#I've been thinking about it nonstop since yesterday

[yary-t]

#dream only uses his money for 2 things: eccentric art supplies and clothes#he's painting with gold leaf while drinking franzia straight from the box etc#he also buys extremely expensive clothes bc he hates shitty fabric#desire is constantly teasing him like 'how are you wearing balenciaga living in a hovel'

(cuubism's tags)

just read your tax benefita marriage thing and had this sudden image of the older endless (destiny and death and maybe destruction) pulling dream as ide to ask if he at least got a prenup & dream, in all his infinite wisdom, going 'what's a prenup?'

Dream: well frankly I think it's fine if Hob gets half my inheritance, he deserves it :)

The rest of the endless: 😶

Death: dream you're going to be paying alimony for the rest of your life

Dream: first of all, we're not getting divorced, so jot that down. Secondly (*slurping instant ramen out of a cup while sitting on the falling apart couch he and hob definitely picked up on the side of the road) I'm clearly not using it.

-

Hob after he finds out: just so you know, if we ever get divorced I AM taking you for all your worth in court

Dream: I'll sign whatever you want idc

Hob: ....

Dream: also we're not getting divorced :) because you love me

Hob: yeah unfortunately I do

Dream: (was joking) what.

[puckpocketed]

making gifs is a character-building exercise in that it gives u a lot of weird complexes and u form new grudges against people you dont know like i think im a worse person rn because i AM wishing evils and crimes and horrible wounds on every socmed intern/editor who puts flickering graphics and lights in their high-res videos BUT! i also think i now have a deep appreciation and fear for people who make really beautiful gifs . i find myself admiring recolouring techniques and wondering if its appropriate to message someone and ask what curves/filters they used. <3

[audi0med1c]

”Is It Over Now?” -Air bnb scene preview (Clexa celebrity AU)

Giving tumblr a little blurbo that bloomed on its own while driving yesterday, an hour+ highway drive and my Taylor Swift playlist found me listening to some of her older songs and one that I honestly haven’t heard in years hit me so hard bc I had been looking for the perfect nostalgic-type country song for Lexa to be dancing to while she’s cooking when Clarke walks in at the address that was sent at the end of my last chapter.

(Clarke’s POV chapters will start off going back through the earlier parts of summer before picking up at where Lexa’s POV left off, with the address that was sent... but given my current real-life emotional struggle I honestly don’t know when I will have it in me to jump back into writing because it is truly painful to step into either of their shoes with what I’m currently going through.)

This scene though was only vaguely imagined/loosely planned, however listening to this song caused the whole thing to form and play out fully and perfectly in my mind so much so that my eyes were LEAKING while driving at the soft, simple domesticity and sillyness of the moment between these girls (seeing as thing were starting to get a bit snippy and tense the deeper they got into summer), and I think I’ve been clinging to this specific scene, this specific moment nonstop since my drive yesterday just trying to keep my head above water emotionally, so today I threw together a quick little visual for it as well (basically so I can just keep re-watching it for my own mental health I think)

🚨 Basically, Lexa has sent Clarke the address to an air bnb, an attempt to step into a different kind of bubble (a more domestic one🥹) ….a bubble away from any and all associations either of their homes carry to all the ghosts and memories of hurt and pain of their past… (and other people)…

Lexa’s got music blasting, so she doesn’t hear Clarke come in. Clarke watches Lexa swaying and bouncing while singing along to “I want Crazy” by Hunter Hayes

- and just by the choice of music, this old-school country already has Clarke feeling nostalgic, reminded of those early months when they first started dating.

Lexa had fallen away from her country roots after their first year or so of dating, but even moreso than that, she hasn’t heard Lexa SING in years.

"No I don't want good and I don't want good enough

I want can't sleep, can't breath without your love.

Front porch and one more kiss

it doesn't make sense to anybody else..."

Even though she’s doing so in an overly theatrical tone moreso than her true singing voice, warmth blooms in Clarke’s chest watching silently from the door at the way the brunette’s whole body moves in such a loose and carefree way to the bouncy country beat - the quick plucky timbre of the banjo, the upbeat drums, and the rising and falling clash of the crash cymbals.

"Who cares if you're all I think about

I've searched the world and I know now

It ain't right if you ain't lost your miiiiiind....

Yeah I don't want eaaaasy, I want craaaaaazyyyy..."

The small air bnb itself was reminiscent of Lexa’s childhood home a little bit, at least the way it felt in Clarke's memory, from back when she first started going over to the house on Cornelia Street almost a decade ago - with its modest, homey feel and slightly outdated furniture and decor.

Lexa herself seemed lighter, completely relaxed and unburdened the way she sautées whatever was sizzling and smelling of garlic as if she did this every single night of her life. She did used to cook often for Clarke, until it became too easy to get a last-minute reservation anywhere they wanted with just a quick text or phone call. That and the habit of grabbing take-out from their handful of favorite spots was always quicker, and easier after Lexa’s long work days.

The actress' body stills for only a moment when the music ends, until the next song comes on, even MORE upbeat than the last.

It's a song by one of both Lexa and Clarke's all-time favorite artists, the kind of song that you know so well that you could go years without listening to it and still remember every single word.

[[song is 'Holy Ground' - but Taylor Swift is the only celebrity that does NOT exist in this universe lol]]

Without hesitation Lexa’s leg is tapping along to the punchy beat of the intro, head bopping side to side as she sang the opening lines, wooden spoon still stirring in her hand:

“I was reminiscing just the other day,

while having coffee all alone and lord it took me away,

back to a first glance feeling on New York time,

back when you fit my poems like a perfect rhyme…”

Clarke finally pushes off the doorframe into the kitchen, jumping in at the next line,

“Took off faster than a green light go

yeah you skip the conversation when you already know”

Once Lexa hears her voice and turns, her eyes are bright and her smile wide as she greets Clarke by pulling her in close to bounce along with her, twirling her as they both sing along together, smiling.

“I left a note on the door with a joke we’d made,

and that was the first daaaaay…”

Lexa tugs Clarke even closer for a kiss, her amped up energy surging through their lips as they swayed, still liplocked to the next lines that slowed down, dragging out in longer, softer notes.

[playing in background]

((“and darling iiiiiit waaaassss gooood,

neeeeverrr loooookiiiinnnn downnn

and riiiight theeereee wheeeere we stooood

was holy ground”))

They break apart and Lexa’s back to bouncing and dancing playfully when the beat picks back up, unable to contain her giggles and the kick drum thumps so strong through the speakers Clarke can feel the vibration in her ribcage.

The blonde laughs sheepishly, feeling a bit awkward at the entirely un-coordinated bouncing they were doing while holding hands.

“You know I don’t dance….” Clarke chuckled over the music.

She was perfectly enjoying watching Lexa, seeing a joy radiating off of her that immediately took her back to their earliest days together, when she was still just the girl who followed her off the bus one day.

But Lexa, starting to get out of breath from so much jumping around, shakes her head without losing the beat and her smile somehow grows impossibly wider.

“So? Dance with me anyway…..”

It was as if no time had passed.

Like they'd never even been apart.

Her grip tightens on Clarke’s hands, as she spins her again as the second verse starts, which Lexa sings by herself as Clarke smiles on with growing endearment:

“Spinning like a girl in a brand new dress,

we had this big wide city all to ourselves,

we block the noise with the sound of ‘I need you’

and for the first time I had something to looooose”

Clarke joins in again, as they bellow into each other's faces with even more vigor at the pitch jump:

"And I guess we fell apaaaart in the usual way,

and the story's got duuuuust on every page.

But sometimes I wonder how you think about it now,

And I see your face in every crowd."

The meaning of the words seems to sober them both just a little, as their smiles falter...

[in background]

(("Cause daaaarliiiing iiiiit waaaaas gooooood...."))

And perhaps it's the overall rush of the moment or a mutual need to stave off any more reminiscence, but no matter, both lean into another hard kiss. as the chorus repeats.

((Neverrr looooookinnngg downnnn....))

The kiss deepens and the girls grip tighter onto each other, barely able to heave breaths in the split seconds at a time their lips part, their hunger for each other now peaked.

((And riiiiight there wheeeerreee we stooood, was holy ground.))

Their hands scramble for skin or hair - whichever they can grasp as they bump into a wall, which seems to break the heat of the moment, at least for Lexa. She chuckles at their frenzied state, opening her eyes to search those pools of crystal blue, searching for the home in them she used to know, and takes Clarke's hand again and tugs her back to the middle of the kitchen to resume dancing again, and the blonde lets herself be spun again as Lexa sings the next lines with a dangerous amount of sincerity:

"Tonight I'm gonna daaaaance

For all that we've been throouuughhh..."

Clarke cuts in for the next line, raising their joined arms up to now spin Lexa around and then back again as she sings:

"But I don't wanna daaaaance, if i'm not dancing wiiiith youuuuu."

