#listen there’s so many pre-tournament thoughts

[thistle-inks]

“One day it won’t be like this anymore, we’re getting stronger. Things will change.”

“Might be quicker than we think. Heard the lads whisperin’ on their way out about some craic they heard from up on high.”

“A mutiny?”

“Nah, better. A tournament.”

[hotvintagepoll]

Propaganda

Barbara Stanwyck (Ball of Fire, The Lady Eve, Double Indemnity)—I hope someone else has submitted better propaganda than I because I don't want my girl's prospects to rest on me just yelling PLEASE VOTE FOR MY TERRIBLE HOT GIRLFRIEND. She is a delight in everything! She is often a sexy jerk! (It's most of the plot of Baby Face!) Even when she plays a "good girl" (as an example, Christmas in Connecticut, which more people should see) she's still kind of a jerk and I love her for it! She won't take men's shit and she sure wouldn't take mine!

Mae Clarke (The Public Enemy, Frankenstein)—she was in frankenstein. which i think is neat

This is round 1 of the tournament. All other polls in this bracket can be found here. Please reblog with further support of your beloved hot sexy vintage woman.

[additional propaganda submitted under the cut.]

Mae Clarke propaganda:

Barbara Stanwyck propaganda:

"THE queen of screwball comedies. I adore her, I'd kill for her, I will cry if she's not gonna win this poll."

"listen ok she had awful politics she was a mccarthyist right wing wacko BUT she's so incredibly hot that i've deluded myself into believing i could fix her. if you see her onscreen she carries herself in a way that's just so effortlessly sexy AND she has just a stunning face. imo she was at her hottest in the 1940s but even as early as the late 1920s she had a rly captivating screen presence and just a beautiful face, and then post-1950 she was just irresistibly milfy so really she was just always incredibly hot. she was also an incredibly talented actress who was equally stellar in melodrama, film noir, and unhinged screwball comedy. the blonde wig they made her wear in double indemnity is notoriously silly looking but she still looks sexy in it so that's gotta count for something. i've watched so many terrible movies just for a chance at seeing her that i think her estate should be paying me damages."

"Not often thought of for her sultriness, Barbara Stanwyck was incredible in that she could actually choose to be hot if the role called for it, and then have a glow-down to look ordinary for another role. She wasn't the most beautiful or effervescent, but damn did she have rizz. Watch her with Gary Cooper in Ball of Fire teaching him about "yum-yum" or with Henry Fonda in The Lady Eve whispering huskily into his ear."

"THE leading lady of the golden age of hollywood. One of the only actresses to work independent of a studio, making short-term contracts that enabled her to make movies wherever she wanted. She had so much range, and could act in basically any genre. She's been rumored to be a lesbian literally since she was active in Hollywood; most notable is the rumor that she had a long time on-and-off relationship with famously bi Joan Crawford, her "best friend" for decades (They lived right next door to one another). She also lived with Helen Ferguson, her "live-in publicist" for many years. She was the quintessential femme fatale in Double Indemnity, and really pushed sexual boundaries in her pre-code films like Baby Face, and the famous screwball The Lady Eve, where she plays basically a downlow domme. Allegedly, when a journalist asked her if she was a lesbian, she straight up threw him out of her house. She even played a lesbian in Walk on the Wild Side"

"She is always the smartest woman in the room. Watching her play Henry Fonda like a befuddled fiddle in The Lady Eve was a highlight of my life. Femme fatale in Double Indemnity, comedy queen in Ball of Fire. She can do anything."

"She was part of my gay awakening"

"SHE'S A PRE-CODE QUEEN. She did everything, drama, comedy. The most beautiful woman in the world to watch weep. Beg for to step on you with those legs. Fun Babs story: Ginger Rogers was offered the role in Ball of Fire but said, “Oh, I would never play that part, she’s too common.” So they called Barbara Stanwyck and they said “We offered this to Ginger Rogers but she’s turned it down, would you be interested?” And she read the script and she said; “You bet! I LOVE playing common broads.” (Source: https://misstanwyck.tumblr.com/post/72996544180/barbara-stanwyck-photographed-for-ball-of-fire)"

[b0r3dtod3ath]

hi! Can you write a Ben Shelton fic where you are like a tennis player and that's how yall meet? And it's kinda like a friends to lover type? Thanks!

a/n: i dont think he's into nba but yea, i hope you like it (:

You were what Ben wanted to be - feared by others and great at tennis. Bryan knew about his son’s admiration towards you so he was more than happy to break the news to him. Many stories were told about you. Some said you were unbeatable, others whispered about your intense focus and the cold, intimidating look you gave your opponents. Ben had seen you play a few times, and each time he was mesmerized by your precision and power. 

Ben’s dad was talking to your coach when the three of you stood on one of the courts. Ben was furious for letting himself oversleep, he didn’t know how it happened, how could he show up late while meeting you for the first time. The truth is he wasn’t late, you were just early but it didn’t calm his mind. He saw you - listening to your coach, wearing a dark outfit - your fashion staple. Ben’s stomach tightened. He walked over, his heart pounding in sync with his footsteps. 

“Oh! Ben, this is Y/N. Y/N, meet Ben,” your coach introduced with a warm smile. You turned to face Ben, your eyes meeting his with warmth that he didn’t expect. A genuine smile spread across your face as you extended a hand. “Hi, Ben. Nice to finally meet you. I’ve heard great things”. He shook your hand and stood speechless, he looked like a starstruck teenager but quickly got back to reality. “Oh, uh, nice to meet you too. I’ve heard a lot about you as well”. 

The news spread like wildfire. The combination of your skills and personalities created a buzz that was hard to ignore. As the tournament began, the two of you quickly proved to be amongst the best duos. Your synergy on court was captivating to watch. Small gestures - smirks, whispers and even touches between you two made your fans go feral. But you were just teammates, at that point even friends was still a bit of a big word. 

Over the course of time, Ben became more and more comfortable. One of the advantages of playing together was the time spent with each other. As you two figured out your strengths, weaknesses and tactics on court, Ben also got to know you, the real you. Behind powerful moves, intimidating aura and urban legends stood one of the nicest people he had ever met.  

After a particularly exhausting match, where both of you fought hard and won by a narrow margin, Ben suggested grabbing dinner. "There's this great Italian place nearby. Want to check it out?" he asked, hopeful. You nodded without a second thought. "Sure, why not”. 

Dinner turned into a regular thing. Initially, the conversations revolved around tennis strategies and upcoming matches. But as the nights grew longer and the dinners more frequent, the topics started to change. You two started talking about your plans for the future, childhood memories, favorite films, and even guilty pleasures. You found yourself laughing more than you had in a long time, Ben's humor and genuine interest were key to getting closer to you.

You two spent all the time together - morning coffee runs, pre-match pep talks, and late-night strategy sessions. It wasn’t annoying, it was nice to have someone to keep you grounded. You always said that “it’s crucial to have a good relationship with your teammate” but deep down you knew that you just liked Ben a lot and wanted to spend as much time as possible with him. 

"You know, I really value our relationship. It's been a long time since I've felt this close to someone.” he suddenly said while you were in your hotel room watching a movie as a way to relax after a match. "Me too, Ben. You've become really important to me” you said and wrapped yourself around his arm, snuggling closer. 

Quickly, the lines between friends and something more began to blur. There were moments when a simple touch lingered a bit too long or a glance conveyed more than words ever could. Despite these subtle shifts, neither of you rushed to label what was happening. You both seemed to enjoy the slow, natural progression of your relationship.

It was a late summer night, the air thick with the scent of freshly cut grass and the distant hum of crickets. The tennis courts were deserted except for the two of you, the lights casting long shadows across the empty courts.

You and Ben had stayed late to squeeze in some extra practice, both of you determined to perfect your game for the upcoming tournament. After what seemed like hours of intense rallies and drills, you called for a break. You collapsed onto the court, laughing and gasping for air, the adrenaline still coursing through your veins. Ben quickly joined you, laying on the grass. "That was intense," Ben remarked between breaths, a grin spreading across his face. You chuckled softly, nodding in agreement. "Definitely. But I feel good about us”. Ben turned to look at you, his eyes sparkling with admiration. "You're incredible out there, you know that?" You felt a warm flush of pride at his words, but there was something more in his gaze - a depth of emotion that went beyond the game. It was a look that made your heart skip a beat as you quickly shifted your gaze to the stars above you. 

"Yeah, well, you're not so bad yourself," you replied playfully, trying to lighten the mood. Ben felt a burst of confidence when suddenly he propped himself up on his hands, hovering over you with a mischievous look in his eyes. It was your time to feel like a stupid teenager. 

“Yeah?” he said with a smirk. “Yea” you replied with a smile, silently letting him know you are comfortable. His close proximity sent a wave of electricity through you, the playful banter fading into an unspoken tension. His gaze softened and he leaned in slowly, his lips brushing against yours with a gentle, tender warmth. Time seemed to stand still as you responded, your hand instinctively reaching up to touch his cheek. "Sorry if that was too forward," Ben murmured when you finally broke the kiss, his voice slightly husky. You shook your head, feeling a surge of happiness. "No, it was perfect”. 

Weeks passed, and your relationship deepened. Despite your growing affection, you decided to keep it private. It was easier to focus on tennis without the media circus that would inevitably follow.

You two started attending NBA games, it was a nice form of date and opportunity to relax without worrying too much. Taking your minds off tennis to watch something else did great for both of you. You were spotted a few times, sitting close, but to others you looked just like good friends. 

It was a Friday night when you and Ben blended effortlessly in with the crowd. As the game progressed, you cheered and groaned, completely absorbed in the thrilling atmosphere. During a break, the large screens above the court suddenly switched to the infamous Kiss Cam segment. The crowd erupted in cheers and laughter as the camera panned to different pairs in the audience, capturing their reactions.

Then, the camera focused on you both. Ben grinned and leaned towards you, his eyes sparkling mischievously. "I think we're on. What do we do now?". Before he could react you grabbed him by his chin and planted a soft kiss on his lips. The crowd erupted into cheers and applause just before the camera found another couple.

As you pulled back, cheeks flushed with a hint of embarrassment, Ben flashed you a reassuring smile. It was a spontaneous and public declaration, that neither of you regretted.

July 11, 2024

[juniefruit]

-[ gamer bf felix ]-

if only all gamer boyfriends acted like Felix, I think the world would be a better place.

Word count: 702

Felix loves video games. For every game he plays, there is a reason. You love listening to his rambling about a game’s graphics or storyline. You’ll be cuddled up in bed, under a thick fluffy blanket, as he explains the plot twists in the game he’s currently playing, or how many annoying side-quests he has to complete. You count his freckles with gentle pokes of your finger as he smiles in bliss. He adores you just for listening to him. You’re his main audience, and he wouldn’t trade you for the world. On the other hand, you could listen to Felix endlessly. His voice is like dripping honey, deep and soothing with his signature Australian accent. Just by being near him, you’ve started adopting some of his accent into your speech. He noticed it one day while you were asking him what he wanted to eat for dinner. 

He has experience on almost every console, but he maily uses his PC. If you two don’t have any plans, he’s logging on to play with his mates. Hyunjin and Jeongin join him the most frequently. Sometimes you’ll even join, but Felix does warn you that you will get teased. It’s nothing actually offensive, because they knew that Felix would send them to their grave if they hurt you. Felix loves that you two have so much in common when it comes to video games. Like, if you two play together, it’s a fair match. He doesn’t have to go easy on you or sugarcoat anything, which he appreciates. He can be his true self without worrying about being judged. 

You guys go to every comic or video game convention in your city!! If you cosplay, Felix would definitely help you buy the materials you need, and then help you make it. Felix loves it when you take the extra time to make him a cotume too, so you can go as a duo. If your costume has heels, then he definitely carries a backpack with some comfortable sneakers for you to change into once it gets too much!! However, he does get jealous if your costume is a bit revealing. The guys that blatantly stare at women in cosplay tick him off. He would never control what you choose to wear, but expect a clingy and needy Felix once you get back home. You reward him with cuddles and kisses for being such a good boyfriend during the con. 

He’s totally committed to helping you achieve the perfect photoshoot in your cosplay. He’ll climb a tree, lay on the floor, you name it, he’ll do it.  

Once a week or so, you all have a friend group hangout and hold a mario kart tournament at your apartment. You and Felix make the required pre-game grocery store run. You get a little bit of everything: candy, chips, sodas, the usual. There’s something domestic about going grocery shopping together: taking turns moving the cart, checking items off your list, etc. During the tournament, you’re just as committed as the rest of the guys. It makes Felix feel so proud seeing how well you get along with his friends. Afterwards, you two work together to clean up as fast as possible before putting on some comfortable pajamas and passing out on the bed. 

