#and the gf was asking advice for the next step if it turns out they are

[mx-paint]

.

[leilanihours]

request: kate martin x gf/teammate!reader

kate is always calming the reader down when she's getting heated throughout the game because of unnecessary calls to her/them (based on what kate's doing to cc when she's getting heated) THANK YOU !!!

-🤍

# SUPERPOWERS

pairing: kate martin x iowa teammate!reader

word count: 1111

warnings: none !

summary: kate is the only one who knows how to keep you centered when you drift away from your priorities.

⭑ from lani: hi anon i love all the reqs youve sent and im so sorry im only now getting to them LOL 😭 i also hope its okay that i made kate and reader friends in this fic rather than in an established relationship 🤍

masterlist !

"I'M SO SICK of this shit, dude!" you exclaim, throwing your hands up in frustration as you paced across the backcourt while the player you "fouled" took her free throws.

"y/n, chill," kate says, turning around to make sure the referees didn't hear your outburst.

"no, kate, i'm serious! the second we stepped onto this court the refs were up our asses and kissing theirs!" you complain, referring to how there were so many forced calls and ignored violations.

"y/n, i get it," she cautions, "i'm on that court, too, i see it. but you gotta calm down before you get a tech."

"i-"

"look at me, y/n," she demands, putting her hands on either side of your face to force you to look into her blue eyes, "you're a fucking beast, okay? you can't let these dumbasses - respectfully - get in your head. got it?"

you falter for a second, suddenly becoming aware of the small amount of distance between you and kate. your breath hitches as you decipher the sincerity and passion behind the girl's words, her entrancing eyes adding to the intensity of the exchange.

"yeah, i got it," you mutter with a flustered look on your face.

"okay then," she smirks at your reaction as she brushes some of the loose hairs out of your face that had fallen from your ponytail, "let's get this win, yeah?"

with a simple nod of your head, you dap up kate and bump your fist against hers before sprinting to get back on offense.

after kate's advice, you ended up practically breaking ankles and scoring a sweet double-double.

------

"i have a question for y/n l/n," the reporter starts with a friendly smile, "i think it's fair to say that you are not afraid to stand your ground and voice your frustrations on the court - it's something that viewers have grown to love. as you prepare to leave iowa, one common supportive thread throughout your collegiate career has been one kate martin, who has always been at your side when things get too heated. care to comment on that?"

you let out an airy laugh as you glance over at the blonde next to you, who also lets out a chuckle.

"well, i mean, i've known this girl for as long as i've been here at iowa. i seriously can't think of a time in the past four years where i didn't have the blessing of her presence, so i think the constant exposure to each other and just the overall tight bond we've formed carries onto the court.

and what i mean by that is whenever i let my emotions get the best of me, kate knows exactly what to do or say to calm me down. i mean, she knows me like the back of her hand after all, so she doesn't hesitate to step in and make sure i keep my eyes on the prize.

she's always by my side for a reason, and that's to keep me grounded. i'm so grateful for it and i try to do the same for her but she's less aggressive than me so not much for me to do there," you end with a laugh.

smiling, you lean back in your chair as you listen to your teammates answer questions of their own. as the panel continues moving smoothly, you fiddle with your hoodie strings as you wait to be asked another question.

"for kate, it looks like there was a brief, heated conversation between you and y/n in the third quarter," the reporter asks as kate's face lights up at the sound of your name, "in relation to the question she got earlier, what does it take to calm down one of the most expressive, confident, and independent players in the game? how is it different from talking to your other teammates?"

you turn to kate when you hear your name mentioned, catching the delighted look on her face. you sit watching her intently as she answers the question.

"right off the bat, i'll say she's stubborn," she starts with a laugh, making the whole room (including you) chuckle at her bluntness, "especially in the middle of a game when she's locked in and completely in her head. it's definitely not a bad habit by any means but sometimes she tends to block out what we tell her which can lead to conflict build-up on the court.

but i think the fact that i notice this and am aware of it kinda lets me know that i have the ability to break through it, if that makes sense. i don't mean to toot my own horn, but as the team leader it's kinda my job to read my teammates and help them out in any way possible that benefits all of us and the score by the end of the night. with y/n it's just easy because i know her so well as a person, so i automatically know her as a player too.

so i guess that's how i'm able to calm her down a little bit but there's definitely a struggle to do so here and there. i mean, like you said, she's one of the most independent players out there which is amazing but we're definitely still working on how to get her to accept help more often."

"i don't know if i should be moved or offended," you playfully mumble into the mic, placing a hand over your heart in pretend pain.

kate chuckles at your reaction before wrapping an arm around your shoulders and pulling you close to her in a tight hug.

you're both smiling and joking for the rest of the conference, spirits lifted after hearing each other's affectionate words about the other.

there was something so comforting in the way you viewed each other and so greatly valued your friendship. you were best friends, sure, but the strength of your bond was one that didn't need to be put into words, it was simply a mutual understanding.

but hearing each of your perspectives spoken publicly for not only you two to understand, but for the whole world to understand made it so much more meaningful.

now if this friendship were to blossom into something more than what it currently is, that would be up to you and kate.

it definitely helped that your teammates also noticed how particularly close you two were. kate eventually learned that apparently they not only loved playing basketball at iowa, but also loved playing matchmaker for the two of you. and for that she was grateful.

— leilani signing off ! 📁

[zablife]

I'll Never Learn

Benny Cross x gf reader

Benny Cross Masterlist

Summary: Benny's always taking off without warning so Kathy advises you to break up with him and move on with your life. When he returns from his latest trip, you have a decision to make.

Warnings: physical argument (Benny would never hurt you, don't worry), angst with a fluffy ending

The evening shadows were creeping over the houses along your quiet street, reminding you another day had passed without a word from Benny. You stubbed out your cigarette before turning to face another dinner for one in front of the television. By now the familiarity of the routine had almost numbed you to the aching loneliness, but not quite.

Just when you thought you'd forgotten him, there were always little reminders of Benny somewhere, like the back of the kitchen drawer when you searched for a spatula this morning. You'd sobbed over a matchbox from the bar where you'd met Benny, fingertips lingering over the raised print as Kathy passed you the mixing bowl along with some well-meaning advice.

"I hate to say it, honey, but he's not worth it. I mean, he's out there doin' God knows what. Should be here with you once in awhile, right? With all you do for him," she shook her head, indicating toward the pots and pans.

"Find a man who's gonna treat ya right. It's the least ya deserve after puttin' up with this nonsense for a year," she said, patting your hand sympathetically.

You allowed the memory to float away with the lingering smoke, fingers closing around the edge of the front door when you heard it. The unmistakable rumble of an engine rattling the glass in the windows and the fragile heart you were trying so desperately to heal. Taking a deep breath to quell the ache in your chest, you found a flame of rage catching fire instead of the passion that you used to feel upon his return.

Whipping around to face your boyfriend, you found him at the steps, staring up at you with a sheepish grin.

"I'm home, baby," he announced softly, waiting for you to fall into his arms. Those faded baby blues trained on you in hopes of forgiveness you'd given so many times before, but this time you couldn't, the words Kathy had said hours earlier ringing in your ears.

"Benny, don't," you warned him, holding up your hand to stop him from giving whatever bullshit excuse was going to tumble from his lips next. Leaving him standing on the porch with a look of confusion creasing his brow, you stormed inside to gather your things.

His hesitation only lasted a moment before taking the stairs two at a time to run after you into the house. As his foot collided with your suitcase, his voice swelled with urgency, your name echoing off the walls. Bewildered at the sight, he uttered, "You're leavin'?"

"I can't do this anymore Benny," you informed him, hands crossed over your chest as you stared blankly at the floor.

"Do what?" he asked mindlessly, only catching on when your gaze shifted to the door. "You're mad cause I took a ride?" he asked incredulously. "Johnny asked me to--" he began defensively, but you weren't in the mood.

"While I'm here?" you shouted, the frustration building inside you as he stepped closer.

"Where else would you be, darlin'?" he asked with a nervous laugh, never having seen you like this before. He was on edge, unsure how to take this sudden turn in your behavior.

Blood now boiling after his flippant response, you looked up at him with fire in your eyes.

"I'm always here waiting for you to come back" you fumed, throwing up your hands as you added "....or not." Tears pricked the corners of your eyes, but you willed them not to fall as you explained, "I need somethin' more. I want you home from now on."

There it was, the ultimatum you'd been afraid to give before. After all, you weren't married, but if he wanted you in his life, this was how it would have to be.

Benny stood so still, you could scarcely tell if he was breathing. He blinked back at you slowly, nostrils flaring as he growled, "You can't tell a man somethin' like that. Look at Betty. She don't tell Johnny what to do!"

"Well I'm not Betty!" you retorted.

"You sure ain't," he seemed to agree, breathing out a heavy sigh as he turned away.

"You're an asshole," you seethed, pacing to the kitchen. "Kathy was right, you don't appreciate me and you never have."

Catching sight of the chocolate cake you decorated with little cherries on top, something inside you snapped.

"You don't care about anything!" Without another word, you reached for the cake plate at your elbow and threw it against the wall. Flinching as it shattered, Benny's hands grasped your shoulders to keep your arm from reaching the stack of plates next to it.

As you struggled, you fell to your knees, dangerously close to the broken shards that glistened under the fluorescent lighting. Benny pulled you up as you hissed out a warning.

"Get off me," you spat through clenched teeth, a look of fury in your eyes, but his muscular arms had already encircled you. Thrashing against him, you bucked and kicked at him, but he was too strong for you.

"Stop fightin' me," he barked, backing you away from the shattered glass to the adjacent wall. You couldn't hear anything except the sound of rushing blood in your ears and your own labored breathing as he pinned you against the peeling wallpaper. His right knee wedged between your legs and his hip dug into yours as he brought your arms above your head to immobilize you.

Your heart slammed against your ribcage, close enough for the reverberations to carry through to Benny. It was then he truly saw the pain beneath your eyes as hot, heavy tears collected along your lash line.

"Baby...baby, please, don't," he pleaded, face pinched in anguish. For a moment you thought a tear might trickle down his cheek as well.

"Is this wh-what we are now?" you asked with quivering lip. "Two people who can't even talk to each other without a fight?"

He drew in a deep breath to steady himself, head shaking softly before he could find the words to reassure you. Then his voice rumbled up from his chest in the soothing way you knew and loved.

"We're not like that and we never will be," he promised, eyes piercing into your soul with such earnestness, you ceased all movement under him.

Relinquishing the tight grasp he held on your wrists, he rocked back, allowing you to drop your hands to your sides as he cast his eyes downward.

"Kathy was right, you know, I don't deserve you," he said, voice dripping with guilt. He reached out slowly for your left hand, sliding his fingers between yours as he admitted, "You're too precious for a man like me."

