#honestly the real hype JUST hit me

[sailforvalinor]

Me and my brothers, gamers and Certified Theatre NerdsTM, gleefully belting “Tomorrow” in our living room as we pre-order the digital copy of Tears of the Kingdom

[yierrem]

dating headcanons - zzzero men edition (((o(*ﾟ▽ﾟ*)o)))♡

ft. gn!reader x anton ivanov, ben bigger, lighter, von lycaon, wise ; no applicable warnings! my first request (i tried to finish it before christmas in my timezone, but still, merry christmas to the anon who requested this :DD and to those reading!!) hehehhe i hope its good enough｡ﾟ(ﾟ´ω`ﾟ)ﾟ｡

anton ivanov

you cannot look me in the eye and tell me this man isn’t the type to yell “this is for you!” or “if i hit this you give me a kiss” and completely miss whatever target he’s supposed to hit. he hits it. sometimes. he still gets a kiss anyways.

[“dude” “we’re literally dating and you’ve placed your lips on mine do NOT call me dude.” “…babe”]

big on gift giving and words of affirmation in terms of love languages. he makes sure to put a lot of thought into whatever he gives to you to properly convey his appreciation and show just how much you mean to him.

"strong, sincere, and straightforward." he's definitely the type to encourage you to try new things especially when you're the type to get easily nervous. if you're scared of looking stupid, don't worry; he'll do it with you hand-in-hand so you can be stupid together. becomes your no. 1 hype man and would give you his honest opinions whenever you need ‘em.

you see or hear him talking to his jackhammer bro for the most mundane or random things and you've become used to it at this point. its honestly endearing (you're hopeless)

["bro do you think they'd still love me if i was a worm?" "vroom vroom vroom" “you think so?” “vroom” "yeah, you're right."]

ben bigger

scary bear privileges meaning no one wants to mess with you knowing that you're dating someone who cuts such an intimidating presence but you know better than them because ben would much rather use his paws to tap away at a calculator or spreadsheet than willingly get into fights.

on that note, he's most likely to be the best companion for grocery shopping; he'll know how to get all the good discounts and haggle for the best prices for sure.

best cuddle partner to have during colder seasons no. 1. although he puts his fur care second, it's still soft and fuzzy to the touch and he likes that you appreciate the warmth it provides too.

since he struggles with some of his accounting responsibilities due to the size of his paws, sometimes you help him with sorting some of belobog industries' financial documents and eventually you end up finding the task quite relaxing after a while of doing it.

but, of course, he loves spending time with you outside of work. anything to take his mind off of the horrors of accounting. he'll mentally file away anything he learns about you when you're together for future purposes, may it be gift or date ideas.

he's the bear thiren between both of you, but in private he loves cuddling against you like you're some sort of plush toy. you don't mind. another win-win situation because you get to rest against him like a giant pillow as well.

lighter

he tries to be flirty with you and sometimes it works! but when you match his energy and it backfires on him he turns into a blushing mess who doesn’t know what to do with himself.

also the type to want to show off or act all suave. he has an image to keep as the undefeated champion! the red scarf! (he’s internally giggling and kicking his feet from one [1] cheek kiss you left in passing).

date nights with him sometimes consist of drives on his bike and stargazing at a nice little spot he found in blazewood. then halfway through, he’d get distracted from seeing the stars in your eyes and think that its a hundred times better than the real thing and fall in love all over again.

“gets as many challenges as love letters” but he makes sure that you and anyone who tries to make a move know that he only has eyes for you. could be in the form of having an arm around your waist or his jacket on you when you feel cold.

a physical touch and acts of service guy because. well. he did say he’d like to die for love one day. that’s a very romantic thing to say and do. also his heart still races whenever you hold his hand but he swears he’s getting used to it (he isn’t). probably melts when you gently run your fingers over his face or any of his scars

i honestly feel like he's one of those "me and my bae don't argue they just tell me to shut up and i do" types.

von lycaon

an ideal date for him would be a fancy dinner or picnic somewhere nice and discreet. complete with scented candles, your favorite flowers, and homecooked food (which probably tastes better than anything you've ever eaten at any restaurant). then at some point when both of you have finished eating and you're both in conversation, he brings your hand up to his lips and leaves a kiss on your knuckles.

["darling, your face is...concerningly red. are you feeling alright?" "i'm fine. i think."]

you WILL be receiving that prince/princess treatment (threat). breakfast in bed when he isn’t busy, spontaneous massages offered when you mention ONCE that you feel tired, and all that jazz. you probably will never have to open another door yourself with him around and he ALWAYS offers his arm for you to take when you're walking together.

best cuddle partner to have during colder seasons no. 2. just prepare yourself for horrendous shedding as summer begins… but you don’t mind helping him brush through his fur (*´ω`*) its therapeutic and you’re one of the very few people he trusts with the task so its a win for both of you.

since he's a wolf thiren, he sometimes unwillingly attracts the attention of stray cats and dogs; he usually pays them no mind but it is somewhat of an inconvenience for him. however, the sight of you playing with them while quietly cooing eases some of his discomfort. seems like you aren't the only one suffering from cuteness aggression.

his guilty pleasure is squishing your cheeks in his hands. no i will not elaborate

wise

this is one of the random play managers we’re talking about, so. movie date nights are mandatory. both of you alternate when picking movies but sometimes you bicker over options like an old married couple just for the fun of it.

a lot more chill when it comes to PDA but he can be flirty when he wants to be. if he knows you have a weak spot for it, he uses it to his advantage to get what he wants. scheming little minx. /pos

words of affirmation and quality time guy, i think. since he's always so busy with managing the store and completing commissions alongside belle as proxies, he makes the most out of the time you guys can spend together alone. even if it's just laying in his bed or on the couch doing nothing together sometimes.

everyone and their mothers and grandmothers on sixth street will probably know that you’re dating or figure something out at some point even when both of you don’t really do much together in public/are trying to keep it on the low. never underestimate these aunties man

unfortunately for wise, he will become the target of teasing or nagging from belle when it comes to your relationship. once you get close enough she'll also share embarrassing stories from when they were younger or before you and wise started dating much to her brother’s chagrin.

secretly likes clinging and cuddling up to you like a koala. both of you are in bed? oh okay, don’t mind him, he’ll just scooch a bit and wrap his arms and legs around you, claiming that having you in his bed helps fix his insomnia (it does, to some degree). [“wise i can’t move.” “you don’t need to.”]

on the days you help out with tasks in random play, you could quite literally just be standing while doing something and then you’ll feel a pair of arms sneak around your waist from behind as he leans his head on one of your shoulders with a quiet, satisfied sigh.

[koyagifs]

𝓱𝓸𝓽 𝓸𝓷𝓮𝓼

ʚɞ pairing : wooyoung x reader ʚɞ au : idol! | 9th member ʚɞ word count: 3.280 words ʚɞ summary : yn and wooyoung do an interview on The Hot Ones! ʚɞ what if! wooyoung and yn dated

" Hey what's going everybody, for first we feast i'm Sean Evans and you're watching hot ones," Sean said, as the camera pans to show yn and Wooyoung seat next to each other.

" it's the show with hot questions and even hotter wings. Today we are joined by yn ln and Jung Wooyoung. They're apart of the sensational group called ATEEZ." Sean announced with enthusiasm, as the camera zoomed in on Yn and Wooyoung, who both waved with bright smiles.

Wooyoung chuckled, shooting a confident grin at the camera. “I’ve been preparing for this my whole life,” he joked, earning a laugh from Yn and Sean.

Sean continued, “Yn, Wooyoung, welcome to Hot Ones. You’re both known for tackling some intense stages and delivering jaw-dropping performances. But today, the real test is whether you can handle these hot wings and even hotter questions.”

Yn glanced at the lineup of sauces nervously, then turned to Wooyoung with a playful smirk. “Think we can handle it?”

Wooyoung leaned back with a smirk. “Oh, I can handle it. But Yn… let’s see if you’re ready to keep up.”

Sean laughed, leaning forward as he lifted the first wing. “Alright, let’s see if the heat lives up to ATEEZ standards. First wing up!”

scoville level 1,700: first question - how did you guys come up with your aniteez characters?

Yn took a bite of the first wing, savoring the mild heat as she thought about the question. She smiled, looking at Wooyoung before turning to Sean.

Wooyoung rolled his eyes, trying to hold back a laugh. "I swear, I’m not a cat. I just happen to have… cat-like tendencies, okay?” He looked at the camera, raising his eyebrows. “You can thank Yn for that rumor!”

Yn grinned and shrugged. “Hey, I’m just saying, our fans notice these things. Plus, if anyone were going to have an alter ego as a cat-like character, it’d be you!”

Sean leaned in, clearly entertained by their dynamic. “So, Wooyoung, does this mean your A-NITEEZ character embodies all those cat-like traits?”

Wooyoung smirked, leaning back confidently. “Oh, absolutely. My character’s got this mysterious, sleek vibe—totally cool, just like a cat. But I also added a little bit of mischief in there because, you know, why not?”

Yn laughed, nodding. “See? I rest my case.”

Sean shook his head, laughing along. “Alright, so we’ve confirmed that Wooyoung is practically the group’s resident cat in A-NITEEZ and maybe in real life. Let’s see if we can uncover any more secrets as the wings get hotter!”

scoville level 6,200: second question - favorite song on golden hour pt.1?

Yn took a deep breath before biting into the second wing, her eyes widening a bit at the subtle increase in heat. “Ooh, okay, definitely feeling it now,” she laughed, reaching for her water.

After a moment, she looked at Sean. “My favorite song on Golden Hour Pt. 1 has to be 'Empty Box.’ It just has this… deep, atmospheric vibe that hits differently. Plus, it was so fun to record; we really experimented with vocal layers and harmonies.”

Wooyoung nodded, his own mouth slightly burning but still grinning through it. “For me, it’s gotta be ‘ Bind ’ I love how upbeat it is—it’s like this perfect mix of hype."

Sean raised his eyebrows, clearly impressed with their choices. "Great picks. 'Empty Box' has that haunting, layered feeling to it, and 'Bind'—I can see why Wooyoung would pick that one. It's got so much energy. Now, as the heat starts to kick in, let’s see if you two are still as cool as ever!"

Yn gave a playful smile, trying to keep her composure as the spice started to settle in. "Definitely feelin’ the heat," she admitted, wiping her brow.

Wooyoung, still grinning despite the rising heat, leaned in. "Honestly, though, 'Bind' is one of those songs that makes you wanna just lose yourself in it, you know? Like you’re in a different world. It's an easy song to get lost in."

Sean laughed, glancing at the wings. "I think this next one might test your limits even more. Ready for the next round?"

Yn and Wooyoung exchanged looks before nodding in determination, both of them bracing themselves for what was next.

scoville level 18,00: third question - what has been your favorite place to travel?

Yn took a cautious bite of the third wing, her eyes widening as the heat immediately kicked up. “Whoa, okay, this is the real deal now,” she said, laughing through the heat. “But... favorite place to travel?”

Yn took another sip of water, trying to cool off, but the heat was definitely taking its toll. "I’d have to say Mexico," she continued, her voice slightly strained from the spice. "The culture, the food, the beaches... it’s all so vibrant. I loved getting to experience everything from the food markets to the ancient ruins. And the people—everyone was so welcoming."

Wooyoung nodded vigorously, still feeling the burn but pushing through it. "I can definitely get behind that. Mexico is beautiful. For me, though, it’s gotta be Italy. The history, the art, the food—everything about it felt like I was walking through a dream. I’ll never forget the first time I saw the Colosseum. It was unreal."

Sean smiled, wiping his hands on his napkin. "Great picks, both of you. The heat’s clearly not slowing you down! So, what’s next?"

Yn wiped her forehead, a little sweat beginning to form as she looked at Wooyoung. "I think we’re just getting started, right?" she said, giving him a determined look.

Wooyoung grinned, but his eyes were watering a little from the spice. "Yeah, no turning back now!"

scoville level 33,00: fourth question - favorite mv filming location?

Yn’s eyes widened as she took a bite of the fourth wing, immediately feeling the intense heat. She paused for a moment, trying to keep her composure, before letting out a small gasp. “Okay, this one’s definitely hitting harder,” she said, trying to keep a grin on her face despite the spice. “Favorite MV filming location, though?”

She glanced over at Wooyoung, who was also struggling to keep it together. “For me, it’s gotta be the desert for Treasure and Pirate King. That was such a unique experience. The atmosphere was just incredible—this vast, open space that made everything feel so dramatic and cinematic. Plus, it was pretty hot, so I was already mentally prepared for this moment,” she joked, fanning her face.

Wooyoung chuckled, rubbing his mouth with a napkin. “I totally agree with you on the desert. But for me, I think my favorite has to be the beach from ‘Wave.’ It felt like we were filming in a fairy tale. The natural setting, the misty trees—it was just such a vibe. I really felt like I could lose myself in that world.”

Sean was laughing, clearly enjoying their reactions. "Those are some epic locations! The desert’s got that raw, expansive feel, and the forest is all mystical. Alright, we’re cranking up the heat, but you’re doing great. Ready to tackle the next one?"

Yn and Wooyoung exchanged a quick glance before nodding. “Let’s do it,” Yn said through a strained smile, still trying to power through the burn.

scoville level 54,00: fifth question - what is your favorite song to perfom / would like perform?

Yn and Wooyoung both hesitated for a moment, staring at the fifth wing in front of them. The heat from the previous wing was still lingering, and the next one looked like it would be a whole new level.

Yn bravely took a bite, trying to hold it together, but her eyes widened as soon as the heat hit. "Okay, this one is definitely no joke," she laughed, wiping her brow with a napkin.

After a moment, she looked at Sean, trying to focus through the heat. “Favorite song to perform… I think I’d say ‘Hala Hala.’ It’s just so intense and has so much energy. When the crowd gets into it, it’s like a wave of adrenaline that you can’t beat. The whole performance is so wild, and it really pulls everything out of you.”

Wooyoung, also struggling to keep his cool, took a bite of his wing. His face immediately flushed as the heat made its presence known, but he grinned through the pain. "For me, it’s gotta be ‘Answer.’ That song has such an emotional weight to it, especially when you’re performing it live. The connection with the fans is unreal, and it just feels so powerful. It’s the type of performance where you really pour everything into it."

Sean smiled, clearly impressed with their answers despite the heat. “Both songs are legendary for different reasons—Hala Hala is all about the hype and the energy, and Answer really pulls at the heartstrings. You guys are holding up like pros!”

Yn laughed weakly, her eyes watering. “We might be almost professionals now…”

Wooyoung wiped his forehead with a napkin, giving her a thumbs up. “Yeah, we’re definitely pros now. Just keep moving forward!”

scoville level 71,00: sixth question - how did you two become the closest ?

Yn and Wooyoung both took hesitant bites of the sixth wing, and immediately, their faces contorted with the intense heat. Yn let out a breath, fanning her face while trying to hold her composure. “Okay, this... this is a whole new level,” she said through gritted teeth, wiping her eyes.

Wooyoung, clearly struggling too, took a moment before he spoke. “We’ve officially reached the point where everything burns," he chuckled, rubbing his mouth.

Once they both took a few deep breaths, Yn answered, "How we became the closest? Well, Wooyoung and I have always had this... weird connection, I think. We clicked pretty early on. He’s the type of person who doesn’t let anyone get too far away, and I’m... well, I'm the type who’ll keep everyone together. We just naturally gravitated toward each other, supporting each other through everything.”

Wooyoung nodded, still fighting the heat but grinning. “Yeah, it was kind of like that. It was the little things—like making sure Yn wasn’t overworking herself or giving each other space when we needed it. But then, when it came down to the tough moments, we always had each other's backs, no matter what.”

Yn smiled, turning to Wooyoung. “And it wasn’t just the big things, right? It was also laughing at the smallest jokes, or sharing those quiet moments when no one else was around. We just knew how to support each other.”

Sean grinned, clearly impressed with how they were handling the heat. “It’s awesome to see that kind of bond between you two. It’s like that perfect balance of support and fun."

scoville level 126,00: seventh question - favorite movie / books

Yn and Wooyoung both took a deep breath before biting into the seventh wing, knowing this would be the final stretch. As soon as they tasted the sauce, their faces immediately reflected the shock of heat. Yn reached for her water, trying not to cough as the burn surged.

“Okay, this is the moment we’ve been waiting for…” she said, her voice a little hoarse from the spice. She wiped her forehead, trying to keep a smile on her face. "Favorite movie or book?" she repeated, clearly feeling the heat.

She thought for a moment, then said, “ i love the hunger games series, including the books. It's all i would read during our free time in our trainee days."

Wooyoung, still battling the heat, nodded in agreement with Yn’s choice. “I remember that. We’d all gather around during free time, and Yn would be deep into The Hunger Games—I swear, she knew every detail of that series by heart.” He chuckled through the pain, his face flushed.

Wooyoung chugged his water, let out a sigh of relief before he spoke. " i love the harry potter movies, definietly something yn would join me watching them."

scoville level 135,600: eighth question - any solo projects coming soon?

Yn and Wooyoung both braced themselves as they eyed the eighth wing, knowing this would be the hottest challenge yet. Wooyoung, despite the obvious struggle, took a deep breath and bit into the wing. Immediately, his eyes watered, and he reached for his water, trying not to cough.

"Okay... this one might actually be the end of me," he said, his voice slightly hoarse from the burn.

Yn, equally affected, quickly followed suit, biting into her wing. The heat hit her immediately, and she winced. "Oh my god, it’s like my mouth is on fire,” she said, fanning her face and trying to smile through it.

After a few moments of both of them trying to recover, Sean smirked, knowing he had stumped them with this one. "Any solo projects coming soon?"

Yn wiped her brow, gathering her thoughts. "Well, we’ve been working really hard on group projects right now, but… I do have some solo things I’ve been thinking about. I’ve been experimenting with some personal music and concepts that are a bit different from what we’ve done as a group, so we’ll see what happens with that."

Wooyoung, still rubbing his eyes from the heat, nodded slowly, clearly fighting through the pain. "For me, I’ve been focusing a lot on improving my skills, you know? Some personal projects are in the works—maybe more music and some other fun things to share with our fans in the future."

Yn managed a laugh, wiping her forehead. “The heat’s definitely making this harder to answer, but we’ll have some surprises coming your way for sure.”

Sean gave them both a supportive nod. “Love it! You’re keeping things under wraps, huh? Well, with the heat getting to you guys, I’ll say this—if the solo projects are anything like the effort you put into handling these wings, they’re going to be fire."

Wooyoung chuckled weakly, raising his water bottle. "You could say we’re burning with ideas."

scoville level 700,000: ninth question - any games you guys are playing at the moment?

Yn and Wooyoung both eyed the ninth wing with a mix of dread and determination. After a few moments of hesitation, they each took a bite, and the intense heat hit them like a freight train. Their faces immediately flushed, and both of them struggled to keep their composure, reaching for their water bottles.

"Okay, this is way too hot," Yn managed to laugh, wiping her forehead. "But games…"

She paused, trying to breathe through the heat. " valorant. I think yunho and i play rank a lot. I think last i played was diamond ?"

Yn nodded, her eyes watering slightly from the heat but managing to push through. "Yeah, Valorant has definitely been a go-to. Yunho and I have been playing ranked a lot together. I think the last time I played, I was in Diamond? It’s definitely a grind, but we always have a blast, even when things get intense."

Wooyoung, still recovering from the heat, laughed weakly. "Yeah, Yunho’s pretty serious about his rank, but he’s also a great teammate. You two definitely make a solid duo."

Yn chuckled, though it was clear the burn was still lingering. " wooyoung and i play as well! We play league of legends, although im not the best at it"

Wooyoung, still wiping his face from the heat, grinned and nodded. "Oh, League of Legends, yes! We play that together too, but trust me, Yn’s being humble. She’s actually way better than she lets on. I, on the other hand... I’m just trying not to feed the enemy team," he laughed, clearly still feeling the spice but in good spirits.

Yn laughed weakly, her face flushed from both the heat and the conversation. "I try, but I’m definitely not as good as Wooyoung. I just get carried along for the ride," she teased, her voice a little raspy. "But it’s fun! Playing together just makes it all more entertaining, even if we end up getting wrecked."

Sean laughed at their dynamic. "Sounds like you guys have a blast even when things don’t go according to plan. A true team effort!"

Wooyoung nodded enthusiastically. "Exactly! And honestly, the chaos in League is like the chaos from these wings. You never know what’s coming next, but you just have to roll with it."

Yn grinned, looking at Wooyoung. "Yeah, just like this hot sauce—League is always unpredictable."

scoville level 2,693,000: tenth question - are you two dating

Both Yn and Wooyoung froze for a moment, clearly taken aback by the intensity of the question, especially with the heat still burning. The tenth wing sat in front of them, glowing ominously. Wooyoung hesitated for a second, his mouth still on fire, before he slowly took a bite of the final wing, trying his best to maintain his composure.

Yn followed suit, biting into the fiery wing and immediately feeling the intense burn. The heat hit them both at once, and for a brief moment, neither of them could speak. Wooyoung wiped his eyes, trying to recover, and then finally managed to laugh weakly.

"Okay, this is really hot," he said, attempting to push through the question.

Tears flowed down both of their faces, yn hands out as one of the staff handed her another glass of milk.

Wooyoung, clearly struggling to keep it together, looked over at Yn, who was holding the milk with shaky hands. Tears streamed down their faces as they both tried to cool down from the scorching heat of the tenth wing. Wooyoung took a long swig of water, eyes wide as he tried to clear the fire from his mouth.

Yn took a sip of the milk, feeling a brief moment of relief as the coolness hit her tongue. She gave Wooyoung a sympathetic look, her eyes still teary. "This is a whole new level of spicy," she managed to say, her voice strained.

"uh, dating?" he repeated, glancing at Yn, who was still trying to manage the heat.

Yn, also struggling but determined to answer, managed a soft laugh through the burn. “ we're - holy shit " she gasped, eyes watering from the heat.

Wooyoung gulped the last of milk, " yes, we're dating, " he hoarse out

Yn took a deep breath, her face flushed from both the heat and the revelation. Her voice still a bit strained, she managed to finish her sentence, "We've been dating since 2020... right after we spent that whole summer together, just the two of us, during one of the most insane schedules we’ve ever had."

She wiped her face, still trying to cool down, and shot Wooyoung a playful look. "It wasn't exactly how we planned it, but I guess the wings weren't the only thing that got heated today."

Wooyoung, still trying to recover from the heat, gave a weak chuckle. "Yeah, I mean, it took us some time to figure things out, but… here we are. In front of everyone, telling the world."

Sean, clearly enjoying the moment, grinned widely. "Well, folks, looks like we just got a Hot Ones exclusive! Dating since 2020—what a reveal!"

Yn laughed weakly, her eyes still a bit watery. "I swear, these wings made everything 10 times harder, but yeah, here we are. And now everyone knows."

Wooyoung gave her a small grin, his voice soft. "Yeah, no more secrets. We’re in this together."

Sean, clearly impressed, leaned back in his chair. "Well, that’s a wrap for today's episode of Hot Ones. You both survived the heat, spilled the tea, and kept your sense of humor through it all. You’re legends in my book."

