#Maya and Cam did

[zayadriancas]

[sapphirebluejewel]

Campbell Saunders In Every Episode - Doll Parts Part 1

[alwaysanangelneverag0d]

~Fast break to your heart~Pazzi AU

NWSL Paige x WNBA Azzi

a/n: Im genuinely so sorry for the wait and false promises guys ,ive had a really stressful past couple days.I plan on releasing a one shot in a couple days to make up for it. Hope yall enjoy 😛also paige is a YEARNERRRRR agenda is real.Jeff Buckley was my biggest inspo in writing this chapter.The linked song specifically.

Wc:6.4k

Chapter 2:Curious isn’t the right word

May 2026

The familiarity of her own home was something Paige had been craving since the moment she left the arena—no crowds, no cameras, no noise. Just the soft hum of her fridge, the low buzz of the ceiling light, and the comfort of knowing she didn’t have to be on anymore.

Cam was already sprawled across the couch like she paid rent, one leg kicked over the armrest, the other resting lazily on a throw pillow that definitely wasn’t meant for feet. Paige sat opposite her, legs tucked up underneath her, hoodie sleeves pulled down over her hands

The ice clinked softly in their glasses—grenadine twisting through Sprite like a watercolor bleed—as the two of them nursed their Shirley Temples in silence, the kind that only long-time friends could share comfortably.

Cam took a long sip of her shirley then tilted her head “So…what’d you think”

Paige glanced over expressionless “Of the game?”

“No dumbass.Azzi”

Paige felt her breath catch, quickly covering it with a long sip of her drink. “I don’t know,”she shrugged with a forced lightness,setting her glass down on the coffee table ”I met her for like 5 seconds.”

“Long enough for her to not like you”Cam replied always honest

“Yeah i noticed” Paige muttered, tilting her head back against the cushion. She let the aftertaste of cherry and lemon linger on her tongue like it might drown the bitterness under her ribs”She was polite i guess.”

“Polite” Cam raised her eyebrows “She shook your hand the same way she shook the team sponsors last week.Not even a smile”

Paige shrugged “To be fair i wasn’t exactly polite either”

She didn’t say what she really meant: I didn’t know how to be. Not with Azzi. Not when she looked at her like that—and then didn’t look at all.

“You were acting like you were at a damn press conference”Cam swirled her drink in the glass “I mean i mentioned her name how many times and you still couldn’t remember who she was.”

But that wasn’t true. Not really

The name had lived on the edge of her radar, barely a whisper until two weeks ago. After Cam brought her up, Paige did what she always did when something nagged at her—she researched. And she had not been prepared.Azzi Fudd. The name pulsed through the media, interviews, and highlights .

“Generational player”

“The next Maya Moore”

Paige had heard it all.

She even out of curiosity subjected herself to a few games.To her shock—watching Azzi’s clips felt like she was tracing the same path someone else had carved through the dark. There was something in her rhythm,her expressionless focus,her devotion to the game that drew Paige.Like brushstrokes made by the same trembling hand.Azzi seemed to move through her life with the precision that came from pressure instead of peace.

She realized in watching Azzi’s highlights that maybe they were painted from the same palette.Not identical,no.But created by the same weight in the wrist.The hunger to prove,and the same exhaustion from the effort.And she hated that,hated how much a stranger made her chest ache with nostalgia.

Yet despite the similarities.Azzi didn’t even look at her,she looked right through her.And that hurt more than she was willing to admit

“She didn’t just not like me” Paige said finally “She treated me like i was nothing”.

Cam smiled “Now you know how it feels.”

Paige glared at her “What.”

Can rolled her eyes.

‘Every woman in the country would kill for you to even say hi to them.And Azzi?.She shook your hand like you were a ball boy”Cam finished off the last of her shirley”No offense but it was kind of satisfying to watch to be honest”

Paige didn’t respond.What was she supposed to say?That she hadn’t stopped thinking of the flex of Azzi’s triceps when their hand met?That Azzi’s coldness had felt like a check to the chest?

That despite her coldness,Paige couldn’t help but wonder what her voice sounded like when it wasn’t so distant?

Instead Paige put her hands together and asked quietly “Did she hear something about me?Like.. before we met”

Cam blinked.”What?No.”

Paige paused scratching at the pale skin above her eyebrow “I don’t know it felt like she was offended by just my presence.”

Cam looked over paige.Trying to read into the vulnerability displayed in her posture “Nah.Azzi can just be like that sometimes with people.”

The answer Paige had been racking her brain for was finally answered.Though it provided her no relief.She somehow felt worse.

Why was she someone Azzi barely acknowledged?

Cam eventually clocked the drawn silence,the way Paige started making both of them a second shirley instead of answering.

“Oh my god” Cam shot straight up from the sofa “You like her.”

Paige scoffed as hard as she could,as if it was rehearsed “What?No.I’m just curious”

Cam leaned in with a smirk that meant nothing but teasing “Curious isn’t the right word.You literally asked why she didn't like you,like a kid wondering why their love note didn’t get passed back”

“Cam seri-”

“No, because this is rich.You collect girls like souvenirs.Hook up,disappear.repeat.But Azzi ignores you and suddenly it’s-”Did I do something ot her?”.Cam dramatically put her hand to her chest as if offended

“I didn’t say I-”Paige paused her eyes glaring “You’re always trying to set me up with your friends.It never works.”

“Because you dont bite!” Cam snorted ‘’I mean seriously I introduced you to an actual Vogue model and you shrugged.But Azzi treats you like nothing and now you’re in complete crisis”

‘’Im not in fucking crisis”Paige snapped, taking a long, deliberate sip of her Shirley Temple like it might cool the heat rising in her chest. “I just asked a simple question.”

“You asked it with a bruised ago” Cam pointed “Thats the difference”

Paige just shot her a sharp glare strong enough to draw blood. “Fuck off.”

Cam just raised her hands and leaned back in surrender. “I got it,I got it.Loud and clear,Miss emotional my bad.”

A pause settled between them—long enough to feel pointed—.Paige crossed her ankles together.Letting out a breath she wasn’t aware she was holding

‘’She just… caught me off guard’ she trailed off “That’s all”

Cam raised her glass in a mock toast at this “Welcome to the club PB.She catches everyone off guard.”

Paige let Cam’s remark linger.Fixing her gaze towards the wall behind Cam’s shoulder.These sudden bursts of silence were too long for someone who claimed to be unaffected.

Cam’s amusement flickered to small concern “You good?’

‘’You know i don’t do this stuff”.Paige stated it flat,almost automatic—like muscle memory .But the way her voice dropped and caught in the back of her throat made it feel like confession.Like she needed to remind her herself more then Cam.

“Not since highschool”

“That was years ago Paige”

“Doesn’t feel like it sometimes” Paige muttered,eyes fixating on the ice melting in her glass.

The words left her mouth.But her jaw stayed tight,shoulders stiff—as if speaking might shake something loose she wasn’t ready to deal with.She offered nothing more.She never did.Not about that time in her life.Not even to Cam, who she trusted more than most.

Cam didn’t push,instead she just swirled the cherry in her drink.Letting the silence linger before breaking it with a light tone“Azzi’s not asking for a relationship.She barely even spoke to you.”

‘’Yeah and that’s likely a good thing” Paige replied tilting back her head to down the rest of her drink.Like it would make the ache in her chest go away “People are easier when they don’t want something from you.”

Cam didn’t say anything.She just laid back and watched Paige retreat into herself,not with distance but silence.A behaviour Cam had learned meant to stop pushing

And Paige didn’t look up.She just stared into her empty glass knowing it would feel safer than eye contact.

And to be truthful it was

—--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Later that night, after Cam had left—promising, half-teasing, that Paige better show up courtside tomorrow—Paige found herself regretting ever agreeing to go. The season opener. A game she’d told Cam and Rickea she’d attend to “show support,” even though the thought of it now made her stomach twist.Paige sat on the edge of her sofa the tv humming a low sound to make the silence feel less loud.Her Shirley had been replaced with a glass of something with more punch.Something with a bite

Whiskey.

Her head buzzed—-not from the alcohol.But from the unshakable thought of her.

Azzi.

She hadn’t expected her thoughts to linger this long. Not over this. It had only been a handshake. A few glances. A throwaway comment about her goal. The kind of surface-level exchange Paige had been through a hundred times—empty gestures dressed up like meaning. Nothing remarkable. Nothing that should’ve stayed with her.But she couldn’t stop replaying it over and over again.The way Azzi’s voice had dropped to something cool and distant.As if she wanted nothing to do with her

Or worse—like she had already figured out who Paige was.And had decided quietly that she wasn’t worth an ounce of time.

She grabbed her phone,more in habit then intention.Her thumb scrolled aimlessly scrolling for something to drag her thoughts somewhere else.She had never been one for notifications—there were always too many.Too many likes.Too many tags.Too many people judging her behind a screen.

But something had made her open the app.Maybe it was the alcohol.Maybe it was an excuse to fill the silence.

And there it was

azzi35 liked your photo

She blinked once.Maybe even twice.It had to be her imagination.

Paige’s heart suddenly felt like it was about to escape out of her chest.

The post was old—from three years ago to be exact.

From a time that felt like another lifetime entirely. Paige in her Stanford kit, drenched in sweat, grinning so wide it made her eyes squint. Her arms slung around her teammates, the national championship trophy pressed against her side. The best day of her life—maybe the last time she remembered feeling that kind of raw, uncomplicated joy.

She remembered the game vividly. Her knee had been screaming the entire second half. But she’d stayed in. Scored the game-winning goal with less than five minutes left on the clock. She could still hear the roar of the crowd. The weight of that moment lived in her muscles even now.

And Azzi had liked it…

At 12:52am.

She tapped her own username.Scrolled past to the photo.Scanning the likes as if her life depended on it.There it was.

azzi35-clear as day

Not a mistake.Not a glitch

“No way” Paige muttered.The effect of the alcohol suddenly felt more present

She clicked on Azzi’s account.Triple checked it was her verified account—and not some sick joke.Scrolled through her account as if it had the answers to questions she was too afraid to ask in the space outloud.

Azzi had been on her page. Late at night. Deep enough to find a post from three years ago. And she hadn’t just looked.

She’d double tapped.

Her heart started doing that annoying fluttering thing.The restless electric throbbing she had come to hate——It felt like the feeling of pregame nerves. But this time mixed with something far more tender.

Why now?Why when Paige couldn’t stop thinking about her?

Was it an accident?A slip-up?

The former was likely.But Paige wanted it to be the latter.The idea that Azzi had purposefully engaged with Paige in a subtle way was intoxicating.The kind of intoxication she promised to not let herself be pulled into again.

But by now it was 12:57am and Paige was most definitely drunk.

Definitely not blackout drunk—but the loose impulsive kind,where thoughts came fast and her filter came slow.The kind where emotions felt louder.Clearer.

Her thumbs hovered over the screen with hesitation.

She shouldn’t.

She knew she shouldn’t

But she did.

I didn’t take you to be a stanford fan

She hit send before she even could second guess herself.Before logic took the phone out of her hands

She stared at what she had just done.Horrified at her drunken boldness

She thought about unsending it.Her finger even hovered over the button.

At that moment she even considered throwing her phone across the room instead—maybe even at the wall.Maybe into the ocean.Whichever one made her feel better.

Though she didn’t

Instead she dropped it on the far end end of the couch like it burned her

“Idiot” she dragged her hand down her face with a kind of shame only reserved for the stupidest mistakes.

“Drunk idiot”

There was no one to hear her words.But she said them loud anyways.

But beneath the embarrassment of her drunk actions——lingered something else.

Hope

And undoubtedly fear.

Because if Azzi responded?That would mean something.

and if she didn’t

That would mean everything.

————————————————————————-

Paige woke up with the dry taste of both regret and whiskey in her mouth.The sunlight burned through the living room curtains.Her head throbbed in waves with pain,and her mouth felt like it was stuffed full of cotton balls.

She groaned, barely cracking open one eye. Her apartment was a mess—half a bag of chips on the coffee table, an empty glass sticky with cherry syrup beside it, and her phone… somewhere.

She sat up slowly rubbing her fingers to her temples in the hope that she could will the ache away.Last night started coming through in flashes.Cam’s relentless teasing.Her stubbornness about the situation.The pitiful lone drinking session

And then——Oh god.

She had texted Azzi last night.Her eyes widened and she scrambled for her phone

It had fallen between the couch cushions after the chaotic night.She yanked it out screen smudged with fingerprints ,and remnants of desperation.Her thumb hesitated for a mere second before she opened instagram,she braced herself.

No message.

No dot beside Azzi’s name.

