#dress I wore to Sadie hawkins

[stomachofyourdeadsoulmate]

[emmlovesmarvel]

Chapter 7 - Upward & Onward

A/N

So I actually wanted to continue this story because I love WandaNat so much and I miss writing about them so here we are. Hope you guys are okay with me continuing it. Also feel free to interact with me about this story or about anything else! I am really enjoying the writing community and I like to think I’m fun to talk to. Anyways…enjoy this chapter! More to come!

Max POV

I’ve stayed in my room for the past 48 hours just trying to process all that’s happened. I haven’t had much of an appetite to keep meals down except for soup or small sandwiches but I go out of my room to hydrate and snack occasionally. And to also let moms know I am alive but not well. I told them I love them and am so thankful for them, but I just need time by myself to process and isolate a bit. I’m not sure why, but it always helps me. They’ve been so understanding and kind to me which I can never thank them enough for.

I’ve cleaned my room and rearranged it because who doesn’t enjoy rearranging their room at 11pm randomly? I also decided to take charge of my space and make it safe and comfortable for me. Jay had always had a say in what I wore, how my room looked like, what I ate, and when I exercised. Rearranging and cleaning was so liberating and freeing because I got rid of everything and anything that had him tied to it. I came across a photo booth strip when Jay and I were first together. We were at our school’s Sadie Hawkins dance and they had a bunch of cute props and funny clothes to dress in. He was kissing my cheek while I am stupidly laughing. I don’t realize I’m crying until I taste the warm salty liquid that had flowed down onto my lips. Did I make a mistake? Maybe he really loved me.

No. He loved having control. Somehow he manipulated me into giving up control. How could I be so stupid and not see it? Natasha Romanoff raised me for Christ’s sake. I am good at reading people and their intentions. Was I that desperate to be with someone romantically? Or did I really just fall in love with an abuser? How did he knock my walls down and build new ones to trap us in so no one could break through them? He made me so closed off to who I loved most.

Yet they always loved and accepted me. No matter how broken, angry, sad or mean I was. They continued to be what they promised they would always be. My loving mothers. I’ve never had to worry about not having a father or fatherly influence because Wanda Maximoff and Natasha Romanoff are the best of both worlds. They made an unstoppable and all powerful team. And they loved each other and me with everything they have. Why didn’t I ask for help sooner? I was breaking them. They had to watch the thing they love most, go through what I went through. I am so underserving of their love and protection yet they give it to me freely and in never ending amounts.

I can almost feel mama’s arms around me, holding me in our safe space. Wait. These arms are real. She’s holding me on the floor of my room. Shit. She must’ve felt me crying or mom must’ve heard me. I didn’t mean to wake them.

“Shh…shh baby, you’re okay. I’m right here. Let it out. You’re not alone, Max. We are always right here.” Mama says, placing her hand on my chest.

“S-sorry. I didn’t mean to w-wake you.” I sob.

“No, my love don’t apologize. It’s okay. I’m glad I could be here. I’ve missed you, my heart.” I can feel her smiling on that last part.

“I’ve missed you too. More than you could ever know, actually.” I watery laugh.

“I like what you’ve done with the place. It’s much more…Max.” She says to me as we make eye contact.

She smiles through her tear-filled green eyes. She kisses my forehead and I close my eyes, remembering what this feels like. I’m instantly warmed to my core and I feel my shoulders, then my jaw, and finally my abdomen completely relax. How does her touch just do that? Mama is always warm and soft. She is strong like mom and like Uncle Pietro was, but her demeanor and energy is always soft. She knows exactly how to make me feel calm and safe with a simple hug or kiss and I think that is truly her biggest superpower.

“Do you want to talk about it?” She asks resting her chin atop my head and stroking my hair and back.

“I just feel so stupid. And then I get angry at how stupid I was. And then I get sad at how I treated you and mom.” I reply dryly, finally composing myself.

“Your mind is putting you through the most vicious cycle I think, our minds can ever go through. All of these feelings are valid and they make complete sense. But once your mind finally relieves you of these feelings and thoughts, you will see what mom and I see. There’s no way you could’ve predicted Jay would be the person he is. There’s just no way. And I have extremely powerful empathetic powers and I didn’t even see it until after a while of you being together. And your mom being the scarily good spy she is, didn’t see it until I mentioned it to her. Even Auntie Lena didn’t see it.

I know you might think this is useless right now, but Max this is in no way your fault. This is all on him. You are not stupid for falling in love with someone or wanting to help them better themselves. You are the best kind of person because you have that quality.” She finishes and kisses my forehead.

“How do you do that?” I ask.

“Do what?” She tilts my head up to look at her.

“Know exactly what to say, know how to make me feel better with one touch, are perfectly empathetic..” I trail off.

“I didn’t use to know how. Your mom helped me in all of these ways. And your uncle Vision. And…you. I learn from you every day. I just have more practice putting what I’ve learned into action. Which by the way, you are way more ahead of where I was at your age. I was a closed off, moody, emo, and sad teenager. Which I guess encompasses the teenager lifestyle. But you Max, have always been resilient, strong, happy, helpful and thoughtful. You will get through this, my love. Take all the time you need. Grieving can’t be planned or controlled. Let it come and go. When it comes, you can come to me or mom. Or if you need to just isolate, do that. We just don’t want you hurting yourself. We would never judge, but we just want you to be safe. I love you so much, my heart.” She hugs me tighter as I reflect on what she said.

We stay there for a while until I start getting tired. Mama stands up and takes my hand, pulling me along with her. We reach her room and climb into their bed. Mom instinctively pulls me into her, placing a kiss on my head. I hug her back with as much ferocity and we eventually fall asleep.

Wanda POV (1 night before her conversation with Max)

Max hasn’t come out of her room since we all went to bed the morning after she told us everything with her nightmare. I know this will take her some time to process and try to understand what will happen now. I just can’t help but worry for her. I can feel her loneliness and sadness. Nat is helping me separate what are my emotions and what are Max’s.

“I just worry about her.” I say crying into Nat’s shoulder.

“I do too. We have to respect her wants though. Especially now. She needs to make sure she knows she isn’t controlled here like she was with him. By the way, I called Fury this morning and he says that he can have Jay locked up in a matter of days. The pictures I sent him of Max’s bruises and other scars were enough to make him sick. It’s Yelena we have to keep an eye on so Jay doesn’t mysteriously go missing.” She finishes making me chuckle.

“It’s so hard to feel what she’s feeling Nat. I’m glad I understand but I just hurt so much for her.” I defeatedly express.

“I wish we could take it all away from her.” Nat says kissing my forehead and pulling me into her again.

We suddenly hear her door creak open and light footsteps following it. Max comes out wearing sleep shorts, a tank top and a messy bun. She looks so cute but that thought is quickly replaced when I see the bruises on her upper arm and the one around her neck. I try to swallow my obvious expression of worry and protectiveness when I see her look up with tired eyes.

“I’m alive. I’m just getting some water and fruit. I love you guys. Thanks for respecting my space. I don’t know when I’ll be ready, but I promise it won’t be like this forever.” She says hugging Nat and then me. I’m glad she’s eating something because she hasn’t been eating a ton lately. This is evident when I can still feel every bone in her upper body which makes me hold her tighter. I just want to take all this away from her. She pulls away and smiles.

“We love you too, our heart. What fruit do you want?” Nat asks sweetly.

“Mandarin oranges and grapes?” Max asks.

“Coming right up.”

She takes her water bottle and fruit back to her room and shuts the door. Nat and I look at each other with so much love and sadness at the same time.

We both sit down on the couch and finish out the night with some Criminal Minds.

It’s now the next evening and Nat and I are getting ready for bed. We saw Max only once today. She had changed her clothes and was freshly showered. I know it gets harder for her to do her basic hygiene routine when she is depressed and we were expecting to have to help her but I’m proud she’s doing it on her own. She grabbed some more water and a small sandwich I made her earlier.

We were finally in bed and I was on the cusp of sleep when my chest started to burn and I felt my core tightening. This came out of nowhere. Then I heard soft muffles from Max’s room. She’s crying. This time it’s really bad. There are so many thoughts that are so loud. She is having a hard time breathing. I get out of bed and stand in front of her door assessing if I should enter or not. I follow my gut and enter her room and see her on the floor holding a photo strip. Her room looks completely different. I love it. She must’ve not heard me walk in and sit down behind her.

I pull her small frame into me and gently hold her. I rock us back and forth a bit until she understands what’s happening.

I feel her trying to breathe in more air and I shush her. I start rubbing circles on her back and kissing her head. I’ve missed her so much. She’s been in our house this whole time but I’ve barely seen her. I didn’t realize how much I missed hugging her. She fits so perfectly in my arms and I relish in it.

Once we are silent and content on the floor after her talking about her feelings, I stand up. I pull her hand up with me and lead us into our bedroom. Nat wakes up slightly when Max lays down. She pulls her into a hug and kisses her head. I rub her arm up and down until we all fall asleep. I can feel a glimmer of hope. It’s my own feeling, but Max’s too. She will get through this.

Nat POV

I wake up to the small but mighty snores from Max. She looks like she’s actually getting some good sleep. These past days have been so rough for her. I’m glad Fury is taking care of Jay so we can focus on Max’s healing. We need to help her eat some more and get on a good sleep schedule. Wanda is a bit better at helping regulate emotions in the house where it’s easier for me to manage everyone’s physical health. We make a good team for this reason. Although sometimes Wanda is reminding me to eat lunch as I work through paperwork and I reassure Wanda that Max will get through this and that she needs to prioritize her own emotions so she doesn’t spiral.

I get up and grab my phone. I step into the living room and call Yelena.

“Hey Nat. Everything okay?” Yelena asks as she picks up.

“Hey. Yeah everything’s looking up. Max and Wanda had a heart to heart last night which seemed to help them both.”

“Well that’s good to hear. How is Fury with arresting Jay?”

“They’re still processing the evidence photos. After that’s through, they’ll pick him up. Listen Lena, I know you want to kill him, get in line, but I think Max would benefit from some Auntie time. I think she would open up to you a bit more and maybe start realizing this isn’t her fault. She also needs some help and encouragement with eating.”

