#please release it by monday
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nyerus · 1 year ago
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Guide to Watch TGCF Donghua Season 2
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With the new season of the Tian Guan Ci Fu/Heaven Official's Blessing donghua finally releasing soon, I wanted to make a post explaining the different ways fans can watch and support it! Things have changed since season 1, so my old guide is no longer relevant apart from the infographics on how to subscribe to Bilibili CN (and the YouTube channel)!
And to be upfront: the main sites that are going to be broadcasting the donghua have been very sparse with information. I fully expect that we will have to wait until after the first episode releases to know all the details, so while I am making this guide to help people right now, things might change! Please keep that in mind and stay patient! I will post any important updates in the replies as I can!
Additionally, because of copyright/licensing, different sites are going to work in different regions. I do not know with 100% certainty what is going to work in a particular country. There's gonna be some trial and error!
So the main options we have for season 2 are:
Crunchyroll
Sub price: $9.99 USD per month for basic (local prices may vary)
Regions: Americas, Europe, Africa, Middle East, Oceania.
Pros: Easy to subscribe to if available in your region.
Cons: Unlikely for true simulcast so it'll be a bit delayed.
Link to main site (season 2 listing not up yet)
For app: download via App Store/Google Play Store.
Bilibili. tv (EN site/app)
Sub price: $4.99 USD per month (local prices may vary)
Regions: Southeast Asia only.
Pros: Airs earlier than Crunchyroll. Interface is in English.
Cons: If you want to watch it outside of SEA, you'll need a VPN.
Link to Season 2 on website
For app: download via APK link on website if you are outside of SEA. Otherwise use App Store/Google Play Store.
Bilibili YouTube Channel
Sub price: $4.99/$5.99 USD per month (local prices may vary)
Regions: Many -- EXCEPT Japan, South Korea, the Americas, UK, Australia, New Zealand.
Pros: Easy to subscribe if available in your region.
Cons: If you want to watch it from the regions listed above, you'll need a VPN.
Link to channel
It's the youtube app....
Bilibili. com (CN site/app)
Sub price: $9.99 USD for 3 months
Regions: ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Pros: If they're gonna air season 2, then they might be the source broadcast if the EN site isn't. Also probably cheapest for those abroad.
Cons: Chinese interface may be intimidating. Not 100% sure if it'll air as normal.
Link to Season 2 on website
For app: download via App Store/Google Play Store.
(NOTE: If you are in Japan, it will be available on WOWOW. If you are in South Korea, it will be available on Laftel.)
F.A.Q.s
🔹What is the release date/time? Bilibili EN has announced it as 20:00 GMT+8 on October 18th. If it releases on Bilibili CN, it'll probably be the same time. Crunchyroll has stated October 18th, but has not yet announced a time as of the posting this guide. I checked. Japan and South Korea have their own release times, so please consult the relevant broadcasters!
🔹Can I watch it on Netflix/Amazon Prime/etc? These streaming services will likely only have it after the whole season concludes, and with a significant delay. For reference, it took several months after finishing for season 1 to be released on Netflix.
🔹Which platform should I choose? Whichever one you can actually access, and feel most comfortable using!
🔹When should I subscribe? Personally, I'll be waiting until the last day before release, just to make sure I have the most information possible. However, I'm sure the idea of doing that makes many people nervous, so... yeah. Whenever is convenient for you!
🔹Which one will have the donghua the quickest/earliest? Probably Bilibili CN & Bilibili EN. I suspect they'll simulcast with each other. I cannot be 100% certain about anything though, because of limited info! For season 1, YouTube and Funimation (now Crunchyroll) were delayed, and it's hard to say if they'll be better this time or not.
🔹Do I need a VPN for Bilibili EN or their YT channel? If you are outside of SEA, yes.
🔹Do I need a VPN for Bilibili CN? Probably not, unless you are in a country that restricts access to CN sites and apps (like India).
🔹Which VPN should I use? This will be up to you! It's best to research what the different options are, and what will work for your needs!
🔹How will I know I'll be able to watch season 2 from my region? The most surefire way is to subscribe to a platform that has officially announced to be serving your region (e.g. Crunchyroll for the Americas). Unofficially, if you can watch the latest trailer and other promo videos on your chosen platform, then there's a good chance you're okay! The exception to this is the YouTube channel, which has some of the trailers public, but has all of season 1 unavailable if you aren't in the right region.... Additionally, be mindful, because even if you're able to see season 1, season 2 might still be region-locked on certain platforms. (E.g. you can watch all of season 1 via Bilibili EN if you're from the USA no problem. But you can't access season 2 without a VPN to a SEA server.)
🔹What languages are going to be available and will there be English subtitles? While dubs for multiple languages have been confirmed, I'm unsure if any of these will be available on release. It'll likely be offered only in Chinese first. For season 1, there were hardcoded CN & EN subtitles for Bilibili on release. Funimation re-subbed the episodes (EN) for their own release, and Crunchyroll will probably do the same.
🔹I watched it on Funimation last time, can I watch it through them this time? No, they were absorbed (in some capacity idk) by Crunchyroll. So they are not distributing season 2 of TGCF, only Crunchyroll is.
🔹Is season 2 actually available in China and thus on Bilibili CN? Yes and no! As long as you are not in mainland China, it seems you will have access to season 2 through Bilibili CN. All promo materials and trailers seem to be available to us, which is a good sign! (They are not available for mainlanders, but mainland fans are able to watch via HK/Macau versions apparently.)
🔹Hopeful that it will be available, I would like to watch it via Bilibili CN, so how do I sign up and subscribe? To make an account, consult this reddit post. To subscribe, please consult the guide below! It's a little old (made it for season 1) but still works pretty much the same.
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deus-ex-mona · 3 months ago
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up next on chapter 36 of idol sengen… _(:3 」∠)_
#(my toxic trait is that i’ll complain about my work endlessly but still end up doing it anyway… eventually.)#there’s rant 1 (ft. a need to deduce what asuna is saying in full) and rant 2 (which is available in full but still…)#there’s also another mona-rambling session in chapter 38… that im not touching with a 50 foot pole#(all you need to know for that mona-rambling [about frusu] is that mona’s frusu oshi is all of them)#(and that she thinks miyu is like *the* pinnacle of centres in idol groups)#(also someone won a junior dance competition but idk who bc it’s obscured lmao)#can i outsource these panels for a corn chip lmaoooo#m. maybe i should’ve actually worked on this while i was still unemployed last month huh…#bc excuse me company wdymmmmmm im starting work next monday?? the interview was just this monday hello?#ig the interviewer was legit when she said ‘so if i asked you if you can start work next monday—’ huh…#sigh… maybe ch 36 next month then… i’ll do my best over the weekend thoughhhhh#seriously though why is this volume so text heavy l m a o i really wanna get to chapter 40 but…#and then there’s the hard to clean text boxes which… aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa#…though i guess i should just count myself lucky that the chapters are still short enough to fit into a single post (with the image limits)#but dang. i just realised that my manga sengen thing has a page on manga updates lmao#who put it there lmaooooo and why is it only up till vol 2? wait. no. what. why does it link to manga.dex#bc dang. someone really had the time to dl the thing image by image? no wonder why they stopped after vol 2…#guess i might as well say why i dont want people to reupload my tls… since we’re in the final stretch and all#so. aside from the obvious ‘idw the creators to find out about it’… i probably made a ton of mistakes while tling it. esp in the early chaps#so i’d like to. y’know. have the chance to update the tls where possible. i’ve done that a couple of times already tbh.#like with rippei’s name post-vol 4 release. and some of the typesetting is p. gross in the early chaps tbvh#i swear tling idol sengen has made me incredibly conscious of grammar and typesetting like you wouldnt believe#esp with official tls… fan tls will always be perfect to me no matter how wonky the wording bc it’s hard but honest work yk#official tls (esp a.i tls) get no concessions from me bc it’s their job that they’re getting paid to do yk.#in any case (if you’ve read this far) if you see any mistakes in the tl please lemme know~~~ please dont hold back on your criticisms ok~~~?#just sound ‘em out in dms here or sth. don’t worry~~~ i won’t eat y’all if you try to correct me~~~~~ unless you’re the md reuploader (jk)#and ik i disabled comments on the other blog (or tried to at least) but that’s bc idw bots to flood the comments bc that’s annoying as he—#anyways sorry for the idol sengen wait (if anyone was waiting for it…) i’ll improve on my work ethic… tomorrow. maybe.
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bohemian-nights · 2 years ago
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Me still trying to use that blurry photo of Nettles to find out who her actress presumably is🔍
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getting-messi · 2 years ago
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BREAKING NEWS🚨🚨🚨🚨
I AM ALIVE!!!🥳🤩💃🏾💃🏾
#omg im so sorry for being offline for so long#i miss this website so much :((((((((#life was beating THE HELL OUT OF ME😮‍💨#okay so first i'll talk about some of my thoughts with football and what i missed and then updates about what's been going on with me#**i really wanted to come back online and let y'all know what's up but my sis's getting married this Sunday so i ill FULLY be back Monday#i just wanted to catch up on my notification but I'll go thru my inbox on Monday/Tuesday#okay FOOTBALL:#screw psg like sincerly#i cant believe theyre causing all this mess with him after he took his family on vacation😭#like the pics are SO CUTE??? how could you possibly punish him for that#also it speaks SO MUCH to his character that he FULLY recorded an apology vid like i thought he just released a typed statement#he really showing them so much more respect than they are treating him#im still salty about the lack of wc celebration....and fans booing him outside his house?? losers LOSERSSSS#i also think they're trying to act snobby about not extending him but with neymar most likely leaving they literally have too much to lose#also neymar expecting a child???? how did not know the girl he got pregnant?? so crazy SO crazy#anyways im also not optimistic about barca and messi....as much as they may talk the big variable here is La Liga allowing it to happen#they were the reason behind messi leaving and they're the only thing stopping him from coming back#as much as i dont BELIEVE messi would go to Saudi Arabia right now....i still really hate the rumours about Al-Hilal...like shut up please#if all else fails.....Pep por favor please just bring Messi to city...its not too late#he can be on the bench i don't even mind....i just HATE him at psg but i don't want him to leave Europe#In other news....Arsenal.....my heart hurts too much and I've expected that they wont be winning the league :'(((((#NOW about ME :))))#bad news first - DESPISE my job LIKE to the point where I'm crying almost daily about it but i cant quit. i jus want one summer to relax#good news: OFFICIALLY DONE MY UNDERGRADUATE DEGREEEEEEEE��🏾😭🤧✨#THANK GOOODDDDDDDD ALHAMDULILAHHHHHHHHHH#SO DAMN HAPPY SO SO SO HAPPY!!!!!!!!!!#i also took my graduation pictures yesterday (thank you to the anons that told me i should get them done)#and i took the NEW ARGENTINA JERSEY WITH THE 3 STARS AND MESSI ON THE BACK AND POSED WITH IT😭😭🤣#im OBSESSED with the pic omg if i wasn't so paranoid about showing my face on this website i would've shared it#but yeah and my graduation is JUNE 9th!!! I AM SO EXCITED! Got a really pretty dress and it literally couldn't come soon enough :)
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merlilica · 2 years ago
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Rehab - by Weathers
WHITE ● GREY ● BLACK
You make my life flash right before my eyes So good to so bad every time Death kiss, red lips, push me over the edge I'm losing my head
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risingsunresistance · 2 years ago
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the wizard tower got updated a bit... we might be seeing the actual update soon, i hope you guys are ready for a massive wall of posts the day that happens 👀💖
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f1fantasys · 5 months ago
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uhm so i have an idea where Lando is working out alone to release his emotions, perhaps after a bad day or bad race. but suddenly, you enter the gym, which annoys him because he wanted to be alone right now.
however, as you start working out, he kinda ogling your 🍒 and eventually decides to approach you to talk and that led to the spicy part when he starts touching you and fucked you on one of the bench using you to let out his anger 🫣 tysm!!!
THIS!! I don't feel like I've done this INCREDIBLE request justice. So someone please write a better one and tag me in it! @ccsainzleclerc5516 you would do amazing at this!
POST RACE WORKOUT
Warnings - smut!! need i say more?
2.4 words. IDK why it's so short - feel like i have writers block.
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The Monaco weekend was always a fun one. Fun, but extremely busy, especially being a Sky presenter. From the Monday leading up to the weekend you'd been in and out of meetings, events, and not to mention recording and being live on air for several hours a day. But you loved it, and you wouldn't have it any other way.
But now that the race and post-race shows were finally over, you still had a lot of adrenaline and energy to burn, which is why you currently found yourself walking up the stairs to the gym, wearing the tightest tights and a sports bra. It was well past midnight, but, having connections had its perks, so here you were.
You pushed open the door and stopped in your tracks. There was some distant music playing and as your eyes scanned the room you definitely weren't expecting to find Lando Norris who was currently lifting weights, shirtless, might I add. He stopped what he was doing and stood up, eyes shamelessly searching your body, but an annoyed look on his face.
''Uh, hey'' you greeted.
All he did was nod his head.
''You good?'' you couldn't help but ask at the way he was looking at you. You felt you own cheeks heat up as you gawked at his body that was riled with sweat.
''Yeah'' was all he said as he turned around and continued what he was doing.
You of course have had a lot of interaction with Lando - several interviews and social media videos which meant you'd spent quite a lot of time with him. Obviously, he was one hell of hot man, and yes, you looked, but you'd never touch. Your work was too important to get involved with any of the drivers. You'd also noticed him looking more often than not, but you never allowed your mind to go there.
As you stood there for a few minutes you couldn't help but feel bad for the guy. He'd had a shitty race - mclaren had fucked his strategy, once again, and he didn't get the win. So you totally understood why he was in the gym at the time - also trying to get rid of the adrenaline.
You dragged your feet to the treadmill and hopped on, setting a medium pace, trying to focus on something else and not the half naked man across the room.
After about 15 minutes you slowed your pace down a bit, grabbing your towel to wipe the sheet of sweat over your face and arms. As you walked over to do some weights, you looked ahead in the mirror and locked eyes with Lando. He was standing drinking his water, and you watched as his eyes left yours and shamelessly looked your body up and down again. To be fair - you were swearing the skimpiest gym clothes which left nothing to the imagination.
What you didn't know was that Lando had been eye fucking you the full 15 minutes you were running. He had wanted to be alone, let out his frustration, but that changed the minute he realized it was you who walked through the door. He licked his lips as he saw how your tights wrapped around your ass so perfectly, how your boobs were bouncing and threatening to spill out of your bra, how you back muscles flexed as you ran, and how sweat covered your body making you glisten under the lights. Lando had always found you attractive to say the least, and now he was painfully hard by just watching you workout. He wanted nothing more than to walk up to you and rip your clothes off, bend you over, and rail into you.
You tried your best to ignore him and focus on your task, so you sat on the bench and started brench pressing, heavy breaths leaving your mouth.
Suddenly, you saw Lando standing above you, staring down, and his own breathing just as heavy as yours.
Before you could react and say anything, he held onto the weights and pryed it out of your hands.
''Lan-'' you started, but he cut you off.
''Shh'' you said, before walking around and facing you as you sat up. He took a seat in front of you, legs on either side of the bench as yours were.
You swore you heart was beating out of your chest right now. He looked so heavenly. Bright green eyes, curls messy and sticking to his forehead. And not to mention his god-damn beautiful torso. Muscles taught and defined, with sweat dripping down, his own body shining in the lights.
''Eyes up here'' he said, smirking, catching you out for staring.
''Fuck'' you mumbled to yourself, before you looked up at him.
You felt as his hands found your waist and effortlessly slid you closer to him, and now your breaths were mingling, the heat in your body rising.
As you found yourselves in an apparent staring contest, Lando's hands started roaming your body He traced your arms up and down, your shoulders, you back, and your breath hitched as he suddenly slipped them under your sports bra, feeling up your boobs and fondling with them.
You closed your eyes and tried to calm your breathing, but that was impossible with the fact that he was sitting right in front of you and touching you. Now he was rolling your nipples between his fingers, pulling at and tugging them, earning himself a moan from you.
''Lando'' you panted, needing more, almost grinding yourself on the bench.
''I know baby''
The nickname gave you goosebumps, and you couldn't help but open your eyes and smile at him.
Soon after, Lando tore your bra off of you, revealing your perky boobs. He lowered his head and latched his mouth onto your left nipple. Biting and sucking on it before using his tongue to sooth over.
