#no one wants to shell out 2k for that when it may have a bunch of gear they already own

[seabeck]

Someone selling one of my dream lenses but they only want to sell it as part of a bundle with a bunch of other film crap. Normally old lenses are great but I’m pretty sure these are the old ones that don’t work on F mounts. They want $2k for all of the crap too.

[5uptic]

crewfu: fanfic spotlight!

We work together by Anonymous (5up & DK, unrated, gen | 248 words)

Summary: One likes plants and baking, the other loves to create and design video games. They stay up and create monstrosities together, it's their fun, it's their favourite game. Aka a 5up and Dk roommate au!

No matter how life tangles, I’m still here with you. by hungryandsleepy (5up/Steve, general rating, m/m | 279 words)

Summary: 5up has been working so hard on his new map, and of course, he needs someone to give him a motivation to go to sleep.

objectively pretty by vesque (5up/Steve, general rating, m/m | 462 words)

Summary: steve is drunk. he's pretty sure 5up is too. that doesn't mean being called pretty is any less momentuous.

you plus me by mangoedges (5up/Steve, teen rating, m/m | 489 words)

Summary: 5up and Steve meet.

he said to me by mangoedges (5up/Steve, teen rating, m/m | 656 words)

Summary: 5up and Steve share a moment.

by the snowmen by mangoedges (5up/Steve, teen rating, m/m | 670 words)

Summary: Steve has a moment when it's all over.

today you got to know me (a little bit too slowly) by runninohhoney (5up/Steve, teen rating, m/m | 675 words)

Summary: Steve lights up a cigarette. 5up doesn't smoke.

what would it take by mangoedges (5up/Steve, teen rating, m/m | 787 words)

Summary: It's Steve's first mission. He hecks up. Or does he?

sorta cute by floweruru (5up/Steve, unrated, m/m | 822 words)

Summary: ‘I wouldn’t do that,’ he said. ‘That’s just disrespectful,’ he said. Yet there was 5up, crushed like a can in Steve’s embrace, feebly kicking at nothing as his feet leave the pavement.

i was gonna kill u, but ur kinda cute?? by Cthulhuer (5up/Steve, general rating, m/m | 1k words)

Summary: Steve is a mess and 5up is worse.

I hear a Symphony by AwkwardAce (5up/Fundy, unrated, m/m | 1.1k words)

Summary: He exhaled until his lungs ached for air, fingers twitching as he opted to remove the sleek white gloves he wore in a feeble effort to soothe himself. It didn’t work. He wrung his trembling hands together as his eyes raked down the worn leather case taking in the doodles- some etched some drawn- across the faded surface. He snapped the buckles open and his breath hitched, catching in his already tight throat. For a moment the world span, his head throbbed and he wanted nothing more than to run and hide. 5up breathed out slowly, shakily.

staring by lytriis (5up/Steve, teen rating, m/m | 1.1k words)

Summary: steve asks 5up out. 5up doesn’t know how to respond.

and it's four am, and yet, you're here by vesque (5up/Steve, general rating, m/m | 1.2k words)

Summary: in which steve shows up at 5up's house, in the middle of the night, completely spontaneously

more than this by mangoedges (5up/Steve, teen rating, m/m | 1.2k words)

Summary: Steve catches 5up venting.

3:15 by vesque (5up/Steve, general rating, m/m | 1.2k words)

Summary: Steve tries to guess Five's name. It's much more difficult than he anticipated.

things were different by fourpebbles (Apollo/Steve, teen rating, m/m | 1.5k words)

Summary: His eyes circled around to his friends, Kimi and Janet engaging in pleasant comversation, sleepy and becoming increasingly more sober. He looked, finally, across him, and caught Dumbdog staring at him. What now bro, what did this guy want. small talk, turns into not small talk, then there's no talk

Once Upon A Dream by SmearedWords (5up/Steve, teen rating, m/m | 1.5k words)

Summary: 5up looks ethereal, while Steve is struggling to breathe. "You're not real either." Or: Steve has a crush and a nightmare in three parts, 5up is tired, the crew life is hard and Polus sucks.

the ones you love will call you back by homeward_bound (Apollo/Steve, teen rating, m/m | 1.8k words)

Summary: stevesuptic: dude, is it weird that i miss vegas   DumbDog: No? I do too.   stevesuptic: okay [steve misses vegas and apollo. they talk about it]

cough it out by cj__writes (Apollo/Steve, teen rating, m/m | 2k words)

Summary: Apollo thinks that Steve must be well and truly gone, at this point, because he giggles, like Apollo’s just told a particularly funny joke. He looks Apollo right in the eye and asks, “Do you trust me?” “Absolutely not.”

ivy by Secular_Czar (5up/Steve, teen rating, gen | 2.1k words)

Summary: It might be a sad day, in general, but Steve isn't about to let it get to him. His friends won't ever let him wallow either.

The Colosseum by WhenTheFogClears (general rating, gen | 2.1k words)

Summary: Five squinted, looking at the colosseum intensely. He thinks Apollo was latched onto the sphinx’s shoulder, fur matted with blood. Janet was slumped against a column, probably out, with Kimi whose bow was snapped in two, her leg twisted at an odd angle. DK was in the corner trying to cast various supporting hexes and charms with a broken arm, whilst Hafu was dragging a heavily bandaged Steve away. or 5up slaughters a cat

Oneshots :) by woofles1990 (5up/Fundy, 5up/Steve, teen rating, multi | 2.5k words, oneshot collection)

Summary: Just a bunch of MCYT/Among Us oneshots, mainly featuring 5up's crew because yes :)

the adventures of 5up and steve staying up late because they're under 30 by 5280ft (5up/Steve, teen rating, m/m | 2.5k words)

Summary: “The night is young!” Steve yells at the ceiling, throwing his hands up in the air. “Take advantage of it! Commit crimes! Fuck hoes!” Five catches his hands in the air and laughs. “You wish you had hoes.”

unreasonably in love by cj__writes (Apollo/Steve, teen rating, m/m | 2.6k words, chaptered WIP)

Summary: "It was like pieces of a puzzle, everything coming together. And now, here they are, standing in their apartment, which looks more like a hollow shell than a home, filled solely with scattered boxes and the minuscule amount of furniture that they brought with them to Vegas." Or: what happens after Apollo and Steve move in together.

cant be love by fourpebbles (Apollo/Steve, teen rating, m/m | 3.5 words, chaptered WIP)

Summary: He had chuckled to himself, he felt so stupid. Who in their fucking minds names a playlist 'sugr?', he thought, internally cringing. A story where a Steve meets an Apollo, and some things happen.

Somewhere in the darkness, us together for a while by tumtummeke (Apollo & Kimi & Steve, teen rating, gen | 3.6k words)

Summary: Apollo worries about Steve. Steve breaks his vape pen. Kimi plays power washer. Self-indulgent angst, with a generous helping of friendship and cuddles.

odyssey by 5280ft (5up/Steve, teen rating, m/m | 23k words, chaptered WIP)

Summary: "First you will come to the Sirens who enchant all who come near them. If any one unwarily draws in too close and hears the singing of the Sirens...they warble him to death with the sweetness of their song. Therefore pass these Sirens by and stop your men's ears with wax that none of them may hear." -Homer, The Odyssey

Also: SilverSprinklez10‘s yupwaves collection.

Summary: This is a Harry Potter AU based on the characters/personas of the youtubers/streamers.

FAQ:

Wait what is this: pretty straight to the point! i’ll regularly share crewfu-related fanfictions to this blog :)

How regularly is “regularly”?: great question! LOL. it depends on the flow of fanfics that get uploaded, which i do not have any control over, but i’m looking forward to do this twice a month. after all, it’s only me doing this and i often run on a tight schedule.

What’s the format like?:

[title of fic with link] by [author of the fic with link] ([main pairing(s), if there is one/multiple], [fic rating: eg, general rating], [relationship: eg, m/m] | [word count in k] ([added prompt to specify if it’s complete or not)])

Summary: [summary provided by the author. if it doesn’t have a summary, a “No summary” prompt will be put instead]

(What does WIP mean again?): Work In Progress :)

Why are you doing this?: from the beginning, my blog has hosted conversations about RPF (real people fiction) and crewfu pairings. this has evolved into people sending me updates about certain fics in the crewfu tags every now and then, but i wanna take the next step and just do these things myself. after all, i’m already lurking in the tags often to see the fics that get posted. as someone who is both a writer and a reader, i wanna appreciate fanfic writers and help out other people that want to read fanfic and consume more fandom content!

Will it be AO3 only?: well, ao3 has a very helpful tag system that makes finding fics incredibly easy, as well as allowing people with no accounts to like and comment on fics, so that’s the site i will personally look in for fanworks. but if there are any fics you’ve written or liked in any other platforms, such as wattpad, you can always contact me through my inbox (send an ask or a dm!), and i’ll make sure to include for the next fanfic spotlight :)

Does it mean you won’t reply to fic asks anymore?: yeah, i guess. since i’ll be doing the searching myself it seems counterproductive. but if i ever skip a fic or again, it’s in another platform, or you’ve posted/read the fic a while ago and you want to get more traction on it, hit me up and i’ll take it into consideration!

Will you read every single one of the fics on your list?: oh no. again, i run on a tight schedule, and also i have my own taste when it comes to fics. i won’t be reviewing fics or any of the sort, and my intention extends to simply sharing these fics to this page so people will have easier access to them :) that’s where ao3 tagging becomes SUPER useful!!!

So what’s the criteria for the way you’ll sort out the fics in your list?: word count, going from lowest to highest. in case of fics in other platforms, i guess i’ll put them at the top of the list. i’ll also be looking for fairly recent fics, so let me know if you want any old-ish fic to be included.

I see you talking mostly about 5up/Steve and Steve/Apollo. Can I still send/see other crewfu fics?: why yes absolutely! my goal is to push every fic which heavily features regular crewfu characters - 5uptic and supdog just happen to be very popular pairings. so, to give you a list: core 4 (5up, hafu, dk, steve), apollo, aipha, annie, janet, kimi, ellum, koji... you know the drill. it doesn’t have to be centered on a relationship, or about 5up in specific, etc. my only requirement is that any of the previously mentioned members are a central part of the fic or are HEAVILY featured in it (sorry, minecraft fics with 50+ tags who only mention 5up as an afterthought won’t make the cut :/).

