#i dearly wish this had been a single player game | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

undertale-data · 3 years ago

Text

[Image Description: An Undertale chat box that has “WHY FANS LOVE UNDERTALE” at its center. Next to it are a line chart and an Egg from the Dating Hub on its left, and a CRIME measurer (also from the Dating Hub) on its right. End I.D.]

[Image Description: a pie chart titled, “LEVEL OF LOVE FOR UNDERTALE.” The textbox on the top right reads, “On a scale of 1 to 10, 1 being the least and 10 being the highest, how much do fans enjoy Undertale?” From the top going clockwise, 12 or 0% chose 5 and below; 23 or 1% chose 6; 98, or 4%, chose 7; 325, or 12%, chose 8; 529, or 20%, chose 9; and 1664, or 63%, chose 10. End I.D.]

It’s clear from all of the data analyzed so far that fans who took the time to answer our survey love Undertale. It is unlikely that they would have taken the time to answer so many questions if they had not, and even less likely that they would have come across our survey in the first place. Naturally, it comes as no surprise that 63% of our responders gave their love for Undertale a score of ten out of ten. 95% gave their love for Undertale a score of eight or higher, and only 12 responders responded with five or below, a number so small that their responses had to be lumped together to be visible on the pie chart. Of those, only 3 responders gave their love for Undertale a score of 1, and based on those responders’ other answers, it is likely that they were only intending to troll. We are very fortunate that the vast majority of responders took the survey seriously, enough so that responses like this are barely a blip in the data.

Now, for our final analysis post of the event, we will delve into the reasons that fans love Undertale so dearly.

(Essay and highlights under the cut.)

There have been countless essays on the impact that Undertale has had on people’s lives. I can hardly add more on the subject than what has already been said, but I hope this summary can provide a brief overview of what stood out among the over two thousand answers given in response to this survey. That said, due to the sheer volume of answers, I could not read every single one in depth—however, I did skim all of them, and some that stood out or were representative of several responses have been highlighted below. If you would like to see what every fan who consented to share their response had to say, you may view the full list of responses here. Note that these responses have not been edited in any way. This document may take a long time to load, as it is over 100 pages long.

(Warnings for mentions of suicidal thoughts in the following essay.)

Several responders loved the theme of choices mattering in Undertale. Whether people played the pacifist, merciless, or neutral routes, they enjoyed how the game reacted to their actions. For some, it even made them consider their own morality. One touching response explained the impact that the theme of mercy made on them. “I realized that Mercy isn't something that's given to those who deserve it. Flowey didn't deserve it. I don't deserve it myself. Shoot, we ALL need Mercy in our lives.” Many fans left similar comments about how the themes of Undertale made them better people.

Undertale changed how its fans treat others, and it also changed how fans treat themselves. The theme of staying determined and the messages of hope in the game were a light to a very large portion of fans. I cannot list all of the fans who said that Undertale helped them out of a dark place, or that they would not be alive if not for Undertale. “DETERMINATION became a metaphor for not killing myself at a really rough time in my life and I’ll always cherish that. Undertale isn’t afraid to go to really dark places but at the same time holds on so tight to its hope.”

Undertale brought fans together in unexpected ways. Some said they met friends or significant others through the fandom. “I wouldn't have met my now husband without Undertale,” one fan said. A different fan who is non-native English speaking mentioned that the game and the fan community helped them to learn English.

It would be impossible to discuss Undertale without mentioning the fan community. Whether for good or bad, many responders mentioned the fandom in their responses. Overall the feelings towards the fandom seem positive, though many made references to “toxic” parts of the fandom without specifying which parts they consider toxic. Others rejected the idea of toxicity in fandom. One response said: “[SLAMS FIST ON DESK] I KNOW MOST PEOPLE SAY THE FANDOM IS TOXIC AND CRINGE OR WHATEVER BUT OH MY GOD. The Undertale fandom, both the UTMV and the actual UT fandom, has been so much fun to be a part of. I've met countless friends because of our shared interest in something related to the game! The art people create can be breathtaking and so inspirational, and the fanfics are so so good!! I've seen people write incredible things for this fandom and it's what made me continue writing!”

One thing that makes the Undertale fandom unique is the way it embraces various AUs. Some fans are tired of AU content, but the majority of responses show a love for the creativity behind AUs. “Roll your eyes at the 50th AU Sans all you want, it's encouraging people to step outside the boundaries of fanart and pushing people to make their own ideas! I mean, hell, it was how I gained the confidence to start making my own original content.” The lack of a judgemental atmosphere seems present in the AU community, according to the responses we saw. There is an interesting balance between AU and canon (sometimes referred to as “classic”) content that another responder pointed out: “The fandom helped keep the game alive all these years, with all of its AUs. Although personally, I always enjoyed AUs that kept characters as close to the classic material as possible (dancetale, outertale) I do appreciate the creativity of the fandom. They almost created entirely new stories with new characters of their own! If it weren't for those people, the Undertale fandom would have probably not been as active as it is now. I do feel like we're getting a resurgence of classic content now too! (In 2021)”

Regardless of the many AUs the fandom has created over the years, the original game of Undertale still feels like home for many fans. They wished they could reclaim the feeling of playing the game again for the first time, but even though we can’t reset time in real life, there is still a special feeling for fans each time they play Undertale. One fan said, “Even the best fics I've read can't capture that feeling of nostalgia/almost-"coming home" that comes with hearing the music and talking to the characters.” This feeling is one that can be cherished time and time again. In the words of another responder: “It always feels welcoming like home or like comfort food that I never grow tired of no matter how many times I go to it.” Others pointed out the strength of the found family trope in Undertale, which likely contributes to this feeling of “home” as well.

As mentioned briefly earlier, the music is part of what makes Undertale feel like home for fans. Even when responses focused on other aspects of the game, many would throw in a comment about the soundtrack at the end. One comment focused on the music said “IT'S SO GOOD like I will literally go through the entire thing over and over and not be bored with it. It makes my monkey brain so happy you have no idea.” Like with the game itself, the music has incredible replay value, an amazing feat considering most of the tracks use the same few motifs. “I think what I like the most about Undertale is how the music attaches you to the story,” another responder said. “They're simple melodies that stick with you throughout the whole game, and they can remind you of both good and bad times.”

If the music sticks with fans in their hearts, then the game’s lore sticks with fans in their minds. Even six years after the release of Undertale, fans are still creating new theories and digging up new secrets. The way the game breaks the fourth wall in particular intrigued many fans and has stuck out through all these years. The awareness that the game shows for the RPG genre makes it memorable. The game plays with the player’s expectations and turns them on their heads, all while reminding the player that they’re in a game. There are few other games that do this on such a large scale, so it’s no surprise that fans cite this as one of their favorite things about Undertale.

Lastly, the LGBT+ representation in Undertale has been a huge draw for fans. Especially in 2015, the sheer volume of non-cishet characters was unprecedented, as one fan pointed out: “It's practically unheard of to see so MANY from just one source, especially during its heyday in 2015-16. Hell, you can't even GET the true pacifist ending without helping two gay couples hook up. It's really nice to see all of them being accepted for who they are and not judged for their sexuality or gender, at least in-canon.” The LGBT+ cast including Frisk, Chara, Napstablook, Monster Kid, Mettaton, Alphys, and Undyne each connected with fans in unique ways. It’s clear how important this is from responses such as: “There are canon nonbinary characters 🥺. i have never seen representation of myself before.” “It made me gay and trans so thanks for that.”

Once again I am overwhelmed with just how much there is to say about Undertale. One responder really understood when they compared Undertale to an iceberg, explaining that there are so many layers to the game that there is something for everyone: “everyone can find something to enjoy in the lore/game regardless of what kind of fan they are! Being able to appeal to various types of fans—from simple happy shipper people to deep dive lorediggers—is the mark of the coolest games!” I would have to agree with them.

It’s been six years, and despite everything, it’s still you. Thank you for reading, participating in this survey, and above all, staying determined.

Highlights:

DETERMINATION became a metaphor for not killing myself at a really rough time in my life and I’ll always cherish that. Undertale isn’t afraid to go to really dark places but at the same time holds on so tight to its hope.

I think the coolest thing was having the opportunity to watch the AU community grow from its bare roots. It's nearly insane how big and complex it's gotten, unlike anything I'd ever seen before. Roll your eyes at the 50th AU Sans all you want, it's encouraging people to step outside the boundaries of fanart and pushing people to make their own ideas! I mean, hell, it was how I gained the confidence to start making my own original content.

i love how the lgbt rep is so naturalized... there are just gay people! and its nobodys business!

The music is my go to answer, but what I really really REALLY love is how the minor characters have so much personality to them when you talk to them. They aren't incredibly important to the overall story, but they're all so likeable and diverse that you just can't help but like them immediately!

I think it was the first videogame I have played that broke the fourth wall that much. Of course there has been other videogames that broke it but just for one or two tongue-in-cheek jokes. The guilt of killing mama goat was also something intense as well that I appreciated as an experience and that I didn't think a videogame could cause on someone.

I love how no character can be seen as completely bad! Everyone builds up Asgore as some horrible villain, but he turns out to be a 'fuzzy pushover' who's broken and just wants his family back by the time you meet him. Then you think Flowey's an irredeemable killer who engineered the suffering of the monsters across many timelines, and he is... but he also used to be the kind and beloved Prince Asriel Dreemurr, traumatized by his death and subsequent rebirth, projecting his best friend onto you.

The fact that choices matter in the game. Your first playthrough and getting the golden ending for the first time. I can never replicate those feelings again, wish I could erase my memories and replay the game from the start.

I wouldn't have met my now husband without Undertale.

(Toxic parts of the fandom aside) The community is possibly one of the kindest I've ever met. Cringe culture is completely dead, and I feel like I can be myself. I felt a very close connection to many of the characters, and I loved consuming content about them when I was in a rough patch in my life.

just everything, the whole game has just impacted my life so much. i know it sounds really lame, but when the game first came out, i would purposely put my hands in my pockets and sway slightly, like sans' idle animation. of course i dont do that anymore haha, but undertale still really impacts me to this day, and i wouldnt have it any other way :)

it made me gay and trans so thanks for that

I realized that Mercy isn't something that's given to those who deserve it. Flowey didn't deserve it. I don't deserve it myself. Shoot, we ALL need Mercy in our lives.

The thing I love most about Undertale is no matter how many times I play or watch a playthrough it always makes me genuinely happy. It always feels welcoming like home or like comfort food that I never grow tired of no matter how many times I go to it. Toriel still makes me feel all warm and cozy in her home, the Skelebros always make me laugh, and I still cry on the inside watching Frisk comforting Asriel. And on the flip side the No Mercy run still invokes the negative emotions in me as well. In short Undertale just feels like a second home to me and I always wish I could stay.

The reader inserts are my favorite way to decompress after a hard day

I think Undertale helped me discover my love for 8-bit games, and made me realize how IMPORTANT music is in video games.

the worldbuilding and character design are my favorite parts of the main game apart from the music! I’m also a huge fan of the random AU music- not for like underswap or underfell i like the stuff where someone makes a megalovania for a random au where gru from despicable me replaces sans as the character. i think its funny

Just... the vibe, honestly? Even the best fics I've read can't capture that feeling of nostalgia/almost-"coming home" that comes with hearing the music and talking to the characters.

there are canon nonbinary characters 🥺. i have never seen representation of myself before.

[SLAMS FIST ON DESK] I KNOW MOST PEOPLE SAY THE FANDOM IS TOXIC AND CRINGE OR WHATEVER BUT OH MY GOD. The Undertale fandom, both the UTMV and the actual UT fandom, has been so much fun to be a part of. I've met countless friends because of our shared interest in something related to the game! The art people create can be breathtaking and so inspirational, and the fanfics are so so good!! I've seen people write incredible things for this fandom and it's what made me continue writing!

There's a scene where Frisk (the player) is going towards what is presumably going to be their death. They will fight Asgore and he will use their human soul to break the barrier and free his people. The music, despite the player's impending doom, is... triumphant. You are not the triumphant one here, and yet, the score invites you to experience the monsters' joy and happiness as they tell you the tale of their subjugation. The monsters are going to be free. This is their victory, but they don't hate you or want you to die. They're just... happy. That scene has always struck me very deeply. I feel it represents the best parts of Undertale.

I loved how well thought out the Geno route was. It really made me feel like I was doing something horrible, and the characters were very obviously reacting to dire circumstances.

I dunno? I like Undertale for it's characters, story, music, secrets and many more. I am not good with Headcanons but I also like the neutral endings and how different they can depending on who you spare and kill

I was very bad at english before, i thought i couldn't progress because i was very shy and not confident. But my sibling and i wanted to have the best experience with this game so we wanted to play it in english. It's this game and the fandom which helped me to make huge progress in english !

THE SOUNDTRACK. IT'S SO GOOD like I will literally go through the entire thing over and over and not be bored with it. It makes my monkey brain so happy you have no idea.

to avoid writing an essay i will say one word. Mettaton

It is like Toby specifically made the games to fit the iceberg meme and it's awesome, everyone can find something to enjoy in the lore/game regardless of what kind of fan they are! Being able to appeal to various types of fans - from simple happy shipper people to deep dive lorediggers is the mark of the coolest games!

I love almost everything about Undertale as a game on its own. The music, the art and especially the characters and how they interact. They made me feel at home. Undertale means a huge amount to me. (I even got a tattoo of the castle when you and MK walk together!) The fandom helped keep the game alive all these years, with all of its AUs. Although personally, I always enjoyed AUs that kept characters as close to the classic material as possible (dancetale, outertale) I do appreciate the creativity of the fandom. They almost created entirely new stories with new characters of their own! If it weren't for those people, the Undertake fandom would have probably not been as active as it is now. I do feel like we're getting a resurgence of classic content now too! (In 2021)

the mystery. toby fox refused to give answers to anything and i think thats very sexy of him.

I just feel guilty for liking it so much when I'm in my 30's. But I recently got diagnosed with ASD, so I guess it explains things a bit. Many ppl consider Papyrus to be neurodivergent, and some adult fans are too, so seeing that makes me feel a bit better.

i think about "Despite everything, it's still you" everyday of my life.

I like how it's just as funny as it can be serious. All routes are this way. I laughed as much as I cried when I played the Pacifist route and then once I opened the game again and Flowey was telling me to let them be happy, I immediately turned off the game. I somehow felt bad.

The Found Family Trope

The True Pacifist Ending is just...man. And the fanworks about saving everyone even when the game doesn't let you? MANNNNNN

I think what I like the most about Undertale is how the music attaches you to the story. They're simple melodies that stick with you throughout the whole game, and they can remind you of both good and bad times.

there's honestly a LOT to love about this game, but i think one of my favorite things about it is just how many lgbt+ characters there are??? i can think of alphys, undyne, frisk, chara, mettaton, napstablook, monster kid, asgore, mad mew mew, the dress lion, the royal guards, and arguably even papyrus off of the top of my head, but im sure i'm forgetting a few from just undertale alone (there's even MORE in deltarune)!! it's practically unheard of to see so MANY from just one source, especially during its heyday in 2015-16. hell, you can't even GET the true pacifist ending without helping two gay couples hook up. it's really nice to see all of them being accepted for who they are and not judged for their sexuality or gender, at least in-canon.

[Image description: A wordcloud in the shape of the capitalized word UNDERTALE. The text is white on a black background, and uses the font found in the game. Some of the most visible words are: Game, Love, Music, Life, AU, Store, Friend, and Feel, which represent the most common words in the essays people wrote about their love for the game. End of ID]

#undertale #analysis #results #undertale fandom census

142 notes · View notes

cotncandyboifics · 4 years ago

Text

1989 [High School AU]: Chapter 1

AO3 Link

Masterpost

Chapter 2 ~ Chapter 3 ~ Chapter 4 ~ Chapter 5 ~ Chapter 6 ~ Chapter 7 ~ Chapter 8 ~ Chapter 9 ~

Pairings: slight Logince, eventual Prinxiety & Logicality

Word count: 1,780

Story summary: Roman Prince is your stereotypical Jock, with everyone swooning after him. Every day a crowd of people follow him around, only to disperse at his personal whim. In reality, he's lucky to have such good acting skills that help him cover up the disdain he has for his life. He only wishes he could use his skills properly.

Patton Whitelock's always there to lend a helping hand, no matter who you are. If you need a favor or just need someone to talk to, go to him. In reality, he's been taught from a young age that kindness should be held above all else. No one suspects that he took it the wrong way.

Logan Montgomery is the smartest boy in the Senior class. He's stern, and most people are too intimidated to speak to him. In reality, he despises most all of his fellow students. He sticks to his studies and doesn't stray, for fear of being stuck in his father's shadow his whole life.

Virgil Black is the most emo kid in school, let alone 12th grade; everyone knows to leave him be. In reality, he's very fortunate. He has two parents who love him dearly. But everything beyond his life, everything within his mind, is utter chaos and turmoil.

what will happen when they're assigned a biology project together?

General CW: food, swearing, implied s-lf h-rm, non-graphic descriptions of s-lf h-rm scars, graphic and non-graphic descriptions of anxiety attacks and panic attacks, drug abuse, minor character intoxicated on heroin, non-graphic drug overdose description, sickness/description of sickness, blood, non-graphic descriptions of needles, (will be added to as I write more)

Chapter CW: <none> (let me know if i missed anything please!)

Author notes: hook chapter go brr

...

Nice to meet you, where you been?

I can show you incredible things

Magic, madness, heaven, sin

Saw you there, and I thought

"Oh my god, look at that face

You look like my next mistake"

Love's a game, wanna play?

Roman checked his watch discreetly as he walked down the hall toward his first class. 7:58. He was almost late, but not quite. As he walked in, earning a glare from Mr. Berry and a few students, he glanced at the whiteboard. It read: "Tuesday, September 3 / Classwork: OT essay workday / Homework: OT Analysis and Essay due FRIDAY". The word "Friday" was written sloppily large and underlined. Roman just kept his sleepy poker face and walked to his desk, in the second-to-last row in the middle. He'd not noticed the shrunken figure at the desk next to him, whom everyone knew but no one liked. Virgil Black.

New money, suit and tie

I can read you like a magazine

Ain't it funny, rumors fly

And I know you've heard about me

So hey, let's be friends

I'm dying to see, how this one ends

Grab your passport, and my hand

I can make the bad guys good for a weekend.

Virgil shoved his hands in his hoodie pockets as he glared in Roman's general direction from behind bright purple bangs. His scowl deepened as Roman pulled out his notebook but didn't take his single earbud out, proceeding to doodle on the margins of his notebook.

Roman propped his head up on his right palm, tilting his head carelessly as he drew stars around a stick man's head. By this time, the plump red-faced man known as Mr. Berry, teacher of English 12, had taken his respected place at the front of the class for a quick lecture before they began classwork.

