#me my mom and my aunt all have the same middle name

[tabbyphobos]

I chose Other, but I suppose a family superstition could also be considered Tradition. 🤔

[kiri-thighs]

Express | J.Fisher

FEM! READER

summary: you and jeremiah are best friends and you two get into a terrible argument on the beach after showing mixed signals of each other's company. you express your feelings for him at the end of it and he realizes with you two obviously ignoring each other that he has those same feelings for you.

warnings: angst, mentions of underage drinking, cursing + TAKES PLACE IN AMAZON PRIME VIDEO SERIES SEASON 2. If you don't want minor spoilers please don't read OR you can watch season 2 first!! this one shot does not completely go with the plot of the show!

thank you and enjoy lovely readers 🤍

"I can't fucking believe you, Y/N." Jeremiah said, half intoxicated due to them leaving a party at Susannah's house. Susannah was gone and all of you had decided to throw a party.

Rewinding to at least an hour before he had said those words to you, what led up to this moment was surprising. As you and Jeremiah were partying, about to kiss a fight broke out between Milo and Steven.

Another event happened where Skye ended up sharing the news about their mom, Julia making a deal with the kids that lived, well used to live at the Cousins beach house.

You and the others were allowed one week each summer, since the family that Julia had sold it to wasn't going to use it too much. Jeremiah, you and Belly hearing the news, all three of you were happy.

Though there was one person that couldn't accept the deal and that was when Jeremiah and Conrad ended up fighting. You were in the middle of it.

"Jere don't say that-" You said, holding his arm as Jeremiah pushed you away, which caused you to be taken aback. As Belly was leaving, Skye went after her. You stayed as you watched Jeremiah throw hurtful words towards Conrad.

"Jere stop-" You said but Jeremiah looked at you, after everything that he said to Conrad.

"So what you're defending him now too?" Jeremiah asked as you looked at Conrad, before looking down and shaking your head.

"I'm, I'm not sure." You whispered.

"Yeah. There it is again. The I'm not sure from Y/N. One happy thing, such a small thing that everyone could be happy about and you go and ruin it Conrad." Jeremiah said as he walked away.

As everyone seemed to go their separate ways, you stayed in front of Conrad as you felt your chest was hurting.

Conrad was silent, his eyes teary due to the words that Jeremiah said towards him. Conrad looked up as you were lost in thought, your mind vacant before you hear Conrad calling out your name. You looked up at him when he asked, "You okay?" his voice was shaky, hoarse and like it was caught in his throat.

"Yeah...yeah it's just," You started before sighing. "Last summer was messy." You stood there as your voice was shaky too, wondering why in this moment you felt like breaking down.

There was one specific person that you loved so much. That person was Jeremiah Fisher. Yet with how things were going last summer due to the whole love triangle, Susannah and other messy stuff, it was like that again.

You were caught in the middle of it and it was not until this summer that your feelings for Jeremiah were growing uncontrollably larger.

"As soon as school got out, hearing about the house being sold I've been trying hard too. To get the house back. To talk some sense into your dad. To talk to your aunt and I never once told anyone how much things have effected me." You said as your eyes teared up remembering the way Jeremiah and Conrad looked at each other with so much remorse.

"I love Jere. So much, Conrad" You whispered. "Last summer I realized I liked Jeremiah even if he's been my best friend my entire life. Seeing Jere and Bells kiss with Steven, I couldn't take that happiness away." You smiled as you wiped your tears, you weren't a drinker so these were your raw emotions, not intensified too much because there was no alcohol intake.

Conrad seemed to go more silent hearing that Jeremiah and Belly kissed, as if not knowing that already. It was a reminder that Belly couldn't choose. You looked at him as if apologizing for bringing it up.

"Conrad," You called out, "I wanna keep fighting for this house but I don't know how much more all of us can take if it's causing this much damage," You said truthfully as your tears were falling harder. Conrad was crying as well, his head held low before pulling you into a hug.

You two were somewhat the same. Bottling things up, though Conrad got the bigger blow. You hugged Conrad tightly as you sniffled, continuing what you were saying.

"I just had to be there for you both," You mumbled. "You are here," Conrad mumbled. "You are, you really are." Conrad said in a shaky tone, not knowing how else to comfort you. Not knowing if what he was doing for you was helping you feel better.

You didn't want Belly to be alone but the one person that needed someone, knowing that Conrad would go after Belly, you knew no one would be there for Jeremiah.

Conrad pulled away as you wiped your tears. Conrad wiped his away as he patted your head. "Go after Belly," You told Conrad. You pointed to his chest.

"I already know you will." You smiled at him as Conrad nodded. Everyone rarely saw you cry. You knew that you had just let it all go to Conrad, but knew that he had something to take care.

Conrad nodded as he slowly walked away from you, leaving you there to wipe your tears away in hopes that they would be gone. You took a deep breath before walking back into the beach house, the strobing lights still seen through the house's windows since the curtains seemed to not be covering any part of the windows.

You looked through the crowd, trying to find Jeremiah amongst the people dancing and drinking. The smell of alcohol and cigarettes always made you cringe, you and Cam always got along pretty well when it came to parties because you two didn't drink.

You didn't drink specifically because your mom died due to a drunk driver. You didn't want to be that way, and there would come a time when you would finally drink.

You saw spray painting on the wall, people breaking windows and tables as you shook your head, moving past people who were shoving you left and right.

Finally though you found Jeremiah standing against a wall with a red cup already in his hands. You were in front of him as he looked down at you with the same angry expression he showed Conrad.

He was ready to leave, pulling his weight off of the wall as he turned away from you. You grabbed his wrist quickly, making him accidentally drop the red cup in his hand, spilling the drink on the ground.

Jeremiah tried his hardest to hold back his anger, you being his best friend he couldn't be mad. Not at you completely. You looked up at him as he turned around, his eyes still averted away from yours.

"Can we talk?" You asked him, loud enough to go past the loud music that was playing.

"I don't see a reason," Jeremiah said as you bit the inside of your lip and held his wrist harder.

"Then you don't need a reason but I have one." You said as Jeremiah finally looking at you. The reason he didn't want to look at you was because he saw you crying on Conrad.

He knew the reason why you were crying and it was because of him. He knew that too well that he was the one that made you cry, yet he couldn't comfort you and say that it was okay.

Jeremiah pulled his wrist away from your strong grip before walking outside with you, to the beach, a different part of it since Belly and Conrad were talking as well.

You followed after him, as you stared at the back of his head before he finally stopped when you both reached your favorite log on the beach. He turned around as he stared at you with a look of anger still.

"If this is about what I said to Conrad, I'm not taking it back." Jeremiah said.

"Jere you didn't have to say all of that-" "He asked for my blessing, Y/N" Jeremiah started getting riled up, already feeling that anger was bottled up inside of him.

"Yes he did, but he needed someone, he needed his brother and this summer you guys have been butting heads indirectly but things were getting better," You said as had your hands out, you trying not to get teary eyed. Yes you were defending Conrad because he was in the right, but you wanted Jeremiah to know that too.

"Since when were we getting better?" Jeremiah asked as he scoffed, laughing a bit because it was unbelievable to him. "He took Belly away from me. I had to watch him and Belly together. I thought of all people you would know how lonely I was because I was there for my mom when no one wasn't." Jeremiah said, his voice partially raising.

You felt your heart ache as your tears were starting to become visible but you wiped your face while Jeremiah was looking away. You didn't know. How else to tell him. How else could you possibly comfort him?

"Jere," You called out, "I'm here," Was all that could slip out.

"Where were you then? When were you here?" Jeremiah asked as his eyes were tearing up, his eyes seeming to get rid of the anger slowly but it was evidently still there.

"You always comforted everyone else before you came and checked up on me. You ran after Belly when her and Conrad fought at my mom's funeral. MY MOM'S funeral. You told me that you would always be there for me first, you liar." Jeremiah pointed to his chest, as he was hitting his chest with his fingers as he was saying that.

You hated it. Seeing him in so much pain but you were in pain as well. "Jere, I tried to take care of everyone and I'm sorry. I swear I came to check up on you first you're twisting the story," You said, trying to stay calm, while Jeremiah was raising his voice at you.

"You know what, whose side are you on?" Jeremiah asked as he put his hands on his hips, turning his body as he was now rejecting looking at you.

"I saw Conrad hugging you," "Jere are you seriously doing this right now-" "Doing what? Watching you be comforted because you're what the girl version of me and Conrad combined? Bottling shit up and then acting like it's okay? Yet you don't even go and run after me?"

"You aren't making any sense Jere why are you blaming me for that thing specifically?" You asked as you put your hand on Jeremiah's but he pushed you away once again, like he did back there during his argument with Conrad.

"Don't fucking touch me." Jeremiah said with a rough voice. "Whose side are you on." Jeremiah asked as you bit your lip.

You clenched your fists, "What do you even mean Jere?!" You finally yelled which took him aback. You looked away as your chest was heaving.

"When was I here? I've been here the entire time! Being in the middle of you and Conrad. The middle of you and Belly. The middle of you three!" You yelled as you stepped towards him, you pointing your finger on his chest as you were pushing him with it.

"I was there even if I was in pain too. With my mother's death at the beginning of last summer, then Susannah was next. You don't see it do you?" You asked as your tears were falling uncontrollably.

"You needed someone and when you say no one was there for you I watched you miserably. I watched you and felt invisible. You focused on Belly so much when you guys had a thing and I had to act like I was okay with that." You laughed but it mixed with crying too.

"I tried so hard to continuously fix things. Every time Belly had a conflict with Conrad or you I would be there for her. Every time you felt so alone I was there. I was there for each and every one of you and yet you're asking me where I was?!" You yelled.

"Y/N-" Jeremiah said as he took your finger off of his chest and held your hand but you pulled your hand off of him. "I get how much Belly effected you. How much you love her," You said as you knew the next words that you were about to say were fucked up. You knew that you shouldn't put yourself before others.

"I love you Jere," You said, in hopes that he would return the feelings. Yet you knew. You knew that you two made a promise to one another that you would never fall for each other.

There was complete silence, the silence killing you but Jeremiah was taking time to process. The processing ended up stopping, but the next words that Jeremiah said towards you were words that you wished he would never say to you, but he did.

"I can't fucking believe you, Y/N" Jeremiah said as he had a face of disgust. An expression he never had towards you but to others. You saw the way he looked at you, the way that you wished he hadn't.

"So that's it," You said as your breath hitched before your next words came. "You and I were about to kiss, obviously getting even closer during this whole week and you say that to me," You said as Jeremiah looked away.

"That was a mistake," Jeremiah said as your lips quivered, tears falling harder. "I didn't mean to do that. I just wanted to kiss someone." Jeremiah lied, but you didn't know that. Jeremiah knew that he didn't want to hurt you if he was still in love with Belly.

"You wanted to kiss someone?" You asked as Jeremiah nodded. "I love Belly." Jeremiah said straightforwardly. "We promised each other that we wouldn't."

"Fuck- promises are meant to be broken!" You yelled. "Can't you make an exception just this once? That you can love me somehow? The way I love you?" You asked, begging for Jeremiah to somehow look at you the way he always has.

The one time that you finally break, after being so worn out with being the therapy friend, the friend that everyone could depend on but at your lowest moments you could only depend on Susannah and Laurel.

Susannah was gone and that impacted you too but you knew that if you compared it to the pain that Jeremiah and Conrad felt, it would be selfish. That the mother figure that replaced your mom when she passed, was now gone and the last mother figure you had was Laurel.

"I can't fucking look at you." Jeremiah said, his breath shaky. "I can't believe you." Jeremiah said as he started walking past you. You didn't watch him leave, as you stood there, still in front of your favorite log that you two would always have heartfelt conversations on.

Before he could walk away completely, you turned to him. "You can't just leave it at that!" You yelled before Jeremiah stopped. You sobbed as you begged for him one more time, wanting his answer to change.

"Yes I can." Jeremiah said as he turned around, his eyebrows knitted. "I can say that I can't." Jeremiah said, his voice shaky because he was afraid. Afraid that he was losing you now too and it was because of the words that were coming out of his mouth.

You walked up to him and tried your hardest but still he pushed you off of him. He would never treat a girl like this, ever. Yet it seemed like you were a different case. He wanted to get away from you.

"Just- Just get away from me alright?!" Jeremiah yelled which made you stop. You froze and as you did, Jeremiah ran his fingers through his hair before his tears fell as his breath was hitching too.

You watched as he sobbed, his emotions seeming to stir in the pot but with each new ingredient in there, it was the wrong ones every time. You reached out to Jeremiah, but your efforts were short as he finally decided to leave.

This time you didn't go after him. As much as you tried to comfort him, he still walked away without turning back even if your cries were heard. You had tried to hug him, knowing that was always the solution but this time, that solution was last place.

You fell to your knees as you sobbed out, wishing that the conversation ended on a high note but it didn't. Your heart ached before you felt everything suddenly get blurry and shaky. Due to the many emotions you were feeling everything had gone black.

