#instead of just having Tom declare it so

[bumblingbabooshka]

Tuvok x TankGirl [Noss] [Patreon | Commissions]

[batshit-auspol]

With the sudden collapse of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s, many of the former empire's resources were sold off to the highest bidder, and their $14 billion space shuttle program was no exception.

Seeking to recoup some of that eyewatering spend, in 1998, the "Buran" (Russia's answer to the American Space Shuttle) was offered up for sale on eBay for $10 million.

No serious offers were received - with most people assuming the listing to be a joke, until the New York Post confirmed the sale, with Russian authorities stating they "actually have two" if anyone is interested.

(Pictured: A later auction of a smaller scale Buran in 2005)

Sensing an opportunity, a group of Aussie entrepreneurs including Australia's first astronaut and the lawyer for Prime Minister Paul Keating offer to lease the shuttle from Russia, to put it on display in Australia during the Sydney Olympics.

After gaining permission from the Kremlin for the lease, in 1999 the Russian military briefly stops bombing Chechnya in order to dismantle the Buran, and it is placed on a barge to be shipped to Sydney on the (soon to be infamous for other reasons) Tampa shipping vessel at a cost of $5 million.

Once in Sydney, after a disastrous few months on display where crowds failed to flock to the shuttle exhibition featuring such compelling educational offerings as "activities is to assist in the development of issues of nutrition and hygiene at home" (an actual quote from their website) - the leasing company declared bankruptcy and washed their hands of the space shuttle completely.

The Buran Gift shop where you could buy soviet space ship themed football jerseys, in case you needed one of those

One of four people listed on the lease, described as a business partner of the Prime Minister, also claims he never knew he was a director of the company, which went on to cause a lot more problems.

This whole debacle presented a slight issue for the cash strapped Russian authorities, who had now only been paid $100,000 for the 9 year lease of the shuttle instead of the $600,000 they were owed. Eventually the decision was made to abandon the once $1 billion Soviet pride and joy in a Sydney carpark, where it resided for a year under a small tarpaulin.

Failed attempts to be rid of the shuttle included a 12 day auction hosted by an LA radio station, where listeners were offered the chance to buy the shuttle for $6 million, however all bids turned out to be pranks and the shuttle remained.

Multiple attempts were also made to sell the shuttle to Tom Cruise, with the exacerbated movie star's representatives repeatedly telling the insistent traders that he was not interested in owning a Russian spaceship.

Eventually a Singaporean group dismantled the shuttle and shipped it overseas, however Russian authorities soon reported they once again had been failed to be paid for the lease. Singaporean representatives responded that they definitely had paid for the shuttle, and that they simply couldn't remember when or how much was paid.

Representing the Russian government, Lawyer Suhaila Turani told the Wall Street Journal “I feel sorry for the Russians. They’re good in space, but they’re very naive in business.”

For a time the shuttle was abandoned in the storage yard of event company Pico, with the company owner telling the Wall Street Journal "I just want this thing out of my life" after three years of being stuck with it.

A few years later the shuttle was found by German journalists dismantled in a junkyard, and it was then bought and shipped to Germany to be put on display a museum, so all's well that ends well (except they dropped it from a crane while trying to set it up, but it polished up okay).

[robertreich]

Why Trump Is Partnering With Christian Nationalists

Donald Trump is portraying himself as a religious savior. He says Election Day will be: …”the most important day in the history of our country, and it’s going to be Christian Visibility Day.”

Trump has repeatedly compared his criminal trials to the crucifixion of Jesus, promoted videos calling his reelection “the most important moment in human history,” and that describe him as a divinely appointed ruler.

He claims to be a holy warrior against an imaginary attack on Christianity.

TRUMP: They want to tear down crosses//But no one will be touching the cross of Christ under the Trump administration. I swear to you.

He’s even selling his own version of the Bible.

Trump is playing to a rising white Christian Nationalist movement within the Republican Party.

Christian Nationalists believe that the law of the land is not the Constitution, but instead the law of God as they interpret it. Under this view, atheists and people of other faiths (including Christians of other denominations) are all second-class citizens.

Trump’s supporters are increasingly overt in their calls to replace democracy with a MAGA theocracy.

The idea that the will of voters is irrelevant because God has anointed Trump was a recurring message in the efforts to overturn the 2020 election.

In previous videos, I’ve highlighted how MAGA Republicans have embraced core elements of fascism. They reject democracy, stoke fear of immigrants and minorities, embrace a gender and ethnic hierarchy, and look to a strongman to lead and defend them.

The combination of fascism and Christian Nationalism is called Christofascism, a term first used half a century ago by the theologian Dorothee Sölle. Fascists rise to power by characterizing their opponents as subhuman. Christofascists take it a step further by casting opponents as not just subhuman, but actually demonic.

Framing opponents as enemies of God makes violence against them not only seem justifiable, but divinely sanctioned, and almost inevitable.

Christofascists want to strip away a wide range of rights Americans take for granted. Former Trump staffers involved in developing plans for a second Trump term have called for imposing “Biblical” tests on immigration, overturning marriage equality, and restricting contraception.  

And MAGA-aligned judges are already setting their dogma ahead of the Constitution. In his concurring opinion on the case that declared frozen embryos are people, Alabama Supreme Court Justice Tom Parker cited God more than forty times and quoted the Book of Genesis and other religious texts.

Nothing could be more un-American than the Christian Nationalist vision. So many of America’s founders came here as refugees seeking religious freedom. The framers of the Constitution were adamant that religion had no role in our government. The words “God,” “Jesus,” and “Christ,” don’t appear anywhere in the Constitution. And the very first words of the Bill of Rights are a promise that “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.”

Christofascism, or any religion-based form of government, is a rejection of everything America has aspired to be — a secular, multi-racial society whose inhabitants have come from everywhere, bound together by a faith in equal opportunity, democracy, and the rule of law.

Beware.

[shares-a-vest]

Everybody knows Eddie has a way with nicknames. Everyone gets a pet name from Eddie to the point he basically never says anyone's real name.

And Steve gets an array of them. More than anyone else. Sweetheart. Sugarplum. Stevie. Multiple pet names all strung together in quick succession. Very rarely he's Harrington. That one is typically reserved for when Eddie is being a total bitch and they are fighting. King Steve, of course. He still doesn't love it, but at least now it is said with affection instead of sarcasm and contempt.

Meanwhile, Steve's over here simply calling his boyfriend Eds. Okay, maybe he said 'babe' one time in the presence of Lucas, Mike and Dustin and he's never heard the end of it.

It's kinda lame and he rather die than explain it to anyone (or have anyone else hear it), but Steve sees Eddie as his Prince. It's a pet name Eddie hasn't used, which is surprising considering there is a side DND character who is a Prince that bares embarrassingly detailed physical similarities to Steve.

Eddie is the Prince who came and swept him off his feet when he was at his loneliest.

Again, kinda lame. And pathetic.

Unfortunately, Steve blurts out said name in the least romantic setting possible: the back storeroom of Family Video.

They're in the back looking for the copy of Top Gun Steve had stashed away for them to take home. The waitlist was a month long and Keith enforced a strict 'no employees on the waitlist' policy, even though he definitely took a copy for himself.

"Holy shit," Eddie says, staring at the VHS cover of Tom Cruise and Kelly McGillis.

Steve hands it over. "I reserved it under the fake account Rob and I have."

It was basically his only option considering Keith's flimsy rule and Eddie being banned from the store a few years back. Thank God they didn't have security cameras or else Steve would have been fired a hundred times over by now.

"Whoa," Eddie says with the wide-eyed wonder of a kid, holding the VHS in his hands like it is the most precious and delicate thing in the world.

"Anything for my Prince," Steve coos, leaning over to kiss him on the cheek.

He pulls back, staring. Oh god. He really just said that out loud.

Eddie blinks, clearly taking a moment to compute (or willing to tear his eyes away from ogling the back cover image of Val Kilmer). He quirks a brow, turning to look at Steve, a sly smile tugging at the corner of his mouth and accentuated by the scar that runs along the left side of his jaw.

"So that makes you the damsel in distress?" he says more than asks, glee in his eyes.

Shit, Steve really hadn't thought of it that way. Trust him to come up with a pet name that immediately made him vulnerable to teasing.

Before he can think of what to say, Eddie is scooping him up bridal-style. He promptly loops his arms around Eddie's neck when he feels his legs teetering on the spot at the cramped and awkward angle, wedged between Keith's desk and a shelving unit.

"Don't worry, Princess!" Eddie declares in dramatic fashion. "The Prince is here to save you from your dungeon and that wretched oaf."

He laughs hysterically as he sways Steve about.

"Stop!" Steve laughs, kicking and sending a stack of VHSs toppling to the ground.

"I shan't!" Eddie yells, his voice echoing through the small space. "Not until I have you in the safety of my bed chambers!"

"This wasn't supposed to happen!" Steve giggles as Eddie swings him around, sending more tapes flying.

[tomssexdoll]

Could you please do tomorrow headcannons like the ones you’ve done for bill recently. 🙏🙏🙏. Love your writing btw- also if you make it can you tag me..

yesss ofc love and ty for the support <3

Relationship headcannons Tom

NSFW MENTIONED!!!!!!!!

