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jewishvitya · 10 months

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A pro-Palestine Jew on tiktok asked those of us who were raised pro-Israel, what got us to change our minds on Palestine. I made a video to answer (with my voice, not my face), and a few people watched it and found some value in it. I'm putting this here too. I communicate through text better than voice.

So I feel repetitive for saying this at this point, but I grew up in the West Bank settlements. I wrote this post to give an example of the extent to which Palestinians are dehumanized there.

Where I live now, I meet Palestinians in day to day life. Israeli Arab citizens living their lives. In the West Bank, it was nothing like that. Over there, I only saw them through the electric fence, and the hostility between us and Palestinians was tangible.

When you're a child being brought into the situation, you don't experience the context, you don't experience the history, you don't know why they're hostile to you. You just feel "these people hate me, they don't want me to exist." And that bubble was my reality. So when I was taught in school that everything we did was in self defense, that our military is special and uniquely ethical because it's the only defensive military in the world - that made sense to me. It slotted neatly into the reality I knew.

One of the first things to burst the bubble for me was when I spoke to an old Israeli man and he was talking about his trauma from battle. I don't remember what he said, but it hit me wrong. It conflicted with the history as I understood it. So I was a bit desperate to make it make sense again, and I said, "But everything we did was in self defense, right?"

He kinda looked at me, couldn't understand at all why I was upset, and he went, "We destroyed whole villages. Of course we did. It was war, that's what you do."

And that casual "of course" stuck with me. I had to look into it more.

I couldn't look at more accurate history, and not at accounts by Palestinians, I was too primed against these sources to trust them. The community I grew up in had an anti-intellectual element to it where scholars weren't trusted about things like this.

So what really solidified this for me, was seeing Palestinian culture.

Because part of the story that Israel tells us to justify everything, is that Palestinians are not a distinct group of people, they're just Arabs. They belong to the nations around us. They insist on being here because they want to deny us a homeland. The Palestinian identity exists to hurt us. This, because the idea of displacing them and taking over their lands doesn't sound like stealing, if this was never theirs and they're only pretending because they want to deprive us.

But then foods, dances, clothing, embroidery, the Palestinian dialect. These things are history. They don't pop into existence just because you hate Jews and they're trying to move here. How gorgeous is the Palestinian thobe? How stunning is tatreez in general? And when I saw specific patterns belonging to different regions of Palestine?

All of these painted for me a rich shared life of a group of people, and countered the narrative that the Palestininian identity was fabricated to hurt us. It taught me that, whatever we call them, whatever they call themselves, they have a history in this land, they have a right to it, they have a connection to it that we can't override with our own.

I started having conversations with leftist friends. Confronting the fact that the borders of the occupied territories are arbitrary and every Israeli city was taken from them. In one of those conversations, I was encouraged to rethink how I imagine peace.

This also goes back to schooling. Because they drilled into us, we're the ones who want peace, they're the ones who keep fighting, they're just so dedicated to death and killing and they won't leave us alone.

In high school, we had a stadium event with a speaker who was telling us about a person who defected from Hamas, converted to Christianity and became a Shin Bet agent. Pretty sure you can read this in the book "Son of Hamas." A lot of my friends read the book, I didn't read it, I only know what I was told in that lecture. I guess they couldn't risk us missing out on the indoctrination if we chose not to read it.

One of the things they told us was how he thought, we've been fighting with them for so long, Israelis must have a culture around the glorification of violence. And he looked for that in music. He looked for songs about war. And for a while he just couldn't find any, but when he did, he translated it more fully, and he found out the song was about an end to wars. And this, according to the story as I was told it, was one of the things that convinced him. If you know know the current trending Israeli "war anthem," you know this flimsy reasoning doesn't work.

Back then, my friend encouraged me to think more critically about how we as Israelis envision peace, as the absence of resistance. And how self-centered it is. They can be suffering under our occupation, but as long as it doesn't reach us, that's called peace. So of course we want it and they don't.

Unless we're willing to work to change the situation entirely, our calls for peace are just "please stop fighting back against the harm we cause you."

In this video, Shlomo Yitzchak shares how he changed his mind. His story is much more interesting than mine, and he's much more eloquent telling it. He mentions how he was taught to fear Palestinians. An automatic thought, "If I go with you, you'll kill me." I was taught this too. I was taught that, if I'm in a taxi, I should be looking at the driver's name. And if that name is Arab, I should watch the road and the route he's taking, to be prepared in case he wants to take me somewhere to kill me. Just a random person trying to work. For years it stayed a habit, I'd automatically look at the driver's name. Even after knowing that I want to align myself with liberation, justice, and equality. It was a process of unlearning.

On October, not long after the current escalation of violence, I had to take a taxi again. A Jewish driver stopped and told me he'll take me, "so an Arab doesn't get you." Israeli Jews are so comfortable saying things like this to each other. My neighbors discussed a Palestinian employee, with one saying "We should tell him not to come anymore, that we want to hire a Jew." The second answered, "No, he'll say it's discrimination," like it would be so ridiculous of him. And the first just shrugged, "So we don't have to tell him why." They didn't go through with it, but they were so casual about this conversation.

In the Torah, we're told to treat those who are foreign to us well, because we know what it's like to be the foreigner. Fighting back against oppression is the natural human thing to do. We know it because we lived it. And as soon as I looked at things from this angle, it wasn't really a choice of what to support.

#riki babbles #I had this in my drafts for ages and I was like 'not the time' but a friend encouraged me to share so here it is #palestine

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fandomxo00 · 16 days

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Ok but imagine this: having four kids with logan au

Overhearing Logan helping your son when he's struggling

note: I think this will be a continuous imagine with just little situations with the family it will have the 'having four kids with logan au' tag

Theo, was your oldest son, he was now 15, he looked a lot like Logan, though he had your eyes and you couldn't believe that your baby not your baby anymore. He'd been extra emotional lately, taking his anger out on you, Logan, and his younger siblings.

Logan knew he had to prepare for this if he had children, his anger issues would most likely pass on. But he also knew that the anger was misdirected, that there was something wrong and he was asking for help. So, when Theo marched into the house, throwing his bag down, heading downstairs to his room and slamming the door shut. His younger brother, Parker, sighed looking over at his brother before going into a kitchen for his afternoon snack. You went after him, going down and knocking on his door.

"Leave me alone!"

"Baby-." You tried.

"I don't want to talk to you." Theo spat.

"Well I'm here if you do, alright?" You didn't hear anything from the other side, your heart breaking a bit as you turned to see your youngest, Sophie, she was three and she moved over to you. She had the biggest heart, and she was really close with Theo.

"Is Teo sad?" She asked, pointing at the door from the top of the stairs.

"He just needs some alone time, baby."

You brought Sophie to the living room, setting her up at her dollhouse and a snack, she knew to keep her snack at the top of her doll house so your dog, Charlie, wouldn't be able to reach it.

Your middle child, Valley, would be getting picked up by Logan on his way home from work. She always stayed after school to spend time with her friends, or going home to play with them. Some days you picked her up to bring her friend's home or if she had low energy. But she was the most social child, but you also understood her on a different level as she struggled with social cues or 'saying the right thing'. She found her group though; she always did and you'd always be there to guide her through it. Hopefully she can do the same for Sophie, though you would always be there for her too.

She rushed through the door and Logan stepped in after her, taking off his boots before following behind her. "Hey baby." He grinned, coming over to and wrapping an arm around you to pull you and kiss your lips.

"Hey, can you go check on Theo?" You pressed, your eyes scanning his, he understood the look in your eyes, leaning in to kiss your cheek. He goes over to Sophie, before crouching as she talked him about the doll in her hand, he kisses her head before standing up. As he started towards Theo's room, Parker skidded in front of his dad and started going on about soccer practice tonight. Logan volunteered to coach for his team.

"Hey, bud, we can talk about this on the way to soccer alright?" Logan started as Parker went on to talk, a look of defeat came over your son's face. Then Logan clapped him on the shoulder and looked down into his eyes, "Maybe we'll practice your drill, tonight."

"Really?" Parker's eyes lit up, as he smiled over at his dad. Your chest ached a bit as you knew Logan never wanted any of his kids to feel left out or less loved than another. You knew you had the same worry, it's the reason why you decide four kids rather than five. Logan didn't want more than three and Sophie was a very wanted oops. It just seemed like the missing piece of the puzzle. So even though your fantasies were filled with more children, now you couldn't imagine having any more.

Parker came into the living room, getting his video games set up as he rested on the couch. You went downstairs to start on laundry and also overhear little parts of the conversation Logan and Theo were having. You knew that Logan would fill you in later but your worry sadly outweighed privacy. It wasn't something you were proud of, and you were working on it.

"Theo, you're our baby, you are the one who truly started this family, I love you with all of my heart, you are strong, and you're going to live a happy long life. You kids are everything to me and your mom, something I'll never know how to truly express. I know you don't wanna upset mom but she'd understand what your going through."

"I-I just don't know why I feel this way." Theo cried.

"Your mom and I have always struggled with mental illness, and we aren't here for a lack of trying. All you have to do is try, alright?"

"Okay."

"How about we go for a walk in the morning?"

"That sounds good." Theo murmured, before their voices faded, as you started the dryer before grabbing a laundry basket and walking up the stairs just as Theo's door opened and Logan walked out. As you turned your head, his eyebrow quirked up as a small smile came over his face as he shook his head. He definitely knew you were eavesdropping.

"I'll look up some therapists, tonight." You said, softly as Logan got to the top of the stairs as you leant down to put the basket on the floor. His arms wrapped around you, and he pulled you tightly, his head in the dip of your neck.

"Are you upset?" He asked, his voice calm and soft.

"No, I'm just glad he opened up to you." You breathed, rubbing at his forearm as he started swaying the two of you back and forth.

"Mom! Sharlie got my crackers!" Sophie yelped from the living room, as Logan chuckled as you sighed, he kissed your cheek before letting you go. As you started towards the living room, you turned to see Logan grab the laundry basket before heading towards your room down the hall.

"Coming baby!"

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a-lexia11 · 19 days

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Pequeniña

FCB Femini x teen!reader

Alexia Putellas x teen!reader

Word count:2,8k

Summary: At 16, Y/N joins Barcelona and earns the nickname “Pequeniña” due to her youth and her small height. As the youngest member of the team, she receives a lot of attention from her older teammates, who are particularly protective of her.

Based on this request.

The moment I stepped off the plane in Barcelona, my heart was in my throat. Everything felt larger than life—the airport, the city, and most of all, the opportunity ahead of me.

At sixteen, I was about to join FC Barcelona femini , a team filled with players I’d idolized for as long as I could remember. It felt surreal, like a dream I was about to wake up from at any moment.

I clutched the strap of my bag tightly as I navigated the bustling terminal, my mind spinning with a mix of excitement and nerves.

I had visited Spain before with my family, but this time was different. This wasn’t a holiday; this was my life now.

My Spanish was decent—good enough to get by—but the rapid conversations around me made me feel like I was back in school, struggling to keep up.

I could understand a lot, but speaking it fluently was another challenge altogether. Every word felt heavy on my tongue, and my nerves didn’t help.

The club had made arrangements for me to stay in a small hotel for the time being, which was intended as a temporary solution until a more permanent living situation could be established.

My parents had to remain in England due to their work commitments, and they also had the responsibility of caring for my younger siblings.

As a result, I found myself needing to adjust to this new environment on my own while waiting for a more stable and lasting accommodation to be found.

The room was nice, but it felt empty, cold. Every night, I missed the comforting chaos of my home in England—the noise of my younger siblings, the constant presence of my parents. I video-called them as much as I could, but it wasn’t the same.

They tried to reassure me, reminding me that this was the opportunity of a lifetime. They were right, of course, but that didn’t make the loneliness any easier.

Each morning, I would take the bus to the training ground. The ride was long, and I often found myself lost in thought, staring out the window as the city of Barcelona rushed past me.

The streets were vibrant and full of life, but I still felt like an outsider. On the bus, I tried to blend in, hoping no one would notice the nervous English girl clutching her bag like a lifeline.

The training ground was a different story. It was a place where I felt both at home and out of my depth at the same time. I was surrounded by football legends—players like Alexia Putellas, Aitana Bonmatí, Caroline Graham Hansen.

They were the best in the world, and here I was, trying to prove that I belonged on the same pitch as them. My shyness didn’t help. I kept to myself during those first few weeks, not wanting to draw too much attention.

My teammates quickly noticed this about me, and before long, they started calling me “Pequeniña” which I soon learned meant "little one" in Spanish.

At first,I did not really like but then I realized it was their way of showing affection, of letting me know that they had my back.

One day during training, I was paired with Fridolina Rolfö for some drills. She was kind but focused, her movements precise and powerful.

I watched her closely, trying to emulate her technique, but I was still a bit hesitant.

“Y/N, relax,” Frido said, her voice gentle yet firm as she passed the ball to me. “You’ve got the skills, you just need to trust yourself.”

I nodded, swallowing hard. “I’m just… I don’t want to mess up.”

“You won’t,” she reassured me warmly, stepping closer and gently placing her hand on my shoulder. “And even if you do make a mistake, that’s a natural part of the learning process. We’re all here to support and guide you through it.”

Her words gave me a bit of confidence, and I focused on the drill.

By the end of the session, I felt like I had improved, even if just a little. As we wrapped up, Irene Paredes came over, smiling warmly and wrapping her arms around my shoulders.

“Good job today, Y/N,” she said, squeezing me lightly. “You’re getting there. Just keep working hard.”

“Thanks, Irene,” I replied, feeling a bit more at ease around her. Irene was someone I admired for her creativity on the pitch, and knowing she believed in me meant a lot.

Despite their encouragement, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was out of place. It wasn’t just about the football—though that was a huge part of it—it was everything.

Living in the hotel, navigating a new city, trying to fit in with a team that had already established itself as a family. I was the outsider, the youngest, the shy little girl who didn’t quite know where she belonged.

But Keira and Lucy were incredibly supportive; they are the other English girls on the team. It was really reassuring to converse with them in English and have some familiar company around.

Their presence made me feel more at ease and provided a sense of camaraderie.

——

One evening, after a particularly tough training session, I found myself alone in the lounge area of the training complex, scrolling through my phone. My fingers hovered over the screen, debating whether to call my parents.

I missed them more than I wanted to admit. That’s when Alexia Putellas found me.

“You okay, pequeniña?” she asked, sitting down beside me and putting her arm around my shoulders pulling me closer. Her presence was calming, and I immediately felt a little better just having her near.

“Yeah, just… thinking,” I replied, trying to downplay the homesickness that was gnawing at me.

Alexia looked at me for a moment, her eyes filled with understanding. “You know, if you ever need anything, you can always come to me.”

“I know” I said, though I still hesitated to lean on her too much. She was the captain, a legend—I didn’t want to burden her with my problems.

But Alexia wasn’t one to take no for an answer when it came to looking after her teammates, especially someone she had taken under her wing.

——

A few days later, she spotted me making my way to the training ground. The bus stop was only about a fifteen-minute walk from the facility, so I had to walk the rest of the way.

As I was walking, I suddenly heard a car honk behind me. Turning around, I spotted Alexia in her car, her familiar smile greeting me as she pulled up beside me.

She stopped and rolled down the window. “Hola, Pequeniña, are you walking to training?” she asked, her tone light and playful.

“Hi, Alexia. Yes, I am,” I responded with a small laugh. “The bus stop is about 15 minutes away, so I’m walking the rest of the way.”

She nodded thoughtfully before getting out of the car and grabbing my bag without hesitation. “Come on, get in. We’re going together,” she said, her tone leaving no room for argument.

I watched as she walked to the trunk, placing my bag inside with care. A warm smile spread across my face as she opened the passenger door for me, and I slid into the seat, feeling grateful for her kindness.

During the final ten minutes of the car ride, Alexia asked me why I didn’t have anyone to take me to training and where I was living.

I hesitated, feeling a bit uncomfortable about sharing, but eventually, I confessed that I was staying alone in a hotel while my family was back in England.

Alexia's expression softened with concern, her brows knitting together as she said, “A 16-year-old shouldn’t be living alone, especially in a city you don’t know well, in a hotel, and where you’re still getting used to the language.”

Her sympathy was clear, and I could tell she genuinely worried about my situation. I simply shrugged in response, unsure of what else to say.

She was right, of course, but I didn’t have any other options at the moment. I had to manage the best I could.

After training, I was in the changing room getting ready to leave when Alexia came up to me. “I’m taking you to your hotel so you can pack your bags,” she said with determination.

I looked at her, puzzled. “What?”

“You’re moving in with me,” she replied as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

I was taken aback. She wanted me to move in with her? It seemed our conversation in the car had made an impression on her.

“Oh, it’s really okay, Alexia. You don’t have to do that,” I said, offering her a gentle smile. “I’ll manage living in the hotel. Don’t worry about it.”

“No, I’m not taking no for an answer,” she insisted firmly. “You’re too young to be living on your own. You’re coming home with me,” she declared, leaving no room for argument.

"But… I don’t want to be a burden," I protested, already feeling like I was intruding on her life.

"You’re not a burden, Y/N," she replied, her tone leaving no room for argument. "You shouldn’t be living alone in a hotel. It’s not right. You need a place that feels like home, and I want you to feel safe and comfortable. And, it’ll be easier for you to focus on football if you’re not worrying about all of that."

I tried to argue, but Alexia was insistent.

And so, I found myself moving into her apartment.

——

It was a bit strange at first, adjusting to living with someone who wasn’t family. But Alexia made it feel like home.

She cooked for me, made sure I was eating properly, and even helped me with my Spanish.

Living with her made everything easier. She wasn’t just my captain anymore—she was like a second mother, someone I could rely on.

