#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

[gaybd1]

another space france is fine but ALSO giving them these like 1940s aesthetics is a bit on the nose and dare I say….. unoriginal

[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!

[p0orbaby]

What’s It Take to Be a Star?

summary: after the biggest loss of the season, alexia shuts down, so you remind her she doesn’t have to deal with it alone.

warnings: abit raw, sex but not explicit

a/n: i’m back? maybe. i dunno i haven’t decided yet, we shall see how this goes

word count: 1.9k

-

“You’re sulking.”

You don’t say it to press a bruise. It lands like a reminder—quiet, observational. The same tone you’d use to point out the tap’s been left running again, or that your charger’s vanished into the Bermuda Triangle gap between the mattress and the wall for the third time this month. A soft touch on a fault line, not enough to widen it, just enough to say: I see you.

Alexia doesn’t answer. Not with words.

She’s curled inward on her side, back to you, facing the wall like it might offer answers you can’t. Arms tucked into herself in that specific, compact way people do when they’re trying to contain something already leaking through the seams. She’s wearing one of your old T-shirts—black, faded, stretched at the neck until the collar sags. The kind of soft cotton that remembers every hand it’s passed through. It slips unevenly over her frame, twisted, loose, slipping off one shoulder as if even gravity is trying to reach her.

You don’t even remember where the shirt came from. A merch table after too many negronis. A friend’s failed start-up. Something passed down, not purchased. But she always reaches for this one when she’s unraveling, when she wants to retreat inside something neutral, familiar, unspeaking.

The shirt she wore to the team dinner is still in the hallway, crumpled near the mirror like a discarded version of herself. Inside-out. The fabric still holding the shape of her body. One sleeve is caught beneath the heel of her trainers, frozen mid-fall. Her suitcase is unzipped but barely touched, like she couldn’t decide whether she was arriving or leaving. The room smells faintly of transit. Airport hand soap, hotel shampoo, something citrusy meant to mask fatigue. The stale echo of Lisbon lingers in the air like a loss unspoken.

“I’m tired,” she says, eventually. Flat. Like it’s the only shape of language she has left.

“Yes,” you reply, not unkindly. “But you’re also pissed off.”

There. The words drop like a coin in a deep well. You watch the ripple.

Her shoulders tighten. Barely perceptible. But you see it. You always see it. The smallest tells in her body. A blink too long, a breath that hitchhikes on a thought. She knows you’re right. She just doesn’t want to be known right now. Not in the raw way. Not in the way that costs her anything.

You sit down on the edge of the bed, spine straight, palms flat on your thighs. Her image wavers in the glass of the window. Dim, doubled, haloed by city light. Barcelona flickers around her reflection like the afterimage of a match strike. Bright. Distant. Beautiful and unknowable. A thousand apartments lit with other lives, other rooms, other people who don’t know her name—or worse, do, and still misunderstand it.

You reach out. Your fingertips graze her thigh, tentative, not hesitant. A hello without punctuation.

She flinches.

Not dramatically. Just enough to register the cost of contact. The sting of it.

But you don’t pull away. You let the touch settle. Her skin is still warm, damp in places, the kind of heat that lingers when someone hasn’t fully dried off after a too-fast shower. She didn’t dry her hair either. That, more than anything, is your metric. Her tells aren’t loud—they’re small, domestic things. Intimacies in negative space.

You feel the pressure inside her, drawn tight and trembling like metal pulled to its limit. She’s not composed—she’s barely holding the line, muscle memory doing the work her heart can’t right now.

“I came, I watched you lose,” you say.

There’s a silence that immediately follows. Deep. Structural.

She swallows. The movement is visible in her throat, her jaw, like her body is bracing against something sharp. Still, she doesn’t look at you.

“And I’m still here,” you add, your voice dropping a shade, not softening but anchoring. “That’s worth something. Isn’t it?”

She doesn’t recoil this time. Doesn’t shift. But you feel it—subtle as a seam splitting. Something giving under the pressure, but not fully yielding. The beginning of a bend.

You let your hand slide up to her hip. Her body is taut beneath your palm, like she’s been held in this shape too long and forgot how to uncurl. She folds like this when it gets bad, when things spill past her hands and there’s no way to order them back into line. Her instinct is containment. Shrink to reduce the surface area of pain.

Not fragile. Never fragile. But afraid, sometimes, to be large when she feels small.

“Turn over,” you say. Not commanding. Not coaxing. Just a hand on the door, left open.

She hesitates.

Then, movement. Slow. Considered. Like unfolding a letter she’s not sure she wants to read.

She rolls onto her back. Her arms stay clutched to her ribs for a beat too long before they fall to her sides, as if giving up on a defence she knows won’t hold.

She looks at the ceiling like it’s accused her of something she can’t refute.

