#catastrophe at sixteen

[schneereggen]

Ok. I need more dominant Shinya NOW

[amethystroselily]

How I imagine this conversation went down

[couldtransitionsaveher]

GUREN ICHINOSE from OWARI NO SERAPH/SERAPH OF THE END

JUSTIFICATIONS:

"Ichinose Guren was born into a religious Sect which was created five hundred years ago in a political conflict in which two brothers from the main house fought over an Ichinose woman. She had chosen the younger of them and as punishment she and here lover were violeted and disowned. The outcasts created a new sect in their name. Guren is believed to be their saviour, the one destined to liberate the Clan from their oppression, paralleling her role. The main Clan, Mikado no Oni, view Guren and everyone of Gurens family as naturally weak and subservient in a way that clearly mimics patriarchal oppression. When Guren was five years old she met Mahiru Hiiragi, heir to Mikado no Oni. Guren was very obviously jealous of her and their meeting is used to symbolise Guren learning her place in the world. Continously throughout the Guren refuses to give up on Mahiru despite her quite frankly ruining Guren's life and being unable to catch up with her. Guren gives up her humanity to inject a demon all for purposes of protecting her friends and striving to liberate her clan, while also chasing after Mahiru and her power. This eventually leads Guren to cause the apocalypse in a first act of free will. (forced to choose between the strength she desires and her own emotinonal "weakness") Mahiru mends with Gurens weapon taking over as her demon, causing Guren to become a namanari (a half demon made from two separate personalities, Gurens and Mahirus in this case who's human personality slowly starts to adapt the demonic traits). In consequence of this Guren acts all the more feminine when striving to get what she wants (to ressurect all of humanity. I think thats also trans because its a sort of rebirth in metaphor for transition.) Transition could have saved her, as i believe her gender envy for Hiiragi Mahiru caused the apocalypse." - @cannibalfrodo

"im really shit at writing out media analysis i either do it solely in my head or via fic so yall are just gonna have to trust me for this one.

the writer really horribly sucks at writing female characters but it's clear from the start (in catastrophe at 16 most noticeably, but even in the manga too) that guren isn't written like any of the male characters (even the other male protag of the manga, yuu) and much more resembles the female characters. a lot of her personality and identity is heavily sculpted by the traumatizing and pressuring life she's lived so far (being brought up as the head of a scorned branch, beaten by adults for simply being born in the way she was, raised with a lot of crunching expectations, etc). most of her actions in ca16 come from a deep want to please who she's with, or to not cause trouble with herself (#same bestie)—she knows she needs to be a son for her father, for her clan, for their retribution. she knows she doesn't have time to think on her emotions or wants, which is very evident throughout all of ca16 until the final book as more and more shit piles up on her plate and she's forced by her romantic interest, mahiru, to finally confront her "human sin" (which is loving her friends. and also being trans).

she never fully opens up to anyone, this includes mahiru, but nonetheless their relationship IS different (guren is very much like "i love you, you're so much like me but braver, i wish i were you" @ mahiru). in their first meeting again as teenagers she compliments how beautiful and powerful mahiru has grown, and does so multiple times throughout the books, most of which are immediately after her inner monologue beats her down and she goes into great depth on why she's so weak and unworthy (especially compared to mahiru).

she's not allowed to be herself, as a man and definitely not as a woman, throughout all books and manga & i believe that if she came out to her friends (who love her so much and would support her through anything) everything bad she ever does in the future (which i didn't even begin to COVER the main series) could be prevented because she'd be much more happy with herself and spectre in her relationships.

also she experiences the end of the world. truly just a girl in the world" - @9ureshin

Reminder: Submissions are always open! Submit here!

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[kodanshamanga]

NEW Kodansha Print+Digital:

🗡️Seraph of the End: Guren Ichinose: Catastrophe at Sixteen (manga), Volume 3🗡️ By @kagamitakaya, Yamato Yamamoto and @yoasami

🚬Guren must confront the most consequential choice of his life as the clock starts ticking.

[sxyraaaaa]

i miss him.... ;-; my love

I MISS YOU SO MUCCHCHCHAHKSDLLKDN

[hitemwiththeoop]

still waiting on that catastrophe at sixteen anime adaptation. they did it with gojo's backstory ffs give us some crumbs

[choujinx]

OWARI NO SERAPH: ICHINOSE GUREN, 16-SAI NO CATASTROPHE (2017-2022) by asami you

[lendmeyourpower]

so guren what weapon you would used if zombies start showing up and attacking people? -anon

-Guren clicked his tongue in annoyance. "Zombies aren't real. It's bad enough dealing with the vampires and demons." Not to mention the magical syndicates. Why throw zombies into this mix?

-He sighed. This was a complete waste of time, but you had to think of everything right? "Fine, if they were real, I still would just use Noya on them, than a fuda spell to make them explode. After all they are just rotting corpses. They can't do anything if they are blown to bits."

[unblinded-by-nostalgia-blog]

IMPORTANT NOTE:

The English version of 'Seraph of the End - Guren Ichinose: Catastrophe at Sixteen' is in an omnibus format containing two books. This review contains the 5th novel only. The review for the next novel is coming soon.

The Story

The story in this novel ditches the formula of "Gang try to solve the mystery, Miharu shows up to confront them", instead, we get an unpredictable volume that has the group becoming less predictable to Miharu and it makes the novel FAR more interesting!

The novel is noticeably less dark than the previous novels, not that it's a happy volume, but the disturbing scenes from the previous volumes are noticeably absent here, which makes the novel more forgettable because you don't feel like that much is a stake.

The Characters

Guren gets the most development in this volume, he has definitely grown from the predictable loner from the previous volumes.

It's great that this is reflected through Miharu's plans going heywire for her, but she still is a threatening villain who is obsessed with Guren.

The side characters, however, don't get much (if any) development in this volume. They feel indistinguishable between each other.