Your hands found his hair and you pulled at his curls, edging him on, begging him some more. ''Lando, please'' you said, grinding down on the bench harder than before.
He lifted his head and crashed his lips to yours. It was eager and messy, tongues clashing and spit sliding down both yours and Lando's chin. He bit on your lower lip and you felt him slide his hands through your tights to grope at your ass. By now you were cupping his face, pulling him impossibly closer. While his one hand stayed on your ass, the other slid round to your front and cupped your cunt.
The action has you arching off the bench, breath increasing ever so much as he slid his fingers through your folds, which were soaking by now - something that didn't go unnoticed by him.
''Already dripping for me, love?'' he asked, voice thick and hoarse with his British accent.
''Uh huh'' was all you managed to say, biting your lips at the feeling of his calloused fingers rough against your clit, which he found rather quickly.
He captured your lips with his as he thrust two fingers through your entrance, the swift movement making you tremble in his arms.
''Ride my fingers y/n'' he said between breaths.
And so you did, you rode his fingers hard and fast, and just as he curled them at just the right time, feeling you soft cushiony spot inside of you, you felt a warmth begin to build in your stomach.
No word spoken and Lando added a third finger, sending you trembling over the edge as you latched onto his shoulder for support to ride you through your orgasm.
He slowed his fingers, eyes never leaving yours, before pulling them out and shamelessly licking them clean of you cum, moaning at the taste.
''Hmm, so fucking delicious'''he said, smirking, as you watched, mouth agape.
''Lando please'' you panted. ''Need to feel you in me'' you said, looking at him with longing eyes.
When you looked at him again, his whole demeanor changed. His eyes became ridiculously darker and the emotion he wore on his face was a mix of sudden anger and frustration.
He didn't say anything. Instead, he man handled you to lay down before he ripped your tights off of you and stood up to free himself of his constraints.
You watched as his hard cock bounced first then stood tall and angry.
''Fuck, he's big'' you thought to yourself as he placed himself between your legs.
Lando leaned down to kiss you as you took him in your hands and pumped him a few times, using your thumb to spread his pre cum around his tip.
The movement had him bucking forward, grunting into your mouth.
He pulled back and looked you in the eyes. ''You sure?'' he asked.
''Please. Please fuck me''
He lined himself up and wasted no time in slamming into you, bottoming out in one thrust.
''Shit'' you gasped. He was definitely the biggest you'd ever had, and the sting was intense. But this was Lando Norris, and you were determined to let him have his way with you.
He finally started moving, setting a pace that had your eyes rolling to the back of your head as your nails dug deep into his skin.
''So fucking tight, fuck y/n''
''Oh, Lando, yes, please, yes'' you cried out, unable to keep your moans at bay.
Lando continued to fuck into you while his mouth found your boobs and sucked hard at them, surely leaving purple bruises for tomorrow.
Within minutes you could feel your walls begin to clench around him, your orgasm approaching fast.
''Fuck, gonna cum Lan-'' you started but before you could finish he pulled out. You whined at him, an annoyed whine which you knew would edge him on further.
He scooped you up with such an ease, and suddenly you were flipped over and on your tummy, Lando sliding into your cunt with force again.
He bunched up your hair and pulled it tight, earning pornographic moans from your mouth straight to his ear.
''Can't win a fucking race but at least I got you begging for me'' he said through bated breaths, finally railing you the way he wanted from when you first walked in.
''Fuck Lando, you won. You won for me'' you moaned. You didn't care what the outcome of the actual race was - in your eyes, he was always a winner.
''Doing so well for me babygirl. That's tight.''
This time your orgasm gave you no warning. Hearing him call you babygirl pushed you over the edge, your body shuddering underneath him and your juices spluttering all over.
You moaned his name as you came, and if anything, he sped up his movements briefly before sliding out of you again.
This time he sat facing the mirror and pulled you up to sit down his lap, facing the mirror as well.
You immediately sank down on his now throbbing dick, setting a harsh pace as his hand snaked its way around you and settled on your throat.
''Want you to watch yourself fuck me'' he roughly whispered in your ear.
You kept your eyes on each other while you rode him, Lando's occasionally dropping down to watch how your boobs bounced up and down with each thrust.
''Fuck'' you hissed as you felt another orgasm approaching.
''Fucking me so good baby, go on. Be my slut'' he urged you to carry on.
Your movements were becoming sloppier, unable to hold yourself up and able to continue to thrust so Lando had to take matters into his own hands.
He was now fucking into you again, but at a relentless pace, clearly chasing his own orgasm as well.
''Together, yeah?'' he asked, his hand sliding down to toy at your clit.
You couldn't hold it in anymore. ''Fuck, Lando, now. I need to cum'' you said, as you felt his cock twitching inside of you.
The room now filled with grunts and moans, swear words flying everywhere as you both reached your climax, juices spilling out of you like the end of the worlds. Lando made sure to empty his load painting your walls white with his warm splutter.
You sank back down on him, letting your weight fall back leaning on him.
You locked eyes in the mirror again, both trying to catch your breaths, sweat dripping down the both of you.
Now that he got his release, Lando couldn't help but feel ashamed at the fact that he used you. Although this was the best sex he'd had in a long time, he felt he needed to apologize, and hope he hadn't fucked up a chance at anything more.
You could feel him softening inside of you, but neither made any attempt to move.
''Lan-''
''Wait. Fuck. I'm sorry if I was too rough'' he said, shyly.
''What?''
''I'm sorry i called you a slut. It was a complement, actually. I just had all this adrenaline from the race. And you were there. And...Fuck, i couldn't help myself'' he was rambling.
''Lando stop.'' you said firmer than you intended to. ''I didn't say I didn't enjoy it. Did I?'' you asked.
He shook his head.
''Really, it was so fucking good, and I'm glad it was me. I'm glad you used me''
''I-What?''
''Yeah, think I needed it as much as you did'' you said.
He wrapped his arms around you holding you tighter.
''Well then I'm glad you walked through the door. Thank you'' he cooed.
You smiled at him and slowly got up, letting him slip out of you, when something dawned on you.
''You ripped my clothes, Lando! literally'' you shrieked, eyes wide and a chuckle filling the air.
He stood up and pecked your lips.
''Well then, you'll just have to come home with me'' he said, smirking, but throwing his t-shirt to you to wear.
As he watching you put it on, he couldn't help but notice the stickiness dripping out of you.
''Fuck'' he mumbled, more to himself.
''What?'' you asked, as you didn't even release he was still watching you.
He didn't say anything, instead he bent down and licked your core, collecting the mixture of both of your cum.
The action had your breath hitching, not expecting it at all. You held onto his head as he did what he did, before he stood back up and let the juice slide out of his mouth and into your, before he kissed you roughly again.
''So fucking hot. Round 2 at mines?'' he asked.
You just smiled and walked to the door, opening it while gesturing him to follow you out.
REMEMBER - requests are open!
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our-trans-punk-experience · 5 months ago
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FAR RIGHT RIOTS
REBLOG THIS PLEASE!!
shit is bad in the UK but obviously it is immensly confusing and I know some people wouldn't want to search up the news given how volatile it is, so here is a timeline of events. warnings for talk of violence, child death, racism, police ect
Monday 29/07: mass stabbing occured in Southport at a kids dance class, three girls died on scene, several others were hospitalised. An at time unnamed 17 y old boy was arrested on suspicion, and a knife was seized. later
Tuesday 30/07: having read false news suggesting that the attacker was a muslim immigrant who had arrived on a small boat, far-right groups with links to the EDL their leader Tommy Robinson took to the internet to imply the attacker was Muslim attacked a mosque in Southport, and after being declared a public disturbance, the police showed up and started trying to disperse them. This very quickly spiralled into a riot in which 39 police were hospitalised. Also on this day, Nigel fucking Farage, leader of far-right party Reform UK tweeted a video in which asked if the police were lying that the attack was not "terror related", furthering belief that the attacker was Muslim
Wednesday 31/07: violent anti immigrant protest continued, and there were mass riots in London. The PM spoke out denouncing the far right rioters as "violent thugs who would feel the full force of the law"
Thursday 01/08 : to try and curb the spread of misinformation, the police released the identity of their suspect - Axel Rudakubana, born in Cardiff to Rwandan parents in hope that the confirmation that he is not a Muslim immigrant would stop the rioting. It has not. PM Starmer released a statement saying that these were "coordinated attacks by the far right. " and that "this is not a protest that got out of hand these are individuals bent on violence"
Friday Night 02/08: Riots started in Sunderland late at night with reports of "serious violence". Starmer announced he had a plan to tackle far right violence.
Saturday 03/08: New far right mob action started in Manchester, Bristol, Hull, Belfast, Stoke, and Nottingham. Nottingham saw the first counterprotest, and as I write this, clashes between antifacist protestors and the far right is on going. The racists are setting fire to migrant housing buildings and attacking both police and counterprotestors countrywide. Dispersal orders have been issued for every city centre and major town centre across the UK.
Sunday 04/08: a "nick em quick" approach is to be used against the rioters in a hope to remove the far right mob from the street as soon as possible. There have been over 100 arrests. There are no plans to bring in the army, say ministers. There is a current attack on a migrant housing building in Rotherham.
I will keep posting updates as this unfolds so watch this space. This is obviously terrifying, so I want you to focus on actionable points.
stop the spread of misinformation. i can cite all my sources on a different post if you would like, but know that i visited ten different news sites, and also watched all the live news coverage to make this post. if you see any new information, fact check it. if you see someone spreading misinformation anywhere, DO SOMETHING. call them out and correct them and if they don't fix it, report them.
take care of any of your friends who aren't white, or if you aren't white, consider not going anywhere alone. racists don't discriminate in their discrimination. they are violent, deranged, and several are armed.
unless you are attending a counterprotest, stay the fuck out of town and city centres!!!!
STAY SAFE OUT THERE!! always in solidarity
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katsukistofu · 6 months ago
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peaches (you're the cream of the crop)
contents ౨ৎ ⋆ touya todoroki x fem reader. fluff. slightly suggestive. cursing. ⭑ a series of grocery trips after touya is discharged from the hospital gives you both a sense of normalcy you never thought you’d be able to have again.
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monday
“put it back.” he wrinkles his nose as you continue to pick out tomatoes from the neat stack in front of you. “i said put it back.”
you stick your tongue out and tie up the bag after you put the last tomato in, dropping it in the cart he was pushing.
“ew.”
you giggle, he was acting like a little kid.
“touyaaa, you have to eat your veggies to grow big and strong.”
“bullshit. all the brat eats is soba and he’s almost taller than me now.” he grumbles. “and tomatoes are fruits.”
“tastes like a veggie.” your hip gently bumps into his after you walk back to him from the vegetables. “and maybe shoto’s taller than you ‘cause he actually listens to me.”
he rolls his eyes at that, and hesitantly reaches for your hand.
he’s still not used to being with you like this, alone, despite knowing you stayed by his side through countless hospital visits he wished he was conscious for.
but it’s okay because you’re here now, soft skin soothing against his rough, charred flesh. you don’t seem to mind though, not even the fact that he tends to holds you a little more tightly than he used to.
touya doesn’t let go of your hand. not once. not when you went to get a napa cabbage, or when you inspected the peaches on sale for any mushy spots.
or even when he lets you drag him to a stand in the freezer aisle where a nice store employee offers you two samples of gyoza, which was surprisingly good considering it was from a brand you’ve never heard of.
you feed touya his share, his eyes wide as he waits for you to finish blowing on it for him before holding it in front of his lips to eat.
not until you ask “can you go get more bags for me touya?” in that soft voice of yours that turns his knees to jelly, does he even consider the idea of releasing you from his grasp. you ran out when you were getting green onions.
turquoise eyes flicker to you, a hint of disappointment in them. he really doesn’t want to let go.
with a quick glance around, it’s obvious the supermarket was practically empty. which made sense, the two of you purposely chose to come on a monday morning.
perfect.
you use the handle of the cart to push yourself on your tippy toes, taking the opportunity to give him a soft kiss on the cheek.
“please?”
he blinks rapidly, ducking his head down as he barely bites back a smile. you had him wrapped around your little finger and you didn’t even know it sometimes.
he’s always been weak for you.
“‘kay. be right back.” and you can’t help the laugh that bubbles up from your throat, knowing he means it this time.
from now on, he’ll always come back to you. to home.
he quickly returns from his trip to the dispenser roll of plastic bags near the checkout line and promptly dumps them in the cart.
“i changed my mind.” he says as he swiftly slips behind you to hug your waist, catching you in the middle of putting a packet of tofu skin in the nearly full cart. a soft weight can be felt on your hair as his chin rests on your head.
you smile, squeezing his forearms. “about what?”
“….i guess i’ll eat tomatoes.”
“awww, for me?”
“only for you.”
friday
— wild geraniums are rich in flower symbolism. they are associated with love, peace, joy, health, fertility, and spirituality.
it was a warm friday afternoon the next time you and touya go shopping.
the shizuoka prefecture had reached a new high today for the month, a sweltering thirty four degrees, and by the time you two get there you’re sweating bullets.
the cold air conditioning blasts you in the face, cooling your sweat as you’re met with the sight of mothers and elderly women bustling around, carts laden with fresh produce to last the next few weeks by cooking warm meals for their families.
he sighs next to you as the both of you stand in silence, enjoying the breeze for just moment longer.
touya grabs a basket for you, since you’re only planning to grab a few things for shoto anyway. a light pink sticky note rests on the palm of your hand, and he watches as you peer at the youngest’s neat handwriting.
a packet of soba noodles, a new pocky flavor, mousse matcha, that he wanted to try with his friends, and a bottle of green tea.
the two of you are in the snack aisle when he texts, touya too busy examining the ingredients of a box of choco-pie to notice you taking your phone out.
shoto [08:51]
Sorry for the late notice, can you please pick up a potted flower?
It’s for mom.
But don’t let Touya-nii pick.
It’s your choice that I trust.
you giggle at his remark, while your fingers fumble for the pen you know is somewhere.
thankfully, touya saves you by magically pulling it out from the depths of your bag, and places it in the palm of your hand.
you whisper a quick thanks and kiss his cheek. his face goes hot the moment you pull away to scribble on the list in your hand.
‘stop by the plant nursery’ is added to your sticky. it was only a block away on the way back to the todoroki house, so touya and you could just swing by really quick after getting shoto’s stuff. due to lack of a hard surface to write on, your writing was kind of messy.
maybe you should’ve asked touya if you could use his chest, but you doubt the grandmas in the aisle over would approve.
a new notification pops up on your screen.
natsuo [09:03]
helloo my favorite future sister-in-law
can u pick up some fish for sashimi pls
pls pls i got an A on my presentation today
touya leans over your shoulder to read the text and fakes a gag. he never liked fish, and eating it raw? no way in hell.
between the four of them inheriting most of their mother’s likeness (fuck whatever his dad’s weak ass excuse for genes was), you’d think they’d also gain her love of warm dishes like oden and niku-jaga.
as the eldest, of course it was his duty to set things straight and comment on his sibling’s questionable tastes.
you [09:04]
ew
you [09:04]
hot soba is better
mission accomplished, touya proudly hands your phone back to you. you bite back a laugh as you read his texts.
how eloquent of him.
natsuo [09:05]
????????
natsuo [09:05]
BITCH
I KNOW THATS YOU TOUYA
you roll your eyes at the two’s antics and grab your boyfriends hand, leading him to the seafood section.
a wide array of fish was displayed before you, and you take a picture of the ones labeled for sashimi.
you [09:10]
which one? :)
natsuo [09:11]
the salmon !!!!!
you [09:12]
ʕ •ᴥ•ʔゝ☆
natsuo [09:13]
THANK USOMHCH
I LOV YOU
MORE THANTOUYA
another notification appears as you quickly swipe out of natsuo’s texts before your boyfriend can throw your phone across the supermarket.
fuyumi [09:26]
are you guys at the mart right now?
you [09:27]
we are lol :9
did natsu brag about getting sashimi the moment he got home from his lecture?
fuyumi [09:28]
yeah.
giggling a little, you can almost hear her slightly exasperated tone.
you take a picture of an unsuspecting dabi looking at the frozen steamed buns and he side eyes you after you turn away, already having a sneaking suspicion who you were sending it to.
you [09:28]
touyamakinghearteyesatredbeanbuns.png
fuyumi [09:30]
fatass
you muffle your laughter as touya stalks over to you, swiping the phone out of your hands just as fuyumi texts again.
fuyumi [09:31]
anyways i was going to ask
can you add panko bread crumbs to your cart please?
i wanted make katsudon for you all tonight :>
touya’s types furiously as you hide your face in his chest in a silent fit of laughter.
you [09:32]
only if you take back calling me a fatass, fatass
fuyumi [09:33]
please i’ve hear worse threats from my kindergarteners in the sandbox
you’re almost to the checkout line, before touya stops you.
you don’t even have to take a glance in the direction he’s looking in.
