#and there's so much other stuff going on next week

[judysxnd]

If you're taking requests for Lando, and are comfortable writing angst. I'm in one of those moods where I need gut-wrenching neglected girlfriend being called clingy and then him grovelling for forgiveness. You don't have to write it, I just really have been in an angsty mood.

Sparkle anon

As usual I don't like what I did, but I have been starting this like a thousand times and never finished it and this time I did. So I'll go with the flow. I hope you'll like it !

I took so much time to write this that your mood probably changed like a thousand times 😭 I'm sorry 😔

———————————————————————

These past few days have been hard for you. Lando has been away for the past three weeks because it was a triple header and you couldn't come with him because of work. You always thought that being famous too would help you have clear weekends to come to the races, but apparently not. You had ads to film, shoots for magazines to do, interviews to prepare and do too, and it was getting overwhelming.

And Lando being in a different time zone definitely didn't help. You barely could texts, or one would respond hours later, the phone calls only last a few minutes (when you can actually call each other) and it wasn't enough for you these days. Your anxiety was getting the best of you, resulting in a few panic attacks daily.

Usually Lando helps a lot, but he had enough stuff on his plate too. He was in a tough battle with Max for the championship, and from what you've seen and what he had told you a bit, he was struggling with the car this week-end. You tried to make it work as much as you could. But you just couldn't do it anymore. You were back at Monaco after working hard until Saturday afternoon, actually coming home at Lando's place around 9pm, crying yourself to sleep, not even eating.

You knew Lando would be back for a few days from Vegas for a couple of days before flying to Qatar. But you definitely didn't expect to wake up at almost 5pm the next day by noises in the kitchen. First of all, how did you sleep that much? You were tired but damn, that's like 18hours of sleep ! And second of all, who was in the kitchen?

You slowly walked, carefully listening to the noises. After leaning a bit, you saw Lando searching the fridge for something to eat.

"Oh my god" you said relieved it was him. "you scared me so much!" you said walking to him, hugging him from behind.

"I scared you- in my own place?"

"yeah as you were in a different country" you leaned onto the counter next to him. "how did it go?" you asked about the race. Yes you didn't watch it as you slept half a day. You were going to watch it as you woke up, before Lando gets back, but well, you definitely didn't have time for that apparently.

"not good" Lando said barely looking at you

"oh" he walked out of the kitchen "but where did you finish?"

"You didn't watch the race?" he asked, going to the living room to eat at the table

"Well, I wanted to, but as you can see I.. overslept" he stared at you, as he was judging you "and you came back before I could watch it, so might as well tell me directly" you sat in front of him

"Well I lost the championship and finished P6, behind Max at the race. Happy?"

"Why are you so mad at me? It's not my fault, I'm just trying to know what happened to support you"

"support me? You weren't even there for that"

"ugh, excuse me? Sorry for having a career of my own, which I might give up with everything happening at the same time"

"like you can't take at least one day to come watch the race"

"that's the only thing you got from what I just said?" you stood up "what the hell Lando? What happened for you to treat me like that? I've been working my ass off, trying to contain my panic attacks all alone because you also have a career and can't be by my side 24/7, you barely even answer my text, you don't call me, you don't even ask me how I am doing!" He just stared at you, not saying anything. "you know what? I think I was better alone" you said, leaving the room, heading to his bedroom to gather your stuff.

"Wait- where are you going?" he said following you, like he suddenly cared.

"I'm going to my parents for a while. I haven't seen them in 2 months between my work and the races. And you're leaving like in two days anyway so, might as well try to have a good time with people that actually care about me" And before he could say anything, you were out of his sight, driving to the nearest airport to fly to your parents (trying to avoid to cry and have many panic attacks on your way).

You knew Lando wouldn't fly to you for the next two weeks with the races getting all of his time. But he did harass you with texts, tried to call you, which you ignored. He also sent you flowers, many flowers, gifts with little cards, apologising and asking for you to answer his texts and calls. You did feel guilty, even if you made it clear that he neglected you, you felt bad for keeping it to yourself that long and just lashing onto him like that.

You watched the last two races of the year, a knot in your stomach. You felt like you made it worse by acting like that and ignoring him. Hell he could have an accident and not make it back and that would be the last thing you said to him? That is a very bad scenario but still. And at the same time, your pride was telling you to keep ignoring him, that you were right and that he was the one to come back to you (which he was actually trying to do).

Until the next Monday after the last race, when you heard a knock to your bedroom. Innocently thinking it was your mom, you told "her" to come in, only to be faced by Lando holding flowers in his hand. You were laying in bed, in your pyjamas at 3pm, scrolling on your phone.

"Lando? What are you doing here?" You said, sitting up.

"You didn't give me other choices" you nodded, admitting that it was true. "I'm sorry for being a bad boyfriend" he said, taking a step closer to you

"keep going" you said, crossing your arms

"I shouldn't have neglected you like that even if I get too busy at work. I know you always take time for me even though you're working too and I should do the same thing" he sat down at the edge of your bed

"hm hm" you nodded

"I know you didn't read my texts nor listened to my voice messages or voicemails, but I've been apologising for a thousand times and, I've been begging you not to breakup with me" you couldn't help but laugh

"I've listened to them" you admitted

"w-were they good?" you tilted your head "you know I'm not good for that type of stuff"

"You're getting there"

"So what are you saying? Are we good?" you leaned a bit closer to him

"No we're not good Lando. It's not a bunch of texts, calls and gifts that are going to make me forget what happened. Hell I told you I wanted to abandon my entire career and you didn't even react" he was about to say something but you cut him off "and I know it's been very tough for you too for the races, that's why I gave you the benefit of doubt when you were away, but- you were sitting in front of me Lando-"

"I know, I know" he sat right in front of you, holding your hands "we've been dating for a year and- honestly I don't know what happened. When I came back from São Paulo you were there for me, and thank god you were, but I think it's just, it went to my head and I was under so much pressure" you wanted to cut him off but he didn't let you "and I'm not making up excuses for what I did. I just don't want to lose you. I'm so sorry, I'll do anything for you not to leave me, just please, don't go. It won't happen again, I promise" you sighed

"I wasn't going to leave you Lando" you had a little smile. You could see it in his eyes. He was scared he really messed up to the point you were actually going to leave him for good. Maybe stepping away for a few weeks made him think, like for you.

"Really?" He seemed genuinely surprised

"Yes, but I needed some time, like you did too"

"yes. I'm so sorry. I love you so much. I won't do it again"

"You better not" you both laughed a little. "I love you too"

"Not as much as I do" and he immediately leaned in to kiss you. "Now I need to give those flowers to your mother because she helped me to get to talk to you" you gasped as he stood up

"of course she did" you laughed "and to think those flowers were for me? I'm offended" you joked

"Didn't you get enough with everything I sent you?" you tilted your head "too soon?" you both laughed

"yeah, too soon" he left the room. You got up and followed him down the stairs.

[tinyfantasminha]

I don't want to keep clogging my blog with vent posts but uh... I guess this is a more general concern/observation

But it's getting real hard to stay motivated in fandom spaces when there's little compensation, and annoying occurrences are more frequent than good ones.

Mainly there's been less engagement/people showing interest in creators and their art (such as sending asks, making comments and reblogging with tags) and MORE parasocial interactions. This goes for both artists and writers.

Over this year I've noticed a vast disinterest within my public in general. Asks about ocs, my art, or just nice simple comments of ''I love your art'' has been getting more and more scarce. My follower number is bigger than 2-3 years ago sure and I get more likes on my posts but they are feeling more like just numbers and statistics than actual people who supposedly like my stuff.