The Illustrations

There is certainly a lack of illustrations in this novel. And they aren't well detailed like the previous volumes. They just lack the beauty and polish of the illustrations from the previous novels in the series, which is a shame...

Final Thoughts

Overall, this isn't the best novel in this series, in fact, it's probably the most forgettable one, but it is still worth a read, especially in the 2-in-1 omnibuses because it's a lot cheaper than buying single volumes (in the UK) and if it was a singe volumes, I wouldn't' recommend it over a rental recommendation. If you plan to read this volume, just be prepared to not be as engaging in this volume like the previous books in the series.

The Story 4/5 The Characters 3/5 The Illustrations 2/5

Overall 3/5

[cpirits]

(( the cost of victory -- @anomieheld said: [ " hey, hey, hey... eyes on me. come on, you can do this! " Elyon to Catastrophe Guren) ]

There was so much going on, his friends were fighting Vampires and it almost didn't seem real. He had pulled back after being with one himself, clashing blades and really feeling the difference in strength, it was almost gross how unmatched the beasts were, but Guren wasn't about to fail.

His breath caught in his throat and he seized up, falling to his knees. Guren dropped his Cursed Gear, a dusty gloved hand going to grip his head.

He screamed.

He didn't realize the noise was coming from him before he felt a hand on his shoulder and raised his head. It was someone who had been assigned to his squad as an assist -- Ely-something? He didn't remember her name. He felt hot tears come, he was a wreck.

She spoke to him, seeming above all the noise, the screams not his own, the blasts. Shaking him a little was all it took to bring Guren back, and he reached for his Cursed Gear on the ground.

"Alright, I need to concentrate." Wiping his face on his sleeve, Guren stood, righting himself with the girl's help. Though he'd not say thanks, there wasn't time for that.

[narcissistcookbook]

Americans: never let people give you shit for complaining about your taxes. Your tax system is a hellgrade catastrophe.

As a travelling musician from outside of the country, I'm having to file tax returns in twenty states as well as federal taxes. Of those twenty states, sixteen won't let a non-resident file their return online so I have to mail them in myself.

Also of those twenty states, I've only successfully paid my taxes in four states after an entire day of trying to force them to take my money. Some states will outright not accept non-US addresses or phone numbers when you try to pay your tax. What a funny April fools prank. North Carolina won't let you pay unless you have a card connected to a US bank account.

I owe Idaho $10! And their online tax payment system isn't working! At all! Hahaha!!!

Also who the fUCk bases their tax system around sending and receiving cheques in 2025?

[schneereggen]

Believe me when I say, this hits so much harder when you can turn the page 😍🫠

Also how good Shinya is looking here. Especially how old. He keeps getting younger throughout the chapter. But damn he looks hot.

[amethystroselily]

It is so funny that Kureto thinks that, because three of those people lowkey hate him, and two of those three only really associate him because it gives them some level of protection within the hiiragi clan and the other LITERALLY just broke his neck a few pages ago.

[waytootiredstudent]

Why the CDU/CSU can go fuck itself

Time for another one of these. a quick(ish) summary for all the non-german speakers about why we're freaking out and the state of our democracy.

Spoiler. its not...good. Not catastrophic (yet). But the alarm bells are very, very loud.

Tl;dr: The CDU, party currently prognosed to win the election, has basically worked together with the afd to get a migrationbill to pass that is very strict. The afd are the nazi party that is getting backed by Musk. This might forshadow a cooperation between AFD and CDU. That would put the far right in power. The current response from the general public are demonstrations against that. Like. there are a LOT of protests currently.

Alright grab a drink and lets go.

First, groundwork: Who are parties and who is the guy we currently all want to punch in the face?

on top: Careful, risk of confusion. on the left: on the board of a sleazy cooperation. not interested in the enviroment. Real. On the right: on the board of a sleazy cooperation. not interested in the enviroment. comic figure.

This guy here is Friedrich Merz. no, not the guy on the right. the guy on the left. I know. Easy mistake to make.

He's an asshole. He's also the current boss of the CDU and their chancellor candidate. He's very likely to win according to recent polls.

The CDU has a complicated history, but to simplify it: They were in charge for sixteen years before the now broken apart Traffic-light goverment and are responsible for a lot of shit that we're currently dealing with. Like crumbling infrastructure for example. They were more interested, as a party, to preserve the status quo at all costs, than to invest anything. You could argue that a lot of the enviromental issues we are facing and the reason why Germany is currently pretty stagnant, can be traced back to the one and a half decade the CDU was in charge. They are conservative, not a fan of migration and like to throw around 'tradtional values'.

They are, generally speaking, or better were, center right. More on that later.

The other party that is going to be a major pain in the ass to outright fucking dangerous, is the AFD, short for 'Alternative for Germany'.

this is Alice Weidel, she's the current chancellor candidate for the afd. here is her wikipedia article and lets just say her 'controversies' part is longer than her 'political positions' part.

Those are the, to put it bluntly, Nazis. They are dangerous but also a fucking mess. Like, to just list a few of their hits: They've been getting money from dictators (different ones btw, not just one), infigthing is a sport to them, they try to glorify the nazi-regime, the german intelligence agency is watching them because they are officially considered radical right-wing and a threat to democracy, there is a petition to ban the afd and that is a high bar to cross, the demonize immigrants, hate queer people, you know, the usual. Also of course political correctness has gone too far and climate change isn't real and we need to leave the EU. Elon Musk, you know the rich guy who did the Nazi-salute, also has been appearing and is actively supporting them. Just in case we were unclear before on where they all stand.

(btw the whole 'elon is supporting them' thing is pretty scary bc you could argue the reason that the afd is able to win so many votes is bc, frankly, they're good at social media. Do i need to elaborate why that is a dangerous combination.)

to put them into perspective: The afd is too right for the other alt-right parties in the EU parlament. There is a coalition in the EU Parlament for the right, made up of all the right wing parties from other nations and the afd is too right for them. So. yeeeeaaah.

that should do it as background information.