“touya, no.”
“touya, yes.”
he wants to grin so bad but his new staples are still fresh from last week’s surgery.
his mouth settles for a safe pout to win your pity.
unfortunately for him you had an iron will in concerns to his health.
“the nurse said ‘no processed foods for the next thirteen days.’ that includes shrimp chips, dummy.”
your hand around his bicep is firm as you drag him away, and he stares longingly back at the snack aisle.
“where are we going?” he murmurs, the grocery bags that he had insisted carrying in one hand while letting you drag him along in the other.
he makes sure he’s walking on the side of the curb.
you slow your pace to walk beside him and he can hear the teasing smile in your voice.
“to bring a baby home to your mom.”
“okay… wait what?!”
he stares at the potted geraniums in your hands as you exit the plant nursery, eyes flicking up to meet your cheeky grin.
“our baby.”
so that’s what you meant.
you looked a little too pleased with yourself and had somehow gotten a smudge of dirt on your forehead in the process of choosing the perfect flowers for his mother.
he wipes it off with his thumb, and pretends to lick it to see your reaction. your squeals of protest and the way your eyes smile when you laugh make his stomach do a flip.
just like when he met you for the first time.
touya decides anything is worth it as long as he gets to see you make that face. especially pretending eating dirt. fuck the shrimp chips, the only snack he needed was you.
except you weren’t just a snack.
you were a goddamn meal.
he raises an eyebrow and smirks, eyes dancing with mischief as he looks down at you. a firm hand pressed against your belly as he places a painstakingly soft kiss on the spot where the dirt smudge used to be.
“don’t worry.” he breathes. you can feel him smile into the crook of your neck, his fingers caressing your stomach as you squirm ticklishly against him.
“i’ll get you a real one someday.”
you nearly drop the geraniums on his foot.
sunday
today is sunday.
meaning it’s weekly movie night in the todoroki household.
shoto was the one who made it a tradition, after liking it so much when he did it with his classmates. everyone agreed it was the perfect low-effort family bonding activity after a long week.
natsuo just finished taking his finals. you’re relieved not to see him pull anymore all-nighters.
fuyumi’s on summer break. letters from her students written in crayon and covered in silly doodles of her are litter the front of the fridge.
you smile as you pass by it when you’re on on the way to shoto’s room to help him do that little braid he liked on the side of his hair. he was starting to grow it out now.
rei makes sure to volunteer at the local gardening center in the mornings, ensuring her afternoons and evenings are free to spend time with her kids.
enji calls off from work the moment it hits six. his sidekicks at the agency can take care of whatever happens while he’s gone.
touya and you are in charge of buying snacks, and you get everyone’s favorite. after checking out, the two of you head home hand in hand.
you’re snuggled under a blanket with touya. it was shoto’s turn to choose a movie, and the sounds of shrek played as you grew sleepier and sleepier. touya’s warm arms, which had you trapped in his lap, were not helping.
you point at the plate of tuna mayo onigiri on the coffee table. rei and fuyumi had made them earlier while you and him were out at the supermarket.
“remember when you ate so many of those because natsuo dared you to and you got a tummy ache?” he lets out a noise akin to a giggle, and your mouth splits into a grin at the familiar sound.
memories of hot summers sleeping on the floor with the fan on full blast and staying up to see fireflies come flooding back to you.
lying on the roof, you remember him resting his head on your chest while pointing out constellations to you, echoes of shared laughter filling the night air as he’d get them wrong every single time.
the stolen glances at each other between bites of juicy watermelon and soba. his ears turning redder than the slice of fruit in his hands when you catch him staring, the smug look on your face quickly turning into one of concern as he choked on his food and you rushed to pat his back.
in the present, you cuddle up impossibly closer to him, and he shivers as your warm breath hits his neck.
you had really missed this. he did too.
he couldn’t wait to spend the rest of the summer with you.
the rest of his life, too. he wasn’t planning on leaving you alone again, not now, not ever.
with you in his arms, he focuses on the movie, laughing along with shoto as fiona attempts to yank out the arrow in shrek’s butt. he turns to you, a smile tugging at his lips. his hair looks even softer against the glow of the projector.
“would you love me if i turned into shrek?”
you grin, poking his cheek. “i’d miss this pretty face of yours too much.”
"scars and all?"
"scars and all."
he frowns playfully at that despite the butterflies coming to life in his stomach, and leans forward to rest his head against your shoulder. you smirk, catching a whiff of your conditioner. “i knew you only liked me for my looks.”
“shush.” you point at something on the coffee table.
he spots the bag of shrimp chips, not so subtly lighting up.
you must have snuck them onto the conveyor belt while you two were standing in the checkout line when he wasn’t looking.
“i love you so much holy shit.” he whispers, nuzzling into your shoulder.
“i know.”
cue the side eye from him.
you roll your eyes at his dramatics and turn around to straddle his strong thighs, raising your hands to gently hold his face in them.
touya shivers as your thumb brushes against his cheek, your touch sweet like the peaches he shared with you after breakfast that morning.
“i love you too.” you whisper back, just in time before he lifts the blanket up to cover the both of you in the dark as he hungrily leans forward to close the gap between you.
rei’s the first one to notice you two asleep on the couch as the ending credits roll.
she gets another fluffy blanket from the closet to layer on top of the one already on your sleeping forms, making sure you’re both properly covered.
she places a kiss on touya’s forehead, then yours, before hugging the rest of her children goodnight and giving them kisses as well.
enji follows suit, muttering a gruff goodnight to everyone. a chorus of quiet good nights trail after him as he lumbers off.
fuyumi, natsuo, and shoto are the last ones left in the living room.
they smirk knowingly at each other as they see touya squeeze you tighter in his sleep, mumbling something about how lucky he is that you’re his.
something about getting you a ring too.
as the three siblings exit the room, they wordlessly shared one last excited glance before heading separate ways to their respective beds. shoto was especially pleased.
when you started living with them, he could ask you to help braid his hair everyday.
he wants you to teach him when you have the time, too. touya could never get it right like you did when you weren’t here.
at least touya had enough of a grasp on his sense of style to help him pick outfits.
you, obviously, were already a todoroki in all of their hearts.
but they still couldn’t wait for their big brother to grow a pair and tie the knot with you.
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giannaln4 · 2 months ago
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GIANNA'S KINKTOBER '24 SEASON
ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ⇢ ˗ˏˋ Kinktober day fourteen.
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What a Filthy Sight (2.2k words)
summary: You couldn't stop yourself from finding pleasure while your boyfriend was away. What you never imagined is that he would catch you in the middle of it.
warnings: NSFW, +18, smut, MDNI, stablished relationship, pillow humping, masturbation, dirty talk, unprotected sex, language.
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Y/N: I miss you
That was the last text you sent to your boyfriend last night before going to bed. He had been away for the American triple header, and it felt like you hadn’t seen him in months. The last time you truly spoke with him was after the race, happily congratuating him on his result; it was now Monday, and God, you missed him like crazy. 
You didn’t think he was ignoring you, but you couldn’t help but check your phone every five minutes or get excited when you got a notification only to be disappointed when you saw it wasn’t Lando; you knew he was tired and they were already thinking about Brazil, but who could blame a girl for missing her incredibly sexy boyfriend?
Usually, when he was supposed to be away for this long, you’d go with him, but you were so extremely busy with your own work that this wasn’t an option this time. 
Instead of thinking about that, you decided to keep yourself busy, cleaning every inch of your shared home, even the tiniest places no one would ever think to clean. You finally got to your room, sighing when you saw Lando’s side of the bed almost untouched in his absence, only his main pillow out of place since you used it to cuddle it at night so you wouldn’t feel too lonely in the huge bed.
You started making the bed, grabbing all the pillows that were out of place and putting them in their respective spots. That was until you got to Lando's; you could still smell his delicious scent. It was very faint, but it was definitely there. He hasn’t been home in a few weeks and honestly, you’d do anything to have him there with you.
A loud sigh scaped your lips as you collapsed on the bed, hugging the pillow as tears threatened to leave your eyes; you needed the Brazilian GP to be over just so you could see him again. Your leg went over his big pillow, bringing it closer to you as you inhaled his smell again.
After a few minutes, you decided it was time to get back to work so you started to get up, but as you tried to reach for your charger that was on the other side of the bed, his pillow ended up between your thighs.
You didn’t move, trying to push that thought out of your head, but your sudden neediness got the best of you, and before you knew it, you started to softly rock your hips against it.
It immediately felt good — so good that you started humping his pillow more desperately. You had to admit that you had been missing his touch the second he left the apartment, and sure, you had tried to please yourself multiple times, but it simply wasn’t the same without him; this, however, made you feel closer to him, almost like he was right there with you.
You tried to tease yourself along the way, getting a bit rough here and there from your desperate humping, soft moans leaving your lips every so often. The friction you were getting was sensual, honestly the most pleasure you’ve felt since he left; yet it wasn’t nearly enough, so you slowly started losing the layers that were covering your body, soon finding yourself completely naked as you worked to get yourself to that sweet release you so badly needed. 
“Lando,” a moan scaped your lips, the friction on your pussy feeling delicious as you fisted the material that covered the pillow. You were so lost in pleasure, you didn’t hear the door of the apartment open, or the footsteps getting closer to the bedroom, or the door opening all the way. No, what made you snap out of it was far more embarrassing. 
⋆。° ✮ ⋆。° ✮ 
Lando came back home to surprise you for at least a few hours before he had to head to Brazil. He was aware it was a long shot, but you were worth it. He could still remember the look on your face when you realised you couldn’t go with him and all those late-night calls when you would be on the verge of tears every time you had to say goodbye. It broke his heart as much as it broke yours, so he wanted to be there to mend it.
He purposefully didn’t reply to your last text, scared he would somehow spoil the surprise for you as if his fingers would text you he was on his way without him noticing. It was as stupid as it sounded, but he didn’t want to take any chances.
After what felt like the longest flight of his life, he was finally home. Lando slowly opened the front door as he looked around for you. He knew you were there since he just saw your car parked outside, but he was met with nothing but a clean home; this could only mean one thing: you had been keeping yourself busy.
He smiled to himself as he got rid of his shoes, making his way to your bedroom. He was about to call for you, but something made him stop in his tracks. A sound... no, not a sound, was that a... moan? No, it couldn’t be, you were home alone. Unless…
He started walking again, faster this time as he tried to stay as silent as possible. Once he got to the door, he slowed down; it was halfway open so he just stood close enough to the gap before he could spot you in the middle of the bed. 
God, what a filthy sight. Your breasts were bouncing as you arched your back, fists fixated on the pillow, his pillow, as you used it to pleasure yourself. He couldn’t believe his eyes; you were grinding on the pillow with so much passion he didn’t know where to look. The pretty faces you were making as you tightly closed your eyes, your parted lips as little mewls escaped, your pussy, no wait... his pillow, he could already see a wet patch forming in his pillow.
He felt his cock twitch in his pants, growing harder by the second as he admired the way your hips circled and bounced against the cushion, but what truly broke him down was the passing of his name on your lips. Fuck, he neded you right now. 
Without thinking twice, he opened the door all the way and stepped into the room, dropping his bag next to him, the loud thump finally making you open your eyes and snap out of the pleasure you were feeling.
“Lando,” you nearly screamed, falling back on the bed as you took the big pillow to cover your body. Your entire body was burning, this time from embarrassment. “Sorry, I- I wasn’t-” you stopped talking, realising there was no point in lying. He literally just saw you; why bother coming up with an excuse?
“You weren’t what, sweetheart?”
“I- how long have you been here?”
“Long enough. Why’d you stop?”
“What?” Your face got even redder if that was even possible. You and Lando had been together for years, and you had done a good job at exploring each other in many ways, but this? This was something that never crossed your mind.
“Keep going,” he said as he walked into the room, ridding himself of his clothing as he sat on the small couch across your shared bed. “I wanna watch you ride my pillow.”
“You want me to- Lando, what are you doing here?”
“Why are you being so shy all of a sudden? Are you not happy to see me?” He asked, maintaining eye contact.
“Yes, I- of course I am.”
“Okay then. Keep going.” He repeated. You stared at him for a few seconds, trying to catch the smallest hint of bantering, but he was being completely serious. 
You couldn’t lie; having him completely naked on the other side of the room was getting you wet, and you were honestly down to try it out, but his dark gaze intimidated you so much you didn’t know if you’d be confident enough.
Shyly, you went back to your previous position, except you were now facing Lando instead of a blank wall. With the pillow perfectly positioned between your thighs, you started rolling your hips again, slowly but surely. 
Lando, on the other hand, was enjoying this more than he could ever imagine. He watched your pussy make contact with his pillow, leaving a wet patch as you gained more confidence when pleasure started to take over again. His hand grabbed his cock with his spit-stained hand, squeezing it a few times before pumping it slowly with a firm grip. 
Your shyness quickly left your body as you watched your boyfriend’s hand move quickly along his shaft, the slicky noise joining the creaking of the bed as you stared at each other. 
“Lando,” a moan left your lips, your pace picking up.
“Mhm? You look so pretty like this.” Lando was matching your pace, his hand moving up and down only stopping to run his thumb over his tip. The sight was truly mesmerising for the both of you. You have gotten off to each other before, just not like this, but it might have to become more common if it feels this good.  
You started feeling way more needy when your eyes landed on his drippy tip. You nearly couldn’t believe the way it looked — all of him, really, his face so pink as his parted lips let out short puffs of air. “I need you,” you whimpered, your hands falling on your boobs for a split second.
“Finish on my pillow first, baby, I know you are close.” He could feel his abdomen begin to clench, slowing down a bit so he could finish with you.
You just nodded as your hands planted themselves on the bed, giving you the opportunity to ground yourself harder with the way your clit was rubbing against the material. Louder moans could be heard in the room as you felt your orgasm incoming. Maybe it was the heat of the moment or the situation you were in, but it was coming fast, and in a matter of seconds, a loud whimper of his name left your lips as your climax hit you. 
“There you go,” he whined, putting more pressure on his cock as he quickly worked for his own orgasm, allowing himself to cum all over his hand. “Shit.”
Your eyes never left him. God, you loved the sight of his cock twitching between his fingers as his hot cum was being spilled. He squeezed his eyes closed for a moment before standing up and making his way to the bed, eyes just as dark and cock hardening again. He wanted more?
Once he was in front of you, he took the pillow from between your legs and threw it somewhere in the bed, capturing your lips in the neediest kiss humanity could ever imagine. Without breaking the kiss, he pushed you on your back as he hovered over you, his hands exploring your body like he had never touched you.
“You looked so fucking hot.” He said against your lips. “Fuck, I never imagined I’d find you like this, did you really miss me that much?”
You hummed in response, your legs wrapping around his body as you brought him even closer to you. “You have no idea, I’ve needed you since the second you left.”
“Good.” Lando pushed his throbbing cock in you, finally stuffing you full in a quick motion. “I’ve missed you too.”
He didn’t even give you time to adjust; you were so wet from your previous acts that it slid in and out of you with ease. He was thrusting into you hard and fast, just the way you needed to after not seeing each other in weeks. 
You were gasping in his mouth, the slick noises that could be heard in the room were nothing but filthy. “Yeah? Feels good?” He asked, and you moaned in response. 
His lips were now travelling down your jaw, leaving a wet trail of kisses until he got to your neck, where he sucked harshly at your sensitive skin. There was nothing you could do but moan and tug at his curly hair, the added sensation making him moan into your neck. 
You knew you wouldn’t last much longer; how could you? And by the way his thrusts were becoming sloppier, you knew he wouldn’t either.
It only took a few more thrusts before you both fell over the edge, coming at the same time as a string of moans combined with his name left your lips. Your pulsing cunt was milking him dry as he pushed deep into you one last time, Lando’s incoherent sounds muffled by your hot skin. 
You both stayed still for a moment, trying to come down from your two mind-blowing orgasms, until he finally slipped out of your hole and collapsed next to you, his arms immediately wrapping around your body as he kissed the top of your head. He felt like home; despite the layer of sweat that was covering both of you, he still needed to feel your warmth.
“Maybe I should surprise you more often if this is how I’m gonna be greeted.”
