#jackie blaze

[dragon-razor-writings]

Jackie Blaze: "I want to wake up with you every day for the rest of our lives."

Jaune: "I wake up at 4:30 AM every day to train."

Jackie Blaze: "I want to see you at some point every day for the rest of our lives."

[greekceltic]

Hetherev art featuring @achromant's OCs

Jacky will investigate people if they wander into her bubble or vice versa (especially if she plans to sleep there), but she'll do it from a 'safe' distance and will try not to be noticed. If she's this close to strangers she's already got a mental map of how she's gonna bolt because she likes being alive. If she really, REALLY doesn't want to be noticed she has dried sneaker bush leaves to erase her scent, but she'd rather make it work without, and her Hetherev stash is probably losing its potency. She'll interact too, but see and don't get seen is how most of her interactions with other people go, like a stoat. Though I feel like these two are more than capable of noticing Lol

[cadenreigns]

Sins of Goliath chapter 19 is up on AO3, it was a big chapter so extra art.

[wurm-food]

LOVE IS REAL AND EXISTS IN THE WORLD BY THE WAY 😭😭💕💕 CAN YOU BELIEVE IT

[thousandflame]

❝ Looks like you won. ❞ - reivun

our muses are sparring and my muse ends up on top of yours, pinning them down. send me  ❝ looks like you won. ❞ for my muse’s reaction.

Usually, Ivan almost towered above her.

He was not outstandingly tall, but her own height was just about average. But as the saying went---the taller they are, the harder they fall. And from what she could recall, she did not remember him ever having been known for his prowess in hand-to-hand. Still, it had not been easy to put him on the mat. The mage business was one where only the skilled and powerful lasted long---and much like him, she had lasted. And Cymbeline had always believed in 'credit where credit is due'. It was due here, and she could admit that.

Looking down at him, Cymbeline smiled and the edges of her smile were dipped in subtle smugness. Like most people she knew, she enjoyed winning. It had been hardwon, she could admit that much as she was also not exactly an expert at hand-to-hand combat. Jasper (forever twenty-five, forever laughing proudly in her memory) had been and he had needled her to improve, and that thought still broke her heart a little sometimes.

At least she did not feel the need to cry about the memory of her team this time.

She lifted one hand to brush hair out of her face, letting go of the wrist that she had previously pinned to the mat. Her vision no longer obscured, she regarded Ivan, trying to read his face. That had always been difficult---he was someone who kept all his cards close to his chest. He was near unreadable now, too, despite his dishevelled state. But---she supposed that she had gotten used to it by now.

@reivun

[stilinskiandthebanshee]

Natalie Scatorccio x clueless!reader. like nat has been flirting for weeks at parties, but reader still doesn't notice it. and then at a party they are hanging out and a guy flirts with reader, and reader is all "oh he was just being friendly!". nat then realizes that reader is just a little oblivious to verbal forms of flirting, so she decides to SHOW reader that she was flirting...yk

ANON!! Your request has been finished! Guys, I haven’t written anything in maybe going on like 4/5 years so this was very therapeutic for me. I’m posting this immediately because if not I’ll obsess over it and then lock it away in my drafts forever. I stopped this before it got NSFW but I’m open for a second part if requested! Hope y’all enjoy!

Word Count: 4.4k

Warnings: Typical shit. Weed, alcohol

The View From Down Under

You hadn’t realized that finally making varsity would mean trading Friday nights with Alina—smoking whatever you could steal from her brother’s stash—for getting dragged to random parties with Lottie and the rest of the team. Yet, here you were, red solo cup shoved into your hands by Randy Walsh, standing in front of a blazing bonfire while drunk teenagers stumbled around you.

Lottie had long since abandoned you, muttering something around a cigarette that might’ve been Laura Lee’s name, but you hadn’t asked—and honestly, hadn’t cared enough to.

Your mind was drifting, lulled by the roar of the fire and the shouts of the crowd, just loud enough to drown out the swirl of thoughts buzzing in your head. You sipped your drink absently, eyes fixed across the flames on a very drunk Shauna arguing with Taissa, while Jackie attempted to separate them like she hadn’t already had enough. There was no universe where you were getting involved in that.

“They’re fucking psychotic,” a familiar raspy voice cut through the noise, nearly making you drop your drink. You didn’t have to look to know it was Natalie—but you did anyway.

She had a cigarette halfway to her lips, but her gaze was already locked on you, wearing the same unreadable expression she always had when she looked your way. It made your stomach twist. You held her stare for a beat before humming in acknowledgment and looking away—back to Jackie, who was now shoving Shauna down onto a lawn chair like a misbehaving toddler.

After that, it became a silent game—glances traded like cards. One minute, you could feel her eyes on the back of your head; the next, you were watching the smoke curl from her lips like you were hypnotized. Her pupils were blown wide, her grin lazy. Definitely high on something her crew had scored. Whatever was in your cup hit you all at once, the night fuzzing around the edges.

You forgot you were supposed to look away.

You couldn’t stop staring—not at the cigarette, or the way her lips curled around it, or the smoke painting lazy spirals against her skin. It wasn’t until you caught the smirk twitching at the edge of her mouth that you turned sharply, muttering something about the “damn alcohol.”

Then she leaned in, voice so low it practically slithered into your ear. “You want one?”

You didn’t even realize how close you’d gotten. When had that happened?

Her tone was pure challenge, mischief flickering beneath her cool expression. It made your chest tighten. You nodded before you could second-guess yourself.

Her smile widened as she passed you a loose cigarette. You started to fumble for an excuse—you didn’t have a lighter—but she beat you to it. Her fingers brushed yours, feather-light, as she flicked the lighter to life. You leaned closer. Ignored the strange flutter in your stomach. Inhaled.

Her grin turned soft, impressed. Almost… pleased. “No uniform tonight,” she said, head tilting, eyes dragging across you like she was seeing something new. “It’s… nice.”

You coughed, nearly choking on the smoke, swaying a little on your feet. God, were your cheeks burning? Did Natalie Scatorccio just give you a compliment?

It sure felt like one.

“Thanks,” you managed. “You look… nice too.”

It came out smaller than hers had. Less cool. But she just hummed in reply, her weight shifting as she rocked on her heels. Her gaze flicked over your shoulder, something catching her attention—her brows twitched, just for a second—but then she was back, that grin tugging at her lips again.

She giggled, light and warm, and reached out to squeeze your elbow. “You’re adorable. I’ll see you around, Newbie.”

And just like that, she was gone—vanishing into the party haze, leaving behind only the scent of cigarettes and vanilla.

You stood there, blinking after her, the cigarette forgotten in your hand. Maybe joining the soccer team wasn’t such a bad idea after all.

The next party had come quicker than you’d liked. Jackie had practically dragged you to her house after practice to help “set up.” Somehow, she’d convinced the team to do a movie night at her place. Things had been getting tense lately—some girl who’d recently been bumped to varsity clearly hadn’t been pulling her weight, more interested in boys and clout than the actual game. No one had been able to agree on how to handle it, so instead, everyone had been tiptoeing around an irritated Taissa and playing nice for your beloved captain. Hence, “decorating” duty.

You hadn’t minded spending time with Jackie and Shauna—you just hadn’t known them that well. You hadn’t been able to pin down their dynamic outside of being close. But you’d seen the way Shauna had looked at Jackie when Jeff wasn’t paying attention. And the way she’d looked at him when Jackie was. Not that it had been any of your business.

You’d only really been close with Lottie and Van—people who’d floated in and out of your life over the years. And… Natalie, now, you guessed. Ever since the last party, when she’d so graciously offered you a cigarette, she’d been… different. She’d still played rough during practice, still knocked the wind out of you when she stole the ball—but afterward, she’d started flashing crooked smiles, sometimes asking questions about your life, always loose and casual. Occasionally, she’d even been offering you another cigarette before warm-ups, like it was nothing. You’d started slipping your notes into her locker on days she skipped class. You hadn’t been best friends, not even close—but there had been something friendly there. Something shifting.

Which was how you’d ended up squished on the couch between her and Van, the group’s popcorn bowl nestled in your lap. You hadn’t been paying attention to the movie at all. You’d been too busy trying not to flinch every time Natalie’s fingers brushed yours, too focused on the breathy chuckle she let out when she leaned in to whisper a stupid joke about the plot. You’d ignored Van’s quiet laughter every time your breath hitched.

Halfway through the movie, Jackie had paused it, calling a group bathroom break and telling everyone to refill snacks and drinks. Natalie had flashed a grin your way as she stood, pulling a little baggie from her pocket. “All I heard was smoke break,” she’d teased, grabbing the popcorn from your lap before disappearing out the door.

You could feel Van grinning beside you, her amusement radiating without even needing to look.

You’d elbowed her. “What?”

She’d laughed, poking at the red rising on your cheeks before throwing her hands up in surrender. “Nothing, nothing. Just... you and Nat’ve gotten close, that’s all.”

You’d glanced toward the door—Natalie was out of earshot, thank god—and pushed Van again, your voice low and panicked. “What are you even talking about?”

Van had shrugged, giving you a sideways look. “I’m just saying—Nat’s not nice to people. Not unless she wants something.”

You’d scoffed. “She’s just being friendly.”

That had earned you a full-on belly laugh that hadn’t stopped until Natalie strolled back in, her eyes visibly redder, a lopsided smile on her face as she balanced three beers and your bowl of popcorn in her arms like it was nothing. You’d lunged forward instinctively to save the bowl, and she’d flashed you a grateful grin before flopping back onto the couch—closer this time. Her thigh had brushed yours. It was a cramped couch. It was fine. It was fine.

“Miss me?” she’d drawled, voice slower, lazier.

You’d reached for a beer she handed you, your fingers grazing again. “This two-seater felt so empty without you,” you’d shot back, dryly.