[baigepueckers]

Caitlin Clark X Reader

Love on the Back Nine

You’re sitting at the kitchen table with your phone buzzing in your hand as you scroll through your messages. You’d made plans earlier to hit the mall with a friend but they just canceled at the last minute, leaving you with an empty afternoon. You sigh already silently debating whether to just stay in or come up with something else to do.

Cait has been pacing around the living room, messing with her golf gear when she catches your sigh. She looks over her eyes lighting up as if a lightbulb just went off in her head.

“Plans fall through?” she asks walking over and leaning on the back of the chair across from you.

“Yeah” you reply, setting your phone down. “Guess I’m stuck here now.”

“Stuck here?” Caitlin grins like she’s been waiting for this opening. “Or… you could come golfing with me.”

You laugh, shaking your head. “Not this again.”

“Come on” she says circling the table to stand beside you. “It’s perfect! You’ve got nothing else to do, and I’ve got a tee time. Plus I need a partner.”

You arch a brow at her. “Partner? Or someone to show off for?”

“Baby, I would never show off.” she says, though the twinkle in her eyes suggests otherwise. She leans down..her face close to yours. “I’ll be your personal coach. I’ll teach you everything you need to know. It’ll be fun, just you and me.”

You snort. “You’re gonna be my personal golfer girl?...”

“Yep, that’s what I’m here for!” she says, straightening up. “I’ll start you off slow. Show you how to hold the club, line up your shots by the end of the day, you’ll be killing it.”

You tilt your head, amused. “And if I’m awful?”

She places a hand over her heart, her voice turning sweet. “Then I’ll still love you, even if you’re the worst golfer in history.”

You chuckle and shake your head. “I don’t know…”

“Please, baby?” Caitlin moves behind you, wrapping her arms around your shoulders and resting her chin on top of your head. “It’ll be a cute little date. Just us, cruising around in a golf cart soaking up the sun. I’ll even let you pick the music for the ride.”

You glance up at her. “The entire playlist?”

She grimaces but nods. “Even your cringy guilty pleasure songs.”

You bite your lip pretending to reconsider. “Tempting...”

“Fine…what if I throw in ice cream after?” she adds, giving you her best puppy dog eyes. “I’ll even let you pick the place.”

You laugh finally giving in. “Okay baby, but I call driving the golf cart!”

Caitlin beams, pressing a kiss to your cheek before pulling you up from your chair. “Whatever… you’re gonna love it, I promise.”

The drive to the course is filled with Caitlin’s nonstop chatter. She’s clearly hyped, between explaining the different clubs and teasing you about being a great coach. “I bet you’ll nail at least one shot today” she says with a wink. “And when you do, I’ll totally take credit for it.”

You shake your head and laugh. “Sure, Coach Clark.”

When you arrive Cait wastes no time, guiding you through the basics. She hands you a club and positions herself behind you, her hands gently adjusting your grip. “Okay babe, so just relax” she says, her voice low and soothing. “Keep your eye on the ball, and follow through like this.”

You nod letting her guide you for the first few swings. The shots are decent, but nothing impressive. Caitlin cheers you on regardless, offering tips and encouragement with every swing. You can tell she’s enjoying herself, and honestly you’re having fun with her. But then it’s your turn to take a real shot.

You step up lining up your stance and gripping the club just right. You take a deep breath, then swing with confidence. The ball soars through the air landing cleanly on the green.

Caitlin’s jaw drops. “Wait, what?”

You suppress a grin as she rushes over to you. “That was perfect!” she says, wide eyed. “Do it again.”

You shrug pretending it was a fluke, but your next shot is just as good. Caitlin stares at you, clearly in disbelief. “Okay seriously babe….where did this come from?”

You bite your lip, hesitating for a moment before dropping the bomb. “Well… my ex taught me...”

Caitlin freezes her expression shifting from shock to a mix of disgust and mild jealousy. “Your ex?”

You nod, trying not to laugh. “Yeah, they made me go to the driving range almost every other weekend.”

She groans dramatically throwing her head back. “Ew, Y/N! Why would you tell me that?”

“You asked!” you say laughing at her reaction.

“Yeah, but I didn’t expect that answer,” she grumbles crossing her arms. “Now I’m picturing some loser trying to impress you on the course. Gross.”

You grin stepping closer. “Jealous?”

“No” she says quickly, though the slight flush in her cheeks tells a different story. “I just think it’s weird that anyone else ever got to teach you anything. That’s my job.”

You wrap your arms around her waist pulling her close. “Well baby, for what it’s worth…I like being out here with you way more.”

She softens, her pout fading into a smile. “Good. Because you’re stuck with me now and for the record, I’m way cooler than your ex.”

“Oh, way cooler,” you agree leaning in to kiss her.

For the rest of the game Cait makes it her mission to outdo you…though she can’t help but laugh whenever you land another perfect shot. By the end of the day she’s both impressed and annoyed.

“You totally hustled me, darlin..” she says as you load the clubs back into the car.

“Maybe I just wanted to see you sweat a little” you tease grinning.

She wraps an arm around your shoulders, pulling you close as you walk. “You’re lucky I love you.”

You lean into her smiling. “And you’re lucky I love you, even when you’re a sore loser.”

She laughs squeezing you tighter against. “Next time I’m bringing my A-game so you better be ready.”

“Oh, I’ll be ready.”

[imminent-danger-came]

Sun Wukong Knew About MK the Whole Time: A Theory

I am currently hyped up on leftovers and iced coffee, so let's do this!

I've talked about this before, here and here, but I think it's finally time I wrote an official post. You can go and read those posts if you want to (I definitely hit the nail on the head with some of this stuff), but I will be compiling a lot of what I said on those posts here!

So. Let's get the Mr. Elephant out of the room first: The David Breen Tweets. (thread here).

I see this tweet mentioned a lot whenever I bring up SWK knowing about MK, and honestly, this is a far cry from the "it's been confirmed that SWK didn't know" definite answer everyone's been implying.

So let's break it down!

#1: "Monkey King ain't the father"/"Monkey King isn't his dad." Well of course! Being born from a stone means you don't have any parents. I see it like this: Wukong isn't MK's dad, but he's also not NOT MK's dad, it's a secret third thing (creator and creation). Or, perhaps Wukong didn't help create MK at all, but he at the very least was involved in the circumstances that lead to MK being created/being born from the stone. (Aka eldritch abomination MK theory. My Beloved. Okay sorry.)

#2: "Monkey King was ripping his way through memories looking for MK, but kept coming back to the stone. He doesn't know why." So, while Wukong was ripping through memories, he didn't know why the scroll kept spitting him out by the stone. This is not a confirmation that Wukong didn't know about MK and his origins. It also begs the question: how did Wukong know MK was in the scroll to begin with? There's also some speculation to be had about why Wukong was so desperate to find MK to begin with:

MK: "Monkey King did this?" Macaque: "It looks like he's been tearing his way through his past—trying to find his way to.." MK: "Me."

(4x11 A Lifetime of Mistakes)

-

What was he so afraid of MK finding? Or, what was he afraid the scroll would force MK to experience? I think these are questions worth asking.

#3: "Wukong's trying real hard to leave the 'not being open with MK' days behind after s3. Problem is he's got lifetimes of info to catch them up on." Well, this one is a DOOZIE. One: we already know MK doesn't know everything about Wukong and his choices because he doesn't know Wukong killed Macaque (thank you 4x11). Two: "trying real hard" and "successfully doing" are very different things. And three: YOU DON'T JUST DROP INFO LIKE "Hey, did you know you're a Monkey Demon?" ON TOP OF SOMEONE RANDOMLY. Especially not MK. You have to prepare them for it.

Wukong is trying to do better and be better for everyone around him, but that still takes work. That still isn't easy. He's still going to make mistakes, which means he's not going to always go about being open with MK in the best way.

Sun Wukong: “Point is, mistakes happen, but so long as you leave the world in better shape than you found it, then it’s all good. Right?”

(4x01 Familiar Tales)

-

This scene—to me—feels like Wukong is trying prepare MK for his eventual "Hey did you know you're a Monkey Demon?" conversation he wants (and needs) to have down the line. Yes, SWK is trying to be more open with MK, but he's also just not going to be given that chance before the truth comes out.

MK: "Yeah right, if Monkey King really was my dad don't you think he would have said something by now?" Mei: "Yeah...because he's normally SOOOOO forth coming with information." MK: "Well uh, whatever—when we find Monkey King's stone, then we'll just ask him!"

(4x05 Court of the Yellow Robbed Demon)

-

Notice how they never asked Monkey King that question? From a writing standpoint, why bring this up at all if it wasn't to imply that (even if Monkey King isn't MK's dad) he wasn't involved with MK's creation in some way?

ANYWAYS.

NOW THAT THE BREEN TWEET THAT HAS RUINED MY LIFE IS OUT OF THE WAY, let's get into the evidence given to us throughout the entirety of the show. Starting with this:

This isn't a scene that takes place during the "A Hero is Born" special, as I'm sure plenty of people have noticed before now. Of course, this could have just been Monkey King "scouting out a successor", but with everything we know now doesn't that...feel kinda weird?

We were told at the beginning of the show that Monkey King gave MK his powers, but now we know that's not true. MK has had his own powers this whole time—and that's something Wukong, at the very least, knew:

Sun Wukong: "Listen kid: You fought demons, and you didn't die, and you made it here! Not just anyone can lift my staff, but you did." (1x00 A Hero is Born)

-

MK: "This whole time, I thought my powers came from the staff! Sun Wukong: "The staff's just a big 'ol stick bud! It takes someone special to lift it." (3x03 Smartie Kid)

-

There's also 1x09 Macaque, which I have mentioned before:

Macaque: "Ohohoh no, can't you hold the magic staff anymore? Well, you know what that means—there really isn't anything special about you. You're just a kid with a heavy stick."

This scene is then followed by MK lifting the staff, which only happens because Wukong encourages him.

MK: "Ugh, I can't! I'm not strong enough." Sun Wukong: "Kid! We're definitely going to have words later, but it's time for the Hero Stuff!"

(1x09 Macaque)

-

Ultimately, Wukong knows MK can lift the staff again even after Macaque supposedly stole all of MK's powers. He knows MK can beat DBK (more on that later). He does something similar to all this in 3x14, being the one to let MK face the Lady Bone Demon, powered by the Samadhi fire, alone (even after Pigsy tries to stop MK):

Wukong want's to protect MK. That's why he went to face the Lady Bone Demon alone in the first place—but here, he let's MK stop the end of the world all by himself. Why would he let his beloved student face not only LBD, but a reality ending flame alone?

Because he knows how much power MK has. Because he knows MK is capable of doing it.

This all brings me to my main point: If before now we were supposed to believe that Monkey King gave MK his powers, and he so clearly didn't, how would Wukong not know he didn't give MK powers. And because he clearly knew he didn't give MK any powers, why would he not question where this kid's insane level of power came from? He had to have "chosen" MK to be his successor for a reason right?

ESPECIALLY because Wukong never planned on being a mentor in the first place:

Sun Wukong: "I know I can never make it up to you. Honestly, I- I never thought I'd live as long as I have let alone be someone's mentor—turns out I'm not very good at it. I guess what I'm trying to say is...I'm sorry MK. For all of it."

(3x14 Destiny Fulfilled)

-

This was also alluded to in 3x05 Amnesia Rules:

Pigsy: "Of COURSE you don't remember the kid—one day you are going to grow up to be a terrible mentor!" Sun Wukong: "Ha! Zhu Bajie, can you imagine me teaching someone? HA!"

-

So, Wukong clearly didn't ever want to become a mentor, and this directly contradicts what Wukong says to MK in "A Hero is Born":

Sun Wukong: "You're perfect!" MK: "Perfect for what?" Sun Wukong: "To be...my successor!"

Honestly, think about it: has Wukong ever once actually needed a successor? When given the opportunity, he goes off and tries to handle things on his own anyways (Leaving in s2, wanting to go and reforge the Samadhi Fire on his own, going to stop LBD alone). It's the classic "we're being told one thing and shown another" trick.

Sun Wukong: "No no no- in case you forgot I'M retired, you're the one supposed to be taking care of the bad guys." (1x01 Bad Weather)

Even in 2x01 he's lying:

Sun Wukong: "Aw, come on bud! I promised myself that when I found a successor I'd go see some friends, take a tour of my old stomping grounds, just cut loose you know?" (2x01 Sleep bug)

It's proven in the next episode, and by the fact that all of his friends are dead/gone, that literally nothing he said here is true.

And, it's also note worthy to point out, that by this point Wukong had already disappeared for hundreds of years. Why step in again at all? Why put the effort into getting a successor you definitely were never prepared to have?

MK: "*sigh* You think Monkey King ever felt like this? Maybe that's why he stayed up on this mountain, just having a good time with you guys. You know cause- cause he knew he'd be out of the way where he couldn't hurt anyone he cared about." Macaque: "Or, he was doing his usual Wukong thing and being a lazy peach eating idiot. Ignoring all the worlds problems.

(4x09 Roast of the Monkie Kids)

-

So, I don't know about you, but I'm going to trust Macaque's insight on this. I'm not sure Wukong ever planned on coming back. Sealing DBK, he effectively cut off one of his last ties to the world (please go read wlw-wukong's thoughts, they are delightful), and he had already left the world alone for a long time. Why did he feel the need to train a successor now?

The simple answer is this: because he knew he needed to train MK and teach him to control his powers, and DBK's return was the perfect way to do it.

NOW. THE S4 MK VISIONS.

So, the visions MK see's all through out s4 (4x03, 4x04, 4x05, 4x06) are of Wukong ripping through the scroll and going to the stone—David Breen confirmed that himself in the above tweets.

Here's a list of what we see:

(4x03 The Great Tang Man)

-

(4x04 Pig Napped)

-

(4x05 Court of the Yellow Robbed Demon)

-

These are what I would say are the visions of Sun Wukong trying to find MK in the scroll. Yet, they are distinctly different from what Subodhi presses MK to remember ("Tell me of your childhood, your parents." "You do not remember?" "And what else?"):

(4x06 Show Me the Monster)

-

Look at that difference!

Every vision MK has includes the same scenes, except this one. That's why I think it's a memory; that and the way it's framed, with MK closing his eyes in focus. The other visions from 4x03, 4x04, and 4x05 all are unprompted, being forced upon MK. Why make this last "vision" so different from the others? Why show our mystery lady making the stone monkey? That would be because it's a memory—be it MK's, something from the scroll, or a mix of both.

There's also the matter of like, why Wukong going to the stone would trigger any sort of vision in MK to begin with. Overall, it just seems like there something more to those visions.

This would be how I imagine the general timeline playing out:

MK is created (through help of Sun Wukong), a beautiful baby boy pops out of the stone, and Sun Wukong "loses" that beautiful boy (if Wukong knew he was born to begin with) with MK finding his way to Pigsy's.

Then it's later Sun Wukong finds MK again, coming up with a plan to make MK his "successor" (still leaving MK with Pigsy, which I think was the right call lol). As Wukong says in 4x01, "You make ONE mistake, and no one ever let's you live it down! Looks like the ghosts of my past have finally caught up with me." That's what I think this parallel in particular is really trying to show off—in some way, MK is part of his past mistakes, just like Macaque is.

AND SO. I WILL CLOSE OFF THIS THEORY POST WITH EVERYTHING WE LEARNED IN THE SPECIAL.

Sun Wukong: "Heh, nothing gets under his skin more than a monkey. Leave Azure to MK and me."

(4x12 The Plan Man)

-

Sun Wukong: "Kinda embarrassing for the Jade Emperor to have two little cheeky monkeys running circles around him the first day on the job." MK: "Well, one monkey and one unconfirmed, but *laughs* yeah! I'd be embarrassed for sure!"

(4x13 Rip and Tear)

-

Wukong sounds suspiciously confident that MK is a monkey.

Not even MK is sure what he is (which he's probably just in denial, but also "Until I know what I am, what my destiny is?" from 4x08 anyone?), but Sun Wukong is extremely certain about what MK is.

Sun Wukong: "We got this bud. Would have liked to give you some new training with your monkey form, but-" MK: "Oh yeah yeah yeah- uh um- about that— um. I- I was thinking, I've never really needed a scary new monkey form before, so, I just thought maybe I'd use it next time." Sun Wukong: "Next time? Kid, there might not be a next time! This is the time."

MK: "It's be fine! Mei and I have got this awesome new armor and everything! You know, when we look this good? Ain't nothing gonna beat us." Sun Wukong: "Kid. New armor isn't going to cut it! We have to hit Azure with everything we've got! You can't just ignore this whole part of your power because it scares you!"

(4x12 The Plan Man)

-

If the writers were trying to highlight the fact that Wukong didn't know, this scene would have gone very differently. Instead of "You can't just ignore this whole part of your power because it scares you!" I think it would have been more along the lines of "I know this is new for all of us, but you've got to accept this part of your power!".

Even this exchange at the end of the special raises some alarm bells for me:

Pigsy: "Heh, don't bother. I've been telling him that for years but he LITERALLY never listens." Sun Wukong: "Yep! That's how we roll."

(4x14 Better Than We Found It)

-

That's how "we" roll? As in him and MK, as two monkeys? Again, Wukong is surprisingly chill and okay with this new form for someone whose first interaction with it was supposedly this:

MK, writhing on the ground in pain, completely destroying the world around him, and unable to control his powers.

Sun Wukong: "Yeah! Go MK, go! Just try not to totally wreck up my stuff would ya-"

(4x13 Rip and Tear)

-

Overall, it gives me the impression that Wukong already knew what MK was before 4x07. This new form didn't scare him because he always knew that's what MK was. MK, to Wukong, is MK! And MK has always been a Monkey Demon. He has unshakeable faith in his protege, and even while MK is absolutely tearing up the world around flower fruit mountain he can't help but cheer for him.

After all, Wukong knows MK is the only one who could defeat Azure:

MK: "Ne Zha's right—while Azure has the Jade Emperor's power and the scroll, there's NO way we could beat him head on!" Sun Wukong: "I mean, some of us could beat him! *ahem* One of us, specifically-" MK: "Nope! None of us at all."

(4x12 The Plan Man)

-

"But Imp!" I hear you say, "Wukong was talking about himself here!". To which I would reply, that's not true! This scene is right after Wukong has already said he only almost beat the Jade Emperor:

Sun Wukong: "But don't worry—I almost beat the Jade Emperor single handed once! Between both of us, Azure doesn't stand a chance." (4x12 The Plan Man)

-

Between this and Wukong's pre-fight convo with MK ("We have to hit Azure with everything we've got!"), he's clearly banking on MK using the full extent of his powers to win this fight. Wukong isn't banking on his own—if he were, he would never have left MK to go and collect the scroll pieces during their fight with Azure.

Conclusion

Sun Wukong knew MK was a monkey the whole time, lol—and fate has plans for MK. Great plans, or foul? Time will tell.

And Wukong has done his best to ensure that those plans are great.

[slaytheday12]

you being a famous actress and walker gets caught saving edits of you

Caught in 4K

Being a famous actress at 16 was equal parts thrilling and exhausting. You loved acting, loved the magic of bringing stories to life, but the constant attention that came with it? That was something you were still getting used to. The interviews, the photoshoots, the premieres it was all a whirlwind.

But what you hadn’t expected was for Walker Scobell yes, the star of the Percy Jackson series and everyone’s favorite funny guy to get caught in the chaos of your fame.

It started innocently enough. You’d met Walker briefly at a comic-con event a few months ago. You were there promoting your latest film, and he was there hyping up his role as Percy. You were both part of a panel featuring young Hollywood stars, and you hit it off almost immediately. Walker’s goofy humor paired with his genuine kindness made him easy to talk to, and by the end of the day, you’d exchanged numbers.

Since then, you’d kept in casual contact—mostly lighthearted texts and the occasional comment on each other’s Instagram posts. You liked him. Maybe more than you were willing to admit. But with both of your schedules, it was hard to imagine anything more than a friendship.

That was, until one fateful Saturday afternoon when Walker decided to go live on Instagram.

You weren’t watching at first. You were curled up on your couch, scrolling through TikTok and eating a bowl of cereal. But then your phone buzzed with notifications. And kept buzzing.

The texts from your friends were frantic:

Erick: OMG ARE YOU SEEING THIS? Lydia: HAHAHAHAHA THIS IS ICONIC. CHECK TWITTER.

Confused, you opened Twitter and immediately saw your name trending. Clicking the hashtag, you were greeted with a flood of screenshots and screen recordings. Apparently, during Walker’s livestream, he’d been scrolling through his tabs, trying to show his fans a funny meme. But instead of a meme, he’d accidentally revealed his camera roll.

And there, for all the world to see, were saved edits of you. The internet had exploded.

“WALKER SCOBELL SAVING Y/N EDITS??? I’M SCREAMING.” “Not him being just like us 🥹😭.” “We lost him.”

You couldn’t stop laughing as you scrolled through the memes and reactions. It was embarrassing for him, sure, but also kind of… sweet? He’d always been one of your biggest supporters, hyping you up in interviews and talking about how talented you were. But saving edits? That was next-level fan behavior.

Your phone buzzed again. A text from Walker.

Walker: So… uh… about my camera roll. You: Oh, you mean the part where the entire internet found out you’re my biggest fan? Yeah, I saw it. 😂 Walker: In my defense, those edits were really well-done. You: Sure, sure. It had nothing to do with me being in them, right? 😉 Walker: …Okay, fine. Maybe I think you’re cool. And talented. And pretty.

Your heart skipped a beat. You tried to play it cool, though.

You: Walker Scobell, are you flirting with me? Walker: Is it working? You: …Maybe.

The conversation continued, playful and teasing, but there was an undercurrent of something real beneath the banter.

Later that night, Walker posted a follow-up story on Instagram, addressing the incident.

“So, yeah, I got caught saving edits of Y/N. And, honestly? I regret nothing. She’s awesome, okay? If you were me, wouldn’t you save those edits too?”

The fans went wild. The comments were full of people shipping you two, demanding you date, and creating even more edits.

What the fans didn’t know was that Walker had texted you again after his post.

Walker: So… dinner sometime? You: Only if you promise to make your own edits of me next time. Walker: Deal.

What started as an embarrassing moment turned into something far more exciting. Maybe the internet had caught Walker in 4K, but for once, you were glad they did.

A/N: HI

Tags: @izzystylinson, @sophand4n4, @kaiwrites092

[spenceragnewfics]

I'M SO LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS!!!!!! I'll be so hyped for whatever you write!

Maybe a frisky 18+ Fic of the reader being so into Spencer wearing that choker at Erin's party (I hope you know what im talking about lol) that they hit on him for the first time. And they end up going home together.

AHH! I know exactly what you're talking about and honestly I was hoping someone had written something about it but hey, I'm okay with doing it!

CHOKE ME | Spencer Agnew x Reader | 18+ MINORS DNI

I did my best to make this GN because I didn't know if you wanted that for F!reader.

TW: Smut, choking, allusion to alcohol, oral, the usual smut stuff

Word count: 2.5k

Description: Y/N is Erin's roommate and best friend since forever. Having grown close to the Smosh crew because of her friendship with Erin, they've grown a crush on a certain director of gaming. Now at Erin's birthday party a certain accessory sets everything into motion.