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twosandwich · 9 days ago
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🚨 !!!!! URGENT !!!!! 🚨
Please offer your support to Sami @samy-family11 and his family in Gaza. They urgently need the funds to evacuate to Egypt. And to buy diapers, milk and blankets for their baby. They were detained by the IOF but they were subsequently released. They currently have no tent to live in and have to endure the cold harsh winter in Gaza. Imagine having to sleep in the streets during extremely cold weather, with no tent to live in, and you see your own baby numbingly cold with no winter clothes or milk to drink.
While you have the privilege of being warm and comfortable in your home, preparing for the holidays. These people have to go through some of the most inhumane, soul shattering and painful things that should not be allowed to even happen in the first place. But very thankfully, you can help them out.
Please, pitch in. I beg you to share, donate, reblog. Even if you donate just a small amount, it would help them out immensely. If you can’t aid financially please do whatever alternative you possibly can. Together, we can all help this amazing family achieve their goal at gaining the beautiful life that they wholeheartedly deserve.
As of Monday, Dec 23, $12,981 / $20K has been raised.
This campaign is vetted by association, and the organizer of this campaign is doing art requests for anybody who has proof of donation.
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bunnwich · 7 months ago
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Rituals☁️(Leona x Reader)
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Leona is low on spoons after the Tamashina-Mina tournament and needs some attention. Also what better way for him to sneakily court his favorite creature?
Curated from my 200k+ words Leona x Yuu fic
Characters: Leona Kingscholar x Yuu!Reader (GN. No physical description for Yuu. Yuu knows massage therapy.)
Words: 3k, 3rd person
Notes: I saw a meme the other day about how: “Liberalism leaves people’s bodies when mental health starts to affect someone’s hygiene” and I thought of how the fandom used to treat Leona. Also, I really wanted to make the “he uses you as a pillow” cliche not icky. 
Tagging: @comingyourlugubriousness @nammanarin @twst-the-night-away @twstinginthewind @ephemii @the-monday-witch @anevilbunnyinthehat @stagefullofsilly @theshipthatneversetsail @patrioticarcreactor @ice-cweam-sod4 @beaniz @the-nightingales-song @efsstash @cyn-write @porcelain-animatronic @lowcallyfruity @bestmannequin2018 @h0rr0r-10ver-69
-
It was baffling enough of a request that Leona Kingscholar invited Yuu to his home, but even more so was the thing he asked of them now.
“What? Am I your servant now, too?”
“No, course not.” He seemed deeply offended at this implication, nostrils flaring in indignance while his ears flopped backward against his hair. “I’m…askin’ you.” His ears flipped back up as he took a step closer, awaiting their response.
“Wait. You're serious…?” Yuu asked with a crinkle of their nose.
“Please…?” The word was barely audible, the man’s green-eyed stare never breaking from theirs. “If you’d be so kind…” He smirked, putting on an air, propping a hand on his hip. It was a warm day at the palace and he donned a pair of loose linen pants and a matching cream-colored tank top, all embroidered with gold.
Yuu swayed their head back and forth while they considered the idea, unimpressed by the sudden “princely” act. What was he up to? They gazed down at the object in their hand as if it held the answer. Well, it wasn’t often that they heard that word from Leona Kingscholar. “Fine, okay.” 
Was it really such a big deal, brushing his hair?
The hammock below the two of them swayed with both their weights as they sat face to face, each teetering on each edge of the colorful canvas. Late afternoon light filtered through the stained glass over all the greenery of the palace gardens, gilding everything it touched. 
Sighing, Yuu made another move, leaning forward to grab another section of the dark waves from the man’s shoulder. They hadn’t even ended up using the brush much so far. The only thing it had been good for was hitting the man when he talked back. 
“Well, the good news is…I got most of it.”
On their way here, Yuu grabbed their bag, bringing it with them to the gardens. Luckily, they kept a few favorites with them at all times. A small vial of rosehip oil; that would work. It could be used for both skin and hair in a pinch. Removing the dropper from the bottle they dripped some more into their palms, rubbing them together before applying it to the end of the man’s loose curls.
“Stinks.”
Yuu couldn’t help but roll their eyes at him. “It’s just rose. It’s nothing compared to that eye-watering cologne you bathe in every day. They sighed, working it through his thick tresses in the silence, pulling it all through to the ends of each section. “...I shouldn’t really be brushing it when it’s all tangled like this, you know.”
“Tch, I know that,” He said indignantly, his lips pressing into a small pout, eyes downcast to watch them work. “Everyone just assumes my hair is like my brother’s…”
They pressed their lips together. “Hmph. Then do it yourself, next time, huh? ” Letting out a huff, they released the bushel of soft curls, the dark curtain falling over Leona's neck. His hair honestly wasn’t as bad as he had made it seem. It just needed some moisture and careful detangling.
“Naw, why would I…when you’re already doing it for me.” The man reclined forward, propping his elbow on the canvas. “Mmm.” He watched them move on to the next section, meticulously separating the frizz and smoothing it over with the oil. Releasing a small sound in his throat,  he stared up at them with lethargic eyes, seemingly in a trance. 
Yuu shook their head at his comment, knowing that secretly he was just eating up the attention.  Keeping their eyes down on their work, they were careful not to pull too hard on his strands.
Leona muttered something as his lids fell completely closed, the end of his tail tapping on the edge of the hammock by their knee. A steady drumbeat.
They took their time with the rest, with only the noise of a few birds calling and Leona’s occasional sigh or grumble. It wasn’t long before, their lids lulled down too. It was relaxing in a way, quietly detangling someone’s hair.
Every once and a while their eyes flitted to the man’s face, catching the little twitch of the corner of his lips. After Yuu was done the detangling, they pulled two equal parts of the bottom sections forward, trying their best to get them even. They stuck their tongue out while they focused, before braiding them as neatly as they could manage, in the way he normally wore them. 
“There, you look more like yourself...” Yuu shrugged when they were done, tugging on one of the braids, and making sure the man wasn’t actually asleep.  “Better?” They crossed their arms, raising a brow over at him.
“Yeah.” The man opened his eyes slightly, the edge of his mouth falling into a crooked, but satisfied smile. “You did good.” His voice crackled just like the way a warm fire would. Like the bonfires at Savanclaw. He may have been sincere, but everything Leona said was always dipped in just a little bit of patronization.
Yuu palmed him on the forehead, pushing his face away slightly before letting their fingers drift up to his scalp, moving some of the hair out of his face.
“Hm?” He questioned, shifting slightly, turning his head to look up at what they were doing.
“Are you uh- still having those headaches?” They began to work their finger into his crown, between his twitching ears, pressing gently down on a few familiar pressure points. “I have to tell you, I’m the best.”
“I always have a headache when you're around.”  He sat up erect, suddenly seeming full of energy, grabbing their calves and yanking them closer to him, practically into his lap. He kept going until the backs of their legs were hooked over his thighs. He chuckled in delight at their bewildered deer-in-headlights reaction. 
Yuu froze at his boldness, pressing their lips together into a pout as they stared up at him with blinking eyes. 
“Don’t be all shy, now. Prove it. I think I got a big one coming on.” He purred at them.
Still playing, hm? “Hmph.” They huffed out a breath at his shenanigans.
Leona didn’t let them get far though, keeping his lock around their ankles, leaning over to study their reaction. “Feel free to say no.” He released them, holding his hands up innocently. “...If you’re not up to the task that is.” A bit of his white fangs gleamed as his sneer widened, leering at them through his dark lashes.
“You-” Yuu stuttered, resigning themselves. They were falling for it. This is what Leona was best at: pushing others into “proving themselves” by gently prodding them from their comfort zone.
“Fine.” Saying nothing more, they only lifted their hands to evaluate him once more, taking in a breath before tracing their fingers down the sides of his muscular neck. 
Ah, the man seemed a bit surprised to see them agree, but he quickly masked it with another smug smile as he lifted his jaw to accommodate them.
Leona’s skin was much warmer than theirs and surprisingly smooth, his excited pulse fluttering under their fingers. “Hm. You are tense.” They muttered aloud, pressing their thumb into one of the hard muscles there. “That hurt?”
“Ack, what do you think? Beast…” He hissed, his ears lowering slightly, grabbing their wrist to stop them.
Yuu smirked, most people didn’t expect that kind of strength from them…until they gave them a chance to prove it. “Sheesh, sorry you big baby. I was just askin’.” They rolled their eyes and swatted his nosy hand away. This allowed them to focus again, laying their palms on both of his broad shoulders. 
They could see it clearly now, his shoulders were rounded forward, and his left side was higher–signaling to them he probably held more tension there.
The man was studying them again, one grumpy eye barely open. 
Yuu chuckled, no one expects how much it hurts. Though as much as they enjoyed hurting the man, they went in softer this time, gently kneading his shoulders and neck, before they bothered to poke him anymore. As they worked closer to his jaw, they became enveloped in his signature smell. Traces of cinnamon, hints of orange, and star anise lingered on their fingertips as they explored his exposed skin, taking care to not pull on the golden necklace that hung from his neck.
“How…did you know?” Leona asked through a groan.
 They had hit the right spot.
“The way you walk, for one. You know, with your head forward. For royalty…your posture is terrible, you know. You heard Vil. Anyways, I can just tell by feeling most of the time.” Yuu added, continuing to work on the tightest areas first.
“Tch, you’re one to talk,” He said through his groans, brown ears flopping to the sides as he began to relax into their skilled touch. “...I recall us both getting reamed by Schoenheit at those practices.”
“Hey, I’m not the one on trial here. You asked for my expert opinion.” They continued, reaching around to the back of the man’s neck to rub circles in the base of his skull, moving up into his thick hair.
Leona made a rumbling noise in his chest at this, letting his head nod forward until he went completely limp in their hands. Somewhere, between the ticks of both their breaths, he had slumped his whole weight on them. A whole lion in their lap.
“Mmm.” He nuzzled his forehead against Yuu's shoulder, moving his hand from their calf up onto their arm, running a finger across the loose thread of their sleeve.
Yuu tensed, the man’s warm breath tickling their neck. It felt a little surreal to think such a powerful mage lay against them now like an oversized house cat. It was sort of an honor that he felt so relaxed around them. Sort of. 
They shook their head, trying not to giggle, and straightened their back to accommodate the new weight. Yuu kept on working as if nothing had changed, ignoring the fluttering in their guts that his soft breaths over their cheeks stirred. 
After they finished with his scalp, they worked back down to his shoulders, grabbing both of them and twisting them to one side, signaling wordlessly for the man to turn around for them. The hammock squeaked as he rearranged himself and Yuu pulled his head down into the center of their lap.  
Some people they had worked on, like Jack, could never fully relax for them, no matter how many times they reminded him to. However, the oxymoron of man before them seemed to have no problem flopping over like a sleepy kitten, ready to be petted. 
Going by cat behavior, he had shown them his belly, a small sliver peeking from the edge of his top. Now, with a completely malleable lion in their lap, Yuu couldn’t help but smile. He was totally at their mercy, moving whichever way they pulled him.
Their fingers made their way up and down his neck shoulders and even a bit of his chest, respecting the barrier of his tunic's low neckline.
Every once in a while, Leona’s lips tumbled open with a deep rumbling sigh of relief, pressing himself in their touch with each stroke, seeming to crave more and more. Their face grew hot, some part of this felt…too intimate. No, no. It was just a massage, but the man’s touch-starved reactions were becoming harder and harder to ignore.
 It was only when Yuu’s fingers reached up to his jaw did Leona open his eyes once more.
As their fingertips settled on the sides of his face, his shoulders went stiff under their care, Leona’s pulse ramping up for the first time during the massage.  His jaw tightened as they brought their fingers up to the temples of his grimacing face, trying to soothe him. 
He couldn’t be nervous now, could he?
“You…hold a lot of tension in your face too,”  They said calmly, urging his head to the right side, “Especially your…jaw.” They moved down to press their thumb into his cheek, easily finding the small, rigid muscle on the left side of his face.
The man grunted, “Easy.” 
Yuu shook their head again and eased up some. “...Just breathe.” They sighed, rolling their eyes as they massaged his jaw. “That right there is probably a big culprit of your headaches, you know.”
“Hmm,” He replied thoughtfully, his face softening some at their more gentle method. 
Their fingers worked each side of his face some more, then trailed slowly up his nose, rubbing circles across his sinuses. When they made their way up to his “third eye” area they rubbed extra hard to make a point, trying to get him to relax once more. “Sorry, just trying smooth out that permanent wrinkle you got there…”
Leona scoffed, dipping his head back into their touch, and closing his eyes shut again. “Tch, yeah well, every time I come home to visit it ages me five years, so...” He chuckled.
Yuu let out a light chuckle too, taking the strokes they made on the man’s cheeks upward and into his hairline, brushing against his scar a few times.
Leona’s forehead creased, an uncommon expression gracing his usually stern or sarcastic face. His broad nose curled in discomfort and they could see his eyes flicker anxiously under his lids. He was even holding his breath.
“Hey…Just breathe I told you!” They repeated with another soft laugh. “It helps with circulation.”
“Mmph.” The man said nothing and grunted at them before exhaling loudly. They would have thought they were doing something painful to him by his expressions.
Yuu tilted their head, realizing exactly what this was all about. They cupped their palms around his cheeks before dragging the stroke up, one of their fingertips running over the edge of his scar again to test the theory. 
The skin was dryer there and slightly raised. It created extra pull whenever they went over it. But, besides that…it was no different than any other part of his face. The Leona Kingscholar couldn’t be self-conscious, could he? No one ever really commented on it, and it surely did nothing but, to quote Rook: add to his “handsome and rugged charisma.”
But, the more they thought about it, they could understand why he was so dodgy about it. A memory like that, couldn’t have been pleasant.
The more times Yuu went over it they sensed a strange pull of energy from the area, like deep space. They were sure it was something the man had buried deep, so he could convince himself that he didn’t remember what actually happened anymore. 
Can’t remember every little scratch, he said once. How many people knew the real truth, they wondered. Or if there were any legends behind it in the palace.
“You don’t have ta’ touch it.” The man blurted out, trying to keep a straight face. His lips pressed together hard before he feigned a usual smug grin. “Though, I know that you’re a professional and all.”
“Wha-” Yuu almost wanted to roll their eyes at him for how dramatic he was being but, they didn’t. 
 “And- Why…would it bother me?” They asked casually, continuing the face massage as normal.
“Hmph.” Leona let out a huff, one side of his mouth arching upwards into a small smile. “I…see.” When he opened his eyes again, they were shiny, reflecting the tree tops around them. “Not many people have uh-”
 “Feel better?” Yuu lifted their hands from his face as they finished, saving him from the awkwardness of elaborating further. They had seen plenty enough to know how relieved he was at their response. That was enough.
“Mmhm.” He answered, clearing his throat before sitting up to face them again, the whole hammock groaning in response.  “....Thank ya.” He muttered, reaching behind to rub the back of his neck. “Much looser now-”
Leona sighed, eyebrows curving up over his eyes. Then, all at once his gaze snapped up to them, taking them in from head to toe. In one smooth movement, he let his body settle down against theirs, his strong shoulder pressing against them. 
Yuu’s heart hammered against his, mirroring the same fervid beat. No, this was more than just hair brushing. They hadn’t considered the implications until this moment, those of beastmen courtship and personal hygiene that they had read about. The concepts were often interlinked. Sacred.
A hug? No, he was just still just staring at them now, inches away, like a cat ready to pounce. The usual slits of his eyes were dark pools of space, reflecting back their own baffled expression. 
Yuu swallowed. They were so gridlocked by his intense stare, it was hard to speak or even breathe with him pressing them so firmly to the canvas hammock. He seemed at odds with something, his worn gaze downcast. “W-What…what’s wrong, Leona?” They whispered through an unsteady chuckle, managing to keep their head.
“Nothin’. Nothin’ at all.” He whispered, letting his weight sink further into them. There was a peaceful smile on his face as he reached up to grab a section of their hair from behind their ear, twisting it between his fingertips, tail flopping behind him lazily.
It felt like they were being chosen for something.
“Wha-” Their eyes widened, it took them a whole 30 seconds to realize the man was braiding the pieces together, calm and methodical, like when he was arranging his pieces on a chess board. Part of the plan. It was obvious Leona knew how to braid hair but it was…surreal to behold it.
When he was done the corner of his mouth turned up more, creasing a dimple into his cheek. His eyes fixated on the sight of his results, he was so…proud of his work.
