#but I’m settling on somewhere in Canada

[ailurocide]

Inland or Coastal?

Both! ^^

[kirbysdreamlandd]

Hiii here's one idea based on the Barnyard Eclipse Mukbang!!!

Martin has a cousin form Croatia that is visiting Canada

She gets introduced to the gang (Mandy and Hamzah) and also the slushys

They all go together to the farm to see the eclipse

Mandy n Martin get one cabin and Hamzah n Y/N another… the whole one bed trope happens 😳

They end up cuddling while talking before sleeping - in the middle of the night he gets awkwardly HARD against her and the smut comes in!!! *cabin fever*🤭

Maybe we should keep it canon that he is a hardcore virgin?!🤨

love ur writing♥️

Barnyard Eclipse Mukbang

Hamzah X Y/N (Fem)

word count: 4k - longer than I expected lol, let me know if you want a pt. 2!!

After spending your whole life in Croatia, the European life was getting boring. You’d often caught yourself daydreaming about a change, about traveling somewhere new, somewhere out of the continent.

The last time your cousins visited, they couldn’t stop bragging about their Canadian life. Martin, in particular, was insufferable with his talk about his YouTube channel. He went on and on about “Slushy Noobz” and how his videos with his friend, Hamzah, were getting more and more attention. But as annoying as his boasting was, it kind of influenced you in a way.

So, when Martin randomly offered to fly you out to Toronto, you didn’t even think twice. The idea of leaving everything familiar behind, even just for a little while was too tempting to pass up.

The moment you spotted the signs written in English and French, it finally settled in: You had just flown a full 12 hours from Croatia to Canada to visit your cousin and his girlfriend.

By the time you checked into your hotel and began to unpack, your phone buzzed with a text from Martin.

Ah, right.

You’d completely forgotten that you agreed to be in one of Martin’s next vlogs. His pitch being “You’re just as stupid as us, the Slushies are gonna love you!”. And somehow, in a moment of weakness you’d said yes.

But what Martin hadn’t mentioned was that he’d booked an Airbnb for everyone to stay in. You sighed, staring at your neatly unpacked suitcase. Tomorrow’s paid-for room was now destined to sit empty while you stayed with your cousin and his friends in whatever far countryside of Ontario he deemed “So Eclipse mukbang coded”.

Oh well. It wasn’t like you were a stranger to making videos. Back when you were both kids, you and Martin used to make YouTube videos together sneaked away into your rooms during family gatherings. They were the kind of chaotic nonsense only 10 to 12-year-olds could conjure up, that’s why years later that channel was wiped off the website, never to be seen again.

Just as you were coming to terms with the Airbnb situation, another text from Martin popped up on your phone. He casually mentioned that Mandy and Hamzah would be joining and that “for the sake of the bit” Martin and Hamzah were gonna share a queen-sized bed while you and Mandy would have to do the same. You sighed, setting your phone down before diving onto the hotel room’s neatly-made bed.

As much as you tried to downplay it, you always enjoyed Martin’s company. Sure, he could be overwhelming at times, but dealing with his shenanigans was mostly fun. The two of you had a sense of unbounded silliness that you shared with no one else. While you usually kept that side of yourself hidden around most people, Martin always brought it out of you. With him, you didn’t feel the need to filter your humor or tone down yourself. It was an unspoken agreement between you two. A family bond of sorts.

-

The next day you met in Martin’s car, which was oddly being driven by his friend Hamzah, and you squeezed into the backseat.

“Hi, Y/N. I’m Hamzah.” The brunette said looking at you through the rear view mirror, his thin glasses reflecting your face as you awkwardly waved in response.

From Martin’s description and based on his usual group of friends, you had expected Hamzah to be just as obnoxious. But, to your surprise, he gave off a surprisingly calm vibe. His polite introduction almost catching off guard.

“Yeah. He’s my other half” Martin chimed in grinning as he reached a hand on Hamzah’s thigh only for it to be quickly swatted away.

The two eventually started recording. After a series of exaggerated pouts and baby voices from your cousin, Martin’s girlfriend was reluctantly handed the camera, clearly giving in just to put an end to the obscenity of Martin’s pleads.

As they started talking, you noticed a subtle shift in Hamzah’s demeanor. His voice took on a slightly higher pitch, and he became noticeably more talkative. You understood the concept of putting on a persona, but you couldn’t help but wonder if, deep down, he was just as silly as you and Martin, if his videos made his truest self come out.

“So, you’re probably wondering who this is,” Mandy said as the camera flipped to face you. You froze, giving it an awkward deer-in-the-headlights stare.

“And yes, guys,” Martin interrupted from the backseat, leaning into the frame, “She is my girlfriend.”

Mandy gasped, swiveling the camera to capture Martin’s overly confident smirk, which faded fast under her glare. The whole car was quickly filled with an awkward atmosphere until Hamzah broke the silence with a stifled laugh.

“She’s your cousin, Martin, oh my god” She complained, panning the camera back to you with a defeated look on her face as though she was considering being single again. You scrunched your nose back to her, as a way of giving her your condolences.

“I’m Y/N. Martin’s cousin,” You introduced yourself, giving the camera a deadpan look. “And yes, I am unfortunately related to him.”

From the driver’s seat, Hamzah let out a low chuckle. You caught his amused glance in the rearview mirror. You spotted Martin’s pouting at the camera from the corner of your eye.

“So guys,” Martin cut in, clapping his hands together, reverting the audience’s attention back to him. “Right now, we’re on our way to the Airbnb—”

“—Brokeback Mountain Airbnb.” Hamzah interjected dryly, eyes on the road.

“The Brokeback Mountain Airbnb— where we’ll be both sleeping together in the same bed!” Your cousin announced with way too much enthusiasm to the camera. Mandy groaned audibly, leaning back to create as much distance as possible between herself and the camera.

As the drive neared its end, the car turned onto a quiet gravel road. Up ahead, a cozy lodge came into view, the air carrying a blend of woodsmoke and the earthy scent of barn animals, reminding you of the rustic surroundings.

Approaching the entrance of the house, Hamzah pulled out his phone to text the owner.

“Jesus, there’s barely any signal.”

“Hey, get off your phone,” Martin said, his voice teasing. Mandy pointed the camera at him, capturing his exaggerated performance. “Enjoy nature, man.” he added, spinning around dramatically in the air.

That’s when Mandy stopped the recording as Hamzah, too focused on trying to find a way to access the Airbnb, didn’t bother to pay attention to Martin’s antics.

“I don’t know about you, but I’m starving,” Hamzah muttered after a while, tucking his phone away into his pocket. “I guess we could just start eating.”

You left Hamzah and Martin as they wandered toward two stray chairs they’d found just outside the farm. The camera, Popeyes chicken, and those stupid eclipse glasses in hand.

You and Mandy had agreed to avoid participating in the mukbang and eat in the car earlier. Maybe it was a bit out of spite: you couldn’t help it as the guys stared at you with hunger in their eyes while you devoured your chicken, still insisting they were gonna have to wait until they get to the Airbnb to start the “Mukbang”.

You realized you and Mandy got along better than expected—your shared love for animals and the casual shit-talking behind the guys’ backs bonding you. As you left the kids to play, you decided to take a stroll around the farm, bumping into a tall man with leather gloves and a broom in hand. He introduced himself as the owner and, much to your delight, offered to show you the barn animals. You told him you’d wait for the guys to catch up, and he handed you the house keys before walking off. Both of you giggled at the thought him encountering the two guys hunched over their chicken in the middle of his yard while filming a YouTube video.

Once inside the house, you and Mandy headed to the first bedroom you found. The room was cozy, with a large bed and a homely vibe you both loved. You tossed your bags on the bed and settled in, chatting and making yourselves comfortable.

But as the two of you were discussing about how much money adopting an alpaca would cost you, Mandy began sneezing more and more frequently. She sniffled, rubbed her nose, and you noticed her eyes started to water.

“Mandy, you okay?”

“I don’t know. I might be allergic to something here,” she replied, her voice a bit stuffy. “My throat is itching.”

You looked around, trying to figure out what could be causing the problem. That’s when your eyes landed on the large framed picture above the bed. It was a beautiful floral arrangement, but those colorful flowers were as beautiful as they looked like they were likely to cause an allergic reaction.

“Are you allergic to some type of flower?” you said, pointing above you. “It might be that frame over there.”

Mandy sneezed again, looking miserable. “Ugh, this is so bad.”

Without wasting any time, you helped Mandy pack up her things. “Come on, let’s change rooms.”

You grabbed the keys and led her out, making your way to the second cabin. The other bedroom was much more spacious, you realized it was probably the one the guys booked for themselves to sleep in.

“Oh well. They’re gonna have to take the floral one” You said as you set you things to the side of the bed, taking a seat on the colorful bedsheets. Mandy thanked you, while she got remaining sniffles out with the tissues you gave her.

You were both laying flat on the bed relaxing when the light reflecting into the room began to dim, Mandy tilted her head, noticing it too. Curious, you stood up from the bed and walked over to the window. Peering out, you spotted the two guys who had brought you here, standing behind a camera and exclaiming excitedly at the sky.

“They grow up so fast.” Mandy commented, her eyes darting over the two figures in the distance before walking over to the opposite window, her phone propped up to take a picture of the eclipse happening in front of her.

“Careful, you’re looking at it with no glasses on” you teased, mimicking Martin’s exaggerated tone. Mandy responded with her usual deadpan stare that she usually reserved for your cousin.

Once she finished taking her pictures, you both decided to step out and meet up with the guys. The sky was already fading back to normal as they wrapped up their mukbang. The chairs were deserted, but Martin and Hamzah were still nearby, camera in hand.

“Did you see that, Mandy?” Martin called out enthusiastically walking toward you, his glasses still on, making him look as ridiculous as it was the over-excited energy he greeted his girlfriend with.

“That was actually beautiful, man” Hamzah added, carrying empty Popeyes boxes and a tripod with ease as he started heading back toward the cabins with the rest of you.

You filled them in about the allergy situation, and they quickly agreed to switch rooms. Martin made sure to announce the plan to the viewers, turning the camera back on.

“Okay, so, we got a smaller room for us,” Martin narrated, zooming in on the bed before panning to Hamzah’s unimpressed expression as he scanned the space. “But that’s okay. It’ll bring us even clos—”

His words were abruptly cut off by the anticipation of a loud sneeze, his left hand flying up to his nose as he sniffled. “Damn, big-ass sneeze” Hamzah teased, taking the camera from Martin so he could grab a tissue.

But the sneezing didn’t stop. Each sniffle grew louder and slimier, making Hamzah let out an audible “eugh” as he watched his friend’s mucus drip onto the tissue.