During training, Alexia kept a close eye on me, always offering advice and encouragement. She wasn’t the only one, though.

Vicky, who was around my age, quickly became my closest friend.

Vicky had this infectious energy that made it impossible to be shy around her for long.

She was always cracking jokes and making everyone laugh, and it didn’t take long for her to pull me out of my shell.

“Vamos, Y/N, no puedes estar seria todo el tiempo. Divirtámonos un poco” (Come on, Y/N, you can't be serious all the time. Let's have some fun) she would say with a grin whenever she wanted to do something mischievous with the older girl.

Or she would always invited me to go out with her and Martina, who is also around our age.

“¿Has probado la comida de ese lugar que está al final de la calle?” (Have you tried the food at that place down the street yet?) Vicky asked, out of the blue as she dribbled the ball around me.

“Not yet,” I replied, trying to keep up with her quick movements.

“Deberíamos ir después del entrenamiento algún día” (We should go after training sometime) Martina suggested, her voice calm and measured as she passed the ball to me. “Tienen tapas muy buenas” (They have really good tapas.)

“Suena bien, pero tendré que preguntarle a Alexia” (Sounds good, but I’ll have to ask Alexia) I agreed, feeling a little thrill of excitement.

“Oh, es verdad—tienes que pedirle permiso a Mami Alexia antes de hacer cualquier cosa” (Oh, that's right—you need to ask Mami Alexia for permission before doing anything) Vicky teased, and I responded by sticking my tongue out at her.

I had developed a new habit of asking Alexia for permission every time Vicky invited me out, just like I used to do with my mom back in England.

——

As the season went on, I started to find my footing, both on and off the pitch.

The more I trained with my teammates, the more I felt like I was part of something special. And yet, there were still moments when my confidence wavered—especially during matches.

One game in particular stands out in my memory. We were playing against a tough, physical team, and I was struggling to hold my own.

I had the ball, trying to maneuver past a defender who was easily twice my size.

She shoved me hard, and I went down, hitting the ground with a thud that rattled my bones.

For a split second, I was stunned, the wind knocked out of me. But before I could even gather my thoughts, I heard Alexia’s voice, sharp and protective.

She was already there, standing between me and the other player. “¡¿Qué te pasa?!” (What’s wrong with you?) she snapped, her eyes blazing with a fierceness I had never seen before.

Aitana and Ingrid quickly joined her, forming a protective wall in front of me. The referee blew the whistle, but the message was clear—no one was going to mess with their “Pequeniña.”

I struggled to my feet, my heart pounding in my chest. I was grateful for my teammates’ protection, but at the same time, I felt a bit embarrassed.

I didn’t want to be the reason they had to stop the game or the one who needed defending all the time.

As I brushed off the dirt from my kit, Alexia turned to me, her expression softening as she placed a hand on my shoulder, bending down a little.

“Are you okay, nena?”she asked gently, her voice no longer laced with anger but concern.

I nodded, even though my pride was a little bruised. “Yeah, I’m fine. Thanks, Alexia.”

She smiled at me, the tension from a moment ago easing into something warmer. “Don’t let them push you around. You’re stronger than you think, Y/N.”

I took a deep breath, letting her words sink in. I knew she believed in me, and that meant a lot.

As the game continued, I tried to focus on that belief, using it to fuel my determination.

The rest of the match was tough, but I kept pushing, determined to show that I belonged on this team.

After the game, we all gathered in the locker room, the air filled with a mix of exhaustion and relief.

We had won, and everyone was in good spirits. As I was unlacing my boots, Caroline came over and sat down beside me.

“You did well out there,” she said with a nod of approval. “It’s not easy going up against players like that.”

I looked up at her, surprised. “Really? I feel like I could’ve done better.”

Caroline smiled, a hint of amusement in her eyes. “We all feel that way sometimes. But trust me, you held your own. And next time, you’ll be even better.”

Her words made me feel a little lighter, and I smiled back. “Thanks, Caroline.”

The locker room was bustling with activity, everyone chatting and laughing as they packed up their gear. I was about to head out when Vicky and Martina caught up with me.

“¡Hey, Y/N! ¿Te gustaría acompañarnos a cenar esta noche?” (Hey, Y/N! Are you up for grabbing dinner with us tonight?) Vicky asked, her eyes bright with excitement. “Estamos pensando en probar ese lugar de tapas que mencionó Martina” (We’re thinking of trying that tapas place Martina mentioned.)

I glanced at Alexia, aware that she was listening and silently seeking her approval. She responded with a gentle nod and a warm smile.

I looked back at Vicky and Martina before nodding my head happily.

“¡Genial!” (Great!) Martina chimed in, her calm demeanor a perfect balance to Vicky’s energy. “Será agradable relajarse después del partido” (It’ll be nice to unwind after that game.)

As we left the stadium, I couldn’t help but feel grateful for these moments of normalcy. Despite everything—the challenges, the homesickness, the pressure—I was starting to find my place here.

I wasn’t just the shy English girl anymore; I was becoming part of the team, part of this family.

——

As the weeks went by, I continued to settle into my new life. Training was intense, but I was improving every day.

My Spanish has improved significantly, to the point where I no longer require translations during training sessions.

I’ve become much more comfortable and fluent, allowing me to understand and participate in conversations and instructions without any difficulty.

My teammates were amazing—both on the pitch and off. They treated me like family, always looking out for me, always pushing me to be better.

But it wasn’t just about football. Living with Alexia had given me a sense of stability, something I desperately needed.

I could not say it enough but she really was more than just a mentor—she was someone I could rely on, someone who cared about me as a person, not just as a player.

One evening, after a particularly long day of school and training, I sat on the couch in Alexia’s living room, scrolling through my phone.

Alexia was in the kitchen, making dinner. The smell of something delicious wafted through the apartment, and I realized how much I had come to appreciate these quiet moments with her.

“Hey, Pequeñina ,” Alexia called from the kitchen. “Dinner’s almost ready. Want to help me set the table?”

“Sure,” I said, putting my phone down and heading to the kitchen. I grabbed some plates and cutlery, setting them out on the small dining table.

As we sat down to eat, Alexia looked at me with a thoughtful expression. “You know, Y/N, you’ve come a long way since you first got here.”

I smiled, feeling a warmth spread through my chest. “Thanks, Alexia. I couldn’t have done it without you.”

She shook her head, her eyes soft. “Eres más fuerte de lo que piensas, nena. Solo me alegra haber podido ayudarte a darte cuenta de eso” (You’re stronger than you think, nena. I’m just glad I could help you see that.)

We ate in comfortable silence for a while, the bond between us stronger than ever. I realized then how lucky I was to have her in my life, to have all of my teammates.

They weren’t just protecting me—they were helping me grow, helping me find my place in this new world.

FIN

#woso community #woso #woso soccer #woso appreciation #women’s football #futfem #woso x reader #fcb femení #alexia putellas imagine #alexia putellas x reader #fcb femeni #barca femini x reader #woso one shot

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celestie0 · 8 months

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gojo satoru x reader | college au [18+]

kickoff ch. 3 returning the favor

ᰔ pairing. college au - soccer player! gojo x film major! reader

ᰔ summary. gojo satoru is the most popular guy on your college campus. he's tall, funny, hot, not to mention he's the most talented soccer forward the school has seen in years. but he's also a frat dude, which puts him in a world very different from your own, as he spends most of his nights partying & drinking while you spend most of yours working on your annoying film major assignments. but when he reaches out to you for a favor, you realize that helping him out might have something in it for you too.

ᰔ warnings/tags. 18+, fem reader, fluff, angst, smut, college au, fraternities, sororities, partying, drinking/alcohol, mentions of weed, romance, jealousy, pining, slow burn, opposites to lovers, friends to lovers, she falls first he falls harder, gojo being an idiot

ᰔ chapter. 3/x (probably 12)

ᰔ words. 4.5k

a/n. hope you enjoy! i really had fun incorporating a lot of the other characters in this one.

nav. masterlist

☾·̩͙꙳ moodboard no.1

♬.*ﾟplaylist

|| 9:21AM Gojo Satoru sent you a photo

|| 9:22AM Gojo Satoru: Here’s our practice schedule for the week. Honestly, it’s better if you come when we do practice games or something, since on other days we just do drills or strength training, but coach doesn’t really tell us what we’re doing beforehand so would probs have to play it by ear

|| 9:27AM Gojo Satoru: Oh yeah, we’ve got a big game in three weeks on the 28th. It’ll decide if we’re automatically seeded into the top 16 teams bracket, which is really crucial if we want to eventually bring home the championship. Not sure when your assignment is due, but that would be a good official game to come to

|| 9:28AM Gojo Satoru: Let me know as soon as you can if you want to make that game. I’ll have to ask coach to get the referee sign-off for you to be on-field during play at least a week before

You look down at all the messages he was sending you during class on a Monday morning. After he sent you that house party details post from his fraternity’s Instagram page last week, their posts kept popping up in your feed and you saw one this morning with a bunch of the guys in the frat, Gojo included, shotgunning beers until 3AM last night. You marvel at how he’s somehow not hungover beyond repair and is texting you before noon.

Pressing and holding on to his messages, you give him little thumbs up reactions and you decide on a heart reaction for the picture he sent you of the practice schedule. Then, you set your phone down and look at the video of the men’s soccer team highlights your professor was playing from the game a week and a half ago.

“Here, here, this right here. Midfielder #24 surveyed the field, spotting #13 making a run for it down the flank. Pinpoint pass to left winger, who starts steering through defenders, but loses the ball. Then, center forward #10 steals the ball back! He steals the ball, he fucking steals the fucking ball back!” Your professor was running back and forth in front of the projector screen, his finger following the movement of the soccer ball in the video. Your heart jumps a beat when Gojo shows up on screen, with his signature #10 jersey, and some people in the lecture hall stand up in excitement with the professor. “Beelines towards the goal, and BAM! Goalie stood no fucking chance, ball sent immaculately into the back of the net. Victory for UTokyo, 2-1, in the last seconds of the game!" Your professor cheers and jumps up and down. Some people cheer with him, others sigh, others are in awe, and some simply clap.

Another entire lecture goes by where the professor spends absolutely no time going over film photography theory and instead just talks about how soccer used to be back in his day. You approach him after class, clutching your laptop case to your chest, and it’s only when you clear your throat in front of him that he finally looks up at you from the podium.

“Oh, y/n, how can I help you?” He asks as he shoves his phone back in his pocket.

“Hey, professor. Bit of a request, could I have like two extra days for my assignment? There’s this event that I really want to use for the subject matter but it’s the day before the deadline, and I would need some time to develop my photos,” you say in the politest tone you can muster up.

“Yeah, sure. Just get it in before the end of the deadline week,” he says nonchalantly. “Looking forward to seeing it. Good work on the last one, by the way.”

You give him a smile and a word of appreciation before turning on your heel and making it up the stairs to exit the lecture hall, pulling your phone out of your tote bag.

|| 9:53AM You: i can make it on the 28th. please get that referee permission for me

You press your lips together as you press send, and then type a bit more.

|| 9:54AM You: and thanks a lot

Your stomach is suddenly growling and you’re about to head over to the student hub when your phone starts ringing. You look down at the contact name that says Nobara and pick up.

“Hey, Nobie, what’s up,” you say as you make your way towards the heart of campus, enjoying the light breeze as the sun peeked through the clouds.

“Where are you? Didn’t we have a Film Club meeting today?” She asks you, her tone a bit impatient. “We were supposed to discuss that collaboration with the school newsletter.”

Shoot. You forgot. These days, you were a bit too distracted by recent happenings, like Mina practically falling head-over-heels for a guy that was quite possibly the opposite of her type, the towering amount of class assignments that never seemed to end, and this whole arrangement you were trying to coordinate with Gojo Satoru. The Film Club meeting totally slipped your mind. You were supposed to head out of class a bit early to make it on time. “I’m so sorry, Nobara. I totally forgot about it. I’m unfortunately all the way on the other end of campus right now. I typed up some notes in the document, can you just run those by them? If we need anything else, I’ll reach out to them by email.”

She sighs on the other end of the line. “Yeah. I’m not good at these conversations, but I guess as President I should be better at them anyways. I’ll let you know how it goes.” And then she hangs up.

Mentally happy that you were at least free of one other obligation today, you prepare to make your way to the dining hall when your phone vibrates again.

|| 10:01AM Gojo Satoru: Will do, and sure thing. By the way, you free right now? Coach is having us do a practice game, probably for around 2 hours

You squint your eyes at his message, considering the opportunity. You didn’t have any other classes left for the day and were just going to grab something to eat before heading home, but now you wonder if you should make it to this practice session. He did say that you have to be flexible since he doesn’t even know exactly what they’ll end up doing before practice, so you figured this might be your only chance this week to practice capturing shots of them as they play, since it seemed like they had Tuesday & Friday off based on Gojo’s schedule picture. Unfortunately, you only brought your digital camera with you today since your film camera was too heavy to carry around unless you knew you needed it, but you can still do a lot with digital that would help for the film camera shoot. You could make it work.

|| 10:05AM You: yeah, i’m free. i was just gonna grab something to eat first, and then i’ll head over to the field in maybe 15 min. but i’m not exactly sure how to get onto the field, or where the entrance is…

He adds a heart reaction to your message which startles you a little bit. An accident, maybe?

|| 10:06AM Gojo Satoru: Lol, just meet me at that weird art sculpture they put up last semester. The one that cost like all of our tuition money. I’ll walk you to the field

You let out a sigh, somewhat nervous that you'll be seeing him again soon. The last time you saw Gojo was when you left him standing unceremoniously at the kitchen island with a somewhat offending comment. Nonetheless, he didn’t necessarily seem angry at you. Quite the opposite, actually. He’s been way more helpful than you had ever anticipated. You started to feel like the effort you put into getting Mina to go to that house party was nothing compared to the effort he was putting in for you to ace this assignment.

Stopping by your school’s mini grocery store, you pick up a sandwich plus some strawberry vanilla soda, and take some bites as well as some sips as you leisurely make your way to the expensive art sculpture near the sports fields. As you get closer to it, you see Gojo from a distance talking to some people. A few of them were guys, a few of them girls, and he was laughing out loud at something one of the girls said. A part of you wonders what it’s like to be adored by so many people.

When he spots you at the other side of the cross walk, he doesn’t break eye contact with you as he’s hurriedly saying goodbye to the group in front of him. Their heads turn to each other in confusion before turning their attention in your direction as he makes his way over to you.

“Hey,” he says as he lightly jogs up to the sidewalk you were standing on. You notice he’s wearing a black long sleeve undershirt with a short-sleeved blue one on top, along with some athletic black shorts and running shoes. When he brushes some of his hair away from where it had fallen near his eyes, your heart skips a beat at his handsome expression. A smile graces his face. “You ready?”

You nod, swallowing the mouthful of sandwich you didn’t realize you had stopped chewing, and follow his lead as the two of you cut across behind the batting cages of the school’s softball training area. Your eyes fell to Gojo’s back as he walked on the pavement. His shoulders were broad, shoulder blades pulling the upper half of the fabric of his clothing somewhat taut across as the rest of it freely flowed down to his lean lower back. The long sleeved shirt he wore underneath was pretty loose-fitting, but you could still see the thickness of his muscles. With every step that he took, his calves flexed in a way that made you realize he must really work out.

“What are you eating?” He says as he turns around to face you, walking backwards for a few paces as he looks at your hands.

“Oh, just a veggie sandwich,” you answer as you hold it up next to your face. “Campus delicacy.”

His smile widens. “And what are you drinking?” This time he asks with a bit more curiosity.

“It's strawberry vanilla soda,” you say as you juggle all of the things you were holding in your arms.

“Can I have some?” He asks with a somewhat innocent tone. “The soda, I mean. I’ve never had that flavor.”

You hesitate, but alas you were a people-pleaser. “Sure.”

He halts his movements and so you do too, and he closes the gap between you two in one exaggerated stride. His hand gently pulls the soda bottle out from where it was tucked into your elbow to keep it from falling. You notice the veins on his hand get more defined as he squeezes & twists to release the cap and it sends something akin to a wave of arousal through your body, entirely startling you. But when he brings the bottle up to his lips with his head tipping backwards, drinking directly from it, neck bobbing as he swallows and a single drop trickles down the expanse of his jawline, the arousal directly hits you at your core.

“Hm,” he licks his lips. “That’s pretty good.”

You’re standing there in shock, your grip on your sandwich causing dents in the bread. He dabs the stray droplet of liquid at his chin with the back of his hand and turns around to keep walking ahead, making his way up the stairs onto what looks like a grassy field. It takes you a second to start moving too, and by then you need to do a light jog just to catch up to him.

There’s a comfortable silence that develops between the two of you and when you glance at Gojo, you notice his eyes are closed and there’s a serene smile on his face, a gust of wind pushing the hair up out of his forehead and sending the blades of grass dancing across the hilly field. You smile too at the sensation of cool wind on your skin. It was a beautiful day outside with sparkling sunshine and quiet whistling wind.

“Can I ask you something?” You say after contemplating if you should interrupt his somewhat meditative state.

“You can ask me anything,” he easily replies.

“Why are you so willing to help me out with my assignment?”

He turns his head to look at you with a neutral expression. “Because you did me a favor.”

You sigh. “I know…but it really wasn’t that hard to convince Mina to go to that party. I feel like you’re helping me out way more than I helped you out.” A small ladybug lands on the fabric of your jeans and you marvel at it before it flutters its wings and flies away.

He’s silent for a second. “Honestly, when you agreed to help me out with Todo’s little crush, which by the way I had to do because I lost a bet, and you mentioned something about terms and conditions in your message,” he starts to say, a brief pause making its way between the sentence as if he was actively trying to relive that first night he was texting you, “I thought you were going to ask for something sexual in return.”