Yuu didn’t even have time to speak before he turned his head away, lying his cheek on one side of their shoulder once more. He had done it so casually as if he had done it a hundred times before and would do it a hundred times more.
They understand why he did it, the two of them were…a matching set now.
He chose them. Their heart squeezed as the man draped his arms around their waist, locking them in place once more as something shifted between them.
 Leona’s cocky air had all but dissipated. “...Is this okay with ya?” He muttered so softly they almost missed it. He was asking permission, asking if they would accept him.
“Oh um…Y-yes.” They let their arms fall around his back, tugging on the end of his curls as they held him. Yes, he was getting way too comfortable, but it was their fault for allowing it, right? Yuu laid their head on his, letting him know for sure that: yes, it was okay.
“Hey, I know you're not falling asleep right now.” They grumbled playfully, tugging on his hair and furrowing their brow. Meanwhile, they curled their legs around his torso like a koala as he held them tight, making sure there was no space between them.
They knew it was all a lost cause. He had set the board how he wanted. He would not let them go again, and they didn’t want him to.
“Shh,” Leona mumbled into their shirt, inhaling deeply. “ You’ve been real workin’ lately hard, right? Rest wit’ me.”
“But I-” Yuu yawned, their eyes watering some as they did. The action had forced their eyes shut. The breeze also was not helping, rocking them both gently inside the hammock.  “Fine. But just for a little while.” They breathed out, their own shoulders finally relaxing. Yuu’s head slumped over to gently bob against Leona’s. 
“You win…this time.”
The man only chuckled at their admission of defeat, a warm note buzzing against their chest. 
The last thing they saw was the colored glass of the greenhouse, filtering in pink light through the serrated leaves of the palm trees.
Leona’s sighs of contentment traveled through their body, as his warm fingers kneaded into their back. 
--
1K notes · View notes
bueckets · 28 days ago
Text
Prophecy | Finale
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Pairing: Paige Bueckers x Reader
Parts: Part One | Two | Three (you're here)
Description: Following the viral video of Paige and Azzi, you spend the next three months redefining what perfect means. Each shot becomes a statement, each swish echoing with something colder than precision. Your teammates watch you stay late every night, turning heartbreak into headlines, until even UConn's dynasty seems breakable.
The game approaches like destiny. Harvard versus UConn in the Final Four, a collision course that ESPN calls "The Game Women's Basketball Has Been Waiting For." Twenty thousand tickets sell out in minutes. The whole sport holds its breath.
You haven't spoken to Paige since that night in the snow. Haven't read her texts or opened her letter. Instead, you let your game speak - 47 against Princeton, 51 against Yale, perfect shooting in both. They call it The Revenge Tour, though you never bother correcting them.
Now Dallas looms like a storm on the horizon. One game to prove that some things break you, and some things make you unbreakable.
This is the story of which one you become.
WC: 11k
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WEEK ONE
After that night in the gym, you don’t miss. Not once.
Every shot is a calculation, a release, a fury of physics and heartbreak. Each arc is perfect, each swish feels like vengeance. The ball obeys because it has to. Because it’s the only thing left that makes sense.
Paige’s texts come in like a storm. Desperate, raw, and relentless:
Monday (3:47 AM): please just let me explain.
Monday (4:15 AM): it wasn't what it looked like.
Monday (4:22 AM): i miss you.
Monday (4:45 AM): please answer.
You sit on your bed staring at the ceiling, the blue glow of your phone lighting the room like a taunt. Sierra grabs it from your hands and sets it face down on your desk. “Nope.”
By Tuesday, the messages get sharper, more frantic
Tuesday (2:13 AM): i know you’re mad. i’d be mad too.
Tuesday (3:01 AM): rocket, please. you mean everything to me.
Tuesday (3:45 AM): i never meant to hurt you. i’d do anything to take it back.
By Wednesday, she calls. Seventeen times. Sierra’s thumb hovers over the block button. Jasmine glances at you, but you just lace up your shoes and head for the gym.
Thursday, the texts shift to something softer, almost pleading:
"i know you're reading these."
"just tell me you're okay."
"god, i miss you."
"please just talk to me"
Sierra and Jasmine take turns deleting the messages before you can see them, but you know. You always know.
“She’s hurting,” Jasmine says carefully one night, her voice soft like she’s walking a tightrope.
"Good," you respond, and sink another three.
WEEK TWO
The texts get longer, more rambling.
"i know i screwed up. i don’t even know how to start fixing it. all i know is that i want to."
"i miss how you made me feel like the best version of myself. like i could do anything."
"i miss you solving equations while watching film. i miss your voice. i miss you."
"rocket, i love you. i don’t care if you don’t believe me right now, but it’s the truth. i love you."
"please just tell me to fuck off or something. anything is better than this silence."
You don’t read them, but Sierra does. She updates you with clipped summaries: “She’s still apologizing. Still desperate.” You just nod, focusing on your form. Release. Swish.
“She says she loves you,” Sierra says one day, her voice careful.
“Doesn’t matter,” you reply, grabbing another ball.
WEEK THREE
Thursday evening, it snows. Heavy, wet flakes that stick to the ground and blanket campus in white. You’re in the gym, as always, the only sound the steady rhythm of the ball hitting the floor, then the net.
Sierra bursts in, out of breath, snowflakes clinging to her jacket.
“She’s here,” she says, voice strained.
You pause mid-shot, the ball resting heavy in your hands. “What?”
“Paige,” Sierra says. “She’s outside. Just standing there. She’s not leaving until you talk to her.”
You blink, your pulse quickening. “In the snow?”
“Yes. In the snow,” Sierra snaps. “Want me to handle it?”
You glance at the door, at the faint glow of the snowstorm through the windows. Your chest feels tight.
“I’ll do it,” you say quietly.
Sierra looks surprised but doesn’t argue. “You sure?”
You nod, dropping the ball onto the rack. “Yeah. I’ve got it.”
You push open the gym door, and the cold hits you like a slap. The snow is coming down hard now, heavy flakes swirling in the wind and catching in your hair, on your lashes, melting instantly on your skin. The air bites at your face, sharp and unforgiving, and you pull your sweatshirt tighter around you as you step into the storm.
Paige is there.
She’s standing under the dim glow of the parking lot light, a lone figure against the blanketed white. Her coat is too thin for this weather, her arms crossed tightly over her chest as if that could keep the cold out. Snowflakes dust her hair, her shoulders, even her lashes, sticking there like delicate glass. Her nose and cheeks are red, raw from the wind, and her breath comes out in uneven clouds that catch the faint light before disappearing.
Your heart pounds as you take her in. It’s not fair, how seeing her still makes your chest tighten, how her very presence feels like it could knock you off balance. You feel your feet ache against the frozen pavement, the sting of cold air in your lungs, but it’s nothing compared to the burn in your chest.
She looks up as you approach, her eyes locking onto yours immediately. They’re red, glassy, the unmistakable sheen of unshed tears making them glisten. She uncrosses her arms, her hands trembling, and takes a single step forward.
“Rocket,” she says, and her voice cracks. Just that one word, and it’s enough to make your knees threaten to buckle.
You stop a few feet away, planting your sneakers firmly into the snow to keep steady. Your throat feels tight, your tongue heavy. For a moment, you can’t speak. You just stare at her, the silence between you as thick as the snow falling all around.
“What are you doing here?” you manage finally. Your voice is sharper than you intended, but the lump in your throat makes it hard to sound anything but cold.
She shifts, wiping her hands on her coat as if that’ll stop them from shaking. “I—I had to see you,��� she stammers. “You weren’t answering, and I just—” Her voice breaks again, and she swallows hard, trying to steady herself. “I just needed to try.”
The words hang in the air, weighty and raw. You bite the inside of your cheek, forcing yourself to stay grounded, to not let your emotions spiral. The wind picks up, whipping snowflakes against your face, and you blink hard against the sting.
“You’ve said enough,” you say, your voice flat.
“I know,” she says quickly, stepping forward again. Her boots crunch against the snow, and the sound feels deafening in the quiet. “I know I’ve said everything wrong. I don’t even know if there’s anything left to say. I just—” She takes a shaky breath, her hands balling into fists at her sides. “I need you to know how sorry I am. How I got into my head leading up to it. I was scared. I’m sorry. For everything. For ruining us.”
Your breath catches at that, and your chest tightens even more. Her words hit like a weight, heavy and suffocating, and for a moment, you don’t trust yourself to respond. You feel the sting in your fingers, the way the cold air pinches your ears, the dull ache in your feet from standing still too long.
“It wasn’t just a mistake, Paige,” you say finally, your voice trembling despite your effort to sound steady. “It was trust. It was everything we had.”
She nods quickly, tears finally spilling over. She swipes at her face with the sleeve of her hoodie, trying to hide it, but her hands are shaking too much. “I know,” she whispers, her voice barely audible over the wind. “I know I broke it. And I hate myself for it. I hate myself for hurting you.”
The tears keep falling, streaking down her red cheeks, and she doesn’t bother wiping them anymore. Her shoulders shake, but she doesn’t look away from you. You want to turn away, to stop seeing her like this, but you can’t. Your eyes burn, your throat feels raw, and the weight in your chest only grows heavier.
“I loved you,” you say softly, the words slipping out before you can stop them. Her breath catches audibly, and you see her shoulders slump further, like the words are knives she’s been bracing for.
“I love you,” she says, her voice breaking entirely. “I still love you. I’ll always love you.”
The snow falls harder now, coating everything in a thick, suffocating white. You feel it collect on your shoulders, your hair, melting down your neck. Paige shivers, wrapping her arms tightly around herself, her breaths coming out in ragged clouds.
You swallow hard, the lump in your throat threatening to choke you as you stare at Paige. The snow falls heavier now, landing on her lashes and melting against her flushed cheeks. Her nose is red, her hands trembling as they clench at her sides. The cold bites at your skin, your ears pinching, your feet aching, but none of it feels as sharp as the weight in your chest.
“Go home,” you say, your voice cracking slightly despite your attempt to sound firm.
Paige doesn’t move. Her wide, red-rimmed eyes stay locked on yours, brimming with fresh tears. Her lips part, but no words come, just a soft, shaky breath. Then:
“Please,” she whispers, barely audible over the wind. Her voice is raw, broken, and it hits you like a punch. She takes a step closer, her boots crunching in the snow, her hands twitching at her sides like she wants to reach for you but knows she can’t. “Please,” she says again, the word shaking with everything she’s trying to say but can’t.
You inhale sharply, your chest tightening as you force yourself to stand your ground. “Paige,” you say, softer now, almost pleading yourself. “Go home.”
She flinches, like the words physically hurt, but she doesn’t argue this time. She nods slowly, blinking hard against the tears streaming down her face. Her shoulders slump as she turns away, her steps hesitant, dragging in the snow like she’s leaving pieces of herself behind with every step.
You watch her walk toward the far end of the parking lot, her figure blurry through the curtain of falling snow. She stops once, just for a moment, her back to you. She swipes at her face with the sleeve of her hoodie, but the motion is weak, almost futile. Then she moves again, trudging toward the lone car parked under the faint glow of a streetlamp.
The driver’s side window rolls down as Paige approaches, and you see KK leaning out, her face a mix of concern and frustration. KK says something—low and sharp, the words lost in the wind—and Paige shakes her head, opening the passenger door and climbing in without another glance in your direction.
The car idles for a moment, exhaust puffing into the frozen air, and you catch a glimpse of KK glancing your way, her gaze hard but questioning, like she’s debating whether to come out and say something. But she doesn’t.
The brake lights flare as the car shifts into gear, and then they’re gone, disappearing down the snow-covered road.
You stay rooted to the spot, the cold seeping through your clothes, the sound of their departure fading into silence. You don’t move for a long time, staring at the empty space where they’d been, your chest heaving as you try to catch your breath.
You stand there long after the car disappears into the swirling snow, the cold seeping into your bones. Your feet ache from standing still, your fingers sting from the frost, and your chest feels like it’s caving in on itself. You force yourself to turn, your legs heavy as you walk back toward the gym, the door looming like a safe haven you don’t feel like you deserve.
The moment you push it open, the heat rushes out to meet you, thick and suffocating. It hits your face like a wall, and suddenly, you realize how cold you were—how raw your skin feels, how your ears throb with the warmth sinking in. You blink against the hot air, your vision blurring, and that’s when you feel it. The damp streaks on your cheeks, the burning in your eyes.
You were crying.
The thought stuns you for a moment, but there’s no time to process it. Your feet move automatically, carrying you deeper into the gym. The echo of your footsteps bounces off the empty court, the sound sharp and hollow in the stillness. You make your way to the locker room, the familiar scent of sweat and rubber hitting you like a memory you didn’t ask for.
Inside, Sierra and Jasmine are waiting. They’re sitting on one of the benches, their expressions tight and unsure, like they don’t know what to say—or if they should say anything at all.
Your eyes meet Sierra’s first, and the look she gives you is soft, pitying, like she’s trying to hold you together with just her gaze. Jasmine looks away quickly, her hands fiddling with the strings of her hoodie, her shoulders tense with unspoken guilt.
Neither of them says a word.
You don’t either. You don’t have the energy.
You walk past them, your legs threatening to give out, and sink onto the bench in front of your locker. The cold from outside is still in your body, lingering in your muscles, making everything ache. You press your hands to your knees, trying to ground yourself, but the weight in your chest is too much.
It breaks.
You bury your face in your hands, your shoulders shaking as the sobs finally come. They tear out of you, raw and uncontrollable, and you can’t stop them even if you wanted to. The locker room fills with the sound of your crying—ugly, unfiltered, and nothing like The Prophecy at all.
Sierra shifts behind you, and for a moment, you think she’s going to say something. But she doesn’t. Neither of them does. They just sit there, giving you space to break apart, their quiet presence the only thing holding you from completely falling apart.
Your tears soak into your palms, your breath coming in gasps, and for the first time in weeks, you let yourself feel the full weight of it all. The cold, the betrayal, the way her voice cracked when she said, “I love you.” It crashes over you, relentless and unrelenting.
And you let it.
Because in this moment, you don’t have to be perfect. You don’t have to calculate the pain away or turn it into fuel.
For now, you just let yourself break.
WEEK SIX
Her last attempt comes in the form of a letter. Handwritten. Twelve pages. Sierra finds it slipped under your door one gray morning, the paper just slightly bent, as though it had been clenched tightly before being left there.
“Want me to burn it?” Sierra asks, holding it up like it’s fragile, like even touching it too long might do damage.
You don’t answer at first, your eyes fixed on the envelope. Your name is written in Paige’s handwriting, unmistakably hers—soft, looping, careful. It looks like she spent a long time on just that one word. The ink is smudged in places, faint blotches where you know she must have paused, maybe wiped her eyes.
“Rocket?” Sierra asks again, her voice gentler this time.
You reach out, hesitating before your fingers brush the paper. The weight of it feels heavier than it should, like it’s holding every unsaid word she couldn’t force into those desperate texts, every plea she couldn’t voice the last time she saw you.
“No,” you say quietly, your voice firm despite the knot in your chest. “Don’t burn it.”
Sierra doesn’t press. “What should I do with it?”
You swallow hard, still staring at the envelope like it might crack open on its own. “Keep it,” you murmur finally. “For after March.”
The corner of her mouth twitches in a faint, understanding nod. She tucks the letter carefully into her bag without another word.
Because that’s what this has all been about, hasn’t it? Every ignored call, every perfect shot, every breath you’ve taken since that night in the gym has been leading to one thing: March.
Two weeks later, the bracket drops.
Harvard vs. UConn. Sweet Sixteen.
You hear whispers everywhere—teammates speculating, reporters asking veiled questions about how you feel about the matchup. You stay quiet, dodging the noise with an unshakable focus that keeps the world at bay.
Paige doesn’t text. She doesn’t call. But one night, you see it.
It’s subtle, so subtle you almost miss it: a photo on her Instagram story.
She’s sitting on the floor of her dorm, the soft golden light of a bedside lamp pooling around her. Her knees are drawn to her chest, her head resting on her arms. There’s no caption, no obvious sign of you. But in the corner of the frame, hanging off the back of a chair, is your Harvard hoodie.
The air leaves your lungs.
It’s so small, so quiet, but it feels loud in your chest.
Sierra notices you staring at your phone and gives you a sharp look. “Don’t,” she warns.
“I’m not,” you reply, locking your phone and sliding it across the table.
And you aren’t.
Instead, you lace up your sneakers and head to the gym.
