#that song that plays? that’s currently in my head like

[kumkaniudaku]

Back Up

Summary: Terry gets much needed back up during a Christmas shopping outing.

Pairing: Terry Richmond x Black!OC

Word Count: 2.2k

Warnings: Language

Previous: Spoiled

MASTERLIST

Bodies whipping past each other in a crowded department store made an already exhausting shopping session all the more uncomfortable for Terry. He hated being forced to mingle with the public, scooting past rude customers as they selfishly took up space between messy clothing racks and disheveled aisles. He’d already said more expletives than his mother would enjoy if she were with him and Patrice searching for gifts to round out their early Christmas haul. 

His wife had coaxed him out of the house with promises of his favorite hot meal and one of those Korean face masks he pretended to only kind of like for his willingness to act as her hired muscle for the afternoon. Lugging big boxed items and not so subtly shoving grown men who stepped in her path was his primary task. And, for the work he’d done in two hours, it had to be enough to earn a kiss or two as a reward for good behavior. 

Patrice and Terry stood side by side as she carefully and quietly scanned a printed spreadsheet lined with multiple names and items. 

“Hey, boo, did you see if that juicer back there was marked down? I wanna grab it for Mama.” 

Terry tinkered with the buttons on a display air fryer and shook his head. “I wasn’t looking, but everything in here seems to be on sale. Need me to go back for you? I don’t mind.”

Despite his disdain for the current circumstances, he’d gleefully double back to fulfill Patrice’s wishes. She reached out to stroke his muscled arm as a thank you for his effort.

“No, that’s okay, baby. How about you meet me over by the tableware instead so we can divide and conquer? I need to grab a new cutlery set so we can throw ours out and then get out of here. Promise. I know you’re ready to eat.”

“And go the hell home,” he grumbled. “I don’t understand how you deal with all this.”

His deep scowl, usually a deterrent for strangers looking to avoid conflict, only made him look like an adorable petulant child to Patrice. A grin spread across her face as she approached him to smooth her palms arose his broad chest. 

“I know, Pooh. You’re doing a great job, though. All cute and patient for me.” 

Praise from her for even the simplest tasks never failed to switch off his defenses and soften his heart into jelly. If asked, he’d vehemently deny that he enjoyed being cooed at like a child, but Patrice caught the uncontrollable happy twinkle in his eye as she pushed up on her toes to kiss his cheek. 

He attempted to regain his composure to save face. “You’re talkin’ to me like a baby.”

“Not just any baby. You’re my baby.” More pecks on his stubbled jaw made Terry groan and roll his eyes as he slowly gave in. Sweet talk had prevailed and he was back to being wrapped around her ring finger like the shining wedding band she’d been wearing for a little over a month. She pinched his cheek and smiled in triumph knowing the battle was won. “I’ll be quick, I’ll promise. Two minutes!”

“So we cool with only two minutes now?”

Patrice mirrored Terry’s cheeky grin as she backed away in search of her final gift for the afternoon, leaving him proud of his suggestive joke. 

He prayed they could hit 120 seconds on the dot for the first time in their lives. His feet ached. His stomach growled louder than the Michael Bublé songs playing over the store’s speakers. His patience was thin. If he wasn’t in the comfort of home within 45 minutes, he’d have to introduce the public to a version of Terry no one should have to meet. 

Following Patrice’s instructions, Terry mosied toward a glittering section full of discounted crystal and fine china. Where others saw Patrice as a complex maze of desires, feelings, and unmeetable demands, Terry knew exactly what she liked. Natural textures and earthy tones kept their home grounded in nature to match her love for the small flower garden she kept in the backyard. Every kitchen accessory, big and small, revolved around the coveted ivory dinner set she purchased with her first check as an educator. Forks and spoons would be no different. Terry didn’t need another hand slap and stern lecture to learn that lesson.

His fingers tracked option after option on cluttered shelves until he found two sets of flatware that fit her strict specifications. Sleek? Check. Matching her favorite plates and blows? Got it. He prided himself on making her decisions easier and this latest attempt was his best to date.  

Grabbing the first set was a piece of cake. He slid it from the shelf with no issue to place into the already-packed shopping basket. The second attempt came with a struggle as another, much daintier hand attempted to tug his wife’s prize from his grasp. 

Terry looked down to find a small, frail older woman with ivory skin and a tight frown looking back at him with contempt. He tugged a little harder, but she pulled back. 

Not wanting to cause a scene for fear of being seen as the angry Black man terrorizing fellow patrons, he tried placating the older woman with a polite smile and disarming chuckle. “This is for my wife, actually. You know how that goes. I’m happy to give it to you if she chooses otherwise, though.” 

The attempt at a friendly tone and winning smile did little to deter his unlikely adversary. What charm he thought he possessed only seemed to make her angrier. She eyed him up and down, thin lips twisted into an indignant smile as she attempted to nab the item a second time to no avail. 

“But you already have one,” she complained, pointing at the item in his basket. “You can’t have another.” 

“I’m not trying to have two. She’ll make a decision and put back what she doesn’t want.”

“So, you’re just gonna hold it?” 

Terry regarded her with a blank stare. “…Yes.”

“You can’t do that!”

“Will you be the one to stop me or what?” 

There wasn’t much left in Terry’s tank for niceties. Greying hair and crepey skin wouldn’t do much to stop a tongue-lashing if static was what she was after. 

The woman stood firm, reaching to grab the item from Terry’s hand but missing when he snatched it back. She raised her voice. “I’m going to have security come over here and make you give it up.”

“Ma’am, I truly do not care who you call. Stop trying to put your hands on me.” 

“Or what?” She was challenging a nearly unshakeable man. He didn’t budge and it left her incensed. She attempted another angle. “Call your wife over here. Go on! I want to talk to her face to face.” 

He scoffed and shook his head. “Nah. You don’t want that. Call security. It’s better for everyone involved.”

“Call her over here!”

“I’m not about to let you piss her off and ruin the rest of my day. Let’s figure something out.”

She had no idea what she was asking for, the kind of trouble she was welcoming into her life. Terry tried to reason with her. He tried to compromise to keep the peace. But, as Patrice rounded the corner to find an unfamiliar woman embroiled in a verbal tussle with her man, time had just run out. 

“Oh, no ma’am,” Patrice started with the look of a protective mother in her eyes. “You better figure that out and quick. We’re not playing that game. What’s the problem?” 

Fear gripped the older woman as Patrice approached. Terry slowly placed the second set of utensils in the basket and scoffed. Whatever happened next was up to God and whoever his newest foe served.

“I told you,” Terry reminded, shaking his head. “Good luck.”

“Is this your husband?” 

Patrice moved to stand in front of Terry with the juicer in tow, acting as a human shield. She spoke low and slow. “And what about him? What exactly is your issue?” 

Terry watched the exchange with bated breath. Her calmness was a war tactic she employed to size up her enemy. At any moment she might explode and leave you shell-shocked.

“He has two sets of flatware in that cart saying he’s waiting on you to decide. That’s not fair! Choose one,” the woman accused, her voice rising in a feeble attempt to intimidate Patrice.

“That’s not how shopping works! We’ll buy every single one of these motherfuckers if we want to! Who gon’ stop us?”

“With cash, too,” Terry mumbled in support.

The woman clutched invisible pearls, feining disgust at the use of adult language. “What a foul mouth! That is not the way you speak to people. Especially not your elders. ” 

“Baby, if you keep talking to this one behind me crazy, my mouth will be the last thing you need to worry about.”

“Is that a threat?” 

She should’ve prayed for a threat. A threat would’ve been the easy way out - a free pass to avoid making an enemy of someone with such an intense passion for using quick wit and a slick tongue to eviscerate her opponents. 

Patrice calmly turned to thrust the heavy juicer into Terry’s arms without a word before turning to make her point clear. He shook his head in pity. Poor woman. She’d tell this story to her family at dinner later, looking for sympathy when what she really needed was the foresight to recognize when she encountered the verbal assassin he called his better half.

Silently, he mouthed Patrice’s favorite opening statement in time with the words leaving her lips.

“Let me tell you something.” Terry smiled to himself, knowing he had her down to a science. Patrice pointed a manicured finger in her direction for extra emphasis. “I’m sure we’ll never meet again, but hopefully this will help you the next time you think about running up on someone you don’t know. Don’t you ever holler at my husband or your ass’ll have to cash that check your mouth wrote this afternoon. Have I made myself clear or are you so deprived of the sense God gave you that you need a demonstration?”

This time, Patrice’s heavy suggestion to drop the issue before it could escalate and retreat to another section of the store was received with renewed clarity. The woman huffed in defeat. Terry and Patrice watched her reluctantly pluck another option from the shelf and scurry away with her tail between her legs. Patrice tracked her with her eyes and a scowl that looked just like her husband’s on her face until the coast was clear. 

Terry watched her try to physically reset by rolling her shoulders down and back, but her face betrayed her once she turned to face him. 

She reached for the sets of cutlery and examined both under harsh fluorescent light. “These are nice. I think I like the left more though.” 

“Treece.” 

“Mmm, but the left is a little bulky now that I look at it. Maybe the right? Which one did you like?” 

“Patrice.” Terry used his index finger to tilt Patrice’s head upward and redirect her attention. The corners of his lips lifted into a small smile before leaning down to kiss her nose. “Thank you, Piggy. I had it, but I love when you back me up. What you want as repayment tonight?” 

“Mmmm, my feet hurt a little. Think you can work your magic?” 

He hummed in response. “I was gonna do that anyway for myself. Pick something else.”

“I want you to help me pick eating utensils so we can get out of here,” Patrice laughed to discharge the tension growing between them. “Left or right?”

“The left is my choice. But I’ll buy every single one of these motherfuckers in here if you want ‘em.”

His callback had both of them dissolving into a fit of giggles that only stopped once another patron browsing the aisle forced them to make a quick decision and make a move to return to their side of town. 

In the car, Patrice playfully jabbed a finger into Terry’s arm as they pulled out into mall traffic. “Don’t you go tellin’ my mama and daddy about this. I don’t have time for their mouths today. And stop letting people talk to you crazy in the first place. I’m serious, Terry.”

“Yes ma’am. You have made yourself abundantly clear.” 

“Shut up!” 

Silly jokes about the absurdity of hemming up an old woman passed between the pair as they sat in a bumper-to-bumper jam were interrupted by an incoming call on the car’s Bluetooth system. 

“How you doin’ mama,” Terry answered as soon as the call connected, leaving Patrice to entertain herself. “I got Treece in the car. You know she threatened to stop feeding me if I didn’t go shopping with her. Crazy, ain’t it?” 

“That’s what she should do! No way she should be out there with all these holiday crazies by herself.” 

Patrice nodded in agreement. “Thank you, Ms. Dee. You get the biggest gift under the tree this year.” 

“Oh, thank you, Treecey Girl!”

“Hold on, hold on,” Terry interjected. “Treecey is a holiday crazy! Let me tell you how she just threatened an old lady about some forks and knives today.”

“Terrence, don’t sit up here and lie. My girl is way too sweet for that.”

“Hand to God, mama. Almost body slammed somebody’s grandma.” Terry bore all of his teeth in an impish grin as Patrice’s eyes grew wide. 

“Snitch,” she mouthed at him before responding to Diedra. “Okay, threatened is an over-simplification. She was yelling at your son and I stepped in!” 

“Yelling!? Girl, start at the top.” 

The message ‘I can’t stand you’ typed into a note and flashed in his direction made Terry choke back laughter as he listened to Patrice defend her actions. Though he knew what he was doing, in his mind, she should’ve been more specific in her instruction. 

She never said he couldn’t tell his mama.

-----

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[schlattslambo]

schlatt with shy, quiet, nerdy, and chubby reader that wears glasses? 😢😢😢

a/n: as a girl thats literally like this, i fear i may have gotten a bit carried away. thank you so much for this request!

note: female presenting reader, munch!schlatt

———

you were never one to get attention from boys. not that you minded that much, of course. you figured that your person would come along and sweep you off your feet when the time was right. your friends, of course, wanted you to get out of your comfort zone and go to a house party. you tried to get out of it to no avail. so, you’re currently sitting on someone’s couch, clutching a red solo cup full of sprite in your hands.

music plays from a speaker outside somewhere, playing some song that you don’t know. you glance down at the cup in your hands and sigh. parties aren’t your thing. they never have been. you wished you could have stayed home and curled up with your new book, but you also didn’t want to let your friends down.

“hey there,” a voice slurs as the couch dips next to you.

you look over and a boy sits next to you, eyes glossed over and a drunken smile on his face.

“h-hi?” you manage.

“what’s a pretty girl like you doing all alone?” the boy asks and you can smell the vodka on his breath.

“my friends brought me,” you reply. “i’m waiting for them to come back.”

“well,” the boy sighs, playing with a strand of your hair. “why don’t you and i get acquainted? we can be friends too.”

you shake your head, glancing around the room for one of your friends. they aren’t in the room, and you don’t know anyone else here.

“n-no thanks.” you reply, scooting away just a bit.

“c’mon hun,” the boy smiles, following you. “i don’t bite, unless you’re into that of course.”

“yo, she said no.” a voice comes from in front of you. “leave her alone.”

you look up at the source of the voice and your eyes widen. a taller man with a backwards baseball cap and interesting facial hair stands in front of you, glaring at the boy next to you.

“c’mon man,” the boy next to you replies. “i’m just being nice, she’s here all alone.”

“maybe she wants to be alone and not bothered by weirdos.” the guy standing says. “now get lost.”

the boy begins to protest but with one look, he scrambles up. the guy takes his place and shakes his head.

“i’m sorry about him,” he tells you. “you alright?”

you nod. “yeah, i’m fine,” you reply. “thank you.”

the guy smiles at you. “i don’t see you at parties, what’s your name?”

“i’m (y/n).” you reply. “whats yours?”

“call me jay.”

you smile at the boy, jay, and he returns it. now that he’s closer, you get a better look at his face. he’s got brown eyes and soft freckles that dot along his face. his facial hair is neatly groomed and his lips look soft. brown hair peeks out from underneath the baseball cap.

“it’s nice to meet you jay.” you reply. “parties aren’t really my thing. i’d much rather sit at home with a book. no offense.”

jay laughs a little. “none taken,” he replies. “this isn’t even my party. it’s my friend ted’s. i’d rather be at home playing video games.”

“what games do you play?” you ask.

as jay tells you all about the different games he plays, you realize that he hasn’t said anything about your size, the fact that you wear glasses, or the fact that you’re sitting by yourself. as the conversation continues, the music gets louder.

“do you want to go somewhere quieter?” jay asks against your ear.

before you even register your own movements, you’re following jay upstairs into a bedroom. as the door closes, the music becomes muffled and you sigh as the room becomes quieter.

“you seemed like you needed a break from everything,” jay says, sitting on the bed as he smiles at you.

you nod. “yeah, it was getting a bit overwhelming.” you admit. “thank you for being so nice to me.”

jay gives you a look, the smile on his face not fading. “why are you thanking me, dummy?” he asks. “it’s basic human decency.”

“you’d be surprised at how little of that i get.” you laugh softly.

“well thats fucked up,” jay says as he pats the spot on the bed beside him. “come sit.”

you do, looking at jay and swiping your tongue over your lips nervously. he watches the small movement, his eyes darting from your lips to your eyes. your cheeks flush as you notice and jay smiles.

