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yugirl · 3 years ago

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Day 22: “Cupid’s Kiss”

Kiss, kiss, fall in love! Who’s your OTP? OT3? Show ‘em off! Let your favorite ships sail today!

@gxmonth

((I couldn’t decide between theme park date or parent au and everyone voted both so, I tried my best… but I couldn’t make the ships the focus instead of the kids, so… theme park date))

So things didn’t exactly go to plan…

Jaden hoped to arrange a group date to trial out a poly relationship with Bastion, Jesse and Chazz. What he hadn’t planned on was for everyone else to jump in on this date. So, as a result, it was still a group date of sorts, just with more people.

Chazz seemed a tad disgruntled about it, but he supposed he wouldn’t be pressured to do too much physical affection in front of everyone.

As they entered the gates of Kaibaland, the group split into its coupling.

Syrus had already bolted towards the spider, Hassleberry hurrying after him. Jaden couldn’t help but chuckle at Sy’s enthusiasm. He loved the rides that spin.

Zane decided to follow his little brother, Atticus chuckling and joining them. Since recovering from his heart problem, Zane wanted to make up for lost time with his little brother, so he wanted to be sure to enjoy as much as he could.

He was relieved he had made a full recovery, too, as not being able to join everyone on the rides would suck.

Alexis was worried she was going to be the loner of the group despite being with friends seeing everyone had coupled off, but Aster assured her that he was in the same boat, so the two of them might as well have fun while the others did couple stuff. Jim and Axel decided to join them as well, as couple stuff didn't interest them.

This left the poly ship in training to work out what to do.

“So, where should we start?”

“I can't speak for you guys, but I'm heading on the coaster!!” Jaden announced, marching over to wait in line. Jesse was more than eager to follow, but Bastion was very much pale in the face. There was no way they were getting him on it!!

Chazz chuckled and held his hand “come on, Bas, we’ll find something more to your palette.”

He led Bastion away while Jesse and Jaden watched. That was ok. They could meet up later.

“Come on, let’s go again!!”

“Again?! Aw, come on, Sy!! We’ve already gone on it three times!!” Hassleberry whined, barely able to stand up. Zane chuckled as he tried to support Atticus, who was also feeling very dizzy. “Let's let these two rest, Sy! Then we can have a ride together and then find something else.”

Syrus eagerly agreed and linked arms with Zane to have one more ride as brothers. What better way to make up for lost time than to ride their favourite ride together?

Hassleberry sighed, exhausted, as he watched the two get into the carrier. “Those two really love that ride, huh?”

“Yeah, I don't know how they handle it, but...” Atticus smiled lovingly at Zane. “I can't remember the last time I saw Zane that happy...”

Hassleberry nodded. He, too, understood that it was rare to see Zane that happy or excited about anything, but watching him and Syrus being spun and slingshot around with big grins on their faces really made the date worth it.

Jesse smiled as he and Jaden climbed onto the roller coaster. Jaden was shaking with excitement, but Jesse seemed to be shaking with nerves.

“Jess? You ok?”

“I-I’m not good with coasters...” Jesse mumbled, “i-its just you were so excited I couldn't let you go on there alone...”

“Jess, you should've said something...” Jaden gasped, concerned.

“I-I’ll be fine just so long as we ain't in the front...”

“Ok, we’ll try to get in the middle then,” Jaden assured.

Chazz and Bastion were at the bottom of the roller coaster, having visited the carnival games. Chazz was holding a winged-kuriboh plush he won at one of the stands “do you think Slacker will like it?”

“I’m sure Jaden will love it!!” Bastion assured as they watched them line up. “When they’re done, let’s go on the Ferris wheel together.”

Chazz nodded, albeit a bit shy.

Oh, God... Jaden, I can’t do this...”

“Yes, you can just hold my hand!” Jaden assured his panicking BF

“I can’t do this! I caAAAAAAAAA”

His screams could be heard from the roller coaster.

Chazz and Bastion chuckled as they heard poor Jesse screaming.

“Poor guy”

“The things we do for love.”

The day rolled on as the group continued to spend time at the park. Going on rides, playing carnival games, eating junk food. It was a good time.

Near the end of the day, the sun was starting to set. Bastion grabbed Jesse by the wrist “come with me!!”

“What!?”

Jesse was pulled along, followed by a very confused Jaden and Chazz. The others followed shortly after, equally confused.

Bastion led Jesse to the spinning swing ride, which didn't have as long a line given the park was nearing closing.

“This one!”

“I don't know, Bas. I'm not sure I can do the heights...”

“Jesse, trust me, you're going to love it!!”

“You’re going to ride this one?” Jaden asked, surprised.

“Yes! Care to join us?”

“I don’t know. It’s two to a swing, and I don’t wanna ride alone.”

“Relax, slacker, I’ll go with you!!” Chazz sighed in mock annoyance.

The four got in line for the ride. Syrus then looked to Hassleberry with pleading eyes.

“Ugh! Fine! I’ll go with you!” Hassleberry sighed.

“What about you, Zaney? Got one more ride in you?” Atticus smirked

Zane chuckled and took his hand. “I’d love to.”

The other four looked at each other, shrugged and decided to line up too. Why not?

Eventually, they all got buckled into swings. Jesse was visibly shaking, but Bastion held his hand to assure him he would be alright.

Jaden smiled at Chazz. “I’m really glad today happened, even if it didn't go as planned...”

“Me too...” Chazz chuckled and settled in. While he didn't plan on others coming, it was nice he still got his date with his three boyfriends.

Jaden smiled and leaned in to kiss his cheek, but Chazz turned his face to kiss back.

With a jolt, the swing was lifted into the air. Slowly it started spinning. Bastion held Jesse’s hand to calm him, Jaden and Chazz looked at the view, Syrus expressed his excitement to Hassleberry, who looked at him with loving eyes, and Atticus and Zane sat peacefully enjoying the moment.

The swing twirled through the sky, and as it did, the sun set perfectly on the ocean horizon, dying the sky in q rich orange in combination with the beautiful view. It was a sight to behold.

Jesse gasped in awe of the view while Bastion smiled. “I told you you'd love it.”

Jesse smiled and thanked Bastion for convincing him to come.

Eventually, the ride came to a stop, and it was time to leave the park. Hassleberry carried his tiny and whiny BF on his back while they said their goodbyes.

Atticus wrapped an arm around Zane and pulled him close, Zane humming in comfort and happiness as he was walked away.

Alexis, Aster, Jim and Axel talked about how much fun they had and how they'd meet up like this again before going their separate ways.

That just left the four.

“I really had a great time today, guys!” Jaden smile

“Me too!” Jesse grinned. “I had lots of fun!”

“As did I!” Bastion smiled, “I think this might work out.”

“I-I think so too...” Chazz blushed.

The four of them continued to stand awkwardly in front of the Kaibaland gate. A single question in their mind.

“Who do I kiss first!?”

#yugioh #yugioh gx #jaden yuki #bastion misawa #chazz princeton #jesse anderson #syrus truesdale #tyranno hassleberry #zane truesdale #atticus rhodes

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mcwriting · 4 years ago

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The Marriage Project (4)

Hi everyone! Sorry this came late! I was soooo busy this week that I had to push this chapter back but I’m hoping to drop chapter 5 on Friday next week like normal. As listed in the warnings, this chapter has some heavier topics than the other 3 but the scene is relatively mild and not too descriptive.

Story Masterlist

Word Count: 2808

Warnings: Mentions of verbal s*exual harassment, mentions of fighting/injury, strong language, angst

% approximately the last weekend in September %

You sat at the back of the team bus on the way to the hotel, since the tournament was all day Saturday. You shared a row with Julia and was working on some calculus homework and listening to music while she talked to someone across the aisle.

When you finished, you took out your headphones and looked over at her. She was now playing on her phone.

“Hey, do you wanna bunk together tonight? I don’t feel like sharing a bed with Emily this week.” you whispered, making sure the freshman sitting a few rows up couldn’t hear you.

“Yeah sure. I was actually gonna ask you the same anyways.”

You were one of only two seniors on the team, so you and the other senior, Anna, were asked to split up and chaperone the girls whose parents weren’t coming to the tournament. Both of your rooms had three other people.

Once the team got checked into the hotel, you all went to dinner at a nearby chain restaurant where you, Julia, Anna, and a few other girls sat at a table together joking around.

After dinner, the team headed back to the hotel and were allowed to either hang in the lobby or your rooms, so long as you weren’t disruptive and stayed in pairs. You stayed in the lobby for a while but decided to go prepare for bed around 10.

Julia tagged along as your buddy, not saying much as you rode the elevator up.

After changing and brushing your teeth, you sat at one corner of the bed looking into a wall-mounted mirror as you combed your hair to pull it into a braid. Julia had been watching the TV when she piped up.

“Hey, y/n?”

“Yeah?” you didn’t look back at her.

“What’s going on between you and Tom?”

You paused mid-braid, then continued.

“What do you mean?” your brows furrowed as you finished off the braid, wrapping the end with a hair tie.

“It’s just… you guys have seemed super close lately, and Sam said you’re at their house pretty much every weekend now. I thought you guys hated each other or something.”

You turned your body to look at her.

“Uhhhh we definitely still hate each other. We’re just partnered up for this semester-long marriage project in home ec. It’s whatever.”

“Oh. Okay then. It just seemed like something else I guess.”

Something else?

“Wait, what are you trying to say? Do you think we’re, like, dating or something?”

“Well you guys go to almost every one of each other’s games. And Sam said their mom loves you so it just seemed like… I don’t know.”

“Whoever thinks we more than hate each other is wrong. Just the idea of him and I together grosses me out so much. Once this semester is over, he and I probably won’t speak to each other again until the day I’m chosen valedictorian over him.”

“Okay, well, I’ll let Sam kn-”

She was cut off by the sound of the door opening as the two freshman girls who were taking the other bed came in giggling.

Glad to finally be out of that conversation.

After a few more random conversations, you all decided to go to bed and rest up for the tournament early the next morning.

It’s when you rolled over onto your side to face the wall that thoughts of your conversation with Julia began racing. Did people really think something other than a fake marriage was going on with Tom?

Exhaustion got the best of you before you could dwell on it further.

You sat in calculus Monday morning listening to the announcements. Your name and a couple others were listed off from the winning sports. The team had won, and you’d gotten tournament MVP.

The class congratulated you, so you jokingly did a royal wave around the room, stopping to look at Tom.

“That’s how it’s done. You guys may have won too, but I think I beat you out this time.”

“Yeah, good job.”

What. Why was he congratulating you?

“Uhhh. You don’t have anything else to say? No insult, no witty clapback? Who are you and what have you done to the Tom Holland I know and hate?”

He shrugged.

“I just don’t have anything negative to say. I mean, you got MVP and the team won. That’s pretty impressive.”

Now you knew something was up. In all your years of knowing Tom, he’d never been this nice. Sure, he’d sometimes say “nice shot!” when you scored more than one goal in soccer but he usually was able to find a way to pick on you at the same time.

You were working on a new sewing project in home ec later, sharing what happened with Alexis.

“Maybe he’s just not feeling well or something? He probably just couldn’t think up something fast enough,” she suggested.

“You don’t get it, Lex. It was so not like him. After Thursday, and what Julia said Friday night, something weird is going on, and I’m going to get to the bottom of it.”

Wondering if anything was out of the ordinary with him now, you looked over to where he was, only to find him looking back at you.

Weird.

In senior art that afternoon, you worked on an acrylic beach landscape you’d been doing with a palette knife.

You were listening to music and intently focused when you felt a presence loom over you and noticed a hand resting on either side of you.

You ripped out an earbud and turned to see Tom leaning over your seated position, looking at your artwork.

“What the- Tom! What in the hell are you doing?” you pushed him off you and he stepped next to your chair, arms folded over his chest.

“Just looking to see how you were doing, princess. I think it needs a sailboat.”

“Okay first of all I’m not even done but like… why were you leaning over me like that? I was kinda in my zone there.”

He uncrossed his arms and pointed one had around the canvas.

“Well I was mostly coming over to say you had a little something right,” he poked a finger from his other hand onto your nose, leaving a dot of paint, “there.”

“Thomas Holland. If you don’t get the hell away from me and my artwork right this second I will literally beat you up in front of this entire class. You know it’s true too.” you threatened through grinding teeth.

“Are we having a problem over here?” your art teacher interjected, causing you to both look at her. You pointed at your nose.

“Mr. Holland here doesn’t know how to keep his hands to himself.”

“Tom. You know how I feel about messing around with art supplies. Now go sit down, you still have a lot to go on your own painting.”

He sighed and headed back to his seat.

“Y/n, why don’t you go wash that off real quick. I’ll keep an eye on your canvas for you.”

You got up, brushing past Tom. First, he’d been super nice this morning, and now he was putting paint on your nose like a little kid?

It was infuriating to think about.

Wednesday, it was like he was even worse.

He flipped between being the nicest guy ever to trying to humiliate you every chance he got.

The final straw was during your free period when you’d typically have volleyball practice (it was a game day). You’d walked by some of the football team who were practicing on the field and some players tried to catcall you, yelling disgusting sexist comments and whistling. Instead of sticking up for you, Tom just looked at you sheepishly as they laughed.

You just stuck up a middle finger and kept walking, as you were running errands for your volleyball coach and didn’t want to be too long.

After school, you stormed out of the school building and caught sight of him leaning against his car talking to a few of the guys from before as his brothers stood around nearby.

When you were about 20 feet away when you yelled out at him.

“Hey Tom! What the hell?”

His conversation paused and he turned to you. The other guys laughed and waved him bye as you approached.

“I’m sorry, but what?” he asked when you reached his car. You tossed your volleyball bag onto the asphalt.

“What is wrong with you? First you’re super nice to me, then I catch you staring at me in class and then the whole paint thing, and that was just Monday. Then today you flip from nice to asshole, and just sit idly by when your friends fucking harass me!?”

“I was just messing around like we always do! And come on, it was just a whistle and a couple jokes, y/n.”

“That’s the thing! It’s not just a whistle or a joke! Call it that when you read the countless stories of women who are attacked for simply ignoring a guy or trying to stand up for herself! I SHOULDN’T HAVE TO BEG YOU AND EVERY OTHER MAN FOR SOME SIMPLE RESPECT!” you were yelling and breathing hard. “I guess I thought that after the past few weeks we had come to some kind of an understanding, but apparently I was wrong. You’re still the biggest asshole I know.”

“Y/n, please. You know I would never do anything to actually harm you, right? I’ll talk to the guys and figure it out. I mean, what else do you want me to do?”

“Maybe we should get a ‘divorce’ on this stupid project. It’s obviously not working out,” you spat.

“I- okay.”

You were taken aback. Did he really just agree?

“Okay? That’s all you have to say? You really want to go through with it?”

“Well, if it’s what you feel is best, I’m not going to stop you from talking to Mrs. Flynn.”

“Okay, then. I’ll see what she wants us to do.” you said, much more calmly.

With that, you picked up your bag and walked off, wanting to cool down before your game.

“Damn, Tom. That’s rough,” Harry said once you were out of earshot.

“Yeah, dude. You should’ve stood up for her. That’s not cool,” Sam added.

Tom hung his head for a minute, not sure what to think, then straightened up, shaking it angrily.

“You’re right. She’s right. I need to find those guys.”