So it's gonna be forever,

Or it's gonna go down in flames

You can tell me when it's over,

If the high was worth the pain

Got a long list of ex-lovers,

They'll tell you I'm insane

'Cus you know I love the players,

And you love the game

"Good morning students," He said in a blubbering gritty voice, the sagging skin below his chin bouncing comically as he did so. "I trust you completed reading the rest of the book. Now, as I'm sure you've noticed, the Analysis and quotes along with your essay's final draft are due - both printed - on Friday. If you turn it in on Monday, it'll drop two letter grades, and any time after that is a zero. I should hope this first assignment will get you in the punctual mindset for my class." The large man was walking about the room, between desks checking for cheating or kids working ahead. He was strict, and didn't tolerate out-of-line behavior. As he completed his sentence, his eyes fell on Roman, who was still slouched apathetically, doodling, earbud in. The students watching Mr. Berry saw his face somehow achieve a deeper hue of red and his eyes bulge, as a bull does when it spots it's target. Roman however, didn't notice; a pale-faced Virgil tried to get his attention without the teacher noticing.

'Cus we're young and we're reckless,

We'll take this way too far

It'll leave you breathless,

Or with a nasty scar

Got a long list of ex-lovers,

They'll tell you I'm insane

But I've got a blank space baby...

And I'll write your name.

"Psst. Roman." he hissed in vain. Roman's earbud was in his right ear, the same side Virgil was sitting on, so quiet noises from that direction were inaudible to him. Despite the class's uneasiness as Mr. Berry made his way to Roman's seat, and though Roman was fully aware of the fat fuming man advancing on him, he made no change in expression or focus; merely, filled in the dark half of the yin yang he had sketched next to his name as he lightly mouthed the words of the song.

Mr. Berry stopped right in front of Roman's desk, looking down at him furiously. When Roman ignored him, he took further action. Just as Roman had completed the yin yang, a fat red hand came down loudly on his desk and a sudden "MR. PRINCE!!" Erupted from the old man's gullet.

Cherry lips, crystal skies

I can show you incredible things

Stolen kisses, pretty lies

You're the king baby I'm your queen

Find out what you want,

Be that girl for a month

Wait, the worst is yet to come... oh no.

Roman looked up at him slowly, but no trace of fear could be found on his face. Even, a slight smirk hinting at the corners of his mouth. But, not enough for the old man to notice.

"What sort of media is emitting from those... earphones?" Mr. Berry said, bug-eyed.

Roman held up the earbud that wasn't in his ear, looking at it. "You mean these?" He said.

Mr. Berry simply sighed and rolled his eyes frustratedly. "Yes, 'in those', Mr. Prince. You'd better have an adequate response."

Screaming, crying, perfect storms

I can make all the tables turn

Rose garden filled with thorns

Keep you second guessing, like

"Oh my god, who is she?"

I get drunk on jealousy

But you'll come back each time you leave

'Cus darling I'm a nightmare dressed like a daydream.

Roman held the old man's gaze, as if searching for something within his grey-brown orbs. After a moment, he sighed quietly and said, "Taylor Swift."

His response earned a few snickers from other students, to which Mr. Berry scanned the room to see if he could bust two students in one go.

Most of the students thought he looked like Napoleon from the 1954 animated movie based on Animal Farm, a fair comparison. His balding head and fat body gave him an appearance that was quite comparable to a pig.

After a moment of glaring at a few of the known renegades of the class, he returned his focus to Roman. But, this time, he didn't appear as angry; rather, he was smiling gently, but his eyes still held an angry glow. "Since you see no point in listening to my lecture, I'm sure you wouldn't mind showing the class a sufficient outline for your first draft essay? Along with the requirements, of course," the senile man's smirk curled up into a grin as he spoke, tilting his head a bit. Roman merely smirked himself, and stood.

So it's gonna be forever,

Or it's gonna go down in flames

You can tell me when it's over,

If the high was worth the pain

Got a long list of ex-lovers,

They'll tell you I'm insane

'Cus you know I love the players,

And you love the game

Mr. Berry watched in moderate surprise as Roman walked swiftly past the rows of desks to the whiteboard, uncapped an expo marker, and began writing in neatly printed lettering. "Ok, so the final draft is due on Friday," He began, "So you should have your first draft completed by tonight. The essay must have at least five body paragraphs, a minimum of two quotes each-" Virgil watched, shocked, gripping his pencil so that his knuckles paled. "So I hope you've picked out your quotes already. The thesis needs to answer the prompt, obviously. Conclusion should be at least five sentences. So overall, about two or three pages. I'd recommend using this class time to create an outline in your notebook, and typing up a first draft. Have your second draft done tomorrow, and final details on Thursday. And because Mr. Berry is too... behind the times to use Google Classroom, you'll need to print it out and hand it in physically. I'm sure Mr. Berry isn't partial to the trees we're killing, so if you're in Environmental club, I'd not bother complaining." And with this final sentence, Roman touched up his writing on the board and walked back to his seat, never taking out his earbud.

'Cus we're young and we're reckless,

We'll take this way too far

It'll leave you breathless,

Or with a nasty scar

Got a long list of ex-lovers,

They'll tell you I'm insane

But I got a blank space baby...

And I'll write your name.

Mr. Berry was still standing over Roman's desk, now staring down at him with large eyes. He opened his mouth slightly to say something, but was interrupted by another student asking a question. From then on, Mr. Berry ignored Roman, which was an easy feat, as Roman did the same.

After a little over half an hour, the bell rang, and Roman slung his backpack over his shoulder and walked out. Mr. Berry considered asking him why he'd only doodled for the entirety of the class period and not worked on his essay, but his pride got the best of him, and he watched as the young man walked out of the room confidently.

Virgil had slipped out before Roman, and was now pretending to exchange things in his locker, which was unfortunately right next to Roman's. The tall jock walked up to his own locker, earning a scowl from the darker boy.

"What? Enjoy the show I put on in Mr. Diabetes' class?" Roman said, leaning against the lockers as Virgil shut his own. The dark boy just grunted and walked off, feeling Roman's eyes watching as he turned a corner. Roman smirked for the hundredth time that morning when he was gone and turned to open his own locker. When a few girls from the cheer team started to linger, flipping their hair and puffing out their chests, and Roman actively ignored them until he walked past close enough that a few of them let out squeals. He heard the usual murmurs from behind him, "he's so hot," and "I'd kill to be his date to Homecoming." He smirked to himself again, making his way to his Physics class.

...

Virgil spotted is best friend Patton in his usual seat as he walked into his second period Economics class. The boy smiled at Virgil up on seeing him, and waved happily.

"Hello Virgil!! how are you feeling this morning?" He said cheerily as Virgil took the seat next to him, sliding his backpack under the desk.

"Alright I guess." He thought about telling Patton about Roman, but thought better of it; Patton had enough on his plate to worry about as it was.

As for Patton, he had already taken to pulling out his notebook, preparing for a long class of note-taking. Economics was one of the most note-heavy classes either of the boys had, and usually required all their focus. As the teacher stood from his desk and turned on his projector, Virgil could've sworn he saw Patton staring at someone, but as soon as he looked, Patton focused on the teacher, readying his pencil. But, Virgil being the parano- vigilant person he was, followed what he thought was Patton's line of sight to... Logan Montgomery? What? Upon realizing who he had thought Patton was looking at, he brushed it off. There's no way Patton would be looking at him. is there?

#logan sanders #roman sanders #virgil sanders #patton sanders #ts patton #ts roman #ts logan #ts virgil #thomas sanders #sanders sides #sanders sides fic #prinxiety #logicality #slow burn #virgil x roman #logan x patton

22 notes · View notes

azems-familiar · 4 years ago

Note

Completely unrelated to an ask prompt I'm just bored so rate all the swtor companion crews from your most to least favorite.

*rubs hands together* excellent i needed something to procrastinate on anyway

OKAY. so. my least favorite crew probably has to end up being the consular crew, i’m sorry guys! i would actually die for Felix, and Nadia is precious and needs to be protected, but i could take or leave the other three (although Zenith makes an interesting companion for a ds consular). overall, i’d give it a 5/10, with a fem consular automatically bumping it up to a 6/10 because Felix is wonderful.

next up, at a solid 6.5/10, maybe 7/10 if i’m feeling generous, is the Trooper crew. Elara is my Wife and i actually love the extremely overenthusiastic war droid you get but other than that, most of them don’t stand out too much? but they’re a solid squad for the trooper, i respect that.

next we have the smuggler crew, who cannot rise above a 7/10 because of Corso. i’m sorry, i really am, Risha and Akaavi are fabulous, but Corso. just. Corso. i had to play a male smuggler because i could not handle the farmboy.

after this, bounty hunter crew, 7.5/10, physically incapable of going higher because i want to throw Skadge out an airlock. but they also have Gault and Blizz, who are amazing, and Torian, who i also love dearly, and just. the aesthetic of the four real companions and the most prestigious bounty hunter in the galaxy causing chaos and running around in a stolen, remodeled school bus is so fucking funny.

8/10 would be the agent’s crew. i actually really enjoy all five companions (yes, even SCORPIO, she doesn’t turn into a bitch until kotfe, at which point i will gladly murder her), Vector is one of my favorite base game romance options, Lokin is such a unique character, i don’t like Kaliyo so much as a person but as a character she’s a fascinating part of the agent’s crew and has the dubious honor of being the only older woman who isn’t dependent on the player character for at least part of the story, so there’s that, and then Raina is a delight and has such a cool story.

sitting at a solid 9/10 for literally two people is the knight’s crew. Scourge and Kira are possibly my favorite companions in the game. i adore them SO MUCH. Scourge is such a horrible dramatic bastard man and his and Kira’s dynamic in the expansions is possibly my favorite part. the entire time spent wandering through Satele Shan’s ship? Scourge’s “I NEED MY SPACE” line? please just kill me now. for the rest of the companions, T7 is a precious droid, i really could care less about Rusk, and i’d like to throw Doc out an airlock please. multiple times, preferably.

10/10 is the warrior’s crew. like, i don’t much care for Broonmark or Pierce (mostly i get tired of the “black ops black ops black ops” every time Pierce opens his mouth), but they’re both interesting characters that have a lot to add to the story in terms of the warrior’s arc. Jaesa and Vette are both WONDERFUL, i cannot overstate that, and gods, Quinn my beloved, i have so many Thoughts about him and my warrior and how that goes and i love the fact that we get to have a companion who isn’t completely loyal to us the whole time and i wish the game explored the fallout of that more! the quinncident is so interesting! please bioware i’m begging you explore the consequences of the things you put the player character through (where is my knight’s fucking Vitiate trauma you fuckers-)

finally. 12/10, literal perfection, could not have asked for a better crew - the inquisitor. the ancient Dashade assassin that eats Force users and shows his affection with death threats! the overenthusiastic archeologist with very little concept of “oh Sith temples are probably dangerous and i shouldn’t go there without a Sith”! an actual apprentice from Korriban Nox gets to train! the half-fallen Jedi who is also the Single Impulse Control on this ship! the disaster pirate husband who brings his girlfriend LITERAL SWORDS to show his affection oh my god has there ever been a more perfect ship in existence i think not. i think not.

#swtor #swtor companions

14 notes · View notes

pucking-insane · 5 years ago

Text

Speak Now - Ryder Donovan

Player: Ryder Donovan Word Count: 1866 Warnings: Swearing

Inspired by: “Speak Now” by Taylor Swift

I am not the kind of girl Who should rudely barging in on a white veil occasion But you Are not the kind the kind of boy Who should be marrying the wrong girl

The invitation was a surprise to say the least. Of course, you knew Ryder was dating, but you weren’t expecting the “save the date” to come. Immediately, you texted Shay, who, even though you and Ryder had broken up years ago, you remained close with.

It killed you to know that Ryder had moved on. You were happy that he was happy, but you were still in love with him.

Even though you didn’t really want to go to your ex-boyfriend’s wedding, Shay had convinced you to come as his plus one.

When you got to the wedding venue, you took a deep breath before even opening your car door.

Y/N Shay I can’t do this

Shay Donovan I know it hurts bub But you need closure I’ll see if I can sneak out to your car

Y/N Thank you

Eventually, there was a knock on your car window. You unlocked your car for Shay, who slid into your passenger seat.

“I can’t do this.” You said quietly.

“I know it’s hard and I know it hurts, but he’s happy.” Shay explained.

“It should be me.” You cried. “I should be getting ready to marry the love of my life. I should have my hair and makeup done and my dress and jewelry should be on. We should be taking pictures right now.”

“Believe me, Y/N,” Shay sighed. “It should be you.”

“You’re not making this any easier, Donovan.”

“Sorry, bubs.” Shay rubbed your back. “I’ll save a dance for you. That is if Cole or Turcs don’t get to you first.”

“They’re here?”

“Of course they are.” Shay smiled and glanced at his watch. “I should probably get going. But find one of them and you’ll be fine.”

I sneak in and see your friends And her snotty little family all dressed in pastel And she is yelling at a bridesmaid Somewhere back inside a room Wearing a gown shaped like a pastry

Eventually, you willed yourself to leave your car and walk inside. You quickly spotted the familiar head of curly dark hair you had known since college.

“How’s LA treating you Turcs?” You asked as you fell into the natural conversation.

“Great. Thinking of buying a ring for Tori.” He smiled.

“Oh my gosh! That’s amazing!” You gave your friend a congratulatory hug.

“What are you doing here?” Alex asked. “Not that I don’t want to see you, I just thought you wouldn’t want to go to your ex-boyfriend’s wedding.”

“Shay asked me to be his plus one, claimed I needed closure.”

“And how’s that working out for you?”

“Well. I had a mental breakdown in the car, so I’d say things are going swell.” You replied sassily.

You made small talk with Alex, Cole and some of their college teammates joining you. You laughed about the good old college days, when you and Ryder were dating, after all, you did follow him to Madison. You joked about the TikToks that were created in your dorms and the adventures around campus. The four years you spent at the University of Wisconsin were easily the best four years of your life and you were glad to spend it with your good friends, even though some of them left for their NHL teams before the four years were up.

But talking about your college years with the UW-Madison men’s hockey team brought some sadness. You remembered all of the wonderful memories with Ryder. How many times you fell asleep in his room that he shared with Shay, the number of games you attended at the Kohl Center with “R. Donovan” proudly displayed across your shoulders, the picnic lunches you would have on the quad.

Now, the love of your life was probably fixing up his hair, which you knew he was always particular about, one last time before entering the wedding venue. Those would be his last moments as a free man.

This is Surely not what you thought it would be I Lose myself in a daydream Where i stand and say

“Don’t say yes run away now I’ll meet you when you're out Of the church at the back door Don’t wait Or say a single vow You need to hear me out And they said ‘speak now’”

When you are all seated, you start to lose yourself in your thoughts.

What would it have been like at your wedding?

You would’ve gotten married in a church, for starters, and there would be far fewer flowers. Your bridesmaids would have been Ryder’s sisters, your college roommate, and a high school friend or two. The color scheme would have been coral and navy, two colors that complimented Ryder’s olive skin. Your first dance song would’ve been something by Dan + Shay. You would’ve had red velvet cake at your reception.

You would’ve been marrying Ryder.

Alex notices that you’re in your head and puts his hand on your leg, giving a quick squeeze to your thigh for reassurance.

In a perfect world, you would object when the preacher called for objections. You and Ryder would run away together, go to Vegas, and live happily ever after.

But it wasn’t a perfect world.

Fond Gestures are exchanged And the organ starts to play a song That sounds like a death march And I Am hiding in the curtains It seems that I was uninvited By a lovely bride-to-be

She Floats down the aisle Like a pageant queen But I Know You wish it was me You wish it was me, don't you?

The piano starts to play a nice andante movement as the ushers escort Bill and the bride’s mother down the aisle, and the preacher follows. Next, Ryder walks with his mom, giving her a kiss on the cheek before going to stand next to the preacher.

Cole, who is seated on your right side, gives you a sad smile, knowing how hard this was going to be for you.

Ryder stands in a black suit, one you had seen countless times on game day, only this time, he wasn’t wearing his usual beanie and a boutonniere was pinned to his chest.

You lock eyes with your former love as the wedding march starts to play. The doors open and Ryder’s bride and her father stand ready to walk down the aisle. She looked gorgeous. You looked back at Ryder, who had an empty stare.

He wished it was you walking towards him, and you knew it.

I hear the preacher say “Speak now or forever hold your peace” There’s a silence There’s my last chance I stand up with shaky hands All eyes on me

Horrified looks from everyone in the room But I'm only looking at you

“Dearly beloved,” The preacher starts. “We are gathered here to join Ryder Donovan and Alyssa Johnson in Holy Matrimony. If anyone has just cause as to why these two should not be wed, speak now or forever hold your peace.”

Your heart races in your chest. Alex and Cole both look at you, making sure you don’t speak, Shay doing the same from next to Ryder.

You stay quiet. If Ryder was truly happy, then you were happy for him. Eventually, you would find someone to be your happily ever after.

You zone out for the rest of the ceremony. Until the vows.

Alyssa had already said her vows, saying “I do” through her tears.

“Do you, Ryder Donovan, take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse,” Ryder glanced in your direction and then back to the preacher and then to Alyssa. “For richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, until death do you part?”

Ryder took a deep breath before speaking.

I am not the kind of girl Who should be rudely barging in On a white veil occasion But you Are not the kind of boy Who should be marrying the wrong girl

“I don’t.”

Gasps come from everyone in the room. Ryder looks in your direction before turning to Alyssa.

“I’m sorry.” He whispered. “I thought I loved you more than I really did. You deserve the world.”

Ryder pressed a kiss to Alyssa’s cheek before walking back down the aisle.

Shay runs after him, pulling you with him as he runs past you.

“I told you everything would be fine.” Shay smirked.

You and Shay found Ryder back in the groom’s dressing room. He sat with his head in his hands, sobs rocking his body.

“Hey.” Shay says as he approaches his younger brother.

“I just couldn’t do it, Shay,” Ryder cried. “I just couldn’t.”

“It’s okay.” Shay said as he rubbed Ryder’s back.

“I wish I hadn’t been so goddamn stupid when I left for Vegas. I should never have dumped Y/N. Never.”

“She’s here,” Shay said. “You know.”

Ryder looked up, his cheeks soaked with tears and eyes puffy.

“Can you give us a minute?” Ryder asked.

“Sure.” Shay said, patting you on the back as he left the room.

“Hey.” You said softly.

“I said ‘I don’t’ because of you.” Ryder said, staring into your eyes. “I saw you with Alex and Cole and then as Alyssa walked down the aisle, I wished it was you.”

