#father of modern surfing

[chaplinfortheages]

February 26th 1936 - Charlie Chaplin and Paulette Goddard aboard the S.S. Coolidge make a one day stopover in Hawaii before sailing onto to Yokohama Japan.

When the ship pulled into Hawaii they were greeted by Hawaiian Duke Kahanamoku (birth name Duke) considered the father of modern surfing. Duke was also an Olympic Gold medalist in swimming participating in the 1912, 1920 and 1924 Olympics.

[demigodsanswer]

royal au: Percy and annabeth making their relationship public

I wrote this whole thing for the modern royals au, then realized you just said "royal au" so sorry if that's not what you meant.

This is really more of a "getting dad's approval" story than anything else lol.

modern royals au

~

Their relationship wasn't -- couldn't be -- a secret. Not after their first hookup had briefly made international news. But they'd been exclusive for three months now, and Percy was introducing her to work colleagues and friends as his girlfriend. It was probably about time they made their relationship officially public.

Annabeth had invited him on a ski trip in the Swiss Alps. It was going to be her extended family, a who's who of the Swedish government, and a bunch of her friends.

"My cousin Astrid is bringing her baby," Annabeth said with a smile.

"I'm always in for a week away with you, you don't need to make a sales pitch," Percy said. "I'm just not a super strong skier." He much, much preferred surfing.

"I do need to give you the sales pitch," Annabeth said, warning him. "My dad is going to be there. And he wants to talk to you and give his blessing before we make anything public."

Annabeth loved her father, Percy knew that. But she also usually just did whatever she wanted. If she wanted to make their relationship public without her dad's approval, she'd do it. He could tell by the sensitive, worried look in her eyes (he'd gotten to really appreciate these sensitive parts of her, not just the tough, scary, witty exterior) that getting her dad's approval was, unlucky for Percy, very important to her.

"Of course I'll go," Percy agreed. "I might just need some coaching."

"No you don't. Just be yourself," she insisted, resting her head on his shoulder. "He knows how much you mean to me. He just wants to make sure ... that you're ready."

"Ready for what?" Percy asked.

"Our future."

~

The ski lodge was warm and cleared out of anyone not on Fred Chase's invite list.

"There are so many tall, blonde people," Percy whispered.

"That's the family for you. Viking stock," Annabeth joked.

They grabbed drinks at the bar -- a white Russian for Annabeth (the idea of milk in a cocktail made Percy nauseous) and an old fashioned for him.

They said hi to a few people, Percy introduced himself, put on his charmer personality, and stuck close to Annabeth.

There was a blip of silence to the left of them, then a murmur of "your majesty" followed by a loud, "Oh! Stop stop stop stop stop!"

Percy instinctively took Annabeth's drink out of her hand, as she moved towards her dad. There were no bows or titles, just a big hug and some words exchanged in Swedish. Percy made a mental note to keep an eye on his Duo-Lingo streak while he was here.

Annabeth walked her father over to Percy, and she took her glass back so he could bow, do the correct greeting, even as Fred Chase begged him to stop, before finally shaking the King's hand.

"It's great you meet you my boy," Fred said with a smile. Percy was relieved. It was like Fred had forgotten about the window incident.

"You and Annabeth go sit, catch up. Can I get you a drink?" Percy offered.

"A Manhattan," Fred said, not specifying beyond that as he and his daughter walked towards some couches by wide windows that showed off pristine show-covered mountains.

"Can I get a Manhattan?" Percy asked the bartender.

"Whiskey preference?"

"Uh ..."

Percy was about to say "anything top shelf," when the woman next to him said: "Uncle Fred's not a fan of anything too fancy," and then she pointed to something on the lower shelf that Percy knew to still be a pretty fucking fancy bottle of whiskey.

"Are you saving my life right now?" Percy asked with a smile.

"Maybe so," she said. She looked a bit like Annabeth, but had a thicker Swedish accent and a baby in her arms.

"Are you Cousin Astrid?" Percy guessed.

"I am, and you must be Percy," she held out her free hand and Percy shook it. "This is Poppy."

She turned the baby towards him. She was as blonde as the rest of the room, with big blue eyes. Percy waved at her, and she extended a little baby hand. Percy let her cling to his finger.

"Lovely to meet you Miss. Poppy," he said. "Not a very traditional name," Percy said.

"My husband works in America. Her first name is Elsa really, after my mother but ..."

"Frozen?" Percy guessed.

"Frozen," Astrid confirmed.

"Forgive me, but you're not a first cousin, are you?" Percy asked. He was pretty sure Annabeth only had one living first cousin.

"No, no, I am her grandfather's brother's granddaughter." Percy tried to map the tree in his head. "Which makes me ... eighth in line for the throne," Astrid finished with a laugh.

"I'm seventh in line myself," Percy said. Astrid held up her drink, which looked like just soda water. He cheered her as the bar tender sat down the drink.

"Good luck with Annabeth's father," she said, before turning him back towards his girlfriend.

"Ah, thank you my boy," Fred said as Percy handed him the drink. "Oh, nice choice on the whiskey," The King said after a sip.

Annabeth offered Percy an approving smile.

"Sorry for the delay, I met your cousin, Astrid," Percy said.

Annabeth grabbed his knee. "Did she have Poppy with her?"

"Yeah, she's --" Percy pointed to Astrid.

"Sorry Percy, I need to see this baby," and with that Annabeth left him alone with the King of Sweden, who was also the single most important person in his girlfriend's life.

The King was on his own couch facing Percy with a coffee table between them. Percy felt like he was in a job interview, or on trial.

"So, Percy, what do you do?" The King asked him.

"I work for the MET, in the antiquity archives. I'm thinking about doing a Ph.D. Hopefully at Oxbridge if they'll have me," he explained.

Fred nodded. Percy was pretty sure it was approval. "Are you excited for the skiing this weekend?"

Percy tried to smile. "I think it'll be all bunny slopes for me. I never really took to it."

"See if you can get Annabeth to stick with you. She'll take off down a Black Diamond at the speed of sound with no concern for my nerves," Fred said.

"I'll do my best, but she doesn't have much concern for my nerves either. On our second date, I nearly lost her in the Paris catacombs because she kept wandering away from the guide."

Fred laughed. "That's my girl. I've always said, I can control Sweden or I can control Annabeth, but I cannot do both."

"You do mean everything to her, your majesty," Percy said.

"Oh please, Percy, call me Fred," The King said.

"I'm sorry sir, but I had my manners beat into my by nuns, I don't think I physically can," Percy said with a laugh.

"Are you Roman Catholic?" Fred asked.

Percy took a healthy sip of his drink. "Officially. I'm confirmed."

"Well, if you ever want to convert to Church of Sweden, we're a bit more open minded," Fred said.

Percy knew, of course, that he'd have to convert if he ever planned to marry Annabeth. She'd be head of that church one day. He had no real attachment to the Catholic faith, beyond an appreciation for the Virgin Mary and general artistic flair that non-Catholics seemed to pitifully lack.

There was a long pause in the conversation, and Fred's eyes seemed to drift past Percy. Percy turned to follow his gaze, and saw Annabeth holding Poppy, bounding her up and down on her hip as she spoke to Astrid.

"Can I be honest with you, young man?" Fred asked, shifting more to the edge of his seat to get closer to Percy, despite the table in between them.

"Of course sir," Percy said, shifting to match Fred's posture.

"If every single person in this room vanished right now, except for her," he pointed to his daughter, "it wouldn't matter to me. As long as I had her with me, I'd know everything would be okay."

Percy nodded, not exactly sure what to say. The King kept talking.

"Losing her mother was a grief I don't think either of us have ever recovered from."

The first time he'd ever seen Annabeth really cry, not just tear up at a movie or sad song the way she was prone to, was after she spent a day with Percy and his mother. It had gone so well, and she'd been so happy. Until they got back to his loft and she broke down crying, overwhelmed with grief that Percy couldn't understand but knew was real.

"If anything ever happened to her," The King said, "I don't know how I'd make it through that."

"Sir, I hope it goes without saying that I don't intend to --"

"No one ever plans to hurt Annabeth, but I've seen it before. She meets someone, falls fast, and then they can't stand up to what being her partner actually means, let alone what being a consort would mean," Fred said. "I don't expect you to marry her any time soon or ever. If you two part ways in the future, though, I want it to be because things simply aren't right in the relationship, not because you have put her in a position where she must chose between you and her birthright."

Percy sat up straighter, waiting for what he knew was coming next.

"I've met your mother. She was an exceptional woman. I considered it a great loss for the monarchies of Europe when she left you father." Percy took another long drink. King or not, if Fred insulted his mother, Percy wouldn't react well. "I don't blame her for walking away. It's not easy to be thrown into all of this. But if you are going to be with Annabeth, I need you to be ready for it."

"Sir," Percy said, scooting forward to the edge of the couch, "my family has tried to push me out of this in every way they can. I speak to my uncle once a year at most, and it almost always ends with him reminding me that he doesn't think I should be a legitimate part of the royal family." Fred looked sympathetic, apologetic even. "But I've managed to stick around in this world because I'm good at being in it. And I like being in it."

"But will you like it as much when she is the center of that world?" Fred asked.

"What do you mean?" Percy asked. Annabeth was dazzling, but the Swedish queen would never exactly grab the same level of attention as a Kate Middleton.

"I've watched plenty of men struggle to cope with their wives getting all of the attention. Prince Phillip dealt with it. King Charles never coped well with Lady Diana. Even, and forgive me, your father could never deal with how much people loved your mother. From my perspective, that drove them apart more than anything."

That was news to Percy. All parties had always led him to believe his mother simply left, gave up on the monarchy and married a school teacher instead.

"I won't watch the same thing happen to my daughter," Fred said.

"If I'm lucky enough to marry your daughter," which he didn't know he would, they'd only been going out for three months, "that won't happen to her," Percy promised anyway.

"Are you sure? Could you give up your job, your career, your own attention to do what ever she needs, whenever she needs it?" Fred asked.

Percy nodded. "Can I be honest with you, sir?" Percy set his drink down as Fred nodded back. "I like my job just fine. I love New York. But --" Percy glanced back to where Annabeth was still cooing at the baby, "all I really want is to be a dad. And if my future is just raising your daughter's kids while shines on an international stage, that will be enough."

Percy could have fooled himself into thinking he'd rehearsed that little speech. He meant every word, but ...three months. That was a short amount of time to make a promise like that. But it seemed to work for Fred, who was smiling and nodding without anything else left to say. Percy picked up his drink and tried not to look triumphant. But he sure had the sprezzatura someone like him needed to survive in this world.

"There's something else you need to know," Fred said. "I won't be King forever."

"Nonsense sir, Annabeth assures me you're going to live forever," Fred smiled, "and she threatened to have me drawn and quartered if I ever suggested otherwise."

"Well, immortal as I may be, I don't plan to still be king at ninety-five." Fred leaned in closer to him. "When Annabeth has had her children, and lived her life a little more, when she feels she's ready, I'm going to abdicate. She knows this. The moment she says she's ready, I'll be stepping down."

Percy turned back to look at his girlfriend, and when he turned back to Fred, Percy found that his eyes were on his daughter too.

"I don't want her partner thinking they have decades and decades to mess around. Within the next fifteen years --" Fred gestured towards his daughter, drink still in hand, "-- that woman will be queen."

Percy stared at Annabeth, and he knew it was true. She wasn't paying attention to him, just mingling with her family like it was any other reunion. For all the privileged and wealth it provided, Percy didn't fundamentally believe in birth right monarchy. He wasn't sure he believed in God, and he certainly didn't think God picked out any of these people to lead any random patch of land in Europe. But Annabeth did seem uniquely born for it.

Annabeth caught Percy looking at her, and excused herself from the conversation she was having. She rejoined them then, Poppy still in her arms. She sat back down. "Sorry about that, I made a new friend." Annabeth picked up Poppy's chubby little arm and waved it at her dad, and then at Percy. "What are you talking about?"

"The slopes," her father said.

"They're so great here, Percy," Annabeth said. "There's a black diamond that --"

"--and how I'm sticking to the bunny slopes," Percy added. "I'd like to not break my neck this week."

Poppy reached out for Percy, and Annabeth handed her over as if it were the most natural thing in the world. Percy guessed he'd made a friend in Poppy too. It wasn't surprising. Babies tended to like him. He felt Poppy rest her head against his shoulder, and he rubbed her back and rocked her gently.

"You won't break your neck. No one ever gets seriously hurt skiing," Annabeth said, like a liar.

"Didn't King Charles once nearly die in a skiing accident?" Percy asked Fred.

"You know what, he did," Fred confirmed.

Annabeth looked back and forth between them, assessing them as a pair of traitors.

"Well, I'll be extra careful," she promised, picking up her previously abandoned drink.

"I'd really feel better if you stuck with Percy," Fred said.

"The buddy system," Percy said. "Anyway, I need you to keep me safe. I'm going to be hopeless up on that mountain."

"I haven't been down a bunny slope since I was nine," Annabeth said.

"It will be fun!" Percy promised.

Annabeth looked at him, and then her father. "Fine, I'll take it easy," she agreed. Fred looked shocked. "Poppy is asleep," Annabeth said. Her little head was resting on Percy's shoulder. Annabeth brushed some of her curls back gently, but the baby didn't stir. For a moment, Percy could imagine their future, their little blonde baby girl. Three months, he reminded himself, you're literally meeting her father for the first time. No babies yet. "I'll find Astrid," Annabeth said, standing and leaving them alone again.

"Take it easy?" Fred said, amazed. "I have never, not once in my life, heard Annabeth even suggest she will 'take it easy.'"

"Maybe we just need to team up more," Percy suggested. "But lets see what she actually does tomorrow. No guarantees she sticks to her word."

"It's progress nonetheless," Fred said as Astrid stepped in to scoop up Poppy. Percy missed her already.

"If you need a baby sitter this week," Percy said, "I'm looking for any reason to get out of skiing."

"I'll keep you in mind," Astrid promised.

Annabeth sat down next to him.

"I'll leave you two alone," Fred said. "I have to make a call to my press team about our statement of support."

"Support for what?" Annabeth asked. She was playing dumb, Percy could tell.

"Your relationship announcement. Have you posted it yet?" Fred asked.

"I'll email Ines right now," Annabeth said with a wide smile. Ines managed her public, official social media. They'd had a perfectly tailored post ready to go for weeks.

When her father left their ear shot, Annabeth squeezed Percy in a tight hug from the side.

