#like she says she got scouted but she's still in her first year of high school

[evilminji]

OKAY, FIRST? Like the Picture Says...

So!

Here I was, sittin', thinkin', pondering my thoughts. Thing to myself? "How could one? Presumably female, much like myself, Jedi repopul-" and THAT is when my brain, worn and weary, from years of The Internet? SLAMMED its fucking pint down on the bar counter, turned to me with an ugly scowl and sneered?

"You KNOW fucking how. Don't be coy."

( O.O) w-well alright then, brain. Little aggressive. Kinda wondering where you got the knife. I... I'ma just... go... *pint glass is thrown after me, shattering on the door as it just barely misses*

So! Yeah. Birth, probably. But STILL! That's like? Still ONE(1) fuckin Jedi right? And even IF Mr. "I am literally half midi-chlorians by blood" sired two Force Sensitives on his first go? That's no guarantee EVERYONE does?

Unless..... >.> we are taking into account a Force Sensitive RACE. THEN? Oh, THEN? It's not a matter of IF, but HOW MUCH. Enough to hit that arbitrary cut off point? What if you don't care? What if you say "everybody can be a Jedi"? Want to TRUELY spread the Light. Not just to those who are STRONG enough... but to EVERYONE.

There are a few races like that! But! That STILL? Doesn't solve the Puzzle! The Problem! Of how could One(1) VERY determined Jedi lady, who? Presumably is pretty cool with motherhood. Rebuild The Jedi Order, by NOPING™ out before Order 66.

Again, presumably AFTER taking on the role of Creche Master. And AFTER taking all the youngling on a Super Fun Unplanned Don't Tell The Other Grown Ups Suprise Feild Trip~☆ (yaaaaay!)(who wants snacks! Everybody got their travel bags and buddies? Let's gooooo~☆!)

Cause like? Still need a stable population. And enough Jedi to *obscene gestures multiculturally* at the Sith.

My? Proposal? We turn to the Wisdom of the Monster Fuckers. (Wait wait WAIT! Don't leave! HEAR ME OUT!) I KNOW this sounds like a sex thing! Not a sex thing! It's a "Who said Humanoid Meant Live Birth? Were fucking Aliens, Bro" thing! Just because? Our SI-OC? Was reborn AS a vaguely human shaped sentient?

DOESNT MEAN SHE'S A MAMMAL.

That weird hair color could mark her as some WEIRD, man! Fuck, for all we know she could be a fungus! It's vaguely body horror! You get over it! Adapt to new biology!

Learn?? You lay CLUTCHS. Fuckin EGGS. All baby making is external after the first bit. Something, something, easier to defend against predators. SI-OC doesn't remember that part. There was this high pitched ringing in her head then a thump. She was on the floor. May have fainted. What're you, a cop?

They offer her weird alien birth control.

She takes the birth control.

Learns she is a Rare and Near Extinct Species, a la Master Mundi. Learns it's VERY detrimental to her health to lay clutches. Takes a lot of resources, she can't LEAVE it, so with out a partner or community (or sufficient hoard of food) she WILL starve to death. It HAS happened.

No, seriously, look Mafame Che in the eyes. It HAS happened. And no you CAN'T "push your impulses into the Force". It's a biological imperative. Your body physically won't LET you.

Exactly three options. Babies born, they die, or YOU DIE.

......little intense. Got it. Yes she would like that birth control. She will continue to be both average and forgettable. Pay no attention to the Jedi Creche Master In Training! Oh look! It's kenobi! *yeets fellow jedi under the speeder*

Take some.... research trips >.> <.< >.> which is of course totally not scouting out new Temple locations! To the Wild Zone. Mmmmm, no one for WEEKS by hyperdrive! It's so calm out here!

Only took, like, 278 different planets scouted! To find the right one.

*starts building dwellings.* *starts directing "too old" Force Sensitives or Families that want to stay together and are willing to move, towards the location.*

New secret Jedi planet? Whaaaaat? Nooooooo. That would be illegal. Jedi can't break RULES! Don't be silly. Oh? Is that Skywalker? *same Speeder, new jedi. YEET!*

But WAIT! The War Approachth! D:> upsetting. Better get ready to give that "we totally need to Hide The Babies For War Reasons" presentation she has prepared. But FIRST?

A clutch. Got a transport pod ready to go. Got food stockpiled. Got the birth control out. Now? Just need a male! Too uh... contribute.

.......look, she wants her legion of tiny jedi babies okay? They glow like STARS. Everything is BETTER with them around. And she's kinda come around to this whole... disgusting slime... goo... Thing™. Cause I mean? At LEAST it's not pushing one OUT! ( o7 Padme, you have her respect. But also you are a madwoman.)

The Healers, are of course, FROTHING at the mouth.

YOU DUMB MOTHER FUCKER. They hiss, like healing and very concerned paragons of needle weilding fury. Where the FUCK are you going to just? GET?? A male of you INCREDIBLY RARE AS FUCK Species? You damn near dead and no longer existent species??!? You have DELIBERATELY put yourself in EXTREME medical distress! For WHAT?! Did you HAVE a plan!?

Yeah. :3 I call it Pulling a Yoda's Linage *Yoda ears move from Concern, to Intrigued*

*click*

..........what was that. Jedi SI-OC, What Was That?? *comms start blowing up* What did you just DO?

Oh :3c simple. She asked. It's the only polite thing to DO after all. She DOES need assistance. Surely someone would be willing to offer. If they can. How? You may ask?? Why look so CONCERNED Councilors! She simply assumed, that? Since there is no way of KNOWING where in the Galaxy surviving members of her Race are? And time IS of the essence? She SHOULD reach as wide an audience as she can, as FAST as she can... RIGHT?

>:3c so, of course, she posted her request to the Holonet.

Video and all.

"Grettings, I am Jedi SI-OC. I am an [race] and currently a Creche Master here at the Jedi Temple of Coruscant. I require the assistance of a healthy, willing Male of my species, as I have laid a clutch. And wish to have it fertilized. I would like to have children. We would, of course, discuss co parenting the children before beginning. I have, attached, further details. Thank you for your time. May the Force be with you"

Sexiest shit a LOT of people for egg laying races have seen in years. Well... those with Very Specific Jedi Kinks. Of course, no one ADMITS to jedi kinks. But like... you've thought about it. Don't lie. Everyone's thought about it. It's them and the Mandalorians.*commiserating noises*

But like? The NEWS CYCLE.

Holy SHIT.

Yeah, yeah, tensions and possible succession from the Republic. Sith plots in the background. But? *new casters violently clear their planned segments for THIS* JEDI? Horny on main!? Is THIS ALLOWED? IS this horny? What race is that? C-can other people volunteer? And if so, who? We take to the streets! Sir, what's your opinion on-?

OUTTA MY WAY, I'MMA BANG A JEDI! *frenzied mob like behavior*

*temple guards, unnamused.* back! BACK! Horny jail! For ALL OF YOU!

Just?? It's? So, SO? Important to me? That their are Mandalorian [race] that show up. Because the need to repopulate their people is more important then *scrunch nose* Jedi(ew). That it becomes the Galaxy's hottest Bachelorette show. WHO? Amongst these Fine And Acomplished Men? Will the Jedi CHOOSE? To have babies with! They ask.

And, presumably, marry and learn the power of family and friendship and emotions and be HEALED by LOVE etc etc.

There are shipping charts. It's horrifying. The talk shows LOVE it.

Council? Day drinking. Except for Mundi. He's just like "....but did you HAVE to you they Holonet? It's so MESSY >:/ everyone's in our BUSINESS now." Cause he's not a hypocrite. Grumpy asshole? Absolutely. But not a hypocrite.

Just? The single most "....who?" Jedi ever. Causing the BIGGEST fuss. Right at the worst possible moment, for Sidious. Causing an explosion of glee and hope and laughter etc, all across the Galaxy. Good feeling towards the Jedi. EVERYBODY talking about them. There's gonna be HUNDREDS more!

If she does this AGAIN (in a decade. Madame Che was NOT joking on the stress it puts on the body) there could be thousands new Jedi over the coming years! (Probably why the Sith fuckin wiped them OUT, not that she thinks about it. Fuckers. Who's laughing NOW?! Huh? WHO LAUGHING NOW?!)

Again! Very, unspeakably Ace. Not a sex thing. I just think I'd be funny? That the Forces answer to The Evil Sith plan was... Babies™.

What are we? Fuckin YODA?

@babbling-babull @hdgnj @legitimatesatanspawn @spidori @hypewinter @mayfay

[aparticularbandit]

...yui i know you didn't go to hope's peak because you chose not to after being scouted but i feel like maybe if kyoko disappeared you might have changed your mind

no this is not because i want her to have another girlfriend in the three years that kyoko disappeared

....

i mean, i don't even have to send her to hope's peak, seiko was homeless for a while after getting expelled, yui would absolutely take her in

the question is whether or not i want to include seiko in the fic or not and like whether that just complicates something that doesn't need to be that complicated

[sweetbans29]

Injured - PB

Pairing: Paige Bueckers x Reader

Summary: You tear your ACL and Paige is there to care for you (based on THIS request)

Warnings: slightly angsty, fluff, Paige as caring GF, role switch when it comes to injury (mirrors timeline of Paige's actual injury)

Word Count: 2.1k

Sweetbans Masterlist

AN: I am still figuring out how to write for Paige but we are out here trying. Any and all feedback is always welcome!

You never imagined your life to be what it was. At no point growing up did you expect to play college ball or go to one of the best colleges for women's basketball. Basketball was always something you enjoyed and mostly played because your friends played. It wasn't until high school that key people in your life started encouraging you to take it more seriously.

The summer before going into freshman year of high school your middle school coach sat down with you and your parents and highly encouraged them to put you in basketball year-round. He saw something in you that no one else had seen up to this point.

Your parents asked you if you wanted to play year-round and you just shrugged.

You did. Your parents switched you to a high school with a better program. When you weren't dominating on the court in high school, you were dominating on another court - turning the eyes of a lot of coaches and brands.

Your first brand deal was with Gatorade. It was all thanks to your old middle school coach who had some connection within the company and told them they would regret not getting you early. You were only a sophomore when you signed with them.

Your current coach did an interview that explained who you were as a ball player when someone came out right after you closed the brand deal.

"Her mentality when it comes to the game is unmatched. She is a sophomore in high school and is ready to play in college - if you haven't seen her play, you must." Coach Rudd says. When asked about what specifically stands out about the young star compared to other up-and-coming players that colleges are scouting, his response was not what you would expect. "There is no doubt that her talent is seen when she is on the court. That is known. But what impresses me the most is how she brings her teammates into her thought process. She takes the IQ that she has for the game and is able to explain and teach that to her teammates." Coach Rudd says. "There are times I feel like she gives me a run for my money as head coach of this team." Rudd jokes. "The world needs to watch out for her - she may not enjoy standing in the spotlight but it will follow her wherever she goes. She is just getting started." Rudd finishes.

Even with the interviews and the brand deals that followed, it wasn't until colleges started reaching out and asking about your plans for college that it dawned on you to play after high school.

All of your teammates at the time thought it was comical how much you had your head in the sand when it came to how sought out you were. They would tease you endlessly about it, just shrugging them off and playing the game you love.

After becoming one of the most known high school ball players, you committed to UConn to play for Geno. The way he approached you about college ball was different than any other coach had. He understood your basketball mentality better than anyone else had up to this point.

It wasn't until you got to college that it really hit you how many people knew you. You walked into your first practice and the whole team started mumbling about you. Not much bugged you, but for some reason this did.

You feel someone come up beside you but you don't pay them much attention until they speak.

"Don't worry, they aren't saying anything bad - I heard them talking about the freshman superstar that's coming in and how she is going to change the Huskies game for the better. I thought they were talking about me, but then they said your name..." The girl says as she extends her hand to you. "I'm Paige," she says, and you shake her hand introducing yourself.

"Oh I know who you are ma, everyone here does," she says with a little laugh. You pull back a little embarrassed now.

"This is all new," you say trying to justify your body language. That was the truth - not many people talked about you in high school and you just kept your head down. But this was much different.

"Just stick with me, I got you," Paige says and you follow her over.

She was your saving grace freshman year. The more you got to know her - the more you realized you had in common with her. Her understanding of the game, her understanding of outsiders looking in, you both loving the sport and just wanting to play to the best of your ability.

It was toward the end of your freshman year that you admitted your feelings for Paige. You had spent the night at hers and woke up entangled with the blonde. You watched her sleep and decided you had waited long enough. When she woke up, you were already staring at her. As she looked into your eyes, you leaned in and kissed her without warning.

It caught her off-guard but she melted into you.

The two of you decided to keep your relationship as lowkey as possible, knowing that you don't like being in the limelight. You told the team a few weeks in and it came as no surprise to them. Most of the time, Paige took the lead which was nothing out of the ordinary.

Everything in your life had been pretty smooth. It all changed during an early-season game your sophomore year.

You were mid-transition when you pivoted and felt a snap in your knee, immediately falling to the ground. You were guarding a girl from the other team, and by the looks of anyone watching, it looked like she had faked you causing you to lose your footing and fall. It was only when you were on the ground holding your knee that everyone realized something had happened.