And while people being parasocial with creators has always been a thing, I feel like it's gotten way worse... in general? People sending personal pictures out of the blue in hopes of being validated, unwanted psychological advice or assumptions about the creator without any established connection first ( <- these happened to me in the same week.) ventdump, just insensitive/lacking of common sense comments in general, unreasonable demands (mostly with writers)... I wondered at first if it was just me, but a handful of mutuals/acquaintances who are artists and writers seems to be going through it as well.

It's annoying. It's tough. It's getting exhausting. Creators pour so much of themselves into their work—countless hours, effort, and passion, all to share something meaningful or entertaining with others (and for FREE) The LEAST anyone can do is show respect, even if opinions differ. When a writer posts a fanfic, don't just say ''omg post next chapter!'', when an artist posts a drawing of their favorite character, don't just say ''omg draw (character) next!'' as if they're faceless content machines that are expected to churn out more '''content''' for you without acknowledgment, encouragement, or appreciation.

''I want to support creators but I don't know what to say and I feel intimidated by their talent so I just lurk silently :((('' I swear to you, no creator (at least not the majority) is making up an intimidating persona to discourage you from interacting with them. They WANT your comments. A single ''I love your art/writing/videos'' or even something as silly as ''I want to eat your art'' is enough to keep a creator sighing dreamily for WEEKS. It doesn't have to be deep! It's heartfelt and that's what it matters!! (Just remember to keep it relevant and thoughtful... It takes just a bit of common sense NOT to comment things like ''this looks like (another character)'' or ''this but with (another unrelated ship/character/show)''. No one wants to hear comparisons or unrelated ideas when they’ve poured their soul into something.)

In fact, the ''I like your art but I think you're intimidating'' feels more hurtful than flattering. It makes me feel like I'm doing something wrong, acting wrong. 💀

If you love that fanfic that changed your brain psyche forever and want to gush about it, go tell the writer. If you loved so much a piece of art that you saved it a million times in your phone and can't stop thinking about it, go tell the artist. Push away the ''they probably won't care about my comment/it won't make a difference'' thoughts. DO IT NOW. You won't know when they might go inactive forever or deactivate. You can't know if that is the last piece they will ever post. Make sure you show appreciation to creators NOW, while they are still here. While they're still not being replaced by AI.

[fanficsbysteve]

Authors Note: So I was scrolling the Tumblrs a few days ago when @lazyturtlehottub put an idea out there that stuck with me a bit so I did my best to get something out there into the world. Hopefully its good. Let me know what you think.

Rating: G?

Word Count: 3033

***

                Buck sat in his seat at the LA Lakers game that Tommy had given him tickets to. Tommy had ended things a week before the tickets were for so naturally Buck was at the game alone. He had planned to go with Tommy, so he had someone who actually understood basketball with him. He had requested the day off work so he could go and Bobby had given it to him. Unfortunately nobody else could get the day off so Buck sat in his seat, an empty seat right next to him.

                Out of depression, and he had run out of flour to bake something to distract him, Buck had made a sign that sat folded nicely on the seat next to him. If any kind of camera came on him, he was going to be petty and reveal the sign. And he had every right to be petty after what happened. It was so out of the blue. So Buck sat in his seat and just waited. He barely watched the game cause he didn’t have any interest in Basketball. He had never told Tommy this during their 6 months together. Why would he? He had literally tried desperately to get into this pick-up game that Eddie, Tommy, Chim, and a few others played so that he could get close to Tommy. Sure he hadn’t gone again since that one time. He had gotten Tommy’s attention. Plus I think after maiming Eddie, nobody expected him to go again. So he never had to explain how he really didn’t like Basketball.

                The game slowly went along. One team having the ball, then the other one did, then they threw it in a hoop, rinse, repeat. Buck honestly never understood why anyone would actually care about this sport. It was so boring. Give him a hockey game. Now that was something to watch. Particularly when the gloves came off.

                Slowly the game kept going and Buck was worried that he wouldn’t get a chance at the pettiness he had planned for the game. Then the break in the middle of the game came. Sighing, Buck was bored and was pretty sure that nothing was going to happen when something called a Kiss Cam came up on the video screen in the middle. It started panning around to all the various seats, stopping on what would appear to be couples and they would kiss or make ‘no’ motions if they weren’t together. Then it happened. The camera came and stopped on Buck and the person sitting next to him. The person looked at Buck and started making the No motions.

                Buck took this opportunity, like the petty individual he was turning into, and pulled out his homemade sign. It was on bright yellow paper with black letters. The sign read, “My Boyfriend broke up with me a week before this game so now I’m here alone, and I don’t really like Basketball that much.”

                A chorus of Boo’s started to ring out around the Arena. Not sure if it was because of the sign or because of him, but Buck didn’t care. He got his pettiness out. Folding up the sign he sat back down.

Then it started. His phone started to buzz but he was going to ignore it.  He was at a basketball game and even if he wasn’t having fun or enjoying it, he wasn’t going to be one of those people who spend the whole thing on their phone. The buzzing would not stop. This was going to get annoying. The game hadn’t started back up again so Buck excused himself past the people sitting between himself and the aisle out. He better get this phone stuff dealt with. Might as well just go home if he wasn’t enjoying himself.

He got into the lobby area and pulled his phone out. He was getting bombarded with text messages from Eddie, Hen, Chim, Maddie, basically everyone at the Firehouse. Apparently they had been watching the game during their off time and it just to happens that nothing was going on when he was on camera. So everyone saw it. There were also messages and calls from Tommy but Buck was ignoring those right now. He couldn’t be bothered to message him before so he was going to make him wait.

He started with the Maddie messages. She was his sister after all.

MH: What did you just do? On National Television?

EB: I don’t know what you mean. I just held up a sign.

MH: You just threw Tommy to the wolves.

EB: Nobody who watches this will know who is being talked about. And anyone who does will not care enough to know.

MH: Don’t count on it. You weren’t super secretive about your relationship so lots of people know.

EB: Well we will just have to wait and see won’t we.

Closing down the text thread with Maddie, he went to Eddie, the next most important person in his life right now. It would have been Tommy but that ship sailed a week ago.

ED: That was brave.

BB: I was out of flour. And I was hurting so I decided to channel it.

ED: I wouldn’t want to be Tommy right now.

BB: Why not?”

Eddie sent over a screenshot of what looked like X or another social media site. Buck wasn’t super big on them. It showed a trending tag #LonelyLakersLad and #LakersBFBreakup and several other variants. Some of them had a lot of traction.

ED: You are going viral.

BB: Nobody who knows me would do anything like that.

ED: So you are telling me that you are 100% certain that you never hurt anyone the way you were hurt.

BB: I’ve broken up with everyone amicably as far as I am aware.

ED: And you’ve never kept in touch to see how they are feeling after things?

Buck stopped to think for a second. As far as he was aware he was fine with all his ex-girlfriends. They weren’t in touch anymore, friendship falling off the wayside, but honestly why would they do anything?

ED: Just saying. You might want to contact the recipient of your pettiness. He has been blowing up our phones here.

Buck sighed. Closed the Eddie chat and opened the one labeled Thomas. He hadn’t wanted to keep it the same as it was before the breakup. It hurt too much.

There it was, a lengthy string of texts from Tommy. Words weren’t the greatest thing you could convey emotion through. It was always up to the person reading to get the emotion you were putting into it and more times than not, it was always conveyed wrong.

TK: What the hell was that?

TK: I told you to take Eddie with you to that.

TK: And what do you mean you don’t even like Basketball? You literally forced your way into a game with me and Eddie and Chim.

