Dorff • I play guitar, piano, bass and percussion. – Teena Marie • I play the guitar. I taught myself how to play the guitar, which was a bad decision… because I didn’t know how to play it, so I was a shitty teacher. I would never have went to me. – Mitch Hedberg • I play with microbes. There are, of course, many rules to this play…but when you have acquired knowledge and experience it is very pleasant to break the rules and to be able to find something nobody has thought of. – Alexander Fleming • I play, like, 12 instruments. Guitar, piano, harmonica, African drums… I’m working on mastering the accordion. – Lucas Grabeel • I still get wildly enthusiastic about little things… I play with leaves. I skip down the street and run against the wind. – Leo Buscaglia • I think the media makes it tough to play in New York. There are so many papers and TV channels covering the Knicks and the expectations for the Knicks are so high. • I thought it was such a unique concept to play parents who happen to be super heroes and have a son who is going through puberty and starting high school. – Kelly Preston • I thought people would ask me really personal questions because I’ve shown more of myself, but it’s a comedy, and people understand that it’s a game we play. – Charlotte Gainsbourg • I was in lots of dodgy bands growing up and I always fancied myself in a band. But, you know, I was rubbish at writing music. So maybe one day I’ll play a rock star, or punk rocker. – Gemma Arterton • I wasn’t allowed to play in some universities in the United States and out of twenty-five concerts, twenty-three were canceled unless I would substitute my black bass player for my old white bass player, which I wouldn’t do. – Dave Brubeck • I’ll play Pretty Pretty Princess with you if you just let me watch a little bit of March Madness. – Matt Damon • I’d like to do plays, maybe a one man show. – Jean Reno • I’d like to one day play Amanda, the mother, in The Glass Menagerie. – Bernadette Peters • If I only get to play Malaysian roles, there wouldn’t be very many roles for me to play. – Michelle Yeoh • If music be the food of love, play on, Give me excess of it; that surfeiting, The appetite may sicken, and so die. – William Shakespeare • If music be the food of love, play on. – William Shakespeare • If you can play the first ten or fifteen moves in just as many minutes, you can be in a state of bliss for the rest of the game. If, on the other hand, Bronstein thinks for forty minutes about his first move, then time trouble is inevitable. – Alexander Kotov • If you have the opportunity to play this game of life you need to appreciate every moment. a lot of people don’t appreciate the moment until it’s passed. – Kanye West • If you play an audiotape of a yawn to blind people, they’ll yawn too. – Malcolm Gladwell • If you want creative workers, give them enough time to play. – John Cleese • If your opponent is short (on time), play just as you played earlier in the game. If you are short keep calm, I repeat, don’t get flustered. Keep up the same neat writing of the moves, the same methodical examination of variations, but at a quicker rate. – Alexander Kotov • I’m not afraid to play my age. I never was. I’ve never been an ingenue. I like getting older. – Maria Bello • I’m sure civilizations will still evolve through play, or rather as play, since that seems to be a fundamental mechanism of our humanity. – Diane Ackerman • In academic life, false ideas are merely false and useless ones can be fun to play with. In political life, false ideas can ruin the lives of millions and useless ones can waste precious resources. An intellectual’s responsibility for his ideas is to follow their consequences wherever they may lead. A politician’s responsibility is to master those consequences and prevent them from doing harm. Michael Ignatieff, a former professor at Harvard and contributing writer for the magazine, is a member of Canada’s Parliament and deputy leader of the Liberal Party. – Michael Ignatieff • In art, everyone who plays wins. – Robert Genn • In every real man a child is hidden that wants to play. – Friedrich Nietzsche • In my early life my mother tried to create a nurturing environment in which my mind could play. Her big rule was “Never lose in your imagination.” She told me that thoughts were things and that I would become the thing I thought of most. This kind of empowerment is crucial to creative thinking. – Joey Reiman • In my sophomore year, a kid told me that the secret to getting women is to play really, really hard to get. I followed his advice, and I didn’t have so much as a date that year. – Greg Kinnear • In our play we reveal what kind of people we are. – Ovid • In the midst of wanton aggression, we still call upon the Arab inhabitants of the State of Israel to return to the ways of peace and play their part in the development of the State, with full and equal citizenship and due representation in its bodies and institutions – provisional or permanent. – David Ben-Gurion • It is better to play than do nothing. – Confucius • It is fair to say that insofar as sport is taken seriously by those who play it, then to that extent their conduct in play – their ability to deal with loss or victory, their ability to meld strategic thinking and brute force – can be taken as a small-scale model of how they, or others like them, might behave in life. – Will Self • It is impossible to struggle for civil rights, equal rights for blacks, without including whites. Because equal rights, fair play, justice, are all like the air: we all have it, or none of us has it. That is the truth of it. – Maya Angelou • It is in playing and only in playing that the individual child or adult is able to be creative and to use the whole personality, and it is only in being creative that the individual discovers the self. – Donald Woods Winnicott • It is my opinion that the 21st century will be the century of play, and the heteroglossic activity of artists in the 20th century has been the forecast. – Brian Sutton-Smith • It is paradoxical that many educators and parents still differentiate between a time for learning and a time for play without seeing the vital connection between them. – Leo Buscaglia • It is the fertile hallucination that makes paint so compelling. Paint is like the numerologist’s numbers, always counting but never adding up, always speaking but never saying anything rational, always playing at being abstract but never leaving the clotted body. – James Elkins • It is true that there are few plays of Shakespeare that I haven’t done. – Judi Dench • It may be that other developers are finding that their games play better on one platform over the other, so they’re choosing to migrate to that platform. – Sid Meier • It seemed like the right time. You reach a point when you say to yourself, ‘Do I want to keep doing this?’ There are other things on my plate I want to do — I’ve been writing a play, I’ve been neglecting my standup. – Joy Behar • It should be noted that children at play are not playing about; their games should be seen as their most serious-minded activity. – Michel de Montaigne • It’s been liberating to be able to play someone who’s a bada– or promiscuous, because that’s the opposite of who I am … It’s like a drug. – Jessica Alba • Its impossible to go onto the Tardis set and not play with things and fiddle with dials. – Jenna Coleman • It’s the faster bands that made me want to play guitar, bands like The Jam. – Graham Coxon • I’ve always been attracted to women who are assertive and have confidence – qualities older women possess. They’ve been on the Earth a little longer. They’re more seasoned. They don’t play games. They know what they want, and they’re not afraid to tell you. – Taye Diggs • I’ve always wanted to play a role in inspiring people to be better, to live higher quality lives and to feel good about the way that they look and feel. – Apolo Ohno • Jazz of the sort we play is a happy, extroverted music. You don’t have to think about it too much. – Chris Barber • Just play. Have fun. Enjoy the game. – Michael Jordan • Late in the third quarter the Cougars were behind 12-0. Duva had completed 5 out of 20 passes. Edwards looked at Gifford Nielsen. Giff had never done a thing, in practice or anywhere else, to give us confidence in him. . . . . . . the coach said later. He sent him into the game anyway. First play was a 19-yard completion. Second was a 6-yard run. He threw again on the third play to running back Dave Lowry who ran 37 yards for a touchdown. – LaVell Edwards • Learning is not child’s play; we