Initially, the play kept going. Both teams believed you were going to get up and continue to play. After the other team finished the play, the refs and your team noticed you were still on the ground.

You knew exactly what had happened the second you felt the pop but refused to believe it. After the initial pain, you tried to get up on your own while the play was still going but couldn't. Not that anyone would expect you to but yourself.

Paige was the first person to run over to you, kneeling by you and asking you what hurt. You were holding your knee, rolling around trying to find any sort of unpainful position which didn't come. Your hand kept hitting the ground in frustration.

Paige is yelling furiously at the bench for someone from the medical team to come over to you. No one was moving fast enough for Paige's liking.

She kneels by your side, grabbing the hand that keeps hitting the ground. She knew she could let anyone see how scared she was, but she was terrified. If there was anyone in the building who understood you better than yourself it was Paige.

"Someone is coming, babe. Someone is coming." Paige keeps muttering.

"Just get me up," you say - frustrated with the whole situation.

"Someone is coming." Paige repeats again.

"Get me up!" You yell indirectly at Paige. Paige doesn't want to move you without someone coming to help but Azzi reaches out her hand to help you up. Nika is behind you and hooks her arms under your arms.

"1, 2,3," Azzi counts and you let out a grunt as the two girls lift you up. You balance on one leg as Azzi puts one of your arms around her shoulders, Paige on the other side with Nika still behind you. The three girls help you to the bench - the medical team meeting you halfway.

You see Paige turn to them and yell something that you can't make out.

Paige doesn't want to leave your side but is grabbed by Geno when Azzie and Nika pass you off to go back to the locker room.

"We need you here," Geno says. "They will take care of her," he says as Paige looks down the hall where they had just taken you.

She heads back out on the floor and finishes the game.

You on the other hand were being looked at.

The game ended - it was a total upset. After you left the floor, Paige fouled out leaving the team down two of its best players. When the team made their way back to the locker room, you were lying on one of the tables with your leg elevated with ice. You have your arm covering your face as your mind races with a thousand different thoughts.

Girls from the team come and make their way to you but you don't say a word. Everyone but Paige tries to talk to you and you just give nods or little exhales.

Once the room cleared out - Paige walks up to you.

She puts a hand on your stomach and it is like she releases all the pent-up frustration you had been harboring since going down. You feel tears stream down the sides of your face as you bring your other arm up to stifle the cries that are coming whether you want them to or not.

"It's all so stupid." You say. Paige pulls up a chair and sits next to you.

You don't say anything for a few minutes.

"I'm stupid." You finally say.

"Don't say that ma, you aren't stupid," Paige says as her hands come up to remove your arms from your face.

Your arms fall and she begins to rub the one closest to you.

"This could have happened to anyone," she continues. "I know this sucks - it is the last thing you want to be dealing with right now but this isn't the end okay?"

Paige sits there knowing that if the roles were reversed, there is nothing that you could say to make her feel better about the situation. So she just sits there with you, holding your hand and rubbing your arm until you are cleared to go home.

Paige takes you home that night You don't say much but you are incredibly thankful your girl is there.

She helps you into bed and runs out to get you all the necessities. Your phone is turned off, not wanting to hear what anyone has to say about what happened.

When Paige walks back in, she hands you some meds and water.

"I let your parents know how you are doing," she says in the softest voice. You don't look at her, knowing if you do, tears will begin to fall.

She comes and lays next to you, opening her side up for you to cuddle into. She makes sure your leg is positioned well before you finally feel her settle and exhale.

After a few minutes, you speak.

"It's funny how I wasn't even thinking about college basketball until someone mentioned it to me. I never would have imagined playing past high school. I mean I have always loved the sport and knew I would always play but coming here and playing at this level has been amazing. It opened my eyes to the potential of more. The potential of a championship. The potential of multiple championships. The potential of the W. The potential of coaching someday. If there is anything that this injury has shown me it's that I'm not finished." You say.

"I am going to do what I need to do to come back better than I left the court. Not only physically but mentally. The world has no idea the drive that is burning inside me." You finish.

Paige can feel your breath pick up as you talk - only backing up what you are saying. She kisses the top of your head with a smile.

"I have no doubts that you will come back better." She says as she intertwines her fingers with hers. "But for now, I need you to rest, ma."

You nod.

"Rest is good." You say with a yawn. "But tomorrow we start."

"How about we give you a week or two, then we can talk about it," Paige says knowing you are going to be a challenging girl to care for. "We will have plenty of time to get you where you want to be, but before then we gotta get you fixed up." She is rubbing your thigh.

"We will see about that," you say and nestle into your girl.

Right as you are about to fall asleep, you let out a deep sigh.

"Thank you, P," you say. "Thank you for knowing me and loving me for me." You say knowing you can be a lot.

"I can't imagine my life with anyone else," Paige says, voice laced with sleep.

"Good," you say. "Because you are stuck with me."

AN: First Paige request in the books. Hope you all enjoyed it! Please let me know what you think! And as always, thank you for your love and support 💙

[ayanominitrash]

Act Cool, Senpai! (Geto Suguru x reader)

₊˚ ♡

Geto-san takes a liking to his cute kouhai.

˖⁺‧₊˚ ♡ ˚₊‧⁺˖˖⁺‧₊˚ ♡ ˚₊‧⁺˖˖⁺‧₊˚ ♡ ˚₊‧⁺˖˖⁺‧₊˚ ♡ ˚₊‧⁺˖˖⁺‧₊˚ ♡ ˚₊‧⁺˖˖⁺‧₊˚ ♡ ˚₊‧⁺˖˖⁺‧₊˚ ♡ ˚₊‧⁺˖

First Entry. 2nd Entry here. Masterlist. AO3

˖⁺‧₊˚ ♡ ˚₊‧⁺˖˖⁺‧₊˚ ♡ ˚₊‧⁺˖˖⁺‧₊˚ ♡ ˚₊‧⁺˖˖⁺‧₊˚ ♡ ˚₊‧⁺˖˖⁺‧₊˚ ♡ ˚₊‧⁺˖˖⁺‧₊˚ ♡ ˚₊‧⁺˖˖⁺‧₊˚ ♡ ˚₊‧⁺˖

Geto Suguru never thought of love.

Unlike his classmate, Gojo Satoru, who thinks of it 24/7. Despite this, he isn’t oblivious to the fact that he’s ironically Jujutsu High’s campus crush over the Gojo. Who knows why, but he guesses it was something about his ‘nihilistic smile’ as his senior Mei-san once mentioned, not missing the way she eyed him from head to toe with a flirtatious look.

He didn’t know how to feel about that.

Regardless, he’d rather focus on his studies and on working hard as a Jujutsu Sorcerer. That’s all he knew after all. It’s what got him out of his rural village and scouted into the busy streets of Tokyo.

Except, he can’t help but notice his cute little kouhai. 

During Midterms months in the First Semester, you’d politely knock on the door to their classroom and shyly poke your head in, asking for Shoko. Geto would always look forward to that time of the day, the third period in the morning. He finds his heart suddenly racing as his eyes land on you, only to look back down to pretend reading the notes he took for their last class when really he was thinking how you look so cute today, just like any other day. Or how that cute new sweater you were wearing over your dark Jujustu uniform looks so good on you. How cute your hair looks when you clip a few of your front hairs back. 

Needless to say, Geto Suguru, for once, was a mess.

And it was all because of you.

“Who’s that girl who always comes here?” Geto innocently asks Shoko one day after their first class in the morning. 

They were all sprawled in their seats: Gojo on his right-hand side, lazily doodling some god-awful looking Digimon characters over his empty ‘notes’; Shoko on his left side, messing with her phone, texting who knows what. 

“Who? Oh, you mean our kouhai? She’s a year below us with Haibara and Nanami. Why do you ask?” She answers, not bothering to look up from the small screen.

“She’s like, always here.” Gojo pipes up, still scribbling in his notebook. 

“You guys close?”

“Obviously. Why else would we go to our next class together?” 

“Ah, you two share a class together? You don’t mean that. . she can also do external Reverse Cursed Technique?” Geto asks in awe. 

The brunette only nods with a bored look on her face. Gojo stops his ministrations on his notebook for a moment to whistle. “Another rare one. It’s good to know our new batch of sorcerers are coming in with talent.”

“I’m just glad I’m not alone in class anymore. You couldn’t even imagine just how - ” 

She was probably reminiscing about her first year when she had to take RCT-specialized classes all on her own, often complaining to them about how boring it was to be the only student there at the end of the day. Of course, the rest of the conversation went over Geto’s head as he was still processing the fact that you’re so rare, talented, and powerful to be one of the only few RCT users in all of Jujutsu Society.  On top of all of that, you’re gorgeous. You probably have a few boys fawning over you, sorcerers or none-sorcerers.

Geto, for a moment, forgets that he’s one of the 2 strongest sorcerers in this generation, and suddenly feels inferior to you, like he’s out of your league. After all, both he and Gojo couldn’t use RCT on themselves, let alone do it to others.

You’re, in no doubt, a gem.

“Anyway, why did you even ask? Are you annoyed she keeps coming over or something?” 

He blinks, realizing that his friend is looking at him now with the same lazy eyes she has, expecting an answer.

“Oh - what? Of course not. I was just curious since she just started popping up a few months ago.” 

Gojo hums in agreement, insinuating that he too was curious about you.

The raven-haired teen goes back to his reading, making a mental note to not ask too much about you, or else they’d get suspicious. Geto has never really felt these feelings before so he might be wearing his heart on his sleeve. 

Also, he mentally begs his heart to stop racing with the mere mention of you. 

Please.

₊˚ ♡

One afternoon after classes, Geto volunteered to clean up and erase the writing on the chalkboard, while Gojo and Shoko were packing their stuff to up and leave.

He wasn’t expecting it, but there was that same tiny knock on their class door. 

It was you, awkwardly standing in the doorway, hands gripping the straps of your bag.

“Ieiri-san. . .” You say in a shy voice, only flicking your eyes momentarily to both him and Gojo, before subtly hiding behind the doorframe.

Too cute, Geto thought.

“Your girlfriend is hereeeee.” Gojo sings, to which Geto whips his head in panic, only to realize that the tease was addressed to Shoko. That little act was thankfully, not noticed by any of those present.

“Shut up, Gojo.” The brunette tsked before shooting you an apologetic look. “Ignore him. Do you see what I have to deal with? Hold for a minute, still fixing my stuff.” 

“You guys heading somewhere?”

Geto doesn’t know where he finds the courage, but he decides to set down the chalkboard eraser and approach you. Maybe because he’s been itching to talk to you these past few months. You immediately stand upright when he starts to get close, no longer hiding behind the doorframe. 

“Ah- Geto- san! H-hello!” You quickly bow, “I-it’s an honor! E-er, Ieiri-san, and I w-will be going somewhere - eh, yes! Getting Ice cream…cones.” You lift your head up but still stare at your shoes, inwardly cringing at yourself.

Geto and Gojo share a look, the latter wierded out, and the former does a breathy chuckle. 

Too cute! Geto thought once again.

“Ah, is that so? She must be fed up enough with us to leave us out of it. Anyway, It's an honor that our kouhai knows my name. It makes me a little guilty of not knowing yours. So, name?”

You shyly tell him your name.

“Ah, that's a pretty name. It's imprinted in my brain now.”

“Oi, you!” Shoko elbows Geto’s stomach out of the way, pushing past the doorway and hooking your arm onto hers, dragging you away. “Stop harassing my kouhai, will you? We’re off.”

“E-eh! It was nice talking to you, Geto-san, a-and Gojo-san!” 

Geto tries to wave the both of them off but can’t help slide his back down against the wall, rubbing the spot Shoko elbowed him on. She did not hold back.

But that wasn’t why he was weak in the knees.

He finally got the chance to talk to you, and he didn’t stutter at all. Geto does find some relief that you were just as flustered with talking to him as he was feeling with you, all red in the face with those wide eyes like that. It’s making his heart do 360’s. 

“Weird little fella, ain’t she?” Gojo asks as he passes by Geto on the floor, his backpack in hand. “Let’s go before the little runts fill up the arcade. I wanna make sure to get all these school stress out of my veins.”

Geto huffs as he stands up, “You barely even study.”

“Take that back.”

₊˚ ♡ - - - -

Meanwhile . . .

“Ieiri-san, Geto-senpai looks so great today, as always.” You swoon with your eyes closed and your hands to your face as the both of you exit the school campus, the orange sunset bathing the skies.

“Huh? Really? You know, sometimes I feel like you're just using me to see him. I don’t know why you like him, but I guess he’s better than that other idiot, Gojo.”

You loop an arm back around hers, "Of course, I’d never use you like that, senpai! I'd literally die of boredom without you!"