NEXT MORNING

The sun was shining over Cousins beach. The next morning came and everyone at the party was gone. The guests were gone at least except the mess that was left behind.

You felt your breath catch in your lungs before waking up when you felt the glare of the sun hitting your body. You woke up, getting up from the sand on the beach.

"Did I really sleep here?" You asked before your eyes softened realizing no one noticed you were gone. You were hoping Jeremiah would at least bring you inside or be concerned for you seeing that you didn't come inside later that night.

You had your hands on the sand before standing up, your legs feeling numb because of the emotions that were still hitting you right as you wake up.

You walked off of the beach and into the beach house, seeing that the door was wide open, before realizing Laurel's car was there in the driveway.

You blinked before you realized. You ran inside but was met with Belly walking out of the house. Belly was holding her cheek. "Bells?" You called out as held her arm, trying to stop her. She hugged you tightly, her tears falling onto your shoulder.

You were shocked seeing the amount of tears coming out of Belly's eyes. You held the back of her head as you hugged her tightly before she pulled away and walked out to the beach.

You watched as she left, your breathing on double time before walking inside knowing that she needed space. You saw Laurel there, with Steven, Conrad and Jeremiah.

Steven told Laurel that Belly and the rest of the kids were at least here for Susannah's boys while Laurel was absent. After hearing Laurel already knew about the house being up for sale. Everyone walked away from Laurel and apparently you now. Jeremiah didn't bat an eye at you, covered in sand.

Laurel looked over to you before you looked away. "I'll start cleaning up," You whispered. "Belly needs her mom right now." You whispered before grabbing a trash bag, feeling somewhat small as you started to clean the place.

It was an hour or two later that Laurel announced that she would fight for the house and talk to Julia about it. Everyone was thankful for Laurel, glad that Belly reached out to her mom.

You kept your distance from everyone as you felt invisible and sad again. You looked at Jeremiah a few times but he never looked at you. He really did mean that he wouldn't look at you at all.

Julia finally arrived and as the kids were cleaning up, Laurel pulled Julia aside talking at Susannah and her's favorite spot.

You continued to clean up as Belly came over to you with Taylor. "You okay?" Belly asked, her hand on your back. You didn't know that Jeremiah and the others were also listening in as well.

"Yeah, just a little tired." You told Belly. "Jere and I had a big argument last night." You smiled sadly. As Belly pulled you aside along with Taylor and Skye who seemed to tag along, Steven looked over at Jeremiah.

"What happened?" Steven asked Jeremiah who was scrubbing the wall, trying to get the spray paint off of it. Jeremiah shook his head. He knew if he thought about it then he would've said the wrong things somehow.

"Nothing," "Well it doesn't seem like nothing Jere. Taylor and I watched the whole thing. I wanted to punch you so badly seeing the way you made her cry." Steven said as Conrad awkwardly listened, still on the silent treatment with Jeremiah.

Steven put down his trash bag as he made Jeremiah stop too. "I get it. We've all been through a lot of shit man but I know damn well that you love Y/N. More than Belly." Steven said as Jeremiah looked away.

"I don't." "You really are an airhead like they all say." Steven chuckled before making Jeremiah face him.

"You may think that taking the easier option is better but the better option will always be there for you and if I'm going to be honest it's Y/N. You said it so yourself. Belly will always have something for Conrad. There's someone though waiting for you." Steven said since Conrad left the room. Jeremiah looked up at Steven as Steven was awkwardly smiling.

"I.." Jeremiah said before his shoulders fell, "I fucked up so badly," Jeremiah said as Steven agreed.

"Well yeah. Can't say that I don't agree with you cause I do." Steven laughed as Jeremiah nodded.

"I..I don't know. I just don't know." "Well you gotta know somehow. All the things you said weren't her true intentions and even you know that when you start to regret what you said. She's always been there for you. Through everything. Of course she would love you dude. It isn't hard to love someone like you. Especially her. She always finds a reason." Steven reassured as Jeremiah's eyes teared up.

"Do you think she'd forgive me? For the things I said? I've never in my life spoke to her like that. I've never said such harsh things to her and yet in that moment it felt that that was the only thing that I could do." Jeremiah explained, his obvious regret showing.

"Give it a day or two. You'll probably realize it more." Steven patted Jeremiah's shoulder. "What you said was fucked. Even I would be hurt if someone said that to me." Steven said, not trying to blame Jeremiah but he knew that the two would push through.

Jeremiah paused for a bit before nodding. He knew that he had to do something somehow. He knew if he wasn't there for you the way you were there for him, then no one would be. Hearing that you slept on the beach, eavesdropping and everything no one came to come get you.

Jeremiah knew that as a best friend he should've been there for you. To carry you inside despite being so mad at you. He knew that he put his emotions first. Who knows what could've happened. He wasn't there for you the way you were there for him.

Those thoughts of what he said to you last night started to course through his mind. He winced at the thought of everything as Steven went to go clean more.

He would give it a day or two, in hopes that he would realize it all.

That he needed you, and loved you the way you did.

Taylor was currently giving you a hug as you tried your best not to cry. You stayed so strong up until now but again, you were a carbon copy of Conrad and Jeremiah combined. Belly and Skye were rubbing your back as you cried.

You hated the words that Jeremiah said towards you. Taylor had heard it all with Steven and explained everything to Belly and Skye for you so that you didn't have to.

You closed your eyes, hoping that all of this was a bad dream. Hoping that what Jeremiah said wasn't meant. Your chest kept on going up and down quickly. You were hiccuping as your walls crashed down.

You hoped that the house would be in the possession of the boys. You knew though that you didn't want to be a part of it anymore. You told yourself as you were being comforted, that this would be your last summer at the Cousin's house.

THE NEXT DAY

As you all were wrapping things up, Conrad and Jeremiah had a heartfelt conversations the night before. It seemed that everything was able to be fixed yesterday except things with you and Jeremiah.

You of course included yourself in helping Conrad study for his test in Brown to get into Stanford. Everyone was all for it, especially Belly. Yesterday evening was the last time you saw Julia and Skye for now.

After being able to convince Jeremiah and Conrad's dad about selling the house they had in Boston, things started to get good from there.

The morning came around and things needed to finish up. With the house not being on the market, everyone needed to go home and would be able to come back whenever they'd like and whenever everyone had free time.

You smiled as you were saying goodbye to Laurel. While the others were saying goodbye to one another, you wanted to talk to Laurel first.

"Thank you so much Laurel for everything that you've done up to this point." You said as you were holding her hands. Laurel smiled as she looked at you. You looked back at her, and the obvious eye bags were under your eyes.

"I heard what happened between you and Jeremiah," Laurel said as she gave you a hug. "Thank you so much for being here for everyone. We'd love to see you here again next summer or this summer if anything." You softened up in Laurel's hold before holding onto her and smiling.

"I'll think about it," You said as Laurel nodded. Laurel slowly pulled away as everyone started getting into their cars. You ended up actually driving here, so you didn't have a problem taking your time getting home. You took a good look at the Cousins house.

You weren't ready to leave yet, as everyone was talking about when they would next be all together. Everyone was saying the fourth. You looked at everyone in the group before smiling and humming.

"Yeah, I'll be available whenever." You chuckled as you started waving goodbye to everyone. "I'm gonna stay here for a bit longer. Conrad tell me how the test goes. Tell us everything," You smiled as Conrad nodded, with a content smile.

"See you whenever, Y/N" You nodded as everyone seemed to be driving out of the driveway. You didn't notice that Jeremiah actually stayed behind, instead of driving off in his brother's car. Conrad ended up leaving without Jeremiah.

You had your back turned, oblivious to Jeremiah staying behind as you walked into the Cousin's house, going to the pool as you dipped your feet in the cold water.

You heard the door open and looked back seeing Jeremiah was there, his hands in his pockets as he looked over at you, sitting on the ledge of the swimming pool.

You slowly looked away, still kicking your feet gently. Jeremiah slowly sat next to you, dipping his feet in the water with yours. It was silent for a good minute as the awkward silence was sitting there with you two as well.

Jeremiah was the first to break the silence, as he looked at you slowly, seeing that you were watching your feet kick in the water that you were now used to since they have been in there for at least a minute.

"Let's talk?" He asked as you tensed up a little before shaking your head. "I don't see a reason to." You snapped back, repeating his words from last night. To your surprise though, Jeremiah said the exact same thing that you had said to him too. You both switched placed though.

"Then you don't need a reason but I have one." Jeremiah whispered which made you stop kicking your feet. You slowly looked over at Jeremiah, your eyes already teary eyed. Jeremiah stared at your hurt filled eyes as he winced seeing how drained you looked.

Jeremiah reached up as he cupped your cheek gently, but you pulled away a bit. Jeremiah still tried though, holding both of your cheeks as he took a good look at you.

"No," Jeremiah whispered. "Don't pull away," You shook your head more as you held onto Jeremiah's wrists, wanting to shove his hands off of you but you knew that if you didn't want to do that truly.

"But you did," You told Jeremiah as you continued to look at his ocean eyes. "You pushed me away," Jeremiah nodded.

"I know I did, and I'm sorry Y/N." Jeremiah said as he wiped away the tears that were streaming down your cheeks as they were coming down.

"You didn't eat today or yesterday. You haven't slept either. I saw you were still awake even when everyone else was sleeping." Jeremiah said as he put his thumb gently under one of your eyes, seeing the obvious eye bags that already grew.

"It's hard to when you're mad at me." You admitted. "I didn't think you would have noticed me at all since you said that you couldn't look at me," You looked away as Jeremiah's eyes softened.

"Everything with Conrad, I resolved all of it. We told each other that we would talk things out as they come and not let them linger." Jeremiah admitted towards you.

"Things with Belly..I already knew that I don't love her that way. That there will always be a better option for me and..Y/N that's you." Jeremiah said, trying to convince you that the words he said to you a night ago was wrong.

You continued to look away as Jeremiah was the one speaking this time. "I do love you too. In the way that a best friend does but the way that a lover does too." Jeremiah said as he slowly let go of your cheeks, grabbing hold of your hands that he noticed were shaking, seeing your body tremble as well.

He could still see the silent cries you were giving and he knew that instead of being jealous of others that he'd rather be there for you than watch you crying in someone else's arms.

You stayed silent as you listened to Jeremiah, still trying to register everything. "I know..it's hard to forget what I said. But I'd rather say this and take back all of the words." Jeremiah held your hands still, trying to stop them from shaking as he kissed your hands gently.

He closed his eyes, "I'm so sorry for the way I talked to you. I'm sorry for making you cry. I'm sorry for blaming you and lying to you that it was a mistake." You started to sob but Jeremiah didn't stop.

"I'm sorry for pushing you away and thinking you're invisible..you aren't. I needed someone and Belly couldn't be there for me because she was always with Conrad the most. I'm sorry for forgetting about you." Jeremiah's voice started to become shaky, starting to get emotional as he continued.

"I'm sorry for never realizing how much I loved you, Y/N." Jeremiah stopped when you took your hands off of Jeremiah's hands. With this, Jeremiah thought that you were going to get up and leave but you had your hands on his chest, pushing him gently.

Jeremiah looked up at you as you looked at him, hiccuping as your voice finally came out. "Stop," You whispered as you punched him gently, "Just kiss me already," You begged as Jeremiah's eyes widened.

Jeremiah put his forehead on yours as he watched you start to calm down, feeling how close he was to you. Jeremiah gently, hesitantly grabbed your cheek.

"I want to kiss you, I really do." Jeremiah said as your noses touched, booping one another's. "Out of all the people, it was always you." Jeremiah said before his lips hit yours.

Your body stopped trembling, as you melted into the kiss that Jeremiah had given you. Your first kiss was with your best friend. This was Jeremiah's millionth kiss probably but to you, this was the kiss you wanted it to be with.

You kissed Jeremiah, wrapping your arms around Jeremiah's neck as you pulled him closer.

He pulled you closer by the waist as he held you tightly, not wanting to let you go. You pulled away for a second before reconnecting your lips together with his.

Jeremiah tucked some strands of your hair behind your ear, feeling his chest was about to explode because of how much his heart was beating double time.

No one else could make both of you feel this way, both of you knew that for sure as you felt sparks. As Jeremiah slowly pulled away, Jeremiah stared into your eyes as he smiled softly, seeing how out of breath you were.

"The tears are gone." Jeremiah pointed out as he hugged you tightly, burying his face in your neck. You pressed your lips against his curly hair, closing your eyes slowly.

Jeremiah looked up at you again, pulling away a bit from the hug. He connected his lips with yours again, kissing you was so easy to him it seemed.

You kissed him back instantly, smiling in the kiss because you felt better. You felt that things really were going to be okay with Jeremiah. Jeremiah pulled away this time, staring at your lips before pecking it gently with a smile.

Jeremiah rubbed your back gently before getting up and helping you up as well. Jeremiah held your hands before sitting down on one of the beach chairs with you. He put you on his lap gently, having you face him.