Nothing,Just the message from the night before lingering like an open wound—unopened unanswered,ignored

Maybe she just hadn’t seen it.. Maybe it got buried in message requests like so many others did. Paige had told herself that more than once already. But the rationalizations felt weak.

Still, she stared at the message like it might disappear.That id she looked hard enough,it would unsend itself.Rewrite her mistake

But no. She’d sent it.

Drunk as hell. Embarrassingly bold.

All over a stupid Instagram like.

A like that meant nothing.

To Azzi, probably.

To her, clearly too much.

She had shot in the dark,hoping for a fraction of something—anything really.Yet Azzi hadn’t even bothered to open it.

Azzi’s rejection wasn’t loud.It was quiet.Quiet in a way that stung more.Like Paige Bueckers,the star with her names on billboards and a thousand unread dms,wasn’t even a flicker in Azzi Fudd’s mind.

She dropped her phone on the coffee table with a dull thud.Letting it slide away. Then she slouched back onto the couch,

“God you’re such an idiot” she ran her hands over her face like she could rub the feelings away.

She laid there for awhile.Motionless in the loud quiet of her house.

The ache in her skull deepened, but it wasn’t from the hangover. That would fade.

This wouldn’t.

This was the kind of ache that came from being met with nothing at all.

Azzi’s silence had weight. And now, Paige was drowning in it.

————————————————————-

Hours later Paige stood in the shower,forehead pressed to the cool tiles,water hitting her back in thick unrelenting drops.It felt like punishment.Or baptism for her thoughts.Or both

Her head throbbed so loudly that it sent an ache towards her neck and down her spine.The price of one too many drinks and a drunk text she couldn’t take back.She had left her phone sitting on the sink counter.She felt as if the screen had been taunting her with silence.

She hadn’t checked again.Not since the first time this morning when her stomach dropped at what she had done last night.No reply.Like her words weren’t even worth a glance.

Paige let out a sharp breath running her hands through her hair.

What the hell was she thinking?

The water was scalding hot.But it didn't make a difference,it didn’t burn enough to distract her.Every single thought drifted back to one person

Azzi

Her face.The sound of her voice.How soft her hands were——even though they barely touched for more than 3 seconds.How her eyes didn’t have a sparkle—they stared.Intense.Knowing.Like they could read Paige within just seconds of meeting her.

And now she’d probably think of her even worse.That she was a creep who messaged her at 1 in the morning.

Paige clenched her jaw and turned her face into the water.Letting the hot droplets hit her repeatedly like a wave.

She had no right to want anything from Azzi.Not after she had sworn this off all those years ago.Feelings.Crushes.Any feeling that made her heart stutter in rhythm.

But still—Azzi liked the post.

Three years old.Buried in years of advertisements and sunburned practice captions she didn’t remember.That meant something right?

She had gone down far enough that it meant she was looking at Paige in more than ignorance.

….Or maybe it meant nothing

She shut the water off harder than necessary,droplets still streaking down her structured arms as she stood there motionless.Attempting to will the heat out of her cheeks and the pressure out of her head.

She never did this

Never spiraled.Never overthinked.She definitely didn’t obsess over girls who left her on sent.

And yet she felt the urge in her fingers to check her phone again.

Just to check.Just to see

Just to remind herself she was waiting for a reply she would probably never recieve.A reply she shouldn't want to receive.

The towel was still wrapped around her body when Paige walked into her dimly lit room,steam clinging to her skin in a way that felt like guilt.Her phone buzzed on the bed.But she already knew it was before she even reached for it

Cam⛹️‍♀️:Don’t even think about bailing on the game tonight

No greeting,no lightness.Just a demand

Shit.She was late.The first quarter was just minutes from starting

But still she wasn’t rushed.Paige huffed.Flopping onto her mattress with a loud exhale that didn’t quite land-mostly due to her chest being too tight.

She wasn’t going to bail.

She hadn’t even decided she was going to bail.But leave it to cameron brink to sense her hesitation through the phone—like some psychic with 6’4 intuition.

Paige tossed her phone beside her and tried to will her body to get up.

She had promised Cam and Rickea weeks ago she’d be at the home opener.Just to support.Nothing dramatic.Nothing personal

But now?it felt personal

The idea of watching azzi dominate the game while pretending she wasn’t waiting for a reply or an acknowledgement…it made her stomach churn.

She doesn’t owe you anything

You’re not entitled to a reply because you’re hungover and anxious and your feelings are doing cartwheels for a girl who probably thinks your a joke.

She still hadn’t been able to stop thinking about the way Azzi had looked at her when they first met—Like Paige wasn’t special.Like she was just a player on the field.

Which was funny.Because Paige couldn’t stop thinking about every detail of their interaction since.

She opened Instagram again.Still nothing.Just the notification

azzi35 liked your post

Three years old.She shouldn’t care.People stalked her instagram all the time.

But Azzi wasn't like other people.

Eventually, she peeled herself off the mattress .Slowly. Like gravity had decided to press a little harder on her today. Her muscles ached—not from the game, not from alcohol, but from something heavier—something like shame.

Eventually, she reached for a hoodie. The old gray one, fraying at the sleeves, soft from years of wear. She didn’t bother checking for stains. Just yanked it over her head and let it swallow her whole. The fabric clung for a moment—static and stubborn—and for some reason, that made her want to burst into sudden tears.

Next came the shorts. The black ones with the faded Nike swoosh. She tugged them on roughly, like dressing faster would make her feel less exposed. Less ridiculous. She didn’t even care if they matched. It wasn’t about looking good. It was about covering up.

She caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror—hair tousled, lips chapped, a faint flush still blooming along her cheekbones from either shame or sleep—or both.

She looked like a girl trying very hard not to care.

Which she didn’t.

At least that’s what she told herself

Even as her heart thudded in a way it hadn’t in years.

Even as she practiced looking away if Azzi happened to look at her..

Even as she checked her phone one more time before she went out the door.

Still nothing

Still waiting.

———————————————————————

She was unable to beat the traffic and arrived at the start of the second period.

The second Paige walked in the building,she felt the electricity.Fans packed into seats,camera lights bouncing off the polished court floor.Loud cheers and excitement echoing.But when Paige Bueckers walked to her seat——the sound shifted and swelled around her.

She heard the hushed whispers ripple from the people she walked by

Is that Paige Bueckers?

Why is she here?

The attention always gravitated towards her.Even when she didn’t want it to.A thousand eyes trailed her every move as she slid into her seat.Security even stopped fans from asking for pictures.But Paige barely noticed

Because Azzi was already on the court.

And the second Paige saw her.It felt like her world had stopped completely

There was no spotlight on her.Azzi wore her jersey as if it were armour,played like it was her second skin.She wasn’t smiling or showboating.Just entirely focused—-All power rhythm and silence.

God,Paige thought,she’s unreal.

Azzi caught a pass on the wing and pivoted with choreographed grace.Her body moved like poetry written through muscle memory.Her legs tensed with every motion,strong and sculpted.And yet her expression didn’t flicker.Not even once

The shot went up-clean high effortlessly

Swish

The crowd erupted with a roar.But Paige didn’t.She couldn’t bring herself to

She was too busy studying the rise and fall of Azzi’s chest as she jogged towards defense.The flex of her arms,the way her fingers twitched as she moved,calculating her next move.Every detail printed itself into Paige’s brain like her favourite scriptures.

She realized then this wasn’t like a simple crush.It wasn’t something light.

This felt like reverence to her.In the same way she studied her book of scriptures before games.The same way she felt praised by the people of the city.Yet this wasn't the kind of praise people gave her— this was something loud,shallow,and hungry.

The kind of praise that came with silence and fear.The kind that made her want to pull back into herself.

Even as the game went on and halftime passed,she had intended to sit with the crowd like a normal person.Blend into the noise,keep it casual.Keep it cool.She was there for Cam and Rickea.That was the excuse she had crafted since the morning she awoke.But as soon as her eyes found Azzi on that court again everything else blurred out of focus.

She watched from her court side seat.Elbows on her knees.Retreating into herself.But no one was looking at her anyways.They were all looking at Azzi.

And Paige couldn’t blame them.

The way azzi moved was like psalm made flesh— it was as if her body knew the secrets held in the hardwood before the ball even left her fingers.Her moves were quiet and clean—a painting that would leave you staring for hours.Even if you had no idea why

Though despite her closeness with Cam,Paige never knew the intricates of basketball the way she knew the weight of the ball between her cleats.But she understood greatness.She understood obsession.And Azzi’s game was driven by both

There was a sudden jump in play—-fast break, one defender trailing. Azzi drove straight down the middle, took the contact mid-air, and still finished with a reverse layup that kissed the glass with impossible grace.

She had 17 points

The crowd screamed again.Paige didn’t

She just stared

Observing the way Azzi landed eyes cold—-like none if it ever touched her—made Paige's throat tighten.She felt frozen as the announcer called the basket.As the arena lit up with praise.Everyone saw something that was to be put on a highlight reel.Something posted online for fans to rave over.

Paige saw hunger.Loneliness.Something she had once felt before.The first year she stepped onto the pitch

Because just like Paige.Azzi didn’t celebrate.She didn’t smile.She just turned back in.And Paige’s eyes followed her magnetically the whole way.

Like gravity

She was sure she forgot to breathe at this point.

She felt like she truly saw her in that moment.Not for the stats.Not for the perfection in her game.But for the way Azzi seemed to be holding a part of herself back even while giving everything.Paige knew exactly what that felt like.The quiet but pressured restraint.That silent type kind of fury.

She understood it in a way that made her feel more exposed then she ever felt.She felt it deep in her chest.

And when Azzi glanced her way—just once,fleeting from the bench during a timeout.Paige felt her body stiffen even more

Because it wasn’t a look of someone acknowledging a fan.

It was something else entirely

Azzi looked away just as quickly.Almost as if she hadn’t looked at all.

But Paige still felt as if she couldn’t breathe.

She felt like she had just witnessed something holy

——————————————————————

It was late in the fourth and the Sparks had lead the Wings 67-50

Azzi had 25 points

Now she stood at the sideline, the ball in her hands for an inbound. The ref bounced it to her with a snap of rubber on hardwood, but Azzi didn’t flinch.

She had to inbound tight— directly in front of where Paige was sitting courtside.

Close enough that their shoes nearly kissed the same floor tile.

Azzi didn’t look at her. Not even a flicker.Not even a glance like before.

But Paige… Paige couldn’t do anything but look.

The arena lights hit her just right—angled and sharp, like they’d been hung solely to honor the slope of Azzi’s cheekbone. Her caramel skin didn’t just glow; it radiated, like the light knew it had found its favorite canvas. Every movement cast a shifting shadow, soft and molten across her collarbone, the hollow of her throat, the curve where her neck met shoulder. Paige swore she could see the heat rising off her. Not just from effort—but from being. From existing in that body, in that moment, so unbothered by the way the world watched.Unbothered by the way Paige watched.

Her triceps caught the light like sculpture—taut and defined, the kind of strength you didn’t just see but felt. They curved beneath her skin with quiet force, flexing as she adjusted her grip on the ball, the muscle shifting like a whisper beneath caramel gold. Not exaggerated. Just exact. Paige still couldn’t look away. There was something mesmerizing about the way those muscles moved without effort, like they were made for this—— for power without apology.And she hated how badly she wanted to touch them.How badly she wanted to feel the skin where the lines wove together—-where shoulder blended into tricep.That warm tense stretch of skin that held all those connections.Paige imagined tracing it with her thumb.Feeling the quiet shift of strength beneath soft skin,the way it would flex slightly just from her touch.It didn’t even feel like lust.It was reverance—for how something could be built so precisely through dedication,yet still leave her unraveled.

And in that frozen moment,she caught her scent too—faint but devastating. It was the sharp, clean edge of cedar mingled with the warmth of skin and the subtle tang of sweat, raw and honest and unbelievably tempting, like something she shouldn’t want but couldn’t help chasing. And in those few seconds—where Azzi stood just inches from her but never once met her eyes,and time froze still.Paige understood the word restraint in a way she never had before.

It was brutal. It was beautiful.

And it hollowed her out from the inside.

————————————————————

The game had ended twenty minutes ago and most of the crowd had already left the arena,L.A for once buzzing with praise that wasn’t focused entirely on her.The Sparks had beat the wings 70-55

Paige had lingered behind on the pretense of chatting with Cam and Rickea.

But they were doing post game interviews and media—or whatever people did when they weren’t consumed by something—or someone else entirely.

She found herself walking slowly through the inner corridor of Crypto arena,down the hallway the Sparks players had disappeared into after the final buzzer.The squeak of her shoes echoed off the concrete walls,too loud in the silence.

Azzi had walked down this hallway.