You guys bake!! All the time!! One day, you trudged through the apartment door after a draining day of work, only to immediately be hit with the delightful smell of Felix’s brownies. In an instant, your smile grew as you caught sight of him in the kitchen with an apron on, specks of flour replacing the freckles on his face. The troubles you carried home from work melted away with a sweet kiss and a freshly baked brownie. 

One Christmas,  you got him gaming headphones with cat ears on them. He was a bit taken aback at first, but now he wears them all the time. They’re actually quite good, He’d say. That’s why I bought them! You exclaimed from the doorway, hands at your hips. You knew he’d like them, even if he didn’t want to admit it. He just “had” to wear them because they were good. This man… You thought.

[odditycircus-2002]

Little out of the box but me and a moot talked about a while back whole we thought given a certain status: Mk1!Shang becoming the royal painter for the Outworld court due to a natural talent and him using materials from backwater place he lived to make paintings and other stuff for cheap to get by. He gets by Jerrod/Sindel whoever and becomes the royal painter to make portraits and such around the palace, such as making portraits for the champions who win during the tournament.

Pre!Medusa!Reader is more or less the same in the Mk1 version, she is a more prominent healer and is a well known/respected mage, having trained Rain, the current Archmage in the past.

Bascially over time, Shang Tsung feels a connection and even an obsession towards her growing. He begins to paint her in secret with a lot of paintings dedicated to her beauty.

When you mentioned painting with Shang Tsung, this image was the first thing to pop into my head. 😂 Still, that's an exciting take on Shang Tsung in MK1.

From what you're suggesting, it seems like Pred!Medusa!Reader is further out of reach for Shang Tsung than in my works due to her status. Shang Tsung is a simple painter compared to the famous Healer, who caught his eye when she and Sindel had tea in the Hanging Gardens. While Y/N is admittedly pleasing to the eye, which drew Shang Tsung's attention, their intellect and passion kept it. Y/N showed Sindel a new type of anti-venom they created, having filtered the venom through a carnivorous plant they carefully bred to eat corpses. Although, The Empress did not seem as enthralled as they were.

"That is impressive, Y/N, but was this man-eating plant necessary?"

"Uh yes, well, it was a project I had brewing I've been meaning to see to fruition. I thought I may as well use the new plant for something."

That is when Shang Tsing stepped in from behind a pillar, acting as if he was just passing by and not listening the entire time.

"It's an ingenious use of such a plant. Not only did Y/N create a new type of flora to dispose of corpses and further fertilize the land, but they also created a new type of anti-venom that will no doubt save many lives."

Y/N gives a bright smile, which sends heat to bloom within Shang Tsung's chest.

"See? He understands."

Unbeknownst to Y/N, this small interaction would begin Shang Tsung's obsession with them. After Sindel introduced them before Y/N dismissed themselves to return to their workshop, Shang Tsung began to work secretly on their perfect portrait. This portrait perfectly encapsulated their beauty and intellect. Yet, much to his frustration, it seemed as if he always felt short of capturing their essence. How could this be?!? He, Shang Tsung, is well renowned for his talent in capturing the essence and appearance of a person to a fine detail! Yet, their beauty is so great that the moon would hide itself in shame, and koi fish forget to swim and then sink the moment they laid eyes on them.

So Shang Tsung would take the time to watch them from afar and to engage in any interaction with them that he could, committing every last detail of Y/N to memory to the point that he could paint them in his sleep. Still, it's not enough. It's not the real thing. It's not Y/N.

[spicyicetea]

So I once again got pre-occupied with my school work. I had a decently big test recently and I have two more on Tuesday and Wednesday so I’ve mainly been trying to revise. However in my down time I have done more work for the Pokemon stuff @witch-without-gender and I started [How you doing dude, hope you’re feeling ok]. I decided to make a separate post to cull the big chunky post a little.

✨So here’s the update✨

The region still remains unnamed but, from previous discussions in the longer reblogs, the region is connected to Unova and vaguely based on Canada. I haven’t put too much thought into the region itself, like it’s history as I wish to leave that to a group decision as it’s rather important information for me to decide it alone.

The Gym leaders for the region are chosen to be parallels for the Unova gym leaders, their typing being super effective against the BW2 Unova leaders. [Same as the elite four]. The types I chose are,

Fighting

Psychic

Fire

Ground

Water

Rock

Ice

Electric

And the elite four are,

Dark

Fairy

Bug

Flying

Ive only designed half on them so far,

One of the champions [This region has two] is the mother of one of the rivals I’ve designed. She plays many roles in the current main story that would be played if it were an actual game. In the beginning she gives you your starter as the regions professor is on a trip in Unova. The professor ends up being someone who works under her in an organisation she runs to keep an eye on the other champion who is rather scummy. Her organisation is framed as the bad guys by said scummy guy to keep her in line so he can keep control over the region. You would fight her as the champion but before you fight the other one to claim the title he would send you to take down her “evil team”. There you would face a second much stronger team of hers, only balanced by having a very large weakness to fairy, ice and dragon.

The rival and MCs have been a tad bit reworked since I last drew them but there’s no new context or information regarding them.

The biggest addition so far is this regions version of the battle tower, or I suppose the battle subway given I’m using Unova as inspiration for the entire region. [I do actually already have some ideas of characters who would get along/work with eachother across this region and Unova. My sister has been playing a lot of splatoon and I tend to listen to the soundtrack while drawing so I present to you, battle fest!

This would work as weekly in game battle tournament where you fight various trainers and then fight one of the leaders who has a full team and teams of rather strong Pokemon. It’s run by 5 separate trainers who all specialise in specific stats (hp, attack, defence, speed), although the actual leader has no specific stat and just builds their team around pokemon they like. Oh and they're all just different shades of autistic [I am autistic so I project onto them a lot, mainly the one I've drawn the most of so far]

If you can't tell, I adore these five. Levana is the one I projected onto the most (Oopsy) and shes designed to appear rather sweet and approachable but is feral, most definety tries to bite everything. Given these guys are new characters I'll give some extra information on them, or at least Levana as I haven't had too much time to dive into the others as I want to post this asap as I’m trying not to be inactive. Anyway, onto the information!

Levana was orphaned after the train line in their region was derailed by a wild Pokemon. Due to the Pokemon being protected and the area having no safe way to guarantee it wouldn’t happen again so it was never repaired. Being a small, at the time semi-non-verbal (not fully but after losing the only people she was comfortable around she struggled to talk to people). She was taken under the wing of the regional professor. She grew up around pokemon and were always comfortable talking to them, to a point where she seems to understand them and vice versa. Over time she gained a talent for battling as she would make mock battle situations with Pokemon she befriended around the lab and as she grew older she gained more confidence in herself and began speaking to people again at around the age of 15. By 18 she officially has her own Pokemon (A Noibat,King, and Honedge, Excalibur) and decides she has to do something with her life so buys a ticket to sinnoh to create the strongest team she can and attempt the gym challenge in her home region. In sinnoh she catches two sneasles, one being a strange discoloured version she wanted to bring back to the lab for the professor to research but she became attached to it. (Pringle and Bingo join her team) later she found a togepi while camping and she found it eating her toothpaste. She ended up feeding it and it followed her for a day before she offered it a pokeball and it joined her team (Colgate acquired) On the way back she has to go on a longer boat trip past other regions as she doesn’t like planes. She made friends with one of the other passengers who gifted her a charcadet called Wisp as a parting gift when she had to get off at her region. When she got back however, the professor was missing and she had no home to return to, after having a really harsh encounter she meets Briar, the water type gym leader who offers her a place to stay and they hit it off (they both autistic so they automatically click, if you know you know). Elesa comes to meet Briar regarding a modelling gig and meets Levana, who offers to let Briar bring her along to the studio so she wouldn’t be left alone (let’s be real Elesa is that one neurotypical friend we autistic people get somehow. She has experience with how the neurodivergent minds can work from Ingo and Emmet). While in Nimbasa, Briar bought her a cookie while they and Elesa did the shoot but a Joltik stole half the cookie while she was waving bye. She chased the Joltik into the subway station where she encountered the battle subway for the first time. The Joltik casually clambered onto her shoulder and she assumed, this was fate, and decided to try it to pass the time. She did decently well before encountering Emmet and getting her ass kicked. This however just inspires her to get stronger and she dubs him, and eventually Ingo when she meets him, her idols and she vows to beat them one day before heading home with Briar.[She was gifted the Joltik by the brothers and she dubbed him Crumble] With support from Briar she calls the friends she made on her travels and starts the BattleFest to get stronger and show her home region the joys of battling for fun and not just competition.

Thats all I have and this will prob be the longest info block about the battlefest people as she is important to the current story I have planned for the actual region. But uhh here have some fun facts about her:

She used to have a phobia of trains but after crumble basically ratatouilles her into the battle subway and she befriends Emmet it completely flips and now she’s obsessed with them. She has a model train in her apartment.

She sews small clothes and accessories for her Pokemon, Crumble have mini replicas of the Submas brothers’ jackets and hats.

She has to fight Colgate out of her bathroom because it likes trying to steal her toothpaste.

Pringle and Bingo are besties and often preform heists to steal Levana’s food.

Levana makes Pokemon friendly fur dyes/paints so she can make her Pokemon feel special and match her when she dyes her hair.

[This is all I have as of now but I will update by Wednesday and that’s a promise!]

[askthechronoverse]

It's time for the fourth part in our tour of the Unicapital

Located on Wild Blue Yonder Way, Sunglow Skatepark is a lot bigger than it's pictured here. This is just the entryway to the park itself. It's very colorful and has courses for skaters and bikers with all kinds of skills. They host a x gamesesque tournament every year where the grand prize is variable and based on how many people pre-registered for the event. There was one time where this tournament offered almost half a million lolly.

Cotton Candy Lane doesn't have too many businesses on it. It's more of a small crossway between Wisteria Way and the Outer Space Highway. But, two businesses have set up in this small space:

Because of the influence of Johnny Stryker, retro style arcades have come back into fashion. The place to lose all of your money on a game of the latest and greatest cabinets in the Unicapital is Neon Arcade. Most of the games that are found in this arcade are developed by people within the United Planets. Most of the pop culture of the humans doesn't tend to leak in as much, so most media is home grown. This does people make RJ and Johnny more of an exception when it comes to things like knowing about Midway games and listening to ZZ Top. The arcade does provide prizes and tickets to earn those prizes. There's a go-kart that's been on display since the beginning and no one seems to truly know how many tickets it would actually take to earn the thing.

The only representative of a chain of Frowntown convenience stores, The Lunch Box specializes in quick and easy. There is a gas station element to the store as well and they are usually a lot cheaper than the Octan stations that are more common closer to Frowntown and other parts of the galaxy.

While we have Wistera Way in our heads, let's head over there now:

The Toy Kingdom is the premier store for toys and other fun things in the kingdom. Because of the toy train on the facade, when people go to the store they say that they're "taking the train to The Toy Kingdom". The toy kingdom's mascot is a little conductor and every year, a child in the kingdom can come to the store on both their birthday and Toy Day and get a free toy. Most toys are handcrafted.

The Unikingdom Museum has a very interesting donor: RJ. Yes, he cheats on a lot of his artifacts and just goes back in time to grab what the museum is asking him to get. But it's the thought that counts, right? It has one exhibition section that rotates every few months and the museum offers multiple programs to foster a love of the arts and history.

Run by identical twin raptors, Clawprint Books and Gifts is one of the more popular tourist attractions in the city. The two raptors, Rocky and Alex, are young compared to the rest of RJ's crew and are the children of two members of the squad that were lost in the Battle for Syspocalypstar. They chose to help serve the community that their commander chose to settle in, but they seem to be less willing to deal with tourists despite the book store's status as a tourist attraction. They will get books for a regular customer regardless of how easy to find the book is normally. They wear a special collar around their neck that was invented by Dr Fox to aid in communication.

[tellthemeerkatsitsfine]

Update on this, which I'm putting behind a cut for length. It's not really related to the story in the above post, but it is vaguely related by theme, I guess.

I was reminded of this post today, when this song came back on (posting a different video of it because I was told that the video I posted in the original version of this, from January, doesn’t work in some countries). I definitely did add it to my music collection after I made that post in January, and I still think it’s brilliant. A few other things have changed – I no longer feel that grudging respect for my then-roommate, he can go fuck himself and I’d be happy to never see him again (not completely possible as we still share a team, unfortunately, but we just awkwardly ignore each other there), but at least he’s not my roommate anymore. Other than that, I stand by this story as a great memory.

I thought of this story this week as well because it’s about what it’s like to be really really passionate about something, and I find it hard to imagine life without that, after having life with that for so very many years. And it’s hard to explain what I mean, because obviously I am passionate about all the comedy I watch and listen to and write about on this blog. I’m also passionate about other things. I’m very passionate about the music that I love, I always have been. About my political beliefs. There are lots of things I care about (besides, you know, people – obviously I also love my friends and family).