cannot learn without pain. – Aristotle • Let’s not play games. I was suggesting – you’re absolutely right that John McCain has not talked about my Muslim faith. – Barack Obama • Life is a challenge, meet it! Life is a dream, realize it! Life is a game, play it! Life is love, enjoy it! – Sathya Sai Baba • Life is too short to play bad music – Bob Brozman • Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player, that struts and frets his hour upon the stage, and then is heard no more; it is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing. – William Shakespeare • Looking at the championship-winning quarterbacks, Edwards remembered their particular talents: Gary Sheide: The image of Joe Namath. He even had Joe’s number. Had just a great feel and touch for the game. A great athlete who could play all the sports. He was more of a streak guy than any of them. He could miss two or three passes and then get hot and hit ten straight. He was the one who got it all started. – LaVell Edwards • Love is a game that two can play and both win. – Eva Gabor • Mac Rebennack, better known as Dr. John, once told me that when a brass band plays at a small club back up in one of the neighborhoods, it’s as if the audience—dancing, singing to the refrains, laughing—is part of the band. – Tom Piazza • Man does not cease to play because he grows old, he grows old because he ceases to play. – Drew Lachey • Man is most nearly himself when he achieves the seriousness of a child at play. – Heraclitus • Man’s most serious activity is play. – George Santayana • Men should learn to live with the same seriousness with which children play. – Friedrich Nietzsche • My 10 year old son likes it. He’s trying to play guitar and everything. He likes that kind of music. – Merle Haggard • My acting’s very understated. I think my sad and happy don’t play that differently onscreen. – Bret McKenzie • My family was never cultural in that we never went to see plays, my mum wasn’t very into films. – Gemma Arterton • Nobody plays this life with marked cards, so sometimes we win and sometimes we lose. Do not expect anything in return, do not expect your efforts to be appreciated, your genius to be discovered, your love to be understood. – Paulo Coelho • Of course, money matters to everyone even if some don’t want to admit it. If I won the Race to Dubai, I look at that prize money and think it could pay off my new house or the range I’m building. I am privileged to play golf for a living – look around St Andrews, that’s my office. • One aspect of play is the importance of laughter, which has physiological and psychological benefits. Did you know that there are thousands of laughter clubs around the world? People get together and laugh for no reason at all! – Daniel H. Pink • One man in his time plays many parts. – William Shakespeare • One night I was in the players’ parking lot at the Fleet Center in my Celtics warm-ups about a half hour before a game, waiting for one of my dealers to come up from Fall River, because if I didn’t get my stuff I was too sick to even go through the pre-game layup line, never mind actually play in the game. – Chris Herren • One will only be free when one plays and one’s society will become a piece of art. – Herbert Marcuse • Paul Klee seems to handle colors and dreams as if they both came out of a box of children’s toys. He plays and dreams with whatever he finds. – Jean Helion • Play becomes joy, joy becomes work, work becomes play. – Johannes Itten • Play gives children a chance to practice what they are learning…They have to play with what they know to be true in order to find out more, and then they can use what they learn in new forms of play. – Fred Rogers • Play is a uniquely adaptive act, not subordinate to some other adaptive act, but with a special function of its own in human experience. – Johan Huizinga • Play is the exultation of the possible. – Martin Buber • Play is your route to mastery. – Sara Genn • Playful arising is authorized by both risk and trust in the process and in oneself. To be truly playful and improvisational one must not look for results. – Joshua L. Goldberg • Russia will occupy most of the good food lands of central Europe while we have the industrial portions. We must find some way of persuading Russia to play ball. – Henry L. Stimson • Self-interest speaks all manner of tongues and plays all manner of parts, even that of disinterestedness. – Francois de La Rochefoucauld • Sometimes you have to play a long time to be able to play like yourself. – Miles Davis • Sound is not simply what we hear or play, but equally a feeling in the body – Howard Snell • Surely all God’s people, however serious or savage, great or small, like to play. – John Muir • That’s what I love about acting, you get to find little pieces of yourself in every character you play. – Julianna Margulies • The artist must ever play and experiment with new means of arranging experience, even though the majority of his audience may prefer to remain fixed in their old perceptual attitudes. – Marshall McLuhan • The beauty of playing together is meeting in the One. – Stephen Nachmanovitch • The cherished dream of every chessplayer is to play a match with the World Champion. But here is the paradox: the closer you come to the realization of this goal, the less you think about it. – Mikhail Tal • The creation of something new is not accomplished by the intellect but by the play instinct acting from inner necessity. The creative mind plays with the objects it loves. – Carl Jung • The creative mind plays with the object it loves. – Carl Jung • The creative writer does the same as the child at play; he creates a world of fantasy which he takes very seriously. – Sigmund Freud • The debt we owe to the play of imagination is incalculable. – Carl Jung • The Eeyore Educational System sees childhood as a waste of time, a luxury that society cannot afford . . . Put children in school at the earliest age possible; load them down with homework; take away their time, their creativity, their play, their power; then plug them into machines. • The Holy Spirit, in the variety of his gifts, unites us and enables us to contribute to the building up of the Church in holiness. In this great work, each of us has a part to play; each of us, as a “living stone”, is needed for the growth and the beauty of God’s holy temple. Let us ask the Lord to help us to take an ever more active part in the Church’s life and mission, guided by the Holy Spirit and with Jesus as our cornerstone. – Pope Francis • The master in the art of living makes little distinction between his work and his play, his labor and his leisure, his mind and his body, his information and his recreation, his love and his religion. He hardly knows which is which. He simply pursues his vision of excellence at whatever he does, leaving others to decide whether he is working or playing. To him he’s always doing both. – James A. Michener • The only time it dominates is during a solo, or when we play a low blues and I put figures in behind Eric’s vocals. There’s never any real problem fitting guitar and organ together. – Alan Price • The opposite of play is not work. It’s depression. – Brian Sutton-Smith • The playing adult steps sideward into another reality; the playing child advances forward to new stages of mastery. – Erik Erikson • The Play’s the Thing, wherein I’ll catch the conscience of the King. – William Shakespeare • The play’s the thing. – William Shakespeare • The quality of a play is the quality of its ideas. – George Bernard Shaw • The spirit of playful competition is, as a social impulse, older than culture itself and pervades all life like a veritable ferment. Ritual grew up in sacred play; poetry was born in play and nourished on play; music and dancing were pure play….We have to conclude, therefore, that civilization is, in its earliest phases, played. It does not come from play…it arises in and as play, and never leaves it. – Johan Huizinga • The sun did not shine. It was too wet to play. So we sat in the house. All that cold, cold, wet day. – Dr. Seuss • The supreme accomplishment is to blur the line between work and play. – Arnold J. Toynbee • The true man wants two things: danger and play. For that reason he wants woman, as the most dangerous plaything. – Friedrich Nietzsche • The true object of all human life is play. Earth is a task garden; heaven is a playground. – Gilbert K. Chesterton • The very essence of playfulness is an openness to anything that may happen, the feeling that whatever happens, it’s okay… you’re either free to play, or you’re not. – John