Her arm had casually draped over the back of the couch, fingers trailing lightly along your shoulder. She’d leaned in, lips ghosting your ear. “Oh, I bet, princess. I felt you yearning for me all the way from the porch.”

Before you could think of a comeback, Van had snorted behind you. “You two wanna get a room?”

You’d elbowed her without breaking eye contact with Natalie, who was still looking at you like she was sizing you up. Her gaze had dropped to your lips, just for a second, and when she spoke again, her fingers had tightened slightly over your shoulder.

“Nah,” she’d murmured. “It’s hotter how red she gets when everyone’s watching.”

You’d been too flustered to speak, heart hammering against your ribs like it was trying to escape.

Thankfully, Jackie’s voice had sliced through the moment before it could swallow you whole. “Okay, movie’s starting in thirty seconds! Everyone shut up and get comfortable!”

You hadn’t let yourself look at Natalie again, afraid of what you’d find in her eyes.

She’d been bold like that. Sharp and toothy in all the places you weren’t. It had been part of what had drawn you to her in the first place—even before she knew you existed.

She was just being friendly, you reminded yourself.

Right?

Eventually, you got a Friday to breathe. The Yellowjackets had been on a kind of winning streak lately, blowing through the competition gracefully—after hours and hours of extra practice. You’d finally made it to Spring Break: two weeks without school, without soccer. Well, mostly. Jackie was still making everyone commit to at least two practices so no one would be “off their game” once school started back up.

That meant the team had scattered. Lottie was out of town visiting her parents. Shauna and Jackie had taken a cabin trip with Jackie’s family. The rest of the team—you didn’t know well enough to even guess what their plans were.

You were sitting next to Alina, who was yapping your ear off about some boy at her school. She’d transferred at the beginning of the year on a scholarship to a fancier school up north. You’d been jealous—but if she hadn’t left, you never would’ve joined the soccer team. So you supposed a win was a win.

The air outside was muggy, sticking to your skin like shitty sunscreen. It had rained the last five days in a row, and the heat was heavy, unrelenting. You and Alina were sprawled across the back porch, cigarettes dangling from your lips as you sipped some lukewarm beer you’d grabbed from the cooler at the small party her brother was throwing.

Van and Taissa were tucked away in some corner of the backyard, doing a terrible job of being subtle. Not that anyone here would care.

But your eyes were drawn to Natalie. Had been from the second she walked through the door in a red plaid skirt, her signature leather jacket slung over her shoulders, eyeliner perfectly smudged. She was standing near a radio, tinkering with the knobs, a joint hanging from her lips, eyebrows furrowed in concentration. You knew she was friends with Alina’s brother, Kevyn. Over the years, the group of you had drifted into each other’s orbit—though back then, neither Kevyn nor Natalie would’ve given you the time of day.

Alina nudged you in the side, cold condensation from her drink splashing against your leg, a sharp contrast to the wet heat. It worked. You blinked and dragged your eyes away from Natalie.

“Are you even listening to me?” Alina sighed, a pout softening her features.

You shook your head and finished off your beer. “Yeah, yeah. Sorry.”

She rolled her eyes, but without any real bite. Her gaze followed yours—landing squarely on Natalie’s frustrated stance by the radio—and she smirked, bumping her shoulder into yours.

“Why don’t you just go— I don’t know—actually talk to her?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” you said, feigning innocence.

Even after all these months, after how much closer you and Natalie had gotten, you still felt the need to tiptoe. Especially with so many eyes always on you. Van and Taissa looked at you like they could see straight through your skin. The rest of the team threw strange glances when Natalie joked too loudly or leaned too close in the locker room. They didn’t get it. Didn’t understand why someone like her would hang out with someone like you.

Alina just hummed distractedly, her eyes locking onto the boy she’d been going on about, now walking through the back gate. She at least gave you the courtesy of leaning over and whispering, “Stop being a weirdo and just go talk to her,” before she was off, launching herself into his arms.

You shook your empty can as the soft hum of the record player finally spilled into the yard. Natalie cheered from her post beside it. And as if she could feel your stare, she turned toward you, smirking as she nodded you over.

Well. You did need another beer.

You made your way over slowly, ignoring the hushed whispers from Van and Taissa as you passed.

As soon as you were close, Natalie slung an arm over your shoulder, tugging you against her side. She took a deep inhale, then exhaled the smoke away from your face.

“You proud of me or what?”

You shook your head, letting her guide you toward an old, ratty recliner tucked in the back of the open garage. A few people were scattered around, but most had gravitated toward the open air, desperate for any semblance of breeze.

“Oh, definitely,” you said. “You’re a natural technician. I always knew there had to be some kind of skill in there somewhere.” You knocked playfully against her head with your free hand.

She laughed—one of those belly laughs that made your stomach drop—and pulled you down into the recliner with her. There wasn’t really enough room for both of you, but Natalie didn’t seem to care. She tugged your legs over hers and settled her hand on your thigh like it belonged there.

“You think you’re so funny, huh?” she teased, taking another hit before pressing her beer can into your hands.

You took it, grateful for any cold at all in this heat. Her body pressed against yours wasn’t helping. Every nerve ending buzzed where her hand rested casually on your leg.

She held the joint out to you. “Want a hit?”

You nodded quickly, trying not to seem too eager. You and Alina usually just smoked whatever she could sneak from Kevyn’s stash, and he wasn’t exactly thrilled about his little sister—or you—getting involved.

You reached out to take the joint, but Natalie pulled her hand back, grinning.

“Nuh uh. I wanna try something,” she said, smooth as ever.

You watched as she brought the joint back to her lips, taking a deep inhale. Her hand moved from your leg to your chin, gripping gently as she pulled you closer until your noses bumped. You gasped, wide-eyed, just as a stream of smoke spilled from her mouth—straight into yours.

You exhaled quickly, turning your head, the blush on your cheeks impossible to hide. You tried to cover it with another swig of beer, looking away. Van caught your eye from across the yard, grinning with a teasing smirk before making exaggerated kissy faces at Taissa, sending them both into a full-blown laughing fit. You rolled your eyes and turned back to Natalie, who wore an amused look of her own.

“That’s... new.”

She shrugged, letting her head fall back against the chair, her hand returning to your thigh to trace slow, lazy circles.

“Eh. Saw Travis do it with some girl at a party once. Wanted to try it.” Her eyes locked with yours as her hand slid higher. “You seemed like the perfect candidate.”

The way she said it. The way she did everything—so calm, so sure of herself, like it didn’t matter how you reacted. Like she wasn’t setting every nerve ending in your body on fire.

You didn’t trust your voice enough to answer.

So, you didn’t.

You just leaned in again.

She met you halfway, mouth already full of smoke. This time, your lips brushed—less coordinated, less careful, but neither of you cared. You both pulled away giggling.

Natalie didn’t go far, nudging her nose against your cheek, still laughing.

You didn’t get long to enjoy it.

Alina barreled into the garage. Natalie’s grip on your thigh tightened, a small huff escaping her at the sight.

“I need you. Now,” Alina said, in that urgent tone that screamed best friend emergency. She barely registered how tangled up the two of you were before grabbing your arm and hauling you up.

You threw a loose smile over your shoulder at Natalie—one you hoped said I’m sorry and To be continued all at once.

She just nodded, a ghost of a smile lingering on her lips as she watched you go, the last trace of annoyance melting off her face.

The Yellowjackets won States. You guys had actually done it. Pep rallies, photoshoots, even a spot in the newspaper. And naturally, Lottie was throwing a party. She was practically known for her infamous ragers—her house was ginormous, and her parents were practically nonexistent.

The energy inside was electric, bass pulsing through the floors. You saw blurs of faces you’d never even noticed in the hallways before, all of them now crowding you, offering high fives, dragging you into pictures. Even the boys’ team, bitter that you were going to Nationals and they weren’t, showed up—kegs in hand.

You’d been hugged so many times your ribs ached. You were pretty sure a stranger had kissed you on the cheek after Van screamed about your game-winning assist. You smiled through it all, trying not to look like you wanted to shrink into the couch cushions.

It wasn’t bad, exactly.

Just… strange.

The exhaustion from the match had finally caught up to you. Your legs felt like jelly, and your eyes were heavy—though that might’ve had something to do with the three shots Jackie had made you take. You were tucked comfortably into a sectional in one of Lottie’s endless spare rooms—the so-called “game room,” complete with a karaoke machine that looked suspiciously professional.

Taissa and Van were absolutely butchering a pop song, drunk-laughing into each other’s shoulders like they’d fall over without the other to lean on. You giggled lazily, eyes drifting toward the door just as Natalie strolled in, joint already lit.

She spotted you instantly.

Her whole face lit up as she made a beeline toward you, tossing back the last of your drink before you could even greet her.

“Hey,” you pouted, throwing a pillow that she caught one-handed, still laughing. That sound made your chest ache a little—something about the way it cut through the music and the chatter and found you directly.

She dropped onto the couch beside you, pushing the joint into your fingers, her touch lingering. Her eyes burned into the side of your face as you took a drag, her knee bumping yours, her arm draping casually across your shoulders.

“Guess that means you gotta come get another drink with me,” she said, teasing.

You stuck your bottom lip out dramatically. “Won’t you just bring me one since you stole mine?”

She smirked, grabbing the back of your neck like she was going to shotgun—

But she didn’t.

Instead, she leaned in close, her breath grazing your cheek before her teeth nipped at your jaw. You yelped, pulling back dramatically.

She cackled, clutching her stomach. “Should’ve seen your face!”

You didn’t respond. The liquor and the weed made it hard to tell where your body ended and hers began, your senses all scrambled. But that was always what being around Natalie felt like—a quiet kind of chaos. Especially when she was high or drunk. That’s when she got affectionate—a hand on your thigh, her shoulder pressed against yours, dragging your legs over hers like it was nothing.