But it’s different to have something you’re actually doing. The comedy, the music – that’s me sitting by myself and passively consuming it. Sometimes I write about it, sometimes I find other friends to talk to about it, and I love getting to share this and bond with people over it. But it’s still not the same as being directly involved. Having something I love that I’m also doing, with people I know, where I’m actually there making it happen, affecting the outcome, making decisions. Being part of the community, having personal relationships with the other people in it. That’s what scares me, about the thought of never getting this sport back the way I had it pre-COVID. Going my whole life and never experiencing that again.

I have realized, in the last few months, that I’ve had one thing that’s made me feel just a tiny bit the way it used to feel to compete or coach at wrestling (I keep saying “my sport” out of habit, because I used to really awkwardly avoid naming it on this blog for privacy reasons, but throughout this year have loosened my stance on this because fucking no one from the wrestling community is going to stumble across my tiny blog). Not exactly the same by any means, but a little bit of the adrenaline rush of feeling like part of something where I really care what happens and it could go either way. And that’s when I’m actually performing stand-up comedy. Which I have done six times, for six minutes each – hardly enough to really say I know what it’s like. But still. I felt a tiny bit of that spark that I get from sports, that addictive feeling of trying stuff and then getting to find out whether it works. That feeling of really falling in love with something, to the point where I can listen to love songs like that one and imagine they’re about a high school wrestling tournament rather than, as usual with these things, sex.

Here are two things that performing stand-up comedy has in common with competing in a wrestling match:

- You have to visualize the whole thing beforehand, because it’s so different once you’re up there. It’s common advice in wrestling to visualize your matches beforehand, imagine yourself to doing all the moves want to try, imagine them all working. When I was competing, I used to do this, and I was always given the advice that you should picture it going right every time. Which is sound advice, from a sports psychology perspective – picturing it going wrong is rehearsing failure, and you don’t want to do that.

However, I used to find that in my specific case, it did help to occasionally visualize mistakes. Because once you’re out there, mistakes will happen, and I used to panic when they did and I was unprepared. I got better at competing once I started mentally preparing for that, picturing cases where I’d fuck something up, visualizing how I’d get out of there and get things back on track.

Also, one piece of advice that no one gave me and I had to work out for myself, was to not just picture the actual moves of the match. Visualize the whole thing. Picture the ref calling your name when the match before yours ends. Picture taking off your shirt and track pants (because underneath we’re wearing the uniform we competed in, and yes it’s the thing everyone makes fun of about that sport, you get used to it faster than you’d expect though), walking from your corner to the centre of the mat, shaking the ref’s hand, shaking your opponent’s hand, going through the formalities of starting the match. Visualize the way it feels to have all those eyes on you, your corner and your opponent’s corner and all the people in the stands who are watching. Visualize all that, because otherwise, when it actually starts, you’ll be caught off guard by it. It’s better to go through all the logistical steps and be mentally prepared.

I’ve quickly found the same applies to doing a stand-up spot when I’m nervous about it. The first few times, I went through my set in my mind (I can’t really call six minutes that I’ve hastily tried out a “set”, but technically it is), but when the host actually called my name, I stumbled through the process of getting up there, and the unfamiliarity threw me off and made it hard for me to remember what I was doing next. So the last couple of times I’ve performed, I’ve run through everything in my mind first. The host calling my name. Walking up there. Taking the mic out of the stand. Putting my phone down on the stool, moving it to where I can see it, and hitting start on the timer (I don’t know how the fuck most comedians keep track of time in their heads). Making sure before I go up there that my audio recorder is on. I’ve found it’s gotten easier since I’ve started doing that, I don’t get flustered right at the beginning if I know what I’m going to do.

I’ve also tried visualizing what’ll happen if I forget a line, or if I stutter or mess something up – what I can go to to fix it, how I can get back on track. It seems worth doing, rather than having it happen when I’m up there and being unprepared.

For all the advice I’ve heard before about visualization, no one has ever told me to do that part of it. I think it might be an autism thing – maybe non-autistic people can do that beginning parts just fine without having to rehearse it in their heads beforehand. But it is advice that I’ve given to my athletes as a coach, and a lot of my athletes have told me it’s helped them too.

- There is a really specific feeling, in the sport of wrestling, when you try a move that you don’t expect to work and then it does. Or at least, it does initially. Usually this will be an attempt to attack someone’s leg, and most times, I’ll try this because I think it’ll work. But if I’m competing or training against someone I know is good, I might think it probably won’t work, but I may as well try and then see if I can grind out some points once I’m there. Often, in that case, it goes exactly as one would expect. I go after their leg, they stop me before I get near it, we get into a scramble.

Very occasionally – but this is a distinctive enough feeling so I can remember every time it’s ever happened to me – I’ll go into an attack expecting that to happen, and it won’t. They’ll be slower than I’d anticipated, or I’ll be faster, and I’ll get the leg. And then I almost always fuck it up from there, because I’m so surprised that I actually got hold of their leg, that I hesitate while I’m taking that new development in, and during my hesitation, they throw me off before I can finish the move.

It's such a sudden surprise, because the sport moves so fast. One moment we’re standing up, the next moment I’m attacking with the plan to try to win a scramble once they stop me, the next moment I’m all the way wrapped around their leg and the action just stops for a split second as I think “Oh shit I did not expect to get this far, so I have no plan for what to do now.” And then I end up on the ground.

The split second is exactly how I feel when I say something that I don’t expect will get a laugh, and then it does. It’s this surprise that throws me off, as I think, “Oh shit I didn’t expect that to actually work.” It’s happened several times during the stand-up spots I’ve done, and it’s fucking delightful, but it also doesn’t make for the smoothest transitions, as I get distracted by being surprised that they laughed.

Anyway. That's a thing I've been thinking about today. Stuff that makes you feel alive: trying to knock people over and trying to make them laugh.

Hey, did I ever tell you people about the night a whole building full of people who had a thousand reasons to hate each other came together for about ten seconds? Here’s a story. It’s not about comedy. Well, it’s sort of slightly about one comedy movie, but it’s not a British one, and that’s not the point.

Keep reading

[calico-strawberry]

So like, I had a couple head canons I wanted to list, but also specifically stuff regarding my OC ship with Saphira. So I'm gonna do the pairing stuff separately here, to avoid making a super long as hell post. (Uh warning this'll probably still be decently lengthy because I tend to over explain)

Also, some spoilers for Reborn and perhaps parts of it's post game. (As of writing this I'm still in tier 5 of anomaly quests)

Anyways

-in general, during the post game Allyson and Saphira start actually hanging out now that, at least a decent chunk of the life threatening situations are dealt with besides anomalies. Training together frequently (shared use of and love of Dragon types helps), but Allyson also trying to encourage Saphira to spend time with her in more casual things. Saphira starts to enjoy just listening to Allyson happily ramble about her interests or her Pokemon or other things like that

-Allyson, of course has a really... Not good childhood and horrible teenage years. She has a lot of issues in general, but essentially she's not used to having so many friends and people she actually considers to be family, and is still being acclimated to it. So for a while she doesn't even recognize she even has romantic feelings for Saphira at all.

-Included in Allyson's wealth of issues is self confidence issues in anything that isn't battling. So when she does finally actually put words to her feelings, she feels like she doesn't quite deserve any sort of romance or relationship like that. Good ol' messy situation for her, and that mindset makes her oblivious to Saphira's feelings in the matter, and herself too nervous to do anything other then spend time with her and silently pine.

-For both of them, feelings kind of existed before the post game, but for a multitude of reasons due to plot and ongoing character development nothing more substantial than "oh that girls kinda cute" or "oh shit that girl's fucking badass" and other type of thoughts like that.

-For Saphira, she starts to realize she's starting to have feelings for Allyson and just, doesn't know what to with them??? Really in a "well that's new" type of situation and is unsure how to deal with them. Also oblivious to Allyson's feelings for her, due to not really thinking she has them (ya know, despite the amount of time Allyson wants to and tries to spend with her). May or may not be low key afraid her anger issues might push Allyson away (and feels kind of bad for the outburst she had that caused her to yell at Allyson back after the gym battle during the Labradorra tournament).

-Eventually and very reluctantly goes to Laura for advice because she is wholly unsure of how to deal with it herself, and also because "she seems to be with that odd Bennett guy right". Laura is of course very supportive of her, and does her best to help her. Also Charlotte would absolutely tease her for this which is just an amusing thought to me.

-also have to mention it is wholly unfortunate how much they have in common as far as pre-Reborn's story goes

-But like, regardless of the two's personal issues, they're like, really soft together. They know to give one another space at times and trust each other very much. Protective of one another as well, and Allyson feels truly and perfectly safe in Saphira's presence (something she never really felt to a full degree before). Saphira also feels more comfortable herself.

Anyways I am mentally ill for them :3

[fallin-4-ya]

stronger than you think

Stronger Than You Think

george weasley x reader

requested? yes/no

summary: after george was tackled to the ground by the most beautiful girl in the world, the quidditch prodigy and the legendary sister of victor krum was the last person he’s thought he’d be falling for. 

warnings: poor georgie gets beat up a lil accidentally, slight mention of food, & downplaying of one’s self. i think that's it! (gif is not mine, credit to owner!)

words: 2.2K

The Weasley family arrived to the Quidditch World Cup early that morning. The whole lot of the walking feverishly to find their tent, the excitement and anticipation was building quickly. Once they had arrived to their home for the night, Fred and George were sent out to get firewood. They exited the tent in a hurry, wanting to head back in time to join all of the fun.

The crowds at the event were huge. George had never seen that many witched and wizards in one place ever before. Voices echoes from all around, passersby sneaking their way through the groups of people. George went to go turn to tell his brother something when bang.

George was seeing stars. He had been knocked over aggressively by someone rushing through. His shoulder ached, and he turned to see the person who knocked him over, laid right there next to him, clearly unaffected by the blow. The person next to him jolted up, showing no signs of injury.

It felt like his arm had been ripped out of his socket. He looked up to see a girl his age grabbing his arm and pulling him back up. Her build was strong and looked as if she could take George out with a single blow if she wanted to. Her log hair was pulled into a plait at the back of her head and she was wearing Quidditch robes; though George was so near concussed he could hardly tell what colors they were. But, one thing he knew for sure is that he was the prettiest girl he had ever laid eyes on.

‘Sorry, lad!’ her thick accent laid out, ‘Late onto the pitch, hope your arms alright!’

She yelled as she ran in the opposite direction towards the stadium. George shook his head in disbelief, because what had just happened. He simply turned to Fred, who apparently was just as flabbergasted as him, and shrugged his shoulders. It wasn’t like he would ever see her again, so he just let the moment go.

After a few hours of pre-match activities; the Weasley family, with the addition of Harry and Hermione, all walked in unison to the Minister’s Box to watch the game. Minister Fudge’s voice rang out across the stadium, announcing the teams that would be competing for the cup: Ireland and Bulgaria.

Players took their start onto the pitch, Ireland was first. Then, Bulgaria. Screams echoed from the crowd, all eager to see the game that was about to take place. As the team wearing read swung out on their brooms George’s hart stopped.

There she was. The beautiful girl who nearly ripped his arm out of his socket on accident. Well, at least it made sense now, George said to himself. Her strong arms and stocky shoulders said it all. She took her place as keeper, the youngest to ever play on a team next to-

‘Viktor Krum!’ Bellowed Fudge. The crowd went crazy, cheers echoing ‘Krum, Krum, Krum’ throughout the arena. ‘And joining him this year for her first Quidditch World Cup, his sister, y/n Krum.’

George’s breathing had stopped completely. Not only was he bulldozed by the youngest keeper in all of Quidditch history, but he was bulldozed by Viktor Krum’s little sister. He watched her with stars in his eyes. The only word that came to his mind for describing her was wow. His eyes only searched for her throughout the entire match, even missing Viktor catching the golden snitch.

The game was over far too soon in George’s opinion, he could watch y/n play for hours. Her skill, her fearlessness, her ability; he wanted to keep watching it all. However, much like all good things, they must end; and that night they headed back to the Burrow.

George spent the rest of the summer thinking about y/n, she couldn’t escape his thoughts. He knew how stupid he sounded. As if a world renowned Quidditch player would pay attention to the boy she bumped into on accident, or let alone remember him. He let out a sigh of frustration, if he could just have one more chance. The chanced of him seeing her again were so slim, he lost all hope.

The rest of the summer flew by and soon everyone was back at Hogwarts. George and Fred were reunited with their best friend Lee, as they all gathered at the Great Hall for the start of term feast. It was obvious to Lee that something was up with George, as the twin had never been this quiet, always having some story to tell about his summer back home.

‘What’s up with you, George?’ Lee questioned.

Fred let out a chuckle, ‘Georgie’s in love, that’s what’s up.’ He grinned.

George scoffed at his brother, ‘I’m not in love.’ Fred rolled his eyes at him, and George sighed. ‘Well, maybe. But it’s never going to happen. So, lets drop it.’