“God, I might be allergic to lilies too” Martin joked weakly, before Mandy demanded he evacuated the cabin. After stepping outside for a while, Martin’s sneezes started to ease, confirming your and Mandy’s suspicions.

“Aw, we’re united by allergies too!” Martin said dramatically, wrapping his arms around Mandy, who, despite being restrained by his hug, let a tiny smirk slip across her usual stoic face.

“Shit, this is complicated,” Hamzah muttered, sighing as he gestured toward you and Mandy“We can’t switch rooms with you again.”

He bit his bottom lip, frowning in frustration, before glancing at you. Silence stretched on as you and Hamzah shared an awkward stare-off, both silently acknowledging the inconvenient situation.

“I’m sorry,” Mandy gave you both an apologetic look as she wiggled out of Martin’s restraint “We could ask for the flowers to get removed…”

But that last sentence hung in the air, heavy with a shared hesitance among all of you.

“It’s fine” You and Hamzah both said at the same time, voices overlapping in different paces but carrying the same tension.

Mandy and Martin didn’t seem to have any objections, leaving you and Hamzah to share a one-bed room.

In the quiet of your cabin, an unspoken tension between you and Hamzah grew as you were settling into the once-again changed room. Even when you were doing something as simple as unpacking your belongings, every movement seemed amplified, making you both extremely aware of each other’s presence. Hamzah glanced over, clearly trying to keep things casual.

“You good with that side?” he asked, motioning to the bed as he set his phone and retainer on the nightstand.

“Oh, yeah.” you replied, hoping your voice sounded steadier than you felt. You busied yourself with unpacking your pajamas, desperately avoiding his gaze.

Rummaging sounds came from his side as he fought with the zipper of his backpack, his voice breaking the silence again.

“This your first time in Canada?”

“Yeah,” you said, glancing over at him while you finished setting your things on the small wooden vanity. “First time anywhere outside Europe, kinda nervous.”

Hamzah shared a laugh with you, his shoulders easing as the tension in his chest seemed to slowly settle.

“Well, welcome to America, I guess. Though, as an immigrant, I’d advise you to go back when you still have the choice.” Hamzah’s tone remained the same, the last serious remark slipping out with a half-smile, as if it hadn’t been meant to land too heavily.

His hands fumbled with the things in his backpack, pulling out a crumpled receipt and some loose papers before setting it aside with a quick motion.

He then got up and walked around the bed over to your side, stopping in front of the door, something small clutched in his hands. He reached into his pocket, pulling out a pack of cigarettes but stopping to turn towards you.

“Wanna come outside?” he asked, his gaze catching yours, what seemed like a lighter being shuffled around in hand. His dark eyes lingered a bit, scanning over your face a couple of times, as if searching for something or perhaps just your reaction.

“Sure” you said, your voice steady despite the sudden rush of the moment. Without thinking, you dropped your things, completely unaware that you had left your phone behind.

You followed Hamzah outside, your gaze fixed on the back of his head, as if trying to figure out what was going on in his mind. The air outside was cool, and the silence between you both felt oddly comfortable.

You found a bench just outside the cabin, the stone wall behind it covered in vines and delicate flowers that made it look like it was straight out of a fairytail. But as Hamzah lit his cigarette, and cloud of smoke curled up into the air, you were pulled out of that very magical feeling.

“Want one?” Hamzah asked, catching your gaze on his cigarette.

You shook your head. “No, thanks,” you replied, your voice almost reflexive.

For a moment, you hesitated, a thought almost slipping from your lips. You were about to say “I stopped that years ago” but quickly shut the thought down. It felt like the kind of thing that might open up a conversation you didn’t feel right to have in that moment. Instead, you let the silence stretch a bit longer, the smoke hanging filling the air you two were sharing.

The sky had softened into deep blue hues, casting everything in muted shadows. Hamzah’s sharp features caught the soft glow of the unfolding moon, you watched the spirals of smoke blown out of his lips drift upward before dissolving into the night.

“I thought I finally stopped, you know,”Hamzah’s low voice broke the silence, a chuckle escaping mid-sentence.

You glanced over at him. He was already looking at you, though his gaze seemed to falter, as if he hadn’t meant to get caught. The cigarette dangled between his fingers, its ash tumbling to the ground below.

“Still, I carry a pack in my backpack,” he admitted, his tone hollow. “Guess I’m not stopping anytime soon.”

A humorless chuckle slipped out of him. His eyes dropped to the ground, and a grin tugged at the corner of his mouth. For a moment, you noticed the subtle tremor in his fingers.

Hamzah caught the way your eyes lingered on his trembling hand. His jaw tensed, and he lifted the cigarette for another drag, faking nonchalance.

“I’m only smoking ‘cause of nerves,” he muttered, the smoke curling from his lips. “This bed situation has been making me a bit…” He trailed off before biting the inside of his cheek. His words swallowed by hesitation.

“It’s hard to stop,” you admitted, your voice low but steady. “I mean, I’ve been there. Quit, started again, quit again… It’s a never-ending cycle.”

The words tumbled out of your mouth like a landslide, a reflexive need to reassure him colliding with an undeniable sense of relatability. Hamzah caught your gaze from the corner of his eyes, his expression softening, steady and quiet, as if he was carefully holding onto every word. When you fell silent, though, he didn’t look away. His expression seemed to be expectant, like he wasn’t yet ready for you to stop talking.

You hesitated, your fingers fidgeting with the edge of your coat. “Anxiety is something you have to battle, not cope with.”

The sentence hung in the air, heavier than you intended. Your tone came out too even, you almost worried it sounded cold. But the words were real—every bit of them was something you truly meant, words you wished someone had said to you when you were struggling too.

Hamzah’s silent response should’ve been unnerving, but it wasn’t. In fact, the way he looked at you, earnest, almost patient, made you feel oddly grounded. He nodded slowly, the corners of his lips tugging into a soft smile. It wasn’t a defeated one this time, but something warmer, more genuine. “That’s true” he said simply. But it didn’t feel like just an agreement for you, it was an affirmation that every bit of your words actually mattered.

But before you two could add anything more, Martin’s voice cut through the quiet night.

“Hey, we’re about to go eat dinner!” Your cousin exclaimed, walking over to you, car keys jingling in his hand. “You guys coming or…?”

“Just give me the keys, man.” Hamzah groaned as he stood up from the bench, a soft grin peeking through his rough act, swiftly catching the keys thrown his way by Martin.

In the car, you caught Hamzah’s gaze more than once. His eyes shifted between the road and brief glances at you, his steady expression almost as if he were ensuring both the drive and you were under control.

You dined at a Chinese restaurant in the area, despite you and Mandy’s earlier talk about wanting to try Ontario’s traditional country dishes. Hamzah had scoffed at the idea, insisting there was no such thing, and if there was, it wouldn’t be worth tasting.

During your second round of sushi rolls, Martin, mid-attempt to hit the ending scene from “Wicked”’s high notes, accidentally knocked over a bowl of hot soup. The contents spilling all over your light blue dress. Though the soup wasn’t boiling hot, Hamzah moved quickly to catch the bowl and then proceeded to dab at the stain with tissues while Martin apologized profusely. You laughed it off, even if the damp spot on your stomach left you trembling during the walk back to the car, the chill of Canada’s cold air biting at your wet skin.

Clutching your coat tightly in a futile attempt to warm yourself, you shivered visibly. Hamzah noticed immediately and leaned toward you. “You okay?”

“Just give her your jacket already” Mandy scolded, peering over Martin to shoot Hamzah an annoyed look.

Hamzah shrugged off his jacket without a word, holding it by the shoulders as he hovered it behind you. The awkward silence stretched long enough to make you wonder if you were supposed to laugh or not, but his steady expression made you quickly slip your arms through the sleeves, the jacket settled warmly around you, its length arriving to your thighs.

His hands brushed against your shoulders as he adjusted the coat, patting it into place with a casualness that made you undeniably flustered. But despite the warmth left on the coat from Hamzah, you found yourself longing for the heat of his hands on your shoulders, a thought you tried to brush off throughout the whole walk.

As you made your way back to the lodge, the chilly, pine-scented air wrapped around you, illuminated by the soft glow of lanterns decorating the vine-infested walls. The chirping of crickets seemed to sing you a gentle welcome.

“Look at the stars!” Mandy exclaimed, elbowing Martin, a finger pointing up above. The group came to a halt, all turning your heads upward as one.

Above you was a sky so clear and full of stars it was hardly comparable to the light-polluted streets of Toronto. You stood still for a moment, mesmerized by the view, while Martin silently pulled out the camera.

“There’s the Big Dipper” you said while pointing toward a constellation, tracing its shape with your finger. The others squinted, following your gaze. “See? That’s the handle, and there’s the body.”

Hamzah stopped squinting to turn to the camera with a big confident smile, one that practically screamed a stupid joke was about to come out of his mouth.

“Bro, the Big Dipper is what I get at Dave’s Hot Chicken, know what I’m sayin’?”

His terrible attempt at comedy was met with two deadpan stares, as expected, from both you and Mandy. Martin the other hand stifled a laugh, but quickly collected himself, turning the camera around to film himself.

“I don’t know, guys, the only beautiful star I see is the one right next to me.” Martin said, wrapping an arm around his girlfriend and pulling her close. Mandy rolled her eyes but couldn’t help the smile tugging at her lips as she reached out to rest an arm on his back.

Hamzah groaned, his eyes flicking back to the sky.

“Little Dipper’s right there, right?” He leaned in closer, his gaze following yours, hand extending to point up at the stars. “Though I call ‘em Ursa Minor and Ursa Major. Never heard of Lil’ Dipper.”

Hamzah joked, mocking your knowledge of astronomy, which made you elbow his side in frustration.

“Oh, but I’m sure you know all about Lil Yeat, right?” You shot back, your tone confident.

But you were met with a burst of laughter exploding from him, his dry chuckles paired with his shoulders shaking uncontrollably. He wiped at his eyes, struggling to catch his breath. “Did you say Lil Yeat?” he gasped breathless.

You rolled your eyes as Hamzah tried to control his laughter, his hand rubbing his face frantically as he struggled to compose himself. He really didn’t have to mock you twice in a row, especially when the first joke was based on something you clearly had more knowledge on, and the second one being about a rapper’s name, one that you really couldn’t cared less about.

Hamzah hadn’t stopped teasing you about it, repeating “Lil Yeat” to Martin, who had the same, in your opinion, exaggerated reaction. The jokes carried on all the way to the cabin, where you two found yourself in after being ditched by the couple, who had conveniently decided they needed some “private time.”

“I’m gonna make you a Yeat fan one day, mark my words” Hamzah declared, locking the door behind him. That teasing smirk he’d been wearing all evening was still firmly in place.

