#candice ~ why are sundays always like this;

[sinnohelitefourlore]

Sinnoh League Found Family Hcs that will be featured in my ongoing league story that you can read here: -yes cynthia is the champion but bertha is responsible for sinnoh turning very matriarchal. usually it's bertha who is the ultimate decider on these things and cynthia trusts her judgment the most. she gets what she wants. -bertha is literally the designated League Mom. literally she's the one every single league member goes to whenever they have personal problems. yes, even the stoic lucian. she is the best listener and will probably end up making you cocoa. -lucian and flint will show up in bertha's office just for the purpose of avoiding their own paperwork and to bother her. she also has to yell at them to stop licking the frosting when she's baking cupcakes. they do this to annoy her. -bertha is someone who's always willing to learn. she's happy to hear volkner talk about his inventions and his obsession with technology. he teaches her how to use the latest gadgets and she's always so enthralled by them. it actually makes volkner's eyes light up. -cynthia is the designated big sister. she was totally there for candice, gardenia, and maylene whenever "girl problems" came up. -the younger kids of the sinnoh league (aaron, gardenia, maylene, roark, and candice) were undergrounders, apart of sinnoh's grand underground program where kiddies turn into battling machines, which is why they were able to achieve their positions so young. the older generation seems to understand they're young, and therefore are super understanding. still. bertha has done more parenting in fifteen minutes than their families have done in fifteen years. -candice has a nickname. they call her "candy corn" because her full name is candice cornwall, and also because she's sweet as candy. -fantina is called "tina" by byron and wake, after drinking those two under the table at a bar for the first time. fantina always drinks those two under the table. she's kalosian. she handles her liquor better. -maylene was actually discovered by flint and gave her an explorer's kit to send her to the grand underground program after seeing her defiance toward a police officer. it was his idea to make her the new gym leader of veilstone. he was the first person she told about her dad. candice was the second. -roark refers to riley as some boy toy with a stupid fucking fedora. he hates riley because roark's father wanted him to be the gym leader of orebourgh instead of roark, and that pushed roark to become the undisputed leader of the grand underground to show his father. -aaron starts off as a selective mute who was hired to be a gym leader after roark insisted and no one wanted the eterna city position at the time. the sinnoh league didn't care about his muteness, because he did his work, did what he was told, and minded his business. when aaron wins the elite position, he learns to talk more with the support of his elites and cynthia. bertha especially, was very helpful. later he infodumps to them about bugs for 10-15 min. they let him. -gardenia has a garden that's the envy of the entire city. sometimes bertha will come over to help her out with it. people say that she's the most like cynthia, and by that I mean she has the "uncanny valley" look in her eyes, that something is a bit... off about her. really she's fine. that's just her face. -the sinnoh league has sunday brunch hosted by bertha. you don't miss a sunday brunch hosted by bertha unless you're on a ventilator. -when bertha cooks, byron, wake, lucian, volkner, flint, roark, and aaron (pretty much grown men) will fight over who gets to lick the spoon. -they're probably more of a family than any other league. they're a very tight knit group, and that's probably because of bertha. she was cheekily called "mother bertha" for her doting, stern manner, but she genuinely does love them like her own. family didn't have to be blood.

[misscaptainamericana]

Stay Stay Stay - Jake Jensen x Reader

word count: 1700

content warning: Jensen accuses reader of cheating and it causes a fight

Aisha and Clay had set up a company specializing in private investigating and mercenary work located in Boston. You were fresh out of MIT when you applied for the position to work for Jensen in the communication and tech department. You were the only one of the interns to actually get hired from your group and you had actually loved your job. Even better, your boss liked you! You were incredible when it came to hacking into things. He would almost be annoyed that you were faster than him if he didn’t find it so damn hot. It started small with coffees and donuts before evolving into bringing you snacks and finally sitting down for lunch together. These interactions carried on for a year before Pooch threw a Fourth of July barbeque at his house. You thought it was just a fun party with coworkers but it turns out it was one big ruse by the crew to set you and Jensen up. You didn’t mind of course, Jensen was adorable. The only thing that upset you was he didn’t have the balls to ask you out himself. He claimed he was too intimidated by you which you honestly found even more adorable. The giant of a man with biceps nearly the size of your head found you intimidating.

After that night is when the relationship started to heat up between you as the boundaries of the work relationship you had were removed. The days turned into weeks which turned into months of you and Jensen spending more and more time together. He basically lived at your place at this point. It was actually the night he was going to ask if the two of you just wanted to move in together when you walked into the apartment on your phone laughing at something on the screen. Jake was plating the food when he looked over at you with a smile, “Funny meme?”

“Hmm?” You asked looking up at him with a smile, “Oh, no it’s the work group chat. It smells good in here though! What did you make tonight?”

“Stir Fry for Friday!” He answered you in a little jingle as you walked over and hugged him from behind. “What’s the work chat talking about?”

“Well, it’s Janet’s birthday on Monday so a few of us were trying to figure out what to do. Candice is making a cake so Alex and I thought that we could sneak into the office on Sunday and wrap her entire desk.”

“Oh…Just you and Alex?”

“Yeah, he’s kinda my work husband when you and the squad go out on missions together. Candice calls us the disaster duo.”

He tried to hide his disdain by simply nodding before quickly finishing plating dinner.

As you sat down for dinner trying to make small talk, Jake just couldn’t shake what you said. He tried to let it go, he really wanted to, but he finally put his fork down and looked across the table at you. “Since when did you and Alex become so close?”

“I guess since he started working for us? He’s always been a cool guy to hang out with. I wish he would get rid of the stupid nerf gun but I think you, him, and Cougar get too much joy of having them around the office.”

He leaned back in his chair clenching his jaw running through every interaction you and him both had with Alex.

You looked over his changed demeanor with a nervous laugh, “Why is it such a big deal?”

He shook his head with a sigh, “You called him your work husband so I’m trying to put together the pieces here.”

“It’s just a term that people use, Jake! We’re friends!”

“No! You said he was your work husband when I’m gone, meaning you act differently with him when I’m not around!”

“Okay, now you’re putting words in my mouth. You’re acting like I’m sneaking off to go have sex with him on Sunday!”

“Are you?”

“Oh my fucking god, Jacob. You are such a fucking child. Go through all my texts, call him, I don’t care.” You told him before throwing your phone at him from across the room, “Just lock the fucking door on your way out.” You told him before angrily disappearing into your bedroom and locking the door behind you.

The next morning you woke up to an empty bed and it finally hit home what happened last night. This was the first real fight you too had. Six months together and never so much as a disagreement had ever exploded into this. With a sigh you pulled yourself out of bed, lazily pulling on some sweatpants and shirt before making your way into the living room. You stopped in place almost too stunned to move as you saw Jake sitting on your couch, “You’re still here?”

He gave you a slow nod with a sad smile, “I wanted to apologize.”

You immediately relaxed with a smile, “I was actually going to call you to talk about what happened.”

He clapped his hands together before standing up, “Great! Let me just use the restroom to brush my teeth and get a new set of clothes, then we can make breakfast and talk. That okay?”

“Of course.” You smiled up at him as he walked up to you and kissed the top of your head before disappearing into your bedroom.

Going into the kitchen, you started pulling out the things you would need to make breakfast. You started pulling ingredients out of the fridge and as you turned to place them on the counter you saw Jake making his way out of your bedroom wearing a football helmet. A few months ago you attended Pooch’s Halloween party, Jake was a football player and you were a referee. You had completely forgotten about it until now. You placed your hands on your hips and started to laugh, “What the hell is this?”

“Listen, I’m just taking safety precautions! You threw that phone last night like a pro! If I’m going to be around you with knives I gotta protect myself!” He claimed, walking towards you with his hands up. With a small pout you looked up at him as you wrapped your arms around his waist in a tight hug, “I’m sorry I threw my phone at you.”

“I’m sorry I accused you of cheating…I deserve the phone being thrown at me, that was really fucked up.”

“It’s okay. I didn’t realize how the relationship I had with Alex sounded when I said it. He’s like my older brother, I don’t see him like that at all. The same way you would always bring me lunch and refill my water when we first started working he does that when you leave because he knows I’m too much of a workaholic to take a break. The girls just find it funny.” He nodded, understanding the situation, while lightly rubbing your back before his face fell into a frown as you sighed before continuing, “If we’re being honest, I become a neurotic mess when you go out on missions. They put me in your big office to work alone because of my nervous habits and I’ve snapped at them a few times, which is fine I get. Alex is the only one brave enough to check on me.”

“You get that nervous when I leave?”

“Of course I do, Jake. Anything could go wrong and stop you from coming home and my mind races with all of those possibilities.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Because you love your job and I’m not going to make you choose between your friends and what you love to do and me. And if we’re being honest, it’s a little embarrassing how clingy I am to you.”

He smiled, “I like it though, you’re my little spider monkey.”

You rolled your eyes with a smile, “Can we make breakfast now?”

“How about we make a safe space to continue this conversation? You make us those great omelets and I will set us up a pillow fort in the living room. We can eat there and watch cartoons before cuddling up and talking.”

“I think that’s an amazing idea.”

He leaned down to give you a kiss even though it was a little awkward with the bulky helmet on before pulling away from you and beginning to set up the fort.

It was a great morning. A very calm and warm shift from the cold storm that ran through last night. You both ate your breakfast and had coffee while watching some of your favorite animated shows. After you had finished eating, Jake set the pile of dirty dishes outside the door of the fort while you made yourself comfortable for cuddle time. When he came back in, he was positioned in a way that had him half on the bed of pillow cushions and half on you. His head rested on your left breast as he began to play with your right. You didn’t mind that he did this, if anything he listened better when he had something to fidget with and your fun pillows as he called them were perfect for that.

“Hey, Jay?”

“Yeah, baby.” It came out as more of a mumble but you still understood.

“I think I’d like to hang out with you like this for my whole life.” He let out a light laugh causing you to tilt your head to look at him, “What’s so funny?”

“I was going to ask you that last night before my insecurity derailed the evening.”

“Ask me what?”

“If you wanted to take the next step in our relationship and move in together.”

You smiled before resting back onto your pillow, “My place or yours?”

“Well my lease is up soon so likely yours but maybe we could find a new apartment we both really like. Or maybe we could find a house and we could adopt a dog! I’ve always wanted a dog.”

“A dog would be really fun, and because you’re the head of the department maybe we could bring him to work too.”

[velvett-tearss]

Asking the Haikyu boys what their star sign is

warnings: cursing, i make some dirty jokes, use of “good girl” in Atsumu’s, talk of astrology lol

characters used: kuroo, atsumu, oikawa, and kageyama <3

a/n: this is my first time writing characters that aren’t mine and my first writing post is on here so cut a bitch some slack 🥲 also this is NOT proofread lmao I’m sorry

KUROO - SCORPIO

you were both studying for your upcoming chemistry quiz that he always seemed to ace.

to be fair, he was the one who was studying while you scroll through you social media feed.

you sigh softly as an ad for one of those astrology apps came into your view. you raise a brow and turn to him.

“baby?”

“yes, kitten?” he asks and doesn’t look up as he highlights something in pink

such a little nerd 🤓 what isn’t there to love about him???

“what’s your star sign?” you ask

he finally looks at you with a raised brow before a smirk grows on his face.

he leans back against his chair and crossed his arm

inside you’re like 😏😏😏 bc look at his arms

no deadass get ur ass on netflix or Crunchyroll or wtv u watch it on and check his arms out bc

😊😊😊 I could have him manhandle me any day

back to the story sam, keep it professional

“which one do you like best?” he asks

he’s like 😋 acting all cute ... or so he thinks

“none. what’s your star sign?”

“awe, c’mon. there’s gotta be a favorite.”

“there’s not. tell me, tetsu.”

“there’s a favorite of everything, baby. just pick one.”

does he not understand it doesn’t matter what your zodiac sign is??? it’s the stars ?? and that you don’t have a favorite one ???

“my favorite periodic element is—”

“babeeeee—” you whine.

“awe, are you looking for our compatibility?”

can u answer the question sir 🙂

“what. is. your. star. sign. tetsu.”

“awwee, my baby is so cute!”

he kisses you and tickles you as you try and push him off

now y’all r rolling around the floor, trying not to piss yourself

and even though you’re laughing, you still want to know

but he literally does not tell you.

ATSUMU - LIBRA

you were just hanging out at his place, scrolling through tiktok or something when a compatibility video came up on your for you page.

you look up to him from your position on his chest.

“hi there.” he murmurs, looking down at you before kissing your head

baby is sleepy af but he likes looking at you so he stays awake

his hair is a little messy from laying around all day with you in his arms, but he’s cuter like this

☹️☹️ can u hear my tears lmfao

petition to make him real

jk he will ruin our society

as if it’s not ruined enough. 😹

and our economy lowkey bc why isn’t that toner bought and on his hair 🤔

anyway back to the story

“what’s your zodiac sign?” you ask

deadass he’s like 🤨 tf is that??

“have you never read your horoscope before?”

“I think ‘Samu might know.”

so y’all call that Gordon Ramsey up

“what d’ya want?” ‘Samu asks with a yawn

and Atsumu’s like twin 👯‍♂️

“what’s our zodiac sign?”

“uhhh, lemme think a sec”

so you and Atsumu r waiting for him like pretty little princesses on their lazy Sunday 💅

and then Osamu snaps his fingers

“darn, uhh . . . was it candice?”

‘Tsumu looks up at you to check

you give him a look bc you don’t remember a Candice in the zodiac signs

“Who the hell is Candice?” you and Atsumu ask at the same time

“Candice dick fit in ya mouth”

‘Tsumu hangs up ❤️

he slumps back in the bed all unmotivated

“that was no help at all ): ” he murmurs

“c’mon you’ve gotta have read something on it?” you say, stifling a yawn

he kinda just itches his little pudding head and his like “uh, I dunno. why do ya want to know this anyway?”

you sigh “when’s your birthday?”

“ya gotta guess, baby.”

😃 is all you do

“‘tsumu, when is your birthday?”

“gotta guess! only good girls get rewards.”

he’s all 😉

and you’re like 😐

you end up checking Suna’s Instagram because he’s got pics on pics on pics

you see a birthday post of the twins and their fight video 💀

and the caption is like “happy birthday to my little libras! (Dm for full vid, 10$ for HD)

and Atsumu looks at you 🙂

like “what does that mean?”

and you just bully him for being a libra and for his brother rocking his shit 😭

OIKAWA - CANCER

he’s walking you home after his practice, and he’s just kinda humming that one little tune when he asks if iwaizumi was his mom and he’s all like 🙂

yeah, that one

it was a good practice for him lol, he nailed every serve, and iwa’s spikes were so good *chefs kiss*

and his knee wasn’t acting up at all and he’s so happy

gosh

I love him and his knee

and he’s swinging your intertwined hands back and forth bc ik he LOVES holding hands

hold on y’all i got tears on the screen my bad

anyway

so you kinda look at him

and he looks back like the little angel he is 😇

“are you a water sign?” you ask him

he gasps so happily 😩👏

“y/n-chan, you’re so smart! how did you know?” he’s so amazed and proud of you and pepper little kisses all over your face

“what’s your sign?”

he starts to explain his entire chart in depth

like I’m talking about planets, degrees, houses

the full thing, he is so prepared

his entire life was leading up to this one moment

ik he’s a mars libra I just know it 😩

and you don’t even understand half of what he’s saying, but yes king go off 💅

he even tells you iwa’s chart bc he knows all that shit too

anyway, stan my enfj baby or else 🔪

KAGEYAMA - CAPRICON

so y’all are in his backyard, just passing the volleyball bc why not my king is a lonely one okay

can u tell I love him sm 🙂

and you’re just passing back and forth and just talking about your day and whatever

and tobi baby starts complaining about how hinata is friends with every single person ever

somehow??

like at the training camp he became friends with bokuto

who’s one of the top aces??

and then he’s friends with them iron wall hoes at date tech???

and he made friends with Atsumu lowkey??

and all of a sudden he’s besties with yamaguchi??????

“he’s such a gemini” you laugh

and poor baby is like wtf is that 🤔

and he’s so concerned and confused

he thinks ur speaking latin bc wtf is a gemini

you explain to him that it’s a zodiac sign but that confuses him even more

so you use your own zodiac as an example and how you kinda share certain traits of your sun sign, like other people who fall under that sign

and he’s starting to understand

kinda ish

and you ask him when his birthday is

and he tells you when

“oh my gosh, you are such a Capricorn!!”

he’s worried now

is that bad??? 🤔

“is that better than a Gemi thingy?” he asks

“none are better than the others”

he gives u that 😒 look bc there’s always one better than the rest

awe my little king of the court wants to rule the sky 😻

he starts to get into astrology and talks about it a lot lmao

I love this bc ik y/n loves teaching him things bc it’s like he’s never ever had thought that wasn’t volleyball before

his mind: volleyball, y/n, astrology <3

and now every time y’all go out and about he guesses people’s signs and it’s a game for y’all now

just tobio and astrology 🖤🖤🖤

[timeandspacenovelist]

Wargames Worries

Set before and after Wargames 2020.

The sweet but peaceful tones of “A Whole New World” filled the air with a relaxing atmosphere as Candice LeRae hummed along. She just taken out a nice turkey (it was a week after Thanksgiving, allow her) and she set it alongside the other lovely dishes on offer. Today was planning day for WarGames and in addition to going into war with these ladies, she also got on decently well with them. She and Dakota had patched things up after their falling out last year and Raquel seemed alright. Toni and she had met a few times over the past two years or so and she liked her, so that’s good as well. So in order to make this day as good as it could be, alongside the turkey there was a lobster, some Texas ribs and some snacks imported from New Zealand. Now all that was needed was for the guests to arrive. She checked the clock, 3:00pm. Johnny had his game to watch, so he would be occupied. She didn’t want him blabbing about anything unintentionally. She had to outright click delete on a tweet that he was about to send that was gonna reveal Indi as Ghostface before the time called for it. She loved him so much, but honestly, he frustrated her sometimes. She took a few cleansing breaths as she thought about the day ahead.

“Ok, first time planning as WarGames captain. Everything’s gonna be fine. I’m in control. Rhea did it last year, what’s the worse that can happen?” she said to herself. Maybe it was gonna be a good day. Then the doorbell rang.

She opened the door to three smiling faces who no doubt got a whiff of the food as they almost bulldozed past her. She was glad that part was a success, at least.

“So how are you guys doing?” she asked, trying to start off the get together on a friendly note.

“Well, Raquel and I just finished working out and Toni.. What did you say you were doing again?” Dakota stated and then asked.

“Mmmm? Oh, I was getting some new gear,” Toni said, her mouth full with lobster, “I’m really sorry Candice but I hadn’t eaten today and it looked so nice.”

“That’s fine Toni. It was for you anyway.” Candice said, a smile appearing on her face because of the Australian’s love for the food. She hadn’t quite gotten a chance to ask Toni exactly why she liked lobster so much, but one day she’ll tell her.

“Where’s Johnny?” Raquel asked, the Latina taking Toni’s initiative and digging into the turkey.

“In the bedroom, watching the game.”

“Don’t you two usually watch together?”

“Yes, but today, we’ve got something important to do.” The captain of Team Candice and the namesake, (Dakota suggested Task Force X but was rejected), then went over to the couch and picked up her iPad. She flicked through a few unneeded pictures (she didn’t know why she had a picture of Pawdme’s paw) before settling on the picture of the plans she spent last night drawing up.

“I figured since we’re up against some tough competition, we’d best prepare as well as we can. No four on 1 attacks this time.” That was slightly disappointing to her as they had enjoyed the use of the numbers game a lot over the past few weeks, but this time, they had to go toe to toe.

“Umm, Candice?” Dakota said, her hand raised in the air like a diligent student.

“Dakota, you don’t actually have to put your hand up.” Candice said with a soft smile.

“Ah, sorry. Force of habit,” the Kiwi said, blushing slightly in her embarrassment, “who’s gonna be the first one going into the cages?” It was a valid question. They had unexpectedly lost the advantage match so they would have to enter first. The person who went in first usually would be the one to set the pace and hang on, Candice herself knowing that personally.

“Well, I was gonna suggest that....” The sentence wasn’t completed as the trio were startled by the shout of Dakota who’s shocked face melted into a warm wide grin as she realized the mysterious person who touched her was Pawdme. The captain of Team Kick sunk to her feet and began to play with the Garganos’ dog, rubbing her belly and giving her high fives.

“Dakota, are you gonna listen to what I’m saying, or are you gonna play with Pawdme?” Candice sighed and asked, already knowing the answer. Every time she came over, this always happens.

“Yeah, yeah, sure.” she responded, clearly distracted by the rather cute pup.

Candice just shook her head and turned her attention to Toni and Raquel. Toni was, albeit still, paying a lot of attention to her lobster, but she was at least listening. “So, Raquel, I think you should enter the ring second. That way you can help clean up any messes we might have dealing with two of Team Shotzi’s members.”

“I got you Cap,” Raquel said, before she was interrupted by the throat clearing of one Dakota Kai. “sorry, other cap.” Dakota nodded her head and continued playing with Pawdme. Raquel was about to speak again when a loud cheer interrupted her. Johnny came out (well, ran out) of the bedroom like an excited kid who was bringing a report card for their parents to see.