You’d grown to love it. Even when it flustered you.

You followed her into the kitchen to grab a drink, her body brushing yours like a puzzle piece that just fit. She leaned close, her hand resting lightly on your waist.

“Just get a beer,” she murmured into your ear, her breath warm on your neck.

“You just want me to get it so you can steal it again,” you teased.

She only shrugged, that same lazy, confident smirk on her lips.

Before she could respond, Randy Walsh stumbled up, pressing in a little too close. His words were slurred, but his grin was solid. “Can’t leeeet a pretty girl like you make her own drink. Allow me.”

You felt Natalie go still beside you. Her hand twitched against your side but didn’t move. And Randy was already splashing random liquors into a cup before you could say no.

You smiled awkwardly. “Thanks… Randy. That’s sweet.”

He beamed, handing you the cup like it was a gift from God. You took a sip and barely swallowed it down, fighting the urge to gag. He didn’t seem to notice, stepping closer until the tips of your shoes touched, his hand reaching out to gently grab your wrist.

You turned to Natalie for help.

But she was gone.

Just like that. The space behind you was empty, the warmth of her touch already fading.

Your eyes scanned the room, over Tai and Van tangled up on the couch, Jackie and Shauna laughing at something Jeff said—

No Natalie.

You pulled your arm from Randy’s grip gently. “Sorry, Randy. I, uh… need to do something.”

Before he could answer, you were gone, leaving the drink behind and grabbing a beer instead. You wandered through the hallways until you heard the familiar sound of some grungy band playing through a cracked door. You knocked once, then let yourself in.

Lottie’s room.

Natalie was sprawled across the bed, staring up at the ceiling. She didn’t look at you right away, but when she did, something in her expression made your chest squeeze. You couldn’t read her—not really—but this felt… new. Like something unspoken was simmering just beneath the surface.

You didn’t say anything. Just flopped onto the bed beside her.

She stayed quiet, kicking her feet lazily off the edge of the bed. You nudged her foot with yours until she finally turned her head. Her gaze softened, and she rolled toward you, arm curling over your waist.

“Hey,” she mumbled into your shoulder.

You bumped her head gently with your own, fingers tracing light patterns over her wrist. The words left your mouth before you could stop them, soft and a little slurred. “You left me.”

“I mean, you seemed pretty preoccupied with Randy fucking Walsh,” she grumbled, barely loud enough for you to hear.

You scoffed. “Randy? Get real. He was just being nice. I didn’t want to be rude.”

Natalie stilled.

Then, like someone had poured cold water down her back, she sat bolt upright, staring at you like you’d just spoken another language.

“Just being nice?” she repeated, eyebrows raised. “He was obviously flirting with you.”

You blinked, completely thrown. “What are you talking about?”

Natalie just stared at you.

Then she laughed. Sharp, almost breathless, like she couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “You really don’t get it, do you?”

“Get what?”

She shook her head, exasperated and amused. “God, you’re so fucking clueless.”

You frowned. “Clueless about what?”

“You—” She started, then stopped. Her eyes were still locked on yours, but her voice dipped lower now, quieter. “You don’t see the way people look at you.”

“I mean…” You trailed off, still not understanding. “What does that even—?”

Natalie just looked at you, dumbfounded, like she was seeing you for the first time and trying to make sense of the image. You blinked at her, still confused. Natalie threw her hands up, dropping back onto the bed with a dramatic huff. “Jesus Christ. You really didn’t know.”

Your brows pulled together, frustration blooming in your chest—not at her, not really, but at whatever you were clearly missing. “Know what?”

“That he was flirting with you,” she said, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. “Like, blatantly. The drink thing? The wrist thing? The standing so close he could breathe your air thing?”

You opened your mouth, then closed it again. You thought about Randy, the weird way he smiled, how close he stood, the way he called you pretty—but you'd brushed all of it off. Guys were weird sometimes. Friendly in a way that made you squirm. But flirting? Really?

“I just thought he was being nice,” you repeated again, quieter this time.

Natalie let out a long exhale, propping herself up on one elbow, her eyes locked on you. She didn’t look mad anymore. She just looked... thoughtful.

“You really don’t get it,” she said, more to herself than to you. “God. I’ve been trying to flirt with you for months.”

Your stomach dropped. “Wait. What?”

Natalie laughed, but there wasn’t a lot of humor in it. “The smoke thing? The lap thing? Literally everything I do when I’m around you? That’s flirting.”

Your brain scrambled to catch up. You replayed a million tiny moments all at once—the touches, the teasing, the way her eyes always lingered longer than necessary, the way she looked at you when you were too tipsy to walk straight or when you made her laugh so hard she snorted. All the times your heart raced, all the times you talked yourself out of reading into it.

“I... I thought that was just you,” you said quietly.

Natalie’s expression softened. “It is me. But it’s also me trying to figure out if you feel the same way. Because I’ve liked you for a long time. And I wasn’t sure if you didn’t notice... or if you were just pretending not to.”

Natalie stared at you, like she was waiting for you to run. Like she was daring you not to.

You didn’t have a plan. You didn’t even really think. Your body just moved—drunk off adrenaline, and weed, and months of wanting without really knowing why. You leaned in and kissed her.

It wasn’t slow. It wasn’t some perfect movie-moment kiss. It was messy, and rushed, and slightly off-center because you both went for it at the same time. But it was right.

She kissed you back like she’d been waiting to exhale.

When you finally pulled apart, foreheads pressed together, both of you breathless and grinning, you whispered, “So that was definitely flirting, right?”

Natalie laughed, loud and real. “Yeah. That was flirting.”

[niuniente]

Dum Dum and Jackie: Fighting enemies head on guns blazing. Me: Two rooms behind the boys collecting shiny items from corpses.

Wow Dum Dum is super fun to draw, I would have never guessed! So many details to distract me from constant thinking.

[nats-w1fe]

Worse or Even Worse: 3

Natalie Scatorccio x Reader/Shauna Shipman x Reader

Summary: You had all began to accept that you probably weren’t going to be saved and you learn the truth about Shauna and maybe she’s not as perfect as she seemed.

Word count: 3.9k

Warnings: Past plane crash, toxic relationship, gore, mentions of blood, abuse, violence, mentions of vomit, broken bones., arguing, bad writing and ither things I’ve probably forgotten

Characters included: Reader, Natalie Scatorccio Lottie Mathews, Shauna Shipman, Jackie Taylor, Van Palmer, Taissa Turner and other Yellowjackets.

A/n: I’m still writing drabbles so please give requests!

Worse or Even Worse Masterlist

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

You’d been in the wilderness for a while. Most of you had accepted that you weren’t going to be saved and it’d be best to just give up. You all learnt how to survive in the wilderness, you adapted. Natalie and Travis become the hunters and everyone else just did what they could to help with things. You wanted to be the one to fetch water, but after the injuries to your leg from the plane crash and the wolf attack it would never be the same again. you could still walk on it but after too long the pain would be too much and it would just give out on you.

Still, you did what you could which mostly consisted of helping Akilah, Lottie and Mari look for berries. Today though, your leg was acting up. it ached more than usual and you were told to stay behind. You were sat on a log outside in front of the fireplace. You looked over at Shauna as she sharpened her knife, you couldn’t lie and say she wasn’t at least a bit attractive doing that.

Jackie sat beside you, rambling about random things as usual. You’d admittedly zoned out a while ago In the conversation. Then you saw Natalie and Travis returning from their hunt. Usually they came back empty handed, but this time they came back holding a large deer. Your eyes widen and you carefully pulled yourself up to your feet, using a makeshift walking stick that Van made for you.

“Holy shit” you muttered.

Coach ben looked over, his eyes widened slightly,

“Nicely done, you two” he complimented, walking over with his crutches. You looked at the deer as they placed it on the ground, it was quite hard to look at,

“It was all Natalie” Travis said, you looked over at them. they way they looked at each other made your stomach churn uncomfortably.

“So, what do we do with it now?” you asked, breaking Natalie and Travis’ attention away from each other.

“First, we have to bleed it out.” he told you all. There was a beat of silence until Shauna stood, and cautiously stepped forward,

“I’ll give it a try” she said, taking her hunting knife out. She knelt down beside the animal and pressed the tip of the blade to the deer’s throat. After a moment she plunged it deeper, deeper than began to draw it straight across. As the animals blood began to spill onto the ground, Shauna felt a thrill she hadn’t ever felt before, she craved more.

You grimaced and looked away from the gory sight,

“Well I think that’s settled” Coach Ben said, “Shauna should be the butcher” everyone nodded in agreement. Shauna shot you a smile and you returned, happy for her but you seriously couldn’t look at that blood.

Later that night, in the glow of the blazing fire Shauna diligently worked on sawing hunks off of one of the deer’s legs which she had sloppily severed and skinned. Meanwhile, around the fire Mari had been cooking the meat while everyone else ate. You sat next to Taissa, not a word had been spoken between anyone, much too focussed on eating. You looked over to Shauna and decided to walk over.

“Hi..” you gave her a gentle smile. She looked at you, pausing, almost as if she were admiring you. it made a faint blush grow on your cheeks,

“Hey you, here to help?” she asked, holding up the bloody knife with a grin. You chuckled and grimaced,

“Oh no no I’ll leave it to the professional” you jokingly insisted, she chuckled too and shook her head. Taking your hand she pulled you closer slightly by her side,

“Come on, give it a try”.

She stood behind you, her front pressed against your back as she carefully guided your movements. You cut into the deer’s leg and made a noise of disgust; she chuckled and you only then realised how close she was to you. Her warm breath fanned against your neck,

“There you go, see you’re actually alright at it” she muttered into your ear. You were more than grateful it was dark out and Shauna couldn’t see how red your face had become.

