#FOR STANDIN UP FOR PEOPLE WHO WERE SCARED

[uponthenormandy]

reading nexus uprising really made me a huge sloane fan. i will kill anyone and everyone for you

[cherryswisherz]

PRIDE vs SELF

♱CONTAINS: longing, toxic ju, ju saves the day, oc standin on shit, long bc judea is the thinkers twigs was talkin bout ♱NIYAHSPEAKS: this is long as shit sorry for the wait guys. ju's pov dis time! part three with smut? ♱♱♱♱

it had been three months since jaliyah and i had spoken. the night she'd kicked me out of her apartment, she blocked me on everything. my number, socials, everything. not that she needed to.

i knew when i wasn't wanted, and i wasn't the type to sit and beg for a bitch to do anything. and i don't even like calling jaliyah a bitch, because she isn't one and she had every right to do what she did, but my pride would be the death of me.

that night sat on every part of my brain. the way she'd yelled at me. what she'd yelled at me.

"four months ago you would have taken me to that party. you wouldn't have ignored me, because four months ago, you gave a fuck."

she couldn't have been more wrong. liyah and i were friends before all of this, and i'd started fucking her with the intention of being more after it.

i'd had a thing for her since we met freshman year, but she'd had a girlfriend and she was crazy about her, so i played my role.

the 'misunderstood hooper who had lover girl potential but couldn't remove her head from her own ass' role. jaliyah swore that i was crazy for the way i'd moved back then, and i think that's why it took three years for us to do anything.

she was real protective of herself. jaliyah didn't play about jaliyah, and our entire friend group knew it. we'd all cracked jokes when people tried to push up on her, laughing because we knew she was not goin.

i'd admired her dedication to not give parts of herself away, and that night, Love & Other Drugs night- the first night- i'd promised myself to cherish every single one of them.

i was selfish in the way i wanted her. i wanted to take everything she held sacred and keep it for myself and bask in the fact that no one else could have it. that i had her in ways very few ever did.

the first month, i'd lost myself in her. we weren't together or anything. we were just fucking, but it all felt a little too real. always on her body, at her every beck and call, constantly looking for her in rooms she'd never even been in. it all felt too normal.

and i'm not a cornball. i wasn't scared of the way things were going. if anything, i leaned into it. i was perfectly fine with being jaliyah's lap dog.

but then i'd gotten cleared to play again, and i don't know what the fuck happened but i couldn't find it within myself to give a fuck about anything else. jaliyah became the last thing on my mind, and i didn't even care.

it wasn't that she became less important because i'd hit. sex could have never devalued her. it was that everything became less important.

missing classes, missing family functions, missing parties. i was no where but in the gym, grinding it out in preparation for my senior run.

it was gonna be the comeback of the century.

but she'd thought it was a her thing, and i didn't have the energy to explain that she'd never be the problem. if she wanted to make it about her, then she could.

i understood why she thought the way she did, but it wasn't my job to remind her that her spot was secured. three years of friendship should have solidified that.

so i went about my business. training, catching up in class, doing what i did. but she was always there. if she wasn't ignoring my presence in every room we'd shared, she was blinking at me in my mind.

i swore every time the back of my hand itched, it was her reminding me of her. that she'd helped design my tattoo. that that hand was the reason i'd never get to have her again, in any capacity.

it was bullshit, really. agonizingly painful bullshit. but again, my pride would be the death of me.

she probably wanted an apology. she wanted me to grovel on my hands and knees and beg her to open her legs for me again. like her pussy was a prize (it was), that i had to bleed to win.

i'd have done it too, except i had self respect. i couldn't go out like that. not about pussy.

however comma, (niyah here, pls tell me yall get the reference) i would have fed her grapes just to talk to her. to tell her that i was proud of her for aceing every final. to hear her tell me i was gonna be perfectly fine for my first game back.

i'd have chewed off my own arm to lay on opposite ends of her couch and watch south central baddies while killing an entire box of kool-aid jammers and destroying a family box of gushers.

of course i'd missed the sex, but i missed the domesticity of us almost more than i missed having an ACL.

♱

people on the internet claimed that kennedy and i looked alike, which was funny and all but this girl really acted like my little sister. she was hyper, and annoying as hell and especially so on this night.

she'd drug me to a club under the ruse of needing protection.

you always muggin so nobody bothers us

i went. i knew she wouldn't leave me the fuck alone until i said yes, so i fitted up and packed everyone into the benz truck.

the club was loud, the noise resembled monkeys in a zoo. the people were louder than the music, the giant fans on the ceilings were useless because the second we'd stepped in it was like we'd entered brazil. muggy, sweaty brazil.

i was just greatful that everyone seemed to remember their deodorant, because it didn't smell like ass.

we fought our way to our section and took our videos of the bottle girls with the signs and the champagne and we all stood up and sprayed it everywhere when the DJ announced that 'THE LADY TROJANS HAVE ARRIVED'.

moments like that always happened in slow motion. i wasn't thinking about the goofy look on my face when i stood on the couch and placed the bottle between my legs and waved it around like a fucking idiot. the way i looked wasn't on my mind until i saw her.

it was literally the shit of movies.

i'd tilted my head back and screamed and when my chin lowered, i'd seen knotless flying with the turn of her head. she was at the bar, and i guess she'd turned to see what all the commotion was about, and when she did- when she saw who everyone had erupted for- she froze. i don't know if we made eye contact, but i know she saw me.

i'd definitely seen her. caramel skin glistening with gold jewelry, a cuff around her bicep. she wore black and grey, baggy pants, and a tight tube top. that's all i caught before she turned her back to our celebration- to me- and continued hunting down the bartender.

i didn't let myself think about who the hell she'd came with, or what she'd planned to do when she left the club. i just auto-piloted my way through the night, allowing hands to pull me to the dance floor, back to couch, and to the floor again.

i couldn't, for the life of me, figure out how people did this for a job. promoting parties, djaying, serving. any job in the club industry seemed entirely too over-stimulating for me because an hour in, i needed a break.

i slipped away easily, the way i always did, and shrugged past a gulf of drunk people, until i finally got to the bathroom. i stayed in there for however long it took me to piss, wash my hands, zone out at my reflection, and snap my own self out of it.

when i left the bathroom, i still felt like i needed another second before going back to the section, so i stepped out the side door, texted kennedy where i was and snatched my forgotten pre-roll from behind my ear.

i didn't hear the satisfying sound of the lighter sparking, because it was drowned out by a voice i'd known all too well.

it was jaliyah. drunk jaliyah to be exact, and i'd known that by the way she was whining.

sober jaliyah didn't whine, though she'd told me she wished she was annoying enough to do it because then she'd get her way. drunk jaliyah did whatever she had to do to get the outcome she wanted. and in that moment, it sounded like she wanted to be left alone.

"nooooo," her voice was high as she dragged the word out, "i don't wanna g- let me go."

she was loud enough in the front of the club for me to hear her on the side, and i knew that someone could see her. i knew that whatever was happening- if it was bad- would have been handled appropriately.

my pride would be the death of me.

i just couldn't allow myself the peace of minding my business when it came to her, so against my better judgement i shoved the joint back behind my ear and rounded the corner.

it was dude. big, beefy nigga who was struggling to get jaliyah into his car. (his weak ass fishbowl that had expired tags.)

there was a line around the building and the bouncer was watching the whole thing go down with a slight grin, like seeing an intoxicated woman being shoved into a car was lowkey funny as hell.

it wasn't. and it wouldn't have been even if it wasn't jaliyah. but it was, so unfortunately i had to channel sierra canyon ju and push the line that much further.

"aye!" my heavy timbs felt weightless while i ran to them- to her. "the hell is you doin?"

i raised a hand and shoved one of the shoulders attached to the arm wrapped around this girl who'd haunted me for three months.

naturally, his body shifted in my direction, and he realized the voice didn't belong to a 5'4 girls girl with a moral compass. we were the same height, and he was bigger than me, but i was angrier.

still, he played it off. chuckled, like the shit was funny "it's not what you thinkin," he waved me off and turned back to jaliyah- who'd once again frozen when she'd seen me. "my girl is lit, she not trynna go home,"

this nigga-

jaliyah decided to find her voice again, and she didn't whine when she mumbled a quiet, "ju."

it was like she no longer cared about the situation she was in. she wasn't fighting him off anymore. just still, mouth closed, eyeing me like i don't even know what.

she looked confused, but comfortable. like she was glad to see me, but hurt by my presence all in the same breath.

"that's not your girl," i snarked and reached for her, "and you needa let her the fuck go."

he smacked his lips, "how you gon te-"

i wasn't even trynna hear all that, and i didn't have to explain shit to him. "let her go."

"who even are y-"

"juju?" someone was calling me from far away- kennedy.

she and londyn rounded the corner, whipping their heads in the other direction before turning and dropping their shoulders when they saw us.

"ju, what's g- liyah?" kennedy was shocked to see her, but she was even more shocked to see her being manhandled, and i knew that because she stepped up right next to me and squared her shoulders just like i had. "who the fuck is this?"

even londyn's little ass stepped to the plate and eyed the nigga before he'd decided that jaliyah was more trouble than she was worth and unwrapped himself from her.

he left her standing there- still staring at me- being checked out by ken and londyn.

her eyes never left mine, mine never left hers. i know i just did allat, but suddenly, i wanted to be anywhere but there.

there: standing on the sidewalk staring at each other like were in a netflix movie.

none of it felt real, and i had to get out of there before it did. before the truth of the situation snuck up on us and i crumbled in front of all these people.

"ken," i snapped, "go get my car." i fished my keys out of my jorts and tossed them. "lo, text the groupchat and tell em to come on."

the chaos of the front of a club continued until the girls all tumbled out of the club, and kennedy's aggy ass sped her way to the curb.

"it's too many bodies," she announced, "somebody gotta lap up."

everyone was fucked up, besides me, but we made it work, and soon everyone had been dropped off besides jaliyah.

"where we takin you?" ken asked, turning to the back where liyah was sprawled out on my seats. "liyah, cmon sis, we gotta take you somewhere."

kennedy had never been to liyah's new place, and she didn't know i had either because she was yet to be brought in on the lore. it wasn't something i talked about. she just knew liyah and i used to be friends, and then we weren't.

i stayed quiet. i knew jaliyah was too drunk to tell ken where she lived, and i'd planned on bringing her to our place regardless.

liyah just moaned and turned in the seat, concrete evidence that she was done for the night. kennedy sighed and trailed her eyes to me. i was staring forward, forcing myself into indifference.

"you trynna take her to ours?" she inquired, like she was scared that i was really boutta just leave the girl stranded. "i mean- ion know what went down between ya'll but what else can we do?"

i remained neutral as i put the car in drive, and once again auto-piloted my way home. it was war getting her in the house, but once we were in, ken dealt with liyah.

i couldn't do the whole 'i know we not cool but imma take care of you' thing.

played out, corny, so true that i couldn't allow myself to do it.

i spent that night feeling my skin cool down after being burned raw under the hot shower. i threw on a black sports bra and some essentials shorts and threw myself in bed. my passion twists would hate me in the morning but clothes was all i could manage.

in bed, i asked myself what the fuck i was doing. why i was moving like the way i was. i knew what i felt for jaliyah and i knew the issue was that she didn't.

it could all be so simple.

explain and apologize.

my pride would be the death of me.

♱

when i woke up, i walked out to jaliyah laid out in kennedy's clothes. drooling on my couch, cuddled into the cushion- she was just as beautiful as she'd been last night, all dolled up.

the domesticity.

i went to the gym because i didn't wanna just sit there and watch her sleep, but hiding from her in my own house wasn't something i could justify.

so i left, destroyed my body in the weight room, got some shots up. brent sang to me about empathetic narcissism until i couldn't feel anything, and that's when i went back to my car.

i sat there for a second, finding my breathe and my mind. i didn't know how how i was gonna explain to her why she woke up on my couch, but i feel like we had bigger fish to fry. liyah wasn't the avoidance type of person, so i knew that a conversation was gonna be had.

i wanted to talk to her, and tell her everything. that i didn't even fuck the bitch at the party. taht i only went to fucking party because i'd assumed she was gonna be there. that i thought what was understood didn't need to be explained.

but it wouldn't have mattered. she had her mind made up, and that was just that. i wasn't finna do all the begging and pleading shit. if she wanted to talk, we would. but i wasn't going out of my way to explains myself to her.

i kept telling myself that on the drive home.

i don't owe her an explanation.

i didn't even believe myself, but that's just how it had to be.

the second i stepped in the apartment, i heard kennedy and jaliyah cackling. it was a beautiful sound that died when they saw me.

"hey ju," ken smiled but her voice was too soft. i knew that jaliyah had told her everything. "imma let ya'll talk."

and then she was in her room and jaliyah was examining the floor like it held the key to the mystery of life.

"you feel okay?" i asked from the kitchen.

denial was the best course of action. maybe if i lied to myself enough, it'd feel like everything was really okay. if ignored the hole she was staring into the side of my face, her gaze would soften and i'd see the fondness i'd grown so accustomed to.

"you for real?" she was quick with it, shooting her words out like she'd rehearsed them. "no, i don't feel okay."

what the fuck did she want me to say? of course she wasn't feeling okay. she was shitfaced eight hours ago.

she never heard of small talk?

"why am i here, judea?"

she thought i hated when she called me by my full name. like it meant i was in trouble or something. and she really only did call me that when she was pissed at me, but i loved it.

every syllable sounded so familiar, like it didn't matter that no one called me that,. when she said my name, i wasn't even thinking about the fact that she was mad because she was saying my name.

"you got fucked up last night. some d-"

"i know what happened." she cut in "my question is. why am i in your house?"

"you couldn't tell ken where you lived." i shrugged.

"you-" her spine straightened as she blinked at me. "you know where i live, judea."

"yeah," i nodded, turning away so i couldn't look at her. i had to distract myself. the pattern on our cabinets had always fascinated me. "i know."

"so..." she sounded like she was getting closer, her bare feet slapping against the tile. "why did you not take me home?"

what did home mean, really?

was it a physical location, or was it an emotional space? a place that felt warm but still gave you goosebumps.

the term was so broad... you know?

she was in front of me now. kennedy's short swallowed her, she swam in the basketball shorts. her edges had been slept off.

domesticity.

i stared at her tired face. the fire in her eyes. i wanted to throw gas at it and watch her burn.

"you are home." i smiled.

i knew it was corny. i knew it would irritate her.

that was the goal, guys !

"i'm not boutta do this witchu." she moved for the door, bare foot and all. i side stepped to block her, and she shuffled to move around me. i guess she forgot she was dealing with a defensive problem, but it wa sno way she was getting outta here if i ain't want her to. "move." she gritted out, not even looking at me.

"just wai-" she moved to leave again. i moved with her, trying to get her to look at me.

to see me.

she rolled her eyes, "get out my fucking way." i didn't move, "judea i wanna leave."

i wanted to ask what that had to do with me, but i didn't wanna poke the bear too much.

"yo car not even here, liyah." i crossed my arms and smiled when her face fell at the realization. "yeah. gon head and sit back down, ma."

she turned her back and plopped down like a two year old.

"you wanna smoothie?" i asked nodding to the ninja blender that i'd went back to.

she shook her head. "if you gon make me stay then we gotta talk."

"about?" like i didn't know what the fuck she meant.

"judea, don't piss me off."

"aight, aight," i put my hands up in a don't shoot kinda way and laughed, "go head."

"i said what i wanted to say." she shrugged, "i been said it. it's your turn now."

there was so much i wanted to say. so much i wanted to explain. to confess.

but how do you tell someone that you've fucked over that you crave her. that you wanna hide her away and marvel in everything that she is? how do you say that without seeming like a fien? seeming desperate.

"i miss you." was what i came up with. tip of the iceberg, but true enough.

she laughed at that. it sounded pained and weak and so not jaliyah. "you miss fuckin me."

she always thinks its about sex. like it was all we'd done. we'd always been bigger than that but she just minimizes it.

i did miss the sex, but the sex wasn't just sex. we weren't fucking.

ion even know how to explain it, but it was so much deeper than that.

