#well andrew maybe next time he’ll think. before he cheats

[dayurno]

when u were writing the kandreil band au did u have any artist you think they sounded like vocally or the type of genres they preferred?

YEAH i think i answered this before you can find it in the #band au tag but the monsters do mostly punk rock/pop covers because they are a garage band :) none of them bar aaron & nicky can sing for shit so really it’s just that that they have going on for them, but when they do original stuff it’s more often than not folk or blues, because that’s what andrew likes and he’s the only one actively writing for them. once neil gets the hang of it he’ll probably follow in andrew’s footsteps but pen some depressing ballads every now and then with kevin’s help

i did have an idea in my mind for kevin though! i think his voice could be like isaac dunbar’s at the point of canon in band au, which is like this raspy-ish deep tone i really like 🥹 when he was younger it was higher and smoother but puberty got his ass :) for the genres he prefers he would probably say None (liar) but i think he’d just be a general music fan. really he can enjoy anything if he thinks it’s well-performed and well-produced. i think kendrick’s damn released on the year band au begins so kevin would have tuned in to it, but otherwise his favorite song is before he cheats by carrie underwood which is why andrew can’t stand listening to it anymore if it comes on the radio

[valiantgentle]

HOUSE OF FAKE PRETEND (PART ONE). an ashley adams one-shot. c. no specific time, mystery-less alternate universe.

─ after ashley accidentally tells her ex-boyfriend that she’s dating jerome, jerome suggests fake-dating to keep up with the lie.

        There are many, many reasons why Ashley hasn’t been looking forward to the inevitable day where she winds up running into Evan in the hall. Start with the fact that he cheated on her. Segue into the fact it sounded like he tried to justify his cheating by claiming Jerome’s in love with her. (No, there’s no sounded like, that’s literally what he tried to do). And end with the fact that she would end up saying something very, very stupid.

        And actually, she’s done pretty well the past couple weeks not seeing him. They don’t have any classes together this term which is a lucky break, but unfortunately, she still does go to the same school as him. Really, it was only a matter of time before she ran into her ex-boyfriend. And make that literal, because she’s too busy looking at her phone and writing out a text to Nina re: the French language that she literally runs into someone in the middle of the hall. 

        “Sorry,” Ashley apologizes quickly, as instinct, before looking up and realizing she just ran into Evan and two of his friends from Isis House, the big ones with Russian names. She narrows her eyes into a glare. “I take back my sorry.”

        “Good to see you, too,” Evan retorts flatly. She rolls her eyes and starts to walk around them, but he continues, “Hey, Ashley…” And really, she should just continue on her way, keep texting Nina about getting in a quick study session before Andrews’ test in half an hour, but honestly, she’s really curious to know what he could possibly say to her after what he did. Maybe he’ll actually give her an apology this time. So she turns around, crossing her arms. Evan glances at his friends and keeps going, “I was thinking…”

        But he trails off again, so Ashley stares at him unimpressed. “You have two seconds to say whatever it is you want to say. One—” she starts to count, but he cuts her off.

        “I was thinking that it’s been long enough since everything,” he says, being vague about what specifically ‘everything’ means. Please refer to earlier statements for a recap. “You and I ought to give it another shot, don’t you think?”

        She blinks at him. He can’t be serious. “Am I being punk’d?” she questions shortly. And ‘long enough since everything’—it’s barely been two months! She deserves better than this and she knows it. “What’s the matter with you? You cheat on me and now you’re all like ‘you and I ought to give it another shot?’” She mocks his voice when she says that. “You lost your shot four months ago.”

        “I can always get it back if you let me.”

        “Ha! Good luck with that. I’m so over you. In fact, I am—I am so over you, in fact,” and yes, she’s aware that she just repeated herself, “that…” And this next part just slips out of her mouth, with no thinking on her part. “…I’m actually seeing someone else, so your shot? Way back there,” she says, pointing her thumb back behind her. It’s when she’s doing that she realizes what she said, and she regrets it immediately.

        Seriously? Out of everything she could have said, she chooses to lie about seeing someone else?! This is exactly the reason she didn’t want to run into him, at least not without Amber or even Fabian there to stop her from saying something like this!

        Evan’s eyebrows raise. “You’re seeing someone else?” he repeats as his two friends look at each other. “Hadn’t heard that.”

        “Yeah, well, we’re—” Ashley starts, fully backing herself into a corner, but hopefully he’ll just drop it and let her go if he thinks she’s with someone else. “We’re keepin’ it quiet. Still new.”

        “Who is it?”

        “What?”

        “The guy you’re seeing. Who is he?”

        See, that’s a question Ashley doesn’t actually have a good answer to. She could make up some name on the spot, something terribly generic like James, or she could pull the old ‘you don’t know him, he goes to a different school’ routine. But the best answer for her to give, and the one she does give, winds up being, “Okay, so you cheat on me, and now you demand the name of the guy I’m seeing. Doing a real good job trying to get back with me,” she says sarcastically.

        Evan narrows his eyes at her. After a long moment, he states, “It’s Jerome, isn’t it?”

        Ashley’s gonna be honest—she did not expect that. Well, actually, given what he said about Jerome two months ago in the hall, makes sense in hindsight, but in the moment, she just stares, and then she falsely confirms, “Yeah. Yeah, it’s Jerome.”

        He scoffs. “I knew he always had a thing for you. So how long?”

        “Seriously? I think you’ve gotten enough out of me, don’t you think? Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got a date with a French test,” Ashley retorts, walking around him without giving him a chance to respond. Andrews’ classroom is so not her destination right now. There’s someone she really, really needs to apologize to.

        Jerome is not going to be happy.

        “I am so, so sorry.”

        Jerome turns to Ashley as she comes up to his locker, an apology immediately falling out of her mouth before even a simple hello. He looks down at her, retorting bluntly, “What did you do?”

        Ashley nervously laughs before starting to explain, “See, um, I sorta ran into Evan in the hall and he started saying stuff about how we ought to give it another shot and then I started saying stuff,” Jerome’s just staring at her, waiting to see what exactly this has to do with him, “and I…kind of ended up telling him that I was seeing someone else and he sort of made the leap to you and I…didn’t correct him.”

        “You told your ex-boyfriend that you and I are dating?”

        “I know!” Ashley exclaims, turning and hitting her head against one of the lockers. She’s been regretting it ever since it happened, in between wondering how Jerome would take it and how she was going to fix this. Jerome runs his hand over his face. “I didn’t mean to, I swear, it just…slipped out. I just wanted to get away from him.”

        He stares at her for a long moment, incredulity in his eyes. “And telling him you’re dating someone else—let alone me—is the best way to do that?” he questions doubtfully. “Walking away might have been a better option.”

        “I already know it was stupid,” she responds, “and I’m—I’m gonna find a way to fix it, hopefully without coming off as a heartbroken loser.” She sighs heavily at this point, shaking her head. “I just thought you should know in case he tries to talk to you about it. I’ll fix it, I promise, you just need to give me the day.”

        “And if he tries to talk to me?”

        Ashley shrugs. “I don’t know. Do you what you do best, you manipulative jerk.” The (apt) description of him isn’t said with harshness as an insult, as she once might have (and probably still will in the future given his general personality) but with a nonchalant tone as she looks him over. 

        Jerome tilts his head at her, an unimpressed expression on his face. “You’re so cute when you say things like that to me.”

        “Ha,” Ashley replies flatly. Movement down the hall catches her attention, because unfortunately for her, it’s the person who started this entire conversation in the first place. She straightens, any vague hint of amusement forgotten. “Oh, no. It’s Evan.” Jerome glances back to see, and she keeps talking. “He’s down the hall. He’s looking this way. He’s walking this way.”

        He turns back around to find her eyes glancing back and forth from him to her ex as she continues, “Oh, okay, I have about five seconds to come up with something to fix this before he starts interrogating.” He watches her carefully as finally she stops looking between them, her ocean eyes on him only. “Any ideas to make me not seem like a pathetic loser?”

        An idea has just occurred to Jerome, seeing Evan down the hall. She did already tell her ex she was dating someone new, and she did already tell him it was Jerome. Really, it was her idea. But he says after a few seconds of regarding her, trying to gauge what her reaction might be, “One, but I’m not sure you’ll like it.”

        “I don’t care. What is it?”

        As far as Ashley’s concerned, the entire world could have disappeared around her and she wouldn’t have noticed because of what happens next. Jerome puts both hands on her face, looking into her eyes like he was wishing for the hall to be empty of everyone but them. She blinks, mouth parting, and neither notice Evan stop in his tracks on the way to them.

        His eyes flicker to her lips just a second before he leans forward and presses a soft kiss to them. She inhales when he does that and becomes still, eyes open for a moment before they flutter shut, giving in to and returning the surprising, warm kiss and thinking screw it ever so briefly, leaning into him as her hand reaches up to encircle his wrist.

        All in all, it’s about twenty seconds from the moment he grabs her face to the moment they pull apart, eyes slowly opening to meet and the tips of their noses brushing against each other. Their faces are still close together, but the shocked laugh of someone in the hall and the whispers of something that sounds like ‘pay up’ bring them out of their trance.

        It seems Evan wasn’t the only one to notice Jerome kissing Ashley. Everyone who was in the hall at that moment, and this didn’t include any of their housemates from Anubis, is looking at them, eyebrows raised. Evan’s still standing where he had stopped, jaw clenching, and then he turns and rounds the corner.

        Still surprised and entirely confused about what just happened, Ashley lets Jerome take her wrist and drag her into Andrews’ empty classroom, even though she hasn’t arrived yet and there’s a test due in five minutes, after shutting his locker. He lets go of her wrist and goes to close the door as she turns around, staring at him with wide eyes.

        “Okay,” Ashley says finally, the word drawn out, eyebrows raising as she tries to make sense of it. She keeps shrugging, gesturing vaguely with her hands. “Didn’t expect that. Little more warning could’ve been nice.” She stops moving her hands as he steps closer to her, but still keeps distance between them. “Why did you do that?”

        Jerome lets out a quiet sigh. “You told Evan you and I were dating because you wanted to make him jealous, yeah?”

        “Uh, mostly it was to get away from him, but…” She thinks for a second and shrugs. “Yeah. Sure, I—I guess. So you kissed me to make him jealous?”

        “Did you see his face?”

        Yeah, Evan didn’t look pleased when Ashley caught sight of his expression after the kiss. Jealousy, definitely. Maybe a little anger. She’s just glad he didn’t try to confront them and left the hall entirely. “Okay,” she concedes to that fact, “but I was going to tell him the truth—”

        “And come off like a heartbroken loser?” Jerome interjects, using her own words against her.

        “Well, you’ve just made things entirely more complicated.”

        “Unless I haven’t.”

        “What?”

        Another step toward her. His voice becomes a little quieter, and just a bit mischievous. “You told Evan you and I were dating because you wanted to make him jealous. I say we let him think it for a little longer.”

        Her eyebrows furrow. Let him think it for a little longer…is he suggesting what she thinks he’s suggesting? “Fake dating?”

        “It was actually your idea.”

        “You want to fake date me?”

        “Figured it could be fun to mess with him. And you’re not a bad kisser.”

        Ashley laughs, though the jury’s out on whether it’s because of the remark or out of shock at the conversation she’s having with him. The corners of Jerome’s eyes crinkle. At the very least, the events that follow would be interesting no matter what happens. That’s why she agrees, “Okay. Let’s…fake date, then.” Somehow his smile gets wider. “How exactly do we do this?”

        Jerome shrugs. “Work it out as we go.”

        “So we’re just winging it?”

        “Isn’t your whole life just winging it?”

        “You know, I was going to tell you you’re not a bad kisser either but now I don’t think I will.”

        “You telling me that means you said it.”

        “Shut up, fake-boyfriend-real-idiot.”

        He’s the one who laughs this time and opens his mouth to respond, but the door opens, and his immediate reaction is to grab her face and kiss her again. This one’s a little harder than the one before and doesn’t last more than three seconds before she’s hitting his arm and pushing him away. It’s just other students coming in for the French test, none from Anubis still.

        “Thought it might have been Evan,” Jerome murmurs to her.

        Ashley throws him a doubtful look before taking his wrist and dragging him to the back of the classroom to one of the tables back there. There are two pairs of headphones on each desk and she grabs one, glancing up as Alfie comes in and greets, “Hey, guys. Wait, do my eyes deceive me or do you actually look like you’re looking forward to the French test?”

        Ashley dryly chuckles as she takes her seat and Alfie takes the desk in front of her and Jerome. “Ran into Evan earlier. I’ll take any distraction I can,” she replies, throwing a brief glance to Jerome. He regards her as he takes his bag off and sits beside her.

        “Oh, that couldn’t have been fun,” Alfie remarks, turning his chair around to face their desk. “Wanna talk about it?”

        “Maybe later. I’ve got to fail a French test first.”

        You know, Alfie has thought to himself several times ‘what if money fell from the sky?’ That’d be nice, if money really did fall from the sky. You could just, like, say, ‘I want some money’ and then there’s a tenner in your hands. Unfortunately, he lives in the real world, and money doesn’t fall from the sky. Nope, it just appears in front of your face with a hand holding it as you try and open your locker before meeting with Amber for lunch.

        Alfie looks from the fiver in the phantom hand to the owner of it, vaguely recognizing the boy offering him money from…somewhere he can’t place right now. “What?”

        “Your winnings,” the boy says, waving the fiver in front of his face.

        “Again, what?” Alfie questions. His winnings for what?

        “The Jerome-Ashley bet,” the boy answers, which doesn’t do anything to clear it up. At least Alfie realizes where he knows this kid from, even if he’s oddly offering him money for a bet that hasn’t come to pass yet. “Here’s your winnings.”

        Alfie slowly takes the money, still looking at him strangely. “Not that I’m complaining but why are you giving me your money? The bet’s still on. Nothing’s happened with them.”

        “They’re dating,” the boy states matter-of-factly, like this is a fact Alfie should already know.

        “What? No, they’re not.”

        “They are.”

        “They’re my best friends, I’d know if they were dating.”

        “Well, they were kissing in the hall earlier, so that kind of confirms it.”

        “They weren’t kissing in the hall earlier. I saw them in the hall, there was no kissing.”

        “I saw it with my own eyes. I’d like my money back then if you don’t believe me.”

        Alfie clutches the money in his hands, turning to the boy and narrowing his eyes suspiciously. There’s no way Jerome and Ashley were kissing in the hall. No way, Alfie would know…wouldn’t he? Like, they’d tell him if they were dating, right? Maybe this kid is lying. No, this kid came up to him of his own free will to give him money on a bet Alfie had forgotten about and had definitely forgotten the names of the students outside Anubis he made the bet with.

        “Tell me everything you saw,” Alfie urges, looking at the boy with all the persuasion he’s able to put in his eyes. The boy looks at him rather oddly, taking a small step back, before telling Alfie everything he saw in the hall earlier.

        Five minutes later, Alfie’s running into the lounge, where he's meant to meet Amber for lunch. She’s in there waiting, checking her makeup in the mirror while engaging Nina and Fabian in some conversation about her makeup. On one of the other couches, Patricia, Joy, and Mara are (reluctantly, it seems) listening to Eddie talk about some action film he saw. Suspiciously enough, neither Ashley nor Jerome are in here.