The music in the club was bumping as Y/N took a sip of their drink. Usually they don’t go out and party but it was one of their best friend and roommate’s, Erin Dougal’s birthday to be exact. The two have known each other for years and despite being opposites with certain things, they are close like siblings.

The theme of Erin’s party was emo, a look Y/N doesn’t do often but had the perfect all black outfit for that made them look irresistible. An unexpected addition to the outfit was a little victorian choker on their neck. Erin had made several for all her friends to wear as a silly joke, everyone played into it perfectly.

The club was full of people but it was mostly Smosh cast and crew. Which is where Y/N currently was, hanging out with Angela, Chanse, and the birthday girl herself, dancing along to the Doja Cat song playing. While Y/N didn’t work at Smosh, they did know a lot of the cast and crew as they visited Erin a lot and well the two are roommates so it’s just how things fall.

The four are singing along to the song and dancing close together until Erin gently places her hand on Y/N’s shoulder. “Come with me to get another drink!” She yells close to their ear so they can hear over the music. They nod and the two go over to the bar together, as they walk away from the dance floor the music gets softer which makes it easier for them to talk.

“So, how’s your birthday so far, lovely?” Y/N asks, wrapping her arm around Erin’s. “It’s been amazing so far! Thank you so much for coming out, I know this isn’t really your thing but I’m so glad you’re here.” The birthday girl is obviously drunk with how her words and movement is but the sentiment is real.

“Of course, anything for you Dougie.” Erin groans at the nickname as the two get to the bar. She orders a drink while Y/N continues to sip on their’s. Their eyes start to look around and take in the atmosphere of the bar. The area where you get your drink and hang out is very fancy and regal which transforms into a very interesting dance floor area that matches everything else but still seems a little weird.

Taking a moment to themself, Y/N takes a deep breath then sips their drink, “Holy fuck! Spencer!” Erin yells excitedly which makes Y/N spit out their drink. ‘Spencer’s here?! Erin said he couldn’t make it!’ They think to themself as their eyes move over to where Erin is…or…well…was. Now the girl is running over and hopping into Spencer’s arms.

After a moment Erin walks back over with Spencer following behind her. “Y/N/N, sorry, didn’t mean to run off but Spencer is here.” Y/N waves, “Hey, Spence. Glad you could make it.” He smiles at them as he walks over, “Yeah, I wouldn’t miss this. Erin always knows how to throw a ranger.” He says before turning to order a drink.

“Oh, Spencer! You need one of these!” Erin pulls out one of the chokers that everyone is wearing. “What is this?” Spencer asks, chuckling as he looks at the item in his hand. “It’s a choker with one of my thirst traps on it. It’s part of the party requirement. Y/N you should help him put it on.” Erin says, winking at them before walking off. 

Erin knew of Y/N’s feelings for Spencer. It was pretty obvious from the first time the two met plus Erin knew that Spence was their type. She’s been trying for a while to get the two of them together but there has never really been a good time for them to just talk and get to know each other until tonight. Erin had planned for this to be the kickstart of their relationship and later tell her plan at their future wedding.

“Do you…” Y/N starts pointing to the choker in his hand. “If you don’t mind, I’ve never worn one of these things.” He says chuckling. Y/N nods and takes the choker then walks behind him. Their fingers work quickly to tie the choker but not too tight, “That okay?” He nods and they back around.

“How do I look? Like an idiot?” Spencer asks, grabbing his drink that the bartender gives him. He doesn’t notice the way Y/N is looking at him, the choker making him look even hotter than normal and that is something they never thought could happen.

“No, no, you look…you look good.” Y/N says, trying to hide the nervousness in their voice. They take a big sip of their drink as Spencer smiles at them, “Should we go find everyone? Or are you okay with just staying here?” He asks, walking over to them. “Well I was dancing not too long ago, so if you want to come and watch that or even join the group then that would be fun.”

He chuckles and nods his head, the two chit chat as they walk into the dancing area of the club. Y/N shows him the table where Erica, Kiana, and Peter were sitting. Setting their drinks down, the two of them walk onto the dance floor and join the others already there.

Y/N dances with their friends and drinks throughout the night. Unknowingly, they end up dancing against someone. Turning around, they see that the person they’re dancing with is Spencer. Usually, this would freak them out but the drinks throughout the night have given them confidence. They’re not even tipsy, just calm and have some liquid confidence in their system.

They lean into him and he puts his hands on their hips. Putting their hands on his shoulders, they lean up to his ear “You look really hot in that choker.” He looks at them shocked as they continue to dance to the beat. “Are you serious?” He asks and they laugh, “Come on, Spence. How can you not know how hot you are?” They ask, their eyes connecting.

“No one ever really says that. I didn’t know you felt like that.” He says in their ear. “You really can be oblivious sometimes.” They chuckles and looks down at his lips. Looking back up, they raise an eyebrow and he nods. Cupping his face, they pull him down to their lips and it’s like magnets.

Starting slowly, their lips move gently together as he moves his hands to their waist to pull them closer. The kiss quickly turns more passionate as Y/N bites gently onto Spencer’s bottom lip. A groan comes from his throat that makes them even more excited.

Y/N pulls back, smirking as they see Spencer pout a little. “I would love to do this here but I’d rather go somewhere more private.” He smirks, “My place?” he asks and they nod. The two don’t say anything to the group as they quickly walk off the dance floor and to the exit.

The car ride to Spencer’s place is full of tension. His hand is on their thigh squeezing every few moments as they play with his fingers. No words are really said as his car speeds through the streets getting closer to his apartment with each passing moment.

Once the car pulls into the building, Spencer parks and opens the door for Y/N before leading them to his apartment. As the door closes he pins them to the door, his lips attach to theirs. Y/N’s hand finds placement in his hair and runs through his curly hair. They gently pull, earning a moan from Spencer. 

“Mmm, someone likes that.” They mutter against his lips before attaching them again. Spencer places his knee between their legs as he moves his lips down their neck. The scruff of his beard and his soft lips on their sensitive neck is more than enough for Y/N to softly moan his name as he works on their neck. The sound encourages him as he smirks against their neck.

His hands grip the edge of their shirt before leaning back, “Are you sure you want to do this? Are you fully here?” He asks, knowing they drank but just not how much. Y/N’s index finger wraps the velvet of the choker still on his neck and uses it as leverage to pull him closer to their face.

“I am absolutely sure and am very here.” They say, their voice soft as they look into his beautiful dark blue ones. That’s all Spencer needs as he slides his hands under their shirt. The shirt moves with his hands, exposing their chest and Spencer sighs dreamily when he sees it.

Y/N gasps as he suddenly starts to kiss their collarbone and moves down, each kiss moving to more and more sensitive areas that lights their body even hotter. “Spence, please, don’t tease me.” They whine as he gets on his knees. Eye level with their stomach, his eyes move up to stare into Y/N’s as he kisses their stomach gently with small nibbles between every few kisses.

They pull the shirt over their head then put a hand back in his hair. His mouth and hands continue to move down as he slowly pulls off their pants. His warm lips kissing their hips and pelvic bone as it moves lower to the place where they desire him most.

Kicking the pants off, he grabs a leg and puts it on his shoulder as he kisses their inner thigh. The scratch of his beard and his lips starts to make their brain fuzzy. It’s been a long time since someone actually took time to make them feel good and so their body is reacting like it’s the first time.

Pulling their underwear down, he licks a long stripe up as Y/N grips his hair and their head leans back against the door. His lips and tongue work wonders on them as moans, groans, and whimpers escape Y/N. The normally quiet person has thrown that all out the window as they enjoy themself. Feeling safe and cared for is something that they knew would happen with Spencer if this ever happened but it’s even better then they ever imagined.

Looking down, they moan his name as their eyes lock onto his. “God, fuck, how are you this good.” They whine as their hand grips his hair again. This encourages him to keep going as their sweet sounds are all he needs to keep going.

Y/N feels a knot in their stomach as Spencer continues to work magic on them with his mouth. “Please, don’t stop, oh fuck. I’m gonna come.” They moan as the feeling approaches faster and faster. He doesn’t stop but actually speeds up as they wrap their thighs around his head, slightly suffocating him but he’s loving every second.

They scream his name as the feeling bursts, their legs are shaking as the high fills them and Spencer starts to clean every drop. Once he’s done, he stands up and takes off his pants. Already hard and at attention.

“Wait, don’t you want me to-”

“No, tonight is about you. We can do that later.” He assures as he guides them to the couch. He sits down and Y/N straddles his thighs. Licking their hand, they stroke his cock to lubricate before sitting down on it.

Despite all his small dick jokes, Spencer is a pretty good size and girthy. The stretch is a bit much but also so welcomed. “Holy fuck, you’re taking me so well.” He groans, his hands on their hips. It takes Y/N a bit to take him fully but once they do, it’s a feeling like never before.

It’s like it was perfect, not too much and not too little. The two stay like that for a moment, letting Y/N adjust before they start to move up and down. Leaning down, they connect their lips onto Spencer’s as they continue to ride him. 

The two fight for dominance in the kiss as Y/N’s hips continue at a good pace. Spencer grips their hip and starts to slam into them and their lips disconnect. Y/N leans their forehead against his as they moan his name out. “Fuck, Spencer, don’t stop.”

The room is filled with skin slapping and moans, the passion is pulsing between the two of them. Y/N opens their eyes, seeing the choker still around Spencer’s neck, they slide a hand to his neck. Feeling the hand at his throat, he looks at them and nods then feels his body get hot at the lack of oxygen. “Fuck, I love the choker but seeing someone else on it instead of me is very disappointing.” They moan, continuing to choke for just a bit longer. 

Once their hand is off his neck, he flips them over to where Y/N is laying on the couch and he’s on top as his thrust continues their pace. They wrap their legs around his waist to pull him closer and their nails scratch down his back. The feeling of him inside is making their brain fuzzy as the pleasure continues to build.

“I wouldn’t mind having your picture around my neck. You just need to give me it.” He groans, his pace never wavering. This is shocking to Y/N because they didn’t think he would have so much stamina but aren’t complaining. Reaching between them, Spencer starts to rub and it increases Y/N’s pleasure.

It doesn’t take too long for both of them to get close to their apex. “Spence, I’m gonna cum.” Y/N says as their legs tighten even more around him. “Me too, where do you want me to…” He asks, but it trails off as he moans from the tightening felt around him,

“Inside me, It’ll be okay.” They assure as the peak feels closer and closer. “Cum with me, please.” He begs as his thrusts get sloppy. A moment later, they both cum. Sounds of pleasure are loud and resounding as the two enjoy the feeling of their high.

Once the fuzziness clears, Y/N blinks rapidly to bring themself back to earth. Spencer is still on top but his head is laying on their chest as he catches his breath. Y/N runs a hand through his hair with a soft smile, “That was amazing, Spencer.” Their voice is soft and slightly hoarse from the activities that have concluded.

He looks up and smiles back when he sees their face, “It was, and definitely something I want to do again.” He says and caresses their thigh. “I would also love to take you out sometime.” That makes them laugh, “I would love that too, and…” They gently untie the choker and throw it across the room. “To see you without that on until I can make it better.” he chuckles and kisses their thigh before moving up and kissing them softly.

The two stay in that position all night. Cuddled together as they talk before slowly falling asleep on the couch.

[henneseyhoe]

My Big Three As Boyfriends|

Trevante♡

You wanna have the perfect balance of a country boy and a city boy rolled into one? He’s the man for you!

His love feels like coming into a warm house after shoveling snow.

The first time you two ever kissed, my lady by Tyrese played in the background and since then ‘my lady’ with a brown heart has been your contact name.

He’ll sing any song you ask him to even though his ass can barely hold a tune in all seriousness.

Uncovering your ears, you start laughing. “Yes, sounds just like how Tyrese sung it” He smiles and takes a bow.

You try not to be the clingiest since he loves his space sometimes, but he definitely has his moments where he needs you near him like some kind of support teddy.

Hates when you all up on him when it’s time to sleep but always ends up damn near on top of you by the morning.

“Move, Bae, it’s hot” he groans. 8 hours later. “Tre…Trevante…baby, you crushin’ me!” You huff, trying to push his arm and leg off of you so you could go pee.

He’ll blame you as if your little ass can move him from one side of the bed to the other.

Expect booty slaps every time you walk by, and don’t let him be upset with you prior, cause it’ll be harder this time.

“Tight ass shorts” he’d say as you walked around the house as free as you wanted in the Nike shorts HE bought you.

Often play fighting and roughhousing until he accidentally hits you too hard and has to be soft with you for the rest of the day.

“Awwnnn, cmere, I didn’t think it was gonna land that hard” he holds you as you pout, rubbing your now sore arm. “That actually hurt, Tre. Like seriously 🥺”

He makes fun of the Erotic books you read, but you caught him peaking over your shoulder once and following along with one of your favorite stories.

“Don’t get too hype, I peeped something and the shit was interesting!”

Has a habit of putting his hand up your shirt when you two are cuddling.

He hates when you leave for work because he works mornings and you work nights. Sometimes on his day offs(though a bad idea) he’d stay up at night and bother you on the phone all throughout your work, dropping hints that you needed to come home on your snack break for a real meal.

-you’d brush him off and sneak off to the bathroom, sending him a titty pic to hold him off till you got home.

-‘oh wow. I just might take a trip instead actually’

-He’s definitely already taken trips up there a few times to get you right, as he should.

Michael♡

A REAL certified loverboy

If you told him to jump, he’d ask how high.

He would never admit it but he is CLINGY. He wants to be with you and all up under you as soon as those paparazzi cameras turn off.

Also certified double texter.

‘babe’ ‘Y/N’ ‘Y/N’ ‘Y/N’ ‘babe’

‘don’t act like you don’t see these texts’

‘WHAT boy’

‘I miss you’ ‘wyd my love’

‘working. Something you should be busy doin’

‘I finished already’

‘Fast reader you are. Here’s a gold star⭐️’

‘What can I say? You’re engaged to a smart man’

‘Engaged?’

Boo🩷 has unsent a message.

‘Forget you read that till further notice’

The man can’t hold water, as you can see. Which is why you don’t tell him anything that’s meant to be a secret.

He literally can’t sleep without your leg thrown over him some kind of way.

He remembers all the cute little shit you like year around so he already has a laid out plan of gifts for Birthdays, Valentines, and Christmas.

A good bit of his camera roll is just you and screenshots of things he wants to keep tabs of.

Can’t organize for shit and that’s exactly why his phone storage is about to explode

Begged you to organize his work stuff, so you agreed, until you saw NOTHING was put where it’s supposed to go.

“how do you work like this?!”

“I honestly don’t know…I- I do not know” he responds, staring at the unorganized files.

“Your assistant doesn’t take care of this stuff?”

“I don’t like to bother her like that”

“Nigga, she’s an assistant, she’s supposed to be bothered!”

Thursdays were self care days for you two. Wether you were just sitting around and watching a movie or doing actual things to improve the body, it was still self care to y’all.

Both of you are foodies, but he’s more adventurous, so he always tries to get you to try new foods when out together.

“would you ever try live squid?” He asks, looking through the menu the restaurant provided for them. “Uhh..I dunno. I don’t think I’d like it, but I’d probably try. Just have to ignore the memory of that story of that man who ate a live squid and it killed him and crawled back up his throat” he stares at you for a moment then looks back down at his menu. “Never mind then…”

Soooo protective of you and thinks you don’t stand up for yourself enough so he always makes sure you’re heard in any and all conversations.

Takes any chance to show you off. Was it cause he genuinely loved you or was it cause he liked showing niggas what they’ll never have? Both actually.

“Oh, and y’all know my girl, right? My beautiful, wonderful girlfriend” he grabs you by the hand, and kisses the top of it, pulling your attention away from your drink. You smile and look away, feeling extra appreciated.

Gentlemen in the streets, freak nasty in the sheets.

You ever came so hard that it took a few seconds for your vision to come back? Yeah.

Yahya♡

The dynamic between the both of you is just very unserious. He is truly your bestfriend who also happens to be your boyfriend

It’s hard to get anything done when the both of you are constantly cracking jokes back and forth, a con of having the same job.

“Yahya, please, my stomach hurts!” you spoke in between laughs, tears prickling the both of y’all’s eyes as you tried to make it through a SINGULAR business email. “How the fuck do you misspell so much shit on a business email?!” He howled, wiping tears from his face and slouching in his seat, you still crying.

He blames you for when he doesn’t get much work done, but he knows damn well it’s his fault for being the goofy mf he is.

When you two were just friends, your mutual friends would tease him by calling him “boy Y/N” because you both had so much in common.

He’s your reminder to eat like a normal person

“What’d you eat today?” Yahya questions, reading over his weekly to-do list. You glare at him then look back at your computer, not answering because you didn’t wanna hear his mouth about you forgetting to eat. Sighing, he gets up and heads into the kitchen to make you something quick.

At first the relationship felt like you two were still just friends, but you both grew into being a little more intimate with each other.

You both can’t help but create small(but healthy) competitions. You were both a little more competitive than you’d like to admit, but you both had competitions so often that basically everyone you guys hung out with knew of them.

“Damn” You sigh as you watched your paper ball miss the trash basket. “Hm” Yahya hums and gets up, picking the paper ball up. Instead of throwing it away right then, he went back to his seat that was a bit farther back and took a shot, the paper effortlessly making it in the basket. You look back at him with a squint and he smirks. “Okay, bet” you whisper.

Ten minutes had gone by and you both were throwing balled up paper that you needed in the trash. To make what point? Neither of you knew, but you both were entertained.

Theres a box in his closet with Polaroid pictures of you two throughout the five years of dating each other, most taken by Yahya himself because in his words, “I just love looking at you. Pictures don’t even capture all that I see, but damn, baby”

The man could easily make you melt like some chocolate. He was just as smooth as he was when you first met him.

Once you both got more into the relationship, he was honestly the most romantic and caring person ever. He’d do anything to make you feel those butterflies.

Sent you on a corny little riddle game for Valentine’s Day once which lead you to some of your favorite places around the city until the last clue brought you home to three bouquets of your favorite flowers and a ring the size of your brown eyes.

Alexa, play whatever you want by Tony! Toni! Toné!

Some niggas don’t trick, but Yahya? Oh he’s gonna step. In the end, if you’re happy, he’s happy.

The night ended with something else a little more eventful that had the neighbors thinking to call the cops for the third time that month.

He plans on staying with you for the rest of his life, and made that know.

And he’s determined to put a baby in you one of these days, with or without that damn ring.

✮✮✮✮

Looks and bias aside, who would y’all pick as a boyfriend? 🫣 I think I’d pick Yahya 😭

[saiintvalentiine]

request: for the sake of the holiday spirit, have we considered clonefies first christmas..

and to cap off requests, a Christmas episode! i hope you enjoy Clonefies wondering about the Christmas spirit. . .

Word count: 1,114

“You gotta have a stocking.”

“. . . Like on? Right now?”

Ken's look is scathing.

“No, a Christmas stocking. For Christmas. Smartass.”

“Oh. Sure.”

Ken still looks annoyed, so Wifies puts his book down and turns to face him fully.

“Yes, Ken?”

“Do you even realize that this is gonna be your first Christmas?”

Wifies opens his mouth. Closes it. It's not really— but it is. He has the idea of a memory about. . . something Christmas like. A fireplace while it snows. The suggestion of twinkling colored lights.

“Isn't Christmas this week?” he asks in turn.

“Yes!”

A red and white stocking hits Wifies's face. He spits out a bit of white fur and he pulls it off of his face.

“I've got glitter glue. C'mon.”

Wifies follows and uses Ken's mysteriously acquired box of glitter glue to write his name on one side of the stocking, along with some small wobbly stars and lopsided swirls. This seems to satisfy Ken greatly— at least he doesn't throw anymore hosiery at Wifies after.

He thinks that's the end of it, but then Parrot and him meet up and it comes up again.

“Are you doing anything for Christmas?” Parrot asks, head tilting in such a way that he looks like a perfect impression of real jungle parrots.

“Uh,” Ken will probably want to do something with the stocking, so he says, “Maybe?”

“Oh, do you not celebrate?” Parrot asks. “Sorry man, I didn't realize.”

“No, I just— I don't know what I'll be doing, is all.”

“Alright,” Parrot nods slowly. “Me and some of the other Unstable members are gonna do a party on the 24th if you want to come. I'll send you the details, come if you want.”

“Thanks. I'll. . . let you know.”

It stays on Wifies's mind after that. Should he care more? Does it matter? He doesn't have any warm fuzzy feelings attached to Christmas. He's not sure what to think.

“Wato, is Christmas all that important?” Wifies asks, arms heavy with a box of redstone components.

Wato glances back at him.

“It's a pretty big deal, but only if you want it to be,” Wato says, dropping their own box off into a corner of the room. “Why?”

“Well, Ken seemed to care,” Wifies puts the box down next to Wato’s and dusts his hands off. “And Parrot looked at me funny for not really knowing what I was gonna do for Christmas.”

“You talked to two people who can't control their faces,” Wato snorts. “It matters if you want it to matter.”

“I want to care about the things people I love care about.”

Wato pinches Wifies's ear, all show and no force.

“One day you'll learn to care just for yourself. But if you want to test out the Christmas hype, you should join Ken and me on the 25th and we'll make it fun.”

“Alright, alright, let go of me!”

Wato does and they go back to organizing their cluttered storage room. Wifies turns the suggestion over in his head and makes a plan.

The 24th is cold but the party is warm and loud. Spoke throws himself across Wifies's back as soon as he arrives, muttering and cheering. Minute peels him off with a smile and a greeting. Parrot weaves in and out of the crowd madly. He’s pretty sure Zam and Wemmbu are arm wrestling in the corner, but there's a ring of people around them that he doesn’t want to muscle through. There are so many people stuffed into one place that Wifies is honestly dizzy.

He's been kissed under a dozen different mistletoe doorways by a dozen different people by the time he escapes.

Okay. Well. It wasn't a bad experience, but it wasn't— ideal. He’s not sure if the Christmas spirit was in the room with them, but the eggnog was nice and he likes everyone quite a bit.

He makes his way into Ken and Wato’s server with little fanfare, still in his party clothes and sticky with stolen lipstick marks.

[Wato1876]: Wifies!!!! Come join us at spawn!!!

Before Wifies can start the journey, he feels the tingle of a command teleport and suddenly he’s inside a glittery pink and silver nightmare. There is tinsel on his face within seconds.

“Wifies!” Ken bounds over, giving him a squeezing hug. “You smell like liquor.”

“I went to a Christmas party,” he says, shrugging his coat off and shaking snow out of his hair.

“Dude, you’re covered in lipstick,” Wato says. They’re in the softest looking green sweater Wifies has ever seen.

“I’m really good at standing under mistletoe, I guess.”

“Who took your first mistletoe kiss?!” Ken demands.

Wifies purses his lips and says, “Clown, actually.”

“ClownPierce?!”

“Wow,” Wato says with a whistle. “Good job?”

“Thanks?” Wifies feels sticky. “Actually, can I take a shower here?”