“your glasses are really cute,” he says. “they show off the color of your eyes.”

“yeah?” you ask, pushing them up the bridge of your nose subconsciously.

jay nods, his own cheeks flushing. “i like girls in glasses.” he admits.

there’s a moment of tension between the two of you. jay scoots closer to you, his breath fanning out across your lips.

“you’re very beautiful.” he whispers.

“th-thank you,” you stammer.

despite friends calling you beautiful, you never really believed them. but for some reason, you believe jay. the way his brown eyes stare into yours, it’s hard not to believe him. his hand goes onto yours, sending a spark of electricity up your arm. you can’t help the words that leave your lips next.

“this isn’t a set up is it?” you whisper. jay nearly stumbles back.

“huh?” he asks. “what do you mean?”

“like, there isn’t anyone hiding in the closet, waiting for us to kiss to jump out and record it?” you ask. “or people waiting at the door?”

jay gives you a look that’s mixed with hurt and disbelief. “of course not, doll.” he says. “what makes you think that?”

“it wouldn’t be the first time.” you admit.

jay stands up and opens the closet, allowing you to see that there’s nobody in there. then, he opens the door, and the hallway is empty as well. you look away, biting your bottom lip as you go red.

“i-i’m sorry,” you say softly.

“don’t be sorry,” jay says, running a hand through your hair. “you’ve clearly been hurt in the past, and you wanna make sure that it doesn’t happen again.”

you nod and lean into jay’s touch. “it’s okay.”

“it isn’t okay,” jay replies. “beautiful girls like you should never be treated lesser.”

you look up at jay and he gives you a smile that makes butterflies dance in your belly. you can’t help but smile back as he sits back down next to you, hand on your plush thigh. jay leans in, forehead pressing against yours.

“may i?” he whispers.

“you may.”

his lips press to yours in a soft kiss that takes your breath away. his tongue swipes on your bottom lip as the kiss deepens. the two of you fall back onto the bed and jay is quick to climb on top of you. your hands go into his hair, tugging him closer. jay groans at the action, breaking the kiss to chuckle.

“so pretty,” he says, kissing along your jaw.

you gasp out a moan as his lips reach that particular spot on your collarbone. jay sinks his teeth in gently, smiling against your skin as you let out a whine. he continues to kiss and he grips the hem of your shirt.

“can i lift this up?” he asks.

you nod hesitantly, but jay smiles and gently leaves kisses down your tummy, not caring about the stretch marks or anything. and frankly, he thinks it makes you even more beautiful. he wants you to believe every single word that he’s told you.

“you’re gorgeous,” jay mumbles against your side. “can i make you feel good?”

“i-i didn’t shave.” you protest.

“baby, you think i care?” jay asks with a smile. “you’re beautiful as you are.”

you nod and bite your lip. “you can.”

jay tugs your pants down and kisses along your thighs. you prop yourself up on your elbows and watch as his kisses slowly move closer to where you need him most. you weren’t expecting to be in a room with such a hot guy, let alone that hot guy being on his knees for you.

as your panties come down, jay groans at the sight of you. you’re soaked, even just from kissing. he thinks its adorable. he licks one stripe up your center, making you gasp and throw your head back. jay switches from soft swirling licks on your clit to harsh sucking, sending you for a loop.

“f-fuck,” you whine. “that feels so good.”

jay groans against you at the praise, one of his fingers finding your hole and sliding in with ease. a thick finger quickly finds the spot that makes your vision blur and you let out a pathetic moan.

“yeah?” jay asks, taking his mouth away and replacing it with his thumb. “feel good baby?”

you nod and pant, locking eyes with him as he lowers his mouth again. with a curl of his finger and a hum on your clit, you’re nearly there.

“c-can i cum?” you ask, chest heaving. “pl-please?”

jay smiles and nods, keeping eye contact with you. your hand finds his on the mattress and he links his fingers with yours as your thighs clamp on each side of his head. you ride your orgasm out on his tongue, one hand gripping his hair.

“holy shit,” you breathe, watching as jay crawls back up onto the bed. “that was amazing.”

“you taste delicious,” jay says, pressing his lips to yours.

“i do?” you ask.

jay nods, reaching down and slipping a finger into you again, smiling as it makes you gasp. your juices cover his finger as he places it in front of your mouth.

“go ahead, dollface,” he says. “taste yourself for me.”

you open your mouth and he places his finger on your tongue. you suck your juices off of his finger and he smiles.

“atta girl.” he praises. “taste good?”

you nod. you really do taste good. jay helps you pull your pants back up and before you can try and apologize for anything, he pulls you into his arms. you relax against him, wrapping yourself around him.

“you know,” he starts. “you should give me your number.”

“yeah?” you ask.

“absolutely,” jay smiles. “now that i have a taste of you, i think i’m addicted.”

jay nuzzles against you, making you smile. maybe bigger girls are better after all.

[earlycuntsets]

06/11/2004 equal music interview with gerard by danielle moskowitz

"When Warner Brothers/Reprise invited me to come talk with Gerard from My Chemical Romance about their new album at their record release show, how could I have refused?

The show was in their home state of NJ, packed with 1300 cheering fans. What made the show even cooler for me was featured artist, Nightmare of You was on the bill too! (NOY is still currently unsigned and have been playing with My Chem. Good for them!) I love when Equal Music bands get together!

Is their latest apart of a trilogy? Front man Gerard explains. He also reveals what why it didn't turn out to be the concept record they had planned it to be and what are they doing in Tokyo with The Beastie Boys? (Original interview from Oct. 31, 2003 follows this latest one from June)

DM: When we spoke last you guys were shopping for a producer. Who did you wind up working with and why?

Gerard: We wound up working with Howard Benson. A big reason was because he contacted us which is always very exciting. He was very enthusiastic about the project. It's not so much that he got what world we came from because he's worked with bands like P.O.D. and Blindside which is a completely different universe but he got what we were trying to do with the music and so we connected on a lot of levels.

DM: How was this experience different from working with Alex (Eyeball Records) and Geoff (Thursday [Island/Def Jam]) front man?

Gerard: That whole experience was hanging with friends and having a really fun time. There wasn't a lot of money or pressure. But then this experience didn't have that much pressure either which was weird. It was very a positive experience that had a really good flow. But yeah it was very different.

DM: You said in October that while you were finishing the first record you knew what you wanted the second one to be called (which is their latest, Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge) and at the time since you knew the name for the second one you had an idea for what you wanted the third record to be called, although there's not going to be a trilogy so how do you know? Where's the connection with that?

Gerard: It's the kind of connection where you kind of always have a sense of what you're band is doing and where it's headed. I think we have a good idea of kind of like what the first record should be.It should be fast and dirty and cheap. Then the second one you really up the ante and really go for it with this one. The third one you try to explore new avenues. We ended up doing a lot of that on this record. We actually ended up being way more experiemantal than we thought we were going to be. It sounded good to us so we said let's keep doing it.

DM: To jump ahead, do you know what the next one's going to be called?

Gerard: From this experience I learned I shouldn't do that anymore because it locks you into something. And this record wound up being half a concept record because so much happened in our lives that when it came time to write lyrics I found out that it was less ficiton and more fact. So it's a very loose concept record. I want to see what happens for the third one and actually not plan anything out. I think that will be interesting because- it's not that we're calculated but we always kind of know where we're headed and kind of vibe on it. For the next one I kind of don't want to have that.

DM: What kind of mood do you feel like the new album has?

Gerard: I just started listening to it as a piece now, not just bits here and there it's really about loss. The first record was more about pain, misery and agression and violence. Although the lyrics can be disturbing at points, it's really about loss. In the end that's what it wound up being more about instead of some story. You can pick it out of at least four or five of the songs. Even the performances that everyone gives too makes it feel like it's really about loss.

DM: Do you feel like it's dark?

Gerard: Yeah. It's already been called that by a lot of people. We got a parental advisory without even having more than one curse in it. I think it's dark but I think it's a lot more positive than the first record.

DM: Yeah, I remember you saying that you felt the ups were going to be more up and the downs more down.

Gerard: Yeah and they really ended up being like that. But, there's definitely more moments of positivity and celebration than on the first record.

DM: What are some of difference of working with an indie and working with a major?

Gerard: This record was really painless so I can't truthfully answer that as a band that's in our position. We are really rare case of-- it was very similar to the first record where we did exactly what we wanted and luckily because they knew who we were when they signed us that's exactly what they wanted. There wasn't much of a difference other than the fact that there was obviously a lot more deadlines and a lot more pressure to get things done on time. That was the big difference but that was actually it.

DM: You're going to Tokyo soon for Summer Sonic Fest. You must be excited.

Gerard:Yeah, it's awesome, we get to play with The Beastie Boys and I've never seen them.

DM: What's going on for you guys for the rest of the year?

Gerard: Pretty much straight touring till the record cycle is over. It's usually about eighteen months from the time you start a record until you're done touring on it and should be starting a new one. There's already stuff I really want to write. I want to start immediately. As soon as we finished this I wanted to just do another. We're very much a live band but at the same time you get in the studio and you remember you're very much all songwriters and we had forgotten that part of us. I'm still in that head fix where I want to write more songs.

DM: Maybe you can still do that while you're on the road.

Gerard: Yeah, we plan to do it on Warped Tour. It will be our first time really on a bus so we're going to have more space and we'll be comfortable. Right ater that we're going back to a van so Warped Tour is really going to be the time that we write.

danielle moskowitz october 31, 2003 (2nd interview below)

Juxtaposing raw vocals and a punk edge against riffs suddenly gone melodic, My Chemical Romance takes you from upbeat drumming in one measure to a moment where you find yourself lost in slow, somber guitars the next. Listen closely as their vocalist Gerard reveals glimpses of himself through his brutally honest lyrics that hold traces of darkness around them.

DM: The bands success seems to have come very quickly. How long were you a band before signing to Eyeball Records?

Gerard: Let’s see—January is when we started playing as a band. We signed around our third or fourth show. It’s been quick since the beginning.

DM: What were you doing with your lives before the band took off?

Gerard: I was doing animation in the city [New York]. I was actually doing toy design in Hoboken [New Jersey], and Frankie was going to school, Mikey was going to school, Otter was a mechanic, and Ray was delivering film I believe and interning and stuff like that for film. We all just weren’t happy doing what we were doing, ya know?

DM: Geoff from the band Thursday and Alex from Eyeball [Records] I know played a big part in the recording of your last CD.

Gerard: Yeah, definitely.

DM: Are they going to be playing any part on your CD that will be coming out?

Gerard: I don’t think so. Sometimes you want to use the same people sometimes you want to see what would happen with other people. I’m sure they’ll hear it and we’ll ask their opinions.

DM: So they’re not going to help produce?

Gerard: Nah.

DM: What made you guys decide that a major was the next best move?

Gerard: It was one of those things where everything else was moving really fast but we had been able to keep up with it, ya know? We had been able to keep up with the shows that we were getting which were like going from playing basements to playing in front of 10,000 people with Jimmy Eat World. So it went from that to that, and it seemed like a very natural progression. And although a lot of people think it seemed quick, all that talk and all that nonsense was happening before our record even came out. It was like, we basically not fought them off, but said hey we’re going to be a band and do that, ya know? And then when we’re ready…Actually it was a lot longer process than most bands that are getting signed today.

DM: What made Reprise the best label for you guys?

Gerard: It was the best company. They were very familiar with us. We had a lot of fans at the company before we had signed. We had a lot of people helping out before we had signed.

DM: And they understand where you guys wanted to go musically, as a band?

Gerard: Yeah, exactly. That was the big thing. They knew where we wanted to go, they knew how we wanted to do things, and they were going to let us do it our way. Very low pressure type thing. Just kind of let us be us and you distribute us.

DM: When is the new album due out?

Gerard: We’re hoping it will come out in about in about spring. We’re going to record in January. We don’t have a producer yet. We’re looking at a few people and they’re looking at us. So it’s kind of that whole game right now.

DM: Do you have a title yet?

Gerard: Yeah, it’s called Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge. And it was a title that… we pretty much known the title for the first record before it was finished and as soon as we were done with that I kind of knew what I wanted the title to be for the second. So it’s kind of in the process where I kind of know what I want the third to be too.

DM: Is it a trilogy type thing?

Gerard: No. This one’s different from the last and it’s more fictitious, but it’s still heartfelt. And it’s more of a concept record than the last one, where the last one was more of an autobiography. But the next one’s more of a concept album about a person; the next one after that I don’t what know what it will be.

DM: While you guys have been on tour you’ve been playing new songs live and they seem to be heavier. Would you say that is the direction you guys are going in?

Gerard: Well, yeah. The heavier stuffs heavier. The heavy stuff we did before is definitely heavier now. Those same elements are there; we’re just spending a little more time on the heavy stuff. But at the same time I think there’s way more melody. Maybe not in the stuff we’re playing out live, but it’s more violently happy. But it’s also very ironically bleak ya know, as far as tone goes.

DM: Track seven on your CD [I Brought You My Bullets, You Brought Me Your Love] is called Skylines and Turnstiles. Is it true that it was inspired by September 11?

Gerard: Yeah, and in fact that event happening was a big thing about why we started the band because, I was on my to a meeting with Cartoon Network and then that happened and I was like what the fuck am I doing with my life.

DM: You saw it happen? You were in the city?

Gerard: Yeah, I was in Hoboken, on the way there. I was right across the river and I was on my way in right around that, very close to that area, but more around Canal, and I was like what the fuck am I doing?

DM: It made you feel like life’s too short and you need to go for what you want?

Gerard: Yeah, yeah exactly. Like obviously life is way too short, you don’t know when your numbers coming and I also felt like I wasn’t making a difference at all, ya know what I mean?

DM: There are a couple theories circulating about your repeated mention of vampires in your lyrics. Can you clear that up?

Gerard: It’s a metaphor for being in your twenties and getting sucked into that singles, alcoholic nightlife culture, ya know what I mean? It’s interesting, because you’ll find that a lot of bands use the supernatural as a gimmick, and that’s really all it is, it’s just like horror punk, and that’s all it is. We’re not really into vampires. I like to wear black, but…

Contact Danielle@equalmusic.com for more about My Chemical Romance. Check them out on select Warped Tour Dates later this year

[sturnpov]

introducing .. teenage dirtbag!matt

idk if this needs a warning but weed?? uhm also this is my first time writing drabbles so i hope you enjoy. (loosely) inspired by the emo!matt (@colorthecosmos444) agenda i saw @pearlzier spreading on my feed lol

matthew – 21. boston, usa.

nu metal enjoyer. plays drums + guitar. stoner. dropped out of uni. late night drives. former band kid. lowkey a stars wars nerd. introverted. skateboarder. owns a camcorder.

teenage dirtbag!matt who always complains to you that he has heel bite but won’t stop wearing baggy jeans (despite that being the logical solution??)