TK: I know I hurt you. But that was next level pettiness.

TK: We need to talk.

TK: Please answer your phone.

TK: I’ve tried calling you a dozen times. Please just answer.

Buck knew that Tommy had called at least that many times during while he was just messaging his family and friends.

TK: I’m not mad. I swear it. I just want to talk. With words from my mouth instead of my fingers. That way its not misinterpreted.

TK: Please just answer and let me talk to you. Then I won’t bother you ever again.

Buck tapped the name Thomas, pulling up his contact details, and tapped the Call button. At least he could get this over with quickly. Maybe Trader Joes was still open so he could get more baking supplies on his way.

The phone didn’t even get to finish a single ring before Tommy answered, “Evan!”

“You said you wanted to talk Thomas,” Buck replied. He couldn’t stop the smile that came over his face when he heard Tommy call him Evan though. He also knew that Tommy was wincing on the other end at the Thomas.

“What was that all about? I was watching the game at home and I remember saying you could take Eddie and why were you there alone? And what was that sign for?” Tommy rambled. Buck just let him ramble a bunch. A thousand more questions came out of his mouth through the phone.

“If you would let me get a word in I can easily explain everything,” Buck interrupted. Tommy stopped talking for the time being so Buck took that as his time to get his side of things out, “You had just broken my heart. I was feeling petty because I had nothing else to distract me from calling or messaging you. I had spent too many days crying over you so I went to the next extreme. It was probably a little overboard but I was feeling my emotions and channeling them into something different. I didn’t want to turn back into the Buck that slept around to deal with his hurt.”

“I’m sorry,” Tommy said, “God this isn’t great on the phone.”

“Well you were the one who wanted me to call you,” Buck replied, “I was perfectly happy just texting.”

“Were you though?” Tommy’s voice was getting a little catty at this point, “I don’t think perfectly happy people do the stunt you just pulled.”

“Well I WAS perfectly happy,” Buck was just as catty in return, “Until you ended things out of the blue, no real reason except some bullshit about not being your last.”

Buck could feel the guilt through the phone at this point, “Meet  me at Fleur Café. That’s close to the arena. We clearly have to talk in person.”

“Fine by me,” Buck replied. His heart started to flutter a bit cause he did want to see Tommy again, “I know you don’t live near here so I’ll get you a coffee for when you arrive.”

“I’ll be there in about 45 minutes,” Tommy replied, his voice was shaking a bit, “depending on traffic.”

Buck let Tommy end the call and then he quickly pulled up the map on his phone to get there.

***

Buck had gotten to the café after 10 minutes of walking so he waited outside for about 20 minutes. He was mildly curious about the X trend that was happening so he downloaded the X app and signed into the account he made about a decade earlier. “@ranchmanbuck” was the username he had created. He was living in Montana at the time and working on a ranch. It didn’t last long. He also only had maybe 3 posts on his account.

It took him a bit to get signed in but eventually he did and #LonelyLakersLad was still trending. Even the official account of the LA Lakers had posted about it. Seems that everyone online was either trying to find out who he was, telling him that they would date him, telling him that it will get better in the end. There was a few that were insane and threatening harm on the person who hurt him. Seeing threats of death towards Tommy by people who didn’t know him was disturbing so Buck closed that app and swore to never open it again. People online were insane.

Stepping into the café, Buck was greeted by the smell of fresh coffee and baked goods. He had grown to love the smell of baked goods since Tommy broke things off with him. It was soothing and calming. He smelled lemon loaf, and cinnamon rolls, and some savoury cheese buns. He just breathed in and then head to the counter to order, “Good evening,” Buck was always courteous to the staff anywhere, “Can I get two coffees, one black, and one two cream, one sweetener,” He looked at the baked goods. He had so much at home but he wanted something sweet right now, “And two pieces of that lemon loaf, and a cinnamon roll.”

Buck paid for his purchases and went to a table near the window to wait. He started to slowly pick apart the lemon loaf he had gotten for himself and slowly ate it, sipping on his coffee at the same time. After about 10 minutes of waiting, Tommy walked into the coffee shop. He looked around and spotted Buck. He quickly came over and sat down, “Hey,” He said.

“I got you a coffee,” Buck pushed the coffee his way, “And some lemon loaf.”

“Thanks,” Tommy took the coffee and took a sip, “You finally figured out how I like my coffee.”

“We were together for 6 months Tommy,” Buck replied, “If I didn’t at least learn your coffee order then I would have been the worst boyfriend ever.”

“OK so we need to talk,” Tommy replied, “But first I just want to let you know how sorry I am for how things went down.”

“Why did you not come back after?” Buck asked, “You just left me there. I figured maybe it was a fight that we could work through but you didn’t come back.”

“I was scared,” Tommy had his head down, “You idealized me. You didn’t see me or the things that were wrong with me. Just the good. You don’t know how it was growing up and just being abandoned by the one person who loved me, leaving me with my father. Or the first man I ever fell in love with leaving me because he decided someone else was better than me.”

“You never told me any of this,” Buck replied, “You kept your walls up and never fully let me in. I only know what you showed me. And,” Buck trailed off. Well he had him in front of him so it was now or never, “And what you showed me made me fall in love with you.”

Buck watched as Tommy’s face snapped up at those words. Buck had been meaning to say those words to him for awhile now. Since the day at the cemetery at least when him and Tommy had a funeral so that Billy Boils would lift the curse. And he did. But just having Tommy there with him made him realize that Tommy was all he needed in life from now on, “You never said that,” Tommy said.

“I mean it though,” Buck replied, “I might be brand new to this whole loving men thing. But I know what love feels like and I know what I feel for you. I realize that I may have jumped ahead a couple steps. Eddie tells me I’m an idiot all the time. And maybe I am. But I’m an idiot that loves you, Tommy.”

Tommy fiddled with his cup, “I’m just scared that you will get bored of me and leave me like everyone else.”

Buck reached across and grabbed Tommy’s hand, “I need you to learn to trust me. I won’t leave you. You are everything I’ve felt I was missing in my life. From the very first mouth static, something about you made me feel complete. And this past week has made me feel worse, like a part of me was missing. And I don’t like how that feels and I don’t want to feel it anymore.”

Tommy looked ashamed, “I love you as well. And there has been an Evan sized hole in my life that I cannot manage to fill,” Buck watched as Tommy looked up, his face setting, “Fuck it. If my heart gets broken, it gets broken,” He whispered to himself, “Evan Buckley, I know I don’t deserve it after what I did to you, but would you be willing to give me a second chance? I’m also an idiot who is in love with you and I might not deserve it but please?” Tommy’s eyes bore into Buck with intensity. This man meant every word of it.

Buck stood up, grabbed Tommy’s face and brought him into a kiss. The kiss lasted longer than either had planned but Buck was not letting go. He wasn’t certain of it but he thought he may have heard the shutter of a camera on someone’s phone. Maybe someone taking some pictures of their food. They did that a lot. As the kiss came to an end, a single thread of saliva between them, Buck sat down again, “We need to communicate better,” Buck said, “Since we want to try again, I ask that if you have problems, or if I’m jumping ahead or saying something idiotic, that you please just talk to me. We can work through these problems.”

“I can’t promise I won’t get scared again,” Tommy said, “I’ve got more trauma than you can possibly imagine. I’m not the ideal gay that you seem to have thought I am. But I can promise that if things get bad for me, I’ll do everything I can to talk.”

Buck smiled, “That’s all I want. I want to know all of you. Scars and all if you’ll let me,” Buck smiled, “Now help me eat this Cinnamon bun.”