Cleese • The world is open for play, that everything and everybody is mockable, in a wonderful way. – Robin Williams • There are children playing in the streets who could solve some of my top problems in physics, because they have modes of sensory perception that I lost long ago. – J. Robert Oppenheimer • There are times when I love to play all kinds of complicated games in painting. But this is one case when I need to be fairly straightforward. I’ll just try to paint the man, his intelligence, his amiability and his stature, maybe paint him fairly close to humor and try to get it just right. – Nelson Shanks • There is for many a poverty of play. – Donald Woods Winnicott • There is something about seeing real people on a stage that makes a bad play more intimately, more personally offensive than any other art form. – Anatole Broyard • There is work that is work and there is play that is play; there is play that is work and work that is play. And in only one of these lies happiness. – Gelett Burgess • There’s such a sense of theatre in getting glammed up; it’s like putting on a play or short film. – Felicity Jones • There’s that thing that can happen to you when you meet somebody and you don’t consider them extraordinary at all and then they do something like play the cello or write amazing poetry or sing and suddenly you look at them completely differently. – Yvonne Prinz • There’s very little to be said for learning a piece note by note, reading the rhythmic markings, practising the fingerings and following your instructor’s suggestions, if you haven’t any idea how the music will eventually sound and feel. If you learn a piece mechanically, you may have to ‘unlearn’ it before you can play it with expression and feeling. – Barry Green • They said I couldn’t play anything but an English boy. I knew I could. So I went to New York. – Roddy McDowall • This is the real secret of life — to be completely engaged with what you are doing in the here and now. And instead of calling it work, realize it is play. – Alan Watts • Those who’ll play with cats must expect to be scratched. – Miguel de Cervantes • To learn to play seriously is one of the great secrets of spiritual exploration. – Rachel Pollack • To start your life as a character of 120 years when you are in your late thirties, and then go back in time about 20 years later to play the same character who is your own age then, its very complicated, but very interesting. – Ian McDiarmid • To stimulate creativity one must develop childlike inclination for play and the childlike desire for recognition. – Albert Einstein • To truly laugh, you must be able to take your pain, and play with it! – Charlie Chaplin • Tony Vigorito has grown a cult following of thousands for one reason – his stuff is fun to read… It’s… filled with the freshness and the freewheeling independence that made his reputation… This book is the ‘work’ of one of the least pretentious and most enjoyable to read novelists at play in America today. – Kris Saknussemm • Usually most characters I play are quite realistic. – Virginie Ledoyen • Very often the effort men put into activities that seem completely useless turns out to be extremely important in ways no one could foresee. Play has always been the mainspring of culture. – Italo Calvino • We are never more fully alive, more completely ourselves, or more deeply engrossed in anything than when we are playing – Charles E. Schaefer • We can’t all be Einstein (because we don’t all play the violin). At the very least, we need a sort of street-smart science: the ability to recognize evidence, gather it, assess it, and act on it. – Judith Stone • We could play them through the week, and then the weekend we could play the black joints. I learned to be very versatile and learned to love it. So it stays with me even up to now. – Little Milton • We don’t play slow and we don’t play fast, we play half fast – Louis Armstrong • We don’t stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing. – George Bernard Shaw • We learned about honesty and integrity – that the truth matters… that you don’t take shortcuts or play by your own set of rules… and success doesn’t count unless you earn it fair and square. – Michelle Obama • We live in a world of entertainment in full color with a lot of fast action, a world in which many children grow up thinking that if it isn’t fun, it is boring and not worthwhile. Even in family activities we need to strike a balance between play and work. – Joe J. Christensen • We often say that psi is like musical ability: it is widely distributed in the populate, and everyone has some ability and can participate to some extent – in the same way that the most nonmusical person can learn to play a little Mozart on the piano. On the other hand, there is no substitute for innate talent, and there is no substitute for practice. – Russell Targ • We tend to think of the Faustian man, the one who fabricates, manipulates, seduces and ends up destroying. But the new image will be man the creator, the artist, the player. – Jean Houston • Well, I am very happy that I was able to play a part in bringing music from the streets onto the radio and into modern culture, I worked very hard and always believed in the sounds I was creating. – Ice T • Well, I play Jews and parrots. Parrots are how I’ve branched out. – Gilbert Gottfried • Well, it’s a marvelous night for a Moondance With the stars up above in your eyes… And I’m trying to please to the calling Of your heart-strings that they play soft and low And all the night’s magic seems to whisper and hush And all the soft moonlight seems to shine in your blush… One more Moondance with you in the moonlight On a magic night – Van Morrison • What if not just women, but both men and women, worked smart, more flexible schedules? What if the workplace itself was more fluid than the rigid and narrow ladder to success of the ideal worker? And what if both men and women became responsible for raising children and managing the home, sharing work, love, and play? Could everyone then live whole lives? – Brigid Schulte What we play is life. – Louis Armstrong • When I play from my mind I get in trouble. – Stevie Ray Vaughan • When I started off many years ago, I made a determination that there were certain roles I didn’t want to play. – Joe Morton • When I tour I’m going to countries to play music for people. My presence in a country is not an endorsement or a condemnation of that country’s policies. My presence in a country is an effort to connect with people through playing music. – Moby • When the band plays fast, you play slow; when the band plays slow, you play fast. – Miles Davis • When you play a match, it is statistically proven that players actually have the ball 3 minutes on average … So, the most important thing is: what do you do during those 87 minutes when you do not have the ball. That is what determines wether you’re a good player or not. – Johan Cruijff • When you play, play hard; when you work, don’t play at all. – Theodore Roosevelt • Whoever wants to understand much must play much. – Gottfried Benn • With passion pray. With passion make love. With passion eat and drink and dance and play. Why look like a dead fish in this ocean of God? – Rumi • Without this playing with fantasy no creative work has ever yet come to birth. The debt we owe to the play of the imagination is incalculable. – Carl Jung • Work and play are words used to describe the same thing under differing conditions. – Mark Twain • Work consists of whatever a body is obliged to do. Play consists of whatever a body is not obliged to do. – Mark Twain • Working with Sturges was like working with a guy who wanted to have a party all the time. He was very serious about his work, but in between shots, he was fun and we would play games. – Eddie Bracken • You have to know 400 notes that you can play, then pick the right four. – Miles Davis • You have to learn the rules of the game. And then you have to play better than anyone else. – Albert Einstein • You play to win, to get that World Series ring, All-Star games and whatever comes with it. – Nick Johnson • Your government has problems…my government has problems. I can’t be a judge. All I can do is be an ambassador of love. I’m a musician, not a soldier, and if I’m invited to a place in order to play and bring love, I’ll always accept the invitation. – Meshell Ndegeocello • Your money is like your willy, it only grows if you play with it – Len Goodman • You’ve achieved success in your field when you don’t know whether what you’re doing is work or play. – Warren Beatty