“Sorry, Candice, but I just gotta tell you. I got it. My bet actually paid off!” the exuberant founder of the Gargano Way stated, as proud as he possibly could be.

“What bet is that?” Toni asked, her face showing one of intrigue and interest.

“He bet $500 that Higgins would score two touchdowns this game. It obviously paid off.” Candice stated, giggling at her husband’s excitement over it.

“Yep! Oh baby, Hollywood’s coming in clutch once again!” Johnny said.

“Hollywood, eh?” Toni said, intrigued by the nickname. Her boyfriend watched it, but she never paid attention when he talked football. She had no idea what a touchdown was, but it was obviously good as he got two, and Johnny was happy. She honestly knew little about sports other than wrestling, but was willing to try it if it was interesting to her.

Candice turned to see Raquel looking sheepishly at her, almost like there was something she wanted to say, but felt like it would be wrong to. “If you’re gonna say it, go ahead and say it, Raquel.”

“It’s the Cowboys, they’re playing the Browns. I mistimed the schedule. I thought we had more time before the game began.” the large Latina said, her point coming across very clearly.

“Fine.... go ahead and watch the game. But you better listen when Toni and I talk about the plan with you.” Candice said, like an exasperated mom.

“Thank you so much!” Raquel said as she hurried inside with Johnny, not before flicking Dakota for her interruption earlier, who responded with a playful jab in kind.

“Score’s 21-14 right now. Best watch your head there, the doorway’s a bit..... Ah see I told you to watch your head.” Johnny told her, his warning coming too late.

“Well, Dakota’s playing with Pawdme so her attention is gone, essentially. Raquel’s watching the game with Johnny, so it’s up to the two of us. You ready Toni? Toni?” Candice explained before trying to get Toni’s attention. She then heard a small sound before listening closer and hearing the loud but soft music of Queen, in particular, ‘Don’t Stop Me Now’. Toni had her headphones in her ear and was scrolling down her phone on Twitter. Candice could only shake her head and smirk. She was 25 once too, and she did the same thing, albeit with a less high-tech phone.

She sighed, and she shut down the iPad. It was low on power, anyway. She did try. She did honest to God try. Maybe being a captain was a lot more difficult than Rhea made it out to be. Then again, she never had any team meetings. She was better than her there. Maybe one day when she’s less mad at her for the multi-woman beat down thing, she and Rhea would have a talk about WarGames last year that they had been meaning to have. She checked the clock, 3:30. It had only been a half hour. She shook her head and took out the cupcake she had brought for herself to eat as she let the vocalizing of Freddie Mercury send her thoughts to another place. Come Sunday, they’d just wing it.

Everything hurts. Everything aches. Turns out WarGames isn’t the most pleasant experience in the world. You’d think Candice would realize that after getting her ass kicked by four women for almost half an hour last year. But in her mind, Shotzi needed to be punished. Unfortunately, that punishment meant a broken arm and feeling very, very sore. But a win is a win, and she’s won two WarGames matches now, so that was nice. She looked to her left and gave a warm smile to Toni Storm, who responded in kind before wincing a bit as she tried to move fully on her side to turn to her friend.

“Hey..... thanks for letting us crash at your place for tonight and heal up.” the Aussie said in recognition of the Garganos’ hospitality. Candice (well, mostly Johnny) had decided that the rest of Team Candice could stay at their house tonight, so they wouldn’t have to drive home in pain. It was the least she could do as they put their bodies on the line tonight to win.

“It’s no problem, really. We all needed a place to rest and recuperate after the match and we have more than enough room here.” Candice replied.

“I’m sure Dakota is very thankful for your help, as well. She’ll just let you know when she wakes up. She got hammered, literally.” Toni said, as Candice turned to her right to see a soundly sleeping Dakota Kai, who had taken the lion’s share of the punishment. She had been the most difficult to get into bed because of her soreness and hadn’t taken long to fall asleep.

“You guys can thank me by healing up and getting better” Candice then took the bell she had on her chest and rang it as loud but as gentle as she could in order to alert the person who gave it to her. She had been in the opposite role many a time, but now she was glad it was her turn to be pampered. The door flew open to reveal an attentive Johnny Gargano awaiting his next order.

“You rang?”

“Could you bring me a cup of water, please? My throat’s a little parched.” Candice asked nicely.

“No problem. Nurse Gargano is at your service.“ Johnny said with a salute as he went off to get the drink. Yeah, Candice could definitely get used to this.

Toni tossed and turned in bed as she suffered from the nightmare again. It was the third time in four weeks she had gotten it, and it wasn’t stopping anytime soon. She honestly hadn’t wanted to do it at all, but she rolled to her side in order to fight off the seemingly invisible enemy and she hit Dakota as she flew off the bed and fell down on the surprisingly soft carpet. Dakota would need to make a mental note to tell them about it. The sudden thud and that wail of pain woke Candice up from her slumber and shook Toni from her nightmare. The bell was rung, and it was Raquel, not Johnny, who had answered. In addition to winning the match for the team, Raquel had taken the least amount of damage and so was fit for duties as a caretaker temporarily.

“What happened? What’s going on?” Raquel asked as she burst in.

Candice looked over to the fallen Kiwi and then the shaking Aussie, and put two and two together. When she switched places with Toni, she didn’t expect this to happen. “Toni had a nightmare, swung wildly and knocked off Dakota.”

Dakota hadn’t realized when it happened. All she knew was that she was on the floor, in the air, and then back on the bed. As her realization started sinking in, she noticed the towering figure above her and smiled. “Thanks.”

“No problem. You’re my Hermana. I wanna do stuff like this for you.” Raquel said, straightening and fluffing Dakota’s pillow.

Dakota wasn’t a multilingual person, far from it. But she knew a little bit of Spanish and knew that Hermana meant sister. She smiled at the term of endearment by the Latina. “Sister, eh? Does that mean I get to borrow your clothes? I might need to fix some of them though, just to fit little old me.” Dakota said, smiling at her friend.

“Oh, shut up.” Raquel said laughing as she ruffled Dakota’s mane and left the room, seeing that the other problem was being well handled by Candice.

Candice had her arm around Toni and was rubbing her shoulder as the Aussie finally calmed down. “Hey, hey, hey. It’s ok. You’re alright now. What was the dream about?”

“...... The I quit match.” Toni said after a few seconds of building up courage to say it. Candice understood immediately. It was Toni’s last match in NXT UK and she’d almost gotten seriously hurt towards the end. She assumed the nightmare stemmed from the WarGames recently and all the stuff around it must have reawakened it in her.

Candice took Toni’s hand in hers and held it tight. “Hey, you don’t have to worry about that now. I’m here, with you, in this nice bed. I’ve got your hand, You’re safe. Now I think we can lie back down and go to sleep, but as long as you know that I’ve got you. Ok?”

“Ok.” Toni said, nodding. Toni eased back onto the bed and kept a strong hold of Candice’s hand. Candice stayed up until she felt the strong grip loosen and loosen until she looked over and saw her sleeping. Candice, upon seeing that, was now content. She took a little longer, but she also eventually fell back to sleep as well, dreaming of her Prince Charming..

“Rise and shine, people! Up and at them. Time for breakfast.” Johnny shouted as the clock struck 8:00 am. Seeing as they were normally early risers, Johnny decided to let them sleep in a bit but now, he was ready. The three women sleepily walked out of the bedroom, still sore but less so than last night.

“Morning honey.” Candice said as she walked over and kissed her husband to greet him. She did smirk at the gagging sounds done by Dakota and Toni mocking her for her show of affection.

“Get a room you two.” Toni said, feeling much better after her nightmare last night.

“It’s our house, thank you very much. So what do you have prepared for us today, Chef Gargano?” Candice said laughing.

“Well, with some.... ok a lot of help from Raquel, we got up early, and we made toast and eggs and sandwiches and we got orange juice and water. All you need for a lovely breakfast to give you a good start to the day.” Johnny said, looking quite proud of his accomplishment, well, his and Raquel’s accomplishment.

“I didn’t know you could cook.” Dakota admitted to her large friend.

“You never asked. Ten months together and you never once asked if I could cook?” Raquel questioned with an air of lightheartedness surrounding it.

“Never got the chance?” Dakota said in response.

“Eat your damn breakfast. I worked hard on it so you best enjoy it.” Raquel said smiling as she sat down to eat, which gave the cue to everyone else to dig in.

“Yes, sir.” Dakota said saluting the Texan. The five of them sat down and ate their well-prepared breakfast, talking about the matches and how it went. Johnny and Candice spoke about bringing in Austin and Indi full time to train them. Toni talked about challenging Io, much to the annoyance of Raquel, but they agreed they’d settle in the ring when the time came. Dakota, to what she thought was away from Candice’s view, snuck food under the table for Pawdme, until Candice caught her but allowed her to give one piece to the dog before she had to stop. Eventually the breakfast was finished and Toni, Raquel and Dakota said their goodbyes and went home. Later that day, the Garganos were having a chat about the experience.

“I really think we should do this more often,” Johnny said as he kissed Candice’s arm injured, “of course, hopefully when you’re not hurt.”

“Well, the next time that WarGames comes around....,” Candice said as she kissed his cheek before slapping him on the head, “you go in the cage instead.” she said, laughing as Johnny rubbed his head in pain.

[with-love-anu]

Desiderata: The Reveal

PART: 5

WORD COUNT: 2K

PAIRING: Sirius Black x Reader

SUMMARY:  You had been best friends with James, Remus, Sirius and Peter. Read your journey of love, friendship and jealousy through your wonderful years at Hogwarts. Enjoy!

SERIES MASTERLIST

As you moved through the train looking for the compartment and your friends, you couldn’t help but feel a bit anxious. You had always worn simple T-Shirts and jeans at school. Now, as you walked wearing a coral pink off-shoulder top and some high-waist denims, you could suddenly feel people noticing you. It made you smile, the new found attention. You finally saw your besties sitting in the second last compartment.

“Fangs!”

James hugged you as you entered. He held you at arm’s length, his hands on the either side of your shoulders as he took a good look at you. “Wow! You look so pretty!”

“Well, I take it you like my new look.” You smiled smugly cocking an eyebrow.

“I don’t know about him, but I freaking love it” Remus piped in as he came forward and practically engulfed you.

“Remus…can’t…breathe…” you choked out as Remus chuckled releasing you.

You turned to find peter as red as a tomato and Sirius beside him. He stared at you with a somewhat surprised expression on his face, his mouth slightly ajar. It took him a second before he came forward and pulled you into a tight hug and whispered, “I missed you” his breath tickling your ear. You blushed and slowly pulled away from him.

After you all settled down, you told them about your trip to India. Sirius had spent most of the summer at James’s house and the way their eyes sparkled mischievously, you knew they had done much more than have some “fun”. Remus had spent his summer engrossed in the books you’d lent him. Having read through your collection more than 3 times and knowing Remus would take good care of them, you had given them all to him for the summer. Peter had travelled to the country side with his family.

When you’d finally reached the great hall, you couldn’t wait for the sorting to get over and to dig into the feast prepared by the school elves. You were sitting beside Lily who had pulled your ear on seeing you. (“Y/n Y/l/n! You had no time to see me!”)

James who sat in front of you was continually giving you looks, pestering you to make Lily talk to him. After a while, you started ignoring him all together because you knew how infuriated lily would get if you did that just now. Lily and you talked about your vacations. You told her how your sister wanted to give you this big makeover and you just took the opportunity. Lily listened to you a small frown occurring in her eyes. You asked her about it.

“Nothing, it’s just that my own sister Petunia hates me. I wish I had same relationship you have with your sister.” Lily told you. “But anyways, I love your new look and I could already see the boy’s heads turning in you direction” she said wriggling her eyebrows.

“Lily!” you said smacking her arm.

Lily giggled and you couldn’t help but wonder about her. You two always had been close friends but you couldn’t spend that much time with each other as you had the marauders and she, Snape. Now, when she just told you about her sister, you couldn’t help but worry a little. It was the same way Sirius had first mentioned Regulus. You saw how she just mentioned her with a sad glint in her eyes before brushing it away. You doubted that Lily had someone she could talk to about this. Although she was friends with the other dorm-mates you knew that the two of you were the closest. You decided in that moment that you would at least try to strengthen your friendship with her.

When you were both ready to sleep in your respective dorm rooms, you took her into the bathroom with you so that others wouldn’t hear. You pestered her to sneak out. She glared at you but you could be persuasive when you wanted to. She put up a good fight before finally giving in.

“Y/n, if I get caught you would be responsible”

“What would teachers say?”

“I am a prefect; I am supposed to stop these things”

“Y/n you are a bad influence on me”

“Y/n are you even listening to me?”

You huffed. You could very well see beneath the annoyed façade that Lily was enjoying herself. She couldn’t even keep the small smile off her face. You wouldn’t lie if you said that she had a mischievous side to her. You smirked.

“You need to stay quiet. I know that this is your first time sneaking out, but trust me I won’t let you get caught.” You told her.

“Okay”

As you reached the fruit bowl painting you couldn’t help but put in a bit of drama.

“Lily Evans, my closest dorm mate, (Lily face palmed) I present to you my secret of bringing snacks to our dorm. Now, I am only letting you know this because you, yes you NEED to loosen up a bit and also you’ve proved yourself to be worthy to me”

You made wide hand gestures as you entered the kitchens. After Lily decided she had looked around enough, you both sat down drinking some hot chocolate. The two of you laughed and joked around talking about everything from the teachers to the portraits at Hogwarts. You were mildly surprised to find Lily having this wild side to her. She was fierce and bold and definitely not the girl who followed every single school rule. You could see how perfect she was for James, but you didn’t raise your opinions just yet.

“Tell me, why hadn’t we done this before?” Lily asked, her face as red as her hair, from laughing all the way up to the common room.

“You insisted on following the rules so much, that’s why.” You told her smiling. You both went up to your dorm plopping down on the mattress, soon falling into deep slumber.

Next morning, when you went down the breakfast table you couldn’t help but feel a little sleepy due to the last night’s endeavours. You poured yourself a large cup of coffee and piled on some toast and fruit. You saw Sirius come in flirting with some Ravenclaw girl. You huffed and felt that familiar pinch yet again. You were tired, tired of pinning after the boy who would never reciprocate your feelings. When you were going through the makeover, you thought that maybe, maybe Sirius would notice you. But he clearly never did or ever will. You mentally cursed James and Remus for putting the little hope in your head.

Your thoughts were interrupted by someone calling your name. You turned around and saw Sebastian, Ruuhaan, Alex, Charlotte and Grace smirking at you. Over the years you all had become great friends. They were all from different houses. Sebastian and Charlotte from Ravenclaw, Alex and Grace from Hufflepuff and Ruuhaan from Slytherin.

“How come we are last to know about your new look?” Alex asked smirking at you.

“What? You don’t like it?” you said twirling around so they could see your striped culotte jumpsuit.

“Oh everyone loves it” Ruuhaan said winking at you. You smiled as the group fell into an easy conversation.

“So, Sunday 2pm we start this year’s study session” Grace said as she started to leave.

“I really can’t wait to go back and study” You said in a high pitched tone, sarcasm dripping from every syllable. Sebastian sniggered as Grace smacked you.

“That hurt!!” you pouted.

“We just don’t study and you know it! Anyways, remind Remus too.” Grace said.

You looked back seeing Lily sitting alone eating her breakfast. You glanced at the Slytherin table to see Snape sitting with Malfoy, Avery and Mulciber.

“Can I bring Lily too? She’s real nice outside the prefect duties and being the perfect student” You asked.

“Of course why not?” Charlotte said. “Besides Ruuhaan is bringing his crush, Candice too.” she added winking.

Ruuhaan blushed. He had a crush on Candice for years and had gathered the courage to talk to her after huge amount of pestering from you all.

“So, it’s settled then!” Sebastian cut in saving Ruuhaan from any teasing. As they slowly went their ways you plopped down next to Lily and saw James and Peter had already taken seats opposite to you and were eating. Remus always came in the last moment at breakfast being the sleepy head he was.

“Lily, are you free this Sunday 2pm?” you asked Lily.

“Yes. Why?”  

“Okay so I have this study group I go to where we usually do our homework but time to time we also have fun. There are people from all the houses and honestly speaking; we get our work done earlier than most people. I mean with different views, loads of notes and research work from 7 different people does make things easier.” You explained.

“So, this is the actual reason you score at least an “E” in every class? I’m impressed. I didn’t know there were people who take their homework seriously.” Lily said an amused look on her face.

“Am I hearing a yes?” you said delighted.

“I’ll be there.”

The first day was exhausting. You had gone through double potions and herbology. Teachers were all on about how you needed to work hard for the upcoming owls and you had already got 3 essays to write by the next week. So, as you moved towards the last class, defense against the dark arts, you were hoping to get over with it as soon as possible.

You sat beside James and Sirius who were in the same predicament as you were. Professor Vane was new defense against the dark arts’ teacher. He was an old man who looked like a walking corpse.

“Settle down please.” He drowned in a monotonous voice and you knew he wouldn’t be able to handle your wild classmates. He went and sat on a high chair facing the class and remained there for the entirety of the lesson. He went on about how although you all would be practicing certain spells the main focus would be on the theory. You groaned internally. Great, just great. With Voldermort on the rise, the increasing tension in the wizarding world, you wouldn’t even be taught about how to handle yourself in a battle. You were passionate about the things you believed in and stopping this pureblood mania was one of them. So, as he droned on and on about different spells and their usage you couldn’t help but be disappointed.

While the class went on, James mindlessly writing lily on the corners of the page filling it with small hearts, Sirius winking and passing notes with Marlene (you were glaring at him, but apparently he never noticed) ; an idea struck you. When the class finished you beckoned the marauders to a small corner.

“Listen, I have an idea. I don’t think Vane is ever going to teach us anything useful and I want to be able to defend myself and be strong enough to go on missions against the death eaters.” You looked to see the boys faces darkened with a grim expression.

“What I am trying to propose is a club. Not like the duelling club where people go to have some fun. I want to learn things that would help me keep myself and others safe. I have seen the procedure for making the club and I am sure we would be allowed if we followed the rules. People can teach each other what we are best at. Remus can help us with attacking spells; Lily can with the defensive ones and I could help teach others basic healing procedures- spells and potions. That’s what it is about in the end, isn’t it? Helping each other? Staying strong together?” you spoke out.

The boys took a moment thinking about what you just said. You knew they were as eager to learn as you were. Remus spoke up first.

“I’m in” Remus said with an expression that told you he was determined to make this work.

“Me too.”

“I’m in”

“Sure. Why not?”

You were positively delighted to see them agreeing.

“But, who else would be there?” James asked.

“Oh, you’ll see. Leave that to me” You added smirking knowing exactly who you were going to call and were sure that they’ll agree.

SERIES MASTERLIST

[danwhobrowses]

AEW Women’s Eliminator Tournament - Full Review

So as of tonight’s Dynamite the winner of the Eliminator Tournament is in the books, either Nyla Rose or Ryo Mizunami have overcome the other to earn the right to face Hikaru Shida at Revolution on Sunday

But now is time to look at the tournament as a whole and review how well AEW’s latest ambitious Women’s Division Project would/should be received

Warning: There will be immediate spoilers for the Winner under the ‘Keep Reading’, if you do not wish to know the Winner do not read until you have

So when the smoke cleared and the dust settled, Ryo Mizunami came out on top having pinned Nyla Rose for the win, claiming the spot at Revolution and the tournament.

Boy was my prediction wrong eh?

After being given the trophy by Shida however, Aniki refused to let go of the champion, trading and inviting blows from each woman until Shida was able to knock Mizunami down and raise the title aloft.

Was she people’s first choice to win? Probably not Is she an unworthy winner? Absolutely not

Mizunami is extremely experienced, her charisma can reach all ages, she has a genuine love for the wrestling (her sunglasses even have ‘I <3 AEW’ on them), she has aforementioned history with Shida and she went through 2 Fan-Favourites, the legendary Aja Kong and finally the previous Women’s Champion and No.1 Ranked Woman to get here.

And while we are on that topic, to the people who immediately condemned and criticized the tournament when Nyla made the finals: Don’t you get tired of being worked so easily? Honestly we had the exact same thing with the Deadly Draw, people don’t want competitor A (Nyla/Brandi and Allie) to win: so AEW put them in the finals so they root for competitor B (Aniki/Diamante and Iveliesse). Ye of so little faith

I also like to mention that it’s quite nice of Mizunami to be this rewarded by AEW and Shida given how she appeared on their first show at Double or Nothing, I didn’t know it at the time of my bracket rundown but apparently Mizunami was about to retire after DoN, but the crowd and energy of the match inspired her to keep going and push to reach a wider audience - which AEW is now letting her achieve.

Get it out of the way - The Negatives Make no mistake this tournament was great, but it doesn’t mean it was perfect. Of course my earliest criticism was that we could’ve had more, a bittersweet feeling I got when I realised the tournament was nearing its close. While yes it would’ve been nice to see the likes of Big Swole, KiLynn King, Allie, Penelope and perhaps even some debuts/returns, we cannot slight AEW too much for keeping the bracket small.

