#don’t get me started on leon he’s such a loser i need to beat him up bad

[onlinedolly]

inside of me there are two wolves

one who wants men to do disgusting things to me

and one who wants to do disgusting things to men

[astralis01]

Rivalry (Isn’t it Bitter Sweet): Bakugou Katsuki x Reader

Your feud with Bakugou Katsuki only escalated throughout your years at Hogwarts; whether it was on the quidditch field or who would be the first to sit down in class, there always seemed to be some sort of raging competition between you two.

Read it here on AO3

You could feel his presence from across the dining hall, immediately dowsing you in a raging hatred that you only reserved for him. His arrogance mocked you as he basically danced into the Great Hall bathed in compliments.

The Slytherin quidditch team won against Ravenclaw the night before. You didn’t know why he had all of the glory… he wasn’t even the captain. Being a keeper had its perks, you guessed. You rolled your eyes and focused your attention on your food. You tried not to stab the plate as you heard the varying praises to the boy in green and silver.

And what annoyed you the most was the herd that he always seemed to have around the place he sat. Varying from girls to boys, from Slytherin itself to the other houses too.

Stab, you picked up a piece of broccoli from your plate as you heard, "Wow, Tsuki, the last save was so cool."

Pierce, “That last block was brilliant!”

And that was the last straw for you. Who had even given the very, obviously bright idea of making the Gryffindors and Slytherins almost sit together?

Katsuki Bakugou was simply not someone who deserved such compliments. He was vile, annoying, and did everything in his limited power to poke and prod at every single one of your nerves. You used to ignore the burning hatred that you harboured for him; but late in your second year, you had let it all out.

And, as it turned out, he wasn’t quite fond of you either.

It had been years since then, yet the feeling remained the same. It was just the start of your sixth year and you already wanted to gouge his eyes out with the pointy end of your fork.

Hanta Sero caught your eye from across the tables and gave you a cheeky smile in return and the rage which had simmered down a bit rose again with a vengeance. He was the captain of the other team and you wished you could hate him as much as him. But he was quite fun to be around when he wasn't hanging out with that loser.

Though before you could get up from your place in the hall, Shouto Todoroki stopped you, holding your hands and preventing you from getting off your seat.

You turned to look at him, with the most terrible glare you could offer but he just gave you the most unimpressed look and pulled you down to sit beside him again, still holding your hand and preventing you from charging at the Slytherin table.

Then a young Slytherin, probably a first-year piped out, "Next week at the Gryffindor versus Slytherin match, you guys are sure to win."

Shouto's grip faltered and you grinned. One thing that annoyed Shouto the most, perhaps, after his father was the fact when someone insulted the Gryffindor Quidditch team that he was a proud member of.

And that was the moment you needed to charge towards the Slytherin table before any of your other friends tried to put an intervention to your actions.

"I wouldn't be too sure, you know, we have a pretty good team this year," you said, casually leaning on the table.

"And why would that stop us from winning, Captain? We have a pretty good team this year, perhaps the best," Sero drawled out, almost stretching onto the table like a tabby cat and you just wanted to slap the smirk off his face.

And before you could put that thought into action, Izuku Midoriya, came and dragged you away back to the table, so you yelled back, "Next week, we'll surely be the winners.”

"We'll see," Bakugou said.

Perhaps five years ago, you wanted to be friends with Katsuki, but now Katsuki and you were bitter enemies.

It started in the first year when you met with Katsuki and Izuku on the train.

As soon as Katsuki entered the train cart you sat in, he dozed off and Izuku came rushing in, apologizing for 'Kachaan's' manners. You laughed it off and invited him to sit with you and you two spent the train ride talking to each other, making friends when suddenly the announcement to be ready to get off at the station sounded off.

"Kachaan, wake up. We're here. We're here at Hogwarts."

"Shut up Deku."

You frowned at the interaction but you forwarded a hand towards him and said, "Hello, I am-"

"No need to tell me you shitty extra," and he walked out on the both of you.

Izuku tried to apologize for his actions but you shushed him and dragged him out with you to climb aboard the boats.

And perhaps, that was the start of your bitter rivalry.

The ending of the second year was when you finally cracked the nut in the middle of Charms class and told him off in the middle of class, in front of everyone. This is why you were put in Gryffindor, a small part of your mind thought.

(another part of your mind had thought that you shouldn't have done that and perhaps you might be at the very least allies today.)

"For Merlin's sake, can you stop shouting for a moment? This," gesturing towards his mouth, "is getting super annoying. Don't you ever get tired of shouting so much, all the time?"

And an awkward silence blanketed the class as everyone quieted down to watch the fight between you two.

Bakugou slowly turned red and then shouted, "This is getting annoying? Well, your presence is getting annoying but do you see me screaming at you to fuck off all the time, you prissy prick?"

You turned at him with the vilest look and said, "If you are going to be an idiot, you should actually try to be subtle about it."

Katsuki froze and said, "Funny you should say it."

“You’re so ridiculous.” You rolled your eyes. “Oh, I’m Katsuki Bakugou and I am a perfect student that can’t even properly pronounce a simple spell! But that doesn’t matter because guess who’s a keeper for the quidditch team when I’m only a second-year!! I am perfect!! Literally, no one likes you.”

“Trust me, no one likes you either.”

No one meaning, and translating to, I don’t.

Just to show off, you easily cast the charm that he had failed. Charms were your strong subject, so you only needed to say the spell and flick your wand before turning your attention back to him.

He was nearly smoking from his ears, he was both embarrassed and livid.

And you felt a satisfied smirk curl up on your face as you turned to Ochako to help her complete the spell.

You waved to Momo Yaoyorozu as you walked down the hallway to meet up with Shouto and Izuku. Even though she was a Ravenclaw, she was a close friend of yours through Shouto.

And you kinda owed it to your housemates for stopping you from embarrassing yourself multiple times to be nice to their friends.

“Hey, Yao-momo.” You said. “I wasn’t expecting to see you until classes tomorrow morning.”

“Yeah, I’m waiting for Kyouka.” She turned his body to lean against the wall. “We’re going to Hogsmeade today.”

“No invitation?”

She smiled at you and asked, “Would you like to join us, Captain?”

“I was joking, no need to sound so enthusiastic.” You chuckled. As you started to speak again, Kyouka Jirou left the classroom the two of you stood outside of. She smiled at you, her violet eyes gleaming at you, reflecting the sun rays.

“Captain!” Kyouka greeted, putting an arm around your shoulder. “Are you coming to Hogsmeade with us?”

“Be careful, your mortal enemies are coming.” Momo interrupted and warned, motioning over your shoulder.

You turned around to find Sero and Bakugou walking next to each other, laughing about something only the two of them knew. You had to hold back from commenting.

“Yoohoo!” Hanta Sero caught your eye. You sighed and turned back to your friends, sharing a look.

“Hello, Hanta.” You felt him beside you before you looked.

You purposely didn’t look at Bakugou.

“We’re celebrating our win tonight, you guys should join!” Sero invited. You heard Bakugou’s exhale of frustration, but you only rolled your eyes in an attempt to ignore his presence.

“You want a group of your rivals, plus one from the team that you beat today hanging out with you, celebrating your win, when Gryffindor go against you in less than a week?” Momo spoke up. Shee moved off of the wall. “No thanks. Come, Kyouka. Let’s go.”

Kyouka waved goodbye and followed her best friend down the hall. You pivoted to fully face the two Slytherins.

"What about the mighty Lion's Captain?" Sero asked.

"No, thanks, I have better stuff to do," you said, turning on your heels and waving at Sero.

Bakugou glared at your retreating figure.

It was the time of year just before winter, where the air starts to cool but the sun still warms your skin. You took a breath and held your broom at your side.

It was near minutes before the anticipated game against Slytherin, the two fated rivals, and you could hear the crowds already. The rivalry between your houses was something that everyone enjoyed; the rivalry between you and their keeper was all you.

“Alright team.” You pivoted to the team behind you. “We’re playing Lion first; and if we don’t get any points within the first two minutes, I’ll hold up the signal for Golden. Got it?”

“Got it.”

You had pretty much the best team between all of the houses in your honest opinion.  was perfect as your keeper, he was never one to let anything get past him. Your chasers included you, Shouto, and Eijirou Kirishima. You had Leon and Leo for beaters. Two-third years that showed a huge amount of potential. And, rather recently, you gained a new seeker named Izuku Midoriya. And Izuku being one of your old friends made your teamwork with him, flawless in games

The Slytherin team was not one to mess with, they had a nice team too. Bakugou as the keeper, the Idiots Monoma and Tetsutetsu as beaters, their new seeker Aoyoma… but the problem was their chasers: Sero, Kyouka, Mina. They were so quick on their brooms, it was like working against the wind.

But your team was faster than theirs.

Today was no day to lose.

“It’s our first official match of the year.” You encouraged. “Let’s show them who not to mess with.”

“Let’s absolutely destroy them,” Leon added.

You grinned.

As you headed towards the field, you could feel the adrenaline creeping into your bones. Quidditch had become routine, simple muscle memory as you moved to your starting positions.

The Slytherin team appeared, and you felt the excitement enter you in a rush of air.

And as soon as the whistle sounded, you all flew off in the air, fully intent on kicking Slytherin's butts.

In the air, Bakugou Katsuki felt at peace. He was very good at what he did, and he knew that, and the game was something he was passionate about.

He was also passionate about beating you.

You were the bane of his existence. You had never once sent him anything other than something bitter or sarcastic. You were an annoying pest that he simply couldn’t get rid of.

And as you threw the Quaffle into the goal just above his head, Katsuki felt his eye twitch.

And what even irritated him, even more, was the small smile that you shot at him as you rushed back for a high-five at Todoroki.

Slytherin won, Izuku Midoriya’s hand high with the Snitch inside.

You watched in triumph as the teams descended on the brooms. From the skies down, you cheered.

“Congrats, Gryffindor,” Sero said, though his tone was bitter and sour.

And it did not feel as the statement was supposed to be at all but you ignored it in favour of the elation.

You knew that he hated losing, so you didn’t push it. He was a friend, after all. Sending him just a small “I’m sorry you didn’t win” smile, you headed to your team. You gathered them into a hug, or rather– a huddle, and ruffled the hair on Izuku’s head.

You peeked over your shoulder to catch sight of Bakugou. He was standing, hands at his sides, red face and eyes blank of any expression other than anger.

You smirked at him.

And he snarled back at you.

Katsuki Bakugou was on the other side of the victory this time, silently brooding as he picked at his food in the Great Hall. The Slytherin table emitted zero volume.

He was pissed off the second you entered the hall, Deku and Todoroki walking beside you. The gold and red seemed to glow, mocking him in the worst way imaginable.

Sero tried to bring his attention back to the food, but Bakugou was focused primarily on you. You were gloating, relishing in his loss, taking delight in the compliments from your house. A Hufflepuff appeared at your side, and you smiled as you thanked them for their congratulations.

He felt sick.

And a small part of him felt angry. But that was well deserved by you, he supposes.

You could not help but drown yourself in the triumph. You walked on air, the feeling of superiority tickling every inch of skin it could touch.

You waved goodbye to a couple of friends, heading directly to the Slytherin table. You placed your hands on Sero and Katsuki’s shoulders, leaning to place your head right between theirs.

“I suppose we beat you as I told you.” You sent a wink to Bakugou, knowing full well how it would provoke him.

“Fuck off.” Bakugou shoved your hand off of his shoulder.

“To receive your praise at the Gryffindor table.” Mina shooed, fork in hand. “You won’t find it here.”

“Sore losers.” You mocked just for fun. You stood straight. “I imagine that I would be the same, given it was the other way.”

You basically skipped back to your table for breakfast.

You were absolutely elated for the rest of the day. It was quite similar to being on cloud 9, winning your first game of the year against your rivals. The look on Katsuki Bakugou’s face only added to the feeling.

You were walking down the hall, talking to Denki who had his arm wrapped in yours. He was going on and on about how he wished he could have imprinted Izuku's snitch catch to his memory. Or made it into shirts so he could sell it to his fan club and you laughed at that idea.

That was when your shoulder collided directly into a firm body.

Your arm was ripped away from your classmates, along with your bag that fell onto the hard ground with a loud thud and wisp of parchment and ink. Everything in your bag is now scattered on the ground, covered in dark ink and dirt.

Your mood was too high to get too angry. It was an accident; you would bite your tongue and clean up the mess.

Until you realized just who’s the shoulder you ran into Bakugou Katsuki. Your greatest enemy and now the destruction of your contents.

“Watch where you’re going next time, Bakugou.” You grunted, kneeling to save some of your parchment before the ink could reach it.

“Perhaps if you had your head out of your ass, you wouldn’t have run into me,” Bakugou responded. He had turned to face you midway through your fall.

“As if you didn’t feel this way a week ago.” You told him, standing up. Nearly everything that was in your bag was soaked, including the bag itself. You inhaled deeply. “You did this on purpose, didn’t you?”

“Now, why would I run my shoulder into you on purpose hoping to ruin your mood?” He asked. “You must be very arrogant to think that everything must be about you.”

You clenched your jaw and closed your eyes. “I will not let a piece of shit such as yourself bring my mood down today. Today is a good day.”

You knelt once again to find the essay that you had written for Aizawa, searching your documents. Only to find it one of the few that were directly under the ink, completely doused in black.

“Actually, fuck you.” You lifted the paper. Ink dripped off and onto the ground. “Do you know how long I worked on this?”

“I don’t know, a couple of minutes?” Bakugou shrugged. “You aren’t exactly the best at your schoolwork.”

“You wish you knew me well, but you don’t at all.” You felt anger boil in your chest. “I worked very hard on this essay. Days, even. And you destroyed it in less than five seconds..”

“There’s the Gryffindor in you.” He let out a humourless laugh. “You think everything has to be about you, and if it doesn’t then someone is out to get you. Your ego is so fucking enormous that you can’t even muster the idea that maybe something isn’t about you. And then you shout at me for that. You didn’t even win, Deku won the game for you. God, why don’t you go make a friend instead of standing here arguing with me about an accident?”

"Fuck you, I actually have friends, unlike you, who only has followers," you answered back to him.

"Well, you have everyone hanging over you. You're just a slut aren't you?"

Denki's eyes widened and the small groups of people who were conversing around you stopped and for a moment you thought that the whole school had heard with the silence that spread.

You could feel the tears welling up in your eyes. Yes, both of you fought in front of each other. Both of you told each other to fuck off or even curse out a few times but none of you ever shouted such vulgar words at each other.

It was one thing to make comments, to be bitter and roll your eyes at each other’s presence. It was one thing to bicker, to fight, to joke to friends about the other’s incompetence and purposely pull on each other’s strings.

It was something else completely to call you a slut in front of everyone in the middle of a hallway after a thread of insults.

The overwhelming force to cry was still there but you would not allow yourself to cry in front of him.

Right after he called you that.

You would not let him have that satisfaction.

So, you turned on your heels and said, "You're more than an asshole Katsuki Bakugou."

And your prompts hurried away.

Denki, who was still frozen on the spot after the volley of insults had to be shot and the worse had been done, shoved Bakugou aside and said, "You shouldn't have said that Bakugou," and rushed behind you, calling out your name.

"You shouldn't call anyone a slut, Katsuki. Those words are not meant to be uttered in a civil society. It's like calling you a pussy publicly," Mitsuki Bakugou uttered, with the most strict voice she could offer while Masuru Bakugou spluttered at the usage of curse words in front of their son.

Katsuki Bakugou did not think often before speaking. He was just so used to people either bowing down and agreeing to his demands or just ignoring them that when he meet you, someone he could neither affect with both of his options, he always blew up.

Perhaps it was the fact that you had such a kind heart that you shook the Giant Squid's tentacle when it came on your boat during your first year because you thought it was lonely.

Or perhaps it was how easily you made friends with people. Just collecting the lonely bits of a big puzzle and joining it together, seemed to be your speciality.

But perhaps the most infuriating thing about you was the fact that you just refused to bow down to his screams and shouts and temper. You rose to receive the challenge he posed.

That is why his heart tore and clawed its way in his chest when you had turned around and run away from him.

He supposes you had stuck beside him long enough.

And he could not ignore the way that your friends glared at him while sitting in the Great Hall, Todoroki being the most vocal about it.

Or the way, Mina made excuses whenever he tried to talk to her.

Or, how Kirishima had stopped trying to drag his butt to Hogsmead for a friendly meet during the weekends.

Yes, he could not ignore all that.

"Maybe you should apologize," Sero suggested one day after catching the solemn look on his face.

"Do what now?" he screamed at him.