“baby! there’s another hole in my jeans!” matt calls out from inside your shared bedroom, you simply sighed and rolled your eyes in response. it was the same complaint almost everyday, but matt never wanted to hear it. although, you didn’t hate the baggy jeans on him.

teenage dirtbag!matt who takes you to a skatepark one night in the hopes of teaching you to skate

it was cold. absolutely freezing cold, yet matt had managed to convince you to come to a random skatepark with him to learn how to skate. you were standing on matt’s skateboard, your hands gripped firmly onto his shoulders for support as he starts to slowly walk you. “you’re doing really good, m’proud of you baby!”

teenage dirtbag!matt who burns a cd for you (it’s the most romantic thing he’s ever done tbh)

it had been what? three hours since he had started this project and he locked himself in his room to do it, his computer was filled with all your favorite songs (plus songs that reminded him of you) and he was currently burning them onto a cd.

teenage dirtbag!matt who loves recording you with his camcorder

“you’re so pretty, baby,” matt murmurs, his voice surprisingly soft as his arm snakes its way around your waist. it wasn’t until you tilted your head in an attempt to meet his gaze that you noticed the camcorder—the very one that matt had been obsessed with since chris bought it for him— that was in his other hand, positioned right next to your face. in actuality, he just liked the domesticity of living with you and loved the idea of being able to document his life with you.

teenage dirtbag!matt who learns songs on his guitar so he can impress you

matt sat on the couch, guitar in hand, fingers awkward on the strings. his gaze flickered to you, curled up in the corner of the room. “i thought you might like this,” he muttered, tuning the strings one last time before starting to play a familiar song. the song you had been playing a lot recently, he had taken the time to learn it just for you.

teenage dirtbag!matt who always has to start his day with a blunt like this man is a major stoner to me #sorrynotsorry

the early morning light filtered through the curtains as matt sat on the edge of the bed, lighter flicking in his hand. you groggily opened your eyes to see him taking a slow drag, his messy hair tousled from sleep. “thought you might want some company,” he mumbled, passing the joint to you. you took it with a sleepy smile, the calm of the morning settling around you both.

[ang3lofdivinity]

⋆｡‧˚ʚ 𝖲𝗐𝖾𝖾𝗍 𝖳𝗈𝗈𝗍𝗁! ɞ˚‧｡⋆

Relationship(s): Slightly Yandere!Sprout + GN!Toon!Reader

Genre: Fluff, some angst eventually

Format: Short story + headcanons

Warnings: Mentions of injuries, yandere/possessive behavior, otherwise none!

A/N: Sorry for such the long hiatus! School is CRAZY rn. + my life overall :’)). Take this Sprout stuff because I LOVE Dandy’s. Also, do note that the reader is a bit clumsy! Along with the fact this is a bit self indulgent.. (I promise, I’ll make Cosmo x Reader x Sprout stuff soon… trust)

Part 1: current | Part 2: In the works..

Now, this is an interesting circumstance you’ve gotten yourself into!

I wanna guess that you’re a toon that works in the diner along with Sprout, and Cosmo.

Maybe you’re a kinda dessert food item? Like, a Milkshake?

I also wanna say that you’re kinda like a waitress for the diner. Someone who runs out the food, rings in food, assigns people to different tables, etc.

You’re a hard-worker, someone who overachieves in their job. Working extra hours to help Sprout and Cosmo, and so on. You love your job, and you love your best-friends!

You and Cosmo’s friendship came before you and Sprout even knew each other. Sure, you’ve heard him be mention by others, especially Cosmo, but never really met him in person before. Well, up until Cosmo asked if you wanted to work with him and Sprout in the diner, given your experience working within the food industry before and such.

And after your interview and background check: you had officially started working as a waitress for the diner!

Cosmo was your only friend for a while, though you were cordial with Sprout- you just didn’t speak to him as much as you did Cosmo.

Though, that was until you had kitchen duty for the night.

You hummed along to the sound of the song that was playing in your headphones, washing dishes in the back of the kitchen while being oblivious to your surroundings. Placing the wet dishes and silverware on the drying mat in their respective places, you felt pleased with your work today and were in a decently good mood: no rude customers, you didn’t have to clean up most of the diner today… it was all going well!!

Well, that was until afterwards.

You checked over everything, making sure every little thing was in its proper place for the night so you could finally clock out for the night.

See, your job here at the diner is simple: serve as a waitress for the costumers, do any extra work such as doing the dishes after closing hours and sweeping the floors, and then finally clock out for the night. Simple as ever, right?

You enjoy your job. You like living here with the rest of the toons in the neighborhood! Sure, you have those bad days that always get you in a sour mood- but everyone has that problem eventually! It’s not just you. Besides, your friends are always gonna be there to help!

Finishing up your business in the kitchen, you sighed. Today was a busy day, and it had DRAINED you! So now, it was time to go home and relax, eat something, and then pass out for the night. It’s a routine that you enjoy. And on the days that you have off from work are pretty uneventful, but still enjoyable in the long run.

Turning on your heel, you began walking towards the corridor so you could head off and grab your stuff to clock out, before you suddenly stopped.

..why does it feel like you’re forgetting something.

Your brows furrowed, trying to make yourself move forward- but you couldn’t. You physically couldn’t move forward anymore and you have no clue WHY.

Taking a deep breath, you turn to look behind you where you see you’ve left one of the cupboards open! (You swear you closed it, but I guess you just simply forgot to and convinced yourself that you did).

So, you do what you were supposed to do: close it.

But the moment your foot lands when you’re so close to it, though, you feel yourself slipping. Your arms flail wildly, reaching for anything solid to latch onto as the world blurs and spins around you.

With a very futile attempt, you tried to stop your fall by grabbing onto the nearest— ….

…

Something just grabbed you.

Instead of the inevitable crash, you’re caught.

Though, with your eyes screwed shut with fear, you’re too nervous to see what happened. Your breath comes in short gasps as you cling tightly to whatever—whoever—has kept you upright. Clinging onto whatever you can to keep you from getting any more bruises than your clumsy self gets on a normal basis already is better than nothing.

If staying like this means you’re safe, then you’re willing to stay like this for—

“..You good?”

A voice spoke up. It’s.. rather closer than you would’ve thought, it’s almost as if it was right next to you kinda close. This doesn’t sound like someone you know like Cosmo, but it does sound familiar in some way that you can’t put your finger on.

Slowly, your eyes open up.

And what do you see?

..Sprout!

Your best guess is that he probably came into the kitchen while you were walking back, and you hadn’t noticed him until now. Or something banal like that, like in those silly rom-com movies.

To describe Sprout himself… : He’s strawberry that only wears a white scarf with pink stripes wrapped around his neck that also drapes over his back. He has five mint green, simple leaves, three of which rest atop their head while the other two cover his forehead like bangs. He has dark, red blush with three black freckles on each cheek. His limbs are a vivid shade of light red with white gloves covering both hands. You can’t see anything other than that- but you know that he was white and punk striped socks, and a friendship bracelet to match with Cosmo.

Cosmo’s excited look when he showed you his.. it still replays in your mind.

You pop yourself out of your reverie, blinking repeatedly as you focus back on Sprout.

“Oh—yeah—sorry!” You squeaked out, attempting to gather yourself. But you were still too stunned to move, body frozen in place due to the shock. Realizing you weren’t going to get up anytime soon, you sighed, feeling a little defeated.

Sprout didn’t hesitate. “I’ll get you checked out. Here—” he said, scooping you up in his arms before you could protest.

Your face IMMEDIATELY flushed a deep pink as he lifted you bridal style, causing your heart to race even faster.

You opened your mouth to say something, but no words came out. All you could do was wrap your arms around his neck, your embarrassment overwhelming her as you held on tight to him.

It wasn’t meant to be such a romantic gesture, simply just trying to help you!

..right?

“Thank you, Sprout..”

That was your first ever meeting!

Cliché, no?

But: you were safe, alive, and your injuries all got healed up (which were a couple burns on your hands from using water which was too warm, and a few cuts here and there).

You found out the reason that he even caught you in the first place is because he had rounded the corridor when you just started walking back over into the kitchen! He had come to check up on you and your work so far because it was late at night.

You thanked Sprout tenfold, offering to do nearly anything as payback for helping you.

Which he then.. forced you to take some baking lessons with him.

He needed more bakers, after all!!

You wondered how this would turn out…

TO BE CONTINUED..

A/N: IM SORYRYRYE. This is such a bad drabble. It’s 1 am as we speak bro.

[munsonsmixtapes]

hii i love your work and i’m currently on my period rn and it is a painnnnn would you write a cute cliff like eddie taking care of reader on her period please totally understand if your uncomfortable writing thiss!! thank youu!!💖💖

So sorry that I'm just now getting to this! I will always eat up a period fic so I can absolutely write this one for you!

cw: obvious mention of periods

You feel the bed on the other side of you dip as Eddie slides behind you. You feel his hand rest on top of the heating pad that's on your stomach and put your hand on top of his, already feeling even more comforted.

He had already gotten the heating pad for you and even had gone as far as setting it up and placing it on your stomach. He then had gotten you some pain reliever that you were waiting to kick in and now he's doing your favorite part: snuggling you because he knows you loves his affection, especially when you feel like this.

You feel nothing but gross, wanting nothing more than to shower or take a bath, but you physically cannot get yourself to move. You close your eyes so you can fall asleep to forget about how you're feeling, but as soon as you feel yourself drifting, Eddie is on your side of the bed, crouched in front of you.

"C'mon, sweetheart," he says, holding his hands out.

"Where are we going?" You ask, your voice groggy even though you never actually went to sleep.

"Let's go take a bath." You take his hands and he leads you to the bathroom where he already has a bath running with your favorite bath bomb already to go, the water at the perfect temperature.

He wipes away the tears that you aren't even aware have fallen then presses a kiss to your lips.

"Alright, arms up." You do as you're told and Eddie lifts your shirt over your head before setting it aside before moving to your sweatpants and once they're off, all that's left is your underwear which he gets off quickly.

Eddie then helps you into the tub where he visibly sees you relax as he pulls your vanity stool to the side of the tub where he sits and helps you bathe, humming the tune of that one song he knows helps calm you down.

Other than that, the whole process is done in silence and you wonder how you got so lucky as to have someone who would do something like that for you without even expecting anything in return. Acts of service is the way that Eddie shows you that he loves you. He doesn't even have to say it most times even though he does while he's doing the dishes or folding your laundry.

And once you're nice and clean, Eddie carries you into the bedroom where he dresses you then helps you into bed where he massages whatever part is hurting you while one of your comfort movies plays in the background. And if you're being honest, there's no place that you'd rather be.

[lettucing]

look of love, rush of blood

chapter three

words: ~8.8k | pairing: jschlatt x she/her afab reader

summary: With Schlatt and Ted's party now in full swing, you're drawn into a lively crowd of new faces- and taught more about one you're already familiar with.

notes: STRAP IN SCHLANNIES, IT'S A LONG ONE!!

1) the song mentioned during the balcony scene is meant to be no. 1 party anthem by arctic monkeys aka the song this fic was inspired by (go give it a listen if you're not familiar)!! there isn't really a 100% confirmed meaning behind the song, so i based it on my own interpretation & ones i've seen online in the past . 2) i went ham with some ramblings of adoration for new york bc i'd literally KILL to have a convo with schlatt about growing up here... so i hope u enjoy the lil peak into my new yawk mind... overall i find it super sweet and i'm pretty proud of how this chapter came out, i hope you enjoy :) !!!! <3

“So, what’s next?” Ted asks, glancing between you, Schlatt, and Joelle. A cheer erupts from down the hall, likely from the latest beer pong game. Schlatt shrugs, nodding toward the noise.

“Wanna play the next round?”

⭑

As the four of you make your way down the hallway into Schlatt’s living room, the air thrums with energy. Laughter, cheers, and the clink of plastic cups meld into a lively, chaotic symphony. At the center of it all stands the familiar grey folding table, where the current game of cup pong is clearly nearing its conclusion—just a few cups remain on each side. Schlatt steps forward, casually placing his phone on the edge of the table. “We’ve got next.” he announces, his tone easy as he gestures back towards where you were standing. One of the players glances up, meeting Schlatt’s gaze with a nod of acknowledgment before turning back to the game. Tension was high as the game came to a close, the team to the far end of the table sinking both of their final ping pong balls into the other team’s cups. The room erupts—half cheers, half groans—as the losers down the rest of the cups on the table. Ted steps between you and Joelle, walking closer to the table and clapping the winners on the back in congratulations.

Joelle flashes you a grin as she walks toward the table. After a round of quick hellos, she turns to you, giving a playful wave to draw you over. You smile awkwardly, realizing how comfortable Joelle is in this chaotic crowd. You wish you could be as easygoing, but it’s a challenge when everyone seems so... effortlessly at home. She gestures to you like a proud mother to the two vaguely-familiar men. This Y/N!” She faces you and Ted adds, “This is Charlie and Tucker, our other buddies staying at Schlatt’s for the week.” You glance at them with a smile, realizing you recognized them from the bar last week, though you hadn’t really taken them in until now. Both were shorter than Ted and Schlatt, with piercing blue eyes and dirty blonde hair. Charlie’s hair was messy and fluffy, one ear pierced, his gorgeous smile bright and inviting. Tucker had a classic short crew cut, with a solid build and muscle mass that was noticeable in the way he stood. He took a sip of his drink and nodded a casual hello.

Jesus, they were an attractive group of friends.

“It’s nice to meet you!” Charlie says, his smile warm and genuine. “Joelle was talking about you when we met. I remember seeing you chatting with Schlatt at the bar when we were heading out.” You manage a laugh, trying to hide your nervousness. “Yeah, I was taking a breather,” you reply, motioning toward Joelle. “This one makes me dance way too hard.”Joelle scoffs, but you notice the affectionate glint in her eyes. “Yeah, okay. I forced you to get out there and shake ass.” Her retort flusters you, and before you can respond, Schlatt’s voice booms from the opposite end of the table. “Hey, can we get this show on the road, please?”

Charlie pulls a face at you, his expression comical, as if to say ‘we were talking, but I guess I better move’. You smile, placing a hand on his shoulder. “We’ll come back to this later. It was great meeting you.” “Yeah totally, same here!” he replies with a grin, stepping away. Meanwhile, Ted and Tucker dap eachother up as Ted strides over to join Schlatt at their side of the table.

“Alright, ladies and germs!” Ted bellows, his deep voice cutting through the room. “We’ve got me and the big guy versus these two lovely ladies—Y/N and Joelle!” 

The room erupts in cheers, shouts of “Yeah, Schlatt!” and “Let's go!” echoing throughout the room. One voice rises above the commotion, cutting through the noise like a knife. “Schlatt, I hope you lose!” 

A collective ‘oooooooh’ ripples through the crowd like you were in grade school again, followed by laughter and scattered claps. You follow the voice to its source, a guy with shaggy black hair and a bright pink hoodie leaning casually against the wall near the couch on Schlatt and Ted’s side of the table. A smirk stretches across his face, one that practically screams that he knows exactly what he’s doing. Schlatt’s head snaps to his right, locking onto the man like a hawk. “Oh, fuck you, dude. You’re just mad that me n’ Astrid smoked you so bad last time you had to lock yourself in the bathroom for half an hour to ‘take a breather’.” The man straightens, now fully standing and visibly pissed off. “Uh, yeah, because you cheated, asshole!” Schlatt spins away from the table to fully face him, arms flung wide in exaggerated disbelief. His voice rises, drawing a new wave of laughter and hoots from the room. “How the fuck do you cheat at beer pong, dumbass?!”