Things had cooled down for you by the time you’d eaten a snack and hung out with some of the team for a little bit. You didn’t tell anyone what had happened, but by the way Julia kept looking at you, you figured Sam had told her.

An hour before game time, you went to go put on your kneepads and volleyball shoes. As you passed through the gym, Julia hopped up from her seat next to her boyfriend and rushed up to you.

“Whatever Sam said, I’m over it now. I’m just going to channel it into the game” you told her before she could get a word out.

“I just wanted to make sure you’re okay. Sam said you seemed pretty shaken up.”

“Look, jules, I know you’re trying to help, but now isn’t the time. I just need to focus on one thing at a time, okay? Let’s just win this and then maybe later we can talk.”

You sped up past her to where the group was in a circle, already doing stretches. You felt bad for blowing her off, but you had other things to worry about.

Your team lost the first set for the first time all season. You just couldn’t get your head in the game. You had fumbled a few sets and sent your hand into the net while hitting not once, but twice. You’d even sent a serve straight back to the wall on the other side of the gym.

You were now sitting on the bench listening to your coach yell at you, taking it all in. You were looking at her directly when a figure coming through the door caught your eye. It was Tom.

You tried to pay attention to coach, but the second she turned her attention to someone else, you glanced at him sitting by his brother.

His lip was split and he caressed one hand in the other. His hair was also all over the place and one cheek swelled slightly.

Did he get into a fight?

Even though you were still mad, something inside you appreciated his presence. You also felt concerned, but obviously couldn’t do anything about it from the bench.

You instead decided to do what you knew best, which was win. The team came back in the end and did just that. A few people were congratulating you when you saw Tom and Sam leave the gym.

“Uh, sorry guys but I need to go do something. See y’all tomorrow though!”

You jogged into the hall, frantically looking both ways before seeing them.

“Wait! Tom!” you called, running to catch up with them. They stopped, Tom not making eye contact with you when he turned as Sam watched cautiously.

He looked worse up close.

Where his cheek had only seemed swollen before, now there was a blue and purple bruise beginning to form, surrounded by pink inflamed tissue. His bottom lip also was red and puffy around the split, and when you glanced at his hands you noticed the darker bruises on each knuckle.

“Tom…” you said softly, scanning him. “Are you okay?”

“What does it matter to you? We hate each other don’t we?”

Sam took that as his cue to go back to the gym, you assumed to find Julia.

You let out a sigh and looked away.

“I don’t ‘hate you’ hate you. Yeah I hate when you’re better than me at something or you’re acting like a douchebag, but I don’t, like, want you dead or anything. I mean, you know that, right?”

You searched his face for a sign that he was getting you. After a few seconds of him staring at the ground nervously tapping his foot, he replied.

“Well I don’t hate you either! Yeah, you can have an ego and it gets on my nerves, but I’ve always thought we had just a playful hate-love thing. Like… I don’t know... Doofensmirtz and Perry the Platypus.”

You let out a chuckle at that one.

“That… actually. Yeah. That pretty much sums it up. I never actually wanted to hurt you, and I’m sorry that I did but what you did today was so not cool, man. I thought we at least tried to look out for each other a little bit. That stuff hurts. A lot. Because being a woman means I don’t know when it might cost me more than just being the butt of a joke.”

“I realize that now, and I’m so sorry for trying to trivialize you. I didn’t really think about it in the moment because it’s never affected me. I might be in trouble tomorrow because of it, though.”

“What do you mean?”

“After you left, I was so mad at myself. I marched straight over to the guys, who were then trying to laugh about you coming to talk to me, and I just… swung right on Harrison. He’s the first guy that whistled.”

“Tom…”

“And then I may have gone after the other two while I was at it. They tried to fight back, which is why my face looks like this, and I just went nuts. They gave up after realizing I wasn’t gonna back down.”

You tried to hold back tears. You always knew in the back of your mind that Tom cared a little bit, but not like this. One slipped out onto your cheek.

“You didn’t have to do that,” you whispered, trying to keep a steady voice. He reached out and brushed his thumb over your tear.

“Yes I did. Who else was going to teach those dickheads, huh? Obviously no one else in their lives have cared to.”

“Well thank you. It means a lot… and I didn’t go talk to Mrs. Flynn after our little spat outside. I wouldn’t mind staying as your ‘bride,’ if you’ll have me.”

He looked at you skeptically for a few seconds then smiled.

“Yeah, alright,” he pulled his necklace from his shirt. “Who else would rub icy hot on my back and make pie with my mom?”

“Ugh, don’t remind me of the first one,” you laughed.

After a few seconds, you held out your arms.

“We good?”

He grinned, taking your offer for a hug and wrapping his own arms around you.

“Yeah, we’re good.”

A/N: Thanks for reading! Like I’ve mentioned in the past, this will not be the last of heavy topics and some future scenes will actually be more descriptive, but I will make it explicitly clear where those scene are so you can have discretion. Love you all so much!

Tag List: @jackiehollanderr, @one-big-fangirl, @l0lmk, @primadonnasdream, @bookworm06, @thenoddingbunny-blog, @agentnataliahofferson

#The Marriage Project #tom holland #tom holland x reader #tom holland fanfiction #tom holland imagine #Harry Holland #sam holland #tom holland x y/n #tom holland au

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ihopethisendswell · 3 years ago

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Hi there! I'd love to hear more about your SwSh Fantasy AU, specifically (if you're okay with talking about it) Alexis' cursed powers and how Naomi got trapped by Eternatus!

Hello @epicspheal , hope your having a good day/afternoon/night!

My SwSh Fantasy Au honestly was something that came up in my head and that I proceeded to ramble about it. The oy reason why it exists is because I am deeply in love with Lore Keeper Sonia and she deserves the world. But then it became more than that. It was still me rambling. Like. A lot. But I proud of my rambles.

Also, in typical SwSh Fantasy Au fashion, this is going to be incredible long! I like to ramble, sorry. Here we go!

So! Alexis' curse. That's a doozy. Your gonna need some total not just last minute world building for that! Just kidding, Alexis' curse, while not completely fleshed out, I have a basic idea about what the world is like. Besides, that's for Naomi( lol)

So: Just like the games, Alexis was the Hero of Unova. Unlike the game, there weren't dragons that chose him to be it's tamer....yet anyway. The story goes like this: Unova was under the tyrant rule of Ghetsis ( he can become tyrant in a fake universe lol), and just like every Greek myth, there's a prophecy that a young hero will slay him and free the land. And, just like every Greek myth or just myth in general, the man gets angry about it and goes on a witch hunt for whoever the prophecy is about and kill them. Problem is, the prophecy never said who, so he commits mass murder to find one person that he doesn't know the name of. Spoiler alert, he doesn't find them. Now, I'm just gonna fast forward, because this is a SwSh Fantasy Au not a Black and White Fantasy Au. Long story short, prince N meets A and E, rebellion led by their parents cause there badasses, everyone gets traumatized/ questions their life at some point, and Alexis is gifted the power of Zekrom cause he's the chosen one. Which is what Ghetsis uses against him as he dies; turn his gift into a curse.

Alexis curse is basically that he looks a bit more like Zekrom: his eyes are now red, he has sharp fangs, they're lightning marks that glow neon blue, and his arms and legs are charcoaled ( like, they are pitch black compared to the rest of his body). Canon Alexis had a scar over his right eye. Fantasy! Alexis has it way worse. It's not gone or anything, but it's, uh, bad.Does this make him look like a badass? Oh absolutely. But everyone knows that if one looks like a badass, they need a hug. Alexis' curse makes his powers near uncontrollable, and much more destructive than they were before: both to others and himself. If it wasn't for N and his top tier healing( which he learned from his sisters) Alexis would have been dead the minute he was cursed. He has to wear a magic pendant ( which doubles and looks like a compass....it's important, but I'm not gonna get to deep into it yet) to make sure his powers are manageable. The curse also reacts badly to severe negative emotions like stress. If you thought canon Alexis was in a bad headspace, you could only imagine how Fantasy! Alexis is like. Fortunately, he has lots of love and support, so it ain't to bad. Eventually, after many failed attempts at a curing the curse on their own, they eventually find one solution: to find Eternatus. The being that can take energy and magic substance away and make it its own. The problem is that this thing is incredible dangerous, and has tried to cause destruction once before.

They( Alexis Elliot and N)completely ignore this solution and decides to travel for a better idea( which is about a few years).....that is until they get a dream about a young girl, pleading for them to save her. A girl who claims to be their cousin, bearing the necklace of their mother and her twin brother. A girl named Naomi.

Naomi was always a mystery to an outsider. Mainly because no one knew she exists. Except Hop, but whenever he told anyone about, they would say that he has an active imagination, or some weird comments about " oh your thinking up a girl now?". He was 6. They both were actually, before she disappeared one day. There was no goodbye, no note, nothing. So you would imagine Hops surprise when he gets a dream( he's 15 now) about a prophecy of the wolves, which involves him and a girl his age named Naomi. The same Naomi he would play with when he was younger....

But this ain't about Hop, this is about Naomi. What happened to her?

So, as I said, Naomi is A and E's cousin. Her dad, Soul, is A and E's mom's, Jazz, twin brother. He left Unova for Galar to explore, only to have settled down with his wife and Naomi's mom, Cheyenne.

While Hop knew about the prophecy at the age of 15, Naomi, specifically her parents, was given this prophecy to begin with. They both knew how dangerous it was to be out in the open with a child of prophecy. Everyone knows that if one person knows a prophecy, another do as well, and that other person is usually the person who doesn't want that prophecy fulfilled. So, to protect their child, the couple moved and lived in the Slumbering Weald, right behind the castle. The pros of living in the Slumbering Wealds is that it's heavily protected by the Wolves of Galar, so they would be safe from any harm. The cons is that it's just you there. So when followers of Eternatus somehow find your location and attack your family and kidnap your six-year old daughters you can't really call for help.

Oof.

Yeah, at age six, Naomi was kidnapped by Eternatus followers, and have stayed captive since. Why haven't they killed her off? She doesn't know. All she knows is that no one knows she exist( Hop does, but she thinks he forgotten her. He hasn't), and that she had very little power ( Eternatus had been slowly weakening her in it's presence). But she has power, even if it's small. So, with the little power she has, she calls for help to anyone that will listen. She somehow find her cousins. How does she knows they're her cousins? They're twins, one of them is cursed, and they look exhausted even in the dream realm. They're her cousins.

And .....that's it! Again, this is just me throwing things on a wall and hope it sticks, so sorry if this doesn't make much sense!

I would have gone into Lore Keeper Sonia, Pirate Nessa, King Leon and Prince Hop and such, but I have them pinned, Part 9 and 10 respectively. I hope you enjoyed my overtly long explanations! Feel free to ask me more about it, if you want! :)

#pokemon swsh #pokemon au #pokemon swsh fantasy au #pokemon oc #sorry for rambling #just have lots of ideas so-#it all just comes out #but i hope you enjoy!#thanks for the ask!

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a-tale-of-legends · 3 years ago

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@weliveinapokemonworld asked, so I'm here to share my version of the Darkest Day 2.0! This'll my oc's but it can still be used in a broader sense!

It's starts off the same in game

Naomi( my mc/ oc) is about to face Leon, Rose interrupts, blames Leon for forcing his hand, yada yada Darkest Day 2.0 starts.

Naomi, Hop , and Carol, once they reach Hammerlock Stadium, find a very worried Oleana pacing back and forth.

She says what she usually says in the game, but then mentions that Raihan and Bede had went on ahead to elevator door. She also mentions how she couldn't tell the look on Bede's face as he rushed passed her, but she thinks it was one of anger.

they already find Raihan and Bede trying to open the elevator to the energy plant.

Raihan, being a tech wiz, is trying to open the elevator door. Bede is impatient and pushing Raihan to hurry.

Raihan mumbles " well maybe if you hadn't kicked it, it wouldn't be as jammed"

As the trio all then ask questions, like where's Leon, what's happening, where's Rose etc, Alexis and Sonia dash into the scene with Yamper and Cody( Alexis' galvantula) . Both uses electric type moves to get the elevator to work.

Naomi asks where's Elliot,in which he says that she, along side Marnie and Piers, are trying keep as many people safe as they can( in Hammerlock/ wherever they would be).

Alexis then tells the kids to go and find shelter, which they all adamantly refuse.

Hop and Naomi, especially Naomi, tells Alexis that they're strong enough( duh)

Bede says that his dad is down there

To which Carol counters that Rose is also their dad, so they should go down as well

That last part is a huge shock to the adults ( Raihan had his suspicions but didn't want to push the kid)

Before an argument could break out, Sonia states that they don't really have time to argue, letting Naomi, Carol and Hop go down to the energy plant, while the rest of them handles everything else. Raihan agrees, saying to Bede that they need as many hands on deck as they can( to which Bede begrudgingly agrees to)

Alexis kinda has to agree cause A) times a ticking and B) he knows that they're strong enough to handle whatever that's down the elevator.

So now there's multiple things are happening at once/ back to back.

Let's start with the minor characters.

Somewhere in the chaos, Marnie and Piers are trying to get people to safety. Marnie is REALLY good at rallying people together and being a leader, giving out directions and such. Piers is handling any physical road block with his pokemon.

While Opal is a mere 16 year old, she's hella tough( Bede knows this personally) so he decides to help Marnie and Piers.

Que interaction between Marnie and Bede cause I don't think they interacted???? At all??? ( In the main game, correct me if I'm wrong)

The public will most definitely remember the help that these three in the future.

I'd like to believe that The Darkest Day has a similar effect to Ultra Wormholes given how in the game you can see different points of your journey. It could also cause Dynmaxing to go haywire. Not to mention the energy and debris.

So yeah lots of things to worry about.

And because of that Raihan and Elliot are tag teaming a bunch to get people to safety and just fend of the apocalypse.

Now, I'm not doubting their abilities to get things done, but this is probably like NOTHING they've experience before.

The only one who has this type of experience with world ending shit is Elliot, but it didn't involve the literal apocalypse so she's a little out of touch.

So if I told you they were getting a bit overwhelmed/ taken by surprise would you believe me?

Luckily Sonia and Alexis are here to help :D

Quite literally, Sonia has her team out( she was robbed I tell you) and Alexis is actually commanding attacks to Kai

Elliot can't stop herself from smiling at that.

So now it's four against... everything. But it's better than before!

NOW we get to the main trio

During the elevator ride down, Carol states that they'll handle Rose so the other two can get to Leon.

Naomi and Hop don't disagree, but are both visible worried given how.... personal this encounter.

Once the reach down to the energy plant( I do hope I'm using the correct term here) sane thing happens in the game, yada yada yada

Rose mentions Carol's parent, knowing that he does infact know about Carol( though let's be honest this is the chairman we're talking about)

Which drives Carol of the fuckin wall

So now it's Carol vs Rose while Naomi and Hop rush to the top of Hammerlock Stadium.

But that's a story for another time. Just now that's there's a lot of emotions. A lot.

Both, of which, are absolutely terrified of what's happening, but still pushing forward!!

Once they reach the top of the stadium, the same thing plays out as the games. Again.

Though with some small changes

Hop remarks how Eternatus looks like it's in pain, ironically.

When Eternatus goes G-max mode, It leaves both with one pokemon standing each( Neptune and Dubwool) and things are looking very bad.

And when Naomi and Hop uses the rusted sword and shield, Naomi here's a familiar voice....