˖⁺‧₊˚ ♡ ˚₊‧⁺˖˖⁺‧₊˚ ♡ ˚₊‧⁺˖˖⁺‧₊˚ ♡ ˚₊‧⁺˖˖⁺‧₊˚ ♡ ˚₊‧⁺˖˖⁺‧₊˚ ♡ ˚₊‧⁺˖˖⁺‧₊˚ ♡ ˚₊‧⁺˖˖⁺‧₊˚ ♡ ˚₊‧⁺˖

(❀❛ ֊ ❛„)♡ reblogs and comments are appreciated//do not repost my work anywhere

//

THE FACT THAT I HAVEN'T WRITTEN ANYTHING FOR DADDY SUGURU SINCE OCTOBER IS A SIN I NEED TO REPENT FOR ASAP ✞✞✞ would anyone even want a part two of this? any maybe turn it into my first series here //

[feyreshumanheart]

Feyre's Power and Versatility

I feel like Feyre's skill set, power, and versatility is so creatively done in the series.

I saw some people say that Feyre didn't fight a lot or show her powers or abilities much in the series, and I never got that impression when reading. I was blown away at how many skills she shows, powers and abilities and the unique combinations of them.

So I went through a looked at examples of skills/abilities and how they're used creatively-

Archery

The obvious first one, but beyond her backstory and the first chapters of acotar, it comes up even after she turns fae; like in acowar, killing a couple of the naga hounds as they escape from Hybern's camp:

It's not a forgotten skill even if Feyre has so many other abilities to utilize later that it comes up less often.

Hunting

Feyre the huntress is basically the origin of her character and a defining skill; you can see it in her trapping and killing the Middengard Wyrm as a human, but it also comes up when she saves Rhys from the Hybern soldiers in acomaf:

The Hybern scouts even attempted to conceal where they'd taken Rhys by using his shirt to carry his scent and splitting up into two groups, and Feyre is still able to figure out which group to track.

She doesn't just understand snares/traps, she understands animal habits, tracking, and applies that knowledge to kill the Wyrm in impossible odds and save Rhys in acomaf.

Hand-to-Hand Combat

Feyre is a skilled combatant, even without relying on magic:

She even does this while also incorporating (and keeping up with a thousand year old Hybern Commander utilizing the same) winnowing into her fight here.

(To say nothing of how she's poisoned and weakened during this and adapts her fighting to end it quicker, get Lucien free, to finish before the poison can fully take hold).

It's so impressive that Lucien (who's centuries old) and Brannagh (who is a thousand) are visibly shocked. Lucien even comments on it later.

Winnowing

Winnowing is "a rare gift" that "only the stronger Fae can do"; only a few of the Inner Circle are shown to be able to do it. Thousand year old Hybern royalty like Brannagh can't do it.

But Feyre is able to. She even is shown to winnow with others (saving Rhys in acomaf and taking on another sentry in early acowar).

And it's implied she'll get better with time since it's established training is important (not just power) to go further distances and carry others and that what Feyre needs is more time and training to go farther:

"[Winnowing is] wholly dependent on your own reserve of power—and training" - Rhys explaining winnowing to Feyre in acomaf

I still had not yet mastered doing it over long distances. At least, not with many stops in between. -Feyre, end of acomaf

Strength/Speed

Feyre is noted to be unusually (physically) strong and fast for a High Fae, which is one of the first signs of a High Lord's Heir.

Her strength is shown in the Weaver's Cottage when she loosens and throws bricks at her and in her inability to keep from destroying doors and silverware and whatnot on accident after being turned, literally not knowing her own strength.

Shielding

Her mental shielding is so good, she successfully keeps Rhys out; she's also able to physically shield against High Lord powered attacks (like Tamlin in acomaf and Beron in acowar):

She also shields Lucien and Tamlin's minds and protects them from daemati attacks without them even realizing in early acowar.

Daemati

Daemati are even rarer than fae who can winnow, and her burgeoning abilities were so strong, she slipped into Lucien's mind without meaning to multiple times.

She was also able to influence a High Lord (Tarquin) and infiltrate Ianthe's mind so deeply it took days for the King of Hybern to unravel.

We also see her power to sense minds, cast of "net of awareness" and see if any fae are hiding or nearby.

Curse-Breaking/Spell-Cleaving/Ward Breaking

Feyre can cleave even difficult and powerful wards/spells. Even the King of Hybern is impressed-

She cleaves his wards/breaks his spells multiple times and also breaks a High Lord's:

Moreover, she's able to almost trick spells:

She also can detect spells as part of her abilities:

Shapeshifting

She uses her shapeshifting abilities to enhance her body in combat (i.e., eyes that can see in the darkness, talons to fight with, and wings to fly with). She's also able to use it to impersonate others, like infiltrating Hybern's camp as "Ianthe".

Beyond that, Azriel notes that her attention to detail as an artist allowed her to create detailed, accurate wings, highlighting the intersection for how she views the world as an artist with her powers:

Elemental/Misc. HL Powers

Beyond the others above, she also inherits a variety of often elemental type of powers specific to different courts that she uses in varied, creative way- a few examples:

Night (shadows): uses the shadows to blind the Hybern soldiers in the halls of the Adriata palace and use the cover of darkness to winnow repeatedly and kill them (while using the shapeshifted eyes so she has night vision)

Day (light): blinds Eris on the ice in acowar to get away

Day (wind): uses the wind to create shields and block weapons like arrows

Dawn (healing): mostly seen speeding up healing herself but we've seen it save Rhys's life when he's poisoned

Winter (ice): after drenching the flying Hybern soldiers with water in the attack on Velaris, she uses the ice to freeze them and bring them to the ground to shatter; she also uses the ice to negate Eris's fire cuffs in acowar

Summer (water): the water wolves speak for themselves- but just creating water animals as weapons that can charge and fly in general; she also drowns a Hybern soldier on land in the Adriata palace

Autumn (fire): she uses lashes of fire to behead Hybern soldiers in Adriata and even set an entire clearing ablaze in acomaf (before using other powers to smother it)

You can see in many cases, she plays off the complementary powers (using water to soak flying soldiers only to use ice to freeze them; using shadows to blind Hybern soldiers while using her shapeshifting to give herself night vision and winnow in bursts to take out the soldiers).

This gives her abilities and powers that are unique from the individual High Lords.

Glamouring

She uses the shapeshifting magic to conjure a glamour of their entire army. This is a glamour that a high lord (Tarquin) was skeptical could be done. The NC army is significantly bigger than the Summer army, too.

She also uses glamouring when she hides Bryaxis and the Bone Carver before the battle with Hybern, with no one on either side aware.

Wielding the Cauldron

Feyre possesses an ability to use the Cauldron that's incredibly rare. It's shown that part of it is due to being Made, but also Feyre's own ability to control herself/her mind and withstand its power.

She is the one able to be a conduit and reforge it, even without the Book of Breathings, in a cool moment that purposefully references The Mother and "the story of Prythian":

Her power also goes in to remake the Cauldron with Rhys's:

Her ability to do this (use the Cauldron as a conduit to unleash Amren and reforge it) is the only reason they win the war, that any of Prythian's forces live.

She also can sense it and track it:

The King of Hybern even notes that the Cauldron "purrs" in her presence.

General Power

The acotar books aren't great with power scaling imo; having said that, Feyre's considerable power is discussed and acknowledged multiple times.

Her use of magic in the Court of Nightmares when people try to test "whatever power she might have" causes people to faint, tremble, whimper, and flee even:

In the High Lord meeting it's especially apparent.

I think some misunderstand that though Helion establishes that what it feels like for the High Lords is that they're missing an inconsequential bit of their power (to the point that only he is shown to have noticed it), he also says in the same breath, that the power Feyre just displayed makes him say "no wonder" she was made High Lady, establishing it as HL level in his eyes:

I think it plays into how Feyre is repeatedly asked "what are you?" by people like the Weaver or established as "like and unlike all".

Because despite all the HLs acknowledging Feyre was given just a drop/they aren't missing much, it's also acknowledged that she could've killed the oldest High Lord (Beron) and her display seems like "far more" than what was given:

It's not that 7 drops of power from the High Lord's adds up to much and took anything noticeable from them individually, it's that the combination created something unexpected, "outside anything" recognizable and with a "behemoth" of power.

Feyre being Made this way literally became something more than the sum of her parts- and that's only emphasized with how she combines her powers and abilities to make something new.

Seven Courts/Connection to Prythian/Made

Feyre notes that her unusual powers respond differently, to the High Lord and their court/land. This comes up when she's tracking items, when she's getting past their wards, and even from the land itself.

Like her other abilities, she combines her connection to the HLs to other gifts- like using her shapeshifting to physically become Tarquin and then her connection to him to be perceived as him by spells.

Another interesting thing is that Feyre's power responds to both the High Lord's power (it "writhed" in response at the start of the battle against Hybern when they use theirs) and the land of their courts. She notes that her affinity to use certain court powers responds and is strengthened when she's there:

In the Middle, there's even a moment where Feyre feels the very land of Prythian accommodating her:

Which connects well to how she reforges the Cauldron with a purposeful reference to "the story of Prythian" (when the Mother held the Cauldron- notably depicted in a "starry, endless night") and the start of all life.

The whole "child of seven courts" with powers that respond to the land is fascinating as the power in Prythian is so tied to the land and that moment that she parallels.

-

I liked how Feyre's skills and powers are shown because readers really get to see it and not just hear "she's powerful" or "she's a huntress".

You see her apply training (so much emphasis on power training with Rhys and combat with Cassian and flying with Azriel for instance and all get payoff) and experiences (her years hunting shows up in all three books and makes moments like killing the Wyrm and finding Rhys after he's taken feel more earned) rather than just suddenly have "power".

You get to see how she applies her powers, how she combines her skill set, rather than just a generic blast of power that demonstrates "power" but no skill or strategy. And that creates abilities that are new and unique.

Anyway, this was fun to do- Feyre's a badass whose versatility lets her build upon the individual powers she has and her powers and skill set are used very creatively in the series.

[thirstywoso]

Caffeine for the Heartache - Jessie Fleming x Reader (part one)

W/C: 2.3k

Warnings: none - maybe a little angst but mostly fluff

Synopsis: you find comfort in caffeine and Jessie after a shitty break up and club move.

Six years, six entire years you'd shared with her. Now here you were in your apartment alone, you weren't even sure who you were without your girlfriend. Well now ex-girlfriend.

You'd started dating in college and she followed you across the pond when you got scouted by Arsenal, after playing there for a few seasons you decided now was the time to return to your home country.

~

You'd packed up your St Albans apartment and had bid farewell to your old teammates, genuinely looking forward to the fresh start when...

"For fuck sake Emily, the last truck will be here in ten minutes and half of your stuff is still scattered around the apartment!" You seethed trying to gather your girlfriends stuff together.

Bending down to gather some of her books you heard her feet pad across the now nearly empty apartment and felt her presence behind you as she sighed. Your stomach dropped as you stood up to face her, she grabbed your hand and looked into your eyes for what felt like an eternity.

"The thing is y/n/n... I'm not coming" blinking away tears you look at your girlfriend who now looks so small dropping her hands as you try to formulate a response.

"What do you mean? We are literally leaving for the airport in four hours Em! Of course you are coming?" Your last sentence trailing off in a question, beginning to doubt what you thought was real.

"Look, I've done some thinking and I moved out here to help you with your dream, I've been nothing but supportive. You have to understand though, I have a career too and I can't just stop and pick up again in another city. It's just not fair"

You sigh and nod, you understood it wasn't fair but you thought you'd at least have an understanding with the girl.

"Can we at least discuss it?" You look down fiddling with the hem of your shirt, your foot sweeping back and forth across the hardwood.

"I've already decided" she says in a more cold tone than you were expecting.

"What about us?"

"I'm not sure.." she replies.

"Is there someone else?" You thought it silly to ask but you had to, yet her reaction maybe made the question not so silly after all.

She couldn't look you in the eye or give you a straight answer and that's all you needed to know.

You didn't know what to say, instead you just asked her to leave whilst you gathered your things unable to even look at her.

A few hours later you found yourself at the airport, you were alone and the reality was setting in that this next adventure would be a solo one.

As you got on the plane you sent her a message telling her it was over, you then blocked her number and turned off your phone. Taking off for Portland and not looking back.

~

Which brings you back to now, standing in your new apartment alone surrounded by boxes. None of which you wanted to open knowing it would be too painful to even see anything that reminded you of her.

Moving to Portland was a choice you had made for your career, some of your arsenal teammates had also played there and sung high praises of the club. This made your choice of NWSL club easy.

You knew a fair few of the players at Portland too, the likes of Sam and Sophia from National team and Janine and Jessie from when they also played in the WSL.

Your first training session with the Thorns had come around soon enough with it only being a few days after your move to the city.

You had settled in well sitting with Janine and Jessie and lunch and partnering with Sam for drills. In fact it was a pleasant distraction from what was going on in your normal life.

You were pleasant and kind to everyone but to some of those who had known you longer it was obvious that you weren't your normal self.

One of the people that noticed was Jessie, you knew her from parties back when you had both played in London and had gone out with her and some of your shared friends on several occasions but never just the two of you.

You'd count her as acquaintance but not quite a friend or at least not a close one, that didn't stop her from showing you kindness though.