"You were perfect!" She said. "And I can't believe Poppy even fell asleep on you, oh my god, that was too cute!"

"Will you really go down the bunny slopes with me tomorrow?" Percy asked, putting an arm over her shoulder.

"Maybe just once or twice, until you get your ski legs," Annabeth said.

"Next vacation, we're going to Tahiti, and I'm teaching you to surf," Percy said.

"Oh a black diamond is too dangerous, but you're going to dress me up like a seal and put me in shark-infested waters?" She asked.

"They aren't shark infested, the sharks live there," Percy pointed out.

"Breaking and entering into the poor sharks' home?" Annabeth said, shaking her head. "Unbelievable."

"I thought you had some experience breaking and entering," Percy said. Annabeth looked at him confused. "You remember, you broke in, ate some porridge, slept in their beds --"

"Oh fuck off," she said with a shove. "I'm adding Goldie-lock's jokes to the no-jokes list."

The list in question was: no dead dad jokes, no dead mom jokes, no muppet jokes, and now, no Goldie-locks jokes.

"Fine, fine, just ... never abandon me with your father again," Percy said. "I swear I think he's planning our wedding already, the way he was talking."

"Was it too much? I know he can be protective," she asked, a look of genuine worry on her face.

"No, it was fine, just ... I hope I can live up to expectations," Percy said.

Annabeth took his hand in hers. "He just wants me to be happy. And to not die in a tragic skiing accident."

"I'm adding jokes about you dying to our list, by the way," Percy cut in.

"Deal. But, if the expectation is me being happy then, you do meet it, Percy. I promise."

He lifted her hand and kissed it gently. "You make me happy too," he promised. "How many kids do you want?" He asked, pivoting quickly. Annabeth followed him without stumbling in the conversation.

"Four," she said, sure of her answer. "A girl. Sofia. Then, two years later, another girl. Ingrid. Then a boy three, maybe four years later. Frederick, obviously. And then another girl. You can name her."

Percy smiled. "Do I only get to name her if I'm the dad, or will you call me up in ten years to name her even if we break up?"

Annabeth's face was bright red. "Their father. Their father gets to name the fourth baby," she said, her face in her hands.

"Penelope," Percy said. "I always liked that name."

Her blush faded a bit. "I like it," she agreed. "And you always have been more of an Odyssey boy."

[petrichorblue94]

What really shocks me is that the more tfota books I read (I count the extended universe here), the more I realise that Jude was actually incredibly lucky. The world she lived in was deadly, and not in a haha the main character is actually gonna be left unscathed because they’re the main character way.

I first realised that when I was reading about Wren. My girl was physically and psychologically tortured since she was a child in practically a very Ramsey Snow / Reek kind of way. She was permanently disfigured by her own parents’ torture methods, she was left to believe that she could escape and then captured, like a cat and mouse game. She was made to think her adoptive parents despised her and were horrified of her monstrous nature but they were really just bewitched.

Her biological mother turned out to be the most evil of them all, sacrificing her soul not once but twice.

I’m just reading the Modern fairytales but Kaye is basically every middle class child’s worst nightmare ; or at least mine).

Like Jude’s story is actually the best. Even her twin Taryn lives in a psychological horror, she married a fucked up narcissist who promised her love and respect and adventure and it turned out he just made her do drugs and get involved in orgies and he nearly fucked (and later nearly killed) her sister and Taryn killed Kim the same way her adoptive father killed her birth mother and then she raised his son alone, and then she fell in love again and the guy was turned into a tree.

I mean when you look at it on paper (pardon the book pun) my girl Jude was raised into the gentry, she was Madoc’s favourite daughter and he spent most of his free time training her to be his successor in a world ruled by Oak as king and him as regent. She has her family and they make up despite all the fucked up things do to each other. She married the high king (and it was a rare love match!!) and becomes respected and feared. She has only known the rich world of the gentry in Elfhame, whereas Wren was homeless in the real sense of the word for YEARS, and Kaye was a school drop out who was couch surfing with her singer-wannabe mum and her prospects were living with her gran, working in a gas station and then maybe getting pregnant by her former bully Kenny and living in a trailer in the middle of nowhere like her friend Janet and maybe becoming an alcoholic like her mam and doing drugs (I’m still halfway through Tithe).

Like even when she became queen with Oak by her side as king consort, Wren’s kingdom was nowhere near as rich and golden as Jude’s. There was darkness seeped into it even when the ice was gone.

Since the cruel prince is after Kaye’s books, we know she ends up becoming Roiben’s consort so it’s definitely a better life than being a teen mum living in a trailer and working in a gas station… But she’s still a chess piece in the game of politics (that Jude becomes a master of) since she was nearly killed by the undersea and Jude had to go and avenge her in the Wicked King.

Like yeah, Jude had a shitty origin story but she became golden if that makes sense. She was never truly touched by the grit and the grime of what was happening around her and to her, she just adapted, pivoted and kept winning.

And she was genuinely so in love with the world of Elfhame that you can see everything around her through the tint of her fascination. Whereas with Wren everything looks ugly and sad and with Kaye everything looks messy and confusing.

Which is why I think she’s Holly Black’s most beloved heroine. I just hope she doesn’t get killed off in the new books cause you never know 100% with Holly.

[hellfire--cult]

Baring Teeth {Eddie Munson x Fem!Reader} - Ch. 10

Edit of Eddie: pitifulbaby

Chapters: Masterlist (Go here to see list of chapters, plotline and general warnings.)

Pairing: Eddie Munson x Fem!Reader

Tropes: Enemies to Lovers, Non-Traditional Omegaverse, Slow burn, Modern!AU, Mechanic!Eddie

⚠️This chapter contains: Mean!Eddie, Angst, traumatic past, painful procedures (gyno), cheating, Billy x reader at the beginning

wc: 7k

Crossposted on: Wattpad & AO3

A/N: Well shit, I did say it will take a turn and shift. Hopefully you all enjoy this chapter, it was painful to write, but it is needed for you guys to know about the backstory of it all. If you see real closely, you'll see a part of this chapter that was actually in previous chapters ;)

Anyways, Enjoy! ❤️ And don't forget to always support me by hitting the reblog button or leave a comment!

<- Prev. chapter - Next chapter ->

CHAPTER 10

Two dates turned into three.

Three dates turned into four.

Four turned into eight.

And you lost count.

“All I’m saying is that Max found you entertaining in the video call!” You chuckle with heat on your cheeks as you dipped your head in Billy’s chest, trying to cover your face. You didn’t intend on presenting yourself to Max, but he was on a video call when you arrived at his place yesterday, and you didn’t know because he had opened the door so normally with the phone in his hand and greeted you with a kiss, not noticing the phone in his hand.

Of course the girl on the other side of the call almost screeched and you jumped in fear at the sudden noise.

He was talking to Max, and he introduced you two through video call, which made your heart pound loudly in your chest, because the feelings for Billy escalated in ways you didn’t think they would. But it wasn’t just you, Billy had been smitten by you the moment you rejected him the first time ever a month ago at your office. He was never one for formal relationships, exclusive ones maybe once or twice which didn’t work out in the end.

But there was something about you that he couldn’t quite let go of, he almost seemed obsessed. He was afraid of being that clingy to you, but after date number eleven he gave up on the feeling and made himself exclusive to you, even if you didn’t know it. He didn’t want to be with anyone else but you, and it had scared him, it still does, but it was the first time he felt as if someone understood him.

When you had asked him a week ago if he slept with other girls, he had told you that he didn’t. That he hasn’t slept with anyone but you because he simply couldn’t. Your heart melted at his words, and how could you not believe him? If you two didn’t see each other, it was on video call or messaging, or at work. There wasn’t a single time where Billy didn’t answer you for more than one hour.

You know it’s excessive, and it’s too much, and maybe you are making a fantasy in your head, but you truly did end up liking Billy. He told you about his past, about his father and how he abused him physically and mentally, which he had to go to therapy for. He told you about his mother, her ashes being thrown in the Californian beach where she always took him surfing. 

His favorite color is Red. His music taste is rock. His favorite movie is Terminator. His comfort movie, funny enough, is Shrek 2. His favorite food is Fettuccine Alfredo. His favorite dessert is dark chocolate. His favorite band is Scorpions. His favorite song is ‘You give love a bad name’ by Bon Jovi. 

And as you knew these little facts about himself, he knew little facts about you, which he always remembered, and always made it known that he remembered. He got you Pínk roses once, your favorite flowers. He got you some strawberries and whipped cream, your favorite dessert. He got you a mascara from Dior because you had told him once you were running out of it.

All those small things, details, doings, made you fall for him. It wasn’t just because it was physical, and you knew that falling for a Model wasn’t the brightest of ideas, but it was impossible not to. You weren’t public yet, and you really didn’t mind that, and it’s not like you two are anything, because he never really asked. 

But today, right now, when you’re laying on his chest with the bedsheets over your naked bodies while he is propped up on some pillows against the headboard, laughing because of the situation from yesterday with Max, something felt right, like a puzzle coming together.

“Hey Sweets… I gotta ask you something.” He suddenly says and you look up with a playful smile on your face.

“Oh, danger.” You replied and he chuckled, but you noticed that behind his laughter there was a glint of nervousness, which made your teasing evaporate, replaced by worry.

“It’s not bad… It’s just– I really like you. I never felt this for someone else, and I have never been in a relationship before, so I don’t know how it really works– I mean, I did have relationships before, it’s just, they never worked out, or I didn’t like the person or I just didn’t connect with them…” He was rambling, but a smile was forming on your lips, and you bit the inside of your bottom lip to forbid it from going wider. 

“And what are you trying to say here, Mr. Hargrove?” You ask him, in a low voice, your eyes already looking up at him with adoration in them, heart beating fast in your chest as he looked down at you, with a smile on his lips, shaking his head slightly.

“You know what being called Mr. Hargrove does to me.” He says before pulling you on top of him with a grunt and you squeal from the movement, still giggling as you look up at him. He brushed some hair off your face, putting it behind your ear. “I want you to be mine. I want us to properly date Sweets.” 

You could feel his heart hammering in his chest and yours was at his same pace. Your smile had dropped but because of the surprise, not because you weren’t happy. You were exhilarated, wanting to jump from excitement and yell it to the whole world that you are dating him, that he is yours and you were his… But–

“You’re famous, I’m… I’m nothing. What will the people that follow you say?” He shakes his head, his arms around you to keep you on top of him, not letting you go. He wasn’t going to take no for an answer, he wasn’t going to miss this chance when he finally found someone he could be himself with, or was beginning to.

“I will fight every single one that goes after you. Whatever they say it’s because they don’t know you like I do… Sweets, I want you to meet my sister properly, my friends… I mean, I talk about you enough already, and they’re getting impatient to meet you.” He chuckles and your eyes widened at his confession, heat spreading on your cheeks as you looked down at him. 

“You talk about me?” 

“Almost every single day.” 

Oh your heart melted at that. Your brain short circuited. It’s been too long since you felt this kind of desire towards you, this want to have a future with you, and you almost teared up at his words. You had shut yourself for a whole year, began dating random dudes, and somehow you landed on Billy, who you thought was going to be a simple hook up, but he ended up being so much more than that.

You are afraid. Terrified actually. You don’t know if your ideals stand in the same place as his, but you won’t know unless you take the leap, and follow your feelings in this very second. You leaned down and pressed your lips against his softly, and the both of you closed your eyes to enjoy the tender kiss. After a few seconds you pulled away with a smile on your face.

“Okay…” His eyes widened in surprise, a wide grin spreading in his lips, teeth showing and all.

“I can call you my girlfriend now?” Your cheeks flush again at the name, feeling like a teenage girl all over again as you nod and he immediately turns you both completely, another squeal coming out of your lips as he lays you down on the other side of the bed, bouncing from the sudden force as he kisses you on the lips, still smiling as he does so.

You really cannot wait to tell everyone today at Nancy’s party. 

You parked your car a block away from Nancy’s apartment building, which was actually huge, walking quickly with her gift bag in one hand. You bought her a nice pink blouse that she was groaning about not having for a while now.

You saw the lobby door almost closing, rushing towards it to get through, walking inside and then past the couches to catch onto an elevator. The doors were almost shutting so you dipped your arm in between the doors with a ‘sorry’ and stepped in, only for your mood to drop in a second as you saw who was in the small space with you. 

“Jeez, you could have gotten the next one Peach.” That horrible voice says to you with venom behind his words. Of all the people you had to share an elevator with, Munson was certainly not at the top of the list.

“I am already late, and so are you.” You say and press on Nancy’s floor, which was the 7th. He rolled his eyes as you stood next to him, holding the bag in front of you as the elevator bounced slightly and started moving. Your heart was hammering with pure hatred, just standing next to this man was getting your hairs to stand, like a cat that is about to defend itself.

“Please tell me you’re joking.” He suddenly says and you frown, completely confused and looked up at him, but you found him looking at your bag. You looked down on it, and backed up at him. 

“What’s wrong with my gift?” He shoots a glare your way, pulling the same bag, from the same store from his side. Your breath got stuck in your throat as dread from possibly getting the same thing settles in. “Is it a–”

“Pink Blouse.” 

You both groaned loudly, anger filling your chest from him getting the same thing for Nancy. At least there’s a ticket that she can use to exchange it for something else, but now your gift is not unique anymore, you made sure, talking with everyone about what they will gift Nancy, just so your gift wouldn’t match with anyone else’s… Except.

“This is what I get for not wanting to talk to you?” You say on the low, almost mumbling to yourself, but he heard it, loud and clear, a smug grin appearing on his lips.

“Oh, are you regretting not getting on my good side now?” He says and you make a face of disgust, looking up at him, shaking your head.

“The last thing I want is that, I mean you probably don’t even have one.” He chuckles at that response to hide how irritating you were to him. He wanted out of the elevator, he couldn’t handle standing next to you when all he could feel was just how happy you were. You were almost excited from what he could guess from your features, but he didn’t know why.

“I do, you’re just not special enough to see it, Peach.” He replies with venom in his tone, surprising you from how that hit your dignity a bit. You know you aren’t special to him, just to him, and that’s fine. Still, it fucking hurt.

“Okay, now that’s–” Suddenly the Elevator bounced aggressively, signaling a stop, but the lights went out, turning the emergency ones on. They weren’t as bright, but it was something. Your eyes widened, looking at the digital number that should appear at the top of the elevator, but it was black. 

“You have to be fucking kidding me!” Eddie yells, pressing desperately onto the ‘open doors’ button repeatedly and then the help button. 