But that's for later, right now, they got an eldritch monster to beat

With the help of some awesome doggos!

And they do!

Given how intense and emotional exhausting the whole battle was, Naomi faints.

She's fine! Don't worry, just very tired.

And....that's my version of the Darkest Day 2.0! I hope you enjoyed it :3

#swsh #tag rest later

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elexica · 4 years ago

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Second Chance Christmas {{ December 24 :: Four Years Ago }}

Four years ago, Christmas eve was devastating.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/27832405/chapters/69012459

Full chapter under the cut.

The pit at the bottom of Joey’s stomach had been aching for the last three days. It was like he swallowed hot coals and they refused to stay down, bile creeping up his throat every time he passed by that closed office door.

The house should have felt warmer—there must have been fifteen human bodies radiating energy and buzzing around the house. He’d been preparing in a way—a strange sort of supervisory role he hadn’t particularly desired—for the Architectural Digest spread on their house. Joey had been told that the article was going to place special attention on the picture perfect family that Seto Kaiba had accrued.

What a fascinating figure, the journalist had said, he must be a very interesting person to be married to.

Joey couldn’t remember the last time he’d felt interested in the life he and the CEO had built. Instead the décor and ambiance of their home was so cold and so superficial, like Joey lived in a hotel.

With such esteemed guests visiting on Christmas Eve, with such a paper trail of coverage, the administration of the Kaiba Estate had gone completely crazy. Joey couldn’t leave a glass of water on the counter and expect it to be there in an hour.

Even the kids were with a stylist this morning. It had seemed unfathomably frivolous and somehow also a bit duplicitous. Were they really trying to convince the readers of Architectural Digest that their children had an intuitive sense of fashion? Alexis was still not out of her terrible two’s, and the more layers of anything they draped over her, the greater the risk that they would trigger some sort of tantrum.

He’d deserve that, Joey thought, meanly. He had half a mind to interrupt Kaiba in his office and ask him that simple question: What are you trying to prove? Who could possibly care how Kaiba’s five-year-old son dressed? What their kitchen looked like?

How well his husband was handling the spotlight?

If anyone really asked, he didn’t know what he would say. No one from this world ever really asked him how he was doing, not in that caring sincere way that real friends do, and so he lived half a life sometimes—the exterior half. The part that was supposed to be making cookies, and volunteering at the daycare even though the kids’ nannies were really more involved, and posting fun little videos on Instagram. He had his own publicist, and he wasn’t supposed to even do that without approval—he understood the reasons but it was like every drop of authenticity was drained… all that remained was the flawless artifice of a live lived perfectly.

And the worst part was he was supposed to have an ally in all this. One person he was on the journey with.

But instead, Kaiba felt almost like a client. A person who had engaged him for husband and fathering services, who had certain specifications, certain resource allotments.

There was a forcefield around the office door.

Not a literal one, though Kaiba probably could have managed that if he had tried. It was decidedly low tech. Heavy mahogany, thick enough to withstand an explosion, and mysteriously devoid of the mistletoe and holly that had been draped over every inch of the house in an attempt to seem more festive and spirited than goddamn Martha Stewart.

The anger radiating out of the room must have been enough to keep the decorators far away.

Over the last year, Joey had been subjected to some updates about Kaiba Corp. affairs. They had just released a new phone model that incorporated holographic images for video chatting or something. The launch had been a success, Joey assumed, because everything that Kaiba touched in the marketplace turned to gold. Kaiba’s failures were few and far between, and his successes shined brightly enough that nothing bad seemed to stick.

The technology was supposed to be able to harness the capabilities that rendered Duel Monsters so realistically in Duel Disks, and use them connect people to distant loved ones with compelling holograms. It was a technical masterpiece that had him and Kaiba travelling cross country to attend industry awards and galas. It was exhausting, and half the time he felt like some sort of accessory. Like Kaiba’s personal assistant had flown in the right suit, the right watch, and Joey to complete the ensemble.

It wasn’t like that the whole time. There was a period, really quite a long time at first, where it felt like a game. Joey’d try to smuggle food into venues that didn’t allow it or smuggle it out of galas for later, they’d conspiratorially make fun of other guests—especially mocking the ever-present Pegasus. Sometimes Joey would pull one of his old tricks—they’d graffiti a bathroom stall after defiling it or do some harmless property destruction at a fancy house.

Weird nonsense too: who could steal the strangest object from the von Schroeder mansion, most absurd selfie with a world leader, that sort of thing. Little adventures that had wracked up a collection of items that they could never properly explain: Seto’s signed copy of Warren Buffet’s biography, crystal low ball glasses from Pegasus’ house that didn’t match the set that Seto already had, and a very strange cellphone photo of Joey holding the coat of the Prime Minister of Canada while the head of state was puking in a bush behind him.

It had been fun. It had been so fun. Once they had let their guard down around each other, they had found excellent playmates. Joey could be almost as devious as Kaiba under the right circumstances, and he was playful. And Kaiba was always gunning for a competition. A rivalry, any rivalry, any time.

It was not like marrying his best friend, but it was like marrying his favorite co-conspirator.

But over time, something about the events had turned so routine that it was merely another part of Joey’s very draining job of trophy husband. And the snarky comments he was getting about the suit sizing from the stylist was the last thing he needed. It just reminded him that he wasn’t a person to these people—he was an accessory, a decoration that could be trimmed and measured and posed just so like all the tinsel in the house.

Even if Joey hadn’t been living and breathing the new technology by virtue of listening to his husband’s egotistical acceptance speeches every other weekend for a month, Joey had seen the advertisements that had polluted his social media streams and had threaded themselves in between videos. He’d even been featured in one—and he had to admit that hadn’t minded filming that—talking with a virtual Yugi, still bearing his King of Games title and the wild tri-colored hair, with his Duel Disk strapped to his arm and belt still wrapped around his neck.

That had been fine, but several of the other ads were geared at families. And although Kaiba had for the most part kept the family out of the limelight, Joey’s publicist had been pushing harder for more of that humanizing presence.

“Everyone knows what your husband was like during ‘Battle City,’ and subsequent tournaments and product launches. He had a legend’s status and we could work with the ‘Rogue Genius’ sort of thing,” the publicist had kindly explained, his tone perhaps a touch demeaning. “But Kaiba Corporation isn’t just selling toys anymore. And people do not want to buy the most essential equipment of their lives from a rebellious teen. They want to see a man with integrity. With a family, even an unorthodox one.”

Joey rolled his eyes at the last comment.

They hadn’t built this family in order to sell more products, it had been so… organic. A natural expression of love. Being in their thirties, having so much love for each other that it made so much sense to share it with children. They could do it right this time. All they had to do was the opposite of what their parents had done.

And they had! Kaiba never raised his voice and Joey never picked a fight. It was everything they hadn’t had growing up. It was stable. Neat.

And it had become absolutely miserable. A set of formal relationships, scrupulously maintained and completely aesthetically flawless. And now, it was even a saleable commercial product.

Joey was so close to breaching the forcefield and getting the door open, but he could just hear the faint traces of a conference call behind the door.

The phantoms were trying to tell Kaiba something about some supply chain problem. Billions of dollars in contracts and products were flying back and forth in complex negotiations that rose to the level of international affairs.

Suddenly Joey’s problem—do the kids actually need a stylist, Kaiba?—seemed unfathomably small. Heroically unimportant, embarrassingly trivial.

Did he even want to walk into whatever shitstorm was going on in the study? Kaiba had his job, and Joey had his.

The only difference was that people seemed to value Kaiba’s job, and Joey’s was increasingly shitty.

Finally one of the maids—Joey thought she might even be in charge of that team, but was not technically the household manager, which was a different staff person—shook him from his frustrated position just outside of Kaiba’s study door.

“They’re ready to start taking the pictures,” she said. It was so neutral, and Joey realized, a bit slowly, that she didn’t like him.

People usually liked him. If they didn’t, he probably had picked a fight with them or something. Anyone who spent real time with him couldn’t resist his signature Joey charm. Maybe she’s new? Joey wondered. Or was he just… not the same anymore?

Within the same minute, the children’s stylist beamed out of the playroom, with much the same announcement. She was all smiles—and who wouldn’t be with such a fun niche. They both looked at Joey.

The publicist was scaling the stairs, hand skimming the highly decorated banister and leaping over the twirls of pine leaves and luxurious red velvet ribbons, announcing that the Architectural Digest reporters were ready to begin.

Ah, it was time for him to do his job. The only thing that he was supposed to really do. Face his husband.

Joey could see why everyone else dreaded it so much. Why he was so well-compensated for the task.

Joey extended his wrist, with a slow trepidation he had learned as a duelist, and tapped.

Within seconds Kaiba was at the door, eyes all blue fire, like a lion interrupted during a feast of antelope gizzards.

“Eh, we’ve got the thing? The Architectural whatever thing?” Joey figured the posse of people gathered behind him made half of his point.

“Yes.” Kaiba said, clipped, and looking still slightly pissed.

“So uh, you good? You look good,” Joey gave him a once over, and was rewarded, as always with the handsome view of a perfectly put together Seto Kaiba.

Kaiba rewarded the compliment with a smirk. “Yes.”

And the whole team descended together, with two of the more intense nannies handling the children and joining at the back of the group.

When finally down the stairs, Alexis was passed into Joey’s arms, and Atticus was handed off to Kaiba.

“How are your piano lessons going?” Kaiba asked Atticus, as if he was a colleague and not a five-year-old.

“Awesome!” Atticus answered with a smile.

“Do you know any duets yet?”

“Twinkle Twinkle Little Star!” Atticus announced, pleased with himself.

Kaiba stood for a moment, as if wracking his brain for any memory of the song. Then he nodded. “We can start with that.”

The Architectural Digest reporter looked at Kaiba, having expected to have his full attention immediately. Indeed, the reporter looked like the kind of person who expected to have anyone’s attention at any time. Joey had spared the man a Google search at some point before the meeting, and he had been impressed by the guy’s list. He had done articles on the interior design aesthetic—and the corresponding family culture—of two sitting presidents, the prime ministers of both Austria and Australia, and Oprah. Oprah.

He dressed like it too. His silk scarf was recognizably Hermes, and Joey could tell that his whole thing was how fancy people were expected to dress. Flashy and complicated and matching, but only sort of?

The stylist had intentionally been playing up the new, everyman qualities of the updated Kaiba family. It was a stark contrast to the Visual Kei inspired aesthetic that his partner used to wear, but honestly? Other than changing the t-shirt to cashmere and making the jeans cost about $400 more, Joey felt like he looked pretty much the same as he used to. His shoes were a lot less comfortable now.

The reporter almost raised a hand to interrupt, and Joey instinctually went on damage control.

“Hey, great to finally meet you! Welcome to our house. Looks like you’re in for a concert to start off!” Joey smiled warmly, and was pleased to see it mirrored in the reporter’s face.

“Your husband is an interesting fellow, huh?” The reporter had something of a pan-Atlantic accent to his voice, making him sound a little bit like he fell out of the Turner Classic Movies channel.

“You don’t know the half of it! But I’m sure he’ll warm up,” Joey lied. Joey reached forward to loop an arm around his husband’s shoulders as they continued to make their way toward the grand piano in the living room. “What are you doing?” he whispered in his ear.

Kaiba spared him a dark, sideways glance. “I am trying… to demonstrate human connection. That’s the instruction I received.”

Joey laughed, though it wasn’t easy. “Well, could you smile or something? Introduce yourself? It looks disjointed like this, I think.”

Kaiba’s attention diverted, announcing that the conversation was over. Joey withdrew, his speaking time already terminated.

But the comment made enough of an impact. When they arrived in the living room, which had been festooned with just about every wintry icon available in the tri-state area—including a row of pinecones and decorative wreathing along the piano and the biggest tree that could fit in the tall space jammed with more lights and baubles than should be possible—Kaiba deigned to greet the guest.

Kaiba gestured to the piano, and Atticus happily plopped down. Kaiba joined him, much more calmly. “Now, for a rendition of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star,” Kaiba announced, rolling back the fallboard.

Atticus nodded mutely. Someone had clearly drilled into him the importance of not saying anything weird, and he had interpreted it as not saying anything at all.

Kaiba began the initial keystrokes of the song, only for Atticuls to slam both of his hands down on the keys and completely startle him.

Kaiba instantly stopped playing, but Atticus kept going cubby child fingers on random keys.

“Do you… actually know how to play the song,” Kaiba asked, as Atticus started winding down.

Atticus beamed, “Yeah Oto-san, but this is a special Christmas remix!”

Kaiba smiled softly, shockingly genuine, and Joey was sure the cameras captured it. “Very well.” Kaiba diverted his attention away from the piano. “Now that we have performed a Christmas remix, I suppose we may as well continue with the interview.”

The reporter seemed to be in good humor, eyes energic as they tracked Kaiba and Atticus back to the couch to join Joey and Alexis.

Like a flip had been switched, Kaiba acted like he had a human interest in the whole situation, but let Joey do most of the talking.

Joey thought maybe he was nervous. He was so comfortable when the topic turned to the impact of Kaiba Corp., on international growth this or technology development that. But sitting there, on a couch laden with thick green and red ribbon, being asked about how he balanced raising children with being in the office, he looked almost nauseated.

“I have a great partner,” Kaiba said, robotic and dead-eyed. “And great help. I could not do it alone.”

Joey tried to beam, but it felt like a brutally minimizing note.

A great partner? It was a performance review, not a term of affection.

After the interview finally ended and the additional staff began to disperse, Joey found himself trailing Kaiba back to his study. The kids were whisked away—Atticus already had another piano lesson and Alexis was due in the ballet studio. She had made the cut as one of the youngest among the 130 children to participate in the New York City Ballet Company production of Nutcracker, scoring a prestigious position as one of the angels. It was very impressive and very cute, but it felt a bit odd to watch the two-and-change-year-old have so many appointments. She just spun around a little… Joey had to assume it was another instance of her name opening doors. But it was adorable, and she was a pretty serious toddler, and who was he to get in the way of high performance.

She said she liked it, as much as a two-year-old can articulate that they like anything, and he didn’t want to burst anyone’s bubble.

So, after everyone had scattered, it was just Kaiba in his study, and Joey feeling empty.

Joey knocked on the door. When he didn’t get a response, he opened it anyway.

“What?” Kaiba snapped, not looking away from his laptop.

“I…” Joey thought about what he wanted to say, but nothing came to mind immediately, except for the simple truth. “I can’t handle this.”

Kaiba didn’t look up. “You can’t handle what? Talking to a guy for an hour? You did nothing.”

When Joey didn’t immediately leave, Kaiba paused in his typing, maybe realizing that he couldn’t really account for what had happened prior to his entrance. “Do you need more help?”

Joey sank into the companion chair in the study. “I mean no, I think there’s probably too much staff. Do the kids really need a stylist?”

Kaiba looked up. “I am so busy, Jounouchi. Do you really want to debate the merits of having someone pick the children’s clothes for a photoshoot? That cannot possibly be the best use of your time, and I know it’s not the best use of mine.”

Joey met his eyes for a second, but lost his determination. “I just… I miss how it was. Things didn’t used to be like this, right?”

Kaiba sighed. “Things have always been like this. What do you mean?”

“You know what, never mind. It’s fine. It’s just, I guess it’s Christmas eve.” Kaiba didn’t acknowledge the statement and Joey left the study, heart twisted, feeling more alone than he had in years. “We’re supposed to do family stuff.”

