#george and ace are in school

[flythesail]

Everyone can obviously feel how they want to feel about it but I've always felt the paths the drew crew decide on in the finale are reflective of their arcs

[everand1r]

To the salon!

(Some) Twisted wonderland boys x Barbie (gn) reader.

Reader isn't based off of any specific barbie so I kept it vague. (Gn) No features are mentioned. Some are Platonic and some Romantic but you can view it either way really. These are mostly imagines? Hcs? Crack fic? idk but lemme know if I missed anything. These were pretty fun to do I might do more

Characters: Riddle, Deuce, Epel, Azul, Sebek

Transporting to a new world is something you are used to, you've been on many adventures and have gained many skills and degrees along the way that starting anew isn't a new experience. Although living in a rundown dorm isn't ideal, It just needs a little shaping! You've built stuff before you've got this. Oh but you'll need a new wardrobe too! No way can you wear one outfit all the time! I guess there's no time like the present to put them skills to use!

Riddle

• He thinks your style is cute, and admires how you always look stunning and pristine everyday without fail.

• Although you look a little TOO pristine at times, he gets confused on how you can run a mile in gym and not break a sweat, meanwhile this boy is probably gasping for air. When you explain you were an Olympic track star back in your world he has to try not to side you

• He kinda thinks your lying about your careers and all you've accomplished

• He greatly underestimates your intelligence until you barge into heartslabyul one day in your bright pink suit and a big smile on your face

  "Ace! Deuce!" You yell into the living area, the pair looking up at you from where they were studying. "Prefect, need I remind you of yelling inside?" the red head sighs. "Ah sorry sorry! I'm just so excited I had to come share!" "Is it about your trial today?" Deuce asked. "Trial....?" Riddle mumbles, slightly confused. He had no idea what you lot were talking about, but knowing you it was probably some crazy- "Yes I won my first court case today!" ......What? Court case?

"My Client was wrongfully accused of stealing and I helped them find justice! I'm so glad my skills as a lawyer can help others in this world." You boldy exclaim, chest puffing up. "Tell us all about it." Ace said turning to you fully.

Riddle sat back, tuning you all out. This boy was at a loss for words. You, a Lawyer??? How is that even possible? You're a Freshman... but Riddle recalls the time you set an Olympic World record for figure skating, and the time you hacked into a Government network using nothing but the school library computers. Maybe you being a Lawyer isn't so unrealistic after all.

Deuce

• Deuce always thought you were gorgeous and admirable, not that he would tell you that! He's too embarrassed

• It's kind of obvious though, with the way he never takes his eyes off you as you talk to him, he's got this lovesick gaze on him it makes ace roll his eyes

• Being friends with you from the beginning of the school year, he's used to you and all your skills, you still manage to surprise him from time to time though. Like creating a new life form from the potions in potionology should not be possible and yet here you are...

• Although that's what he admires about you, how you've accomplished so much at a young age. As an aspiring honor student he looks up to you. Admiration that's all it was, nothing more haha...

  When deuce got your message to come over to Ramshackle, he certainly wasn't expecting to see you arguing with a rooster and a big chicken coop in the back of the dorm. When did that even get there? "George please! just get back in the coop, everyone else listened to me!" George clucked at you, clearly not listening. "Ugh we're gonna be here forverer- Oh! Deuce you came!" You grin, diverting your eyes from the big chicken to the boy standing outside the fence. "Well don't just stand there come on in," Snapping out of his daze he goes through the fence and meets up with you. "Is this what you wanted to show me?" He asks. "Yup! I was a chicken farmer back in my world and i've just missed growing my own foods so I decided to start one here,"

You strech your arms out, signaling to the land around Ramshackle. You clasp your hands together with a soft grin on your face "I know how much you like eggs so I thought once my chickens lay some, we could make some egg dishes with it!"

   Admiration??? No no no, this boy was in Love!

Epel

• Before Epel offically met you he had seen you around, kind of hard not to with you being the most stylish person in NRC, you kinda stick out

• Although he only really got a good look at your style once he stayed at Ramshackle for the VDC.

You would come down every morning with a new oufit, hair and makeup done to a tee, he wonders if your closet is just limitless and how you have so many clothes and accessories.

• You blackmailed Crowley

• Ngl he probably thought you were one of those -prim and proper, freaks out at getting dirty- kind of person.... at first

• On the weekends when you don't have to stick around with practice, you would leave in the morning and come back later on and talk about your day at dinner, and you would always say the most insane shit Epel has ever heard in his life

"What do ya mean you discovered a new life species?" Epel glares at you from your vanity mirror. You shrug, continuing your nightly routine. Epel was sat on your bed, listening to you recount what you did today.  "Oh you should've seen it! It was a new bird species with the most gorgeous feather pattern, It took a couple of hours to find them out in the Savanna but it was so worth it." In the Savanna? You didn't look like you went to the Savanna. With your colorful outfit and perfectly manicured nails, and those glossy lips... Ugh! Epel shook his head. Just what is he thinking? But as he looks up at you, fully turned around, he can't help but notice just how stunning you really are.

Azul

• He doesn't really like you so he thinks

• But he's kinda intimidated by you, like most others in the school he underestimates you until he tried to take Ramshackle from you

• He was NOT prepared for you to list off all the shady and bordering on illegal business practices he was doing. How did you figure him out so quickly?? Did you also run a business perhaps?? the answer is yes, you do.

• You don't like his methods and try to talk to all his potential clients as you are fim beilever that if you put your mind to it, you can be anything! No need to sign away your powers or voice. Azul, clearly, does not like this and so there's just this mutual little rivalry between the two of you, although you do respect each other to some degree

Azul could feel his eye twitch, he has been going back and forth with you on this matter he's starting to falter. You two currently sat in the VIP room of the Mostro lounge. He's been trying to get you to sign this damn contract so he can take up your dorm. You, on the other hand are stubborn and refuse to give up the dorm you spent so much time renovating! He's beginning to wonder if it's even worth it at this point, maybe he can extend his business elsewhere... No! He's gotten this far he's not about to back down, but as he glances at you with your arms crossed and cute pout on your face, grim sitting next to you mimicking your stance... Azul feels as if he's gonna be here all night.

Sebek

• He didn't really think much of you for a while

• Sebek had more important things to worry about which is why he didn't pay attention to you until you pop out from behind Coach Vargas at Vargas camp, donning a military uniform and little yellow visor glasses, exclaiming how your gonna be the one in charge to whip up all those boys into shape.

• Sebek always thought he was prepared for any physical activity, after all he is a bodyguard in training.

• So imagine his surprise when your god forsaken training regimen has him fighting for air! HIM! The bodyguard to a prince! He never thought he would hate the sound of a whistle but by the seven can you stop blowing that damn thing?!?!

• Oh he needs a break...

  Sebek sat near the river, reflecting on the events of today when the sound of footsteps from behind bring him out of his thoughts. "There you are Sebek!" you exclaim, stopping right next to him. "I've been looking for you, gosh you are hard to find," He raises an eyebrow, "Looking for me?" He repeats. "Mhm! I wanted to ask you about today, Many of the other students struggled to keep up, but you were way ahead of the rest. I was curious about what you do that keeps you so fit." The half fae smirks, his already massive ego growing even more at your little observation. No way was he gonna let you know that even he had a bit of trouble with your hellish training.

"Well if you must know, I am a royal bodyguard and I must be physically fit if I am to protect my Liege." Your mouth gapes a little, "A royal bodyguard?? Wow no wonder you were able to keep up! The workouts I planned today were easier verions of the ones I gave back in my world, I wonder if I should make them even easier." You sigh, "Being a military commander isn't easy work." You nodded to yourself, currently lost in your own little world as you think of different workouts to give.

Huh???   Military commander?!

[world-of-wales]

HAPPY 11TH BIRTHDAY TO THE SWEETEST AND CUTEST LITTLE MAN, HRH PRINCE GEORGE ALEXANDER LOUIS OF WALES (B. 22 JULY 2013) ♡

On 22 July 2013, Prince George was born to Catherine and William, then known as Duke and Duchess of Cambridge in St Mary's Hospital, at 16:24 BST weighing 8 pounds and 6 ounces. He was born during the reign of his paternal great-grandmother Elizabeth II and is the first child and eldest of Will & Cat.

The little prince's name was announced on 24 July as George Alexander Louis. George is one of his paternal grandfather King Charles’ middle names and was the regnal name of Queen Elizabeth's beloved father Albert. Alexander is the masculine version of Queen Elizabeth's middle name Alexandra and was also Catherine's top choice for a baby boy's name. Louis is in honour of his 3rd-great-uncle Earl Mountbatten of Burma - Louis, his father - Prince William and King Charles.

Georgie was was christened by the archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, on 23 October, in the Chapel Royal in St. James' Palace.

George spent the first few months of his life in Anglesey, Wales, before his family relocated to Kensington Palace in 2014. He started at West Acre Montessori School Nursery in 2016 when his family moved to Anmer Hall in Norfolk and then studied at at Thomas's School in Battersea. In 2022, George and his family relocated to Adelaide Cottage in Windsor, after which he started at Lambrook School with his siblings.

Born as a Prince of Cambridge, he became HRH Princess George of Wales after his grandfather conferred his parents with the titles of the Prince and Princess of Wales. George was third in line to the throne upon his birth but is now second in line following hid dad taking over as the heir.

He made his official royal debut during the Cambridge tour of Australia & New Zealand in 2014. His first Palace balcony was in 2015 and has also joined his parents on official tours to Canada, Germany and Poland. Taking part in two royal weddings Georgie has also been a part of his great-grandmother's Platinum Jubilee celebrations in 2022 and was a page of honour at his grandfather's coronation in 2023.