2008

You guys first started dating

Brags about you to anyone who will listen

Once you got to know him you realized how much of a softie he really is

He was very confident at first

Spoils you

Quickies behind stage at tours

You love playing with his dreads

Tugging on his braids during sex

2009

Suprised you with the braids

you love them ofc

Loves going on walks with you

Very affectionate

Super protective

Gets jealous easily

Slightly possessive

Hates when you wear skimpy clothing out

Always accompanies you at parties

Will hurt any guy if he has to

Gets you flowers a lot

2010

Takes you on the humanoid tour

Shouts you out in the crowd and brings you up to the stage

Stares at you while he's playing and flirts with you too

Quickie backstage ofc

Loves seeing you in his shirts when you go to sleep

Always gives you his jackets, hoodies, shirts

SUPER flirty

Teases you in public

Leaves hickeys everywhere for everyone to see

Smacks your ass playfully in public

2011

Cuddles are the best

Loves to go to the club with you

Still very protective

Jealousy issues calming down a little

Shows you off in interviews

Talks about you non stop in podcasts

Brings you to practice

Very loving and caring

Will drop everything just to make sure you're ok

Super close, very healthy relationship

2012-2014

Proposes to you finally

The proposal is beautiful, he takes you out to a fancy dinner and he gets the best spot and proposes to you under the stars

Showers you with gifts all the time

Gets you lunch when you're working hard

Loves to give you massages when you're stressed

Learnt how to cook for you

Talking about wanting a family

Cuddes and movies every second night

Partying like there's no tomorrow

Falling pregnant in late 2014 so the baby came after the wedding

2015

The wedding finally happens

The ceremony is beautiful

He smiles like an idiot when he sees you walking down the aisle, crying softly

Does the garter wedding tradition but tries to take your panties off instead

Dances with you sweetly at first

When you get drunk he grinds on you, dancing so sexually

He smashes his lips into yours when the priest declares you husband and wife

also picks you up and spins you around when after the kiss

Can't stop talking about how sexy you were at the wedding

Makes a wedding night sex tape with you LOL

Buying a house together

Baby finally arrives

2016-2019

A lot of renovating

More talks about having a big family

Tom upgrades the nursery

Best father EVER

Spoils you and the kids

Forces Bill to babysit for a couple nights so you guys can spend time together

Sex is amazing and always has been

Still very protective of you and especially your daughter

Fall pregnant again

2020

Find out you're having twins

tom jumps with joy after he finds out

Tells Bill and they are super happy

Tom buys you fresh flowers every week

When he takes the dogs for walks he'll always pick flowers for you

Loves taking your daughter to the park with you even though you're super pregant

Loves you unconditionally

Takes care of you so much during pregnancy and birth

Holds your hand at the hosptal

Sobs and holds the twins in his arms

Loves you for you

Reminds you everyday how beautiful and precious you are

Spoils the kids with junk food when you aren't there

2021-2024

Thinking of another kid

Very happy relationship and super close

Sex is amazing ofc

Buying you flowers every week ofc

Partying here and there

Loves home dates and spending time with you

Some nights he'll fall asleep on your chest

You love playing with his long hair and beard

Beard tickles you when he kisses you

He's careful not to give you carpet burn when eating you out

Loves washing your hair and making you feel relaxed

Runs baths for you to relax after a hard day

He helps with the cooking, cleaning, laundry, etc.

Best present giver

Super affectionate

tags: @effy-2000 @itsmealaiah @tomscumdump @20doozers @charliesgoodboy @tomkaulitzloverr @tomscumdoll @syylss @ge-billsgf @ballhair @miyukafujii

[blushblushbear]

Scale, Seth and Haru husband headcanons pls?

ngl I think all 3 of these dudes would have a weird adjustment period to being husbands, though frankly I think Scale would maybe have the easiest time (well-- MAYBE Haru, but okay---)

Scale

I think the biggest change from boyfriend to husband is going to be him questioning if he should continue his assassin work

He's not going to set down his knives quickly or lightly but like----

he has a spouse now

he doesn't want them becoming a widow/widower

OR EVEN WORSE GETTING CAUGHT UP IN HIS BUSINESS??

bruh, he would DIE

I highly doubt he'd actually end up quitting but there WOULD be some changes around here

for starters--- he has a better divide between his personal and professional life

This is maybe me watching too much venture bros but I really do like the idea of Scale adopting a sort of on the clock/off the clock mentality ("That's my business-- but we're not at the office right now, ya see")

also he gets WAY more protective

your home is probably laced with all kinds of booby traps

and he DEFINITELY makes you run drills

like fire drills but instead of fire it's enemy assassins

Aside from the stuff pertaining to his career, he's actually a very sweet and loving husband

Not necessarily a 'I made a home cooked meal in my apron' every night kind of loving but more a 'I stopped by that place you like and got us dinner' type

also def kind of nerdy husband but less about magic or dnd and more about weapons and armor (though don't get it twisted, he'll get down hard on some dnd)

lots of quality time whenever he's home

lots of texts when he's away

lots of cuddles on the couch and falling asleep in each others arms

he knows your favorites and brings flowers when he's been gone for a while

you're his home <3

and frankly he's very protective of that home

Seth

okay honestly

Seth is probably the one who has to step up to being a proper husband the most

at the start he's definitely bad at this whole 'being a good husband thing'

but all it takes it you getting visibly frustrated with him a handful of times and he realizes he needs to up his game

his life is REALLY different now, but if he gets to spend it with you it's worth it

and for what it's worth he's actually really good at apologies

and also good about being sincere about them too, it's not just fluff to get him out of trouble

he's also very protective of you but he's not as 'DECLARATION OF HIS UNDYING LOVE AND PROTECTION AGAINST THE LIGHT OF THE MOON' as Scale is about everything

also is actually really good at listening to you vent/share work drama

also always offers to send your annoying co-workers to hell

you say no but the offer still stands

is only really good at barbecue and baking so anything too far past that you're gonna have to order in or cook for the night

also I don't know if he'd suggest this first but if the subject of having date night comes up he's actually really really about date night

likes to take you somewhere nice or fun or both

also will try to convince you to adopt a hellhound

this will be a forever conversation in your marriage, just letting you know now

Haru

so look

I'm not saying Haru would ever cheat on you

actually far from it

BUT I WILL SAY that going from a long ass life time of tom catting around every night to a committed long-term monogamous relationship is going to be a major life change for ANYONE

including Haru

that being said that's actually kinks you worked out early in your relationship

I do get the sense that Haru low key misses his old life a bit, but knowing you has changed him too much and he could just--- never go back ya know??

and frankly he wouldn't want to

but again that's like--- also stuff that was dealt with during boyfriend stage

actually honestly, once you're committed to each other, he legit doesn't see you as anything other than his mate

married or not his attachment is the same honestly

marriage isn't JUST a human thing but it's more of a you thing that a Haru thing

as far as he's concerned you two are as good as married already

all though who could pass up a party to show you off and celebrate your union???

so yeah-- you'll have to bring it up, but Haru is down to marry you right away

so I think with Haru, YOU'RE going to have to change your life the most due to marriage

he's kind of the leader of a whole group of people

he's not going to make you come live with them, but you ARE gonna have to at least be next door

that's gonna be the biggest marriage hurdle depending on who you are

though if push comes to shove he is willing to find a successor and run away with you

but low key please don't make him do that cause his people need him and he loves them and also he'd feel guilty about it FOREVER haha

but yeah past that married Haru is not much different from boyfriend Haru except he's a little bit more clingy/up front about pda etc cause HEY that's his SPOUSE, he's allowed

he also does REALLY LOVE calling you his spouse in front of anyone and everyone as many times as he can

[dani-says-stuff]

Two Skeptics And A Believer Walk Into A Haunted Room...

❥ Back to the Control Center

❥ I'm so so so sorry for the shitty and abrupt ending on this one, I just got bored and kiiinda ran out of ideas on where to take the last 20 or so minutes of the video... who knows I might make a pt. 2 and finish the video at some point if I can think of something to add

━─━────༺✧༻────━─━

Tommyinnit x fem!reader

Summary: Sounds like the beginning of a bad joke right? But, it just so happens to be a very accurate description of you, Tommy, and Jack entering the Ram Inn for your guest appearance on the Sam and Colby youtube channel

Word Count: 2.3k

Warnings: creepy stuff, hauntings, demons, language, probably an inaccurate spirit box session, inconsistent capitalization, shitty writing.. this is definately not one of my better ones

Dialogue Key:

Y/N

Tommy

Jack

Sam

Colby

James, the tour guide

━─━────༺✧༻────━─━

The group of you began in a courtyard of the Ram Inn, Jack to your right and Tommy to your left while Sam and Colby stood before you.

Tom had originally just asked Jack to come with him for the video, assuming you'd want nothing to do with it after how annoyed you seemed during the entire 'uncle nasty' situation. He quickly realized his mistake when you followed him around the apartment for an hour begging him to ask Sam and Colby if you could come along. 

"And what about you?" Sam asked, eyes trained on you.

Jack had finished telling the story of his experience on stream and Tom declared his adamancy that ghosts aren't real, but you'd yet to speak. 

"Oh I believe 100%" you spoke with a smile, completely ignoring your boyfriend perched beside you staring at you as if you were insane, "I've always wanted to try something like this, I just couldn't justify spending all the money on equipment."

"Yeah" Sam drawled out scratching the back of his neck, "it does get a bit expensive." 

"Exactly!" you chirped, gesturing to the two older boys before you, "but since you already have it... now I get to do it free of charge!"

━─━────༺✧༻────━─━

You quickly noticed, that despite his insistence that everything was fine, Tom was starting to get jumpier than normal inside the building.

Usually, whenever a camera is around, your boyfriend became a hyper-sugar-high-nighmare that would be bouncing off the walls and jumping all over the place. Now, however, it seemed he barely registered the camera being on at all.

Instead, he seemed dazed, taking special care to analyze every corner of the room and register every individual item placed in the general area. If you didn't know about the demons that were said to call this place their home, you'd say the scariest thing was the way Tom was acting. 

The guide soon gathered the group in the center of the room to begin the tour, "There's two main demons, One's an incubus and one's a succubus. John, who owned the building, he was attacked by them quite a lot."

You closed your eyes, lowering your head slightly in embarrassment for what was to come. You'd been dating Tom long enough to know exactly where his mind was at.

"So was he like... into demon..." 

You didn't expect that though. 

"Why would you ask that?" you hissed slapping his shoulder, before looking back to your guide, "was he though? I am kinda curious now."

Jack mumbled, shaking his head similar to that of a parent watching their kids doing something they shouldn't, "Children."