“Can’t wait” you replied dryly, heading straight for the bathroom. You unpacked your cosmetics onto the small, cramped counter and began sorting through your skincare essentials. Just as you settled into your nightly routine, Hamzah started hovering in the doorway, holding a moisturizer and toothpaste. You quickly interjected his request to borrow some of your skincare products, cutting him off with a sharp look, but his insistent nudging came back the moment you pulled out a new product.

“Why not? There’s no way I can fit mine in this tight of a space anyway.” he whined.

“That’s what she said,” you muttered, dabbing your pricey Tatcha moisturizer onto your face.

The night passed quickly as the two of you argued over who had to take a piss the most all the way toplayfully shoving each other to claim the impossibly tiny sink.

When you finally made it to bed, you were relieved to find it wasn’t as small as you’d feared. Though not too spacious, it fit both of you well enough under the heavy blankets.

“Holy shit—your foot!” Hamzah suddenly yelped, jerking his leg away when your icy toes brushed against his calf. His warmth was so inviting, though, that you couldn’t help but inch closer.

Without warning, you extended your leg again, letting your foot rest against what you quickly realized was his thigh.

“Oh my god—“ Hamzah groaned as your heel pressed into his skin. He flinched but didn’t pull away immediately, giving you just enough confidence to push further.

Smirking, you placed your foot completely flat onto his thigh, his body warmth radiating like a heater to the entire sole of your foot.

“You better stop.” he threatened through chuckles, his leg jerking involuntarily as his hand darted out to grab your ankle. You yelped, trying to jerk your leg free, but his hold only tightened, restricting your movement. In a burst of resistance, you pushed forward with more force than you intended.

The sudden motion sent him lurching forward, his chest subtly pressing against your back. You both froze, the laughter still caught in your throat as you felt the fabric of Hamzah’s shorts tickling your thigh.

You quickly turned into a flushed mess, your face heating up as you felt a firm bump against your backside, Hamzah’s breath quickening against your ear.

[lovecla]

TAKE YOUR PAIN AWAY | quinn hughes.

00.1. the first time you saw quinn hughes.

➴ chapter warnings: mentions of shitty family.

➴ word count: 1.08k

💌 from me to you: this has been sitting on my drafts for days because i wasn’t brave enough to post it. but this story is very important to me and i promised myself i’d stop doubting what i write and just go for it. i hope with all my heart u guys like this ♡

౨ৎ

2013, SEPTEMBER.

THE first time you saw Quinn Hughes you were eleven years old.

Your family had just bought the house next to his, a beautiful four bedroom house with lots of space and a beautiful backyard— the perfect house for a family of four.

It was a week after you all settled in, your Dad as a Sports Medicine Physician working for a Hockey Canadian team, the Toronto Maple Leafs— the whole reason why you moved in the first place— your Mom as a Editor-in-Chief for the Fashion magazine, one of Canada's leading fashion publications, featuring content related to fashion, beauty, culture, and modeling and your brother, Peter, in High School as a freshman.

You were sitting on your porch, while you waited for Peter to be back so you could convince him to play football with you. He always said no, but you didn't give up. A few minutes later, Peter got out of your neighbor’s house, alongside another boy, who was slightly shorter than Peter.

You watched as they both walked towards your house, talking about something you couldn’t hear. You remember being so enamored with the sight of the boy that you couldn’t stop fidgeting your hands.

They stopped right in front of you, and while Peter was ready to ignore you and move on with his day— he’d been doing that more and more since he started High School— the other boy stopped and looked right at you.

“You didn’t tell me you have a sister.” The boy said, looking at your brother for a second before turning back at you.

“Oh, yeah,” Peter shrugged. “That’s Madison. She’s ten.”

“I’m eleven,” you corrected, voice soft and quiet.

“Whatever,” he scoffed, grabbing his keys so he could open the front door.

“Can you play with me now?” You asked, getting up from your seat, finally noticing how tall this other boy was. “I have the ball with me already.” You pointed at the ball that sat on the same couch you were also sitting not a minute ago.

“No, Madison. I’m with Quinn now.” Peter said, pointing at the boy beside him, who was now frowning at your brother.

Quinn. That’s a funny name, you remember thinking.

“We can play with her, I don’t mind—” the boy, Quinn, said, already reaching for the ball.

“Nah, bro. She’s annoying as hell. Once you pick that ball up, you won’t be able to let it go for like, three hours.” Peter replied, already opening the door.

You felt yourself tearing up and even though you hated crying in front of your brother, you couldn’t help it. Growing up, he was your best friend. Your hero even, when your parents decided that arguing during dinner, in front of their children, was a nice thing to do and he would make funny faces at you across the table just so you could laugh. When he pretended to yell at the monster under your bed or when he let you paint his nails with your pink nail polish.

But somewhere between turning fifteen and entering High School, he changed. And you hated every inch of this new Peter Carter.

He entered the house, shouting something, probably announcing to your mom that he was home. And you stood there, looking at your hands.

“Next time, I’ll play with you, okay?” Quinn, who was still standing in front of you, hesitated, looking as devastated as ever.

You felt embarrassed and you got out of there as fast as you could, running back inside and nestling yourself between your covers and plushies.

౨ৎ

YOU didn’t think Quinn had meant what he had said the other day, so you were surprised to see that he showed up the next morning, when both of your parents were at work and Peter was asleep in his bedroom upstairs.

“Hey,” he greeted you, stepping on your backyard patio and looking around. “Nice place you got here. We can play for a long time without risking throwing the ball in Mrs. Wright window.”

You giggled, remembering Mrs. Wright's funny wig.

“I’m Quinn Hughes.” He introduced himself after a while.

“I know that,” you whispered, watching as he laughed. “How old are you?”

“I’m thirteen, but I turn fourteen on October 14th,” he said. “You’re eleven, right?”

“Yes. My birthday was in February. I got this ball,” you raised the ball you were holding so he could see it better. It had your name on it. “And I also got new clothes for my plushies.”

“That sounds nice,” he nodded. “I’ll probably get a new stick on my birthday.”

“Why would you need a stick?” You asked, not sure what he could do with a stick. A tree’s stick. At least that’s what you thought a stick was.

Maybe he wants to put it on his fireplace.

“I play Hockey,” he answered and you still didn’t understand. The only thing you knew about Hockey was that it was the reason you and your family moved to Toronto. So it probably wasn’t a good thing. “And I need a new one.”

“Well, if it makes you happy, then I guess it’s fine,” you shrugged, poking your ball. “But that will probably be boring. You should ask for something cooler.”

He laughed again, sitting on the grass beside you. “I’ll think about that. Thank you for your advice.”

You puffed your chest a little, happy to feel useful for once.

That morning, you and Quinn didn’t end up playing; instead, you talked for hours, with you both asking each other questions about literally everything. From what’s your favorite color to what you wanna be when you grow up.

You could feel your heart racing in your chest every time you stared into his blue eyes that sometimes morphed into a light green shade, but you didn’t understand why. Quinn was being nice, he was treating you just like Peter did before you moved to Toronto and it felt so, so nice.

“Will I see you tomorrow?” You asked, right before he left for lunch at his house.

“I think so.” He smiled, quickly patting you on the head. He gave you a short wave before moving back to his home.

And you just stood there, counting the seconds so that maybe tomorrow would come faster, and you’d finally have a friend again.

[mariacallous]

The Swifties were the canaries in the coal mine. Last week, as the fallout from the US presidential election ricocheted across the internet, Taylor Swift fans took a stand. In droves, they left X and went to Bluesky, where, as one Swiftie told WIRED, they could build a new community and not “support Elon [Musk] in any way.” They weren’t alone.

A lot has happened in the week since Donald Trump defeated Vice President Kamala Harris for the US presidency. For those who spend a lot of time online, one thing in particular stood out: Trump’s relationship with Musk, the X owner who leveraged his platform to support the president-elect’s campaign. On Tuesday, Trump named Musk one of the heads of the new, not-yet-existent Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). That same day, Bluesky announced it had gained 1 million new users in a week. On Thursday, the company said it had gained another million in 24 hours.

Not all of those new migrants to Bluesky are Swift fans, mind you, but they do represent a certain subset of internet culture: the folks who, unhappy with Musk’s links to Trump and how he was running X, finally gave up and decided to relocate their social media lives. Since its rollout in 2023, Bluesky has been a kind of “loose, slaphappy” place, but in the past two months, as Slate pointed out this week, its become a better platform for sharing news and keeping up with live events, a lifeboat for “left-leaning Twitter refugees.”

Whereas Americans used to swear they’d move to Canada if their candidate didn’t win (as if such a move is easily achieved), now they just set up camp on a new platform. No need to break your lease or sell your house, just post “come follow me on Bluesky” with your new handle. If you don’t like any of your new neighbors, that’s cool. Bluesky offers something most folks call “the nuclear block,” which lets users ensure they don’t hear from someone they don’t want to speak to or interact with.

The internet has always prided itself on being at least somewhat borderless. Firewalls, language barriers, and other hurdles exist, but the web still helps information and stories get from one place to another much more quickly than anyone could travel there. No visa required.

Yet, that pride has always been a bit unearned. There are gatekeepers, trolls, bullies. Musk wanted Twitter to be a town square, but you still needed a device connected to the internet to get there—and had to be ready to dodge insults once you did. Even online, NIMBYs want a say. Who gets to call themselves a “local” on any given platform often gets decided by which mob rules. You can go to Bluesky, the Canada of the internet, but be careful what baggage you bring.

What the reelection of Trump has brought is a redrawing of some of the borders of the internet. New users may want to settle on X; longtime users may be inclined to leave. Similarly, some BookTokkers may be inclined to talk about books elsewhere (we hear that folks are going to The StoryGraph since Goodreads is owned by Amazon) or to find a different -Tok to tick away their time in. Politics are disrupting dating apps. The Onion just bought Alex Jones’ Infowars, promising to turn it into a parody of its former self. When it relaunches in January, satire fans will likely flock. Everyone, it seems, is going somewhere else.

All of this, of course, stands in stark contrast to the fact that immigration, actual immigration, was such a contested issue during the 2024 election. During his campaign, Trump promised mass deportations and a crackdown on illegal border crossings if he was elected. He has been. He has also named Tom Homan, a staunch defender of family separation policies, as his “border czar.” Canada is braced for asylum-seekers, but maybe not Americans fed up with who the other half of the country voted for.

Being able to switch social media platforms is a privilege. Even if you believe Bluesky to be full of “theater kid energy,” at least you get to go, and there are more than 15 million people there with you.

[cutestbow]

Summary: y/n has to tell Jack the truth, (based off of the song futile devices)

Notes: I’m finally back!!, also very unedited so please excuse any mistakes!!