***

6 months later, Buck sat with Tommy at another Lakers game. A repeat of the 6 month anniversary. Tommy had originally wanted to do something that Buck would enjoy, but Buck shut that down, “I enjoy being with you and seeing you happy and if it means going to Basketball games then I want to go. Just means in the winter you’ll have to get better at enjoy the LA Kings games.”

“Deal,” Tommy said. So they were in their seats at the arena. It was halftime as Tommy called it. The camera was panning around the stands looking for couples to make kiss. When it landed on Buck and Tommy. Smiling, Buck pulled Tommy into a kiss, as the kiss broke, he held up another sign just for this occasion, ‘We worked things out, so please don’t make me go viral again. #NotSoLonelyLakersLad’.  Buck smiled and kept staring at Tommy. The crowd was cheering in the arena for them. Just staring into the eyes of the man he loved.

***

Authors Note: Well that's it. I hope anyone who reads this likes it. Feel free to suggest any titles as I have no idea what to call this. If you have any notes for how I could improve, please be kind about it.

[i-will-go-with-you-five]

My Five Lore

Heyyyyy I thought it was finally time to make this post! I've been doing ZR for about nine months now and have been posting from the sidelines so I figured it was about time to introduce myself and Five. Just a little rundown on what my Five is like and her story and stuff. She's basically me, but with a couple things changed.

Apperance:

She’s on the shorter side- Sam is always putting his elbow on her shoulder to annoy her but she secretly loves it :) And pretty stocky but really strong. Simon challenged her to a lifting competition once and while he eventually won, she had him sweating and it was a close thing. She wears her hair in really long double Dutch braids, and has a round face with bright hazel green eyes and a big smile. She also wears really brightly colored gear, especially shoes, its a long-lasting joke with her and the other runners. She's unreasonably attached to axes and baseball caps, and is pretty much constantly wearing something Jody made her.

She has a couple of pretty faint nicks and slices on her hands, from before the apocalypse. She got those was first learning to butcher as a teenager. But since the outbreak, she's gotten a stab wound on her left shoulder, and permanent bruising on her shins. She's very susceptible to shin splints, but its the apocalypse, so it's not like she can properly rest and treat them.

[One day I will make the most beautiful drawing of her ever. One day.]

Background:

Five is basically me, with a couple things (appearance, where she lived, some family details, etc) changed. She lived in Northern Montana, a stone's throw away from Canada, and was doing college remotely while working on a farm that raised big animals, and took care of her nieces and nephews while her siblings were at work. That's why she's such a jack-of-all-trades, with book and street smarts, she had a very diverse range of skills due to how she grew up. I consider Five as an AU of myself if I had been thrust into the apocalypse, so personality and history-wise Five and I are similar, except for the trauma of the apocalypse, where she was on her own for almost four months after Z-Day, and hardened her a bit. Five's real name is Lydia, but not a single person besides her knows that.

Early Outbreak:

She went on a rare vacation with her best friend, Nina, and her best friend's family to London two days before the outbreak, in early November of 2023. The worst timing. One day she's on a plane, the next she's seeing Big Ben for the first time, and the day after that hundreds of people have turned, including Nina's family, and they're fleeing for their lives in the chaos.

The plan was for the two of them to try and contact Lydia's family and try to find a way to get home, but the phone lines were all down within a day. So they decided to just get out of the city. Nina got bitten when they were on the outskirts of London, after a week of them surviving together. Lydia stayed with her as she died. Nina begged Lydia to kill her zombie-self, but Lydia just couldn't do it- she fled instead. She decided to kill her name, Lydia, along with her friend's death. It was the only way she felt that she could mourn.

She was then on her own for about four months, and her circumstances really changed her. She'd always been a a happy and trusting person, but each person she tried to group up with ended up betraying her, in a multitude of ways. She threw up mental barriers and became pretty grim and trusted no one. She can talk, but only to people that she likes, and only to one or two people at a time. The bigger the crowd, the quieter she is. But when she gets in a place of being comfortable, she has a lot to say. But in those four months, she said less and less, to the point where some people assumed she was mute. She had to stifle who she was in order to survive, and it took a huge toll on her. The pain of her bottled-up emotions was buried deep.

She's a Christian, and the only thing that kept her going in the apocalypse was clinging onto Christ with all of her might, even if her faith had been shaken by what seemed like the end of the world. She just kept running and fighting for something greater than herself. Save the next person stuck in a building, even if they stole her supplies. Run supplies to different groups of people, even if they then beat her bloody and left her for the zombies. Lead a pack of zombies away from a guy trapped in a tree, even if he then throttled her neck and made it even harder to speak. Give a message to a radio outpost, even if they then dishonored their side of the agreement and held her at gunpoint, rather than just attempt to send airwaves to the States in search of her family. Because if she couldn't do the right thing, and try to stay faithful to her values and Jesus, what good was left in the world?

She ended up at Mullins because, once again, she got betrayed. A group of highway robbers caught her unawares, and she literally ran into some soldiers, who promised to just help her get out of the tight spot, but instead brought her to Mullins and enlisted her. Sour and panicked, she was so uncooperative to the point where they shipped her out to Abel for Project Greenshoot so they wouldn't have to deal with her anymore.

Getting to Abel:

While the apocalypse has been The Worst Thing Ever, getting her helicopter shot down was probably the best thing that ever happened to her in the apocalypse. It was the last thing that she expected, a rocket launcher barreling towards her, after everything she's already been through, and it shook her. For the first time since when she had a depressive episode as a preteen, she just simply wanted to die. Death seemed like the best option as she fell through the air to the sound of hungry zombies beneath her. Everything hurt too much. God wasn't answering her sobbing cries of help every night. She'd given it her all and it still wasn't enough. Gave far more than she took and got hurt every time. If she gave up, everything would just be easier. She was about to accept her death and simply let go of life. It wasn't like she had any friends or family left to love her anymore.

But when that voice crackled into her headset, urging her on and giving her a name, Five, which felt right in a way she couldn't explain, encouraging her- she knew she had to keep going. Life wasn't over yet. There was still hope. So she ran. And the longer that voice, Sam, spoke, the lighter she felt and the less emotionally exhausted she became. A voice in the back of her mind told her that this was the answer to her prayers for a friend, and for help. But she was still incredibly cautious. This seemed like the nicest person in the world, but what if he hurt her? What if she got betrayed again? After all, she knew nothing of who this Sam Yao was, beyond being awkward and sweet and kind of adorable. Wait, adorable? Where had that thought come from?

She wanted to be mistrustful of everyone at Abel when she got there, that was her intent. Especially after the doctor threatened to not let her in. But having those people show her kindness that she hadn't seen in months crumpled her barriers like wet paper. By the time her 8-week training was over she'd sunk right into Abel perfectly. Jody was her good friend who was always up for a hug and a story, Janine was smart and practical and reminded her of her older sister to the point where she started to treat Janine like an older sister, Eugene was a goofball who made bad jokes with her while sympathizing with what she'd been through, and Maxine was a God-send for figuring out how to turn off her survival mode again.

And during that time, she wanted to become friends with Sam, the voice who saved her, so badly. But he was wrapped up in grief from Alice's death. Which she understood. Nina's death still ate at her. Not to mention having no idea if her family was dead or alive. So even though it killed her, because this was the first time she'd wanted to have a friend in forever, she kept her distance to protect him from her brokenness. Because even though she'd lightened up, she still was a woman of few words who held all of her pain back from everyone. Even if that voice in her head saying Sam was God's answer to her problems got stronger and more insistent every day. And even if Maxine told her multiple times that Sam relied on her more than he could express or she could realize. She had to hold back.