        “Guys, guys, guys, you are not going to believe this,” Alfie says to his housemates, sitting down in one of the chairs. “Jerome and Ashley are dating.”

        Amber immediately throws him a doubtful look. Patricia mutters something about ‘not again,’ while Joy retorts, “Alfie, we’ve been over this. They’re not secretly dating, they’d never be able to hide it.”

        “No, seriously, they are and they have!” he insists. “I don’t know for how long but they were spotted kissing in the hall earlier. I got it straight from an eyewitness.”

        “Right, because Jerome and Ashley are going to announce they’re dating,” Patricia says dryly with a roll of her eyes, “by kissing in the middle of a hallway at school. Yeah, right.”

        “Who did you hear this from?” Fabian questions.

        “One of the students Amber and I made the bet with,” Alfie explains. The bet is something all of the Anubis students are familiar with, even Eddie, who’s still relatively new to the house. He’s been there for four months and while he hasn’t been strongarmed into making a bet of his own yet, it’s probably coming. Or not, if what Alfie’s claiming is true. “He came up to me and offered me my winnings. That’s how I found out.”

        Mara frowns. “Alfie, are you sure you should believe him? Maybe he was lying.”

        “No. No way, he was telling the truth.”

        Eddie glances between his housemates like they’re crazy. Honestly, he’s never gonna get used to these people. He pipes up, “Hey, just a suggestion here, but have you guys considered talking to them instead of relying on the word of some random kid who was stupid enough to take bets with Alfie? I’ve been there. It ain’t fun.”

        Alfie snaps his fingers. “Yes, that’s it! Let’s go find them and confront them about this.”

        “Alfie, Alfie, no,” Nina says, reaching out for the sleeve of his blazer and pulling him back. She looks at the rest of them, adding, “First of all, they’re just gonna clam up if we gang up on them without a plan. They’re, like, the two most stubborn people ever.”

        Amber nods and adds, “Second, you won’t even be able to find them. Ashley texted and said she’s gonna spend this lunchtime going over the biology homework with him.” Alfie raises his eyebrows at her expectantly while everyone else shares semi-knowing looks. Then Amber seems to get it. “Ohhhh. They’re on a date!”

        “That’s not exactly where I was going with it,” Nina says. “If we’re going to get the truth out of them, we have to do it right. We’ll hold an intervention after school at the house, and in the meantime, let’s get our points together. If we do it that way, there’s no way they lie to us.”

        “How can you say you have a crush on Harrison Ford, but at the same time you’ve never seen Star Wars?” Jerome complains—rather irritatingly, she’d say—as the two of them approach Anubis House after school, the final residents to return back home, and very likely because of this exact conversation.

        Ashley rolls her eyes at his insistence on its weirdness, which started about ten minutes or go when she made the mistake of remarking that she’d never seen Star Wars after he’d made a reference to it. Apparently, it’s the most insane thing she had ever said to him (and that included ‘Hey, I just accidentally told my cheating jerk of an ex we’re dating’).

        “I’ve seen Indiana Jones,” Ashley counters his claim that someone needed to see Star Wars in order to have a crush on a young Harrison Ford. As if Star Wars was the only major film series that man had ever been in!

        Jerome shakes his head. “Doesn’t count. How have you never seen Star Wars? No, wait, better question—how have you been friends with Alfie and me for this long and you’ve never seen Star Wars?”

        “How often do I willingly watch something the two of you like?”

        “You let Alfie get you into Doctor Who,” he correctly points out.

        “Because I think David Tennant is cute.”

        “Of course you do.”

        “You know, now that I think about it, Matt Smith kind of reminds me of you.”

        Jerome stops in his tracks, brows furrowing. He looks completely and utterly bewildered now, which oddly enough only makes him remind her more of the Eleventh Doctor. The sight makes her smile lightly as he asks, “How?”

        Ashley shrugs. “Just does. He’s not as cute as Tennant, though.”

        With that and another smirk on her face, she continues forward to the house and leaves him standing there with that cute befuddled expression. Another minute and they’d be inside, and she could escape from this conversation upstairs and work on extra classwork—did she actually just think that? Oh, wow. She’s been spending too much time with Fabian.

        Jerome’s footsteps rush to keep up with her. “No, back to Star Wars—”

        “What do you want me to do, rent them?”

        “You don’t have to rent them, I have them.”

        “Oh, my God, you’re gonna make me watch Star Wars, aren’t you?” Ashley questions with a groan as she pulls open the door to the house. He grabs hold of the door and holds it open for her to go through first, and does the same with the inner door into the entrance hall. “If I say yes, does that mean you won’t try and make me watch Star Trek?”

        “You’ve never seen Star Trek?” Jerome asks with even more incredulity to his voice.

        “There’s too many of them!”

        “What do you watch?”

        “I don’t know—Doctor Who, Grey’s Anatomy, stuff that doesn’t have four billion titles to it,” Ashley replies honestly as she enters the living room, him right beside her. There were a few more things, like the Night at the Museum series and she likes The Mummy movies too—Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz together? Now that’s what she calls movie magic.

        Jerome lightly hits her on the arm. “Doctor Who has been on for nearly fifty years.”

        “Not constantly,” she points out, nose scrunching up. Because of their conversation and their focus on each other, both of them completely miss their housemates sat at the table, all of them still in their uniforms like the two of them were, waiting for them to notice that they’re there. “Besides, I just care about the new ones.”

        “You’re a very frustrating person.”

        “Are you just now realizing this?”

        Jerome faces her directly, eyes narrowing at her. “You’re doing this to mess with me, aren’t you?”

        A teasing smile comes onto Ashley’s face. “Maybe just a little,” she confesses, but before she can say anything more or he could respond, someone near them clears their throat. Ashley glances to her left, finally catching onto their housemates sitting there at the table. They’re just watching them, some of them amused but all of them looked entirely serious. “Hey, guys,” she greets with a confused glance to Jerome. Oh, this wasn’t good. “What are you doing?”

        From his usual seat, Alfie gestures to the two empty chairs at the end of the table—usually Ashley and Nina’s, but Nina’s in Jerome’s usual seat between Amber and Mara. “Sit down, please,” he says with the weirdest, non-Alfie-like inflection to his voice.

        Jerome looks at him strangely. “Why?”

        “Please just do it so I can go,” Eddie says with an exasperated sigh, which earns looks from all the others at the table. “What?”

        Better to get whatever this is over with sooner rather than later, Ashley decides as she shrugs lightly at Jerome, taking her usual seat at the head of the table. Jerome sits beside her. She asks their housemates, “Okay, what’s with the weirdness?”

        Amber says, hands clasped in front of her, “We wanted to speak with you both. We heard from a little birdie that you two were spotted kissing in the hall earlier today.”

        If you can hear the sound of a record scratch, that’s Ashley realizing that she and Jerome completely forgot about the existence of their housemates when they were coming up with the terms of and the backstory to their fake relationship. Oh. Oh, no. Oh, no, this wasn’t good at all. Oh, this is meant to be an interrogation! Of them and their (fake) relationship! Oh, boy.

        When Ashley’s eyes go wide, Nina quickly adds, “We’re not, like, trying to pressure you guys or anything. We’re just telling you what we heard, and we just want to know what the truth is.”

        Alfie vehemently shakes his head. “No, no, we know what the truth is. What we want to know is why neither of you said anything. I mean, come on—”

        “Alfie, inside voice,” Patricia hisses when Alfie’s voice begins to rise and he raises his fist up to hit the table. His fist hovers in mid-air. “The last thing we want is Victor or Trudy walking in on this.”

        “Jerome, can I speak to you for a second?” Ashley asks nervously, already standing up from her chair and nodding to over by the couches. Alfie opens his mouth to complain but is quickly met with a subtle kick to the shin from Nina. Jerome follows Ashley to the couches and she turns to him, asking quietly so the others don’t hear, “How did we come up with every detail of our fake relationship but we never remembered that they exist?”

        “I don’t know,” Jerome says at the same volume. “What do you want to do?”

        “What? Why me? This was your idea.”

        “Technically, it was your idea,” he counters, and she gives him the look—you know, that look with the tilted head and the narrowed eyes and the absolute lack of patience for him and his ways. “Okay, well, either we tell them the truth and have them blow our cover, or we lie to them and keep letting them think we’re going out.”

        “Which is easier to pull off?”

        There’s a moment of thought from him, during which he glances at their housemates (and they immediately look away—well, except for Alfie, who keeps watching with narrowed eyes—and act like they haven’t been watching them), before he says, “Maybe it’s better if just the two of us know.”

        “Think so?”

        “Easier to keep it a secret.”

        “We’ll come clean with them eventually,” Ashley decides with a glance of her own to them. They’ve already agreed to go along with this fake relationship for a month and see how things are at the end of the month, see if they should end it (because it’s done its job at getting back at Evan) or keep going (because it hasn’t). So eventually, the truth’s gonna come out. Until then, though... “Okay. So kiss me. And make it look real.”

        “Have I ever not?” Jerome says with a raised brow, and Ashley rolls her eyes.

        The kiss that follows is soft but short, only lasting about five or so seconds. He cups her face with his hands in such a gentle, loving way, and he looks at her the same when they part, and she has to remind herself when her heart speeds up that it’s just a part of the act. Just to sell it to their friends, make it seem like they’re actually in love when none of it is real.

        Yet there’s a tiny part of her, a tiny part that she desperately ignores, that thinks What if?

        The others are still staring at them, though most of them have their brows raised now and their mouths parted in one of those amazed, shocked ways, like when someone says something offhand and that very offhand thing happens about five seconds later—except for Eddie, who still looks like this is the last place he wants to be right now.

        Ashley and Jerome return to the pair of seats at the head of the table. “Okay,” Ashley says, putting on a defeated tone, “you caught us.”

        Alfie lets out the breath he looks to have been holding and slams his hand down on the table, causing those around him to startle at it. “I knew it!”

        “Alfie, calm down,” Fabian tells him with wide eyes.

        “I won’t calm down! I knew it!” Alfie declares, and now everyone—including the two this intervention was meant to be about—is looking at him alarmed as he continues. Alfie points to the others, moving his finger in a slow motion like a snake. “And you all didn’t believe me.”

        Joy blinks. “To be fair, you’ve been claiming they’ve been secretly dating for three years.”

        Yeah, Alfie’s practically the boy who cried wolf when it comes to that. Ashley almost feels bad that he’s still technically crying wolf now, because she and Jerome aren’t actually together, but does nothing but glance at Jerome, who doesn’t seem to have a reaction. Oh, Alfie’s going to feel so betrayed when he finds out the truth. Maybe they should ‘fess up now?

        “And I’m finally right,” Alfie replies to Joy’s accusation, sounding proud of himself. “Fabian, Nina, pay up.”

        Pay up?

        Fabian and Nina exchange a weary, tired glance, but neither moves to give Alfie anything, let alone money, even despite him holding his hand out expectantly to them. Alfie slowly retracts his hand and wipes his palm on his blazer.

        Oh. Oh, no, he didn’t. He didn’t!

        “You bet on us?” Jerome questions as Ashley stares at Alfie incredulously.

        Alfie waves a dismissing hand their way. “This isn’t about you.”

        Amber counters, “They’re exactly what this is about.”

        Mara quickly changes the subject and asks Ashley and Jerome pleasantly, a smile on her face, “So, how long have you two been seeing each other?”

        “Um, about a month or so,” Ashley answers with their prepared lie, glancing at him. “Yeah.”

        “How did you keep it secret for so long?” Joy inquires of them now, leaning her elbows on the table. Ashley doesn’t recall that being one of the things she and Jerome spoke about at length when coming up with the backstory to their fake relationship. Time for winging it. “I mean, you guys have never exactly made it a secret that you’re into each other. You just would never admit it.”

        Jerome shrugs, not fazed by the last remark. “I guess you people just weren’t paying attention.”

        “He means we text a lot,” Ashley improvises, throwing him a look. Texting. Yeah, that works. Kind of. The lie needs more details. “And secret dates in the middle of the night.”

        Amber makes a face of realization. “Ohh, that explains why you’ve always got bags under your eyes,” she says, and Ashley frowns. What? “I can teach you how to get rid of them.”

        “I know how to get rid of them.”

        “So, what happened?” Nina says, changing the subject back from the bags allegedly under Ashley’s eyes to the relationship. “How did you guys—how did it happen?”

        Amber nods. “We want to know every detail.”

        Eddie raises a finger. “Uh, who is we?”

        Patricia tells him with a roll of her eyes, “Shut it, slimeball.”

        Eddie stares at her incredulously. “Who are you?”

        Definitely an amusing display between the two of them, who had been subtly flirting in that way since Eddie transferred from America. Ooh, maybe the next relationship intervention the Anubis House residents would host would be for Patricia and Eddie—or Peddie! That’s a cute nickname. Ashley makes a note of it to discuss it with Amber, who’d also previously noticed their flirting. Okay, maybe not a full intervention but definitely having a chat with them individually about their feelings, try to convince them to confess so they both could be happy, or if they’re both as stubborn as usual, figure out a way to lock them in a room together alone.

        Fabian turns the conversation back and repeats Nina’s question, but adds in a gesture of his own between them, “So what happened? How did…?”

        “Uh…” Ashley trails off, stalling for time to figure out what to say. “It just happened. You know, it clicked.”

        “So you confessed first,” Alfie surmises.

        “No, him,” Ashley says, nodding her head to Jerome. Hey, this was his idea, he’s the one who kissed her in the hall, not the other way around. So, technically, it’s not really a lie, is it? Except it sort of is.

        Alfie looks at Jerome. “What did you say to her?”

        “I really think some things,” Jerome says, “ought to just stay between me and Ashley.”

        (Some things like: ‘You told Evan you and I were dating because you wanted to make him jealous. I say we let him think it for a little longer.’)

        Mara smiles wistfully. “We get it. The romance of it all. But what made you decide to go public now, and in the halls at school?”

        Jerome simply shrugs. “Just got tired of not being able to kiss her whenever I wanted.”

        Ashley’s caught speechless at the genuineness in his voice for a few seconds, and then knocks it back into her that it’s an act. She quickly catches on and tells them, “Yeah, we didn’t think you guys would go all interrogation on us. Anyway, if you’re done squeezing us for information,” she starts to stand, eager to speak with her fake boyfriend about said interrogation, “he’s making me watch Star Wars and I’d rather get it over with sooner rather than later.”

        “You’ll like it,” Jerome assures her as he stands as well. “It’ll change your life.”

        “Star Wars is a really stupid title,” Ashley comments, and Jerome opens his mouth to argue before looking to realize he can’t actually argue with that. “Is this the ‘live long and prosper’ one?”

        “That’s Star Trek.”

        “What’s the difference?”

        “Oh, just go,” Jerome says, pushing on Ashley’s shoulder. Ashley laughs, her mission in annoying him complete, and follows him through the door.

        The door to Jerome and Alfie’s room closes down the hall with them behind it, leaving the others still sat at the table. Patricia remarks, the first one to speak after that rather eventful interrogation, “Well, they’re still the same.”

        Amber nods. “Just with more smoochies.”

        Eddie asks flatly, “Can I go now?” and everyone looks at him, a few seconds of annoyance, before everyone starts to stand to return to their rooms and relax for the afternoon. Eddie looks the happiest of them all and jumps up from his chair to be the first one out.