Warnings: self hatred, guilt, basically leading someone on. And that should be it if not let me know!!!

It’s been a long long time since I’ve memorized your face.

Laughter echoed throughout the dimly lit apartment i had been in for the last 4 hours, i had told myself id go home twenty minutes ago but that never ends well when im with my friends

“So y/n? hows jack going?” my friend asked, the question gaining attention from the others as if they had been wondering also.

“Oh it’s going well, he’s a really good guy.” I shrugged smiling at the thought of the brown haired boy.

“Thats it? You’re not going to give us any special details about him?” She groaned to my vague response.

“Yeah, like he doesn’t have a beauty mark on his left cheek-“ another one had chimed in

“No, his upper right lip!” I blurted out embarrassingly fast.

All chatter had stopped in that moment, the only noise being the tv that had been faintly playing in the background.

My face burned red from my sudden comment, if my friend no cited she hadn’t said anything about, she just smirked and took a drink from the glass that had been sitting in front of her.

“Well at least Christian’s out of the picture.” She stated once more before diving into conversation with one of the girls sat at the table.

I nodded but it didn’t feel right almost as if it weren’t genuine.

It’s been four hours now since I’ve wandered through your place.

Jack had left his apartment hours ago but i still remained after hours of him begging i stay and just watch the game from his house, so that’s where i had been left at now

Walking through the halls of his somewhat clean apartment, for someone who lives by themselves he really did try to keep some type of theme going.

I laughed at a photo he had kept near his bed of him and his brother when they were younger, it was a photo of when they lived in Canada the setting being somewhere snowy and the three brothers looking confused and unready for the photo.

I sat the photo back down and looked over at the clock that had also been on the side of his bed, i sighed walking out of the room and back to the couch to watch the puck drop.

And when i sleep on your couch i feel very safe, and when you bring the blankets, I cover up my face.

It was normal for me and jack to have our annual movie nights on friday, and work had kicked my butt the following week and I hadn’t planned on going this Friday but i knew jack had been looking forwards to it stating that he found a new movie that we might like so I couldn’t decline.

We had been laying on the couch, my head on his shoulder and eyes slowing opening and closing once and a while, i quickly snapped out of that stare once the arms that had once been wrapped around me were gone.

“Where are you going?” I asked as jack got up from his spot on the couch.

He didnt reply and disappeared into his bedroom, i had went to get up before he reappeared again, this time with a large comforter.

I sighed with embarrassment and guilt, “Jack im fine.” I said

“No you’re not, you’ve had a busy week. If you were tired, you could have stayed home.” He responded, eyebrows furrowed in worry.

He layed me back into the couch carefully wrapping the computer around my tired body.

The droopy state from before slowly coming back

I shouldn’t be doing this.

I shouldn’t be doing this.

I let out one last sigh before I closed my eyes.

And i would say i love you but saying it out loud is hard. So I won’t say it at all.

It had been a beautiful day, and usually on days like these Jack would tend to drag me out of my apartment to go on a picnic.

I carefully set a blanket down over the patch of grass we thought would be perfect spot to settle, I watched as he set the basket down and very carefully pulled each container of fruit and crackers out.

Jack had always been easy to talk too I never had to filter myself around him, but I didn’t deserve a person like him.

I watched him as layed propped up on one shoulder talking about anything and everything, slowly biting into my cherry. I paused for a moment before rubbing the bitten cherry against his cheek leaving a pink stain.

I laughed at his reaction going to wipe it away before quickly getting pulled down and the previous cherry being rubbed on my face now

I laughed attempting to push him away but it was no use he was stronger.

“Now we’re even.” He spoke, smiling down at me.

we stared at each other for moments, three words I died to say lingered at the tip of my tongue but I just couldn’t. I couldn’t do that to him.

And I won’t stay very long,

Tears rolled down my face as I found myself in-front of a door I’ve been faced with for months now, my heart banging against my chest.

I waited for a moment before the door swung open to a half awake Jack, his eyebrows furrowed in worry at my distressed state.

“y/n, what’s wrong?” He asked softly pulling me into his apartment, I pulled away slowly.

“I’m sorry jack” I cried lowering my head

“You’re so good to me, but I just can’t seem to-“ I sobbed uncontrollably, unsure if he could even understand me.

“I know.” He responded softly. My head shot up realization and guilt washing over me.

He knew the entire time, but why?, the question repeating over and over in my head.

“I’m so sorry jack” I cried, the sobs becoming more violent as he pulled me into an embrace.

“It’s not your fault,” he shook his head

“I just can’t see how I’m supposed to love if I can’t love myself.” I spoke once my cries softened.

“I want to love you,” I said pulling away, watching as tears threatened to spill from his eyes

“But I just can’t” I finished, attempting to wipe the spilling tears away.

He nodded in agreement giving me an understanding smile

“It’s ok” he reassured me as if I wasn’t breaking his heart.

“I understand if you’re mad or annoyed with me I don’t know why I’m like this” I spoke lowly, the lump in my throat making my words shaky.

Jack embraced me once more, this time hushing me

“If you knew why did you stay, why did waste your time if you knew you’d get hurt in the end.” i questioned

He sighed, “because the thought of not having you at all hurt to much.”

But you are the life I needed all along.

I smiled as me and a group of my friends stumbled into a bar we had been dying to go to for the past month.

the smell of alcohol and burnt out cigarettes washing over me in a second.

I watched as a few of the members separated going there own ways, leaving me a one ther girl.

We had decided to settle at the little bar ordering two beers for night.

I grabbed the cup swiftly taking a sip before setting it back down onto the table. I skimmed over the bar watching as people danced and played pool.

My heart immediately skipped a beat once I was met with a familiar pair of blue eyes that had been staring at me from across the bar.

I hadn’t seen or spoken to Jack in a year. Or really since that one night in his apartment. I would say we ended on good terms.

My face burned red as he waved at me with a soft smile.

I waved back, nervously smiling. I watched as he began to mouth something.

“You look beautiful.” he mouthed slowly

“I feel beautiful.” I excitedly mouthed back.

He laughed at my response from across the bar.

“Good.” he nodded.

[acute-crashout-jeyuso]

Possession: a Jey Uso x Rhea Ripley x Jimmy Uso fanfic.

Chapter 5: make you see...

The dim cabin lights on the red-eye flight from Canada to Manhattan cast a soft glow over Rhea and Jimmy as they sat side by side, surrounded by the quiet hum of the plane’s engine. Neither had slept much since boarding, and there was a stillness between them that neither knew how to break. It was a shared silence, filled with the weight of unspoken thoughts and emotions they hadn’t dared to touch on yet.

Rhea glanced at Jimmy, catching his gaze as he looked out the window. She hesitated for a moment before speaking, her voice barely above a whisper. “Are you sure I made the right choice?”

Jimmy turned his head, meeting her eyes with a steady, unwavering look. “Yes,” he replied, his tone firm. But then he shook his head slightly, a hint of a smirk playing at the corner of his mouth. “But I’m not gonna sit here and lecture you about choosing your career over your boyfriend, Rhea. That’s your call to make.”

Rhea nodded, but the slight tightening of her jaw betrayed her internal conflict. The silence stretched between them again, this time thicker, as if the air itself held the weight of all they hadn’t addressed. Neither of them had spoken about what had happened last night—the way he’d held her, the closeness, the lines that had blurred in ways they couldn’t take back. It felt like they’d crossed into uncharted territory, a place where feelings and intentions tangled messily with the roles they were meant to play.

Rhea felt a pang of guilt gnawing at her. She was supposed to feel ashamed, maybe even remorseful, for asking her boyfriend’s twin brother to hold her while he was half-dressed, for seeking comfort in a place where she wasn’t supposed to. Some people would probably say that kind of intimacy was enough to label as cheating. But for Rhea, the situation didn’t fit neatly into those boxes. She wasn’t sure what to feel, or even what was right anymore.

Jimmy broke the silence, his voice low but confident. “I’m not gonna lie,” he said, glancing at her with a small, knowing grin, “we did give the crowd what they wanted.”

Rhea couldn’t help but smile softly in return, but the smile faded as she sighed, her eyes drifting away. “But… at what cost?”

Without a word, Jimmy reached over, placing his hand on hers. It was a simple gesture, but one that grounded her, gave her a moment of calm amidst the storm swirling inside her mind. His thumb traced gentle circles over her knuckles, offering her a silent strength.

“Look,” he said, his tone tender but resolute, “whatever you decide, I’m here. If you go to Hunter and tell him to take these belts off us, I’m good with it. If you go and tell him that Mami wants to turn on her Samoan Heat,” he gave a slight chuckle, “I’m okay with that too. Whatever you wanna do, I’ll back you up. I’m in this for you, Rhea. Not just the storyline, not just the titles—you.”

Rhea swallowed, feeling the sincerity in his words reach somewhere deep inside her. She hadn’t realized how much she needed to hear that, to know that she wasn’t navigating this alone. Jimmy wasn’t just a partner in the ring; he was standing by her side in a way she hadn’t expected, in a way that felt dangerously close to something real.

For a moment, she didn’t respond, just allowed herself to absorb the comfort of his hand on hers, the unspoken promise in his gaze. Maybe things were complicated, maybe they were messy, but in that moment, she felt a strange peace she hadn’t felt in a long time.

“Thank you, Jimmy,” she finally whispered, her voice barely audible above the hum of the plane. “For everything.”

Jimmy gave her hand a gentle squeeze, a silent reassurance that he wasn’t going anywhere. They might be walking a tightrope, blurring the lines between their personal and professional lives, but he was there, every step of the way.

As they both settled back, each lost in their own thoughts, Rhea knew that whatever came next, she’d have to confront the consequences head-on. But for now, with Jimmy’s hand in hers and a strange sense of calm settling over her, she allowed herself to just be.

—

November 24th, 2024 1:42 AM

Jimmy pushed open the door to their hotel room, his movements slow and heavy from the night's grueling schedule. Rhea followed closely behind, just as drained. Neither spoke as they placed their bags on the couch, their eyes immediately drawn to the lone bed in the room. This time, it wasn't an oversight by the booking team. This time, it was intentional.

The silence was thick, filled with unspoken thoughts and emotions neither of them dared to voice. Rhea let out a soft sigh as she began to peel off her hoodie and sweats, leaving her in a simple black tank top and shorts. She glanced at Jimmy, who mirrored her actions, stripping down to his T-shirt and boxers.

Her steps were slow and deliberate as she closed the small gap between them. She looked up at him, her eyes filled with a vulnerability she rarely allowed herself to show. "Can you just hold me?" she asked, her voice emitting raw energy.

Jimmy's heart clenched at her words. He reached out, running a hand gently through her hair, his fingers lingering as he fought the growing urge inside him. His possessiveness over her was undeniable, but he pushed it down, knowing this moment wasn't about him.