Time however was a bit of a constraint on AEW’s part. Having revealed late that the winner will face Shida for Revolution, the tournament matches started coming out fast...but on Youtube. Personally, I had no problem with the matches being a sole focus stream on Youtube, but I can also understand why not putting at least the entire American bracket on Dynamite would’ve hurt the tournament. If the tournament had more time I do believe that each match would’ve had a Dynamite showing and not a broken BR Live stream (but please note that BR Live were the problem there, not AEW).

A non-AEW criticism as well for Injury screwing over Anna Jay right as she was about to have her match, extremely rude of the world and we hope her shoulder heals up faster than usual.

The final criticism is probably with the BR Live US Bracket Finals video, simply put it was lacking compared to other streams. Madi vs Leva and Leyla vs Alize didn’t shine as much as Riho vs Rosa and the 6 Woman Joshi tag did in the prior stream, we could’ve probably gotten better matches out of that.

Why I loved it - The Positives I will look at anyone who says that this tournament was a waste and meaningless dead in the eye and tell them they are wrong, and they will be shocked to find that I am not lying.

The tournament not only put a lot of attention on the competing women but became a platform for AEW to show that they have some impressive women on their roster. The returns of Yuka, Emi and Riho paired with the stalwart performances of Baker, Rosa and Nyla as well as the bright showings of Madi, Anna, Tay Conti and Leyla shows that AEW still have a really good Women’s Division - I mean I love WWE but you have to admit their NXT women’s division bought many of their stars ready-made; Io, Toni, KLR, Meiko and Candice were already established names before WWE. Stack that on top of impressive performances by Red Velvet and Jade Cargill last night and the ranks of Big Swole, Allie, Penelope Ford, Kris Statlander, Shanna, KiLynn King and Tesha Price and you still have a strong division.

The tournament proved its worth also by the fact that there was not a single bad match on there, we had some bangers on each stage ranging from Yuka vs Emi, Rosa vs Riho, Nyla vs Baker and Leyla vs Rosa, among several others. The tournament succeeded in giving us great wrestling even with different formats of face vs face, heel vs heel, speed vs power, technique vs power, and even some new shades to the women such as heel Sakura and face Nyla.

I cannot praise the tournament without heaping a ton of praise on the Joshi. Shida and Kenny had always been adamant to show that the Joshi can be a revelation to Western audiences and they were paid in kind in that regard. All six Joshi brought out their A-Game to the point where several are asking for them to be signed, Sakura’s heel ‘Killer Queens’ faction rose interest with a fantastic entrance, while VENY dazzled with their gymnastic talent (and their wearing of the late Hana Kimura’s kimono), Mei Suruga and Yuka Sakazaki lit up the room with their speed and fun and Maki Itoh continues to be adored by the wider world into megastardom. The six woman tag as well was a nice cherry on the top to once again showcase the women, including Rin Kadokura who was fed to Aja Kong in the tournament, every bit of energy and charisma from the Joshi landed on the mark, it has opened several new fans to their home brands (TJPW however did kinda give away that Yuka wouldn’t win given how she was booked for one of their shows, but they’re still great) and have us gasping for more of those six and perhaps some extra, Miyu Yamashita for instance? Think about it TK

One thing that can really harm a tournament too is predictability, which this tournament did not have. You have to commend the balls of AEW to set up 5 fan favourite choices to win and have them each be felled and swerve the entire fanbase. It was for the most part good swerves as well, leading up to the Nyla work included, and actually made me feel like this tournament had big stakes for each member. People will criticize its unpredictability but I won’t be one of them, just because it didn’t go how you personally predicted it doesn’t mean it’s bad.

Also a stand out yes for Rosa’s several gear, especially the Selena one against Riho, and Hikaru Shida herself slaying it in the white suit, like lord almighty thank you for this food.

Was it worth it? - Conclusion This is an emphatic yes for me. AEW will always have its critics, fair and unfair, but if you have to wonder whether this tournament is a success you have to simply look at it this way

Were you entertained?

For me yes, there was a 100% consistency in good to great matches in this tournament paired with genuine surprises that got people talking and invested in the tournament itself.

Did it give you something fresh?

A dark horse winner who earned her way to face Shida for the 5th career time and 1st time in an AEW ring through outwrestling, outpowering and outwitting their previous opponents, unique heel/face changes and a showcase of new wrestlers and matchups? I’d say that’s a yes

Did anyone get over?

You ask anyone before this tournament was announced who Ryo Mizunami, Maki Itoh, VENY or Mei Suruga was and you’d likely get blank faces, thanks to AEW they are known and commended by several fans outside of Japan. You ask people if Tay Conti can bring a physical match to Nyla and almost win and you’d get a few murmurs, if you asked people if they though Kenny was valid for his push to bring the Joshi into a wider audience prior to this may’ve said no. Those minds were changed because these women got over. In addition to that the popularity of Thunder Rosa, Riho and Yuka Sakazaki has continued to rise as some of AEW’s top babyfaces, Leyla Hirsch, Emi Sakura and Tay Conti’s stock have rose thanks to the tournament and Nyla and Baker have delivered on strong match performances.

When you consider those three, there is no way you could call the tournament a failure or a waste, people benefitted from it in a good way which means it was a good tournament.

I for one will look forward to seeing Shida take on Aniki and see how it unfolds at Revolution - which I hope to do a review for, I’m also guessing that Paul Wight’s aquisition is either Christian or Okada. Many will of course assume that this is an easy retain for Shida (and act like winning the tournament means you should win the following match as if people don’t win the Royal Rumble/MITB/KOTR/Dusty Classic and lose in their title shot), but how many of those people thought that Itoh, Kong, Yuka and Nyla would beat Mizunami? She keeps on extending the party and coming out on top, you cannot underestimate the tournament winner, Shida produced this tournament, she’s picked her winner now she needs to fight them.

[anxiety-trademark]

The week in review:

Raw 12/14 NXT 12/16 NXT UK 12/17 Smackdown 12/18 TLC 12/20 + Main Event 12/17

Raw:

“This Sunday at tlc, it’s gonna be you and me against Nia and Shayna,” Lana says to Asuka, as a quiet ‘woo’ can be heard in the distance.

Lana facing her fears and fighting Nia Jax makes her the bravest person Asuka knows. Rolling. Fucking Asuka. ASUKA. wwe, stop.

Why isn’t Asuka accompanying Lana to the ring?

I like Lana’s gear.

Joe just compared Lana to a mosquito, goodbye.

Oh snap look how fast Lana did that headscissors takedown. We’re witnessing her progression, ladies and gents.

You know, I knew Lana would win this match, I knew exactly how she would win this match, but jfc what a treat watching it myself. 

Nia’s face lmfao.

Shayna wrecking Asuka so she can’t save Lana from her inevitable fate. Still curious on whether or not this beatdown injured her, if she was injured going into the match, or if it was all really just a storyline.

Yikes this is sad.

Man that leg drop onto Lana’s ankle actually looked kinda wicked, ngl.

*distant woo intensifies*

Wow we got real tears from Lana. Points.

Becky and Charlotte have been gone, Alexa hasn’t been on tv, the Raw women’s championship has become a meaningless prop... what a dead period for this roster.

Hi why is this match happening?

I will never not be impressed by Dana’s entrance.

Is Mandy actually hurt? Why did they take her off tv for so long? Is Shayna the resident kayfabe shelver? “Hey this girl is actually injured, have her written off by Shayna” ?? Cuz I know they’re not splitting Dana and Mandy up, and Dana has been on tv every week since Mandy left. Must be genuine.

These 2 are running roughshod over the entire division at this point.

OH SHIT MANDY’S BACK WITH A KENDO STICK

Lmfao the babyfaces are fucking done with Nia and Shayna. Honestly that’s great, I love it when babyfaces band together to stand up to dominant duos. This has been going on long enough. They took out Mandy, took out Lana, were about to take out Dana. Totally fair.

Highlight: Lana getting a clean win over Nia & being taken out so my queen can return

---

NXT:

It’s a funny thing with Toni and Rhea. Toni says she’s the reason Rhea came to nxt, but she’s also the reason I became such a huge fan of Rhea’s. Heard they were having some big TakeOver match and everyone was always praising Toni. So I checked into Blackpool solely to see what the Toni Storm fuss was about, and I left that ppv solely impressed by Rhea Ripley. Then I took particular notice of Rhea in the Royal Rumble a few weeks later, and I’ve been watching NXT UK for her ever since (til she moved). To see her growth has been tremendous, and she’s so young. Such a bright future.

The music to this is great.

Toni says she isn’t scared of Rhea, as if Rhea’s mere theme music didn’t scare the absolute shit out of Toni the week prior lol.

Toni’s not even a terrible promo, but the timing of her blinks could not be worse. Yes, it matters.

I can’t stop laughing at how fucking intensely Shotzi started this interview.

She does pissed off interviews well. I can feel her annoyance.

Really don’t want to see a Candice/Shotzi feud tbh but okay, I’ll try.

aaand there’s the howl. Awful.

Lmfao Rhea called Toni a piece of trash. This is gonna be interesting to see with the alignments reversed.

I don’t remember who won this match, but I’m betting it was Toni. Which is fair tbh. Rhea is probably on the “put some peeps over before moving up to the main roster” path that everyone in the women’s division walks on. They always eat at least one monumental, or a couple meaningful, loss(es).

Oh man that is fucked up. To not only be forced to continue punching/kicking a human (fun fact: the person on the offense takes quite the damage doing so) but to have the defenseless victim bleed out and beg for you to stop. That’s rough.

This was shot really well. That music holy shit, I’m creeped out. It’s like a horror movie.

I see the point. Numbs him to pain and breaks his will, while numbing her to mercy. Ruthless stuff.

Oh are we finally done with Indi’s neck brace? Cool.

I can’t believe wwe invested in this upgraded tank. I still don’t think it’d work on the MR, but points to the boss for shelling out the cash.

Wtf was that stumble and “fall” by Indi lmao.

If Candice was a real bully, she’d distract Shotzi by fucking with her tank at ringside.

Indi does need a mentor, she’s a hell of a lot greener than my mutuals have made it sound. oof.

Shotzi looks like she has no idea how to work with Indi, and Indi looks gassed, confused, and slow as hell.

All Indi knows it going from spot to spot while Shotzi waits around for her to get there.

Lol Indi failed at getting a dirty win. I don’t really care if this is a part of her The Way storyline, what a mess.

The only redeeming part of this piss poor segment was Theory shaking the troll’s head at Shotzi.

I’ll give wwe an extra $9.99 if they let this match have a clean ending.

“[Rhea] was at one point the biggest superstar in the world,” that isn’t even close to being true because Becky Lynch exists, but I’ll let it slide and pretend you said “in nxt”.

Their paths will be so similar to Becky and Charlotte in the future.

Wow what a sequence. That would’ve received an applause on the MR. Traded headlocks for restholds, threw around their strength, then went into a battle of pinfall reversals. Instead of following that with some stalemate, they didn’t take a breath and proceeded to dance with each other and showcase some chemistry before rolling back into a battle of pinfall reversals. The sequence started with a kick by Toni to Rhea’s midsection, and it ends with a kick by Rhea to Toni’s midsection. Peep that match production, good stuff.

My, my, those slaps to Toni’s back. Whew.

Yeah actually it’s really fucking cool that these 2 get to main event nxt together, come to think of it.

They sell well for each other.

Rhea has the best dropkicks, lesbireal.

Holy shit Toni’s headbutts make my own head hurt. God I wish she wouldn’t. Most people put their hands between the heads so no contact can be made, but Toni’s just like “lol fuck it”

This is a great match. This duo works a lot better with these specific alignments. Watching face Toni try to chop down Rhea is not as good as heel Toni being impossibly hard for Rhea to put away.

Women’s matches and never having a clean ending. Name a more iconic duo. Winter of overbooked women’s matches continues.

Like I had guessed Toni was gonna win anyway, but fucking come on.

*Bonus* online exclusive: Toni says playing by the rules got her diddly and squat, but like... she was a champion lol. “It ain’t even Toni time right now, it’s party time.” Alright.

Highlight: Rhea vs Toni minus the ending

---

NXT UK:

I don’t know why we’re getting Isla Dawn vs KLR but anytime I get to see KLR fight, I’m here for it.

Hell even Isla’s song never kicks it out of first gear. Song has so much potential but it never goes to the next level.

Ahhhh my Scottish queen is here.

No, don’t compare Sasha’s basement meteora to the double knees Isla did. That was pitiful.

Anyway, KLR vs any of the 4hw would be fantastic, take my money. Sasha, Bayley, Charlotte, or the woman KLR wanted to face at TO Dublin, Dublin native Becky Lynch.

That back body drop is horrendous as a finisher. It’s like when Becky won her debut match the exploder suplex. Awful lmao. Imagine if KLR lost to a back body drop ffs.

You don’t get to be this frustrated for not being able to beat the champion when you’ve only been fighting for like 3 mins.

Isla’s pisspoor speed going in the corner, and her pisspoor roll off of KLR’s tornado ddt. Shame.

Such a clean transition from a failed pinfall attempt into a submission by KLR, whew.

This whole match was just a flex by KLR lmao.

There was a time where we had Becky Lynch, Bayley, Rhea Ripley and KLR as our champions. Wow, take me back plz.

The background music of this stupid recording is so unnecessarily dramatic, wow.

All for the delivery of a chair. Of a fucking chair. Piper... shut up and handle your shit.

For someone so much larger than the little man, Piper is insanely unintimidating.

Highlight: I got to see KLR wrestle

---

Smackdown:

Bayley does run her mouth a lot. She’s kind of the EST at saying dumb shit that gets her into trouble lmao.

Bianca is so friggin good at interviews and in backstage segments. She hasn’t received much of a chance to do promos in the ring, let alone obviously to a live crowd, but I hope she shines there, too.

Has Liv reverted back to being a dumb blonde, or is it drugs? Stop letting her speak.

Love Riott Squad’s everchanging gear. Wonder who makes it for them.

Billie Kay claims that she’s a ‘seasoned’ ring announcer, and somehow that would not surprise me.

Tamina “get the fuck out of my face until I get a nap and a vat of coffee” Snuka, everyone.

Lmfaooo Tamina fucking chucked Liv across the damn ring. What a good job by Liv.

Ruby is exceptional at running the ropes. She gets a good spring off of it.

Tamina’s hair is always so beautiful, she gets points there.

Dropkick into a faceplant. Billie Kay gets pinned rofl. She’s so bad at wrestling and yet here I am ridiculously entertained.

There’s absolutely nothing wrong with Carmella’s current persona, but man I wish she’d come out in a cut off tank top, camo pants, high tops and a printed hat.

I mean people are at home cuz covid, but go off.

Aye putting over Sasha. Good heel Mella.

Sasha has held the title for like a whopping 2 months and we’re already marking calendars. Sad.

In kf, Sasha is kind of mentally weak, so I’ll give Mella that. I’m not sure what it’s gonna take to shake that perception, either.

“Who is Sasha Banks if she’s not the Boss? Who is Sasha Banks if she’s not the best? It’s sad because that’s a question that not even Sasha Banks knows the answer too.” So I get that wwe are trying to help Sasha develop and fight off her past demons, but man these women are ripping her a new one. Sasha’s only 29 so she can grow and develop however she wants, but jeeze. Salt, meet the dagger Bayley stuck in Sasha’s back.

I like Mella cuz she knows how to hype her opponent’s accolades and strengths while cutting an immaculate heel promo where she hits them RIGHT where it hurts. She’s a pro. Heels should take notes.

This music is like the Jazz Vibes playlist I always listen to.

She just called Sasha cheap and frantic lmaoooo

Oh damn Sasha be out here looking like MONEY. That girl has style, even if it doesn’t always hit with me, she got style.

oof the crack of that slap to Reggie.

OOF the crack of the bottle shattering over Sasha’s poor back. rip.

Match at TLC should’ve been a champagne match. That entails whatever your mind comes up with; pouring alcohol on your opponent, dumping their head in a bucket of ice, breaking bottles over spines. It don’t matter.

“You don’t see me going around here bragging about how damn good I am,” lmao WHAT. Bayley is equal parts delusional and obnoxiously annoying.

One size heel does not fit all, but I think her version suits her beautifully.

If I were her I’d pick your brain too, but I’d also want a match, cuz people leave matches with you looking as good as humanly possible. Equal parts selfless as well.

She didn’t lie, this was absolutely her putting Bianca on the map on the main roster.

wwe: wants to strap a rocket to Bianca and make her a star. Also fucking wwe: “lol no we’re not gonna show you her full entrance, cry more scrub.” 

Bayley still looks weird without a title.

Bayley mocks Bianca’s entrance and then gets swept onto the apron lmao. Idiot.

Bianca is a lot of flash and showboating, which is great from an entertainment standpoint, but she needs to do a little... less.

Fantastic snap of the hand against the led board. Bayley wrecking Bianca’s arm gonna hinder the flips.

“I’m the ER. I’m BET-TER. haha.” lmao Bayley is such a fucking dork. Got sent into the ring steps for her bravado. Love that there’s always immediate repercussions for Bayley’s arrogance.

Bayley turned midway going down onto Bianca’s knee for that backbreaker, there. Hope she doesn’t have a massive bruise. Looked like it’d leave a massive bruise.

3 things I’ll apparently never get to see again: Bianca’s hair whip, Bianca’s full entrance, and Bianca’s 450 splash. I’m tired.

These stupid fucking squats while Bianca is dangling off the top rope rofl I swear Bayley is something else. Girl knows how to entertain. “Bayley got a bit cute and Bianca made her pay,” story of Bayley’s life.

Beautiful spinebuster by Bianca. At least SOMEONE in the women’s division will use it.

Bit of a miscommunication there it seems. Bayley goes for a B2B, Bianca tries to block it, Bayley drops down to dodge and go for a cradle. She rolls Bianca all the way back, stands up and hesitates before running at Bianca with an elbow - even though Bianca is not in position to receive it - which Bianca counters by rolling Bayley up, but it was super obvious Bianca was just scouting the next spot. Bianca goes to pick her up for a powerbomb but Bayley has to kick out twice to prevent herself from being pinned while Bianca tries to lift her. That entire sequence was super messy.

Then Bianca nearly drops her lifting her all the way up lol. Yikes. Gotta be pretty fluent to pull that off. Not to plug my fav (but I’m totally gonna plug my fav); it’s a move Charlotte does in almost every match against Asuka or Becky, and you gotta be not only built to pull it off, but you need to have impeccable timing to make the transition look smooth. Extra points if you lift them off the mat RIGHT before a 3 (which Charlotte usually does)

Anyway, good match with a messy last 2 sequences. Bayley did what Bayley does best.

Highlight: Bayley vs Bianca

---

TLC:

They really took Eva Marie and Sasha Banks’ characters and meshed them together while keeping Carmella’s obsession for animal print lol.

Really don’t like that gear. That’s a miss, Mikaze.

Beautiful arm drag. Sasha taking the idea of wrestling like a Lucha more seriously? Cuz she should, ain’t nobody else in the MR doing it.

Commentators say the trash talk is continuing, I say Sasha is quietly leading this match with a grimace. Peeped that “hit me”.

Carmella goes to suicide dive through the ropes just for Reggie to catch her, cept she got caught up and started turning in midair. Would’ve hit her neck and shoulder HARD had he not been there. Great catch indeed.

Sasha “rip my back” Banks.

Not to be douchey, but if you have to adjust your gear in the middle of a match and it’s not just to fill time or be used as character work, then you need to redesign your gear.

Sasha’s a great babyface once that bell rings man. I wish she could carry that energy everywhere.

Holy fuck that facebuster. SPIKED her head, oh my god. I have never seen anyone make a facebuster look so impactful. Points if intentional.

Oh the timing of Sasha blocking that superkick from legit connecting. God she’s good.

You know how I know this is a good match? I’m watching some of these near pinfalls and submissions knowing damn well Sasha’s gonna win, yet my anxiety is still spiking thinking Carmella might walk out with the title. I KNOW she doesn’t though lmao. Good sequences, believable offense, great near pinfalls. They work well together (I’m not surprised, Mella and Sasha both work well with almost anyone)

What a fantastic transition into the bank statement. Points.

That match should’ve ended by dq the second Reggie pulled Mella out. 

Sasha could’ve sold that double superkick pinfall attempt a little bit more.

Carmella having a breakdown. What does that mean? That means she’s about to lose this match lmao. There it is, not even 10 seconds later hahaha.

Sasha sells pain so damn well. Good for her. Good defense of her title. Points to Sasha, she’s phenomenal every time she has an actual match. Post-match and she’s already annoyed me though lol. Ugh. Maybe she’ll get it soon enough.

Nice “replay” wwe. Billion dollar company btw.

Billie, drawing a horizontal line is not how you write ‘clairvoyant’. 

“proficient in Japanese” aw Asuka was so excited for a split second lmao.

Oh no, she made a mask to match Asuka’s with a paper plate. Oh no no no. Travesty. 

Ugh I’m so excited. I’ve already seen this and yet I’m excited. Here we are, the whole damn reason I started catching up on everything I basically refused to watch since June 22.

SHE LOOKS LIKE MONEY, WHEW. The queen IS back. She’s so fucking beautiful man.

Love how annoyed Nia looks. This is your comeuppance tbh. Could’ve just faced a measly Lana, but no, you had to play too much.