“I just booked my flight, I’ll be there in 2 days. I’m glad Fury is on it. That son of a bitch doesn’t deserve to see another ray of sunlight.”

“You have that right. Maybe while you’re here, you could-.”

“No, Nat. I can’t. I messed up bad with Kate. I need to give her some time.”

“Yelena, come on it’s been months. She still stops by here checking in on Max and us. I can tell she misses you. You just need to make the first move. Just tell me you’ll think about it.”

“…Fine. I’ll think about it. Happy? I’ll see you soon. Love you, Natasha.”

“I love you too, Lena.”

I start preparing breakfast when I hear light footsteps walking towards the kitchen. Max. I look up to see her cute face still trying to wake up.

I turn to face her completely and she wraps her arms around me and leans her head on my shoulder. I hold her back tightly and trace my fingers up and down her back. I’ve missed her.

“Did you sleep well?” I ask pulling away a bit.

“Yes. I always sleep good being in your arms.” She smiles back.

“Well I am glad to be of service. I love what you did with your room. You can use our card to buy some more stuff you want.” I tell her and I feel her nod.

“Also, I just got off with Auntie Lena and she lands here Wednesday night.”

“Really?! Ah! I’m so excited! Maybe she will finally talk to Kate.” She laughs sitting down on the barstool.

“Oh trust me I said the same thing. She says she’ll think about it.” We both laugh.

I see Wanda come out yawning and smiling at us. She hugs me and kisses me sweetly before going behind Max and hugging her. She sits down next to her and I hand them both coffee. We finish up eating our breakfast and Max goes to take a shower.

“I’m glad to hear Lena is coming. That’ll be good for Max.” Wanda says helping me clean the dishes.

“That’s what I was thinking as well. They have always been two peas in a pod. It’ll be good for her to have someone else to open up to…” “What happened last night?” I ask looking up from the sink into Wanda’s eyes.

“She found an old photo of her and Jay at the Sadie Hawkins dance last year and she got overwhelmed and cried. I just couldn’t take her being in there all alone feeling like she is alone. I held her and let her know that her mind is playing through a vicious thought cycle and she will eventually break out of it. She feels stupid for even falling in love with him in the first place.” She says.

“I wish she could see it’s not her fault. One day she will, but I just wish our baby wasn’t so broken right now. She’s worthy of so much.” I say leaning into Wanda.

“She’ll see that soon, my love. She will. We just have to be there to catch her when she falls into that mindset now and again. Last night as we were falling asleep, I felt this pang of hope in my core. It was so strong. I realized it’s because she was feeling that same pang, as well as you and me.” She says kissing my hairline.

“I definitely felt that when you guys came back to bed. I’m glad she was feeling it. That’s what really counts.” I reply.

We finish up cleaning the kitchen and the rest of the house. Max joined us outside in Wanda’s garden. She kept eating all the blackberries and Wanda was chasing her around trying to get the last one out of her mouth.

“Hey! That was the last ripe one! Come here and give it to me!” Wanda screams chasing Max.

“I can’t! They’re too good mama. I have to eat this last one!” She says with her mouth full of berries, holding the last one.

Wanda eventually catches up with her and lifts her in the air making Max squeal and drop the berry onto the grass.

“AHA!” Wanda yells, taking it and putting into her mouth. Her eyes go wide as she enjoys the taste of the last ripe berry.

“That’s okay, I didn’t want any blackberries.” I say looking at them both with my eyebrow cocked.

They look at me and innocently smile at the same time revealing their purple teeth making me chuckle.

“Sorry mom. Hehe. Uh there’s some raspberries over there if you want!” Max says as I inch forward towards her.

Before she registers what’s happening, I pick her up and run around with her, tickling her sides making her laugh. Wanda joins me and Max falls to the ground trying to squirm away. We join her on the grass and look up at the clouds.

A little while later, Max takes a blackberry out of her pocket and eats it.

“YOU LITTLE!” Wanda says. Max just laughs hysterically as I join her.

“Oh and what are you laughing about, Romanoff?” Wanda asks me, eyebrows furrowed.

“She played you, Maximoff. Like a violin.” I say and we all laugh.

“Well neither of you aren’t getting any blackberries next season.” She proudly says.

We all head back inside and we are helping Max decide where to put up some new decorations that she ordered. Things are finally looking up for our family. We are moving upward and onward.

[wheresmynaya]

Love the new chapter!!

Just to get a nice visual in my head what dresses and hairstyle did Brittany and Santana wear and use for the ball??

Thanks! 😊

Other than hairstyle, I didn’t actually have anything particular in mine for Brittany. It’s black tie but she would’ve gone a little less formal by wearing a cocktail dress instead of a floor length ball gown - would’ve restricted her dancing way too much. Maybe the dress she wore for the Sadie Hawkins dance in canon but the wavy hair from like Revert Locker in S2.

(Also why tf are there no clear pics of Hemo in that dress?! She was stunning!)

As for Santana, I imagined her in something floor length and formal. When there’s a theme she really sticks to it so maybe the dress she wore for the At the Ballet performance just in a darker color and same hairstyle too. Lil peephole to show off the girls but make it classy bc she doesn’t know these people at the Ball lol very on brand for this Santana.

[papipopsicle]

HANDMADE HEAVEN PART ONE

Pairing: Steve Harrington X Hargrove!Reader

Summary: In which the new Queen of Hawkins High finds herself falling for the fallen king.

Song: Easier by 5 Seconds of Summer

Warnings: swearing, asshole parental figures

Words: 1.7K

MASTERLIST

feedback is always appreciated

The house itself was fine, not pretty and polished like the one she grew up in, but at the very least she was grateful not to be sleeping in another motel bed filled with broken springs and anonymous stains. Susan greeted her like a good little home maker, tightly waved hair bouncing against her shoulders as she walked down the steps of the porch.

"How was it, sweetie?" The ginger woman waited with pursed lips while her step daughter stood from the vehicle. She really hated that car, it stood out like a sore thumb next to her husband's silver SUV, especially when her brothers parked alongside the two.

"Not the worst." Y/N shrugged. She missed the silent solace already, "Has Max decided which room she wants?"

Susan nodded, leading the blonde into their new home, "She's at the back opposite your father and I. William hasn't arrived yet so you have the choice of the one next to hers or ours."

Without hesitation she chose the one next to Max's. Her father helped unload her heavier furniture from the U-Haul currently fixed to the back of her red muscle car. The room was in the shape on an 'L', mirroring her step sister's. Her small double bed only just managed to fit in the crook, creating a cosy space to drift away in.

Hours of rearranging the room passed before a navy blue Camaro could be heard pulling up onto the curb and a muggy sunset made itself present in her bedroom window. Emptying out her socks into the small drawer of her dresser, Y/N dropped the empty black bin liner behind her and rushed to greet her brother.

"Billy!" She squealed, attacking him with a hug. The two would roughhouse and swear at each other like drunken sailors, but their love for each other would always be the first thing anyone noticed about the twins. He picked her up with ease and spun her around, quickly dropping her to the floor again.

Y/N's twin would sometimes forget the rude masculine persona he put on and actually behaved like himself, but it never lasted long with their father close by.

"See that hunk of crap didn't kill you on the way here then?" Billy joked as they both carried a bed frame into his new room. His distaste for the nineteen-sixty-eight Mustang Cobra was evident whenever it came up in conversation, only due to it being left to her rather than him in their mother's will.

"Not just yet." His sister hummed and the two let out a huff as they dropped the mattress onto the wooden frame. They talked about the bullshit of finishing their senior year at a completely different school and what that we're going to dress up as for Halloween. It was their favourite holiday and this year she planned on being Tom Cruise from Risky Business. Nobody would understand it but it was better than Billy's 'slutty teen boy' costume he wore most days anyway.

"Y/N/N honey, could you come into the lounge!" Susan's sugary tone rang through the house. The twins shared a look that always subconsciously found their faces when she attempted to play doting step mother.

Fucking doormat of a woman.

"Coming." The blonde shut her brothers door on the way out and walking down the hallway into the small living area. By now any remnants of the sun had long hidden away from Hawkins and only warm ceiling lights lit up her face.

Susan appeared from the kitchen door with a tray full of oatmeal cookies, grin etched into her features like puppet strings pulling at her cheeks, "Try one, would you?" She gleamed, pushing the metal tray out for emphasis, "I'd ask your father but he'd just say they were nice, never wants to upset me. He's too good."

Not wanting to answer, Y/N took a small crumbly cookie and bit into it, eyes bugging out at the statement only able to nod in response.

The step mother watched in anticipation, hair bouncing at her shoulders as usual, "So, gorgeous? Be honest with me, how are they?"

"Really good," She didn't like the woman, but couldn't deny her ability to copy a recipe, "I think these may even top the peanut butter ones."

Susan's sterile smile managed to stretch further and Y/N was scared her lips may crack and bleed from the force, "Perfect! We're handing them out to our new neighbours tomorrow. Which reminds me, I need you to get some new trainers for Maxine tomorrow, nothing expensive though, they're just for gym class. She's a four now.

The blonde resisted the urge to roll her eyes, and instead nodded while an idea popped into her head, "I drove past a giant superstore on my way here, I'm sure they're still open I can just go now."

"Are you sure, honey?" Susan sounded concerned, but Neil didn't share the same feelings, "Curfew is eleven until you start school on Monday, same rules apply here."

"I know, Dad." She nodded curtly and turned on her heel, not wasting a moment grabbing her brothers old khaki bomber jacket and her car keys. The front door shut just as quickly as it opened, leaving the small U Haul sitting on the driveway next to Billy's Camaro.

It had been her brother's favourite jacket since he was sixteen, but he'd gained so much muscle his arms couldn't slip into it anymore. Although Y/N was tall for the average girl, the material still managed to shroud her frame.

Y/N felt amazed after managing to get to the store fairly easily, she picked up some plain black pumps and paid for them with cash, pocketing the receipt to make sure Neil would reimburse her. That took less than fifteen minutes. There were still over two hours until she needed to be back at the house and she needed to make the most of any freedom from her father.

She was her mother's daughter and the opposite of Susan Mayfield-Hargrove; if someone showed themselves as a thorn and not the rose they seemed to be, they were a thorn. She could accept it and move on, which is difficult when they own the house she calls home. Her step mother was a fixer, finding wilted petals and taping them up against the thorn to appear more sightly. If Neil was the thorn, Y/N the rose, then Susan was a daisy in a field where she didn’t belong.

