#Season of the Smallest Stars

[shyspider]

Chapters Summary: You learn what Swerve was trying to tell you about your garden soil. Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Fandom: Transformers - All Media Types, The Transformers (IDW Generation One) Rating: Mature Characters: You, Reader, Lost Light Crew (Transformers), First Aid - Character, Tailgate, Rodimus, Megatron, OC - its the dog, Ratchet, more to come as they're introduced, Stardew Valley Characters Additional Tags: tinyformers, miniformers, Domestic Bliss, and the frustrations that comes with it, Farming/gardening, Home Ownership, Slice of Life, You're just trying to get by, Stardew Valley setting, maybe self-indulgent?, this is just my chill fic

[themosthatedbeingg]

He’s gonna be sleeping at the hotel tonight , maybe he could get a full nights sleep in his tower room instead of the palace .

He’s a little eepy as he gets ready for bed .

[crushpunky]

drew and actress!reader on the kitten interview

masterlist | actress!reader masterlist

this was highly requested, hope you enjoy <3

“Not sure how I got the short end of the stick with these three.” Y/n teased as she crossed her legs in front of her, joining Chase, Rudy, and Drew on the floor of the interview space. Cameras and crew surrounded them, a small makeshift barrier of boxes dividing them from where the cast sat on the floor.

“Ouch.” Rudy said, placing his hand over his heart in faux hurt. Drew grinned, leaning back on his hands, his fingers resting closely to the curve of y/n’s back.

“Are we ready for the kittens?” One of the producers asked.

“Bring in the cats!” The four of them cheered, clapping excitedly as one of the crew members entered the space, kittens in hands. Y/n put her hands over her mouth, squealing quietly as they placed the tiny creatures down in front of them.

“How long until y/n starts crying?” Chase said, as they continued to watch the kittens stumbled along the ground.

“She already cried on the drive here so…” Drew said, causing y/n to elbow him before returning her attention to the cats. A small gray kitten waddled over, climbing its way into y/n’s lap, its paws padding along her legs softly. The four of them talked sweetly to the kittens as they continued to play, climb, and run along the set.

Who in the Outer Banks cast consistently makes you break character?

“Oh JD,” Rudy said, moving to lay on his back as a small orange kitten rested politely in his lap.

“Yeah…” Drew watched one of the kittens crawl along his arm. “Or Nick Cirillo.”

“Agreed, agreed,” Chase said. “Y/n?”

“Hmm?” Y/n asked, clearly still entranced by the gray kitten playing with the sleeve of her shirt. The boys broke into laughter, causing y/n to groan. Of course she knew it was going to be difficult to answer questions with the smallest, cutest creatures alive in front of her, but she at least thought she’d be able to answer one question.

“I’m sorrryyy!” Y/n laughed. “Um, I think I’d have to say JD or Drew.”

“Me?” Drew asked with a quirk of his head.

“Yes! It’s just so weird to see you acting like… for lack of better words, a crazy person.” Y/n grinned, her nails scratching the scruff of the gray kitten’s neck.

What’s your favorite behind-the-scenes memory from filming Season 3?

“Oh, probably when Drew dropped me on my ass.” Y/n said, causing Rudy and Chase to laugh at the memory and Drew to shake his head emphatically. They had been filming a scene where Rafe picked up y/n’s character, carrying her over to the couch, however, Drew had miscalculated and dropped y/n straight on the hardwood floor. He had felt so awful, stressing as a pretty gnarly bruise began to form along her back over the week.

“I’m sorry! It was an accident.” Drew groaned, running his fingers through his grown out buzz cut.

“I know, I’m just kidding, baby.” Y/n cooed, pressing a kiss to Drew’s cheek.

If you could create a playlist for your characters, what songs would be on it?

“Do you guys have playlists?” Drew asked, looking between his co-stars. 

“Oh yeah,” Rudy said, patting the head of the kitten sleeping soundly on his stomach.

“I’ve got like a lot of… dark stuff.” Drew chuckled, glancing over at y/n, who was entranced with the gray cat that was still lying politely in her lap. Drew noticed the sparkle in her eye as she tickled the cat playfully, the kitten letting out a small meow.

“Um, a lot of Taylor Swift, of course… some Fleetwood Mac.” Y/n answered, attention still on her new furry friend.

“I think you’ve got a new family member, Starkey.” Chase teased, pointing at the furball in y/n’s lap.

“Oh, yeah, I think Charleston needs a little kitten friend.” Y/n said, blinking her eyes at Drew playfully. Drew said nothing, just grinning and chuckling lightly.

What’s your biggest ick?

“If you don’t like animals.” Rudy said, y/n pointing at him with a nod. At her movement, the small gray cat in her lap leaped off her knee, landing on Drew’s stomach. The kitten crawled up before flopping down on his chest, wide eyes peering up at Drew. Y/n squealed, watching the little cat having a staring contest with big old Starkey.

“I’d say, um, being rude to service people. That’s a big ick.” Drew whispered, his hand moving to rest next to the kitten’s paws.

“I would say hating on people for liking things,” y/n said, scratching the gray cat’s head. “Like, let people like things. Who cares.”

“Yeah, I agree.” Chase said.

If Outer Banks could crossover with any tv show, which show would you choose?

“Seinfeld?” Rudy laughed, the orange cat resting on his lap stirring slightly as his stomach moved as he chuckled.

“I’ve been digging Rings of Powers lately. I think it would be kinda cool to be in Middle Earth.” Drew answered, sitting up slowly, the cat sliding to rest in his arms.

“Alright, nerd.” Chase teased, causing y/n to giggle and Drew to roll his eyes at the jab. Contrary to what his very frat boy-esque exterior may give off, Drew was a nerd at heart, more than okay with spending the night reading Harry Potter or watching Lord of the Rings.

“I’m gonna say, and I think JD and Austin would agree with me, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.” Y/n said, the boys humming in agreement.

“I feel like JJ would really get along with the Gang.” Rudy said.

Who was your celebrity crush growing up?

“Robin Williams. I had a huge crush on him growing up.” Rudy answered, petting the kitten in his lap softly. The gray kitten resting in Drew’s arm began to climb up his shirtsleeve, balancing on his forearm as Drew lifted it higher.

“Padme and Anakin in Attack of the Clones were… life changing.” Y/n said, watching the kitten walking carefully across Drew’s arm. One of the kitten’s paws slipped off, causing the kitten to fall and y/n to let out a small yelp. Drew was able to catch the cat’s small body before it fell too far, the cast letting our relieved sighs.

“You saved him.” Chase gasped, Drew lifting to hold the kitten against his chest, a sweet smile on his face. Y/n cooed at the way the kitten rested in Drew’s large hands, resting her head on Drew’s shoulder as the two of them looked down at the cat.

“Hmm,” Drew hummed quietly, “maybe Charleston does need a little friend.”

Y/n grinned, pressing a kiss to Drew’s cheek before squealing excitedly. Y/n turned to Chase, shaking his shoulders excitedly as Chase joined in on her excited squeals.

“Thank you Buzzfeed!” Rudy said, elbowing Drew playfully.

“Yes, thank you Buzzfeed!” Y/n joined, thanking the crew for their new furry friend.

[entelodante]

Styraphant ethnicity BIG POST! Basically just going over the main 'flavors' that all styraphants kind of fall into. More detail below the cut!

They can all interbreed and are the same species, but have a lot more genetic variation than human populations on Earth! There are about 6 main 'morphs', but that being said individuals with varied lineages may be a little hard to pin down. When in doubt the shape of ones crest is where most will look when trying to assume! Because that IS where most of the variation resides. Big list inbound.

Star. These are the dudes I've been drawin so far. They tend to inhabit around the center of their planets largest continent, in the more tropical zones. So like to live in wooded areas and lush vegetation.

Flame. These guys are named for the upswept tines on their crest. They are the most Northernly, enjoying mostly temperate climates and migrating as the seasons change to avoid chillier weather.

Fan. These guys are FUN. With large webbed tines on the crests of both males and females. They are darker due to their hot, arid home, so typically built to avoid sunburn.

Scallop. These guys are named because the edges of their crested are, in fact, scalloped. They range from temperate to tropical climates, tending to stick to places on the soggier side.

Disk. These guys have completely smooth crests! They are also the smallest variety, mostly due to their more seaborne nature. They have the widest range of climates and tend to move around the most by a wide margin.

Spade. These have a spade shaped face, obviously, with two large tines pointing directly upward. They are found in the colder, Southern continent, the only variety not found on the mainland. Their thickset frame helps them put up with the cold year round.

This is the gist! They cover a wide variety of crest and body type in these groups as they are pretty different!

Most differences come from the different regions each population has settled in as I'm also thinking that they are an older species. So they've had time to become more sculpted by their environments. They get along pretty well though, like I'm thinking it's odd to not associate with each other!

[jinprint]

and let's talk about how they cancel it within ONE MONTH OF IT AIRING like did you even really give it a chance?? was scrolling through twitter and it's all the (either outright or subtly) racist star-wars-purist white folks that are crying tears of joy at the acolyte being cancelled.

unfortunately i'm not even THAT surprised. they always see representation as something that taints the fictional universe they've come to love.

i feel like sometimes these kinds of fandoms—they'll tolerate a token poc character every so often, but god forbid too many at once. you're ruining the franchise! you're overdoing it!

why do the smallest & loudest & most miserable little bigots have to get their way I CAN'T DEAL WITH THIS.

lower the budget for another season! idgaf! but i really hate getting so into a story just to never know how it ends.

[norrisjpg]

no surprises - ʟɴ⁴

based on this request from @jxnellat - thankyou lovely!!

in which, lando's bias opinion regarding the open red bull seat proves to stop a new friendship blossoming - until he proves himself wrong.

contains: unconscious bias, smallest bit of angst, shit-talking, carlos not to red bull (NOO), justice for logan because i give him an extra year in f2, mentions of christian horner (AH), social media, fluff, lando admitting he's wrong, mentions of struggles with mental health, williams not being shit.

platonic lando norris x named female character (senna hamilton)

...

...

carlos sainz jr's first choice was always going to be red bull. why wouldn't it be? the team was dominating the formula 1 world, and he was sure they wouldn't fuck him over like ferrari had many, many times.

but, tough luck for him.

before he could even think about getting into talks with christian and helmut - the world was rocked with the news of formula one's first female driver, moving to her dad's previous rival team.

senna hamilton might as well have broken the media. she was currently racing for williams alongside alex albon, but had no word from her superiors as to whether they were going to extend her contract with williams or whether there was any interest from mercedes.

so, she looked elsewhere.

and honestly, it came as a shock when her manager explained that christian horner wanted to arrange a meeting to discuss her seat for 2025 - due to sergio perez's less-than-admirable performance in the first half of the 2024 season.

either way, it was safe to say, that the hamilton family had given the world yet another reason to look forward to the 2025 season, and also given them all aneurysms in the process.

lando norris wasn't one for commenting on other driver's situations, but when it came to carlos sainz jr, he didn't hesistate as much as he usually would.

"so, lando, as we know you're good friends with carlos, and well, there's now one less team for him to go to - with senna going to red bull next year - can we just get your thoughts on that?" the blonde woman asked him, steadily holding the microphone out in front of him.

