#back on my bullshit posting things for me and only me

[izzih22]

ok so i got a fic idea: yk how azzis is like geno's fav and their ppls princess? like so basically i saw some comments somewhere saying she was like only featured that much cus shes genos fav and friends ( or more) with paige... (which like not true🙄 have u literally seen this girl shoot?!???) buttt can u maybe write a fic where like azzi read something like that and gets sad and insecure and paige comforts her

Earned

Note: sorry it’s a little short

Azzi Fudd is everyone’s favorite. Except, apparently, when she’s not.

The locker room had mostly cleared out after practice, laughter fading down the hallway. Azzi stayed behind, half-laced sneakers still digging into the mat, phone in her hand like it had fused there.

She shouldn’t have looked. She knew better than to check the comments under the latest team highlight post. But there it was, anyway. Bright and cruel on the screen, buried under a hundred heart emojis and fire reacts:

“She’s only getting minutes because she’s Geno’s fav lol”

“Let’s be real, if she wasn’t besties (or whatever) with Paige, she wouldn’t get half the attention.”

“Overrated. Pretty face and connections. Not game.”

Azzi’s fingers locked around the phone until her knuckles went white. She blinked hard, like that would wash it away. She could shoot until her legs gave out, put in more hours than anyone — it still didn’t matter to some people. To strangers who didn’t know a damn thing about what it cost her just to stay upright some days.

She didn’t even hear Paige come back in until the bench creaked beside her.

“You forgot your jersey, babe,” Paige said casually, tossing them in Azzi’s lap. “And your water bottle. And your soul, apparently.”

Azzi didn’t laugh. Didn’t even look up.

It took Paige about two seconds to clock the vibe shift. “Hey.” Her voice softened. “What happened?”

Azzi shook her head. “Nothing. Just tired.”

“Try again.”

When she didn’t answer, Paige leaned over and gently pried the phone out of her hand. Azzi didn’t fight it.

Paige didn’t need to scroll far to see it. Her jaw tensed. That familiar fire lit behind her eyes — the one she saved for game time and anyone dumb enough to mess with someone she loved.

“Who the hell—” Paige cut herself off, breathing hard through her nose. “You know this is bullshit, right?”

Azzi shrugged.

“Azzi. Look at me.”

Azzi did. Slowly. And Paige swore under her breath at the tears pooling just behind her eyes.

“You work harder than anyone. You play through more pain than anyone. You earn every damn second on that court.”

“It doesn’t feel like it,” Azzi whispered. “Sometimes it just feels like people think I’m only here because I’m… nice. Or pretty. Or… with you.”

Paige’s face crumpled just slightly at that. “That’s not true. That’s so far from true.”

Azzi looked away again, but Paige caught her chin and tilted it back. Gentle. Steady.

“Listen to me,” she said, low and intense now. “You’re not here because of Geno. Or me. Or because fans think you’re sweet. You’re here because you are the best shooter in the country, and you’ve earned every headline. Every minute. Every damn point. No one gave you anything.”

Azzi blinked fast, but the tears slipped out anyway. Paige caught one with her thumb, her hand still cupping her jaw.

“And for the record?” Paige added, quieter. “Even if I wasn’t in love with you, I’d still lose my mind every time you hit a three.”

Azzi let out a wet, half-laugh. “That was cheesy.”

“Yeah, well, you’re dating a simp. Deal with it.”

Azzi leaned forward, forehead pressed against Paige’s shoulder, finally letting herself exhale. Paige wrapped her up like she always did — strong, grounding, warm. No spotlight, no cameras. Just them. Where everything was earned. And everything was real.

[tinycurlyfry]

Can you help me to understand why Sakura is so nervous here to ask for his favourite food? Does this has root in his childhood?