Isn’t shipping Bad™?: well, it’s a little more nuanced than that. i will go out of my way to discourage and shame people who often violate CCs’ boundaries by acting like so and so has a crush on this person, or that this and that are Actually Into Each Other or secretly dating. any sort of tinhat bullshit is a big nono (think larries). but i run on the assumption that people who write rpf understand that what they’re doing is simply write a completely fictional story using real life personalities, and understand the boundaries necessary to do it - aka they’re not tinhats, they understand they can’t assume everything about CCs’ thoughts and personalities, they understand that what they’re writing is strictly fiction, they keep these works only in fandom circles, etc. (but again, it’s only one me doing this, so please be kind if i don’t happen to know that this person is Actually a tinhat or whatever).

show fic: NO. (seriously. i don’t feel comfortable putting my ao3 account out there. please respect my privacy on these trying times <3)

I REALLY don’t care about your rpf/fic talk: fair! i’ll be tagging every single one of these posts as “fanfic spotlight”, so just mute the tag using tumblr settings so you’ll never have to look at these! likewise, you can follow the tag if you want to keep up with it, or search it on my blog to look at the other entries you might have missed (but this is the first one! lol).

Hey, my fic is here and I don’t feel comfortable with it being shared over here: no problem! let me know as soon as you can and i’ll take it down <3

[himbo-kuto]

i saw this screencap from the manga and knew IMMEDIATELY that i would have to write a lil headcanon of aone and his turtle. he is literally the most precious person who deserves the whole entire world.

i hope you enjoy reading it as much as i did writing it!

genre: fluff, wholesomeness, a whole baked bean, college!au pairing: aone x gn!reader word count: 2k warning: language

okay so you ended up being roommates with aone, futakuchi, and mai when you ended up transferring colleges last minute and needed housing

you saw that they had an empty spot and with time not being on your side, you decided to take the opportunity!! apt 205 squad!!

at first you kind of felt left out since they all knew each other from date tech but you soon warmed up to futakuchi since you had a few classes with him and mai because well-- you guys shared a room

HOWEVER!! one person you couldn’t seem to get close to was a man by the name of takanobu aone-- lemme tell u sumn about this Baked Bean

whenever you tried to interact with him, all he would do is 👁 👄 👁  or just Grunt in response

you were a bit discouraged because you thought he didn’t like you so you shied away from talking to him again :(

but futakuchi was quick to ensure you that was just his way of communicating and that he was actually really engaged in the conversation 

“oh yeah, he’s a great listener-- i talk to him for hours and he just sits and listens”

“ok futakuchi-san, but have you considered that you talk Too much for your own good?”

he gave you the finger for that one

but omg the first time aone Spoke to you????? rocked ur mf world-- what the Heck!!

you were in the mood to bake some cookies and were looking for the big mixing bowls but you just remembered that futakuchi used it to try and make a baking soda volcano 

why??? who knows but all you do know is that he put it ALL the way on the top shelf-- and for what????

but u know-- bein dumb as dirt u tried to use a swivel chair to try and reach for them

and of course it was all the way in the back like wtf curse these tall men-- 

and so you got on your tippy toes and right as you were about to reach it, Of Course the chair decided to turn 

and u were 🤏🏼 this close to eating shit but thanks to the one-- the only-- tol angel baby aone, he stopped the chair dead in its tracks just in time for you to regain your balance

“are you okay?”

you were so shook (one from almost breaking your face and two-- AONE JUST SPOKE AND SAVED YOU!!!) 

at first you just stood there blinking down at him with the bowls in your arms like hinata season 4, episode 15 - 15:37

he held up his arms to you and you blushed so hard because was he really about to carry you down????

but before your mind had anytime to roam, he pointed to the bowls and you realized with your real eyes that you were not the one to whom he was referring to 

it wasn’t long until you got over your initial iron wall with aone (…. 😏)  and he actually ended up being someone you hung out with on a regular basis

mai was always out studying for her practicals in the library while futakuchi… well.. who even knows what the heck that man is up to..

but ANYWAYS!! you guys would hang out mostly in the living room to watch TV, do homework and eat meals-- he always helped you with your math homework and you helped him with his architecture models!! 

you didn’t really know what he liked to watch but he didn’t seem to oppose whatever you had on-- however, you Did notice that whenever you put on volleyball he stared very intensely at the TV only stopping when commercials came on

aone Always ate your home cooked meals without fail

literally such a sweet and appreciative boy as opposed to futakuchi who would complain but one time aone gave him That Look™️ and he shut right the fuck up

that day forward futakuchi ate all your meals like a good boy

aone has also become very protective of you-- in high school, he may have locked onto the aces of the other teams, but in college he locked onto his close friends to make sure they were safe

one time you guys got onto a cramped bus to go grocery shopping and all it took was this creepo man to just Look at you the wrong way for aone to stand right in front of you and shoot this man a death glare that said “if you even think about touching her i’ll put you into the ground” 

HE MAY HAVE A HEART OF GOLD BUT DONT MESS WITH THE PEOPLE HE CARES ABOUT OR ELSE IT’S HANDS 

but know this ladies, gents and my non-binary friends, we MOST DEFINITELY sit next to aone on the bus and engage in the best of conversations because tHATS WHAT THIS MAN DESERVES!!!!!!!!! 

not to mention all the times he has saved you due to your clumsiness and overall single brain cell fueled activities 

one fateful day you were sitting in the living room as you saw aone come home with a whole bag of groceries

he didn’t put them into the communal fridge so you were a bit confused as to why he took them straight into his room

you weren’t one to just bust in there to try and find out so later when you guys were eating dinner you asked him what he bought at the store

he listed off a bunch of produce and then said that they were for his turtle!!!!

you were all !!?!?!??? 🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺 TURTLE?????? WHERE??? HOW LONG HAVE THEY BEEN HERE??? CAN I SEE THEM?

he goes on to tell you that he’s had the turtle ever since they all moved in!! but it never came up in conversation so you never knew until now

him and futakuchi rescued the turtle but when they tried to let them go, they didn’t go anywhere so they kept them!! 

so after dinner you both quickly washed the dishes, and he brought you into their room to show you his turtle

you were honestly a bit nervous going into their room-- like what were you to expect??? was it going to be messy?? stinky?? clean??? were there any secrets????

but to your surprise it was fairly clean and simple-- even futakuchi’s side (which you assumed was aone’s doing)

you looked around his room to find all these old pictures of date tech on the wall, many of them with futakuchi and mai

there was even a photo of all the third years clinging to aone like koalas on a tree and though his expression was faint, you could tell that he was happy

it warmed your heart to see that he got along with his teammates and held these memories close to him-- they accepted him for who he was and that was more than enough for you

he also had plethora of architecture books on his shelves which made you wonder why he picked that major in the first place

but you shrugged it off as you looked over to his desk

there was a table next to it with an enclosure and a cute little turtle sunbathing underneath a lamp inside

you scurried over to the tank, getting down on your knees to get eye level with the animal while you slowly brought your face to the glass  

the turtle was half curled into its shell, looking up at you as he gave you a slow blink

you could’ve sworn you felt your heart explode and melt all at once in that Exact moment

you looked up at aone with 🥺 eyes before looking back to reptile to see them poking their head out to fully greet you 

you squealed internally as you wiggled your finger as your salutations

“do they have a name?” 🥺 

“ichigo-desu...” (strawberry)

you thought your heart exploded before?????????????

oh bitch you felt like you were about to go into full blown cARDIAC ARREST MY G O D!!!!!!

“did futakuchi name them?”

“no i did…”

you literally hunched over, and leaned onto the desk for support as your heart was filled with his soft boy energy because there was no wAY!!! DID AONE JUST NAME THIS TURTLE ICHHHIGOOOO BITCHHH AHHH

but lowkey aone was also being filled with your soft energy and got all blushy-- but thank god you were too occupied by his turtle to notice

“do you want to feed him a strawberry? it’s his dinner time too”

you could not have said yes faster to this man 

he went into his personal fridge and there you saw all the groceries he had earlier that day!! he pulled out a single strawberry before handing it over to you

he walked over to the tank and cautiously pulled out ichigo before placing them on the ground

HOWEVERRRRRR!! what came next you didn’t expect at all

he walked around so that he was behind you, gingerly reached for your hand and guided you to hold the strawberry out for ichigo 

ichigo craned their neck in the sight of the fruit and started chowing down

and by God you hoped that aone could not hear your loud ass heartbeat and see your red ass face-- (you were surprised that ichigo wasn’t going after you since your face might as well have been a strawberry)

you two sat in a comfortable silence as you watched the little reptile enjoy his dinner 

as ichigo drew closer to the leafy bit, you wanted to ask aone if he was allowed to eat that part 

so you turned your head to the side to speak but immediately closed your mouth as aone’s face was only centimeters away from yours 

you thought you were red back then???? bitch buckle up cause we’re reaching a new LEVEL of red

at that moment you were no think, no thought, head EMPTY as you just stared at his profile 

all of his features were strong... the bridge of his nose, his jawline, his expression-- he himself was a strong man and you just wondered how all this soft, fluffy, wholesomeness was packed into this 192cm man

and just as you relaxed into this position

FUTAKUCHI BUSTS THROUGH THE DOOR WITHOUT ANY KIND OF WARNING JUST TALKIN OUT OF HIS ASS 

at first he’s so absorbed into his own conversation that he doesn’t even notice you guys in that position

but when he does??? it’s like those moments in animes where you’re all chibitized and you just have circle eyes and a blank expression o_o

you IMMEDIATELY come to your senses, releasing the rest of the strawberry and aone’s hand

if you could peace fade in this moment, you would’ve definitely flashed futakuchi a duces

but alas, you could not..

so you scrambled to your feet-- but not before thanking aone for letting you meet his turtle-- and RAN out TF of that room heart a BEEATTINN

from that day on, you visited aone and his turtle a lot more-- even going so far as buying things for ichigo!!

“hey aone-san, did ichigo like the squash i cooked?”

“mm.”

“hey aone-san, does ichigo like the new hide?”

“mm.”

“look aone-san! he can’t grip onto the cherry tomato!! it keeps rolling around!”

“mm.”

many of your conversations went along like that and he always appreciated the amount of effort you put into them

he wasn’t a man of many words but did his best to make sure you knew that he was listening and engaged

at one point mai and futakuchi said that “he has spoken more words to you in these past few months than he has with us in 3 years”

you were surprised but also flattered by the fact that aone was comfortable enough to open up and have conversation with you 

although it was a bit of a rough patch in the beginning, you were glad that you became a part of the 205 squad! it was you, aone, futakuchi, mai and ichigo against the world!!