Kaiba went back to his computer. “We did. And I’m sure more is scheduled for tomorrow—I know that I’m scheduled to attend one of Alexis’ performances tomorrow. You should check your calendar, I am sure we have a dinner scheduled somewhere tonight… I think at the Governor’s estate. You should check with someone about the required attire. But not me, Jounouchi, I really am busy.” The chillin blue eyes didn’t even follow Joey as he stalked out of the room.

Joey didn’t say it—he couldn’t find the will to say it yet, and he didn’t say it for another year. But in that moment, Joey knew that their marriage was over.

#Violetshipping #puppyshipping #seto kaiba #Kaiba Seto #Joey Wheeler #Jounouchi Katsuya #my fanfic #fanfic #crossposted on ao3 #mine #y'all i am concerned this chap isn't as good as the last one but i think it's ok #it's context #cause things gotta turn around but you have to remember how shit things used to be

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smooshjames · 5 years ago

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forget you not (iv)

you knock on my door and tell me you don’t wanna fight (or: inside jokes and invitations)

word count: 4.5k

a/n: part four of forget you not! this is the second to last part as it stands right now, but i am toying with the idea of writing an epilogue. i haven’t made up my mind on that front quite yet, it’ll probably depend on if there’s any demand for an epilogue once the parts i’ve got written are all finished up. anyway, the usual disclaimers: i didn’t write any of the songs mentioned, they all belong to little mix, this chapter’s songs are here and here (no new ones this time, but i figure i’ll link them anyway for the sake of easy access). here is a link to my ko-fi, which, as usual, is never an obligation. thank you for taking the time to read this, and i hope you enjoy!

warnings: more angst (surprising, right?), an author who is very bad at sketch comedy trying to write characters who are very good at sketch comedy

previous parts: one, two, three

With the red dot on the cameras blinking, you knew it was even more important now that you kept up that positive facade. You did your best to think about good things, hoping your smile wouldn’t look too forced.

To your right, Shayne launched into an energetic intro where he explained the rules of the game and introduced you guys as guests. Once he had given his little speech, he turned to you, though his eyes were fixed on the partition over your shoulder. Still, his smile didn’t waver for even a second. “So, are you guys ready to play?”

You nodded enthusiastically and laughed in easy agreement as you were elected to be the first person in the stool. You filled your mouth with water and flashed a thumbs-up, and out came Alexis. She used an inside joke, which was probably cheating, but it made you spit your water out anyway.

The game went on like this for a while, until finally, the only person yet to try to make you laugh was Shayne. You braced yourself as he asked if you were ready, humming an affirmative and doing your best to keep your breathing even.

He came out holding a red telephone, which he set on top of the bongos.

“Watch this,” he said, flashing you a shit-eating grin. For a second, you felt yourself tilting forward into that grin, into those eyes. Your heart jackhammered in your chest. It was the first genuine smile he’d given you all day, and God it was beautiful. “Hi, Dominos? You’re my favorite pizza place.”

You knitted your eyebrows in confusion.

“Watch this though,” he said. He mashed his finger against the phone buttons and lifted it again. “Hi, Pizza Hut? You’re my favorite pizza place.”

And then he nodded at you a little, smiling expectantly. When you didn’t laugh, he held up one finger. “Watch this though.”

With his free hand, he made a sort of waving motion in the direction of the partition, and out came Damien holding an identical red phone. He handed it to you and then went back to where all the props were. Shayne dialed his phone and made a little ringing sound effect for emphasis. You picked up your phone.

“Hi, Y/N?” he asked. You hummed something vaguely resembling “hello” into the receiver, figuring you might as well play along with the bit. In the same voice, with that same shit-eating grin, he said, “you’re my favorite singer.”

You weren’t sure why, maybe it was the strange vocal inflection or the mirth in his eyes as he said it, but sure enough, you sprayed water all over the soundstage. Shayne laughed gleefully as you did so, and the sound of it made you forget to breathe for just a second; you hadn’t heard that laugh in years. It made your chest ache to hear it again. In a sort of daze, you handed him your prop and he took it backstage.

Everyone came back out and you had to choose who made you laugh the hardest. You picked Damien, who had pranced out in an insanely tangled red wig with a stuffed flamingo in one hand, partially because he had made you laugh really hard and partially because you were trying to procrastinate Shayne's turn as much as possible.

Damien’s round passed quickly, and you managed to make him laugh after a few seconds. He chose Piper to go next, so she took her place on the stool. You went backstage with everyone else and started sifting through props to think of a bit.

And then Shayne fully took his shirt off.

You froze halfway through picking up a cowboy hat. You were pretty sure that anyone listening closely enough could’ve heard the gears in your brain grinding to a halt.

You wondered, if you started running now, how far into the ocean you could get before anyone noticed you were gone.

Carly nudged you with her elbow and asked you to help her with a bit, forcing you to turn away from Shayne, which was probably for the best. You took the opportunity to remind yourself that not only did he have a new girlfriend, but that the two of you didn’t work. You never had and you never would.

And before you knew it, Piper’s round was over, and Shayne was up next. You felt a bolt of panic. You knew you could make him laugh, but you weren’t sure how to go about doing it and you were rapidly running out of time to figure it out. Finally, you decided against every bit of logic you had. You decided to just go with an inside joke.

He probably wouldn’t remember it, anyway. It didn’t really matter. If you didn’t make him laugh it wasn’t the end of the world. At the end of that day, you were just here to promote the band.

At least, this is what you told yourself as you stood behind the partition waiting for your turn. But your hands were trembling anyway.

Your turn came up. Alexis gave you a little high five on your way out. You walked up to Shayne’s right side and leaned in close to him, careful not to touch him. You looked at him through your eyelashes and shifted your weight from foot to foot. “Hey,” you said, voice low and sultry. Shayne’s brows knitted in confusion, and you feared for a moment that he had forgotten. You were probably only half-audible to the mics, but you didn’t care. You were focused single-mindedly on making Shayne laugh. “I was just wondering… do you like tacos?” You were careful to drag out the vowels on the word ‘tacos.’ You heard Damien start giggling behind the partition.

At least he remembered.

And then Shayne’s eyes widened and he surged forward as he tried to keep the water in. Your heart skipped a beat, though you couldn’t quite pin down why.

“Do you like tacos, Shayne? Do you?” you asked, leaning a little closer. You felt more confident now that you knew he remembered the joke. “Tell me how much you like tacos, Shayne.”

That did the trick. He sprayed water everywhere, shrieking with laughter as he did so.

Once the water was cleaned up, everyone else came back out from behind the partition and Shayne chose Alexis to go next.

After Alexis, it was Carly’s turn, and then you were all done. You had even finished a little bit ahead of schedule.

Ian came over once the cameras were cut, smiling brightly. “That was really good, you guys! Thanks so much for coming in today.”

“Thanks for having us!” Alexis said. “It was a ton of fun.”

You nodded in agreement but you were only half-listening. Shayne had somehow ended up right next to you during the outro of the video, and he hadn't made an effort to move away after the cameras stopped rolling. He was close to you, maybe a little closer than necessary, and that fact was all you could focus on.

As you were listening to Ian talk about when the video would be released, you felt Shayne wrap his hand around your forearm, squeezing lightly to get your attention. That one simple touch set your entire right side on fire. You felt like he’d lit off a fireworks display under your skin. You turned to face him, and you couldn’t help noticing that he looked more than a little bit like a kicked puppy.

“Can we talk?” he asked. His voice was soft, a stark contrast to how loud he’d been just minutes before as you were filming the video outro. “Just for a few minutes, please?”

At these questions, a knot of mixed emotion -- fear, anger, a little misguided hope -- gathered in a knot at the base of your spine and squeezed so hard you went lightheaded with it.

You glanced around for Michelle, who was watching you like a hawk. You tilted your head toward Shayne and shrugged. She nodded.

“Okay,” you replied. In all honesty, you weren’t sure why you said yes. You didn’t know what he could possibly have to say to you. Your mind raced with all the worst-case scenarios; that he would rub his new girlfriend in your face, that he would say something mean or insulting, that he would tear down what little you had managed to build yourself up. You wrestled those ideas into submission, though. Shayne had made his mistakes, but he had never been intentionally cruel.

He led you back through the office until he found an empty conference room. You closed the door behind you as you entered.

“What’s up?” you asked. You cringed as it was coming out of your mouth. Really? What’s up?

Now that you were alone, some of his forced Funny Man bravado seemed to crumble away. His shoulders slumped and the shine went out of his eyes, and the look he gave you was sad, exhausted.

You felt like the earth was rotating the wrong way, like God had vacuum sealed the room shut, like Saturn was crashing into Jupiter and imploding on impact.

“I, um…” he mumbled. He shoved his hands into his pockets and chuckled nervously. For a moment, you were reminded of the first time he’d asked you out. You’d both been so young then, and he had been all nerves and goofy smiles. You knew even from that first conversation that you were a goner. “I should’ve planned out what I was gonna say, huh? I had all weekend to think about it.”

“You don’t have to say anything,” you said. “This weekend has been… a series of really fucking weird, awful coincidences. You don’t have to, like, apologize. We’ll just chalk it up to being a series of unfortunate events.”

His brow furrowed and his head tilted slightly, which really intensified the whole kicked puppy vibe he had going. Your heart ached, and there was a moment where the muscles in your legs twitched, where your body tried to move itself over to him without your brain’s consent.

You stayed rooted to your place.

“What?” he asked, voice small, barely even audible over the hum of the air conditioning.

You shrugged. “It’s okay, Shayne. I’m not, like, upset that you moved on --”

Bold-faced lie number one.

“Wait,” he said, but you couldn’t hear him over the blood roaring through your ears.

“-- and Courtney seems really nice, so I’m happy that you’re happy --”

Bold-faced lie number two.

“No, just --” he tried to interrupt you again, but you kept going.

“-- and I’m sorry that we had to see each other again in this context, it’s been… really fucking weird. But that doesn’t mean you need to try to make it better, okay? Don’t worry about me.”

Bold-faced lie number three.

Before you could conjure up more ways to end the conversation and escape the room, Shayne took a halting step forward.

“Courtney and I aren’t dating,” he said. Your mouth snapped shut as your brain slammed on the brakes. “We’re just friends. I went to the concert with her because the person she was supposed to go with canceled last minute and she couldn’t find anybody else.”

Oh.

“And I’m sorry we had to see each other again in this context, too, but not because I want to patronize you by telling you that I’m sorry things didn’t work out. I mean I am sorry things didn’t work out, but not in like a My Life Is Better Now, Sorry About That kinda way --” he stopped, faltering, obviously unsure of how to put his thoughts into words.

Oh.

“I mean, if anything, you’re the one who’s better now; --” wait, what? “-- you’re successful, doing what you love, surrounded by your friends, and you’ve clearly moved on. --” wait, what? “-- But I just wanted to talk to you because… I don’t really know why, honestly. Because a part of me is still twenty-one and in love with you, I guess.”

So that was what it was like to have every organ in your body simultaneously crushed under a hydraulic press. Interesting.

You couldn’t think of anything poetic to say, so you settled for what seemed the most pressing. “You think I cried on stage singing Towers, a song I wrote about you, because I’m over you? You think I’m the one who’s moved on?”

He shrugged meekly. “I don’t know. That was just one song. You sang a hell of a lot of other songs about how you don’t need a man, about how your life is great. And those aren’t bad things! They were really good songs, but I just assumed --”

“Carly and Alexis wrote all those songs,” you said flatly. He fell silent. “I just sing them.”

There was a moment of silence that seemed to last an eternity, and then there was a knock on the door. “Come in,” Shayne said, his eyes still locked on yours.

A tall brunet man with a thick beard opened the door and stuck his head inside. “Hey,” he said. “There’s a meeting in here in five minutes.” And then he looked between the two of you, and his eyes narrowed. You figured the tension in the room was so palpable, even a stranger could pick up on it. “Everything okay, Shayne?”

“Yeah, it’s fine,” Shayne replied. “We’ll be out of here in a minute. Sorry, Matt.”

“No problem,” the man, Matt, said. He nodded at you in acknowledgment, seeming more than a little confused at your presence. The door closed softly as he left.

“It’s probably for the best,” you said. “Michelle will have a coronary if I’m gone for too long. Places to be, people to see, insanely specific and personal questions to answer.”

He laughed a little bit, nodding, and for a moment the heavy awkwardness that had settled in the room seemed to lift just slightly. “Is your number still the same?” he asked.

“Yeah,” you replied. “Why?”

“I’ll text you my new address. Um, if you can, if you want to, it would probably be good for you to come over tonight to talk a little more. I can order some dinner for us. Only if you want to. I just don’t think… I don’t want to leave things this way.”

A sudden bolt of anger streaked through you, fiery hot. You clenched your jaw. He didn’t want to leave things this way? He had no qualms with leaving things this way when he’d let your entire relationship go down the drain all those years ago. And now he just got to waltz back in and invite you over for dinner and pretend he didn’t cause you the worst heartbreak you’d ever felt? After you had finally gotten yourself close to okay again, he got to come back in and ruin everything, knock you right back down to where you started? That wasn’t fucking fair.

“I don’t know if I’ll be able to,” you said, and it wasn’t a lie. You still had one more interview after leaving the Smosh offices. You’d be completely worn out by the time that was done, especially on top of the exhaustion from the emotional rollercoaster that you’d boarded against your will.

“I’ll send the address anyway,” Shayne said. “Don’t feel pressured to come. If you don’t, I completely get it. You can delete the text and block my number if you want. I swear that after this I’ll never bother you again. But just in case.”

“Okay,” you replied. You really didn’t want to argue with him. You just wanted to track down Michelle and the band and go on your way to the next interview and try to forget about everything that had happened in the last three days. “Fine.”

He nodded and pulled out his phone, and after a moment you felt your own vibrate in your back pocket. You wondered briefly if he had your number memorized, which would have been kind of weird, or if he’d just never deleted your contact information. The notion that the latter might be true made your heart skip a beat.

Once he had repocketed his phone, he looked up at you. There was a moment of lingering silence where it was clear that neither of you knew what to say.

Finally, you lifted your hand in farewell. “It’s been, um… it was good to see you again, Shayne.” Bold-faced lie number four. “Bye.”

“Bye, Y/N,” he said.

Doing your best to ignore the tightness in his voice, you walked past him out of the room and scurried off to meet up with the band. You found them talking to Courtney, Damien, and another girl that you didn’t recognize. She was about Courtney’s height, Chinese, with brown hair and eyes.

“Ready to go, Y/N?” Piper asked.

“I think so,” you said. You turned to Damien and nodded your head over your shoulder. “Got a minute for goodbye?”

He nodded and the two of you retreated away from the rest of the group, not leaving their view but definitely out of earshot. “I’m sorry I couldn’t warn you,” he said.

“It’s okay, Damien, really,” you replied. You reached out to squeeze his arm reassuringly. “This weekend was wild for everybody involved. At least we got to see each other again, right? This has been really nice.”

He grinned and pulled you into another bear hug. “Yeah, it has been,” he said, and you felt it as a rumble in his chest more than you actually heard it. When you parted, he left one hand lingering on your arm and squeezed lightly before it dropped to his side. “Call sometime, okay? I’ve missed you.”

“Will do, Dames.” You glanced over your shoulder and saw Michelle looking at you expectantly. She tapped her wristwatch. You sighed. “I gotta run. I’ll see you around.”