        With the interrogation intervention done and over with, Ashley follows Jerome into his bedroom and closes the door behind them. Now to talk about what just happened, because that was one thing they didn’t plan for. She points between them and says certainly, “We’re dumb.”

        Jerome glances at her, in the midst of pulling out his laptop. “Speak for yourself.”

        “What? No, this is a fake relationship, you take the same credit for failures that I do,” she insists, stepping closer to him. She’s still pointing between them, making clear that he’s just as stupid as she is when it comes to this. How could they have forgotten about their housemates?! “We’re dumb.”

        “All right, fine, we’re dumb,” he relents, and she does a wide ‘thank you’ gesture before putting her hands on her hips. He sets his laptop on his bed. “It went better than I thought it would. I thought Alfie would’ve started jumping up and down.”

        “They seriously bet on us?”

        “Does that seriously surprise you? They’ve been going on with this Jashley thing for years.”

        “Oh, good point,” she concedes with little reluctance to do so. But you know what? That actually makes the fact that they forgot about the fact they’d have to speak with their housemates about this even worse! It should’ve occurred to at least one of them how they’d react, especially Alfie. But it’s in the past now. She sighs. “Well, at least that’s over with. Hard part’s over.”

        “Hard part’s gonna be the next month,” Jerome says. He moves even closer to her, looking down at her. There’s only a few inches between them now. “We are going to be pretending to be dating for the next few weeks.”

        “Sure you don’t want to back out? We can go back in there and tell them the truth.”

        “You saying you want to back out?”

        “No,” Ashley responds maybe a little too quickly. It’s that stupid tiny part of her brain that keeps screaming at her what if? what if? what if? “Oh, that came out a bit fast. So we’re really doing this then?”

        “Guess so,” Jerome agrees.

        The door starts to open and as if on instinct, Jerome grabs her face again and kisses her, in a kiss much less soft than the one they shared just minutes ago in the living room. Though Ashley finds herself responding in kind, not even thinking about it, Alfie’s voice interrupts, “Hey, guys, I’m just—oh, get a room.”

        Jerome pulls away from Ashley. “We had one.”

        Alfie mocks him and kneels beside his bed, making a quick remark that he’s going to be upstairs showing off his magic tricks to Amber while they’re watching Star Wars in his room, and leaves a few seconds later with his box of tricks in hand.

        Ashley swallows and tries to calm her rapidly beating heart, telling Jerome in a suspiciously breathless voice, “New rule: stop kissing me whenever someone opens a door. I’m starting to think you actually want to kiss me.”

        “Ha, ha,” Jerome replies flatly, but looks over her with a subtle nervous glint to his eyes she doesn’t notice. She just stares at him with a raised brow, waiting for him to remember the laptop that’s sitting on his bed. “What?”

        “Thought you were gonna force me to watch Star Wars,” she reminds him. “Get on it, Clarke.”

        Jerome nods and turns back to his bed, grabbing the laptop and pulling over a chair to sit it on as he starts telling her they’re starting with the original trilogy, and Ashley sits down on the edge of his bed as she watches him curiously. Their first fake date.

        Well, here goes nothing.

[theuniversitychallengereview]

UC 50.17 - Imperial vs St Andrews

Imperial captain Kohn had a respectable four starters to his name in their opening defeat to Strathclyde, but he must have spent the first few months of lockdown in the brain-gym, bulking up on knowledge, because when he returned for the high-scoring loser play-offs a couple of weeks ago he absolutely blew away the competition with a series high nine Ten Pointers. Hopefully he was also lifting tiny little weights with his buzzer finger as part of his preparations or he’ll be at risk of a repetitive strain injury.

The only issue with this was that he blew his own teammates away as well, with none of them managing to beat him on the buzzer either. You get the feeling that he’ll need his teammates to step up this time around, because St Andrews will undoubtedly be a tougher prospect than Exeter were.

With their own star Sherlock posting seven starters of their own in an impressive victory over Darwin, Cam, the Scottish side tied with Warwick for the second highest score of the first round and are looking to make the Quarter Finals for the first time since 2010. 

Anyway, let’s not bother with the rules; here’s your first starter for ten.

It only takes ten seconds for a non-Kohn Imperial member to get off the mark this time, with Wong being allowed ‘second runner-up’ in place of ‘runner up’, which you can’t begrudge him. They only get one bonus though, before Er comes in with a superfast buzz, and St Andrews tie the game with one of three on trees.

Sherlock, flawless in their first episode, negs the next with monitor [lizard], and Kohn picks up where he left off with the steal. Martin Khemsar (one of my Fantasy UC picks) gets the next for the Scots, and I try to work out whether or not Er is wearing a turtleneck, because if he is then St Andrews are a three-turtleneck team.

The non-turtlenecked Holtzmann buzzes immediately on the first picture round and allows himself a little smile before answering, so confident he is of his answer, and a couple of bonuses give them the lead. Sherlock is not at the races in these opening exchanges, and negs another, giving South Korea instead of Japan, though it looks as though they did know the answer and just suffered a bout of brain fog.

A neg from my boy Martin Khemsar gifts Imperial another starter, with Kohn and Marrow exchanging knowing glances before the captain buzzes in with Barbara Hepworth, and apologises for taking points off of her. They’ve been dominant on the buzzer so far, but the gap is only fifty five due to some suspect bonusing. Sherlock finally makes useful use of their buzzer finger with the music starter, and Martin Khemsar grabs a second of the night too, allowing them to close it down to ten points.

At this point Kohn starts taking the piss, with two rapidfire buzzes, the second of which Paxman seems miffed at the speed of. Its almost like that bit in Starter for 10 where James McAvoy gives ‘Ursa Major’ far too early in the question because he’s cheated, such is Paxo’s indignation. This assured display has St Andrews completely rattled, and they start negging questions left right and centre. Martin Khemsar buzzes in on a starter and takes so long to think before giving the correct answer of James Joyce that Paxman denies him the points. 

Kohn finally misses a step with a neg of his own, but the match is so far won that Er only celebrates ironically when he picks it up. There’s an amusing moment when Wong buzzes in with 1919, having been told he was allowed one year either way, and Paxman initially chides him as the answer is 1918, before remembering the qualifier he had given at the start.

Final Score: Imperial 180 - 90 St Andrews

Quite a bizarre match, this. I don’t think St Andrews were expecting Kohn to be so good, and then when he was, it panicked them. Negs all over the place, and they didn’t look anywhere near as comfortable in the studio as they did in the first round. Maybe the screens affected them more than others? Still, huge congratulations to Imperial and Kohn in particular, who dominated proceedings for the second match in a row.

Thanks for reading, and if you want some exclusive Uni Challenge content, you can subscribe to my Patreon to read Retro review from 2015/16.

[bi-lullaby]

No one asked

And I should be studying, but here are some thoughts for season 16 so far:

(SPOILER WARNING, OBVIOUSLY)

1 - Merluca and it’s parts: COUPLES FIGHT STOP PREDICTING THE WORST OK. They’ve been completely adorable so far, but this is what someone said in a interview: “This is the after in happy ever after” (or something to that effect). They’re gonna fight and them they’re gonna make up, I hope. As for their fight: They were both in the right imo. Yes, Meredith is being inconsequent and it must be so frustrating for Deluca to A)Have her continue risking her career and license and freedom when he went to such lengths to help that, B) Be crapped on constantly bc of something your girlfriend did. Yes, Meredith is completely right in fighting the system that is so throughtly broken, and yes, coming to apologize to her mentor and longtime friend was completely the right thing to do. I wanna see merluca wedding and marriage! Maybe (since there are two pregnant people in this season already?) next season will be Mer and Jo? One can dream! For them individually: Poor Mer, she has bitten more than she can chew but she is ready to take on this fight! Imma love to see her as auntie mer! I mis merjolex so much tho, I know she’s been busy and all but they seem to forget she is a important part in their support system. Andrew has been all over the place. I love his confidence, but in the ep where he literally screamed at Bailey over her trying to teach an intern? And called her out bc she was using a different material than Mer? I was a bit off-thrown. But he’s still a great character I enjoy watching. Hope they find the balance between confidence and arrogance for him, and develop him even more!

2 - Amelink: AAAAAA. They’re so amazing and perfect and sweet and I wanna hug them both. Link is everything you could wish for, Amy is adorable as ever. If they lay a finger on either them as a couple, them as individuals, or their baby, imma kick some asses. I don’t think they will tho, Amy is been through SO MUCH already and she deserves a breath.

3 - Bailey: OMG SHE IS PREGNANT AAAAAAAA. I’m so happy! Ben is already a great dad, this will be so fun to watch! Hope they don’t put her through the ringer with a difficult pregnancy or a sick child, she does not deserve this! She already nearly lost her first child while giving birth in a bomb-y hospital while her husband had brain surgery NEXT to the bomb. Enough pregnancy drama for a lifetime. As for her actions: I’ve said before: I’m pissed, yes. She’s acting way too harsh and taking it out on people and more importantly (as I’ve touched on in my female grey’s characters ranking post) she’s out of character. Where is the Bailey that went around the hospital runnning after the attendings and kicking their asses into signing her proposal for a free clinic? And gave them a speech on how they had failed her and she needed something to believe in in medicine? She was one of the first characters to point out how broken the system was, to take direct action to try and fix it. Sure, she likes to try and work within the rules as much as possible, much she is not adverse to breaking a few of them if she thinks it’s necessary (hello deactivated HIV inside a young boy’s body without parental consent! Hello changing the date on a surgery which is also insurance fraud!)! If she thinks it’ll save a life! But also, she’s not completely wrong: Meredith did commit a crime, as good as her intentions were; As her boss, firing her was the only logical decision. She thought her hospital (which she dedicated a good half of her life to) was being attacked by someone she trained into the surgeon she is, ofc she’d be mad as all hell. Quadri was disrespectful, not doing her job well, actively getting in the way of her superior doing her job, screaming at her boss in the middle of the hallway about how she didn’t want to work there - firing her was a tad extreme (specially for a charact who has never, herself, had any qualms ahout mouthing off to her own superiors when she didn’t think something was right) but not completely out of nowhere. I hate hate hate how they’ll probs throw a “oh she was being crazy bc pregnancy hormones!” line after seeing how her actions have been badly perceived by people (like there isn’t enough a stereotype that women can’t have positions of power because hormones make them crazy) instead of “hey this character was put in extremely uncomfortable and tough positiona after extremely uncomfortable and tough positions and came off as harsher than necessary while trying to balance a world-class hospital crisis”. Ugh.

4 - Jackson: Ok so the last few eps have rekindled my love for him and I’m relieved! There’s the good, kind, funny and smart guy I like! I was mad bc of the whole Jaggie drama, but hey, shit happens! If they will be better apart, then I’m happy! (Ok 50% of this is because of what he said to levi! Stanning Meredith Grey + dorky Harry Potter reference? Yes!!!!). I hope this season will be kind on him, that he and Vicky work out well (from what I gathered about it, she has also been through a lot) and that we see more Harriet!

5 - Maggie: Baby girl. I love that they’re consistent that she has a jealous streak but is also a very good person who is always trying her best. Plus, official womb secret bearer is the best title omg! Maybe she should change from cardio to obgyn, lol! Plus, the sisters are everything to me! She instantaneous knew Amy was mad! She stood up for Mer! Aaaaa I love them!!!! Hope this show ends with all three of them happy and loved and badass as always!

6 - Others: Tom has been an.... Interesting piece. I love him, but his antics are almost caricature-esque now and it’s getting on my nerves. He was detestable in exploitating that family’s pain but also, the hospital did need a pr boost or it’d be in even hotter waters! The restraining order on Owen was a tad much bc it got in the way of patient care, but also he did get electrocuted in a very sensitive area by someone who had just gotten together with his ex - I’d be a little suspicious that it was 100% unintentional tbh. He’s power drunk and needs to be turned down a notch. Schmit and Nico and adorkable as always and I loved Nico’s speech about demanding more of himself - That’s one of the biggest traps of low self-steem and Imm glad it’s mentioned. I’ll miss Quadri. Helm being a MeredithGrey stan first and person second is still me lol. I loved how this last ep showed how much of a family they are - all the connections and shared pasts and references to relationships and what not. The “bird” storyline was so cute! Pac North seems so promissing and I’ll cry ugly tears when my baby Alex turns that ish around and shows everyone who’s boss!!!! The whole “the world is broken” theme of the season is my jam! Sadly, irl that handful of people are not gonna turn it around, but I want to see it happen on my screen! The medical system being fixed! As a future doctor (I promissed myself I’d not be the person who brings it up in every opportunity but lol here I am) it’d make me so happy! Against my better judgment, I’m liking Towen! They are trying, they’re really trying! Owen has done nothing wrong so far (besides offering to milk teddy which was just dumb, not malicious) and has been great at stepping down from his job so she could work! And him at Pac North will be great tbh - as much as I didlike him, he is an excellent doctor and strategist and he was a great chief at GS (until the last bit which was just gross negligence). From the promo for next ep: I don’t think they’ll make Webber cheat again. It’d be predictable and cheap and I’d be so mad that we’d have another round of acting like he’s a saint with a tiny issue of being a cheater. What I theorize is: He’ll have lunch with his friend, and either A) She’ll be friendly at the wrong time and Catherine will walk in and then think he’s cheating and it’ll be a mess, or B) Gemma is gonna try to get him back to drinking (Or maybe C) She was telling him to stop being bullheaded and fighting with his wife when life is so short). Cristina reference in the text omg, my heart!

Sorry for the long rant!

[itsanerdlife]

All I Have 14/15

Pairing: Biker!Peter Parker x Reader

**Reminder: I write ANDREW GARFIELD as my Peter Parker **

Warnings: Language. Parental abuse. Arranged marriage. Shitty parent. I Guess Boarder line cheating. Lying. Secrets. Sneaking around.

Your daddy has a plan for you. He’s a strict man, with a belt and gun. You know better than to stray from the path, from the rules he set out for you. You’re promised to a good man,but not much of a man. Secretly your hear beats for bad boy, biker Peter Parker. He’s been hounding you for a date, a ride on his motorcycle, for one word; yes. You keep turning him down, because if your daddy finds out about Peter, he’ll kill the both of you. But Peter isn’t backing down that easy. He knows what you want and he’ll get that yes.

You play with the coffee mug in front of you, thanks to Aunt May who brought over a round. You fiddle with the spoon next to your cup, before Peter placed his hand over top of yours. You sigh, looking up at your grandfather.

“He told me you were Momma’s daddy. That you set up their marriage, and after momma passed, you didn’t want anything to do with me.” You shrug.

“He told me you didn’t want anything to do with me and asked me to stop calling and dropping by.” He nods.

“He said you knew about my arranged marriage.” You chew the inside of your cheek.

“To him?” Your granddad smirks looking at Peter.

“No, Sir. Someone else. She agreed to this one on her own.” Peter nods.

“Jesse Folts.” You explain. Your grandfather rolls his eyes, you almost choke on your coffee.

“That boring ass family?” He scuffs. “Your daddy must want your trust.” He sighs. Peter leans in towards you.

“Told you.” He smirks. You shut your eyes, shaking your head.

“Shut it.” You warn him. “Why didn’t I know about my trust?” You ask.