Your mouth drops at his line of thinking, suddenly mortified. That’s how your message came across to him? Oh my God, you had to rethink how you texted everyone in your life from now on.

“I mean, weren’t you being a little flirty? ‘My terms and conditions will come later’. Or do I just have some weird sexual brain rot?” His eyes are still on you, his tone way too casual in your opinion for this sudden topic of conversation. You also realize that he thinks having sex with him would be returning you the favor. And then you try not to think about how good he probably is in bed.

When you can’t think of what to say and just stare at him with wide eyes, he smiles and stretches his arms out in front of him as another gust of wind passes by. “Well, anyways, when you shared what you actually wanted from me and it ended up being a pretty earnest request…let’s just say I was emotionally moved by your dreams and aspirations.” He says that last part somewhat dramatically and you roll your eyes, sending him an annoyed look. “A little disappointed, but nonetheless moved.”

“Wow, you’re the type of person that would trade favors for sex?” you ask him with a sneer to your tone.

He sends a lazy smirk to you over his shoulder to where you’re trailing behind him now. “Not really, no, can’t say I’ve ever done it before,” he says slyly, “probably would’ve made an exception for you, though.” And then he’s giving you a wink.

You can’t help but blush a little. He was definitely just teasing you, some hobby of his that he does just to constantly get a kick out of the people around him since he knows he just has that much of an effect on them, so you try not to let his words get past your skin to the more vulnerable parts of you. He’s reading your expression before he speaks up again.

“We’ve already started this little return favor of yours, so no take-backs. It’s an eye for an eye. Not an eye for an eye and throw some casual sex in there, too.” He makes his way up what seems to be the largest hill across the field and he stops at the top, peering out at whatever was across from it. When you made your way to the top too, your eyes widened as you saw an expanse of flat grassiness covered in orange cones, green land markers, white chalk outlines, and netted goals. Oh, and a lot of men. “Alright, you freaky little photographer. Here are your muses.”

You let out the breath you were holding in and smiled, hands immediately reaching for your digital camera case within your tote bag. A wave of creativity and inspiration hit you as you were finally able to lay your eyes on your subject matter and setting, and you couldn’t wait to get started.

Gojo makes his way down the hill and you stumble after him. He high-fives a couple of his teammates that were leaving the first wave of practice and makes his way over where the second-wave practice players were stretching on the field and running laps.

“C’mon, Itadori, I’ve seen snails with a more urgent sense of direction than you! Pick up those goddamn knees!” You hear a loud voice from a few feet away from you and flinch, eyeing the scary looking man that had a…Pomeranian dog in his arms? He was wearing a black athletic jumpsuit and had extremely tinted, thick sunglasses on. His facial hair was a bit jarring and you immediately decided you were scared of him, despite how gently he was petting the little dog cradled in his arms.

“That’s coach Yaga,” Gojo says beside you with a smile on his face and his hands on his hips. “Real nice guy.”

You turn to give him a suspicious look and he just returns it with a wider smile.

“Hey! It’s y/n,” you hear a somewhat familiar voice call out and you glance at the direction it came from. You see Geto standing next to Nanami and he whacks his hand against the blonde's chest to get his attention when he makes eye contact with you before jogging over. You see Gojo put his hands in his shorts pockets in your periphery. “What are you doing here?”

You give him a shy smile, suddenly embarrassed by the attention. “Here to take some photos.”

“Are you with the school newsletter?” Nanami’s smooth voice says as he approaches Geto, standing next to him. They both were wearing matching blue tracksuits.

“No, I’m not. Just here to…take some photos for one of my classes. It’s for a film photography assignment.” You suddenly wished you were part of the school newsletter committee, so that you could at least provide them with some positive publicity with your photos. You wondered if they would think you’re just using them. As if Gojo could read your mind, he patted Geto harshly on the back and let out a loud, obnoxious laugh.

“Hear that, punks? She wants to try and take some nice photos of you lot. Be grateful! Of course, your grotesque appearances cannot simply be fixed by any technology yet known to man,” Gojo says rather loudly, continuing to smack Geto on the back. Geto has a small pitiful smile on his face and Nanami just looks annoyed. You feel lighter somehow, less tense.

“Okay, cool, let us know if we can help in any way,” Geto says kindly as he sits down on the grass to continue stretching out his legs. “Oh by the way, Satoru, Chosou’s out sick today so you might need to cover for goalie.”

“What? Why’s that fucker always getting sick?” Gojo says as he walks towards one of the duffle bags on the bench, and you assume it’s his. He pulls out a water bottle. “He needs to stop eating that goddamn grocery store sushi.”

“Oh! Oh! It’s you,” another somewhat familiar voice calls out from ahead. You see a guy wearing a dark blue jacket that had a red hood approaching you from the inner field. Then you recognize he was that guy at the entrance of the house party that called you a- “It’s casual tomboy!”

Your eye twitches slightly as you take in your appearance. Sure, you were wearing jeans again, but your top was somewhat stylish and feminine. He arrives in front of you and notices the digital camera hung at your neck. “Hey, what’s that?” He points directly at your midriff where the camera sat. He almost pokes his finger right through the delicate attachable lens that cost you nearly two months of rent.

“A little rude, Yuuji,” Geto says, grunting as he switches from one stretch to the other.

Yuuji gets closer to you to study the camera and you instinctively lean away from him before Gojo is grabbing him by the hood of his jacket and yanking him away from you, Yuuji’s arms flailing out in front of himself in a struggle. “Hey, get back to practice. You’re not allowed to talk to pretty seniors.”

Coach Yaga grunts and crosses his arms from where he stood a few feet away, the tiny pomeranian now barking at his feet. “I never said you could stop running laps, Itadori! Get your ass back out there! I’ll be sending you to recreational soccer for the rest of your freshman year if you don’t get your damn head straight!” Gojo lets go of Itadori’s hood and the poor boy is scrambling across the field to join what seems like the other first-years for their warm-up laps. Coach Yaga turns to you and gives a hmph before vaguely gesturing to you. “May I know what you’re doing out on my field?”

“Coach!” Gojo says, making his way over to the scary man. He slings his arm around his neck and the man just continues to glare at him through his sunglasses. “She’s with me today. Photographer y/n will be taking some handsome photographs of you that you can send to your wife, and then maybe your wife will actually want to-”

Coach Yaga puts Gojo in a headlock and Gojo’s instantly tapping on his back to get him to ease up. “I dare you to finish that sentence, boy.”

You let out a small laugh. This was certainly a lively bunch. Nanami approaches you and expresses interest in your camera. You lift it up for him to take a closer look. He pinches his chin between his bent index finger and thumb, as if he was a detective analyzing a crime scene. “I see…so this is a film camera.”

“Ah…” you laugh awkwardly. “No, this is just a digital camera.”

“I see…so this is a digital camera,” he repeats, equally as intrigued.

The time eventually comes along where all the players start the practice match. There’s obviously not enough players out on the field for full teams on each side, but they’re split into 1st & 4th years vs. 2nd & 3rd years. You learn that the second wave practice group has the talented players at the top of each of their year groups. Gojo doesn’t seem to participate in the practice match despite one team having to omit having a goalie since the coach requested he sit out to watch the plays and make suggestions. You’re a bit sad you don’t get to see him play, but figured you’ll have a chance in the future. You take a few snapshots as one of the other first-years, a quiet boy named Megumi, kicks the ball towards the goal that ends up bouncing off the goal frame. You spend some time tweaking the exposure, zoom, and focus until you feel like you have a pretty good idea of the settings you’ll need to get some fluid shots.

When you look up over the field again, raising your digital camera to your face, you notice Gojo looking at you from across the field where he stood at the sidelines. You both keep your gaze on one another for a couple of seconds, and you boldly lift the camera up to your eye, taking a few snapshots of him. When you pull it away, look down at the results on the small screen, and then glance back up at him, his eyes are slightly wide. Something stirs within you when you remember his words from earlier: I thought you were going to ask for something sexual.

Your mind wanders back to the party from last weekend, and the feeling of him leaning down next to your ear in the kitchen as he said “Thanks, I owe you one. Find me later, ‘kay?” The memory itself made your cheeks feel warm. Did he…think that something was going to happen that night at the party? Probably would’ve made an exception for you…Disappointed, but nonetheless moved. Somewhere in the haziness of your thoughts, you realize that meant that Gojo would’ve wanted to sleep with you if that was indeed your condition.

When you look to the other side of the field again, Gojo’s eyes are still on you but his handsome face looks a bit troubled, eyebrows furrowed and lips slightly pursed. You couldn’t really tell what he was thinking, but for some reason you felt like he could tell what you were. When you raised an eyebrow at him, his face relaxed and he slowly shook his head as if to say it's nothing.

Coach Yaga’s sharp whistle cuts through the silent conversation you two were having as he yells, “alright, boys. Practice over! Go stretch yourselves out.”

You quickly stuff your digital camera back into its case and collect your things into your tote bag. In your peripheral vision, Gojo’s making his way over to you and when he’s right next to you, you can’t bring yourself to look at him.

“How’d it go? Get some good shots?” he asks, sounding genuinely interested.

“Um, yeah, I think so.” You’re still not looking at him, pretending to fiddle with something in your tote bag. He leans down a bit to look at your face more clearly when he notices you’re not meeting his gaze, but you still struggle to make eye contact with him. “I’ve gotta go, can you tell the guys I said bye?” And then you’re making your way up the hill.

There’s a beat of silence as confusion washes over him from your behavior. “Hey, wait, y/n, do you know how to get back to campus?”

You spin to face him when you're at the top of the hill, finally looking him in the eye. There’s a concerned expression on his face. “Yes, I’ll be fine. Thanks a lot for today. Let me buy you a strawberry vanilla soda sometime, okay?” Flashing him a small smile, you turn around and run down the hill, ignoring the fast beating of your heart.

a/n. thanks a bunch for reading!

➸ take me to chapter four!

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secretgamergirl · 10 months

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How a Computer Works - Part 1 (Components)

I am about to teach you on a real fundamental, connecting up electronic components level, how a computer actually works. Before I get into the meat of this though (you can just skip down below the fold if you don't care), here's the reasons I'm sitting doing so in this format:

Like a decade or two ago, companies Facebook pushed this whole "pivot to video" idea on the whole internet with some completely faked data, convincing everyone that everything had to be a video, and we need to start pushing back against that. Especially for stuff like complex explanations of things or instructions, it's much more efficient to just explain things clearly in text, maybe with some visual aids, so people can easily search, scan, and skip around between sections. It's also a hell of a lot easier to host things long term, and you can even print out a text based explainer and not need a computer to read it, keep it on a desk, highlight it, etc.

People are so clueless about how computers actually work that they start really thinking like it's all magical. Even programmers. Aside from how proper knowledge lets you get more out of them, this leads to people spouting off total nonsense about "teaching sand to think" or "everything is just 1s and 0s" or "this 'AI' a con artist who was trying to sell me NFTs a month ago probably really is an amazing creative thinking machine that can do everything he says!"

We used to have this cultural value going where it was expected that if you owned something and used it day to day, you'd have enough basic knowledge of how it worked that if it stopped working you could open it up, see what was wrong, and maybe fix it on your own, or maybe even put one together again from scratch, and that's obviously worth bringing back.

I'm personally working on a totally bonkers DIY project and I'd like to hype up like-minded people for when it gets farther along.

So all that said, have a standard reminder that I am completely reliant on Patreon donations to survive, keep updating this blog, and ideally start getting some PCBs and chips and a nice oscilloscope to get that mystery project off the ground.

Electricity probably doesn't work like how you were taught (and my explanation shouldn't be trusted too far either).

I remember, growing up, hearing all sorts of things about electricity having this sort of magical ability to always find the shortest possible path to where it needs to get, flowing like water, and a bunch of other things that are kind of useful for explaining how a Faraday cage or a lightning rod works, and not conflicting with how simple electronics will have a battery and then a single line of wire going through like a switch and a light bulb or whatever back to the other end of the battery.

If you had this idea drilled into your head hard enough, you might end up thinking that if we have a wire hooked to the negative end of a battery stretching off to the east, and another wire stretching off to the east from the positive end, and we bridge between the two in several places with an LED or something soldered to both ends, only the westernmost one is going to light up, because hey, the shortest path is the one that turns off as quickly as possible to connect to the other side, right? Well turns out no, all three are going to light up, because that "shortest path" thing is a total misunderstanding.

Here's how it actually works, roughly. If you took basic high school chemistry, you learned about how the periodic table is set up, right? A given atom, normally, has whatever number of protons in the core, and the same number of electrons, whipping all over around it, being attracted to those protons but repelled by each other, and there's particular counts of electrons which are super chill with that arrangement so we put those elements in the same column as each other, and then as you count up from those, you get the elements between those either have some electrons that don't fit all tight packed in the tight orbit and just kinda hang out all wide and lonely and "want to" buddy up with another atom that has more room, up to the half full column that can kinda go either way, then as we approach the next happy number they "want to" have a little more company to get right to that cozy tight packed number, and when you have "extra" electrons and "missing" electrons other atoms kinda cozy up and share so they hit those good noble gas counts.

I'm sure real experts want to scream at me for both that and this, but this is basically how electricity works. You have a big pile of something at the "positive" end that's "missing electrons" (for the above reason or maybe actually ionized so they really aren't there), and a "negative" end that's got spares. Then you make wires out of stuff from those middle of the road elements that have awkward electron counts and don't mind buddying up (and also high melting points and some other handy qualities) and you hook those in there. And the electron clouds on all the atoms in the wire get kinda pulled towards the positive side because there's more room over there, but if they full on leave their nucleus needs more electron pals, so yeah neighbors get pulled over, and the whole wire connected to the positive bit ends up with a positive charge to it, and the whole wire on the negative bit is negatively charged, and so yeah, anywhere you bridge the gap between the two, the electrons are pretty stoked about balancing out these two big awkward compromises and they'll start conga lining over to balance things out, and while they're at it they'll light up lights or shake speakers or spin motors or activate electromagnets or whatever other rad things you've worked out how to make happen with a live electric current.

Insulators, Resistors, Waves, and Capacitors

Oh and we typically surround these wires made of things that are super happy about sharing electrons around with materials that are very much "I'm good, thanks," but this isn't an all or nothing system and there's stuff you can connect between the positive and negative ends of things that still pass the current along, but only so much so fast. We use those to make resistors, and those are handy because sometimes you don't want to put all the juice you have through something because it would damage it, and having a resistor anywhere along a path you're putting current through puts a cap on that flow, and also sometimes you might want a wire connected to positive or negative with a really strong resistor so it'll have SOME sort of default charge, but if we get a free(r) flowing connection attached to that wire somewhere else that opens sometimes, screw that little trickle going one way, we're leaning everyone the other way for now.

The other thing with electricity is is that the flow here isn't a basic yes/no thing. How enthusiastically those electrons are getting pulled depends on the difference in charge at the positive and negative ends, and also if you're running super long wires then even if they conduct real good, having all that space to spread along is going to kinda slow things to a trickle, AND the whole thing is kinda going to have some inherent bounciness to it both because we're dealing with electrons whipping and spinning all over and because, since it's a property that's actually useful for a lot of things we do with electricity, the power coming out of the wall has this intentional wobbly nature because we've actually got this ridiculous spinny thing going on that's constantly flip flopping which prong of the socket is positive and which is negative and point is we get these sine waves of strength by default, and they kinda flop over if we're going really far.

Of course there's also a lot of times when you really want to not have your current flow flickering on and off all the time, but hey fortunately one of the first neat little electronic components we ever worked out are capacitors... and look, I'm going to be straight with you. I don't really get capacitors, but the basic idea is you've got two wires that go to big wide plates, and between those you have something that doesn't conduct the electricity normally, but they're so close the electromagnetic fields are like vibing, and then if you disconnect them from the flow they were almost conducting and/or they get charged to their limit, they just can't deal with being so charged up and they'll bridge their own gap and let it out. So basically you give them electricity to hold onto for a bit then pass along, and various sizes of them are super handy if you want to have a delay between throwing a switch and having things start doing their thing, or keeping stuff going after you break a connection, or you make a little branching path where one branch connects all regular and the other goes through a capacitor, and the electricity which is coming in in little pulses effectively comes out as a relatively steady stream because every time it'd cut out the capacity lets its charge go.

We don't just have switches, we have potentiometers.

OK, so... all of the above is just sort of about having a current and maybe worrying about how strong it is, but other than explaining how you can just kinda have main power rails running all over, and just hook stuff across them all willy-nilly rather than being forced to put everything in one big line, but still, all you can do with that is turn the whole thing on and off by breaking the circuit. Incidentally, switches, buttons, keys, and anything else you use to control the behavior of any electronic device really are just physically touching loose wires together or pulling them apart... well wait no, not all, this is a good bit to know.

None of this is actually pass/fail, really, there's wave amplitudes and how big a difference we have between the all. So when you have like, a volume knob, that's a potentiometer, which is a simple little thing where you've got your wire, it's going through a resistor, and then we have another wire we're scraping back and forth along the resistor, using a knob, usually, and the idea is the current only has to go through X percent of the resistor to get to the wire you're moving, which proportionately reduces the resistance. So you have like a 20 volt current, you've got a resistor that'll drop that down to 5 or so, but then you move this other wire down along and you've got this whole dynamic range and you can fine tune it to 15 or 10 or whatever coming down that wire. And what's nice about this again, what's actually coming down the wire is this wobbily wave of current, it's not really just "on" or "off, and as you add resistance, the wobble stays the same, it's just the peaks and valleys get closer to being just flat. Which is great if you're making, say, a knob to control volume, or brightness, or anything you want variable intensity in really.