"No." James responded, drawing out his answer as if deliberating in his mind, "No, no-no."

Tommy looked down at you right as you looked up at him. The both of you stared at each other for all of two seconds before nodding in conclusion. 

"Yeah-"

"-he definitely did."

As the rest of the group continued talking over the specifics of the demons in the Inn, it took all of your strength to keep from laughing at your boyfriend.

"So like" Tommy cut off the guide, "what are the boundaries sexually? like I'm not trying to be immature... this is just like really freaking me out-"

"Tom!" you gasped through laughter, "it's a demon! Love, I dont think it has boundaries."

The rest of the group began laughing, everyone but Tommy. 

"Well what about my boundaries!" he complained hands splayed across his chest, only making you laugh harder "Don't laugh at me! I'm being serious!"

James, the tour guide entered the conversation, "No, is not no."

Toms's facial expression dropped, one hand going for your wrist while the other continued gesturing out before him as he spoke, "I- Well, mate that's not how that works!"

By now, you were practically on the floor with laughter, the only thing keeping you up was your arm raised high above you in Tommy's grip. 

"They're a demon, I don't think they care."

"Well, I care!"

━─━────༺✧༻────━─━

"This room by far is the most... decorated?" you spoke, looking around at all the creepy items placed around the room. 

"Yeah, it's like theyre trying to make this place scary" Sam agreed, looking down at a dusty mirror desplaying the words 'help me' at the back wall of the room. 

Jack took the singular chair in the room, while the rest of the group stayed standing, listening as the tour continued. 

Well, continued for all of a few minutes when a candle fell from the table behind where Jack sat. 

You jumped, grabbing onto Tommy, "I didn't like-"

You were swiftly cut off by a girl's voice coming from the window, "Nope. I really didn't like that."

The group began freaking out, Sam moving closer to investigate the noise and Tommy tugging your arm behind him, shuffling in front of you. Creating as much space from that general area and you as he could. 

"Hello?" he shouted, one arm holding you behind him and the other holding the Minecraft sword before him, "Hello? Can you check the window?"

Everyone began deliberating what was going on, trying to figure out an explanation for what was going on. By now, you were burrowing yourself into Tom's side, one of his arms securely wrapped around you, swinging the sword before the both of you as he tried to get the group to go check outside. 

Sam tried to bring up the candle, but Tommy had his mind set on figuring out what was going on. The candle could wait, but if there were people waiting outside messing with you all, they could easily leave at any second. 

However, after checking around several times, it became obvious that whatever you heard wasn't outside the hotel.

It had to have been inside.

━─━────༺✧༻────━─━

You all decided to cut the tour short and begin the investigation due to the amount of stuff you all seemed to be experiencing.

So, you all began the night in the witch's room with the spirit box.

"Is there anything here that wants to talk to us?"

"Please just say Hi or something" Tommy spoke bouncing anxiously on his feet, "I'm really just not having a good time-"

Ooh

Sam pointed down at the box, a smile growing on his face "Was that just a hello?"

Jack, on the other hand, wasnt as easily convinced, "Eh... it was a very faint something."

"Can you tell us a name? or who you might be?"

After a few moments of silence, Tommy and Jack made up an impromptu rap for the ghosts, and despite a few other unintelligible noises, nothing else seemed to happen in the room. 

However, before leaving the room, you set up the REM pod on the bed just in case. 

"I just remembered something" Sam spoke up when the REM pod began to go off in response to Jack, "The witch only likes respect..."

"Oh, thats right!" Colby shouted, "That's why we got the offerings-" 

You whipped around, facing the tall raven-haired man behind you, eyebrows raised high, "I'm sorry... the what?"

"Yeah! The witch will only talk to people if she wants to. because like, if you're being disrespectful or too stupid she's like 'I don't wanna talk'"

You turned back, clicking your tongue and shrugging with fake sympathy as you faced Tommy. "You hear that?" you sighed, resting a hand on his shoulder, "Looks like we're gonna have to kick you out of this investigation."

Tommy sputtered looking around, "Wha- Why?" 

Jack stepped forward, knowing where you were going with this, "Yeah mate," he added shaking his head sorrowfully, "You may have to wait outside for this one."

 You and Jack looked at each other with a smirk, 

"Ya know," you continued, "to keep you from acting-"

"-too stupid"

"-Too stupid" 

Tommy looked at the both of you, mouth agape. "Common now, that was just mean."

━─━────༺✧༻────━─━

For the first Estes method run of the night, Tommy volunteered to go under as you all investigated the first floor. The rest of you now stood huddled around him as he sat in the rocking chair with the headphones on. 

"Is there anybody here with us? you were just making the REM pod go off earlier"  

Get Down.

"Were we being disrespectful upstairs?"

Me and You. 

"Is anyone upstairs?"

I need you.

You furrowed your brows at that. Both Sam and Colby brought up the succubus, but neither directly asked the question, so you decided you would. 

"Like the succubus? O-or Incubus I guess? I dunno one of the demons?"

silence.

"You said you needed something? What do you need?" you asked again, but still received no response. 

You laughed a little to yourself, "Welp I guess it doesn't like me then." your eyes widened, "Actually, uh, ghosts, please do not confirm or deny that statement... I think I'd rather you be silent on that one, I don't really want to know." 

The rest of the group, except for Tommy obviously, laughed a little under their breath at your words before continuing the investigation. 

"Is there something evil here? something that's keeping you here?"

Going on. 

"Something evil going on"

"That makes sense" you agreed, "It's the most haunted place in England right?" you asked looking between the two, "It has to have had something evil going on at some point"

"Yeah" Colby nodded, "this place has had "Evil" for around 5,000 years." 

"We hear there's demons here, is that true?"

Earth Under.

"Like... buried?" you asked.

Jack nodded at your words, adding another question for the two boys, "Yeah, because a lot of shit was like, dug up here as well, right-"

Tunnel to the left.

"oh my god," you breathed out, "Isn't that where they dug up that grave?"

"Oh yeah!" Sam exclaimed running over into the next room, "this is where they found the tunnel that used to be a grave, which would've been-"

"-to my left."

The three of you scurried back into the room where Tommy and Colby stayed to continue talking to the ghosts.

"Are you talking about the tunnel in the other room? where did that lead to?"

no response. 

Just as you were about to ask a question, Tom yelped, quickly grabbing the headphones and ripping them off due to a low, loud, and deep voice suddenly coming through the speakers. 

next under, was Jack. 

"What's your purpose here ghost? What do you want?"

The child

You and Tommy both began freaking out at that while Sam and Colby stood to the side somewhat confused. 

"Everyone used to call me the child!" he yelled, a vice-like grip on your arm as he spoke to the other two and the camera, "Everyone would call me the child!"

"Woah... whats even weirder" Sam explained, "was the bones they found underneath here were a child's."

"Well, uh, that's good" your voice shook slightly, "that means it might not be referring to you then." 

"Do- do you mean tunnel child or- or Tom child?" 

no answer.

"ya know," you spoke nervously, "I kinda wanted to try, but now I'm not too sure." 

Yes. 

"oh no." you laughed, "I-uh, I didn't like that at all."

"Are you sure you do not want to try?" Sam asked, laughter in his tone, "I think they want you to"

Yes.

"Well..." you drawled, "I don't really uh, I don't really know... we seem to be getting a lot here without me doing that.."

"We are going back to the witch's room next to give her an offering" Colby mentioned, "you could do it there if you'd like. We didn't get much activity up there."

"True" you trailed off, thinking it over, "Yeah sure, I'll do it there."

━─━────༺✧༻────━─━

Not too long later, you were now sat in a different chair up in the witch's room, getting ready for the Estes method after giving the witch her new Minecraft creeper and scrub-daddy offerings. 

"Nah" you spoke, waving Tom over near you, "You sit right there and give me your hand" you demanded pointing to the floorboards to your side. 

"Why?"

"Because I know how you are. No way I'm letting you float around this room to scare me and tap on my shoulders and shit- sit down."

And with that, Tommy sat on the floor, hand folded in yours as you put the headphones on and pulled down the blindfold. 

"Is anyone here with us?" 

Nothing.

"Elspeth, are you here with us?"

You jumped in your chair, not quite ready to hear anything come through the headphones.

Yes.

"Have you found us disrespectful?"

One.

"One of us was disrespectful?"

"Probably fucking Tom." Jack scoffed, rolling his eyes.

"AY! Why'd you say that!"

"Oh I don't know, you're the one that has been yelling at her!"

"Have not!" 

"you just were like two seconds-"

you squeezed Tom's hand, unknowingly cutting off Jack and Tommy's argument as you spoke,  "I don't know what it just said, but it sounded like laughing at the end."

Colby tilted his head, eyes furrowing, "laughing? why would she be laughing?"

'm not. 

"What do you mean you're not?" Tom pestered, "You just did so-"

Him. 

Toms's brow crinkled further, confusion settling into his expression.

"Him?" Sam asked, "Do you mean it's not Elspeth anymore?"

"Yeah, are we talking to someone else?" 

your head quirked to the side, confused at the noise coming through the headphones, "It's like a bell?" you spoke, "Yeah like I hear a bell ringing."

"Oh!" Sam yelled, "Like ding ding, that's right!"

"Maybe"

"Who are you then? who are we speaking to?"

Bad.

"You're bad? Or is something here bad?"

Evil. 

"What do you mean evil?"

The next. 

Colby turned to Sam, realization dancing in his eyes, "The bishop's room. Thats our next stop, known to be a center for the demon-"

You yelped, tearing off the headphones when loud, evil laughter flooded your ears. You squeezed Tom's hand, yanking his arm to get a semi-awkward positioned hug from the boy. 

"That sucked" you spoke, voice muffled by his sweatshirt. 

"What happened?" he asked you, eyes wide and gaze quickly moving to each of the older guys in the group, attempting to calm you the best he can while freaking out himself. 

"There was loud laughter." you explained, gesturing around our head, "it was like thousands of people all laughing all around my head."

