#im just someone whos been here for a minute and seen the questions being asked

[coffee-at-annies]

I don't think its stigma against prospects per se. Its less a stigma against them as a class and more of them as an experience or age bracket. The player someone is at 18 is not the same as at 25 is not the same as at 30. Players grow and mature and develop both their skills and their game styles. Players play differently under different coaches in different team systems with different teammates. A prospect may be absolutely lighting it up at a college level but just because someone is the best player on their college team (and a lot of prospects are young enough that they aren't in the ahl yet) doesn't mean they can reliably skate 20 minutes on the wing of Sidney Crosby or Evgeni Malkin and not only make an impact with scoring but also not be a liability in front of our net. We won't know if they aren't given the chance - which is why we spend so much time yelling on the internet about Sully not trusting the ahl guys - but giving the wrong guy a chance can lead to the puck in the back of your net.

Keep in mind that the different leagues are simply put different. Play style is one of them, the ahl allows checking but idk if college or under 18 leagues do. Women's leagues before the pwhl famously did not and the pwhl has very limited checking allowed. Basic play strategy is different with or without checking. Ice size is sometimes a difference, for example international ice rinks are different sizes than nhl ice. The skill level of the players is different, both on the same team and opposing teams. The best goalie in the ahl is still in the ahl. They may be nhl ready, but an nhl ready goalie and a vezina trophy candidate are two different things. This is the same for defenses and forwards. On top of that when going from one team to another prospects have to learn an entirely new set of teammates (maybe even an entirely new coach or play system). Learning the ropes can take time, which is another knock against prospects. They may not have that time between games, cap and contract restrictions, and lack of practice time. The schedule is also way different. I don't know much about college or the under 18 leagues but the WBS "baby" Penguins have 11 games scheduled for March mostly Fridays through Sundays with a single Monday game. The "adult" Pittsburgh Penguins have 16 games scheduled for March, basically every two days outside of back-to-backs and the occasional two day break. Can a prospect play 10 or 20 minutes a night 4 nights a week? Does the coach trust them to play at a high level and in high stakes situations? Does the coach trust them not to make mistakes when tired? Travel is also different in leagues. WBS primarily busses to their away games and idk how far the farthest away game is, but the farthest nhl away game is several timezones away. How well does a player adapt to the time change? (This is a minor thing, but its to highlight all the questions people have about prospects).

I haven't even mentioned team roles and special teams. Center is different from wing and top 6 is different than bottom 6. (I don't understand defense tbh). Bottom 6 tends to focus on shutdown roles while top 6 is supposed to score. Play styles are different because of that. If all the slots in your top 6 are filled is there even a point in calling up your best ahl center when the only spot is 4th line wing? Can he develop into a 20 goal scorer if he's not on the pp and isn't getting top line minutes? The best part of grind line was when they were on the ice I knew the other team wouldn't score but maybe we would. Jared McCann was on our third line wing for longer than he was on our first or second line wings. Does he become a 20 goal scorer from the third line? No. He could have earned his way back up to the higher lines, but that doesn't mean he'd stay there.

I didn't even mention injury and injury history. We haven't seen Poulin this year because he's been injured when it made the most sense to call him up. People have been injured and come back and had phenomenal seasons. Clayton Keller on the Yotes was a masterton finalist last year after fracturing his leg to end the season before and came back to score 63 pts. In contrast, I can point to Brian Dumolin's knee injuries as the reason for the decline in his play last year and no offense to Geno but he's on his 3rd knee and it was a big question for a while if he could come back from that injury. Any injury at the lower levels cuts into player development time and can set them back. There's also a physicality and growth question for young guys. Stuff like weight and muscle mass and other stuff may still be developing for players. I can't name a someone who's had a growth spurt after being drafted because I don't care about the draft or prospects tbh, but they always talk about the weight players put on over the summer and how much they may lose over the course of the season. I'm the same height now I was at 13, but I know tons of people who were still growing at 17. The way someone skates at 5'9 is different than at 6'0 or 6'5. Those players need time and practice to adjust their games. Are they finished developing? Can they get better? Can they make the adjustment quickly or will it take time?

Simply put there are a lot of questions when it comes to player development and there are more players and prospects than there are roster spots. I'm not saying its right, but nhl teams are trying to win every game which means making the right gambles, and between development and injuries that can be a crapshoot. A lot of people drafted high or considered a top prospect never make it to the league or drop out after a handful of seasons. There are always more people waiting to replace someone. Its both next man up mentality and a fact of sports.

NHL-wide thought: it's funny how when a team has reached it's expiration date they call for a retool to get younger and refresh the roster to compete. but when they see prospects doing so well before coming in the show, they're like "but does his game translate well to the NHL???" or "is he NHL ready?" What really is the deal about prospects and why is there so much stigma about them despite the need to rebuild at some point?

good question, anon! I would like to know the answer to this too, but sadly I am here exclusively for the shits, giggles and pretty faces so am probably not the best person to ask.

I would suggest asking... perhaps @reavenedges-lies @coffee-at-annies or @idontlikeem all of whom i think know far more about Proper Hockey Stuff!

[lee-laurent]

True Love's Kiss - Quinn Hughes

Summary: Quinn's in love... with his brother's ex-girlfriend

content: fluff, angst, kissing, making out, mentions of sex but no explicit smut, ex relationships, arguments

wc: 13.9k

notes: i'm so so so excited for this one!!!!! i was between this plot idea and quinn dating trevor's ex or trevor dating quinn's ex. so if you guys wanna see either of us just let me know.

It was a crisp, early fall day in Ann Arbor. The atmosphere at the Michigan football stadium was electric, thousands of people wearing maize and blue, feeling the "Big House" for the season opener. Quinn was standing next to Luke and some of his teammates, taking in the scene. Quinn felt a weird sense of nostalgia being there, reminding him of his own time at Umich, and he had no doubt that Luke was feeling the same way.

Quinn wasn't one for big crowds, unless he was playing hockey in front of it, but Luke had insisted he come to his alma mater with him. The energy around them was intense--people cheering and music blasting, but Quinn wasn't fully focused on the game. His mind wandered, as it often did, to the upcoming hockey season and his responsibilties as captain. After a few minutes of talking with Luke and his friends, Quinn felt the need to escape from the crowd for a bit.

"I'm gonna find a bathroom," he muttered to Luke, who was too busy joking with his old teammates to notice.

He slipped away, weaving through packs of students and families. Eventually he found a quieter section of the stadium, far from the chaos near his brother. He glanced around, squinting in search of a bathroom sign when something--or rather, someone--caught his eye.

There she was.

Standing by one of the snack vendors, talking to a group of people Quinn vaguely recognized from his own time at Umich, was Harriet--Harrie. Jack's ex. He had only really met her once or twice, usually just hearing about her from his younger brothers, but he could still recognize her.

At first, he didn't full register what he was seeing. He hadn't expected to run into her here. Sure she still went to Umich, but there were thousands of students there. He hadn't seen her in years, but she looked pretty much the same... yet different. Older, more confident in the way she carried herself. She was laughing with her friends, her curls bouncing as she threw her hair back.

Quinn shifted on his feet, trying to decide if he should go say 'hi.' He could walk past--pretend he never saw her and go on with his day--but his feet seemed to have a different idea. He was already walking toward her, pulled by something he couldn't explain.

The closer he got, the more he started to question his decision. What would he even say? Ask her how she's been? Surely he shouldn't bring up Jack. He hadn't been close to her when she dated his brother. But he knew that their breakup had been mutual. Still, the fact that she was Jack's ex made approaching her slightly more scary than normal.

"Quinn?"

Her voice was laced with surprise, snapping him from his worried thoughts. Harried had noticed him approaching, her friends now shifting their attention to him as well.

"Harrie," he replied, trying his best to sound casual.

Harrie's lips curved in a genuine smile as she stepped from her group, getting closer to Quinn. "I didn't expect to see you here," she said, her voice light, but Quinn could sense the surprise in her tone. "Is this your scene?"

He huffed, shoving his hands into the pocket of his Michigan jacket. "Not usually, no. But Luke's got a way of dragging me to things."

"Supportive big brother," she teased, her eyes studying his face. Quinn wasn't sure if it was the stadium lights or just his nerves, but he felt like he was under a microscope.

"What about you?" he asked, trying to push through the awkwardness he was feeling. "You still at Umich?"

Harrie nodded. "Yeah, for a bit longer. I'm graduating early, but I'm stuck here for a little more."

"Graduating early?" Quinn couldn't help but be impressed. It hadn't been that long since Jack and Harrie had broken up, and to hear that she was already almost done with her degree caught him off guard. "That was... fast."

She shrugged, her confidence apparent. "Yeah, I guess I'm just that good." There was a teasing look in her eyes, but Quinn could tell she wasn't bragging--just being herself.

For a moment, they just stood there. Quinn couldn't look away, he wasn't sure what it was. He wasn't supposed to think of Harrie as anything more than Jack's ex. But she seemed like she was more than that now. Like she'd written a new chapter in her life since going to Umich.

"Well, it was nice running into you," Harrie finally said. "I've gotta get back to my friends." She adjusted her tube top, flashing a quick smile before stepping back toward her friends.

"Yeah, of course. Good seeing you."

Quinn found himself staring as she walked away. He couldn't help but feel like he should've asked more questions, but what good would that have done? He was probably never going to see her again.

Or at least, that's what he told himself.

He just took a breath and shook his head, finally actually heading into the bathroom. He couldn't shake Harrie from his mind. It was so weird seeing her there. What were the chances? What a small world.

~~

Quinn worked his way back to Luke and his friends, weaving through the packed stands, flashing his badge to the security. His mind was still on Harrie. The brief encounter had thrown him off-guard, and no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't get her out of his mind.

"Dude, where the hell were you?" Dylan laughed, barely glancing away from the field. "Took you long enough to find a bathroom."

Quinn shrugged, "Ran into someone." He didn't want to make a big deal out of it, though it felt like a bigger deal than he cared to admit.

"Who?" Luke asked, turning to face his brother.

"Harrie," Quinn replied, trying to keep it nonchalant. "You know, Jack's ex."

The group's reaction was immediate. Mark let out a low whistle, and Dylan raised an eyebrow, both now suddenly much more interested in Quinn's bathroom break.

"Harrie?" Luke's eyebrows shot up. "What, you ran into her here?"

"Yeah, by the vendors. We talked for a bit."

"Man, Harrie's still around? Haven't seen her in a hot minute," Ethan asked. "Saw her at a few parties last year... total knockout."

Quinn shifted in his seat, trying to ignore how they were talking about Harrie like she was a social spectacle. Did most guys talk about Harrie like that?

"She's still finishing up school, though, right?" Dylan chimed in. "Isn't she graduating early or something?"

Luke nodded. "Yeah, she's almost done. Doesn't party much anymore. She's all business now." He glanced at Quinn. "Did you hear about what happened last year?"

Quinn raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

Luke debated whether he should bring it up or not, but the grin pulling at the side his lips made it clear he couldn't resist. "When Jack came to visit me for that weekend, and we all went to that party. Harrie was there, and... well, one thing led to another, and they hooked up."

"Wait, what?" Quinn blinked, surprised. Jack and Harrie hooking up? His mind reeled for a second, feeling a strange mix of shock and something else--something he couldn’t quite name. "Seriously?"

"Seriously? Jack got back with her for the night?"

"Yeah, but it was a one-time thing," Luke shrugged. "At least, that's what Jack said. But I don't know, man... I don't think he's totally over her. Even if he won't admit it." He chuckled like it wasn't a big deal, but the words felt heavy to Quinn.

Ethan shook his head, nudging Quinn. "Your brother's a lucky bastard, huh? Hooking up with his ex like that? Must've been some party."

Jack and Harrie hooking up again? That was news to Quinn. Why hadn't Jack told him? He usually told him shit like that. He had just assumed Jack was over her, that their breakup was clean and mutual. Now... he wasn't so sure.

Was Jack still into Harrie? Luke had mentioned it so casually, like it wasn't filled with drama. Why was Quinn so caught up on this? He shook his head, turning his attention back to the game. He didn't need to focus on stupid shit like that, he had a season coming up.

~~

It was rare in February for Quinn to have a day off, but he did. He finally had a chance to breathe. He felt slightly more at ease than normal, but his mind still raced with thoughts of his captaincy, team responsibilities, and all that pressure that came with it. He decided to make his way to his regular coffee spot--hoping it would help him decompress a bit.

The bell above the door jingled as he pushed it open, the smell of freshly roasted coffee filled his nose. It was pretty quiet for a mid-morning, just a few tables with students studying. Quinn glanced around to find that his favourite corner table was still open.

Score.

"What can I get you?"

Quinn blinked, snapping his head up. And there she was.

Harrie.

For a second, he thought he was imagining things, but there was mistaking the girl behind the counter. Her usual brunette curls pulled back in a ponytail, the freckles scattered across the bridge of her nose, her green eyes locking with his. She looked exactly how she did in the fall at Michigan.

Harrie blinked, clearly as caught-off as he was. "Quinn?"

"Harrie?"

She smiled, her surprise fading away. "Well... this is unexpected." She let out a small, awkward laugh, brushing a loose curl behind her ear. "What are you doing here?"

Quinn cleared his throat, still processing that she was standing in front of him. "Just grabbing a coffee. What about you? You're... working here?" His voice definitely gave away his surprise, but he couldn't help it.

She nodded, shrugging. "Yeah, just for now. I graduated early, like I said. Moved to Vancouver right after. I'm still looking for an editing job, but in the meantime..." She gestured around the café. "Barista life it is."

"Vancouver? You moved here?"

Harrie chuckled, looking amused by his reaction. "Yeah. Decided it was time for a change after Michigan. I always liked Vancouver... and, you know, figured I'd try something new." There was a beat of silence before she added, "It's kind of weird that we ran into each other again, huh?"

Quinn nodded slowly. Weird didn't even begin to cover it. He hadn't seen her since the football game, and now here she was--living in Vancouver, the one place he never expected to see her. "Yeah, it's... definitely unexpected.

Harrie tilted her head slightly, the teasing confidence that he remembered from the game started to seep back into her voice. "What, you didn't think I'd end up in Vancouver?"

He shook his head. "I didn't think I'd run into you at a coffee shop." He paused, glancing up at the menu board to try and mask the awkward tension he felt. "I'll just get my usual... black coffee, medium. Please."

She punched the order into the register, the smile never leaving her face. When she handed him the receipt, their hands brushed briefly, and Quinn swore he felt a flicker of something. It was fleeting, but it was enough to make him pull his hand back just a little too quickly.

Harrie noticed, her smile faltering for a few seconds. "I'll get that started. Should only take a minute."

Quinn watched as she made his coffee. She seemed more relaxed than she did at the football game, but maybe that was just because of the lack of crowd at the coffee shop. Whatever it was, he couldn't help but shake that she felt like more than just Jack's ex. She was... Harrie. She was her own person, not tied down to the label of Jack's ex in Vancouver. Before he could think of it too much more, she slid his coffee across the counter.

"Here you go. One black coffee, medium."

"Thanks."

Harrie leaned slightly on the counter, studying him a moment before asking, "How's everything going with the season?"

"It's... good. Busy, but good." He wasn't used to talking about hockey with someone outside of his usual circle. Most people either asked for too many details or not at all. But Harrie seemed genuinely curious, without pushing.

"That's good. Sounds like you've got a lot on your plate."

Quinn shrugged, unsure of what to say next. "Yeah, you know... captain stuff." He had questions he wanted to ask her, but they felt too nosey. How was she settling into Vancouver, had she seen Jack since that party, were things really over between them?

But instead he just took his coffee and didn't add anymore to his reply.

"Well, maybe I'll see you around. It seems like we have a habit of running into each other," Harrie offered.

Quinn chuckled. "Yeah, maybe." Maybe he should keep the conversation going. What could he ask that wasn't too weird and creepy. "I--" The bell above the door jingled, and a couple of customers walked in, pulling Harrie's attention away from him.

"Hi, what can I get for you today?"

He didn't want to seem like a creep, standing there and watching her do her job. So, he made his way over to his table in the corner and busied himself with his phone, trying not to think about how much he wanted to keep talking to her. Why did her being here matter to him so much?

~~

It had become somewhat of a habit on days that Quinn had downtime, he'd find himself back in the coffee shop. He wasn't really expecting to run into her, but maybe he was hoping.

And he finally had his lucky day.

The familiar bell jingled as he walked in. The café was busier this time, almost all of the tables full of people doing work or conversing. Quinn scanned the room as he walked up to the counter, eyes flickering to the cash register.

There she was.

Harrie was working the counter again, moving with her usual confidence and smile on her face. She hadn't seen him yet, and for a second, Quinn debated just walking out the door.

But before he could make that decision, she glanced up and their eyes locked.

"Hey! Back again, huh?" She teased, and Quinn felt his chest flutter with nerves.

"Yeah, I guess I'm becoming a regular," he replied. "Just the usual, please."

Harrie gave him a small nod as she rang him up, but just as Quinn was reaching for his card, she paused, sliding a pastry across the counter.

Quinn blinked, glancing at the pastry, confused. "I didn't order this."

"It's on the house. Just maybe don't tell your trainers." She winked, and Quinn found himself chuckling at her easy sense of humor.

"I'll try not to," he agreed, although he could already hear the hypothetical conversation about avoiding carbs in his head.

When she handed Quinn his coffee, he tried to think if he should continue the conversation again. He was about to step away when Harrie looked toward the clock and then back at him.

"I'm about to go on break," she said, much more casually than he expected. "If you don't mind the company, I'll join you for a bit."

Quinn felt something stir in his chest. Was it nerves? Anticipation? Whatever it was, he nodded quickly, trying to not seem too eager. "Yeah, sure. That'd be great."

He made his way to his usual corner table, settling into the chair, the pastry sitting in front of him as if it was daring him to eat it. It made him smile, Harrie was making him feel more relaxed than he had in weeks.

A few minutes later, she came over, sliding into the seat across from him, her own cup of coffee in her hand. "It's busy today," she glanced around the room. "Surprised you're not sick of this place already."

"It's become a good spot for some downtime. No rink, no meetings--just coffee."

Harrie nodded. "I get that. When I first moved here, I thought I'd be exploring the city every day, but honestly... this place has become like my comfort zone. Small, cozy... familiar."

He had so many questions he wanted to ask, and now that they were sitting there, it felt the perfect chance to really get to know her.

"So... why Vancouver? What made you decide to come here after Michigan."

She tilted her head, like she hadn't expected him to ask that, but like she appreciated it. "I've always loved Vancouver. My parents took me here when I was little and it kinda just like stuck with me. After I graduated, I just felt like I needed a change, ya know? Something different. Plus, I didn't really want to stay in Michigan. Too many memories."

He knew what she meant, even though she hadn't said it outright. Jack. There was no way that wasn't a part of why she left, but Quinn didn't press. He didn't want to make this about Jack.

"How's the job search going?"

Harrie sighed, "It's been slow. I'm looking for something in editing--publishing, mostly--but there aren't a lot of opportunities here." She glanced down at her cup, swirling the coffee around before looking up at him. "But I'm trying to stay optimistic. It'll happen eventually."

Quinn admired that about her. How she seemed so grounded, even when things weren't going according to plan. It made her even more intruiging.

"You're a lot more patient than I'd be," Quinn admitted, smiling. "I'm pretty sure I'd have given up and moved on by now."

"I don't know if it's patience or stubbornness at this point." She paused, studying him for a moment before adding, "What about you? How's the season treating you?"

"It's... a lot," he said honestly. "Being captain is great, but it's not exactly a walk in the park." He didn't want to seem like he was complaining, but Harrie didn't seem to be judging him regardless.

"I bet. That's a lot of responsibility. But from what I've heard, you're doing great."

"You've... heard about me?"

"I still follow hockey, you know. Plus, you're like kind of a big deal here."

"Not that big of a deal."

Things went quiet as they finished their drinks, the air between them more comfortable, more familiar. Quinn really felt like he was seeing Harrie in a different light. She wasn't just Jack's ex. She was funny, determined, and easy to talk to in a way that he didn't expect.

"It's been nice talking, but I should probably get back to work."

Quinn nodded, "Yeah, of course. Thanks for the company."

She gave me a warm smile as she made her way back to the counter. A smile that would be burned into Quinn's mind until he saw her again.

~~

It was becoming routine. Quinn didn't have to hope he'd run into Harrie anymore--he knew when she'd be there.

They'd started meeting regularly at the coffee shop, sometimes on weekends, sometimes during the week when Quinn had downtime. It had only been a few weeks, but things felt natural. The initial awkwardness had faded away into casual conversation.

Quinn found himself scanning the room as soon as he walked in the door. Finding her sitting in their usual corner, already halfway through a cup of coffee and a book in hand.

"Hey!" Harrie smiled when she saw him, placing a bookmark on the last page she'd read. "I got your coffee. Figured you'd be here soon."

"You know me too well."

"It's easy when you're a creature of habit," Harrie winked, taking a sip of her own coffee.

They fell into their usual rhythm, talking about everything and nothing at the same time. Harrie had a special talent for making conversation feel effortless, and Quinn found himself looking forward to their meetings more and more.

"So I think it went well," she said, pushing a curl behind her ear. "I mean, I'm still waiting to hear back, but the editor seemed really interested in my experience."

"That's awesome," Quinn said, genuinely happy for her. "Sounds like things are looking up."

"Yeah, I hope so. I've kinda been in limbo for a while now. It'd be nice to get some like real direction, ya know?"

"I get it. It's like that sometimes. You think you have a plan, but things don't always go the way you expect."

"Exactly," Harrie agreed. "It's just about staying patient, I guess. Even when it's like really fucking hard."

"You've got patience for days," Quinn teased, leaning back in his seat. "You'll get there."