He nodded and said a final goodbye before you turned to make your way back to the band. You noted on your way that Shayne had returned from the conference room. He was talking to Courtney and the brunette now.

You ignored the feeling of his eyes on you as you walked out of the offices and into the LA sunlight beyond.

***

Shayne came back from the conference room a few seconds after you did. He did his best not to watch you and Damien saying goodbye, did his best to push down the surge of jealousy as you hugged him. You were smiling up at him and it seemed easy, carefree. It was like you’d just seen each other yesterday. He wished he could be like that with you, even though he knew why he couldn’t. He was doomed to sad smiles and airless rooms and awkward tension so thick you could cut it with a knife.

If time travel was real, he’d go back to that final night with you and kick his own ass.

Damien’s hand on his shoulder startled him out of his self-loathing. He turned to face his best friend and didn’t bother concealing the hurt on his face; Damien would see right past it even if he tried.

“You okay?” Damien asked. Shayne let out a strangled laugh. Of course he wasn’t okay.

“I feel like somebody tried to wring all the water out of my body,” he replied.

“What’s up with you today?” Courtney asked, and Shayne startled. He’d sort of forgotten she was there.

Shayne sighed. He figured he might as well tell her; she’d probably find out at some point anyway. That or she’d piece it together herself.

“Y/N and I used to be a couple, way back when,” he said. Courtney’s eyes went almost comically wide. “And it… didn’t end very well. Seeing each other again has been really fucking weird for both of us.”

“That’s why she cried when she sang Towers,” Courtney said, more to herself than to anyone in the room. She looked at Damien. “Is that why you know her? ‘Cause of her and Shayne?”

Damien shook his head. “Me and her were friends first. I introduced them.”

Courtney nodded slowly, obviously trying to process this new information. “Oh,” she said. Shayne couldn’t tell where her brain was (he rarely could). If he had to guess, he’d say she was probably combing over her every memory of the past weekend and looking for any indications of the history between you and Shayne. Sure enough, she continued after a moment: “that’s why she looked so constipated when we were at the photo op, and why you ‘needed some air’ halfway through the concert, and why you got all weird when I put my arm around your shoulders before, and why you disappeared after --” she stopped, her brows furrowing for a moment and then raising suddenly. She smirked. “Where’d you go after you finished filming, Shayne? You both came back pretty much at the same time.”

“Courtney --” Shayne said, voice scolding, trying to get her to stop whatever hellish train of thought she was getting onto.

“You’re still in love with her, huh?” Olivia said. She’d been silent for most of the conversation, but she was looking at him like she could see into his soul. Shayne froze. Was he that fucking obvious?

“Still in love with who?” Ian’s voice to his left startled him.

Courtney and Olivia stopped talking now, which Shayne was grateful for. They at least had the decency to let Shayne tell Ian on his own. Everyone looked from Ian to Shayne and back.

“Uh --” Shayne said. “I, um…”

“Is this about whatever weird shit is between you and the girl from the band?” Ian asked. Shayne threw his hands in the air, frustrated. Did the whole world know? Was he that easy to read?

“How did you…?”

“I’ve known you for almost five years, Shayne,” Ian replied. “You looked like you wanted to die during that entire shoot. There were a couple of moments it was so bad that I almost asked Courtney to come in and take your place. But the crew people said it didn’t come through on camera, so I just chalked it up to the fact that I know you so well. You also left with her right after we were done filming. Putting two and two together here doesn’t exactly take a rocket scientist.”

Shayne sighed and ran a frustrated hand through his hair, which made it look even more insane than it usually did. “We dated years ago. The way it ended was my fault. I shouldn’t have broken up with her. I shouldn’t have let her go. She was… she is one of the most amazing women I’ve ever met. This weekend has rubbed everything I did wrong right into my face.”

“Is that it, then?” Courtney asked. “She walks out of here and you let her? After the universe, fate, whatever you wanna call it put in all the effort to bring you together again… you let her go? You repeat your biggest mistake?”

Shayne had to force down an anguished sound at that. He knew Courtney was trying to get him to chase after you, but in reality, she was probably right. You wouldn’t want to come to his apartment to talk things out. You wouldn’t want to see him after everything. You wouldn’t forgive him. And he didn’t deserve your forgiveness, anyway. You were absolutely right to ignore the invitation.

“I asked if she would come over,” he said. He was trying to be hopeful. But he’d seen the way your eyes narrowed when he invited you to his place. Your jaw had dropped and then tightened in that way it did when you were torn between anger and disbelief. “If she does, maybe we can talk things out. But it’s been years. I don’t know if she’ll… I don’t know, you guys.”

He was breathing, that much he knew, but he was sort of starting to wonder if someone had poked a hole in his trachea because he was pretty sure the air wasn’t making it to his lungs. He looked around at his friends, all staring at him like he should know the answer, like he should be able to just whip a magical solution out of his ass and call it a day, a happy ending with a neat little bow.

“I’m gonna take a walk,” he said, a little louder than necessary, because the room was suddenly way too fucking small. Before anyone could object, he walked quickly away from the group and down the hall until he found an empty soundstage. He slumped against the wall and slid down onto the ground. The events of the last three days were piling onto his shoulders like bricks. Memories of you were branded onto his brain and he couldn’t stop replaying them, a highlight reel of what he’d had and what he’d lost. You, years ago, laughing and looking at him like he was the only person in the room. You, years ago, standing in the living room, looking at him like he’d just driven a knife through your heart.

In an instant, he felt like Atlas, holding the weight of his own mistakes. Holding memories both good and bad; your first date, your first kiss, your first fight. You had said ‘I love you’ first because he wasn't brave enough, and you’d looked terrified as you did it, like you were afraid he’d laugh at you and push you away. You’d always looked half-scared, he realized; scared of rejection and pain and heartbreak. And he’d gone and thrown those fears right back in your face.

It took about three seconds for Shayne to collapse in on himself. He barely made it to the couch before his knees gave out on him. He stared up at the ceiling for a long while, desperately trying to process whatever the hell had just happened.

You were gone, and the apartment felt empty without you. It was a new type of loneliness, one he’d never experienced before. He felt a little like his chest was caving in and little like he was astral projecting, like he wasn’t quite contained within the walls of his body. He reached for his phone and sent you a barely-coherent text, apologizing and asking you to come home. And then he texted Damien and asked if he was home. He needed someone’s company.

He stared up at his ceiling while he awaited a response, considering all the things that had led him to this newest, most monumental fuck-up. Suddenly, the time he’d forgotten your birthday made him look like Boyfriend of the Year.

And then he reached into his pocket and he produced the little blue box he’d gotten just yesterday, and he opened it and looked at the ring inside. Not too flashy -- he didn’t have the money for any big diamonds, and you’d once joked that you didn’t want your engagement ring to weigh five tons. He smiled at the memory and traced his finger over the small diamond at the center of the ring.

God, what the fuck had he just done?

Shayne’s head thumped against the wall behind him, and he cried.

#shayne topp x reader #shayne topp #eliza.txt #forget you not

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ificouldhelpyouforget · 4 years ago

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Don’t Go: Part 10 (Tadashi Hamada x OC)

MASTERLIST

A/N: I’m back! Sorta. I haven’t written anything new for this story yet (this is what’s been sitting in drafts for a bit), but it’s on my list to keep writing. I’ve started a Tamaki Amajiki fic, so that’s taking up some writing time. But I won’t forget this one! :D I hope you enjoy!

Summary: Just one moment of summer break.

Warnings: Cuteness from both Tadashi and Hiro.

Words: 1.2k

Let me know if you want to be tagged for future parts!

The sun was high and warm on my skin as I lounged back on my beach towel soaking in the rays. Waves crashed against the sand, mingling in with the sounds of my friends laughing and Mom and Cass' chatter. It was perfect.

A body thunked down beside me, dusting some sand over me and my towel. "Why aren't you playing with us?"

I turned my head to see Hiro lying on his stomach, head resting on his crossed arms as he looked at me. "I will. I want to relax for a little bit by myself."

He pursed his lips and flattened the look on his face. "You're boring."

"I promise I'll be out there in a few minutes. Keep Tadashi and Alexis entertained until then, yeah?"

"Nah." He scooted closer and grinned. "I could use a break."

"I thought you said I was boring for lying here, Hiro."

"Yeah, but Dashi's looking over. He seems a little jealous."

"If you're only staying to bother your brother, I'll have Cass take you home."

"You don't have the kind of power, Sky."

"You'd be surprised."

He studied my face until he frowned. "Fine."

"And stop making your brother jealous. I like you both the same, all right? I like spending time with both of you."

Hiro got up and snorted. "Yeah. And Tadashi really likes you, but won't do anything about it."

I didn't say anything remembering the conversation Tadashi and I had a while ago. Hiro had no idea that I was aware of Tadashi's feelings and that he wasn't pushing anything because I was still figuring it out. Well, I knew I liked Tadashi - it was easy to. I just didn't know if I wanted to take the step toward being a couple.

"You better play with us soon, okay?"

"I will. Now go bug your brother not using me."

"We'll see," Hiro said, jogging back toward Tadashi and Alexis.

I watched them, hidden behind my sunglasses, and smiled. As much fun as it was to join in whatever game they were playing, I loved observing how happy they were together. I loved them so much.

•

My mom's car was at Lucky Café, so Cass drove us back after the beach. It was a very tight fit in the back with four of us rather than the usual three since Alexis was coming home with me for a sleepover.

She rested her cheek against Hiro's shoulder and squeezed him. "You're adorable, little man," she said to him. He had the joy of sitting on someone's lap and Alexis offered hers.

He pouted. "I'm not little."

"You're littler than me."

I leaned my head back, closing my eyes while I listened to their conversation. I loved the sun, but it always exhausted me at the end of the day. My head felt heavy, my skin was warm, and my eyes couldn't stay open. It was a fun day despite my need for rest.

"Are you sure you and Alexis don't want to just stay over at our house tonight?" Tadashi offered.

"We can sleep in the car on the way home."

"Your mom can stay, too. It's been a long time since she and Cass stayed overnight with each other."

"You know," my mom started, "it would be fun to have our own girls night, Cass. The kids can do their own thing in the living room. We'll set something up in your room and wouldn't have to bother them at all and vice versa."

"Ooh! That'd be so much fun!"

"We don't have anything to sleep in," Alexis said, looking toward me with a sly smirk.

"Borrow some of Tadashi's clothes!"

"Why not mine?" Hiro asked.

"Your clothes aren't big enough for the girls, Hiro."

He grumbled, causing Alexis to chuckle and poke his side.

"So we're all sleeping over at the Hamada's?"

I let my head fall over on Tadashi's shoulder. "Guess so."

"Whoo!" Two-thirds of the car cheered.

•

I didn't know how to feel about Hiro turning to Alexis for attention during the movie they picked out together. He fell asleep on her lap in minutes like he would if it were me in her place. I felt replaced.

"You know he still likes you more, right?" Alexis whispered when she saw my frown.

"Doesn't seem like it."

Tadashi pulled me into his side and smiled. "Hiro won't pick you every time, Sky, and that's okay."

"But... I don't want to miss out on him being adorable before he starts acting like he's too cool to fall asleep on me."

"I'm sure Dashi wouldn't mind taking Hiro's place."

His arm slipped away from my shoulders and I felt heat rush up my neck to my face. I refused to look over at Tadashi, afraid to see how he reacted.

Alexis snickered. "Aw. Don't be so embarrassed. The world knows you like each other. You just won't do anything about it."

"This is not what I expected when we agreed to do this," Tadashi mumbled, rubbing his face when I finally glanced toward him.

"Too bad. You should have known with me here."

Hiro shifted in his sleep. All three of us paused.

"For Hiro's sake, let's just watch the movie in silence, yeah?" I suggested. "I don't want him to wake up."

"Yeah, that's your excuse. But sure. For Hiro, I'll stop bugging you guys. I'd rather have him to back me up anyway. Maybe the two of us together can get through to you both."

I shifted my gaze back to the television. I nearly jumped with Tadashi squeezed my hand that sat between us to reassure me that he wasn't pushing me to decide. All I did to show I understood him was return the gesture.

•

At some point during the third movie, I joined Hiro in dreamland. The remaining three of us got comfortable for bed when it started, but I couldn't hold my eyes any longer with the warmth of my blanket surrounding me. I didn't realize in my sleep that I turned toward Tadashi and snuggled into his side when Hiro spread out, jamming his foot into my side.

I was surprised to find my face buried in his chest when I woke up the next morning to the soft giggles of Alexis, Hiro, Cass, and Mom. Instead of satisfying them with my embarrassment, I turned away from Tadashi, his arm under my neck. I did not expect him to groan and tell the peanut gallery to be quiet while hiding his face in my hair.

We couldn't escape reminders of that morning through the rest of summer break.

#tadashi hamada #tadashi hamada fanfiction #tadashi hamada imagine #Tadashi Hamada x oc #Tadashi Hamada x original female character #original character #ofc #oc #big hero 6 #big hero 6 fanfiction #big hero 6 imagine #angst #fluff #loss #friends to lovers #friendship

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nialledfromfics · 5 years ago

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The Dating Game | Chapter Four

“So, what’s up with this chick you won’t shut up about? What’s her name?”

Niall’s fingers stopped plucking at the strings of his guitar and he looked over at his best friend, and roommate, Chris, who was slumped back into their massive couch with a beer in his hand. They had known each other nearly their whole lives, Chris moving in with Niall after he had bought his house in LA to watch over the place when Niall had to travel with his career. Chris was hilarious and had a bit of a wild streak, sometimes coming on a little too strong, but underneath it all, he was a teddy bear and had always been a huge support system for Niall.

“Joey.”

Chris nodded his head, titling the beer bottle that rested on his thigh towards Niall. “Yeah...Joey, what’s up with her? Are ya’ll, like, dating?”

Shifting his bottom on the piano bench just a bit, Niall momentarily flicked his blue eyes up to the soccer game that was playing on the TV. “Umm, no...I don’t think so?”

“You don’t know?”

Niall shrugged and slid his fingers across the fretboard. “I mean, we hang out and chat and stuff, she’s supposed to come over here Saturday night to hang out, watch a movie. Have dinner or whatever.”

“So...you’re dating.”

“No, we’re friends,” Niall shot back, looking over at Chris.

“But you like her.”

Niall nodded, furrowing his brow slightly. “Yeah...yeah, I like her. I mean, we’re friends.”

“Yes, but you wanna bone her.”

“Dude…”

“What?” Chris snorted, as if he was the one offended, and held out his hand towards Niall. “Look, man, you’re taking this bird out–‘hanging out’ with her–or whatever, you fuckin’ got her tickets to her favorite band and went to the concert with her...and have been talking to her non-stop since, yet...you’re gettin’ nothin’ out of it. That’s kinda fucked up.”

Niall dropped his hands from his guitar, his mouth falling to a part as he stared in disbelief at his best friend. “Are you...fuckin’ serious, mate?” Niall said, shaking his head slightly as he ran his fingers up through his hair, “I’m not hangin’ out with her just so I can fuck her. I actually, genuinely, like bein’ around her, she’s a cool fuckin’ person.”

Shaking his head, Niall moved his stare back down to the guitar in his lap. “Jesus Christ...”