You cannot believe this. Someone from a higher power really hated you. It despised you, because there is no way, no possible way that you are now stuck in an elevator with Eddie Munson. You took your phone out, seeing one bar of signal, calling Nancy immediately as the nerves in your body started taking over. You aren’t claustrophobic, but staying inside four walls with your sworn enemy was not your idea for a party.

“Hey–” You didn’t even let her finish her words.

“Nance we’re stuck in the elevator!” You say to her, as quickly as you can because you don’t know if the signal will stay on for too long.

“We?”

“Munson and I.” You say with spite which Eddie noticed, rolling his eyes how disgusted you sounded saying his surname. He was still pressing onto the open doors button, hoping that it’ll make the energy return or something.

“No…. Power… Called–” And the line cut off. You groaned loudly, stomping your foot in anger as you looked at your phone to now see there was no signal. 

“What did she say?” Eddie asks, still looking at the elevator console and you glared at him and then his hand, pressing the buttons nonstop.

“Power outage, so you can fucking cut that out.” He stops, only to turn his head to glare at you. You almost never fully insulted him, but when you did, his anger boiled. You were spoiled, a brat, a liar, a bad friend. Friends do not keep secrets to each other, and you are filled with them.

“Come on Peach, insult me more. Turns me on.” He replies and you fake smile at him, flipping him off before sitting down on the floor of the elevator. You grabbed your bag and you took a hard candy out, a honey one. You always chew on something when you are nervous, and being in this closed space with someone you despise was not helping the knot in your belly.

He sighed heavily, the anger swirling in his chest as he looked down at you for a second and looked back at the buttons. There wasn’t much he could do but wait now, he is not strong enough to rip the doors open, so he decides to sit in front of you, resting himself against the wall, legs spread in front of him, next to yours. All he wanted and needed was a couple of beers today. He needed the distraction from the week’s turmoil of events. Wayne’s medical bills started going up, and he had to work extra the past week to cover most of it, while saving some money for himself.

You were looking up towards the emergency light, swirling the candy around in your mouth, making some clinking sounds against your teeth every time it went from one side to the other. Eddie was glaring at you as the annoyance grew in his body, his eye twitching as you continued your movements without caring if you were being loud or nasty about it.

“Can you eat candy like a normal person?” He spats and your eyes shoot towards him, a confused frown in your face. “You’re making too much noise, cut it out.”

Oh you were now glaring back. You cannot even have a candy in peace with him, and you were debating if to spit it out, harshly, towards his forehead. For the past month, the bickering had gone down between the two of you, and that was because you spent your time with Billy more than anything, or at work. 

“What, you’re going to tell me how to eat candy now? Jesus christ.” You really don’t understand what his problem is, and if you had to be stuck in this elevator with him for the next few minutes, you were sure you were going to murder him if he kept this attitude up until then. Someone would open those doors, and just find you covered in Eddie’s blood. 

“It was just a comment, respect the other person that’s in the same stuck space as you.” At those words you almost choked on your candy, and you bit it down to swallow it and laugh, which Eddie knew was sarcastic, making him squint his eyes at you.

“I’m sorry, you talking about respect is funny.” You say with a smirk on your lips as you look back down at him. He was looking at you incredulously as his hands started to heat up from the rage that was slowly building up.

“Excuse me?” 

“Oh come on, you and respect don’t go hand in hand. One day Munson you will admit you’re a self entitled prick that only cares about himself.” And that’s where you were wrong, but you didn’t know that, and Eddie’s blood was boiling at your words. Who do you think you are? You don’t even know him, yet you are insulting him, freely.

“You don’t even fucking know me Peach, and you’re not even worth knowing about my life.” That made something in your chest snap. For some reason, those words cut harder into you than any other insult he could ever throw at you. You didn’t notice that your eyes had teared up at the word, and Eddie simply looked at you with a mocking grin to his face. “Aw, are you going to cry? I can’t believe you actually have feelings.”

“Shut up–”

“I just don’t get it, how Robin trusts you so much, all this while. I don’t understand the rest either, but especially Robin. I mean, you really aren’t that special–” His words were pure stabs into your body, your breathing becoming heavy as he talked, and your emotions were beginning to spill over the edge of the glass. You hadn’t heard or thought of those words for a long while, and here he was, in just mere seconds reminding you about them, letting them brand into your skin again, over the scabs that built up over the last year.

“Shut the fuck up– I–”

“Oh, so you are crying now? After insulting me? Why, can’t take it like I take all of your fucking names and comments?” He all but growls. He was pissed, glaring at you with anger shown on his features. He didn’t care that there were tears running down your face, he didn’t care about your feelings, he didn’t care if this was hurting you, just like you never cared about him either.

You couldn’t take it any more, the tears falling, trying to regain your breathing, but your anger, your nerves, your despair, and your past was hunting your brain. It was making you slightly dizzy, lightheaded, and your mouth was responding for you now, no longer processing the words coming out of it. You slammed your hands on the floor of the elevator, glaring at him through a tear stained face.

“Why the FUCK do you hate me so much!? You don’t know SHIT about me, so I don’t understand why you’re like this!” You almost yell at him, your voice already getting strained by the emotions you swore you put inside that box long ago. Eddie scoffed at that, yet matched your energy as he leaned forward, pointing at you.

“Right back at you! You don’t know me! At fucking all! But the difference between you and me, Peach, is that everyone else in the group knows me, knows about me, knows about my past. And you? NO ONE knows shit about you. Not just me.” You roll your eyes at that with a scoff as your heart pounded into your chest, going wild at the process of his words.

“It’s because it’s no one's business! Can’t you fucking get that?! I am not lying about anything, I’m just keeping my past to myself! I’m harming no one!” You exclaim at him, your hands gripping onto the hard floor of the elevator and he shakes his head, giving a sarcastic laugh of his own, which made your brain snap once.

“That’s what you fucking think! You think that Robin doesn’t give a shit about that side of you, but she told you every single thing about herself, yet you act like you’re some mysterious chick that came out of nowhere just for what? Attention? For people to discuss about your past life and for you to feel fucking important?” 

Your brain snapped two, three times.

“Stop–” You begged, you were begging, not being able to handle the emotions any longer, and you needed peace, you needed silence, you needed him to stop stabbing you, hurting you, making you remember.

“So who is the self entitled prick here? Huh? Look into the fucking mirror for once, and come to the actual fact that you’re an attention seeking whore–”

And then, it cracked.

“What the fuck do you want me to say!? That I’m a divorced woman that went through three fertility treatments in the lapse of three months, with a husband that was cheating on me through that?! Is that what you want to fucking hear Munson!? Is that what everyone in this fucking group wants to know or just you?!” 

Silence. The small space fell into complete silence. His stretched legs next to yours, facing one another as your chest heaved up and down. He was stunned in his place, not fully processing your words because it couldn’t be. You couldn’t have gone through that, you didn’t show it… That’s when Robin’s words came into his mind: Just because she hides her past, doesn’t make her a liar.

And now, he felt the cold sweat of guilt, washing all over his body, all the way to his feet. His heart had slowed down, thanks to the shock of those words, and he was feeling like vomiting right now as the knots in his stomach appeared, trying to pry his stomach open, ripping it apart. You fell silent, slow tears still rolling down your cheeks as you rested against the wall again, and you looked up at the emergency light.

The box had opened. Everything you sealed up, everything you worked for a year to keep inside of you, inside of your head, to maybe erase it, to erase the pain, to erase the treason, to erase it all. Your mother had told you that someday you would explode. She had suggested a therapist, but you never listened, because you thought you were strong enough. That you were strong enough to deal with the pain and with the memory by yourself.

By leaving.

“I was–”

“You don’t have to…” Eddie stops you immediately. He didn’t do this for you to confess your past, or maybe he did, but he never expected this, and now he was regretting every single word that came out of his mouth throughout this whole year towards you. You glared up at him through your tears, talking to him in the coldest tone he ever heard coming from you.

“You wanted it, now you listen.” He felt fear towards you, but not because he was afraid of you, but from what you might have experienced. “Do you know… how the fertility treatment for a female Beta works?”

“So you just sign here, and he signs here, and then the treatment will start for the both of you.” Camila says with a smile to her face as she points at the contact that was on the table. You squeal in excitement while holding your husband’s hand, Henry, as he smiles at you and kisses your knuckles. You grabbed the pen and signed the contract, your husband signing afterwards.

“I can’t believe it’s happening…” You say, smiling towards Henry, your husband of three years, friend from school, boyfriend in college. Getting together with Henry felt like destiny, after the two of you were assigned on a project together at college after not seeing him for over a year. 

And now, you two had signed to start the fertility treatment on the both of you to have your first child. It was something you two knew since you started dating that it would happen, and that you wanted it, you both wanted it. You looked up at Camila, your lawyer and your best friend since middle school. She had a big smile on her face, giving you a nod.

“I’m so excited to be an aunt!” She squealed and you giggled while Henry shook his head at the both of you with a chuckle of his own. You heard about the procedure of fertility treatment for females, and it has 99.7% efficiency. You also heard about the pain that it would bring, but it couldn’t be that bad, would it?

–

GET IT OUT. GET IT OUT. GET IT OUT. GET IT OUT.

Those were your only thoughts as you bit and screamed onto the towel that was given to you, while you were put in a sitting position on the procedure chair, like a Gynecologist's, and your thighs were strapped onto its supports, keeping your legs open, not letting you move away either. 

The procedure consisted of a long small tube that held a very needle inside. That tube is inserted into the vaginal canal, piercing through the uterus breech until it gets to a fallopian tube. Then the needle would start poking the treatment into the organ, reactivating the fertility process on the eggs that are inside the ovaries. 

But the large bendable tube, ripping through your uterus, feeling it going into your fallopian tube, without anesthesia, was too much. Too much to handle. You didn’t expect this to be this painful, because the male Betas had it easier. They had injections done on their ball sack, giving fertility to the sperm inside for a limited period of time. 

The tears were running down your eyes as you clenched them tightly, feeling the sharp needle starting the process now, and you just wanted it to be over. It was going to be all worth it in the end, you will have a beautiful baby, the one thing you’ve always wanted. You always dreamt of a big family, and Henry promised you just that. 

The pain might be unbearable, but if it meant you could have more kids with Henry, you would go through it again.

–

Your eyes were wide, glossed over from the incoming tears as you saw the pregnancy test in your hand. You did everything right, the procedure, the postures, the aftercares, just everything…

And it didn’t take.

It might take some time, more than a month after the treatment, but the next day after the failed test, your bedding had been stained with your blood. You almost screamed with a sob, covering your face with your hands as you looked down at your splayed legs and the blotch of blood that was in between them. 

Your husband immediately shot up from his sleeping state, looking at your figure and then down at the bed. He shook his head, gulping heavily as he pulled you into an embrace, trying to soothe you down, brushing your hair softly.

“It’s okay baby… It wasn’t 100% efficient, we knew that… It’s okay, nothing’s wrong, you did nothing wrong.” 

Those words filled your empty heart, accepting the fact that the treatment did not work this time.

“Next time, it’ll work…” You softly mumble against his neck and his eyes widen slightly, looking down at you.

“You want to try again?” He asks and you nod, your spirit not backing down from that family you always wanted. He nods at you and presses his lips against your head. “I’ll prepare a warm bath for you, okay?” You sniffle, looking back down at the puddle of blood on the sheets and that is probably sipping through them and onto the mattress.

It’s okay, next time it’ll take. 

–

You were sobbing as you sat in Camila’s toilet, feeling the blotches of blood falling down as your best friend was trying to wipe your face with concern being drawn on her eyebrows. The four pregnancy tests were all over the sink, and then it suddenly happened, and you had to pull your pants down to see blood had started leaking down from you. 

“Sweetheart, shh, don’t cry…” 

“I don’t get it! I did everything right! I even rechecked myself, and I am healthy, and ready for a baby, and he did the studies on himself too and there’s nothing wrong with us!” You almost screamed as you felt more blood running down into the toilet, the sobs ripping out of your chest at the failed conception, once again.

“Maybe the third time’s the charm? Like the saying?” She was trying to put humor in the situation, but you had told her about the insufferable pain you went through. Going through that two times, the appointment being just one month after the last one, was almost traumatizing. 

“I don’t know if I can handle a third… Not only because of the pain, but because of seeing that single line again, and then feeling my blood coming down… I don’t want to feel that again!” Camila grabbed your face in between her hands and she gave you a slow nod, with a warm smile on her face.

“You are so strong, I know you can do this, and Henry is waiting for it to happen… Nothing is wrong with you both, maybe the timing was wrong… This time it’ll happen.”

And those words helped you clean yourself that evening and already book another appointment. Third time’s the charm.

It has to be.

–

“Please, please, give me a break, I can’t do this again, please!” You yelled while laying on the hospital’s bed, your upper body propped up with each foot hooked into some metal pedals in each corner of the bed to keep your legs spread.

The doctor pulled away, looking up from in between your legs with pity eyes and shook her head.

“We can’t stop the process sweetheart, a pause can cause an alteration and we’re already more than halfway there! I promise!” You were processing what she was saying, with tears streaming down your cheeks, your bottom lip busted open from biting onto it way too hard to control your cries. The pain was unbearable, feeling like you were being split open, your insides being ripped apart. 

But you wanted this. You both wanted this. Something is wrong with you, it has to be. There’s no other explanation for it, no matter if the doctors ran a bunch of tests on you and said everything should really be fine, you didn’t believe that. Something was not working, but you really wanted this. 

So you nodded for your doctor to proceed, and the pain worsened from there.

But that day, you got out of the appointment earlier than expected because another person decided to not show up. So you decided to surprise your husband and head over to his clinic, where he was getting his appointment done at this very moment with a smile on your face, fighting against the pain that was in your uterus and in between your legs.

Parking your car in the lot, you got out with a wince to go towards the clinic’s doors, and head over to the receptionist with a smile to your face.

“Hello! I’m here because my husband is having fertility treatment?” You say with a chirp to your voice and the blonde girl at the desk smiled at you with a nod.

“Can you give me the name?”

“Henry Creel.” She nods and types something on her computer, a small frown appearing on her face as she looks up at you.

“There is no one by that name for a fertility treatment today.” You tilted your hair to the side, completely confused because you swore you heard him say it was today. Maybe you had heard wrong but there was already a storm inside your stomach, your instincts kicking in.

“O-Oh, then, is it tomorrow?” You ask and the lady had a sad frown on her face, looking at you with worry in her eyes.