Once again.... so very sorry for the shitty ending- I couldn't think of anything else to put...

[tgmsunmontue]

Saga of Solitude 11/21

Nepo!Baby Bradley and his life at USNA and afterwards. DADT fully in force. IceMav AU. (Begun prior to 'It's not who you know' - the non-angsty version). (Side Hangster, which is ALSO angsty).

PROLOGUE (He remembers)

HANGSTER FIRST MEETING (Lonely Nights - set 2009)

PREVIOUS CHAPTERS

ONE (2000) TWO (2001) THREE (2002) FOUR (2003) FIVE (2004) SIX (2005) SEVEN (2006) EIGHT (2007) NINE (2008) TEN (2009)

CHAPTER ELEVEN - 2010

                Tom watches the State of Union address and rather than sipping his whiskey he throws it back and pours himself another. Pete is out at the hangar, staying there, won’t be watching. Putting an end to Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. That’s what Obama wants to do. His hands are shaking a little. It’s no guarantee, but it’s a damn sight closer than they’ve ever been before and he thinks about having a ring ready to propose. Or maybe a watch. Both. Maybe both. Bradley might argue that he’s already proposed by buying an old Navy hangar, but that hadn’t been done with the intention of declaring his love and commitment, and more of a way of giving Maverick some roots that were close. He wants something so that Maverick knows where he belongs.

…            …            …

                Bradley knows his time is up. He’s had his wings for a couple of years now, was only here for a few months to assist with one small aspect of training the incoming cohort, but mainly to learn the new EA-18 Growlers. He’s finished the training he came to Corpus Christi for. Glad that while they may have been on the same base he and Jake haven’t been living in each other’s pockets. Jake still has the rest of the year and he’s glad to be leaving. Every time he catches Jake’s eyes on him his resolve weakens and he has to talk himself out of giving in and finding some dark corner to push Jake into and sink to his knees…

                His mind goes back to the weekend they spent together almost daily, multiple times a day and he can only assume that Jake’s does as well. He enjoyed it, and if he had a different job or lived a different life he’d definitely be doing more, something, anything, to keep Jake in his life. Instead he’s putting it in the too-hard basket and putting the basket high up on a shelf in his mind so that he doesn’t have to think about what ifs.

                “Bradshaw.”

                “Seresin.” He watches as Jake’s jaw clenches and releases,  his eyes hard as he looks at Bradley, his duffle packed and lying at his feet while he waits for his transport out.

                “See you around Bradshaw.”

                “Yeah. See you around.”

…            …            …

                Lying in bed with Ice, mostly naked and not because they’ve had sex, but simply ready for bed and lying side-by-side, reading their respective things. Ice, some report that is making the little muscle in his jaw twitch and he wants to set fire to it and simultaneously tell Ice off for bringing work into bed. Hmm. For all he knows this is something he does regularly and it’s only now that he’s here so much that Ice is letting him see all of his habits. That’s okay, he’ll deal with this one as well eventually and he’ll give up on the idea that reading reports is somehow an appropriate bedtime activity. He himself is reading the Navy News, which is mostly dry but does sometimes have some funny anecdotes.

                “We’re ending the ban of women in submarines…”

                “It’s 2010 Maverick, it’s about time,” Ice snaps and Pete’s eyebrows shoot up. He knows Ice would have already known about the ban lifting.

                “Uh… I was just reading it out loud.”

                “Sorry. Didn’t mean to snap. Just… it’s been a long day.”

                “Well, while they’re letting women on, they’re also banning smoking. So you know, no after-sex cigarette for anyone.”

                Ice’s lips twitch and Pete knows he’s fighting amusement at his words, his stress over whatever it is bothering him slipping away as his attention shifts to him. Just where he likes it. He scrambles up and shifts, straddles Ice’s thighs and grins.

                “Hi.”

                “Hi. Do I want to know what you’re thinking?”

                “Hmm. Probably not. But it’s good. Promise.”

                The look Ice gives him is clearly disbelieving and he rolls his hips a little, his half-erect cock rubbing up against Ice’s stomach and pelvis. Ice grunts, shifts and grabs at his ass and Pete grins wider, eyebrows waggling because he’s here and the novelty hasn’t worn off yet.

                “Oh. Like that is it?”

                “Mmm. All ready to go…”

                “Presumptuous of you.”

                “Hopeful. Optimistic.”

                “You? Never…”

                “I had a well thought out plan and thought you’d appreciate my forward thinking…”

                “Your dirty talk needs work.”

                “Talking about being prepared doesn’t get you hot?”

                “Not as much as you naked in my lap does. And that was a terrible double entendre.”

                “I’m also not naked…”

                “And you said you had this planned out…” Ice tuts, lips twitching with amusement and whatever he’d been thinking about, stressing about, is forgotten now. Good.

                “Easily remedied,” Pete says, and he strips off his shirt and throws it over the side of the bed. Then Ice’s hands are on him, running over bare skin and he bends down to kiss him, likes the height difference being in his favor for once. Ice’s hand goes to wrap around them both and he pulls away, because that’s not what he wants.            ��  

                “No, like this…”

                “Oh. God Mav…”

                He twists and turns, straddles Ice’s thighs again, but this time his back is to Ice’s chest and he reaches behind and guides Ice’s cock to his ass and then settles back, lips between his teeth as he presses through the stretching burn, because he might have prepped but it’s still a stretch. He focuses on Ice’s groan, the feeling of his hands on his hips and then he’s settled, pressed tight everywhere, inside and out, Ice’s arm around his waist holding him close, his other hand on Pete’s cock.

                “Trying to kill me…”

                “Why would I do that. You’re far too useful to me like this.”

                Ice jerks his hips sharply and his breath is punched out of him, then he’s rolling them and Pete groans, pushes back and down to meet the upward thrust of Ice’s hips. Ice’s hands on him holding and guiding him into a rhythm that works, willing to be taken wherever Ice wants now that he’s where he wants to be. It’s a little overwhelming, how close and intimate it feels despite not being able to watch his face. He can feel Ice’s breath hot against his neck though, his lips and teeth grazing over the sensitive skin.

                “Fuck Pete…” Ice says, his hand around Pete’s cock tightens and speeds up and Pete let’s his head fall back, holds himself and just shudders as he comes all over Ice’s hand. He goes boneless, sagging back against Ice, sliding further onto his cock, his body shuddering again.

                “Fuck Mav… So good, you’re so good,” Ice says, hand sticky with Pete’s come but now holding him even harder as he drives his hips up, sucks at his neck until he grunts and jerks, and comes. They stay like that, pressed together, filthy and sweaty and panting. Pete keeps his head tipped back onto Ice’s shoulder, sucking in deep breaths, Ice’s arms wrapped tight around his waist, head tucked into the juncture of Pete’s neck and shoulder, like he doesn’t want to let go.

                “Love you Pete…”

                Pete startles a little, because it’s not something they say often. Not to one another. They do say it, but nowhere as often as they might say it to the girls, or even Bradley. Huh. They probably should say it to each other a bit more often, when he thinks about all the high-stress times they’ve snapped it out with relief or frustration. This is a stark difference, quiet and soft.

                “Love you too.”

                Ice groans and kisses the side of his neck again.

                “Why did you have to mention cigarettes earlier? I’d kill for one right now…”

…            …            …

                He’s serving on a carrier when he hears about the Deepwater Horizon oil rig explosion, and then he sees things firsthand, the controlled burning of the oil, the Coastguard in charge of cleanup and the thick black smoke seems never ending. It apparently takes them three months to stop the oil spilling out but by then the carrier he’s on has moved away. His phone calls and letters with Tamsin are about nothing but the explosion and spill, and she informs him she’s been volunteering with local beach cleanups, despite the fact it’s nowhere near the oil spill.

                For the first summer in a long time he doesn’t make it home and he misses Petra’s twelfth birthday. She apparently has a slumber party and his presence isn’t missed, although apparently they’d gone and played laser tag and he’d have been useful there against Maverick, who had apparently taken great joy in shooting them all down until everyone ganged up against him. Tamsin misses him and he knows the others probably miss him as well but Tamsin tells him and it makes him feel like he can tell her the same thing, even when he misses them all equally.

…            …            …

                Combat troops leave Iraq and combat operations cease and he looks at the world map and wonders where they’ll be deploying combat troops to next. Bored combat troops are not a good thing to have lots of and he’s glad it’s not his problem.

…            …            …

                Another fucking explosion at another oil rig and he thinks of the months of oil leaking into the ocean, is so relieved when he hears that nothing from this particular explosion happens, and thanks Tamsin for her stellar reporting abilities. She’s started back at school and he’ll be home soon, this time with Natasha in tow for most of it, although she’s also got plans to visit Christopher and Patrick in San Francisco, now happily married for two years. Bradley has accepted the invitation to go and visit near the end of his leave, allow himself some stress relief before another several months on yet another carrier.

…            …            …

                He gets home and is pleased to find that Petra hasn’t suddenly shot up, and he wonders if she’s going to have Mav’s height like Tamsin has Ice’s. Already Tamsin is the same height as Maverick, something she gleefully points out every time they’re standing even remotely close together. Of course Sarah isn’t a short woman, a couple of inches taller than Mav anyway. He’s not really paying attention as he drives but he sees the for sale sign and then his brain catches up and he’s doing a careful U-turn and heading back toward the partially empty lot where a car, a truck, is parked up. It’s rusted in places, some panels are different colors, but on the large piece of card with for sale is also a number underneath.

                He’d been wondering what he was going to do with all the time on his hands with his two months of leave. This would definitely occupy his time while the girls are in school. Melissa, Sarah, Ice and Mav have all been more than happy to pass over taxi-driving responsibilities to him and Natasha for the duration of their leave, and to ferry the girls to all their after-school activities and social engagements. But it still leaves them both most of the day, and there’s only so much working out and then hanging out he can do before he starts getting bored.