“Yeah, sure, fucking ClownPierce?”

Wifies shoves Ken’s head back and Ken yowls and sputters, baring his sharp teeth at Wifies. Wato barks out a laugh at them and disappears, only to return with a bundle of clothes and a towel, which Wifies takes gratefully. He washes up and discovers there’s an equally soft white sweater in the pile Wato gave him, which he’s thrilled to pull on.

“See?” Ken says when Wifies finds them, sprawled out on a blanket pile in front of a fireplace that definitely wasn’t there a week ago. “I told you it’d fit him fine.”

Ken is wearing a red sweater of the same kind. They all look like matching baubles now, matching just like the three red and white stockings on the fireplace mantle. Wifies sits down next to him on the floor.

“Good! Wifies, do you want hot chocolate?” Wato yells.

“No, thank you. My stomach is actually kind of upset.”

“Did you have eggnog?” Ken asks, tail swaying in a leisurely figure eight.

“I did.”

“That’ll do it.”

Wato comes back with three mugs regardless. They hand one off to Ken, and the smell of chocolate wafts out of it. The one they hand Wifies, however, smells like ginger and peppermint tea.

“For your stomach,” Wato clarifies, sitting down on Wifies’s other side. “That should help. I think.”

“It will. Thank you.”

“We were gossiping before you got here,” Ken informs him as he sits up.

“Christmas gossiping?” Wifies raises his eyebrow. That also doesn’t seem like the Christmas spirit.

“Yes, obviously.”

“Alright, so what’s the good gossip?”

Ken launches into a story that somehow involves half of their shared friends, Wato chiming in occasionally. Wifies still isn't sure that this is the Christmas spirit, but it's not a half bad way to spend the night to get to the 25th.

[the-s1lly-corner]

How about digital circus x princess! Reader with their very own castle. Elegantly leaning out of their tower singing lullabies for anyone to hear. Ps Keep up the great work 👍

TADC cast x princess!reader

I know I usually stress that I answer stuff chronologically but I misread this as just jax (I'm sleepy!!) So I went to search for a princess reader post i did weeks ago, snagged the link then reread the request and saw it was the whole cast... but I've already committed to the bit by searching for the link sooooooooo

CAINE:

You and I both know hes goinv to use the fact ypure a princess for IHA... captured princess trope stuff, basically! So have fun with that! Absolutely loves your singing, so so much. Probably joins in with you, complimenting your part..or perhaps he hums.. other princesses have cute fairytale animals accompanying them, and you have..... bubble..... huh....

Really ups the whole... act when talking to you.. bows deeply, waves his arm around in a grand fashion when showing you to a room, ect ect ect

POMNI:

Has probably subconsciously/accidentally said you were pretty outloud. Gets absolutely lost in the sauce when you sing. Like just stands there, hands awkwardly clasped together in front of her as she listens. Probably sways side to side too. Gets very pink when talking to you, her face does the O^O thing... absolutely smitten

RAGATHA:

Ah my favorite, royal princess x common lady... well, at least aesthetically... whether or not you're royalty in the real world is debatable... anyways, that aside, I think this is probably one of my favorite ship dynamics... I love.. similar to pomni she is very bad at hiding her feelings around you. Tends to stare with a blushing face. Loves making you dresses; assuming you can swap out dresses considering the whole "their clothes are attatched to their bodies" thing

While I doubt your clothing can rip or tear thanks to the properties of the digital world, I think if she could, she would patch up any holes

KINGER:

Honestly I think out of this entire post, kinger is the only one who gets a platonic/found family take on this... just an old king and his princess kid. Again I'm not sure if he truly believes he royalty or if he was trying to appeal to the gloink queen by saying "as a royal myself.." but.. honestly I like the idea that he just likes playing the part. Like he knows hes not royalty but. You know? Let this man embellish himself

Pillow fort? No, pillow TOWER! No... pillow CASTLE! Pillow kingdom!!!

Nothing too hyped specific here he's just your dad here

ZOOBLE:

Oh? Cool. I mean your singing isnt really their cup of tea, they look like they're into alt/indie stuff tbh...maybe rock. Confession I'm terrible at identifying genres so I'm literally speaking out of my ass rn on what type of music zooble would listen to I'd have to list specific artists and songs

But this isnt about that

Depends on what kind of princess you are

If you're independent, resourceful, and badass I think you guys could build some chemistry

If you're like, damsel in distress, ,kind of stuck up, whiny, prissy, ect then it's a hard no

Not many ideas here tbh <\3

GANGLE:

Also thinks you're very pretty! Also loves your singing! I think she grew up on disney films, and even if she doesnt remember them it's still a core memory that like. is kind of instinctive atp. So she finds comfort around you, you know? LOVE that trope btw, where a character doesnt remember something but still finds comfort in it while not fully understanding why because as far as they know this is the first time with the thing

Absolutely melts if you compliment her. Sure, she would still melt if you weren't a princess.. but having someone so pretty and graceful saying it hits a certain way for her

JAX:

[acute-crashout-jeyuso]

Between the Ropes.. a Jey Uso x Rhea Ripley Fanfic.

Chapter 23: Words...

October 5th, 2024. 1:31 PM.

Jey kissed Rhea softly before heading off to catering, where she had requested brownies. He couldn’t help but smile as he walked away, feeling the warmth of their connection. Their relationship had been through hell, and now, despite the noise around them, they were pushing through. As he made his way through the backstage corridors, Jey bumped into Bayley, someone he hadn’t had much interaction with before.

Jey offered a friendly smile and a casual wave, but Bayley’s response was anything but cordial. Her expression twisted into a look of disgust, and as she passed by, she muttered, “Cheater,” just loud enough for him to hear.

Jey froze for a second, biting his tongue. He’d been hearing it more and more lately, and it still stung every time. The backlash was still very real and he prayed silently it would go away quicker than later.

He shook it off, reminding himself why they were doing this. It was for love, for something real. Still, it hurt. Jey continued walking, forcing himself not to look back.

When he reached catering, the familiar smell of freshly baked goods filled the air, temporarily soothing his frustration. He grabbed a couple of brownies, the ones Rhea specifically asked for, then threw in a few extra snacks just in case.

As he stuffed them into a paper bag, Jey took a deep breath. He wasn't just dealing with public judgment—he was navigating it while trying to move on with his life. For the kids, for Rhea, and for himself.

Walking back, he couldn’t shake Bayley’s words entirely, but he knew that he had to keep pushing forward. Rhea was waiting for him, and for once in a long time, that was all that mattered.

Jey continued on his way back from catering when he spotted Cody Runnels, better known in WWE as the "American Nightmare" Cody Rhodes. Unlike many others, Cody had been one of the few who remained friends with Jey, sticking by his side even after all the drama surrounding his relationship with Rhea and the divorces.

“Hey, Uce!” Cody called out with his usual upbeat energy as they crossed paths. Jey smiled, grateful for the friendly face, and they gave each other a quick hug.

“Cody, what's up, man? How you feelin' about tonight?” Jey asked, shifting the bag of brownies and snacks in his hands.

“Man, I'm hyped,” Cody grinned. “Going up against your brother and your cousin Jacob? This is a big one. I've been preparing like crazy. You know how it is, gotta stay sharp against the Bloodline.”

Jey chuckled. “Yeah, my family don’t play. You’ll be in for a fight, no doubt.”

Cody raised an eyebrow, curious. “Speaking of family… what are you doing here? I didn’t see you on the card for Bad Blood. Thought you’d be back home or something.”

Jey hesitated for a moment, wondering how much to say. Cody wasn’t the judgmental type, but Jey had gotten used to being careful about what he shared, especially after everything became public. But Cody had stuck by him, even after the TMZ headlines and all the backstage whispers.

“Honestly?” Jey started, then shrugged, deciding it was better to be straight with him. “I’m here for moral support—for Rhea.”

Cody gave him a knowing nod, a slight smile creeping onto his face. “Ah, I see. That makes sense. She's got a big match tonight, huh? Liv Morgan, right?”

“Yeah, title match.” Jey smiled softly, thinking about how focused Rhea had been. “She’s ready, but you know how it is. Being here means a lot to her.”

“I respect that, man,” Cody said, clapping Jey on the back. “Rhea’s lucky to have you in her corner. It’s tough to juggle everything, but I see you're doing what you gotta do. Not everyone would understand, but I get it.”

“Thanks, Uce,” Jey replied, feeling a wave of relief. Cody's words hit home more than he realized. “I appreciate that.”

Cody tilted his head with a grin. “No problem. Next time? Bring some of those brownies to catering for me, man.”

Jey laughed, feeling a bit lighter. “You got it, Cody Hakeem Rhodes.”

With that, they said their goodbyes, and Jey continued on his way back to find Rhea. Running into Cody had lifted his spirits, reminding him that not everyone was judging him for the path he’d taken. He knew the journey wasn’t easy, but moments like these made him feel like he could handle it all. Rhea was waiting for him, and that’s where his focus had to stay.

As Jey approached Rhea’s locker room, he saw that the door was wide open. Anxiously, Jey stood at the doorway, his heart skipping a beat as he took in the scene before him. His cousin Savelina, known to the world as Nia Jax, sat with a knowing look on her face. His younger brother Joseph, aka Solo Sikoa, looked a bit more stoic, arms crossed as usual.

Jacob Fatu leaned back in his chair, while Joe-better known as Roman Reigns-was as unreadable as ever. They had been talking, and from the looks of it, it wasn't just small talk.

As Jey stepped further into the room, his heartbeat quickened. He hadn’t expected to find his family here, especially not in such an intimate setting with Rhea. His mind raced, wondering how much they knew and what they had been discussing. The air felt thick with anticipation, and Jey braced himself for what could only be a tough conversation.

Nia was the first to break the silence. She crossed her arms, a smirk playing on her lips. "So, Jey… you failed to mention you proposed to Rhea," she said, raising an eyebrow.

Jey’s stomach dropped. His eyes flicked over to Rhea, who was sitting calmly but with a slight edge of defensiveness. He took a deep breath, biting his cheek to keep from snapping back. He didn’t want to turn this into a confrontation, but he could feel the judgment looming.

"We were gonna keep it a secret for a while," Jey admitted, his voice steady but cautious. He knew how his family could be, and he wasn’t sure how this news would sit with them. Especially not after everything that had already happened.

Nia let out a light chuckle. "Secret, huh? You know I’ve got an eye for these things. I knew what Rhea’s old wedding ring looked like, so when I saw something new, I put two and two together." Her tone wasn’t harsh, but it wasn’t exactly approving either.

Jey felt a pang of frustration. He wasn’t ready for this, for whatever this was about to turn into. "Look," he started, feeling the tension rise in his chest, "if you’re here to talk shit or judge us, then you can just leave. I’ve already heard enough from everyone else."

Before Jey could continue, Joe — Roman — raised a hand, signaling for him to stop. His voice, deep and authoritative, cut through the tension. "Hold up, Jey. That’s not why we’re here."

Jey paused, his eyes narrowing slightly as he looked at his cousin. Roman’s expression was calm but firm, like a man who had already thought through what he was about to say. Jey respected Roman, but there was still a part of him that was always on edge around him, especially given the power Roman held in the family dynamic.

"We’re not here to talk shit," Roman continued, his voice measured. "We’re here because we needed to understand. Things have been chaotic, and there’s been a lot of noise… but you’re still our family."

Jey’s eyes softened slightly, though he remained cautious. "Yeah? Then why does it feel like every time I turn around, I’m being judged?"

Roman leaned back in his chair, exhaling deeply. "Because, Uce, you made a choice. With choices come consequences. But that doesn’t mean we’re here to tear you down."

Solo, who had been sitting quietly the whole time, finally spoke up. "It’s been a lot, man. For all of us. But we’re not here to hate on you or Rhea. We just… we needed to know what’s next. Where do we go from here?"

Jey glanced at Rhea, who gave him a small, reassuring nod. She had been through so much with him already, and her presence in this moment felt like a lifeline. He appreciated the fact that, for once, she wasn’t the one under fire. But that didn’t make this conversation any easier.

"We’re moving forward," Jey said, his voice stronger now. "Together. Rhea and me. Yeah, I proposed. But I didn’t think it was something the whole world needed to know right away."

Nia sighed, her expression softening just a little. "We’re not against you, Jey. Or Rhea. It’s just… it’s hard to wrap our heads around everything that’s happened. One day, you’re married to Takecia, and the next, you’re with Rhea. It’s a lot."

Jey nodded, understanding where she was coming from, even if it still stung. "I get it. Believe me, I do. But life’s messy. Things changed. I love Rhea. That’s not something I’m gonna apologize for."

Roman stood up, walking over to Jey. The room was silent for a moment, the tension slowly dissipating as Roman looked his cousin in the eye. "We don’t need an apology, Jey. What we need is to know you’ve got your head on straight. That you’re not about to fall apart under the pressure."

Jey swallowed hard, his emotions swirling inside him. He had been through so much—public scrutiny, family drama, heartbreak. But in this moment, as he stood face to face with Roman, he knew one thing for sure: he wasn’t going to let anyone tear down what he and Rhea had built.

"My head’s on straight," Jey said, his voice resolute. "And I’m not falling apart. Not anymore."

Roman nodded, seemingly satisfied with Jey’s response. He placed a hand on Jey’s shoulder, a gesture of solidarity. "Good. Then we move forward. As a family."

Jey looked around the room, feeling the weight of the moment. This wasn’t just about him and Rhea anymore. It was about his family, his blood, and their ability to accept the path he had chosen.

"Thanks," Jey muttered, his throat tight with emotion. He wasn’t used to this kind of support, not after everything that had gone down, but it meant more to him than he could say.

Rhea stood up and moved to stand beside Jey, her hand slipping into his. She had been silent through most of the conversation, but her presence was powerful. She looked up at him, her eyes full of understanding.

"Looks like you’ve got a whole new chapter to write, huh?" Nia said with a soft smile.

Jey glanced at Rhea, then back at his family. "Yeah," he said quietly. "I guess we do."

—

After Jey’s family had finally left, the locker room settled into a calm silence. Rhea, unfazed by the earlier tension, was doing some light stretches, loosening her muscles for the match ahead. Jey was sprawled out on the bench, watching a movie on his phone, occasionally glancing up at her. It was a peaceful moment, one they both desperately needed after the whirlwind of drama that had been swirling around them lately.

Jey looked up again, admiring her for a second, before something caught his eye. His heart skipped a beat when he saw a small patch of red on the lower part of her abdomen.

“Babe, your stomach…” Jey said quickly, sitting up and reaching for a nearby towel. He was on his feet in seconds, concern flooding his voice.

Rhea glanced down, noticing the blood. “Shit,” she muttered, still stretching slightly. “Guess those stitches weren’t as fully dissolved as I thought.”

Jey knelt beside her, gently dabbing the towel against the small wound. His touch was careful, even though he was clearly a bit shaken. “Looks like one of them didn’t,” he replied, inspecting her stomach more closely. “It’s not too bad, though.”

He stood up and went over to the locker, where someone from backstage had stashed some medical supplies just in case. As he retrieved the wound sealant and a fresh bandage, Rhea smirked, watching him move with so much care.

“Always so careful with me,” she commented, her voice soft. There was a hint of admiration in her tone.

Jey gave her a small smile, his focus remaining on her as he knelt back down to tend to her wound. He applied the sealant gently, his hands moving with the precision of someone who had done this more than once, and replaced the bandage over the cut.

“I gotta be careful, baby,” he said, eyes focused on his work. “You mean too much to me.”

Rhea chuckled, leaning back slightly, her fingers brushing through his hair. “Who would’ve thought you’d make a damn good nurse?”

Jey laughed softly, finishing up the bandage. “I’d make a good anything for you, girl.”

—

It was September 2nd, 2024, and Jey and Rhea had managed to carve out a moment of solitude amidst the chaos. They’d snuck away from everyone, retreating to the quiet sanctuary of Jey’s hotel room. The two were cuddled up, scrolling through the movie options, looking for something that could distract them for a while. The room was dimly lit, the soft glow from the TV casting shadows across the room.

"How about Harlem Nights?" Jey asked, pausing on the title.

Rhea, resting against his chest, glanced up. "Never seen it."

Jey blinked, then shot her a playful look of disbelief. "What? You’ve never seen Harlem Nights? Oh, nah, Mami, we gotta fix that right now," he said, dramatically throwing his arm over his forehead like he was in physical pain. "It’s one of my favorites. Eddie Murphy, Richard Pryor—it's a classic! Old school hustlers running a nightclub. It's hilarious and slick. You’re gonna love it."

Rhea couldn’t help but laugh at his over-the-top reaction, the sound of her laughter lightening the mood even more. "Alright, alright," she relented, "you sold me on it. Let’s watch it."

Grinning, Jey hit play and settled back down next to her, wrapping his arm around her shoulders as the opening credits began to roll. She leaned into him, their bodies fitting together naturally as they got comfortable under the blanket.

Just as the movie began, Jey’s phone buzzed on the nightstand. He sighed softly and leaned over to check it. It was a message from Takecia, something about Jeyce’s dental bill—$300 for his checkup and lab work. He read it quickly and, without hesitation, sent the money to her account. He labeled it 'Dentist + Groceries', not wanting to dwell on it, then tossed his phone back down.

"Who was that?" Rhea asked, her voice soft as she looked up at him.

"Just a reminder to pay my bill," Jey replied smoothly, his tone casual, not wanting to let anything distract from their time together. He pulled her in closer, brushing it off like it was nothing.

Rhea smiled, content with his answer, and they both turned their attention back to the movie. The lively, comedic energy of Harlem Nights filled the room, but as the scenes played out, Rhea found her mind wandering. She glanced up at Jey from time to time, the way he was so at ease, the way he fit into her life in a way she hadn’t expected. Suddenly, it hit her—this terrifying realization that she might actually be falling in love with him.

The thought scared her more than she wanted to admit. After everything they had gone through—the complications, the secrets, the baggage of their past relationships—it seemed like loving him was dangerous. But as she looked at him, she couldn’t help it. It was happening.

As if sensing her gaze, Jey looked down at her, their eyes meeting in the dim light of the room. They didn’t need to say anything. Their smiles said it all.

Before they knew it, their lips met in a kiss—slow at first, like they were testing the waters, then deepening, becoming something more intense, more passionate. The world seemed to slip away as they got lost in each other, the movie playing on forgotten in the background. Their kisses grew more urgent, hands roaming, their breath mingling as the temperature in the room rose.

It wasn’t until Rhea finally pulled back, gasping for air, that they realized how long they had been making out. Both of them were breathing heavily, their foreheads resting against each other as they tried to catch their breath.

"Well," Jey said, his voice still rough from the intensity of the moment, "that escalated quickly."

Rhea laughed softly, her cheeks flushed as she pushed a strand of hair out of her face. "Yeah, just a little. I feel like a teenager again..” She giggled.

“My teenage love affair…” Jey said as he pushed a strand of hair back from her face.

They shared a smile, still lost in the afterglow of the kiss, their connection deepening in a way that words couldn’t quite capture. Neither of them spoke after that, but they didn’t need to. The unspoken feelings hung in the air between them, undeniable and real. In that quiet, intimate space, they both knew that everything between them had just shifted.

—

October 5th, 2024 4:53 P.M.

Jey leaned over and kissed Rhea as they relaxed in the locker room, the atmosphere between them easy and light. As they lounged together, the door opened and Damian strolled in, looking relaxed but curious. “What’s up, lovebirds?” he teased, throwing his bag down and making his way over to them.

Jey glanced at Rhea with a smirk, and then turned to Damian, asking, “So, has she told you yet?”

Damian raised an eyebrow, clearly confused. “Told me what?”

Rhea, with a mischievous smile, held up her hand, her engagement ring catching the light. “This,” she said, her voice full of warmth as she displayed the ring.

Damian’s eyes widened, and a huge grin spread across his face. “No way!” He practically leapt across the room, grabbing Rhea’s hand to get a better look. “I’m gone for two days and y’all go and get engaged?” he exclaimed, his excitement evident.

Jey laughed, throwing an arm around Rhea’s shoulders. “It was overdue, man.”

Damian looked between the two of them, his grin never fading. “Well, it’s about damn time! I’m so happy for you guys.”

Rhea beamed, her fingers still in Damian’s grip as she squeezed his hand in thanks. Jey, leaning back a little, smirked. “Now you know what’s next, right?”

Damian raised an eyebrow. “You guys planning a wedding already?”

Jey nodded. “Actually, yeah. We’ve been talking about it.”

Damian sat back, crossing his arms and looking at the two with curiosity. “Alright, hit me with it. What’s the plan?”

Jey’s smile widened as he glanced at Rhea before turning back to Damian. “We’re thinking three weddings.”

“Three?” Damian repeated, intrigued. “Why three?”

Rhea jumped in, clearly excited about their plans. “First one at the courthouse, just something small and quick with Jon and Trinity. Then we’re doing one in Vegas—full-on party, wild vibes, you know? And the third, the big one, in Samoa.”

Jey nodded, adding, “Samoa’s gonna be more traditional, a proper ceremony with family, honoring our culture.”

Damian’s smile grew even wider. “Three weddings, huh? That’s bold. I love it.”

Rhea then shifted in her seat, looking a bit more serious but still smiling. “Actually, Damian… there’s something else.”

Damian looked at her, curiosity written all over his face. “Yeah?”

Rhea took a breath, and then asked, “Would you walk me down the aisle in Vegas?”

For a second, Damian seemed stunned, processing what she had just asked. Then, in true Damian fashion, he broke into the biggest grin. “Are you serious? You want me to walk you down the aisle?”

Rhea nodded, her eyes shining. “Of course. You’re my best friend, Damian. I wouldn’t want anyone else.”

Damian was so thrilled he couldn’t contain himself. He scooped Rhea up in his arms, lifting her off the ground as he spun her around. Rhea laughed in surprise, her arms instinctively wrapping around his neck as he twirled her, her laughter filling the room. “Damian! Put me down!” she cried, though she was laughing too hard to really be mad.

Jey watched the scene with an amused grin, shaking his head. “Careful, man. Don’t break her before the wedding.”

Damian finally set Rhea back down, still beaming with excitement. “I’m so honored, Rhea. You have no idea. I can’t wait. It’s gonna be epic.”

Rhea smoothed out her clothes, still laughing as she caught her breath. “I knew you’d be perfect for it.”

Jey leaned back, arms crossed, clearly pleased with how happy everyone was. “You know, this is gonna be one hell of a wedding. I can already see it.”

Damian, still buzzing with excitement, looked at Jey and Rhea, his eyes full of emotion. “I’m so proud of you two. You guys have been through so much, and to see this… it’s just, man, I’m happy for you both.”

Rhea smiled warmly, reaching out to take Jey’s hand, intertwining her fingers with his. “Thanks, Damian. It means a lot.”

Jey gave Damian a nod, his expression softening. “Yeah, man. Appreciate it.”

The room was filled with a quiet, joyful energy as the three of them sat there, thinking about everything that had brought them to this moment. The road had been long, filled with its share of challenges, but now they were looking ahead to a future that was full of promise, full of love, and full of celebration.