George is a keen tennis and football player (a huge Aston Villa & England fan) and loves rugby, cricket & triathlons. He is adores AC/DC and Led Zeppelin & is learning to play the electric guitar. Georgie is known to love the military and wanted to join the air cadets when he was younger.

He also loves helicopters and police cars and was a fan of Fireman Sam. As per his mum, he likes thunderstorms, and when younger T-rex, the dinosaur fascinated him the most. George spends a lot of time outdoors, helping out with the farm animals & is quite a competitive gardener.

[georgie-weasley]

Tutor G.W. x Fem!Reader

Warnings: I think one swearword

Word Count: 3k

Paring: George Weasley x Fem!Reader

Summary: George thinks the best way to get to know you is to pretend he needs a tutor

A/N: This has nothing to do with a birthday but I wrote it yesterday as my birthday gift to myself because I wanted it.

Masterlink Taglist

George Weasley was not stupid by any means; he just chose to spend his time focusing on other things besides school. Him and his twin probably could get amazing grades if they wanted to but they didn’t want to. Both of them were fine being subpar in school because that wouldn’t matter anyway. However, George was always fantastic at Transfiguration. Though he would mess around and get on every single one of McGonagall’s nerves, he always managed to get the work done and ace the tests. Until recently that is.

The bell signaling the end of class rang and the students gathered their things. George laughed at something Fred said as he shoved his most recent test into his bag. “Mr. Weasley.” Came McGonagall’s voice from the front of the room. The Weasley twins turned to face her. “George, come here please.”

George sighed and waved to his brother. “I’ll see you at lunch.”

As Fred left, George made his way over to McGonagall’s desk. She glanced at him over the rim of her glasses, her face stern. “What can I do for you Minerva?” Her glare worsened and George cleared his throat. “I meant to say, what did I do now Professor?”

McGonagall sighed and folded her hands on her lap. “George, what’s happening to your grade? I know you usually only care about the minimum grade required to continue Quidditch in your other classes but typically, if you can believe it, you’re one of my top students.”

George shifted from foot to foot, unsure of what to tell her. He wasn’t about to tell her that he and his brother are planning on opening a joke shop after school. If she knew, he was sure she would disapprove or tell his mother. He was in his seventh year so really he knows he should be focusing on school and his grades but he wasn’t interested. “Just been busy.”

The look on her face told George she didn’t believe a word he said. “George, let's be honest. You have never studied for my class since your first year. I’ve seen you pay attention maybe 10 times. However, you still managed to get some of the best scores in your class, even your whole year. Want to fill me in on the actual reason your grades have dropped?”

George chewed on his lip as he debated telling her the truth. He could already hear Fred’s whining if he did tell McGonagall the truth but she was staring at him and likely wouldn’t stop until he spilled the beans. “Fred and I are planning to open a joke shop after school so really we don’t need to work hard in school.”

McGonagall sighed and shook her head. George was prepared for her to tell him it was a horrible idea; everyone else he bothered to tell thought they were idiots for wanting that. “I think it’s a wonderful idea but you can’t stop trying in your classes. I hate to do this but with your grade as is, you’re not allowed to participate in any Quidditch matches until your grade improves.”

“But Professor you can’t! The first game of the season is in three months. I have to play.” George went from elated to have her support to more heartbroken than he ever had been within seconds.

“I can and I just did. Now, I’ve taken the liberty of asking my top student to be your tutor. Once your grade has shown improvement, then you can go back to Quidditch.”

George knew there was no way to convince her to change her mind. Maybe if it hadn’t been his final year playing Quidditch, he wouldn’t have minded as much. George loved the sport but he could have lived without it for a few months if he had to. He didn’t want to but if he was forced, he would have survived. Being his last year at Hogwarts, he wouldn’t get any more games after the year was over so he had to make the most of it. Besides, maybe he could ditch the tutor and figure this all out on his own. Now that he was thinking about it, he hoped his tutor wasn’t horrible. “Who did you assign to be my tutor?”

At that moment, the door to the classroom opened and you walked in, your arms filled with books. He watched you with wide eyes, entranced by you. He’d seen you around the castle before but he never got the chance to speak with you. While he was causing chaos everywhere he went, you were always studying. George also knew that you were in the highest level class in all of your subjects; his know-it-all brother Percy would be pissed to know you were smarter than him. There was no denying how smart you were but George didn’t realize until this moment just how beautiful you were. Sure, he thought you were gorgeous from a distance but now that he was seeing you this close, gorgeous wasn’t enough to describe just how stunning you were. He should probably stop staring at you but he couldn’t take his eyes off of you.

“Miss Y/N? Please come see me.” McGonagall sounded like she was speaking through a tunnel. Her voice seemed to be so far away from George he wondered if you had actually put a spell on him. You set your belongings down on a desk before making your way up to the front of the room. With each step you took, George could feel his heart speeding up and his lungs struggling to get air.

“Yes Professor?” George stared at your lips as you spoke. He felt a little like a creep but he couldn’t stop watching.

“I was hoping you would be willing to tutor Mr. Weasley. I’d be happy to give you some extra credit if that would help.”

George held his breath, waiting for your answer. He was hopeful you would say yes even if it was just for the extra credit. “Sure.” George felt like he was flying on the fastest broom known to wizards after hearing your answer. The bell rang, meaning George would be late for charms but McGonagall had thought that through and handed him a note to explain his late arrival. McGonagall moved away from her desk, gathering papers from the students as you turned to George.

He could see your mouth moving but he couldn’t hear a single word coming from you. George saw your face contort into the most beautiful frown. What happened to make you so upset? Was it him? He searched your face for any indication on what could have gone wrong when you crossed your arms over your chest. “George? Can you meet me in the library after dinner?” You snapped your fingers in his face, causing him to come back down to earth.

“Oh, yeah sure. I can do that.”

With a roll of your eyes, you walked away from him and sat in your seat. McGonagall ushered him out of her class as he tried to wrap his brain around what just happened. Well, he had until tonight to get himself together.

---

After dinner, George made his way to the library, a room in the castle he hardly ever visited. Almost right away, George spotted you. Towards the middle of the room you sat at a table surrounded by books. With a little spring in his step, he bounded over to you, sliding into the seat across from you. “Hello Y/N. How are you this evening?”

You ignored him, grabbing a book and setting it in front of him. “Professor McGonagall said that you’ve been falling behind the past few months so I figured we could start easy to make sure you aren’t completely incompetent.” You dropped a handful of buttons onto the table and looked at him expectantly. “Turn them into beetles.”

George smiled and waved his wand, easily turning the buttons into colorful beetles that started to scurry away. Before you could react, he waved his wand again and they turned back into beetles.

“Follow me.” You grabbed your things and walked out to the courtyard, George following close behind. The courtyard was full of other students messing around before it was time for bed. He saw quite a few students with bright orange and purple boxes; he would have to tell Fred he saw their products being used out in the wild. George was too distracted watching the other people he didn’t see that you had stopped, causing him to ram right into you. You stumbled backwards and George shot his arm out to catch you around your waist, saving you from falling into the fountain.

“Sorry.” He mumbled, a crooked smile on his face. You scowled, trying to keep your own smile hidden. He was cute, you could admit that. However, he was loud and obnoxious and clearly didn’t care about anything but himself.

You cleared your throat and moved his arm away from you. His cheeks turned almost as bright red as his hair which you found to be endearing. “Turn this rock into a frog.” You picked up a rather large rock from the ground and set it on the edge of the fountain. With ease, George did as you asked and made a perfect frog.

The series of tests continued. You would tell George to transfigure something and he would do it without issue. Even the harder spells he did perfectly. This made no sense to you. Why would McGonagall claim that he needed a tutor when clearly he could do everything just fine? “Are you pretending to be stupid or something?” You finally asked George as you both walked in the castle, heading to your common rooms.

George looked at you in surprise. “What do you mean? I need a tutor.”

“No you don’t George. You did every spell perfectly. Even the one I gave you from my class which you are not in. You’re smart. On Monday I’m going to tell McGonagall you don’t need any help.”

Absolutely not. There was no way he was going to just let you go like that. You were far too smart to be in any of his classes and you were never around when he had any free time. No, George wanted to spend time with you no matter what. “Can we at least meet up again tomorrow just to make sure I know everything?”

You crossed your arms over your chest, sure there had to be some sort of trick forming in his brain. “Fine. Tomorrow at the lake at three. Don’t be late.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it.”

---

The next day, George waited by the lake for you, a plan forming in his head. It wasn’t his best plan but George knew if he wanted to see you again, something would have to happen. As you approached the lake, you watched George. He was much more calm when he was alone, something that you really liked. While you hardly ever spoke to him before yesterday, you had seen him around school with his brother and friends. He was so loud and open and just excited to be alive so it seemed. He was very different now on his own but you liked it. It was easier to admire his handsome features when they were relaxed. Though, he was very handsome when he was laughing and smiling too. You could even argue he was more attractive when he was happy but it was just easier to see him like this.

George spotted you and a wide bright smile crossed his face. He jumped to his feet and swooped down into a bow as you approached him. Despite trying not to smile, you couldn’t help but giggle at his theatrics. “Good morrow to you my fair lady.” He reached out and took your hand in his, kissing it.

With a roll of your eyes, you took your hand from his and dipped into a curtsy. “Good morrow to you, kind sir.” If it was even possible, George’s smile widened at your answer. He stood up straight and took your hand once again to lead you to a blanket he had set up. There was a picnic basket overflowing with snacks and a bottle of what you were sure was not champagne. Upon closer inspection, it was sparkling apple cider.

George blushed a little as he watched you take in the setup. “I thought you might appreciate snacks while you tutor me. It’s no easy job.”