“I assume because your father’s business is drowning in debt. He needs that money.” Your grandfather nods.

“I get it at eighteen?” Your head tips.

“A portion.” He nods.

“Portion?” You and Peter repeat at the same time.

“Your momma set it up, so you get a portion at eighteen. When you get married you get another, and when you have your first child you get the rest.” He nods slowly.

“One question.” You hold up a finger. “My college fund. Did you take it?” You grip your coffee cup hard.

“No.” He scuffs. “I took it from him, when I was noticed he was attempting to dip into it when you were sixteen.” He shakes his head. “Little girl, everything is in your name, when you turn eighteen you get it all. Your college fund, your trust.”

“I’m so confused.” You squeeze the bridge of your nose.

“What happened to your face?” Your eyes snap up, swallowing hard you drop them to your coffee mug.

“Her daddy’s a drunk that beats on her.” Peter bites out.

“So she ran away, to be with you?” A brow is lifted.

“Yes.” Peter nods.

“Tell me about you.” Your granddaddy, leans back sipping his coffee slowly. “I assume you want to marry my granddaughter. Her daddy’s not worthy of permission, maybe you should ask mine.” Your eyes move from one man to the other.

  “What do you want to know?” Peter asks sipping his coffee.

“Age. Schooling. Career. Family. The kutte.” Logan smirks watching him.

“Eighteen almost nineteen. I skipped two grades and tested out early.” He winks at Y/N, who rolls her eyes. “I own my own tattoo shop, with my little brother and our best friend Sam.” Peter nods.

“I lost both my parents at eight. Drunk driver. I was adopted by my dad’s best friend and his wife. My little brother is from them.” He smirks as Aunt May comes over, filling coffee cups again. “My aunt May is pouring coffee into your cup.” He chuckles softly. Logan nods, thanking aunt May. “She and my uncle Ben own and run this diner.”

“I am apart of Sinner Disciples. My dad was apart of it. My dad, brother and as well as my best friends are apart of it as well. No drugs, nothing illegal. We run a fight ring, all legit thought.” Peter picks up his cup sipping again.

“Explains the scarred knuckles.” Logan nods slowly.

“Yes, Sir.”

“So neither of you knew about the money?” Logan glances between the two of them.

“Not at all.” Y/N shakes her head, disbelief on her face.

“Never thought about it.” Peter shrugs.

“Does it make you want to marry my granddaughter more?” Logan pins him with a look. He was a beefy old guy, he looked well put together, but he gave off a faint ‘don’t fuck with me’ vibe for an older guy.

“Nope. Changes nothing for me.” Peter looks over at Y/N. “Was never the reason I started chasing her in the first place.”

“What if I don’t want it?” She looks at her granddaddy and back to him.

“What you want, I support it.” He nods at her.

“Interesting.” Logan smirks watching the two of them.

“I want one thing.” She turns towards her grandfather.

“Tell me.” He nods.

“Sign the papers, consenting to me getting married before my eighteenth birthday.” She stares at him. “If you have to think of it in a different way, think of it as you helping keep my daddy from dragging me back to the house of horrors and possibly killing me before I can get out.” She was throwing a hard ball at him.

“That’s all you want?” He sighs, picking up his coffee cup.

“Can I change the conditions of my trust?” Her head tips, curiosity in her eyes.

“Anything you want.” He nods.

“I’d like to think it over and set it to my terms.” She nods.

“Dinner next week?” Logan looks between them.

“For my birthday.” She smiles.

“Now, Peter you own your own shop? Your aunt owns this diner?” Logan looks around.

“Yes, Sir.” He nods.

“Perhaps you show me around, while my granddaughter asks sweetly for the rest of the day off.” Logan smiles.

“Take it. Run.” Wanda walks past the table, as if it was the most normal thing to do.

“I just need to change.” Y/N laughs. He pulls her from the booth, helping her up.

“You love her.” Logan nods as he stands with him.

“Like you have no idea.” Peter nods.

“You leaving?” Aunt May pauses next to him.

“Yeah, I’m taking Y/N with me.” He leans in kissing her cheek, before slipping cash into the pocket of her apron.

“Okay, don’t forget to tell your momma a day for this wedding. I plan to close the diner to be there.” She gives him a squeeze.

“I know aunt May. Working on the bumps. I’ll make sure you know.” He grins.

“I’d like to be apart of the day as well.” Logan clears his throat, adjusting his jacket.

“If she wants it, I wouldn’t dream of taking anything away from her.” Peter nods. Logan grins nodding, his hands in his pants pockets.

“Okay. Where too?” Y/N bounces up to him. He takes her bag, before taking her hand.

“I’d like to see the shop you own.” Logan nods. Y/N grins, as she starts to babble away, Logan smiles nodding along as the three of them head out of the diner.

Everything Peaches 8/23/18: @mo320   @all1e23 @izzy--lee @irepeldirt @alyssaj23 @elle88531 @allyp1023 @itsemmyb @joannie95 @kgbrenner @violinbetty @jade-taillia @sarahp879   @raquegp02 @rileyloves5 @flashfanfics @pigwidgexn @bfuckjames @pcterpvrker @bluebird214 @wandressfox   @amandab-ftw @henrietteoaks @bettercallsabs @queenforatime @lucifersnipnips @queenkrissy11 @destiel-artemis @paintballkid711 @freakingnerd99 @sweet-honey15 @mellxander1993   @geeksareunique   @spookygrantaire @supernatural508 @mariekoukie6661 @futuremrsb-r-main @lovemarvelousfics @petersunderoos96 @booktvmoviefangirl @supernatural-girl97 @justmeinthisworldblr   @nerdyandexhausted @kingarthurofslytherin @supernaturaldean67 @xqueenofthecraziesx   @ssweet-empowerment @writingaworldofmyown @villainsaremorerelatable @ocaptain-mycaptainmorgan @extreme-supernatural-lover @crazy-little-thing-called-buck @teenagetragediesforeveryone   @letsgetfuckingsuperwholocked   @stupendoussciencenaturepanda       @jamesbarnesappreciationsociety

Peter Parker: @ariminiria @coley0823   @dkpink123   @everthenerd @crayonwriting @bellamouse16   @paranoiadestroyah   @kiss-the-stars-goodbye @supernatural-strangerthings-1980

All I Have: @eliza-kat @coley0823 @teller258316 @imcerealouslystevie @crumpets-are-better-with-jam

[spicyyy-muffin]

Bug- BadBoy!Shawn

Shawn Mendes x Reader

Words: 1,876

Warnings: Langauge, violence

Genre: Fluff and slight angst 

This party was a horrible idea. You knew it. Amanda knew it. Charlie knew it, but yet they still dragged you along with them. Fucking friends right?

“Guys I don’t know if I can do this.” You mumbled under your breath, looking the body sized mirror fixing your hair for the thousandth time.

“y/n, we have been over this ten times. It’s just a small get together with a few people. They’re gonna have some beer maybe some cake, movies, that’s literally it.” Amanda said applying some last touches to her lipstick.

“Yeah you have nothing to worry about babe.” Charlie plotted herself down on your bed.

“Yeah except Charlie’s gonna be sticking her tongue down Justin’s throat tonight.” Amanda laughed into the mirror. Charlie scoffed throwing your pillow at her. “I am NOT”

“Charlieeeee, weee knoowww youuu likeee himm!” You sang.

“You guys are delusional, I don’t even know what you are talking about. I don’t have a thing for Justin,” she paused “right y/n?” She looked up at you.

“Yeah ‘small get together’ my fucking ass Amanda.” You said pulling up to the frat house. “Okay, but, I knew you guys weren’t gonna come if I said Andrew invited me.” “ANDREW INVITED YOU!” Charlie and you practically screamed at the same time.

“Andrew as in Shawn’s best friend, Andrew?”

“No, as in Justin Bieber’s best friend .” She scoffed getting out of her mom’s minivan. “You seriously need to get over your fear of him.”

“It’s not a fear.” You said defending yourself, as the three of you made your way up the brick stones. “I’d call it more of a, slight precaution. And I have Alex, he said if Shawn gives me shit, to tell him and he’ll take care of it.” You said

“Oh yeah, of course, how could I forget about your lame ass boyfriend.” Charlie scoffed rolling her eyes. “You seriously need to dump that guy he’s such a dick.”

The door opened as boobs bethany opened the door. “Oh my god! You guys made it! Come in! Come in!”

Walking past her and into the crowded living room was a challenge itself ‘don’t look at the boobs, don’t do it y/n’ you had to repeat it to yourself, because, well, she wasn’t called boobs Bethany for nothing.  

“The drinks are in there,” she said pointing towards the kitchen behind the swinging wooden door. “And the rEALLY hot guys are out there.” She said pointing to the backyard, to the pool.

“Oh my god! There’s Justin!” Charlie said just as fast as she walked away.

“Do you want me to go get drinks?” I yelled into Charlie’s ear.

“Yeah! Make sure to poor some alcohol for me. I’m feeling dumb tonight!” She yelled back walking towards the back door.

Pushing into the kitchen you saw the line of different alcohol bottles. And the punch….never drink the punch. Grabbing two red solo cups you opted for half vodka and sprite for Amanda and…. Dr.Pepper for you. No way in hell was anyone gonna make you drink.

“Do you need help there love.” A chin rested on your shoulder, looking over you realised it was Alex.

“Hey babe!.” You smiled back. “The famous y/n comes to a party wooow, you’d never do that for me.”

Your smile altered. “Yeah? I guess it wasn’t for you.”

He laughed looking away then turning his attention back to you. “Who was it for then?”

“Me.” You simply stated. He bursted out laughing.”You? Babe come on this isn’t your crowd. You belong home with a book and hot chocolate.” He said wiping his mouth off.

“Right, because that’s all women are good for, right? Wow you are such a dick. Let me know when you think higher of how amazing women are, then higher of what is in between their legs.” You walked away, to find Amanda. Alex was a good guy when he wanted to be, treated you well, liked you a lot, but he was never that push you needed. And especially never the guy you picture yourself with.

“Hey love, you okay?” Amanda said, her smile altering as you handing her drink over.

Your head snapped up. “What? Yeah? No, i’m good, drunk guys are just assholes.” You said slightly mumbling the last part under your breath.

“Okay! Good! So y/n, this is Andrew.” She said. You reached your hand out shaking his, while looking up, he was pretty handsome, scrawny but muscular, and gorgeous locks on his head.

“It’s really nice to meet you, Amanda talks a lot about you!” You smiled “Good things I hope!”

“All good.” He smiled back at you before moving to the side, my view landed on the person I was hoping to avoid. Shawn. “And this is my buddy shawn.”

With the most annoying smirk on his face he reached his hand over.

“I’m Shawn, sorry didn’t catch the name, you are?” “y/n, my name is y/n.”

“Hey Andrew do you wanna come out to my car real quick so you can grab that shirt?” Amanda said breaking the awkward tension between the four of you.

As she slowly turned around (not before she sent you a wink of course) Andrew pointed a finger at Shawn and under his breath mumbled a quick “be good”. Shawn, being well, shawn, raised his hands in defense. “I always am, aren’t I?” Andrew let out a low chuckle and walked away.

“So, bug, how have you been?” He said, his smirk ripping back onto his face.

“Pretty good, no thanks to you.” You stated looking down to your feet. His cold hand lifted your chin back up. “You mean no thanks to that piece of shit boyfriend of yours.”

You were exhausted. You had known Shawn for about four months now and every time you talked he brought up your “no good boyfriend” or “your micro-penis of a douchebag”. It was getting annoying, fighting him, defending Alex.

“Yeah, I guess whatever.” You mumbled ripping your chin away.

“Wow, so no ‘you don’t even know him Shawn’ and oh my favorite ‘you bring this up every conversation’”

“No, I guess I’m just not feeling down to let boys walk on me tonight.” You said finally looking up at him, when his eyes turned deadly. “Who.” You sighed, taking a step back. “Shawn, please don’t start this tonight, I--”

“BABYYYY!” You shut your eyes. Alex was drunk. Again.

“YYYY/NNN!! BABBEEEE COMEEERRRE”. You looked at Shawn when suddenly a heavy arm came over your shoulder. “Heyyy babe, i missed youuuu, after you got mad at me I had to find Ella. You weren’t giving me attention what was I supposed to do?” You ripped his arm off of your shoulder. That name, that name was never good.  “Ella?” You questioned pushing him back slightly. She was known as the highschool hook-up, could take on any guy, as if it was a challenge.

“Yeah! Ella you know, my usual hook-up? No I mean, my hook-up when you are being a little bitch.” He was drunk off of his ass. But there was no way in hell you were letting a piece of shit talk to you that way. You looked at Shawn and he slowly raised his fist but before he landed on his target, you did it for him.

You punched Alex, square in the way. He looked surprised,like you had caught him off guard, when you punched him again, and again, and again, before you felt someone lift you off of him. All you could was red, your chest raising up and down as you failed to catch your breath. “We’re over Alex! You can go fuck yourself, no better yet go fuck that piece of-” you were cut off by Shawn turning you around in his arms and pressing your face into his chest. “Stay the fuck away or next time I won’t pull her off of you, I’ll be the one you want pulled off of you.” His voice was deep, and demanding like a sergeant giving orders.

It wasn’t until you and Shawn were in front of the house could you feel the tears dripping off of your face. You felt angry, and betrayed, not because Alex was cheating, but because you had defended him, time, after time, after time and you had started to believe your own lies. That he was truly a good guy.

“Oh bug.” Shawn whispered pulling you back into his arms. “Im sorry--I---I--- should have listened you but----” you choked on your words. “Shhhh, it’s okay. I forgive you.” He kissed the top of your head slightly nuzzling his nose into your hair.

“Lets walk home yeah?”

You looked up at him slowly nodding your head and wiping your nose off, but before you could walk away you heard slight shuffling of feet. Looking to your left, Amanda and Andrew were making out. You let out a chuckle, tugging at Shawns hoodie pointing towards them. He looked over laughing slightly, shaking his head, while he tugged at the roots of his brown curly hair.

“You think you’ll ever cut it short again?” He looked at you with crazy eyes, as he started following you to your house.

“What? My hair?” You nodded. “What’s wrong with my hair? You don’t like it bug?” He inquired with curious. Looking down at you.

“No, I was gonna say I like your hair like this, suits you.”

“Oh yeah? Well I don’t know if I can call you bug anymore. You certainly weren’t afraid of hitting that jack-ass. I think you need a nickname more, more, what’s the word?” He stopped in his tracks, snapping his finger at you. “Feisty!”

“Oh really?” You smiled.

“Yeah, maybe something like lioness? No that’s lame. Ummmm” You looked up at him like long slender fingers were playing with his lip when he looked busy at thinking. It was actually quite adorable.

“Bee!” He whole face lit up as he laughed to himself. “Get it? Because you are tiny and cute, but when you sting it hurts like a bitchh.” He looked down at you. “But I can teach you how to hit harder, the pressure points of where to hit.” He reached down grabbing your already bruising knuckles. As you stopped in front of your front door. “Teach you what part of the hand to hit with.” He raised your knuckles to his lips. Slightly kissed the raw skin, until he hit a cut, you hissed pulling your hand back.

“Next time, let me beat his face in. Yeah? I don’t like seeing you get hurt? I’m supposed to be the dangerous one, remember?”