“I kept imagining what our wedding would have looked like.” You explained. “How you would cry when you saw me and how we would have red velvet cake with lots of cream cheese frosting because it’s our favorite.”

“I’m so stupid for letting you go.” Ryder sighed, taking your hands in his.

“If you love something, set it free.” You smiled. “And if it’s meant to be, it’ll come back.”

Ryder looked into your eyes before leaning in and kissing you on the lips. The kiss was tender yet passionate.

And you’ll say “Let’s run away now I’ll meet you when I’m out Of my tux At the back door Baby I didn’t say my vows So glad you were around when they said ‘speak now.’”

Two years later, you were at another wedding involving Ryder Donovan. But this time, you were the bride and he was the groom.

Ryder cried as you walked down the aisle and you had tears in your eyes yourself.

“Do you, Ryder Donovan, take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse,” Ryder smiled wide as the preacher spoke. “For richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, until death do you part?”

“I do.” He smiled at you, squeezing your hands.

“By the power vested in me by the state of Minnesota, I now pronounce you husband and wife.” The preacher smiled. “You may kiss the bride.”

Ryder pulled you in for a kiss and whispered in your ear.

“I’m so glad you were around when they said ‘speak now.’”

#ryder donovan #hockey #Hockey Players #Wisconsin Hockey #shay donovan #hockey imagine

116 notes · View notes

onewaigu · 4 years ago

Text

From Space

Genre : Alien!au

Theme : Slight fluff(?)

Pairing : Kanghyun(Onewe) X Reader

Description : Y/N accidently got pushed into the Earth's atmosphere and sent crashing into an unsuspecting Earth boy who was busy stargazing.

“I don't know, what if someone catches us?”

As much as you enjoyed getting on your parent's nerves by going on your dangerous adventures without telling them beforehand, you knew very well that if you were to go on this one particular adventure with your dear twin cousins, you would not only have to deal with your parent's wrath but you would have to deal with the High Council's too.

After all, Earth had been out of bounds since eons ago. Anyone who dared to step foot on the planet, would be sent into exile without any hesitation.

There were many known theories as to why this rule existed in the first place, but nobody knew what the real reason was behind the need for it.

Tiny shivers ran down your spine at the thought of being exiled. From the stories you'd heard when you were little, exile didn't sound like a pleasant experience at all and because of that, you actually found it quite incredulous that your two younger cousins would even consider risking their lives just for the sake of-

“But Y/N, wouldn't it be cool to have Earth as our view while we play dodgeball? Like could you imagine just how beautiful that view would be..”

Those kids were going to be the bane of your life. However, they did have a point. Earth was truly a beautiful planet to anyone who had ever set their eyes on it and being close to it would definitely be an opportunity that would only happen once in a lifetime.

No. You really shouldn't.

Shaking your head as you placed both of your hands on your hip, you firmly told your cousins,

“As a responsible adult, I don't think we should”

You expected to see sad frowns on your cousins' faces but instead you were met with mischievous grins. Oh no..

Dongmyeong, the older of the two twins, kicked his feet off the ground and began to circle around you in a playful manner while Dongju, the younger twin, decided to float horizontally in front of you, propping his head with his hands while looking at you with the most innocent-looking expression.

“That's too bad..”, pouted Dongju.

“We'll just have to go near that forbidden planet without any responsible adult supervision then”, sulked Dongmyeong as his shoulders slowly drooped.

A look of exasperation was plastered all over your face. You wanted to reason with them again and maybe lecture them on the consequences of going near the Earth but before you could say anything, the most dramatic gasp interrupted you.

Dongmyeong who was busy circling you had suddenly stopped, his eyes widened in fake fear.

When did this kid become an actor, huh?

You mentally rolled your eyes, but gestured your hand at him begrudgingly, encouraging him to finish whatever nonsense he planned to say to convince you to change your mind about going near Earth.

“But what if something terrible happens to us, Dongju? There won't be any responsible adults there to save us from such tragedy!”, exclaimed Dongmyeong with utmost exaggeration, both of his hands were on his head.

“You wouldn't want that to happen, right Y/N?”

Dongju's question made you speechless because he was right. You wouldn't dare to let anything bad happen to your twin cousins. Not only were they like your own brothers, but Dongmyeong and Dongju were the crown princes of your home planet. It's true they were troublemakers but they still held some power in their name and status.

An irritated sigh escaped your lips. Your uncle and aunt would be seriously pissed if they knew you let the twins go off on their own.

“Fine, but we better be playing two metres away from the Earth's ozone layer”, you grumbled.

While both of your cousins were busy hollering in excitement, you were already making a move towards Earth.

“Hurry your butts up before anyone sees us”, you groaned in frustration.

Dodgeball wasn't a term native to your people. It was actually said to be derived from Earth. It was a game where players tried to throw balls and hit opponents, while avoiding being hit themselves.

The only difference was that people from your home planet would charge up ordinary rubber balls with some of their own energy and that meant that whoever got hit by a flaming ball of energy would be instantly thrown back by the huge impact and left with a stinging mark. Fun.

“Alright, here we are”, you said to your cousins who were following you from behind.

All three of you stood or rather floated in place as you marvelled at the planet in front of you.

Words could not possibly describe its heavenly beauty. Earth was truly an incredible wonder to the eyes. How could this be a forbidden planet?

“Y/N, look out!”, you turned around in confusion but unfortunately you weren't quick enough to realise that the ball Dongju had thrown was coming straight towards you at high speed.

It was too late.

As soon as the ball of energy touched a part of your abdomen, you were instantly thrown back by the huge impact, it was impossible for you to even divert your direction to anywhere else other than the planet behind you.

The faces of your twin cousins changed in absolute horror as they helplessly looked on at your figure slowly growing smaller and smaller, entering the Earth's atmosphere. They honestly couldn't do anything else to save you without endangering their own lives and because of that, they remained where they were.

“Why didn't you signal Y/N first that we were gonna start the game?”, Dongmyeong was the first to break away from the initial shock, his eyes widened in panic.

“What do you mean "signal", we always played dodgeball this way!”, shouted Dongju in frustration as he kept shaking his head in denial of what had just happened to you.

“..true”, mumbled Dongmyeong, letting his head drop.

The two princes fell into uneasy silence.

“We're doomed, aren't we?”

“Oh definitely..”

You were falling. You don't fall, you float but you were falling at that moment. When will the falling stop?

Maybe it was gravity that was pulling you down. You'd learnt about it in a lecture that Earth was the only planet that had this force that could pull you down towards the centre.

Despite being in a terrifying situation, you forced yourself to close your eyes, to let all the fear and panic inside you fade away. Hugging the energy ball tightly to your abdomen, you could feel a wave of peace washed over you.

“I really hope the landing's soft”

Life could be tiring sometimes without a doubt. That's why people have hobbies, to distract themselves, to find an escape from their routine.

Hyungu's no different.

His fascination with astronomy started way back when he was younger when he used to have intricate dreams about asteroids, stars, and just about everything related to the universe above.

When he got older, he never once missed an opportunity to go stargazing. Lucky for him, he'd stumbled across this lonely hill one night while taking a longer route back home during his first year of university.

The view from it was like no other. Hyungu would simply lie down on the plain grass and admire the map of stars twinkling above him. If he stayed a little longer, he might even catch a shooting star or two.

There was a whole universe out there, and he could only watch it from his tiny little planet. Even so, he was still happy because stargazing truly felt like an infinite bliss for him.

On the 24th of November, he decided to visit the hill to meet his twinkling companions. He was also hoping he'd come across a few shooting stars to make some wishes. It was, after all, his birthday.

The path he took had cherry blossom trees lined up all the way to the hill, but their branches were bare without a single pink flowery beauty on them as winter was slowly approaching. Wisps of the cold wind blew on his face, sending tiny shivers throughout Hyungu's body. He hugged his white parka tighter around him to keep himself warm.

He had expected the night to be freezing which was why he came prepared with a huge thermos filled with delicious homemade hot chocolate tucked away safely in his tote bag. The night's stargazing experience would be just wonderful, he was sure of it.

Taking slow careful steps up the hill, he could already see his stars welcoming him. Regulus was shining brighter than ever which made Hyungu smile dearly in adoration of his favourite star.

After finding his usual spot, Hyungu immediately plopped on the grass with a soft thud. When he looked up into the sky, he could see dozens of beautiful stars scattered all over, looking as though they were like freckles on a person's face.

He started to search for constellations that he could remember off the top of his head and with each success, he bumped his fist in the air in victory.

“I probably looked funny when I did that”, he chuckled to himself, his ears turning a faint shade of red. Thankfully, no one was there to witness it.

This went on for about a few minutes before something that was moving very fast caught Hyungu's attention from the corner of his eye. Turning his head sharply towards the source, excitement rose from inside of him.

A shooting star!

Normally, he would close his eyes and clasp his palms together as soon as he saw a shooting star to make a wish, but this time, he hesitated.

He noticed something odd about it.

Firstly, it was slightly bigger than an average shooting star. Secondly, it was glowing purple. The second part was what shocked Hyungu the most, he had to rub his eyes to make sure he wasn't dreaming. When did shooting stars become purple? Did he miss some kind of unforeseen phenomenon which caused them to change colours? Whatever it was, Hyungu was confused to say the least.

To make things even weirder, the shooting star had stopped moving halfway across the sky and was now directly in front of Hyungu's line of vision. It also seemed to be getting bigger and bigger as time passed by. Unfortunately, that's when he finally realised that the so-called shooting star was actually heading towards his direction, and it was moving fast.

Hyungu's eyes widened but he was frozen in place, too scared to move an inch from where he was. All he could do was shield his face with his padded arms, hoping that it would be enough to brace the impact.

He stood like that for a few minutes but when he heard nothing from the other side, he slowly removed his arms from his face. He really didn't expect to meet a pair of luminous gray eyes staring back into his own black ones, much less a whole person hovering above him.

Hyungu shared the same shocked look as the mysterious person. He didn't quite understand how this person could possibly be off the ground without having anything attached.

“What the-”, you whispered in confusion.

The fall took a while before it came to a stop. When it did, it didn't feel like you'd landed on something. Instead, you felt like you were still suspended in mid-air. Curious to know why, you slowly opened your eyes for the first time since you entered the Earth's atmosphere. Immediately, you were taken aback by the sight in front of you— or rather, below you because there was literally someone else, a boy, sitting on the ground below you. Before you could take a good look at him, you felt an invisible force push you in the back and send you crashing into the Earth boy.

His jaw hit your nose, and your forehead hit his.

The both of you were groaning in pain, lying a few feet away from each other after you had instinctively pushed yourself off of him upon impact.

“Well, that was certainly a soft landing”, you said sarcastically as you got up from the cold ground while still rubbing your nose bridge to relieve the pain. You even had to blink a few times to adjust your blurry vision to your new surroundings.

The flames of the ball that you were hugging all throughout your fall down to Earth had already been extinguished and it was now resting against the Earth boy's foot.

The Earth boy..

For a second there, you had forgotten all about him. You were a bit concerned though. Poor him probably didn't expect someone to crash into him from outer space.

With shy steps, you gingerly approached him. Just like you, he was also rubbing his nose bridge as he sat up from the ground and stretched out his legs. His eyes were closed too.

Once you were beside him, you crouched down to his level and lightly tapped his left shoulder twice.

Hyungu was trying so hard to ignore the pain on his nose but it felt like he had just been hit hard by some type of metal. He was busy rubbing it when suddenly, he felt two light taps on his shoulder.

Opening his eyes, he turned his head to his left and saw that the same mysterious person was smiling at him. Hyungu couldn't help but gape at this odd stranger's appearance. With hair of regal purple and eyes illuminating silver radiance, the person truly looked otherworldly.

So aliens don't really look like E.T.?

Behind your smile, you were feeling kind of awkward because the boy had stopped moving once he laid eyes on you.

Is this Earth boy broken or something?

Not sure what made you do it, but you decided to reach your finger out and poked his forehead with it. You were glad that it took him out of the trance that he was in. Now, you could finally try asking him some of the questions that had been bothering you since you arrived on Earth.

“Hi, do you know where I could borrow a bio-ship? I really need to go back home as soon as possible”, you asked the Earth boy politely, pointing a finger upwards towards the sky.

Unfortunately, you were met with silence.

“You do have bio-ships here on Earth, right? You know, the ones that are organic and make you look really cool when you take them for a spin”, you elaborated, assuming that maybe bio-ships went by another name on Earth and this Earth boy might be confused by that.

However, when he continued to give you confused expressions with no replies whatsoever, realisation finally hit you.

“Oh no no no, please no, it can't be”, you shook your head furiously, desperately trying to reassure yourself but failing in the process.

Grabbing the boy's padded shoulders and shaking them back and forth gently, you hoped that your assumptions were wrong when you asked him, “Do you understand what I'm saying?”

From confusion to concern, the Earth Boy replied back, but unfortunately, not a single word was understood by you. Whatever he said was too foreign to your ears, you couldn't even guess the meaning of anything he was trying to say to you.

You stood up from where you were crouching and moved a few steps away from the Earth boy. With your back facing him, you placed a hand on your chest and tried to calm yourself down with slow breaths. Panicking wouldn't help your situation, so the best you could do right now was to proceed with a clear mind. Maybe then, could you think of something that could help overcome this language barrier.

This definitely was the weirdest encounter Hyungu had ever experienced in his whole life. Who would've thought that a shooting star that turned out to be an actual person would be talking to him in some kind of alien language right now.

Of course, he didn't know how to respond so he just kept quiet but the moment the mysterious space person started panicking and stood up from beside him, that's when Hyungu decided to pack his stuff as fast as he could and attempted to run away as quietly as possible. He had had enough of weird things happening to him in one night.

Tiptoeing down the hill, Hyungu kept looking back to make sure that the person was still there. Once he knew he was much further away from the hill, he slowed down his pace and leisurely strolled along the path that would take him back home to the dorms.

Did the Earth boy honestly think you didn't notice his retreating figure? His footsteps weren't as quiet as he probably thought they were.

While you were still unsure of what to do, you still followed him from behind because he might be the only one who could help you. Besides, there weren't any other Earth people around anyway.

You raked your brain to search for some solution. You could've sworn there was something you could do to learn a foreign language in an instant. There was a lesson around it when you took Earth Studies as an elective last year. You just had to remember what it was.

A low rumbling sound interrupted your thoughts. Clutching your stomach, you sighed in annoyance. It's been a few hours since you last ate or drank something. Moments later, another sound came from in front of you, this time it was a low gasp. You slowly raised your head to see that the Earth boy had finally realised that you were following him all this while. His eyes were wide open and his cheeks were tinted with a faint shade of red.

In a blink of an eye, he started to run. You were dumbfounded by his action but at that moment, something clicked in your mind and you began to chase after him.

“Wait, hold up! I need to do something”, you called out to him despite knowing that he couldn't understand anything you're saying.

He was fast but you were faster. When you heard the rustling of his clothing growing quieter, you took this chance to pick up your speed. Once he was already an arm's length away from you, you reached your right hand out and grabbed the sleeve of his padded clothing, causing him to halt.

You turned him around to face you. Not giving him any time to comprehend what was happening, you immediately landed a small peck on his rosy cheek. When you pulled away, the Earth boy blinked his eyes a few times before falling limp on the ground.

Hmm Earth people faint when we do that?

Even after you did that, you weren't completely sure if you had already absorbed the language of the Earth People. The only way to check was to wait for this Earth boy to wake up.

Folding your arms in annoyance, you began eyeing the bag that he was carrying. As if on cue, your stomach rumbled one more time. Touching your abdomen, you wondered if he had anything on him right now.

Isn't that stealing?

You shook your head reassuringly.

It's "borrowing"

Satisfied with your own logical reasoning, you took a step closer to the purple bag that was still slung on the Earth boy's left shoulder. You lifted his arm up and removed the bag, leaving his arm to fall back to the ground with a thud. You peered at his face for a second and saw that he was still unconscious.

“How long before he finally wakes up?”, you stifled a laugh.

Holding the bag in your hands, you began to rummage through it, searching for anything that could stop your stomach from making any more embarrassing sounds.

Eventually, you found something. It seemed like a mere metallic cylinder at first but when you shook it near your ear, you could hear some type of liquid swirling inside. Eager to know what it was, you unscrewed the lid and brought the brim closer to your nose. When you inhaled, a strong rich sweet-smelling scent greeted you.

Bringing the cylinder to your lips, you downed the chocolate-coloured liquid in one shot. You let out a happy sigh as you could feel the silky smooth texture of it against your throat. It was absolutely delicious, you had never tasted anything like it on your home planet. It was gone in an instant!

Setting the cylinder aside, you lazily turned your head towards the Earth boy's direction to see him staring back at you.

“Oh great, you're awake!”, you smiled at him.

“Did you finish all of that?”, he pouted, “I didn't even get to taste it and it's gone”.

“Aww I'm sorry about that”, you apologised while looking guiltily at the empty metallic cylinder.

“Oh no, it's okay- Wait a minute!”, he exclaimed halfway through his sentence, pointing a shaky finger at you. “I understand you!”

Your whole face suddenly lit up when you heard those words, “You do? You understand what I'm saying?”, you asked him excitedly.

The Earth boy nodded his head enthusiastically. He too, was smiling in excitement, though he wasn't exactly sure why.

“It worked, I can't believe it worked!”, you whispered to yourself in glee. Now, you're one step closer to finding a way back home.

The sound of someone clearing their throat echoed into your ears. You figured it came from the Earth boy so you just hummed back in response.

“I don't mean to offend, but are you..an alien?”

Upon hearing that, you turned your head sharply at him which caused him to look away shyly.

Tilting your head a bit, you shrugged, “Well if being an alien means I'm from up there then yes, I'm an alien”, you told him nonchalantly.

“Oh w-wow, that's uhm nice”, he stuttered back awkwardly while scratching the back of his ear.

Even though you're extremely curious to know what life was like on Earth, you had to abandon any thoughts of exploring it.

“Anyway, do you know where I could borrow a bio-ship or any type of spacecraft? I really need to get home”, you asked him in a serious manner.

The Earth boy repeatedly tapped a finger on his lips in concentration, trying to think of an answer. However, when he looked like he had one, he gave you an uncertain smile. You were a bit worried to listen to what he had in mind.

“There is a place which has those..”, he trailed off.

Why did it seem like there would be a 'but'?

“..but normal people can't just go there and borrow a spacecraft, it's government property”, he furrowed his eyebrow at you in empathy, “I'm sorry”

You felt your heart shatter into a million pieces. Assuming that this so-called government was like your home planet's High Council, there was no way you would ever be able to leave Earth any time soon. Heaving a sigh, you waved your hand dismissively at the Earth boy.