[madokasoratsugu]

cinderella au meta notes

or: the plotline that never happened because i was so caught up in the euphoria of writing Fritz/Lucette Cinderella AU, i forgot that i had to have a plot

also: a bunch of bonus facts i guess !

this basically spoils the whole fic (that you can read here) which contains Fritz and Rumpel route spoilers, so read with caution ! under the cut bc it got Long :”))

this meta was initially written on a tumblr post bc it was meant to be a short ~2k thing (HAHAHA). then it got so long my computer started crashing and i had to move to google docs. 

i wrote this with disney live action remake osts AND six the musical in the background. it was a wildin’ experience listening to ‘dont lost ur head’ while writing Fritz be a chaotic mess in the beginning, then listening to ‘how does a moment last forever’ when writing the Fritz/Lucette garden scenes.

Karma and Fritz are childhood friends ! both boys who were more interested in being a knight than inheriting a kingdom, but learnt their responsibilities along the way.

on that note: none of the characters were exactly...planned to appear. the initial tweet thread idea only had Fritz, Lucette and Alcaster casted - the other characters just kinda wrote themselves in this meta. 

im pretty sure it started with Karma barging his way into the fic in act one, then i had to have someone balance him (Waltz), then i needed someone to play the music for their waltz (obvs that had to be Rod), and then i got sad thinking Rumpel would be left out, but Lucette’s broken glass slipper scene conveniently needed someone. the Widdensovs just kinda came into the picture by virtue of Lucette just needing someone to interact with when she wasnt at the ball LMAO 

everyone else just didnt make it in the natural progression of the fic, and i didnt want to shoehorn them in just for the sake of having them appear.

however: Parfait was initially going to make an appearance as a duchess who snuck Lucette out to her father when she came to the castle for help when her manor burnt down. here’s a lil snippet of her scene:

(no one had, the last time she came; the smell of smoke still clinging on her, her head slamming a cacophony - surviving only thanks to the bravery of a certain court lady now disappeared, who heralded her to a servant’s exit, gave her gold and directions to her father, told her, run, told her im sorry, and cried, tears dripping endlessly from her pale pink lashes.)

Parfait is well and alive in this AU btw ! she’s just ‘disappeared’ bc she’s living somewhere secret with her goth wife Delora.

(side note: i realise Rumpel seems a lot like Lucette’s fairy godmother in the act thirteen. not intended, but i liked the imagery enough to let it stand :”)) bippity boppoty chevalier ! )

Varg and Lilja are both Swedish words. ancient Angiellian is partially Swedish. there’s probably ikea in this AU. let that sink in.

the swan mask Lucette was wearing was meant to allude to Odette and Odile from Swan Lake (because Fritz and Varg, white and black, swans are pretty yadda yadda), and i was going to write some really neat symbolism about that but i forgot lol ! 

(also the idea just never worked for me bc Odette and Odile aren’t the same people like Fritz/Varg but i wanted to reference Barbie Swan Lake (2003) ok let me live)

pour one out for our man Fritz who got rejected on his birthday. f. 

Emelaigne is the MVP. older sisters, no matter how truly Head Empty they are, always pull through when you need them. 

“isn’t the moon beautiful tonight” is a direct reference to an anecdote (which may or may not be true) about Natsume Souseki, a famous japanese writer, who translated ‘i love you’ to that phrase in order to account for the indirect characteristics of japanese speech.

Rumpel is the royal doctor, and has been apprenticing in the castle since Fritz was a child, before taking over the position as an adult ! so yes, Rumpel definitely rubbed off on Fritz in terms of values and morals.

with regards to Fritz and Lucette’s curses: i never really gave it much thought, but the vague idea i had was Lucette being cursed by Hildyr for disobedience (manipulative parenting say eye), then Hildyr dies lol and Lucette breaks her curse eventually.

with Fritz, he was likely cursed out of political reasons/jealousy and Varg was the result. works bc either way the curse meant for Fritz to be 1) inconvenienced or 2) dead/taken out of consideration for succession so like...a pain in the ass replacement who behaves the exact opposite of a prince works too.

this was hinted at vaguely in the fic, but Fritz became very secluded and hid himself in the castle for the years it took him to come to terms with his curse and break it. even then, because there was no one around him to really affirm his identity or accept him, he remained very withdrawn and a shell of his former self. 

i reckon it took him about 5-6 years to break the curse. so that’s a lot of time alone. Fritz was basically a NEET.

all jokes aside: Lucette and Fritz each broke their curses with their own willpower and effort, but remain the mostly the same because there was no one around them to truly understand or accept them for who they were, or who they became.

(until they met each other, of course)

also, idk if it was hinted well enough but Lucette and Fritz actually were in an engagement once, when they were children/early teens ! i intended to allude to this more with Hildyr giving Fritz Lucette’s portrait, which results in him recognising her, but it just never fit in anywhere. so yeah ! that’s another reason how/why Fritz knew who Lucette was at first glance. 

i figured the previous engagement would also help ease the court into their eventual marriage despite the whole ~*disgraced noble*~ thing. idk. i know nothing about western history and how it worked except for ALEXANDER HAMILTON (america sings for yooouuu) and divorced, beheaded, died, divorced, beheaded, survived.

however, Alcaster broke the engagement, as stated in act thirteen. the reason was basically: Angielle in this AU works not by a hereditary monarchy, but rather the previous monarch getting to choose whomever the fuck the want to succeed them. Hildyr and Alcaster were both in line for the throne, and Hildyr wanted to ensure that even if she couldn’t get the throne now, she still had a chance in the future if her daughter married Alcaster’s (who would then be king) son. Alcaster was like lol fuck off because he wanted power all to his family and took things into his own hands to ensure that would never happen (which involved: inciting public hatred against witches/Hildyr, breaking Lucette and Fritz’s engagement, and generally being a dick.

that’s about as plot heavy as it gets yall. the rest is just dumb idiots falling in love !

...............except for the political usurp that happens later, with Fritz’s faction forcefully taking the throne away from Alcaster’s tyrannical rule, which leads to a dramatic sway of public favour to Fritz and Lucette.

and then they live happily ever, ever after. 

(carrie underwood. yes i am planning an Enchanted AU dont look at me.)

the end !

[crazy-little-cool-cat]

Gold Digger Chapter 10 | Gwilym Lee x OFC

A/N: She’s back and she’s writing chapter 11 so it will come out tomorrow. I’m sorry for going MIA, guys. Life, you know?

Warnings: The usual stuff.

Word Count: ~2K

The Playlist (Updates Regularly)

Chapter List:  Prologue, Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, Chapter 4, Chapter 5, Chapter 6, Chapter 7, Chapter 8, Chapter 9

Gwilym watched in astonished silence as Lizzie stormed out of his flat, slamming the door behind her. He blinked at the closed door and huffed, placing his hands on his hips and dropping them to his sides again. 

He opened and closed his mouth like a fish a few times, trying to make sense of what happened. 

One minute Lizzie and Gwilym had a lovely dinner that he cooked for them, and the next Lizzie comes back from the loo absolutely livid and starts blowing a cork over some tabloid article. The paps got a nice, cosy shot of Clara, Rory and him on a fun Saturday out. 

"Bloody tabloids!" Gwilym hissed and raked his fingers through his hair, shifting his weight from one leg to the other. 

His slippers scraped the hardwood floor as he moved, and he wiggled his toes as he thought what he should do next. 

Shaking his head as if his brain is an Etch-A-Sketch toy, he walked over to the dining table and started picking up the leftover plates. Lizzie's lipstick still adorned the rim of her wineglass. He slammed the wine back and reached for the bottle again. 

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"Joseph", Shelly's voice trembled when she answered her phone. 

"Oh, baby, what's wrong?" Joe picked up on the tremor easily. "Are you crying?" 

"Shut up." Shelly sniffled. "I have to tell you something, and I..." 

Joe waited silently as Shelly's voice drifted. He sat down in his favourite chair. He licked his lips in anticipation. 

"I can't even bloody say it." Shelly moaned and sniffled again. "Oh, God." 

"Oh, my God." Joe covered his mouth with his hand. "Shelly, whatever it is..." 

"I... I'm..." Shelly squeaked out. 

"Shells..." Joe closed his eyes, prepared for anything. "Shells, are you pregnant?" He waited in what felt like the most extended silence ever. "Hello?" 

"What?" 

"Are you pregnant?" Joe bit his nails nervously and got up from his chair. He started pacing back and forth. "God, how could this have happened? We used protection, we -"

"Joe, I'm n-" 

"I can't believe this. What am I, Ben?! Knocking girls up without knowing them for more than a few months?!" 

"Joseph." 

"Fuck! I'm so sorry. I shouldn't freak out like this." Joe rambled. "I'm the worst." 

"Joseph, I'm not pregnant." 

"You're..." Joe stopped moving abruptly. "What?" 

"I'm not pregnant, you tit!" Shelly laughed. "I lost my job, and I'm devastated." 

"Oh, that's great news!" Joe heaved a sigh of relief. 

"Thanks, arsehole!" Shelly fired back. 

"No, I mean it's horrible that you lost your job, Shells!" He quickly corrected. "I'm just happy you're not preg-" 

"I get it." Shelly's voice softened. "I'm so sad." 

"I know, baby." Joe cooed. "But not having a job means you can come here and be with me, so it's not all bad..." 

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Rory ran to the door as soon as she heard the doorbell. She loved greeting houseguests, and she always wanted to be the one to open the door for them. 

Her little feet stomping, she lunged forward from the living room to the hall. Her shoulders leaning forward, her curls bouncing as she pitter-pattered in a bee-line for the door. She pulled a stool and placed it next to the door so she could open it. 

"Mum! Help!" She called when she found out the door was locked. "Help me! Mum!"

"Just a second, Rors!" Annie called back from the living room, where she placed Alfie on his playmat. 

She got up with a grunt and stretched before she bounded for the door to unlock it. Grabbing Rory, she bounced her on her hip and pushed the stool away with the tip of her foot.

"Hello, love!" Annie smiled brightly at Lizzie and giggled when Rory hid her face in the crook of Annie's neck. 

"Hello! Hi, girly!" Lizzie tickled Rory. "How've you been?" 

"Great! This one kept going on and on about Gwilly's friend Lizzie," Annie teased Rory playfully, "Now look who's all shy!" 

"Aw! Rors!" Lizzie shrugged her jacket off and hung it on the coat rack. "And where's my boyfriend?" 