Lee gave him and understanding nod and a sympathetic smile. They all turned to face Dumbledore, who was giving his usual start of term speech, when he said something that perked every students’ interest. He announced that the Triwizard tournament would be taking place at Hogwarts that year, a way to unify the wizarding schools in Europe.

Just then the doors of the Great Hall opened to reveal a group of students in large coats entering the room. Dumbledore announced them as Durmstrang. Their robes were a mixture of brown and maroon, and they had a confidence about them as they walked. Suddenly, something caught George’s eye, or rather someone. Y/n. Walking into the Great Hall with her brother Viktor Krum.

George’s jaw nearly hit the floor. If he was expecting anything interesting to happen this year, it most definitely wasn’t this. She kept a straight face as she walked past the tables, her long braid flowed behind her as they approached where Dumbledore stood.  He faced Fred slowly, who wore the same expression on his face. ‘Is that-?’ Fred started.

‘Yeah, Fred.’ George finished in his mesmerized state, practically drooling over his own words.

George stayed up the entire night thinking about her. Was she really at Hogwarts? Or was he just dreaming? Now was his chance, he had to make a move. However, it seemed as if someone else was going to make the move for him.

Fred and George walked down the, now much more crowded, corridors to charms. Three schools in one castle, no matter how big the castle was, caused for much traffic on the way to classes. Suddenly, a voice yelled out to George in the hallway.

‘Oh, Mr. Weasley!’ Called out Professor McGonagall. ‘Perfect timing. You are to show Miss Krum to her classes for the week; and considering how well you and your brother know the castle, it should be an easy task for you.’ She side eyed him.

‘Me? Professor are you sure?’ George stuttered out. He couldn’t believe what he was hearing. He was supposed to show the girl he had been crushing over all summer around the castle?

‘Yes, Mr. Weasley. I am quite sure, or did I not make myself clear enough.’ Professor McGonagall said sternly, her lips tugged into the faintest glimpse of a smile.

‘No, Professor. I mean, yes, Professor.’ George felt his face heat up. ‘You can count on me.’

‘Very well. Off you two! Classes will start shortly.’ The older woman said before she left a mess that was George Weasley with the girl in front of him. He had never been so grateful, yet mad at his head of house. Y/n  smiled sweetly at George, ‘Hi, Mr. Weasley, I’m y/n!’

George swallowed, ‘Hi, um, you can call me George. So, what class do you have first.’

Y/n took the time-table out from her bound leather bag, handing it to the boy. But, in actuality she was staring at his face with a most quizzical expression. ‘I know you from somewhere, Mr. George.’ She hummed, staring into her eyes.

George felt his palms get sweaty, and his throat close. ‘Just George is fine,’ his voice cracked. Her expression changed as soon as the words left his mouth.

‘Oh, Merlin! You’re that boy I nearly took out at the Quidditch World Cup!’ She gasped covering her mouth, ‘I am so sorry about that!  You ought to believe me when I say that I wasn’t looking where I was going!’

George’s nervousness turned to amusement; because not only had she remembered him, but she was a blabbering mess in front of him as well. He smiled and put her hand on her shoulder, silencing her rambling. ‘Not to worry, y/n. But I must admit, you did some pretty heavy-duty damage to my arm.’ He laughed. She relaxed, grinning.

‘Well, you know, you did put up a good fight, thought for sure I was knocking over another Quidditch player.’ Y/n slapped his arm, playfully. George winced at the touch of her strong, but innocent blow. ‘Merin! Sorry, I really don’t know my own strength sometimes.’ She smiled weakly at him.

George shook off the blow, ‘I live in a house with four older brothers, is that the best you got?’ he teased her.

‘Oh, you are so on, Weasley.’ She giggled at him.

George arrived back to the common room after classes with a wide, goofy smile plastered onto his face. He sat down next to his brothers and sister who sat near the fireplace in the center of the room.

‘Someone looks happy,’ Ginny teased.

‘Yeah, I’d be happy too if I got to show Viktor Krum’s sister around the castle.’ Ron said half seriously and half mockingly.

‘His sister or Viktor himself,’ Ginny stuck her tongue out.

Ron rolled his eyes, ‘Shut it, Ginny.’ He mumbled under his breath. The crowd of them sat laughing, when George pipped up.

‘She’s so wonderful. Her hair, her smile, her humor.’

‘Her super human strength.’ Fred nodded in agreement.

George playfully shoved his brother, ‘Now, now don’t be jealous. I got to ask her out, except I have no idea how. I can’t mess this up.’

‘Well, you can ask her to the Yule Ball,’ Ginny stated.

‘The Yule Ball, the bloody hell is that,’ Ron asked.

‘Honestly, Ron. Do you ever  listen when Dumbledore speaks?’ she huffed, then turned her attention back to George. ‘It’s a sort of dance, a tradition for the Triwizard tournament. You can ask her to be your date, then just hope it goes well enough for you to snag a day at Hogsmeade with her.’

George shook his head, a smug smile on his face. ‘Great thinking, Gin. Thanks!’ He ruffled her hair, then headed back up to the dorms.

The next few weeks, went by fast. Too fast. It wasn’t long before snow began falling, coating the grounds of Hogwarts in a beautiful white. George and y/n began talking more and more every day. Their friendship extended beyond George only showing her around the castle to them playing Quidditch together, watching the events of the Triwizard tournament in each other’s company and on occasion studying together.

With every passing day, they grew fonder of each other. One day after picking y/n up from potions, her and George headed to the courtyard to enjoy the snow. George brought some of his favorite treats from Hogwarts for her to try along with them.

‘Wait what is this one?’ she questioned holding a pastry in her.

‘It’s called a treacle tart.’ George answered laughing. She raised her brow, a suspicious look on her face. ‘Just try it! Trust me, I think you’ll like this one.’ George convinced her.

She took a small bite, face turning upside down, ‘No way, George. Way too sweet!’ George chuckled at her, ‘I do think my brother will like it though, he has quite the sweet tooth.’

Y/n returned his sentiments and laughed. They sighed together, taking in the fun they were having. George smiled shyly, ‘So about your brother, must be pretty cool having him be the greatest seeker and all that. Definitely never a dull moment for you lot.’

The girl nodded her head, ‘Never a dull moment is right,’ she scoffed. ‘I love my brother, but you know it can be hard sometimes. He is so accomplished, everyone’s favorite. First Quidditch, now this tournament. I’m constantly in his shadows. Not that I mind, I just wish someone would see me for me, not just his little sister.’

George sent her a knowing look, y/n exhaled. ‘Sorry, you probably didn’t need to know all of that. I-‘

‘No,’ George interjected, ‘I know how you feel. Fred, my brother, he’s everyone’s favorite. Not to mention Bill, Charlie and Percy, all prefects and head boys. But, you just try to find what makes you different. Do things nobody thinks you can do. And you’re a talented witch, you can do anything you set your mind to. Not to mention I had no idea who your brother was when I first met you.’

Y/n blushed at his words, ‘Thanks, George. That’s really kind of you.’

‘Not to worry,’ George said. ‘And while I have this new-found confidence, how would you like to be my date to the Yule Ball, if you don’t already have one.’

Her face lit up, eyes twinkling like Christmas lights. ‘Of course, George! Of course, I’ll go with you.’ She pulled him into a tight hug, knocking the breath out of him. George had never felt happier then he did in this moment. 

‘Bulgaria may have not won the world cup, but you for sure won my heart.’

‘Are you always this much of a jokester, Mr. George?’

(a/n: thank you so much for reading! i hope you all enjoyed it, it was such a cute request! sending love and positive vibes! -xo mari)

[hotvintagepoll]

Propaganda

Barbara Stanwyck (Ball of Fire, The Lady Eve, Double Indemnity)—I hope someone else has submitted better propaganda than I because I don't want my girl's prospects to rest on me just yelling PLEASE VOTE FOR MY TERRIBLE HOT GIRLFRIEND. She is a delight in everything! She is often a sexy jerk! (It's most of the plot of Baby Face!) Even when she plays a "good girl" (as an example, Christmas in Connecticut, which more people should see) she's still kind of a jerk and I love her for it! She won't take men's shit and she sure wouldn't take mine!

Margaret Lockwood (The Wicked Lady, The Lady Vanishes)— Gorgeous feisty funny talented and the sexiest stubborn face ever committed to film. And if people haven't seen the original Wicked Lady they need to be introduced to a glorious poly highway romp of a film. When a woman outsneers James Mason you know she has sex appeal!

This is round 2 of the tournament. All other polls in this bracket can be found here. Please reblog with further support of your beloved hot sexy vintage woman.

[additional propaganda submitted under the cut.]

Margaret Lockwood:

Barbara Stanwyck:

"THE leading lady of the golden age of hollywood. One of the only actresses to work independent of a studio, making short-term contracts that enabled her to make movies wherever she wanted. She had so much range, and could act in basically any genre. She's been rumored to be a lesbian literally since she was active in Hollywood; most notable is the rumor that she had a long time on-and-off relationship with famously bi Joan Crawford, her "best friend" for decades (They lived right next door to one another). She also lived with Helen Ferguson, her "live-in publicist" for many years. She was the quintessential femme fatale in Double Indemnity, and really pushed sexual boundaries in her pre-code films like Baby Face, and the famous screwball The Lady Eve, where she plays basically a downlow domme. Allegedly, when a journalist asked her if she was a lesbian, she straight up threw him out of her house. She even played a lesbian in Walk on the Wild Side"

"THE queen of screwball comedies. I adore her, I'd kill for her, I will cry if she's not gonna win this poll."

"listen ok she had awful politics she was a mccarthyist right wing wacko BUT she's so incredibly hot that i've deluded myself into believing i could fix her. if you see her onscreen she carries herself in a way that's just so effortlessly sexy AND she has just a stunning face. imo she was at her hottest in the 1940s but even as early as the late 1920s she had a rly captivating screen presence and just a beautiful face, and then post-1950 she was just irresistibly milfy so really she was just always incredibly hot. she was also an incredibly talented actress who was equally stellar in melodrama, film noir, and unhinged screwball comedy. the blonde wig they made her wear in double indemnity is notoriously silly looking but she still looks sexy in it so that's gotta count for something. i've watched so many terrible movies just for a chance at seeing her that i think her estate should be paying me damages."

"Not often thought of for her sultriness, Barbara Stanwyck was incredible in that she could actually choose to be hot if the role called for it, and then have a glow-down to look ordinary for another role. She wasn't the most beautiful or effervescent, but damn did she have rizz. Watch her with Gary Cooper in Ball of Fire teaching him about "yum-yum" or with Henry Fonda in The Lady Eve whispering huskily into his ear."

"She is always the smartest woman in the room. Watching her play Henry Fonda like a befuddled fiddle in The Lady Eve was a highlight of my life. Femme fatale in Double Indemnity, comedy queen in Ball of Fire. She can do anything."

"She was part of my gay awakening"

"SHE'S A PRE-CODE QUEEN. She did everything, drama, comedy. The most beautiful woman in the world to watch weep. Beg for to step on you with those legs. Fun Babs story: Ginger Rogers was offered the role in Ball of Fire but said, “Oh, I would never play that part, she’s too common.” So they called Barbara Stanwyck and they said “We offered this to Ginger Rogers but she’s turned it down, would you be interested?” And she read the script and she said; “You bet! I LOVE playing common broads. [link]"

[miyosamu]

Bokuto & Kenma with a boyfriend

Bokuto Koutarou 

everyone on the team learned that bokuto has a thing for someone once they noticed how he got even livelier and more show off-y when certain people were in the crowd during their practices 

so they went through a whole elimination process to figure out who it was

at first, they just looked at all the girls who’d often come to practice and if bokuto was acting show off-y even when they weren’t present then they’d get eliminated 

and they kept doing this until they went through all the girls

and it was none of them 

so they got ?????

and they did it again to double-check

same result

so then they were like    o k let’s try it with the guys i guess lol lol

and bam

they found you

konoha knew you cuz you were in the same class as him so he was like holy shit does bokuto have a crush on y/n

so they kept an eye on you for a whole week and observed bokuto’s reaction to your presence/absence and there was no doubt that it was definitely you that he was crushing on 

one day during their practice break konoha called you over to talk and bokuto imMEDIATLY perked up

‘konoha knows him?? what’s his name?? what’s their relationship? can he introduce us??’ a bunch of these thoughts went through his head

and while konoha was talking to you he was trying his best not to burst out laughing at bokuto hovering around over your shoulder trying to gauge if and when there would be a good time to insert himself into your conversation

you had just started coming to their practices recently after a friend of yours dragged you to one of their matches and despite you “not being into volleyball” you were totally hooked on watching fukurodani play

you were especially intrigued and impressed by a certain Loud Powerful Ace and so you had become addicted to bokuto’s energy during his plays

something about watching him play was very exciting and he just made you want to keep cheering him on

now

you said all this confiding in konoha

but he totally took it as a chance to drag bokuto into the convo being like ‘Yo ace !! y/n over here was totally touched by your plays’

and i swear to god you’ve never seen someone pop out of nowhere so quiCKLY before in your entire life

he just popped up by your side and he wAS ALL SPARKLY EYED AND EXCITED WITH A CUTE BLUSH ACROSS HIS CHEEKS

he was just as overwhelming talking to you as he was with his presence on the court.