Hey hey, it's a relay!

Again, a lot of the earliest stuff people did with electronics was really dependent on that analog wobbly waveform angle. Particularly for reproducing sound, and particularly the signals of a telegraph. Those had to travel down wires for absurd distances, and as previously stated, when you do that the signal is going to eventually decay to nothing. But then someone came up with this really basic idea where every so often along those super long wires, you set something up that takes the old signal and uses it to start a new one. They called them relays, because you know, it's like a relay race.

If you know how an electromagnet works (something about the field generated when you coil a bunch of copper wire around an iron core and run an electric current through it), a relay is super simple. You've got an electromagnet in the first circuit you're running, presumably right by where it's going to hit the big charged endpoint, and that magnetically pulls a tab of metal that's acting as a switch on a new circuit. As long as you've got enough juice left to activate the magnet, you slam that switch and voom you've got all the voltage you can generate on the new line.

Relays don't get used too much in other stuff, being unpopular at the time for not being all analog and wobbily (slamming that switch back and forth IS going to be a very binary on or off sorta thing), and they make this loud clacking noise that's actually just super cool to hear in devices that do use them (pinball machines are one of the main surviving use cases I believe) but could be annoying in some cases. What's also neat is that they're a logical AND gate. That is, if you have current flowing into the magnet, AND you have current flowing into the new wire up to the switch, you have it flowing out through the far side of the switch, but if either of those isn't true, nothing happens. Logic gates, to get ahead of myself a bit, are kinda the whole thing with computers, but we still need the rest of them. So for these purposes, relays re only neat if it's the most power and space efficient AND gate you have access to.

Oh and come to think of it, there's no reason we need to have that magnet closing the circuit when it's doing its thing. We could have it closed by default and yank it open by the magnet. Hey, now we're inverting whatever we're getting on the first wire! Neat!

Relay computers clack too loud! Gimme vacuum tubes!

So... let's take a look at the other main thing people used electricity for before coming up with the whole computer thing, our old friend the light bulb! Now I already touched a bit on the whole wacky alternating current thing, and I think this is actually one of the cases that eventually lead to it being adopted so widely, but the earliest light bulbs tended to just use normal direct current, where again, you've got the positive end and the negative end, and we just take a little filament of whatever we have handy that glows when you run enough of a current through it, and we put that in a big glass bulb and pump out all the air we can, because if we don't, the oxygen in there is probably going to change that from glowing a bit to straight up catching on fire and burning immediately.

But, we have a new weird little problem, because of the physics behind that glowing. Making something hot, on a molecular level, is just kinda adding energy to the system so everything jitters around more violently, and if you get something hot enough that it glows, you're getting it all twitchy enough for tinier particles to just fly the hell off it. Specifically photons, that's the light bit, but also hey, remember, electrons are just kinda free moving and whipping all over looking for their naked proton pals... and hey, inside this big glass bulb, we've got that other end of the wire with the more positive charge to it. Why bother wandering up this whole coily filament when we're in a vacuum and there's nothing to get in the way if we just leap straight over that gap? So... they do that, and they're coming in fast and on elliptical approaches and all, so a bunch of electrons overshoot and smack into the glass on the far side, and now one side of every light bulb is getting all gross and burnt from that and turning all brown and we can't have that.

So again, part of the fix is we switched to alternating current so it's at least splitting those wild jumps up to either side, but before that, someone tried to solve this by just... kinda putting a backboard in there. Stick a big metal plate on the end of another wire in the bulb connected to a positive charge, and now OK, all those maverick electrons smack into here and aren't messing up the glass, but also hey, this is a neat little thing. Those electrons are making that hop because they're all hot and bothered. If we're not heating up the plate they're jumping to, and there's no real reason we'd want to, then if we had a negative signal over on that side... nothing would happen. Electrons aren't getting all antsy and jumping back.

So now we have a diode! The name comes because we have two (di-) electrodes (-ode) we care about in the bulb (we're just kind of ignoring the negative one), and it's a one way street for our circuit. That's useful for a lot of stuff, like not having electricity flow backwards through complex systems and mess things up, converting AC to DC (when it flips, current won't flow through the diode so we lop off the bottom of the wave, and hey, we can do that thing with capacitors to release their current during those cutoffs, and if we're clever we can get a pretty steady high).

More electrodes! More electrodes!

So a bit after someone worked out this whole vacuum tube diode thing, someone went hey, what if it was a triode? So, let's stick another electrode in there, and this one just kinda curves around in the middle, just kinda making a grate or a mesh grid, between our hot always flowing filament and that catch plate we're keeping positively charged when it's doing stuff. Well this works in a neat way. If there's a negative charge on it, it's going to be pushing back on those electrons jumping over, and if there's a positive charge on it, it's going to help pull those electrons over (it's all thin, so they're going to shoot right past it, especially if there's way more of a positive charge over on the plate... and here's the super cool part- This is an analog thing. If we have a relatively big negative charge, it's going to repel everything, if it's a relatively big positive, it's going to pull a ton across, if it's right in the middle, it's like it wasn't even in there, and you can have tiny charges for all the gradients in between.

We don't need a huge charge for any of this though, because we're just helping or hindering the big jump from the high voltage stuff, and huh, weren't we doing this whole weak current controlling a strong current thing before with the relay? We were! And this is doing the same thing! Except now we're doing it all analog style, not slapping switch with a magnet, and we can make those wavy currents peak higher or lower and cool, now we can have phone lines boost over long distances too, and make volume knobs, and all that good stuff.

The relay version of this had that cool trick though where you could flip the output. Can we still flip the output? We sure can, we just need some other toys in the mix. See we keep talking about positive charges and negative charges at the ends of our circuits, but these are relative things. I mentioned way back when how you can use resistors to throttle how much of a current we've got, so you can run two wires to that grid in the triode. One connects to a negative charge and the other positive, with resistors on both those lines, and a switch that can break the connection on the positive end. If the positive is disconnected, we've got a negative charge on the grid, since it's all we've got, but if we connect it, and the resistor to the negative end really limits flow, we're positive in the section the grid's in. And over on the side with the collecting plate, we branch off with another resistor setup so the negative charge on that side is normally the only viable connection for a positive, but when we flip the grid to positive, we're jumping across the gap in the vacuum tube, and that's a big open flow so we'll just take those electrons instead of the ones that have to squeeze through a tight resistor to get there.

That explanation is probably a bit hard to follow because I'm over here trying to explain it based on how the electrons are actually getting pulled around. In the world of electronics everyone decided to just pretend the flow is going the other way because it makes stuff easier to follow. So pretend we have magical positrons that go the other way and if they have nothing better to do they go down the path where we have all the fun stuff further down the circuit lighting lights and all that even though it's a tight squeeze through a resistor, because there's a yucky double negative in the triode and that's worse, but we have the switch rigged up to make that a nice positive go signal to the resistance free promised land with a bonus booster to cut across, so we're just gonna go that way when the grid signal's connected.

Oh and you can make other sorts of logic circuits or double up on them in a single tube if you add more grids and such, which we did for a while, but not really relevant these days.

Cool history lesson but I know there's no relays or vacuum tubes in my computer.

Right, so the above things are how we used to make computers, but they were super bulky, and you'd have to deal with how relays are super loud and kinda slow, and vacuum tubes need a big power draw and get hot. What we use instead of either of those these days are transistors. See after spending a good number of years working out all this circuit flow stuff with vacuum tubes we eventually focused on how the real important thing in all of this is how with the right materials you can make a little juncture where current flows between a positive and negative charge if a third wire going in there is also positively charged, but if it's negatively charged we're pulling over. And turns out there is a WAY more efficient way of doing that if you take a chunk of good ol' middle of the electron road silicon, and just kinda lightly paint the side of it with just the tiniest amount of positive leaning and negative leaning elements on the sides.

Really transistors don't require understanding anything new past the large number of topics already covered here, they're just more compact about it. Positive leaning bit, negative leaning bit, wildcard in the middle, like a vacuum tube. Based on the concepts of pulling electrons around from chemistry, like a circuit in general. The control wire in the middle kinda works in just a pass-fail sort of way, like a relay. They're just really nice compared to the older alternatives because they don't make noise or have moving parts to wear down, you don't have to run enough current through them for metal to start glowing and the whole room to heat up, and you can make them small. Absurdly small. Like... need an electron microscope to see them small.

And of course you can also make an inverter super tiny like that, and a diode (while you're at it you can use special materials or phosphors to make them light emitting, go LEDs!) and resistors can get pretty damn small if you just use less of a more resistant material, capacitors I think have a limit to how tiny you can get, practically, but yeah, you now know enough of the basic fundamentals of how computers work to throw some logic gates together. We've covered how a relay, triode, or transistor function as an AND gate. An OR gate is super easy, you just stick diodes on two wires so you don't have messy backflow then connect them together and lead off there. If you can get your head around wiring up an inverter (AKA NOT), hey, stick one after an AND to get a NAND, or an OR to get a NOR. You can work out XOR and XNOR from there right? Just build 4 NANDs, pass input A into gates 1 and 2, B into 2 and 3, 2's output into 1 and 3, 1 and 3's output into 4 for a XOR, use NORs instead for a XNOR. That's all of them right? So now just build a ton of those and arrange them into a computer. It's all logic and math from there.

Oh right. It's... an absurd amount of logic and math, and I can only fit so many words in a blog post. So we'll have to go all...

CONTINUED IN PART 2!

Meanwhile, again, if you can spare some cash I'd really appreciate it.

#computers #computer science #history #electronics #education #relays #transistors #vacuum tubes

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hatsheep · 4 months

Text

CALL OF DUTY ; TASKFORCE 141 and DAD TIKTOK TRENDS

Note. these aren’t meant to be serious!! this is gn reader (with only one mention of daughter) and meant to be silly. this also isn’t my writing acc but if u guys have a request for platonic tf 141 content go shoot.

CAPTAIN john price

- you sent him many tiktoks and reels, which he always begrudgingly watched during his deployment (mostly because he did miss you)

- he always sends back questions since he dosent understand some slang

- “yap???” “i’m sorry, what does cap mean?”

- when hes home, he was happy to help video you when you were out or when you wanted to do a trend

- but making HIM do a trend?

- it took you forever to convince your dad to do so…but it was worth it

- he would do trends like the “dad lore trend” with him being videoed in x2 speed as he pretended to talk

- “pov: your dad drops the craziest lore on a random tuesday” because he really genuinely does

- or the home depot one…

- “my dad when he sees someone fixing an airplane when we’re about to board our flight” and it’s just him with his hands behind his back or crossed while he watches the repairmen.

- in the end, he enjoys doing these trends with you. but god, if you keep on trying to prank him, he’s actually going to go crazy.

- everyone thinks he’s hot by the way. you have like 50 single/divorced moms in your comment section commenting about him every tiktok he’s in. sometimes people your age.

- “honey, what does beekeeping age mean?”

LIEUTENANT simon “ghost” riley

- you send him many tiktoks that contain silly puns. he on the other hand, only uses reels. either way, he sends you the dumb ones

- or the ones that are like

- “when your teenager is driving and narrowly avoids a tragic accident” or “me i ask my teenager who they’re going out with and it’s still the same group of people since middle school”

- as a dad, he’s honestly very protective over you, but he’s loosened up a bit over the years. he dosent want to be too strict, nor does he want to be too lax.

- he was terrified of becoming like his father.

- either way, if you thought you had to beg price to let you make tiktoks, you’d have to beg hard for your dad to

- simon won’t let you take tiktoks with his face in it, so he’s always his chest and below….or a mask, sunglasses, and a cap.

- surprisingly sentimental! the one tiktok he agreed to was

- “do i always have to kill spiders in your room?” “ofcourse you do, you’re my dad!”

- he teared up a bit

SERGEANT john “soap” mactavish

- boy, he loves doing tiktoks with you

- he loves sending them too!! a nice way for you guys to bond while he’s away is him sending you the really stupid tiktoks that the people of your generation would more commonly send

- he DOES now some slang! he….does NOT know some others though, skibidi toilet confuses him slightly

- he took the sigma male thing seriously for a bit because he thought it was a positive thing. he loves protecting his family and being strong

- sadly stopped when you broke the news to him that it was in fact, maybe not the best thing in real life.

- either way, such a good dad to do tiktoks with

- you can do those really silly ones with the tiktoks audios

- “when my dad finds out i get offended when people say i have my dads accent” with the regina george soundtrack

- “regina wait i didnt mean for that to happen!!” “do you know what everyone says about you?!?!”

- he loves doing them with you, he wouldn’t trade quality time with you for the world

- “be honest, do you really not like the accent????”

SERGEANT kyle “gaz” garrick

- more of a calm dad, but like simon, surprisingly sentimental

- he’s the one from the 141 who’s has the most morality issues, especially doing his job, so he always felt it was best to teach you important values

- he’s drilled into you to never change your ideals for others

- …which leads to him sending motivational quotes or those hopecore videos

- either way, he actually can be pretty silly and he’s the type of dad to get you watermelon every other day for the rest of your life if you say you like it once

- he can be a little blunt with you sometimes though, bless him

- “pov: my dad if he didn’t have me” (i’ll put my helipad over there…my olympic sized swimming pool, OVER THERE!!)

- you do these tiktoks with him (disregard gender because no matter what, he’d make you help)

- this is how poc parents be, pls understand

- you sent him this reel while he was on deployment and he couldn’t stop smiling

- “love you too, pumpkin. remember to take out the dishes”

- “did u have to remind me”

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ashwhowrites · 11 months

Note

Could you write an Older! Eddie x reader that is hurt/comfort to fluff, please?

Hi! Thank you for requesting. I hope this is what you wanted and you enjoy it <3

Too young for a ring

Eddie knew his type was looked down on. He knew that his interest in legal, but young girls was a touchy subject. His friends didn't like it, the strangers on the street gave him looks, and his family never approved. People assumed he liked younger girls based on sex and looks. But he was still a child at heart and women his age wanted to drink wine and do nothing. He didn't want that. He still wanted adventure and to have fun.

Y/N and Eddie have been together for two years and Eddie wanted to bring her to Steve's for Thanksgiving. Eddie moved out of Hawkins after high school but Steve stayed. Eddie didn't get to see him much but he tried for the holidays. He worried about bringing Y/N and knew it would go like it does every time. He'd introduce her, and they'd immediately talk to him about dating young girls. "shouldn't you get someone to settle down with?" It was Steve's favorite question.

"You'll do great!" Eddie encouraged, and his arm was thrown over Y/N's shoulder. Her nervous frame hid closer to him as they walked up to the front door.

Y/N took a deep breath and nodded. Her heart picked up when the door opened. An older man with brown hair and brown eyes stood on the other side with a smile.

"Eddie!" He cheered, Eddie removed himself from Y/N and wrapped his arms around the man. A simple hug was shared before they parted. The man's eyes are on Y/N.

"And you must be Y/N. I'm Steve." He smiled, throwing out his hand. She smiled and shook it gently. He didn't look much older than Eddie. But even then Eddie had a young face. She wouldn't have guessed he was a day over thirty.

Steve welcomed them into his house. His wife set the table as two boys played video games on the couch.

"This is my wife, Trish. " Steve introduced her, both girls sharing a smile.

~~~

Y/N felt as if the dinner went great. Steve's family was wonderful and sweet. Even his sons were kind and talked with her. Trish pulled her aside for a glass of wine. Y/N was used to cheap liquor that Eddie bought. A nice glass of wine was different on her tongue.

Eddie and Steve stepped outside to smoke. Eddie lit his cigarette, knowing the drill. He passed the lighter to Steve as he lit his cigarette.

"Alright. Come on and say it." Eddie said, puffing on his cigarette.

"Eddie," Steve sighed, "when are the young girls going to stop? She's only twenty-two. You are double her age. Don't you want a family? A wife? A real relationship?" He puffed on his cigarette.

"It is a real relationship, Steve." Eddie glared. "Just because she's young, doesn't make our relationship less real. I love her and she loves me. Why isn't that ever enough for you?"

"You say that every time Eddie! That's why. Every girl you've brought to Hawkins. You love her and she loves you. And then you dump her once she wants something more when she wants a ring and a kid. Jackie was the "love of your life" remember? But she turned twenty-six and wanted a family. So you ran." Steve explained. The frustration building over the years.

"Y/N is different." Eddie argued

"Sure she is," Steve scoffed. "Lie all you want but next time you visit, it'll be a new girl." Steve smashed his cigarette in the small ashtray.

~~~

Y/N froze when Steve opened the door, her wet eyes catching his apologetic ones. Steve coughed uncomfortably and walked past. Leaving the couple alone.

"Was he right?" Y/N asked, her voice shaking. She sniffled as she walked outside next to him.

"About what?" Eddie asked.

"Are you going to leave when I start wanting a family? When I'm no longer a young chase for you?"

Eddie's heart broke as she tried not to cry. He sighed sadly and pulled her into his chest.

"No, baby. I've done things like that in the past, the things he said were true. But I mean it when you are different. You are so different. I'm so in love with you, and I've loved you more and more in these past two years." Eddie said, a soft kiss on her forehead as she sniffled in his chest.

"Did you say the same to Jackie?" She asked, she couldn't ignore the feeling in her gut. What if she was just another girl? Would a new girl be standing here in a few years? She wanted a future with Eddie, they talked about a family and a wedding, and they already lived together.

"No. " Eddie said truthfully, "I thought I loved her. And I thought I was in love with her. Steve thinks I run at the mention of a family because I'm scared. But the truth was that with all those girls, I never could see a family with them. I ran away because it wasn't what I wanted. But you..." Eddie trailed off. He pulled himself back, letting go of her. She watched confused as he got down on a knee.