"Oh, Benny," you sighed, chin tilted toward the ceiling tiles. He could be charming when he wanted to be and that had always been your downfall.

"But Kathy don't know anything about the way I love you." He murmured, stroking your cheek with the back of his hand reverently. "You mean everything to me and I'm gonna show you." His touch was so gentle, you could have closed your eyes and slumbered there in peace, forgetful of all the days before, yet something deep inside still tugged at you.

"I want to believe you, but you make it so hard sometimes," you admitted, chewing your bottom lip nervously. He tilted his head to listen carefully as you poured your heart out to him.

"You don't know what it's like to worry day and night if I'm ever gonna see you again. And I don't know if it's because you're hurt or in jail or..." you stopped to swallow the lump in your throat "or if you just don't love me anymore."

He ran a hand through your hair, large palm resting at the nape of your neck as he nodded in understanding. "M so sorry I ever made you think that."

You fidgeted with the zipper on his jacket as he said something you hadn't expected to hear. "That's over now, alright? No more."

"What did you say?" you exclaimed, eyes shooting up to meet his.

"No more takin' off. I want to be here with you. If you'll stay too?" he asked, glancing over his shoulder at your suitcase with trepidation.

Your eyes followed his to the bag, staring for a long moment as you considered your decision. However, if you were honest with yourself, you'd already made up your mind. "I'll never learn," you muttered under your breath.

"Is that a yes?" he asked hopefully, leaning into your gentle nod to steal a kiss.

[keisgirl]

shattered at the finish line; oikawa tooru

helppppp why do i like to write angst more than fluff..

pairing; campus volleyball star!oikawa x gf!reader

angst ending of hidden by the crown,, could be read as a standalone

wc; 0.8k

multi masterlist

the days after your conversation with oikawa in the café were… strange. he tried, at first. he texted you more, called you when he had the time. there were even a few moments where he made small, affectionate gestures in front of his friends—nothing too bold, nothing too obvious. but it was progress, or so you thought.

but then, it started to slip.

you were back to being the secret. back to standing on the sidelines while girls giggled and flirted with him, his laughter echoing down the hallways as he flashed them that million-dollar smile. back to being the “best friend,” the one they approached when they wanted advice on how to win him over.

the tension between you built slowly, like a dam about to break. and eventually, it did.

it was late at night when you found yourself at his apartment, sitting on his bed while he paced the floor. he was agitated, clearly frustrated about something, and you had a sinking feeling in your stomach that you already knew what it was.

“what’s going on?” you asked quietly, watching as he ran a hand through his hair for the hundredth time.

he didn’t look at you, just kept pacing. “it’s just… it’s too much, okay?”

you frowned, not understanding. “what do you mean?”

he stopped then, turning to face you with a look in his eyes that made your heart sink. “this. us. it’s… too much pressure.”

your breath caught in your throat, the weight of his words crashing down on you. “too much pressure? what are you talking about?”

oikawa sighed, finally sitting down beside you, but he didn’t reach for your hand this time. he didn’t try to comfort you. “i thought i could do it. i thought i could handle it. but people are starting to talk, and it’s… it’s affecting my focus.”

you stared at him, disbelief and hurt swirling in your chest. “so, what? you’re saying i’m a distraction?”

“no, that’s not what i’m saying,” he said quickly, but his words felt hollow. “it’s just… you know how important volleyball is to me. and with everyone watching, with the pressure of the team, the fans… it’s getting harder to keep things balanced.”

you couldn’t believe what you were hearing. after everything, after all the promises he made, he was still putting volleyball first. still choosing his image, his reputation, over you.

“so, what are you saying, tooru?” you asked, your voice trembling. “that we should break up?”

he flinched at the words, but didn’t deny them. “i don’t know. maybe we should take a break. just until the season’s over.”

just until the season’s over. the words felt like a knife twisting in your chest. a break. he wanted to put you on pause, like you were something he could set aside whenever it was convenient for him.

you stood up abruptly, the pain and anger boiling over. “a break? are you serious right now? after everything i’ve put up with, after all the times i’ve had to stand by and watch girls throw themselves at you, you want to take a break?”

oikawa stood too, his expression pained. “it’s not like that, okay? i just… i need to focus on volleyball right now.”

“and what about me?” you demanded, your voice breaking. “when do i get to be a priority in your life? when do we matter?”

he was silent, his gaze dropping to the floor. and that silence told you everything you needed to know.

you felt the tears welling up in your eyes, but you refused to let them fall. not here. not in front of him. “you know what? forget it. if volleyball’s that important to you, then fine. focus on that. i’m done.”

before he could say anything, before he could try to explain or apologize, you grabbed your bag and walked out the door, your heart shattering with every step.

over the next few weeks, you tried to move on. you threw yourself into your own work, surrounded yourself with friends, anything to keep your mind off oikawa. but no matter what you did, he was always there, lingering in the back of your mind. every time you saw him in the hallways or heard his name in conversation, it was like a punch to the gut.

he didn’t try to reach out, didn’t try to fix things. and that hurt more than anything. it was like he’d already made his choice.

you told yourself that you didn’t care, that you were better off without him. but late at night, when the loneliness crept in, it was harder to believe.

the breaking point came on the day of his championship game. you hadn’t planned on going, hadn’t wanted to see him at all. but a part of you couldn’t stay away. so, you went, sitting in the back of the gym where no one would notice you, watching as he played like his life depended on it.

he was brilliant, as always, every move calculated and perfect. but something was different. there was a tension in his movements, a look in his eyes that wasn’t there before.

when the final point was scored, when the crowd erupted into cheers and his team celebrated, you expected him to be smiling, laughing, basking in the glory of his victory.

but he wasn’t.

he was looking straight at you, his eyes filled with regret and something else—something you couldn’t quite place.

and in that moment, you knew.

it wasn’t just volleyball that had weighed on him. it wasn’t just the pressure of the game. it was you, too. he hadn’t just lost focus because of the sport—he’d lost focus because of the space between you two, because he’d let you slip away.

but by then, it was too late. the damage had been done, and there was no going back.

you stood up quietly, turning to leave before the celebrations could sweep you up. you didn’t need to see his expression when he realized that this time, you weren’t coming back.

[vmlnrznotfound]

i heard you're taking requests n this might be a tough one since he's not vv popular BUT could you do a fic abt karasu and yapper nerd gf at a bookstore together, she buys books and goes home to yap about her book collection? ☹️

(im the yapper fren n really like bookstores n self help books but hav no one to yap to😔 which is why i resort to my fictional husband😏)

its fine if you don't!

CONGRATS ON 200+ FOLLOWERS🗣️‼️🔥

i hope you're amazing n happy

i send my best wishes n love❤️

(you're a skibidi sigma writer😏)

in between the pages.

character: karasu tabito x reader

a/n: ty anonnie! you're a pretty sigma yourself ;)

the bell above the door of the quaint little bookstore jingles softly as you and karasu step inside. the warmth of the shop envelopes you both, a stark contrast to the cool breeze outside. rows upon rows of books stretch out before you, each one a potential new adventure, a fresh burst of knowledge just waiting to be discovered.

your eyes light up instantly. “look at all these books...!” you exclaim, already making a beeline for the nearest shelf. he follows behind, hands in his pockets, a small smirk playing on his lips as he watches you dive headfirst into your literary paradise.

“you know,” you say, pulling out a self-help book with a particularly vibrant cover, “i’ve heard so many good things about this one! it’s all about improving your mindset and staying positive. i think it’s going to be super helpful, especially with everything going on lately.”

karasu hums in response, his gaze drifting to the title of the book. “you really believe in all that self-help stuff, huh?” he asks, a teasing edge to his tone.

“of course i do!” you reply, undeterred by his teasing. “these books are like having a personal coach right there on the page. they’re full of advice and strategies that actually work if you put them into practice.”

he raises an eyebrow, amused. “and how many of these ‘coaches’ do you have on your shelf now?”

you pause, counting in your head. “well, this one will make…maybe thirty?” you admit sheepishly, but the enthusiasm in your voice is impossible to miss.

karasu chuckles. “and you’ve read all of them?”

“most of them!” you defend, clutching the book to your chest. “i’m working my way through them. but they’re all so fascinating, and there’s always something new to learn.”

as you move from shelf to shelf, karasu follows, occasionally picking up a book here and there, but mostly just watching you with that same fond smirk. you can tell he’s not really listening to the details of what each book is about, but that doesn’t bother you. just having him there, letting you yap about your latest literary discoveries is more than enough.

eventually, you make your way to the checkout counter with a small stack of books in hand. karasu reaches over, taking them from you before you can even protest. “i’ll carry these,” he says simply, and you can’t help but feel a flutter in your chest at the small, thoughtful gesture.

“thank you,” you say softly, following him out of the store.

back home, you waste no time in getting your new books settled on your shelf. you’ve got a specific system, one that karasu has probably heard about a hundred times by now, but you can’t help but explain it to him again as you arrange the books.

“this one goes here, with the other mindset books, and this one is more about habits, so it goes next to the others like it,” you explain, your voice animated as you speak. “and this one… oh, i can’t wait to read this one! it’s all about productivity and how to maximize your time. i think it’s really going to help me get organized.”

karasu watches you from his spot on the couch, his head tilted slightly as he listens. he doesn’t say much, just nods or hums occasionally, but you can tell he’s genuinely paying attention.

“you know, you’re basically a walking library,” he teases, his tone light as he watches you fuss over the placement of each book.

you turn to him with a playful pout. “hey, don’t make fun of my system. it keeps me organized.”

he snorts, leaning back. “sure, organized. or just giving you an excuse to buy more books.”

you stick your tongue out sheepishly before plopping down beside him, a satisfied sigh escaping your lips. “so, what do you think?” you ask, turning to face him.

“i think you’re a total nerd,” he replies, deadpan, but the warmth in his eyes betrays the affection behind the words.

you laugh, “i know i know.”

he rolls his eyes as he reaches out, brushing a stray lock of hair behind your ear. “you know, you can yap to me about your books anytime you want,” he says, his voice soft.

your heart swells at his words. “even if it’s about the thirty-first self-help book i’ve bought?”