"well, yeah." i nodded because i wasn't trynna lie to her. "but nah. like... "i miss you."

her head cocked to the side and she looked at me like a math problem. "watchu mean?"

she wasn't slow. i knew she knew what i meant. she wanted me to spell it out for her, but i was scared if i started, i'd never stop.

truly spelling out the way i'd missed jaliyah meant going from a to z about how empty everything felt. how mundan it had been.

"like you're presence." summarizing. generalizing. vagueness was good. "i just miss havin you here."

that shit seemed too weak. my eyes felt a little too watery. i felt too open. too exposed.

"and i know you miss me, too."

she scoffed and straightened her face. "ion need you, judea."

she sounded so matter-of-fact. like she'd already established that she was fine.

it pissed me off, because i knew she was lying. but she was the victim here so i let her have it.

"that's wild," i shook my head. "cuz i need you."

at that point, i was so outside of my body, i didn't care how lame i'd sounded.

it was true that i'd needed her. i'd never planned on saying that, but i would yell at myself later.

the embarrassment settled in quick, though, because she didn't question it. she just sat there. quiet. staring. trying to figure out what the fuck was happening.

i didn't know if i'd ever been so real with her before, so i let her get her bearings.

she understood though.

she had to.

"you can't say shit like that to me and just expect me to spread my legs again."

here she go with this shit again. i ain't even want to sleep with the girl.

i mean i did. but id i had to prove the point, then i would.

my pride would be the death of me.

"i'm not even trynna do allat, liyah." i shook my head.

she was still in the living room, and i was still in the kitchen. there was so much distance between us and yet she felt so close it put fear in my chest.

she tilted her head again, puursing her lips and cut her eyes, as if calling bullshit.

as if to say "yeah, fucking right."

"so you don't wanna fuck me?"

the fuck kinda question-

"why you always gotta go there?" i laughed, because it was funny.

it amused me, the way she always made herself seem like just a fuck buddy.

i'd literally told her that i needed her and she still thought i wanted sex.

i wanted to have sex with her, but i didn't wanna fuck her.

there was a difference.

she didn't answer my question, just put her hand up as a way to shut me up.

"do you wanna fuck me, judea?"

she put it plainly, but none of this was plain.

it was all so complex and i never wanted to simplify it. i liked out complexities and complication.

"i've never fucked you, jaliyah." i sounded smooth, but i felt rough and tight and full of ridges. i needed an oscar for this shit. "you know it's always been more than that."

i hope she knows that it always had, and always will be deeper than fucking with her.

"well watchu call it then?" she sounded quiet then. like she was scared of my answer.

shit- i was scared of my answer.

one wrong word and i'd make a fool of myself. more of a fool than i'd already been.

i need you.

who the fuck says that???

"ion know but,"

but it's real. it's everything to me. i missed it. i need it.

"we bigger than that."

she was quiet. i was quiet.

all i could hear was the air conditioning buzzing and the blood rushing in my ears.

she was expressionless, staring again. i swear she didn't blink for three whole minutes.

she finally broke the silence. "ion know what to say."

i didn't know what the hell she meant.

say you agree. say you've felt it too. say you forgive me. say "here's all i am. do what you want with it."

say something.

"say what you feel."

cornball ass shit.

but she had to be honest with me or i would die. i didn't want the fake version or the watered down version. i wanted her the way i'd always had her.

raw. real.

she was silent again. i thought she was about to bare her heart and soul to me and run in my arms and never leave.

i'd given her all i could in that moment so she had to reciprocate.

right?

wrong.

"i wanna go home, ju."

i blinked at her. just looked at her for a second. that wasn't the reaction i'd wanted, but it's what i got.

i couldn't even really be mad at her. i wouldn't wanna be here either. i damn sure wouldn't know what to say. that's why i didn't press her.

i swallowed it all. the "don't leave me"s and the "hear me out"s,

i shoved it back down and grabbed my keys.

"come on."

♱TAGLIST: @patscorner @fuddsgf @mattslolita @thaatdigitaldiary @janaelalfysblunt @kmoneymartini

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[gothamite-rambler]

Bruce Wayne sat in bed, awake, counting sheep, currently at five hundred.

Bruce (gritted teeth): 501 stupid sheep, 502 stupid sheep, 503 stupid sheep... Who came up with counting sheep? This doesn’t work!

Hatman (Australian accent): The repetition and countin' make you bored and annoyed enough to fall asleep. Doesn’t work for everybody.

Bruce looked around his room, darkness surrounding him until he saw a tall shadowy figure wearing a wide-brimmed black fedora.

Bruce (stammering, confused): Who… what… who are you?

Hatman: Me? I’m the Hat Man!

Bruce blinked a few times, checked his pulse, slapped himself in the face, and confirmed three times that he was still awake. The hat man waved with his shadowy hand.

Bruce (of all the things he could ask): How are you talking when you're just shadows?

The hat man’s shadow shrugged. Bruce decided that asking questions about how a shadowy man wearing a fedora with a Kiwi accent was real was rather pointless, especially since he was living in Gotham, knew Constantine, and was friends with Zatanna.

Bruce (asking instead): Why are you in my room?

Hatman: I invade people’s rooms and stand in one spot to scare 'em. I’ve been followin' ya for a few years. Ya just haven’t seen me 'til now, so that’s nice.

Bruce (raising an eyebrow): Nice is an odd word to use in this situation. When did you… first appear in my life?

Hatman: Remember wettin' the bed 'til ya were thirteen?

Bruce (mortified): Yes.

Hatman: I started around that time, and ya got used to avoidin' sleep and probably thought I was in ya head. I usually like to feast on people being scared of me, it’s a tasty little meal, but ya always intrigued me.

Bruce: Seeing as my sleep is worse than an insomniac’s, I could understand that. Plus, I’m Batman.

Hatman: Wow, you do say that as a defense. Let me try, why do I like to stand in the darkness of a room? I’m the Hat Man.

Bruce (approving nod): It works.

Hatman: Thanks!

Bruce: No problem… Fedora Man. Um, are you going to attack me or drain my life force? Because I’m not in the mood for that.

Hatman: Nah, that’s not what I do. I just stand here.

Hatman cleared his 'throat'.

Bruce: That’s it?

Hatman: Yeah… and scare people, feast on your fears and nightmares. Most of that is caused by me standin' here. I’ll head out in a few minutes.

Bruce (accepting this, since it’s not the worst thing he’s dealt with): Yeah, okay. I owe Clark a hundred bucks. Are you one of those sleep paralysis demons?

Hatman: Mmm. Yeah and no.

Bruce: And I owe Diana two hundred bucks and a phone. Thanks for that.

Hatman: Hey, mate, it’s not my fault ya made poor bets. Mind if I ask some questions that’ve been on my mind?

Bruce: Questions from a shadow formed into a guy wearing a fedora? Sure, go ahead.

Hatman: Did ya hear McDonald’s brought back the chicken tenders?

Bruce: I had no idea. I don’t usually eat at McDonald’s. Some of my kids, who I hope you’re not haunting, enjoy that fast food. Are they good? I… asked the man with no mouth.

Hatman: One of my clients has been eating them like crazy. Says they’re the best. I won’t disclose if your kids are ones I watch.

Bruce: One of them looks similar to me, with a white streak in his hair.

Hatman: Jason? Yeah! He tried shootin' me once, nice kid, otherwise.

Bruce: Good to know. Got any other questions?

Hatman: Do they actually make the mcnuggets from pink slime?

Bruce (resigned to having a bizarre conversation): No, that’s a rumor. McNuggets are gross to me, but most of it’s real chicken.

Hatman: You would look down on McNuggets, rich kid.

Bruce: That’s not... Why does everyone say that? I like certain items on the artery-clogging menu, the nuggets aren't one of them. I can’t believe I’m having this conversation, but the tenders were actually pretty good when they were first on the menu.

Hatman: Yeah, mate. Try them when you go and tell me what you think.

Bruce: I will, possibly remember that... Hat Man. How much time do you have left?

Hatman: Five minutes. This has been cool chattin' with you. You’re just as interestin' as I hoped.

Bruce (prideful tone) That’s to be expected. Any other questions?

Hatman (talking quickly): A few that you can answer quickly, Batmite?

Bruce: Finally left me alone.

Hatman: Selina or Talia?

Bruce: Selina, but I did love Talia.

Hatman: Does that clown fellow know ya Batman?

Bruce: Yes, but he pretends I don’t know he does.

Hatman: What’s your favorite thing in the Star Wars films?

Bruce (eager): Okay, this is complex, I can explain in the next five minutes.

[soulbrothershow]

The Return of Foxy Brown

Los Angeles was always a city of dreams, but for most, it was a city of nightmares. The streets had evolved since the ‘70s, but the game remained the same: power, money, and control. And no one had a tighter grip on that game than Vivian Wall.

Vivian wasn’t just another player; she was a queenpin. Her high-class escort service was a front for something much darker—sex trafficking and drug running. But her rise wasn’t just about power. It was personal. Vivian Wall was the granddaughter of Kathryn Wall, the late matriarch who once used her fashion empire as a front for similar crimes. Kathryn’s downfall had come at the hands of none other than Foxy Brown. Now, decades later, Vivian was determined to finish what her grandmother couldn’t.

Steve Elias, Kathryn’s lover and business partner, had also fallen during that bloody chapter. Vivian idolized him. His death, along with Kathryn’s disgrace, burned in her mind, fueling a vendetta that spanned generations. She’d been waiting for the right moment to strike back. And now, with Foxy older and out of the game, she thought the time was ripe.

But Vivian didn’t know Foxy Brown.

Foxy had stepped away from the chaos years ago, choosing peace over the battlefield. But retirement didn’t mean she’d lost her edge. She was in her early seventies now, her once jet-black afro with a few strands of silver, her body a little slower but still fierce. The scars of her battles hadn’t softened her—they’d made her sharper, wiser, and meaner.

Foxy was content to live quietly until her goddaughter, Nia, disappeared. The rumors were hard to ignore: young women being lured into Vivian Wall’s orbit, only to vanish. When Foxy heard that name—Wall—it stirred something primal in her.

Foxy stood before a mirror, adjusting her leather jacket. The years had brought more than wisdom—they’d brought resolve. “Time to remind these streets who the hell I am,” she said to her reflection before heading out.

Her first stop was a nightclub in downtown LA, a hotbed for Vivian’s operations. Foxy strode in like she owned the place, turning heads with her confident swagger. The club throbbed with bass, but the energy shifted when people recognized her.

“Foxy Brown?” the bartender asked, wide-eyed.

“You got it, baby,” she said, leaning over the counter. “Now tell me where I can find Vivian Wall.”

The bartender hesitated. “You don’t wanna mess with her. She ain’t like her grandmother—she’s worse.”

Foxy smirked. “Worse? Baby, I dealt with her grandma, her goons, and her trash boyfriend. And look—I’m still standin’. Now, you gonna tell me what I wanna know, or do I need to start breakin’ shit?”

Vivian wasn’t hard to find. The next night, Foxy crashed one of her lavish parties. Dressed in a gold jumpsuit that hugged her curves, Foxy turned every head in the room. The crowd parted as she made her way to Vivian.

Vivian Wall stood at the center of it all, a vision of icy blonde ambition. Her designer gown shimmered under the chandelier lights, but her smile was cold and calculated.

“Well, well,” Vivian said, her voice dripping with condescension. “The infamous Foxy Brown. I thought you were retired.”

Foxy looked her up and down, unimpressed. “I was, sugar. But you dragged me back. You got somethin’ of mine—Nia. Hand her over, and maybe I’ll leave what’s left of your empire standing.”

Vivian’s expression darkened. “You think you can waltz in here like it’s 1974 and scare me? Times have changed, Grandma. This is my city now.”

Foxy chuckled, a low, dangerous sound. “Baby, age ain’t nothin’ but seasoning. And I’m still the baddest thing these streets have ever seen. Now, where’s Nia?”

Vivian’s men stepped forward, surrounding Foxy. “Let’s see if you’re still as tough as you think,” Vivian sneered.

Foxy didn’t flinch. She grabbed a champagne bottle from a passing tray and smashed it over the head of the nearest thug. Chaos erupted.

The fight was a symphony of action. Foxy moved with the precision of a seasoned warrior, taking out Vivian’s men one by one. She used everything at her disposal—a high heel to the throat, a serving tray as a makeshift shield, even the cord from a microphone stand to choke one of the goons.

The crowd scattered, leaving Vivian fuming as Foxy stood triumphant over her fallen men. “You want a war, Foxy? You just got one!” Vivian screamed before storming off.

Vivian retaliated swiftly, sending her top enforcer—a hulking brute named Darnell—to take Foxy out. He caught up with her at an old diner where she was meeting one of her contacts.

“End of the line, Brown,” Darnell growled, cracking his knuckles.

Foxy didn’t even look up from her coffee. “Baby, the only thing ending tonight is your career.”

The fight was brutal. Darnell was strong, but Foxy was smarter. She used his size against him, dodging his punches and landing precise blows to his knees and throat. When he lunged at her, she smashed a plate over his head, sending him sprawling.

As he lay groaning on the floor, she leaned over him. “Tell Vivian I’m comin’ for her. And tell her to bring her best. She’s gonna need it.”

Foxy’s investigation led her to a decrepit warehouse on the outskirts of town, the nerve center of Vivian’s operation. Inside, she found a group of young women, including Nia, being held against their will.

“Foxy!” Nia cried, tears streaming down her face.

“Shh, baby,” Foxy said, breaking the lock on the cage. “I got you. Let’s get you outta here.”

But before they could escape, Vivian and her men arrived.

“Touching,” Vivian said, clapping sarcastically. “You just can’t stay out of my business, can you?”

“You made it my business when you came for my family,” Foxy snapped. “This ends tonight.”

Vivian pulled a gun, but Foxy was faster. She grabbed a metal pipe and knocked the weapon from Vivian’s hand. The room erupted into chaos as Foxy took on Vivian’s men.

Despite the odds, Foxy was unstoppable. She wielded the pipe like an extension of herself, smashing knees, ribs, and jaws. Nia even got in on the action, hitting one of the goons with a fire extinguisher.

Vivian tried to escape, but Foxy cornered her on a catwalk overlooking the warehouse floor.

“You’re just like your grandma,” Foxy said, her voice cold. “All that power, but no guts. And just like her, you’re about to fall.”

Vivian sneered. “You think this is over? I’m just getting started.”

Foxy didn’t give her the chance. With one swift punch, she sent Vivian tumbling to the ground below.

By the time the police arrived, Foxy had freed the women and gathered enough evidence to ensure Vivian’s empire crumbled.

As the sun rose over the city, Foxy stood on a rooftop with Nia.

“Why’d you do it?” Nia asked. “You didn’t have to risk your life for me.”

Foxy smiled, her gaze fixed on the horizon. “Baby, family’s all we got. And when someone messes with mine, I remind them who I am. I’m Foxy Brown. I may be older, but trust me—I’m still bad as hell.”

The streets had changed, but Foxy hadn’t. Justice, after all, never went out of style.

[anti-terf-posts]

Three things that I've learned at the philosophy class today (14th/03):

I am a fuckin coward who does not know how to communicate their ideas n is afraid of embarrassin themselves if they try to do so.

This generation is way more conservative than we may think (which is ironic, considerin we're known as the “least conservative generation” n “the rad leftists”) an' no one around me ever noticed that.

Nobody at my class would survive any idea or concept of any of the non cishetero-amatonormative relationships dynamics that exists everywhere on the arospec, queerplatonic n the polyamorous communities. None of them. Not at all.

My teacher asked us to watch the movie The Matrix, since it was inspired by Plato's ideas, more specifically the cave story, so we could bring n discuss. Cause that was the subject of the class.

Surprisingly, the premise of the movie does not seem bad, n it's probably the red pill movement that ruined the experience, cause, as a classmate explained, is about a random guy who takes a red pill n discovers that the entire humanity is controlled by half a world of robots. Seems fun, I think I'm gon watch it if there is no gore or disturbin scenes. The whole problem started when my teacher touched on the red pill movement, omg...