“No worries, I guess I'm stuck here for a while”, you mumbled defeatedly while raising your head up to look at the night sky. You hoped that your twin cousins were at least busy finding a way for you to get back home.

From the corner of your eye, you could see the Earth boy visibly contemplating on something.

“Uhm..do you have a place to stay?”

A low gasp escaped from your lips. You hadn't thought about that at all. “No, I've never been to Earth before, so I don't know anyone here”, you frowned deeply as you hugged your elbows. All of a sudden, you felt alone and you wanted to cry.

But then, you could hear a soft kind voice asking you in the most gentlest way, “Do you maybe want to stay at mine? It's actually a dorm with a few other people but I'm sure they won't mind it”

“I don't want to trouble you..”, you already felt bad for being such a burden to this young Earth boy.

“Trouble? Helping someone else who's in need isn't a trouble at all”, he beamed at you reassuringly.

You hesitated for a while before accepting his offer. Something about this Earth boy made you feel like he was someone you could trust.

Soon after, the two of you began heading towards the Earth boy's dorm, walking side-by-side each other. Your eyes were wandering everywhere the whole time, soaking in the beauty of Earth.

“I'm Hyungu by the way”

You stifled a laugh but quickly tried to hide it by covering your mouth with your hand.

Hyungu looked at you in confusion, not understanding why you thought his name was funny.

“Sorry, it's just that I've been calling you Earth boy in my head the whole time since I landed here”, you explained to him apologetically. You could feel the heat rushing to your cheeks so you looked away, hoping that he didn't notice it.

“I'm Y/N”, you told him.

“Aren't you cold, Y/N?”, he shivered as a cold breeze blew on their faces. Hyungu kept tugging at his parka to try and stay warm but he noticed that his new alien friend was completely unfazed by the freezing weather. In fact, he was bewildered when he first saw you because you weren't wearing any thick warm clothes.

“Nope”, you simply replied back.

He nodded and the both of you went back to walking silently beside each other.

At that moment, Hyungu finally accepted that he probably wasn't dreaming anymore.

[a/n]

hi hi! yes, this was lowkey inspired by starfire and robin's first meeting where starfire kissed robin to understand and speak English ^ ^

hope you had fun reading this!

also don't forget to stream parting ;)

#onewe #oneweau #onewefic #onewefluff #oneweoneshot #onewekanghyun #kang hyungu #kanghyunfluff #kanghyunau

7 notes · View notes

capitanogiorgio · 4 years ago

Text

Daniel and Football

So this is just a bit of fun and me linking to of my passion: football (soccer) and Karate Kid. Mainly because a) We see Daniel playing football several times in the first movie b) He is of italian descent and, although we don’t know how close he is to his roots, football is a very popular sport in Italy (probably one of the most popular if not the most).

Based purely on a screen test done by Ralph Macchio when he was 18, I would also headcanon that Daniel’s family (grandparents maybe, I was leaning towards Lucille’s side but that could be both Lucille and Daniel’s dad’s side as well) comes from Naples, southern Italy. Which, you’ll see have its importance.

Lucille and Daniel’s dad both supporting the SSC Napoli (Naples’ main club) and passing it on to Daniel

Daniel and his dad playing together in the park or with the whole extended LaRusso family in the street where they live.

Football being one of the things Daniel and his dad bond over and hence why he keeps playing after his dad’s death even though the US has not been known for its football as a nation, and especially at the time (except the New York Cosmos with their stars but most of them came after Daniel’s dad’s death)

Lucille and her husband cramming into an italian-owned pizzeria, with a radio and managing to find a channel covering the 1968 EURO. Daniel’s dad jumping with him in his arms when Italy finally wins the Euro

The whole LaRusso family having a crush on Dino Zoff, goalkeeper extraordinaire (MAYBE Daniel cries for days when Zoff leaves Naples for Juventus, in Turin, northern Italy)

The 1970 world cup. Italy seen as one of the favourite only to fail in the final against Brazil. Daniel only has fuzzy memories of it but he remembers how he had been so heartbroken and his parents so disappointed.

Games his parents tell him about. A couple they were able to see live the only time they were able to come back to Italy.

Daniel kind of becomes a fan of the NY Cosmos with Pelé and then Beckenbauer, players he only read about in some magasines

He sneaks out once with his cousins to go catch the game against the Los Angeles Aztecs because there’s George Best on the other side and he wants to see how he plays so badly.

Many, MANY, opinions in the LaRusso family about football and the Italian national team. Daniel argues in italian, he’s very opinionated.

Daniel singing Fratelli d’Italia with passion, trying to sing louder than the rest of his family. It never fails to bring a little tear in Lucille’s eyes.

Italy 1982. ITALY 1982. Daniel would be ECSTATIC. The team being doubted everywhere but Daniel believes. Zoff is 40 but he’s still the best, and maybe there aren’t any Napoli players but he doesn’t care. He doesn’t even care Paolo Rossi’s on the team. He’s fed up of all the crushed hopes and he’s sure it’s gonna be their world cup.

Daniel cheering like a madman after every single Rossi goal. Daniel cheering when Scirea controls the defense like it’s nothing.

Daniel skipping school for the final, the only time Lucille allows it and they all cram to the same pizzeria except they know have a TV with the RAI channels and thus showing the final.

Daniel being unable to sleep at night because all he can see is the three goals and the team giving his all and they’re WORLD CUP WINNERS BABY

1984. Maradona to Naples. Daniel can’t believe it. He wishes his dad could be there to see. To see one of the best player in the world join their club. Lucille finds a light blue t-shirt and knit a number 10 in the back to offer Daniel. It’s not much but that’s all they can afford and Daniel loves it

Daniel loves and cherish Ciro Ferrara even though he too, like many others, left for Juventus. He loves him dearly.

After meeting Miyagi, I’m sure he would be a bit curious about japanese football. And when Kazuoyoshi Miura is loaned to Genoa in Italy, he can’t wait to tell Miyagi. Miyagi probably has no idea who that is but Daniel would be really excited and try to keep up with his career (and he’s still active professionally today, aged 53)

When Hidetoshi Nakata joins Serie A, Daniel chooses he’s one of his new favourite players.

The 1994 world cup. THE 1994 WC. And the final was in Pasadena... AND OF COURSE DANIEL IS THERE. Daniel followed the team bumpy’s start before Roberto Baggio wakes up. And Daniele Maldini is all gracious and style and maybe Daniel crushes on him even though he doesn’t play for Naples.

So Daniel managing to get tickets for the final thanks to Mr Miyagi making him a gift and he goes with his mother obviously. And they both have Italian jerseys on, ones family brought with them from a recent trip to Italy and they have painted their cheeks as well and they’re SO into it. And then the game. 0-0, extra time. And then the pens and it’s like 1990 all over again. Daniel talks about Baggio’s cruel miss for days (months even)

2006 is his revange and he’s also super emotional because he cheers with a 4 year-old Sam who barely registers what’s happening and it makes him think of the Euros and World Cups he followed with his dad and the ones his dad tells him about.

He watches the 2002 World Cup in Japan with Miyagi.

He goes out of his way to get tickets to see Andrea Pirlo play with New York City when he joins the MLS.

He’d fight Alexi Lalas in a heartbeat

Daniel still practicing sometimes, some juggling here and there or with Louie (and maybe Anoush who could be convinced to be dragged for a bit of men bonding time over football).

Anyway, Daniel loves football, and that’s one of his link to his italian heritage and I wish CK could show a bit more of this

#The Karate Kid #Cobra Kai #Daniel LaRusso #listen they showed me football you're gonan get football #headcanons

18 notes · View notes

forasecondtherewedwon · 5 years ago

Note

Prompts 10 and 36 just scream Spideychelle. They don't have to be written together, though that might tickle your fancy too

Thanks for the prompts, @soonersgirl86 and Anon! I did end up writing 10 and 36 together, so thank you for putting that idea in my head! Hope you enjoy the results!

The Game’s a Foot on BluePairing:Peter Parker x Michelle Jones (Spideychelle)Rating: TWord count: 1764

10.“You’re wrong and I’ll prove it.”

36. “I’d be fine having sex with the same person forthe rest of my life, if it wasn’t the same sex every single time.”

When you grew up as the ‘smart kid,’ you knew it. You wereeither fawned over or pushed too hard by your parents. Either admired orresented by your siblings. Your classmates simultaneously teased you and wantedyou in their group for projects. Maybe you were lonely, or maybe you enrolledin a good high school, full of ‘smart kids.’ Then you might take it a stepfurther and join Academic Decathlon, grouping yourself with the students thatthe rest of the overachievers thought of as the ‘smart kids.’ Once you’dreached this level, this upper echelon of tomorrow’s leaders, you couldn’t justplay a board game in your spare time. At least, that was what Flash was attemptingto convince them of.

MJ was currently trying to disappear into the thick cushionsat one end of the couch in Flash’s family’s living room. Every time herobnoxious teammate paced by her, she got a lungful of air that had the generalscent of Too Much Body Spray. She was full of regret; one surprise, come-from-behindvictory during a Decathlon scrimmage with another local school had made herfeel dangerously friendly towards the losers she captained and, in the insanityof the moment, she’d spoken two fateful words: “team bonding.”

Now the entire team was spending their Saturday nighttogether at the Thompsons’ while Flash’s parents had a ‘romantic weekend’(Flash’s words―uh, barf) in Las Vegas. Weird family. Somewhere between animpromptu video game championship and the time the tower of pizzas arrived (apparentlya purchase that qualified as an emergency, subsequently charged to Mr.Thompson’s credit card), MJ had identified sinking into the depths of the couchas the least obvious escape route. They just had to forget about her for awhile. If she was completely still, there would eventually be an opportunity tobook it to the door and taste the freedom of her old life. A life before teambonding.

But then Flash started in on his board games rant and beforehe’d reached the end of it (she hoped there actually was an end), he’d beguncounting the other people in the room in case teams needed to be formed. Whatpissed MJ off even more than being counted for participation reasons was thefact that Flash didn’t know how many people were in Decathlon. Not like theyhad biweekly practices or he’d been on the team for three years with very fewnew faces or anything. Moron.

“So we combine them,” he insisted. “Play multiple games atonce.”

“More challenging,” Cindy agreed, perking up next to MJ. “Ilike it.”

“Bonding is cancelled,” MJ protested wearily. “I’m thecaptain.”

Flash rounded on her, crossing his arms.

“Well, there should be another captain, for, like, moraleand chilling!” he said. “And that’s me.”

“That’s the last thing we need,” she grumbled.

“You’re wrong,” Flash argued, “and I’ll prove it.”

That was probably when she should’ve protested harderinstead of slouching off to the bathroom, but hey, she’d drunk two cans ofginger ale and her bladder was feeling it. Constant small sips meant shorterresponses and therefore, fewer chances of being engaged in conversation. Now,walking back into the living room, MJ saw that she was going to pay for her peebreak and pay dearly.

There was a creased Twister mat unfolded on the floor.

Logically, there wouldn’t be room for them all on theplastic sheet, but solving that problem was another thing they’d done while shewas gone. (She’d been two minutes! What the hell?!) These devious,academically-accomplished bastards―had already laid out and begun the alternategame, what looked like a combination of Clue and Life. Betty was sitting withher legs neatly folded, hashing out rules that seemed to require players tosolve the murder before they reached retirement. Oh, and the killer was one ofthe family members they would collect on the way.

MJ was going to lose her shit. If she was about to be heldagainst her will for… who knew how long, potentially hours… she would have atleast wanted to be in the group that wouldn’t be contorting themselves to reachthe correct coloured circle.

She could almost convince herself that was how she felt aslong as she didn’t make eye contact with Peter, staring at her from the otherside of the Twister mat. MJ swallowed and did what anyone with a massive secretcrush and a deficient sense of self-preservation would do: she peeled off hersocks, rolled up the cuffs of her boyfriend jeans, and stepped up to the edgeof the mat.

A dozen rounds in and she was lying to herself again. It wasobviously Flash’s body spray that made her want to knock him over, not the factthat he was positioned between her and Peter. (Yeah right.) Maybe he’d toppleon his own if she announced that she knew Peter was Spider-Man. Was that anappropriate conversation starter? Parties weren’t really her thing.

MJ eyed Peter as he placed his left hand on yellow.Seriously, was no one else paying attention to the ease with which that nerdshifted his limbs? You didn’t get casual strength and defined arm muscles likethat from constructing Lego Death Stars, that was for damn sure. It was thelatest in a long, long trail of breadcrumbs she’d been gathering for months. Sheclosed her eyes for a second and refocused on the game. Again, the urge to bumpFlash possessed her. But she wasn’t supposed to wish for him to be out―Flashwas on her team. Twister wasn’t meant to be a team sport, but Christ, thesetouchy-feely saps.

Ned, who had apparently been killed off in Clue/Life (yeah,she really hadn’t gotten a good grasp of the rules, or they’d evolved), was nowworking the Twister spinner and cheerfully reading out each round’saccompanying question. Because it had to be a combination of games. Because,again, Flash was a moron.

“Right foot blue, MJ,” he directed. (Fucking easy for him tosay, she thought as she stretched with a grunt.) “And your question…” Ned drewa card from the deck. “Would you rather have sex with the same person for therest of your life, or never get to have sex with anyone more than once?”

“Flash, where did you get these questions?” she wondered, movingher foot with a smack.

It wasn’t the first time she’d asked, but he was being cageyabout it. Honestly, most of them sounded like they’d come from some kind of sextherapy manual. Oh god, maybe it was a real game and his disgustingly-in-loveparents played it.

“Just answer,” Flash demanded. “I can’t…. stay…”

He slipped and fell on his ass. MJ blurted out a laugh. Finally,she was having fun at team bonding night.

Flash extricated himself from the mat, being a good enoughsport not to try to take MJ or Peter down as he made his exit, going to watchClue/Life. Peter and MJ were the only two left now. MJ rotated her footexperimentally on its circle, making her toes brush Peter’s. A blush raced uphis face like a burning match. Fascinating.

“MJ?” Ned asked, waiting.

“Uh, can you come back to me?”

He frowned.

“You’re supposed to―”

“They’re fake rules,” she reminded him, “and Peter doesn’tcare. I’ll answer my question after he moves.”

Peter shrugged. Ned sighed dramatically.

“Fine, but I think you should be setting a better example ascaptain.”

“Noted.” She rolled her eyes.

“’K, Peter…” He paused as the spinner whirled around. “Lefthand blue.”

MJ clenched her teeth together and squeezed her lips shut asshe analyzed the circles surrounding his current location. She would not smileshe would not smile she would not smile―Peter lunged towards her and, aftermaybe a second’s worth of hesitation, reached his arm over her extended leginstead of under it. She had her stomach to the ceiling, braced on hands and feetlike a crab, which had been extremely unsexy until Peter positioned himselflike he was about to climb on top of her. The front of his t-shirt draped overher thigh. MJ wasn’t sure he strictly had to be that close. She narrowed hereyes.

Dammit, he’d been playing a long game too.

After settling into his new posture by rocking a bit on hishands, he glanced up, flicking hair out of his eyes. They looked at each other.Yep, definitely dammit.

“Back to you,” Ned reminded her. “No more passing.”

“What was the question again?” she checked, trying to soundbored.

“She’s stalling,” Peter accused. Their eyes held for asecond. “MJ has the best memory in this room.”

Playful complaints? Flattery? And, oh, he wanted her toanswer the question? She would answer that question.

“I’d be fine having sex with the same person for the rest ofmy life,” MJ told Ned (while really, actually, telling Peter), “if it wasn’tthe same sex every single time.”

She was almost certain he’d started to lean over her bodymore before shifting back. And his mouth was open. Though she never stared athis mouth. (Another lie.)

“What if it was one person who behaved like two people?” Nedasked gleefully.

Peter’s head whipped around to shoot his friend a wide-eyed lookthat, to MJ, blatantly said shut up.Could they make it any more obvious that Peter had a secret identity? It wasbaffling. These were the stupidest smart kids she’d ever had the misfortune ofmaking friends with… and in one case, accidentally falling head over heels for.If they were going to be that dumb,she would indulge herself in a moment of pretend ignorance.

“Like roleplay or something?” she asked. Peter made a weirdsound in his throat. MJ decided to go in for the kill, catching his eye. “Yeah,maybe. I’m kind of into masks.”

“I forfeit,” Peter announced, springing to his feet.

Once he’d bounded away down the hall to the bathroom, MJ letherself collapse onto the mat.

“So I guess it’s pretty much impossible that you haven’tnoticed Peter likes you,” Ned summarized, idly flicking the spinner.

“I’ve noticed lots of things,” she replied, smiling as shestared at the high ceiling.

She chose not to specify that one of them wasPeter’s super alter ego. Or that another was the bulge in the front of hisjeans he hadn’t managed to completely block with his hands before running out.Not that MJ would ever look.

Pick a prompt for a Spideychelle drabble!

92 notes · View notes

esotheria-sims · 5 years ago

Photo

50 OC QUESTIONS - Marcus Blackbird

Got tagged by @thepathofnevermore, whee! :D Thank you for the tag, dear, this was fun! ^-^

01. How old is your sim? My headcanon is that he’s 15 at the start of the BaCC.

02. When is your sim’s birthday? June 28.

03. What is your sim’s zodiac sign? Cancer.

04. What is your sim’s ethnicity? Neo Margitavillean/human with magic ancestry.

05. Does your sim have any nicknames? Mark, and his sister Annika calls him Marky sometimes when they play-fight and she wants to annoy him. He pretends to be awfully offended by the nickname, but it’s more a running gag than anything else; he actually doesn’t mind it at all.

06. Do they have a job? Not at the moment.

07. Where does your sim live? Wyvern’s Bay since recently, Neo Margitaville before that.

08. Who does your sim live with? His dad Gabriel and his little sister, the aforementioned Annika.

09. What environment did your sim grow up in? (strict, loving, cold etc.) He was brought up in what could be considered the ideal familial environment - a friendly, safe neighborhood, a snug and cozy home, parents who doted on him… But his mom passed away when he was only 6, which came as a huge shock to everyone in the family, Marcus most of all. He managed to bounce back from the loss eventually - his dad was a huge source of support for him and his baby sister proved to be a wonderful distraction - but it took him a good amount of time to process it all, and even though he’s fine now, he still misses her dearly and feels her absence.

10. What is your sim’s favourite food? Pizza… and Watcher, what he wouldn’t give for a slice right now. Did you know that Wyvern’s Bay doesn’t have any pizzerias??