Now. back to current events. where both of these parties are getting more and more support.

For a short history of why we currently have a non-functioning goverment, i made a post about that. Be aware that it was made as a product of its time and doesn't have all the information. For example back then we didn't know that FDP had actively engineered that break up and wanted it to happen for a while. Yes. They wanted to topple the goverment they were in. on purpose. It's been a fun time over here in Germany as well.

anyways, lets get to the meat of things. Since we don't have a functional goverment currently, Merz has introduced a harsh migration bill. This has been in the wake of an attack with two murders, where the current suspect is a migrant. while this is a tragedy, its getting brutally misused by all out rightwing parties to scream about how we need stricter migration laws and that migrants are a danger. Which to be so fucking clear about this, is such bullshit. It's been proven so many times how that is bullshit. I'm gonna be real and not even bother. They're just the newest scapegoats everything can be blamed on.

But because nobody has a majority, all attempts at governing so far have been pretty stalled.

(our goverment currently)

Quick information from the past:

in 2018 the CDU basically stated they wouldn't, in any sort of way, cooperate with the AFD, declaring basically a Brandmauer (fire wall). This basically means that yes, the afd had been given seats in the parlament, but nobody would give them any power whatsoever.

This has been the position of the cdu. It is why people still considered them center-right.

Merz has repeatedly said he didn't care who voted with him. now with a slight majority, 348 to 344, the cdu has won, with the support of the afd. Many see this as the fall of the Brandmauer. It's not good. Merz has more and more talking points that sound exactly like the afd and that is SCARY. There is still a vivid memory alive here about why having a far-right goverment is dangerous. There is a reason why there are currently a lot of massive protests all over the country loudly proclaiming that 'never again is now'.

This also puts for many the cdu from 'center right' to 'right'. There are calls from inside the cdu to 'stop demonizing the afd'. This is scary. This could mean that we get not just a conservative goverment in a few weeks, but a rightwing one. One who is comfortable cooperating with radical right wingers if it suits their needs. To cooperate with a party that even our own intelligence agencies consider a threat to our democrazy.

So. that is why your german mutuals sit there like

Now. To another part. What exactly is that migration bill merz had wanted to pass so desperateldy?

Well first of all it calls for a national emergency, using the beforementioned murder as reasoning, for the danger of immigration. It calls for closing and controls at the borders permanently, not temporary as is curently the case. They want for people without valid ID to be refused entry, even when they are searching safety. People that are already in Germany but need to leave should be thrown in jail until they actually leave.

Which. just to be clear about this. this what the bill they had, that had the support of the afd, says. This is not a wish list. This what they want to be law.

But to be also clear, lots of this is against our current law, against Basic EU law and principle and also a pretty big violation of our constituation.

Which is what makes this situation so fatal. This bill is going to be fought. In court, in politics, with demonstrations on the streets. this bill is controversial. Merz knew that. he knew that a lot of this wouldn't pass. This is a publicly stunt. This is testing the waters. How much will the public allow? how far can he push? Is cooperation with the afd possible for him? How does everyone react?

It was never about immigration or that bill. All the people this is going to impact, all the lives that are going to be lost because of this shit they are pulling - this is to them all just collateral. Its testing how much is possible, tolerated even. The chances of this bill making it law is slim. It needs to pass again in a different body of the goverment with a two thirds majority and that is nowhere in sight.

Also, lets take a look at who voted what:

it was about four votes. So my german friends who also read this - look at this and be aware of who voted what. Who abstained to vote and gave up the four votes it would have taken to stop this. who accepted that to get what they want they would need to get the support of the afd, no matter how much Merz now claims that he still doesn't cooperate with the afd and that there were no talks between them. Look at the numbers. Look how and with who they voted.

To be frank, i am pretty pissed off. I don't think much about wallowing in self-pity and despair. i am pissed off about what is happening. i am pissed off that these people don't have a spine, i am pissed off at the FDP for enabling this in the first place, i am pissed off that we have Nazis in out goverment, i am pissed off that we have people who are willing to cooperate with them. I am pissed off that i need to settle for damage control instead of being able to see something finally move forward.

Now here we come to the less depressing part of this whole thing. And i want you to pay attention to it.

People are protesting. loudly. And in the thousands. There have been ten to a hundred thousands of people all over the country in the last week, protesting against the rise of faschism and the far right. Its all over the country, in different cities. Where the afd appears to talk, so do the protesters. There are 35 afd people to 1300 protesters. People loudly say 'never again is now'. And they show up to back that claim up.

This shit is vile, yes, but it's not going to be unopposed.

I know this all reads as depressing as fuck but do not give into the temptation of falling into despair. This is far from over. Yes those are the alarm bells and they are ringing loudly. But there is still things that can be done. Don't let the afd lure you into thinking this all pointless anyways. It's not. This is all not good, yes, but no reason to fall into blind panic. The bill isn't law yet. Merz is facing massive backlash for his little stunt. This is not a hopeless situation. It's just a shitty one.

[kodanshamanga]

NEW Kodansha Print+Digital:

🗡️#SeraphoftheEnd Guren Ichinose: Catastrophe at Sixteen (manga), Volume 3🗡️ By @kagamitakaya, Yamato Yamamoto and @yoasami

👹War waits for no one, and soon Guren’s friends and personal guards come under savage attack.

[womenhoops]

AAU GAME

paige x azzi (pazzi as teenagers)

inspo -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKYqMjAf6nk

"Az, did you see we're playing against each other?" Paige's voice came through the phone, trying too hard to sound casual.

Azzi's grin flashed bright on screen. "I did, P... My mom was just telling me." She leaned closer, the camera distorting her face slightly. "Think we're even gonna be in the same hotel." A beat. Then that smirk - the one that made Paige's stomach do backflips. "Maybe you can sneak into my room... if you want.  We can finally watch that movie you've been begging me to watch - something Street? No, wait—"

"Mean Streets," Paige corrected automatically, while her brain blue-screened. Because Azzi - sweet, oblivious Azzi - had missed the nuclear-level double meaning entirely. The air between them crackled suddenly, thick with possibilities Paige shouldn't be considering about her best friend. Her younger-by-a-year best friend. The one she'd be alone with. In a room. With a bed. HER AND AZZI ALONE WITH A BED. 