After the first week of training she had invited you to dinner at her apartment along with some of your other teammates and their partners to help welcome you in.

It wasn't until she had mentioned that you could bring your girlfriend that you remembered that you no longer had one. Awkwardly scratching the back of your neck you admitted to Jessie what you were currently going through.

Jessie's cheeks flushed pink and her eyebrows furrowed embarrassed that she hadn't known, worried she had upset you she began profusely apologising before saying it was okay as she was the only single one that would be there and that she would keep you company if you still wanted to come now she had put her foot in it.

You laughed at the way she had become flustered and took her up on the offer to spare her from further embarrassment.

When you'd gone to dinner it wasn't as bad as you had worried it would be with other couples around, Jessie's company had distracted you from a lot of those thoughts and together you and even mocked some of the other couples.

Once the night had come to the end and everyone began to leave you'd offered Jessie a helping and which she accepted, as you helped clean the dishes and the dinner table you mindlessly chatted with her.

You hadn't even realised how much you had opened up, it's not like you'd really had anyone to talk to about the break up since you got to Portland and you found it easy to let go of some of the hurt that had been building up.

When you went to bed that night you felt content knowing you'd deepened your friendship with Jessie and that you had someone to rely on close by.

Waking up the next morning you'd seen a message from her in your phone

Jessie 🇨🇦: Hey, I know it's late notice but did you want to go grab coffee? I know a great little place downtown? 8:43

Looking at your clock you notice it's 9:02

You: That would be great, I've just woken up though! Would 10am work?

You pull yourself out of bed and go through your morning routine before heading out to meet Jessie, the coffee shop turned out to only be a few blocks from where your apartment was.

Walking in you see a peppy Jessie already sat in the corner at what you'd soon find out was her favourite table.

"Hey, I didn't know what you liked but in my opinion you can't go wrong with an iced coffee" she says sliding the drink she had gotten you across the table as you sit down.

"You shouldn't have" you say taking a sip "delicious though, you were right really can't go wrong with an iced coffee" fishing out your purse you go to grab so bills before realising you didn't know how much it was.

Looking up at her "how much do I owe you?" To which she just laughs.

"It's on me, put your money away" she says sincerely.

"Okay well next time it's on me, thank you!" She gives you a smile in response. "What's your go to then?" You ask her. "Ooh probably a latte or an iced caramel latte, guess it depends on my mood" she gives with a shrug.

"I can't get behind that" you agree

"I usually come in here to read and relax with a coffee but we can go for a walk if you like?"

"Sounds good to me" you pick up your respective coffees and head for the door, Jessie holding the door open for you.

As you walk along the streets you talk more about how you're finding the city and the move, Jessie intently listening to you vent. Every now and then giving you feedback to let you know she was engaged in the conversation.

"Anyways, I've been talking about me too much. How have you been since moving back here?"

Jessie then talks about her settling in and it being easier than she thought with the likes of Janine helping her. She also noted that she hadn't recently gone through a break up so it was probably a lot smoother than your transition.

Before you knew it you'd walked around a majority of the city, Jessie telling you various facts as she rambled on about her time here. A welcome distraction for you, you then notice Jessie has stopped walking and you turn back toward her.

"So I don't mean to presume, but it's getting late and I'm in need of some lunch. Would you like to get some and go sit in the park" she nods at a small sandwich shop to the side of her before pointing across the road to the park.

"I could go for some lunch" you say "it's on me though" you tell her as you enter the small establishment.

Making your orders before paying the cashier, you watch as your sandwiches get freshly made and wrapped up in paper with the name of what you found out was the family that owned the shop across it.

Arriving at the park you see Jessie dig into her bag and pull out a checkered blanket. She wafts it in the air before placing it on the grass, pulling you down with her so you could sit and eat.

"Anymore surprises in there" you motion to where her bag at as you chewed on your mouthful of sandwich.

"I mean just my latest book, a notebook, a pen and my camera" she lists off.

"Oh yeah, what are you reading?"

"Well really it's just a book of poetry but more of a compilation of poems rather than a specific poet" she tells you.

"It's kind of inspiring me to do my own little private project" she says

"And what's that?"

"I mean I don't really tell anyone about it"

"Sorry, I shouldn't have asked" you quickly apologise feeling slightly bad about it.

"No no, I want to tell you, I just haven't really shared this part with anyone before"

"Well feel free, you can trust me but also don't feel like you have to"

"Okay so, I've been writing my own poetry, nothing great just little poems and then I capture a photograph that encapsulates the poem, or the other way around. I like taking photos but recently I've been writing poems inspired by the shot I've taken"

"Holy shit Jessie, that's so inspired, can I see?" You begin excited before almost whispering the request.

"Uh sure" she replies pulling her camera and notebook from her bag.

She shows you a few of them and it completely blows your mind, until she gets to the last one which has you almost speechless.

"This one I call 'storm season'" she says showing you a photo of a moody sky

Something about the emptiness of the picture the way the moody sky contrasted with the fields, it seemed so full and yet so empty and void and it struck something inside you.

She handed you the notebook and you looked at the poem scribbled in her handwriting across the page, it was short but kind of haunting in a way that matched the photograph.

This is a poem for lonely days

With little colour and mostly greys,

For people who are sick in bed

And those of us with lots to dread

Of things to come, or things in past,

Of things that didn't seem to last

"Wow" you say, kind of taken aback by the rawness of it all. "That's beautiful" you whisper looking up and meeting her eyes.

"I mean I don't know, I wrote it at a time where I was struggling you know"

"It's raw, it's good" you say unsure how to put into words your feelings about it.

After tucking her stuff back into her bag you lay down next to her looking up at the growing skyscrapers around you.

Both content in each others company, you tilt your head to look at Jessie, noticing she's reading some of the poetry in her book.

"Read me something"

"Sure, what would you want to hear?"

"Anything"

"You treat them as if

They have a heart like yours

But not everyone can be

As soft and as tender as you

You don't see

The person they are

You see the person

They have potential to be

You give and give till

They have taken everything

Out of you and leave

You empty"

You lay there staring up at the sky for a second

"That was Rupi Kaur, that poem kind of reminds me of you" she spoke

You leant up on your elbow looking at where she was sat, her eyes looked sad but not as if she pitied you but like she could also feel your pain.

After some time of enjoying each others company you walked back to your apartment discovering it was only a block from Jessie's and that you were practically neighbours.

You waved goodbye to Jessie as you made your way into your apartment building, arriving home you close the door falling back against it slightly sighing to yourself, wondering why you felt so guilty for having a good time.

[tf2-bhs]

Meet Mikhail Ivanov.

The most devoted student at MANN High. Living the earlier years of his life in isolated Siberian mountains, Mikhail grew rather close with his family. After his father passed when he was 10, he also saw that he had to step up and be the 'man of the family', so he grew more protective of them, especially after they moved to England when he was 11.

Inspite MANN High being far from the northwest, he actually lives all the way up in Liverpool, with his family, meaning he had to get two trains every day, there and back. And so, when his sister's all girl's school said they were opening a boy's school just nearby, he was one of the first applicants. Unfortunately, it opened just before his final year of secondary school, meaning he had to leave all his friends behind.

He couldn't even talk to his friends online, because the only computer that his house had, still used dial up internet that his sisters constantly fought to use. Because of this, he mainly resorted to sending letters (that hardly got where they were supposed to be), or to not talking to his friends.

Despite of his rather large stature, Mikhail is often described as a gentle giant, especially those close to him who know of his two main hobbies. The first is making historically accurate CARDBOARD weaponry. He displays all of them on his walls, and even names a few. The other of which is taking care of his family's siberian kitten, Sasha. He adores her, and according to his sisters, is even more protective of it than them! Only once has someone not from his family been allowed to pet her in fears that she might get injured.

GCSES

Triple Science

History

German

PE

Food Tech

Relationships

Jeremy 'Scout' Sullivan: In addition to Mikhail being Jeremy's 'Bonk!' dealer, Jeremy is also one of the only ones to match Mikhail's... Crude humour as Mikhail often laughs at his disgusting drawings.

Jane 'Soldier' Doe: The only thing that Mikhail wants to do with Jane is to shout at him saying "STOP DATING MY LITTLE SISTER!!" but he'll grow to like him again, eventually.

?? 'Pyro' ??: Mikhail tries his hardest to stay as far away from 'that thing' (his words not mine) as possible. 'Pyro' is one of the few things that scares him.

Tavish 'Demoman' Degroot: Pleasant chats, nothing too bad or too special.

Ludwig 'Doc' Koch: It's complicated.

?? 'Spy' ??: They go to book club together in the library, and are often two of the only people to understand deep concepts within the books we read there.

Mun-dee 'Mick' 'Sniper' Mundy: Despite the fact they don’t know each other that well, they can often sit together in silence and have it be comfortable.

F. Pauling: She's one of the few people who recognises that he is both the brains and the brawn. For that, Mikhail respects her.

[youcouldmakealife]

SOTM: Bruno Roy, various Roys (Morgan/Theo); contraband

For the prompt: Does Bruno Roy notice the tension between his poor rookie and Theo in the house?

Bruno would like to think he’s a pretty observant fellow. His teammates would certainly describe him that way. He’s been keeping an eye out for his younger teammates practically since the start of his career, and that takes paying attention, because fuck knows most of those guys would rather get their teeth knocked out than actually ask for help.

His wife would probably disagree, though. She’s the one who notices what’s up with the kids, always filling him in. He doesn’t know if that’s because she's more observant, or if it's because he spends close to half of his time on the road during the regular season, sees his kids less than his teammates, most of the time.

If that’s it there’s nothing he can do about it, and honestly, the last time he was around for an uninterrupted stretch, laid out with a groin injury, his kids were as happy as him when he got cleared to play, and Celine was the happiest of all. He is, he’ll admit, not very good at staying still, and there was a lot more of that than he’d like on bed rest. He’s best in motion.

But with three of his kids firmly in the teen years now, the problems are multiplying. Matt barely leaves his room unless food or school’s involved, and there’s a hell of a lot of reluctance on the school thing. Alexia’s reached the baffling stage of teenage girlhood Bruno won’t even pretend to understand, where everything that used to make her happy makes her mad instead, plus her friends are all dicks. Celine puts it a little more diplomatically, but they’re in agreement on that one.

And Theo, well — Bruno thought the hard part was over after Theo came out to them, and it mostly was — before that he and Celine spent an entire year debating whether they should tell him they knew or wait until he was ready to tell him, and they were getting precariously close to the first one when he sat them down.

But now Celine says something’s up between Morgan and Theo, and scoffs at him when he says he hadn’t noticed. He’s sure she’s not wrong, and he might worry if it was anyone else billeting with them, but Morgan? Morgan’s the opposite of a worry.

“Morgan’s a good kid,” Bruno says. “It’ll probably work itself out.”

“It hasn’t yet,” Celine says. “And it’s been awhile.”

“Can’t be that bad if I haven’t noticed it,” Bruno says, and that’s when he learns just what his wife thinks of his observational skills.

Frankly, he doesn't think she needed to laugh that loudly.

*

Bruno keeps an eye out after that. Not that he doesn’t keep an eye out, but, you know, he keeps a focused eye. Like the difference between casually watching a game and scouting the opponents. And of course, now that he’s paying close enough attention it’s pretty obvious that as usual, Celine is right.

‘The vibes are off’, as he’s pretty sure his kids would say. Also pretty sure that they’d call him embarrassing for saying it, like he doesn’t share a locker room with kids barely older than them. Houses a good number of them too, though thankfully it’s been one at a time. They’re all good kids — his teammates and his children — but they can be, well —

Matt slinks out of the kitchen, hunched over in a hoodie, arms wrapped around his torso. Bruno doesn’t need to be around 24/7 to recognize that trick. And unless Matt’s suddenly gained a significant amount of weight in one area and one area only, Bruno suspects he’s smuggling something. A bag of chips, Bruno believes. Family size too, it looks like.

“Matt,” Bruno says from his spot on the couch, and Matt guiltily pauses, one foot on the stairs. “No chips before dinner. Also, no eating in your room. Take your pick on which rule you’re breaking.”

“I don’t have chips,” Matt says.

“You pregnant?” Bruno asks, and Matt sighs and pulls a bag of chips from where he’s been hiding them under his hoodie. They keep the AC on high, but not that high: hoodie is an immediate tip-off smuggling’s happening. Well, that or that his kids have been in Texas too long.

“I could have been pregnant,” Matt mutters as he goes up the stairs, which is an argument so nonsensical there’s no way Bruno should be dignifying it by replying.

“No you could not have been pregnant!” Bruno says, because it’s an argument so nonsensical Bruno can’t help but reply, dignity or not.

The front door opens just in time for someone to overhear that, because of course it does. Morgan stands frozen in the doorway, wide-eyed, looking like he’s considering turning right around and walking away rather than deal with whatever he just walked into. Bruno doesn’t blame him at all. It’s kind of a wonder they keep letting him billet rookies, though Kai and Grigory did okay, he supposes, considering the level of Roy exposure they got. Morgan’s struggling. He’s too nice a kid for his own good, honestly.