You chuckled and set your books down on the blanket. “George, you’re incredibly easy to tutor. You already know everything.” You opened one of your books and searched through it to find a spell for him to try. You wanted something that wasn’t too difficult but still should challenge him. You settled on a spell you had been working on in your advanced class. “See that big boulder?” George nodded. “Turn it into a pig.”

Seeing how well he did yesterday, you were sure this would be a spell he could easily pick up on. George cleared his throat and nodded, moving closer to the rock. He cast the spell and instead of the rock turning into a pig like you expected, nothing happened. You both frowned as he tried again. And again. And again. George tried to turn the boulder into a pig for ten minutes but he never managed to do it.

“Well, maybe that one was a little harder. Why don’t you try the one we did yesterday?” You stood and grabbed a small rock to set in front of him. “Can you make it a frog?” He should be able to easily do it since he did it perfectly yesterday.

George flashed you a cocky smile. “Of course I can.” With a flick of his wand, the small rock grew frog legs but was still a rock. You both watched as the rock tried to hop around. George tried to hide his smile as you turned to him in shock. This is exactly what he had been planning on. All last night he thought about ways to keep you around. He thought that maybe if he swept you off your feet then you would be impressed and want to spend time with him but he worried it wouldn’t be enough. So, he decided to suck at transfiguration. If he was horrible then you would continue to be his tutor and he could spend more time with you and get to know you more. Then after all of that, you could at least be his friend if not more. Of course he’d have to still do better on his tests and homework so he could stay on the Quidditch team.

Sensing some bullshit, you crossed your arms over your chest. “Interesting. Maybe we should go back to the beginning?” You dug around in your bag and pulled out a matchstick. “This is one of the first spells you learn. Matchstick to needle.” Theoretically, this should be even easier than the buttons and beetles he did yesterday. Turning one inanimate object to another inanimate object is extremely easy; he should be able to do it without issue.

George nodded and took the matchstick from your hand, letting his fingers linger on your palm just a little longer than he needed. He set it on the ground and cast the spell but once again, nothing happened. George turned to look at you, hoping to see a confused expression on your face but he didn’t. You were looking more bored than anything. “Huh, I guess I do really need a tutor.”

You stared at him, wondering if he’s really doing what you think he’s doing. “George, are you pretending to be stupid?” It was the same question you asked him yesterday.

George gave you a sly smile. “What do you mean? I need a tutor.” He answered you, saying the exact same thing he said yesterday. You rolled your eyes and started packing up your things. George rushed over to you and grabbed one of your books. “Please wait.”

“No George. You knew you didn’t need a tutor and yet you insisted on meeting with me again today to what? Lie? Give me my book.”

George looked between you and the book in his hand before he slowly handed it over. “Can I at least explain why I did this?” This was all blowing up in his face. Somehow he thought that maybe you wouldn’t realize what he had been doing but he should have known someone as smart as you would have noticed.

“Fine.”

He was surprised you even gave him the time to explain himself. “I wasn’t trying to use you or waste your time. I just wanted to spend time with you and I thought this would be the best way.” He rocked on his feet as he waited for any response from you.

“Why would you need to create some dumb excuse to spend time with me?” You hated it but your heart was fluttering at the idea that George wanted to spend time with you.

George flushed bright red and rubbed a hand on the back of his neck. “Well, I think you’re really pretty and I wanted to get to know you more.”

Neither of you moved. George kept his eyes on the floor while you watched him. You had never been one to be bold; that was more George’s speciality. However, today was the time you needed to be bold. “I happen to think you’re really pretty too.”

George’s head snapped up and he looked at you with wide eyes. As he got over his shock, he smiled brightly. “Well, then what do you say we turn this tutor session into a date?” He gestured to the picnic blanket behind him.

“I’d really like that. Just promise me one thing?”

“Anything.”

You smiled and grabbed his hands in yours. “Don’t ever pretend to be stupid again.”

Taglist

@100gaysnails @george-weasleys-girl @weasleybuns @s1aaaaayyyyyyyt @asuperconfusedgirl @jsjcue @daisydark @creepybloodykitty2 @themarauderswife7 @mintyme101

[sillypenguinwitch]

isaac's books in heartstopper s2

episode 1:

Tillie Walden: I Love This Part

Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé: Ace of Spades

episode 2:

Nina LaCour: We Are Okay

Oscar Wilde: The Importance of Being Earnest

episode 3:

Ocean Vuong: Night Sky with Exit Wounds (the one he is carrying under his arm, I'm assuming that's his and not for the display?)

has read: Ritch C. Savin-Williams: Bi: Bisexual, Pansexual, Fluid, and Nonbinary Youth

Emily Henry: Book Lovers

episode 4:

Victor Hugo: Les Misérables

Antoine De Saint-Exupéry: The Little Prince

Kate Chopin: The Awakening

Nina LaCour: We Are Okay (again)

episode 5:

Albert Camus: The Outsider

episode 6:

Martin Handford: Where's Wally? The Great Picture Hunt

Meredith Russo: Birthday

Jules Verne: Around the World in Eighty Days

Sara Pennypacker: Pax Anne Berest, Audrey Diwan, Caroline de Maigret, Sophie Mas: How to Be Parisian Wherever You Are ? ? ? Damian Dibben: The Color Storm Alice Oseman: Loveless Susan Stokes-Chapman: Pandora Katy Hessel: The Story of Art Without Men ? Evelyn Waugh: Rossetti Arthur Conan Doyle: The Hound of the Baskervilles A.O. Scott: Better Living Through Criticism ?: Then We Came to an End (?) Ruth Millington: Muse Dr. Jaqui Lewis: Fierce Love Charlotte Van Den Broek: Bold Ventures - Thirteen Tales of Architectural Tragedy ?

Richard Siken: Crush

episode 7:

Garrard Conley: Boy Erased

George Matthew Johnson: All Boys Aren't Blue

Samra Habib: We Have Always Been Here

episode 8:

Akemi Dawn Bowman: Summer Bird Blue

Angela Chen: Ace

bonus:

Truham school library pride display (seen in ep. 3 and 8):

top to bottom, left to right: Angela Chen: Ace Andrew Holleran: The Kingdom of Sand Mary Jean Chan and Andrew McMillan: 100 Queer Poems Scott Stuart: My Shadow Is Pink Lotte Jeffs: My Magic Family Tucker Shaw: When You Call My Name Ritch C. Savin-Williams: Bi - Pansexual, Fluid, Nonbinary and Fluid Youth Alok Vaid-Menon: Beyond the Gender Binary George M. Johnson: All Boys Aren’t Blue Mason Deaver: I Wish You All the Best Alex Gino: George Melissa

on top of shelves (left to right): Kevin Van Whye: Nate Plus One Xixi Tian: This Place is Still Beautiful Becky Albertalli: Leah on the Offbeat Mya-Rose Craig: Birdgirl Bernardine Evaristo: Girl, Woman, Other Connie Glynn: Princess Ever After Saundra Mitchell: The Prom

Charlie's choice at Shakespeare and Co (ep. 6): Allan Hollinghurst: The Swimming Pool Library

That's it for now.

Sorry about the ones i couldn't identify and sorry if i missed any! Might try and do some of the ones in Isaac's room later but that'll take a minute

[kritischetheologie]

for the trope mashup - dystopia x coffeeshop

Since you didn't request a ship I'm trying my hand at galex for you! Worldbuilding cribbed from that one movie I haven't seen where years of your life are literally money or whatever.

1. George doesn't have time to stop for coffee on his way to work. He really, really, doesn't have time for it. Going to Eton cost him forty years, which was nothing to his classmates, born with lifespans into the four-hundreds, but. But George was born with eighty years to burn, into a family that believed he could beat the clock. Imperial college cost him another twenty, and four actual years of his life, to boot. He'd have died if he hadn't worked those summer finance internships. Half the time, he has to take a payday loan to make rent on his Mayfair apartment, or when he picks up the tab for a work dinner, to keep from zeroing out before his next deposit hits. All the time, he keeps his cufflinks carefully buttoned, watches the number on his arm tick toward zero, and counts the days to his next paycheck. Plus, his first meeting of the day is at 7. He doesn't have time to stop for coffee.

2. Alex's mom was given the choice between five years in prison and a twenty-year deduction. Alex can't blame her for choosing prison, except-- except he had to drop out of school to take care of his siblings, since she couldn't. Except he couldn't get a scholarship, without A-Levels, so he never went to Uni. He'd wanted to study mechanical engineering. Maybe he still can, someday. Life is long. His dad left him a hundred years when he died, and the rent in his shithole apartment is cheap, a couple days a month. He doesn't mind the coffee shop for now, though. The people working there are nice, a lot nicer than the asshole kids he grew up with.

3. George stops in for coffee every day, anyway, even though he doesn't have the time. What's a couple more minutes when you might as well be bleeding out? Alex makes the best latte in town, not that George knows that. He just likes his soft brown eyes, his perpetually bleach-fried blonde hair, the little jokes he makes when George is ordering. Alex wears frayed t-shirts for punk bands George hasn't heard of over long-sleeved thermals, or else under his beat-up denim jacket, and keeps the AC in the shop cranked to near freezing temperatures. Of course George wonders what's on his arm, but it would be impolite of Alex to show it off, a cheap way of guilting people into tipping more. The waiters in the fancy restaurants George takes Carmen to, for birthdays and anniversaries and to celebrate promotions, are told to roll their sleeves at the elbow, so you can see how well-paid they are. The first time someone with five more years than George took his order, George ended up throwing up in the bathroom.