They embrace, losing the rhythm a little as they slow down to just swaying back and forth, and Lexa braces Clarke's face in her hands as they sing together, both still softly smiling:

"Tonight I'm gonna daaaance,

Like you were in thiiiiis roooooom..."

But I don't wanna daaaaance

If I'm not dancing wiiiith yoouuuu..."

They're kissing again fervidly as the rest of the song plays, and Clarke maneuvers them towards the room just off the kitchen. It's a tiny bedroom the size of an office, and she pushes Lexa onto the small bed along the far wall, atop a blue and red plaid quilt blanket.

Climbing on top of her ex, the blonde presses down onto the body beneath her as they work themselves up even more, little moans beginning to slip out between their tongues.

All the tiniest mundane moments that make up a lifetime, all the quiet nights in sweats and messy buns that you won’t ever find on social media or in a magazine….years worth of moments that were just them began playing back in Clarke’s mind. Just them and their unfiltered longing to be in each other’s presence.

Sometimes it hurt how simple it felt, that this was all she ever really needed to feel happy.

Lexa's just begun tugging Clarke's white shirt up when the music comes to an end, and in the few seconds of silence between songs, the sharp beeping of the smoke detector begins blaring.

"Ohmygod, dinner!" Lexa laughs, having completely forgotten she was cooking when Clarke arrived.

_________________________________

**(Any of this is subject to change whenever I finally get to this scene in the actual story...somewhere in the middle/second half of Clarke's cruel summer chapters))

[am-i-the-asshole-official]

WIBTA if I fake corrupted/hid the files for a TV show on my plex server because my SIL is obsessed with it and uses it as babysitting?

💙 to find later

Context: I (29f) have a plex media server where I have all of my movies, TV shows, audiobooks etc., and also grant access to friends and family (think Netflix but not paid/generally better). As admin of the Plex server, I can see every connected user's activity, what they watch how long they watched it, all that stuff, and I keep that tab open so that I can monitor it for unauthorized access (plus I like the little dopamine hit from seeing my stats/how much media I've consumed lol).

My SIL (29F) has two kiddos (11moM, 6M), that she only has a couple of days a week, as her and my husband's brother are going through a seperation/divorce. Even before the seperation, she'd always been kind of inattentive, not especially interested in the kids and hanging out with them. Not abusive or neglectful, just. Not that keen on actually spending time with them.

I added a kids show for my nephews-Bluey. It's a cute show, why not. Since I've added it, SIL's watch history says she has watched the complete series very nearly every day. I'm talking 5:30am til 11pm. Nonstop. Well, whatever, she's entitled to spend her time however.

Yesterday, I had some time to play with my nephew at his grandparents' house. At some point we ended up talking about Bluey, he kinda scrunches his face up, looks at me, and says "I don't like Bluey. It's ALWAYS on. Means so I can't watch anything I want to watch. Bluey is my enemy now."

So I think about it, look back at the watch history, and it corresponds to when she usually has the kids. I don't have kids and I don't know her life, but electric babysitting sits poorly with me.

I have the ability to restrict access to some folders to users, without them knowing they've lost access. And the nature of illegal file acquisition is that sometimes where you originally downloaded files from just disappear. It'd be completely plausible if I said I couldn't find a download, and she would not know how to look for them herself

So, WIBTA if I restricted access?

What are these acronyms?

[chippedshake]

Am I just fixing it just to break it?

Sodapop curses quietly as he gets up from the couch again. He could swear it hasn't been five minutes since he last stopped them from fighting, but they're at it again and now he has to talk them down. Again.

It's something stupid, for a change. Ponyboy hasn't done his homework for tomorrow and now he's peppering Darry with questions about the properties of... something.

"It was assigned last Friday, Pony, I don’t get why you're doing it now."

"Because I forgot! And your griping isn't helping any, it isn't gonna be done yesterday because you want it to be."

"But you can change your bad habits so it doesn't happen again. I swear, if I didn't see your report card, I'd think you just couldn't think."

"Can't you just lay off for once? Jesus, I just asked about what the octet rule was, it's not like I’m asking you to explain everything from scratch."

"No, I can't lay off, because if it was up to you, you'd singlehandedly ruin your whole future!"

Am I just hanging on, just so we can drown?

Is it even worth it, patching them up for them to just keep on fighting the next day? Is there any point to it? Or is he just pushing the same rock up the same hill every day only for gravity to beat him before he reaches the top?

Like the love we thought we found, no

When Darry had told them he was going to get custody over them, Soda had thought that it would bring them together. He never imagined sunshine and rainbows, but he thought they would become closer than they already were, have a bond forged in sweat and tears, not just blood.

But maybe it didn't count if the tears were cried alone and the sweat was just at work.

We're hoping that we don't just hit the ground

Every night, before he goes to sleep, Sodapop closes his eyes and prays that tomorrow will be different. He prays for his brothers to understand each other’s side, for them to finally listen to him, for them to finally see each other.

Because Soda may be stupid, but he's not delusional. He knows they won't last long like this, with fights every night about curfew and homework and dinner and textbooks. But there's no end in sight. How do you make someone see what they're desperately avoiding?

I've been pulling you close, but pushing me further

It takes him a couple months to realise he's lying to his brothers. He's pulling away, pretending like he's fine, like everything's fine, because he doesn't know any better.

It takes him a couple months to realise that his parents died too. That he's supposed to take time to grieve and get over their deaths on his own terms.

It takes him a couple months to realise that he doesn't even know himself anymore because he's been shoving his own feelings and thoughts down to make way for Darry and Ponyboy. Even when he's alone with Steve or Sandy, he doesn’t talk about his own feelings, only about Darry overworking and Ponyboy coming home late and the two of them fighting nonstop.

It takes him a couple months to realise why Sandy looks worried whenever they part ways and why Steve asks him how he is thirty times every time they meet up.

I've been holding it back, that I see you different

He still buys Pony a Pepsi whenever he comes to the DX and he still talks to Darry about the NFL, pretending like he knows (and cares) more than he really does. He still acts like he thinks they're his brothers, even though he can't help but hate them a bit for tearing him apart.

Sick of me remindin' you to love me like you say you do

"You going anywhere tonight, Pony?"

"Nope. Staying here."

There's no sound but the clinking of forks against plates.

"I'm going out with Sandy tonight, thanks for askin', Darry. Don't worry, I'll be back before it's too late, I know I gotta wake up early for work tomorrow," Soda says with a fake smile and faker cheer.

He's been trying telling the truth like it's a joke, lately, to see if it'll hit home somehow. Telling his brothers they're forgetting about him, that they aren't seeing him as an actual person anymore. "My day was good too, thanks for asking" and "since no one’s gonna ask anyway, lemme tell you about what happened to Steve today".

They aren't getting it and Soda's getting tired of having to remind them that he's their brother too, not just their middleman.

And I've been hurting myself to keep you from leaving

Sometimes, when Darry crosses a line, Sodapop can see Ponyboy's eyes dart around, calculating. He always starts with his backpack, then towards his room, his shoes, and then the door.

Darry never notices but Soda always does and that's how he knows he needs to intervene. Because if he doesn't say something to stop them, the argument will end with Ponyboy running out the door without even a coat on, which is the last thing they need right now.

So he'll always defend Ponyboy, even if he's wrong, because Darry would never leave but Ponyboy just might and he'll take a broken family held together by his own strength over two brothers who never speak.

I've been wonderin' whether we'll last the season

When Sodapop looks out the window one day and sees the snow melting, it feels like a miracle that he can still hear Ponyboy's steady breathing and Darry rummaging around the kitchen.

Wish we could've made this work

Five months later, Soda's running desperately because he can't make this work, he can't just be the glue that holds them together, because he couldn’t keep his parents there and he couldn’t keep Sandy there and he can't keep holding them together.

And, God, would he love to be able to say that he made it work. He would love to say that he found a way to make his brothers stop fighting, to make them remember that they love each other and don't need to argue about every little thing.

But he can't, because he's not enough and he never will be and sometimes he just wants to run away.

But now I know that I need more

"Golly, you two, it's bad enough having to listen to it, but when you start trying to get me to take sides... We're all we've got left. We ought to be able to stick together against everything. If we don't have each other, we don't have anything. If you don’t have anything, you end up like Dallas... and I don't mean dead, either. I mean the way he was before. And that's worse than dead. Please... don't fight anymore."

I need more

When Darry and Ponyboy listen to his little speech, he swears it's the first time they've really listened to him in eight months.

They tell him they'll do better, say they'll get along, that they won't wear him down anymore.

He tries his best to believe them and they race back home, laughing as they walk through the front door together.

[yuseirra]

***onk spoilers!!!***

I think Kamiki may be trying to find something precious enough to trade with Ai's life, may it be his own or someone else's???

Coming to think of it, he met Ruby at the shrine (ch147) and something about a "wish" came up. The way he speaks with ruby, it seemed like he also had his own wish that he's put a lot of thoughts into and came to accept

Mephisto and Fatal both mention about wishes and wishing.