The younger Hargrove twin decided to explore her new home, driving around cul-de-sacs and roads which mirrored one another. After a while of aimless driving, Y/N parked up at the side of a quiet road, seeming to back onto a rich neighbourhood. She locked the muscle car, Ellie, and began walking on the edge of the road.

"Stay put, El." She whispered to herself, echoing her mother's voice. Meredith Hargrove always swore her car changed parking spaces whenever they went somewhere together.

Y/N couldn't imagine having so much space, no family was big enough to make use of it all. Her feet brought her into the small forest area, passing a few more eccentric gardens before finding one which intrigued her. The lights were all off, moonlight bouncing off the unmoving water in the centre of the garden.

Swimming had always been something the Hargrove girl not only loved but turned to in uncertainty. Billy would surf alongside her a long time ago, but he hadn't for years now. Her eyes danced around each room, unable to see any kind of life within the mansion. Against Y/N’s better judgement, she left the tall trees and let her toes edge onto someone's private property.

It seems a shame not to.

Fallen leaves stopped crunching under her brown boots as they found concrete slabs. The family must have employed a cleaner and gardener as nothing seemed out of place or dirty. The water was clear and not a single leaf or bug lay on its surface. Crouching down, her fingers drifted along the water, creating a small ripple, confirming her suspicions of how cold it would be.

She didn't care, stripping down into her underwear in the cool autumnal winds, anyone would've thought she was a crazy person. Y/N ignored the small ladder next to her and gracefully dived into the pool, swimming down to the bottom until she needed to come back up for air. The blonde lay on her back, staring up at the stars wondering what her friends were doing on the other side of America. Probably at Sadie's getting high.

Y/N wasn't sure how much time had passed, her fingertips were now wrinkled but it didn't bother her. She was in her element, so much so she didn't register when the kitchen light turned on and alerted the homeowner of someone in their pool.

Steve's body was overcome with terror as he did a double, triple take out of the kitchen window at the figure in his garden. He only wanted some leftover lasagne. Grabbing his nail punctured bat, the home alone teenager unlocked the back door, and against his own better judgement, creeped towards the intruder.

As he came closer, he was thankful to find a girl than a demogorgan, a girl he certainly didn't recognise. Her blonde hair lay on top of the water like a halo as she floated in her own world.

"Hello?" He questioned, bat still firmly in hand, "Why the fuck are you naked in my pool?"

Y/N left her mini trance, flailing in the water as her eyes found a teenage boy wielding an odd weapon, only a scream leaving her lips in response.

part two?

want to be tagged? just send in an ask!

[batty-writes]

Title: I’ll Give You The Best Years (not posted WIP) Fandom: The Mortal Instruments (All Media Types, Mundane AU) Pairing: Clary Fray/Simon Lewis Banner Credit x.

He stood in front of her in his undershirt and the pants which were still belted. Her gaze wandered over his now bare shoulder then up to his jaw. The grey undershirt fit to his body well, he wasn’t exactly the most muscular guy but he had a nice form all the same.

"I know my dad’s suit looks bad," he said when he caught her staring. "His side of the family is built like linebackers, I wasn't so lucky." He hung the dress shirt over the footboard of his bed where Clary sat.

"I think it looked fine," she replied coolly, looking back down at her sketchbook. "but I could always sacrifice my dignity and draw some porn to get you a new one. Someone told me there's a market for that." she joked lightly. She knew some very talented porn artists and she honestly wouldn’t mind selling it if she ever got around to actually producing art semi-professionally.

Simon laughed. "Do you even know how to draw porn? You draw monsters."

"There’s a market for that,” She winked with a shrug of her shoulders. “I’ve never actually drawn erotic art though, no. But I've drawn plenty of sexy things," she looked up at him for a moment.

"Like what?" Simon huffed.

"Jace for starters, he's very pretty. I drew Alec and Izzy once for that anniversary gift for the Lightwoods, you."

"You don't have to include me in the list to make me feel better." He rolled his eyes and turned around, going to grab a shirt from his top drawer.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Clary raised an eyebrow. "You're good looking! I told you I wasn't looking at the suit before. I thought it was obvious that I was looking at you."

"You really don't have to talk me up. I know I'm good looking, I'm just not your type."

"You're telling me you just never noticed me watching you when we had to swim in high school?"

Simon hesitated and tried to read the room. "Okay, for real Clary, are you joking?"

Clary met his eyes when he turned around again, now wearing a grey t'shirt. "Dead serious. Come on, I know I tease you sometimes but I wouldn't tell you that you're hot to be mean. That's like asking someone out as a joke."

"What about the time I puked on myself at the Sadie Hawkins dance and you said I was the hottest guy in the room?" He countered.

Clary rolled her eyes. "Obviously that was a bit, I wasn't looking you in the face and confessing how much I look at you."

"That's true." he agreed. He thought maybe he was being paranoid after all. "Thanks."

"Question: apart from the time I wore Izzy clothes, when have you looked at me?"

Every day. "I'm checking out of this conversation." If Clary was in a room his eyes were on her. That's how it had always been.

"You have!" Clary accused. "When was it? I bet it was the Halloween party!" She thought about the pirate outfit she'd worn to the Lightwood siblings' halloween party. Simon had told her she looked great and guys at the party were all over her.

Simon shrugged his shoulders in response. "I'm going to go change my pants." he grabbed sweats from the bottom drawer.

He sought refuge in the bathroom, he’d spent a lot of time looking at Clary over the years. It wasn't the can of worms he wanted to open, though he wasn't sure how she'd gone so long without noticing. They were in their twenties now, she was still trudging through college but they were adults and she'd still never noticed. They'd spent a third of their lives together and she never noticed? He gave up on the unrealistic expectation of her being a mind reader, but it still surprised him with how much he looked at her.

He never thought he'd hear Clary say something like that. It was a bit much and he tried to still his racing heart. Clary had always gone after the kind of people who made Simon do their homework for them; guys who were big enough to make him. The guys Clary liked were big, strong guys that weren’t, well, they weren't like Simon. Kirk Duplesse, Jace Wayland, those guys were her type.

[highqueenofelfhame]

“their entire body freezing for a second when their love kisses them” TO CONTINUE THE ROWAELIN TUTORING THING

Standing in front of Senator Galathynius’ house, Rowan Whitethorn had never felt smaller. The house was so huge he felt like an ant as he stood at the foot of the steps and stared at the front door. It had taken everything in him to drive over and more willpower than he knew he had to get his ass out of the car and get this close to the emerald green door. With a few more steps and mental words of courage he managed to lift his hand and knock. Even that he questioned, wondering if he should press the doorbell, so he did that, too, for an extra measure. His hands were shaking, however, and he accidentally hit it twice. 

When the door opened, it was a woman likely in her mid-forties. She was dressed like a housekeeper, and gave him a polite smile as she said, “How can I help you?”

“I - uh - Hello?” He winced when it came out like a question. The woman’s lips twitched slightly higher. “I was just… Aelin? Does Aelin...I’m looking for Aelin Galathynius,” he fumbled, cringing more at his words. Gods above, he couldn’t talk to the maid, so how was he going to manage to say what he needed to say to Aelin herself?

“Give me just a moment, I’ll go get her for you. Would you like to come in?”

“I - no. No, outside is good.” He wanted to fold in on himself until he disappeared. The woman smiled and shut the door, and Rowan could have sworn he heard soft laughter behind the door. 

While he waited, he retreated back down the steps and began pacing. Rowan fell into a silent war with himself, a war in which he wondered if he should just leave. If this whole thing was a stupid idea, but true to her word she hadn’t shown up at school today and he just needed to talk to her. To explain.

He had just about talked himself into leaving when the door opened and a girl with golden blonde hair stepped outside. 

Her feet were bare and she was wearing silk pajama shorts and a matching tank top despite it being four in the afternoon. She was tugging on a silk robe that would do little to shield her from the late winter air, and her feet had to be freezing, but that wasn’t what surprised him. What surprised him was that there wasn’t a stitch of makeup on her face. There was no black smudged around her eyes, no fake lashes. Her lips were their natural shade of pink and Rowan wanted to kiss her now more than ever. 

Vulnerable. This version of Aelin that stood before him now looked vulnerable and almost small. How different she looked out of her leather jacket and combat boots that she wore every day to school. It wasn’t a bad different, though. Rowan wondered if he preferred this face to the sharply contoured one he’d become so accustomed to inside and out of their tutoring sessions. 

“Rowan?” She finally said, folding her arms over her chest. “What are you doing here?”

What was he doing there? It was an excellent question. With her standing in front of him now, several steps ahead of him, he wasn’t sure. In truth, he felt stupid. But maybe he was just struck stupid by how absolutely beautiful he always found her.  

Aelin said his name again and he looked up at her, meeting the gaze of her brilliant blue eyes. 

“Ask me,” he said, building himself up with as much courage as he could muster. Aelin’s face was blank aside from a slightly furrowed brow. 

“Ask you?” The question was heavy in her tone like it was weighed down with stones. She spoke slowly like she had no idea what he was talking about, or if she knew what he meant she was playing dumb. Rowan made his way up a few steps until he was standing on the one below her. She barely had to look up to meet his gaze now. Rowan nodded, licked his lips. Her eyes tracked the movement of his tongue across his bottom lip. 

“Dammit, Aelin,” he sighed, lifting his hands. He was hesitant in how he touched her face, brushed her hair off her cheek. He was sure that Aelin could feel the shake of his hands when he cupped her face, was sure she could hear the shaky inhale of breath as he leaned forward and pressed his lips to hers. 

It was soft and gentle, in part because Rowan was scared to kiss her how he really wanted to. Scared that she would pull away or hit him or laugh at him for trying to land a girl so desperately out of his league. He felt her stiffen for a moment, but then she kissed him back with the slightest of pressure. One of her hands had come up to touch his elbow. 

“Ask me.”

“I -- It’s ruined. I can’t do it like I wanted to, I had this whole thing planned and it’s ruined and I --”

“I don’t care how you ask me. Just ask me.” He was starting to sound like a broken record. 