4. When Alex writes his phone number on the paper cup he hands George, it takes George two whole weeks to call him. He shows up every day, and Alex takes his order with the same cheer, makes the same jokes, like it's all the same to him. It makes George not want to call him at all, but then Carmen's best friend gets engaged, and George gets dragged out for celebratory drinks, for her and her fiance, and of course neither of them are going to pick up the check, and of course he can't ask Carmen to do it, and suddenly there's three bottles of champagne on his tab, like six fucking days worth of champagne, and George is getting paid on Wednesday but it's Monday, and he's got three left days on his arm and half an hour before the waiter comes to their table with the check it's past midnight, none of the payday lenders will open until morning and George has to find a solution, fuck, so he goes out for a cigarette-- "babe, you've gotta quit, those thinks will kill you someday," Carmen chides, and everyone giggles, and maybe George should just let this night be the thing that kills him, fuck-- and calls the only person he knows who has any chance of having any connection to the criminal underworld.

5. "Georgie!!" Alex says, sounding surprised and delighted and maybe a little drunk, or high, or-- George doesn't have time to think about what else could make his vowels so smooth, his voice so calm. George doesn't have time. "Fuck, Alex, I'm so glad you picked up, I've got a friend in a bit of a scrap, you know, and I'm wondering if you might know of anyone who could get him some off-market time. Exchange rate's not an issue, and he doesn't need very much, it's not for anything illegal, I swear, but--" "shit, George, this isn't the type of thing you can just call a guy about. Do you have any idea how illegal this is? Fuck, are you a cop? Is this about my mom? Who even told you? What the hell kind of s sick joke is--" "--OK, I lied," George interrupts, because he has to, fuck, he'll die if he doesn't. "It's not for a friend. It's for me. And I only need a week or two, but I need it now, like, now now, or you're going to be short a regular tomorrow. If you. If you know what I mean." He hears a deep inhale on the other end of the line. "I'll transfer you two weeks, right now, if you promise not to ask questions," Alex says, and George is too relieved not to cry as he accepts.

[horseshoegirl]

Damn Those Dog Tags - Part 16: In the Blood

📖I'm amused you guys voted on this one as the one that inspired DTDT. I wouldn't say this one was one of the big three, but it ended up becoming my inspiration for Jake's backstory.

Also, this was me after that last part: 🏃‍♀️<-🔱🔥

I'm so sorry I broke all of your hearts with part 15! They have a happy ending, I swear! We just have to get through the angst first... And Sadie... Oh dear... I cried writing this... so it's safe to say maybe bring tissues?

❗️+18, strong language, godmother reader/original female character, original child character, Shitty family dynamics, Angst, talk about break ups, talk about therapy, probably inaccurate dogfight descriptions (I tried my best!), Jake is going through it, Emotional & Protective Sadie (She needs her own warning), & Protective Bradley.

#6K words

Part 16 | Masterlist | Part 17

It had to be the shock.

The reason why there were gaps in your memory. You don’t remember climbing into the front seat of Rooster's Bronco. Or even putting on your seat belt or him pulling out of the parking lot.

He probably had to do it for you.

You had to remind yourself he was driving you home. That you just very publically broke up with Jake in the Hard Deck. Spit-roasted George with very colourful vernacular.

You'd have to explain to Penny why you were swearing in her bar again. But you had a more pressing predicament than wondering what might happen in the aftermath of that experience, which would presumptively have Hangman's callsign back on the sign in the bathroom.

Even with a broken heart, you felt like you were a child being allowed to sit in the front seat of a car. Under the scrutiny of an "I'm not mad, just disappointed" parent driving you home from school. White hot anxiety coursed through your veins with the assumption you did something so incredibly wrong; you just didn't know what.

Rooster was eerily silent. Next to the roar of his engine and AC fan, the silence was constructing. Suffocating. He should be gloating, listing off all the ways you ignored him, ignored the team that day on the soccer field. All the ways he was going to hurt Hangman the next time he saw him.

It was driving you insane.

"Are you going to gloat? Say, I told you so?" you finally huffed through your tears when it became too much. "Hangman did what he does best?"

"Not today, Liz."

Out of all the things you expected him to say, that was not one of them. It almost made it worse. Like you were genuinely expecting a verbal argument, and the fact you weren't getting one was making you pout like an actual child.

"I'm sorry for what happened," he offered eventually, after a pregnant pause. A horrible scraggly sound accompanied your hiccup.

"I should never have let Sadie invite him to Saturday nights."

"No, I'm sorry for what I said in your hallway," he countered. "For the way I acted."

Ironic, isn't it? The person you knew to be the most childish when expressing his emotions was sobering your petulant thoughts and behaviour. Even when your mind and obsessive internal dialogue went, why the fuck did he think now was a good time as any to apologize?!

You dropped your chin to your chest. "But you did," you huffed, hugging yourself against the sudden chill. “In front of Sadie, no less.”

Had you turned your head, you would have seen Bradley nodding absentmindedly, his eyes staring blankly at the road.

“It was uncalled for, Liz. The fact you felt you needed to hide it from me….” he trailed off. You sniffed, wiping at your cheeks, letting him gather his words. "I get it. Why you didn't. I wouldn't have taken the news differently even if you had told me. It might have been worse."

“Still, I should have told you,” you offered, shaking your head before staring out the window, watching the trees blur by. “Not that it matters now.”

Bradley gritted his teeth, hands flexing on the steering wheel. He wanted to mouth off. Not about you ignoring his warnings but all the ways Hangman was a complete and utter cock.

He couldn't. You didn't deserve that in the fragile state you were in. Fragile wouldn't even be in the vocabulary of words Bradley would ever use to describe you. Hangman had made you like this, played you and your feelings.

It was never going to be your fault. He had realized that after the fight. When he promised he'd be there for you and Sadie, he didn't know what that meant or what it looked like.

A punch to Jake's face? Hearing it after the fact? Not actually being there to witness it? Him rambling off all the things he hated about Hangman? Ultimately, Bradley could only offer a measly retort of, "He's an asshole."

You swallowed hard. You couldn't deny Bradley's remark.

Jake being an asshole at that moment was him being Hangman, a side you thought you'd never have to see. For him to so readily agree with George, there was no other way you couldn’t interpret those words as anything but him playing you, using you.

Had he not given you that condensing grin and spoken those words, you might have believed he was merely being triggered by the presence of his brother.

You should have been waiting for the other shoe to drop. You felt foolish, naive, and utterly lost. The grief of losing Ridley was and had always been a constant companion, but this felt different. It was the realization that you had let him in and allowed him to become a part of Sadie's life and yours. You had trusted him, and he had betrayed that trust in the cruellest way possible.

You just wanted to know why? Why he lashed out at you? Why did he act like he cared when he didn’t?

Why? Why? Why?

You’d never get an answer from him now. You wanted to stay away from him, ignore him, avoid every mention or instance of him and his fucking callsign. The wall was back up, and it would never come back down. Instead, fixing your eyes on his dashboard, with no judgment in your voice, you asked Bradley, “Why Roo? Why did you lash out like that?”

Bradley sighed once, tapping his thumb against his steering wheel.

“Loving any of us is a death sentence, Liz. One day you might wake up and find one of us is gone. Just like that.” He shuttered in a breath. “I think, in some twisted way, I wanted to spare you the pain of losing someone you were in love with that way.”

He tried to find the words to explain his next point delicately, but there was no other way he could say it to you without not getting his point across. “You don’t handle grief well, Liz. You barely found the strength to carry on had it not been for Sadie.”

You huffed, knowing deep down he was right but doing absolutely everything in your power to keep denying it. You weren’t doing this today. If not, ever.

Bradley heard you but continued anyway, leaving your reaction tucked away for later. “I didn’t want you to end up like my mom. Sadie to end up like me. Cause him? He always flew like he had nothing to lose; he would do something foolish sooner than later. You would be left to mourn him. For Sadie to mourn him. I didn’t want that for you.”

He paused, letting his words sink in. Yet, you blurted out suddenly, "You need to go to therapy, Roo."

Bradley laughed softly. You looked over at him, slightly worried he might be having a fit. But it was a genuine reaction. And despite everything, you caught a tiny smile tugging at the corners of your mouth.

You shouldn't be laughing. Not with the heavyweight still pressing down on your chest. Yet, sitting next to Rooster as he drove you home, his laughter was the only thing that seemed to be cutting through the heavy fog weighing over you.

Nothing could be done to suppress the laugh that bubbled up inside your chest. Bradley's grin widened, his laughter louder when he realized you were fighting your own. You couldn't help but join him. Whether the pain in your chest was from the laughter or the heartache, you couldn’t tell.

When the two of you finally managed to stop laughing, Bradley admitted with laboured breath. "I am, actually."

You turned to face him, utterly shocked. "Since when?!"

"Two days after." He doesn't need to be explicit. You know what he's referring to. "There's someone on base. I've only had one session so far, but it's making me realize I should have gone sooner."

You stared at him in disbelief.

If he had told you that, come to you while you were still working, or if he had called or even texted, you would have forgiven him instantly. You couldn't hold what he did to you against him after an admission like that.

"I'm proud of you, Bradley," you said, wiping your nose. "I really am."

He glanced over at you, a level of warmth in his eyes. “I needed to hit rock bottom and get a push by a few people. People who cared.”

His response was cryptic. It couldn't have been just you and Sadie, not after how you screamed at him or after Sadie kicked him out. Or even anyone on the Squad. It made you wonder who was his catalyst for the sudden change of thought. For now, you were just glad he was getting help.

You gave him a small smile, making Bradley reach over and grab your hand, squeezing it tightly. You gripped it back, but when he went to let go, you tightened your hand in panic.

"Just... Don't let go. Not yet."

Bradley didn't let go, driving one-handed the remainder of the journey back to your house. The two of you didn't say anything else. You sat silently even when he pulled into your driveway and turned off the ignition.