God.

And just like that, Paige was gone - lost in a mental highlight reel of all the ways this could go catastrophically wrong or maybe right. 

The truth was, Paige didn't know what to do with these feelings Because Azzi wasn't just Azzi anymore. She was Azzi-who-bit-her-lip-when-concentrating during their hour long FaceTimes. Azzi-who-still-smelled-like-vanilla-shampoo-even-after-double-OT. Azzi-who-Paige-had-seen-grow-from-a-scrawny-freshman-into-this... this... what was she? A confused senior? A kinda influencer? 

"...Paigey? Why're you blushing?"

"I—what? I'm not—" Paige's hands flew to her cheeks like they'd betrayed her. The heat could've powered a small city. "It's just. My AC's broken. Swear."

"Uh-huh." Azzi's eyebrow arched, her grin turning wicked. "Sure. You're such a dork. You excited to see me?”

Paige wanted to die. Or kiss her. Maybe both. Because she was dying to see her. 

— 

Meanwhile, Azzi remained blissfully unaware - not from lack of interest, but because her brain processed romance like an old computer. Glitchy. With frequent crashes. VERY FREQUENT CRASHES.   Part of it was fear - she'd seen enough rom-coms to know hearts didn't break cleanly. The other part? Boys. Specifically, her complete inability to understand their appeal, despite being sixteen and surrounded by friends who'd apparently all received some secret puberty manual she'd missed. They were so advanced in everything already and she had never even kissed anyone. 

"Maybe I'm just a late bloomer," she'd tell herself while watching teammates giggle over some guy's biceps. Then she'd blink at said biceps like they were a particularly confusing math problem.

The real breakthrough came last summer during training with Paige. Paige's childhood friend Jalen had tagged along - all floppy hair and misplaced confidence - and spent two hours "helping" her by:

Calling every play wrong

"Accidentally" brushing against Azzi

Telling jokes that landed with the grace of a paraplegic giraffe

But, he was not funny at all. Yet, he was important for Paige, so azzi, as the princess she was, did her best to laugh at all of them, which apparently made Paige even more mad. 

"Stop laughing at his shitty jokes," she'd hissed during a water break, grip white-knuckled on her bottle.

Azzi blinked. "But he's your friend?"

"That doesn't make him funny." Paige's glare could have melted steel. "Or subtle. Jesus Christ, the way he's touching you—"

The realization hit Azzi like a poorly set screen, did Paige think she was flirting him? And also, why did Paige's irritation sent an inexplicable thrill through her? The possibility lodged in Azzi's throat. She replayed the last hour: Mark's dumb jokes (laughing had been polite, right?), his "accidental" touches (she'd sidestepped most of them), Paige's increasingly murderous glares (which, for some reason, made Azzi's stomach flutter).

Before she could untangle this, Jalen—blessedly oblivious to the thermonuclear tension—leaned against the baseline with his signature smirk. "Hey Az, since we're all hanging out..." A pause for effect. "Wanna come by my place later? We could grab dinner."

The gym went preternaturally quiet. Azzi watched, fascinated, as her best friend's face cycled through emotions like a slot machine: shock, fury, something dangerously close to betrayal—before settling on terrifying calm.

"Wow," Paige said to the ceiling. "What a great idea."

Azzi, still mentally stuck on why Paige's irritation thrilled her more than any compliment ever could, defaulted to autopilot. "Yeah, I'd love that!" She brightened. "Paige said you have sisters, right? I'm dying to meet them!" She turned to Paige, blissfully unaware of the storm clouds gathering. "What do you think? Can we go?"

Paige's smile could've frozen hell over. "Oh, we're going now?"

Jalen blinked. "I meant just Az—"

"Perfect." Paige snatched her water bottle with enough force to crack the plastic. "Text me the address, Jalen." The name came out like a curse. "Wouldn't want Azzi getting lost on the way." It was funny because she had been there multiple times already. 

As Jalen rattled off his address, Azzi watched Paige’s fingers tap out a furious rhythm against her thigh. 

—

The Moment Hung Between Them - that seismic "Oh" stretching like the final second on a shot clock. Then Azzi's grin returned, brighter than a backboard's reflection, and just like that—

"Mean Streets," Azzi barreled on, all easy confidence again. "That's the Scorsese one, right? With the—"

"—walking into the bar scene set to 'Be My Baby,' yes," Paige finished automatically, relief flooding her veins. They slipped back into their rhythm like well-worn sneakers, debating whether De Niro's Johnny Boy was charismatic or just chaotic (Azzi's take: "He's literally you when the Pop-Tarts run out at breakfast").

Paige knew the truth, though. The moment she hit play, Azzi would be unconscious within twenty minutes. She always was—ever since their first sleepover when fourteen-year-old Azzi had snored through The Godfather, head lolling against Paige's shoulder, warm breath tickling her collarbone...

"Okay, itinerary time." Azzi clapped, snapping Paige back. "Two weeks out—priority one is snacks. I'm thinking—"

"—Sour Patch Kids and those weird peanut butter crackers you hoard like a squirrel," Paige interjected.

"Damn right, P. And we're smuggling in Dr Pepper even if the hotel charges eighteen dollars a can."

"Obviously. What are we, animals?"

They volleyed plans back and forth—practice schedules (sneaking in extra 1v1s), meal strategies (room service pancakes at 2am), even contingency plans for when Azzi inevitably locked herself out of her room ("Text me before calling maintenance this time, bighead’).

But beneath the familiar banter, something new thrummed between them—a charge Paige couldn't ignore. Not when Azzi bit her lip while scrolling their shared notes app, not when she laughed so hard she snorted at Paige's impression of their coach. Not when she said "Our room" instead of "My room" and neither of them corrected it.