Her face is stripped of anything performative. No mascara. No camouflage. Just bare, flushed skin and the residue of feeling she hasn’t let herself feel yet. There’s pink at the corners of her eyes. A faint split in her lower lip. Not from crying, she hasn’t given herself that grace. This is wear and friction. Teeth worrying against flesh. Thought grinding against bone.

The mattress hums with tension. Like her body is vibrating at a frequency just below audible.

“I’m not in the mood,” she says. But her voice is thin and easy to see through.

“I didn’t ask.”

You shift, slowly, deliberately. Move forward. One leg swung over her hips. You settle there, like a question that’s already answered itself.

Her body recognises yours before her mind does. You see it in the subtle tells. Her hands twitch, once, then go still. Her chest rises slightly faster. The primal intelligence of skin and limb saying: safe. Even before she can believe it.

Up close, she looks like something precious that’s been dented. Not ruined, just real. The flush along her collarbone, the way her mouth is drawn tight at the corners, the strength behind her stare that’s beginning to strain. Her armor is elegant but makeshift. Designed for visibility, not protection. You can see where it’s cracking.

“You don’t have to do anything,” you say, voice quiet enough to settle into the space between her ribs. “Not tonight.”

Her eyes close.

And there it is. The first breach. The way she turns her face just slightly to the side, not quite away, but not toward you either. As if the permission to let go is heavier than the effort of holding on.

You lean in and kiss the angle of her jaw. Her breath stutters—one of those caught, uncertain things—and her fingers tighten in the sheets like they need something to grip besides herself.

You know this version of her. Not the one who leads press conferences or sets tempo from midfield, not the one who carves through defenders like breath through glass. This one. The one who doesn’t want to captain, doesn’t want to calculate, doesn’t want to carry. The one who just wants the noise turned down to something human. The one who’s tired of being mythologised when all she wants is to be met. To be touched like a fact, not a figure.

She told you once, in the drift between dreaming and dawn, voice half-threadbare, that there’s a difference between being admired and being understood. That most people confuse the two. But you, you’ve always known the gap. You’ve lived in it.

You kiss the column of her throat. Then the curve where her shoulder softens into neck. You map her like you’re returning to a coastline after storm season—familiar, but changed in small, unspoken ways.

Your hands follow, not with hunger, but reverence. Not searching. Offering. A sort of reverent study. You lift the T-shirt, slow. She lets you. Wordless assent.

Her arms rise. The fabric pulls free. Her skin, lit only by the ghost-glow of the city, feels like something sacred. You know it, yes. But now, here, it feels like she’s offering it differently. Not like a gift. Like a surrender she’s been hoarding all day.

You take your time.

Not gentle like someone scared of breaking her, gentle like someone who understands weight. The weight of being known. The weight of being held in a moment without being expected to rise to it.

She smells like eucalyptus soap and the trailing echo of her perfume. Neroli, white musk, that hint of something sharp and clean you’ve never quite placed, like rain through leaves. It’s the kind of scent that lingers on your collar hours after she’s gone.

Her breathing shifts. You feel it more than hear it. That tilt into awareness. That loosening. Her limbs don’t move, but they don’t resist either. They yield in that deliberate, practiced stillness. The kind she’s mastered in places where control is currency.

“Just stay there,” you murmur. “You’re allowed.”

Her nod is almost imperceptible, more echo than motion. But you catch it. You always do.

You trail your mouth down her stomach, slow enough that time seems to slip sideways. You’re not asking anything from her. You’re anchoring her. Returning her to something quieter. Truer.

Her legs part. Just a little. Not like an invitation. A white flag.

You move between them.

Everything you do is slow. Intentional. Mouth. Tongue. Hands that hold but don’t demand. Each movement precise, nothing rushed, nothing wasted. She’s somewhere else at first. You can tell. Lost in the static. But you don’t chase her. You wait. You stay.

And when she finally starts to tremble, when her back arches and her breath breaks on a whimper like she’s surfaced from something deep and heavy, you ground her. Your mouth soft. Your hand steady. Your presence unshakable.

She doesn’t say anything. There’s no need.

You don’t move right away. You stay pressed to the inside of her thigh, listening to the way her body remembers how to breathe. You close your eyes. Memorise this quiet.

Eventually, you make your way back up, settle into her side. You press a kiss just beneath her ear. Her hand finds your ribs, delicate, hesitant, then firm. Not asking. Just being. Just there.

“Why are you being so nice to me?” she asks, voice frayed like the end of a thread, soft enough that you feel it more than hear it.

“Because I love you,” you say.

She looks at you for a long beat—eyes shining, jaw caught in the struggle between disbelief and want. She wants to doubt it. You see that. But some part of her can’t. Not entirely.

You smile. Not wide. Just enough to say: I’m still here.

“You’ll say sorry tomorrow,” you add, brushing her hair back with two fingers. “Over coffee. Probably while you pretend you didn’t cry in your sleep.”

She laughs—short, choked. It snaps on the inhale.