You didn't want to get out of his Bronco. You didn't want to walk into your house and see all the traces of Jake. You didn't want to gather his things in his bag. Leave them on the front porch, or change the spot for the emergency key.

But that was what happened when you went through a breakup, right? These were the things that needed to be done.

Bradley broke the extended silence, his voice deep and gentle when he asked, "What will you tell Sadie?"

Sadie.

You paused. You didn't really need to think about your answer. Just the weight of what it truly meant to say it out loud.

"The truth. As I've always done."

This was your worst fear about dating. The one that arose when you became Sadie's guardian. The one that so precariously dangled over your head when you told Jake you were a package deal. It wasn't the threat of betrayal, wasted time, or memories turning bittersweet.

As bad as that was at the Hard Deck, as broken and in pieces as your heart was, telling Sadie would be worse.

Jake broke your heart.

Now you had to break Sadie's too.

You glanced at Bradley, searching his eyes before asking him quietly, "Wanna come with me to pick her up from Penny's?"

Bradley smiled, nodding softly.

---

It was the eighth time the F-18s had flown this exercise this week. Coyote, Rooster, Hangman, and even Maverick, all had taken turns flying it with each other, in pairs, to navigate an imaginary narrow terrain.

Had Hangman been paying more attention, he would have questioned the sudden need to practice this particular exercise repeatedly and why it was just them, not Phoniex, Bob, Payback, and Fanboy. The first few times had been a simple flight test, learning the route, the twists, and the turns.

He was never more ruthless than in the cockpit, especially now. All that was child's play compared to some of the stuff he had done throughout his Naval carrier.

But today's addition? They wanted to see how they handled the pattern while dog fighting.

Rooster had decided to make it personal.

"Come on, Hangman!" Rooster taunted through the comms. "Is that all you've got?"

Hangman gritted his teeth, his hands gripping the controls, knuckles white. He was pushing his jet to the limit, narrowly avoiding Rooster's ‘fire’ as the alarm from the targeting system filled his cockpit.

The turn in the valley afforded Hangman the opportunity for some leeway to move out of the way. Barely.

"Come on! You're flying like a rookie today!" Rooster taunted, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Thinking about what you did to Liz?"

Hangman's jaw tightened, and he forced himself to focus on the controls. "This isn't the time, Rooster," he snapped, but the cocky twang had lost its touch.

Rooster just laughed, a harsh, bitter sound. "Oh, I think it's the perfect time. You need a reminder of what a colossal fuck-up you were."

"I know what I did," Hangman growled, banking hard to the right to avoid Rooster's aggressive maneuvers. The asshole was gaining on him, even with how carefree he seemed to be with his taunts.

"Still thinking about Liz?" Rooster's voice was a sneer, crackling through his headset, and Hangman could hear the satisfaction. "Maybe that's why you're losing."

"Focus on the fight," Hangman snapped, anger boiling in his chest.

"Oh, I am," Rooster replied, his voice crackling through the headset and dripping with contempt.

The mountainsides and the green of the trees were a blur as Hangman and Rooster approached the end of the valley. Hangman could hear his heartbeat against the sound of his own breath in his oxygen mask.

Rooster didn't need to say the obvious aloud. Hangman was thinking about you. He couldn't shake the image of your face from that night.

Broken. Sad. Devastated.

He wanted to close his eyes, get lost in the moments when he would awake in your bed, finding you next to him. In your touch. In your voice.

When he hadn't fucked it up.

But he couldn't.

He rolled the F-18 over once he was clear of the mountains and the flight pattern, finally able to use open space to retaliate and flip around. There was only a few seconds left in their time limit.

If Rooster wanted a dogfight, he'd given him a dogfight while he still could.

"Where are you? Where are you?" he drawled aloud. He kept his eyes on the sky, searching for any indication Rooster was nearby as the seconds ticked away. But he was nowhere to be found.

"Time!"

Hangman didn't trust Rooster would listen to Maverick's call. He'd even go as far as to admit the man was almost like him, dead set on proving a point when it mattered. At least Hangman could demonstrate some restraint.

Sure enough, Rooster's voice echoed as his plane came into view. Swinging up and hanging upset down from directly under him.

Inverted.

"Forget to look below?"

Hangman finally had enough.

"Want me to take one out of your book?!" he yelled, staring up through the glass, never once taking his eyes off Rooster as he jolted the stick to the side, rotating the plane over in time with Roosters.

Into a damn spiral dive. A fucking corkscrew.

Rooster grunted with the effort of withstanding the Gs on his body. Hangman was no different, bracing hard as he fought against the controls. Neither one listened to Mav shouting over the airway or the different tone alerts signalling information.

"You think this proves something?" Hangman's voice was cold and ruthless even though he gritted his teeth. "Break off now, and maybe you won't embarrass yourself."

"Embarrass myself?" Rooster spat back. "Like you did with Liz?"

His response was automatic, like reading a script he had long since memorized. "Life is hard, Rooster. It's cruel and unforgiving. You can either whine about it, or you can face it head-on. You think you're going to prove something, kid, by keeping me here?!"

"Watch me!" 

The world faded out. Nothing mattered but the two pilots, locking in that spin, seemingly staring each other down. 

Yet, Hangman was completely unaware he was running out of space. The Terrain! Terrain! Pull Up! Pull Up! was background noise on muffled ears, as were Maverick's increasing shouts for the pair to stop and break away. 

He was too caught up in everything to care. Rooster would have to break away first. He wouldn't give out.

He wouldn't let him win. 

But then a voice, soft and delicate despite the alarms, shouts and struggles of the Jet's engine broke through the haze.

Jake.

It was a blast of bright light like the sun suddenly blinded the corner of his eyes. For whatever spoke to him, it had been as close as he had ever been to hitting beyond the hard deck. He finally pulled up on the control stick, saving himself just in time and avoiding hitting Rooster. 

His breath was harsh, anger on the edge of boiling over as he levelled the jet. And when he finally returned to the correct altitude, Hangman ripped the oxygen mask from his face, fighting the urge to hit something, as Rooster's chuckles filled the air.

"Hangman! Rooster! Get back to base. Now!"

---

"Do the two of you want to get kicked out?! How could you be so stupid!?"

Nat's question was rhetorical. Hangman and Rooster were stupid. It was so deeply entrenched into their entire being she knew she was wasting her breath by even pointing it out.

A reminder didn't hurt, though.

She had her eyes set on Hangman, but Rooster wasn't very off, sliding his way over to the blonde pilot who had only just started his post-flight checks after getting his jet back into the hanger.

He was deadset on ignoring her, not once glancing her way as she stomped toward him.

“What will Liz say when she finds out how reckless the two of you were?!”

His reaction made her pause; his hands froze from where they were adjusting a valve. Had she turned away, she wouldn't have caught the grimace on his face - however slight or brief it made have been.

“Oh, you didn’t hear what he did?” Rooster called out, smirking from his perch, leaning against a nearby table and crossing his elbows. He may have promised not to gloat around you, but the squad was fair game.

"Liz even slapped him for it too."

Confusion, shock, and pure anger crossed her face in the three seconds she took to glare at Jake. Heat laced her voice as she asked, "What the fuck did you do?"

Liz would never, she thought, only if she had to.

Jake bowed his head, slamming the panel of the jet closed with a hard bang. He turned, gritting his jaw and standing straight, ignoring Nat’s heated question. Rooster chuckled from the side, uncrossing his arms to stride forward.

“Oh, he did exactly what we expected him to,” he filled the silence. “He hurt Liz and left her out to dry, saying she and Sadie were nothing but a bit of fun to pass the time. And when she confronted him about it, he went right for the kill, not concerned about who he would hurt in the process.”

The rest of the Squad was nearby when they heard Rooster’s words, awaiting the fall out of that aerial display. They gathered around the pair, faces twisting with disdain as a dangerous silence befell the room, each looking from Rooster to Jake, reflecting varying degrees of disbelief, shock and, more predominantly, anger.

Jake's eyes were dark, his face tight with suppressed emotion. For a moment, it looked like he might lash out, defend himself, try to explain. But he didn’t. No one would believe him anyway.

"Damn you, Hangman," Phoenix whispered, her voice breaking. "We trusted you."

The room seemed to deflate as the truth sank in. Bob, who had been silent until now, let out a long breath, his face pale. He couldn’t help but think of Sadie. She would be devastated.

“So did Liz,” Rooster smirked, clearly enjoying the discomfort he was causing Jake.

Jake's eyes narrowed, his voice cold and defensive. "You think you know everything, don't you, Rooster? You abandoned her when she needed you most. For what? To prove a point? Now you’re acting all righteous?”

Something hard flashed in Rooster’s eyes. “At least I owned up to my mistake and apologized. I never pretended to be something I wasn’t! I never fucked around with her heart!”

Jake let out a condescending laugh. “You think she came running to you because she trusts you? She couldn’t even tell you she was seeing me. What does that say about you? She doesn't trust you as much as you think.”

Rooster grinned. “If that were true, she wouldn’t have come to me in that aftermath. After all, she asked me to drive her home,” he said mockingly. “We even went together to break the news to Sadie.”

Jake clenched his fist at the mention of Sadie, charging forward to ready a punch to Bradley’s smug ass face. But Bradley didn’t move, still smiling as Jake stared him down last minute as the Dagger’s jumped to Bradley’s defence.

Jake’s guilt over you and Sadie wouldn’t let him follow through on that punch. Bradley was sure of it. Even with the rest of the daggers looming around, he knew Jake would still be seeking your approval, even if you would never give it to him again.

How disturbing would it be for him to know little less than three weeks ago, Bradley had been at the end of the team's disapproval as they backed Jake.