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[junker-town]

What if NBA teams got to add one Disney character to their roster?

We drafted a Disney character for each NBA team in the bubble.

The NBA is officially in the bubble on Disney World propery, getting ready for the return of the league on July 30th. In honor of this rare situation and the option of teams adding replacement players, we decided to take time to have some fun and see what it would be like if NBA teams could draft a Disney character for their team to use on the court. This is serious stuff!

The draft order was randomly selected and the only rule was that teams must choose an original Disney character, not franchise characters from Star Wars or Marvel. So we gathered our NBA writers that have respective teams in the bubble together and held a Disney character draft.

Here are the very important results:

1. Milwaukee Bucks - Robin Hood

Not only can he serve as a primary floor general, controlling his on-court compatriots with leadership skills sharpened on commanding a forest of misfits to upend the ruling class. He’ll run point, and there won’t be any questions about his ability to nail shots from deep, whether he’s slinking around picks like he’s climbing trees in a forest or just pulling up from the halfcourt logo before defenses know what hit him. Should Eric Bledsoe falter at all in the postseason, Bud has a tried and true replacement for him. I’d even venture to guess Hood may get the call sooner rather than later in the starting lineup.

- Adam Paris, BrewHoop (Read the full breakdown here)

2. Houston Rockets - Jiminy Cricket

If you thought the Rockets were small before, wait till you get a look at their newest addition. Doubling down on #PocketRockets, Houston not only added the smallest player in the draft but also one of the most dynamic. Crickets can jump over 50 times their body length, making them one of the animals kingdom’s most prolific leapers. The lob game that left James Harden when Clint Capela was traded just might return with this draft pick.

In addition, Jiminy has one of the highest basketball IQs in this draft class. Being that he’s actually just the embodiment of a conscience, he always knows the right decision to make on the court.

- Darren Yuvan, The Dream Shake (Read the full breakdown here)

3. New Orleans Pelicans - Simba

While Jrue Holiday, Derrick Favors and JJ Redick are a nice collection of veterans, none have an NBA championship ring sitting at home. In addition, the upcoming slate of contests will present an unprecedented challenge. There will be no crowds to create much needed momentum for players. The basketball courts at ESPN’s Wide World of Sports Complex will be unfamiliar terrain. And as we’ve learned in recent days, the Pelicans will be without at least two key figures (Jeff Bzdelik and Jamelle McMillan) on Alvin Gentry’s coaching staff.

- Oleh Kosel, The Bird Writes (Read the full breakdown here)

4. Utah Jazz - Maui

Maui? Are you kidding me? A shapeshifter fell this far? The Utah Jazz select Maui, Demi-God of the Wind and Sea, Hero of Men, and stretch four of Quin Snyder’s dreams.

Need someone to guard the perimeter? Boom. Shapeshift. Need switch onto a wing? Boom. Shapeshift. Need someone to take over in the paint? Boom. Shapeshift. AGAIN. This guy is the total package and sure to be a hit knowing Utah’s connection with the Polynesian islands.

- Mychal Lowman, SLC Dunk (Read the full breakdown here)

5. Miami Heat - The Beast

His enormous ultra-athletic frame alone would be an intimidating presence in the paint, freeing up the Heat’s shooters on one end of the floor while also racking up blocks and rebounds on the other side. Whether he’s paired alongside Bam Adebayo to form a truly fearsome duo or in relief off the bench to boost the second unit, it’s a good problem to have for Erik Spoelstra and his coaching staff to see where he best fits before the games start up.

- Surya Fernandez, Hot Hot Hoops (Read the full breakdown here)

6. Washington Wizards - Mickey Mouse

This team is in desperate need of a sorcerer heading into Florida as the “cupcake” team of the field — Who else can be better than the OG of OG’s? Mickey by himself is a jack of all trades, like Bradley Beal is as a guard for Washington. Mickey can do everything on the court pretty well against smaller players. But I get it. He’s a mouse. That’s when his sorcerer hat (from Fantasia) comes in. Here, he can magically help his teammates in the post in the form of giving them a skill boost, or maybe he can magically grow himself!

- Albert Lee, Bullets Forever (Read the full breakdown here)

7. Los Angeles Lakers - The Genie

Genie is the perfect pick for the Lakers at No. 4, because he is one of the most versatile players in this draft. With the ability to change size at will and stretch and teleport himself all over the court, Genie is exactly the type of versatile contributor that will allow the Lakers to make up for any loss with his ability to play any position. Honestly, given the scope of his powers and abilities, the Lakers may have just created an unstoppable big three.

- Harrison Faigen, Silver Screen & Roll (Read the full breakdown here)

8. Sacramento Kings - Hercules

Upon arrival, Hercules is expected to start alongside De’Aaron Fox, Bogdan Bogdanovic, Harrison Barnes and Richaun Holmes. Standing at 6’5”, Hercules, or “Herc,” is probably better suited to play the 1 or 2, but he has the strength to play the 3, 4 or 5, similar to Zion Williamson.

In addition to Hercules, the Kings are working to bring Hercules’ personal trainer Philocetes, or “Phil,” onto their training staff, according to a league source. Hercules credits Phil for all of his success to date, and the Kings could always use a player development coach.

- Christian Rivas, Sactown Royalty (Read the full breakdown here)

9. Phoenix Suns - Tarzan

The strategy was simple: we needed to replace the services of Kelly Oubre, Jr.

He’s quick. He’s agile. He has a killer wingspan. He adds toughness and a mean streak to the Suns roster. He’s high-flying and strong as hell. He hangs out with apes, so you know he and the Suns Gorilla would get along splendidly. Tarzan is made for the NBA. He is a steal at #9.

- John Voita, Bright Side of the Sun (Read the full breakdown here)

10. Brooklyn Nets - Moana

Yeah, the Nets need help. Lots of help. Especially when it comes to bigs. Soooo, I went and drafted the Nets the biggest Disney character I could: Moana. The biggest, you say? Yeah, the biggest. According to Google, Moana measures at 7-feet, 6-inches tall. Say it again. 7-feet, 6-inches tall. And, with speed.

- Tom Lorezno, Nets Daily (Read the full breakdown here)

11. OKC Thunder - James P. Sullivan (Sully)

James P. Sullivan would be the perfect addition to an already-stacked Oklahoma City Thunder team because the man is scary with a sweet soul that could light up any defense. Also, watching him throw alley-oops would be fun to watch.

Sullivan is also 7’6, which in NBA terms is huge to have on a team. He could block a lot of baskets and throw the basketball down the court with ease and could easily score on everyone without much effort.

Sullivan would fit perfectly in with the Thunder because he has a laid-back attitude and I could definitely see Steven Adams and him being best of friends and scaring other teammates with each other.

- Sarah Dewberry, Welcome To Loud City (Read the full breakdown here)

12. Orlando Magic - Peter Pan

As the proven leader of the Lost Boys, Peter Pan also gives the Magic’s young core some valuable leadership they’ll need while transforming into a contending team. And just think of what some of Peter’s Pixie Dust could do for the Magic’s crucial but plodding players like Nikola Vucevic and Evan Fournier.

- Mike Cali, Orlando Pinstriped Post (Read the full breakdown here)

13. San Antonio Spurs - EVE (a.k.a. Eva)

What Disney character better to represent Pop’s crew than EVE, the Extraterrestrial Vegetation Evaluator that wins the heart of the titular WAL-E?