"Eddie?" She asked, her heart pounding as he grabbed her left hand. There was no way he was on his knee, right?

"But with you, I see it all. I see us moving into a new house, I see a wedding with your beautiful dress. I see us having kids, as many as my body can allow at my age." He joked, a laugh escaping her as she held her hand over her mouth. "I want everything with you. And I planned to ask you once we got home. But maybe now is the best time to do it "

She gasped as he reached into his jacket pocket and took out a small black box. Her tears turned into tears of happiness as he opened the box.

"Will you marry me?" He asked, his nerves turning his stomach in knots. He never thought he'd be able to do this. All the girls and women, nothing felt like what this relationship did. No one felt like her.

"YES!" she screamed, her hand shaking. His hand shook as he placed the ring on her finger. He felt relieved once he saw the ring on her finger. He wasn't scared, he didn't feel like it was a mistake. He almost felt like that ring was always meant to be on her finger.

Eddie stood up, she immediately threw herself in his arms. She excitedly laughed as she squeezed him.

Eddie squeezed her back, his face in her neck as he took in the moment.

Eddie knew she was different. He dragged out the truth with all the other girls. He ran the second they wouldn't believe him anymore. But with Y/N he never felt like he wanted to run. He wanted to be by her side every second.

~~~

"Well Steve, looks like you were wrong about this one," Trish said, watching as the couple on their porch shared a kiss.

"I think this is the only time I'm fine with Eddie being right." Steve teased, a smile on his face as he watched the newly engaged couple celebrate.

Tags!

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#eddie munson x reader #eddie munson #eddie munson fanfic #eddie stranger things #eddie munson x female reader #eddie munson request #eddie munson angst #eddie munson angst x reader #eddie munson fluff x reader #eddie munson fluff x female reader #eddie munson angst to fluff #older!eddie munson x female reader #older eddie munson x reader #ashwhowrites

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afictionaladventure16 · 6 months

Text

Safe & Sound (Tim Bradford x Adopted!Teen!Reader)

The Rookie Masterlist

Summary: While Tim and Lucy are on their first date, Y/N and Tamara face some challenges that ends with the realization that Y/N's past has come back to her new life.

Author's Note: I know Tamara technically doesn't find out that Tim and Lucy are dating until later on but uhhh this is fiction so yee. All requests are open!

Warnings: Mentions of fights and stabbing

Word Count: 4,630

You watched from the distance as your dad tried on different dress shirts in his bedroom. You had seen your father go on many first dates… maybe ‘many’ is an exaggeration, but that was beside the point, the point was that you had never seen him this nervous. He looked like a girl trying to find the right dress for the school dance, you couldn’t help but smile. He was in love.

You pulled out your phone, sending a quick text to Tamara

He’s a mess, you sent.

A few seconds later your phone buzzed in your hands,

So is she lol.

You couldn’t help but let out a small chuckle, “What’s so funny?” Your dad asked as he gave you a quick glance.

You shook your head, “you guys have no idea how nervous you both are.”

He sighed, “Should I call her?” You gave him a nod. Tim gave you a smile, “First, what do you think?” he raised up a dark grey shirt next to a light gray one.

You rolled your eyes, “Does it even matter?”

“What if it clashes with her outfit?” He asked. After the two years you had lived with the man, this was the first time you had heard him say that phrase.

“I think all that matters is that you both are enjoying the date,” you suggested.

Tim looked at you with a smile on his face. After Isobel, he felt so lost within himself and somehow he found himself becoming a foster father to a young ten-year-old. It was only a year later that he began the adoption process. It was a long one, especially with the history with Isobel, he had waited a year and a half until the adoption was finalized. It was the best day of his life and he knows that there will be other days in his future that will try to complete, but he will always hold that day close to his heart. It was the day he learned how to be himself again, the day he learned that family didn’t always have to be by blood.

Now you were fourteen, looking forward to your fifteenth birthday coming up soon. A day that Angela was so busy preparing for because she knew as a Latina that you had to have a quinceanera, and Tim always tried his best to help you grow within your culture. It was one of the main reasons why he learned Spanish.

He let out a sigh as he reached for his phone, “do you-”

“If you don’t call her right now, I will call her myself, but I will video call her so she can see-”

“Alright, alright!” Tim chuckled as he dialed Lucy’s number.

You walked out of the room, sending Tamara another text.

I’m assuming you’re coming over with pizza? You sent.

You know me too well.

Ever since you met Tamara, she has been like an older sister. Maybe it was because the two of you were in the system and bonded over the traumatic shit both went through. Or because you both lived with cops that took you in and, although Chen is technically just her roommate, they were now your family.

Tim walked out of his room minutes later, “Alright, I am just a phone call away. Don’t forget to let Kojo out and please tell Tamara I said hi. Um- Am I forgetting anything?” He asked as he began patting his pants pockets.

“Keys and they’re in the key bowl by the door,” you stated as you scrolled through Netflix, Tim walked over to the key bowl, rolling his eyes as he grabbed his keys, “Bold of you to assume Tamara is coming over.”

“Is she not?” He asked.

“No, she is,” you smiled.

“That’s what I thought,” he sighed, “Don’t open the door for anyone but Tamara. You know the drill, make sure it’s her before you even op-”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah, Can you go already so we can get this whole Lucy and Tim being continuously nervous over with?”

Tim took in a small breath, he couldn’t help but catch that you had called him by his first name. It had been two years already and you were still calling him Tim. Of course, he didn’t know how to tell you that calling him dad was okay with him and he didn’t want you to feel pressured to do so; but just hearing it would mean everything to him.

He gave you a small nod, “Call me if anything, alright? And make sure to turn on the alarm when I leave.”

“Yes, sir,” you watched as he walked out of the house, you waited for the sound of the lock before turning back around to continue your scrolling.

Twenty minutes later, you heard the doorbell ring, which was then followed by a phone call.

You quickly answered, “I assume you’re outside,” you said as you got up from the couch.

“Your assumptions are correct,” Tamara said. You opened the door to let Tamara in. She had been carrying a bag, of what you assumed is junk food, along with a box of pizza. “Alright, so I found this new candy that you just have to try!”

You locked the door behind Tamara, “Alright, but first I need a slice of pizza because I am starving!” You followed Tamara as she walked into the kitchen to put down the box of pizza. You instantly opened it and grabbed a slice, “I can’t believe I watched Tim go through every single nice shirt in his closet like he didn’t even do that on his first date with Asley!”

“Oh, you think that’s bad? Lucy’s whole closet is now on her bed,” Tamara commented as she unpacked the bag of junk food. “Do you guys have sodas?”

“Yeah, in the fridge,” you gestured towards the fridge. Tamara helped herself, as she always does when she comes over, and she came over quite a bit. “Why do you call your dad by your first name?” Tamara blurted out.

You shrugged, “I dunno, I guess… I guess I just feel like I am not allowed to call him dad.”

“But he adopted you”

“Yeah, but… I don’t know. I’ve wanted to, I just feel like I lost the moment to do so since it’s been two years since the adoption.” Tamara opened the box for a slice of pizza, “Has he talked to you about it? Or Lucy?”

Tamara looked down, “I know Lucy’s mentioned it. Something about he feels like he’s doing something wrong.”

You sighed, “What do you think?”

“I’m the last person you want to ask that.” You gave her a pleading look, and she let out a sigh, “Look, if it were me, the timing wouldn’t matter. He gave you a family, a home, he made you feel loved after everything you had been through in life… in a way, he gave you a second chance that not a lot of us get.”

She was right and you knew that. It had meant a lot coming from Tamara since she never got the opportunity to get this chance. She would argue that she did when Lucy took her in, but in a way it was different.

“Should I just do it randomly? Like just ‘Good morning, dad,’ just nonchalant about it?” You asked.

“Something like that,” Tamara smiled, “You’ll know how to do it when you feel ready and I think you know that you are.”

The two of you ate pizza and watched Game of Thrones for the next hour. At some point, you had gotten up and let Kojo out to the backyard, he had been whining by the door for a while. Tamara had taken that opportunity to get up to grab some snacks when all the lights went out, you looked over at Tamara.

“Whoa,” She exclaimed.

“This is fine,” you stated as you got up from the couch. “Tim usually keeps a flashlight in a drawer in the kitchen,” you walked over to the kitchen, rummaging through the drawers. It didn’t take you long to find the flashlight. You shined it at Tamara who had her phone flashlight on.

Tamara sighed as she walked over to the window, “That’s weird.”

“What?” you walked over to her. You were quick to notice that the houses across the street still had power.

“Looks like the neighbors next door also have power,” Tamara pointed out. You looked over at the neighbors to your left, she was right, “Did Tim forget to pay something?”

You scoffed, “No, he’s pretty good at paying the bills on time.”

The sound of the floorboard creaking caused the two of you to quickly turn your heads, “I didn’t move,” Tamara whispered.

“Neither did I,” you whispered back. You felt your heart leap into your throat, “Maybe I should call Tim,” you whispered as you took your phone out of your pocket. As soon as you had unlocked it you noticed the no bar signal on the top right corner. “Fuck,” you whispered. Kojo was scratching at the door, whining to get back in.

“What?”

You showed her your phone, “I have no signal.”

“W-what? How?”

You looked around for something to use as a weapon, “I’ve heard Tim mentioned this before. Some people use jammers in order to block a phone’s signal.”

“You think someone is-” You held up your finger, Tamara stopped talking. The two of you fell silent, listening to the floorboards creaking increasingly.

“We need to get out of here,” you whispered. You glanced over at the door, “I’m gonna grab kojo-”

“No, if Tim were here he’d want you out, Kojo can fend for himself,” Tamara stated. Tamara quietly walked over to the kitchen grabbing a pan that was on the stove. You slowly walked through the living room, you knew Tim had a bat lying around somewhere for emergencies.

What happened next was a blur. One second you were looking over at Tamara as she inched closer to the front door and the next you were on the ground and you heard yelling. You fought back as the person who was attacking you pulled out a knife. You were trying your best to use the techniques Tim had shown you, but this man was tougher than you had ever imagined. You knew that it wasn’t an excuse, that even if he was tougher and bigger than you, you had to find a way to defend yourself.

“I got the other one,” you heard another voice yell out. You hadn’t realized there were two of them.

You looked over at where Tamara was, “Tamara, run!” You yelled out. You could see the hesitation in her, “Go!”

Tamara felt like running would be the biggest mistake, but she knew there was no way of getting help by staying here. The second man inched closer to her, she swung the pan that she had in her hands, hitting the man in the head, it was enough to stun him so she could get a running start. She ran out of the house and into the neighbor's front yard, running up to the door; she began banging on it, “Help!”

You, on the other hand, were trying to get out of the man's grip. You sucked in a breath knowing that you had to do something you never wanted to do. You opened your mouth and bit the man's arm as hard as you could, he let out a loud yell and let go of you.

“You bitch!” he yelled out as he lunged towards you with his knife.

You lunged away from him, trying to dodge the knife, but he was bigger than you and still quicker than you. You felt a sharp pain in your side, “What the fuck did you do, Rick?!” The other guy asked as he came back inside. “Do you have any idea what he’ll do to us if we bring her in like this?” You reached down to where you felt the pain coming from, feeling something sticky. The more you touched it, the more pain you felt. Your knees buckled and you fell to the ground.

“Fuck,” the man named Rick, looked at the knife and then at you. “I-I can fix this.”

“No! Forget it! It’s been compromised! We have to go, the other girl ratted us out!” The man began to make his way to the back door. “Let’s go!” he yelled out again. You lay on the ground, watching as the blurry image of them ran out of the house.

Tim couldn’t help but look towards the door every other second. Was part of him worried someone from the station would see him? Yes. But also, he had a habit of looking at the door every time someone walked in, especially when he was nervous.

“Are you worried someone from the station is gonna walk in?” Lucy asked.

“What?”

“You are,” Lucy said in disbelief.

“No, I-”

“Wow.”

“What are the odds?”

Lucy rolled her eyes, “It’s likely.” She cleared her throat, she didn’t want to have this discussion right now. “So, Y/N’s quince is coming up, how is that coming?”

“Good, good. I um probably going to be in debt for the next year so you can expect a nice Christmas card from us rather than nothing but emptiness inside.”

Lucy chuckled, “Angela is running you dry with this quince.”

“That she is. Anything Y/N wants, she gets. I swear she spoils her like she's her own kid.”

Lucy smiled, “I’ve noticed.” Lucy’s phone began to ring, she took it out, letting out a small chuckle at the sight of the name. “It’s Tamara, the girls are probably trying to check in on us,” she rolled her eyes. “Should I let it go to voicemail?”

Tim wanted to say yes let it go to voicemail, but there was a voice in the back of his head telling him not to. “Answer it,” he smiled, “Two can play this game,” he teased.

Lucy placed the phone on speaker, “Before you even ask, yes we are still at the restaurant and no I am not bringing you leftovers, I know you guys had pizza,” Lucy said with a hint of laughter behind her voice.

“Lucy,” Tamara cried out.

Lucy and Tim’s facial expressions changed, “Tamara, what’s wrong?” Tim spoke up.

“It all happened so quickly,” Tamara began.

“Just take a deep breath, Tamara,” Lucy began, “What happened?”

Tamara let out a soft sob, “Someone broke in the house. They cut the power and we had no way to call anyone. I-I ran to the neighbors for help, but Y/N was still inside, I-I’m sorry, I couldn’t get to her.”

Tim felt his chest tightened, suddenly this world no longer felt safe. In all his years working as an officer, he never imagined this to happen. Yes, he was prepared for it, or so he thought he was, but now, this world was more of a menacing place than he had realized.

Tim wanted to tell Tamara that it was okay, but he couldn’t, because to him, nothing was okay at the moment. He had failed the one promise he had kept to himself the day he took you in and that was to keep you safe. Now the one day he decided to be vulnerable and comfortable, it all came crashing down.

Tim got up from his seat, “Where are you?” Lucy asked.

“St. Vincents,” He heard Tamara say as he left a few bills on the table and began walking away. Lucy told Tamara that they’d be there in a few before catching up with Tim.

“Tim,” Lucy began, you could hear the pain within her voice. “Tim,” Lucy pleaded. Tim quickly turned around as they got outside. “I’m driving,” Lucy stated as the exited the restaurant.

“No-”

“No,” Lucy exclaimed as she got in front of Tim, “you’re not in the right mindset to be driving right now.” Tim opened his mouth to argue with her, “I’m driving.”

Tim closed his mouth and gave her a nod. They got into Lucy’s car and drove off to the hospital. Lucy broke a few laws that day, but Tim probably would’ve broken a hundred just to get there sooner. Tim didn’t wait for the car to be fully parked to hop out, he was already inside the emergency room making his way to the receptionist when Lucy made her way into the hospital.

“My daughter was just brought in, her name is-”

“Tim,” Lucy choked out, her eyes had landed on a horrific sight in front of her.

“Lucy!” Tamara called out, Tim turned around just in time to see Tamara running over to Lucy. He looked around for you, hoping to see you running up to him, but his heart sank deeper every second that passed. He walked over to the girls, his eyes landed on what Lucy was focusing on.

“Oh God,” he let out a shaky breath, as he watched nurses surrounding work on your wounds. He ran up to you, one hand grabbing yours and the other brushing the hair out of your face. “Y/N, sweetie, it’s me,” Tim began, “I'm here, okay?” he brought your hand up to his lips and placed a small kiss on them. He felt the tears begin to stream down his cheeks. “Is she going to be okay?”

One of the nurses let out a deep sigh, “The stab wound barely missed one of her aorta’s by an inch, it did knick her one of her lungs causing her to loose a significant amount of blood.” one of the other nurses began to lift the handles on the side.

“We’ll be needing to take her up to surgery now, to repair the damages,” another nurse said.

Tim couldn’t find the strength to let go, but he knew he had to. “Tim,” Lucy began, “they need to take her.” She placed a loving hand on his shoulder.

Tim felt tears begin to well up in his eyes, he placed a small kiss on your forehead, “We’ll get through this okay? You can’t leave me.”

Lucy felt like the villain as she pulled Tim away from you, but she knew he wouldn’t have been able to do it on his own.

Tim looked over at Tamara, “What happened?”

Tamara let out a small sob, “I-I don’t know. One second we were watching Game of Thrones and the next the power goes off.” She took in a deep breath, “We decided it was safer to be outside of the house once we realized we had no signal, she wanted to get Kojo but I told her to just leave him outside and that’s when they attacked her. I should’ve stayed with her,” she looked at Tim with remorseful eyes, “I’m so sorry, she told me to run, but I should’ve stayed.”

Tim shook his head, “No, you got help, if it weren’t for you, you both would’ve probably been worse off.”

“Tim,” Lucy called as she spotted Sgt. Grey walks towards them.

“Sir,” Tim began.

“I came as fast as I could, How is she?” he asked.

Tim sighed, shaking his head, “She’s in surgery, the stab wound hit one of her lungs.”

Sgt. Grey shook his head, before turning to Tamara, “We’re going to need your statement if you’re up to it, if not we can always wait for tomorrow.”

“I think after all they’ve been through, I think it’s best if we wait for tomorrow,” Lucy chimed in.

Tamara gave him a nod, “Tomorrow it is.” Sgt. Grey stated. He looked over at Tim, he noticed he hadn’t said much. His eyes were focused on the double doors where they had just wheeled you through. He walked closer to Tim as Lucy and Tamara walked over to some nearby chairs to sit down. “How are you holding up?” Sgt. Grey asked.

Tim shook his head, “I wasn’t there.”

“And you won’t always be there,” Sgt. Grey confirmed. “You can’t always be there, it’s one of the things we have to get used to when being a parent. We have to hope we raise them with enough knowledge so they know what to do in situations like this.” He let out a sigh, “trust me, it isn’t easy.”

Tim nodded, “I’ve noticed.”

“You let me know if you need anything,” Sgt. Grey gave Tim a soft smile before walking over to the nurse's station. Tim walked over to Lucy, sitting down beside her. No words were exchanged and somehow he preferred it this way. Lucy held his hand, squeezing it every once in a while as if she were checking in on him and he would squeeze back.

Tim felt like he had been waiting for days when in reality it had only been an hour. His eyes never left the double doors that were ahead of them, his body would jump every time someone would walk through them.