And those wishes have to do with wishing Ai back, are they not??

I'm sorry, I've been repeating the same idea in several posts now but I JUST remembered about that chapter. He's the one that brings the idea of gods back onto the table may it be brief. He talks like he knows about their nature, so he probably is aware of gods or their significance at least, that they actually ARE capable of doing supernatural things. However, Fatal and Mephisto also mention about wishes having failed to come true. That ALSO aligns with kamiki's attitude in that particular chapter saying that gods don't really give out answers and you have to come up with your own. Whatever he's up to, the gods might not have accepted it, or are even against it.

perhaps he's wished to bring Ai back but had been failing miserably, so he's becoming more and more reckless about it.

what he says there makes me wrap my head a little, it sounds like he's been where ruby's been. He might be talking about himself and trying to convince himself of his own resolve

He says he doesn't mind rotting away himself, but there's still something he has to do before that happens. I think that'd have to do with about a wish, he has a goal to fulfill.

I found the full lyric for Fatal(the new op) and it had lyrics like

あなたがいないと生いきていけない

眩まぶしさでこの身みを照てらして欲ほしい

あなたの愛あいがまだ足たらない

ただ一ひとつのアイに近ちかづきたい

I can't live without you

I want you to light up my body with your dazzling glare

I still lack your love

I want to get closer to the one and only Ai.

Aqua wants to get Ai's "revenge", he'd want to see Ai once more, yeah, but that isn't his goal, he doesn't work to meet her again. He plans to fulfill what Ai's really wanted by listening to what she's wanted to say

but the person in Mephisto (who is HUNGRY for Ai's affection) and Fatal actually WANTS to see Ai again, present tense.

あらゆる望のぞみの総すべてを叶かなえたら　ああ果はたせたら

あなたに会あいたい

If I could fulfill all my hopes, all my wishes, all my dreams, if I could make it all come true

I wish I could see you

But how IS this person going to make that happen?

I feel like finding someone that outshines Ai would have something to do with it, coming from how his reactions when he saw ruby having a chance to outshine Ai-

He feels happy about her possibility of her life having even more value than her.

He could just be being a proud dad there (I'm not taking that out of the possibility).. but you see where I'm trying to get at, right? He probably needs someone like that in order to fulfill his wish. Likely their life.

I think those lyrics from mephisto and fatal were there for a reason, those two songs are WAY too similar to each other in terms of the theme and the vibes they're giving. This speaker hasn't given up on the possibility of having Ai back, they talk like that is a thing that CAN happen, they keep.. talking towards them, even when the one they're talking to's already passed long ago. Look at me, You gave me time, Let me hear your voice.. stuff like that. That kind of attitude is more like Kamiki than Aqua. Kamiki talks about rotting away, he's never moved on from Ai's death, has he? It's like she's still alive for him?

Idk, I just really like those two songs. I have been repeating Fatal nonstop ever since I first listened to it yesterday and I can't get this thought out of my head. I'll keep thinking like this until I'm proven wrong, I guess o<-< I keep finding more stuff that may back it up and I can't stop...

[bomberqueen17]

The Witch King

This is not like, a coherent review or anything.

Yesterday I was just like possessed with anxiety nonstop the whole day and everything I did seemed to make it worse and i just like spun my wheels and I got some things done but mostly felt worse and worse and more and more stressed, due partly to external circumstances but largely, i think, to nothing in particular. And finally after dinner I was sitting on the couch comfortably and realized you know what, fuck it, I am not going to "try to write" and wind up refreshing tumblr and chatting on discord all night, not while I'm already fretting and stewing like this, i'm going to be miserable and probably get in a fight or something and i don't want that. Fuck it. So I went to the tab I already had open in my browser, which I'd had open for weeks but the time was never right, and I bought the kindle version of Witch King and read it right there in my browser, the whole way through, did not click away or put it down or move or do anything else, and you know what it was fantastic.

I'd read a preview and been like hm i don't know what this is about and read a couple of amazon reviews that were like this was really confusing, some of which concluded so i didn't like it and some of which concluded so i super liked it, and like, I've been a fan of Martha Wells since she put the Element of Fire up for free chapter by chapter on her Livejournal when the rights reverted to her in like 2006 or so, so I knew what I was going to get and also knew that I would not particularly know exactly what I was going to get until I got it, and I also knew I was going to enjoy the ride, but I hadn't wanted to read it in stolen or exhausted moments lest the "this is confusing" bits prove too much.

In the end I found it not in the slightest bit confusing, it was a very straightforward interspersed flashbacks storytelling technique that i thought suited the story beautifully (not to be spoilery but we join a character in medias res with an action scene and it's him trying to figure out who has betrayed him in a complicated political scenario, and in the process of unspooling this he has to revisit the site of where the complicated political scenario was first set up, some sixty (?) years earlier, so he's retracing his own steps and it's really well done I think, introducing new bits of history right as they're relevant to the current storyline-- and just fantastically done, not at all forced, completely natural and compelling, and no the reader isn't told anything they don't need to know but you do get everthing you need to know, there's no unneccessary coyness at all).

So anyway i loved that, and I hope there's a sequel planned but it stands alone just fine if not, I'm already figuring i'll alternate my rereads and do every other chapter each time, so I can do All The Backstory first, then All The Current Timeline story, and that's such a fun way to eke out many many many rereads of a story that like all of Wells' works I will reread until I have chunks of them memorized (anyone who has read my works surely has found whole undigested bits of hers bobbing around in there because I do this so much; I found the phrase weary past bearing in something of mine the other day and was like oh that's moon when ember first shows up i stole that whole emotion wholesale out of the third raksura book yes i did).

Little side notes: Love the aroace qpr vibes with Kai and Zeide, also sort of enjoy the lowkey genderfuckery that comes with a demon who has his own gender then inhabiting bodies that had different genders. Great magic system too, and I love that we first get introduced to how Kai's pain magic works as a like totally fait accompli chunk of didactic worldbuilding and then in a later chapter we get to see the flashback of him inventing it and understand why it works the way it does, that was also so well-wrapped-up.

Anyway-- Definitely recommend this one but probably it is best if you can do it like I did, in one big binge-read. It took me probably three hours and I was trying hard not to read it too fast.

Yeah. Anyway. People assume I'm a big reader. I was, as a kid. I am not now. This is the first new book I've read since probably the spring sometime. I don't casually read things i only read them if I'm going to add them to my Pantheon of Rereads, and that goes for fic too mostly.

[bordysbae]

could you do 5. “stop following me around like a lost puppy!” … “maybe you being around isn’t so bad.” with Turcotte?

“limelight”

alex turcotte x f!reader

alex moving to michigan was hard on him. he’s living in the hughes household, since his parents stayed back in illinois, and of course that’s a big change on anyone. you’ve lived across the street from the hughes family ever since they moved here a few years ago, and it’s been wonderful. you and jack are the same age, and grew quite close because of 1. how close your guys’ mothers got, and 2. the ungodly amount of classes you guys always mange to have together. everyone thinks you guys are dating, but you and jack are strictly just friends who carpool to school together.

as you approach jacks car, you see the passenger side window rolled down. "y/n, sorry you're in the back now," jack shrugs, as you're met with the face of the famous 'alex turcotte’ who you've been nonstop hearing about.

"the hell? i've always been shotgun," you whine, meanwhile buckling your seatbelt as jack backs off of your driveway. you then formally introduce yourself to alex, and tell him who and who not to be friends with at school. jack chiming in to rebuttal your opinions every so often.

first days of school are always a pain, but seeing your friends after being gone all summer instantly lifts the mood. as you shut your locker jack’s standing behind it, waiting to walk with you to class. this isn’t an uncommon thing, but now this time it appears you have third period with both jack and alex.

“oh alex, you have a class with us?” you ask, holding your textbook close to your chest.

“yeah, wanna see my schedule?” he asks, pulling out his phone and handing it to you. it comes as a surprise to see you have third, fourth, and sixth with alex. you and jack only have first and third together.

“damn, we have three classes together! i guess you won’t be getting sick of me,” you tease him.

—

you were wrong. alex immediately grew popular. maybe it was because of hockey, or maybe it was because of his personality, who knows? but what you do know is, alex didn’t listen to your advice on who to be friends with and who not to be. and unfortunately he adapted their shitty douchebag personas.

you’ve watched him change from that sweet shy boy you met only two months ago, to the prince of your highschool. the first month and half was great. you guys were becoming close, and early morning carpools were super fun. but when alex started to realize the limelight he was gaining, he immediately started to gloat in it. and what’s worst of all is that you were really starting to like him too.

“you guys going to the football game tonight?” you ask the two boys in the front seat.

“yeah, i bought my ticket yesterday. did you get a ticket alex?” jack asks.