——

Paige’s AAU team had arrived in the city two days before Azzi’s, giving her plenty of time to prepare—not just for the game, but for something far more important. She knew they had one free night before flying home, and she was determined to make it special.

Exploring the city had been fun, but her mind kept drifting back to dinner plans. She wanted to take Azzi somewhere nice, just the two of them—no teammates, no coaches, just good food and easy conversation. But first she needed to make sure she would not get Azzi in trouble with her parents. 

Paige knew how protective they were, especially when it came to Azzi. She was their princess. She didn’t want to overstep, but she also didn’t want to miss this chance. So, after pacing her hotel room for way too long, she finally picked up her phone and drafted a message to Katie, Azzi’s mom.

Her first attempt was… not great.

Hi, Ms. Fudd, this is Paige (just making sure yk ;} ), but I was talking to Azzi and she told me we have a free dinner prior to going back home and I was wondering if I could take her out.

NO. THAT IS DUMB.

Paige groaned, flopping back onto her bed. Take her out? That made it sound like a date, and it wasn’t a date. They were just friends. Best friends. Nothing more.

She deleted the message and tried again.

Hi, Ms. Fudd, this is Paige. I was wondering if me and Azzi could grab dinner after the last game?

Still not right. Too casual? Too vague? She chewed her lip, debating whether to add more or just send it before she overthought it even more.

Finally, she settled on:

Hi, Ms. Fudd! It’s Paige—just wanted to check in and see if it’d be okay for Azzi and me to get dinner together after our last game? There’s a really nice place near the hotel, and I thought it’d be fun to hang out before we head home. Of course, only if you’re comfortable with it!

She held her breath and hit send before she could second-guess herself again. A few agonizing minutes later, her phone buzzed.

Hi, Paige! Of course, I know who you are LOL. Did you forget you spent a month in my house over the summer? That sounds like a lovely idea. Just make sure Azzi has her phone on her.

The plan was already in motion.

Paige sat in the locker room, scrolling through her phone for what felt like the hundredth time. Her leg bounced impatiently—she was trying to focus, to get into game mode, but her mind kept drifting to one thing: Azzi.

Her best friend was supposed to be halfway across the country right now, buried in her own season, her own games. But if everything had gone according to plan… Azzi should be landing any minute now.

Paige bit her lip, fighting back a grin. She had to play it cool. Azzi had no idea.

Just to be sure, she shot off a quick text:

Paige: Hi Azz, just making sure you got to the airport alright… u good?

The response came almost instantly.

Azzi: Yeah, I’m good. No worries. What time is your game today?

Paige’s smirk widened. Gotcha.

Paige: Why? Gonna cheer for me? Scream my name? 

She could practically see Azzi rolling her eyes through the screen. 

Azzi: You wish, Paigey. You wish. - And to be fair, Paige mind was so excited for the dinner she planned that she did not even think about the double meaning in her words. 

Paige laughed under her breath, shaking her head as she read Azzi’s latest text. Oh, just you wait.

Meanwhile, at the Airport…

Azzi adjusted her hoodie, keeping her head low as she weaved through the terminal. Her phone buzzed again—another message from Paige. She bit her lip to stifle a grin. This was gonna be good.

Her flight had landed early, and now she was just waiting for her ride. The plan was simple: sneak into the arena, blend into the crowd, and then—BAM—surprise Paige mid-game.

Her phone lit up again.

Paige: So you’re definitely NOT coming to my game, right?

Azzi smirked, typing back with exaggerated casualness.

Azzi: Nope. Super busy. Got my own stuff to worry about.

Paige: Cool, cool. Just checking.

Azzi could practically hear the skepticism dripping from Paige’s words. Good. The more Paige doubted, the sweeter the surprise would be.

She slipped onto the team bus, heart pounding like it was the fourth quarter of a tied game.

Paige stepped onto the court, her eyes flicking to the stands out of habit. No sign of Azzi.

Yet.

She forced herself to lock in. First quarter was strong—she drained a three from the wing, then threaded a no-look pass to her teammate for an easy layup. The crowd erupted, but her mind was elsewhere.

Where was she? She was suppose to be here because her flight had arrived (Paige of course was tracking that!) 

Then, midway through the second quarter, she saw it.

A familiar face in the third row, half-hidden under a snapback, grinning like she’d just pulled off the heist of the century.

Azzi.

Paige froze mid-dribble, nearly losing the ball. No. Way.

Azzi waved, her smirk widening as Paige’s jaw practically hit the court.

Game on.

Paige recovered just in time, firing a laser pass to the corner for another three. But her focus was shot. Every time she sprinted down the court, she caught Azzi’s eye—mocking, triumphant, alive. By the fourth quarter, Paige’s team had sealed the win, but all she could think about was the showdown waiting for her off the court.

Her best friend that she had not seen in a couple of months. 

——————

Paige pushed through the locker room doors, still buzzing with adrenaline, and there she was—leaning against the wall like she owned the place.

“You’re dead.” 

Azzi pushed off the wall, grinning. “Had to see the look on your face.”

Paige rolled her eyes but couldn’t fight her own smile. “You almost made me turn it over.”

“Almost?” Azzi raised an eyebrow. “I saw that fumble.”

Paige shoved her shoulder, laughing. “Whatever. You just wanted an excuse to watch me dominate.”

Azzi’s grin turned sharp. “Nah. I’m scouting.” She leaned in, voice dropping to a challenge. “Because when my team wins tomorrow—which we will—you’re gonna see me across the court. And you’re guarding me.”

Paige’s eyes flashed. “Oh, it’s like that?”

“It’s exactly like that. We all know that I am just the better player”

Paige held her stare for a beat, then broke into a slow smile. “Bet.”

Azzi mirrored it. “Bet.”

And then, Paige broke the distance.