“If you make me look stupid, Rowan Whitethorn, I swear to the gods --”

“For gods sake, Aelin. Will you go to Sadie Hawkins with me?” Aelin’s lips twitched up at the corners like she was fighting a smile, and her fingers started to pick at the fabric of his sleeve. She shifted on her feet, leaning a fraction of an inch closer to him. 

“I’m supposed to ask you,” she pointed out. Sadie Hawkins tradition was that girls ask the guys. Rowan had shot that to hell in his determined proposal. 

“Yeah, well. You were being stubborn as all hell.” Her eyes shifted down to his lips and back to his eyes. A real smile bloomed over her lips, one he hadn’t seen all that often. Her cheeks and nose were frost nipped and rosy. Standing her on her porch in nothing but her pajamas, she had never looked more beautiful to him. 

“Yes,” she whispered, hands sliding around his neck as she kissed him again, harder this time. Aelin’s fingers toyed with the hair at the nape of his neck, twisted it around her finger when she rested her forehead against his. “Yes, I’ll go to Sadie Hawkins with you.”

[randomestfandoms-ocs]

“Shared birthdays are the worst...” + Blaine & Aurora

So this ended up not really being a starter but I got super inspired lmao so I hope you like it anyways!

Aurora sat on one of the many lounge chairs on the patio, watching her fellow Warblers as they played around in the pool, occasionally getting out to grab food or another drink.  Easter weekend had finally fallen on Blaine’s birthday, so the group had turned their weekend in Napa into a party weekend for the two youngest Andersons. 

Usually Aurora would be right there in the middle of things, drinking and singing and partaking in their dunking battles, but instead she had retreated to the sidelines, to one of the wicker chairs that had been pushed under the eaves. Her dark hair fell in loose curls around her face, and she had long since given up on trying to push it out of her eyes.  She took another sip of her cocktail – some rum and fruit juice mix that Cooper had made for her – and startled when she noticed someone beside her. 

“Why the long face, birthday girl?” Nick asked, nudging her leg so that he could sit beside her. 

“It’s nothing, Nicky,” she told him immediately, knowing that he wouldn’t believe her.  “You should go back to the party.”

He raised an eyebrow at her, before looking out at the party.

“You love Napa,” he reminded her, out towards the high walls that surrounded the Nixon’s vacation home.  “If you’re bummed out here, something is seriously wrong.  But,” he added softly, “you don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to.”

“I… maybe tomorrow,” she conceded.  “I just don’t want to ruin your night.  Seriously, Nicky, go have fun.  What happened to the chicken fight you guys were going to have?”

The boy sighed softly.  He knew that he had just told her that she didn’t have to tell him what was bothering her, but he’d still hoped that she would.  Still, he had made a promise and he intended to keep it.  He offered her a bright smile, stealing a large gulp of her drink before standing and running over to the pool, immediately grabbing Jeff for the chicken fight.

Of course, as soon as Nick had left, someone else claimed the empty space on her chair.  Aurora didn’t need to look to see that it was her brother, familiar as she was with his presence at her side.

“What’s the matter, Rory?” he asked, setting his cooler down next to her glass.  “Trent put five dollars on it being that ‘shared birthdays are the worst’, and Jeff put ten on it being your period.  Nick pointed out that that was last week, and put his own five on the shared birthday thing–”

“I wouldn’t know if shared birthdays are the worst,” Aurora snapped, “since it isn’t my birthday.”

Blaine blinked, eyebrows raising at the sharp tone.  It took a moment for her actual words to register, but once they did, he wrapped an arm around her shoulder, pulling her to his chest.

“I’m sorry,” he told her softly.  “I can’t imagine how much it must suck.”

“It’s fine,” she said quickly.  “It’s not your fault that our father’s a slut.”

He couldn’t help but laugh at that, pressing a kiss to her forehead.

The two fell into a comfortable silence, only broken by the occasional cheer from the boys in the pool.

“Tell you what,” he said suddenly.  “November 13th is during Fall Break this year, right?  And we’re supposed to be going to David’s chalet in Aspen.  I bet if you asked, Cooper would join us there, and we could throw you a proper party.”

“You don’t think I’m being selfish?” Aurora asked, eyes dropping to look at the ground.  “I mean, they put this whole thing together for us and I’m complaining that it’s on your birthday not mine.”

“I don’t think it’s selfish to want a birthday celebration that isn’t seven months early,” he countered.  “Especially when we’re the only people who know when your birthday is and… even more so considering your last birthday.”

They both fell silent again, lost in thoughts about the horrific incident that was the Westerville High Sadie Hawkins.  After a few moments, Aurora leaned her head on her brother’s shoulder, a small smile taking over her face.

“Thanks, B,” she said.  

Her smile grew as she tossed back the remains of her drinking, standing up to pull off the dress she wore over her favourite bikini.  

“Race you to the pool!” She called over her shoulder, already taking off as he scrambled to stand up.

“No fair!” He yelled back, chasing after her, much to the amusement of their fellow Warblers.

As Aurora hit the water with a splash, she couldn’t stop the grin that had fully taken over her face.  Sure, it might not actually be her birthday, but her friends had gone all out to celebrate her nonetheless, and as long as she was with them, the rest really didn’t matter.

Sibling Starters || Let’s Write Glee!

[pinkevilbobdoesthings]

WIDOJEST WEEK!!!! Much excitement! Here's my contribution for the prompt dance.

I had the song 'Sadie Hawkin's Dance' by Reliant K stuck in my head the whole time I worked on this one. Go listen to it so I'm not alone in my suffering.

Anyways, here’s ‘Sadie Hawkin’s Dance’.

__________________________________________

Caleb groaned to himself for the 347th time that evening. He deeply and fully regretted agreeing to manning the punch table at the Sadie Hawkins Dance. It was just winter prom, but the girls asking out the boys. True, he was getting paid to chaperone, but that didn't mean that was obligated to like it. But it wasn't the worst responsibility of the dance. That dishonor went to Mr. Tough, who was going around the dark corners and halls making sure there were no make outs going on. So Caleb was fine with making sure that no one was spiking the punch.

Though he had to be impressed by the gall of the kids who tried to spike it right in front of him. It was a little of the insulting side that they thought he didn't know what alcohol smelled like. Caleb could manage it with one thought though. Ms. Lavorre was going to be there that night. Ms. Lavorre being the art teacher and the one in charge of the dance. She had taken care of getting everything and leading the decorating. Caleb never had an eye for coordinating colors or decorations, so he just stood on the ladder and taped the streamers where Ms. Lavorre told him to.

The whole evening he scanned the crowds for her, but Caleb never managed to catch a glimpse of her. She wouldn't have missed the dance for anything, but maybe an emergency came up or she was busy outside of the gym. He just wanted to see the dress she was wearing. While they were decorating, she teased him about it saying that it was the best dress ever and he was certain that Ms. Lavorre would look beautiful in anything. Meanwhile, Caleb was in one of his typical brown suit coats and matching slacks, but he wore a bright blue tie since this was a special occasion (and maybe because Ms. Lavorre told him that it was a good color for him).

Caleb kept glancing at the clock even though he knew perfectly well the exact time at any given moment. There was less than 10 minutes left of the dance, and they had just ran out of punch. There was no point in refilling it and there wasn't any point in staying by the empty bowl. But he kept hoping to see Ms. Lavorre. He found himself sighing again. Maybe he should just give it up and treat the evening a loss where it came to Ms. Lavorre.

He had just turned away from the table when someone tapped his shoulder. "Mr. Widogast?" Caleb turned to see Ms. Lavorre standing there. His jaw dropped. The tight silver dress wrapped around her could in no way be considered school appropriate. Not with all that cleavage. A bright hotness rushed over Caleb's face.

"Ms. Lavorre," Claeb managed to sputtered. "It's good to see you."

She smiled widely at him. "It's nice to see you too! I had to show you my dress!" Ms. Lavorre twirled around to show him the full effect. And just when he thought she could not be more beautiful, the dress proved him wrong. "You're looking very handsome today. I'm glad you went with the blue tie."

"A very wise woman recommended it to me," Caleb said.

"She must be very smart then," Ms. Lavorre said, "you should pay her back with a dance."

Caleb coughed. "I'm not very good at dancing. I haven't danced in years."

"Come on, we're at a school dance. No one's good at dancing at these. You just need to know how to sway." Without giving him another chance to argue, Ms. Lavorre grabbed his hand. "It will be fun."

"Oh, fine," Caleb said trying to recall his old lessons. This was sure to be a disaster, but he didn't want to pass up the chance to hold her in his arms even for just a few minutes. It wouldn't mean anything real, yet it would be enough to last him a year of daydreams.

Just as they got to the floor, the DJ announced the final dance. "Great timing," Ms. Lavorre said.

"Ja." It was a slow song, they always ending these things with a slow song. The song was singing about being in love and that sort of thing, but Caleb couldn't tell if it was one that all the students would know or just some random song the DJ liked. Ms. Lavorre fit into his arms perfectly and Caleb took the lead. It was close enough to a waltz for him to manage.

Ms. Lavorre gasped. "You know how to dance!" One of her brilliant smiles made an appearance.

"I used to take ballroom lessons in my youth," Caleb said. "I guess I haven't forgot them all."

"I never pictured you as the ballroom type. You were more of the um-"

"Type that sits next to the door with a book? A wallflower?”

Ms. Lavorre nodded. "Exactly, so I was super surprised when you volunteered to help with the dance."

"It pays extra and it beats having to coach a sport," Caleb said. He lowered her into a dip in time with the music.

"Oh!" she gasped.

Caleb righted Ms. Lavorre. "Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you."

"No, it's fine. I just, you have very blue eyes," Ms. Lavorre said.

"Thank you?"

"You're welcome." She laughed. He didn't know why she laughed, but Caleb wanted more than anything to hear her laugh again. It was a fact that he didn’t have a chance with her. Everyone knew about her crush on Fjord Tough, the gym teacher. "You know Mr. Widogast, you are full of all sorts of surprises."

Caleb shrugged. "Aren't most people?"

"Yeah, I guess, but not in the way that I expected from you, I mean. Cause like, I thought you were all stinky and stuff and that you were the type of person that just wanted to be alone all the time and didn't like people and preferred books."