As the conversation shifted back to wedding plans, Damian started going on about what kind of suit he should wear for Vegas and whether or not there should be a theme for the reception. Jey and Rhea exchanged amused glances, knowing that with Damian involved, their Vegas wedding was bound to be unforgettable.

—

11:21 p.m.

After the PLE, Jey and Rhea arrived at the Waldorf Astoria, the city lights glowing softly against the night sky. The ride had been long and exhausting, especially for Rhea, who had fallen asleep on Jey's shoulder. Her championship match had left her physically drained, and she didn’t want to talk about it. She had quietly mentioned earlier that her stomach had been bothering her, likely from the bumps Liv had given her in the ring. Liv, trying to be cautious, had taken it easy, but it hadn’t been enough to keep Rhea from feeling the impact.

The Uber came to a smooth stop outside the hotel, and Jey carefully eased his way out of the car. He glanced over at Rhea, who hadn’t stirred. She was still fast asleep, her body slumped against the seat, completely worn out. Waving over the bellhop, Jey motioned to their bags, and the young man eagerly came forward to assist.

Jey gently shook Rhea awake, his voice soft. “Babe, we’re here.”

Rhea barely opened her eyes, her words a sleepy murmur. “Carry me,” she muttered, her exhaustion evident in her tone.

Jey’s brow furrowed in concern, but he nodded. He didn’t want to push her after everything she’d gone through tonight. He walked over to the bellhop and explained, “Reservation under Fatu.” One of the bellhops quickly moved to the desk to retrieve the keycards while another helped with the luggage.

Carefully, Jey scooped Rhea up in his arms, carrying her bridal-style toward the entrance. She nuzzled her face against his chest, still half-asleep, while he stepped into the elevator with the bellhops following behind. They rode up to the 6th floor, the only sound being the soft hum of the elevator and the quiet breathing of Rhea against him.

When they reached the suite, the bellhops opened the door and led the way in, setting the bags down carefully. Jey stepped in, carrying Rhea straight to the bed. He gently laid her down, her Damian Priest shirt wrinkling slightly as she shifted under the comforter. He gave a nod of thanks to the bellhops, reaching into his wallet to hand them each a generous tip.

“Could you put in an order to room service for some 7Up and soup, please?” Jey asked before they left.

“Of course, sir,” one of the bellhops replied, nodding quickly before they both exited the room, leaving Jey and Rhea alone.

Jey sighed softly and sat down on the edge of the bed, his hand resting on Rhea’s cheek. She barely stirred, her exhaustion overwhelming her. “I shouldn’t have come back so soon,” she mumbled, her voice heavy with fatigue.

“Don’t blame yourself,” Jey whispered, brushing a lock of hair away from her face. “You did amazing out there.”

Rhea’s eyes fluttered shut again, too tired to respond. Jey pressed a soft kiss to her forehead before gently undressing her, leaving her in just the oversized Damian Priest shirt. He pulled the comforter over her, tucking her in with care, and then held her hand, watching her as her breathing steadied into a deep, peaceful sleep.

Jey sighed, a mix of pride and worry swirling inside him. He hated seeing her this drained, but he knew she was strong. She always pushed herself to the limit, and even though he admired her for that, he couldn’t help but feel protective.

Leaning back on the pillows next to her, Jey kept her hand in his, his eyes fixed on the ceiling. He was tired too, but there was no way he was leaving her side tonight. Not after everything she had gone through.

Just then, there was a knock on the door. Room service had arrived. Jey quietly got up, careful not to disturb Rhea, and opened the door. The server brought in the tray with the 7Up and soup, setting it down on the small table by the window. Jey thanked them before closing the door and returning to Rhea’s side.

He placed the drink on the nightstand next to her in case she woke up later, then laid down beside her again, pulling her gently into his arms. Rhea stirred slightly, snuggling into him, and for the first time that night, Jey felt a sense of calm. They had each other, and that was all that mattered.

--

Rhea struggled in her sleep, her body restless as her mind tortured her with vivid, painful memories. The hospital replayed itself in her head—Trinity’s face filled with sorrow as she told Rhea she had lost the baby. Then the memories shifted, dark and haunting: snorting the pills, the haze they put her in, and, worst of all, Matt’s brutal assault. It all came flooding back, a horrifying loop, each moment bleeding into the next, dragging her deeper into a nightmare.

Her body began to move more violently under the covers, her fists clenching, and she let out a whimper. Jey, who had been lightly dozing, immediately stirred. He blinked, realizing Rhea was tossing and turning more than usual. Sitting up, he reached out to her, worry etched on his face. “Rhea,” he said softly at first, gently shaking her arm, but she only thrashed harder.

“No!” Rhea yelled, her voice filled with fear.

Jey’s heart raced. “Babe, wake up,” he said more firmly, his grip tightening on her arm to try to pull her out of whatever nightmare was holding her.

“No! Don’t hurt me!” Rhea screamed, her voice raw with terror. She flailed again, this time her fist coming up instinctively—and before Jey could react, it connected with his face, squarely on his nose.

"Ow!" Jey yelped, immediately holding his nose as blood started to trickle down. “Rhea!” he shouted, more in shock than pain.

Rhea snapped awake, her breathing erratic and eyes wide with fear. She saw Jey beside her, holding his nose, and her heart plummeted. “Babe, are you okay? What happened?” she asked, her voice shaking, not fully comprehending what she had done.

Jey’s face contorted with a mixture of pain and amusement. “I love you,” he started, wincing as he gingerly touched his nose. “But you just punched the hell out of me…”

Rhea’s eyes widened, her hand flying to her mouth as the realization of what she’d done hit her. “Oh my God… I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to—I didn’t know—” she began to ramble, her hands trembling as she tried to check his nose, completely panicked.

Jey waved her off gently with his free hand, still holding his nose with the other. “It’s okay, babe, it’s okay. Just… maybe next time don’t dream about fighting me, yeah?” he joked, trying to lighten the mood despite the situation.

Rhea, however, wasn’t laughing. Her eyes were filled with guilt, and her whole body was shaking. “I’m sorry… I didn’t mean to. I was—” She paused, the memories from her nightmare still fresh, her voice breaking. “I was dreaming about… him.”

Jey’s expression softened immediately, his own discomfort forgotten. He lowered his hand from his nose, wiping at the blood with his sleeve, and pulled Rhea into his arms. She melted into him, burying her face in his chest, as tears silently escaped her.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered again, her voice muffled.

Jey kissed the top of her head, his grip on her firm yet gentle. “You don’t have to apologize, Rhea. It wasn’t your fault.” He held her tighter, stroking her hair. “I’m here. You’re safe.”

Rhea’s breathing began to slow as she listened to Jey’s heartbeat, grounding her in the present. Jey winced again, reaching for a tissue to catch the blood from his nose, but he kept one arm wrapped securely around her, not wanting to let go.

After a few minutes of silence, Rhea spoke again, her voice small. “I hate that it still haunts me. I thought I was stronger than this.”

“You are strong,” Jey reassured her, lifting her chin so he could look into her eyes. “You’ve been through hell and back, and you’re still here. You’re still fighting. And I’ll be right here with you. Always.”

Rhea sniffled, nodding, her tears slowly subsiding. “I don’t deserve you.”

Jey smiled softly, brushing a tear away from her cheek. “Nah, I’m the lucky one.”

Rhea let out a small, shaky laugh, her heart swelling with love for him. She reached up to his face, gently touching his bruised nose. “I’ll get you some ice for that.”

Jey grinned through the discomfort. “Yeah, I think I’m gonna need it.” Rhea got up from the bed and opened the mini fridge and saw a small Perrier bottle of water, she figured it'll do. She brought it out and she sat next to Jey and gently pressed the glass bottle to his nose, he winced and Rhea frowned. "Babe… it's okay for real.." Jey said noticing her frown. "I guess I got that superman punch.." Rhea said.

They both laughed, the tension slowly easing as they sat together. Rhea pulled back the bottle once the bleeding stopped and she leaned her head back on Jey’s shoulder, and for the first time since the nightmare began, she felt a sense of peace returning. With Jey by her side, maybe, just maybe, she could continue to heal from all the pain.

-

Sunday October 6th

Jey woke up to the sound of the alarm blaring at 7:30 AM, the bright screen illuminating the dark hotel room. He rubbed his eyes and glanced at the clock, realizing they had a flight to St. Louis at 10 AM. Nudging Rhea gently, he whispered, “Hey, sleepyhead, time to wake up. We’ve got to get ready for St. Louis.”

Rhea stirred, mumbling something incoherent as she rolled over. Jey chuckled, leaning closer to her. “Come on, we need to shower and hit the road.”

They had reached a level of comfort in their relationship where sharing a shower felt completely natural. It wasn’t about intimacy but rather a simple, affectionate routine that had become a part of their daily lives. As the warm water cascaded down, they enjoyed the peaceful moment together, laughing and teasing as they washed up.

After they finished, they dried off and began their morning routine. Rhea was in the middle of brushing her hair when she noticed Jey's bruised nose, the aftermath of her unintentional assault during the night. “Come here,” she said, setting her brush down and walking over to him.

Jey raised an eyebrow, a playful smile creeping onto his face. “What are you gonna do? Put me in makeup?”

“Actually, yes,” she replied, a grin forming. She reached for her universal contour palette that Liv had gifted her last year for her birthday, flipping it open to reveal a variety of shades. She found one that matched Jey's skin tone perfectly.

“Sit still,” she instructed, and Jey complied, a mock-serious expression crossing his face as he pretended to be a model.

Rhea focused intently, applying some primer first to ensure the makeup would set in place. She carefully used the creams and powders, blending them seamlessly over the bruising on his nose. “You might want to avoid getting into fights with your fiancée,” she joked, glancing up at him with a wink.

Jey laughed, his eyes sparkling. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

After she was satisfied with the base, Rhea gently covered Jey's eyes, carefully spraying setting spray on the small spots where the bruising was starting to appear. “There. You look almost normal,” she teased, stepping back to admire her handiwork.

Jey chuckled, touching his nose lightly and pretending to be impressed. “I should hire you as my personal makeup artist.”

“Only if you promise to wear my looks every day.” Rhea quipped, crossing her arms, referencing to her routine dark make up look.

“Deal!” Jey grinned, knowing she was joking but loving the playful banter between them.

As they finished getting ready, the lighthearted atmosphere helped to ease any remnants of tension from the night before. Rhea felt a sense of normalcy returning, and with Jey by her side, she knew she could face whatever challenges awaited them in St. Louis. They shared a quick kiss before heading out the door, ready to take on the day together.

--

Rhea sat by the airplane window, gazing out at the clouds as they soared through the sky. The steady hum of the engines was almost calming, but her mind was elsewhere, filled with thoughts of the future. She turned to Jey, her eyes catching the glint of the matching permanent bracelet on his wrist. A small smile played on her lips as she reached over, gently rubbing her thumb over it, feeling the connection between them in that tiny piece of jewelry.

Jey, sensing her touch, looked at her with curiosity. “What?” he asked, his voice soft, a tender smile spreading across his face.

Rhea’s eyes sparkled as she looked at him, feeling a warmth inside her chest. “What are your plans for us, Joshua Samuel Fatu?” she teased, using his full name.

Jey took a deep breath, the weight of his words forming in his heart before he spoke them. His hand found hers, their fingers intertwining as he began, “Demi Fatu… we are going to build a life together, one that’s everything we’ve dreamed of and more. You’re going to move in with me, and we’re going to make that house our home—every holiday, every season. We’ll decorate it the way we like, fill it with love and laughter. You’re going to become a stepmother to my kids, and in time, you’ll be a mother to our own children. I’ll adopt your dogs, and even that little fur-asshole of a cat,” he laughed, “and I’ll be a fur daddy, for real.”

His voice grew more serious as he continued, the intensity of his love for her clear in his tone. “We’ll get through everything, babe. The good, the bad—everything. I’m going to devote my life to you, to us. We’re going to marry as soon as these divorces are finalized, and then we won’t have to worry about anything else. No more secrets, no more fears. Just you and me, in this life together, for the long haul. I’m with you, Demi. Always.”

Rhea’s eyes glistened with tears she fought to hold back, her heart swelling with the depth of his words. She looked at him, her voice soft, almost breaking as she asked, “You’ll stand by me? Even with my true crime obsession?” She laughed, trying to lighten the moment, her usual playful self shining through.

Jey grinned, his thumb brushing gently against the back of her hand. “Even with your true crime obsession,” he chuckled. “Though I gotta admit, sometimes that stuff really does freak me out.”

They both laughed lightly, the moment shared between them warm and intimate. Jey leaned in and kissed her softly, their lips meeting in a quiet promise, the weight of their love felt in that simple act.

As Rhea pulled back, she turned her gaze back to the window, watching the clouds drift by beneath them. The future they envisioned together felt closer than ever, and in that moment, nothing else mattered but the two of them and the life they were about to create.

--

Jey and Rhea had just landed in St. Louis and were in their car rental heading straight to their hotel. The flight had been long, and both of them were ready to relax after the whirlwind of events from yesterday. As soon as they arrived at the hotel, they collapsed onto the bed, exhausted. They slept for a solid four hours, the fatigue from Rhea’s match still lingering in her bones.

When they woke up, it was nearing the late afternoon. Jey stretched out, feeling slightly more energized. He turned to Rhea, asking, “You wanna do something, babe? We’ve been cooped up for a while.”

Rhea thought about it for a moment, her body still aching. “I’m still tired, honestly… but something light would be nice. I just don’t wanna be stuck in this room all night.”

Jey nodded and pulled out his phone, scrolling through possible attractions in St. Louis. He showed her the famous Arch, suggesting they check it out, but Rhea made a face. “Maybe something air-conditioned? I’m not ready for the heat again.”

Jey laughed and kept scrolling, trying to find the perfect low-key activity. Before he could settle on something, Rhea’s phone buzzed with a FaceTime call. She glanced at the screen and saw it was Damian. “Babe, it’s Damian,” she said, answering the call. Damian’s face appeared on the screen, and he was taking a shot just as Rhea answered.

Rhea raised an eyebrow. “Isn’t it a bit early for that?” she asked with a smirk.

Damian grinned, clearly in a good mood. “Nah, it’s never too early for a shot, especially when you’re celebrating. Where you guys at?”

“We’re at the Marriott,” Rhea replied, turning the camera toward Jey, who gave a quick wave.

Damian’s grin widened. “Perfect! I’ll send you the address to where I’m at. Come meet me!” Before Rhea could respond, Damian hung up the call. A minute later, her phone dinged with a text message.

Rhea glanced at the message and then looked at Jey. “I don’t like how my fellow Terror Twin is acting already.”

Jey chuckled but nodded in agreement. “Yeah, I’m kinda worried too. Last time we hung out like that, I ended up getting fined. I’d like to avoid that again.”

Rhea laughed, but her eyes held the same concern. “We should come up with a safe word. You know, just in case we need an escape plan.”

Jey grinned, thinking for a second. “Alright, how about ‘Yeet’? That’ll be our code.”

Rhea blinked, giving him a blank stare before bursting into laughter. “Yeet? Seriously?”

Jey shrugged, laughing with her. “It’s effective, isn’t it?”

Rhea leaned into him, her eyes softening. “I’m marrying you because I love you… and maybe despite your questionable choices.”

Jey smiled warmly, pulling her into a gentle kiss. “I love you too. Now, let’s go see what kind of trouble Damian’s got us into this time.”

After Rhea had touched up her makeup, she decided to change out of her comfy sweats into something that felt more like her, something that would match the vibe of the night. Jey lay back on the bed, scrolling through his phone, but he couldn’t help stealing glances at Rhea as she moved about the room. He smirked, watching her peel off her sweatpants and slip into something a bit more her style.

“Go slow,” he teased with a grin, the playful glint in his eyes unmistakable.

Rhea rolled her eyes with a laugh. “Not even, you clown.”

Jey chuckled, enjoying the easy banter between them. As Rhea finished getting ready, she finally stood before him, dressed and ready for the night, her makeup perfectly done and her outfit on point. She turned to him with a playful smirk. “So, do I look good?”

Jey sat up, giving her a once-over, taking in how stunning she looked. “You’re my twin..” He said in referencing to his outfit.

He got up, moving to his side of the bed where his Cuban chain lay. It was something he admired, a piece of jewelry he had worn it often and held it close. Rhea saw what he was doing and immediately started shaking her head.

“No, babe, that’s yours—don’t,” she said.

But Jey was already behind her, lifting the chain and placing it gently around her neck. He clasped it and let his hands rest on her shoulders for a moment, his voice low as he spoke. “Now you’re dripping in diamonds.”

Rhea looked down at the Cuban chain resting against her collarbone and smiled, her heart swelling with love for him. She turned back to face him, her fingers brushing over the cool metal.

“You didn’t have to do that,” she murmured, feeling the weight of the chain.

“I know,” Jey said, meeting her eyes. “But I wanted to. It looks better on you anyway.”

Rhea’s smile widened, and she leaned in to give him a soft kiss, appreciating his gesture more than she could put into words.

“So, fast food, right?” Jey said, pulling back with a grin, breaking the moment just enough to lighten the mood.

Rhea nodded. “Yeah, can you Google directions? I’m thinking McDonald’s sounds good right now.”

“McDonald’s it is,” Jey said, pulling out his phone to look up the nearest one. As he typed away, he couldn’t help but feel a deep sense of pride watching Rhea wear his chain, like a quiet but powerful acknowledgment of the bond they shared.

With the directions sorted, he grabbed Rhea’s black jacket as they headed for the door and handed it to her, ready to grab a quick bite before diving into whatever chaos Damian had in store for them. But even amidst the excitement, it was the quiet moments like these—wrapped in love and laughter—that made everything feel right.

Jey and Rhea pulled up to the McDonald’s drive-thru, ordering two Big Mac meals with a sense of comfort in their usual routine. Once they got their food, Jey parked in the lot, and they sat there, enjoying a quiet meal together.

“Processed food to the rescue again,” Rhea quipped as she took a bite.

Jey chuckled, wiping his mouth. “Always does the trick, huh?”

Once they finished, Jey cleared the trash and put the directions to Damian’s place into his phone. “Twenty minutes away,” he told Rhea, who sighed in relief.

“Perfect. I don’t have the energy for anything longer.”

The drive was peaceful, the city of St. Louis passing by as they enjoyed the quiet company. As they turned into Damian’s neighborhood, they both noticed how packed the street was—cars lined up on both sides, filling every spot near the house.

“What’s going on here?” Jey said, eyebrows raised as he drove past the house. The music was booming from inside, and they could hear it thumping through the neighborhood.

“Is this… a party?” Rhea asked, confused. She pulled out her phone, double-checking the text Damian had sent. “He didn’t say anything about a party.”

Jey found a spot at the far end of the street and parked, the two of them getting out and looking back toward the house as the music grew louder. Rhea squeezed Jey’s hand, her unease slowly building. She wasn’t expecting this at all.

“Is that Bad Bunny playing?” Jey asked, a small smile forming as they walked toward the house.

Rhea nodded, letting out a breathy laugh. “Has to be Damian. But why didn’t he mention this?”

“I don’t know,” Jey said, glancing at her. “I thought we were just going to hang out. He didn’t say anything about a crowd.”

As they approached, they noticed the house was alive with activity. The booming music came from inside, but there wasn’t anyone outside to greet them. Rhea looked at Jey, her expression somewhere between amused and exhausted. “I don’t know if I’m ready for this.”

Jey gave her hand a squeeze, nodding. “We can always leave if it’s too much. Remember, ‘Yeet.’”

Rhea laughed softly. “Right. Yeet.”

Jey smiled, his gaze softening as he looked at her. “We’ll see what’s going on. If it’s too wild, we’re out of here.”

Rhea took a deep breath, nodding in agreement. “Let’s see what Damian’s gotten himself into.”

Jey knocked on the door, but there was no response. He knocked again, louder this time, assuming the music was too loud for anyone to hear. Finally, the door swung open, revealing a very buzzed Liv Morgan, clad in sweats and a hoodie, a glass of what looked like a fancy drink—maybe a cosmo—in her hand.

“Rhea!” Liv exclaimed, her face lighting up as she pulled Rhea into a hug. Rhea was surprised; she had seen Liv drunk on Total Divas but had never experienced it in person.

“Wow, you’re really feeling it, huh?” Rhea laughed, pulling back to assess her friend.

“Just a little!” Liv giggled, her eyes sparkling. “Come on in!” She stepped aside, welcoming Jey and Rhea into the lively atmosphere.

As they entered, the loud music surrounded them, and the energy was infectious. Liv led them to the kitchen, where they found Damian, Kayden, and Kayden’s tag team partner, Kacy, better known as Katana Chance. They were gathered around the counter, debating which bottle of liquor to take shots from.

“Look who’s here!” Damian shouted, his face lighting up when he spotted Rhea. He moved over to hug her tightly, his buzz evident in his embrace.

“Hey, Damian! You really started the party without us!” Rhea teased, glancing around at the cluttered kitchen.

“Just getting warmed up!” he replied, beaming with excitement. “Shots, anyone?”

Liv chimed in, pouring from an unknown tequila bottle. “This is going to be fun! Get the lime, Damian!”

As Liv poured the shots, Damian turned to Jey and Rhea. “Have you ever had genuine tequila from Mexico?”

They exchanged glances, then shook their heads nervously. “Nope, can’t say we have,” Jey said.

Damian laughed, handing the couple a pair of limes. “You’re in for a treat!”

Liv passed out the shots, and just as they were about to raise them, a very drunk JD McDonagh stumbled into the kitchen. “Awh shit, it’s Main Event and the Eradicator!” he exclaimed, slurring his words slightly.

“Hey, Funkopop!” Rhea greeted him with a smirk.

JD pouted, “I want a shot!”

Liv playfully chided him, “Slow down! It’s only 6 PM!”

Rhea couldn’t help but laugh at the scene. “Liv, you’re already buzzing! Are you sure you can handle it?”

“I’m buzzed, not drunk!” Liv protested, mock indignation in her voice. “There’s a difference!”

Jey rolled his eyes playfully. “Let’s just hope you remember this tomorrow.”

As the atmosphere filled with laughter and camaraderie, Rhea felt a rush of warmth, grateful for this moment of fun amidst the chaos of their lives. With a nod from Jey, they all raised their shots in unison and took the shots. Rhea’s face scrunched as she quickly sucked on the lime. Jey didn’t budge but he did feel the heat of the liquor down his throat.

Rhea turned to Damian, curiosity dancing in her eyes. “Who all is here?”

“A lot of people from the PLE,” Damian replied, his enthusiasm palpable. “I even invited Cody, and he’s not usually into these kinds of parties. But he brought the Wheatley vodka, and that’s what got JD to show up.”

Just as he spoke, JD stumbled back into the living room, dramatically slurring, “WHEATLEY SO GOOD YOU’LL DRINK IT NEATLY!” His exaggerated proclamation earned a few chuckles from the crowd, and Rhea and Jey exchanged amused glances.

As “My Type” by Saweetie kicked in, Kayden clapped her hands and shouted, “Come over here, my bisexual Undertaker!” She playfully dragged Damian into the dance, both of them moving to the rhythm as Kayden performed an infamous twerk on Damian, drawing laughter and cheers from the onlookers.