honestly, you were hugely thrown off by how over-excited and slightly overbearing he was since you two didn’t technically know each other Like That

but his wholehearted energy and his obvious reverence to the game and just The Pure JOY he exhibited at what konoha said you said about him was just too wholesome you couldn’t help but be fond of him

and bam

that’s it after that bokuto just latched onto you whenever he could

always trying to get closer to you

and you obviously couldn’t reject his advances i mean come on look at him

and when you two finally got in a relationship 

god

g o d

the way bokuto loves is so overabundant 

it just swallows  you whole 

you can see it you can feel it

he loves in a way that’s so unrestrained he loves with every ounce of his energy it just pours out of him

he wears his heart on his sleeve more than anyone else 

which makes your relationship simple yet complex at the same time

in the long run however, he really ruins other people for you

bokuto is the kind of boyfriend you’d find yourself comparing others to

like if your significant other doesn’t love you as much as bokuto would, are they really the one for you?? 

hmm much to think about

bokuto has a Huge Thing for you calling him koutarou

it just hits different 

not a lot of people call him by his first name even amongst his bestest friends so it makes it feel ~extra special~ coming from you

he has another Huge Thing for you wearing his jersey, just seeing his fukurodani shirt with his number on it on you just hits all the right spots for him he finds it difficult to keep his hands to himself whenever you have it on. 

it’s also such a motivational boost for him during matches 

when he looks at the bleachers and sees you there wearing his spare jersey and smiling so brightly at him it just erases all of his doubts and clears all his fatigue making him feel rejuvenated

akaashi begs you to attend all their matches wearing that jersey now because you really level up his plays 

when you two are alone he gets surprisingly quiet

which i think is not something people would often expect from someone as eccentric as bokuto but it’s true

at the end of the day when it’s just you and him his body totally relaxes, he’s not as reckless, he’s not as loud

he just likes to lay down with you and touch you in some way and just   talk 

bask in each other’s presence basically

one of his favorites Come Down rituals when the day’s over is to lay down and have you kiss his bruises (cuz he gets those a lot) and have you stroke his back as he rests his head on your chest

bokuto can be very vocal with his love towards you he has no issue telling you he loves you or conveying how much he adores you, but he actually prefers to show it through special gestures he attained over his time with you

before going to bed, he likes to kiss your chest right over the spot where your heart is and it’s his way of demonstrating how much he cherishes you

sometimes during the day, he’d tap the nearest part of you he could reach three times and it’s his way of reminding you “i love you”  

and of course, if you ever wanted to hear those words out loud sometime, you can just tell him and he’d shower you for hours with the sincerest confessions

bokuto is not someone who can easily get genuinely angry

but if anyone were to make disgusting comments towards you and you guys’ relationship 

oohhh boy

that’s one of the fastest ways to fucking set him ablaze

he WOULD resort to violence he has no issue decking someone in the face for being a homophobic prick  

he prefers not to of course, considering his status and just the overall kind of person he is

but he has his limits too

and you are a limit no one is allowed to test.

which is something everyone came to learn fairly quickly 

god this is getting so long

i just   love bokuto so much i still have so much i wanna say about him ksdhfsjdfuhdf so many aspects of him i wanna cover

and i still have kenma to do jfc i have no idea what i’ll write for him

often times it seems like bokuto has an endless supply of energy and it fools a lot of people into thinking he’s a man with little struggles

which is Not True

he crashes quite often and he has mental breaks more than one would normally assume from someone like him

and during those times he has this weird phase where he gets extra clingy but then distances himself

and you have to work your way around that carefully and you have to think about what you’ll say cuz if what you say isn’t clear enough or if it’s something that could have double meaning it will throw bokuto off and make him think of the worst

as i said earlier, due to bokuto wearing his heart on his sleeve it does make the relationship simple but during times like these it makes it complex because of how sensitive he is

bokuto is extremely emotionally intelligent

he’ll pick up on any emotional cues from you

he’s especially aware of the ones that are along the lines of discomfort or distress

because it’s His Duty as your loving boyfriend to comfort you

be it with his words or with his hugs

speaking of which

bokuto, hands down, gives the best hugs

periodt

kisses from bokuto always border on make outs jdjcjd

he LOVES VERY STRONGLY AND WOULD LIKE TO SHOW IT VERY STRONGLY

so you have to ensure he doesn’t kiss you in public because it WILL take longer than it is socially acceptable to kiss your s/o in public

bokuto shows you off to everyone willing to listen

which, at this point, isn’t a lot of people but he’ll still do it

‘this is my sexy beautiful boyfriend and i love every bit of him look at him isn’t he the best? he’s the best trust me i know’

all in all

10/10 would date

totally worth it

best boyfriend

he adores you

kenma knew you through lev

you were lev’s best friend and so you were doing your obligatory duties as his best friend to show up to their matches and check up on him during practice

everyone on the team knew you really

and honestly, kenma always liked you

you weren’t as overbearing as most other people and you never pushed yourself into his personal space forcefully

kuroo thought you were doing an amazing job at making their resident recluse feel comfortable around you

now when i say kenma liked you

it wasn’t like anything serious

he just preferred you to other people

of course, he thought you were handsome and had a nice personality

but still

he just liked you as a person

but then one day

their manager fell extremely ill right before a tournament and they needed someone to fill in their place

all eyes turned on you

you usually helped the managers whenever you passed by during practice and you were familiar enough with everything to do a good job

plus everyone liked you so

they unanimously picked you for the job and called it a day

that was the first time you ever heard kuroo’s pre-game speech

yknow the one kenma found extremely embarrassing about keeping your blood flowing and supplying oxygen to the brain

you thought it was lovely and poetic when you heard it but you didn’t quite get the analogy

so you asked

and kuroo explained it to you while kenma was cringing half to death behind him

the more kuroo explained it to you the more you understood how truly amazing kenma actually was

by the end of kuroo’s explanation, you were in absolute awe 

you couldn’t help but turn to kenma with an expression of repressed excitement and go “KENMA-SAN YOU’RE SO INCREDIBLE!?!?!!!!”

and man 

your sparkly eyes, your slightly flushed cheeks, your  sincere astonishment, your grin

it made kenma’s heart do something

a flutter

a squeeze 

he didn’t know but it was something

he just stood there in bewilderment with his eyes wide as he started feeling things the longer he looked at looking at him like that 

you tugged at his little heartstrings

kuroo, being kuroo, totally knew what was going on and he just outright snorted 

it was in shock more than anything really 

he couldn’t believe what was happening he never saw kenma like that before 

kenma snapped out of his daze due to kuroo’s snort and he quickly ducked his head to hide his blush behind his hair and just let out a little “mhm” before passing you and going to the court

you knew kenma was often a man of a few words but you couldn’t help but worry if you had somehow upset him

he never brushed you off like that before this felt different 

maybe you stood too close in his personal space or something 

you had decided you were gonna apologize later and silently hoped that whatever just happened wouldn’t affect the game

surprise surprise though

kenma’s plays and calls throughout the entire match were impeccable

it left their opponents stunned he had them all figured out 

needless to say, nekoma had a certain victory that day

while the team was celebrating and rightfully fawning over kenma, you had been looking at him when he glanced up at you 

you smiled at him and gave him a rather enthusiastic thumb’s up

you saw firsthand how kenma’s expression instantly changed

how his eyes widened slightly, how his body stiffened from surprise, and how his cheeks were coloured red from something other than exertion 

and then    it clicked

you stood there stunned as the realization dawned on you 

could it be,,,, kenma   liked you-

you cut off the thought before it even fully started because that’s just ridiculous there’s no way

suddenly an arm was thrown over your shoulder 

it was kuroo’s

and one look at his face just confirmed everything 

and sent you in absolute panic

holyshitholyshitholyshitkenmapossiblylikedyouwhattheheckohmygod

kuroo, who felt your panic, laughed and patted you on the back reassuringly

“relax man hey take your time. this is new for both of you and we don’t know if it will even go anywhere.” 

-but i kinda want it to- you thought

kuroo leaned closer to you and whispered sleazily “hhooo you want it to huh you have the hots for kenma dont ya dont ya hohohoooo what do you want to do to my best friend you fiend”

HE’S SO ANNOYING HELPJFKSHDKG WHY IS HE SO PRECEPTIVE 

before you could bite back at him he stood back at full length and looked at you “honestly though? i think you have a solid chance with him”

that single sentence repeated itself the entire bus ride back 

and it continued to plague your mind for the following couple of weeks as you were weighing the pros and cons of this situation 

over these couple of weeks, you were fixated a bit too much on kenma you couldn’t help but notice how cute he was

his little habits and the little faces he pulled as he played his video games were all too endearing 

you tried to test the waters a few times here and there by getting friendlier than you usually would

yknow just to gauge his reactions

which you came to discover were also so fucking cute 

he got nervous and a bit jumpy and the tips of his ears would tint red 

but he never refused you and displayed any type of discomfort 

so one afternoon while you two were on court cleaning duty you decided to ask him out 

“kenma-san, you know   the arcade a couple blocks over? i heard they installed some new games over the past weekend so,, i was wondering if you’d like to go check them out with me. yknow after we’re done here and all…”

you gulped at the tense silence that followed and wondered for a split second if you should add “haha yknow as two friends buddies good bros hanging out ahah”

as you were stuck in your own thoughts kenma let out a little huff and gave you a soft smile “i’d love to” 

you heart went wooOOSH at the sight of his smile

whether you were good or bad at video games it didn’t really matter to kenma

he enjoys your company regardless and your reactions to the games amuse him 

and this is something that’ll stay constant throughout your relationship

kenma loves games and you love him so whatever your stance was on video games previously didn’t matter because you loved engaging in something that kenma loved 

and you also knew that he loved sharing his interest with you

even if you sucked at one game or the other you could get a good laugh out of him from it and it totally makes everything worth it 

he, of course, would engage you in what interested you as well 

it’s a fair and sweet trade

you guys’ relationship would progress kinda slowly but also not really?? like the pace suit you guys 

one of the most hilarious things you had the pleasure of witnessing is kenma raging over a game 

you have never seen kenma so animated before and it sENDS

but that’s not your favourite part

your favourite part is when he’s decided he’s had enough so he just leaves the controller and searches for you 

he just plops down and burries his face in your stomach while wrapping his arms around you and, depending on how frusterated he is, he’d either let out a really loud groan or just sigh defeatedly into your stomach 

if you pet his hair he hums and you don’t think he’s aware but you’ll never tell him cuz you don’t want him to stop

KENMA LITTLE SPOON

something that can be a little puzzeling with kenma is that even though he’s touch and affection starved, he’s not a touchy person so   being affectionate is a hit or miss

he’ll never reject your advances for physical affection cuz you’re his boyfriend 

but it’s rare for him to be the one intiating it 

PDA is not a thing 

like ever

not even holding hands 

this is new for kenma and he’s so aware of the fact that you’re both guys

he’d just want it to be known between you guys and your trusted circle 

but he knows that it sometimes can be upsetting so he does what he can to make it easier

he stands closer to you, enough to feel his body warmth

when he walks beside you sometimes he’ll let the back of his hands brush yours 

yknow just little things that go unoticed to everyone else but it means a lot to you 

being in a relationship with kenma just means being in the recieving end of a lot of little things that come together and make it wholesome

kenma      gives these small quick kisses out of nowhere that make your heart stop for that split second but then by the time you processed it he’s already gone on his way 

they kinda feel like kitten licks they’re so quick and small 

!!!!!! THIS NEXT HEADCANON CONTAINS A SPOILER FROM THE MANGA SO IF YOU‘RE NOT CAUGHT UP PLEASE SKIP THE NEXT POINT !!!!!!!!!

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

on kenma’s youtube videos and streams there are a lot of videos where you appeared in the background doing your thing or just moments where you just check up on him, maybe bring him some food/water, and because of it a lot of his subscribers ship you guys together and whenever kenma comes by comments regarding that he smiles a little and even though he’ll never comment on it, it does kinda make him giddy 

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

!!!! OK YOU CAN READ NOW !!!!

kenma has this Special Look that’s reserved just for you and it’s so so soft and full of adoration and he usually gives you that look when you’re not looking

his friends see it though and it makes them so happy seeing kenma like this 

you make kenma happy

[killthe-illusionarydreams]

Ashes To Ashes

Pairing: Fred Weasley x Reader

Request: ‘Please could you write a Fred Weasley imagine where you’re inside the burrow when Bellatrix sets it on fire and Fred runs in to get you out?? Thank you, I’m really loving you writing!’ For anonymous

Ps- i havent read the books or seen the movies in a while so I kinda went w the time it was fleur & bills wedding & intergrated it w that, sorry if its not what u wanted but I did write Bellatrix’s attack in x

————

Today was the big day. For today was the the day where Fleur & Bill were finally to be wed. For their celebration to erase war from anyones thoughts, today they were just two kids in love, not undercover Order Workers. Today they were simply girl & boy.