"I do prefer books," Caleb pointed out.

Jester rolled her eyes. "Kind of, but you're actually nice to Mrs. Brenatto from the PTA and your students like you a lot. And I didn't expect that. So, I guess what I wanted to say was sorry."

"Ms. Lavorre you don't have to apologize for anything to me. I'm well aware of my reputation, and I must admit that it is well deserved," Caleb said.

Ms. Lavorre shook her head fiercely. "No, you don't! I thought you'd be mean and that's not a nice thing to do. You actually have a sense of humor and you even put up with me."

"Put up with you?' Who would ever call getting to spend time with you 'putting up with you'? You're a delight."

This time it was Ms. Lavorre's turn to blush. "Thanks." Her voice became small and meek. "It's nice of you to say that, but you don't have too. I mean when it comes to art and teaching I'm the best, but when it comes to being with other teachers and stuff, I can come off as being a little annoying."

"Who ever told you that is lying," Caleb said more forcefully than he had intended.

"You really think so? Thanks," Ms. Lavorre said. "I just wish that some of the other teachers thought the same way you do." She was looking away from him, but Caleb could tell even in the faded lighting that she didn't have her usual cheer.

"Is this about Fjord? Cause if he doesn't see how special you are, he's a bigger idiot than I had thought."

"It's not like that. I was the stupid one," Ms. Lavorre said. "He's just nice to everyone, and I thought it meant something more, you know?"

Caleb frowned. "Did something happen?"

Ms. Lavorre shrugged. "It's nothing for you to worry about. I just can't read the room I guess."

"You thought there was something there that wasn't. It happens to the best of us."

"Not really. I mean you wouldn't be that stupid, would you?" Ms. Lavorre asked.

"You mean like propose to my high school girlfriend in front of everyone at graduation and then get dumped?"

A gasp mixed with a laugh came out of Ms. Lavorre. "You didn't?"

Caleb nodded. "Not my most shining of moments, but when it comes to romance I don't think anyone is a genius."

"Well, for what it counts, I think that she was the stupid one for turning you down."

The song came to an end and with that the dance as well. Caleb had a hard time convincing his arms to let go of Ms. Lavorre though, but he managed to somehow.

"Thank you for the dance, Ms. Lavorre."

"I should be the one thanking you, Mr. Widogast. Thanks for listening to me and my silly problems."

Caleb shook his head. "They’re not silly at all. I could listen to your problems all night."

"Thanks." She duck her head away bashifully. Part of him wanted to catch her up in his arms and kiss her or sweep her off her feet or do some daring romantic move, but instead Caleb just smiled at her. "Ha!" Ms. Lavorre pointed at him with a look of triumph.

"Ha?" Caleb asked with confusion.

"I got you to smile! You know you can be very handsome when you smile."

Caleb could feel another blush crossing his face. "I can?"

Ms. Lavorre nodded with a big grin. "I feel lucky every time I see your smile."

"Well, maybe I should smile less to keep it lucky."

"What? No!" Ms. Lavorre pouted. "It's a nice smile. I want to see it more."

"Well, maybe can join me for coffee then? That might make me smile more," Caleb said with more nerve than he had realized he had.

Ms. Lavoore smiled coyly. "Well, if it gets me another smile, how can I say no?"

[sighfertryptich]

Im going to rant(ish), skip if you want.

So I was watching a video (its the “Generations React to Dan Howell and Eugene Lee Yang Coming Out On Youtube” video by FBE) and everyone started sharing their coming out stories, and everyone was sharing that they were either scared or felt a freak by it. I felt that I wanted to, considering this is the only platform I have on here that I can express myself to the fullest without judgement, share my own, even though I am not in an accepting household.

So, let me start out with this. Growing up, I thought I was straight. There were no signs of me feeling any different than other kids. I was one of the more innocent children, I didnt care about gender identity or sexuality. I just cared about who I was going to play with at recess. By the time I hit fifth grade, I was naïve to the fact that not everyone was attracted to everyone around them. I didn’t understand that some boys only liked girls, and some girls only liked boys. In my community, it was rare that the gays and lesbians understood what it was, so they werent around to put that knowledge in our vocabulary. To me, if you had a crush, it could be on either a female or a male, whether or not you were the same gender or the opposite.

Reaching middle school, about a year later, our views were widened. People around me were realizing or expressing their sexualities. I, on the other hand, still didn’t understand that there were labels to these things. (Keep in mind, there still weren’t lesbians or gays out in the open yet. Everyone was either bisexual or straight.)

When this new vocabulary came to light, I could finally attempt to put a name to myself, liking both men and women.

I accepted the term bisexual for myself at the ripe age of 11.

I didn’t plan on telling my parents. I never wanted to. They didnt have to know who I was imagining kissing, they didnt have to know who I had crushes on. To this day, I never planned on telling them until the day came that I would have to. As in, if the time came, I would tell them when I got engaged to a woman.

Throughout middle school, I was labeled bisexual. It just felt normal to like who I wanted to like, and the people I surrounded myself with accepted me. I guess I got lucky with that. Reaching into high school, I got my first serious woman x woman crush. Every single day, she’d come into class and I would just gush over her. She was gorgeous. And being honest, a ripe 13 year old me was in her scene phase, and this girl oozed alternative. She had a grunge look, part of her hair was dyed sea-foam green, and she was sweet and funny and kind. As far as I knew, she liked me back.

I remember my first Sadie Hawkins dance. I got with my school’s GSA (Gay Straight Alliance) Club and put together this whole thing where me and a couple friends made shirts that said “Will you go to Sadie Hawkins with me?” She said yes! but then later the dance was canceled and we just made other plans. As time went on, she led me on to thinking she liked me. I found out she didn’t and that she was wasting her time on me when she got with one of my guy friends.

This is when my chronic depression stepped its pussy up. Thank you Dan Howell for giving me that quote.

When I was 15, I moved to my small town a state over where I reside to this day. I was still labeling myself as bisexual. I met my first lesbian that year. (And yes, this was my first time meeting a lesbian. Im serious.) She became my best friend for the next 3 and a half years. She opened me to the world of different labels and helped me through finding out what I realized I truly was.

I was, and am, Pansexual. And a proud one at that. #PansexualPride.

I got my first serious girlfriend when I was 18. Or at least, I thought it was serious. I was head over heels for her. She claimed she was bisexual. [I say claimed because she admitted after we broke up that she was straight.]

Long story short, she used me to go to RenFest, then broke up with me a week later blaming her depression, then got with some dude a day later.

A couple of months later, I met a girl through an app called Amino. She was pansexual, like me, and we had a lot of the same interests. Only problem was that while I lived in Louisiana, she lived on an island off the coast of Florida.

Although our relationship didn’t last long, I added her because this was the first time in my entire life that I actually could see myself marrying a woman.

Let me explain.

Up until this point, I had only ever seen myself marrying a man. Yes, I had an attraction to women. Ive dated women, although not many, but never could see myself marrying any of them. Nothing wrong with that.

During this time, I cut my hair very short. Like, pixie-cut with an undercut. My intentions to cut it were that it’d be easier to put up into wigs when I cosplayed, and it’d be less to take care of and look good. We’ll come back to this later.

Directly after our 3 month anniversary, yes I do month anniversaries, I met my current girlfriend, Cole.

I swear, it was one of those moments where you see someone and you know they’re going to be in your life for years to come. [Fun fact - she told me that after she had met me for the first time, she joked with her friend that her and I “would have an August wedding” even though we barely had passed a few sentences between each other.] There’s just that feeling when you look someone in the eyes and know that there’s something special about them. Something you want - no, need - in your life, whether it’s to make a life-long decision or just to help you grow as a person.

I started dressing more comfortably. I no longer wore skirts or dresses. I wore jeans and t-shirts and hats and less makeup. I wore chains attached to my belt loops. All in all, I started looking more masculine, even though it was just me dressing comfortably. My job allowed it, I was earning the money to allow me to buy clothes like this. It made me happy. I started feeling more comfortable with more masculine terms rather than strictly feminine terms, ie. “mans, they, them, boy” etc. I wasn’t uncomfortable when someone said I looked like a boy, nor was I uncomfortable with my female body. I just didnt care. It wasnt insulting as I was raised to think it was. In fact, I encouraged it. I allowed - and still allow - people to think I was whatever gender they assigned me with. In all, I became Genderfluid. Gender Neutral, if you will.

Now, we’re going to back up just a tiny bit. Tee tiny, nothing big.

About a month before I met Cole, someone outted me to my mother. Keep in mind, I was never planning on coming out to her. My older sister is like me, Pansexual. She strives on the fact that she doesnt tell people she’s in a woman x woman relationship unless people directly ask. She doesnt label her sexuality. And I look up to her severely for that.

My mother is homophobic. She says she isn’t, and maybe she’s not, due to the fact she accepts my sister and her girlfriend, and hopes they get married someday. But for me, I was supposed to be the ray of hope. I was supposed to be blonde, straight, thin, cheerleading captain female who went to college and became highly successful. I wasn’t supposed to be the 5-foot-8, blue haired, overweight, artsy gender fluid kid she had who dropped out of high school, got their GED, and “doesnt show signs of responsibility” (- per my mother, who doesnt want to put me through college) kid she ultimately got.

Dressing how I felt was comfortable and loving who I wanted to love brought me hate from the one person who should love me unconditionally - my own mother. Most people were given hate by their peers, being called gay and butch. My hate was given from the person who gave me life. My mother has said that she regrets getting pregnant with me, and that she would’ve stopped after her first two kids. In fact, she had her tubes tied BEFORE she got pregnant with me. I was being born, with or without her consent. She has told me countless times that she feels like she failed as a parent due to the way I came out as an adult.

To this day, she tells me that I constantly look “too lesbian” or “too butch” and that I need to “go back to how I used to look”. She doesnt accept that I like women. She calls me a lesbian - and everyone knows that when you like both men and women, you’re very obviously not a lesbian. Ive told her countless times that I’m not a lesbian. But she never listens. She uses the term lesbian as anyone in middle school would use the word gay - as an insult.