“even then,” he confirms, his tone teasing but sincere.

you smile, leaning into his side, your head resting against his shoulder. “you’re the best,” you mumble, already flipping open one of your new books. karasu wraps an arm around you, pulling you closer as he reaches for another book from your stack, flipping it open with mild curiosity.

as the evening wears on, the two of you sit there, the silence only broken by the occasional sound of a page turning or you excitedly pointing out an interesting passage. eventually, you drift off, the words blurring together as sleep overtakes you.

karasu notices when your breathing evens out, the book slipping from your grasp. gently, he takes it from you, setting it aside before pulling a blanket over you. “you can yap all you want,” he whispers, pressing a soft kiss to your forehead. “i’m listening.”

and with that, he settles back beside you, your head resting on his shoulder, content to let the quiet warmth of your presence fill the room as he flips through the pages of your latest obsession.

tag list: @fishii28 @someprettyname @ikuaiku

[jazminrhode1]

Hiya my love I love so much your writing and was wondering if you could do something abotu the versus tour maybe Matt or Chris have their gf on tour and bring her on stage and their team mates are big fans of her or something?

Free Throws Chris Sturniolo x Reader One Shot

Summary: Chris brings you out on stage at the Versus tour.

Word Count: 1350 words

The crew was setting up the basketball hoop as Nick, Matt and Chris introduced their teammates to the crowd. As you stood backstage with Laura, she slyly snapped a picture to show Chris later. You looked so proud of him and she loved the two of you together.

When the hoop was set, Chris took the mic, “I think I might need help with this next one. I have an amazing teammate, I’ve won every single show so far but, I’m gonna bring out someone to shoot these free throws. Is that ok?” The crowd erupted. Some people guessed Chris was bringing you onstage, most people waited in anticipation.

Chris ran off the stage and planted a kiss on your lips before taking your hand and walking back out. The crowd went wild which eased your nerves. You got some hate comments online and even though you told Chris it didn’t bother you, and it usually didn't, sometimes it did.

Chris’ teammate was a huge fan and when she told him how much she loved you, he got the idea to bring you out. He wanted to surprise her but, more than that, he hated being away from you all day.

You welcomed his teammate with open arms and said, “You’re doing a great job, honey”. She was in shock as her hands began to shake. “Are you ok?” you asked as she nodded feverishly.

As Nick explained the rules, you wrapped an arm around her shoulder and Chris stood beside you with his hand on the small of your back. He didn’t usually do this. He wasn’t big on PDA but, the crowd was chill and he seemed less guarded.

Matt was first to go and you could see the concentration on his face. He hadn’t won a show yet and though he laughed it off, you knew it was starting to bother him. He missed the first shot, he missed the second, and before he went for the third you yelled, “You got this, Matt.”

Chris looked at you, shocked. “Absolutely not. You’re team orange,” he joked - that made the crowd laugh. With that, Matt attempted his final shot and scored.

He ran over and gave you a hug. “No fraternising with my team, Matt,” Chris said as he pushed Matt away. Matt just laughed and went back over to his teammate and gave her a high five.

“You’re up, y/n” Nick said with a smile as he handed you the ball. “Just remember that Chris has won twice and Matt and I haven’t won at all so, the ball is literally in your court.”

“You got it, babe,” Chris said as you stepped up to the mark. Your heart began to race, you hadn’t played basketball since high school and the crowd added extra pressure.

As you attempted your first shot, it went in. The crowd went wild and you could hear Chris and his teammate cheering you on in the background. 

Your second shot circled the hoop twice but, it went in too and the crowd cheered again. You saw Matt’s eyes roll and Nick did not look impressed - he flashed you one of his fake smiles and you couldn't help but laugh.

As you looked back at Chris, he had his arm around the shoulder of his teammate and they both had their fingers crossed. You couldn’t help but smile. He acted tough but, he wasn’t. You had seen on this tour just how much he cared for everyone who supported him and his brothers. He always said he wanted to make these experiences amazing for the fans and that he wanted nothing else out of it. You knew how much he meant that.

As you bounced the ball praying that you’d go three for three, you turned back to Chris and gave the ball to his teammate. She deserved the glory and you were hoping that you were doing the right thing. You set her up at the mark and gave her the advice to aim for the corner of the rectangle. Then all you could do was stand back and give her space. 

You squeezed your eyes shut as Chris wrapped his arms around you and she went to make the shot. The crowd began cheering and when you opened your eyes, Nick was pissed. You knew she scored.

You and Chris ran over and pulled her into a hug. “That was incredible!” Chris said. “You are amazing,” you replied.

“Oh my god,” Nick started as he spoke to the crowd. “I have to win Jenga, guys. I just have to.”

The crowd started laughing as he went on to explain the rules of how they were going to play. Matt walked over with his teammate and whispered in your ear, “She’s a big fan.”

His teammate stepped out from behind Matt as you opened your arms for a hug. As Nick was still talking, Chris offered to take a photo of you both. “I love you so much,” she said. “Honey, thank you, I love you too,” you smiled.

Nick was first to pull a Jenga block followed by Matt and Chris. The game went on for so long that you started to worry you’d be here all night. Chris has pulled up a stool for you - you decided to sit this game out and he refused to let you go backstage.

As they got to the last few possible blocks, you saw the tower begin to sway. As Chris asked the crowd, “Which block do we go for?” he was pointing at different ones and having them cheer to pick. When he went to point at the last option he snagged the tower with his elbow and sent it tumbling down.

Matt jumped into action shielding most of the blocks with his body and putting his hands up to prevent them from hitting Chris’ teammate in the face. Chris stuffed his mic in his back pocket and rushed over, leaning down to look her in the eyes. “I’m so sorry, are you ok? Are you sure?”

“Are you good?” Nick asked. He was cautious but, didn’t want to make a scene. He knew it would be on him to keep the show going.

“I’m fine,” she said with a smile, “nothing hit me.” Chris let out a sigh of relief as he pulled her in a side hug, leaving an arm around her shoulders as he said to the crowd, “She’s fine. Thank God.”

“Are you good, Matt?” Nick asked from across the stage. “I’m fine. I’m good,” he replied.

As they wrapped up the show, you snuck off stage to join Laura and watch from the sidelines. You didn’t go with them on their first tour. You and Chris hadn’t been dating for that long and you had way more negative comments back then. You didn’t know what possessed you to come along this time, you left it until the last minute but, you were glad you decided to come.

As they all came off stage after Nick had been crowned as the winner, you saw the frustration on Chris’ face. He broke his own 2-show streak and he was not happy about it. 

“I had to give up the crown, baby,” he said as he pulled you into a hug. “It’s probably for the best. It was getting to your head,” you joked. His jaw dropped.

Nick burst out laughing, teasing Chris about his loss. “Matt’s never won,” Chris replied. Matt raised his hands in defence, “What did I do?”

Nick and Chris lost their shit as you patted Matt on the back. You knew how much it took out of them to travel and do these shows but, it made you happy to see how much they truly enjoyed being on tour. Even though you had to go back to California in a couple of days, you were glad you got to experience this with them.

As you left the venue that night, Chris whispered in your ear, "I'm so glad you decided to come." You saw the sincerity in his eyes as you replied, "I'd go anywhere with you."

[ofoceansandtombsanew]

taking away mc ships, what are you shipping in the our life cinematic universe?

okay so mcs are all off the table damn

hhhHHHHNNNNGHHH i had to think about this one for a minute

quick tldr:

lee/ren

derek/ren

baxter/liz

cove/baxter

opal/cliff

vianca/liz

serenity/tamarack

cove/tamarack

derek/tamarack

derek/qiu

okay so my first one might be a hear me out-er butー lee and ren. our sweet cousin lee and ren murray. LIKE CAN Y'ALL SEE MY VISION??? they would be the cutest girlfriends. like, lee is bright and forward but she's gentle and patient enough that ren's shyness wouldn't be something that grates her? and she'd gently coax ren out of her shell

lee doesn't give 'outdoorsy' girl, but she would definitely try out camping and hiking for ren because lee's the type to go out of her way like that. so yeah, definitely ship lee and ren for sure

another compatible person for ren that i can see is derek? like omg that would so fucking cute to me! both of them are sportsy, derek is literally a golden retriever in the shape of a person. he's very considerate and he takes that into account if ren comes over to hang out with his family, knowing when she needs her space

but if derek is putting too much pressure on himself, ren is there to tell him just that. she doesn't say it unkindly though. she just wants her bf to not be his biggest critic. and they love doing any outdoor activity together. when they get their families together, its suarezs versus murrays and afterwards they go to a family restaurant and talk the night away

ironically enough, even though baxter had a canonical crush on qiu when they were kids i don't see it moving past that. it's a crush fond to baxter's heart and he keeps it at that, a fond memory. definitely would never tell them ever. but if i was gonna ship him with anybody in the expansive universe of ol...

hear me out but i feel like liz and baxter would be surprisingly compatible. like, she doesn't take any bs and would get the guy to talk and open up. but if someone comes for him, she is right there in his corner ready to bat for her man. they'd have some good banter as well i think?

i think cove and baxter could also work if it's their step 4 selves. baxter is finally done running away from things and being more genuine and vulnerable and while cove is slow to warm up to people, he would see baxter is trying and slowly but surely their "we only hangout if our mutual friends invite us to the same space" turns into texting each of their own accord and eventually that becomes hanging out of their own accord

then the next thing you know, baxter is asking cove out on a date

oooh yes, i see it more clearly. cove and baxter would be a delicious slowburn for sure, it's drinking and leaving no molecules

i ship opal and yusuf together and i'm really hoping something comes from that when we get the full game however comma.... opal and cliff? i kinda see it and it kinda eats

outside of vianca's canonical gf, vianca and liz give power couple vibes. i don't think i need to expand on that, we all know i'm right and we all know it would eat

if i can't be with my autumn queen tamarack, i would want her to date serenity? they just seem like they would be the cutest cottage core gf/goth gf combination and the two friends in the group that everyone goes to for advice/drama. they gossip about it over tea and still they're the most wholesome couple you know

cove and tamarack also just seem like they'd be very cute together? summer boyfriend meets autumn girlfriend. in a childhood neighbors to friends to lovers type beat, i know they wouldn't get along as their step 1 selves. cove would be pretty put off by how loud and wild tam was at first. plus, neither of them would really like the same activities as the other

tamarack finds the beach boring and stagnant because she's a forest girlie and it isn't like cove is one to just be in the forest and forage mushrooms all day. but during one night when cove tries running away, strangely enough it's the loud girl he doesn't normally enjoy being with sticking with him the whole time and a friendship is birthed from that

step 2, cove is so there for tamarack when she is dealing with everything with her parents. and by step 3, he's telling tamarack he's been in love with with her since they were teens

chef's kiss, cove/tamarack hits different

step 1 derek sees this:

and immediately falls in love, i don't think i need to expand further on that. y'all know how derek is and i feel like everything i said about cove comforting tam can be applied here as well. he'd try to shoot his shot with making a marriage promise with tam too i see it very clearly

and, don't get mad at me for repeating myself but

step 1 derek sees this:

and immediately falls in love. but since qiu is a popular kid, good luck, my guy. at least derek can rest assured knowing that qiu's his good buddy and slightly more special than the rest. i think with qiu he might feel too nervous to do the marriage promise thing since qiu is a popular kid and who knows if he's already received a ton of those

in a scenario where they aren't close as step 1 folk though or qiu pushes derek away during their step 2 phase, derek is hurt but he still tries putting in the effort to rebuild that bridge, letting qiu know he's there regardless of what they're going through until finally... qiu reaches back

they had their ups and their downs but qiu appreciates derek not giving up on them and sticking with them through the hard times

by the time qiu is back to their normal rizzler self, derek's busy with sports and it is hard for them to meet up with each other but they stay in contact. but step 4 would be when they get together because derek let's it drop he had a crush on qiu when they were kids "haha definitely over it NOW though" (he is not)

qiu gains a crush on derek between steps 2 and 3 but never said anything because they kinda felt after being such a jerk to derek during a good chunk of high school, he doesn't deserve to pursue him but after hearing derek had a crush on him qiu decides they're gonna shoot their shot (happy ending ofc though)

i'm leaving terry and randy out of this though, they're too fucking cute for me to separate

[snowbunnywatching]

You talk about being annoyed by white guys sending you asks about "how to black my gf." What if one day, you power on your computer to browse the web as usual when you realize your bf has forgotten to log out. You discover that he has a secret tumblr account and he's following you! Turns out, he's one of those white guys who's fascinated by snowbunnies. He was the guy asking your advice on how to "black his gf." Then what? What are your next actions? How would this alter your perception of him?