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30 DAYS TO MARCH MADNESS
The bracket predictions start rolling in. Every analyst has the same storyline: Harvard and UConn are destined to meet in the championship.
ESPN calls it "The Game Women's Basketball Has Been Waiting For."
You don’t watch their coverage. You don’t need to. You just shoot.
Paige’s last text comes at 2 AM:
“i still miss you.”
You delete it without reading. (Sierra tells you about it later anyway.)
25 DAYS
“Did you hear?” Jasmine says as she slides into the locker room after practice, her voice quieter than usual.
You don’t look up. “Hear what?”
“Paige was at some party last night. Someone saw her with... someone.”
You pause mid-lace, your fingers tightening. “And?”
“She’s... moving on. Or trying to.”
Later, Sierra shows you the photo: Paige with her arm around a tall blonde, both laughing like the world doesn’t hurt them.
You close your phone, drop it in your bag, and hit the gym for 200 straight shots. Each one lands, clean and precise, but your chest tightens with every swish.
At midnight, Sierra finds you still there. “She’s doing this on purpose,” she says softly.
“Doing what?”
“Trying to make you feel what she’s feeling.”
You grab another ball, square your shoulders. “Bold of her to assume I still care.”
(You do. God, you do.)
20 DAYS
Your game is evolving. Whatever limits you thought existed don’t anymore. You’re not just making shots—you’re erasing boundaries.
Reporters ask Coach about it after Harvard crushes Penn by 30 points. “Have you ever seen anything like it?”
She shakes her head, her voice filled with awe. “She’s playing like someone who has nothing left to lose.”
Because you don’t.
15 DAYS
Another photo surfaces: Paige dancing at a club, the same blonde close enough to blur the line between friendly and intimate. The image spreads through whispers, not headlines, but it’s enough to reach you.
The next morning, Jasmine deletes all your social media apps. “Focus on what matters,” she says, her tone leaving no room for argument.
So you do:
47 points against Princeton.
51 against Yale.
Perfect shooting in both games.
The whispers around you grow louder. People call it The Revenge Tour, though you don’t bother correcting them.
You let your game speak for itself.
10 DAYS
Harvard enters March Madness ranked #1 for the first time in school history. UConn is #2.
The narrative writes itself:
Ice vs Fire.
You hear the buzz but tune it out. Paige posts a hype video for the tournament. There’s no sign of you in her clips, but you don’t need to be.
That night, you shoot until your arms shake. The sound of each swish reverberates through the gym, the echoes cutting through your chest like heartbreak.
5 DAYS
The tournament begins, and you burn through the first two rounds like wildfire:
45 points against Florida State.
52 against Tennessee.
You still haven’t missed.
UConn advances too. Paige plays like she’s on fire, dropping 38 against Duke and 41 against LSU. But she misses. She stumbles. She’s human. She’s flawed.
You tell yourself that’s why she couldn’t keep you. Because perfection is lonely.
2 DAYS
The Final Four is set: Harvard vs. UConn. The matchup everyone’s been waiting for.
Your teammates feel the weight of it, the buzz of history swirling around them, but you stay quiet. Focused.
“Are you ready?” Coach asks after practice.
You glance at her, your expression steady. “Always.”
1 DAY
The press conference is brutal. Every question is a thinly veiled attempt to dig into the drama. Paige. The rumors. 
You give them nothing.
“I’m here to play basketball,” you say flatly. “Nothing else matters.”
Later that night, alone in your hotel room, you stare at the letter Sierra saved weeks ago. It sits on the desk like it’s daring you to open it.
Your hands shake as you unfold the pages.
The first three lines hit harder than you expect:
"I know I don’t deserve forgiveness. I know I broke something perfect. I know I lost the best thing that ever happened to me."
You stop reading. You don’t need to see the rest.
The paper burns easily in the sink, the edges curling in on themselves like the words are folding into ash.
Tomorrow isn’t about forgiveness.
It’s about proving that some things break you.
And some things make you unbreakable.
Time to show her which one you are.
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THE FINAL FOUR: HARVARD VS UCONN
The arena in Dallas feels alive, like it has a pulse of its own. Twenty thousand fans pack the stands, and the roar of the crowd is more than sound—it’s energy, crackling in the air, vibrating through the floor. You can feel it in your chest, in the way your heart beats a little faster as you stand in the tunnel, waiting.
This is the game. The one people will talk about for decades.
“Harvard vs. UConn,” ESPN’s voices echo faintly from the screens overhead, carrying over the din “The Game Women’s Basketball Has Been Waiting For.”
“Harvard’s perfect season against UConn’s dynasty.”
“Two programs. Two stars. One unmissable collision course.”
You don’t look at the screens. Don’t let the noise creep in. You focus instead on the rhythm of your breathing, the weight of the ball in your hands, the perfect arcs playing out in your mind. Force vectors, trajectories, momentum. The physics of what’s about to happen.
Sierra steps up beside you, her face all business, her game face as sharp as you’ve ever seen it. “You good?”
You nod once. She doesn’t ask if you’re sure. She’s seen you these past weeks—seen the extra hours, the obsession, the way you’ve turned heartbreak into something almost unrecognizable. She’s seen you rewrite what’s possible when perfect turns to steel.
“They’re out there,” Jasmine says quietly, stepping up on your other side.
Your stomach tightens, but you don’t let it show. 
“You’re sure you’re good?” Sierra presses, glancing at you out of the corner of her eye.
“I’m perfect,” you say flatly, the word cold and sharp.
The crowd’s roar deepens, and you know UConn must be taking the court for warmups. You can picture it without looking: Paige leading them out, her stride confident, her expression poised. She feeds off this energy, always has, like she was built for these moments.
You think about everything—every ignored text, every late-night practice, every time Paige’s name appeared on your phone screen and you turned away. You think about the letter, folded and burned, its words turned to ash: "I know I broke something perfect."
“I’m ready,” you say, voice steady.
Coach nods. “Good.” She turns to the team. “Ladies, listen up. Everything we’ve worked for comes down to tonight. They’re bigger, they’re stronger, and they’ve got more banners in their gym than we’ll ever see. But we’ve got something they don’t.”
She looks at you, and there's something fierce in her eyes.
"We've got perfect."
The team huddles up, hands in. But before they can do their usual chant, you speak. It's the first time you've addressed them all day.
"When we take that court," your voice is quiet but carries weight, "you're going to hear a lot of noise. They're going to talk about everything except basketball. But that's not why we're here."
Your teammates lean in closer.
"We're here because I made you all a promise three years ago. That we'd make history. That we'd show the world what Harvard basketball really is. That we'd be perfect when it matters most."
You look each of them in the eye.
"Tonight, we keep that promise."
The tunnel erupts in fierce agreement. Your teammates are ready for war.
"One minute!" calls the official.
You close your eyes for a moment, center yourself. Think about all the shots that led here. All the nights in empty gyms. All the physics problems solved between free throws. All the moments that built The Prophecy.
And yes, you think about her. About early mornings in her dorm. Late nights watching film. The way she said your name like it was something precious. The way she looked at someone else the same way.
The anger rises, cold and precise. You use it, let it sharpen your focus until everything else falls away.
The tunnel lights flicker as the official signals. It’s time.
"Ready?" Sierra asks one last time.
You step toward the light of the arena, toward the noise, toward destiny.
"Perfect," you say.
And then you emerge into madness.
The sound hits you like a wave the second you step onto the court. It’s not just noise; it’s a force, a physical thing that presses against you, vibrating in your chest.
"THE PROPHECY! THE PROPHECY! THE PROPHECY!"
The chant rolls through the arena like thunder, swelling as the crowd rises to their feet. Signs wave above the sea of faces:
"PERFECTION WEARS CRIMSON"
"847-2: THE PROPHECY SPEAKS"
Your entrance stops UConn's warmups cold. Every player freezes mid-drill, even the legendary Geno Auriemma turns to watch. You catch Paige's reaction in your peripheral vision—the way she stumbles slightly, ball slipping from her fingers. But you don't look at her. Won't give her that.
The Harvard section is delirious, but it's more than that. The neutral fans, the media, even some UConn supporters are on their feet. This is what happens when you spend three months turning heartbreak into headlines, when you take "perfect" and make it look easy.
Your teammates hit the court, their warmups sharper, fueled by the energy of the crowd. But your routine is different. Quieter. Singular.
You start at the three-point line, the ball resting in your hands. The noise fades as you focus, your heartbeat steadying. One shot.
Swish.
The explosion of noise is deafening. You don't react. Just catch, shoot, swish. Again. Again. Again.
On the other end, UConn's trying to maintain their composure, but you can feel their eyes on you. Feel the way their usual swagger has been replaced by something else. Something that looks like doubt.
Your teammates are feeding off the energy now. Sierra drills a corner three, the ball cutting through the net with a satisfying snap. Jasmine blocks one of Taylor’s layups in a mock defensive drill, both of them grinning fiercely.
"Focus on our game!" Geno barks, but even he keeps glancing your way.
The media's having a field day. Every camera in the building is trained on you, catching every perfect shot, every ice-cold expression. ESPN's commentary carries over the speakers:
"We're watching something unprecedented here, Rebecca. The Prophecy isn't just perfect anymore—she's transcendent. Look at the way UConn's players are watching her. They're supposed to be the dynasty, the standard-bearers, but right now they look shook—"
And still, you don’t look at Paige.
The crowd's volume keeps building, impossibly louder with each perfect shot you make. NBA players sitting courtside are shaking their heads in disbelief. Olympic champions in the stands are filming on their phones. This isn't just a warmup anymore—it's a statement.
Finally, mercifully for UConn, the buzzer sounds to clear the court for final preparations. As the teams head to their benches, you allow yourself one glance at their side. Just one.
Paige is standing near the sideline, her hands resting on her hips, her gaze fixed on you. For a split second, your eyes meet. Her expression shifts—shock, pain, something that might be regret.
You hold her gaze for a beat longer, then turn away, your face unreadable.
You turn away, face impassive. But inside, the cold fire burns hotter.
Because this isn’t about her anymore.
This isn’t about heartbreak or revenge.
This is about showing the world what happens when perfect stops trying to be loved.
And starts trying to be legendary.
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The starting lineups are about to be announced, and the arena hums with anticipation, the kind of energy that makes the hair on your arms stand on end. It’s not just loud—it’s electric, like the walls themselves are holding their breath. Every cheer, every chant, every flash of a camera feels sharper, brighter, heavier. History is about to be made.
The announcer’s voice booms, reverberating through the cavernous space, calling out names that blur into the roar of the crowd. You barely hear them—don’t need to. You’re locked in. You can feel the ball’s weight in your hand even though you’re not holding it, the phantom rhythm of your dribble steadying your pulse.
The Prophecy is about to speak.
And everyone—Paige, UConn, the world—is about to listen.
Sierra wins the tip with authority, the ball snapping to Maria like it’s been rehearsed a thousand times. Harvard’s ball. The crowd leans forward collectively, the sound dropping to an expectant hum as you cross half court, their energy feeding into the moment.
UConn’s defense is already set. You see it as soon as you step over the timeline: box-and-one. Four players sagging into a tight zone, leaving Paige on you.
Of course they’d make her guard you. Of course.
She’s close, closer than you expected, the kind of tight defense that borders on personal. Her eyes flicker for a moment, uncertainty bleeding through her usual focus.
“Please…” she whispers, so quiet it almost gets lost in the noise. “Can we just—”
You don’t let her finish.
A crossover—quick, precise, lethal—cuts her off mid-sentence. The crowd gasps, a collective intake of breath, as Paige stumbles, her footing faltering for just a second. But a second is all you need.
You rise up from 25 feet, the motion as natural as breathing. Perfect form. Perfect rotation.
Swish.
The crowd detonates.
3-0 Harvard.
"THE PROPHECY STRIKES FIRST!" The announcer can barely contain himself. "ICE COLD FROM DEEP!"
UConn pushes the ball upcourt fast, their transition game as polished as ever. Paige has that look now—the one that used to make your chest tighten, the one that once made you believe she could do anything. Now, it’s just data to process, another variable in the equation you’ve already solved.
She drives hard to the right, her speed and body control flawless. She’s counting on you to back off, to avoid contact, to give her just enough room for the pull-up jumper she’s perfected.
But you don’t.
Your body stays with hers, every step mirrored, every shift anticipated. When she rises for the shot, your hand is already there, contesting at the perfect angle. The ball leaves her hands, spinning slightly off-axis.
Clank.
The sound of the ball hitting the rim feels louder than it should, the miss reverberating through the arena like a misstep in a symphony.
“REJECTION!” The crowd erupts again, their voices rising to a fever pitch. “THE PROPHECY WITH THE PERFECT DEFENSE ON THE PRINCE!”
Maria grabs the rebound and pushes the break. You trail deliberately, your movements fluid, waiting for the play to unfold. The ball swings to you on the wing. Another catch. Another perfect release.
Swish.
6-0 Harvard.
Geno Auriemma doesn’t hesitate. Timeout, 47 seconds in. His voice carries across the court, sharp and commanding as he pulls his players in, trying to steady a ship that’s already rocking.
The ESPN commentators are incredulous. “I’ve never seen anything like this! The Prophecy isn’t just scoring—she’s controlling the entire game. And having Paige Bueckers guard her it’s psychological warfare at its finest.”
In the huddle, Coach Matthews stays calm, her voice steady amidst the chaos. “Keep executing. They’re rattled.”
Your teammates nod, feeding off her composure. You don’t say anything, don’t need to. The look in your eyes says enough.
Back on the court, UConn shifts their defense. KK Arnold takes over guarding you, her physicality immediately apparent. Paige shifts to Jasmine, but you feel her eyes on you anyway, like a weight pressing against your back.
You make her pay for it.
A quick backdoor cut—sharp, timed to perfection—leaves her a step behind. Maria sees it instantly, the lob arcing perfectly into your hands. You lay it in cleanly, barely breaking stride.
8-0 Harvard.
The UConn section is restless now, the nervous energy rippling through their chants.
From the crowd you hear, “She's not that special! Lock her up!"
The next time down, you catch the ball at the top of the key, KK’s hand pressing into your hip. You rise anyway, unfazed. The ball barely brushes the net on its way through.
11-0 Harvard.
Geno is furious, calling out defensive adjustments. But there's something different about UConn's energy—they're not just trailing, they're shook.
Paige tries to take over, driving hard to the rim with an intensity that feels more desperate than controlled. Her first step is sharp, her movements calculated, but there’s something frantic in the way she moves—like she’s trying to match you shot for shot, trying to prove something to herself as much as to the crowd.
Her floater arcs high but catches the back iron and rolls out.
The crowd groans, the sound rippling through the UConn section like a wave of disbelief. Paige’s jaw tightens as she sprints back on defense, but you’ve already moved on, focused, untouchable.
On the next possession, she pulls up for a three. It’s a clean look, her form textbook, but the ball rims out again, drawing a gasp from the fans and a loud clank that echoes through the arena.
Then she drives again, barreling into the paint, trying to force her way through Sierra’s perfect positioning. The ball pops loose, Sierra’s quick hands stripping it clean, and the Harvard section explodes in cheers.
Meanwhile, you’re somewhere else entirely.
Athletes talk about it, but few ever get there: the space where time slows, where the game feels less like competition and more like art. The roar of the crowd fades into a low hum, the edges of the court softening as everything sharpens around the ball in your hands.
It’s not just instinct—it’s control, precision, the physics of perfection in every step. Each shot feels inevitable, each movement unfolding like an equation you’ve already solved.
On defense, you can feel the tension radiating from UConn, their movements tighter, their communication louder. When Emma finally scores off a put-back—muscling through a sea of Harvard defenders—the UConn section celebrates like it’s a game-winner.
11-2 Harvard.
You glance at the scoreboard, then at your teammates, your calm focus unshaken. They know what’s coming next.
You show UConn what victory really looks like.
KK Arnold presses into you as you bring the ball up the court, her hands swiping aggressively, trying to throw you off balance. You shift your weight left, plant your foot, and cross over so quickly it sends her stumbling, her arms flailing for balance as the crowd gasps.
You take one step back, rising effortlessly over Caroline’s outstretched arms as she contests, her fingertips barely brushing the air beneath the ball.
Swish.
16-2 Harvard.
The Harvard bench leaps to their feet, arms raised, while the UConn section sits frozen, unsure of how to react. Geno is pacing now, barking orders to his team, his sharp voice cutting through the tension.
"We're watching history," the announcer's voice trembles with excitement. "The Prophecy isn't just winning—she's rewriting what's possible in this sport."