It makes me confused. How could you raise your kid - which by the way, Im the first kid she raised on her own, her other two were raised with either my grandmother or the baby’s father - and tell them you’re disgusted by their happiness? How could you be okay with one pansexual daughter and hate the other?

(This next part might be TMI but it makes another avid point.)

How can you be okay with your daughter sending explicit pictures to a boy, but be disgusted by your daughter holding hands with a girl?

I still have to hide my relationship with Cole. It makes me sick to my stomach to not be able to say “Mom, this is my girlfriend.” with the girl I care ever so deeply for. I want to take her to family events and show her to the world, screaming at the top of my lungs that Cole is mine and mine alone.

Cole tells me that I’m an idiot when I get gushy. In fact, she’ll probably text me saying I made her cry (dont worry, its tears of love) if she gets to the end of this.

Cole is gorgeous. Even when I spend the night, and she’s got sleep in her eyes the next morning, teeth not yet brushed, hair a mess, making gross yawning faces, I still think she’s quite possibly the most beautiful person I’ve ever met. She’s always got me nonstop laughing, doubling over and straight up snorting sometimes. She’s caring and headstrong, not afraid to stand up for what she believes in.

I want to be able to show her off.

But I cant with a mother like mine.

So, long story short, I grew up in an accepting community. Fell hard for some men and some women. Grew up and realized who I was as a person. Found someone who accepts me through each and every questioning moment I have with myself. Yet, I cant show her off like the people around me all because of the one person who gave me life.

I guess you could say this is the end, but everyone knows its a To Be Continued. You just gotta roll with what life gives you, whether or not the people in your life are there to love you or hurt you.

If you got this far, I applaud and also thank you. I’m not able to rant to anyone like this, so if you took the time to read this, I appreciate it. No one wants to hear my story. If you do…

My name is Marley, and I am a Pansexual, Gender Neutral, KPop loving cosplayer who is not afraid to love who they want to love.

Thank you ♡

(Btw, sorry if I got off track towards the end. My mind wanders when telling stories. I wrote this on my phone so I’ll go back and add a “Keep Reading” thing if you’d rather just skip it.)

[abedison]

@captainreyloswan requested #37: “Dance with me”

“This reminds me of the time I beat all of you at Dungeons and Dragons,” Pierce commented, looking around the Greendale cafeteria. The decorations were impressive, for Greendale, anyway. From the surprisingly real looking fake grey stone covering on the walls to the torch-lit wall sconces, which must have violated at least 30 fire safety regulations, it looked as though the campus had been transported in time.

“First of all, that never happened,” Jeff corrected him. “Second, and this is the last time I’m saying this, it’s not a Dungeons and Dragons dance.”

“It’s not?” Pierce asked, confused.

“It’s a medieval dance.” Shirley clarified.

“Well now I look ridiculous,” Pierce grumbled, gestering to his wizard’s outfit. He removed his hat and then his robe, only to reveal an equally silly blue and yellow star pattern shirt-pants combination. “I’m going to go check this stuff.”

“That’s embarrassing.” Troy laughed as Pierce retreated to the coat room.

“Says the guy wearing tights,” Jeff teased. 

“I’m a KING.” Troy pointed at his crown. “I can wear whatever I want.”

“And out of everything in the world, you still chose tights.”

“You’re just wearing a regular suit and sheath for your sword,” Britta’s voice interjected.

A nearby suit of armor removed its helmet, revealing a tousle of blonde hair and then Britta’s face. Her friends jumped back.

“Are you guys so shocked to see a woman in armor?”

“WE THOUGHT YOU WERE A STATUE!” Troy yelled back at her, still startled.

“So, let me get this straight…” Jeff said after a beat. “You’re a king,” he pointed at Troy, “but you’re not a queen.” He finished, pointing at Britta. 

“I’m his knight in shining armor,” Britta said in a small voice.

“What happened to ‘what’s more empowering than a woman in a crown?’”

“I was trying to challenge patriarchal societal expectations of women. That’s what this dance is all about.”

“Oh, please. This dance is about Neil wanting to live action role play.”

“Yeah, but I was the one who convinced the Dean that a 50′s sock hop would give older students an unfair historical advantage.”

“You just wanted to protest the concept of a Sadie Hawkins dance.”

“So, we’re just going to ignore the unintentional Lord of the Rings homage Britta just did?” Abed interrupted.

“Abed, I thought you were going to make fewer movie references now that you’re trying to grow as a person,” Shirley said.

“I am. I didn’t wear a green cloak like Frodo.” He showed off his red cloak. “And I didn’t make a dramatic entrance from over there,” he pointed to a poorly lit corner of the room, “like Aragorn. There were a lot of references and tropes I could have done in a medieval or pseudo-medieval setting. I even agreed to let Annie set me up.”

“Oh, Abed, that’s so exciting,” Shirley crooned, her voice getting higher. “I wish I had known. There’s a girl at my church who would be perfect for you.”

“Where is Annie?” Troy asked. “She’s not usually late.”

“She said she’d meet us here,” Abed replied. 

“I’m going to put this in the coat room,” Britta told Troy, motioning to the helmet she was carrying.

“You do that. Meanwhile, Abed and I are going to have all kinds of misadventures,” he replied, all too emphatically, ignoring the implied invitation for him to join her.

“I’ll go with you.” Shirley offered.

Troy turned to Abed. “So, what if we start with a sword fight and–”

It was then that Annie entered the room. Troy discontinued his enthusiastic speech and hand gestures all together. 

Abed stared. He couldn’t help but compare this moment to that of a film. It was as though time had slowed and every eye had turned on Annie. She definitely looked the beautiful leading lady. Tonight she had pulled her hair into an updo and wore a circlet as per the theme of the dance. Her purple dress brought out the blue of her eyes, which looked piercingly intense. Abed thought she looked like an elven princess. 

Annie headed directly toward where Abed, Troy, and Jeff were standing. Jeff nodded to her.

“Milady.”

She bypassed him completely, heading towards Abed, drawing an incredulous look from Jeff.

“Abed, can I talk to you?” Annie’s voice came out timid.

“Sure.” He turned. “Sorry, Troy.”

“It’s cool.” Troy drew the word out. “I’m gonna go find Pierce. He’ll appreciate a good sword fight.” 

Annie and Abed took a step away from Jeff.

“Did the girl you were going to set me up with cancel? Because it’s happened before and–”

“No! I just figured… It’s like you said: you’re an acquired taste.” Annie stepped toward him, not breaking eye contact.

Abed stared at her quizzically for a moment, not understanding her meaning. Annie batted her eyelashes subtly.

“Oh.”

“Dance with me?” She asked, offering him her hand.

Abed took it and kissed her ring.

“As you wish.”

[lovelyirony]

Wait I didn't see the send full prompt in thing lemme try again. Natasha/May with 10: high school popular kid/nerd au.

May was one of those girls that was just…effortless. Anything she wore, regardless of brand name or popularity, looked great. She could wear a sweater that was badly knit, and it would look like fashion. She was kind, always smiling, and Natasha was…

Well, she didn’t want to call it “in love.” She liked May Parker, in a way that wasn’t just “hey I admire your style and want to emulate it,” it was more of “hey I wonder what would happen if I made your picture-perfect bun messy and lipstick smeared.” 

Yeah. It was like that. 

Now, she doesn’t mean to, but her situation is kind of like a typical romantic-comedy. Natasha isn’t in with the crowd, although she certainly has friends up there. Tony will sometimes have her sit with him for lunch, and they’re on relatively good terms. So maybe not a romantic comedy. More of Natasha just doesn’t really mesh well. 

She wears old t-shirts that are ironically funny (at least, she hopes they are) and would prefer not to go to football games or school events of any kind. 

Which is why it’s odd when she’s at a pep assembly, and May Parker decides to stand next to her. 

“I hate football pep assemblies,” she says over the crowd. “They’re so boring, you know?” 

“Yeah,” Natasha says. “We know that they’re good, and I don’t know why they need a ‘send-off’ for an away game. God knows debate, soccer, and volleyball don’t get this.” May nods. 

“I could be at home right now getting an early nap in, you know?” 

And then that’s all the conversation is, because Tony leans down to say something to May, she slaps him on the arm and tells him to shut up, and then her attention is called to Hope Van Dyne asking her about anatomy class and the quiz in it. 

Natasha thinks it might just be May being bored and trying to get a new friend for a pep assembly. 

But…no. May keeps coming up to Natasha and talking, and so she thinks they’re friends? 

They sit together at lunch, and Natasha finds out that they both really like making seasonal playlists and May finds her deadpan sense of humor hysterical. May really wants to go into nursing, possibly even working in neonatal care. Natasha wants to work in law enforcement, probably become an FBI agent. 

It’s…nice. 

And then May invites her to dinner. Just to talk and become better acquainted. 

Natasha wasn’t aware that the new thing to do was go for Italian. May admits that she’s not exactly the best cook, and the place has the best pizza, thin crust. They both agree that thin crust is the only way to eat pizza. 

At the end of the night, Natasha gets a hug. 

People don’t hug Natasha. So it is a Big Deal. She grins as she gets home, and Clint looks at her. 

“You went on a date with May?” 

“No,” Natasha says quickly. “We had dinner. Talked.” 

“You wanna know who I do that with?” Clint asks. Natasha gives him a look. “Bruce. And we’re dating.” 

“Yeah, but you guys talk about….dating stuff.” 

“No we don’t,” Clint says with a snort. “Me and him debated for two hours whether or not Kermit the Frog would be a good secret agent.” Natasha just stares. 

“I cannot believe you two.” 

“Okay, well we both agreed after a while. He forgot that Kermit was in Spy Muppets: License to Croak, and I set him straight. Well, not literally.” Natasha snorts. 

“Of course you know the movie.” 

May will hang out at Nat’s locker, walk her to class, and vice-versa. 

Natasha lies awake at night, and really wonders what it would be like to go on a real date. To have stupid arguments like Clint and Bruce do. 

(It seems that it could be a thing, and holy shit it terrifies the hell out of her.) 

It culminates to the Sadie-Hawkins dance. 

Natasha isn’t one for big displays of affection, but May has been looking at Instagram posts of big proposals and smiling to herself. So she figures that she should ask May. 

She sends her on a scavenger hunt. There’s an announcement over the PA at the beginning of her day, and clues on either the white board or in school notes throughout the day. 