“I hated every second of that match,” she says, finally. “Even the warm-up. I felt like I was dragging something behind me. Something too big to carry and too stupid to put down.”

“You don’t have to carry anything now.”

“I know,” she says. And this time, she means it. “That’s why I let you.”

You lie beside her. She folds into you. One arm across your waist. One leg tangled with yours. Her head tucked beneath your chin, like she’s anchoring herself to the only part of the day that didn’t ask for anything back.

You stroke her spine. Not to soothe. Just to say: I’m still here. I’m still here.

She breathes. You listen.

And when she finally sleeps, you don’t. Not right away.

You stay long enough to be sure she makes it through the night in one piece.

[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.

[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

[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

[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. 

[alienara-simblr]

🏜️ 200 Followers Gift : The StrangerTown neighborhood ! 🛸

🛰️ So many of you loved the photos of this neighborhood that I decided to share it with you. I called it the Aurora Military Base (in reference of the incident in 1897 that took place in Aurora, Texas)

This map is decorated but emptied of lots, in fact many of the houses used are not my own creations and the amount of custom content required to display my redecoration of them is far too large. However, I'll give you the links to the base lots that I used 🏠

CUSTOM CONTENT REQUIRED TNW Crop Circles recolored by me Seasonal Fields by @greatcheesecakepersona Lot View Farm Fields by @pixeldolly Giants FS13 smuggled sawmill by @criquette-was-here Smugled Decos part 1 by @criquette-was-here (scrapped harvester + recycling container clothes + clotheslines) Smugled Decos part 2 by @criquette-was-here (Hangar 1 + Gran Mill) Bus Transit Set Extended by @criquette-was-here Busy Road Set @criquette-was-here especially garland vehicles (2 fuel tankers + milk/water tanker + dustcart) Rural Lanes Set by @criquette-was-here Simpecker by @criquette-was-here Telegraph Poles by @criquette-was-here Individual Garages by @criquette-was-here (part of Feverfew download files) Brittany garage workshop by @criquette-was-here Zagoskin Parish Church by @criquette-was-here and @lowedeus Shukov Radio Tower by @lowedeus Old Cemetary Deco set by @lowedeus The Breath of Soviet Russia by @lowedeus (kharkiv hotels litup + zoo) Sky Effect neighborhood deco (stars) by @lowedeus Strangerville skyline by @tony-veis Whispies skyline by @dramallamadingdang Fixed Castaway Stories Neighborhood Deco by @dramallamadingdang The Blue Water Tower by @funphumph Smallest Maxis Watertank by Psychosims Warehouse 1 and 2 by @ethanmcgregor 4t2 Hood Decos by @nuttydazesublime (water towers + control center + communication center) Alien Crash site UFO by @madraynesims Butterfly Pavillon by @zeussims shared by @yandereplumsim Scrub Oaks recolored by @shastakiss Old West Farm hood Deco by @leoz94 Ts4 Palm Trees by @leoz94 TS4 Stones by @leoz94 sheep flocks by @curiousb

Just for info : if for some reason, you don't wish to install some items, it won't make the neighborhood bug. The missing item just won't appear in your neighborhood.

💾 DOWNLOADS

🏜️ MAINHOOD Aurora Military Base : SFS - Mediafire 🌄 SUBHOOD Aurora Military Base : SFS - Mediafire

To install the MAIN HOOD, you have to put the neighborhood folder in your TS2 document folder : …/My Documents/(Your Sims 2 folder)/Neighborhoods/ To Install the SUB HOOD, you have to put the neighborhood folder in your TS2 “Open for Business” installation folder : (Your TS2 Installation repertory)…/EP3/TSData/Res/Neighborhood Templates/

An exemple of what you could do with this empty neighborhood

BASE LOTS

🏘️ These are the lots I used, or get ideas from, in my own game and that you can see in my neighborhood screenshots. They are a good way to start... when you don't want to build an entire neighborhood from scratch.

REMADE PREMADES by @plumbtales 🌵 101 Road to Nowhere 🪖 51 Road to Nowhere 🌵 73 Road to Nowhere 🌵 Woodland Trailers

BESPOKE HOUSE SET by @honeywell-mts 🏚️ Broke Bespoke 🏡 Dutch Colonial 🏠Grey Ellis 🏠 Maple Ranch 🏡 Midnight Blue Charm 🏡 Peace Yellow Mtnside

INSPIRED by @jodeliejodelie's REMADE PREMADES 🔬 1 Tesla Court 📡 2 Cover-Up Road 🪦 13 Dead End Lane 🪖 51 Road to Nowhere 🪖 57 Road to Nowhere 🌴 30 Lakeside Drive 🌴 50 Middle Lane 🌴 70 Middle Lane 🌴 150 Main Street 🌴 170 Main Street 🌴 190 Main Street 🌵 267 Avon Avenue 🌻 Lot bin : Family House

[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.