“Yeah, I’ll give you the next one Mendes. But I’m holding you to teaching me-”

“Yeah, yeah okay bee.” He pulled you into a hug. “I’ll sneak into your room tomorrow. You better behave until then.” You pulled away looking at his worried eyes, punching his shoulder.

“I always do.” You said in a deep voice.

“Are you mocking me? Oh that’s it.” He pulled your waist into him, digging his fingers into your stomach. You burst out laughing. “Oh my! And she’s ticklish too!”

masterlist- seriously so much bad boy shawn is coming

[brooklynislandgirl]

Beth & Riggs!

All Hands || -

who wakes up first in the morning

Martin doesn’t wake up in the morning.In fact the only way Beth can properly describe it is…from an article she read, wherein researchers from the University of Glasgow observed four groups of loops inside a solar flare. It was said by one Doctor that the event was a great example of a simultaneous implosion and explosion. The energy transferred from the magnetic field to power the flare left a pocket of reduced support that caused the implosion. After a series of scientific ballet steps, the flare loops oscillated until they found a new equilibrium in its plasma.Yeah, that sounds about right. Bolt upright. Legs and arms akimbo, stretching outward. His hair trying to drag him back down or strangle him for the impertinence. That space and time where he’s not sure which way was up and what was dream and reality and the inevitable shock and disappointment when he finally grasps where he is. She throws a leg over his table, a flesh and blood barrier reef between him and the weapons stashed around that she could find. Spoons another mouthful of Fruity Pebbles and chews slowly, quietly as she can. “Mornin’ Texas.”

That malicious glare thrown her way. If looks could maim….“I’m going to assume there’s no bacon to go with that sugar infested monstrosity you’re grazing?”“Of course. Ya jus’ goddah wan come get it.”Finger guns. “I knew I kept you around for a reason, Hawaii.”

who’s the first to fall asleep at night

She doesn’t really sleep.At least, not the way normal people do, and that suits him just fine. He’s not normal by any stretch, and almost welcomes the fact that she isn’t either. He did notice however that she had a habit of drifting off round her third beer, her fourth glass of wine. He’s half into his own bottle when she slumps down at the table. Few minutes later, even and deep breaths. She’d have made a good SEAL he thinks, because that is a survival skill. He gives up his blanket. Tucks her in. Settles down on his couch, arm across his eyes, nursing the bourbon. Maybe an hour goes by, maybe longer and it starts. The fidgeting. The puppy kicks. Sometimes there’s one sided conversation. Sometimes she’s just running ~swimming~ away from something.The first time he witnesses a night terror, he think she is having a cataleptic fit. Every muscle petrifying as he watches, helpless. A strangled breath that is soundless. Eyes open, staring into the dark of the trailer. Wherever she’s gone, whatever is happening, it’ss somewhere he can’t reach her. He’ll never admit it out loud, but that…that scared the shit out of him.

It was shortly after that when he buys the air mattress. Another blanket. Spare pillows. You know, Hawaii, contrary to popular opinion, I am civilised. She doesn’t make a fuss about it. Most of the time, he waits until she is asleep. Sometimes, he doesn’t. But he ends up joining her more nights than is seemly. Spends hours awake on his back, staring up at the ceiling, carding fingers through her hair. That’s just what friends do.

what they playfully tease each other over

“Chea'ah!”“Did you just call me ‘Chia’ as in Chia pet? Or as in the spotted fast running cat, cheetah?”“No. Chea-ah. CHE-AH. Li'dat one who cheat.”When her face gets red like that, her freckles come out. The ones that cup the left side of her mouth. The ones that dot her nose. Her eyes glitter and she snarls. He kind of likes her teeth. Sharp. A little crooked. Not often seen unless she’s smiling or…fixing to rip his throat out.“Do you have photographic evidence of the alleged cheating, Hawai’i?”“No?”“Then your skating on thin ice. Filing a false report is a violation of Section-”She lunges across the table, cutting him off at the best part.By the time they’ve hit the floor and ended up feet away, multi-coloured fake money and little hotels that will later be found in very uncomfortable places {boots, hair, under the stove}, they’re laughing and have forgotten why.And maybe, just maybe, Riggs admits to himself, he does it on purpose.

what they do when the other’s having a bad day

She knew the second her call went to voice-mail that something was wrong.Martin doesn’t ignore her calls. Mr Murtaugh doesn’t answer his either.It’s weeks before she hears from either of them, and by then she’s canvased the usual suspects: the morgues, the hospitals, central processing, everywhere she can think of. Because of course she would assume the worst.By the time he drags himself into the trailer, she’s torn between wanting to strangle him and…oh.Oh.The look on his face says it all and she can’t find the moral fibre to ask him where he’s been. Instead she reaches for the bottle just above the stove. He drops his bag at his feet, barely has the energy to close the door behind him. His arms find her waist, and he buries his face into her neck. Bends him a bit, she’s so much smaller than he is, and yet she holds up mountains.

how they say ‘i’m sorry’ after arguments

“So, lemme get dis straight. Mexico. Tito. Dead in ya trunk. IAB investigation. Suspension. Uhm. Dere any kine else I should know?!”

Though soft, her voice is awed. Not in pride. There’s too much fear and worry, tinged with an anger at the situation and maybe a little bit at him. Because she knows, she knows without a shadow of doubt, that Martin had done all these things without the intention of ever coming back from it. Which is why he looks so lost now. Why she can practically taste the whiskey on his breath. The way he shakes in her arms. Because even after all of this? She hasn’t managed to let go.

He murmurs under his breath and she can’t make any of it out, except it’s rough timbre. The vibrations of his voice against the lower part of her shoulder.

“...Said ‘M sorry, Hawai’i.”

She believes him. Not because of the words. It’s in the way his fingers twist in the back of her shirt. The way he shakes even if it’s so subtle no one else would notice. It takes all the fight right out of her.

Fingers lose themselves in his hair. And she hugs him closer.

“I know. An’ if ya evah do dat again, Martin, I’ma find ya an’ break every bone in ya body.”

which one’s more ticklish

She shrieks like something dying.

Squirms, kicks. Digs nails in wherever they can find purchase and tries to drag herself away.  

It’s no good. Martin has a hold of her ankle and refuses to let go. He also has a feather though that becomes fingers against the delicate arch. The devil’s in his eyes. That very foot gets set up on his shoulder, because he’s a stupidly brave man. Goes for her knees. A new scream of laughter that could deafen someone at twenty yards and peel paint right off the walls.

By the time he’s gotten to her waist, they’re dishevelled. She’s got both legs wrapped around his middle and is putting every ounce of her strength to prevent his forward progress. His hair and shirt will never be the same, they’re both red and breathless from exhaustion.

And of course, OF COURSE, Andrew Riley misunderstands the situation.

“The Fuck’re you doing?”

Neither can be sure which one he’s addressing but they answer in unison.

“Unnawaddah basket weaving.”

“Sky-diving into a vat of marshmallow fluff and whiskey.”

their favourite rainy day activities

It starts by waking up on the beach, the pounding surf whisper-screaming a warning and the gulls aren’t numerous and loud. Or maybe it’s the cold that gets them, unseasonable compared to the night before. By the time he’s fully aware of his surroundings and brushing sand off his skin, she’s sitting with her back to him, knees drawn up to her chest and her arms wrapped around them. The wind picks up her hair, flies it behind her like a tattered, dark banner.

“Storm comin’ in.”

There’s something wistful in her tone that has nothing to do with the surf conditions. He drops down behind her, palms smoothing their way up from elbow to shoulder in the slowest meander he can manage. She gets a little lost like that sometimes, and for the life of him, he can’t figure out why, or where she really goes inside her head. But he gives her the same courtesy and comfort that she offers when he does the same. They stay that way until the rain comes slashing in, cutting like knives, and the lightning starts.

The rest of the day is spent cooped up inside his trailer. He doesn’t mind the feel of her nestled between his legs and draped across his chest. When she curls up, she doesn’t take up much room. And the blankets are piled up too, making a warm cocoon around them.

They listen to the rain. To the radio. Drowsing in and out of consciousness with nowhere to be and nothing that needs to be said. Sure they shift around for the sake of comfort and it never fails that they have to take turns moving so the other can hit the head, after drinking coffee and cocoa.

“Hey, Texas?”

“Yeah?”

“Y’evah....”

“Nope.”

“Me, eiddah.”

how they surprise each other

It’s nothing cinematic. Little notes left in a desk drawer in purple sparkly pen encouraging him day by day. A hot cup of coffee waiting for her in the morgue before she slips in to work. A picked up dinner because the other knows no one thought about it over the long hours. Fingers laced together when least expected. A drive down to Mexico because why not?

And that’s what makes them so solid. It’s nothing like those tv-show dramatic revelations or soap-opera twists. And honestly, it’s better this way because neither one of them handle big things well.

Okay, so maybe it was the salsa dancing lessons that really got her, and how she kept smiling at him all night. {{Nevah knew ya had dose kine moves, Texas.}}

Or the way he was mesmerised by watching her field strip and clean his M-16, shaving a good forty seconds off his personal best {{next time, blindfolded, Bethany.}}

their most sickening shows of public affection

“So, I come out of the john and I’m looking around and looking around, because I was only gone like a minute tops. It’s like you gotta put an RIFD tag in them ~do you think they’d notice if I did?~ But anyway, so I’m searching through the typical Saturday crowd and then what do I see?

“Riggs, strolling down the boardwalk carnival fuckin’ thing, as if it’s goddamn Coney Island, and he’s wearing my sister like a backpack! A BACKPACK! Legs wrapped around his hips, one arm across his shoulders. And the other hand, she’s feeding him tufts of cotton candy. And this asshole, occasionally holding up his Coke next to his head so she can lean in and take sips! Who does that, Gamble?!”

Brian isn’t sure what’s funnier, the red in his partner’s face, the vein throbbing in his temple, or the outrage at something that while, yes, not exactly normal, is not the worst he’s personally seen with years on the Job.

“Sounds...horrifying.” This is accompanied by an eye roll in Riley’s direction in the most sarcastic way Gamble can manage. “Still. Could be worse. There’s this one picnic table at the pier that’s just out of sight from the Boardwalk and from the beach and if you spread a blanket on it, you can spread other th-”

He’s cut off by having to duck the stapler launched across at him. Which only makes the former Ranger laugh harder. Practically chokes on his coffee when there’s a particular drawl behind him.

“Y’all are just highly envious that A....She likes me better, maybe because crazy as I am I actually respect her...and B....no cotton candy for either of you.”

[badacts]

order

a pro-era companion fic to corvus, vulpes, lupus for @thepalmtoptiger, featuring the ny rebels

They’re having drinks at the local bar after practice when everyone’s phone beeps with a message at the same time.

“It’s Jamie,” Shearer says, first to wrestle his out of his pocket. “Meeting tomorrow before morning practice. God, as if we don’t have to be there early enough.”

“It’ll be a new signing,” Pierce says. His raccoon daemon is shelling and eating peanuts off of the table with her little dextrous hands, and it’s mesmerising to watch. “I bet you.”

Anita scoffs. “That’s not even a challenge, of course it’ll be about a signing. We should be betting on who it actually is.”

“Jeremy Knox,” Shearer says immediately.

“He just got signed to New Orleans, you groupie,” Cooper says. “Don’t you people read the news?”

To be fair, she has insider knowledge – she was Jeremy’s captain at USC and handed over the reins to him when she graduated, and she’s kept in touch since. Jeremy would love to be in New York, but the Rebels don’t need a backliner and he won’t go anywhere without Moreau. Give it another year, maybe.

“It’ll be an offensive player, right? Seeing as Soo is out for the season,” Anita muses. “What strikers do we know are looking to move?”

“Unless we know them personally, I don’t know we’re going to know that,” Pierce points out.

“Just pick the ones having the worst season,” Cooper says, earning a laugh from around the table. “Whitehall will be looking for a new team after the last few weeks. The Senators are bombing.”

“Piper Jackson from Washington? I heard a rumour she might be looking to move,” Anita offers.

“Fuck, I hope so,” Shearer says. “Ten bucks that it’s Brockmann though.”

They all groan. The striker for the Eagles is a great player, but he’s also a complete dickhead. The Rebels already have enough asshole personalities on their offensive line without adding another.

“Well, I’m saying Piper,” Cooper suggests. “Dreams are free, right?”

“Yeah, but bets aren’t,” Orion mutters from her lap. She strokes his wiry-coated back.

“I’ll put my ten on Carmody from the Jackdaws,” Anita says, her smile turning smug when the rest of them boo because they didn’t think of Carmody first. The guy’s wife and kids are in New York and he’s in Florida – it makes perfect sense.

“Damn it, girl,” Pierce says. “I’ll go for Whitehall, then. I can’t think of anyone else.”

“I hope you’re right, for his sake,” Cooper jokes, taking another sip of her beer.

“It’s Neil Josten,” Minyard says. It’s the first thing he’s said all night since he ordered a whiskey rocks at the bar. If it were in any way possible to forget he was there – not to mention his enormous hyena daemon, who is lying under Minyard’s chair – Cooper would have done so.

“No way,” Pierce says. “His team is finals material. There’s no way he’ll be planning on leaving after a year.”

“You used to play with him,” Shearer says. He’s a couple of glasses of wine in, and his lizard daemon has slumped over his shoulder absorbing his body heat. “He has a fox daemon, right? That must have been weird. I mean, your team was called the Foxes.”

“It’s super on-theme, you can give him that,” Anita says. “Is that your bet, Andrew?”

Minyard raises his glass to her in a salute. From the under the table there’s a chuff like laughter. Cooper draws her feet up in surprise – she’s not nervy by nature, but she’s seen her teeth. She bets the others do the same.

“Guess we’ll find out tomorrow,” she says to cover it. She doubts it works.

Of course, it’s Neil Josten.

“You had insider knowledge, didn’t you,” Cooper hisses at Minyard out of the corner of her mouth. “That’s cheating.”

He looks at her blandly. “I told you who it was.”

He doesn’t bother to lower his voice, which means that everyone turns to look at him. This includes Neil Josten, who is standing at the front of the room with his very beautiful silver fox daemon across his shoulders like a stole, and with the general manager and Jamie, their head coach beside him. Jamie frowns his be professional face at Cooper, but Josten smiles a little bit when he sees who has spoken.

Cooper obligingly shuts up, because those people are in charge of her job. She instead surveys their newest player, as of the beginning of next season. Josten is short and slim, but Cooper has seen video of him playing – she knows that he’s fast. She also knows that he’s trained under Kevin Day, and that in his first season after graduating from college he’s help to take his middling-ranked team to the top of the table in the north-western conference.

He doesn’t look like much. Looks can be deceiving, though.

“Josten’s going to join us for practice today,” Jamie tacks on at the end, gruffer than their general manager. “Coop, make sure he knows where he’s going.”

Cooper is in charge of wrangling the rookies, because she’s good at it – patient, but not too patient, and good-humoured. Their captain Castle is very good at what he does, but he’s no good with the newbies – that’s why she’s chief babysitter, and also why she’s vice-captain. She waves to acknowledge the direction and to show Josten who Jamie means, and gets another small smile in response.

“Unless you want to?” she asks Minyard, as the quiet breaks and Josten starts to make his way across the room to them through the milling Rebels. “You guys are friends, right?”