“Oi Y/N hurry up, Fleur’s asking for you” Ginny shouts practically breathless as she runs past your room, trying to find Hermione for the bride.

You pick up the gorgeous bouqet that earlier today you picked up from the florist for the woman and made your way downstairs into the living room. As you take a closer look, you notice something is off. Fleur was standing rigidly still, looking in the mirror unblinking.

“Fleur, darling, are you alright?”

The woman remained silent, Y/N had no idea what to do, she’d never seen her friend so paniced, so immobile. Ever since Y/N’s sixth year (after the Triwizard Tournament) the two kept in contact, maintaining a solid friendship with the other, who wouldve known that years later Fleur would join the family that you had already been apart of.

“Its okay to be nervous.” You sit beside the Frenchwoman “Just talk through it” grabbing her hand you pull her down to sit beside you.

“It’z all so scary Y/N. I love Bill, I really do, but what if he realises he doesnt feel the same about me and leaves me there?” She faces you, eyes glossed over

That caused you to frowm slightly “Bill loves you more than he loves life itself Fleaur, everybody knows that he’d do anything for you just to see you happy- not many can say that they have a person like that.” You smile lightly, thinking about your person. “You constantly say how much you love him, so if you stil feel that for him, theres no need to be scared of getting married-These are the normal pre wedding doubts, none of them are true. Besides, I’m sure if Bill tried to run away from such a gorgeous and talented person as you, Molly would raise havoc and go to the ends of the earth to get him back.”

Fleur looks up at you, smiling, but with stray tears going down her face “Thank you Y/N” she throws herself forward and hugs you “It’s just a big step & I’ve been so emotional lately because of-“ she hesitates

A look of realisation dawns on you and you beam, hugging her once more but tighter “You’re joking? Congratulations!” You give her a peck on the cheek “Does Bill know?” You queried as she shook her head

“Non, I only confirmed it a week ago. Please dont tell anyone Y/N.” She looks at you with pleading eyes and you vigorously nod

“Of course. I wont say a thing, this is your secret. But how about we start getting ready for your wedding hmm.”

As Y/N started to do Fleurs makeup, Hermione rushed in with the wedding dress that her and Molly had been making final adjustments to, Ginny was running around frantically trying to get all the guests in the right places and seats. Once commisioning your help to shout at a group of loiterers to leave the premises because they wouldnt listen to the red head girl. All in all, after many hours, Fleaur was ready.

“You look gorgeous.” Gabrielle beamed at her sister

“Stunning.”

“Ethereal.”

“I might just steal you from Bill” you wink and cause her to laugh and blow you a kiss “I’ll go get everyone ready, you still have plenty of time to relax.” Handing Gabrielle the bouqet, you rush out of the room, which proved to be quite difficult in heels. But bearing through the pain, you get outside and see rows and rows of the fragile golden chairs set on either side of the long purple carpet. The supporting poles to the gazeebo top were entwined with gorgeous white and gold flowers. As you look to where there was supposed to be an enormous bunch of balloons, you frown to see it bare.

“George!” You shout getting his attention “Wheres Fred? You were supposed to the balloons up ages-“ you feel strong arms pick you up and spin you around, making you let out a shriek of surprise, thankfully not loud enough to get the attention of the others

“I’m here my love, disposable at your command.” He purrs into your ear, sending chills down your spine

“Put me down asshole” you laugh and turn to face him, before you could manage to say anything you were taken aback at how he looked. “You got a haircut.” You stated plainly and ran a hand through his hair as he put his arms around your waist.

“Correction, George cut my hair when I wasnt paying attention so ‘people would be able to tell the difference between us’” he wrinkled his nose

You stare at him, dumbstruck “As if the hole on the side of his head wasnt enough.” Fred laughs and says thats what he said “I like it, it suits you.”

Fred grins and kisses you, “Lets face it Y/N you like anything when its to do with me.”

You roll your eyes and hum in agreement “Thats because I love you Fred. But I will seriously consider breaking up with you if you dont get the balloons up as you promised.”

Fred gives you a small peck & jumps back from you “I’m on it!” and runs over towards his brother to finally do what he had to. You smile at him, reminiscing at how you managed to fall in love with such an idiotic man, yet you could never wish for more. Fred Weasley was truly perfect.

Shaking your head you turn back to the guests that were not where they were supposed to be before shouting “Get to your seats and away from the food please! Thats for after the ceremony!” You swat their hands before adding “If you dont know where youre supposed to be, go to Hermione and Molly, they will tell you.” You motion to the pair before walking around to make last minute adjustments.

The wedding ceremony went beautifully, Fleur was walked down with her bridesmaids: Gabrielle & Ginny. When in sight, she rendered everyone breathless, she was ethereal, the most gorgeous a person could possibly look. Molly teared up from the get go at the sight of her eldest marrying, many more joined in when they said their vows. You could not believe that the day of your friends wedding had finally arrived. Throughout the entire sitting down portion of the ceremony, Fred was holding your hand and rubbing circles on it, an assurance that through everything you went through- you were still together- still alive.

*

The loud music was ringing through the field, dancing bodies surrounded you, but you paid them no mind, your main focus on Fred.

“Did I tell you how gorgeous you look Y/N?”

You laugh lightly as you sway to the beat “No, I must’ve missed it the other ten times you said it”

“Well you do, absolutely bewitching, are you sure you didnt use a love poition on me? I never knew feeling this was possible.” He jokes as he spins you

“Must be my natural charm and charisma that got you so captured Fred.”

“Must be.” He mutters softly looking into your eyes. Fred was completely besotted by you, more than anyone had ever seen him be, he just knew that Y/N was perfect. The way that she’d light up any room she walked in, the way that she’d never back down from a challenge, and just simply how she made him feel. Dear Merlin he loved the girl. “After this do you fancy going away for a bit?”

You look at him sceptically “Planning out your murderous fantasies are we?”

He laughs and shakes his head “You’re impossible. No, since the shops closed I thought we could go away somewhere before everything with the war kicks off, I want as much time with you as I can get.”

“Oh” you forgot that the wizarding world was on the brink of war “Yeah. Yeah, I’d like that. But if you sneak George along i swear to Merlin I will live through my murderous fantasy & kill the pair of you.”

Fred chuckles again, before nodding “Promise, no George. I think he got an eyefull when he barged into our room without knocking.”

“Serves him right.” You mumble “I told him on multiple occasions to knock.”

The rest of the song died down and you stayed in Freds arms for a moment, before he was being wisked away to dance with Aunt Muriel, he held an awfully sour look as you giggled when she hounded on him to straighten his back, then saying that he was too tall.

“I’m a bit cold, I’ll go get a jacket then I’ll be right back” Y/N kissed his cheek & left to get back inside the burrow. Thinking nothing of it, she poured herself another drink, smiling to herself at how Fred would have to have another dance with Muriel. What an awful woman.

Unbeknown to the girl, a silver patronus intruded on the celebration to announce grave news. “The Ministary has fallen. The Minister of magic is dead. They are coming. They are coming.” Everyone scrabled to find their loved ones, to make sure that they were safe, but before Fred even had the chance to look for Y/N, everything burst into havoc. The gazeebo was now engulfed in flames, Death Eaters showing up everywhere to curse them.

“Y/N!” Fred shouted, frantically looking around for the girl “Y/N!”

He turned around and was greeted by a paniced Mr Weasley “Theres not much time Fred, I dont know where she is, you need to get to safety and leave. Now!”

Fred ignored his fathers protests and ran, dodging various spells being shot from either side. He had to find you, he had to know you were safe.

An abrupt crash jolts you back into reality, you get up to run and go outside but with a sudden ‘whoosh’ and black smoke- two Death Eaters appear infront of you.

“Shit.” You mumble & grab your wand, quickly dodging their spells you manage to knock one out & try to deal with the other. “You’re quite persistant-“ blue sparks shoot from your wand, the figure ran upstairs & you follow.

“And you’re associated with mud-blood scum!” A flash of green emerged from their wand that narrowly missed you, you grin

“You missed.” You kick a chair at the figure, momentarily distracting them to cast a spell “Stupefy! Petrificus totalus!” As the figure was knocked out & bound together, you walk over and spit out “Get a life, prick” snapping their wand in two.

In the middle of your fight, you had not noticed that the commotion outside had turned to an arsonists playground. looking through the window you call for Fred, hearing no response your heart stops, you leave the room & try to get down the stairs but now they were already engulfed by flames.

“Oh shit” you panic and shoot spells at it to stop the fire from spreading, but to no avail, it only got worse. Smoke was now clouding your vision, realising that if you were not to jump down you’d perish in this fire. Letting out a short breath, you hype yourself up for the leap of your life “You can do it Y/N. Come on” violetly coughing, you jump. Unfortunately landing a fair few stairs too high. Unbearable pain shoots up through your leg & you cry out in pain.

Sinking to the floor you couldnt even move, the pain in your arm and leg restricting you. This was it, this would be how you die. All alone, with no one to help you, no one to save you. In a burning house. Yet the only thought racing through your mind was ‘Is Fred safe’. Thankfully most of the fire was behind you, the staircase had completely gone up in flames however, the roof was begining to crumble down. A plank toppled down, narrowly missing you, but making the room next to you catch on fire.

As you were losing conciousness you hear a strained yell “Y/N!” You try to respond, but all that came out was a series of violent coughs “Y/N im coming, hang on!” You couldn’t see what was happening, i dont know if it was the thick cloud of smoke or the fact that you were breathing most of it in, but your vision blurred.

A faint figure emerged, breathless, trying to get through the flames & to you fast enough “Hey Y/N ive got you, im here.” You felt yourself being picked up & your body fell like a ragdoll. “Oh merlin dont die on me Y/N.” Was the last thing you heard before passing out.

*

The abrupt light and noise woke you up, yet you were unable to open your eyes, they were far too heavy for the little energy you had. Were you dead? Is this what death felt like?

“Stop pacing Fred, she’ll be fine.” You heard a voice say, however, unable to distinguish who it belonged to “shes a strong girl, the nurses said so.”

“Yeah they also said she’d wake up yesterday, so my apologies if I dont believe what they have to say.” He snapped

Fred. Oh yes, Fred. He came into the building to save you didnt he? So that answered your question of being dead. You were very much alive, but dear Merlin you were in unbearable pain.

“She’ll be up and about soon though? Her body was exhausted thats why shes sleeping so long right?” He continued, sounding unsure. Well if this is how they reacted to you passing out you wouldn’t want to know how theyd react if you died.

“And id appreciate it if I could sleep some more.” You croak out as you let your eyes open. Coming to face the whole clan of distressed red heads, Harry, Hermione & Fleur.

Fred snaps to face you and a look of relief washes over his features “Y/N” he whispers and rushes to your side hugging you “You’re okay. You’re alive. Thank Merlin.”

You try to chuckle, which abruptly turns into a wheze “I’m okay yeah, in a lot of pain but I’m fine.” Fred retreats from you, an apologetic look on his face.

“Come on kids lets give them some space.” Molly ushers everyone out of the room “I’m glad you’re okay Y/N” she sends you a smile and leaves the room for you and Fred to be alone.

Moments pass with Fred just looking at you with glassy eyes before he abruptly let out “You bloody scared me half to death!”

You motion for him to help you sit up “Oh I do apologise that me nearly burning in a fire scared you. I wasnt very happy about it either.”

Fred looks at you speachless, confused at how you can joke about it so soon. He remains quiet before letting out a big sigh and hanging his head into his lap “I thought I lost you.” He mumbles, barely loud enough for you to hear

“Hey, look at me.” You say and put his face into your left hand with the little energy you have “I’m okay, I’m alive. And so are you” he smiles faintly before you continue “Obviously as gorgeous as ever, so nothing irreversible happened.”

He laughs “Obviously.”

While in the room Fred filled you in on what happened, that after the Death Eaters showed up & they fought them off- Bellatrix Lestrange set fire to the burrow & he ran in to get you out. He told you that you passed out & that you had to be taken to St Mungos to treat your broken leg and the burn on your arm.

“The nurses said you were lucky to get out alive Y/N” he said lowly, not being able to bear the thought of your death.

“Im alive because of you Fred. Thank you.” You offer a weak smile “There were two Death Eaters in the house when it burned up-“

“Thats not on your concious to bear, Its on Bellatrix Lestrange.”