Jey shook his head, a smirk tugging at his lips. “Babe, you know I’m damn near 40 years old. I feel so out of place.”

Rhea shot him a teasing look, leaning closer. “You want me to do that on you?”

Jey’s eyes sparkled with mischief. “I’m open to it.”

“Maybe later if you’re good,” Rhea winked, turning her attention back to Liv, who was in the process of mixing a colorful drink.

Jey opened the fridge and noted the impressive collection of Wheatley Vodka bottles lining the shelves. “I need to have a word with Cody about this liquor situation,” he said, shaking his head in disbelief.

“Go ahead! I’ll be here with Liv,” Rhea replied, taking a seat at the counter, her demeanor relaxed yet alert.

With a quick nod, Jey ventured through the house, greeting various wrestlers mingling in the living room and dining room. The atmosphere was lively, filled with laughter and loud music. After a short search, he finally spotted Cody’s signature platinum blonde hair peeking from the backyard.

Sitting beside him was his younger brother, Joseph. Jey approached, and Joseph stood up to greet his brother with a warm hug.

“What's up, guys? What are you two doing out here?” Jey asked, sinking into a chair across from them.

Cody leaned back, a relaxed grin plastered on his face. “Just enjoying the evening and trying to keep up with the chaos inside. Damian knows how to throw a party.”

Joseph chuckled, glancing back toward the house. “Yeah, it’s a wild one. Just trying to keep it all together. The last time I saw Damian this hyped, we got fined.”

Jey laughed, shaking his head. “I didn’t think I’d feel out of place at one of these gatherings, but here we are. I feel like I need a T-shirt that says ‘I’m too old for this.’”

Cody raised his drink, clinking it lightly against Jey’s bottle. “You’re never too old to have a good time, man. Let loose! This crowd will bring your youth back in no time.”

“Speaking of that Wheatley vodka situation,” Jey said, raising an eyebrow. “I didn’t know you were the one bringing it. That’s bold.”

Cody shrugged with a smirk, mischief glinting in his eyes. “Gotta keep the fun going, right? Just a little something to spice things up. You want some?”

Jey shook his head, grinning. “I’ll stick with beer for now. I’ll leave the hard stuff to the younger crowd. Besides, I have to keep my wits about me with Rhea mixing it up in there.”

Joseph laughed, shaking his head. “You know she’ll be the life of the party. Just wait until she gets on that dance floor.”

Jey nodded, a smile spreading across his face as he thought of Rhea enjoying herself. “Yeah, she’s got that energy. I just hope she doesn’t go too hard. I’ve got to keep an eye on her.”

Cody smirked. “Good luck with that! But hey, you’ve got to have some fun yourself. We’re all here to unwind a bit.”

“Yeah, I get that,” Jey replied, glancing back toward the house. “Maybe I’ll join them in a little while. Just trying to shake off this old-man vibe I’ve got going on.”

Joseph leaned in, lowering his voice playfully. “Just remember, age is just a number. If you let the younger crowd have fun, you might just surprise yourself.”

Jey laughed, appreciating the encouragement. “Alright, you guys have convinced me. I’ll give it a shot when I'm ready.”

The three shared a laugh, the sounds of laughter and music from inside blending into a warm backdrop. As they continued to talk, Jey felt the weight of the past few months slowly lift, the night promising a much-needed escape.

Jey leaned back, curious. “So, Joseph, how does it feel working with Cody these last few months in the Bloodline storyline?”

Joseph’s face lit up as he spoke. “It’s been great, honestly. Working with a veteran like Cody has been an incredible experience. He’s got so much knowledge, and he knows how to tell a story in the ring. I’ve learned a ton just by watching him.”

Cody nodded in agreement. “It’s been a fun ride. Joseph has a natural talent; he brings a fresh energy to everything we do. It’s cool to see him grow into his role.”

“Yeah, it’s wild,” Jey replied. “I remember when I first started, and now here you are, holding your own in some of the biggest storylines.”

The three continued to chat about their experiences and the direction of the storyline, each sharing insights and anecdotes that had led them to this moment. As they laughed and reminisced, the atmosphere felt comfortable and uplifting, far removed from the tension of their past.

Meanwhile, inside the house, Rhea sipped her drink as Liv leaned against the counter, an eager expression on her face. “So, I’ve been meaning to ask you about the match yesterday. Any pointers for me?”

Rhea smiled, feeling the warmth of camaraderie. “Definitely. I noticed a few spots where you could have played to the crowd a bit more. You have the talent; just let your personality shine through. You’ve got the skills, and sometimes it’s all about connecting with the audience.”

Liv nodded, soaking in the advice. “Thanks, Rhea. It’s always good to get tips from someone who’s been in the game for ten years. You know the ins and outs.”

As they chatted, Liv’s curiosity piqued. “So, how are things with you and Jey? I’ve seen the changes, and you both seem happier.”

Rhea took a moment, a genuine smile spreading across her face. “I actually feel at peace now that I’m with Jey. It’s like everything just clicked into place, you know?”

Liv’s eyes sparkled with excitement. “I noticed the new ring! You’re not gonna spill the beans, are you?”

Rhea chuckled softly, appreciating Liv’s enthusiasm. “I’m thankful for you, Liv. I haven’t wanted to talk about the engagement with anyone just because of the backlash we have been experiencing from some people.”

Liv grinned, raising her glass. “Fuck the haters! You deserve to be happy. Anyone who has a problem with it can shove it.”

Rhea laughed, feeling a surge of gratitude for her friend. “You’re right. I’m focusing on the good things in my life now, and that includes Jey. He makes me feel safe and supported.”

Liv nodded in agreement, her tone earnest. “That’s what it’s all about. Finding someone who lifts you up and brings out the best in you. You two are great together.” Liv grabbed the tequila bottle and set it down on the counter.

Liv turned to Rhea with a mischievous grin. “Hey, do you want another shot?”

Rhea nodded enthusiastically, the buzz of the party mixing with the excitement of being with friends. Liv poured another shot of tequila and handed Rhea a lime, her eyes gleaming with anticipation. “Alright, on three!”

“Ready!” Rhea replied, her heart racing a little.

“One… two… three!”

They both slammed back the shots simultaneously. Rhea felt the burn as the tequila hit her throat, and she scrunched her face in reaction. Liv’s eyes widened, and she yelled, “Fuck! That tequila is strong!”

“Why are we doing this?” Liv asked, trying to distract herself from the intensity of the shot, her voice half-laughing, half-groaning.

Rhea chuckled, shaking her head. “I have no idea, but it seemed like a good idea at the time!”

Liv, always the instigator, laughed and suggested, “Let’s do another!”

Feeling a mix of bravado and recklessness, Rhea foolishly agreed. Just as Liv prepared for another round, the kitchen door swung open, and Bayley strolled in. She looked at Liv and then turned her gaze to Rhea, a mildly ugly look crossing her face.

“I’m leaving early,” Bayley said curtly, not bothering to hide her disdain as she shot a glance at Rhea.

Liv quickly said goodbye, her attention split as she sensed the tension. Rhea maintained her composure, her expression neutral as Bayley kept her eyes locked on her while exiting the kitchen.

“What’s with her and her staring problem?” Rhea muttered, raising an eyebrow in confusion.

Liv, already tipsy and swaying slightly, responded with a giggle, “Who, me?”

Rhea rolled her eyes at her already drunk friend. “No, not you! I meant Bayley.”

“Oh,” Liv replied, finally processing the comment. “I don’t know. Maybe she’s just jealous or something?”

Rhea shrugged, trying to brush it off. “Whatever it is, it’s annoying.”

Liv, ever the optimist, poured another shot for herself and Rhea, attempting to lift the mood. “Come on! Let’s not let her ruin our vibe. Cheers to bad bitches and tequila!”

“Cheers!” Rhea replied, clinking her glass with Liv’s. They both downed the shots again, the night continuing to swirl with laughter and chaos around them.

Rhea and Liv were deep into their drinks, the fun of the party washing over them, when suddenly, the unmistakable beat of Get it Sexyy by Sexyy Red filled the room. Liv’s eyes lit up, and she let out a joyful scream. “Oh my god, it’s my song!”

“Join me!” Liv shouted at Rhea, who looked a bit confused.

“Wait, what do you mean?” Rhea asked, laughter bubbling up as Liv tugged on her hand.

“Just follow my lead!” Liv exclaimed, practically dragging Rhea into the living room.

As soon as they reached the center of the room, Liv began dancing energetically, her hips swaying to the beat. Rhea hesitated for a moment before breaking into a smile and joining in, letting the music guide her. The two women laughed and danced, embodying pure joy.

Meanwhile, Jey was engrossed in his conversation with Joseph and Cody when he noticed Cody taking a sip of his drink and staring wide-eyed at something into the living room.

“Ude’, I wouldn’t look over if I were you,” Cody warned, a hint of mischief in his tone.

Jey, confused by Cody’s expression, turned to see what had caught his friend’s attention. His jaw dropped as he saw Liv dancing on Rhea, the two of them laughing and enjoying themselves without a care in the world.

“Are you serious?” Jey exclaimed, unable to believe what he was seeing. Just then, Liv and Rhea switched positions, and Rhea shook her ass while Liv smacked her butt playfully and repeatedly.

“Now that’s a party!” Joseph laughed, nudging Jey with his elbow. “You should be over there instead of Liv.”

“Yeah, what are you waiting for?” Cody chimed in, laughing at the spectacle. “Get off your Waffle House-made rear and go get your woman!”

Jey hesitated for a moment, a mix of pride and protective instinct rising in him as he watched Rhea have fun. But the laughter and camaraderie in the air were infectious. With a determined grin, he finally stood up, brushing off their teasing. “Alright, alright, I’m going in!”

As he made his way over to the dancing duo, Rhea caught sight of him and her face lit up with a smile. Jey slipped behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist and joining in on the fun, much to Liv’s delight.

“See, now that’s what I’m talking about! An Australian sandwhich!” Liv cheered, dancing with them, and the three of them became the life of the party.

As the three danced, Liv suddenly paused, putting her hands on her knees, a look of concern on her face. “Hold on, I need a break,” she said, glancing around as if fearing she might throw up from all the drinking and dancing. Rhea laughed, giving her a playful pat on the back as Liv stepped to the side, trying to catch her breath.

Just then, a familiar tune filled the air, and Rhea's face lit up with recognition. It was Cupid’s Chokehold by Gym Class Heroes, one of her all-time favorites. The nostalgic melody wrapped around her like a warm blanket, and she couldn't help but smile.

Jey noticed the change in her expression and grinned. “Oh, this is a classic!” he exclaimed, and without hesitation, he began to sing along, his voice rising above the music. Rhea joined in, their voices harmonizing effortlessly as they swayed together, lost in the moment.

The energy in the room faded away as they danced closely, sharing smiles and laughter. Jey couldn’t help but reflect on how far they had come. Just a few months ago, their paths seemed worlds apart, filled with uncertainty and complications. Now, here they were, completely in sync, enjoying a carefree night together.

As they danced, Jey looked deep into Rhea's eyes, feeling a warmth spread through him. “Can you believe this?” he asked, his voice softening. “It’s crazy how life works out sometimes.”

Rhea smiled back, her heart swelling with happiness. “I never thought I’d find myself here, dancing with you like this. It feels perfect,” she replied, feeling grateful for the unexpected joy that had entered her life.

With each beat of the song, they lost themselves in the rhythm, the laughter of their friends and the vibrant atmosphere fading into the background. In that moment, nothing else mattered. It was just Jey and Rhea, dancing together under the glow of the party lights, savoring the connection they had found amidst the chaos of their lives.

As the party continued into the early hours, the atmosphere shifted with more guests having departed, leaving a tight-knit circle of friends. Now, it was Jey, Rhea, Kayden, Damian, Liv, Kacy, Joseph, and Cody lingering together. The clock ticked closer to 1 AM, and the music had lowered, creating a comfortable hum in the background as Joseph and Cody managed to gather everyone in the backyard for some casual conversation.

After people had left, Rhea had requested a song that held a special place in her heart: How Deep is Your Love by The Bee Gees. As the familiar melody began to play, Jey looked down at Rhea, who was swaying gently in his arms. He hadn’t heard the song before, but he could tell it was an old classic—definitely not something you heard in the mainstream anymore.

As they danced, Rhea’s buzz began to fade, replaced by a warm feeling of connection. She looked up at Jey, her eyes sparkling. “I love you,” she said softly, breaking the silence.

Jey smiled back, his heart swelling at her words. “I love you too,” he replied, leaning down to kiss her. They melted into the moment, swaying together in perfect harmony, oblivious to the world around them.

What they didn’t notice was Damian, standing on the patio, capturing the sweet scene with his phone. He grinned, already imagining blowing up the photo to display at their wedding. “This is going to be legendary at the wedding,” he muttered to himself, chuckling at the thought.

The others, curious about the couple's relationship, watched with admiration. Kayden playfully hit Damian’s arm, interrupting his daydream. “Forget he said that. Let Rhea tell us when she’s ready,” she said, nudging the focus back onto Rhea.

“Yeah, she’ll get us with that engagement ring eventually,” Joseph chimed in, a teasing grin on his face.

Cody joined in, a smirk on his lips. “I don’t wanna be on the receiving end of a riptide,” he joked, referencing Rhea’s signature move.

“They are perfect for each other, really,” Liv said, watching Jey and Rhea dance, their connection palpable. “Their chemistry has always been there. Did you guys ever see how he looked at her at Fastlane? It was like they were screaming, ‘We are in love!’”

Damian nodded in agreement. “I loved it when he said, ‘We Miss You… We ALL Miss You,’” he recalled, referencing a segment they had done together, showcasing their bond.

Kacy, intrigued, leaned in. “Did they ever say how long they’ve been dating?” she asked, genuinely curious.

Damian shrugged, though he secretly wanted to respect Rhea and Jey’s privacy regarding their relationship. “Honestly, I’m not sure,” he replied, deflecting the question.

Liv sighed dreamily, her gaze still fixed on the dancing couple. “They are just so beautiful together… I want that type of love,” she commented wistfully.

Cody, reflecting on his own experiences, smiled. “I have that with my wife… It’s really something, especially when you have a child. You learn to appreciate the good moments even more,” he shared, a soft smile crossing his face as he thought of his family.

“I definitely think he is finally happy… my brother was miserable up until he started with Rhea..” Joseph commented.

“Don’t say nothing. I caught him smiling at her one time… I looked at Rhea and asked what’s the Samoan want? She was like, probably an Australian.. I swear I didn’t know she was referencing herself.” Damian said.

“Men are clueless…” Liv added.

As the night wore on, laughter and light banter filled the air, but the undeniable warmth radiating from Jey and Rhea continued to draw everyone’s attention. It was a love that had flourished amidst challenges, and in that backyard, surrounded by their friends, it felt as if anything was possible.

As the last few notes of How Deep is Your Love faded, Jey and Rhea stopped swaying, caught in a moment of bliss. The warmth between them was palpable, but the spell was broken when someone cleared their throat loudly. They both turned to see Cody waving them down with a grin, gesturing for them to join the group gathered at the patio.

Jey took Rhea's hand and led her over, sitting down in one of the chairs before pulling her gently into his lap. The rest of the group couldn’t help but smile at the sight of the couple—there was an undeniable ease and affection between them, one that everyone else could sense.

Cody leaned back, chuckling to himself before making a comment. “You two look like something straight out of a fairytale. Honestly, I don’t know how else to describe it.”

The others chimed in with similar remarks, nodding their heads in agreement. Liv, sipping on her drink, added with a playful sigh, “I’m just saying… where’s my fairytale? Someone needs to find me a man like that.”

Jey glanced around, smiling at his friends' comments before resting his chin gently on Rhea's shoulder. “Y'all don’t even know… she makes me happier than I’ve ever been. Happier than I even thought I could be.”

Rhea blushed at his words, her heart swelling. She turned her head and kissed him softly on the cheek, making the group “aww” in unison.

Kayden, ever the jokester, raised an eyebrow and leaned forward. “Okay, Rhea, I gotta ask. How’s it feel dating an old man?”

The group burst into laughter as Jey feigned offense, throwing his hands up in mock disbelief. Rhea’s eyes twinkled mischievously as she fired back, “I don’t know, Kayden. I should be asking you… you’ve got Damian, after all.”

Everyone roared with laughter, especially as Damian, who had been lounging in his chair, sat up straight, narrowing his eyes at the playful jab. “Hey, hey, hey!” he protested with a grin. “For the record, I’m only 42. That’s not old.”

Cody, who had been taking a drink, started laughing so hard he nearly spilled it. “Damian, man, if you’re 42, then what does that make me? I’m 39! Guess that makes you the wise old man of the group.”

Jey couldn’t help but laugh along with everyone else as Damian dramatically shook his head. “Alright, alright, I’ll be the old Wiseman if that’s what y’all want!” Damian said, throwing up his hands in defeat.

The group’s laughter filled the air, the sound echoing into the warm night as the gentle breeze swayed the trees. In this moment, surrounded by friends, Jey and Rhea felt more at peace than they had in a long time. It was as if, for a brief time, all the chaos of their past melted away, leaving only love, joy, and the warmth of friendship.

Rhea leaned back against Jey’s chest, her heart full. “I’m just lucky,” she said softly, looking at the group with a warm smile. “Lucky to have all of you.”

The group continued to laugh and joke, it was clear that they all felt the same. No matter the trials that had come before—or the ones that might come in the future—in this moment, they had each other, and that was enough.

After saying their goodbyes and sharing hugs, Jey and Rhea headed out toward their rental car. The night had been filled with laughter, love, and good company, but now, it was just the two of them. As they walked, hand-in-hand under the moonlight, Jey looked over at Rhea with a soft smile. “You have a good time, babe?”

Rhea glanced up at him, her eyes sparkling. “The best time,” she replied, squeezing his hand. “I needed that… we both did.”

Once in the car, the drive to the hotel was calm and peaceful, a perfect ending to the evening. The streets were quiet as the city slept, and they soon pulled into the guest parking lot of the hotel. Together, they walked through the lobby and took the elevator up to their floor, savoring the calm after the whirlwind of the party.

When they reached their room, Rhea couldn’t help but feel a sense of peace and contentment. She dropped her bag onto the chair and turned toward Jey, giving him a playful look. “You know…” she began, her voice sultry as she moved closer to him. “I’ve been thinking… we haven’t exactly broken in the spa bath in this room yet.”

Jey raised an eyebrow, a mischievous grin already forming on his face. “Oh? Not just a regular bath, huh?”

Rhea let out a laugh, taking his hand and pulling him toward the bathroom. Before she could say anything else, Jey was already quickly stripping off his clothes, his playful side emerging in full force. “You’re not wasting any time, are you?” she teased, her own laughter filling the room.

The night continued in their own private world, laughter, and love shared between the two of them as they enjoyed each other’s company, with no one else around.

Monday, October 7th, 2024

The next morning, the soft buzz of Rhea’s alarm filled the room. She stirred slowly, opening her eyes to see the early rays of sunlight peeking through the curtains. She sat up in bed, stretching her arms before turning to see Jey still sound asleep beside her. His breathing was steady, his face calm and relaxed—he looked so peaceful that she didn’t want to disturb him.

Slipping quietly out of bed, Rhea grabbed some workout clothes from her bag and made her way to the bathroom. After brushing her teeth and tying up her hair, she threw on her headphones and grabbed a water bottle, deciding to head down to the hotel gym for a morning workout.

The hotel was still quiet as she made her way to the fitness center. Rhea always found peace in her morning routines, and with everything going on in their lives, she needed this time to herself, just to clear her mind. As she stepped onto the treadmill and started her warm-up, she thought back to the night before—the joy of being with her friends, the love she shared with Jey, and the way everything seemed to fall into place.

It was moments like these that made all the challenges they had faced worthwhile. With a soft smile, she increased the speed on the treadmill, letting her thoughts drift as she focused on the rhythm of her footsteps. This morning was just hers, a chance to breathe before another busy day.

Rhea continued her workout, the rhythmic thudding of her feet against the treadmill grounding her as she worked through the last ten minutes of her routine. She wiped the sweat from her brow and reached for her water bottle when something caught her attention. There was that unmistakable feeling of being watched.

Slowing down her pace, she looked to her left and, sure enough, there was Bayley, staring at her from the stair master with an expression that could cut through stone. Rhea felt her blood begin to simmer. She wasn’t in the mood for this—not after such a good night with Jey and their friends.

Taking a deep breath, Rhea hopped off the treadmill and walked over to where Bayley was. The tension in the air was palpable as she approached. “You got something to say to me?” Rhea’s voice was steady, but there was an edge to it.

Bayley glanced at her, barely breaking her pace on the stair master, before letting out a bitter chuckle. “Yeah, actually. If you had any common sense, you wouldn’t be messing around with a married man.”

The words hit like a slap. Rhea’s eyes narrowed. She could feel her pulse quicken, the adrenaline from her workout blending into pure anger. “Why don’t you fuck off, Bayley? You don’t know a damn thing about my life.”

The tension escalated instantly. Bayley stopped her workout, stepping off the machine as the two women squared up. "I know enough," Bayley shot back, her tone cold. "You’re playing with fire. Jey’s still technically married, and you’re acting like none of that matters. How long do you think this little fairytale is gonna last before it all blows up in your face?”

Rhea’s fists clenched at her sides, her jaw tight. She wasn’t about to let Bayley try to lecture her, especially about something she had no business in. “Why don’t you keep your nose out of my business? Maybe worry about your own shit. Last I checked, you shouldn’t even be here. You’re on SmackDown. What are you doing in St. Louis anyway?”

Bayley scoffed, crossing her arms. “Don’t worry about why I’m here. Maybe I had something to take care of.”

“Yeah, right,” Rhea fired back, not backing down an inch. “Sounds more like you’re sticking your nose where it doesn’t belong.”

Bayley’s lips curled into a smirk, but there was no humor behind it. “I’m just saying—watch yourself, Rhea. You’re not invincible. And this thing with Jey? It’s not going to end well. Maybe take some advice from someone who’s seen relationships in this business go south.”

Rhea stepped closer, her voice lowering but thick with warning. “Back. The fuck. Off. You don’t know me, and you sure as hell don’t know what’s going on between me and Jey. So don’t you dare try to lecture me like you have any clue what you’re talking about.”

Bayley raised her hands in mock surrender, though her expression remained smug. “Whatever you say, Ripley. But don’t come crying when everything crashes and burns.” She turned, muttering something under her breath as she grabbed her towel, ready to leave the gym.

Rhea, still seething, caught the snide comment and clenched her jaw tighter, her hands still balled into fists. She wanted to let it go, but Bayley’s audacity was gnawing at her. “What was that?”

Bayley didn’t turn around, but her voice carried across the room. “I said, ‘Some people never learn.’ But you’ll figure it out soon enough.”

Rhea felt the urge to fire back, but something held her in place. Maybe it was the exhaustion from the workout, or maybe the fact that she knew deep down she had nothing to prove to Bayley. She wasn’t going to let her ruin her morning or plant doubts in her mind.