"You know, apologize to them," he repeated, slowly.

"Why should I apologize to them?"

"Because you know that you went too far. I know you still have feelings and stuff that you seem to everyone else for it."

For several days Katsuki Bakugou did not see you anywhere. Not in the classes, not in the Great Hall and the weight of his deed was still there.

So he did the next best thing.

He found out when you had booked the Quidditch pitch for practise of your team because he knew you wouldn't abandon them even in your worse days and planned to apologise to you there.

He had even practised it a few times in front of the mirror, "I'm sorry that I hurt your feelings by calling you a slut."  It was a small apology but he was hopeful that you would forgive him.

Yes. And you two could go back to the regular hating and biting remarks instead of the new empty kind of feeling that settled in his chest.

But the second he stepped onto the Quidditch, he was stopped by Shouto Todoroki and Izuku Midoriya from going any further.

"Kachaan, you should not be here," Izuku said with more force than he had ever talked to with Katsuki and he wondered, what had you done that so many people were standing in defence of you.

"I know. I just came to apologize to them. Just move out of my way Deku."

Todoroki stepped in front of Izuku and said as bluntly as ever, "They don't want to see you. And I don't think your apology will mean anything to them except for sending them into a bad mood."

Before he could say anything, you came and said, "Zuku, Shou, the break is over. Get your butts moving."

Katsuki felt himself freeze in surprise. You had been at the practice for about two hours yet your voice was not hoarse from shouting. Even your energy levels seemed to be at the ever high.

Though before he could unfreeze and say his apology, you had already flown into the sky with Izuku and Shouto behind, in tow, leaving him behind in the dust.

The loneliness that you left behind with ignoring him was cold.

And his heart broke a little.

And he finally understood, all those years he thought he had the vilest hatred for you was just his stupid emotions trying to tell him that he liked you.

But he was too late now, he supposed.

How could he be such an idiot, to believe that you, out of all people, could ever love him?

Hanta Sero took a place beside you. It would have been normal if it were not for your avid avoidance of anyone with a Slytherin robe on.

“Hello, Hanta.” You said without sparing him a glance.

The thing was, you weren’t angry with him. You didn’t hate him, you hated his closest friend. And by association, you didn’t want to talk to him just as much. Sero had always been the middle ground between the doom and gloom that was the sandy-haired boy you hated.

“I think you should talk to Kats,” Sero said. Plain and simple, to the point.

“I think you should mind your business.” You retorted. “I never talked to him to begin with, what’s different now?”

“Because now is different.” He grabbed his book as the professor walked in. “Now, you won’t even say your smart ass remarks or tell him how fucked up his hair looks. Now he is just… boring and sad. And he mopes all the time. He isn't even playing his best on the field”

“So you want me to talk to the guy I hate in order for him to not be sad?” You scoffed and collected your things. “No, thank you. I've been keeping my distance, just like he wanted and I am happy to keep it this way.”

You stood up from your seat and sat beside Izuku just as the professor started talking, receiving a few stares in the process. It wasn’t as if you weren’t used to that.

You were walking with Ochako, laughing about the attempts everyone had tried to do to make Todoroki laugh when you committed the most horrific mistake of your life.

You caught the eye of Bakugou across the street who just had to look at you at the same moment.

You quickly averted your eyes but not before it caught his attention

It had been snowing, so most of the students were in their winter gear and warm clothes. You yourself had a hat and scarf on, gloves to cover your hands despite the hot to-go mug of cocoa in them.

Hogsmeade was quite busy with everyone getting last-minute holiday gifts and hurrying to hang out before the break. Yet, somehow, your eyes found the reds of Bakugou's.

You turned around, forcing Ochako to follow. The girl didn’t even have to ask about your change in demeanour, easily falling into place beside you.

You felt a hand on your wrist and heard your name being called. “Hey. Can I talk to you? I’ve been trying to apologize…”

You stopped dead in your tracks as if you were pulled on a leash. As if his bare hand touching your empty gloved one had scolded you. Bakugou stood before you, red cheeks from either the cold or from rushing after you. Either way, you wanted nothing to do with it.

He had spun you in his grasp, his jaw tight and eyes searching yours before falling to his hand around yours. His grip on your wrist was tight, and he swallowed as his eyes found yours again.

“I don’t want to talk to you.” You snatched your arm away. “Have you ever considered that? I don’t want to talk to you, I don’t want to see you, and I don’t want to hear your half-ass apology! What gives you the right to just waltz back into my life after all the pain you’ve caused."

“I have been trying to talk to you.” He said. “I…” His eyes scanned yours. His tongue rolled in his mouth. “You mean to tell me that you don’t want my apologies?”

“You’ve made it very clear what you think of me, so I hope that I can make this very clear for you,” You took a deep breath. “I hate you. I don’t like you, I have never liked you, and I hope that whatever it is that is eating you up inside continues to do so.”

Katsuki Bakugou’s eyes twitched. He started to take a step towards you, but decided against it, falling back into the same step. “I don’t…” His voice was nothing as you had ever heard it. “You…” His eyes clouded with the emotions you were familiar with. “Fine.”

“Fine.”

Bakugou faltered for a moment, his eyes held remorse and you almost wanted to forgive him but you remembered what he called you.

He quickly shoved a box of chocolates into your hands and said, "I brought this for you as an apology gift but you didn't want my words. I hope my actions will speak louder. And I hope that someday you will find it in your heart to forgive me," and he promptly left, leaving you flabbergasted in the middle of the streets of Hogsmead, with Ochako by your side.

It was a sudden realization. It was not something you had even considered before, not something planned or reasoned. It was much like a tsunami, a build-up of unrelated activity that brought something else entirely.

Emotions were unfortunate things. If you feel extreme emotions for someone, no matter what… they are still very strong feelings.

Hate to love, what a strange concept.

You held the potion below your nose, inhaling the scent.

“What does it smell like?” Aizawa asked.

“It smells like… caramel.” You distinguished the varying smells. “Apple. And… burning wood?”

You stepped back and hoped no one could see you connecting the dots through your eyes.

Hanta Sero was an observant person. He was known to be the person who knew the best for his team, easily finding the perfect techniques for each on the field and as encouragement. He was one for connections and relationships. He was the one who handled the emotional part.

This is why he knew that you were masking feelings of something else with this burning hatred. This is why he knew why you felt so bad after Kats called you a terrible name in front of an audience. This is why he knew who it was when you listed your amortentia scents.

He tried to send you a look from his seat across from you, classes later. He wanted to tell you that he knew; that he knew there was something more to what’s going on, and that something was Katsuki.

You just sent him a middle finger, knowing full well what he was getting at.

Your feelings didn’t just suddenly arrive. And you were full of confusion, disorientation, and most of all… anger.

For as long as you could remember, Katsuki Bakugou was supposed to be your arch enemy. He was your nemesis on a daily basis. He was the reason for your annoyance. He was the reason for your hatred for the colours green and silver. He was the reason you became the quidditch captain. He was the reason for the breath leaving your lungs.

And he was the reason for the breath entering.

You were pissed. You were pissed that you had unrealized feelings for the man you were supposed to hate, have hated for years. You were pissed that your love had been in a game of chess, where the only outcome is to win or forfeit. You were pissed that the entire time you had spent a vast majority of your time hating, loathing, rolling your eyes at… the entire time you had reserved space for hate when it should have been quite the opposite.

The luck must have been exclusively for someone else because it seemed as though whoever created you had decided to have a fun game.

You had punched Bakugou Katsuki once.

It was something you thought of a lot, and it was the main reason Bakugou chose not to test you too close to that day.

He was rolling his eyes at something Denki was saying when you walked by. You were heading to your quidditch practice, the captain not one for latecomers. And he caught sight of you. He quickly jumped from his spot and stopped you from passing.

“Out of the way, Katsuki, I have practice.”

“Oh, right, because you’re on the quidditch team now.”

“I am, thank you very much.” It was the beginning of the third year, and you were not only annoyed but you were also a Growing Person going through puberty. You did not have time to deal with a teenage boy pissing you off. “You forget that not everyone got on the team their first year of trying out.”

“Because we’re better than the entire Gryffindor team.”

“Talk to me when you win a house cup.” You tried to push past him, but he stood directly in front of you in one step. “Move, or be moved.”

“What are you going to do? Punch me?”

So, you did. Your fist collided with his cheek before you could even register that it had happened. Denki gasped out loud, it quickly turned into a laugh.

“They punched you! That was superb.” Denki laughed, grasping at his sides. “Ah, man!”

While Bakugou touched his cheek to check that— ah yes, you really did punch him— you were already walking away to the practice field.

Katsuki started t missed you if he were being fully and completely honest with himself.

It was right, you only miss something that is completely removed from your life.

He found himself searching for you in classes or in common areas, prepared for your snide remarks and bitter taunts. He found himself waiting for you to roll your eyes at his presence; looking for you to quip about the next quidditch game.

But when none of it came, he felt out of place.

He actually missed your annoying banter. He missed you shoving your middle finger in his direction. He missed the redness on your cheeks when you would try to calm yourself down. He missed the silence that would escape you if he entered a room and you were anything other than angry.

He missed catching you smiling at someone and watching your face change. He missed the arguments in class. He missed the little comments during eating.

Confused, he pushed those feelings down as he watched you eat with some Ravenclaws and a Hufflepuff that he had never talked to before.

And the empty space in his heart only grew larger in size.

It had been several weeks of silence from your end. You had thrown yourself back into quidditch before the break, happy to have a distraction from whatever the fuck you were feeling. You weren’t going home for the holidays, so you spent some time planning for the spring and classes.

You found yourself outside, sitting in the snow and writing a makeup essay for Aizawa. You had found a nice spot under a roofed area, so nothing smudged your writing (or, you know, covered it completely).

“Oh.” A voice said from above you.

You looked up to find Bakugou, hands in pockets and staring at you as if you had never existed and he was discovering you for the first time.

“I wasn’t expecting to find anyone here.” He said.

“Yeah, obviously neither was I.” You started to put your things away.

“No… no comment?”

“Hm?”

“No… snarky comment? No, you look terrible to me?”

You shook your head. Mainly because you didn’t have the energy. You were content, bored, and just overall exhausted. You had exhausted yourself in thinking of every possible outcome to your love for the boy in front of you, none of which made any sense.

None of it made any sense.

It was as if one moment, you were standing on the ground. And the next, you were swept away by a giant wave that you thought was only an earthquake. You hated to love.

“Then, can I finally say what I have been meaning to?”

“No.” You finally got the last of your things into your bag.

“Why?”

“Why what?”

“Why can’t you just hear me out?” He stood in front of you, hoping to stall your leaving. “I’ve been trying to tell you that I shouldn’t have called you a slut, and I should have…”

“And I don’t want to hear it.”

You started to leave, but he jogged to jump in front of you again. Through the years, he had gained height compared to you. You weren’t necessarily kids anymore, you weren’t at eye level to just punch him in his cheek without reaching for it.

“God, you’re fucking annoying.” You shifted your bag on your shoulders. “You want me to call you a name so it can be even? Do you want me to tell you that everything is fine and we can go back to our constant fighting? What do you fucking want from me? Did it mean anything to you? Did I mean anything to you?”

“What do I want from you?” He asked, voice rising to match yours. “What do you want from me? I’ve been trying to get your attention for over a fucking month and you have given me every reason to just stop.”

“Then why don’t you!” You dropped your hands. “Why don’t you just leave me the fuck alone?”

“Why?”

“Why what, Katsuki?”

“Why?” Katsuki let out a small breath, the grey cloud leaving his lungs. “Why won’t you just let me talk to you for five minutes?”

“Because I don’t want to! Because I don’t want to hear you make up excuses. Because I cannot listen to your voice for too long.”

Before you could stop yourself, before you could recognize your own voice, before any thoughts arrived, you said, “Because for some fucked up god awful reason, I’m in love with you!”

Everything froze all at once. The oxygen left your lungs, the snow stopped falling, and everything became so unbearably silent.

You stared at him, regret drenching you in an instant as if the tides of the ocean had risen and fell in one single motion. You couldn’t breathe, your heart seized in your chest and against your ribs. You couldn’t bring yourself to look into his face, fearing to find yourself lost and never found.

He let out a single breath. And you held yours.

He froze and then he leaned forward.

He remembered the last time he was too late to act.

His lips touched yours, gently and then suddenly was full of the fireworks that everyone had said about their first kisses. The fervent feelings that ran through your bodies, the anger and the misplaced love, all tumbling out in the biggest mess he'd ever seen.

But he continued. And then you broke apart.

Both of you had a lot of talking to do with each other but hopefully it would all turn out to be well.

"And so, we both are kinda dating now," you finished with an awkward look on your face, rubbing your neck.

A silence overtook your friends and Izuku whispered, "What the fuck?"

Shouto screamed at the both of you, "I fucking knew it." And then his voice slipped into his conspiracy theorist voice, "There was sexual tension between the two of you."

You facepalmed.

Katsuki turned red.

[nbrook29]

Kiss or Slap

Sander doesn’t remember when exactly their group made the riverside near the Scheldt their new hangout spot, but he couldn’t be more grateful for it as a cold breeze washes over his overheated body, providing a momentary relief against the scorching heat falling from the sky. It’s probably why the park is fuller than it usually is on Thursday afternoons, packed with people spread on their picnic blankets, searching for a bit of shadow under the big trees and desperately craving a bit of wind. 

It’s so hot he doesn’t even feel like sketching, preferring to just lie on the grass without moving a single muscle, and dying in peace. Even the enticing smell of cinnamon rolls that Noor brought with her isn’t enough for him to reach out and take one from the basket, the action requiring too much movement on his part.

“Guys, come on, we have to start or we’ll never get it done! Sander, get your lazy ass up.” He grunts when he feels Leon’s merciless fingers jabbing him in the ribs.

“Can’t we wait until it gets a little less hot?”

“No, cause that’s not happening in the nearest future and we need new content,” Nathan butts in, followed by Noor, which makes Sander officially outvoted. So he heaves a deep sigh, puts his shirt back on and ruffles his hair to make himself more presentable, rolling his eyes at Noor’s appreciative whistling.

“Someone’s gonna snatch himself a bunch of kisses today with that smoldering look,” she teases, pretending to give him a once over.

“Is that your way of telling me you want one for yourself, sweetheart?” He’s immensely proud of himself when her entire face scrunches up in disgust.

“Eww, no, feels like incest at this point.” Which is kinda true given the fact they’ve known each other since kindergarten and became best friends making sand castles. He fires an obnoxious wink at her, fully anticipating a shove which comes as expected within seconds, with Noor calling him a creep in between laughter.

“Who should we start with? Senne? Wanna go first?” Sander watches as Leon takes out his camera equipment and checks the settings as the rest collects their things.

“I guess, yeah. And then Nathan after me?”

“I’m not doing it, man, you know Britt, she’s gonna flip out.”

“Be a good reason to break up with her,” Sander mutters under his breath, not really feeling apologetic when Nathan shoots him a glare. It would be a long time coming, and honestly, Sander can’t wait for that moment to come. Just being in her presence gives him chills, she’s that much of a horrible person. A few years ago, he read something about alternate universes and sometimes when he looks at her he can’t help but think there’s a history there with the two of them, in a past life or something. At least it would explain that weird energy between them.

If it’s true, he feels very sorry for that Sander. 

He roots for him to run far away from said devil’s spawn.

“I can go next, I don’t have the ball and chain,” Noor says innocently, but she’s smirking over Nathan’s shoulder at Sander who pretends to high five her in their shared hatred for Britt.

“Yeah, us lonely birds will sacrifice ourselves and take the hit for the wellbeing of our channel,” Sander laments playfully, making Senne snort.

“Dude, you’re on your own by your own choice.”

“And pickiness. Don’t forget pickiness,” Noor adds smugly.

Sander huffs in protest. “I’m not picky! I just...” He cuts off because he’s not about to just explain it all now.

“Just what?”

“Specific about what I want.”

Brown curls, brown eyes, shortish, lean, pierced ear, cute giggle, elegant hands and a smile brighter than the sun. 

To be exact.

“Yeah. That’s picky.”

“Whatever,” he replies grumpily, and decides to ignore Noor’s knowing look. Sometimes he feels like she has a sixth sense and can read him like a book. Or she’s just less oblivious than the boys in their friend group. That’s a totally possible option too.

Thankfully, she doesn’t push him further (she’s awesome like that), though Sander has a feeling she’s gonna grill him later when they’re alone. For now, she checks her lipstick in her phone as they all briefly plan the video.

Not like there’s that much to plan; a few days ago, they decided to shoot a kiss or slap challenge for their YouTube channel because it had been wildly requested by their viewers.