EVE goes about her business with a calm, seemingly detached efficiency that belied the passion inside, but when the moment was big enough, was able to cut loose. EVE wreaked havoc on an abandoned shipyard in her frustration. EVE rebuilt WAL-E and sparked him back to life.

- Pounding The Rock

14. Toronto Raptors - Alice (Alice in Wonderland)

The on court stuff is obvious. Girl has magic mushrooms, given to her by her chain smoking caterpillar bud, that help her grow quite tall, which seems useful for basketball to me. With Marc Gasol deep in the throws of his mid-thirties and Chris Boucher being more of an erratic four than a steady back-up five, post-shrooms Alice fits as a rim protecting reserve who can give you 10 minutes, even while rocking dress flats. A 2019 Sixers team with such a reliable back-up may have beaten the Raptors in round two.

- Sean Woodley, Raptors HQ (Read the full breakdown here)

15. Los Angeles Clippers - Elastigirl

Elastigirl truly has no ego and is exactly the kind of hero who can easily slot in with an established team. She comes from a family of superheroes, so she is used to working together instead of going rogue. Elastigirl is willing to let others shine, which she does with Mr. Incredible, but she also has the capacity to take a leading role, like when she battles the Screenslaver. She has an acute understanding of how best to optimize the talents of others and bring our their peak performances, which Violet would surely attest to. A player who is comfortable sitting on the bench but always stays ready — after literally years of inaction, in one instance — is a crucial piece of a championship team.

- Sabreena Merchant, Clips Nation (Read the full breakdown here)

16. Denver Nuggets- Mr. Incredible

Mr. Incredible may have some selfish tendencies at times, but he’s at his best when he’s working within a team concept. Nikola Jokic is the brains behind the operation while Jamal Murray is often the tip of the spear. Sometimes you need a hammer though, and that’s what Mr. Incredible provides the rotation: brute force power and athleticism.

- Ryan Blackburn, Denver Stiffs (Read the full breakdown here)

17. Portland Trailblazers - Mufasa

Mufasa is clearly the most NBA-ready character in this draft class. We anticipate he’ll be able to lift teammates to new heights with his fantastic physique and off-the-charts leadership skills. Once he gets his footing, he’ll be a fantastic voice in the locker room. We suspect he dropped so low because he’s a bit shaky running the break and makes questionable decisions in traffic, but with help from the coaching staff, he should develop those skills as his career progresses. At the end of the day, we feel quite confident that we got the steal of the draft.

- Dave Deckard, Blazer’s Edge (Read the full breakdown here)

18. Memphis Grizzlies - Elsa

On the floor, Elsa ices out everything around her. She can be a lockdown defender, freezing ball handlers (literally) while creating opportunities in transition for a Grizzlies team that wants to run. As a help defender, she can assist players like Jonas Valanciunas who may struggle with stretch fives by not allowing those bigs to get to their spots on the pick and pop. She has ice in her veins and will not allow for any proverbial storm raging around the Grizzlies to impact them.

- Joe Mullinax, Grizzly Bear Blues (Read the full breakdown here)

19. Philadelphia 76ers - Air Bud

he Philadelphia 76ers go a bit unconventional here selecting a dog who can not talk, does not have superpowers, and is not an animation, like the other players selected in this draft. However, Air Bud has one thing that I’ve yet to see from any other prospect: game film.

A golden retriever with two-way ability, Air Bud gives Philly a wing who can hound opposing ball-handlers on defense and provide some much needed energy on the offensive end. He also figures to serve as quite a fine complement to Ben Simmons in the transition game.

- Kevin F. Love, Liberty Ballers (Read the full breakdown here)

20. Boston Celtics - Yen Sid

Remember in the movie Fantasia? Mickey is a sorcerer’s apprentice and gets into all kinds of hijinks when he borrows the wizard’s magic hat? Yen Sid is the wizard. So why him and not some more popular figure? Well, like any good drafter I did my research.

There are few Disney characters out there with the magical powers of this wizard. In fact, based on a thorough internet search of about 5 minutes, I concluded that Yen Sid is right up there with the Genie and Maleficent as the most powerful characters in the Disney cannon.

- Jeff Clark, Celtics Blog (Read the full breakdown here)

21. Dallas Mavericks - Kronk

That’s right, Kronk, from the criminally underrated film, the Emperor’s New Groove.

Why Kronk you ask? Well, for one, the Mavericks could use some size. With Willie Cauley-Stein opting out of Orlando for personal reasons, Dallas has a thin front court. Though he should be considered an emergency option in Orlando, Dallas needs a banger, a guy who will play hard and do the dirty work and not need recognition and the spotlight.

- Kirk Henderson, Mavs Moneyball (Read the full breakdown here)

22. Indiana Pacers - Trusty (Lady and the Tramp)

Though he may be getting up there in years and doesn’t boast superhuman strength like Hercules, the dead-eye shooting of Robin Hood, or Maui’s thicc frame, Trusty arguably best reflects the three —admittedly, somewhat corny — tenets of Indiana’s culture: toughness, togetherness, and...wait for it..trust. I mean, c’mon, it’s right there in his name.

- Cailtin Cooper, Indy Cornrows (Read the full breakdown here)

[powerranks]

Power Rankings: Week 1 Playoffs Edition

To you esteemed gentlemen who made it this far, I applaud you. We fuckin did it! Time for all the stress, hours of research, agony, and heartbreak to come to fruition. I think we can safely say that the best six teams made it, and I’m glad we locked this up one week in advance. 

I’m gonna do a power rankings of the six playoff teams, then give a little bit of insight into both matchups for the first week of the playoffs.

Bye Week Tier

1. Fournette About It (Jack “holy shit you’re lucky you’re on bye” Cleek) (11-2) 

You probably still would’ve won but WOW you have awful matchups up and down the board this week. I’m not sure what else there is to write about your team at this point. it’s either gonna take injury or ridiculous circumstance to beat you. When Kyle Rudolph is by FAR and away the worst player on your starting lineup, things can’t be going bad. It’ll be interesting to see who you end up playing next week, because it totally flips and you have incredible matchups.

2. Scott’s Balls (Anthony “Marvin Jones can put up 35+ in the title game against me, he still sucks and isn’t fantasy relevant” Mendola) (11-2)

I took a look at your past few weeks, your players have been remarkably consistent at scoring touchdowns. You’ve had three non passing touchdowns every week going back to week 8. My only concern with your team is that you finally get a week in which you don’t get those additional 18+ points. Everyone’s had a no touchdown week, is it regression to the mean time for you?

Aside from that I think you have favorable week 15 matchups and while you’re clearly the second best team, you’re closer to Jack than most people give you credit for. I’d almost rather play Jack because your ceiling is higher because of the touchdowns.

The Legitimate Contenders Tier

3. Perriman4MVP (Alex “you’re literally only alive because of the Scott trade and I’m still SO upset and now the scott trade is directly fucking me in the playoffs” Ahn) (8-5)

I’ve been low on your team for quite some time but it’s been a sustained run of good scores for you and I can’t keep sleeping on you. I still legitimately believe some of the Ravens stuff is ridiculous and unsustainable, but it’s gotten you here and you come into the playoffs off of your highest week all year. You’re in a good spot, you have decent matchups, and now you have Mike Evans, who has been disappointing but presents massive upside against a decent matchup. Good luck this week buddy.