Chris shrugged nonchalantly and tipped his head back as he took a swig of his beer. “I’m just keepin’ it real, man…”

“Well, you better keep that shit to yourself on Saturday when she comes over,” Niall warned, glancing back over at his friend, “I don’t want her gettin’ the wrong impression.”

“What the fuck would that be?” Chris chuckled, “That you wanna fuck her?”

With an exaggerated eye roll, Niall ignored Chris’s comment and went back to strumming a riff on his guitar. Chris let out a scoff. “I’ll behave, don’t worry,” he finished under his breath, his eyes settling back onto the TV screen.

•

It had been a little over two weeks since the night of the concert. Niall kept his word and texted her the very next day, and nearly every day following. They’d sometimes text each other in the morning or chat while Joey sat in the teacher’s lounge eating her lunch, or while Niall was on his way into the studio. Sometimes they’d text in the evenings, while they were both in the kitchen simultaneously scrounging up some dinner or randomly while watching the same shows on Netflix, timing as close as they could so that it was almost like they were watching it together. Niall would Facetime her while he was working out, or while Joey was busy grading papers.

It was fun, easy and comfortable. There wasn’t a second that they didn’t have something to talk about: whether it be as simple as whatever ridiculous trouble Niall’s friends were getting into, or as complex as Joey’s family, how her parents had moved to Florida a year prior to take care of her sick grandmother. Joey never felt comfortable enough with anyone to get into the details of her family, but with Niall...it was so different. He understood, no matter what she told him, he understood and made her feel normal. They could just laugh and be silly with each other and Joey was becoming so grateful for their growing friendship.

They had hung out a few times too. Heading to a small corner coffee shop one late morning, and hitting up Pink Taco for a quick bite a few nights later. They went for a casual midday hike along Runyan Canyon that following weekend, and even went out to a comedy club that next night. But they tried their best to stay away from prying eyes as much as possible. Niall had warned Joey that, even though they were only friends, word could get out if they were seen alone together and it would most likely be assumed by the media that they were more than that. It had happened to him many times before and while it hadn’t happened to them yet, Joey tried to mentally prepare herself for if it ever did.

When it came down to it, she just really loved being around Niall. He was a blast; incredibly witty and charismatic, always up for anything and made even the simplest things enjoyable. There wasn’t a minute that would go by that he didn’t have Joey in stitches, and she found that she could talk to him about anything. He was more knowledgeable–whether it be music or politics, weird facts about space or everything else in between—than she had given him credit for. There wouldn’t be a lagging moment when they were together; Niall loved to see her smile and laugh, and Joey loved to see him flustered, especially when any topics of romance or love came up in their conversations. It didn’t tend to very often, but Niall got noticeably flushed and had the cheekiest of smirks on his face whenever it did. Joey found it all quite amusing.

A few days before Joey was to go over to Niall’s place for the first time that Saturday to hang out, she decided to call in sick at work. It was something that was practically unheard of for her, she was always very diligent in her work and being there for the children, but something in her just needed to take a day for herself. She was far from actually being sick, Alexis being the only other soul that knew she was telling a tiny fib to get out of work, but the school always took any illness seriously. So it was an easy out for her.

It was nearing 2pm, and she had been snuggled up on her couch–still in her pajamas, a big fuzzy blanket wrapped around her lower half and a marathon of a crime docu-series playing on TV–all morning with her little sidekick, Sadie, cuddled at her feet. She hadn’t spoken to Niall at all that day, actually she hadn’t spoken to him since the previous afternoon when he had called to ask if she wanted to come over to his house that Saturday to watch some new documentary that was coming on Netflix and maybe have some dinner. Alexis laughed when Joey told her.

“What?” the red haired girl innocently questioned, stuffing a bite of her leftover enchiladas into her mouth.

A playful smirk tugged over Alexis’ lips. “Please tell me you’ve heard of ‘Netflix and chill’?”

Joey rolled her eyes in exasperation. “Not this again…”

“I’m just saying, Jo,” she snipped back, “he’s inviting you over to his actual house and I can guarantee it’s not just to watch a movie…”

“We’re just friends!”

That was how most of their conversations went in the following weeks since the concert. And it was starting to exhaust Joey.

Tugging on a piece of hair that had fallen from the side of her loose bun, Joey’s stare had begun to glaze over as she mindlessly stared at the TV screen. She was meant to be watching the fifth installment to Making a Murderer, but her mind was hovering on something else. Or someone else. It was weird how she felt almost...sad that she hadn’t heard from Niall at all yet that day, and she thought that maybe he was just busy and didn’t have time to chat. Which...he was a very busy man with writing and recording for his upcoming album, but she still felt like...well, like she missed him.

The thought crashed through her and Joey scoffed lightly at herself and shook her head, nestling deeper into the couch and focusing her attention back to the TV. It wasn’t another ten minutes of Niall’s face and voice and laugh flashing in her brain that she pushed out a defeated sigh, cursing at herself from under her breath, as she leaned over to grab her cellphone from the coffee table in front of her.

Not really thinking about what she was going to say, Joey texted him a quick ‘hey’ and clicked off her phone, turning it upside down as she tossed it back to the table. Her teeth sunk down into her bottom lip as she looked back over at the TV, trying with everything in her to not count down in her head how long he was going to take to respond. Her heartbeat was starting to pick up slightly in her chest–thump, thump thump–and she tore at the dry skin around her fingernails as she waited.

The tone of a text coming through startled her, it shouldn’t have but it perked up Sadie’s head as well and the little dog looked over at Joey as she reached for her phone.

N: Heya love , what’s up?

A smile eased across Joey’s face.

J: Nothing. Just bored at home, wanted to see what you were up to.

N: You’re home ? Are u okay ?

J: Yeah, I’m fine! Just needed a day off. Are you busy?

N: Not really, no. Just workin on some tunes .

N: Why ?

J: Hmmmm

N: Hahahaha what’s up . .

Joey swallowed hard as she hovered her fingers over the screen of her phone and it struck her as odd that she was even hesitating to ask Niall what she wanted to ask him. She pulled in her face at her own ridiculousness–it was only Niall for crying out loud–and licked across her lips as she began to type.

J: Do you maybe want to hang out? I was thinking of heading over to Cosmic Vinyl. I need a few more records to add to my collection and I couldn’t think of a better person to help me than you.

J: If you’re free.

N: Fuck yeh ! Like right now ?

J: Um, maybe like in an hour? We can meet up there.

N: Sounds sick . See ya there in a bit, Jo .

Jo. He had called her Jo. There were only two people on earth that called her Jo–her brother, Carter and Alexis, her best friend. Nevertheless, it put a permanent smile on her face as she jumped up from the confines of her sofa to go get ready to meet Niall.

•

Her hazelnut eyes studied the album covers as she flicked through them, every so often peeking over at the door to the record shop. Joey had arrived at their meeting place a little early, only fifteen minutes, and was waiting for Niall to show up. She had lazily given the shop a little stroll before settling towards the back where some of the older, more vintage records were kept.

With only two minutes to spare, her wandering gaze spotted the one and only Niall Horan just as he stepped into the store. He was wearing a long sleeved button up that hung open and a pair of light wash jeans and Joey swore she could see the blue of his eyes shining from all the way at the back of the store. He licked over his lips as he stood there, bouncing his stare between the other five or so patrons that were browsing before he finally caught that sweet bright smile of Joey. His chest tightened a bit at the sight of her; a loose knit cream top that was modestly tucked into a pair of dark jeans and her red hair softly flowing down the middle of her back, and Niall bowed his head to run his fingers through his dark hair as he began walking towards her.

They spent the next twenty minutes in light frivolous conversation, Niall enticing some giggles from Joey as they slowly perused through the thousands of shelved and binned records. He had already helped her find two records that she didn’t own that he thought she would like–an Eagles album and also one by Damien Rice, an Irish artist that she had never heard of. Niall spoke very highly of his music and Joey decided to give it a try. Strolling along a bit more, they came to a stop in front of the “J” section, Joey not really knowing why but obviously drawn to the letter. Niall smirked upon realizing the connection.

“I think the closest you’re gonna find is Joe Cocker,” he said, flipping through some stacks, “Or maybe Billy Joel is more your style. I personally like me some Billy Joel.”

Joey chuckled and peered down at the bucket style shelves as she began flicking through the different albums, hoping a cover would catch her eye. “I’m not really looking for anyone in particular, just seeing what they’ve got.”

“Ahh...I see.”

They both continued to thumb through the albums, a content quiet settling between them for a moment before Joey remembered something that she had wanted to tell him. “Oh!” she blurted out, shaking her head as she looked over at Niall. “I wanted to tell you...um...I have another date.”

His fingertips paused on the edge of an album sleeve and he slowly shifted his eyes over to Joey. “You do?”

The young woman nodded, scraping her teeth at the corner of her bottom lip. She glanced down at the rows of records in front of her. “Yeah...it’s on Saturday, before I’m supposed to come over to your house..,” she went on, catching Niall’s stare again. “Obviously.”

“Do you wanna reschedule comin’ over?” Niall asked her, hoping her answer was the one he wanted to hear.

“Never.”

It was.

Joey shrugged, going back to perusing through the records. “Besides, it’s not like I’m going to sleep with this guy or something,” she started to explain with a giggle, “I’ve given up on having sex with men on first dates.”

A worrisome tightness that had built up in Niall’s chest eased at her words and he pushed out a heavy breath, the sound coming out as more of a scoff than he intended. “What?” Joey snipped, wrinkling her brow at him slightly.

“N-nothin’,” he reassured her with a shake of his head, “just...good for you.”

Joey narrowed her brown eyes at his weird comment. ‘Good for you’–what did he even mean by that? She wondered, but she brushed it off and gave him a smile. “Do you have sex on first dates?” she then casually asked him, not certain if he would actually answer her or not as she slowly caught his gaze. Was that too invasive of a question?

He had a lopsided smirk on his face as he stared at her, his cheeks barely pulsing that pinkish hue she liked and he faintly licked across his lips. “I have,” he said truthfully, lifting his one shoulder, “in the past.”

“But you…don’t anymore?”

He quirked a brow. “I don’t go on dates.”

Joey lifted her chin as she kept her eyes on his. “Mmm...right, I forgot about that…”

They both chuckled as Niall flipped over the next album in the bin he was looking through and yanked it out to show Joey. It was Judas Priest. Peeking down at the cover of the album, she covered her mouth with her hand as little giggle slipped out. “Why’re you laughin’?” Niall asked, fighting off his smile.

“What makes you think I would ever listen to heavy metal?”

Niall shrugged, his mouth turning down at the corners as he slipped it back into the row of records, both of them laughing. Joey sidestepped a little bit away from Niall as she continued to browse, and he followed her with his eyes. He could not get over how absolutely stunning she was. Just the way the dim, gritty yellow light of the vintage album store was slipping down her delicate profile, it made a warmth claw at his insides. He knew by the steadily annoying increase of his pulse and the sweat that was building up on his palms, and just how she made him feel when he was around her, he knew that he was really starting to like this girl. Way more than just as a friend. Niall gently cleared his throat. “So…what happened?” he spoke up, “that made ya...ya know, stop havin’ sex on the first date?”

Joey gnawed at her lip as she kept her stare down, flipping through more albums. “Well...do you remember, like, a month ago...the night of the festival?”

“Yeah.”

“The guy that I had gone there with, I sorta...slept with him that night.”

Niall swallowed hard, his mind flashing to that night and vividly remembering how she looked, how she smelled...how she had made his heart race in his chest. And how he was most definitely not the one she went home with. “Did ya?”

Not saying a word, Joey softly giggled and pulled out a Carly Rae Jepson record, holding it up as she peered over at Niall. A low chuckle bubbled from his throat and he shuffled himself over next to her again and took the record from her hand, the tips of his fingers softly dragging over hers. It made a small breath catch in Joey’s chest. “This is actually a sound record,” he said with as much conviction as he could muster. He held back his smile as his eyes danced over hers and stuffed the album back into its slot, “so no laughin’.”

He was only teasing her and the jokingly serious look on his face made her laugh even harder. “Anyway,” Joey went on, her voice staying low, “he was a complete dick to me the next morning and, I dunno, it just...wasn’t me. And definitely wasn’t what I was expecting. I was drunk and trying to let loose and have a ‘fun experience’, but it really wasn’t the experience that I wanted to have.”

Niall rolled his lips into his mouth as he peered over at her. “Yeah, well...when ya have sex with someone you don’t know, it usually isn’t.”

A sigh slipped past Joey’s lips and she hung her head back onto her shoulders in exasperation. “Jesus, Niall,” she said, her voice coming out a bit whiny with the mention of his name. She squeezed her eyes closed for a split second before lifting her head and glancing over at him. “I’m a twenty five year old woman, I should know these things by now.”

Niall’s chest rumbled with a heavy laugh as he looked back down and continued to flip through the bin of albums. “The only way to know is to experience ‘em and at least you can say you’ve got that now.”

Joey rolled her eyes in a huff. “Yeah...just never again.”

“Here,” Niall proclaimed, yanking out an Elton John record, “I think you’ll like this one.”

Joey leaned her body closer to Niall, that sweet scent of her soft skin violating his nose as she slowly slipped the album from his fingers. “You know what?” she said, turning her head to look up at him. “I think you’re right.”

Niall smiled at her. “Shall we get it then?” he asked her as she rested the album on top of the other two that were nestled in the crook of her arm, “You good?”

“Yup, I’m good,” Joey smiled.

“Sweet,” he mentioned as they both turned to walk up to the counter at the front of the store, “maybe we can go get some smoothies after this? I know this great place just a block or so from here. Do ya like smoothies?”

Joey tipped her head down in a giggle as they stepped up to the counter. She laid the albums down and slid them towards the cashier so he could ring her up as Niall shimmied his body next to hers and rested a hand on his hip. With a smile she glanced up at him, his eager blue eyes dancing across her face as he waited to see what she would say.

Watching as the tip of her tongue softly ran along her bottom lip, Niall felt a rush of excitement seep through his veins as a big bright smile spread over Joey’s face. “Yeah, I definitely like smoothies.”

#niall #niall horan #niall fic #niall fanfic #niall fan fic #niall ou #slowburn #tdg #chap 4 #hey yall!!!#PLEASE share and tell me what you think!!!#this one is kind of short #only bc this chapter and chap 5 were originally one part #but it was WAY too long so i had to split it up #anyway its still cute and fluffy and i hope you guys enjoy it :)#if i do finish this fic in time (i only have 2 more chapters to write) i might post them more than once a week #but we will see #happy reading!

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thinger-strang · 5 years ago

Text

no one dies and everyone's gay au

Nancy finds Barb when she gets stuck in the Upside Down when she's in the forest with Jonathan (don't ask me about the logistics) and so Steve ends up finding Jonathan and Barb in Nancy's room? And he's confused because at first he'd just seen Jon and thought Nancy was cheating but then he saw Barb walk into the room? (traumatic sleepover time! except Jon stays on the ground and Barb and Nance cuddle on the bed bc they're best friends and BARB WAS MISSING FOR LIKE TWO DAYS I THINK? she deserves snugs)

But Tommy and Carol started talking about how Nancy was probably sleeping with both, everyone knew Barb was the biggest d*ke in Hawkins, Nancy probably got curious about the other side!