Really Charlotte shouldn’t be in the tag division, and really she shouldn’t give half of a fuck about Asuka, but we’ll get to that more in the future since this is already nearly 2 months old.

Nia’s doing a great job selling Charlotte’s return, and she’s not even active in the match rn. She does good work.

Bad camera angle on Asuka hitting the ring post.

Asuka getting wrecked lol.

I really despise that the Raw women’s championship was tied up in all of these storylines that have nothing to do with the Raw women’s championship. The Lana crap, the Charlotte crap, the tag teaming in general crap.

In hindsight, I now find it curious that Ric Flair was in the back for this match. Very curious. I swear, if the past 2 real time months weren’t a part of some master plan the Flairs came up with together, I will be SHOCKED.

Charlotte’s fucking crazy for doing those moonsaults to the outside though, for real. I know she was a gymnast and an exceptional cheerleader, but MAN you could not pay me to do fucking blind back flips that high up. Crazy.

She should’ve given us a spear in this match. I wanna go rewatch her work just to see some spears.

Good match. They needed to not focus on destroying Asuka for as long as they did, pacing was off for a little bit there.

Love how Charlotte sticks her tongue out when she bridges up into the figure 8. She’s such an asshole lmao.

If I could’ve changed one thing about that finish, I would’ve had Charlotte bounce off the ropes before hitting Natural Selection. Other than that, it was great.

Charlotte looks good with a title, idk *shrug*

The way Charlotte looked over at Asuka though. I really don’t trust her in hindsight lol.

Like how this Firefly Funhouse is setting the spotlight on Alexa before Bray takes his leave of absence, only wish she hadn’t missed 2-3 wks of tv.

What a fun way of running a video package.

Inferno matches are insane and I’m not sure why anyone would participate in such.

Think it’s smart they’re both leaving their jackets on tbh.

Alright that was cool. The way Fiend called up the flames was fucking cool. It looks amazing aesthetically. They could’ve never done the set quite like this if there had been fans.

WE HAVE STRAPS?! IS FIRE NOT ENOUGH?!? Man. Randy is a fucking trooper.

Guys. Guys excuse me, that strap is on fire, can... can we not, please??

Man is swinging a god damn pick axe at Randy Orton, I--

I hope that wasn’t actually flammable liquid cuz otherwise Randy is now soaked in it, and that’s insanely dangerous. Oh that’s great editing. So it was flammable, but Randy was out of the chair before the fire rushed at him. Also covered the chair in blood. That was cool.

Orton just pull the damn string out of the jacket real quick lol.

Caught Orton’s attempt at an rko with a mandable claw. Points.

Can someone... put him out? Editing trick? Were the flames real? Am I real??

Shouldn’t the bell ring? Match is over, right??

The dummy was kind of obvious ngl. Not to sound like an asshole, but they should’ve made it a bit thicker and more solid lol. Doesn’t really take me out of it though, cuz even though I’m sure it was a stunt double that got lit on fire by the ramp, someone was on fucking fire, and that’s intimidating in itself.

Also the dummy is melting. I’d say they should’ve used pig meat, but I’m sure vegans and animal rights activists would’ve had a field day writing to Snickers about that.

Was a good match, for what it was. I was entertained.

---

*BONUS*

Main Event:

“Nasty Nikki” lol okay.

“The only reason people even know you exist is because you were Alexa Bliss’ best friend,” ouch. Truth is pain.

Ahahahah Lacey has hand sanitizer again. 

Love that submission Lacey jumped into through the ropes, plus an eye rake. Fantastic.

That’s curious. Lacey and Peyton are arguing over the hand sanitizer as Lacey wants to squirt it on Nikki, while Peyton is claiming it’ll get her DQd. Now I’m on Peyton’s side in the sense that it should absolutely be illegal, but Lacey’s done it in a match against Nikki before, sooo ???

I like how Nikki fell trying to get back into the ring before the 10 count. Adds credibility.

Haha Nikki gets the pinfall over Lacey because Peyton was being a nuisance on the outside. Lacey big mad. That’s great.

---

*Smackdown easily shined the brightest in what was a great week of wrestling. Utilized 8 women in 3 different storylines, couldn’t possibly complain about that.

[nsfwviolets]

hello everyone !! my name is ally & i hail from the est timezone. i really should be studying for my exam tomorrow or at least trying to get some rest but here i am !! i don’t think anything has really changed about vi but everything you need to know about her is under the cut !! & like always, please like this post so i could bother you for plots !!

❛ new york’s very own violet lennox was spotted on broadway street in jimmy choo thigh high boots. your resemblance to taylor hill is unreal. according to tmz, you just had your twenty-third birthday bash. while living in new york, you’ve been labeled as being avaricious, but also enticing. i guess being a gemini explains that. three things that would paint a better picture of you would be elongated limbs tangled in pink silk sheets, the lingering smell of yves saint laurent mon paris, & oversized faux fur coats draping sun kissed shoulders  ( cisfemale & she/her ) + ( ally, 21, she/her, est )

basics ;;

full name:  violet ( soft & sweet ) faith ( unquestioning belief and complete trust in god ) lennox ( northern irish / scottish last name ).

nicknames: vi, v.

age: twenty-three.

birthday: 18 june 1996.

zodiac: gemini.

gender: cisfemale.

pronouns: she / her / hers.

sexual orientation: bisexual.

nationality: american.

hometown: aspen, colorado.

parents: diane galindo ( brooke shields ) & richard lennox ( rob lowe ).

siblings: older sister.

pet(s): one year old miniature labradoodle named tate.

religion: roman catholic.

height: 5′10.

occupation: victoria’s secret angel / instagram model / socialite.

positive traits: honest, loyal, passionate, responsible, authentic, affectionate, reliable, kindhearted, & courageous.

negative traits: loud, manipulative, stubborn, materialistic, selfish, abrasive, hypocritical, insecure, & dramatic.

hobbies: shopping, audrey hepburn movie marathons, traveling, being the center of attention, photography, spontaneous dance parties, working out, massages, doodling, pilates, online shopping, & journaling.

habits: interrupting someone mid sentence, excessive hair tucking, shoulder rolling, lip biting, & impatiently tapping her heels or acrylic nails when she is at a loss for words & or annoyed.

labels: the vixen & the babydoll.

aesthetics: silk dresses, lip gloss, the deafening sound of designer heels making contact with marble floors, lipstick stained coffee mugs, matte nail polish, glitter, diamonds, snow days, satin sheets, impulsive shopping sprees, romantic comedy binge watches, ocean waves, lolita, bright lights, day drinking, champagne for breakfast, iced matcha, lingerie as outerwear, yves saint laurent mon paris perfume sprayed on the nape of her neck & her decolletage, lavender oil, acrylic nails, snow blanketing trees, hardwood mahogany floors, hgtv reruns, vintage chanel, pretty in pink, rose gold accents, bubble baths after a long day, half naked pictures, & rose water.

style inspo: taylor hill, kylie jenner, candice swanepoel, josephine skriver, kendall jenner, blair waldorf, & cher horowitz. here are just a few examples of her wardrobe !! ( x x x x x ) muse inspo: brooke davis ( one tree hill ), cher horowitz ( clueless ), blair waldorf ( gossip girl ), gabrielle solis ( desperate housewives ), lydia martin ( teen wolf ), fallon carrington ( dynasty ), sadie saxton ( awkward ), lauren cooper ( faking it ), mini mcguinness ( skins ), holly golightly ( breakfast at tiffany’s ), maddy perez ( euphoria ), brooke maddox ( scream ), samantha jones ( sex & the city ), tahani al jamil ( the good place ), jackie burkhart ( that ‘70s show ), naomi clark ( 90210 ), cece parekh ( new girl ), cassie howard ( euphoria ), madison montgomery ( american horror story ), jenna maroney ( 30 rock ), kelly kapoor ( the office ), elle woods ( legally blonde ), rachel green ( friends ), paris hilton, & mona-lisa saperstein ( parks & recreation ).

background ;;

violet faith lennox is diane galindo’s & richard lennox’s youngest child. born three weeks early on 18 june 1996 at aspen valley hospital in aspen, colorado. the very moment they held their daughter ( who they lovingly referred to as a ‘ blessing ‘ ) in their open arms, they knew that their family was finally complete.

her mother ( diane ) is her parents’ pride & joy. as the eldest daughter of wealthy wall street executives, she has done nothing but make her family proud her entire life. growing up, her dream in life was to help her father’s business but her career quickly changed course when she decided to pursue a career in medicine. the new york native eventually ended up going to harvard medical school in boston, massachusetts where she would end up meeting her future husband. to this day, dr. galindo is one of the most recognizable names in medicine & is world renowned for her work as a reproductive endocrinologist ( fertility specialist ).

her father on the other hand ( richard ) was born to an influential family in los angeles, california. from an early age, he was exposed to the spotlight due to the fact that his own father was governor of california & hoped to become president one day. however, things seemed to go off course the day the former governor was caught in his own cheating scandal all while being married to a former pageant queen. scandal erupted when the politician not only cheated on his stunning wife with a young secretary but when his mistress announced to the world that she was pregnant. the entire news circuit covered this affair for months & the governor resigned from his position when news broke that he urged his mistress to get an abortion.

following the scandal, the family fell out of the public spotlight. they spent years trying to repaint their public image after it was tarnished for nothing but selfish desire. approximately ten years later, the family made news again but this time about their newly found faith in god joining the long list of religious right wing politicians. richard’s father felt as if the only way to redeem himself was to devote himself to god. after years of distancing themselves from the catholic church, the family dove right back in which became the start of their fundamental catholic values that ruled every aspect of their lives.

as the only son in the family, richard’s parents had high expectations for him. however, he seemed to have different plans for himself that didn’t involve making his family proud or practicing what they preached. as an undergraduate student at yale, his interests were far & few between. his days only seemed to consist of sleeping with random women & binge drinking to his heart’s content. he knew that he didn’t have to be an astounding student because he had a giant trust fund waiting for him at home. but after a drunk driving accident that resulted in a 40 year old woman’s hospitalization & his own arrest, richard knew he had to clean up his act.

he eventually followed his family’s lead & became an ultra religious catholic. he even managed to boost up his grades & get an academic scholarship to harvard law school where he met diane. diane didn’t come from a strong religious background. in fact, she liked to tell people that she only believed in science & didn’t have faith or trust in a superior figure. but when she met a young richard lennox, her entire world was turned upside down. she let him into her life, converted to catholicism, & the two got married after three years of dating. flash forward to 1992. the married couple is moving to aspen, colorado for diane’s new job at an upscale hospital. they even received a generous check from richard’s parents to buy a mansion in the mountains !!

life for the couple in colorado was serene. they eventually welcomed their first child into the world ( a daughter ) & a few months later, their families moved to help them raise their children. both diane & richard always wanted a big family due to their catholic faith. they both agreed they would stop after 6 kids, however, their minds were quickly changed when she became pregnant with violet.

her pregnancy was extremely difficult to say the least. between being on bed rest for months & frequent hospitalizations, she didn’t know if she could do this again. on top of her own health issues, she also had problems with her unborn child. there was even a night where they thought they would lose violet after diane experienced unexplainable bleeding & her fellow colleagues at the hospital couldn’t detect a heartbeat.

luckily, they were able to find a heartbeat after 6 minutes of deafening silence & hushed prayers for a miracle. after that night, they knew that their daughter was a blessing which is why they agreed to give her the middle name faith which symbolizes their unrequited devotion to god.

eventually, violet was born !! she was born three weeks early & spent a week in the icu but overall she was healthy. she was a bit underweight but she was miraculously healthy. but after everything the family had been through, they decided that violet would be their last child.

as a child, violet did every thing her parents had asked of her. their faith played a large role in her upbringing which is why she spent every sunday inside of church.

by the time she was 8 years old, her family decided to move to new york city due to the fact that her mom received a prestigious job on the upper east side. at the age of 8, violet was already a competitive gymnast who’s likes included spending time with her family, competing, & going to school. even then she knew she could do everything she loved in another state which is why she didn’t put up much of a fight when she was told that they would be moving across the country.

moving from snowy open colorado to the upper east side of manhattan was definitely a culture shock for violet even at an early age. nonetheless, she eventually got used to new york city life & to this day she doesn’t think she would survive a week in colorado.

even after she moved to a new part of the country, violet remained devoted to gymnastics & her family. she had dreams of one day going to the olympics for gymnastics & everyone who knew her saw her potential. she even competed in world events & became a household name !! although, her parents often emphasized that school & religion come first which is why they made her & her sister attend a private catholic school all the way through high school.

in high school, she was a classic goody two shoes church girl. she was a strong student who received perfect grades in order to please her parents. for the longest time, she didn’t have time for anything other than school & sports but that changed by the time she was 16.

despite attending an all girls school, violet met her first boyfriend through one of her mutual friends. & like all stereotypical teen romances, it was love at first site. she was so infatuated with him that she was willing to put everything in her life on the back burner in order to focus on him.

& by the time she was 18, she received numerous academic & sports scholarships to prestigious colleges. however, violet decided to take a gap year in order to spend more time with her boyfriend of two years. she knew that she would eventually go to college but she wanted to make some time for herself first. her parents weren’t exactly happy about her decision due to the fact that she has big shoes to fill but they eventually came around the idea & were even happy for their daughter & her wholesome catholic boyfriend.

during her gap year, they spent an entire year traveling the world. they went to bali, greece, peru, brazil, iceland, dubai, thailand, argentina, & morocco. throughout the course of the year, violet documented her travel on her instagram & other social media platforms which is when she started gaining a lot of followers who wanted to watch her travel the world with the love of her life. before her influx of instagram followers, not a lot of people outside the world of gymnastics knew who she was. people of course knew who her parents were ( a famous doctor & lawyer ) but the world did not really know who exactly violet lennox was.

by the end of her gap year violet already had over 1 million followers on instagram !! & she was already getting paid doing what she loves which is travel the world. & since all of this happened during her year off, violet ended up telling her parents that she didn’t want to go to college which damaged their relationship as a result.

since her parents were so unsupportive of her decision to not go to college & ultimately quit gymnastics, violet ended up moving out of her house & moved in with her boyfriend at only the age of 19. & because her parents were completely unsupportive of her decision not to attend college, they cut her off financially & she was forced to make a living for herself. by this point, her career as a social media influencer was booming so she was already making a lot of money just through promoting detox teas, teeth whitening kits, etc.

it may seem as if life for violet was perfect by this point despite her falling out with her parents. however, that was not the case. even though she fooled the entire world by thinking that she had a perfect relationship, her boyfriend was incredibly abusive towards her & had been ever since the two started dating. although he was never physically abusive, he was mentally, emotionally, & verbally abusive. for years violet made excuses for him & blamed herself for their problems which only made her feel more miserable than she already was. this was her first real relationship & she genuinely thought that they were destined to be together even though she was severely unhappy.

he would constantly cheat, manipulate her, make fun of her appearance & insecurities, & wouldn’t let her do anything without his permission. the two were together for three years & there even was a time where violet became pregnant but quickly had an abortion without him knowing as soon as she found out. just three months after living together, she finally found the courage to break up with him. although it wasn’t easy at first, she’s thankful that she finally got out of a dangerous relationship. she also understands the dangers of social media better than anyone else because she fooled the world into thinking that she was in a happy loving relationship when that was far from the truth.

when violet told the world about their breakup ( most likely in an instagram live or an instagram story ) she ended up losing millions of followers. the majority of her followers only followed her to watch her travel the world with her boyfriend so once they found out that they were no longer together ; they didn’t see the point in following her anymore.

for an entire year following her breakup, violet began to spiral out of control. she started using drugs, alcohol, & partying as coping mechanisms in order to help her move on & forget about everything she had endured. that of course didn’t work but that didn’t stop her from partying every single night of the week & ending up in a stranger’s bed. eventually, she even leaked her own sex tape & naked pictures to the press in hopes that the press coverage would help make up for the millions of followers she lost on instagram.

& as she expected, the world would not stop talking about her sex tape for months. she gained the most followers she has ever done & eventually she got real modeling jobs as a result of her popularity. she hasn’t exactly told the world that she was the one who leaked the 20 minute video but everyone in their immediate circle knows she did it & also knows that she has other videos lying around for ‘ emergency ’ situations.

however, her parents cut off all contact with her following her scandal & it is still something that cuts deep two years later. she tells herself & everyone around her that she doesn’t need a family but everyone knows that’s a lie. it’s just a lie she keeps on telling herself to feel better about herself.

violet managed to clean up her act & went from being a social media influencer to an actual model. many people don’t respect her name due to her troubling past with her sex tape & being an instagram model but that doesn’t seem to stop her. she has been featured in the love advent calendar, the victoria’s secret fashion show, & many fashion weeks since then.

she became the youngest victoria’s secret angel at the age of 20 !!

she is also the youngest global ambassador for lancôme & ralph lauren !!

although she has become more of an actual model rather an instagram model, she still stays loyal to her social media platforms which is why she has over 100 million followers.

she lives a happy life after being so unhappy for so long but she still seeks her parents approval even though they have no contact with her.

personality ;;

for someone who is incredibly smart, she pretends to be dumb sometimes. she doesn’t think that guys like smart girls so she dumbs herself down. but she could also be a ditz at times ( unintentionally ).

she likes to think of herself as approachable but she also knows that she can be intimidating. nonetheless, she tries to be nice to everyone who comes her way unless they say the wrong thing to her & then she switches on her mean girl switch that comes far too easy for her.

even though violet is a lot to deal with, she is a nice person !! although she does have a flair for the dramatics & denies being dramatic all the time. she also likes to think of herself as a ‘ good girl ’ even though she is far from one. she loves sex & isn’t afraid to shy away from that but she still tells people that she’s good or an angel because it makes herself feel better about herself.

she also goes to confession 1-2 times a week to pray for her sins in order to get into heaven. she thinks with the amount of adultery she commits on a daily basis she needs to pray for her sins otherwise she won’t go to heaven & she thinks she looks way better in white than in red.

if you do her wrong, she will go out of her way to make your life a living hell. she is incredibly protective over the people in her life so she will do just about anything for them including berating people. revenge might as well be her last name !!

she may be loud and unnecessary at times but she is kind hearted and does mean well. even if she does have a bad way of showing it at times.

miscellaneous ;;

since she comes from a strict traditional upbringing, she was taught that being anything other than straight is wrong. so when violet first started experimenting with girls & even developed feelings for one, she told herself that she was going to hell. this is one of the reasons why she has not come out of the closet or has even come to terms with her sexuality. she denies all past same sex encounters & relationships which isn’t healthy. but since her parents disowned her following her sex tape, she knows that they would hate her more than they already do. if they ever found out that their daughter was anything but straight they would lose their minds & she’s still hoping that one day they could repair their relationship. apparently being bisexual is worse than having a sex tape !!

when she was a competitive gymnast for the united states national team, she was often put on strict diets in order to keep up. as a result of the strict dieting & unrealistic body images, violet developed bulimia as early as 12 years old. so when she quit gymnastics after deciding not to attend college, she was happy. she loved the sport but hated the pressure. even to this day, the sport isn’t actually sure what happened to her because she was an olympic hopeful. they all thought that she could have been the next gold medalist but she values her own mental health & sanity over a couple of medals. & even though she sought help for her eating disorder that reared ugly heads at times, she did slip up a lot while she was with her boyfriend who would make fun of her appearance. even now she isn’t 100% but she is better than she has ever been.

is extremely flirty & alluring.

violet also believes that the world revolves around her. many people may find her confidence to be annoying or superficial but she takes pride in it because it took her so long to learn how to love herself after being with her first boyfriend.

speaking of relationships, she’s terrible at them. she often runs away when things become too serious, manipulates the people she’s with, or breaks up with them for no reason. her logic is that she wants to hurt someone before they have the chance to hurt her. she still has yet to understand that the rest of the world isn’t like her ex but her past still haunts her every time she catches feelings.

she likes to tell people that monogamy isn’t the life for her which is why she prefers casual sex. she is also a proud sugar baby & has many sugar daddies !! most of them are old & married but she is a sucker for anyone who buys her nice things.

also has an instagram account for her dog !!

her most used emojis in her phone are the halo, the suggestive face, & the pink glitter heart.

she’s a gemini which means that she is expressive, quick-witted, sociable, and affectionate.

her favorite tv show is gossip girl.

her favorite movie is the notebook.

has a passion for photography but hasn’t explored it seriously. she understands that she makes a living off of being another pretty face but she also wants to explore other aspects of her career like photography & maybe even acting.

she often considers going to college or even going back to gymnastics a lot but she not made up her mind yet. she is happy right now as a model but she does miss aspects of her old life.as an instagram model, she is like kendall jenner or gigi hadid. in other words, she has a large following & people book her for photo shoots & fashion shows in order to boost their own notoriety because it looks better on their part. her walk is average at best but she does have a beautiful face. people hate instagram models working in the real modeling business as it is so they despise an instagram model with a sex tape !!

she lives in a townhouse in chelsea that has been featured in architectural digest twice. her home is filled with hardwood floors, marble, gold accents, & constantly smells like lavender.

the last concert she went to was lana del rey.

the last song she listened to was everybody loves you by charlotte lawrence.

the last show she binge watched was you.

the last movie that made her cry was tangled.

loves wellness shots after dogpound workouts.

gets daily massages by her french masseuse.

all & all, she is a mess but she loves the people in her life !!

here’s her pinterest board if you want to take a look !! i also have a wc page here that will most likely be updated over the weekend. & my discord is علياء#4067

[debbiechanclub]

The Ocean In Between

Characters: Adam Cole x OFC x Zack Gibson

Summary: Madeline McGregor’s been given a second shot at the top in the form of NXT UK, and she’s more than willing to grab the brass ring. But it’s more than gold that motivates her to set her sights across the ocean; so long as she can keep from looking back.