4. Green Evans and Kam (Beshoy “you and alex made me have to refuckin write this because of your trade you stupid assholes” Halim) (7-6) 

Last minute trade!!! A win now move by Beshoy bumps you up to here. As much as it pains me to say that Alfred Morris was the one bullet you got for AARON CHARLES RODGERS and MIKE EVANS, it was a legitimate move since you weren’t starting either anyways. (This is one of those trades we’re going to look back on with zero context and laugh at like we did in Anthony’s the other day btw) I’m terrified of Mike Evans, but there’s no denying that he’s been disappointing. I think this hurts you going forward, but for this particular week it helps you beat Alec. Kamara getting hurt was the worst case scenario, but you can spin it and look at it in the sense that Kamara at least got you three, and Lutz had a bad game. Kamara needs you this week Beshoy, step your game up and fucking do it for him.

5. Mixon It Up (Alec “sneakily, GM of the year” Bernstein) (7-6)

I’ve bumped you down a bit this week because Mixon was just starting to get consistent and I’d feel a lot better about flexing him and not having to start one of the three receivers you’re throwing out there. I’m also bumping you down a little bit because a 97 point floor is cool in the regular season, but it isn’t beating ANYONE’s good day. I still think you might tortoise your way into a ring, but the playoffs are where low scoring teams get exposed. Speaking of low scoring teams...

The I’m Just Happy To Be Here Tier

6. Scott’s Penis (David “tank hard for bernard” Chinchilla) (6-7)

It’s not a reverse jynx I swear, in fact I think I have a decent chance of beating Alex. However my team is trash, scored less than 90 points a week this year and just happened to pick up some timely wins. I’m heading into playoffs on a two game hot streak but it’s been on the back of defensive touchdowns (fluky, can’t depend on them) and Keenan Allen going absolutely buckwild. I think a first round exit is likely, but if I make the second round I’ll be getting SPANKED by the bye week bois. I’m just here for the ride and hope I get hot like 2013 Flacco baby

MATCHUPS

Okay so how this will work: I’ll write up something brief about your QB’s, something briefer about your skill guys, and something even briefer about your defense/kicker with my personal projections for each individual player. At the end, I’ll have a prediction based on my own projections. 

Perriman4MVP Vs. Scott’s Penis

QB Analysis:

David: Alex Smith Vs. Oakland

Let’s face it, Oakland is fucking trash at playing defense, but somehow fantasy QB’s haven’t done a whole hell of a lot of damage against them. I can’t really point my finger as to why, especially since they only have one interception all year and it was off a fluke deflection against Paxton Lynch. Matt Nagy took over play calling duties for the Chiefs last game and they nutted creamy baby juice all over the above average Jets D, so there’s no reason for Smith to not have a good game right? Wrong. Against the Giants (the actual best possible QB matchup) in week 11, Smith put up a total dud. I’m tempering expectations while knowing the upside is there. Projected Points: 18.8

Alex: Jimmy Garoppolo Vs. Houston

Would you look at that, the Niners look like they got a good QB. Garoppolo looked really impressive against an above average Bears D and should only improve and get more comfortable with Kyle Shanahan’s offense. Houston can’t defend the pass at all, but the only thing making me think Jimmy might not have a good game is the fact that his weapons are so limited. I’d love to see what this offense would’ve looked like with Garcon out there, because as cool as Marquis Goodwin might be, he’s the talent equivalent of Taylor Gabriel. Aldrick Robinson and Louis Murphy aren’t likely going to be making huge plays for him out there. I think he has a good game, but I wouldn’t be surprised if the lack of consistent weapons makes it tough for him. Projected Points: 16.3

RB Analysis:

David: McCoy vs. Indy /Hyde @ Hou/ Nard Dog Vs. Chi

McCoy: The Bills just keep finding ways to fuck me. First it was the Benjamin trade, and now it’s starting Nathan Fucking Peterman to turn an amazing Shady matchup into just a decent one against a stacked box. Indy sucks anal beads on defense, so Shady could still break off a few runs but I was HYPED for this before they announced Peterman. Proj: 11.4

Hyde: Houston’s a tougher run defense than I think anyone gives them credit for, and Breida’s role increases by the week, so I really think Hyde has a down week this week. I just can’t sit the guy’s guaranteed 20 touches. Proj: 7.5

Nard Dog: Bernard looked really good after Mixon left last week with a concussion, and with no other healthy RB on the roster, his role should expand greatly this week. Chicago is TOUGH against the run, but his receiving ability should give him a nice floor. Proj: 10.8

Alex: Murray @ CAR / Collins @ PIT

Murray: First real tough run defense since Murray took over a starring role in the Vikings backfield. We’ll see if he can keep it up against Luke Kuechly & crew, but the floor is going to be SO nice with the amount of touches he gets and the goal line work. Proj: 9.5

Collins: Obviously nobody ever wants to see a player get hurt and I know this isn’t something to be happy about, but Shazier being out really makes this matchup a lot better for Collins. This rivalry game is always super ugly, but I think Collins manages to get out of there with a TD. Proj: 10.1

WR Analysis:

David: Gordon Vs. GB / Allen Vs. Was

Gordon: If I win, it will most likely be because Gordon had a good game against Packers defense that High School Me could’ve had 100 yards against. If Kizer doesn’t get my guy the ball, he should face the electric chair. Proj: 14

Allen: I’m forever indebted to this dude for carrying my ass here. I even feel bad for throwing him into trade packages that involved me getting like Stefon Diggs back as the main piece. Ugh. Allen does most of his work in the slot, making me think Josh Norman won’t be on him 100 percent of the time. Hopefully he keeps up even 50% of what he’s been the past few weeks. Proj: 13

Alex: Tyreek @ OAK / M. Thomas @ ATL / M. Evans Vs. Det

Tyreek: Terrified. Honestly terrified. Oakland has nobody who can run with him and Alex Smith just heaves it to him a few times a game. Think he has a second consecutive big game. Proj: 16

Thomas: Honestly looked incredible against Atlanta. Made huge contested catches and really showed what he could’ve been if the Saints didn’t turn into a ground and pound offense. Got 17.7

Evans: The wild card. I’ll be honest, I’d rather have played Morris personally because Darius Slay has murdered #1 wideouts (only Jalen Ramsey, Aqib Talib & Jimmy Smith have been better) but he’s still Mike god damn Evans. Wouldn’t be surprised to at least see him have a decent game, but I think he continues his mediocre streak. Proj: 6.5

TE Analysis:

David: Brate Vs. Det

Don’t feel good about starting him. Incredibly TD dependent, but Detroit is 31st in DVOA against tight ends, Jameis LOVES him in the RZ, and Jameis doesn’t seem to look OJ Howard’s way as much as Fitz did. Proj: 9.1

Alex: Kelce Vs. Oak

#1 Tight end Vs. a team that can’t defend them and a new coordinator who will get him the ball down the field more often. Can’t be more scared. Proj: 13.5