Being a Runner: falling for each other

Until the night run in the dark. [fanfic one shot here that will eventually become a twoshot once I finish the post-run debrief.] Where all that slammed through Sam's head was I need a miracle for Five, and all that slammed through Five's was I'm running for Sam. And the moment she crashed into Sam's arms, him sobbing with relief and her sobbing with exhaustion and delirium, was the moment that she realized that she did, in fact, love Sam Yao. And for Sam, that was the moment he realized that he had to become her best friend. And the rest of that night was the first time Five told anyone about her past and her pain and what the apocalypse had been like for her. And Sam was there. As they talked and listened to one another was the moment they firmly became best friends.

Five’s love for Sam only grows in the next few months. But… she doesn’t know what to say, or even think honestly. She’s never been in love before. Ever. She’s, well, she’s scared. Which she knows is stupid. But what do you even say about something like that? ‘Hey Sam, you've chipped away at the hardened exterior that I was forced to adopt bit by bit, and I've become myself again, and you push me to be even better than I was every day. Also I am totally in love with you.'? So she says it in every way besides words. With each moment with Sam. Each gesture is her way of saying I love you. And she runs. For the same reasons as before- her faith. Her trust in God. Her putting goodness back into the terrible world. But now for another reason too. For Sam. For his voice. And even if he doesn't understand it, how he pushes her to trust in her faith even more. Her faith and trust in God are stronger than ever now and she's very strong in it and tries to shine that light to others.

Sam realizes that he loves Five when someone sends Five to die out of spite, as revenge. She's coming back into the gates, angry but not as angry as he is. He's ready to throw down with the person who did that to his runner. Then the way she just grasps his shoulders, locking eyes with him, and reminding him to breathe, he just- falls. So hard and so fast. He knew that this was coming. He's felt it growing since she came back brandishing supplies with the biggest smile in the world for the DnD campaign he was starting. But he ignored it. And now he can't anymore. Because it's Five. His Five. But what do you even say about something like that? ‘Hey Five, you mean everything to me, actually. You've given me something to fight for each day, given me hope when I've had none, and have helped me grow so much and overcome my doubts. I really, really, really love you, more than anyone or anything.’ So he tells her with his words, with every single thing he says. Every voice crack of fear or excitement over comms. Except those three, which are coincidentally, the most important ones. He talks, for the same reason as before. To protect the people he loves. But now for another reason too. For Five. For her running. For who she's pushed him to become. How she's taught him to fight for something even bigger than before.

There is an ending for their story (its REALLY good) but you're just gonna have to wait to read it until I'm done writing it tehehehe! It's more climactic that way. I'll link it here when it's done.

And there we go! A little bit about my Five and her story <3 Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed!!

[closets-closet]

Dancer + StripClub Owner! Konig

Tell me this man wouldn’t love a good strip club.. Now what if he owned one.

I told yall I would be back, this is very half done and I’ll be honest it sat in my drafts for weeks! I might progress this more, it honestly depends how much yall like it.

Anyways, it’s good to be back, I love you all so very much.

You are the highlight of the shitty rundown club you danced for. You moved to gracefully, hypnotically as you danced around the cool metal pole. The music thrumming through the stage, money covering the area where you dance. Pushing and pulling yourself on the pole in the center stage. You reach your hand out, brushing the faces and hands of a few of the men that are closest to the stage, causing them to throw more money. When your song finishes, you drop to your knees to slowly and sensually scoop up the money, 10’s and 20’s that you stuff in your lace bra. All eyes are trained on you, the way your top pushes your breasts together, or how your stockings and panties cup your plush thighs. You raise back to your feet blowing a quick kiss in the crowd thanking them.

Konig had arrived just as your set started, walking in past the security guards who quickly move out of the way. He seats himself among the crowd, blending in as best he can. Most of the people know of him, they recognize that tell-tale mask that obscures his facial features, making him unreadable. They fear him, so they give him room. He’s got his eyes trained on to your form as you dance across the stage, reaching out, fingers brushing against some of the patrons who eagerly throw their money at you. When your song finishes and you’ve finished collecting your money, the kiss you send out to the crowd sparks something with in him. You’ve piqued his interest, dangerously so.

You’re in the dressing room fixing up your makeup in the cracked mirror. Other girls rushing to make an appearance on stage, queuing their songs with the DJ, hushed whispers being shared between them about the boss being in. You delicately swipe the red lipstick across your lips pursing them as you examine yourself, paying the hushed rumors no mind.

He’s searching for you, stalking about the club, shaking off the other woman that try to cling to his arms. He whispers a few words to the DJ, inquiring about you. Wondering when you started, how often you preform, and what your name is. The DJ gives him a stern look before coughing up your information for a quiet 20$. A sinister grin spreads across his face, he’s got you.

You’re making rounds around the club, feeling your way around customers. Feeling how they stuff money in your top and under your stockings. You were such a sight to behold. He approaches you quietly, a large gloved hand resting on your shoulder.

“Aren’t you such a pretty thing” He leans and whispers against your ear sickly warm breath spreading across your face“Stuck working in a run down strip club leaving with a few hundred dollars a night?” A shiver quickly runs up your spine, his voice chills you to the bone. “I could treat you better” His voice hums, eyes blown wide as you take a step back every, hairs standing on end.

“I’m sorry?” You whisper, a hand coming to rest across the front of your chest, trying to hide the cleavage his eyes seem glued too. “If you keep talking to me this way I’ll go get the bouncer” You threatened voice meak, and quiet against the loud thrumming bass of the music

Konig lets out a sick laugh, his hand reaching out catching the back of your neck, pulling you impossibly close. “Get the bouncer sweetheart, see what they do.” He hums quietly as he pushes you to walk next to him, leading you down a hall of private rooms “You clearly don’t know who I am” he continues breath hot against your neck. Konig suddenly pushes you into a room and you quickly try to find your barrings, never seeing this room before your confused and lost.

The man reaches up, pulling his mask above his lips, the jagged scar that runs across them making you gasp.

“I’m so sorry” You whisper immediately “I wasn’t aware it was you.” You drop to your knees, head hung low as you plead forgiveness of not knowing the boss.

He laughs again, the sound of his belt buckle clinking together, then the sound of fabrics hitting the floor. As his boots thump against the floor infront of you “It’s okay Doll” He whispers a large hand pulling your chin making your eyes meet “You can forgive me how I see fit, and then you’ll come home with me. You’ll never have to work here again, live as my personal pet.”

How do we feel after this, it’s been awhile since I sat down to write and today felt good. I’m also working on a Thanksgiving Johnny post, I feel like he deserves it.

[bomberqueen17]

turkey turkey

the turkeys are all dead

and packaged

and .... well, the ones that were getting sold have been sold. there are a bunch left in the fridge that we're goign to cut up. but. we don't have to do that until next week.

we raised 250 turkeys ourselves, and processed 150 for other producers. 200 of ours we did on saturday, and sold on sunday-- about twenty thousand dollars of the farm's annual revenue. and then the rest we did today, and packaged and sent off to be sold at the other farms, and got ours all nicely stored in the walk-in cooler .

In the midst of today's processing the state inspector showed up. They never inspected us last year and we didn't like that. He came today with a trainee, and kept like, narrating what he was looking at to the guy. And they kept standing in our way. And they were like "omg it's so great you're processing right now we never get to see these facilitites in operation", and then were like "oh this area's really dirty this is a problem" and we're like......... yes the turkeys bleed when we kill them so there is blood here..... like it's not going to be..... totally clean...... in the middle of the process..........

anyway. they made several comments like this but then in the end passed us with a perfect A score, so like, i hope they learned some things i guess. we are the only facility of this type in our entire county, so it's not like they get to see this stuff in operation very often.

so anyhow. i am going to spend tomorrow sitting down as much as possible. i'm so tired. but. we're done. we're done!!!