Ted steps in with the practiced calm of someone who’s seen this exact scenario play out more times than he can count. He grips Schlatt’s shoulders with the firm strength of someone who knows how to handle a hothead. “Alright, alright.” he mutters, his voice like the calm in the eye of a storm. Schlatt grumbles but doesn’t resist, muttering a final insult under his breath before turning back to the table. As the scene plays out, a blonde girl lounging on the couch on your side rolls her eyes, leaning toward you with a knowing smile. “You guys are totally gonna destroy them.”

Joelle lights up, pointing at her with a grin. “Oh, I like this girl already.”

As the game kicks off, Ted and Schlatt waste no time, each sinking a shot with precision that draws a chorus of cheers. Groaning in defeat, you and Joelle lift your cups and take your drinks, the fizzy drink doing little to soften the sting of their early lead. From the other side of the table, Schlatt’s voice cuts through the noise, pointing a finger aimed squarely at the guy in the pink hoodie. “How’s that for losing, bitch?!” he shouts, his grin wide and triumphant, earning another round of laughter and hollers from the crowd.

 The more time you spent in the epicenter of the party, the more you noticed Schlatt’s shift in demeanor. It wasnt necessarily bad, just different- The way he’d spoken to you at the bar, or even how he’d just acted with you, Ted, and Joelle in the kitchen 20 minutes earlier, felt like a far cry from the boisterous, crowd-rousing host now commanding the room. The soft chuckles and understated gestures you’d grown familiar with were replaced by loud, triumphant cackles whenever he made a good play, and exaggerated mock-punches to the wall behind him whenever he fucked up. It was like watching a different side of him come alive, a version fueled by the energy of the crowd. You found yourself mesmerized, caught somewhere between amusement and intrigue. Schlatt seemed to feed off the energy in the room, thriving on the attention and laughter that followed his every move. He was magnetic in this setting, his booming voice and larger-than-life antics commanding the space effortlessly. And somehow, in the middle of all the chaos, his attention would occasionally flicker back to you—brief, fleeting glances that made your stomach flutter despite yourself.

Yet, even as he leaned into his role as the life of the party, you couldn’t help but wonder which version of him was closer to the real one—or if they both were, just in different contexts.

Before you even realized, the game was nearing its conclusion, and you were losing– you and Joelle’s one remaining cup facing Ted and Schlatt’s two. You glance at Joelle as she lines up for her second shot after missing the first, her tongue poking out slightly in concentration. With a flick of her wrist, the ball arcs perfectly into the cup, drawing groans from the other side of the table. Joelle erupts in triumph, fist-pumping the air. “Let’s go!” she shouts, and you cheer alongside her as the two of you high-five. Schlatt scoffs dramatically, shaking his head as he grabs the cup and chugs his half before passing the rest to Ted. “Unbelievable.” he mutters under his breath. Ted gestures grandly toward the remaining cups, his voice dripping with confidence. “And it all comes down to this, my loves.” he purrs, picking up his own drink from the floor and chugging the rest in one smooth motion.

The pet name catches you off guard, a flutter of warmth spreading through your chest before you can suppress it. You know it's just part of Ted's natural charm, but this time it got to you. You glance at Joelle, who’s already looking at you with an expression that perfectly mirrors your own flustered amusement. Leaning into each other, the two of you dissolve into tipsy giggles. You don’t notice how Schlatt elbows Ted lightly, the glare he shoots his friend anything but playful—daggers sharp enough to kill. Ted responds with a questioning look, his brows raising slightly in surprise. You and Joelle turn back to the table just as they both snap out of it, the moment passing like a whisper in the noise of the room. Ted steps forward, lining up his final shot with exaggerated focus.

Ted steadies his hand, the room falling into a brief, charged silence as everyone watched his every move. “Let’s do it, baby!” he shouts as he tosses the ball, and for a split second, it feels like time slows…

It misses, bouncing off the rim of the cup and onto the floor. A chorus of exaggerated groans erupts around the room, followed by a round of laughter. Ted puts his hands on his head. “No! Fuck!” He looks at Schlatt, who has squatted on the ground with his head in his hands. “Oh my fucking god. Ted.” You hear him mutter. After a moment he stands up, pointing at the ball on the ground. “Go get the ball. I’m gonna show you how a real fuckin’ man wins beer pong.” Ted scoffs as he grabbed the ball and slapped it into Schlatt’s open hand. “Alright, Mr. Beer Pong Prodigy, take your shot and save us all.”

 Schlatt shot him a pointed look before focusing on the shot. “I got this, man.” He tossed the ball with exaggerated precision, only for it to bounce off the rim and onto the floor the same way Ted’s shot had landed. The room erupted in laughter as Schlatt shouted a pained “Fuck!” and dragged a hand down his face. “Oh my god. Oh my god!” 

The other guests roared with laughter, some clutching their sides as Schlatt groaned dramatically, pacing back and forth like the weight of the world had just crushed him. “I can’t believe this,” he muttered, dragging both hands down his face now. Ted can't contain his amusement, his grin stretching wider as he pats Schlatt on the back. “You really showed us how it’s done, buddy,” he says through laughs. He slings an arm over Schlatt’s shoulder, the picture of faux sympathy. “Don’t worry, man. We’ll get ‘em next time.” Schlatt just glares. “Shut up, Ted.” he snapped, but there was no real bite to his words. His expression softened into a begrudging grin as he looked around at the still-laughing crowd. “Alright, alright, everyone get it out of your system. Y’ act like you’ve never seen a man miss before.”

Joelle leans over to you with a grin as the commotion settles, offering you the ping-pong ball. “You wanna land our winning shot?” You glance at her, mischievous grin matching your own, and take the ping-pong ball from her. The lack of weight to it feels strangely significant. “I’ll try not to disappoint.” you say with a wink, straightening up and focusing on the cups across the table. Joelle’s volume lowers as she steps back, her voice teasing. “No pressure, right? You’ve got this.” The room falls into a tense silence, every pair of eyes locked on you. Not a single word is spoken, the only sound filling the air is the low thrum of the music. Ted and Schlatt, still recovering from their earlier fuck-ups, glance at each other before turning their focus back to you, half-smiles tugging at their lips. Schlatt lets out a dramatic sigh, crossing his arms with exaggerated patience. “Alright, let’s see what you’ve got,” he says, his tone a mix of challenge and curiosity.

You line up the shot, taking a deep breath as you focus on the farthest cup— the last remaining. For a split second, the world narrows to just you, the ball, and the target. You feel Joelle’s eyes on you, focusing on her familiar gaze to distract you from everyone else’s. You flick your wrist, sending the ball sailing through the air in a perfect arc. Time seems to stretch for another moment. The ball hits the rim of the cup, bounces, and then... 

swishes straight in.

The room bursts into cheers and laughter, the tension melting away. You and Joelle scream in surprise, throwing your arms around each other in a tight embrace. The victory feels surreal, the rush of it hitting you both all at once. You exchange wide grins, your laughter blending as you high-five. It’s just a game—a houseparty match of beer pong, something you’ve played a hundred times before back in college. No grand prize, no tangible reward for your effort—but for some reason, this win feels different. It’s a small, stupid, fleeting triumph, yet it’s worth every bit of emotional celebration. “That’s what I’m talking about!” Joelle says, pulling you into another hug, her excitement matching yours. “Now that’s how it’s done!” Ted’s booming voice cuts through the noise, and you glance over to see him grinning like a maniac.“Who’s fucking team are you on, man?!” Schlatt’s voice rings out in response, cutting through the rising clamor of the room. His frustrated tone is at odds with the rest of the celebration, but there’s a playful bite to it that keeps the atmosphere light. “What’d I say? Fuck you, Schlatt!” The guy in the pink hoodie shouts once again, his voice loud above the laughter. You catch a flicker of anger flash in Schlatt’s eyes, but it evaporates just as quickly, replaced by a deep breath and a roll of his shoulders. “I’m not even… going to dignify that with a response.”

You glance at him, a teasing smile tugging at your lips. He’s standing at the table, shaking his head dramatically with arms crossed as he glares between you and Ted. Ted just shrugs, clearly unfazed by his friend’s attitude. “C’mon, man. She crushed it. You can’t even be mad.” He rubs Schlatt’s shoulder in consolement but Schlatt just grunts, trying (and failing) to suppress a grin. “Fuckin’ unbelievable.” Schlatt mutters through his grin. “Alright, alright, you got us. I’ll give it to you.” He pauses as he and Ted down the last two cups of beer, then continues. “But next time, I’m gonna win.” You chuckle, the playful back-and-forth easing any tension that had lingered. “We’ll see about that.” you reply, not quite able to hide the pride in your voice.

As the excitement begins to fade, the crowd starts to scatter, some heading to the kitchen for more drinks. The hum of conversation and laughter fills the space, but it’s quieter now, more laid-back. Joelle nudges you with a playful grin. “That was awesome.” she says, still grinning from the rush of the game. You smile, feeling a sense of accomplishment settle in. “Yeah, it definitely felt good to land that shot.” you say, glancing at Ted and Schlatt as they talked. Joelle throws an arm around your shoulders. “I think we’ve earned a drink, don’t you?” With a laugh and a nod, you both head toward the kitchen, leaving the boys to their chat and their mock threats of revenge. The night is still young, and for now, you’re savoring every second of it.

You and Joelle mixed well into the crowd, getting the chance to properly introduce yourselves to the other guests and chatting as everyone refilled their cups. You reconnect with Charlie, the two of you talking about winning and Schlatt being a “little bitch” when it came to losing (Charlie’s words, not yours).

"Seriously, though, Schlatt's the worst." Charlie laughed, shaking his head. “The guy acts like he just lost the Super Bowl, not a beer pong game at his own party.” You chuckle, agreeing. “Yeah, he doesn’t handle it well. But, hey, you gotta respect the passion.” Charlie raises an eyebrow and laughs. "Passionate is definitely a word for it. I thought he was about to flip the fuckin’ table." You both laughed as you caught sight of Schlatt entering the room, joining a conversation by the fridge as he grabbed a Corona. There was a lighthearted edge to the way he was speaking now, the frustrated glint of defeat in his eyes now replaced with something sweeter. 

As the crowd around you settled into a relaxed rhythm, mingling and chatting, you couldn’t help but feel the growing ease of the atmosphere. Joelle had joined another group, deep in conversation, and you could feel her occasional glances toward you—she was definitely enjoying the night as much as you were. Then, the music blared louder, pumping new energy into the room. The guy Schlatt had been playing with when you first arrived—Ludwig, you’d learned his name was (thanks, Charlie)—leaned casually against the doorframe, fist raised in the air as he called out to the crowd. “Me and the boys are about to throw down for the next round of pong if anyone wants to spectate!” His voice carried a playful, almost frat-bro energy, drawing a few chuckles from those nearby. 

You shrug and follow Joelle, Ted, and Charlie back into the living room, where the couch had cleared. The four of you claimed the spot, sinking into the plush cushions as Schlatt and Tucker lingered behind with a few others. “Jesus, Schlatt, this couch is amazing,” Joelle commented, her voice full of admiration. Schlatt grinned, clearly pleased. “Thanks. The one thing I don’t skimp on is furniture. Right, Ted?” Ted rolled his eyes in response, and you guessed the topic was a sore subject between the two of them. “Man, I loved that stupid, shitty couch.” he muttered, a smirk tugging at his lips as he leaned back, clearly amused by the memory. You smile. “Well, now you gotta tell us about the couch.”

⭑

The night continued to unfold around you, the energy of the party shifting in waves. Conversations ebbed and flowed, the sound of laughter mixing with the steady thump of the music. You and Joelle played a few more rounds of beer pong, each match feeling like a new burst of adrenaline. The guys joined in, with Ted and Tucker teaming up against Schlatt and Charlie at one point. The game was a mess of playful banter and competitive energy, but in the end, Ted and Tucker claimed victory, raising their hands in triumph. “It’s all about childhood friendship and smoking weed, baby!” Ted declared, a grin plastered across his face as Tucker laughed and exclaimed with a “hell yeah!”.

With each drink, you felt more at ease, connecting with the new faces around you. The chill music, the spectating comments on the current game of beer pong that Joelle was participating in, and the hockey game that someone had turned the TV onto at some point all blended into the perfect mix of sounds and visuals to keep your tipsy brain entertained. You were having a good time—until, out of nowhere, the familiar buzz of inebriation began to feel a little too heavy, almost suffocating. You shifted in your seat, your whole body feeling hot as the warmth settled a bit too deep. The chatter around you faded into a low hum, and the bright lights from the TV flickered in your peripheral vision, making the room feel like it was spinning just slightly. Joelle’s laughter from across the room was comforting, but a throb began to pulse behind your temples.

Your gaze shifted to the sliding glass door in the back of the living room—was that a balcony?

Without thinking twice, you pushed yourself up from your seat. “I hope it’s okay to go out there,” you thought. “But honestly, I’ll deal with asking Schlatt for forgiveness if it means I’m not about to pass out right in the middle of his party.” You excused yourself quietly, slipping away from the couch and weaving through the crowd. 

As you stepped out onto the balcony, the cool night air hit you like a wave, the sharp contrast to the warmth of the party a welcome relief. Ahead of you, Manhattan stretched out in all its glory, sparkling like a thousand diamonds. The city you loved so much seemed to pulse in rhythm with the distant hum of life, its lights twinkling like stars in the dark sky. The view was breathtaking, made even more mesmerizing by your tipsy haze. You close your eyes for a moment, letting the coolness settle against your skin, trying to force your body back into some semblance of normal. It’s just the buzz, you tell yourself. It’ll pass. You’re fine. Just need a minute.

Leaning against the railing, you took a long, steady breath, letting the fresh air clear the fog in your mind. It felt good to be outside, away from the noise, even if just for a few minutes. The city around you was a quieter companion from this high up and this late at night, offering a softer exchange between you and the view. The muffled sound of music filtered through the glass door behind you, but out here, it was just the steady rhythm of the night, calming and still. Peaceful. And as the dizziness finally began to lift and your thoughts started to settle, you instantly felt ten times better. You shoot a quick text to Joelle to tell her where you had gone in the midst of her beer pong frenzy.

Suddenly, you hear the door slide open behind you. You turned, expecting it to be someone you didn’t really know and preparing for an awkward conversation, but your breath caught in your throat as you realized who’s gaze you were meeting.

Schlatt.

He stepped out onto the balcony, pulling the door closed behind him as he handed you a water bottle. "Needed some air too?" he asked, his tone easy. You nodded, offering a small smile as you took the water bottle from him, cracking it open and taking a sip. The water was so cold it almost burned on the way down like the liquor had. "Thank you." you said, exhaling deeply. "Yeah, i’m good. Just needed a break. Things were... getting a little too much in there." You paused, glancing toward the view before adding with a small chuckle, "I hope it’s okay I came out here. Figured this was a better option than testing how far down the elevator went before I started puking trying to get out to the street for fresh air.” Schlatt let out a short laugh, leaning against the railing beside you, his broad shoulders easing into a relaxed pose. “You’re good, that was definitely the better option.” he said with a grin, lifting his water bottle to his mouth for a quick sip. His eyes flicker over you, usual confident demeanor fading into something a little softer. “You’re alright, though? I mean, aside from needin’ a breather?” “Yeah,” you said, leaning forward on the railing, letting the cool metal press against your arms. “It was just a lot all at once, you know? But this…” You nodded toward the city skyline, the lights twinkling. “This helps.” 