“nah, andrew is just gonna get me in for free. perks of being friends with the star quarterback, yeah?” alex chuckles. you roll your eyes, and jack just chuckles along with him. normally you, jack, and alex walk to third period togther, but recently it’s just been you and jack. “hey have you noticed anything new with alex?” you ask jack.

“uh no, why?”

“oh. i feel like he’s just been cold with me i guess? it’s like he got popular and changed, but maybe i’m wrong. oh well, let’s go,” you shrug before turning on your heel and heading down the hallway with jack.

you and alex usually walk from third period to fourth together, but as he speeds out the classroom, you furrow your brows and speed up to catch him. “alex ar-“ you begin, and he snaps his head from his conversation with one of the football douches named matthew.

“oh my god y/n, what?” he asks in an annoyed tone of voice. matthew then peaks around from behind alex and chuckles before stating, “so y/n, when are you gonna stop sucking jacks dick?! you’re so obsessed with him it’s embarrassing honestly. he doesn’t want you, stop following him around everywhere. just get your own car, i bet he hates driving you. i know turcs here hates having you in the car,” he says, shoving himself into alex’s shoulder while laughing.

matthew has always teased you about you and jacks friendship, but never to the extent he just did. but what catches you off guard even more is alex’s response. “good one dude, and yeah literally stop following all of the guys around like a lost puppy! no wonder people call you a puck bunny y/n, you follow us around like crazy. and don’t get all sensitive and cry about it, i’m just tryna help,” alex shrugs before separating from matthew and going into the classroom.

you stand in the hallway with your mouth agape. you’re in utter shock at what alex had just said. you slowly shuffle your feet into the classroom, and slouch in your seat that you stupidly chose in front of alex. you ignore his idiotic laughs from behind you, and sigh. him and that damn limelight.

—

a few days go by, and you and alex have hardly spoken. a few occasional words here and there, but not much. as you’re walking to fourth period, you notice alex and his new group walking not too far ahead of you. alex is trying to tell a story, but matthew, their ring leader, is talking over him.

“turcs dude, no one’s listening. can you just let me talk?” matthew groans, and immediately alex’s face falls. his once beaming smile is turned to an embarrassed and shy frown. you bravely tap his shoulder, and he turns around to see you.

“i’ll listen to your story alex, wanna start from the beginning?” you say, and he smiles. he begins to tell you the story about his amazing hockey goal over the weekend. although you don’t really care, you still listen. as you both sit down in class, you turn around to face him.

“thank you for listening y/n. and i’m so sorry about what i said, maybe you being around isn’t so bad,” he sheepishly smiles.

“it’s okay alex, you got carried away with your new friends and that’s okay. but i told you they’re douches, i was just waiting till you realized that” you smile before turning towards the front of the class. as you’re exiting the room, alex grabs your hand to slow you down.

“y/n can i make it up to you by getting ice cream later tonight?”

“is this you asking me out, turcs?” you tease and his cheeks turn rosy. you then quickly realize you never answered him, “of course, it sounds like fun!” you smile, and he lets out a silent sigh of relief followed by a cheesy grin.

[dutifullyshamelessearthquake]

Ok so this is the canon au sick Cyno concept i was chewing on yesterday - and even if it doesn’t become a fic I love the thought

so! Tighnari is leaving the main city for the day, I’m assuming to go back to the forest ? (Idk how this part will work with them being in school but regardless It doesn’t matter point is nari is in the city lol) and he happens to catch a glimpse of Cyno…leaving the bimarstan..

tighnari is a little taken aback cuz he knows cyno would never willingly go and so he goes after him, only to find him pale faced and looking seconds from passing out. When Cyno sees him he’s overcome with relief and almost just collapses then and there.

now this is where my mind goes two different directions fully. 1. Cyno got injured on a Matra or Marta training related mission, and because he was with the others he was all but forced to go to the bimarstan. Maybe it was over crowded that day, full of crying and the smell of blood and antiseptic sprays and it just was far too triggering. Maybe he sees something specific that reminds him of his past and he’s pale faced cuz he’s seconds away from throwing up everywhere from panic and trauma alone. Not to mention depending on what injury he sustained it would make sense he’d be feeling nauseous in general. Tighnari finds him and is concerned and confused, does Cyno pass out? Does he puke? Both? Neither? Either way I imagine Cyno clings to nari and just wants to go with him, to wherever it’s safe. And nari ofc wants to double triple check that Cyno is truly okay (maybe Cyno continues to feel unwell and tighnari is too concerned to just send him back to his apt)

2. Cyno was on a mission to rescue some students. Students who are in the same school that Tighnari is a part of (I forget the name) maybe the mission fails and they are too late, and instead they are tasked with taking the unrecognizable remains back to the bimarstan. Maybe Cyno hasn’t seen tighnari in a few days but remembers him mentioning that he was working on something special. Maybe because the bodies aren’t recognizable when he over hears a random student asking “has anyone seen Tighnari recently” cyno im his exhaustion begins to panic and think of the worst. Maybe because of his newer status as a Matra and the fear and guilt of this mission gone wrong, and being in this hospital he just slowly and quietly begins to panic. Leaving the place feeling sick to his stomach (maybe he also ate something bad idk) and just…on his way to confirm nari is alive. He knows jes being irrational but maybe this is the first time he’s seen that many disfigured bodies of students like him. And the thought that I could be nari- of all people…so you can imagine when tighnari pops up right in front him while he’s half ready to dry heave in an alley he practically feels like he’s seen a ghost. And from there it’s the same song and dance of Cyno needed some extra medical and emotional help from the one person who makes him feel human

Okay these are absolutely BRILLIANT, and if it's okay with you I need to incorporate at least one of them into the Akademiya Days series 👀

Argh, I'm late finally responding to this, but I've been thinking about these ideas nonstop since I first read this ask and!! I'm absolutely obsessed!! I don't even know where to start!!

Tighnari's immediate concern for seeing Cyno at the Bimarstan, that immediate dread of "if he willingly went there, it's got to be really bad" or "he must have so much anxiety right now" and he immediately abandons wherever he was heading to run over and check that Cyno is okay. And just Cyno's utter relief at seeing Tighnari, like a weight lifts off his shoulders!

I can't decide which concept I like more, because these are both absolutely brilliant.

We either have a really injured Cyno who just had so many horrible memories resurfacing, and he just needs to sit down because he's so pale faced and lightheaded. He's shaking and he doesn't even know if it's because he's in pain or because he's on the verge of having an anxiety attack. I can see Tighnari either deciding "right, you're coming home with me" because he definitely wants to look after Cyno and he thinks getting him out of the city and to somewhere he feels safe will help him a lot mentally. Or Tighnari decides to just cancel his other plans immediately to go back to Cyno's apartment with him to look after him and take care of him.

Or we have properly traumatized Cyno who's suddenly questioning his decision to become a matra because he's just been so shaken up by what he just saw. He's already in the clutches of so many horrific memories from just being at the Bimarstan, and now he's been faced with the severed body parts of students like him and, even worse, like Tighnari. And his stomach is just suddenly in his throat and he has to excuse himself to hurry outside before he starts dry heaving. He's half panicking, really nauseous, and just so ashamed, but more than anything he just needs to know Tighnari is okay and- suddenly Tighnari is right there in front of him and asking if he's okay, and relief is so immense that Cyno has to puke in the nearest flowerbed.

These are absolutely fantastic argh!! I really want to write them!!

[thorniest-rose]

would u consider writing a whole emperor caracalla/geta (whichever he's actually playing) and stéphanos fic? I feel like u would write that dark captive prince vibe rly well.

oh I would love to!!! I've been thinking about it nonstop since I saw that pic of Joe yesterday in the costume... want the Emperor to play with his little pet gladiator and torment him with so much agonising pain and exquisite pleasure that the poor sweet thing can't think straight for days afterwards, let alone lift a sword in the arena.

[unionizedwizard]

yesterday two adorable little kids knocked on my door and gave me a full plate of pastries because (i THINK. i didn't manage to actually understand the whole thing) their little brother was just born and they were giving food to people in the neighborhood (? they don't live in the building i'm pretty sure) and today my other neighbors are having a party/bbq with music and all in the backyard with a lot of kids (also adorable) and so i gave them the pastries (couldn't dream of eating everything myself) (they were delicious btw) and they were really happy & gave me a plate of bbq meat........................ this is wonderful i love people. i've been thinking about the two little kids and their family nonstop since yesterday i hope they're happy and everything goes well for them..............

[jsprnt]

Healing Hearts PT. 12 | Virgil van Dijk

Would a fresh start bring you more than just a new job?

A/N: I’ve been watching the national team games lately and man I miss the World Cup so much :(

WC: 3.199

Summary: Y/N L/N is a very skilled and praised physiotherapist. A certain event pushing her for a fresh start, as a physiotherapist for Liverpool FC. One question always being in the back of her mind: Will she be able to let go of her past and allow herself to experience new things?

I check the time before I get up, walking out of my office to look for Cody. I knew he would be in the gym, that's were he'd been at this past week.