                “What is there a piece of scrap metal in my driveway?”

                “Uh, it’s my new car.”

                “What happened to the Audi?”

                “Oh, I’m still driving that. Natasha is out at the moment and she borrowed it.”

                “So you bought a mobile tetanus death trap to drive around in?”

                “Oh, it doesn’t go. I bought it to do it up.”

                Ice looks pained and Bradley exchanges a look with Mav, who had helped him arrange the tow to bring the truck here.

                “Of course you did. And you thought putting it in my driveway was an acceptable place for it? Why do you think I bought Mav a hangar?”

                “Because you love him?” Bradley asks, and Mav is fucking laughing silently.

                “To give him a place to store his junk that isn’t my driveway.”

                “Ice, please? I want to stay here, not spend three hours a day driving back and forth…”

                “Three hours? It should take you four.”

                “And yet Mav does it in nearly two. Let’s not think about that okay?”

                “Fine. Fine. Just… it’s going to the hangar before you leave.”

                “Yeah. Of course.”

                “Come on then, show me this project you’ve decided to work on…”

                Bradley takes him back outside and he and Mav proceed to poke and prod while Ice watches with increasing horror.

                “Why would you buy a rust bucket? It looks like someone’s driven it into the fucking ocean and left it there to marinate…”

                “I wanted a challenge… it’s all superficial rust right?”

                “It doesn’t have an engine Bradley.”

                “Uh. Yeah. That is a problem.”

                “Definitely a challenge. Guess I know what I’m getting you for Christmas.”

                “What?”

                “A book on car restoration and how to build engines from scratch.”

                Bradley laughs, but the jokes on him because he’s pretty sure Natasha already has plans to build the engine herself and leave the body work to Bradley.

…            …            …

                Halloween is a blast. He hasn’t dressed up with the girls in years, Tamsin looks fierce in her Astrid costume, a double headed sword she swings around gleefully. Petra is dressed as a Minion and Bradley is so glad that Sarah and Melissa were all over the costumes, because just sorting himself out was stressful enough. Natasha is totally onboard with going all out. She’s picked Jesse from Toy Story, and has convinced him to go as Woody, which includes shaving his moustache.

                “You know it’s this magical thing hair does. It grows back. Come on. I don’t know why you’re so attached to looking like an extra from Magnum PI.”

                “Fine, fine. I’ll shave it. Just…”

                “You’ll still look good, don’t worry.”

                Bradley rolls his eyes, but he does shave it off on the Saturday morning, fully intends to immediately let it start growing back. Not to be left out Mav is dressed as Buzz Lightyear, insisting on coming with them despite all of them really being too old for trick-or-treating with the exception of Petra.

                Then it’s Thanksgiving followed very closely by Tamsin’s birthday in the weekend. He’ll be deployed again by  Christmas but this is better, his family together is something he’ll aways be grateful for.

…            …            …

                Even if he can’t use the watch to propose it’ll make a nice Christmas gift for Mav. Then the House of Representatives pass a stand-alone bill that repeals DADT and he knows he can’t hold his breath for days it feels like he is, his whole life standing still, caught in time. Then the Senate is voting to repeal DADT and he wonders if now is too soon to ask Maverick to marry him. When Obama signs it into law four days later, just three days before Christmas he knows what he’s doing on Christmas Day as soon as he wakes up.

TWELVE - 2011

[rootytootypie]

❤️💨🫘😳🤢🦸‍♂️for Spiderman please. Uhhhh not the Tom Holland one, the adult versions just to be clear hehe

💨: On a scale of gassiness, Peter is definitely a reticient seven. He doesn’t go around tooting his horn at all, but his Aunt May knows this (other) little secret. She thinks it’s the sweetest thing her nephew is so polite, but she always makes sure there’s Gas X, ginger ale, and mint around the house to settle his poor stomach. She also definitely makes sure Mary Jane is in on it once Peter moves out, so even at ESU, he’s well stocked with remedies for his tummy troubles. MJ is super subtle about it, making sure he doesn’t realize she knows until he’s ready to tell her (mostly because he’d be mortified if he know his aunt told his crush all about how he’s not actually an avid tuba player, and in fact has never even owned the instrument). Peter’s actually more shy with friends and family than strangers, mostly because he finds his loud gas so embarrassing, but also because he doesn’t want to worry anyone with his stomach problems.

🫘: Peter and beans have a dangerous, odiferous affair going. He knows he shouldn’t touch them in any form, but in one of the culinary capitals of the world, how can he resist refried beans, bean dip, bean chips, and all the forms it takes that have Peter swinging home tooting like a tugboat? They just smell so good going in? How can they stink so much coming out? Yes, they require a retreat to a fortress of solitude (his bedroom at May’s, the dorm room at peak party times so Harry’s out, or his apartment), but the taste makes it worth it. He pines, he perishes (mostly because he’s a little afraid Triple J will declare Spidey a gaseous menace).

😳: When you’re gassy like Peter, you definitely have a few embarrassing farts in your memory banks. But there only one that can be decreed the worst.

It was Peter’s first college party at ESU, in the extreme ostentatious Alpha Mu Pi mansion on campus. The place was cavernous, with no doors clearly marked and most of the freshman being as clueless to the layout as he was. This was very bad, because his nerves had driven him to packing in the chips and bean dip abandoned in the corner. And after about fifteen chips, Peter’s stomach was bubbling. He was sure it was brewing something nasty.

His lack of direction led him to a door another random guy thought might be the bathroom. Instead, as Peter flung the door open and saw two guys making out, he let out a *BBBBBBRRRRRRbbbbbblllllrllllrllrllllllBBBBB!* that rang out louder than the music pumping on the stereo. Everyone was looking at him, including the gay couple, one of whom happened to be Rodney Worth, the starting quarterback who just transferred from Crofton University.

Peter and his fart had just accidentally outed the quarterback to a packed frat party. For weeks, he hung his head in shame, especially as the news hit the school paper. He not only embarrassed himself, he’d ruined some poor guy’s life (I’m partly picturing the Spideyverses of the past films, so it’s technically always the 2000s/early 2010s in their universe; i.e. Rodney would NOT be in for a fun time). He finally sighed, gathered up his courage, and went to Rodney to apologize.

He found Rodney under a tree in the quad, openly reading James Joyce to his boyfriend. “Can I talk to you, Rodney,” Peter asked nervously. The broad shouldered football player nodded and stood up, following Pete a few steps away.

“I’m really sorry for outing you,” Peter said. “It was an accident, but I know that doesn’t make things better, so I’m just plain sorry that the news spread so much, and-”

“Sorry,” Rodney said, perplexed. “I’ve been wanting to thank you. I’m finally free to be who I am, and fuck anyone who thinks badly of it. Because of you, I’m not burdened by any secrets. I’m gay and proud.”

“Oh,” Peter said, surprised. “Well, that’s great. I’m glad there was a positive side for you.”

“Do me a favor, though,” Rodney asked with a grin. “Lay off the bean dip, okay?”

❤️: Peter was downright terrified to fart in front of MJ. He was afraid one toot would be the thing to make her snap out of dating him and remember him as a geeky neighbor boy instead of a boyfriend. He held it pretty steadfastly…until one night when they end up on the coach together watching a movie - and the popcorn mixed in his belly with the bean chips he ate as a quick snack. Peter shifted, ready to head for the bathroom - just as she rested her head on his shoulder and wrapped her arm around his waist. She looked up at him, and her eyes made him want to melt. “I’m so glad we get a night to ourselves,” she said. “No urgent crimes to interrupt, no crazy missions, or jacked up supervillains. Just you and me.”

“Same,” Peter squeaked, his voice breaking from nerves.

“Are you alright,” MJ asked. “You look kinda feverish. Can you still get sick?”

“I’m fine,” Peter protested. “Just…happy. Content. Can’t believe how lucky I am.”

“Yeah…okay,” MJ said. “If you’re sure.”

“Sure as shootin’,” Peter heard himself say, and blushed. Where the hell did come from? At least his embarrassing little problems is under wraps-

*PrrrrrooooooBLLLPBLLPBLLP!*

“Oh, God, MJ, I’m so sorry, I can’t believe I-”

“Finally showed me your tuba playing,” MJ snarked, giggling.

Peter pouted. “Just for that, I’m gonna point out you toot in your sleep,” he groused.

“Aw, Pete,” she said. “Is it really bad? There’s some ginger ale in the fridge I can get you.”

“…Okay,” Peter agreed. “But if I have to fart more, will you still cuddle me?”

“Duh,” MJ said. “Just stand up if you have to shoot webs out of your butt, because I just bought this couch from Pottery Barn.”

“…I love you,” he said, giving her puppy dog eyes. “And I’m sorry.”

“You don’t have to be sor- Oh, my God, that’s vile! Talk about silent but violent. Apology accepted! …Now come back here, I’m cold.”

🤢: Peter is very easily grossed out by certain people’s farts. Certain people being Flash Thompson on a power trip farting in his general direction. Other than that example of fart torture (not really my scene), Peter is sorta ambivalent to farts. Well, the one exception is when he sneaks up on criminals and one of them farts in surprise. That cracks him up. He’s definitely as much of a worrier as his friends are about him, and happily give out tummy rubs and forehead kisses to any of his girlfriends who are gassy for whatever reason, but especially period cramps.

🦸‍♂️: He doesn’t fart web. That said, his sudden bean intolerance only came after he was bitten by the spider. Before that, he didn’t struggle with any food. There have been times the resulting farts propelled him forward by a few extra centimeters as he swings through the city, so the gas has also definitely gotten more powerful since he became super. It’s as if the bite gave him extra protein farts as a consequence of his newly developed bod.