“It does,” he agrees. “I grew up here—well, in Brooklyn—and it still gets me sometimes. There’s something about it that just… puts things into perspective. Makes everything feel smaller.”

You turned your head to look at him, catching the way the city’s glow reflected in his eyes. For someone who could dominate a room with his sharp humor and larger-than-life presence, there was something grounding about seeing him like this—still and thoughtful, at ease in the quiet. You’re not sure what it is, but there’s something different in the way Schlatt looks at you now. It’s not a look of teasing or competition, like the one you’d seen during beer pong. This feels... more focused, as if he’s studying you, watching how you breathe in the night air, how your posture relaxes now that you’re away from the crowd. You catch yourself holding your breath, wondering if he notices too.

“Didn’t peg you as the reflective type.” you teased, your tone light.

He raised an eyebrow, the corners of his mouth curling into that familiar, playful grin. “Don’t let it fool you,” he shot back, his voice a little more relaxed, the playful glint returning to his gaze. “I’m not about to start journaling or writing poetry or anything. I just… like to take a minute when I can.”

There was a surprising honesty in his words that caught you off guard. It wasn’t the kind of thing you’d expect him to admit, and yet it felt so natural in the moment. You smiled softly, nodding. “I get it. I’m from here too.” His gaze flicked back to you, curiosity sparking in his expression. “Yeah? Explains the attitude.” he quipped, his grin widening. You rolled your eyes, laughing. “Yeah, you’re one to talk. I saw you playing beer pong, I bet you road rage like that, too.” Schlatt let out a bark of laughter, his grin stretching wider. “Road rage? What road rage? Please. I’m a model driver. Always have been.” You raised an eyebrow, unconvinced. “Uh-huh. Sure you are. Bet you’re the guy laying on the horn the second the light turns green.” He shook his head, trying to look indignant but failing miserably, smirking instead. “Nah, I give people at least a solid two seconds. It’s called being considerate.” “Generous,” you teased, leaning on the railing again, your words a bit slower as the alcohol fully settled. “So, what’s worse? Losing at beer pong or getting cut off in traffic?” “Oh, definitely losing at beer pong,” he said without hesitation, his words a little more drawn out than usual. “I can get over some idiot cutting me off on the Belt, but losing? To Ted and Tucker of all people? That’ll haunt me for weeks.” You laughed, shaking your head. “You’re ridiculous.” He shrugged, unapologetic, his shoulders dropping with a lazy ease that matched his smile. “What can I say? I’m competitive. Comes with the territory.” “Yeah, okay,” you said with a chuckle, the sound light and carefree.

“Anyways,” Schlatt said after a beat, his tone lighter but curious. “You always lived in New York?” 

“Pretty much.” you said, turning to face him, the city lights blurry at the edges of your vision. “Born and raised, though I moved around a bit for school and work before coming back. Couldn’t stay away for long, though. I’m not from the city or anything, I’m about an hour and a half out, but I’ve always loved it here. It’s always just… called to me. It has that pull, you know?” He nodded, a knowing look in his eyes, and you noticed the way his eyes squinted just a little more than usual, like he was trying to keep focus. “Yeah. No matter where you go, it’s always in the back of your head, isn’t it? Like it’s waiting for you to come back.” “Exactly,” you said, surprised at how perfectly he’d put it, the words coming easier than they should. You studied him for a moment, curiosity pulling at you. “What about you? Do you ever think about leaving?”

Schlatt tilted his head as he considered the question, his gaze drifting just a little. “I did, for a while.” he admitted, his words slower now, each one weighed with thought. “I lived in Texas for a few years, in Austin. Thought I loved it, but I realized after way too long that it was a shithole, and I missed my life here. Maybe I'd leave again once I’m retired, but it’s hard to imagine. New York’s in my blood, you know? Even when it drives me nuts, it’s home.” You smiled. “Guess that makes you a true New Yorker, huh?” “Damn right.” he said, raising his water bottle in a mock toast. “And don’t you forget it.”

The two of you met gazes, and for the first time all night, you really, truly looked at him. 

It’s not the playful teasing or the loud, larger-than-life energy of Schlatt’s party-host persona that stands out now. In this quiet moment, there’s something different about him—more grounded, more present, almost like you’re back at the bar with him. His eyes, usually sharp and full of confidence, are softer now, more thoughtful, like he’s letting his guard down just a little. His expression is calm, and you realize how much this side of him contrasts with the guy who had been the center of attention just hours ago. For a moment, the noise from inside fades into the background, and the only sound is the soft hum of the city around you. It’s a strange feeling—one that pulls at something deeper. You feel it in the air between you, a subtle shift that catches you both off guard. Schlatt’s lips twitch, like he’s about to say something, but he doesn’t, and neither do you. Instead, he takes a small step back from the railing, running a hand through his hair, the casual gesture almost self-conscious. “Well… anyway,” he says, his voice pulling back into that familiar, confident tone, but slower now. “You feelin’ better?” You smile, a soft chuckle escaping you. “Oh, yeah. Definitely still kinda drunk, but better.” you reply, a little hesitant to break the tense moment, but knowing that’s what he was trying to do. Still, there’s something about it—the way he subtly shifts back, like he's putting the walls up again—that lingers in the air, unspoken. You turn back toward the door, the party still going on inside, waiting. But there’s a part of you that knows this conversation, this small break in the night, will stay with you longer than the noise that surrounds it.

"Hey, why is it that we only seem to cross paths like this when we're both kinda drunk?" Schlatt asks, ending with a hearty laugh, breaking the silence. You laugh at his question, not fully realizing how true that was until you heard it out loud. “I dunno. Maybe it’s fate.” “Fate, huh? You believe in that shit?" You shrug. “I dunno. Maybe? I kinda like the idea that everything I’m supposed to become is out there waiting for me, but I’d also like to think I still have some say in the matter too.” You take a sip of your water. “What about you? D’you think this gorgeous penthouse with one of the best views of Manhattan has just been sitting here waiting for you for 25 years?” you ask, gesturing around the apartment.

He laughs, shaking his head. "Oh, hell no. The last guy who lived here killed himself in the bathroom. If the universe's been subconsciously calling me to live here, I’m pretty sure it’s not setting me up for anything good." You freeze for a moment, eyes wide in disbelief. He chuckles at your reaction, his eyes twinkling with amusement. "I'm kidding." You roll your eyes, shaking your head. "You're ridiculous." He grins, shrugging. "Yeah, I know."

 As silence settles back over the two of you, you hear a familiar song begin playing from inside. The lyrics are muffled, but the beat is unmistakable. You smile, turning your head toward the music. “Did you make this playlist?” Schlatt’s brow furrows slightly at the question, his smile shifting to one of mild confusion. “Yeah, actually. Why? You not feeling it?” You grin. “No, quite the opposite. I love this song.” His eyebrows raise, and you raise your hand to your mouth in a mock-microphone pose, singing along to the lyrics you can barely piece together but know by heart. Schlatt grins and joins in quietly. As the first verse ends, you both dissolve into laughter.

“That was so stupid,” you say, still giggling as you catch your breath. “I’m sorry.” He shakes his head, his eyes crinkling at the corners. “Nah, don’t apologize. It wasn't stupid. It was cute.” The blush creeping up your neck betrays you once again, and you turn slightly, letting the music fill the space between you. 

Did he just say cute?

Schlatt’s voice breaks the quiet before you have time to think about it. “Kinda funny that this song’s playing right now, huh?” You glance over your shoulder at him, curiosity sparked. “Why?” He hesitates, his fingers drumming lightly against the plastic bottle in his hand. “Do you know what the song’s actually about?” You shake your head. He draws a short breath, almost like he’s steadying himself. “It’s, uh… it’s about meeting a girl at a party who seems so cool, so out of reach, that you end up just waiting around for the perfect song to come on to give you the nerve to go talk to her.”

Your lips part slightly, the weight of his words settling in the space between you. The air feels different now—charged, as though the universe itself had leaned in closer to eavesdrop. “Yeah?” you ask, your voice softer, a little unsure, as you met his gaze. He nods, the corner of his mouth tilting up into a small smile that doesn’t quite reach his eyes, like he’s testing the waters. “Yeah.”

The world around you seemed to blur at the edges, softened by the gentle haze of the night and your tipsy state. His deep brown eyes, framed by long, delicate lashes, held your gaze effortlessly. As your eyes traced the contours of his face, you found yourself memorizing every freckle, every mole, every faint line etched by laughter and time, all illuminated by the soft glow of the dim light. That warm blush was still ever present across your cheeks, now unmistakable even in the chill of the night. Part of you hoped he’d chalk it up to the cold, but a quieter, bolder part of you almost wished he wouldn’t.

“Hey, would you-” He speaks, words hanging heavy in the air, thick with tension between the two of you. “Would you maybe wanna go get dinner sometime?”

The words hung in the air, their weight settling between you like something fragile and precious. You could feel your pulse quicken, the warmth in your chest spreading outward as his gaze softened just slightly, waiting for your response. Your lips parted, but no words came at first. His question had been so simple, yet it felt like the most important thing in the world. You couldn't help but smile, a little nervous, a little breathless, but entirely captivated by the way he was looking at you, the way he seemed to be hanging on your answer.

Yes please, absolutely, a million times yes.

Before you could manage to squeeze out your answer, the door behind you slides open. Both you and Schlatt turn toward the sound, breaking the moment. A shorter guy steps out, sunglasses perched on his head and a Switch controller in hand. You recognize him vaguely from earlier—Connor, maybe? “Hey, Sch—oh, shit, sorry if I’m interrupting,” he blurts, pausing as he takes in the scene. “I was just sent to tell you Hasan’s heading out and wants to say goodbye.”

Schlatt sighs, a deep red flush settling over his face as he stands from leaning his forearms on the railing. “Of course he does.” he mutters under his breath. He flashes a quick look at you, his expression softening for just a split second. “I’ll be right back.” he adds, before turning toward Connor and walking inside. Schlatt walks off, and Connor just looks at you. “You comin’ in?” He asks, and you nod. “Yeah, thank you.”

You glance at your phone, your heart skipping as you realize it’s nearly 3 AM—how long had you been outside? You start to think it’s probably time to find Joelle and head back to your apartment. The time spent outside, combined with the water bottle Schlatt had brought you and the emotional conversation you’d just shared, definitely sobered you up a bit—but any progress you had made had immediately been thrown off by Schlatt’s question, head now spinning for an entirely different reason. Nerves? Excitement? Maybe both?

 Glancing around, you notice that several people had already left, leaving a smaller group huddled on the couches, engrossed in a video game. As you scanned the crowd, your brain zeroed in and focused when you realized Joelle was nowhere to be seen. You take a step forward, then stop in your tracks, scanning the room for a face you could confidently put a name to. You spot Tucker leaning against the wall, and quickly make your way over. “Hey, do you know where Joelle went?” you ask. “Oh, she passed out on the couch earlier.” Your stomach tightens, and you must’ve made a face because he quickly adds, “Oh, not like, passed out-passed out. Just fell asleep.” He gestures toward the hallway. “Ted took her to the guest room to let her chill. It’s the second door on the left.” Relief washes over you, though it doesn’t completely extinguish your nerves. “Okay, cool. Thank you.” 

As you turn toward the hallway, unease creeps back in. You try to shake it off, telling yourself it’s nothing, but the thought lingers: hopefully, everything’s fine. Approaching the dimly lit hallway, you spot a door left slightly ajar. You cross your fingers, hoping it’s the right room—and hoping even more that you’re not about to walk in on something you’ll wish you hadn’t seen. Taking a slow breath, you nudge it open just enough to peek inside. The room is dim, bathed in the soft glow of a lamp on the nightstand. Relief washes over you as you see Joelle, fully clothed, peacefully sprawled on the bed. Her head rests gently in Ted's lap, and he looks up at you as the door creaks open. His fingers are gently threading through her hair, playing with it absentmindedly as he scrolls through his phone. "Hey.” he says, a soft smile forming on his lips, his voice barely above a whisper. "Hey." you reply, matching his quiet tone to avoid waking Joelle as you move over to sit on the edge of the bed, near her legs.

“She’s fine,” he says quietly, preempting any questions. “Just needed a place to crash. She conked out waiting for her turn on Mario Kart.” You give a small nod, the tension in your shoulders easing a little. “Yeah, that sounds about right. Thanks for making sure she’s okay.” you say softly. Ted’s eyes flicker toward Joelle before returning to you, his voice still quiet but steady. “Yeah, no problem. She’s a sweetheart.” You smile at his words, feeling a warmth settle over you in the quiet of the room. “Yeah, she is.” you agree, glancing at Joelle again, her chest rising and falling with every soft breath.

After a moment, you break the silence. “We should probably get going soon.” You place a hand on Joelle’s leg, rubbing it gently to wake her up. “Hey, Jelly.” you call softly, volume at a slightly higher level. She stirs, letting out a small grunt, and Ted chuckles under his breath. “Hmmm…? Y/N?” she murmurs, blinking slowly as she starts to wake up. “Yeah, it’s me.” You respond, smiling. “We’re still at Schlatt’s, you fell asleep. I’ll give you a couple of minutes to wake up, but we’re gonna head out soon, okay?” She sighs, rubbing her eyes. “Okay.” As she opens them, her gaze flicks through a few emotions before settling into a grin when she realizes she’s lying in Ted’s lap. “Oh hey, cutie.” she says, her voice light. Ted lets out a nervous laugh. “Oh hey, pretty girl.” You roll your eyes, smiling playfully as you stood up from the bed. “Okay, I’ll be back for you in ten minutes. I better not catch any funny business when I come back!” you say, adopting a mock parental tone. Joelle giggles, and as you turn to leave, you throw them an accusatory glance through the crack in the door. “I see everything.” you mutter, closing the door softly behind you with a smile. You turn your back to the wall, sliding down until you're sitting on the floor. You pull your phone out and scroll for a moment, but before you can get too lost in it, you hear the sound of a door shutting at the opposite end of the hall.

“What’s goin’ on over here?”

You look up to find Schlatt walking toward you with a beer in hand, that familiar grin on his face. You can't help but smile in return. “Another beer? You might wanna slow down there, dude.” He scoffs, closing the distance and sliding down to sit against the opposite wall. He bends one leg to fit across from you in the narrow hallway. “I’m 6’3 and 250 pounds. It takes a lot more than what I’ve had tonight to get me drunk.” You raise an eyebrow, stifling a laugh as he finishes the sentence with a small hiccup. “Right.” 

Changing the subject, you gesture behind you toward the guest room. “Ted and Joelle are in there,” you explain. “She fell asleep on the couch earlier, so he was just keeping an eye on her while she napped. We’re heading out soon, but I figured I’d give her a few minutes to wake up and say her goodbyes. I told them no funny business.” Schlatt takes a swig of his beer, eyes narrowing. “There better not be any funny business. I’ll kick Ted’s ass if he tries anything in my house.” You laugh, and he lets out a soft chuckle.

 “Thank you for inviting us,” you say, your gaze meeting his again. He smiles. “Yeah, anytime. Although, I’m not sure how many more parties like this I’ll be throwing. I’ve been over it for the last, like, two hours.” he adds, a slight weariness in his tone. You grin. “The curse of being the life of the party, huh?” He nods. “Yep. Guess so.” The smile still lingers on his lips, but his eyes carry a different weight, something hidden beneath the surface of his words.