Not being able to train or play in matches definitely made him want to be still be at the training center. Just to not miss out. He had been in a brace since the game against Tottenham, causing him to miss out on yesterdays match against Union St. Gilloise.

Walking into the the gym and spotting him sitting on the exercising equipment, watching the other players exercise as he chats with them.

"Cody!" I call out, realizing it had probably attracted way more attention then if I had just gone up to him. I ignore the looks of some staff members and players, particularly Virgil's as I walk up to Cody.

I had pressed on to hide our relationship. The only thing everyone should know was that we were friendly as physiotherapist and player, nothing more or less. I was wondering if we were even good at it, so far we did not have any hiccups. Or so we thought.

"Hey, are you ready to come with me?" I ask.

"Oh yeah. Of course." He says, getting his crutches together to stand up.

"So, no greeting today Doctor." I hear a Scouser accent say.

Turning my head I make eye contact with a cheeky looking Trent.

"Hello Trent." I say, a smile on my lips.

My eyes dart at Virgil behind him who's talking to another staff member. Though, it seems like he can feel me staring at the side of his face as his eyes move to make eye contact with mine.

And of course he fucking winks

No, not even a fast wink and look away- no he had to keep staring after

I catch myself quickly trying to play it off swiftly and return my gaze to Trent.

This man was testing me.

"You've been very busy lately? Not having lunch with us either." He says pointing at me.

"Well my schedule has been packed you know that. I got to make sure you and your fellow national team players are in top shape."

He chuckles his hand coming up to my shoulder, slightly squeezing it. "Appreciate it Doc."

I nod at him, warm smile forming at my lips. I loved it when my work was respected or praised. It was definitely a huge motivation to keep helping and supporting my patients.

"Thank you. Speaking of, I have to see you in a about thirty minutes. Southgate's people have been emailing nonstop for your progress report. I've got to update it before sending it tonight."

His grin turns wider, his pearly teeth showing as the corners of his mouth crinkle.

"I'll leave before I boost your ego even more! See you in a bit." I say, laughing at his change of expression.

I look back at Cody who had already found another chatting partner and tap his shoulder to signal we had to go.

"You need any support?" I ask watching him walk with the crutches.

"Oh no it's fine." He say as we walk towards my office.

"Alright so-" I begin, reading my notes again to a worried looking Cody.

"I did discuss your injury earlier with the other physio's. I was advised to check your injury again today. Just to confirm our final conclusion. Initially, we estimated the healing time would be around seven weeks. With the progress you have already made with the brace you have on- we think you'll be back on the pitch in about four weeks. We're guessing it won't take anymore time since you definitely have a record of healing pretty fast."

"So no EURO qualifications?" He say a disappointed look on his face.

"Yeah- I'm sorry Cody. You know you have both internal and external help ready for you. Just mention it if you think you need extra support to one of us and it will be handled. Besides, I think our country definitely has a huge chance of making it to the EURO's. Just focus on healing so you can be in Germany next year. I promise you you'll be back better than ever." I say, looking at him with sympathy.

"Thank you. I know I can definitely trust the team." He smiles, though he still has disappointment written all over his face.

"Speaking of the EURO's- are you taking the optional leave during it? It has probably been a while since you've seen your family and friends." He asks changing the focus of the conversation from him to me.

I hadn't even thought of home in a while. After the infuriating phone call with Theo I had vowed to myself I'd stop letting it bother me as much. It wasn't healthy for me mentally. So I let everything be handled by my new attorney I had recently become acquainted with and of course the authorities.

I had moved back home, installed some fancy security system that costs me thousands and changed my key-code and lock. I was so done with being stomped on like a bug by a ratty looking man - I had to take control of my life somehow.

Me living alone again did take some convincing on Virgil's side. He was understandably very concerned for me- but obviously I was grown enough to handle that part on my own and he understood. He helped me move back in and everything was going very smooth so far. Of course Sophie made sure to check on me many times by knocking on my door. We had girls nights almost every other day at this point.

"I don't know- haven't thought of it yet." I answer, it did sound nice to go home to see my friends and parents. None of them knew what had happened. FaceTiming with the girls when I was living with Virgil was difficult. Especially, when his house looked so different compared to mine. To try to hide that I was living somewhere else was an actual pain in the ass. I was glad I did not have to do that anymore.

"It does sound nice but I'll have to think about it since we could have some more injuries coming up. Fingers crossed everyone will stay healthy though."

Cody ends up leaving shortly after, and I follow him out to find Trent. Hoping he's still in the gym. Thankfully, he is, and we walk into my office together and I go over the most important things that needed to be updated on his progress report.

It doesn't take much time and my appointment with Trent is done quicker than I had scheduled. Leaving me alone in my office, absentmindedly doodling in the corner of my planner, oblivious to the world outside of my office doors until the door handle is moving. The sound of the door being opened and locked after removing my attention from the flower I had drawn.

"Virgil? Did something happen?" I ask, worried about something going wrong at the gym.

He smiles walking up behind my desk and turning my office chair towards him so I face him.

"Just wanted to see my doctor." He says, and I try to not look flustered. He effect his words had on me needed to be studied by a renowned university.

I stand up, looking up at his tall frame, it slightly sweaty. The smell mixed with his musky cologne.

His hands travel to the small of my back pulling me closer.

"Virgil!" I hush, my eyes darting around even though I didn't have any glass panels or windows facing the hallway.

"What I can't see my beautiful girlfriend now?"

He smirks, his eyes roaming around my face.

Oh he was definitely enjoying this

My hands travel down to remove his hands from my back, stepping aside for a moment.

"What if there is like paparazzi hiding into those trees or houses? Can't they see us?" I whisper, my expression bewildered. My eyes travel to the window that faces the training pitch, darting around to look at the scenery behind the large pitch.

"Don't be absurd how would that be possible. No one will see us y/n." He says, his hands traveling to my jaw, gently making me face him.

"You're fine. We'll be fine. Just tell me- did you miss me?" He asks another cheeky smile on his face. I roll my eyes, though a smile pulls at the corners of my lips.

"Nope, not at all. You weren't even gone. Besides, you smell like sweat. Move!" I tease, stepping away again. He reaches out again and I step away again, a laugh leaving my lips at the desperate look in his eyes.

"Now you're being childish."

"I'm not. Go back to training. I have another appointment in a bit." He steps towards me again, this time managing to catch me in another hug.

I open my mouth to protest again, but we're interrupted as someone knocks on my door. My blood going cold for a moment as I pull away from Virgil. I look at him mortified, my heart thumping in my chest.

How would it look? If the physiotherapist and a player of the team were in her office. With the door locked?

Virgil notices the panic in my face, his face coming closer to my ear. His hand coming to run up and down my upper arm.

"Calm down. Go open the door. I'll sit on the table to pretend you just treated me and I wanted privacy."

"Okay." I whisper back, trying to release the tension in my body.

"Muscle tenseness." He adds.

I walk quickly, glancing back at Virgil before opening the door.

"Why is your door locked. Got someone in here?" The German accent booms, and I don't know if I should be relieved or embarrassed.

"Oh Jürgen?"

The name falls off my lips awkwardly, he'd insisted we'd be on first name bases. It would break down some hierarchy and our teamwork would be better he had said.

I step aside to let him in.

"Oh yeah- treated Virgil for something- tense muscle." I lie, forcing a smile on my face.

He raises an eyebrow as he catches Virgil on the treatment table, his shorts slightly hiked up to pretend I had just finished treating him.

"Boss!"

He exclaims getting up and greeting Klopp with a hug. Leaving me practically third wheeling there for a moment.

"I am sorry y/n thought you were free but you had a patient here." He says and I can't help but notice he's definitely teasing us.

"It's okay- what was it that you wanted to see me for?" I ask, trying to dismiss the topic. Discreetly trying to make eyes at Virgil for him to leave. But he shakes his head, obviously this wasn't torturous enough for him.

"It was about you staying here or taking a leave during national break. Should he leave or is he allowed to hear about it?" He points a thumb at Virgil both of them obviously now trying to crack jokes about the entire situation.

I chuckle, sure I shouldn't be awkward around Klopp. He'd known about almost everything so far, our relationship, the break in. Most embarrassingly a bit about my relationship with my ex. He was required to know at least some of it, so there was no reason to feel weird around him.

"Shouldn't he be in the gym right now?" I ask raising a cocky brow at Virgil.

"You heard your missus get out of here already!" He jokes, using the British slang, lightly punching Virgil's shoulder. His perfect pearly white teeth showing.

"I need you to leave."

"Excuse me?" I ask, the tone of my voice high as his words make my heart skip a beat.

"You need to leave for a bit during national break. I do not want you working then."

I quietly exhale at the rest of his sentence. He almost had me thinking I was getting fired.

"Why?" I ask, fidgeting with the pen in my hand.

"You've been through a lot and I think it's best that you go home for a bit. See your family and your friends."