“There were no fertility treatments done to a man named Henry Creel. Ever. He is not in our system…” 

You were frozen in place. It couldn’t be, this was the clinic, you were sure of it. He told you that it was close to yours many times, that’s why he always picked you up after your treatment, taking care of you, buckling you into the passenger’s seat as he went home with you.

You didn’t even reply to the woman, despite her calling out to you, and you immediately darted towards your car. You needed to get home, you needed to check the contract to see if the clinic was another one, because that must be it. He signed the contract so the fertility treatment has to be done.

You raced home, stepped on the gas like never before, your head spiraling as you reached your house and the knots in your stomach appeared. Your eyes widened when you saw a very familiar car at the front of your home, so you shut your own car off a little bit further so you could go inside silently.

Your heart was pounding into your chest as your mind was telling you to not go inside your home, despite you already opening the door, and walking inside, only to be hit with the sound of moaning, groaning, breathless sighs coming from upstairs. From your room. 

You started heading up, silently, thinking that this is a nightmare, that this is not real, that this was just some random people that barged into your home to have sex, because it couldn’t be real, it just couldn’t.

But when you opened the door, it all became real. Your husband looked at you, his movements stopping completely, his eyes widening at the sight of you. Then your eyes darted to the person below him, the person who was clawing her nails onto his back.

Camila.

“The contract was fake. He never went to any of his appointments, not once, and I suffered three times… Three.” Your tears never stopped, your eyes never leaving the emergency light at the top of the elevator. “They both cheered me on… Knowing how painful it was, knowing I could end up traumatized by it… while they fucked behind my back… The only two people I ever trusted, fully, in my whole life.”

Eddie was speechless, looking down at his feet with a pained frown in his eyebrows. His jaw was clenching from the anger of what you went through, of what they did to you, and because he was holding in the lump in his throat from the guilt that was brewing in his mind and his heart. 

He now understood why you didn’t want to talk about your past, and it wasn’t because you were hiding, but because you wanted to start fresh. You wanted those memories gone, and he just got them out of your mouth, when you probably haven’t talked about them for the last year. He just made you spill that part of yourself that you tried so hard to conceal, and he did it in the most spiteful way.

In a way he doesn’t think he will forgive himself for.

“I–”

“Now do you understand why I don’t trust easily? Or are you still going to act like a self-entitled prick?” Eddie’s eyes shot up to see you no longer glaring at him, but with a much more pained look on your face. He was the last person you wanted to know about your past, about your pain, about your memories, and he got them out of you inside a stuck elevator. 

Silence filled the air again as you both looked at eachother. Pained nothingness in your eyes while Eddie’s was filled with pained guilt. He clenched his jaw again, swallowing the lump in his throat as he tried to clear it up a bit to try to talk again.

“I-I know this… won’t do–” He cut himself to bite his top lip and looked away from you but you could catch his eyes turning glossy, making you listen to him closely. “I’m sorry… for everything.”

You stared at him, for a long while. You were angry, pissed, enraged by the fact that the man in front of you tormented you for a whole year and even got your past out of your mouth, yet… There was a sense of relief now. Not with him, but within yourself. As if you had held your breath for too long and you could finally sigh it out.

“I don’t accept it.” You reply to him and he simply nods, still looking away from you. You looked down at your hands, feeling slightly defeated by him. You couldn’t help but feel weak now, feel completely vulnerable after giving him your story, which he probably will tell Robin about. Will she hate you for hiding it from her? Will everyone else think you are some poor girl that needs saving?

A shadow casted over you, making you frown slightly, turning your head up to see that Eddie had moved, now kneeling in front of you, looking at you with eyes that now could see you for who you were. 

Strong.

“Finish it.”

“What?” You were baffled by his sudden words, frowning up at him.

“Finish what you intended that night. The night you tackled me.” Your eyes widened at that request, shaking your head slightly, looking at him as if he had gone crazy.

“What are you saying?”

“I deserve it and more. Finish what you intended that night.” He was opening himself up for you to take your anger out on him. You felt your whole body heat up, a burning sensation going towards your fingertips, and your chest flushing with the wave of anger exploding inside of it. You immediately kneeled in front of him and sent your right hand flying against his left cheek.

His head swung to the side, stinging him from the blow, but he couldn’t be mad. In fact, he knew he deserved it, and he deserved it that night. He now understands how hard it must have been for you to go on all those dates after what you went through. He now understands how hard it was for you to open up your heart again. He now understands that despite it all, you do tell Robin stuff, pouring yourself out to her.

He now understands. He now respects you, completely, entirely.

Your tears ran down your cheeks as you took a deep breath in and swung your other hand towards his right cheek, making his head swing to the other side now. Your hands were burning and stinging from the blows, but it had helped. It helped so much because Eddie Munson didn’t look like someone who would let himself be hit or be disrespected without consequences, yet he was giving himself out to you for you to hurt him. 

To make him feel, how you felt whenever he said the word Worth.

Because that’s how you felt when it happened. Were you that worthless that they didn’t care about you? Were you not worthy enough to find love? Were you not worthy enough to find a family? Were you that worthless?

You were about to hit him again when realization hit you, your hand stopping mid air. But Robin… She loved you unconditionally, opened her arms for you despite you building walls around you. Jonathan had cared for you, even after rejecting him, and became a friend without any awkwardness between you two. Steve, Nancy and Argyle, they never once questioned you, never once left you aside or made you feel unwelcome.

They do that, despite your walls. 

Do you deserve that?

Eddie was looking at your expression, your eyes darting back and forth as thoughts processed in your head. He could feel your uneasiness, your sadness, your pain, your uncertainty, but there was one thing he could see in yourself right now, and he wasn’t going to let you think about it, not for a single second. 

“You’re not worthless.”

Your eyes widened and your head shot up to ask him how he could read your mind but then you were both thrown to the ground as the elevator started moving again, abruptly, shaking itself as it went up. Your hands had to grip his biceps for support and he had his own arms on your waist, pulling the both of you up from the ground. He held you until you could stabilize yourself and then pulled away from you. He clenched and unclenched his fists without much thought as he looked at you.

“You okay?” He asked and you looked up at him, seeing his reddened face because of your slaps and you couldn’t help but let out a laugh at the sight. He blinked as if you were insane and kept his eyes on you.

“I-I’m sorry, I just don’t know how we will explain our state to everyone else.” You say, knowing your makeup was running down your face, your nose was stuffed, your eyes were red from crying… He chuckles with you as the elevator dings that you both got into Nancy’s floor. He grabbed the bags, the same present, but from different people, and he handed one to you. 

“We’ll think of something, Peach.” 

As you stepped out of the elevator, you know something shifted at that step. It was as if you left something inside there, someone else, and it was time for it to go. Something has definitely changed, inside of you, and probably with the way you are with everyone else. And that’s when you came to a decision, because if you didn’t move on now, you never will.

Next thing tomorrow, you’ll tell Robin everything.

End of chapter 10

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A/N: As I mentioned, THIS STORY IS A NON TRADITIONAL OMEGAVERSE, most of the lore is created in my own head.

Taglist: @enam3l @katethetank @seatnights @oliskitten @bebe07011 @seventhlevelofhell @babez-a-licious @arsenicred @bl4ckt00thgr1n @harrysgothicbitch @emma77645 @fictionalcomforts @hellv1ra @sarcastically-defensive17 @lodeddiperrodrick @corrodedcoffincumslut @peea90 @sidthedollface2 @elegantkoalapaper @ghost-proofbaby @take-everything-you-can @lalisas2 @luciferiorbxtch

[bpcr3yes]

hellorr, just lately i've been reading a lot of avatar modern headcanons, so i felt like writing some!

all the headcanons here are what i think the blue aliens would look like as humans (some make a lot of sense in my head)

first of all, english is not my native language so if there is any confusing sentence I'm sorry

AVATAR MODERN HEADCANONS

Neteyam is black, EVERYONE KNOWS THAT! he has the same skin color as his mother, and he has dreadlocks that hit a little above his shoulder, and he's a tall guy.

hes a mamas boy, he can cook, clean house, fix things (because after all, he is the oldest all the load of the younger ones is on him.)

AND he is a super gentlemanly guy, he always has a kind smile on his face and is liked by many people

HE IS ALSO A LADYS MAN, how many women do rain on this man, he sure is kind to all of them, I bet he flirts with some even, gives a little kiss there but never anything serious! he would be a great date.

Lo'ak is a light skin, everybody knows how similar he is to his father, I believe he also has dreadlocks but a little bigger than neteyam since he likes to tie them!

he always tries to show his worth to jake but it always comes off as an idiot, i think he would be the kind of guy who is smart but is too lazy for that(i have a kin in this man

he thinks people hate him because whenever he walks through the halls everyone starts staring and whispering at him

he LOVES teasing kiri, after all she is his favorite sister (he will NEVER admit it out loud) he also likes to make fun of tuk

he stares at tsireya like a hungry animal (don't get me wrong) he only realizes he is drooling when the people around him start laughing at him

he is a dramatic man

Kiri she is white and has red hair because grace was white and red hair too.

she believes in signs and always asks neytiri to buy rose quartz for her

a mother of plants

she who provides the trinkets for the family to use in their hair

She's always wearing eyeliner, and she still believes she can't live without it.

SHE ALSO HAS WOLFCUT

is always gossiping with tsireya, and when she with lo'ak lets out a "gross"

TUK is the copy of her mother, among all the genes she has, she pulled neytiri on everything!

she is a little black girl who has her hair in several different hairstyles every day!

she loves roblox but something tells me jake wouldn't let her spend too much time on the ipad because she's too young to be addicted to video games

she is also mamas girl

she loves all her brothers but she has a greater affection with neteyam, after all he is always taking care of her

she always tells jake when loak is bothering her

and she feels bad after jake pulls loak's ear.

she loves popoyo

Tsireya is a light ski nanned , she's a sweet person but don't take her seriously, she automatically becomes a version of her mother

she LOVES decorating gel nails, or just nails, it doesn't matter how long your nails are, she always finds a way to make her beautiful

is always playing with tuk

no one knows but she LOVES flirting with lo'ak because she knows he's a fool for her and is embarrassed by everything

is always hitting on aonung when he says something stupid

she is also a my melody collector!

Aonung is quite tanned but still a light skin, is always surfing or pestering someone

he is that kind of clueless friend who says something that is offensive in 8 different countries( and it also offends many minorities )

he can be a sweetheart whenever he wants

if you say anything offensive to tsireya or roxto he immediately was to hate you for the rest of his life

if you find him in a corner with his homies, you can be sure he was gossping about the sullys

ROXTO, he is the blackest of all (apart from tuk obvs)

he's a sweetheart, he's that kind of friend who knows the whole school

he is an average student but excels in the arts

he loves to make bracelets

he's cute, and I believe he catches the attention of several women too

he and lo'ak are besties ok

SPIDER let me tell you about our white boy

he is a darling 😭

neytiri hates him because he is american(?) (shes latina okay)

he is scared to death of neytiri because he knows she hates his father

he has a HUGE crush on kiri i swear he is a simp for her

he and loak are trouble together but who said they care about that?

he used to be very close with jake when he was younger but neytiri cut that line

I'm sure he also has several women after him.

this is the end! it's my first time writing on tumblr, if it's bad sorry

[justforbooks]

Odyssey by Stephen Fry

The last in Fry’s four-book retelling of the Greek myths is relatable and full of humour

Not long ago, Elon Musk took a break from predicting civil war to offer his followers on X a book recommendation. “Can’t recommend the Iliad enough!” he tweeted. “Best as Penguin audiobook on 1.25 speed.” He accompanied this with a screenshot of the Penguin edition of The Odyssey. Erich Auerbach, thou shouldst be living at this hour.

Still, one way or another, Homer’s great poems have fulfilled the injunction to be news that stays news. Scholars of the original Greek, or partisans of Emily Wilson’s acclaimed recent verse translations, might roll their eyes at the injunction to speed-listen to an audiobook version. But one of the great virtues of myth is that it is robust to being reimagined: The Odyssey gives us Ulysses in one direction, and The Wind in the Willows or Watership Down in another.

And for practically as long as we’ve had the written word, we’ve had simplified retellings of the classical myths suitable for children and tech billionaires. Stephen Fry’s chatty and urbane but slyly erudite prose retellings fit right into this tradition. His Odyssey – which was preceded by Mythos, Heroes and Troy – brings a four-book sequence satisfyingly to a close.

Stylistically, Fry mostly eschews epic grandeur for the immediacy and relatability of modern idiom. The tone is spry rather than stately, and full of humour. Cassandra – wailing fruitlessly in the background all the way from Troy – is largely played for laughs; and when Agamemnon finally makes it home, the King of Men sounds for all the world like a red-trousered bon vivant back from the golf club after a bit too long at the 19th hole:

“Well, well, well! My darling, you grow ever more beautiful. The treasure ships are not far behind. The things you see! […] What’s that you say? A bath? Oh, my dear darling wife, there is only one thing I have been looking forward to more. And that can follow the bath, eh, eh?! Or maybe can be included in the bath, what?”

If he’d listened to Cassandra, he’d know what was included in the bath, but hey-ho.

Nor, though, does Fry altogether ignore the story’s pathos and poetry. There’s moving material about the easy love between father and sons – Odysseus is pierced at having missed out on Telemachus’s childhood – and here and there Fry’s default whimsy gives way to graver passages of writing. “A salt-caked, sun-burned, wind-scoured man lies face-down and naked on a beach. Sandflies skip on the scarred skin of his back.” Penelope, waiting on Ithaca, “strained her eyes towards the bar of haze that separated the blue of the empty sea from the blue of the empty sky”.

It’s not quite, or not only, a children’s book. The language gets fruity here and there – when Odysseus reveals himself to the suitors, he sounds positively Tarantinoesque: “He asked me who the hell I thought I was. I’ll tell you who I think I am. I think I am Odysseus of Ithaca, come back from the dead to revenge myself upon you. You fucking animals.” And the sexual violence is, if downplayed, not entirely absent (though perhaps to avoid muddying the moral clarity of the story for his younger readers, Fry omits Telemachus’s massacre of the maidservants).