Yeah! I can give my insight on it at least! So this scene happens immediately after Sakura's talk with Kaji and Umemiya. During which, they drove home that everyone at Furin doesn't conditionally love Sakura because of his fighting ability or that they think he's going to be this strong, unshakeable captain. They love Sakura because of *who* he is. Which is a very hard thing for Sakura to understand because he doesn't feel like he knows himself very well. Up until this point he really did think the only thing about himself that was of value was his physical strength/fighting ability. (We're going to get this scene next week too btw ;;v;; I'm going to sob at this coming episode I swear)

It's not specifically about asking for Omurice that is making Sakura so nervous I don't think, but what happened in the scene leading up to him saying what food he wants. Sakura made this big apology/announcement to class 1-1 that he's sorry that he is a failure of a captain and he is probably going to screw up in the future trying to lead and protect them. He calls himself weak again, and says he's just going to be a disappointment to them. In response to which, his classmates affectionately/angrily attack him and everyone expresses in their own ways that they're insulted Sakura would think their care for him is so conditional.

Insulted that Sakura assumes they expect Sakura to be this perfect leader and that they don't already know that he's just starting out learning how to look out for others and be a good leader. Yes, just as Kaji told him already, they KNOW he doesn't know what he's doing. They KNOW he's going to make dumb mistakes and "Be a lameass" (Anzai ily, you're so fucking funny). They KNOW he's navigating unknown territory and he's scared. But all the same, does Sakura really think they're the kind of people who would just reject him immediately after a single mistake? Does he think they don't love him for how hard he's TRYING to do good, for how hard he wants to fight for them and to protect the same things that are important to them as well? That they would think less of him because he freaked out when he saw them getting hurt, and then was beating himself so much over the fact that he "let them" get hurt???

Well, clearly that means he doesn't understand them at all, and that needs to be amended immediately. So how do people in Wind Breaker go about connecting to each other, and solidifying their status as a family/community? THEY GO OUT AND GET A MEAL TOGETHER!!! (to bring it back to my food is community theme post on my WBK blog~)

(Again, Anzai Ily so so much gjsdkflg) But yeah! Basically they all start arguing about where to eat after school when they ask Sakura to be the person to decide for them. He's nervous partially because he's still processing everything that they've been saying to him this scene, but also because expressing what HE wants (to eat) and HIS preferences is the first step of putting himself out there for them. It's not a fact about him that's related to his strength or fighting ability or ability to lead, it's just what his favorite food is. And that, in a way, is a first step towards letting them get to know who he really is. As Suo had just said-

(Which, Also, YEAH OKAY *SUO*, how about taking some of your own advice and opening up to the class about yourself too??? He literally tries to bullshit his answers to their classmates when asked at Pothos what he's scared of most and Nirei has to call Suo's ass out.) But anyways! Yeah, the tension of the scene is finally released because Class 1-1 is more than happy to agree to go to Pothos for Omurice/fried onigiri etc and Sakura had had to build up a LOT of courage to talk to them so honestly and vulnerably. They're moving on as if nothing has changed between them BECAUSE nothing has changed and they now just know that they have to take a little more direct of an approach to assure Sakura that he is allowed to make mistakes and be himself and they will never reject him or even think less of him for it.

[mielsonrisa]

The Weight of Survival Ch1: ‘Old Debts, New Burdens’

Joel Miller x Reader Fanfiction

You’ve always survived by keeping your head down, your knife sharp, and your heart out of it. As an old friend of Marlene and a seasoned smuggler, you’re used to taking risky jobs—but when she asks you to help move a teenage girl named Ellie out of the Boston QZ, nothing feels simple anymore. Especially when you're forced to partner with Joel Miller—a man you’ve clashed with in the past, and whose guarded silence hides more than he lets on.

(Content Warnings Ch1 - none)

Word Count: 1.7k

Hello my lovelies, this is my first official post/fanfiction that I am releasing to the internet, so please don't be too harsh! This story will be canon-compliant through details, characters and rough plot, but will digress at times, so don't expect a carbon copy of the games or series. I don’t have a definitive number of chapters, just going to keep writing and developing as we go! So get cozy, grab a warm drink and settle in. It’s going to be full of angst, emotion, passion and pain. A real journey if you will.

Chapter 1:

You were never supposed to owe Marlene anything. Not after everything. But when she showed up in that half-collapsed safehouse, bleeding and breathless, clutching your wrist with the same fire in her eyes she’d had twenty years ago, you didn’t say no. You didn’t ask questions. That was the problem with old friends in this world - they knew just enough of who you used to be to make you forget who you’ve had to become.