Paige is pressing harder, trying to shoulder the burden of momentum, but it’s slipping through her fingers. She forces another drive, this time straight into Sierra, who holds her ground like a wall. The whistle doesn’t blow, and Paige stumbles as the ball goes loose again, Maria scooping it up and feeding you on the wing.
The moment your hands touch the ball, you already know what’s going to happen.
Perfect rhythm. Perfect form. Perfect swish.
UConn tries everything: double teams, traps, full-court pressure. Nothing works. You split defenders like they're standing still, find teammates for open shots when they sell out to stop you, and when they give you any space at all.
The quarter ends with one final dagger. UConn tries to hold for the last shot, but you read Paige's eyes—you always could read her eyes—and jump the passing lane. The steal leads to a breakaway with three seconds left.
Most players would lay it in. Safe. Smart.
But The Prophecy isn't most players.
You take off from just inside the free-throw line, rising up as the buzzer sounds. The ball leaves your hands at the perfect angle, with the perfect spin, following the perfect arc.
Swish. As time expires.
29-10 Harvard.
The arena absolutely detonates. Your teammates mob you as you walk calmly to the bench. Even Coach Matthews cracks a smile.
In their huddle, you can see Geno gesturing frantically, see Paige's head hanging.
But none of that matters.
Because this isn't about them anymore.
This is about perfect.
And perfect is just getting started.
The second quarter opens with UConn desperate to change the momentum. Their energy is sharp, frantic, the kind that comes from a team not used to being punched first. Geno has abandoned the box-and-one, switching to a triangle-and-two defense. It’s designed to suffocate you—two defenders shadowing your every step, cutting off your air, daring the rest of your team to beat them.
You glance at Paige and KK as they close in, their feet shuffling in sync. Paige’s jaw is tight, her expression unreadable, but there’s tension in her shoulders, the kind you’ve seen in every film session this week. KK is louder, her movements brash, barking orders at the rest of the defense.
The first possession, you take the ball at the top of the key, waiting for the defense to swarm. KK gets there first, her hands low and active, trying to force you left. Paige closes in immediately after, her presence suffocating.
You don’t flinch. You shift just enough to pull both defenders with you, then flick a no-look pass to Sierra cutting baseline. The ball drops into her hands, and she lays it in cleanly, untouched.
31-10 Harvard.
"The Prophecy showing she can dominate without scoring!" ESPN's excitement builds. "This is basketball genius at its finest!"
Then it happens.
Four minutes into the quarter. Harvard up 37-15. You shake loose from the double team, slicing through the defense like a knife through fabric. Sierra's screen creating the perfect angle of separation (47 degrees, optimal for catch-and-shoot scenarios), your feet set precisely shoulder-width apart, knees bent at the textbook 110-degree angle.
The ball feels good leaving your hands—perfect, even. The rotation is clean, the arc flawless, the trajectory straight out of a physics textbook. It’s the kind of shot you’ve made thousands of times. The kind of shot you don’t even need to watch to know it’s good.
But sometimes, the universe has other plans.
The ball hits the back rim, bouncing straight up, a little too high, a little too slow. It hovers for an agonizing second.
The entire arena holds its breath. Twenty thousand people frozen, watching the impossible happen. The ball hangs there, defying gravity for one more precious second, before falling away.
You’ve missed.
The UConn bench explodes, their cheers wild and unfiltered, like they’ve just won the championship. Their fans echo the celebration, chants swelling and overlapping.
"SHE’S HUMAN! SHE’S HUMAN!”
Paige takes a step toward you, instinct guiding her more than logic. It’s the same look you’ve seen in practices, in dorm rooms, in quiet moments when her guard was down. She wants to reach out, to say something, to bridge the gap between who you were to each other and who you are now.
But she stops herself. Her foot hovers for half a second before she steps back, her hand falling limp at her side. She remembers where she is. Who she’s supposed to be to you now.
And still, everyone waits.
Your teammates glance at you nervously. They’ve seen what happens when you miss. They know the last time you broke. They know why.
But you're not the same person who broke in that dark gym.
Instead of shattering, you do something no one expects.
You smile.
It’s small, controlled, more ice than warmth, but it’s enough to send a ripple through the arena. The silence shifts into something sharper, heavier.
The message is clear: Missing doesn’t break me anymore.
Nothing does.
"Oh my," the ESPN announcer’s voice is barely above a whisper. "That might be the scariest smile I’ve ever seen in basketball."
Next possession.
You take the ball at half court, KK and Paige closing in again. Their energy is different now—more cautious, less certain. They’re waiting for you to pass, waiting for you to hesitate, waiting for the doubt to creep in.
But it doesn’t.
You glance at the defense sagging just slightly, expecting hesitation, and then you do the thing no one else would.
You rise from the logo, the shot pure and effortless, the ball spinning through the air like it was destined to fall.
Swish.
40-15 Harvard.
The arena erupts.
Your teammates are screaming, their hands raised in disbelief. Coach Matthews stands for the first time all game, clipboard forgotten, her face a rare mix of awe and pride.
"THAT'S HOW YOU RESPOND TO ADVERSITY!" ESPN's voice cracks with excitement. "The Prophecy isn't just perfect anymore—she’s unstoppable!"
UConn calls timeout, but it's too late. They've lost whatever psychological edge they thought they'd gained. The rest of the quarter becomes a masterclass:
You hit threes over double teams.
Thread passes through impossible angles.
Turn their defense into a highlight reel of broken ankles and shattered hopes.
By halftime, the score is 52-27 Harvard. You've got 31 points, 8 assists, and a message that's louder than any perfect streak:
Some things break you.
Some things make you unbreakable.
And sometimes, becoming unbreakable is better than being perfect.
The teams head to their locker rooms, but the story of the second quarter isn't the score. It's the smile after the miss. The logo three that followed. The moment when The Prophecy proved that she's not just a perfect player.
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HALFTIME
The locker room feels like it’s vibrating, the energy practically bouncing off the walls. Your teammates are loud, voices overlapping in a chaotic chorus of disbelief and celebration. Sierra’s pacing, too hyped to sit, while Jasmine reenacts your logo three for the tenth time, miming your shooting form with exaggerated flair.
"DID YOU SEE THEIR FACES?" Sierra's practically dancing. "When you smiled after that miss? I thought they were gonna pass out!"
"That logo three was DISGUSTING," Jasmine adds, mimicking your shooting form. "The disrespect!"
You let their voices wash over you, grounding yourself in the chaos without joining it. Sitting on the bench, you pull a water bottle to your lips, its coolness a sharp contrast to the heat radiating from your skin.
But Coach Matthews raises her hand for quiet. "They're going to come out desperate. Geno's never been down this much in a Final Four. Expect everything."
You nod slightly, her words steadying you. She’s right. The storm is coming. You can feel it brewing beyond the walls, the hum of the arena like distant thunder.
Through the locker room door, the halftime show filters in faintly. ESPN’s voices carry over the noise of the crowd:
“Harvard leads UConn 52-27 in the most lopsided first half of a Final Four in recent history…”
“31 points, 8 assists, 12-of-13 shooting, 5 steals. These aren’t just numbers; they’re history in the making…”
“And it’s not just the stats. That smile after the miss? That was the moment The Prophecy stopped being perfect and became something more. Something immortal.”
Sierra catches you listening and grins, holding up her phone. “You’re trending worldwide. Again.”
You wave her off. You don’t care about that. You’ve never cared about that.
But then Jasmine nudges you, her expression shifting from playful to serious as she shows you another text. This one’s from KK.
Paige is crying in the bathroom. Whole team’s shook. 
Good.
THIRD QUARTER
The second you see UConn retake the court, you can tell they’ve changed. There’s a new energy to them—sharper, more desperate. Paige’s eyes are slightly red, a telltale glint betraying her earlier tears. But there’s also something dangerous in her expression, the kind of desperation that makes even the best players reckless.
Geno’s thrown everything at the wall. UConn opens with a full-court press, their defenders swarming like bees, aggressive and chaotic.
It’s laughable.
You slice through them on the first possession like they’re standing still. A quick pass to Maria in the corner. Perfect release.
55-27 Harvard.
Paige tries to respond immediately, driving hard to the basket with her head down. The play is pure determination, her shoulders hunched as she barrels into the lane, but you’re ready.
Sliding over, you plant yourself perfectly, your feet set, your body immovable. When she crashes into you, the impact reverberates through your chest, but you don’t budge.
The whistle blows. Offensive foul.
Paige hits the floor hard, her hands slapping against the hardwood. For a split second, instinct kicks in—the memory of a hundred practices where you’d help her up, offer her a hand, a joke, a smile.
But that was then.
Now, you simply turn and walk away, your expression colder than the ice under her feet.
“Ice. Cold,” the announcer breathes, the disbelief palpable.
On the next possession, Paige picks you up full court, her body language bristling with frustration. She presses in close, practically stepping on your toes, her voice low and cracking.
“Please,” she whispers. “Just look at me. Just once.”
You don’t respond.
Instead, you hit her with a combination that feels less like basketball and more like poetry:
Crossover right.
Behind the back left.
Through the legs.
Step-back three.
The crowd doesn’t even wait for the ball to hit the net. The moment Paige stumbles backward, they’re on their feet, screaming.
The shot, of course, is perfect.
58-27 Harvard.
The UConn section is dead silent now. Even Geno has stopped pacing, his arms folded as he stares helplessly at the court. Paige glances toward their bench, her eyes briefly meeting Geno’s, but he has no answers either
Next possession, you wave off the screen, motioning for everyone to clear out. The court feels impossibly wide as Paige crouches in her defensive stance, her body coiled with tension. You can see the tears threatening at the corners of her eyes, the way her breathing hitches as she exhales.
Time slows.
Can see the tears threatening at the corners of Paige's eyes.
Can feel twenty thousand people holding their breath.
Perfect isn't about not missing anymore.
Perfect is about what you do next.
The move is pure poetry.
Crossover so quick the cameras barely catch it.
Through the legs at half speed, letting her think she's got you.
Then the acceleration – zero to legendary in a heartbeat.
Paige lunges, trying to stay in front.
The crowd rises as one.
But they don't matter.
Nothing matters except the physics of this moment.
You rise up from 30 feet, Paige's hand right in your face.
Time stops.
The ball arcs through the air like destiny.
Swish.
The arena detonates.
Your teammates mob you as you jog back, their faces alight with disbelief. Even the referees exchange glances, one shaking his head like he’s just witnessed the impossible.
61-33 Harvard.
Paige doesn’t move. She stays rooted to the spot where you left her, her head bowed, her hands on her knees. The weight of the game—of the moment—presses her into the hardwood.
The UConn bench looks like a graveyard.
Perfect breaks back.
The quarter ends with Harvard up 73-41. You've got 45 points on a shot chart that looks like abstract art. Each bucket more impossible than the last. Each move designed to teach them all the same lesson.
FOURTH QUARTER
Ten minutes left in the biggest game in women’s college basketball history. Harvard up 73-41. The crowd buzzes with anticipation, sensing the inevitable.
Paige opens the quarter like someone with nothing left to lose. Her movements are sharper now, more fluid, like she’s untethered from the weight of expectation. There’s desperation in her eyes, but also glimpses of what made her special.
What made her yours, once upon a time.
She hits a deep three. Then another. Her teammates respond, pressing full court, fighting for every inch, clawing for one last stand.
On the next possession, UConn doubles you at half court, but you see the opening before they do. A quick bounce pass threads the needle, hitting Sierra in stride for an uncontested layup.
75-44 Harvard.
The press comes hard again, but you stay poised, letting it collapse around you before sending a no-look pass over your shoulder to Maria in the corner. She drains the three, and the crowd explodes.
78-44 Harvard.
Paige tries to answer with a contested jumper at the other end, and it rattles in. She’s pressing now, forcing every play, trying to drag her team back into a game that’s already slipping away.
Back on offense, you hesitate near the arc, drawing in the defense before flipping a behind-the-back pass to Jasmine cutting baseline. The ball barely touches her hands before it’s in the net.
80-46 Harvard.
Coach Matthews calls timeout to sub you out with 1:32 left. The ovation is deafening—every single person in the arena on their feet, cheering until their voices crack. You’ve got 34 points, 15 assists, and 7 steals, but the numbers barely scratch the surface of what just happened.
You jog to the bench, your teammates mobbing you, their hands slapping your back, their voices a chaotic blur of celebration.
As you pass Paige one last time, there are no words. No need.
You both know what this moment is.
The final buzzer sounds: Harvard 89, UConn 51.
Confetti falls, a blizzard of crimson and gold, as your teammates tackle you in a storm of laughter and tears. Cameras flash everywhere, their lenses capturing history in real time.
You stand at center court, calm amidst the chaos, the weight of the moment settling over you.
Because you did it. You won.
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The locker room is a storm of joy, the kind that only comes from rewriting history. Music blasts from a speaker in the corner. Sierra’s leading a conga line with the championship trophy hoisted high. Jasmine and Maria are filming every second, screaming into their phones about being “FINAL FOUR CHAMPIONS, BABY!”
You should be reveling in it. You are, to an extent—smiling as Sierra shoves a bottle of sparkling cider into your hands, laughing as Jasmine accidentally sprays half the team with the foam.
But deep down, there’s an itch you can’t scratch.
You made the statement. You dominated the game. You won the war.
But the battle inside you—the one that started long before tonight—is still unresolved.
Later, when the celebration starts to wind down, you find yourself leaning against a corner of the locker room, still clutching the now-empty bottle of cider. The room feels quieter, though the energy still hums faintly in the air. Your teammates are scattered—some FaceTiming family, others sprawled on benches in blissful exhaustion.
Sierra catches your eye from across the room. She doesn’t say anything, just tilts her head slightly, a silent question.
You shake your head. Not yet.
An hour later, you’re back in your hotel room, the championship hat still perched on your head, your phone buzzing endlessly with texts and notifications. Most are from reporters, friends, family. A few from Jasmine and Sierra, who are probably still partying somewhere downstairs.
You scroll through them aimlessly, not sure what you’re looking for until you see her name.
Paige.
She hasn't texted. Not since before the game. Her name sits there like a ghost in your messages, daring you to make the first move. To break the silence that's grown between you like a wall.
For a while, you just sit there, staring at the empty message thread. You replay every moment of the game in your mind—the way her voice cracked when she guarded you, the way she pressed harder and harder as the score slipped further out of reach. The way she nodded, warrior to warrior, as if she knew what you’d just written into history.
And yet, it doesn’t feel complete. Not entirely.
Before you can overthink it, you start typing.
you can come by if you want
The message is simple. No explanations, no context. You don’t even wait to see if she reads it before tossing your phone onto the bed and heading to the bathroom to wash off the night.
When you come back, the screen is lit with her reply:
where?
Your heart stumbles over itself as you type the room number. You sit on the edge of the bed, fingers playing with the hem of your sweatshirt, trying to ignore how your pulse picks up with each passing minute.
The knock, when it comes, is so soft you almost miss it.
For a second, you just stare at the door, your pulse thudding in your ears. The part of you that has spent months building walls tells you not to answer, not to let her in.
But tonight isn’t about walls.
You open the door.
She’s standing there, still in her UConn travel gear, hair tucked under a beanie. Her eyes are tired, rimmed with dark circles, but there’s something in them—something vulnerable, tentative—that catches you off guard.
“Hi,” she says softly.
“Hi.”
You step aside to let her in. She moves hesitantly, as if unsure whether she belongs here.
For a moment, neither of you speaks. The room feels heavy with unspoken words, with everything the game couldn’t settle.
“You played…” Paige starts, then stops, biting her lip. “You were unbelievable.”
“Thanks.” You cross your arms, leaning against the desk. “You weren’t bad yourself.”
She lets out a breathy laugh, the sound awkward and raw. “I tried.”
Silence stretches between you again. The words you want to say stick to the back of your throat, stubborn and heavy. You watch her hands fidget with the strings of her hoodie, a nervous tell you used to find endearing. Now it just makes your chest ache.
Finally, it’s Paige who breaks the tension.
“I thought it would feel better,” she admits, her voice cracking slightly. “Losing, I mean. Seeing you win. It’s like I needed you to win. I needed you to be okay without me. But it didn’t make it hurt any less.”
Her honesty feels like a gut punch. You unfold your arms, suddenly unable to stay distant. “Paige…”
“I’m sorry,” she rushes out, words tumbling over themselves.“For all of it. For hurting you, for not fighting harder, for—”
“I know,” you cut her off gently, your voice quieter now. “I know.”