I raise my brow at his words, my face morphing into a confused expression.

"Oh I'll be fine here there is no reason-"

"Listen and trust me y/n you've been through something that requires some more rest and healing. It's a little longer than a week and I need you to get out of here for a bit."

I stare up at him with wide eyes- a manager also taking care of the staff. That was new.

"I'll think about it Jürgen. Thank you."

"Fill in the leave application and I'll make sure it gets confirmed immediately."

I lean back in my chair after finally emailing some progress reports to my fellow physiotherapists of the national teams.

I let Klopp's words sink in, it was occupying my mind when I wasn't treating or assessing the players. Why was everyone so curious and insisting I'd take a leave?

My thoughts are cut short as I hear a notification pop up on my phone. My hands going to reach over as I'm still leaning in my chair.

The message being from Virgil. He's says training ended and to come over to his when I clock out. I shoot a quick message back agreeing before sitting up and working on the last progress report I had to send before getting out of the office.

"Should I come with you? Back home?" I say, fidgeting with the blanket on my lap as I look at Virgil. He turns his head from the Netflix show he was occupied with, a slight surprise on his face.

"You want to?"

"Yeah- thought it would be good for me and everything-"

He suddenly throws his arms around me, his face coming closer to mine to plant kisses on my face and lips.

"Of course- you’ll come to my matches and everything- let me check the flights. There should be a lot of availability."

I watch the plane land through the window. I had taken so many flights in my life due my work, that I could practically fall asleep through the turbulence. Though, first class made it ten times more comfortable.

I rub my tired eyes, the last few days had been hectic with me not knowing what to pack and in true me fashion I over packed. Virgil had already left a couple days earlier. The training camp in Zeist requiring him to be there earlier.

I had told everyone back home I was returning and everyone was very surprised to hear I was visiting so early. My dad was picking me up from the airport which did make a bit nervous. I hadn't seen him in a while. Which made me curious as to how he would react.

Thankfully, my luggage comes quickly and I immediately make my way outside of the airport. Dragging my heavy baggage behind me. Of course in typical Dutch fall fashion the weather was shitty as ever. The rain dripping on my face and body, making me shiver.

Spotting my dad in his car I nervously approach it. Taking deep breaths to try to calm my nerves.

He steps out after parking, his door opening immediately as he walks towards me.

"Hi dad."

I'm caught of off guard as he wraps his arms around me in a hug. My dad giving me this much affection? That was a new one.

"Let me have a look at you." He mumbles, pulling away and planting his hands on my shoulders.

"You've gotten skinny. Is the food there not good enough for my daughter?"

I chuckle, dismissing his concerned expression.

"I'm fine, but can we go home? It's cold out here."

"Here we thought y/n was going to England for a new job, but she also snatched a man as well?" Monet exclaims, taking a sip of her drink.

I had told them of my relationship with Virgil. From beginning to end, leaving some- crazy details out, but they were happy for me.

We all came together to Monet's home for a nice movie night. We had a lot of catching up to do. The movie had long finished, leaving us lounging around her huge sofa with drinks and snacks on the table.

"Oh stop you know I didn't plan shit." I exclaim throwing her a piece of popcorn which she avoids quickly with the duck of her head. A laugh leaving her nicely painted lips.

"Hey, no reason to be embarrassed. You're a WAG now-" Juliette teases and I resist the urge to throw another piece popcorn her way this time.

"Stop making it sound so weird- it just happened."

I complain taking another sip of my drink. My eyes dancing over the marble tiles of the home. Monet had opened her own clinic a couple years after graduating, and looking at how beautiful her home was maybe I should've taken that route too.

"Right- let's talk about something else, or we're never passing the Bechdel test." Priya chimes in.

Oh yeah, that would be much appreciated.

The night passes with many laughs and juicy gossip. Half of the friend group being flat out drunk when it's time to go home. Clumsily calling Uber's and getting home late. Making them remember their old university memories of partying it up on weekends.

y/n enters her childhood bedroom, stumbling across across the pink carpet before drunkenly throwing herself on her twin bed. She groans softly, the mattress being harder than she had recalled.

Her sleepy and drunken daze is interrupted by her phone ringing in her hand bag. She grumbles before sitting up, moving her hands to look for the bag. Only to find it on the floor, and sleepily pulling out her phone.

"Hello?" She mumbles holding the cool phone against her warm cheeks and throwing herself on to the bed again, her cheek squashed against her fluffy pillow.

"y/n?" The deep voice calls out, and she gasps softy at the recognition of the comforting voice.

"Virgil? Why haven't you called me all day? I've missed you." She giggles, her cheeks hot from the alcohol.

"I've been busy at the training center. You okay? You sound different." He asks, wondering why his girlfriend sounds so giggly and is slurring her words.

"Drinks with the girls. Half of us got drunk. Liz almost tripped when entering the cab." She laughs, trying to whisper so her parents don't wake up.

"Oh yeah?" He says, amused by her drunken story and speech.

"It was funny." She whispers, her drunken mind repeating the scenario, making her burst out in laughter again.

"Okay, but when can I see you? We're in the same country but I still miss you." She unconsciously pouts.

"We'll be in Amsterdam tomorrow, two days before the match. Come over to my place yeah? I'll see you tomorrow night. Go to sleep now sweetheart. You must be tired."

[sadhornydemons]

Yesterday, I was actually good (well behaved), staying off social media at work, but since I had to open the youtube page on my tablet (why did you not save the tab, bitch?) to continue Sean of Steel's latest upload, I saw the thumbnail for the episode during my first break.

< insert 'I was wrong Crowley dance gif' here >

First thought: wow, those who guessed that the Cherubs and d.h.o.r.k.s. were in the episode were dead right!

Second thought: wait...I wanted a half hour of Stolitz! (you sure, Sara? You didn't just spent a month angst-ing away at your crackpot headcanon of how the episode was gonna go down?)

Well, nonetheless: Scratch that, reverse it! We're mentally rewriting this episode RIGHT NOW!

So, that's how I spent my work day. Knowing full well that that's exactly why I needed to wait until I got home to actually watch it.

And I even made sure to eat some quick dinner before hand. (last month's trailer and duet basically had me at no appetite for 24 hours) And then, clutching a nearly plush for support, pressed play.

I think I zoned out during the duet (already familiar) and the b plot, just dreading what was coming. But it was handled so well...Almost in a well written fan fiction way? I stated it before in the tags, but I'll say it again: I'm really starting to trust the writers like I haven't any showrunners before.

I'll be honest, the b plot was completely unneeded. It could have been removed from the episode and left no impact. Also, why are M&M and Loona suddenly stalking Blitz's personal life? Is it opposite day in Hell? Were they gonna follow him to Stolas's palace and just yell advice through the window? "Use the double vibrator, Sir!" That said, it still helped the episode. It kept it from being the nonstop drama I've dreaded it would be. So, wise choice, in the end.

I appreciated that it didn't get truly sad until the very end. And the way it came about..there were general emotional scenes; Stolas binding the crystal to Blitz's glove, "I want you to stay because you want to, only if you want to," that I hadn't expected the show to actually go for.

So, in the end, I was relieved.

Will I got on a TRUE mad rampage if things don't get resolved by this month's episode? Oh, most certainly!

But until then, I'm shockingly good, and thankful.

[hikarry]

I went to watch Priscilla on the cinemas yesterday and, since then, I've been thinking about the scene where Elvis throws a chair at her nonstop

I don't know what it is but that shit inprinted on my brain and it's refusing to leave

I'm over here trying to study french and it randomly assaults my mind

[novastories]

Night Changes

Title and chapter loosely inspired the song “Night Changes” by One Direction.

Summary: Aurora spends time with her family, while Maverick is having a hard time letting go. 

Warnings: None

Word Count: 3.1k

A/N: My posting schedule is slowly sporadic. I've been on a week long trip enjoying my time out of the house. Also since summer is coming up, that means Top Gun summer! I feel a bit disconnected from the fandom lately, but I’m back and ready to keep writing! I hope you enjoy this fluffy chapter.

Shoutout to my best friend, beta reader, and editor, @reginleight 💛

As always, likes are great and all, but comments, reblogs, and feedback are highly appreciated and loved! 🤭

Previous | Next | Masterlist

“Mom! Dad! Over here!” Bradley calls out to his parents in the busy airport.

Today, the twins and Bradley were picking up Carole and Goose. The last she had seen them was around Peyton and her graduation. Of course she would still call them and send letters from time to time, but this was the first time in a while since they were all reunited in person.

“My Brad Brad!” Carole cries, as she comes over and hugs Bradley tightly. Bradley chuckles, and hugs his mom back.

“Okay hon, don’t choke him out before I can even give him a hug,” Goose chuckles, coming up with their luggage cart behind them.

Carole tearfully releases Bradley from the hug, letting Goose and Bradley have their moment. From just a few paces away she soon spots the twins, giving the family room for their reunion.