"Alfie is in the living room," Annie informed and led the way. 

As soon as Alfie saw Lizzie, he shrieked with delight. There was no doubt about it, Lizzie had a magical way with kids. 

"Coffee?" Annie called from the kitchen. 

"Tea, please!" Lizzie replied and made silly faces at Alfie. 

Annie was back in the living room within minutes, two steaming mugs of tea in her hands. She placed them on the coffee table and plopped down next to Alfie and Lizzie. She reached out and rubbed Alfie's back lovingly. 

"So, Gwilym tells me you had a bit of a bicker..." Annie said as she picked lint off of Alfie's onesie. 

"I'm just tired of seeing his ex everywhere," Lizzie sighed. "Especially with him." 

"You realize Clara and Gwil are Rory's godparents, yeah?" Annie raised an eyebrow. "They're bound to be in each other's lives as long as Rory needs them." 

"Yes, but must they spend so much time together? And so publicly?" Lizzie groaned. "They look like a happy little family in those tabloid pictures!" 

"So what?" 

"He clearly still cares for her." Lizzie shrugged. "If he's not over his ex, I'd rather not..."

"Not what?" Annie prodded. 

"Not get too attached. Too into it." Lizzie bit the inside of her cheek as she pondered. 

"You make no sense, you know," Annie noted. 

"Can Auntie Clara come play too?" Rory asked, bounding into the living room with her new favourite toy. 

"Not right now, Rors," Annie replied. "How 'bout you show Auntie Lizzie your new toy?" 

"No!" Rory stomped her foot. 

"How come?" Lizzie pouted playfully. 

"Want Auntie Clara..." Rory muttered and threw herself in Annie's lap. 

"Aurora, don't be rude, now," Annie picked Rory up and put her back on her feet. "Be nice."

"I want Auntie Clara!" Rory stomped her foot and chucked the toy at the floor.  

"Shame, really," Lizzie said casually and fished a small gift-wrapped packet out of her pocket, "I just got these new stickers and I -" 

"Stickahs?" Rory's eyes lit up. 

"Yeah, a whole bunch of 'em!" Lizzie fiddled with the little packet. "I thought we could play with them, but if you're not interested..."

"Gimme!" Rory bounced up and down. 

"I thought you didn't want to play with me!" Lizzie teased Rory playfully. "Go get bits of paper and some markers. Let's create something!" 

Rory scurried off to the study and left Annie in utter awe at the quick change of events. 

"How did you do that?" Annie asked. 

"Easy," Lizzie laughed, "kids love stickers."

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Gwilym opened the door with a smile, hoping his texts to Lizzie worked their magic and brought her back. When he saw Clara, distraught on his doorstep, his face fell with disappointment. 

"Hi, Gwil," Clara sniffled, her chin quivering. 

"What's wrong, doll?" Gwilym asked, his disappointment turned to concern. "Why are you crying?" 

"He cheated on me." Clara sobbed. "May I come in?" 

"Yeah!" Gwilym stepped back to let her inside. "Jamie cheated on you?" 

"Yes." 

"Are you serious?" Gwilym asked, his face turning red with rage as Clara nodded solemnly. "That mother -"

"I knew he would," Clara blurted out. "I just hoped he wouldn't. I thought he'd treat me better. Annie was right." 

"C'mere..." Gwilym opened his arms and let Clara step into them. 

He wrapped his arms around her and squeezed her, resting his chin on the top of her head. He could feel her body convulse as she sobbed into his shirt and wrapped her arms tighter around his waist as if she hung on to him for dear life. 

"This is nice..." Clara mumbled into Gwilym's chest. 

Gwilym heard what she had said, but chose to ignore it for the time being. It did feel nice, and he needed a good hug. 

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It's been two weeks since Gwilym and Lizzie last spoke. Two weeks since she stormed out of his apartment - and his life, it seems. And almost a week since Clara stormed right back in. 

Gwilym wasn't pleased with this new situation. 

On the one hand, there was Clara, whom he still loved dearly, in spite of his better judgement. On the other hand, there was Lizzie. She was like a breath of fresh air for him. Down-to-Earth, kind, grounded, beautiful. 

"Penny for your thoughts?" Clara's voice chimed and interrupted his reverie. 

He looked at Clara as she bounced Rory on her hip with a bright smile. Shaking his thoughts away to be present at the moment, he reached out and took Rory from Clara's hands. 

"Oh, just... work stuff," he shrugged. "Have to travel around soon." 

"Exciting! Where to?" Clara's blue eyes beamed. 

"Italy and Switzerland." 

"Oooh!" Clara gushed. "Very nice! You wouldn't happen to want company on your trip, would you?" she asked with a wink.

Gwilym felt a phantom punch him in the gut at that question. Since Lizzie was all but gone and Clara was back, things were... complicated. 

He'd been intimate with Clara on more than one occasion, and Lizzie pretty much ghosted him. She never replied to any of his texts, never answered any of his calls. All she did was read his text messages and ignore them. 

"I'm..." Gwilym started to stutter. 

"I'm joking, you big goof!" Clara hopped up on the tips of her toes and pressed a kiss to his cheek. "Though it is nice to be together, again." 

"Together?" Gwilym looked confused. 

"You know what I mean." 

"I'm..." Gwilym put Rory down and placed his hands on his hips as he faced Clara. "Doll, we're not together." 

"Well, then," Clara batted her eyelashes and picked lint off Gwil's sweater, "maybe we should be?"

The utter confusion on Gwilym's face made Clara feel triumphant. He still wanted her, and she could tell. She cosied up to him, biting her bottom lip gently. 

"Clara..." Gwilym started, but his voice cracked and betrayed him. 

"How about," Clara drawled, her eyes twinkling, "we take this home for her nap," she booped Rory's nose, "and get together again?" 

"...Fuck's sake," Gwilym muttered, angry with how his body reacted to Clara's wind-chime voice. "Clara, I can't. I don't want to do this anymore."

"Is this about Merida?" Clara rolled her eyes. "Let it go, love. She's gone. I'm here." 

"She got it all wrong, alright?" Gwilym put Rory down and smiled at passers-by as he said through gritted teeth, "we can't do this anymore." 

Clara rolled her eyes again and ran up to a stranger. 

"Would you mind taking our picture?" She asked. When Gwilym raised an eyebrow at her, she smirked. "For Instagram. I'm trying to fix my image." 

"Didn't know it needed fixing..." Gwilym grumbled as Clara grabbed Rory and picked her up to pose with her and Gwilym. 

"Post-Jamie?" Clara scoffed. "Believe me, it does." 

The stranger caught a candid shot of Clara looking up at Gwilym and smiling brightly and Gwilym smirking down at her. Rory was between them, making an "ah-ah-ah" noise like an Indian. 

When Clara posted it to Instagram, she captioned it "The Fam." s

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"How many missed calls do we have today?" Shelly squeezed her stress-ball and tossed it in the air to Lizzie. "Two hundred and three?" 

"Just two." Lizzie sighed. "I think he's giving up." 

"Can you blame him?" Shelly shrugged. 

"It's just that I have absolutely no bloody idea what to say to him," Lizzie explained. "I can't tell him what to do and who to spend time with. They're her godparents. They're stuck in each other's lives now!" 

"That doesn't mean he still loves her, you know." 

"He does." Lizzie looked hurt. "I asked him about it, and all he did was look at me like a deer in the headlights."

"Did you even let him get a word in during your little kerfuffle?" Shelly asked. 

"I begged him to say something. Anything." 

"And he didn't?" 

"Not one word," Lizzie said pointedly. She gave the stress ball a squeeze and tossed it back to Shelly. "He looked like I caught him stealing..." 

"Did you hear her boyfriend cheated on her? With some half-wit model?" Shelly caught the ball. 

"Yes." 

"You think she'll get her claws back into him?"

"I have no doubt in my mind." 

"Well, maybe it's better to stay away, then," Shelly suggested. 

"I think I love him..." 

A single tear rolled down Lizzie's cheek before her phone dinged.

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TAGLIST: @filmslutt @lose-you-to-find-me @sonic-volcano  @nosferatyou @rogertaylorin1976 @mrhoemazzello

[living-dead-parker]

Europe - P.P

Summary: Request - Hi :)) could you write something where stark!reader is really sad and drained after the events of infinity war/endgame and doesn't want to talk to anyone so peter takes it upon himself to invite her to go to Europe with him and his friends? I'm sorry if that's too much to follow

Tony Stark won’t die if you just deny it. Literally just say Tony Stark won’t die in Endgame and he won’t die. It’s all just a lie created by the government or smth!!

Also, I hope you like it, anon!!

Warnings: some angst but it gets lighter at the end, major character death, cussing and Infinity War/Endgame/Far From Home (trailer/movie) spoilers so just read with caution. 

Word Count: 2k

Your hands grew clammy, suddenly the room was too cold, despite already wearing a sweater and a jacket on top of a long sleeve. You couldn't help but look over your shoulder and look around everywhere. It felt like, as long as you put your energy into focusing on other things, then you wouldn't begin to reminisce or you wouldn't feel the sudden need to throw up. Not like anything would come out, all you've had today was water. Not healthy, but not much of what you've done lately has been healthy.

You stand next to Peter, holding onto his hand for dear life. You're surprised it's not broken or anything. Ned and Michelle watch from a distance at how you hold on to Peter like he could disappear at any second. Which admittedly, is your newest and biggest fear. They smile empathetically at you as they approach, though you don't notice the looks on their faces.

"Hey," Michelle begins, her voice is soft as not to startle you or Peter. "The plane is boarding. We gotta go," Michelle says. Y/N turns to Peter and gives him a fearful look.

"Peter, I really don't have to go. Have fun with your friends. I'll be fine," you tell the young man. He shakes his head and grabs your other hand.

"Look, I wouldn't make you do something if it was dangerous. You deserve some good and maybe being away from home for a few weeks would do you some good. Please?" Peter asks. You look down at your interlocked hands and sigh in defeat.

"I'm just scared, is all."

"I know, Y/N. But, as long as I'm here nothing will hurt us. C'mon, it'll be fun!" Peter says. With another huff of air, you nod and gesture for Peter to lead the way. Michelle and Ned walk in front of you two, guiding the way to the terminal to board the plane.