They shared a smile, and Quinn felt a comfortable warmth settle between them. It wasn't forced, and it didn't feel like work. It just... was.

"Speaking of plans," he leaned forward slightly, "we've got a home game coming up this weekend. You should come."

Harrie raised an eyebrow, a grin tugging at the corner of her mouth. "Are you inviting me to one of your games?"

"Yeah," he shrugged, trying to play it cool. "I mean, no pressure, but it could be fun. If you're free, you should come watch."

"You make it sound so casual, like it's just a pick-up game at the local rink."

"Well, it's not exactly that. But yeah, come if you want. I'll leave tickets for you at will-call."

"You're on," she raised her mug in a mock toast. "I wouldn't miss it."

They clinked their cups together. It wasn't a big deal--at least not yet--but Quinn liked the idea of her being there. Of her watching him do what she loved.

~~

The arena was still buzzing after the game, the energy of the win carrying through the halls as fans filed out. Quinn could hear the usual mix of shouts, laughter, and the occasional interview as he stepped out of the locker room, his bag flung over his shoulder.

He hadn't expected to feel nervous about Harrie being at the game. But his heart skipped a beat when he saw her standing at the end of the hall.

"There he is! The man of the hour!" she called out, a wide grin on her face as he walked over to her.

"Hey, you stayed."

"Of course I did," she pulled him into a hug. It was friendly, casual--but there was something about the way she squeezed his shoulder that made him feel lighter than he had in days. "You were amazing out there, Quinn. I'm seriously so proud of you."

He wasn't used to hearing that outside of the hockey world--his teammates, coaches, family, and even fans would offer praise, but hearing it from her? It felt different. Genuine.

"Thanks. I'm glad you came."

"Told you I wouldn't miss it. It was like super cool to see you in your element."

"Hey," Quinn said after a beat of silence, glancing toward the exit that the players took. "I was thinking... if you're not busy, we could grab some takeout and just hang out at my place? Nothing fancy, just chill."

"Takeout and chill?" she teased, making him roll his eyes. "Sounds like the perfect post-game celebration."

"Yeah, something like that. You in?"

"Duh," she gave me a nudge. "Let's go."

They ended up back at Quinn's place, bags of takeout in hand. It wasn't his usual post-game routine--usually it as grabbing food with a couple of the guys and then heading home to crash. But this? It just felt right.

Quinn tossed his keys on the counter and gestured to the living room. "Make yourself comfortable. I'll grab plates."

Harrie flopped down on the couch, kicking off her shoes as she surveyed the space. "Nice place, Hughesy. Minimalist but cozy."

"Minimalist? That's a fancy way of saying I don't have much shit."

"Hey, it works. I hate clutter anyway."

Quinn returned with plates and chopsticks, setting the takeout containers on the coffee table. The settled in, spreading out the food and digging in.

"So," Harrie started between bites of stir-fry, "you never told me how it feels being captain. I know we've talked about hockey in general, but like... how's it been? The pressure, the responsiblity, all of it?"

Most people didn't ask him about the emotional side of being captain--they were more interested in the wins, stats, or the highlights. But Harrie wasn't most people. She always asked about the things that actually mattered.

"That's a deep question to start with."

"You're stalling."

"It's a lot," Quinn admitted. "Good, but a lot. There's like always pressure on you, ya know? Not just as a player, but as a leader too. I have to make sure everyone is dialed in, not just myself. It's more than just playing hockey now."

Harried nodded. "That sounds like a huge responsibility. But from what I've seen, you're handling it really well."

"I'm trying. Some days are better than others." He glanced over at her, admiring how comfortable she looked, sitting there with takeout in her lap, genuinely interested in everything he had to say. "But I love it. Wouldn't change it for the world, even when it gets stressful."

"I can tell. You belong out there."

They fell into silence again, the sounds of the city buzzing outside as they ate. It again wasn't forced, just easy, like they'd done it a hundred times before. And as the night wore on, Quinn realized just how much he valued their friendship. Their connection.

"You ever miss Michigan?" she asked after a while.

"Sometimes. I mean, I miss being close to my family, but I love it here. Vancouver feels like home now."

Harried nodded, staring down at her empty container. "I get that. I miss certain things about Michigan, too. But Vancouver's starting to feel like home now... I think."

"Good. We'll make a Vancouverite out of you soon."

"Guess we'll see," she giggled.

The conversation continued to drift from one topic to another, neither of them wanting to cave and end the night. It was real and it was comfortable, and Quinn wanted nothing to change.

~~

Quinn was scrolling aimlessly through Instagram when a text from Harrie popped up.

Guess who just landed a job at the publishing house?!

He blinked at the screen, a grin immediately spreading across his face as he sat up straighter. His heart lifted at the thought of her excitement.

No way! That's awesome! When do you start?

Two weeks! I'm still freaking tf out! We need to celebrate!!

Quinn felt so proud of her. After months of searching, she'd finally found something that fit her. He knew how much she'd been waiting for that moment.

Name the time and place. We can do dinner or a movie night if you're in the mood to keep it lowkey

Harrie's response came quickly and with clear excitement.

Move night!! How about my place? 7?

That evening Quinn found himself standing outside Harrie's apartment, takeout in hand. It wasn't the first time he'd been over. The coffee shop hangouts had been replaced by more relaxed meetups, and tonight was just like that.

He knocked lightly and within seconds, the door swung open to reveal Harrie's beaming face.

"Hey! You brought food? You're officially my favourite person."

"Figured we'd need something to go with the celebration."

They moved to the living room, setting up like they had many times before. Harrie was practically glowing, the excitement radiating off her in waves.

"I can't believe it. I thought the interview went well, but I didn't expect them to call so soon. It feels... surreal."

"You deserve it," Quinn said sincerely. "You've been working your ass off to get here. It was just a matter of time, Harrie."

"Thanks, Q. It means a lot."

They laughed and celebrated her new job and by the time they finally settled into picking a movie, any nerves that Harrie felt were gone.

"Okay, you pick," she tossed him the remote.

Quinn caught it with ease, pretending to think deeply about his choice. "Hm... I'm thinking something classic. You can't go wrong with 'The Princess Bride.'"

Harrie's eyes lit up. "Oh my God, yes! I haven't watched that in forever!"

This was nice. It was really nice.

~~

Weeks had passed since their first movie night, and it had officially become part of their routines. Whenever Quinn wasn't travelling for games, they'd meet at one of their apartments--sometimes his, sometimes hers--and spend the evening watching movies, eating, and talking about anything that came to mind. They'd become friends in the truest sense of the word.

Whenever Quinn was exhausted on roadies, he'd think of their next movie night. Harrie had become such a constant in his life, a part of his routine that he hated giving up for road trips.

They were just friends. That's all it was. And he missed hanging out with someone who took his mind off hockey.

But as he stared at the ceiling of his hotel room, replaying every hang out from the last few weeks, Quinn couldn't deny that he felt... something. Something more.

He tried to shake it off, telling himself that it was just because they were close now and spent lots of their time together. But even as he drifted off to sleep, his thoughts lingered on Harrie.

~~

It was just another movie night. At least that's what Quinn was telling himself.

They'd done it so many times--takeout, a random movie, laughs, and then spending the rest of the night in easy conversation. It became something they both looked forward to after a long week of work. But that night, things felt different. Quinn couldn't place it, they just did.

They were at his place, sitting on the couch, plates long forgotten on the coffee table. The lights were dimmed, the movie they'd chosen playing in the background, but neither of them were paying much attention. The conversation had turned more personal, as it often did, but things felt charged that night.

Harrie was sitting closer than usual.

Quinn noticed it the second he sat down, and now he could feel her leg brushing against his. It wasn't like that hadn't happened before, but it felt more pursposeful this time.

"So," Harrie said, her fingers playing with the cuff of her shirt. "What's been on your mind lately? You've seemed... distracted."

Quinn blinked. He hadn't realized he'd been that transparent. "I guess I've been thinking about a lot of... things. Hockey, mostly. You know how it is."

Harrie nodded, but she searched his face for something more. "Yeah, but it feels like it's more than just hockey."

He sighed, running a hand through his hair. The conversation was getting deeper, pulling in a direction he hadn't expected. But there was no going back.

"I don't know," he admitted. "I think I've just been trying to figure out where my head's at lately."

She tilted her head. "And have you figured it out?"

His heart was racing now, and he wasn't sure why. He looked up at her, his gaze locking with hers, and everything else seemed to fade away. The movie, the half-finished drinks on the table, the noise of the city outside--it all blurred into the background.

"I think I'm starting to."

Harrie didn't say anything, but the look in her eyes made his chest tight. They had been close for weeks-- closer than friends, even if neither of them had said it out loud. It felt like everything was finally coming to a head.

She shifted slightly, her knee pressing against his leg, and Quinn felt his breath hitch. It was subtle, but he still noticed. How could he not?

Harrie's gaze flickered down to his lips, and for the first time, Quinn let himself ask-- what if?

He wasn't entirely sure who moved first. Maybe it was him, maybe it was her, or maybe it was just the inevitable pull they'd both been feeling for weeks. But before he knew it, he was leaning in, and so was she. The space between them disappeared, and just like that, her lips met his.

The kiss was soft at first, hesitant, as if they were both testing the waters. But within seconds, it got deeper. Quinn melted into it, it felt so right.

Her hand made it's way to his shoulder, her fingers gripping lightly as she leaned in even closer. Everything Quinn had been overthinking--the boundaries of their friendship, the lines he was afraid to cross--all disappeared.

"Quinn..." Harrie whispered, her voice barely audible.

"Yeah?" his voice was breathy.

She smiled, her hand still resting on his shoulder. "I think I've wanted to do that for a while."

"Yeah? I think I have, too."

There was no rush to define what had just happened, no need for overthinking. It felt natural.

"So... now what?" Harrie giggled. "Do we just pretend it didn't happen, or...?"

"I don't think we can pretend that didn't happen." He paused for a second, looking at her seriously. "Do you want to?"

"No. No, I don't."

"Good. Because I don't either."

One thing was clear--this was more than just a friendship now. And there was no going back.

~~

It had only been a couple of weeks since their first kiss, but things between Quinn and Harrie had shifted completely. What had once been a comfortable friend had transformed into something that neither of them wanted to slow down.

That kiss had opened the door to a new level of closeness, and the lines between friendship and romance had quickly blurred. They hadn't talked much about what they were specifically--labels didn't seem necessary.

They were at Quinn's again, sitting on the couch like they had countless times before. But instead sitting with space between them, Harrie was talked under his arm, her head resting on his chest. Quinn was absentmindedly tracing circles on her shoulder as Netflix booted up on the TV.

"So, we're going with 'The Breakfast Club,' huh?" Harrie teased, looking up at him with a smirk.

"You know it's a classic," Quinn chuckled, pressing a quick kiss to her forehead. "I can't believe you've never seen it."

She rolled her eyes, snuggling closer to his side. "I know, I know. I've been told it's a crime. Guess you're here to fix that."

Quinn smiled. He liked that they'd been spending more time like that--cuddling, sharing more intimate moments. It wasn't just about that though. They were talking more, opening up in ways that hadn't been part of their friendship before.

They stayed cuddled for the rest of the movie, laughing at the cheesy parts, trading comments on the characters. But as the movie rolled on, Harrie's hand slipped onto Quinn's chest, and he couldn't help but notice how his heartbeat picked up whenever she touched him.

"You're kind of a softie, you know that?" she teased, trailing her fingers along the fabric of his shirt.

"Maybe. But you like it."

She bit her lip, "Yeah, I guess I do."

He leaned down slowly, his hand sliding up to cradle her cheek, and before either of them could overthink it, he kissed her. Soft at first, but quickly deepening, neither of them feeling the need to hold back like the first time.

Harrie shifted, turning slightly so she could face him more fully, her fingers curling into his shirt as she kissed him back. Quinn's other hand found her waist, pulling her onto his lap.

"Okay, you've convinced me," she heaved.

"About what?"

"That you're a softie," her eyes twinkled as she leaned in and kissed him again, this time softer, slower.

Kissing had become second nature, and every time Quinn pulled her closer, it felt like they were falling into something deeper.

~~

It was late afternoon and they were lounging on the couch, as usual. The TV was on in the background, but Quinn had something else on his mind. Something he'd been thinking about for days, debating on whether or not to bring it up.

The playoffs were coming, and things between them had been going really well. Better than he could've imagined. Harrie was part of his life every day, and even though they still hadn't labelled what they were, Quinn felt it heading in that direction.

That's why he wanted her there--for the biggest game of his career so far. He wanted her to see him on the ice, to experience the excitement of playoffs with him.

He cleared his throat, looking down at her. "Hey, so I've been thinking... about the playoff games coming up."

Harrie looked up from her phone, raising an eyebrow. "Yeah? What about them?"

"I want you to come."

"You... want me to come to a playoff game?"

"Yeah," he sat up a little straighter. "I want you there. It's a big deal, and I just... want you to be a part of it."

She seemed to hesitate for a moment, processing his words. "Are you sure? I mean, it's the playoffs, Quinn. That's, like, huge. Don't you have enough pressure without worrying about having me there?"

"It wouldn't be like that," Quinn assured. "Having you there would make it better. It wouldn't add pressure. I promise, Harrie."

She smiled, but there was doubt in her eyes. "I don't know... wouldn't it be weird? Like, I'm not officially your girlfriend or anything, so..."

Quinn cut her off, grabbing her hand. "Who cares about labels? You mean so much to me, Harriet. And the guys' girlfriends and wives... they'll love you. I already know it."

"I don't know, Quinn. I mean, it's not that I don't want to go, but..."

"There's something else," he studied her expression carefully. "What's really holding you back?"

Harrie sighed, how was she supposed to word this. She hadn't even voiced it aloud to herself, so she sure as hell wasn't ready to admit it to Quinn. She'd have to come up with an excuse. She couldn't tell him that she was afraid of being recognized by the other girls as Jack's ex. She'd look like a fool. "I guess I'm just worried about the other girlfriends. I don't want to... get in their way. It's stupid, I know. But I know myself and I'd rather be there and be... comfortable than a nervous wreck."

"I get it, Harrie. That's totally fine. If you'd rather sit elsewhere, you can sit elsewhere. I just want you to be there. Period."

"Thanks, Q."

"Of course. And besides..." He leaned forward, pulling something out from the side of the couch that he'd been hiding until the perfect moment.

He held up a Canucks jacket, one that she'd seen the other WAGs posting about. He'd gotten her one made? "I got this for you."

She stared at the jacket is disbelief, "Quinn... what? No! I can't wear that. I'm not even--"

"Yes, you can," he interrupted, his smile wide. "It's not a big deal. Just think of it as... supporting me. Sit wherever you want. No pressure to hang with the other WAGs. And you'll still have my name on your back." He flipped up the collar, showing his signature printed on the underside.

Harrie let out a nervous laugh, eyeing the jacket like it was some sort of magical item. "You really want me to wear this? And I don't have to sit with them?"

"Not if you don't want to. But I'm telling you, they'll love you. And I'd really, really love to have you there. Please? Just say yes."

"Okay, okay, fine. I'll come. But I'm holding you to that promise--I don't have to sit with the other girlfriends."

"Deal."

"And the jacket..." Harrie said, her voice trailing off as she reached for it. "It's cute, but I still feel weird wearing it."

"You'll look great," he gently pressed a kiss to her cheek. "And you'll be supporting me, which is what matters."

Harrie laughed, shaking her head as she pulled the jacket into her lap. "Okay, you win. But I'm still nervous."

Quinn smiled, resting his forehead against hers. "It's just me and you, Harrie. You've got nothing to be nervous about."

~~

Harrie waited for Quinn in the players' lounge, her excitement bubbling over. She hadn't sat with the WAGs, instead glued to the game, cheering on from her own seat.

When Quinn finally emerged from the locker room, his hair damp from the shower, a tired grin on his face. She practically bounced over to him, throwing her arms around him.

"You killed it out there!"

"Thanks," he murmured against her hair. "I was hoping you'd think so."

She leaned back, looking up at him. "I more than think so. I know so."

"You want to head back to mine?" Quinn asked softly, his voice low in her ear.

Harrie nodded, her pulse quickening. She knew what he was asking--this wasn't just a casual invite. This was more.

"Yeah. Let's go."

~~

Harrie followed him into the living room, watching as he set down his keys on the table. They were both buzzing with post-game adrenaline, their cheeks flushed.

"Want a drink?"

"I'm good," she said softly, stepping closer to him, the tension building.

Quinn closed the space between them, his hands resting on her hips as he leaned down to kiss her. No holding back this time. Her hands slid up his shoulders, pulling him closer. And before they knew it, they were stumbling towards his bedroom, their laughter trailing behind them.

Hours later, they lay tangled together, moonlight filtering through the blinds. Quinn's arm was draped over her waist, his fingers tracing patterns on his skin as they lay there, both still a little breathless.

"You okay?" He asked, pressing a kiss to the back of her shoulder.

Harrie nodded, "More than okay."

"Good."

They didn't talk after that. The silence between them comfortable as they drifted off to sleep. Harrie felt the most at ease she had in Vancouver. Everything felt right.

~~

Harrie was always an early bird. It didn't matter how late she stayed up or how tired she was, her body just knew when it was time to get up. So, when the first light of morning crept through the blinds, she was stirring, blinking awake as she slid out of bed.

Quinn was still fast asleep, his arm draped lazily over where she'd been lying moments before. She smiled softly as she watched him for a second, his face completely at peace. Last night had been perfect, and waking up next to him was even better.

But her stomach growled, reminding her that she hadn't eaten since before the game. She pulled on her thong and Quinn's dress shirt from the night before, the fabric brushing against her bare legs, and she padded her way to the kitchen.

Harrie set to work, rummaging through the fridge and cupboards to see what she could make for breakfast. Eggs, bacon, toast--nothing fancy, but it would do the trick. She hummed softly to herself as she cracked the eggs into a pan, feeling surprisingly at home.

She didn't hear Quinn wake up, didn't notice him until she felt the warmth of his hands slide around her waist, pulling her back gently against him. His breath was warm against her neck, and he pressed soft kisses to her neck, making her laugh as she turned to face him.

"Morning," Harrie said softly, smiling as he nuzzled into her neck.

"Mmm," Quinn murmured, his voice still thick with sleep. "Now this is a view I could get used to. Waking up to you cooking in my shirt. And... the breakfast doesn't hurt either."

She laughed, flipping the bacon in the pan. "I didn't know you were a vampire, Hughes. You left quite the marks on me last night."

Quinn grinned, his hands tightening around her waist as he glanced at her neck, seeing the bright purple and red marks from the night before. "Guess I got carried away," he teased, pressing a kiss to a spot he'd marked.

"Yeah, just a little," she teased, tilting her head to give him better access to her neck, enjoying the warmth of his body pressed against hers.

They stood like that, wrapped in each other, the sizzling of the grease in the pan the only noise in the apartment. Everything felt easy.

"I could really get used to this," Quinn said softly, still peppering kiss and adding more marks to Harrie's neck.

"Yeah? You like waking up to breakfast?"

He shook his head, "No, I mean... waking up with you. Having you here. I want this to be a regular thing."

She turned in his arms to face him, her hands on his chest. "What're you saying?"

Quinn's hands slid up to her cheeks, cupping them. "I'm saying I want you to be my girlfriend, Harrie. Officially. I don't want to dance around it anymore."

She hadn't expected him to say it right then, but the truth was, she'd been feeling the same way. She wanted this, wanted him.

"Are you sure?"

"More than sure. I'm crazy about you, Harriet. I don't want anyone else."

Harrie smiled, leaning up to kiss him. That was her answer--a kiss filled with feelings that she couldn't put into words. They both smiled into it, their teeth clashing.

"Okay, Quintin. I'll be your girlfriend."

Quinn's smile was immediate, peppering her entire face in kisses as he picked her up and spun them in a circle. "You have no idea how happy that makes me."

"I think I do," she teased, leaning her forehead against his.

Breakfast was momentarily forgotten as they let the weight of the moment settle in. They were officially together. Finally.

~~

It had been a fun night--one of those nights where things just went perfectly. They had gone out with some of Quinn's teammates, hit a few bars, and ended up back at Harrie's apartment, stumbling through the front door, laughing as they tried to stay upright.

Quinn wasn't used to being this drunk, especially during the season, but they had the next couple days off, and it had just... happened. Harrie had let loose too, and now they were both tipsy, giddy, and without filters.

They collapsed onto her bed, still laughing. Quinn's arm slung over her shoulders, her head resting on his chest. They'd been officially together for a few weeks and things were so easy. He liked that. He liked her.

"That was fun," Harrie giggled, fidgetting with the bottom of Quinn's shirt. "Your friends are hilarious."

"I told you they were cool," he replied. He was definitely more buzzed than usual, but he felt good. Especially with Harrie by his side.

"You know, it's crazy how different everything feels now," Harrie said, her words slower, more thoughtful. "Like, moving here, starting over, meeting you..."

Quinn looked down at her, sensing a deeper meaning behind her words. "What do you mean?"

"I guess I've just been thinking about... the past. About how much things have changed."

Quinn's stomach tensed slightly and it wasn't from the alcohol. He tried not to let it show, but he had a feeling he knew where this was going. Jack.

"Like what?" he asked, even though he was pretty sure he didn't want to know the answer.

"Like Jack. I haven't really talked about him have I?"

"No, not really."

Harrie let out a small laugh, but there was sadness behind it. "We were together for so long, you know? It's weird to think about how different things are now. He was my first real relationship. From high school to his rookie season... that's a lot of history."

Quinn nodded slowly. He knew they had a past--everyone did--but it wasn't something he wanted to dwell on. "Yeah, I remember."

"When we broke up," she continued, her voice quieter. "It wasn't even a bad breakup. It as mutual. The distance was just... too much. We were growing apart, and I think we both knew it deep down." She paused, gathering her thoughts. "But it's still weird, ya know? I don't think you ever really forget someone like that."