Probably just minutes ago

Paige didn’t know what the hell she was doing if she was being honest with herself .It wasn’t like she could just follow her.And yet here she was feet tracing the same path—like she could trace herself to that version of Azzi she had seen on the court—so otherworldly under fluorescent lights.

The air still felt warm.Thick with the smell of cleaner,discipline,and adrenaline.Paige swore she could still feel it—the ghost of Azzi’s presence,cedar and sweat leaving a trail.She inhaled too deep,too desperate,as if pulling the essence of Azzi into her lungs might tether her somehow.The scent of the caramel skinned girl still lingered,haunting,weaving through the still air and refusing to be forgotten.

It was ridiculous

God,she was ridiculous

And then——someone stepped out of a doorway just ahead

Paige startled,almost stumbling over her feet before catching herself.Her heart jumped in her chest.For one breath—she hoped it would be her.

But it wasn’t

Just a staff member.Mid forties.With a sparks lanyard.

They gave her a weird glance,then switched to recognition with a look of shock.

Paige stayed frozen for a second longer.Letting the disappointment settle like smoke curling in her lungs.She glanced down the rest of the hallway.It was empty

Azzi probably wasn’t even here

Paige suddenly felt stupid in a deep echoing way.It was if she was chasing something she wasn’t supposed to want—didn’t have a right to want.

Still,her fingers curled slightly at the fabric of her jeans.As if they remembered the briefness of that handshake.The soft warmth that hadn’t even settled before it was torn away.

She willed herself to turn around and walk back.Wait for Cam and Rickea.Pretend like she hadn’t walked into someone's shadow hoping to find a trace of light.

But her feet didn’t move

Not yet

She stood there for a few seconds longer, wondering what it would be like to bask in that light.

——————————————————————-

Paige was standing scrolling aimlessly through her phone—when she heard them before she saw them.Cam’s voice rising through the hallway,Rickea’s laugh not far behind.

“There she is!” Cam grinned,hair still damp from her aftergame shower.

Rickea pulled her into a small side hug “Thought you were gonna ghost us for a second”

“Nah” Paige tucked her phone away,summoning a smile she didn’t feel.”Wouldn’t miss it”

Cam eyed her “You good?”

“Yeah.Just hungover”

They started walking together,Cam bumping her shoulder as always, Rickea catching her up on a tech she took in the first.

Paige laughed at the right parts.Nodded where she was supposed to.But her eyes kept flicking past them,toward every hallway,every cluster of players greeting their loved ones.Waiting

She told herself she was just being polite.Just curious…

The truth was much heavier than that.Part of her had hoped Azzi would come find her.That she’d slip into view quietly.That there’d be a nod,maybe even a small smile,even eye contact in acknowledgement.

But Azzi never came.Never appeared out of a hallway.

And the longer Paige looked around without saying it aloud,the more foolish she felt for expecting something.

They reached the end of the corridor where Cam’s car sat parked.Cam tossed her bag in the trunk,looking towards Paige “Azzi dipped after press.She doesn’t hang around post game.It's kind of her unspoken thing.”

Paige just nodded as if it didn’t matter.Like she wasn’t hoping otherwise.

Just masked it with a shrug of the shoulders.But the constant ache she had been feeling for the past few hours was still there.

She didn’t want anything to do with me.

The thought ended silently,not even dramatically.Not even with somber—-just dull certainty.

Whatever had stirred between them the time they met…It had clearly been one-sided

Paige put on a smile as Rickea climbed into the passenger seat.,Cam tossed her keys into the air

“You coming?” Cam asked

Paige shook her head “Nah.I drove here.You guys have fun”

“You sure?”

“Yeah,i’m good”

Neither of her friends questioned it.

Paige waited until they pulled away before she let her smile fall.Then she pulled out her phone and stared at the one sided message thread with Azzi.

Still nothing.

She locked her phone without typing something.

Fine.It was nothing.No big deal.

Yet it felt like something had slipped away before she ever had the chance to grasp it between her fingers.

————————————————————————

Paige gripped the steering wheel with a numbing tightness as the city lights flicked through her windshield.The hum of the engine was the only sound filling the car,not even music.Her head was already loud enough.

Forget it

She repeated the same mantra she had been repeating for the last 24 hours,attempting to force a knot in her stomach to loosen.

She was supposed to be here for her friends.Not tangled up in a rookie’s glance,or the smell of her when she had stepped close enough.It was stupid.Dangerous.And something Paige never did

Her knuckles whitened as she shifted gears,the night pressing down.She thought about Azzi —that sharp focus,the rhythm in which she moved on the court.The way her eyes settled on Paige

Don’t do this.Don’t make it more than it is.

But the memory wouldn’t detach itself.

She blinked hard,pulling into her driveway.The neighborhood was quiet.A contrast to the noise inside her head was still relentless.

Paige shut the car off.Sat in the empty seat for just a minute and whispered into the thin air

I don’t do this

But deep down.She wasn’t so sure of that anymore.

———————————————————————-

Paige dropped her keys on the marble counter,still buzzing from the weight of the day.She barely had the energy to take her shoes off when her phone buzzed.

It was probably a message from Cam and Rickea.Teasing how much fun they were having without her.

But no,the screen lit up with the username she had been checking for the entire day.

azzi35:You know… you’re supposed to cheer when you show up to a game.

Paige almost dropped her phone in shock of the reply.Part of her wanted to make Azzi wait.

See how waiting made her feel.Let the message linger

Part of her wanted Azzi to feel the same ache and anxiety that had been thudding in her head.

Though she couldn’t.She didn’t want to let this slip through her fingers.

Her hands shook as she replied:

My bad.Guess I owe you some cheers next time.Nice jumpshot though.

Sent.

Paige's anxiety came back in a rush.

She never did this.But it’s like she couldn’t control herself.Azzi Fudd was someone who made her lose every aspect of control.Then—

Read

A text bubble appeared, staying for about 10 seconds before vanishing.Paige waited,hoping Azzi had just gotten distracted.

Her eyes stayed glued to the screen, the blinking cursor mocking her like a heartbeat she couldn’t catch. She tapped the message again, then put her phone down—just for a moment.But when she picked it back up, nothing had changed.

No reply. No new message. Just the cold “Seen.”

Why wasn’t Azzi replying?Was she annoyed?Bored?Or worse—did she not care?

The feeling sank over her like a wave.

Paige’s fingers tightened around the phone.As the walls she was ready to break down built themselves more.

I can’t let myself want someone like this.Not again.

With a deep exhale,she pushed the phone aside—biting back the longing of more.Reminding herself to stay guarded

Because sometimes wanting someone wasn’t good enough.

[sugarushwriting]

“look what you made me do”

stalker jungwon part 2

adult content featured

yes there will be a part 3

you awoke with a startle after a nightmare. you sat up quickly on the bed that you were tucked into, the windows covered by thick curtains.

you looked around quietly, swallowing air, as you tried to remember what happened.

blood. chipper. maya.

shoot! when you removed the comforter from your legs and went to move off the bed and stand, you fell to the hardwood floor below.

“ouch!” you screamed in agony, tears coming to your eyes as you hugged your leg in pain.

you forgot all about the bear trap around your leg.

with a thud, jungwon came running up the stairs and threw the door open to the bedroom, a look of panic on his face.

he had originally been watching you through the nanny cam, but went outside to handle some business. he came back in and heard you cry out.

“hey, you’re okay!” he rushed to your side, helping you up gently, lying you back on the bed.

you sniffled, and your eyes went wide noticing the blood on his neck. “stay away from me, you, you freak!” you yelled, trying your best to scoot away.

jungwon wasn’t fazed nor was he mad. you were traumatized and he was slightly to be blamed for it. his smile faded to a thin line, eyes of worry focused on you.

all you could think of was poor maya in the wood chipper, asa and danielle hanging in the barn. if that was even still the case.

“what did you do to them?” you silently sniffled, trying to hold sobs.

jungwon bit is lower lip, “do you mean asa and danielle?”

you nodded slowly. jungwon hesitated to tell you. but he kept it simple with the truth. “they’re alive.”

you sucked in a breath. could you believe him? “how do i know you’re not lying?”

“i can show you.” he replied. you thought about it. could you stomach the way they looked? you barely could stay awake when the trap got you.

“why are you doing this?” you whispered so softly, he barely heard you.

jungwon went to tuck a piece of hair behind your ear, it caught you off guard, you flinched. he slowly put his hand down with a frown.

“why the blanket? how did you get those pictures of me?” you continued. the blanket he covered you with before he snatched you.

pictures of you at work. in public. in your apartment. naked.

“you can guess how i got those pictures, squid.”

squid. why did that name—nickname—sound so familiar? jungwon noticed your body react to the nickname he gave you when you were close. before your accident and losing your memory.

“have you been stalking me? us.” jungwon nodded, unashamed. “why, jungwon? i—i understand how we treated you in high school was so bad—and i’m genuinely sorry for it—,”

“let’s not talk about that, right now.” jungwon cut you off immediately, his tone and mood changing.

“what did we do so bad that made you want to stalk and kill us?”

jungwon hurriedly stood up and started pacing. it really wasn’t you. or even asa. little less danielle. maya and kelly were originally his main targets.

“you three never knew the torture i went through with maya and kelly.” jungwon says, running a hand through his hair. “it wasn’t just the teasing from all of you. kelly and maya deserved what they got. to be honest, they got off easy in my opinion.”

“jungwon, what did they do to you?”

“not now squid.”

“why do you call me squid?”

“it doesn’t sound familiar? like at all?” jungwon stopped pacing to look at you with hope in his eyes.

you shrugged. “it triggered something through me, but no, not really.”

“are you hungry? i can make you food.” jungwon changed the subject. before you could decline that you weren’t hungry, your stomach betrayed you and rumbled.

“oh, um, sure.” you nodded, unsure how you’d even be able to get up at this point. you could barely stand up on your own, let alone run away from this psycho.

“i’ll bring you breakfast in bed. you need to rest that leg. when i got you, the trap was pretty deep and the wounds don’t look good under the bandages.”

jungwon walked towards the bedroom door, and you noticed a dog sitting there waiting for him. you smiled unknowing at the dog, just happy to see something alive other than jungwon.

your thoughts were clouded from the night beforehand. he really killed maya. was he going to kill danielle and asa next? what about you? you had to stay alive. you were going to fight to stay alive so you could get help.

what did maya and kelly do so bad to fuck jungwon up like this?

footsteps padded against the hardwood, jungwon coming in with a plate of breakfast. your favorite breakfast.

he placed it in front of you slowly, you picked up the fork and slowly took a bite, moaning in relief at how good it tasted.

jungwon swallowed, his adams apple bobbing up and down at hearing you moan.

no. he wasn’t going to that to you. with you. not now. the pictures and videos he had were enough to help him rub one out when needed.

“uh, jungwon, this is really good. thank you.” you politely replied with a nod.

jungwon took a seat at the edge of the bed and stared at you while you ate. “do you really not get any type of memory from the nickname squid?”

you shook your head at him. “enlighten me.”

“i don’t want to freak you out.”

you snorted. “you stalked and kidnapped me and and my friends. killed one of my friends in front of me, jungwon.”

jungwon laughed softly. “guess you have a point.”

“just tell me why do you call me squid?”

“because when we were younger you got inked on by one, and ever since then you never liked them.”

“younger?”

jungwon sighed, “that’s enough trip down memory lane for now. finish eating.”

“will you take me to go see asa and danielle?”

“only if you promise not to throw up.”

about an hour later you had finished eating, and was prepared to go out. jungwon helped you walk down the steps, outside. you went slowly, but jungwon seem to not mind.

when you got to the barn, your heart sank in pure anxiety of what you may see in front of you.

jungwon, face plain of any emotion, opened the barn door and helped you hobble in there.

thankfully asa and danielle were no longer dangling from the ceiling chains, but rather seated in hay and chained to poles beside them.

both were left in the undergarments, and you knew they had to be cold. they hadn’t moved when you two came in.

“i gave them something to help them sleep. rest.” jungwon stated. “they’ll need their energy.”

“why?” you whispered out.

“it’s hunting season.”

you turned to look at jungwon with pure disgust. “please, jungwon, just let them go.”

jungwon’s lips went in a thin line as he stared at you. “why should i?”

“maya and kelly were your main targets, okay? the rest of us learned our lesson. just please let them be.”

“i’ll have to ask my coworkers.”

“coworkers?”

jungwon nodded. “ni-ki and kai. need to make sure they’re okay with it too.”

“it was all three of you?”

“mainly me, but they helped.” jungwon stated.

you looked at him in disbelief. “i’ll do anything if you just let them go. please.” you begged.