There’s a lot of action in the footnotes, where Fry discusses lexicology or pronunciation, digresses on modern parallels, editorialises, or floats pet theories. He notes that Odysseus’s arrival on the Phaeacian coastline on a plank of his shattered raft may be “the first ever description of surfing in all literature”. He muses on why Hera is always “cow-eyed”, and notes that “cows (to us) are rarely imperious in aspect in the way Hera manifestly was, but perhaps this is a failure of observation on our part”. He argues, with reference to Beatrix Potter’s The Tale of the Flopsy Bunnies and the name of the island Cos, that the lotus eaters are actually munching lettuce. He has Athena accusing Zeus of planning to “usher in an age without treaties, promises, honour or law”, and adds in a glum footnote: “A plan that finally has come into being in every detail it would seem … ”

This is a book with a theory, too. It completes a historic arc that has taken us from gods and titans, through demigod heroes, to the deeds of mortals in whose affairs the gods meddle freely – and it points to an era in which men, in a substantially disenchanted world, will find their own way. The trial of Orestes, in Fry’s account, is something like the thematic heart of the book. In it, Princess Erigone argues for “a new order” where “we are to reconstitute the world according to reason and sense, rather than impulse and bloodlust”, and the wise Athena “is the only god we need”. How’s that working out? Ask Elon Musk, I guess.

Daily inspiration. Discover more photos at Just for Books…?

[canonsinthehead]

Naruto Modern AU/Hollywood pt.2 - Kiri & The All-Star Team

There is a silent hierarchy among all countries and the terrible assumption that bigger countries are better than smaller ones. The large presence and funds of various territories, like the country of fire, wind, earth, and lightning, overwhelms and overshadows small nations, especially in sports where each country dominates certain disciplines.

The land of fire (Konoha): badminton, soccer, gymnastics, and martial arts

The land of lightning (Kumo): Tennis, basketball, and athleticism

The land of earth (Iwa): cross country, marathon, weightlifting, and cycling

But in the last decade, the land of water emerged in the sports scene. It was coming out of years of political conflict that left the country in shambles with record levels of poverty, putting them at the bottom of the economic ladder. Not only was it a smaller nation, but a lot of its endeavors and way of life were unknown to the rest of the world because of the long-lasting reign of violence that controlled the country for decades.

Well, Kiri has been perceived as "these islands far away" with the highest crime rate in the world for the longest but Its newly found peace brought interesting things; industrialization,  a new economy open to the world, the exportation of its products, but specifically the creation of various social classes. This was not the case before, since it was, the government/military vs the rest of the population in poverty.

This modernized economy brought the country a new middle class and other social statuses. It recently started experiencing the concept of celebrities like the rest of the world and most are athletes.

Being surrounded by large bodies of water, any form of water activity has always been intuitive to them. To the point where many accuse them of having a "genetic advantage". Athletes from Kiri/Country of Water can now join world competitions and are killing the game in the water department and making a serious name for their country. They are undefeatable in all forms of swimming kayaking, boat racing, surfing, diving, synchronized/artistic swimming, water polo, etc. Now most of the competitions for these sports are held there.

Kiri is getting recognized overseas for many things, but recently certain people have attained celebrity status for unconventional reasons building a solid international fan base

Mei Terumi, the female president, for her breathtaking beauty

Haku is the new sensation in figure skating. A discipline Kiri started to dominate recently but the young man’s high level of skills made him reach first place in all competitions. His likeability, pure heart, and pretty looks opened many doors for him, he often features in variety shows and commercials. He is also a good friend of the #1 YouTuber/streamer and boxer Naruto Uzumaki and often appears on his channel

Ever since basketball was invented, Kumogakure dominated the sport, but in the past year, the mysterious national basketball team of Kiri has made a name for themselves.

Overnight, a team of 195 cm tall men came out of nowhere and climbed up the world ranking to second place. The team’s name is the Swordsman of the Mist and the current coach is Gengetsu Hozuki It may not seem like it, but many of the members have interesting inheritances and backgrounds.

Kisame Hoshigaki: leader and tallest. Surprisingly decent from a prestigious clan from Kiri. Kisame is an academic genius, who has a diploma in biology from the most prestigious universities in the country of Water but decided to use the basketball scholarship he received instead.

His son Shizuma Hoshigaki is a part-time social media influencer. He is problematic in his own way, but not enough to be canceled yet. Shizuma is not worried because he is a trust fund kid but wishes to outshine his father as a professional swimmer. The jokes write themselves since he barely practices the sport but is among the greatest and fastest the world has to offer (his shark DNA, I guess). He is dating Raiga’s daughter Buntan, and her father is really salty about it

Zabuza Momochi: nobody knows about his background. He is the most muscular. Him and Kisame get the most brand deals and promotions. Zabuza is also one of Haku’s coaches. He took him under his wing under unknown circumstances. He is the first to recognize the boy’s unique talent and aiding him in his journey as an athlete regardless of their differences. Zabuza always had a sweet spot for Haku and considered him like a son. So, he is often absent to prioritize the figure skater’s training.

Kisame knows Zabuza well, they are lifelong friends. The leader lets him get away with missing practices (even if it drives their coach insane). His best friend is a man of a few words, and above all works extremely hard and exercises double their training schedule in his own free time.

Juuzo Biwa: He is the third star player along with Kisame and Zabuza (The Killer Trio). He has no sense of personal space. Ironically, he is the wealthiest because he owns a successful brand of luxury cars coveted by the new high class. He is genuinely funny, and the variety show's favorite.

Raiga: Loudest laugh. Lost a lot of money due to his jewelry addiction. He smokes a pack with the blood of his enemies. The mother of his child is still getting child support payments, and he is bitter, even if they’re legally separated.

Because of His herratic behaviour and anger issues, he is kinda of a self-made outcast. The other members can cooporate as co-workers and teamates but nothing beyond that (Raiga has is own circle of friends). Since Raiga is so unhinged, no matter their coach's efforts, him and Zabuza do not get along.

Hassaku Onomichi: professional dunker. He befriended a lot of Kumo basketball players. He often gets caught up in beefs with anyone.

The popularity of the basketball team has offered them fans all across the world for their incredible talent, pleasant chemistry, unique sense of humor, and good looks to the point where tabloids from Konoha have launched a misinformation campaign to stain their image and effort to defend their basketball teams after getting constantly crushed by those "foreigners".

The last match of the International Basketball League’s series opposing The Swordmen of the Mist from Kiri against The Lightnings from Kumo was the most anticipated and heated match ever organized. Taking place in Konoha, it made record engagement and attendance. For the first time in history, Kumo lost the finale to first timers. The news traveled all across the world and, certified Kiri’s team's celebrity status since they won.

With their success, many shady investors like Gato started to take interest in basketball as a means of proposing Kiri overseas and for other shady dealings. The weight of all those rumors pushed many fans who knew Gato’s involvement in Haku’s career to beg him to change his manager/owner ASAP.

PART 1 next part

[titanslayyyer]

NIGHTS LIKE THIS. Jean Kirstein

𝐈𝐍 𝐖𝐇𝐈𝐂𝐇 . . . sophomore year of college holds things you never thought the universe would choose you to experience.  you find yourself strolling this long and winding road without the one person who was supposed to guide you through everything, but with your chosen family-- a group of loud-mouthed friends who wouldn't dare let you lose yourself again.

Though, a new-found face with a troubled past has made his way into your life, and you find yourselves butting heads before you can even build a true bond, only for hearts to mesh together and form something like no other.

WARNINGS/WHAT TO EXPECT: modern college au set at a real school, slowburn-ish, heavy underage drinking and use of drugs, explicit sexual content, mentions of suicide and themes of trauma, hurting, weird love triangle, reader is a musician (guitarist) FEM READER

CHAPTER 1: WHERE WE BELONG

“Pool House” by the Backseat Lovers plays loudly from the radio in your Jeep Wrangler as you drive down ward memorial boulevard with all of the windows down and two packs of vodka seltzers on the floor of the passenger side. 

The familiar California breeze hits your cheeks and the salty smell of the Pacific coast calms your nerves, setting a nonchalant smile across your face.

Palm trees sway in the distance, and to your left waves shimmer under the September sun as Henley Gate welcomes you.

Everywhere you look on the campus of UC Santa Barbara people are buzzing around, an array of different words are spoken at once and a thousand different voices share conversation. 

Sophomore year of college is on the rise, the hustle and bustle of move-in weekend never being something to mess around with and this year was no different then the last. . . people of all sorts riding bikes to their next destination, saying goodbye to their parents, and everything else under the sun.

Here, it didn’t matter where you came from whether it was across the country or from Europe, or the highschool drama you were the center of. You could be whoever you wanted to be. 

You have no plan, no guide on how to do things right. . . but you knew that this is where you had to be.

Your older sister Cassie, formerly a junior here, passed away the summer before your senior year of highschool. 

This left a dent in your world, and you knew that things would never be the same despite the path of better things in your wake. 

She was always there for you, to prepare you for the worst and teach you another lesson you would never forget. She left you a video for your first night away from home, telling you that “all you have to do is endure and survive, because no matter what there are people that you’ll fit in with.’ and  her words lingered in your head like the worst hangover of your life 

Passing her memorial tree near the lagoon hit the hardest, but you did it no matter what.

Seeing her picture, the flowers scattered and the ones that grew, and the cards from friends that were laid out always caused your heart to ache. There were even a few of the remains of candles from her vigil so long ago. 

People who you had no idea existed would come up to you and hug you, saying how sorry they were for ‘what happened.’ and that your sister was one of the best things that happened to this world. They weren’t wrong. She was almost a saint.

There was no avoiding it either, because your family didn’t handle it well.

Your father divorced your mother and is now somewhere down the coast, while your mother sips expensive wine and pops pills on the porch of your home pretending to be as happy as she possibly can. 

Your brother is two years older than you and is a senior at the same school, texting you every so often but for the most part he does his own thing with his own group of friends and surfing day and night to escape his own problems.

He doesn’t talk to your mother as much as he used to, speaking only when spoken to and hanging around your dad.

That’s just the way it goes, whether you like it or not.

You make your way down Ocean Road on your way to Isla Vista where five of your best friends, two of which had already arrived, would be unpacking their own things into the house you would be renting out for the school year.

Your stomach fills with an indescribable warmth, the feeling of excitement filling your body from your head down to your toes as you get closer and closer to the place you call home.

All along each street you pass, students are unpacking and some are already making their way down to the beach under the late afternoon sun in the tiniest bikinis, pedaling smoothly on pastel bikes.

You pull into the wide driveway of your rental, parking right behind Sashas' car whose back bumper and trunk were littered with hundreds upon hundreds of stickers she’d collected since she was gifted the car for her 16th birthday. 

There was a loud scream as you shut your car door, and a gush of happiness filled you up. 

You knew all too well that it was Sasha, who stumbled out the front door and down the steps to give you the biggest bear hug she could muster up.

Time feels as though it’s come to a major halt, your heart nearly stopping from the feeling of the arms you've missed so dearly.

“HIIIE!” She squeals, and you cant help but to laugh heartily into the crook of her neck while you two cradle each other as tightly as possible. 

In the year and a half that you’ve known her, you have learned everything about Sasha and she’s learned every little thing about you from the freckles on your waist to your oldest scars dating back to when you needed training wheels.

Without her life almost seemed boring and empty, and over the summer you found yourself on almost nightly facetime calls to update each other on your hectic lives.

“I’ve missed you so so much!” You cry, passing along the squeezing hug to Historia who followed closely behind Sasha just as excitedly. Her blue eyes nearly began to tear up as she smiled into you, giggling jubilantly. 

“Mmmm im gonna start bawling I’m so glad you made it.” Historia smiles, the two of you pulling out of your embrace and regrouping again as a trifecta. “I’m saying that as if the ride here was a Lord of the Rings-esque journey but still! You didn’t die!”

“I mean, The AC in my car wasn’t working while I was balls deep in traffic and I thought I was gonna have a heatstroke.” You chuckle restfully, wiping the sheen of sweat from your forehead, reminiscing of the early-evening bumper-to-bumper.

“Hah! I made it before all that.” Sasha boasts, and you roll your eyes, grinning. 

“Some of us weren’t as lucky!” You groan, throwing your arm around Sasha’s shoulders and falling into her as if you were fainting into her arms. 

The three of you laugh.

“We made some lemonade, too! If you wanna have a glass please do, because we accidentally made way too much.” Historia offers, motioning for you guys to follow her into the house, backpack and tote bag slung over your shoulders. 

You walk in to the living room- greeted by the gracious smell of bath and body works candles and the music of a Mt. Joy cd softly playing from a large stereo.

Your eyes wander over each wall and tiny little detail that you could pick out, from the white ‘L’ shaped couch in the corner, and the tv mounted on a small stand. There was a large dragon tree next to that, as well as a large gray chair. 

“Historia’s parents pitched in on the couch, chair, tv stand and coffee table.” Sasha informs you, sipping sweet lemonade from a red plastic cup and throwing herself onto the couch.

“We should run to target when Mikasa gets here.” You say, throwing out the offer.

“That would be so fun.” Sasha replies, nibbling on her straw. “We’ll have to get groceries eventually, but for now I told everyone to bring their favorite snacks.”

“Perfect! I have some chips and pretzels in my car, i’ll make sure to get them.” You say merrily, moving to make your way down the hallway past the kitchen.

You eye the room with a flamingo nametag sticker, sporting your name in big pink bubble letters – very obviously written by Historia.

You push open the door with a curious mind to see an empty bedframe along with a mattress and a nightstand, as well as a closet in the corner. The open window on the back wall looked straight out onto the ocean, where the waves recklessly crashed onto great rocks below and seeped onto the beach before retreating back into the tide.

Tossing your bags down next to the closet, a satisfied sigh leaves your lips as you leaned onto the window sill. . . soaking up the view you missed more than anything. 

Pulling back, you leave the open window and leave the quiet serenity of your own room to begin unpacking your things from your car with the uncertainty of what the upcoming year would hold. 

-

It took about an hour and a half, not counting the large break you took to greet Annie who stopped by for a quick hello, for you to unpack your belongings and organize your room exactly how you wanted it, listening to music during the process of building your desk and dresser and setting up your little guitar corner. 

Your sisters old cd player sat on the dresser, your cd collection in a holder right next to it. Your cds consisted of bands like Alice and Chains and No Doubt all the way to Surf Cruise and Tijuana Panthers. . .  a couple of which you had stolen from her bedroom when you were younger, and listened to most often.

Mikasa had sent you, Sasha and Historia a group snap of her in front of the Isla Vista sign, notifying you all of her arrival while you all sit on the back deck.

“I think Eren is with her.” Sasha says to you guys, snapping her a quick photo of you three.

“No wonder why she took so long.” You chortle, putting your phone down on the side table. “Where’s he staying?” 