"well, obviously i think carlos deserves the best available seat possible, and that would have most likely been the red bull seat - so i think he should be in the red bull - but, i do think it will be interesting to see what senna can do in the red bull alongside max, but i'm just hoping that carlos can also get a good seat for next year." lando nodded, slightly stumbling over his words as his PR manager side-eyed him.

"okay, so you think that carlos deserves to be in the red bull?"

"yeah, i do - not that senna doesn't deserve the red bull seat, i'm sure she does, but i'm just going off how well i know each of them. obviously carlos and i have known each other since 2019, i've only known senna since 2022 and well, we don't really talk much." lando shrugged, pursing his lips.

"okay, thankyou lando." the woman nodded, before he and his PR manager headed back toward the mclaren hospitality.

his PR manager looked at the interviewer as the two walked away, she had a bad feeling about this.

meanwhile, the joyful tune of 'taste' by sabrina carpenter blasted out of senna's driver room in the mercedes garage, as the british girl bounced around her room, dancing to the song - when her PR manager, cameron, walked in.

"i've got some interesting news, sen."

...

well, as hard as lando tried not to give them that headline they so badly wanted - he somehow still did.

'senna doesn't deserve the red bull seat claims star formula 1 driver, lando norris.'

now, senna wasn't usually a confrontational person, but this was bang out of order, and she definitely didn't expect it from someone she didn't know that well. therefore, she requested a meeting with lando and his PR manager.

"so, would you like to explain this headline please?" senna asked as she slid a piece of paper over to him, the headline printed along with the article - she felt like she was interrogating someone in a james bond movie.

"what about it?" lando said gruffly, not entirely sure how to react to this situation.

"this is the equivalent of me saying you didn't deserve your win in miami, and then everyone agreeing with me, lando." she pursed her lips, earning a side-eye from her own manager.

"i don't really know what you want me to say?" the mclaren driver furrowed his eyebrows. "i never explicitly said that."

"i know, i watched the interview, but you might as well have." a soft scoff left her lips. "i don't actually care if you think i deserve the seat or not, i would just like you to undo this. i face enough prejudice and discrimination as it is, but i certainly didn't expect it from a fellow competitor, i'm disappointed quite frankly, lando."

her words hit like a tonne of fucking bricks - how could he be so fucking blind? lando thought that she'd asked for this meeting to have a go at him and tell him how wrong he was, but once again, he was wrong.

suddenly, he felt almost... sympathetic for her? yes, he also experienced a lot of hate online and he knew how much it affected his mental health - but if one of his competitors had said something like he had? he'd be a fucking wreck on the inside.

"oh, um, okay, yeah." he said, a little quieter as the realisations hit him. "yeah, i'm sorry, senna."

"i don't want an apology, lando." she shrugged, a small smile on her lips. "i just want this to go away."

...

INSTAGRAM

liked by georgerussell, charlesleclerc, maxverstappen33, and 421,294 others. sennahamilton ... strong weekend in belgium, another good haul of points with alex in P8 and myself in P7. time for a much needed break after a great first half of the season, see you all in zandvoort!!

view comments ...

alex_albon ... williams are washed who???

user1 ... double points!!!

user2 ... she better not get P7 in a red bull next year

↳ landonorris ... i'd like to see you try and finish a race?

↳ liked by sennahamilton

mercedesamgf1 ... things we love to see - roscoeee!!

user3 ... red bull are seriously desperate after the first half of the season, aren't they?

↳ sennahamilton ... why wouldn't you be desperate for me?

↳ liked by landonorris

landonorris has started following you!

sennahamilton has started following you!

...

"good morning miss hamilton." a recently familiar voice chimed in her ears, and then the unmistakable bright papaya hoodie appeared in her peripheral vision.

"good morning lando." she smiled, sounding a little tired of his recent apology antics.

"i have an urgent question for you." he said, falling into step with her as they walked past the haas hospitality.

"go on." she nodded, walking straight past the williams garage.

"would you be so kind as to accompany me back to monaco this evening after the race?"

"what?" she furrowed her eyebrows, stopping in her tracks.

"you live in monaco, correct?" lando stood in front of her, maybe a foot or so away from her.

"yes." senna nodded, wetting her lips briefly with her tongue.

"and i also live in monaco, i've got a few extra spaces on my jet, and was wondering if you'd like to join me." he explained. "it'd be me, you, max, daniel, charles, and carlos."

"ah, okay, i see." she nodded. "what's brought this on?"

"well, since we're friends now, i thought- well i don't really know i just wanted to know if you wanted to come with us or not."

"uhm... yeah, okay." senna knew she was a little unsure at this sudden gesture, but she went along with it regardless. "i'll let my dad know, but yeah, thanks."

"cool!" lando smiled, trying to sound as nonchalant about it as possible - he failed miserably. "uh, we're meeting at the airport at eight in the evening, and there'll be food on the plane."

"right, okay." she responded as they began to walk again. "not to sound fussy or anything, but the food... there won't be any fish, will there?"

"ew, of course not, i hate fish." he almost grimaced at the thought, but then his brain immediately clocked onto the fact that she sounded as equally as disgusted as him at the idea. "i'm assuming you don't like fish either?"

"i'd rather skin myself alive than eat fish, lando."

why hadn't he ever bothered to talk to her before?

...

INSTAGRAM

liked by landonorris, danielricciardo, maxverstappen33, and 513,482 others.

sennahamilton ... the whole point of this post is so i can show everyone how weirdly adorable lando and daniel are together - that's all.

view comments ...

landonorris ... i fly you home and you call me weird? last time bitch

↳ sennahamilton ... woah i also called you adorable so shut up

↳ user1 ... lando and senna are friends??

maxverstappen33 ... how come you always say no to me when i ask you to fly with me??

↳ sennahamilton ... i don't want to be friends with you :)

↳ landonorris ... this means you want to be friends with me??

danielricciardo ... i have no recollection of taking those photos

user4 ... i feel as if we might see a group-grid holiday this summer

liked by sennahamilton and carlossainz55

...

"miss hamilton!" lando exclaimed loudly as he skipped up to her in the quiet airport - making her cheeks grow pink in embarrassment.

"lando, shut up." senna groaned, internally praying people around her hadn't noticed that it was, in fact, her and lando.

"sorry, where is your positive attitude?" he teased, a sharp edge of sarcasm to his voice.

"in the plane." she mumbled, dragging her pink suitcase behind her as they walked toward their gate together.

"come on, sen, we're going to disneyland!" the brit cheered, making an amused smile creep onto senna's lips, mostly the mclaren driver's child-like excitement. "actually, i have something to admit to you."

"oh god, go ahead."

"i never thought you didn't deserve the red bull seat, sen." he shrugged, his tone changing but a smile still on his face. "and if anything, i knew you deserved it - maybe more than carlos."

she laughed with a small wink, "i won't tell him you said that."

,,,

ah i actually really enjoyed writing this!! the social media parts especially, so maybe i'll start doing more social media fics??

[spiderb00]

- ROMCOM

Megan Skiendiel x actress!reader 

“Your girlfriend's birthday will always be special” 

Genre – Fluff  Warnings –  none 

Now playing – Feels Like, by Gacie Abrams 

Your schedule has never been tighter, all your commitments seem to have got in the way. The recordings for the new season of Percy Jackson were in full swing, the interviews for events, the awards where your films were nominated, it was all so crazy. You never imagined that you would have a life as a Hollywood star, at least not when you were only nineteen, but it happened. You'll be eternally grateful for everything you've achieved and still achieve, but you couldn't deny how much you just wanted to relax at times.  

Being recognized for your work was incredible, you could never deny that, but you knew you certainly weren't cut out for Hollywood. Sometimes you missed your simple life as a teenager, sometimes you wondered what it would be like if you had continued working in your father's small bookstore, but these thoughts soon faded when you remembered Megan.   

Megan was one of the biggest reasons for you to face the difficult days, knowing that at the end of the day you could see her beautiful face, even if it was only by video call. Your girlfriend's energy always gave you the strength to keep fighting, you were just two young souls trying to unravel the world together, and that made you very happy.  

You begged on your knees for Megan's managers to give you a few days with her, fortunately, they agreed after an assurance that you would be back on time. So you set everything up, called Megan's friends and got everything in place.   

The island was beautiful, the resort was better than any hotel Megan had ever stayed in, and being with you made everything better. Hand in hand, you walked along the beach, enjoying the sand, the sun and the waves. You had fun with your friends, making fools of yourselves and laughing at the smallest things, just being teenagers for a few days.   

Megan didn't think things could get any better, but you always exceeded her expectations.   

It was early and you had a hard time getting Megan out of bed, the sun and all the previous day's activities making her more tired than usual. But when you finally managed to get her out of bed, you dragged her out of the room you two shared, keeping quiet so as not to wake any of your friends, who were sleeping in the rooms next door.   

Walking quickly down to the beach, Megan and you were giggling playfully, Megan's chest felt like it was about to explode, the feeling of being in a romantic comedy movie was always present in her chest when she was with you.   

“Come on, Meg. We'll miss the whole thing if you don't hurry.” You said, pulling the girl through the hallways of the hotel.  

“I'm going as fast as I can, baby.” Megan said, the giggle she was holding back tickling her throat.   

When you finally made it out of the hotel, you hurried even faster, pulling Megan closer to the pool. The girl wasn't even paying that much attention to your haste anymore, because now she had understood everything. Megan was looking up, impressed by the shades of purple and orange that were appearing in the sky. The sunrise was happening, the sensation Megan felt could not be compared to anything else.  

Both of your steps became slower, and now Megan realized that you were on the beach, which was only a few meters from the resort. The sound of the crashing waves, the color of the sky, the sensation of warmth that was building up all over her body, the sand on her feet and the way your eyes shone in the specific light, made Megan's heart beat faster.   

Still holding your hand, the Chinese girl felt like crying, but not from sadness, it was simply that feeling of love, soft and simple. That feeling of comfort and all those thoughts of how it could never end.   

“Don't you think it was worth waking up early?” You asked, bringing Megan's hand to your mouth and kissing it.   

Megan watched in amazement, every detail of the moment being stored deep in her heart. “Everything is worth it with you.”   

Looking at Megan, you saw the way your girlfriend was looking at you. Her big eyes made you melt, and the way her hand fit into yours made your chest swell.   

“I wanted some time alone with you, so I thought about it.” You said embarrassedly. Your cheeks were burning red, all because of the way Megan was looking at you.  

Taking your face in her hands, Megan caressed your cheek, smiling at you before leaning in and kissing your lips. Your hands went to her waist with muscle memory, and your shoulders relaxed as soon as Megan sighed into the kiss.   

“I love you.” The smile on her face made your smile appear.   

You loved Megan, every detail of her made you feel like the luckiest person in the world, and all you wanted was to spend the rest of your life admiring her up close.   

“I love you more.”   

Hugging you, Megan laid her head on your chest, listening to your heartbeat as she admired the different colors of the sky.   

hi everyone, I hope you're all well.

this is really short because I'm running out of time, but I've wanted to make a fic with megan for so long that I had to make this one.

anyway, drink some water, stay safe

xoxo, spider.

[apomaro-mellow]

Every Baby Needs a Daddy

Part 1/?

Modern au rock star!Eddie & sugar baby!Steve; alpha!Eddie/omega!Steve

Fall was in full swing and a chill was officially in the air at all times. Most especially as the sun started to go down. Eddie was warm in his leather jacket but for a brief moment his heart went out to the guy standing outside the bar, arms bare to the wind. He was dressed in a striped polo shirt and jeans, not quite what one might see in a dive bar like this.