Peter had invited you on his school trip to Europe. After the events with Thanos and destroying half of humanity, you weren't the same. When you found out about your dad stuck in space, you did everything in your power to get him back. You did everything you could to make sure he was back home. When you did get him back, you had the unfortunate luck of finding out that Peter was one of the many who got dusted in Titan. Once more, you did not rest until you got him back, scared at every moment that there was no coming back from it. In the end, your father had to pay the ultimate price. Not just him but Steve and Thor did too. They paid the ultimate price, which they saw as a small price to pay to restore the other half of humanity.

Since then, things hadn't been the same. You didn't want to live without your father. You didn't want to go another day without seeing your father, without hearing his snarky battles with FRIDAY, his technological jargon in the lab, his coffee filled rants. You smelled the ever-present scent of some expensive cologne that seemed to fill up a room and it would send you into a fit of tears and you'd be back at square one all over again. You were rarely awake nowadays, only waking up to use the restroom, drink some coffee and do other basic functions to survive. You'd lay in bed listening to The Cure on repeat and not moving a muscle. His words ringing in your head, calling you his greatest gift from the heavens. Praising you because you've taught him how to be a better person.

Deep down, you know your father wouldn't want that. He would want you to take over the business, to lead the Avengers in a new direction, to keep changing the world the way you planned to, but it was all a mere shell of what it all once was and you wanted no part in it. You don't want to change the world anymore. You just want things to go back to how they were.

So now you sit in an airplane right next to the window. Peter sits next to you in the middle, then Michelle and then Ned in the aisle seat. Peter lets you rest your head on his shoulder and before you know it, the world turns to black as you drift into a dreamless slumber. When you do open your eyes again, the plane is landing and everyone is awake. Eventually, the plane comes to a halt and everyone is getting their stuff together and boarding off the plane. You follow behind Peter after he grabbed both yours and his carry on bags. He follows behind everyone and when you exit the plane,  you see you've landed in Italy first.

Later that day, you all took a boat to the hotel where you'd be staying in. It was cheap and run down, but it looked comfortable. Peter had decided to let you stay in his room with him and Ned as you're not officially part of the trip, you just kind of crashed it and Mr. Harrington just never said anything about it. Upon reaching the hotel to settle down, you decided to plop down on the bed to get some rest.

"Nope," Peter says as he walks over to your shared bed and grabs you by your waist to pull you up. You groan and flail around to get him to put you down. "No, we're going out in an hour to get a tour of the vicinity and you're coming with. I didn't make you come just to mope in Europe."

"Peter, I didn't want to come. I just wanted to stay at home and deal with things my own way!" you argue. Ned takes that as his cue to leave. Peter gives him an apologetic smile but Ned waves a dismissive hand, letting him know it's okay. Ned ends up going to Michelle's room to hang out.

"Y/N, you have to talk to someone about it. Anyone. Pepper, Me, a therapist, your best friend. Someone. It's not healthy, what you're doing," Peter says. He didn't want to have this conversation because he knows how hard it is to lose his parents. He knows how painful it is to lose a parental figure when he could have done something about it. But because he knows how much it hurts, he wants to have this conversation even if it ends in you hating him.

"Peter, I don't want to be here-"

"I know you don't, babe. You just wanna be at home a-"

"No, I don't wanna be here, or anywhere, I don't want to be alive. I can't live like this and I don't know if I'll ever get over my father dying. I would always tell myself that he was the strongest person ever, he survived so many things that should have killed him, I told myself he would survive this. But he's gone and I can't bring him back and I just want him with me. I wanna be able to hug him, to smell his scent, to hear his shitty jokes or his weak attempts at flirting with someone. I just want him back. I would give anything to get him back but I can't!"

The sound of your sobs fill the room, so Peter walks over to you and wraps his arms around you. He pulls you close to him and rubs his hand up and down your back. He rocks back and forth to calm you down. After a few minutes, your cries turned into sniffling and labored breathing.

"H-how did you do it?"

Peter whispers back, "do what?"

"Cope. With your parents and Ben? How did you do it?"

"I was too young when it came to my parents, so I cried and then I got over it. When Ben passed," Peter pauses to compose himself. He lets out a shaky breath before responding. "I had a harder time. I beat myself up every day, but then I put my powers to use. I helped save people and the gratitude and the love I got, I felt it. I saved it and I imagined it's what Ben would have wanted. I would talk to May, Tony, to you. I'd vent to you guys and everything you would say stuck with me. So, I coped by being proactive, by doing good. Because it's what Ben would have wanted. It doesn't get better, Y/N. But it does get easier."

"It's just so hard, you know. He's the only real blood family I've had. My mother abandoned me so he was the only person I had. I just wish there was more I could have done t-"

"Y/N, listen to yourself. You've nearly killed yourself time and time again to save him, to save me, to save everyone. You've saved the world, believe it or not. You did everything you possibly could have to save him but in the end, he did what he had to. He did what he thought was right because he knew Earth was in good hands. He wouldn't want you to mourn-"

"But why did he have to be a fucking hero? I- fuck!" you cry as you look down at your hands.

"Y/N, it's okay to feel that way. It's okay to feel angry about it because it is unfair. It's unfair that he did what he did for a bunch of ungrateful people, but in the end, he did what he felt was right and you know it was the right thing to do. But he wouldn't want you to cope how you do. He'd want you to eat, and to drink water, and to go out and get some sunlight and he'd want you to explore the world and explore the facility. He'd want you to walk around and talk to people, to go grocery shopping or to go shopping for clothes. He'd want you to actually live. Because it's what you deserve."

You stay quiet for a few minutes before speaking up again, "I know I'm being selfish, I just miss him so much."

"And that's fine. We all miss him too, but we all miss you too. He took a piece of you when he left, but the rest of you is still with us and we miss you. So please take care of yourself. And not for anyone else, but for yourself," Peter says. He briefly checks his phone to see Ned sent a message saying they're all meeting outside. "Look, I gotta meet everyone outside. I'll let you sleep it off for now, but we're talking some more when I come back, okay?" Peter asks. You nod, smiling sadly at the boy. You lean up and press a kiss to his cheek.

"I love you," you softly mumble.

"I love you too."

A week passed and you all leave for London tomorrow. You decided to stop laying around and actually go out with the group. Everyone was so welcoming and they were really fun to hang out with. With all the activities planned, you didn't have time to stop and reminisce on all the bad stuff. Peter seemed ecstatic to have you back and in action. He could slowly see you becoming the person you once were. The carefree person who did anything to make everyone smile.

You were smiling more, and while the smile didn't always reach your eyes, he could tell you were trying. He could tell you were getting there. He knows it's a long journey, but he knows you'll get there. You were laughing more, often having trouble breathing or staying quiet. He could tell you were fighting the tears, but he was so proud you were trying. You were letting happiness back in, even if temporarily. He could see you making new friends, creating a whole new support system. Peter was so happy to see you trying, having fun, and living. Living your life again, the way you deserve to. How Tony would want it to be.

Please leave feedback or send in requests! Also send in some asks or come talk to me about anything!!

[wonderlustlucas]

for science - na jaemin

⇢ prompt Standing beside him not as his best friend but as his girlfriend is a whole extra level in Hell. ⇢ pairing jaemin x female reader ⇢ word count 2k ⇢ genre fluff ⇢ warnings as requested, mega fluff overload. you may get a cavity. you’ve been warned ⇢ summary “request for another jaemin fic!! Fluff overload”—request ; fake dating ; friends to lovers ⇢ a/n i  rlly only wrote this cuz i wanted to call this level 100 thot gay. happy belated birthday my love, i adore you endlessly❥

“You told them I’m your what?”

Sensing your sudden terror from the moment he parked and refused to unlock the doors, Jaemin winces at your alarmed tone, fiddling with the cuffs of his dress shirt as a sort of recalibration.

“Na Jaemin—”

“I know, I know! I’m sorry—it wasn’t my plan, I swear,” Jaemin sputters, reluctantly raising his gaze to finally meet your own distressed grimace. “Then why did you tell your whole family I’m your girlfriend, Jaemin? How am I supposed to go about this night pretending?”

Ignoring the pain in his heart that results from your piercing words, ignoring the utter disbelief that hardens your features, ignoring the urge to reach out to smooth over the stressed crease on your forehead, Jaemin gulps, “Before I came to get you, my cousins were giving me shit about not dating anyone and—and then I thought of you, and it was fine at first. But my Aunt overheard me and then it got back to my Mom and I had to make up a bunch of shit.”

Sighing at last, you decide it’s better to accept it as it is—one night pretending to be dating the boy you’ve been madly in love with for years was better than nothing, right? “I’m sorry,” Jaemin adds breathlessly, you would have missed it if the vehicle’s engine was still running, a heartbeat later you reach over, cupping his hand between your own and stroking his knuckles with your thumb.

“Don’t be sorry, Nana. I was just… surprised.”

“You’re not mad?”

Heart positively melting from the fretful façade he bears, sparkling eyes now dull and petal lips scarlet from biting, you smile tenderly before, “No, I’m not mad, silly goose. So, how about you tell me how we started dating?”

With a shaky laugh, he explains, “Back in July, when we went to Donghyuck’s graduation party. I said we accidentally kissed and then I asked you out.”

Focusing more on the way his fingers gradually began to intertwine with your own rather than listening to his pathetic excuse of a story, you too let out a mesmerized sigh, shaking your head to clear your brain of all the daydreams you have spent conjuring up moments like these, “O-Okay. Yeah, that sounds good. Didn’t your parents ask why you didn’t tell them?”

Jaemin shrugs, “I said I didn’t want to deal with all their questions and was waiting for tonight.”

“Well, I guess that works. Should we go in? Aren’t they waiting for us?” Nodding towards the restaurant, resembling a mansion more than anything else, tan stucco walls illuminated primrose with gold encrusted barn lights spaced between the floor-to-ceiling windows, you wonder, momentarily, why Jaemin’s parents would ever choose to have his birthday dinner at such an upscale place knowing he would be so much more content with something simpler. “Unfortunately,” Jaemin sighs, when his hand finally slips out from your own you have to take a moment to regulate your heartbeat before following him out.

Scampering to catch up with him and grumbling at the added difficulty walking in heels creates, you are simply trying to adjust the hem of your dress to an appropriate length when Jaemin grunts, curling his arm around your waist, “What are you huffing and puffing about? You look perfect.”

Unless an angel from heaven fluttered down, swept up your jaw, and placed it back onto its hinges, you truly have no idea how you manage to shut your mouth after having it hang open for such an embarrassingly long eternity, nearly choking on your suddenly desert dry vocal cords because oh God his arm is around your waist and oh God he smells good and did he just say you look perfect?