You nod, in all honesty you didnt feel bad that they perished in the fire- their downfall was their own undoing. But what was on your mind was the fire burn “When I’m better do you recon I’ll l have a cool badass scar?”

Fred shakes his head as he holds your hand, of course thats what Y/N is thinking about “‘course you will, It’ll become part of badass backstory.”

“Good” you mumble and close your eyes. After a long silence you relax back into your pillow, the sleeping draft & skelly-grow hitting you like a brick. You begin to mumble incoherent sentences

“Hey Freddie?”

He looks at your peaceful face, all calm against the pillow and responds “Yes my love?”

After a little pause of small mumbles, you ask “When I’m better, can we leave for our trip?”

“Whatever you want Y/N.” He smiles lightly & watches you drift off to sleep, hoping that ‘better’ would come along faster.

—————

Ahh okay hi! Omg this took so long to write, again sorry its not the actual bellatrix fire story, i jus forgot how it happened & when I remembered I wrote too much of it. <33

[penguiduck]

Writing Fight Scenes

I’ve had a lot of readers mention that they don’t feel comfortable with fight scenes.  Well, that’s understandable. It’s challenging writing about experiences you’ve never had.  But with some perspective and practice, you can most certainly work toward writing those fast-paced, heart-pounding scenes with ease.

To give you some background, I practiced competitive martial arts for six years.  I competed in tournaments and trained hard to perform well in the ring. It was a contact sport, and even if I wasn’t sparring, training often left me with bruises, usually of the physical nature, sometimes of the emotional persuasion.

This experience gave me a lot of perspective when it comes to writing fight scenes.

Whenever I step into the ring, I have a flexible strategy in mind that combines what I know about myself, my opponent, and what I’m going to learn about them in the next two minutes.  I’d like to share some of these thoughts and perspectives with you, and how your character may think before and during a match of their own. Of course, my fighting experience is limited to a contact sport.  Your story may very well be far more violent with higher stakes, but strategies may be of similar foundation. Once you take a fight into deeper consideration, aside from the depiction of two fighters merely exchanging blows, you can begin to enrich your writing experience.

I’m including examples from Yu Yu Hakusho because that’s the fandom I write the most for, and as you know, there’s a lot of fighting involved!  But remember — anime and writing are two completely different mediums. There's no one narrating everything that our beloved characters are doing on screen. You just see it. That is why you, as a writer, must paint those scenes through words for your readers.

Nevertheless, this advice really stands for any sort of writing, so do with this information what you will.

A well-written fight scene is never about just trading blows.  There are other conflicts at play, whether between the fighters or even in the heads of your protagonists.

Allow me to elaborate:

1. Who is your protagonist?

Whenever I am preparing for a sparring match, the first thing I worry about is me. I must be self-aware. 

I think about my own fitness.  How am I doing? Do I have any existing injuries or ailments?  How is my weight? My body type? What are my strengths and weaknesses?  What do I have in my toolbox? What techniques do I know? What techniques am I most versed and confident in?  

I also think about my overall wellness. Have I been eating well?  Drinking water? Sleeping? How is my emotional state of mind? What are the stakes?

Is my uniform clean and pressed?  What about my equipment? Headgear?  Mouth guard? Shin guard? Did I replace that torn lace?

I recommend using these questions to bring your character’s own reflection to the forefront in whatever way makes most sense for them.  How is your character’s fitness? Is she in good fighting condition? Has she been injured previously? What has happened since the last fight that might impact her state of mind? 

It’s possible that she’s recovering from an illness or injury.  Perhaps her mentor died a gruesome death. Maybe she’s frustrated because she lost use of her right hand, temporarily or permanently, and has had to compensate with her non-dominant hand.  Or perhaps she’s lost the will to fight, having experienced something traumatic.

Hiei had to constantly think about his own state of health throughout the Dark Tournament after his fight with Zeru.  His arm had been sacrificed to his Dragon of the Darkness Flame, rendered useless, and he was in terrible pain. He never let it impact him, of course, being the stoic warrior he is.  His personality allows for little inner dialogue to be shared with the audience, but as a fighter, he was most certainly considering what options he had with his handicap. And, as a writer, perhaps you would like to elaborate on his thoughts for your readers.

What has your character been practicing lately?  Is her weapon of choice the same? Has it been upgraded?  Has she been training with a different weapon or technique?  Is she perhaps nervous about using something new?

Maybe she just repaired her sword, and she’s unsure if it’s as strong as it was before.  Perhaps she’s been studying a new technique, and she knows she’ll need to use it in this battle.  

Remember when Kuwabara first introduced his spirit sword in Maze Castle?  He was so proud of himself, and that whole battle was an introduction to his newfound technique, how he manipulated his sword, and how he was able to harness his spirit energy.  It’s far more interesting to see this development and exploration than to just watch him stab at Byakko a dozen times.

My point is that while your character probably should keep her emotions out of the ring, she may not be able to.  There are so many things that could be on her mind, plaguing her thoughts, especially if there’s a lot riding on this battle.  I think it’s really important to not only acknowledge the physical part of fighting but the emotional toll it can take a fighter, too.

Think about the fight between Yusuke and Toguro.  Toguro had just killed Genkai, and Yusuke took that very personally.  This was not a simple battle of strength or wits. This was a battle of emotions, and it wasn’t until Yusuke was able to master his feelings and reach beyond that “six foot wall of crap” as Genkai so affectionately calls it that he was able to finally defeat Toguro.

And the catharsis that came from defeating Toguro? It was made all the more powerful because Yusuke went through that emotional journey. It wasnʼt just a fight — it was a calling, a purpose, and a lesson.  It was painful and potent, and it made him realize just how much these experiences shaped him as a person.

2. Who is the opponent? 

Before I participate in a tournament, I do my research.  Who is likely to be competing? Who is in my weight class?  What do I know about these competitors? If I don’t have answers, I would find them.  I’d chat with my instructor, my fellow martial artists. Has anyone else from my school fought these people before?  What were they like? Are there videos online of their performance?  

I find as much information as possible. I make calls, send texts, take people out to lunch, scour the internet for information.  Even if your character lives in a less technologically dependent world, I would imagine that he might talk with friends, look through old records, listen to gossip and hearsay.  He might watch battles leading up to his own fight in an effort to learn more.

And if this pre-work isn’t possible, that’s okay.  Fights in your story may be entirely unpredictable, but your character can also learn things about his opponent during the match.  

When I step into the ring and ready myself to compete, one of the first things I want to find out is on which side my opponent is dominant.  In other words, are they right-handed? Or left-handed? Right-footed? Or left-footed? Maybe they only focus on one side during training (which is silly, but that’s another conversation).  But there could be an underlying reason why as well. Perhaps they injured themselves in the previous round or maybe they just don’t like exposing one particular side of their body for whatever reason.

This information is critical because this tells me what I need to watch out for, which side of my own body I should be guarding, how I may penetrate my opponent’s defenses.  How can I catch them when they least suspect it? Where can I knock them off balance? My instructor always told me to watch the shoulders — shoulders move before the rest of the body.  You can tell what your opponent is about to do by watching their shoulders.

Your character may wish to discover the same thing.  Maybe his opponent uses a two-handed sword and is very clearly right-handed.  This may give him some information on where his blind spot is — or maybe he just needs to disable his opponent’s right arm.  The possibilities are endless, and understanding his opponent will give him leverage, offering him many options.

Understanding an opponent’s technique is also important.  In martial arts, practitioners often favor a strategy or skill.  This seems obvious, but it’s vital that you understand what it is — only then you can combat it.  

Consider Kurama’s matches with Gama and Toya during the events of the Dark Tournament.  The English dub did a wonderful job voicing Kurama’s inner conflict during these fights, struggling with first his inability to move and then his imprisoned spirit energy — if you were to put these scenes into writing, explaining his thought process would be fascinating.  How does Kurama overcome these obstacles? He seeks to understand his opponents before he defeats them, which, unfortunately, also means he risks injury to himself until then.

Your character’s thoughts about the fight, interpreting for your audience what he feels he might need to do to secure victory, is just as important as detailing the fight itself.

3. What about the writing?

The writing will come once you begin to dissect your characters and their motivations for fighting.  Your characters aren’t one-dimensional, or, at least, they shouldn’t be!  

Your fight scenes shouldn’t be, either.  It’s not about two fighters trading blows. It’s about an artfully curated dance.  Two opponents are engaged in a craft that they both know well, and whether they’re fighting to win a tournament or for their very lives, they have reasons and complex thought processes that should make their fight interesting.  

There are two players here, and unless the fight is grossly one-sided, they’re both thinking and acting independently of one another.  My advice is to thread their actions and consequences together — weave the fight scene as if it’s a stream of conscious thought, separated into paragraphs, each with a shift in perspective, for clarity.  

Instead of writing:

Yusuke charged at Kuwabara and punched him in the face.  Kuwabara punched him in the mouth. Yusuke then kicked him in the stomach.

Try this:

Yusuke had little patience for Kuwabara’s bad jokes, and he rushed toward him, landing a blow square in the side of his head.

Kuwabara flew backward with a grunt, stabilizing himself before launching himself at Yusuke, returning the favor.  His fist collided with Yusuke’s jaw, a blow hard enough to knock the teeth out of any regular human.

Yusuke expected him to retaliate, and although he was nearly knocked off balance, he swung his leg around, making full contact with Kuwabara’s stomach.

You may also find it useful to deviate from the fighting itself.  You can speak to a character’s inner dialogue or thoughts, whether about the fight or something else.  You may choose to have them begin a brief conversation. Or you may describe what other characters are feeling about the fight as onlookers.

There are many ways to make these fight scenes seamless and interesting — take some time to explore your options!

Just a few more general tips that might help:

If you’re going to use a thesaurus, be mindful about it. I use a thesaurus when I write because I suffer all day, every day from tip-the-tongue syndrome.  But words, even if they generally fit the same definition, can have vastly different connotations, so before selecting a word from the thesaurus, do some digging.  Look at the exact definition and perhaps Google some common usage. Punch, slap, and stroke do not mean the same thing, even if a thesaurus might say otherwise.

Read your writing out loud.  If you’re unsure, this is the best way to understand your cadence, the flow of the battle.  Use your best Morgan Freeman or Jorge the Ogre voice.

Consider a beta reader.  Sometimes having a second opinion is immensely helpful.

Remember that there are no strict writing rules.  You write whatever your heart desires in whatever manner your heart desires.  Experiment and explore with different styles and techniques to find whatever works for you.

I hope you find this information useful!  Please feel free to suggestion additional blog posts you would like to see from me in the future.  ^_^  Of course, please reblog this if you found it helpful!

Pictures are, of course, not mine.  They are shots from the anime or other official derivatives.

[kaiwritess]

Hi! Can I request a scenario where Oikawa’s ex which he left for volleyball then became a volleyball prodigy (Top one of the aces of Japan for Women’s volleyball) also who which he still loves, came to Seijoh for a practice match against their girls volleyball team whose ace is Oikawa’s current “fling” and won. During the game, Toru didn’t realize that his attention wasn’t on his “fling” but it’s on his ex making his “fling” jealous. Sorry if its random and weird, I LOVE YOUR WRITING BTW!

hi nonnie!! this is an awesome request. hopefully you dont mind, but i changed it up a bit. like instead of it being a practice match, it’s the finals of the spring tournament. thought it would give some more tension, ykwim? also, let’s pretend that y/n is a member of fukurodani. also, i wrote this so that oikawa BELIEVED y/n was trying to make him jealous, but in reality, y/n was only doing it for herself and her teammates. Y/n moved on from oikawa, and she learned her worth. She became a QUEEN (not that she wasn’t before)

Your Loss || Oikawa Tooru x Reader

Word Count: 1.5k

Summary: You’re versing Aoba Johsai’s team for the finals. But. did you really get over your ex?

Warnings: none; just a sprinkle of angst in the end

“Volleyball is my priority. You’re not.”

That was the last thing Oikawa said to you months ago before he left. You remember those words as if it happened yesterday. In the beginning, you were obviously heartbroken. Was the time you spent with him only one-sided? Did he ever love me?

All of those questions used to cloud your mind. It had even distracted you from the sport you love. Fortunately, you had a strong support system. Your friends were there for you. They got you through a difficult time.

Albert Einstein once said, “In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.” Who knew that the pent up anger and frustration led you to become the second-best ace in Japan? Not only that, but you were the team captain. Now here you are, standing on the volleyball court, waiting to verse your ex’s school. This was the first time since your breakup that you were going to compete against Aoba Johsai. 

“Hey, Y/N,” a familiar voice snapped you out of your train of thought.

You smile after seeing who the voice belonged to. “Oh hey, Akaashi. Glad you could cheer us on. We all really appreciate the school spirit,” you said, motioning to the crowded bleachers.

“It’s nothing, really. Bokuto is already riling up the crowd,” he chuckled. “You know how he can be.”