If I discovered that my boyfriend was into IR cuckolding, that would negatively affect my perception of him, in a serious way. Just as I wouldn't blame him for seeing me in a worse light if he discovered my secret fantasies.

Just to make this perfectly clear, I think white guys with IR cuckolding fantasies are using it as a coping mechanism for dealing with sexual frustrations. Maybe they have trouble performing, maybe they can't get a girlfriend. Whatever the case, they don't think their love life lives up to the promises given to them by society.

So they invent these scenarios in which they can still play an active role while being on the sideline: Usually it involves them as the indispensable middleman that introduces his girlfriend to a Black men or who gracefully steps aside and "allows" her to Blacked.

(Notice the word choice, by the way: Become "Blacked". There's not really any role for the Black man in this fantasy. He's not an autonomous being with wants and desires, merely something that "happens" to the white girl.)

There are white guys with IR cuckolding fantasies on here that I talk with. They're intelligent, compassionate, and funny. But even if I weren't in a relationship, I would consider their fantasies a dealbreaker: I'm simply incapable of imagining myself in any kind of romantic or sexual relationship with them, as I make a point of telling them.

[ynscrazylife]

Hi again! I don't really know if you want to write this request (most people don't like brutasha) but could you write (only if you want to) after AoU (Bruce didn't disappear) he decides to introduce Natasha (his gf) to his teen daughter (reader)? Idk, some platonic! Nat x reader and they trying to bond.

Honestly I don’t really ship Brutasha but I’m cool with this!

Step-Mom

Summary: After Avengers: Age of Ultron, Bruce Banner (Hulk) and Natasha Romanoff (Black Widow) are dating. Bruce decides to introduce Natasha to his daughter, Y/N, and the woman and the teenager start to bond. By the end, Y/B is begging Bruce to make Natasha her step-mom.

Y/N Banner was the teenage daughter of Bruce Banner and his ex-girlfriend (before he became Hulk). Her parents had shared custody of her - Y/N living with her father for a week every other week. While Y/N did know her father was the Hulk and was an Avenger, she hadn’t known her father was in a relationship. Safe to say, when she found out, she was excited, and even more excited as in this very moment, her father was bringing over his girlfriend to introduce the two.

She was sitting in her room now, thinking about who the woman would be. A doctor like her dad? Maybe she was a SHIELD Agents - or maybe she was a completely ordinary woman. Well, Y/N’s wonderings were cut off when she heard the noise of the key turning and the door opening.

Immediately, Y/N leapt up and ran to meet her father and -

Black Widow??

Holy crap. Y/N stared in awe. Her father was dating Natasha Romanoff, another Avenger, and Y/N’s favorite superhero (don’t tell her dad).

“Hi Y/N,” Bruce greeted with a chuckle, seeing his daughter’s flabbergasted face. Natasha joined in with his laugh.

“How the - you’re dating Black Widow?” Y/N asked her dad, looking back-and-forth between the redhead and the brunette.

Bruce glanced at Natasha. “Yes, I am . . . You say that with such an overwhelming amount of shock,” he joked, feigning hurt.

Y/N blinked and composed herself, walking towards the two adults until she tripped over mid-air.

“She’s adorable,” Natasha whispered to Bruce before speaking louder to Y/N. “I’m Natasha, but you can just call me Nat.”

Y/N nodded. “O-okay. I’m Y/N,” she said, and then promptly stuck her hand out.

Natasha chuckled before shaking her hand.

“Why don’t you two get to know each other while I make lunch?” Bruce suggested, looking first at his girlfriend and then at his daughter.

“Sounds great!” Natasha said, before her attention focused on Y/N. “Can you show me your room?”

Y/N nodded and marched off, her heart racing. She led the spy into her room, which was covered with Avengers posters, most notably her dad, and other bands and pop-stars.

“I love your room,” Natasha observed, making Y/N smile as she closed her bedroom door.

“Don’t tell my dad, but you’re my favorite Avenger,” Y/N whispered, making the other woman laugh.

“I’m flattered,” Natasha said, before placing herself on the teenager’s bed. “Tell me about yourself.”

Y/N thought a bit before sitting next to Natasha. “Well, if my dad asks, I’m not dating. He’s always on me about that stuff. Ummmm, I love cats and dogs! Can’t choose between them. Oh, and I want to help people, like my dad, but I’m not that good with science. I’ve actually been wanting to maybe become involved with SHIELD . . . Until it sorta fell,” she said, not really sure how to explain herself.

“Sometimes I get . . . Worried about my dad. He’s hard on himself, and I worry that he’s going to get hurt or something. I know I have my mom, but she’s not too fond of him being an Avenger either, and she can be a little cold,” Y/N admitted.

“I’m-I’m sorry,” she said quickly. “I shouldn’t be unloading this stuff. It’s just that . . . You’re the first adult I can really talk to about this stuff. My friends help but they usually want autographs from the Avengers, and I had one friend only friends with me because of that.” Y/N stopped, realizing she was rambling on.

“Oh, no, honey, it’s fine!” Natasha quickly assured, and placed an arm around Y/N. “I know telling you not to worry about dad doesn’t really help, yeah? But honestly, he rarely gets injured injured, you know? He usually patches up the rest of us.”

Y/N nodded with a slight smile, feeling a little better.

“And that friend who was only friends with you for the autograph? They suck. You deserve so much better than that,” Natasha added, hugging her.

“Thanks,” Y/N said a little quietly.

“Well, I have a best friend named Clint, and I used to be a SHIELD agent. I’ve had a rough past, but your dad has really helped me turn it around and recognize self-love,” Natasha said.

The two continued to laugh and talk for the next fifteen minutes. Y/N told her what was going on in her life (insert whatever’s going on in your life here), and Natasha was able to comfort her, give her advice, and talk to her. In turn, Y/N inquired about Natasha’s life and about her dad, as it was sometimes hard to talk to him or know things about him with him being an Avenger.

It was then that Y/N got the idea to play a board game. They continued to play that until Y/N won, and suddenly she excused herself from the room.

“Dad,” she said, running into the kitchen. Her dad turned around from the kitchen counter. “You need to marry Natasha! Like, seriously. She’s AWESOME and she would be a great step-mom! Please, please, please.”

Bruce laughed, and then looked over his shoulder, spotting Natasha. Y/N turned around. She was grinning.

“Yeah, Banner,” she agreed with a smirk. “When are you gonna propose?”

Y/N squealed.

“You know, little Banner,” Natasha said, looking down at Y/N. “You make me laugh. Not too many people can do that. You’re great.”

Y/N had the biggest grin throughout the day, where she spent it eating with her dad and Natasha and talking until sunset.

[gossip-girl-of-middleearth]

Hello! I hope this doesn’t make you uncomfy but I was wondering if I could get a bit of advice? From your recent posts, you said you left your home from toxicity and just bad things in general.

I’m in a similar situation, but my dad will be taking me away from my mom. And I just know it’ll be a shit show. And I’m absolutely terrified when we tell her and what the backlash will be afterwards towards my brothers and me and dad in general

How did you do it? How did you take the leap? Do you possibly have any advice on how to deal ?

Hello, friend!! ☀️

Thank you so much for reaching out, it means a lot that you value my advice <3

Hmm, okay from what I can tell of your situation, that is indeed a tricky one, but nothing can’t be overcome!

It’s important to remember, though, I was 19 when I left (now 20), so the way I handled things is going to be a lot different than how a minor can handle things (legally at least, feel free to replicate my insane stunts lmao)

Advice below the cut! (family violence trigger warning, I suppose?)

My entire family was and is extremely volatile, and I don’t speak to any of them anymore except for my older brother, but I’ll be cutting him off in 3 weeks too when I move.

Fortunately, my dad and brother were both kicked out of the house years ago due to violence, which left me with my mother, who’s quite insidious herself (just watch any Conjuring movie and that’ll give a good idea of what it was like living in that house lol)

I get the same feeling watching this scene as when I was around her in that house. Granted she didn’t try to change my gender, but the hatred for my father getting taken out on me is pretty accurate lol, paired with the immediate “motherly love” afterwards (she never hit me though, pleased to say — she wasn’t physically violent, just emotionally, financially, mentally and verbally. She did try to run my dad over once though, so, there’s that too)

Yikes…yeahh the same eerie feeling for sure, still makes all my hairs stand upright in memory.

(For further context this clip reminds me of my father and this one of my brother)

In the clip about my father, he definitely reminds me of Frank Gallagher, except he despises my mother instead of revering her. He’s a workaholic instead of a drug addict, too. But the mannerisms are the same. I always handled him in the way Fiona does.

Regarding my brother, I think everything about our family hit him the hardest, despite being the oldest. He developed a very violent streak, and has very poor impulse control. I love him dearly but he’s a snake in the grass, and has thrown me under the bus multiple times to get ahead in life. I mostly just pity him, since I know what our life was like growing up. But still, I can’t defend him forever, especially not at the cost of myself. Literally yesterday I woke up to a text from him asking me to come pick him up because he got arrested for starting a fight at a bar and smashing their windows.

When things started getting pretty bad with my mother earlier this year, I started to realise in my heart that there was no way I could go forth in life with her in it. I focused on the future relationships I would have one day when far away from this town — romantic partner, children, friends etc

I sort of realised one day I’d care about them a lot more than I care about my mother, because those future people would care about me. That in turn got me realising that I do deserve love, despite how my mother made me feel, and that I don’t want her to deprive another second of that in my life.