Natalie glanced over at you two. Her jaw clenched and her grip on her tray of food tightened. She placed her tray down, suddenly put off of her food. She stood, walking off as she couldn’t look at the sight of you and Shauna any longer. Jackie noticed and quickly walked after her.

“Hey! Hold up” she called out to her. Natalie groaned and turned to her,

“What?” she asked.

“Y’know you cant be annoyed at Y/n for finally moving on” when Natalie scoffed in response, Jackie continued “You treated her like shit and she deserves so much more than an alcoholic druggy who probably cheated on her any chance she got” Jackie told her, crossing her arms over her chest. You had told her everything that happened between you and Natalie, it took a lot of persuading to convince Jackie not to slap the shit out of her.

“You’re right, she did deserve better…but I never cheated on her, okay?” Natalie said. It was true, she would’ve never done that to you,

“Well you used her! If you know she deserved better why didn’t you treat her better then?”

Natalie sighed and pulled Jackie further away from everyone just to be sure you wouldn’t hear

“I didn’t use her, I lied…okay you’re right, she does deserve better because I am a druggy and I am an alcoholic and I’m a fucking mess, and she is just…” Natalie sighed, looking over at you and Shauna. You were giggling and just looked so happy, it made her heart ache, “She deserves so much better than me, if Shauna makes her happy then that’s all I want for her” she explained simply, looking down at the ground. Jackie softened slightly,

“Oh…you really like my sister then huh?” she asked, unfolding her arms and dropping them to her side.

Natalie nodded,

“I think I love her, but I don’t know how be in a proper relationship, I’m not good at it…Y/n deserves better than me so I had to let her go, its best if she just thinks I was just using her” Jackie couldn’t think of what to say, so without a word she turned on her heels and walked off, running a hand through her hair.

--

You sat next to Shauna on the floor, leaning against her with your head resting on her shoulder. Music started playing, “this is how we do it” came from the Walkman. You chuckled and watched as a few of the gurls launched into a choreographed dance number, elaborate enough you could tell they’d been working on this for weeks. Mari, Akilah, Lottie and Van came in doing the running man while quite literally chanting the words ‘running man’. You giggled, then Shauna suddenly stood up and joined Taissa, Natalie and some others as they did the Bart Simpson dance move.

“And Javi... and-- Javi, you're late!” Mari exclaimed, Javi hurried to get on beat and Taissa jumped in the help. They all re-synchronized and everyone cheered. Suddenly the tape began to struggle, the song creepily slowly and distorting into an eerie dirge before stopping completely. Everyone stopped. Van walked over, giving the Walkman a few hopeful smacks,

“Has hitting something ever fixed it?” she asked to no avail, everyone walked over to try give their assistance,

“Maybe try blowing on it?” you offered, still sat down.

Before anyone could reply they all heard a distinct, sustained scrapping noise from the attic. You looked up at the attic in fear.

“Um. The fuck is that?” Jackie asked, everyone paused and stared up at the ceiling. You carefully stood and walked closer to Shauna.

“...You hear it, too?” Lottie asked, seemingly very surprised. Everyone looked at her, quite confused. You held onto Shauna’s hand.

“It's probably just a branch” Taissa casually remarked, trying to ease the tension.

“Inside? On the floor?” Mari asked, she paused. Everyone seemed to tense at that slightly, “What if it's him?” she suddenly asked.

“What, the dead guy?” Shauna then questioned. You tensed once again. Ghosts weren’t real, right?

“Um, yeah” Mari responded, as if it were obvious. Taissa snorted defensively. Then Natalie spoke up, in a deadpan voice,

“You know what it probably was? The dead guy's missing fingers... trying to find their way home” she teased. A few of the girls squealed, including you as you clutched onto Shauna’s arm. Taissa shot Natalie a glare, “You really have to encourage them?”

Akilah then said to Taissa,

“You gotta admit, it didn’t sound like it was on the roof” she said, sounding extremely nervous just like the rest of you. Jackie joined in,

“Fine, so it was a rat, or a racoon…or I dunno-“ she was cut off when Lottie called out,

“Shhhh! Listen!”

Everyone paused, straining to hear, but there was only silence.

“Well I don’t hear it now” Mari said which a shrug and others agreed. Before the debate could resume Coach Scott spoke up,

“You know what I think? I think the ghost decided it's time to get some sleep. We should do the same” he said. Thus concluding another evening of the forever slumber.

You changed into your pyjamas, pulling your shirt over your head you caught Shauna staring at you. You blushed, expecting her to look away, but she didn’t. you looked down at the ground as you changed, feeling her eyes on you the whole time.

--

That morning was your least favourite. You woke up to your period. In fact everyone had their period. You’d all synced. Luckily for you, you didn’t get cramps. But you did get a very heavy flow. You sat outside, eating your breakfast. You looked over as the cabin door opened and Jackie walked out. Van and Laura Lee hung laundry together while Taissa chopped wood nearby. Other girls stacked chopped wood by the cabin and swept the porch. Akilah was rolling torn-up shirts into makeshift pads. Right by her were two heavy pots, simmering over the fire.

Jackie made her way over to the breakfast pot till Mari intercepted her, shoving an empty bucket into her hands,

“How about getting some more water? Breakfast isn’t going anywhere” Jacke shot her a glare before walking off.

After a bit Jackie came back holding a the heavy, sloshing bucket, clearly struggling. As awkward as it was, it was not hard to feel like she was being extra dramatic as she set it down to rest. Taissa and Van both shared an eyeroll at the sight. Catching the look, Shauna made her way to Jackie,

“Need a hand?” she asked her.

“No, I can do it…Why are you so chipper? Or don't you have a blood sacrifice between your legs like the rest of us?” When Jackie noticed Shauna hesitate she then asked, “Hang on... do you not?”

“I'm... late this month. I mean, we were in a plane crash, so it's probably just stress.” Shauna responded, shrugging it off,

“Lucky you're a virgin or we'd really have to worry...speaking of…what’s going on between you and Y/n?” she asked. Shauna looked over at where you were sat.

“Dunno yet…I like her though; I think she might like me too” she said hopefully, Jackie hesitated. She knew Shauna had a crush on you for a while. The way she looked at you was far from friendly, she even noticed how she would look at you when you got changed. It made her uncomfortable, she didn’t know why but she never confronted Shauna about it.

“Right, well you know just be gentle with her, she only recently got out of a relationship not too long ago” Jackie told her, placing the bucket back down. Shauna nodded and picked it up for her,

“I know, I wont hurt her Jackie” was all she said before she walked off. Something deep inside Jackie just made her feel so unsure about this, something felt off.

Shauna went to cut up some more of the deer, she stood by her bench, taking her knife out. She then looked over at you, you were already looking at her. You smiled and gave her a sheepish wave. She waved her hand, beckoning you over. Carefully, you stood up, walking over to her with a slight limp.

She smiled at you,

“Hey, I wanna give you something” she told you; you looked slightly confused but kept your smile on your face,

“Okay…what is it?” you asked, she put her hands on your hips and gently turned you around so that your back was to her. a small blush lingered on your cheeks as she put a necklace around your neck. You looked down at it and recognised it as Jackie’s heart necklace. You smiled and looked at her, “I thought Jackie gave this to you?” you asked her. She shrugged with a small smirk,

“And now I’ve given it to you…you wanna give me something in return?” she asked. Your brows furrowed slightly in confusion, but when her eyes flicked to your lips you realised what you meant. With slight hesitancy you leaned in, connecting your lips with hers. It was a quick kiss but gentle.

Shauna grinned as you pulled away,

“Now that, I’ll cherish” she teased. You couldn’t help the giggle that fell from your lips,

“Good” you grinned, scrunching your nose up. She found that adorable, which made her question that deep, burning sensation, that sensation that was so deep down and rooted into her soul. She wanted to ruin that smile. Ever since she pushed the blade into the deer for the first time she had a thirst for blood. Your blood. Your tears. Your pain. She craved it.

Natalie watched from afar. A sick feeling rose in her throat and she felt like she could strangle someone, Shauna to be specific. She didn’t deserve you; you were too perfect for Shauna. Those lips didn’t deserve to touch anyone, not Natalie and certainly not Shauna. When you turned your head you caught Natalie’s eye. She snapped her head away, continuing on with her current task. That stung. You knew you weren’t over Natalie, you didn’t know if you ever could be. But you did honestly think you had feelings for Shauna, she was always there for you, she looked after you, she understood you and It helped she was attractive.

Natalie then felt a tap on her shoulder, she looked and saw Lottie holding the bucket,

“Hey, wanna come get some water with me?” she asked, with a sweet smile. Natalie couldn’t help but smile back, she nodded,

“Sure, but didn’t Jackie grab water not too long ago?” she asked, furrowing her brows slightly as they began to walk.

“Yeah but with washing all the pads, we’ve already run out” Lottie chuckled.

They went to the lake; Natalie carefully dipped the bucket in and picked some water out. Lottie stared at her the whole time. Just as Natalie turned to talk to Lottie, the brunette crashed her lips against Nat’s, kissing her. She was clearly not experienced, but she wasn’t terrible. Natalie didn’t pull away for a second, till she did.

“Lottie I- I can’t” she dropped the bucket and quickly walked off, leaving the brunette alone at the lake.

--

It had been a few more weeks. Food was growing slim again and more than anything you wanted a good, well-cooked steak. Things with you and Shauna had been going well. She was so kind to you, so gentle. You weren’t officially together, but you sure acted as such. She always called you nicknames, things like ‘doll’ and ‘babe.’ You did notice Shauna acting quite weird though, she disappeared earlier with Taissa and you had noticed something is changing in her appearance, but you couldn’t figure out what is was.

You were sat with Shauna, leaning against her when Natalie and Travis emerged from the forest, holding a dead deer. You grimaced at the sight of it, its antlers were coated in blood and flesh, everyone cheered,

“Whoa. That thing is gnarly” Van said, “It's like--Freddy Krueger and Bambi had a baby” she commented, making a few laugh.