Long, long story short, my teacher jus repackaged a whole lot of conservative bullshit that is shoved down our throats 24/7 since we were born until the school coordinator entered the classroom to talk to our teacher about somethin until she got angry at another student for askin her to go away, because it got her offended (lookin at this last part now, this is funny as shit, cause bro was tryin his best to be military style polite, as we study on a civic military school, n she still scolded the shit outta him, lmfao).

But somethin that caught me at the immediate time, but doesn't surprise me, now that I think about it was that my entire class shared heteronormative bioessentialist ideals. Our teacher, sure, it's expected, he's a grown ass adult, but it was my classmates that got to me.

I am 17 years old. Most of us are about to turn 18 n that's our last year of school. All of us were around 12/13 durin the pandemic, so I'm pretty sure many of us got to see the end or the leftovers of the “Quebrando Tabu” era. (For context, it was a left wing movement that was overall mainstream anti racism, iceberg tip lgbt rights activism n liberal feminism.) Since it was a very superficial left movement, I wouldn' expect radical leftists, anarchists or communists to come out of it, but the bare minimum I expected was for the girls at my class to not be indignated when men didn' perform traditional masculinity.

Bruh, they got angry over boys knowin names of hairstyles n complementin them on it, or knowin about makeup more than them. Like girl, if you're so insecure about a guy knowin make up more than you, go search more about make up, dammit!

Y'all, my eyes got wide when I heard people mentionin the fuckin bible to justify that the red pill movement was somewhat right, because “all relationships have a more masculine protective force n a more carin feminine force”. Totally not hetero-amatonormative discourse that reinforces gender roles on everybody, guys, I am definitely not scared. /sarcasm

An' it gets worse, cause then my teacher said: “even in homosexual relationships we observe this”. He said that even is relationship between two women, there was someone who did the role of The Man™ in the relationship. A thing that lesbians had been tryin to debunk. For. Years. N another fuck head commented on butches to support that. If that wasn' the most butchphobic thing I've ever heard, idk what it is.

An' I'm honestly not proud of myself for not standin up against it. As I said before, I am a coward n ion know how to stand up for myself or my ideals, n I'm jealous of those who know how to do so, kapakapakapa.

But moral of the story, the matrix has an interestin plot of the surface, we have never got over conservatism, no matter how much queers are visible right now, I need to do better, n people are disturbingly easy to think that they're goin against a system by spreadin logic of the fuckin system, jus because minorities are visible. The end.

Hey i don't think you should blame yourself for not standing up :( It's scary to share more leftist opinions, especially if you live in a more right-wing/conservative area. So you did nothing wrong, and I think you're already brave by sitting through that.

Also I'm going to have to agree with you on gen z being more conservative than we think :[ I live in a really left and progressive area, but I still hear kids yelling the r word and making homophobic/racist jokes. It's also really common to get weird looks whenever you talk about an opinion you have that's more liberal.

[matchadobo]

Can I request Kid x reader (established relationship) where he and the crew find out the reader is a run away princess beacuse she was arranged to get married to a prince who was awful? You can expand on this concept as much as u want!!

KIDD; runaway princess

wc: 2003

warning/s: none, very fluff, kidd's being violent tho

"snap at me when you've taken down more than half of what i had done, cutie." he taunted, pinning down enemies one after the other that almost got to you. "so i don't gotta watch your back all the time."

"i'll point the gun at you instead, numbskull."

once the lot of you had reached a quiet alley, you all settled down. some had got a hold of their knees, sat on the ground with their backs on the cold, bricked walls, or face flat on the asphalt trying to catch their breaths.

but you were too occupied with thinking if you should out yourself because you are overflowing with guilt. some of your men have been injured but thankfully enough no one died. while some of your mates tended to their wounds, you couldn't take all the guilt so you stepped up.

"why are you standin' like that?" kidd looked at you funny. he stood tall with his back against the wall, his arms crossed, a puzzled expression on his face.

"i... have something to confess to you guys." you said with your head hung low, fists balled up. the others figured that it was serious, so everyone stopped lousing around and had their eyes on you. you took your time gathering your thoughts and words and they anticipated patiently.

"out with it, love." kidd nudged you, placing his human arm on your shoulder. he donned a gentle smile which cheered you on. a smile only known to you and for you.

"the real reason why we're being chased by the royal guards of my village is not just because we're pirates. it's mostly because i-i'm the lost princess who ran away on her wedding day." you spat bitterly, bile rising across your throat.

you pulled out a bounty poster of you that you snatched from the pub you lot were drinking at earlier. "i colored and grew out my hair so i wouldn't be recognized." you placed the poster side by side. the utter astonishment in their eyes as even the littlest resemblance was not evident. you got too careless that your hair later grew out and your roots were showing. even with the make up, the people from your village were able to recognize you.

you took a look at them and they all had the same expression, jaws dropped on the floor. but you especially took a long glance at kidd, his face was unparalleled and you couldn't read him. was he angry? shocked? sad? amused?

he sucked in his teeth and tsked, "sounds like my little rockstar." he looked at you, eye-to-eye as he watched how tears pooled by your eyes. "kinda figured you're somewhat of a princess though, you're too damn pretty to be in my world."

"yeah?" you placed your hand above his which was clutching your cheeks. "i-i'm sorry i lied... i was... scared."

in a millisecond, kidd pulled you to his grasp by the back of your neck. he stroked at the back of your head, combing his fingers through your locks. "that ain't a problem, alright? i'm more than happy to take you away whatever reason you got going on." he pledged by your ear, his embrace tightening. "you better tell me all about it though, aye?"

"i'm really sorry, this is all my fault you guys got hurt." you sobbed silently yet you don't even think deserve to cry. "i-i'll just surrender so you guys can get off the hook-"

"name, no! what?!"

"now that's going too far, name!"

"don't even think about it, name! as if we'd let you!"

"what the hell do you think you're talking about?!" kidd fumed, eyes furious alternating between your glassy ones. "you do realize that when you became part of the crew, you're stuck with us, aye? whatever bullshit you're planning, get it the fuck outta your mind." he kicked a lone rock by the asphalt before turning his back to you. "don't go dropping shit like that like it's some normal fuckin' thing. think about what you really want, and maybe consider my goddamn feelings along the way, why don'tcha." kidd strutted deeper into the alley, with each click of his heel you felt guilt boring through your soul. you couldn't see it but his eyeliner was starting to fuck up because of the forming tears.

you fell to your knees, frustrated. some of the crew members gave you a hug as you started crying your heart out, remembering all the excruciating days of royalty. it was tormenting. but you wanted your crew to go free. if it means to save them, you'd do anything. so you made your way to consult your lover by the corner.

"if you want to surrender. you're just being selfish at this point, name." kidd said through gritted teeth, bitter words making your heart break. "you don't even think about what we want? what i fuckin' want? i know for goddamn sure that you don't want that, why else would you run away then? so let me ask you, what do you really want?" he looked you in the eye, both hands on your shoulders.

"i-i want to be with you. i feel the most free when i'm with you. i want you to be the one i marry. i don't want to be shackled by these posh shit, i want to sail the seas with you. i want to celebrate every birthday with the crew. i want to see everyone reach their dreams, especially you. i want to be with you every step along the way. i-i want to have that, b-but if this princess thing-"

"no buts, i heard you loud and clear, baby." he interrupted with a kiss on the forehead. "you wanna settle this the kidd pirate's way or what?" he suggested with the most manic grin against your ear. "i'm tempted to hunt down that moron prince who had the nerve to marry you. gotta teach 'em to not meddle with someone else's treasure."

"don't tell me you're burning the whole village down..." you looked up at him, though there was no shred of empathy in your eyes. seems like he and the crew had rubbed off on you.

"you bet i will."

hiii thanks for the request! very sporadic updates bc i'll have exams in a week 😞

[ohdorothea]

This tournament is being run by and for queer fans so please keep that in mind! Homophobes will be blocked on sight <3 More polls here and more info here! Lyrics for the songs and FAQ under the cut!

Sparks Fly lyrics

The way you move is like a full on rainstorm

And I'm a house of cards

You're the kind of reckless that should send me runnin'

But I kinda know that I won't get far

And you stood there in front of me, just close enough to touch

Close enough to hope you couldn't see what I was thinkin' of

Drop everything now, meet me in the pouring rain

Kiss me on the sidewalk, take away the pain

'Cause I see sparks fly whenever you smile

Get me with those green eyes, baby, as the lights go down

Give me something that'll haunt me when you're not around

'Cause I see sparks fly whenever you smile

My mind forgets to remind me you're a bad idea

You touch me once and it's really somethin'

You find I'm even better than you imagined I would be

I'm on my guard for the rest of the world

But with you, I know it's no good

And I could wait patiently, but I really wish you would

Drop everything now, meet me in the pouring rain

Kiss me on the sidewalk, take away the pain

'Cause I see sparks fly whenever you smile

Get me with those green eyes, baby, as the lights go down

Give me something that'll haunt me when you're not around

'Cause I see sparks fly whenever you smile

I run my fingers through your hair and watch the lights go wild

Just keep on keepin' your eyes on me

It's just wrong enough to make it feel right

And lead me up the staircase, won't you whisper soft and slow?

I'm captivated by you, baby, like a firework show

Drop everything now, meet me in the pouring rain

Kiss me on the sidewalk (Ah-ah), take away the pain

'Cause I see sparks fly whenever you smile

Get me with those green eyes, baby, as the lights go down

Give me something that'll haunt me when you're not around

'Cause I see sparks fly whenever you smile

And the sparks fly

Oh, baby, smile

And the sparks fly

🫶🫶🫶

The Story Of Us lyrics

I used to think one day we'd tell the story of us

How we met and the sparks flew instantly

And people would say, "They're the lucky ones"

I used to know my place was the spot next to you

Now I'm searchin' the room for an empty seat

'Cause lately I don't even know what page you're on

Oh, a simple complication

Miscommunications lead to fallout

So many things that I wish you knew

So many walls up, I can't break through

Now I'm standin' alone in a crowded room

And we're not speakin'

And I'm dyin' to know, is it killin' you

Like it's killin' me? Yeah

I don't know what to say since the twist of fate

When it all broke down

And the story of us looks a lot like a tragedy now

Next chapter

How'd we end up this way?

See me nervously pulling at my clothes and tryin' to look busy

And you're doin' your best to avoid me

I'm starting to think one day I'll tell the story of us

How I was losin' my mind when I saw you here

But you held your pride like you should've held me

Oh, I'm scared to see the ending

Why are we pretending this is nothin'?

I'd tell you I miss you, but I don't know how

I've never heard silence quite this loud

Now I'm standin' alone in a crowded room

And we're not speakin'

And I'm dyin' to know, is it killin' you

Like it's killin' me? Yeah

I don't know what to say since the twist of fate

When it all broke down

And the story of us looks a lot like a tragedy now

This is looking like a contest

Of who can act like they care less

But I liked it better when you were on my side

The battle's in your hands now

But I would lay my armor down

If you said you'd rather love than fight

So many things that you wish I knew

But the story of us might be ending soon

Now I'm standin' alone in a crowded room

And we're not speakin'

And I'm dyin' to know, is it killin' you

Like it's killin' me? Yeah

And I don't know what to say since the twist of fate

When it all broke down

And the story of us looks a lot like a tragedy now, now, now

And we're not speakin'

And I'm dyin' to know, is it killin' you

Like it's killin' me? Yeah

I don't know what to say since the twist of fate

'Cause we're goin' down

And the story of us looks a lot like a tragedy now

The end

🫶🫶🫶

The question is which song is queerer to you! Queerer can mean whatever you want it to mean; you might consider a song queer because you think it was written that way, or because of Swiftian lore. It might be queer to you because of how you relate it to your own life. Maybe you think from a purely literary standpoint the lyrics have queer themes; maybe you're just thinking about vibes!!!

Put in the tags your interpretations or propaganda for a specific song! Tags will be used to decide what songs may be saved if there are extra slots in the next round!

[occasional-drabbles]

Off the Rails

This one's a re-write of part of S4, so there's a fair bit of dialogue yoinked from the 4Kids dub as a result. But Iris is sick of Weevil's shit- I don't.... think there's any warnings needed? But let me know if I need to tag for anything!

Iris isn’t sure what’s stressing her companions out the most at this point, the threat of Orichalcos, the Pharaoh’s constant presence, or her own silence. 

While she knows having both herself and the Pharaoh closing in on themselves isn’t going to help, and she can even hear Tea trying to help convince him to talk about it, they don’t need her having a sob-fest on top of everything. So she pulled her headphones on and got out her notebook and pen, absently twirling it between her fingers. 

She needs to figure out a solution. What information do they have? What pieces are they still missing? 

Apparently Professor Hawkins didn’t have what Orichalcos was after, and they still want the Pharaoh’s soul to complete whatever their plan is. So the top priority should be- 

Her scribbled notes pause when registering movement, glancing up just in time to see the Pharaoh leaving his seat and stalking out of the passenger car. Iris can’t decide if he looks mad, or frustrated, or… scared. Perhaps all three, honestly. He was influenced by a dark magic, and lost someone so important to him that he essentially lost a piece of himself as a result. The confidence and certainty that they’d all come to associate with him were gone, replaced by a heavy guilt. 

Taking a slow breath as she swallowed down the thoughts of how much Yugi meant to all of them, and how deeply his absence was felt, Iris turned her attention back to her notebook. 

Their top priority is protecting the Pharaoh, for the sake of stopping Orichalcos, for the Pharaoh’s sake, and for Yugi’s sake. 

The next time Iris comes back to focus, it’s from Joey poking her arm to get her attention. She looked around curiously, realizing that the train car was empty, save for Joey, Tristan, Tea, and herself. Did she miss the announcement that they reached their station?? 

Nudging her headphones off, she started to close her notebook and toss everything back into her backpack. “Sorry, I didn’t realize we reached our stop-,” 

“We didn’t,” Joey interrupted, but didn’t stop her from re-packing her things. “All the other passengers just… disappeared.” 

Iris paused, eyebrows furrowing as she glanced up at him “Where’s the Pharaoh?” 

Joey shook his head, “He hasn’t come back after stormin’ off when Tea tried to get ‘im to talk. We wanna go take a look around and see if we can find him, or anyone for that matter.” 

Nodding in agreement, Iris slung her backpack over her shoulders. Satisfied that they were all on the same page, Joey took the lead to start exploring the train. Iris kept towards the rear, occasionally pausing to stare out the windows at the passing scenery. 

They were in the middle of nowhere, no civilization in sight, and no people in sight. As though they were the only ones on the train from the start… 

By the fourth car, they finally at least managed to find the Pharaoh, who clearly didn’t expect to see them in this part of the train as Tea called out to him. 

“In case ya haven’t noticed,” Joey started as the group caught up to the Pharaoh, “Somethin’ weird’s goin on.” 

Tristan stuck his head over Joey’s shoulder, nudging Iris a bit closer towards the center of their group in the process. “If you asked me, I’d say this whole train ride is another trap!” 

“I’m sure those same slime balls are behind this, and I bet they’re on board,” Joey sneered, torn between wanting a break from said ‘slime balls’, and looking forward to maybe getting some answers. 

Tristan nodded eagerly, “Well, what’re we standin’ here for? Let’s get ‘em!” 

The familiar intensity of determination flashed across the Pharaoh’s face, Iris managing to see it for just a moment before he turned to run back the way he came, further towards the front of the train. She couldn’t help a small sigh of relief. Looks like he hasn’t lost all of his spark, yet. 

She took off alongside Tea, Tristan and Joey following just behind them as they all followed after the Pharaoh. Though, as they crossed through the small connector bridge with Iris hot on the Pharaoh’s heels, she heard an uncomfortable and loud screeching noise. Gripping onto the straps of her backpack to resist the urge to cover her ears, she startled as she crossed the threshold into the new train car and the car shuddered, the sound of metal breaking beneath them. 

Both Iris and the Pharaoh turned to see the connecting tunnel breaking off from the car the others were in, Tea having almost fallen in the new split. 

“Grab my hand!,” the Pharaoh called, bracing himself against the door with one hand while the other reached back for Tea. Iris opted to do the same, bracing most of her body inside the train car while reaching out to help catch Tea. Tea made the leap and reached for their hands, letting them work together to tug her into the safety of the train car. 