"Of course," he said softly, his voice steady despite the storm within him.

They climbed into bed together, the weight of the world seemingly lifted as Jimmy wrapped his arms around her. His hold was firm yet comforting, his body warm against hers. Rhea melted into his embrace, her head resting on his chest as the steady rhythm of his heartbeat filled her ears.

For a while, neither of them spoke. The silence was almost comforting, but beneath it lay a tension neither could ignore. Finally, Jimmy broke the quiet.

"Rhea," he murmured, his voice low but filled with emotion.

She lifted her head to meet his gaze, her heart skipping a beat at the intensity in his eyes.

"I need to kiss you," he said, his voice raw and unfiltered. "I needed to for so long."

Rhea's breath hitched, her mind racing. She was torn-torn between her loyalty to Jey and the undeniable connection she felt with Jimmy. They were brothers, twins, and yet, here she was, caught in the middle. The weight of it all threatened to crush her, but in that moment, she allowed herself to be honest.

"Just this once," she whispered, her voice trembling.

Jimmy didn't hesitate. He gently pulled her on top of him, his hands finding their way to her hips as he brought her closer. The moment their lips met, it was like everything else faded away—no Jey, no pressure, no expectations. Just them.

The kiss started soft, almost tentative, but it quickly deepened as days of unspoken desire and bottled-up emotions poured out.

Jimmy's hands roamed over her body, his touch both possessive and reverent. Every caress, every movement, spoke of the longing he had kept hidden.

Rhea's hands found their way to his chest, her fingers tracing the outlines of his muscles. She pulled back slightly, her breathing ragged as she looked down at him.

But Jimmy wasn't ready to let her go. "No," he said, his voice husky with need. "I need more."

He cupped her face, pulling her back down as his lips captured hers once again. The kiss was hungry, desperate, and filled with a passion neither of them could deny.

In that moment, the lines blurred. It wasn't about betrayal or loyalty. It was about two people seeking solace in each other, finding comfort in the midst of their turmoil.

She pulled back to break the kiss fully. Rhea’s chest rose and fell as she tried to steady her breathing. She looked away, her mind racing, trying to piece together the tangled mess of emotions swirling inside her. “We… have to stop,” she said softly, her voice barely above a whisper.

Jimmy’s jaw tightened, his eyes narrowing slightly. “You don’t feel the same way, do you?”

Rhea’s gaze snapped back to his, searching for something—clarity, understanding, maybe even absolution—but all she found was the weight of his emotions bearing down on her. She hesitated, her hands trembling slightly as she pushed herself off him and sat up on the edge of the bed.

“It’s not fair,” she said, her voice breaking. “Not to Jey, and not to you.”

Jimmy sat up behind her, the bed creaking under his weight. His tone was firm but tinged with frustration. “Fair? Rhea, I could give you more than Jey ever could.”

Rhea closed her eyes, the words hitting her like a punch to the gut. “It’s not like that, Jimmy,” she said, her voice wavering. “I just… I love Jey.”

Jimmy’s laugh was low, almost bitter. “Love?” he asked, leaning in slightly. “Who are you trying to convince? Me or yourself?”

Rhea froze, his words slicing through her like a blade. She turned her head slightly, her eyes meeting his. There was no denying the truth in his question.

Jimmy leaned closer, his voice softening but losing none of its intensity. “I see the way you look at me, Rhea. The way you lean on me. You might love Jey, but there’s something between us that you can’t ignore.”

Her lips parted, but no words came out. She wanted to deny it, to push him away, to protect the fragile line she was walking. But deep down, she knew Jimmy was right. There was something there—something she couldn’t fully explain, let alone control.

“I don’t want to hurt anyone,” she whispered, her voice cracking under the weight of her guilt.

Jimmy reached out, gently turning her face toward him. His touch was warm, steady, and far too comforting. “You’re not the only one carrying that weight,” he said. “But you need to be honest—with Jey, with me, and with yourself.”

Rhea’s eyes filled with tears, and for a moment, the room was silent, save for the sound of their breathing. She felt like she was standing on the edge of a cliff, unsure whether to step back or take the plunge.

Jimmy let his hand fall, giving her the space to process. “I’ll be here, Rhea,” he said quietly. “No matter what you decide. But don’t lie to yourself just to keep the peace.”

Rhea nodded slowly, her throat tight with unspoken words. The weight of her choices loomed over her, and she knew that whatever came next, nothing would ever be the same.

— 4:58 AM

Jimmy sat up against the headboard, his arms crossed as he watched Rhea sleep beside him. The soft glow of the city lights filtered through the curtains, casting a faint shimmer over her peaceful face. She looked so calm, so vulnerable, her features softened in a way he rarely saw.

But inside, Jimmy’s mind was a storm.

He couldn’t shake the gnawing thought: She still wants Jey.

It didn’t make sense to him. Not after everything they’d been through, not after the chemistry they shared, the connection they couldn’t deny. How could she still cling to someone who wasn’t here, who had left her feeling so lost and alone?

Jimmy didn’t want to lose her—not to Jey, not to anyone.

His gaze hardened, determination settling in his chest. He needed to do something. Something that would prove, once and for all, that he was the one she should be with.

As the clock ticked quietly in the background, Jimmy made up his mind. He wasn’t going to let Jey win without a fight.

Rhea stirred slightly in her sleep, murmuring softly, but she didn’t wake. Jimmy reached out, gently brushing a strand of hair from her face, his touch lingering for a moment longer than necessary.

“I’ll make you see, Rhea,” he whispered, his voice low and resolute.

—

Flashback: June 16th, 2023

Hunter sat across from the Bloodline faction, his gaze intense but calculated. Roman Reigns, Jimmy Uso, Jey Uso, and Solo Sikoa were all present, each of them wondering what decisions Hunter had in mind.

Hunter exhaled, a slow sigh, as he prepared to speak. “Alright, fellas,” he began, “I’ve been watching you all, and I’ve made my decision. I’ve been looking at who could branch out and carry their own weight as a singles competitor… and I’m choosing you, Jimmy.

The room fell silent for a moment. Jimmy blinked, momentarily caught off guard. He’d been waiting for this, but now that it was happening, it felt surreal. He slowly nodded, keeping his composure.

Hunter continued, turning to Jey. “Jey, tonight, you’re going to leave the Bloodline. You’ll kick Roman with a superkick, and after that, you’re out. You’ll go a different direction.”

Jey raised an eyebrow, but his expression remained calm. “I’m listening.”

Hunter leaned back in his chair, eyes narrowing slightly as he addressed Jey. “You’re going to team up with Rhea. She’s been losing some momentum since she left Judgment Day, and I think the two of you could do something special to dominate in the Mixed Tag division. You’ve already got great chemistry, and I’m sure you can help each other rise. Make her a bigger star, Jey.”

Jey smiled, a genuine one this time, and reached across the table to shake Hunter’s hand. “Thank you, Hunter. I’ve been needing time with my girl. This is exactly what I’ve been wanting.”

Hunter nodded in approval. “I’m glad we’re on the same page.”

Turning his gaze to Jimmy, Hunter shifted his tone slightly. “Jimmy, you’ll stay with Roman. You’ll take Jey’s spot as the Right Hand Man. I’m going to push you hard and make sure you get the recognition you deserve. I’m putting a belt on you, Jimmy. It’s your time.”

Jimmy managed a smile, though it felt more forced than genuine. He nodded, silently accepting his fate, but inside, something stirred. He knew this wasn’t just a professional opportunity—this was his chance to carve out a path that didn’t rely on Roman, that didn’t rely on the Bloodline.

Hunter stood, signaling the end of the meeting. “Alright, that’s all for now. Let’s get to work.”

The faction began to disperse, but Jimmy lingered for a moment, his eyes locked on Jey in the distance. He watched as Jey walked alongside Roman, discussing their next steps, while Jimmy felt a strange mix of frustration and determination welling up inside him.

Jey’s going to leave the Bloodline for Rhea? Jimmy thought, He’s going to go off and do his own thing with her?

His jaw clenched as his thoughts spiraled. I’ve been stuck in this damn Bloodline for too long.

For months, ever since Jey had started dating Rhea, all he ever heard from Jey was talk about heading over to RAW and dominating that brand, making his mark with her by his side. Jey’s obsession with Rhea was undeniable, and to Jimmy, it was becoming unbearable.

But here’s the thing: Jey wasn’t supposed to be with Rhea. Jimmy wanted to be with Rhea.

Jimmy had known it from the beginning. He’d told Roman how he felt, how he saw something special in Rhea, how they could be great together. But Roman shut him down, telling him that Rhea actually had feelings for Jey. At first, Jimmy didn’t believe it—he dismissed it, thinking Roman was just being protective of his family.

Then, one day, it happened. Rhea and Jey walked into the locker room together, hand in hand, and Jey casually introduced her to everyone as his new girlfriend.

In that moment, everything shifted for Jimmy. It felt like a punch to the gut. Rhea, the one he had quietly admired for months, had chosen his twin brother. He was furious. Betrayed.

The rage simmered inside him as he watched Jey interact with Rhea, always the center of attention. Jimmy hated seeing them together. But it wasn’t just jealousy—it was something darker, more personal. He couldn’t stand that Jey had what he wanted, that Jey had her.

As much as he tried to push it down, Jimmy couldn’t ignore it any longer.

He despised Jey.

He could make Rhea’s career soar. He could build her up the way Jey never could.

It should’ve been me with her, Jimmy thought, staring across the room at Jey’s back. And now it’s time to show everyone, especially Roman, that I can do this on my own.

—

Jimmy sat back on the couch, his phone in hand, scrolling aimlessly through social media. The locker room was filled with the usual buzz of conversation and movement, but all Jimmy could hear was Jey’s voice.

Jey was leaning against the wall, his phone pressed to his ear, and a wide grin spread across his face. “I’m just so happy, babe,” Jey said, his voice warm. “We’re finally gonna get to do something together. We could create something amazing!”

Jimmy clenched his jaw, the familiar sting of jealousy bubbling up. He kept his eyes on his phone, pretending to be disinterested, but his mind was focused solely on Jey’s conversation. He didn’t need to hear the other side to know it was Rhea on the line.

“Yeah, I can’t wait,” Jey continued, his voice dripping with excitement. “It’s gonna be us against the world.”

Jimmy rolled his eyes silently, the bitterness nearly spilling over.

Roman, sitting nearby, caught the subtle shift in Jimmy’s demeanor. He watched his cousin for a moment before finally speaking. “Jey, Solo, step outside for a bit,” Roman said, his tone calm but firm.