Note: I’m not expecting there to be nearly as much interest in this as there is Paradigm Shift, but I wrote it so I’m posting it. Prove me wrong, Tumblr!

Tagging: @dagreatest316 @blondekel77 @pinkxlips @gamer705

Part 1/?

Chapter One: I Have News

Sunday, June 1, 2019 NXT TakeOver: XXV – Bridgeport, Connecticut

As she stared across the table at Triple H, Maddie felt—as Candice would say—like a duck: calm, cool, and collected to the outside world, but frantically treading water just beneath the surface. After all, this meeting would go one of two ways; and if she had to guess, she’d say her chances were 50/50 as to whether she was about to get good news or the worst news of her life.

“Alright, Maddie,” he leaned forward on his forearms, cutting an imposing figure. His expression was entirely unreadable. “First I want to say thank you for coming up here to meet with me. I know you’re not on the card tonight, so I appreciate your flying up from Florida.”

Maddie swallowed a lump in her throat. That didn’t seem like a good start to the conversation, but she forced a smile. “Oh, it’s no problem. I was planning on coming, anyway; there’s no way I’d miss a TakeOver, let alone one this big.”

Hunter sent her a stiff grin of his own. “I know you wouldn’t. You’ve been dedicated since day one; that’s something that’s always stood out to me about you. You never complain, you always show up and put in the work no matter the situation.”

Maddie’s heart hammered so thunderously that it almost drowned out the compliment. “Thank you. It means a lot that you think that of me.”

“You’re welcome. And that sort of segues into what I wanted to talk to you about.”

She sat up straighter, wringing clammy hands in her lap. This was it. Her entire future hung upon whatever the next words would be to come out of his mouth.

His tone was even and steady as he spoke. “I know things haven’t gone how you expected or hoped they would over the last year. Unfortunately, there’s only so much opportunity to go around, and you’ve gotten lost in the shuffle here.”

Blood rushed to her head and she went momentarily dizzy. He was going to release her. This was the end of the road, her last night in NXT, in WWE—

“Which is why I want to see how you do over in NXT UK.”

Suddenly, the world stopped. “I’m sorry what?” she blurted. NXT UK? Had she heard him correctly?

He let out an amused laugh at her utter bewilderment. “Is that something you’d be open to?”

“Yes, absolutely!” Maddie proclaimed. Her heart was still pounding, but it was a different sensation now. “That’s just not—I’m really surprised.”

“I get it,” he sympathetically returned. “But this is actually something I’ve been considering for a few weeks. You made a name for yourself over in Britain working for Progress and Pro Wrestling: EVE. They know you there, they like you there, and, at least right now, I really think there’s greater opportunity for you on the NXT UK roster than there is down in Florida.”

Maddie couldn’t agree more. “When do I start?”

“Well, the next round of UK tapings will be at Download Festival. In two weeks.”

“Then I’ll be at Download Festival in two weeks.”

Hunter genially knocked his knuckles against the tabletop. “That’s what I like to hear. In the meantime, all I need you to do is be ready to go. I’m still ironing out the creative details, but I should have more to tell you in about a week.”

For the first time since sitting down, Maddie gave a genuine smile. “That works for me.”

“Great,” Hunter nodded. “Well, that’s all I had for you, Maddie. Get outta here, go enjoy the show.”

“I will. Thank you so much, Hunter.” She shook his hand and nearly bounced out of the room, feeling a million times lighter than when she’d entered. For the first time in a long time, it felt like something good was on the horizon; and for the boss himself to recognize her dedication and talent made all the difference.

She had to share the good news. It was just past 5 o’clock, so that meant it was just past 10 o’clock in England. They should all still be up, she thought as she whipped out her phone and composed a group text to her closest friends on the UK brand: Toni Storm, Pete Dunne, Tyler Bate, Trent Seven, and Mark Andrews.

Guys!! I have news! Trips just spoke with me and he’s putting me on NXT UK!!

Pete was the first to reply. But you’re a yank.

“Seriously?” She rolled her eyes at the curt, typical Pete-ness of his response; but before she could fire off a snappy retort Toni chimed in.

PETE! Shut it. That’s fantastic Mads! I’ve been wanting a new opponent to defend my title against ;)

Brilliant, Trent added. Don’t listen to Pete, he’s got his cranky dad pants on.

Fuck off mate, Pete returned. To which Trent simply said:

See.

Maddie laughed to herself as her fingers flew over the keyboard. Wow, I can already tell this’ll be a barrel of fun.

Mark checked in next. Mads! This is fantastic news. Will you be at Download?

Yes! she texted back. They’re still working out the details but he said they should have it all figured out by then. Dozens of possibilities flew through Maddie’s head as she hit send, each one better than the last. She hadn’t wrestled Rhea since the inaugural Mae Young Classic, and she’d love to have a re-match; and, of course, she’d want to set her sights on the NXT UK Women’s Championship as soon as possible, whether Toni had it or not. After nearly two years, she’d had yet to taste gold in NXT, and her hunger was growing unbearable. To win that championship would prove that none of the blood, sweat, and tears she’d put into this business had been in vain. It would prove that she belonged.

Her phone vibrated in her hands. Tyler had finally responded. Congrats Mads. Toni needs someone to come over here and knock her down a peg.

Maddie’s eyebrows arched when she read that. She was not about to insert herself between Tyler and Toni—and Trent apparently felt the same.

And that’s my cue to exit, he said.

A text came in from Toni next. I’ll just pretend you didn’t say that, she returned, and Maddie prayed Tyler would just keep his big mouth shut. Thankfully, when nothing else was said, it seemed he knew he was better off just staying quiet.

ANYWAY, Mark interjected. I’m so excited for you and I can’t wait to see you at Download!

Thank you!! Maddie typed back. Alright, I’m gonna go since it’s TakeOver and all. See you in two weeks!    

She smiled down at her phone, thrilled that her friends seemed just as happy as her—and then she remembered. “I have to tell Candice!”

She hurried back down the hall toward the direction of the women’s locker room, cut hard around a corner, and slammed right into a solid body. She stumbled backward from the impact, dazed, and two hands grabbed hold of her shoulders to steady her. When she regained her bearings and focused in on who was in front of her, she realized it was the last person she wanted to see tonight: Austin Jenkins; or, as he was known to the world, Adam Cole.

“Whoa, where’s the fire?” A bemused smile crinkled the skin around his blue eyes, but Maddie didn’t return it.

“Sorry, I didn’t see you. “ She shrugged out of his grip and tried to step around him, but he moved with her, blocking her way.

“Wait. I’m glad I ran into you, literally. I have news.”

He was practically bouncing on his toes. As much as she didn’t want to give him the time of day, Maddie didn’t have the heart to rob him of the excitement of sharing his news, whatever it was. She was in the same boat. “Well?” she asked expectantly. “What is it?”

He couldn’t stop smiling if he tried. “I’m winning the NXT Championship tonight.”

For a second, Maddie just stared up at him wide-eyed, unsure what to do, what to say. She’d known this day would come—everyone did—but it was different now. Before, she’d always imagined him winning the title with her there by his side, greeting him with a kiss as he returned through the Gorilla curtain, sweaty and exhausted and ecstatic. But now it felt impersonal; like someone else living out a dream that had once been hers. “Congrats,” she managed say. “You’ll make a great champ.”

His grin faltered for the first time. “You seem surprised.”

“Well, I am,” she blurted. “I mean, not that you’re winning, but that you’re telling me.”

He looked confused at that. “Of course I’m telling you. There’s no one else I’ve talked with about this more than you.”

Maddie felt bile coming up from her stomach in the form of words, nasty and foul, but before she could spit out what her heart wanted her to say she forced her brain to take over. “I have news too.”

Austin’s face went stoic, and the mood suddenly shifted. He must have heard about her meeting with Triple H—Candice probably told him—and now he was clearly uncomfortable, uncertain if her news was good news, if he’d inadvertently rubbed his happiness in her misery. “Yeah, Candice told me about your meeting,” he cautioned. “How’d it go?”

She kept up her poker face; kept her tone even. “Good. They’re putting me on NXT UK.”

“What?” His obvious shock spewed out of his mouth, and he had to reel it back in. “I mean, that’s cool. I know you like wrestling over there. You’re not gonna have to move there, are you?”

What do you care? she thought, but she kept the question to herself and shook her head. “No. They film just like we do. I’ll still be here—well, in Florida. At the PC.”

He nodded like that information mattered to him. Like he would notice if she was on the other side of ocean. But Maddie knew he wouldn’t. He had someone else to warm his bed. “Well, congrats,” he said, and then they were left with nothing but the awkward silence between them.

She shifted to step around him again. He didn’t stop her this time. “Well, I’m gonna go tell Candice. Good luck tonight; although I guess you don’t need it.”

“Oh no, I probably still do,” he joked.

Maddie sent him an artificial smile, and then she was on her way again to the women’s locker room; to Candice and their friends; to people who really would be happy for her and not just superficially so. But just before she got to the locker room door she slowed to stop, wondering. She looked at her phone again, pulled up his name, debated sending him a text. But no sooner had the thought arrived than she dismissed it. She hadn’t heard from him in weeks; hadn’t seen him since WrestleMania. He probably wouldn’t care anymore than Austin had, and she didn’t want another lukewarm response.

[nightbloomsresorthotel]

The Market Value of Holy Water is Exactly One Glazed Doughnut

By @jonnyblackwrites

An original short story about a holy water thief, an overprotective angel, and the exchange of goods and services.

Tags: Supernatural/ Paranormal, Angels, Catholic Aesthetic, Enemies to Friends, Inspired by Buzzfeed Unsolved’s Ryan Bergara Stealing Holy Water from the Church

Rated: G

If you like this story, please consider donating to my Patreon! Every Donation helps me write more stories for you!

Image Credits at end of post.

The heavy church door swung open, making the hinges squeak loudly through the sanctuary. Jason winced and cautiously tried to shut them, but they creaked with a vengeance, payback for having been disturbed in the first place. It was empty on Wednesday, but still. One of the nuns or a Father might hear.

He quickly decided closing them would be even more of a racket, and left them open. “God,” he muttered, “Wish I had some oil or grease or—”

“_I’ll _take your prayer,” said a smooth voice, making him jump. He scanned the pews and even took an extra hard look at the dais, but there was no one.

Hmm… he was hoping the sanctuary would be empty. He’d leave if  whoever it was decided to stay. “It was just a wish, not a prayer,” he said.

“Oh. Those are a bit harder. I can do prayers. Wishes take a little more time… But please, don’t  mind me. Carry on. I’ll just listen.”

Still seeing no one, he took a slow step back. “Why would I pray to… a ghost?”

A cool blast of air hit him in the face. When he looked back up, he saw a figure on the dais, sporting a soft cream linen suit. They had their arms crossed, and their nose turned up at him. They looked a little peeved.

“How dare you, not knowing who I am. Are you a heathen? Do you even pray? You probably couldn’t even begin to comprehend my existence.”

“So you’re not a ghost?”

“If it wouldn’t stain the carpet, I would smite you where you stand.”

“Oh!” Jason said, relieved now that there was a face to the voice. And a body. Well, a celestial sort of body. ”You’re an angel.”

The angel faltered. “…Maybe you comprehend a little, but I’m still beyond understanding. Way beyond. Like, miles beyond.”

“Listen, If i’m being honest,” he said, waving a beat up plastic bottle in the air, “I only came here to steal some holy water.”

“Hey!” The angel shouted. They took a few steps forward and raised a finger in warning. “Don’t even think about it! That’s not yours.”

“It’s not yours either, so…” he dipped the water bottle back in to the basin. Bubbles popped to the surface as it filled, echoing through the sanctuary like a little bubbling brook.

Unfortunately, this seemed to piss off the angel a bit. The air in the church grew humid, like the fog just before an unexpected summer storm, and a not unpleasant smell of ozone rose from the floor. Finally, the bottle was full and he capped the bottle, careful not to spill. He resisted the urge to smile as he stuffed it into his bag. The angel was already upset…

“Humans are so selfish, so arrogant. You’re lucky you’re adorable, or you’d all be dead.”

Jason stopped at the door, resting his hand on the knob. “That’s kinda harsh. I think it’s more than that. Free will, right?”

The angel made a sound of discontent that filled the church. It could only be compared to the same sound a toddler makes when they didn’t get what they want. A shiny new toy, perhaps.

“How would I know? I’m just an angel. Hey, don’t come back. You’re banned, _water stealer. _I’ve got my eye on you. I’ve got all of them on you.”

Jason did smile this time. He couldn’t help it. Being banned was like a badge of honor. As predicted, the door protested loudly at being shut, and he waited until it was almost closed before he promised, “I’ll be back next Saturday.”

And he was. The week had come and gone, uneventful but profitable. It being the last week of november, ghosts sightings were up, and with them the demand for holy water in elegant glass bottles. His usual clientele had come and picked up their orders, while curious onlookers were charmed with the idea of “Authentic Holy Water Vessels- Ghost Deterrent, Demon Repellant, Vampire Retardant” and bought it for the kitsch.

He’d run out by Friday morning and decided to take the day off. But on Saturday he woke up early, reorganized his bottle collection, and headed to the church.

The moment he walked in, he felt that same blast of cool air. It was actually very refreshing. This autumn had been an uncharacteristically warm one, and the sun outside was intolerable.

“I thought I banned you from this church,” said that smooth voice again. The angel hovered over the ancient pipe organ behind the pulpit, as easy as if they were reclining on a good, worn couch.

“Oh you did,” Jason said, “I just didn’t listen. I ran out of water.”

He took out three empty bottles this time, and set them on the edge of the font, caps undone, ready to be filled.

The angel fumed, their golden curls shaking ever so slightly. “Go get your holy water from somewhere else.”

He shrugged, lowering the first bottle into the water. “Can’t. Yours is the only Catholic church for blocks. And I didn’t want to drive.”

The angel crossed their arms, watching the water level sink lower and lower. Jumping down from their musical perch, they began to pace on the dais again, like a lion watching a small, annoying child on the other side of the glass at the zoo.

“What do you do with it all, anyway? You can’t be anointing yourself all day with it.”

Jason grimaced. The angel probably wouldn’t like his answer. “I, uhm. I sell it. Well. I sell the bottles I find, and then I fill those with holy water. For the local…. paranormal investigators.”

The angel scowled. “I should have you whipped for that.”

“Pretty sure they don’t do that anymore. Besides, I’m not selling the _water. _Just the bottles I find. Real nice ones too. Antiques. Vintage. I fill them for free.”

“Mhm. Paranormal investigators? Don’t you mean ghost hunters?” The angel said, emphasizing _ghost hunters _ like a curse that tasted bad on the tongue.

Jason capped the bottle, and took out another. “They prefer paranormal investigators.”

“Ha!” shouted the angel, “I’ll bet. Troublemakers is what they really ought to call themselves. Opening doors and channels, playing with beings and rituals they don’t understand. Good riddance, I say.”

Jason laughed. “I thought angels were supposed to be nice! Protectors of us all.”

“There’s only so much we can do,” said the angel, a bit distressed, “Can’t help someone who doesn’t want to be helped, anyway.”

“That makes sense.”

“Are you kidd— another one?” Said the angel, watching Jason fill the third bottle. “Just take the whole basin, why don’t you?”

Jason took a good look at the stone font, calculating. Then he shook his head. “Too heavy.”

“It was rhetorical!”

“Don’t worry, angel. That was the last one.”

At that the angel stopped pacing. They stared at Jason as he stuffed the water bottles in his bag, wringing their hands a little. From the moment he walked in, the angel had nothing but a scowl and some harsh words for him. Now, though, just as he was about to leave, the angel seemed… concerned?

Was the angel worried? That’s what it sort of looked like. Surely, they weren’t worried for him.

“Oh,” they said, “Well, good!”

“Yup. I have to get going now,” Jason said, a little uncertain. “Bye, I guess.”

“Wait!” said the angel, at the last minute.

He turned around. “Yeah?”

“Will you… will you visit again?”

Jason looked around the sanctuary. He’d been here on a Wednesday and a Saturday, and both times it had been completely empty.

It must be very lonely, he thought, living in a place that only got visitors once a week.

The angel stared at him, beautiful, a little terrifying, and alone.

“Of course,” he said, “I always run out of holy water.”

“Oh. Well, fine, then. Right. Just don’t come on Sunday,” said the angel, “I don’t think the Father would be very happy to see you.”

“Does that mean I’m not banned anymore?” he asked.

Even from all the way across the sanctuary, he could feel the daggers in the angels glare. “No. You’re still banned. But you can come by.”

Jason nodded, satisfied. “I’ll bring you a donut. They always bring me too many at the market. I’ll bring you one.”

That seemed to soften the angel up a bit. They crossed their arms again, a little less angrily. “I like plain glazed.”

Jason laughed softly to himself. Who new you could bribe heavenly bodies with doughnuts? “You got it, angel.”

-_-__-_-_-_-

Thank you for reading! 

Patreon

Image credits:

1. Unknown

2,8. @catholicaesth

3. countrymudlark on IG

4. Dunkin Doughnuts

5. Lifeclubuk 

6. @svbleblvck

7.Buzzfeed Unsolved’s “Goatman” Episode

9. Candice Hern 

[richincolor]

Interview with Dahlia Adler

When I was a teen, Edgar Allan Poe creeped me out, but in the most delightful way. I can't wait to dive into this new anthology His Hideous Heart. An amazing group of authors have re-imagined his stories and now the collection is out there in the world waiting for readers to experience the chills. Today, the editor and contributing author, Dahlia Adler, is here to share about this intriguing collection and her work in publishing. His Hideous Heart: Thirteen of YA’s most celebrated names reimagine Edgar Allan Poe’s most surprising, unsettling, and popular tales for a new generation. Edgar Allan Poe may be a hundred and fifty years beyond this world, but the themes of his beloved works have much in common with modern young adult fiction. Whether the stories are familiar to readers or discovered for the first time, readers will revel in Edgar Allan Poe’s classic tales, and how they’ve been brought to life in 13 unique and unforgettable ways. Contributors include Kendare Blake (reimagining “Metzengerstein”), Rin Chupeco (“The Murders in the Rue Morge”), Lamar Giles (“The Oval Portrait”), Tessa Gratton (“Annabel Lee”), Tiffany D. Jackson (“The Cask of Amontillado”), Stephanie Kuehn (“The Tell-Tale Heart”), Emily Lloyd-Jones (“The Purloined Letter”), Hillary Monahan (“The Masque of the Red Death”), Marieke Nijkamp (“Hop-Frog”), Caleb Roehrig (“The Pit and the Pendulum”), and Fran Wilde (“The Fall of the House of Usher”).

As a YA author, editor, and blogger with family relationships to maintain, could you share a few things you've learned about balancing many roles? The number one thing I've learned is honestly that balance is kind of a myth. There's no way to do everything perfectly and make everyone happy. What's worked for me is choosing what my priority will be at any given time and then backburnering things as possible. So, for example, when I knew I really wanted to finish writing a novel, I took a hiatus from blogging inasmuch was possible and took advantage of the fact that my in-laws come over every Sunday to see my child and put my butt in the chair for as solid a time block (usually 3-4 hours with of course some interruptions) on Sunday mornings as possible until I was done. When I take on extra blogging, it means writing is gonna get backburnered. Consistency is important and so is being firm on your boundaries. 

What should we be expecting with His Hideous Heart -- mild creepiness, full on terror, or something more in between? It really does run a gamut, in the same way I don't think everyone realizes Poe's story did. In addition to the Gothic horror he's known for, he's also called the father of the modern detective story, and of course some of his works were far more melancholy than terrifying. I think all of his different facets are captured really well in the collection. Certainly, though, even in the ones with happy endings, you're not gonna find sunny beach reads! Why do you think Poe's stories continue to fascinate readers after so many years? Because his themes have never stopped being relevant or interesting. They're so many of the darkest parts of humanity that we don't necessarily get to live out; they're some of our worst fantasies. Getting to live them out through literature, getting to take action against someone who drives us nuts or mourn ourselves into oblivion, is both a safe and satisfying way to explore them. It takes a brave writer to put that out into the world and I think it takes brave writes to adapt them and say, "Here's how we're still feeling those things in our current world."

How did you choose which story you would re-imagine? Well first off, I took a backseat to the others, because they're all masters of dark fantasy or thrillers or horror and I am...not exactly known for any of those things! So I was only selecting from what they did not. And then from there, "Ligeia" was such an easy choice, because I knew I was going to stick my romantic contemporary strengths as best I could, and I saw immediately how that story would play out if I did. It didn't even feel like a selection process; the idea was just...there, waiting for me to grab it.