Something very unique that triggered this too was going to go visit an old family psychic, who’s basically just the Gandalf to my Frodo (ily, Chris <3). He very accurately predicted my birth years ago after my mother was told she was infertile — he got the date, year and time right three years in advance, and even knew ahead of time what my personality would be like, which he was spot-on about.

Well, I went and visited him a few months ago because I was lost with my direction, and he ended up pausing and had a sudden feeling, which led to him telling me that he’d just found out I would be having twin boys one day.

Normally I don’t buy into that stuff, but this Gandalf dude…well I knew he was right.

Knowing I’d have sons of my own one day took me from a scared daughter mindset and into a maternal mother bear in an instant, and I knew I didn’t want any children of mine around my mother or the rest of my family, for their safety alone, which made me realise, “Well, if I wouldn’t allow my own children near them, why do I allow myself?”

I started grey-rocking her in the lead-up to me leaving, which of course frustrated her (she’s a malignant narcissist), but it was a necessary step to start emotionally detaching myself from her.

It all bottled over one night after a pretty distressing argument (I had locked myself in my room to avoid it, but she was still at my door carrying on).

My cat, who’s been my best friend for years, was sitting on the floor next to me, and sort of looked up and I swear he spoke with his eyes, saying, “You know we can’t keep doing this, right? You know this abuse has an expiry date?”

I agreed with my cat and knew right then and there that I’d be leaving that night after my mother fell asleep.

Well, when she was finally done (with threats that there’d be more in stock in the morning, mind you) I went to bed early and set my alarm to 3am (was a little inside joke with myself, since that’s biblically the “witching devil hour”)

I started quietly packing my quilt and cat up (I’d already been secretly packing the boot of my car up with all sentimental and important items weeks in advance, except she caught on and took all my baby albums and more to her boyfriend’s house, so I don’t have any baby photos or information on me when I was a baby anymore, like first words, size and just general things I’d have liked to compare to my own kids one day, rip)

Once that was all in my car, I quietly said goodbye to the old family dog and cat (they weren’t mine to take, not that I could’ve anyways, since it was troubling enough taking Buddy, who’s actually my pet and not the family one). That was pretty heartbreaking, as I knew that’d be the last time I’d see them (I grew up with them and was the only one who took care of them — mother neglects kids and pets alike lmao).

Once that was over, I looked around my house with my hand on the front door and was very melancholy, but knew Buddy was right: it had all reached its expiry date.

I left very quietly and drove to McDonalds for a coffee, as I had a long drive ahead (I had organised to be a nanny in this rich family’s house far away in the city — two hours drive). Luckily they were away on their country farm 4 hours away, so I had time to sneak Buddy in.

The nanny thing recently backfired horribly because they discovered Buddy, which led to more AM escapes with my car, but I’m staying with my older brother and his gf for 3 more weeks only. Something I’ve been working towards for months now is moving to a wilderness island to live in my country’s equivalent of Bag End — a beautiful country cottage, amazing job and fantastic study opportunities.

Best feature yet: it’s 60 hours away from my hometown by car, and then you’d have to take a boat for 10 more hours!! They shall never find me hahaha

One of my friends has also told me recently that my mother has started spreading horrible, defamatory rumours about me around town, but I don’t care anymore because I’m almost out.

So, although I can’t offer any practical advice (idk if you’re a minor or not, but regardless it’s great your dad is helping you!) this is the best advice I can offer:

Find a dream and hold onto it, one that doesn’t involve your immediate family. For me it’s moving to that island and enjoying all the fresh air. It’ll push you forwards and remind you of what you’re fighting for when at your lowest.

Remind yourself there will be other people in your life, whether a spouse, friends, children or even a dog! (I’m getting a golden retriever next year 🐾) And then remember that you deserve all of them and the unconditional love they offer you.

Remember that if you don’t want your mother/family screwing those people over by proxy of her/their relationship to you, then there’s no way in hell you alone should put up with it either, as I guarantee those future people only want good things for you ☀️

There is a good life after abuse, I’ve seen it, and I know you can achieve it, too!

Be prepared for tons of backlash and bullshit — it’s inescapable when dealing with people like this, but I recommend educating yourself on narcissistic parents and tactics to deal with them.

Finding a good therapist who deals in PTSD regarding childhood abuse is important, too. I found an amazing one in the town I’m moving to, who had nearly the same upbringing as me!

So while I’m still struggling with a lot of fear (scared my mother will find where I’m working and living one day) and guilt (I feel horrible about leaving the family dog and cat behind, especially when they need veterinary help, only to then go and get myself another puppy) I understand I’ve done the best I can in a very abnormal situation, and that I can only do better from here.

Also, this song has been a saving grace when going all angsty over wanting to leave your current situation:

It’s from my favourite Broadway Musical, “Newsies”, and lemme tell you — discovering this as a 17-year-old when I was just starting to realise the severity of my situation was pure divinity.

Jeremy Jordan, my beloved Broadway Bard <3

When I finally get my cottage, I’m getting a wooden plaque with the name “Santa Fe” engraved on it, and am hanging it on my front door.

I wish you much luck and love, my little anonymous friend! And please know my inbox is open any time you need anything — vent, advice, a laugh or something else, ANYTHING, it feels good to know my past can maybe help someone else’s present ☀️

Please update me, too! I’m following your story along ardently now! (Also, be sure to take your sentimental items and store them somewhere safe away from your mother — ie baby albums, birth certificates, other paraphernalia/memorabilia etc).

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I must hit the road. DESTINY AWAITS!

[nataliedanovelist]

GF - Jolly Sailor Bold

(Spoiler alert: I lied about the “jolly” part.)

Word count: 1431

~~~~~~~~~~

Stan walked into the town that was much bigger than it was when he first came forty-five years ago. It wasn’t that far of a walk and Sixer had always encouraged exercise, though most people would be opposed to a seventy-two-year-old man walking in woods filled with gnomes, tree-giants, Mantours, and Hawktopuses that could attack. But not every old man could still kick butt like Stan could, so he emerged from the trees sharing his name and joined the sidewalk.

First thing he noticed was a small pine tree outside of town, a bit wilted and weak, a sad excuse for a twig with pointy green leaves. Stan caught sight of an abandoned cup of water, smiled cunningly, and tipped the water over with the end of his eight-ball cane; he didn’t really depend on aid for walking, but it was good to have just in case. Before Stan could think to pick up the litter, a gnome scurried over, pick it up, hissed, and ran back into the woods. The old sailor shrugged, his long gray hair shifting at the movement, and he continued on his tiny journey.

At the grocery store, Stan used a small cart for his trip, tucking his cane in it, and wandering for what he needed. He can remember the first time he met Gideon, in this very store, a spoiled baby screaming and kicking for candy he had dropped, but Stan had picked it up and eaten it right in front of the twerp, being the first person in Gideon’s life to tell him “no”. Today was entirely different.

Stan first noticed an old couple his age, bitter and annoyed. The husband had mumbled, “Back in my day, y’all got a good beatin’ for actin’ like that.” Stan then heard the distant crying, and coincidentally, as he walked in his desired direction, he unintentionally came across the crying child.

With his recent years with toddlers and young kids, Stan had learned the difference between an angry scream from a grumpy toddler and a woeful cry from a sad young heart; this was the latter. A young mom with frazzled hair, who looked far too stretched, was rubbing the back of a three-year-old boy, who held a stuffed soldier that somewhat resembled him. Stan sighed, understanding, as he remembered the war going on in China, and reached into the pocket of his trenchcoat.

The tiny boy hiccuped in surprise by the music. His mother turned and saw an old man approach, playing a harmonica with warm brown eyes. She smiled as her son’s crying slowly went away, until all he could do was sniffle with a runny nose.

Stan made his old knees bend so he could be eye-level with the tyke, playing the old lullaby his Ma used to sing forever ago, and he stretched the last note to make the good times stick around. There was a moment of silence, but then the three-year-old grinned, clapped, and caught sight of some long hair over Stan’s shoulder and grabbed the tugged. Stan yelped comedically, making the boy laugh, and his mother squeezed Stan’s shoulder and thanked him before they parted ways.

In order to get home, Stan had to pass a park they had built ten years ago or so, while he was out sailing. It was nice, with a play area and a big field for soccer and football, and it was surrounded by shops and businesses to make it convenient. When Stan was going to the grocery store, the park had been empty, but now a small band of boys were playing soccer, so he paused to watch them for a second. As these games usually go, the ball was getting closer and closer to a goal, and one kid, whose friends were cheering him on excitedly, gave a powerful kick for the point. Unfortunately it was too powerful and too crooked, and it missed the goal entirely and smashed a window of the shop Stan stood nearby.

“HEY!”

Stan laughed and shook his head as the boys were still with fear. “Y’know, a responsible adult would tell ya to own up to whatcha did.”

The door of the tattoo shop flew open with a bang and a huge buff man with skulls all over his body roared, “WHEN I’M DONE WITH YOU BRATS, THE WINDOW WON’T BE THE ONLY THING THAT’S BROKEN!”

“But not me.” Stan added. “SCATTER!”

They all ran in different directions, Stan going down the sidewalk, closer to the edge of town; all those years of being chased by cops or freaking stuff really paid off sometimes. The old man stopped at a park bench in an alley to rest, huffing and puffing and setting his grocery bag down next to him. He had his eyes closed for a second when he heard a painfully familiar phrase.

“Gimme all your money.”

Stan opened his eyes calmly and looked to his left, deeper into the alley, and saw a skinny guy in all black pointing a gun at him. He should be scared, or at least anxious, but one look at the guy’s awful stance destroyed any fear Stan should have felt. He smiled, stood slowly, and asked like he was talking to an old friend. “What in Moses’ name are ya doin’?”

“Mugging you, duh.” The guy snapped.

“With that stance, kid?” He asked, scratching his red beanie-covered head.

“Wh- Just gimme your money, old man!”

“Bad roots make a bad tree, pal.” Quicker than the young man could register, Stan swooped down and used his eight-ball cane to sweep the robber off his feet and stole his gun, leaving the criminal in the mud to watch the ex-criminal drop the bullets with a twirl of the gun.

To the robber’s surprise, Stan held out a hand to him. He took it shamefully, and was even more surprised when Stan was helping him reposition himself. “With a solid stance, you’re a much better threat… wait, move your… there we go! Much better!” Stan held his square, wrinkly chin, and added, “Uh, no offense, but ya don’t look like the criminal type to me.”

“I… you… I…” The young man slumped and closed his eyes, ready to bolt for it, but Stan popped open a can of Pitt and held it out to him.

A few minutes go by and the two are sitting on the bench, sipping the drinks from Stan’s grocery bag, talking about life and women and goals. Stan did a lot of listening and used his experience to lend some much needed advice, sounding like an average joe and therefore easier to relate to and listen to.

“Hey… thanks.” The young man said when he stood up after an hour of talking.

Stan shrugged. “Some wise old man once said that it’s okay to accept help here and there, cuz it’s not often offered, but we need to fix that.”

The now ex-criminal raised an eyebrow with a smile. “Are you that wise old man?”

Stan gave him a sly look. “That’s a secret, kid.”

Eventually Stan did make it back to the Stan O’ War II, docked at the Gravity Falls lake, giving him a homey place with space but also easy company. Soos, Melody, and Jacob were only a twenty minute walk away and always checked on him. He stepped onto his boat with ease, a bit disturbed at how quiet it was here, but he’d fixed that soon.

Stan turned on the lights and sat his bag on the kitchen table. He pulled out a small half-chocolate, half-strawberry cake, opened it, pulled out two candles, got the lighter from his pocket, and lit the twin candles. He then looked at the wall that faced him, his eyes meeting another pair of eyes that matched his own. Stan made his aching body move to take the framed photograph off the wall and set it on the table, next to the cake.

“Happy Birthday, Sixer.” He croaked when he sat back down, his vision becoming blurry. “Why couldn't I’ve helped ya one last time…”

Stan squeezed his eyes shut in a sad attempt to make the tears go away, but it didn’t work. He pulled out his harmonica again and began to play the old lullaby, wondering if his brother could hear or care or even remember the words their Ma used to sing to them.

“Waves coming, The tide is high, As well as the sparkling moon, Matching the stars.

Little sailor bold, Oh, come with me, Brave sailor bold. Come sailing home.”