The tables had turned. Nobody would stand behind him after what he did to Liz now.

The two were locked in an intense stare-down, Jake more rattled than he let on and Bradley unnerving calm. It wasn’t until there was a slamming of a door echoing from somewhere in the hangar did the Squad suddenly walk away from the feuding pair, not wanting to be caught in the crosshairs, already on their phones to message Liz. the only one who had stayed was Nat, wondering how she could have ever thought Hangman was capable of change.

“Rooster! Hangman! My office!” Maverick's voice boomed from somewhere within the empty hanger.

When neither moved or peeled their eyes away from the other, Mav’s voice rang out again, this time enough to rattle off the hollow steel walls, making Nat jolt from the force of it.

“Now!”

---

As a team, the Daggers celebrated everything. Maverick labelled it moral support and team-building. Jake realized long ago it was just his way of getting all the pilots out of the hangers to experience life. Not that he ever complained.

After the lashing he got earlier, it was surprising that he and Rooster were still invited. It was clear as day nobody wanted him here.

It was the second anniversary of the Urianum mission. The official anniversary of the creation of the squad. Jake missed the last one, so he wasn't sure what to expect. A beach party. A game of dogfight football. A bonfire.

Jake couldn’t care less what was going on. You and Sadie would have been here with him had he not snapped.

Somewhere down the line, everything had become blurred. The day he had been dubbed “Hangman” - they said he was surgical, precise, unfeeling - the perfect pilot.

It gave him purpose and confirmation. He’d even make the stretch to say acceptance. He embedded it. Cause nothing else mattered. It worked the facade. It kept people at a distance and shielded him from judgment and expectations.

But now? Things were different. You, Sadie… the two of you got under his skin.

Would you, would have anyone, listened to the truth after the fact? That he only agreed with George to throw it back in his face? To cockily stand up and remark that he was better off than he had been in years?

Then you heard him. Heard him agree with George and assume so readily it had all been a game. You had never believed he was everything his callsign represented.

You were hurt. Angry. And those words he uttered proved every word you had probably been told about him, words you had ignored. It stung, the words you had yelled back at him. You had given him a chance before, so why didn’t you have faith in him then?

The facade returned. He opened his mouth, and his father and George came out instead. Hangman came out instead.

He had sworn so long ago he would never become like them. Yet here he was, inflicting the same trauma and patterns onto you. He had proved he was just as capable of the same cruelty and manipulation his father was.

You would never forgive him after that. It’s what he did best.

The only person who seemed to stand being around him right now was Javy, but he had left to get another drink, leaving Jake alone next to their bonfire, missing you.

You would have been in his arms, lying up against his chest. The pair of you staring out to the water, watching Sadie hunt for sea shells like she hunted for bugs. He would have stolen a kiss or two, unashamed of the PDA, maybe even purposely putting on a show to intentionally piss off the squad and make you blush.

The two of you would have laughed at Sadie. Maybe he would have been tempted to get up, grab her, and topple the both of them into the water. Rooster didn't need to remind him of what he lost when the absence of both of you was staring him in the face.

"You hurt my aunt."

Well... he was half right.

"You're going to get the both of us in trouble," Jake called out, not bothering to look up from the sand. He knew she'd come for him sooner than later, no matter your wishes. With all your threats to Bradley about revoking his Sadie privileges, Jake never would have thought he’d be receiving those threats too.

Sadie stepped onto the tree log behind him, spreading her arms wide to balance herself before jumping, landing softly on the ground.

"Since when have I done anything I'm supposed to," she argued heatedly.

It took her every ounce of strength not to lay into him like she wanted. She was desperately holding herself back. Because this was extremely different than Uncle Roo hurting her Aunt's feelings.

Hangman messed with her Aunt's heart.

This one was on her.

"Who did you escape to get over here?” Jake still couldn’t bring himself to look at her, reaching over to grab a stick in the sand.

“Aunt Nat. She thinks I’m with Uncle Bob.”

You picked up a shift today where Aunt Penny was working with you. So when the offer to stay with Amelia or sit around at the Hard Deck for most of the afternoon, Sadie opted to join you.

Little did you know she had other ideas. When Aunt Nat came by to steal her away, to join the others with the promise she'd keep her away from Hangman, Sadie saw the perfect opportunity.

Aunt Nat didn't know her tricks as well as she thought. A mad and angry Sadie was a conniving Sadie.

Jake said nothing, choosing to poke the sand with the stick in his hand before adding to the fire.

Sadie knew he was stalling, making small talk to avoid talking about what he did. She had played that card enough to know when it was being thrown back at her.

But he was the grown-up. He shouldn't be pulling childish tricks. He should be the one who should be telling her all the grown-up excuses for why things just sometimes don't work out or, worst case, it was for the better.

Nothing was ever for the better.

She sat down on the opposite end of the log, reasonably close to Jake. She dug her nails into the bare skin of her thigh. She wasn't going to speak first. She had promised him so long along she'd come for him. He should know better than to expect she was here for anything else.

Yet, the words he finally uttered had her reeling.

"I don't know what the right thing is to say, Bug."

The thin sheet of ice Sadie holding her back cracked at the mention of her beloved nickname. He shouldn't be calling her that; he didn't deserve to call her that. Not after what he did. Not after what he said.

For one of the first times in her life, Sadie saw red.

She quickly reached down to grab a handful of sand, only to toss the tiny grains in his direction. Jake ducked, shielding his face with his arms. Sadie leaped up and tackled his exposed side, hands balling into fists. She didn't know what she was thinking or her ultimate goal by coming here and seeking him out. It was such a good idea at the time.

When it came down to being face-to-face with him, she was at a loss for words. Her obvious hurt overshadowed any sassy remark or comeback she could gather.

"Sadie! Hey, stop!" Jake's shouts of her name did nothing to stop her from pounding her tiny fists on his back. “Stop!”

"You don't get to call me Bug!" she hollered through her sobs, still trying to leave a mark, thumps on his back accompanying her cries. "You lost that right!"

She knew you wouldn't want her doing this. Her mom wouldn't want her to do this either. But sometimes, it was just too much for her to handle.

She didn't know how to react to something like this. The world was making her grow up faster than she wanted to. Now, she couldn't help but think about what it would throw at her next.

Jake slid off the log, twisting to kneel in front of Sadie while holding out his arms to protect his face. He was at eye level with her, finally seeing the damage he had wrought on the ten-year-old girl.

Sea blue-green eyes framed by shimmering tears, pooling at the edge, until Jake watched one linger down her cheek. It’s your favourite colour staring back at him, making everything worse.

"Why did you do it?!" she cried, still trying to hit him, arms loosening their strength by the second. "Why did you say it?"

"Sadie, stop!" his voice was starkly quiet compared to the sobs, both fragile and profound, catching in her throat. Still, Sadie wailed, "I trusted you! You were supposed to be her person! You made her happy! You reminded her she was worth it!"

With each remark Sadie threw at him, he couldn’t bring himself to stop her tiny punches. Or say anything this time that could calm her cries. It was so starkly different from the night he found her hiding in her bed because of that thunderstorm. She had been the one to jump into his arms, to seek comfort from him.

This time, he was the reason she was crying. Like that night, he wanted to tell her it would be alright.

He couldn't. In losing you, he had lost Sadie too.

Utterly weak, Sadie's final thump on his shoulder resulted in her gripping onto his shirt as she fell to her knees on the sand, face blotchy and patch-stained red.

"Why Uncle Jake?" her voice was small. Devastated. "Why did you have to hurt her like that?"

He tried not to look shocked. Sadie's voice was sudden, so unsteady and innocent-like, it was hard not to hide any reaction. She caught on instantly.

"Don't act so surprised," she snapped at him through her misery. "You know she tells me everything."

Jake felt the sharp glare of Sadie’s eyes on him, her small face always displaying a type of sternness that was way beyond her years. She was demanding answers, as horrible as they were.

He couldn’t avoid this conversation. You were… you had taught Sadie to be honest and, in her doing so, to expect honesty in return. He didn’t know how to be. How could he explain this?

He didn’t know where to start.

He wasn't going to say anything. Sadie knew that. Adults would rather hide their emotions and not speak about things. She pushed herself away from him, the little force she exerted rocking Jake’s body back, readying herself to get up and leave.

This had been a bad decision, after all.

“Did anyone tell you why they call me Hangman?”

Jake’s words made her stop, making her fall back into the sand, kneeling before him.

“It’s your call sign,” she said innocently. Jake frowned, biting his lip. “Did they tell you the story?”

Sadie copied the look on his face, thinking about it before admitting, “A little. I know you left someone behind.”

It sounded worse coming from the mouth of a child.

Jake sighed, rubbing his temple. “Yes… but there’s a little more to it than just that.” He couldn’t look her in the eye as he managed to form the words, “My father… he was a tough man. A lot behind the meaning of that call sign has to do with him. He left … scars. Sometimes, they make me act in ways I don’t mean to.”

Sadie’s eyes softened a little, but she still looked confused. “So that’s why you said those things? Hurt her?”

Jake looked down to the sand in shame, nodding once. “When I’m stressed, the anger… the frustration... It brings back memories. It’s easier to put a mask up… lash out. Even when it’s the wrong thing to do.”

"So apologize," she sniffed, shrugging. "Uncle Roo did."

"It's not that simple, Sadie."

She eyed him hard. "Yes, it is."

Her tone left no room for a reply. Who was he to refute the honesty of a ten-year-old who had seen more shit than anyone her age?

"I know you're hurting too," she said, her voice small and trembling. "But hurting others won't help, Uncle Jake.”

A sad smile crossed his lips. "I don't know what the right answer is, Sadie."