You had your hands on his shoulders, having some support as you stared into his eyes.

As you two were silently looking at one another, the silence was broken when both of you said at the same time,

"I love you," You and him stared at each other before laughing softly together.

"Let's stay here for a bit, then I'll come over and sleep over." Jeremiah said as you nodded.

"I'd love that, a lot." You said as you pushed all of your weight on Jeremiah's as he laid on the beach chair with you on top of him.

Jeremiah kissed your forehead gently, having his arms up as a arm pillow.

Jeremiah closed his eyes as he smiled softly. "Me too,"

[vaaaaaiolet]

A broken backspace key, two rival magazines, and love letters sent through email. It’s the 2000's and Raccoon Mag’s prize photojournalist lands himself a secret admirer. 

You. 

gn / m, fluff, romance via email love letters, how to lose a guy in 10 days-esque, just a cutesy romcom, reader works a stereotypically female job but no pronouns mentioned!

word count: 2.4k // read on ao3

a/n: title inspired by the alicia keys song ofc. thank you to the lovely @kennedysbaby for the prompt inspo and endless support while writing this! this isn't my usual writing style so i'm kinda nervous AHGH but i thought it was cute LMAO. i <3 u!!

From: howtodept@starsweek.com To: lskennedy@raccoonmag.com 

Subject: You Don’t Know My Name

Dear Mr. Kennedy,

I hope this email never finds you well. 

No, no, that came out wrong, I swear! Gosh, I’m not sure how to work the backspace on these new computers. What I mean to say is that I hope this email never finds you.

I’m the new hire for the How To column at STARS Week magazine. They haven’t quite set up an email address with my name yet: I’m using the one readers mail their questions to. It’s a bit of a blessing to not have my name attached to this mortifying message now that I think about it. 

You must be wondering, why does an Agony Aunt columnist from your media rival have your email in the first place? You, the top photojournalist at Raccoon Mag, the highlight of all newsstands. You must think I’m crazy. 

But the thing is that I think you’re simply wonderful.

You visited our office last week. Surely you remember walking into the great big glass doors of the STARS building. Aren’t they glamorous? They make me feel like a hotshot movie journalist when really I just write back to teenage girls and help them pick out the right nail color, or tell middle-aged moms how to dress less like they rolled out of an outdated Sears catalog. I’m eternally grateful to get to work here – Ms. Hunnigan really did a favor taking me on – but I can’t help feeling like a bird with its wings clipped, stuck in a glass cage. I could be doing so much more with my talents. And don’t tell me that I already am; I know my advice articles don’t work because my own mom still wears stripes with polka dots.

Yeesh.

So when you came by last week with your great big camera filled with pictures of all your travels around the world, you caught my eye right away. 

You weren’t wearing a suit like all the other big shots in the STARS office. Mr. Kennedy, you came to what Ms. Hunnigan would consider “the biggest business risk of your life” dressed in a polo and slacks, still looking sharper than our Man of the Month, with not a word extra to say because your photos spoke for themselves.

Mr. Kennedy, I was working my measly little column when I overheard Ms. Hunnigan’s surprise at your refusal to take a dime for the photojournalism you brought to our office. Your manila folder was filled with pictures from a recently hurricane-hit island, one I’m embarrassed to say I only learned of from your spirited tirade. You didn’t care that Raccoon Mag and STARS Week were sworn enemies. All you cared about was combining readers’ donations for disaster relief. I thought it was mighty noble of you.

You didn’t flinch once at Ms. Hunnigan’s unforgiving stare and I know how hard that can be because I got the same one when I asked to switch to a journalism department instead. Ms. Hunnigan isn’t too keen on putting effort where there isn’t turnover. But you came anyway, and you left victorious simply because you wanted to help people that badly.

I think you can assume why I scrapped my article this week about getting over crushes. There’s going to be a horribly empty space in my column if I don’t figure out how to type something other than your name soon. Hence this email. 

(You left your business card on Ms. Hunnigan’s desk, if you’re still wondering how I’m sending this to the right email address. I’m not too shabby at snooping around, in a journalism kind of way, of course.)

I don’t think this counts as getting over a crush. I don’t suppose you have any ideas?

Yours sincerely, You Don’t Know My Name

> Saved as Draft (7/7/2003)

> Continue Saved Draft? YES

From: howtodept@starsweek.com To: lskennedy@raccoonmag.com

Dear Mr. Kennedy,

Did you see the smiles of the children who got their school rebuilt thanks to your disaster relief proposal? I’m sure you did: their pictures, along with all the other photos from the donation effort, got printed front and center on this week’s issue! I nearly sold out the newsstand from all the Raccoon Mag copies I bought the morning they came off the press. Had to hide them from Ms. Hunnigan too; she wasn’t too happy about my less-than-juicy column last week. 

But that’s not for you to worry about, Mr. Kennedy. I’ll figure something else out. Like what color fabric makes your eyes pop, subtle ways to tell a coworker you’re interested in more than just drinks after work, what to eat to look and feel your best in less than two weeks.

On a completely unrelated note, I can’t help but look forward to when you come back to STARS Week in less than a month (according to Ms. Hunnigan’s desk calendar).

You’ve inspired me to get back into journalism; put my degree to use. I didn’t graduate top of my class just to tell people what hairstyle goes with what neckline! I’m clumsy with cameras and not too nifty with technology (I still can’t figure out where that backspace key is!) but I’m a sure hand with a pen. I go to the library after work now and spend hours researching global issues to write about when I get home. My collection of research articles is coming right along. Kind of like your manila folder. I flatter myself.

I wonder what you write, what you read. What makes Leon Kennedy laugh? What does he read before bed, what makes him think? I wonder if we laugh at the same bad jokes. 

Email is a strange mode of communication. There’s an awful lot of dishonesty involved. You get to pick and choose what you leave out. I suppose I don’t get that luxury with my lack of backspace, but it’s the same in conversation when you don’t get to backtrack on what comes out of your mouth. Would it be silly of me to dream that I’m having a conversation with you like this? Through my keyboard?

I’d much rather hear you in conversation, I have to admit. You’ve got a lovely voice. The rest of us are just lucky you decided to use it for good and speak out about the problems of the world despite what may or may not sell (sorry, Ms. Hunnigan). I might even be lucky enough to hear my name fall from your lips one day. Are…oh gosh, this is making me shy. Damn you, backspace key. But I wonder what it feels like to kiss you, Mr. Kennedy. 

I hear tying cherry stems with your tongue makes you a good kisser. I’ll be sure to learn. Maybe if we ever hit the town and we get drinks, I could show you? I’m not even sure what kind of drinks have cherries on top. That’s more a milkshake or ice cream thing. I’d be delighted to get either with you; I even know a trick to cure brain freeze in a second! I hope that’s incentive enough. I’m quite partial to cookie dough if you’d like to share. Not so much if you’re a fan of rum raisin.

And then over ice cream, we could talk about everything under the sun. Your pictures, my writing, bad jokes, good jokes, your favorite rom-coms, important questions like that.

(I’m kidding, promise. The rom-com one is important though. I hope you understand.)

There so much I’d love to talk to you about. But for now, I’m content with sitting in my cubicle in the corner, hiding behind my potted plant and hoping for a glimpse of your golden hair through Ms. Hunnigan’s office doors when you come by. But as all good things must come to an end, here comes the end of this email to my Raccoon Mag Romeo. 

Looking forward to your nonexistent response, You Don’t Know My Name

> Saved as Draft (8/12/2003)

> Continue Saved Draft? YES

From: howtodept@starsweek.com To: lskennedy@raccoonmag.com

Dear Mr. Kennedy,

You used to be in the police academy before you worked for Raccoon Mag? 

Gosh, I hope my snooping doesn’t come off untoward, truly, I don’t mean to – it’s just that you’ve been coming to STARS Week so frequently this month and you didn’t visit in the last few days and…well, I missed seeing you. So it seems I’m remedying that with novice-level stalker work. Er, journalism. 

I’m marvelously impressed by you is all. Your sense of justice runs deeper than I thought. I wonder what made you choose this line of work instead of the force? 

For what it’s worth, digging up your past work introduced me to several fascinating topics. If Ms. Hunnigan lets up on her workload, she might even have time to look at the piece I’ve been drafting all month! You’ve inspired me in more ways than one, Mr. Kennedy, so you understand why I’m eager to see you again in the hope of showing you what I’ve written. I could slip my article into your folder, leave it in an envelope next to the cup of coffee you always let cool on the receptionist’s desk before going into the copy room…

But there might not be a point avoiding you anymore. I’m afraid you’ll run into me sooner than later with the number of errands Ms. Hunnigan sends me on around the office.

Worse yet, I think someone’s caught on to me. 

Claire from Sports is starting to ask about all these emails I type up while my How To assignment of the week sits by its lonesome next to my potted plant. I wish these keyboards weren’t so loud and cranky! They rattle up a storm when I type these emails to you, but turn quiet as mice when it comes time for me to work on my dreadful How Tos. Snitches get stitches, don’t you know?

But I’d never snitch on you, Mr. Kennedy. A tiny part of me hopes you’ve caught on to who hides an extra donut in the fridge for you from our office breakfasts. Rest assured that I can do much better than slightly stale office donuts, though. 

So if that ice cream date doesn’t work out, we could head downtown to Marvin’s on a Thursday for the best chocolate donuts I swear you’ve ever tasted. Thursday is when they bake them up fresh and I know a table by the street where the sunset looks the prettiest. A treat for you and a treat for your camera, how’s that? 

You don’t even know what you’re doing to me. I feel all crazy inside, giddy and smiling over my research like unpaid overtime I’m all too happy to take on. I really hope to show you my article soon. There’s nothing more romantic to a journalist than setting your facts straight next to somebody who smiles like the sun, like you, Mr. Kennedy. I might even dream of my article being printed next to your pictures one day.

But as short as today’s email to you might be, I hope our time together isn’t. The security team is redoing the How To department’s computers after Ms. Hunnigan’s keyboard started acting up – something about manufacturing issues. Remember that pesky backspace key of mine? They’re fixing it later today! 

Actually, they’re fixing it right now. The team’s coming over to my desk, so I’m going to have to enDKJJL

> Send Email? SFHALFNO

> Input detected. Email sending… NJOS NON DON”T SEND 

> Email sent successfully! (9/16/2003)

From: lskennedy@raccoonmag.com To: howtodept@starsweek.org

Subject: RE: You Don’t Know My Name

I’m submitting an answer for July’s How To: how do I get over a crush?

If I’m being honest, I’ve written and rewritten this email a fair number of times. I’m not good with my words. That’s why I take pictures: they say everything I leave unspoken. But it’s also why I’ve grown so fond of a certain How To columnist because they’re not afraid to put their feelings to pen, rather, keyboard. 

It’s just a shame that their name isn’t on any of the sweet emails they sent me. And it’s not like I can just go up to my boss and ask. If I’m their Raccoon Mag Romeo (see what I mean when I say they’ve got a way with words?), they’re the Capulet I’m after. 

So I took a page out of my admirer’s book and went snooping. It’s what a journalist does best, right? 

Marvin’s an old friend of mine. I went to his shop last Thursday to find out who comes for donuts and stays for the sunset. His donuts taste better than the office ones for sure, but there’s something a little sweeter about the thought behind the latter. FYI: my lips are sealed.

All this donut and ice cream business makes me think my admirer’s got a sweet tooth. I’m willing to share any ice cream that isn’t rum raisin either. Cookie dough is a close second to my personal favorite – mint chocolate chip – but that brain freeze trick is enough to convince me to have both. What do you say we try out all the flavors? You might even come across a scoop to write about, you never know. (RE: your question about bad jokes, how was that?)

And last but not least, Claire from STARS Week Sports isn’t too tight-lipped. She was perfectly charming when I asked about any deskmates with clunky keyboards who’ve been quite busy recently, so it really wasn’t that hard to find out who this kind, endearing, and incredibly talented admirer of mine is. 

You needn’t sneak your article into my folder because I found a copy of it on your desk with my name written on the bottom. You say you’ve only been working on this since I came for the disaster relief deal? That’s only two months!

Color me impressed. Ms. Hunnigan would be a fool to miss out on the untapped talent sitting in her How To department, so I think it would be a great idea to bring your article to her together. I’d be honored to straighten out any facts with you, though I doubt there’s much I can add to what you’ve compiled. My camera is at your disposal.

Let’s talk details over those donuts, then? It’s Thursday. I’ll wait by the bench outside the STARS building. I have a feeling it’ll be a nice change from sending emails. 

Yours sincerely (and I do know your name), Leon

(P.S. Personally, I hope this isn’t a crush you need to get over.)

(9/18/2003)

psst, find more of my work here!

comments and reblogs are very much appreciated <3 take care and i love you!