K/Def Analysis

David: Zuerlein Vs. Phi / NE @ MIA

Zuerlein: Truly has been like having a second QB on my team. I might love him more than Keenan Allen. However, his only bad games came against teams with good defenses, and Philly is definitely a good defense. I’d be an idiot to not start the dude, but I could easily see the Rams end up with 21 points and him not kick any non PATs. Proj: 8

Patriots: Patriots always have trouble @ Miami, but how can I pass up the chance to start a defense against Jay Cutler? I’ve started a defense against Miami for three straight weeks now with wild success rates and I feel pretty good about this one too. Proj: 12

Alex: Tucker @ Pit / Ravens @ Pit

Tucker: Heinz is historically a difficult place to kick, but Tucker is a fucking G and should thrive anyways in a game that should be low scoring. Wouldn’t be surprised if he had three attempts over 50 yards. Proj: 12

Ravens: Losing Jimmy Smith the week you play AB isn’t good, but the Steelers won’t have JuJu. Could totally go either way, again usually this game is low scoring but the Steelers have way too much offensive talent for me to think the Ravens have a massive defensive game. Proj: 8

Final Prediction: 

David 104.6 - Alex 109.6

Mixon It Up Vs. Green Evans and Kam

QB Analysis

Beshoy: Philip Rivers Vs. WAS

The mastermind behind a passing game that’s trending ALL the way up, Rivers should stay hot against a middle of the road Redskins D. I think the Chargers have finally realized that Hunter Henry and Keenan Allen should get the majority of the targets and things will work themselves out. The only thing that worries me is that Rivers is a gunslinger and it’s been three weeks without an interception for the guy and that’s unlike him. Washington isn’t the defense to force him into a bad game, but I wouldn’t be surprised if he threw one this week. Despite that, I’d start the guy with total confidence. Proj: 20.3

Alec: Russell Wilson @ JAX

#1 Fantasy QB against the #1 Defense in the league. Should be interesting. Wilson has been out of his mind this year, but it’s gonna be really really hard for him to mask his line’s deficiencies against a defense that’s so fucking stacked. My projection is still going to be absurdly high considering who he’s playing, but I’m sure he’ll pull some Russ shit out of his ass and drop 24 somehow. Proj: 21

RB Analysis

Beshoy: Gordon Vs. WAS / Kamara @ ATL / Morris @ NYG

Gordon: Ekeler is clearly better than this dude, it’s honestly a Ingram/Kamara or Hyde/Breida situation. The only thing keeping Gordon afloat is guaranteed touches, and I like his goal line chances against a middle of the road Redskins D. Proj: 11.5

Kamara: I feel terrible for the dude and you by association. Such a bummer but you have no choice but to go make it up. Got 2.7

Morris: Amazing matchup, gave up a king’s ransom for him, needs to do well. Only concern is that the Cowboys have run so hot and hold, divisional games are always a concern, and the Giants may play with the interim coach boost... Proj 13 

Alec: L. Miller Vs. SF / Burkhead @ MIA

Miller: Ultra consistent, almost boringly consistent and hasn’t slowed down since the Watson injury. He hasn’t been able to super exploit some good matchups so I doubt he goes off here either. Proj: 9.7

Burkhead: It’s unbelievable how the Patriots seem to only let the white dudes get the touchdowns. Lewis does literally all of the work for Burkhead to come in and score. Miami is a good matchup for him, I think he continues to have good games. Proj: 14

WR Analysis

Beshoy: A. Green Vs. Chi / Hopkins Vs. SF

Green: Has been excellent since you got him. Scoring a lot recently and the Bears are a better run D than they are a pass D. Think he has a huge game for you. Proj: 16

Hopkins: Target monster. The Lamar Miller of WR’s because of that target share. Should keep on keeping on his usual 12 even against a decent SF pass defense. Proj: 12.5

Alec: Thielen @ CAR / D. Adams @ CLE / M. Lee Vs. SEA

Thielen: One of, if not THE feel good story of the season at the WR spot. Has fallen off a bit recently because of some tough matchups and I think the downward slide continues for another week. Carolina isn’t a phenomenal pass D, but Keenum has been a better IRL QB than he’s been a fantasy QB recently, and Thielen’s numbers have fallen a bit because of it. Proj: 8.8

Adams: Hundley’s #1. Fell off last week amid a dreadful offensive performance against a bad defense. Hundley seems to trade off horrible games with ones that are passable for his receivers numbers-wise. Should have a bounceback game but I’m not expecting anything crazy, even against Cleveland. Proj: 8.9

M. Lee: My personal random dude who I think is going to do really well this weekend. Seattle has no corners left and Bortles has low key been okay the past three weeks. Would not surprise me at all to see 100 yards and a touchdown. Proj: 13

TE Analysis

Beshoy: Henngod Vs. WAS

He’s two years into his career and I honestly think he’s gonna be one of my favorite players for the next decade. So fun to watch and he clearly already has a really good rapport with Rivers. The second half of this season has seemed to officially be the passing of the torch from Gates and I think he gets his usual 8-9 targets. Proj: 8.5

Alec: Graham @ JAX

Russell loves him in the red zone, and for good reason. The dude is huge and can box anyone out. This week he has a really tough matchup and he does kind of seem to get taken out of games by teams who can match his physicality and I could see that happening. I think his TD streak might end this week but you never know. Proj: 10.5

K/DEF Analysis

Beshoy: Prater @ TB / JAX Vs. SEA

Prater: Last week was a blip in the radar, dude will be fine. Detroit should move the ball relatively easily against Tampa. Proj: 12

Jags D: They won’t be sacking Wilson too many times, and Wilson takes care of the ball. Horrendous matchup but I wouldn’t sit them, they’ve been un fucking believable this year. Proj: 7

Alec: Lutz @ ATL / Min @ CAR

Lutz: Meh game. Saints O clearly affected by not having Kamara. Got 5

Vikes D: Interesting choice. Carolina runs hot and cold more than any team in the league on offense, you’re just hoping you chose the right side of the coin. It’s a talented unit, but it hasn’t translated into a good fantasy year. Proj: 11

Final Prediction:

Beshoy 103.5 - Alec 101.9

[elites-hq]

stacie evans. ● sophomore. ( 16. ) ● bisexual. ● fc: annasophia robb. ● taken.

❝  Little S is just enamored with the Upper East Side. Home life in a shabby Brooklyn apartment is a little too quaint for the handmaiden to Rachel and Kurt. Stacie yearns to get a seat on the steps of the Met, so she’s been trying to hide her scholarship roots and non-designer clothing items. But the role of minion isn’t exactly sunshine and rainbows, and Little S has yet to learn that Queendom doesn’t come cheap.  ❞

expanded bio:

Unlike most of her peers, Stacie Grace Evans wasn’t born into the glamorous world that was the Upper East Side. Her family didn’t come from great wealth and held no power or notable position. Her dad was a former musician who was in a band most people never heard of and her mom was a struggling artist. Then there was her and her brother, Sam, who were both nothing really too special. They were just a small family living in Brooklyn and even though they didn’t have a luxurious life, they always knew they had each other to lean on. She always had someone to come home to and her family always had dinner together.