But he was probably waiting for someone, so Eddie went inside without another thought, catching just the smallest whiff of his scent as he walked by. An omega. He was definitely waiting for someone then. No one kept their omega idling for long. Once inside, Eddie took his shades off, the lights low enough to keep most from recognizing him.

It helped that he was flying solo tonight. No band members or bodyguards in sight. It was nice to be anonymous sometimes. Not that fame and fortune ever got tiring, it was just a good change of pace. He posted up to the bar, ordered a beer, and got comfortable. He was right in the middle of a conversation with another patron about the current season's fishing prospects when that scent washed over him again something like lavender and petrichor.

Although, when Eddie looked over, that second part might've just been the scent of actual rain. The omega from outside was sitting next to him. The tops of his shoulders and head were damp.

"Was wonderin' when you'd come in and grace us with your presence", the bartender said.

The omega simply rolled his eyes and didn't order anything. Eddie saw him shiver and without thinking, took off his jacket and placed it over his shoulders. He realized what he'd done when the other man froze.

"Sorry you just looked cold and maybe you were but I shouldn't've just done something like that I can-I can take it back", he reached out.

"No", the omega held onto the jacket. "No, it's fine. I was cold. Thank you."

"I uh, saw you outside. Boyfriend making you wait?" Eddie inwardly cringed. He meant to be more subtle than that. Meant to say something anything else.

"Don't have one." The omega got a strange look as he finally looked Eddie square in the face. "Have I...seen you somewhere before? Sorry", he shook his head and let out a breath of laughter. "What I line. I swear I'm not-I'm not trying to come on to you or anything, I just know I've seen you on like tv or something."

Eddie couldn't judge on pick up lines after what he said about a boyfriend. "You...you might've." He looked around and contemplated for just a second before he continued. "Ever heard of Corroded Coffin?"

"They're a band, right? That's where I know you from?"

Eddie grinned. "Yeah, that's where." He could tell this guy just barely recognized him and that it wasn't an act.

"God, Dustin would kill me. I can hear him now. Sorry, I'm probably not the kind of fan you like running in to."

"I'll take polite conversation over groveling any day. So do you know any of the member's names?"

"I know there's the guy Dustin likes the most because he can play drums and the bass. He admires talented people like that. And he goes on and on about this Eddie guy, but I can never remember which one-you?"

"Me, handsome", Eddie grinned. "And your name?"

"Steve. But I also answer to 'handsome'."

Steve. Eddie had to taste it on his tongue. "Steve. And were you waiting for Dustin before the rain brought you in?"

Steve smiled now, adjusting Eddie's jacket across his shoulders. "No, I wasn't really waiting for anyone. And before you ask, Dustin is definitely not my boyfriend. I'm completely untethered." Steve ran a hand through his hair, not so damp anymore after they had been talking.

"You gonna order something or keep taking up space at my bar?", the bartender asked.

"What's your poison, Steve?"

"Oh, I can't pay you back", Steve said.

"Then don't. Order something."

"I mean I really can't pay you back, Eddie. I was hanging around outside because I...because I'm between paychecks right now. And I'm not that kind of omega." Steve's shoulders hunched up in shame and he looked like he was about to remove Eddie's jacket.

"I didn't say you were. You don't have to pay me like that. I take many forms of compensation. Including sparkling dialogue with gorgeous men."

"Really?", Steve asked, voice flat in disbelief.

"Really."

Steve turned to the bartender. "Whiskey sour please."

Eddie smiled. "So, what's your opinion on farmed fish versus wild caught?"

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

Steve had been going through the worst day of his life. Work had been awful and he had wanted to scream. He ran out so quick that he forgot his jacket and was already halfway home when he remembered. He kept going. He wasn't going back there today. He got to his apartment, ready to fill his empty stomach with something only to find he was devoid of food.

Of course. He'd cleaned himself out with his last heat and hadn't gone grocery shopping since. He'd been eating out for the past week. And if he checked his bank account....

$10.43

And pay day wasn't for another three days. Steve was desperate. It was plenty of money if he went to the convenience store right outside his apartment. But the cashier there always gave him odd looks and he just didn't have the energy for it. He contemplated sending someone in to buy his stuff, but he wasn't feeling very trusting right now.

Which was how he ended up at the bar. The dollar store would've been an option last week, but it was a couple of miles away and his car was in the shop. He didn't even know what his plan was. Buy the cheapest drink and fill up on pretzels and nuts? It was why he was standing outside as the sun got lower, just feeling sorry for himself.

He just wished someone would take pity on him. Would see how hard he had been working and told him it was okay, he could take a break now and they'd take care of him.

Hell would probably freeze over first though.

Then the rain started and he couldn't waste time out here any longer. At least inside the bar, it was warm. Steve already wasn't looking forward to the walk home. What if it was still raining? He couldn't afford to get sick right now. He sat at the only empty seat at the bar and thought of the least pathetic way to ask for a cheap drink when something warm came over him.

It smelled of ginger and cinnamon and for a moment, Steve was drowning in it when he heard the owner of the jacket try to apologize for it and then take it back. Instinctively, Steve held onto it tighter.

"No, no, it's fine. I was cold. Thank you."

The alpha next to him said something about a boyfriend that Steve barely registered but figured out by context what he was asking.

"Don't have one." He shook his head and then actually looked the alpha up and down. Curly hair spilled over his shoulders and he looked smaller without the leather jacket that was currently over his own shoulders. There was something oddly familiar about him. Like he'd seen that face on his social media feed or something.

When Steve asked, he realized he was talking to a guy in Dustin's favorite band. He felt like an idiot. This guy was probably used to starstruck fans bowing at his feet and here Steve was, just treating him like a nobody. But try as he might, Steve couldn't pretend like he was some big deal, even imagining Dustin's lecture on proper celebrity sighting etiquette later didn't change things.

Then the alpha, Eddie his name was Eddie, introduced himself and then asked for his name, tacking on a compliment at the end of the question.

"Steve. But I also answer to 'handsome'." He couldn't help being a little hungry for some positive attention right now.

Then Eddie asked a very unsubtle question about Dustin, insinuating that he was some kind of boyfriend and Steve wanted to laugh. The little kid he had babysat that had been like the pain in the ass brother he never asked for definitely wasn't that. And he let Eddie know that.

"Dustin is definitely not my boyfriend. I'm completely untethered." He didn't know why he said it like that. He might as well have spread his legs and held up a sign that said 'open for business'. This guy was a literal rock star, he must have lustful groupies throwing themselves at him all the time. Wording it like that absolutely wasn't Steve intention. Even if his scent was so comforting and intoxicating.

Then the bartender urged them to order something and Steve felt his empty stomach drop. Eddie insisted on buying him a drink and Steve really wished he had the money for it because there was no way he was paying in any other way. And if Eddie was expecting that, he'd just as soon go back out into the rain, leaving the warm jacket behind.

"You don't have to pay me like that. I take many forms of compensation. Including sparkling dialogue with gorgeous men."

Steve searched his face for a bluff, any sign of dishonesty. But he saw none.

"Really?"

"Really."

So Steve ordered just as Eddie asked him something about fishing and clearly this night was not going to go the way he planned.

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

Eddie was halfway through his second drink and knee deep in a conversation about the pros and cons of fishing compared to hunting. Apparently Steve's dad took him out hunting before he presented and afterward, his grandfather took him out on a couple of fishing trips.

"One just seems more fair, is all I'm saying", Steve said, still nursing his first drink. "One has you sneaking up on an unsuspecting animal. The other one you're just luring them. Fish know what they're getting into. Deer don't until they're already in your sights."

"You think very highly of fish intelligence", Eddie noted.

"I once had a year long beef with a friend's pet fish. Long story. But fish are smarter than they look." Then Steve's stomach growled. Very loudly. Embarrassingly loud.

"I don't know about you, but all this fish talk is making me hungry", Eddie said. "Can I buy you dinner?"

"I suppose I've got about twenty bucks worth of more conversation in me", Steve smiled, appreciating what Eddie was offering.

Eddie paid the tab and Steve put his arms into the jacket, then remembered Eddie might want it since it was cold outside. "Did you want-"

"Keep it on. I run hot anyway and we just need to make it to my car." That was a lie, Eddie had the circulation of a failing newspaper but he liked the look of Steve in his jacket too much to give it up. And the rain had stopped so now it was just damp and cold outside.

Steve thought he should feel wary of getting into a car with a stranger, especially a famous one. But he had his phone on him and Eddie was taking him to a place with a lot of people, so it was fine. Eddie put his sunglasses on as they went inside and asked for a table in the back, which the person up front gladly accommodated.

"Not to toot my own horn", Eddie said as they were seated. "But I can never tell when and where I'll get recognized. And I don't want any tabloids tomorrow morning." Because right now, Steve didn't just look like some random guy that Eddie was wining and dining. Right now, he looked like he belonged to Eddie.

"Got any funny stories?", Steve asked.

Eddie grinned and rolled his shoulders as he got comfortable in his seat. "Well, there was the one time I was literally in a tv studio about to be interviewed with the band and someone thought I was the boom guy."

"If I was dressing up on Halloween as a boom guy, I think I'd put on this general look", Steve said, gesturing to Eddie's whole body.

"And there was the time I got recognized while at a fabric store. I'm standing in line, basket full of sewing supplies and a bunch of floral fabrics, and this woman in her sixties asks for my autograph."

"Aren't you in a metal band?"

"Yeah and some of our most hardcore fans are women over 40", Eddie said. "Don't underestimate 'em."

A waiter came by and took their orders and they kept talking. Steve couldn't believe how badly his day had started because now it felt like he was flying above the clouds. Eddie actually seemed interested in what he had to say. And Steve was constantly thrown by the different directions Eddie took the conversation. From fishing, to getting recognized stories, to horrible customers, to the perils of sailing a boat.

"Never?"

"I remember going once as a kid and was scared shitless the whole time", Steve said. "Whoever decided it was okay for me to watch Titanic in kindergarten really messed me up."

"So besides that one time you've never been on a boat?", Eddie asked.

"My parents tried getting me on a yacht once and I started hyperventilating on the dock. I stayed on the boardwalk", Steve said. Just one of the many ways he'd been a disappointment.

After the meal, Eddie offered to drive Steve home. He wanted to. But after drinks and food and talking to Eddie for so long about nothing at all, Steve felt cautious. Had his guard lowered? If he let Eddie see him to his door, would Eddie be expecting something? What made him even more hesitant was that he might let Eddie get away with it.

He was handsome and charming and had alleviated Steve's worries for a few hours. He was even going home with some leftovers in a box. For a second, Steve wondered if food was all it took.

"Hey, look, I understand if you don't want some strange alpha taking you home. What about if I just order you a ride?", Eddie suggested.

"You can take me home", Steve said quickly. "Just don't expect any dessert."

Before leaving, Eddie excused himself to use the restroom and Steve used that opportunity to do something that was probably really stupid. It was certainly pointless. But he could take a risk every now and then. He tore off a piece of the menu and used a pen at the podium up front and that was how Eddie found him.

"Ready to go?"

"Ready", Steve smiled.

The car ride was a little more quiet, both of them digesting both the food and what had happened tonight. Meeting a stranger that you clicked with, it didn't happen every day. Steve gave him his address and Eddie pulled up to the building.