[rwrbmovie]

BTS of #RWRBMovie: 'z' in your last name

TZP via HOLA:

Clifton Collins Jr., who plays my father in the film, was amazing. I knew of him. I’d seen his projects, but we’d never crossed paths before. And then we met and we just got along, thick as thieves. And he’s like an OG Mexican from Los Angeles which was so colorful. He made it feel like there was family on set. Same with Matthew being Puerto Rican. Their influences help you get into that vibe, and then you do the scene and it’s wonderful. You really bring that accuracy to it.

There’s a line in the film when Alex and Henry are in Paris, and Henry asks him a question about his mom’s campaign, and Alex starts telling him about his father and his abuela coming to the States. The line is something like “If you’re an immigrant in America and you have a ‘Z’ in your last name, there’s a lot of people in positions of power that don’t look and sound like you. I’ve been given the opportunity to be someone in the world that my father didn’t see when he was growing up.” As someone with two ‘Zs’ in his last name (laughs), that was a tough scene for me because I had to be there as Alex and not as Taylor. It was very emotional to think of my family and what they went through to come to the United States. Even though they came here a long time ago, you still think about all of the people that are coming to America today and about all of their stories. Alex realizes that his father didn’t have any role models growing up and now he’s a congressman. That fuels his fire to be the change. That was so exciting for me.

From NYT:

For both Zakhar Perez and the director, the character Alex’s biracial identity was particularly meaningful. López grew up in Panama City, Fla., with his Puerto Rican father and Polish Russian mother, while Zakhar Perez is of Mexican, Middle Eastern and Mediterranean descent and was raised in northwest Indiana, where he said there was only one other Mexican family. “Matthew and I talked a lot about the mestizo journey,” Zakhar Perez said in a video call before SAG-AFTRA, the actor’s union, went on strike. “Being part Mexican, part lots of other things, I don’t want to say you’re forgotten, but in today’s world, it’s like, you’re either this or you’re that. There’s nothing in between. I’m kind of a cultural chameleon.” “As a young Latiné queer man, I never read something that centered someone like Alex,” López said, echoing his star. “If I had been presented with this character when I was in my late teens, early 20s, it may have changed how I thought about myself.”

From Windy City Times:

Was the part about having a Z in your last name personal or the book? ML: It was personal. That was about me and Taylor. It came from a conversation that Taylor and I had when making the film.

From Metro Weekly:

Alex has a line about grow ing up in Texas as a kid with a last name that ends with Z, which is I guess something else you can relate to, Florida style. ML: And Taylor Zakhar Perez also. Taylor and I talked about that scene a lot as being something that we both understood. My aunt Priscilla Lopez is a beloved, beloved stage actor. She was in the original cast of A Chorus Line. And there's a story that she tells about Mandy Gonzalez, who was in In the Heights with her, and Mandy once told Priscilla that Priscilla made it okay for her to be someone with a Z in her last name. And that was a thing that Taylor and I spent a lot of time discussing as well. It was important to me that that scene be in the movie. There was never a chance in hell that that scene was ever getting cut.

From Teen Vogue:

TV: One of my favorite parts is when they’re in Paris, and Alex talks about being a young person of color coming up from Texas and not seeing anybody who looked like himself or his dad in politics, and Henry’s response to that simply being: “I’m learning.” I don’t know if you were in the theater for that one, but half the crowd was like, awwwww. ML: Yeah, I was for that. TV: I’m married to a white man, and I was like, that is the perfect thing a white man can say in that situation. ML: I’m married to a white man, too. Speaking as someone who is a person of color married to a white man: that’s like the ultimate thing you ever want your white boyfriend or husband or partner to say. That’s it. “I’m learning.”

ML via THR:

There’s a scene in the movie that is very much me, which I gave Taylor after they’ve had sex for the first time. They’re there in pillow talk mode, and he tells Henry about what it’s like to be the son of an immigrant with a Z in your last name. It was really important to me to talk about growing up with a Z in your last name and even just how our names are pronounced, the spellings of our names sometimes if you have Latin ancestry. To have to answer for your name has always been something for me that I struggled with until I stopped struggling with it. So, I needed to put that into Alex’s story and when it came time to shoot that scene again, it was something I didn’t have to explain to Taylor Zakhar Perez. He got it instantly. The only thing that I did screw him up with is like, “We’re going to do this [scene] as a oner, and we’re going to do it as a top shot that starts in a wide shot and comes all the way down to your face, and we’re not going to leave this scene until you get it right in one.”

[generalllimaginesss]

jackhughes

Liked by elblue6 and others

jackhughes I’ve never been one for sappy posts, but this past year with this little one has been heaven on earth. I’ve heard so many parents complain about lack of sleep, crying, and so many other things, but how can you complain when there’s something so innocent looking at you like this angel looks at us? I’d do this over a million times if it meant you stay this little forever. Happy first birthday. Always and forever going to be my little girl.

view comments

lhughes_06 Thanks for making me the favorite uncle, bro.

_quinnhughes You’re not the favorite.

lhughes_06 Oh my bad, I’ve never heard her say your name so I thought she just didnt know you existed🫢

_quinnhughes she’s one. How tf is she supposed to say a “q” when she’s one?? I wasn’t the one that was 2 days late to the birth because of “plans that you couldn’t get out of.” 🫢

jackhughes if Quinn didn’t live in the middle of nowhere Canada he’d be the favorite by a long shot🫢

elblue6 I could not have chose a better daughter-in-love or granddaughter for my sweet boy. Nonna and Poppa love all three of you beyond words! Also, is my little angel walking yet?

y/nhughes We love you more! She’s not quite able to walk on her own yet, but Jack is making sure she learns to skate before she walks😉

elblue6 I expected nothing less coming from him lol!

trevorzegras it’s cute watching Quinn and Luke argue over who the favorite uncle is when I’m holding her right now. She may not be able to say my name, but she sure as hell cries when I’m not holding her 🫢

_quinnhughes you traumatize her so much when you hold her that she has to let it out when you’re not.

lhughes_06 she probably has ptsd from looking at your face

trevorzegras anyways, happy birthday to my sidekick. Can’t wait to piss your mom and dad off together when you’re older🫶

nicohischier the best thing to come from a Hughes brother. Happy birthday, love!

jackhughes that was a very unnecessary backhanded compliment, Nico.

lhughes_06 I once brought you brownies to practice. I’m hurt.

nicohischier You’re brownies were burnt.

_quinnhughes are you comparing our niece to burnt brownies Luke?

lhughes_06 Quinn, you’re irrelevant.

colecaufield since everybody else ruined your sappy post…Buddy you’re the best dad. She’s absolutely perfect, just like her mom.

trevorzegras I’m deceased

jackhughes I may not be perfect, but at least I’m not Zegras’s bitch

jackhughes sorry I meant caddy. Damn autocorrect.

y/nhughes love you coley!

jackhughes really y/n?

_alexturcotte happy birthday to my favorite baby. make another one so I can have 2 favorites.

jackhughes gotta talk to y/n about that. If it were up to me we’d have 12.

y/nhughes you can have all the babies you want when you push them out :)

y/nhughes our beautiful little family. You both make life so precious.

jackhughes we would be lost without Mama💜

y/nhughes

Liked by trevorzegras and others

y/nhughes On the left was our first day home, and on the right is you just now. They weren’t lying when they said time is a thief. I went through the worst pain in my life bringing you into this word, little girl, but you made me forget about it the second I heard your first cry. Happy first birthday, angel. Mama and Dada love you infinitely times one hundred.

view comments

nhl Happy birthday Baby Hughes!

fanuser1 she’s so perfect. So happy for the Hughes family! Happy birthday!

_quinnhughes Uncle Q’s favorite girl. Happy birthday!

_alexturcotte The sweetest little family. Now add more. ps happy birthday beautiful.

y/nhughes We love you, Turcs! Our favorite babysitter😉

_alexturcotte the true favorite uncle doesn’t have to brag about it🤷‍♂️

fanuser2 I didn’t like y/n at first, but she’s grown on me.

jackhughes same tbh

y/nhughes Jack I stg if you don’t shut up…

bff.user you may have a lot of boys arguing about the favorite uncle, but I’m secure in knowing I’m the best aunt😙

trevorzegras we can be the aunt and uncle power couple😛

bff.user @jackhughes put your friend on a leash

jackhughes I’ll put a muzzle on him while I’m at it.

trevorzegras you all love me ;)

jackhughes unfortunately

elblue6

Liked by jackhughes and others

elblue6 Happy birthday to Nonna and Poppa’s favorite girl! You’re little heart is too good for this world, but we are so blessed for you to share it with us. You look so much like your mama, but you act just like your dada! (I’m saying a prayer for your mom). We can not wait to celebrate you this weekend! With love, Nonna and Poppa.

comments have been disabled

[reqxxyt]

"Are you ever going to settle down" p.g

pairings: piere gasly x f!reader

warnings: rushed ending, sexual interactions mentioned

masterlist

“Are you ever going to settle down?” my middle-aged aunt sat across from me and asked with the same passive-aggressive smile she gave the rest of the family. I could feel my own mother tense at her words knowing a relationship is the last thing I want and I expressed that very proudly. But instead of trying to get into another stupid argument on how I don’t need a guy to fulfill my needs and wants I just shook my head and smiled the fakest I’ve ever gave. 

“I’m content on my own” I summarized my speech that wanted to itch out of my throat. Her smile dropped before being replaced with one that leaked sympathy, something I hate being the reciprocate of. She turned to my mom, hoping to hear some words from her but all she got was a shrug. 

“What about having children?” I had clearly seen that question coming, being nearly 28 and having most women figures in my family start their family in their early twenties, it's strange to hear someone claim they don’t want kids. At least any time soon. 

“Not in the plan right now,” I said with the urge to leave, hating the interrogating questions. I’ve had my fair share of relationships and I figured out they just aren’t for me. Plus, I am terrible with kids. All the kids I’ve approached just see me as a quiet, intimidating person that stares down at them because they refused to go down on their knees as they have a sensitive backs. 

Later on that same day, I was on a call with my friend of nearly a decade complaining about my aunt and her unnecessary sympathy. 

“Maybe you should consider going back into dating,” she said on edge because she knew how much I hated when people suggested the option. Instead of declaring the same thing I did with my aunt, I simply stared her down until she rolled her own eyes. “Just saying. You can’t live your whole life in a club and hook up with the first person you deem attractive”

“Doesn’t sound so bad” I shrugged but knowing it was a terrible life path. “Besides, I just don’t think there are people out there who want the same things as me. To not have kids right away, to be lenient and just let the relationship be itself until it either ends or feels right.”

“There are lots but okay,” she said and I wanted to groan, starting to become frustrated at the entire situation. “How about I set you up with someone?”

“You?” I asked already hating the idea of that happening. She nodded before saying “Hear me out. I have this distant friend who lives near you, I think you’ve seen him at my boyfriend birthday. Really nice, definitely your type”

“Type? Are we in high school?” I said judging her choice of words making her now the one to give me a blank stare. 

“Shut up. Besides, it will give you a chance to escape from the whole relationship talk with your aunt”

The more I thought about it, the more it didn’t sound so insane to me. Doesn’t hurt to give it a chance, right?

“Fine,” I said and she smiled brightly. “If this doesn’t work, you have to name your kid after me” 

“Never happening. But, if this does work, you have to allow me to make a speech at your wedding” and like that, we made a deal. 

I dressed in a simple outfit, figuring it was going to be cold wearing a blazer with a black long sleeve and dress pants. I hated going on dates because of the first impression and since I had never met this person before, their first impression is visuals. Not like I had much of a choice either way. 

I entered the coffee shop not spotting anyone that stood out and looking as if waiting for someone. I walked up to the cashier ordering a simple latte already imagining the worse as I frantically texted my friend, asking her when he would arrive. 

“Y/n?” I heard my name being spoken from a familiar french accent. I turned around and my movements froze. 

Well he’s definitely my type. I had seen him at the party my friend mentioned. I’d even talked to him, ending up at his place before leaving the next morning without exchanging another word to each other. 

My eyes widened, immediately recognizing him while he searched my face with a curious gaze, trying to recognize me before finally remembering. 

“Well, I finally got your name” he said with a small smile, finding it comical while I wanted to die internally. The one time I hooked up with a guy at a mutual party turns out to be my blind date my friend set me up with. We stood in silence for a moment before I finally looked down, no longer being able to look at his colored eyes. “Pierre”

“Y/n” I said out of pure habit before realizing he already knew my name and face palmed myself, ready to dig my own grave. He only laughed assuring it was fine, ordering his own coffee while I stood on the side waiting for him to finish. 

We sat next to a window, a small booth forcing to face each other. He was the first to speak “I honestly didn’t think I would see you again. Especially like this”

“Neither did I” i mumbled, barely heard by him. I immediately felt terrible for leaving without not saying anything. “I’m sorry for just leaving, I-”

“It’s fine” he shrugged before I could finish my excuse. “Want to start over?”

Hearing those words with his small, comforting smile somehow made me want to stay. I didn’t feel the need to run away like many other situations, I felt okay being here. I wanted to stay. 