Minyard stares at her. “No.”

“I’m going to take that as a no to my first question, not my second,” she says, nonplussed, right before Josten arrives at their side.

His daemon jumps from his shoulder to the floor and bounds forwards to greet Minyard’s, so they touch noses. The fox’s tail is wagging, and her mouth is open in a grin.

“Hey,” Josten says directly to Minyard.

“Hello, Neil,” Minyard replies. It’s impossible to tell what he’s thinking. Cooper isn’t good enough at deciphering him yet - she’s only vaguely sure he doesn’t hate her.

“Hi,” Cooper says, because she’ll be waiting all day if she waits for Minyard to introduce her. “I’m Kristen Cooper.”

“I know. I watched you in your game against the Titans last week. That save in the last five against O’Sullivan was great,” Josten says. He sounds exactly like he does in interviews – the ones where he doesn’t start riots, that is. Smooth and professional, serious but with a touch of a smile.

“Thanks,” she replies. “Come on, I’ll show you around a little and then leave you to the tender care of Minyard here in the changing rooms.”

“Tender care,” says an unfamiliar voice. “Have they met you?”

It takes Cooper a moment to realise that it’s Josten’s daemon speaking. She blinks. Not only is she loud enough for Cooper to clearly hear, but she seems to be talking directly to Minyard.

“This is Sin,” Josten tells Cooper, a little bit rueful. “Excuse her.”

Sin seems to ignore that. Cooper has never seen another daemon like her. She can just about taste Orion’s uncertainty where he’s sitting on his haunches by her feet, his ears pricked.

“Bet he can score on Andrew today,” she says, quieter but still audible, this time only to Minyard’s daemon. The hyena huffs in response.

“Come see the court,” Cooper says, because there’s not really much else to say.

Josten joins the Rebels during pre-season practice, looking less ruffled than anyone who has just upended his life to move to the other side of the country has a right to. Cooper has been in New York for several years, and she hasn’t forgotten the fortnight-long panic of moving from LA yet.

He’s – he’s good. Good enough to make Minyard push himself, and that is interesting to watch. He’s also stubborn enough that he knocked Wilson – the Rebel’s most annoying striker – onto his ass when he said something that Josten won’t relay.

“He’s as crazy as his daemon,” Orion says when they’re back in the apartment, Cooper flopped face down on the couch. He jumps onto her lower back and curls up there, like a little fox terrier hot water bottle. She sighs.

“Point conceded,” she agrees after a moment. “Hey, do you reckon he and Minyard are actually friends? I can’t tell if it’s just a familiarity thing or not.”

“Amaranth talks to Sin,” Orion replies. “She doesn’t really do that with the rest of us.”

“Amaranth. I didn’t realise that was her name. She talks to you, right?”

“Yes,” Orion says, patiently. They’ve had this conversation before, back when Cooper was wondering whether Andrew hated her.

“I swear Josten was talking to her the other day. Amaranth, I mean.”

“Probably. They do that.”

“What, really? Like, a lot? You didn’t say.” Cooper had thought she’d been witnessing some kind of one-off event.

“You didn’t ask,” he points out, because he’s kind of an ass sometimes.

“Maybe Sin has desensitised him to talking to other daemons. She talks to everyone.”

“Or maybe they’re friends.”

“Hm,” Cooper says, non-committal. “Maybe.”

“Andrew says you’re the person to talk to about drills.” Josten plunks his drink – it’s soda – down on the table, and then sits. Sin springs up onto the table top, investigating the sticky patches on it with her whiskery muzzle. Orion watches her do it, ears pricked.

“Did he say that? Wow, I think I just got the warm fuzzies,” she replies.

Josten looks at her strangely, and then says, “I have some ideas for drills to add to the repertoire for the strikers. For aim, mostly.”

Cooper sits back in her seat. “I could ask what’s wrong with our current drill sets, but you know it’s a Saturday night, right? We can talk about this on Monday.”

“Now you sound like Andrew,” Josten says. He looks a little bit dismayed.

“Smart man,” Cooper says. “Go. Get drunk. Pretend to be a normal twenty-something for a little bit.”

“I don’t drink.”

“Of course you don’t. Let me guess, you drink juice that’s green, too.”

Josten makes a face. “No. I don’t see the point. Juices are mostly sugar, and even with kale-”

“Neil has an issue with sugar,” Minyard says. Cooper jumps, jostling Orion on her lap and making him yelp – Minyard just appeared from nowhere.

Josten turns to look at him, some amusement on his face. “Should I tell her-”

“Be quiet,” Minyard replies. Amaranth is standing at his side, and Sin jumps down to her, skirting close to Minyard’s feet as she does so. She’s in easy reach, but she doesn’t look even vaguely frightened to be so close to him.

“I should have just said that,” Cooper tells Josten. She turns to Minyard. “Hey, take him away. I’m not talking shop, it’s the weekend.”

Minyard looks at Josten and jerks his head in the direction of the bar. Josten slides straight out of his seat, leaving his completely full soda on the table like he’s forgotten all about it. Cooper doesn’t have the heart to point that out as she watches him follow Minyard and their daemons across the floor.

“They’re definitely friends,” she whispers to Orion. He hums back.

Josten has a bad track record for injuries, so it’s not surprising someone tries to break his face open in his first game for the Rebels.

His track record still isn’t as bad as his attitude, though – that’s the only reason Cooper can imagine explaining why he goes after the backliner who is twice his size after they already made him bleed. Attitude, and adrenaline.

The fight basically embroils the whole team other than the goalies. Cooper is the one who ends up with Josten, the back of his jersey held fast in her hand. He’s a livewire in her grip, practically steaming with exertion. He’s also dripping blood on the floor.

“Pinch your nose,” she tells him as she carts him across the court to the door. He got a yellow card, but he’s going off for blood if she has to physically carry him to the medical room.

“I’m fine,” he replies. His nose is stuffed up and he still sounds angry.

“Excuse me, I’m your vice-captain. Do it, you little shit,” she says.

Unexpectedly, he laughs. “Are you allowed to call me that?”

“Josten, you were schooled by Dan Wilds. I’ve met her, I know it’s not the first time you’ve been called that,” she replies. They’re at the door, which is being held open. “Yo, Minyard. Take him to the doc.”

Wilson jogs past to take the empty striker position as Cooper shoves Josten through. He seems to stumble on the threshold, wavering as he lifts a hand to his face.

Sin, who is at his feet, says, “Neil. Neil!” Minyard steps forward to balance him at the same time as Cooper. Neither of them are as fast as Amaranth.

She’s massive, especially next to Josten’s diminutive height. He puts a hand on her broad back, fingers curling into her coat, and somehow doesn’t fall over.

They all end up crushed in the doorway together. Cooper feels vaguely panicked – they shouldn’t be doing that – but she swallows it in the face of the fact that the rest of them seem completely unbothered.

“I’m alright,” Josten says, dazedly.

“Shut up,” Minyard replies, taking Josten’s hand off of Amaranth’s back and hooking it over his own shoulders. “Cooper, get back on the court.”

“Five years,” Neil says. They’re using first names now, because this is Andrew and Neil’s apartment. Their shared apartment. “Five years?”

Andrew stares back at him and doesn’t reply. Neil seems to take this as confirmation. He continues rubbing the underside of Amaranth’s chin, slow and easy.

“Five years,” Sin agrees, stalking across the back of the couch behind Neil and Amaranth. She jumps across to the desk where Andrew is perched, sticking her head out of the window where he’s hanging his hand and cigarette out in the night air. Her tail brushes against him thoughtlessly.

Cooper has Orion cuddled safely in her lap, and she’s rubbing the sows-ear softness of his belly. She can’t imagine having someone close enough to be like that with. Somehow, she wants it anyway. She says, “That’s surreal.”

“Really?” Neil asks. He grins. It’s very sharp.

“Not really,” she admits.

[markonasurface]

9/50 - “Don’t call me that!”

Fandom: All for the Game/The Foxhole Court Characters/pairings: mostly the Monsters + Allison/kevin x allison Summary: Allison has news. A/N: A followup to “Could you be any louder?” I actually have two more parts written. One featuring Wymack x Kevin, the other featuring andreil + kevin sort of? idk it’s not finished.

A hurried knock interrupted Neil drawing fox paws on his finals study guide. He looked up at Andrew who was sitting on the desk next to his but he just took another drag from his cigarette and kept staring blankly out the window. Neither Nicky nor Aaron paused the video game they were playing.

Neil stood up as whoever was on the other side of their door knocked impatiently and didn’t stop. If Nicky wasn’t already in the room with them, he would’ve thought it was him.

He looked through the peephole and furrowed his brows. “Hey, did any of you do something to piss off Allison?”

No one answered so he unlocked the door and pulled it open.

“Where’s Kevin?” she demanded.

Kevin was the last person in the suite Neil expected Allison to come looking for. Andrew must have thought the same thing because he stubbed his cigarette out on the window sill and slid off his desk.

Allison huffed and pushed past Neil. He closed and locked the door before following Andrew down the short hall into their bedroom.

“What the fuck?” Kevin was sitting on his bed.

From the look of things Allison had shoved whatever Kevin had been studying off the bed and onto the floor. She glared at him.

“What the hell’d you do that for?”

Her voice was shrill when she told him, “If I can’t concentrate on studying for finals, neither can you.”

“What -?” Kevin stopped midsentence trying to catch whatever Allison was upending from her purse into his lap.

Neil looked at Andrew who had taken a step closer and actually looked a little surprised. Neil looked back at Kevin whose face had paled. He had picked one of the things up and was staring at it intensely.

“What are those?” Neil asked, curiosity finally getting the better of him.

“We had sex one time!” Kevin finally found his voice after a solid minute of opening and closing his mouth like a fish on dry land.

“We had unprotected sex one night,” Allison corrected.

Kevin stood up, some of the white and pink sticks falling onto the floor. His fists were clenched at his sides. “What about what’s-his-face from the basketball team? You two were together for a couple of months.”

“It’s not his,” Allison was adamant.

“Why?” Kevin sounded exasperated and his voice got louder as he went on. “Because he cheated on you? Wouldn’t you rather have a kid with someone who actually liked you at one point than someone who hates you, who has always hated you and always will?”

“Wait,” Neil finally caught on. “You’re pregnant?”

“Holy shit!” Nicky and Aaron had come to investigate the yelling just as Allison slapped Kevin.

He gripped his cheek, nails digging into the chess piece under his eye.

“Fuck you.” Allison forced herself to look at her audience as she stormed past them.

“You already did!” Kevin called after her.

Neil couldn’t read the look in Andrew’s eyes as he studied Kevin. Nicky went over and gingerly picked up a stick.

“You’re Allison’s baby daddy?” Nicky looked torn between concern and laughter.

“Don’t call me that!” Kevin snapped.

“That’s what you are.” Andrew said bluntly. He hoisted himself onto the dresser and lit a cigarette by the open window.

Kevin was shaking. Even though he sounded angry, they all knew him well enough to know he was scared. “She had a boyfriend. Do you think they used a condom every time they fucked?”

“She must be pretty sure,” Nicky reasoned. “Why else would she tell you it’s yours?”

“Because -”

Aaron cut him off before he could come up with anything. “Because you have money? Allison already has that. Because you care about her so much? You don’t. Because your stable upbringing will make you a good father? You didn’t have a good one.”

“Because she’s honest,” Nicky said. “Or maybe because she lives with Dan and everybody remembers how pissed off she was when she found out nobody told Coach he was your father.”

“What’s the big deal?” Neil asked, genuinely confused. When the others looked at him like he was an idiot, he said, “Money’s not a problem. You and Allison will both be good parents. Yeah, the little Lord still owns you but as long as you get signed after you graduate - which everyone knows you will - he’ll leave you alone.”

There was another knock on their door, insistent. Neil went to answer it.

“Where’re the others?” Dan asked, looking angry.

Neil gestured toward the bedroom and stepped aside to let her in. He followed her back.

“What the hell did you do to Allison?” Dan was staring daggers at Andrew’s profile. “The freshmen said they saw her come out of your room. What did you do to her?”

“You don’t know?” Nicky breathed out in disbelief. “There goes my theory.”

“Why don’t you go ask Allison?” Aaron was annoyed at her intrusion.

Dan put her hands on her hips. “Because she locked herself in the bathroom and won’t come out.”

Neil reached out and touched Dan’s elbow. She whirled around, on edge. “What?”

“I think you should really ask her.” Neil said to Dan but made sure to meet Kevin’s eyes.

“Ask her what?” Kevin desperately croaked.

Neil ignored Dan’s perplexed gaze. “Why she’s so sure?”

He nodded once, determined. “Can I have a drink first?”

“No!” Nicky exclaimed. “That’s how you got into this mess in the first place!”

“It was a joke, Nicky.” Neil moved out of the doorway so Kevin could get through. “I think.”

Kevin walked through the fifth year seniors’ unlocked door. Matt and Renee startled.

“What the hell?” Matt demanded. Dan shook her head.

Kevin ignored them and went straight to the bathroom door. He could hear stifled sobs and he had to resist the urge to make a beeline right back to his room.

Matt, Renee, and Dan came up behind him. “What are you doing?”

Kevin knocked on the bathroom door. It was his usual imperious knock, if a bit timid.

“Please, I just want to be alone,” Allison cried.

“It’s me, Kevin.”

There was a surprised intake of air and a choked sob. “Fuck off.”

“I want to talk,” he ground out. “Let me in.”

He waited a few moments. Allison didn’t answer so he said, “Let me in, Allison. I want to ask you a few questions. Your three girlfriends are right behind me and I’d prefer to have this conversation in private but I’ll start talking from out here if you make me.

“Fine,” Kevin grunted. “How do you know that -”

They heard the door unlatch and Allison opened it a crack. Kevin turned to the other three and said, “This doesn’t concern you. Go away.”

He slipped into the bathroom and Allison locked it behind him. He turned on the shower before facing her. Her eyes were red and puffy and her nose was leaking. Of course she was one of those people who still looked beautiful even when they were crying.

“How do you know that I’m the father?”

“Because,” Allison tried to hold back her tears.

Kevin grabbed her arm. “Because why? Why don’t you think it’s your ex-boyfriend’s?”

“We didn’t have sex,” Allison admitted. She didn’t try to free herself from Kevin’s grip. “He kept saying he wanted it to be special and it was all bullshit. He fucked the first girl he could as soon as I was away.”

His hand slowly dropped and he sank to the floor. “Fuck.” He linked his fingers behind his head. “You’re keeping it?”

“Of course I’m keeping it!” Allison was offended. She swiped her hand under her nose and said, “I’m not as heartless and vain as everyone seems to think I am.”

“That’s not what I -”

“Yes, it is.” Her anger was sobering. “I made the stupid decision to sleep with you and this is the result. It’s not this thing’s fault I’m an idiot.”

Kevin’s nails clawed at the tile. “I still have a year of college left. You have your future ahead of you. You don’t have to keep it.”

Allison glared. “Have you seen what the foster system did to Andrew? No fucking way am I putting a kid through that. Fuck you. Get the fuck out if all you want to do is talk about getting rid of it. Go ahead and pretend this never happened. After this week you’ll never have to be in the same room as me again.”

She yanked the door open and gestured mockingly. Kevin stood up and with one hand pushed it closed again.