“Did you have a good time?” he asks, his eyes gleaming with a quiet, hopeful curiosity. “Yeah, I did!” you reply with a small smile, feeling the warmth of the night settle around you. “I was pretty nervous at first, with Joelle and I being the only ones who didn’t know everyone else, but it worked out. Everyone was super nice.” He nods. “Good. I’m glad.” The two of you sit there together, the hum of the party still floating through the air from the living room. You notice him absentmindedly fiddling with the hem of his crewneck, his gaze distant as though his thoughts are far away. Before you can ask what’s going on in that (frustratingly unreadable) mind of his, his eyes flick up to meet yours– that confident glint you recognized from earlier was back. 

“About what i asked earlier.”

Your breath caught in your throat as he continued. “I know I pointed out how we’ve only ever crossed paths while we’re getting drunk, but.. I dont need the alcohol to want to hang out with you. You’re cool, you’re easy to talk to, i just…” he pauses. “Would really like to see you while i’m not already four beers deep. And that’s crazy coming from me, ‘cause I love to drink.” he ends the sentence with a small laugh, and you smile, looking away from him to distract from the major blush creeping across your face. 

Was this seriously happening? The handsome guy you met at the bar last week, the one who was textbook-definition your type, texted you all week, invited you to his party, and now was asking you on a date? Not to mention, your best friend was currently getting into it with his best friend. Either the universe was answering every prayer you’d ever sent its way, or it was setting you up for the most gloriously humbling disaster of your life.

Pulling yourself from your swirling thoughts, you glance back at him. There’s a flicker of nerves in his expression, something endearing and almost vulnerable. You smile, letting your words tumble out before overthinking them.

“Yeah, I’d like that.”

He raises his eyebrows, his lips twitching into a playful grin. “‘I’d like that’? I work up all this courage to ask you out on a completely stone cold sober date, and all you’ve got for me is, ‘I’d like that’?” You laugh, rolling your eyes. “You’re such a diva.” Crossing his arms, he leans back against the wall, the familiar shit-eating grin spreading across his face like it never left. “Nah, I wanna hear you say it.” You shoot back. “Are you serious?” “Dead fuckin’ serious,” he replies, nodding with feigned seriousness, the laughter already breaking through his voice. “You’re unbelievable,” you mutter, shaking your head. “Fine. Yes, Schlatt, I’ll go on a date with you.” “Sober?” he presses, his tone teasing but his eyes sparkling with real amusement. “Yes,” you reply, drawing out the word dramatically. “Completely sober. I promise.” He nods, his grin softening into something almost boyish. “Alright. That’s what I like to hear.”

He leans back against the wall, clearly pleased with himself, and takes a sip of his beer. You can’t help but shake your head, a grin tugging at your lips as you watch him. The room feels a little warmer, the noise fading into the background as the moment lingers between you.

“So,” you tease, breaking the silence, “where does a guy like you take someone on a sober date?” Schlatt smirks, tilting his head as if he’s deep in thought. “Oh, you know, somewhere real high end for you. Probably a dive bar—” he lets out a fake wince. “Wait, can’t do that. Forgot the ‘sober’ part.” You laugh, sticking him with a soft punch to the leg. “Very funny.” He chuckles, the sound low and easy. “You know me.” 

The two of you sit, chatting and laughing, the hallway conversation stretching longer than you’d realized. A glance at your phone jolts you back to reality: 3:54 AM. “Jesus, okay, I really need to go home. Where’s my roommate?” you mutter, pushing yourself up from the floor.Schlatt stands as well, adjusting his crewneck as he pushes off from the wall. You turn to the door of the guest room, knocking lightly. When no response comes, you knock again, louder this time. Still nothing. Schlatt rolls his eyes. “For fuck’s sake. Let’s go, Ted. Let the poor woman go home.” Without hesitation, he grabs the handle and swings the door open. 

Both of you freeze. 

Joelle is straddling Ted’s lap on the edge of the bed, the two completely lost in a heated make-out session. “Jesus fucking Christ!” Schlatt blurts, shielding his eyes dramatically. “Didn’t Y/N specifically say no funny business?!” Joelle pulls back, breathless but grinning sheepishly, while Ted groans, scrubbing a hand over his face. “Could’ve knocked.” Ted mutters. “I Did! Twice!” you exclaim, throwing your hands in the air with a smile of disbelief. Schlatt crosses his arms. “Honestly, Ted, this is just embarrassing. Under my roof? I’d say you’re better than this, but i think we both know that’d be a dirty fuckin’ lie.” 

Joelle laughs, still perched on Ted’s lap, clearly unbothered. “Alright, alright, you’ve caught us. Let me grab my stuff, and we’ll head out,” she says, sliding off Ted and smoothing her hair with zero urgency. Ted huffs, his cheeks flushed as he stands, adjusting himself and shooting Schlatt a pointed look—half sheepish, half murderous, as if to say I’m going to strangle you for this. Schlatt, of course, is utterly unfazed, leaning further into this mock-authoritative dad persona. “You are not sleeping in that bed tonight.” Schlatt says, leveling a dramatic finger at him. “Clean sheets, Ted. You don’t deserve them.” Ted throws his hands up in frustration, though his smirk betrays his disamusement. “Fine. Couch it is. Happy, Dad?” “Ecstatic,” Schlatt fires back, his smug grin growing. “Now get the fuck ‘outta here before you traumatize Y/N and I any further.” Ted scoffs. “Oh, please. Like you haven’t done worse in less respectable places.” he continues as he saunters out of the room. Schlatt’s grin widens, unrepentant as he follows his friend out. “Yeah, but I don’t get caught. Rookie mistake, my man.”

You shake your head, still laughing as Joelle grabs her bag and slips on her shoes. “God, they’re worse than us,” she mutters, rolling her eyes affectionately and flashing you a grin. “Seriously,” you snicker, motioning her toward the door. “Let’s get out of here before whatever they’ve got rubs off on us. I’m not ready to start sucking at beer pong too.”

As you step back into the main room, only a small group of people remains, gathered around the couches and fixated on a YouTube video playing on the TV—its chaotic humor incomprehensible out of context. You and Joelle make your way over to say your goodbyes, exchanging a few high-fives and Instagram handles along the way. It warms your heart to hear that these creative, talented content creators enjoyed your company as much as you did theirs. You bid your dramatic goodbye to Ted, who you actually found yourself becoming a lot better friends with than you expected. He was a goofball, but he was genuine. 

As you turn, you spot Schlatt leaning against the wall next to the front door, his gaze fixed on you. A small smile tugs at your lips as you approach him. “So,” he says with a grin, his voice low and easy. “how’s next Wednesday at 6:30 sound?”

 Your heart flutters at the thought—Schlatt, actually taking you out on a date.

“Sounds perfect,” you reply, a smile playing on your lips. “Where are we going?” He shrugs, his grin shifting to something more sheepish. “Honestly? I have no idea yet. Didn’t expect to get this far. But I’ll let you know.” You laugh, shaking your head. “Right.”

Out of the corner of your eye, you see Ted and Joelle exchanging hugs and saying their final goodbyes. You glance back at Schlatt, warm, fuzzy feeling in your chest unmistakable—and for once, it’s not the result of alcohol. 

“Well,” you say softly, holding his gaze, “thank you for the party. I’ll talk to you later, and…” You smile sweetly, your voice light. “I’ll see you Wednesday at 6:30.” Schlatt’s grin widens, and his eyes light up in a way that makes your cheeks flush. “I’ll be there.” You scoff playfully. “You better. I know where you live now—I’ll find you.” Schlatt smirks, stepping aside to open the door for you. “Yeah, I bet.” 

You take a step back, lingering just a moment longer. “Goodnight, Schlatt.” He smiles, leaning on the doorframe, Ted looming behind him. “Goodnight, Y/N.” He extends a goodnight to Joelle as well, and the two of you set off down towards the elevators.

As you hear the door latch behind you, Joelle nudges you with her elbow. “That was cute, what was that?” You grin, still feeling the warmth of the moment. “God, Joelle, I have so much to tell you.”

← last chapter

[dissociation-station123]

Chapter 3: We are both Pretty Messed Up

LADS: Sylus X Reader

Warning: Angst-Anxiety-Delusion

~

“Go to dinner with me.” Sylus interrupts your current interrogation over how he was so easily able to lead you to your front door. You assume that after three weeks of the same question he was looking for a way to avoid an answer once again.

The bartender gasps at his request, a sly smile now plastered on her face. “Sylus…” You warn him as you sip on your drink, your eyes scrutinize his every expression And body movement. He sits as regally as ever giving nothing away.

You let out an aggravated breath and look at the surprised and exuberant woman, shaking your head. She simply giggles and skips away to take another order.

“Seriously! I know a great place downtown. Come on Y/N…” Those ruby orbs challenge you. He never quite gives you direct replies to any query you ask. It would be a lie to say it wasn’t driving you a bit mad.

“What’s wrong with the bar?” You counter in frustration. You were already out of your comfort zone associating with this man. The idea of going to an unfamiliar place was down right worrying. Sylus clicks his teeth in defiance.

“Nothing, but this is your turf. If we want to continue being friends, shouldn't you amuse me just a bit?” He leans closer, his shoulder bumping yours playfully. “Hmmm…” his breath tickles your ear and you pull away as heat rises to your cheeks.

“We don’t have to be friends. You're free to do as you like.” You snap back rolling your eyes. “I have no desire to entertain you.” Part of that was a lie. Now that this man has sauntered into your life, every time you walk through these doors you automatically seek him out. Yet letting people in has always been a difficult task. You associate closeness with a deep pain that still hasn’t quite faded yet.

“It is just dinner sweetie. Why so precautious?” His tone is a bit condescending. You glare in his direction but you have come to realize he enjoys your aggravation, your mood swings.

“Says the man who refuses to tell me anything about himself.” You stick to your position and he chuckles. Two more drinks were laid in front of you.

“I could say the same about you.” Sylus says lightly but his gaze is intense. Both of you wanting companionship without truly conversing leaves your banter tense at times. Neither one of you is willing to break. “What do I have to do?” He asks, sounding almost genuine.

You don’t respond right away. You were not sure that there was really anything he could do to convince you. You were set in your ways and a creature of habit. Your youth you spent time masking in social events to come home burnt out and exhausted. Now that you were older it was much easier to avoid them.

“I’ll pay…” He attempts to sweeten the deal. Seeing you still lost in thought he snaps his finger in your face, you scowl. “Don’t make me beg darling. It’s degrading.” You deadpan and then burst into laughter at his words. You try and imagine the great Sylus pleading to anyone, it seems ridiculous.

“Fine.” You say and he grins widely. He promises to text you the information and make time. Though you were nervous that strange sense of excitement presented itself once again.

~

Your headphones shielded you from the copious amount of noise heard around you, office gossip and chatter. You are zoned in on the spreadsheet in front of you while your mind visualizes scenarios based on what song played next. You are so absorbed in your work that you nearly flew out of your chair when the coworker in front of you waves their hand from over the cubicle.

“You startle so easily.” They laugh amused by your reaction. Not realizing that your life experience has caused you to tread more carefully in the world. You put on your best friendly smile and take out your earbuds.

“I was wondering if you could stay a bit late again. I wasn’t able to finish up a few reports but my daughter has practice.” She always did this to you on Friday afternoons. You usually did not mind. It wasn’t like you didn’t get paid extra but this time was different.

You try your best apologetic expression, “I’m really sorry I actually have dinner plans today.” You explain and are surprised when her eyes widen in shock. The frenzied typing and jumbled disconnected conversations halt as others in your department hear what you just said.

You shrink back a bit as all the attention is fixated on you. The woman puts up her arms, “It’s no problem Y/N. You always help me out. You have…”

She is unable to finish her sentence because your boss comes bounding out excitedly, towards you from her office. “Fred just told me you had plans this evening via messenger!”

You look around and everyone seems to have moved closer to your area. Their concentration centered on your next words. “Yeah… it’s not a big deal. Just dinner with a friend. Well I don’t even know if I’d call him that yet.”

“Him?!?” Your boss claps and you wish for a sink hole to swallow you whole, any form of escape. “Where are you going?” She buzzes with energy, more enthusiastic about this than you could ever be.

“Some steak place on Fifth St.” You felt obligated to provide answers. All you wanted to do was turn around and continue working. Yet you could sense that none of your colleagues had ill intentions, they were just surprised the office hermit had actual plans on a Friday.

“That place is so nice! He must really like you.” Your boss continues and another colleague interrupts, “A casual dinner at that place is crazy. I took my wife there for our fifteenth anniversary and almost had a heart attack when the bill arrived. He REALLY likes you.”

“No I don’t think…” You feel heat rush to your cheeks. You avoid eye contact. “Is it really that fancy? I had never heard of it.” You mumble and the group laughs.

“Yes! White table clothes on the tables and special utensils.” Another person shouts. You suddenly get anxious, Sylus was planning on picking you up since you worked close by the restaurant. You look down at your worn out dress pants and top.

Your boss elbows the person beside her to shut them up. “You always look great. I can see you second guessing yourself.” You look up at her and sigh. “Alright everyone back to work!!” She makes a commotion to shoo everyone back to their desk. Then lean next to you. “You are a great person. You deserve this.” You give her a small smile and nod, even as you doubt her words.

~

The last few minutes you recieve a text message from Sylus, informing you he is parked up front. You quickly finish the rest of your work and feel eyes on you as you sign out and collect your things. “Is he here?!” The woman in front of you stands and you nod.

“Have a great weekend Y/N.” She gushes and you attempt to hide your groan as you nod. Your nonchalance does not offend her as she gives you a thumbs up. You wish everyone else a good weekend as you leave for the day. Everyone enthusiastically returns the gesture.

As you ride down the elevator panic begins to settle in your chest. It had been quite a while since you went out to eat. The closest is picking up food at the convenience store by your house. Familiarity makes you feel comforted each time you walk through those automatic doors. But this restaurant you have never visited so it would be a completely new experience. Your heart raced in your chest as the doors dinged open. You felt pathetic, surely when you were younger just going to a restaurant did not make you feel so exhausted….

You swallow anxiously and cling to your bag tighter as you make your way out the large glass door of the entrance to your office. The receptionist wishes you well and you do the same. Your footsteps feel heavier with each step.

You look around to find him and it was not a difficult task. A luxury black Audi stands out amongst the average vehicles, sleek and sophisticated. Leaning against the passenger door aloof and unbothered Sylus scans the area. When his red eyes meet your own, that fox-like grin greets you. You wave dramatically causing him to chuckle as he mimics your gesture.

“Why do you look like you have seen a ghost?” He questions when you're closer. “Did something happen at work?” That deep velvety tone, doesn’t reassure you like usual.

“My coworkers kind of swarmed me when I told them I had plans today.” You say rolling your eyes. Another hearty laugh escapes his lips.

“Is that why they are all crowded by the window?” He questions and you let out an audible sigh. You slowly turn your gaze towards the building. Sure enough, your entire department was squished against the glass to get a view of the man taking you out. “That’s real cute.” He gives them a wave and they all return it.

“Just get in the damn car.” You say harshly and he looks down at you challenging your aggression. “Please…” you add a bit more desperately. He studies you for a second then opens the door. You scurry inside, the smell of leather and his aftershave strong.