“I was talking to Matt,” Bruno says.

“Um,” Morgan says, then smiles weakly without asking a single question, even though he must have a dozen of them. Too nice for his own good, like Bruno said.

“He was smuggling chips,” Bruno says.

“Under his hoodie?” Morgan asks, relaxing, before shutting the door behind himself and slipping off his shoes.

See? In this house hoodies are only used for smuggling. Even Morgan knows it, and he’s only lived here a few months.

“I didn’t know I lived with the KGB!” Matt yells from upstairs.

“That doesn’t exist anymore!” Theo calls from the kitchen — Bruno didn’t even know he was there, but say something wrong and he’ll appear from nowhere just to correct you, like a genie that provides fun facts instead of wishes. Also not so fun facts. Usually they’re not actually fun facts.

“I’m sure they haven’t stopped spying or anything,” Theo says as he comes into the hallway. “They just changed their name.”

“Thank you, Theo,” Bruno says.

“You’re welcome,” Theo says, then, “Um.”

“I’m going to,” Morgan says, then heads upstairs without actually finishing the sentence, taking the stairs two at a time.

Okay, if it’s been like this the whole time, maybe Celine was right to cackle.

“Anything you want to tell me about?” Bruno asks.

Theo’s eyes dart toward the stairs, and Bruno swears he can see him debating whether it’s a better idea to flee, and potentially look like he’s following Morgan upstairs, or stay where he is and have to answer Bruno’s questions.

Looks the exact same in his house as it does the locker room, and Bruno’s roster has been young enough, in recent years, to see that struggle plenty of times, guys in a snit with each other, stuck on the road. Worst case is when you’re pissed at someone and they’re right ahead of you getting onto the plane. No choice but to follow, and if you’re going anywhere cold, you’ve got to deal with them putting their shit up in the overhead bins.

“Got homework,” Theo says, and retreats back into the kitchen. Bruno had forgotten about option three. That was an oversight, especially when it’s Theo: he always seems to pick the option Bruno hadn’t considered.

“Did you want—“ Bruno says, cut off by Theo’s “No thanks, it’s due tomorrow, bye!”

Bruno sighs, eyeing the stairs himself, then decides to go sit back down. If intervention is needed, he needs to call in the cavalry first, because he’s all out of ammo.

He's got chips now, though. So at least he's got that going for him.

[elfieafterdark]

It's the first day of school. Santa Monica is the same as it always is. The September air probably isn't actually that cold, but it certainly feels cold to Harrow Tridentarius.

She's spent seven years living here, with her adoptive family. Her real family. She wakes up, gets dressed in her new fit (now with more mesh), packs her bag, and heads downstairs.

Corona must still be asleep, but she can always count on Ianthe to have woken up and made coffee.

"Mornin' Harry." Ianthe says, looking like a pale fairy queen, if said Queen short shorts and a big university sweater. "Sleep all right?"

"Yes, thanks." Harrow replies, grabbing her favorite travel mug and the coffee pot. "You?"

"Not really, but what's new huh?" Ianthe is lounging in a really big leather bar chair. Picking at some toast.

"Aww, I'm sorry Thay." Harrow tops off her travel mug with a healthy dose of creamer, then digs through the fridge for a Pop-Tart. "What are you up to today?"

Ianthe sets her plate down and grins, "I don't have classes until tomorrow. So naturally I'm going to a party tonight."

"Judith?"

"Hah, no. Dulcie."

"Makes sense." Harrow shoves the foil wrapped pastries into her oversized pockets. She hugs her sis, and makes for the entryway. "I got to run."

"Be late for once Harry." Ianthe says, "You know you don't have to arrive at school an hour early right?"

"I like to-"

"I know I know, you like to get your locker sorted and figure out where all your classes are." Ianthe gingerly picks up a piece of toast again, buying like it's plotting something. "Love you! Have fun! Get sloppy, make bad choices!"

Harrow rolls her eyes, slipping on her dark purple high tops. "Love you too, make sure to drink water." And she's out in the street.

She loves Santa Monica, she loves the ocean, she loves the beach, she loves the salty air. She loves the piers, she loves all of it.

It's way better than Montana that's for sure. She shudders, either from the chill or from remembering that ranch she spent her early years on.

Doesn't matter. They're gone. Anna is doing well, she's doing well. She walks, she doesn't need to, she could have someone drive her. Mom's, well there's no way around it, mom is loaded.

But Harrow likes to walk. She likes to look around, she likes to see how things along the route she always walks change day to day. The old bakery, the new five-story tall multi-use buildings. The dog who's always lounging on the porch of that old house.

Canaan secondary school is the same as it always is, an upscale architectural nightmare of faux stone and glass. It's perfect. Seems like she isn't the only person here either, a few cars in the student parking lot, a bus full of nervous freshmen pulling up. Noise. But the comfortable kind of noise.

She gets her schedule, and is grateful to see a few familiar teachers. As well as a new name: M. Cristabel for biology.

Wonder who she is.

Harry hits a brisk pace to her new locker, which is mercifully down in the art wing of the school. Her favorite haunt, walls plastered with noteworthy projects from last year.

A few excessively dark and tastefully macabre samples are her own. She's proud of her art. Of herself. Even if she is a little bit strange. The polished floors shine, and her converse squeak a little as she goes.

She scouted out all her classes, she's crammed all her unnecessary stuff into her locker. (Extra hygiene products, extra non-perishable snacks, a spare jacket because she gets really cold randomly; and so on). Now she can find her friends, or wait for them if they aren't here yet.

Down the main hall she goes. Past the somehow even more nervous freshmen, down the front steps.

And she crashes into something sturdy with red hair.

"Oh shit!" The red haired sturdy thing, a girl apparently, says with some kind of new england accent.

Harrow falls, drops her stuff, namely her Pop-Tart. But none of that really matters. Not when she looks up and sees the girl. Tanned skin, freckles, a swishy top of hair and shaved sides. A flannel tied around her waist. Jeans and a white tank top. Mirrored aviators slipping off her nose.

"I'm so sorry!" The tall and muscled girl blurts out, "Oh God I hope I didn't hurt you."

"No harm. I'm all good." Harrow says, smiling as this slab of girl helps her up. "You did accidentally smash my breakfast though."

"Fuck." The girl says, "We got a bit of time before class starts, can I buy you something from the corner store?"

Oh. Uh oh... This girl is smooth. Chances of her being like Harrow are pretty low of course... But what's the harm right?

"Well I'd have to know your name first." Harrow says with a smirk.

"Right. Gideon. Gideon Dve." Says Gideon, Gideon Dve.

"I'm Harrow."

"Your name is Harrow? That's actually badass. Okay Harrow, can I take you to the corner store and buy you some replacement breakfast?"

Harrow feels a shiver, like a drop of cold water running down her spine. It's not at all unpleasant though.

"Yes," she says, "I'd like that. Lead the way, Gideon."

[justjensenanddean]

Jensen Ackles and Jeffrey Dean Morgan | New Jersey Convention, Main Panel (April 16, 2023)

(x)

“hey dad! times been good to ya” (x)

when jensen and danneel had crushes on each other but were tied up with other people jensen wrote her a note that said “not now. but someday” and she still has it (x)

jdm was on jensens first date with danneel bc JENSEN INVITED HIM BC HE HAD NO IDEA IT WAS A FIRST DATE (x)

jensen: jdm got off a motorcycle in slomo and i saw hilarie’s jaw on the floor. she had no idea who he was (x)

fan: fav backstage moment from cons jdm: when i told everyone i was having a daughter bc i wasnt supposed to  (x)

jensen: when we announced the end of spn and at SDCC there were 7000 people and i told jared “take this in. this is it”  (x)

*everyone arguing over an answer* jensen; glad we figured that out. great job jdm: im still confused (x)

jensen got in trouble for sharing info abt a project last con so he will not be saying ANYTHING (x)

fan; SOLDIER BOY COMING BACK? jensen: uh…….no comment  (x)

theyre talking about their daughters jdm: mine will be the death of me jensen: one will be the death of me and the other will take care of me jdm; mine will be twerking over my grave jensen: HOW YOU LIKE ME NOW DADDY  (x)

.@JDMorgan : the year I did #Supernatural and Grey's Anatomy changed my life #SPNNJ (x)

.@JensenAckles getting the part of Tony in West Side Story in high school was life changing - after his baseball coach talked him into doing it. (x)

(x)

the drama teacher at Jensen’s school wanted him to be in the spring musical and his baseball coach was like “you’ve played with me for three years. go give this a shot i promise we’ll be in the front row”  (x)  a talent scout was at the play and told jensen that he had it and he should come to LA and he went “lol take a hike” (x)  THE ROLE WAS TONY IN WEST SIDE STORY!!! and his whole baseball team was like “woah ” (x)

jensen: getting into the industry is harder now that it was back then jdm: i dont even know how to get an agent now jensen: yeah dont ask us for advice  (x)

Question: Jensen, what was your favorite thing about soldier boy? JDM: the codpiece. *crowd laughs* JDM: sorry, I thought you were asking me.  (x)

the boots soldier boy wore on the show are the same ones that dean wore on spn. they’re called carolinas  (x)

jensen: jdm texted me when i was getting fitted and he was immediately like “SHOW ME THE COD PIECE” and i was like “perfect timing i have five of them lined up which one” AND JDM SAID “PICK THE BIGGEST ONE” (x)

fan; nash was amazing. is there hope for touring in the future for radio co? jensen: thanks it took a lot of drugs jdm: he’s not lying  (x)

jensen: touring might be aggressive but anything is on the table  (x)

jdm: i watched it online and i remember texting you being like “what the fuck is going on that was amazing” (x)

jensen looked at steve and said “this is a bad idea we should leave” right before going on bc louden swain KILLED and they didnt wanna follow that  (x)

.@JensenAckles : even tho it was a vengeful mission, John set out to right a wrong. In The Winchesters we wanted to show John before that trauma.  (x)

jensen says the pilot of spn “holds up today”  (x)

fan: whats your fav format to play in (movies, tv, voice acting, etc) jdm; whatever has the best writing. we knew supernatural was going to be good by the first ep (x)

jensen turns towards tv bc he doesnt know where it’ll go and where it will end (x)

jensen: ive done soap operas and that was 20-24 pages of dialogue a day (x)

APPARENTLY ONE TIME JENSEN TAPED JEFF’S DIALOGUE TO HIS CHEST AND HE WAS LIKE “WE GOTTA GET THROUGH THE DAY LOOK AT MY TITS”  (x)

JENSEN TALKING ABOUT FRIENDS AND HE YELLS “PIVOT” (x)

jensen: i heard “anyway you want it” in the car and almost got out before the second chorus hit bc i thought i was late for stage (x)

fan: go to karaoke song? jensen: have u ever done karaoke? jdm: never in my life. i think you asked me once and i said “goodnight 👋🏻 ” jensen: right but it was more like “goodnight 🖕🏻  (x)

(x)

[romione-trope-fest]

Do You Like Chocolate?

Fic Title: Do You Like Chocolate?

Author Name: Mertronus

Selected Trope: Muggle AU

Brief Summary: Ron’s senior year begins with an unexpected surprise

Word Count: 2,040 (Chapter 1 only)

Rating: T

Any Trigger Warnings: None

—

Chapter 1

Ron walked through the doors of Central High and took a deep breath. Senior year. This was it…his final year of high school. There was so much to be excited about this year. He was at the top of the totem pole, so to speak. An upperclassman. All of the other classes would look up to him—and not only because he was one of the tallest in the school.

He was also one of the starting wide receivers for the Central High School Chiefs football team—for the third year.

He had homecoming and prom to look forward to, as well as the senior trip.

But there was also so much he was dreading. Ron tried not to dwell on those things as he located his new locker near his homeroom. He sighed and swiveled the dial to enter his code—then tried again when his locker refused to open. On the fourth try, it finally unlocked. Typical.

Central High wasn’t rundown or anything…but it definitely wasn’t new. Everyone knew that the lockers rarely opened on the first try.

“Weasley,” came a voice from beside him.

“Potter.” Ron leaned against his now-closed locker and watched his best friend fiddle with his own, just three lockers away. “So, you can drive to my house, eat my mom’s breakfast, pick up my baby sister, and just ignore the fact that your best friend was sleeping right upstairs?”

Harry laughed as he shoved his gym bag into the locker. It had only taken Harry two attempts to open it, Ron noticed with annoyance.

“Your baby sister is a junior now and would put you in your place if she heard you call her that.”

“She could try,” Ron chuckled. “Now back to why you didn’t wake me up.”

“Well, when your mom told me that you were still asleep, I didn’t see the point in trying to wake you.” He closed his locker and faced Ron. “We all know you wouldn’t wake up until you were ready. I’m honestly surprised you made it on time.”

“I’ve perfected my morning routine and got it down to three minutes flat. And I ate breakfast on my way.”

“You did not eat oatmeal while you drove!” Harry stared at him wide-eyed.

“The trick is,” Ron threw his arm around Harry as they headed to their homeroom, “you put a bit more milk in it, throw it into a mason jar, and then you can drink it like a shake. No spoon needed.” Ron grinned at Harry, clearly proud of himself.