“I'm not eating that” you said, grimacing at the sight. Shauna took her hunting knife out her pocket and stood.

“Guys, deer shed their antlers seasonally. This is all normal.” Coach Ben insists, he then looks at Shauna, “You want to do the honours?” Shauna walked to the deer, crouching down as she cut into its belly. A chorus of disgust followed at the sight of the inside of the deer, it was infested with parasitic worms. Completely inedible. You couldn’t see from where you were standing, you went to go look.

Natalie noticed this, she knew how sensitive you were to things like that and you’d throw up at the sight. Out of instinct, she quickly stepped in front of you, gently grabbing your wrist to stop you from going over,

“Don’t” she said, her voice gentle. You were taken aback slightly by the sudden action and froze for a moment before pulling your wrist away harshly and sitting back down. Shauna watched the interaction, her jaw clenched.

“That normal too, Coach?” Jackie asked, Ben looked as grossed out as the others. You heard Taissa scoff,

“We can't do this anymore, you guys! What happens when winter gets here? We starve to death? Freeze?” she questioned, looking around at her troubled faces of her teammates. All except for Lottie who continued to stare at the deer. “We can't count on getting rescued anymore-- we all know that is not gonna happen. We have to save us. That's why I'm gonna go find help.” Some of the girls seemed shocked, while others, along with you seemed on board. “I'm leaving in the morning. Come with

me if you want to get out of this fucking hellhole.” Was all she said before turning back to the cabin

Anxious murmurs aroused as she left. You stared at the floor, Tai was right, you couldn’t wait here any long to be saved. This could be the only way home.

--

Taissa stood opposite the rest of the Yellowjackets around the campfire. She scanned their faces, looking for hints of dissent,

“Everyone?” she asked, Jackie spoke first,

“Some of us think there aren’t any good ideas”.

“Well, we have to do something. We're starving. There's nothing to hunt. And it might still be warm enough during the day, but it's starting to get cold at night...” Taissa explained to everyone, you knew you were already on board with going,

“The animals must be migrating.” Misty said, gasping in realisation.

“That's probably why the only game we've seen for weeks was the one sick deer. And it's just gonna keep getting colder. Not 'I-better-put-on coat cold.' We're talking 'dying-feels-like-falling-asleep cold’” you shifted uncomfortably, leaning more into Shauna who put a comforting arm around you. You decided to just block out what they were saying, choosing to instead stare down at the dirt.

But as they spoke, Taissa’s words pulled you out of your zone,

“Anyone who wants to come with me is welcome. But I'm going.” She said, grabbing her bag off of the floor,

“I’m coming” you said, everyone seemed surprised by this. At the same time, Natalie, Jackie and Shauna all spoke up in unison,

“What?” you looked at them and shrugged.

“You’re not going” Shauna said, the way she said it was as if there was no room for argument. Like she had control over what you did,

“Listen, if I'm wrong, I'll die out there” she paused, “I'm leaving in an hour.” Was all Tai said before pushing through the crowd and walking off.

You looked at Shauna,

“I’m going” you then looked at Jackie, “I want to actually help for once, so I’m going” you stood up with a bit of a limp. Jackie scoffed,

“Y/n you can barely walk, you’re not going and that’s final” you then scoffed too,

“You cant fucking control me Jackie” you stormed off in a random direction.

Natalie sighed and looked at Shauna. She couldn’t help the way her eyes widened slightly. Shauna looked fucking furious, like she was going to explode. She clenched her fists and got up, going after you. Immediately Nat felt unsettled, she got up to go after her but Jackie held her arm,

“Just leave her” she clearly didn’t see Shauna’s state.

You stumbled slightly as you walked, your leg ached. You then suddenly tripped, hitting the floor with a grunt. Shauna came up behind you,

“Are you fucking stupid?” she asked, your brows furrowed. Struggling, you pulled yourself back up to your feet, “Excuse me?”

“You’re basically fucking crippled Y/n, you’re not going so stop being a brat” she spat, the words stung to hear from Shauna, someone who was usually so kind to you,

“Fuck you Shauna” you went to walk past her till you felt a harsh hit to your face then a shove. You landed back on the floor with a small cry of pain,

“Don’t talk to me like that you little bitch..”

You looked up at her in pure fear and surprised, nobody had ever laid a hand on you like that.

“You’re a psychopath!” you yelled at her. Without hesitating another second she quickly got on top of you, you yelled and tried to squirm away. she slapped her hand over your mouth, you bit down on her hand. she pulled her hand away and slapped you hard across the face. Tears filled your eyes as you tried to push her away, “Get off of me!” you yelled to her, hoping someone would here.

You then felt her hands around your throat, you gasped as she started to squeezed. You slapped at her hands, trying to push them away. It wasn’t working. The harder she squeezed the weaker you felt, you didn’t know if you could fight back anymore. Just as you were on the brink of passing out she let go and got up. you gasped out, taking in as much air as you could. Choking, you sobbed loudly. But you weren’t as loud as you were when she suddenly brought her foot down on your ankle, on your bad leg. You screamed in pure agony. You were sure the others could hear.

Quickly Shauna crouched by your side and held your body In her arms, you tried to squirm away but then suddenly felt her hunting knife to your back,

“Shhh baby…don’t move, be a good girl” you whimpered quietly, “You’re not going to tell the others about this, you fell and hurt your leg real bad…and I helped you, hm?” she told you. she ran a hand through your hair, the soothing action calmed you down slightly. You sniffled and gave a small nod,

“O-Okay..”

Jackie sprinted over, followed by Tai, Van, Lottie, Mari, and Misty. They looked at you in shock, then Natalie appeared, holding her rifle as if she thought you were being attacked. You buried your face in Shauna’s shirt, not being able to look at the others.

“What happened?” Jackie asked, rushing to your side,

“I think she fell” Shauna lied, very well too, “She’s hurt her ankle really badly”.

“Were you not with her? You went straight after her so you couldn’t have been far” Natalie speculated, she knew Shauna was lying. It pained her, she knew Shauna hurt you but there was nothing she could do about it,

“What are you insinuating?” Shauna scoffed.

“That doesn’t matter, we need to get her back to camp so we can help her” Misty said, Shauna picked you up in her arms and carefully carried you back to camp. Natalie glanced at you every now and then, checking your condition. Her brows furrowed when she noticed odd marks on your neck, they appeared to look like red lines, handprints. Out of anyone, Natalie would be the one to recognise that.

[anakinstwinklebunny]

teen dad sam monroe and reader would definitely argue when it came to naming the baby. i’m imagining it like that one scene from glee with quinn and puck, it would be a funny imagine.

Quinn: you wanna name our daughter Jack Daniel’s? she’s a girl!

Puck: Fine, whatever, Jackie Daniel’s

Author's note: it's so sam coded I fell in love

You were sitting across from Sam in your cramped, barely-put-together living room, surrounded by baby name books and crumpled scraps of paper covered in doodles and crossed-out lists. Naming your baby girl had become an all-out battlefield—and Sam was determined that his names were the best.

“Okay, hear me out,” Sam said, leaning forward with this excited gleam in his eyes you kept seeing for what felt like hours now. “How about… Raven Storm?”

You just stared at him, pressing your fingers to your sore temples. “Sam, she’s a baby girl, not a rock band.”

He shrugged, unfazed. “Yeah, but it’s a strong name. Memorable, you know? Like, people would be talking about Raven Storm for years.”

You sighed, trying to keep your patience. “Sam… please. She’s a girl.”

“Oh, okay, I get it, I get it,” He shrugged, leaning back in his chair. “Alright, then Maximus Danger Monroe.” he grinned proudly

You stared at him, raising an eyebrow. “Maximus Danger?” you echoed in judgmental tone

“Exactly. It’s strong, it’s powerful, it's cool. Imagine her introducing herself—no one’s gonna mess with Maximus Danger.”

you bore your eyes on him, already tired (yet surprised) of all the names he had brought up over the last hours “What? It’s amazing,” he insisted, folding his arms with a pout. “You don’t get it, these are strong names! They’ll protect her.”

“She’s a baby, not an action hero!” you replied, surpassingly trying not to laugh at his pout, his incredibly devoted expression. Yet, it's meant to be a girl, not an alien. "We are the ones who should protect her, not some weird name"

Sam rolled his eyes. “Fine, if you don’t like ‘Danger,’ maybe something more classic. Chardonnay.” He smirked, clearly testing you now

You sighed, counting to five in your head to ease down. “Oh my god.." you sighed "Sam,” you began again, slowly (this time), to make sure it gets right into his head “You want to name our daughter after wine?”

“No, okay, I’m serious!” he insisted “What about… Scarlett Raven Monroe?”

You shot him an exasperated look. “Sam…”

“Phoenix Blaze?” he added, trying to up the ante. “It’s unique!”

You buried your face in your hands, half-pleading. “Please, just one normal name. Something cute, simple. Like Lily, or Emma…”

He scoffed. “Lily? She’s gonna have enough flowers in her life. I’m telling you, we’re gonna regret not picking something that stands out.”

“Fine,” you said with a long sigh, trying not to smile as you leaned over and squeezed his hand. There was no way you'd fight him about the name - not with his stubborn character “We’ll work on a compromise then”

Sam smirked. “Good. I knew you’re smarter than this. But, you know, Phoenix is still on the table…" to which you shot him a glare

TAG LIST: @kingdomhate @divineani @haydensprettyprincess @skyguys-princess @catnipaddictt @heartscone @haydensbbg @inneedsoffanfics @jediavengers @literally-izzy @anisluvrgirl @slutforfinnickodair @xhunnybeeex @fuckmyskywalker @gallerygourmet @deceptiive @anakinskwkler @bimbo-baggins17 @cookybananas @emotionallybruisedx @diorvalentina @sevinax @throughparisallthroughrome @aniiuv @ritosparty @ninastyless @lily-strnlo

[dragon-razor-writings]

Jackie Blaze: "Hey, sweetcheeks! How's it going?"