“I think him, Connie, Armin, Reiner and Jean are in a place a couple streets over. At least thats what she told me.” Historia states, sucking down some of her lemonade. 

You had all met Eren and his friends Connie and Armin at a backyard party towards the middle of Freshman year when his band played. Eren wore a shirt with “CUM SLUT” in big letters on the back which Mikasa complimented him on tipsily.

Since then, the four of them have always stuck around. 

You’ve been to almost every soccer game, baseball, basketball and volleyball game together with them, and on various nights you would go out to eat at some cheap restaurant that you could only afford when you all pitched in.

“There you guys are.” 

You whip your heads to the nonchalant voice coming from the porch door. It’s Mikasa.

“Hii!” You smile, excitedly jumping up to wrap your arms around her in a tight embrace.

She returns the action, holding you as if she would break your bones if she gripped too hard. Her head is buried into you, and she breathes warm air into your skin. 

Whenever Mikasa hugs someone, she means it. 

“Get over here!” Sasha demands, jumping into the two of you. Historia follows, bundling up into this hug between you and all of your closest friends on the face of the earth. 

It’s hard not seeing the people you love for a while. 

These girls would be in your wedding. These girls would meet your first born. These are the girls that you’re going to graduate college with and have monthly visits with when you live in different places all along the country.

“This is real cute guys, yknow? totally adorbs.” Eren speaks from the doorway, arms crossed and a smug smile across his tan face. 

“Do you want one too or something?” You say, looking over at him. He reeked of weed and the cover-up of Ralph Lauren fragrance.

“I’m good! Thanks though.” He gives you a thumbs up

“That’s not how you sounded when you were crying like a baby last year.” You smirk, tilting your head slightly. “Besides I wouldn’t give you one anyways. You smell god-awful.” 

“Okay, fuck you. I was not crying like a baby.” Eren says sharply. “And I do not smell.”

“Don’t even try to defend yourself, dude.” Sasha snorts, throwing her hat onto the chair behind her and going in to serve your guests some lemonade and fetch herself one of the bags of chips that had been lazily thrown onto the counter.

“Mikasa, Help me out here,” Eren pleads to the girl, but Mikasa simply shakes her head and chuckles. “C’mon!” 

“Sorry, but you were.” She raises her hands in self-defense before reaching into the bag of chips generously brought out.

“You guys need to be put in an anti-bullying class.” Historia giggles, looking up from her phone, having spent a lot of the time texting her girlfriend Ymir.

“It’s not bullying, it’s harmless teasing.” Sasha says. 

“It’s not out fault he’s sensitive.” You snicker.

“It is bullying!” Eren shouts, walking out onto the porch and sitting down in one of the chairs that came with the rental. 

“Don’t be a drama queen.” Mikasa giggles, sitting down next to him.

Eren grunts and rolls his eyes as a response, scooting his chair closer to the table. 

You simply hum softly and sit yourself down next to Historia who speedily typed away, chuckling to herself every so often but remaining consistent in the conversation. 

Hours seemed to pass in such little time as you conversed, sun beginning to set below the horizon. Armin and Connie have since joined you guys, throwing snacks on the table while music plays from Connie’s waterproof speaker that he brings almost everywhere with him.

Your music choice was a collaborated playlist made last year, songs put in from everyone in your friend group and was played countless of times.

You talked about your summers, upcoming job interviews or ones that have passed, classes for the fall quarter, celebrity drama and anything else that came to mind. Eren, Connie and Armin gossiped about the newest beef with Floch who was starting things again with Eren. . . and from the way Floch is, you weren’t surprised. 

He’s a typical college douche with little respect for anyone other than himself.

They began talking about their new roommate and Erens long-term friend– Jean whom you had heard of before, but knew very little about.

You had seen him in a couple of instagram posts, and knew all the boys hangout together a lot over the summer. Though, when your girlfriends finally met him you were unable to make it because of your summer job. 

“He’s got some baggage but he’s nice once you get to know him.” Armin says, looking over to Eren who spat out some remark about his looming fuckboy reputation that’s been on his shoulders since highschool.

“You don’t know him like I do. He’s got some shit going on or somethin’.” Eren says, though at this point you’ve zoned out into a side conversation about gym routines with Mikasa ears only receiving the most interesting points

“an alcoholic. . .” “sophomore sensation. . .” “huge ego. . .” “always on speed dial. . .” “selfish. . .” it went on and on until Connie cracked a joke that completely switched the topic.

Sasha nor Historia had much to say other than little sayings on how they ‘saw it from the moment they met him.’ 

Your mind was buzzing with all sorts of different thoughts as it tried to take in the two different conversations happening around you. 

Plans had soon unfolded into walking to the closest bar and grill where you would be introduced to these new friends of the guys, as well as meeting Zeke there . . . who would be persuaded into buying you guys drinks after being begged.

Sasha was drooling the minute your group shuffled inside the loud restaurant. . . Smells of steak, cooked vegetables and appetizers of all sorts overwhelmed her senses as she bounced over to where Zeke was sat with Ymir, a Coors Light at his lips.

“Finally! I’m starved.” Zeke says, placing his bottle down.

“It’s good to see you too,” You greet him, taking your seat. “You gonna buy us a couple rounds or what?”

“I’m so sick and tired of being used like this.” He huffs.

“What? Because you’re the only one with a real ID?” Eren raises an eyebrow.

“Hey, Don’t expose us like that.” Connie points a finger at Eren, helping himself to a basket of steaming buffalo wings that Zeke had previously ordered for the tabe. “My business is fuckin’ booming, man.”

“Having a fake ID is cringe.” Armin teases.

“Didn’t you blackout like, a week ago?” Annie claims, and Armins cheeks flush red. 

“Okay, I did not blackout—” He begins matter-of-factly, furrowing his eyebrows.

Eren had thrown a little shin-dig with the guys in his parents backyard as a little ���end of summer” bash before they all drove out to Santa Barbara.

You received a snap from Connie at about 10pm of Armin on his first drink, and at 3 in the morning. . . another of Armin on his last; messy hair and zero thought between his big blue eyes.

“Oh, you absolutely did!” Eren exclaims. “Somebody get the receipts!” 

“I’m already on it, man,” wiping through the thousands of photos in his camera roll to find the correct videos. He puts the phone in the middle of the table for everyone to see the video of Armin on top of a pool table, dancing to a song you couldn’t identify. 

“Yo, that’s not me!” Armin protests, unable to stifle his own laughter despite being absolutely ripped on.

Connie swipes to another, and another, and finishes on a final photo of Armin passed out in a camp chair, Brewski in hand and sunglasses on the ridge of his nose. 

The whole table is cackling now under the cover of the loud music of the sports bar, only progressing as other jokes are thrown into the mix.

During your fit of laughter, out of the corner of your eye you spot two men and a woman walk into the restaurant– Reiner and Annie along with another face. 

The other man has ashy blonde hair that reaches just below his nape and wears a careless. He’s goddamn handsome, and carries himself like he knows it too. 

“Jean, Reiner! Over here!” Eren calls over to them out of the shocking blue, raising an arm to signal the two over to your table. As the ashy-brown haired man gets closer to you, his eyes meet yours under the multicolored lights. 

Though, you look back to your laughing friends the moment you catch yourself looking for a little too long. “Hey, y/n! This is Jean.” Eren says. “She doesn’t bite. . . much.” 

“Shut up, Blockhead.” You hiss, shaking your head. “It’s nice to finally meet you.”

“‘S nice to finally meet you too..” He says with little to no emotion, aside from that he nodded his head to you.

His grip is firm, cold silver from his panther n’ roses ring making your hand cold.

“Watch out for the lesbians, though. Those ones bite.” Connie snickers, motioning to Ymir and Historia who were sat next to each other across the table from him.

“Shut the fuck up, Connie.” Ymir snaps, draping her arm around her girlfriends’ shoulder. 

“It’s true!” He says, defending himself. 

“Just ignore him, Ymir. He’s a homophobic stoner who failed English.” Mikasa smirks, earning an offended look from Connie, whose jaw drops.

“Hey! I’m not an author, and I love the gays!” He exclaims.

Jean raises his eyebrows across the table, a smug look on his face. “Well you surely don’t come anywhere near Shakespeare.”

“Stick to Dr. Seuss, Bud.” Sasha says, a lick of evil in her tone as she pats Connie on the shoulder sympathetically. Connie can only huff out a small ‘whatever,’ shaking his head with a grin on his face.

Eventually, your waitress came by to collect your orders, and of course your drinks which were all on Zeke. With a groan, he pulled his wallet from his back pocket and gave it up to the woman.

Drinks came in what felt like a matter of minute as you all conversed amongst yourselves. Everyone chatted happily on various topics, and you couldn’t help but notice Jean’s Pearl Jam shirt.

“Eddie Vedder, huh?" You say, tapping your fingers along the side of your drink.

“The one and only.” Jean says with a small chuckle. “You like Pearl Jam?” 

“I grew up with Pearl Jam. My parents took me to a bunch of concerts growing up.” You tell him.

“Same here. ‘Was supposed to go to their last concert but got swept up in work and had to sell my tickets.” He says. 

“Aw, that sucks.” You sigh.

“I know. I was lookin’ forward to it.” Jean says cooly, resting his arm on the table and taking a sip of his drink.

You can’t help but watch as his adams apple lunges up and down his throat, a thick sheen of silence coming between your conversation though his whiskey colored eyes speak for themselves as they study every reachable inch of you.

You found yourself thinking about everything your friends had been saying about him, due to the fact that he didn’t seem as awful as they said based on your first impression.

Despite your longing to stare at him longer, you tear your eyes from him and look down the table, where Eren’s green eyes quickly tore from Jean to you. He had this possesive look on his face, as though if Jean were to get too close to you he would pounce on him and rip him apart limb by limb.

As the waitress came around to take your order, Eren shifted and placed his eyes on her so he could mindlessly flirt and once again force Zeke to purchase yet another round. He only gave in because Eren would pay for his dinner, so a win was a win. 

Your food came, and the volume of your table switched from 100% down to 50% while everyone ate, starving from the built-up hunger they had from moving around all day. 

“Eren are you gonna throw another party to kick off the semester?” Sasha asks, throwing a ketchup-drenched french fry into her mouth. 

Eren shrugs in response. “Probably. I don’t see why not.” 

“Well, as long as the frat dudes don’t get in the way of your plans.” Armin points out.

“Fuck them, man. ‘Specially Floch.” Connie says angril, taking a rather large bite of his cheeseburger. 

Last year, during Eren’s spring break kickoff him and Floch got into a fight that resulted in the cops coming to shut the entire function down. Since then, neither of them have had a real conversation – and the last time they spoke it turned into an intimidation game.

Eren was constantly getting himself into trouble, whether it was at home with his parents or here at school with people he didn’t exactly get along with. He was beyond lucky that he hasn’t been in serious trouble with the school board yet.

“Don’t act like that fight wasn’t your fault, Eren.” Mikasa says, brushing hair out of her face. 

“Oh, come on! He wasn’t invited, ‘nd was already starting shit!” He snaps back. 

Armin chimes in. “Don’t start, guys.”

“I was just telling it as it is.” Mikasa sighs and tears apart a section of her barbecue ribs.

This turned into a playful verbal tussle between Eren, Mikasa and Annie – who were ganging up on him about his moral values and what he viewed as a fair fight. 

People talked through mouthfuls of food, interrupted by the crinkle of checkered butcher’s paper and the slurp of someone sucking down a thick milkshake.

Once everyones baskets were cleared and the bill was paid, you all shambled out of the restaurant at around 9pm and found yourselves walking down the street towards your house after stopping to grab ice cream and wander the streets without any idea if you were going to end up home or not.

There was a small breeze, chilling your face under the night sky and sending a chill down your spine. After living in the heat your whole life, you were used to the cold of the night and craved it in the blistering sun. Though, when you were actually in it you realized how you weren't missing out on anything on the other side of the country.

You adjusted your zip-up jacket on your shoulders and stepped along, comforted by the sounds of your friends all talking together-- something you've grown to love more than anything.

Sasha was the first inside the house as you reached the front stoop, tossing her body onto the soft cushions of the couch where she curled up comfortably. “Don’t take up all the room, Sash.” Annie says, moving Sashas’ legs onto their own path so she can sit down besides her. 

“I go where the food takes me. .” She mumbles, face pressed into the throw pillows.

Annie just laughs a bit and pats her back, reaching towards the tv remote and watching as Mikasa moves to push the coffee table out of the way.

Historia and Ymir had ended up going back to Historia’s room where their music could be heard playing faintly, and everyone else scattered around your large-enough living room to play games on Mikasas’ switch for hours until you all crashed.

It was at about 11:45 when only you, Eren, Sasha, Jean and Connie were left playing Mario Kart, the others having left to go to their own bed or walk down the street to their own house. 

Jean was pretty talkative the entire evening, joining in on conversation and taking turns playing Mario Kart when everyone else was here and active– and at the current time when it’s just the five of you left in the living room taking turns playing Pikmin.

Verbatim from dinner earlier, you and Jean would occasionally catch each others eye from either side of the couch and share a silly look before turning your heads away from one another. 

“Someone should get us more drinks” Eren says, lifting his arms over his head to flexibly stretch and bother everyone by pushing the coffee table with his long legs. 

“Why can’t you get them, freedom boy?” Sasha snorts, desperately button mashing her way through a boss battle. 

“Uh, because it’s your house?” Eren replies sharply. 

“I don’t know if they like the idea of you passing out on their couch.” Jean raises his eyebrows, and you nod. “How many have you had? Like, 6?”

He snaps back in an instant. “Excuse me sir this will be my third drink of the night. I have high tolerance unlike all of you pussies, and will walk myself home without your assistance.”

“Whatever you say.” You shrug, passing your controller to Eren and rising off of the couch to walk back to the kitchen to see what was left. 

“Mind if I come with ya?” Jean speaks from behind you, and you look back with a small smile. “I wanna get something too.”

“Not at all.” You say, opening the fridge. 

Despite bringing two packs of alcohol, there were 5 left in the last pack of surfsides. You barely even remembered who had one, and found yourself shocked that they had gone so fast. 

Sighing, you grab two of the vodka iced-teas, handing one to Jean and putting the other on the nearest surface to eventually give to Eren. 

“Thanks.” He says kind of quietly, leaning against the counter and cracking open the can — his eyes flavouring the round of your ass as you turn around and bump the fridge door shut.

“So how did you meet Eren?” You ask, and he immediately corrects his stare. 