“My babies! Oh, my Aurora you’re here!” Carole starts crying again, grouping the twins into a hug. 

“Hi, Auntie!” Peyton laughs, hugging his aunt.

“We missed you!” Aurora smiles after being released from their hug, Carole turning her attention to Aurora.

“I knew Peyton was stateside, but when did you come home?” Carole asks her.

“Same day. I felt like it was time for me to come home,” Aurora softly smiles. Carole gives her a sad look, and Aurora remembers that Carole knew about her incident. Before she can explain, Goose interrupts.

“Little star!”

“Uncle Goose!”

Aurora gives her uncle a big hug, and groans when he tries to ruffle her hair.

“So glad you’re back home!” Peyton smiles at them.

“I can’t wait to hear your stories, Auntie! And the photos you’ve taken, Uncle Goose!” Aurora beams at them, while Bradley helps carry his mom’s bag, Goose pulling the luggage cart.. 

Aurora and Carole start conversing nonstop, with Peyton walking beside them listening in on their conversation. Bradley hung back, walking with his dad.

“So, talk to me Rooster, how’s the mission training going?” Goose asks, not knowing what had gone down yesterday.

“Intense,” Bradley sighs. “Let’s just say it was a rough day for all of us, and Aurora had an anxiety attack yesterday.”

“Shit, what the hell did you do?”

“Why do you think I did something?” Bradley looks at him exasperated. Goose gives him a look, to which Bradley sighs.

“I got mad. Hangman had said she wasn’t telling us everything and I just–”

“You were jealous that Hangman knew things about her that you didn’t,” Goose states, matter-of-factly.

Bradley turns red and groans. “I just, I don’t like when we keep things between us.”

“Brad, sometimes, things are harder to tell to those closest to us. You have to give her space.”

“I know. Let’s just say the tension was really bad yesterday.”

“You made a move yet?”

“Dad!” Bradley groans, while Goose chuckles at embarrassing his son. “We have a lot going on. It’s not the time.”

“Oh son, it’s never the time. But take it from your old man. I was thankful to live a life with your mom and you. You deserve a life with people you love, there is no perfect timing,” Goose tells him.

With a pat on the shoulder, Goose walks to catch up to his wife and his godchildren. Bradley sighs, following after his dad. 

—

“Mavy!”

“Goosie!”

Goose rushes up to his best friend, who immediately stands from his chair upon seeing him. 

“I swear, it’s like those two are married and not us,” Carole chuckles as the twins and Bradley also exit the car. The trio chuckles at the two men who were hugging each other, as if they hadn’t seen each other in years, when in reality it was probably only a few months.

Everyone was currently meeting at Ice and Sarah’s house as a small welcome back party for Carole and Goose. Ice and Maverick were sitting on the porch chairs until they all arrived.

Iceman shakes his head being used to the two’s shenanigans. Goose and Mav part from the hug and pat each other on the shoulder, before Goose turns to Iceman to give him a hug as well. 

“Hi Mrs. Bradshaw,” Maverick smiles, greeting Carole as she gets closer.

“Hi Mr. Bradshaw,” Carole teases him.

The trio greet their Uncle Ice, who they hadn’t seen since the graduation party. Ice gives Aurora a quick look, to which Aurora subtly shakes her head, knowing Ice wanted to discuss a few things, but now wasn’t the time.

Aurora and Carole decide to head into the house to help out Penny and Sarah, who were most likely in the kitchen, leaving the men out on the front porch to let them catch up.

Aurora spots Amelia playing with Ice’s grandchildren that were running around the backyard, Amelia looking tired from chasing them. She’d flopped down onto the grass, clearly exhausted and outdone by their energy.

Aurora laughs at the sight as she makes her way into the kitchen. She greets her mom and Aunt Sarah, and sits on a stool over the countertop so she could have a conversation with them, but not get in the way with them prepping food since they insisted they didn’t need any help.

Penny starts cutting up fruit next to Aurora, to which she leans over and steals a piece. Penny tries to slap her hand away, but because of Aurora’s reflexes, was unsuccessful. Rolling her eyes at her daughter’s antics, she proceeded to keep cutting the fruit. 

“So, little star. What’s it like being back home at a different office?” Sarah asks, as she stirs something over the stove.

Aurora pops the piece of pineapple in her mouth and chews quickly to answer her question.

“Different, but nothing I can’t handle,” she responds. 

“Well, I think we can all say, we’re all glad you’re home now,” Sarah looks over at Aurora and smiles at her.

“You can say that again. I don’t even want to know all the stuff that happened that you haven’t told us,” Penny sighs, knowing Aurora kept a lot of stuff secret to not worry everyone.

“So, you don’t want to hear about the number of times I’ve been shot at?” Aurora smirks at her mom. Her mom looks at her with a threatening look.

“What?!” 

“I’m joking! I’m joking!” Aurora laughs. “Not really,” she soon whispers under her breath.

“What was that?”

“Nothing, mom!” Aurora gives her mom an innocent smile, while Sarah and Carole chuckles.

“I swear, you and your brother give me gray hairs.”

“And Amelia hasn’t even decided what she wants to do yet. What if she becomes a Naval aviator?” Aurora thinks out loud.

“Oh no, she’s staying home until she’s 30.”

They all laugh at Penny’s comment before she suddenly remembers something.

“Speaking of Peyton, what’s up with him and Hangman?” she asks.

“Wait, Hangman? That name sounds familiar,” Carole wonders.

“He’s one of the pilots on the mission,” Sarah answers. Sarah usually knew a lot of things that went on in the Navy. Perks of being a Navy Admiral’s wife. 

“Oh! Didn’t he and Bradley get into a little tiff?” Carole asks.

“When don’t they?” Aurora rolls her eyes. “They literally got in one yesterday.”

“So, him and Peyton,” Penny implores.

“He and Peyton were a thing, but Jake has commitment issues and is worried about his reputation in the Navy. Peyton doesn’t like feeling used. Therefore, tension,” Aurora answers.

“Men are dumb sometimes,” Carole shakes her head.

“Auntie, what about Goose and Bradley?” Aurora questions.

“Exactly, they have their moments, but sometimes I wonder if they share a brain cell,” Carole retorts, to which the women nod and agree with Carole’s statement.

Aurora snickers as Peyton walks in with Bradley to grab a drink. The women see them walk in, and laugh out loud confusing the pair that had just come in.

“Are we missing something?” Peyton asks.

“Inside joke,” Aurora simply answers, before going back to giggling. Bradley smiles at Aurora, laughing. His heart warms knowing that she was feeling a bit better from yesterday’s fiasco.

He goes and stands behind her, leaning forward to grab fruit from the bowl Penny was putting them in. Penny slaps his hand as he draws back his hand from the bowl, successfully stealing three pieces of fruit. 

“Don’t make me ban you from the Hard Deck, Bradshaw,” Penny threatens. Bradley pops a piece in his mouth and tosses another one to Peyton, who was grabbing three beers from the fridge.

“I’m your best customer Mama Pen,” Bradley gives her a puppy dog look, to which Penny shakes her head and goes back to cutting the rest of the fruit.

Bradley holds out the last piece of fruit to Aurora who instead of grabbing it with her hands, grabs it with her mouth, letting Bradly feed her.

Peyton rolls his eyes at the two’s actions, whereas the moms watch and give each other knowing looks. 

“Alright Romeo, we got some beer deliveries to do,” Peyton calls out to Bradley, drawing the two out from their bubble. Bradley rolls his eyes, before giving Aurora a wink, following Peyton out of the kitchen.

Aurora watches them leave, as her face turns pink. Looking around the kitchen when the two leave, she notices the attention on her from everyone in the kitchen and what they’d just seen.

“Shut up,” she mumbles as they all laugh and get back to what they were doing.

—

“Ice, please don’t ask me to send someone else to die. Please don’t, don’t ask me to send him. Send me,” Maverick pleads to Iceman.

Maverick and Iceman decided to sit in Ice’s office to talk about the mission, away from everyone’s ears. 

Iceman types on his computer. ‘It’s time to let go.’

Maverick sighs seeing those words.

It’s not just about letting go of Rooster, but his twins as well. Maverick loves his daughter and his son, and he loves Rooster as well.

But he knew if he let Rooster go on the mission and he didn't come back, he not only lost his godson, but his children as well as his best friend. They wouldn’t forgive him. He couldn’t let go.

“I don’t know how,” he whispers.

“I’m not a teacher, Ice,” tears start running down Maverick’s face. “ I’m a fighter pilot. A naval aviator. It’s not what I am, it’s who I am.”

Ice sits and lets him rant.

“How do I teach that? Even if I could teach it, it’s not what Rooster wants. It’s not what the Navy wants. That’s why they canned me the last time, the only reason why I’m here is you,” Maverick goes on.

“If I send him on this mission, he might never come home. Goose and Carole would never forgive me. Let alone Peyton and Aurora,” Maverick chokes on his words, as the tears start streaming down.