“I’m just trying to find the easiest solution here.”

“Seriously? This is the one thing you want to take the easy way out for?”

Kevin gritted his teeth. “This will be harder for you than it will be for me.”

“And yet I’m the one willing to accept the consequences and you’re trying to find a way out.” He shook his head but Allison held up a hand. “This is your way out. Right now.”

Neither of them dared look away first. Finally Kevin held out a hand. “Come on.”

Allison jerked back, shocked. “What?”

“Nicky knows and he has a big mouth.” Kevin explained. “We need to tell Coa - my father before someone else does.”

She ignored his hand but opened the bathroom door again. She turned off the shower and followed him out, pointed when he asked, “Where’re your keys?”

Kevin ignored the others and went straight out into the hall. He stuck his head back in when she didn’t follow and said pointedly, “Allison.”

She stood frozen looking between her friends and Kevin. “I’ll be back,” she muttered.

“Do you want one of us to come with you?” Dan asked.

Shaking her head, she tried to manage a reassuring smile but had to stop to swallow the rising bile in her throat. “We’ll be fine,” Allison said, knowing they thought she meant herself and Kevin.

“Allison,” Kevin said again, impatiently.

She narrowed her eyes. Kevin was infuriating and she was grateful. It grounded her and made her feel like herself to get annoyed and angry with him. She looked at her friends. “We’ve just gotta go tell Coach he’s gonna be a grandpa.”

Because I saw this post

http://maelerie.tumblr.com/post/135803922052/send-me-two-characters-or-more-and-a-prompt-and

[theteller-marvelandtarot]

Sparkler (Steve Rogers/Avengers x O.C.):  Part Two

Story Description:  Jamie, “Birdy” Leighton was an Avenger right from the start. She may have the power to manipulate and form fire, but she’s very humble. She’s just an average girl in her mind. But she has also been in an abusive relationship and an unhealthy relationship since the Avengers have known her. They’re all concerned for Birdy, but especially Steve. He sees through all of Birdy’s coverups, white lies, and excuses. He’s trying to show Birdy that she’s being abused but she just can’t see it, and she doesn't believe she can do better.

Part Description:  Part Two to Sparkler includes Steve asking her more about her relationship with Kent and Steve helping Birdy when she needs it most.

Warnings:  Swearing, mentions of abuse, fluff

A couple days after Birdy ran out on me, I texted her to see if she wanted to come to the gym with me. She accepted the offer and we met at the gym near my apartment.

I get there before she does so I decide to start with some stretches.

“You workout without any music? How is that even possible?” I hear Birdy ask.

I chuckle and smile at her.

“Well, I don’t know what kind of music you listen to. And I doubt you’d want to work out to what I know,” I joke.

She chuckles and shrugs.

“I could jam out to some Andrews Sisters,” she smiles.

I smile at her. This is the Birdy that I know; joking around, smiling. She has that glow about her again.

“You can put on whatever music you want. I’m not picky,” I tell her.

She smiles and goes over to the speakers in the corner. She connects her phone to it. She comes back over when she’s done. We both go our separate ways, working with different types of equipment. I notice her sit on a big, orange exercise ball. She bounces on it to take a break. She sings along with the same kind of music Tony listens to as she watches me lift weights.

“Have you taken any breaks yet?” she asks me curiously.

“Nope,” I grunt as I put down the weights.

“Come take a break then before you pull something,” she tells me.

I chuckle and grab my water bottle. I sit next to her on the floor. I figure this would be a good time to try to figure out what’s really been going on with her and Kent.

“Happy?” I ask her as I put the water bottle down.

“Yep,” she smiles sheepishly.

I chuckle and smile at her. I glance down at the large, oval diamond on her engagement ring.

“Nice ring,” I smile at her.

Her smile fades a little as she looks at the ring.

“Yeah…” she sighs, “It’s about the only beautiful thing in my relationship…”

I furrow my eyebrows.

“What do you mean?” I ask her curiously.

“Well, the love’s just gone… I don’t know if it was even there to begin with actually,” she chuckles sadly.

“Why are you marrying him then?” I ask her.

“I’m too scared to leave,” she confesses, looking down.

“You’re scared of him?” I ask.

She takes a deep breath and nods.

“The only reason I was able to actually come here with you is because he’s on a business trip,” she tells me, “Last time you and I texted he saw that I was texting another man and he got upset. He broke my phone and set up cameras in the house. He made me stay in the house that whole week. He gets violent very easily. But he learned that from his father growing up. His father was abusive to his mother so that’s all he knows really.”

I look at her sadly.

“Why are you still with him? Does Jeff know?” I ask her.

“Jeff doesn't know how bad it gets… But I’m scared to leave. What if he finds me? Then everything would be so much worse. I’d fight back but I-I just freeze up when I’m with him. Plus, what if this is it? What if it’s my only chance at getting married? What if this is as close to love as I can get?” she rambles, her voice quick and shaky.

I shake my head.

“This won’t be your only chance, Jamie. I promise,” I swear.

“I just… I’ll give it time. Maybe after this break apart he’ll stop being so aggressive,” she says hopefully.

“If you’re ever in trouble just call me and I’ll be there, okay?” I assure her.

She nods.

“Thanks, Steve,” she says.

“No problem, Jamie,” I reply, rubbing her back soothingly.

I notice her smile again. I smile back.

“How about we go do something fun today?” she asks me.

“Sure. What would you like to do?” I ask her.

She thinks for a second and smiles widely.

“Do you like museums?” she asks hopefully.

“I do,” I smile.

“Can we go to a museum?” she asks.

“Sure,” I answer.

“Yes! Kent hates museums,” she tells me.

I chuckle and smile at her enthusiasm towards museums. We both get up and go to the changing rooms to change into our regular clothes. Natasha took me shopping the other day to get clothes that were a little more modern. I put on a grey t-shirt and jeans with a navy blue jacket over it. Jamie comes out in tight black pants that end in the middle of her shins, a loose grey top, grey sneakers, and a denim jacket on top. Half of her hair is up. I smile at the tattoos on her that I can see. The stars on her finger, the rose on her ankle, the dandelion field scene on her other ankle, the five birds on her collarbone. I also notice a nose ring. It’s a tiny stud on her left.

“What museum do you want to go to?” she asks me, breaking me out of the daze I didn’t even realize I was in.

“You pick. I’m up for anything,” I tell her.

“There was this museum that this older lady owns. It’s this house that was in her family for years. Apparently her grandfather was this huge asshat who hired goldminers from all over and usually just took advantage of them. And if you didn’t meet his quota for how much gold he wanted, well then you were shit outta luck. Anyway, the museum is this dude’s house and she even has his old clothes, all the bedrooms are the same, and the house has only gotten minor renovations over the years. And we can explore the whole house. No room is off limits,” she tells me excitedly.

I smile at her and nod.

“It sounds interesting. Let’s go,” I reply.

She smiles widely and leads me outside. We get in her car and she drives to the museum.

-Birdy’s P.O.V-

I haven’t been to a museum in years and I’m so excited to be going to one that’s just so personal.

I park in the house’s parking lot. Steve and I are the only ones here. I lead him into the house where we see the lady.

“Good morning. I’m Doris. Are the two of you here to explore around the house?” she asks.

I smile and nod.

“We are,” I answer.

“Feel free to roam around the house as you like. I will be outside with my grandson if you have any questions,” she tells us, looking at Steve like he’s familiar.

“Thank you, Doris,” I smile.

She smiles and nods before going outside.

“It looked like she knew you,” I tell Steve.

“She did look kind of familiar,” he says before looking around the dining room.

I notice that he’s really intrigued by the artwork on the walls more than anything. I look around at the furniture and china. I look at the architecture and wallpaper. I take out my phone so I can take pictures. Steve gets the same idea. The two of us split up to look around.

-Steve’s P.O.V-

Jamie goes upstairs as I explore and take pictures downstairs. I go upstairs after a few minutes and see Jamie looking out a bay window in the hallway, leaning against the wall. I smile at her stance, the view from the window, and how the sun comes in at her. I discreetly take a picture of her. She looks at me and smiles.

“Come look at the view from here,” she smiles.

I smile and walk over to her. I look at the garden, the trees, the swing that comes down from a branch, the trail with a little white gate separating the yard and the trail.

“I wonder where that trail leads to,” I think outloud.

“I think it’s a lake. I think you walk through all the trees and flowers on a narrow path and end up at a lake with like ducks and frogs on lilypads. There’s also a really pretty garden with roses, tulips, sunflowers, and daisies,” Jamie says with a smile.

“Have you been here before?” I ask her curiously.

“Nope. I just made that stuff up. But it’d be really pretty,” she smiles wider.

“How about we go down and see if you’re right?” I ask her.

She smiles and nods. She follows me downstairs and we walk down the trail together. So far she’s right about the trees and flowers on a narrow path. She looks around as we walk down the path. The path ends at a garden. It’s a huge garden with tons of flowers. Every kind of flower I can think of is in the garden. There’s a gazebo in the middle of it. The old lady is sitting in there with her grandson. She smiles at us and invites us to sit with them.

We go inside and sit across from Doris and her grandson.

“It’s so nice to see a young couple stopping by,” she smiles and looks at Jamie’s ring, “And are those wedding bells I hear?”

Jamie and I turn red.

“Uh, no. No, um, I’m engaged to someone else,” Jamie clarifies.

“Then why isn’t he here?” Doris asks.

“He’s not really into this sort of thing,” Jamie sighs.

Doris nods.

“Did the two of you enjoy the house?” Doris asks.

“It’s so beautiful,” Jamie smiles.

“It’s incredible. The artwork, the designs. Like Jamie said, it’s beautiful,” I add.

Jamie’s phone beeps. She glances at it and she just turns white. I furrow my eyebrows at her.

“We should head out now,” I say, sensing that something’s wrong.

“Thank you for letting us come into your house,” Jamie says gratefully.

The two of us head out.

“What’s wrong?” I ask as we walk down the trail.

“Kent’s on his way home already. He’ll be there in about two hours,” she sighs.

“What would happen if you weren’t home when he got there?” I ask her curiously.

“I-I don’t want to know…” she admits.

“Want me to come with you in case he tries anything?” I offer.

“No. God, no. He’d think I was cheating on him for sure,” she answers quickly.

I nod reluctantly. We walk back to her car and she drives me back to my apartment.

“Remember, call me if you need anything. Okay?” I assure her again.

She nods and smiles at me a little.

“Thanks, Steve,” she says.

“See you around, Jamie,” I say before going into my apartment.

“See ya, Steve,” she replies.

I take a deep breath as I watch her drive away. I keep my phone on me in case anything were to happen with Jamie.

I go up to my apartment and put on a record for background noise. I open up a new sketchbook. I’m in the mood to draw a portrait, but I need more inspiration than that. I look through the pictures I took today. I get to the picture I took of Jamie. I had forgotten about it. I smile and decide to draw something like this with Jamie as the inspiration. I never drew anyone with tattoos before. But I also feel a level of pressure I’ve put on myself. I want to get every detail right.

I draw her sitting on the seat where the bay window was instead of standing up. I also decide to draw her smiling over her shoulder at me instead of facing the other way. I draw the outline of Jamie’s body. I draw the way she shrugs her shoulders when she smiles, the way she has one leg extended while the other is bent at the knee, the way she rests her small, chubby hand on her thigh. I draw out her messy half-up braid that goes to her shoulders in layers, I draw how her nose scrunches up and her eyes squint when she smiles wide. I draw the tiny stud on the side of her nose. I draw her denim jacket, her baggy tank top and draw out a little cleavage (the same amount that had been revealed all day) but I don’t emphasize it. I draw how her rose tattoo on her ankle peeks out from her pant leg. I draw the stars that cover her right hand’s ring finger. I draw some of the birds peeking from her collarbone. I make sure I draw her pouty and perfectly shaped lips just right, her slight dimples on her cheeks. I make sure to draw her eyeliner perfectly along with her long, thick eyelashes. I draw out her kind of thick eyebrows. I keep shading and shaping until I’m satisfied. Then I draw out the setting. I draw the rectangular seat underneath a bay window. The seat is just barely long enough for Jamie to sit in. The view is a field of sunflowers with an oak tree in the distance to the right of the window. The window has draped curtains on either side.

I draw and color this for hours, but I haven’t gotten this lost in a sketch for so long. Then suddenly I get a call from Jamie. I answer it quickly.

“Hey. How are you?” I ask her.

She takes a deep shaky breath.

“I-I took the car into the city… I’ve never s-seen Kent get that aggressive in months. I-I-I don’t know where I am. I would have called Jeff b-but he gets lost easily in New York, t-too… I’m so sorry for calling you so late, I’m just s-scared…” she rambles quickly, trying to catch her breath between sobs.

I get up and run downstairs to my bike.

“Do you want me to come get you?” I ask her.

“N-No but can I come over? Once I figure out where I am?” she asks, sniffling.

“Of course you can, Jamie. What does it look like where you’re at?” I ask her.

“Um... “ she starts, her voice shaking. Then suddenly she gasps.

“Jamie? What’s wrong?” I ask her.

Then the call ends. My eyes widen in surprise. I run down to my bike and drive around New York, trying to find Jamie. Suddenly I see her in a car with a man with an eery mask that looks something like a porcelain doll. If this is Kent, he’s hiding himself for a reason. If not, then Jamie may be in bigger trouble than I had thought.

[championfroggy4]

January 19, 2018

We'll see. Today is our 3 month Mark! HURRAY WE OFFICALLY ENDED THE HONEYMOON STAGE! I'm so excited to continue the adventures with jordy hands! Our love will deepen and grow stronger with work! Hope he's committed to it!

I have this recording. Both of my friends were fighting over talking to me today. One was highly impressively drunk. He likes to talk. And I can tell he gets annoyed when people interupt him. The thing about my two friends, is that they are similar in a lot of ways. They are both lonely in need of a friend to vent to and have someone to love and listen to their issues. Rachel invited Brandon. And Brandon, drunk as he was, was only focused on me. Rachel was worried about Brandon most of the night thinking she did something wrong.. Brandon had a turn to talk about his feelings.. but when I noticed Rachel upset and she was driving, I focused on her. Brandon was so angry he slammed the car door. Rachel was worried about him. And when I messaged him, he said he was ready to open up but Rachel's problems were stupid and bullshit. Suicide wasn't bullshit though. And I found it very inconsiderate that we didn't give Rachel a chance to speak. She's hurting a lot. She was crying in the car. She says she hates herself because she couldn't save her friends life and the issues with her parents divorse and the constant arguing in the household. She also told me that she was in love with someone before that she never met, but he ripped and manipulated and used her. A lot of people, including Jordan never show her affection. I myself do it sometimes.. but I do my best to correct what I can. I just.. wish people were more understanding I suppose.. I recorded the convo. Just because, it might be good to look back on.. I mean, if he's willing to start making jokes about a Panera panani as a vagina then yes, he is drunk. And Rachel.. well she's sleeping in my basement. She was crying to me about how her friend commited suicide. That no one loved her. It was a bit depressing. Somehow I took Jordan's position lol. Unfortunately, there's this hidden feeling that yeah he wants a girl friend but maybe he didn't want that with me.. stupid right? Yeah well that tends to happen when you care for someone. But that's why I have to be like WHO CARES! just be cait. Because 8m awesome.