11. What is your sim’s favourite drink? Water.

12. If they have one what is your sim’s favourite color? Blue.

13. Does your sim believe in any clichés? (love at first sight, etc.) He firmly believes that “a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush”. And before anyone asks, no, he’s not the most ambitious of sims. :P

14. What is your sim’s sexuality? Heterosexual.

15. What is your sim’s gender identity? Male.

16. Is your sim type a or type b? Uh, what the hell is type A and type B…? Next question!

17. Is your sim introverted or extroverted? Introverted.

18. What is your sim’s favourite woohoo position? The kid’s still a virgin, so who the hell knows.

19. Is your sim a pet person? If so what is their favourite animal? Yes, he loves animals! I think he’s more of a cat person than a dog person, though he likes both well enough. He’s also very partial to small birds.

20. Does your sim have a best friend? His sister Annika, and since he came to Wyvern’s Bay, Phillip Gladwyn.

21. What is/was your sim’s favourite school subject? Back when he went to “regular” school it used to be Art, Biology, and Literature, and after Dominick Irving took him and Annika in for tutoring, his favorite lessons were in Robotics and High Elvish.

22. Is/was your sim a high, mid or low achiever in school? He was an overachiever in both elementary and high school, but due to unfortunate circumstances (read: a hoodpocalypse) he was forced to cut his education short. Now that Mr.Irving has taken him under his wing, though, he continues to excel in his studies. Once a nerd, always a nerd! 😁

23. Are they planning to go or have they already been to college? If so, what would be or what was their major?

He’d really love to be able to go to college, but the way things are now, it’s highly unlikely that’ll ever happen. :/ Wyvern’s Bay doesn’t have a university of its own, and any other universities are completely out of his reach. But if he could go to uni (dreaming is free, right?) he’d probably major in Biology or Art.

24. What are your sim’s political beliefs? He doesn’t have much of an opinion on the matter.

25. What is one thing your sim wants to do before they die? Just one thing? D: Marcus is so young, there’s so much he wants to do with life! Like find the love of his life, get married, start a family… it’s a long list!

26. Does your sim have a favourite TV show (cable) and/or movie? He doesn’t have any particular movie or show he considers his favorite, but he generally enjoys comedies, superhero films, and documentaries about ancient civilizations. Or well, used to enjoy. He doesn’t get to watch much television these days…

27. Is your sim a Netflix viewer? No.

28. Does your sim like books? Yep! He’s a complete bookworm!

29. Does your sim enjoy video games, if so what is their favourite one and do they play on PC or console? He’s not a hardcore gamer by any stretch, but he used to love playing video games as a kid and younger teen. He had a PC at home that he’d play on, and one of his friends from school (who had a console) would sometimes organize game nights. When he played on his home PC, it’d usually be single-player offline games, and when he played with his friends on console, they’d go for multiplayers.

30. What is your sim’s personal style? He’d describe it as “comfy & casual”, but these days it’s closer to “wears the same old rags every day and will continue to do so until the clothes literally fall apart”. It’s not easy to be fashionable when you live off grid, in the wilderness.

31. Does your sim have a lucky charm? Not per se, no… but he used to dry press four-leaved clovers whenever he’d come across them. He called it his “lucky collection”.

32. Is your sim religious? Nah.

33. What kind of music does your sim listen to and who is their favourite artist? He doesn’t have a strict preference re: music genre, but he likes ballads, anything with an acoustic guitar in it, and also rock, when he’s in the right mood. His favorite bands are The Beatles (got the love for their music from his dad) and The Police.

34. Is your sim a festive person? If so what’s their favourite holiday? If asked he’d probably say that he is, but to him it’s not so much about the holiday itself as it is about having a chance to get together with friends and family.

35. What is your sim’s favourite type of weather? He doesn’t have a preference, he enjoys all sorts of weather: warm, sunny, rainy, snowy… As long as it isn’t anything extreme (e.g. rainstorms, overly hot, heavy snowfall), he’s happy.

36. Does your sim prefer to start fights or finish them? He’d like it best if there was no fight to begin with!

37. Does your sim have a dream job? A professor, researcher, or any similar vocation that is intellectual in nature and allows for acquisition of new knowledge. As a kid, he’d always say that he wanted to become an archaeologist when he grows up… and while this isn’t necessarily something he’d consider his “dream job”, he probably wouldn’t mind being a stay-at-home dad.

38. Does your sim have any siblings? I’ve probably mentioned her like, what, ten times by now? Annika, his younger sister. He loves that kid to bits.

39. Does your sim get along with their family? He does, yes. His dad and sister are all he has left and he cherishes them above everything else.

40. What is your sim’s favourite hobby? Fishing! He started doing it out of bare necessity after his family got stranded in Wyvern’s Bay, but he really came to enjoy it as a hobby as well.

41. What does your sim look for in a romantic partner? Kindness, respect, loyalty, and above all, a lot of love and affection. Marcus’ ideal partner is someone who isn’t afraid to shower him with love and who will, in turn, allow him to love them just as much.

42. What is a secret about your sim? He cries like rain to sad movies, which is why he avoids watching them in the company of others… he may be a certified softie, but he still has his dignity.

43. What is a wish your sim has? For his family to find a safe place to live. That’s all he asks for, really. ;_____;

44. What is a flaw your sim has? He’s very emotional and tends to let negative comments get to him a bit too easily… He also has a tendency to get overly defensive when he’s been hurt.

45. How do others generally perceive your sim? Very nice, soft-spoken, a bit shy.

46. Does your sim have a greatest achievement? Surviving the total annihilation of your hometown, surviving a shipwreck, AND surviving in a fiendish new environment is a pretty big achievement, I’d say.

47. If they have one, what is your sim’s greatest regret? Not spending more time with his mother while she was still alive. Or rather, not making the most out of the time he had with her.

48. Does your sim have a favourite emoji? Long gone are the days when he used to have a phone for texting… but back when he did, his most used emoji was a plain old smiley face.

49. Does your sim use simstagram? No electricity, no social media. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Though he was never much of a simstagram user even when he had the necessary equipment… he only had an account because all the other kids had one.

50. What is the last text your sim sent (and who did they text)? “I’m gonna b late. Sorry” - sent to a classmate he was supposed to do a school project with. Needless to say, they never got to meet up for that project…

#sims 2 #ts2 #sims #blackbird #marcus blackbird #tag meme #BACC #wyverns bay extras #mine

29 notes · View notes

unfortunatelysirius · 6 years ago

Text

╰☆☆ ℕ𝕆𝕋 𝕐𝕆𝕌ℝ 𝔾𝕀ℝ𝕃𝔽ℝ𝕀𝔼ℕ𝔻 ☆☆╮ [Sirius Black – Marauders Era] [Part 13]

Previous Installments: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7, Part 8, Part 9, Part 10, Part 11, Part 12 ╰❂╮ prompt ╰❂╮ ☾ ¡Original! ☾ Y/N and Regulus make a pact, and Sirius begins to uncover the truth. ╰❂╮ author’s note ╰❂╮ so so sorry for the huge wait, but here i am, and this is short (not terribly short but still short) but believeeeee me, the next part will be soon and will be big~ hope you guys are doing fantastic :]]] ╰❂╮ warnings ╰❂╮ Angst, Swearing ╰❂╮ word count ╰❂╮ 1843 ╰❂╮ tag-list ╰❂╮ @kapolisradomthoughts @rageofcaliban @saucyleftovers @bunnymother93 @siriuslyr5 @apareciumimagines @random-quartz @ruefulposts @seabasstiantrash @starlightspidey @pinkettepoet @peppermintspecks @jiongyongguk

“Regulus,” whispered Y/N, heart pounding erratically against her chest, “what is going on?”

There was nothing—nothing but the look of disdain he wore as a mask, and the blue, tremoring veins pressed against the tightly-woven flesh of his fist, an alarming feature that did not whisk by unnoticed. Observing him, Y/N could read nothing but his obvious fatigue, the tension in his shoulders, the way his hair appeared uncombed. The wrinkled composition of his robes. The resemblance he bore to Severus Snape at that moment was unsettling, though Y/N could tell it was not something he wanted—not in the slightest—and that alone caused an ache of sympathy to shoot through Y/N’s heart—

But observations aside, there was a reason she was called away from her obligations of sitting and dissecting pumpkin crumble to assist him as a conservational partner. The last part was certainly dubious. Of course, this was Regulus Black she was associating herself with; the boy was antisocial, and clever beyond a wit’s measure, and Y/N never saw him talking to anyone but a select few housemates and occasionally Sirius. The two of them weren’t friends. This had to be a serious matter, though the prejudiced part of Y/N wondered if his unsubtle request was a cruel joke, one he would allow Mulciber and Rosier and Goyle to perform on her.

“You’ve been Obliviated,” said Regulus, finally, in such a tone—dripping in finality—that Y/N startled. “Do you remember anything?”

Y/N pushed his words aside, her fear overruling rationality, the side which wanted to listen and understand what has caused everything to go so terribly wrong. She bit her lip, and frowned. “We shouldn’t be talking to each other—it could wind up getting you or me seriously hurt—“

“That’s not what matters here, Y/N!” Y/N, in all her years at Hogwarts, never thought Regulus to be capable of raising his voice. This caused her to blink, and to internally shrink, previous fight slowly faltering, like a dying animal. “I know the stories. I know the rumors. And I know you’re being a pawn to a bigger player’s game.”

Y/N’s frown deepened. “How did you know I was Obliviated? How do you know any of this?”

“Not the point,” Regulus said dismissively, and then hissed, “Any proper potions brewer can manipulate the potion to perform a supplement of its actual effect. Take Veritaserum; with proper handling, and proper instruction, any person with a brain can tamper it to make everything out of your mouth a lie, not truth.

“The same can be done to a love potion. You can tamper it, enchant it, to make whoever sips it temporarily smitten with the first person they see. But the strong brewers can use their words, make whoever you become smitten with whoever they want. And sometimes, they can mix it with other elements and ingredients, make it where you’re in a different mindset and following the heart of whoever it is. The last one’s easier. All you need is a lock of someone’s hair.”

Y/N gasped, horrified to think everything was suddenly making sense, then thought back to that fatal outing she had with Sirius:

{…} “The stars do look rather beautiful tonight,” said Y/N, raising her canteen at Sirius. She was the first to take a sip.

Then, she mumbled something. It was a hollow, throated sound, filled with monotonous desperation. And Y/N’s entire mind clouded, replaced with the thoughts of someone foreign, the feelings as foreign to her as water was to fire, and thoughts appeared, all at once.

I wonder if Father will allow me to marry Lucius. He’s the only kind one of my suitors. Oh, but Alex! He may be young, but he has an adventurous soul, though it is rather limited. I remember the flowers he brought me on Valentine’s…

Her gaze was now clearing and her eyelids were thickening, raising higher and higher and higher—all until she looked like a madwoman, breaths falling from her mouth in uneven intervals. “Alex. Alex. Oh, Alex.”

Sirius looked horrified. He reached across the table and grabbed her hands into his, ignoring how she recoiled at his touch—ignoring the repulsion on her mouth. “Y/N,” he said softly. “Who is Alex?”

Y/N—Narcissa—snatched her hands away from him. “Oh, Alex,” she whimpered. “How could he bear to know that someone with the name Black has touched my hand, has branded me a blood-traitor? He will never ask for my hand in marriage now. Never, never, never.”

Alex will never take the hand of a blood traitor. I am no blood-traitor. I am Narcissa Black, the only Black not crazy or a traitor, and Alex will take my hand in marriage.

“Oh my god,” said Y/N, no longer able to stand on her own two legs. She slowly slumped to the ground, bringing with her whatever dignity she had left.

Regulus crouched down, bringing up a hand to lay on Y/N’s knee. It may have looked suggestive to any mere passerby, but Y/N knew it was empathetic comfort, nothing more. “I’ll need to help you get back your memories, Y/N,” the boy said lowly, quiet enough that they were the only two souls to hear it. “But we cannot do it here. Meet me in the Restricted Section tonight, at midnight.”

Before Y/N could get a word out—specifically her affirmation for the idea---Regulus was standing and turning, leaving with a swish of his robes. It left Y/N with a rotten taste in her mouth, one that caused her to sink further into the ground, wishing she could be swallowed whole.

“Oh, Merlin,” Remus Lupin whispered, turning to look at Sirius after the four Marauders watched Regulus stride off and Y/N collapse. They’d heard most of everything, and the broken, remorseful expression on Sirius’s face was enough to make any living person’s chest ache. “Sirius…”

But Sirius wasn’t looking. And he wasn’t listening. He had his eyes clenched shut, looking to be totally void of any sense for the modern day, as he pulled at his hair, angry, angry, angry, like the only one he now wanted to punch and kick was himself.

Similarly, James wasn’t looking at either of them. And he held no attention for Peter, who was nervously looking at Remus, like he was the only one with any real sense. Instead, James was staring at Y/N. Watching her with this look of heart-churning realization, like his gut had wrenched itself inside-out. He’d been so angry at her, thinking she’d played some sick game with his best mate’s head, when in reality, they were all pawns to a bigger pawn’s game—just like Regulus had said.

And Regulus. James knew it was shameful for the four of them—the Marauders, known for their wit and intelligence—to be so stupidly blind. To allow Y/N to be hurt, and to hunt for answers all by herself, while they patted their friend on the back, brooding over the betrayal of someone who did nothing but wear her heart on her sleeve, like a true Gryffindor.

James was disappointed in himself. He should have known something was amiss, especially when Y/N came knocking on their door, desperate to reconcile. If she were truly ill-intentioned, she would not have come looking to apologize. She wouldn’t have seemed ready to cry when James had snapped at her, telling her to leave his best friend alone.

It was all a bloody mess. One that James had no clue how to fix.

One that Remus had no clue how to fix.

One that Peter had no clue how to fix.

One that Sirius had no clue how to fix.

Y/N stood, onto shaky legs. She could feel her heart pounding, and her body aching, as though she’d been pummeled by the sky a thousand times over. And she could feel her heart hurting, more than it had ever hurt before, because this time it was due to fallen memories, dying from the absence it held of answers she needed, ones made complicated by the flourish of a fucking wand.

She wanted to scream. She wanted to cry. She wanted to pound her fists into the dirt, yelling for a mercy that no one—not even Merlin himself—would grant.

This situation was painful. So painful and so consequential that Y/N was looking to a stranger for guidance, a boy who she once thought washed with insensible, parental bullshit, now capable of compassion, and willing to help her, even though she was broken—broken beyond prepare.

And here was the broken girl, walking slowly away from the place where she’d lost her dignity, heading to where she’d stay until it was time for answers, her dormitory, because she had nowhere else to go, and not a single soul to curve into for comfort.

And even now, she was hallucinating the idea of Sirius, for he was standing in the next corridor, there with his friends, three blokes once dearly close to Y/N, before she’d lost them. And he seemed so real, too, because he was staring at her, with these round, bloodshot eyes, just staring, so terribly sad and heartbroken that Y/N just wanted to hug him.

She ached to touch him again, to hold him dear and close—just as she dreamed and just as she now deluded herself into imagining. It was beautiful. And heart-wrenching.

Something Y/N kept thinking, and yearning for, that she could hardly feel or return the hard, abrupt, and clumsy hug she suddenly received from Sirius Black himself.

She was frozen. She was concerned. She questioned her own sanity because his arms felt so real, his hair felt so real, his tears felt so real. Was he real? Was this a ghost of the past? Was this a dream? Or would he get brutally ripped from her, leaving her in the essence of a nightmare?

She was unsure. She was stuck. Until he murmured three words, against the base of her throat, words that brought air bubbles into her heart’s pitter-pattering beat, that had a hiccupping sob erupting from her mouth—

“I’m so sorry.”

And Y/N’s arms returned the hug, feverishly, like she might never hug again. Like he might disappear, and she’d be left with nothing. But he was physical flesh. He was physical bone. He was a beautiful canvas, one Y/N desperately sought to ruin, over and over again, until he was her flesh, until he was her bone.

“I love you,” he sobbed into her hair. “I’m so sorry. I’m sorry.”

And though Y/N wanted to pound at his chest and scream at him for shredding apart her heart and leaving her with nothing, she felt no other feeling than love, than wholeness, for her heart was no longer shredded. It had come back together into a puzzle of pieces meant only for one man, whose name was Sirius.

He was here, living, breathing—and he still loved her. And that was all that mattered.

#sirius black x reader #sirius black fanfiction #sirius black fanfic #young!sirius black #sirius black #siriusblack #sirius black imagine #james potter #remus lupin #peter pettigrew #lily evans #regulus black #marauders era #marauders map #marauders cas #marauders headcanon #harry potter x reader #harry potter fanfiction #harry potter imagine

220 notes · View notes

ongshat · 5 years ago

Text

For a comprehensive list of most of my print work (not including magazine articles) see this list on Goodreads.

All my works dedicated to the memory of my dearly departed friends: The members of The Formless Ocean Group – Nina Graboi, Elizabeth Gips, Paddy Long, Betsy Herbert, and Robert Anton Wilson. Also to my departed friends: Dave, DW Cooper, Dr. Hyatt (Alan) and humdog.

PAST WORK

Beats In Time: A Literary Generation’s Legacy (Chapter 12 is my interview with Diane DiPrima) also to be included in Conversations with Diane di Prima to be published by the University Press of Mississippi, in 2021/22.

Transmedia: Who Invited the Lobsters Anyway?

Legend-Tripping Online: Supernatural Folklore and the Search for Ong’s Hat by Michael Kinsell – While clearly this is a book about my transmedia project it also includes a lot of things that I wrote as examples, so I include it here. Metamodernism, anyone?

Rebels and Devils: The Psychology of Liberation edited by Christopher S. Hyatt, Ph.D. introduced by S. Jason Black foreword by Nicholas Tharcher contributions by William S. Burroughs Joseph C. Lisiewski, Ph.D. Timothy Leary Ph.D., Robert Anton Wilson, Austin Osman Spare, Genesis P-Orridge, Aleister Crowley, Joseph Matheny, Peter J. Carroll, Israel Regardie, Jack Parsons, Phil Hine, Osho, and many others

Black Book Omega: CIRQUE APOKLYPSIS by Christopher S. Hyatt, Ph.D. Joseph Matheny, Nick Pell, Calvin Iwema, Wes Unruh, Antero Alli (more info here)

Contributor YouTube: An Insider’s Guide to Climbing the Charts (more info here)

Introduction to The Art of Memetics Aside: When I posted about this book on Greylodge, Seth Godin references the post as a good example of “How to write like a blogger“ This made me happy. 😉

Contributor/Editor:This is Not a Game: A Guide to Alternate Reality Gaming with Dave Szulborski (Excerpt here )I edited and contributed to : “This Is Not a Game” which was included in the annual Tween market report that went to marketing executives worldwide in the toy, gaming and youth market industries. Also, I appeared as myself/in character, in person, in the “Catching the Wish” ARG by Dave.