“And if I don’t send him, he’ll never forgive me. Either way, I could lose him forever. I could lose Goose, Carole, the twins.”

Maverick looks back at the computer that had the words still typed out in front of them, as if it was haunting him. It was time to let go.

“I know, I know,” Maverick sniffles, knowing Ice said all he could. Ice nods for him and Maverick to stand up. He coughs a little before speaking to Maverick.

“The Navy needs Maverick. The kids need Maverick. That’s why I fought for you. That’s why you’re still here,” Ice hoarsely tells him. 

Hearing those words, Maverick hugs him. “Thank you, Ice. For everything,” Maverick whispers to him.

“I’m not going anywhere,” Ice chuckles before separating from the hug.

“One last thing,” Ice mutters. Maverick braces himself for what he’s about to say.

“Who’s the better pilot? You or me?” Ice asks. Maverick smirks at him.

“This is a nice moment. Let’s not ruin it,” they chuckle before hearing a knock on the door. Aurora pops her head in, seeing the two men.

“Am I interrupting anything?” Aurora asks them. They shook their heads.

“Good, dinner is ready! Better come soon before Bradley and Peyton eat the whole table,” Aurora snickers.

“We heard that!” Peyton calls out.

“You were meant to!” Aurora turns to call out down the hall. She looks back at Maverick and Ice before nodding back at them and turning to go to where the food was. Maverick and Ice chuckle, following after the girl together.

—

Dinner was in the backyard since there were quite a few of them in the house and they wouldn’t all fit in the kitchen. Everyone grabbed their food, and was scattered around the backyard, all in different groups.

The dads were sitting around a small table, talking with a beer in each of their hands. Ice had his phone out so he could type what he wanted to say. The moms were sitting on the porch swing, watching the kids and gossiping about who knows what.

Bradley and Aurora were sitting on the grass next to each other on a sheet that Sarah had laid out for them.

Amelia and Peyton were originally sitting with them too as they ate their food, but opted to play with Ice and Sarah’s grandchildren, with CJ as well. Ice and Sarah’s children were busy, so Ice and Sarah had offered to watch them for the weekend.

Aurora was pointing out a constellation to Bradley to which he was honestly trying his best to understand. Truthfully, he just liked stargazing with her, not really taking in much information. 

“You’re not listening, are you?” Aurora turns to look at Bradley. Bradley shakes his head.

“I am so listening.”

“Really? Then which constellation did I point out?”

“Uhhh…the really bright one.”

“Bradley!”

“Sorry!” He groans. “I’m just not looking forward to training tomorrow.”

“I think dad said something about a surprise,”Aurora tries to reassure him.

“Ugh, knowing him it’s going to be 500 pushups on top of a mile run.” 

Aurora laughs at Bradley’s complaining.

“You’ll be fine, B. I highly doubt it’s going to be that intense of a surprise.”

“He made us do 200 pushups on the first day.”

“Well, to be fair, I think that was all Fanboy and Payback from what I’ve been told.”

Bradley shakes his head before laying on his back. Aurora, still sitting, turns to watch him lay down.

“Just leave me here to die,” he mutters. Aurora giggles before deciding to poke his stomach.

He spazzes before trying to tickle Aurora in retaliation, but she was too fast for him and stood up right away before he could even start something. 

“I’m going to get water, do you want anything?”

“Nah, I’m fine.” Bradley stays laying down, as Aurora walks away to grab a water bottle.

“Hey little star,” Goose calls out to her, as she passes them. 

“That nickname is never going away is it,” she sighs, as she plops into a seat next to him, with her dad and Uncle Ice sitting across.

“You’ll always be our little star,” Goose answers. She sighs and looks at them.

“Alright, let’s get this over with. I know what you’re going to ask.”

“Sweetie, we just want to make sure you’re doing okay,” Maverick reassures her.

“I am.”

“Hon, Bradley said you had an anxiety attack yesterday,” Goose says.

“Traitor,” Aurora mutters. “Look,” she begins to explain. “It was a long day, work was kicking my ass, tensions were high, and Bradley came on a bit strong when we were talking. He apologized, and we made up. I’m fine.”

“Did you tell him about what happened?” Ice types out on his phone.

“No, he said he understands I will come to him when I’m ready. And I’m not right now. But I will be, just not now,” Aurora sighs. 

“You have to tell them all eventually sweetie,” Maverick speaks up. “If you keep it in any longer, it’s going to crash down.”

“I know, dad. I just, I’m getting used to being back home. I need to be able to think straight before I tell them all the shit that’s happened.”

“We’re here for you whenever you’re ready, little star,” Goose reassures her. Aurora smiles at Goose, giving him a small side hug.

“Thanks, all of you for being there for me. I better head back to Bradley before he wonders where I am.” Aurora gets up, gives her dad and Uncle Ice a side hug, before heading back to Bradley. 

The three men watch her walk away before sighing.

“I’m worried, Ice. Her being back at NCIS worries me, even if she is behind a desk,” Maverick tells them.

Ice types out, “She’s a strong woman now. She’s not a baby anymore.”

“Aurora can hold her own, Mav. She’s a Mitchell, “ Goose affirms, agreeing with Ice’s statement. 

“That’s what worries me, Goose,” Maverick sighs. 

Soon Penny, Carole, and Sarah join them.

They all glance at Aurora and Bradley, who were now both laying next to each other, laughing as Aurora was trying to still point out a constellation to Bradley.

Peyton and Aurora soon sit next to them, while CJ sits next to Aurora. The adults all smile, realizing how much they all had grown up.

“Will they ever get together already?” Carole groans, as she sits in Goose’s lap. 

“You just want to win the bet,” Maverick chuckles.

“Well that too! I mean, how are they not together yet?” Carole wonders.

“Work, and timing honey,” Goose simply answers.

“Besides, even if they get together soon, Penny will be winning the bet,” Sarah answers. Ice looks at the document on his phone where they had put the bet and nods, agreeing with his wife.

“At least I didn’t put by the time they turn 50,” Penny accusingly looks at Maverick.

“What?! I’m optimistic!”

“50 years old, Pete?!”

“50 years old is young in my opinion!” Maverick argues. Penny shakes her head at Maverick.

“What about Peyton and his new boyfriend?” Carole asks.

“Boyfriend?! What do you mean?!” Maverick exclaims, not knowing about Jake and Peyton.

“Oh boy, you did it now Carole,” Goose mutters.

They start discussing, with Maverick trying not to flip out about how his kids were growing up. 

The group of four, Peyton and Amelia, sat back with Bradley and Aurora, turning to see them in a heated discussion.

“What do you think that’s about?” Peyton wonders.

“Do you really want to know?” Amelia answers back in the form of a question.

They turned back to see them, and shook their heads.

“Nope,” the trio replies. And they all laugh out loud.

The giggles and heated discussion from the backyard could be heard echoing through the night.

- - -

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Disclaimer: This story is fictitious. All works are written by me and only posted here. Please do not copy, repost, or plagiarize on any other platform without my permission!

[almea]

How do you think everyone is going to react to this info that Raven was with summer on her final mission? Will they give her a chance to explain her side or will they just be even more disappointed. Yang’s going to need Blake again this is why I’m glad they’re together. I also Weiss and Blake to give them space to have a sisters chat

Oh my god, I've been thinking about this nonstop since yesterday and there are so many possibilities about how it could play out.

I think it would at least partially depend on how Raven reenters the story. Like. If she managed to show even an ounce of care for Yang. I'm so curious about whether Ruby was in the right headspace to register that Raven did care, even if she tried to pretend she didn't. If she told Yang that, how much would it matter to her?

With how much Yang was able to break through Raven's defenses the last time they spoke, the fact that Ruby and Yang already have their suspicions about Summer being turned into something like the Hound, and now the knowledge that Raven was with her, if they were to directly confront her about that I want to believe she won't be able to be as cagey or quite as supremely unhelpful as she was at the start of volume 5. This is probably 50% coloured by how much I want Raven to Just Be Better and 50% me wanting the answers only she can provide.

I want the Raven confrontation to be mainly be Yang and Ruby (Qrow and Tai can be there too since it was their team and family too, but let the girls do the heavy lifting because I Love them), but I still want Blake to exchange some words with Raven at some point. Because Blake loves Yang so much and she's the only one of team RWBY who hasn't spoken to Raven, she hasn't even SEEN her, and I want that interaction so badly. Like, if we somehow get confirmation that Raven was taking a shot at Blake with "Your teammates never let you down before" I would fucking die.

And if they do show us Ruby telling Yang about what she saw rather than having it be something that happens off screen, I do think it would be nice if it was just Ruby and Yang. Not in a "keeping secrets from Blake and Weiss" kind of way, but it's something so deeply personal to their family that I think it would be good if Ruby told Yang one on one so she could digest the information and react to it before they decided what to do with it.