You clear your throat, “Wow, you’re gay. Just making sure, was that boyfriend Jaemin or my normal Jaemin?”

“Boyfriend Jaemin could always be your normal Jaemin, you know,” he winks—the sucker winks—but withdraws from you to swing open one side of the majestically tall oak door and nodding for you to enter first, leaving you to wallow in your pool of self-pity and near-death reality alone. Luckily, he follows after you not a second later, hand instead targeting your own instead of your waist and oh is his heart beating just as erratically as yours.

Leaning in, petal soft lips brushing the shell of your ear, Jaemin whispers, “We should probably hold hands. For science.”

Swallowing the saliva that ceases to exist, you look to the strawberry blonde to catch his prize-winning smile. Is he glowing or is it just the lights in this place?

With your brain displaying a system failure, you only grant him a timid nod and follow his lead to the front desk, where he greets the hostess with a softer smile and after giving her his name, you continue to walk further into the dining room. With walls varying between amber paint and warm red brick, you conclude this will most certainly be the only time you’ll be dining at such a restaurant, judging by the long, gold and oak tables adorned with cream lace table runners, colossal vases stocked with red roses, and rinky-dink dishes served on what looks like the finest of china.

“This is… extravagant,” you mutter, turning to the boy beside you. He seems to mirror your own expression, eyes full of wonder and irises reflecting gold, you subconsciously lean into him because that’s just how it is with Jaemin.

“Yeah, they really went all out for me.”

Debating on whether to reply with something along the lines of him ‘being worth it,’ you bite your tongue at the missed opportunity when, after what felt like a lifetime walking with Jaemin’s hand in yours, the hostess stops before the designated table. “Jaemin, ___!” Exclaims his mother, a spitting image of him when she beams the same starring smile and suddenly all eyes are on you, soaking in the image of standing beside Jaemin not as his best friend but as his girlfriend.

“Hello,” he greets, nodding to his family with a gentle smile as he tugs you to the remaining two seats—of course you would be late with Jaemin to his own birthday dinner—and, heart fluttering like bird’s wings when he pulls out the cushioned beige chair, you smile gratefully to him and settle into the seat.

Lucky for your awkward ass, the elongated table is the shape of an oval, and you find yourself at the curved corner, Jaemin next to you at the head, and his Aunt beside you. You’re not even finished familiarizing yourself with the members of Jaemin’s family when your seat is being tugged—oh, you jolt in surprise, turning to him with wide eyes as he fixes your chair until it is hardly half an arm's length away from his.

“Did you just—”

“Yes,” he purrs, smirking smugly and reaching for your napkin, you watch with a mind devoid of any rational thought as he flattens it over your thighs. “What’s up with you?” You hiss, startlingly aware of his family staring at the two of your like a cheetah waiting greedily to chase its prey. “Nothing,” he smiles, the corner of his mouth twitching into a threatening smirk but he hides it by bringing a prefilled glass of water to his lips, you watch, anticipating, as he takes a sip for him to add, “sorry, babe, am I boyfriending wrong?”

“Stop,” you whine, wrinkling your nose to play off your humiliation as repulsion. Did he just call you babe?

“You’re cute when you’re blushing.”

“I’m not even blushing.”

“Yes, you are. You’re smiling at the table,” he giggles—what a child—and pokes your warm cheek with his index finger, “don’t lie.”

“Na Jaemin, if you don’t stop harassing me, I will have no choice but to shove this fork up your ass,” you warn, gripping said weapon and waving it in his face. He pouts, reaching for the utensil and placing it back with your other silverware, “That’s not nice. I’m just being sweet to the love of my life.”

Heart hammering against a glass ribcage, your brain once again glitches for the umpteenth time tonight, “You don’t have to fake this when no one is listening, you know.” Jaemin huffs and rolls his eyes in order to buy some time, his confession, everything he has always wanted to say, is right there, lingering on the tip of his tongue but, as usual, something always seems to get in the way of his thought process.

“Sir, what will you have to drink?”

You watch, stifling a laugh as Jaemin jumps in surprise, sputtering for words and you almost take pity on him if it were not for the unhealthy beating of your heart as a result of his words. “Uh, c-chocolate milk, please.”

“And for you, miss?”

“Chocolate milk, too.”

“You did that on purpose,” Jaemin snorts once the waiter moves along, flipping over his menu and you gape, ready to smack the sly grin off his face no matter how unacceptably gorgeous the warm glow of the lamps make him.

“What? What’d I do?”

“Order the same thing as me on my birthday,” he smirks, scanning over the laminated paper and ignoring your annoyance like nobody’s business. “Excuse me, sir. Am I not allowed to have the same drink as you?” Snorting, you finally look to your own menu, picking at the hem of your dress because why does he have to be so infuriating?

“Yo,” he bugs you not a heartbeat later, digging his elbow into your side, “my Mom wants to take a picture.”

“Oh! Sure,” sitting up, you first reach up to fix a stray strand of his hair before leaning impossibly closer, shoulder against his chest and presenting your best smile as she taps her phone screen. “Ma, make sure you get this one,” Jaemin pipes up, pushing you off from his chest only to twist you to face him, you giggle at his mindless manhandling, allowing him to lay your hair however he likes.

“What are we doing? Goofy pic?” You ask, reeling him back after his meticulous fixing. When he does not answer, you tilt your head curiously, unable to read his expression but then he’s leaning closer and oh.

His lips taste and feel just as chapped as they look, although you cannot think of any feeling better than them pressed to your own, breathing him into your lungs like a starved man, and wow this is so much better than all the hours you have spent imagining this. The warmth of his tongue just barely brushes your own when you pull back, no matter how much it pains you to do so but now is not the time to shove your tongue down his throat, nerves burning a fire under your skin.

“You stopped,” Jaemin whispers, warm breath fanning over your cheeks when he leans his forehead against yours. “Believe me, buddy, I wanted that kiss to be more than a peck, too. But I don’t want your family to judge,” you chuckle breathlessly, itching to kiss him again but what was that?

“Buddy?”

You sigh, “Nana, I don’t know what to call you after that,” Jaemin sucks in a sharp breath at this, finally fluttering open his eyelids to gaze upon you with all the adoration in the world as you go on, “that was more than pretending, wasn’t it?”

“Yeah,” he hums, scanning over your features for any sign of doubt before, “I don’t know how to ask out my best friend.”

“Do you just want to skip all that talking nonsense and just go right to the dating part?”

“Yeah, I like the sound of that. I think we’ve done a pretty good job so far,” Jaemin smiles softly, pressing an angel soft peck to the corner of your mouth before pulling away with yet another grin brighter than the sun itself and oh my you could get used to this.

[thelmabeaver]

Top 5 Best Rectangular Trampolines | 2017 Reviews

Top 5 Best Rectangular Trampolines | 2017 Reviews

“I really need to start getting some exercise.”

Nearly everyone who’s ever had that thought (and who hasn’t?) has visualized themselves running, jogging or biking (or working out on a treadmill or stationary bike) – and then gone right back to whatever else it was they were doing. All of those activities are great exercise and have many devotees, of course. But let’s face it, most people don’t consider them “fun.”

If you’ve been one of the many who have tried – or just thought about – some form of exercise to lose weight or tone your body, you probably never gave a thought to trampolines. You should, though, because they’re not just for kids; they provide one of the best forms of low-impact cardiovascular exercise you can get.

Quick Navigation

Quick Comparison Table

AlleyOOP 10’x17’ PowerBounce Rectangular Trampoline

ACON Air 16 Sport Trampoline

Skywalker Rectangle Trampoline, 15 Feet

Upper Bounce Rectangular Trampoline

Summit 14’ Rectangle Trampoline

NASA research has shown that “rebounding” (jumping on a trampoline) is 68% more effective than jogging, while supporting the metabolism and preventing the type of impact injuries you’re likely to suffer from the repetitive pounding that knees, ankles and hips routinely absorb while running. Trampolining also boosts circulation and helps improve bone density and strengthens ligaments, tendons and joints. In fact, the space agency now has its astronauts do trampoline exercises after space walks for all of those reasons.

Of course, kids love trampolines too – and they’re a great way to get young ones off their tablets or video game systems for fun sessions that they don’t realize are also exercise. That’s one reason why the most common types of trampolines sold today are small, round ones perfect for children, although larger round models can also bear an adult’s weight. But the traditional rectangular trampoline that you may have encountered in school or at camp is still very much with us, and is an outstanding backyard option for family rebounding exercise and fun.

High-quality rectangular trampolines are more expensive than round models, and they don’t come cheap; as you’ll soon see, our top-rated model will cost you more than $2500. However, there are many more-affordable, well-built and safe choices on the market which will give you plenty of room for multiple jumpers or for doing those cool tricks you see on TV or YouTube. They’ll even let you exercise without getting bored.

Before going through our list, you may want to check out first our Best Rectangular Trampoline Buying Guide here.​

Here’s our list of the top 5 best rectangular trampolines. We’ll start with that high-priced luxury model, and then move on to the ones that fit more easily into a normal budget.

Quick Comparison Table

AlleyOOP 10’x17’ PowerBounce Trampoline

ACON Air 16 Sport Trampoline

Skywalker Rectangle Trampoline

Upper Bounce Rectangular Trampoline

Summit 14’ Rectangle Trampoline

$$$

$$$

$$$

$$$

$$$

10’ x 17’

9’ x 16’

9’ x 15’

9’ x 15’

8’ x 14’

Pre-galvanized steel

Galvanized steel

Galvanized steel

Galvanized steel

Galvanized steel

AlleyOOP 10’x17’ PowerBounce Rectangular Trampoline

There’s just one brand that defines “highest-quality” and “home trampoline,” and that brand is AlleyOOP. They make a large range of round, oval and rectangular models which feature proprietary technology that brings the experience of jumping on a professional trampoline right into your backyard.

The PowerBounce is one of three 10 x 17 rectangular trampolines manufactured by the company, and we’ve selected it for this list because it’s the best of the bunch (and we are ranking the best, right?). The list price on the PowerBounce is $2799, compared with $2499 for the Variable Bounce and $2099 for the Classic. Since you’re probably not going to want to spend more than $2K anyway, we figured it made sense to show you the qualities that make the PowerBounce so exceptional, to help you understand the qualities that should be most important to you when looking at more-affordable trampolines. And if you’re ready to put down a few grand for a bouncer, this is all you’ll ever need to know about the PowerBounce.