Everything was a bit too much at the moment your mind was overwhelmed. You fidget with your hands in an attempt to calm down. You feel him enter and his gaze on you but your focus is on the floorboards. His large hand reaches out to take yours but you shake your head and he quickly retracts them.

Sylus does not respond, he starts the car and pulls out of the parking space. The silence between you this time felt oppressive. You weren’t able to speak, even though you wanted to apologize. You were in an overstimulated state brought on by the events of the afternoon. Surely after such a display Sylus would want nothing to do with you and you wouldn’t blame him.

As you were trapped in your own mind, you felt a cool breeze hit your face. He must have rolled down the window slightly. Your eyes close on instinct as you took in a breath. Your heart is finally slowing to a normal pace, the smells not so overpowering.

You manage to look out the window and frown. “Where are we going? We passed the restaurant.” You ask in curiosity.

“I didn’t really feel in the mood for a fancy steak dinner. So change of plans.” Sylus says with a cool demeanor, something you could never achieve. You sit back and strangely enough you feel yourself relaxing the rest of the drive, you felt you could trust him. If he wanted to harm you he had plenty of opportunity previously.

~

You raise your eyebrow at him when he pulls into the parking lot of an arcade. Not just any arcade, it was charming and sweet. The building is decorated with promotional signs of an adorable cat mascot. Children and couples walk in and out full of cheerful chatter.

Sylus is as stoic and mysterious as ever, as he places the car in park. Yet when he unfastens his seatbelt he glances at you with a look that tells you he isn’t interested in explanations. You respect his unspoken request and follow him out of the car.

As you watched Sylus casually speaks with the token clerk, a bright friendly smile on his handsome face, you were amazed by his ability to interact with anyone with ease. It was the opposite to how you first met him, unwilling to converse as he sulked at the bar.

You stood off in a corner amused by how much he stuck out amongst the average populace, like yourself. You blended into the crowd but he could never. He towers over most, all lean muscle visible in his tight designer sweater. You cringe at what that must have cost him. You observe how others eyes are drawn to him with no effort.

He looks over at you and shakes a plastic pink cup with tokens and you can’t help letting a laugh escape from your lips. You follow as he leads you, as if he has taken this path many times before.

“Sylus!” A worker shouts his name as you both walk past, aware of who he is. Sylus waves with a charming expression but does not stop to talk. Glancing over his shoulder to make sure you are still there. You want to question him but based on mannerism earlier you know he was not ready.

“My nemesis.” He proclaims when you reach a row of claw machines, filled with varying stuffed animals. “Are you any good at these?” He questions handing you a token.

You don’t want to bring down the mood even more than you already have. “I’ve never tried.” You answer simply as you run your thumb across the cheap coins surface.

He doesn’t question you but motions for you to play. “These things are a scam.” You mutter but push the token in, the machine lights up and begins playing an upbeat tune.

Sylus chuckles, “I think that’s just an excuse for when you fail, miserably sweetie.” You scowl at him which makes him grin wider. “First step is deciding your victim.” He points to the array of stuffed toys.

As you stare at the options nothing really stood out to you, you didn't really have a preference. “Isn’t this a bit childish Sylus.” You counter and he scoffs. You scold yourself again, using a term your parents always used against you even when you were a child.

Then you spot it, in the corner laying on its side, a teal t rex with a goofy grin. Before he could quip a response you interrupted, “That one!” Sylus hums beside you pleased.

“Go for it.” He orders crossing his arms. You begin to analyze the space, moving the claw closer to your target. You decide to grab it from the side, hoping the metal claw was able to open wide enough.

You push the button and gleefully jump when it wraps around it. Then you groan as the weight causes it to fall back amongst its kind. “So close. Great for a first attempt. Want me to get it for you?” He asks, as confident as ever. You nod now determined to claim the Dino. You assume he is an expert based on being recognized here and his conviction.

You move out of the way and he takes your spot. You watch him calculating the space, it is almost intimidating. His hand engulfs the controller, gently tapping so that hovers above the target. Then unexpectedly he causes the claw to spin and pushes the button.

“Pfft!!” You cover your mouth to hide your laugh, he was not even close to the prize. A stern expression replaces his chivalrous one. He places in another token more focused than ever.

~

You lost count of the attempts and amount of cups brought over filled to the bream with gleaming coins. With a sneer he mutters, “You could at least encourage me…” This was a new side to him you had never seen, it made him seem more human.

“Want me to pat your shoulder for good luck or something?” You say teasingly and the fire in his eyes could have incinerated you where you stood if he had powers. “That’s not who I am. How about you just step aside?”

He surrenders the remaining coins and makes room for you. He stands behind you and aggressively shakes your shoulders. “You have got this kitten.”

“Call me kitten again and I will force feed these coins down your throat…” you respond, causing him to chuckle. You side eye him and he gives you some space, though you can tell he is not threatened in the slightest.

You turn back towards the machine and focus on the task at hand. The blue T. rex looks smug as it leans against the glass. “I’m taking you home…” you say with conviction and then move the claw in place.

The metal clasp scoops up the tricky dinosaur but you don’t get your hopes up, you had been deceived before. It begins to move with the plushy still in place and finally drops it in the bin for you to collect. “Fuck yeah!!”

A parent nearby gives you a glare while covering their child’s ears. You cover your mouth forgetting where you were. “See encouragement helps.” Sylus ignores the fussy parent to compliment himself.

“Sure…” You grab the plushie in victory. It’s goofy lopsided grin enduring. He smiles at your enthusiasm. “Dinner is on me. I think you might have gone broke after all your attempts.”

“Guess we are just going to keep rubbing salt in my wounds.” He says feigning a pout. You laugh and grab his arm to take him towards the snack bar. “More greasy foods, lovely.”

“Starve then but I’m definitely getting something.” You say dragging him along, he doesn’t protest, merely walks beside you.

You look up when you feel his body grow rigid and his expression is surprised. You realize this was the first time you initiated touch in a long time. You release him embarrassed. “Sorry.” You mutter softly, looking down at your feet.

He grabs your chin, lifting it up to make you look him in the eyes. “Don’t ever apologize for something like that.” He was deathly serious, it came out as a threat. You swallow heavily and nod. The seconds felt like minutes as he held you, both of you unsure what is happening, yet unwilling to move.

Someone close by clears their throat and you both jump a part. “Geez grown adults acting like teenagers…” you hear them mutter and you bite your lip in shame. This isn’t what that was, you protest in your mind. You stumble towards the snack bar, your mind a mess.

Before you could reach the counter his long strides beat you to it. “Dessert first.” He mumbles in passing, his voice seeming far off. His eyes looked forward but distant.

You let him order and he subconsciously guides you to a booth. Too flustered to pay much attention to what was happening you followed beside him as if you were a lost stray looking for affection.

The sugary concoction set down before you made you cringe. Ice cream with every possible topping, a sensory nightmare. “What’s wrong, treasure this was your favorite…” Sylus’s voice sounds as if he is in an illusion of his own creation.

This causes you to quickly recover. Everything hits you at once, you feel dumb when your heart breaks just a little. He is confusing you for someone else right now. The subtle warning in the car with just a glance. The staff knew him by name. You stand up abruptly as Sylus holds a spoon up in your direction to feed you.

This man is heartbroken; seeing him like this made you feel bad for him. This was worse than seeing him slumped over at the bar with a stiff drink. Your movement causes him to blink and he suddenly realizes where he is and who he is with. “Y/N…” He calls your name and you smile at him warmly.

“I’m not big on sweets. So I'm just going to grab a soft pretzel with nacho cheese.” You make sure your voice holds no hostility. Sylus nods and quickly eats the spoonful of dessert himself.

When you return he tries to speak, “I…” you hold up your hand and he looks at you sadly. “Let me…” You grab his hand and squeeze with force, he lets out a breath.

“You don’t have to Sylus.” You reassure him as you let him go. “When you want to talk about it feel free to. I’m not upset. So don’t feel any obligation. Alright?” He studies you then, you see appreciation cross his features. He simply nods.

You both finish your snacks in that familiar silence. “We both are pretty messed up aren’t we?” He says almost gleefully and you laugh agreeing with him. “Thank you.” He adds and you smile.

“What are friends for?” You quip and he chuckles with you. Even when you both lose yourself, somehow you shake each other back to reality. It has been a while since you met someone like him. You want to keep the walls up but some part of your self consciousness knows the longer you're around him the harder it will be. You wonder if he is thinking the same thing as you both give each other weary glances…

[captainlexapro]

notes from watching/rewatching all of the (current) canucks' mic'd up videos

(this was more for me/just for fun but i thought i’d share here in case anyone wants to gush about them, too)

Tyler - Game against Winnipeg 2019

patented Tyler = cool, calm, and collected. steady and subtle leadership.

Lmao chaos giraffe flopping onto the ice

not a ton of notes - mostly game play and him being a supportive teammate!

Brock - Training Camp 2020

happy smiley brock!! laughing brock!! peace and love in the world 🫶 😌

Trade ‘jokes’ — (idc if this was years ago now) STOP 😡

sweetheartedness on full display!! "i wish i could chirp you! but i'm not going to." warning everyone that he's mic'd up "in case they say something dumb"

playfully slapping teammates with his stick

teammates ribbing him - especially petey. 😊 i loveeee boesersson teasing!!😊

patented Brock = killer shots on display

brock likes to lovingly push and shove on people, particularly when he's joking around. Very cute.

Personal note- strange seeing so many faces that are now retired or on other teams. That’s how it goes / ship of theseus etc etc

JT - Training Camp 2020

skating by all his teammates saying "i'm mic'd up don't say anything dumb" good looking out 🫡

giving praise to huggy. obviously.

such a supportive coach / dad!!! always teaching and suggesting and complimenting!! with some chirping for good measure 😝

"boeser you finally have a good shot! that wasn't even a chirp - like, seriously"

Even in practice taking responsibility for mistakes: "that's my fault"

Making funny comments that get quinn to laugh 💙

Y’all i just love jt so damn much

Elias - Training Camp 2021

he's always cracking sly lil jokes and half the time nobody even notices 💀 - I NOTICE!! I would laugh, petey!!

More boesersson teasing!! "that's what i'm worried about. you playing center 😏 hehehe" *brock rolls eyes and elbows petey* AUGH my heart

peteyquinn competitiveness!! E:"i'm stronger than quinn"x2. also see Q: "i'm gonna dominate you this period" E: "you?" Q: "i'm going to track you" E:"fine" universe, i humbly ask for more of this dynamic.

holy fuck that puck coming flying at petey and brock, barely missing their faces?!?! 😨 then petey's all whatever. "i've got the reflexes of a goalie.” and cracks another joke about how it would have hit his beard but he shaved two days earlier. Silly boy. 😌

he's so casually affectionate in a very gentle way (pushing brock forward after he said he was tired) and it makes me afkjskjdsd

i really love watching him skate. he's a lovely combo of speed and power and grace and heart.

Brock - Training Camp 2021

Teammate hugs just because ☺️

cute little sing-song moments - just saying random words or teammates' names

teasing baby höglander - again, my heart!!!

just being his usual charming self. Doesn’t even have to try. HE’S SO NICE 😭

Conor - Game against Bruins 2021

about being mic'd up: "it's my worst dream! i never talk!" sir that is a bald-faced LIE

neckguard-less garly is strange to see now 😮

"i'll go loo-ooohww"

complimenting quinn (as one should)

getting fucking DECKED but popping right back up (what’s new?). Honestly never gets old seeing his nonstop grit.

complimenting his opponent when he's been outdone: "ahh good play charlie, fuck"

to brock after a goal: "bumperrrrr!" and "you're the best bumper i've ever seen. you and bergeron"

saying hello constantly. Polite little winger. "What's up Sways?" "Heads up Berg. How're we doin?" "How you doin'?"

we see a fun dipsy-doodle millsy shootout goal!

garly's the first one on the ice once they win and goes to LEAP into demmer's arms 🥹

JT - Game against Blue Jackets 2021

ONCE AGAIN, I LOVE JT SM 💗

our vocal emotional heart!

jawing with mysey 5 seconds after getting onto the ice for warmies. like we’re surprised.

gets his blades checked and is told they look fine. "i got issues then. issue you can't help me with" 😆(and he’s smiling as he says this)

commentary on petey one-timer practice shots. "yyyyup" "probably a goal" "that's not it" "that's a goal". (Me then thinking about how petey says millsy will have a good job after hockey as a coach 🥺)

"FUCK!" "FUCK ME" "LET'S FUCKING GO" "got lucky motherfucker!" "FUCKING RIGHTS, BABY!!" millsy i love you and your foul mouth please never stop 🫶

patented JT = compliments. "you're HAWWTTT"

goofy jt/brock convos. JT: "i wanted the puck from you until i got it.” See also - brock: "i'm only seven blocks behind you"

Sooo many faceoff things. (WE NEED YOU BACK ON THE DOT, MILLSY)

faceoff jawing. "is he down or no?" "yeah i'm down" "alright" *STICKS HITTING THE ICE*

checking with teammates before a faceoff: "good?"

annoyed with the refs. (calmly) "are we not calling penalties today?" and *jumps up from bench in disbelief* "am i missing this or what?"and "prison rules today"

*on the bench after blocking a shot* "ow!"

moved too early on a faceoff and immediately knew he fucked up: "ohhh baby! yup!"

"i tried to tip that with my body! tried to tip that with my fucking body! hey, that's a body tip. OH MY GOD how did that not go in the net?"

(calmly) "you got a band-aid? one band-aid?" 🤏

millsy singing the goal song!!! "HEY HEY HEY HEY"

about to do a faceoff: "fuckin' guy is owning me. i can't beat this guy!"

side note: sometimes "coaching" is so funny to me because lots of times it's just stating the obvious. "when you get a chance you gotta shoot on this powerplay." well yeah. 😐

millsy says "way to fucking go" to every single player after winning

Tyler - Game against Red Wings 2022

St. Patrick's day silly warmies jerseys: "O'MYERS"

gives a birthday shoutout to his stepmom 💚

grades his own practice shot: "C-" lmao 😆

*hears a fan say "let's go mysey"* "i like how the fans are using nicknames"

Canuckleheads

again, he has such a chill demeanor throughout the entire game process

Tyler - Training Camp 2022

more tyler being a coach moments - are we surprised?

bainsy appearance! arty appearance!

giving compliments to höglander (aughhh höggy i hope you work through your struggles and can come out the other side even better)

Brock - Game against Golden Knights 2022

describes his game day routine, which is the same every time. Ohhh nhler has a specific order of operations on game days? fork found in kitchen. I tease i tease. It’s just funny 😅

says he wears a helmet in case he ever heel picks/doesn't want to fall back and hit his head. We love a safety-conscious gorgeous man! (Also makes me re-pissed off about him getting likely concussed)

"WOOOHOOHOOO!!" after tipping in a goal at netfront (likely place for him to be). then said it was lucky because he just stuck his stick out after visually losing the puck once it was shot

apologizing to marty "i'm sorry we didn't get you a shutout" 😫🥺

Dakota - Game against Kraken 2023

also very vocal the whole time!!

starting off strong with praise for huggy

interacting with kiddos at the glass 💚

"here we go here we go here we go" + random sounds + giggles

lol he repeats EVERYTHING he says two or three times

"We're due we're due we're due. We're OVERdue"

patented Dak = "Yessir! yessir!"