“Sure, Pierre” testing out how his name rolled off my tongue, loving it myself. I caught his cheeks getting pinker, whether from the freezing degree whether or my two words, I’ll never know until I would ask months later. “What do you like to do?”

“Well…” and the conversation flowed from there. After the first couple of dates, he asked me out and I without much mental debatting, agreed allowing the relationship to flow on its own. 

After a long 3 years, he asked me to marry him. Again, no hesitation needed. No questioning myself whether this was for the best. 

I didn’t settle down for him. I settled down with him. 

[laiqualaurelote]

If these haven't been asked yet for the ask game: M and P!

M: Got any premises on the back burner that you’d care to share?

I had this wild idea for an Accidental Baby Acquisition fic in which Crystal has an unplanned pregnancy (this is about 10 years after the events of Dead Boy Detectives and she's in her mid-20s) and though she has no desire to involve the father (yet another of her douchebag exes) she decides she does want to have the baby. Charles is thrilled because baby! but also terrified because what if it turns out he's like his dad after all? Edwin goes through the five stages of grief in 24 hours, from denial ("this agency cannot afford to have a baby! how will Crystal get any work done?" "this is why we should have had the maternity leave discussion a long time ago, Edwin" "what the bloody hell is maternity leave?!") to acceptance (Charles: "Let me talk to him. You go get some sleep." Crystal comes back the next morning to find the entire office covered in books on pregnancy and that Edwin has already drawn up diet plans/classical music playlists/the baby's entire linguistic education pathway. Charles: "I tried to stop him. Really I did." Edwin, hysterical: "We are doing this right! We are going to have the best baby!" Crystal: "Oh God.")

Also ft:

the Night Nurse's horrified realisation that she is actually going to have to midwife Crystal through this thing

Jenny's horrified realisation that she is now an aunt. Great-aunt, even

Crystal's ancestors having way too many opinions on the whole process

"Edwin Payne, you stay the fuck out of my womb!"

Crystal going into labour while on a case, in another dimension

Charles cutting the umbilical cord with his magic sword and bursting into tears upon getting to hold the baby for the first time

Crystal insisting on breastfeeding during client consultations (Victorian gentleman ghost: "This is an outrage, madam!" Edwin: "Sir, if you are unable to take your eyes off my colleague's breasts then I suggest you take your plaint elsewhere. This is a progressive workplace.")

Edwin attempting to solve mastitis through magic

the boys taking the baby on nighttime excursions so Crystal can get some sleep

the baby loves being in the backpack (Charles' theory is that it reminds her of being in the womb. Crystal: "Charles Rowland, do not put my fucking baby into the same bag as that bomb!" Edwin: "Crystal! Language!")

at some point they discover the baby is an interdimensional being which is a whole other headache

Charles keeps referring to all this as "the Infamous Baby Debacle of 2034" and nobody can make him stop

The last chapter would be from the child's POV:

"Hi my name is Niko Surname von Hoverkraft and I can travel between dimensions. My mom is the most powerful woman in the world. My godfathers are dead and I'm not allowed to talk about it. I'm not related to Niko Sasaki but I wish I were because she's so pretty and it snows all the time in her dimension. I was walking outside in London with my godfathers. It was London so there was no sun, which I was very happy about. A lot of people stared at me, I guess because they can't see my godfathers so it looks like I'm talking to myself. I put up my middle finger at them."

P: Are you what George R. R. Martin would call an “architect” or a “gardener”? (How much do you plan in advance, versus letting the story unfold as you go?)

Everyone thinks I'm an architect - I would love to think of myself as an architect - but actually I plan very little in advance. I think the best metaphor would be architect-gardener, in that I build a little trellis and let the story grow on it how it will.

Thank you for playing this fic ask game!

[ladykailitha]

All My Roads Lead Back to You Part 3

The part you’ve all been waiting for. Steve and Eddie! We also get the explanation of Edith’s names. True story: A friend of mine got his girlfriend  pregnant and she called their daughter Josephine, but he HATED it, so when they broke up, he started calling her Jo to piss the mom off because she hated the nickname.

Part 1 Part 2

***

Eddie Munson got out of his car and was impressed by the members of Harri’s band. It was four member group with a guitarist, a bassist, a drummer and a keyboardist. Not quite like his boys, but they seemed like they knew what they were doing.

He opened his mouth to say hello when he stopped dead in his tracks. Standing up from the drum kit was the female version Steve Harrington. Down to the honey colored hair, the hazel eyes, and the freckles. Her hair was shorter than Steve ever kept it, one side half-shaved and the half over her left eye, but it was the same wild locks that made Steve famous in school. He quickly took a couple of pictures with his phone before his son spotted him.

“Dad!” Harri cried, practically throwing himself at his dad.

Eddie gave him a big hug. 

“Sweet place you’re friend’s got here,” he said, looking around the garage, slipping his phone into his back pocket. The house couldn’t have been further from the Harrington place in Loch Nora. It was warm browns and cool blues. And that was just what he could see of the garage.

“Come meet her,” Harri said bouncing on the balls of his feet excitedly. “She kicks ass.”

Eddie laughed and allowed his son to drag him over to the drum kit. “You know Mandy, and this Kenny Grant. And this is the queen of the castle, Miss Thing.”  

Edith laughed and shoved her sticks back into the bucket she kept close by. “Hi, Mr Munson.” She stuck out her hand for him to shake and he took it.

“What’s with the moniker?” Eddie asked, shoving his hands into his pockets with a grin.

“Most of my friends call me Miss Thing because when I was little I was mute and I loved the Addams Family movies, so because I could sign Uncle Dusty called me Miss Thing,” Edith explained. “But everyone else calls me Edie.”

Eddie’s grin grew bigger. “Edie, huh?”

“My full name is Edith Barbara Harrington,” Edie explained. “My dad wanted to name me Lilian, but my mother overruled him. So when she fucked off, Dad started calling me Edie to piss her off.” She pursed her lips and looked at the ground. Eddie was struck by how much she looked like Steve. “At least he got to chose the middle name.”

Eddie’s smile grew fond. “Barbara’s good name.”

Edie just shrugged her shoulders, “Aunt Nancy was pissed Dad got to it first. But as Dad pointed out she told everyone who would sit down for longer than five minutes that she wasn’t going to have kids so...”

“So your dad won that argument,” Eddie finished. “Losing once and while is good for her.”

Edie laughed. “That’s what Dad said. So when her and Uncle Jon had a little girl while doing some expose in Europe somewhere, she stole Lilian from him.”

Eddie chuckled. “Sounds about right.” He looked around. “I want to let you kids get back to practicing so where’s your dad?”

Edie jerked her thumb at the house. “If it’s as bad as it looked, just follow the sounds of retching, you’ll find him.”

Eddie nodded and made his way to the house but as he turned she could have sworn Mr Munson said, “Still getting migraines, the poor bastard.”

Once he was gone Edie turned to Harri. “Does your dad already know my dad?”

Harri frowned. “I’ve never heard my dad mention a Steve or even the last name Harrington in my life.”

Edie looked at the door that led to the house in confusion. “And I’ve never heard of the name Munson before either.” She turned to him. “What did you say your dad’s first name was?”

“I didn’t,” Harri said with grim expression. “It’s Edmond, but everyone calls him Ed or Eddie.”

Edie’s eyes went wide. “Holy shit. No wonder I’ve never heard the name before.”

Harri just nodded.

Mandy spoke up. “Hey, guys can we get back to practice?”

Harri and Edie looked at each other and then nodded.

*

Eddie heard the retching and his heart ached. He hadn’t thought about Steve Harrington for years. Not since Jay’s funeral. They had fallen out long before then, but Steve had been on his mind that rainy day in Hampshire. Mostly cursing him, but a thought nonetheless.

But now he was so far from that man that knelt there sobbing in the rain begging for Jay to come back, maybe this was the universe’s sign that it was time to mend bridges.

He found Steve right where Edie said he’d be, curled in front of a toilet retching his very empty guts out. He crouched down to the side of him and tapped his shoulder.

“Harri?” Steve murmured.

Eddie huffed out a laugh and signed. “Flatterer.”

Steve rolled over to prop himself against the side of the tub and looked at him more closely. “Eddie?”

Again he signed, “Where’s your hearing aid, rock star?”

“On the sink,” Steve muttered. “And I can hear just fine out of my right ear. It’s just the left one that’s a bitch.”

Eddie laughed and reaching behind him grabbed the aid off the vanity top and put in his pocket. “I don’t think you want this to fall into the toilet or the sink for that matter.”

“Dustin would kill me,” Steve agreed warily.

Eddie flushed the toilet and got a washcloth wet. He handed it to Steve.

Steve flushed a bright pink and used it wipe off his face and some of his shirt where he hadn’t made it to the bathroom in time. He washed his hands and threw it in the laundry basket.

“You know I used to make jokes about basketball being nothing more than shooting balls into laundry baskets,” Eddie teased. “Way to prove me right, Harrington.”

Steve gave a half smile. “Don’t make me laugh, I’ll throw up again.”

“And we definitely don’t want that,” Eddie agreed. “Do you think you’re done with your porcelain throne, your majesty?”

Steve rubbed his face and looked down awkwardly. “If you mean to ask if I’m done throwing up, I should be.”

It came out harsher than he meant to, but he didn’t need Eddie bringing up King Steve, not now.

Because he was looking down he missed the flicker of emotion skitter across Eddie’s face.

“Can you stand?” Eddie asked softly.

Steve tried but ended up lurching his direction instead. Eddie scrambled to catch him.

“Whoa there, Harrington,” Eddie murmured. “I’m going to help you up and then get you to your bed. Please tell me it’s not upstairs.”

“It’s not,” Steve murmured. “It’s just down the hall, third door on the left.”

Eddie got his arms under Steve and lifted him to his feet. He propped him against the wall and then lifted him bridal style. Steve merely moaned and buried his aching head into Eddie’s neck to block out the light that would hit his face once they exited the bathroom.

“All right, sweetheart,” Eddie whispered. “Let’s get you to bed.”

Steve nodded.

Eddie slipped out of the bathroom and followed Steve’s directions to the bedroom. The door was open so Eddie was able to walk right in without disturbing Steve.

The room was a far cry from the soulless monstrosity that was Steve’s teenaged bedroom. It was blues and greys and soft downy covers. He had pictures of Edie on his night stand and a large white wardrobe.

“Can you make it to the bed if I set you in front of it?” Eddie murmured.

“I should be able to,” Steve said, strained. “I just had a hard time getting up because I’d been on the floor for so long.”

Eddie pursed his lips. Yep. Yep, that was more likely than Steve not being able to walk. Yep.

“But thanks for the assist,” Steve continued, oblivious of Eddie’s internal panic.

Eddie gently let him down and waited until Steve was able to stand on his own before letting go. Eddie turned down the covers and Steve slid in with a sigh of relief. Eddie draped the blankets over him and tucked him in. He pulled out the hearing aid and placed on the nightstand next to Edie’s picture.

“I’ll send Edie to check on you when they’re done with their practice,” Eddie said softly.

Steve nodded and Eddie turned to leave.

“I didn’t name her after you, you know,” Steve whispered.

Eddie’s shoulders sagged and turned back to face him. “So she said.”

“The nickname though...” Steve said with a chuckle.

Eddie’s eyebrows shot up. “Really?”

Steve snuggled further into the pillow. “Mhmm. Did it to piss Addison off.”

There was a story there, Eddie could tell but he didn’t want to press Steve while he was in pain.

“Go to sleep, rock star,” Eddie said instead.

And as he closed the door, Eddie swore he heard Steve murmur, “I missed you.”

*

Eddie pulled out his cell phone and pressed and held down the number two.

“Eddie!” Dustin greeted. “How are you on this fine spring evening?”

“Oh, I’m fine,” Eddie said in that tone that immediately set Dustin’s teeth on edge. It was the tone that said something had gone horribly wrong and it was up to Dustin to fix it.

“What’s up?” he asked, his voice cracking a bit.

“Well, Uncle Dusty,” Eddie said with a malicious grin on his face. “You’ll never guess where I am.” He turned his phone around and sent the two pictures to him.

“Hold on I got a couple pictures here...” Dustin said trailing off. “Holy fucking shit! Is that Harri with Edie Harrington? At Steve’s house?!”

“It most certainly is,” Eddie continued. “Would you care to tell me why I wasn’t informed OUR KIDS WENT TO THE SAME SCHOOL!” he whisper-screamed, knowing that Steve was just down the hall and his kid was in the garage.

Dustin pulled the phone away from his ear and rubbed his ear with his finger. “Sheesh, dude. You’re loud. Even when you’re trying to be quiet.”

Eddie pushed his fingers into his eye as he fought to tamp down on his temper. “Dustin...” he said, slow, dark and sharp.

“Look, man,” Dustin said. “I don’t know what you want me to tell you. I warned you that if you moved back to Indy there was a chance you’d see Steve. And as for your guys’s kids going to the same school, you had to know that was possibility. You moved into the richest neighborhood. Which is where Steve has lived for the last five years.”