[chelseachilly]

THIS LOVE - chapter six | i wish you would come back

pairing: ben chilwell x reader

rating: T

word count: 1.8k

summary: ben's in ibiza with his friends, and he can't stop thinking about you...he just needs a little help figuring out why

A/N: long time no see! it's been a crazy few weeks - i moved, then i got sick, then work got super busy - so i'm sorry i haven't had time to update! i'm going on a little holiday this weekend so i wanted to get this out before i did 🩵 i hope you enjoy the switch up to ben's pov ;) xx

previous chapter | view all chapters

-

Ben should be feeling like he’s on top of the world. He’s staying at a luxury villa in Ibiza with his best mates, coming off a big win and a goal for his country. He’s young, healthy, and successful. He should be enjoying life at the moment.

Instead, he just feels like shit.

He’s felt like shit from the moment you walked away from him at Wembley, declaring the end of your fake relationship. It felt like a knife to the gut when you left him standing there, unaware of what he did wrong, wanting so badly to chase after you but knowing he shouldn’t. 

He sat through an entire, agonizingly long dinner full of people celebrating and congratulating him on the goal, and all he wanted was to pull out his phone and call you to make sure you were okay. 

The next morning, Mason, Harvey, Tom and Woody practically dragged him to the airport and onto the private plane they’d booked weeks ago. It’s a rare week off for both Ben and Mason, so they wanted to make the most of it. It seemed like a good idea at the time.

In the past, a boys week in Ibiza was his idea of paradise. It meant days spent poolside catching up with the lads and relaxing before returning to his busy schedule. And the nights were usually dedicated to going to some swanky club and leaving with a hot girl.

This time, it’s been three days of their five-day holiday, and Ben hasn’t left the villa once. He’s been sulking in his bedroom half the time, and generally bringing down the mood even when he tries to force himself to have fun with the boys. 

He’s sent you a few texts to no response, and he would’ve been genuinely concerned for your safety if it weren’t for the fact that he could still see your Instagram stories - specifically one of you out drinking with some coworkers, including a good-looking guy apparently named Matt, who Ben may or may not have stalked on social media. The bastard - who Ben’s never met - may only have three photos, none of which are particularly offensive, but Ben knows for a fact he doesn’t deserve you.

The morning of the fourth day, he comes out of his room around ten looking for something to eat for breakfast, which he’s slept through every other morning so far, and is instead served with what can only be described as an intervention. 

All the guys are sat around the table, drinking coffee and staring him down as he trudges out in just his boxers - perks of a lads trip - still rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. 

“You need to tell us what happened with you and Y/N,” Tom says firmly as soon as Ben sits down at the table and pours himself a cup of coffee.

He just groans and takes a long sip before answering. It’s way too early for this.

“I already told you, I kissed her in front of the cameras, then she got weird and ran off,” Ben repeats the exact same brief recap he gave them on the flight here. “I followed her out and she said she couldn’t pretend to date me anymore and that she needed space.”

“Yeah, we know that part,” Harvey says. “And I get that you’re disappointed she’s bailing on the PR thing-“

“I don’t give a fuck about that,” Ben interrupts, a bit dramatically clanking his mug down on the table. “Look, I’m sorry I’m bringing down the holiday vibe, but my best friend isn’t returning my calls and I’m worried about her.”

Although most of the people at this table could make a case for being Ben’s best friend, and under better circumstances would probably joke offense at his statement, there’s nothing but silence. They all know what you mean to Ben, the place that you occupy in his life and in his heart. It’s…different.

“She’s fine, mate,” Mason says softly after a minute. He’s always the calm, level-headed one in these situations, and although Ben is typically grateful for his presence, he feels white hot rage within himself right now. 

“You talked to her?”

“She texted me back yesterday and said she’s alright and she’s just taking a beat,” Mason responds, speaking carefully as if he’s afraid of saying too much. “Look, I know you feel shitty because you and Y/N got into a fight and she’s not talking to you. But have you thought about why she might have ended this thing?”

Ben runs a hand over his face. “I told you, Mase, I have no bloody idea-“

“Just think about it, Ben,” Tom chimes in. “She agreed to be your fake girlfriend, basically giving up any chance of having her own dating life during that time. Then she gets upset and bails right after you kissed her for show, in front of a bunch of people?”

Ben’s chest tightens as he realizes what his friends are implying, but he immediately shakes his head. It’s ridiculous. There’s no way you, his best friend, have feelings for him.

“No,” he says simply. “That’s not…she doesn’t…she would’ve said something.”

“Why would she?” Harvey asks, raising an eyebrow. “It’s not like you’ve told her.”

Everyone goes silent again as all eyes fall on Ben, who just nearly choked on his coffee as he processed Harvey’s words. 

“What are you-I’m not-“

“Mate, I say this because I care about you,” Harvey continues. “You need to get your head out of your arse and just admit that you’re in love with her already.”

Of course he loves you. His best friend since the age of six, his rock, his favourite person on the planet. He’s loved you since before he knew what love was.

Except he can’t be in love with you, because that kind of love ends. He’s seen it end, when his parents got divorced and when his friends have had devastating breakups. He’s seen people fall in love and fall out just as quickly. And that can’t be you and him. He can’t lose you.

“Harvey, it’s not like that,” Ben says quietly. “She’s…Y/N. She’s my best friend.”

“Yeah, but she’s always been more than that, hasn’t she?” Mason says. “I mean, the bond between you guys, it’s not like what you have with any of us, right?”

“Well, no, but-“

“When I first met you I thought you were already dating her,” Nathan admits. “I told Mase I’d never seen a guy so whipped and when he told me you weren’t together, I was shocked.”

“And you’ve hated all of her boyfriends,” Tom adds. “Even the nice ones.”

“They’ve all been dickheads,” Ben replies, though he knows that’s not entirely true.

“You two have always been more than friends,” Mason continues. “I love you, bro, but she literally took weeks off work to take care of you after you did your ACL. She moved in with you and drove you to every physio appointment until you were on your feet again. And then last year when you realized you were gonna be out for the World Cup and you felt like shit, she was the only person you would talk to. I think that’s when I knew for sure how you felt about her.”

Ben still remembers that night like it was yesterday - he was in the treatment room at Stamford Bridge, icing his leg, already knowing tomorrow’s scans would confirm what he felt the moment he landed wrong, and he was so upset about missing Qatar that he barely spoke when the coach and some of his teammates came to see him. And then he heard your voice in the hall, grilling the medical team to ensure he was receiving proper care, and he smiled for the first time since he limped off the pitch that night. 

You ran in, pushing past Mason to wrap Ben up in a tight hug and tell him everything would be okay, and despite how terrible things were at the moment, he felt so at peace in your arms.

“Mason’s right,” Tom says sincerely. “And it’s probably why none of these girls you hook up with feel right. You’ve already got your heart somewhere else.”

Ben feels his head spinning as he replays every meaningless one night stand he’s had, how something had always been missing.

He thinks about how it feels when he sees you in the stands at the Bridge, especially when you’re wearing his kit, and the way just seeing you gives him the confidence to be a better player. 

And, more importantly, how you make him a better person - how he’s constantly in awe of your career and how you help people, how it inspires him to try to do more to make the world a better place. How you’ve turned down expensive Christmas and birthday gifts from him every year and directed him to a charity worth donating to instead. 

He thinks about how you’ve stood by his side all these years, even when he was a cocky kid coming up in the Premier League and when he’s been a bit of a dick, you’ve always kept him from straying too far from himself. Through all the injuries, through every win and loss, you’ve been there. 

He thinks about how you literally agreed to this ridiculous, elaborate PR scheme just because he asked you to, sacrificing your own free time and privacy to help him out. 

Finally, he thinks about how right it’s felt pretending to be your boyfriend. It’s been almost second nature holding your hand and telling people how wonderful you are. It felt as easy as breathing to kiss you, and though he knows he shouldn’t have done it in a room full of people, he can’t bring himself to regret it. Kissing you was pretty much the best moment of his life, which means seeing you walk away from him on the verge of tears minutes later was probably the worst. 

But while he’s been beating himself up this entire holiday over the fact that he kissed you and the fact that he dragged you into this fake relationship, he now realizes that wasn’t his mistake.

The issue is that he should have done it a long time ago, and it should’ve been for real. 

“Shit,” Ben mutters under his breath. “I’m in love with Y/N.”

“Finally, he admits it!” Harvey grins, patting Ben on the back firmly. 

The rest of the boys grin and chime in with their agreement, but Ben is already rising from the table and pulling up flights on his phone.

“Where you going, mate?” Mason asks with a smug grin on his face.

“Home, I don’t want to wait until tomorrow,” Ben says with a nervous smile. “Wish me luck, boys.”

As he begins to jog back to his bedroom so he can quickly pack and get to the airport in time for the next flight, he hears Harvey call out from the kitchen.

“Don’t forget trousers!”

-

a/n: and off he goes!! sorry for the slight cliffhanger but i hope you guys liked this one, as you can imagine i'm very excited to share the next (and last, except for the epilogue) part and am already working on it!! let me know what you thought of ben's pov and any predictions for the ending! tag list: @captainwans​ @amandaaa1025 @bbygrlllllll @ncentic​@lunamelona @kathb59 @cinderellawithashoe @batmansb1tch @myheartgoesvroom @chillymountsjess @babygirlbenji @delicateearthquakellama @joyfullyswimmingface @xxenia14 @chaotic-taco-collector-blog @chilwellspulisic @maraudersmap123 @evelinapurmale @freekoalakryptonite (let me know if you would like to be added or if i missed you!)

[pockettgcf]

nyavember day 7

“All curled up like that, you really look like you just kitted.”

“If you say one more word, I’ll tell Veilpelt to ban you from the nursery for good.”

Thistlegaze narrowed his eyes at Falconswoop and curled his tail over the two balls of fluff currently tucked against his belly. He knew what the other tom was there for - and if he was going to be a piece of foxdung as usual, Thistlegaze was more than happy to make his trip to the nursery a waste of time. Falconswoop nonetheless stepped slowly closer. The nest Thistlegaze had managed to scrape together in the dead of leaf-bare wasn’t much, but it still impressed the tabby. Pine needles and old moss “borrowed” from the medicine cat den, all scrunched together. Even if it wasn’t exactly the softest nest, it would be warm enough for the two… kits.