The trio turned to look behind them at Joey and Tristan, stuck in the other train car and with far too much distance between them for either to try the same maneuver. 

“What do we do now??” Tristan called, struggling to be heard over the roaring wind as the train car he and Joey were in slowly began to decelerate. 

The Pharaoh only considered for a moment before yelling back “Get help!” 

Tea lightly tugged on Iris and the Pharaoh’s sleeves, her eyebrows furrowed anxiously. “We have to find a way to stop this train!”

Since there’s certainly no argument that that’s their next immediate step, the trio ran further into the train car to try and get to the front of the train. When they passed by a small speaker, Tea paused to try calling out to the conductor through it, but received no response. 

As the trio continued forward, Iris saw the ladder on the outside of the engine car, and didn’t hesitate to start climbing the railing to get to it. 

“There might be an emergency hatch on the roof, good idea!” The Pharaoh called, following her lead. 

When he reached the top, he realized Iris was standing just a few paces ahead, leaving just enough room for him and Tea to safely climb up. Though, the familiar sound of obnoxious laughter told him why she hadn’t continued forward in search of the hatch. 

“Weevil Underwood!,” he yelled, helping Tea up before turning his full attention to the young boy standing at the front of the train, “Are you behind this?? You’d better start explaining yourself!”

Iris’s hands clenched into fists, not paying attention to the back and forth banter. All she cares about is that Weevil was in their way, spouting the same nonsense as Orichalcos, and trying to duel the Pharaoh. 

“Weevil! Don’t you realize that if you go through with this duel, one of you guys is gonna lose your soul forever?” Tea yelled, hoping to make Weevil come to his senses. Though, considering the grip he kept on that stone, there was no sense left. 

“Of course I do,” Weevil scoffed, “That’s the whole reason I’m here! To make him pay, by sealing him away!” He pointed to the Pharaoh, a maniacal grin on his face. “Don’t worry,” he taunted, “soon you’ll be locked away with your friend Yugi, Pharaoh!” 

That seemed to be enough to knock the Pharaoh out of his stupor as he took a step closer to Weevil, now side by side with Iris. “Where is he?? Tell me!” 

“I’m afraid the only way to find out is to duel me,” Weevil answered, feigning confident nonchalance. He knew he had the Pharaoh’s attention. “So if you back down, then you’ll never see that twerp again!” 

“Very well-” the Pharaoh started, only to be distracted by Iris shrugging off her backpack. 

“Fine.” Reaching into her backpack, she pulled out her own duel disk and placed it on her arm. 

“Iris?” Tea asked, startled by the sudden action. 

Weevil started laughing, placing a hand over his face. “You? Duel me? Have you ever even been in a duel?” 

Once reassured that the duel disk was secure, Iris pulled her deck from its pocket in her backpack, promptly slotting it in place on the disk. “I participated in Duelist Kingdom and could have been a finalist in the Battle City Tournament alongside Yugi and Joey if I wanted to. Yugi taught me how to duel, and I have done my best to be present for, and learn from, every duel my friends have fought. If it’s a duel you want, it’s a duel you’ll get.” 

Weevil quieted when realizing that she was serious, moving to point at her angrily. “I don’t want to duel you, I want to beat the Pharaoh! I have to prove I’m the best!” 

“Iris, this isn’t your fight, it’s-” the Pharaoh tried, startling when she held her backpack out for him to take. Her expression was almost completely blank, save the furrow to her brow. It was strange, and wrong, but he still slowly accepted the bag. 

Iris turned her attention to Weevil, narrowing her eyes at him. “If you’re dueling anyone, it’s me, Weevil. Take it or leave it.” 

Reaching out to carefully grab her arm, the Pharaoh tried yet again to dissuade her. “You don’t need to do this, Iris. I can duel him.” 

“No.” Iris shot back, finally looking at him. “This brat needs to learn to stop sticking his nose where it doesn’t belong. I’ll deal with him, you and Tea see if you can figure out a way to stop the train.” 

Even as she pulled her arm out of his grip, the Pharaoh didn’t give up. “Iris, wait!”

Growling in frustration, Iris whirled around to face him. “Shut up! You aren’t the only one who lost Yugi! And right now, you need to get a grip on yourself before I even think about letting you touch your deck to duel right now.” 

Tea and the Pharaoh startled at the sudden harshness from their friend, Tea’s hands going to her chest worriedly. 

“I know it’s a lot, and it’s scary, and you screwed up. I know. But they’re after your soul, and I’m not going to let you just hand yourself over on a silver platter just because they taunt you about Yugi!” Iris’s voice shakes from the emotions she’d been bottling up, her eyes watering. “So this is going to be my fight, not yours.” 

Taking a slow breath to regain control over herself, Iris turned her back to her friends to face Weevil again, holding her arm out to let the duel disk activate properly. 

“If you want to duel, Weevil, you’re dueling me. Any attempts to get past me to focus on the Pharaoh, and well…,” She walked closer to the edge of the train and looked down thoughtfully, “I hope you enjoy the taste of gravel and metal.” 

Finally seeming to realize he didn’t have any other options, Weevil activated his duel disk as well. “Fine. Once I’m done with you, I can move on to the Pharaoh… I suppose you’ll suffice as a warm up. It’s a shame, though,” he mused in mock disappointment as he pulled the first card from his deck, “I was hoping to give him the honor of being the one I test this card against.” 

Holding the card out to show the trio, he grins when Tea gasps when seeing the increasingly familiar teal symbol. The Seal of Orichalcos! 

“What’s the matter?” Weevil asked, his eyes on the Pharaoh, “You’ve played this card before, haven’t you? If I’m not mistaken, this is what you used to lock little Yugi away!” 

When the Pharaoh moves to approach, Iris sticks her arm out again to block him, glaring at Weevil. “Shut up and just play the stupid card!” 

“Iris!” Tea cries, taking a few steps forward worriedly, “If he plays that, you’ll both be in danger of losing your souls!” 

Iris’s hands are shaking again, even as she places her hand on top of her deck. “I know, Tea, I know. But they’re after the Pharaoh’s soul, and we can’t even risk playing into their hands. So if they’re going to get a soul, we may as well ensure that, no matter the outcome, it isn’t the one they want. Besides…,” she sighed, glancing over at the Pharaoh, “It’s about time that I put all of the lessons from Yugi and the Pharaoh both into practice, and I actually help for once instead of standing on the sidelines. Now you two go see if you can find a way to stop this train!” 

“Enough talk,” Weevil interrupts, growling in frustration as he places his Seal of Orichalcos into his duel disk, “let’s duel!” 

The green sigil forms on the ground and spreads, encompassing himself and Iris. However, the barrier takes up the entire roof, tossing the Pharaoh and Tea both to the next car, with barely a single hand hold for them to reach. 

Iris’s eyes widen, rushing to the barrier despite knowing that she can’t help them, just as they can’t help her anymore. “Guys!” 

Relief almost makes her drop to her knees when she sees them manage to grab onto a hatch on that car, safe from falling to the rushing ground below. For now, at least. 

Turning her attention back to Weevil, she sneers. “It’s time to teach you a lesson, Weevil!” 

With that, she draws her first card. 

[mountainvroyce]

; ; w h i s p e r e d r u m o r s

the cramped tavern was alive with the murmur of voices and the clink of mugs, the thick haze of pipe smoke curling like ghosts among the rafters. outside, the storm howled against the wooden shutters, rain lashing with a fury that felt almost unnatural. thunder rumbled low and ominous, as if the heavens themselves were unsettled. within, a man stood near the hearth, his sodden cloak dripping onto the worn wooden floor, forming small puddles that no one dared step into.

his hands trembled violently as he clutched a tankard of ale, his fingers slick and pale, knuckles white. his face was drawn and hollow, shadows pooling beneath his wide, bloodshot eyes. when he finally spoke, his voice was thick with the peculiar cadence of the vale, his words rolling off his tongue like a dark chant.

“���he’s one of ’em, i swear it,” he rasped, his voice barely rising above the storm’s wail outside. the tavern grew quieter as his words crawled into the ears of the gathered smallfolk. a few exchanged uneasy glances, but most turned to him with expressions of bemused dismissal. he leaned forward, droplets of rainwater slipping from his matted hair onto the table. “all the signs are there! the old stories, aye, you know ‘em well enough!”

the crowd stirred uncomfortably, some averting their eyes. but the man slammed his fist against the table, rattling the mugs atop it. “don’t look away! you listen! axell royce! he come back from the dead, he did. a year in the ground—a year!—an’ then he just walks back into runestone? that don’t happen! the people saw his body—i saw his body. he was stone cold, pale as milk. dead as winter.”

a chill seemed to ripple through the room despite the heat of the hearth. the man’s voice dropped, growing more frenzied and guttural, as if dredging up horrors he could barely contain. “but he ain’t the same. taller now, stronger, vicious. they say he’s got somethin’ unnatural ‘bout him, aye. charms the girls, he does—girls who ain’t never seen again. two from the village near gulltown, just… vanished.”

his tankard rattled as he set it down, unable to steady his shaking hand. his breath hitched, and his voice broke as he spoke the next words. “my jocelyn… my sweet jocelyn… she’s gone. an’ i know—i know it’s him! that bastard ain’t no man. he’s what the old stories warned us of, the monsters we thought were just tales told to scare children.”

the storm seemed to crescendo outside as the man stood, his gaunt figure framed by the flickering light of the fire. his voice rose, each word dripping with dread and conviction. “we know the legends, passed down from our grandfathers and theirs before. but when it’s standin’ right in front of us, we shut our eyes! well, no more. mark my words, axell royce is a vampire.”

-

rumors have begun to spread amongst the small folk that axell royce is a vampire or some darker force that is praying upon the smallfolk. though now this rumor has begun to reach the ears of the nobility. some pass it off as a foolish tale, other who are more religious or believe in the supernatural stories of the vale have given the younger royce some distance now. axell has been seen laughing at the claims, though some note he has not denied it.

[rocklandjbrin]

"Well if it's that famous maybe it'll be lended out. Gonna have to go on a waitlist five hundred people long or somethin'." He joked, "Don't really have Netflix... a family friend does, though. Last I heard at least. Maybe she'd be up for checking it out."

Tell me how you really feel. "I'm not joshin' you! A load of fantasy series in recent years? Probaly influenced by Tolkein- he's the author. His works are like, a masterpiece of literary fiction." He finished up the last of his wings, and then turned to his donut. Maybe he'd save part of it for later, but, in the mean time... He took a big bite and sighed contentedly. Sweet, sugary goodness. Of course, the guy promptly mixed up the Lord of the Rings and it's predecessor, and Rock couldn't keep the amused glimmer from his eyes. He did try to shrug it off though. At least Wade knew something about the world of Middle Earth. "You're on the right track, that's the book before it. Lord of the Rings still has an adventure with the ring, though." He snorted as he compared the dwarves to Snow White. "I haven't seen Snow White but these dwarves live in the mountains. As for orcs, they were made by this dude named Morgoth, they used to be elves, but they were changed, and they work for the big bad now." A smirk crossed his lips as Wade spoke of Gollum, "Yeah, that's his name. Well, one of 'em. He was influenced by the ring, and is basically obsessed with it. He's uh, he's got some problems. It's kinda complicated though, so, you know, if you wanna find out more maybe you should give it a read."

Not an honourable bone in his body? "Yeah, you know, you're probably right. Standin' up for a kid and then buyin' him a meal, dessert and all? Real dishonourable." The sarcasm was dripping like the glaze of his donut. A lot of bad. What did he mean by that? Was this guys' idea of bad actually that bad, or was he just being hard on himself? "Is it stuff you can do something about, now? Stuff you could make better?"

Talk about praise, when it came to his ability. The boy practically glowed with sheepish pride, "Thanks, man. I wanna get better at 'em, I just- I gotta be kinda cautious about where, you know? Old man doesn't want me practicin' at the house and not everyone's as cool about uh, about people like me." There were people roaming around even at this time of night, and the street would be bustling by morning. "Besides, I find it kinda eats up energy if I use 'em a lot, don't need to be even hungrier." It took him a second to recognize the fumble in his words, the implications, and he quickly followed up, "Growing teen and all." He took another bite of his donut, and nodded at Wade's question, speaking over his mouthful, "Yeah, we've got what's called an "X" gene." He smiled, "I don't know if it's possible to comprehend the entire world. It's got layers. Just from a microscopic perspective alone never mind what we can see with our bare eyes." Yeah, he read up on science, too. It was pretty cool. "Mutants, aliens, who knows what's all out there? Maybe dragons. That'd be epic."

Or vampires, apparently. He hadn't expected that on his night's bingo card. "Aw, man. You mean you don't have a cape at home?" He joked, laughing with the others' bewilderment when it came to sparkling. "It's uh- It's a Twilight reference. That's a book series about vampires who sparkle in the sun." Wade seemed hesitant to show his teeth. Rock squinted skeptically, and then- Whoah. His eyes had changed. And sure enough, "Yeah, that's a little sharper than average. Eh, I'm not scared, doubt you'd save my ass just to suck my blood. Plus you were fine with my nose, earlier. That is wild, Dude! So uh, you're still able to eat regular food? Are you the vampire equivalent to vegetarian-? Sorry, another Twilight joke, that's- some of them have animal blood instead of, you know. That's what I mean. What about reflections? Can you see yourself in them?" He looked across the street, trying to get his eyes on a window reflection or something. "How old are you? Are you like, immortal?"

Well that caught their attention alright. A middle finger had shot into the air, directed at a group of teens across the street who were hovering by a Duncan Donuts long closed for the night. The boy beneath the hoodie, propelling said finger, sneered. Just like that, the group of five moved towards him, the tallest, Shacks, sauntering forward with an irritating air of confidence. And to think, there'd been a time when Rockland had thought he was cool.

"You can't seriously blame us, Rocky." He looked to the others with cruel amusement, "It was a prank, get a sense of hum-" Too busy searching for the favour of his crew, he'd missed the draw of the younger teen's fist before it met his cheek.

"Prank my ass, I could've been arres-oof." Rockland was tackled by Archie, the smallest of the bunch, who was about a head shorter than he was, but kinda stalky for his age, and with the element of surprise on his side. Cane clattering out of hand, and across the sidewalk, the lanky teen scraped across the pavement, electric pain radiating up from his tailbone. He caught the breath that had been knocked out of him just in time to catch the thump of a fist to the nose in return. - For Wade

Wade didn't know what to make of this city yet. He'd only been here a couple days and was still trying to get his bearings. It wasn't a bad city, he thought, just cold. Just... really cold when you're alone, like all cities are. Nevertheless, Wade did some hunting and stocked up on other supplies, always wanting to stay on the move. That's how he got jobs, and that's how he kept sane.

Tonight had been quiet enough so far... that is until he heard sounds of a fight. But a fight... between kids? Was he hearing this right? Wade made his way toward the sounds, and sure enough, some kids whose parents were absent and whose bedtimes must be fast-approaching were going at it. Or rather, several kids were beating up on one unfortunate one.

"Hey! Come on, cut it out, what the hell're you guys doin'?!" Wade yelled, hoping to scatter the bullies. "You know better than this, get off him! Don't make me call the cops!" he said, watching as they all scattered... save for one. Wade knelt down beside the boy lying on the ground. "Hey, buddy, you okay?" he asked gently.

[loveephia]

you as inarizaki's beautiful manager..

↳ nekoma ver. | shiratorizawa ver.

fukurodani ver. | aoba johsai ver.

- inarizaki literally holds the title of being the 2nd strongest vb team in the entire nation

- if that doesn't scare you, IDK ANYMORe

- you could trip, and they'd probably snicker at you 😭😭

- anyway, you kinda just joined the team so that you have something to add to your resumé

- everyone is thrilled

- you know some of the players since they're quite popular

- kita is so handsome

- suna just has this deadpan expression on his face. scary.

- "i'm sure you already know who i am." atsumu, no

- "hey, m'osamu." at least he had the decency to humbly introduce himself, unlike his twin

- aran is an absolute sweetheart

- you're one of the very few people he respects on this team.