Harry sighed and shook his head. “I can’t figure out if you’re ingenious or ridiculous.”

“Bit of both I would say,” came a sharp voice from behind them. Ms. McGonagall had just entered the room behind them. “More ridiculous, but most of the smartest people are.” She smiled at Ron and Harry. “Mr. Weasley, Mr. Potter. Enjoyed your summers?”

“Morning Ms. McGonagall,” they both said as they sat near the front.

“We did, thanks,” Ron continued. “Did you?”

“Well,” McGonagall placed her bag on her desk as more students filed into the room, “summer school was quite boring without you two. But I was glad for your absences nonetheless.”

Dean Thomas, who’d just taken the seat on the other side of Harry, snorted. Ron side-eyed him briefly, then grinned at McGonagall. “We missed you, Ms. M. But not summer school.”

Ron and Harry had spent the previous two summers in summer school with McGonagall catching up. But, with some extra help the previous year as well as many threats of being benched in their senior year by Coach Moody, they had both been able to finish their junior years strong. Neither one of them had any plans to be benched senior year. For one, outside of seeing Harry every day, football was the only daily thing Ron looked forward to in school. During the winter and spring they trained and ran track to keep active, but football was always their main event.

On top of that, scouts for the colleges they’d both applied to would be watching, and full scholarships were on the line. Ron was a fantastic wide receiver, and Harry was one of the fastest running backs in the state. They knew that several schools had their eyes on them, including Western University, where they both hoped to go.

The bell rang and McGonagall started to close the door just as Pansy Parkinson and Blaise Zabini slipped through. Both sat and smiled at McGonagall innocently.

“Don’t be cute,” McGonagall scowled. Then she turned to begin attendance as the morning announcements started over the intercom.

The bell rang again ten minutes later and Harry ran off to his first class. Ron stayed in his seat since he had English with McGonagall first period. A few others stayed put too—both of the Patil twins, Blaise, Dean, and Lisa Turpin.

A flash of blonde hair entered the room and Ron cringed. Damnit. Of course.

Lavender Brown smiled coyly at Ron and took the seat in front of him, next to Padma Patil. “Morning Ron,” she cooed.

“Hey,” Ron said simply, praying that she would turn towards the twins for gossip or some kind of cheerleaders mini convention rather than try and hold a conversation with him. They’d dated sophomore year for a couple of months, and ever since then she’d continued to try and get him back. Apparently, the fact that Ron hadn’t dated anyone since her, though there was no shortage of options at Central, told her that Ron was still interested.

Ron was not interested.

The truth was, none of the girls at Central had ever caught Ron’s eye. They all seemed to be the same. And any who showed interest in Ron, likely only did so because of his football fame. None ever seemed to want to get to know him. Even Lavender only wanted Ron in order to portray the perfect All-American high school power couple—cheerleading captain and football champ. They’d be shoe-ins for homecoming king and queen. Maybe even prom king and queen. Ron knew this was the case even though they were no longer together, which put a damper on two events he was otherwise looking forward to. He knew Lavender would be expecting a Homecoming ‘proposal’ or some such nonsense.

It would never come.

Ron sighed in relief when Lavender turned to her two best friends.

“The new girl was in my homeroom,” Lavender whispered. Ron’s ears perked up.

Damn, starting at a new school senior year must suck, he thought.

“Oohh, I heard something about a new girl…what’s she like?”

Lavender shrugged. “Super quiet. And spacey. She didn’t even answer Flitwick when he called her name! He had to tap on her shoulder. I seriously can’t tell if she’s a nerd or a ditz. And her hair! She really could do with a straightener.”

Ron rolled his eyes. Lavender, Padma, and Parvarti were all cut from the same cloth. They believed that hair should be pin straight and makeup should be flawless at all times. And they weren’t the only ones. Ron felt as if there were very few real girls at their school. They were mostly stuck on status and beauty. Superficial things.

Ron wanted real.

His sister Ginny was one of the realest girls in their school. He loved that she never fell into those obsessions like hair and makeup and such. Ron figured that was partly due to being a female athlete. Her best friend Luna, however, wasn’t an athlete and yet was just as real—though a bit odd. Ron thought she was good value though. She was always fun to have around.

As McGonagall welcomed everyone to Senior English, Ron pulled out his notebook and pushed himself to focus. At least he knew Harry would be in his next couple of classes.

“Hey, Ron!”

“Sup Weasley!”

“Hey! Weasley!”

“Ron! What’s up!”

Ron smiled and waved to anyone who greeted him as he made his way down the hall after lunch. Being a starter for three years running gave him a level of popularity he never expected. He was invited to all of the parties, sat at the big table at lunch, and was widely known throughout the school.

And yet he’d never felt so lonely.

Aside from Harry, he hung out with Dean Thomas, Seamus Finnegan, and Neville Longbottom, all members of the team, but not to the same extent as with his best friend. And now that Harry was splitting his time with Ginny…

Ron got it, even if it did take him a bit to warm up to the idea. If he had a girl, he’d want to spend time with her too. But Harry had always been Ron’s person. Not that Ron felt he needed a new person…but it would be nice to have someone like Harry had Ginny.

But there was no one at Central who—

A small body bumped into him as it sprinted passed and Ron just caught a whiff of vanilla and berries. It was soft and inviting, so unlike the overwhelming perfumes so many of the other girls wore.

Ron looked up and watched as long brown curls floated down the hallway. She was looking at the door numbers as she passed them and seemed lost.

As she ran, a small book fell out of her half-closed bag. Ron ran forward to grab it.

“Hey!” He called as she continued on. “Hey, wait! You dropped your book!”

She finally stopped in front of Snape’s science classroom, which happened to be where Ron was headed himself. She stood in front of a woman Ron had never seen before—a substitute? he thought hopefully—and held up one hand while she seemed to catch her breath. The woman simply smiled.

“Hey,” Ron said catching up to them. “You dropped this.” He held out the book to the girl’s heaving back but she didn’t turn. “Excuse me?”

Ron caught the woman’s eyes curiously and she tapped on the girl’s shoulder and pointed over it. She finally turned around and Ron’s breath caught.

She was beautiful, in a very normal way. She wore no makeup but didn’t need it. Her eyes were the perfect shade of brown, like melted chocolate. There was the perfect amount of freckles splattered across her slightly upturned little nose, so unlike the freckles that covered just about every inch of Ron’s body. Her hair was long and curly, with some frizz around the edges. Ron could imagine pulling on the tendrils and watching them spring back into place.

She looked up at him expectantly, and he remembered his mission.

“You dropped your book,” he said lamely.

Her eyes watched his lips as he spoke and he felt a shiver run through him. He’d noticed her lips too. Was she thinking the same as he was? Was she wondering how her lips would feel against his or…?

Her eyes dropped to the book and widened. She took it from him and gave him a brilliant smile and a nod before ducking into the classroom.

“Thanks for that,” the woman said with a smile, before following the girl into the classroom.

Ron made his way into the room a bit confused. Even more so when he noticed that his greasy-haired science teacher was, in fact, present. So who was that woman? She was young, but definitely not young enough to be a student. And she was dressed professionally, like a teacher or a staff member or…something.

As he took a seat closer to the back, and further away from Snape, his eyes darted to the girl. She sat near the front but off to the side. The woman sat on a low stool in front of her.

And as Snape began to talk, the woman’s hands began to move in rapid sign language.

Deaf…the new girl was Deaf.

**Look out for more chapters on AO3!**

[beezelarts]

I've always wondered what Nat and Jake's backstory is. I like to imagine that they were friends at some point until a fight got in between them. So naturally, I tried to write it.

Please don't feel attacked by what I wrote about Nat. I was just kind of imaging how Jake feels about her and the situation and well... we all know that Jake can be an asshole. But in my opinion, Jake also has a point in some aspects that he mentions down there and I like it like this because if there's anything I enjoy when it comes to writing characters it's definitely giving characters some rough edges. And yes, even Natasha. Especially Natasha.

Because I like strong characters that have flaws. Not even childhood trauma - you can't really do anything about that - but actual flaws when it comes to personality. Because everybody has them. Everybody can be a shitty and unreasonable person in their own way.

So, here's my (sort of) controvers take on the topic, part of my mission to make the Top Gun characters as unlikable as possible.

Context: Nat and Jake are on the same squadron, aiming to go to Top Gun. Every training excercise and performance matter. So therefore, Jake puts himself first.

---

“What the hell was that, Jake? Damnit!” Natasha swears as she follows Jake to the locker room, struggling to match his pace. He’s not running, definitely not fleeing, but it’s close.

“What do you mean, Tasha?”, he asks tries to sound confused and non-chalant about it, even though he knows exactly what she’s talking about. This thing between them has been going on for weeks now, ever since their CO told them they were both being scouted for Top Gun.

Top Gun. The place, the goal, Jake’s been aiming for from the moment he crossed the doorsteps of the naval academy – hell, perhaps even before that. The place is legendary, mythical. He’s seen it. Fellow aviators being called to North Island, leaving their squadrons with shining eyes and their heads held high, coming back with their heads held even higher, glowing with an aura of confidence and sancticity.

They get promoted and praised and recognized, leaving the others in the dust because they’re chasing the sun.

Recognition.

Something Jake has been chasing after his entire life.

He wasn’t recognized by his father when he was at his best, trying his hardest to be the son the old man wanted him to be. He wasn’t recognized by his mother when he was at his worst, crying alone in his room after his brothers made it clear that he was not welcome in their circle. He wasn’t recognized by his classmates, by the football coach when he tried out for the team for the start of every school year. It was like he wasn’t even there. Like he was a nobody, destined to be dismissed for eternity.

But he is an adult now and there are no more excuses for being insignificant. So, Jake decided to take charge of his life for the first time. Even if it means leaving one of his best friends hanging.

“You hung me out to dry back there, what the fuck!”, Tasha says, her voice rising in pitch like it always does when she’s upset. And Jake can’t blame her, honestly. He’d be pissed, too, if their roles were reversed. But it’s either him or Natasha. Of course, also the rest of their squadron, but, in all honesty, they’re by far the two most talented pilots of their group.

“Just did what I had to do,” Jake says, quietly, because even though he was doing something for his career Natasha was still right. He left her hanging.

Unfortunately, but not surprisingly, Natasha doesn’t let it go. “What you needed to do? Seriously? You do realize that if this were a real-life scenario I’d be dead right now, don’t you?”

“Then you should be grateful that this wasn’t a real-life scenario, right?”, Jake answers, and seriously, how long until they reach the locker rooms?

Natasha huffs, finally fully catching up with Jake but he refuses to look at her. He made his bed so he’s going to lie in it and he’s not going to give Natasha the satisfaction of seeing the shame that’s probably written all over his face.

“You know, Jake, I thought you were different. That you weren’t one of those assholes who think that just because I’m a woman I don’t deserve a place among the best.”

At that, Jake can’t suppress the dry burst of laughter that’s been clawing its way up his throat since their argument started. Of course, Tasha’s playing the woman-card, now. She tends to do that these days. Admittedly, sometimes it’s justified. Other times, it just seems like a lame excuse. Jake is not sure whether she actually believes that every minor inconvenience she experiences is simply because of her sex. It’s also likely that she simply wants to justify her own failure. Jake can’t blame her, honestly. It’s always easier to blame other people and their biases for your own lack of success. It’s definitely better for your ego. But blaming others will only get you so far in your life. Natasha has yet to learn that lesson, apparently.

“It’s not because you’re a woman, Tasha. I would have done it to anyone, and if you truly wanted that spot at Top Gun, you would’ve done it to me, too.”

Natasha scoffs loudly. “You see, that’s where we’re different, Jacob. I wouldn’t do that. Ever. Because being a pilot means being able to work with a team. With a wingman.”

“Being a pilot also means finishing the mission. There’s no benefit in flying in pretty formations and making sure no one dies if you can’t manage to get the job done while doing it. We’re not being sent up there to help each other stay alive. We’re up there for a greater purpose. Otherwise, why bother even having a military.”

They’re standing in front of the locker rooms now. The door is only a few feet away. Almost there. But Natasha is not having it. She steps in front of him, blocking his escape. It reminds Jake again of how much her new callsign fits her. She’s a force to be reckoned with. Her anger is like a fire storm and when it’s directed at you, you’re basically fucked. Once she’s worked up enough there’s no more reasoning with her. You just try to get away. “This is life or death, Natasha, so you need to give it your all. And if that’s still not enough, well, then maybe you shouldn’t be here. Perhaps the ground crew is still looking for reinforcements.”

He almost regrets saying it. Almost. But it’s that comment that finally makes Natasha freeze in her spot, allowing Jake to side-step her and flee into the safety of the men’s locker room. It’s not the first time someone has questioned the young woman’s place among the naval aviators. As far as Jake is aware she’s become more or less immune to those comments at this point. However, that’s probably mostly because the guys that are saying bullshit like that were in no place to criticize Natasha’s character or performance. To be fair, when it comes to judging someone’s character Jake can begrudgingly admit that he doesn’t exactly have the high ground either. He’s been called an asshole ever since he started having his own opinions. But performance-wise? He’s pretty sure that his point of view holds some weight.