With a heavy exhale, Rhea turned her back on the situation, reminding herself that Bayley’s opinions didn’t matter. She had Jey, they were solid, and no amount of petty comments from someone else was going to change that.

But as she returned to the treadmill, her mind was still racing, her pulse still high. Bayley’s words lingered, unwanted, and Rhea couldn’t shake the sense that the confrontation was far from over.

Rhea finished her workout, her muscles slightly sore but her mind sharper. She headed back up to the hotel room, her thoughts still lingering on the tense confrontation with Bayley. As she opened the door, she spotted Jey sitting on the bed, engrossed in something on his phone. He quickly tried to hide it, a smirk playing on his face as if he'd been caught in the act of something mischievous.

Rhea rolled her eyes, knowing exactly what he was doing. "You don’t have to hide it, Jey. I already know," she teased, her tone light despite the frustration still gnawing at her from earlier.

Jey caught the change in her voice instantly. Putting his phone down, he stood up and walked over to her, his brow furrowed in concern. "Nah, babe, what’s up? You sound off," he asked, his protective nature kicking in as he placed a hand on her waist, pulling her close.

Rhea let out a heavy sigh. "I ran into Bayley in the gym," she said, her irritation rising again. Jey’s eyes narrowed at the mention of Bayley, sensing where this was going.

"What’d she say?" he asked, his voice now serious.

"She basically called me out for ‘messing with a technically married man,’ acting like she knows anything about us," Rhea said, crossing her arms and shaking her head. "We got into it a bit. I told her to back off, but she just kept pushing."

Jey’s jaw clenched, and he let out a slow breath through his nose, trying to keep his temper in check. "First off, she don’t know anything about what we’ve been through. She’s talking outta pocket, and that’s on her. Second, you don’t need to explain anything to her or anyone else. We know what’s real."

Rhea looked up at him, her shoulders relaxing a little as she took in his words. "I know, it’s just annoying. She doesn’t have any right to come at me like that."

Jey pulled her into a tight hug, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "Forget about her. You’ve been through worse than Bayley running her mouth. You’re stronger than that, and we’re solid. She can’t break what we have."

Rhea softened in his arms, feeling the tension slowly leave her body. "Thanks," she whispered, feeling a sense of relief wash over her.

Jey kissed her again, this time softly on her lips, lingering there for a moment before pulling back. "Now, how about we get ready for tonight’s RAW? We’ll kill it, like we always do. Before you know it, tomorrow, we’ll be back home with Jon and Trinity. It’ll just be us, no drama."

Rhea smiled, the thought of being back with Jon and Trinity, away from all the chaos, bringing her some comfort. "Yeah, I like that plan," she said, nodding.

"Good," Jey said, grinning as he rubbed his hands together. "Now let’s shower and get this day started. We’ve got a show to steal."

Rhea smirked, her playful side resurfacing. "Shower, huh? Together, I assume?"

Jey gave her a mischievous grin. "You’ll get some head out of it..” Rhea grinned.

“Come again…” She said, while looking at him.

“If you don’t get your ass to the shower so I could eat you out…” Jey said and Rhea pulled his head to lead him into the shower with the quickness.

As the shower went on, the tension from earlier seemed to fade, leaving behind only the connection and trust they had in each other, ready to face whatever the world threw at them—together.

—

Tuesday October 8th, 2024.

Jon kept driving around the pick-up loop until he finally spotted Jey and Rhea waiting by the baggage claim exit. He hit the brakes abruptly, coming to a stop just as he was about to reach the exit once again. Jumping out of the car, Jon popped the trunk open, not wasting any time.

Jey groaned as the carousel continued its slow rotation. “Man, they always take forever with this luggage. They do this on purpose, I swear.”

Rhea chuckled softly, nudging him. “Relax, love. We’ve been through worse than waiting for bags.”

Jon smirked as he helped load their luggage into the trunk. “I’m hearing complaints about luggage like y’all didn’t just leave me for dead in this traffic.”

Rhea smiled warmly at Jon. “Thanks for coming to pick us up, Jon. You’re a lifesaver.”

Jon shrugged casually but grinned. “Anything for family. Besides, we need to get back. Takecia flew Jeyce out already, and he’s at the house.”

Jey’s eyes lit up immediately at the mention of his youngest son. “Jeyce is already there? Man, I can’t wait to see him.”

Rhea couldn’t help but smile, seeing the excitement on Jey’s face. He missed his kids fiercely, and moments like these were everything to him.

Jey leaned back into the car seat, still smiling, but his expression shifted slightly as he asked, “What about Jaciyah? Is he at the house, too?”

Jon paused for a beat, a little hesitation in his voice before he answered, “Nah, Jaciyah didn’t want to come, Uce.”

The happiness drained from Jey’s face, and the energy in the car shifted as silence fell between the brothers. Rhea, sensing his disappointment, squeezed his hand tightly, offering her quiet support.

The rest of the car ride was quiet, the earlier excitement replaced by somber contemplation. Rhea continued to hold Jey’s hand, giving him the reassurance she knew he needed.

When they arrived at Jon and Trinity’s house, everyone helped unload the car, bringing the bags inside. Jon made his way toward the kitchen, leaving Jey and Rhea to head into the guest bedroom, where Jeyce was fast asleep on the pullout sofa bed.

Jey stood in the doorway for a moment, watching his youngest son sleep. The sight calmed him a bit, but the weight of Jaciyah’s absence still lingered. “I’m gonna take a shower,” Jey mumbled, his voice thick with emotion.

As Jey disappeared into the bathroom, Rhea walked over to the pullout bed where Jeyce was peacefully sleeping. A mischievous idea crossed her mind, and she smiled to herself before gently shaking his shoulder.

“Hey, buddy,” she whispered softly.

Jeyce stirred and blinked sleepily, his eyes slowly focusing on her. When he realized it was Rhea, his face lit up. “Rhea!” he squealed, instantly sitting up and wrapping his arms around her in a tight hug.

Rhea chuckled, hugging him back. “Hey, kiddo. I missed you too. You’ve been sleeping in, huh?”

“Yeah!” Jeyce grinned, rubbing his eyes. “I missed you and Dad. What are we gonna do today?”

Rhea grinned, thinking about how to make this day extra special for him and maybe even lift Jey’s spirits a bit. “Well, what do you want to do today?”

Jeyce’s face scrunched up as he thought for a moment. “I wanna swim in the pool! And eat burgers! And hot dogs! And snow cones! And candy!”

Rhea burst out laughing at his enthusiasm. “You’re aiming high today, huh? That’s a lot, but I think we can make it happen.”

Jeyce’s eyes widened in excitement. “Really?!”

“Really,” Rhea confirmed with a smile. “How about this: you come with me and Auntie Trinity to the store, and we’ll get everything we need for the best pool day ever. Sound like a plan?”

“Yeah!” Jeyce bounced with excitement, practically bursting with energy now. “Let’s do it!”

Rhea smiled, brushing a hand through his messy hair. “Alright, get dressed, and we’ll head out as soon as you’re ready.”

Jeyce scrambled off the pullout sofa to find his clothes, leaving Rhea chuckling at his excitement. She couldn’t wait to tell Jey about the plan. Hopefully, spending time with Jeyce would bring some light back into his day, especially after the disappointment of Jaciyah not wanting to come.

With Jey in the shower and Jeyce getting ready, Rhea felt a bit of relief. Today was going to be a good day, no matter what. She was determined to make sure of it.

Rhea made her way downstairs to find Trinity sitting at the kitchen counter, finishing up her morning coffee. The house was filled with the relaxed sounds of a Saturday morning — light chatter from the TV, the faint hum of the refrigerator, and Jon rummaging around in the kitchen.

“Hey, Trin,” Rhea greeted her with a smile, walking over to the counter. “I’ve got a little plan.”

Trinity raised her eyebrows, intrigued. “Oh yeah? Let’s hear it.”

“Jeyce wants a pool day. Burgers, hot dogs, snow cones, the works,” Rhea explained. “So I figured we could take him to the store, grab everything we need, and make it a full-on summer party.”

Trinity’s face lit up at the idea. “Oh, I love that! He’s gonna have the best time.” She quickly finished her coffee and stood up, glancing toward Jon, who was busy cleaning up. “Hey, babe, you mind cutting up the veggies for the skewers? And check the pool, make sure there aren’t any leaves or anything in it.”

Jon looked up from the counter and waved them off with a grin. “I got you. Pool’s gonna be perfect, and the skewers will be ready by the time y’all get back. Don’t forget my ice cream, though.”

Trinity rolled her eyes playfully. “You and your ice cream. You act like we’d forget.”

Rhea laughed and started to head back upstairs to get Jeyce. When she reached the guest room, she found him already dressed, his excitement almost contagious. “Look at you, all ready to go!” she teased.

“I’m ready, Rhea!” Jeyce said, bouncing on his feet.

“Alright, alright. We’re leaving in a minute,” Rhea chuckled before hearing the shower turn off in the bathroom. She knocked on the door lightly before peeking in, finding Jey towel-drying his hair. “Hey, we’re about to head out. Jeyce is coming with us to the store. You need anything?”

Jey glanced over at her, his eyes softening. “Nah, I’m good. You girls and Jeyce have fun. Be safe, okay?” He walked over and planted a quick kiss on her cheek, the warmth of his affection lingering even in that small gesture.

Rhea smiled at him. “We will.”

With Jeyce practically pulling her out of the room, they headed back downstairs to meet Trinity. Rhea could see how happy the little guy was, and it warmed her heart. She wanted today to be perfect for Jeyce, and maybe it would help ease the tension Jey was feeling after the news about Jaciyah.

Once they were out of the house and piling into the car, Jey stood in the guest room, his thoughts heavy. After a moment, he grabbed his phone off the dresser and stared at the screen. He knew what he had to do — he needed to check in with Takecia.

As the dial tone rang, Jey braced himself. Their conversations had been tense ever since things with Rhea had become more serious. And the situation with Jaciyah… that was harder than anything he had expected. He knew his son was hurt and confused, and no amount of words could fix that overnight.

When Takecia picked up, her voice was calm but distant. “Jey.”

“Takecia, hey,” Jey greeted, leaning against the bedpost. “Just wanted to check in. How’s everything going?”

There was a brief pause before she responded. “We’re fine. Everything is fine.”

Jey winced at the formality in her voice, but he pushed through. “I heard Jaciyah didn’t wanna come to Jon’s.”

“Yeah, he didn’t,” Takecia said flatly. “He’s… He’s still having a hard time with everything, Jey.”

Jey closed his eyes for a moment, feeling the familiar guilt settle in his chest. “I know, I know. It’s just… hard, you know? I miss him.”

“You should’ve thought about that before,” she replied, her tone cutting a little sharper now. “This was always going to be hard on him.”

Jey let out a sigh, knowing she wasn’t wrong. “I just wanna talk to him. I wanna help him through this.”

“He doesn’t wanna talk right now, Jey. And I’m not gonna force him.”

The silence between them grew heavy. Jey rubbed his forehead, the weight of everything pressing down on him. “Alright. Just… let him know I love him, okay?”

There was another pause before she quietly agreed. “I will. Take care of yourself, Jey.”

“You too, Takecia,” Jey replied softly before ending the call.

He stood there for a moment, staring at the phone in his hand. The conversation didn’t leave him feeling any better — if anything, it made the weight on his shoulders even heavier. But he knew he couldn’t dwell on it right now. He had Jeyce with him, and today was supposed to be a good day for his youngest son.

Pushing the lingering thoughts aside, Jey went to get dressed, determined to focus on the time he had with Jeyce and the rest of the day.

--

Jey and Jon were by the grill, engaged in a casual conversation while keeping an eye on the sizzling food. The sun beamed brightly overhead, creating the perfect summer day atmosphere. Meanwhile, Rhea, Jeyce, and Trinity splashed around in the pool, the sound of laughter echoing in the warm air.

Rhea playfully splashed water at both Trinity and Jeyce, who squealed in delight. “Watch out for Trinity’s hair!” Jeyce warned, giggling as Rhea soaked them.

“Come here, let me get your hair wet!” Trinity teased back, her own hair slicked back from the water.

Rhea laughed, her heart full as she watched the two interact. The music played softly in the background, and the smell of grilled food wafted through the air, setting a relaxed vibe. Jey, watching from the sidelines, couldn’t help but feel a swell of happiness seeing his fiancée bond with his youngest son.

As Jon turned to Jey, he asked, “Everything okay?”

“Yeah, everything’s great,” Jey replied, a smile stretching across his face. He set his beer down and walked to the edge of the pool, where Rhea was twirling Jeyce around in the water.

“Are you having fun, buddy?” Jey asked Jeyce, who beamed back at him.

“The best ever!” Jeyce exclaimed, laughter spilling from him.

Rhea smiled brightly, feeling a sense of warmth and connection in the moment. She gently set Jeyce down and swam closer to Jey. “You should get in!” she encouraged, splashing him playfully.

“No way! I’m not getting my hair wet like Trinity!” Jey protested, trying to keep his composure.

Rhea laughed at his response and, in a moment of mischief, lunged forward, grabbing Jey’s arm and pulling him into the pool with her.

Jey let out a surprised yelp as he splashed into the water, his expression shifting from shock to laughter. “You got me!” he exclaimed, shaking his head to get the water out of his eyes.

Rhea giggled, loving the spontaneity of the moment. “Now you’re in! No backing out!” she said playfully.

Jey glanced around at Jon and Trinity, who were both laughing at the sight. "You are too crazy!” he protested, though it was clear he was enjoying himself.

“Oh you'll be okay.” Rhea shot back with a playful grin, splashing him again, and the two were soon caught up in a friendly water fight, surrounded by the sounds of joy and laughter that filled the backyard.

--

Jeyce was fast asleep on Rhea's shoulder, his lips still faintly blue from the snow cones Trinity had whipped up earlier. Rhea, Jeyce, and Trinity were comfortably settled on the patio sectional, enjoying the warm afternoon as they chatted. Every so often, Rhea adjusted her position, making sure Jeyce was snug and comfortable, her arm wrapped protectively around him.

On the other side of the sectional, Jey and Jon were lounging back, beers in hand, catching the occasional drift of conversation from the women. The smell of the grill filled the air, and the faint hum of music blended with the sounds of the backyard—laughter, the splash of the pool, and the soft breeze rustling through the trees.

Jey couldn’t take his eyes off Rhea. The way she fit seamlessly into his world—laughing with Trinity, gently cradling Jeyce as he slept—made his heart swell with gratitude. She was everything he'd hoped for and more. His gaze lingered a little longer as Rhea threw her head back, laughing at something Trinity said.

Jon noticed and smirked, nudging his brother lightly. "Yo, Uce, you good? You lookin' real lovestruck over there."

Jey blinked, tearing his eyes away from Rhea and smirking at Jon. "Yeah, man. Just… it’s crazy, you know? How everything’s coming together."

Jon chuckled, taking a swig of his beer. "Yeah, I see it. She's the real deal, bro. You lucked out."

Jey grinned, feeling the truth of that statement sink in. "More than luck, man. She's everything."

Jon leaned back, his tone shifting a bit. "So the idea for the wedding?"

Jey nodded, his smile growing wider. "Yeah. We’re starting with the courthouse, just keeping it small. You and Trin will be there. Then we’ll do Vegas with all our friends—get a little wild, you know? And finally…" He paused, his voice dropping slightly. "The wedding in Samoa with the whole family."

Jon nodded thoughtfully. "Three weddings, huh? You really making it a whole event."

Jey chuckled, setting his beer down. "Gotta make sure it’s right. Rhea’s all in on the Samoa wedding. She’s been learning about our traditions, she wants to honor that, and she’s been so supportive through all of this."

Jon smiled, clearly impressed. "Samoa’s gonna be special. Family’s gonna love it."

Jey’s expression softened, but a slight hesitation flickered in his eyes. "Yeah, but there’s something else, bro."

Jon raised an eyebrow, curious. "What’s up?"

Jey took a deep breath, leaning in slightly. "I wanted to ask you to marry us. In Samoa."

Jon’s eyes widened, a mix of surprise and honor crossing his face. "Wait, what? Me? You serious?"

Jey nodded, his expression growing more serious. "Yeah, man. I wanted you to marry us from the start. But Takecia wasn’t cool with the idea. Said she didn’t think it was right for you to do it."

Jon frowned slightly, understanding the tension behind the situation with Jey’s ex. "Damn, man. I didn’t know that."

Jey sighed, but his smile returned quickly. "Yeah, but Rhea… when I brought it up, she didn’t even hesitate. She was all for it, right away. Honestly, that just made me wanna marry her even more, you know? She understands what family means to me, and she’s willing to embrace all of it."

Jon leaned back, taking in his brother’s words. His face softened, and he nodded slowly. "Man, that’s something special. Rhea's got a good heart."

Jey smiled, glancing over at Rhea again as she shifted Jeyce slightly on her shoulder, still laughing with Trinity. "She does. That’s why I want you to be the one to marry us in Samoa, in front of everyone. It feels right."

Jon’s expression was a mix of surprise and pride as he sat up a little straighter. "Bruh, I’m honored. For real. You want me to stand up there, in front of Ma, Pops, the whole family, and do that?"

Jey nodded firmly. "Yeah. You’ve always been there for me, through everything. I want you to be part of this too. It would mean everything to me."

Jon rubbed the back of his neck, clearly moved. He looked at Jey with a grin and shook his head in disbelief. "Man… I don’t even know what to say. You really want me to do this?"

Jey smiled, clapping Jon on the shoulder. "Just say yes, Uce."

Jon exhaled, finally grinning wide. "Hell yeah, Uce. Of course, I’ll do it. I’d be honored."

Jey let out a laugh of relief and clapped his brother on the back. "Thanks, man. I knew you’d come through."

Jon shook his head, still processing the request but clearly excited. "Bruh, marrying my little brother in front of the whole family? That’s wild, but I’m in. We’re gonna make it special."

Jey’s smile widened, his gratitude evident. "We’ll figure it out together. It’s gonna be perfect."

Jon raised his beer in a toast, his eyes shining with pride. "To family, Uce. To all of it."

Jey clinked his bottle against Jon’s, a sense of peace washing over him. "To family."

--

Rhea carried Jeyce upstairs, his small arms wrapped lazily around her neck as he slept soundly against her shoulder. Jey followed closely behind, watching the tenderness in Rhea’s steps. When they reached the guest bedroom, Jey quietly opened the door, and Rhea gently laid Jeyce down on the bed. She carefully removed his sandals, one by one, and pulled the comforter over him, making sure he was snug and comfortable. As she looked at him, she noticed the blue remnants of the snow cone still smudged on his lips. Rhea grabbed a tissue from the nightstand, dampened it lightly with water from the bathroom, and gently wiped the sugary streaks from his face. She leaned down and kissed his forehead, watching him for a moment as he breathed steadily in his sleep.

Jey sat at the edge of the bed, quietly observing the whole scene. There was something about watching Rhea with Jeyce that filled him with a sense of calm, a feeling of completeness that he hadn’t known he’d been searching for. She fit into his life so naturally, like she was always meant to be there.

Once she was done, Jey called her softly. “Rhea, come here,” he said, motioning for her to sit beside him. Rhea walked over and sat down next to Jey, the quiet intimacy of the moment surrounding them.

Jey took a deep breath, knowing what he wanted to ask but unsure of how to begin. “I know,” he started softly, his eyes searching hers, “I know it’s been really hard… losing the baby. I don’t want to push anything on you. But once we’re married… do you think we could try again? I want to give this another shot, Rhea. I’m ready. I’m willing to go all in—even more—on my wrestling career for the next couple of years. I’ll do whatever it takes to take care of you, our kid, and Jeyce and Jaciyah.”

Rhea’s hand instinctively went to her engagement ring, the one that held so much meaning. It wasn’t just a symbol of their love, but also of the child they lost, whose ashes were embedded within the delicate band. She looked down at the matching bracelet on her wrist, the permanent bond they had forged together, and took a deep breath, steadying herself.

She finally looked up at Jey, her voice soft but firm. “I don’t want you to ruin your body just to take care of me and our family, Jey. I can’t let you do that.”

Jey reached out, taking her hand in his. “I don’t care about that, Rhea. I’ll do it for you. For us.”

But Rhea gently pulled her hand away, her voice catching in her throat. “Let’s just get through the divorces first.”

Jey’s expression shifted, confusion clouding his features. “Why do we need to get through all that first? We already know what’s gonna happen, right?”

Rhea hesitated, her eyes dropping to the floor. Her voice was barely above a whisper when she finally answered. “Matt… he hasn’t responded. He won’t sign the papers.”

Jey’s entire demeanor changed in an instant. He turned away from her, processing her words. Takecia had already signed their divorce papers as soon as she was served, and California’s six-month waiting period had already begun. Everything was on track for him. But now, hearing this from Rhea, he felt blindsided.

Rhea’s words came out in a rush, as if she were afraid of what would happen if she didn’t say them quickly enough. “Matt thinks there’s still some chance for reconciliation. He says he won’t sign anything until he talks to me. I… I didn’t know how to tell you.”

Jey stood up abruptly, walking to the edge of the room. His back was to her as he tried to gather his thoughts, his emotions threatening to spill over. He had thought they were moving forward, that the worst was behind them. But now it felt like they were stuck, like something was holding them back from the life they were trying to build together.

Rhea’s voice was barely audible when she added, “Everything’s been happening so fast. I just… I feel like maybe we should slow down.”

Jey turned to face her, his expression a mix of frustration and hurt. “Slow down?” he repeated, his voice tight. “I thought we were in this together, Rhea. I thought we knew what we wanted.”

Rhea couldn’t meet his gaze. Her hands trembled as she gripped the pillow beside her. She had never wanted to hurt him, but lately she felt everything was becoming overwhelming, and the weight of it all was pressing down on her.

Jey, sensing her retreat, took a deep breath, trying to calm the storm brewing inside him. He wasn’t angry—at least not in the way that made him want to lash out. But he was hurt, deeply. He grabbed a pillow from the bed, his tone quiet but firm as he spoke.

“We can finish this conversation when I’m not mad. I’m a man who can control his feelings. I’m not the kind of man who hurts his wife to the point where she needs a blood transfusion.”

With those final words, Jey left the room, the weight of the moment heavy in the air. The door closed softly behind him, but the silence it left behind was deafening.

Rhea sat there, her heart aching as tears finally fell. She hugged the pillow tightly to her chest and buried her face in it, the sobs breaking free as she allowed herself to cry for everything that had been lost, and for everything that was uncertain ahead.

[gottencents]

010: nobody knows mental illness like a chanel bias

synopsis. SM Entertainment would’ve loved for FALLEN ANGELS and aespa to never share a stage — especially with Chanel possibly "corrupting" their prized “it girl,” Karina.

____________ ____________ ________ ____________

Chanel arrived early again, parked a little ways down from Karina’s place to avoid looking overeager. As she waited, she scrolled through her phone, trying to calm her nerves. Her playlist was blasting, but even the comforting beats of her favorite songs couldn’t drown out the excitement buzzing through her veins.