Jey, still on the phone, nodded. “Alright, babe, I gotta go. I’ll call you later,” he said, ending the call. He gave Jimmy a quick nod as he and Solo headed out the door.

The room fell quiet as the door clicked shut. Roman shifted, moving to sit next to Jimmy. He didn’t say anything at first, just leaned forward, elbows resting on his knees, his hands clasped together.

Finally, Roman broke the silence. “Let it go,” he said, his voice low but commanding.

Jimmy’s eyes flicked up from his phone, narrowing as he met Roman’s gaze. His face was stoic, but his eyes were filled with an unspoken fury.

“If looks could kill…” Roman muttered, shaking his head slightly. “I know what’s going on in your head, Jimmy. I’ve seen it for months.”

Jimmy didn’t respond immediately, his grip tightening on his phone.

Roman sighed, leaning back against the couch. “Look, I get it. You think you’re owed something—think it should’ve been you with her. But that’s not how it played out. And it’s not gonna change now.”

Jimmy’s jaw clenched, his silence speaking volumes.

“You’re about to get everything you’ve ever wanted,” Roman continued. “Singles run, titles, your own spotlight. But if you keep letting this thing with Jey and Rhea eat at you, it’s gonna destroy you.”

Jimmy finally spoke, his voice low and cold. “You don’t know what it’s like, Joe.”

Roman raised an eyebrow, but Jimmy pressed on.

“I’ve been second to Jey my whole life. And now, even when I get my chance, I gotta watch him have her. Like he’s the only one who can have everything,” Jimmy said, his voice tight with barely contained anger.

Roman studied him for a moment before leaning in closer. “You think you’re the only one who’s had to swallow his pride? The only one who’s had to sacrifice? This business is about making tough choices, Jimmy. You can’t have it all.”

Jimmy’s glare didn’t waver, but Roman’s words hit harder than he wanted to admit.

“Let it go,” Roman said again, his voice a little softer this time. “Focus on what’s in front of you. Don’t let your feelings for Rhea ruin everything you’ve worked for.”

Jimmy didn’t reply, his mind a storm of conflicting emotions. He knew Roman was right, but the bitterness wasn’t something he could just switch off.

Roman stood, patting Jimmy on the shoulder. “Think about it,” he said before walking toward the door, leaving Jimmy alone with his thoughts.

As the door shut behind Roman, Jimmy leaned forward, his elbows on his knees, his head in his hands.

Let it go? he thought bitterly.

Easier said than done.

—

February 23, 2024

Jimmy paced the small office, his face a mask of frustration and disbelief. His voice was raised, the tension in the room palpable. “What do you mean I’m losing the title?” he demanded, his hands gesturing wildly. “You just put it on me, and now you want to take it off?”

Hunter sat behind his desk, calm but firm. “Jimmy, calm down,” he said, his tone steady. “You know this is just business.”

Jimmy slammed his hands on the edge of the desk, leaning in closer. “Business? I’ve been busting my ass, making this work, and now you’re stripping it away?”

Hunter sighed, leaning back in his chair. “Look, Jimmy, this isn’t about you not performing or not doing a good job. You’ve been great. But we’re taking the Bloodline in a new direction.”

Jimmy crossed his arms, his jaw tight. “New direction? What the hell does that even mean?”

Hunter laced his fingers together, his gaze unwavering. “We’re stripping everything away from the Bloodline. Roman’s losing the Universal Championship to Cody at WrestleMania. Your Heavyweight Championship is going to Damian Priest, and Solo’s Intercontinental belt is going to L.A. Knight.”

Jimmy’s eyes widened in shock. “You’re dismantling us completely?”

Hunter nodded. “It’s time for a reset. Roman’s going to take some much-needed time off after Mania. We’ll revive the Bloodline later in the year, but with a new focus and dynamic.”

Jimmy clenched his fists, trying to process the information. “And what about me?” he asked, his voice quieter but no less intense.

Hunter leaned forward. “The week after WrestleMania, Solo’s going to turn on you. He’ll take you out in a big angle. We’ll write you off TV for a while to sell it.”

Jimmy’s brows furrowed. “How long?”

Hunter hesitated for a moment. “We’re looking at October or November for your return. Maybe sooner, depending on how things play out and if we need you back earlier.”

Jimmy shook his head, taking a step back. “You’re sidelining me for half a year?”

Hunter’s expression softened slightly. “Jimmy, I know it’s not what you want to hear. But trust me, this is setting the stage for something bigger. When you come back, it’ll be impactful. You’ll be part of the Bloodline revival, and we’ll have big plans for you.”

Jimmy let out a bitter laugh, running a hand over his face. “Yeah, big plans. Right.”

Hunter stood, walking around the desk to stand in front of Jimmy. “Look, I get it. This is hard. But you’ve got to trust the process. We’re not burying you, Jimmy. We’re building to something.”

Jimmy didn’t respond, his mind racing with frustration and doubt.

Hunter placed a hand on Jimmy’s shoulder. “Take the time off to recharge. When you come back, we’ll make sure it’s worth it.”

Jimmy nodded slowly, though his expression remained tense. “Yeah,” he muttered. “We’ll see.”

As Jimmy turned and left the office, his mind was a whirlwind of anger and uncertainty. He couldn’t shake the feeling that this was more than just business—it felt personal. And he wasn’t sure he could just let it go.

Clarifications: Jimmy is single! Some events have happened in this fanfic and have been tweaked. Rhea has no friends, her family was the Judgement Day but I will go into detail on why they are not friends anymore later..

[tree-of-growth]

FINALLY - THE LONG AWAITED “FRUIT CULT: WHERE ARE THEY NOW?” POST HAS HIT THE PRESSES!

It’s only been like. 3, 4 months since the saga ended so this is right on time fuck you! - It took a LONG time setting up interviews to record all this information ESPECIALLY since the majority of the ex fruit cult members hate me and I had to go undercover to procure them.

So, at long last - here it is!

The Tree of Growth / Fruit Freaks - Where Are They Now?!

Apple is living their best life (for the most part) under the care of Allison in their shared home in Illinois. They have come out as nonbinary and aroace (and cut their hair!!) and spends plenty of time in therapy and at their local community garden, munching on apples and garlic bread. They also enjoy coloring. Oh wait- oh shit :/ the drywall got them. Oops. Nevermind. Rip.

Fig has joined an incredibly shady secret government organization and is working on an extremely top secret mission as we speak (probably has something to do with hunting down Mulberry though.) She and Cherry remain happily married and are making it work long distance.

Shrimp Man / Cherry Tomato has broken out of jail, hopped the border, and bought a beautiful cabin by the seaside where he will spend the rest of her days in (moderate) peace!

Lemon / Sadie is finishing her agriculture degree and renting a lovely house in the New York countryside with Polaris and their foster daughter Charlotte. They are in therapy and using gardening and animal husbandry to cope. She’s planning on proposing to and marrying Polaris for real once they graduate and settle down a bit more.

Lychee / Polaris is finishing up her astrophysics degree at Cornell with Sadie and Charlotte. She’s developed a particular interest in radio astronomy and has scored an especially exclusive summer internship that will almost certainly lend her to a fantastic career after graduation. They regret their time with the cult but can’t help but miss it, maybe - just a bit.

Date / Allison is currently fulfilling their prison sentence in community service as Apple’s caretaker! They reside in a small bungalow in Illinois. They’re desperately homesick and missing their family (and Percy) but is doing their best to take genuine care of Apple (but maybe not top notch. Who can blame them.) They regret everything :)

Cherry / Aura was deported to Canada and has returned to the Children of the Sun (very fun hippie commune). Technically they are jailed there but the hippies aren’t too fond of the prison industrial complex so I’m sure they’re vibing. Fig brings them “cool stuff that THEY CANNOT TELL the government about” from time to time.

Mulberry / Vrispeta is not dead!! After Area 51 they’re just trying to figure out what to do with her life. You can follow her adventures at @muppetjokernum8ereightfan ! I think she’s on the moon right now or some shit?!

Peach is in physical recovery after being turned into a quadparalegic thanks to Apple and is currently staying with his boyfriend while waiting for their prosthetics to come in. He is in a lot of debt.

Custard Apple has just woken up after a very long nap and is extremely confused.

Acai / Percy died of lead poisoning :( they’re out there rotting in the ocean, somewhere… - their ghost is likely haunting the shit out of Allison :) (Affectionate haunting, of course, nothing crazy.)

Starfruit has gone back to their normal life - but is still very dedicated to the Fruit God! He is also still posting at @squireofthegrove

Orange went home with her mom and is currently working on finishing her One Piece binge an hour at a time.

—————————

If YOU are an ex member of the fruit freaks and have something you’d like to share about your life after that is not listed here, feel free to reach out and I’ll edit you in <3

But enough of those losers - What about me?! The infamous mysterious tog blog… Who am I?! Was I really just Lemon pulling a fast one on the rest of the group? Or was that only a facade ?? Am I an angel?! A crazy super fan?! The Fruit God Herself?!?

Heh. Wouldn’t you like to know.

I’ll continue posting here on occasion. Its members may have moved on but the Tree is eternal.., And I have many… many unfinished plans….

[milfzatannaz]

Whats the difference between Cajuns & Creole? My grandaddys from new orleans and he's white so I just assumed he would be considered white but someone said cajun a term for white louisianans but idk

Oh lawd. That question is perhaps the biggest can of worms in the entirety of south Louisiana history.

Cajun and Creole and distinct ethnic groups that can, and do, often intersect. This is because the definitions of what constitute Cajun or Creole are fluid and varied. You can be creole simply because your family has multiple lines of European ancestry going back before the Louisiana purchase. Cajuns hail from Canada originally, and settled here. Obviously both groups would’ve intermarried starting in the 18th century.

It gets dicey because these constructs don’t really fit the modern definition. I’m a black Creole, meaning the culture I hail from is highly localized to New Orleans and surrounding areas like New Iberia and Opelousas. My family is very much like LDPDL’s shown onscreen in IWTV tv. We’re light skinned, Catholic, and my grandparents are deeply connected to the city and its history. So yeah we have European mixed in but we also fit the definition of Creole simply by the community we’re a part of. I descend from Homer Plessy and his cohort of very light skinned “octoroons” (pls don’t ever call someone that) who, because of the one drop rule, were always seen as nonwhite by virtue of being mixed somewhere in their family line. The 7th ward in New Orleans is very interesting and historically relevant.

Cajuns are a separate group and while Cajuns can and do live in NOLA, they’re mostly concentrated in Acadiana. Thats where I go to school. As far as whiteness goes, it really depends on the context. There are black Cajuns. However, acadiana was established to distinguish white Cajuns from the black ethnic groups in south Louisiana, so there was a historical effort to ascribe to white supremacist ideals while maintaining a distinct culture. It’s really complicated. You can get a whole degree in it lol.