Jaune: "You're calling from the Warden precinct. What did you do?"

Jackie Blaze: "In my defense, I was left unsupervised."

Jaune: "...Wasn’t Yang with you?"

Yang: "I was also left unsupervised."

Jaune, unsurprised: "...I'll be there in a bit."

Jackie Blaze: "Thanks, babe! Love you~"

[spicytattoo]

It was the shrooms... right?

Synopsis: Whilst feeling the effects of another one of Misty's special mushroom brews - The group explore some uncharted waters with a game of spin the bottle (well, spin the jar), and with this, they stir up some unexpected feelings. It's chaotic, impulsive, a little unhinged - and completely repressed afterwards. (Nat, Shauna, Lottie)

Content warnings: Drugs? (shrooms)

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

The air inside the cabin is heavy, thick with smoke and the sweet, earthy scent of mushrooms roasting on the fire.

The world feels soft around the edges - Laughter is too loud, touch is too electric, colours bleed and swirl.

Someone - maybe Van, maybe Mari - slurs out the idea:

''Let's play spin the bottle!''

And somehow it happens.

The empty jar gets dragged from the corner, and clumsily placed in the centre of a lopsided circle of flushed, giggling Yellowjackets.

Y/N sits at the edge of the group, calm and brooding even under the influence - but there's a faint, lazy smile playing at her lips. She's not immune. Not tonight.

The bottle spins.

And spins.

And spins.

Shauna kisses Y/N first - fumbling, but then sinking into her like she might drown in her.

Natalie kisses her second - A kiss that lingers too long, hot and tasting faintly of berries and smoke.

And Lottie kisses Y/N third - It's soft and dreamlike, a blessing whispered against her mouth.

Even Misty gets a turn - pressing a quick, feverish kiss to Y/N's cheek and squealing like she might faint afterwards.

There's laughter, gasps, wide, drunken eyes - and all the while, Y/N sits there, patient and unbothered, letting it happen like a queen accepting tribute.

Somewhere between the fourth and fifth spin, things almost spiral - gripping thighs, hands trailing a little too low, breath hitching -

And then suddenly, someone (probably Taissa or Jackie) blurts out: ''Okay, that's enough!''

With that, the game falls apart into chaotic laughter and awkwardness.

They don't talk about it.

Not that night.

Not the next day.

Not ever.

But the memory lingers - heavy and vivid, a shared secret burning just beneath the surface. Every glance, every brush of fingers afterwards carries a silent question:

''Do you remember?''

And the answer is yes, always yes.

Shauna

A few days after the doomed game, Shauna is crouched beside Y/N in the woods, helping her gut a rabbit they caught in a snare.

The air is sharp with the metallic scent of blood and earth.

Y/N hands her the knife - their fingers brushing.

And just like that, it hits Shauna.

The taste of Y/N's lips.

The way her hand had curled in Shauna's hair during that kiss, anchoring her.

The lazy way Y/N had smirked right after, like Shauna belonged to her.

Shauna nearly drops the knife. Her cheeks blaze crimson.

Y/N notices - of course she does - but says nothing. Just gives her that slow, knowing look from under her lashes.

Shauna looks away fast, pretending to focus on the rabbit, but her heart pounds like war drums in her chest.

Lottie

It's subtle - it always is with Lottie.

After the spin the bottle night, she seems... different around Y/N.

One afternoon, while Y/N sits alone by the fire, whittling a piece of wood into some kind of crude charm, Lottie just watches her.

Eyes soft. Unblinking. Reverent.

It's not just admiration - it's adoration.

Like Y/N isn't just a girl - she's a vision, something sacred and wild that Lottie could fall to her knees for.

Y/N eventually looks up and catches her staring.

Lottie just smiles - dreamy, almost dazed - and Y/N gives her a small nod in return, as if acknowledging something neither of them will ever dare to say aloud.

Natalie

Natalie, of course, is a mess after the kiss.

She covers it the only way she knows how - by pretending it meant absolutely nothing.

She jokes louder around Y/N now.

Pushes her shoulder a little harder now when they spar.

Teases her with a bite to her words that's just a little too sharp.

''Careful, Y/N'', Natalie smirks one afternoon after Y/N pins her effortlessly during a wrestling match, breathing hard beneath her. ''Wouldn't want you thinking you're better than the rest of us.''

Y/N just raises an eyebrow at her, not rising to the bait - calm, unbothered, infuriatingly composed.

It only makes Natalie act wilder.

(But sometimes, when she thinks no one's looking, she sneaks these small, longing glances Y/N's way - her guard dropped just enough to betray the real truth burning in her chest.)

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Thanks for reading! I want to start making more of these Multi-Jacket fics. Let me know any specific characters you want to see!

[heli0s-writes]

monogamous hozier: to be alone

poly hozy: someone new

long distance: nobody, as it was

corruption kink: it will come back, from eden

please ruin my life i am your DOG: literally everything else. this man said impale my ass (shrike), peg me im begging (dinner & diatribes), lets elope to texas/hell (jackie & wilson), i will go BACK to hell for you (francesca), burn me & i will gladly die in a blaze of glory i worship you (sunlight) etc etc.

bogfucker hoze: like real people do

[mysimsloveaffair]

Trying to avoid bogging Dub and his family with too much bad news at one time, I decided not to mention that we also lost the youngest of the Brown Triplets, Jamelia Serrano (ATC Part 13** - Banks Day 46.4). But I still wanted to honor and remember her here. Jamelia was a lot of fun to play. Like her brother, Jalin, she avoided college to pursue an alternate career course. Jamelia accomplished her dream of opening a restaurant in Tartosa after meeting her husband, Stefan Serrano (created by @storiesbyjes2g ). She leaves behind triplets Kyra, Blaze, and Jackie. May she rest in peace!

**Link takes you to my WordPress website

[icanwriteitblindfolded]

Written In The Stars: Eddie Munson X (Fem) Reader

Summary: soulmates, astrology, and tarot were all silly in your mind. You scoffed at the idea of someone being out there for you and the “universe” having a special purpose for you. There’s no such thing and it’s all a hoax, right?

Slow burn, strangers to friends, friends to lovers, reader is not from Hawkins and bonds with Eddie and his gang. Just two idiots who don’t know they’re falling in love. Eventual smut but it’s going to be a long and slow build. ❤️‍🔥

Part Nine:

“Mom! What’s wrong with you? You can’t just barge into someone’s house like this!” She straightened the strap on her purse and looked over at Eddie. “You didn’t call and I was getting worried. I called Jackie who told me she’d seen you over here!” Aunt Jackie sighed and peaked from behind her sister’s towering presence. “Sorry sweetheart, I tried to tell her that it wasn’t anything serious. You two are adults. But she seen you from the window and I couldn’t stop her.” You groaned, Eddie sat back on the couch and rubbed his hands over his eyes.

“I’m going to have to ask you all to leave. If you don’t mind!” “I’ve had just about enough of you mister!” Your mom stood over glaring at Eddie. Her eyes pierced his and her face blazing red. You’d never seen her so enraged. Eddie wasn’t faring much better. “Listen! You break down my door, you’ve called me names, you’ve been on my ass ever since you met me! And honestly Mary, I’ve been nothing but nice to you. But I’m done being nice. You’re selfish and all you want is for F/N to suffer alongside you because you’re unhappy!”

Your mom gawked, if you and Jackie weren’t here she’d wack Eddie with her purse. “You see, F/N he’s a bad one this guy. I told you not to talk to him. I told you he was trouble. And you remember what I said if ever caught you two? Well that still stands. Gather your things tonight and get out!” “With pleasure mom. I think Eddie’s right.” “How dare you say such a terrible thing to your mother. You know what the Bible says, honor and respect your parents.” “Well Jesus didn’t meet you, mother! You’d probably be with the Romans crucifying him. You’d probably do that to Eddie too!” “Um actually I think it wasn’t the Romans it was…” Eddie started before Jackie tapped him on the shoulder. He stopped.

“Well I guess you could live in this pig pen with your sex fiend boyfriend!” “Mary we haven’t been sleeping together! She’s my friend! But I think her leaving your house is the best thing she could do. And if I could manage it, I’d let her crash here.” You smiled, a little part of you hurt by Eddie just calling you a friend, especially after being so close to whatever it was on the couch. But you imagined a life with Eddie again, it wouldn’t be picket fences and green shutters like your mom would want to see; it’d be more of a small home that has a square patch as a lawn and chain link fences;m, but you could see Eddie happy with it and Eddie happy to have you in his life. Burnt coffee, stale toast and screaming infants; with Eddie you’d take all of it.

“Figures, you’d probably knock her up and leave me to pay for the kid!” “Mary I’d never…” “Edward, stop.” Jackie interrupted and placed herself between your mom and Eddie. “Mom and Dad would be so disappointed in you. Mary you always wanted the world to revolve around you, and never once cared about who you hurt. Frank nearly left you several times, if it wasn’t for that little munchkin you had, he would’ve. Why can’t you for once just let people be happy without them having to fit into your ideal world. Eddie’s not perfect by your standards, but he’s a great person.” She looked back at you and then to Eddie. “You should be ashamed Mary, I’m ashamed of you. To tell your daughter things like you’ve said, and the things you said to a man you barely know?”

“F/N?” You looked back to Jackie who held her arms out to you. “Get your things from Mary’s, whatever you can’t grab, we will get in the morning. Eddie can help.” “What’s going on?” “You’re coming to live with me until you can get a place of your own. I’ll work out some deal with rent and bills for you too. Is that okay?” You looked back at your mom, her head hanging low as she surveyed the scene of her crime. “Absolutely.”