Sander still doesn’t quite know how he became a part of a YouTube channel in the first place, always considering himself to be a bit more, well, sophisticated than that? But Leon was into it from the beginning and made them all participate in exchange for free beer, until one day one of their videos blew up.

If you can call getting 100k views on one video blowing up. 

Anyway, they got semi-popular amongst Flemish teens and even managed to snatch a sponsorship with Mentos (however small the offer was) that paid actual money. And he had just managed to move out of his family house so any money coming his way he welcomed with no questions asked. 

So they’ve kept shooting silly challenges slash anything else that’s a trend at a given time and have been able to cover their art supply needs with what little they earned. And, though Sander refused to admit it in the beginning, it’s actually kinda fun. It’s definitely better than his part time job at Pull&Bear where he has to deal with obnoxious customers on an almost daily basis.

They record a short introduction near the river, quickly going over the rules and explaining that the three of them will be competing in who gets more kisses versus slaps. 

“Hey, you know what, this is actually unfair cause you both can kiss anybody,” Senne points out all of a sudden, receiving four pairs of unimpressed glances.

“No one’s stopping you from getting kisses from boys too, dude,” Sander is quick to shut him up, shit-eating grin on his face as he gives him his first (light) slap to the cheek. 

They follow Senne around the park with a camera as he turns on his charm and smiles sweetly at the girls he chooses for the challenge, doing surprisingly well on the first few attempts. But when they venture deeper into the park and he tries his luck with college girls, he gets 5 slaps in the row to the rest of the group’s utter delight. In the end, his results are a blow to his pride and even Sander feels sorry for him, giving him a pat on the back while trying to hold his laughter in at Senne’s grumpy face.

Noor does much better, naturally, as her upbeat personality and a wide smile have always made boys and girls turn their heads. She gets a kiss after kiss, blush after blush, and two phone numbers in the process. Senne argues again that it’s unfair because no one’s gonna slap a girl anyway, but Leon just calls him a sore loser while Noor shamelessly flirts in French with another girl right in front of the camera.

Sander’s very proud.

Taking a quick sip of water, he gives Leon a thumbs up and starts his round, coming over to three blond girls chilling near the skateboarding ramps, trying very hard not to come off as creepy and clarifying the kiss part being only a cheek kiss. The girls erupt in giggles, but they all grant him a light kiss. One of them tries to flirt with him after, but he shoots her down before she can get too into it.

“Such a heartbreaker, you,” Noor coos at Sander’s pained face when they all walk away.

“That’s you, and you actually enjoy it,” he quips back, sticking his tongue at her.

“I do not, shut up!”

Fifteen minutes and fourteen kisses later he’s officially in the lead, sealing his victory with a kiss number fifteen he receives from a cute redhead. He’s gloating in Senne’s bemused face about nobody choosing to slap him when he stops in his tracks.

It’s the proof of his hopeless infatuation that he’d recognize that laugh everywhere.

He looks around for its source, but he comes up short. Then, his eyes focus on the skatepark area and his heart starts beating faster.

Because it feels like a sign. Like the universe is giving him a chance to finally do something. Make a move.

“Hey, can we shoot one more try?” He asks the guys, trying to sound casual while glancing furtively in the direction of brown curls.

“You’ve already won, but I guess?”

Nobody questions him about his reasons, they just follow him to the ramp.

And he’s so fucking nervous. 

It’s incredible, really, how he generally has no problems talking to people he’s interested in, conversation flowing without him even trying, gaining easy smiles and appreciative looks wherever he goes, some natural confidence to him. 

But that boy. That boy is something else.

He makes him question everything he says, makes his palms sweat and makes his deep hidden shyness come onto the surface.

Sander saw him for the first time during Open Day at the Academie in may, strolling casually through the hallway with his friend, completely oblivious to the turmoil he was causing to Sander’s heart.

That was the day Sander saw an angel. 

Fate placed him on his path again sooner than he could’ve hoped, the boy participating in a 2 week film course at his school only several days after he saw him for the first time. And he tried so hard to convince himself to talk to him over that time, but he only managed a few smiles while passing him by in the hallway. 

That and that one stupid joke he said to him while they were waiting in line at the cafeteria that makes him cringe in despair just thinking about it. Seriously, it’s like his entire cool evaporates when he’s near him.

But, the boy laughed at it. So maybe it wasn’t as horrible as Sander is making it to be. Or he was just being nice. 

Robbe. 

Robbe, who he’s been crushing on ever since that fateful day in may.

Robbe, who was at the same party he was last weekend.

Robbe, who he talked to at that party and managed to calm his nerves enough to be charming and funny.

Robbe, who giggled, blushed and bit his lip at Sander’s dumb jokes that evening.

Robbe, who slipped through his fingers because Sander blacked out soon after.

He almost never drinks, but that one night he did, celebrating the beginning of summer break, and not realizing his usual abstinence meant he was now officially a lightweight. What an awful timing.

Robbe doesn’t notice him right away, having his back turned to him while talking animatedly to his friends. Taking a deep breath and plastering a smile to his face to hide his nervousness, he approaches them.

“Hey guys, got a second?”

He notices the recognition in Robbe’s face right away, and Sander shoots him a quiet “hi” when his eyes meet his, an unsure smile blooming on his face.

“Hey, what’s up?” One of the boys nods at the camera.

“I’m Sander, and we’re shooting a video for our YouTube channel, the kiss or slap challenge,” he quickly explains, the boys’ faces lighting up.

“Hey, we have a channel too! I’m Moyo, this is Jens, Aaron, and Robbe.” Moyo reaches out to bump his fist with him and damn, Sander has to find that channel if Robbe is a part of it.

Jens levels him with a look. “So, you want us to kiss you or slap you?” 

“Pretty much, yeah?” Sander chuckles because he’s aware it’s ridiculous, but he’s a man on a mission here, give him a break.

“I think Robbe should represent all of us, don’t you think so?” Moyo proposes, tongue in his cheek as he checks with the rest of his friends. Sander catches the death glare Robbe sends the boy before looking back at him and crossing his arms, looking a bit out of place. And, fuck, the last thing Sander wants is to make him uncomfortable.

So he asks softly, “you’re in?” and waits for agonizing five seconds as Robbe watches him, eyes narrowed, before his features smooth out and he smiles at him.

“Sure, why not.”

Relieved, Sander lets out a chuckle and tries to keep his cool. “Okay then - kiss or slap?”

Robbe squints against the sun and makes him wait another few seconds before he answers, but Sander’s not worried because there’s a soft smile on his face and obviously his angel wouldn’t-

“Slap.”

Wait, what.

He can hear his friends bursting in laughter at this unexpected turn of events while Sander can only stare in shock because how could he miscalculate the situation this much?

Gulping, confused and heartbroken, he asks, “you’re sure?”, to which Robbe nods with a poorly hidden glee.

“But you have to close your eyes cause I can’t hit you while you're looking at me.”

Heaving a deep sigh and trying to save a face despite the humiliation flooding his body, he nods and closes his eyes, steeling himself for it.

But it never comes.

Suddenly, he feels a hand cupping his cheek and he flinches a little, but then soft lips touch his in a kiss so gentle he blinks his eyes open, not knowing what’s happening.

“That was payback for you promising to call me and not keeping your word,” Robbe whispers against his lips before leaning away, something sad and wistful passing through his face. Sander is left completely dumbfounded, ignoring the hollering from the two groups as his eyes fleet all over Robbe’s face.

It’s difficult for him to collect his thoughts because holy fuck, Robbe has just kissed him and he’s internally freaking out. He finally manages to get his bearings when the remnants of a smile slip off Robbe’s lips.

“I-, Robbe, you have no idea how much I wanted to call you, but I don’t have your number.”

“I gave it to you. At the party?” He doesn’t look like he believes a word Sander is saying.

“Um, I kinda blacked out and don’t remember much after like one-ish?”

“You saved it though, I saw you typing it in,” Robbe argues again, but this time he doesn’t look so sure. “Wait, what’s your number?”

Sander watches him entering digit after digit before hitting call. He fully expects a plain number to appear on his screen, eyes widening when he sees what pops up instead.

zk bambieys 🥺🦌👁️💘����💖💞 calling

“Fuck, you did give me your number.” He’s not fast enough to hide his screen from Robbe, but he can't even feel embarrassment once he notices the frown disappeared from his face.

“Bambi eyes?” There's a teasing note in his voice, but his pink cheeks sell him out.

Sander scratches his head. "I was very drunk, you can't hold it against me. Also, your eyes are really beautiful," he clarifies, winking when Robbe laughs at his shameless flirting. "Hey, I tried to find you on instagram, but nothing came up. I was really hoping we're gonna bump into each other again. Sorry for being a dumbass and not realizing I had your number this entire time?”

“It’s okay.” Robbe shoves his hand into the pockets of his jeans, swaying on his heels. Sander decides to put them both out of their misery and take the initiative.

“So if I asked you out, would you say yes?”

It looks like Robbe’s about to nod, but then he bites his lip, an almost cheeky smile directed at him. “I guess you have to call me to find out.” And then he gets on his skateboard and casually skates away to the nearest ramp, pulling a surprised laugh out of Sander.

If he was intrigued before, now he’s totally smitten with this wonder of a boy, because damn. 

Their friends finally seem to regain their voices and speak over each other at what just happened, but Sander doesn’t pay them any attention, just takes out his phone again and pressing the call button. 

Watching as Robbe comes to a full stop at the top of the ramp, he cocks his head with a grin and waits until he picks up.

“Hello?”

“Hey, it’s Sander.”

“Yeah, I can see that,” Robbe laughs into the speaker.

“Will you go out with me?”

He meets his eyes across the skatepark as Robbe makes him wait again.

Then, with a smile so radiant it overshadows the sun, the boy finally gives him his answer.

“Yes.”

[more-pokeimagines]

Could you do a MiloxFem!Reader drabble where the reader had a strong personality (independent, rebellious, things like this). The drabble could set after the Champion Battle and someone is making fun of Milo just because he lose?

Thank you for your request, dear! :) This is the first drabble I wrote for Milo, so I really hope it turned out alright and that you’ll like what I came up with. Have fun reading and stay safe! <3

R.E.S.P.E.C.T – Milo x fem!reader

The crowd around you was cheering loudly when the referee raised a flag to choose the winner of the third battle in the Champion’s cup.

Disappointed, you slumped down in your seat while the group of friends right next to you screamed and clapped so loudly that it almost made your ears ring but you understood their excitement. Their friend had just won one more battle on his way to become the new champion of Galar, and you would probably feel the same way if your boyfriend had won instead.

You had always enjoyed watching Milo’s battles. He was a strong, yet humble trainer; something his battles always reflected, and it filled you with pride to be in a relationship with one of Galar’s gym leaders, even when he lost a battle. You knew that he would be sad about it but he was such a cheerful and optimistic person, so it probably wouldn’t bother him for too long. He didn’t aspire to beat Leon anyway.

You got up from your seat and made your way to the backstage area of the stadium where the contenders spent the time before and after their battles. You spotted Nessa, Hulbury’s gym leader who had dropped out of the tournament right before her battle because one of her pokemon had gotten sick, and Hop, Leon’s younger brother. They were busily engaged in their conversation, so you only waved at them briefly before continuing the search for your boyfriend.

Eventually, you found him in the lounge in the back room of the waiting area. He was staring out of the window but when you sat down next to him, a smile flashed over his face, despite the hint of disappointment in his eyes. “Hello.”

You kissed his cheek. “Hey there. That was a great battle.”

“I know, right? I really had a lot of fun! And it’s always great to see how much these trainers have grown since they started their gym challenge... kinda reminds me of myself, you know.”

You couldn’t help but smile at his words. That was something you really loved about him – no matter how bad everything seemed to be, Milo always found something good in it. He never got discouraged by his defeats; instead, he turned them into a learning experience and tried to figure out how he could do better next time.

“Excuse me?” a voice asked and snapped you out of your thoughts. When you looked up, you saw one of the girls who had been sitting next to you in the stadium. She was standing in front of Milo, clutching a notebook in her hands. “You’re Milo, aren’t you?”

“Exactly,” he answered and smiled at the girl. “How can I help you?”

“Can – Can I maybe get an autograph? I saw your battle and I was impressed with your techniques.” A shy smile flashed over her face as Milo reached out for her notebook, and she added, “I want to train grass types, too.”

“Oh, come on, you want an autograph from that loser?”

You looked around, trying to figure out who had interrupted the conversation. One of the girl’s friends, a tall boy with dark hair, had approached your small group, a spiteful grin on his face.

“I’m sorry but what did you just say?” you asked and raised your eyebrows. It had always annoyed you when someone spoke ill of another person but when someone decided to insult Milo, it made you furious. This boy had no right to talk him down.

He let out a deep sigh, clearly bugged by your interference. “I said,” he repeated slowly, “that he’s a loser. Why would anyone want an autograph from someone who just lost a battle against a kid?”

“If I were you I’d watch my tongue,” you said and glared at him, your eyes narrowed to slits. “He’s one of Galar’s gym leaders, show some respect.”

The boy rolled his eyes once again. “Why would I? He can’t even stand up for himself, or why does he need his girlfriend to defend him?”

“Oh, because he’s way too kind and polite to argue about your stupid opinions,” you replied sharply. “And if you don’t have anything useful to say I suggest you get lost right now, or else you’ll be in trouble.”

“Come on, let’s go,” the girl who had asked for Milo’s autograph said and tugged at the boy’s sleeve. “I don’t want to be late for the next battle.”

“I’m not done with you yet,” you said, your gaze still glued to the boy. “I think you should apologize.”

Milo put his hand on your knee to hold you back when the girl dragged her friend off. “(Y/N), just leave it be. You know I don’t care about others’ opinions.”

You huffed. “But I do. And I hate when someone talks to you like that.”

“I know. And I love you for always defending me but that’s really not necessary. I know that not everybody likes me and that’s totally okay,” he reassured you and put his arm around your shoulder to pull you close before pressing a soft kiss to your temple.

You let out a deep sigh, already melting into his embrace. “But if that boy comes back and insults you again I will definitely punch him.”

[residentsocialfailure]

Initial True Colors thoughts::

Please don’t expect this to be intelligent or organized or in any way useful for anything. Just my dumb thoughts about a game I really enjoy :))

*Actually thoughts from about ten minutes in. I got excited when it finally finished downloading and forgot I had wanted to do this

- This game is already activating all my Colorado feelings. I’ve been wanting to move back for years, and this is making me want to even more. The scenery is so pretty, and the town seems incredible. I want to live here so bad.

- I thought the guy sitting by the creek was Gabe, and spent way too long trying to figure out how to get to him, whoops.

-Birb! I love him.

- Ah, so she's telepathic. I couldn’t remember exactly what her ability was, only that it involved auras or something. This should be interesting.

-I love that he has a tab at the florist. How often are you apologising, my guy?

- I aspire to be as cool as that gnome. Look at his shirt!! He’s the best.

- This poor kid has been carrying that bag around for ages. Can we finish the tour after I set my shit down?

- One of these days I’m going to get around to doing some goat yoga. More just so I can chill with some goats than anything else. Just some goats and me, hanging out, doing some stretches. Sounds like a fun time.

- Oh, I love this kid. He’s great. But wait, the mines? That they’re about to blast to bits? Those mines? Please don’t go camping there just yet. 

- Oh my goodness, this record store is so cool. I’m not even a huge music fan and I would spend so much time here. Also...

-Steph!! My beloved. Is it to early to ask her to marry me? Ah well, we can go play d&d and make out or something, idk, whatever normal people do. 

- Oh new, character. Cool. Hi, Ryan. Sorry, my heart’s already taken, but you seem chill. Also, did not realize she was coming from Portland. 

- Oh, I just noticed the sign. Of course she larps. God, I love this town. Where can I find Haven Springs? I need to move there. yesterday.

- I would die for Valkyrie.

- Also I love moments in games, when an npc is like, ‘help me do this thing’, and then just sits back and watches while you do all the work. Thanks man.

- God, I love the music in this game, though. I’m going to have to look some songs up later. I forgot how much I loved these moments in the LiS series though, when a song plays and it just goes through a little montage. It’s so peaceful and lovely.

- Also, I love Steph just jamming out in the background. I would die for her too.

- Forbidden Songs, by Adam and Steve. Incredible.

- Okay, Valkyrie. I love you very much, but I apparently need you to move to advance this story. Where the fuck is your toy.