Eddie ground his teeth and seethed. Because Dustin was right, the little butthead. He had been warned. A lot of people had warned him.

“Fuck!” Eddie hissed into his phone. “What am I supposed to do? I can’t uproot Harri again. It’d kill him.”

“So don’t,” Dustin said. “You don’t have to interact with Steve outside your kids being in the same band and going to the same school. I don’t think my Mom and Joyce ever spent more than five minutes in each others’ company at time and they liked each other.”

“I don’t think I can do it,” Eddie whispered. “When I came over he was in the throes of one of his migraines and from the look of it, it was one of the bad ones. You know what a bleeding heart I am...”

Dustin sighed. “So you helped with a migraine. You remembered how to do it. Congrats. I still don’t see how you can’t just avoid him in the future. You know,” he said bitterly, “like you have for the last twenty years.”

“Hey,” Eddie bit out. “You know why. You fucking know why.”

Dustin scoffed. “And I still think it’s bullshit. So go on then, why can’t you ignore him now?”

Eddie took a deep breath and let out in a shuddering sigh. “As I was leaving after helping him get back to bed, he said...”

“Wait, wait, hold up,” Dustin said. “You helped him to bed?”

“Fuck, Dustin,” Eddie snapped. “Not like that. I just made sure he didn’t fall down.” Which was a lie. But that’s what Dustin got when he insinuated there was more to it than that. “Anyways, he said that he missed me and that though Edith wasn’t his choice, calling her Edie was definitely in honor of me. How the hell am I supposed to walk away from that?”

There was silence on the line for a moment or two and Eddie thought he’d lost the connection.

“No,” Dustin agreed, soft and solemn. “I don’t think I would’ve been able to walk away either.”

“What do I do?” Eddie whined.

“I think you know what to do,” Dustin said. “Stop running away.”

Eddie let out another shuddering breath. “Yeah. It’s time.” 

***

Part 4 Part 5  Part 6 Part 7  Part 8  Part 9  Part 10 Part 11  Part 12  Part 13 Part 14  Part 15  Part 16 Part 17  Part 18  Epilogue

Tag List: @spectrum-spectre @estrellami-1 @zerokrox-blog @artiststarme @swimmingbirdrunningrock @gregre369 @pyrohonk​ @trashpocket @goodolefashionedloverboi @chaoticlovingdreamer @maya-custodios-dionach @messrs-weasley @val-from-lawrence @plyerice27 @mightbeasleep @thedragonsaunt @chaoticlovingdreamer @trashpocket @sapphirecobalt-1 @a-little-unsteddie @i-must-potato @danili666  @carlyv @rozzieroos @wonderland-girl143-blog @itsall-taken @steddie-as-they-go @lillemilly @callas-shitshow @bisexualdisastersworld @renaissan-vvitch @immortal-iratze @bookbinderbitch

[curvylizzie]

Let me be open with you for a second

As you all know, my name is Samantha. That name was not given to me by my parents, but rather it is the name I chose for myself.

At the age of 11 I experience my first crush on a male, at the time I thought I was gay but then at the age of 13 I realized I was still able to have crushes in girls. So I realized I was bisexual

The guy I had a crush on was 4 years older than me. And I was extremely fond of him, so much so that I adopted his look, and made it my own. That’s why I love wearing plaid shirts.

I used to disguised this attraction by saying that he was like an older brother to me. That was my excuse but deep down, I had a crush on him just like any 11 year old would have a crush on their babysitter let’s say

But then at 15, my world shattered.

For more context; I was born to immigrants. My parents immigrated to Canada when I was very little, I don’t remember much of our home country. I grew up without grandparents, cousins, uncles, aunts.

Because I never had these connections, and because I changed schools so frequently due to dad’s work, I was never able to make friends.

I was a very lonely kid.

My parents and siblings were my whole world, and I came to realize that without them, I would have no purpose

So back to 15. My parents divorced. My Dad called the cops on my mom for false accusations of domestic abused. My mom tried laying charges back for mental domestic abuse as well. I remember talking to one of the cops, asking if I was okay. I don’t remember my response….

My dad left us after that night. He went onto live outside and we rarely ever saw him.

That same year, me 15, my sister 11, and my brother 7 were faced with a choice that should never ever be imposed on any child; mom or dad

If we chose dad, mom threatened to go back to our home country and we would never see her again. But if we chose mom, we still had the possibility to see dad. The choice was clear

And although we chose mom, she made it next to impossible for us to form any sort of bond with dad

I hated her for this, I hated her immensely. She fell into a severe depression, and was taking meds at the times for which she became addicted to.

Every night, for the next year, I had to sleep close to the kitchen. She would walk there in the middle of the night and grab a knife. I caught her once about to commit suicide.

It was the darkest time of my life.

I fell into my own depression. But my life, my well being was put on hold.

I failed most classes in high school but I didn’t care. I had to find a job because mom wouldn’t.

I found something at a daycare, and gained a decent salary to help buy groceries, because of this, I was unable to build up enough credit to attend university. So I gave up on it.

My relationship with mom deteriorated further, and so did mine with my siblings.

Subconsciously I took on the role of a parent figure for them but they did not see it that way. I was trying to protect them from mom, but they didn’t think I was. And so my relationship with my siblings, specially with my brother, broke

My world was shattered. The only people I knew were fighting and moving apart from each other. I fell into a depression that I never bothered to get checked

I attempted suicide myself many times. But everytime I would do it, I would say to myself “they need me. I can’t go yet”

That kept me going

I joined the army to be able to provide even more, my salary was good. I was able to provide with food and rent. I stayed in for 5 years. And I left due to them not paying me on time in several occasions

During this time I had cut dad completely out of my life. Mom kept showing me court documents trying to brainwash me into thinking my dad was and I quote “the worst human being to ever exist and if I don’t see it, I must be as bad as him”

During the summer of 2021 I decided to stop the army work. I enrolled in a trade school for something I had a passion on, but was not my dream job; a mechanic. And in the month of January 2022, I started classes

At this time I had already made this blog without really thinking much of it. But I also had more time to explore my mind.

I realized there was so much more than what I thought, my sexuality for one.

I started wondering why kids in my school always treated me like a girl, saying I’m “too girly to be a boy”. Why I loved wearing long hair and it made me feel better about myself. Why wearing a towel as a skirt made me feel nice

I talked to a couple of people and then realized, I might be trans.

May 25, 2022. I start a discord server, for which people rapidly started joining.

I was this enigmatic server owner people knew next to nothing about. Some started thinking that I was a woman behind the screen, for the way I talked and treated others in and I quote “a motherly way”

This made me feel better, and made me realized finally; I was a trans woman.

With that in mind, I knew if I told my family, they would not accept it. So I went months practicing makeup, dressing the way I wanted to dress, all in secret.

Moving to December 2022. My sister showed interest in what’s inside my head. I came out to her. I told her everything and she said “I did not know you had all this built up. Why didn’t you say anything?” Because nobody ever asked.

The thoughts of suicide started creeping up again. My friends online will remember this, and thank you again for saving me.

January 2023, I tell mom. And I tell dad. My dad at this point lives in a different province. I never see him anymore

Mom was not accepting of me, but she assured me that she would still love me, but would rather see me in boy clothes.

With all this, my family started distancing themselves because they could not believe that I was trans. Or rather they just didn’t wanna accept it.

I felt lonely

I felt scared

I felt anxious

I wanted to die

I had no more reason to keep living. My family didn’t want me around.

Last night… I could not see the light anymore. I don’t have a family to keep working for, they were my world and now they don’t want me.

I felt lonelier than I’ve ever felt before in my life. Ever.

I cried, and I screamed. My sister said to “submit to God” and brushed me aside

I walked up to my apartment. I grabbed a knife.. I looked at it for 30 minutes, trying to find a reason to stay. I couldn’t find one.

I placed the knife to my heart, but couldn’t do it. I layed on the floor, crying. And that’s when my brother came in, he was looking for something. And he found me. Asked me if I was okay, I said no…

I grabbed the knife once again, and he saw what I was doing, he took it away from me, and sat with me.

He saved my life last night.

When you lose a friend irl, you have at least the luxury of knowing, but someone online… they just wouldn’t show up anymore and you wouldn’t be able to know if they’re still around anymore or not.

Im sorry to all of you for almost doing that.

My life has been one with so much loneliness, I would never ever wish this on anyone. Ever. That is why I focus on helping others socialize, that is why that whenever someone comes to me for advice or because they need someone, I drop whatever the hell im doing, even if I’m crying my eyes out and go to talk to them.

I do so much, and rarely I ever get anything in return. But that is fine by me, because I’ve been able to build a community of people who now not only they follow this example, they send messages to me re-affirming what I believed; that I’ve saved them.

So thank you all for reading up to the end of this post. It was long and I won’t lie. But I had to make it.

You guys have helped me find myself, and have saved me before.

I promise to work on myself everyday so to stay with you all for as long as possible

Sam

[sisi-sarsoura]

Warning: this is an emotional writing about me failing my bachelor and what happened to me today (there will be some little disturbing stuff, you've been warned)

Today was the most heart breaking day I've ever had in my life with the bachelor, not because its the first time I've failed it, that was not the problem I don't care if I failed it again, I've got a shock attack of what happened before me knowing that I failed

so I was waiting for the official site of the bachelor result to open, as I got a call from my father that my school got some results early and they got mine, and they said that I had a 13.08/20, and I was overwhelmed by the happiness as I rolled in tears and got on the ground smiling as my mom cried with me joy tears, I was so happy I've never got a 13 before since I was a middle school, as I believed that I really worked on this year's bachelor, but after exactly 40 minutes, something happened

My father called again, as he said that the result that my school gave him was a mistake, they said that they've been wrong with my name and they gave me my cousin's result that lives right down my feet, since we share the same family name...

I had a shock attack as I heard my mom said: SHE DIDN'T GOT IT??! I fell on the ground half unconscious, as my mom panicked as she yelled at my father for not telling us sooner, she was way weaker than me she doesn't know how to handle these kind of situations, right now she is still trying to hold her tears and trying to calm down for the past 7 hours from what happened

As for me, I was on the ground as my younger brothers helped each other laying me on the wall, I couldn't move, I couldn't talk, I couldn't cry, I couldn't do anything, I only tried to move my eyeballs only slightly trying to look and process what was happening around me, which I didn't, my father came and tried to calm my mom, as he was shocked to see me on the ground sitting and unable to move, both of my grandma and aunt tried to talk to me, I couldn't listen, they tried to wake me up from the ground, that didn't work either, my dad even slapped me to gain some conscious, that didn't work too and didn't even felt the slap, I was on the ground only looking at the wall beside me, not even trying to blink for an hour and a half, as my mom stoped crying loudly and only swinged back and forth, I got up, gave my father my laptop to double check on my actual result, and went to my room, layed on the bed on the opposite side, I finally felt the pain from the shock earlier, it was painful, really painful, but luckily my other aunts and uncle called me from the US and canada and told me that all my aunts and uncles redone their bachelors more than two times when they were on my time and age, they convinced me that faillng mine is not really something to be really worried, and everything should be okay you really don't have to be worried, I wasn't shocked about the fact that I failed it, what I was shocked about is that me thinking that I got my bachelor was a lie, this was gave me a heart attack and almost died at this point

I am fine right now, only my eyes tired from crying both from happiness and pain i felt before as i am writing this, sorry if i made some of you upset from reading this, and i know that some of you dosn't understand why all of this happened from a bachalor degree and why am i crying over it, as i learned that both Americans and Europeans doesn't necessarily need a bachalor degree to go to university, as for me as an algerian, i need to have a bachalor degree for every specialty that exist in a university that i attend to, and if i don't have it, i either drop out from school, or redo my bachelor without school or with it, so that's why i'm sad and shocked

thanks for every friend that suported me with my bachelor, i've got a 9,80/20 (which its close to the passing degree 10,00/20) , its sad that i lost this one too like last year, but i'm not giving up yet, i am redoing it again next year, but without school this time

[calliope-nash]

The Little Nash: Buddie's Girl

Chapter 1

I was sitting in the lobby of the 118 firehouse. My brother was the captain of the team and I wanted to see how he was doing. The first person to see was an Asian man, he looked to be roughly mid thirties to early forties. I recognized him as Howie “Chimney” Han. He worked as one of the EMTs on my brother’s team.

“Before you ask, I’m Calliope Nash. I’m Bobby’s little sister. Well half-sister. Same dad, different moms. I’m here to catch up with him.”

“Does he know you are here?”

I just gave him a look. He just laughed and told me to follow him. We got to the dining room on the upper floor of the firehouse. Bobby was cooking like he always did when we were kids. I smiled and thanked Howie quietly in a way to stay quiet about my presence. I slowly walked over to Bobby.

“WADE!”