And apparently Natasha thinks so too if the look she gives him before he closes the door in her face is anything to go by.

Disappointment. Betrayal. Jake doesn’t turn back though. Maybe he regrets what he said to her but that doesn’t matter anymore. What’s done is done and Natasha would never accept his apology. Especially not since they both know that what Jake said might be at least partially true.

[mahoushoujotechsupport]

diamond dust chronology

so as promised, i figured i'd type this out and keep it together in one post just to refer to myself and for anyone who might be interested. again, this is mostly speculation that a particular japanese fan had on twitter.

diamond dust closes out the school festival their first year of high school (this is canon and is explicitly told to us by momoka in episode 4)

the shot we get of momoka's smartphone in episode 4 shows a few articles on a music news website about diamond dust. the 2nd of those articles specifically states that industry insiders are looking into when diamond dust will make their major label debut because of the success they've had. it mentions how they closed out their school festival, but it's unclear if that means they also did it their second year of high school or if this is still referring to their first year

in episode 6 we're told by the serbian night owner that right before they moved to tokyo, diamond dust had 10,000 followers. keep this in mind for the rest of the timeline because this fan's theory is they had 10K followers by the time they played at their second year school festival (doesn't make too much of a different in my opinion though)

in the summer of their third and final year of high school, when momoka is 17, is when they decide to drop out because an agency has reached out to them. we can confirm for sure that it's their 3rd year because in episode 1 momoka tells nina she was 17 when she dropped out and they're in their summer uniforms in episode 8

so starting from here is when things get a bit more speculative

their indie album debut was most likely recorded that summer given that they're wearing their summer uniforms on the cover. it's worth noting here that this already kinda tells us that the girls likely got scouted by some less than scrupulous agency because they're using their being high school girls as a selling point by making them wear their high school uniforms on the cover of their debut indie album lol

at some point between summer and fall of their third year of high school, they move to tokyo and that indie album releases

the outfits they wear on the DD poster that was up at serbian night kinda seem to be clothes more suited for the fall so this fan thinks at least the photoshoot itself took place during the fall. another thing to note in terms of the skeeviness of the agency they'd signed on to, we have momoka talking at the beginning of episode 8 about how they'll move to tokyo and the poster itself even says "Diamond Dust in Tokyo". serbian night is not located in tokyo lol but kawasaki

an important point to make about the serbian night performance, we can speculate momoka was already 18 years old since the serbian night owner says it hasnt even been 2 yrs since he last saw her and in episode 5 momoka is now 20 years old. it's also right before june when shin kawasaki (temp) performs at serbian night (their show is on june 6), so the old DD show must have taken place around summer when momoka was 18 perhaps?

also something to note is that that first poster never got replaced with a newer one UNTIL New Diamond Dust is finally making their debut with hina at the tokyo dome. could it be that their serbian night show didnt do well? maybe that whole DD in tokyo tour didnt do well and talks of becoming an idol band started after that?

so essentially, a whole year passes by from when they first moved to toyko/kawasaki(?) and the serbian night performance from the old DD poster

by the time we're shown flashbacks of diamond dust being forced into the idol outfits, it looks like it might be winter to early spring given their outfits, so momoka is likely 19 already here

one more thing that i've seen various fans across the board speculate is that void may have been written around this time. winter-spring of momoka being 19 would line up with nina just about starting her 2nd year of high school and the entirety of nina's bullying took place during her 2nd year

random aside they brought up is how depressing this must have been for momoka once they got forced into the idol outfits because we already see the other DD members go right along with the change. ai, for example, had already dyed her hair. looks like rin may have as well if that blueish tint to the ends of her hair arent a weird coloration error in this shot

and from here we make it to the summer when momoka was 19 years old where presumably diamond dust was going on tour and nina had bought a ticket to go see them

the tour's canceled and most likely it's because momoka quit around this time so DD had no vocalist and the search for their new vocalist begins

at some point between that summer and well before march of when she's 20 and the show begins, momoka manages to record her own solo album, a copy of which she sells to nina for 100 yen in episode 1

so what was she doing from summer to march of the following year? aside from trying to make it on her own i guess? she barely made it a year before just completely giving up

i want a side manga of what she was up to that whole time so bad lol

[squiddosss]

salutations fellow human being! if you are taking requests, may i suggest the aouv crew (there needs to be a better nickname for them) as children? idk just an idea

p.s. this is also a reminder that al had a bowl cut when he was 6-7 years old :) do what you will with that info :)))

I AM ALIVE! [insert 20 exclamation points here] ok but seriously sorry for dipping off the face of the planet :(

here’s the line up! i kinda forgot everyone’s exact ages. i’m going to go ahead and say the characters are in 3rd-5th grade right now. also isn’t elionor one of the oldest champions?? uhhh idk

additional headcanons:

we all know Reid is a huge nerd. he probably leaned into the nerdy-ness a lot as a kid. this kid wore starwars shirts every day. also glasses, (i believe this is canon)

Isobel was actually rather quiet as a kid. she preferred books over people, and liked talking to adults more than kids her age. she was still exceptionally clever and motivated, but she didn’t really learn how to be sharp-tongued and ambitious until she befriended Briony. she owes her people skills that got her through the months before the tournament and all the reporters to her best friend. 

Briony basically coerced Isobel into joining a thing called spell scouts. think like boy scouts or girl scouts or any other youth program but for a magickal world. things like nature and survival skills were taught, but also the basics of spellcrafting and ethics of spell using. (just imagine them in their little uniforms)

Finley was pretty athletic and played a few sports, but didn’t fancy working with a whole team. he attempted junior league soccer (wait… football??? i am american help) but found that he preferred scoring points for his team rather than with his team. he did summer swim at first and running, but wouldn’t discover fencing until he was older (i believe he is the team captain in high school) oh, he also totally did summer theater camps. 

Alistair TOTALLY had a bowl cut. unfortunately, he has curly hair. Marianne Lowe thought his curly hair (which he inherited from his father, whoever that could be) was unbecoming for an eventual Lowe champion, so Alistair’s mother would have to magickally get it to stay straight every day. this is part of why Al lacks freckles— whenever Al went outside, humidity would turn it back into a curly mess. so, under Marianne’s instructions, he just never went outside. he later stopped straightening his hair (and outgrew the bowl cut thank god) but the habit of staying indoors stayed with him. 

Elionor experimented with dying the ends of her hair when she was younger. the blues and pinks never really showed through because her hair was brown, but she liked it, so that’s all that really mattered. she also wrote fanfiction and posted it to online forums despite technically not being old enough to use them.

after losing their father and having their mother leave them, it was hard for Briony and Innes to feel noticed within the large Thorburn family. they went about trying to feel accepted in different ways. Briony, obviously, was loud and learned to announce her presence to feel heard. Innes preferred a more subtle approach, learning a particular relative’s interests and schedules to find a way to slowly do little things to win them over. stuff like doing their chores or completing their hair. 

Carby was like… basically a baby at this point. so… [insert toddler personality trait here]

Diya definitely did extracurriculars at school. she won the spell fair (like the science fair but… y’know… spells) three years in a row and was a member of the book club that included a tournament with other schools at the end of the school year (which she won, duh) she was pretty competitive with it, too. 

Gavin… thinking about his childhood makes me so not ok. he realized pretty early on he was basically a sacrifice to a tournament his family would never win. Gavin knew about the tournament, and realized he would be the champion, and had always seen how distant his parents were, but didn’t realize what that really meant until a bit later. 

OK BUT SERIOUSLY THANK U FOR REQUESTING THIS!

[ofstoriesandstardust]

what they’ll say about us (j.h.s.)

a/n: this is my new hockey AU! i danced and ice skated as a kid but was only ever able to do it recreationally and i know nothing about hockey so this has taken some research but there is still going to be inaccuracies. please bear with me! a lot of this will be explained as the story progresses but in order to understand this story, you need to know that the reader is Bradley Bradshaw’s little sister. Goose lives but Carole dies of cancer when Bradley was 8. Goose left the Navy to care for his kids, but Maverick and Ice stayed & are still in the Navy at the time of this story (me writing Icemav in again lol). also, Charlie had a promising ice skating career that she gave up for her contract work - she ends up re-locating in San Diego to work as a coach. Cyclone is ex-Navy and coaches a hockey team (because I said so). that should be everything; please enjoy!!

summary: (Re-)Meeting Jake Seresin and every moment after. 

touch | main masterlist | top gun: maverick masterlist | house of gold masterlist 

warnings: food mentions, mentions of depression, parent death, cheating, i did research but i still made shit up anyways

word count: 2,354

The cool bite of the air around the ice nips at your skin as you push away from the edge of the rink, calling out for your duo partner. He turns, offering you a grin. “Well, if it isn’t my favorite Bradshaw.”

You smirk, accepting his hug as you glide over to him.

Just three months younger than you, you and Tyler had skated in the rink together forever, it seems like. There wasn’t a day since you had started skating in the first place where the two of you hadn’t skated together, whether it was competitive or performative or just for fun. 

Off the rink, the two of you had known each other since you were in diapers practically. Bradley befriending Natasha Trace on the first day of kindergarten had meant the Trace and Bradshaw families were fast friends. 

Tyler had been an ever-present constant. His family had been there since your Mom’s cancer diagnosis, even though you were far too young to remember those years, and everything that came after. It was his family who had suggested you take your ballet training and put it towards something useful when you got diagnosed with depression at just 11. It had been you Tyler had come out to when you were 16. 

As you had gotten older though, as your skills progressed, your coach, Charlotte Blackwood, had pulled you for more solo performances every year. She talked a big game, planting ideas of the Olympics and national titles into your head, much to your father’s dismay. She knew you had the most potential when you stepped out on the ice alone, commanding everyone’s attention to you and you alone. 

Meaning that this year would be the first time in a few years that the two of you would skate a competitive piece together, along with a solo piece. When Charlie had told you the news, calling to schedule the practices, you had been thrilled.

You hadn’t seen Tyler as much as you would’ve liked over the last year, focusing more on your routine that would end up making you one of the highest-ranked skaters in the state of California than you did anything else, including your graduation from high school. 

Charlie always told you to have your eye on the prize, to think long-term, and you knew exactly what long-term she was thinking of.

Charlie didn’t need to know just yet that somewhere eulogy the way your long-term had diverged from hers, a whole new goal on the horizon. 

“How was New York?” You ask, pulling away from him. 

He shrugs. “You know how it is.” 

You laugh, reaching out to nudge his shoulder. ���Actually, I don’t know how it is. Never been to New York, remember?” 

He gives a half-shrug as he grins. “Well, maybe you will someday soon. You still thinking about Juilliard?” 

You nod. “Yes, but shush about that in front of my brother. And Charlie. No one knows I’ve been talking to one of their scouts. It’s a surprise.” 

He tilts his head. “Surprise or secret?”

“Secret.” You say, giving him a look. “And we aren’t discussing Juilliard anymore, so quit asking me about it.” 

He sighs, nodding as he accepts your statement. “Speaking of your brother, I heard from Nat that the team’s getting a new co-captain.” 

You raise an eyebrow. 

The accomplishment your brother treasured most in this world was leading his team as their Captain for what would be the third year in a row. The team had done well under him, looking up to him and following his lead, even beating out the rival team for a spot at the regional tournament last year. 

Having to give up that sole responsibility to share with someone else was not something he would take lightly. 

“Brad’s not gonna be thrilled.” You pause, biting your lip as you think through his words again. “Wait, how does Nat even know about that?” 

“Coach Simpson texted their group chat to warn them of their new arrival today. Bradley got the text while he was at my house.” 

You furrow your eyebrows, a pit settling in your stomach at the look in his eyes. “Why do I get the feeling there’s more to this that I’m not gonna like?” 

Tyler offers you a knowing grin, crossing his arms. “Word on the street is that it’s Jake Seresin.” 

-

The sound of lockers opening and closing echoing through the locker room greets his ears. He takes a deep breath for the storm he’s about to walk into, shouldering the locker room doors open. Simpson’s already waiting for him, glancing up from his watch. 

“Ah, Seresin, you’re right on time.” 

“Hey Coach.” He says, taking a step forward into the locker room as the team takes notice of his presence. “Thanks for having me and letting me join.” 

“Well, I’d be a fool not to take someone of your caliber, kid.” Simpson clears his throat, cutting off the muttered whispers echoing through the row of players. “As you all saw in my text to you earlier today, we are joined by a new co-captain this season. I expect you all to treat him as you would any other player. Bradshaw-” Simpson calls out, waiting for the brunette to meet his eye. “I expect you to behave in the way I demand from my captains. That means no fights on and off the ice. Do we understand?” 

Bradley nods, even as the way his eyes narrow at Jake says otherwise. “Yes Coach.” 

“Good. Any rivalry that the two of you might have had between one another is behind you, do you understand?” 

“Yes Coach.” Both he and Bradley say, pulling themselves up to their full heights. 