- This motherfucker. Kings of Leon? Seriously? Ugh, why am I related to this loser. /j

- Okay, not that I’m complaining, but how did she get my phone number? Or actually know who I am? We literally didn’t exchange two words. I pointed at a record and she referred to me as ‘some chick’. Steph, you got your own telepathy powers I should know about??

-Ahh, my first big choice... do I want to be the cool aunt or the safe aunt?? Bc in this game, he could actually die if I make the wrong choice.... ah fuck. I gotta be safe. I’ll be cool with other stuff. Like LARPing. Please don’t hate me, Ethan..

- Ooh, this guy seems cool. I’m getting some badass Ron Swanson vibes. 

-Dude. His apartment is so cool. Seriously, where can I find a town like Haven Springs, I want to live here so bad.

- Hey welcome to the town, here’s a whole-ass apartment. Also I care about you v much and want you to have a fresh start. I’m already getting feelings from this game.

- Oh, I was just about to say I hope our downstairs neighbors don’t mind noise. This guy seems off though.. didn’t he mention a Mack? If he did, I absolutely cannot remember what he said..

-Oh yeah! He was the florist’s asshole boyfriend. Cool cool cool.

-Ah, so her powers aren’t so much telepathy, as empath who takes on the others emotions; similar to Caleb from the bright sessions. Interesting.

- Oh shit. Where’s Dr. Bright’s breathing exercises when you need them.

-God, poor Alex. Poor Gabe. They were having such a nice time.

- I just want to give her a hug :(

-So we’re getting some backstory stuff. Not sure what happened with parents yet, as far as I can remember. But I guess she disappeared on her own.. ran away? Or something else. 

- Mini game!! That was fun. I only made it to the third level bc I’m bad at things. But I’ll beat your high score at some point, Gabe. >.>

-Oh, Shu-shu is so cute. Also, could probably use a bath. Maybe later 

-Old family photo, but (probably) parents are cut out. So that, plus what was probably her running away as a kid, means not the best childhood. :( I wonder if that’s why he reacted like that to her beating up Mack? I mean, obviously, that wasn’t a great moment for anyone, but he seemed freaked out in a different way than just worrying about his sis beating someone up.

-Okay, so mom probably got sick with something, maybe cancer or something similar, and the dad was an abusive prick when she died. Maybe. Except she had cut the mom out too, so clearly that’s not the whole story, if it’s even close. Maybe mom was an alcoholic?

-Aw, he got her a guitar. I wonder if it was his old one, or a new one he bought?

-Are the flashes of red indicative of her emotions? Or is that just the sunset or something? Maybe both?

-Oh man, I really wish I could give her a hug. She deserves all the love 

 Ahh, I’m realizing how long this is getting, and also it is 11:00, and I have to wake up early tomorrow for work. As much as I would like to play this all night, I probably need to be responsible..

If for some reason you’re still here, I hope you enjoyed reading my dumb, rambling thoughts. Overall, I’m really excited for this game. So far it’s been a lot of fun, and I can’t wait to find out more about these characters and the story. I feel like this game is going to be really good. I wish we got more Steph time in, but I know she’ll come in later. Anyways, I’m v tired and might have more intelligent thoughts later, but probably not.. 

[emiefaunwrites]

Would you maybe be able to write what Mondo and Chihiro get up to when the lovebirds aren't around? I love their friendship so much

Also sorry if you don't wanna write this stuff that's OK, I love all the stuff you write anyway!!

Hey anon!

Sure, absolutely no problem! I know my blog is mostly Ishileon (because they're like my niche, as it were) but I love me some Mondo too. And I also love the idea of them being friends so it'll be nice to think of them as a duo for a change.

Once again, I use He/Him for Chihiro and am not intending to invalidate other people's HCs of this character. Its just my own opinion.

Also thank you so much! It's been really nice over the last few days having so many asks and stuff. I'm under no illusion that I'm not a popular blog but I've felt really happy with my content and it's been really validating to see so many people enjoy my stuff!

Okay, enough of the sappy stuff! Now lets do this! Hope you enjoy!

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• It's a bit of a mystery on how Mondo and Chi became friends.

• Hell, even the two of them couldn't truly explain it.

• One day they were partnered for an art assignment and within that week they were close friends.

• It was Chi that convinced Mondo to give Taka the benefit of the doubt too.

• And even though they hung out as a threesome, Mondo and Chi would also hang out on Taka's immovable study days.

• They share an interest in video games - not the RPGs though.

• If Chi wants an RPG night - that's a Leon thing.

• But after a long, stressful day, there's nothing better than hack and slashes and Mondo is more than happy to get involved.

• And HOLY SHIT are they competitive.

• They constantly make bets on things like the loser buying lunch or the winner being pampered.

• Mondo isn't as good at games as Chi (obviously) so Chi does secretly goes easy on him when it seems appropriate.

• Mondo was also the first person Chi confided in about his secret.

• It initially didn't go so well, Mondo's insecurities and toxic masculinity flaring up.

• But it didn't take long for the biker to come running back with his tail between his legs, apologising like he's never done before and offering to help him train.

• They both quite often become third wheels, especially when the lovebirds are in the awkward 'I like him does he like me lets try and flirt' phase.

• So while they're cooing and gushing around each other, whoever is the unfortunate third wheel that day whips their phone out for a good old text rant.

• 'WHY DON'T THEY SUCK FACE ALREADY?!'

• 'Their fukin dum, Chi. Jus chill.'

• Obviously when they do get together, Mondo and Chi spend more time together than ever.

• And Mondo, unlike Leon, is more subtle in his attempt at hooking Chi and Chiaki up.

• But that obviously gets resolved by Leon. And no. Mondo is SO not pissed off when he finds out. Not. One. Bit.

• Chi is the first person to who Mondo admits he's bi.

• There's a few guys in his gang that he can't stop thinking of (*cough* Takemichi *cough*) and he's freaking the fuck out until Chi says he's also had crushes on men (*cough* Taka very briefly *cough*).

• And knowing someone as strong as Chi has also thought that way about both genders makes him feel so much better.

• Chi also asks Mondo to help him start choosing mens clothes - and wouldn't you know, Mondo is a biiiiit of a shopaholic.

• Not for himself. He has everything he needs.

• But he's more than happy encouraging others to spend money.

• So what's meant to be one trial outfit becomes a second wardrobe for Chi.

• And Mondo is INSISTANT on Chi modeling it all. Like every single thing.

• Who would have thought Mondo Oowada could be a fashion guru?!

• On the first day Chi shows up in male clothes, Mondo is on high alert to beat up whoever mocks him.

• Just like the week after where he decides to put a skirt over his jeans.

• Chi can wear whatever the fuck he wants and Mondo will WHOOP ASS if anyone says otherwise.

• Yeah. These guys have such a cute friendship and stay lifelong friends.

[marvels-phoenix]

Headcanon that the reason Leon is referred to as the "unbeatable champion of Galar" is because even if he did lose know one would know or remember because he lived his life in video game mechanics!

HERE ME OUT PLS! also it's only a headcanon lol....anyway let's get to the point before I don't make sense anymore 😅!

________________________________________

- when Leon starts his Pokemon journey he slowly starts to realize that he is different than the other Pokemon trainers. It freaks him out a little bit because (1) he's only ten, and (2) literally this happens to no one else!

- finding randomly placed pokeballs, evolution stones, and heal potions in the middle of the forest,wild area, and everywhere he goes? He's still pretty thankful that he has them when in a battle, but creeped out. Know one else seems to notice these strange instances going on. When Leon tries to talk to anyone else about this ( be it Raihan, Sonia, or any adult/trainer/etc.) His mouth suddenly freezes up and he can't speak. His mouth feels like it's suffocating him and his eyes water and all he feels is pain. Until after a moment feeling like he only have 2 other options to say something else he finally gets a word out to finish the conversation but not the words he wants. ( Because of that I think that Leon is selectively mute unless someone speaks to him first because of the traumatic instances where he couldn't speak what he wanted to, afraid that he would say the wrong thing.)

- another instance that kind of traumatized him as a 10 yr old ( which the video game mechanics kicked in only when he started his journey, but neither him or anyone else knows that.) Is when he was fighting in the wild area, and after his last Pokemon faints he blacks out, only to wake up in nurse joys pokecenter. After a few more instances like that and not knowing anything of how he got there or what happened after he blacks out another handful of times he ends up going weeks, and sometimes up to a month instances where he doesn't sleep. Afraid that once he closes his eyes he will wake up somewhere else he doesn't know, alone. ( Hence why he can be horrible at directions. )

- as he goes so much time without sleep he quicky realizes that there's no after effects on him. He's not feeling drowsy or hungry or anything that he should be feeling after going a month without sleep. It scares him even more and he even stops eating because of it, finding it useless. ( He misses his mom, his baby brother, he doesn't know why or how this is happening but he can't tell anyone! ) There is no backlash by not eating, and he only feeds his Pokemon from then one.

- one of the most prominent things that Leon noticed right from the start is that when he loses no one remembers him or his loss. It's heartbreaking, it tears at him. Why does no one remember him? Everyone remembers the losers, don't they? Why is that they act like they never met him before and why can't he do anything about it? Sometimes he just wants to crawl out of his own skin.

- he realizes that he is only remembered if he wins the battle, and that motivates him to win even more because even though it's happened before he can't stand the thought of people forgetting him again. ( He can't help but think that with every loss his family and friends might forget him too. They don't travel together for the battling of the champion cup, but when he does he his two best friends, Raihan and Sonia he clings to them so much. Even if he can't say what he wants. )

- so as he wins more battles, and gets more badges, and eventually wins the champion cup he finally thinks it's over. As much as he loves battling and pokemon, he knows deep down that by the next year someone is gonna beat him and maybe he'll be free from this other power controlling him. ( Maybe he can eat, sleep, and just speak how he wants to again! )

- the next year Rahain is the only one person that has gotten close enough to beat him, he's the one person that gives him a real challenge anymore, and most importantly battling Rahain makes actually Pokemon battling in general, fun for him. Leon loves him so much. God he loves him. He loves his so much that he wants him to win. ( Leon just turned 11 a couple months ago, and Rahain is 14 now. ) Leon can't help but think that Rahain, more happy, emotional,and older would be a better fit as champion anyway.

- But he wins. A year later he wins again. And again, and again, and again. He can't stop winning and as he gets older he can't help but feel like a puppet. Other than being chairmen roses puppet that is. He is just so, so tired. He can't seem to get hurt either. He tries hurting himself but nothing happens. He is untouchable in both psysical feeling and battles. He just wants to stop. Raihan, Nessa, Milo, and the other gym leaders, along with his family are starting to get worried about him. He stops talking to them all together and instead finds company in the chairmen. ( If he doesn't know what higher power is fucking with him, then at least put another higher power to give him directions. At least he knows where the fucking source of that is. )

- so he withdraws, but keeps the happy facade around everyone because he can't be to he wants to be. Eventually after year ten of being the unbeatable champion of Galar, the chairmen decides to give other people the fighting chance. he says that Leon can indorse however many people he likes for. The champion cup this year.

- he meets Leon's best friend Gloria. After he gives them their starter Pokemon and after he sees his brother lose in his battle against Gloria, he notices something about her. Something that just pulls him to her. It's her very first Pokemon battle and she's won. She doesn't speak much but what she does say sounds scripted to him. ( He distantly wonders if she is like him. )

- so he watches her as she wins. Again and again. He remembers her losses tho. He's the only one but he remembers every time she lost a battle. Only to win the next time. He feels some sort of kinship to her. He knows she going to make it to the champion cup and hopes that she beats him. For his own sanity he needs to lose. Winning can't be an option for him. He so, so tired.

- and then she wins. She beats him. As the rest of the audience is silent and the wind slows down everything seems to have come to a standstill. He tilts his hat and grits his teeth for a moment. ( Is is finally over? Can I be free? ) But that doesn't matter right now. He so happy. He got what he wanted. He throws his hat up in the air and smiles brightly, a real smile in what seeme like forever. He runs over to Gloria and picks her up spinning her around. Their both laughing and smiling and he's crying happy tears at her victory and his loss. He doesn't care about the tabloids commenting on his tears or anything other than her. She is like the little sister he's never had and he so grateful that he got to meet her. As she is on his shoulder, waving at the people sitting in the arena he finally has some peace. ( Is it finally over? )

- he gets his answer in the empty locker room. The battle is over. Gloria is celebrating with Hop. ( He will definitely be happy to spend more time with his friends and family ) he gets his old poketknife he found on the road when he was ten and slices the palm of his hand.....

He bleeds.

"Leon?"

It Rahain.

Can he tell him? Everything? Why he's so messed up?

He looks back to se Rahain with shock all over his face. He must've come in to try and talk to him about the battle. ( They made a promise that Rahain would be the one to beat him.)

Leon smiles lightly befoe putting the knife back down.

He slowly walks up to Raihan...

He does something that also wasn't allowed before.

He hugs him. Tight. And cries.

{ P.s - cue explanation, confessions, and emotional sex featuring bottom Leon ; ) }

---------------------------------------------------

Whew! That was fun to write. I really hoped you liked this headcanon/mini fic! It's been something I've been thinking about ever since I've become obsessed with Leon.

I do not have the time to right a full fledged fanfic of this but if anyone wants to take this as inspiration and write a fic based on this please do! ( Also credit me for the idea lol and let me know cause I wanna read it! ) We already have alot of talented writers from this fandom that have posted on AO3 and I would love to see someone write about this and use their own creativeness with it! : )

[dangan-happy]

[TW abuse and stalking] Hey Leon! I recently broke up with my ex boyfriend who was very toxic, guilt tripping me into staying with him and gaslighting me alot and such, so I blocked him and then he messaged all my other accounts telling me he was going to kill himself if I didn't message him back. And then when I blocked him there, his friends started messaging me and now he's stalking me while his friends send me transphobic comments and stuff, and I just don't know what to do. Can I have advice? I could really use a hug too hdhdhdh

I swear if I could I’d beat the hell outta that guy! I get being real pissed off over a breakup or something but that guy really needs to chill. Breakups suck but they aren’t worth hurting people over it!

Just keep blocking him like you’re doing and don’t bother talking to his friends either. It’s not any of their business what you did with your boyfriend or if you’re trans. Like seriously guys like that are just the worst!

All I can really say is to keep ignoring them and focus on treating yourself, for now, y’know? Go ahead and go out to do something you like. I normally go out to have some fun with the ladies if you know what I mean but I’m sure anything works! 

Just focus on having some fun and know that you’re awesome the way you are! You don’t need a loser like that or his annoying friends. You just gotta keep being you and rocking on! As for that hug though, feel free to hold onto me as long as ya need. It’s not like I’m going to practice today!

[thebladeblaster]

Vanguard Zero Awkward Matchups Part 5

Aichi (AC): That was a great match Tetsu!

Tetsu: Yeah, your definitely not the same newbie I crushed back then. Heh! Who would’ve thought...

Aichi (AC): (sweat drops) Yeah...

Dark Aichi: Wow...that was disappointing. I was expecting you to be a lot stronger Tetsu.

Tetsu: What the heck?! This Aichi he’s...just like Ren was?!

Dark Aichi: You must be the Tetsu of that other timeline then?

Tetsu: Heh! You may have beaten me but that means nothing you will be stopped!

Dark Aichi: By who? The other me? The other Kai? Haha Ren?

???:By me!

Uhh...

(Insert Spider-Man meme)

Kai: No! I lost again!

Aichi (AC): Woah?! Woah?! Are you okay Kai?

Kai: Don’t patronize me!

(Aichi (AC) flinches)

(Kai raises his eyebrow)

Kai: Your...not the same Aichi are you?

Aichi (AC): Your the evil me’s Kai...aren’t you?

Kai: Heh! The fact that you recognize that...your not him.

Aichi (AC): I-I...Umm...I’m sorry.

Kai: Why are you apologizing?

Aichi (AC): I just...I went through a similar thing he did...and in meeting all these alternate versions of everyone I’ve realized...how extremely close I was to that kind of reality...

Kai: What stopped you?

Aichi (AC): You...and Kourin.

Kai:...So that means things went a bit differently in your timeline?

Aichi (AC): Yeah...You were able to get through to me and I went back to normal.

Kai:...

Aichi (AC):...

Rekka: Ah! I can’t believe I lost!

Aichi (AC): Uh...it was a great match...

Rekka: Looks like I can’t make fun of you anymore...

Aichi (AC): You’ve been doing what?

Earlier...

Dark Aichi: Pfft! Is this all really your even worse than that faker!

Aichi: Faker?

Dark Aichi: The other version of us running around with the Gold Paladins. Seriously, Royal, Shadow, and then Gold it’s like a Paladin bargain sale.

Aichi: I’ll beat you next time!