"You should walk me up", Steve said. "Make sure I get there safe."

"Y-yeah, I can do that", Eddie stuttered, struggling with his seatbelt while Steve was already out of the car.

Eddie followed him to his apartment, glad now for the chill outside because otherwise he'd be sweating watching Steve's ass for so long as he walked in front of him.

"Well, this is me", Steve said.

"I had a great time tonight", Eddie said.

Steve laughed and ran a hand through his hair. "Can we come up with anymore first date lines?"

"Hmm, how's about I'd love to do this again soon?", Eddie smiled, leaning in a bit.

"I'd like that." Steve took Eddie's jacket off his shoulders.

"What if I want you to wear it for our next date?", Eddie asked.

"If you want me to wear this, you better scent it properly", Steve goaded.

Eddie pinned him against the door and smashed their mouths together. His jacket was trapped between their bodies. Steve let out a soft sound and brought a hand to Eddie's cheek.

"We can't go on a second date until the first one is over", Steve said when he pulled back. He curled a lock of Eddie's hair around his finger just because he couldn't help it.

"Your number?", Eddie asked, licking at Steve's lips.

"Check your jacket", Steve breathed.

Eddie didn't take his eyes off Steve as he went through his jacket pocket and found what Steve had been scribbling on earlier. It was a ripped piece of the menu. And it had Steve's number on it.

Part 2

If I had a nickel for every time I steddified a Marilyn Monroe song I'd have two nickels.

[heauxvibez]

Act Right

warning: implied smut (18+)

"I thought I told you to check that attitude at the door," Roman's gaze grew more intense as he watched her small frame move gracefully down the aisle. The lines on his face deepened into a frown, highlighting his frustration at the audacity of the dark-skinned woman. He leaned over the shopping cart, his arms crossed over the handle as he slowly pushed it through the familiar aisles of their local Krogers. His posture was relaxed but on the inside, his irritation was simmering.

"I thought I told you to leave me the hell alone," She shot back, turning her head sharply to look at him over her shoulder. Her side-eye was so intense that she could feel the strain in her eyeballs. The stubborn woman crossed her arms tightly over her chest, rolling her eyes with extreme annoyance and pouting like a child who wasn't getting her way.

They had been roaming the grocery store, bickering over the smallest things. Their arguments ranged from things such as her thinking Roman was glancing another woman's way to trivial matters like deciding which seasoning to use for tonight's dinner. Every aisle seemed to bring a new disagreement, turning their shopping trip into a battlefield.

Roman had managed to keep his cool, but Bryden was unleashing the worst of herself. She fired off provocative comments, some of which Roman brushed off, while others brought what was simmering in him to a boil.

But these outbursts just didn't happen all of a sudden. It had been building up over the past few days.

On Monday, she treated him as invisible, walking past him without a glance. Despite his unavoidable 6'3" build, she seemed to effortlessly overlook him.

Tuesday saw Bryden in a frenzy, slamming and shoving everything in her path. Pots and pans crashed onto the kitchen counter, cabinet doors slammed shut, and even Roman, over 200 pounds, was pushed aside a few times.

By Wednesday, her eye rolls had become a habit. It seemed her eyes were doing acrobatics, rolling so far back that Roman wondered how she could still see straight. Every utterance from him, whether a chuckle, smirk or even a cough, was met with shady looks and comments from her.

Thursday had arrived, and with it came Bryden's relentless barrage of snappy remarks aimed at the WWE star. Curses, teeth-sucking, groans — she pulled out all the stops, showing out completely. Roman was teetering on the edge of his patience.

As he drummed his thumbs lightly against the grocery basket handle, Roman shook his head, forcing a fake smile onto his handsome face amongst strangers while Bryden continued to let snide remarks slip from her lips.

"Bryden Renee Wilson," Roman warned, his face flushing a dark shade of crimson that barely appeared on his tanned skin, his grip on the basket handle turning his knuckles pale.

When Roman resorted to using her full name, Bryden knew he meant business. She noticed the seriousness in his tone, but her own anger overshadowed any effect it might have had.

Roman was use to Bryden's unpredictable mood swings. Usually, he remained calm, using his soothing voice and words to ease her mind. His mastery of language often made it hard for her to hold onto her anger. But this time, his smooth talk fell flat. There was no getting through to her.

In a moment of frustration, Roman abandoned the basket without a thought. He reached out and pulled her body against his towering frame. The sound of her gasping filled the aisle, but not enough to draw the attention of nearby shoppers, but even if it did, Roman paid them no mind. His focus was solely on her, she had finally pushed him to his limit.

"Now, you listen to me. I'm tired of your shit," his voice reverberated through the shelves, his usually warm chocolate brown eyes now darkened with anger. His grip on her body lacked its usual gentleness, now replaced with a grip that left her trembling.

"I've been patient with you for too long, but your attitude is getting out of hand," he continued, echoing against the colorful backdrop of exotic spices and foreign delicacies shelved behind her. Her mean mug softened as she realized how upset she'd made him; Roman wasn't playing games.

His gaze lingered on her, brows knitting together in a puzzled frown as he tried to figure out what could have provoked her behavior.

Her heart was racing, her bottom lip trembling as she fell victim to his penetrating gaze.

Roman's lower body pressed against her abdomen, the bustling aisle around them fading into the background. His growing arousal was clear amongst the fragrant aromas and bustling shoppers, but it didn’t deter him from trying to get his message across.

Bryden swallowed any, if not all, whimpers that tried to escape. She was melting in the moment, the warmth of his body pressed against hers, his bulge growing against her stomach, she was ready to submit to him without question. She had missed this—missed him. His constant travel for work had left her starved for affection, feeling untouched and deprived. Even when he was home, his focus remained on his work, leaving little time for her. The only time she truly got his attention was when she acted out, her rebellious behavior was a desperate plea for the intimacy she craved so bad.

His jaw clenched as he spoke again, his words full of authority, "The disrespectful shit you've been saying and doing is unacceptable. I'm not finna tolerate it any longer. Act right, or I'll make sure you do, understand?"

As his hand tightened its grip on her bottom, each word emphasized with a squeeze, Bryden couldn't help but moan in discomfort. She pushed against his chest, turning her head away and shaking it 'no', her tight coils brushing against his chest and the shelves as she did so.

He cursed silently at her stubbornness, his body burning with fiery tendrils of irritation. With an exhale, he loosened his grip on her bottom, his hand withdrawing before delivering a sharp smack.

Her startled yelp cut through the air, the surprise and pain evident in the small, whimpering sound that followed. His rough hand moved to massage the tender spot, his touch now sought to soothe the sting he had caused.

"Keep trying me, Bryden. You better find you somethin' safe to do, sweetheart," he warned affectionately. She shivered as he placed a tender kiss on her temple, the softness of his lips and the rough texture of his beard sent delicate cascades of goosebumps across her skin. Each bristle brushed lightly against her, the same way they did to her thighs when his head was between them. She inwardly moaned at the thought.

He pushed a small curl from her pretty face before gently nudging her away, causing her to sway slightly on her feet.

His face formed a small, satisfied smirk, his eyes smoldering as he observed his girlfriend's response. Her flushed cheeks betrayed her anger, the sharpness of her expression giving way to a softening of her features. He couldn't help but notice the change in her body language—how her full bottom lip found its way between her teeth, a telltale sign of her horniness. Her legs were crossed, one thick thigh resting atop the other as if trying to keep her juices from dripping.

He walked back to the basket as if nothing had happened, pushing it through the aisle with his usual calm demeanor and a soft whistle. She stood rooted to the spot, still processing the interaction. As he continued walking, he noticed the absence of her footsteps behind him. He paused and glanced back, with a raise of his brow his eyes locked onto her, silently urging her to catch up.

"Come on, baby," he called softly, his voice gentle but still holding command. Without hesitation, she followed him, continuing their grocery run. The noise of the store faded as they walked side by side, picking up items from the shelves.

Usually, she'd murmur a few things under her breath if she was still irritated, but this time, she remained silent. For once, Bryden held her tongue. It was music to Roman's ears.

During their moment, when Roman was searching for her soul through her eyes, he truly understood why she was so frustrated—she always behaved like this when he returned from road trips, acting out like a spoiled brat. Maybe not to this degree, but she still displayed these behaviors nonetheless.

Her sulkiness and defiance were clear signs of sexual frustration. The way she became calm and quiet after giving her a bit of tough love confirmed his suspicion. Despite this, he knew it was unacceptable, and she needed to learn there were consequences for disrespecting him.

Oh, he was definitely going to discipline her once they got home. His mind raced with thoughts of how he would handle her, ensuring she understood the boundaries and the repercussions of crossing them. Maybe have her pick a popsicle stick from their punishment jar.

He was going to make sure she received some act right tonight..

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

Whew, it's been a minute. Hope ya'll enjoyed!

Tags: @harmshake @southerngirl41 @spritelucozade @empressdede @alichesmi

@msbigredmachine @theninthwonder @blacst4r @sassginamillls @wrestlingprincess80

@headoftheetable @trashbin-nie @tshepisho @mzv11 @venusesworld @sheyaish @saintmagx

[shyspider]

Chapter Summary: You and the little bots go to the Egg Festival with a mission in mind.

Rating: Mature Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Fandom: Transformers - All Media Types, The Transformers (IDW Generation One)

Characters: You, Reader, Lost Light Crew (Transformers), First Aid - Character, Tailgate, Rodimus, Megatron, OC - its the dog, Ratchet, more to come as they're introduced, Stardew Valley Characters Additional Tags: tinyformers, miniformers, Domestic Bliss, and the frustrations that comes with it, Farming/gardening, Home Ownership, Slice of Life, You're just trying to get by, Stardew Valley setting, maybe self-indulgent?, this is just my chill fic

[peachhcs]

𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐞𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐧 𝐦𝐲 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬 ʷˢ²

hughes!sister x will smith au (samy + will)

things become too much for the youngest hughes causing everyone around her to worry for her well-being

wc: 4.1k

some warnings incase: some mental health struggle, burnout, struggling to reach out for help

i've had this one in the drafts for awhile and i finally finished it. wanted to write some more angst of the harder side of samy's collegiate life, but luckily she's got a real good support system by her side! (also trying some new things with my titles) (p.s. heading home again for winter break in 2 days so i’ll get to everyone’s requests then!!)

au masterlist

there was a lot riding on this season now that samy was officially named 1st alternate captain. after lots of success and making it to the ncaa finals last year, the umich coaches decided to name the star freshman their alternate captain going into her sophomore year. she had proved herself with all the goals and strategies from last season and the girls on the team agreed no one else deserved the position more. samy couldn't be more grateful for the honor knowing how much her team was going to look up to her in the coming season to pull off the same thing and hopefully win the championships this year. 

being alternate captain meant that the youngest hughes was pulled up incase any of the captains now couldn't fulfill their role, so she had to be in attendance to every captain meeting with the coaches and the other girls relied heavily on her since she had the strategy. it was rewarding, but also really draining sometimes. 

on top of this, samy had a full course load to manage while also still finding time to hang out with her friends and keep in touch with everyone else. her busy schedule kept her out of the apartment most days and nights, not coming back in until hannah was fast asleep and sometimes samy hardly slept herself. her rushing around allowed little time for her to slow down and be in the present with what was happening. 

she got up early for practice, saying a half-hearted goodbye to her roommate, and then was out the door with the chance of not returning until later that night. whenever there was downtime, samy's attention was stolen away by a girl on the team needing something or calling her parents and boyfriend, so in reality, she had very little time to herself. 

it was starting to take a toll on the brunette. the sleepless nights left dark, heavy bags under her eyes and the caffeine consumption was at an all time high that just left her jittery and shaky the rest of the day. even trying to do homework and study made samy restless because she just couldn't sit still knowing everything else she needed to do. 

however, if there was one thing about the hughes siblings, it was that they never asked for help. growing up in a constantly competitive environment led the four to become extremely independent and asking for help with even the smallest things was out of the question, especially samy who worked her whole life to prove that she could be just like her older brothers. 

so even if she was struggling with balancing everything and taking care of herself, samy would not ask for help. 

will learned this one the hard way growing up with the youngest hughes and now that he was all the way in california, he had no way of knowing if she was taking care of herself. he knew she was named 1st alternate captain and the work that came with it, but the text messages weren't enough to suffice if samy was still making time for herself. will started worrying when the messages from her started becoming vague and a lot less, more so when she kept putting off their nightly facetime calls claiming she was caught up with other stuff. 

he knew she had a game in boston in two days, so will decided to reach out to the boys to make sure they seriously checked in with samy to make sure she was doing okay. 