May solves it as Nat stands with a crafted poster board. 

“I’m glad you’ve found the way to a date!” reads the sign. Not Nat’s best work, but she was planning the hunt. 

May grins, and kisses Nat on the cheek. 

Natasha buys a dress, and May asks for the color. It’s a wine red color, long and classic. 

She wears a fucking suit. A black suit, perfectly tailored. Her hair looks good, her make-up looks good–everything looks good. 

Natasha is too gay to play this off as just-friends, but she’s not starting anything during dinner. They’re going with Maria and Sharon for dinner, and Natasha orders a burger with fries. 

May reaches through her arms to snag fries and grin. 

May pulls Natasha outside, just for a brief moment. It’s freezing outside, snow blowing fiercely in. May shouldn’t look good as her teeth are chattering and her arms are visibly shaking. 

“Okay, so let me cut straight to the chase: I fucking like you and your arms are literally the buffest please let me date you.” 

Natasha laughs. She does. Laughs, and she probably ruined her mascara, but she grins and hugs May, putting a kiss on her cheek. 

“Of course I will, May.” 

(They get married after graduating college, and this time Natasha wears a suit, tailored and fit like a dream. Her shoes have the same embroidery as May’s dress, and they dance to cheesy, poppy love songs. 

May still looks effortlessly beautiful every day, even when the gray streaks start popping up here and there.) 

[launching-a-thousand-ships]

Kurt Fashion Retrospective s4

Also hoped to combine seasons but nope. I talk too much. Hopefully 5-6 I can do together. Link to masterpost

Season 4: First off, as well as the lack of skirts/kilts, also sad we never see the harnesses again after s2. What’s the deal? Maybe now they stay in the bedroom ;)

Anyway. So, season 4 is a bit of a darker season? Kurt’s all heartbroken etc, and we see it with how much black/grey Kurt wears. It’s only in the last few eps and leading into s5 (enter the Crack era) that the brighter colours show up. But honestly here it’s not too weird bc s3 Kurt wasn’t one for bright colours anyway.

Esp in NY, we have Kurt develop his style more. Also, he’s not always all dolled up (I think partly bc we see him more just around his home, whereas earlier seasons he’s dressed up for school). So we get cozy Kurt, in those hoodies I love.

But we do see how Kurt has settled, he’s feeling comfortable and confident in NY so he’s toned down the outfits a lot more, doesn’t let them speak for him. Part of me his sad bc some of his looks can be a bit plain/boring/unKurt, but also Chris is beautiful so he can wear anything and look great. Omg in Sadie Hawkins when Kurt legit just in a henley and jeans. Like, who are you.

And again, lots of black. Maybe he’s mourning his relationship lol. Really, not until around Lights Out do we see Kurt sneaking in some colour. I’ll discuss it more in s5 but really tho, Kurt never really did the ‘bunch of bright colours’ thing? His go to colour was red, but that goes with his black/white ensembles. Even s2, there’s Never Been Kissed with the yellow sweater, there’s some pale greens/blues scattered? Again, I’ll discuss more s5...

But anyway, this is Kurt settling into who he is, a lot less statement pieces. And, looking over, not as many ascots as I remember? SOme New Rachel and Glease, but those were the bigger, tucked into collar kind. And then most are in the last few eps, and those are smaller style that still show collarbone. Maybe setting up s5 style? 

Honestly, I think s4 is my fav for Kurt style. First off, more of his fluffy hair rather than the ski slope lol. But also, with his comfy at-home clothes, or his workout clothes for school... Idk, just a different Kurt and I like it. He ofc still rocks a suit, but not as fun as before. A lot of... just a suits, not as many ‘Kurt’ twists. But I guess he’s working, he’s trying to build a career, so has to be more muted. Still, I miss the skirts and capes. And the harnesses.

So, least fav of the season....

I just.... I mean, first off, stands out so much bc rest of season he’s worn Nothing like this. And he never wears this again. I know the theme of ep, everyone wore red/white/pink, but omg Kurt has red clothes that are better. Idk what happened here, sorry Kurt but no.

Now for my favs.... there are so many Help.... Just assume any hoodie he wears I love lol

I dk why, just love it. Love him int he white jeans, love the shirt with peak at collarbone, love how it’s simple, but still stylish... just love

omg why did we never see this again. Love the tie-thing omg, v punk vibes. And the haiirrrrrrr 10/10

Kurt should show his shoulders more omg. We get some later in Tested but just. Let him wear tank tops. And off the shoulder tops. this is so comfy and pretty and I’m so here for it

Had to include this bc it’s so s1 Kurt (baggy pants????) and I like to think he kept those old looks. Great painting outfit, he’s so cute here omg

[revolution-john]

Brother Learns to Sew

by TOBI ALFIER

Brother learned to sew during the summers he couldn’t go out and play. Granny came by and said “boy? It’s cooking or sewing, you can’t sit around and do nothing”, and sewing it was.

We lived on a town street, but the whole backyard was woods and water. All us kids played out back every day until someone’s’ mama yelled to hightail it in for supper. There was always plenty, so you never knew where you’d be saying grace; it was whoever made chili and spaghetti. Hand-cranked ice cream for dessert if we were lucky.

Brother—he weren’t never lucky. Couldn’t even get to the tire-swing over the creek before doubling over to catch his breath. The state of him caused many a whispered discussion after we were supposed to be in bed. We eavesdropped on the stairs, worried about him just as much as the grown-ups did.

One day Doc Henson swung by. They lay Brother on his stomach on the kitchen table and Doc drew all over his back—looked like a hundred checkerboards all put together with numbers in the corners. I don’t know what Doc did, but Brother whimpered like a dog wound up round a pole and stuck there. Mama sat next to him and gently blew on his back. She blew on his arms and legs too.

After about as long as it takes to drink a cocktail in polite company, Doc Henson put on his glasses looked at Brother for a long time. He made a lot of notes. “Nothing to worry about”, he said, “Brother has allergies. Just about everything that grows or floats through the air in summer, the sheep and barn cats too” and he said Brother would need allergy shots for a few years but then he’d be good as new. He waited till mama’d gently sponged off Brother’s back and sat him up, handed him an inhaler-thingy and showed him how to use it, then made appointments for allergy shots three times a week until New Year’s Eve cause that’s when our wall calendar stopped.

And that’s how Granny came to teach Brother to sew. He couldn’t use wool but everything else was fair game. He could thread a bobbin faster than anyone, measure, lay out a pattern and make something just as professional as Granny, and that was sayin’ somethin’! He always watched people when they went into town for his shots. The freeing way men crossed their legs. How a dress moved when ladies lifted way high to reach a basket of apples, how they wore belts to help ease their backs—always hurting from work or hauling little ones around. How the skirts needed to stay put and not show off their panties when they bent over to pick up crayons and what not.

He learned about when stripes were wicked and when they were good, colors, patterns, and how women were beautiful if they felt beautiful, even if they weren’t the same size as the picture on the pattern. I might’ve learned how to climb trees those summers; Brother learned so much more. And both of us had our first kisses to talk about when we were supposed to be asleep.

By the time Doc Henson pronounced Brother “cured”, he’d made quite a name for himself. Daddy had a charcoal gray pinstriped suit for church that was so handsome, his buddies thought he’d bought it special on an out-of-town business trip. Mama had two new dresses that she loved—the most important thing to make a woman feel beautiful. Her friends had dresses. My friends and I all had special dresses for the Sadie Hawkins Day Dance, and Brother not only went to the dance with a girl he adored, but he drove us in the Mustang he bought with some of his savings.

Granny walked tall and grinned herself proud. She deserved it. Doc Henson retired. He and his wife of fifty years renewed their vows and invited the whole town. Brother made the wedding dress, and even though the reception was in a huge tent outside the church, he didn’t need to use his inhaler, not once.

Tobi Alfier is a multiple Pushcart nominee and multiple Best of the Net nominee. “Symmetry: earth and sky” was published by Main Street Rag. Her chapbook “Grit & Grace” was published by Orchard Street Press (March, 2021). She is co-editor of San Pedro River Review (www.bluehorsepress.com).

[spartanjdancestudio-blog]

Ladies! Dance All Night - 5 Simple Rules to Help Ladies Get on the Dance Floor and Stay There