Dark Aichi: Oh really? Your way too predictable the Faker is at least not predictable. Your whole strategy is to get Blaster Blade and Blaster Dark with that thing. And frankly I’ve already seen it used once and that was enough. I don’t even need Psyqualia to know what your next move is!

Dark Aichi: What were you saying about stopping me?

Leon: How could I lose?! This Aichi...he’s completely different from my own.

Dark Aichi: Pfft! You’ve got that right! I’m not some loser walking around in Kai’s shadow like him!

Leon: Why you...You know nothing about him! He saved me and the world!

Dark Aichi: It couldn’t have been that hard of that Faker could pull it off. Also, remember we’re ‘technically’ the same person so I do know him.

Leon: No...your nothing like him...your wind is completely different from him. My Aichi’s wind is a comforting breeze and yours is like a chaotic storm threatening to destroy everything in its path.

Dark Aichi: I’m just gonna pretend like that made sense.

Aichi (AC): Chris? Something seems off about you...

Dark Chris: Oh, it’s you...

Aichi (AC): Yeah it’s me...Wait...why is your Psyqualia active?

Dark Chris: Hehe! I almost forgot what this felt like! The other...no superior Aichi showed me the true way...

(Duel of Fates starts playing)

(A dark aura appears around Aichi (AC) for a split second)

(Dark Chris flinches)

Dark Chris: Wh-Wha?

Aichi (AC): You know...I’ve really had enough of that other me!

Aichi (AC): (sighs in relief) I’m glad your back Chris well...again.

Chris: Uh...Aichi you got a little scary back there for a moment. (Sweat drops)

Aichi (AC): It’s fine...I was...already in a bit of a bad mood...

Chris: That’s a understatement...

Aichi (AC): I’m sorry...just this whole thing with this evil me...

Chris: Yeah...you said you were like that once?

Aichi (AC): Yes....................I was.

Chris: Are you alright?

Aichi (AC): I’m going to end this with him. Now!

Chris: W-W-Wait?!

Dark Aichi: Oh ho?! So, your approaching me Faker? Instead of running away your coming right at me.

Aichi (AC): I can’t cardfight you without getting closer!

Dark Aichi: Then come as close as you like!

To be continued...—>

[hidden-behind-the-fourth-wall]

Home sweet Home - Chapter 4

Pairing: Chris Evans x OFC

Summary: Emily Wines and Chris Evans have been friends since they were kids. When Emily needs a break from her life she moves in with Chris back in Boston. It sounds easy, but things never go as planned, right?

Warnings: swearing, violence, past trigger memories, eventual, possible smut.

A/N: This story has been on my mind for a while, and I have started writing it on AO3. So yes, I hope you will enjoy reading it as much as I will writing it. There will be angst, fluff, an attempt of humour and maybe… maybe a bit of smut. Enjoy :)

Wordcount: 1974

Tags: @southerngracela

PREVIOUS

MASTER LIST

Leone's pizza was definitely the best thing in the entire world, and it never made her regret any of the many pieces eaten. With a ready bottle of tequila and food on the table, they were both sitting on the couch with a TV running quietly as a background sound. He was comfortably sitting on one end of the couch, while she was laying with her feet on his lap, spread snugly next to him.

He didn't push her to talk and she was taking her time with the first piece of the pizza. She moaned in appreciation, making him laugh out loud in her exaggeration. When she went for another piece, he leaned to the table, opened two bottles of beer, and poured two shots of tequila, giving her one and pushing the beer closer as a chaser.  

She smiled and took the challenge emptying the smaller glass. He followed her, taking a sip of a beer right after that. Oh, he never understood how she was able to drink that so easily.

"It all started when the Madrid restaurant idea kicked off." She started slowly, chuckling when he poured yet another shot. "Having two restaurants running already I had full hands of work. I travelled a lot, spent more time in the office or meetings than in my own flat. I did not have time for myself not to mention time for a relationship. " She took another shot. There was no way in hell she was about to talk about that stuff completely sober. "I was so preoccupied with my job that I just forgot about having a personal life." She stopped and licked her lips nervously, playing with the empty glass in her hands. "But a life like that tires even someone like me. So I decided to slow down and maybe come back to the dating life. You know I ain't getting younger, and this damn biological clock did not want to shut up", Chris chuckled, pouring another round, feeling like she was getting into the hard stuff. He was not a big fan of getting drunk anymore. He was not in his 20's anymore and the hangover the next day was never merciful, but it was different now. She needed that, and he would do anything for the woman next to him. "I decided to try some internet dating. You know it saved me some time to actually go out and try to find someone. And well, dating anyone from work was not an option. I did not want to bring work home." Another shot and another sip of the beer. She took a deep breath and turned around towards Chris, putting her head on his shoulder, which he welcomed automatically. She needed a bit of human contact if she was about to remind herself of that man.

"Don't force yourself, sweetheart", he whispered, softly kissing the top of her head. She snuggled a bit more into him and shook her head.

"No. I want it to be out of my chest." She grabbed the bottle and took a sip directly out of it, handing it to the man, who took a deep breath, only expecting the awful hangover the next morning. "Do you remember when I haven't contacted you for about six months, and I told you I had shit loads of work?" He hummed, handing her back the tequila, which she accepted, taking another, this time a much bigger sip. "I lied. I didn't contact you because I was working, but because my then-boyfriend was way too jealous to let me." She felt him stiffen under her, and the hand that was smoothing her arm stopped. "I met him on the internet. We talked a bit before we met. He looked like a really nice guy. Handsome, kind, intelligent. The whole package." She laughed lowly, remembering the stupid mistakes she made. Chris did not take the tequila from her. He was happy to stay with the beer and let her drown her sorrows in her favourite alcohol. "So after talking for a month through the internet, we decided to meet and go on a date." She was talking slower now, almost as she was looking for the appropriate words to use. "He was charming, lovely a great gentleman." She smiled and pushed into Chris' chest, almost like looking for comfort. "He was perfect. I was happy with him. He was understanding whenever I needed to go for meetings or stay longer at work. Yes, it was great, that's why we decided to try and move with each other after three months." His hand started to smooth her arm once again. He feared what she was about to say. He did remember her not contacting him for a quite a while, but she always blamed it on the amount of work she needed to deal with. "He had some jealousy issues. He turned into this controlling freak, that asked about every meeting, and every call I made. He made me drop all the contacts and stay with him as much as he wanted. I needed to put some extra work on my co-workers, telling them I had some health issues." She took another big sip of the alcohol and then another. He never stopped her, he'll be dealing with her hangover tomorrow. "I became his prisoner, and let him control my own life. My life became boring and out of my hand. Our life became monotone with him shouting at me and 'makeup' sex after that", he couldn't help but clench his jaw at her flinch. How he wishes to just go and beat the shit out of the man.

"Why didn't you leave?" He asked. Despite the anger he felt for the guy, his voice was soft. He tensed a bit hearing her sniff in the middle of taking another drink.

"I was afraid of being alone again. I was afraid of coming back to life when I was too focused on work. I want family, kids. A house with a garden and a little pool that the kids would swim in during their summer holidays." He smiled involuntarily, knowing exactly how she felt. He wanted the same. This beautiful image in his head has been there for years now. "I was so afraid of coming back to that life, that I made myself believe that even someone like that is better than being alone." She sobbed quietly with the memories of the fights came back. "And the sex was so awful..." She tried to loosen up the atmosphere just a bit. Chris chuckled and kissed her temple once again. "Nothing romantic. Just fucking to make him feel better. I seriously don't remember ever having an orgasm with him." She slowly started to mumble, and he only just noticed that the bottle was almost empty. She was getting drunk. And what scared him was the fact that this story was still not over.

"So why did you end it?" He asked, wanting to make sure he will know the end of the story before she passes out in his arms. He felt her tense up, and she made a swift move and ended up on his laps. He smiled at himself. She was really tiny and petite. She curled like a cat and hid her face in the crook of his neck. He felt her breath in, to stabilise her nerves. He encircled his arms around her waist, giving her a motion of security. He was there for her. That was the message he wanted to send her.

"He hit me." He froze. His movements stopped, the hand that was smoothing her back, was now clenching to her shirt. Anger boiling in him more and more. "We argued a lot, he was screaming and shouting at me but he never hit me, until that day. I still remember how much it hurt." She clenched into this chest, tears flowing down her cheeks. "He was shocked by the action the same as I was. He apologised after that immediately, but I had enough. I packed my stuff and left his apartment, shouting that if he ever contacts me again I will call the police. He never did." There was the silence, interrupted with her quiet sobbing.

"Why didn't you say anything? Why didn't you call?" His voice was shaking with nerves. He hugged her tighter, afraid to let her go. What would he do to the man, if he knew? There would be no self-control. His career would definitely be over, but the man would have learned his lesson.

"Becuase you would have killed him." She answered almost as reading his mind. "You had your life, you were growing as an actor. Your name started to mean something in Hollywood. I didn't want you to throw that away with range." He closed his eyes, feeling his heart shudder in a million pieces. Despite all those things that happened to her, she was still thinking about him. She suffered quietly only for him to be able to grow.

"You are unbelievable. Stupid as a rock, but unbelievable", he whispered into her hair, making her chuckle. She wrapped her arms around his neck and hid her teary face in his neck completely. He let her stay like that, let her cry for minutes until her breathing slowed down, and he did not feel any more tears on his shirt.

"I decided that I will not go to bed with any guy until I know he is worth it..." She pulled away and looked at him, with those teary, red, beautiful eyes. "It's stupid, right?"

"It's not." He flicked her hair off her face and smiled softly. "It's understandable. And hey, if a guy cannot accept it, than his a loser." She smiled at him thankfully. He was such a sweetheart and she could not imagine not having him in her life. "And you are right. If I knew, I would have killed this son of a bitch." He added, making her chuckle. He could not believe how strong she really was and could not even think how awful she must have felt, but now she was here, with him and he would do anything to protect her. "Look at me Emily", she did as she was told, surprised to hear her full name from his lips. "You are the most amazing woman I know." His hand moved to her cheek, a soft smile appeared on his lips. "I hate that this happened to you, but please promise me, that no other fucker will ever have any control over you", he was so serious, despite his delicate tone. His beautiful blue eyes were gazing at her and she could not help but giggle.

"Ok, daaaad" he chuckled seeing her laughing. Well, she did after all just drunk almost whole bottle of tequila. She had a whole right to be tipsy, even drunk. "I'm sorry Chris", she leaned her forehead to his and closed her eyes. "I will never make any 'fucker' go-between us", he smiled. This was not what he meant, but he was happy that she saw their relationship as something that special. "I love you."

"I love you too, Em", he hummed quietly, and let her lean on his chest. It did not take long for her breath to steady. He looked down at her sleeping figured and felt his heart, break. He has always, since they were kids, protect her from the bad things from the world. He knew he would not be able to protect her forever, but he most mad at himself for not being at her side, when she needed him the most. At this moment he promised himself, he will protect her and will do anything it takes for her to be happy.

[askkrenko]

SWORD AND SHIELD THOUGHTS

Alright, just finished the main game/post-game of Sword and Shield ,and I have... thoughts, general impressions, and feelings about the game. I’m going to try and be spoiler-free, but some things will have to be talked about, and though it might be indirect, no promises. Here’s my thoughts on the game overall...

First off, It’s Pokemon. I’m not going to discuss the parts of it where it’s Pokemon. At this point, you should know whether or not you like Pokemon, and if you DON’T know... start with FireRed and LeafGreen. Still the best gameplay experience.

Graphics are... meh. I understand and accept that they’re really not up to the standard of other Switch games, but you’ve got 400 pokemon, lots of people, locations, etcetera. Battle Animations continue to be pretty weak for the most part, with pokemon mostly wiggling around and a special effect showing up. Nasty Plot’s animation is offensively bad in this regard. Sure, some moves look cool, especially ones unique to individual Pokemon, but this game’s visual advances still result in mostly-static battles where your pokemon doesn’t even move across the screen to use melee attacks. You know how in old Final Fantasy games you rush to the enemy before doing your generic sword swing? Can’t we at least have that? 

The new Pokemon are bitching. Sure, there’s winners and losers, but overall I love Galar’s lineup. There’s new type combos, interesting abilities, a lot of cool designs.

Dynamax is... just not interesting. The idea of giant pokemon are cool, but when you actually use them they replace your cool, interesting moves with heavy-hitting moves that have minor secondaries that are hard to leverage. My best pokemon at the end was a Wishiwashi that knew Aqua Ring and Dive, so my battles involved doing the former, and then Diving, so with Aqua Ring + Leftovers I’d be healing a huge portion of my HP between every attack... In Dynamax, Dive turns into a heavy hitting water move, Aqua Ring turns into Protect, and it doesn’t even last long enough for a tank-build to work. In the gym battles the right answer is basically always “Dynamax when your opponent does so you don’t get one-shot”, and in Raids it’s just “Dynamax when you can.”  Gigantimax is a cool idea, too, but... you just don’t get to do it. You get a Charmander that can eventually do it for free in the post-game, but he’s a baby and your pokemon at that point are level 70+ and you probably already have a fire type who loves you so there’s no reason to train him up.  

On Difficulty: I played a Nuzlocke with no items in battle, so I can’t really speak to difficulty normally but... camping makes healing you party super cheap, and every dungeon and challenge seems shorter than in most games. I only remember one real cave system and it was relatively short, and gyms all seem to have exactly three trainers (or three pairs of double-battle trainers) before the leader. Further, enemies always ask if you’re ready instead of ambushing you, and many will give you a full heal before or after the battle. I had some challenges against gym leaders, sure, and I did wind up losing the Nuzlocke to the final fight against the ‘big bad’ (and then just continued in non-nuzlocke method) but I never hit one of those points like a Rock Tunnel or even one of Alola’s Trials where I felt like the encounters on the way to the boss were really whittling down my resources.

Quality of life: Infinite Escape Ropes and free Fly make Krenko a happy gobbo. Except I never used the escape rope because there’s nothing to escape. Other basic QOL stuff is updated, too- moves are marked with effectiveness once you’ve seen a Pokemon before and presumably know it’s types, the menu felt very comfortable overall (though with all the different types of items I’m starting to think the bag needs MORE pockets), and the hotbutton to pokeball in an encounter is great. Having an EXP ALL as a core mechanic makes leveling up pokemon so much easier. There’s now a name rater and move-rememberer in every pokemon center, and I use that guy so much. Any time I newly catch or evolve a pokemon, I take it right to him to see what else it can get.

Dynamax raids I... didn’t do much of. Because the difficulty of the ones that show up apparently increases with the story or something. The first few I encountered I could handle with my pokemon at the time, but now that I’ve beaten the champion, it feels like every raid location I see is five stars and I need pokemon higher than the level 70+s I have to handle it. It doesn’t help that the NPCs they summon to help you are incompetent. Sure, a few have useful abilities, but why is there a level 49 Magikarp, and why doesn’t this Solrock seem to know any attacks, and what even is this Wobuffet doing here?

Story:  Story is easily the weakest part of Sword and Shield. The story is both boring and too exciting for the game itself. The characters are both too cool and too bland. In the ‘main story’ where previous pokemon games have it, you are doing the gym challenge. This is fine. This is normal. There’s some cool stuff in there that makes it more of a proper sport than just a kid wandering around. You ocassionally have encounters with Team Yell who are trying to stop you, but... Team Yell is never threatening, they don’t accomplish anything, and the game seems to be very inconsistent on whether or not you have to accept that they’re in the way or if you can just kick their butt. When you finally get their super secret origin story, it’s... fine, and I like it, but I’d have liked it more if they had literally any impact on the game. The worst thing is, they compare unfavorably to Team Skull. Team Skull had strong leadership, and though you kicked their butts, they were regularly in the way and up to no good. Also, Guzma was awesome. Team Yell is just... running around being a general nuisance. Which would be fine if there was another real villain but...

Well, it turns out there IS another real, main villain... Who you don’t have reason to believe is a villain until after you’ve beaten all eight gyms, whose plot and motivation makes no sense, who has no convictions, and who you as a character have no real relation to. I literally don’t understand why this character was doing villainy.  And their evil team you only fight in the handful of battles immediately leading up to the big fight, and they make absolutely no impact other than standing in your way for reasons that you don’t really understand. That whole segment had nothing to do with anything, wasn’t properly built up, and didn’t feel like it went anywhere except the game handing me a Legendary pokemon.