Eventually, a man in scrubs walked through them, his eyes scanning the lobby of people waiting to be seen or waiting for a patient. “Family of Y/N Bradford?” He called out.

Tim quickly got up from his seat, “I’m her father,” he quickly stated as he walked up to the man. “How is she?”

“Hello, I’m Dr. Avery, I was the lead surgeon. I am happy to say that the surgery was a success,” Tim let out a relieved sigh. “We’ll need to keep her for a few days for observation of course, but she’ll be good to go home after.”

Tim smiled at the man, “Thank you, when can I see her?”

“She’s in recovery right now, I can only allow one visitor,” The doctor stated.

Tim looked at Lucy, “Go, we’ll come back in the morning,” Lucy said.

“Do you mind stopping by my place and picking up Kojo? I think Y/N would kill me if she knew he stayed the night outside.”

Lucy let out a small chuckle, “Yeah, we’ll pick him up.”

“I’ll have you follow me,” the doctor gestured for Tim to follow him.

Tim followed Dr. Avery to the recovery room, he knew this hospital too well to know where he was going, but he never thought he would have to be here for a reason like this and he never wanted to be in this hospital again unless it was for work. Once he got to the room, the doctor left to finish up some paperwork.

Tim sat beside the bed, he gently held your hand. You looked so fragile to him as if you were a newborn, he was scared that one wrong move would hurt you. He waited by your bedside throughout the night. The morning sunlight began to peak through the windows, causing him to wake up. He gave you a small glance, sighing once he realized you were still asleep.

He leaned back in his chair, closing his eyes once again, hoping to get some extra sleep.

You began to stir, you could feel the pain in your abdomen and you heard beeping. Slowly opening your eyes, beginning to realize that you were now in the hospital, the last thing you remember was watching the two men run out of the house. “Dad?” you called out with panic in your voice.

Tim’s eyes darted open, “Hey,” he said as he sat up in his chair. He grabbed your hand, he was overjoyed that you were awake, but also overjoyed of the fact that you had just called him dad for the first time. Although he was trying to hide his excitement because he didn’t know how to react to it, he had been waiting for this moment for so long and now it was here but the situation was overshadowing it.

“How are you feeling?” He asked.

“Like shit,” you stated.

You winced as you tried to sit up, “Let’s try not to do that for now, alright? I know you’re uncomfortable, but I can get the nurses in-”

You waved your hand to stop him, “No, I’m fine.”

“You want to talk about what happened?” He asked.

You shrugged, “It all happened so quickly. The lights went out and Tamara noticed that the neighbors had electricity and that’s when we tried to call you, but our phones had no signal.”

“Looks like they used a jammer,” Tim speculated.

“That’s what I thought, we decided to leave but I wanted to get Kojo-”

“Kojo can take care of himself,” he stated.

“Tamara said you would say that, but someone attacked me as I got into the living room. Tamra was already at the door and she hit the other guy with a pan before running to the neighbors. I used all the techniques you taught me,” you felt tears well up in your eyes, “I tried-”

“Hey, hey, it’s okay. You fought back and you’re alive. That’s what matters right now,” Tim placed a kiss on the top of your head.

“I remember one more thing,” you began. “When the guy that attacked me stabbed me, the other guy got mad. He said ‘Do you have any idea what he’ll do to us if we bring her in like this?’ in those exact words.”

Tim felt the panic rush through his body, if his gut was right, he knew what these men were talking about. “Do you think they were planning on taking me?” You asked.

Tim didn’t want you panicking, he didn’t want you to feel like you couldn’t be safe because someone was looking for you. “I don’t think so,” he began, “But Angela is on the case, you’ll tell her what you told me and we’ll get this straightened out.” You nodded, “Now, how about we talk about the elephant in the room.”

You looked at him with a confused expression “What elephant?”

“You called me dad,” he smiled.

You rolled your eyes, “I can go back to calling you Tim.”

He chuckled, “No, no, it’s about time you called me dad. I was starting to worry you weren’t going to.”

“I felt like I lost my chance to do so,” you confessed.

“Honestly, if you had waited twenty years to call me dad, I would probably be sad that you waited twenty years but, overjoyed that you did,” he smiled.

“Be honest with me,” You began. “There isn’t anyone from my past that’s looking for me right?” You hadn’t spoken about your past in a few years, it was something you wanted to leave behind. “The last thing I need is these fantasmas (ghosts) coming back,” you added.

Tim sighed, “I don’t know, but you have me there and I can promise that from here on out–”

You shook your head, “You can promise to keep me safe but let’s face it, you’re not there with me when I’m at school or when you’re at work.”

“You’re right, I’m not. But I’m a cop. I have my ways and I know you too well.”

You smiled, “Yeah, I think you do.”

“Plus, if anyone does kidnap you, they’ll return you in two minutes.”

Your face turned into shock, “Wh-what?”

“Trust me, I don’t think they’ll be able to stand the twenty questions they’ll be getting from you or even the karaoke. I give them two minutes before they return you,” you let out a small laugh before you winced in pain. Tim sighed, he knew no matter what that he was going to protect you, and if he failed to do so, he was going to do everything he possibly could do, to get you back.

#The rookie fanfic #tim bradford x reader #tim bradford x y/n #the rookie #tim bradford x teen!reader #tim bradford x adopted #tim bradford angs #tim bradford angst #tim bradford x adopted!teen!reader #tim bradford imagine #tim bradford x lucy chen #tim bradfor x you #tim bradford #dad!tim bradford x teen!reader #tim bradford x teen!reader angst #tim bradford the rookie

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pinkacademiaprincess · 1 year

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Hiii I’m so sorry to bother you!, hope your day goes well <3 I just want to ask, how can I improve in maths? I’m preparing myself for the sat and I have trouble with understanding it. Any tips would be very much appreciated, thanku !! ♡

Become a Math Whiz: Acing Math Class & the SAT 📈✏️📚👩‍🏫

ty for the ask & the kind words! you are never a bother, i'm happy to help 🥰 i can def give some tips as someone who went from struggling w/ math to being good at it. and i’ve taken the SAT so i know that experience as well! i hope this helps 💗

take accountability

it’s very easy to try to shift blame & avoid taking responsibility for your grades/ performance. i used to think things like “the teacher is just bad!” or “i’m just not a math person!” but this mindset is just deflecting. some things are out of your control, like what teacher you have or preferring other subjects, but you have to step up & work hard to create your own success! remembering this will help you stay motivated and disciplined.

find your learning style

i talked about this in a previous post too, but there are different styles of learning - visual, auditory, hands-on, & reading/writing - and not all of them work for everyone. if you spend a ton of time studying and don’t see improvement or results, that’s a big sign that you’re studying wrong. a method that works for your friend or that your teacher uses might not actually be effective for you. so do some research into learning styles and study methods, and find implement strategies that work for you.

never fall behind

okay, easier said than done. but one of the biggest reasons i used to struggle is math is that i would get stuck on a concept, never fully master it, and then i’d stay behind. in math, a lot of topics build on each other. if you get stuck on a topic, it’s crucial that you figure it out asap or your confusion will snowball. you can’t build a solid structure on top of a wobbly foundation. the moment you encounter a problem area, study it until you’ve completely understood.

practice makes perfect

i try to steer clear of recommending specific study methods b/c everyone has different learning styles. but math is so dependent on problem solving & applications that you really have to master this skill in order to succeed. beyond just reviewing your notes & reading over concepts, you need to practice applying topics by solving problems. do the homework questions & do them for accuracy, even if it’s just graded for completion. find extra problems in the textbook, workbook, online, etc. redo questions from class or the hw that confused you until you can do them correctly without your notes. drill it until you can solve them AND understand how the steps work!

ask for help

i am clearly a big proponent of asking for help. in school, your teachers are gonna be one of the best resources you have. for one, they’re teachers for a reason, so even if you think they’re not too great at explaining stuff, they know the concepts. and besides that, your teachers the ones who are creating units, assigning your work, writing & grading your tests... they should be your go-to for questions. visit them during office hours or email to set up a meeting where you can discuss concepts. ask for extra practice problems, ask them to look over your work & let you know how it looks, talk through your work with them. aside from teachers, you can get help from a tutor, a classmate, whoever you can turn to. but pls don’t suffer alone! succeeding with help is still succeeding.

use the internet

so maybe your teacher truly sucks at explaining. maybe you don’t have classmates to help and can’t afford a tutor. or maybe you just wanna supplement your learning another way. i really really recommend utilizing free learning tools online!! khan academy is an obvious one for videos, practice problems, and more. you can also find tons of youtube videos explaining math topics. sometimes it helps to hear things explained another way. i also google “[math concept] practice problems” if i want extra questions to work through.

bonus: tips for SAT math

the SAT is a bit different b/c the math concepts aren’t actually too advanced. it’s all multiple choice so you don’t get to rely on partial points for showing your work. the SAT is testing your strategy & speed as much as it’s actually testing you on math concepts, so here are my best tips for that specifically:

use khan academy’s SAT prep tool - it’s free (!!!!!) and it links to your collegeboard account. it uses prior years’ SAT content so it’s very similar to the test itself. it helps you pace yourself, pinpoint your problem areas, learn & apply concepts, & track your progress. here's a screenshot from when i used it, as you can see my scores improved and i was able to ultimately get a superscore of 1450!

take practice tests - this helps you get familiar with the time constraint. khan academy has plenty!!

do a ton of SAT math practice questions - ideally, find a ton of questions used in prior SAT tests and just crank them out. the test's concepts are quite repetitive so if you just focus on the topics they usually test, you can master them

learn test-taking strategies - the SAT is multiple choice and has a tricky time constraint, so however you can save time will help. become good at using the process of elimination & other multiple choice test methods. you can find these sorts of tips online!

i hope this helps! know that you are completely capable of improving at math. i went from thinking i suck at it & doing poorly in math class to acing my calc courses & studying to enter a math-focused field. utilize your resources and figure out your best study style asap, and you WILL see improvements!

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desire-mona · 6 months

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things abt dps i feel like we dont address enough (photos attached will be shit quality, i took screenshots from yt clips LMAO)

heavily ib @pencileraser1's post abt stuff he noticed n such

the fucking KIDS at welton. the CHILDREN. maybe its just me but i always find myself forgetting that welton isnt a highschool + there are in fact a lot more students than the ones we're focusing on. thats what makes welton so like. evil? to me? they start pushing these kids into a box EARLY.

related, i wouldve LOVED to see how(/if?) keating taught these kids, or rly any other class! he has other classes!!! i think!

ok. of course. neil is a smoker, we've touched on that. but charlie is too?? and he's the one who provides the cigs???? obviously the easy explanation is that he does it to be rebellious and stuff but also Is There Something Else. much to think abt. also wondering where he gets his cigs but thats not rly anything i dont think.

this ones just funny but when mr perry tells the boys they can take a seat and todd simply does not. i KNOW he wasnt sitting before and he needs to unpack and stuff but ITS STILL FUNNY.

"take your seats boys"

"🧍"

also my guilty pleasure is the dps but its todd being anxious video bc man usually crack videos arent my jam but unfortunately i find it so funny

also!!! neil calling his dad sir. obviously its something so glaringly obvious that we dont need to have a discussion abt how theres a disconnect between them. like wow rly thanks mona i didnt know. but come on!!! it makes me sad!!! also they shake hands later in this scene and its the most affectionate/ friendly we see these two get. and its a handshake. and i think what makes it worse is that neil is a SUPER physically affectionate person with his friends. if u watch the movie and pay attention to how often he's touching someone else then ur gonna be like man. he rly was jumping at every opportunity huh.

something about the way neil and the boys act around mr perry makes me view him as more of a drill sargent than anything. everyone immediately stands upon him entering the room. they dont sit until given permission. it rly puts the whole military school thing into perspective but NOT ENOUGH TO SATISFY ME. as much as i hate mr perry, i wanna know what his life was like growing up. this man lived thru the great depression AND wwii, theres stories.

cam's stupid fucking face when keatings behind him larping ghosts. i will never stop talking about how sassy this kid is. the dps redheads go criminally unacknowledged in terms of comedy because OH MY GOD. CAM AND MEEKS WERE SO FUCKING FUNNY??? they both pulled the most dastardly judgemental looks and they make me cackle. a bit earlier in this scene meeks goes full 🙄🤨 on sniffles (tissue kid. i call him sniffles) and it is, without exaggeration, my fav part of the movie.

the fact that i totally thought knox was gonna fall off his bike and eat shit in this scene. it would be so out of place since dps isn't exactly full of physical comedy but GOD i still fully anticipated it. either that or him getting attacked by a bird. theres totally symbolism surrounding birds in this movie btw and idk what to make of it. if any of u lovely ppl have a theory then lmk immediately.

keating so accurately calling cam out being like "is this right is this right. am i walking right." BC YESSS. i will eventually make a fully fledged cam post but to briefly touch on it, i find cam to be very confused on what is right, usually in terms of morals. a whole situation of confusing your personal values with the rules, thinking theyre one in the same, and completely abandoning what u actually believe. unfortunately i think neils death rly amplified that nd is what led him to tattle. cuz cam is still willing to break the rules in the beginning of the movie!! he's outwardly judgemental but he still does it!! much to discuss, i promise i will eventually.

keatings face after todd yawps!!! theres not much to say here he is just so proud!!! sweet little moment!!!! keatpostin!!!!!!!!

YOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

u guys know im an avid knox hater but this made me giggle. rip knox overstreet u wouldve loved twitch streaming.

THE SPECIFICS OF THIS SHOT. i was gonna make a post a while ago being like "idk i find it funny that the main focus of this shot isnt even one of the poets" and then i realised that WAITTTTTTT THATS THE POINT!!!! keating reached kids besides the poets!!! u didnt have to be in the dead poets society to be affected by the way he taught his classes!!! u just had to be his student!!!!! also i love the fact that the kids who stayed seated r ASHAMED. EMBARRASSED.

the ending shot. oihghgghgg. it was SUCH a choice to set it up this way and honestly i adore peter for making it. this shot is SOOOO UNCOMFORTABLE TO LOOK AT and i love it. when i first watched this i was like "uhm ok interesting choice putting todd between this kids legs but I GET IT. one of the biggest things i remember from the film classes i took is that the way u set up shots is sooo important narratively, and one way to rly push the narrative is the space around a character in a shot. for example! if u have a character on screen surrounded by a TON of negative space then it rly emphasises how alone/ isolated they are. on the other end of the spectrum (the todd spectrum), if you surround a character in a shot with other objects or obstructions, like todd and this kids legs, then it rly emphasises how trapped and confined they are. looking at this makes me feel like. claustrophobic almost, like it's genuinely a bit harder to breathe looking at it. TODD IS STILL TRAPPED IN THAT SCHOOL. YES HE STOOD ON THE DESK AND YES HE NOW HAS THE MOTIVATION TO BE MORE CONFIDENT BC OF NEIL BUT HE! IS STILL! TRAPPED THERE!

more on todd since im on a roll here.

i was also gonna add that we dont rly talk about todd personality wise outside of poetry and anxiety but then i realised, what else is there? we dont really see much about him as a person outside of that, and i think thats the point! todd is constantly overshadowed by his brother, we know that, but i dont think we realise HOW MUCH that ties in with his entire character. quite honestly, outside of poetry and anxiety, ALL we have surrounding todd is his brother and his achievements. and of course! that makes sense! his parents want him to be just like his brother, they dont care about who he is as a person. UGH.

the desk set scene rly is the most insight we'll get into todds actual personality and desires imo, and thats what kills me. he wants a car!!!! get this boy a car!!!!!!!!! we rly see him start to open up before neils death and i wouldve LOVED to get to know todd when he's actually in a place to be himself!! but of course we never got that! sobs.

anywho. thats all i have for now. PLEASE share ur thoughts if u have any pls pls pls. encouraging discussion!! i love love love hearing about the specifics nd stuff, theres soooo much to pick apart abt this movie so i wanna hear everyones thoughts.

#desire mona #media #i wanna drink this movie dude #and smoke it #and inject it into my veins #etc #dead poets society #neil perry #todd anderson #charlie dalton #steven meeks #knox overstreet #richard cameron #john keating #banger

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thankyouforthememoriesworld · 9 days

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🔎 I wanted to send a better article after that last post of randomness. I LOVE these articles (which then send me down random side quests).

First one features a bunch of high school coaches talking about facing Azzi. I love reading what they have to say because they all respect her so much.

https://web.archive.org/web/20211127092909/https://www.ctinsider.com/uconn/article/Scouting-report-on-UConn-freshman-Azzi-Fudd-16550275.php

The coach for Sidwell talks about the gameplan for the championship game. What I didn't know is Kiki Rice played that game for Sidwell as a sophomore. And I found this long highlight with their commentary.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VvJB3byj7lM

This video has Azzi's championship interview:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ePII9w82ijA

Of course step up has highlights: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ZfVsCCGOIg

Houzmazoo does as well and I love him just yelling that's the match up right there (for Azzi vs Kiki): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VPboERy3n8o

Second article is a month after Geno has gotten to work with Azzi.

https://web.archive.org/web/20211108155314/https://www.ctinsider.com/sports/article/UConn-freshman-Azzi-Fudd-everything-Geno-Auriemma-16288873.php