Sadie looked at the fire, watching the flames dance. She didn’t know the correct answer either. Adults would rather hide their emotions and not speak about things than admit they were wrong. But he had to try, right? Cause if he didn’t at all, it would only make it worse.

Maybe she could nudge him one last time.

"Do you still have the note I gave you when you helped me with my math homework last year?"

Jake stared at her momentarily before reaching into his back pocket, pulling out his wallet, and opening it to find the ripped piece of paper. He had kept it tucked away in the back pouch, even after all this time. Her writing was slightly smudged on account of her using a pencil, but he could still make out her words along the top.

I believe in you.

"I didn't randomly invite you to that Saturday Night," she started to say, watching him stare down at the piece of paper. "I invited you because you looked sad when you thought nobody could see you."

Sadie paused her words, searching his face for any hint of emotion, before she continued. "Because you needed to know people care."

"Your Aunt said something similar to my brother," he said, not looking up from the piece of paper. "That the only reason she allowed me to come that night was because you reminded her of something your mom believed in."

"Of course she did," she said simply as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "She loves you."

Jake's hand clenched on his thigh involuntarily, his eyes turning away from the fire to the water. Growing up without love, without hearing those words, Jake was left wondering if he was deserving of such a remark.

How could he be anything else when all he ever did was self-impose an executioner’s noose around his neck, hanging himself with his own fear and self-doubt, always cutting himself off from what he craved most.

Hangman, indeed.

But Sadie wasn’t done - not by a longshot. Even with her tears, perhaps a touch quieter now, she managed a soft smile, telling him, “You taught me it’s okay to mess up, you know.”

Jake looked at her, puzzled. “I did?”

Sadie nodded, taking in a deep breath. “When you helped me with my math homework. I was struggling, messing up horribly. I wanted to quit. And nobody seemed to listen to me trying to understand till you came along.”

Jake was trying to see where she was going with this. Math and messing up a relationship were two entirely different things.

“But I was messing up because I was trying. And trying means the possibility of someday getting it right. I was so scared to mess up, but then you sat with me, listened, and made me realize it was even scarier not to try at all.”

“What does this have to do with …?” he trailed off, Sadie glaring at him as his voice died down. “You messed up, Uncle Jake. Bad. But that wasn’t the worst thing you could do to hurt her,” she stated, taking another deep breath. “It would be if you stopped trying to be better. Stopped trying altogether.”

Sadie thought about what Jake just told her about his family. Then she thought about everything that had happened over the last few weeks, the question she had once asked you about, the one that had plagued her until you made her recognize the truth.

"You're not your father, Uncle Jake. You're you.”

Jake couldn’t help the tears, as treacherous as they were, from pooling in his eyes as he lowered his head. He felt a tightness in his chest, a mixture of gratitude and pain, before he grimaced stiffly, huffing out, "It's a pretty messed up world we live in.”

Sadie didn't hesitate when she replied, "I'm almost eleven, Uncle Jake. I don't understand the world at all." Her bottom lip started to tremble, her eyes watering as she let out a sniffle. "But I know you never know when you'll say I love you for the last time."

Jake knew she was referring to her mom, her sudden death that night. But her words hit Jake differently. He recalled the moment he stood on Penny's porch and decided he'd try to take his chance with you.

You were still his possibility of someday. That had never changed. Like he thought then, time was something he was never promised. It was time spent well in the weeks he lived with you and Sadie. Small moments meaning the world, whether it was staying up to play a game with Sadie or waking up to see you sprawled out across his chest.

They were moments he thought he'd never have. Now that he had them, he was left wondering if he should spare you the heartbreak that came with loving someone like him.

Sadie's admission, and words of advice, were more damning than she knew.

He looked up from the sand to peer hesitantly at her face, not surprised to find another remark about to pass her lips.

"If you can't say you're sorry, my Aunt and I don't need to add somebody else to the list of people who've hurt us. So if you want to leave, go ahead but stay away," Sadie remarked, hiccuping as fresh tears streaming down her face.

Every word Sadie uttered hit deeper than any shitty remark his father or brother could throw back in his face. The façade he built, in the face of every slight to his character, was no match for a ten-year-old who had the ability to see through everyone's bullshit, including his.

He couldn't manage a reply. She had given him blows no physical assault could ever imagine reaching.

Sadie saw Jake's silence as a chance to leave. Aunt Nat wouldn't be gone for much longer, and she knew if she weren't with Uncle Bob soon, she'd cause a panic. She got up, rubbing the dirt from her hands, standing over the conflicted aviator with a face marred by sand dust and tears.

Sadie stepped forward to leave. But at the last second, she whipped around in a move that reminded him so much of you. Her voice was firm, scathing even, adding with a note of finality, “I won't be the one to stop you from leaving. And I won’t be the one to welcome you back either if you change your mind. If you're gone, stay gone. We can survive without you."

After shooting him a hateful glare, Sadie left Jake sitting in the sand, staring after her. She wiped her eyes as she ran, finding Bob sitting at the nearby bonfire with the rest of the team. He pulled her into his arms with a laugh, instantly handing over his marshmallow-topped stick with a smile as Sadie giggled, her sadness disappearing as she roasted Bob on the quality of his marshmallow.

Jake threw his head back to the sky, still kneeling in the sand, fighting the knot in his throat.

Damn, George.

Damn, his father.

Damn, Bradley.

Damn, you.

And in some ways, despite not wanting to admit it…

Damn, Sadie.

He didn't know how to make this right. But he wanted to. He had to.

That had to be enough.

Right?

.... Ouch, Jake... And OUCH, SADIE!

Tags:

@blue-aconite @tinytotontheoversizedpony @djs8891 @caitsymichelle13 @startrekfangirl2233

@mayhemmanaged @ereardon @dempy @shanimallina87 @teacupsandtopgun @daggerspare-standingby

@phantomxoxo @formulapierre @eli2447 @fulla02 @blckgrl-sunflower @mizzzpink @ohgodnotagainn

@bubblegumbeautyqueen @sarahsmi13s @desert-fern @lynnestra44 @memoriesat30 @penwieldingdreamer @mxlanciia

@bradleybeachbabe @bobby-r2d2-floyd @lavenderbradshaw @roosters-girl @lovinglyeternal @kmc1989 @gigisimsonmars @dakotakazansky

@keyrani @craftytrashprincess @hisredheadedgoddess28 @abzidabzy @memeorydotcom @vicsnook @taestrwbrry

-Wickett ;)

Part 17 - Come a little bit Closer coming soon.

[unattainablesillygoose]

I have a headcanon that Nancy eventually became fluent in ASL because Ace taught her (so she could communicate with Thom without having to have a translator), and after they're married and have kids, they use it to talk secretly. Like, their kids know some, but when they're young, they just know the basics. So, kind of like how a parent would spell something out to the other parent if the kid can't spell, Nancy and Ace sign to each other.

Nancy and Ace: *signing about putting them down for bed early because it's a holiday or special occasion, and they need to set up a surprise*

Kid: Stop it. I know you're talking about bedtime.

They'll do it in public, too. Why would Nancy shout across the aisle in a grocery store when she can just tell him to grab something while he gets the milk?

Nancy: *while you're over there, we need cheese.*

Ace: 👍

Or they'll be somewhere, like one of those parent-teacher things, but with activities and bingo? (My school used to do it, I think once a year, and I have no idea what it was called.) And they go because their kid/kids have a lot of friends, so it's another way for them to hang out. But Nancy and Ace don't necessarily like the other parents.

Nancy, fake laughing at something: *I'm so close to pretending kid is sick or something so we can leave.*

Ace, politely nodding along: *if this thing goes on any longer, I might help you.

The kids who are a little ways away: what are your parents doing?

Kid, who knows damn well what they're saying: idk, probably talking smack or something

I also like to think that sometimes Thom and Rebecca go to these school events, and Rebecca finds it hilarious that kid will mess with their friends about what Nancy and Ace are talking about, but Thom is just exasperated, because of course their kid would be as much trouble as they were.

Nancy, signing to Ace who's across the room: *did you remember to close that window we had open?*

Ace: *what, the one in the kitchen or the one upstairs?*

Kids friend: what are they saying?

Kid: they're debating whether to do their monthly sacrifice tonight or tomorrow.

Kids friend, who fully believes their Aunty Bess is a witch: haha *nervously sweats*

Thom: *Rebecca, they're doing it again.*

Rebecca: *cackling*

Nancy and/or Ace probably communicate with Nick like this around the holidays, too. I think it drives George crazy. (Bc damn right they find a way back together.)

Nick and Ace: *signing to each other*

Nick and George's kid: mommy, what are they talking about?

George, miffed: I don't freaking know.

Idk i just think this is a funny little hc about what their lives would be like.

[im-a-mess-that-works]

I loved the Nancy Drew finale! It felt like a great ending to the series. The curse breaking so Nancy and Ace can be together, George going to law school, Ned being an engineer, Ace going to med school, Nancy going on a journey to stop all the sin eaters, Bess with a new historical society. It all felt wrapped up. I’m definitely going to miss this show. It’s been one of my favorites since it started.

[blond-jerk-tourney]

Brackets + Participants Masterlist

Have you ever thought who is the JERKIEST and MOST LOVEABLE MEAN BLOND ASSHOLE?? Well then this is the tournament for you!

read this if you're new

complete list under cut. the order of images does not reflect matchups.