Quinn's mind was racing as he tried to stay calm. He didn't know how to respond. He had always pushed Jack out of his mind when it came to Harrie. She wasn't Jack's ex to him. She was just Harrie. But now, hearing her talk about Jack, it made things feel complicated.

"You ever talk to him now?"

Harrie shook her head. "No. Not really. We haven't talked much since the breakup."

There was a pause, and Quinn felt like he should be relieved--but something still gnawed at him.

"I saw him last year, though," Harrie added softly, her words slurring more as the alcohol kicked in. "When he came to visit Luke at Michigan. We ran into each other at a party."

His mind immediately jumping to the story Luke had mentioned about Harrie and Jack hooking up again that weekend. Was she going to tell him?

But she didn't.

"We talked for a while, caught up," she continued. "It wasn't weird or anything. I think we both realized we'd moved on, ya know? I was focused on graduating, and he was doing his thing in Jersey. We were just... different people by then."

He tried to make sense of what she was saying. She hadn't mentioned the hookup. Why hadn't she mentioned it? Did she not think it mattered? Or... did she still have feelings for Jack that she wasn't admitting to herself?

Harrie's eyes fluttered closed, the alcohol making her sleepy. "I'm glad I'm not stuck in the past," she murmured, her voice barely audible. "I'm happy with you, Quinn. Really happy."

Did she still think about Jack?

He pressed a kiss to the top of her head, his mind in overdrive, though he tried to stay grounded. "I'm happy with you too, Harrie."

She'd fallen asleep, her breathing slow and steady. But Quinn couldn't sleep.

He just lay there staring at the ceiling. He knew he shouldn't have read into it too much--Harrie had been drunk, she'd opened up about her past, and she hadn't said anything that should make him worry.

But the missing piece of the story--the part about her hooking up with Jack last year--it sat in the back of his mind. Why hadn't she mentioned it? Had she forgotten it? Or was it something more?

Was he just overthinking this? Was Jack still in her head, even after all this time? And if he was, where did that leave Quinn?

She was happy with him. She'd said so.

But Quinn couldn't shake the feeling that something had been left unsaid, and as the hours ticked by, he found himself still wide awake, overthinking every word, every single detail of what she had told him.

~~

Quinn's head was pounding. They'd gone too hard, but he didn't regret it--just hadn't anticipated having to be alone with his thoughts. For once, Harrie wasn't awake before him. Still curled up into his side, her breathing steady. The conversation they'd had about Jack had stuck with him, replaying in his mind all night.

He sighed, running a hand through his hair as he carefully sat up as to not disturb Harrie. But as if sensing him being awake, Harrie stirred, blinking groggily as she adjusted to the light. "Ugh, why is it so bright?"

"That's what happens after a night like we had. Too much fun, not enough water."

Harrie winced, "Yeah, I definitely didn't pace myself. But... there's something I wanted to talk to you about. Even if my head feels like it's about to explode."

"Sure, what's up?"

Harrie took a deep breath, wiping the sleep from her eyes. "I just... I think it was stupid of me to bring up Jack last night. I mean, we were hammered, and that conversation just kinda came out of nowhere."

Quinn stayed quiet, letting her speak. She was bringing it up first... that was a good sign.

"I don't want you to think I'm still hung up on him. Beause I'm not. I swear. I shouldn't have mentioned him, but I guess drunk-me was like nostalgic or some shit. It's just that... there's nothing to worry about, Quinn. You and Jack? Two completely different people.

"You don't have to explain it, Harrie. I get it."

But she just shook her head, as if she wasn't convinced he really did understand. "No, I do. I need to explain. Because I don't want you to think I like compare you to him or anything like that. I can't even compare you two. You're... not comparable? Jack is my past, but you're my present, Quinn."

He felt relieved, but there was still a small nagging thought--a reminder that she hadn't mentioned the part about hooking up with him. A small piece of the puzzle still missing, but he shoved it aside, not allowing himself to dwell on it.

"That means a lot to hear, Harriet. I won't lie... hearing about Jack last night caught me off guard. But I get it. It's your past and I'm not going to hold that against you."

"Exactly, that's all it is. The past. I want to be with you, Quinn. I wouldn't be here if I didn't."

He believed her.

"I want to be with you too. And I trust you, Harrie. I do."

Harrie's expression softened and she leaned in to give him a quick peck. "Good. Because you're the only person I'm thinking about these days."

Quinn kissed her again, pulling her closer, and everything felt right.

~~

Harrie and Quinn were in the kitchen, moving in tandem as they prepared dinner. It had become another part of their routine--cooking together. They were a team and it had grown to be one of Quinn's favourite parts of their relatiobship.

Harrie was standing at the stove, stirring a pan of pasta sauce; while Quinn stood beside her, chopping vegetables. It was simple, but they were still doing it together.

"You're getting good at this," Harrie teased as Quinn finished chopping a bell pepper. "I remember when you didn't even know how to properly dice an onion."

Quinn grinned, "Well, I had a good teacher."

"It's about time you gave me some credit."

They continued to cook side by side, dancing to the music playing from Quinn's phone. But as they neared the end of dinner prep, the inevitable topic of the summer came up.

"So, what's the plan for the summer?" Harrie asked, pouring the sauce over the pasta as Quinn started setting the table. "You and Jack have anything big planned."

Quinn paused. Summer. He hadn't wanted to think about it too much, but now that it was only a couple weeks away, he couldn't avoid it. The lake house, being with Jack...

"Yeah, we'll probably spend a lot of time at the lake house. You know, with the guys--Luke, Trevor, Cole."

Harrie nodded, "That sounds fun. I'm sure you'll have a blast."

"What about you? What's your plan?"

Harrie shrugged, serving them both a plate of pasta before sitting across from him. "I'll probably stick around Vancouver for the most part. Work's getting busy, and I've got some projects lined up. But we'll see each other before the end of summer, right? I could always come visit."

"Yeah, I'd love that."

He hadn't brought it up yet, his worry about being around Jack for that long, about the guilt of keeping his relationship with Harrie a secret.

He couldn't hold it in any longer. "Are you... worried? About me being with Jack all summer?"

Harrie blinked, surprised, then shook her head. "Worried? No, not really. Should I be?"

Quinn shifted in his chair, "I just... I don't know. It's weird, right? Keeping this from him. It feels like... like I'm hiding something."

Harrie smiled, reaching across the table to take his hand. "Quinn, you don't have to worry. Jack's not going to find out. And even if he did... we're happy. That's all that matters."

"I know, I just... I don't like keeping this from him. I feel like I'm lying."

"You're not lying. You're just waiting for the right time to tell him. And like I've said before, it's not some huge betrayal. Jack's moved on. You and I are... us. Separate from all of that."

"You're way too calm about this," he teased.

Harrie rolled her eyes. "Because it's not a big deal! Quinn, you're overthinking this. Jack's not like going to magically figure it out."

"You don't know him like I do."

"True," she admitted, standing up, and leaning across the table to kiss him softly. "But I do know that everything is fine. We're fine. And you're going to have a great summer without stressing about this."

"Come here," Quinn murmured, pulling her onto his lap. "I don't know how you do it," he kissed the side of her neck. "You're way too good at calming me down."

"It's a talent," she teased, kissing him again. "Now stop worrying. You're going to spend the summer with your brothers and friends. Have fun, relax, and maybe let me visit."

"Deal."

~~

It had been days since Quinn had arrived at the lake house, and he was surprised by how quickly his worries had disappeared. The moment he stepped on the dock and the sun hit his skin, it felt like all his tension melted away. Being with his brothers, Cole, Trevor, and their other friends had a way of making shit feel normal again.

There had been boat trips, barbecues, and long nights sitting around the fire laughing about stupid shit. Quinn had been so worried about keeping the secret from Jack, but he felt at east when he was actually there. Jack was his usual self and Quinn believed things wouldn't be as bad as he thought. Maybe they could get through the whole summer without any drama.

The boys were all sat around the table, playing cards. The atmosphere are light, everyone was teasing each other, throwing out sarcastic comments about bad hands and questionable moves.

"Dude, there's no way in hell you're beating that," Trevor said with a grin, throwing his cards down as he leaned back and crossed his arms. "I'm calling it. Game over."

"Please," Jack shot back, laying out his hand. "That's rookie stuff. I've got this."

Quinn chuckled leaning over to check Jack's hand. "Bullshit. He's got nothing."

The whole group laughed. This was exactly that Quinn had needed--a break. And for the first time in a while, he wasn't worried about what he was keeping from Jack.

That was, until his phone buzzed from the centre of the table. The guys had all decided no phones while they played, so they'd all been placed on the table.

He didn't think much of it, just another text. But then, Trevor, who was sitting closest to Quinn's phone, glanced at the screen that lit up again.

"Hey, Quinn, you've got a text from 'H <3.' Who's the luck lady?"

Quinn froze, his stomach dropping to his feet. He had forgotten when he'd left his phone on the table that Harrie's contact had a heart next to it. He tried his best to act nonchalant, but he definitely wasn't feeling it.

Before he could grab his phone, Jack snatched it from the pile on the table.

"Let's see what 'H <3' has to say," Jack teased, laughing as he unlocked his brother's phone. "Bet she's a total smokeshow."

Quinn's heart caught in his throat as he watched Jack read the message. His playful smile slowly falling, going from amused to confused to... Quinn wasn't really sure what.

"Quinn," Jack said slowly, his voice was controlled but there was a certain sharpness to it. "Who's 'H?' And why is she texting you that she can't wait to see you again and misses you already? And that she wishes she was back home in Michigan? You're dating a girl from Michigan?"

The room went silent. Everyone's eyes were on Quinn now, waiting for an answer. He swallowed hard, he felt like he couldn't keep lying. He couldn't dodge, he couldn't deflect. It felt too wrong. There was nothing he could do to make the guys drop this. He knew them better than that.

"It's... Harrie."

Jack blinked, "Harrie? Like... my ex-girlfriend, Harrie? Harriet?"

Quinn nodded slowly, unable to look Jack in the eye. "Yeah. That Harrie."

The guys shifted uncomfortably, exchanging glances, but nobody said a word. Jack was just staring, trying to process what he'd just been told.

"How long?" his voice was tight.

"A few months. But it's not what you think, Jack. It just... happened. I didn't plan it. Neither of us did."

Jack's jaw tightened, and for a moment Quinn thought he might get up and storm out of the room. But he didn't. He leaned back in his chair, letting out a long, deep breath.

"You're telling me you've been with my ex for months? And you didn't think to mention it?" His tone was dangerously calm.

Quinn shook his head. "I wanted to, I swear. I just... didn't know how. I didn't want to hurt you."

Jack laughed, but there was no humour to it. "Well, mission accomplished, bro. You sure as hell kept it well hidden from me."

Trevor cleared his throat, "Maybe we should take a break from the game..."

"No. It's fine. I'm fine," Jack looked back at Quinn. "But I need to know one thing, Quinn--do you actually care about her? Or is this just some hookup?"

He cared about her more than anything, but saying that to Jack, in that moment, felt like betrayal. "I care about her, Jack. A lot."

"Then I guess you've made your choice."

Without another word, Jack stood up, walking out of the room and leaving Quinn sitting there, the guilt crushing him while the other guys just sat there in stunned silence.

~~

After the initial reveal, things seemed surprisingly normal. Jack had acted pissed for a moment, but the next morning he brushed it all off, saying everything was fine. He didn't bring up Harrie again, didn't make any snide comments about Jack's relationship. If anything, he just acted like he didn't care.

Quinn wanted to believe that. He wanted to believe Jack was okay with it, that things were back to normal. But something in the back of his mind told him that he wasn't really over it at all.

They had been at the lake for a week, and like many other nights, they were drinking. The stars overhead, the lake shimmering under the moonlight, they all sat around the fire getting drunk.

Trevor and Cole were in the middle of some ridiculous debate about the best post-game meal, Luke was cracking up, and Jack... well Jack had been downing beers faster than anyone else.

"Alright, alright, let's settle this," Trevor slurred, holding up his beer. "Which is worse? Post-game hunger or post-game soreness?"

Cole laughed, almost spilling his drink. "Dude, hunger, for sure. You can't do shit when you're starving."

"Nah, soreness," Luke chimed in. "Can't even more when you're that sore."

The conversation continued, but Quinn noticed the shift in Jack. Usually he was jumping into conversations like that, giving his own stupid answer. But instead, he was just staring at the fire. Watching it flicker. And Quinn could tell that the alcohol had really hit him. Hard.

Finally, Jack broke the silence, cutting off the laughter around him. "You know what's worse? Being lied to."

The group went quiet, the obvious change in tone catching them all off guard. Trevor glanced at Jack, confused. "What are you talking about, dude?"

Jack laughed, sharp and bitter. "I'm talking about finding out your brother's been fucking your ex behind your back for months and didn't even bother to tell you."

It was clear that Jack had been holding onto it the entire time.

"Jack, come on," Quinn tried to defuse the situation. "We talked about this. I didn't mean to hurt you. I just... happened."

Jack snorted, locking eyes with his older brother. "Yeah? Just happened, huh? Like how it just happened that you didn't tell me for months? Like how it just happened that you thought you could keep this from me forever?"

"I didn't want to hurt you, Jack," Quinn repeated, trying to stay calm. "I just didn't know how to bring it up? I'm sorry, okay?"

Jack leaned forward, a dangerous smile spread across his face. "Oh, you're sorry? That's nice, Quinn. Really. But let me ask you this--did she ever tell you about the last time we saw each other?"

Quinn knew exactly where this was going. Although he pretended he didn't. "What're you talking about?"

"Oh, she didn't tell you?" Jack said, his tone mocking, his words slurring together. "Of course she didn't. Well, let me fill you in, bro. Last time we saw each other? We fucked. And let me tell you," he laughed. "She fucking loved it."

The words hit Quinn like a punch to the face, but Jack wasn't done.

"You think you're the only one she cares about, huh?" His voice was growing louder, angrier. "You really think she's over me? Please. She'll never get over me. You're gonna have to accept the fact that every time she's with, every time she's in your bed, she's thinking of me."

Luke looked like he wanted to say something, but he held back. Just staring wide-eyed like Trevor and Cole.

Quinn's hands gripped the arms of his chair. He knew about the hookup--or at least, he knew it supposedly happened. But hearing Jack say it out loud, hearing the venom in his voice, made it feel a thousand times worse.

"Jack, you're drunk," Quinn shook his head. "You don't know what you're saying."

"I know exactly what I'm saying! I'm saying that no matter how much you think you care about her, she's never gonna get over me. And if you think she's not comparing you to me every time you're with her, you're a fucking idiot."

For a moment, Quinn thought about getting up, grabbing Jack by the collar and forcing him to stop talking. But instead he sat there, staring at his brother, feeling the weight of every word sink deeper into his skin.

"Jack, that's enough," Luke finally spoke up. "You're drunk, let's go to bed."

Jack swayed slightly on his feet. "Whatever. You all have fun playing hosue with Quinn and his new 'girlriend.' Just don't be surprised when she comes running back to me."

~~

Quinn practically stumbled up the stairs, rushing to his room. Each one of Jack's words hit him like a sledgehammer.

"She'll never get over me."

He sank onto the edge of his bed, closing his door. His phone was clutched tightly in his hand, his head spinning. He needed to talk to her. He needed answers.

His fingers moved on autopiloet, dialing Harrie's number before he could stop himself. The phone only rang twice before she picked up.

"Hey, you!" Her voice was light and teasing. "I wasn't expecting to hear from you tonight. How's lake life treating you?"

"Harrie..."

"What's up? Did you miss me already? Because I'm warning you, it's gonna be hard to beat this pasta I made for dinner. You'll be jealous."

But Quinn wasn't laughing.

"Jack knows," his voice low, words coming out jumbled. "About us. He found out. The other night."

There was a pause on the other end of the line and he could hear Harrie shift. "Oh... okay. What happened? Did he freak out?"

"No," Quinn muttered, feeling the tension in his shoulders tighten. "Not at first. He acted like it was no big deal. But then we got drunk tonight, and he just... he lost it, Harrie."

"Quinn..." her tone was calming. "What exactly did he say?"

"He told me you two hooked up. Last time he saw you. He said you 'fucking loved it.'" The bitterness in his tone was palpable, and the words felt like poison on his tongue. "He said you'd never get over him, Harrie. That I'd have to accept that every time you're with me, you're imagining him."

Silence. When she finally spoke, her voice was soft, almost disbelieving. "He said that to you?"

He nodded even thought she couldn't see him. "Yeah. He said that. And now I just..." he trailed off, his voice breaking slightly. "I thought you were over him. You told me you were over him."

"I am over him," Harrie said firmly. She sounded more frustrated, more concerned. "Quinn, that hookup that he's talking about? Happened almost two years ago. It'll be two years in August. Long before I knew you the way I do now. Meant nothing. It was closure. Jack's just... being an ass. He's drunk and trying to get under your skin."

"But why didn't you tell me about it, Harrie? You never mentioned it. And now, after hearing Jack say that, I--" He paused, swallowing harshly. "I don't know what to think. I don't know what's real anymore."

There was a sigh from Harrie, the kind she let out when she was trying to remain calm, trying to find the right words. "Quinn, I didn't tell you because it didn't matter. I didn't want to bring it up because I'm not that person anymore. And I don't think Jack is either. I didn't want you to think I still had feelings for him. Because I don't. I didn't then, and I don't now."

Quinn ran a hand down his face. "But Jack... he made it sound like you're not over him. Like you'll never be over him. How am I supposed to just ignore that?"

"You know that's not true, right? Quinn, I am over him. I'm with you because you're the one that I want. Jack is a part of my past, but you... you're my now, Quinn."

She hestiated when he didn't respond, but decided to keep talking. "Quinn, I love you. I didn't know when or how to tell you, but I do. I love you. And I don't want you to doubt that because of something Jack said just to hurt you."

Quinn froze. She loved him? She'd never said that before. He wanted to let those words wash away everything Jack had said.

But he couldn't.

"Harrie..." he started, his voice strained. "I--"

He couldn't say it back. He couldn't find the words. "I need some time to think."

"Okay... I understand. We can talk more later, Quinn. Just... please know that I'm here. I love you."

"I'll talk to you later," he avoided the words she needed to hear. Now all he could do was sit with his doubts, torn between his love for Harrie and the guilt he felt towards his brother.

~~

Harrie hadn't slept. She felt guilty for not telling Quinn about her hookup with Jack. And she couldn't get over the hurt she felt when Quinn hadn't said that he loved her back. But more than that she was angry. Angry at herself, at the situation, but mostly angry at Jack.

Jack needed to hear the truth, not just from Quinn... from her. If he thought he could stir up trouble just because of a hook-up nearly two years ago, he was sorely mistaken.

Without hesitation, she called Jack. For the first time in years.

"Harrie?" Jack was groggy with sleep and surprise. "What's up?"

Harrie didn't waste time on plesantries. "We need to talk. Now."

"Okay... what's this about?"

Harrie clenched her jaw, feeling the anger bubble inside her. "It's about you acting like a complete asshole to your brother last night. Quinn told me what you said, Jack."

Jack sighed, clearly trying to brush it off. "Look, I was drunk, alright? I didn't mean half the shit I said."

"But you did say it," Harrie snapped. "You're using that fucking hookup between us like it still means something. It doesn't, Jack. It hasn't for a long time."

Jack was quiet for a second, his tone was more defensive after. "It meant something to me, Harrie. We were together for years. You don't just forget that."

"I'm not saying you have to forget it, Jack. I'm saying you need to stop letting it affect you like this. I didn't want Quinn to find out that way. Hell, I didn't want him to find out at all because it didn't matter. That night was about closure for both of us. You know that."

"You don't get it. It's not just about that fucking night. It's about you and Quinn. It's weird, Harrie. You're my ex. He's my brother."

"Of course, it's weird!" Harrie shot back. "I get that, Jack. But you need to grow up. I didn't fall for Quinn to spite you! It just happened. We're happy, and I'm not going to apologize for that."

"Happy?" Jack scoffed. "He didn't look too happy last night when I told him what happened. You can't just erase the past, Harriet. You're always gonna be my ex, and he's always gonna know that."

Harrie wasn't backing down. "Yes, I'm your ex, Jack. But I'm Quinn's girlfriend now. I love him. And if you can't accept that--if you can't get over this--then it's going to tear your family apart. Is that what you want? For me to come between you and your brother?"

Silence.

"Because it that's really what it's going to do, I'll end things with Quinn. I don't want to hurt him, Jack. I am not about to be the reason you guys can't be civil. I'll walk away before it gets any worse. I care about him too much to tear you two apart."

"You'd end things with him? Just like that?"

"If I had to," she admitted, though her heart ached at the thought. "But I don't want to. I love him. I'm not going to apologize for that, and I'm not going to pretend like you're some ghost hanging over our relationship. You need to move on. I have."

Jack's voice softened. "I don't want you to end things with Quinn, Harriet. I don't. I guess... I just, I didn't realize how much it would mess with my head, picturing you with him."

"It's not about us anymore, Jack. You and I? We're in the past. Not coming back."

"Yeah, you're right. I just... I was pissed. I don't want you to tear my family apart either."

"Good. Then let this go. You have to, for Quinn's sake. He deserves better than this."

"I'll try, Harrie. I will. I didn't mean to blow up on him like that. I was... being really fucking stupid. I'll talk to him, okay?"

Harrie sighed in relief. "Good. Thank you, Jack."

Jack chuckled softly despite the awkwardness. "Guess I owe you one, huh?"

"You owe Quinn one," she corrected. "Just... be his brother. That's all he needs."

"Yeah, I'll work on that."