****************************************************

Eddie’s picture was the first thing you snatched along with the ticket stub from the movies and the matchbox from the Hideout. You’d grabbed the few keepsakes of Eddie and placed them in a shoebox while grabbing what else you could manage tonight. Eddie said he and Wayne would be by in the morning to get your bed and the rest of your furniture. As unhappy as mom was, she had to comply with the terms because Wayne threatened to press charges for her breaking into his trailer, Hopper himself would be pleased to carry out the arrest.

You looked back at her one last time, her arms folded across her chest and a sour look on her face. “Bye.” “No bye mom anymore?” “How about, bye Mary?” She winced and walked behind the door to close it after you left. Jackie drove off with you and Eddie in tow. The last couple months spent there while miserable also held the memories of so much with Eddie. But now he’d be right beside you everyday, this seemed to dawn on him too as a small smirk hit his face. “I guess you’re free now?” “Not quite.” Jackie interjected, her eyes focused on the road. “F/N? I want you to be in the trailer by midnight on weekdays, I have a job too and I can’t have you stumbling through the door waking me up.” You nodded. “You’ll pay for a quarter of the rent and utilities. TV volume must be low when I’m in bed, I know sometimes you like to watch it late, but be respectful. Edward I want no weed in my house.” He shook his head. “No Ma’am, I’ll keep that stuff away.” “And tomorrow morning, bring Wayne over for coffee before we head to Mary’s.” “That’s a great deal Jackie.” Eddie smiled. She smirked and continued out to Forest Hills.

****************************************************

“Good morning!” Eddie chimed as you groaned, your anxiety kept you awake. While you grabbed most of the stuff needed for your new residence, the sounds outside were not the normal ones. Families argued loudly over here and would occasionally take those fights to the bench outside. Last night a fight broke out over some guy who cheated on his girlfriend with some other man in the park. It was a whole deal and sadly you could write the episode for Days of Our Lives with the details you gathered.

“Oh, sorry. Wayne is coming by in a minute. Oddly the man is fixing his hair. He never does that, so he must really want to make a good impression on you.” Eddie swung the chair out and sat in it with his chin resting on the back. “Called Harry, we get the day off and he’s also willing to give you a few extra shifts to get some extra cash.” You nodded. “He’s also really happy to hear about the baby.” “Great, glad to hear.” You felt your eyes glaze and get heavy before the realization hit. “BABY!” Eddie cackled. “Gotcha!” You slapped him on the shoulder just as Wayne walked in.

“Hmmm, not even been here a full day and you two are already fighting like a married couple.” “Oh for fucks sake.” You groaned into your hands. “Did I offend?” “I made a pregnancy joke and now you’re making a marriage joke, seems F/N is having a life changing morning.” Wayne looked back at his nephew, indifferent to his remark. “Make sure you name the first born after me.” He walked over to the couch as you slammed your head on the table. “Relax, F/N. It’s just fun. Do you want some more coffee, or something else.” Eddie chuckled. “Maybe coffee, I can’t sleep well yet. My back kills from the couch too.”

Eddie sat a cup in front of you before walking behind you and began kneading your back. The accuracy of his fingers felt amazing. “Let me know if I’m going too hard.” “Nope that feels good.” You said as your body relaxed. “Should we go outside?” Jackie asked as Eddie halted the impromptu massage. “Morning Jackie.” “Eddie, F/N, Wayne.” She said Wayne’s name in a singsong tone, her face lit up when she saw him and his expression likewise. You and Eddie looked back to each other and then to them. “Should we leave you two alone?” Eddie mused, Wayne chucked a napkin ball at his head, which Eddie laughed at.

“How’d you sleep F/N?” You groaned, Eddie resumed giving you the back massage. “The couch is a little uncomfortable, hence this.” You pointed to Eddie who you knew was giving that Cheshire Cat grin. “And your other neighbors are a bit louder than I’m used to.” “Oh Roy and Gina? Don’t worry, they’re the only ones. Roy is always bringing someone else home and Gina will scream and yell before they get back together.” You grimaced. “That’s not ideal.” “Then the cycle will repeat and you’ll get used to it.”

“Or I could go with you to the store and pick up some ear plugs?” Eddie whispered, his tone slightly seductive. How the hell could ear plugs be sexy? “That’s a deal.” “And maybe later we could help with those nerves of yours?” “What’d you have in mind for that?” He stopped the massage and rested his chin on your shoulder, his lips pressed to the conch of your ear. “I have a stash from my buddy Rick, he still has dealers but he cuts me in sometimes. Thought maybe you’d like to try a batch?” His response was a breathy whisper, more seductive than the ear plugs remark. Your spine shivered at his statement. “Maybe.”

“Hey! Kids you ready to go?” Wayne interrupted. Eddie leaned back and walked out the door. You stood up and slowly followed them out to the car, unable to stop the rush of thoughts in your mind. Visions of you and Eddie in a daze from weed finally letting go and the ecstasy of that moment. Flashes to last night and the near miss; you wondered what would have happened, how far would Eddie have gone? You glanced over at him while he started up the van, Jackie and Wayne were in the truck ahead.

“Eddie?” He stayed focused on the road, but perked up. “Hmmm?” “Last night, before we were; well for lack of a better term, interrupted.” “Yeah?” His tone dropped, you could already hear the panic settling in his voice. “What was that?” He chuckled. “Honestly, I don’t know.” You tightened your grasp on your jeans. “What does that mean, exactly?” “It means I don’t know what happened before your mom burst in the trailer. I don’t know why I… acted that way. It was wrong… right?” You stayed laser focused on him, his focus was on the road. “Eddie? What are we doing?” “Um getting your stuff if my memory serves me correctly.” “No, I mean…” “I know what you mean F/N… I don’t know.”

The car came to a red light and Eddie used this time to finally turn and face you. “I don’t know what we are, but I like you. I have liked you ever since you came into the store and yelled at me for nearly hitting you with my van. I thought, wow that is probably the most beautiful women I’ve seen and she’s so cute when she’s yelling like this. Then, at Mark’s funeral when we talked and later that night it just… it was like I couldn’t get rid of you.” You smiled, the light turned green and Eddie started out, focused on the road but still deep into the confession.

“I won’t lie, I assumed you’d be out of Hawkins before I’d wake the next day after the funeral. Which I didn’t like because I wanted you, maybe not like I do now, but I did want you.” He let that sink in a moment, Eddie wanted you. The moment you strolled into his life screaming about his poor driving while he was getting Pizza Rolls for the Hellfire Club, he wanted to have you. You felt a shy grin creep into your face, you turned away to make sure Eddie didn’t catch it, but you knew he did when that cute chuckle of his came back. “Then, you dropped that bombshell and I was actually happy. I haven’t had anything that’s made me happy like this in years. So while I felt bad about how it happened, inside I was jumping up and down. That is until I met your mom again.” You groaned. “I can imagine this encounter.” Eddie made a turn down the road opposite your house, inevitably prolonging the conversation.

“She accused me of getting you drunk and having my way with you. Called me a swine and was really scary; honestly I was more scared for you. I couldn’t leave you in that situation, but I had to. I feel like in some ways I failed you that night. Sure I drove you back and kept that one guy who was eye fucking you at the bar from getting too close, but I couldn’t stand up to your mom.” Eddie finally turned onto your street and inched towards your house, his eyes were watery and red. “Somehow, you kept coming back into my life. Like no matter what we’d have to be near each other. It’s weird.” He parked the van behind Wayne’s truck, the two were already inside.

“Eddie?” He looked over with just his eyes, his head resting on the steering wheel. “Were you jealous Steve took me to the movies.” He groaned. “Yes.” You patted his shoulder. “Well I was jealous too you know?” “Of who?” “That girl at the Hideout, the blonde who you seemed to be flirting with.” Eddie’s face got red. “Nothing happened okay! I talked with her but… all I could think about was you. When you left I walked back to the group and she was gone too. I went home alone after I got drunk.” He let the tears fall and the panicked cries filled his van. “I thought you would never want to speak to me again.” You unbuckled your seatbelt and reached over to hug him, he shivered under your touch.

“Wait… you were jealous? So does that… did you like me or something?” You let him go and looked him dead in the eyes. Those wet sopping brown puppy dog eyes you’d fallen in love with the moment they first met your gaze. Easing forward you paused inches from his lips. “Or something.” Finally closing the gap between you both, Eddie leaned into the kiss, his back straightening up and pulling you closer. It started out with a sweet tender kiss and grew more hungry, Eddie was practically devouring your lips and losing breath. His tongue making its way into your throat and his teeth biting your lower lip. You mirrored his actions, feeling the knot growing in your stomach, the want of Eddie.

You broke it off with a loud snap, knowing full well where this would lead. “Not yet Eddie!” “Wait, what? Why?” It wasn’t the whiny cry most men would display at getting cockblocked, but more confused as to why you who were just as turned on would not want this to escalate. “Well one were in front of my mom’s house which we need to go inside and get my shit. Second… I’ve never… like that was my… first…” His eyes widened. “I’m the first person you’ve ever kissed?” You nodded sheepishly. “Well I must say, I’d have never thought that. You know what you’re doing.” You giggled and Eddie sat up, he straightened his jacket. “But I think I understand. Let me know when you want… I mean when I… well just say when.” You smiled, Eddie jumped out and opened your door, picking you up in his arms to lower you down, like a princess being hoisted from a carriage. You both walked inside ready to face the music.

****************************************************

Eddie and Wayne took your bed, dresser, bookshelf and vanity loading them into the back of Eddie’s van. Jackie helped you gather the rest of your clothes, books and VHS tapes before you both put them in the bed of Wayne’s truck. Thankfully your boxes from the move hadn’t been tossed aside, maybe Mary had been planning you to leave or to kick you out for a while. You looked around the room you’d come back to for the last three months, the place you’d called home and wanted it to be just that.