Laughing alongside him, you heard your coach yell for a team huddle.

“Guess I have to go now. Wish me luck.”

Before you could walk away, you felt Akaashi’s hand grab your arm. You turned to him with wide eyes. “Oh?”

Akaashi took a deep breath. “I feel like you should know this. You know #4 on the opposite team? I think she’s their ace and captain. Anyways, Oikawa’s having a fling with her, so I think he might be coming to cheer her on. Don’t let him and #4 get to you. Good luck, Y/N.”

You stood there frozen in shock. A wave of emotions came crashing down on you. Questions like How long have they been together? Does Oikawa really like her?, and What happened to volleyball being his priority? clouded your mine. Great. Now your nerves got ten times worse.

“Thanks for telling me, “ you almost sounded sarcastic. “I have to go now. Enjoy the game.” Akaashi watched you walk towards your team. He gulped. This was either the best or worst mistake he ever made.

You didn’t listen to what the coaches were saying in the team huddle. The only thing on your mind was your goal to defeat Aoba Johsai. Demolish them to the point where the audience pities them. The team noticed your odd silence but were too nervous to say anything about it. Usually, you were the one who got the team hyped. So when they saw how quiet their captain was, it made them concerned. Ignoring all the stares, you walked up to the referee, ready to see who serves first. Most importantly, you were ready to face #4.

A brunette was walking towards you with the jersey saying #4. 

“Let’s have a good game,” you heard the ref say.

You clenched your jaw as you shook her hand. #4 leaned closer to you, only to whisper, 

“Heard you were Oikawa’s ex. He’s up on the left side of the stands cheering for me. Sucks that you're missing out on all the cute cheers he made for Aoba Johsai.”

By now, veins were popping out of your neck. Your face was bright red and you shook her hand as tight as you could.

“Let’s have a good game,” you said, dropping her hand while smiling passive-aggressively.

---

Set 1: Aoba Johsai- 20, Fukurodani- 25.

Set 2: 25 || 23

Set 3: 27 || 25

Set 4: 17 || 25

Set 5: 23 || 24

--

It was the match point of the last set. Your coach had called a time out as a way to let the team regain some of their energy. Everyone reached their physical limits. Now, it was only a battle of mental strength. You looked back to your teammates and saw them panting and crouching down. Sweat dropped from your forehead and trickled down to your neck. Surprisingly, you didn’t hear or see Oikawa even once during the match. Though, you never got the chance to even look at the crowd. There were far too many people. Perhaps #4 was lying about him showing up? No, that couldn’t be. It was the finals. Oikawa would never miss this. Your eyes trailed up to the stands, scanning for a face that was remotely similar to his. 

“No, no, no, no.” you shook your head. “We are not doing this. Come on. We have a game to win,” you scolded yourself. With one last, desperate look at the crowd, your jaw dropped. 

There he was, talking to who it seems to be Iwaizumi. 

He was staring directly at you.

“Oh my gosh,” the whistle blew, signaling the end of time out. “Curiosity did kill the cat.”

It was your turn to serve. The ball was thrown towards you, and you almost let it slip out of your hands. Your palms felt more sweaty than usual.

“Nice serve!” a teammate called out.

Taking a deep breath, you began to do your pre-serving routine. Once the whistle blew again, you got ready to serve. Right when you were about to hit the ball, a voice was heard.

“LET’S GO Y/N!!”

It threw you off so much, to the point where the ball hit the net. You turned your head around, trying to find the source of the cheer.

It was him.

It was Oikawa Tooru.

Turning back, you looked to see who was serving next.

Oh boy. It was #4.

To be honest, you were quite impressed by her serves. Although they weren’t as exact and deadly as Oikawa’s, it was still very good. It was almost as if he taught her.

If it weren’t for your teammate calling #4’s serve out, you surely would have tried to receive it. Thank goodness you didn’t. The score was now 24 || 25. Fukurodani was at match point again. 

“Nice serve! Let’s make it count!!” you yelled back at the teammate who was serving.

The serve was so strong, that even though Seijou received it, it went over to Fukurodani’s side, making it a free ball. This was your chance.

“Chance ball!” the libero announced.

“GIVE IT TO ME!” you called out as loud as you could.

It was as if time began to slow down. The loud cheers were muted. The pass was perfect. The set was perfect. Everything was perfect.

The next few moments went by faster than the speed of sound. Was it because you were in the ‘zone’? The impact of the ball left a red mark on your hand. You found yourself being hugged and jumped on by your teammates.

We won.

--

After packing all your gear, you began to walk out of the gym. A gold medal hung proudly from your neck. But before you could walk out, you saw #4 and Oikawa arguing with each other. You couldn’t tell what the conversation was about, but it surely wasn’t good. #4 turned to you and made dead eye contact. She walked towards you, and Oikawa was still standing there with his arms crossed.

“Good game. I underestimated you,” she held her hand out for you to shake.

“I guess you learned a lesson to never underestimate your opponents,” you shook her hand.

“I will beat you next time,” a small grin could be seen on both of your faces. “Oh, and by the way, you see Oikawa over there? Trust me when I say this, but he is not over you.”

The grin disappeared from your face. #4 walked away, leaving him and you standing awkwardly close to each other. 

You were going to walk away from him, but before you could do so, he called out for you.

“Y/N,” he looked more nervous than usual.

“If I were you, I would be going back to #4.”

He sighed. “She and I are done.”

“Can’t say I’m surprised,” you raised an eyebrow.

Oikawa’s face turned red. “Look. I just wanted to tell you something.”

“I’m all ears.”

“You played great. You surely got my attention towards you,” he smirked.

“Excuse me?”

“You played this hard to get me jealous… right?”

“You’re joking,” you scoffed.

Realizing the mistake Oikawa made, he tried to recover.

“Anyways, that’s beside the point. The point is, I was wondering if you would want to go to the local cafe together? Maybe catch up on some stuff,”

You looked at him, appalled by the words he said.

“You’re joking, right?”

“...no?”

“You don’t know how much you hurt me, Oikawa. If you did, then you wouldn’t be approaching me like this. Maybe uh, I don’t know, give me an apology?”

“Y/N…”

“I’m sorry Oikawa. I really am. But volleyball is my priority. You’re not.”

After finishing your sentence, you pushed past him, walking towards the exit. You weren’t going to let someone who hurt you try to get with you again. You learned from your past mistakes.

Oikawa watched you walk away in shock.

You’re the one that got away.

Thanks for reading!

-Kai

[zootopiathingz]

Between the Odds

Part Three: Sleepover

The rest of the day, Judy's thoughts were pre-occupied by the bits of information she learned earlier. She tried distracting herself with menial activities like chores, but her mind never strayed far from the troubling fact. Why was it bothering her so much? It didn't really affect her, did it? No, she was a bunny sure to end up with another bunny. It didn't matter if inter-species relationships were "unnatural", it would never happen to her.

But it was extremely unfair to other mammals, and Judy couldn't stand the fact that there were couples out there that couldn't get married.

Even that night when she decided to hang out at Nick's place for a while, she was still distracted. She paid no mind to whatever video game he was playing on the tv, though she occasionally pretended to be interested just to keep him entertained. But instead she was focused on her laptop, trying to do more research about the inter-species laws. Apparently it wasn't just illegal in Zootopia, but in the majority of big cities. And it wasn't just marriage either. They also couldn't adopt children, most orphanages didn't allow it.

Seeing these dumb laws made Judy's blood boil. How could mammals be so closed-minded, especially in this day and age? She sighed and shook her head, briefly forgetting she wasn't alone and that she was outwardly expressing her frustration. And of course Nick noticed, causing him to feel a bit of concern. "What's going on, Carrots?" He asked, giving her a quick glance.

Judy didn't bother pretending nothing was wrong. He wouldn't have believed her, anyway. "Well, according to every website I can find, the inter-species law has been in affect for over three centuries, and still no one has done a thing to change it. There's petitions online but that's about it."

"Is this about that couple from earlier?" He asked, re-focusing his gaze back to his game. "Why are you even worried about it? It's not like you're gonna get engaged to an elephant or something."

"It's not about me, Nick." She said quickly, though a small part of her felt like that was a lie—and she refused to accept why. "It's about the thousands of couples that can't get married because of this law."

Nick shrugged, trying not to feel upset about it like she was. Of course he did care, but he didn't want to get himself all worked up over something beyond his control. "Well, I don't know what to tell you, Carrots. There's not much we can do."

"I guess not." She sighed sadly, closing her laptop and setting it aside.

Once again he looked over at her, and seeing the frown on her face made him realize what he said probably wasn't the best way of consoling her. She was genuinely upset about this, and he couldn't brush it off as nothing. "Aww don't be like that." He said, gently nudging her leg with his. "How about a quick Mario Kart tournament? That always cheers you up."

Judy blushed, ignoring the weird, warm feeling she got from his affection. "Sure, only if you don't mind losing." She smirked, standing up to grab the separate game controller.

"Oh, we'll see about that." He retorted, shaking his head.

"Excuse me, but I believe I've won every single game of Mario Kart we've ever played." She raised a brow at him.

"That's because I let you win." He half-lied. While sometimes he did purposefully lose just to make her happy, the other half of the time she was actually a pretty good player. Which was strange, since before she met him, she never actually played it.

"You keep telling yourself that." She scoffed, plopping down on the sofa so they could start. "Ooh, this gonna be sad."

"For you." He smirked confidently.

The two played the four races, and as predicted Judy won almost all of them, up until the final race when Nick managed to take her by surprise and pass her by the finish line at the last second (which really pissed her off). They had a few rematches before moving on to play other games with each other, since their competitiveness was still lingering.

As she played with him, Judy never once thought about the inter-species law. It was probably just the entertainment of the video games, or whatever was going through her mind when she looked at Nick. Either way it was a good distraction, just what she needed after what happened today. Once again, he never failed to make her worries fade away.

Eventually they decided to stop, since it was getting late and they had work in the morning. And for this reason, Judy didn't feel like driving home. She was tired and there was no point, she had everything she needed at Nick's apartment. So he agreed to let her stay with him for the night.

While Nick set up the couch for her to sleep on, Judy went to change in his bathroom. She didn't have many pajamas to choose from. Most of the pairs she kept in his closet needed to be washed. So she resorted to a long t-shirt and a pair of short pajama shorts that exposed more of her legs than she was comfortable with. But it didn't matter, really. Nick wouldn't care.

Nick finished putting the sheets on the cushions and set out a couple blankets, since he knew how cold she got at night. "Okay well, I don't know about you but I'm going to bed now." He said after hearing her walk back from the bathroom.

As he turned around, he was quite surprised to see what she chose to wear to bed. There wasn't anything wrong with it, obviously, he was just surprised is all. Mainly because the shirt covered more of her thighs than the shorts did and for a second he thought she wasn't wearing any. "Uh, need anything else?" He asked, trying not to focus too much on her appearance.

Judy shook her head and walked over to sit down on the couch. "I'm good." She said, fluffing up the pillow. "Oh and uh, thanks by the way."

"For what?" He tilted his head.

"You know, for taking my mind off things." She shrugged, "It really helped."

"Oh, sure." He smiled, "Anything for you, Carrots."

Judy felt the blush return to her face, and she couldn't explain why. She just loved the little nickname he gave her, and the way he smiled at her like that. Honestly, everything about him was so admirable and she couldn't deny it.

She stood up and extended her arms, clenching and unclenching her paws, indicating she was craving a hug. Nick rolled his eyes, but nonetheless gave in and pulled her close to him, holding her like she wanted. Even though they hugged almost all the time, she could never get tired of it. She loved laying her head on his chest and listening to his heartbeat, feeling the warmth of his soft, red fur.

The two pulled away slightly, just to look at each other, while still holding one another. There was a subtle twinkle in their eyes as they met, which sent an unfamiliar sensation through their chests. But the moment didn't last long, as much as Judy wished it could have. She would've spent the whole night looking into his eyes if she had the choice. But knowing Nick, he just had to "lighten the mood" to avoid confronting how he felt.

"Alright, enough checking me out." He joked, rubbing the top of her head—in which she pushed his paw away immediately. "Goodnight, Carrot cake."

Judy chuckled and reluctantly let go of him. "Night, slick."

Watching him walk away, her smile began to fade, and realization struck her hard. That warm feeling she felt spread to her stomach, and she knew it was butterflies. She never felt that before, maybe once or twice when she was a kid and had a small crush on a classmate.

Oh no...She frowned softly, lowering her ears. It couldn't be true, could it? No, she has been feeling this way for months now, this wasn't a new thing.

Judy brought her paw up to her mouth, slowly sitting down on the couch. Oh god, She thought wearily, staring at the floor. I've been in love with my best friend for months.

(Aaaand that’s all of this story I’m gonna post cuz the next chapter gets a little ✨steamy✨ if ykyk. Anyway if you wanna read more check it out on Wattpad or Fanfiction!)