Bobby legitimately jumped when he heard me yell. I was laughing so hard I had to get on the floor while holding my stomach. He turned around and just glared at me. It was so worth it. 

“MEDUSA”

“Really? My middle name?”

“You yell mine I tell people yours. What are you doing here anyway?”

I got quiet when he asked. Telling Howie, it was to catch up with Bobby was one thing but to lie to my brother was something else entirely. He knew every single one of my tells and I wasn’t in the mood to lie to him. Bobby could tell something was wrong from just one look at me. 

He called a guy named Buck to take over the cooking so he could speak to me in private. Buck was an attractive man whom I could see myself climbing like a tree. I shook that thought out of my head because he was my brother’s teammate. We went to Bobby’s office to talk.

“Callie, what’s up?”

“My mom died last week. I know I should have called, but after the last time I saw you, we agreed not to talk about family. I miss them too. But anyway, that’s not why I am here. I’m moving out here to work on my next novel. My first one is going to be published in the next few months.”

Bobby pulled me into a hug, and I lost my composure. I hadn’t cried in front of anyone in a long time. Slowly I got a hold of myself and wiped the tears from my eyes. We sat and talked for a little while before the alarm went off. Bobby asked me to stay so I could meet the whole team. I agreed. 

I took my laptop out of my bag as soon as the 118 left. I opened my chat with my editor to talk about the plan for my next novel. We agreed the plot for the next one would be completely up to me if my debut went off without a hitch and it sold well on the first printing of it. 

Dazja: What do you have in mind for the next book?

Callie: I was thinking a why choose romance about a girl and two firemen. My brother is a fireman I plan on asking if I could use his team as inspo for a few of the characters. 

Dazja: Do you think he would let you shadow them? 

Callie: Maybe. They are currently on a job so I have to wait until he comes back to ask. Plus I already have an idea for one of the men the female lead would be attracted to. He is tall with dirty blonde hair. Some sparkling light blue eyes. Possibly a birthmark on his face. That detail I have to ask the fireman about if he would be okay with that being something written about. 

Dazja: Sounds more like you found a handsome man you want to date.

Callie: Shut up. He works with my brother. Plus I could never date someone my brother is close to. Last time that happened, I couldn’t talk to my brother for a month. Oh I hear them coming back chat when I can. Later girlie.

Dazja: I am your editor don’t call me girlie.

I laughed at her last message. We had been friends for years so me calling her girlie was normal. That was how we said I love you. Bobby was talking to one of the other members of his team when I started to walk toward him. It was a woman. I remembered her face from all the pictures he sent me, her name was Henreitta, or Hen for short. She sounded like a sassy aunt friend.

“Bob-mister”

“Calliope Medusa.”

“Hey, I didn’t middle name you that time.”

“You want something. What is it?”

“Bobby, who is this lovely young woman?”

“This is my baby sister, Calliope. She is moving to LA for her writing career. Which I feel like is about to become my problem.”

I gave a shy smile. I was about to talk about my idea when I saw someone from my past. He hadn’t changed one bit. His eyes met mine and he paused what he was saying to Buck. 

“Diaz?”

“Nash?”

We ran toward each other. It had been far too long since we last spoke. He told me he was going to LA. My first thought was about Christopher and how he was adjusting. Eddie knew where I was going with the look I was giving him. He told me Chris was thriving in LA. I was glad to hear that.

“Callie, how do you know Eddie?”

“I used to be a journalist that was working with the military. I worked closely with Eddie’s team. If it wasn’t for him, I would have died more times than I care to admit right now. You are getting an advanced copy of The Vet and Journalist.”

“Cal, I appreciate the sentiment, but you know I don’t read romance books.”

“Come on, you promised to read it. Plus, if it does well with the first printing, I get to finally write my own ideas.”

Bobby spoke up at that moment, “What do you mean finally?”

I talked about how my editor wanted me to write about my experience with working closely with the army and my experience there. But it wasn’t what I wanted to write. We agreed that I would write about my experience in a different way so I could still have some freedom with it. 

“So is the vet in that based off Eddie?”

I blushed remembering some of the scenes that I wrote. I hadn’t told Eddie that it wasn’t just a normal classy romance. No, it was a spicy romance and there were definitely scenes he would disapprove of me writing about. As I thought more about it, an idea struck. The novel ended with an open ending. Diego, the vet in the novel – who was based on Eddie, didn’t stay with Stella. 

“Buck, right? You just gave me a great idea. Bobby, can I write about the 118 in my new novel? Eddie, is it okay if I can write about the 118 that I connect it to my first novel because I really want to write about what happened after the journalist and vet parted ways.”

All three men looked at each other and slowly nodded. I jumped into the air and grabbed my phone to get everyone’s contact information. Hen was the first to ask about getting an advanced copy as well. I told her that she and all the 118 would get an advanced copy minus Bobby. He didn’t need to ask why. Unfortunately, Buck did ask. I explained how my female leads are usually fairly similar to me and Bobby doesn’t want to think about me in any way that involves sex. 

“YOU WROTE SEX SCENES!”

Eddie’s face was furious. I slightly hid behind Buck since he was closer to me than my brother. Bobby stood between Eddie and me. Buck gave Eddie a look which seemed to calm the Latino down. I smirked at Eddie when I noticed the look. He just ignored me. 

“Callie, why didn’t you tell him?”

“He never asked if I was going to or not. Plus, spicy romance is becoming more common for the public and who doesn’t want to fuck a hot army man.”

The last part wasn’t meant to come out of my mouth. I looked at my brother horrified. I didn’t even dare to look at Eddie. He was married when we met, and I wasn’t planning on ever seeing him again. Now I just outed the fact how at one point in knowing Eddie I would have gladly fucked him. At that moment I decided I was going to leave for the night, and I would be contacting the chief to plan for my shadow days and days to interview some of the team to include them in the novel. Buck asked if he could walk me out. I nodded and allowed him to lead the way. 

As we walked, I decided to ask Buck about how he would feel about being a love interest in this novel. Before he could ask questions, I told him that it was going to be a why choose romance. Meaning that he and Eddie would be the inspiration for the love interests of the female lead. Which in turn earned me a smirk from the dirty blonde.

“Okay yes, when I first saw you, I thought I’d like to climb you like a tree. But that can never happen. Bobby is my brother and I refuse to work through a third party to talk to him if things don’t work out. I’ve done that once before. I don’t plan on it again.”

“Relax, I wasn’t suggesting that.” I gave him a look, “Okay, maybe I was. But you are right. Bobby has been more of a father figure than my own. I couldn’t hurt his sister. Though, I wouldn’t mind helping with some of those spicier scenes if you need any help.”

“You do realize that I’m going to make the characters based on you and Eddie fuck each other without the girl, right?”

His face turned a beet red at the thought alone. I told him that if he was bi, he should tell Eddie. Before he could ask me anything else I left for my car ready to write the first chapter of my next novel.

*will eventually be on Ao3*

[pargolettasworld]

On the Ashkenazi naming tradition thing, and the absolutely hilarious way it worked out for me and my sister:

I'm the big sister, so I got the primo pick of names. For my first name, I'm technically named after my paternal grandmother, who was safely seven or eight years dead before I was born. (For the record, my dad tells me I look a lot like her, too.) My middle name is the feminine form of a great-grandfather's name -- but is also the name that my late aunt who was living when I was born went by, but as far as the records of the Angel of Death are concerned, it's Grandma Pargoletta and Great-Uncle Mumblemumble all the way.

Four and a half years later, my sister is born, and there is Deep Research being done into what to name her.* Issue Number One is that Maternal Grandmother was still alive -- Daughter #2 can't be named after her. Issue Number Two is that Maternal Grandmother's name was just not something that you could expect to give a child born in the year my sister was born. Issue Number Two Point Five was that Maternal Grandmother also really loathed her name, and would not have been happy to see a grandchild have it. My mom's very clever solution to this was to ask Maternal Grandmother what name she would have liked to be called, and that (with a bit of spelling noodling) became my sister's first name.

BUT.

Issue Three was that this baby (Baby #2) had a Big Sister, and Big Sister really wanted to be involved in naming the baby. I had a little friend who had acquired a baby sister a year earlier, and I thought that this was the absolutely coolest thing ever. Friend had a baby sister named $NAME, and I wanted a baby sister named $NAME, too! My mom, continuing to be clever, realized that this would be Dumb™, since those two little girls would grow up as playmates, and they should not have the same name.

But Baby Pargoletta insisted. And Baby Pargoletta -- unbeknownst to her at the time because she was four -- had a fantastic little Ashkenazi loophole on her side.

See, when Ashkenazim name a kid after someone, it doesn't have to be the same name. It totally counts if you use a different name that starts with the same letter as the original name. And my mom and dad had been thinking about middle names for my sister, and they wanted to honor an ancient, presumably deceased aunt who (like Maternal Grandmother) had a name that was so out of fashion that it would be cruel to give it to a child. They were at the point of looking for more contemporary names that started with the same letter.

And my little friend's baby sister, $NAME? That $NAME started with exactly the right letter. So my parents had their same-letter-but-more-contemporary name, I got to have the name that I really liked be part of my sister's name, Ashkenazi tradition was fulfilled, the Angel of Death got thoroughly bamboozled, and everyone was happy, except for a few months when my sister was like twelve and for some reason really wanted to be called "Christina," until we took her aside and pointed out how badly that name clashed with our very Ashkenazi last name. She's fine with her current family-names-with-alterations moniker now.

*I should probably mention that, for various reasons, both my parents really wanted girls, to the point where they just could not get their act together on boy names -- like, they went into the delivery room still arguing, both times. Fortunately, they had girls both times!

[maepersonal]

ok new requirements for me liking you just dropped bc like why did I just come to the realization that I don’t want to spend time with any of my family members (except maybe my cousins)?

like my aunt on my mom’s side has always been my favorite family member but she came up to surprise me and I’m just… not having a good time????

like literally all she does is enable my fucking mother

*talking about how we have autism on all sides of the family* - “all your grandparents and great grandparents-“

shut tf up no the fuck we do not!!!!!! autism is more than just the social fucking awkwardness you are using as evidence!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

*literally yelling my name until I take my headphones out* “I know you have a positive opinion of your grandma but when we were younger she would yell at your aunt for what we now call stimming”

1. literally where???? 2. what was the reason for telling me this??????? like bro I was READING!!!!!! 3. if that actually fucking happened then why would you do the EXACT SAME SHIT WITH ME?!?!? and have talked about her with glowing compliments until right this fucking moment??????? YOU HAVE YOUR OWN TRAUMA DO NOT TRY TO CO-OPT MINE

*reading aloud passages from books about the experience of having autism and adhd (every five fucking minutes!! while I’m trying to show my aunt something!!)* “this is exactly how my brain works! this explains so much!!!!!”

NO TF IT IS NOT!!!!!!! do you remember when you wasted 2000 fucking dollars trying to get yourself diagnosed with ANYTHING NEURODIVERGENT and you came back with NOTHING?!?!?!? HUH???? CUZ I DO!!!! YOU COULDNT LOOK ME IN THE EYE FOR A FUCKING WEEK

and also *asking me to read the books she’s reading about peoples experience and struggles living with autism and/or adhd*

like bitch?????? I fucking live that shit!!!! AND, as you very well know, my depression and burnout is so fucking bad rn that I can’t even read books for myself WHAT MAKES YOU THINK I’D READ THE BOOKS YOU BUY TO MAKE YOURSELF FEEL BETTER?!?!?!?

“can we take a break, my brain is getting overstimulated”

no no go ahead tell me more about your experience with overstimulation as you’re LITERALLY ACTIVELY BREAKING MY NO TOUCHY TOUCH BOUNDARY WHILE I’M IN THE MIDDLE OF A SHUTDOWN???????

*literally just starts reading a fucking news story about how trump released his lgbtq policies and how it left social justice orgs speechless*

WOW!!! this must affect you SO MUCH for you to be cheerily bringing it up when we’re watching tv!!!!!

[wildaboutmnhockey]

15 People 15 Questions

I have surprisingly been Not Online the last 36 hours so the tags have built up but shoutout to my amazing buddies for tagging me: @babygirlspurgeon, @masonshaws, @tblueger, @giveemgreef, and @babygirlboberry

1. Are you named after anyone?

Yes and no? Mom had a co-worker that had my name and she just thought it sounded nice but I'm not named AFTER the person. Middle name is the same as an aunt but spelled differently

Nickname also no. It's just short for my gamertag (DEEVI0US) because I'm a little shit lol

2. When was the last time you cried?

Christmas. I have a whole thing about hating the holidays and obligatory gift giving so bah humbug and it was A Day for me.

3. Do you have kids?

Nope and I never want them. I will be nice to children around me because I'm not a monster but also much prefer to not be in the presence of children period.

4. What sports do you play/have you played?

Before age 14: softball (6 years), dance (4 years), cheer (2 years), volleyball (1 year) After age 14: none

5. Do you use sarcasm?

Almost daily.