- ren also had a deadpan expression, but he did nod at you, so that's something

- kita is so handsome

- AKAGI WELCOMED YOU WITH OPEN ARMS

- you are now bffls aka best friends for life 🤞🤞

- ginjima thinks you're brave for managing such a fiery team, so you've automatically earned his respect

- riseki wants to talk to you, but you're so pretty that he's afraid he'll mess up his own sentences 😭

- kosaku gives you two thumbs up of encouragement because this year is going to be hectic for you

- kita is so handsome

- practice starts, and you're still learning the reigns, not really speaking all that much since you're quick introduction a while ago

- you're drying their bibs, taking down notes for when's their next practice match, refilling water bottles

- ya know, all that stuff

- why are there so many STRAYS

- you swear you're getting some sort of arthritis from the number of times you had to bend down and pick up a ball

- yeah, so as it turns out, the 2nd years were doing this on purpose

- they wanted to talk to you 😔

- EVEN SUNA

- MAYBE IF YOU WEREN'T SO MYSTERIOUS AND PRETTY THEY WOULDN'T BE DOING THIS!!

- one of these strays actually happened to hit you in the face

- courtesy of atsumu 🙂

- osamu has waited for this moment all of his life

- (for atsumu to look like a bumbling fool in front of a pretty girl)

- that's one thing crossed off of his bucket list, that's for sure

- of course, with atsumu's enormous amount of pride, he blames it on you

- "WHY WERE YOU JUST STANDIN' THERE?!" in your defence, you were literally on the sidelines reading about the rules of volleyball. how was any of this your fault??

- kita gives him a sharp glare, almost as if he's scolding him, and what happens next is like magic

- he managed to get THE atsumu miya to quietly mumble a "sorry." TO YOU.

- and so you continue on with your day!!

- you didn't scold him

- now me personally,

- joking

- practice is finally over, and it's dark out

- you usually walk home as soon as school is over, but since you stayed behind a couple of hours helping out the team, you're sceptical of walking alone

- kita, sensing your uneasiness, offers to walk with you

- you love him so much you just want to bite his cheeks cuteness aggression

- you oblige, and it just so happens that the miya twins are heading the same way you are!!

- suna and aran see them and catch up

- "don't you live all the way in the other neighborho—?"

- "shut up, suna—!"

- so, now you're walking home with five bodyguards!! which was literally just what you needed

- they make a quick stop at a convenience store, and atsumu buys you a popsicle

- "consider it as an.." come on 'tsumu SWALLOW YOUR PRIDE

- "apology fer hitting you earlier."

- you smile, accepting the peace offering. "thank you."

- YOU SMILED.

- FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER TODAY.

- atsumu pretty much froze on the spot there, literally taken aback from how pretty your smile is

- dude, you got even the other boys staring at you

- you think it's a bit creepy, though.

- "oi, knock it off. stop staring at me."

- kita clears his throat and looks away from you because this time, he thought you were beautiful

- once you're finally home, you bid the others goodbye and flop onto your bed already looking forward to tomorrow's practice

©blushlani | lowercase intended

[starryevermore]

you’d come back to me ✧ anakin skywalker

angst city™ library | send in a request (consult request faqs first)

request: You're Padmes little sister and some of the clones start to take a liking to you and this enrages anakin for some reason???? He realizes oh shit, I like padmes little sister not padme 🤯 - @captainsbestgal​

pairing: anakin skywalker x fem!naberrie!medic!reader

summary: anakin skywalker is in love with padmé amidala. he has been for years now. but, then why does her sister vex him so? surely he’s not pining after the wrong one… right? 

word count: 5,929

warnings?: anakin and padmé are not married, idiots in love, jealousy, mutual pining, not proofread

While you were grateful for the Naberrie family taking you in, considering you a daughter of their own while sharing no blood relation to them, in a lot of ways, you often felt like a complete outsider. You looked to your family and you felt your accomplishments paled in comparison—especially when one of your sisters was Padmé, the former Queen and now Senator for Naboo. You were accomplished, sure, in your own field. Not everyone was able to serve as a medic for the Grand Republic Army, and certainly not everyone got to serve as a medic for the 501st. But you weren’t so foolish to think that your name was one that would go down in history. You were not the kind of person that would be remembered for years after your death. You were not the type of woman who would leave behind some grand legacy. When people remembered your family, you might only be a footnote. And you had long since been content with that. 

You loved your work, after all. For as long as you could remember, you wanted to help people. You supposed part of that came from how the Naberrie family helped you. You remembered being scared, being helpless, and how they comforted you, made you feel at home, made you feel at peace. If you could offer that same sort of comfort to others, why shouldn’t you? 

But, with that being said, there were some moments in your line of work that made you want to smash your head into the wall. You loved the 501st, but you weren’t sure if it was just the nature of the boys or if it was something that Anakin, their General, encouraged, but it seemed like they just didn’t know how to stay out of trouble. So, when you saw that you were going to be dealing with a potentially concussed ARC Trooper first thing when you started your shift, you already knew that it was going to be a long day. 

Fives was laying on one of the beds, clutching his head, whining to Echo about how much his head hurt. Oh, of course it was Fives. Of all the clones in the 501st, he seemed to be the most keen on getting into trouble. Sometimes, you wondered if he found trouble just so that he would have an excuse to talk to you. And, it almost seemed like you were right, when you made your presence known. 

As you walked up to the bed, you greeted the clones. “Good morning, Fives, Echo. Heard someone got into a fight with a cliff and lost.”

“Doc! You’re here!” Fives said, giving you a dopey sort of look. You fought the urge to laugh, knowing that would only spur him on more. “Was thinkin’ you were standin’ me up!”

You looked to Echo, who was holding his brother down, stopping him from jumping out of the bed. “Just how hard did he hit his head?”

“Hard enough to know I’ve fallen for you,” Fives slurred. He tried to sit up again, but Echo pressed down on his chest, stopping the movement. 

Echo shook his head at his brother. “Fives forgot his jetpack, so General Skywalker used the Force, but he miscalculated how far to throw him.”

“Sounds like I’m going to have to have a talk with General Skywalker,” you said, a scowl forming on your face. “That’s not the first time he’s done this. I can’t keep letting him hurt my boys.”

“Hear that, Echo? I’m her boy!” Fives crowed. He pushed away his brother’s hands, sitting up, letting out a groan as he moved. But that didn’t stop him for reaching for your hands, tugging you close to him. It took you by surprise, so you didn’t have time to pull away, convince him to lie back down. “When we’re in Coruscant again, do you wanna go to 79’s with me? My treat?”

“I was speaking about all of your brothers, Fives. All of you are my boys,” you corrected. 

His shoulders deflated. “Oh.” But then, he perked back up, his eyes once more filled with joy. “Well, they’ll all be there, too! It’ll still be my treat and all but—” 

“Doc? Did Fives make it down here alright? I sent him this way the second we got back from the mission, but you know how he likes to wander off—” Anakin’s words died in his throat as he saw that Fives was holding onto your hands, looking at you like you hung all the stars in the sky. “Ah, well, seems like I had nothing to worry about.”

You dropped Fives’s hands, turning towards the General, your hands coming to rest on your hips. “You’re gonna have something to worry about if you don’t stop putting my boys in unnecessary danger. Isn’t it bad enough that they’re having to fight in a war? Do you really need to be using the Force to throw them against cliffs?”

Anakin’s face burned red. He looked away, avoiding your gaze. It was curious, the way the usually confident man could not look at you, much like he was a child being scolded. “That was an accident. And, besides, Fives is fine—”

“We don’t know that, yet. I haven’t started his examination. And, even if he is fine, that doesn’t mean he will be the next time, or whichever clone you decide to use as a crash test dummy. They’re people, Anakin. Treat them like it.”

Behind you, Fives leaned over to Echo, whisper-shouting, “Is it just me or does she get even hotter when she’s scolding people?”

“Shh, don’t make her scold us next!”

“Honestly, I wouldn’t mind if she did. She can talk to me anyway she wants and I’ll fu—”

“Fives!” you snapped, looking at him and shaking your head. His mouth immediately shut and he dragged his fingers across his lips, mimicking a zipping motion, punctuating his silent statement with a wink. Letting out a sigh, you turned back to Anakin. “Be more considerate to them, okay? I know tensions are always high on the battlefield, that you might not be able to think everything through fully, but please always try to keep their safety in mind when you’re about to do something reckless. Promise me that, Ani. They may be soldiers, but they’re people to. Their lives matter.”

Anakin stared at you, a strange look in his eyes. If you were paying close enough attention, you might have said it was the same look that Fives had in his eyes when he looked at you. But you weren’t paying that kind of attention, because you were waiting for his answer and not analyzing his micro-expressions. “I promise.”

“Good. Thank you. Now get outta here, I got a soldier to patch up.”

He gave a curt nod, turning to walk out of the medbay. For a moment, you felt bad, an odd sort of sinking feeling settling in your chest. Had you been a little too harsh? It wasn’t often that you were out there, in active combat. Kix, as a clone medic, was the one who was out there. He took care of all of that. So you didn’t have the best frame of reference of the stress that Anakin might be under out there. Still, though, he should know better. Of all people, you would think he would empathize most with the clones. 

But, as you turned back to your patient, Fives was grabbing at your hands again, looking at you like you were an angel that just dropped straight down from Heaven, as he asked, “So is that a yes? You’ll come to 79’s with me?”

You sighed, knowing he wouldn’t drop it. You knew how stubborn the man could be. If you kept avoiding the question, he would keep asking, stopping you from properly treating him. You couldn’t do your job unless you told him you would go. Besides, it might be fun. You deserved a break, too, didn’t you? “Sure, Fives. I’ll go.”

If you were looking his way, you would have noticed how Anakin paused in his step, the way his fists clenched at his side. But, you weren’t, so you didn’t know. 

Anakin had never felt this way before. So conflicted, so confused, so hurt. Why? Why did he feel this way? Was it you? No, it couldn’t be. You were doing your job. You were tending to a patient. He had seen you do the very same perhaps a thousand times before. There was nothing different about seeing you today. But then…Why did his heart stop when he saw Fives holding your hands? Why did his heart sink when you agreed to go to 79’s with Fives? Perhaps…No. No. That was impossible. 

His heart laid with Padmé, he was sure of it. Since the first time he saw her on Tatooine, he had dreamed of her face. She had always been so kind to him. As he trained at the Jedi Temple, he hoped that there might come a day when he would see her again. Years later, he did. And, oh, he felt just the same then as he did when he was a boy. She was his soulmate. She had to be. 

So why did it feel like his heart had been beating for you ever since you joined his battalion? 

His comm beeped, pulling him from his thoughts. It was Padmé. Ever since they had reunited a few years ago, they had been in semi-regular contact. It was difficult, of course, given him fighting in the war and her serving as Senator for Naboo. But they always found time for each other. Yet, for a fleeting moment, he considered ignoring her comm. 

He didn’t. He ducked into his room, making sure the door was locked, before answering. “Padmé,” he said. Usually, he felt lighter, happier, when he got to see her face. This time, he only felt a shroud of jealousy and insecurity cloaking him. “I wasn’t expecting to hear from you.”

She smiled. Anakin always loved her smile. He thought it made her angelic appearance become even more heavenly. But now, he found himself comparing it to yours. They were both beautiful, to be sure. But Anakin found himself more drawn to your smile. Why? What had you done to vex him this way? 

“I heard you were going to be arriving on Coruscant soon,” she said.

Anakin nodded. The boys were well due for leave. They needed a break. Though, Anakin thought bitterly, they didn’t deserve a break if they were going to use it to attempt to charm you. To Padmé, he said, “We’ll be arriving within the day.”

“I wish I could see you,” she said. Her smile faded ever so slightly. “I have to go on a diplomatic mission in a few hours. If you would like, you can stay at my apartment. I might be back before you have to leave again.”

He shrugged. Normally, he would love the offer. It made him feel like she trusted him, like perhaps she liked him as much as he liked her. It felt different, this time. Like he would be committing some sort of betrayal. “I think I’ll stay at the Temple. I’m going to take a page out of Obi-Wan’s book and attempt to meditate.”

Padmé’s smile fully faded. She was always so good at reading him. Anakin often wondered if she was the slightest bit Force-sensitive. Or perhaps he was more of an open book than he realized. “Is something wrong? Is something troubling you?”

Anakin looked away. He wanted to say. If it was anyone else, Anakin would have no trouble telling Padmé. But it was you. Padmé’s sister. How awkward would that be? Not to mention, it could ruin anything that Anakin may have with her. Still, he couldn’t stop himself from asking, “Do you know if your sister is seeing anyone?”

Padmé stared at him, her brows raised. Kriff. That hadn’t come out right, had it?

“I just mean, some of the boys were…I don’t know. I don’t know if I’m reading too much into things, but it felt like one of them might be interested with her.” 

She still stared. Did he need to elaborate more? 

“I just was thinking that, if she was seeing one of them, I should probably have a talk with the trooper. You know, make sure they know they can’t use her or break her heart or anything like that. She doesn’t deserve that. She’s too good to be treated like that.”

Padmé hummed but said nothing. Anakin almost felt like a child again, when he had done something his mother explicitly told him not to do. He would try to hide the evidence, try to fabricate some story to explain the mess he had made. But his mother always knew. She always saw right through him. Padmé, Anakin mused, was a lot like his mother in that way. But he was grown now, and he knew that he couldn’t keep babbling on about a story that they both knew to be false. He had to pivot, had to redirect. Maybe then, the heat would be off him. 

Anakin looked away, then back again. He asked, “Do you know? If she’s seeing anyone?”

“As far as I am aware, no, she’s not,” Padmé said. Anakin knew Padmé well enough to know that there was more she wanted to say, and she was never the kind of person to hold her tongue. “You don’t have to lie to me, Ani. If there’s something more there, something beyond concern for her heart, you can tell me.”

“There’s—” The words couldn’t form. Anakin wanted to deny Padmé’s accusation. (Right?) But the words soured on his tongue. It felt wrong, to say there was nothing there. To be sure, Anakin wasn’t sure what was there. But to say there was nothing would be untrue. He couldn’t lie to Padmé. Instead, he said, “She only deserves the best.”

Padmé smiled at Anakin like she knew something he didn’t. “You are one of my closest friends, Ani. If there was anyone who I could trust with my sister’s heart, it would be you. If you choose to follow her, you would have my full support.”

She was gone before Anakin could even think of a protest. 

Dread settled in the pit of Anakin’s stomach as they arrived on Coruscant. The 501st, previously wore out from the stress of battle, had been rejuvenated at the prospect of well-deserved leisure, pleasure. When he passed some of the troopers, Anakin feigned excitement for them, though he felt anything but. All he could think of was Padmé’s words, of you agreeing to go to 79’s with Fives, of how he couldn’t figure out what this emotion was he was feeling every time he thought of your face. 

But rather than returning to the Jedi Temple, as he told Padmé he would do, he found himself lingering, waiting to see you. Perhaps he could convince you not to go. Perhaps he could make up some task that you need to complete immediately, something that would prevent you from going out to 79’s. Would that be cruel of him? Sure. But was it not more cruel to let your heart be broken by someone you might one day lose to this war?

Anakin wandered the halls, trying to figure out what he should do. He tried to think about what Obi-Wan would say. He was sure his Master would talk about how the Jedi Code does not allow attachments, that Anakin should leave you be and let you do what you please. That Anakin should return to the Temple, that he should meditate, that he should remember that pursuing you would be allowed so long as he remained a Jedi. (What was the point, then, of being a Jedi if Anakin would be denied your love?) 

Finally, Anakin decided he would leave you be. This was a fluke, he decided. The result of being away from Padmé for so long, of you being the closest thing he had to her on a day-to-day basis. There was no reason to bother you about this.

But, as he turned to return to the Temple, or perhaps to go to Padmé’s apartment, he saw you walking down the hall, the click-clack of your heels on the tile signaling him toward your presence. Against his better judgment, the judgment that told him he should try to place some distance between you and him, Anakin turned toward you. 

Kriff. 

He shouldn’t have done that. 