"i'm just a bit worried about her," will explained to gabe over the phone the night before the game. 

"you know she's really good at hiding that kind of stuff. she's never asked for help when she's struggling," the darker-haired boy said which made the blonde sigh. 

"yeah, i know which is why i want you and the guys to just check-in with her and see if she's okay. i'm worried she isn't properly taking care of herself," will said and gabe nodded even though his friend couldn't see him. 

"yeah, we will, don't worry. leno and i have plans to get lunch with her before the game so we'll see how she is," the boy's words sent some relief to will's chest. 

"okay, thanks. i appreciate it. we'll talk later," the two exchanged goodbyes and will tried not to think too much about it for the rest of the night or else he'd stress himself out. 

he knew samy could take care of herself, but he just worried that with everything she had going on this semester it was becoming too much and she wasn't reaching out for help. 

with the night game, samy had time to catch lunch with ryan and gabe downtown that afternoon. she entered the restaurant they discussed meeting at with a bright smile on her face. it'd been since late july that the three saw one another, so she was excited to have the chance to catch up with them. the boys spotted her at their table near the back, excitedly standing up to greet her in hugs. the girl jumped over to them with her arms already open. 

"hey! it's so good to see you guys again," she cheered, embracing gabe first. the darker-haired boy grinned, wrapping his arms tight around her torso. 

he noticed the change first. 

as he wrapped his arms around her, she felt..different. or at least gabe thought so. he couldn't quite place what was different, but..she felt..smaller? lighter? he didn't know how to explain the change, but he definitely noticed it, especially when the girl pulled back and he saw the very obvious bags under her eyes. 

he didn't say anything though, letting her go so ryan could hug her. when the two pulled away gabe glanced at ryan, speaking with his eyes by asking if ryan noticed anything too. the brunette was too caught up in the menu though that he didn't catch his friend's glance. 

"i already know what i want," ryan hummed. 

"of course you do. i haven't been here in so long," samy giggled, perusing the menu herself while gabe did the same. 

"how've you been though? you're a big soccer captain now," the brunette hockey player roughed up the girl's arm making her flush. 

"not quite captain, but i'm getting there. i've been..good. busy, but good," samy's hesitation made gabe look up at her briefly. he tried reading her expression, but she just looked back down at the menu. 

"that's so awesome you got 1st alternate captain. what a status. you think you'll be real captain next season?" ryan kept talking. 

"i mean i hope so. our head coach really likes me and so do the girls, so it's a possibility." 

"we're excited for the game later. i think almost all the hockey boys are coming to watch you play," gabe finally chipped into the conversation. 

"aww, that's so cute. i'm excited too. it should be a good game," her bright smile made the boys smile and maybe she really was doing okay, she was just super busy. every college student hit a really busy point in the semester that caused bags under their eyes and slight weight loss. 

gabe decided not to pry now because he knew samy just wanted to enjoy lunch, so he eased himself into the conversation and listened to all the things him and ryan have missed since they last saw her. 

if the three could keep talking, they totally would, but after two hours, they had to cut it short because samy needed to be back for enough time to get ready and get to the field for warmups. ryan and gabe graciously paid (even after samy told them they didn't have to pay for her) and walked back out onto the busy boston sidewalk. they exchanged a few last hugs for now. 

"see you at the game! look for us, we'll have big signs," ryan chuckled as he embraced the brunette again. she smiled. 

"i can't wait to see them." 

gabe hugged her last, still not shaking how there was something different about the youngest hughes, he just couldn't put his finger on it. "good to see you, hughesy. we'll see you soon." 

"see you super soon. thanks again for lunch," she patted gabe's cheek making him flush. 

"of course. you're doing okay, right?" he stopped beating around the bush and lowered his voice a little. 

samy gave him a quizzical look, a flush coating her own cheeks at his somewhat personal question like he just saw right through her or something, but she quickly played it off. 

"yeah, i'm good. why?" 

"no reason, just wondering. being nosy. being protective," gabe shook his head. 

"i'm good, i promise. i'll see you guys later," samy finally said her last goodbye and they walked in separate directions. 

gabe chose to believe her because if samy said she was fine, she was fine. she did know herself better than anyone else and who was gabe to say that she didn't look good? so he let it go and would tell will samy seemed fine, just tired. 

later, at the game, gabe realized he should've poked more about his friend's well-being. 

the lady wolverines had a big lead on the eagles. they were up a whopping 5-2 in the second half with no chance the lady eagles could catch up to them. at this point, the michigan girls were just playing to see how many goals they could rack up in one night. 

the hockey boys definitely got a lot of strange looks when they took turns holding up various signs they made for samy and screamed her name as she ran up the field with the ball in boston's student section. 

"hughesy, hughesy, hughesy," ryan got a chant going to which the boys and the small michigan student section joined in on. 

"stop fucking cheering for the other team!" someone yelled in the middle of the chant, obviously annoyed that people from boston were cheering for michigan. 

"shut up! she's our friend!" aram yelled back at the stranger who just rolled his eyes. 

"they're gonna kill our girls," drew chuckled when samy's team scored yet another goal bringing it up to 6-2. 

"honestly, i saw it coming. our soccer team is kind of shit compared to michigan, no offense," fowler shrugged a bit and the other guys snickered because they knew he was right. boston's soccer program wasn't the best even though they had gotten a bit better since last year. they just needed a star player to come in and change it around like samy had done for michigan. 

the wolverines earned themselves a corner kick when the eagles rolled the ball out of line. samy hurried over to take the kick, but as she began slowing down to get into position, she felt a bit light-headed. her team worked to get into position for her kick, but the more the youngest hughes finally slowed herself down, the worse she felt. she stood in front of the ball trying to ground herself and get her bearings back, but instead, the whole field spun in her vision. 

"is she okay?" teddy wondered from behind the sophomores as they waited for samy to make the kick. 

gabe watched her from the stands and the way she swayed on her heels like she may pass out. his heart dropped and he cursed to himself. he knew there was something wrong. 

despite samy's vision spinning, she attempted to make the kick knowing the team and refs were waiting. however, as soon as she moved she went down, landing face first in the turf. 

the ref blew his whistle. people in the stands gasped and gabe was on his feet not even thinking twice as he ran down the bleachers and ignored the calls of the others. "shit," ryan muttered and ran after him. 

the two boys were down on the field a second later, not caring that they weren't supposed to be down there. the refs who didn't quite know what to do let the boys in as they kneeled down to samy's side. 

"samy? hey, samy?" gabe tried shaking the girl awake. her coach was across the field a second later while the others tried keeping everyone else away. 

"what happened? is she hurt?" coach klein asked in concern. 

"i think she passed out," gabe informed, gently tapping samy's cheeks to wake her back up. 

a full minute passed before the girl's eyes fluttered back open and a wave of relief washed over everyone hovering over her. she saw gabe first and the concern written all over his features and she knew something bad happened. 

"thank god. are you okay?" the darker-haired boy wondered. 

"w-what happened?" the brunette rasped out. 

"you passed out, hughes," coach klein informed before the boys could. 

samy's face paled even further because she knew the exact reason why and that she definitely lied to gabe earlier when he asked if she was doing okay. 

"oh," was all the girl managed. 

"let's get you up. you probably need water and some food," gabe said gently as him and ryan helped her to her feet. 

"you guys got her then?" coach asked and the boys nodded. 

they supported samy's weight as the crowd in the stands clapped that she was up and the refs restarted the game with someone else taking the corner kick. ryan and gabe led the girl into the sports facility, finding the nearest bench to sit her down on for the moment. 

"go find her some water and get her food from one of the vending machines," gabe instructed and ryan did as told. 

samy's head hung low as she avoided gabe's lingering gaze knowing what he was about to say to her. she felt him sit down beside her, "i thought you promised me you were fine?" 

his tone wasn't angry or anything, but she could hear the disappointment in it and that seemed to hurt worse. 

"i don't really know what happened," samy frowned still not meeting the hockey player's eyes. 

"samantha, come on. tell me what's going on," gabe using her full name meant he was being really serious and she grimaced at the use of it. 

"i guess..i just haven't had a lot of time to slow down and it's finally catching up with me," she finaly admitted to which the boy sighed. 

"have you been taking care of yourself?" he wondered. 

"i..i guess not really. i haven't really been eating or sleeping properly. i've been caught up in a lot." 

"you know that's not an excuse to not be nourishing yourself and sleeping right," the boy pointed out softly, not wanting to anger her. 

"i know," samy kept admitting her defeat. 

ryan came back down the hallway with a large gatorade and about five different snacks in his arms. he set it all down on the bench beside the girl and then exchanged a glance with gabe. 

"will just called me asking about what happened. i told him you passed out. he wants you to call him," the taller brunette explained. 

"i'm sure i have to call a lot of people. my parents are probably blowing up my phone right now," samy sighed, her head falling into her hands. 

the two boys exchanged another glance where they spoke with just looks, "you know we're always here for you if you need to talk or need anything, right? just because we're in different states doesn't mean we don't wanna be there for you and help carry some of the weight on your shoulders. the same goes for will," gabe said gently as he rubbed his hand across her back in soothing circles. 

"i know, i know. i just thought i'd be able to handle it and it'd become easier, but i guess it just kept piling up," the girl frowned again. 

"is it something about the alternate captain position? has that been too much?" ryan wondered. 

"it's definitely a lot and maybe i just didn't expect for it to be as much as it is. i've been kind of falling behind in work too," her words made the boys frown. 

"do you think there's someone you can talk to about this to help you manage a little better? like your coach? or one of the other captains on the team to see how they manage it all? it might be helpful especially since you might be an actual captain next year," gabe offered because him and ryan knew eamon powell had a lot to balance being captain as well, but he also wasn't afraid to ask for help when he needed it. he actually relied a lot on the team when he was looking for new suggestions. 

"yeah, yeah. i can talk to them," samy nodded. 

"we're just worried about you, hughesy. we know you don't really like asking for help, but it's not a bad thing. it doesn't mean your weak or anything or any less. a lot of people ask for help. i'm sure your brothers do too," ryan tried his best to comfort the girl as he also joined in with rubbing her back. 