Kits. There were kits sleeping against Thistlegaze’s warm side. Falconswoop wanted to make another comment, but he decided against it for now.

“How are they doing?” The larger tom craned his neck to try and get a look at them, then lowered his head to take a few tentative sniffs. Before he could get too close, Thistlegaze let out a slow hiss.

“They’re finally sleeping again. Don’t wake them.” His ears shifted back for a moment, but once Falconswoop chuffed and lay submissively down on his belly, Thistlegaze finally lifted away his tail. The two kits were revealed, and Falconswoop’s eyes all but sparkled at the sight. Two dark fuzzy kits, so young and small. When they’d first found them freezing and starved and alone, Vielpelt declared they wouldn’t survive. The clan had no queens (and neither Veilpelt nor Lotusbreeze were exactly the motherly type), and it would have taken too long to contact the other clans and find a place for them. Leaf-bare was difficult for every clan, so it was JadeClan’s responsibility to care for the kits. And so, out of surprise to everyone, Thistlegaze declared the kits would be his. He had found them alongside Falconswoop, so he would take responsibility. Falconswoop argued that he would care for the kits instead, and the two had broken into another of their usual spats with flying paws, bared teeth, and plenty of yowling.

Now, after Veilpelt had assessed the kits and treated them for whitecough (a mercy of StarClan it wasn’t greencough, she had said), she instructed Thistlegaze on how to feed the barely-weaned kits and keep them warm against the heavy snowfall outside the den. Thistlegaze was diligent and stubborn in this duty. He’d barely slept for the past three days, always checking on the kits for movement and alerting Veilpelt if something seemed amiss. Falconswoop could see the exhaustion in his eyes and his posture. But the kits were indeed sleeping, and all was well for now.

“You should rest, too,” he said.

“I can rest when I’m dead.” Thistlegaze rolled his eyes.

“Thistlegaze.” Falconswoop chuffed again and slowly shifted closer. Thistlegaze protested as Falconswoop crawled fully into the nest, large body practically hanging out of it, and curled his tail over Thistlegaze’s. With the sleeping kits tucked safely between their bellies, Falconswoop began to groom the other tom’s face in slow, steady licks. Thistlegaze squeezed his eyes shut and growled, but he didn’t pull away. He’d not been out to share tongues with the other cats since he had secluded himself in the nursery. He only ate when Falconswoop brought him a piece of freshkill to share. So… the licks weren’t unwelcome. He mumbled a few complaints occasionally, chastising Falconswoop’s sloppy grooming methods, and gave a lick in return every so often. Slowly but surely, his head lowered down to the nest so Falconswoop could groom his cheeks and ears and neck. He didn’t say a word when he heard the very quiet rumble of a purr. He simply licked and groomed there in the peaceful quiet of the nursery until Thistlegaze’s breathing slowed and evened out. Falconswoop didn’t mind taking a turn to watch over everyone. His oldest companion and the two kits they now shared responsibility for, sleeping the day away, sharing their warmth against the cold of leaf-bare… He couldn’t help but wonder if this counted as a real family.

nyavember masterpost

[destinygoldenstar]

Pretend I'm using my disventure camp sideblog. What is your opinion on the zombie episode from season 1? (I want to talk to someone about it SO bad)

First off, I have a reaction post of this episode you can see:

Suffice to say, I was basically just going "WTF" the entire time XD

Despite me not really being a fan of zombie apocalypse stories, I said this in that post:

I mean if you know me, you know I like death game stories...

But surprisingly, I don't actually like zombie apocalypse stories. It's not just my cup of tea.

Because zombie apocalypse stories are just so bloody hopeless and there's absolutely no way out of inevitable fate. It's just "This is hell, wait till it's your turn to die."

And I just naturally find that less compelling than stuff like Hunger Games, Squid Game, and Danganronpa, where there IS a possibility to escape your fate, even if it's really small.

With these kinds of stories, I'm just waiting for everyone to die. So I get less attached.

That's just my opinion.

I think it's a REALLY fun and unique challenge idea, especially using VR for this. If Chris McLean had access to VR, he would TOTALLY do this to the campers and not tell them they're in VR just to screw with their heads.

But I also think this challenge is VERY rushed in pacing. With the time cards and everything. And this isn't Total Drama with big studio rules, so they could've absolutely made the episode, like, maybe five minutes longer to fix the issue.

It probably further established my reaction.

But for what we did see, it was really cool of a challenge idea. Which is something I prefer this show does instead of sticking to the Total Drama status quo. Like, even if this show doesn't handle every plotline well, I can at least respect them trying something new, even if the execution is lacking.

The highlights for me in the episode were actually the moment outside the challenge, such as Fiore sharing her story and advice to Grett and Alec, Grett getting development and finding her place with her villain found family, even if they betrayed her. Queen got a glorious elimination speech. (If you see my tier list post on DC1 characters, you'll know I love Grett. I said she was my... third favorite in that, I think? Next to Gabby and Jake)

Miriam getting development was also really nice. She apologized to Ellie for her cold nature earlier. (I mean, AT THE TIME, Ellie hadn't done anything to deserve that) And her declaring Jake as the grandson she never had was... EVERYTHING to me. OMG...

Oh yeah we also got Tom's face reveal and his... horrifically sounding backstory about getting kidnapped and tortured. It really brought his character full circle to making me understand him and really like him as a character, and making him giving Jake the cold shoulder previously that much more understandable.

Oh yeah there was also a kiss between them... or something... pfft, I don't care, I don't ship them what are you talking about I don't care about love in these shows, I wasn't broken or anything hahahahaha...

So yeah, I hope this show gets another VR Challenge in the future. Doesn't look like Season 2 is gonna get one unfortunately. (On Episode 11 at the time of this answer) You can do a lot of things in VR that you can't in real life (in show real life, obviously).

[pnchinbeez]

Guys I been feeling ideas recently

And one happens to involve jedtavius

So basically ig for if the ever make a show (the show idea has been popping up on my timeliness alot) I need an episode where a different museum goes on tour and end up at the natm museum (I forgot the name soyeah) I believe it would be funny if they had most of the same human exhibits but a little different like

Wax figurines jed, octy, and the Mayan leader guy ig idk

Instead of teddy you have like jfk (he was consider one of the nicest u.s. presidents)

Marco polo as an famous explorer

King tut or cleo would be a cool one for their pharaoh, I lean towards tut because I feel like a snarky and sarcastic 12-13 yr old would be amazing

Maybe we could get calamity Jane? Idk shes cool (she's the most famous frontier women ever basically, put her name in Google and no joke what shows up is probably what happened, also fun fact I was named after her!!)

Also because we have lancelot in the one movie I feel like we would need one of these three arthur, merlin, or Guinevere, maybe bother merlin in arthur idk that idea needs to be thought of more on my side

Instead of dexter we could have miss baker the squirrel monkey (the first monkey to survive coming back from space) but I think have laika the dog the first animal to go to space,one because I live her and it's so sad what happened to her (search up Brenning Davis's "Fist Dog In Space" IT will make you cry) but also I just think it's such a cute idea in general

Miniatures could be Qin Shi Huang the self declared first emperor of China and the guy that made the terracotta army to protect his tomb in the after life and maybe Victorian Era people

I would also like a plague doctor played by Adam Sandler (WE HAVE OWEN FUCKING WILSON AND HUGH JACKMAN, NOW GIVE ME ADAM OR ONE OF THE RYANS) but beggars can't be choosers

Maybe some Greek pottery and the pictures on them come to life like the paintings in the movies

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

Instead of a t-rex or dinosaurs like that there could be a prehistoric ocean exhibit like whale bones and fish that swim (was that already in a movie?? I feel like it was , idk)

I feel like cool extinct animals should be on display are

barnary lion: the biggest baddest lion ever its the ones the Romans would fight in the colosseum and are also bigger than normal lions they look bad ass

PASSENGER PIDEON: these guys don't get enough recognition they where the funniest things ever and also one of the best messaging pigeons, then we hunted them to extinction, so yeah

Carolina parakeet: this bird went extinct fairly recently, in the late 1980's actually, they where one of the smartest non domesticated parakeet species out there and they are super cute ( another fun fact when my dad went fishing as a 20 something yr old with his dad in the 90's he swears he say a flock of them in an old tree by the lake they were in , around the Georgia border to North Carolina, pretty cool honestly)

Also the night guard for this group should be played by Jack black, channing Tatum,or ben schwartz

Nicky should be either walker scobell or a (and hear me out ) Tommyinnit with gyed brown hair

Weirdly they both kinda are like nicky I lean towards tom because in the animated movie nicky is very skinny and walker randomly got a bit buffer as of now soooo idk

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

So basically this story would follow the timeline of the museum got super popular so they go on tour to another one and meet this group but as both the night guards figure out nicky and the other night guard try to warn each other that their exhibits come to life (nicky ahkmenrahs tablet but the other night guards is a curse on the sarcophagus of which ever Pharoah they have) and then all the exhibits meet and stuff and I think that both big jed and octy and little jed and octy to be dating their respective partner,, it would make for a funny scene

Also big jed and big octavius should basically parent king tut if that's the Pharoah because the real jed grew up with about 10 brothers and sister and had one son of his own supposedly. But octavius was recorded to have a daughter Julia the elder (a very fascinating women) that he exiled and was recorded feeling guilty about it and probably died feeling guilty about it also I think they would make a good parenting duo

Jfk and teddy interaction are strictly mandatory

Marco polo and wea

The miniatures from our museum and the miniatures from the other need interactions NOW

lots of jedtavius please and thank you

King tut and ahkmenrah interactions????