Even so, in this moment, you were still trying to decide if that made you loyal or stupid when the door opened behind you. Heavy footsteps…deliberate. You didn’t need to look to know who it was, there was only one guy in the Boston QZ who walked like the whole world owed him a fight. Accepting this job was one thing, but Marlene had to be joking if she believed you would spend a second with Joel Miller.

“Seriously?” you muttered under your breath. “This is who she sent?”

Shifting the coarse fabric of the backpack onto your shoulder - and adjusting the worn straps so you wouldn’t scrape your back again - you turn slowly but surely to find one pissed off man staring straight back at you. Nothing could’ve prepared you for the heaviness bearing down on your shoulders…backpack aside. Joel Miller stands in the doorway like he owns it - like he owns every room he walks into - and for a second you hate how familiar it feels. Shoulders squared, that permanent scowl carved into his face, arms crossed over his chest as if he’s already two steps into an argument you didn’t even know you were about to have.

It’s been years since you’ve seen him this close. Long enough that you’d convinced yourself whatever existed between you…whatever grudges, whatever unspoken things you left bleeding in the dirt, had finally died with the rest of your past.

Clearly, you were wrong.

“You’ve gotta be kidding me,” he grunts, scanning the room like he might find Marlene tucked into one of the shadows. “This is what I’m working with?”

You scoff, rolling your eyes toward the crumbling ceiling. Same Joel. Same condescending tone that grates under your skin like sandpaper.

“Don’t flatter yourself,” you bite back. “I was just leaving.”

He doesn’t move from the doorway. Doesn’t even blink.

Of course he doesn’t.

The backpack digs into your shoulder as you adjust it again - more forceful this time - using the sting of it to anchor you in the moment. You’re not that person anymore, the one who waited for him to show up. The one who thought maybe - just maybe - he’d have your back.

That version of you died somewhere in a blood-soaked alley years ago.

Joel’s jaw ticks as his gaze sweeps over you, landing briefly on the faded knife strapped to your thigh. The same one he once returned without a word.

“You don’t have to like it,” he says finally, voice low, like gravel underfoot. “But Marlene needs this done, and we don’t got no time to play catch up on old bullshit.”

Your stomach twists at the sound of her name on his lips. Like it means something to both of you. Like it tied you together in ways you never asked for.

“Old bullshit?” you echo, with a bitter laugh. “Is that what we’re calling it now?"

He stares at you for a long moment, unreadable. The tension between you tightens until it’s almost unbearable, a silent war neither of you have the energy to fight but refuse to back down from.

Outside, somewhere in the QZ streets beyond the cracked windows, you hear distant shouting - FEDRA patrols or desperate civilians, you can’t tell anymore. It doesn’t matter. The world keeps moving while you and Joel stay stuck in the same ugly loop you swore you’d never fall back into.

“Look,” he exhales, dragging a hand down his face, the lines of exhaustion etched deep into his weathered skin. “We can stand here all night throwin’ punches that don’t land, or we can get this shit over with and go our separate ways.”

His eyes flick toward the door, toward whatever job Marlene’s roped him into, and you feel something twist in your gut. An old, familiar ache you thought you’d buried.

Separate ways.

Right

Because that always worked out so well before.

You adjust the strap of your backpack one last time, ignoring the way your heart hammers a little too hard beneath your ribs.

“Fine,” you mutter, stepping past him without another glance. “But don’t think for a second I’m doing this for you.”

He doesn’t respond, but you can feel his gaze burning into your back as you disappear down the hallway. Like he’s waiting for you to look back.

You don’t.

Not this time.

The abandoned subway station stinks of mold and rust. Water drips steadily from somewhere up in the cracked ceiling, the slow, miserable sound echoing off concrete walls. Your boots leave faint prints in the dust coating the floor, ghost trails that will vanish long before morning. Joel stays behind you the whole way down the crumbling stairwell.

Not close enough to crowd you. Not far enough for you to pretend he’s not there.

When you reach the platform - empty, save for a few shattered benches and the remnants of some long-dead camp - you shrug your backpack off with a grunt and drop it at your feet.

You’re tired.