You wore a dark, shimmery dress that left little to the imagination. The dress had a plunging neckline, directing Anakin’s gaze down to your cleavage. He swallowed hard, tried to look again, tried to show you basic respect. But as he looked away, his gaze trailed down your legs. Maker, had you always been so beautiful? Had you always looked like a goddess among men? 

“Anakin!” you greeted. You smiled at him. He found it hard to look away from your painted lips. (What would it look like if it was smudged? What if he was the one to smudge it?) “I thought you would have left my now.”

He raised a brow. “Trying to get rid of me, Doc?”

Your eyes widened. “What? No! I-I just, you know…You have important Jedi duties. I-I thought you’d be back at the Temple already.”

He did. He really should have left a long time ago. Undoubtedly, the Council would have some sort of assignment for him to do while he was back on Coruscant. There was no benefit to remaining here. Except, of course, to see you, but you didn’t need to know that. 

“Are you on your way to the boys’ barracks?” he asked. He couldn’t find a way to explain himself, so redirecting the conversation was the way to go. 

“I—yes. How did you know?“

“I heard you tell Fives you’d go to 79’s with him,” Anakin said. He extended his arm for you to take. “C’mon. I’ll walk you over there, make sure you’re in safe hands.”

Though, he didn’t know if he should classify his hands as safe. Nevertheless, you held onto his bicep as you and him walked down the hall to the troopers’ barracks. It was quiet, the walk was. Anakin wasn’t sure if he liked that. He preferred listening to you talk. 

“You should come with us,” you said as you approached the barracks. “I-I don’t know if there’s some Jedi ban on going to bars—”

Anakin barked out a laugh. “—we’re allowed to have fun, Doc! It’s not all meditation and contemplation and boring things.”

“—I didn’t know! You all are so unlike everyone else. I didn’t want to make you feel pressured to break your Code!” you defended. You looked away. Anakin could feel your anxiety. He almost felt bad, laughing at you like that. “Anyways, I just wanted to say you should join us. If you’d like to, I mean. I-I know this war hasn’t been easy on anyone, and you deserve to have some fun as much as the boys.”

“Oh, I shouldn’—”

The Force did not seem to be with him. Just as Anakin was going to politely turn you down, they reached the barracks, the clones already barreling out, seemingly in search of you. Anakin’s words died in his throat as you were ripped away from him, Hardcase pulling you into a hug. Anakin’s jaw clenched. He didn’t like it, seeing another man touch you. But what could he do? He didn’t like you like that. If you were Padmé, it would have been different. Anakin would have had no problem making it clear that that sort of thing wasn’t going to happen. But you weren’t Padmé, so no matter what he felt, he had no right to step in on your fun.

“Move out of the way, she’s only going because I asked her—” Fives said, stealing you away from Hardcase. Anakin’s fists clenched and unclenched at his sides. “—which means she’s my date!”

“Oh, stop, I’m no one’s date!” you laughed. 

Fives pulled away, gasping, his hand on his chest, right over his heart. He turned to Echo, throwing his arms around his brother, dramatically crying on his shoulder.

Anakin thought the display was over and was ready to leave, sure that you were in safe hands, when he saw Rex approach you. 

The blond clone threw his arms around you, squeezing you tight, lifting you off the ground. “Can’t believe Fives finally wore you down, cyar’ika,” he said. He pressed a kiss to the side of your head. Anakin tried to stamp down the ugly green feeling washing over him. “Glad he did, though. I’ve been—We’ve all been looking forward to more time with you.”

Et tu, Rex? Of all the clones, Anakin would have thought that the Captain would have some restraint. But even the usually reserved man—at least, in comparison to his brothers—fell victim to your charms. If you could break down even Rex, were you really in safe hands? 

Jesse was the first of the clones to notice that Anakin was there. He titled his head, brows furrowed together, and asked, “General? What are you doing here? Did you have a job for us?”

“Oh, he was just walking me over!” you said. You turned around to Anakin, smiling. Maker, did you have to have such a beautiful smile? “I was just asking if he wanted to come along with us.” Your smile dropped slightly as you looked back at the boys. “If that’s alright with you guys, of course, too. I don’t want any toes to be stepped on.”

“Don’t dance with Fives, then,” Echo said. 

“Hey!”

“You don’t have to worry about stepping on toes,” Rex told you. “I think I speak for everyone when I say that General Skywalker can join us if he likes.” Rex glanced at Anakin. “No pressure, sir.”

Before Anakin could try to sort through whether he wanted to go or not, Jesse had slung an arm around your shoulders, tugging you close into his side. His head dipped, asking, “How’re you still single, mesh’la? With as sweet as you are, anyone here would be more than happy to make you theirs.”

You caught Anakin’s eyes. There was something…sad in your gaze. Anakin felt the need to reach out, to comfort you. But you were already looking away, looking back at Jesse. “I could never be with the one I care for. I could never ask him to betray his duties.”

Right. Of course. You could never ask one of the clones to betray the Republic. The clones had a duty to fight in this war. To do anything else, to contemplate a life outside of the war, would be treasonous. The clone would likely be decommissioned, you would likely be thrown in jail, if such a relationship ever was to become known. You were too good of a person to ever consider pursuing such a relationship. 

Fives threw his arm around your shoulders, knocking Jesse’s off. Jesse glared at his brother, but Fives ignored him. “Oh, c’mon, you’re worth more than duty and responsibility. If you asked, any one of us would leave all this behind.”

Anakin would, too. It was interesting. He hadn’t really ever wanted to leave the Order for Padmé. With her, he always thought he’d try to make it work. Try to be a Jedi and be a husband and not allow the two to become too overlapped. But with you…He found himself willing to throw it all away. 

Fives cast Anakin a look, his face paling, as if he just remembered he was in the presence of a superior officer. “Hypothetically, sir.”

Anakin looked to you, the way you chewed on your lip as you stared back at him. “Hypothetically,” Anakin said, “I would say you’re special enough that even a Jedi would be willing to break the Code.”

Your mouth fell open into a perfect “O”. Anakin pushed away the thought of what it might feel like to kiss you, to slip his tongue into your mouth, to hold you close, and—No. Stop that. 

“I do need to return to the Temple, though,” Anakin said. “Have fun, and stay out of trouble, Doc.”

“She’ll be in good hands, sir,” Rex said. 

Anakin wasn’t sure if there were any good hands you could be in besides his, but he held his tongue. He offered you a tight smile before turning to leave. He ignored the wave of sadness that washed over you. He couldn’t comfort you. It was not his right, and he didn’t want to give you the wrong impression. Besides, he was tired. He needed to get to bed. 

He didn’t sleep that night. 

Anakin Skywalker was avoiding you, and you couldn’t figure out why. Ever since that night you went to 79’s with the boys, he had made clear and purposeful attempts to stay as far away from you as he could manage. You couldn’t deny how much that hurt you. You thought…Well, when you saw him that night, for a fleeting moment, you thought he might like you.

It was a ridiculous thought, to be sure. Jedi didn’t do attachments. What greater attachment was there than being a relationship with somebody? Even if Anakin said that you were the kind of woman a Jedi would break the Code for, that didn’t mean he liked you enough to break the Code. It didn’t mean he was speaking of his personal feelings for you. It could have meant anything. It could have meant nothing. For all you knew, he could have been trying to assure Fives that he hadn’t spoken out of turn, not conveying a secret message to you. 

But then, why would he not look at you? Why would he not talk to you? Why did he send Rex and Jesse to tell you that you’d be joining them on the battlefield instead of telling you himself? He always liked talking to you before, always found a reason to see you. After all, did he really need to come to the medbay and check in on every injured trooper when he knew you were perfectly capable of healing them? Did he need offer to escort you when the opportunity presented itself? Did he need to make you feel so special and so ordinary all at the same time? 

Worse, when you tried to talk to Padmé about it, all she said was to let Anakin be for the time being. That he was sorting through something and that he needed space. Which would have been fine, if it wasn’t for the way Padmé looked like she knew something you didn’t. Maker, why couldn’t she just tell you? Why did she choose now to be cryptic and vague? Sure, Anakin was one of her closest friends, but you were her sister! Did that mean nothing? 

You were pulled from your thoughts as you watched a trooper fall. You ran to him, firing a few shots at droids who stood in your way. When you reached the soldier, you fell to your knees, searching for the wound. 

“We gotta stop meeting like this, Doc,” he mumbled. 

You paused for a moment, examining the armor of the trooper. Oh, of course. Of course it would have to be Fives. How he managed to become an ARC Trooper when he always stumbled head first into danger, you would never understand. 

“Well, that would mean you would have to stop having two left feet and falling straight into the line of fire,” you said, finally finding the blaster wound. With one hand, you began to apply pressure, using your free hand to open your medkit, searching for what you needed. “Your brothers should have called you Lefty instead of Fives. Would’ve been far more appropriate.”

“You have terrible bedside manner. You wound me,” Fives said. 

“No, that was the droid.”

Fives huffed out a laugh, then groaned, clutching at his ribs. “Kriff, don’t make me laugh, mesh’la.”

You hummed. You just finished patching the blaster wound, so you turned to the ribs. They didn’t appear to be broken, which was good. You didn’t have the time nor the supplies to be setting broken bones. “Looks like you bruised your ribs. I don’t got anything to treat that, but Kix should. I’ll send him over, okay? Just sit tight.”

“Am I gonna live, Doc?”

“You’d better,” you said. You leaned down, pressed a kiss to his helmet. “You’re my best friend, Fives. Who else is gonna annoy me if I lose you?”

“Echo’d do a pretty good job at it, I think.”

“Wouldn’t be the same. I’m gonna get Kix now. Don’t do anything stupid.”

As you rose back to your feet, you looked around, trying to mind the clone medic. As you searched across the battlefield, you found Anakin first. There was something beautiful in the way he fought, you realized. You shook your head. You needed to focus. You didn’t need to ogle over the General—especially not in the middle of the battle. 

But, Maker, it was so hard to find Kix. Couldn’t they have have given him a bigger symbol than the little one they put on his arm? With everyone moving around, it was hard to tell who was who. All of the paint on their armor was beginning to look the same. Couldn’t they have painted a big red symbol of Kix’s back or something? (Of course, that would make him a bigger target to the enemies. If he was easier to see, he was easier to kill. And if the medic went down…Well, it was easier to take out a battalion. But never mind that! You needed to find him for Fives, and it was impossibly difficult in these circumstances.)

“Doc, get down—”

There wasn’t enough time to react. By the time you saw the blaster being fired your way, you couldn’t have gotten down. It struck you in the side, right where you didn’t have any armor to protect you. You heard a scream—was it yours? Maybe Fives was screaming. It wasn’t a non-possibility.

You fell with a thump! as your head hit the ground and it all went black. 

When you opened your eyes again, you were under the bright, fluorescent lights of the medbay. Somewhere, there was shouting. Who was shouting? Couldn’t they step out into the hall? It was hardly good for the patients if someone was yelling. Healing required rest, and it was difficult to rest when someone couldn’t shut up for five minutes. 

You tried to sit up, groaning as you did, to tell the person off. Instantly, the shouting ceased. Kix was on one side of you, Anakin on the other. At the foot of the bed you lied in stood Fives, who looked like he just got the scolding of a lifetime. You looked at Kix, who seemed just as sheepish, then at Anakin. You could practically feel the anger rolling off hm. 

Perhaps you should have held your tongue, but you had gone over medbay etiquette with him a thousand times. For him to disregard it the second you were out? It felt disrespectful. You said, “You know you shouldn’t shout in the medbay.”

Anakin ground his teeth together. “And you know you should be mindful of what’s going on on the battlefield.”

Your brows furrowed together. “I was.”

“Oh? And that’s why you're here now? Because you were so mindful?”

“People get injured out there all the time. I wouldn't have a job here if they didn’t. Things happen, Ani. I’m fine.” You paused, then looked to Kix. “I am fine, right?”

“As fine as you can be given the circumstances,” he said. “Should be up and running by morning.” He glanced at Anakin then back to you. “Assuming that you’re allowed to rest instead of being chastised.”

“Watch it,” Anakin snarled. 

You sat up more, another groan escaping. Kix was quick to help you find a more comfortable position. Once settled, you said, “Don’t yell at him for something I did. And, kriff, don’t yell at me for trying to my job!”

“Oh, so your job is to just stand there, out in the open, unprotected!?” Anakin snapped. 

“I was trying to find Kix—”

“So you just stood there?! To find someone, you use your eyes! You don’t just become a karking target!”

“Kind of hard to find the other medic when he’s wearing the same armor as everyone else—”

“That’s why he has a medic symbol! It’s bright kriffing red! How the kark could you miss it?!”

Kix stepped in, raising his hands slightly, as if ready to push Anakin away if he got too angry. Anakin snarled at the medic. You were almost certain they were about to fight over your bed when—

“Sir, if I may—” Fives cleared his throat. “—it’s probably best that you go. Let the Doc heal before you reprimand her.”

Anakin turned on the ARC Trooper, his eyes flashing with…something. “Right, because you care so much about her—”

“I’m the one who helped her after she was shot, sir.”

“And you’re the reason she’s injured! If you hadn’t—”

“Get out.”

Anakin’s head whipped back around toward you. His gaze softened ever so slightly. “What?”

“I don’t want you here right now, and protocol is that the patient can have anyone be ordered to leave their room while they’re healing, even if that person is their superior officer. So, go. Come back when you’ve cooled down and we can talk about what happened. But you have no right to come in here and yell at me like I’m so petulant child when all I did was my job. I might have made a mistake, sure, but you can’t tell me that you’ve never made a mistake out there.”

Anakin stared for a moment, two, before saying in a softer voice, “I was worried about you. I care about you.”

“How much could you care when you’ve ignored me for weeks?”

Anakin blinked, slowly, then nodded. He turned to leave without another word. But, as he reached the door, Anakin turned back to you. He was too far away for you to read his expression. But there was something in the way he held himself, the way his shoulders slumped, the way he couldn’t quite stand still, that told you he was carrying a heavy burden on his shoulders. What was it? Could you do anything to help ease it? 

“I don’t like it when you’re out there, Doc,” he said. “I don’t know if it’ll be the last time I see you. I don’t know if you’ll come back to me. You’re not trained for battle. Anything could happen.”

“There’s more important things to be worried about than a single medic,” you said. 

“Not to me.” Anakin looked away, then back again. “I meant what I said the other day. You’re more special than you think.”

What he said? Was he talking about that night you went to 79’s? That was the last time you’d really spoken to him until now. But what had he said? Maker, you wished your head didn’t hurt. You wished Anakin wouldn’t speak in riddles. Oh! Wait, had it been something about leaving the Order? But, why would he…

Oh. 

Oh.

“I could never ask that of you, Ani,” you said, “no matter how much I would like to.”

“You don’t have to ask. I would do it anyways.”

And maybe the worst part was, you knew he was telling you the truth. 

[alexiela73]

Hello there! Can I have Romantic hc McCree, Hanzo, Genji; Platonic Ana, Reinhardt w/ young fem!reader (around 20 y.o), who can be very friendly, funny to the others, seems very confident and says wise things, like some old man ;D, but in fact she feels very lonely and insecure about herself, and she is afraid that she is being imposed on, or that she will be abandoned in one moment.

Pardon my English and for such a big request 😅 But I hope it'll catch your eye and you'll write the answer.

Best wishes and keep safe! 🖤🖤

Hello! I'm sorry but I only do 3 characters max! I hope I don't disappoint too much! Because of how long it got I had to do only 2 though

McCree:

As long as you could remember, you've always had to be strong for the world- show that you were unafraid and able to press forward

When you and Jesse first met, he thought you had the biggest balls of anyone he'd ever seen-even for a lil' lady

The way you could make a room light up, or lead people through some of the toughest moments was something he always admired

He wanted to be the person you could lean on too, if you ever needed

Jesse didn't realize though just how tough your cover was...nor the worry and sadness you felt just beneath that shield of yours

Not until Jesse found your diary

Of course, if he'd known it was a diary, he'd never have touched it. But it was a diary disguised as a regular book. You'd left it on your bed and he'd thought it was maybe a romance novel or some thriller

When he'd opened it and realized what he was reading, he almost put it back...till his eyes caught a few words. Drawn to them, he felt his heart clench.

