#but she will die for tori

[httpfr3shlyrtten]

Tori is a fucking yapper.

Extras:

[cynic-says-stuff]

The way Becky—the normally fashionable and put together teenager—rushes to school at 6 in the morning with no makeup, her hair in a messy bun, and in Superman pyjamas just for Tori. The way she admits to be “putting on a smile” for her friends to seem “normal”. The way Tori finally realizes that perhaps Becky is as deranged as she is. That perhaps they aren’t so different after all, and that her best friend is willing to do anything for her.

[famdommcfanface]

Real Helen Richardson! Oh my fucking god!!!! Yayyy!!

[kgravelle1033]

You just know Tori Spring is a Batiste girly.

[aprito]

love @simplelations's Hope Springs Eternal and this scene in particular

[aq2003]

i can feel myself blorbifying cameron cook more and more... i stand with my somewhat problematic wife. i keep thinking about that one thing nafessa said in an interview, how "it was difficult for cameron to be alone, to be away from her family, her friends, to not have anyone except for tony". imagine you're all alone in this world of sharks (sexist. hyper masculine. extremely white world. in the 80s) and you have no one except for your desperately insecure boss (at least this is what your desperately insecure boss wants you to think). he says, "doesn't it feel SO good when you win awards knowing i put you there". he's also deeply in love with you and wants to leave his wife to marry you. cameron cook you are so much stronger than me bc oh my god

[droidsdoodles]

Did you forget who was the real Red Leader?

[martellspear]

girls when their "I could not prevent it" translates to keeping sarah in the house for a little while longer but she still dies / reading they both die at the end and hoping that the characters survive / tory adkisson's every version of the story ends with you being slaughtered / suddenly it's december, and you're not seventeen anymore / mary's womb was also a grave / feeling empathy for ghosts haunting the narrative / denying there are certain fates they can't change, the castle was inevitable going to crumble

[torieisawesome99]

If I were a vampire or some other version of a never aging immortal I most definitely would be the type to mourn my dead loved ones for all time and lean heavyyyy into the whole "everyone I've ever loved will die before my eyes while I sit ageless so I'm a moody depressed anxious immortal woe is me" schtick I do also think I would be the type to keep a very detailed record of my loved ones and their lineage through the ages and be like the weird aunt that no one seems to know how I'm actually related but I'm always around and bring presents and am there to babysit the kids or help them move the heavy furniture or give a loan that I'll refuse to allow them to pay me back for (in this AU I slowly amass enough money to live comfortably and also to buy my favorite familial descendants a nice house so they always have a home) like idk I just think yeah it would suck I would grieve deeply when they die but I think the truly beautiful thing about being immortal would be that as long as I'm alive none of them would ever truly die in a way that matters ya know. They would love on in my memory, in the stories id tell to people about them, in the art id create to help me grieve their loss, in the gardens and forests I would tend to in memory of them until the sun explodes and the Earth is no more than stardust once more.

^the conversation with my sister that kick-started tonight's late night ramblings

[muirneach]

yippee olivia chow won the election. a win for me specifically (registered ndp supporter)

[sopranoentravesti]

Revisiting the Leonard Cohen Cover Tribute Album Tower of Song and I swore there was a cover by Laurie Anderson on there but nope guess I hallucinated that one.

[macallai]

tori did spring hazzeeeeeee and siren

she also did i am stretched out on your grave as tribute to sinead :(((( <3333 

[reasoningdaily]

My former U.S. Track and Field teammate Tori Bowie, who was found dead in her home in Florida on May 2, of complications related to childbirth at 8 months pregnant, was a beautiful runner. She was effortless. At the Rio Olympics, I ran the second leg of the 4 x 100 relay. Tori was the anchor. When she got the baton, I remember thinking, “it’s over.” She just accelerated. When she crossed the finish line, I couldn’t wait to run over to her to celebrate. It was her first, and only, Olympic gold medal.

She also picked up a silver (in the 100-m) and bronze (200-m) in Brazil. The next year, at the 2017 World Championships in London, Tori won the 100-m title, earning the title of “world’s fastest woman.” Tori started out as a long jumper. So seeing her thrive as a sprinter was a huge deal. She was just such a bright light, and people were getting to see that.

Tori grew up in Mississippi and had this huge Southern accent. She didn’t take herself too seriously. You felt this sense of ease when you were around her. I last saw her in early 2021, in San Diego, where she was training. She gave me the biggest hug; something about her spirit was just very, very sweet. I felt her sweetness come over me that day.