What were some of the challenges and rewards of editing an anthology? It's always a challenge to corral that many authors, and it's just logistically complicated. There are a lot of contracts and payments and agent negotiations and I don't think people realize that it's very rare for editors not to be responsible for that (as opposed to publishers). So that in itself is a lot of work before you even get to the editing, deadline enforcing, mapping over everyone's copyediting and proofreading corrections, etc. But I have so much natural curiosity about the industry, especially as someone who's been working in it for over a decade, that I really wanted to learn how more things on this side work, so that was actually a big reward for me! As, of course, is getting to read all these amazing stories early and working with such amazing authors. I really could not have asked for better.

What was the process for finding contributors? This actually half happened on Twitter, where the idea arose and people I think are fantastic in these genres chimed in that they'd be interested, and then half happened in email, when I realized this project was actually going to happen and I wanted to make sure it had as many of my favorites as possible. Honestly, creating lineups is my favorite part of anthologies, so I just went straight to the authors I absolutely love who write in Poe's genres and asked them to join up. It was thankfully easy!

Could you share a few books you've been recommending lately? ALWAYS. I've had a lot of reason to recommend By Any Means Necessary by Candice Montgomery, which has the college setting I know a lot of YA readers are looking for, plus a killer voice, great romance, awesome friend group, and covers really relevant topics. Another upcoming favorite is The Last True Poets of the Sea by Julia Drake, which is a Sapphic reimaginging of Twelfth Night that I always pitch as perfect for fans of The Weight of the Stars by K. Ancrum and How to Make a Wish by Ashley Herring Blake, both of which I love. As part of my Patreon for LGBTQReads, I have sort of a "book concierge" service, where I help readers find the perfect queer book for them, and so far Tell Me How You Really Feel by Aminah Mae Safi and Hot Dog Girl by Jennifer Dugan are in the lead over there; all hail the f/f YA Rom Com! And, obviously I've been getting some Horror/Spooky requests too, thanks to both His Hideous Heart and the fall season being upon us, and my standby faves there are The Girl From the Well by Rin Chupeco, Mary by Hillary Monahan, Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake, As I Descended by Robin Talley, and Wilder Girls by Rory Power.

Just for fun, since you are involved with publishing in a variety of roles, would you share one of your strangest experiences in the industry? Oh man, it's really hard not to respond to this with anything I...shouldn't. But I'll go with an embarrassing one that also involves one of the only times I have ever lied at work. My first job out of college, I was an Editorial Assistant at Simon & Schuster. There was an event for an Entourage book, by which, yes, I do mean a show based on the horrid show I was extremely into once upon a time and that fully influenced the character of Josh Chester in my Daylight Falls duology, but I digress. Anyway, I went to the event, which was about 10-15 blocks away from the office, and I reallllly wanted a signed copy, but I also reallllly didn't want to take more than an hour for lunch because I was terrified of my boss. And since I worked there, I knew the name of the editor on the book, and I maybe used that to pretend I was her assistant so I could skip the whole line and then get my book signed. MAYBE. I cannot confirm or deny.

Thanks so much for sharing with Rich in Color. We look forward to reading these shivery tales. Thank you so much for having me!!

Dahlia Adler is an Associate Editor of mathematics by day, a blogger for B&N Teens and LGBTQ Reads by night, and an author of Young Adult and New Adult novels at every spare moment in between. Her novels include the Daylight Falls duology, Just Visiting, and the Radleigh University trilogy, and she is the editor of the anthologies His Hideous Heart (Flatiron Books, 2019) and That Way Madness Lies (Flatiron Books, 2021). Dahlia lives in New York with her husband, son, and an obscene amount of books, and can be found on Twitter and Instagram at @MissDahlELama.

[glitterysummerkitty]

Dr Bombshell & Mr Hollywood

A Jake Gyllenhaal Fan- fiction

Prologue// Chpt 1// Chpt 2// Chpt 3// Chpt 4// Chpt 5// Chpt 6

Chapter 7

        Sunday evening was by far the most phenomenal day Candice had, in terms of fun, in a very long time. As soon as the game began Candice fell completely in her zone and she had even managed to impress the hell out of everyone present. At the end of the day Dave had been a proud captain and both Jaylon and Ronnell were all praises with Ronnell even trying to bribe her into abandoning Dave and joining him for the following matches.

      Even Mabel was surprised and after the glorious victory of the Omega- 3’s, the first question Mabel had asked her was ‘Where the hell have you been? Jheez Candy! I didn’t even know you were so good at this sport.’ Candice blushed but didn’t think it important to remind her best friend that she had been the captain of her team college team and they had won several trophies. She even won several awards, which were now displayed proudly in a pristine glass shelf at Washington State University.

      At the end of the friendly match Pizza’s and beers were ordered and jokes and stories about their spouses and children were shared. Candice kept mum and tried to stay out of anyone’s focus but more often it had been futile since she was the star player of today and so everyone’s attention was on her. Especially Uma. Candice had never thought at the beginning of the evening that she would ever be comfortable with Uma but surprisingly at the end she found out how hilarious Uma really was. Basically Uma was Gemma multiplied hundred times. Candice believed she could handle Uma and her eccentric behaviour.

      After such a beautiful Sunday came Monday bringing along with it, its infamous blues. Candice groaned as she reached out and shut the alarm. She tilted her head and looked outside the window. It was still dark out there and although it wasn’t snowing anymore it was drizzling. Candice saw the little droplets of water glistening under the streetlight against the glass surface. Candice sighed. Strange fact check about Candice- she hates rain. Yes, she loves snow but hates rain. Why? Don’t ask because even she didn’t have a reason for it.

      With the comforts of her warm sheets and Mr Ruskin’s hot body pressed against her sides, Candice didn’t feel like getting up. But work was work and so she closed her eyes counted from five to one backwards and then hopped out of her bed.

      She barely got time to breathe on Mondays as she had three classes to teach and the clinic is almost always full on Mondays, filling up her schedule for early evening to late night. The first class was with master’s student and their class had been on a topic which was more challenging and close to her heart- Maternal Nutrition and it’s consequences. They had discussed and critically analysed some of the studies out there and compared the methods and their varied results. It was fun.

      But then her next class was with first year Grads and that wasn’t something she enjoyed especially considering she would have to face Zachary. After that day, when she had kicked him out her class, she hadn’t seen him and it made her slightly nervous. Also, after just having such a challenging class, to have to talk about the process of digestion wasn’t something appealed to her.

      Mentally preparing herself, Candice pushes open the door to the large hall and entered it. As she did, the rambunctious class fell to a low hush. As usual, on the very first row at the very centre the seat was occupied by one of her least favourite students Brianna. Candice had observed how the slightly obese girl with a bad case of acne and a harsh expression, never mingled with her other classmates. She always sat by herself and had minimal to no contact with her mates. Candice had also made an observation as to how Brianna seemed to have a problem with her although she would never understand why.

“Good morning class. I hope you all had a great weekend.”, she started as she scanned the class and found it devoid of Zach. She didn’t know if she should be relieved by it or not.

“We sure did!”, someone said but Candice couldn’t point out.

“How was yours Dr Averell?”, a slim, blonde seated two rows up from the front row asked in her sweet voice as she twirled a piece of hair in her finger.

“Better. Thank you Cameron.”, Candice smiled back.

“So... Today I am going to talk about the whole process of digestion, absorption and Metabolism.”, there were some groans, some exited rustling of pages showing eagerness to write down notes while some just sat straight with their nose buried in their phone screen.

“Digestion is the first crucial stage where food is broken down to smaller chemical constitutes for absorption. There are two ways this is achieved- Mechanically and chemically.”, Candice moved to the next slide on her presentation, when the door to the hall opened and in strode Zach. Instantly every girl’s, except Brianna, attention was consumed by him and Candice felt compelled to roll her eyes but she didn’t.

“Sorry I am late, Dr A. I was eating breakfast and went in deep thought about all the things I could do during the time I waste during your class and lost track of time.”, he smirked as she took to his usual seat. Immediately the class broke out into an “Ooooohh” and “Burn”. Candice gave the entire class a sharp look before finally settling her glare at the infuriating boy.

“Really?”, Candice feigned surprise, “Well from observing Mr Meyer’s performance in class for an entire year one would assume that he’s incapable of deep contemplation but I am glad to know you can.”, with that Candice turned her attention to her PowerPoint. She ignored the snickers and Zac’s stabbing glare as she went on about peristalsis.

      Candice decided to grab lunch from the ‘Four Hundred Guild’- a restaurant within the campus that served exclusively to the faculty and staff of Pruitt and Hearst University- before going to her next class. She shot Mabel a text, letting her know where she was and then decided to call Bethany to check up on her aunt. Apparently Aunty Aubrey wasn’t doing so well. Her latest cycle of chemo had left her very weak. It had Candice worried but Bethany assured her that she and a few women from the church were doing everything to help her through this. Candice end the conversation with a promise to send some more money by the weekend and also a request to fill her hospital room with some Calla Lily. “She loves them.”, Candice said.

      Over a lip smacking lemon thyme chicken, Candice narrated the whole incident over Zach to Mabel, who was flabbergasted by Zac’s audacity and also found it hard to believe that Candice had stood up against him.

“While I am very proud of you for what you have done, I am also worried. What if he decides to take action on his threat? In my opinion you shouldn’t continue to antagonise him. It’s a question of your career.”, she advised as she shoved a brussel sprout in her mouth.

“I know. It’s just he’s so infuriating.”, Candice grumbled.

        At half past three Candice left from the university. Once again she made a stop at Starbuck on her way to clinic and faced the same server as the last time. She placed her order without making much eye- contact and then sat down at the table. This time Candice had time enough to have her drink at the café.

      As she waited for her Tarragon Chicken Salad Sandwich and a tall cup of Americano she got her laptop out to check her e- mail. There lay a tiny dose of happiness waiting for her and Candice grabbed it.

  From: reader1980@fmail.com

To: lbrooks.lkb@cjg.com

Date: 19 Feb 2018, 10:00 am

 Dear Lynne,

    I have finally got time today and I am determined to spend the day reading and hopefully get to the end of your book. As I am typing this mail, on my desk lies your book, a tall mug of coffee and a lot of snacks. Believe me when I say that I am on a mission to finish this book today.

      You can expect to hear from me by tonight on my opinions on what I thought about the book. Until then I am signing out! Xoxo

                                                  Regards,

                                              An Avid Reader

        Candice grinned. She loved the reader’s enthusiasm and could only hope she felt as enthusiastic once she finishes reading the book. Candice wasn’t one to care much about what other’s opinion. She wrote ‘Love Knows no Bounds’ because it was something she believed and something that she wanted to write about. It didn’t matter if others didn’t buy what she had to sell. But for some unknown reason ‘An Avid Reader’s’ opinion mattered to her very much. She giggled silently to herself at the (xoxo) part making her wonder who the reader could be. Was it a man or a woman? Was he/ she old or young? Which part of US was this person writing from?

 From: lbrooks.lkb@cjg.com

To: reader1980@fmail.com

Date: 19 Feb 2018, 3:45 pm

 An Avid Reader,

  Your enthusiasm towards my work is encouraging. For any artist, I believe, appreciation of their work means above all and they while they can do without it, when a reader like you shows so much eagerness it really gives much pleasure. I hope you continue to show similar gusto until the end and after that too.

      I will be waiting to hear from you as well. Until then happy reading!

                                                Regards,

                                            Lynne Brooks

                                              (Author of-

                                         “Love Knows no Bound”)

        As she ate she went through some more fan sent e- mails and replied to few. She reached clinic on time and Ashley greeted her with a great news that owing to the bad weather, Mrs Laine had cancelled her appointment and so had two other patients.

“Dr Averell. Do you think I could leave early today? Actually it’s my boyfriend and I seven month anniversary.”, Ashley asked. In the three months that Ashley had been working here this was the first time she had asked for anything so Candice didn’t have the heart to say no.

“Sure. Oh and I probably think it’s a good idea because on Wednesday I need you here late. I want all the patient files organised and prepared for the next month’s audit.”, Candice informed. The red head looked happy.

      Candice saw the few patients who had braved the weather while using her free time to update her patient’s information into the software. The said task was mundane and taxing to Candice but something that she had to be done. When only one file was left on the table she opened it and the name sent both, shivers down her spine and anger through her veins. Candice marvelled at being able to experience two varied emotions belonging to different spectrum, simultaneously, at the sight of the same name.

      There is a knock on the door and Candice looked up, expecting to see Ancil walk in but it was Ashley.

“Dr Averell your seven o’ clock is here. I just wanted to ask if it’s alright if I leave?”, Ashley fidgeted with her fingers. Candice thought, amused, if she came off intimidating to Ashley.

“Of course you can leave. Thank you Ashley.”, she smiled. Ashely smiled back nervously before scrambling out the room. Candice wondered what she ever did to intimidate the poor girl.

“Good evening Dr Averell.”, that familiar baritone voice filled her room making her tremble in her seat.

“Good evening Mr Dumont. Please have a seat.”, she mumbled as she motioned for him to take a seat. It didn’t matter if Ashley found her intimidating or not but Ancil managed just fine to drain every ounce of courage she possessed.

“You look gorgeous. As always.”, he lowered his voice and by the time he said always it was merely a whisper. Candice squirmed in her seat as she felt her muscles in her stomach and everything south of it clench.

“Thank you... How are you today?”, she said a little out of breath and blushed deeply. She kept her gaze fixed on the file before her.

“Better than I have been in days.”, he replied.

“Good. How much of the plan have you been able to follow?”, she asked as she made notes on her file.

“Hhhmm...”, Ancil trailed off forcing her to look up when he didn’t say anything for a while. Candice watched mesmerized as he tapped his lean finger against his lips. His face looked like he was genuinely trying to recollect. Candice wanted those lips wrapped around her own, she wanted to run her tongue over it, she wanted to...

      Candice flushed as she found him smirking at her, apparently having caught her staring at his lips. While she knew her body had its natural cravings, she chastised herself for fantasizing about her patient right in front of him. Embarrassed she turned her attention back to the file and for the rest of the session didn’t look up until necessary.

[placetobenation]

What better way to celebrate Valentine’s Day than with a little vengeance, right?

NXT takes over the PPV landscape Sunday night with its latest edition of TakeOver: Vengeance Day, highlighted by the NXT Championship match between Finn Balor and Pete Dunne. That alone should be worth the price of admission and maybe we’ll get Edge standing by as an interested bystander. But, in addition, they’ll crown the winners of both men’s and women’s Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic plus Johnny Gargano defending his North American Championship against KUSHIDA which could steal the show. That is of course, unless Io Shirai doesn’t steal it first!

We know the card will deliver as it always does! Less is always more as far as the number of matches when it comes to NXT. Gives it room to breathe.

Just think about it, it’s a card that’s without Karrion Kross, The Undisputed Era, Tommaso Ciampa, Timothy Thatcher, Candice LeRae and the tag team champions, Danny Burch and Oney Lorcan, among others.

NXT TakeOver: Vengeance Day – Updated Card

Dusty Rhodes Men’s Tag Team Classic Finals: Grizzled Young Veterans vs. MSK

Dusty Rhodes Women’s Tag Team Classic Finals: Ember Moon & Shotzi Blackheart vs. Dakota Kai & Raquel Gonzalez

NXT North American Championship Match: Johnny Gargano vs. KUSHIDA

NXT Championship Match: Finn Balor vs. Pete Dunne

NXT Women’s Championship Triple Threat Match: Io Shirai vs. Toni Storm vs. Mercedes Martinez

Star of the week:

WWE's Nia Jax trends on Twitter after screaming 'my hole!' during match https://t.co/15cdcHNT9H pic.twitter.com/Q4fMI6T4h4

— New York Post (@nypost) February 9, 2021

Nia Jax – No, not for being the best, but for being one of the best moments on WWE television this week. It was a moment more memorable than anything Jax has done in the ring in months.

RAW

RESULTS

AJ Styles defeated Jeff Hardy

The New Day defeated RETRIBUTION (T-BAR & SLAPJACK)

Lacey Evans defeated Charlotte Flair by DQ to win RAW Women’s Championship Match vs. Asuka

Damian Priest defeated Angel Garza

Keith Lee defeated Riddle

Tables Match: Lana defeated Nia Jax

Naomi defeated Shayna Baszler

Non-title WWE Championship Match: Drew McIntyre vs. Randy Orton ended in no-contest

Welcome to the WHY edition of Monday night RAW.

Why did we need Shane McMahon out to help Adam Pearce announce that Drew McIntyre would defend his WWE Championship inside the Elimination Chamber against Sheamus, AJ Styles, Jeff Hardy, Randy Orton and The Miz?

"I think at a different level than you. You're content with being awesome? I'm not. Did that 20 years ago … I NEED to be champion!" – @EdgeRatedR to @mikethemiz #WWERaw pic.twitter.com/aqqyFRmjeJ

— WWE (@WWE) February 9, 2021

Why is Edge so damn good? Rhetorical question as he now waits until after Elimination Chamber to make his WrestleMania decision. Edge schooling The Miz was priceless and on point!

The Queen has SNAPPED, forcing this match into a DQ!#WWERaw @MsCharlotteWWE @LaceyEvansWWE @RicFlairNatrBoy pic.twitter.com/rov45KVOkz

— WWE (@WWE) February 9, 2021

Why did we need another DQ finish? This time with Charlotte Flair beating up Lacey Evans, giving Evans a title shot against Asuka. Not sure that helped anyone out there.

Why is Angel Garza being wasted in a squash match against Damian Priest? And why does Priest need Bad Bunny with the distraction to beat him? That of course, is another rhetorical question. Excellent piece of business right there for sport entertainment.

Dialing 1-800-HURT BIZ!#WWERaw @fightbobby @RealKeithLee pic.twitter.com/uwUlceEFJV

— WWE Universe (@WWEUniverse) February 9, 2021

Why is the WWE so transparent putting Keith Lee up against Riddle when we know it’s only going to lead to a triple threat match against Bobby Lashley for the US Title? Storyline aside, Lee vs. Riddle was very good.

Why did we get no build-up to a tables match between Lana and Nia Jax? Yes, they should’ve had the match, but give me at least some time to make it worthwhile.

Why haven’t we been giving a “Oh, my hole!” t-shirt from Nia Jax and why does the WWE feel the need to edit that amazing moment, trending Worldwide, out of the RAW replays? Use it my friends! It actually made Jax entertaining for a moment and made her our star for the week. At least they made amends Friday night!

Payback!

#WWERaw @DMcIntyreWWE @RandyOrton @WWESheamus pic.twitter.com/NGR5b6Qwd7

— WWE (@WWE) February 9, 2021

Why do we need yet another no-contest in a RAW main event? This time McIntyre vs. Orton goes nowhere with Sheamus’ predictable interference.

Why is there no Miss Alexa Bliss?

In the end, RAW could’ve been a very entertaining show if not for some missteps.

NXT

RESULTS

Dusty Rhodes Men’s Tag Team Classic Semifinals: MSK defeated Legado del Fantasma

Xia Li defeated Kora Jade

Dusty Rhodes Women’s Tag Team Classic Semifinals: Ember Moon & Shotzi Blackheart defeated Candice LeRae & Indi Hartwell

KUSHIDA defeated Austin Theory by DQ

Dusty Rhodes Men’s Tag Team Classic Semifinals: The Grizzled Young Veterans defeated Tommaso Ciampa & Timothy Thatcher

Our favorite move is back, y'all… and this time it's off the ring apron!!!

#WWENXT #DustyClassic @joaquinwilde_ @NashCarterWWE @RaulMendozaWWE @WesLee_WWE pic.twitter.com/9yNx7LXdhu

— WWE NXT (@WWENXT) February 11, 2021

Is it time for MSK to make their way to the top of the NXT tag team title scene? They’re just one step away now with a Dusty Rhodes Classic finals appearance!

Talk about The WAY to NXT TakeOver: Vengeance Day!

IT'S A MIRACLE!!! …or not. Tough break, Johnny Wheelchair. #WWENXT @KUSHIDA_0904 @JohnnyGargano pic.twitter.com/5Q4GbkcLDv

— WWE (@WWE) February 11, 2021

Johnny Gargano first tried to weasel his way out of the NXT North American Championship Match with a fake broken arm diagnosis that William Regal saw right there. With Candice LeRae, Indi Hartwell, Austin Theory and of course, KUSHIDA, the segment was pure gold! Then, Gargano tried to payback KUSHIDA with a cheap shot in his match with Theory, only to be held at bay in an armbar by KUSHIDA and Dexter Lumis.

As for LeRae, she and Hartwell fell short to Ember Moon & Shotzi Blackheart in getting to the Dusty Rhodes Women’s Tag Team Classic Finals. Now, it’s Blackheart & Moon taking on Dakota Kai & Raquel Gonzalez for the Dusty Cup and a future WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship match.

Do not disobey Tian Sha. #WWENXT @Bigboawwe pic.twitter.com/vE8x5Ir93Q

— WWE NXT (@WWENXT) February 11, 2021

The aura surrounding Xia Li, Boa and Tian Sha has Kacy Catanzaro & Kayden Carter as interested bystanders. Supportive friends are now turned into foes. A curious angle gets better and better with Li becoming more of a badass. Great makeover!