She yanked Azzi into a hug so tight, the air rushed from Azzi’s lungs in a startled oof. For a second, Azzi just stood there, stiff—before melting into it, her laughter muffled against Paige’s shoulder.

Paige squeezed harder. “You’re such a liar.”

Azzi wheezed, patting her back. “Okay, okay—dying—”. But she did not pull back at all. 

Paige finally let go, but only far enough to grip Azzi’s shoulders, her eyes blazing. “You knew I’d see you.”

Azzi smirked. “And you knew I’d come.”

Paige rolled her eyes, but her grin gave her away. “Whatever. You just wanted to psych me out.”

“Did it work?”

Paige scoffed, but the flush on her cheeks was answer enough.

Azzi’s smirk softened, just for a second. “Good game, by the way.”

Paige tilted her head. “You saying that before yours tomorrow? Bold.”

Azzi shrugged. “I’m not worried.”

“Oh?” Paige stepped back, crossing her arms. “So when you win—”

“When,” Azzi confirmed.

“—you really think you can guard me?”

Azzi matched her stance. “I know I can. It is you that should be worried about that, Paigey”

The air between them crackled—half challenge, half something neither would name.

Paige’s smile turned dangerous. “Guess we’ll find out.”

Azzi held her stare. “Guess we will.”

——————

The next day, Paige was at Azzi’s game.

She sat in the stands, hood pulled low, but her eyes never left the court. Azzi was dominating—slicing through defenses, pulling up from stupid range, and making it look effortless. If Azzi asked why Paige was staring so hard, she’d say she was scouting.

But the truth? Azzi was mesmerizing.

To start, she was clearly the best player on her team—by miles. Her teammates were all borderline 18, and Azzi had just turned sixteen. By halftime, she’d have had 25 assists if they could actually finish her passes. Paige remembered how easy it was playing with her at Team USA—the chemistry, the unspoken reads, the way Azzi always knew where she’d pass her the ball. They were the best backcourt in the nation. 

Now, watching Azzi’s teammates fumble her perfect feeds? How they did not see THE AZZI FUDD wide open on the wing? It made her low-key furious. 

They didn’t deserve her.

But to be fair, Paige wasn’t even looking at the other players. Just Azzi.

And, to be even fairer—so was everyone else.

A group of guys in front of her kept leaning forward, whispering loud enough for Paige to catch every word:

“Her shot is unreal.”

“Look at her handles—how is she that quick?”

“Those dimples, man…”

Paige’s grip tightened on her water bottle. That was her best friend, and those guys seemed like dirty or something. 

Then the comments took a turn.

“I heard she’s single.”

“No way. She is legit so hot. Have you seen her ass” 

“You think she’d say yes if—”

“She’d say no.”

The words were out before Paige could stop them. The guys twisted around, blinking at her.

One smirked. “You know her or something?”

Paige held his gaze, voice icy. “Yeah. I do.”

One of the guys smirked, twisting fully in his seat to face Paige. "Oh cool, you think you could give her my number? Or, y’know… give me hers?"

The air around Paige went cold.

She leaned forward, her voice dropping to something low and dangerous. "Yeah. Not happening."

The guy blinked. "Damn, okay—"

"Ever." Paige cut in, her stare unwavering.

Something in her tone—the razor-edge protectiveness, the claim in it—must’ve registered. The guys exchanged glances, then slowly turned back around, muttering under their breaths.

But as Paige slumped back in her seat, a sudden wave of confusion hit her. Why had she reacted like that?

Azzi wasn’t hers to protect. Not like that. They were best friends—teammates, rivals, partners in crime. That was all.

Right?

On the court, the whistle blew. Azzi caught the inbound pass, took two dribbles, and launched from three steps behind the arc.

Swish.

The crowd erupted. Azzi backpedaled, her grin lighting up the arena—and then, like she knew, her eyes locked onto Paige’s section. A smirk curled at the corner of her mouth.

Just for her.

Paige’s stomach flipped. Her chest tightened. That look—the way Azzi’s eyes sparkled when they met hers, the way her smile softened just for Paige—it sent a jolt through her that she couldn’t explain.

Damn it.

Because that wasn’t just pride in her best friend. That wasn’t just admiration for a fellow player.

That was something else entirely.

And that? That was terrifying.

————————

Paige waited until the arena cleared out, until she and her teammates had grab dinner, until she was sure no one else would be around to witness this.

Then she knocked on Azzi’s hotel room door.

It swung open, revealing Azzi in sweats, her hair still damp from the shower. She blinked. “Paige?”

Paige strode past her into the room, arms crossed. “Those guys in the front row were trying to ask you out.”

Azzi’s brows shot up. She shut the door slowly. “...Okay?”

“You didn’t notice?”

“I mean, I don’t really pay attention to—”

“They were leaning over the railing,” Paige cut in, pacing now. “Talking about your dimples. And about your ass.”

Azzi’s lips twitched. “You memorized their commentary?”

Paige whirled on her. “I was right behind them, Azzi. They were being gross.”

Azzi tilted her head, studying Paige’s face—the tight jaw, the way her fingers kept flexing like she was itching to steal a ball. A slow smirk spread across her face.

“Wait.” She took a step closer. “Are you mad?”

Paige scoffed. “I’m not mad—”

“You’re definitely mad.”

“I’m annoyed,” Paige corrected, jabbing a finger at her. “Because you were out there dropping 40 on a bunch of high schoolers like it’s nothing, and meanwhile, randos are treating you like—like—”

“Like what?” Azzi challenged, stepping even closer.

Paige’s breath hitched. Azzi smelled like her stupid vanilla shampoo, and her eyes were all lit up with that I-know-something-you-don’t gleam.

Damn it.

“Like you’re not the best goddamn player in the gym,” Paige muttered.

Azzi blinked. Then she burst out laughing.

“Oh my God.” She wiped her eyes. “You’re jealous.”

“I’m not—”

“You are.” Azzi grinned, poking Paige’s chest. “You didn’t like them looking at me.”