Tori was 32 when she died. According to the autopsy, possible complications contributing to Bowie’s death included respiratory distress and eclampsia—seizures brought on by preeclampsia, a high blood pressure disorder that can occur during pregnancy. I developed preeclampsia during my pregnancy with my daughter Camryn, who was born in November 2018. The doctors sent me to the hospital, where I would deliver Camryn during an emergency C-section, at 32 weeks. I was unsure if I was going to make it. If I was ever going to hold my precious daughter.

Like so many Black women, I was unaware of the risks I faced while pregnant. According to the CDC, in 2021 the maternal mortality rate for Black women was 2.6 times the rate for white women. About five days before I gave birth to Camryn, I was having Thanksgiving dinner with my family. I mentioned that my feet were swollen. As we went around the table, the women shared their experiences during pregnancy. My cousin said she also had swollen feet. My mom didn’t. Not once did someone say, ‘oh, well, that’s one of the indicators of preeclampsia.’ None of us knew. When I became pregnant, my doctor didn’t sit me down and tell me, ‘these are things that you should look for in your pregnancy, because you are at a greater risk to experience these complications.’

That needs to change, now, especially in light of Tori’s tragic passing. Awareness is huge. Serena Williams had near-death complications during her pregnancy. Beyoncé developed preeclampsia. I hate that it takes Tori’s situation to put this back on the map and to get people to pay attention to it. But oftentimes, we need that wake-up call.

The medical community must do its part. There are so many stories of women dying who haven’t been heard. Doctors really need to hear the pain of Black women.

Luckily, there’s hope on several fronts. Congress has introduced the Momnibus Act, a package of 13 bills crafted to eliminate racial disparities in maternal health and improve outcomes across the board. California passed Momnibus legislation back in 2021. These laws make critical investments in areas like housing, nutrition, and transportation for underserved communities. Further, several pharmaceutical companies are making advances on early detection and treatment of preeclampsia.

Three gold medalists from that 4 x 100 relay team in Rio set out to become mothers. All three of us—all Black women—had serious complications. Tianna Madison has shared that she went into labor at 26 weeks and entered the hospital “with my medical advance directive AND my will.” Tori passed away. We’re dealing with a Black Maternal Health crisis. Here you have three Olympic champions, and we’re still at risk.

I would love to have another child. That’s something that I know for sure. But will I be here to raise that child? That’s a very real concern. And that’s a terrifying thing. This is America, in 2023, and Black women are dying while giving birth. It’s absurd.

I’m hopeful that things can get better. I’m hopeful that Tori, who stood on the podium at Rio, gold around her neck and sweetness in her soul, won’t die in vain.

—as told to Sean Gregory

[natequarter]

She died on Christmas Day. On Christmas Day! I said goodbye on an iPad! Because of the rules! She died alone! And those awful people and their wine fridges, and their dancing, and their parties, and I listened to them, and I let my mother die alone!

anyway for those who for sensible reasons have not been obsessively following british tory scandals: the ruling party in uk government spent lockdown throwing secret parties whilst everyone else was told to stay at home. i'm not a monarchist but i would like to point out that there was some very striking imagery of elizabeth ii mourning her dipshit husband alone; this was a deep albeit utterly unsurprising betrayal, especially for the people whose family members died during lockdown. the partying is not metaphorical. it is not some abstract. it is about conservative mps who partied whilst ordinary people died. in the words of uhhh steven moffat: christmas is a headcount, and this is brutal political commentary

[holyprncess]

​i remember getting called delusional and racially biased when i said mel would survive because shes magical!!!!!!! now look bitches 😛 it feels so good to be so right

yall my black goddess on the screen and all i can say is i fucking told you so yall can suck my DICK BECAUSE I TOLD YOU SO I TOLD YOU SO I TOLD YOU MEL WAS SPECIAL

[brookediamonds]

stuck on you | Axel Kovačević x Fem! Reader

Summary: This is apart of my sunshine!Axel x Grumpy!Reader trope. Your friends have recognized your behaviors with your boyfriend are similar to a famous pair of eagles that are best known as Jackie & Shadow.

Word Count: 1.7k Warnings: none, fluff!!

gif is not mine

Lunch at school is always chaotic, but today, Sam is unusually quiet, eyes glued to her phone.

You don’t think much of it as Miguel and Robby are wrapped up in some debate over street tacos, Tory is swiping fries off Robby’s tray, and Axel…

Well, Axel is all over you, as usual.

You sit stiffly, munching away at your chips, while he lounges against you like it’s the most natural thing in the world.