He doesn't necessarily agree but still doesn't stop Tommy from spray painting the theater (because Nancy still lied to him? Lying generally meant there was something? going on? idk Steve's just confused and a little hurt rn)

The rest of the season goes pretty much the same, Barb's just there trying to not die and trying to help the Gang™ find Will and fight this bitch ass demogorgon (I don't think she's really be part of the Nancy and Jonathan luring it to the house and fighting it, she'd help with set up and the plan but I think she'd fuck right off when it comes down to facing it, she's had enough monsters for one life time thx)

But she'd so wanna help get Will out so she's there with Joyce and everyone talking to El while she's in the bath finding Will and talking Hop and Joyce about the Upside Down

(and she's been to the hospital, she didn't get a face sucking monster thing so she recovered quicker? idk don't ask logistics again lmao)

But she and Will end up getting along and sometimes when she's hanging out with Nancy and the party comes over she'll say hi to Will and like ruffle his hair

(also I want a little scene after the big monster hunting trip scene where a) Nancy and Jonathan explain everything to Steve and b) where Steve sees Barb again and pulls her into the biggest hug and starts like apologizing for not paying attention that night and for letting her get taken and even though she assured him it wasn't his fault he still feels guilty about it, it was his house, he should have helped her bandage her hand or something? idk but this right here is the beginning of the Barb/Steve friendship and the start of the "fall of King Steve")

cue s2

and so the four get really close, Jonathan and Steve are actually friends (idk what s2 was pulling but they're friends) and Barb talks to Nancy about Steve and Jonathan and Nancy ends up breaking up with Steve way earlier (bc you know none of that drama would have happened if Barb was there so)

But they're all still good friends, Steve's cool about the break up, and Nancy and Jonathan get together but it's not like right after? so it's all chill and they all went through a dramatic experience together so they remain close knit yeah

and Barb eventually comes out to them (everyone's supportive obviously) and Steve's is ready to throw down with anyone for her

cue Billy

the four of them are sizing up the new guy, Nancy doesn't really care, Jonathan thinks his hair is a little ridiculous (which I mean, that first day? when he steps out of the Camaro? yeah it was a lil rough), Barb can see right through his macho bullshit, and Steve? has a little bi meltdown. bc this kid has definitely had boy crushes before and knows he likes both (kid listens to queen of course he knew he was bi lmao)

blah blah blah s2 happens, Barb, Steve, and Billy have the same English class and Billys generally quiet during school, kinda stand-off-ish, only really bugs people during gym/basketball, but he literally sits in the back and does absolutely nothing during class and still somehow has the highest grade

(FUCK him and Barb get paired for a project and she fucking calls him out? like she's just like you're gay I'm lesbian you can cut the crap around me and they become...not friends? but they have solidarity, they're cool)

and I'm a slut for this trope but BILLY FIGHTS DEMODOGS WITH THEM lmao he hears Max sneak out and follows her and finds her in the junkyard armouring up a bus with fucking Harrington and a couple of nerds? and like the sun is setting and he needs to get Max home so he's like "Maxine! I don't know what the fuck this is and I don't fucking care, we gotta go!" and the four are like yelling at him to either leave or get in the bus! and he's so confused, I'm not here to play games Max! and Steve's running out of the bus with a FUCKING NAIL BAT WHAT THE FUCK HARRINGTON? And Steve's like behind you! and swings at a demodog. Billy has a borderline panic attack before he finds like a fender or exhaust pipe or whatever and starts swinging too

the dogs run away and Billy rounds onto Steve like what the living shit was that? and Steve has to explain everything with Dustin and Lucas interrupting and Max shrugging and trying to understand too? it's a mess

s2 continues with Billy and with HOPPER NOT BEING ABLE TO STAND HIM bc he's caught him speeding and underage drinking and shit and Billy's nervous as hell around cops which makes him mouthy and ITS A MESS

they're all at Joyce's (Barb's there too bc Will's possessed and they need to check up on her too? and she's concerned for Will anyway yeah she's in this too) and El shows up and Steve and Billy are just like what? another one? who the fuck? like Steve heard about her but this isn't a tiny child without hair??? idk it's funny

BILLY WITH AN AXE IN THE TUNNELS

(obviously Steve isn't passed out and the kids don't drive the car, it's Billy's awful impulse control that leads to them going into the tunnels)

okay I couldn't decide where to put Barb here? so I left her with Steve and Billy to babysit and she ends up in the tunnels too? and she's def handling it better than the boys are fuck yeah

Steve has his bat and is in front and Billy found an axe in the pile of shit from the Byers' shed and he pulls up the end

it's awesome

yada yada Steve and Billy end up becoming weirdly good friends by the end and he's good with him and Barb, idk about Nance and Jon but eh

s3 now

Billy ends up getting two jobs; lifeguard and cook at Benny's (bc he's alive too, fight me bitches this is the ultimate fix it) and Barb ends up working as a waitress there too (and working together builds the weirdest bonds so they are besties now)

everything in s3 is pretty much the same but with diner scenes too? and like all the Hawkins moms swarm Benny's too and leave lipstick stains on their kitchen tips and "send my compliments to the chef *wink*"

Billy eats it up but Barb can tell he also kinda hates it bc he's barely 18 and not even remotely into women and it makes him super uncomfortable but publicly he "loves" it (he starts wearing tank tops to the pool and tries to hide out in the kitchen but it really doesn't work)

he still gets caught up with the mind flayer but it's not bc he's about to sleep with Karen bc ew, idk why he's driving out by the warehouse idk maybe he's out on a drive bc he can't sleep yeah

anyway he gets caught up but like he knows, or kind of knows, what this is and calls in sick to both jobs and talks to Hopper bc WHAT THE FUCK isn't the gate closed? I got face fucked my an interdimensional monster so unless you know where the fuck that came from?? and they deal with it earlier (most of the shit still happens but it's less...messy? like Hop and Joyce are more involved in the Billy shit and Steve knows about it?)

Steve still gets caught up with the Russians (I don't think he'd have a chance to tell anyone (specifically Hopper) bc he finds out about Billy then the elevator stuff happens like right after and yada yada)

so for most of the season it's them trying to actually help Billy! and they end up saving a lot of people? (specifically Heather bc she was really nice to Billy and I want he to live fight me it's my au)

but enough people get melted and shit that starcourt still get destroyed blah blah blah!

but Billy makes it and so does Hop and Alexie (no one dies au) and they all end up doing the thing in the mall like they did in the shed with Will? like breaking Billy out? Barb talks about working at the diner and their secret and Steve talks about them hanging out and playing basketball and the tunnels and Max talks about Billy buying her a new board and them scream-singing along to ACDC in the Camaro and the kids mention him giving them rides and shit and yeah! El talks about his mom and that's it! Joyce and Hop close the gate while Billy's holding the one arm (he doesn't get stabbed in the chest, as cool as that scar would be, no...but he gets some on his hands and upper arms and his sides?)

(also Billy's drinking like bleach rn so they try and reverse that as much as possible while he's possessed so that he has a better recovery later bc no! chlorine is not good for you! and Billy tries so hard to not drink it but sometimes he can't fucking stop? idk but he has a support system now!)

and Robin came out to Steve and Steve comes out to her too? like kinda? he alludes to it vaguely bc he's so not ready to be out to anyone FUCK

And Billy comes out to Steve (he was planning on doing it earlier that summer but shit happened)

and Robin becomes friends with everyone (ITS ROBIN X BARB HOURS BITCHES)

(OKAY small like side shit? Benny and Hopper have known each other for years and Benny's like one of the only registered foster parents on Hawkins so he ends up fostering a lot of wayward kids while Hop figures out legal stuff (he hasn't adopted anyone yet but him and his husband (yeah Benny's gay deal with it) really want to? they just haven't yet, all the kids they take care of end up in their care temporarily) BUT Hop finds out about Billy and Max's home life (I know a lot of people write that Neil wouldn't hit Max but...nah son not how that works? idk but he needs to get them out? and Neil's bad to Susan too (he's the worst to Billy but still bad to Max and Susan) anyway Hop helps Susan leave Neil (it takes a while and Billy and Max end up with Benny for a little bit while the divorce is going down and all the legal shit yeah it's safer out of the house rn) long story short Billy ends up staying with Benny after everything and ends up getting adopted (they're like we know you're 18 and you don't need a guardian but if you want we can be your dads? and Billys like yeah sure that'd be nice and yeah) Hop ends up being a weird like uncle figure? idk like I said him and Benny are close and they both adopted kids so yeah? and Billy ends up considering El his little sister and he still visits Max and Susan and yeah?)

ANYWAY everything kind of calms down, Hop and Joyce get together (I just realized I forgot about Bob so...idk I guess this isn't an everyone survives au? no no that's weird um idk him and Joyce end up breaking up idk why) but yeah Hop and Joyce get together and like it's kind of fast but they've been in love for a long time so it's kind of fine? like idk but yeah

Barb and Robin get together (ITS FUCKING CUTE they go to aquariums and have paint dates where they sit on some old sheets and paint while listening to Robin's records ITS CUTE!)

STEVE COMES OUT TO EVERYONE! he definitely cries bc fuck he was scared! bc he likes both and he wasn't sure if that was a thing or whatever for a while and Billy's like oh yeah, like David Bowie or Freddie Mercury? and that's when Steve's cries bc oh thank God you guys get it and you're cool with it oh fuck and YEAH

UM Max is bi too, Will comes out as gay (listen I know none of this is like 80's realistic but everyone's gay and alive and happy, fuck off)

Um it takes forever for Billy and Steve to get together, it's awful. like Barb and Robin have to deal with their pining and shit? and like Robin hears about it from Steve at work and Barb hears about it from Billy at the diner and they put their knowledge together and make a Plan ™

it's like elaborate and dramatic (shut up they're all like 18-19) and shit? BUT LMAO okay one day they're all hanging out at Steve's (bc I've also hopped aboard the neglectful parents train sorry) and idk Steve and Billy are there before Robin and Barb are so the girls walk in on them arguing over whatever and like Billy's talking really fast and Steve's talking with his hands and idk what it's about but Billy ends up yelling that he loves him BUT THEY KEEP ARGUING FOR LIKE A SOLID MINUTE AFTER THAT BEFORE IT HITS THEM and Steve gets all quiet and is just like you love me? and Billy doesn't fucking know what to do?? he's like bright red and frozen and Robin and Barb are by the door trying to not like break the spell (bc it's been months guys) and Billy's like of course I do asshole and Robin thinks Steve's about to have a panic attack but he like rushes forward and cups Billy's face and kisses him senseless and it's like the best thing Robin and Barb have ever seen

and they're resting their foreheads together, Steve's still holding Billy's face and Billy has his hands on Steve's chest it's really tender but Robin's like yeah congrats and shit but you guys ruined our Plan™! and she gives them a long ass rundown of their elaborate scheme and Steve and Billy are like still touching and bumping into each other as they listen and Barb interrupts and says that this was better and Robin rolls her eyes but agrees

and they're watching a movie or whatever, cuddling in their respective couples and Steve fucking jumps up randomly and rounds on Billy like hey woah fuck I love you too, I didn't say that earlier! and Billy's looking up at him like yeah I know that asshole and yeah

#okay this is s u p e r long sorry #but also not #harringrove #robin x barb #fix-it #stranger things #the ultimate fix-it #pls ask me stuff about this im so down to ramble about this?#pls #fic #my stuff #also idk how to do keep reading thungs so sorry 😬#also i barely mention nancy jon the kids or the adults #this is about my gay quad #buckland #bobin #my writings

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pbandjesse · 4 years ago

Text

I had a really terrible head ache since like. 3pm. But I am sipping on gatorade now and its helping. I think it was a combination of heat, not enough sleep, and a lack of water and caffeine. But today was still a really good day.

James and me got ready this morning but we were both kind of exhausted. Which made him very tired, and me very worried. But we got out of the house on time, James drove me out to camp. We got the cabinet I got for CJ out of the car, and he headed out. Took the car to the shop for a check up, and he went to work.

And I worked on trying to have a productive day.

It was a good day though. I made myself a little to do list. And I got a good amount of it done. I worked on making The two different looms for the kids to work with. But there is still much to do! Joe, the grounds keeper, brought me nails and cut wood for me to make the beading looms. They will work very much like my bead loom at home, but they will use big pony beads instead. Its going pretty well in practice, so well see how it goes with the kids.

I also made samplers for embroidery. I need to draw out more, but so far so good on that as well. I think what my plan will be is wishbone stick looms for the under 7s, beading for the 8 to 10s, and then 11 and up do embroidery? Unclear. I got my kid counts today from Heather so I will work more on figuring that all out tomorrow. James is going to try to maybe come visit, so I will put him to work. But were not sure he's going to come because when I checked with Alexi at the end of the day she wasnt clear. I sent an email telling her that if its not okay that I wont be upset. But yeah well see.

I spent the morning working on all those projects. And at 1130 I wandered to the office to heat up my lunch. I ate on the porch and then went back to the art shed to lay in my hammock.

I slept for a little while. It wasnt exactly that I didnt feel well. I just felt so tired.

I had a good nap. I woke up and worked on setting up for the YSL kids I would have this afternoon. I went to the office to scan some papers. And then went to wait for my class to come.

I was excited to work with the teens. A little intimidated but they were great. We did the plaster casting project, and then the sampler. I think the biggest take away was that they were really focused and worked really hard, but were incredibly needy! Like not in the same way, but some of them got really upset really easy when something didnt work out. It was great though. And they all did so well. One girl had some issues with her clay and I had to make a second batch of plaster and I messed up the consistency (first to thick and then to thin) but when they come pick them up from me tomorrow it should be all good.

It was really fun teaching them the embroidery though. We did 8 stitches. Only 2 of the girls got to the chain stitch, but everyone did a running stitch, a knot, and a back stitch. It was great. I was so proud. And I got a big compliment when one of the girls said she must really like this because she wasnt worried about going swimming which was their next program. Made me feel really good.

But once they were gone, and I was cleaned up, my head was just pounding.

I went for a walk. Collected for wishbone sticks for looms. Stopped at the trading post and got a soda to see if that caffeine would help. And it did for a while. But my head still really hurt. I got my sticks and went to set those up. Felt accomplished. As I was finishing up that James texted me that he was on his way. Excellent. I went to the office to wait for him and get some counts for things.

He got there and I went and closed up the art shed. Walked over to him. We drove back towards to office to say bye to Charlotte and to check in with Alexi which is when she was like. Unsure if he could visit. But she didnt say no. So I sent an email saying I wouldnt be upset if she did say no, but if he does come he'll just be with me in art helping out there. So well see. We have had other visitors but everything is weird because of the ongoing pandemic that we are pretending isnt happening.

At least Pennsylvania has made masks mandatory for being out in public. Everywhere else should do that. I wore the tube neck scarf style today and while I liked parts of it, it made me a little to hot and by the end of the day I was having trouble getting it to stay up. I used a hair clip but it was not ideal. Ah well.

I was super tired in the car. And I could feel how tired James was too. I was super glad to be home. I found another set of plastic drawers in the trash across the street. So we grabbed those. I had a really good package of stuff when we got in. Including some face products I was excited to try.

We got on the couch and caught some of the new bugs and fish in animal crossing. It was fun to just spend that time together being excited about bugs. James made me a flat bread pizza but it didnt taste right. So I had veggie chicken nuggets instead. And eventually came and laid down.

I took a shower and now I am chilling, watching videos and listening to James play games with his friends. Its a nice night.