Paige swatted her hand away. “I didn’t like them wasting your time.”

“Mhmm.” Azzi’s voice dropped, teasing. “So if I had said yes to one of them…?”

Paige’s eyes flashed. “You wouldn’t.”

Azzi held her gaze, the air between them suddenly charged. “Why not?”

Paige opened her mouth—to say what?—when Azzi’s phone buzzed on the nightstand.

They both glanced at it.

A text notification lit up the screen:

Unknown Number: Hey, it’s Jason from the game. Wanna grab food?

Paige’s entire body went rigid.

Azzi bit her lip, she had given Jason her number because she seemed nice. “I forgot to tell you about that”

Paige snatched the phone, thumbs flying as she typed:

Azzi’s Phone: Nah. I only let real shooters take me out.

She hit send and tossed the phone onto the bed.

Azzi gasped, laughing. “You did not just—”

“Problem solved,” Paige said, smug.

Azzi shook her head, but her cheeks were pink. “You’re insane. Get out”

Azzi was actually mad. Paige could go around kissing girls and all, but she could not have one date with a nice guy? 

Paige went still.

Shit. Was Azzi actually mad? 

The playful glint in Paige’s eyes flickered, replaced by something uncertain. “You… gave him your number?”

Azzi folded her arms, suddenly defensive. “Yeah. And? You go around kissing girls at parties like it’s nothing, but I can’t have one date?”

Paige’s expression shuttered. “That’s different.”

“How?”

“Because—” Paige cut herself off, frustration flashing across her face. “You know what? Forget it.” She turned toward the door.

Azzi’s chest tightened. This wasn’t how she wanted this to go. “Paige—”

But the door clicked shut behind her.

Silence.

Azzi stared at her hands, guilt twisting inside her. She hadn’t meant to snap. But Paige had this way of pushing her buttons—of making everything feel like a game Azzi didn’t know the rules to.

A knock.

The door creaked open before she could respond, and Paige stepped back in, shoulders tense. “Okay. I’m sorry.” The words came out rough, like she wasn’t used to saying them. 

Azzi blinked. An apology? From Paige Bueckers?

“But,” Paige continued, dragging a hand through her hair, “you’re right. It’s hypocritical. I just—” She exhaled sharply. “Jason’s a scrub. You deserve better.”

Azzi snorted despite herself. “That’s your apology? ‘Jason’s a scrub’?”

Paige’s lips quirked. “I’m workshopping it.”

The tension between them eased, but Azzi’s chest still felt tight. She picked at the hem of her shirt. “It’s not even about him. It’s just… you make it look so easy. The flirting, the kissing, all of it.”

Paige tilted her head. “Wait. Are you saying you’ve never…?”

Azzi’s face burned. “I’m a sophomore, Paige. And my whole team is, like, stupidly experienced. Maya’s had three boyfriends, and Liv’s already you know—” She cut herself off, mortified. “God, forget it.”

Paige sat down beside her, close enough that their knees brushed. “Hey. That’s nothing to be embarrassed about.”

“Easy for you to say,” Azzi muttered. “You’ve probably kissed so many girls and like everyone loves you.”

Paige laughed, but it was softer now. “It’s not a competition, Az. And most of those ‘kisses’ were dumb dares or people trying to prove something. And like even tough I have kissed some girls like it never got serious” She hesitated, then nudged Azzi’s shoulder. “First times are supposed to be… I dunno. Not like that. I have not had mine either if it makes you feel better”

Azzi peeked at her. “Then what are they supposed to be like?”

Paige held her gaze, and for once, there was no smirk, no teasing—just something quiet and real. “With someone who actually matters.”

The air between them shifted.

Azzi’s breath caught. Paige was close, and her mind was going a million time for hour. 

Then Paige leaned back, breaking the moment with a grin. “But seriously, if your first kiss is with this Jason guy, I’m disowning you.”

Azzi shoved her, laughing. “You’re the worst.”

“And yet,” Paige said, bumping their shoulders together again, “you keep me around.”

“But I mean it az, your first kiss should be special. Actually, scratch that, you are so special, so everything you do should be special” 

“You are only saying that because you are my best friend” Azzi said, rolling her eyes—but her heart thumped unevenly when Paige didn’t laugh.

Paige’s smirk faded into something quieter. “Nah. I’m saying it ‘cause it’s true.” She flopped onto Azzi’s bed, staring at the ceiling. “And ‘cause my first kiss was so not special, I’m basically an expert on what not to do.”

Azzi’s curiosity flared. Paige never talked about this stuff seriously. She crawled onto the bed beside her, propping herself up on one elbow. “…Okay, now you have to tell me.”

Paige groaned. “Ugh, fine. But you cannot laugh.”

“Zero promises, Paigey”

Paige flicked her forehead. “Eight grade. Skate park behind the 7-Eleven. This guy, Derek Pelinski—”

“Derek Pelinski?” Azzi wheezed. Not sure if the. Fact that it was a guy or the fact that that was the funniest name ever. 

“I said don’t laugh!” Paige shoved her, but she was grinning now. “Anyway, he dared me to kiss him while his friends watched. Tasted like nacho cheese and bad decisions.”

Azzi wrinkled her nose. “That’s… tragically unromantic.”

“Right?” Paige sighed dramatically. “And then he immediately tried to feel me up, so I kneed him in the—”

“Paige!” Azzi gasped, equal parts horrified and delighted.

“What?” Paige shrugged, unrepentant. “Dude learned a valuable lesson about consent.” Her voice softened. “Point is… you deserve better.”

Azzi swallowed. Paige was looking at her like—like she was precious. It made her skin feel too tight. “So, what? I should just… wait for some magical moment?”

Paige’s gaze dropped to Azzi’s mouth, just for a second. “Nah. Just someone who actually sees you.” She cleared her throat and sat up abruptly. “Anyway. Now that you’ve heard my trauma, you owe me ice cream.”