One arm drapes lazily around your shoulders, his fingers absentmindedly playing with the ends of your hair.

Every so often, he leans in, nuzzling into your temple, pressing a quick kiss to your cheek, just generally being Axel.

And as usual, you don’t fight it. You just side-eye him with the kind of exasperation only built through experience, letting out a slow sigh like you’ve long since given up on stopping him.

Across the table, Sam suddenly snorts. "Oh my god."

"What?" Miguel questions her, leaning in.

She doesn’t answer right away, just turns her phone so the rest of you can see. The Big Bear Bald Eagle Live Nest Cam is playing, and on the screen, Jackie and Shadow sit in their nest.

Right as the camera focuses, Shadow swoops in with a giant stick, fumbling with it, only to knock straight into Jackie.

She doesn’t react beyond narrowing her eyes, looking utterly unimpressed as she endures his antics. You can't help but snort when she begins to holler at him.

Miguel takes one look at the screen. Then at you. Then at Axel, practically wrapped around you like a human blanket.

A slow grin spreads across his face.

"If Jackie and Shadow were people, it would totally be Y/n and Axel," Miguel snickers.

Your friends burst out laughing, nodding in agreement and Robby adding in, "I can totally see it."

You inhale deeply, exhaling in pure, exhausted defeat. Because the worst part? They’re absolutely right.

Axel grins, poking at your side. "Does this mean I can start building a nest around you?"

Laughter erupts around the table, Tory actually doubling over. You roll your eyes, shoving his arm off your shoulder, but he just leans right back in like it never happened.

"Don't get any ideas," you threaten him, continuing to pop another chip in your mouth.

Miguel wipes a fake tear from his eye. "Oh man, that’s too good."

Lunch continues as normal with Sam propping her phone up for everyone to bird watch with her, all while Axel persists to be all over you, with you tolerating it like you have been this past year.

And you wouldn't have it any other way. But Axel, being Axel, doesn’t let the joke die.

─── ⋅ ⋅ ⋅ ──── ♡ ─── ⋅ ⋅ ⋅ ─── ⋅ ⋅ ⋅ ─

Later, at practice, you’re stretching when you notice something out of the corner of your eye. A small pile of sticks, placed suspiciously close to your feet.

You frown, looking up. Axel, standing a few feet away, meets your gaze with an infuriatingly innocent expression.

You glance down. Another stick has been added.

"Babe."

"Yes, my love?"

You stare at him. He stares back. Then, very deliberately, he places another stick by your foot.

"You’re not building a nest around me," you say pointedly. Tory and Sam being to snicker at your boyfriend’s insistence.

"I think I am," Axel says, his blue-green eyes sparkling with mischief. 

He drops to a crouch beside you, arranging the sticks in a loose circle. "It's a very nice nest. Very sturdy. Top-quality twigs."

You roll your eyes so hard you're surprised they don't get stuck. "Sensei is going to kill you."

"Worth it," he declares, adding another stick with exaggerated care. "Shadow would be proud."

Sam snaps a picture on her phone. "This is going on Instagram."

"Tag me," Axel says without looking up from his masterpiece.

You reach for your water bottle, purposely ignoring him. "We are not eagles."

"We could be," he insists, pushing another stick toward your feet. "Look how well I provide for you."

"What's happening over there?” Sensei Lawrence voice booms from across the yard. "Are we training or building a campfire?"

Axel jumps to his feet, not even slightly embarrassed. 

"Just preparing a home for my mate, sensei!" he calls back cheerfully.

Your face burns as everyone turns to look. Miguel and Robby are practically holding each other up, they're laughing so hard.

"Your mate needs to work on her roundhouse kicks, not real estate," Sensei Lawrence barks, but you can see the corner of his mouth twitching. "Clean that crap up and give me twenty push-ups, on your knuckles, both of you!"

"Both of us?" you sputter. "I didn't do anything!"

"You encouraged him by existing," Johnny retorts. "Twenty push-ups."

Axel is already dropping to the ground, grinning like this is the best thing that's happened all day. You groan but join him in the grass. 

"I'm going to kill you later," you mutter, starting your push-ups.

"No, you won't," he replies cheerfully. "You love me too much."

The worst part is he's right, but you'd rather eat your words.

─── ⋅ ⋅ ⋅ ──── ♡ ─── ⋅ ⋅ ⋅ ─── ⋅ ⋅ ⋅ ─

Later That week...

Your parents are out for their date night, leaving you and Axel alone with a stack of movies, a bowl of popcorn, and the comfortable quiet of the empty house.