Tired in a way that’s older than your body, buried somewhere in your bones. Tired of running, tired of fighting, tired of pretending old wounds don’t still bleed every damn day.

Joel leans back against a graffiti-scarred pillar a few feet away, a stones throw, arms crossed, jaw clenched tight. The overhead lights - barely flickering to life from a half destroyed generator nearby which has certainly seen better days - cast deep shadows across his face, hollowing out the tired lines, the permanent frown he wears like armour.

The silence between you stretches. Heavy. Lingering. Unforgiving.

You kick a broken beer bottle across the concrete with the toe of your boot, the sharp crack echoing off the walls.

“So. We’re just supposed to waltz out of the QZ with a kid in tow, huh? No big deal.” You say. Your voice sounds rougher than you expect. Tired. Like you’re already bracing for the failure you can feel creeping up around the edges.

Joel shifts his stance, arms unfolding briefly as he scratches at the scruff on his jaw. He shrugs once, a sharp, dismissive motion.

“Not my first choice either.”

You turn towards him fully now, crossing your arms over your chest like it might keep the cold - and him - out.

“Then why’d you say yes?”

Joel looks past you, toward the busted tunnel mouth at the far end of the platform - the place where escape should be waiting, if the Fireflies kept their word. You watch the way his mouth tightens, the slight twitch of his fingers, like he wants to be anywhere else but here, talking about this with you.

“Didn’t have much of a choice.” He murmurs, voice low and tired from the conversation already.

The words hit something sore inside you, the idrs that maybe none of you are choosing anything anymore, just surviving one awful decision at a time. You huff a bitter laugh and slide down the wall, the rough concrete scraping against the back of your jacket until you’re crouched low, elbows on your knees. It’s easier not to look at him from here.

“Yeah. Story of the goddamn century.”

For a minute, all you hear is the whistle of the wind through the station, the distant thud of something heavy falling in the ruins above. It’s the sound of the world crumbling piece by piece, a familiar soundtrack. Joel shifts again. Not restless - deliberate.

You know that about him, even after all this time. Joel Miller doesn’t move unless he’s decided something.

He studies you for a long beat - the way your hand rests protectively over your knife, the tension locked in your shoulders, the way you stare out into the dark like you’re expecting it to bite. You wait for the judgement.

The lecture.

The cold, hard assessment he was always so good at giving.

Instead -

“You’re good at what you do.”

The words slide into the silence like a knife.

You blink at him, thrown off balance. It’s not what you expected. Not even close.

Snorting, you respond dryly, “Gee, thanks for the ringing endorsement.”

But Joel’s not smiling. Not smirking. His face is serious, gaze steady and mouth a tight line. As stoic as ever, he says,

“Ain’t a lotta people I’d want watchin’ my back out there.”

For a second - a single, shuddering heartbeat - the wall around your chest cracks.

You remember what it felt like once, standing back-to-back with him in the dark, weapons drawn, trust implicit. You remember thinking nothing could break you.

You were wrong, of course.

You swallow the lump rising in your throat. Quietly, betraying yourself before you can stop:

“You used to.”

The words hang between you, trembling.

Joel’s jaw ticks, his gaze dropping for a second like he can’t bear the weight of it. The firelight from a broken trash can casts long, flickering shadows over him, painting the years you lost in stark, brutal relief.

“Yeah…I did” a gravelly voice murmurs into the abyss.

You don’t say the rest. Neither does he. You both remember what came after: the fight, the silence, the way you turned your back on each other because it was easier than asking why.

The air feels too thick. Your skin too tight.

Joel pushes off the pillar with a grunt, moving toward your bag where it sits slumped on the floor. He picks it up easily, tossing it back toward you without ceremony.

“C’mon. They’re waitin’ on us. Don’t make the kid think we’re already a lost cause.”

You catch the bag against your chest, the weight of it grounding you. You push up to your feet, slinging it once again over your shoulder with a grunt. You don’t say anything as you fall into step beside him, matching his stride without thinking.

The silence between you isn’t easy.

It isn’t forgiving.

But it’s familiar.

And for now, that’s enough.