~~~~~~~~~~

Jacob belongs to @stephreynaart.

[plasticnightmaredoll]

(art commission by the lovely and talented @curious-menace)

It is a time where I would like to see what my followers think about various concepts I have in mind pertaining to alternate versions of one my fics. It may take some time to write out any alternate versions since I've been busy and stressed out so much lately, but I am very curious as to what others would find intriguing to read.

But first, some backstory so be patient. We'll get to the voting at the end of this post.

I've been having a lot of bad days lately, and my mood has plummeted to a major low. This includes my self-esteem, which has always been in the dumps but is now basically a dumpster fire.

However, I don't want to be entirely cruel to myself. I deserve some sort of happiness, some sort of reprieve, and writing can be a good coping mechanism. I put a lot of my own thoughts, emotions, struggles, opinions, etc. into my works, as they serve as a way for me to get things off my chest. Sometimes, it's just cute and funny stuff, other times angsty but eventually fluffy stuff, and other times it's quite depressing and dark.

One fic, in particular, stands out, and that is the Mortal Kombat/Batman Arkhamverse crossover, "Volunteer," (trigger warnings: mentions psychological torture and suicide...more about this fic in a bit for those who would rather not read it because of those triggers) which features Arkham Knight Edward Nigma and Jonathan Crane, as well as a lady friend for Edward named Sara. It also features Erron Black and Cassie Cage from Mortal Kombat (Cassie is only mentioned in the story a few times).

If you read the blog intro/self-introduction post pinned at the top of my Tumblr, you know very well how I feel about Cassie Cage (particularly in MK11) and the Erron Black x Cassie Cage (BlackCage) pairing. Those negative feelings are mostly due to a very bad experience with a pushy BlackCage fan who just wouldn't relent one bit on their stance and it was emotionally and mentally draining to try and talk to them, including providing counter-arguments.

I've come up with alternate versions for "Volunteer" recently due to the spike in stress, depression, anxiety, and insecurities I've been dealing with as of late. This is where my followers come in!

I would like people to vote on which alternate take on "Volunteer" they would be interested in reading. Now, I can't guarantee when I'd get to it because, as I mentioned already, I've got a lot going on. However, I really want to try and write at least one alternate version of that fic, just to get some insecurities and negative thoughts off my chest.

Now, for those who are wary of reading "Volunteer" because of the trigger warnings, here's my advice: Just read the first chapter, if you want to. Chapter 2 deals directly with the sensitive subject matter, although, you can probably guess what happens anyway just by reading Chapter 1 and if you know anything about Jonathan Crane/Scarecrow...well, he likes to mess with people...mentally. To put it very mildly.

Now it's time for the voting. I have three different scenarios I've come up with that are variations/alternate versions of the current "Volunteer" fic's concept/storyline. I'd like followers to select 1 (one) alternate telling of the fic. I will open anonymous asks again, so if you are shy or just want your vote to remain a secret for some other reason, then that's fine by me. Otherwise, you can reply to this post with your choice.

Edit: if you are turned off by the idea of a Mortal Kombat/Batman Arkhamverse crossover, I get it. I don't read crossover fics myself, and that's usually because the crossovers either make no sense or do make sense but the ideas are poorly executed.

This crossover I'm talking about, though, isn't a full-on crossover of MK and Batman. There's no world-building, no larger plot, and no other characters in MK even appear or are mentioned except Erron Black and Cassie Cage.

If anything, it's more of a Batman Arkhamverse standard AU with Riddler and a female oc, and Erron and Cassie are the only concrete elements of MK brought in. I mean, yes, the other MK characters exist, I guess, but they have no purpose in this crossover I've written, and won't make any appearances.

So, if you had any concerns about the crossover aspect, I hope this clears things up

Choices below the cut!

A) "Don't You Wish"

This version is inspired by a song from Pink, called, "There You Go." In this alternate telling, Erron manages to survive Scarecrow's fear toxin, and escape (most likely because Erron is out of his mind and panicking, thus not a threat, and he has no one to help him, so Scarecrow doesn't give a damn what happens to the dude). The first thing Erron does is go to Sara's place, having already broken up with Cassie after realizing dating her was a mistake, and Sara means more to him than he thought.

Well, it's been several months since Sara basically pushed Erron out of her life for his poor choice in women, and (Arkham Knight) Edward Nigma has proven to be a much better (and, wiser and more sensible -- yes, I know, but he's not a skirt chaser, Guys) friend to Sara. While Erron ran off with a blonde selfie princess, Edward offered genuine comfort and companionship, and now Sara has been in the process of moving on from Erron even further.

Sara humors Erron and lets him tell her -- while sounding terrified, confused, and conflicted beyond belief thanks to the fear toxin -- what happened to him. Now, Sara doesn't know Edward asked Scarecrow to take care of Erron as a means of getting revenge for her. Doesn't matter anyway. She's unsympathetic towards Erron's plight, feeling as if he didn't even give her a chance to confess her feelings towards him, nor did he even seem to notice how she felt; it was like he was too busy with thinking with his privates to realize he had someone in front of him who would have treated him better.

Sara tells Erron -- in a flat, disinterested tone -- that his situation is tragic and all but wtf is she supposed to do? Why not go to his dumb blonde gf? Oh, they broke up? Well, how predictable. And Crane is also a (sort of) friend to Sara, which shocks Erron and leaves him feeling worse than before.

Sara sends Erron on his way, and he wanders off in a daze, unsure of what to do with his life now.

Sara and Edward meet the next day, and they have a pleasant time, obviously moving towards becoming a couple. She chooses not to mention Erron as she is completely severing the cowboy from her life.

B) "I Don't Even Miss You"

This alternate telling is similar to the previous one, but this time it's inspired by a Miley Cyrus song, "WTF Do I Know" (Hey, her Plastic Hearts album is actually fantastic!), and Edward is with Sara when Erron arrives at her place in a distressed state. At first, Sara deals with Erron in the hall of her apartment building, unsympathetic to his plight and basically telling him, "I told you so," and "too bad." Erron is getting more and more upset, even angry at Sara's callous tone, and starts to raise his voice, demanding to know why she is being so cold at a time like this?

Edward overhears Erron raising his voice to Sara, giving her a difficult time, and he gets pissed. Edward steps out into the hall and not only mocks Erron in various ways, but demands that he leave immediately, or what Scarecrow did will seem like a trip to Disney Land. Erron has caused Sara -- who is currently moving on and growing closer to Edward -- enough problems and heartache.

Edward reveals he set up Erron, and while Sara is stunned to find this out, she handles it better than expected. Edward said it was his way of getting revenge for her, and he'd do it again if need be. Erron is sent away feeling so much worse, feeling lost, hopeless, and betrayed.

Sara and Edward talk and she admits she's upset that he did something like this without speaking about it to her first. However, he explains that he genuinely did it for her and he doesn't want her to feel pain at the hands of some "idiotic cowman," who doesn't consider the feelings of others and who behaves like a greedy, violent Neanderthal. (And yes, Edward does care for Sara, and he didn't send Scarecrow after Erron out of jealousy -- maybe a little jealousy but it was mostly rage over Erron causing Sara so much emotional pain)

Sara means more to Edward than he can express, and he may not be the best when it comes to emotions, but he does care about her and wants her to be safe.

Sara forgives Edward, understanding that, through his heartfelt but very nervous and shy confession that he is sincere about his feelings for her, and they make amends. She of course tells him to never do something so extreme without consulting her first, though, because what happened to Erron -- while she doesn't care what happens to him in the slightest -- was a bit too much.

C) "Listen When the Devil's Calling"

Another title inspired by a Miley Cyrus song, "Night Crawling," and this alternate telling involves Telltale Riddler and no Scarecrow. Almost a year has passed since Erron went with Cassie and Sara, out of bitterness and heartache, refused to speak or see him. This didn't sit well with him as she was his only friend, and his relationship with Cassie dies within a few months.

He goes looking for Sara, realizing she has moved out of her apartment. It doesn't take him long to find out where she is, and she's with The Riddler, a notorious criminal genius and one of Gotham's elite villains. Erron is worried for Sara and seeks her out.

Turns out, Sara's just fine. This isn't one of those scenarios where the girl is with a guy who just using her and taking advantage of her vulnerability. No, Edward does actually love her and takes good care of her. He finds people like reckless, selfish, and ignorant people like Erron to be a disgrace but also amusing because of how pathetically primitive they are.

Edward also doesn't appreciate how Erron pushed aside a good thing in Sara to pursue a girl who is a social media brat and has more selfies on her phone than brain cells in her, well, brain. It defies all logic to Edward, but he's also not surprised because of how much of a disappointment Erron is as a human being (hey, this is Riddler we're talking about, and he's not one to be sweet and gentle to those he can't stand). Edward doesn't say these things out loud, though, as it's a bit too vulnerable and personal for him to do such a thing with someone he doesn't know or trust.

Sara is upset that Erron has resurfaced and she remembers how heartbroken she was when he went after Cassie Cage. She wants Erron to leave her alone like she asked, so she can move on. She can't trust him anymore, because he's just a skirt chaser in her eyes.