Simpson sighs, in a way that signals he probably knows trying to get Jake and Bradley to put their differences behind them is futile. 

“Welcome to the team Jake.” 

-

Your face dropped. 

“No.” 

Tyler smirks, nodding his head. “Yes. your favorite-” You make a noise of disgust in the back of your throat. “-rival captain has come to join the team this year.” 

You groan, reaching up to rub your temple. “I don’t even know what to say to that.” 

“I’m just not sure what’s going to be worse. The fact that he knew you personally and still kept Robinson’s cheating a secret or the absolute beating your brother is going to give him.” 

“I never should’ve dated Brett.” You mumble. 

He snorts. “Dating someone on the rival team was not one of your smartest decisions, I’ll give you that.”

“I’m not ever going to live it down, am I?” 

He sighs, shaking his head. “’M afraid not.” 

“Okay, you two.” Charlie voice echoes form across the ice. “Sorry I’m running behind, there was a bit of confusion as to who had the ice and for how long today.” 

“’S okay.” Tyler calls out. “Baby Bradshaw and I were just getting caught up on the drama of the new hockey captain.” 

You toss him a withering look while Charlie sighs. “Don’t even mention their new Captain, Trace. You know how I feel about the two of you hanging around Cyclone’s team.” 

“I’m never dating another hockey player ever again, cross my heart hope to die.” You saw, raising a hand. 

“Why would you, after the hell Robinson put you through?” 

“That’s enough Ty. Have you guys warmed up yet? I want to start in on our choreography for the routine as soon as possible.” 

“I warmed up before I got on the ice.” 

“Same here.” 

“Great. Take a couple laps you two, and then we’ll be getting into the skills.” 

The two of you push off, skating away from her. 

“Well, you excited to be back? Even with Juillard on the mind?” 

“I said we weren’t talking about that anymore. As of this moment, forget I ever even told you about it. But yes, I’m excited to be back on the ice. Never stops feeling like home.” 

-

He claps Javy on the shoulder as he walks past. “Good to see you Machado.”

The man squints at him as he walks past. “Saw you last night, Jake.” 

He chuckles, shaking his head as he steps over the bench in between Javy and another player known by the nickname Fritz. “That you did Machado.” 

Javy shrugs, standing up as he pulls his locker open. “That happens when you live together. You know, you see one another.” 

He pushes the man’s shoulder as Javy laughs. He pulls the locker next to Javy open after Javy gives him an affirming nod from the questioning look Jake shoots him. 

“Don’t worry, we’ll get you a plaque with your name on it soon enough. Then everyone will know exactly which locker belongs to the esteemed Jake ‘Hangman’-” 

“Seresin.” 

Both he and Javy turn, facing Bradshaw. Bradley’s drawn up to his full height, eyes dark, voice firm. Fritz mumbles something under his breath, earning him a nasty look from the brunette. 

“Yes Bradshaw?” He says, forcing a sickly sweet smile. It’s polite, but it’s fake, and everyone in the locker room knows it. “How may I help you?” 

“Don’t get too comfortable here, Seresin. You’ll be out of here before you can say boo.” 

He cocks his head. “Is that a threat?” 

“It’s a promise.” 

-

“Ay, Charlie! You were supposed to be off the ice fifteen minutes ago!” Cyclone shouts as you skate past. You pause, slowing down as you turn to see the approaching hockey team. 

She narrows her eyes, skating over to the edge of the rink. “We have it for another fifteen minutes. I checked.” 

“That’s not possible.” 

She tilts her head. “Can’t help it if you got your ice times mixed up Coach.” 

“Bradley.” You hiss. Your brother turns his head away from the normal occurrence of the two coaches bickering to where you’re standing on the ice. “Are you still driving me home after practice?” 

He nods. “Yes, because Dad’s having dinner with Ice and Slider tonight, remember?” 

You nod. “Yeah, I vaguely remember him telling me that.” 

He shakes his head. “Jesus, I think you need to pay attention more when Dad talks to you.” 

“I don’t think it’s a matter of paying attention. Dad really only communicates with me via group chat.” 

“You’re so dramatic, you know that right?” 

“Baby Bradshaw.” A voice calls from behind your brothers shoulder, the boys moving to reveal Jake Seresin. Bradley half-turns, giving Jake a look that would put him six feet under. Jake doesn’t seem to care too much, his gaze burning you as he holds eye contact. “Good to see you again.” He says, offering you the charming smile he offers any girl he’s trying to woo. 

You would recognize the mega-watt smile from anywhere, memories of him flashing it to girls who was trying to bed at after-game celebrations you shouldn’t have been at in the first place flashing through your mind. 

“Funny Seresin, can’t say the same about you.” 

His hand flies up to his heart. “Ooo, you wound me baby. Dost thou really hate me so much?” 

“Hey!” Charlie calls, catching your attention. She snaps towards the ice where Tyler is practicing his triple quad jump. “Go.” 

You sigh, skating away from the ice. Distantly, you hear Reuben chuckle. 

“Man Seresin, if you’re gonna survive on this team, the first and foremost thing you need to know is to stay away from Bradley Bradshaw’s baby sister.”

-

You yawn, tucking your knees up to your chest as you realize your phone is about to die. A quick glance up to the rink tells you that they are deep into a play, and even if they got off the ice at that exact second, it’ll be at least another half hour before Bradley’s ready to leave. 

You click the device off, slipping it into the side pocket of your bag as you curl further up into yourself. A dying phone was a problem that could not be solved without a phone charger and you were straight out of luck there, having left yours on the floor of your bedroom this morning. 

You could probably sleep, the practice running into the late hours as you waited for your brother to finish up. You close your eyes, the sound soft of the whistles and hockey sticks a comforting noise, a familiar one you welcome as you begin to doze off.

“Hey.” A voice calls, and you yawn again as you blink, clearing the sleep from your eyes. You look up to see your coach pulling her car keys from her bag. “You’re not home yet?” 

You shake your head, stretching out your legs. “No, not yet. Simpson kept them late. Again.” 

“And your Dad?” 

“He went to dinner with Uncle Ice and Sli. You know how it is.” She nods, frowning slightly as she glanced at the time on her watch. 

“They’re still out at- 11:33?” 

You shrug. “I didn’t think to ask. I’ve waited later for Brad.” 

You would’ve asked had you not already known he wouldn’t have responded.

She sighs. “Well, I’ll drive you home, okay? It’s late and I know you have ballet early in the morning.” 

You nod, grabbing the bag of gear from the bench it was resting on as you waved a hand to your brother. He caught the movement, raising a hand back, before he focused in on practice, zeroing in on the play. 

“You haven’t had dinner yet, have you?” 

You shake your head as Charlie holds the door of the rink open for you. “No. I think Brad and I were just gonna eat leftovers or something when we got back to the house.” 

“Well, how about we stop at McDonald’s on the way to the house?” 

You raise an eyebrow at your coach. “Oh, it’s a McDonald’s night, now is it?”

She offers you a soft smile. “Why not? It is the first practice of the season. Might as well reward yourself before the hard work begins.”

You don’t miss the fact that Jake’s eyes are on you the whole time. 

[ilikesaladforks]

i just saw on yt, pokémon masters’ story between Grusha and Malva and now I got an image of Rika going into protective girlfriend mode and possibly decking her across the face.

i think rika would fume because malva stepped on the exact thing that rika herself had been so careful all along to tiptoe around that grusha was clearly sore about

ok ok so assuming the anime didn't exist at this so we only had scarvio and mastersex lore to go off of:

we don't know exactly when grusha went pro, how long he'd spent on snowboarding (presumably he spent a long time on it), when he oopsy daisied his way into retirement, how long of a break he took between the injury and his subsequent parlay into battling or how long he'd been a gym leader by the time of the story, except for the fact that he's definitely an adult by the story's events/by the time he started being a gym leader

as geeta's assistant rika most probably has high enough clearance with regards to who geeta intended to scout for the gym challenge and who is applying for jobs and whatnot. even if she's not the hr person, she at least keeps tabs on goings ons at bare minimum. probably.

i like to think that rika was careful about the way she approached grusha. light prods here and there, but never touching on anything too personal, but they both know that she knew enough about his past and why he's here and a lot of it goes unsaid. she keeps a respectful distance because she could tell that he still hasn't fully come to terms with his new path. he wants to snowboard, but he no longer can. he's a gym leader as a means to an end. he wanted to get strong so that geeta doesn't have a reason to kick him out

and then some pesky little kid wiped the floor with him twice and he was fuming and got his act together. instead of thinking about whether geeta will make him jobless for not beating a kid, he's sore because he wanted to win just for himself. now he's motivated to get better because there's a goalpost up ahead that he wants to reach for himself. i think it's also interesting to think about how this was probably the same flame that he had burning as a snowboarder - he was 2nd best in the world, he was so high, but he wasn't high enough, he had a goal to reach and he was young and full of himself and rash and oops there goes his leggy

so even as he decides to make the most out of his new career that he is gonna dedicate himself to, there's still an inkling of yearning for the slopes on the inside that continues to burn - and this rando from god knows where saw it and call him out on it. is he here because he didn't want to? what exactly does he really want now? even in blueberry, he finally got on a snowboard again and did hit the slopes for the first time in almost forever since his incident. it never completely died out, and that's why it was a smouldering flame. grusha has tried to extinguish it by changing career paths, retiring from the sport and swearing (until blueberry) to never snowboard again. it's quite a hard turn and a determined one at that for him, yet he couldn't help himself when he saw the cetoddles having fun in the polar biome. he loves it and he still does!

rika probably can see that too, but chooses to respect his decision not to reawaken that passion. yet this woman from kalos who barely knew any of them just walks right up to him and says it to his face!!!! after she'd spent years shutting herself up to not rip open any raw wounds!!!!! rika's not just furious, she's salty and jealous!!!!

and after the encounter she's sulking for way longer than usual

but also this got me thinking about that story and about grusha's attitude towards uh. things. because it's just so interesting!!!!

now that we found out from the anime that grusha actually is still able to snowboard but chose not to post injury, there must be more than 1 person like the snowboard dude who thinks it's a shame that grusha no longer boards the snow. with a fixation on results, i think grusha has a view that he cannot do something if he cannot perform it to the highest possible level. so like snowboarding, post injury he retired because he could no longer board like he used to. whatever the doctor told him, whether he will never board the same like he used to, whether he will be back as fit as ever with some rehab, whatever it was, it wasn't enough to convince grusha to pick it up again. he went on to battle and was able to get good at it, so maybe that's why it became a viable career path in his eyes. i'm not even trying to paint grusha as some egotistical maniac who only wants to be the very best that no one ever was, but it seems to me that he puts a lot of value in the ability to perform, so much so that if he ever loses that potential and is unable to perform to the same standard he held himself to, he feels that he has to give it up even though he loves it

perhaps when malva said that she could see his smouldering flame for snowboarding, she was echoing the opinions of the masses (i don't even know this character so i won't say whether it fits her or not, this is just my thoughts on what her actions mean) who lament the fact that grusha, in his prime, retired after an injury. now i'm not gonna be the judge of how traumatising or debilitating an injury is to an athlete. i'm just a crazy fandom person who writes crazy fanfics from time to time and i absolutely am not sporty myself. but what malva was seeing is grusha struggling with the decision he consciously made (with his rational mind i guess?) to retire from the sport he enjoyed because he could no longer perform as well as he could. what was the point if he was no longer able to reach the peaks he was once able to?

with his conversation with malva, grusha was forced to confront this flame that he could never douse entirely and face the question of what he truly wanted to do moving forward. there isn't a right answer for her, what she sought was an answer from him. grusha in mastersex (essentially post scarvio, maybe pre dlc) is determined to dedicate himself to battling, but that encounter with the scarvio protagonist isn't about to undo months or even years of internal turmoil about his career change that he still has yet to come to a conclusion about. in sum, his cool mind tells him that it's cringe to pick up snowboarding again if he's not gonna be that good at it, but his uncool mind still exists no matter how cool he tries to be. to malva, he is only being a gym leader as a 2nd best option in life and he still has enough lingering feelings for snowboarding that he ended up giving in to in blueberry.

because of her prodding, he was able to finally settle on an answer for himself. and with the anime in context the fact that he went on about the uncertainties of the new path he's taking

"It might lead me to a bright future or a steep fall... I don't know."

"I'll still make it all the way to the end, no matter what twists and turns the snow-capped mountains throw at me."

"I'll ride this course of life with everyone—including my Pokémon."

does he seek certainty in life and that's why he was always so strict about producing results and why he gave up on snowboarding? by getting so good at snowboarding/battling, there was/is a certainty or stability that he could feel. but when he lost that certainty with snowboarding it became too much for him to handle and that's why he felt the need to switch careers?

idk tbh

i remember reading this story some time back maybe a few months ago and thinking that malva was literally just a mastersex npc lololololol and i certainly did feel the same kind of indignance and anger towards her words since it felt like she was trying to taunt him, but now that i'm reading it again especially with the anime knowledge that he's still able to snowboard i just can't help but think about how the mind of the wild grusha works. i hope this ramble made sense!