[pbaz7]

AN: Hellooo, a few people told me they liked the story so I’m back with part 2. Please please let me know if I should continue. I’m actually really enjoying writing this and I have ideas of where I want it to go if people are interested.

It’ll Always Be Her Part II

The sunlight peeked through the blinds, casting warm, soft streaks across the bed. Paige stirred first, her eyes fluttering open. A peaceful calm washed over her as she took in the sight of Azzi sleeping beside her, the morning light catching the subtle contours of her face. Her dark lashes rested against her cheeks. She looked beautiful in every sense, Paige couldn’t help but smile, the sight filling her chest with an unfamiliar lightness.

She didn’t feel the usual pang of guilt or confusion. Not this time.

Azzi shifted slightly, her brow furrowing as she blinked herself awake. Slowly her eyes found Paige’s, still groggy but already catching the look in Paige’s gaze. That look–a mixture of curiosity, affection, and something deeper–was unmistakable. It sent a ripple through Azzi that she immediately understood but knew they weren’t quite ready to act on.

“Good morning,” Paige whispered, her voice soft but carrying an edge of playfulness.

Azzi smirked lazily, her voice low and a little raspy. “Morning, You’re staring.”

Paige chuckled, her cheeks warming slightly. “Maybe, You’re just really pretty when you’re not yelling at me to wake up.”

Azzi rolled her eyes but laughed, the sound rich and warm. “I’ll keep that in mind for tomorrow.” She stretched a little bit but her arms stayed around Paige, drawing her back into their cozy tangle. “So, what’s on your agenda today, superstar?”

Paige leaned in slightly, their faces close enough that their foreheads nearly touched. “Mmm, not much. Gotta deal with a test, and we’ve got practice, of course.”

“Sounds thrilling,” Azzi teased, her hand lightly brushing against Paige’s arm. “Think you can keep up with me today?”

Paige arched a brow, a playful glint in her eyes. “Keep up? Please. You’ve been trailing me on the court for weeks.”

Azzi snorted softly. “That’s cute, You’re cute when you’re delusional.”

The banter flowed effortlessly, their voices barely above a whisper, intimate in the quiet morning. With each exchange, they seemed to draw impossibly closer, their breathing syncing, their words punctuated by the occasional brush of hands or shift of legs.

Paige’s heart raced as Azzi’s gaze dropped briefly to her lips, then back to her eyes. She felt the weight of the moment, the pull between them stronger than ever.

“You know,” Paige murmured, her voice carrying a hint of something unspoken, “if we don’t get out of bed soon, we’ll be late for lifting.”

“Probably,” Azzi replied, but she made no move to leave, her fingers absentmindedly tracing patterns along Paige’s arm.

Their faces were inches apart now, breaths mingling, Paige could feel the heat radiating from Azzi, and for a fleeting second, she thought about closing that last bit of distance. Azzi seemed to be thinking the same, her hand moving to gently rest on Paige’s hip.

The tension between them was electric, each waiting for the other to make the next move.

Then without warning Azzi’s smile faltered slightly, a flicker of hesitation in her eyes. “Paige,” she said softly, careful not to hurt the older girl's feelings, her tone shifting. “We can’t.”

Paige frowned, the warmth in her chest dimming. “Why not?”

Azzi sighed, her hand moving up to rest lightly on Paige’s arm. “Jess,” she said simply. “We both know this..we can’t go there while she’s still in the picture.”

Paige groaned, flopping back onto the pillow. “I was going to break things off with her,” she said, her frustration evident. “Before she dropped the family stuff on me. I was ready, Azzi.”

Azzi’s gaze softened. “I know. But doing it now? Over text, while she’s dealing with all of that? You don’t want to be that person, Paige. And you’re not.”

Paige exhaled heavily, running a hand through her hair. “It just feels so…messy. I don’t know how much longer I can keep pretending everything’s fine.”

Azzi shifted closer, her voice gentle. “We’ll figure it out. Just…wait until she’s back. Talk to her face-to-face.”

Paige nodded reluctantly, the tension in her shoulders easing slightly. "Yeah, I guess you’re right.”

As she sat up, ready to start her day, Azzi’s eyes followed her. Paige was halfway to stretching when she caught Azzi openly raking her gaze up her body, lingering for just a beat too long.

"Really?" Paige teased, raising an eyebrow.

Azzi didn’t even try to deny it, a playful smirk tugging at her lips. "Can you blame me?"

Paige crossed her arms, leaning slightly to one side. "You’re supposed to be the responsible one, remember? Telling me to wait and all that."

Azzi shrugged, her eyes still shamelessly drinking Paige in. "I never said I wasn’t tempted."

Paige rolled her eyes, but there was a faint blush creeping up her cheeks. "We’re waiting," she said, her tone firm, though the smile tugging at her lips betrayed her resolve.

Azzi bit her lip, her smirk deepening as she slowly got out of bed. "If you say so." Her gaze lingered just a moment longer before she turned, the sway of her hips deliberate as she headed toward the bathroom.

Paige watched her go, muttering under her breath, "Impossible."

Azzi glanced back over her shoulder, catching Paige’s eye one last time. "You love it," she said with a wink, disappearing through the doorway.

…

The weight room buzzed with energy, the sound of clanging metal and low chatter filling the air. Paige and Azzi ended up in separate lifting groups, but that didn’t stop them from finding each other across the room.

Every time Paige moved to adjust a bar or add weight, she’d catch Azzi’s eye. The smirk that played on Azzi’s lips whenever their gazes met sent a thrill through her. Azzi, for her part, seemed to always be positioned just right—either brushing past Paige or standing close enough for their arms to graze when they crossed paths.

Paige wasn’t subtle, either. Her eyes lingered on Azzi’s toned frame when she thought no one was watching, appreciating the effortless way she moved.

Caroline, spotting Azzi leaning against a squat rack, sauntered over, towel slung over her shoulder. “Alright, spill,” she said, her tone playful but pointed. “What’s going on between you and Paige? Because whatever it is, you two are about as subtle as a KK coming into a room and the whole room can feel the tension.

Azzi raised an eyebrow, chuckling softly as she picked up a kettlebell. “What are you talking about?”

Caroline gave her a deadpan look. “Don’t play dumb. The eye contact, the lingering touches, the whole...thing.” She gestured vaguely in Paige’s direction. “Come on, I’m not blind.”

Azzi sighed, setting the kettlebell down. “It’s...complicated.” She wiped her hands on her shorts, her gaze flickering back to Paige, who was busy adjusting her grip on a barbell. “We want each other. That much is obvious.”

Caroline snorted. “Yeah, no kidding. So, what’s stopping you?”

Azzi hesitated, her voice lowering. “Paige has a girlfriend. Jess.”

Caroline wrinkled her nose. “Jess? The one who’s been a total bitch to you since day one? Please. Why does that even matter? What does that have to do with you two?”

Azzi let out a short laugh, shaking her head. “I might’ve given her a few reasons to be upset.”

Caroline raised an eyebrow. “Like what?”

Azzi hesitated, then gave a wry smile. “Let’s just say I’m not exactly subtle when Jess is around.” She shrugged, almost sheepishly. “I’ll admit, I push it a bit sometimes—making Paige laugh, leaning in close, touching her just enough to make her flustered. All while Jess is watching.”

Caroline’s eyebrows shot up. “Wow. Bold move.”