I hope tomorrow is a good day. I am excited to do a little embroidery with some of the older kids as a mini project. But I really just hope I sleep well.

Goodnight everyone!

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alittlepudge-neverhurtnobody · 5 years ago

Note

trope game - accidental/oblivious weight gain

I got this and “relationship weight” and had a laugh bc those are both EXCELLENT TROPES THAT I LOVE but also EVERYTHING I WRITE OSCILLATES BETWEEN THOSE TWO POINTS

that said, I will do my best:

well, Ted/Alexis, OBV. that’s the whole fic premise I have for them, besides “Alexis discovering her kinks and learning how to process and communicate her desire.” Ted has a lot going on and I don’t think he’s super aware of his body the way Alexis would be of hers, so I can toooootally see him letting go a little, trading his morning runs for indulgent breakfasts at the cafe, coming straight home after work instead of hitting the gym so he can have dinner with Alexis. and it never occurs to him that this might have actual consequences on his body, so when he figures out he’s gained like thirty pounds, it’s a total surprise to him. (it is not a total surprise to Alexis. She has been VERY INTENTLY keeping track.)

David/Patrick are also a definite. I’ve done Patrick gaining weight intentionally so I would loooove to explore him gaining by accident, OR David gaining by accident and coming to terms with it. Maybe this is the same fic from this ask where David is obliviously gaining, but Patrick notices and starts hunting for sized-up versions of David’s designer looks from secondhand stores. I would write Patrick really conflicted because he knows how fragile David’s body image is and has no idea how the news that he’s gotten chubby will affect him, but also being really fucking into it and struggling with how to handle that.

this is essentially my Adam/Gansey AU, but so far in that there isn’t a whole lot of emphasis on it being accidental/oblivious, so I would write an installment on Adam’s hyperawareness of Gansey’s absent eating habits and his quiet cataloging of the changes to Gansey’s body. I’d write Adam’s fascination with the way that Gansey is completely unaware of how much space he takes up, or how much more space he takes up now. The way he fits in desks in class or keeps squeezing into pants that don’t fit anymore, or eats like he’s still on the crew team despite having dropped it two years ago.

Simon/Baz: I think canonically Simon’s weight gain is pretty accidental? But I would write like … more details. Like, Simon existing solely in sweats and old t-shirts that make it super easy for him to totally miss the development that he’s getting chubby. Simon burying himself under blankets to hide from the world while also hiding from himself the extra stone or two of belly he’s put on in the past couple months. Simon dressing in so many layers to keep himself warm that when he catches himself looking thick and bulky in the mirror, or feels a bulge of belly or a roll at his side, he just assumes it’s the four jumpers he has on over his stretched-out Watford t-shirt. when his sweatpants stop fitting, he figures he must have fucked up doing laundry without magic and steals Penny’s instead because they always safely fit. until ….. they don’t. when Penny’s sweats start getting snug on him, he has to reevaluate. I like to think that past the initial shock of realizing how much weight he’s put on, Simon is pretty okay with it. extra weight is comfy! safe! warm!! it’s Not Starving. and when he’s finally ready for Baz to touch him again, there’s a lot more of him to grab and to hold. Baz is DELIGHTED.

Quentin/Eliot: Q overworking himself so much and getting so caught up in his studies that he doesn’t even notice when he begins gaining weight. but Eliot is noticing – the push of belly against Q’s t-shirts, his stupid-adorable chubby cheeks, the way his little double chin becomes visible when he puts his hair up into a bun to do homework or solve a problem. is Eliot maybe … helping this along? making sure Q eats something after a long night of studying or a stressful exam and doesn’t waste away from exhaustion? well, maybe, but he’s just being a good friend! good friends take care of each other. sometimes they also want to smooch. sometimes they are slowly dying watching the object of their affections start to fill out his pants and tug at the hems of his shirts every five seconds and adjust the way he curls up in chairs to read because it’s not quite as comfortable as it used to be but he’s too busy to investigate why. Eliot guides him to bed one night when Q is so tired he can barely see straight, and when he rests his head on Eliot’s shoulder, Eliot goes in for a forehead kiss. Q goes in for a real kiss, and they roll into bed together and lie sleepily together. that night Quentin finds out via all of Eliot’s grabbing that wow, yeah, he has put on some weight.

#i've been flirting with danger and working on these in the student lounge #so far i am successfully undercover #tropes #ted x alexis #david x patrick #adam x gansey #simon x baz #quentin x eliot

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dream-beyond-the-fantasy · 5 years ago

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Saturday at GalaxyCon Raleigh

I was too exhausted to post on Saturday, so I will try to recount everything now.

My cousin Alexis and I left out at a little after 7 am, making a few stops (atm, gas, Starbucks). We took back roads instead of taking the interstate. Still a roughly two hour drive, but it was scenic and low traffic. We talked about favorite Tim Curry movies and horror movies (good vs. bad, remakes) and listened to some of her favorite podcasts during the long drive. Parking wasn’t a problem and we ended up arriving like fifteen minutes before the doors were meant to open. There was a huge line that we had to wait in because there were so many attending on Saturday and they weren’t opening doors for anyone unless you were con staff or a vendor. The waiting in line wasn’t too bad; it was mostly the people with VIP or 4 Day badges who were whining that they couldn’t get in yet. As our line got closer to the building, I spotted @boxofficequeen2416 and said hello. Thankfully, it wasn’t too hard to find the pre-registration desk or a bathroom.

Our first stop was the Exhibition Room. We decided to walk the outside first and work our way in before trying to find the celebrities and Tim Curry photo op line. God, it was so fucking crowded and suffocating. We saw how long Curry’s line was and decided to wait a few hours, checking out out other celebrities.

Our first stop was Chris Sarandon, as he was on the end and was a main draw for my cousin. She had planned to do just an autograph, but decided to do the combo. Alexis got her Jack Skellington Funko Pop figure signed. When he asked her name, Chris mentioned that he has a daughter named Alexis. He also asked if he could put his arm around her in the table photo.

My first stop was Barry Bostwick, as he had hardly anyone in his line. I did the autograph/table photo combo. I brought something to be signed by him. It was an oversized movie postcard that came with my Cult Films textbook from college. Barry hadn’t seen anything like it and had to take a picture of it with his phone. He signed it “Dammit Kristi, I llove you!” He took two selfies with me. He was super sweet. He had asked me what I went to college for (Media Studies). When I told him that I didn’t get a job in that field mostly because I didn’t know what I wanted to do, he was very kind and told me that it was okay and that I would find something that I was suited for.

My next stop was Daphne Zuniga. Out of all the photos for her to sign, there was only one for Melrose Place. Can you believe that? One of the two roles she is most famous for and only one photo for it! Naturally, I had to get that autographed. I also told her that I was currently watching the show and had just watched an episode that morning. She asked what season I was on. I told her that it was the third season and I think it was maybe the nineteenth episode of the season. Daphne couldn’t even remember what had happened in that season. That struck me as a bit odd, since she was only in the first four seasons. I told her that Jo was pregnant that season.

Next up was selfies with Kristy Swanson. She was really sweet and patient while I tried to get my phone ready. She took four pictures with me. I told her that we shared the same name, but one letter different.

After the panel was over, I met boxofficequeen2416 again. I really wanted to join her for the Anthony Michael Hall Q&A. But I knew my cousin was waiting for me. We were going to try and get into the Tim Curry line. No go, the staffer said try again at 2:45. So, I got in line to get an autograph from Jonathan Frakes. It didn’t look so bad, compared to how it was earlier in the day. OMG, I was in line for a fucking hour! My cousin tried calling me three times and texted twice while I was in line and I was worried that con staff would freak out because I had a phone out. It honestly wouldn’t have been so bad if it wasn’t for VIPs and their “fast lane”. Damn line jumpers, ugh. But Frakes is such a sweetie who loves to talk to everyone getting an autograph and/or selfie. Sadly, that also makes things take longer. I got my DVD cover of Star Trek: First Contact signed by Frakes. He starred in and directed that film. He told me that it was is favorite movie.

I went over to Anthony Michael Hall’s booth, as there was hardly anyone there. I had my DVD cover for The Breakfast Club signed. He was really nice. He shook my hand and thanked me for coming. When he was about to sign, he asked how I spell my name, as there are about twenty different ways. I got compliments on my shirt, which I told him I wore just because I found out he was coming and that it has been my favorite movie for years.

We walked around a little more. Alexis bought some things for herself and a Bucky print for a friend. I found the Bard’s Tower booth and immediately spotted Timothy Zahn. They did free signings! I had Heir to the Empire signed by him. I also had a promotional Decipher card depicting him as Talon Karrde, Michael A. Stackpole as Corran Horn, and Shannon McRandle as Mara Jade signed. I received that card eight years ago at StellarCon 36 after I told Mike Stackpole that Tim Zahn was my favorite author. Stackpole signed it and hand it to me, telling me to hold onto it until I had the chance to get Tim to sign it. About 11:45 or so, we headed over to buy food. I got a pepperoni pizza from Papa John’s. She got some macaroni and pork, as well as a bottle of tea. The food was so good, but she felt hers wasn’t worth the $14 she paid.

Nearly four o’clock, we decided we were exhausted and ready to start our two hour journey home. There were several people that I missed out on seeing, but we had a great time. I hope to be back next year.

Then we decided to take a break from the Exhibition Room. I unfortunately missed out on Catherine Tate’s Q&A. But I knew Jason David Frank’s would start soon. Alexis went out to the video gaming section and watched a few games being played. JDF was nearly twenty minutes late to his own panel. When he finally showed up, he apologized. That man looked damn good in a suit. I wish I could have gotten a clearer picture of him. He is such a nice, down-to-earth guy. He even stated that it is perfectly okay for fans to try and take a picture of him, despite the con rules. He told us how he got into acting, how he received his role on Power Rangers, his cameo in the 2017 movie, and showed us the trailer for The Legend of the White Dragon, a Power Rangers fan film that he and Johnny Yong Bosch are trying to film with other ranger actors for the fans. OMG! We need this so badly! I’ve never donated money online or done anything with Kickstarter, but I am so tempted to do it for this.

After that, I think I went to see Christopher Daniel Barnes. I was originally just going to get an autograph, but his handler talked me into the combo since his prices were so cheap ($40 for both). Poor guy barely had anyone at his table, compared to his costar (Barnes voiced Prince Eric in The Little Mermaid and the mermaid herself Jodi Benson was always swarmed by fans). Of the potential photos to be signed were mostly Prince Eric, at least four different 1994 Spider-Man: The Animated Series prints, one which I didn’t recognize but also had Robert Hays (which I have since learned is Starman), and only one Greg Brady from The Brady Bunch Movie/A Very Brady Sequel. Naturally, I chose Greg Brady. Barnes is definitely a nice guy.

I believe our final venture was the Tim Curry photo op. The line was considerably shorter, thankfully. I knew that Curry had a stroke a while back and was in a wheelchair. But as soon as we went behind the curtain, I wanted to cry when I laid eyes on him. I am aware that he is in his 70s, but it appears that his stroke has definitely taken a toll. And the hours of exhausting photo ops probably hadn’t helped (he started at 11 am and was supposed to go until 5 pm).

#galaxycon raleigh 2019 #galaxycon raleigh #my weekend #jonathan frakes #anthony michael hall #barry bostwick #christopher daniel barnes #kristy swanson #daphne zuniga #jason david frank #timothy zahn #tim curry #chris sarandon

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candymayvary · 6 years ago

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I’ve been reading some things here and there, and honestly I’m a little disappointed. I don’t know why people are out, attacking others, for being uncomfortable at the most recent episode. Especially walking onto blogs... that clearly contain that person’s opinions and always has, and drags them down about it.

Post-EP40, we had a similar situation. Granted, a lot less aggravated, but it was full of people from both sides, some feeling that it was a good end for them to the game, while others were unhappy with the end result. Be it that some people had felt that tension was getting to the point of sex, whereas others either wanted more time to develop the relationship further, or not feel cut out of the goal of episodes. Everything was very in the moment, because UL had been announced, there was such a rush of initial positivity at what UL could’ve been.

And I feel like that’s one of the biggest misgivings, beyond Beemoov’s clear inability to understand maturity.

Once again, the end result of episodes, being illustrations, are locked behind an option that does have the potential to make players uncomfortable. And it has. It was bad enough in episode 40, the final episode for HSL, that the last ever illustration for it... was locked behind a sexual option. And there wasn’t really an option around it, to even just have a variation of the illustrations, clothed, for choosing the option to turn down sex. Illustrations are the end goals of episodic games like MCL, and always have been. Intertwined with correct outfit choices, correct dialogue, etc, etc, there has been options before where they have locked certain illustrations behind choices that aren’t always great.

Such as using the money to go shopping with Alexy, or teaming up with Amber with her demand to ignore Castiel. Two choices, of varying consequence and controversy with players. That is recognisable, and something to bring up, when discussing illustrations locked behind choices.

But UL didn’t build up to that point either. Even in the first episode, they had some choices that were a bit of a stretch for some players. Not everyone enjoys consuming alcohol. That should’ve been a choice that was unpunished, and not left open for ‘getting another round’ with the implication it would be alcohol next, even after choosing something like lemonade. Again, there was an illustration tied into choosing dialogue that suggested consumption of alcohol (Priya’s). Players expressed they were uncomfortable with this line, and they were belittled for it.

To bring this back to UL EP9, it’s the same sort of thing. A lot of people, both in support of the final illustrations and not, recognised that the illustrations could’ve been characters dressed up in the 1920′s outfits. After all, that’s what you would’ve assumed initially (I mean, I did, from the trailer). Especially since parties are all that seem to be carrying the plot through. It also would’ve been a nice touch, to have another either group, or individual, series of illustrations.

Not everyone has those sort of dreams either, some people do. Not everyone is comfortable with sex, even in or out of a relationship. Some people are, and even out of monogamous, open or polyamorous relationships, enjoy sex. Not everyone believes that sex carries a marriage. Some people do. What a person’s sexuality is doesn’t also determine what they are and aren’t comfortable with. Truly, some people can be in longterm loving relationships, and not have sex. Not because they are sex repulsed, but just because they don’t feel like it, they still aren’t entirely comfortable with the concept or it’s just not a necessity to their happiness.

Just because a game has bumped up their rating (to 16+, which honestly can mean anything from swearing to suggestive content, naturally), doesn’t mean they can ignore what were the larger concerns at the end of their initial game. Continually beating down themes that they try to honestly pass off as mature, which don’t actually constitute as reaching maturity, is exhausting.

So honestly, seriously... don’t go after people who explain their feelings towards being uncomfortable with the ending. None of the people I’ve witnessed have actually gone after anyone in particular themselves. They’re almost all talking in generals. Some are critiquing the pacing of the game, and others just explain their own feelings. Some people are just asked what they thought about the episode, gave an honest answer... and got shot down because of it. I don’t know what people were expecting there. You asked someone for their opinion, and then got angry when you didn’t like it. Especially for plenty of people who have carried the same general view for the longest time.

(And I suppose here’s another thing... the episodes still aren’t giving any warnings as to what episodes may contain. So when people are walking in blind, at launch, and come across something like this, what else are their initial reactions going to be? Beemoov still, consistently, fails to put in warnings for MCL/UL. Their rating doesn’t actually give a sense of what the episodes can entail. It’s a general system used. You... still have to give warnings. And that list has to expand to accomodate whatever it is you’re putting into your game.)

#*personal

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