“I think most of it is what I expected,” Auriemma said. “She’s very quiet, very much introverted, really doesn’t say a whole lot. But her game is much older than her age. Her footwork is the kind of footwork that you would expect from someone going into the pros, someone who has spent three or four years perfecting that. That’s how good her footwork is. And her ability to get shots off and the way the shot comes off every single time, the exact same way, I mean, I knew it, but when you’re watching on a regular basis, it’s pretty amazing.”

On Thursday, he just motioned, letting his arms flail and swing to represent Bueckers’ herky-jerky style and closing his hands together to demonstrate Fudd’s skills — coordinated, tight, together.

Third is a month before she started freshman year basketball season. Just 5 things about her. It is fun to read that she caught Geno's eye as a 7th grader.

https://web.archive.org/web/20211020221324/https://www.ctpost.com/sports/article/She-hates-the-spotlight-5-things-to-know-16181444.php

I love it when you go down a rabbit hole because you always make amazing discoveries and I get to enjoy them 😘.

Newbies should be required to read these articles and watch these videos to be able to talk about Azzi.

Fudd is, in essence, a supernova — a complete scorer with unlimited range, a point guard’s handle, and no ego. Her jump shot has been lauded by NBA superstar Stephen Curry, and there are comparisons to WNBA and UConn legend Maya Moore in her overall game.

Azzi basically met all the NCAA players in high school, she knows everyone. I wasn't expecting 50 minutes for the highlight video (I'll watch it at another time 😅).

youtube

Of course, Azzi was MVP of another championship game.

youtube

When can I see her play again? I miss her shot so fucking much😭.

youtube

Give us Houzmazoo as a commentator in the NCAA, he's so entertaining: "oh that's far enough" "tough" "step back, shot *lol*" "good D, that's the match up".

youtube

Fudd’s footwork in drills is just about always the same, which is to say it’s almost always perfect. The way she catches the ball and shoots it? Same every time, whether 10 or 25 feet from the basket. “Azzi just walks around like she’s good,” Auriemma said Thursday outside Gampel Pavilion

Geno is going to play her 30 minutes per game, isn't he? He loves Azzi too much 😌.

“All we have to do is get her open,” Auriemma said a couple weeks ago. “Boom, boom, boom. It’s up in the air before you can get your hands up. Swish, swish, swish. Right in (the defender’s) face. Her free throws and her shots from three feet beyond the 3-point line are exactly the same, no difference, no added anything, same routine. A lot of it is God given. A lot of it is her working her butt off every day. I don’t say anything about her shot other than ‘Good job.’”

The Bueckers-Fudd era has begun — almost. (we're having it this year 💫)

Fudd landed on the Huskies’ radar as a seventh-grader, and took an unofficial visit to Storrs during her freshman year at St. John’s College High School in Washington, D.C.

I don't even have to say anything about this 🤠:

Fudd and Bueckers are nearly inseparable. They’ve been spending most weekends together since UConn’s season ended, working out privately with Alex McLean, an assistant coach with the NBA’s Washington Wizards.

“They’re very, very close. They’re also extremely competitive with each other, which you would expect,” Scribner said. “While they’re great, great friends, they both want to beat each other on the court.”

#reading your asks like my morning paper #azzi fudd #🔎

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firsttimewriter92 · 1 year

Text

Neighborly shenanigans Pt. 2

Simon "Ghost" Riley x f! reader (Neighbor AU)

Part 1 ; Part 3; Part 4

Description: After your first encounter, your helpful neighbour lends you a hand and spends the evening with you

Warnings: cursing, some dirty thoughts, fluff, pining and longing getting stronger, a little smidge of angst

Word count: 2.708

A/N: Hi everyone <3 Here´s part two. Somehow I feel like this is going to be a multi chapter story with a really, really slow burn.

Would you be interessted in that or do you want me to hurry it up? :D

Please enjoy <3

„Come on, you bag of dog shite” you yelled at the wall as you tried to drill the hole for the dowel. Frustrated and sweat beading at your hairline you set down the power drill and took a deep breath. How on earth were you supposed to get this floating shelf up on the wall? You´ve never done something like this and although you´ve got all the tools and watched countless of videos on how to do it, it all turned out to be much more difficult than everyone else had lead you to believe by watching YouTube.

Checking the holes you´d already drilled you nodded to yourself. “Come on, just one more” you said to yourself and lifted the drill again. Three distinct knocks came down on your door and your movements halted immediately. Shit, you thought. There it was. The fist neighbour to tell you to fucking keep it down. You rolled your eyes as you made your way over to your door. Before your hand reached the handle however, a flash of dark hazel eyes and blond hair invaded your inner eye. Here´s to hoping, you thought as you opened the door with a defiant look on your face. Just in case it was someone else.

But there he stood. Tall, impossibly broad and still with the mask across his face. You started to wonder if he had some kind of medical condition.

You schooled your features to look as indignant as possible but you felt the corner of your mouth tick as your eyes fell onto him again. You couldn’t read the look in his eyes so you raised your eyebrows in question and spoke. “Yes?” you asked him.

“Not to be nosy, Miss, but do you need some help with that drill by any chance?” Again he managed to ask a simple question without making it seem like he was doubting your abilities. You winced a little and looked up at him with a slightly guilty look in your eyes. “I´ve been taking my sweet time with it, haven’t I?”

Again your ears were blessed with a deep chuckle before he shrugged his shoulders slightly. “Maybe a bit” he drawled. His attentive eyes momentarily jumped over your head to look into your apartment. “I know the walls are solid brick” he said and looked into your eyes again. “Fuckin´ pain to get a nail in…lest be it a dowel.” You hung your head and snickered. “You´re right” you said with a deep sigh. “My shoulders are killing me. And so is this darn wall.”

His eyes narrowed again with a smile and he straightened up. “Well then, how about we get this over with so Mrs. Danbury upstairs can enjoy her daily dose of `Midsomer murders´?” Your knees almost buckled when you saw him wink at you slightly. “She´s been on my case ever since I brought home the Lady. Don´t want the same thing happenin´ to you.”

Two things happened at once. You laughed at the tone he was using when describing your elderly neighbour that always took way too much interest in anything that was going on, and your heart sinking into your stomach when the endorphins his presence invoked died on the spot. ´The Lady´. Girlfriend. Of course he had one. You mentally slapped yourself.

Something must have shown on your face. Your neighbour looked at you curiously before you collected yourself again. “Right” you said hastily and stood aside for him to enter. “Please don’t mind the mess. I haven’t been able to unpack fully yet. Work and all…” He didn’t seem to mind however. You closed your door and observed how his massive body manoeuvred itself around your furniture and moving boxes. You couldn’t help but notice how tactical his movements were. There wasn´t a step wasted before he reached the power drill and picked it up. Looking at the wall and the holes you already drilled, he nodded to himself.

It took him no longer than a minute to drill the last hole. From your vantage point from the kitchen you let your eyes rake over his movements. How his arms flexed underneath a lose fitting t-shirt that would probably fit you like a tent. The slight bend in his knees and the way his incredible thighs strained against his sweat pants. Steamin´ Jesus. That man must spend all of his free time in the gym to maintain those muscles. Almost ashamed you averted your eyes from his body. Ogling a man that wasn’t yours and was in a relationship felt insanely wrong. And yes, there was a difference between appreciating and ogling.

He sat down the drill and looked around for a second. “This one?” he pointed at the shelf. “Oh, you don´t have to hang it, I can manage from here” you said hastily and walked over. He looked at you with raised eyebrows. Did his shoulders sag just a tiny bit? “It´s no big deal, really” he said slowly while still penetrating you with his soulful dark eyes. Don´t swoon, don’t swoon, don’t swoon.

“I don’t have anywhere else to be” he continued very quietly, inclining his head a little more downward towards you. Your throat constricted as you realised how his implication made you feel. You steeled your whole body and he noticed immediately, standing up straight again. His eyes took on a slightly bewildered and dejected look. “I´m sure your girlfriend wants her daily cuddles on the couch so you can go. I´ll hang the thing myself. Thanks for your help.” You tried to sound thankful but the ice in your voice made it difficult.

God, how you hated men that couldn’t just be cocky for the fun of it. Of course they had to be absolute fucking asshats as well, flirting like their life depended on it, thirsting after every woman that came across their path and the one by their side just being the most favourite one.

This time the narrow of his eyes wasn’t created by a smile. You could clearly see the irritation in them not just by the way he bunched his eyebrows but in the immediate change of body language.

“Wait here” he said coldly as he began to move. He stepped around you, shoulders squared and mumbling something before he opened your door. Without any effort he pulled over the huge pot containing your yucca palm and used it to stop the door from falling shut.

Completely confused about what he was trying to do you heard him call out to someone before appearing in your doorway again. He almost took over the whole frame with his massive torso. His head yet again inclined he looked sheepishly at you this time.

“Sometimes I´m not good with words” he said as he stepped towards you again. “I´m sorry if I gave you the wrong impression of me.” Your heart kickstarting with hope again you tilted your head to the side a little with a questioning look which made him rumble his ridiculously attractive chuckle again.

He turned his head towards your still open door and gave one sharp whistle before looking at you again, his voice friendly. “This is Riley,-” he said as a long and high pitched noise came from you and you immediately leaned down as the big German Sheperd trotted in to stand next to your neighbour. The animal sat down and eyed you with curious eyes, not moving from the mans side however. “And she´s the only girl in my life right now” you heard him say.

Prying your eyes from the dog you looked up at him and yet again felt your face grow impossibly hot. The look he was giving you was difficult to read. Careful and pondering your reaction to his statement but somehow also cheeky. Almost naughty.

In an apologetic tone you answered and shook your head slightly. Your chest feeling like it was inflated by a balloon, excitement yet again running through your veins. “I jumped to conclusions. I shouldn’t have been so…bitchy.” A sigh escaped him and he lifted one of his hands to rake it through his blond mass of hair, ruffling it a little. “Nah, you were right to do that. I should have made it more clear. I´m not…like that. I don´t flirt much so…”

Your head snapped up so quickly you winced for a second as your muscles tensed. “Y-You were?” you asked, almost not daring to. “Flirting?”

He gave you a very direct look before answering. “Yes” he simply said and you learned something new about him at that moment. No bullshit kind of man.

“Oh” you breathed, your brain suddenly void of anything witty to say. “Okey.”

He somehow seemed satisfied with your reaction, you could see his cheeks lifting in a smile.

“Can I hang your shelf now?” he asked and you huffed out a laugh, nodding. Humming, he passed you and got to work. You nose tingled as you got your first real whiff of him. Damn, he smelled good. Not good. Great. Unique and calming. Manly and somehow fruity. What the heck was in his body wash?

A cold nose bumped your hand and happily you sat down on your sturdy wooden coffee table to scratch the dogs ears. “What a pretty thing you are” you said gleefully to the animal which had begun wagging its tail furiously. “Yes you are, yes you are.”

“You a dog person then?” you heard the deep rumbly voice ask. You looked up at him with a grin. “I´m an animal person in general but there is something about the fierce love you get from a dog…” you shrugged before petting Riley again. He hummed again. Contently stroking the soft fur of Riley you observed her owner closely while he hung up your shelf. A sweet notion of domesticity hung in the air and it was kind of strange how quickly you felt it washing over you.

When he was done, he packed up the drill and walked over to you. “What do you think?” he asked in a chipper tone. He came to a stop next to you and lowered himself on his haunches to look at the shelf from your hight. “Is it level?”

You turned your head slightly to the right and pursed your lips dramatically. “Uh-huh” you said and nodded, turning your head and looking at him with a smirk. “You did a good job.”

He didn’t move his head but his eye glanced at you, the delicate lines around it appearing yet again.

“Why are you wearing that?” you asked suddenly and very quietly. His head turned fully towards you without answering. “Is it making you uncomfortable?” he asked just as quietly. You shook your head softly at that. “Do you mind me wearing it?” Again you shook your head like in trance. The dim light in your room reflected in his dark eyes that suddenly didn’t seem to be that dark. The deep hazel colour was underlined with some flecks of light brown, almost gold. The colour perfectly accentuating the feathery blond lashes framing his big almond shaped eyes.

“Then will you let me keep it on?” you almost didn’t hear him the way he muttered his question into the cloth.

“It´s hardly my decision” you answered breezily and tried not to let your eyes wander to where you supposed his lips were. “I just wanted to know why you were wearing it.” He nodded and closed his eyes for a brief moment.

Right then, Riley decided that your petting wasn’t enough and excitedly squeezed herself in between her owners legs, effectively knocking him on his behind. “Fuckin´ ell” he sputtered out with a laugh and began wrapping his massive arms around the dog, play wrestling with it for a second.

You felt the moment hover over you and then disappearing into every nook and cranny in your apartment. Seeing him play with his dog however gave you a completely different moment to enjoy and remember. You giggled and got up from your coffee table. “Want a drink?” you asked over your shoulder. Your voice sounded uncomfortably loud even though you used your normal inside volume.

“Actually” he said as he got up from the floor and followed you. When you turned around he was already in front of you. His scent flowing over you it was a herculean task not to close your eyes and burry your nose in his shirt. “I wanted to ask if you´re free this Saturday.” Again he didn’t beat around the bush and you absolutely loved it. “I am, yes” you said trying not to bounce up and down right then and there.

“Great” he said without hesitation. “I´ll pick you up at 8. No need for fancy clothes.” A man with a plan, is this for real? How long has he thought about asking you out? When you raised your eyebrows he doubled down a little. “Unless you like fancy. We can do fancy as well, of course. I can do fancy.” You giggled when you heard his slightly wavering voice.

“No, I don´t need fancy. I can do casual.” He seemed to like that very much and stared down at you for another moment. “Great” he repeated softly. “Need anything else hung or assembled tonight?” he asked cheekily as his gaze drifted over your living room. You rolled your eyes at him playfully before shaking your head. “I´m good for now, thanks. If I need another handy man before Saturday I´ll come knocking.” A slight ´hehe´ left his mouth and he stemmed his hands on his hips, turning his head to his dog.

“Come on, girl. Let´s get you some food and let the Lady enjoy her evening.” You followed them to your door where he pushed the heavy plant back in its original place with his foot before turning around one last time. “See you Saturday” he said with a smile in his voice.

“See you Saturday” you said giddily but then your eyes went comically wide realising…and then laughing out loud.

“What? What?” he asked with a bewildered chuckle.

“Before I go on a date with you,” you gasped and lightly touched your stomach. “I´d really like to know your name.”

He too looked dumbstruck for a second, his eyes going wide before closing them and pinching the bridge of his nose. “Simon” he said with an incredulous voice.

“Call me Simon.” He sighed deeply before looking into your eyes again with mirth. “I can´t believe I forgot to introduce myself.” You waved your hand in front of your face dismissively before holding it out to him nervously.

“I´m ___, by the way.”

He only hesitated for a moment before engulfing your hand with his and squeezed it. You felt callouses, warmth and incredible strength. Seeing how the palm of his hand almost completely swallowed your hand, a shiver ran down your neck and spine. Tingling at the small of your back and spreading to your front. Liquid adrenalin was pooling in your stomach, made your legs grow heavy and your nether regions tremble.

You were only holding his hand and you felt ready to pounce. Reign it in, damn it.

“___”. Your name left his lips and that pouncing thought jumped back into the forefront of your mind until he let go of your hand.

“Goodnight,___” he said lowly and by the way he looked at you, you knew exactly that your body language had told him much more than you wanted him to know.

“´Night, Simon.”

You closed the door gently and it took everything in you to walk over to your couch and not collapse against the door. Your legs were still heavy and jelly like, something still tingling like crazy in your panties. “Oh, hell” you said to yourself as you crossed your legs to try and relieve some of the pressure.

It wasn´t working.

So, when you got to bed half an hour later you got comfortable and retrieved your trusty toy from its box. There was no way you would be able to sleep without getting all these feelings out. The longing for his scent, voice and his touch.

Saturday couldn’t come soon enough.

______________________________________________________

Again, thank you so much for reading. I hope you enjoyed it <3

Please consider interacting with this post and give me some feedback. Comments and reblogs always help not only to push my work that I love, but also help to improve my writing and get my imagination going.

Thank you for considering it <3

Tags:

@xheera @fruitymoonbeams-blog @euuuuuuun @oranoyaora

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ne-nene-ne · 2 years

Text

Imagine being Nagi’s crush and Reo getting jealous, unsure whether it's because you're taking Nagi's attention or because he also likes you

seishiro nagi × fem!reader × reo mikage

- nagi is the primary love interest while reo has a one-sided crush on you (mostly from his pov too)

- includes a smidge of angst I'd say, (well actually not just a smidge teehee)

When Nagi was developing a crush on you, Reo was the first to notice. You were classmates, and you caught Nagi’s attention by playing the same mobile video game he did.

As Nagi was walking through the school yard with Reo, his ears perked up when he heard the familiar sounds of attacking noises and fanfare from his beloved game. Following the source of the sound, he found you, sitting on the bench and indeed playing the same video game that he did. You seemed so happy in your own little world that he didn't want to bother you. Instead, he would often peek behind your shoulder at a distance to see your progress. Your gaming tactics interested him.

Reo found the whole thing amusing at first. He elbowed Nagi lightly, "Why not just approach her and ask her about it instead of watching her like a creep?" Reo wouldn’t have encouraged him if he knew how this would eventually play out.

Nagi took his advice and approached you during those rare moments when you were having difficulty defeating a boss. You were incredibly concentrated on your phone screen, with your brows furrowed and teeth subtly biting your lower lip. It was an unusual sight to see that he finally felt the need to step in.