“i’ll think about it.” jungwon said before turning around walking back to the house. he left you to hobble behind him slowly, your leg still in pain from the trap.

you got to the porch steps, jungwon held the door open for you. “actually fuck this!” you snapped. “tell me right fucking now why you are doing this!”

jungwon laughed. “or what?”

you looked around the yard, and saw a big rock. you leaned down carefully to pick it up.

“what? you’re gonna throw it at me? try to kill me with it?” he taunted.

“no. i’ll bash my own head in!” you yelled, ready to drop the rock on your head as you held it above.

jungwon ran as fast as he could down the steps and tackled you to the ground, making the rock fall out of your hands.

little did he know, there was another big rock behind you. so when you fell, your head landed on the rock, instantly knocking you unconscious.

“no, no, no! wake up!” jungwon pleaded, trying to shake you awake. blood covered his hands from the back of your head. “no, you can’t do this. i can’t lose you again.”

he cried holding you close. jungwon quickly picked you up and ran to his truck, putting you in to drive you to the emergency room.

while the doctors worked on you, he had texted ni-ki and kai who were actually visiting in town, and asked them to clean up the barn mess. no other text was sent or explanation needed.

he couldn’t say too much and incriminate himself or them. they texted back with a simple ‘ok’ and ‘no problem.’

“mr yang?” jungwon stood up when the nurse called his name.

she smiled. “your wife is doing great. a little drowsy and confused, but she’s awake and alert, and the doctor is with her. follow me.”

you two weren’t married. but they didn’t need to know that. they didn’t ask for a marriage license or proof. jungwon just knew he had to be the one only to know about your condition.

he walked into the hospital room you were in, the doctor finishing flashing the light in your eye. your eyes went wide seeing jungwon, but you stayed silent, fear in your eyes and body.

“hello mr. yang.” the doctor greeted. “mrs yang, your husband has been so worried about you!”

the doctor and other medical staff left the room, leaving you and jungwon.

“wi—wife?” you stumbled out.

“you say anything else, and i will make sure you never see outside again.” jungwon threatened.

you hung your head in silence, twiddling your thumbs, afraid to say anything further.

jungwon spoke, “they said you hit your head pretty hard but you should be okay. you’ll be here for a while as they keep an eye on you. and i’ll be right by your side.”

you kept silent. you got comfortable in the hospital bed, pulling the blanket up to your chin, your back facing jungwon.

this seemed to be a nightmare that would never end.

[purplesimmer455]

After the ceremony has concluded, Cam’s parents invite everyone over to their house in Copperdale for a celebration party. Unfortunately, I couldn’t invite all the Feldmans and all the Kangs, but I had Cam’s sister Cece and auntie Iseul as well as her parents, and Piper’s moms, brother Hamuera, aunties Tess and Megan, and cousin Emily. I think I’ll have Cam and Piper visit both Piper’s grandmas Kaitlyn and Maya and Cam’s grandparents Chin-Hwa and Sang-Hee (her maternal grandparents) at their homes, as well as celebrate with their friends Darren, Vikram, Aqsaa, Casey, Malaya, Lily, Amir, and Molly by throwing a house party in one of their apartments.

Cam and Piper spend a few minutes greeting their guests and loved ones. Chrissy smiles at her daughter, her sharp blue-gray eyes shining. “Congratulations, nooboo. Mom and I always knew you could do it.” She says and Piper blinks rapidly. “Ma, I just did my makeup, don’t make me cry.” She half jokes, but smiles as Chrissy wraps her in a tight hug. “Thanks Ma.” Piper adds quietly as her mama rubs her back soothingly. Piper’s also wrapped in a hug by her mom, who’s wearing her favorite blue celestial dress and pearl headband for the occasion. “I can’t believe my cricket* has graduated from college! It feels like it was just yesterday that you were in my belly and kicking me 24/7, and now you’re this beautiful and smart young woman.” Luna says, the same amber eyes that Piper got from her filling up with tears. “Thanks mom, and I wouldn’t say 24/7, I’m sure I took breaks,” Piper jokes, making Luna laugh.

Meanwhile, Cam sits with Piper’s grandpa Brent Hecking, who heartily congratulates her before asking about plans after college. “I’m going to stay on full time at the engineering firm I interned at, and Piper is going to work as an assistant curator at San Sequoia gallery and museum.” Cam says, and Brent raises his eyebrows. “Really? Im very happy for you two, then. I’m glad you’re both so prudent and focused on your goals as well as your relationship.” He says, and Cam nods, pushing down the twinge of guilt. Technically, she likes the position she’s been offered, it would get her steady pay and experience and everyone at the firm is very nice and they get along, but sometimes a part of her worries if it’s what she really wants. Luckily, Cam’s auntie Iseul, along with Piper’s auntie Tess and auntie Megan, arrive not too long after and it distracts her. Megan hugs Cam and congratulates her and Piper, and Cam smiles and thanks her. She glances over at her auntie Iseul, who’s moon eyeing Megan as usual, and grins. “Congrats, Cammy. I’m so proud of you,” Iseul says once she’s stopped gazing at Megan, wrapping Cam in a bear hug. “Thanks auntie.” Cam says, sighing a bit as Iseul ruffles her hair.

They pull apart, and Cam bites her lip. “Auntie Is, did you always know you wanted to be a photographer? Because all my life I was so sure I wanted to be an engineer…but now I don’t know, and I don’t want to disappoint anyone, especially Pipes.” She says, and Iseul exchanges a look with Megan. “No, I actually wanted to be in a punk band, and then work as a carpenter.” She says. “And I wanted to be a librarian who also works as a DJ,” Megan adds, and Cam grins. “Auntie, I can imagine the librarian part but not the DJ part.” She half-jokes. “Hey, Megs would make a very sexy librarian-DJ.” Iseul says, and she blushes as Cam gives her a teasing look and Megan grins. “Thanks Issy. But Cammy, what your auntie and I are trying to say is that it’s okay to not know right away and have your plans change. I had my two oldest kids in my early twenties, which changed a lot of my plans, but for the good. I wouldn’t change a thing about it.” She says, and Iseul nods. “Same for me, I traveled, made so many friends, learned about different cultures, and I even found out I love photography and got jobs all around the world taking photographs for events and places. Now, I want to take photography gigs locally, and just settle down here.” She says, smiling softly at Megan, who blushes. “So it’s okay, Cammy, you’ll figure it out and you’ve got a lot of time. Plus, you’re not tied to your engineering job right? Why don’t you think it over, see if the full time job is good, and then go from there?” Iseul adds gently, and Cam nods, feeling her shoulders relax. “Yeah, you’re right. Thanks so much auntie Is, and auntie Megs.” She says, and both aunties smile at her.

*Edit: cricket is Piper’s nickname, giving to her when Luna was pregrant with her way back when. It originated in this post from 2020, which seems eons ago at this point. 😳😅

Also, I feel like it was so important for Cam to have this talk. She and Pipes planned out their whole life, and I think she feels guilty that she might want to have a career change and it’ll throw a wrench into everything they set up together, such as having an apartment close enough to commute to both jobs. I think she’ll be alright, and I’ll let her do the engineering career for a bit and see how it goes. And if not, I can take @itmeansiris’ advice to have Cam open a tattoo studio. Maybe with Piper as the main artist and Cam builds and fixes things or does some kind of crafting? 🤔😊

[queenvernage]

Most iconic gay PR ships of each season, in your opinion?

Or like what you like the most about them?

okay i have a loooooooooooooooooot of feelings about queer power rangers ships, so thank you thank you thank you for giving me an excuse to gush. i'm putting this under a read more simply because this post is approximately a mile and a half long and i don't want to clog up the dash… obviously i have more than one ship per season but i tried to limit myself for the sake of not taking seven years to answer this ask <3 honorable mentions are abundant.

mmpr/zeo/turbo: adam/rocky adam and rocky are THE pair of the early seasons. the banter of two old friends who have known each other forever and refuse to let the other win in a squabble, but ultimately have each other’s backs no matter what... that’s the good stuff. ultimate friends to lovers fodder and i live for it. (honorable mention to kim/kat, kat/tanya and jason/tommy).

in space: cassie/ashley and andros/zhane are equally iconic cassie and ashley have that whole “she’s my BEST FRIEND, it’s normal to be obsessed with her and say that no man will ever be good enough for her… a woman however... maybe me? haha just kidding... or am i?” dynamic that comes with so many closeted homoerotic girl friendships. and don't even get me started on the utter devotion of confessing your deepest fears, secrets and hopes to your cryogenic frozen boyfr-- bestie… who you would sacrifice yourself to save. andros can't hold anything against zhane and zhane would do anything to make andros laugh and smile… that's love.

lost galaxy: maya/kendrix please. these two are SO gone for each other. maya was DESTROYED when kendrix died and the tears and the hugs we saw at their reunion in the finale? i tear up myself every time. the episode where they're fighting with each other but have to work together to save the day and maya gets a cut on her cheek, so kendrix tends to it… that's sapphic as hell.

lightspeed rescue: ryan/carter we're talking lingering glances. we're talking "what's it going to take to save you? i'll do it." we're talking "i don't care what you did, i care about who you are, who you could be... if you let me help." honestly, i will never understand jason/tommy shippers who sleep on this one because this is literally like if the green with evil fallout was the entire back half of the season. i just love the embedded angst of the redeemed villain turned hero and the perfectionist good boy falling for each other. and also. carter. we all saw you staring at ryan's tattoo for like a beat longer than strictly necessary.

time force: wes/eric speaking of ANGST?? the rich boy/scholarship student at a private all boys school of it all??? the tragically ex-boyfriends who just never got over each other... i just… they're both so insecure and jealous of each other's strengths. it's "i can only see the best in you and the worst in me" from both sides… incredible. this may be one of the most iconic queer ships in power rangers period… genuinely, no one's doing it like them.

wild force: max/danny when danny is pining for kendall and max gets all jealous and starts acting out? that was his gay awakening. danny has the biggest, softest heart maybe of any character in the entire power rangers canon and max would fight to the DEATH to protect it. (max is the "excuse me, he said no pickles" boyfriend). danny turning to max anytime he needs strength or reassurance is so sweet, that's his safe person <3

ninja storm: hunter/cam there are truly so many good ship dynamics in ninja storm (and i am multishipper to the max with this season to be so clear), but when i think of ninja storm ships, this is the first one that comes to mind every time. i think cam spending so much of the first half of the season laying the snark on so thick that no one would ever know he's insecure and hunter veiling every sincere feeling he has for most of the season behind sarcasm and a side-eye just perfectly collide in "a gem of a day" where we see them realizing the other is the only one they're willing to be fully vulnerable with... cam needs someone who can go toe-to-toe with him on every level and i feel like hunter sees this as a challenge that he can rise to. they're the dad friends who deserve to fall in love.

dino thunder: conner/ethan here we have an underrated and under-utilized ship dynamic: jerk jock/snarky nerd (these are terms i use with love and affection). i think this may be a little bit of a cringe take so bear with me, but conner/ethan is a step away from the statler/waldorf muppets dynamic lol. they'll insult everyone together, including each other, but at the end of the day, there is a love and affection to it. and if ANYONE (minus kira and trent) said anything remotely mean about the other they'd come for them (i am a dino teens polycule truther... trent and kira are not immune to these idiots' charms). conner and ethan are very much "don't call him an idiot/loser, that's MY job!" and i love that for them. (honorable mention for whatever that toxic old man yaoi tommy and anton mercer had going on was lol, and also shout out to kira and her ex-gf kylee… glad they worked that out.)

spd: jack/sky okay. i'm sensing a trend in my own evaluations here. but once more, i must insist you consider the angst of it all. but this time with the added element of "i can't stop thinking about you. i'm obsessed with you. is it because i hate you? let's go with that because it's safer than the alternative" (i'll admit. toxic yaoi is in my taste profile.) the two of them coming to the conclusion that they are one another's full and complete equal. they are fueled by proving to the other that they are worthy of each other's respect. it's. everything.

mystic force: leelee/vida (okay, this is less "iconic" than it is "my favorite"… let me have it please) i do think that mystic force is one of the more purely platonic main team dynamics if i'm totally 100% honest, but if you look just a little bit to the left of the main team, you'll see that leelee pimvare is a lesbian, PASS IT ON. she did not have a crush on nick, she thought the socially acceptable thing to do was to PRETEND she had a crush on nick so no one would suspect that she was secretly pining for vida the whole time. and trading insults with vida is practically foreplay when you think about it. (i know everyone is always like "vida's a lesbian, she thinks leelee's mom is hot" to which i say yes… and also leelee. she also thinks leelee is hot. i was there. no one understands these two like me…)

jungle fury: rj/casey i mean, you knew i'd say this one, right? lol. i love themmmmm. casey learning what rj's capable of and hero worshiping that man only for rj to try to put distance between them because he knows he's got baggage and that if he lets casey get too close he'll see it all and plus he's supposed to be the authority figure here… rj falling for casey's earnestness and strength and eagerness to please… there's much to think of when it comes to them. and boy oh boy am i thinking.