Erron tries to plead his case, tries to apologize to Sara, and expresses how he really feels, but this just distresses her further. Edward steps in and tells Erron he's done enough to Sara, she clearly doesn't want to see him, and he needs to take his leave.

This isn't a request.

Edward pulls Erron aside, telling the cowboy that the only reason he's going to walk away from this alive is that Sara hasn't asked for him to be killed. Should she tell Edward to take care of Erron, well, you all know what Telltale Riddler is like.

And those are the three variations on "Volunteer."

If you could be so kind as to:

leave a comment with your choice or

send an ask (even an anon ask) with your choice or

suggest your take on this story.

I'd appreciate it immensely!

Thank you all so much for supporting me and my writing and being patient with my sluggish publishing schedule!

[endofthelinegang]

thanks for responding! My friend and her boyfriend broke up a few months ago and me and her ex (also my close friend) have been always been close but we’re getting closer and I like him but I don’t want to be the bitch that dates her friends ex-boyfriend. I think he also likes me because lately we’ve been talking about relationships and we both want similar things and we have a lot of stuff in common. (I'm running out of space so im going to do the rest of it in a second ask sorry)

here’s the second part: I really don’t know what to do because I don’t want to ruin my relationship with either of them and even if the ex-gf says its ok to date him, he’s 5 years older than me and I don’t think my parents would approve of us dating so I was just wondering what you think I should do. also its totally ok if you can’t help me. I just had to tell someone (again sorry I had to send two parts, this was too big to send in one)

hi babe, so let's break this down a bit okay?

so yes i agree not the best idea to mix exes and friends that is usually a south bound situation. however, if it was a mutual break up or it wasn't messy in any way that changes the story. if they are friends now or at least can get along to a point of can exist in the same space and be nice that is a good sign. if they are enemies do NOT bounce the line. I would talk to her about it gently, maybe figure out what she thinks is okay or what would upset her. because that friendship is more important than a relationship because love interests come and go. good friends are forever kinds of love.

next step does she know the two of you speak? like is she aware that you all are close? and if she knew that would it piss her off to high hell? because if it would then that's a sign that you should maybe not do it. i am by no means saying compromise your own happiness for hers, i am saying that you seem to care for this person and if they are that important to you i am speaking on the idea of not ruining that relationship.

and finally, i have no clue how old you are but if he is an adult and you're a minor that is a no go. i understand that you may have feelings for him but if you are a child and he is an adult that is not okay. that could turn into a bad situation and i don't want you in danger. so be cautious. if you are 18 and up and he is 5 years older still be cautious. regardless your parents should not have a say in your love life if you're an adult. i understand that their opinion may matter to you but your happiness should matter to them in turn.

my overall advice: talk to your friend and make sure to be understanding of her perspective, if you are a child please do not date an adult, and remember your happiness is important but so is your safety.

[one-abuse-survivor]

before i start, thank you so much for doing what you do;this blog has given me good advice countless times and i really have to thank you for that.

my issues with my parents are that they don't take me seriously. i can literally go up to them and say: "mom/dad, i think i might be autistic or have ADHD (both would be quite likely) can i get that checked out" and list a bunch of examples why i think that and they'll just be "nah, that can't be, you don't seem like that at all" as of i didn't break my mind over it researching it and talking to people who have it to see if we've had similar experiences just to get some kind of reference as to why i feel the way i feel and why i struggle so much with things that so many other people find so easy.

but then, in the following weeks and months (after talking w them) they just randomly point out things about me that kinda annoy them, like me talking out of turn a LOT or me not looking at people or me having trouble focusing if there isn't also music and a movie going at the same time or mom saying that i seem hyperactive to her because i'm always moving my legs or pacing around or rubbing my hands or drumming on the table with pens. things like that (plus a lot more) were the exact things i was telling them about and they just put it off like it's nothing but as soon as it affects and annoys them it's suddenly very real. at this point i'm struggling to talk to my parents about anything even remotely more serious than generic smalltalk and i'm having a hard time believing myself that my struggles are in fact real and i'm not just making them up.

and also on a less related note; the thing i hate most about my parents: if i'm wearing headphones and couldn't understand what a parent was yelling from somewhere else in the house then it's my fault. but if it's the exact same situation but i'm the one calling and they couldn't hear me, then it's obviously my fault too (i kinda get the first one but srsly how could i not wear headphones when they're constantly arguing with my brother in the room next to mine) (either way if one of the scenarios is clearly my fault, then the other shld be clearly their fault bc that's how logic works)

hhhh, this got quite long. i would love to hear your thoughts about this

a continuation from the other ask about my parents not taking me seriously even when i ask them for help with my hardest problems. that ask didn't really go in the direction i had planned but there is so much going on between my parents and me that i really need to talk to someone about

background: i'm around 15-16 rn and have a brother who's 18. primary school was academically very easy for me (lots and lots of great and even perfect grades) but my brother didn't have it as easy (lots and lots of mediocre and meh grades) so my parents really just kinda let me do my thing while they were constantly busy with my brother. so i got really independant and did all of my stuff on my own bc a) i always had done it that way and b) my parents were already busy and stressed. but after my brother got his first computer and got into video games his grades dropped and my parents started constantly arguing with him and taking away his computer and stuff like that so there was always a lot of tension (and i got to a point where i can't handle people yelling; that's what i was referring to with the headphone thingy at the end of the last ask) i don't know if i can go that far and say that my parents kinda neglected me and my emotional needs in favour of saving my brother grades but that's pretty much the way it feels.

i'm now a sophomore (school works a bit different here but i'm the equivalent of a highschool sophomore afaik, here it's just 10th grade) and starting from about mid 8th grade (end of 2018) i've been struggling a lot with self care and upkeep of my already minimal social circle and academic stuff (i'm at the academically highest level of school you could be at my age without skipping any years) and also mental health.

i got quite depressive and started isolating myself and casting away friends and my grades went down a lot, which really disappointed me because my great grades were kind of my trademark thing. but i didn't feel safe talking to my parents because of the huge distance that we built by me "never" needing their help with stuff.

in that time (almost a year ago, our anniversary is in twenty days or so) i got a girlfriend and i'm hella glad that i can talk to her about everything but i feel like i can't just go dump trauma and parent issues on her forever

about last november or so i was at a pretty low point and was suicidal and that's kind of when i snapped and went to my parents to talk so being cast away and having my issues invalidated really really hurt then and made me spiral even deeper and my gf was the only thing keeping me afloat.

i'm kind of a bit better now but i have rebuilt my view of my parents from "idk we never really interact" to "trying to interact or talk is not worth the energy" and needless to say i don't like them that much

oh and i forgot about all the times i got panic attacks and sensory overloads @ school because there are so many people there (1700 students + 200 teachers) and it's loud everywhere and of course asking my parents for what to do if suddenly everything is too bright and too loud and you can't move or talk because of it didn't get me anywhere (and since i didn't know what it was called or how to describe it properly, i didn't really find any Information online either

and just typing this makes me think of so many more things that they did that aren't okay things to do (a lot of gender identity stuff for example because i'm also neck-deep in that) . but writing this has also helped a lot right now. thank you for being there and listening.

and just in case i'm ever gonna pop back in to say something i'm gonna drop a name for easier identifying

sincerely - 🌌 milky way anon

Hi, nonnie! Thanks for the kind words, I'm really glad my blog has been of help ❤️

I'm sorry your parents are making it hard to believe your struggles are real :( you deserve to be taken seriously and to get access to all the help you might need. Just the fact your symptoms are there and you're noticing them and they're interfering with your daily life is enough to get them checked, regardless of if you need a diagnosis/meds/anything else. No one deserves to live wondering if their struggles are worth discussing with a doctor or professional.

And you're right: if one of those things was your fault, then the other should be theirs, logically. But I don't even think it's "your fault" you didn't hear them because you were wearing headphones, to be honest. I think it's just something that happens from time to time and that doesn't warrant getting mad over; I think it's the kind of thing that simply needs to be talked about so everyone in the household knows how to communicate with everyone else without getting frustrated. It's as easy as saying "hey, whenever I put on headphones I'll just text the family group chat to let you guys know I won't hear you. If you need anything in those moments, just text me instead". I do this with my girlfriend sometimes—if we're wearing headphones and we're in the same room, we simply pat each other when we need something and wait until the other takes off their headphones to talk. It really doesn't have to be an issue where anyone is to blame. You're allowed to take steps to feel safe and comfortable in your house without getting punished for it.

But, of course, this doesn't work if the people around you choose to prioritise "being right" and proving you're wrong over a peaceful and healthy cohabitation, which is what most toxic and abusive people do.

As for your second ask, I would say if it feels like your parents neglected you and your needs because they were always focusing on your brother, then it's okay to say that they did. The fact alone that those feelings are there makes you deserving of talking about it and wanting to heal from it; the cause of those feelings doesn't have to be something major, or sound deeply traumatising when you say it out loud, in order to "count". And people whose emotional needs were consistently met don't feel like they weren't.

I've already shared this video before, but if you want some resources on identifying and healing from emotional neglect, I really recommend watching it. Please bear in mind, though, that the video says it's important to not blame parents for emotionally neglecting you, but I don't think that's the message a lot of people need to hear and I think you should allow yourself to feel angry at your parents for not meeting your needs and causing you trauma. That's pretty much the only thing I'd criticise about the video.

I'm sorry to hear you've been struggling with your grades and mental health lately, nonnie. I had a quite similar experience when I was in high school—I used to always get great grades, but my mental health and trauma put a lot of strain on them (as well as on my social life; I lost a lot of friends in those years) and it was really distressing to see the only thing that made me "worthy" crumble between my fingers like that. I'm still trying to unlearn this idea that your grades define your worth, and it's been really hard.

I'm so sorry your parents weren't there for you when you hit that low 😔 I'm glad your girlfriend could help you stay afloat in that moment, but they absolutely should've been there for you all those times you reached out to them for help with your struggles, and the fact that they didn't is emotionally neglectful of them.

I'm glad you're in a better place now ❤️ I really hope you can find out all the information you need on gender identity and sensory overload and any other issues that might be affecting you. Know that you deserve for your parents to be there for you. You shouldn't have to face any of this on your own, or even with only the support of other people your age. You deserve for them to care. You deserve to have your symptoms checked out. You deserve adult guidance to find resources to help you better understand and manage your struggles.

Sending all my virtual support your way ❤️ and happy belated anniversary to you and your girlfriend!