“Oh, I grew up with him. We went to highschool together, Connie too. I was at Santa Barbara community college but transferred.” Jean tells you. “I’m actually gonna play bass for his band.” 

It probably seemed like you were interrogating him at this point, but you couldn’t help your wanting to pick his brain. “Sick. You play bass?” 

“Mhm. I started playing guitar when I was like 10, bass when i was 15.” He says, taking a quick swig of his drink without moving his eyes off of you. “Do you play?” 

“I’ve been playing since i was 13.” You tell him.

“That’s really cool.” He nods, and so do you. 

Jean was quick to open up his phone and begin to boredly text somebody, walking back to his seat on the couch without another care in the world– as if you hadn’t even been there in the first place. 

Silence consumes the kitchen, nothing to be heard except for the running of the air conditioner and playful bickering behind you.

Turning around, you grab Eren’s drink and take it to him in the living room, sitting inbetween him and Jean on the couch with Sasha at your feet and Connie next to her– constantly pushing her controller so she would mess up. 

Sasha was beginning to nod off, head falling forward then snapping back up as she exhaustedly pressed buttons and tried her best to keep up her good work at one of the many games you had played in one night.

She could push herself as long as she really wanted to, and being her friend was one of the wildest rides you’ve ever been on. 

Last year your group of friends went on a ski trip over christmas break and she dragged you out to go sledding at 5 am, and on your days down on the beach she would always be the first in the waves and take you on walks to go look for tidepools. 

She brought out the best in everybody without even trying, and that’s what you loved about her. 

-

You hadn’t even realised you fell asleep for about 30 minutes when she lightly shook you awake, whispering your name and interrupting your dreamless rest.

Connie yawns, rubbing his tired eyes and using Sasha to get himself to his feet. “I need a fuckin’ joint, bro.” 

“Me too. We should get goin’.” Eren says, picking himself up off your couch and grabbing his hoodie from where it was tossed onto your floor.

Sighing, you lift your body up and let your eyes adjust to the light of the tv screen in the dark and notice the lack of a certain body. “Did Jean leave already?” 

“He got a booty call and dipped.” Connie tells you, sliding his vans on. 

“Hm. I see.” You hum.

“I wouldn’t waste your time with him.” 

You look up from picking pillows off of the floor and at Eren who now leaned against the doorframe with hands shoved into the pockets of his sweatpants. “What’s that supposed to mean?” 

“I saw you talking to him earlier, that’s it.” He shrugs.

A hearty laugh leaves the cushion of your lips. “Do you think I have a little crush on him or something?” 

“No.” He says, plain and simple and you furrow your eyebrows. “I just don’t want him trying to get in your pants.” His response makes you roll your eyes, walking into the kitchen and putting your can of High Noon in the back of the fridge with your name on it.

“Is that what you think of me?” You ask him, mostly teasing.

“Never in a million years.” His eyes go soft as he steps closer to you. "You’re cool, and I don’t want him hurting you.” 

Pushing hair behind your ear, you cross your arms under your chest and watch as he throws out his empty can. “Thanks, but I can handle myself, Blockhead. Besides, I don’t think Jean wants anything to do with me. He’s a fuckboy and I’m not into that.” 

“I saw him lookin’ you up and down all goddamn night. I think he wants somethin’ to do with you.” Eren huffs out a breath of air.

“But when Reiner does it, or you do it that’s so different?” You challenge him.

“Dude, Reiner’s gay.” Connie chimes in, the potent smell of OG Kush rushing your nostrils in an instant How had he lit up so goddamn fast? “Fuck are you guys’ talkin about.” 

“Just trust me.” You tilt your head. “An’ don’t let Connie get hit by a car, or greenout on your way home.” 

“Yeah, yeah. I’ll see you.” Eren says, motioning for Connie that it was time to hit the road. “You’ll be at Zekes place Wednesday night?” 

“I’m always there. You can count on it.” You tell him

Eren grins as you wave him ‘goodbye’ with your fingers, pushing Connie back into the correct path down the road while keeping his eyes on you. “Atta girl.” 

[nightingale2004]

Harry Potter next gen: George x Angelina vers.

Frederick "Freddie/Ricky" Ronald Weasely ii

Faceclaim: Kedar Williams-Stirling

Freddie is the first child and only son of George Weasley and Angelina Johnson

Like most of his family, he is a Gryffindor and proud

He is the older brother of Roxanne

He calls Roxanne Roxy or Rox

He tries to live up to his namesake, but he always feels constant pressure, so he doesn't try and is more chill

Fred prefers to be called Freddie or Ricky by anyone and everyone

Freddie and Roxy have worked at their dad's joke shop since they took their first steps

He is jealous of his sister and how much better than he is at hexes and pranks

Secretly hates being called Fred, especially in front of his dad.

Freddie has a tense relationship with hisdad, freddie has tried to break through the barrier, but it still stands

Freddie looks more like his mom, but he does have George's eyes and some of his facial structure

Freddie became close with James when he started Hogwarts, and they both talked to each other about the pressure they both faced when it came to their names

Freddie also helps James when he hits an emotional low

Although Freddie doesn't prank a lot or as good as his sister, he does cast spells and becomes the family Jester and Joker that tries to act the most goofiest to make any of him family smile or laugh

He has a talent for juggling and is also working on being a comedian

Is known as the class clown

Will do anything to embaress his cousins or sister

His patronus is a monkey

Whenever his cousins are going on a date, he goes in super secret spy mode and observes from the distance and will not hesitate to hex the person they're with if they cross a boundary

Will cheer the loudest at a quidditch game or quidditch practice

He is the families clown, but he is also his cousin's therapist if they ever need to talk

★♡★◇★◇☆◆☆◇☆◇☆◇☆◇☆◆☆◇☆◇☆◆★◇

Roxanne Olivia Weasley

Faceclaim: Ashley Moore

Roxanne is the second child and only daughter of George Weasley and Angelina Johnson

A Gryffindor lioness

She has her dad's and mom's looks, but she has her dad's menace personality

She is a modern femininst

She is her father's daughter and can prank and hex like a pro

She loves working at her dad's joke shop

She is the master prankster both at home and at hogwarts

She calls Freddie 'Fred' just to p1$$ him off

She loves quidditch and is on the Gryffindor team as a Beater

She and James love broom surfing in the air along with Teddy, Rose, and Lily

She loves both her parents but her dad is her favorite

She loves her brother and how he makes the family smile and laugh (including herself, but she would never admit that)

Is jealous of how everyone in the family can open up to Freddie even herself

She created a temporary tattoo spell that she uses constantly

Her patronus is a hyena

People in Hogwarts buy pranks from her and literally pay her to hex or jinx someone for them (it makes her feel like a hitman... she loves it)

Will do anything to protect her family and will laugh at the sight of death

Roxy knows that Freddie and George's relationship is strained and she tries to help the best she can, including her mom

Roxy is freakishly good at prank engineering

Roxy is a hexing and prank master. Not even Peeves would dare cross her

Roxy colors her hair a lot with Teddy's help

[wjbs-bonkle-au]

*implodes slightly* Human!Earth!Modern!Vakama's parents died when he was young (like 10) and he was adopted by Lhikan and moved from the city to the coast, and while he never got into his adoptive father's main hobby (surfing) he did become interested in metalworking.

[lost-girl-2021]

Would it be possible for you to write a fanfiction on ao3 about Metkayina Spider human au? It sounds so interesting that I don't even know how to comment

I think I might after I finish up with Days Into Decades. I'm in school rn (and trying to get a job) so I don't want to take on too many projects at once. I've definitely started fics, then got a new idea, started a new one, and accidentally ghosted the first, so I'm hoping to avoid that atm, lol.

I have three-ish ideas for new fics that I've written a little about, but I'll probably decide once I've finished with Days Into Decades (I'm starting the last act rn, actually).

The options are as follows, for anyone interested:

Metkayina post-battle Spider AU

(After the battle) Spider is taken in by Ronal and Tonowari. Either he washes ashore like Ariel and is taken in before the Sully's even notice he's there, or he's doing his little beach-boy thing and sleeping in trees and they notice.

I also think it'd be really funny if all the Metkayina people think Spider's, like, ten or something because surely human's get bigger than that, right? Like, it's been awhile since they've seen any humans and they never worked closely with them/interacted outside of fighting. So, they never really paid attention.

Young Spider (Adopted) AU

AU where humans don't age as fast as the Na'vi, so Spider's like 12-14-ish and his friends are all fifteen/sixteen. Also, in the AU, I would probably have Spider be adopted by the Sully's. I've touched based on it before, but I'd probably do something where Spider was raised (properly) besides the Sully kids and the rest of the movie takes place pretty much the same (minus my boy Neteyam dying, never gonna go there).

Brainwashed Spider AU (Probably my fav atm)

Spider is 'rescued' by the Sully's after the battle, except he doesn't remember them. At all. As far as he's concerned, he's Miles Quaritch Jr. and Jake Sully is a traitor of humanity.

There's a couple different ways this could go. Either Quaritch lives and takes him back at some point, only for Spider to realize he was treated better with the Sully's. Or, Spider finds out Jake killed his dad and feels bad for starting to trust him. Spider could run away at some point, he could try to off himself like the 'good soldier' he is. Idk, there's so many options.

Modern Metkayina/Foster kid Spider AU (the more I think about this one the more ideas I get)

Spider is a foster kid sent to live with Ronal and Tonowari's family.

Two options for Spider's childhood before this: (one) he was living with the Sully family until they had to move to another country to be with Neytiri's ailing mother (two) he lived with his father in the mountains and was homeschooled, but his father was arrested and Spider's been sent far away to avoid anyone knowing his situation/any of Spider's uncles/aunts being able to find him while the case is investigated. I'm partial to the second version, because I feel like it'd be interesting to see Spider have to learn how to be a Real Boy. But, I also like the angst that comes with Spider getting comfortable with his new foster family and his old foster family (the Sully's) moving back to the States and wanting to adopt Spider, basically making Spider pick where he wants to go.

Whichever backstory he gets changes how the rest of the fic goes, but we'd definitely see Spider learning to surf (maybe to swim?) and Aounung at first bullying the guy and then getting in a fight for him or something whenever someone else tries to do it (very much 'i'm the only one allowed to make fun of my brother' vibes).

Those are the main fic ideas I have atm, lmk which one(s) you like the best or if you have any more ideas for me to hyperfixate on lol.

[avatar-thewayofincorrectquotes]

metkayina kids modern!au headcanons

Ao’nung:

he/him pronouns

gay(?), potentially unlabeled

definitely captain of the swim team

he swims for a club team outside of school and does school swim team during the winter season

he’s super fast

he makes states every year for high school

he also made nationals in the 200 IM and the 100 butterfly

I see him being better at short axis strokes but specifically butterfly

very good at surfing

like Lo’ak he does well enough in school to make sure he can still do sports

mostly b’s

Ronal would also probably kick his ass if he was failing any classes

probably good at social studies/social science

like current events, government, and psychology

extremely protective of Tsireya

he doesn’t like when people mess with his sister

hates that Lo’ak and Tsireya are dating but puts up with it bc his priority is ‘reya’s happiness

starts out high school with piece of shit friends

they’re all assholes

eventually realizes that they’re all assholes and starts hanging out with Rotxo and the Sully’s

was a bully in middle school

he got his shit together in high school

loves to spend time in the ocean

always going to the beach to surf or just open water swim

being in water lets him clear his head

constantly smells like salt or chlorine

(coming from someone who swam for 13 years, you cannot escape the smell of chlorine. it follows you and you just have to accept it.)

is always eating in class bc he often has morning practice

closest with his father

got Tā Moko (the tattoos) in his senior year

chose to get his first tattoo across his shoulder and the left side of his chest

(technically because the tattoo is on his body instead of his face, it is defined as Kiri Tuhi instead of Tā Moko which is traditionally reserved for the face only.)

in public, he has the same music taste as Lo’ak (rap), but secretly loves the same kind of music as Neteyam

started dating Neteyam junior year

worships the ground Neteyam walks on

Tsireya:

she/her pronouns

although i could see her using she/they pronouns so whatever floats your boat

honestly, i'm kind of in my pansexual Tsireya era bc i feel like that fits her vibe

she for sure does cheer

i'm thinking she probably did swimming when she was younger but quit in middle school

does competitive cheer

goes to that comp that's at disney every year

probably a flyer

bodies backflips

also surfs bc her whole family does but isn't as into it as Ao'nung

she's super good at school and gets all a's

Ronal is so proud of her

prefers her elective classes and her best subjects are creative writing and sociology

she loves her older brother so much but definitely thinks he can be an idiot sometimes

(especially when he had feelings for Neteyam. oh lord she was so annoyed with him for not confessing.)

has really amazing friends

super nice to everyone

i swear, everyone she meets loves her immediately bc she's such a sweetheart

started dating Lo'ak freshman year

at first, everyone didn't really understand why she was dating the 'outcast' boy, but once they saw how well he treats her, they immediately understood

puts on lipgloss constantly

loves kpop and will force everyone around her to listen to it

thinks Tûk is the cutest kid ever

is absolutely getting into crystals and astrology bc of Kiri

Lo'ak keeps finding rose quartz in all of his hoodie pockets

(he also found three in his backpack. he knows why they're there and every time he finds one, he gives Tsireya a kiss to remind her that she doesn't need crystals for him to love her.)

very close with Ronal

only lets her family and close friends call her 'reya

(Ao'nung is the only one allowed to call her 'ray of sunshine' which was his childhood nickname for her.)

she has so much love to give

(i just love Tsireya so much.)

gets her Tā Moko before she goes to college

Rotxo:

he/they(?) pronouns

possibly he/him pronouns

definitely not straight but idk what his sexuality is

(i feel like he doesn't either which is a mood.)

has major bi wife energy

does basketball with Lo'ak

definitely did swimming as well but quit in fifth grade bc he saw the basketball team practicing at the YMCA and thought it was so cool

also surfs

lives with his grandmother for sure

i also see him as having older sisters who are 10 or more years older than him

like at least two bc he gives off the 'i'm a man who's been raised by only women' vibes

also v good at school

i'm thinking mostly a's but a few b's in his weaker subjects

people may find this surprising, but i see him being good at art

he's the best when it comes to sculpture and pottery as well as other 3D art

loves making bowls

also good at making jewelry

sweet as hell and everyone was always wondering how he was friends with Ao'nung in middle school

definitely a gentle person

good with kids

he falls in love very easily and when he does, he becomes very lovesick for that person

it was so obvious that he had a thing for Kiri to the point that even she knew

he didn't have the guts to confess until their junior year tho

close with Ao'nung and Tsireya's family bc there are no kids his age in his family

has nieces and nephews that he sees very regularly

got his Tā Moko with Ao'nung

(they're in the same grade and Kiri and Lo'ak are the grade below. just to be clear for this headcanon series.)

decided to get his tattoo over his shoulder and chest as well

(to reiterate, this would technically be considered Kiri Tuhi in the Māori tradition as Tā Moko is traditionally reserved for the face.)