Brandon was opening up to me. He drank a bottle and a half. Being open that he was flirting and stuff. It's good to know he is not a rapist though. I'm glad I listened to Jordan's advice. I'm not messaging him much because maybe he wants some time.. when he wants to message me he will. I'm paranoid, because it's usually just me talking.. he doesn't get very deep with me.. idk it's just some of his responded I suppose. I can't seem to break the ice that im going to have to eventually break things off for school. But I just want a little more time..i want that feeling to be there..built.. so if I come back, I'll have enough money to support along side with him. I wonder if he thinks about this as much as I do.

I miss Jordan. But I don't ever want to him to feel this way I do when I vent to him. Maybe, i should just stop opening up to him.. give him a chance for once to speak to me.. it only seems the polite thing to do.

It would be awesome if he loves me. But I know, maybe he won't. Maybe I'm just being obsessive.

He's always choosing things over me. Like bacon. Or ps4. Or guy friends. Or phone. Maybe I'm not enough. I think the thing that got me the most was his comment last time I was with him..

Why are you so distant? Come cuddle next to me

Maybe, he likes it when I make the first moves. A sign of affection. I want to give that to him, but I need to keep my emotions under control. If I let myself go, he'll be turned off. And I kind of like him around.

Andrew and I talk a lot. He's awesome! In fact, I think we talk more than my actual boyfriend lol! I know he doesn't say it.. but I kind of feel like he likes me a little bit.. or has an intrest.. I could be completely wrong! I mean cool great if he does, but he told me about Ashley. I don't know.. everytime I hear a guy talk about someone he cares about that left him or cheated on him that he had feelings for I just, wish someone would talk about me that way.. I wish I could hear it if someone talks about me that way.. it's the reason why I had trouble with going on my s/o social media accounts and read all their messages.. I just want to know if I'm doing a good job, and what kind of things they say about me. But I need to stop that, because that isn't trust. And I don't need to do that with jordan.

[neoraven]

2017 NFL Season Predictions - AFC Win Totals

A note about this and my process! These are win predictions, not firm power rankings and direct comparisons of quality. I haven't done any analysis of whether these win totals "work out" in the math of it. I know it doesn't look like there are enough "playoff teams" (only 5 with 9+ wins), but whatever. But I think this just means that the 6th playoff spot is really up for grabs in my opinion. The half games are obviously me cheating. When I get to a game in the schedule that feels like a genuine tossup, I give half a win. NFC version of this post will be coming out sometime before Sunday noon kickoff. Also, I hearby swear that I typed all these words before week 1 kicked off, including no changes to Pats/Chiefs even though I firmly had a Pats win in both predictions. I will probably screw up the other way to compensate. I flip flopped between sorting them by divisions or in descending order, and have kinda split the difference into rough tiers.

Playoff Teams

New England Patriots [13.5] They're the preseason champs of nearly every power ranking or prognostication. Their Vegas odds are double the next team at more sportsbooks. Losing Edelman hurts, but the strength of the Belichick era has always been replacing parts. I'm not going to go as far as saying a perfect season or a runaway Superbowl champ. But they'll have absolutely no trouble winning the AFC East.

Pittsburgh Steelers [12.5] They sit very firmly at the 1a spot behind the Patriots. They're immensely talented all over, and have a great coach and consistent leadership. They're also going to fully take advantage of a weaker division and weaker schedule to likely coast to a first-round bye.

Tennessee Titans [11.5] I'm not going to pretend to hide my homerism or bias for the Titans, but I'm still pretty confident this is the year they figure out how to beat the worst teams in all of football. They're also undoubtedly one of the offseason champions after upgrading WR and CB drastically through their draft and free agency. Marcus Mariota is only going to get better, and I think we haven't seen close to his best in the NFL yet. Even if the offensive line takes a step back from #1, it's still a talented team in a bad division on the right side of injury luck as the season stops. This team could not only win the division, but contend for the #2 seed if everything falls right.

Oakland Raiders [10.5] I believe the Raiders kind of peaked last season with their 12 wins. They'll still probably win the AFC West, but they'll struggle to repeat the highs of last season. I'm not sold on Derek Carr, despite his steady and constant improvement over his three seasons. Despite Khalil Mack being a legitimate star, the defense is going to lose them some games this year.

Kansas City Chiefs [10] Andy Reid has been grinding out double digit wins in Kansas City for a little bit now, and he'll just barely keep at that pace this year. Losing their starting RB isn't as bad as it could be, given their offense. Kareem Hunt is poised to shine in the full-time role in the run-heavy scheme.

Playoff Maybes

Cincinnati Bengals [8.5] Despite Marvin Lewis' dismal playoff record, the Bengals have made the playoffs 6 of the past 8 years. Last year's 6-win season looks like a fluke from bad injury luck, but they'll still struggle to be much better and break through deep into the playoffs. The head coach's contract year will end in frustration and uncertainty. If they sneak into the playoffs, this team doesn't look like the juggernaut to push them into the divisional round for the first time in 30 years.

Baltimore Ravens [8] Despite a heavy investment on an already-good defense, the Ravens will keep treading water. No offense to Joe Flacco, but this team is barely holding on to the edge between contender and barely good. They could sneak into the playoffs with a perfect record in close games, but I wouldn't bet on it.

Houston Texans [8] Tom Savage and JJ Watt helm the most divergent units in the NFL. The defense is as good as the offense is bad. So, my easy prediction for this yin and yang and cancelling out is that the Texans will be firmly a .500 team, depending on when Savage gets launched into the sun in favor of DeShaun Watson.

Miami Dolphins [8] It's easy to forget that they were a playoff team last season. They're also going to benefit from 4 games against the Bills and Jets, but they'll probably hit .500 on the dot. Jay Cutler will be a little better than expected, and the rest of the team will hold up around him. Playing fifteen straight games due to the Irma cancellation is brutal, but keeping the home game in a London season is probably a little more important.

Los Angeles Chargers [7.5] Improving on 5 wins will be easy for the new head coach, despite the brutal division. However, they're still mostly the same team with the same rash of injury problems. The disruption from moving to LA will probably cost them half a win or so as well, despite Phillip Rivers' mobile film room commute.

See You Next Season

Indianapolis Colts [7] This is a team in a messy transition. It's not exactly rebuilding with Andrew Luck's immense talent in the mix. But it's a bit of a dire situation with him making nearly zero progress toward recovery on his injured shoulder. The only positive sign was that he wasn't completely put on IR or the other 6-8 game long unable to play list. Depending on how long Luck is hurt, and how bad Tolzein and Brissett are getting thrown into the fire, the floor of the season could fall out and drop them below the Jaguars.

Denver Broncos [6] John Elway's squad, ironically, can't find a QB to save their life. Another lopsided squad to make the Texans blush, this elite defense can't find the endzone enough to win every game on their own. Von Miller might have another great season wasted as the QB position stumbles through a combo of Trevor Siemien, Paxton Lynch, and Brock Osweiler (yes, back again). They'll drop back from playoff contention when the QB situation gets especially bad.

Buffalo Bills [5.5] If not for the Jets, the Bills would be comfortably tanking at the bottom of the division. However, some parts of the Bills are way too damn good. Like McCoy, the offensive line, and rookie Zay Jones. They'll be stuck in that limbo between a single digit draft pick and the playoffs.

Jacksonville Jaguars [5.5] Improving on a 3-win team is pretty easy, and the Jags will be able to do that. Coughlin running things is a good sign, as well as the influx of talent on defense. But you only go so far with Blake Bortles throwing passes, and that's not out of the basement of the extremely awful AFC South. Also, throwing in there that Fournette will be a beast with some great plays and stats no matter how dismal the passing game gets.

New York Jets [2.5] This team sucks, and won't be fun for anyone involved by design. I don't know how else to put it. I'm not bold enough to predict that they get zero wins, but each one they squeak out will be a minor miracle. They have a pretty soft schedule, including hosting the Jaguars, Bills, and Chargers after a cross-country trip.

Cleveland Browns [2.5] Browns fans, I have good news and bad news for you. The good news is - the Browns will be fighting for relevant results in the last month of the season. The bad news - this will be a fight for the first overall draft pick yet again. It's really easy to detail all the ways the Browns suck and all the reasons they'll never win a game. But here's two reasons they could improve on last season - hosting the Jets and Jaguars. Get well soon, Myles Garrett.

[itsanerdlife]

All I Have 4/15

Pairing: Biker!Peter Parker x Reader

**Reminder: I write ANDREW GARFIELD as my Peter Parker **

Warnings: Language. Parental abuse. Arranged marriage. Shitty parent. I Guess Boarder line cheating. Lying. Secrets. Sneaking around.

Your daddy has a plan for you. He’s a strict man, with a belt and gun. You know better than to stray from the path, from the rules he set out for you. You’re promised to a good man,but not much of a man. Secretly your hear beats for bad boy, biker Peter Parker. He’s been hounding you for a date, a ride on his motorcycle, for one word; yes. You keep turning him down, because if your daddy finds out about Peter, he’ll kill the both of you. But Peter isn’t backing down that easy. He knows what you want and he’ll get that yes.

He checks the student parking lot for the second time, maybe he missed it. No, he was sure of it, her car wasn’t there. Maybe she rode with Red, the two of them were always together, sometimes they came to work together. He found Wanda’s car, he leans against it, wondering what reason could be that Y/N didn’t drive to school. She’d been there the day before, but she never mentioned anything wrong with her car when he spoke to her.

He watches Wanda checking her phone as she moves through students. When she looks up, she stops. He could see the struggle on her face, she was trying to decide which way she should go. Be a good friend, or risk the wrath of Y/N. She sighs moving towards him and her car.

“Red,” he pushes off the car “where is she?” He stares down at her.

“She took, a, sick day.” Wanda speaks slowly as if she was putting the lie together on the fly.

“Why?” He folds his arms over his chest.

“I can’t tell you that, Peter.” She won’t look up at him. Her eyes remain fixed on her hands, gripped tightly to the strap on her bag.

“Red, I swear.” He warns her. She sighs, clearly knowing he wasn’t above showing up at her house if he had too.

“Look,” she finally looks up “I can’t tell you. But she will be at work tonight.” She shrugs one shoulder.

“Fuck.” He scraps his hands over his face.

“I’m sorry.” She gives him a sympathetic look. He nods, before he steps out of her way, letting her get to her car. “Peter,” she calls as she opens the car door, he turns to face her “don’t do anything stupid. I know you care, but don’t put my best friend at risk.” He nods, knowing it would be the stupid choice to show up at her house.

   She’s gritting her teeth as she gets out of her car. He’s on her instantly, shoving the car door shut as his body backs hers into her car. She bats wide eyes, confused from where he came from. She swallows, and her body shakes slightly as his hands come down on her waist.

“What happened? You weren’t at school.” He looks over her face, her neck. There was nothing he could see, but that didn’t mean there wasn’t anything that was covered up.

“I took a sick day.” Her voice has the faintest shake to it.

“Are you sick?” He asks quickly. He would tell May to send her home if that was so.

“I just,” she swallowed “needed a break.” She mutters. His brow connects.

“A break?” He mauls the word over.

“Peter, stop.” She didn’t want him digging at whatever she was hiding.

“What aren’t you tell me?” He wonders as his hands drop a little farther, gripping her hips.

“Nothing. Ouch.” She flinches away. Covered marks, his jaw ticks. His left hand stays in place, he glances around making sure nobody could see them.

“Lift it.” He nods down at the skirt of her dress.

“What? No.” She scuffs.

“Only after you say yes, Darlin’. I’m being serious, lift it.” He nods once more.

She heaves an annoyed sigh before her hand grabs the hem of her right side and lifts. Her jaw clenches as he pushes up the material, stopping her hand when it’s high enough for him to get the gist of it. Just above where her dress stops, a dark purple bruise covers the outside of her thigh.

“How high does it go?” He looks up at her.

“Here.” She taps the top of her hip bone.

“Your daddy do this?” He asks placing her dress back down. She heaves a sigh, chew the inside of her cheek.

“I messed up.” Your tone cold. “Leave it be.” He scuffs as if you offended him.

“Why? What did you mess up?” His tone bitter. What did it matter to him? He wouldn’t want anything to do with you, with the pathetic excuse you were for a person.

“I dropped his bottle of Jack.” You sigh. Might as well be honest, Peter Parker wasn’t going to want anything to do with daddies little punch bag after this.

“Fucking Christ, Darlin’.” His head drops back, his jaw worked tightly.

“So I’m sure this will be the last I see of you.” You snort, it’s cold and detached.

“What?” His head snaps back right, his brow connected.

“You know what I mean. I’m sure you’ll find the next flavor in your book.” You roll your eyes.

“You think, that, really?” His brow pulls together a little farther.

“What?” You glance at him.

“Y/N everyone in town knows your daddy’s a drunk, who knocks you around.” He blinks at you. Your head tips and your eyes widen.

“What?” You blink.

“Unless you’re secretly in a fight club, everyone has a good guess that’s how you end up with split lips and cringe when you sit down.” He shakes his head.

“Fuck, you knew?” You gasp, your brow connects. Embarrassment floods through you.

“Did you think that would make me not want you?” Peter snorts.

“Well. Yeah.” You scratch the back of your neck.

“No, all it does is make me want to kick your daddy’s teeth in.” Peter’s jaw clenches.

“Don’t.” You touch his arm, stepping closer to him. “I’m going to Wanda’s for the weekend. I’ll be fine.” You nod.

“Call me.” His hands cup your jaw. “Text me. Fuck, Darlin’ give me something.” He sighs.

“Maybe.” You give him a small smile.

“Okay.” He nods, letting go of you. He steps back, ready to turn away.

“Peter?” You call getting his attention.

“Yeah?” He turns back quickly a small smile on his lips.

“Would you,” you fidget, twisting your fingers together “come back tonight?” You glance up at him. “I close, and I really don’t want to be alone, in case.” You swallow, not bothering to finish.

“I’ll be here.” He nods, giving you a small smile. He understood, you didn’t want to be alone in case your daddy showed up drunk.

Everything Peaches 8/23/18: @mo320   @all1e23 @izzy--lee @irepeldirt @alyssaj23 @elle88531 @allyp1023 @itsemmyb @joannie95 @kgbrenner @violinbetty @jade-taillia @sarahp879   @raquegp02 @rileyloves5 @flashfanfics @pigwidgexn @bfuckjames @pcterpvrker @bluebird214 @wandressfox   @amandab-ftw @henrietteoaks @bettercallsabs @queenforatime @lucifersnipnips @queenkrissy11 @destiel-artemis @paintballkid711 @freakingnerd99 @sweet-honey15 @mellxander1993   @geeksareunique   @spookygrantaire @petersunderroos @supernatural508 @mariekoukie6661 @futuremrsb-r-main @lovemarvelousfics @booktvmoviefangirl @supernatural-girl97 @justmeinthisworldblr   @nerdyandexhausted @supernaturaldean67 @xqueenofthecraziesx   @ssweet-empowerment @writingaworldofmyown @villainsaremorerelatable @ocaptain-mycaptainmorgan @crazy-little-thing-called-buck @teenagetragediesforeveryone   @letsgetfuckingsuperwholocked   @stupendoussciencenaturepanda       @jamesbarnesappreciationsociety  

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