rpm: scott/gem did your boyfriend throw his most prized possession into the corinth wasteland to show you that if your dad doesn't approve of you, he can take his approval and shove it? did your boyfriend literally die protecting you and your city, then come back to life and make it a point to hug you as his first act as a resurrected man? did your boyfriend see beneath your tough guy shell and wiggle his way into the limited soft spots in your heart and make you remember how good people could be? no? that's weird. because scott's boyfriend gem did. (an argument could be made that dillon/ziggy is more iconic in the sense of more people clearly see the vision, and "big, strong & silent protecting tiny, scrappy & yappy" is a good dynamic too… but scott/gem has my whole heart and i can't bear to let an opportunity to gush about them pass).

samurai: jayden/antonio WHAT DO YOU MEAN ANTONIO FELL IN LOVE AT SEVEN YEARS OLD AND SPENT HIS ENTIRE YOUNG LIFE LEARNING HOW TO BECOME A SAMURAI RANGER SO HE COULD REUNITE WITH JAYDEN AS AN EQUAL??? this is some of the most romantic shit i've ever seen in my life. jayden is like "wow i'm the worst person who's ever been alive and nothing about me is redeemable or lovable. i am a human lie." and antonio's like "bitch where? i've loved you since i met you, you are the most amazing person in the world and i'd literally die for you, come back to life, and die for you again." the way jayden's face lights up when he realizes who antonio is? the way antonio sees jayden's walls go up and refuses to be on the outside? the way that jayden isn't himself until antonio is back? the way antonio refuses to serve another red ranger? i'll stop myself here but let it be known i could easily go on.

megaforce: gia/emma i know what they do at sleepovers and it's not sleeping… i've never seen any two characters so "we're dating on the down low" coded. gia has memorized emma's locker combination, fro-yo order, and the placement of every single freckle on her body. emma has submitted at least 14 photography studies of gia doing daily tasks to scholarship competitions because her girlfriend IS art. jake can be in love with gia, that's fine, but he can't have her and emma will make sure of it.

dino charge: chase/riley oh my god they're so gay pride and prejudice coded. if it's not obvious from so many of the aforementioned ships, i personally think an easy shortcut to an instant iconic ship is "opposites attract" and also "you make me so mad i could just… kiss you" of which chiley is both <3 (honorable mentions to the himbo for himbo duo of tyler/koda, the literal knight x prince trope of ivan/phillip and of course, the "i need YOUR approval" sapphic dramatics of shelby/kendall. this team is very, very queer coded, the lot of them.)

ninja steel: victor/monty this (like mystic force) is another season where things are relatively platonic or straight in the main team, but if you're telling me for one moment that monty follows around victor like that for any other reason than he is in love?? wrong. taylor swift's "you belong with me" should play loudly anytime these two are on screen. and you know what, maybe one day, victor will realize that he's never needed external validation the way that he's worried he does and just give into the soft spot he clearly has for monty. (monty lowkey deserves someone who would know this from the start, but it's high school, and high school boys are in fact famously dumb when it comes to emotional intelligence.)

beast morphers: devon/blaze okay, stick with me here. beast morphers (rightly) spends a lot of time on the "doomed by the narrative" love story of ravi/roxy (whom i love and adore), but let's talk about devon/blaze. let's talk about the "i should have been the red ranger" angst. let's talk about the pairing of "the rules don't apply to me, i'm a free spirit" devon and "the rules apply to everyone, ESPECIALLY when they're in my favor" blaze. let's talk about the important enemies to lovers progression of "we're not the same, but i respect you." there's potential here. do you see it? do you see the vision???

dino fury: izzy/fern COME ON SOMEBODY, WE LOVE RIVALS TO LOVERS!! we ESPECIALLY love CANON rivals to lovers who are just two big ol' jocks who literally can't look at each other with out breaking out into giggles… i love them so much, they're such a soft wholesome pair. the prom episode??? when fern told "the green ranger" she loved izzy?? they give me cuteness aggression something fierce.

[kathlare]

cowboy like me

Lando Norris x Amelie Dayman

Summary: In a crowded honky-tonk bar, Amelie seeks distraction in the chaos of music and strangers. But as the night unfolds and old habits resurface, she's forced to confront feelings she's been running from for far too long.

Wordcount: 2.1 k

Warnings: none

full masterlist // request over here!

November 23rd, 2020 - Indianapolis, IN

Amelie let out a breathy laugh as the crowd around her swayed to the beat of the country music blasting through the speakers. The honky-tonk was packed, dimly lit with neon lights reflecting off the wooden floors, and the air smelled like cheap beer and whiskey.

She shouldn't even be here — her fake ID was tucked safely in her back pocket, and part of her knew if Callum found out, she'd be dead. But she needed this. The distraction. The chaos. The feeling of being young and reckless.

Her Stranger Things castmates, Joe, Maya, and Natalia, were somewhere in the crowd, but Amelie was already a couple shots deep, feeling the warmth of the alcohol buzzing through her veins.

She laughed as some guy — tall, dark hair, southern accent — pulled her onto the dance floor. He was cute. Not Lando cute, but enough to make her feel wanted. And Amelie loved attention. She craved it, especially when her mind was too loud and her chest felt too heavy.

—You always dance like this, or are you just trying to impress me?— the guy teased, his hands finding her waist as they moved to the music.

Amelie smirked, eyes dark with mischief. —Maybe I'm trying to impress myself.—

—Damn, baby, you're dangerous,— the guy chuckled, leaning closer, the smell of whiskey on his breath.

Amelie tilted her head back, laughing, her body moving effortlessly against his. The music pulsed through her veins, and for a moment, she felt free. She felt like the version of herself she used to be before... before everything. Before him.

Lando.

She shoved the thought away and let her fingers trail up the guy's arm, her lips dangerously close to his. She could feel his breath against her skin, her heart pounding in her chest as the space between them disappeared.

This is what she did. She flirted. She kissed strangers. She let them touch her because it made her forget. And for the past year, she'd been doing it to forget the one person she couldn't have.

But this time... she hesitated.

Her lips hovered just inches from the guy’s, her breath catching in her throat. She could feel his hand tighten on her waist, pulling her closer, and yet... something inside her screamed to stop.

Lando.

The memory of him flooded her mind — the way he looked at her when he thought she wasn’t paying attention, how he’d stayed up with her for hours on FaceTime when she couldn’t sleep, how he held her when her anxiety spiraled and no one else could reach her. The way he kissed her — slow, tender, like she was something fragile and precious.

Her heart clenched.

She’d kissed so many people since Cam. She’d hooked up with guys in crowded bathrooms, in dark corners of clubs, in the back of cars. It never mattered. It never meant anything. It was just a distraction. A way to feel something other than the ache that had lived inside her chest since the night she lost Cam.

But this felt different.

Lando was different.

And suddenly, kissing this guy felt... wrong.

Amelie blinked, pulling back slightly, her hand resting on the guy’s chest to create distance. —I... I can't.—

The guy raised a brow, clearly confused. —You okay?—

Amelie forced a smile, her head spinning. —Yeah, I just... I have a boyfriend.—

The lie slipped out effortlessly, and for a moment, it felt almost true.

The guy let out a breathy laugh, stepping back. —Damn. Guess I should’ve asked before trying to kiss you, huh?—

Amelie chuckled awkwardly, stepping further away. —Yeah, guess so.—

Her heart was pounding, but not from the alcohol or the adrenaline of dancing. It was something deeper, something she didn’t fully understand yet.

As the guy gave her a casual nod and disappeared into the crowd, Amelie stood there, feeling the weight of her own confusion settle heavily on her chest.

What the fuck was that?

This wasn’t her. She never backed off. Not since Cam. Not since she’d learned how to numb herself with meaningless touches and empty kisses. It was easier that way. No feelings. No attachments. No heartbreak.

But Lando.

Lando, with his stupid curly hair and that ridiculous British accent. Lando, who made her laugh when she didn’t want to. Who saw her when no one else did. Who never asked for more, even when she could tell he wanted to.

Her head was spinning as she stumbled off the dance floor and made her way toward the bar. Joe caught her eye from across the room and gave her a questioning look, but she waved him off. She couldn’t explain this right now.

Amelie ordered a whiskey sour and downed half of it in one go, hoping the burn would drown out the ache in her chest.

Why the fuck did she back off?

Because you feel something for him.

The thought hit her like a freight train, and she almost laughed at how pathetic she was.

It was just sex. It had always been just sex. She didn’t do feelings. Not after Cam. Not after everything.

But with Lando...

It was never just sex, was it?

She thought about how he always looked at her like she was something more. Like she was worth something more.

And maybe that scared her more than anything.

Because if she let herself feel this... if she let herself love him...

He could break her.

Just like Cam did.

Just like everyone else did.

Her phone vibrated in her pocket, snapping her out of her spiraling thoughts.

Lando.

Lan: Hey, trouble. What are you doing?

Her heart skipped a beat, and she hated how easily he affected her.

Ames: Getting drunk in a honky-tonk bar with Joe and Maya. Don’t judge me

Three little dots appeared, and she found herself holding her breath.

Lan: Wish I was there. Would love to see you in cowboy boots.

She smiled despite herself.

Ames: Don’t think you could handle it, Norris. Lan: Try me, princess.

Her stomach flipped.

God, she was so screwed.

Amelie closed her eyes and leaned against the bar, her head spinning for an entirely different reason now.

She didn’t want to lose him. But she didn’t know how to let herself love him either.

Because Lando wasn’t just a distraction. He wasn’t just some guy she could hook up with and forget about the next day.

He was Lando.

And maybe, just maybe...

He was the only person who could put her back together.

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

liked by lanmelieedits, jackantonoff, and others

daymanupdates: Amelie Dayman was spotted outside the Stranger Things set in Indiana today, looking casual and chatting on the phone 👀🎬

View all 27,941 comments

daymansimp420: girl was probably calling Lando to remind him to drink water 😭 → georgefan.mp4: @daymansimp420 she’s his emotional support popstar and it shows

lanmelieedits: lando probably saw this and combusted in london → alexno1fan: @lanmelieedits they’ve been “friends” for months and he already knows her filming schedule better than the director 😭

twizzlerwife: why does she look like she’s solving a government conspiracy and also ordering iced coffee → maxflix: @twizzlerwife bc she IS. queen of multitasking

ameliecore: she’s either leaking spoilers or flirting. there is no in between. → softforlan: @ameliecore if it’s with Lando I don’t wanna know unless it ends in a kiss pls

d4ymanuniverse: she was on the phone?? oh she was 1000% calling her emotional support mclaren driver

f1sluttycorner: bro she’s outside the set and still serving more plot than the show → charleslemonade: @f1sluttycorner she’s fighting for her life in a side quest and still winning main character → softlaunchstan: @charleslemonade she IS the plot. always has been.

lanwifelore: if she’s not calling lando then WHO??? bc it’s not me and that’s homophobic → pitwallpsychic: @lanwifelore lando’s name is probs saved as “nando’s 🐥❤️” i just know itmaxiedaydream: imagine being on the phone with amelie dayman and NOT melting into the pavement

stellaapproved: she’s dressed like a netflix intern and still looks like the hottest person in indiana → elwatcher93: @stellaapproved respectfully, i fear she’s not acting in stranger things bc the real supernatural event is how she keeps looking that good 💀

meliebermad: the way she’s just walking and it’s still giving PR package

daymaniac: she’s been outside for 5 minutes and twitter’s already in flames. → oscarbabiee: @daymaniac tell me why CNN and gossip accounts are in the same reply thread 😭

checostansunite: imagine being the dude on the other side of that call knowing you're not Lando Norris → fernbb: @checostansunite tragic. couldn’t be me. couldn’t be him either tbh

gridgossip: she’s outside set for ONE second and the whole fandom collectively forgets how to breathe

daymanstan: she’s literally just on the phone and i’m like “yes mother negotiate that contract!!” → snailmailf1: @daymanstan i don’t even know what the call’s about but i support her 110%

wokebloke: the way she’s standing like she’s about to change the trajectory of the entire season → checosflame: @wokebloke “she said ‘hello?’ and i FELT that in my bones”

softpaddock: she’s the kind of girl you pretend to bump into just to say hi.

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

Amelie slipped her phone between her ear and shoulder as she pulled her jacket tighter against the early Indianapolis chill. The Stranger Things set buzzed around her — crew moving with purpose, cables snaking over the pavement, the faint hum of cameras being prepped. But none of it distracted her from the knot twisting in her stomach.