Third Realm (The Yellow King) Written and executed by me, produced in conjunction with Foolish People http://www.argn.com/2009/10/puzzles_for_the_apocalyps

4P2 My first foray into the True Crime arena. Formula: Just put up a single, spooky web page, that purports to be a recruitment drive for an organization whose actual existence is speculative at best and at worst is fiction presented as fact or paranoid, hysterical hand-waving in the interest of selling books and you will get all kinds of reactions. In all fairness, I think the theories mentioned read as good fantasy crime fiction and this was a conceptual attempt at that very thing. Apparently, it succeeded. The unnerving side of this was the equal amount of applications I received asking to join (Really? Join a group of underground serial killers? Really?) or outright death threats by people who really believe in such things. (Someone summed it up pretty well in this article from The Fenris Wolf)

the-fenriswolf-iss-no-4-pp-87-116 PDF Excerpt

El Centro & OMEGA This was a ARG/Transmedia style story with occult/horror/conspiracy elements, started in 2004 and ended in 2006. It utilized Web, print (booklet), radio, phone trees, theater and news wire services. [A version of the doughnut shop scene from this story was used in Amsterdam production of Terra: Extremitas by Foolish People.] This project was done in collaboration my late friend Dave Szulborski. There’s a LOOOOOONG story about this project. So long in fact that it will take up at least three chapters in an future book.

Contributor: What Would Bill Hicks Say with Ben Mack, Amelia the Great and Soft Skull Press (along with Jeff Danziger and Martyn Turner; writers Neal Pollack, Robert Newman, and A.L. Kennedy; and Thom Yorke of Radiohead and others…)

Contributor: 2004-2005 Exquisite Language project for the 2004 ELfest and collected in the Spring 2005 issue of of 2 Gyrlz Quarterly. NOW AVAILABLE AT POWELLS.COM

Introduction, afterward and editing for Poker Without Cards– First Edition. I orchestrated the first release campaign for this book, with the main character becoming “real”on the Internet for a while. After the first few months I turned it over to the author. (statement regarding this work here)

GALT’S ARK: The Black Symphony, First and Second Movements Produced by Cthulhu The Players: Joseph Matheny, Christopher S. Hyatt, Ph.D., Father Daniel Suders & Nicholas Tharcher Illustrated by S. Jason Black, Jonathan Sellers, Weirdpixie & MobiusFrame

THE BLACK BOOK Volume III, Part I

THE BLACK BOOK Volume III, Part II

(The Black Books are considered the workbooks for The Psychopath’s Bible, which I wrote an infamous jacket blurb for.)

The Incunabula: Ong’s Hat Project [ Reviews | Interviews, etc. | Wikipedia | History] This was a ARG/Transmedia style story started in 1988 and ended in 2001. It utilized zines, BBS, early Internet, Web, CD ROM, CD Audio, DVD, print (book, graphic novel and magazine), radio, phone trees, fax, and news wire services. I gained and leveraged exposure in both the mainstream and alternative media to distribute over 2 million copies of CD ROM, ebook and print versions of the story combined. Story elements from Ong’s Hat were also included in the EA Game, Majestic which unfortunately ended prematurely due to 9/11. It was the subject of a full 4 hour show on Coast to Coast AM, been the subject of an article on the Weekly World News and been covered on many radio shows world wide, books, newspapers, magazines, etc. Links to media here.

Description: “…a bizarre Internet phenomenon: an “immersive” online experience—part mystery, part game, part who knows what—known as both the Incunabula Papers and Ong’s Hat. The Incunabula Papers/Ong’s Hat was, or is, a “many-threaded, open-ended interactive narrative” that ”weds an alternate history of chaos science and consciousness studies to conspiracy theories, parallel dimensions, and claims that computer-mediated environments can serve as magical tools…. the documents provoked a widespread “immersive legend-trip” in the late 1990s. Via Web forums, participants investigated the documents—manifestos—which spun up descriptions of brilliant but suppressed discoveries relating to paths that certain scientists had forged into alternate realities. Soon, those haunted dimensions existed in the minds and fantasies of Ong’s Hat’s many participants. That was evident as they responded to the original postings by uploading their own—all manner of reflections and artifacts: personal anecdotes, audio recordings, and videos—to augment what became “a really immersive world, and it was vast”. – The Chronicle of Higher Education—-

“Ong’s Hat was more of an experiment in transmedia storytelling than what we would now consider to be an ARG but its DNA – the concept of telling a story across various platforms and new media- is evident in every alternate reality game that came after.” – Games Magazine 2013

Though Ong’s Hat may not have set out to be an ARG, the methods by which the author interacted with participants and used different platforms to build and spread its legend has been reflected in later games. –Know Your Meme

The Incunabula Papers are arguably the first immersive online legend complex that introduced readers to a host of content, including what religious historian Robert Ellwood has called the “alternative reality tradition. – Legend-Tripping Online: Supernatural Folklore and the Search for Ong’s Hat

As a companion piece to understanding some of the history of the transmedia work that centered around Ong”s Hat you may also want to read Legend-Tripping Online: Supernatural Folklore and the Search for Ong’s Hat, reviewed here.

The Incunabula Papers CDROM was recently included in the BNF (Bibliothèque nationale de France) digital art collection.

Game Over? (currently re-vamping this for re-release)…but if you just HAVE to have it now, someone is selling one for $900 over here. 😛

What Really Happened at Ong’s Hat?

The Incunabula Papers (CD ROM) Free ebook versions here

Incunabula: The Graphic Novel Free ebook version here

Why DVD? (B and N Digital Bestseller)

A booklet published in April-99

Over 100,000 in circulation to date

Available from booksellers nationwide in October reprinted by:

DVD Creation Magazine

Videography Magazine

(printed copy sent out with each issue – July,1999)

Video Systems magazine

and many others

Convergence 2000 (B and N Digital Bestseller) Free ebook version here

Covert Culture Sourcebook

Earth Dance 2000 (Video and DVD)

The Millennium Whole Earth Catalog

Transmedia Litany (with Genesis P’Orridge)

Thee psychick bible

esoterrorist (publisher)

My idea for an Exquisite Corpse jacket blurb using faxes. (WSB missed inclusion by a day). Used on Esoterrist

Banishing Ritual (cover) with Illusion of Safety (audio here)

The Last Book

Also contributed a few articles to Bob and Arlen Wilson’s Trajectories.

A write up I did about my old friend Rob Brezsny for disinfo.com

Interview that I did with with Beat poet and author Diane DiPrima

Nina Graboi Interview, bOING bOING, Number 8 (written under my nom de plume: Michael Kelly)

I’ve contributed articles to AlwaysOn and Adotas. I’ve contributed book, music, and movie reviews to Gnosis and Magical Blend in the past as well as the old Boing-Boing print magazine and Fringeware Review. Note, in the interest of full disclosure, I’d sometimes contribute more than one article or review to a single publication and to avoid the appearance of saturation, I’d use the pen name: Michael Kelly for some of the articles.

Writing For a comprehensive list of most of my print work (not including magazine articles) see this list on Goodreads…

1 note · View note

badstoriesaboutgoodpeople · 6 years ago

Text

Amnesia

AN: Hey! This is the first fanfic I’ve written in years, so please be nice to me lol. It’s based on the song Amnesia by 5sos, basically I wrote about Tyler breaking up with his girlfriend to move to Dallas, and of course I also wrote their eventual reunion. It’s really cheesy and I kinda hate it, but that’s ok. I hope you guys enjoy it because I read a lot of fanfics and I know how frustrating it is to read poorly written/boring work. Also I know I said this was going up on the 8th but I didn’t really want to wait because I have my Jujhar Khaira fic to post, I just posted something about PLD on my ao3, I’m in the middle of writing another fic about Tyler, and I have fics planned for draisaitl and mcdavid.

Warnings: none really, it’s sad for a bit but then it’s fluffy

You got home from work to find Tyler sitting on your couch, which wasn't an uncommon sight. You'd given him a key to your apartment when you'd moved in, and he'd often come over to watch movies after a game, or come help you make dinner when he had nothing better to do. You’d been dating for a few years, you got together before his NHL debut. What was uncommon about seeing him sitting there were the tears on his face.

"Tyler, what's wrong?" you asked, placing your purse on the ground and kicking off your heels before walking over to sit next to him on the couch. He didn't respond, he merely buried his face in your neck and continued crying.

"Ty, hun, tell me what has you so upset."

"I'm leaving."

"What do you mean you're leaving Ty, what's going on?"

"I got traded Y/N, I'm moving to Dallas."You sat there stunned, not knowing how to respond. You felt your eyes water at the thought of being without him, but you knew you couldn't let yourself be upset right now, Ty needed you to be strong. You feel his arms squeeze you tighter, and you were forced back to reality.

"What are we gonna do Y/N, you just got a promotion, you can't leave."

"We can try to make it work Ty..... we can Skype every night?" you offered, knowing this wasn't a solution, but not wanting to think about the reality of what would likely end up happening to your relationship.

"Y/N..... you know how busy I'll be, there's no way we would be able to make that work," Ty said while sniffling.

"I know, I just can't imagine being without you Ty. I'm happy for you though, maybe a fresh start will be good for you. You're a great player, Dallas is lucky to have you."

You spent the rest of the night in each other's arms, fearing what would happen once you let go.

Three Years Later

You were driving home from work one day, and you passed the restaurant Tyler and you used to frequent after he'd won a game, remembering the nights you spent there together with the rest of his team celebrating.

I thought about our last kiss, how it felt, the way you tasted

You thought back to the last time you kissed Tyler, in the airport before his flight to Dallas. He tasted like his favourite peppermint gum, and his lips felt soft and familiar against yours. You had agreed to break up before he left and he got a girlfriend shortly after his arrival, so the few times you'd been able to make it to Dallas to visit him, you weren't able to kiss him, and it's something you missed dearly.

Even though your friends tell me you're doing fine, are you somewhere feeling lonely when though she's right beside you?

You had made friends with some of Tyler's teammates the few times you'd travelled to Dallas, and you made a point to text Jaime regularly to make sure Tyler was doing alright. You still talk to Ty, but knowing him he won't tell you if anything is wrong. You still wonder if he's hiding something, but you have to tell myself there's nothing else you can do.

If what we had was real, how could you be fine? 'Cause I'm not fine at all

You haven't been able to find a date since Tyler left, knowing nobody would be able to fill the void that Ty left. It wouldn't be fair to date someone when you’re still pining after your first love who now lives almost 2,000 miles away. You tried dating apps and even blind dates set up by your friends, but they all fell short compared to what you'd had with Ty. You still wonder how he managed to find someone just months after moving to Dallas, how he was able to get over the years you had together so quickly.

I wish that I could wake up with amnesia, and forget about the stupid little things, like the way it felt to fall asleep next to you.

The first few months of sleeping alone had been torture. You'd become so used to falling asleep next to him that you found it impossible to sleep without him. No amount of pillows could replicate the feeling of him next to you, snoring quietly and occasionally mumbling in his sleep. You would often lay awake at night wondering what your life would be like if you had fought harder to keep him with you. You think about what would've happened if you'd quit your job and moved to Dallas with him. Truthfully you still do think about it, when you can't sleep or when you sit alone at my desk at work eating lunch.

October

One day your boss called you into his office, with a proposal. He told you they're planning on opening a new location in the south, and that they'd love to have you there working for them. You swore you misheard him because it sounded like he just said it will be in Dallas. You immediately took the offer, willing to take any opportunity you had to get closer to Tyler after three years without him in your life. You pulled out your phone to text Jaime once you returned to your desk.

Y/N: hey uh weird question but do u know if ty is single rn?

J: he's painfully single, he complains about it every chance he gets

Y/N: on a scale from 1-10 how happy do u think he'd be if he found out I'm moving to dallas for work

J: probably a 10 tbh, he misses you more than he'd like to admit

Y/N: I'm planning on surprising him will u help me? make sure he doesn't find out I'm moving!!

J: will do, look forward to seeing ur stupid face again

You also texted Ty, and begin laying the foundation for your surprise.

Y/N: hey ty, i know i said id try to make it to dallas for ur bday but I'm getting really busy at work rn :( my boss says it doesn't look like ill be able to get time off until march. i promise ill come down then, I'm really sorry i won't be there for ur bday

T:Hey! No worries Y/N, I understand. I look forward to seeing you in march :)

January 28th

You arrived in Dallas two weeks ago, and avoiding Ty had been pure agony. You met up with Jaime and a few of the other guys for dinner, getting all the updates on their lives and Tyler's. You found out he has three dogs now, and you must say you're not surprised. Tyler and you were going to adopt a puppy but then he got traded, and you knew it was only a matter of time before he finally got one. You decide to text him to put the finishing touches on your surprise.

Y/N: hey stranger!! I sent u a bday gift, it should hopefully arrive sometime soon :D

T: aw thx, you know you didn't have to get me anything

Y/N: hey, i had to make up for missing ur bday somehow. I hope you like it!

T: ill love anything you picked out for me :)

Y/N: oh shut up XD

You decided his "gift" is going to arrive on the 30th, considering you wanted to be with him on his birthday, plus you didn't know how much longer you could wait to see him. You texted Jaime and tell him to make sure Tyler doesn't have any plans that day, and you went to buy some balloons. You bought some green and white ones for Dallas, and some yellow and black just for good measure. You squished them in my car and drive back to your apartment buzzing with excitement.

January 30th

You woke up an hour before your alarm was set, unable to contain your excitement. It was only 8AM, but you decided to text Tyler to let him know his "gift" would be arriving soon.

Y/N:hey ty, just checked the tracking and it says ur gift should arrive this afternoon

T:ooooh any hints?

Y/N:no!! be paaaaaaatient

T: but that's no fun :(

You smiled as you set your phone down and began to get ready. As 1PM rolled around you could hardly contain your excitement anymore. You still felt a slight bit of anxiety, worrying Tyler won't be as happy to see you as you were hoping he'd be. You heard your phone buzz, and see a text from Jaime.

J: hurry up and go take back your bf, if i have to hear him bitch about being lonely one more time i s2g ill scoop my own brain out w a spoon

Y/N:stop being so dramatic I'm just about to leave

You gathered the balloons and the gift bag containing some snacks from back home in Boston, a card from all his friends, and a nice watch you'd picked out for him. You glanced at yourself in the mirror and took a deep breath as you walked out the door of your apartment.

You soon find yourself in his driveway, and you could barely contain yourself as you got the balloons out. You slowly walked up to the door, unable to believe what you were about to do. You knocked loudly, and heard a dog begin to bark.

You heard a familiar voice shout, "Gerry! Be quiet! It's just the mailman for god's sake," and hear footsteps approaching.

You felt a huge smile form on your face as Tyler opened the door and was greeted with a face all of balloons.

"Surprise!" you yelled, feeling what you assume was Gerry jumping all over you.

".......Y/N? What are you doing here? I thought you couldn't get time off?" Tyler said in disbelief, and you felt two strong arms wrap around your shoulders and squeeze you tight.

"That may have been a lie...." you said sheepishly, handing him the balloons and gift bag. He looked so much different than the scrawny boy that left Boston, now sporting a full beard and tattooed arms. You took a moment to savour being around him again, before he ushered you inside.

"So how are you? I feel like I haven't talked to you in forever?" you asked, sitting down on a large couch in his well decorated family room.

"You literally texted me this morning," he replied, sitting beside you while the other two dogs attempted to climb over him to come say hi.

"Don't be a smartass, you know what I mean. We haven't had a proper conversation since before the season started."

"Things have been great. I love it here, the weather is so much better than Boston. The guys here are awesome, the chemistry we have as a team is amazing. I still miss home though, those guys will always be my family. I miss you too, you know. I tried to replace you but I just couldn't. Hell, I bought three dogs and even that didn't work. You're clearly pretty special Y/N, if even three cute labs can't replace you," said Tyler, with a hint of sadness in his eyes. It hit you then that you had to tell him you weren’t leaving, that you could finally be together again.

"Hey, you gotta open your present, I traveled a long way to deliver it personally," you joked, handing him the gift bag. You watched his eyes light up as he saw the snacks, and a large smile form when he read what his former teammates wrote for him. You told him you can return the watch if he doesn't like it, but he insisted he loves it. You laid on the couch for a bit, and you could tell he wanted to get closer to you but won't.

After a while he asked, "Hey Y/N, how long are you in town for?"

"Well I was gonna wait to give you the last bit of your surprise but since you asked I guess I can tell you. I moved here, Ty. I've been here for two weeks. The company is opening a location here and they wanted me to come work here. Once they told me it was in Dallas I couldn't resist."

You watched a look of realization develop on his face, and the next thing you knew his lips were against yours. They were just as soft as you remembered them, and he still tasted like peppermint. Without saying a word you felt him pick you up.

"Tyler what are you doing?!" I shriek as he begins walking somewhere.

"Making up for the three years I spent without you," he explains as he carried you down the hall towards his bedroom.

#tyler seguin #tyler seguin imagine #nhl #dallas stars #nhl imagine #nhl imagines #hockey oneshot #hockey writing #hockey imagines

110 notes · View notes

branlovestowrite · 6 years ago

Text

Score One for the Coach

This is the story that I wrote for the @fallforcs event. I live in Northeast Florida, and we don’t often see many of the traditional markers of fall, like cooler weather and turning leaves, until much later in the year. But one fall tradition that is universal to the south is football. I grew up on football, and I knew it was fall when the regular season games started.

When I had to pick a fall topic to write a story about, football was one of the first things that came to mind. I must send a HUGE thank you to my beta @jonirobinson64. She not only helped me focus and fine-tune the story but also helped me pick the title. She was such a joy to work with, and I am really glad the mods assigned her to be my beta.

I also want to thank the mods of Fall for CS. This was a fun event. I loved the blind date with a fanfic concept. I hope it will be repeated in the future.

Thanks also goes to my artist, @nicole-nikla who created the lovely banner for this story.

Score One for the Coach

Summary: When her son takes up football, Emma Swan starts attending games to support him. She just wants to cheer on her kid, but all the other moms want to set her up with the team's coach, Killian Jones. No matter how good looking he is, she hates set-ups. But can she really resist his charms once she starts getting to know him better?

Rating: T for mild language and some light petting (nothing explicit)

Trigger Warning: brief mention of deaths of minor characters in the past (this is an AU, but Killian still lived through some of same tragedies that he does in canon)

AO3 Fanfiction

Emma cringed as she watched Henry get tackled for the third time that day. He had insisted on playing football this year, and it was the first extracurricular activity his dad Neal supported and was willing to pay for. So, despite her concerns about injury, she hadn't tried very hard to talk her son out of playing. She was just happy there was finally something that allowed her ex to connect with his son.