[pink-imagines]

migraine

request: Hi, how are u? May I have a Todoroki scenario request? It’s about his gf having a migraine during the class, but she say that it’s all right. When they have training class, she just pass out and he have to take care of her. (She’s having it cause she overworked herself of studying) 😊😊 Thank you for opening your requests again, I love your writing and was waiting for it happen 😅👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

a/n: i hope this is okay! i’ve never really had a migraine, so i wasn’t sure on how to write this situation

warnings: a migraine, obviously

masterlist

requesting rules

Finals were right behind the corner, so of course you wanted to make sure that you were well prepared. When you sat down at your table that night you didn’t think of setting up a timer for when you needed to go to bed, you just started studying. Instead of sleeping you spent the night with intense high-focus studying. This is something that you really shouldn’t have done, since you had in fact stayed up pretty late the nights before and you hadn’t gotten the best sleep this week. On top of that the stress of getting a good grade was overbearing for you, which was probably why you had gotten such bad sleep.

Around 4 am was when the sun started to rise, the beams of light creeping up in the corner of your eye. You looked over to the window where you saw a pink sky. “Shit...”, you groaned and rubbed your eyes softly. With a few steps you walked over to your window and closed the blinds, deciding to give up on studying and go to bed. Even if going to bed now wouldn’t help much, you decided that some sleep was better than none - even if it was only 2 or 3 hours. As soon as your head hit the pillow you fell asleep.

A few hours later you woke up like any other day, tired, but your head seemed a bit more heavy than usual. A slight headache pounded in your head, but you thought you just needed water and let it be. You quickly pulled on your school uniform, took your bag, and walked downstairs to eat a quick breakfast. There wasn’t really anything you wanted to eat so you ended up just eating an apple and drank a glass of water to try to stop the headache.

The first lesson you had that day was of course math, the one thing you really didn’t want to do right now. And as Ectoplasm was trying to explain a difficult equation you felt your headache start to get a bit stronger, and the harsh light from the lamps didn’t help. As you tried your best to not literally die from this headache you looked over to your boyfriend, Shoto. He was looking right back at you, with a look that as clear as day asked how you were. It was probably evident on your face that you were in pain, but you still gave him a thumbs up and as much of a smile that you could muster. You knew a storm was coming, a storm in the form of a migraine and you really weren’t ready for it. Even so, you were still stubborn enough to get through the day and make sure you didn’t miss anything that could be good for your finals.

The next class you had was training. This of course only worsened your situation, since the gym had even brighter lights and on top of that you started getting hungry- you were definitely regretting just eating an apple for breakfast. “Hey, maybe you should sit this one out?”, Shoto told you, somehow feeling the fact that you were not feeling your greatest. “I’m fine, really.”, you answered the best you could, “Thank you for caring though.” Before he could say anything else it was your turn to go up against your opponent, Iida. So you walked away from him, unaware of the worry in his eyes as he watched you. It was just some normal training so it shouldn’t be too hard on you. Even so, your migraine only worsened by the second.  When you got into position you already felt like giving up. You could clearly see Iida running towards you, but you couldn’t move. Eventually you managed to move one of your legs, which was a mistake as you put all of your energy into moving and you blacked out.

When you opened your eyes again you were on the ground, it felt cold and bumpy on your back.  “Hey are you okay?”, people were surrounding you and their voices were echoing through your head. It felt as if your brain was splitting in half and your hands instinctively reached up to your head, as if you could put it back together. The voices turned into white noice, but make it ten times louder, until a person shoved them all away and gave you some space. “She’s having a migraine, back up already.”, it was a distorted version of Shoto’s voice and you felt a bit more relieved, “Let’s just take her to her room, she’ll feel better if she gets to be in a dark room.” Somebody picked you up and carried tightly against their chest. By the way they were holding you, and the slight scent of that cologne that you said was your favorite once, you could tell it was Shoto. With your eyes shut tightly you burried your face into his chest, his heart beating a bit faster than normal. To shield your eyes from the bright lights someone wrapped some sort of fabric around you, and you guessed it was somebody’s jacket.

As soon as you got put down on your bed you missed the warmth of Shoto’s embrace.  “I’m gonna go get you a glass of water and find a painkiller or something.”, he said as he closed the blinds, “Text me if you need anything else.” When he closed the door behind him you heard chatter, asking if you were okay or if they could come in and talk to you. Eventually they stopped, and you guessed it was probably because someone told them to go away. You tossed and turned in your bed, thinking about how coldly Shoto had talked to you just now. Maybe he was mad at you for not taking his advice? Either way you thought that you should probably apologies to him. 

The next time the door opened you had already started to feel a bit better, so you turned to the door and opened your eyes. It was Shoto, a very blurry Shoto but it was him. “I found some painkillers if you want them, but you should drink this first.”, he held out a glass of water to you. You sat up slowly and took it from him, carefully drinking the entire glass. “Do you-” “I’m sorry...”, you blurted out, “I should’ve listened to you before, but I just really don’t want to miss out on something that can come up during finals. I’m sorry for making you miss your other classes.” Shoto stood up and started taking off his track suit, which he was still wearing. He then looked around your drawer until he found the sweatpants you had borrowed and put those on. You watched with furrowed eyebrows in confusion as he got in next to you. He quietly told you to “move over”, which you did and let him make himself comfortable next to you. “I’m not mad at you, I was just worried before. You seem fine now, so don’t be too pressed about it. And don’t worry about my classes, I’m pretty sure we’re on break now so I’ll just go to the classes after lunch.”, he muttered, “Just sleep for now, you need it, and don’t stay up late anymore.” “How did you-” “I’m just observant.”, he kissed the top of your head, “And you always space out a lot when you’re really tired. Go to sleep now, okay?” “Okay...”, you nodded. How could you stay awake when he was playing with your hair like that? The slow beats of his heart and his soft breaths was the perfect white noice for you to fall asleep.

-

permanent taglist: @theoceanphoenixhasrisen | @raven-r0ses | @darkbeautyswife | @sondering-thoughts | @gowoneandonlyone | @bnhabadass | @queenblackcat | @jayetheanimefreek101 | @witchy-anna | @cutest-celestial-princess | @missymysa | @karebear5118 | @weebartistinc | @crystal-lilac |

[dubububbles]

SHINee’s reaction when being asked about their gf in an interview

(can i please request a scenario or reaction of shinee being asked about their gf on an interview?)

Requested by anon 

Onew:

“You recently revealed that you are in a relationship with y/n. What made you decide to make it known and how did your fans react to the news?” 

Onew would be very flustered to hear your name come up in the midst of an interview, since he had never really openly discussed your relationship before. He would feel very shy and not know how to address it without giving away too many details by accident. 

“Ah, that… uhm…” he stammered and rubbed the back of his neck a bit nervously. 

Whenever he spoke of you he would blush and not be able to hold back a smile, even in front of the other members, and they would often tease him about it. But once they saw how their hopeless leader was struggling, they would put that aside and step in to help. 

“I think what Onew hyung is trying to say is that it was a mutual decision for them to reveal it and that our fans are happy as long as he is happy.” Minho answered in his place. 

Onew then slowly nodded to show he agreed and also added a small sentence of his own with a nervous smile. The other members then collectively helped to change the subject in his favor. 

Jonghyun:

When a question about dating came up during a group interview all the members slowly turned in Jonghyun’s direction, because he was the only one in a public relationship at that time. When all the attention was suddenly on him he would feel a bit shy but also happy. 

“Oh, me?” he would ask and act oblivious at first to make the other members laugh before turning back to the interviewer to receive a more specific question, since the others had already pointed him out as the scapegoat. 

“Oh, Jonghyun-shi. You are in a relationship with y/n, isn’t that right?”

“Yes, that’s right. We are both dating happily.” he answered with a fond smile and then received a row of related questions, such as how you met and how long you had been dating. 

You had been open about your relationship for the past few months so it wasn’t odd for him to get questions about you. It also didn’t bother him, as long as it didn’t concern either of your privacy, and he would always respond with a lovestruck smile on his face. 

“We’ve been dating for eight months already, hmm and for how we met… well since it’s not a story we want to share with everyone, I’ll leave that to your imagination.” 

Key:

Key had been open about your relationship for a while. He was proud of it and didn’t hesitate to showcase the two of you together on his Instagram or other social media. 

However, he felt a little more hesitant talking about you in interviews, since he wanted to be in control of what you decided to put out there and what to keep private. Whenever he received a question about it he would therefore answer in a careful and vague manner. 

“The next question is for Key. It’s a known fact that you are dating y/n and recently you became known as a ‘visual power couple’ due to a number of social media posts that went viral. Did you know about this?” 

“Oh? Really?” Key perked up at the question and then couldn’t help but laugh, since it wasn’t what he had expected but found himself proud of it. “I actually haven't heard about it but I definitely think they are right.” 

His confident response didn’t surprise the other members and they didn’t hold back from commenting on it and teasing him for the sake of creating good content for the show. It also worked as a way to swing the interview in another direction that wouldn’t circle around their love lives. 

Minho:

During a group interview the members would all draw questions at random from fans and Jonghyun happened to draw one directed at the second youngest member. 

“Oh, this question is actually for Minho. It’s about you and your special someone.” he said and turned to him with a small, teasing grin. “Why did you choose to reveal your relationship to the public and what has been the hardest part in doing so?” 

At first Minho had felt a bit nervous at the mention of your relationship, since you were both private and normally wouldn’t talk about it openly. However, after hearing the full question he felt that he could answer it and he would go on to do so with a warm smile. 

“Well, it was actually a mutual decision between y/n and I, since we felt the need to be open with our fans after dating for a long time. The hardest part about it is the fact that we are put in a vulnerable situation, where people sometimes get involved in our private matters.” he began and then continued to explain that despite the hardships and worries he had, he also had a lot of trust for shawols. Since, as a fandom, they were a mirror image of them as a group and normally held a great amount of respect for their private lives and other sensitive matters.

Taemin: 

Taemin was happy and comfortable in your relationship but would restrain from talking too much about it publically, mostly because he didn’t want you to be on the receiving end of negative comments from people who called themselves fans. So, when a question about your relationship came up in an interview, during a corner consisting of fan’s sending in questions, he felt a bit worried at first. 

“My question is for Taemin. Actually, I was curious about how the other members reacted when they first heard about your relationship with y/n?” 

“Ah, the other members?” Taemin repeated and then smiled, since the question was directed more at the rest of SHINee and not at you and him. “Ah well, I think they all reacted the same way. They were supportive but they also teased me a lot.” 

“Since you are the youngest, did the older members give you any advice? And if so, what was the best advice you received?” The interviewer added to follow up on the fan’s question. 

Taemin thought about it for a couple of seconds, while the other members watched him and waited in anticipation. 

“Actually, I didn’t receive any advice that was helpful.” He said at last, in a blunt but playful manner, which instantly had the rest of SHINee react in a mix of baffled laughter and strong disagreement.