‘Jesse looks so happy with his friends tonight. I smile, but I feel like an outsider. Do they like me? Do they know I’m not good enough for him? I’m scared for when he realizes it too...’

Jesse had felt his heart clench in his chest, sitting on the edge of your bed. He knew it was wrong, but he read more- there were good things, but so many pages...had similar thoughts. Thoughts that he’d leave you someday. How long had you felt like this, he thought sadly.

“Hey Jesse, you ready to go to...” you had frozen in the doorway when you saw him sitting on your bed, the book in hand. 

Slowly, Jesse closed the book and placed it on your pillow. Swallowing, he stood. “Darlin’....” Jesse said, his a soft croon. When he reached for you, you stepped back, arms wrapping around yourself.

This was the first time Jesse had ever seen you withdraw, or tears fill your eyes. “I...I didn’t mean for you to see. Its...its stupid, right? I...Just...”

“Y/n,” Jesse said, gently but firmly grabbing your arms, thumbs rubbing circles into your skin. “Baby, look at me...what you wrote, if you really think that..you’re wrong. I love you, lil’ lady. We belong together.”

A sob seemed to catch in your throat. “What...if we aren’t? What if I’m holding you back-” you said, and Jesse silenced you by crushing you into a bear hug, a hand cradling your head now.

Just that was enough for the dam to break. How 

“Don’t ever say that, darlin’. You’re the reason I’m standin’ here today,” he whispered, kissing the side of your head. “I love you. I love you,” he whispered, as you cried into his chest. “I love you, baby girl. I’m not goin’ anywhere.”

Hanzo:

It was difficult to fool Hanzo, in many ways

While he wasn’t always adept with emotion, he knew what it was like to hide ugly feelings below the surface

You were strong, beautiful- just your smile was enough to make Hanzo lose his breath

There were moments though when he’d catch you watching him...looking between him and yourself

When Hanzo would catch you in the mirror staring at yourself...and there was misery

It wounded him in a way he couldn’t describe to see the way you judged yourself, or how you seemed unable to

One day, Hanzo took you to a grand garden in the middle of the Japan. It was popular, but being Hanzo he felt it was best and easiest just to rent out the area for the day so that the two of you need not run into...people

It had all kinds of exotic flowers, though his favorite area in the garden was a massive sacred tree, winding its way up and its leaves blowing in the wind

The two of you took a lunch break beneath it, Hanzo starting to unpack the carefully prepared food he’d made this morning

“Y/n,” he had said as he was placing out the bento boxes, glancing at where you were pouring drinks

Looking up, you had tucked your hair behind your ear. “Yes? Is everything okay?” you had said, and the way your eyes crinkled a little when you smiled made him soften.

“I have a gift for you,” he said, reaching into his bag. “I was hoping you’d open it,” he said, before handing you a box.

“A gift? Its not my birthday or anything,” you said, looking surprised but settling it in your lap. When you opened it, there was a very large, harshly shaped but somewhat circular rock in your hand, and inside was a small hammer. “...Hanzo, what am I looking at?”

Scooching up beside you, Hanzo had carefully pulled you into his lap, his chin resting on your shoulder, as he took the rock and the hammer.

“I may be mistaken, but I’ve noticed lately the way you look at yourself, or at your clothes or your hair. I worry about you,” he says. “This...is you, in my eyes.”

You stared at the rock, not quite understanding. “I’m....the rock,” you said.

“Yes, in a sense,” he agreed, starting to gently hammer at it.

“...In like, an ugly sense? Is it because of how plain it is?” you asked jokingly, but Hanzo frowned.

“No...I worry that you see yourself like this rock. You see jagged edges and the harsh lines, and feel that if I dropped it into this garden, it would blend right. That’s untrue,” he said, seeing the crack forming. Now using the back of the hammer, he managed to crack it in half. 

“You may see the outside when you look at yourself, and think that you are ordinary...but when I look at you, I see this,” he said, opening it to show you beautiful purple amethyst. “I see something...extraordinary. I see a woman so exquisite, so...so wonderful,” he whispered in your ear, “That I can’t help but be so thankful. Thankful that you are mine, and me yours.”

You stared at the beautiful geode...and wondered when he had started to notice. How Hanzo, who was both perceptive and yet sometimes emotionally oblivious, had noticed how you’d been feeling lately... Were you that obvious?

“I...I’m sorry. If I’ve seemed down-” you started, but Hanzo silenced you with the softest brush of his lips over yours.

“I want no apologies, my love. I cannot change how you feel, but I wish for you to talk to me about it. Allow me to comfort you, and remind you that you are more then enough for me,” he says softly. “Can you please do that?”

How had this man become yours, you wondered. 

Leaning your head against his, you sighed softly. “Yes...yes, I’ll try to be more open about it. I love you,” you said softly.

“I love you,” he said softly. 

[modern-day-classic]

THEY ALWAYS INTENDED FOR TEDBECCA TO BE ENDGAME! There is too much here for it to not be the case and lets unpack some of it. I could write a fucking essay on this so I'll try and keep it as brief as possible it will be long.

DO NOT GET ME STARTED ON THE BISCUITS CAUSE WHO BRINGS THEIR BOSS HOMEBAKED TREATS EVERY DAY FOR THREE YEARS JUST TO SEE THEM SMILE? Okay sure it started as a way to get to know her but no need. Also no need for her to react like their fucking gold either.

We know in Make Rebecca Great Again, it was mean to be Rebecca who showed up at Ted's hotel door. This has been confirmed by the writing team. They did this to preserve the relationship for later. so instead of Rebecca it was Sassy. If they had no further plans for this relationship (Ted x Rebecca) why not let them just have a torrid little one night stand. They have no issues with inappropriate office romances, we saw that with Sam and Rebecca.

Why make Ted the first person to actively acknowledge he could see through Rupert? Why make him the one to comfort her at the gala in For the Children? Why have the people on the rickshaw be played by the standins for Jason and Hannah? Why tell us the rickshaw was meant to return, that the driver was expected back in season 3? The show loved callbacks, we know this and saw a significant callback with background actors in another Rebecca storyline, so we can expect that the rickshaw was meant to be circled back to at a later date.

Why make Rebecca the only one to be able to see Ted's panic attacks? If ultimately, they were only meant to have a employee/employer relationship (which is what we were given in ultimately) what was this for?

Why the 1991 connection? Why the hallway scene with the bullying/psychic bits. Why the green matchbook being shown as still in Ted's possession? Why have her BEG him to stay when she couldn't beg a sexual partner to stay previously? Why the big airport farewell?.... WHY WOULD YOU LET YOUR LEAD ACTRESS THINK THAT THEY WOULD END UP TOGETHER WHEN THIS WOULD DIRECTLY IMPACT ACTING CHOICES?

We know Jason requested half season 3 to be written post Bill Lawrence having to take a step back. This is what caused them to still be editing the episodes up to the day they were to be released. A direct result of this was the addition of the Amsterdam ep which introduced boatman. So don't tell me this wasn't a last minute pivot.

I could talk about a lot of the cast not being happy with the ending here, but apart from Nate and Hannah it doesn't really impact tedbecca.... and we all already know they were captains of our ship.

If you never intended for them to be together by the end none of this was needed. None of these really impact the over all story.... So I am sorry but they definitely changed the end. I don't know why, whether they got scared or they just wanted to do something to surprise... But ultimately, Rebecca and Ted were meant to be together.

If they didn't have in mind for Ted and Rebecca to get together in the end.. I'm wondering if they just never thought about her love interest at all (?), but why make such a big deal out of it?! Aka:

Why would they include this if the man they had in mind was just some random guy on a house boat of all places? Doesn't make sense to me, also doesn't play into the rom-communism mantra but that got lost along the line anyway...

this season is a mess..I enjoyed a lot of parts but it's a mess

[snowblossomreads]

New Year New Boo

Summary: In where [Y/n] and David ring in the New Year with each other. (Continuation of Rickmas Prompt 14 Icy Roads)

Pairing: David Friedman x Detective!FemReader

Tag(s)/Warning(s): age gap, worries about said age gap, workplace romance (kinda?), confessions, kissing, mostly fluff, folks being in love and junk

Word Count: 4k

A/N: This crush I have on Alan's southern accent is something serious guys 🥴🥴it's just so cute and charming to me when he used it in this movie and Something the Lord Made (an equally fantastic movie!). Bonus points for it being easy for me to write the syntax and stuff for it bc again i'm a southern girl. ANYWAYS here is this cute little part two! Let me know if you enjoyed it (i'm thirsty for comments yall lolol)

A/N: AASDFASFH and i know Rickmas is over but you know what every day is Rickmas if you believe😭🤣😂 and I wanted to give these two some closure lol (and i'm in love with this character)

“Um miss ma’am someone is looking real cute in that lil’ outfit! ‘Bout to go see your man I assume?”

“Well firstly thank you because it is cute right?” [Y/n] chirped, turning carefully to show her outfit off to her friend who wolf whistled playfully at her. “But secondly you assume wrong because he isn’t my man.”

“Shoot not yet he isn’t, with that outfit on if he ain’t kissin’ you when it strikes midnight he might need to get his eyes checked.”

“Cassie!”

“I’m just saying,” she giggled, throwing her hands up and pushing herself off the couch to approach [Y/n] who was smoothing her clothes down with her arm that wasn’t in a sling. “I bet there’s a line of young cuties at the department tryna get with you. But oh no you picked yourself an old man that’s already done gone and broke some of your bones!”

“It’s not like he was tryin’ to do it on purpose!” [Y/n] corrected her approaching friend with a sharp glare and a pout. “Lord knows we didn’t have any business chasin’ anyone around when the roads were iced up like that. And plus.”

Walking up to the mirror that was hanging onto the back of her doorway to make sure her outfit and hair were still put together, she turned back to Cassie who still wore a light hearted grin.

“If those guys really wanted to get with me Cass, they’ve had more than enough chances to say somethin’ and they haven’t so I’m not about to sweat something like that.”

“That’s fair though you probably just intimidate them hon, with what being the top of your class at the academy and just two years after that becoming a detective? You know some men can’t handle a badass lady.”

“Well, that’s their loss because-.”

About to dismiss her friend not really caring if the men she worked with found her intimidating or not, a knock at the door had both of them looking up in its direction. Cassie’s face immediately lit up as she looked at [Y/n].

“Ooooh is that him?” She whispered yelled, excited about meeting the man that her friend had been talking about nonstop since the little confession that had been made to him weeks ago. “You didn’t tell me he was pickin’ you up and you got me standin’ around with my pajamas on like somebody’s grandma!” 

Rolling her eyes, [Y/n] watched as her friend ran to grab a throw blanket that was lying bunched up on the couch and wrap it around herself to hide the pajamas that she was wearing.

“Yes that’s him and yes he’s pickin’ me up I can't drive right now remember ? That’s why I dragged you over in the first place.” [Y/n] hissed nodding her head towards her arm in a sling before continuing, “now calm down you’re actin’ like he’s here to pick you up and I don’t need you scarin’ him off.”

“Pff oh yeah scare him off, I’m not the one runnin’ people off the road,” Cassie scoffed as [Y/n] threw one last look that said ‘hush it’ before going to unbolt the locks on the door. 

Opening the door, she already knew her cheeks were going to be hurting by the end of the night by the wide smile that found itself plastered on her face when she came face to face with the older man.

Dressed up with black dress pants and a tan button-up dress shirt that was accompanied with a dark blue tie that had some white pattern on it she couldn’t help but ogle at him for a second. 

It’s not like she had never seen him like this considering his normal work attire was similar but goodness gracious he was still handsome as ever.

And wait a second, where was the five o’clock shadow that he usually rocked? Did he shave just for this? A giddiness rose in her stomach as she tried to contain her excitement, barely able to get out her sentence.

“Dave, either you just left the office or you’re about to take me to Brennan’s for a very fancy New Year’s eve dinner.” 

“Then I guess we’re both ‘bout to be very disappointed,” he drawled, crossing his arms against his chest and leaning against the door frame with a smirk that had her grinning back at him.

“Because the only reservation we have is at la maison de David, which I have to say is lacking in the fancy decorations that Brennan’s has. Besides, Quarter’s probably already infested with drunk folks trying to ring in the New Year’s with alcohol poisionin’.”

“Well as long as I’m not doing the cooking, you won’t hear any complaints from me. And you're probably right about the Quarter. Best we avoid it as I don’t feel like gettin’ thrown up on by someone who had one too many of them hand grenades.”

“Good, glad we’re on the same page then partner.” His smirk never failed as he pushed himself upright and tentatively offered his hand to [Y/n] who gave him a bashful smile as she went to take it when,

“Ahem!”

A loud cough startled both of them, and had [Y/n] whipping around somehow forgetting that Cassie was still in the front room.

“Now I know you did not just forget that I was back here,” she said, blanket still wrapped around her as she waddled over to the door to get a glimpse of the visitor. “And here I thought you were gonna introduce me to your friend hon!”

“Shit-sorry Cass,” [Y/n] spoke as the heat of embarrassment filled her face while she moved aside a little so Cassie could meet David.

“David this is my friend Cassie. She's been comin’ by and stayin’ with me to help me out with this,” she nodded down to indicate her sling. “And Cassie, this is David, my literal partner in crime fighting.”

“Well hello, there detective! Cassie Thibodeaux’s the name. Well, Cassandra actually but the only person who uses it is my momma when she’s pissed or sister Alice at St.Mary’s,” she greeted cheerfully, thrusting her hand out to firmly shake David’s outstretched one. “Nice to finally meet the man that broke my poor girl’s bones!”

“Cass!”

The exasperation was clear in [Y/n]’s voice as Cassie turned around, a sly grin and a glint in her eyes that signaled she was up to no good on purpose. If there was one thing about her friend it was that she was going to say whatever whenever. A great quality to have until she was blabbing about the thing that [Y/n] didn’t want to be brought up again. 

He had already apologized and heck she probably wouldn’t be going on a date with him if it hadn’t happened. Wait, this was a date right?

Not that they were a couple or anything yet but she was going to his house for dinner on New Year’s Eve and he had said they could talk about what she had basically confessed to him weeks ago.

Before she could get too deep in thought about it, David’s voice pulled her back to reality as he chatted with Cassie who was laughing up a storm at what was being said.

“I really did feel bad when we got to the hospital but then she woke up the first thing she started doing was insulting the doctors and trying to rip things out of her.” He spoke recalling what had happened a while after the accident and how [Y/n] was getting annoyed at all the poking when all she wanted was to just go home. “Then she told me she was going to buy some training wheels for my old a-”

“Okay that’s enough!” [Y/n] squeaked, clapping her hands loudly to grab both of their attention as she was a bit mortified about what she had said to him while she had been in pain. “We really need to head out before traffic gets any worse than it is.”

“Alright alright I’ll stop and let you both go,” Cassie said backing up from the door as [Y/n] made her way past her friend and just outside of the door so that she was next to David. 

“I just wanted to be nosy and see who [Y/n] was about to ride off into the sunset with,” she continued to tease, causing another sigh to leave said woman even though she couldn’t help but smile at her friend who was being just plain silly. “But don't y’all get into too much trouble now and make sure you bring my girl home safe and sound detective no more broken bones!”

“Yes ma’am, no more broken bones though I can’t promise we won’t get into any trouble.” He replied before looking towards [Y/n] to ask, “ready?”

“Absolutely,” she replied instantly, shooting him a smile and then waving goodbye at her friend. “See you Cass I’ll text you and don’t burn my apartment down!”

“As David said, no promises but I’ll try, and you better!”

Shaking their heads and laughing at one another, Cassie, shut the door leaving both [Y/n] and David standing outside her apartment.

“Funny friend you got there,” he said, reaching his hand out again as he did earlier to take hers.

“Oh, you don’t even know the half of it, Friedman.” Was her response as she took his invitation letting him guide her and enjoying the warmth that radiated from his hand entwined with hers.

Dinner had been absolutely spectacular. Honestly way better than any restaurant considering they weren’t having to wait for a table or having to talk over the noise of other people’s conversations. And to add to it, the food was just mouth watering.