Tick tock…….@WWEKarrionKross & @LadyScarlett_13 await @EscobarWWE on #WWENXT this coming Wednesday! pic.twitter.com/6bgJBGw84d

— WWE NXT (@WWENXT) February 12, 2021

Next week, we get Karrion Kross against Santos Escobar with Scarlett ringside. Sounds delicious! Joaquin Wilde and Raul Mendoza have already felt the wrath. It’s only a matter of time. Tick. Tock.

Loved the build-up to this Sunday’s PPV especially the vignettes for the triple threat match for Io Shirai’s NXT Women’s Championship against Toni Storm and Mercedes Martinez. Plus, the face-offs on each match at the end of the night was a nice touch! NXT does such an outstanding job of matching it feel big time for their TakeOver events.

Cameron Grimes. Kiss My Grits. Oh my! Maybe he’s the new Million Dollar Man!

For the second straight week, we get a quality tag team main event with an upset. This time, Tommaso Ciampa and Timothy Thatcher see their run come to an unexpected end at the hands of The Grizzled Young Veterans. So, it’ll be Wes Lee and Nash Carter taking on Zack Gibson & James Drake, as the GYV make it to the Finals for the second straight year.

SMACKDOWN

RESULTS

Elimination Chamber Qualifying Match: King Corbin & Sami Zayn defeated Dominik & Rey Mysterio

Intercontinental Championship Match: Big E defeated Shinsuke Nakamura by DQ

Bayley defeated Liv Morgan

The Street Profits defeated Otis and Chad Gable

Elimination Chamber Qualifying Match: Daniel Bryan & Cesaro defeated Dolph Ziggler & Robert Roode

There’s no disputing the fact that Roman Reigns is the top dog, the head of the table, the number one performer right now in WWE. What I do find disconcerting though is the repeated open each week’s Friday night SmackDown. Having Reigns walk to the ring for a 10-minute promo with all talk week after week isn’t maximizing his greatness. It gets old quick. I did love that it quickly turned into Reigns turning down Adam Pearce’s request to defend the Universal Title in the Chamber just like Drew McIntyre’s WWE Championship. No need to have the same match twice. Plus, by having Kevin Owens and Jey Uso join those who qualify for the match face-off inside the demonic structure before having to face Reigns the very same night ultimately gives the Big Dog the upper hand to walk out of the PPV still the Champ heading to WrestleMania. It should also give Edge one fun night of watching.

.@SamiZayn & King @BaronCorbinWWE have punched their tickets to the #SmackDown Elimination Chamber Match at #WWEChamber! pic.twitter.com/378R8tLuZw

— WWE (@WWE) February 13, 2021

I did like Sonya Deville giving us tag team matches as a way of qualifying for the Chamber Contender match. Sami Zayn and King Corbin taking out the Mysterios was fun although I did fear for Dominik’s safety when he almost cracked his head against the announce table flying through the ropes and over Zayn. The right team went over and both should show strong inside the Chamber.

@DomMysterio35 #SmackDown pic.twitter.com/hANUFd7JP0

— WWE on FOX (@WWEonFOX) February 13, 2021

Big E vs. Shinsuke Nakamura put on a show, albeit too short for me with Apollo Crews predictable match. Shinsuke gets the DQ victory but robs us of a better match. Maybe down the road as the Big E vs. Crews feud continues.

"YOU WILL NEVER LIVE UP TO YOUR POTENTIAL WITHOUT ME!!"

#SmackDown @WWERollins @WWECesaro pic.twitter.com/vVDSGOUEfU

— WWE (@WWE) February 13, 2021

Welcome back Seth Rollins! I thought you were going down the right path. A new road. Fatherhood and positivity. It would’ve been the right path for him and the WWE. Instead, all of the SmackDown superstars surrounding the ring left him high and dry standing alone in the ring until a vicious attack on Cesaro.

Another week and another misstep by Billie Kay costs The Riott Squad a victory over Bayley. Last week, it was Ruby Riott and this time, it’s Liv Morgan going down to defeat. At what point, do Billie get the buh-bye?!

After a bit of momentum at the start, it looks like Otis and Chad Gable have leveled off a bit. This week, it’s a loss to the former tag team champion The Street Profits.

Anyone else find it odd that Montez Ford is dancing with Sasha Banks in a bit of a runway crossover? After all, Ford is married to Bianca Belair, who just may be choosing Banks as a WrestleMania opponent.

Oh no, NOT AGAIN!!

#SmackDown @NiaJaxWWE @SashaBanksWWE @BiancaBelairWWE pic.twitter.com/UtBMqFEjl5

— WWE (@WWE) February 13, 2021

As for Belair and Banks, they made interesting short work of the tag team champs. First, mocking Nia Jax & Shayna Baszler for their losses on RAW this week. Then, they actually do play the “oh my hole” line from Jax which is hilarious! Finally, they get physical with the champs. You wonder if we’ll get an Asuka/Charlotte Flair redux with Banks and Belair, champ and cohort, getting a title match soon.

#WWEChamber can't get here soon enough! #SmackDown @BaronCorbinWWE @SamiZayn @WWEDanielBryan @WWECesaro @FightOwensFight @WWEUsos pic.twitter.com/kGWylfzNve

— WWE (@WWE) February 13, 2021

Instead of fighting each other, Daniel Bryan and Cesaro teamed up to win a shot in the Chamber match which is a plus for all of us as anytime you can put those two inside the wretched structure along with Kevin Owens, Jey Uso, King Corbin and Sami Zayn, you’ve got yourselves some moments to remember coming! No disrespect to Dolph Ziggler and Robert Roode, but Cesaro and Bryan deserved the spot and will absolutely shine. Even despite Cesaro being less than 100% thanks to Rollins, he still gets Ziggler to tap out! Give me Cesaro vs. Reigns please! Nice little brawl with all six Chamber members to end the show as Owens reminds us that he’s not going away.

Parting Shots:

During halftime of Saturday’s Celebrity Flag Football Game on ESPNews, Heisman Trophy-winning professional quarterback @DougFlutie pinned @RonKillings to become the new #247Champion!!!! #AndNew #CelebSweat @CelebritySweat1 pic.twitter.com/2YqwNzFOHU

— WWE (@WWE) February 6, 2021

Congratulations Doug Flutie! You’re in the record books as a former WWE 24/7 Champion! Flutie beat R-Truth at the Celebrity Flag Football Game during Super Bowl LV weekend. Sure, it only lasted for a few brief, fleeting moments as R-Truth won it back for his 49th title reign, but it’s more mainstream attention for the WWE, which never hurts.

Coming up this week:

RAW: Gauntlet Match – Winner gets last pod open at Elimination Chamber: Drew McIntyre vs. The Miz vs. Jeff Hardy vs. Sheamus vs. Randy Orton vs. AJ Styles MizTV with Drew McIntyre

NXT: Karrion Kross vs. Santos Escobar NXT TakeOver: Vengeance Day fallout

SMACKDOWN: TBD – Go Home Show for Elimination Chamber

Thanks for letting us share our thoughts! Shoot me an email at jcrowe567@gmail.com. We’d love to hear your comments and suggestions! You can also check out my blog, The Crowe’s Nest as we delve into more pro wrestling, sports entertainment and the World of Sports. My apologies ahead of time – I AM a Patriots, Red Sox, Celtics and Bruins fan! If you’re not down with that, I’ve got TWO WORDS for you… NEW ENGLAND

[dailyaudiobible]

04/02/2018 DAB Transcript

Deuteronomy 21:1-22:30 , Luke 9:51-10:12, Psalms 74:1-23 , Proverbs 12:10

(Voice of China Hardin)

Welcome to the Daily Audio Bible. I'm Brian. Today is the 2nd day of April. Welcome. Today we are going to be reading Deuteronomy 21 through 22, Luke 9:51 through 10 verse 12, Psalm 74 and Proverbs 12:11. It's an honor to be here with you guys today.

Commentary:

So, as you can probably tell, I'm not Brian. I'm also not Jill. I'm half of them combined to be a whole of myself. If you don't know, my name is China. And you've just been hoodwinked. Just kidding. Nothing has been stolen from you. Hopefully, you did not crash out of this one and think, okay well this is not Brian and I'm not listening to this. We couldn't do an April Fool’s joke on April 1st because that was Easter and we wanted to keep that the sovereign day that it is and we did not want to crack any jokes. But this has been an ongoing thing for about a year. I thought of this probably around last year and it was too late…before I had the idea it was too late. So, we waited a whole entire year and found out April Fool’s day was on Easter and it's still April, so, April Fools. We fooled you. So good. But I'm China. I am Brian's only daughter and I am the voice of Daily Audio Bible Chronological. And we have a lot of fun over there and we have a lot of fun in the Hardin household. And, so, anytime me and my dad have our meetings about what's kind of going on, this is talked about. So, I'm honored to kind of voice in, to fill in, kind of as a joke but also just honored that I get trusted with his baby…that's not a baby anymore. It's like a tween I guess. Probably getting into its rebellious ages. Just kidding. But this is not going to be a forever thing, just for today. But I have enjoyed getting out of my order of chronological. I think I've already read this. I definitely have already read today's Old Testament scripture and have not yet read the chapter in Luke, have definitely not read those Proverbs or Psalms, so that was a treat. That was a little sneak peek into the future. But, yeah, thanks for welcoming me into your space of your DAB. Your Daily Audio Bible every single day. That's why it's called daily. But I'm gonna pass this back over to my dad now. I'm gonna go back.. I feel like he's… My dad's funny but he's very serious. I feel like my voice should be like this. I think I should have a lot more theological statements but I don't because I am not Brian. I have the feminine version of his name as my middle name but I'm not him. So, I'm gonna pass this back over to him and I'm finished disrupting your daily routine. But I still love this community. I still love you, but I'm not Brian, I'm China. And he, he will, he's already waiting for you here tomorrow.

Community Prayer and Praise:

Hi Daily Audio Bible. This is Rebecca from Michigan and it’s March 27th, Wednesday…or actually…yeah…it’s Tuesday. Anyways, yesterday I was going to work and I leave like quarter to 5 and it’s pitch dark. And I saw in the highlights this raccoon with something in its mouth. I think he stole a chicken. But anyways, I tried to swerve to keep them hitting him, to go towards my left because there was no cars and I ended up running him over, hitting him with my car. It cracked the bumper on my car. And if I went the other way I would have went in a big ditch. And, so, what I was calling you for is because a couple of days before that I saw two deer walk out in front of me. And then today I had a whole herd of deer walk up in front of me I had to come to a stop, a total stop. And, so, what I want prayer for is driving prayers, because protection, because it’s not a way I want to end up in the hospital since I don’t really have health insurance anyways except for my auto insurance. And, yeah, it’s starting to get to me. So, if you would pray for me because yesterday all I was thinking about was that racoon and his face and I think he had a chicken in his mouth. But I guess that was his last meal. So, yeah, and if he stole it from some farmer he probably would’ve got shot anyways. Yeah, I really need some prayer, protection, driving protection. Thank you. I love you. Bye.

He Daily Audio Bible fam. I never know if my calls are going to be clear enough or loud enough for you guys to hear but I hope they are. I’m calling tonight, it’s March 27th and on a walk kind of listening to, I think back of the 26th today and I heard some calls and I just want to specifically reach out to Nicole in Florida who said she’s not a new believer but she has never really consistently walked with God. And I am in a similar place in my life…like…you know…I never counted myself as a nonbeliever fully but I’ve never really walked with the Lord. And this year is a year for me to do that. Today I just want to confess that I fell a little moment in time. I was having a conversation with somebody and I had an opportunity to speak really about going to church and something my pastor had said and I spoke about it but I failed to mention that it was from church and the pastor. And I don’t know why that happened it just felt like a failure to me in that regard but I am forgiven and I will continue to move forward and look for new opportunities to speak life into people. I want to say thank all to everybody that calls in on a consistent basis. I don’t know everybody’s name but Blind Tony, I’ll say your name specifically I always look forward to what you have to say and Candice from Oregon, Morgan I’m always looking forward to hearing from you and my prayers are with you guys and everybody else in the DAB family. Thank you all for being there. I look forward to hearing more of your prayers and just continuing this journey with you guys. Thank you.

Good morning on this rather rainy Wednesday, the 28th of March. I’m calling for prayer today. So, I’ve been basically independent from a very young age, which has definitely been…I’ve definitely grown up with and I’m still very independent now, so much so that you know when my arms are full and I’m carrying lots of stuff I would juggle stuff around, open the door for myself rather than let someone who’s with me open the door for me. You know, I really struggle to let other people help me and that relates to God as well. You know, I’m very good at doing things in my own strength. And because I do things in my own strength I burn out. But I want to rely on God. I want to rely on His strength. How did you do that? So, I would appreciate any helpful hints or tips that you might want to share on my Facebook. I’m at Michaela Baker at DAB friends and you can also send me an email to mkb204@hotmail.co.uk. Let’s pray. Father God, we love You. I love You and I want You to be my strength. You are my strength. I want You to be my shepherd. Teach me to follow the Lord. Teach me to rely on You and Your strength and to be open to your leadings. Open up my eyes, my ears, and heart to see where You are leading me. Help me listen Lord and focus only on You and have You. Let you take the lead of my life. Help me be…

Hello, my name is Lisa from Kansas and I’m struggling with major depression and I really could use the prayers. I’m really having a rough time. Again, this is Lisa from Kansas. I really am needing your prayers to fight this. Bye.

Hi this is Sharon the victorious from Northern California. I really can’t call myself victorious anymore. I do pray for all of you but I really need your prayers. My husband, his back is so bad he can barely walk. My daughter was just taken into the hospital for an overdose yesterday. She’s homeless because she got violent here. She pepper sprayed me and she attacked her father and she kicked stuff, so we had to let her out. Not that we wanted to but we’ve taken her in so many times but she’s a drug addict and bipolar and she needs your help. She needs your help so bad. I don’t know what she’s doing on the street. She’s small. And then on Sunday I found out that I have a nodule on my lung. They don’t know what it is, if it’s cancer what. I don’t really care about myself, but I do care about my husband and my daughter and especially my daughter right now because we can’t take Karen. We’ve done it too many times and I need your prayers. I need you so bad. Please, please pray for me and my family. I give up for my life for my daughter or my husband or my sons. I just need you guys. Please pray for me. I do pray for you. And thank you Brian. Bless you all.

[alternislatronemhq]

Congrats, Bella, you have been accepted to AL for the role of Marlene McKinnon (FC: Candice Patton). Eeep Bella, I was blown away by the way you were able to get into Marlene’s head and heart. She’s so complex and multi-layered, even before she loses her husband and daughter, but the fallout of that in her personality is just incredible. I can’t wait to see you play out some of these plots you had ideas for, and really in all, I’m just ecstatic to have you here. Please send in your blog (no sideblogs for first characters, please) in the next 24 hours and be sure to take a look at our new player checklist. Welcome home, we’re so excited to have you join the family!

OOC

name — bella! 
 age —  24.
 pronouns — she/hers/her
. timezone — PST.
 activity level — i probably am somewhere around two-ten replies a week. it really just depends on what’s going on that week and how busy i am. on a number scale, i usually give myself around a seven.  
 any questions? — Nope!

IC OVERVIEW

name — marlene mckinnon. age — 28.
 gender — cis-female, she/her.
 sexuality — pansexual. 
 patronus — chestnut mare; despite her darker presence these days, marlene does not know how to run away. she keeps her people safe, keeps them from harm, and most importantly, does so with a vivaciousness that almost makes her larger than life. so, she’s not perfect. she stumbles and blunders and is incredibly loud. but, she’s there for you. no matter what. 
boggart — for a long time, marlene’s boggart was drowning. she’d always been afraid of water: the way the ocean forced the waves to lap over your toes with a relentlessness. she’s never particularly enjoyed long baths or trips to the beach, but, then again, she’s been known to dive head first into her fears. that doesn’t mean they don’t terrify her. 

now, although marlene hasn’t tested this theory, she is almost certain of who would await her if a boggart were to crawl into her home. evan rosier, although not exactly terrifying himself, is a symbol for all she is lost. he is a symbol for her brokenness. and for once in her life, she doesn’t know how to escape from this fear. she can’t charge into it head first. she can’t hurt him because wouldn’t that make her just as bad as him? maybe evan is a symbol for who she fears she might become, if given enough time. or, maybe he’s just evan. perseus avery’s best friend. everyone has fears, and the death eaters who killed her family are rightfully marlene’s biggest, even if she’s ashamed of that fact. maybe they’ve sent evan now, to finish the job. he’s come for the coward; the one who couldn’t save what she cherished most.


IC IN DEPTH

personality traits — tw: self harm.


- impulsive: a common trait, especially in her youth, and one that is more recently resurfacing, is marlene’s inability to think before she acts. if a feeling takes hold, she will respond, barreling into the monster. for most of her life, it was for the protection of others, but recently it’s been in more selfish ways. adrenaline has always gotten her high, but when she’s lost all that makes her feel alive, when her family has been ripped from her by the talons of a face she used to understand, well, it becomes an addiction.  she’s self-destructing, but refuses to see it because, well, at least she feels for once. if you punch something hard enough, maybe when you’re knuckles bleed, the pain will remind you that you’re alive.


- possessive: marlene has always trended on the selfish side, although she hates to admit that about herself. her family had helped with that, of course, and as a mother she’d learned how to put others first. truly. for the first time in her whole life, she’d known what it meant to be selfless. and then, they were gone. maybe now that’s why she holds so tightly, fingers turning white as they grasp to the little strings she has left. maybe that’s why it pushes people away. marlene doesn’t know. still, she finds herself selfishly clinging to those things that she is afraid to lose. she finds herself forcing people into her life, even if they might not want to be there. but, she needs it. godric, does she need someone to hold. + vivacious: oh, to be sunlight. some people were just born with the rays sewn into their skin. marlene was one of them. even in her darkest times, she always knew how to cheer; always knew how to find the right words to say, and the jokes to make. she drew people to her with a laugh or with a mischievous grin. there were times these days where she wished this magic could be bestowed upon herself. why couldn’t she be as light-hearted to her own needs? but, it still gives her hope for her future. if she can smile, even for someone else’s benefit, maybe she could smile for herself one day.