"it's just so hard when i grew up thinking asking for help is a sign of weakness and i wasn't capable. like i know i can ask, but something in my brain is stopping me and i just can't do it," she leaned back against the wall, defeat clear in her system. 

"well, maybe that's what you can talk about with your coach and she can refer you to a sports psychologist or someone who can help you work through these things. i'm sure your team and coach wants you to be at your best, but they can't help if you don't reach out," gabe hummed. 

"i'm sorry i didn't tell you guys the truth at lunch today. i should've. i don't know why i didn't," samy shook her head and finally took a few sips of the gatorade. 

"don't apologize, it's okay. we just hope you'll reach out to any of us when you do need help again. we were just freaked out when you passed out like that," the darker-haired hockey player said. 

"a mix of not enough sleep or enough food knocked me off my game i guess."

"well, we're glad you're okay. try eating some more and then we'll walk back out to the field with you," ryan smiled softly which samy appreciated their soft tones. she probably could not handle them being angry with her and lecturing. 

coach kept samy out of the rest of the game just so she wouldn't overwork herself again. once the game finished, the youngest hughes called her parents to update them and tell them she was okay and then her brothers who also blew up her phone because they were watching the stream and saw her pass out. 

"yeah, i passed out, but i'm fine," she told them. 

"shit, samy. you freaked us out when you just fell like that," jack huffed. 

"i'm sorry. i guess it's just been a long few weeks and i haven't really been taking care of myself," samy explained with a frown. 

"oh shit, sorry. are you okay?" luke asked. 

"i will be. i just gotta figure out how to balance it all. probably talk to my coach and reach out to one of the sports psychologists," the girl informed the three older boys. 

quinn, who hadn't said much since calling, was the most observant sibling out of the four and he also started realizing how neither of them reached out for help when they needed it most. "hey squirt, i know we raised you thinking getting help showed you were weak, but you know that's not true right? that was never our intention. getting help when things are hard is really beneficial," the oldest hughes commented. 

"yeah, i know," samy said. 

"yeah, i mean it's been a learning curve for all of us, but we always reach out when things get to be too much. we're always here to help too. plus, mom and dad are always good shoulders to lean on if you need to rant," luke chirped up and samy smiled at their words. 

"yeah, thanks guys. i promise i'm gonna reach out to balance it all better," she nodded even though they couldn't see her. 

"good. we want you taking care of yourself, seriously," quinn said. 

"i will, i promise this time. i'll talk to you guys later, yeah?" the four exchanged heartfelt goodbyes and samy had one more call to make which was the one she was the most scared to make. 

will knew her all too well and he already knew how hard it was for samy to reach out for help until it got way too overwhelming, so she worried he would be mad at her for not reaching out sooner. 

"hi baby," will answered immediately. 

"hi will," samy leaned against the hallway. 

"are you okay? ryan said you passed out," the blonde wondered and the girl grimaced. 

"yeah, i'm okay now."

"what's been going on? has everything been okay?" his soft tone took samy by surprise and for some reason, it just made her break down. 

she sunk herself to the ground and basically started sobbing through the phone. will's heart broke hearing her cry and he couldn't do anything about it besides stay on the phone with her. he hated being so far away in moments like these that he couldn't physically be there for her. 

"baby, talk to me. you're okay. i'm right here," he tried. 

"i'm sorry will. i'm sorry. i'm just so tired and exhausted. i haven't had like any time to myself at all and i haven't been doing any studying and i already feel so burnt out from everything," it all poured out from the girl as she told her boyfriend everything that was going on. the blonde's heart tightened and twisted into a knot hearing his girlfriend sound so defeated and he was on the opposite end of the country. 

"samy, don't apologize. there's noting to apologize for. i'm so sorry you've been feeling this way. i wish there was something i could do," will sympathized with her. 

"i'm sorry i haven't been calling you either. i was scared to admit to you that i haven't been doing well and i didn't wanna burden you—"

"samy, nothing you do or say could ever burden me. you know that. i wanna talk to you. i wanna hear your problems. i wanna try and help you, i promise, but i can't do that if you don't talk to me," will cut her off. 

"i know, i know. i guess i've just never felt this overwhelmed before, but i'm gonna reach out more, i promise. i'm gonna talk to my coaches and explain how i've been feeling," the brunette wiped her eyes from her tears. 

"it's okay to feel overwhelmed, baby. no one is gonna be mad at you for setting boundaries and taking time for yourself, okay? we're all here for you," the blonde made sure he was firm so she knew. 

"yeah, thank you. gabe and ryan took care of me and made sure i ate and drank some stuff," that made the hockey player smile a bit knowing his friends were always looking out for her even when he wasn't there. 

"i'm glad they did. i wish i was there to take away your hurt and pain," the boy frowned. 

"i wish you were here too. i miss you like crazy." 

"i miss you a lot too, but i'll see you real soon, okay? hang in there for me, yeah?" 

"yeah, i will. i promise," samy managed a smile. 

"good. i'm always here for you. i love you," she heard will kiss the phone bringing a laugh from her lips. 

"i love you too. i'll call you later," samy knew she needed to get herself together to get back on the bus in a few hours. the couple hung up and the girl stood up to wipe the rest of her tears and compose herself. 

once her backpack of things was back together, she went to go find the boys who promised they'd wait up for her to continue catching up before she left. for once since the semester started, samy was gonna be in the present with them and choose not to think about anything else. 

gabe saw her first, opening his arm up to bring her into the circle. the others excitedly said hi to her and then her and gabe exchanged a knowing glance. she nodded to say she was doing a lot better now and she felt him squeeze her arm as they continued talking with everyone else. 

[d-targaryenshoe]

Stolen Moments - Luke Thompson

Summary: Love is a beautiful thing, yet it can be painful when one must hide it.

Word count: 1410

It had all started in the dim, enchanted light of a theater, where youfirst saw Luke on stage.

You weren’t expecting your life to be turned upside down that evening, certainly not by a pair of intense, thoughtful eyes and an understated smile that had a magnetic pull, even from your seat in the audience.

Luke was mesmerizing, his performance was raw and real. He’d commanded the stage, every movement filled with grace and purpose.

You found yourself captivated by him, and, as the final curtain fell, you couldn’t shake the feeling that something significant had just begun.

By pure serendipity, you'd been introduced to him after the show through a friend.

The spark between you was undeniable. A connection that seemed impossible to ignore blossomed over a quick chat that felt much too short, an electric exchange of glances and smiles.

By the end of the night, you were already slipping your number into his hand, a quiet thrill passing between you both.

What started as secret messages and midnight phone calls soon turned into stolen weekends and hidden coffee dates.

You both understood the need for secrecy. Luke was filming the much-anticipated fourth season of Bridgerton, and anything about his personal life could easily become tabloid fodder.

You both cherished what you had too much to risk it with unnecessary exposure.

He was a rising star with millions of eyes on him, and you knew the importance of keeping your relationship in the shadows—for now.

But neither of you had expected it would become this hard.

Being near each other, feeling the warmth of your bond but keeping it under wraps—sometimes it was a thrilling game, other times an agonizing test of patience.

You shared the smallest, most discreet of touches in public, a graze of fingers under the table, the brief press of your hand on his back as you slipped by him in a crowd.

It was a quiet intimacy, a private romance that pulsed just beneath the surface, just beyond anyone else’s sight.

Your lives continued like this, parallel but private, until one day on set, the tension reached its breaking point.

You had visited Luke once before, slipping onto the lot where Bridgerton was filmed and sneaking into his trailer for a few stolen minutes.

Today, however, your visit was unexpected, a risky move, but you hadn’t seen each other in weeks, and you knew he’d be thrilled by the surprise.

There was a thrill in sneaking around, knowing that, for now, you belonged only to each other.

As you made your way to his trailer, you felt your heartbeat quicken. The afternoon air was warm, and you kept a low profile, slipping in through the back, hoping none of the crew would notice.

Your hands shook a little as you reached for the handle of the trailer door, your pulse thudding with excitement.

You didn’t know how he would react, only that you wanted to be close to him.

Needed to feel his touch.

The door opened quietly, and you stepped inside, closing it softly behind you.

The trailer was dim, lit only by the small window on the side, casting a warm glow over the modest space.

Luke was sitting on the small couch, script in hand, eyebrows furrowed as he concentrated.

When he heard you enter, he looked up, and the surprise on his face melted instantly into a smile.

A beautiful, slightly mischievous smile that made your heart flutter.

“Y/n,” he breathed, standing up. “What are you doing here?”

You took a step forward, grinning. “Surprise visit.”

He laughed, closing the space between you both and pulling you into his arms.

You felt the strength in his embrace, his fingers gentle as they ran through your hair, cradling your head as he leaned in, pressing his lips to yours.

The kiss was slow and soft, but you could feel the restrained heat beneath it.

You'd keep yourself hidden, held back so much, that every kiss felt new, every touch electric.

“Do you know how hard it’s been not seeing you?” he whispered, his voice low, his hands trailing down your arms, holding you close.

“I might have an idea,” you murmured, pressing your lips against his neck, feeling him tense slightly.

You could feel his heartbeat under your hand, a reminder of the urgency you both felt, the desire that had been simmering between you since that very first night.

You lifted your gaze to meet his, your eyes locked, and you felt your breath hitch at the way he was looking at you.

His eyes held a mixture of tenderness and passion, a rawness that you knew was reserved for you alone.

You both knew there was no time for subtlety today.

Without breaking eye contact, Luke reached down, pulling you gently to the couch.

You settled there, your fingers tracing gentle patterns along his jaw as you kissed him again, your touches slow and deliberate.

The outside world faded, replaced by your shared warmth, the feel of his skin under your hands, and the way he murmured your name with such reverence it made your heart ache.

“You’re so beautiful,” he whispered, voice thick with emotion as he brushed a strand of hair from your face.

His fingers traced your cheek, his gaze softening, and you felt an ache in your chest at the gentleness of his touch, as though he was afraid you might disappear.

“You know we’re both going to get in trouble if we get caught,” you teased softly, even as your hand slipped down to his, intertwining your fingers, feeling the heat radiate between you.

He smirked, eyes glinting with a playful defiance. “For you? Worth every risk.” His words sent a thrill through you, an unspoken promise that this was something he was willing to fight for.

Your quiet laughter faded into another kiss, one that deepened quickly, your hands exploring, memorizing.

The air between you thickened, charged with the promise of something sacred.

You could feel his heartbeat against you, steady and strong, grounding you in this moment, in the small sanctuary of the trailer.

As you moved, your bodies attuned to each other, you felt the intensity of your shared passion.

You'd been patient, respecting the boundaries you had set, but here, now, there was no one else.

Just the two of you, wrapped in each other, lost in a world that felt like it was made just for you.

Your movements were unhurried, every touch meaningful as if you were savoring each other, wordlessly committing each sensation to memory.

You explored one another with a softness that belied the urgency you both felt, lingering on every touch, every whispered word.

And when you finally came together, it was with a quiet intensity, a communion that felt like a promise, a declaration of something more than words could express.

When you lay entwined afterward, the world outside seemed a distant concern.

You rested your head on his chest, listening to the steady beat of his heart, feeling his arm wrap around you, holding you close.

There was something beautiful about these stolen moments, something that made your love feel even more precious.