Azzi leaned against the squat rack, her smirk returning. “Only because of how rude Jess is to me. From the moment we met, she’s been cold, making snide comments. I wouldn’t normally do it, but she brings it out of me.”

Caroline tilted her head, curious. “Like what? What does she say?”

Azzi shrugged. “Little things. She questions why I’m always around, makes passive-aggressive comments about me crashing at Paige’s place. Stuff like that. So, yeah, I might wear Paige’s hoodie when Jess is visiting. And, yeah, I’ve been known to brush my hand against Paige’s back or shoulder, just to see if I can get a reaction.” She grinned wickedly. “Paige gets this cute little blush every time.”

Caroline laughed, shaking her head. “You’re evil.”

Azzi grinned wider. “Maybe. But I wouldn’t do it if Jess wasn’t so nasty all the time. It’s not like I go out of my way to make things worse. Most of the time, Jess does that all on her own.”

Caroline considered this, then shrugged. “Still, if Paige is letting it happen, that says something. You sure she’s even into Jess?”

Azzi’s eyes softened as she looked across the room, where Paige was adjusting weights on a barbell. “She’s loyal,” Azzi said quietly. “And she feels guilty. That’s why she hasn’t ended it yet.”

Azzi’s gaze drifted back to Paige, who was stretching now, her shirt riding up just slightly to reveal a sliver of toned stomach. Paige caught Azzi looking and shot her a playful glare, which only made Azzi grin wider.

Caroline rolled her eyes at the two. “Screw timing then. Jess isn’t here, and it sounds like she doesn’t treat Paige that great anyway. Why are you holding back for someone who barely even likes you and who Paige is barely in a relationship with?”

Azzi considered that, her gaze softening as she watched Paige laugh at something one of her teammates said. “Good question,” she said quietly.

Paige glanced up then, her eyes meeting Azzi’s. The air between them seemed to spark, the weight room fading into the background for a moment. Paige’s gaze flickered down Azzi’s body, lingering just a little too long, before she quickly looked away, cheeks faintly pink.

Caroline nudged Azzi with a knowing grin. “See? You’re wasting time.”

Azzi smirked, picking up her towel. “Maybe you’re right,” she murmured. “Why should I push aside what I want for someone I barely know?”

With renewed determination, Azzi grinned to herself. Over the next few weeks, she’d turn up the heat. Subtle glances and light brushes wouldn’t cut it. She’d make sure Paige felt everything she did.

“Time to step up my game,” Azzi said, her tone full of resolve.

Caroline laughed, slapping Azzi on the back. “Now that’s the Azzi I know.”

…

Paige adjusted the weights on her barbell, her mind far from the task at hand. Her thoughts kept drifting back to that morning, to the way Azzi’s warm body felt against hers, the low murmur of her voice, and that damn smirk. The memory of Azzi’s lips—soft, so close—sent a shiver down her spine. She clenched her jaw, trying to focus, but it was impossible.

Her eyes wandered, almost involuntarily, back to Azzi across the room. The other girl was effortlessly beautiful, her skin glistening under the gym’s harsh fluorescent lights, her curls pulled into a loose bun that seemed to defy gravity. Paige's gaze lingered on the curve of her shoulders, the way her muscles flexed with every movement, and those lips, parted slightly as she concentrated.

God, she was a distraction.

The worst part was the heat building inside her—frustration, desire, and something softer, more dangerous. She’d tried to ignore it, to bury it under excuses and loyalty to Jess. But this morning, tangled up in Azzi, it was impossible to deny. She wanted her. She wanted the girl with the dark curls, the quick wit, and the way she always made Paige feel like the only person in the room.

And the way Azzi looked at her…like she knew exactly what Paige was thinking, like she was waiting for her to break.

Paige exhaled sharply, forcing herself to focus as one of her teammates called out that it was her turn to lift. She stepped up to the barbell, wiping her hands on her shorts, but not before catching Azzi’s eyes.

Azzi was staring at her, and for a moment, everything else faded. There was something different in her expression now—a determination that sent a thrill through Paige. It wasn’t just teasing or flirtation anymore. It was a challenge, a promise, a silent declaration.

Paige’s heart skipped a beat, and she quickly looked away, gripping the barbell tightly as she prepared for her set. But even as she lifted, the weight pressing down on her shoulders, her mind stayed on Azzi.

What was she planning? And how much longer could Paige resist?

…

Later that night the suite buzzed with energy, the air thick with laughter, playful banter, and the occasional sound of someone dramatically yelling about losing at cards. The movie was more of a formality now, its dialogue drowned out by the team’s antics. Paige sat on the couch, her legs stretched out comfortably, but her focus was entirely elsewhere.

Azzi was beside her, close enough that their arms brushed every now and then, each touch igniting a spark that neither could ignore. Paige felt bold tonight—bolder than she’d expected. Maybe it was the residual energy from the morning or the way Azzi kept glancing at her, but she found herself leaning into the tension.

"You always this handsy during movie night?" Paige teased, her voice low enough that only Azzi could hear.

Azzi smirked, her eyes glinting with mischief. "Only when the company’s good," she shot back, letting her fingers briefly graze Paige’s forearm.

Paige’s lips quirked up as she tilted her head toward Azzi, her voice dropping to a playful murmur. "You might want to be careful. People could get ideas."

Azzi chuckled, leaning closer, her curls brushing against Paige’s cheek. "Let them," she whispered.

For a moment, they simply sat there, the weight of unspoken words hanging between them. But Paige wasn’t content to let Azzi have all the fun tonight. As the room’s energy shifted, with some teammates moving around to grab more snacks, Paige stood up. She circled the couch and came up behind Azzi, her heart pounding with anticipation.

Azzi was mid-conversation with Ice when Paige leaned down, her breath warm against Azzi’s ear. "You know," Paige whispered, her voice just loud enough for Azzi to hear, "you’re making it really hard for me to focus tonight."

Azzi froze for a split second, her eyes widening before she quickly masked her reaction. "Oh, am I?" she said, her voice a little breathier than usual.

Paige grinned, enjoying the rare sight of Azzi flustered. She let her fingers trail lightly over Azzi’s shoulder as she pulled back, returning to her seat.

Azzi turned her head slightly, her cheeks tinged with a faint blush. "You’re trouble, blondie," she muttered under her breath, her lips curving into a small smile.

Paige arched a brow, her eyes glinting with playful challenge. "Takes one to know one."

The night went on, but the game between them only intensified. Azzi wasn’t about to let Paige’s sudden boldness go unanswered. She leaned in closer during conversations, her touches lingering a little longer, her voice softer and more intimate.

At one point, Azzi let her hand rest on Paige’s thigh for a moment too long as she reached for her drink, her thumb brushing against the fabric. Paige felt her breath catch, but instead of pulling away, she leaned in, her voice a teasing murmur. "Careful, Azzi. You’re making it hard to behave."

Azzi’s smirk was immediate. "Good," she whispered back, her eyes locked on Paige’s. "I wasn’t planning on making it easy."

The room around them faded further into the background as they continued their unspoken dance. Paige felt a heady mix of exhilaration and frustration as the night wore on, each shared glance, each touch, pushing them closer to a line neither was ready to cross.

When the movie ended and teammates started to gather their things, Azzi stood, stretching casually. Paige couldn’t help but watch the way her shirt rode up slightly, exposing a sliver of toned skin. Azzi caught her staring and bit her lip, her eyes flicking down Paige’s form in return.

"You heading to bed, P?" Azzi asked, her voice laced with suggestion.

Paige crossed her arms, leaning casually against the couch. "Maybe. You planning to behave yourself tonight?"