—Minnie, I swear, I don’t know what’s wrong with me.—

The familiar voice on the other end was warm, steady, the one Amelie needed right now.

—Girl, spill it. What’s got you all in your feelings?— Minnie’s tone was casual but sharp, like she wasn’t about to let Amelie keep hiding.

Amelie sighed, weaving carefully through a tangle of cords and tripods. —Okay, so last night... I was out with the cast, right? And this dude, he pulls me on the dance floor, all flirty, whiskey breath and southern drawl, the whole package.—

—Ooo, that sounds fun. So you kissed him?— Minnie’s voice turned playfully curious.

Amelie bit her lip. —No. That’s the thing. I didn’t. I was about to, like the moment was there, but then I just froze. Like, backed off mid-flirt. And I’m not even sure why. I mean, I always do this, kiss random dudes, let them think it means something... just distractions. But last night? Nothing. And it’s messing with me.—

—Hmm. So what’s the tea? You scared you might actually be catching feelings for someone?— Minnie teased, but there was a softness beneath it.

Amelie’s steps faltered for a moment, and she leaned against a light stand. —I don’t know, Minnie. It’s like... I can’t stop thinking about Lando. And it’s not just the usual crush or whatever. It’s like this thing in my chest that’s more than just physical. And that scares me. Because feelings? They’re messy, and they break you, and I thought I was done with that.—

—Ames, you are human. Even the strongest walls have cracks. Maybe this isn’t just about a hookup or a distraction. Maybe it’s real.—

Amelie’s breath hitched. —That’s the scary part. Because if it’s real... then what? What if it ends like everything else? What if I let him in and it all falls apart?—

—Look, no one’s saying you gotta jump off a cliff right now. But maybe try leaning in a little. Feel the feelings, don’t run from them.—

Amelie glanced up, catching a glimpse of Joe waving at her from across the set. She smiled faintly but kept her voice low. —Yeah, I guess. It just feels like I’ve been holding my breath forever, and now I’m not sure how to breathe again.—

—Take it slow. Baby steps. And if you need a reminder, I’m here. Always.—

Amelie’s lips curved into a genuine smile for the first time that morning. —Thanks, Minnie. Seriously. I don’t know what I’d do without you.—

—Probably kiss that southern dude last night, honestly.— Minnie laughed.

Amelie rolled her eyes, shaking her head. —No chance. Not now. Not after last night.—

—Good. Now go show them how it’s done on set, superstar.—

Amelie took a steadying breath and tucked her phone away as a crew member called her name. —Okay, here goes nothing.—

She stepped forward, feeling a little lighter—still scared, still tangled up, but maybe, just maybe, ready to stop running.

[mint-merriment]

assorted screenshots from aleks le's persona 3 reload stream because i actually tuned in (and stayed the whole time)

SPOILERS FOR THE GAME (november onwards) AND ALSO THE VIDEO (watch the video first)

everyone was introduced with the wrong name and character at the start lmao. like the character and name were matched up but a different person came on screen.

since aleks was busy, justice slocum (shinjiro) ended up playing through the game and making an assortment of saves to skip through the game so it doesn't take like 10 hours lol

they repeated the gag from the yukari/mitsuru episode and its STILL funny XD

important images with alejandro saab (akihiko) holding koromaru plush (zeno is out iirc)

CAT WITH RYOJI SCARF. ft suzie yeung (fuuka) and someone else doing what all of us want to do

jonkler jumpscare! ie xander mobus (joker from p5) cameo after they went and talked to edogawa, whom he voices (along with a plethora of other npcs). also, well timed balatro in the bg

presenting valerie arum, one of the long-running voice directors of the persona series and also voice actress of a number of characters! she directed p3r and shared a bunch of interesting tidbits about the casting process :0 lets see if i can remember some of them-

the auditions actually made very little attempt to hide who the characters were. both zeno robinson (junpei) and allegra clark (mitsuru) both figured it out just from reading it. allegedly, junpei's name was rendered 'doompei midori'

the way valerie contacted the va's was by calling them and telling them she was speaking to [their role]. some of them didn't pick it up immediately lol, and suzie was actually told in person

aleks didnt get booked for a while (because the person in charge of those bookings didn't know he had Significant Double Casting due to being p3 protag- and therefore a lot more lines) and thought he didn't actually get the role lmao

heather gonzales wasn't originally the va for yukari but then valerie went 'i know a gal' and a couple of sessions in, the producer was convinced

valerie was the one who told zeno to read for Every character in a future audition because she Really wanted him for junpei, despite the fact that aleks usually voices 'silly' characters and zeno 'serious' characters

suzie apparently had a cold and didn't have her voice for a lot of the recording- also, the navi lines are extremely time consuming because it requires multiple variations of every status line for every character

zeno robinson (junpei) ended up late for his return as he is allegedly wont to do, and everyone both in the stream and in chat started memeing on where he might have been. for his triumphant return, everyone pretended to be dead and/or sleeping XD

for the last day, everyone decided that m4k0t0 would play marvel rivals until sundown. and then they skipped through the maya s.link scene XD

everyone is here!

justice steals alejandro's joke during the jack bros theurgy XD the joke in question is "what did the wasabi say to the bee? wasa-bee!" (allegedly, he kept stealing the joke during the anniversary stream, but they cut it out every time LOL)

for the final boss, aleks ends up fusing messiah, always a banger to do. however they had to delete mada to do so, and thus came the tide of 'rip mada' and other such things

in a move that surprised basically no one, aleks le pulled out the Full Ass Cosplay for the final boss XD

an old classic

SURPRISE YURI LOWENTHAL !!! but sideways. lol. second attempt went better

valerie leaves at the tail end of the journey with chat giving a fond farewell :)

made it to the end :)

other notes:

the camera was So funny in this stream because it wouldnt stop moving and focusing on seemingly random things, or aleks, or someone other than the person they were trying to highlight. (at some point the camera got cancelled for racism)

the light flashed off of justine lee's (ken) sunglasses while she was lurking in the back and scared aleks while he was adjusting the camera- i think it ended up clipped (it did)

justice ended up feeling bad for rejecting mitsuru, so he romanced aigis

[unitedbydevils]

Match Review: Manchester United Women 1-1 Arsenal Women

Well done, Skinner. You woke Arsenal back up. For fuck sake.

Arsenal with Jonas were shit. Arsenal post-Jonas have looked a little lost. You always step up against bigger opposition due to the fear of getting humbled, but Arsenal looked really sharp today.

Their passing was better, more inventive, of greater accuracy. Their movement was sharper, their duelling was better timed and more productive.

Their diligence and quality was rewarded with a goal by no other than ex-United forward Alessia Russo, with a cute finish that surprised Phallon Tullis-Joyce to give Arsenal the lead in the 63rd minute.

PTJ did have a very good game though, as did Maya Le Tissier and Millie Turner at CB. Gabby George and Aoife Mannion were solid enough, but United did look better with sub Jayde Riviere on.

Janssen was assured as ever in CDM, whilst Lisa Naalsund was a little off-the-boil today. Simi Awujo was an upgrade at half time when Naalsund went off injured, but it begged the question why no start when Arsenal are known for being a little more athletic and pressing than United. The same can be said for the usage or lack of re: Hayley Ladd - another solid DM.

United's issue was in attack though. Celin Bizet looked sharp and had a lot of the ball, but that made her an obvious double-up target and limited her impact. Grace Clinton was wasteful in CAM but also keenly pressed, and Ella Toone ineffective at LW.

A second-half positional swap for the two didn't achieve a lot, but the subs of Malard for Toone, Geyse for Bizet, and Williams for Terland did. Good decisions. Skinner isn't entirely useless, and Malard/Geyse were exceptional from when they came on. Very active, driving at Arsenal with intent... it was nice to see the fear flipped.

The problem is that things like Malard on the left... they're obvious. She's far more comfortable on the left, like the injured Leah Galton, than Toone/Clinton. This comfort makes a player a threat, and that makes Arsenal respect the player and press them. That buys others time and space. Clinton and Bizet are in great form, yet today they looked tame.

Based on the Arsenal press, it was incredibly stupid not to utilise Hinata Miyazawa also. Personally I'd have started her over Tooney, who I feel has been okay but not great, and given her recent bereavement... I get wanting to play and to keep busy, but form comes first. Miyazawa has looked great whenever she has featured this season. We cannot waste her like Irene Guerrero, and she's INCREDIBLY PRESS-RESISTANT. Handy versus notorious pressers Arsenal...

All of the above also limited the impact of Elisabeth Terland too, but luckily we have the guile of Rachel Williams on the bench, and the central preference of Melvine Malard that helps her be a double threat from LW and going beyond Rach.

Speaking of Millie, she won both the Player of the Match award for her stoic defending and was given a commemorative shirt for her 150th United appearance - seen here with partner Lisa Naalsund and the rest of her family.

Both teams will feel hard done by with just a point, but oh well. Better than a defeat.

Next up is a lovely 6:45pm SUNDAY fixture against Aston Villa at the LSV. A very winnable game, but wtf is that timing? Ew.

[degrassi-fandom-confessions]

Cam’s storyline is one of the best Degrassi ever did. Subsequently how it affected Maya for so many years after was also executed really well

[mjonthetrack]

vice queen II

Chapter 91 – “I’m Still That Bitch, Even Bruised”

The morning light slipped through the linen drapes, soft and gold and far too gentle for the level of chaos Courtney was running on. Her side ached like fire from the hip bullet wound, and her shoulder felt like someone used it for target practice—but she was already up, bonnet on, robe tied tight, moving with a limp but her head still held high.

Zilla was still dead to the world, passed out face-down on the bed like he fought ten men and lost. His curls were a wild halo, the fine gold chain around his neck half tangled in the sheets. She brushed her fingers over his back softly before leaving the room.

She had shit to do.

Down the hallway, she could already hear Maya humming. The girl had Peaches clutched in one arm and was trying to pour cereal into a bowl with the other.

Courtney stepped in quick, grabbing the milk just in time. “Whoa, whoa, lil mama. I just cleaned that counter.”

Maya gasped, “Mommy, you’re up!”

She grinned, even though it pulled at the stitches. “Course I am. You think some weak-ass pushers and a few bullets gon’ stop me from making sure my baby eats breakfast?”

The little girl launched herself into her. Courtney caught her carefully, suppressing a wince. She held her tight, her palm spread across Maya’s back, grounding them both.

“Let’s make breakfast together,” she said. “You stir, I flip.”

They got to work. Eggs, toast, fruit on the side—she even let Maya cut strawberries with the plastic knife. Once everything was plated, Courtney set the iPad up on the kitchen counter and clicked into the Fatu network's encrypted video server. She didn’t miss a beat.

Lo and Jacob’s corner appeared first. Lo looked tired, her braids in a messy bun, Jacob leaning against her shoulder eating pineapple chunks like it was popcorn.

“You good?” Lo asked immediately.

Courtney sipped her orange juice. “I’m great. Took three to the vest, one to the hip. Ain’t a damn thing changed.”

Lo smirked. “You say that with a bandage on your face.”

Courtney tilted her head. “And still look good. Don’t play with me.”

The second feed popped up—Jey, sitting in one of the bunkers with Cam on his six, arms crossed. “You found the leak?”

“I saw the leak,” Courtney corrected. “I got video. Pushers taking bricks, pre-bagged and stashing 'em like I ain't see. Already sent it in the chat.”

Camille leaned closer to the screen, eyes narrowing. “What’s the move?”

“Once Z’s up, I’ll brief him. But for now—send Lo and a ghost crew to clean it quiet. I want whoever’s flipping our shit buried.”

Camille raised a brow. “And what are you doing while we handle that?”

Courtney turned the iPad so they could see Maya at the table, holding Peaches, munching toast.

“I’m on mama duty,” she said. “I’m out the field, but I’m not out the loop. Don’t let the robe and bunny slippers fool you.”

Maya looked up and waved, mouth full. “Hi Auntie Camille!”

Camille melted. “Oh my God. Jimmy—we need another one.”

Off screen, Jimmy groaned, “We have one, Camille.”

“I want a daughter!” Camille snapped.

Courtney smirked. “Maya, you breaking up marriages already?”

Maya giggled and hid behind Peaches.

Another feed pinged in. This time it was Tali, Sefa's consigliere, checking in. “Yo, y’all seen the Alvarez reroute on the port side?”

Courtney’s tone dropped. “Don’t worry about the port. I already got eyes planted. Any movement outside their usual crates, I’ll know.”

Tali blinked. “...While you’re babysitting and limping?”

Courtney smiled. Slow. Dangerous. “Baby, I’m built for this. Don’t get it twisted.”