The key to any great trampoline is the bounce, and AlleyOOP has a number of trademarked or proprietary technologies to send rebounders sky-high; perhaps the most important is the “TripleStage DualSpring” method of connecting the springs to the jumping mat. Without getting into too much technical detail, traditional trampolines have one level of springs which attach to the mat. On the PowerBounce, however, there are upper-level and lower-level springs which attach to different parts of the assembly (with steel V-rings and straps, not simply threaded through easily-ripped grommets) and engage at different, split-second intervals. That means the springs actually cushion the impact of landing and then act as levers to propel the jumper back up into the air – with greater force than any other trampoline can provide.

It’s not just the technology that stands out, it’s also the quality of the springs. Standard trampolines use springs which are about seven inches long. AlleyOOP models use industry-leading 10-inch, zinc-plated steel springs to provide the best bounce possible. The emphasis on high-quality material extends throughout the trampoline’s manufacture, with 2” heavy-duty pre-galvanized steel for the frame, a high-tensile Permatron jumping mat with U-V protection, and a jumping pad that’s made from gym-quality polyethylene foam and covered with a water-resistant, reinforced PVC outer shell. In every case, the quality is far above any other home trampoline on our list – or on the market.

The PowerBounce is tunable so the bounce can be adjusted for different skill or age levels, and the safety enclosure is built to interlock with the rest of the trampoline unlike lesser trampolines where there are gaps or holes that could pose a risk to younger children. The play space is a full 40 inches high, so there’s no chance that powerful jumpers will find the pad hitting the ground. This model can handle users weighing up to 350 pounds, and has been “real-world” tested by AlleyOOP up to 800 pounds.

In short, this really is the ultimate rectangular trampoline at a price that befits its status. We can’t recommend it more highly.

Details of the AlleyOOP 10’x17’ PowerBounce Rectangular Trampoline

Size

Rectangular, 10’ x 17’ diameter

Frame

Pre-galvanized steel

Springs

164 10” zinc-plated steel

Mats

Permatron, UV-shielded

Weight Rating

350 pounds, single user (tested to 800 pounds, multiple users)

Warranty

Lifetime

Check Price On Amazon

ACON Air 16 Sport Trampoline

We’ll be looking at less-expensive rectangular trampolines from this point on, and you’ll be happy to know that it’s possible to move down about $1000 in price and get most of the PowerBounce’s performance with this Finnish-designed ACON model. It’s not quite as big, at 16 x 9 feet, but the jump on the Air 16 is really, really good.

The strength of this trampoline is due in large part to the fact that ACON uses many of the same approaches that AlleyOOP does, although not always with the same top-level manufacturing techniques. The Air 16 has the same 10-inch long springs, but there are fewer of them and they’re all attached to the jumping platform at the same level. It has the same type of strong polypropylene UV-treated mat, but it’s cross-sewn six times instead of ten and has a somewhat-lesser vinyl pad instead of foam. The safety net is strong, but it’s attached to the outside and not integral to the structure. As you can see, the techniques are similar – but since you’re paying $1K less, you just don’t get the same incredible attention to quality and detail as you do with the PowerBounce.

What you do get, though, is a terrific trampoline; unless you’re a very experienced jumper, you’ll never notice the difference. The ACON is extremely sturdy (the frame is actually a little thicker than that on the PowerBounce), the manufacturer claims there’s no user weight limit (although they do admit that 800 pounds on the mat at one time would be “pushing it”) and you can definitely get big air on this unit. It also sits 40 inches off the ground, just like the AlleyOOP.

In many product categories, you’d be making an enormous sacrifice in quality by dropping down a thousand dollars in price. The Air 16 is the exception to that rule; it’s certainly not as good as the PowerBounce, but it’s a wonderful runner-up.

Details of the ACON Air 16 Sport Trampoline

Size

Rectangular, 9’ x 16’ diameter

Frame

Galvanized steel

Springs

138 10” zinc-plated steel

Mats

Polypropylene, UV-treated

Weight Rating

Manufacturer claims no weight limit

Warranty

Five years, frame and mat

Check Price On Amazon

Skywalker Rectangle Trampoline, 15 Feet

We’re now moving into the sub-$1000 range, where you’ll start having to make more “sacrifices” in size and/or quality. The Skywalker requires you to give a little in both categories, but is still a very substantial backyard trampoline that costs around $600. This is a 15 by 9 foot model, so that’s the size concession you’ll be making. The quality concessions come primarily in performance rather than safety or durability – so all in all, that’s not a bad deal for saving about $2000 off the price of the PowerBounce.

The Skywalker has a rust-resistant galvanized steel frame with reinforced T-sockets that make the unit relatively easy to assemble and disassemble, and the pad and mat (attached with V-rings, not grommets) are made from foam and UV-resistant PVC, not as thick as on our first two reviewed models but still designed to stand up to wear and quite comfortable for jumpers. The performance difference stems comes from the fact that there are only 76 7.5-inch springs attached to the jumping platform, as opposed to the 138 or 164 10-inch springs on the ACON and AlleyOOP, respectively. Kids and older amateurs probably won’t notice, but experienced trampolinists certainly will.

This is a safe trampoline, and one nice feature that you see on all Skywalker trampolines is the way the safety net attaches to the jumping surface: a buttonhole design that eliminates the small holes which can trap younger jumpers’ fingers or toes.

As a model which should keep the family satisfied for a number of years without structural issues, this is a good mid-range trampoline.

Details of the Skywalker Rectangle Trampoline, 15 Feet

Size

Rectangular, 9’ x 15’ diameter

Frame

Galvanized steel

Springs

76 7.4” rust-resistant steel

Mats

Polypropylene, UV-treated

Weight Rating

250 pounds, single user

Warranty

One year frame, 90 days materials

Check Price On Amazon

Upper Bounce Rectangular Trampoline

We would have ranked the Upper Bounce at #3 on our list of the top 5 best rectangular trampolines if it wasn’t so darn hard to assemble (despite the fact that the manufacturer includes the words “Easy Assemble” in the official name of this product). The 9 x 15 model costs about $100 more than the Skywalker (there’s also an 8 x 14 version that’s the same price as the Skywalker), but we liked the fact that some of the construction details on the Upper Bounce make the jumping platform better able to stand up to continued use by rambunctious kids. It was just hard to assemble.

The frame is made from heavy-duty steel, there are only 90 springs but they’re 8.5 inches long, and the polypropylene mat has eight rows of stitching, more than all of the competition except for the PowerBounce. That explains why the performance of this trampoline exceeds what you’d expect from a lower-priced rectangular trampoline. The safety net is well-constructed, the platform is 35 inches off the ground, and the unit bounces well. We’d suggest taking it in over the winter if the weather’s bad in your area to protect the fabric, but otherwise the Upper Bounce should give you lots of use for well under a thousand dollars.

Details of the Upper Bounce Rectangular Trampoline

Size

Rectangular, 9’ x 15’ diameter

Frame

Galvanized steel

Springs

90 8.5” rust-resistant steel

Mats

Polypropylene, UV-treated

Weight Rating

500 pounds, single user (according to manufacturer)

Warranty

Not specified

Check Price On Amazon

Summit 14’ Rectangle Trampoline

Time for honesty: there are really only four rectangular trampolines that we originally chose to put on this list. The others you commonly find don’t bounce well at all, aren’t safe – or are competition models which will cost you more than $10,000.

So to fill out our list of the top 5 best rectangular trampolines we’re going back to Skywalker for another of their models, the Summit, which is quite similar to the namesake Skywalker we reviewed earlier but a bit smaller, at 14 x 8. The galvanized steel frame with T-sockets is the same and the jumping surface is the same polypropylene/PVC combination. But even though this trampoline is smaller than the Skywalker it has more springs, 82 as opposed to 76, which is the reason why the Summit performs a little better than its big brother. It’s also probably the reason why it costs about $70 more, despite having a smaller jumping area.

Our preferences run to a bigger trampoline with all other factors being more or less equal, which is why we put the Skywalker higher on our rankings. This is an equally good choice, though – maybe even a bit better if you’re buying with smaller kids in mind.

Details of the Summit 14’ Rectangle Trampoline

Size

Rectangular, 8’ x 14’ diameter

Frame

Galvanized steel

Springs

82 7.4” rust-resistant steel

Mats

Polypropylene, UV-treated

Weight Rating

200 pounds, single user

Warranty

One year frame, 90 days materials

Check Price On Amazon

Originally posted 2016-06-17 06:46:01.

The post Top 5 Best Rectangular Trampolines | 2017 Reviews appeared first on ParentsNeed.

Top 5 Best Rectangular Trampolines | 2017 Reviews published first on http://parentsneed.tumblr.com/

[michellegputz]

Top 5 Best Rectangular Trampolines | 2017 Reviews

Top 5 Best Rectangular Trampolines | 2017 Reviews

“I really need to start getting some exercise.”

Nearly everyone who’s ever had that thought (and who hasn’t?) has visualized themselves running, jogging or biking (or working out on a treadmill or stationary bike) – and then gone right back to whatever else it was they were doing. All of those activities are great exercise and have many devotees, of course. But let’s face it, most people don’t consider them “fun.”

If you’ve been one of the many who have tried – or just thought about – some form of exercise to lose weight or tone your body, you probably never gave a thought to trampolines. You should, though, because they’re not just for kids; they provide one of the best forms of low-impact cardiovascular exercise you can get.

Quick Navigation

Quick Comparison Table

AlleyOOP 10’x17’ PowerBounce Rectangular Trampoline

ACON Air 16 Sport Trampoline

Skywalker Rectangle Trampoline, 15 Feet

Upper Bounce Rectangular Trampoline

Summit 14’ Rectangle Trampoline

NASA research has shown that “rebounding” (jumping on a trampoline) is 68% more effective than jogging, while supporting the metabolism and preventing the type of impact injuries you’re likely to suffer from the repetitive pounding that knees, ankles and hips routinely absorb while running. Trampolining also boosts circulation and helps improve bone density and strengthens ligaments, tendons and joints. In fact, the space agency now has its astronauts do trampoline exercises after space walks for all of those reasons.

Of course, kids love trampolines too – and they’re a great way to get young ones off their tablets or video game systems for fun sessions that they don’t realize are also exercise. That’s one reason why the most common types of trampolines sold today are small, round ones perfect for children, although larger round models can also bear an adult’s weight. But the traditional rectangular trampoline that you may have encountered in school or at camp is still very much with us, and is an outstanding backyard option for family rebounding exercise and fun.