~~

Quinn was sitting on the dock. He'd been there for a while, just trying to process all the thoughts going through his head. Things were messy, and though he hadn't slept well, he hoped the new day would bring some clarity.

He knew Jack. He knew his brother wasn't really angry about Harrie... at least not deep down. Jack was just being Jack. Too prideful to admit when something hurt him.

He glanced back when he heard footsteps. Jack was walking toward him, hands stuffed in the pocket of his sweatshirt, looking more sober and less angry than the night before.

"Hey."

"Hey."

Jack sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I talked to Harrie this morning. She kinda gave me a reality check."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah," Jack said, kicking at the end of the dock with his shoe. "She told me I need to grow up. And... she's right. I was an asshole last night. I shouldn't have said what I said." He paused, glancing at Quinn. "I'm sorry, man. I was pissed and drunk, but that doesn't make it okay. I shouldn't have gone off on you like that."

Quinn took a deep breath. He knew this apology was coming, but hearing it felt nice.

"I get it, Jack. It's weird. You're my brother, and she's your ex. I didn't want it to happen like this, but... I care about her. I really do."

Jack nodded. "Yeah, I know. I get it. I just... I didn't expect it, ya know? You and her. It threw me off." He rubbed the back of his neck, looking a bit sheepish. "But it's not like I'm still hung up on her or anything. I guess I just didn't handle the news well."

"You? Not handling something well? Shocker."

"Shut up," Jack laughed.

"I don't want this to come between us," Quinn said. "We're brothers. I don't care how complicated this is, I'm not losing you over it."

Jack shook his head. "You won't, man. I'm not that petty. And... I'm sorry again. I don't want you to feel like I'm some weird shadow hanging over your relationship. You deserve to be happy, and if Harriet makes you happy, then... I'm cool with it."

"Thanks, Jack. Means a lot."

Jack grinned, holding out his arms. "Come on, bring it in. Let's get this awkward shit outta the way."

Quinn laughed, getting up to pull Jack into a quick bro-hug. When they pulled back Jack gave Quinn a playful shove. "You know, you're lucky I didn't kick your ass last night. You had it coming."

Quinn snorted. "Yeah, sure. Whatever you need to tell yourself."

~~

Trevor, Jack, Cole, Luke, and Quinn were sprawled out on the couches, watching some dumb movie, half paying attention. The atmposphere was easy again, like then tension of the previous night had never happened.

"So," Trevor smirked. "Now that we're all sobber, I gotta ask--Qball, how the hell did you pull Harrie?"

Quinn blinked. "What do you mean?"

"Dude, she's like the hottest girl ever. You're a lucky man, Quinn. Seriously. I thought she was wayyyyyy out of your league."

The group erupted into laughter.

"Thanks, man. Real confidence boost," Quinn muttered, shaking his head.

"No, seriously," Trevor continued. "I've met a lot of girls, but Harrie? Total rocket. If you ever mess it up, I'm just saying..." He winked.

"Don't even think about it," Jack cut in with a mock glare. "Harrie's off-limits. For all of you. Except Q... I guess."

Trevor raised his beer, grinning. "Alright, here's to Quinn! The lucky bastard."

~~

Harrie was at her desk, scrolling through her work emails, trying to focus on her job. But her mind kept drifting back to Quinn and Jack. It was a relief to clear the air with Jack, but she was still worried about Quinn's reaction to everything.

Her phone buzzed, pulling all her attention away from her work.

Huggy <3: Check your email.

What was he up to? She opened her personal email, her heart skipping a beat when she saw an email for a flight confirmation. She clicked on it, scanning the details.

Quinn had bought her a ticket to Michigan.

She immediately called him. "Quinn! You got me a plane ticket?"

Quinn chuckled on the other end. "Yeah. I figured you should be here for the last few days of the trip. Besides, I miss you."

"But... what about Jack? I don't want to make things weird. Er, weirder. What if he's not okay with me being there?"

"Don't worry about Jack. I already talked to him. It's all good. He's cool with it. Actually, I think he wants you to come."

Harrie blinked, surprised. "Wh- really?"

"Really. So pack your bags, baby. You've got a flight to catch tomorrow."

"Okay. I'll see you soon," she squealed.

"I can't wait."

~~

Harrie rushed toward Quinn, but before she could say anything, he pulled her into a tight hug. His arms wrapped around her waist as he picked her up and spun her around, like he often did at home.

"You made it," he kissed her temple.

"Of course I did! You're not getting rid of me that easily."

A few hours later, they arrived at the dock where the rest of the guys were hanging out. Jack spotted them first, his eyes flickering to Harrie, and for a second his expression was unreadable. The he smiled, a genuine smile, and nodded toward them.

"Hey Harrie," he waved them over. "Glad you could make it."

She smiled back. "Thanks. Good to see you too, Jack."

They exchanged a quick hug, and when Harrie glanced up at Quinn, he was smiling brightly. No tension, no awkwardness. Jack had come to terms with it, and they could all move forward.

Jack watched Harrie and Quinn move around the house, spending time together, and laughing like they were in their own little world. It wasn't forced, but it also wasn't anything like the dynamic she and Jack had had once upon a time. They were different people now. They way Quinn looked at her--like she was the only person in the room--was something that Jack had never really felt when he and Harrie had been together.

It him then that he had just been a kid when he and Harrie dated. Sure, they'd had something good, but it was nothing like that. Harrie and Quinn were in love, and it was clear as day. And he wasn't going to stand in the way of that.

"You really are a lucky bastard," Jack clapped Quinn on the back. "But you already knew that, huh?"

Quinn laughed, his arm still slung over Harrie's shoulders. "Yeah, I know."

"For real though. I'm happy for you guys. Really, I mean it."

Harrie smiled softly, nodding in appreciation. "Thanks, Jack. Means a lot."

~~

Later that night, Harrie and Quinn were curled up in bed together, the cool breeze from the lake drifting through the cracked window. They'd been talking for hours, just enjoying each other's company.

Harrie was lying with her head on Quinn's chest, listening to his heartbeat while he absentmindedly ran his hand through her hair.

"You know," she whispered, "this trip was... perfect. I didn't think it would be. But it was. You, me, Jack--everything is like falling into place."

"I'm glad you're here."

They fell silent again. Quinn had been thinking about it ever since she'd said it on the phone... that she loved him. He hadn't been able to say it back then, but, lying there with her, knowing what they'd had to deal with, there was no doubt left in his mind.

"Harrie."

She lifted her head, resting her chin on his chest, her eyes half-lidded with sleep.

"Yeah?"

He took a deep breath. "I love you."

Her lips parted slightly in surprise, but slowly a smile broke across her face. "You do?"

Quinn nodded, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. "Yeah. I do. I love you."

Harrie leaned in, kissing him softly, her lips warm against his. "I love you too," she whispered.

They stayed like that for a long time, wrapped up in each other's arms, the weight of the world finally being lifted from their shoulders, knowing that they were exactly where they were meant to be.

[antivivziepopparade]

All of the proof that we have that Vivziepop is abusive. (So far....)

While you support this post please go ahead and support my channel to see more about Vivziepop's abusive behavior. Thanks!

1. She rushes her employees.

Season 1 was made in 2020. While Season 2 was made in 2021 while being released with MULTIPLE EPISODES only ONE year later.

That's-

INSANE!

-and im about to tell you why:

The average cartoon needs almost ONE WHOLE YEAR to produce one episode. And this is what we see in MAINSTREAM shows.

Meanwhile, Helluva Boss took only one year (and a half) to make MULTIPLE ENTIRE EPISODES that last over 20 minutes. The longest waiting time for an episode being 8 months. Not even a year, and we get multiple episodes off the drawing board.

You can even see here that it's taken only three years to make 16 episodes. When this is an indie studio, so this should have taken so much longer to make. Yet for some reason, it took only a few years for us to get full seasons. In 2021, we got over 4 episodes alone. Have you ever wondered why these episodes come out so fast while other shows take a lot longer to get new seasons? That's an easy question to ask... Spindlehorse...

Is being ABUSED.

And I have the proof to show.

2. The pay controversy.

Spindlehorse's payment has been under controversy for providing the lowest pay possible to those that work at the studio.

One piece of evidence was given by Adam himself (albeit unintentionally) by saying this:

This kind of pay is highly unstable! And before you say "But he didn't force them to be there-"

LOOK.

The employees themselves admitted that they had no choice. People had no choice and Vivienne Medrano took advantage of that for her own selfish desires. This is disgusting treatment of a studio as small as Spindlehorse. Or any studio for that matter.

Hell! chaifootsteps said once that once Zeurel released that he was paying his animators too low, he deleted one of the tweets showing the low pay and decided to do something to give his employees better wages. Meanwhile, Chimera Bunny pays even less than Viv does and just because paying your workers low is normal in the animation industry- plot twist: Doesn't make it ok!

People have suffered so much in this industry, it's why "New Deal for Animation" exists. The only reason you haven't seen many Vivziepop workers having protests and speaking out is because Vivziepop says things like this behind people's backs if they "dare" do anything she doesn't like:

So that explains as to why so many people remain as "anon" or say nothing at all because they got cold feet. Vivienne's terrible!

Especially since even her top employees have admitted to not being paid enough despite Adam's "I pay them to stay if they make us the most mon-ey!" claims from the article:

Also this:

This is how she speaks about her own employees:

"YOU DONT LIKE HOW I TREAT YOU?! FUCK OFF!"

Straight up abuse.

Also, wasn't Walt Disney known for abusing his employees?

To the point where people had an entire protest in 1914 about it?

Wow... such a healthy workplace treatment comparison. Doesn't make Vivziepop look more like a jerk.... at all! /s

3. She bullies kids/laughed at a sa victim that was sa'ed by her friends. As one kid was bullied into a panic attack (I know them personally) back in about 2020 and Viv decided to vague post about them behind their back even after they apologized.

For someone who's so focused on "forgiving despite cancel culture" she sure likes to blame and harass people for disliking even ONE thing about her show or herself. One thing- and you're harassed over making a meme about a cartoon with fictional characters (What Froot Did that set Vivziepop and Gumball off.)

Secondly, one of her friends sexually harassed a minor.

And instead of acknowledging the sa, Vivziepop wrote this:

She ended up calling it a "joke" and made fun of the victim involved.

This is outright abusive behavior that should not be tolerated.

Children don't deserve to be traumatized this way. Especially over something as simple as making memes about a cartoon (negative or not) or simply telling someone to stop fetishizing abuse.

More on this in this video made by Gummypop:

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAND-

That's all that I have for now!

Will likely be updating this post in the future. Goodbye!

EDIT:

More evidence of Vivziepop using abusive language and slander against her employees behind their back. Claims of them being a "stalker" (like she did to Kedi and also its clear that she told her employees to say that Kaz was a "stalker" otherwise how else would they be saying these things after she fired them.) along with using abusive language such as "CUNT!" to prefer to Kaz this way in a professional setting I cannot. 💀

More evidence of Vivziepop harassing a kid:

ANOTHER edit:

More evidence, she's burning them the HELL out!

Yet ANOTHER edit:

More evidence of Spindlehorse being abusive:

EDIT:

Even MORE evidence:

The fact that the story AND the storyboards AND the animating for season one's episodes were all done in one year is just so crazy to me like... WHAT?! Either way, this post will continue to extend the more that I find evidence. So remember to look forward to that one!

EDIT:

Sadly no, as animation abuse is so common that the police dont even see it as an issue. The last time I tried to call the police on her they needed a location. The problem? There is no location of Spindlehorse since it's a "private" studio. So because of that viv gets away with abuse despite the obvious implications of her behavior and how many people came out with allegations towards her.

[gh0stsp1d3r]

ℳ𝒾𝓃ℯ

Masterlist

Send Rafe reqs im begging ‼️🌚

Warnings: established relationship, possessiveness, cursing, fight, suggestive at the end

He watched you dance around with your friends while he stayed at the side, leaning against a wall. You had a smile on your face, and he swirled the cup in his hands around, eyeing you.

He watched you come up to him, leaving your friends in the crowd. You greeted him with a kiss on the cheek.

“Hi, baby.” He mumbled, looking down at you.

“Hi! What are you doing back here? C’mon, have some fun.” Your words were slurred, and you were obviously drunk. He chuckled at your state, putting his own drink down.

“Let’s go home.” He said, knowing damn well you would be complaining tomorrow morning about your hangover.

“What? Why? It’s still-“ you immediately protested.

“Cause you’re drunk, princess.” His hands were on your hips, as you let out a whine.

“Okay, okay, can we leave in like… 20 minutes? My friends are waiting on me.”

He sighed. “Fine. 20 minutes.” He couldn’t say no to you.

“Thank you!! I love you!” You said, giving him one more kiss and leaving him, going back to your friends who all smiled when you came back. He picked back up his drink, shaking his head to himself with a small amused smile on his face.

He let you have fun with your friends, while he talked with his own. His eyes drifted right back to you while they talked.

“Who’s that?” Rafe suddenly asked Kelce, nodding to a boy that had been staring at you the whole time you were on the dance floor. He had a hint of jealousy in his eyes.

“Oh, that’s Ethan. His family moved in like last month. He’s an asshole.” He mumbled the last part under his breath, taking a sip of the drink.

Rafe’s grip on his cup tightened, crushing it. Kelce furrowed his eyebrows and looked at where he was looking.

You were smiling and laughing with one of your friends while he made his way behind you, one of your friends pointed him out and you turned to see the boy.

“Hey!” He said, the music drowning out his voice.

“Hi?” You said, a little confused at him. You’ve never seen him before, and your friend told you he was just checking you out.

“Are you single?!” He shouted.

“No.” You scoffed, terrible question to ask. You turned back to your friend.

Thankfully, you didn’t seem interested in the man, Rafe thought. But the boy just looked around, and came even closer, his body pressing against yours.

You furrowed your eyebrows, elbowing the man off of you. Rafe was furious at this point, and without a second thought, stormed over, pushing past the crowd.

“C’mon, don’t be such a-.” He groaned, holding his stomach. His sentence being interrupted when Rafe came over. The partygoers watched, knowing something was going down.

“Who the fuck do you think you are?” Rafe said, his hands moved faster than his brain did, and he punched the man. The man groaned and began to fight back, shoving Rafe.

Rafe pushed Ethan onto the ground, getting on top of him and landing multiple blows to his face. His face was bloody, the people yelled and shouted, he didn’t care.

“Rafe! Rafe!” You attempted to get him off, afraid that he would kill the guy at this point.

He only got off when you grabbed his arm, pulling him up and he panted as the man cried out, still on the floor.

You just yanked his arm, signaling to him that you both needed to leave.

You left at the right time, you thought as you heard sirens going towards the house. You drove, yelling at Rafe who was completely silent the whole way.

“What the fuck, I mean what the fuck?! Are you trying to kill someone, Rafe?” You spoke, parking the car as you pulled up to his driveway, you turned to look at him now.

“That was insane. You’re fucking insan-“ he cut you off by crashing his lips into yours, his hands gripping your face. He slid his tongue into your mouth, and his hand left a trail of blood on your cheeks.

His hand remained there even when you pulled away.

“He was fuckin’ checking you out the whole time! Just had to show him, them all, what’s mine.” He seethed, and you hated to admit it but he was hot when he was angry.

You opened your mouth to speak again but he kissed you again, shutting you up. His lips moved against yours, and he breathed heavily as he left the kiss.

He looked at you and you knew exactly what it meant. You smiled ever so slightly and you both went into the backseat of the car, thank God for the window tint.

[volturiprincess]

Caius x reader who is always tired and wants only cuddles?

I apologize for the late post, I been slow with getting to my request but here it is💙.

I'm Tired

(a blessing of a man❤️, he's so pretty📸)

“Caius my love” I whine to him as he is currently looking at boring documents about who knows what.

“In a minute darling, let me finish this page”

“But I want to cuddle so bad, I can't sleep without your arms wrapped around me”

“So what am I? Just arms to you?”

“Mi amorcito con problemas de enojo, don't be like that, you know I love you but come here please” I am literally pulling all of my strings here to get him to bed. I spend a majority of the day sleeping but I sleep best with him by my side. There was actually a time I fell asleep on him in the middle of a trial. He does not mind having me in trials as long as I don't interfere. Sometimes I could be taking my daily naps and think that would help with my tiredness but it doesn't. I just want to sleep all day but not without my king.

“Please Caius, i'm tired and I need your cuddles”

“I said in a moment already, please be patient, im almost done here”

I walked over to him to stand right next to him where he is leaning over his desk. I crossed my arms to watch him with tired eyes. His gaze shifted to me slowly to give me an exasperated look, he tilted his head slightly at the sight of me, and then came the soft eyes. My weakness. He turned his whole body completely to face me and to pull me in.

“Awe my poor amore, you really do look tired”

He guides me into his laps and cradles me into his chest, his natural coldness being my blanket. He soothes my hair to help me fall asleep faster.

“What does amorcito even mean? I know amor means love but what about the cito?”

Of course he would ask that. At the point of passing out I still answer him “In the way I use it, it means my little love but it could mean sweetheart too”

“Mmmm…I like it, call me that from now on”

“Yea yea you big old softie”

We stayed in silence for a bit until he asked another question “Do I really have anger issues?”

“Definitely, but I love it”

Barely able to keep awake, I finally fell asleep. When I awoke later I was tucked into Caius' side in our shared bed. Funny, I don't even remember being moved or anything.

“Has someone finally woken up from their slumber?”

I do a small yawn as I turn to look up into the eyes of him. I give him a sleepy smile as I reach up to push one of his loose strands of hair away from his face. He’s so beautiful, he’s literally a walking piece of art, the way he looks like a come alive statue would be an understatement. I follow the lines that form his cheekbones down to his jawline. It didn't even faze me that he was watching me curiously and intently. My focus was purely just mesmerizing every little dip or sharpness his face had to offer. But soon enough I felt my eyes drop slowly. I want to stay awake and keep admiring his perfect face but my eyes are betraying me, my mind is starting to cloud with sleepiness. How can I be so tired already if I just woke up from a nap not even five minutes ago? 

“Sleep my regina, I will be here when you wake up”

Not having to be told twice, sleep overtook me once again. Being unaware of what is happening in the waking world, Caius spent that quiet time watching over me with adoration. Nobody has ever seen this side of him, this moment could only be described in one word, soft. He’s in awe of the way I curl into him each time I fall asleep on him, the way I cuddle him like he is not like some ruthless vampire who could kill me instantly. The way I trust him when I am in a vulnerable state leaves a bubbling feeling in his chest. He would have never thought he would ever feel this…happy and relaxed, for once he does not feel that natural feeling of rage or hunger for justice to be served. That side of him is tucked away like I am with him currently whenever he is with me.

In the periods when I am awake, and I visit his private art room, I notice  new paintings. What are they, you ask? They all have one thing in common, it's of me sleeping, it's amazing how he captures every little detail of well me. To the furrow my eyebrows might make when I face a slight discomfort in my dreams, or how sometimes a small smile might form when something happy happens in my dream, he captures that. Some of the settings the paintings take place in are when I'm sleeping on our love seat or on our bed but he likes to get creative. He might paint me sleeping in a lushful forest, to an open field of wildflowers, or the one that caught me completely off guard; sleeping in the clouds looking like an angelic being. 

My favorites have to be when he does ones where he is holding me while I sleep or we are cuddling. He does a rough sketch of us as we are settled in front of a full length mirror he has in his art room. We could spend hours there, me cuddling him without a single care of things we might need to do for the day. He once mentioned he had a small fear that cuddling with him would not be the best for it being he is cold and firm. I dismissed his fears by saying I actually like how he's cold because he keeps me from overheating as I sleep and his firmness keeps me locked into him. 

Bottom line he does not mind if I want to cuddle with him at any chance I can get, he enjoys me being in his arms. It's his way to protect me personally and to show his affection towards me without using his words. And with always being sleepy, he’s always there to keep me company, he enjoys the quiet atmosphere between us because it gives him time to admire me without me interfering with him. It even gives him time to talk out loud, I manage to catch him talking about what he loves about me and the feeling I give him when I am in his arms. Mi amorcito con problemas de enojo. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Regina: Queen

Problemas de enojo: Anger issues

[scwheeler]

🌷˖ ࣪⊹ — ‘A BLOSSOMING ROMANCE?’

pairing: ethan landry x fem!reader

summary: you and ethan have been best friends for years but he’s developed feelings for you, luckily you have too

author’s note: this is my first non-mike fic and i’m nervous for some reason…also i’m switching up the acc just because times have changed and i sort of lost interest in writing for mike so if you love ethan and the rest of scream, take a seat and some popcorn 🍿🎟

you: when r u getting here? i’m soooo bored

e: im walking to the front door rn :)

there was a knock on the door and before any of your friends could get up or even offer to get it, you jumped up and ran. “i’ll get it!” you yelled before unlocking the door. you didn’t bother to look in the eye hole before flinging the door open.

(tbh with all the ghostface incidents you should’ve but it’s just ethan…)

as the door opened, you were met with the cute smiling face of your bestfriend. immediately you jumped into his arms which caught him off guard but was always happy to catch you. “mindy was just ‘bout to start the movie without you!” you exclaimed and pulled him inside.