Rotxo is a wonderful guy

he's just so pure

i want to give him a hug

[equatorjournal]

Hawaii, 1910. "Idyls of Hawaii is a rare Hawaiian photographic view-book ca. 1910-1920, showing the natural beauty of the islands. Featuring landscape, marine, sunset and several views of natives with outrigger canoes, it is illustrated by American photographer Alfred Richard Gurrey Jr. Interest in A.R. Gurrey Jr. has come in the last decade mostly with his being acknowledged as the father of modern surfing photography. This has come on the heels of the discovery of several different editions of his hand-made volume "The Surf Riders of Hawaii", believed to have been first published in 1914." From "Idyls of Hawaii" by A. R. Gurrey Jr. 1910-1920. https://www.instagram.com/p/CpDhxi0NGEJ/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[syrupsyche]

aw yiss cruise trip with papa

PLEASE

THIS TITLE TOOK ME OUT I NEED TO KNOW MORE LMAO

OKAY SO this was a reference to that gif of Marius hearing Valjean's confession, which is one of my favourite Les Mis memes of all time:

only for me to now realise that it wasn't even "aw yiss"??? its just "aw yeah"??

okay anyways: modern enjolsette siblings AU where Marius wins cruise trip tickets but instead of only bringing his new gf Cosette as a date, he somehow manages to bring her entire family on board. Cue awkward bonding with Enjolras before eventual awkward bonding with Valjean <3 platonic bed-sharing is also a recurring thing in the fic bc it's the highest form of trust and love i know

A little snippet from it:

“Papa, look!” Cosette slipped away from Marius’ side to join her father. “They switched on the surf simulators on the deck! Should we try that later?"

As her father quietly, but lovingly, told her that perhaps he was a bit too old for surfing, Enjolras faced Marius.

“How are you, Marius? I haven't seen you in a while.”

Marius, who couldn't remember a single time Enjolras had initiated a conversation with him, merely replied with a mute nod.

Enjolras didn’t seem fazed; instead, he snuck a look at his father before stepping closer to Marius.

“I really am sorry we have to be here,” he said quietly. “But you know how our father is.”

“It’s fine, really…”

“Cosette told me you were quite upset.”

Marius shrugged weakly. “As you said, nothing can be done.”

Enjolras hummed and for the next few minutes, didn’t say anything as the queue began to move forward. Cosette continued to cling to her father.

“Well,” Enjolras spoke up once more. “There is no better time to get on his good side than now, right?”

Marius tried not to look too aghast.

“Ah er, I'm not too sure…Cosette wanted this trip to just be the two of us y’know, and we were thinking to just…go and explore the ship on our own? Not to say you and your father are bad company! But it's just that we were thinking of— y'know— um—”

“I understand.” Enjolras graciously cut in, sparing Marius from making a bigger fool of himself. His eyes flickered over to his family.

[epicspheal]

What's something you'd like everyone to know about your AU, if they're not very familiar with it yet?

Hey there anon! Oh that's a great and very tough question tbh. There's a lot I'd love for someone who is not familiar with cactusverse to know. But if I had to distill it down to like three things

It's a gameverse AU: Are there some elements borrowed from the anime and manga, absolutely. But the characters and plot all stem from the main games. There is a little bit of mixing of the game plots, such as Hoenn being the Emerald plot but with the Delta Episode and Zinnia, the USUM events (Ultra Necrozma and Rainbow Rocket) being sequels to the SM events, and Naranja and Uva academy existing in Paldea at the same time (as well as both future and past paradoxes).

The real big canon change in Cactusverse is the Aura Power: I really love the concept of Aura and much of the changes to the canon involve me giving aura powers to a lot more people. In cactusverse about the same amount of people in the world who are left-handed (12%) may have some level of aura power. That being said Aura Guardians are still very rare in Cactusverse. It takes a lot of time and energy to become a fully realized aura guardian (someone who can utilize aura powers to their fullest extent) and most people in the modern day do not have the time or mental capacity to try. So expect a lot of your favorite canon characters to potentially be able to sense aura or have a strong aura.

There's (currently) four new characters to Cactusverse: Aka my OCs and trainersona if you've seen me yapping about cactusverse on Twitter/Bluesky/Discord Please note that ALL character reference sheets have been done by RGreyWind on Twitter

First off is HRH Jack, the Duke of Stow-On-Side. As a member of the royal family of Galar he was sent of to Paldea to train at a young age where he became a champion rank trainer. He then returned to Galar to complete his aura guardian training. Jack has always had a deep ambition to restore the absolute monarchy of Galar and become king of the region. Despite being born with a silver spoon in his mouth he had an extremely strong work ethic unheard of amongst aristocrats. This allowed him to eventually become champion of Galar once Peony left the position due to Rose becoming chairman. Jack's specialty with his aura powers is shadowification. Due to his obsession with being king of Galar and feeling that the title of champion was his ticket to re-establishing the monarchy, he shadowified his own team in order to maintain power. He also tried to kill Opal and Leon and threatened to kill Sonia, Hop and Gordie.

Jack has a crass brazen attitude that proved popular with the Galar population prior to his defeat and revelation of his murder attempts.

This is Māhealani Kapule (Marsha to the colonizers), the first ever champion of the Alola Region. Born in Koni-Koni City as a military brat, she eventually moved to Kanto due to her father's military requirements. Despite showing a strong potential as a trainer from a young age, she refused to take part of the Indigo League gym challenge as she wished to complete her birthright as an Alolan by doing the Island Challenge. To pass the time in Kanto she picked up both cheerleading and martial arts.

Just before her 17th birthday her dad was honorably discharged from the military and the family made plans to move back to Alola. Māhealani was able to finally do her island challenge uninterrupted- oh wait no, just kidding she got dragged into the Aether family plot much to her complete chagrin. Still her father's words of "Never leave a soldier behind" rung through her head as she unwittingly became a big sis to Lillie, Gladion and Hau

Māhealani can come off a bit abrasive to some but she has a kind heart and cares deeply for the people and Pokemon of Alola. Her time as champion however has left her with a deep seated fear of ultra beasts and ultra space. She enjoys Mantine Surfing, Malasadas and taking photos with her Rotom Dex.

Now we have Calla Okoro! This baby genius has a love of Poison Types thanks to being accidentally poisoned by a Budew in her mum's backyard when she was young. Rather than gain a fear of the type she decided to learn more about them. Realizing the negative impact perception many poison types had, Calla resolved to make it her life's mission to improve the reputation of poison types. At the young age of 8 she went to college and got Biochemistry degree.

However realizing that her home region of Galar was obsessed with battling and finding out that poison types were considered to be weak she then resolved to prove everyone wrong by entering the gym challenge with her best buddy Hop. It was an uphill battle for her as she contended with back to back losses against Kabu and Bea but over time she gained her footing not only helping to save Galar from the Darkest Day but being the first person to defeat Leon in an official match. She continues to make it her goal to educate the world about poison types with her battle prowess and gymnastic skills!

Calla is exceedingly intelligent but a little one track minded when it comes to poison types and improving their reputation. She's very extroverted and enjoys trying all of the sweets around Galar and the world

Last but not least we have Dr. Cami Oak (for the record she is my self-insert trainersona). Born to a working class family in Nacrene City, Unova, Cami's had to work hard to obtain her dreams that were often out of reach for people of her social class. Like many young kids she went out on a journey to collect gym badges. While she managed to collect three badges she ultimately failed her gym challenge due to a severe asthma exacerbation on the desert of Route 4 and her own fear of bug types keeping her from progressing in Burgh's gym.

She would eventually turn her attention to higher education going to university in STEM ultimately gaining a chance to study abroad in Kalos under Professor Sycamore where she would meet Blue Oak who was also studying abroad. The two would become fast friends and helped to motivate each other during a time of uncertainty with Cami encouraging Blue to graduate from being a gym leader, and Blue encouraging Cami to go back and try to finish her gym challenge. Taking his advice Cami would return to Unova and not only gain all 8 badges, but become the champion of the Unova league. However her reign was cut short due to her falling into a severe depression after the untimely death of her older sister forcing her to resign as she felt she couldn't handle being the champion in the region in her current mental state. This action would lead to Alder taking the mantle and unfortunately allowing Team Plasma to make their moves

While the pain of loss never fully leaves, Cami was slowly able to heal and would be accepted into medical school in Alola. There she would reunite with Blue who was recently appointed as a co-head of the Battle Tree. Their friendship would soon blossom into love and the two would marry have and later have twins: Ayanna and Aiden Oak.

Cami is quite reserved, anxious and a loner. However to the people she calls friends she can be quite cheeky and the loyal friend who picks you up from the airport and stays with you in the hospital. A huge foodie, published poet and track athlete, Cami owns a blog where she answers people's questions about how to best take care of their health as a trainer.

[cocobittiebites]

Headcanons about the Main Four + Y/N (afab)

I just wanted to preface that this is just my Headcanons and all of this is for fun! If the characters seem ooc mind your buisness and let me live my delulu life. j/

Also for after having a convo with a friend of mine Y/N is gonna be specified at the top of post if their female, male or gender neutral presenting! Also I know Y/N is suppose to be a self insert but I lover writing personalities so heres some head canons that I have for her!

Kurapika

Always somehow smells like rain water and eucalyptus

Though he's tried to preserve as much of the traditions and customs of the kurta clan, he's slowly losing it as he goes deeper and deeper his attempt to avenge them.

Keeps a diary but is never consistent with it (sounds like his friendships)

Has the biggest rbf ever and no one is brave enough to point it out.

Absolutely despised fast food, would only eat it if it was the only option for him.

Has never kissed anyone on the lips in his life and most likely will never (sorry guys)

Has the best skin out of the whole group, he doesn't even do much its literally water and face wash

According to him his phone doesn't work, so he doesn't have Spotify to stream new artist (pls call your friend back). I do believe that he would listen to jazz and folk music.

Says he's above petty shit talking but once you get him going, he doesn't stop.

Up until he started wearing suits for his body guard job he use to hand sew his clothes.

Constantly forgets to get hair cuts and gets annoyed when his hair covers his face.

Doesn't respond to texts or calls. In the groupchat he just reads the messages and its rare that he shows up to the group hangouts

Leorio

Has a consistent smell of old spice and axe body spray

Has a thing against germs so he always has hand sanitizer on hand for whenever and wherever

Needs to be able to read something to learn it, thats why learning nen was hard for him. (apparently writing down knowelege is sacrilege in the hxh universe but whatever)

Hates modern art with a passion, all he sees are splotches of paint on a canvas with an overpriced tag attached to it.

I hate to say is girls, but he was not a feminist until Y/N beat the shit out of him for saying some bs analogy about locks and keys (if yk im sorry that yk). Would have definitly listened to one of those alpha male podcast. Kurapika almost broke his arm trying to hold Y/N back.

Has kissed one girl in his life, but it was BAD like real bad. He kept doing the kissy face (yk what I'm talking about) and gave the poor thing the ick.

Owns a planner yet never uses it.

Music taste is that of a middle aged father: Eagles, Alice Cooper, Chicago, Radio Head

The best gift giver and honestly the most thoughtful when it comes to his friends.

He'll listen to everyones problems. Honestly such a dad.

Biggest gossip, cannot shut his mouth to save his life

Killua

Smells like iron and burnt sage (grandpa zeno looks like he would be into that hippie shit ngl)

Wants to learn how to surf so bad but doesn't have the time

Y/N gave him a fidget spinner as a joke for his birthday, but he ended up loving it.

Only texts in the groupchat via meme reactions. Responds for both Gon and him because they're always together. Either way Leorio is just happy that someone is responding.

Is so judgmental on what you wear.

Thinks he's cool and edgy for listening to green day and panic! at the disco but really its what every twelve year old boy does.

Met Y/N before the rest of the group so now she's #number1trustedadult. This has caused her a lot of problems with the Zoldyck family, especially with Illumi.

Tried flirting with a girl once but in twelve year old boy fashion he ended up accidentally insulting her. He hasn't attempted to talk to a girl ever since.

Has ice cold skin, like touching it is like touching a corpse thats been stuck in the freezer

Bought purple shampoo for his hair because he noticed that the hard water in most places was discoloring his white hair.

Illumi has been blocked on everything except email, so every once in awhile he'll get random emails from Illumi's spam account.

Gon

Our sweet boy probably smells like salt water and wet forest

Has a wildlife analogy or story for every occasion

Killua has been trying to get him to change outfits, but he absolutely refuses to go into a department store after Aunt Mito lost him in one when he was younger.

Will eat absolutely anything edible.

Has a collection of stuffed animals from everywhere he and Killua have been.

He use to feed all the cats on the island. It gotten so bad that all the rodents on the island are nearly extinct because he's been keeping hundreds of felines alive.

The best swimmer out of everyone.

Does not have a specific type of music he likes but Killua got him to listen to the Weekend and they've bonded over that.

When he was younger he really wanted younger siblings because there weren't many kids on the island.

Has accidentally gotten high trying to eat a wild psychoactive plant on accident

Forgets he has a phone most of the time and when he texts back its mostly in emoji

Y/N

She probably smells like lemons and ink (you'll learn eventually)

A GIRLS GIRL (author would write her with the other female characters, however I feel like Y/N would have beef with them due to moral reason)

Like probably has thrown hands with Illumi in multiple occasions for saying that she would make a great Zoldyck house wife.

Really good at puzzles and anagrams.

Horrendously bad at math. Give her a problem more advanced than arithmetic and she's done for.

Has Aunt Mito on speed dial.

During the hunters exam she was paired up with Hisoka during the tower phase and lets say the two have a very (one-sided on Y/N's part) beef.

She's a specialist

got the ick from Chrollo for saying she's not like other girls

listens to all the sad girl artist: laufey, phoebe bridgers, taylor swift, lana del rey, fleetwood mac, e.t.c

Was a camp counselor for a few summers and made friendship bracelets for the whole group.

The only one in the group who has been to therapy (as she should).

Texts frequently in the groupchat, but is very bad at calling back.