In my personal experience, a vast majority of Cajuns around here are indeed white and want the privilege of whiteness while eating their cultural foods and speaking their specific dialect. Cajuns in this part of the state do beef with creoles, partly because of generations of animosity and also plain run of the mill Republican antiblackness and intolerance. The more rural the Cajun the more they’ll insult my ancestors bc we make gumbo differently.

Idk if this was helpful, this is just colored by my own personal experience. I’m actually Cajun too, through my white dad. I just am not connected to those roots bc they treated my black mom poorly and I was raised by Creoles. Creole doesn’t really mean black, but if you’re in New Orleans most creoles you’ll encounter identify as black. Like I said, it’s a whollleeeeeee can of worms.

Creoles and Cajuns beef daily and fight over recipes and it confuses everyone. All I can say is the groups are have seperate histories with significant overlap.

[doctorhelena]

Steggy Fic: Teach My Feet to Fly, Chapter 13/14

Summary: Peggy Carter, a world class ice hockey player learning to figure skate as part of a Canadian reality show, has an iron-clad rule about never, ever dating a teammate. Which means that she’ll simply have to get over the ridiculous attraction she has to her new figure skating partner, Steve Rogers.

Note: This story is complete, and has 14 chapters in total. New chapters are posted weekly on Fridays.

It’s also a very long-delayed thank you gift fic for the lovely @teaandatale!

Rating: PG

Read Chapter 13

Read from the beginning

Excerpt:

Toronto, Canada Battle of the Blades, Week 9  Fifth Week of Competition (Tuesday) Finale

Peggy had been skeptical that even Steve could make a spangly leisure suit look attractive, but when she actually saw him emerging from the men's dressing room the evening of the finale, she realized she’d been very, very wrong.

Her jaw actually dropped a little. The arms, legs, and back of his sparkly red, white, and blue outfit were fairly standard, as far as figure skating costumes went, but the part that truly evoked the disco era was the very deep V that exposed not only his entire chest, but a rather generous portion of his abs as well. Without thinking, Peggy reached out to touch his chest, then pulled her hand back almost as quickly as she’d reached out, her mouth still hanging open. Good God. She wasn’t entirely certain whether to bless or curse Darcy Lewis.

Steve, in turn, looked like he couldn’t decide if he should be gratified or embarrassed, and had settled for a little of both. “How do I look?”

“In very good shape,” Peggy said faintly, then cleared her throat. “Is that costume actually - legal for competition?” There was an unobtrusive, loose mesh holding the V together, but it wasn’t hiding much. Somewhere in the back of her mind she thanked her lucky stars that the fabric her own costume was held together with was somewhat sturdier, and considerably more opaque. 

Behind her, she heard Natasha snicker.

“I’m not actually sure it would be legal for international competition,” said Angie, sounding a bit awe-struck. “But, apparently it’s legal for Battle of the Blades.” She stepped forward a bit to get in on the ogling of Steve. “And might I just say, God bless America. And also whichever producer okayed this.”

Beside her, Sam was also eyeing Steve's muscles a bit incredulously. “What do you bench press, man? Elephants?”

“Gee, thanks a lot,” said Natasha, dryly.

Read the rest of the chapter on A03

[maccistar]

i need to get out of my hometown

i can not fully put into words how much i hate this town, i genuinely resent my parents for deciding that this is where they want to settle down and this is where they decide to have kids. it’s actually selfish of them i don’t care, and it makes me so unbelievably mad when i see people complaining about living in like new york, florida, california, texas, navada, oregon, colorado, massachusetts, canada, italy, switzerland, and literally anywhere else like i would do anything to get out of here.

this might be a kinda crazy comparison to make but you know that girl that was kidnapped and she was kept in a box for 23 hours a day and she was let out for one hour everyday, that’s how i feel like when i go on vacation to like florida or whatever that’s the hour im let out then im right back in the box. like i hate it so much and its just not fair how my moms lived in so many places and im just stuck here. theres literally nothing the closest malls two hours away same with target and literally everything ever, the closest thing i have to wingstop is buffalo wild wings and that’s three hours away. i know new englands a good place to live but i just can’t be here anymore. the only other place america that’s comparable to where i live is like a little town in arkansas probably.

it makes me so mad when i see tourists here just because i get so jealous that them being here is a vacation and they think it’s a cute little town then they can just go home to an actual good town. my parents also continue to get my hopes up by acting like when i want to move somewhere they’ll do it but they act like that as a joke and it’s so annoying like im not just wanting to move for fun i literally want to move for my sanity like i swear im going insane. my mom keeps saying “well when you go to collage go to one where you want to live” “you can live wherever you want when you’re 18” like im not gonna say my age but i actually mentally can’t wait till im 18 like i can’t and im not saying that in the “omg i can’t wait!!” excited way im saying in the that’s too long im gonna go crazy way.

all my family that’s alive lives here except for one of my cousins lives in italy and i’m so jealous and some of my cousins live in boston and im also so jealous but i want to be the one that went to italy like i need to be this might be dramatic but if im not then like i failed myself.

[c0ffee-gh0ul]

Can you write about Ken Katayanagi x fem!reader that used to be friends but one of them moved to another country and now they met again?

This was a really cool one to write! I went in a direction that I don't usually go in, so I hope you like it!

ONESHOT: KEN KATAYANAGI X FEM!READER

Y/N was a traveler. She couldn’t stay put in one place for too long. After she graduated from college in New York, she knew she wanted to see the world. For five years, she traveled from country to country. Y/N decided that instead of constantly coming and going, she was going to stay somewhere for awhile, and that place was Toronto, Canada.

After being a nomad for so long, settling into one place for a long period of time felt foreign to her. She was social enough, though. She wouldn’t have a problem making friends.

She spent her first few days getting a lay of the land around her. Talking to locals about recommendations for restaurants, entertainment, etc. Her first stop was Second Cup, a coffee shop in the city center that lots of locals raved about.

“Good morning, what can I get for you?” A short woman with long, brunette hair stood behind the counter with a smile on her face, ready to take Y/N’s coffee order.

“Um…” Y/N glanced up at the menu and wasn’t sure what to ask for. “What do you recommend? It’s my first time here.”

“Do you like caramel? A lot of people love our caramel macchiatos,” The woman replied. Y/N looked at her nametag that read “Stacey.”

“That sounds pretty good, actually,” Y/N agreed.

“So, it’s your first time here? Are you from around here?” Stacey asked.

“No, actually, I’m from New York,” Y/N replied. “I’ve been traveling a lot for the last five years and decided I wanted to actually stop and settle somewhere, at least temporarily.”

“Oh, nice! My brother’s girlfriend is from New York. What part are you from?” Stacey continued the conversation while making Y/N’s coffee.

“Upstate, in the mountains,” She replied.

“That’s where she’s from!” Stacey exclaimed, placing Y/N’s coffee on the counter between them. “Her name is Ramona Flowers. Maybe you know her?”

“Sounds familiar…” Y/N pondered.

“She’s got like, 11 evil exes, and her hair is a different color every time I see her, and she’s got serious roller-blading skills,” Stacey continued.

“Evil exes?” Y/N raised an eyebrow.

“Yeah! My brother totally had to fight all of them in order to even date her,” Y/N thought this girl was crazy. Evil exes? Fighting? What is this, a video game? “I’m Stacey, by the way.”

“Y/N,” The two of them shook hands. “Do you know anyone else from New York?”

“I’m pretty sure all of those evil exes are from there,” Stacey replied. “Matthew, Lucas, Todd… Well, Todd is technically from Montreal… Roxie, Gideon… Oh! And the twins… Ken and Kyle.”

“Ken and Kyle? I knew twins with the same names. We went to college together,” Y/N pointed out. “What’s their last name?”

“Something japanese, I think,” Stacey shrugged. “I won’t even try to pronounce it.”

“Could it be Katayanagi?” Y/N asked, sipping her macchiato.

“That’s it!” Stacey replied.

“What a small world…” Y/N mumbled. “Are they here? In Toronto?”

“I think so,” Stacey replied. “I get off work in, like, five minutes. Come with me to Ramona’s and she can tell you.”

Y/N agreed, even though the whole thing seemed a little weird to her. She didn’t care, though. Ken Katayanagi was her best friend in college, but once she started traveling, they lost touch.

“Oh, hey, Stacey. Who’s this?” Ramona answered the door once the two arrived.

“This is Y/N. I met her at work. Apparently she knows Ken and Kyle,” Stacey explained briefly, walking into the house.

“Come on in, I guess,” Ramona chuckled. “You know the twins?”

“Yeah, um, we went to college together. Ken and I were really close,” Y/N replied. She looked closer at Ramona’s face and finally realized why she sounded familiar. “You were dating Ken, right? Or was it Kyle?”

“Both, actually,” Ramona admitted, her face turning red.

“See, told ya!” Stacey chimed in.

“Did she tell you about the league?” Ramona rolled her eyes playfully.

“The league?”

“Evil exes, Y/N!” Stacey reminded her.

“Oh, um, yeah, she did,” Y/N replied. “Ken and Kyle are evil now?”

“Not exactly, but, sure,” Ramona returned.

“Do you know where they are? Ken, specifically?” Y/N asked.

“Yeah, Ken’s here,” Ramona said.

“In Toronto?”

“No, here, in my house,” She chuckled. “Scott wanted to learn how to play keyboard, so Ken volunteered to teach him.”

“Wait, who’s Scott?”

“My boyfriend,”

“I thought he, like, had to fight him and Kyle?” Y/N felt like she was dreaming. What kind of alternate reality was this? “Oh, he did. They’re cool now,” Stacey butted in before Ramona could respond.

“Ken! Someone’s here to see you!” Ramona called up the stairs. Footsteps approached until Ken stopped at the stair landing, looking at Y/N, who was at the bottom of the stairs.

“Y/N?” He said, shocked.

“Hi, Ken,” Y/N smiled.

“Where have you been?” Ken descended down the stairs to come face-to-face with Y/N.

“All over the world,” She replied.

“How did you end up here?” Ken had so many questions.

“Small world, I guess,” Y/N answered in short. “How’s Kyle?”

“He’s good! The two of us are musicians now,” Ken said.

“So, going to college for robotics was for nothing?” Y/N joked.

“Not at all! We’ve got this cool robot that can time travel,” Ken countered.

Y/N couldn’t believe she was reunited with her best friend. She thought she would never see him again.

[depressedhatakekakashi]

Writing to ask if you were scared when you did your big moves? My husband and I are moving across the USA today. Neither of us has lived outside our city/state for longer than a couple months. We had one month to pack up our lives, sell our house, car, and motorcycle, and move. We literally don’t have a place to live yet, so this is extra scary.