You would spend hours picking out the perfect outfit. You stand in the mirror for God knows how long making sure no locks is out of place. Shoes and purse... fierce. Make-up... completely flawless. You've been taking dance types for the past few weeks and in fact you just finished a 6 week beginners Salsa course. You have the looks... you have the moves... but you will soon find out you're missing one important piece... the attitude. People ride along with your friends, with the music blasting expecting a fun night. You arrive at the club and you see the beat of the conga. You watch as smooth gentleman whisk women away to the dance ground and the ladies gracefully move to the beat. "Wow" you think to yourself... "everyone is just so good! " Before very long you're in the back of the room with clammy hands avoiding eye contact. You've gone from hoping for a nights dancing and great times to feeling like your back at your 6th grade Sadie Hawkins dancing. In an effort to maybe meet someone or bring a bit of attention to yourself you move to the bar. No one tells anything to you and certainly no one asks you to dance. You think to yourself... "Maybe I should buy a take to loosen up". You get the drink... and feel a little better... but no one comes over to people. Your friends have already spread out. The ones who had no intention to dance are hovering near you while the heroic are out on the floor. What went wrong? If you're like most women especially women who don't get out considerably... within the first 20 minutes of being out you started to doubt yourself. Women, we are our own worst opposing. We tear ourselves down before we give anyone else a chance too. I have taught countless dance lessons where I have heard the following... I don't go out because no one will dance with me... I'm overweight. Not a soul will dance with me because I'm ugly. No one will dance with me because I don't have nice clothing. No one will dance with me because I'm not that good. No one will dance with me because So i am not sexy. No one will dance with me because I'm not thin enough. The list goes on. Precisely what I am here to tell you and what I have told many of my students is that non-e of this is true. I have given the following advice to countless women who after following my simple tips would probably find that not only were they being asked to dance, but they could barely get off the dance terrain! I wrote this quick guide to getting on the dance floor to help women everywhere get out... get moving together with feel better about themselves. Rule #1 Realize there is NOTHING wrong with you. When you feel insecure you take action insecure. Sometimes insecurity or shyness comes across as unfriendliness. So first thing is first... realize there is nothing mistaken with you. You are beautiful. You are smart. You're entertaining and you are worth someone's undivided attention. Remember confidence is what one thinks of them self. It comes from within. You decide how you view you. So from this issue on see yourself as the gorgeous and sexy vixen you are! Tip: Want instant weight loss? Stand up upright! Just by paying attention to your posture and standing up straight you will appear thinner and more confident. Rule #2 Look. Smiling does wonders not only for your face but others perception of you. People who smile often are generally friendlier. What women often fail to realize is that asking someone to dance is a nerve racking encounter for men. Just like they were in the 8th grade... they're often still a little afraid of the other intimacy. No one likes rejection. You might be thinking no one is talking to me because I'm not pretty but it may be the exact opposite. There might be tons of men in the room that think you're the most beautiful woman in the world and are merely too afraid to say something to you... let alone ask you to Sparta NJ Dance Classes with them. Now imagine if you're unconsciously scowling. No-one is going to come within 10 feet of you. Now you might be thinking... "smiling sounds nice and just about all... but what the heck am I supposed to smile at? " Yes staring off into breathing space and smiling will in fact make you look like a lunatic. You don't want to go that far. What you want to undertake is look for reasons to smile... such as people or things to smile at. Personally I like to go sites where there is a live band. When I am watching a live band it's hard for me not to look and bounce to the beat. Another easy way to slip in some smiles is to spot a couple on the boogie floor who is either having a great time or are phenomenal dancers or both. As you enjoy their dance smile! The easiest way to smile... find someone hot... make eye contact and smile at him. Your dog just might smile back! Once you're on the dance floor, keep the smile on your face. Smiling really softens you and it will appear to your partner and to those watching that you're actually having fun! Rule #3 Get on the dance floor. One of the first mistakes women make is to head straight for the bar or to find a chair. It's OK to find a place to set your jacket down... but if you want to dance don't sit. You have to try to stand and to stand near the dance floor. Men tend to assume that women who are sitting don't wish to dance and women who are near the bar are getting a drink and will not want to dance. You want a fast monitor to the dance floor... stand next to it and bounce to the music. I guarantee someone will swoop you up in an instant. I have heard guys refer to women who stand near the dance floor as an "easy target" because they can tell they're ready to dance. Don't forget to smile! Rule #4 Dress Appropriately. If you're mastering a specific type of dance and you're out for practice and to have a good time then dress the part. For everybody who is learning Latin dance, invest in a good pair of Latin style ballroom shoes. If you're learning general ballroom, ditto get a good pair of closed toe ballroom shoes. There are appropriate types of shoes for almost every dance. In case you are serious about learning the dance or could see yourself going out to dance that style often , get the shoes. Firstly men who are out dancing and want to dance will often scout out the stage and find the ladies who have the correct footwear. They target the ones with appropriate shoes because they assume people know how to dance and they rightly assume that the women wearing the proper shoes want to dance. Second you'll be and. When I first started dancing socially I wore regular high heels and could not understand why after one hour As i was sore and wanted to go home. One night a lady was nice enough to clue people in on her secret which was ballroom shoes. Shortly after I bought my first pair and never looked back. You furthermore may want to make sure that you're not dressing too skimpy. A lot of women feel like they have to show all of their body parts in order to get some curiosity. This simply just isn't true. While wearing a super short mini dress and platforms will get you notice... chances are it will be the wrong kind of attention. I mean if you're looking for that kind of attention more power to ya sista... otherwise be sexy, but not slutty. Just like there are different types of shoes for every dance there are typically different types of clothing that go along with each style. Observe what is most appropriate for the style of dance you're interested in and try to stay in that will realm. If you're into Latin dance like me, you will soon discover that there are many ways to be sexy nevertheless classy, which I will discuss in my next guide. Rule #5 Be a Kind and Gracious Dance Accomplice. Once you get on the dance floor, be nice! Some women go from being on the sidelines to help turning into an instant snob once they hit the dance floor. Be kind to your partner. Also don't scared away from the ones you believe to be poor dancers. If they are there to learn be kind enough to let these practice with you. Everyone has to start somewhere. Even if they are terrible (in your eyes)... smile. If they are generally off beat... be off beat with them. Dancing with a partner is about lead and follow... it's not constantly about doing the dance correctly according to the "textbook". Let him lead. There is nothing worse than watching a lady with a back-lead that is so strong that it looks like she and her partner are doing karate rather then dancing. Believe it or not... if you're in tandem most people won't even realize you're doing it wrong or off whip. Just smile and have a great time. And unless you're insulted, injured or there is a fear of injury never basically leave your partner on the dance floor. Finish the song and allow your partner to escort you off the flow floor. Not only will your partner thank you for your patience, but other men are watching you. They will note down your kind and gracious behavior. You don't have to dance with a poor dancer all night, but make sure you try and party with everyone at least once. There is something that can be learned from everyone. You should make an effort to dance with people off skill levels. Be sure to always thank your partner at the end of a dance. It will make him more likely to want to night with you again. Now get up... get out and get dancing!

[thebackstagers]

One Shot thing. Pairing: Adrienne/Aziz (Mentions of Amber/Juniper) Title: The Sadie Hawkins Dance

To say the least, Aziz was nervous. This was the first dance he had ever been invited to and he didn’t want to mess things up between him and Adrienne. He stared at himself in the mirror for a few moments. He had a red bow-tie tied neatly around his neck with a black dress shirt. He looked good. He brushed his hair back taking a breath. “Its only a dance,” Ahmed, his little brother, said. Ahmed stood in the doorway with their other brother, Amir. “You both don’t understand. She’s the first girl I’ve ever really liked and I don’t want to screw this up,” Aziz said. The two brothers looked at each other. “Well,” Amir said. “Dad told us that he’s leaving in fifteen minutes if you want a ride.” “That was about ten minutes ago,” Ahmed said. Aziz froze and turned to his brothers slowly. “And you little punks said nothing til now, why?” Aziz asked slowly. He saw Amir gulp and Ahmed pale. “We were busy!” “We forgot!” came from their mouths at the same time. Aziz rolled his eyes and pushed past the twi, searching for his converse. If he was going to dance the entire time, he wanted to be comfortable. Besides, Adrienne told him it’d be fine. “Aziz!” his dad called up the stairs. “Are you coming or not?” “Yeah! Hold on father! I’m coming!” Aziz yelled back. Aziz dashed down the stairs quickly and out to the car, following the figure of his dad He sat in the passenger side, fidgeting nervously. His dad said nothing. Soon they arrived at the all girls school, Penitent Angels. Aziz knew Beckett would be there, invited by Genevieve. And Sasha invited as a friend by Vivian Lee. “Pick me up at eleven, okay, father?” Aziz said. His dad grunted in reply. Aziz turned away and moved towards the entrance of the school in search of his date. A blush came to his cheeks at the thought of being her date. “Aziz! Over here!” someone called. Aziz looked over to the source of the voice. It was Amber, joined by Juniper and Genevieve. Juniper wore an outfit similar to his own. She wore a gold tie with a black button-up. He smiled a bit at her outfit choice, admiring her bravery. Amber stood next to her wearing a gold strapless dress to match. Her curly hair was tied back in a bun and she wore black flats. Lastly, Genevieve worse a black and white high-low dress with white flats and a bedazzled headband in her silver hair. “Hey guys,” Aziz smiled. “You are looking great tonight.” “Thanks bud,” Juniper said. “Thank you, Aziz,” Amber chirped. “Do you know when Beckett is supposed to get here?” Genevieve asked. “You’re welcome, Amber and Juniper,” Aziz said. “And no, I don’t, Genevieve.” Aziz looked around sighing softly. His eyed landed on Adrienne making her way towards them. His mouth fell open from how utterly beautiful she looked. Her dress was red and black with sequins and a black satin sash at her middle. There was a red and black lace material that was open around her legs. Her pink hair was down around her shoulders, curled perfectly. Her makeup was what tied everything together. It was subtle. It wasn’t caked on her face. Juniper nudged his shoulder. “Close your mouth or a fly’ll get in there or somethin’,” She joked. Aziz looked up at her, then over at the other two. “I’m not worthy,” he said. He was in complete and utter awe. Adrienne finally reached them. “Hey guys,” she chirped. “I-uh… Hi,” Aziz stammered. Adrienne giggled. “Hi.” A blush tinted Aziz’s cheeks darkly. “You look… You are… Uh… You look beautiful,” Aziz said, taking her hand in his. Adrienne blushed slightly. “Don’t be a looser.” “I’m not the looser,” Aziz said. “The looser is whomever wanted you, but didn’t get to have you.” Adrienne looked away, smiling bashfully. “Y'all are disgustingly cute,” Juniper said. “C'mon, Amber. Let’s go in and dance. I want everyone to see how beautiful my girlfriend is.” Amber blushed and let Juniper lead her into the gymnasium. “Lets go inside,” Adrienne said. Aziz nodded, but said nothing, afraid his last comment scared Adrienne away. He let himself be pulled into the school. Fir a while they danced. The songs were all fast paced, then they slowed down to ‘All of Me,’ by John Lennon. Aziz took her right hand in his left, and placed his left hand gently on her waist. Adrienne took his left hand and placed her left hand on his shoulder. Together they swayed to the music. “This may sound crazy,” Adrienne said after a while. “I like crazy,” Aziz said softly. “I think I like you,” she said. Aziz stared at her for a moment. “I think I like you too,” he said, smiling at her. For a moment, they stared at each other. One thing lead to another and soon they were kissing. It was an eventful night, and one Aziz would remember forever. ~Fin~

(The pictures at the top are what I imagined the dresses looked like.)

[classy-kate]

Hi kate! I have my Sadie Hawkins dance coming up and I'm in need of a dress!! What do you think I should wear? Thanks!

hey! for my sadie hawkins dance, i wore a white chiffon halter neck mini a-line dress that wasnt too fancy and it was definitely along the lines of what other people were wearing so here are some things i think would be good (all under $125):

nbd

ten sixty sherman

endless rose

endless rose 2

little white lies

bcbg

french connection

bb dakota