High-quality rectangular trampolines are more expensive than round models, and they don’t come cheap; as you’ll soon see, our top-rated model will cost you more than $2500. However, there are many more-affordable, well-built and safe choices on the market which will give you plenty of room for multiple jumpers or for doing those cool tricks you see on TV or YouTube. They’ll even let you exercise without getting bored.

Before going through our list, you may want to check out first our Best Rectangular Trampoline Buying Guide here.​

Here’s our list of the top 5 best rectangular trampolines. We’ll start with that high-priced luxury model, and then move on to the ones that fit more easily into a normal budget.

Quick Comparison Table

AlleyOOP 10’x17’ PowerBounce Trampoline

ACON Air 16 Sport Trampoline

Skywalker Rectangle Trampoline

Upper Bounce Rectangular Trampoline

Summit 14’ Rectangle Trampoline

$$$

$$$

$$$

$$$

$$$

10’ x 17’

9’ x 16’

9’ x 15’

9’ x 15’

8’ x 14’

Pre-galvanized steel

Galvanized steel

Galvanized steel

Galvanized steel

Galvanized steel

AlleyOOP 10’x17’ PowerBounce Rectangular Trampoline

There’s just one brand that defines “highest-quality” and “home trampoline,” and that brand is AlleyOOP. They make a large range of round, oval and rectangular models which feature proprietary technology that brings the experience of jumping on a professional trampoline right into your backyard.

The PowerBounce is one of three 10 x 17 rectangular trampolines manufactured by the company, and we’ve selected it for this list because it’s the best of the bunch (and we are ranking the best, right?). The list price on the PowerBounce is $2799, compared with $2499 for the Variable Bounce and $2099 for the Classic. Since you’re probably not going to want to spend more than $2K anyway, we figured it made sense to show you the qualities that make the PowerBounce so exceptional, to help you understand the qualities that should be most important to you when looking at more-affordable trampolines. And if you’re ready to put down a few grand for a bouncer, this is all you’ll ever need to know about the PowerBounce.

The key to any great trampoline is the bounce, and AlleyOOP has a number of trademarked or proprietary technologies to send rebounders sky-high; perhaps the most important is the “TripleStage DualSpring” method of connecting the springs to the jumping mat. Without getting into too much technical detail, traditional trampolines have one level of springs which attach to the mat. On the PowerBounce, however, there are upper-level and lower-level springs which attach to different parts of the assembly (with steel V-rings and straps, not simply threaded through easily-ripped grommets) and engage at different, split-second intervals. That means the springs actually cushion the impact of landing and then act as levers to propel the jumper back up into the air – with greater force than any other trampoline can provide.

It’s not just the technology that stands out, it’s also the quality of the springs. Standard trampolines use springs which are about seven inches long. AlleyOOP models use industry-leading 10-inch, zinc-plated steel springs to provide the best bounce possible. The emphasis on high-quality material extends throughout the trampoline’s manufacture, with 2” heavy-duty pre-galvanized steel for the frame, a high-tensile Permatron jumping mat with U-V protection, and a jumping pad that’s made from gym-quality polyethylene foam and covered with a water-resistant, reinforced PVC outer shell. In every case, the quality is far above any other home trampoline on our list – or on the market.

The PowerBounce is tunable so the bounce can be adjusted for different skill or age levels, and the safety enclosure is built to interlock with the rest of the trampoline unlike lesser trampolines where there are gaps or holes that could pose a risk to younger children. The play space is a full 40 inches high, so there’s no chance that powerful jumpers will find the pad hitting the ground. This model can handle users weighing up to 350 pounds, and has been “real-world” tested by AlleyOOP up to 800 pounds.

In short, this really is the ultimate rectangular trampoline at a price that befits its status. We can’t recommend it more highly.

Details of the AlleyOOP 10’x17’ PowerBounce Rectangular Trampoline

Size

Rectangular, 10’ x 17’ diameter

Frame

Pre-galvanized steel

Springs

164 10” zinc-plated steel

Mats

Permatron, UV-shielded

Weight Rating

350 pounds, single user (tested to 800 pounds, multiple users)

Warranty

Lifetime

Check Price On Amazon

ACON Air 16 Sport Trampoline

We’ll be looking at less-expensive rectangular trampolines from this point on, and you’ll be happy to know that it’s possible to move down about $1000 in price and get most of the PowerBounce’s performance with this Finnish-designed ACON model. It’s not quite as big, at 16 x 9 feet, but the jump on the Air 16 is really, really good.

The strength of this trampoline is due in large part to the fact that ACON uses many of the same approaches that AlleyOOP does, although not always with the same top-level manufacturing techniques. The Air 16 has the same 10-inch long springs, but there are fewer of them and they’re all attached to the jumping platform at the same level. It has the same type of strong polypropylene UV-treated mat, but it’s cross-sewn six times instead of ten and has a somewhat-lesser vinyl pad instead of foam. The safety net is strong, but it’s attached to the outside and not integral to the structure. As you can see, the techniques are similar – but since you’re paying $1K less, you just don’t get the same incredible attention to quality and detail as you do with the PowerBounce.

What you do get, though, is a terrific trampoline; unless you’re a very experienced jumper, you’ll never notice the difference. The ACON is extremely sturdy (the frame is actually a little thicker than that on the PowerBounce), the manufacturer claims there’s no user weight limit (although they do admit that 800 pounds on the mat at one time would be “pushing it”) and you can definitely get big air on this unit. It also sits 40 inches off the ground, just like the AlleyOOP.

In many product categories, you’d be making an enormous sacrifice in quality by dropping down a thousand dollars in price. The Air 16 is the exception to that rule; it’s certainly not as good as the PowerBounce, but it’s a wonderful runner-up.

Details of the ACON Air 16 Sport Trampoline

Size

Rectangular, 9’ x 16’ diameter

Frame

Galvanized steel

Springs

138 10” zinc-plated steel

Mats

Polypropylene, UV-treated

Weight Rating

Manufacturer claims no weight limit

Warranty

Five years, frame and mat

Check Price On Amazon

Skywalker Rectangle Trampoline, 15 Feet

We’re now moving into the sub-$1000 range, where you’ll start having to make more “sacrifices” in size and/or quality. The Skywalker requires you to give a little in both categories, but is still a very substantial backyard trampoline that costs around $600. This is a 15 by 9 foot model, so that’s the size concession you’ll be making. The quality concessions come primarily in performance rather than safety or durability – so all in all, that’s not a bad deal for saving about $2000 off the price of the PowerBounce.

The Skywalker has a rust-resistant galvanized steel frame with reinforced T-sockets that make the unit relatively easy to assemble and disassemble, and the pad and mat (attached with V-rings, not grommets) are made from foam and UV-resistant PVC, not as thick as on our first two reviewed models but still designed to stand up to wear and quite comfortable for jumpers. The performance difference stems comes from the fact that there are only 76 7.5-inch springs attached to the jumping platform, as opposed to the 138 or 164 10-inch springs on the ACON and AlleyOOP, respectively. Kids and older amateurs probably won’t notice, but experienced trampolinists certainly will.

This is a safe trampoline, and one nice feature that you see on all Skywalker trampolines is the way the safety net attaches to the jumping surface: a buttonhole design that eliminates the small holes which can trap younger jumpers’ fingers or toes.

As a model which should keep the family satisfied for a number of years without structural issues, this is a good mid-range trampoline.

Details of the Skywalker Rectangle Trampoline, 15 Feet

Size

Rectangular, 9’ x 15’ diameter

Frame

Galvanized steel

Springs

76 7.4” rust-resistant steel

Mats

Polypropylene, UV-treated

Weight Rating

250 pounds, single user

Warranty

One year frame, 90 days materials

Check Price On Amazon

Upper Bounce Rectangular Trampoline

We would have ranked the Upper Bounce at #3 on our list of the top 5 best rectangular trampolines if it wasn’t so darn hard to assemble (despite the fact that the manufacturer includes the words “Easy Assemble” in the official name of this product). The 9 x 15 model costs about $100 more than the Skywalker (there’s also an 8 x 14 version that’s the same price as the Skywalker), but we liked the fact that some of the construction details on the Upper Bounce make the jumping platform better able to stand up to continued use by rambunctious kids. It was just hard to assemble.

The frame is made from heavy-duty steel, there are only 90 springs but they’re 8.5 inches long, and the polypropylene mat has eight rows of stitching, more than all of the competition except for the PowerBounce. That explains why the performance of this trampoline exceeds what you’d expect from a lower-priced rectangular trampoline. The safety net is well-constructed, the platform is 35 inches off the ground, and the unit bounces well. We’d suggest taking it in over the winter if the weather’s bad in your area to protect the fabric, but otherwise the Upper Bounce should give you lots of use for well under a thousand dollars.

Details of the Upper Bounce Rectangular Trampoline

Size

Rectangular, 9’ x 15’ diameter

Frame

Galvanized steel

Springs

90 8.5” rust-resistant steel

Mats

Polypropylene, UV-treated

Weight Rating

500 pounds, single user (according to manufacturer)

Warranty

Not specified

Check Price On Amazon

Summit 14’ Rectangle Trampoline

Time for honesty: there are really only four rectangular trampolines that we originally chose to put on this list. The others you commonly find don’t bounce well at all, aren’t safe – or are competition models which will cost you more than $10,000.

So to fill out our list of the top 5 best rectangular trampolines we’re going back to Skywalker for another of their models, the Summit, which is quite similar to the namesake Skywalker we reviewed earlier but a bit smaller, at 14 x 8. The galvanized steel frame with T-sockets is the same and the jumping surface is the same polypropylene/PVC combination. But even though this trampoline is smaller than the Skywalker it has more springs, 82 as opposed to 76, which is the reason why the Summit performs a little better than its big brother. It’s also probably the reason why it costs about $70 more, despite having a smaller jumping area.

Our preferences run to a bigger trampoline with all other factors being more or less equal, which is why we put the Skywalker higher on our rankings. This is an equally good choice, though – maybe even a bit better if you’re buying with smaller kids in mind.

Details of the Summit 14’ Rectangle Trampoline

Size

Rectangular, 8’ x 14’ diameter

Frame

Galvanized steel

Springs

82 7.4” rust-resistant steel

Mats

Polypropylene, UV-treated

Weight Rating

200 pounds, single user

Warranty

One year frame, 90 days materials

Check Price On Amazon

Originally posted 2016-06-17 06:46:01.

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