“Are you ready dear?” Jackie asked. You nodded tearfully, taking one last look at the room which had only served as temporary to you. The idea of moving twice in less than six months had to be a record somewhere you assumed, but not a record you wanted to break. You grabbed the last box from the empty room; your phone, and a few photos of your friends from Ohio. Smiling softly as you closed the door leaving it behind for the last time.

****************************************************

@dreamerjj

@foreveranexpatsposts

@micheledawn1975

@3rd-conchord

[tobiasdrake]

The 22nd Tenkaichi Budokai is a master class in setup and payoff.

We all know how tournament arcs go. The final round is going to be the arc's hero versus the arc's villain. Everything before that point exists to provide character work and spectacle moments, but there's rarely any ambiguity about where the tournament is going.

Poorly done, the lead-in matches can end up feeling like filler. Like the story's just spinning its wheels. Decently done, they give characters a chance to stand in a spotlight they wouldn't normally receive by the rest of the story, and let them shine in individual moments even if they aren't going the distance.

But a well-written tournament uses those lead-in matches to lay groundwork, planting seeds that will eventually sprout into the finale.

The final match of the 22nd Tenkaichi Budokai comes in hot. This tournament had previously been a sports movie arc about the rival schools of Kame-senryu or Turtle Style and Tsuru-senryu or Crane Style.

Ten thought he'd vanquished the star athlete of Kame-senryu, Yamcha, in the opening round. In fact, he rigged the ballots to ensure that he could face Yamcha right off the bat. But things took a turn when he found out that one of Yamcha's juniors, holy shit, killed his master's brother, a legendary assassin and a top-tier master of Tsuru-senryu.

It's at this point that the story stops being about the school rivalry. Instead, it becomes a mission of avenging Tsuru-senryu's lost honor by vanquishing Taopaipai's killer. Ten isn't playing by tournament rules anymore; He wants to kill Goku in the ring.

Only. He doesn't, really. Locked in the fight of his life with Goku, Ten falls in love with the competitive atmosphere itself. He loses interest in avenging Taopaipai and becomes more enthralled by the prospect of simply proving his worth in the tournament itself.

It's at this point that the fight stops being about either of those things it was before. It's no longer a contest between Kame-senryu and Tsuru-senryu. Neither is it about revenge.

It's just about these two martial artists standing on the world stage, ambitions blazing as they reach for the lofty title of Strongest Under the Heavens. The only thing that matters anymore is the pure sport of it.

And what a sport it is. This fight is an incredible summation of everything that led into it. Throughout the arc, we get to watch Goku and Ten take each others' measure. We see the special care and attention they're paying to each others' matches, and we watch them grow from their own.

In Goku's semifinal match with Krillin, we see him break out an incredible vanishing technique.

Special attention is drawn to Ten's ability to follow Goku's movements, as he explains to the reader exactly what Goku is doing.

Setup.

By introducing this move here, we're ready for its faster-paced return in the final round - and we're already primed for Ten to counter it.

Payoff.

But Ten wasn't the only one paying attention during the semifinals. When Ten fought the Muten-Roshi in his guise of Jackie Chun, Goku got to see Ten's signature move: The Taiyoken or Solar Flare.

Incidentally, he refers to this as a Shin Tsuru-senryu or "New Crane School" technique, implying this isn't part of the standard Tsuru-senryu playbook; He created it on his own.

As with Goku's semifinal, getting to see Ten's semifinal gives Goku a leg up on the competition, as this advance preview of Ten's signature move gives him a chance to glean both how it works and how to counter it. We get to see Goku and Krillin discuss the limitations of Ten's technique.

Setup.

This gives Goku the forewarning he needs to be ready for this technique when Ten breaks it out in their match.

Turning Ten's attempt to capitalize on Goku's blindness and vulnerability, into an opening for a counterattack - through a little bit of sneaky-handed filching.

Payoff.

Neither of these guys is winning this tournament with the same tricks that carried them through the semifinal, that's for damn sure. But it's not only their matches that play into this finale. Krillin's fight in the quarterfinals with Chiaotzu - the only real fight Chiaotzu's ever had in this entire series - serves to establish Chiaotzu's psychic abilities.

Setup.

Chiaotzu can telekinetically bind a person, leaving them helpless to attack. It doesn't win him the match, but it briefly allows Tsuru-sennin to rig the finals in Ten's favor.

Payoff.

This ability, set up in the quarterfinals, is what gives Ten the opportunity to realize he doesn't feel right winning like this, and to choose fair competition and sportsmanship instead.

It's easy to keep focus on how Goku and Ten are feeling about this move, because we've already been introduced to the ability itself. What is happening here doesn't need to be freshly explained, allowing the pace of the fight to be maintained.

Speaking of strange abilities we don't need explained, the preliminary rounds of the tournament, typically an easy wash, have one character introduced with surprising gravitas.

In the preliminaries, Goku faces King Chapa. One P, Viz. It's Chapa-O, named for the Italian dish chapati 'cause Toriyama likes his name puns.

Despite not happening on the world stage, this match is nonetheless treated as a serious tournament fight. Goku still wins the fight handily, but not before Chapa has a chance to show off his signature technique: The Hasshuken or 8-Armed Fist.

Hasshuken is a speed technique, built around moving your arms so quickly that it blurs visibility and creates the illusion that you have eight. Chapa hits Goku with this technique, but we see that Goku's fast enough to see through his moves and counter them anyway.

Setup.

In the finals, once he gets serious about competition, Tenshinhan unveils another esoteric ability: Shiyoken, the Four-Armed Fist.

No optical illusion this time. Tenshinhan's devised an ability to physically sprout two extra arms to enhance his fighting.

But four arms are for suckers. Hasshuken can give you eight.

Payoff.

We've already seen Goku face down and defeat Hasshuken and we know he's a quick learner. So it's no surprise when he whips out the technique on his own, much later in the tournament, to counter Ten's Shiyoken.

Nearly every move of this final match stands on the shoulders of the material that came before it - Right down to the final blow. By this point, it's been long established that Ten and Chiaotzu can fly.

It may seem odd these days when everyone who is anyone has mastered it, but the levitation technique Bukujutsu was originally a signature technique for Tsuru-senryu. Everyone else cribbed it off of Ten.

They stole his Bukujutsu/Levitation. They stole his Taiyoken/Solar Flare. Fucking thieves, the lot of Kame-senryu. Turtles be stealin', yo.

In his desperation to win the finals, this becomes Ten's final ace in the hole. By destroying the tournament stage itself so there's nowhere to stand that isn't out-of-bounds, Ten can remain suspended in levitation and force Goku into a ringout.

The best Goku can do is take a huge jump, but that will only carry him so far. He needs to know Ten down to the ground before the ticking clock of gravity ends this match. He only has one option to reach with.

But it's useless.

During Ten's quarterfinal fight with Yamcha, it's established that Ten has the ability to cancel and reflect the Kamehameha.

Setup

This was the first official fight of the tournament. It's a piece of context that has sat on the characters' shoulders for everything up to this point, and we even see Goku attempt a Kamehameha earlier in the final round before thinking better of it.

Payoff (Kinda)

He remembers that Ten can cancel his Kamehameha. It would be a waste of his energy to try for it. Instead, he saves his strength for the longer fight ahead.

This, in turn, is what makes it so suspenseful when Goku is forced to resort to it in this very last exchange. Having no other option, Goku is forced to fall back on a move that cannot work. The outcome of the tournament now depends on an attack proven to fail at the very start.

And then it hits.

Payoff (For Real). Deflect that, asshole.

Though Ten still wins the tournament by sheer dumb luck of Goku hitting the ground a second before he did, this is nonetheless a thrilling solution to a problem created by the opening match of the arc.

This is what the entire final round of the 22nd Tenkaichi Budokai is: A series of payoffs fired off in rapid succession to plot points and abilities and ideas that had been sprinkled throughout the entire arc to that point. A fast-paced frenzy of a fight that rarely needs to stop to explain itself because everything was already layered out in advance.

This is top-tier tournament writing, and anyone seeking to write a tournament arc would do well to study what it has to teach.

[voguefashion]

“Pink is the new black” - Diana Vreeland

Thomas Gainsborough, Mary, Countess Howe, c. 1764.

Marilyn Monroe wearing a pink satin strapless gown with an oversized bow attached at back, designed by William Travilla for the "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best friend" number from Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953).

Vogue Paris, December 1964.

Jackie Kennedy wearing a Pink Chanel suit on the day of her husbands assassination in Dallas, Texas on November 22, 1963.

Margot Robbie on the set of Barbie.

Shirley MacLaine in a gown by Edith Head for What a Way to Go! (1964).

Brigitte Bardot wearing the famous pink and white gingham dress with a Peter Pan collar made of English lace, specially designed for her by Jacques Esterel on her wedding day to Jacques Charrier on June 18th 1959.

Reese Witherspoon wearing the pink leather 'driving suit' in Legally Blonde (2001), designed by Sophie de Rakoff.

Barbara Cartland the "Queen of Romance" fiction was often dressed in a pink chiffon gown.

"A brave new pink that accepts the challenge of the blazing summer sun." Elizabeth Arden "Arden Pink" advertisement in American Vogue, April 15, 1959.

Princess Diana wearing a pink sweater and pink and white gingham pants at her home at Highgrove, Gloucestershire, 1986.

Model Suzy Parker in the "Think Pink!" number from Funny Face (1957), costume designed by Edith Head.

Valentino Garavani Tan-Go Platform Pump in Patent Leather 155mm in Rose Violet.

Molly Ringwald wearing the 'prom dress' designed by Marilyn Vance in Pretty in Pink (1986).