I feel like their relationship would be cool uncle and nephew type

The extinct animals go on a rampage at some point (we need cowboy jed and herder teddy )

Miniature escapades and shenanigans as always

And that's it

Maybe I'll finally write a fanfic for this series but idk

[contemplatingoutlander]

Jonathan Pie (Tom Walker): 'It's 50 Shades of Beige.' Meet Britain's New Prime Minister. | NYT Opinion | July 5, 2024

Tom Walker does another satirical turn as "fictional newscaster" Jonathan Pie to report about how, after 14 years, Labour finally beat the Tories in a landslide. I wish Pie were a "real" newscaster, he'd be a blast to watch on the evening news.😉 Below are some gifs of select moments in the video:

Below the cut are some more gifs in which "Jonathan Pie" talks about right-wing populism, and why it was eventually discredited in the U.K. But this one gif sums up the major reason it lost favor in Britain:

See more gifs under the cut.

[edited]

[Obviously, I like to make gifs. But this video was so spot on, I just couldn't resist.🤷🏻‍♀️]

TRANSCRIPT USED FOR GIFS:

After 14 years of Conservative rule, the Labour Party have resoundingly won the U.K. election this morning, leaving the Tories with their worst defeat ever—  I’m sorry. I’m just going to do that again without a smile on my face. Sorry. I’m a professional. [PHONE RINGS] Well, the results are still coming in. Hey. Dum, dum, dum, another one bites the dust. It’s a bloodbath. It’s an absolute bloodbath. [...] But the people have spoken. Meet our new prime minister. Yes, it’s fifty shades of beige, Captain Whitebread, Sir Keir Starmer. […] Never heard of him? Don’t worry, neither have we. If he was a vegetable, he’d be a potato. But a little bit of dull and boring is exactly what the doctor ordered. […] [PHONE RINGS] Oh. This is brutal. This is like the opening of "Saving Private Ryan’." I’d almost feel sorry for them...if they weren’t seriously awful people. This morning’s Labour landslide bucks an international trend, a resounding rejection of right-wing populism...kind of. Yes. Whilst countries like Italy, Hungary, France, and Germany are having passionate love affairs with right-wing populism, and in America, you’re seriously considering a second helping, here in the U.K., we’ve been in an abusive relationship with it for some years. […]      The Tories took office in 2010. And prime minister David Cameron declared, "we’re all in this together," before implementing brutal austerity on the country’s poorest people.      Resentment and anger took hold. And populism thrives on little else.      Then Brexit, which gave all the fringe voices of British politics a mainstream platform with which to promise the world without fear they’d ever have to deliver.      That’s how populism works. It promises the moon, and instead, it hands you a DVD copy of ‘Apollo 13’.      Soon, the Looney Tunes who sold us the idea in the first place, were running the asylum.

[maxcuntstappen]

Bestie lestappen with the reverse trope “too many beds” ????? But they still share maybe?? Could be ridiculously funny

From this. Honestly any of these would be hilarious

It's the night of the annual lock-in.

Max never understood the point of them, really.

But it keeps him away from his house and gives him more time with his friends so he's not going to bitch about it.

After the chaos of last year's 'oh let's put a bunch of hormonal, horny, overly sensitive kids in one gym for one whole night and see how it goes', the management seems to have come to their senses and split the crowd up.

Max likes it better like this, 6 to 10 people in one classroom, people you can choose to have with you with all the bonding activities left for the gym.

It comforts him, knowing that he has a place to retreat if it all gets too much.

And it does get too much. But not in the way he expects.

"MAX!!!!!" Oscar yells, snapping him out of his snooze, just in time for Max to dodge the ball heading straight to his face.

"What the fuck," Max growls, or at least tries to, it comes out as a whine instead.

He would feel embarrassed if he wasn't busy feeling so fucking tired instead.

It's not his fault that GP and Seb made the entire team run double their usual drills because one stupid fucking freshman was late to the practice.

"What the fuck is you," Lando yells, making no sense but the frustration in his voice gets the message across.

"Okay," Alex's voice declares, "We need to regroup."

The other team groans and complains but they're retreating to their side as they do.

Fucking dickheads.

Alex pulls Max to the side, leaving their team discussing and strategising behind.

"Max, you know I love you," Alex starts, and Max preens a bit, always happy with how openly affectionate his friends are with him, "But you're a damn liability, man."

Max frowns, "No, I'm not."

"Yes, you are," George pops up out of nowhere, cause of fucking course, "We are being absolutely murdered out there and you're not helping."

"Okay, Russell, I've seen you throw, let's not pretend you're Tom fucking Brady, yeah?" Max snaps.

George opens his mouth to snark back but Alex pushes him away, "Go. Now."

George grumbles but walks away.

Simp.

"Max, buddy," Alex says, voice gentle, "It's okay to be tired. It's late. You can rest."

But Max doesn't want to rest. He wants to be with his friends and watch them be stupid. He wants to watch Lando slip on the polished floor and he wants to point at him and laugh in his face. He wants to watch George get worryingly protective of Alex when they play capture the flag. He wants to watch Charles argue and argue and argue over one single point in one of these redundant stupid games. He wants to watch him win the argument. Because he will win the argument. Max knows this all too well.

"But..." Max begins to protest, but Alex runs his hand through Max's hair and Max fucking melts into it before he remembers himself and snaps up straight.

"Yeah," Alex says, all sympathetic and soft. That cunt.

Max sighs.

Hard-headed as he is, even he knows when he needs to call it quits.

Max nods, making Alex softly smile.

"I'll see you in a bit, yeah?" Alex squeezes his shoulder, and turns to return to their miserably losing dodge ball team.

Max is practically dragging his feet as he exits the gym. He feels a tinge of sadness at the idea of missing out but it's overshadowed by the absolute fucking joy he's deriving from imagining how fucking good it'll feel to finally, finally be in a horizontal position.

He's just turned into the hallway when a voice calls out, "OI! MAX!"

Max looks back to see a grinning a bit-too-widely Daniel, holding a wide eyed, clearly trying-very-hard-not-to-blink Charles.

"Take him with you too, yeah?" Daniel says, slightly pushing Charles in Max's direction.

He leaves before Max can even get a word in.

Max sighs, running his eyes over Charles' rumpled appearance ; loose red sweatpants and a cream hoodie big enough to fit two, bloodshot eyes with mad scientist hair to match.

Max isn't the only one among his friends who had to run double the drills today.

"Tired?" Max asks, already knowing the answer.

Charles simply nods, his hoodie-covered hand coming up to rub at his eyes.

The sight makes Max feel all soft and mushy.

It's a feeling he's becoming increasingly familiar with, thanks to Charles' existence.

"Come on then," Max says, gesturing with a nod to the hallway towards their chosen class.

They walk next to each other wordlessly, both too tired to thinking of anything to talk about.

Max, surprisingly, is fine with it.

He thought it might be weird, considering just how much Charles and him talk when they're together.

But no.

This is fine too.

It's perfectly fine.

And then they reach their classroom and both of them stop short.

"Uh," Charles says, and Max agrees with that sentiment.

Because there are ten mattresses placed around the class, spread out from one wall to another.

Max so doesn't have the energy to gay panic about sleeping arrangements right now.

He never thought having too many options would ever be a problem when it came to sharing a bed with Charles.

Max glances over, sees Charles' eyes dart all over the floor, clearly trying to figure out his next move.

Max sighs, thinking, 'This is stupid'.

Cause it is.

Charles and Max have known each other since they were kids. Maybe they didn't like each other for half of that time.

But things are different now.

Even if Charles doesn't feel the same bubbly warm overwhelming feelings that Max feels for him, Max knows that Charles still likes him, still likes his company and their conversations and their time spent together.

That's more than Max's tired brain to make a decision.

"C'mon," he mumbles, taking Charles' hand in his, walking them over to the mattress closest to them.

He drops down, making Charles yelp and follow, somehow managing to not stab Max with his elbow.

It's not a big enough mattress to share.

But it's not a small enough mattress to not share.

Charles decides to stay, pressed up to Max's side.

Max is out before he can really appreciate the warmth and the comfort and the joy of the moment.

But it's okay, there will be other times.

[divinemissem13]

The Shots You Don't Take

2024 Eight Character No True Pair Challenge Fandom: Star Trek Voyager Pair: Kathryn Janeway & Tom Paris Word count: 379 Prompt: one in a million

Kathryn watches the look of panic rise on Tom's face as he analyzes the pool table and she can't help but tease him a little. "I'll tell you what, if you can make this shot, you can have your second pip back."

"Seriously? That shot is nearly impossible! One in a million, at least!"

"I could make it," she declares.

"I'd like to see you try," Tom huffs in response. He knows she's a great pool player, but this shot? There's no way!

"Alright," she agrees confidently. She leans over the table to set up her shot but before taking it, she looks up at the ensign. "What do I get when I make it?"

"Uh… replicator rations?" A raised eyebrow tells Tom that was the wrong answer. "What do you want? My last pip??" Tom groans in frustration.

Kathryn focuses her attention back to the table, lining up the cue just right as she responds. "For the next talent night, Tuvok asked me to read a scene with him from a play he's been writing." She leans over the cue and looks up at Tom. "When I sink this shot, you'll volunteer to read with him instead."

If Tuvok's poetry is any indication, this could be quite the punishment. But Tom looks at the balls on the table again. The eight ball sits directly between the pocket and the last stripe. There's no way to get one in without the other. Tom boldly meets his captain's eyes with a confident, steely gaze. "Deal."

Without even looking back at the table, Kathryn sinks the shot.

Tom's mouth hangs open like a fish while Kathryn orders the computer to reset the table to the previous configuration. "Your move, Ensign," she grins, offering him her stick.

Tom is so flustered that he not only misses the shot but he also rips a hole in the felt with his pool cue.

"Tuvok will be expecting you for a rehearsal tonight at 2000," Kathryn smirks, patting Tom consolingly on the shoulder. With that, she exits the holodeck, leaving Tom to contemplate all of the mistakes he's made in his life to bring him to this moment: a Starfleet ensign, lost in the Delta Quadrant, about to star in the latest Vulcan contemporary theatrical experience.