6. What’s the first thing you notice about people?

Hate to admit it but a combo of weight and what people are wearing. Never been a skinny mini myself so it's definitely a projection thing but it's lessened as I get older and stopped giving a fuck. (High schoolers are mean and I'm only human, who knew?)

7. What’s your eye color?

Hazel

8. Scary movies or happy endings?

Not a scary movie person. They're generally not scary to me and I just don't care for the gore heavy ones.

9. Any talents?

Honestly don't really have one. I'm just living and vibing my way through life.

10. Where were you born?

A hospital (Minnesota)

11. What are your hobbies?

Hockey, video games, reading are the main ones. I'll pick up ADHD hyper-focus projects here and there but yeah.

12. Do you have any pets?

One old man doggo named Jasper (we call him JJ) but he's getting up there and is going blind so he'll likely get put down within the year.

13. How tall are you?

5'6"

14. Favorite subject in school?

I liked anything hands on so I was really into woodshop and cooking classes honestly.

Fun fact: I was the only girl in my 8th grade woodshop class so I was super ahead project wise because I wasn't chit-chatting all class. So as a result the guys would get mad when the teacher told them "I'm helping 'Brad' right now but Dee should be able to help you with it if you ask her" and they would never ask me because of teenage male stupidity/sexism.

15. Dream job.

No job. Just let me exist and not expect Things and Labor of me.

But honestly just find me a job that gives me a solid work/life balance and I'll survive.

There's probably a duplicate tag or two in here but:

@rymurrsneckbeard @myteamofmonsterfuckers @jaredmccann @joeyisourranger @bagelsunshinecoffee @flaticeball @yes-perwallstedt @hard4softthings @in-the-mists @kreiderrider @stillfertile @dwisp and everyone else who enjoys a good tag game

[spockandawe]

There's something deeply fascinating to me about Nie Mingjue, despite what a minor role he plays in mdzs in general, and while a lot of it comes back to the relationships he had with Nie Huaisang and Lan Xichen, the bulk of the really crunchy depth comes back to the complicated dynamics at work between him and Jin Guangyao. The others are great, don't get me wrong, but I'm not still regularly rotating them in my head and finding a new angle that I hadn't really considered before.

I'm not going to rehash all the backstory about different ideals and moral codes, I don't have any particularly fresh insights there. But I was thinking about all the intense big brother energy in the 3zun trio, and I caught myself - Jin Guangyao isn't actually a big brother. Iirc, he's close to (exactly?) the same age as Jin Zixuan (I think there was debate on the shared birthday not meaning they were born the same year), but regardless, they never met until they were basically adults. And his other half-siblings are at an even greater remove. It's not like Nie Mingjue and Lan Xichen, where not only were they close with their little brother, but their biological parents were absent, and they were a major force in raising that little brother.

Jin Guangshan flips a casual middle finger to Jin Guangyao by eventually giving him a name with the wrong generational character, which messes with the perception of age a little, makes him seem older than he is. And Jin Guangyao has a very... responsible mindset, he became Nie Mingjue's deputy at an impressively young age, politics and business come naturally to him, even with Jin money and the position of sect leader, it's impressive how well he's able to wrangle the other sects of the world. He has big adult energy from a pretty young age.

And my first thought was that wait, no, he's not an oldest sibling, he's Baby. At the brothel, he was his mom's only child, but he was also surrounded by a sea of aunts and older sisters the entire time he was growing up, right up until he left. He's a fairly small man and he has a sweet face, he was absolutely baby until he set out for the Jin sect and got thrown down the stairs.

My second thought was that hold on, even if things were like that in the brothel, being the family baby still came with a lot of shitty treatment from all these older sisters and aunts. It's notable that there was one person in that place who was nice enough to him and his mother that he decided she deserved to be saved. It's textual that people there looked down on this pretentious lady who thought she was such an intellectual and better than everyone else and had delusions of her son becoming a cultivator. Between this and the treatment from Jin Guangshan upon arrival, by the time Jin Guangyao meets Nie Mingjue, if he associates himself with siblinghood in any way, it's negative.

And I really do think that Nie Mingjue takes the whole Elder Sibling Responsibility thing very seriously! I think his expression of it can be a very rigid and unflexible sort of love, and smothering to anyone who isn't already aligned with his ideals and priorities, but I do also think he's extremely sincere in terms of it being an expression of care and that it's something he thinks is central to his role as a brother.

Does he want to project that onto Lan Xichen? Sure, why not! Lan Wangji isn't a clone of Lan Xichen, but he's very smart and very skilled, he and his brother are a temperamental match, and the things his family prioritizes come naturally to him. They have an easy, intimate relationship, and we do see Lan Xichen making moves to protect Lan Wangji at his own expense in canon. Perfect big brother work, you get an a+ on your nie mingjue brothering report card. But that isn't going to work at all for Jin Guangyao.

Once Jin Guangyao is accepted into the Jin family, his position is still... oof. Well, his dad's wife beats him, for a start. Her son is the one who's going to be the sect leader someday, and having the wrong generational character reinforces how much Jin Guangyao is being hamstrung. But he's still got responsibilities and duties piled on top of his head, his father blames him for all sorts of things that go wrong, he's been basically installed in a senior place to Jin Zixuan in the family, but it's a position that will be leapfrogged by the inheritance, it's all the downsides of the role with as few benefits as Jin Guangshan can get away with, and it's all happened with 1) no emotional attachment to anyone in this shithole and 2) lots of reasons to resent the family that could have effortlessly lifted him out of poverty, and chose to leave him and his mother suffering instead.

And Nie Mingjue, in that heavy-handed assuming way he has (I love him, truly), is like 'yeah, you're a big brother, and I am now going to project all the responsibility that I feel for my little brother onto you. idk why you have a problem with this, Xichen is fine.' I'm outside of the text now, for sure, but this is a perfect echo of Nie Mingjue's frustration with Nie Huaisang's interests, and we already saw Jin Guangyao navigating that divide in the story. Nie Mingjue struggles to understand why Huaisang won't practice with his saber, and why he wants to collect fans instead. Yes, okay, i get it, he likes fans, i'm glad he's having fun, but the saber is a DUTY.

This is just one ingredient in a complicated soup, but it really has me fascinated. I think the most interesting thing is that it seems like an area where Lan Xichen would have trouble understanding exactly where Jin Guangyao is coming from either. He's sweet, and he's much better at listening and empathizing, but he's still a sheltered rich boy. And I think this is all ultimately a tragedy, to be clear. I think that Lan Xichen and Nie Mingjue both really value their brothers and everything about those sibling relationships, and that Nie Mingjue especially has Issues with projecting his own values onto other people, but that he thought that being integrated into a family and made a brother would be beneficial, and a positive role for Jin Guangyao to fulfill. It adds some interesting depth for me to add that into his late-stage frustration with Jin Guangyao, and his anger when he perceives Jin Guangyao as being derelict in his duties. 3zun is really such a tragic dynamic, especially because I'm convinced that under the politics and social maneuvering, there really was also a sincere desire to create something good. But by that point in his life, I'm not sure Jin Guangyao was able to approach the idea of a brotherly relationship with anything other than wary, guarded caution.

[earth-93]

BRIGADE FILES: HULK (Part 1)

Stars & Stripes Hotline [Version 1.14]

C: \login\Nowhere_Man

C:\Users\mini\BrigadeFiles\Avengers

Directory of C: \BrigadeFiles\Avengers

04/27/2006 11: 43 AM Total Files Listed: 16 File(s) 538, 687 bytes

Directory of C:\BrigadeFiles\Avengers\BANNER_BRUCE.txt

[file data =

Main Alias/Moniker: Hulk

Legal Name: Dr. Bruce Robert Banner

Other Aliases: Doc, Big Guy, Hulkster, Greenfoot, Jade Jaws, Green Giant, Shrek

Date of Birth: May 19th, 1975 (Age: 30)

Status: Alive

Species: Human Mutate (Gamma Mutate)

Sex: Male

Gender: Cisgender

Height/Weight: [Bruce] 5'8'' (173cm) / 125 lbs (57kg); [Hulk] 7' - 8'5'' (2 - 2.5m) / 1,150 - 4,000 lbs (680 - 1,815kg)

Hair/Eye Color: [Bruce] Brown / Brown; [Hulk] Black / Green

Timeline (1975 - 1985): My past with Bruce aside, I don't think you need me to tell you that most of what's been written about the Hulk is bull. Nothing but conspiracy rags that make parsing the fact from the fiction even harder (If I were a more paranoid type, I'd say it's on purpose. I wouldn't put it past Ross or SHIELD to keep the public on their toes about Bruce, no matter how much good press he gets. I'm just as biased as any other guy, but I'm biased in the sense that I was just some kid that a so-called monster tried to help. Do with that what you will.

Bruce has said that his earliest memory was being pulled out from a car wreck by his dad during a rainy night. Brian Banner went back to get his wife, but by then the car had sunk so deep into the muddy earth that he couldn't find the strength to pull her out. That moment was totally where Old Man Banner's obsession with strength first came from. Once the media got a hold of the Hulk's identity, a lot of those write-ups loved to embellish Bruce's childhood. Don't get it twisted, Brian Banner wasn't the Devil, but he was a mean sonuvabitch. He would at least have his stepmom Rebecca in his life, once the Banners moved to New Mexico. To this day, Bruce still thinks of her fondly.

Brian himself was almost never home, instead toiling away at his gig at Desert State. See, Brian Banner was a physician with a specialty in glands. After he failed to pull his first wife out of that wreck, he became fixated on the theory of "hysterical strength." You know those stories you hear about moms being able to lift whole cars to save their babies? No scientist has ever been able to square away how and why that happens, but Old Man Banner was hellbent on being the one to crack it. When the higher-ups are Desert State shot down his research, he decided to keep going at home.

Timeline (1985 - 1991): To this day, Bruce has never said what really went down that night. As far as I know, his mind just blocked it out. I have my theories, but if I'm resorting to speculation I'm no better than one of those rag pieces. All I know for sure is what was put on the police report: The morning after a nasty storm, authorities swept through the Banner household smashed up, Rebecca beaten to death, and Bruce left in a shock in the same room as the body. A few days later, Brian was found in the middle of the desert, naked and hysterical. He was charged with murdering Rebecca and was given life.

Another misconception about Bruce is that his anger issues only came about once he went green. What he went through, that's where it all started, and you don't even have to trust me on that. His aunt and uncle would back me up, since they were the ones who took Bruce in. Back then, Bruce was unresponsive, quick to anger, and would throw a fit if he ever felt cornered or too agitated. He wasn't too responsive to treatment at first, either. What turned it all around for Bruce was his cousin, Jen. She was born a year before his aunt and uncle took him in, and even though they did their best with him, they had understandable worries about Bruce being around Jen. He says this is what first made him try to take treatment seriously. Earning that trust from his aunt and uncle. To this day, the two see each other more as siblings than cousins.

He put a lid on his anger issues, but Bruce's social skills never really picked up. His brains, though, they never seemed to stop growing. So when he got an in at the Tomorrow Academy across the country, his aunt and uncle couldn't see a downside. I have my theories Ross had his eye on Bruce all the way back then because of who his old man was, but I can't back that claim--yet. Even if I can't make a direct connection, Ross still definitely had his finger on the place. That meant having an extended stay in New York, and his kid popping in the Academy from time to time. That's how Bruce first met Betty. In spite of himself, Bruce managed to strike something up with Betty, and they kept in you well after the Academy's shutdown. Even when Bruce had any school in the world to nab his PhD, he went with NJIT so he would be closer to Betty. Neither of them could have imagined this would seal Bruce's fate.

Timeline (1991 - 1998): Betty was in Jersey because she was one of the first recruits for the newly-minted SHIELD Comm School. She wanted to keep up the family military tradition by getting into spy work, but even back then she was a sleuth at heart. Case in point, when she and Bruce got close enough he started opening up about his past, Betty couldn't just leave it be. I don't know if it was empathy to help Bruce get closure, or just a fixation on solving a mystery. Whatever it was, Betty put together an investigation on what Brian was researching before he killed Rebecca and showed it to Bruce.

In turn, a switch went off in Bruce when he poured over his old man's work in hysterical strength. Like father, like son, Bruce became obsessed with finishing his old man's work to tap into the hidden strengths that all humans have. SHIELD was either desperate, or Bruce made one heckuva pitch, because in no time at all a new Super-Solider project was in the works. The ink on Bruce's pHd wasn't even dry before a base in the desert was installed to further explore his theories.

Call it trauma, shame, fear, or even some lingering loyalty to the powers that victimized him, but Bruce has never come clean about what went down at Project Gamma. From what I personally know, their experiments went well past any ethical boundaries. A young man looking for some closer was quickly finding things spinning out of his control, that's a lot on your conscience. And that all came crashing down on that one fateful day, when an internal sabotage caused a radiation leak, then a breakout of its test subjects—helped by a big, green giant barrelling through the walls and security for them.

continue data? y/n]