Carson - Game against Predators 2023

first of all he's just very pretty and kind and i love him and hope he improves as this season goes on bc he really can be so good

*on why he's mic'd up* "i just got a lot of really, really good stuff to say"

tells fil he should get a chest tattoo and i have to agree. very on brand and i’m kind of surprised he doesn’t have one

"save what teeth you got left.” He’s a comedian, your honor.

loves his d-man bestie tyler very much 😌

very supportive!! telling everybody good job! keeps morale up!

"i'd rather huggy get an apple than my first of the year" 😆

Brock - Game against Devils 2023

"WOOOOOOO!!" for a höggy goal

"come onnn. go in the net"

i feel like he's always been looking out for höglander over the years. giving tips and helping and hyping him up.

millsy and boeser swapping compliments after a goal. I miss them. 😪

Quinn - Game against Devils 2024

i assume most of us have watched this but whateverrr

"oh lukey! oh lukey!"

genuine laughter!! "that was an unreal pass!"

doing captain things and supporting his teammates. for example - complimenting fil: "i fucking loved that. keep wheeling"

yelling "Yeahyeahyeah!!”

to garly: "i just wanted you to know i was there, right away. like i'm there. for you. that's why i'm yelling" 😆😌

hyping up luke like the proud brother he is

garly: "hey! give me a hug! i love you. congrats"

bonus: a screenshot from travis (KING) dermott's mic'd up when bo horvat was on hatty watch. millsy (kind of aggressively, tbh) had to like physically brace himself on petey??? His hand is ON petey’s neck. 💀 Idk man it was kinda bizarre kinda hilarious. Petey’s face 😲 😂 Hockey players are an interesting bunch.

in conclusion: i love this team and i want more mic'd ups 😌

[bokutosbabe]

you left your typewriter at my apartment

( sae itoshi x fem! reader )

♡ a/n — woke up and was thinking of this song so yk i had to write. not proofread !!

♡ content — all characters 18+ !!, fem! reader, nsfw description but no actual smut, angst, goes back and forth between current time to memories, established relationship (1 year), spoilers for the U-20 game, nicknames like 'love' and 'doll' used, some cussing, girlboss reader tbh, probably ooc sae, lmk if i missed anything!

♡ synopsis — packing had never been a big deal to you, but when you're putting all of your exes stuff in a box to give to him? all the memories come back to you and you're not sure you can handle it.

⋆.˚✮🎧✮˚.⋆ ' and who's gonna hold you like me ? ' ⋆.˚✮🎧✮˚.⋆

sae itoshi was many things.

the best midfielder of current soccer history, an icy older brother, stoic, and downright vicious on the soccer field.

but what sae itoshi was not?

a relationship man.

looking back on it, you should've realized the signs earlier, but how could you when those teal eyes washed away every worry you had?

your belief that sae would be the man you'd marry led you to this moment right now; sweating as you scoured your house to rid it of anything even related to the itoshi name.

you'd already had quite a few items in the box you were curating his belongings in, seeing as you'd gone through every room in your house besides your bedroom. you knew your room held all the memories, worst for last you assumed. for the short year that you and sae were together, he enveloped every part of your life.

you bent down to see under your bed, phone flashlight shining on the parts that the sunlight didn't reach. you sighed as you grabbed a pair of his cleats that he brought over after his game against the bluelock 11 team.

" sae? why didn't you change? " you asked, looking at his form standing in your bed room door frame. you looked over at your phone, the time reading 11:00 at night.

your boyfriend of five months had played his game against the bluelock team, and to the dismay of him and many others in the world — they lost. " four fucking three... " sae breathed out. you knew this game meant more to him than he was willing to admit. everytime you asked , though, you always got the same answer.

" they asked me to play. i'm gonna play. " as if this wouldn't be his first time seeing his brother in years. as if the japan soccer league didn't have high stakes on him winning.

what else could you say? you watched the game, you saw how hard he worked. even if no one else could tell, you knew this defeat stung more than he was willing to admit.

" 'm gonna go shower. " he said to what seemed like no one, even if you were in the room. " want me to come with you? i can—"

" i'd rather shower alone. " sae scoffed out, throwing his cleats in the general direction of your bed, where he usually kept his shoes.

you didn't mind, it was a hard night.

so you let him walk down the hallway to your bathroom, his cleats sitting there abandoned.

you didn't even question why he left instead of spending the night.

rough night. that was all.

the memory flooded into your head before you could stop it. now you realized how stupid you were, even then sae couldn't be bothered to even lay in the bed you'd been waiting for him in.

he couldn't be bothered to take his cleats from under your bed, instead opting to buy new ones.

the thought was funny now, how someone so young could have the money to throw away every time he wanted something. while you kept the damn cleats in a safe space for seven more months, like the idiot you were.

you threw the shoes in the box, moving onto your dresser next. he had his own drawer at your house, a sign he was always welcome. although, he did make sure to take most of those when he broke up with you, but you wanted to double check.

you couldn't clear your home of itoshi sae fast enough.

you pulled open the drawer, staring at the clavin klein boxers that sat so perfectly in the quite empty drawer. almost as if they were mocking you.

you grabbed them quickly, squeezing them in your hand before catching the scent of his laundry detergent.

" wanna take 'em off, love? " he'd asked you, staring up at you as he laid on your bed, clad in nothing but his tight boxers. this was the first time sae had let you be the one on top, his usually demanding presence now one that was completely and utterly yours.

" but you look so good in them, it's not fair. " you sighed, straddling his lap as you messed with the elastic of the waistband.

if anyone were to see the two of you, they wouldn't feel lust— they'd feel nothing but love.

" you're taking too long. " he sighed, easily flipping the positions you'd been in. you now under him as you stared up at him, his teal eyes swimming with raw emotion.

" hey! you said—" " i'll make it up to you, doll. promise. " and that was the last thing you heard before he disappeared between your legs.

you remembered that night well, the promises made...ones of a future— a future of children and marriage and him showing you off like his prize trophy.

yeah right. he couldn't even be bothered to attend the balls held in honor of his team, let alone get you all dolled up and go with you.

maybe you should cut a hole in the crotch, you'd thought. show him he's no better than any other man, you could still be the ex that ruined his stuff to get back at him.

but what did it matter when he could simply buy more to replace it?

nothing could be simple when it came to itoshi sae. not even when your broken up.

you stuffed the boxers under some more stuff before moving to lay on your bed.

you'd already looked through every spot in your room you thought he'd left pieces of himself behind in.

the closet, the dresser, under the bed...what else was there?

you set the box down beside you, rolling over on your side to stare at yourself in the full length mirror that was on the adjacent wall. you looked like a mess.

you caught yourself wondering what sae was doing. was he the same old sae? was he laying in his bed thinking about you? did he look as much of a mess as you did?

you doubted it.

within your daze, your eyes moved toward a polaroid picture you'd stuck in the frame of the mirror, a picture of you and sae at a halloween party just a month ago.

you were excited, like...really excited. this was the first time sae was going to bring you out to hang out with his friends. in the 11 months you two were together, you usually went on private dates to fancy restaurants when he could spend time with you.

you'd never been to an actual party with him though!

you smiled as you sat on sae's lap on shidou's couch, the rather vulgar soccer player convinced sae to not only come to the party, but also bring you. " i've never met the girl before ! why not introduce her to us? "

" you're so boring, sae! you're supposed to be my angel! " you whined to him. " i dressed up enough, love. " your boyfriend said quite monotonously. bull crap, he was just in a white tee shirt and pants, nothing that he had to actually go out and buy.

while the red corset and miniskirt you had dyed yourself made you feel like if you breathed wrong it would all come bursting at the seams.

" you could have at least tried harder. " you offered, maybe with a bit of attitude. the two of you had been having more arguments than usual, but doesn't every relationship hit rough patches? " you're lucky we even came— " " yo sae! get with your girl and smile! " shidou popped up in front of the two of you with a polaroid camera.

so you two shut your mouths as sae's hand slipped over your waist, your head finding his shoulder, and you mustered the cutest smile you could.

...while sae gave a blank face to the camera.

looking back on it, that night was the downfall of your relationship. after that night, sae stopped coming by as much, but you just assumed he got busy with soccer season.

the next time he came by he grabbed everything of his and walked out.

you didn't know what to do. sae said he was going to come by, but you didn't know that meant he'd be taking all of his things out of your house.

" sae, wait! what's wrong baby? did i do something? " you asked an embarrassing amount of times.

" no. just taking my stuff. " he said, not even bothering to look at you.

last week was your one year, but he had a game. you'd gotten in a little fight over him not even bothering to text you a happy anniversary, but surely that wasn't what led to this?

" if it's about the anniversary, i'm sorry! i know you're busy, and i don't care when we celebrate ! " you gasped out, trying to cling to any reason for why he'd be doing this.

" we're not celebrating at all. " he slammed the dresser drawer shut, the only indicator that he was annoyed by you. when sae turned around to face you, " we're done y/n. "

he said it so simply, so clearly that you couldn't even move to stop him from leaving out the door.

the look in his eyes...that wasn't your sae.

that was over a week ago now, and the memory made you want to cry. you wouldn't, tears were made to be shed on people who care about you, not foolish men who couldn't talk about their feelings.

you got up from your bed, walking over to the wall and taking the polaroid off your mirror before taking it to the box.

you stared at the picture, the love in your eyes is something that would haunt you for a lifetime. it could haunt sae too.

you threw it in the box, picking it up before setting it outside your front door.

you pulled out your phone, clicking on the contact, ' s. itoshi ' and typing a message

you: the rest of your stuff is outside when you wanna come get it.

for a year, sae itoshi enveloped every aspect of your life.

you refused to let him consume you even after he was gone.

⋆.˚✮🎧✮˚.⋆ ' and who's gonna know you, if not me ? ' ⋆.˚✮🎧✮˚.⋆

i really wanted to try writing for sae, so i hope yall liked it!

likes, comments, and reblogs are appreciated!

[fictionandtheatre]

10 people I’d like to get to know better<3

tagged by @surahyusuf - thank you!!

last song: Flowers by Miley Cyrus is stuck in my head currently lol

last book: The Prince - Niccolo Machiavelli

last movie: Started watching The Tales of Hoffman (1951)

last tv show: The Goes Wrong Show

sweet/spicy/savory: savory all the way

last thing i googled: war games 2024 results (WWE)

current obsession: Star Trek always, and also playing Dr. Mario

looking forward to: the holidays, and my days off of work.

tagging: @renthebarbarian, @boxcarr, @marlinspirkhall, @grinchwrapsupreme, @thehauntedpianosong-blog, @acesexualspock, + anyone else who'd like to be tagged!

[the-ace-reader]

Thanks for the tag Megs! 💜

3 Ships I Like: Tony Stark/Loki Laufeyson (MCU), Leona Kingscholar/OC (Twisted Wonderland) - yes I’m an OC/Yuu girl don’t @ me 😂, and Jason Todd/Marinette Dupain-Cheng (DC x Miraculous Ladybug) - obviously either they meet as kids and age together or Mari is aged up please don’t start drama

First Ship: Percy Jackson/Annabeth Chase

Last Song: Well, the last song I truly listened to was the song I fell asleep to, which was “Caribbean Blue” by Enya, but if we choose the song that’s currently going through my head in bits and pieces, it’s “People I Don’t Like” by UPSAHL. Two VASTLY different vibes 😅

Favorite Childhood Book: My favorite childhood book series was The Unicorn’s Secret by Kathleen Duey. My mom read it to me when I was very young. I still have them for the nostalgia

Currently Reading: Fanfiction lmao. Ironically, despite my first ship being Percabeth, I am currently reading Percy Jackson/Nico di Angelo fics. And no, I have no idea how I got dropped down that rabbit hole, considering I’ve never read PJ fanfics before now???

Currently Watching: EPIC: The Musical animatics on YouTube.

I am a bit obsessive and so I have literally gone through every full animatic made for each song that is properly labeled and go back through each song periodically to see if there are new ones to watch lol. I not only have a playlist with one fav animatic per song, so it’s the whole musical in animatic form (yes it was and is always hard to narrow it down to one animatic per song), but also playlists for each saga that include my favorited animatics from each song from said saga, because I was tired of going back through my liked videos.

Currently Consuming: Stouffer’s Romano Crusted Chicken. I had to go look at the box to get the name - we just call these “Nom-Noms” in our house 😭

Currently Craving: Anyone have any spare motivation lying around they’d be willing to give me? Or ambition? Maybe just a crumb of mental stability? 🤣

Tagging (but no pressure!): @crookedlynerdywriter , @elysia-nsimp , @pinkbeeps , @ceruleancattail , and anyone else that wants to play! 💜

9 Fandom Peeps to Get to Know Better

Thanks for the tag @lovelyllamasblog <33

3 ships I like: LeoVil no kidding (Leona / Vil - Twisted Wonderland) Xehaqus ( Xehanort / Eraqus - Kingdom Hearts) XueXiao (Xue Yang / Xiao Xingchen - Mo Dao Zu Shi)

First Ship: Ooof let’s see… Scrooge x Goldie? Huge fan of The life and Time of Scrooge McDuck by Don Rosa, I read it A LOT when I was a kid and well, the Klondike arc was my favorite! Otherwise, probably Spike x Buffy from my teen years xD

Last Song: “Les gens qui n’ont pas d’enfants” by GiedRé

Favorite Childhood Book: Hard to say… but the first that flashes before my eyes is The Witches by Roald Dahl.

Currently Reading: ……Ao3. Witch Hat Atelier otherwise.

Currently Watching: The Empress season 2

Currently Consuming: Orange blossom water navette biscuits and clementines (Yes, I’m a Mediterranean girl.)

Currently Craving: Time. Or a clone. Let me draw my comics AND play BG3 please…

I tag (no pressure as always <3): @saph-y @eldstunga @mellosdrawings @tempo-takoyaki @broh3m3

[narsh-potatoes]

DOES ANYONE ELSE WANT TO BITE OFF HEADS WITH ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[you-will-return]

-----

[goldensunset]

came home after a long and tiring day and was like ‘i should listen to beneath the mask from persona 5’ and then afterwards i was like wait i did the Thing. that’s the song that plays at the cafe that’s literally what you hear when coming home after a long and tiring day in the game LOL

[bloodyarson]

it's so funny how like... some music and the bands that make it are what i call edginess for neurotypicals. an example of a band like that is 21 pilots and especially that one line in fairly local that goes "this song will never be on the radio" that played on every top 40 station 5 times an hour when it came out. another example is billy eyelash's bad guy which is a song that i just cannot take seriously no matter how hard i tried to enjoy it. every time i hear the lyrics "my mommy likes to sing along with me / but she won't sing this song / if she read all the lyrics she'd pity the men i know" i just cannot stop myself from laughing because it's like... girl you're fucking 18yo!! your mommy is more likely to ground you for saying this kind of bullshit than anything else. also stop singing about seducing people's dads, i repeat YOU ARE 18!!! if a dad is ever interested in you you should be very very scared and concerned.

anyway, i don't really have a point to make in this post, i just wanted to talk about musicians and bands that think they're so dang alternative and edgy and like ohhh we're like the weird kids etc while somehow their songs are in the top 40 hits of the year and literally every normie listens to them because they also think they're so weird and badass for listening to "alt" music. it's pathetic.