By the time the call ended, Zilla had wandered into the kitchen—sleepy-eyed, shirtless, with a bruise on his collarbone and sleep still clinging to his lashes. He leaned on the counter, watching her.

“You did all this?” he rasped, voice deep and gravelly.

Courtney turned, placing a plate in front of Maya and then one in front of him.

“I told you,” she said, “I got this.”

Zilla blinked. Like he was seeing her for the first time again. Not just as the woman who carried a shotgun and pulled triggers—but the woman who fed his daughter, ran logistics from an iPad while bleeding, and kissed his bruises like they were sacred.

He sat down.

And for a second—just a second—he looked like a man who might cry.

Courtney touched his jaw. “Eat. Then we plan.”

Because the kingdom didn’t stop moving just because its queen was healing.

Chapter 92 – “Don’t Play With Me, Fatu”

Zilla blinked once. Twice.

Then he just… said it.

“Let’s get married, Bishop.”

The words dropped into the kitchen like a damn grenade with no pin. Even Maya paused, her spoon hovering midair like she knew her daddy had just changed the entire trajectory of the universe with one sentence.

Courtney, halfway through putting the iPad away and wincing from the pull in her hip, froze. Her head whipped around so fast it damn near reopened her stitches.

“I know you not—” She blinked, looked at his face. No grin. No smart-ass smirk. Just Zilla Fatu, sleepy-eyed, raw, real, and deadass serious.

“That’s not funny, Z,” she said, voice lower now. “We barely been together. Don’t play with me like that.”

“I’m not playin’.” He stood up from the stool, stepping around Maya’s high chair, his eyes locked on hers. “I’m not playing at all. You really think I’d joke about that?”

She opened her mouth, then closed it. She didn’t know what to say. The panic and confusion crashed up against the fact that her heart was racing, fast and giddy and a little bit terrified. She could barely keep up with the bruises healing and now he was talking vows?

Zilla came closer, slow, like he was approaching something delicate. His big palm cupped the side of her face, gentle even though his fingers were still calloused from fieldwork.

“You moved in here without me askin’,” he murmured. “You love my daughter like she’s yours. You been shot for us. You know how I bleed, how I rage. And you still want me.”

She swallowed thickly. “Z…”

“I’m not good with words like Jimmy,” he went on, thumb brushing over her jaw. “But I’m not stupid either. I know what I got. I know what I want. And I want you. Forever.”

Her eyes started to sting, and that pissed her off more than anything.

“You gon’ drop this on me while I’m still limping and got fuckin’ gauze under my sports bra?” she snapped, but her voice broke at the end, trembling.

He gave her a small smile. “Ain’t nothin’ more beautiful than a woman standin’ strong after she took a hit for the family. You think I want some picture-perfect proposal with rose petals and a damn violin? Nah. I want this. You. In my kitchen, bruised and still bossin’ shit around.”

Courtney looked down. Maya was chewing her eggs like nothing was happening, Peaches in her lap, her cartoon paused mid-song. Courtney reached for the table to steady herself.

“This is insane,” she muttered, but her fingers found his again anyway. “We ain’t normal.”

He leaned closer, foreheads touching.

“We been past normal, mama.”

Courtney exhaled shakily, then chuckled.

“If I say yes, I want a big ass ring.”

He grinned. “Done.”

“And I pick the theme. Don’t fight me on that.”

“Say less.”

“And I want a prenup—so you don’t come for my cut if you ever get stupid.”

Zilla smirked, “You gon’ stab me before I ever get stupid.”

Courtney paused, then whispered, “…you serious?”

Zilla nodded once. “Dead serious.”

Silence stretched. Her fingers squeezed his.

“…Okay then, Isayah,” she said, voice shaking but eyes on fire. “Let’s get married.”

And just like that—his lips were on hers. Fierce and slow and intentional, not the kind of kiss that came from lust but the kind that stamped a damn contract on your soul.

They were crazy. Reckless. Running too fast toward a storm.

But when had either of them ever been scared of a little lightning?

Chapter 93 – “Yeah…I Asked Her”

Zilla had a fresh tee on, joggers slung low on his hips, and his hair wild from running his hands through it all night. It was morning now. Courtney was upstairs dead asleep, healing like a damn warrior, a heat pack pressed to her hip and Maya curled beside her, Peaches snoring in a little donut bed at the foot of the mattress.

He was standing in the kitchen again, scrolling through the cameras, checking the bunker’s new patrol routes, and drinking black ass coffee. Then he did what any rational kingpin with a wildly chaotic romantic update would do—

He opened the group chat and hit the FaceTime button.

“Yo,” Jimmy’s face popped up first. Shirtless, tattoos out, Camille curled beside him in one of his tees, belly poking gently beneath the cotton. “What’s good?”

Jey joined next, clearly in the middle of rolling up. “Ayo, what time is it? Why you blowin’ us up at 8am like the block on fire?”

Jacob and Lo were next. Lo had a bonnet on sideways, one lash hanging. “Is this about the Alvarez drop?” she groaned.

Sefa’s square popped up last, squinting from a dark room like he hadn’t been to sleep at all. “This better be good, bro.”

Zilla leaned on the counter, voice cool, casual, way too nonchalant for the seismic level of the update. “Nah. No drama. I just wanted y’all to know… I asked Bishop to marry me.”

Silence.

Pure, unfiltered, 10-second silence.

Then Camille sat up so fast the camera shook. “EXCUSE ME?! You did what?!”

“Wait wait wait—” Jey sat forward, “You proposed? Like… on purpose?”

Sefa started LAUGHING. Like bent over, ugly laugh. “Ay yo, Zilla finally caught feelin’s! My boy gone soft!”

Lo screamed into her hoodie. “I knew something was off when she moved in with the baby bonnet, I knew it! Y’all thought I was playin!”

Jacob’s face didn’t change much, but he blinked. “You serious, Z?”

Zilla nodded once, unbothered. “Deadass.”

Camille gasped again, hand over her belly. “Is she okay? You didn’t like, say that shit while she was loopy on pain meds, did you?”

“Nah. She knew. She was sittin’ right at this table talkin’ ‘bout Maya like she already hers. Said she wouldn’t let us down. I looked at her and just knew.” He shrugged. “It wasn’t a question for me.”

Jimmy whistled. “Damn.”

“You even get her a ring or you just raw dogged the whole proposal with vibes?” Jey joked.

Zilla smirked. “You think I ain’t already had somethin’ tucked in the safe? I ain’t no amateur.”

Lo SCREAMED. “This man had the ring on deck?!”

“Bitch this is wild,” Camille whispered, visibly emotional. “First me and Jimmy, now this? Y’all… we really out here building empires and families.”

“Zilla Fatu married,” Jacob muttered, sipping something. “Never thought I’d see it.”

Zilla raised a brow. “I ain’t married yet.”

Camille clapped. “Yeah well, we’re planning the wedding, period. I’m helping with the venue, I don’t care.”

“Oh we doin’ a destination joint,” Lo added. “Don’t worry, I got connections in Turks and Caicos.”

“Y’all not finna stress my girl while she’s healing from a hit,” Zilla warned.

“Oh my God,” Camille said again, now in full pregnant happy tears. “Courtney’s gonna be my sister-in-law?! Ohhhh Z you better be ready ‘cause I’m making her a bridesmaid in my vow renewal too.”

“Damn, can we let her wake up first?” Jey cracked. “You already got the mood boards out.”

Zilla glanced toward the ceiling where Courtney was resting, and just smiled.

“She already said yes.”

And with that, he ended the call.

Chapter 94 – “Where’s Mommy’s Ring?”

Courtney was just starting to stir, propped up with pillows and a blanket across her lap. Her hip was screaming, but the warm weight of Maya curled at her side made it easier to bear. Zilla was leaning against the dresser, scrolling through some logistics updates, trying to look busy and not like a man who had just announced his entire engagement to the fam without the fiancée fully awake to cosign it.

Then it happened.

Maya blinked herself awake, stretching with a yawn and a sleepy grin. “Mommy?” she whispered.

“Yeah, baby?” Courtney rasped softly, brushing a curl back from Maya’s forehead.

The little girl sat up, rubbing her eyes. “Uncle Jimmy and Auntie Camille on FaceTime with Daddy this morning.”

Courtney’s brow arched. “Oh yeah?”

Zilla casually looked up. “Mmhm. Had a quick call.”

Maya turned to Zilla like a damn judge in a courtroom, tiny hands on her hips, voice sharp as ever: “Did you tell them you asked Mommy to marry you?”

Courtney’s head whipped to Zilla so fast her curls flopped. “What?!”

He blinked. “I—”

Maya didn’t let up. “You did! You said it in front of Uncle Jey and Auntie Lo and everybody. But…” Her little face crinkled into a scowl. “You didn’t even have a ring for Mommy!”

Zilla looked like someone threw a pie in his face. “Lil mama, hold on—”

“No!” Maya crossed her arms. “When people ask people to get married they supposed to get a pretty ring. You didn’t even ask her with a ring?! That’s not right.”

Courtney was staring at him now, biting back a smirk. “Damn, you out here wildin’, Fatu.”

Zilla sighed, rubbing a hand over his face. “I have the ring. It’s in the safe.”

“What safe?” Maya challenged.

Courtney finally burst out laughing, wincing and holding her side. “Damn baby, let him breathe!”

“Nope!” Maya turned to her mom. “Did he show you the ring yet, Mommy?”

“…Not yet,” Courtney grinned, dragging her eyes to Zilla.

Maya gasped like it was a federal offense. “So he told everybody before he told you?!”

Zilla pointed at Courtney. “She was sleep! Bleeding and unconscious! I didn’t want to wake her up with a proposal! I was tryna tell the fam—”

Courtney leaned back, teasing as hell, her voice dipped low. “You asked me to marry you and I ain’t even see no box yet?”

Zilla’s jaw ticked. “You really siding with the shortie right now?”

Maya puffed her chest proudly. “I’m Mommy’s daughter.”

Zilla gave them both a look like I hate y’all so much, but the smirk tugging his lips said otherwise. He disappeared into the closet, muttering something under his breath, and came back a minute later with a sleek black velvet box.

Courtney blinked. “You really had a ring…”

He dropped to one knee by the bed without any dramatics, just a quiet look of focus as he opened it—revealing a thick platinum band with a square radiant cut diamond, sharp and blinding like it had something to prove. Surrounded by tiny black diamonds haloing the center, sitting high like a damn crown.

Maya gasped, clapping. “Oooooh! Okay, Daddy!”

Courtney’s eyes watered before she even realized. “Z…”

“I wasn’t playin’,” Zilla murmured. “I ain’t asking again. You already said yes. So this—” he slid it gently onto her finger, thumb brushing over her knuckles, “—this just makes it official.”

Courtney swallowed thick, then cupped his jaw and kissed him. “You really gon’ do forever with me, huh?”

Zilla pressed his forehead to hers. “Been doin’ it since I laid eyes on you.”

Maya jumped up and down on the bed. “We’re a family nowwwww!”

Courtney laughed through her tears. “Damn right, we are.”

[lovemylegcasts]

Cam sat near the front of the classroom with both of his feet propped on a stool. Bright green fiberglass casts encased his legs from toes to just below the knees. His toes stuck out freely from the ends, shifting every so often as he adjusted to the classroom air on skin usually hidden in socks and shoes.

It was his first day back after surgery, and the attention was immediate. His classmates stared — some with curiosity, some with surprise — but no one said anything until Ms. Larkin gently cleared her throat.

“Cam, if you’re comfortable,” she said, “would you mind telling us a little about your surgery and your casts?”

Cam hesitated for half a second, but then gave a small nod. “Sure.” He shifted slightly in his chair, resting his crutches nearby. “I had surgery on both my feet because of how they were shaped from cerebral palsy. Some muscles were pulling too tight, and my toes and ankles weren’t sitting right. It made walking harder, so the doctors fixed what they could. That’s why I’ve got these.”

He wiggled the toes sticking out of both casts — ten pale, exposed digits, a little pink from the chill in the classroom. His fourth toes curved slightly, crossing under the third ones on both feet.

Several hands shot up.

“Did it hurt?” asked Maya from the second row.

“A little, after the surgery,” Cam said. “But not as much as I expected. The weirdest part was waking up and already being in both casts.”

“Can you feel your toes?” asked Julian, eyes wide.

“Yeah,” Cam chuckled. “They're totally exposed, so if someone pokes them or if I drop something cold — I definitelyfeel it.”

“Did they do both feet at once?” another classmate asked.

“Yeah,” he nodded. “They said it would be easier in the long run. I can’t walk right now, but at least I only have to recover once.”

Someone in the back asked, “How do you take showers?”