“dude why are you always so late?” chad asked and crossed his legs on the coffee table. “oh i just had a few errands to run, y’know econ,” ethan brushed off chad’s question and followed you to the couch.

after everyone got comfortable, mindy turned on the movie. only after she gave a quick warning about the movie since she’s already seen it a million times. you scooted closer to ethan and put your head by his chest. it was nothing out of the ordinary for you two since you’ve done it before a hundred times.

you guys had been best friends for years and you were a big physical touch person which made ethan the same. but it didn’t help the fact that ethan had a massive crush on you.

you heard his heartbeat. it was thumping fast. “what’s got you so worried?” you whispered and looked up to ethan. he turned to face you instead of the movie, “oh—just the movie, it’s a horror movie right?”

he quickly looked back up to the tv. he was obviously lying because the movie just started and the tv was still showing the title card. but he couldn’t tell you that the real reason was you.

he was practically sweating and tried to seem like he was all cool but was actually freaking out inside. you were so close to him, not that he was complaining but you didn’t know what to do. you had to look over to chad a few times to copy how he was holding tara.

he tried putting his arm around you but midway aborted the plan and pretended as if he was yawning, pulling a reverse flirting move. it’s not like you couldn’t tell because he made it pretty obvious with his long arms but you decided to ignore it.

the sun was setting halfway into the movie and your eyes started to droop. you nestled yourself into ethan’s shirt and tried to make yourself a comfortable sleeping position. with you constantly moving around, ethan couldn’t help but look down at you.

he smiled to himself but looked back to the screen to avoid being caught. but he couldn’t help himself and would consistently look down everytime someone would scream in the movie so everyone would be too focused on who died to notice.

about ten minutes later, you fell asleep. you were completely knocked out because of the all nighter you pulled the night before to study for a big test and all of the lectures you had to sit through.

you almost slid off of ethan’s chest before ethan grabbed you. he panicked and stealthily pulled you by his shoulder so you could rest peacefully. he tried carefully not to wake you up even with the loud slashes and screams coming from the movie.

by the time the movie ended, everyone was so sleepy that they were already slumped in their seats. chad and tara were attached at the hip, cuddling each other and a bowl of popcorn while asleep. beside them were mindy and anika who were sleeping shoulder to shoulder with a blanket.

luckily it was chad and ethan’s dorm so ethan gingerly lifted you up from the couch and carried you marriage-style to his room. even though the way to his room only took like ten steps max, him trying to make the least noise as possible and taking a million more steps than needed to do so made the walk much longer.

ethan opened his bedroom door and turned on his lights. he quietly placed you on his bed after moving the blankets. he picked up one of his pillows and tried to dust it off, shaking it and patting it in the air which made a bunch of noise but you must be a heavy sleeper because you were knocked out.

he replaced the “new clean” pillow for the one currently below your head and covered you with one of his blankets. after successfully moving you from the couch to his bed and tucking you in, he sighed in relief and knelt to the bed level.

he watched your chest move up and down, synchronized with your soft breathing. there was hair covering your face so he tucked it behind your ear for a clear view of your face.

beautiful. he thought to himself and smiled at your peaceful state. he kissed your temple and moved the blanket closer to your upper body, covering most of your body except your face.

not wanting to bother you anymore and potentially waking you up, he slowly got back on his feet and turned off the lights. although he didn’t know where he was gonna crash tonight, he didn’t care. he could sleep in a motherfucking ditch for all he cared!

but before he could close the door and walk out. “ethan? could you stay with me?” you muttered and blinked a few times to get a good glimpse at the boy who just tucked you in.

ethan’s whole body went into shock for a moment and held onto the door handle for dear life. if not for the door handle, he would’ve been falling to the ground since his legs turned into jelly! did you just ask him to stay with you? as in with you in bed?!

as ethan was doubting what he just heard, you confirmed it. “please?” you whispered and ethan almost fainted from that. he slowly walked back to the bed and stared at you. “are you sure?” he asked for reassurance and you nodded.

out of nervousness he mumbled a quick, “hold on a sec!” and opened his drawers for pajamas and ran into his bathroom. you were so confused but also very tired so your body refused to get up.

instead you just waited for ethan to come back.

meanwhile, ethan shut the bathroom door and quickly changed into his pajamas but before going back out to you, he opened his cabinets and looked through his shelves to find anything to make himself look better or smell better.

he found some cologne that chad had lent him like one time when they went to this party. ethan instantly opened the bottle and started spraying everywhere that a teenage boy could potentially smell.

he almost choked on the suffocating air that he created himself but couldn’t leave yet. he had no time to brush his teeth so he grabbed his mouthwash and finally was ready.

once ethan returned in new clothes and a definite new smell, you smiled. he slowly got into the bed yet kept much distance between you two. who knew getting into your own bed could be so scary?!

you had to be the one to move closer to him, putting your arms around his waist. first he was surprised but followed your lead. with a little bit of twisting and turning, you two found a comfortable position where he was the big spoon and you were the little spoon.

“you do know i like you right?” you asked with your eyes closed. his eyes immediately opened and he looked down at you, unable to look into your eyes though.

“w-wait what? well you do know i like you too right?” he returned the question which made you grin. “i’ve always known.” you replied and held his hands by your chest. ethan closed his eyes and a smile spread on his face as he held you closer to him.

“are you wearing chad’s cologne?”

[livin4woso]

Breaking the media

Chapter 5- the incident

CW- brief mention of SA please dont read if it a triggering subject

As the sun peeked through the corner of the blinds it wasnt the blaring sound of your alarm that woke you up it was the calling of your name from alexia "y/n come on you need to get up" she said from the kitchen. Half asleep you clambered out of bed and into the kitchen where a plate with pancakes on waited for you "goodmorning" you said letting your eyes adjust to the light in the room "morning to you too now eat up we can't be late for training" she said while pulling the chair back for you to sit in. After finishing the morning routine and climbing into the passenger seat of the car you made small talk in the car "so how are you enjoying barca" she asked "its good, a lot warmer then back home" you joked "just a question y/n" she asked you hummed in response "i don't want to pry but why are you here by yourself" she asked, you paused before answering "oh well my parents weren't the best for my career they didnt mind when i played at sunderland but when i moved to arsenal i lived with a foster home so when i came here i didn't really have anyone to bring with me" you said trying not to show the sadness on your face it was a sensitive topic for you "im sorry pequeña" she said and rested her hand on top of your leg.

Training was hard today you had been doing fitness tests all day unlike the other girls who had normal training due to being new. It was so they can determine your stamina compared to the others and see how much they can play you on the pitch. "Hey y/n are you going back to yours to pack the rest of your stuff or are you gonna do it later" alexia asked you it was if she had read your mind or if the tiredness had spread across your face "I think I'll do it later, im sorry im just really tired" you said packing your stuff in your bag. You had arrived back at alexias place when you had essentially passed out on her sofa of tiredness "hey pequeña is it okay if mapi and ingrid come over?" She asked bringing a cup of coffee to the table. You just stuck your thumbs up at her you had 0 energy to talk and you needed a shower.

It was friday when you had finally got around to collecting your things from your apartment, the remaining days you noticed how close alexia and mapi were considering as in 4 days you'd seen her and ingrid twice. "Call me when you're done packing and i will bring the car for you" she said as you began to leave the building. Normal you wore your sweats to leave but it was so hot you decided to keep your shorts on. Alexia would have come and helped you pack but unfortunately she had to stay back for media and so did some of the other girls. You began to walk to your apartment when after a couple minutes you had noticed a tall man in all black following close behind you, but before you got to panicked you decided to take a turn which was no where near your house but it was just to check if he was actually following you. Then he turned down the same street all of sudden you started to feel your heart beat to speed up and you did the only thing you could do and that was call alexia.

The call came halfway through media luckily it wasn't alexias shoot, she picked up her phone and saw your contact and had no problem to pick it up and she wandered out to the hall "ale..please help" your voice was quiet and filled with panic "pequeña whats wrong" she asked her voice filled with concern "someone is following me" you said almost in a whisper, the minute she heard this alexia was filled with concern and almost a sense of anger but she needed to stay strong for you "okay amor you need to listen to me, walk to the nearest bus stop the one near the town centre and I'll be on my way" she says "okay please hurry hes getting closer" you said following her instructions as you headed towards the bus stop. She hung up the phone and nearly sprinted to the door when she said that she needed to go but before she drove herself to you she was in no state to drive her hands clenched ready to knock out whoever this was she didn't care if he was 5 foot 4 or 6 foot 6 she would do it. "Mapi i need your help please can you drive me to the bus stop near the cafe y/n is being followed and i said i would get her there" she said frantically to mapi on the phone "yes of course me and ingrid are on the way now" mapi responded grabbing her keys and ingrid to come to the car.

You had made your way to the bus stop when you sat on the furthest seat away and the man sat on the other side of the bench glancing at you every minute or so. You pulled out you phone to try and see how close alexia was to you but from the corner of your eye you could see the man shifting more and more towards you. The text came through to alexias phone 'please hurry he's moving towards me' you practically begged if alexia was driving she would have definitely broke some speed laws and here she sat in the passenger seat of mapis car her leg shaking up and down and worry knitted across her face. As each passing second the man had now made his way beside you his leg pressed against yours, you were helpless there was no one to save you and you couldn't move almost frozen by fear and slowly preparing your self for the worst. "Hey gorgeous whats someone like you doing by yourself" he gritted through his teeth placing his hand on your thigh "none of your business now please leave me alone" you said trying to mask your anxiety through your voice but it didn't stop him. His hands moved further up you leg to your inner thigh just as they were about to reach the hem of your shorts you saw a car pull up. Alexia had seen the sight from a couple hundred metres away and she couldn't believe it she flung the car door open and started shouting in spanish. Mapi quickly followed to restrain alexia from knocking him out "calm down ale, we don't want to cause a scene" mapi said her hand firmly on alexia waist trying to calm her down.

Meanwhile it was ingrid who had come to you, she crouched down infront of you as you were fixated on staring at your thigh you could almost still feel his hand on you. That's when alexia had turned around to face you, you were as pale as a ghost and trembling she reached out to put a hand on your shoulder buf before she could reach ingrid had slapped it away "ale you cant just touch her after she has been touched without consent" ingrid said trying to hide the anger in her voice. Thats when it hit alexia you must be terrified something way worse could have happened if she didn't show up earlier "hey pequeña can i touch you" she said gently you just looked up at her your eyes dwelled with tears. You didn't respond you just launched yourself at alexia and cried into her shoulder " he was.. he was so close ale... i was so scared" you sobbed into her shoulder as she rubbed circles on your back "its okay now you're safe" she whispered into your ear "how about we go home" she said as you nodded in to her shoulder. This time it was alexia who sat in the back as you lay still surgically attached to her as she sat and brushed her hand through your ragged hair you had fallen asleep on her lap as your tears had exhausted you.

You had arrived back home where instead of waking you up she carried you to her bed not yours she wouldn't let you out of her sight not again. Then she turned to mapi and she let out the emotions she was hiding to stay strong you she cried into mapis shoulder "i was so worried about her.. she.. she.. its my fault. I told her to go" alexia said her voice raspy her thoughts could only bring herself to blame herself for what happened "no no ale it wasn't your fault no one could have predicted that it would've happened" mapi said soothing her besf friend. After 10 minutes alexia was ready for bed she was greatful of the catalan who had let her cry on her shoulder but now she only had one place to be and that was next to you. To make sure nothing like this will ever happen again not under her protection she wouldn't let it happen.

[likelyfox]

stupidly in love

Minjeong x Fem!Reader

Winter & Y/n are both students at the same school, and are best friends however with starting a new semester Winter caught feelings as did Y/n.

wc: 0.7k

A/N: stream armageddon

ao3

One thing about you is that you rarely fall in love which annoys you. So many times your friends including Winter herself have pointed out with who you would look the best.

Winter on the other hand tries to hide that shes in love with you, matter of fact she tries to deny that shes in love with anyone especially you.

"Hey Winter" You called out her name

"Hey" Winter said

"Everything alright?" You asked

"Yes, why?" Winter asked back

"You speak a lot less recently...." You answered

"Im just thinking" Winter said

"About what?" You asked. Winter could be honest and say that she has been thinking about you which is true. Winter hasnt gone a single day without thinking about you for about 8 months now which bothers her a ton. She keeps telling herself that you are only her best friend and that having feelings for you cant be possible! They just cant!

"Life." Winter answered

It isnt just Y/n who caught on how quiet Winter has been her other friends have too.

"Does our Winter have a crush?" Karina teased, seeing how she didnt stop looking at you in a distance. You didnt see this so she felt safe.

"I do not." Winter tried to deny

"Come on you have been looking at Y/n for the past 20 minutes" Giselle said

"Seriously! I havent seen you be this obssesed over someone ever" NingNing said

"Y/n is my best friend." Winter said "I...dont have a crush i just..."

"Just?" Karina asked

"Admire her!" Winter said

"We have known you your whole life this isnt the admiring another girl Winter, this is the having a crush and being obsessed Winter" Karina said

"I am not obssesed over her" Winter said

"Not obssesed? Are you kidding me?" Giselle said "That was funny i will give you that"

"Winter listen. Its fine to be unsure about your feelings for another girl afterall Karina was also unsure that she had a crush on you" NingNing said

"I didnt have a crush on her" Karina said

"Nah you did" Giselle said

"Whatever this isnt about me" Karina said

Winter's friends arent the only one who have noticed, your friends have too. While being at lunch your friends had the chance to ask you the question.

"So." Ryujin said "Did you finally confess to Winter?"

"What?" you said

"I guess you havent" Ryujin said

"I dont have a crush" You tried to deny

"and the sky is green." Yeji teased

"Why do you think i have a crush on her" You asked

"Simple" Yuna said while putting her phone on the table "You speak about her to us a ton. On your phone you have her saved as 'My love' which im sure isnt common among friends or best friends. You also have started reposting posts about love"

That made you think. Maybe you are in love with Winter? Everything Yuna just said is true. At this point you have no point in lying.

"I guess i do have a crush on her" You said

"Finally!" Yeji said

"Now go confess." Ryujin said

"What? Now?" You asked

"You can do it tonight too" Yuna said "Invite her to your place"

"Okay sure." You said. Tonight came quickly you texted Winter saying you want to spend time with her and she should come over to your place. Which she quickly replied to and happily agreed, and now she is at your place trying so hard not to cuddle up to you.

"Y/n?" Winter called your name softly.

"Yes?" You said

"Can i tell you something" Winter said

"Sure." You said

Here it goes.

"Its something i wanted to tell you for a while now. 8 months and 23 days to be specific. As we are best friends we share a ton in common, Y/n. I love you."

"Oh wow." You said "There's something i wanted to tell you too. I love you too."

"You do?!" Winter asked happily

"Of course" You answered her, Winter couldnt hide her happiness right now she genuinely felt happy, being with you.

"Can i kiss you?" Winter asked you and you nodded. Winter connected the distance between the two of you in a warm and soft kiss. The kiss that confirmed everything you and her have been feeling for the past 8 months.

Will you be my girlfriend Y/n?

Yes.

[heavenlycloud]

sharing a bed: le sserafim x 6th member fem! reader

warnings: crying, swearing, nightmares

when you and your members found out that you were going to be going to the states for a tour you all were stoked. american fans had been begging for nearly a year and finally there were tour dates for an american leg of a world tour. the first stop was new york which yunjin in particular was looking forward to since it'd been almost two years since she'd seen her family in person. originally the plan was for her to sleep at her family's house then you all meet back up as a group two days later for the first stage rehearsals. that being said you and the other girls were planning to just stay in a hotel, two to a room then someone gets a solo room. however, when one of yunjin's family members got sick, plans changed and she couldn't go home for risk of also catching the illness. all of which resulted in you having to share a room with one of your members. the only issue is you have a MASSIVE crush on your now roommate, and you two have to share a bed for the next two days....

sakura

you laid stiff as a board in the queen sized hotel bed, nearly falling off the edge because you wanted that much space between the two of you

beneath the covers you were sweating and hoping that she couldn't feel you shaking beside her

but she could because you were shaking like a wet chihuahua arms length away from her

it was already nearing two in the morning and both of you needed sleep but the jet lag was absolutely no help

you held onto the blankets in an absolute death grip, hoping that you wouldn't move closer to her in your sleep

jokes on you because you did in fact move- so much so that you woke up face to face with sakura

your lips were almost touching which jumpscared you awake, causing you to fall off the bed and take ALL the sheets and blankets with you

sakura was woken up by this and didn't add to your nerves when she told you, "come back up here. i want to feel you near me again."

chaewon

you put up a wall of pillows between the two of you with the shitty excuse of 'so we have equal room'

chaewon literally didn't care if the pillows were there or not so she found it strange that you insisted on keeping them there

she turned to ask you a question and was met face to face with this giant feather stuffed pillow

the pillow wall not only seperated the two of you but also made it hard to hear one another talk

so you were literally sitting there nearly shouting to one another when you knew you had to be quiet because eunchae and kazuha were sleeping next door

*whisper yelling* "what did you say?!" "huh?!" "i said what did you- *loudly* y/n this is so stupid."

chaewon ended up getting annoyed that the pillows were in her way so she threw them aside

you decided that everything would be fine as long as you lay back to her

that fell through when you woke up to her spooning you from behind which sent your heartrate through the roof before you could open both eyes fully in the morning

yunjin

the two of you had never shared a bed before for this specific reason

you weren't really sure if it was the melatonin gummy your manager made you all eat that caused you to be calmer than normal but you weren't blushing and kicking your feet at every glimpse you got of her for once

not sure who's bright idea it was but the hotel a/c unit was on full blast with no way of turning it down lower

you and yunjin were laying in bed freezing cold but you were NOT about to make the first move for 'im cold ur cold' cuddles

yunjin offered multiple times and you refused

*sniff* '"y/n, you can come closer if you're cold" "no i'm good" "you sure?" "mhm" "okay"

and then fifteen minutes passed and yunjin swore if she heard you sniffle one more time she was going to literally punch you in the nose- "for the love of god. y/n come here."

and that's how you ended up hugging each other like two people freezing to death in the arctic

it would have been cute if yunjin didn't kick in her sleep

you woke up with bumps and bruises on your legs and bags under your eyes because you didn't sleep well...but she did

"wow i slept great last night didn't you?" and you're just standing there with one eye open, a bedhead, and a limp.

kazuha

the two of you were up late and you were just listening to everything kazuha wanted to say

your japanese was spotty but you did your best to follow because you wanted to make sure that she knew you were listening, and you wanted her to know her voice was always heard

she would finish talking about one thing and skip to the next until she ran out of things to say and that weird silence hangs over the two of you

"are you ready to sleep now?" "yeah, goodnight."

you're not sure how long you're sleeping before you stir awake to kazuha moving around next to you

suddenly she's breathing harder and wakes up with a scream that thankfully nobody else heard in the rooms around you both

your hands are already on her back and you're soothing softly, "it's okay, it's okay. zuha it's just me, it's just me. just breathe...you're with me, it's just us. just you and me, me and you."

when she's calm again you lay back down you feel her hand slowly slip into yours

no words exchanged, there's no need. just the feeling of you both knowing that you're there for one another.

[melswifeasf]

Find my way back to you pt 6

previous chapter || next chapter || series page

Pairing: Sam Carpenter x Fem!OC

Summary: Estelle convinces Dewey to help them.

Warnings: punching, cursing, Richie being an annoying bitch.

notes: how are we liking this so far? sorry it took me forever to post, i haven’t been motivated to write. i’m trying to finish a request but i don’t wanna make any promises that it’ll be out any time soon!

(word count: 7327)

being in the car with an ex and her new boyfriend was never how Estelle imagined she’d be spending her day. she never really thought she’d ever seen even see Sam again, let alone have to meet her new weird boyfriend. seriously, Sam could do way better than him.

Estelle had always been possessive, just as much as Sam had been when they were younger and that feeling had risen up during the twenty minute car ride. she wanted to ignore it, wanted to throw it up and never have to feel it again but that wasn’t how it worked. she hated it, hated being on the sidelines and hated seeing Sam be with someone else. she wanted Sam to look at her, wanted Sam to kiss her, to love her, to hold her hand and not his, to tell her she needed her and not him. she wanted to be the person Sam went to when she needed to talk, the person Sam trusted with everything.

but she wasn’t and she’d never be that again. she had to accept that, had to realize that Sam being back didn’t mean anything. how could she though? how could she when all she ever wanted was to be in her arms again, to kiss her lips and to hear those three words from her and only her.

it wasn’t fair.

the car came to a stop, the engine was silenced and the raven girl took the key out of the ignition. all three of them took their seatbelts off and Richie had been the first to open the door and get out of the car, the two girls in front didn’t. “i can’t promise he’ll help us” she said looking at Sam.

the ex shrugged, “it doesn’t hurt to try” she said simply and followed her boyfriends actions in getting out and closing the door behind her. Estelle swallowed dryly, taking a deep breath and doing the same.

the couple followed Estelle up the steps, Dewey’s truck was parked out front meaning he was home. although that wasn’t much of a surprise, Estelle had seen first hand how much the divorce with Gale affected him and the only person the man really talked to was Judy. Estelle let out a breath when they reached the door, she knew he wouldn’t be keen on helping them and truthfully she was fully expecting him to say no, the idea alone was driven off pure hope more than anything else.

the girl brought her fist up to the door and knocked twice, immediately after she heard the man’s voice. “go away!”

she looked at Sam who was looking at the door as she spoke, “sorry to bother you, Mr. Riley. we just want to ask you a few questions”

“i don’t do interviews” they heard the man say through the door. Estelle chuckled softly.

“we’re not looking for an interview.” Sam said hoping that would be enough for him to finally open up. footsteps echoed and his face was looking at her through the glass on the door.

“give me one good reason why i should talk to you”

“im Billy Loomis’s daughter” Sam said making Estelle’s eyes snap toward her. why would she say that? that would just encourage him to be more hostile, the exact opposite of what they were hoping for. the locks on the door were being twisted which the three young adults could hear from the outside before the door swung open to reveal Dewey.

his eyes immediately landed on Estelle who was sporting a hopeful smile. “Estelle?” he asked surprised. Richie looked between them, obviously confused on what level they knew each other. had that not been obvious before?

“hey Dewey” she smiled “we kinda need your help here” she said hoping she could be the one to win him over. there a million thoughts swirling behind Dewey’s eyes and she understood why. this couldn’t be easy, especially not when Sam decided to expose her father was.