She looks at you, her eyes shiny with unshed tears. “Do you?”
You nod, stepping closer. “Yeah. I do. And I…” You take a shaky breath. “I’m tired of being angry. I don’t want to carry it anymore.”
Her shoulders slump, the tension leaving her body all at once. “I don’t either.”
For a moment, the two of you just stand there, the weight of everything unsaid filling the room.
And then, slowly, you reach out, your hand brushing hers. She looks down at the contact, her lips trembling, and you feel something shift.
Forgiveness isn’t instant. It’s not easy. But it starts here, in this quiet room, with the two of you trying to find your way back to something that feels whole.
“Sit,” you say softly, gesturing to the bed.
She hesitates, then sits down, and for the first time in months, the space between you feels less like a chasm and more like a bridge.
And maybe, just maybe, you’re ready to cross it.
She sits on the edge of the bed, her hands clasped tightly in her lap, her shoulders hunched like she’s bracing for something. You grab a water bottle from the mini-fridge, needing something to do with your hands.
“Want one?” you ask, holding it up.
Paige glances at you, nodding slightly. “Yeah. Thanks.”
You hand it to her, and your fingers brush—just for a second. It’s such a small, fleeting touch, but it makes the air between you feel charged, like something fragile and important is hanging there.
She twists the cap off the bottle but doesn’t drink, just stares at it like it holds answers. “I wasn’t sure if you’d actually let me in,” she says softly.
“Neither was I,” you admit, sitting down beside her. The bed dips slightly under your weight, and for a moment, you’re hyper-aware of the small space between you.
Her lips curve into a faint, rueful smile. “Fair.”
The quiet stretches, not uncomfortable but heavy with unspoken things. You look at her out of the corner of your eye—the way her hands tremble slightly as she holds the water bottle, the way her hair falls messily over her shoulders, the way her shoulders rise and fall with each shallow breath.
“I meant what I said earlier,” Paige murmurs, breaking the silence. “You were… unbelievable tonight. I mean, you always are, but tonight…” She trails off, shaking her head like she can’t find the words.
“Thanks,” you say softly.
“I wasn’t just talking about the game,” she adds, her voice quieter now. “The way you handled everything—the pressure, the expectations, even me. It was like watching someone I didn’t even know existed.”
You glance at her sharply, caught off guard by the rawness in her voice. “You know me better than anyone.”
“I thought I did,” she says, her lips twitching into something that’s not quite a smile. “But I think I only knew the parts of you that let me in. And I don’t think I earned the rest.”
Her words hit something deep inside you, something you’ve been trying to bury. You look down at your hands, twisting the cap on your water bottle. “You didn’t need to earn it,” you say quietly. “It was always yours.”
She turns her head to look at you, her eyes wide and vulnerable, and you can feel her staring, feel her trying to read between the lines of your words.
“I should’ve fought harder,” Paige whispers. Her voice cracks, and she drops her gaze back to her lap. “For us. For you. I should’ve—”
“Stop,” you interrupt gently, surprising even yourself with the softness in your tone. “You don’t have to keep apologizing. I’ve already forgiven you.”
She lets out a shaky breath, her shoulders slumping like a weight has just been lifted. “Really?”
You nod, your throat tightening. “Yeah.”
For a moment, neither of you speaks. The sound of her breathing fills the room, slow and uneven, and the faint hum of the city outside filters in through the window.
“It’s weird,” you say after a while, breaking the silence. “I thought beating you tonight would feel like closure. Like I could finally move on. But it didn’t.”
Paige looks up at you, her brows furrowed. “What did it feel like?”
You hesitate, the words catching in your throat. “Like I was still waiting for something.”
She doesn’t ask what, doesn’t press, but the way she looks at you tells you she knows.
The silence stretches again, but this time it feels different—like the space between you is slowly shrinking, like the air is shifting.
You shift slightly on the bed, your knee brushing hers. The touch is small, accidental, but neither of you pulls away.
“Do you want to stay?” you ask suddenly, the words tumbling out before you can overthink them.
Paige blinks, her eyes widening in surprise. “What?”
“Stay,” you repeat, your voice steadier now. “Just for tonight.”
She looks at you, searching your face for something—hesitation, doubt, anything that might make her say no. But she doesn’t find it.
“Okay,” she says finally, her voice barely above a whisper.
You nod, standing up and grabbing a spare blanket from the closet. “You can take the bed. I’ll—”
“No,” she interrupts quickly, shaking her head. “I mean, we can… share. If that’s okay.”
You hesitate for a moment, then nod again. “Yeah. Okay.”
The bed feels impossibly small as you both lie down, the silence stretching between you like a fragile thread. You’re on your back, staring at the ceiling, trying not to think about how close she is. Paige shifts slightly, the mattress dipping under her weight, and you catch the faint scent of her shampoo.
You try to focus on anything else—the faint hum of the city outside, the muffled sound of someone laughing in the hallway, the rhythm of your own breathing. But your mind keeps circling back to her.
“Hey,” Paige whispers after a while, her voice tentative in the dark.
“Yeah?”
“Can I…?” She trails off, and you turn your head to look at her. Her eyes are wide, uncertain, the soft light from the window catching the gold flecks in them. “Can I hold you?”
The question catches you off guard, but only for a second. Then you nod, shifting onto your side to face her.
She hesitates, like she’s still waiting for you to pull away, and then she closes the space between you. Her arms wrap around you carefully, like she’s afraid you’ll break, and you feel the warmth of her body settle against yours.
You exhale slowly, your head resting against her shoulder, your hand curling slightly against her chest. Her heartbeat is steady, grounding, and for the first time all night, you feel your own racing pulse start to calm.
“Is this okay?” she asks softly, her breath warm against your hair.
“Yeah,” you murmur, letting your eyes close. “It’s okay.”
For a while, neither of you speaks. The quiet hum of the room wraps around you like a cocoon, the world outside fading into the background. You focus on the small details—the way her fingers trace absent patterns against your back, the steady rise and fall of her breathing, the way her cheek brushes against your temple.
“I missed this,” she whispers, the words barely audible.
You don’t answer right away, your throat tightening with emotions you’re not ready to name. Instead, you shift closer, tucking your face into the crook of her neck. “Me too.”
Her arms tighten slightly around you, and you feel the faintest press of her lips against your hair. It’s not a kiss, not really—just a gentle, fleeting touch, like she’s afraid to ask for more.
You stay like that for what feels like hours, the weight of everything unsaid hanging in the air. But for now, it’s enough. Enough to share the silence, to let yourselves be close again, to let the cracks start to heal.
“I don’t want this to be the end,” she says quietly, breaking the silence.
You open your eyes, your gaze meeting hers in the dim light. “Maybe it doesn’t have to be.”
The faintest smile tugs at her lips, hopeful and tentative, and you let yourself smile back.
For now, it’s enough.
For tonight, it’s everything.
The End
A Note from the Me
Thank you for following The Prophecy's story through these three parts. Your comments, messages, and support have meant the world to me. You've helped shape this story of what happens when perfect meets human, when physics equations meet matters of the heart, when being unbreakable becomes more important than being flawless.
Thank you for being part of this journey (cornball moment lol). If enough people want I can do a 6 year time jump as a short story where they're married.
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todayontumblr · 3 months ago
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Monday, September 30.
Pleased to meet you.
Hey there! We've someone we would like you to meet, and we think you'll get along great. 
His name is EthanUno. He is a singer, songwriter, and producer based in San Diego. He makes inimitable and colorful pop fused with R&B. He draws from hyperpop, kawaii, Y2K, and Latin pop—a concoction he calls "optimistic punk".
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He grew up Mexican and Salvadoran and sings in English and Spanish. He likes Hello Kitty. He’s already picked up cosigns from Frank Ocean (who played “pensando en ti” on Homer Radio). He's on Tumblr (@summonyoureaglepowers), he's on Soundcloud, and he's just getting started.
Sound good? Well, it gets better. To make your acquaintance, he has curated some posts just for you. He's just released "on 10", and it's a ~relatable~ happy-sad vibe.
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dduane · 1 month ago
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Yeah, yeah, it's Cyber Monday...
And oh look, here's a big bundle of inexpensive DRM-free SF & fantasy ebooks, with a free replacement guarantee! Please come avail yourselves of our whole store's worth. 😊
(The reduced price will be going away shortly... so best to move fast.
Also a reminder, with regret: due to Brexit, this offer is not valid in the UK. (Nor are any other sales from our shop.) Sorry, friends.
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illbegottenfaith · 1 month ago
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handwritten - theo nott x reader
yours and theo’s story as told through notes passed in class
Part 1 | Part 2
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a/n - came up with this quick idea to release some pent up creative energy while mulling over lucky pt 3. will prob make this an ongoing series for small ideas I can’t get fully fledged fics out of. easy to write, easy to read, enjoy!
tropes/warnings - fluff, a minor hinting at angst, newstudent!theo, estranged friends to lovers
word count - 1.5k
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Monday, 10.07 am, Charms
Hey. You might want to pull your nose out of that disgusting textbook for once.
We’ve been over this. Just because you don’t understand something it doesn’t mean it’s disgusting. It’s very disrespectful.
What is disrespectful is you not paying attention to our year’s hottest new commodity - emphasis on the hot. I must say, he fills out that uniform quite nicely.
I’m sure he does.
C’mon, you’re not even a little bit curious? Just a peek?
Y/N? Hellooooooo? 
Oh my god. I know the guy.
???
What is he doing here? Last I heard he was being homeschooled.
Know him how??
We went to the same primary school. We were…friends.
Riiiight.
Don’t get any ideas. I haven’t seen him since I was ten. And he looked very, very different back then. Had a ratty sort of face. I can still kind of see it, actually.
Oh, Y/N, how could you say such awful things about his beautiful face! Oh dear, that bone structure…
Quiet, you. He’s really…grown. He’s so much taller now.
You know what you should do? You should offer to help him catch up.
On five years of school?
Oh, please, he was homeschooled. He had to have learnt some things. Who is he, anyway?
Theodore Nott.
Now that’s an Old Money name if I ever heard one.
Ivy. Be nice.
So? Is he? Old money, that is.
I…suppose so.
Are you sure you two were friends?
Yes. It’s been a while, that’s all. I just…wow. I can’t believe he’s here. Like, right there. I didn’t know if I’d ever see him again.
What happened?
He moved. I was starting at Hogwarts. We lost touch, it happens.
But now he’s back! Yay! Did you see those sinfully blue eyes of his?
Ivy, you have a boyfriend.
I know. Ivan agrees, by the way.
That he’s hot?
Yes.
He’s sitting on the other side of the room. When did you have time to discuss this??
Just now. Right in front of you. What did you think all that eyebrow-waggling was about?
I thought you were having a stroke. Merlin, the two of you are perfect for each other.
Don’t change the subject. He’s not gay, is he? Your friend? All the hot ones usually are.
I wouldn’t know, now, would I? I haven’t heard anything about him in years. Ivy, leave him alone. Please don’t harass the poor guy, sexually or otherwise. And quit it with the notes. He’ll notice.
How??? Has he got eyes on the back of his very nicely shaped head? He’s busy with Flitwick anyway.
Trust me, he’ll see. Nothing gets past Theodore Nott.
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Monday, 2.15 pm, Potions
Well?????
Well, what?
The chat!!! Your chat!!!!!! With Mr. Theodore Nott!!!!!!!!
You have to quit it with the caffeine. You’re far too excitable after lunch.
The chat!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It was fine. It was…nice.
Uh-huh.
He goes by Theo now.
Okay. I’ll pretend I care about that.
It was all very casual, very superficial. It was really just us exchanging pleasantries. Oh, right. He asked me to accompany him to Quidditch tryouts.
You??? But you hate Quidditch.
I know.
Please tell me you didn’t say that.
I didn't. I just said I didn’t know much about it.
And?
He said that didn’t matter. He just wanted me there for moral support.
Then what was with all the turning red halfway through? You looked like you were going to combust.
Was it that obvious?
Ivan had some pumpkin juice ready, just in case.
It was nothing. I just wasn’t expecting it, that’s all. He called me his good luck charm.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
You’re going to rip a hole through the parchment.
AWWWWW
So?? Did you say yes??
I said I’d think about it.
BOOOOOOOO
Come on, Vee. He’s been flying since before he could walk. He always talked about joining the big leagues, you know. He knows everything there is to know about Quidditch, so of course he’ll make the team. And it’ll have nothing to do with me.
But he doesn’t even have any friends yet :(
That’s because he hasn’t talked to anyone yet.
Y’know, Romilda Vane wanted to know why he was talking to you of all people.
What’s that supposed to mean??
Eh, you know. You can be a little…snippy.
I am NOT snippy.
There it is. The snippiness.
Whatever. It’s all so pointless. Come Thursday evening, he’ll have joined the Quidditch team and he’ll be hanging out with, y’know, those people, and we’ll be ancient history. He’ll make plenty of friends. He just doesn’t know it yet.
Okay. If you say so. Also, at lunch, I finally tried that thing you’re always talking about, “applying myself,” and I found this article on his dad in the library. From 6 years ago.
Don’t you want to know what the article said?
You could have mentioned he was a death eater, you know.
I don’t care about that, by the way. You used to be friends and that’s good enough for me. But, Y/N, he was arrested six years ago. And you haven’t talked to Theo in six years. But there isn’t any kind of connection between those, is there?
Y/N?
Do not make me throw this at you. I know how you feel about paper cuts.
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Tuesday, 3.03 pm, Defence Against the Dark Arts
Where’s your friend?
?
You know. Who you’re always passing notes with in class?
You noticed?
Hard not to. It makes you all fidgety and annoyed.
Yeah, well, Ivy’s an annoying person.
I’ll take your word for it. What do you have after this?
Transfiguration.
Wow. That’s one of the harder ones, isn’t it?
Er, depends on who you ask, I think.
Still brilliant as ever, then.
Shut up. I’m not half the swot I was in primary school. 
I never thought you were a swot. You were just…enthusiastic.
That’s sweet of you to say, Theo.
Huh. I thought I’d always be Teddy to you.
We’re not ten anymore, Theo. I can say your name perfectly now.
That’s good. So, have you thought about it?
Thought about what?
The Quidditch tryouts. You’re the only person I know here so you have to say yes.
I don’t know. Some of the girls look pretty interested in getting to know you.
What?
Nothing. I guess I could swing by for a short while.
That’s my girl.
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Thursday, 8.37 pm, Common Room
SO?????
He got in. Obviously. Was there ever any doubt?
Did he run up to you? Did he hug you? Did he pick you up and spin you around???
Witch Weekly is a bad influence on you.
Details, please.
He hugged me. Kind of. Nearly tackled me, he was so excited.
you are SO his good luck charm!!!!!!
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Friday, 11.17 am, Defence Against the Dark Arts
Witch Weekly?
It’s not mine. I’m holding it for a friend.
Right.
Really, I am. Ivy’s a fiend for these but she has this Charms test coming up that she absolutely cannot fail.
I believe you. ‘Top 6 Magical Contraceptives for the Modern Witch’ doesn’t sound like your kind of reading material.
I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to embarrass you. I was only having a little fun.
I’m not embarrassed. Are you embarrassed?
Erm, no, but you’re very red. Do you need to see the Healer?
I’m fine. It’s just hot. And no one calls Madam Pomfrey ‘the Healer,’ by the way.
Ah. I see.
Is there a point to all this? Did you need to ask something?
Oh, right. What are you up to on Saturday night?
Saturday? Dunno…wanted to take a crack at that Transfiguration essay.
Excellent. I’ll pick you up at 8.
Oh?
It’s nothing. A couple of the guys on the team wanted to celebrate with drinks at Hogsmeade. Everyone’s bringing someone, and I thought it would be nice if you came. Being my good luck charm, and all.
Oh, Theo, you probably don’t know this since you’re new and all, but going down to Hogsmeade is only permissible on certain weekends. And only start a couple of weeks into the term, so not yet.
Did you just -? Oh my god, you did. You laughed at me. You laughed at my note. Out loud. You’re lucky you’re in Slytherin, you know. Snape usually goes absolutely ballistic if anyone interrupts his lesson.
I’m sorry, I forgot what a stickler you were. I just - I didn’t think I’d miss it.
Please, Theo, forget the drinks. I cannot in good conscience stand by and let you break so many rules. You’ve been here less than a week!
Guess you’ll have to keep an eye on me. Make sure I stay out of trouble.
Exactly.
Great. See you Saturday at 8.
Part 2
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