I guess I’m hoping for some encouraging words; we’re moving so far from our support system that it makes me scared.

Thank you so much for all you do, Taryn! You’re an amazing person and your kiddo and husband are lucky to have you.

Ohhh Moving is complicated because it IS scary and nerve wracking and probably everything you’re feeling right now

But it’s also a new adventure

Your husband and You are going somewhere you’ve never been before, together. You’re going to get to see new people, learn new things, experience a new way of doing things (the usa is big enough that there’s different cultural normals in different areas)

There’s so much to learn and do!

Was I scared when i moved? Kind of. I was sad to be moving away from family, but i was also excited to get out of Canada because my life was at a standstill and i needed something new to do. So i was more excited, and terribly unprepared for the weather i was about to be living in XD

All i can really say is, look at google maps in the area you’re moving to and choose somewhere to visit in your first week. It can be scary, but explore the area you’re going to be calling home

Get to know it

You’ll feel a lot less intimidated about the move when you start experiencing everything there is around you

Try out a new restaurant if you can

Go check out the parks around you

If there’s museum’s i’d def check them out. Some have little histories on the town/city you’re in and it can really help you settle in if you learn about where you’ll be living

But most importantly, let yourself feel scared but don’t let that fear stop you. This is a new adventure and adventures can be scary, but they can also be amazing

[littleuda]

What I think all the Wilderlands are based on as a geography nerd

The Woods: England and Germany

This is one of the more obvious ones, most of the names of people from there have English origins and Barclay eats a lot of German food. Also just learned from @lordoftheweevils that Master Pilzmann uses ‘Frau’ in a letter to Barclay which is German for woman/wife.

The Sea: Ireland and Scotland

This one is also pretty easy being that Tadg might be the most Irish guy ever and the names also originate from those places. (I am also pretty certain that Amanda has said that it was based on them too but idk where)

The Desert: Egypt and Namibia

Most of the names of people from the desert are Arabic which is Egypts official language. I was having trouble with the second country until I remembered shipwreck coast is based on skeleton coast in Namibia!

The Tundra: Russia and Norway

Yasha’s name is Russian and Runa’s name is Norwegian. Amanda also went to Norway in preparation for writing TNC. This is probably the one I’m most sure on.

The Jungle: India and South Africa

I’m very sure the Jungle is based on India at least since pretty much all the names we know are Hindi, ‘Mayani’ is a South African name so I’m going with it. Definitely need more info on the Jungle.

The Mountains: Canada/USA and China/???

Ok ok, this one was a bit hard. All the characters we know from the mountains have names from so many places. Dumont and Lloris are French, Cecily and Cyril Harlow are English, Viola is Italian, and Leopold is Germanic. I originally thought it could be based on France (mostly because of Dumont) but it didn’t feel quite right, so I settled on the US and Canada which brings in the French influence but also accounts for the diversity in names. Then the first chapter of TNC came out and introduced Yunshan which is Mandarin, now this could work with CA and US but it didn’t feel right, and putting Canada and China together on this list when they are so far apart also didn’t feel right. So I took a look at the map again and I believe that the Mountains are split up into two completely different sections.

One is based on Canada and The US (where Halois is) and the other is based on China and possibly somewhere else in east Asia (where Yunshan is), this also gives us an idea where some of the people in the story who have Chinese names are from which was stumping me a bit.

Sorry for the long rant on this one, it has taken me a long time to come to this conclusion on the Mountains lol

[lang-rangler-enjoyer]

TELL ME ABOUT YOUR STONE OCEAN OCS I'M WORKING ON MY OWN OCS AND NEED ✨INSPO✨

(esp Canada Goose he looks so FUNKY)

OK HERE WE GO :0 I don’t have too many

Canada Goose (yeah, that’s his name. legally)

•Somewhere in his late twenties. Six foot two. Chunky boi with fat tiddies. Has a large black back tattoo of the letters “BNL” in block font

•He’s a mid-to-high level ranking gangster in Sports Maxx’s gang who’s serving a reduced sentence (like Maxx, due to mafia destruction of evidence and legal tampering) for trafficking and selling hard drugs.

•He’s a natural stand user wielding Barenaked Ladies (often abbreviated to BNL). BNL is a soft, squishy parasitic stand that enters the body through open wounds and travels up the bloodstream to your brain. Once it’s in your head, BNL attaches itself to your brain and can read and transmit weak electric signals. Basically, this allows Goose to hear all your thoughts and allows him to send you telepathic messages. BNL can’t do any physical damage to its host, but it’s a psychological weapon that also gives Goose a huge boost in combat, kind of like Dragon’s Dream.

•Not too smart, but then again he doesn’t need to be. He’s good at what he does, he’ll leave the thinking up to people like Maxx. He’s a good listener, he loves just hanging out and shootin’ the shit with people, maybe with a drink and a smoke too.

Viktor Rolf (like the fashion house Viktor & Rolf)

•I COULDNT NOT STEAL HIM HES SO PRETTY LOOK 👁️👁️ AT HIMM

•Mid twenties. No significant tattoos, marks, or piercings.

•Dropped out of university (majoring in English) in his second year due to burn out and personal issues. Got a “temporary” job at the prison and promised his family and friends he’d be back at university as soon as he was feeling better. It’s been at least four years and yeah, he’s starting to feel like that’s never gonna happen. Not that he likes his job at GD st., he fucking HATES it here, but he just can’t bring himself to change everything again.

•He’s cold and standoffish with most people. He doesn’t want to get close with any of his coworkers because it feels like settling in, admitting defeat, admitting he’s never going to leave. Not rude per say, just curt and withdrawn.

•Oh yeah, and he’s secretly dating Goose. He appreciates that Goose doesn’t judge or ask questions.

Dege Goose-Rolf and Skinner Goose-Rolf (like the fashion company Dege & Skinner)

Don’t ask how it happened. Goose would probably tell you, just don’t ask.

•I’m away right now and haven’t had the time to draw them more :( so these are just preliminary sketches

•The twins are weird. like those kids who show up at family gatherings and you’re not quite sure who they’re related to but your mom says you have to sit next to them even if they chew crayons and smell funny.

•They’re very close. Goose is trying his best but he is a first time single dad with no idea what he’s doing, so they sometimes have to rely on each other.

•They share the stand Beastie Boys. I haven’t figured out what it does yet 🤔

[booksbydlwhite]

Bookcast Episode 70: First of the Month

Welcome Episode 70 of the Bookcast, my platform for sharing short fiction and updates on what I'm reading and writing. If you love what I do as an author and you look forward to this show every week, I desire support of this podcast. At bookcast.buzzsprout.com you can offer a one-time or recurring monthly gift, for which I would be ever so grateful. Every little bit helps. Thank you so much in advance for your support. 

If you would like to offer up a comment, a question, a wish for the new year, here is the link to my blog post with the speakpipe function or the form listed. Use your voice or your fingers and send it on through! I’ll add the post to the show notes and share your input in a future show. 

 In this episode, I'm excited to share with you my latest writing plans, recent book reviews, and we talk MONEY. I share my earnings and sales across different platforms, offering some honest(and earnest) insights into the financial side of being a writer. Alongside this, I'll be talking about future book releases,  fan fiction writing, and what's on the horizons. Grab a snack and a drink and settle in for a good chat. 

I talk about the following books on today's show: 

-The Extraordinary Life of Sam Hell by Robert Dugoni -Somebody Somewhere by J. Nichole -Yours for Now by J. Nichole -King: The Life of Martin Luther King by Jonathan Eig -Erasure by Percival Everett -Another Country by James Baldwin

Listen to the show (grab a transcript HERE):

2023 In the MONEY

So, every year, author and author coach Rachael Herron does a money episode where she talks bout how much she made and how she made it. I wanted to share a bit of transparency on what money looks like as a very small time indie author. SMALL TIME is not me insulting myself, it's bringing levity and realness. There is a reason I work a full time job.

All told, I made $3708: $700 more than 2022. Imagine if I didn't put any books out?

The breakdown:

Amazon KDP $2,042.63

BookFunnel $490.57

Draft2Digital $455.64

Google Books $28.55

Findaway $458.61

ACX $232.30

Ebook/print : $2,791.01

Audio: $736.41

Paperback: $172.49

Ebooks sold: 1243

eBooks gifted 15440

Audiobooks moved 3818 (free + reduced price)

Paperback sold: 87

KENP- 566 pages (my books have been out of KU since 2019 but if they never turn the book in I still get paid for pages) $2.39

My highest selling platform is of course KDP, followed by draft2digital. No surprises there because those are the major players. And of course book funnel is my 3rd. I've love for book funnel to be #1, but I think readers still don't really trust direct sales. My readers are on Amazon.

Paid units by market are overwhelmingly US readers. The next largest percentage is literally 'other' so that's likely Canada, UK, etc

Paid units by title- Biggest seller was Hey Lover with 491 copies,, then Elysium at 155 units, Then second time around, then Never List, then Ruby's.

Paid Units by series- my standalone works clock in first (The Never List, Hey Lover, A Thin Line), then Black Diamond and Potter Lake series are basically neck and neck, then the holiday shorts and then Ruby's.

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[wolfbirbisme]

Get to Know Me

thanks for the tag @twosides--samecoin​, sorry for such a late response ;w;

Relationship: oh dear. I uh,,, was in a qpr? No idea if we’re still a thing or not but,,, mostly on my own at the moment (sad violin sounds)

Favorite Colour: ppppppppppft I always try to convince myself its forest green but the reality is that everything I own, literally, is some shade of blue. Think my favorite has to be navy blue.

Song Stuck in Your Head: Hand Me My Shovel, I’m Going In! - Will Wood and the Tapeworms my brain really likes looping it 

Favourite Food: I like a wide range of foods despite being oversensitive to flavor- my favorite these days is probably oven-baked spaghetti   

Last Song Played: listening to my studying/work playlist so uh,,,, The Only Thing I Know For Real - METAL GEAR RISING REVENGEANCE lmao

Dream Trip: oh god uh... hm... I think I might actually die if I were to ever do a whale watch with scientists up north, probably somewhere in Canada. I love orcas and whales and really wish I went into marine biology. I also have been thinking of doing a writing vacation when things settle down- maybe somewhere in British Columbia on a lake in a small cozy cabin. I also want to visit Japan, Ireland, Sweden, and London some day for various reasons.  

Last Thing I Googled: 

I was tagged in another game where the previous person colored some text and I........... I have no idea how to do that. And refuse to switch to HTML lol (spoiler: I never figured out how to) Tagging: uuuuuuuughhhfhh okay well I dunno who’s done this and who hasn’t so woe @iam-jacks-redacted-information @wastelandhell and @,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

whoever wants to join haha :)