Azzi’s pulse hadn’t slowed. “You’re such a dork,” she muttered, but she let Paige drag her up, their fingers tangled just a beat too long before pulling apart.

"That doesn’t count," Azzi said, swatting Paige’s arm. "You were, like, twelve. And also—" She hesitated, then smirked. "You’re gay, Paige. A boy kissing you at a skate park is not your real first kiss."

Paige’s eyebrows shot up. "Excuse you, I was bi-curious in seventh grade—"

“Sure, P.” Azzi rolled onto her stomach, grinning. 

Paige groaned, throwing an arm over her face. "Ugh, fine. But my actual first kiss with a girl wasn’t much better."

Azzi's breath caught. This was uncharted territory—Paige never volunteered these stories. She nudged her knee gently, voice softening. "You've actually never told me about it. You sure you want to now?"

The care in Azzi's question made Paige's chest tighten. She peeked out from under her arm, the usual mischief in her eyes tempered by something warmer. "Why? You taking notes for your big moment?"

"Shut up," Azzi muttered, cheeks flushing. She tugged at a loose thread on Paige's comforter. "Just... if you want to tell me."

Paige sat up, the mattress dipping between them. "Fine. Softomre year. Party at Jess Marino's house." She picked at her nail. "Taylor Nguyen—"

"Taylor?" Azzi's head snapped up. "As in, soccer varsity captain Taylor? The one who—" Her voice caught. The mental image flashed unbidden: Taylor with her confident smile and toned arms, the way she'd dominated every game with effortless grace. Azzi suddenly became hyper-aware of her own knobby knees and the baby fat still rounding her cheeks.

"The very one," Paige said, a hint of that old pride in her voice that made Azzi's stomach twist. "Anyway, we kissed, and she assumed I was... experienced." A dry laugh. "Pulled me into a bedroom, kept moving my hands to you know and she wanted to go all the way“ 

Azzi's hands balled into fists, her nails biting into her palms. "That's bullshit." Her voice dropped to something dangerous. "Did she even ask if you were comfortable with that? Did she force herself?”

Paige blinked, thrown by the venom in Azzi's tone. Since when did shy, sweet Azzi get like this? "I—"

"Because if she didn't," Azzi barreled on, eyes blazing like lit coals, "then she didn't deserve to touch you at all." The words tore out of her with a violence that shocked them both, raw and fierce like a gut-punch confession.

The silence that followed was deafening.

Paige's lips parted slightly, her usual arsenal of witty comebacks failing her for the first time since Azzi had known her. Azzi was close now—dangerously close—close enough that Paige could see the faint scar above her eyebrow from that childhood bike accident, could track the frantic jump of her pulse in the delicate hollow of her throat. The air between them hummed with electricity, thick with the promise of summer lightning.

Azzi's breath caught when she realized Paige's knee had slotted between hers, that her own fingers had somehow tangled in the hem of Paige's tank top. The pad of Paige's thumb drew slow circles on her inner wrist, each touch sending sparks up her arm.

Then Paige's smirk returned, that infuriating armor clicking into place. "Careful, Az." Her voice dropped to that low register that always made Azzi's stomach flip—smoke and honey and something distinctly Paige. "Starting to think you've got a vested interest here."

The spell shattered. Azzi shoved at her shoulders, but her traitorous hands fisted in the fabric of Paige's shirt instead of pushing away. "I'm serious," she whispered, voice cracking. "You're..." Her throat worked around the sudden tightness. "You're Paige. You should've gotten slow dances in gymnasiums and stupid poetry tucked in your locker and—" Her breath hitched. "—and someone who came undone just brushing your fingers."

The words hung between them, too honest, too vulnerable, hanging in the charged air like the last note of a love song.

Paige went statue-still. When she finally spoke, her voice was barely more than a whisper. "Yeah?" Her fingers traced the delicate bones of Azzi's wrist like she was memorizing them. "And what should you get, Azzi Fudd?"

The way she said it—like a sacred vow wrapped in teasing—sent liquid heat pooling in Azzi's stomach. Their noses brushed. Azzi could taste the spearmint gum Paige always chewed, could smell the coconut shampoo she'd borrowed last week still lingering in her hair. Some distant, rational part of her brain screamed that this was the point of no return—close enough to count eyelashes, to feel shared breath, to—

HONK!

A car alarm shattered the moment, sending them springing apart like they'd been burned.

Paige practically vaulted to the other side of the bed, suddenly engrossed in examining a loose thread on Azzi's comforter as if it held the secrets of the universe. "So." She cleared her throat twice, voice unnaturally high. "Ice cream?"

Azzi pressed her burning face into her hands, her lips tingling with the ghost of something that hadn't happened. "Yeah," she mumbled through her fingers, voice thick. "Ice cream."

But neither moved. Neither breathed.

Hours later, after they grabbed their ice cream which Azzi insisted on paying, Paige lay staring at her ceiling, her stomach in knots. The memory of Azzi's fierce protectiveness played on loop behind her eyelids—how her eyes had darkened with something primal when talking about Taylor, how her hands had trembled against Paige's skin. She pressed her palms to her burning face. Christ, Azzi was so... Azzi. All wide-eyed innocence and unexpected fire, with no idea what she did to Paige. And that kiss—her first kiss—it should be perfect. Soft and sweet and everything Paige would die to give her.

As best friends, obviously.

Just best friends wanting other best friends to have nice things.

Totally normal best friend behavior.

Across the hall, Azzi paced her room like a caged animal, her phone glowing with Taylor Nguyen's Instagram profile. She zoomed in on a picture of Taylor laughing with her new college teammates, her perfect white teeth gleaming. A growl rose unbidden in Azzi's throat. How dare she? How dare she treat Paige like some experiment, like she wasn't the most brilliant, infuriating, beautiful person Azzi had ever—

She threw her phone across the room.

Tomorrow, she'd be normal. Tomorrow, they'd go back to easy banter and stolen energy drinks.

But tonight—tonight she'd let herself imagine Taylor's perfect face meeting her fist.