Henry was good at the sport when he paid attention, but today was not one of those days. He kept looking to the bleachers to see when his dad was going to show up, and the defensive players were taking advantage of his distraction. Luckily he hadn't given up any points… yet. Being one of the fastest runners at his school, he'd been given the position of Running Back. His slight stature and ability to weave through obstacles had dubbed him the team's secret weapon. The other team wouldn’t see him coming until it was too late. But he had to avoid getting tackled to make that work, and today he was doing a very poor job of it.

The coach blew his whistle. “Swan! Get your head in the game! Our first real matchup is Thursday. We need you focused!”

Emma couldn't help but swoon just a little at the football coach’s accented speech. His elegant tone made even the most mundane platitudes sound exciting. And, even if she thought he might be granting a little too much importance to a game played by middle school kids, she appreciated his motivation tactics. He never lashed out in anger or tried to embarrass the kids. Instead he reminded them how dependent they were on each other.

“Sorry Coach Jones,” Henry called back.

“Don't apologize to me. Apologize to your teammates.” He blew his whistle again. “Everyone bring it in. Let's do a water break. The weather hasn't caught up with the date yet.”

Emma fanned herself as she silently agreed with him. The weather in their North Georgia town was still hot, despite the September date. She was ready for fall and cooler temperatures.

“Oh my god, I know. He's so hot, right?” came a voice from her left. Emma looked over to see Ariel Seafarer, whose daughter Melody was the team's Kicker. Ariel was a beautiful woman with thick red hair, creamy smooth skin, and bright green eyes. She had a personality to match, being one of the kindest people Emma had ever met, outside of her sister-in-law Mary Margaret. She was also very happily married to her husband Eric for fifteen years, so why was she ogling the coach?

Emma realized she was staring awkwardly and quickly averted her gaze before replying. “Oh, um, no. I was thinking about the weather, actually.”

Ariel smiled. “Oh yeah, that too. But it only serves to highlight his muscles more when he wears those tight shirts to try and combat the heat.” Emma opened her mouth to reply, but Ariel pressed on. “ And no, there is nothing wrong with my marriage. I love Eric dearly. But I still have eyes!” she said with a giggle.

“I um… I guess…?” Emma didn't know how to respond.

“You should ask him out sometime! You're both single. Then you could tell me all about it and help feed my fantasies.”

“Ask who out?” came a voice from behind them as Neal settled on the bleachers next to Emma.

“No one,” Emma replied, shooting a warning look to Ariel. “Where were you?” she asked, changing the subject as she turned to face him. “The scrimmage is almost over.”

He rubbed his hand through his shaggy brown hair and looked at her with his big, brown, puppy dog eyes. “Shit, I'm sorry, Ems. I got held up at work. I promise I'll be on time for the game on Thursday. That's the important thing, right?”

“Don't apologize to me. Apologize to your son.” It wasn't lost on Emma that her words echoed those of Coach Jones. “But don't give him empty promises. If you say you're going to be there, be there.”

“Alright, alright. I got it. You don’t have to badger me. I’ll be there with bells on, okay?”

She bit her lip to hold back the snarky reply waiting on the tip of her tongue. Neal’s nonchalance infuriated her. She’d found it charming when she first met him. She thought he was too cool to give a damn about anything. But now that he treated their son with the same laissez faire attitude, she wished Neal would learn to be conscientious. She would never trade her son for anything, but she chastised herself constantly for having ever hooked up with his father.

Thankfully, the rest of the scrimmage went well, and, as it wrapped up, she was glad to see the broad grin on Henry’s face when he saw his father. Neal walked onto the field to greet his son, and Emma trailed behind.

“Mrs. Swan?” She heard Coach Jones say as he approached her.

She smiled awkwardly at him. “Just Miss Swan, Coach Jones. How can I help you?” She struggled to maintain her composure up close. He was so good looking, with his dark hair, broad shoulders, soulful blue eyes and artful scruff covering his rugged jaw.

“I was hoping to have a chance to speak with you about Henry in private. I have some concerns about his behavior.” She felt her face pale at his words, which he must have noticed because he scrambled to amend his statement. “Oh! No, nothing dire, I assure you. Henry is a good boy.”

“Of course he is! He’s my son!” Neal said as he walked up with Henry at his side, his arm around the boy’s shoulder.

“Mom! Can we go get pizza?” Henry asked, his pleading brown eyes an exact match of his father's, only with more sincerity.

“Um, yeah, let me just finish up with Coach Jones and I can meet you guys there. Where are you going?”

“Oh, well, I was kinda hoping I could have some guy time with Henry…” Neal replied, a sheepish smile spreading across his face.

“It’s a school night, Neal,” Emma began.

“Please Mom! Dad can drop me off at the apartment when we’re done. I promise I’ll still get my homework done.”

She felt her resolve weaken. It was hard to deny Henry time with his father, an all too rare occurrence. “Fine,” Emma said. She turned her steely gaze to Neal, “You better have him home by 9:00 at the latest.”

“Yes officer.”

His mother’s permission having been granted, Henry headed off to the locker rooms to change. Neal called out that he'd be waiting for his son at the car, and, after a breezy goodbye to Emma, he headed that way. The field emptied out, but Coach Jones was still there.

“Well,” Emma started as she walked over to him. “It appears my evening has opened up. I’m free now if you want to talk.”

“Why don’t we get dinner at Granny’s?” Jones suggested. “I am afraid I unnecessarily worried you earlier, and I’d like to make up for my gaff.”

She couldn’t help but chuckle at his slyness. “Okay Coach Jones, I’ll meet you for dinner, but I’m paying for my own meal.”

“Alright,” he said with a smile, the corners of his eyes crinkling adorably. “But please, call me Killian.”

She returned his smile. “Only if you call me Emma.”

Sitting across from Emma Swan, Killian found his usual cool demeanor failing him. He’d been attracted to Henry’s mother from the moment he saw her, but told himself that he could never do more than admire her from afar. He wasn’t sure what possessed him to suggest they go out to dinner tonight. This conversation could just as easily have happened in his office. On school grounds. With other people around. Meeting her like this, in such a casual setting, felt almost like a date.

Thankfully, Emma did not seem afflicted by the same anxiety. “So, you said you had some concerns about Henry?”

“Ah, yes,” Killian began, clearing his throat. “Henry is a good boy, and he plays hard, but he seems overly focused on how others perceive him. He shows a talent for football, but I have noticed that his best performances always occur when his father is around.”

“I’ve seen that too,” she replied, her voice low. “He’s always been more of an introverted kid, writing stories and playing fantasy games with his friends. Neal has always pressed him to be more outgoing. I think that’s the only reason he tried out for football, to connect with his dad.”

“That’s an understandable motivation, but I need Henry to be more consistent. We can’t hinge all our games on whether or not his father will be there.” He paused, gauging her reaction before continuing. “I would like to have a conversation with him along these lines, but, considering the sensitive topic, I wanted to consult with you before I do so.”

She stared at him, and he could not interpret the look on her face. He had a moment of panic, fearing he'd overstepped his bounds, before the corners of her mouth lifted into a small smile. “Thank you… for offering to talk with him, but I think this would be better received coming from me.”

“That would be perfect. Henry is truly an asset to our team. I am proud to be coaching him.”

The waitress appeared then and they placed their orders. Once the menus were taken away, Emma placed her hands on the table and cocked her head slightly while she looked at him. He couldn’t help but admire her intelligent green eyes, soft skin, high cheekbones, and golden hair. He’d always found Emma Swan to be beautiful, but being this close to her, he saw now that she was more than beautiful- she was captivating.

Her soft pink lips fell open, and he realized with a start that he’d been gawking at her. He felt his cheeks flush as he picked up his glass and took a long sip of water.

“So,” she began, mercifully breaking the tension, “how did you end up coaching middle school football in Northeast Georgia? I hope I’m not wrong in assuming you’re not a native, considering your accent.”

He chuckled. “You are correct. I was raised in England, but I came to America when I was a freshman in high school. I was much more familiar with the version of football you Yanks call soccer, but there weren’t many options to play soccer in the town I lived in, so I learned American football. I played well enough to be awarded a college scholarship. Not well enough to earn fame and fortune, but it paid for me to get my degree.”

“As a teacher, right? How long have you been doing that?”

“Aye. I’ve been teaching for about ten years, but I only started coaching two years ago.”

“And you like being a coach?”

“I do. I’m glad I took on this responsibility. I love teaching, but coaching gives me an entirely different sense of fulfillment.”

“I should know this,” she said with a shy smile, “but what subject do you teach?”

“Eighth grade English and literature.”

“How’d you end up teaching middle school? That’s a hard age group. I am extremely lucky to have an easy kid like Henry, but even I get frustrated now and then.”

“Middle School is a difficult time of life, and that is just when students need extra support. I won’t tell you that I’ve never had a student bring me to my wit’s end, but for the most part I truly enjoy working with middle schoolers.”

“Well, I have to thank you. Henry really likes having you as a coach. He’s always going on about something ‘Coach J’ said. I’m glad he has someone like you setting an example for him.”

“I’m happy to be there for him.” He took another sip and looked at her, raising a single eyebrow. “Your turn, love. How did you end up working for the Sheriff’s office?”

“My brother’s the Sheriff.”

“Truly? David Nolan is your brother?”

“Yep. Well, by adoption, but he’s never treated me like anything less than his true sister.”

“I like David. I’ve only been able to interact with him on a few occasions, but I can see that he is a truly good person.”

“Do you know Mary Margaret? She teaches at the elementary school, so you two might not have met.”

“We've crossed paths a few times, at teacher meetings and the like. I have yet to meet a more upbeat person.”

“Truer words were never spoken,’ she said with a chuckle. “I wonder why you and I haven't ever seen each other before? It seems like we've both been in Storybrooke for a while, and it's not like it's a large town.”

“I've seen you, love. Several times. It just never felt right to approach you.”

“Why not?”

“You're a parent. Teacher parent relations outside of school aren't expressly forbidden, but they are discouraged.”

“Oh, right, of course.” Emma drew back, seemingly reluctant to have gone down this path in their conversation. Luckily she was saved by the arrival of their food.

After they'd both taken a few bites, Killian picked up the conversation once more. “So, have you always lived in Storybrooke?”

“No. I came here when I was twelve.”

“What brought you here?”

“Um…” she hesitated, putting her sandwich back on her plate and wiping her hands on a napkin. “It's not an easy story.”

She’d rested her hand on the table, and he gently placed his own hand over it. “You can trust me, Swan. I'll not spill your secrets.” He met her eyes with an earnest gaze.

She smiled nervously. “It's not exactly a secret. I'm surprised you haven't heard my story through the rumor mill already.”

“I haven't, but even if I had, I would prefer to hear the truth from you.”

Her smile bloomed into a radiant grin for just a brief moment, and it was like he was looking into the sun. As she began speaking, however, her countenance changed to a more pensive expression. “I was born in Maine, but my parents abandoned me when I was just a few days old. I don't know who they were. I got put in foster care. A family took me in, but when I was three they had their own child and I was moved.”

“They could just give up a child they'd adopted?”

“I was never adopted. They only fostered me.” She took a deep breath, her voice a little shaky. “After that I kind of bounced around. I'm told I was a willful child and gave most of the families a hard time. By the time I was twelve, I was living in group homes, and I'd had enough.”

“What did you do?”

“I stole some cash and bought a bus ticket. I wasn't really sure where I wanted to go, but I had just enough money for a ticket to Atlanta, so I took that as a sign.”

“You, as a twelve year-old, rode a bus from Maine to Atlanta?”

“From Boston, actually. That's where I'd been placed originally.”

“What did you do when you arrived?”

“Starved, mostly. But then I met David and his mother Ruth, completely by chance. And David, being David, wouldn't let me walk away. It took a while, but I eventually learned to trust them, and they took me in. Ruth adopted me when I was sixteen. I only got a few years with her after that, but I cherish every one. She was an amazing woman.”

“She sounds like it.”

Emma sniffled slightly before taking in a deep breath. “So, tell me more about you. You said you came to the states as a high school freshman. What brought you here?”

“Well, like you, it’s not exactly a happy tale. I grew up with my mother and older brother. Our father abandoned us when I was very young.” He paused to clear his throat. The next part of the story never got easier, no matter how often he told it. “When I was thirteen, Mum got sick very suddenly. Cancer, late stage. Liam was in the Navy, stationed on a submarine, and we couldn’t contact him. She died quickly, and, as I had no other family nearby, the social worker contacted my father. To this day I don’t know how she was able to obtain his contact information so easily when Mum hadn’t heard from him in ages.”

Killian looked down at his plate, idly picking the sesame seeds off the bun of his hamburger. He lifted his head and saw Emma watching him without any pity, just understanding, and it was a balm to his nerves. Having lost his appetite, he shoved the plate to the side, but felt compelled to continue his tale. He found himself wanting to share things with Emma that he hadn’t been willing to share with another person for a very long time.

“So,” he said, taking a deep breath, “turns out dear old Dad was living in the States, in Florida. When he heard about Mum, he offered to take me in, even paying for my airfare. I didn’t want to go, but he was still legally my father. It was all over before Liam even heard about our mother’s death. Liam tried to get custody of me, but it was a very difficult battle, especially once I was stateside and in my father’s care. Dad had turned over a new leaf. He had a new American wife and a little boy named Will. Pretty hard to get a judge to agree that living with my bachelor elder brother was a better situation.”

“It must have been really hard for you, coming to a new country, not having your brother, and having to reconnect with your father.”

“It was. I was very angry. Dad had his perfect little family. I resented him for leaving us behind. He tried to give me excuses, but I wouldn’t listen. His wife, Maria, was the person who saved me from myself. She has the patience of a saint, that one. She convinced me to visit a therapist, reconnected me with Liam, and even helped me make a plan to move back to the UK once I was legally an adult.”

“Did you go back?”

“No… um…” his throat choked up. “Liam was killed in an accident two years later.”

“Oh Killian, I am so sorry!” She got up and moved to his side of the booth, taking his hand in her own and rubbing soothing circles on the back with her thumb.

“Thank you, love” he said, his voice husky. “It’s in the past. It was a very difficult time in my life, but playing sports helped tremendously. The routine and camaraderie with my teammates helped me get through.”

“I’m glad you had that to keep you grounded.”

“As am I.”

“Do you still keep in touch with your dad and Maria?”

“Aye. They moved down to Palm Beach, and Will is in college. We get together at holidays.”

“Family is nice.”

“It is.” He looked down and saw that their fingers were still entwined. “It appears we have much in common.”

“Yeah,” she said with a smile. “I’d say we understand each other.”

Their food had gone cold, but neither minded. They continued their conversation, staying as long as they dared before Emma had to leave to make sure Henry was home on time. When they parted ways, Killian felt lighter than he had in years. And that night when he slept, he had a pleasing dream involving the beach, a light breeze, and Emma’s golden tresses flowing in the wind.

It was the night of the first game of the season. Henry’s first game as a football player. The night Neal promised he wouldn’t be late. And he wasn’t there.

Emma’s heart broke for her son. As she’d promised Killian, she had spoken with Henry about being distracted at the games. He seemed to understand and take her words to heart, but now it appeared as if nothing had stuck. Henry was constantly looking toward the bleachers, distracted from the game. Because of this, he’d lost control of the ball and allowed the opposing team to take possession. The Storybrooke Knights were down by a touchdown as a result.

They were midway through the second quarter. Mary Margaret and David had come out to support their nephew, and were very charitably attributing Henry’s flawed performance to anything other than his father’s absence

“He must be nervous, poor kid,” David said. He clapped his hands and yelled loudly “Go Knights!” in an attempt to cheer on Henry.

“I’m sure Neal got held up at work. He’ll be here soon,” Mary Margaret said, her green eyes shining with their trademark look of hope. She smoothed her short black hair and scrutinized her sister-in-law. “Is there anything else going on?” She followed Emma’s gaze to the field before realizing that Emma wasn’t looking at the field, but rather the sideline where Coach Jones stood, anxiously watching the action.

“Killian Jones is the coach, huh? I never would have thought of him for this role, but he seems to be doing really well with the kids.”

“Yeah, he’s a good coach. Henry really likes him.”

“Not just Henry, judging by the look on your face.”

Emma turned to give her sister-in-law an incredulous look. “What are you talking about?”

“You’re into him. I can see it in the way you look at him. And Ruby told me you had dinner with him at Granny’s the other night.”

“We had dinner to talk about Henry, that’s it. I’m not ‘into’ him.” She emphasized her words with air quotes.

“Right,” Mary Margaret replied before fanning herself with her hand. “Man it’s hot out here! I wonder why Coach Jones decided to wear black jeans instead of shorts.”

“Blue jeans,” Emma replied automatically before realizing the trap that had been laid for her.

“Really? His jeans are blue? How can you tell when it’s so dark?”

“I’m not dignifying that with an answer,” Emma grumbled before turning her attention back to the game.

Neal didn’t arrive until the last two minutes of the first half. By that time the team was behind, 14-0. Killian lingered at the sideline after they filed off the field, and Emma took a chance to step down from the bleachers and approach him.

“Swan,” he said, his smile forced, an exasperated look marring his features.

“Rough game, huh?”

“They’re still children, I don’t want to pressure them too much. But we had such high hopes going into this game.”

“Well, Neal is here now, so maybe things will pick up in the second half?” Emma smiled at him sheepishly.

Killian sighed in response and scrubbed his hand down his face. “No offense, Emma, but I don’t want the success of my team to hang on whether or not your ex can get his shit together.”

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” Her heart started racing and her voice went up an octave, her body jumping into defense mode. “You think I told him to be late? You think I want my son stressing out like this?”

“Of course not,” Killian backtracked. “I didn’t mean that, but I thought you were going to talk about this with Henry?”

“I did!” she hissed, pulling him aside so they were more secluded. “But I can’t control anything about this situation, and it kills me much more than it wounds your precious pride. It’s just a damn game to you, Killian. Meanwhile, I have to watch my son’s heart get broken every fucking day. So don’t give me some lecture about how your team of middle school kids are losing one game because my son desperately craves validation from his father.”

Killian set his jaw and stared at her. “This has nothing to do with my pride. This is about my team. The entire team. I need Henry to be able to focus, and if he can’t do that, then maybe he’s not cut out for football.”

“You’d cut him? He’s twelve. This is a middle school football league.”

“And one of the reasons parents sign their kids up for this is to help them learn how to work as part of a team. Now, I am going to talk to all my players and encourage them to get their heads in the game and pull out a worthwhile performance. I am not worried about winning or losing, so long as they all put in their best effort. And Henry is not doing that right now. If he can’t shape up, he will be cut.”