When Karina walked out of her building, Chanel’s heart practically stopped. She looked effortless, wearing a soft lilac midi dress with sneakers, her hair falling perfectly over her shoulders. Chanel scrambled to get out of the car, nearly dropping her keys in the process.

“You clean up nice,” Karina said, smiling as she approached.

Chanel gestured vaguely at Karina. “I was just about to say the same thing, but you’re making me look underdressed.”

Karina laughed. “I like your style. It’s very ‘cool girl trying not to care but actually caring a lot.’”

“Wow, called out on the spot,” Chanel said, grinning.

They arrived at the cozy Italian restaurant Chanel had picked, and as soon as they sat down, the banter began.

“So, what’s your go-to pasta dish?” Karina asked, her elbow resting lightly on the table.

“Spaghetti,” Chanel said immediately. “But like, with meatballs the size of my fist. What about you?”

“Penne vodka,” Karina replied, glancing at the menu. “But I judge places by their garlic bread.”

“Oh, absolutely,” Chanel said, nodding seriously. “If the garlic bread doesn’t hit, it’s over.”

“Exactly.”

As the waiter brought out their drinks, Karina tilted her head. “So, when did you first realize you wanted to be an idol?”

Chanel took a sip of her water, thinking. “Honestly? When I was like, nine. I saw this performance on TV—it was ridiculous, like all the lights, the outfits, the energy. I thought, ‘I want to make people feel like this.’”

Karina smiled softly. “And now you do.”

Chanel blinked, caught off guard. “Well, yeah, I guess. But what about you? You’re like, the blueprint for idols at this point.”

Karina laughed. “Hardly. But I think I knew around the same age. I always liked performing, but it wasn’t until I got into dance competitions that I thought, ‘Oh, this could be something more.’”

“You’re so good at it,” Chanel said earnestly. “Like, stupidly good. Watching you rehearse last week? Insane.”

“Don’t hype me up too much,” Karina teased, though her cheeks tinted pink.

After dinner, they decided to take a walk along a nearby park trail. The lights from the city reflected off the lake, casting shimmering patterns across the water.

“Okay, real question,” Chanel said, hands stuffed in her jacket pockets. “Do you ever get nervous before performing?”

Karina glanced at her. “All the time. You don’t?”

Chanel snorted. “Girl, I feel like throwing up every time. But it’s like, once I’m out there, it just…fades.”

“Same,” Karina said. “It’s the adrenaline, I think. It takes over.”

“Yeah, and then you’re just vibing,” Chanel said with a laugh. “Unless you trip on stage, which I have. Twice.”

“Twice?” Karina echoed, laughing. “How?”

“The first time, it was my shoelaces. The second time…honestly, I just wasn’t paying attention.”

“You’re lucky you’re cute,” Karina said, shaking her head.

Chanel grinned. “You think I’m cute?”

“Did I stutter?” Karina replied, raising an eyebrow.

“Wow, okay,” Chanel said, pretending to fan herself. “I wasn’t ready for that.”

As they continued walking, the conversation turned more personal.

“What’s something you’ve always wanted to do but haven’t yet?” Karina asked.

Chanel thought for a moment. “Travel more. Like, really travel. Not just for work.”

“Where to?”

“Everywhere,” Chanel said, spreading her arms dramatically. “Europe, South America, maybe even Antarctica. You?”

“Honestly? I want to try surfing,” Karina admitted.

“Surfing?” Chanel repeated, laughing. “You’re full of surprises.”

“Why? You don’t think I could do it?”

“Oh, I think you’d crush it. I just didn’t expect it.”

When they returned to Karina’s building, Chanel hesitated outside the door.

“So, this was fun,” Chanel said, scratching the back of her neck.

“It was,” Karina agreed, her voice soft.

“I, uh…I was thinking…” Chanel trailed off, suddenly nervous.

Karina tilted her head. “Thinking what?”

“That I really want to do this again,” Chanel said quickly, her words tumbling out.

Karina stepped closer, a small smile playing on her lips. “You’re adorable, you know that?”

“I try,” Chanel said, grinning despite herself.

Before she could overthink it, Karina leaned in and kissed her. It was gentle, sweet, and completely disarming. When they pulled apart, Chanel blinked rapidly.

“Did that…just happen?” she asked.

Karina laughed. “Yes, it did.”

“Cool, cool,” Chanel said, her voice higher than usual. “No big deal or anything.”

Karina smiled. “Goodnight, dork.”

“Goodnight, pretty,” Chanel replied, her cheeks hurting from how much she was smiling.

As she walked back to her car, Chanel couldn’t stop replaying the kiss in her mind, already counting down the days until their next date.

____________ ____________ ________ ____________

A/N: texts made to all be incoming on purpose for u to know who talking better <333

Taglist ( closed ) : @saysirhc @awkwardtoafault @yjiminswallet @gtfoiydlyj @1luvkarina @womanl0ver @hazel-tanthamore22 @deuxae @arihiu

[pristine-rose]

✧ CLOSE UP, CLICK ME !

⊹ characters : kaveh, baizhu, ayato, childe, kaeya ( separate )

⊹ synopsis : he loves taking good pictures of you [ drabbles ]

⊹ warnings : [ex]plicit, public, photography, slight obsession, modern au ( all )

⊹ female reader (afab, she/ her usage), no y/n usage, not beta read, you can blame my friend for this one

⊹ KAVEH

he’s such a nice guy. so nice, so sweet, everyone thinks so.

no, not that shirt— yes! that color looks so good on you! — well, everyone also think’s he’s such a fashionista. and as your “good friend,” or so he claims, he always loves to see your outfits. send a pic, please! — he’ll keep begging and begging. seemed normal enough, honestly. he’ll just rate your outfits for concerts, for parties, for coffee outings, you name it. and he gave good advice, too. sweet guy, took you shopping many times and hyped you up in the dressing rooms.

would it be cute to wear skimpy clothing? he’ll ask you that a lot because apparently, he certainly thinks so. every time you head to the dressing room at a store he’ll call wait! and add something akin to an incredibly revealing shirt or bottom wear. you’ll try it on — everyone trusts his fashion advice after all. he insists to come in the dressing room with you. ah — to help button zipper up your dresses, of course! and to not waste any time. he laughs these answers off like you’re silly for even asking.

it’s one time when you’re texting him about a concert outfit you’re planning. the tight pink sheer top, he tells you, would be so perfect. you tried it on at the store one time with him but never bought it — you forgot what it looks like. perhaps he had a picture? he says he’ll send it. until he sends… he stumbles in text. ah, he didn’t mean to send that image of you still changing in your undergarments — that was in the store dressing room. um, yeah, he took that by accident, here’s the real picture of the pink top. no, no, he totally doesn’t save all those photos of you.

☁️ —

⊹ BAIZHU

this operating table was so cold, you think to yourself.

hm, i’ve never seen a condition like this before — that was what he said. there’s a curious sting in his voice, but it’s not like you can ever tell. a sharp breath hits your shoulder, and you wince. his aura feels ghostly as you stare up at the doctor’s room ceiling; you’re only in undergarments for this examination. he doesn’t say any more, not even offering up procedures or an explanation. he simply removes his gloves, and he touches you.

his hands pushing down the dips of your collarbone to “check your muscles”; his fingers curving down your waist to “feel for discomfort”; his digits pressing at your thighs to “document skin condition” — you were almost too fearful to move even a centimeter. it’s so silent. you hear him open his mouth again.

allow me to document this for future reference — what? click! and a flash — he quickly apologizes with shaky breaths, apparently he forgot to turn off flash, sorry if that startled you! the camera appears right below your nose to capture your neck, and you feel his fingers grip your chin to tilt it up. click! just one more picture, he promises. the doctor is anything but decent when his hand grips at your thigh and pulls it to the side, and you can practically feel it shaking when he — click! — grins with his camera between your legs.

☁️ —

⊹ AYATO KAMISATO

high end fashion modeling opportunity, you just had to take it.

the ceo is a young man, who would’ve thought. he looks so professional, so modest with his suit to resemble nothing below a gentleman. his smile is simple when he greets you, but they’re tried and almost dead, and you almost can’t see the color in them. he markets for a business-casual clothing vision, and he tells you he “hates small talk,” as he rambles on and on about the most random things while the tailors get you dressed up.

oh, would you like some water? — ah, that color is nice, no, no, the shorter one— what was i saying? he changes topics so fast. it feels weird when he stands back the whole time to scan your body up and down, though maybe this was how it worked…? he doesn’t even hide his eyes landing in certain areas, and he isn’t shy to pick the tighter or shorter option. pencil skirt, strapless high heels, sheer stockings, parted top.

he pulls out his phone to take pictures for, um… his manufacturing team, right, right! he grins so awkwardly when he tells you this. he gets real close to take a picture of the end of your skirt — he quickly says for the material of the stockings and the thickness of the skirt, of course, of course! he takes another picture of the parting slit in your blouse — for length, he laughs it off. he runs a hand across his forehead, he’s sweating. he’s nervously tapping his foot and licking his chapped lips until he excuses himself rather awkwardly, fleeing the room.

☁️ —

⊹ TARTAGLIA

he loves his motorbike so much; calls it his baby. he’s so cringe about it, too. he’s got an instagram account for it.

people like pictures of hot girls with a bike next to them, right? — he laughs it off so loud and casual. dorky, biggest grin on his face, a forever smile even when he picks you up under your arms so easily to put you on the seat of the bike. he just uses his phone to take the pictures. but he’s so so attentive with his bike — kneeling just for good shots and angles. but he’s so loud. calling to arch your back a certain way, to sit with your legs spread on the seat — oh, oh, put your hands at the center to cover yourself!

he wants it flashy, he wants it fun looking. he’s so touchy when he needs a certain shot that he will walk up just to move your body himself. so loud, so handsy — he’ll grab your thighs with his large hands — he’ll say to spread them justttt like that, baby. and immediately afterwards, he’ll compliment you in ways that make you freeze. so so so so touchy, he’ll compliment your hips on the photo and will move just to pat them. he’ll say your back curved so nicely with the bike as he runs his finger down your spine. what a nice guy, is all you think, even when he reaches to press a thumb to your lips when he compliments the color.

when you’re all done, he’s giddy posting it to his instagram. like the pics, like the pics! — his excitement has so much pride. when you scroll through they’re exactly what you expected. all tame, all fun looking, he’s hyping up his bike. he’s grinning wildly in his seat next to you, even when he slides to the left to add a temporary story to promote his new post. and, oh, he quickly excuses himself to use the restroom. maybe it isn’t right, but curiosity kills you to peer over his phone when the instagram options look like wayyy more photos than you actually took. spam pictures — zoom-ins you didn’t even realize he did. photos of the middle of your tight shorts rubbed right against his leather seats. quick snaps of your bra peeking from atop your shirt, your thighs on his bike; you pretend not to look when he comes back all flustered.

☁️ —

⊹ KAEYA ALBERICH

newly hired photographer today. a rookie, they say.

he’s a cool guy. really chill, incredibly relaxed even in a high-end photoshoot like this. he’s not even bothered by the chaos of models running around nude. the brand is known for selling underwear after all, he says every time to just shrug it off. but this is a big celebrity collab — you and the company. apparently he’s a “huge fan” of your modeling.

his shots look stunning, and he’s so cool and confident during the shoot. he keeps saying he’s a really really reallyyyy big fan of yours, and you just have to keep nodding it off. you may no mind when he touches you. moving your arm, pulling out your hips, lifting your chin, parting your thighs — it’s all for the sake of the picture. click! but sometimes, he lingers. sometimes, maybe, he didn’t need to put his hand on your breasts to push them up, or he didn’t need to pull at the bottom hem of your underwear.

when the shoot is done, he rushes out. he’s only seen later with his phone close to his face, eyes glued down to the screen, hand scratching at his stomach. he fumbles when you go up to thank him. oh, oh, he’s just a fan — and he’s so honored to be able to have this opportunity — and he loves your professionalism oh so much! when you reach out your hand to shake his, he drops his phone and it’s the most awkward you’ve ever seen him; especially when the screen is dozens upon dozens of imported photos of you — closeups you didn’t even think he would take of your body during the shoot. he quickly apologizes when he goes to pick it up, shaking your hand though he’s trembling when he even looks at you now.

blame KAIRI for this my no.1 enemy who i hate

[zvtara-was-never-canon]

Your blog is my guilty pleasure lol, it's so validating to read your very matter of fact rebuttals after years of being talked over & down to in the fandom. Being in the fan space & hearing the way people talked about how much more "female gaze coded" Z/tara was made me feel like I was betraying other women by not liking Zuko or Zutara the way "real mature" women did.

Funniest thing is, when i watched the show as a kid as an older sister, someone with talent/skills that nobody else understood, a girl who felt she had to be mature all the time, Kataang instantly became my otp. Katara was living my dream of a fun, cute boy sweeping me off my feet, telling me I was special and going on a magical journey with me-- I had the HUGEST crush on Aang as a little girl. It was so lame growing older and hearing near constantly from the fandom how stupid and unbelievable the idea that Katara actually had feelings for Aang was, and how it's a "male" (aka: bad) fantasy, when honestly Zuko's angsty ass was far from dream boyfriend material in my opinion it made me feel gaslit fjhdidjskj.

Genuine Z/tara fans are fine, I totally get the appeal of the red/blue enemies to lovers sparks fly ship, but the meanest and loudest of your crewmates and the way they act like their tastes are the Correct ones has been just. ridiculous for many years. And why do those types always feel the need to start the conversation by bashing Kataang every single time?? I started with a positive opinion of their ship when I entered the fandom as a teen, even liked a few arts and whatnot as a "what-if," but all the nonsense has left me with a bad taste in my mouth.

So yeah, thanks for this space to complain about the experiences we've had lol. I've had one too many conversations about ATLA & how good it is interrupted with the other person going "well except for the Main Romance, that was shit and Z/tara should have been endgame" not to be Worn Out. Like if in their opinion the show is *perfect* except that One thing.... maybe the problem lies elsewhere?

Yup, that's definitely a pattern I noticed: zutarians are SO many and SO loud, that even though a pretty large part of the fandom disagrees with their takes (regardless of enjoying the canon ships or not) most of them just... didn't talk about it because they didn't want to be harrassed or talked down to or be hit with the "well, we are the majority therefore we're right" argument.

It's part of why I was innitially shocked at how much support this blog got. I thought I just gonna be in my own little bubble of the fandom, but nope, I got sooooo many messages of "FINALLY! Somebody said it!"

And looking back, I should've noticed something was off. There's a reason ATLA's ending was not one of these disasters that basically nukes and kills 90% of the fandom and live in infamy as one of the worst falls from grace ever, How I Met Your Mother style, even though both shows had the fan favorite ship not end together.

It wasn't just that one was well-written and the other wasn't (though that clearly affected the audience and critical reception of these endings, both at the time and through the decades).

HIMYM was a case of "The actual endgame ship was loathed by nearly everyone while the rival pairings were almost universally beloved."

ATLA was a case of "70% of the fandom likes this ship - of these fans, 25% are multishipers that also like the canon ships, 25% only like the ship in fanfic but don't actually want it to be a thing, 25% loves it but can accept it not being canon at point because they acknowledge it'd be rushed, and the 25% are the ones that would burn down Bryke's house if they could, so in reality only a fraction of the fandom didn't accept the Kataang/Maiko endgame, while the overwhelming majority was either happy about it or indifferent to it"

And that's without taking into account that Avatar got new popularity boosts through the years that lead to plenty of people that had Zutara being hyped up for years being disappointed when they realized "Oh, it was popular because of fanon shit, not because it actually would have made sense story-wise" or people who reached that same conclusion after rewatching the show.

I think that's why Zutarians have such a victim complex and want to pretend Bryke and Kataang/Maiko fans are "oppressing" them - they've been dominating the conversation for years, and not only got no results out of it, they're now losing that "leverage" too. They're no longer in an echo-chamber, they need to use actual arguments that make sense if they want their opinion to be almost universal and they just can't do it because their ship was never that good to begin with.

[ultravioart]

On a positive note, the comic for Hazard actually was interesting enough to make me look past his 'safe' for a punk character design. I'm hyped!

I did not expect overwatch to directly call out systemic ableism and classism in the story.

Kids in poverty being funneled into a military pipeline only to be spat out and cast aside as disabled vets in poverty is a very real issue in the world.

If Hazard was rich, he could have afforded prosthesis that actually fit him, ones that didn't cause him pain. Instead, only bc he could not afford better ones, the system gave him the bare minimum for survival, and instead of actually dealing with the root cause and issue they gave him pain meds. In his eyes, this was done so that the system could pay him to shut up, or face consequences. No different than what his parents went through. They wouldn't even give him the respect to tell him WHY the deadly crash that maimed him happened, nor do anything to prevent OTHERS from being hurt in the same way. The system is working as intended. The system didn't care about him, nor others. The system uses it's citizen's bodies for profit.

This panel hits so hard because visual story telling wise it says so much.

In this panel, the stray animal that saved his life is the only one who cares, as the fellow human beings he fought to keep safe as a veteran walk past him at full pace.

How in this panel, his disability is 'blocking the path' of the able bodied, his very existence a 'hindrance' to the able bodied, when the hospital path really ought to be the one taken into account for. Pushed out the door into a system that was never designed for him. Yet, anyone could be in his shoes. Anyone could become disabled, poor, or neglected. Anyone could become just another 'stray mutt' in the system.

How in this panel he is posed in a way where he has the choice to turn and 'go with the flow' of the system and follow the crowd and not look back.... or go 'against the flow' in the opposite direction of the crowd looking for other 'strays' like him left behind by this system.

Honestly props to the comic creators for even discussing systemic oppression to dorectly.

I also am incredibly interested in seeing if Sombra got her spine mods from the Phreaks or not, because it looks like similar tech in her short.

I just hope that the Phreaks are more RobinHood and 'guerilla warfare against the system to spark change', rather than purely anarchists blowing everything up bc lol. The Phreaks being anarchists would be a waste of story, just another gang that became radicalized and corrupt and causes harm and must be defeated by Overwatch. (I am only worried about this because Ramattra became radicalized and demonized for trying to prevent the extinction of omnics. Ramattra is fully in his right to physically resist omnic extinction bc omnics ARE finite and being killed. We STILL don't know what those null sector helmets are for... but for some reason Ramattra is written as emotionally hasty(???) to the point of horrible accidents happening, which makes no sense since he is a R-7000 built for war TACTICS, not an emotional human that can misremember. The way Ramattra's story is handled doesn't make sense imo, they write him as if he's a biological being.)

I hope Hazard aims for accountability and dismantling of oppressive systems, rather than having no rules at all thru anarchy (he as a child saw what no rules in small doses gave him: bad homelife, bad school life, no accountability, no fostering of the mind and well being. That's why I think making the Phreaks anarchists would be stupid to do. There are systems that CAN foster mental and physical wellbeing, cooperation is one of those systems and Hazard is pro cooperation.) He did have an "eye for an eye" against the forces that took out the Phreaks in Morocco, but to be fair Oasis is using minority report 'predictive crime ai' bs so I can't blame Hazard for wanting to hit Oasis where it hurts by stealing thier most secret tech. (Perhaps Sombra helped the Phreaks/gave them that clue since Sombra is against the eye conspiracy, and that eye conspiracy is connected to Oasis)

I also hope Hazard's character is used to discuss the discrimination disabled people face in the Overwatch world, because they really dropped the ball with Soujorn on that front. (Her book used ableism... as a metaphor for racism?!?! Awful stuff. Cyborg (life saving surgery for disabled) people canonically face discrimination in overwatch.)

Because of that, I am super interested in hearing Hazard's voice interactions for lore, I hope we get more lore on omnics and Oasis and the Sombra eye conspiracy, and I am curious about Hazard's kit and what he will bring to the table matchup wise. We will probably get more eye conspiracy lore with the release of the Morocco map tho, tbf.

[breath-of-fresh-grantaire]

Marius felt no desire to retreat; he turned towards Enjolras, and his voice burst forth with a vibration which came from a quiver of his very being:--

"Aight, fam, let’s break this down ‘cause I’m about to drop some truth. No disrespect to France, you feel me? But mixing Napoleon in with her history ain't slapping her, it's elevating her. So, let's debate this. I just pulled up, but for real, y’all got me shook. Like, where we at? Who’s who? Who’s popping, and who even am I in all this? Let’s talk about the Emperor—y’all be out here calling him Buonaparte like you’re royal or somethin’. My granddad would do you one better, he’d hit you with “Buonaparte” too. Thought you were all young and lit? So where’s your hype at? What’s good with that energy? Who are you backing if not the Emperor? And what’s even more to want? If you ain't rocking with him, then who’s your “great” man? Bro had it all, no cap. The dude was a whole package—mind, body, and spirit. He wrote codes like Justinian, ruled like Caesar, and when he talked, it was like lightning mixed with thunder. He didn’t just make history, he was history. His bulletins? Straight up epics, like the Iliad. Dude mixed Newton’s math with Muhammad’s metaphors, and in the East, his name’s still ringing like the pyramids. At Tilsit? He taught emperors how to flex. Laplace couldn’t even with him at the Academy of Sciences. He rolled with the top lawyers, kept it sidereal with astronomers, and, like Cromwell, he was out here flipping deals for curtains. Bro saw everything, knew everything—and still had time to vibe with his kid. Then, when Europe was shook, they all stopped and tuned in. Armies rolled out, artillery booming, cavalry on the hunt—thrones were rattling. Maps were shifting like they were in a video game. When that sword came out, you could feel the whole world hold its breath. And there he was, lighting up the horizon with flames in his eyes, wings spread—his army and the old guard—and boom! He was the OG war angel, out here changing the game."

All held their peace, and Enjolras bowed his head. Silence always produces somewhat the effect of acquiescence, of the enemy being driven to the wall. Marius continued with increased enthusiasm, and almost without pausing for breath:--

"Let’s keep it 100, bruh. Can you imagine the vibes? For a nation like France to be the empire of a dude like that? That’s a whole flex! And when France adds its own fire to Napoleon's genius? That’s next-level. He was built different, fam. The way he showed up and straight-up ran the game, marching through cities, owning the capitals like they were nothing, turning his soldiers into kings, and flipping dynasties like a deck of cards. This man didn’t just play the game—he rewrote it, all while moving like a boss.

Every time he made a move, it was like he was holding the sword of God in his hand, sending shockwaves across Europe. The dude wasn’t just one man; he was the GOAT combo of Hannibal, Caesar, and Charlemagne. He wasn’t just leading a country; he was the reason your day started with news of another victory, like “Yo, we just won that battle!”

He had the cannon at the Invalides literally waking up the whole nation, blasting out names like Marengo, Arcola, Austerlitz, Jena, Wagram—those words weren’t just history, they were legends that lit up the sky. Every time one of his victories hit, it was like stars exploding in the heavens, bro. He made France a whole empire, like the Roman Empire's cool little brother, but with extra swag.

This dude had the world in his hands—his army was flying across the globe like eagles off a mountain, dominating, striking like lightning, flexing glory. France wasn’t just a country; it was a nation of gods, rolling through history with that Titan energy. He conquered the world—not just by winning, but by dazzling. This is the stuff legends are made of, and honestly, what could be better than that?"

"To be skibidi," said Combeferre.