“Waterproof covers and a lot of sitting down,” Cam answered. “Takes forever.”

Then Jason leaned forward with a squint. “So... your toes — why does that one curl under the other?”

Cam glanced down. “That’s part of the palsy too. The muscles on the sides of my feet were tighter than they should’ve been, so those toes pulled under over time.” He paused for a second, then added, “I used to be embarrassed about it. That’s why I never wore sandals or flip-flops. I thought the toes looked weird.”

No one laughed. A few nodded.

“I’m fine with it now,” Cam said, quieter but sure. “It’s just how my feet are. And honestly, with these casts, it’s not like I can not show my toes.”

Ms. Larkin smiled warmly. “Thank you for sharing, Cam. That was really brave.”

As the bell rang and students packed up, a few lingered behind.

“Can we sign your casts?” Julian asked, already uncapping a blue marker.

Cam smiled. “Go for it.”

He stretched both legs out across a nearby bench, and soon, the blank green fiberglass was covered in doodles, names, inside jokes, and phrases like “Cast Bros 4 Life” and “Toe-tally cool.” Even Ms. Larkin added a little message near his left ankle: “Keep being strong!”

As school let out, Cam waited on the front steps for his mom. His casts glowed in the afternoon light, now full of color from everyone’s signatures. His toes twitched a little with the breeze.

Leo, one of the quieter kids from class, walked over and sat beside him.

“I always wondered,” Leo said after a pause, “why you never wore sandals. But I get it now.”

Cam nodded slowly. “Yeah. I was really self-conscious about it. My fourth toes crossing under the others… I always thought people would stare.”

Leo looked down at Cam’s feet, his voice gentle. “They don’t look weird to me. Just different. Honestly kinda cool, like they’ve got personality or something.”

Cam laughed. “That’s one way to put it.”

“They’re part of you, right?” Leo added. “The whole story.”

Cam looked down at his toes again — still a little funny-looking, still crossed — but now covered in the sun and surrounded by color and signatures. For the first time, they didn’t look wrong. They just looked like his.

“Yeah,” Cam said with a grin. “I think I’m finally okay with that.”

They sat quietly, green casts resting between them, sunlight warming the steps, and for once, Cam didn’t mind who saw his toes at all.

[imagineryupfuckedworld]

Hi there! Could I get Campbell Saunders x gem reader headcanons where instead of getting back with Maya after she kisses Zig, he breaks up with her officially and he gets with the reader instead and they’re just super fluffy and maybe she helps him with his mental health? She encourages him to quit hockey since it’s making him unhappy and to instead play basketball since he liked it. Just an overview of them having an actual overview of their supportive and loving relationship! Thank you — 🪼🫧✨

Hello there! And of course you can! I must say, I paused re-watching Degrassi so I could be a bit rusty in Campbells Character. Please have mercy with me! >~< Fandom: Degrassi Characters: Campbell Saunders, Reader, Mentions of Maya and Zig Warnings: Mention of mental health issues, a bit swearing and angst, fluuuff~

Cam was SO disappointed in Maya, when she told him that she kissed Zig but he felt like he couldn't really be mad at her, seeing how he behaved before.

good thing, his best friend was next to him and went off on Maya for him.

"Cam may could have behaved differently, that is right, but you! You kissed someone else! That is cheating plus it was your best friends boyfriend?! Who does that?! Cam has every fucking right to be disappointed!" Said boy was flabbergasted at the outbreak of his best friend. Not only him but all present people. He let himself get dragged away from the Scene, Maya calling out to him but Cam didn't hear it.

It took a long and intense talk and many snacks with Cam to assure him it is okay to feel how he does right now

He wanted to reconcile with Maya at first but the conversation with you made him reconsider, thinking that maybe it was better to not go back.

Maya tried to win him back for a few weeks with Zig trying to get her all the while Tori was furious wit both of them

In the meantime, you and Cam got even closer then before as in, the shy boy actually got every ounce of bravery together to ask you out! Of course you said yes, duh!

Cam waspacing the hallway up and down, mumbling something under his breath while Tori watched him doing so. "Just...do it! I bet you won't get rejected!" His steps came to a stop and he looked at Tori with an incredulous look. The boy was nervous, more nervous than he was before any Hockey game. "But...what if I do get rejected? I would destroy or friendship! Maybe we won't ever talk again and" "Aaallright. Stop! This won't happen. I am absolutely sure about that!" "You are sure about what?" Cam spinned around so fast he almost tripped over his own feat when you popped up behind them both. "Nothing!" Tori rolled her eyes befor giving Cam a soft nudge with an encouragin smile before she said goodbye and left. You thought it was weird how she just left. "I am sorry, did I interrupted-" "Wilyougooutwithme?!" You blinked slowly, once, twice. Trying to process what Cam asked you before your cheeks started to get warmer. The hockeyplayer was almost sure you would reject him efore you smiled brightly at him. "Of course!" A weight was lifted from Cams heart and the boy smiled as brightly as you.

Cam started to open up to you and you realised the boy has problems that should be taken serious

So you started to actively help Cam an you started by getting him out of this damn Hockey Team that was everthing that good for him

"I can't! They need me and you know that! I am the best player on the team!" A sigh left your lips at how stubborn Cam was. He was indeed right but you can see how bad it was for him. "I know and you are! But Cam, these people aren't good for you! Look at how they are! You aren't like that! You are so much better than these Jerks!" Cam opens his mouth as if wanting to say something but nothing came out. He was defeated, easily by you. He coulder never go against you even less when you take his hand in yours and look at him with those lovely eyes of yours. Oh shoot! He is starring again!

It was hard, at the beginning to not be the perfect Cam anymore. To no be a member of the Hockey Players and all but you could easily see how much better off Cam was.

Cam was still a bit awkward but he cheered up so much without the his Teammates pressuring him and all that.

His mental health was, of course, not magically cured and the problems are still there but it was hard for Cam to come to terms that he was, in fact, not healthy.

You had many conversations with him about his mental health. You are no doctor so you can't say for sure what is wrong but you know there was something.

Cam didn't liked to talk about it and at first he sometimes blocked conversation fully.

But you still stayed at his side and encouraged him to try out therapy.

Cam was so scared. He was glad when you offered to accompany him.

You not only brought him there, he wanted you to sit with in. Seeing that you are his biggest support he really needed you there.

He hold your hand so tightly, he apologized afterwards for it.

Cam is so gratefull for you, in everyway.

You helped him get out of the Hockey team, supporte him from start to now with his journey on getting better with his mental health, you have so much patience and what not. He could talk about you from dawn to dusk. In short, he loves you much more than anyone else.

I hope you like it!

[sapphirebluejewel]

Closer To Free(2)

-Jenna gets baptized, but did she do it for the wrong reasons? Drew considers dropping out of Degrassi. Clare fights against her image.

Waterfalls(2)

-A secret is eating away at Clare, but will facing the truth make things worse for her? K.C.'s mom has some surprising news. Meanwhile, Maya tries to impress Cam.

Descriptions from IMDb

[purplesimmer455]

2024's Favorite Screenshots Tag ✨️💖

Okay, so I was inspired by @abbysimsfun' post and I want to add a mini description for each photo.

Photos 1 and 2: I had to start with Megan and Iseul Kang-Liao, and these cute photos of the couple are from their trip to Tomarang, using a pose pack to create a bit of a spicy-sweet moment between them. 💖

3. It's when I started playing with the Takamura family more, and had Riley and Stephanie take Nancy to the festival of snow. It's just a sweet family moment, with Nancy trying some food with her parents and enjoying the day out. 🍡

4. Nancy playing with her then baby brother Haruo. Now, Nancy is a teen and Haruo is a kid sim, but they're still close. 💛

5. My sims Luna Feldman-Chen and Chrissy Hecking looking beautiful as Heck(ing) on a restaurant date.

6. Piper Feldman-Chen (Luna and Chrissy's daughter) being romanced by her then girlfriend, now fiancée Cam. 💚

7. Malaya Isip-Mendoza and her fiancée Casey Feng-Cooper along with their nooboo Lilia, right after they'd brought her home from the hospital. 👩‍👩‍👧

8. Cam and Piper snuggling in bed in their first or second semester of university. Cam was feeling homesick, and Piper comforted her. 👩‍❤️‍👩

9. Piper dressed up in the new eggplant costume we got from the lovestruck pack. 😆🍆

10. Megan dressed up in lingerie with an apron over it to spice things up with Iseul. ❤

11 and 12. Megan and Iseul in a flashback post to their college years. Iseul was stressed about finals and Megan comforted her as they snuggled up in Megs' dorm bed. 👭🏻

13. A photo of the Takamura family: Riley, then Stephanie on the top and then Nancy and Haruo on the bottom of the photo. 🥰

14 and 15. Piper proposes to Cam in their shared rental kitchen one day. It was such a sweet moment 💍

16. Luna’s cousin Nick Feldman-Kim snuggling his daughter, June. 👨‍👧

17. Riley and Stephanie's flashback. This is the first time they woohooed, and they both felt so safe with each other. Riley had never felt the way about anyone that they had about Stephanie. 💕

18 and 19. Maya Feldman and Kaitlyn Chen's cat, Coco, getting up to glitchy shenanigans not once bit twice. 👻🤣

Thanks for the tag @hashimasims @abbysimsfun and anyone else who tags me (I forgot cause I took 800 years to do this tag, but thanks for tagging me if you did) 😅😄

I tag @matchalovertrait @pink-chevalier @silverspringsimmer @strawberriesnpopmusic @coliemoongaming @corrienteallita and anyone else who wants to do the tag. 💛

[purplerakath]

Degrassi - I considered letting this slide, but...

Turns out I am not strong enough to do that. But the original poster just doesn't actually analyze shows so they probably just... missed it.

So this? This requires some context to explain, and also some nuance to explore.

Context to Explain

So early in the show's life (early in Next Generation anyway), there was a network mandate about plots lingering. If a character struggled with anything, it could only last the length of the episode it was in. This doesn't apply to changes in character status (Jimmy isn't getting out of that chair) or relationships (break ups are want to happen). But if someone has a drinking problem, or a drug problem, or an eating disorder, the network mandated that the plot couldn't resurface later.

If the plot was alluded to, the character has to have still 'beaten' that thing they should be struggling with. To that end, that makes grief a really hard thing to write, if there's a pre-written mandate the character can't struggle. This rule was in place through season 9. Which covers the deaths of Craig's dad, Rick, and J.T.

Nuance to Explore

So that leaves us with Cam and Adam. Which are both grief plots the show DID explore (maybe not as much as they should have, but we can't argue they didn't touch it). Drew spends the second part of Season 13 incredibly messed up over his brother's death, unable to sleep because of nightmares and overusing sleeping pills to cover for it.

Drew is a whole disaster for this period. Becky, the other major character touched by this plot, is clearly shattering under trying so hard not to shatter. Becky's defining trait is being bubbly and happy and Christian and none of that is doing her any good.

And connected to this we get Imogen and Becky's friendship, which is built off of Imogen struggling under how to be kind to Becky, and how to be honest, based on what Imogen knows about Adam's last day.

Now, could the show have gone deeper on either of them? Yes. Could the show have put more focus on Clare, Imogen, or Dallas's reactions? Yes. But the show is also trying to juggle a lot of things at once, so they kept it to the characters this touches most.

Maya gets a Whole Section

Maya doesn't get an episode processing her grief, because Maya's character is 'I have not properly resolved all of my grief and I have become a walking compulsive thought factory certain everyone I know and love will die if I don't personally save them.

Maya is, without a doubt, where this poster is flat. out. wrong.

Maya attempts to put what happened to Cam out of her mind by forcing happiness (like Becky) but in all the least healthy ways. She blames Cam for dying, she goes to parties, drinks, makes out with random people, posts vidoes of it on the internet. And doesn't want to talk about why she's like this because she is. not. dealing.

And then in the next season Tristan runs away in France and Maya's immediate thought is he's going to be dead in a ditch by the end of the day and it's all her fault. But I'm sure that's not a greater pattern. So anyway she finds out Zig is homeless and she's afraid he'll be knifed in an alley and it's all her fault. I mean, sure, it happened twice-

So Miles is doing a lot more weed and skipping school so she's sure he's going to kill himself while she's not around.

Do you see the pattern yet? Maya Matlin's every action starting from Season 13 ep 1, through to the end of the series, is built on Cam's death. She's terrified it'll happen again, she's sure she could have done more for Cam, and she's sure all of this is on her.

That is, without a doubt, some handling their grief badly.

What Degrassi doesn't show is a character being mopey and sad for a month in the aftermath, what we get is dysfunctional basketcases self destructing over time in ways that are clearly rooted in a trauma they haven't fully put to bed.