“she’s Billy’s daughter” he said motioning toward Sam.

“my name is Samantha Carpenter.” the brunette said hoping he would rule out the first thing she said and that it wouldn’t be the only thing he could see in her. that wasn’t who she was.

Dewey’s eyes snapped toward Estelle when he heard the name. he cocked a brow at her whilst she tried to smile through the fear of having how he knew her name exposed in front of the couple. Judy had partnered the two up when Estelle was just starting, she hoped Dewey could be girls mentor which meant they spent most of their time together. that resulted in them telling each other a lot of thing that had to do with their private life and Sams name came up quite a lot. Estelle had heard all about Gale too.

“come on, Riley. her sister was attacked two days ago and she was attacked yesterday at the hospital.” she said adding to her already very transparent desperation. she needed him, she didn’t know anyone else that could help with it.

Sam glanced at Estelle and then turned to face Dewey, “i’m just trying to protect my family” she added, desperate to say anything at all to convince him to help them.

he sighed, “fine. for you” he said looking at Estelle who shot him a grateful smile. “come in” he said moving his body aside so the three young adults could come inside.

Estelle’s ears perked at the voice coming from the television, she glanced at Dewey who was reaching for the controller to turn it off. she always wondered why the two never got back together, he seemed to really love her and although Estelle had never met Gale she figured having someone love you so much would be more than enough for her to love him back. maybe that didn’t work for everyone.

“Gale Weathers,” Richie pointed out, “weren’t you two, um..”

“yeah” Dewey replied simply. he went to the front door to close it as Sam and Richie sat together on the long couch. Estelle stood to the side, arms crossed as she waited impatiently for them to talk so she could get the hell out of there and not have to look at Richie and her ex any longer.

every time she looked at them it was a reminder that she had left, she left even when she promised she wouldn’t, even when she promised she’d love her the way she deserved. guess she deserved empty promises and a girlfriend that left without even a fucking note.

Dewey took a sip out of his hot coffee and placed it on the table in front of him. “who’s he?” he asked, nodding toward Richie.

“oh, this is is Richie. my boyfriend.” Sam explained shifting a little closer to him. Estelle rolled her eyes at that. her hand closed into a fist and she squeezed it tightly, what a fucking joke.

“how long have you known him?”

“six months?” Sam tried to calculate.

“did he know who your dad was when you met? express any interest in Woodsboro or the ghostface killings?” Dewey asked making Estelle glance at the ginger boy. her heart picked up at Dewey’s words, she had her suspicions - which had nothing to do with him dating the girl she still loved - but now hearing Dewey say it just made her confirm that she was right to be suspicious.

“what the hell are you talking about?” Richie chuckled a little, glancing at the two girls in the room. he looked confused and a bit nervous. Estelle’s eyes narrows toward him. Sam looked at her boyfriend too but she didn’t seem all that suspicious of him.

“your killers obsessed with the Stab movies, right? well, there are certain rules to surviving a Stab movie.” he leaned back, vividly remembering all the trauma and attacks him and the two people he loved most had to go through. “believe me, i know”

Estelle had never heard the story of what happened, she had seen a couple of the Stab movies, sure, but Dewey never talked about it and Estelle never asked. there were certain lines that they both knew not to cross. Dewey never asked about Elias and Estelle never asked about the ghostface attacks. it’d be a shitty thing to do on both parts, it didn’t matter how curious they were, making either of the relive their past would just be cruel. they had to do it on their own every night anyway.

“rule number one: never trust the love interest.” Dewey stated as like it were pretty obvious in this situation. it was. Richie scoffed softly glancing at Sam to see if she was considering him being the killer. “they seem sweet, caring, supportive. then welcome to act three, where they’re trying to rip your head off.”

"i was with Sam in Modesto when Tara was attacked." Richie argued, not at all liking that he was getting blamed for all of this.

"and let me guess, you were just in the other room, conveniently unaccounted for when she was attacked at the hospital."

"okay, what about Estelle then? she was literally right there after Tara was attacked” he said motioning toward the girl. the raven haired girl snickered.

“i’ve known Sam since we were fifteen, ask her who she trusts more” she said glancing at Sam. the taller girl lowered her eyes not looking at either of them and that was more than an answer for both of them. Estelle shot the boy a cocky smirk making him scoff and roll his eyes.

"rule number two: the killer's motives are alwavs connected to something in the past." Dewey told them.

"I'm related to Billy." Sam pointed out.

"right, but then why kill that random Vince guy?" Richie asked.

“that’s for you to figure out. and rule number three, and this is the most important rule: the first victim always has a friend group that the killer is a part of. does your sister have a close-knit group of friends?"

“yeah,” Sam confirmed and turned back to look at Richie. “she does.”

“then look for the killer there. if you can find out why they’re doing this, you can figure out who’s next.” he said softly, he sounded exhausted even having to think about this happening.

“so help us.” Sam stated, “help us figure out who is behind this.” she said, even though it didn’t sound like it, she was desperate. Estelle could tell by the look in her eyes.

“are you kidding me? i’ve been stabbed nine times. i’ve got permanent nerve damage and a fun little limp. you think i want to do that again?” he chuckled.

“you just said it always goes back to the past, right?” Sam countered back, trying her best to convince him. Dewey sighed, “so if i’m in danger that means you’re in danger. come on. let’s do this together.” Sam plead, her eyes shinning with emotion.

Estelle understood where she was coming from, god, did she understand but she also knew there was no way of convincing someone unless they wanted to willingly. Dewey wouldn’t be helping them, she knew that.

“come on, Sam. it’s time to go” she said motioning to the door. Estelle glanced at Sam before looking at Dewey still, maybe if she showed how much this meant to her he’d be convinced. that wasn’t the case.

“your times up” he said and just like that they were ushered out of the trailer with the door being slammed behind them. Estelle didn’t flinch or take it personally, she could never understand everything he went through and she couldn’t blame him for not wanting to get involved.

when the door was slammed Richie flinched, “yeah, he’s way more fun in the movies” he said causing Estelle to roll her eyes in annoyance.

“do you ever just shut the fuck up?” Estelle snapped, not able to bite back her thoughts anymore. he was getting on her last fucking nerve and she just wanted him away from them.

Richie chuckled looking at the girl but he didn’t say anything and that just angered her even more. she took a step closer to him, they were off the porch now and Sam was walking to the car with determination, but the two weren’t paying attention to her. “what? you got something you want to say?” she asked, getting in his personal space. this was unlike her, at least unlike the person she was now. she went to therapy, learned how to control her anger and emotions and she was even a fucking cop, she shouldn’t be blowing up on some dumb fuck. but she just couldn’t help it.

“he’s right, you know. i mean i know you’re not the love interest but it wouldn’t be surprising if it was you, maybe you just wanted revenge for Sam leaving you behind” he said, that was enough for her to be set off. she didn’t say anything, just held her hand in a tight fist and swung as hard as she could, her fist landing on his cheek and grazing his lip. she wanted to hurt him, just not enough for it to leave any lasting damage, they had other shit to work on.

“hey!” Sam yelled rushing up to them as Richie shoved the girl further away, she was about to swing again but her ex quickly stood between them, holding her arms out to stop them both from doing anything. “that’s enough! we have shit to worry about and i don’t need you two fighting like fucking children!” she said directing her words to Estelle more than to her boyfriend.

the raven haired girl shook her head with a scoff, “fuck this” she muttered and walked away without a single glance back. Richie and Sam watched her walk to the car before Richie turned his face to spit out blood the had began to pool in his mouth.

Estelle didn’t look up once, she just turned on her car and waited for them both to get in. she was pissed, just not enough to leave them both stranded without a ride other than Dewey who had practically kicked them out of his home. besides, she had been the one to offer taking her car in the first place.

when Estelle finally did look up she saw Sam facing Richie with her hand on his cheek, they looked like they were talking and Estelle didn’t have to be close to know that Sam was comforting him. probably whispering how she was sorry, apologizing for Estelle when she didn’t ask her to. probably telling him that she loved him and that they’d get through it together.

fuck. Estelle hit her steering wheel at the thought. thankfully the couple were too engrossed in one another to see or hear the commotion. her chest was tightening and her breathing was starting to waver and she knew it was an anxiety attack. she was used to them, usually had one every week or sometimes every other week, it was an accomplishment compared to when she’d have multiple anxiety attacks a day.

she remembered the way Sam would always soothe her through them, would pull her into a hug when Estelle allowed her and when that would suffocate the girl she would simply hold her hand to show her that she was there, that she wasn’t alone.

now Estelle held her own hands and took deep breaths. she’d never have that. not again.

she felt like a fool, she always hoped deep down that Sam still thought about her, that she wasn’t alone and that Sam missed her, maybe even still love her. she knew now that it was a stupid thing to hope for. Sam didn’t give a single fuck about her and it was time she accepted that.

-

eight years ago

the sky was clear, stars shinning brightly accompanying every person who was outside. it was a full moon and it worked as a light, almost. it was huge and it was something you’d see maybe once a year. there was a small breeze but that wasn’t enough for the two teens to care.

giggles echoed throughout the quiet night, the only thing that could be heard was their laugh and occasionally a car driving past.

the bruises had faded, leaving just a small scar on the girls eyebrow and lip, her ribs were still pretty fucked but it wasn’t visible so it didn’t matter. it had been a month, Elias was out of jail and Estelle had gone back to school a week after she finally opened up to Sam. the two were friends, Valerie hadn’t talked to Estelle since the day Sam intervened and Sam was glad. Estelle didn’t care much for it.

they were in a parking lot, Estelle was leaning against her car and Sam was standing in front of her. the street light illuminating the parking lot was shinning brightly above them.

there was an ice cream cone in Estelle’s hand with a scoop of strawberry ice cream, although it was half eaten by now. Sam had chocolate which was pretty much gone by now since Estelle would sneak a bite (yes a bite) out of it every time she would be too distracted watching a car drive past them. “you ate all my ice cream” Sam said holding up the cone that barely showed any of the cold treat.

Estelle giggled happily, “want some of mine?” she asked but Sam shook her head.

“strawberry and chocolate ice cream don’t go together” she grimaced at the thought. Estelle gasped dramatically.

“do you not like chocolate covered strawberries?”

Sam looked at her with a serious expression, “not the same”

“it kind of is though, there’s chocolate,” she said pointing at Sams cone, “and here’s strawberry, completely the same” she said confidently and licked her ice cream.

Sam rolled her eyes at the girl, “i’m starting to regret this.” she said making Estelle roll her eyes.

“whatever, you begged me to come with you.” she shrugged and bit the waffle cone.

“i just asked and you said yes!” Sam exclaimed earning an uninterested shrug from Estelle as she continued eating her ice cream.

when she realized Estelle wasn’t going to say something in return she she took a step closer, “fine, i’ll try it” she said looking down at the strawberry ice cream.

Estelle’s lips formed into a bright smile, “really?” she asked excitedly, her uninterested facade suddenly disappearing now that she was getting her way.

Sam rolled her eyes in slight amusement, “yes, really. now hurry before i change my mind”

Estelle was about to move it closer to Sam but she stopped herself, suddenly an amazing idea popping into her head. “actually,” she said with a smirk. “i have a better idea”

the raven haired girl raised a brow in confusion, slightly skeptical but Estelle simply smiled. “what is it?” Sam asked slightly worried.

“close your eyes” Estelle responded.

Sam laughed, “no.”

“what? why?” Estelle asked quickly, shocked that Sam would say no.

“you’re gonna either smudge it on my face or steal my ice cream” she said making Estelle roll her eyes.

“im not, i promise” she said but Sam still seemed to not believe her. Estelle cocked her head to the side a bit.

“please,” she plead with a pouty look that Sam knew she was done for. the girl groaned.

“fine. whatever” she said immediately earning a happy smile from the girl in front of her. slowly Sams eyes fluttered closed and Estelle slowly reached for Sams cone, the raven girl let go of it easily and Estelle quietly put the two cones on her car that she was leaning on. they were both inedible by now but that didn’t matter.

Sam almost snuck an eye open to peak but that thought vanished faster than she could process as she felt Estelle softly grab her face and her warm lips on her own.

in the month that they had been friends none of them spoke of the obvious tension, they didn’t speak about the party or the fact that there was something between them. Estelle was trying to get over what happened with her father and now ex girlfriend and Sam was trying to give her the space that she obviously needed.

she had been so sweet and caring though and Estelle couldn’t wait any longer. Sam would pick up coffee for her when she knew she had stayed up studying, she’d roll her blunts for her because she knew how much Estelle sucked at it, when they’d go to the gas station she wouldn’t even ask if Estelle wanted anything she’d just go in and grab her favorite candy and a redbull because she knew the unhealthy obsession Estelle had over it. they were small gestures that no one had ever done for her, not even the girl she thought had been her first love.

the kiss came as a surprise for Sam, her brows shot up, not expecting this. she truly expected Estelle to get the pink dessert on her nose but instead she got the thing she had been craving since the first time they met.

their lips moved slowly against each other, a drastic change from their first kiss. there weren’t rough hands, bruising lips or their tongues shoved in each others mouths. it was soft and loving and the one thing Estelle had never experienced before.

Sam placed her hands on the shorter girls waist where she softly caressed, unlike the last time where she had gripped Estelle’s hips so hard the girl woke up with a faint bruise.

butterflies were swarming in each of their stomachs and they were both so focused on their erratically beating hearts to even pay attention to the others. it was so warm and absolutely filled with love that it almost as if like they were dreaming.

they weren’t though. and that was the best part.

when Estelle pulled away she kept her face close and soon felt Sams forehead pressed on her own. none of them had opened their eyes yet, simply soaking in the most amazing moment they had each every experienced.

it was so fucking magical neither of them seemed to remember all the dark and fucked up shit they had going on in their lives.

it was just them underneath the moonlight, in an empty parking lot with the taste of strawberry mixed with chocolate ice cream lingering on both of their tongues.

-

present

the aftermath of punching her ex’s boyfriend was pretty much as expected. the couple got in the car, Sam in the front and Richie in the back. neither of them said anything but Sam was looking at Estelle with a distant look in her eyes. Estelle wasn’t paying attention, though. she had her eyes trained on her fist that was red from the impact of punching the guy. if she would’ve turned to look at Sam, she would’ve recognized that look, would’ve known exactly what she was thinking.

it was quiet the whole drive to the Meeks residence, Sam had told her that’s where they needed to go and Estelle did so without question. she figured they’d need to talk to the friends after the conversation they had with Dewey. when they pulled up to the house Richie got out first, Estelle sat still, waiting for them to walk in first before catching up. that wasn’t what happened, though.

it seemed as if Richie knew his girlfriend was still in the car as he stood on the porch and got on his phone, it made Estelle’s stomach turn, thinking that she was alone with Sam for the first time in years.

the silence was deafening, Estelle had her eyes trained on the steering wheel and Sam was looking at her expectantly, waiting for her to finally turn and look at her. when she realized that wouldn’t happen she let out a sigh.

“you didn’t have to punch him,” she said. as much as Estelle wanted to react, she didn’t. she didn’t move a muscle. “he was just pissed at Dewey for blaming him.” she reasoned. now that was enough for Estelle to snap out of her trance.

the girl finally turned to look at Sam, “you’ve known him for six months, Sam. Dewey is right and you know that.” she said making Sam shake her head.

“he wouldn’t.”

“do you know that for a fact?”

“why would he? what’s his motive?” Sam quickly shot back, tired of everyone doubting him and her in the process. she knew him, maybe not for long but she trusted him and others questioning her judgement was infuriating.

“i don’t know,” Estelle shrugged. “he could just be a psycho that wants you dead, how do i know? the thing i do know is that you deserve better.” the raven haired girl said and took the keys out of the ignition. she didn’t give Sam a chance to respond to her words as she opened her door and got out.

Sam wasn’t far behind, five seconds later Estelle heard the passenger door open and close and they both started walking toward the house, Estelle in front with the other girl two steps behind her. at the sight of them approaching Richie put his phone in his pocket. when the two girls were almost up the steps a loud engine stopped behind them and a door slammed closed causing all three of them to turn and look at the source of the noise.

“holy shit. he came” Sam muttered at the sight of Dewey approaching them. Estelle’s lips quirked into a small smile at the sight. she knew he’d come through.

“i’ve decided to temporarily assist you in your investigation.” he said.

“thanks Dewey” Estelle said taking a step toward him, the man couldn’t help but have a matching smile as he felt the girl put an arm around his shoulder.

she was always good to him, thoughtful and respectful. when they worked together she made sure to always stop for coffee because she knew he wouldn’t sleep through the whole night, ptsd and all. she’d even get him a glazed doughnut because he hated any other kind, she made sure to always take the wheel because his leg would act up when he’d drive for long hours at a time.

she was a good person and Dewey could see that from a mile away.

Estelle and Dewey walked past the couple together and walked up the steps. the fully expected Sam and Richie to be following but when they realized they weren’t they both turned in sync, Dewey motioned for them to hurry.

they were welcomed into the home of Mindy Meeks-Martin, a bright smile on her face as she invited them inside. the girl shared a glance at Estelle worriedly. she couldn’t imagine what she felt, seeing the girl she loved for so long now in the arms of another guy who for the record, everyone collectively agreed was below Sams standards. she dated Estelle after all. the raven haired girl shook her head softly with a graze of a smile, silently reassuring Mindy that she was okay.

Estelle had been in the house before, the memories of her and Sam babysitting the twins came to her in a flash. Friday nights in which their parents would go out so they would spend it watching over the twins and Tara. the times they would build forts and watch movies in them, or when they would all sleep on the couch whilst Sam and Estelle would spend the rest of the time talking or simply just basking in each others presence.

Richie's voice filled her ears and her smile slightly dropped in annoyance, "how do you know so much about the Stab movies?"

the living room was pleasantly furnished, a giant portrait of Randy Meeks hung up in the middle of the living room wall, honoring the days he existed and for the purpose of never forgetting him.

Dewey was reminded of the man once hearing Richie's question, Randy was a big reason most of them survived back in those days. he always knew what to do, or at least, kept them informed on how to try and keep themselves safe.

"runs in the family." Dewey answered softly.

Mindy glanced at the large portrait of a young Randy Meeks, "Randy was our uncle."

Mindy's eyes softened as she looked at the picture frame. She brought up the tips of her finger to her mouth and blew out a kiss, "RIP.”

Mindy turned to her friends, "you said to bring everybody."

Chad, Liv, and Wes were seated on the bigger sofa, while Amber was sat down on the armchair sofa with her leg propped up on the edge of the sofa. they all agreed to come, but they were still confused as to why they were asked to come. nothing was revealed over the phone except for how important their meeting was, so they didn't have a choice but to agree to be there.

Estelle shot Amber a friendly smile to which the raven haired girl returned. she began to scoot over on the chair and patted it to welcome her to sit. Estelle contemplated, her eyes glanced at the open couch but it looked like it could only hold three people and she’d rather have Dewey sit there then have to sit there herself. she wanted to be as far away from Richie as possible.

without much of a choice she walked up to the seat and sat down, Amber immediately put her head on the girls shoulder which she welcomed. she felt like their older sibling, at least when it came to the twins and Amber. she’d been close to them, offering rides and making sure they were home safe from parties. it was her job as a cop but also as Tara’s friend. in the end Tara’s friends became her own, although at times it felt weird considering the age difference but she’d never see them as anything other than kids. to this day she treated them as she did when she would babysit them all those years ago. even if it annoyed them.

Sam watched Estelle and Amber with furrowed brows, confused on why the two were so close. “hey” she said instead of what was going through her head.

"ooh, suspects." Martha Meeks-Martin whispered with enthusiasm as she brought a tray of food to the little table in front of the couches, before she could set the tray down, Mindy reached forward and grabbed a piece of popcorn from the bowl, putting it in her mouth right away. "my brother would be so proud."

after placing it down, Martha walked back and was met with Dewey's warm smiles, "hey, Martha."

Martha smiled at the familiar face and instantly brought the man into a hug. "Dewey!" she was surprised to see him after so many years, "hi!” once their short hug ended, the emotions flooded back to her and she couldn't help but think about how good the years were to him, "you look..." she managed to stop herself from probably embarrassing herself in front of her kids and instead asked, "how's the wife?”

"mom, we're good. thank you." Chad interrupted immediately before it got more awkward.

Martha took that as her cue to leave, and nodded her head. "all right, kids, have fun."

"i asked Mindy to call everyone here, because...there's something I have to tell you." Sam announced to the group as she stood in the center of the living room.

she played them a clip of The True Story of the first stab movie on the tv and after watching, she briefly explained that the man displayed on the screen was indeed her biological father. it took a while for the teens to believe her, because well, it was difficult to comprehend that the women sitting right in front of them came from the man the first stab movie was based on.

once the documentary was finished, Chad was the first to break the silence, "let me get this straight. you're saying that you're the daughter of Billy Loomis, and, what, that one of us is the killer?"

he was offended that she could think that, especially when she didn't know any of them, not anymore.

"the killer told me he knew my secret." Sam revealed. "he attacked Tara to lure me back here."

"but then why immediately go and murder some douche-nozzle that was stalking Liv?" Chad asked, motioning his hand towards his girlfriend and trying to get Sam to understand that her theory was a little stupid.

"and why does it have to be one of us? what about Deputy Dewey here? maybe he's the killer." Wes looked over at Dewey Riley, not even sure why the dude was a part of this. if his friends were attacked, and Sam thought they had something to do with it, then why was a deputy who was known to be involved in other incidents involving Ghostface sitting in the same room as them.

"no offense." he added after throwing a serious accusation at the only person who was willingly to help them out.

Estelle raised a brow at him, suddenly her emotions bubbling up inside of her again. her hand turned into a fist as she looked at the ‘blonde’ boy with a glare. again, Estelle didn’t like him, even less now that he was being an asshole to someone who was just trying to help.