You're nestled into the corner of the couch, wrapped in your favorite fuzzy blanket, with Axel curled around you like a human radiator. 

His body is warm against yours, one arm wrapped around your waist, his chin resting on top of your head. The TV flickers with an action movie you both agreed on. 

You're only half-watching as you listen to Axel's heartbeat, his fingers drawing absent patterns on your arm.

"Want more popcorn?" he murmurs, his breath warm against your hair.

You shake your head, burrowing deeper into his side. "Too comfortable to move."

He chuckles, the sound rumbling through his chest and into yours. 

Outside, rain has started to patter against the windows, creating a cozy backdrop to your evening. 

"You know," Axel says suddenly, his voice soft but playful, "I've been thinking about those eagles."

You groan, tilting your head back to look at him.

"Are you still on that? It's been a week."

"No, but really," he insists, shifting so he can see your face better. His eyes catch the light from the TV. "They mate for life, you know."

"I'm aware," you say dryly. "Sam has been sending me eagle facts every day since lunch."

The rain picks up outside, drumming against the roof in a soothing rhythm. Axel's fingers find yours under the blanket, intertwining with practiced ease. 

His skin is warm against yours, calloused from karate but gentle as he traces your knuckles.

"I like that about them," he continues, his voice taking on that dreamy quality it gets when he's thinking deeply about something. "They build this home together, year after year. Same place. Same partner."

You smile despite yourself.

For all his childish antics, there's something endearing about the way Axel latches onto ideas, turning them over in his mind like precious stones until he finds the facet that shines the brightest.

"Jackie probably rolls her eyes at Shadow just as much as I do with you," you point out, reaching for your soda on the coffee table.

"Probably," he agrees, helping you sit up without unwrapping his arm from around you. "But she still comes back to him every season."

You take a sip of your soda, watching the rain trace silver patterns down the window. 

Axel shifts beside you, looking down at you with a completely serious expression.

"Would you still love me if we were eagles, babe?"

You nearly choke on your soda, coughing as you set the cup down.

"Would I still love you if we were eagles?" You repeat back to him.

"Yeah," he says, completely earnest, his eyes completely locked on yours. "Would you pick me every season?"

There's something in his voice that makes you pause. Beneath the ridiculous question is a vulnerability that catches you off guard.

You study his face, the way his lips quirk up at one side when he's trying not to seem too serious.

"I don't know," you tease, pretending to consider it carefully. "Do eagle boyfriends steal the last slice of pizza and blame it on Casper the ghost?"

He clutches his chest dramatically. "One time! That happened one time!"

"And do eagle boyfriends put their freezing cold feet on their girlfriends when they're trying to sleep?" you ask, raising an eyebrow.

"My feet are not that cold," Axel protests, immediately pressing his socked foot against your calf to prove his point.

You yelp and swat at him. He laughs, the sound warm and familiar, before pulling you closer. 

"You didn't answer my question," he reminds you, his accent thickening slightly the way it does when he's being sincere.

You look up at him, at his stupidly handsome face and those ocean-colored eyes that somehow always manage to look at you like you're the most fascinating thing he's ever seen.

"Yes," you say finally, your voice softer than you intended. "I would pick you every season, even if you built the messiest nest in all of Big Bear.”

Axel's entire face lights up, and he presses his forehead against yours. "I knew it."

"Don't let it go to your head," you warn, but you're smiling too.

He kisses you softly, his lips warm against yours. When he pulls back, there's that look in his eyes, the one that makes your heart do stupid things in your chest.

"For the record," he says softly, "I would pick you every season too. Even if you were the grumpiest eagle on the mountain."

"I would be the grumpiest eagle," you agree. "Especially with you bringing me sticks all day."

Axel laughs, pulling you back against his chest as he settles deeper into the couch. 

"I'd bring you the best sticks. The premium sticks. Five-star eagle nest material,” he declares. 

"Of course you would," you say, unable to keep the fondness from your voice.

The movie plays on, forgotten in the background as Axel's fingers resume their gentle exploration of your arm. 

The rain continues its steady rhythm against the windows, creating a cocoon of sound around you both.

It's moments like these, quiet, unplanned, that make all his ridiculous antics worth it.

─── ⋅ ⋅ ⋅ ──── ♡ ─── ⋅ ⋅ ⋅ ─── ⋅ ⋅ ⋅ ─

Masterlist

Taglist: @ggrgcribg

(a/n: i had to write this one, it was too cute not to. working on the diaz!reader next, i already have my outline and ending can't wait to get it out! don't forget to like, comment, or reblog! much love 🤍)