(Ahhhhh I hope you’ve all enjoyed the first little chapter of this series. I have big plans for this one…the lore shall be insane. Buuuut that only comes if you ask nicely. Please lemme know if you want more of this series, and if so, your wish is my command! xo)

[trekking-through-life]

"Could've just as easily been us... imagine if Harkon didn't give you the option to refuse his gift..." Narrator's voice: he did indeed imagine it.

[moongothic]

WAIT WAIT WAIT HOLD THE FUCKING PHONE

So normally we only get fullblown, extended and dedicated flashbacks for heroic characters in One Piece, the characters who we're meant to root for. The literal only TRUE exception we've had to this rule was Big Mom's flashback. Even fucking Doflamingo's flashback was tied to Law and Rosinante's

So the fact that we haven't gotten a single fucking GLIMPSE at Crocodile's backstory is?!?

Like sure, we haven't gotten like a Moria flashback, but you know, he literally told us all we needed to know himself, AND we got to see glimpses of him in the Wano flashbacks. Arlong didn't get a flashback of his own, but he did get to cameo in Fisher Tiger's flashback. And Rob Fucking Lucci got a flashback that was 6 whooping panels long

BUT CROCODILE?? Not only do we know almost Fuck All about his story, but also have never gotten as much as a glimpse at it? But his backstory has been HINTED and TEASED at multiple times??

GUYS. FELLAS

Like. I am SURE the "Full Backstories for Heroes Only" rule is going to get broken again, but with Imu and Blackbeard already there just BEGGING to have their beans spilled, can we even be sure Sir Fucking Crocodile is somehow going to become A Villain So Dangerous To The Narrative that he ALSO should also recieve a Full Fucking Backstory?? For his Nefarious Schemes?? AT THIS POINT??

Y'all

I think it's more likely Oda's been saving up Croc's backstory because it might just completely recontextualize his entire character

[silly-lil-scribbles]

woag was just going into settings to look through my asks and apparently i lost like over 100 followers somewhere in the past like week or two????????????? i mean im not upset, my posts and art suck ass and idk why anyone follows me to begin with and nobody is obligated to stay but im just really confused if i did something now

[whumpacabra]

Dogs of War

WIP | ??? Words

Another AU set in my Freelancers Universe, diverging just before the canonical end of the Swansong Arc. (It's a good point in the canon for divergent plots, alright?)

Wolf's patient, dogged determination has paid off - his handler is off-base, his medical escort will have three guards, and there are three American volunteers who should be eager to play a part in this escape attempt. He hopes they are - because none of them are getting out of this alive if they get caught.

Military setting, captivity, escape, on the run, medical treatment, assumed dead, fear of recapture, betrayal, angst (with a happy ending?), referenced torture and noncon

Trojan

Sheep's Clothing

Judas Goat

Shellshock

Forged

Carsick

In-Between

Gas Station Snacks

Good as New

Rinse and Repeat

Reckoning

Bite the Hand

Dreams and Doubts

Kettled

Interrogation

Manifest

Bad Karma

Watchmen

The Jester

Tied Down

Cooperation

Fumble

Fiddlesticks

Go Fetch

Instigator

Peace and Quiet

The Devil

Soured

Agent

Good Acting

Hellsent

Whispers

Catastrophizing

Regrets

Delve

Hush

[velvetwyrme]

Welcome back! I love transformers! Which continuity are you interested in? Any favorite characters in particular? Do you have any oc’s? (No pressure if you don’t I’m just curious) <3

Thank you, it's good to be back abfjdbdk! and HECK YEAH TRANSFORMERS 🤝!!!

Thank you for providing me with the opportunity to Talk About Transformers, I will take it graciously and with extreme amounts of vigour and rambling!

Under the cut because of the aforementioned vigour and rambling.

To answer your first question: I'm largely into the IDW (2005) comics, Animated, and Aligned (TFP) continuities! I've also started watching the original G1 cartoon and Cyberverse which has been really fun!! (I'm absorbing so much information. I'm also idly keeping up with the new Skybound comics, which have me yelling screaming crying etc.)

As for characters... I would say I have no favourite/s except I do also own 1 (one) Transformer and well. for something that basically turns into a brick, he gives me immense amounts of joy.