Then there’s the post-game villains, who are... eh. They’re a lot more interesting, and I’m not even sure it’s fair to call them post-game. Unlike in most pokemon games, once you become champion the plot doesn’t just stop or say “now go to the challenge areas.” Instead, you have another, shorter storyline where you revisit all the old characters (who are all really cool on the surface and have NO DEPTH so you can’t get attached to them) and deal with stuff involving more dynamaxing and the box-art legendaries. This isn’t the worst plot, but it again suffers from no dungeons. You just fly from Gym to Gym having one fight at each gym. The game wants you to get to know and appreciate each Gym Leader, but because there’s so many of them, plus three rivals, plus the Champion, plus two professors, plus a handful of other NPCs, even the one that spends a fair deal of time with you in the post game never gets any real development. Here’s a key for story-writers: If your character’s not going to develop over the story, you don’t need to make a point of them showing up four different times. I don’t feel more connected to Nessa than I do to Flannery because she kept showing up and I got a card detailing her backstory. I just feel like you could’ve let me play faster instead of waiting for cutscenes.

I could rant about the story for a long time, but the point is: It’s bad. And the worst part is, there’s a bunch of cool stuff that seems to happen... that I don’t get to see.

So, my BIGGEST, absolutely most major complaint about the story is that two of the characters closest to you, Hop and Leon, do all sorts of really cool and interesting stuff... just offscreen. Hop is your main ‘rival’ and best friend, and he’s sharing in your adventures but also has some of his own. He has battles, he has a character arc, he starts really annoying but grew on me over time and I genuinely like him... But it’s hard to feel attached because all his formative stuff happens just off-screen. This isn’t a ‘Blue’ situation where he’s doing the stuff you are but faster and getting in your way, and you want to smush his stupid face in. This certainly isn’t like Hau who was just one step behind you the whole time. Hop has a couple battles that he talks about that alter who he is as a person that you don’t get to see because the game decides you don’t watch them. You’re not racing this guy- you hang out all the time- but for some reason you don’t get to watch his fights. I understand it’d be boring if they forced it and it played out like a normal fight, but give me a cutscene! Hell, I wanna know who he faced at the end! Hop has a mystery battle against someone else who completed all eight gyms that he beats and we never find out anything else about this person... 

But it’s even worse with Leon.

See, a big part of the game’s storyline is giant, Dynamax pokemon running amok and the Champion having to stop them. This means for the FIRST portion of the game, Leon is going out doing heroic things, battling giant pokemon that you never see. Sure, you can dynamax battle, but he’s involved in all these cool, great, crazy adventures... just offscreen. And then when you become the champion, YOU get to fight these rampaging dynamax pokemon... ... by walking to the area you’re told they are and immediately showing up in a dynamax fight. The game has models for pokemon walking around the overworld. Pokemon all have various attack animations. If Dynamax pokemon are running wild, can’t you SHOW me them running wild? There’s so many ‘cool things’ that happen in the game that I just don’t get to see, even when my character should be able to watch them, and it’s annoying as hell. If you can’t SHOW ME rampaging giant pokemon, don’t make the story ABOUT rampaging giant pokemon!

....Okay, done talking about story.

THE WILD AREA is a cool idea with poor implementation. I absolutely love this big area with all sorts of pokemon that change with the weather and different sections having different levels, except the wild area only really connects two locations (you get there via train the first time,) so there’s not much in-game reason to go back except for grinding, it’s small enough that it’s mostly the same terrain, and the level progression of the area doesn’t really match where you are in the game in the way just having routes used to. Also, for some stupid reason once you’re champion everything there suddenly becomes level 60 instead of scaling to different areas.  Which, sure, I get it, for post-game stuff people just want higher level Pokemon, but it’s so weird that suddenly there’s level 60 zigzagoon running around.  The Wild Area would have been much cooler if they’d just done away with traditional routes entirely and had free wilderness between EVERY town- blocked off in part by tunnels and forests which still counted as wild area, sure, but not gated by ‘you must have this many badges to progress.’  Just gated by ‘the pokemon here are level 30, are you sure you want to proceed?’ The only reason the game forces you to face the gyms in a certain order is to lock you into a narrative that’s mostly a waste of time. Not being allowed to catch ‘very strong’ pokemon is dumb, too. You could’ve made us able to catch them and just not train them because they’d do things like go to sleep and use the wrong moves and loaf around like a traded pokemon.

Camping with your Pokemon is cute, but needs more variety. There’s like seven toys, but only one of them isn’t a ball you throw and they fetch. You can make curries, and you will because it’s the cheapest way to heal your pokemon on the go, but the curry minigame is identical every team and gets very boring very quickly. You can talk to your Pokemon, but none of their responses have any meaning or impact or anything at all. It’s not like they’ll give you hints in the game or randomly give you items or ask for specific items for huge happiness boosts or whatever. It’s cute, and they get experience from it, but camping feels like it should’ve been expanded a whole lot.

....In summation: Pokemon Sword and Shield is not one of the better Pokemon Games. It’s still Pokemon, and if you’re into that, there’s still plenty of fun to be had in it, but it’s heavily flawed. 

[otomates-a]

galaxiasus said: 👫 hi raihan and piers

@galaxiasus​ ↪ PROMPT!

raihan is usually the one who intrudes upon piers, randomly showing up on spikemuth’s doorstep with sandaconda wrapped around his body clinging to him and an apple in his mouth casually like hey what’s up dude i’m coming in, gently pushes aside some rando team yell grunt in front of him with his index finger. he’s not literally intrusive, though, he makes himself scarce when something is going on or piers is busy, but he does drop by a lot unannounced and will just greet him and go if he needs to. it’s not like it takes long to visit him so he may as well. what i’m getting at is piers prob sees this loser every other day SINCE SOMEONE!!!! WON’T GET!!! THEIR ASS!!! ON SOCIAL MEDIA!!! TO TALK TO HIM!!! forcing him to go to you in person ... is this the STONE AGE.... that said, sometimes it IS the other way around and piers probably shows up at hammerlocke. it always surprises raihan, but he’s thrilled about it. he’ll make time for piers whether he’s busy or not.

i’ve already mentioned it here & there, but piers is one of two people who can really get raihan to put down his phone and actually pay attention to him. the other is leon because obvs he’s close friends with him, but even then sometimes he brushes leon off (albeit humorously.) if piers is around, he’s more likely to have raihan’s attention than his fans are and even though he’ll still take photos & videos & whatever, it’s for fun more than anything else. he likes documenting, very “pictures are worth a thousand words” mindset. piers doesn’t even have to ask him to put it down ever, really. while he’ll still check his updates from time to time, he’ll mostly put it away on his own. especially if they’re outside or setting up camp together to cook for their teams, which he likes to do anyways just for fun. not pictured: all our conversations about raihan literally getting up and ditching an interview mid-filming to chase after piers if he sees him around KJNMHKJHNM. really though if he sees an event as special enough or even if piers requested it of him, he wouldn’t even bring his phone along if they went somewhere together or if piers just needed / wanted some time with his attention safely / solely on him. when raihan doesn’t have his phone on him, he gets a lot Softer, too, even though he’s always a little big of a smug tease.

piers probably fucking dies with raihan even if he starts getting used to him because he isn’t just a spur-of-the-moment romantic, he’s also super physically affectionate and a deep kisser idk how else to word that i’m KJNHM. when raihan kisses piers, it’s 1. completely out of nowhere without any indication it’s going to happen because he’s very spontaneous, 2. extremely clingy which absolutely means 90% of the time he’s not just leaning down to kiss him, he’s hecking PULLING HIM INTO A REALLY TIGHT HUG AND BEING SUPER EXTRA ABOUT IT, 3. not one for simple pecks (usually!!) when he goes for it he REALLY goes for it just... very sudden, deep, hard, tight embraced kisses .... obviously there are exceptions i’m not saying he’s NEVER soft or that he doesn’t do quick touch-and-go pecks or anything like that EVER, those are just more rare and tend to be in “read the room” situations where he’ll prob be less spontaneous anyways. since he also has no filter on PDA, the amount of people who have seen him kiss piers is prob absolutely wild too. raihan kisses him in the middle of a final battle or something, leon and the other gym leaders and the entire galar region nod sagely, exchanging money on the bets they took for when it would happen bc it was GONNA happen at some point during the event KJNHM. marnie is somewhere holding her head in her hands out of secondhand embarrassment. so it goes.

raihan is a bit of a secret romantic behind how smug he is, although he doesn’t let it show very often. he likes to do sentimental things and that part of his personality mostly shines through when he’s interacting with pokemon, whether they be wild / belonging to others / or his own. even though he’s not the greatest cook, he’ll go out of his way to make curry that his team will like and sometimes he’ll bring some over to piers to share with his team, as well. he takes an interest in dark type pokemon once his visits to spikemuth become more frequent. he takes time to get to know each pokemon that piers has and sometimes brings them little gifts once he’s started figuring out a pokemon’s personality. what berries they like, if they like any particular items, etc. but he also does this with piers, hence the romanticism. the more he starts to understand piers, the more often he’ll occasionally bring a gift over for him. usually it’s topical stuff, like things he can use for music / songwriting / etc. other times it’s really silly, like scrunchies with dumb patterns on them for his hair or just some sweets he tried at the cafe and thought it was so good he wanted to share it. he’ll even bring something for marnie sometimes and pass it on to piers to give to her if she isn’t in town at the time. he’d literally buy flowers for piers at some point tbqh. looking at him one wouldn’t expect it, but he just likes all that cheesy stuff & being involved in the world of someone he loves ??? soft.

bonus: raihan learning to appreciate the simplicity of not dynamaxing pokemon and enjoying piers’ style of battling. he constantly tells piers that one day he’s going to beat him in the finals and when he manages that, he wants the two of them to convince leon to do a double battle against them together.

bonus x 2: piers saying i love you aloud may be a little rare, but with raihan it is not. he says it often. loudly or quietly. energetically and calmly, when need be. in front of others and alone. when piers needs to hear it and when he doesn’t.

bonus x 3: since sb won't hecking invest in social media and texting skills, raihan communicates with piers back and forth via bird mail just shove a letter in a pelipper's beak and pray i guess. you: piers will send him letters just to tell him he's feeling sad. me: bitch i raise you raihan sending him a letter just to say good morning & good night don't fucking teST me.

[k4nill]

ROTTMNT Headcannons for a Friend ~ S/O being sick.

Sorry i'm damnnnn late but translating this took a me while hahaha I hope you get better soon dear!!! @turtlestanfirst.

Raph

> Calls you all the fluffiest pet names with that sweet "hey buddy" tone all the time you are sick.

> Rather visit you than having you in quarentene by Donnie on the lair (and also to have some time alone)

> Raph is most likely to pick you up for anything, so forget about being able to walk for a while.

> Tries to cook for you, but it's always the same Raph special Hot Soup™ (ramen noodles with maccaroni and spaguetti pasta, Raph is a high-cab guy) still, is warm as his heart and a delight.

> He understands how tired you must feel so he suggest soft activities (having netflix marathons of movies, a console game, board games, BUT NEVER FUCKING UNO HE WILL CRY IF YOU THROW HIM THAT +4 CARD)

> He's the one who would probably ask you if you wanted him to leave or if you want to be alone, he thinks he's too suffocating. (It is a little, but you know, he cares too much)

> Builts a pillow fortress for you and when entering he says: "you need something, your majesty?" He just treats you like royalty.

> Blast your favorite songs and sings for you in the smoothest jazzy voice. (you know his beautiful deep ass voice)

> Let's say you are so entretained you and Raph forget the time for your meds, still you take em, but like 5 hours late.

> Raph constantly talks about his family and friends. He's the one to bring up deep conversations topics (about him being the leader , not being good enough, concerned by his brothers dumbassery) and you open up as well. Raph is full of emotions and loves to be listened to and he'll do the same for you.

>His eyes become crystalline when you start coughing or when the thermometer marks a mild fever.

> He tries to clean your place. Tries, but most likely to trash it a little bit more... Just a little.

> When you told him you were sick he came rushing, didn't even think of getting sick himself, so, after you recover is most likely you have to take care of him.

> Dumb dumb also didn't tell his family where tf he was, so he made his family a little concerned.

Donnie

> Boy thinks He's Dr. House or some shit like he'll ask you all you symptoms and then he tells you with his dorky "Mr. I know all" smirk that is a rare desease that you can only adquire on the amazon rainforest like... You have a cold.

> Doesn't want to get sick (a waste of time) and definitely don't want anyone on the lair sick cuz they are DRAMATIC AF when they get sick.

> So he suits himself up with those NBC suits and ask you to stay in a (previously prepared) station in the lab, which is basically a sickbed with some comfy futons (that he stole from Leon), with a screen near for your entretainment, and tons of pillows.

> Programs Shelldon so you can have your meds on time or if you need something he can bring it to you.

> You may find a plushie in the station and ask Donnie where he got it and he'll tell you with the most monotone and uninterested tone : "Oh I took it from Leon, it was with the pillows, don't mind it, you can take it home if you want"

> YEAH THE BITCH TOTALLY FOUGHT A CAT FOR IT ON THE FUCKING DUMPSTER AND HE'S SCREAMING INTERNALLY WHEN YOU SAY: "Thanks, it's cute."

> He'll work on some project but high-key is not, he's watching you all the time, like you are watching some dank ass memes and look over to see him and he does that "thing", you know when you pretend you stare at nothing when they catch you staring at someone?

> He' wearing the suit but with any barely improvement of the symptoms he'll take it off and get closer to you cuz he misses being close to you.

> Won't allow you to be just in bed tho, he says activity is important. So he takes you out to dance to your favorite songs and his weeb songs. (Bootyyyshaker9000 entered the game)

> When you are getting ready to go to sleep, he tucks you in, gets his caffeine overdose and in your deep dream state he plugs you in a machine to continue to monitor your sickness.

> Gets sick cuz he's a dummy and took the suit to early, also not enough sleep can lower your defenses.

Leon

>Ok low-key the doctor of the family, (I live for this HC of Leon being a doctor) knows right away you are sick when you come in the lair.

> Also doesn't want you in quarentene (Damn Donnie it's not time to test that gigant quarentine snow globe protocol) so takes you to the "Neon City". (Leon's room is filled with Neon signs of all kinds.)

> Lets you use his bed, no questions and doesn't take a no for an answer. (plus his eye mask)

> In the shelfs they are these plants and miniature zen garden, rubik's cube, some origami stuff, figurines....he shows you how to take care of the plants, solve 3d puzzles, even teaching you origami (Leon is a very zen person, if he doesn't have a break from the meme lord he is he would've snapped a long time ago) and his personal favorite: sewing patches to his gigant bed sheet (he started trimming pieces of fabrics and putting em together, remember they aren't rich but resourceful) just to keep you entretained.

> But board games are next level shit, you don't want to play because Leon is a really bad loser/winner he's dumbass and will always complain.

> You two end up watching compilations of memes and vines for HOURS, until you decide is time to watch a movie, but wait its the fucking 69 movies of Jupiter Jim the only thing in the catalogue.

> But you love to reenact your favorite scenes with him, and maybe, just maybe he would let you be Captain Jim this time.

> We all know Leon is really clumsy, yet he's really gentle and soft when he wants to. He treats you the same as always (quoting shitty vines and hideous oneliners from time to time) but he tries to touch you a lot more and if you think of something it's like he already read you mind and bring you what you wanted or needed. Smooth mofo.

> Leon isn't obsessive when it's something mild (like a cold) he knows is something temporary and just want you to keep you distracted, without feeling suffocated or making you feel you can't do anything.

> But if it was something like a broken bone, beatings in general or you having a relapse in any major illness he would get depressed. He won't be as bright with you or with others, his behaivor would shift from 100 to 1 until you get better.

> In this last scenario, silently cries when people he cares about (that are in this state) are asleep, cuz he can't make them heal faster or make them feel better. His brothers snap, are agressive, are short tempered and anxious when they are in this situation, Leon just shuts down and bottles up his feelings of impotence.

>Also another dummy who gets sick, he's a pain in the ass who thinks he's gonna die soon, but give him all the attention an cuddles and he'll be a good boy.

Mikey

>Stole literally all the comfy items (plushies, futons, shelldon, Raph's hot soup) to give it to you.

> Mikey is not knowledgable in med stuff, so he often ask Leon or Donnie about your sickness but won't credit them lol.

> The entire time wears a classic halloween costume nurse hat and wears a white coat and a fake glasses with a mustache when he wants to be a doctor. (plus: makes his voice a little deeper)

> He says that the lair isn't at all like a hospital but the hospital is made by all the good will people of the personal that want to help others, so he dresses up to make you feel in one. You can't help but enjoy everytime he changes from a nurse to a doctor having their monologues about payday and gossiping about the "other" staff.