You knew you couldn’t stay like this forever, that soon he’d have to go back to set, and you'd have to sneak out as quietly as you had come in.

But for now, time seemed to stand still, and you allowed yourself to bask in the warmth of your secret love.

“I don’t know how long I can keep this a secret,” he murmured, his voice soft against your hair.

You looked up at him, your hand resting against his cheek. “Soon, very soon… we won’t have to. But for now, let’s keep this ours.”

He nodded, a faint smile touching his lips. “As long as I get to have you here, like this, I’ll wait as long as you need.”

You lay together in silence for a little while longer, each of you savoring the warmth of each other, the knowledge that, for now, this was your private world.

And when it was finally time for you to leave, you did so with a lingering kiss, one last, soft touch of his hand on your cheek before you slipped out of the trailer and back into the world.

Luke watched you go, a soft smile on his face, already counting the moments until he could hold you again.

[littlespirit-199]

Trying to Decipher the Ages of the Burns Family from Transformers: Rescue Bots Because I Have Little to No Social Life

Apparently Nicole Dubuc once tweeted that Kade, Dani and Graham are 21, 20, and 19 respectively at the start of the show. I couldn’t find this tweet myself, but I did find people talking about it when I tried to look up if their ages had ever been confirmed, and I wanted to set the record straight, because I don’t buy that for a second. Not only does it assume that Graham earned two degrees by the age of 19, it also mixes up their age order. Seeing this made me wonder if I could puzzle out estimates of their real ages based on their respective licenses/careers and compare that to Maine law. If you’re the same kind of insane I am, hopefully you’ll enjoy my ramblings. It isn’t meant to be academically sound or airtight, I’m basically just here to have fun. No one asked for this, but it is my cross to bear lol

P.S. Everyone please thank Graham for being the only one with definitive markers of his age. Most of these guesses are based off of him and his age in relation to the other characters

Kade

He is the oldest child in the Burns family

According to portlandmaine.gov, three years of work and/or educational experience after high school are required to become a firefighter in Maine, so he is 20 at the absolute minimum (some people graduate high school at 17, but statistically, more people graduate at 18, which would push this minimum up to 21)

We see in S3E3, “Too many Kades,” that Kade also has his pilot’s license, but that doesn’t help us here, as you can get that at 16 in Maine, and we already determined that he’s obviously older than that

We can get a more accurate guess by comparing Kade’s age to Graham’s. Graham is clearly at least 24 at the start of the series (later discussed in his section), which would make Kade at least 25

None of these characters are new at their jobs. Kade, being the oldest, has likely been working the longest, so I can guesstimate he has ~5 years experience. This also points to him being 25-26, however, it’s mostly based on speculation and shouldn’t be taken at face value

In S2E13, “The Island of Misfit Tech,” Kade mentions how well he and Graham did at soccer, presumably when they were Cody’s age. This isn’t definitive proof that they’re close in age, however, it nudges me in that direction. Out of the 4 siblings, I believe these two have the smallest age gap, likely only a year or two between them, because they seem quite close and mention how they grew up together more so than either of them do with Dani. For the sake of argument, I’m going to assume that Graham is 1 year younger than Kade.

Final guess for Kade: 26

Graham

Second oldest according to S1E3 “Hotshots”

Apparently a lot of people headcanon Dani as older than Graham, but that directly contradicts what Dani says in this episode.

A high school diploma is required to get a heavy machinery operations license in Maine (though I don’t think anyone was doubting that he graduated high school)

He starts working on his PhD in S1E19 “You’ve Been Squilshed,” meaning he already had a master’s degree prior to that point

If we assume he took an average amount of time earning his previous degrees (4 years for a bachelor’s, 2 years for a master’s), he is 23 at an absolute minimum (more likely 24, if we assume he graduated high school at 18), but I’m inclined to believe he’s at least slightly older due to the fact that he’s clearly been working as an engineer for a while before the start of the series.

In S4E1, “New Normal,” he finished his doctorate, which was probably about 5 years working on it in total if we count the time spent during seasons 1-3 and factor in the three year timeskip. This is an expected timeframe for earning a PhD, which could support the argument that he earned his other degrees at an average pace as well.

If we go on our earlier assumption that Graham is a year younger than Kade, this would make him 25 at the start of the series, which fits all these stipulations

Final guess for Graham: 25

Dani

She is the second youngest Burns child, according to S1E3, “Hotshots,” and S4E14, “Hot Rod Bot”

I also believe that there’s a bigger gap between her and Graham, because in S2E22, “A Brush with Danger,” she runs into an old classmate that neither Kade nor Graham remembers meeting. Since Griffin Rock is so small, and we see during Cody’s school scenes that his class is very small, Kade and Graham would have remembered him if they were at the same school at the same time, so this pushed me in the direction that they had either graduated or were many grades ahead of Dani.

In the state of Maine, you have to be at least 16 to fly solo, and 17 to have a private pilot’s license according to umaine.edu

Notably, Maine is one of the few states that allows underage EMTs, with 16 as the minimum (source: https://www.healthcarepathway.com/become-an-emt/maine-emt). However, underaged EMTs have to follow a “junior supervision plan.” I couldn’t find what exactly this entails in my research, but we can assume Dani doesn’t have to follow one considering we see her acting alone many times without her father or older brothers around. This puts her at 18 at least. Considering she also doesn’t go to school, it’s pretty obvious that she’s already graduated (or dropped out, but that doesn’t seem likely considering she becomes an astronaut later, and you need schooling for that)

She also seems very experienced, so we can assume she’s been working at this job for a few years. I’d be willing to put her at 20-21 because of this.

There is an argument for her still being a minor, being that in S4E14, “Hot Rod Bot,” she gets grounded.

The mere fact that this is a season 4 episode essentially disproves that she would still be a minor. If she were still under 18 in season 4, this would only make her 13 in season 1, which is incredibly ridiculous and not even worth discussing

She’s still living at home, so she has to follow Charlie’s rules, and I would say that risking revealing Cybertronians to the public is grounds for a grounding even if you’re an adult

There’s not much to suggest her age other than that, so the full range of possibility for her is 18-24, which is a pretty big range to guess from. We’re trying to sculpt with cotton candy here, so I’m not as confident in this guess as I was for the other two.

Final guess for Dani: 22

Cody

He’s the youngest by a significant margin

Surprisingly, Cody was one of the simpler characters to parse out.

In S3E16, “Time After Time,” we see that Cody and Frankie are in the same class at school.

In S1E11, “Return of the Dino Bot,” Cody says that Frankie is “a little older than him,” meaning she is probably only a few months older (if she were a whole year older, they would be in different classes)

In S4E14, “Hot Rod Bot,” Frankie celebrates her 14th birthday, meaning she was 11 before the 3 year timeskip, and ~9 during season one, since we already established that several years passed during seasons 1-3.

Following this logic, Cody is 8-9 during season one

Final guess for Cody: 9

Charlie

Idk he’s probably like 55 or something he’s old but still young enough to be a first responder and that needs a really good physical condition

Their season 3 ages:

Kade: 28

Graham: 27

Dani: 24

Cody: 11

Their season 4 ages:

Kade: 31

Graham: 30

Dani: 27

Cody: 14

[allfryam]

bulk up

Evan was in his final year of high school. He just turned 18 and he was feeling great. He was the star of the football team and he had a smokin hot body. His abs looked like they were chiseled from stone, his pecs sat like trophies on his chest. His arms glistened and bulged with muscles. one day after practice, his coach called him over. Even ran over, dripping with sweat. “I need you to move up a weight class”. Coach said. “We’re starting to struggle against teams with bigger players. We need some more meat on the team.” Evan was skeptical. He would have to give up his precious abs? He didn’t know if he could. But coach convinced him it would only be around 20 pounds, and he could lose it when the season ended. that night, instead of making a fresh, healthy meal, Evan drove to McDonald’s and ate a large Big Mac meal. He couldn’t believe how good it felt. Soon, Evan was off of school for a few weeks due to construction. This also meant no football practice. He didn’t mind though. He was too busy bulking. He spent most of his days shirtless, playing video games and eating snacks in his room. Without realizing he had already gained over 15 pounds. All of the junk food and snacks that he was eating was starting to take a toll on his waistline. His abs had slowly disappeared, and his muscles began to grow softer. He had a slight paunch that hung over the waistband on his underwear. by the time the construction was over and Evan could get back to school, his pants were quite hard to button. He mostly just wore sweatpants anyway. His smallest shirts began to ride up and reveal a sliver of his belly. at practice, coach called Evan over again. “You been bulking?” “Yes sir” Evan replied. Coach took Evan to the scales to see how much weight he had gained. “You lost a pound?! What the hell is wrong with you?! I’m going to have to do this myself. Come to my house later tonight.”

Evan was confused. He was sure he put on weight. None of his pants fit, and his abs were completely gone. He arrived at coaches house and knocked on the door. Coach let him in and told him to have a seat at the table. Evan still didn’t know what coach had in store but he was scared. He was also pretty hungry. Coach brought out 3 pizzas, a cake, canned pastas, ice cream, and a batch of chocolate chip cookies. Evan’s eyes grew wide. “You’re not leaving tonight until you eat all of this food.” Coach yelled. “But coach-“ coach shut him up and told him to eat. evan started with the pizza. He did good on the first two, but the last one was giving him trouble. It took a while, but eventually he finished the last slice. Next was the pasta. He was already pretty full but coach wouldn’t let him take a break. Evan kept eating and moaning as he got fuller and fuller. His belly was starting to stretch and expand, and his belt grew tight. He ripped it off and undid his pants and let out a sigh of relief. He continued to eat and eat until the pasta was gone. Coach let him take a little break before dessert but it didn’t help much. Evan dug into the cake with his hands, shoving fistfuls of food down his throat. His face was covered in pizza sauce, grease, and chocolate icing. He continued through the cake until he started feeling nauseous. “I thought this might happen. Here” coach said as he gave Evan some anti nausea medicine. After a couple minutes Evan felt better and finished off the cake. For the last two things, Evan combined the cookies and the ice cream to make it easier for himself. He took off his tight shirt to make some room and he dug in. After an hour of moaning and burping, he couldn’t do it. There was still a few cookies left and almost half a tub of ice cream. “You’re gonna come back every night until you can finish one of my feasts boy” coach yelled.

after a few weeks of this, Evan was still unable to finish one of coach’s meals, but they were definitely starting to affect his body. His slight paunch had grown into a round ball gut. His pecs were saggy moobs and his tight ass was big and jiggly. His thighs almost doubles in size and he had an extra chin now. But Evan was competitive. He wouldn’t stop until he won.

[divine0rdainment]

Operation Replace Lilith AU

Adam dies at the end of season one and ends up back in the begining, as in back to when he was in the garden after being freshly created. Lilith is also there with him. And in a panic, he runs off in to the deeper parts of Eden to clear his head. When he's come to realize what's happened, he thinks about life and all his regrets, one of those regrets being that he suffered a lot and got very little reward. Honestly, Lilith kinda got the better end of the deal, she got a husband, a kid, a long life, and in the end, she even got to go to heaven after making a deal! So even tho she did all this bad she STILL got rewarded.