“none taken, but what's my motive?"

"you got stabbed a billion times, dumped by your famous wife and crawled into a bottle. i think it's safe to say you're on the suspect list." Wes went on and on, ignoring the glare Estelle was sending him from a few feet away.

he had no right to be disrespectful and if he was a seventeen year old kid she would’ve said something. what Dewey went though could never be considered easy, not in a million years but that didn’t mean he would kill innocent people for ‘revenge’. Estelle knew Dewey would never do that.

"well, maybe you're the killer. because that cut deep." Dewey exhaled a long deep breath and leaned back in his chair.

Estelle hadn’t realized but Amber had done a bit of research during Wes’s little rant.

"that douche-nozzle is connected. i googled him. his mom is Leslie Macher." Amber announced, but nobody seemed to understand the connection, so she added, "Stu Macher's sister."

"who's Stu Macher?" Liv asked.

"he's Billy Loomis's accomplice. a real loony tune." Dewey answered.

"okay. okay. so the first three attacks are all on people related to the original killers." Sam noticed, finally putting the pieces together.

"oh, my god." Mindy shouted, nearly jumping out of her seat when she realized what it all was, "he's making a requel!"

"a what?" Sam asked, confused.

"or a legacyquel. fans are torn on the terminology." Mindy informed them, but none of them understood where she was heading with this, or what she was even saying.

"god. please speak English." Chad begged, almost rolling his eyes.

"okay, remember the stab movie that came out last year?" Mindy asked, getting closer to the edge of her seat as her interest in the topic sparked.

"oh, yeah. the one the Knives Out guy directed, right? i actually really liked that one." Liv genuinely spoke.

"of course you did. you have terrible taste." Mindy retorted, not even surprised that her brother's girlfriend actually enjoyed watching the movie, considering how bad it was. Estelle bit back a laugh at her insult.

"i hate you." Liv glared at her.

"the point is, the hard-core Stab fans hated it. you go on 4chan and Dreadit, all they're talking about is how Stab 8 pissed on their childhoods. how they crammed in social commentary just to elevate it. how the main character's a Mary Sue." Mindy rambled on very fast. Estelle’s eyebrows shot up, she understood everything and yet nothing.

"what's a Mary Sue?" Richie asked, squinting his eyes.

"you really don't want to know." Wes shook his head and put the man's question aside.

"what's wrong with elevated horror?" Amber asked, "i mean, Jordan Peele fucking rules. "

"uh, obviously, but that's not Stab. real Stab movies are meta slasher whodunits, full stop." Mindy told them.

"come on. it's just a movie." Sam rolled her eyes. she was already kind of over this whole rant, not understanding how a movie could mean so much to someone.

"no, it's not. to some people the original is their favorite thing in the world. the movie that made them love horror. that Mom and Dad showed them when they were ten that bonded them together." Mindy spoke enthusiastically. "and god help anyone who slightly fucks with that special memory. who makes a movie they think disrespects it." Mindy pushed herself out of her seat, overly excited to share her thoughts, “it sounds like our killer is writing his own version of Stab 8, but doing it as a requel."

"which is?" Dewey asked, knowing the girl would have an answer for him.

"see, you can't just reboot a franchise from scratch anymore. the fans won't stand for it. Black Christmas, Child's Play, Flatliners... that shit doesn't work. but you can't just do a straight sequel, either. you got to build something new. but not too new, or the Internet goes bug-fucking nuts." Mindy paced around the room, doing various hand gestures as she talked. it's got to be a part of an ongoing storyline even if the story shouldn't have been ongoing in the first place. new main characters, yes, but supported by and related to legacy characters. not quite a reboot, not quite a sequel. like the new Halloween, Saw, Terminator, Jurassic Park, Ghostbusters... fuck even Starwars! it always goes back to the original!" she finished off as she held up a copy of the first Stab movie, smiling at the teenagers and adults seated on the couch.

"are you telling me that I'm caught in the middle of fan-fucking-fiction?"

Mindy gave Sam a sympathetic look, "not just in the middle, Sam." she sat down at the edge of the coffee table and told her, "you're the star."

"so, not to put too fine a point on it, but, according to requel rules... who's next?" Liv asked, motioning to everyone in the room.

"going by the pattern, whoever it is has to be connected to someone that came before." Mindy responded.

silence broke out in the room, an uncomfortable silence at the thought of one of them being the next target. everyone’s eyes shifted to Dewey simultaneously. the man shifted uncomfortably. “im starting to regret coming here”

"jesus, my mom was a character in one of them." Wes blurted out, worried for himself and his mother.

"no one cares about the shitty inferior sequels, Wes. you're safe," Mindy reassured him and quickly turned to her twin brother. "with Randy as our uncle, though, you and I are probably screwed."

"wait. what?"

"or you're the killer, and this whole elaborate monologue is just to cover your tracks." Richie mentioned, earning a scoff from the girl.

"I think it's pretty clear who the killers could be at this point." Mindy announced, catching Sam's attention and watching as her head snapped towards her, softly asking, "who?"

"you." Mindy whispered, looking directly at Sam. “or you” she said turning to look at Estelle.

the shorter raven haired girl suddenly sat straight pushing her body so she was sitting at the edge of her seat, she had been accused by Richie and now this? absolutely not.

“what?” Sam muttered.

"im sorry. what did you just say?" Estelle said completely ignoring Sam. she would not be letting herself be blamed, that was bullshit. all she had ever done was protect Tara, every single teen in that room had been a witness to that.

"it makes perfect requel sense for you Sam." Mindy figured, and it got everyone thinking to the point where most of them agreed on it. “and as for you..” she trailed off turning her body to look at Estelle again. “i mean it would make sense. you were the first person at the crime scene, ghostface didn’t attack you-”

“because i had a fucking gun!” Estelle cut her off, her face heating up in anger. Amber placed a hand on her back to try and comfort her but the girl shook it off.

“Sam said you were the only person she told about Billy being her dad too” Richie pointed out. he was trying to play it off but Estelle could read right through his smug grin. fuck him. if there weren’t so many people in the room she would’ve lunged at him again.

breathe, breathe. in and out. she tried to tell herself that but it wasn’t working. fuck that. she was angry, she was allowed to feel angry. she was being accused of being a psycho piece of shit for fucks sake.

“think about it,” Mindy said. “you were pissed that Sam left, maybe wanted to bring her back by going after her sister which you didn’t kill her because you care about her after all - and seeing that Sam now has a boyfriend has made you change your mind” she explained.

"that actually does make a lot of sense." Chad pointed out. Estelle ignored him, her eyes still trained on Mindy. how the hell did that make sense? she wasnt even a fan of the fucking movies. she had seen them maybe twice, once when she was younger and the other time with Sam when she found out who her dad was. why the fuck would she care about making another movie?

"yeah" Liv agreed.

Estelle looked at Richie who was trying to stop himself from smiling and at Dewey who wouldn’t even meet her eyes. Sam was looking at her and she knew the meaning behind that look all too well.

“fuck this.” Estelle spat standing up and marching out of the house. she wasn’t going to sit there and be accused of some bullshit she had nothing to do with. she loved Tara like a sister, the girl was her only family left. why the fuck would she try to kill her? to bring Sam back? were they fucking serious? she wanted her back but not like this. never like this.

her head was filled with so many thoughts she didn’t hear footsteps following after her. all she could see was red, all she could head was Mindys words ringing in the back of her head and that stupid fucking smirk on Richies lips. god she just wanted to beat the shit out of him.

the car door slammed shut beside her and she shoved the keys in the ignition roughly. when she finally got out of her head and paid attention to what’s in front of her she saw Sam rushing out of the house and running to her car. her eyebrows furrowed at the sight. she fully expected Sam to never talk to her again, maybe even tell her to stay the fuck away from her and Tara. maybe that’s what she was doing now.

the passenger door opened and closed, Sams breathing echoed throughout the car and she began to put her seatbelt on. when she realized the car wasn’t moving she look at Estelle who was looking back in question.

“let’s go” she said simply. none of them had anywhere in particular that they needed to be but that didn’t matter. without another word she put the car in drive and the tires screeched out of the driveway.

tag list:

@darkangelxoxo

[gifti3]

okay im back with more for this arranged marriage AU! Heres the last thing i wrote

this time i made something longer--Asmo and MC doing their little meeting/date before agreeing to marriage its fun check it out :]

the only warning is "an upset asmo getting in ur personal space'" other than that i think thats it!

Tomorrow you were supposed to meet your possible future fiancé. This type of affair was not a first time thing for you so you already had an idea of how things would go. Which was the two of you being forced to interact for several hours.

Though you knew what was coming, was it not possible to be a little nervous considering who it was you were meeting?

Asmodeus Morningstar--one of the most influential families in Nefarelin. Their was no shortage of exceptional members in that tree. And to be crass, every other potential spouse you met before were like dried leaves in comparison.

And this didn't even factor Asmodeus's own appeal and popularity. You'd only seen him in passing a few times but you could tell he was quite beautiful even from a distance. On top of that, the general public were strangely obsessed with him. You weren't completely sure why, but he must be very likeable if that's the case.

God, how many people have probably asked for his hand in marriage by now? You could only wonder.

All around it would be pretty foolish to turn this down. And that's why you were nervous…. Your parents were giving you a choice. But it was one of those choices where the answers were 'yes' or 'hmm, okay I suppose'. You did not want to know what would happen if you dare declined.

You'd already considered the logistics of this situation, dwelled on it for days. And it would definitely be a loveless marriage from your side. And that was something normal…but you were fine with how your life was currently! You didn't want to deal with any expectations romantic or otherwise from a spouse.

And what about Asmodeus.

He was well loved by many, had a reputation for enjoying the nightlife and being the center of attention. It seemed highly unlikely that a man like him was looking to "settle down" all of a sudden!

Your hands stop fiddling with your hair.

Wait.

Maybe this arrangement could work.

~

God this is so uncomfortable.

Maybe you underestimated Asmodeus. For some reason the first time your eyes met his saccharine ones, you struggled with maintaining contact. Each time, it felt like he was staring straight into your mind.

Perhaps it was just your nerves but either way you were overwhelmed. You didn't feel like yourself so had trouble talking.

Luckily for you, Asmodeus didn't notice or didn't care as he had been talking nonstop this entire time.

"Hellooo?"

"Oh--sorry what did you say?"

Asmodeus repeats his question while fanning himself. "I asked if you wanted to rest for a minute. I need a break from the sun."

"Okay…"

It was sunny today but not too hot to take a walk. Though you had been outside for a good while with Asmodeus. You both make your way to a gazebo that provided good shade around this time of day.

You rest your elbows on on of the railings and prop your head in your hands. A small sigh escapes you.

"Can you make it any more obvious that you don't want to be here?"

Asmodeus rests a small distance away, smiling but you're not so sure if he's being lighthearted about it.

It was a fair observation. These meetings always felt like a waste of time to you. They were forced interactions. The worst type. And you already knew you'd agree with the arranged marriage at the end anyways.

"Sorry, I'm just a little tired."

You look back at him and try to give a friendly(?) smile. Actually why not just be straightforward now?

"It's kind of hard to believe you want to get married. It doesn't seem like something that would interest someone like you."

"Eh…I guess there comes a time in everyone's life where they think about these things."

Very vague.

Asmodeus leans back in his chair, looking up as if he's scraping through his brain. "But I don't recall running into you beforehand. I definitely would have remembered…so how would you know that?"

"I've heard a lot about you. Kind of impossible not to."

You had a bit of an idea about him before this whole situation. But once it got out that he was "interested" in proposing, well the maids had no problem telling you everything they knew. It was definitely not all true, but it pretty much confirmed what you already felt.

"That makes sense. Isn't it great that now you get to experience me in person instead of by word-of-mouth~"

"…Uh huh. Well I feel like I should tell you now. That I plan to say yes."

"Say yes?"

"Say yes to marrying you."

You watch for any negative reactions but nothing. Though you were still sure he wasn't really interested in marriage.

"…Oh?"

"Listen I understand if you were forced into this position. In fact, I'm sure that you were. And to be honest I've never been partial to marriage myself. I always thought it wasn't in the cards for me…"

You take a step away from the railing closer to Asmodeus. "But wouldn't it be foolish to say no? Outside of the benefits it would have for my family. You're definitely one of the most sought after bachelors…and well just look at you. I'm almost a little envious…"

Asmodeus's curious face changes to something else. Something you can't really place your finger on. You just knew he didn't look very pleased.

"Well at least I know you're not blind." His fingers play with his fringe. "And that's all fine and dandy but…"

When Asmodeus stands and looks back at you your heart skips a beat. You take a step back as he takes one forward. "I hope you're ready to handle me because I don't think you can."

Oh my god what was happening?

You were frozen in place as Asmodeus trapped you against the railing between his arms. You didn't even think to push him away and just stood there stupidly.

"I-I…"

Rustling sounds from a nearby hedge, but when you both look in the direction of the noise there's giggling and the sound of retreating people.

You sigh. At least someone was enjoying the show.

You gently push at Asmodeus's chest so you can make space.

"Sorry sometimes the staff gets bored haha…er should we h-head back?"

"If that's what you want."

Asmodeus turns away from you. "I just want you to know that since this marriage is just a title I'll be sticking to my usual. Hope you don't mind~" He walks away humming to himself.

Your brows furrow…that man. Why'd he have to do all that? You weren't expecting anything different in the first place?

You let out a huge sigh. Was this going to be the norm from now on?

Well at least you both were on the same page about the marriage…. but you couldn't help but think a serious misunderstanding just occurred.

[variety-fangirl]

OH MY HII CAN I REQUEST A TARON OR JIMMY (u choose) IMAGINE INSPIRED BY THE SONG "BOYFRIEND" BY DOVE CAMERON?? IM SO EXCITED ABOUT THIS AND HAPPY NEW YEARRRRR!!!!<3333

Better / Jimmy Keene x fem!reader

Summary: Inspired by Dove Cameron's Boyfriend. A series of occasions where Jimmy knew he could be a better boyfriend than your current one. And the one final occasion where you realised it. (Lyrics are not in order, just where they fit).

Warnings: swearing, jealous Jimmy, shitty boyfriend who cheats and treats you like shit, lmk if I miss something.

Authors note: Oooh I love this idea! Song inspo is always peak 😎 Thank you for requesting my love, I hope your new year was good 😘 I am genuinely sorry for how long this took 🥴 student life is quite hectic and busy right now, has been for weeks but I hope you liked it, enjoy! I am hoping I will have a lot more free time over the next few weeks to write more. Thank you for reading, please enjoy my loves. Liking, reblogging, and commenting really helps me out.

Word count: 2.7k

Jimmy was a friend of your friend's boyfriends and often hung out with your group, he had become a regular and close to everyone. He was a perfect gentleman in every sense and had always treated you with respect and care. You had grown a rather soft spot for him and had naturally become closer as time went on, he was your best friend. He became someone you trusted wholeheartedly and could rely on no matter what.

On more than one occasion, more like several, Jimmy had made it obvious his distaste for your boyfriend, Mike. You and Mike had been dating for two years now, a year before you met Jimmy. Jimmy had seen, like everyone else, how badly your boyfriend treats you. Over and over again, but you were blinded by the love you have for him. Mike often treated you as second to everything but would make up for it all with extravagant gifts and apologies that clouded your judgment further.

One afternoon not long after Jimmy had joined the group (after a few meet-ups), you were all having a chill party with the group in your best friend's backyard. Everyone was already there and waiting for you and Mike, not long, about twenty minutes or so. Your friends were a little worried and that quickly grew when you both walked into the yard, food and booze in hand, with a solemn expression on your face. Mike quickly found a friend he enjoyed spending time with and walked off like nothing was wrong despite having thrown a completely unnecessary fit forty minutes before.

He saw an innocent message on your phone from an old male school friend who asked if you wanted to catch up over coffee after having run into him a few days before. The guy is happily married and has a baby on the way but Mike saw it as an attack, despite neither of you clearly not being interested sexually, and took it out on you just before the party. You had to manage to touch up your makeup and make yourself presentable enough, because Mike insisted on you both still going, and made your way here.

Your closest friends, best friend and Jimmy were all sitting at the large picnic table, a drink in hand or food in front of them on a paper plate. You sat down between your best friend and Jimmy with a tired smile, instantly deflating into the seat. Your friends all looked at you worriedly but didn't say anything more after you assured them you were just tired from work. But of course, Jimmy saw through your facade like paper. He leant into your side as your friends emersed themselves into a pleasant conversation, "What's up?" He questioned as he passed you your favourite alcoholic beverage. Always so observant.

You took it with a smile, "Thank you. I'm okay." You tried to sound as convincing as possible and to most it would have been but Jimmy just had some sort of special power that seemed to always accurately detect when people were being false, lying or hiding something. Jimmy rolled his eyes as he wrapped an arm around your shoulders and pulled you close, "Don't lie to me, sweetheart."

You groaned quietly, more to yourself but turned your head to look at him. "Me and Mike had a fight before coming here is all." You shrugged like it was nothing but inside it was eating at you. And Mike didn't even seem the slightest bit bothered by it, he was over the other side of the garden laughing and drinking with his friends like nothing was wrong. He hadn't even turned to look at you once but that wasn't surprising if you were honest with yourself.

Jimmy scowled at your boyfriend's back, mentally cursing him, he knew exactly what he could be like. "What did he do this time?" Jimmy grumbled unimpressed. He listened to you complain for the next thirty minutes about what had happened, only commenting or offering words of wisdom when necessary. All while he was thinking to himself about how better of a boyfriend he would be.

I could be a better boyfriend than him,

I could do the shit that he never did.

-

On another occasion, Mike was late to one of the only dates that he offered to take you on, after months of nothing. Jimmy had randomly been driving past on his way home when he saw you sitting alone in a restaurant window looking so sad and disappointed. He was exhausted and had a long day but no matter what, he could not bring himself to drive past and act like he hadn't seen you. He parked his car in a space out front and made his way in, making his way to you instantly after explaining to the waitress.

His heart instantly broke when you looked up at him in surprise with teary eyes that threatened to ruin the beautiful makeup that you had clearly spent so much effort on. He had simply reached his hand across silently to intertwine your fingers together and he ordered food for you both, your favourite, and didn't say anything more.

He didn't ask, he didn't need to, already knew the bastard had let you down once again as he always seemed to. You bravely wiped at your eyes and made mindless small talk to stop yourself from bursting into tears, all while not noticing Jimmy staring at you like you were the best thing he'd ever laid his eyes on. His thoughts getting the better of him as he imagined all the ways he'd treat you better.

I don't need to tell you twice, All the ways he can't suffice, If I could give you some advice, I would leave with me tonight.

-

It was also the same when one afternoon on his way home from work, something told Jimmy to turn onto the route of your place of work. Normally he would have ignored it, not wanting to seem weird because it wasn't on his route home but he decided to listen to the little nagging feeling for once. The rain was pouring down harshly, anyone walking around would be drenched and soaked to the bone within a mere moment with how bad it was. He was driving slowly, looking over at the pavement for any sight of you.

Your car was broken but your boyfriend had promised to be your lift for a few days until it was fixed. He assumed he would have picked you up two hours ago when he said he would but he wanted to check to be sure. And he was glad he had because ten minutes later he caught sight of your pretty blue bag and signature shoes, your arms wrapped around your waist as you shook. Jimmy drove slightly up ahead and pulled over safely before calling out your name once you were close enough to hear him.

You turned to look at the open window in shock, one eye closed from the aggressive downpour. "Get in!" Jimmy yelled, ushering you to get in but you shook your head. "I'll get the seat drenched, no!" You were so cold and wet but you didn't want to be a burden. Jimmy stared at you annoyed, "You think I give a shit about my seats? Get in the fucking car!" He leaned over effortlessly and opened the door for you, leaving no room for argument.

You decided to not be difficult and just get in his car, grateful to be out of the rain. You closed the car door and watched as the window rolled up, lingering droplets of rain on the door. You pulled the seatbelt over you as you shivered. Jimmy didn't miss a beat as he leaned over into his backseat and returned with a soft cotton sweater and a hand towel, it was large enough to cover down to your mid-thigh.

"Here, put this on before you catch a cold." He gently placed both on your lap where your hands were resting. You were freezing and rather drenched so you took them both graciously, wiping as much water out of your hair and clothes as possible as you turned to look at him with a grateful smile. "Thank you so much, for the ride and these," you sighed, "I appreciate it." He nodded as he began driving off, turning the heater on to warm you up. He's so caring.

Once you were dry enough you put on the sweater, pulling it as close to you as possible. You pulled the sleeves over your hands as much as possible as you placed your hands over the heaters, a contented sigh falling past your lips as you snuggled back into the chair, warming up slowly.

"You always seem to come to my aid when I need you most. It's like you can read my mind somehow." You spoke quietly, looking down at your lap, which pushed your nose into the fabric of the sweater. You ended up breathing in and smelled Jimmy's smell on there powerfully, he must have been wearing it recently. It made you feel oddly calm and safe. Jimmy's presence seemed to have that vibe about him, you always felt relaxed when around him.

"I'm glad I chose to come this way instead of my regular, you would have been out there for god knows how long." Jimmy sighed, seemingly annoyed at something. He flicked his eyes in your direction before focusing on the road once more, "where's that useless excuse of a boyfriend anyways? Wasn't he supposed to pick you up because your car is broken?" He questioned, a tense tone present as he spoke.

You couldn't even find it in you at this point to defend him, because he just kept letting you down and it seems it wasn't only you that saw it. You sigh exhaustedly, "I honestly couldn't tell you. He said he would be there but I haven't heard from him in hours. Probably out drinking with his friends, knowing him." You hear the sound of leather pulling and look to see Jimmy gripping the steering wheel tightly in his hands.