+ empathetic: a trait that has gotten her fair, has also cursed her in many ways. overall, it’s a positive, but sometimes marlene wishes she didn’t feel so deeply. the alcohol wouldn’t be necessary, or the men (and occasionally women) who stream from her bedroom. however, it has always gotten her far. she wouldn’t have married perseus if it wasn’t for her empathy. wouldn’t have joined the order if it wasn’t for her ability to feel a situation, so deeply, that sometimes it even hurt her too. she wouldn’t have understood what it was like for lily, a sweet muggleborn who deserved better than the life she’s been given. no, her empathy was not negative. how could it be, when it was the very foundation of her being?

character biography —

it was early on a warm july sunday morning when marlene was born. of course, it made sense that she was a summer baby. even when she was younger, marlene thrived in the summer. long hikes in the hills surrounding the mckinnon farm; picnics out by the lake; long days of flying and plucking gnomes from the yard. she’d never minded the work. no, marlene had always chosen activity over stillness. tranquility was a trap, and especially as a child, marlene needed to find ways to escape. her mum called her trouble, but marlene quite like the idea of getting into mischief. luckily for her, she had plenty of brothers to do so with. six elder brothers, and one little one on the way by the time she was four earned her the softest place in the household. it was quickly proven, though, that marlene was anything but soft. although they were pureblood, the mickinnons were not wealthy. their farm provided most of their food and mr. mckinnon’s job at the ministry allowed them the important things: wands, books, & occasionally broomsticks. marlene shared three with her siblings, but she’d always loved the rush of flying. always loved the laughter her brothers shared when they tried to play quidditch partly on the ground. they may not have been wealthy, but they were family. marlene had never felt out of place, not in her family, and not in the world. she’d always found it easy to weasel her way into places (hearts, minds, and souls, most specifically). it was no question that she would go to hogwarts, like her brothers before her, but when the letter came in the mail, marlene was fearful for the first time in her life. of course her brothers would be there, but life without the farm? without her wide fields and pastures? would the castle confine her? of course, upon arrival she knew that wouldn’t be the case. the castle was a new adventure, and she was placed into a house that was full of other adventurers. gryffindor was a blessing, but it also opened her eyes to a world that she hadn’t known existed. while the mckinnons were fairly removed from wizarding politics, marlene had heard of halfbloods and muggleborns, those who’s parents didn’t have magic. she’d never thought anything of it, that was until a fellow first-year slytherin was being bullied by their housemate for being a… well, the word was too awful to even repeat. marlene was furious, and despite having defended the slytherin, she was sent to detention. of course, that would not be her last detention throughout hogwarts. but it was the first day she remembered learning that people thought less of others due to their blood status. the fact that she hadn’t known would propel her to learn more. she talked to her friends in gryffindor, sought out answers in the ravenclaw tower. after spending weeks tucked away in the library, ignoring schoolwork to instead educate herself on as much of wizarding history (and muggle, too, which had it’s own set of problems), marlene was hungry for change. justice, rather, for those who had to come into a hallway with those already enraged at them. it was after a particularly rough tumble on the quidditch pitch that she talked to mcgonagall about what she could do to channel her rage. how, just how, could she put all that fire into good instead of punches. she’d heard about aurors, but never truly thought she could be one. turns out, it was a perfect fit. hogwarts was a blur, on the pitch, in the forbidden forest, and in the castle. despite her partying ways, marlene studied her ass off, but at first it wasn’t enough. she merely ended up a secretary for the office. it was there, though, that life seemed to give her a boost. perseus avery was a blood traitor, but that fact made him all the more agreeable in marlene’s eyes. he worked in the department over. a curse breaker. an outspoken muggleborn rights activist. of course because of that fact, he hadn’t spoken to his family in years, and as soon as marlene knew she was going to fall for him, she brought him home to meet hers. the way he fit so perfectly into their dining room table… well, marlene was certain he’d been a mckinnon his whole life. when they married, it was a small ceremony. they wanted to elope but her mother convinced them otherwise. alice was there, of course and a few of perseus’ friends, including evan rosier. the day after, she was finally hired as an auror. the news was a shock to both of them, and although marlene was thrilled, she was also, well, pregnant. however, she remained at work, although her longing for the field had to wait until little daphne was born. and then, the war. she was an auror, but she was a wife and a mother. she began neglecting her orderly duties and turning down field positions, afraid of what might happen if she were to get hurt. she would not leave daphne without a mother. no. that was too selfish, even for her. there was no denying alastor moody, though, and so she took a case out in the field. when she returned home, she found the mckinnon farm in shambles. without having to even look, she knew who was gone. not just the family she’d built, but the one who had built her. heart-broken and full of grief, marlene threw herself into the field, taking on the order full-steam ahead. to this day, she doesn’t quite remember how many people were subject to her wand. sometimes, she wonders if she is even worthy to call herself one of the “good guys”. when the war ended, that fear only grew stronger. why did she long for combat? why, when presented with her past, did she begin turning to alcohol? to sex? to the punching bag she’d set up in her new flat? these days, marlene is focused on finding a new life for herself. however, she’s in shambles. she knows that, but refuses to admit it. if she isn’t able to confront the past, she knows she won’t be able to confront the future. unfortunately, ghosts have never quite been marlene’s best friend. no, she’s always lived for sunlight, but now she’s afraid it’s running out.

plot ideas 

REVENGE: i would just love to see marlene try to extract her revenge on the death eaters, but specifically evan. i don’t know when, or how, or why, but she definitely will do it one day. she’s on the warpath to take him down, and i would like to see what happens if she gets there and fails. where does that take her? how does she respond to the feeling of failure again. after all, she blames herself for the attack. if she had just been there, surely her family would be alive. maybe it’s all hogwash. it wasn’t evan, after all, who murdered her family. then again, he still represents them. he still let perseus down. LOVE: i don’t know with who, and am honestly very open to whoever, but i would love to see marlene fall in love again. what feelings would that bring up for her? how does she show someone else love when she can barely keep herself together? can she even show someone love right now? she’s been on a spree where she merely has a casual fling or two, but what happens when she gets attached? what fears might that bring up? DEATH: the thought of a horcrux is potentially the most horrific to marlene. she wants nothing more than to murder the man responsible for her family’s passing, but that man wouldn’t have risen without the help of one lord voldemort. of course, she knows that sirius and dumbledore are on the case. but maybe she could help. put her energy into something productive rather than self-destructive. WORK: marlene would be one of the first to want to bring the band back together (so to speak). she knows that three people she admires most are running the show, however, she feels as though they aren’t doing enough. they know the death eaters are assembling again, so why aren’t they doing more? i want to see marlene through herself into this new order, finding more ways to keep her mind from spiraling. after all, it’s easy not to think about the past when your mind is focusing on a terrifying future. FRIENDS: alice is her best friend, there is not a doubt in her mind about that fact. but jealousy is cruel, and it is running rampant in marlene these days. she loves neville, but watching him grow makes her ache with longing. how might this affect her relationship with alice? how might it change the way the closest person in her life behaves around her?

[nsfwviolets]

hello everyone !! my name is ally & i hail from the est timezone. what you need to know about me ( other than me never understanding how technology works ) is that i love wealthy & all its members with all my heart. i don’t think anything has really changed about vi but everything you need to know about her is under the cut !! 

❛ new york’s very own violet lennox was spotted on broadway street in jimmy choo thigh high boots. your resemblance to taylor hill is unreal. according to tmz, you just had your twenty-second birthday bash. while living in new york, you’ve been labeled as being avaricious, but also enticing. i guess being a gemini explains that. three things that would paint a better picture of you would be silk sheets, diamond necklaces, & faux fur coats . ( cisfemale & she/her ) + ( ally, 20, she/her, est )

basics ;;

full name:  violet ( soft & sweet ) faith ( unquestioning belief and complete trust in god ) lennox ( northern irish / scottish last name ).

nicknames: vi, v.

age: twenty-two.

birthday: 18 june 1996.

zodiac: gemini.

gender: cisfemale.

pronouns: she / her / hers.

sexual orientation: bisexual ( in the closet ).

nationality: american.

hometown: aspen, colorado.

parents: diane galindo ( brooke shields ) & richard lennox ( rob lowe ).

siblings: older sister.

pet(s): one year old miniature labradoodle named tate.

religion: roman catholic.

height: 5′10.

occupation: victoria’s secret angel / instagram model / socialite.

positive traits: honest, loyal, passionate, responsible, authentic, affectionate, reliable, kindhearted, & courageous.

negative traits: loud, manipulative, stubborn, materialistic, selfish, abrasive, hypocritical, insecure, & dramatic.

hobbies: shopping, audrey hepburn movie marathons, traveling, being the center of attention, photography, spontaneous dance parties, working out, massages, doodling, pilates, online shopping, & journaling.

habits: interrupting someone mid sentence, excessive hair tucking, shoulder rolling, lip biting, & impatiently tapping her heels or acrylic nails when she is at a loss for words & or annoyed.

labels: the vixen & the babydoll. 

aesthetics: silk dresses, red lingerie, lip gloss, lipstick stained coffee mugs, matte nail polish, glitter, diamonds, snow days, satin sheets, impulsive shopping sprees, romantic comedy binge watches, ocean waves, lolita, bright lights, day drinking, champagne for breakfast, iced matcha, lingerie as outerwear, yves saint laurent black opium perfume sprayed on the nape of her neck & her decolletage, lavender oil, freckled skin, acrylic nails, snow blanketing trees, hardwood mahogany floors, hgtv reruns, vintage chanel, pretty in pink, rose gold accents, bubble baths after a long day, half naked pictures, & rose water.

style inspo: taylor hill, kylie jenner, candice swanepoel, josephine skriver, kendall jenner, blair waldorf, & cher horowitz. here are just a few examples of her wardrobe !! ( x x x x x )  muse inspo: brooke davis ( one tree hill ), cher horowitz ( clueless ), blair waldorf ( gossip girl ), gabrielle solis ( desperate housewives ), lydia martin ( teen wolf ), fallon carrington ( dynasty ), sadie saxton ( awkward ), lauren cooper ( faking it ), mini mcguinness ( skins ), holly golightly ( breakfast at tiffany’s ), maddy perez ( euphoria ), brooke maddox ( scream ), samantha jones ( sex & the city ), tahani al jamil ( the good place ), jackie burkhart ( that ‘70s show ), naomi clark ( 90210 ), cece parekh ( new girl ), cassie howard ( euphoria ), madison montgomery ( american horror story ), jenna maroney ( 30 rock ), kelly kapoor ( the office ), elle woods ( legally blonde ), rachel green ( friends ), paris hilton, & mona-lisa saperstein ( parks & recreation ).

background ;; 

violet faith lennox is diane galindo’s & richard lennox’s youngest child. born three weeks early on 18 june 1996 at aspen valley hospital in aspen, colorado. the very moment they held their daughter ( who they lovingly referred to as a ‘ blessing ‘ ) in their open arms, they knew that their family was finally complete.

her mother ( diane ) is her parents’ pride & joy. as the eldest daughter of wealthy wall street executives, she has done nothing but make her family proud her entire life. growing up, her dream in life was to help her father’s business but her career quickly changed course when she decided to pursue a career in medicine. the new york native eventually ended up going to harvard medical school in boston, massachusetts where she would end up meeting her future husband. to this day, dr. galindo is one of the most recognizable names in medicine & is world renowned for her work as a reproductive endocrinologist ( fertility specialist ). 

her father on the other hand ( richard ) was born to an influential family in los angeles, california. from an early age, he was exposed to the spotlight due to the fact that his own father was governor of california & hoped to become president one day. however, things seemed to go off course the day the former governor was caught in his own cheating scandal all while being married to a former pageant queen. scandal erupted when the politician not only cheated on his stunning wife with a young secretary but when his mistress announced to the world that she was pregnant. the entire news circuit covered this affair for months & the governor resigned from his position when news broke that he urged his mistress to get an abortion.

following the scandal, the family fell out of the public spotlight. they spent years trying to repaint their public image after it was tarnished for nothing but selfish desire. approximately ten years later, the family made news again but this time about their newly found faith in god joining the long list of religious right wing politicians. richard’s father felt as if the only way to redeem himself was to devote himself to god. after years of distancing themselves from the catholic church, the family dove right back in which became the start of their fundamental catholic values that ruled every aspect of their lives.

as the only son in the family, richard’s parents had high expectations for him. however, he seemed to have different plans for himself that didn’t involve making his family proud or practicing what they preached. as an undergraduate student at yale, his interests were far & few between. his days only seemed to consist of sleeping with random women & binge drinking to his heart’s content. he knew that he didn’t have to be an astounding student because he had a giant trust fund waiting for him at home. but after a drunk driving accident that resulted in a 40 year old woman’s hospitalization & his own arrest, richard knew he had to clean up his act. 

he eventually followed his family’s lead & became an ultra religious catholic. he even managed to boost up his grades & get an academic scholarship to harvard law school where he met diane. diane didn’t come from a strong religious background. in fact, she liked to tell people that she only believed in science & didn’t have faith or trust in a superior figure. but when she met a young richard lennox, her entire world was turned upside down. she let him into her life, converted to catholicism, & the two got married after three years of dating. flash forward to 1992. the married couple is moving to aspen, colorado for diane’s new job at an upscale hospital. they even received a generous check from richard’s parents to buy a mansion in the mountains !!

life for the couple in colorado was serene. they eventually welcome their first child into the world ( a daughter ) & a few months later, their families moved to help them raise their children. both diane & richard always wanted a big family due to their catholic faith. they both agreed they would stop after 6 kids, however, their minds were quickly changed when she became pregnant with violet.

her pregnancy was extremely difficult to say the least. between being on bed rest for months & frequent hospitalizations, she didn’t know if she could do this again. on top of her own health issues, she also had problems with her unborn child. there was even a night where they thought they would lose violet after diane experienced unexplainable bleeding & her fellow colleagues at the hospital couldn’t detect a heartbeat.

luckily, they were able to find a heartbeat after 6 minutes of deafening silence & hushed prayers for a miracle. after that night, they knew that their daughter was a blessing which is why they agreed to give her the middle name faith which symbolizes their unrequited devotion to god.

eventually, violet was born !! she was born three weeks early & spent a week in the icu but overall she was healthy. she was a bit underweight but she was miraculously healthy. but after everything the family had been through, they decided that violet would be their last child. 

as a child, violet did every thing her parents had asked of her. their faith played a large role in her upbringing which is why she spent every sunday inside of church. 

by the time she was 8 years old, her family decided to move to new york city due to the fact that her mom received a prestigious job on the upper east side. at the age of 8, violet was already a competitive gymnast who’s likes included spending time with her family, competing, & going to school. even then she knew she could do everything she loved in another state which is why she didn’t put up much of a fight when she was told that they would be moving across the country. 

moving from snowy open colorado to the upper east side of manhattan was definitely a culture shock for violet even at an early age. nonetheless, she eventually got used to new york city life & to this day she doesn’t think she would survive a week in colorado. 

even after she moved to a new part of the country, violet remained devoted to gymnastics & her family. she had dreams of one day going to the olympics for gymnastics & everyone who knew her saw her potential. she even competed in world events & became a household name !! although, her parents often emphasized that school & religion come first which is why they made her & her sister attend a private catholic school all the way through high school.

in high school, she was a classic goody two shoes church girl. she was a strong student who received perfect grades in order to please her parents. for the longest time, she didn’t have time for anything other than school & sports but that changed by the time she was 16.

despite attending an all girls school, violet met her first boyfriend through one of her mutual friends. & like all stereotypical teen romances, it was love at first site. she was so infatuated with him that she was willing to put everything in her life on the back burner in order to focus on him. 

& by the time she was 18, she received numerous academic & sports scholarships to prestigious colleges. however, violet decided to take a gap year in order to spend more time with her boyfriend of two years. she knew that she would eventually go to college but she wanted to make some time for herself first. her parents weren’t exactly happy about her decision due to the fact that she has big shoes to fill but they eventually came around the idea & were even happy for their daughter & her wholesome catholic boyfriend.

during her gap year, they spent an entire year traveling the world. they went to bali, greece, peru, brazil, iceland, dubai, thailand, argentina, & morocco. throughout the course of the year, violet documented her travel on her instagram & other social media platforms which is when she started gaining a lot of followers who wanted to watch her travel the world with the love of her life. before her influx of instagram followers, not a lot of people outside the world of gymnastics knew who she was. people of course knew who her parents were ( a famous doctor & lawyer ) but the world did not really know who exactly violet lennox was.

by the end of her gap year violet already had over 1 million followers on instagram !! & she was already getting paid doing what she loves which is travel the world. & since all of this happened during her year off, violet ended up telling her parents that she didn’t want to go to college which damaged their relationship as a result. 

since her parents were so unsupportive of her decision to not go to college & ultimately quit gymnastics, violet ended up moving out of her house & moved in with her boyfriend at only the age of 19. & because her parents were completely unsupportive of her decision not to attend college, they cut her off financially & she was forced to make a living for herself. by this point, her career as a social media influencer was booming so she was already making a lot of money just through promoting detox teas, teeth whitening kits, etc.

it may seem as if life for violet was perfect by this point despite her falling out with her parents. however, that was not the case. even though she fooled the entire world by thinking that she had a perfect relationship, her boyfriend was incredibly abusive towards her & had been ever since the two started dating. although he was never physically abusive, he was mentally, emotionally, & verbally abusive. for years violet made excuses for him & blamed herself for their problems which only made her feel more miserable than she already was. this was her first real relationship & she genuinely thought that they were destined to be together even though she was severely unhappy.

he would constantly cheat, manipulate her, make fun of her appearance & insecurities, & wouldn’t let her do anything without his permission. the two were together for three years & there even was a time where violet became pregnant but quickly had an abortion without him knowing as soon as she found out. just three months after living together, she finally found the courage to break up with him. although it wasn’t easy at first, she’s thankful that she finally got out of a dangerous relationship. she also understands the dangers of social media better than anyone else because she fooled the world into thinking that she was in a happy loving relationship when that was far from the truth.

when violet told the world about their breakup ( most likely in an instagram live or an instagram story ) she ended up losing millions of followers. the majority of her followers only followed her to watch her travel the world with her boyfriend so once they found out that they were no longer together ; they didn’t see the point in following her anymore. 

for an entire year following her breakup, violet began to spiral out of control. she started using drugs, alcohol, & partying as coping mechanisms in order to help her move on & forget about everything she had endured. that of course didn’t work but that didn’t stop her from partying every single night of the week & ending up in a stranger’s bed. eventually, she even leaked her own sex tape & naked pictures to the press in hopes that the press coverage would help make up for the millions of followers she lost on instagram. 

& as she expected, the world would not stop talking about her sex tape for months. she gained the most followers she has ever done & eventually she got real modeling jobs as a result of her popularity. she hasn’t exactly told the world that she was the one who leaked the 20 minute video but everyone in their immediate circle knows she did it & also knows that she has other videos lying around for ‘ emergency ’  situations. 

however, her parents cut off all contact with her following her scandal & it is still something that cuts deep two years later. she tells herself & everyone around her that she doesn’t need a family but everyone knows that’s a lie. it’s just a lie she keeps on telling herself to feel better about herself. 

violet managed to clean up her act & went from being a social media influencer to an actual model. many people don’t respect her name due to her troubling past with her sex tape & being an instagram model but that doesn’t seem to stop her. she has been featured in the love advent calendar, the victoria’s secret fashion show, & many fashion weeks since then. 

earlier this year, she became the youngest victoria’s secret angel at the age of 22 !!

she is also the youngest global ambassador for lancôme & ralph lauren !! 

although she has become more of an actual model rather an instagram model, she still stays loyal to her social media platforms which is why she has over 100 million followers. 

she lives a happy life after being so unhappy for so long but she still seeks her parents approval even though they have no contact with her. 

personality ;;

for someone who is incredibly smart, she pretends to be dumb sometimes. she doesn’t think that guys like smart girls so she dumbs herself down. but she could also be a ditz at times ( unintentionally ).

she likes to think of herself as approachable but she also knows that she can be intimidating. nonetheless, she tries to be nice to everyone who comes her way unless they say the wrong thing to her & then she switches on her mean girl switch that comes far too easy for her.

even though violet is a lot to deal with, she is a nice person !! although she does have a flair for the dramatics & denies being dramatic all the time. she also likes to think of herself as a ‘ good girl ’ even though she is far from one. she loves sex & isn’t afraid to shy away from that but she still tells people that she’s good or an angel because it makes herself feel better about herself.

she also goes to confession 1-2 times a week to pray for her sins in order to get into heaven. she thinks with the amount of adultery she commits on a daily basis she needs to pray for her sins otherwise she won’t go to heaven & she thinks she looks way better in white than in red.

if you do her wrong, she will go out of her way to make your life a living hell. she is incredibly protective over the people in her life so she will do just about anything for them including berating people. revenge might as well be her last name !!

she may be loud and unnecessary at times but she is kind hearted and does mean well. even if she does have a bad way of showing it at times.

miscellaneous ;;

since she comes from a strict traditional upbringing, she was taught that being anything other than straight is wrong. so when violet first started experimenting with girls & even developed feelings for one, she told herself that she was going to hell. this is one of the reasons why she has not come out of the closet or has even come to terms with her sexuality. she denies all past same sex encounters & relationships which isn’t healthy. but since her parents disowned her following her sex tape, she knows that they would hate her more than they already do. if they ever found out that their daughter was anything but straight they would lose their minds & she’s still hoping that one day they could repair their relationship. apparently being bisexual is worse than having a sex tape !!

when she was a competitive gymnast for the united states national team, she was often put on strict diets in order to keep up. as a result of the strict dieting & unrealistic body images, violet developed bulimia as early as 12 years old. so when she quit gymnastics after deciding not to attend college, she was happy. she loved the sport but hated the pressure. even to this day, the sport isn’t actually sure what happened to her because she was an olympic hopeful. they all thought that she could have been the next gold medalist but she values her own mental health & sanity over a couple of medals. & even though she sought help for her eating disorder that reared ugly heads at times, she did slip up a lot while she was with her boyfriend who would make fun of her appearance. even now she isn’t 100% but she is better than she has ever been.

is extremely flirty & alluring.

violet also believes that the world revolves around her. many people may find her confidence to be annoying or superficial but she takes pride in it because it took her so long to learn how to love herself after being with her first boyfriend.

speaking of relationships, she’s terrible at them. she often runs away when things become too serious, manipulates the people she’s with, or breaks up with them for no reason. her logic is that she wants to hurt someone before they have the chance to hurt her. she still has yet to understand that the rest of the world isn’t like her ex but her past still haunts her every time she catches feelings.

she likes to tell people that monogamy isn’t the life for her which is why she prefers casual sex. she is also a proud sugar baby & has many sugar daddies !! most of them are old & married but she is a sucker for anyone who buys her nice things. 

also has an instagram account for her dog !! 

her most used emojis in her phone are the halo, the suggestive face, & the pink glitter heart.

she’s a gemini which means that she is expressive, quick-witted, sociable, and affectionate. 

her favorite tv show is gossip girl. 

her favorite movie is the notebook.

has a passion for photography but hasn’t explored it seriously. she understands that she makes a living off of being another pretty face but she also wants to explore other aspects of her career like photography & maybe even acting.

she often considers going to college or even going back to gymnastics a lot but she not made up her mind yet. she is happy right now as a model but she does miss aspects of her old life.as an instagram model, she is like kendall jenner or gigi hadid. in other words, she has a large following & people book her for photo shoots & fashion shows in order to boost their own notoriety because it looks better on their part. her walk is average at best but she does have a beautiful face. people hate instagram models working in the real modeling business as it is so they despise an instagram model with a sex tape !!

she lives in a townhouse in chelsea that has been featured in architectural digest twice. her home is filled with hardwood floors, marble, gold accents, & constantly smells like lavender. 

the last concert she went to was lana del rey.

the last song she listened to was everybody loves you by charlotte lawrence.

the last show she binge watched was you.

the last movie that made her cry was tangled.

loves wellness shots after dogpound workouts.

gets daily massages by her french masseuse.

all & all, she is a mess but she loves the people in her life !! 

here’s her pinterest board if you want to take a look !! i also have a wc page here that will most likely be updated over the weekend. & my discord is @taylorshill​#4067