Dr. Mikey: "Dr. Saenz just told me that he's firing Barbara because he didn't bought him the right sidedish with his pizza."

Nurse Mikey: "hOW DARES BARBARA DISRESPECT DR. SAENZ ONION RINGS WITH BARBECUE SAUCE"

> And takes the game kinda far.

Dr. Mikey: "yOU INSURANCE DOESN'T COVER THIS!!!"

You: "Ok doctor what about if I make a deposit of hugs in the bank for this?"

Mikey:"O-okay!!!! I'm the bank man now!!! (Totally changed into a bank man just adding a red tie)

> Mikey won't turn down your entretainment, neither his. So he'll paint and let you paint saying is your recovery therapy.

> You would have a lot of fun but sometimes you'll feel a little ashamed to show what you did because honestly Mikey is really good, nontheless he'll will always compliment your art and keeps everysingle piece in storage (even things you think he should throw away).

> Mikey's meds skills are basically laugh therapy.

> While his brothers are calm he kinda panics and pretends everything is okay, until he trips on an imaginary banana peel or drops just one of your pills he snAPS and says he's sorry he's not a good enough nurse/doctor in the verge of tears. (Of course you later reasure him his not.)

> He's just so active but he knows you can cope with him, it's sorta frustraiting to him to lower her normal energy levels.

> Doesn't get sick, surprisingly.

[polygamyff]

19. Part 2

This is such a surprise to me, I didn’t even know what to wear so I only have this brown dress and sneakers. I have put the bare minimum make up on so shades it is, let’s get this over with. Leon ain’t shit, he is just happy to do some shopping for himself and it’s on Maurice. I bet Nalah did drag that card from him, closing my bedroom door “I don’t have much to wear, I just found this but let’s go” placing my phone in my bag “you look good though, you are naturally beautiful, I mean once I take this face off it’s crazy. You’ll see my uneven skin tone and freckles, just like Maurice but you look so good” Nalah complimented me “thank you so much and don’t put yourself down, you look bomb, I be jealous of your diamonds” placing my bag on the table “that going to be you next, trust me” she got up from the couch “let’s go and cute apartment, cute friend too. He’s funny” Leon is something else “she called me funny” he said to me “she did stupid, but thanks. You want me to drive? Or do you?” I asked “SUV boo, it’s outside” picking my bag up from the table, this is going to be different. It’s going to be eventful, I get to know his sister but I am shocked. Tiffany said she is a bitch but look at her, she wants to shop with us.

Nalah sat right next to me in the back, not saying it’s bad but it’s a little close “oh yeah, my brother told me to say hi to Bonita, the one in her stomach which I won’t attempt but just thought I would say it” my heart literally missed a beat hearing those words, I feel a little emotional. Swallowing hard “thank you” smiling wide “he would be talking to my stomach saying that, he embarrasses me. He does it in public too” I giggled saying, my eyes are all teary now “seriously? What a weirdo, I can never imagine him like that. Honestly, this is different to hear” Nalah must see a different side to him “he is really like that, at my work. He would be like you saved a life today? And I was like yeah, the guy is alive, he just started praising our daughter saying look at how clever you are baby, saving lives already. I was like stop it, we are in the middle of the hospital” shaking my head laughing, both Leon and Nalah are laughing but it’s funny cute “wow, that is different. I don’t see my brother like that, he would never do such a thing. Look stupid, but I guess that is what happens when you are in love, and he’s deeply in there. I really want to see that you know, awww he’s such a loser” Maurice won’t be amused I told her this but I find it adorable, my man being the cutest “I think of my brother as he wears his heart on his sleeve but he hid that away, I know he did that because dad never allowed him to show feelings. It’s the work he’s in, you have to be hard faced. He’s actually a mommy’ boy too, my mom is always like my baby, look at him and then me it’s like hi Nalah but I can honestly say Maurice has showed me care just we wasn’t allowed to be together as siblings and be there for each other, it was always Maurice has to be away with dad” Maurice really got secluded from his siblings.

Sitting down in this cafe on Melrose “drink?” Nalah pointed at me asking “just water” can’t be having coffee now “no cake? You have to have cake, I will get you something and Leon” I do want cake but I don’t want to be a fat bitch anymore “a large Latte please” Leon is loving life “Nalah!” I shouted “yes boo?” It’s wrong she is paying “let me pay for this, please” getting up from the chair “why? I ain’t paying either, Maurice is” she cackled walking off “I fucking love her” Leon said as I sat back down “that she is spending my man’ money?” Leon gasped “ok bitch, she just gives me that bad bitch vibe. She is the bomb, if I saw her on the streets I wouldn’t want to approach her but she is actually nice” my smile grew, he is right “I wonder why she came and not Maurice?” Pouting my lips out “she did say she wants to get to know me, not a bad thing right?” Looking that over at Leon “she wants to be involved in that baby’ life, not a bad thing at all. So the interview? Did you get wet just watching him?” Leon is nasty “maybe” I said with a smirk “I can tell you got so angry though, when he said wife. But he honestly looked so uncomfortable, you the only wife for him so stop it” Nodding my head Leon is right, I have to stop these thoughts and think of it as he wants me which he does want me.

Nalah placed my water down on the and then some beautiful piece of cake “that looks so moist!” I had to say it, cravings are kicking in bad “best cakes they make, I love a good coffee and cake before I shop. You see me, I ain’t skinny, I love my fat ass and eating cake” Nalah is funny, she is making me laugh “but you’re not huge, you have a good ass on you” which she does “thank you but eat up, I wish I was pregnant so I could eat doubles” Nalah shuffled her chair in “I feel the baby is already huge so no, I cannot be doing that. I feel like I am with my stomach poked out already, I don’t know but I am trying to not be double. I eat a lot at night, I have a feeling that this baby is awake at night because I eat so much, the baby I can feel move more. I hope Maurice is ready, he can stay awake” all of a sudden I’m her fried, she got me cake. I feel like a fat bitch for this “I believe in you Robyn, he will do it. He adores you so much” it’s weird to hear it from someone else.

I think I just orgasmed eating that cake, I never come here but I will be now “but seriously, how did you get Maurice’ card? I can’t imagine him letting it go that easily?” Leon asked “I just said to him, ok I may have told a lie but he knows me. I said it’s for the baby” she used my baby already “he believed me it’s fine, he did say. Not a lie, get Robyn something from me so I need to choose it, sorry. Don’t be feeling shy with me now” I am not like that, I just feel like this is not real “I won’t girl, where have you been all my life!” Leon is a such a bitch “don’t forget me ok?” I pointed at myself “you don’t get friends in the life I live, you get fake friends that want to use you. It makes me sad because I can’t find a man, they say it’s me I am a bitch but it’s not. They can’t handle that I don’t need them, all I want is love and they cannot give me that because they just want to use me for my money, well mostly name. This one guy I thought we was getting on, I would take him shopping and then Malik kept on saying he is using you and then he just upped and left, then I found out it was because my brothers threatened him and he just went because they said you either marry my sister or don’t be with her at all, he wasn’t real. So yeah” that is horrible “why are people like that?” I’m asking like she knows “people are cruel girl” she’s not wrong, I need to hook her up with a man. That is on my list.

I feel annoyed at myself, I don’t feel I made the effort at all, I am a mess “shall we see if DASH got anything nice, those Kardashians can’t dress for shit but will look in there” never been here “or maybe not” Nalah said as she stopped abruptly “what is it?” I asked “actually screw them, come” Nalah continued to walk inside “it’s just some trash I have seen” Nalah said ever so loud as she walked inside I soon realised what she meant, imagine that. Seeing the two bitches that tried to harm me, I have the right mind to beat their ass. I felt the anger enter me, walking off towards them “no, fuck them” Tiffany stared at me, taking my shades off “come, you have more class Robyn” Leon held onto my arm “Bianca!! Girl, this is my. Robyn, come here! Don’t pay them no mind” Nalah waved me over, I am so angry I want to scream why. I cannot believe she tried that’s shit with me “so anyways, this is Robyn. We came out here to get some things. Bitch you need to show me the new shit in the back” I want to kill Tiffany and it’s not because of me but she tried to harm my baby.

I am so not in in the mood to shop now after that bullshit with Tiffany and Deja, now they best friends, they didn’t even like each other and Deja bitched about Tiffany, bitches ain’t fucking shit in this lifetime at all. I wanted to fight Tiffany, why didn’t I do it and now I’m angry at myself for this “we are in Fendi and you’re angry?” Leon said into my ear in a whisper “I am angry at the fact I did not fight her, she was there. She tried to hurt my baby and I feel like I let it happen. I am so stressed Leon, I feel like I didn’t do anything” Leon rolled his eyes at me “listen to me woman! You are pregnant, you can’t do shit. So please” Leon is so sick of me “buy anyways, you like this top?” Leon is already getting things “look at what auntie Nalah has got her” looking away from Leon and seeing this pink and white baby grow “awwww my, look at that. That is so adorable” touching the arms “maybe that’s too tiny, get a bigger size. I am guessing that this baby might be big. That is so sweet Nalah, actually the first piece of clothing you know” my daughter going to have some pretty ass dresses “I won’t buy anything more, Maurice said to buy you things. Not the baby so I will stop” Nalah is going to spoil this girl “pick something now Robyn” she walked off, the store assistant followed her, she is known.

I really didn’t want to buy things, the jacket alone is like two thousand pounds but Nalah will not drop it so I got a jacket and bag. That alone was terribly expensive “y’all have Instagram?” Nalah said as the bags got loaded into the SUV “yes I do, I mean I kind of use it” Nalah spun around with the camera facing us “oh no sweetie, I don’t look good” turning around hitting into Leon “oh stop it girl, we shopping bitch!” Leon cheesed turning me back around “serve face, come on. You look like a hard faced bitch with those shades on anyways, come on” Nalah took the picture, I just didn’t smile “ok, I am not here for this I don’t look good bullshit. You are actually very pretty” seeing Victoria Secrets “I want to go there” I pointed out changing the subject, I am feeling very horny and to make him stay in one place I can use myself for this.

Maybe I shouldn’t bring his sister with me but she is here now “I noticed how I can make him stay in one place” looking through the line “sex” I will work this “well the power of a woman is their vagina, you go girl. I mean that will really work but honestly, my brother would stay with you either way. He does adore you” I am sure he does “this should work” holding up this red burlesque style lingerie with a split in the middle of the lace top which exposes my stomach, matching thong too “you will look bomb in that, you need to wear those red heels!” Leon spat, he is right. My red heels “I need to lure him back to LA” I found something so perfect “he should be here for the scan, like we was trying to come up with a plan to get him here but he will, you don’t need to lure him” Nalah is really all for her brother in this, I miss him anyways and I just want to hug him.

I can only imagine how much Nalah is paying for this meal, this food is nice but the portion sizes is not good I want more, I am eating for two here “do you hate my brother for lying to you? Not being around for you?” Nalah asked me, I paused taking a long deep breath “I don’t hate him, hand on my heart I do not. I just want to hold him close and protect him, it makes me so sad how everything is, how he grew up. How your dad makes him feel. The issue of him not being around it upsets me, it makes me feel lonely I would say. I don’t get enough of him, just to wake up to him. Spend a few days, you know. I don’t know, I can’t explain it. I saw him, I saw her there on that stage. I saw the people shout about it, gushing over it. I felt bad, I felt like the woman that is on the side but I am that, I am fine with being a secret because I don’t want to deal with this heir business, I am not about that. The world knows he is married and then it’s me, I will be made out to be the bad person. Then he is a flirt, it could be that stupid old woman that kept touching him on his birthday. God, she just touched him non-stop and he was still a flirt with that but I know he loves me and that is why I back down but I don’t like it but it’s something I am in because I want to see your brother succeed, to see him flourish” that sounded like a rant to me “oh Tina” Nalah chuckled “she is an old woman that wants Maurice, she has too much money. She is a designer, when she has her shows she uses our hotels. I mean I get it, he is the way he is and I don’t think he will change that but Robyn, a man will cheat if he is unhappy. He is not that with you, I can see it. He has changed, I mean with him being married I wish that never happened. It was a stressful time, I am honestly happy that he is happy because it’s his time to be that. What I need to know is that you will ride this out with him” that is a big question to ask, so bluntly too.

“Yes but I just get tired, it’s like us time is him checking his phone and then jumping out of bed. Then the time I am like great, silence we are in bed then I get called in. I get I have been demanding but I just thought tame the beast early but it’s hard, like what am I to him?” I shrugged shaking my head “you have tamed the beast enough to make him move from Texas to LA, to have him travelling like a mad man. You’re his girlfriend Robyn and the only advice I can give you, just stand by him. He is battling a lot of people on the other side, he doesn’t want to upset you and then have my dad start thinking what is he doing and then to clock onto you. I am going to help my brother as much as I can, and honestly the boy loves you so much. Saying all these stupid names, texting me saying don’t get baby things, I am doing it. I will do it, I am coming. I am like who is this man, he has testing times coming up Robyn and it will be when that hotel open in Dubai, he was already saying that is my hotel. I want my daughter there, I said it may not be logical to do but you never know. You don’t think about things like heir but that little girl holds a lot, and especially when Maurice has already decided to give his Bonita whatever the rights. I just feel like with the both of you, you are both so good together. I want for him to make time for you, I can see his schedule now. It’s looking like he can come, as long as things are running fine then he is yours. My brother is sensitive, and I don’t want him to lose his happiness which is you” that is a lot to take in “so what is Noami to him?” I had to ask “his wife which the world knows but nothing, my dad pushes her in his face. I think honestly, they could have worked but it was too much with lies, I do hope this makes you comfortable with me and also shows you that my brother is serious, this ain’t no phase in his life. Like, make sure you buy Robyn something please. That nigga ain’t ever say please to me unless he wants me to make him some damn food” my smile grew, to hear such things, I mean his sister is seeing the difference in him and that is because of me.

That interview was the most pointless shit, I just exposed what we are planning but why should people know that. Picking my suit jacket up from the chair, I just want to go now “you really just going to start your own real estate?” Naomi asked in annoyance “well why not, I need to make sure we the best. Thanks for the tips” winking at her “fuck you” turning around “what did you mean when you’re married it is just on paper?” my dad would bring it up “you should know what that means now, I am only doing what you told me to do. So please, are we done?” eyeballing my dad “you coming London with me” that sounded like a demand “mhmmmm no” walking around him “I am out of here, you want to go so much so you go. I am done, Malik come” I need to finish off a few things here and then I can actually make it for the scan.

[howoriginal-author]

The first chapter in all its rough draft glory!!!!!

yes i’m an ass hole, why do you ask? oh you say what kind of asshole doesn’t name his story and presumes that it is good enough that it claims the title of “THE STORY” well me obviously. thats what kind of ass whole. also i’m lazy and havent though up a real title yet. here’s the story you’ve all not been waiting for.  

The story begins

Chapter one rough draft

and maybe never a chapter. Who can say. Want some more needless jabbering?

Joel's life began when he finally managed to make Ren angry.  He and ren had been sparring, sparring of their own accord. It had been one of those days. A day that didn’t seem so bad at the start and then through a series of minor mishaps and annoyances turned into a minor annoyance itself. All of it culminated in a head at this moment. It had started as he and Ren were sent out on patrol by Leone, the head of boys.  He was not a little annoyed by the older boys seeming enjoyment of the day. Joel was more than content to ride in silence but Ren had constantly been talking, talking about father, about Leon about his prospects, about the weather, about anything that seemed to enter his fool head. Joel had rarely seen him so talkative.  Ren’s happiness peeved Joel to no end. Ren was simple and Joel was clever. But Joel was not clever when it came to swords and Ren was. Joel had forgotten what even lead  him to suggesting a sparring match. Apparently I’m not that clever after all. He thought to himself meditating on his own his foolishness. The match instead of working out  he anger as he had hoped it would it had only inflamed it. Normally he wasn’t so outpaced by Ren in skill. Ren was stronger and quicker too. In Fact he was just better all together except that he lacked guile. Joel would feint and lead and coax and trap but the problem was Ren was learning his tricks and had been and there were only so many ways to feint.  Joel had avoided sparring with Ren for almost a week.  Preferring fights he could win. Which meant never sparring at all. Every fighting man was trained with the sword and spear and Joel was in the awkward transition between boyhood and manhood, and was in the even more awkward position of being the weakest among the boys about to pass into manhood.  Still he could fight,  His anger had got the better of him and before he knew what was doing he was suggesting they spar.

“ Here?” Ren had asked surprised. They were on the plain alone running scouting at Loene the master of boys had commanded them to. Miles from their camp.