Emma was speechless as she watched him walk away to the small, concrete block structure that served as a locker room. She really wished alcohol was allowed at these events. Unable to drink, she did the next best thing and trudged up the bleachers to yell at her ex for being so late.

Killian had not seen Emma since the night of the team’s first game. Instead, Henry’s father made a show of attending every scrimmage, always on time. It was quite an improvement on his part, and Killian couldn’t help but feel happy for the lad.

They did not win their first game, but Henry improved in the second half. He was becoming a more conscientious player, although his father attending the entirety of their practice games was the most likely cause of his improvement. Killian still worried about how Henry would react if Neal suddenly returned to his old ways.

If he was honest with himself, Killian also missed Emma. After admiring her from afar for so long, it was painful now to not have the ability to further explore their potential relationship. He longed to apologize to her for his behavior that night. He'd been frustrated and said things he shouldn't have. He was unable to catch up with her after the game and hadn't seen her since.

After ruminating on these thoughts in his office one night, long after school ended, he decided to get out of his own head and go for a drink. Killian tried not to drink often. He had a bad history with alcohol, which at one point had nearly lost him his college scholarship. But, after many years of abstinence, he'd taught himself how to drink in moderation and enjoyed a nice glass of rum every now and then.

He stepped into his favorite establishment, the Rabbit Hole, and approached the bar. Just as he was about to take the first empty stool, he saw her. She looked as beautiful as ever, her golden tresses framing her face and accentuating her high cheekbones. A spot was open next to her, and he made his way over before he could think too much about it.

“Is this spot taken?” He asked as he gestured to the empty stool.

She looked up at him, and he could not read the expression in her eyes. Finally, after what seemed an eternity, she opened her mouth to respond. He caught himself fixating on her lips and almost didn't hear what she said.

“Long time no see, Coach Jones.”

“Aye, Miss Swan. I've missed you at our scrimmages.”

“Yeah well… if I told you I was a little embarrassed to show my face after the fight we had, would you believe me?”

“I would, because I feel the same. I am sorry for the things I said. I let my temper and my frustration get the better of me.”

“I’m sorry too. I think we both got a little carried away.” She took a sip from her nearly empty drink. “That being said, I think it's better that Neal is the primary parent for football. He knows more about the sport.”

“I'm glad he is there for Henry now, but his sudden change in behavior is somewhat surprising. I can't help but worry that it's not sustainable.”

She was silent for a moment, studying the melting ice in her glass. “I think the change will stick. I’ve given him hell in the past for skipping out, but he really didn't start paying attention until I told him Henry might get cut from the team. He wanted to put the blame on you and go complain to the principal at first, but I talked him down from that, and he finally agreed to start attending scrimmages.”

“I appreciate you saving me from another parent yelling at me about how I am robbing their child of an opportunity. I just hope you are right.”

“Neal is a selfish bastard, but I think he's finally gotten the message. He does love his son.”

The bartender came and took their order, and Killian used the opportunity to gather his wits. There was a time when he'd been good with women, and he tried to channel that part of himself now. “ As I said, Swan, I am happy for Henry, but I don't wish to discuss your ex.”

“Yeah?” She rested her elbows on the bar and looked at him slyly. “So what do you want to talk about?”

His rum arrived then, and he took a sip before replying. “I've missed seeing you. We'd only just begun to get to know one another, and I think I've made it clear that I've admired you for quite some time.”

“I thought I was off limits,” she responded, her voice husky as she batted her eyelashes.

“I’ve been thinking about that, and technically I'm not your son’s teacher, just his coach.”

“I see… Well that makes all the difference. Any other revelations?”

“Just that I can't stop thinking about how much I want to kiss you. I regret not taking the chance when I had it.”

“Oh?” She angled her body toward him and tilted her head slightly. “Well, if you play your cards right you might get another.” She put a hand on his thigh, just above the knee, and squeezed gently.

Although he was trying to be a gentleman, that simple touch went straight to his groin. He stifled a moan. It had been too long since he'd been with a woman. Instead, he mustered a cheeky grin and tilted his glass toward hers. “Well then, a toast to second chances.”

Emma felt like a naughty teenager as she made out with Killian Jones in the alley next to the Rabbit Hole. They were trying to remain undetected, but doing a poor job of it judging by the sounds they were making.

Jones's mouth plundered her own, wrapping around her bottom lip and sucking gently, nibbling until she moaned and opened up, allowing him to slide his tongue inside. Their heads tilted and the kiss deepened, the firm press of his lips to her own fueling her fantasies of what else he could do with that mouth.

They parted to pull in some much needed breaths, before his sinful lips began to mark a trail down her neck. His hands pulled her hips into his own.

“You are so beautiful.” He whispered against her neck. “I've wanted to taste you for so long.”

“Come back to my place,” she whispered. “Henry is spending the night with his dad.”

He stopped, his mouth hovering over the hollow of her throat. “You are a siren, tempting me to my doom.” The vibration of his voice against her skin made her shiver. “I would love nothing more than to spend the night worshipping you, but I must insist on being a gentleman.”

“What do you mean?” She asked, running her fingers through the short hairs on the back of his head.

“Let me take you on a date, love. A real date.” His hand flew up to cup her cheek as he lifted his head to gaze into her eyes. “Let me treat you like you deserve.”

The Indian Summer heat wave had yet to abate, and, even at night, the humidity pressed down on them. She watched as a bead of sweat rolled down Killian's throat and wanted nothing more than to follow it with her tongue. “Are you sure we can't do both?” She grabbed the collar of his shirt and latched her mouth onto his neck, acting on her thoughts.

His head fell back and he groaned in frustration. “Emma, please, can we take this slow? I don't want to rush.”

His shaky voice gave her pause, and she froze in place. “You really want to take me out first?” She lifted her head and met his eyes once more.

“Yes. I do. More than anything.” He held the stare and pressed his lips together.

“Okay,” she finally said, sliding her hands down to his shoulders and leaning forward to place a chaste kiss to his lips.

At the next game, Emma sat closer to the sidelines, and surreptitiously tried to check out Killian’s butt every chance she got. A cold snap had finally come, and she was wearing a light sweater under her favorite red leather jacket. And if she’d been a little extra precise when applying her makeup that evening, it was no one’s business but her own.

Ariel was there again, this time with Rory Prince, whose son, Phil, played defense. Ariel gave Emma a sly look before leaning over to Rory.

“She’s definitely interested in the coach.”

“Who could blame her?” Rory replied. “They’d be super cute together. I ship it.”

“We’re just friends,” Emma replied, looking at the two other women with a furrowed brow.

“Okay,” Ariel replied. “But if you ever change your mind and decide to go for more, you have our full support and encouragement.”

“Absolutely,” Rory chimed in. “Henry is welcome to spend the night any time you need a date night.”

“But please,” Ariel added, “give us details. I need to know if he's as good of a kisser as I imagine.”

Emma couldn't stop the blush that rose up her face as she recalled memories from their night at the Rabbit Hole. “Thanks…” She schooled her features and looked forward, watching the game closely.

“Oh yeah. She wants him,” Rory said. Emma took some deep breaths and tried to ignore them.

When Emma had agreed to a date with Killian, she'd made one request: they had to go somewhere outside of town, to avoid the prying eyes of small town neighbors.

Killian spent an entire evening agonizing over their destination before finally finding the perfect solution. Now it was the night of the date, and he pulled into the parking lot and headed to the gate to meet her.

“The fair? Really?” She asked as she walked up to him a short while later.

He had a moment of panic. “Would you rather go elsewhere?”

“No!” Her mouth stretched into a big smile. “I love the fair! I haven't been to one in years.” She lifted up on her toes and placed a kiss on his cheek. “Perfect choice.”

He relaxed and offered her his arm. After purchasing their admission and ride passes, they entered, walking down the aisle of carnival games first. Emma’s face lit up as she pointed out the oversized stuffed animals hanging from the top of the tents. Killian determined that he would win her one of those prizes before they left.

They made their way to the ride section and lined up for Tilt-A-Whirl. The childlike joy on Emma’s face warmed his heart. As they settled into their seats and the lap bar was lowered, she giggled in anticipation. The sound was pure magic. The ride started moving, slowly at first but picking up speed. As they spun around, Emma's giggles turned into full on laughs and Killian joined in. The ride was over almost as quickly as it began, but their joy continued as they lined up to ride the bumper cars next.

They worked their way through the ride section, leaving the ferris wheel for last. When it came time for the wheel, they were ushered into a gondola by the attendant and then waited as they were slowly moved forward so more riders could board. Killian took the opportunity to admire Emma’s profile, cast in the glow of neon against the backdrop of the darkening sky.

She caught his eye and smiled. “This is wonderful. I'm so glad we did this.”

“Aye. Me too.” He reached over and threaded their fingers together.

She snuggled into his side just as the ride began to move. “You know,” Emma said, “I don't normally like heights, but this is really nice. The view is breathtaking.”

“That it is,” he whispered, his eyes never leaving her face.

She tore her gaze from the view to meet his own. Her lips lifted into a shy smile and she tilted her chin up. He took the hint and met her mouth with his own, their kiss sweet and unhurried. The gondola rocked gently in response to their movement and the motion of the ride. They continued kissing even as they passed by the bottom of the ride where other riders were waiting. It was only when someone directed a whooping call their way that they broke apart, both flushed with a mixture of embarrassment and desire.

They ascended once more, and Emma leaned her head on his shoulder. “I really like you, Killian.”

“I feel the same. You are an exceptional woman.”

She looked up at him through her lashes, biting her lip. “ Do you think we should… ‘go public’? Tell people we're dating?”

“Is that what you want?”

“I do. But… maybe not just yet? It has nothing to do with you. It's just the other moms.”

“What do they have to do with it?”

“They have been trying to push you and me together all season! They've all got the hots for you, and they want me to tell them everything that goes on between us. If they find out we're dating now, I'll never be able to make it through the rest of the season.” Upon conclusion of her speech, her nerves got the better of her and she looked away.

“I’ll follow your lead on this.” He whispered as he lifted her arm to place a kiss on the back of her hand.

They hadn't noticed that the ride stopped until the attendant cleared his throat. They broke apart and Killian stepped out before helping Emma exit.

Once they were back on solid ground, Killian joined their hands once more. “Let’s find something to eat, shall we?”

He led her to the food section, and they were immediately overwhelmed with the scent of fried cuisine. After perusing their choices, Emma opted for a corn dog while Killian got a slice of truly greasy pizza. They shared some onion rings and had cotton candy for dessert. Having eaten their fill, they headed back toward the midway to try their hand at some games.

The first game they approached was a basketball toss, where they competed to see who could make the most baskets. Emma’s laughs were so beautiful, and Killian found himself distracted during the game, which led to her winning. He didn’t mind very much when he saw her dazzling smile.

Similar to the rides, they proceeded down the aisle, also playing the ball toss, skeeball, and the water gun shooting gallery. The booth at the end of the row housed a balloon pop game, as well as the array of stuffed animals Emma had admired on their way in. She pointed to it again, identifying one of the smaller prizes hanging on the side.

“Look at that bear dressed like a pirate! Is that not the cutest thing you’ve ever seen?”

He saw the toy in question, a medium-sized stuffed bear wearing black trousers and shirt, with a red vest and a hook for a hand. It was certainly one of the more unique prizes. He remembered his pledge from earlier to win her a prize and approached the booth.

“What do I need to do in order to win that bear?” he asked the attendant, pointing to it.

“Pop one of the red balloons,” the lad answered. “Five dollars for three darts. Wanna try?”

Killian fished a five dollar-bill out of his pocket and handed it to the young man and was given three rubber tipped darts in return. He felt confident that he would win the prize. He’d always been excellent at darts.

His first throw somehow managed to land between a blue and red balloon. The second hit a red balloon, but bounced off. This mishap helped him to understand the trick. Most of the balloons were not fully inflated, making them harder to pop. Holding his last dart in his right hand, he stepped back slightly and took stock of the entire board. One red balloon, in the upper right hand corner, looked fuller than the rest. He had his target.

He took a few steps to the right and angled his body in line with the balloon. Emma watched him with rapt attention. Killian closed his eyes and exhaled slowly. When he felt conditions were right, he threw the dart with extra force. It whistled through the air and hit the target directly on the head. There was a loud pop and Emma cried out in surprise.

“You did it!”

He smiled at her infectious joy. “I’ll take that bear now, young man.”

The attendant took down the bear and handed it to Killian. He turned and presented it to Emma.

“Thank you! No one has ever won me a prize at the fair before.”

“Truly?”

“I’ve only ever been to the fair before with Henry, so I’m normally the one trying to win the prizes. It’s nice to be on the other end for a change.”

He smiled at her. “Well, I am glad I could win that for you.”

“Me too.” She threaded her arm through his as they continued walking, leaning her head on his shoulder once more.

They decided to walk around to the back of the fair, where live music was playing. As they traveled, he could feel Emma thinking. ‘What’s on your mind, love?”

She stopped walking and gave him a nervous smile. “I hope you’re not mad about what I said on the ferris wheel. About not wanting to tell anyone about us. I’m starting to feel guilty after you’ve given me such a great night.”

“You have no need to feel guilty. I understand your reasons for wanting to keep our relationship under wraps.”

“And you're not mad?”

“Of course not, Emma. As long as we can find a way to see one another, I can deal with everything else.”

She picked up his hand and pressed a firm kiss to the back, mimicking his action from earlier. “The last game is in November, right?”

“Aye, the first Thursday of the month.”

“Okay, as soon as that's over, we'll let everyone know.”

“Sounds like a perfect way to end the season, Swan.” He gave her a goofy grin before leaning down to give her another soft kiss.

Emma huddled into her jacket. It was the last game of the season, and the weather was finally congruent with the date, the early November air having a slight chill. She was enjoying fall, but knew that the winter cold would arrive all too soon. It seemed like their little corner of the south was always too hot or too cold. There weren’t many days that fell in between.

Despite the chill in the air, her spirits were high. The Storybrooke Knights had had a great season, and, if they won this game, they would break a school record for most wins in a season which had been set more than a decade prior. Emma had also found that by making Neal solely responsible for Henry’s football career, he’d begun to step up as a parent in other ways. Henry was becoming more secure in his relationship with his father, which was all she ever really wanted for her son.

But the true source of Emma’s joy was in the form of the team’s coach, currently cheering on his charges from the sidelines. They’d had several more dates, and Emma felt like Killian Jones was someone she could be with for a long time. He was sweet and thoughtful and giving, and just thinking of him warmed her cheeks. They’d told Henry about their relationship a week ago, consigning him to secrecy. Henry was fortunately good at keeping secrets (though she wasn’t sure how she felt about that in the grand scheme of things), so thankfully no one else suspected she was dating Killian. She watched him now and couldn’t stop the thought that she was well on her way to falling in love with this man.

“You know…” she heard Ariel say from her right, “now that the season is over, you should totally ask Coach Jones out.”

“You’re still hung up on that?” Emma asked, not looking away from the field. She had to bite her cheek to stop her sly smile from giving her away.

“Not hung up on it. I just want to see you both happy.”

“Save yourself the trouble, Ariel,” Mary Margaret said, leaning around her sister-in-law to address the redhead. “If there’s one thing I’ve learned about Emma, it’s that pushing her toward something is the fastest way to get her to reject it.”

“Ohhh,” Ariel replied. “Reverse psychology, huh? I get it.” She paused their discussion to cheer on her daughter, who was going onto the field to kick for a field goal. Melody was an accurate kicker, and sent the ball exactly where it needed to be, giving the Knights the advantage. The stands erupted in cheers. There were five minutes left in the game, and the Knights were up by three.

After a few more plays, the opposing team called a timeout, and Ariel took the chance to continue their discussion. “You totally should not go for Coach Jones, Emma. You two would make a terrible couple.” She winked at Mary Margaret over Emma’s shoulder.

“Wait, what?” Rory asked, returning from a restroom break. ‘We don’t want Emma to hook up with Jones now?”

“Nope,” Ariel replied, a goofy smile on her face. “She shouldn’t even consider it.”

“I am so confused right now,” Rory said, but once more the conversation was stopped when Phil intercepted the ball. He ran it for twenty yards before he was tackled. The clock had run down, and there was one minute left in the game. This would be the last play. The Knights’ offensive line took the field and lined up a play Emma recognized from their scrimmages. Henry was going to get the ball.

The play began, and Henry ran to get into position. The quarterback threw the ball and it sailed down the field, landing smoothly in her son’s arms. He ran. The other team tried to block him, but he used his ability to bob and weave and found holes in the defense they didn’t see. He made it to the end zone just as the clock ticked down to twenty seconds left in the game.

A raucous cheer broke out as fans of the Storybrooke Knights applauded their team. The crowd quieted long enough for Melody to kick the point after, making the final score 17-7. The Knights had won, and the record was broken! Parents and fans cheered loudly as the players graciously shook hands with the opposing team.

Emma ran down the bleachers, and Ariel, Rory, and Mary Margaret called after her to stop. Parents weren’t allowed on the field. But all three of their jaws dropped when Emma stopped at the sideline and ran up to Coach Jones. She cried out in excitement before bouncing up and wrapping her arms around his neck. He reciprocated her embrace, encircling her waist in his arms.

Emma looked up at Killian, love shining in her eyes, and his own reflecting the same. “Congratulations, Coach Jones.”

“Why thank you, Miss Swan. Can I kiss you now?”

“You think you can handle it?” she asked, her smile spreading across her cheeks.

He didn’t respond, but instead lowered his head and captured her lips with his own. The kiss was tender and chaste, a brief intermingling of lips, but still expressing all their passion. He pulled away and rested his forehead against hers. “I think they are the ones who can’t handle it,” he said, enunciating the ‘t’ as he turned his head to gesture toward the three other women still gaping at them.

��They’ll get used to it,” Emma rose up and met his lips once more, but they were cut short when a triumphant cry came from the bleachers.

“I KNEW it!” Ariel called out, pumping her fist in the air.

Emma smiled. “I guess reverse psychology was all it took!” she called out in response.

“Reverse psychology?” Killian asked.

“I’ll tell you later.” They broke apart and threaded their fingers together, ready to join the victorious Storybrooke Knights.

tagging my crew: @artistic-writer @bleebug @cat-sophia @capswantrue@courtorderedcake @distant-rose @flslp87 @gingerchangeling @hollyethecurious @initiala @kmomof4 @kymbersmith-90 @lassluna @let-it-raines @resident-of-storybrooke @rouhn @searchingwardrobes @sherlockianwhovian @shireness-says @snidgetsafan @snowbellewells @spartanguard @teamhook @wellhellotragic @winterbythesea @winterbaby89 @wingedlioness @wyntereyez

#fallforcs 2018 #fall for captain swan #fallforcs #cs ff #Captain Swan

82 notes · View notes