From the crawfish etouffee and grilled oysters that he had prepared to the tasty and not too sweet banana pudding that they had afterward to balance the salt out from the main course. Or that’s what they joked about at least.

All of it was just so good and she couldn’t help but feel sleepy and content as she reclined on his couch afterward with a glass of water to wash everything down.

“Now why didn't you tell me you could cook like that because that was just too good!” [Y/n] praised as David plopped down next to her sinking into the couch like she had to relax after the meal.

“Well thank you kindly [Y/n] but there are some things in life you gotta keep to yourself and my cookin’ is one of them,” he answered looking over to her and feeling amused at the sleepy smile on her face as she listened. “The last thing I need is to be volunteered up for the station's potluck because lord knows I won’t hear the end of it afterward.”

“I hear that, I don’t even know why we have to cook for it. It’s not like we don’t already do overtime on the reg but now they want us to do more stuff no thank you, that’s above my pay grade.”

His deep chuckle filled the room, drowning out the background noise of a New Year’s countdown party playing on the tv in front of them. In the same moment, she could feel herself being filled with a comforting warmth listening to his laugh and enjoying the rich sound of it.

“And here I thought you enjoyed stayin’ late at the office with me to finish up reports that some of your peers seem to have trouble gettin’ done.”

[Y/n]’s face scrunched up as if she had tasted something sour when he said that as the memory of many late nights at the station played in her head due to the stupidity of some of the people they had to work with. How hard really was it to transfer paper files onto the computer by someone’s last name?

“Unfortunately I’m not a fan of havin’ to organize other folks' stuff because they haven’t learned how to click a button or two,” she groused out before adding calmly, “but other than that I do have to admit the occasional late night investigative session with you is invigorating. It pays to have such a solid partner who knows what he’s doin’ so no complaints from me on that.”

“Really no complaints even though I broke your collarbone and almost killed you?”

“Hey, I didn’t say I liked your driving, only that you’re a good partner and I think we make quite a team.”

“Touche,” he nodded as a thoughtful expression crossed his features before, “but now that you mentioned it I think we should talk about that shouldn’t we? The whole partner thing.”

For a second she didn’t understand what he was alluding to as she cocked an eyebrow up a questioning expression on her features. Partner thing? What in the sweet baby Jesus was he talking about? Meeting his hazel eyes that seem to glitter mischievously along with the smirk that was slowly becoming wider. She pondered for a second before,

“Oh jeez, Friedman, are you bringing up what I think you’re bringing up?” [Y/n] sputtered out her face warming up at the sudden change of conversation as she gave him a wide eyed look. He didn’t at all seem phased by it, more like amused as she saw a twitch of his lips upward. Of course, he would find amusement in it. “What a segue if I’ve ever heard any! Is that really how you’re goin’ to start the conversation.”

A mock offended look crossed his features as he threw his hands up at her.

“What, I thought we were in agreement that we were gonna talk about it after you were no longer high as a kite and dyin'?” 

“I know but well shit,” she groaned, resting her good arm on her thigh and bending over a little to rest her chin in her palm. “Now that you got me all in the spotlight I’m not even sure what to say.”

“Well, how ‘bout I do you a favor [L/n] and start off with askin’ you what in the hell do you see in someone my age that you can’t find in one of those young boys at the station.”

“Considerin’ none of the station boys seem interested in me in the first place,'' she huffed out remembering something similar Cassie had said to her earlier, “I think it’s easy to understand why I like you so much seein’ that I’ve been partnered up with you for about two years. And I actually really enjoy workin’ with you. Even if it’s those dreaded late night shifts.”

“Somethin’ tells me those boys are more interested than you think, especially with how p-,” the word caught in his throat and [Y/n] was quick to turn her head to look at him with a questioning gaze. 

Catching her gaze and the hint of interest in them, he cleared his throat before continuing. “With how close in age some of y’all are and the way you do your job better than most of them I say you probably got a few more admirers than you think.”

Shrugging she scooted back con the couch and let her head fall back before lazily turning it to look at him.

“Even so, I just think you’re pretty great Dave,” she added, throwing a grin at him that had him reciprocating it with his own as he maneuvered himself so that he was resting one side of his face on the palm of his hand. “I know we put on a face and such when we go to work, but you’re one of the few people who’s the same sarcastic ass off duty as you are on, and pardon me it’s kinda sexy.”

“Only kinda? I think it’s probably one of my more redeeming qualities.” He quipped “Who doesn’t love a sarcastic asshole bursting in their office and accusing folks of a setup.”

“Ah and there Mr. Sarcastic is, glad you could join the party,” she laughed remembering him telling her that whole debacle with the one senator from a few years ago. “But the fact that you were right made it less assholish and again you definitely raised your sexy factor up by this much,” she teased, raising her hand up and showing the wide gap she made between her thumb and index finger.

“You know hearin’ you reference me and the word ‘sexy’ in one sentence is not somethin’ I put on my bingo card for this year.”

“What? Gonna report me to HR if I keep it up?”

“And get saddled up with some of the other guys in the station as a partner, no ma’am I prefer to be alive in the next six months.”

Raucous laughter broke out from both of them, their shoulders shaking from his fatalistic outlook of being partnered up with someone else. Honestly, she probably wouldn’t trade him in either with all the experience he had in the field, sans the car accident of course. 

He had been the best partner these past years whether it be on duty or off duty he had always been a phone call away if she needed him. And something about it just made her giddy about it even if those gestures potentially meant nothing. It was still sweet and it kinda made her fall in love even though she had tried to keep it shut away. 

“Don’t blame you one bit on that,” [Y/n] managed to say coming down from the little high as her stomach and cheeks ached from all the laughing that was happening. Wiping a tear out of her eye with her good arm, her smile never left as she looked back at the man who was calming down.

“But you know, the wild thing is even with all of that, your terrible drivin’, your sarcasm, and everything else, I still really really like you, and,'' biting the inside of her cheek she couldn’t help but feel the air leave her lungs as hazel eyes locked onto her with a softness that just made her heart squeeze. 

She really did like the older man regardless of the age chasm they had in between and it seemed to help her find some courage. So with that little fire in her, she sat upright again and faced him before asking,

“I was just curious ‘bout how you felt, and maybe, you know...we could be partners outside of work too?”

Other than the tv that was still going on in the background silence crept around them as she let the question sit between them. Even her breathing seemed to go silent as she gazed up at Dave who was holding her stare while the cogwheels in his brain seem to be turning. 

The silence felt like an eternity and she would have laughed at how cliche it all was if it wasn’t her own feelings on the line. So to say that the relief she felt was palpable when he spoke was an understatement.

“You know, if we got involved we would have to stop bein’ partners right?” He murmured scooting over towards [Y/n] and resting his arm along the top of the couch.

“I know I know and I’m sorry because I know it’s gonna be a shit ton of paperwork we’re gonna have to do. And of course the whole new partner thing,” she added on with a sigh more concerned about that part than the amount of red tape there was bound to be.

“Mhmmm that and you know folks are gonna have questions about this whole thing?”

“Oh believe me I’m aware. Should have heard Cassie playin’ twenty questions with me when I told her.” [Y/n] grumbled remembering the way her friend burst into her apartment a few weeks ago armed and ready with questions about what was happening.

“And knowin’ that everyone is gonna wanna be in your business when they eventually find out because you know folks are noisy ‘round here you’re alright with it?”

“Well-,” she paused mid sentence, noticing the warmth that radiated off him now that he was suddenly closer to her. It brought a demure smile to her face as she scooted herself toward him which had his eyes twinkling at the action. “We’ll cross that bridge when we cross it and plus they’re going to be in your business too.”

“You know my last relationship ended in divorce right?” He questioned as the warmth of breath tickled her skin causing goosebumps to prickle all over her arms.

She was very much aware that the last relationship he had ended in a divorce but there had been other circumstances that no longer existed. And well who was she to not take her chances with the man that she had ogled at more than appropriate during her time working with him? What could she say, she was young and in love. 

“Dave what's with the twenty questions yes I’m aware, you know that,” she responded lowly, tilting her head just enough to brush her nose against his and listening to the breath that he sucked in at the contact. Yet he didn’t flinch and he didn’t back away, and it had the butterflies in her stomach going wild. “And my last relationship was with some guy in college who just wanted to get with my roommate so we are both gonna be a little rusty.”

For a moment they just sat there, quietly, their foreheads touching and the sound of a countdown beginning to happen on tv and fireworks already going off outside.

“Dave?”

“You’re a pretty lil’ thing you know that right?” He confessed softly at the call of his name. As sudden as his words were, they had her beaming at him and gently brushing her nose against his again as she tried to look up at him through her eyelashes. “So you’ll have to excuse me because I’m still tryin’ wrap my head around the fact that my very young and very sweet partner actually enjoys my bitchin’ and sarcasm about folks. ”

“Well don’t say it like I’m that young Friedman makin’ it sound all weird and junk,” she snorted causing a deep chuckle to rumble through him, “and don’t take too long wrappin' your head ‘round it because yes I love it when you bitch people out and two from the sound of it,” motioning her head to the tv to signal the folks cheering on it, “we got fifteen seconds till New Year’s and I’m hopin’ to at least get a kiss to start it off right.”

“Think we be a good team outside work?” He asked quietly, lips just centimeters away from hers as the arm behind them went to gently wrap around her shoulders.

“Keep treating me as nicely as you always have for the past two years and we’ll be golden boo.”

“Don’t ever use that word again.”

“Can’t promise you I won’t,” she giggled, tilting her head up as they listened to the chants on tv.

“3, 2, 1!”

The sound of fireworks outside multiplied tenfold as she felt his hand cup the back of her head and his lips press so tenderly against hers. What was going on outside with the light show couldn’t compare to the bubbling and bursting in her chest that she felt as she melted into the kiss. Everything about it was so sweet, so warm, so loving and it was better than she could have ever imagined as he dragged away from her leaving her a bit breathless.

“Happy New Year Dave.”

She murmured softly, chest heaving as her eyes shimmered brightly and a smile lit up her face just as the fireworks outside lit the night sky up.

As sweet as the kiss was, an even sweeter and gentler smile appeared on his features as he leaned down once more, and against her lips he whispered,

“Happy New Year [Y/n].”

Before claiming them once more in one of the many kisses they would be sharing from then on.

Bonus:

Cass: Are you alive its 130?!?!?

[Y/n]: Whoops! sorry I am but dont wait up for me im stayin the night :) 

Cass: YEEEES BE SAFE USE PROTECTION!!!

[Y/n]: OMG GOODNIGHT I CANT WITH YOU

Cass: ;) ;) ;)  congrats girl new year new boo

[Y/n]: :) you’re the worst thanks maam happy new year <3

A/N:

That's all folks!!!!!! My last fic for the year and an apt one to for ringing in the new year! Can I just tell you guys how much I've enjoyed being in Alan Rickman fandom and creating content for it though??🥺🥺🥺

Everyone is just so talented and fun and I'm just really happy that I've been able to be super absorbed in it these past months bc idk about some of yall but this year almost took me out.😭😭😭 A lot of discouring things seemed to happen this year but the fandom kept a girl aflot so I'm forever thankful for you all!

I hope that next year is kinder to everyone and I hope that our fandom continues to grow even if the man this fandom is dedicated to is no longer with us (weeps) I hope he is looking down on us like 'these folks are wild but I admire the creativity ❤'. i appreciate all you thots (affectionally) and I hope you all go safely into the new year ❤❤❤

[ohdorothea]

This tournament is being run by and for queer fans so please keep that in mind! Homophobes will be blocked on sight <3 More polls here and more info here! Lyrics for the songs and FAQ under the cut!!!

The Story Of Us lyrics

I used to think one day we'd tell the story of us

How we met and the sparks flew instantly

And people would say, "They're the lucky ones"

I used to know my place was the spot next to you

Now I'm searchin' the room for an empty seat

'Cause lately I don't even know what page you're on

Oh, a simple complication

Miscommunications lead to fallout

So many things that I wish you knew

So many walls up, I can't break through

Now I'm standin' alone in a crowded room

And we're not speakin'

And I'm dyin' to know, is it killin' you

Like it's killin' me? Yeah

I don't know what to say since the twist of fate

When it all broke down

And the story of us looks a lot like a tragedy now

Next chapter

How'd we end up this way?

See me nervously pulling at my clothes and tryin' to look busy

And you're doin' your best to avoid me

I'm starting to think one day I'll tell the story of us

How I was losin' my mind when I saw you here

But you held your pride like you should've held me

Oh, I'm scared to see the ending

Why are we pretending this is nothin'?

I'd tell you I miss you, but I don't know how

I've never heard silence quite this loud

Now I'm standin' alone in a crowded room

And we're not speakin'

And I'm dyin' to know, is it killin' you

Like it's killin' me? Yeah

I don't know what to say since the twist of fate

When it all broke down

And the story of us looks a lot like a tragedy now

This is looking like a contest

Of who can act like they care less

But I liked it better when you were on my side

The battle's in your hands now

But I would lay my armor down

If you said you'd rather love than fight

So many things that you wish I knew

But the story of us might be ending soon

Now I'm standin' alone in a crowded room

And we're not speakin'

And I'm dyin' to know, is it killin' you

Like it's killin' me? Yeah

And I don't know what to say since the twist of fate

When it all broke down

And the story of us looks a lot like a tragedy now, now, now

And we're not speakin'

And I'm dyin' to know, is it killin' you

Like it's killin' me? Yeah

I don't know what to say since the twist of fate

'Cause we're goin' down

And the story of us looks a lot like a tragedy now

The end

🫶🫶🫶

Never Grow Up lyrics

Your little hand's wrapped around my finger

And it's so quiet in the world tonight

Your little eyelids flutter 'cause you're dreaming

So I tuck you in, turn on your favourite nightlight

To you, everything's funny

You got nothing to regret

I'd give all I have, honey

If you could stay like that

Oh, darling, don't you ever grow up

Don't you ever grow up, just stay this little

Oh, darling, don't you ever grow up

Don't you ever grow up, it could stay this simple

I won't let nobody hurt you

Won't let no one break your heart

And no one will desert you

Just try to never grow up

Never grow up

You're in the car, on the way to the movies

And you're mortified your mom's dropping you off

At fourteen, there's just so much you can't do

And you can't wait to move out someday and call your own shots

But don't make her drop you off around the block

Remember that she's gettin' older, too

And don't lose the way that you dance around

In your PJs getting ready for school

Oh, darling, don't you ever grow up

Don't you ever grow up, just stay this little

Oh, darling, don't you ever grow up

Don't you ever grow up, it could stay this simple

No one's ever burned you

Nothing's ever left you scarred

And even though you want to

Just try to never grow up

Take pictures in your mind of your childhood room

Memorize what it sounded like when your dad gets home

Remember the footsteps, remember the words said

And all your little brother's favorite songs

I just realized everything I have is, someday, gonna be gone

So, here I am in my new apartment

In a big city, they just dropped me off

It's so much colder than I thought it would be

So I tuck myself in and turn my nightlight on

Wish I'd never grown up

I wish I'd never grown up

Oh, I don't wanna grow up

Wish I'd never grown up, I could still be little

Oh, I don't wanna grow up

Wish I'd never grown up, it could still be simple

Oh, darling, don't you ever grow up

Don't you ever grow up, just stay this little

Oh, darlin', don't you ever grow up

Don't you ever grow up, it could stay this simple

I won't let nobody hurt you (Never grow up)

Won't let no one break your heart

And even though you want to

Please, try to never grow up

Oh, oh (Never grow up)

Don't you ever grow up

Oh (Never grow up)

Just never grow up

🫶🫶🫶

The question is which song is queerer to you! Queerer can mean whatever you want it to mean; you might consider a song queer because you think it was written that way, or because of Swiftian lore. It might be queer to you because of how you relate it to your own life. Maybe you think from a purely literary standpoint the lyrics have queer themes; maybe you're just thinking about vibes!!!

If you’d like to send in interpretations or propaganda for a specific song you can send them to my inbox! All interpretations are welcome and let’s be open and kind in response to all interpretations <3