While Adam basicly ate an apple because his wife asked him to, got sent to earth, starved alot, got hurt alot, lost two sons in horrible ways, grew old and died, went to heaven, got bored of heaven real quick, got condescended to by the angels (Cough cough SERA), became an exterminator, was constantly ordered around by Sera, and then DIED AGAIN FOR DOING AS HE WAS TOLD, AFTER GETTING THE SHIT BEAT OUT OF HIM BY LUCIFER AND THEN STABBED BY A BUG!!!

NO, he would not be doing that again. So he makes a plan, he is going to take Liliths place! He's gonna seduce Lucifer, be the one to go to hell with Lucifer, become a king beside Lucifer, and then later be welcomed in to hell like Lilith was after popping out one kid. (He'd figure out how that would work later. Probebly magic.) And then live happily ever after after by abandoning his husband and child like Lilith did, and live the good afterlife!

Plan made, he goes out and waits for when Lucifer shows up. Still ignoring Lilith of course, much to the woman's anger. She doesn't know what she did wrong, but it's making her mad that he won't even TALK to her. Also Adam is inventing things, like clothing out of Sheep wool, and strings and ropes and baskets and even figuring out how to make spices already. So the angels are a bit confused. They thought it would take humans longer to learn this stuff. But here Adam was, building a house out of mud, trees, and rocks, making an Axe out of a sharpened rock ans a long stick and rope.

Lucifer is so fascinated he actually comes down to visit Adam to ask how he figured out to make all this, and Adams plan starts. Too bad the only flirting Adam knows is very sexual flirting that an angel wouldn't get. And the fact that Adam keeps using slang from the 90s-2000s, and Lucifer doesn't understand half the shit he says! But he's trying! The real problem is, Lucifer seems to be the one doing the seducing by complementing Adam all the time for the smallest thing, and always touching Adams arms and shoulder and hair, and holding his hand without reason, and looking him in the eye like Adam holds the stars up himself. Fuck. Adam! Head in the game! You will NOT fall for Lucifer! This is your second chance!!! Your last chance to have the good life! You can't risk it by accidently liking him!!! Hell, your not even gay!!!

[mrs-stans]

A Turn as Trump Made Sebastian Stan an Unlikely Oscar Nominee

He is attracting different attention, and some leading man hardware, after standout performances in “The Apprentice” and “A Different Man.”

He is attracting different attention, and some leading man hardware, after standout performances in “The Apprentice” and “A Different Man.”

For years, it seemed fair to assume that the actor Sebastian Stan could make a career on both sides of Hollywood. There was dabbling in juicy supporting roles — he played the ex-husbands of both Tonya Harding and Pamela Anderson — while comfortably returning to the action-hero part for which he is best known: Bucky Barnes. As the erstwhile sidekick of Captain America, Stan has been a regular in the Marvel Cinematic Universe movies since 2011 (including “Thunderbolts*,” which hits theaters in May). There are surely worse fates than simply maintaining that balance.

“There’s a group of actors — I’ll put Colin Farrell in this group as well — that are so handsome that in some sense it works against them,” said Jessica Chastain, Stan’s friend and castmate in “The Martian” and “The 355.”

While being too good-looking a movie star may be world’s-smallest-violin territory, a whirlwind year with two standout unconventional performances now has the 42-year-old cast in a very different light. It has also already brought in some leading-man hardware, with more maybe to come.

In the surreal comedy “A Different Man,” an actor who has a condition that distorts his facial features has a medical procedure to make himself instead look classically attractive — specifically, to look like Sebastian Stan. Stan’s gutsy subversion of his looks won him the Silver Bear for leading performance at last year’s Berlin International Film Festival and the Golden Globe for acting in a comedy or musical last month.

Sebastian Stan, an Oscar nominee for his portrayal of President Trump in “The Apprentice,” called the movie “a fresh lens on him — but also on an American truth that doesn’t always get picked apart in this way.”Caroline Tompkins for The New York Times

The other movie, “The Apprentice,” is about a showy, morally questionable real estate mogul in 1970s and ’80s New York named Donald J. Trump. Stan plays Trump, his looks this time buried underneath both considerable physical makeup and all the figurative baggage viewers bring to the subject. From the movie’s premiere at the Cannes Film Festival last May, it was unclear if the film would find distribution and open in theaters, let alone be a part of awards season discussion.

But now Stan finds himself up for the Oscar in a lead acting role for playing the man who was re-elected weeks after the movie’s release, going up against four performers who have received Oscar nominations before: Adrien Brody (“The Brutalist”), Timothée Chalamet (“A Complete Unknown”), Colman Domingo (“Sing Sing”) and Ralph Fiennes (“Conclave”).

“A well-crafted character built from rage and years of suppression,” is how Stan described his character in an interview last week in Manhattan. “I would argue that even though I’m sure he’s seen the movie, maybe a few times — I have no idea by the way, this is me totally speculating — one of the issues he’s probably had with the film is it really shows you the opportunistic evolution of this person.”

After the Cannes premiere, Trump, through a spokesman, pledged to sue the filmmakers and called the movie “pure fiction” and defamatory. (Trump has not sued.)

“What I’ve always seen in his journey, and certainly what we were exploring in the film,” Stan said of “The Apprentice,” “was the solidifying of a person into stone, the loss of humanity.”Scythia Films

Major studios and streaming services, from A24 and Searchlight to Netflix and Amazon, all passed. Even after “The Apprentice” was picked up by Briarcliff Entertainment and eventually made available on platforms like Apple TV+, Amazon and YouTube, the controversy surrounding it didn’t fully subside.

The trade magazine Variety could not place Stan in its prominent “Actors on Actors” series, in which acclaimed performers interview each other during awards season, because other actors “didn’t want to talk about Donald Trump,” Variety’s co-editor in chief Ramin Setoodeh confirmed in a statement.

“I found it distressing that the business of Hollywood didn’t have the courage to support this movie,” said Stan’s “The Apprentice” co-star Jeremy Strong, who is up for best supporting actor for playing Trump’s mentor, the attorney Roy Cohn. “And I found it incredibly heartening that the community of artists and the creatives in Hollywood have acknowledged” the film with Oscar nominations.

The Trump of the first half of the movie might surprise viewers used to the 2025 version: an outer-borough scion, ambitious but unsure, who bristles under his despotic father, aspires to greater recognition and bets big on the revival of Midtown Manhattan during its 1970s nadir.

“To some extent I thrive on fear, on being told I can’t do it,” Stan said.Caroline Tompkins for The New York Times

The early Trump, whom Stan encountered in hours and hours of television interviews and documentaries he consumed while preparing for the role, really was rather different than the man who has dominated our national life for the last decade, Stan argued. “There is a dreamer there,” he said. “There is some idealism about America and New York and what it could be.”

As the ’70s turns to the 1980s, the movie’s Trump becomes far less sympathetic. Having disburdened himself of his need for a connected father-figure, he betrays Cohn, a gay man dying of AIDS. He rapes his wife, Ivana (who detailed an assault by Trump under oath but later clarified, “I do not want my words to be interpreted in a literal or criminal sense”).

“What I’ve always seen in his journey, and certainly what we were exploring in the film,” Stan added, “was the solidifying of a person into stone, the loss of humanity.”

When Stan received the offer to play Trump three years ago, he had already branched out beyond Bucky Barnes with the roles of Jeff Gillooly, the ex-husband to Tonya Harding who plotted the violent attack on Nancy Kerrigan, in “I, Tonya,” and Tommy Lee, of Mötley Crüe and sex-tape fame, in the Hulu limited series “Pam & Tommy” — in other words, real people who dominated tabloid pages in the 1990s (and probably shared a few with Trump).

“The Marvel of it all,” Stan said, has contributed to his willingness to take on riskier roles. Bucky Barnes “allowed me to, one, have the opportunity to survive,” he explained. “But coming back to that character over time and getting to do certain things with that character allowed me to look for its core opposite.”

Even so, he said he took seriously the several people he polled for advice — a studio executive, a casting director — who advised him to say no to playing Trump. But ultimately he accepted the part, betting on artistic growth.

“He was scared,” said Chastain, who was on set with him for “The 355” when the offer came. “I said, ‘If you’re scared, you have to do it.’”

A certain defiance crept in as well. “To some extent I thrive on fear, on being told I can’t do it,” Stan said. “Probably not unlike him!”

Until recently, Stan was best known as Bucky Barnes in Marvel movies. “The Marvel of it all,” he said, has contributed to his willingness to take on riskier roles.Caroline Tompkins for The New York Times

As Stan studied Trump, he found more common ground.

“I think everything he does is about power,” Stan said. “There were a lot of times growing up where I felt very powerless over my life.”

Stan was born in 1982 in Romania, then ruled by the Communist dictator Nicolae Ceausescu. His parents split up, and his father immigrated to California. His mother, a pianist, moved to Vienna to play and teach following Romania’s revolution in 1989. For more than a year, Stan was primarily cared for by grandparents. Then he joined his mother in Vienna, where he struggled to learn German and English.

“This Communist mentality of, ‘Don’t talk about anything, maybe they’re listening at the phone,’ was something I even felt in Vienna,” he said.

He transferred to an international school where his future stepfather was headmaster. The family eventually moved to New York.

Stan’s background was something Ali Abbasi, the Iranian filmmaker based in Denmark who directed “The Apprentice,” identified as resonant with the role of Trump, Stan said.

“Immigrants in this country are some of the most patriotic,” said Stan, who was born in Romania. “My father, when he came here, he loved America. He loved the ’80s. He loved Ronald Reagan.”Caroline Tompkins for The New York Times

“I understood something about the script, about this person who was so desperate to get up there that he was not going to stop at anything,” Stan said.

Beyond the profundities of Trump’s motivations, Stan also set out to master the basics — the stare, the accent, the walk, the rhythm. The goal was not to do the most precise impression so much as to feel comfortable enough to forget about doing all the tics and instead live in (and improvise as) the character.

“He did such a deep dive and became a forensic detective,” said Strong, “tirelessly absorbing, observing, studying, internalizing everything he possibly could, to the point that you sort of graft it onto yourself, as if it’s a second skin, and you tip over into it.”

Stan watched many a TV interview (and there are many) on his iPad or listened through an earbud while going about his day — driving, shopping, brushing his teeth, he said. Trump’s superficialities at times led Stan back to the deeper character. “One of the things I realized was that he doesn’t breathe — it’s in the throat, it doesn’t really get into the stomach,” Stan said. At this point the obvious movie star with black hair and impressive stubble, sipping coffee quietly in a fashionable hotel lobby in white wool sweater and jeans, briefly transformed into you-know-who. “It’s more up here,” he continued. “Which is why he’s also walking the way he does — because, if you see, his posture is sort of jagged. But if you’re not breathing and you’re not in your body, you have also to think about what that does emotionally.”

“Emotionally” might be the crux of it — where an immigrant from Eastern Europe identifying with a man whose main migration was to traverse the East River from Queens to Manhattan came to see himself as different.

“Immigrants in this country are some of the most patriotic,” Stan said. “My father, when he came here, he loved America. He loved the ’80s. He loved Ronald Reagan.”

Trump, Stan argued, represents a curdling of the same American dream to which immigrants such as himself were attracted. “When you’re looking at the Trump mentality — that something terribly wrong has been done to me, and I have to overcome anything that feels weak, and generosity is actually transactional — we value people that succeed in that way in this country,” he said.

“The Apprentice,” Stan said, “was a fresh lens on him — but also on an American truth that doesn’t always get picked apart in this way.”