“ I’ve been getting rusty, and  Leone will have some task for us if he return now. We’ve seen no sign of anything out of the ordinary so far and won’t see anything out of the ordinary today. Now is as good a time as any.” he had said.  “look there’s a tree we can tie the horses and spar in the shade.”

He never let his anger show, no gritting of the teeth and no harshness to his voice. That was his way, never show weakness, and Joel considered anger a weakness. Which is why you don’t let yourself be controlled by it. He had thought wryly as he rode his horse towards the tree. No boy carried a blade before he earned it and  neither Ren nor Joel had earned their blades. but as all boys their age they both carried wooden swords. They booth dismounted and tied the horse to the a low limb of the sica tree, unstrapping their wooden swords and taking a stance.  Usually when sparring with Ren he detached himself from any desire to win. And so when he one a bout or two he was pleasantly surprised.  But this time he wanted to win, wanted it bad, and so he lost. Bout after bout he lost. Three bouts Ren batted aside Joel's own stick and  gave him three stinging welts. That was when things took a turn for the worse. After asking for yet another bout  Joel’s rage was burning inside him and he was having more and more trouble hiding it. As they began he tried to focus. He tried for that calm detachment, simply defend wait, Ren was good but he would become overconfident with each victory. But as before there was something in him that didn’t want to be clever. Why wait for victory, that not victory at all you should be able to take it.  Then as before he abandoned the strategy that worked. Abandoned feints and traps trying for brute strength and speed. To be faster than his opponent, to be stronger,  to be Better.  That was what he wanted to gain victory not through a combination of luck and patience. Simplifying waiting for Ren to make a mistake. A mistake that might never come,  but to win, on his term. To beat Ren. To win! It didn’t go that way. Again Ren knocked Joel’s underhand cut aside and used the motion to drive his own stick into Joel’s side. It should have ended there. Joel should have swallowed his pride and smiled and laughed it off. But there was a rage in him. Even as he knew Ren had him, even as he felt the stick smack his side he was driving his own stick  straight towards Ren’s shin. Joel felt the impact even as Ren’s own softer strike bruised his side. Correct etiquette for a bout dictated that the loser concede and then either leave the ring or ask for another challenge.  Formal etiquette was ignored. As Ren limped in a circle silently cursing while Joel stood considering the repercussions for what he had done. When he met Ren’s Eye’s he knew he was about to be in pain. Ren advanced toward Joel with a slight limp then planted his feet and raised his stick.

“Again.” he said

“ I must decline.” Joel returned licking his lips, “I’ve satisfied my need to practice for today.”

“Ten bouts.” Ren said. “ To satisfy to a challenge. You’ve only fought 4 so far.” Ren smiled his angry smile. “Are you so easily satisfied or just a coward?”  Why? why did I inflict this on myself? There was no choice. He had challenged Ren and Ren had the right to demand 10 bouts, he couldn’t walk away all he could do was defend himself.  Joel raised his stick into a low guard. Now my heads clear, just when it’s too late to begin making wise decisions.   He and Ren had been sparing as long as he could remember. The children of the Dharuh were taught to ride before they could walk and to fight for they could speak. As half brothers Ren and Joel were raised to compete to see who would take their father’s standard. Ren was better, but Joel had always assumed he was just a step behind. He was wrong. Ren lunged into a feint then attack with a sweeping blow Joel barely managed to block the first strike the the second he had no hope of blocking. Pain lanced up Joel’s shin as Ren’s stick slammed into it. Joel silently cursed himself. Why? Why did I allow this to happen. Why can’t I even defend against my brother. Why am I weak? Two more bouts and and it was clear that Ren had been holding back in all previous fights. Each bout Joel meet a strength and speed he hadn’t previously encountered in his brother. Each time Ren struck at Joel’s shin. On the seventh bout Joel’s left leg was going numb, the calm that had replaced his earlier anger been torn away. Why can’t I win. He had tried his best. He was clever he was quick but Ren was better. Why? Even as he asked the question Joel mocked himself. You’re sad that you can’t win a practice fight against your own brother, what a hard life you lead. But you need not worry when you fight a real enemy there will be no reason so mourn losing, you’ll be in Bhale’s embrace after all. Again Joel took his stance left leg shaking slightly. Bhale if you let me win I will give  my blood to you. Just let me win. Such pleas to the god of battle rarely worked. After all Bhale was a god of the strong not of the weak, but Joel needed all the help he could get. When Joel raised his sword into a guard Ren attacked in the space of a breath. Joel parried the first blow, but the second knocked him off balance. Ren’s third blow was aimed at Joel's shin again. The petty nature of his brother infuriated him. His own stupidity and lack of skill infuriated him. No No, No! The word rose in him, in his head, through him. He realized he was yelling it, and as he yelled he felt the word leave him. He had never felt anything like it. It was as if something had taken shape from his mouth. He was reminded, inexplicably of carving a wooden horse as a child. The feeling of making, shaping the wood. At the same time he felt as if something was being drawn forth from him. Time seemed to slow as these feelings and memories passed over him. He felt, rather than saw his brothers stick shatter. It was like nothing he had ever seen. The wooden sword split into a thousand shards. Like a rock dropped from top of a canyon.  The rain of splinters that followed  battered his face. He stepped back involuntarily, lost his balance and fell on his back. Ren took the explosion of the practice sword better. Managing to stay on his feet. He looked at the hilt of his stick now the only thing left that wasn’t a splinter. Ren’s expression of one of minor perplexity. He looked up and met Joel’s eyes.

“Well now.” Ren said. “ you’re a battle mage.”

[placetobenation]

RIP Jon Huber.

Words can’t do justice. To all that knew him, he was a devoted father, husband and wrestling superstar. Gone far too young at the age of 41 due to a non-COVID-19 lung issue. We’ll always remember Brodie Lee, Luke Harper and Jon Huber.

Kudos to All Elite Wrestling for a tremendous tribute Wednesday night on TNT. Extremely well done on every front.

This one's for you #BrodieLee pic.twitter.com/2wNFJEK82y

— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) December 31, 2020

A tribute to #BrodieLee #AEWDynamite pic.twitter.com/ZptMKH1Hst

— All Elite Wrestling on TNT (@AEWonTNT) December 31, 2020

The WWE also released a tribute after AEW’s show.

Husband. Father. Friend. Superstar. WWE Superstars & friends pay tribute to Jon Huber. (via @WWE) pic.twitter.com/8CUd1fQnwZ

— WWE on FOX (@WWEonFOX) December 31, 2020

RAW

RESULTS

Keith Lee defeated Sheamus to win shot at WWE Championship

Gran Metalik defeated The Miz

Shayna Baszler defeated Dana Brooke

AJ Styles defeated Elias

Mustafa Ali defeated Ricochet

Charlotte Flair defeated Nia Jax by DQ

The Hurt Business defeated The New Day, Jeff Hardy & Riddle

WHAT is @AlexaBliss_WWE thinking? WHAT is @RandyOrton thinking?!#WWERaw pic.twitter.com/tBXlzsBHve

— WWE (@WWE) December 29, 2020

Alexa Bliss vs. Randy Orton

That was something I will say that. I didn’t know whether to love it, hate it or just walk away from it. Yes, it was some sight seeing Alexa Bliss call out Randy Orton, begging him to light her on fire as he did to The Fiend. Of course, we don’t know whether Orton dropped the match to a fully engulfed with gas Bliss as the show ended. It was indeed a true cliffhanger in that mode. But, do we really believe that Orton would now intentionally murder two people on national TV? I’m not quite sure, other than shock value, what the WWE is looking for with this angle. We’ll all see Monday night for the next episode of RAW.

Thumbs Up:

Keith Lee vs. Sheamus was as good as expected. I really did think it was going to be Sheamus going over in this one, but I do think it works better having Lee get another shot at McIntyre while Sheamus stews the defeat and puts off an encounter with his BFF for a bit.

.@AliWWE: "Join RETRIBUTION. What is your decision?@KingRicochet: #WWERaw pic.twitter.com/PJcAGuQDjs

— WWE (@WWE) December 29, 2020

AJ Styles vs. Elias was very good. Good to see two “bad guys” go at it and just get after it without the old heel cliches. Mustafa Ali vs. Ricochet was its usual good stuff. I wish they would come to a resolution to the matter as its not helping either side with the same ol’ story each week. I’d like to see a darker side or Ricochet in my mind. Take off the masks from RETRIBUTION and form a true stable that has a chance to do something.

They were right all along…@mikethemiz is ONCE AGAIN Mr. Money in the Bank! #WWERaw @TheRealMorrison pic.twitter.com/Xvt6T6VHYl

— WWE (@WWE) December 29, 2020

The Miz getting his Money In The Bank briefcase back is a good thing. Having him lose to Gran Metalik to bring him down wasn’t needed. It only would’ve made sense to bring The Miz down if they had dragged it out for a couple of weeks. Having him down for about an hour or so did nothing. They need to build The Miz up to more than a cartoon character of comedy to truly be a challenger worthy of Drew McIntyre’s WWE Championship.

Thumbs Down:

Charlotte Flair vs. Nia Jax – I just can’t get behind anything that Nia Jax is doing these days. Charlotte Flair is The Queen, but there’s no flow or chemistry when these two get together. Why waste it? And another thing. Let Shayna Baszler be a bad ass by herself. It would work better for her.

Angel Garza. Please, I’m begging them to stop the romancing the rose storyline. It’s been old since they started it back around WrestleMania. It’s even older now. It’s doing nothing to move Garza forward. At least he got the 24/7 Championship victory over R-Truth on Tik Tok!

NXT

RESULTS

Bronson Reed defeated Isaiah “Swerve” Scott

Grizzled Young Veterans defeated Breezango

Mercedes Martinez defeated Valentina Feroz

Pete Dunn defeated Roderick Strong

Lucha House Party defeated Legado del Fantasma

NXT North American Championship Match: Johnny Gargano defeated Leon Ruff to retain the title

.@Lady_Scarlett13 likes what she sees.

#WWENXT @WWEKarrionKross @ArcherOfInfamy pic.twitter.com/mUjkxY9r29

— WWE NXT (@WWENXT) December 31, 2020

Thumbs Up:

Pete Dunne vs. Roderick Strong. The rivalry continues between the Kings of NXT and The Undisputed Era. Dunne’s look really good the past couple of weeks in singles competition against TUE. As for Roddy, well, he continues to be Strong.

The Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic is back!#WWENXThttps://t.co/JJ72EIWNb1

— WWE (@WWE) December 31, 2020

Another year of the Dusty Rhodes Classic. Adam Cole and Roderick Strong make an interesting entry. I’d love to see WWE bring in a few teams from outside NXT to make things interesting too.

"It means something to me. To me, it's proof. Not only proof that I belong in the ring with you, but proof that I belong at the top of #WWENXT." You deserve it, @KORcombat. #WWENXT #NXTAwardMatch @FinnBalor #NXTYearEndAwards pic.twitter.com/JyI8HPBvse

— WWE (@WWE) December 31, 2020

A wild brawl just broke out between @WWEKarrionKross & @ArcherofInfamy on #WWENXT! pic.twitter.com/bVm6lB7sHt

— WWE (@WWE) December 31, 2020

Balor vs. O’Reilly. That’s about as good as it gets on the mic with these two. You could feel the passion, the reality, the urgency and yes, we’re ready for round 2! Adding Karrion Kross into the mix with Scarlett just puts it over the top. Doomsday is here. Tick. Tock. Oh, hi Damien Priest. That was a very good segment!

Rhea vs. Raquel vignette. The Last Woman Standing match is going to be awesome. Let’s just say that New Year’s Evil is stacked folks!

Highway Robbery:

Shotzi Blackheart over Pat McAfee for Breakout Star of the Year. There’s no bigger Shotzi fan than me, but even I can admit that McAfee took NXT by Storm and is a star in the making. He proved it on the mic, behind the scenes and yes, even in the ring during WarGames. Here’s hoping the WWE doesn’t keep him on the shelf too long.

Lucha Like!

Gran Metalik & Lince Dorado showing up to take on Legado del Fantasmo was a cool surprise. Long live Lucha Libre! Pretty cool week for Gran Metalik with wins on both RAW and NXT over 48 hours.

Meh:

Year-end awards presentation. They were kind of just there. Obviously, the tie-in with Balor vs. O’Reilly for the match of the year was a home run to set up their in-ring promo. All the rest, I could’ve done with online.

Johnny Gargano’s curse-breaking win over Leon Ruff did what it needed to do. That’s about all.

SMACKDOWN

RESULTS

Non-title Intercontinental Championship Match: Big E defeated King Corbin by DQ

Big E & Apollo Crews defeated Sami Zayn & King Corbin

The Riott Squad defeated Tamina & Natalya

Carmella & Bayley defeated Sasha Banks & Bianca Belair

Otis & Daniel Bryan defeated Cesaro & Shinsuke Nakamura

Kevin Owens defeated Jey Uso

Another level:

.@WWERomanReigns just sent @FIghtOwensFight crashing inside the #WWEThunderDome!!!#SmackDown pic.twitter.com/Xz2e8JCqqH

— WWE (@WWE) January 2, 2021

Sure, on its face, another Kevin Owens vs. Jey Uso match seems like filler. But, oh no. Not when the Head of the Table is involved! First off, Owens and Uso beat the snot out of each other with KO getting the expected knockout victory. Then, and you could see Roman Reigns foreshadow it earlier in the show by saying “they” don’t understand, “they’re” trying to take away what we have, Reigns was going to get Owens for making a match against Reigns’ wishes. Every week, they take the best angle in the WWE up a notch! It’s the very first attack through the ThunderDome crowd! I’ll be honest though, I thought Adam Pearce was in danger of an attack too. Maybe that’s next week?

Thumbs Up:

.@WWEBigE and @WWEApollo pick up the win on #SmackDown! pic.twitter.com/5tXhcI6UqE

— WWE (@WWE) January 2, 2021

I like the way they are bringing a lot of people into the mix for Big E’s Intercontinental Title run. Sami Zayn as former champ, King Corbin as first challenge and now Apollo Crews as friend and Open Challenge acceptor for next week will keep it fresh. Zayn is awesome no matter what and making Big E look strong out of the gate will eventually make him a contender for Roman Reigns’ Universal Championship.

The Riott Squad keeps winning. After months of going nowhere, it’s good to see Liv Morgan and Ruby Riott on a winning streak even if it is beating Tamina and Natalya with the help of the annoying one, Billie Kay. There’s got to be a better way to use Billie, right?

#SmackDown Women's Champion @SashaBanksWWE has encountered an obstacle in this tag team match… a negative one! pic.twitter.com/9lqE7jV4Om

— WWE (@WWE) January 2, 2021

Sasha. Carmella. Bianca. Bayley. Getting them all together in the same ring makes Friday night a winner for all of us. Loved that Carmella gets the pin to get her some juice back after losing at TLC. Damn, Reggie has some moves! Can’t wait to see him in a ring soon too!

WOAH. @SonyaDevilleWWE is BACK on #SmackDown! pic.twitter.com/AcId1KWFDV

— WWE (@WWE) January 2, 2021

Sonya Deville is back! That’s good for business although we do need an explanation as to how one loses a loser leaves town match and then returns back so soon. We know the reality of it due to her stalking case, but how the WWE plays it on TV will be interesting.

I could’ve done without the drums and the predictions, but that was one helluva beatdown by Robert Roode and Dolph Ziggler on TSP. The Dirty Dawgs deserve some gold in their future!

Interesting:

Otis & Daniel Bryan teaming up was fun. Chad Gable + the YES movement sure is inspirational. Will it be more than a one-time effort? Even Otis looks better with Bryan, Cesaro and Shinsuke Nakamura in the same ring. The three amigos salute at the end was hilarious!

Annoying:

Billie Kay’s gimmick.  

Parting Shots:

With so many tag teams forming on the fly in the WWE these days, I’d love to see an old-school Crockett Cup tournament in the WWE. Take it across all three brands, maybe bring in some indy teams as well and I think it would be a fun event for 2021. There’s absolutely room to make some odd and unique pairings and match-ups instead of the old and tired matches.

Coming up this week:

RAW Legends Night WWE Championship Match: Drew McIntyre vs. Keith Lee

NXT – New Year’s Evil hosted by Dexter Lumis NXT Championship: Finn Balor vs. Kyle O’Reilly Damien Priest vs. Karrion Kross Fight Pit Match: Tommaso Ciampa vs. Timothy Thatcher Last Woman Standing: Rhea Ripley vs. Raquel Gonzalez NXT Cruiserweight Championship: Santos Escobar vs. Gran Metalik

SMACKDOWN Intercontinental Championship Match: Big E vs. Apollo Crews

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