"Use that spell and use that attack at the same time, he'll be much easier to defeat", he says, earning a startled reaction from you as the silver-haired boy seemed to appear out of nowhere. Yet, you do as he says and end up finishing off the boss with ease.

You say your thanks, introduce yourselves, and segway into talking more about the game (and also exchange player ID's). The two of you began talking to each other more often.

This would be the beginning of Reo's 'dislike' for you.

Reo's irritation would increase when Nagi noticeably had you on his mind constantly.

Even with Reo next to him, Nagi's mind would still wander off to you. “I wonder if she’s online…”, he'd mutter and frequently check his phone, hoping that your active status would be green. The fact that Nagi would check nearly every 2 minutes particularly pissed him off.

In class, Nagi would come over to your desk, pull up a chair, whip his phone out, and you two would play the video game together. Poor Reo would be off to the side, sulking while his eyes were drilling holes into you. He'd be muttering to himself.

So what if you liked the same game as Nagi? What made you so special? Was it the way you'd sweetly smile at him whenever you saw him coming? Or was it the way your eyes lit up whenever he gave you a helpful tip to win? And that soft laugh whenever you thought he was being a bit silly. How annoying… Your blatant 'flirting' was irritating the hell out of him.

Reo was cut off from his thoughts when you suddenly called his name, beckoning him to come over with that same sweet smile of yours. And for a reason he couldn't comprehend, it made his heart beat a little bit quicker. What did you possibly want from him? He swallowed thickly as he approached you two. Turns out you wanted to learn how he and Nagi got into soccer as you noticed them practicing on the field after school.

'Is this your attempt to be nice? How dare you try to act so considerate when you're the root of the problem. I don't need your pity', Reo would think. Yet, he found himself answering all of your questions so willingly. Your eyes, brimming with genuine curiosity, were getting to him as he spoke that he ended up inviting you to watch their practice without thinking. Of course, you said yes.

Before he could come up with something to change your mind, the teacher came in and began class. He mentally punched himself. What was he doing? You were the enemy and he invited you to spend more time with them. But those eyes– It was those bright eyes that gazed at him while he spoke of his passions that got him carried away. He wanted more of it. You found his weak spot and he hated it.

And so you'd show up to their practices to watch them play. The moment both boys saw your figure waving at them, they'd instinctively try to show off. For Nagi, he hadn't realized it himself until he thought it odd that he wanted to put in a little more effort that day. (but that was just the effect you had on him). And for Reo, well, he just reasoned that if anyone at all was watching him, there's no doubt he'd want to look great.

But halfway through practice, he questioned himself. What was the use? You were looking at Nagi most of the time and not him anyway.

You had gained more of their affection when you brought them their favorite drinks and snacks once practice was over. Nagi would definitely eat most of the snacks you brought while you and Reo had to scold him to not eat either of yours. A muffled, "Thanks for the snacks, y/n" would come out of Nagi's mouth, now full of chips, and Reo would mutter a small "...thanks" (If you tell him to speak up or that you couldn't hear him, you'd get a rise out of him for sure, hehe)

And this would sorta be your routine with them. You would watch and wait for them to be done with practice and you three would hang out together afterwards.

Rather, in Reo's pov, it was more like you and Nagi hanging out while he was basically just third-wheeling, no matter how much you attempted to include him in your conversations with Nagi.

The interactions you two had were just different. The looks, smiles, and light touches that you'd give to Nagi weren’t the same ones you'd give to him. It was frustrating that what he wanted was right there but he could never have it.

And so maybe he could finally admit to himself that he's just jealous– Jealous that you were stealing both his best friend and his heart.

#blue lock #blue lock x reader #nagi seishiro #reo mikage #bllk x reader #honestly idk how i felt about writing this one #i started off with a simple love triangle idea but idek what i came up with lol #this one just seems so loooong in comparison to the first two posts i made #and what type of writing would you even call this? cause they're not even pure headcanons #it's like a mix of drabble + hcs?#someone help me pls #also that ending sounds kinda cheesy haha #but whatevs #rip reo #now I'm thinking of writing nagi bf hcs which will most likely be shorter than this #should i make a writing blog??#I'll think about it #nagi x reader #reo x reader

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rqgnarok · 1 year

Text

dial drunk - tommy miller

fandom: the last of us (tv show and video game)

wc: 2,703

warnings: alcoholism and mentions of alcohol abuse, drunk character, maybe PTSD? pre-outbreak. no use of specific pronouns.

summary: tommy calls you in the middle of the night, hammered and asking for a favor.

inspired by noah kahan’s dial drunk. author’s note at the end.

masterlist / ao3 / ko-fi

Tommy knows the drill.

He’s been here enough times to recognize the officer pulling him over, asking after his wife and kids as he steps out of the truck on unsteady feet. He’s all Southern charm and pleasantries as he fails his breath test and is unable to walk in a straight line for the officer to see.

“Come on, man,” he says, aiming for placating and pretty much landing it. He’s not his mama’s favorite for nothing, getting out of trouble Joel would’ve been grounded over when he was his age with big cow eyes and flimsy excuses. “Paperwork’s shit, right? Lemme make a call and someone will take me off your hands for the night.”

The officer tightens his mouth into a grimace, unconvinced.

“Look, if this gets nowhere then I’ll ride with you nice and quiet,” he bargains with as much honesty as one can convey when being the youngest boy in a nice Catholic Texan family. There aren’t better credentials than those when pleading your innocence. “I’ll even play it up in front of your boss to make you look good, yeah? Just one call, promise.”

Hook, line, and sinker. The officer’s shoulders drop a little and he’s offering his cell phone for Tommy to call. “One call. Then you’re done.”

“Yessir.”

Tommy grins innocently as best as he can with double the legal limit of alcohol in his blood and a phone between his ear and shoulder. The man stands there with his arms crossed looking like he’d rather be anywhere but bringing his ass in for a DUI at two AM on a Wednesday.

“‘lo?” you call sleepily, finally picking up. Tommy doesn’t restrain his victorious grunt. “...Tommy?”

“Hey, sweets,” he slurs a little, clearing his throat. “Sorry for wakin’ you. I need a favor.”

“Tommy,” you say again, tired. If Tommy were any less drunk, he’d realize it’s not lack of sleep that has you sounding like that. He’s shitfaced and thinking about the monumental kick in the ass waiting for him at home when Joel realizes he hotwired and stole his truck to get a drink at the nearest bar.

“I know, I know, listen,” he cuts you off before you can say anything else, sneaking a look at the officer’s crossed arms and disappointed stance. “You remember the way to the precinct, right? From last time?”

Last time, when Tommy got into a brawl outside a bar he was not supposed to be in, and accepted your worried fussing with barely concealed annoyance, gripping your wrists and taking your hands off his bruised face. You’d driven him to your place because he’d promised Joel to steer clear of trouble for at least a few months, and his breath still reeked of alcohol by the time you came to pick him up.

You told him then you weren’t doing this again. But you always say that. And you always come when he calls.

Your moms had grown up together in Texas and were ecstatic about the fact that their two littlest ones would come into the world so close together. You and Tommy were inseparable because the universe had dictated it– and nothing could interfere between you. Not his dad dying when he and Joel were still too young, not Tommy having to repeat fifth grade and no longer sharing a classroom with you, not you going off to college and Tommy joining the army straight out of high school.

But then he came home. And he came home different.

The shit he’d seen overseas was nasty, but that’s not what drove him to drink himself stupid every night. At least that’s what he thinks. Soon his habits began seeing the light of day; vodka mixed in his morning coffee and hidden in a water bottle during lunch with the boys at the construction site. Life became a blur when he was drinking and an agonizingly slow nightmare when he wasn’t.

Joel wasn’t the first to notice but he’d been the first to say something about it. Next time you come to my home reeking of a cheap ass bar in front of my kid I’m kicking your ass out. I’m serious, Tommy. This shit has to stop.

And Tommy had believed him. So he turned to the next person he knew that would do anything for him. You came home from college despite your dreams to outrun this town, and soon it was your number he had memorized even when his brain called it quits and left him alone in his blackouts.

“I do,” you say, and Tommy’s already thinking about sleeping it off on your sorry excuse of a couch. It’s a slow night, only a couple of drunken bums sleeping off their hangovers in a quaint police station in fucking Arlington, Texas. But Tommy would take your couch any day, even if it means fucking up his back for the rest of the week. “But I’m not coming to get you, Tommy. Call Joel.”

“Sweetheart,” he croons into the phone, low and mellow like he’d talk to pretty girls at parties in high school. The same ones you’d go to only because he begged you to come with, acting like a jealous boyfriend when someone wouldn’t leave you alone. “Please. I’ll pay you back, you know I’m good for it.”

He’d put a possessive arm around your waist, standing behind you and smiling icily at whoever was pestering you. We got a problem here?

There’s silence at the other side of the line, sheets rustling. Tommy can picture you sitting up, phone to your ear, biting the inside of your cheek nervously.

More like Joel is, but hey. He took the big brother act to heart the second Tommy was born. He’s been bailing him out of shit as long as Tommy’s been alive, why would tonight be any different?

Joel, who’s always told him, first jokingly and then not so much, that you were too good for Tommy. Too smart, too kind, with too much integrity for someone like his little brother.

The older Miller had taken a liking to you pretty soon after Tommy did; wiping the dirt off scraped knees and your tears from chubby child cheeks after placing a bandaid with gentle, unsure fingers. Giving you a ride when you insisted on walking home, leaving the back door open for you whenever being home got too rough for you.

That man knew you’d be the best thing to ever happen to his brother in his entire life. Too bad the idiot didn’t realize it, pushing your limits until you couldn’t take it any longer.

“I’m not bailing you out of jail, Tommy,” you sigh, annoyance creeping over the hesitation in your tone. You were never good at saying no to him, even when you were both in diapers and Tommy wanted your dinosaur plushie so bad he threw a tantrum until his mom took him in her arms. “When I said last time was the last time, I meant it. I’m sick of this shit.”

“Come on,” he scoffs, saying your name in a way he knows you hate, like you’re the one being unreasonable. “I’ll give you a kiss and everything. You still like that, don’t you?”

“Fuck you,” you snap on the other side of the line. He knows you well enough to know what buttons to push. Reminding you of your first kiss is a trick he’s never, never pulled on you before, though. “Don’t fucking say that, don’t use that against me.”

You’d been seventeen and without a date to the prom. The guy you were thinking about asking had laughed in your face when you offhandedly mentioned going together and Tommy had refused to let you sulk alone. He’d climbed into your room through your window and wrapped his arm around you the second your lip wobbled, tears wetting your cheeks.

Tell me who I have to kill, he’d said before you ever told him what was wrong. He’s always been like that, hot-headed and protective, especially when it comes to you. Willing to fight anyone who’s ever slightly wronged you but not realizing when he’s done it himself.

You laughed into his shirt, snotty and miserable as he tightened his grip around you. Come on, sweets, fuck that guy. Like he’s even good enough for you.

You confessed with a burning embarrassment how you’d seen yourself kissing him– more out of the need to get your first kiss over with than actual want– and Tommy’s face had gone through a bunch of complicated emotions before settling on something sweet, shy, resolute. He’d thumbed at your chin thoughtfully, fingers just barely brushing over your bottom lip.

Tommy had his first kiss when he was thirteen with Amy Hill behind the church his mother dragged them to every Sunday morning, but you’d never seen him that nervous. He failed to look into your eyes as he stuttered out his suggestion. If you wanna get it out of the way then maybe– I don’t know. Why not do it with someone who actually cares about you?

You’d looked at him in scrutiny as if you’d never taken a good look at him before. He self-consciously thought about his fair skin and his freckles, if his hair was still a mess from football practice, and if his breath smelled somewhat okay after having that sandwich for lunch.

You offerin’, Miller?

Yeah, he’d said instead of something stupid like haven’t you heard? I’m a catch. He murmured bashfully, finally meeting your eyes. Yeah, sweets, I guess I am.

He’d licked his lips and drew a path with his fingers from your temple to behind your ear before cupping the side of your jaw, breath hot. Just– punch me in the face or something if you don’t want to.

You hadn’t. He’d closed the gap between you and you kissed him back slowly, hesitantly, diving back in again after he drew away. He was too short of breath for a chaste kiss that had lasted a couple of seconds, and the second time around his tongue flickered past his lips. Your hands on his shirt tightened in response, a helpless sound leaving your mouth that neither of you had been expecting.

He hadn’t known about your crush then. Maybe that’s when it first started, some Tuesday night with a kiss in your childhood bedroom, but Tommy doesn’t remember ever becoming aware of it. He just knew, suddenly, and enough things had happened in the in-between from then to now for him to consider using it against you.

His drunken brain thinks differently, though.

“Don’t be like that, sweets,” the nickname had never bothered you before, born out of Tommy watching too many old movies one night the babysitter failed to show up and Joel fell asleep on the couch. You’d never questioned him when he started calling you that, probably liking it a little too much for it to be a friendly thing between you. “You can act all high and mighty next time, alright? Just come pick me up before Joel realizes he ain’t got a ride for work tomorrow mornin’.”

“Jesus fucking Christ,” you curse vehemently. You haven’t been to church in the years you’ve been back from college, much to your mama’s dismay. “You know what? Whatever. That’s Joel’s problem now, not mine. Call him.”

“I’m asking you for a favor,” he says through gritted teeth, suddenly irritated. His characteristic charm is gone just like that. “Why are you being so fucking difficult?”

“I’m done watching you wreck your life, Tommy,” you say with finality. He scoffs pettily. “I’m not picking up again, tonight or ever. Call Joel.”

A click. Then nothing.

He says your name and the dial tone laughs back at him. And Tommy–

Tommy can’t actually believe it. He takes the phone off his ear and stares at it, dumbfounded, like looking at it long enough will get you back on the line.

He hears the officer blow air out his mouth and the evening suddenly comes into sharpening clearness; the cold November air biting at his face, the taste of whiskey in his mouth. His hands are sweating from where he’s gripping his phone, the tag of his jacket is rubbing uncomfortably against the back of his neck.

You’ve never hung up on him before.

“That it?” the officer asks with the lack of patience that’s characteristic of the night shift.

“I– what? No, no,” he shakes his head, already dialing again. “Just– just give me a second.”

“Night ain’t young, man,” he grumbles, already reaching for his cuffs. Tommy takes a step back, suddenly out of his depth. “One call. Time’s up.”

“I’ll– I’ll go okay? I’ll go, just let me– let me call again,” the trembling of his fingers has nothing to do with his current state– Tommy feels like every single drop of alcohol has vaporized from his blood and now he’s left cold and in trouble and alone.

Fuck. Fuck, you’d never hung up on him before.

He calls again, once, twice, before the officer finally loses his patience. “Alright, kid. Whoever you’re callin’ they don’t wanna answer. You can have your one phone call at the precinct. Get someone else, though, huh?”

Tommy doesn’t want to. Tommy shouldn’t have to, a sudden rush of self-righteous anger washing over him with enough force to gridlock his entire body with tension. His jaw tightens and teeth grind together, his shoulders straighten into a taunt, painful line, holding onto the phone so tightly it shakes, the shapes of it making indentations on his skin.

How dare you? How fucking dare you? Friends since fucking birth, does that mean nothing to you? Now you’re throwing him away like a fucking dirty rag?

Call Joel, you had said, and Joel is enough of an asshole to keep Tommy in the can overnight to teach him a lesson, but you? You two have always looked out for each other, this isn’t how it’s supposed to go–

“I don’t have all night, buddy,” the officer gets his hands on him to take back his phone and beckon him to the car. Tommy flails as an automatic response, fighting back against the unwanted touch. But whether he feels like it or not he’s still drunk and in the blink of an eye he’s got his face against the hood of a police car, red and blue lights hurting his eyes, and a tight hand around the back of his neck keeping him somewhat still.

The officer mumbles something about Tommy causing more trouble than he’s worth and ain’t that a popular opinion tonight? “You’re gonna cause yourself any more trouble, son?”

Tommy snorts. Son, like the guy’s not just a couple of years older than him. He’s pretty sure they crossed paths once or a hundred times back in high school.

The ride to the precinct is as uncomfortable as it gets. The heat in the car isn’t working so Tommy’s freezing his ass off in the back of the car, handcuffs digging into his wrists. His nose is bleeding all over his clothes, and hurting like a bitch where the officer had to punch him when Tommy’s fight response wouldn’t quit.

And you, in the back of his mind. He pictures you asleep after his little interruption and his anger is enough of a fire inside of him to drown out the disbelief, the blatant hurt that threatens to kill him more than his broken nose does.

He’ll pop the thing back into place later in the cell but this? You? As the hours pass by and clarity regains its home in his awareness, he doesn’t see a way around this. A scenario in which he calls again and you listen, where you talk to him and he doesn’t feel like you kicked him to the curb over fucking nothing. A few drinks. A favor. Best friends, his ass.

He’ll keep calling, though. Even if he has to spend the night in jail because you don’t pick up. He’ll dial drunk until he dies, just for you.

______

tommy u silly little goose

since noah’s album came out last week i’ve had this song on repeat and i desperately wanted to write a fic about it. idk why my mind instantly went to tommy. i’m thinking of a post-outbreak sequel but i won’t confirm anything until it’s actually in the works.

thank you so much for reading! i hope you enjoyed it! the lack of tommy fics is astounding to me, especially since gabriel luna is one of the most beautiful and talented men i’ve ever seen.

reminder that commissions are open and support is always appreciated!

#tommy miller #gabriel luna #the last of us #tlou #tlou fic #reader insert #leo writes #tommy x reader #tommy miller x reader #joel miller #joel miller x reader #pedro pascal

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