But yes, other than Soundwave, (who has charmed me in every continuity I've seen so far!!) it's a constantly rotating roster because there are SO many characters to think about (which differ from continuity to continuity!!) and I am having the time of my LIIIIFE!!!

It's so funny going from UT/UTMV to TF because UT fans have a lot of focus on Versions of Literally The Same Two Guys, whereas TF has an overabundance of options to pick and choose from (I love both!!! I just think it's very funny in comparison whfjfbek)

Anyway, I am a big fan of a lot of characters from IDW and particularly MTMTE because they're all a bunch of little FREAKS and I love them. But! If I had to pick a few from there, I'm particularly fond of (in no particular order) Drift, Whirl, First Aid, Ratchet, Swerve, Brainstorm, ALSO NAUTICA I love her dearly!!!!

I'm also a Tarn girlie at heart u_u I am not immune to "big bad dude with a mask and a sexy voice just so many problems". Also I have a special place in my heart for Spinister and Pipes rhfjfbejfbk (I love the Scavengers [similarly, a bunch of little freaks] and Pipes makes me SO SAD. WAIT- ANOTHER CHARACTER THAT MAKES ME VERY SAD: IDW SUNSTREAKER. (He was my first taste of the Horrors of the IDW comics and that STUCK with me)

Similarly, I think the Constructicons (+Prowl in IDW) and Combaticons have SUCH fascinating dynamics hjsjkhksjdfh,, combiners got me going crazy... I NEED to find out more about the other combiner teams. It's a fascinating concept.

As for other continuities... Animated has me sick over Blurr, Shockwave and Swindle, and... well, Optimus has intensely kissable lips in this series. Why did they make him like that. I'm also very fond of TFA!Starscream- he was my favorite back when I watched the series as a kid and it was very fun seeing him with fresh eyes LMAO

Fun fact: TFP was a large part of what got me to actually sit down and check out Transformers but... I actually still haven't watched the series itself (つω⊂* ) I just saw TFP!Soundwave and went "OH okay, I love him and need to find out more" which quickly expanded into me going on a deep dive into Transformers, and resurfacing about a month later having read all the IDW 2005 comics and about an equal amount of fanfic for various continuities whfjgbjrbfk,, BUT even though I haven't watched it yet- TFP already has me hooked on Knockout, Ratchet (and Soundwave ofc LMAO)

And the last answer; unfortunately I don't have any TF OCs (ᴗ_ ᴗ。)........

.........YET.

I have many Thoughts but haven't put together any designs because I want to get better at drawin mechs before I jump into making my own! Hopefully that way I have a better idea of how to put em together LMAO. That being said, I Am in fact plagued with ideas!! Like!!! I'd loooove to take a crack at trying to put together a sailplane/glider OC!

(LOOK AT THEM STUPID LONG WINGS...)

Or!! A pair of mechs, one whos an imaging satellite and the other a telescope! (Real starcrossed lovers type deal... both meant to only watch from afar, both longing to be in the other's place/by their side)

I also have a tradition of making sonas that have wings but can't fly, so I kinda want to make a TF sona with a similar concept- either just with good ol doorwings, or maybe a flier with a messed up gyro which causes problems staying upright in the air 🤔

Anyway!!! This is really long again! Oops but not oops because we all knew this would happen. Thank you again for the ask!! (and the excuse to yell about Transformers shfngbekbgm) Now I will return to my daily schedule of listening to. eurobeat and the Transformers Devastation soundtrack. Bye

[voulezloux]

tw abuse in the tags

[seventh-district]

.

[arsenicflame]

there was going to be a sappy post about how much my life has changed in the past year since starting this account here but i feel i have bothered you all enough with my feelings on that in recent weeks

thank you all for being here with me, i love you, and happy birthday to this blog :)

[n7viper]

I have spent too much brain power today on having an existential crisis about writing (again). partially that I'm exhausting a topic no one cares to discuss/a topic that has been exhausted and beaten to death (perhaps, but I don't mind when other people do that thing). also that I'm trying to allow myself to write small things with the micro prompts but then it's hard to convey what I want in few words. and then of course that I don't have the skill to convey what I want