"I don't know why you are with him, he treats you so badly. He doesn't deserve someone like you." Jimmy grumbled, his jaw tense. You turned to look out the window, watching the buildings and people pass by quickly like little blips of light. "I wonder the same thing sometimes, but you can't help who you love. Maybe one day I will come to my senses." You were half joking, half serious. Jimmy said something under his breath that you didn't quite catch.

For the next twenty minutes, you both chatted idly about nothing in particular as he drove you home. You felt bad because he would have to drive back the opposite way in order to go home, so you vowed to get him a thank-you gift. He finally arrived outside of your home, your cat patiently waiting perched on your windowsill for you to arrive home after a long day. "Thank you again, I truly appreciate it." You leaned over and gave him a side hug, which he returned, before pulling away and grabbing your bag, hand on the door handle.

You had the door open and were about to get out when a hand grabbed yours gently, stopping you dead. You turned to face Jimmy, "I'll be here in the morning to pick you up early." He stated simply as if it were just a normal occurrence between you both. You were about to protest but he interrupted you, "No argument. Go, I'll see you in the morning." And with that, you left and went inside.

The next morning as you made your way outside ready for work with two coffees in hand for you and Jimmy, not holding the expectation of him showing up so you weren't too disappointed, but you were pleasantly surprised to see him already parked and waiting out front. You walked towards his car with a happy smile, your day already ten times better than it was yesterday.

I can't believe we're finally alone, I can't believe I almost went home.

The universe must have divined this, What am I gonna do? Not grab your wrist?

-

It was no different now. You were all at a local nightclub, partners included, for a night out of drinks and dancing. The night had been great except for the huge elephant in the room of your boyfriend sitting at the other end of the club catching and being far too close to a beautiful petite blonde for the past two hours. You had tried your best to ignore the situation and just dance with your friends. You weren't one for confrontation and if he was that easy to lose, he wasn't worth keeping. That was what you kept telling yourself anyway.

Jimmy must have noticed the absence of your shitty boyfriend because he came up behind you a second later and tapped you on the shoulder. You turned and found yourself smiling, happy by his presence. "Hey! Wanna dance?" Jimmy questions as he leans into your ear, the music quite loud. You find yourself nodding, wrapping your arms around his shoulders, happy to dance with someone. Unlike Mike, who had two left feet, Jimmy danced great. Jimmy wrapped his hands around your waist as respectfully as possible but he had a plethora of sinful thoughts that would make you blush if he were to say them out loud.

What are the chances? Everyone's dancing, And he's not with you.

Jimmy decided that tonight was the night he would tell you how he feels, in hopes you'd finally leave your shitty boyfriend. Jimmy brought you near and leaned closely to your ear, the feeling of his breath tickling. "I need to tell you something important that I've been wanting to tell you for a while," Jimmy said as loudly as possible, waiting to see if you heard him. You nod, placing a hand on his shoulder to keep him close so you can hear him properly.

"I like you. I have for a while now. And I know fully damn well that I could treat you so much better than him and you know it, sweetheart." His hand travelled up gently to your face, thumb stroking against your slightly sweaty skin. You were shocked, to say the least, but you knew he was right, you could do so much better than Mike. And Jimmy would be perfect, he treated you amazingly without even being in a relationship with you. How much longer were you going to put your life on hold and waste time with a man who didn't even care about you?

You decided enough was enough, that it was time to end things once and for all with Mike. You knew he wouldn't pay attention to you so you decided to text him, knowing he had it on vibrate. You turned in Jimmy's arms, letting him see over your shoulder what you were doing. You quickly sent Mike a text that things were over between you, that you had finally had enough of being treated like shit. It was as respectful and decent as he deserved with how he'd always treated you. Mike reaches into his pocket and unlocks his phone, seeming to read the text you'd sent.

Mike looks up at you with a scowl, rolls his eyes and then returns to look at his phone. He sends a simple 'whatever,' and that's when you know you've made the right decision. You turn back to face Jimmy, place your phone in your pocket and smile up at him. "I like you too," you yell back, wrapping your arms around his neck. Jimmy grins like an idiot at your reply and pulls you in for a kiss.

You end the night by going home with Jimmy, you don't sleep together but you do spend the night at his snuggled up in his side wearing one of his shirts. The next morning, Jimmy proves why he would be the better boyfriend by making you breakfast in bed while he has his breakfast in bed ;).

I could be a better boyfriend than him, I could do the shit that he never did, Up all night, I won't quit, Thinking I'm gonna steal you from him, I could be such a gentleman, Plus all my clothes would fit.

[ravenromanova]

Party time

Pairings: Bucky x oc, Natasha x oc (platonic)

Warnings: Mentions of killing (i think that’s it)

~

Bucky’s p.o.v

I stare at the all black suit i’m supposed to wear tonight and sigh. Don’t get me wrong the suit is nice i just would rather not go to this party. The only reason i’m even going is because we got intel that The red room is sending someone to attempt to kill all of us. We still don’t know who exactly is being sent but we’ve all been told to go to the party and act like normal.

Luckily for me that means standing in a corner not interacting with anyone so that should be easy. After i stare at myself for what feels like an eternity i finally decide to walk downstairs. As i walk into the party my senses go into overdrive almost instantly. Between the lights, the music and the crowd of people my body tenses up and i go on high alert.

I quickly make my way to the bar before making sure my ear piece is turn on. The bartender hands me a glass of whiskey and i nod my head before retreating to the furthest corner. ‘We got word that she should be here in like ten minutes’ I hear over the comms.

I keep myself on high alert as i wait to be told that whoever it is has arrived. There’s a weird feeling in forming a pit in my stomach and i can’t figure out why. Why the hell is The red room sending someone to kill us? After all this time? My thoughts are cut off as i hear Tony over comms say she’s here.

Quickly i leave my little corner and walk around the party trying to find the woman. Trying to make my way through the sea of people was a lot harder than expected. I finally make it through the biggest crowd and try to get a birds eye view. It takes me a good ten minutes until i find her.

My breath hitches in my throat when i see her. Lilith The red room sent her. They sent the one person they knew neither me or Natasha could hurt. Before i can even properly think im running to find Natasha.

“Natasha where are you?” I say though comms and she replies with ‘on the balcony’ So i make my way out there and see her talking with Clint. She sees my frantic state and furrows her brows.

“Barnes? Why do you look like you’ve seen a ghost?’ Nat half teases and she raises and eyebrow at me.

“Well maybe because i have Natalia” My words come out half broken as i try to catch my breath. “It’s her. The red room sent her” I dont even need to say her name for Natasha to know who i mean.

She walks away from Clint and he just stands there puzzled. “Show me” Natasha says and i take her hand and lead her inside with Clint following behind.

When we get back inside it takes us less than five minutes to find her. Natasha’s eyes go wide and i can see her face slightly fall. And Clint asks us who she is but neither of us respond.

“Wh-What do we do?” She asks as her voice breaks. I let out a deep breath and grip the railing of the staircase.

“We do what we always do. We put her in a cell and Question her” Clint replies and we both whip our heads around and glare at him.

“We are not treating her like a killer” I seethe at the archer and step closer to him. Natasha grabs my arms in attempt to pull me back but it doesn’t work.

“She was literally sent here to kill us Barnes” In that moment i see red. I push him against the wall by his collar and deadpan him.

“I dont care. No one and i mean no one is to hurt her. Let me and Natasha bring her in.” I say sternly as i let him go and he falls on the ground. And with that i walk away and try to go find Lilith.

Lilith’s p.o.v

Once i get to the party the code words have been said, i have the mission details locked and locked, but something feels off. It’s almost like i can feel my programming flipping on and off. I try to get my shit together as i walk through the sea of people by taking deep breaths.

I decided i was going to go for the ones with no aliases first since clearly they aren’t that important. Snaking my way through the crowd i look for a red headed woman in a green dress (that’s what i was told shed be wearing) As i make my way through the crowds it takes me all of three minutes to find my target. I smirk as i approach her as her back is towards me.

Tapping her should to get her attention she turns around and my eyes go wide. When she turns around and i see my old friend my brain glitches and i freeze.

“Natalia?” I gasp and then before she can respond my world goes dark.

~

When i wake up next in on a cot in a clear cell. I groan as i realize they fucking caught me. I can hear the sounds of heavy footsteps coming into the room and as the person approaches me my heart sinks.

“Soldat?” I whisper as he comes into the light. His bright blue eyes pierce through my soul as he looks at me. He just looks at me for a minute before deciding to speak.

“Lilith” He softly says as he puts his hand on the glass of my cell.

“Help me- please” I beg him as my programming fully wears off and im in my own concuss mine again.

He nods his head and sits down on a chair in front of my cell. “I will we just need you to tell us everything you know about the red room. We can help you little one” Bucky says to me and i smile softly as i nod my head in agreement.

The red room has never been able to fully get rid of who i am. Even with my programming i still am hesitant when i kill, I still remember who i am even with the brainwashing and wiping. And most importantly i always remember him. I dont know why their methods dont work on me like they do everyone else. But ever since i realized that they dont work.. Ive been looking for a way out.

“I’ll tell you everything you need to know” I say putting my hands on the glass like he did before. He stands up and places his hands on the glass over mine and smiles at me as he nods his head.

“I will get you out of this cell as soon as i can i swear milaya devushka (sweet girl) just might take one convincing” His words melt my heart even though i was sent here to kill him and all his friends he was still willing to help me.

“Thank you Soldat” I smile at him and lean my head against the glass as a i let out a sigh of relief.

“Dont thank me doll i know you want out” He puts his forehead against the glass. “And you can call me Bucky now” His voice is soft and i nod my head.

“Thank you bucky” I respond finally having some sense of peace after years of sleeping with one eye open. For once i know that everything is gonna be okay and i cant wait for the journey ahead.

~The end of chapter 4~

Hi lovebugs! i hope you enjoyed this chapter as much as i enjoyed writing it! I have some BIGG things planned for this book that might be coming up soon who knows 👀Let me know what yall think! Dont forget to like and reblog and I’ll see you in the next chapter! 🖤❤️

I do not give permission for my work to be translated or posted on other sites

[autisticbokutoenthusiast]

initial thoughts on the ep 11 trailer

my first initial reaction was just screaming fuck for 30 minutes straight but rewatching it

porsche isn't with the baddie bunch for their preview scene, which ive been saying since at least ep 5 that often all of them will be together and zouey, first, captain, and nont will be inframe but porsche is only partly/not visible so i wonder if this barrier will grow now that jason lee is back

soong is also with them, which makes me fear .000001% less for his safety and well being. i wonder if he'll spy for them... (wildcard theory what if he is spying for firsts dad...)

the fact they are now so focused on jason lee could just be because of the connection to porsche but what if all the nant mysteries lead back to him as ive suspected...

get a job!

stay away from her!

this isnt the best screenshot but scared for the jason lee and porsche scenes....

get a job!

stay away from her!

so jason lee (i assume) is saying "you have a nice body, it would be a shame if the world didn't see it" but his lips aren't moving here so he could be saying it to zouey but also someone else

zouey is cupping his ear? i think anyway if its cause jason lee raised a hand to him i will destroy him in ways previously unrecorded in human history

terrified for zouey... what does the scholarship entail...

get a job!

stay away from her!

the way jason lee is grabbing aobs hair...

i think its soong saying "is jump here? mr lee is coming." based on the voice- which then makes me ask the question, who is he talking to? usually when he speaks english its to first but we've now also seen aob speak english (which was also to first but anyway), much to think about.....

anyway spent the last two weeks saying that the sugar daddy for porsche prom and aob was jason lee and that he would be connected to everyone in some way and show up to cause chaos and i guess im getting what i asked for... sigh....

[soapsinthebox]

Ok, um, I'm here to bother you about upside down magic

Which of the udm class kid's power was the most interesting to you? Like, which one made you think the most? Which one did you lie in bed thinking about 'how would that work? How would that affect my life if that was me?'

WOOOOHere we Gooo

if i had to choose, probably marigolds or Baxes. their powers before its development in their books was just so... terrifying. sticks and stones has always been my favorite book in the series because of the questions it asks. what would happen if marigold shrunk a person? yes her victim did get back to normal size but what if their body couldn't ingest the drugs given, what if like, said person was someone like bax who couldn't turn back to normal after transforming. would he just spend his days being a boulder forever, while marigold has to live with the guilt and shame that action has caused to both the families and their friends? on the topic of bax,he can now turn into things like pianos or chairs and have some level of control over them, what happens if he gets strong enough to turn into things like statues, buildings? towns, planets even? we also have seen the drugs Bax uses (bretel bax was the name i think?) to its maximum extent. what if that drug was in usage after bax learned things like chairs or pianos? would tge whole place just turn into chair land or smth? and how can we predict the new drug wont have the same if not worse effects? ughhhh THESE BOOKS MAKE ME CRAZY-

the question of "how would that effect me" is a pretty interesting one because i actually relate to marigold alot. having something "wrong" within you thats unlike anything else both you or those around you have seen is such a MOOD, and i admire the writing team for writing a character like mari. if i had marigolds power, i honestly dont think id be any different then how i am now? just with the added benefit of yknow, shrinking everything and everyone around me till i am the most distrusted person in the world and everyone is afraid of me lmao-

bax tho, hits a bit different

i think the thing that would impact my life the most positively is just being able to opt out of stressful or unwanted situations whenever i please. just... taking a break from humanity for a bit and becoming a boulder could fix me i think

for the most negatively, probably how id be treated compared to my pears. the scene with coach and nori in sticks and stones hits differently now that im older. with the adult in the situation prioritizing helping nori instead of bax not out of malice, but because he just didn't know what to make of him i SO-

anyway i hope u understood this ask correctly, thank you for listening to my silly rambles ^^ sorry if this is a little incoherent i kinda just... screamed into my keyboard for twenty minutes lol.

[lilweaselhub]

Okay so no one asked---but time for me to randomly be feral about Spinel. I don't plan on making this SUPER coherent or anything mostly because I've been running on fumes for a MINUTE now.

But recently, I was asked what I think the difference is between good spinel content and bad spinel content and well thats a loaded question.

Before I say ANYTHING about anything for anyone who reads this, I would like to preface;

These are my personal opinions on her character and I really don't care too much if you agree or disagree. Whatever makes you happy is fine with me. You can disagree and be entitled to that opinion.

That being said; I'm just going to come right out and cut to the chase before we even get started.

I don't like how the Steven Universe movie ended. I don't think Spinel going with the Diamonds was a good idea && Spinel in SU future was a major let down for me.

There. if you don't like ^^^^ that statement right there && if you don't think you can handle someone disagreeing with how she was handled I'd stop right here.

For anyone else; Allow me to explain.

When Spinel is introduced in the movie, it is immedietly clear that she is no typical adversary of the crystal gems. Shes incredibly cunning, and actually acknowledges steven as his own person. -&& seeks vengence anyway.

Despite KNOWING steven is a stranger.

Something we don't see in any other gem that the crystal gems go up against from homeworld. I'd argue this makes Spinel one of the SMARTEST gems we see.

The other thing thats immedietly apparent is just how VIOLENT and ANGRY she is. Her entire song 'other friends' gives the audience immediate insight that she knew pink diamond and knew pink PERSONALLY. She has a very personal vendetta, and is lashing out.

now im not going to analyse every single scene in this movie. I'm far too tired for that. Besides, we know it by heart by now. Everyones done it. But all of this to SAY-; what many people have pointed out is that Pink was akin to Spinels favored person, something a lot of people who struggle with mental illness have.

ESPEICALLY those with BPD, something that has been near universally agreed on with her.

During the first half of the movie, leading up to the garden flashback. We get to see Spinel as she was made--; before she was traumatized. How she was initially. Happy, bubbly, fun loving, and sweet. In my mind, this always was reminiscent of an allegory for childhood innocence.

A type of innocence one has before the real world hits them before they experience heartbreak, trauma, or real raw grief. Spinel in her beginning was NAIVE, and had no idea that Pink Diamond did not have the same undying loyalty and love that Spinel herself was programmed with.

Spinels feelings were not mutual, but she was too innocent at the time to really SEE This. She was too naïve and optimistic. During this time she was very much mentally like a young child.

Time passing && the garden itself dying could even be an allegory for the death of ones childhood innocence and wonder.

What being abandoned by pink can really be alikened to with Spinel is the experience of TRAUMA. Something that udoubtedly TRANSFORMS a person---; Much like in the movie. (That whole anime girl transformation as out of left field as it is, kind of makes a lot of sense to be emphasized. Its getting a point across.)

Trauma PERMENANTLY changes a person. For better or worse.

In spinels case--; it could be seen as a metaphor for trauma, and the effect it has on someones mental health. The Childhood innocence dying and growing up after experience significant trauma.

Spinel post transformation && in the very beginning / climax of the movie is much less naive. Much more cunning, and carries herself much older than when she was first created. While Spinel in the beginning was reminiscent of a young 8-10 year old child, spinel now reads more as a rebellious older teen to young adult. She does not have that mentality of a child anymore. She's impulisve, shes cunning, shes sarcastic and shes mad as hell.

Spinels trauma not only mentally changed who she was as a person--it PHYSICALLY altered her. It changed her entire person. This is what trauma DOES. this is what experiencing all the grief and negative experiences of growing up DOES to you.

Abandoned, forgotten and spiteful, Spinel sets her sights on steven && co in a last ditch effort to get her version of closure---revenge on those that wronged her and threw her away like garbage.

I would easily argue that the climax of this movie is were Spinel's character SHINES the most. This in my opinion, is one place where the movie SUCCEEDS where Future FAILS.

In the climax of the movie, we really see the moments that clinch that BPD allegory. The Back and Forth between her emotional impulse to spiral and lash out, and the desire to be better. It doesn't shy away from showing the UGLY and sometimes AGGRESSIVE symptoms of mental illness. But it doesn't necessarily villainize her.

Steven himself realizes that Spinel is not thinking logically, she's lashing out and letting emotions DRIVE her impulses.

It shows her as she is now, flawed, impulsive, and hurting.

" Why? Why do I wanna hurt you SO badly??"

" When you change, you change for the better---when I change I change for the WORSE."

" At least you liked the old me--"

Spinel herself acknowledges that she's changed. That experience has Permanently changed who she is, the person she once was is gone. She is mourning not only the relationship she had but the person she once WAS.

Now;------After this point in the movie is where I start having gripes. As spinel is shown through most of the movie as such a dynamic, interesting character and actual RAW representation for people who STRUGGLE to be a good person after what they went through. Individuals with UGLY symptoms and sometimes SCARY symptoms of mental illness.

Things that are strongly stigmatized in this society we live in. It was refreshing to have a character SHOW this side of mental illness and still be treated like a person, and not a MONSTER.

&& Before I start this next section, let me preface by saying i am ALL about healing journeys. 100%. I would love for Spinel to be happy, I want her to find a place to find her own and feel safe.

That being said, I want healing journeys for a character to be realisitc. I don't want a FIXED character, I want a REAL character. A character that feels like a person. A real one. Not sunshine and rainbows and a "love fixes me" type. (Ty @veroxins for verbalizing what i never quite could with her arc.)

Unfortunately that is EXACTLY what ends up happening to Spinel though. Suddenly it feels as though they run out of an idea for how to continue her arc. && At the end of the movie they decide that the diamonds finding her amusing and bringing her back up to homeworld would be the best course of action.

&& I'd argue that at this point in the movie spinel's characterization already starts seeming odd / contradictory comparative to what we JUST saw. && this only continues with her appearance in future.

Suddenly Spinel is Happy, bubbly and kinda...naive again isn't she?

Spinel in future (and partially at the end of the movie) is kind of reverted back to her old persona. The diamonds 'love' fixes her.

" Steven: Wait a second, you used to have vengeful thoughts. Oh, yeah! But I don't get 'em anymore. Steven: How did you make them stop? I met a little someone named "Steven Universe"! And he told me ♫ IIIII- I CAN MAKE A CHANGE! ♫ "

Whats worse than that in my opinion, is that not only do they take this representation away---and make the case that love just 'fixes' a person and puts them back to how they were--but they make spinel a joke.

They didn't even have her take stevens on struggles seriously or have them relate to each other in any meaningful way.

I like many others, hated peridots treatment for this very reason.

Not to mention--- a very important point. After all this time emphasizing how absolutely UNHEALTHY and TOXIC the power dynamic was between Pink Diamond and Spinel. WHY on earth would putting her right back in that power dynamic (x3 mind you), be condusive to her healing? At all?

I'll tell you---it wouldn't be. She's put right back in the position of being ENTERTAINMENT, a TOY. && Not being even given the CHANCE to discover her own personality, who she is now, or hell--who she ever was outside of pink.

I noticed that a lot of peoples fixation and interest in spinel greatly reduced after the future airing and I really don't think thats a coincidence.

&& AGAIN i have to PREFACE. ;I want spinel to get better. I do.

I have no issues with that.

But trauma permenately changes someone. Thats just how it functions. Spinel is not going to just go back to how she was before her trauma. && I think it sends a more powerful message for her healing to have her find a place as she is now, and be loved for her flaws and all, while making a conscious effort to be better.

For it not to be just a quick fix, and shes back to how she was, but to have her come to terms with the new her, and find a way to reinvent herself, with her flaws and still be loved as she is. Even if she still slips up from time to time. Because mental illness is not a straight and narrow road. it has its ups, it has its downs. you get better, you relapse and then you pick up the pieces again and keep going.

Tdlr; All of that to say. Spinel is a character that was REALLY important to me, a character that showed ugly mental illness symptoms, and didn't glorify or villainize it. A character that wasn't nice or tied up in a bow, but deserved to be loved, and deserved to have the chance to be her own person.

Outside of the diamonds, outside of pink, outside of her TRAUMA. and she never got the chance. She deserved better.

Also---sassy, chaotic, morally grey spinel is just superior in general. She's the goat and i want her back. rn.