Stacie knew that they did didn’t have much and while money was tight, she felt lucky that she lived in such an amazing city like New York. The summers were always buzzing and the winters were always magical. She also loved how she could walk through the city and find people from all walks of life and see the beautiful clothes hanging on display in the fashion district of the city. Even if she couldn’t afford them she always greatly admired them for their color and design. She remembers as a child asking her mother if she could get one of Paolo Sebastian’s dresses for her birthday. Of course, that was way beyond their parent’s budget but also remembers how hard her mom worked to try recreating the dress. It wasn’t an exact recreation but it was an admirable effort. In fact, watching her mother work so hard on something so beautiful (at lest it was to an 8 year old Stacie) was what inspired the youngest Evans to try her own hand at creating garments. She asked her mother to teach her and she was more than happy to. It started off with making clothing for her dolls then developed into simple skirts and dresses to full fledge outfits. Using her skills to imitate the latest styles in Vogue and Vanity Fair with the help of her mother. It was one of her favorite things to do together and will always be some of Stacie’s fondest memories.

And it might be those very memories that may be holding Stacie back from accepting exactly what her mother has done. Before Stacie went into middle school, her mother had decided to go across the country for the summer to have more time to find herself as an artist, leaving behind her husband, Sam, and Stacie. Things have been a bit off since she left but Stacie is sure that her mother will come back home soon. She said she would be back before the end of the summer – though it’s been more than a few summers since school’s been in session but Stacie has hope that her mother will return. After all, she wouldn’t just leave them. Her mother couldn’t possibly just leave her without a word. It may be silly to keep holding on hope that she’ll walk through the loft doors but Stacie can’t let go, because letting go would mean she would have to deal with the heartbreak and she doesn’t know if she’s ready to handle that type of disappointment. Besides, her mother does still end her cactuses every year for her birthday so she knows she’s still thinking about her in some way – even though the last few years they have come in a month early than her actual birthday.

When she found out her brother got a scholarship to St. Jude’s in the Upper East Side, Stacie was incredibly jealous. She had heard about the type of people who attended that school and couldn’t believe Sam had the opportunity to go while she was stuck in drab ol’ Brooklyn. However, she was happy for Sam since she knew that this opportunity would open doors for him and hey, if Sam got invited to any cool parties then she’d make sure to blackmail him till he agreed to bring her along. And perhaps she should have known that her brother wasn’t going to be going to any fabulous social events considering he’s always been a huge dork but she was still disappointed when he couldn’t even manage to get an invitation to the end of the year charity ball – even the handmaiden’s get invited to that! How did Sam actually manage to be such a huge loser that he couldn’t even get an invite to that?!

Anyway, the idea that Stacie might potentially be forever stuck watching the world from the Gossip Girl blog was terrifying. She knew that money didn’t necessarily buy happiness, but it did buy respect. Which might be the thing Stacie longed for more than anything else. Being the youngest in her family and barely 5 feet tall, people looked at her like she was just a little girl. She could see people just see her as the doe-eyed naïve girl but she knew she was so much more. Stacie just needed the chance to prove it. She had drive and ambition; she had a real talent that she knew could get her far if people were willing to give her a chance.

That’s when she decided that if she couldn’t get a the same scholarship as Sam, then she would find her own. So she looked around and entered essay writing contests, put in volunteer hours at the local shelters, and even tried to apply for a Native American scholarship because she was pretty sure she was 10% Cherokee on her mom’s side. Unfortunately, nothing seemed to work. It wasn’t until she entered an art contest held by schools of the Upper East Side district. It was her last chance and perhaps her biggest gamble to compete against people all over the city who had years technical training. She worked tirelessly to produce a collection of pieces worthy to show to those who she wished to one-day work by. Luckily for her, a few members of the board took note of her. Her stylish drawings of Brooklyn contrasted by the bright imagery of clothes that commented of the New York dream garnered positive attention and managed to actually win an art scholarship to Constance Billiard the following year.

It was like a dream come true, she nearly cried when her name was announced as a winner and Sam had to remind her that the rich and famous weren’t found of outward emotion. So Stacie tried to keep calm as she accepted her award but as soon as they were out the doors the youngest Evans screamed in joy and danced all the way home like an idiot. As soon as she got back to her room that night, she started planning and prepping for her freshman year at her new school and going over the game plan of how she would make her entrance and what cool thing she would say to Kurt Hummel when they met.

Unfortunately, life at Constance Billiard was not what Stacie expected. Granted, it might have been a little silly for her to have expected to walk into the halls of the girl’s school and expect Rachel Berry to take notice of her altered uniform and mention it to her best friend Kurt Hummel before deciding to take the young Evans under their wing. Yeah, that was quite a bit of wishful thinking on her part but it seemed like the girls at school could clock her imitation dresses from 10 miles away and her last season shoes that she bought on sale weren’t quite good enough.

Stacie wishes she could say that this didn’t bother her, but it did. It bothered her so much. She would see all the pretty girls get to school in their town cars as the sound of their designer shoes filled the halls before sitting down on the steps to eat their organic gluten free meal cooked by their personal chef while little Stacie Evans had to take the subway to school and sit in a classroom to eat her PB&J sandwich – and she was pretty sure the bread was a little stale at that. She really couldn’t complain though, at lest she wasn’t getting bullied. There were definitely less fortunate girls who were the targets of the Queen Bees wrath but Stacie didn’t hold any threat so she mostly managed to fly under the radar for most of her freshman year.

However, as the year went on she was starting to realize that maybe being invisible might actually be detrimental to her social status if she ever wants to be somebody. If she ever wanted to make connections and the respect of her peers she needed to break out of her shell unless she wanted to be dubbed a similar nickname to that of her brother’s “lonely boy” by Gossip girl. So Stacie took out her sewing machine, a pair of scissors, and some tulle. She didn’t have money, but she had an incredible sense of style and creatively. She altered her uniform and blouses, did some extra chores to gather enough money for vintage accessories because saying something is vintage sounds so much better than saying something was on sale – at least in the Upper East Side.

It wasn’t until her sophomore year that the Inner Circle finally took notice of little Stacie Evans when she wore one of her own designs to homecoming. Sure, it was a work of an armature but one that had potential to say that least. Not to mention that Stacie had a cute face and an eagerness to please, and so the prince and princess of the Upper East Side declared her a project. While Stacie is thankful for the opportunity to for Manhattan royalty, she wonders if she’ll ever been seen more than just a lowly handmaiden. Stacie may be small but she’ll to anything to come on top – even if it means she might have to cross those who took a chance on her. She’s not willing to blend into the background again and if gaining attention and popularity means she’ll have to make a few waves than so be it.

connections:

Kurt Hummel & Rachel Berry are the king and queen bitches of the Upper East Side, and they rule with an iron fist. All Stacie wants is to make her way into the charmed circle, but selling your soul doesn’t come easy.

Stephen Fabray might not remember Little S, but she remembers him. The two were almost “friends” before Quinn disappeared and he went from innocent as a Taylor Swift love interest to the Upper East Side’s newest douchebag playboy. Though Stacie would love to use the friendship to get closer to the inner circle, she’s still miffed about the cold shoulder her gave her this summer.

ooc info:

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