Azzi stepped closer, her smirk widening. "Depends," she said, her voice dropping. "Will it be more fun if I don’t?"

Paige laughed softly, shaking her head. "You’re impossible," she said, though the warmth in her tone betrayed how much she was enjoying this.

Azzi shrugged, biting her lip before turning toward the bathroom. But before she could get far, Paige reached out, gently grabbing her wrist.

"Wait," Paige said, her voice softer now, her eyes searching Azzi’s. "What changed? This morning, you were the one telling me we needed to slow down because of Jess."

Azzi tilted her head, her expression softening. "I thought about it," she said simply. "And I realized…I want you. I’m not going to ignore that anymore." Her eyes flicked to Paige’s lips for a second before meeting her gaze again. "But I’d never let you do something that goes against who you are. That’s not how this works."

Paige blinked, her throat tight. She felt the weight of Azzi’s words settle over her, the pull between them growing stronger by the second.

Paige lingered in the living room for a moment, her thoughts swirling as her teammates filtered out one by one. The air still buzzed with the energy of the night, but she knew she wouldn’t find any calm out here. With a deep breath, she pushed off the couch and headed toward her bedroom.

When she stepped inside, the soft glow of a bedside lamp illuminated Azzi, who was already tucked into bed. She was scrolling through her phone, her curls spilling over the pillow in effortless waves. She looked up as Paige entered, a slow, knowing smile curving her lips.

Paige leaned against the doorframe, crossing her arms. "Settling in, huh?" she said, her voice light but laced with teasing.

Azzi chuckled, setting her phone on the nightstand. "You know it," she replied, her eyes flicking up to meet Paige’s.

Paige shook her head, smiling as she grabbed her sleep clothes from a drawer. "You’d better behave tonight," she said over her shoulder as she changed.

Azzi propped herself up on one elbow, her smirk widening. "What? You think I’m plotting something?" she teased, her tone playful but with that familiar edge of suggestion.

Paige turned back to her, hands on her hips. "I wouldn’t put it past you."

Azzi laughed softly, her gaze warm. "Relax," she said, patting the space beside her. "I just expect the usual cuddles. Nothing more…unless you’re offering."

Paige rolled her eyes, but her grin betrayed her. "You’re impossible," she muttered, climbing into bed.

As she settled under the covers, Azzi shifted closer, wrapping an arm around Paige’s waist like it was the most natural thing in the world. Paige let out a soft sigh, her body relaxing into the familiar comfort of Azzi’s embrace.

"Goodnight, Azzi," she said softly, her voice carrying a warmth that wasn’t there earlier.

"Goodnight, Paige," Azzi whispered back, her tone light but sincere.

Despite the tension that had simmered between them all day, the comfort of their closeness made everything feel just a little bit easier. Paige closed her eyes, a small smile lingering on her lips as sleep began to pull her under.

[theborgqueen2]

anyway s7 epsiode idea where it starts with janeway in her cabin slowly getting dressed. we see her pull on her dress uniform, adding her pips one by one, her badge. then one long assessing look into the mirror and a deep sigh. she puts on a smile and then leaves her cabin. cut to the mess hall where people are already waiting. they turn as she arrives and they give her encouraging smiles but somehow janeway cant meet anyones eyes, her smile strained, as she positions herself behind a beautifully decorated table and waits anxiously. then the doors woosh open, harry starts a rendition of the wedding march on his flute and chakotay and seven enter. they stop before janeway who now looks like she's either going to puke or going to scream.

"We are gathered here today to join this man and this woman in holy matrimony", she starts and the camera pans around the room showing everyone smiling. then back on janeways tortured face. fade to black. theme song cue and the whole audience goes "What the fuck"

the rest of the episode is the whole crew slowly realising that no one knows how they ended up like this - it starts at the reception, them trying to retell the epic of chakotay and seven and everyone notices that they didn't even know they're a couple before this. seven and chakotay remember stuff like their first date or who proposed but seven is quick to point out the dates overlapp with several other incidents on board and therefore couldn't have happened. so they start to investigate but every time someone gets too far or says something along the lines of "Hey isnt it weird that chakotay would marry-" they get reset and we're back with janeway getting dressed.

needless to say that chakotay and seven dont share scenes after the wedding and chakotay follows janeway around clearly trying to figure out if he's going to sleep on the couch for the next weeks.

it ends with some weird alien species who were watching them for weeks and were intriguied by the concept of relationships and wanted to simulate some scenarios on them - getting revealed and after janeway decks them, reset the timeline, their memories and all.

last scene its chakotay and janeway in her cabin and there is a distinct "i know im technically not allowed to feel angry about something you were forced to do but that won't stop me from putting too much salt into your food" vibe but at least they have their dinner date like always. fade to black. end credits.

[lovesodeepandwideandwell]

Copying Ella so plan for TONIGHT:

Workout

Dinner

Ironing

Fold laundry

Make tomato sauce for calzones

TV and embroidery mend a shirt

Plan for TOMORROW:

Church

Yoga

Journal

Lay in the sun for at least 20 minutes

Make tortillas

Pack for babysitting

Go to friends' for dinner

Leave for babysitting at 6:15

[poorly-drawn-mdzs]

A fierce duel commences!

[audliminal]

It's Just a Game, Right? Pt 9

Masterpost

"Well, it certainly looks like your suspicions were correct." Tim says, staring at the decoded response, as Bernard posts the plain text.

"Yeah, it definitely looks like it, huh? This is practically an entire clue drop in and of itself."

"I mean, it kind of is. If they wanted to encourage us, al they really would've needed is to parrot themselves with the 'dig deeper' thing you said you kept finding."

"Ha, yeah that would've been a little more succinct." Bernard laughs, and turns back towards Tim as he finishes typing. "So what else is it meant to do, then?"

"Well, on one level it shows us how the clues are supposed to be solved." Tim says, pointing to the steps they'd gone through. "In the future, we should be looking for the keys to each step in the solution of the prior step."

"They can't just do that every time, though. It'd get too predictable.

"Maybe not every time, but it definitely gives us a better idea of where to start."

"Yeah, I guess it can't hurt to look. Anything else, Mr. Genius?"

"I'm not a genius."

"You totally are, but whatever. Tell me more of your mad science thinking."

"Not a mad scientist either. I think we need to start looking at whether individual details are intended to be taken literally or metaphorically."

"Oh." Bernard blinks, then glances over at his computer.

"Did you think of something?" Tim asks. The implications of the response are sprawling by itself, but if the contents are referencing something Bernard's already seen...

"Well, it's just. The first video was pictures, right? And people take photos of stuff they wanna remember so, like. To be seen is to be remembered?"

"That... Makes sense." Tim murmurs.

"Yeah, but it doesn't explain what the rest is about."

"One step at a time. If the people in the first video are our messengers, and they're concerned with being remembered, then I think we should be looking for more information on who they are."

"Right. So I should pull out the clues that reference them, and we can go over those next?

"Sounds like a plan."

[gods-perfect-idiots]

something something blood-soaked hands cradling your face something something

anyway here's the post btw

[strawbebbiesart]

june/ july / august 💌🥪🦢

[marsbotz]

whats ur fucking deal

[the-grays-of-ink]

Me? Having a phase? No . . .

I have most definitely not been having a phase

[icewindandboringhorror]

Just curious what the average level of personal investment in these sorts of things is. Like, how much do people usually get into silly stuff like this their friends ask of them? etc. etc. Which I know, only surveying a small sample on a very specific website means I'm not getting an exact average idea lol, but.. curious nonetheless .. Maybe reblog for bigger sample size but also this is not very serious at all/not worth a call to action gbhjbhjb