Champagne Bracket (alphabetized by media)

Sakyo Furuichi from A3! Act! Addict! Actors! Kristoph Gavin from Ace Attorney Veruca Salt from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (musical) Clotted Cream Cookie from Cookie Run Yoshiki Kishinuma from Corpse Party Jiwoo from Dandelion - Wishes Brought To You - Byakuya Togami from Danganronpa Hiyoko Saionji from Danganronpa Eichi Tenshouin from Ensemble Stars Nazuna Nito from Ensemble Stars Karin Sauer from Fear and Hunger Rufus Shinra from Final Fantasy Zenos yae Galvus from Final Fantasy XIV Sharpay Evans from High School Musical Vace from I Was a Teenage Exocolonist Natsume Minami from Idolish7 Cindy from Kindergarten Felix from Kindergarten Larxene from Kingdom Hearts Kromer from Limbus Company Johnny Cage from Mortal Kombat Mikhael / THE MAVERICK from OMORI Ryuji Sakamoto from Persona 5 Bede from Pokémon Sword and Shield Oleana from Pokémon Sword and Shield Babette from Raggedy Ann and Andy A Musical Adventure Haley from Stardew Valley Joshua Kiryu from The World Ends With You Clownpiece from Touhou Project: Legacy of Lunatic Kingdom Vil Shoenheit from Twisted Wonderland Camus from Uta no Prince-sama Ryuji Goda from Yakuza Honey Bracket (alphabetized by media)

Andrew Minyard from All for the Game Mean Generic Golden Retriever from Anon Ask (link) War from Bonus Links AU by @bonus-links Calvin from Calvin and Hobbes Richard Lazarus from Doctor Who MacKenzie Hollister from Dork Diaries Ryusui Nanami from Dr. Stone The Blond "weird sister"/"bride of dracula" from Dracula Arte Ente Conchita from Evillious Chronicles Dave Strider from Homestuck Dirk Strider from Homestuck Trophy from Inanimate Insanity Emma Frost from Marvel Comics (usually X-men titles) Brittnay Matthews from Most Popular Girls in School Ambrosius Goldenloin from Nimona (comic) Danburite “Danny” Skinner the OC of @porcelain-animatronic Rose Thorburn Jr. from Pact (art by @wraith_ly on twitter) Brandish/Carol Dallon from Parahumans (art by @cpericardium Glory Girl/Victoria Dallon from Parahumans (art by @cpericardium) Goddess/Bianca from Parahumans (art by raikiri on reddit) Tattletale/Lisa Wilbourn from Parahumans (art by monkeyjay on reddit) Shaka from Saint Seiya  Thranduil from The Hobbit Achilles from The Illiad (art by ancient greek polychromatic pottery painter c. 300BC) Ianthe Tridentarius from The Locked Tomb (art by @starcanist) Dorian Gray from The Picture of Dorian Gray Adam Parrish from The Raven Cycle Rachel from Tower of God Arlo from Unordinary Mathis Quigley Sr. from Unsounded Benedict from Violet Evergarden Linton Heathcliff from Wuthering Heights

Platinum Bracket (alphabetized by media) Brad Morton from American Dragon: Jake Long Biff Tannen from the Back to the Future Trilogy Patriarchy!Ken from Barbie Howard Hamlin from Better Call Saul Spike from Buffy the Vampire Slayer  Johnny Lawrence from Cobra Kai/Karate Kid Daring Charming from Ever After High Ed Rooney from Ferris Bueller's Day Off Zap Brannigan from Futurama Joffrey from Game of Thrones Gideon from Gravity Falls Heather Chandler from Heathers Helga Pataki from Hey Arnold Simon from Infinity Train Dee Reynolds from It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia Cindy from Jimmy Neutron Ankh from Kamen Rider OOO Villanelle from Killing Eve Regina George from Mean Girls Arthur Pendragon from Merlin Skwisgaar Skwigelf from Metalocalypse Chloé Bourgeois from Miraculous Ladybug Steff McKee from Pretty in Pink Angelica Pickles from Rugrats Gunther and Tinka Hessenheffer from Shake It Up Prince Charming from Shrek Bartleby Montclair from Sonic Underground Illya Kuryakin from The Man From UNCLE (2015) Lyle Lanley from The Simpsons Tom "Iceman" Kazansky from Top Gun Julia from Total Drama / Total Takes Flash Thompson from Ultimate Spider-Man Strawberry Bracket (alphabetized by media) Lilith Bristol from Absolute Duo Rio from Assassination Classroom  Mello from Death Note Beelzebumon from Digimon Tamers Laxus Dreyar from Fairy Tail Edward Elric from Fullmetal Alchemist Char Aznable from Gundam Kei Tsukishima from Haikyuu!! Shaiapouf from Hunter x Hunter Anzu Futaba from Idolm@ster: Cinderella Girls Dio Brando from Jojo's Bizarre Adventure Isobe from Kamisama Kiss Nozomu Nanashima from Kiss Him Not Me Hanazawa Teruki from Mob Psycho 100  Katsuki Bakugo from My Hero Academia Neito Monoma from My Hero Academia Arcangelo Corelli from Neo Yokio Cavendish from One Piece Donquixote Doflamingo from One Piece Sanji from One Piece Panty Anarchy from Panty and Stocking Nanami Kiryuu from Revolutionary Girl Utena Jadeite from Sailor Moon Zoisite from Sailor Moon Akagi Ritsuko from Shin Seiki Evangelion Sofia from Space Dandy Kuusuke Saiki from The Disastrous Life of Saiki K Ryou Shirogane from Tokyo Mew Mew Sylvio Sawatari from Yugioh Arc V Malik/Marik Ishtar from Yugioh Duel Monsters  Mizael from Yugioh Zexal Yuri Plisetsky from Yuri on Ice The brackets are based on the type of media they are from. It isn't perfect but I think that is okay. I was thinking of posting all the initial matchups, but I've decided I don't want to change them as they are now and I also want them to be surprises.

[ithseem]

What Your Favourite Twisted Wonderland Character Says About You

**Disclaimer: All of these are jokes, so if any of you are offended, sorry 😅. Anyway, on to the assumtptions! Also, I cannot say how accurate this is**

Riddle Rosehearts:

You thought his uptightness was too much for you, but post-book one he became your favourite and you can't help but respect his growth. I don't blame you, his backstory was a tear-jerker

Trey Clover:

You want a malewife

Cater Diamond

There's a 40% chance you're bi and there's a 30% chance you follow Danny Gonzalez (and/or one of his clones)

Ace Trappola:

You either have no filter or you wish you could get rid of yours

Deuce Spade:

You think the Bad Boi + Himbo combo is cool and lowkey simpable. There's also a 40% chance you're neurodivergent

Leona Kingscholar:

You're the therapist friend in your group who desperately needs therapy. That or you're really horny

Ruggie Bucchi:

You didn't grow up with much money, and you relate to his struggle. Also, you'll never forgive Andrew Tate for what he posted

Jack Howl:

The more you get to know him, the more you see him as a tsundere puppy. There's also a 20% chance you made at least one pun about him e.g. bro's really JACKed up

Azul Ashengrotto:

There's a 40% chance that Mammon is your favourite Obey Me character. You're also probably an aspiring business owner

Jade Leech:

Your favourite colour is red. That's why you like this walking/swimming red flag

Floyd Leech:

You say he's really cute, but he's also a walking/swimming red flag. Also, if you had to die, you'd say the best way is to suffocate by him squeezing you

Kalim Al-Asim:

There's a chance you mistook him for Mammon from Obey Me. You also see him as the school's therapy dog

Jamil Viper:

You're probably Desi/Arab and you relate to being forced to suppress your emotions just to make sure you keep the peace

Vil Schoenheit:

You thought he'd be a Regina George/Sharpay Evans/Gordon Ramsay reskin but now you respect him more than you respect your IRL friends. Either that or you want him to step on you

Rook Hunt:

You appreciate the fact that he's a goofy mf and owns it. That or you're insane

Epel Felmier:

Your life's motto is "Short People Rule!" There's also a 30% chance you're feral asf

Idia Shroud:

You're a gamer/anime fan. There's also a 45% chance you're autistic

Ortho Shroud:

You either want him as a little brother or as a son

Malleus Draconia:

You're at least 45% of the fanbase. You also think goths are just neat

Lilia Vanrouge:

You're an e-boy/girl/other-gender or a menace to society

Sebek Zigvolt:

You've lost track of how many times you wanted to bully this boomer of a sixteen-year-old

Silver:

You have good taste 😎

Grim:

You're a cat person

Yuu (manga/game/novel):

You're cool 😎

[crippling-pages]

~mya's (new) intro post~

Hello there! My name is Mya! And this is my intro post! <3

Facts About Me:

Mya [] Girl [] She/her [] Minor [] 13-17 [] Aromantic Asexual (Aro/Ace) [] Arab [] Bookworm [] Writer [] Quotevain [] Swiftie [] OneRepublic Fan [] Pinterest Addict [] Tam Song Obsessed [] Tam Song x Biana Vacker is my life []

Fandoms:

Keeper of the Lost Cities [] LEGO: Ninjago [] LEGO Friends [] Percy Jackson [] Hooky (Webtoon/Book) [] Lockwood & Co. [] Shatter Me [] The False Prince/The Ascendance Trilogy [] The Land of Stories [] A Tale of Magic [] A Good Girl's Guide To Murder [] Five Survive [] Trolls [] The Reappearance of Rachel Price [] The Inheritance Games [] Fairy Tale Reform School [] Royal Academy Rebels [] Miraculous Ladybug [] Malibu Rescue [] Erin & Aaron [] Sonic the Hedgehog [] Richie Rich (2015) [] Ducktales (2017) [] and more! <3

Ships:

KOTLC: Tam and Biana {} Dex and Stina {} Sophie and Keefe {} Fitz and Dex {} Keefe and Fitz {} Linh and Marella {}

PJO/HoO: Percy and Annabeth {} Nico and Will {} Frank and Hazel {} Jason and Piper {} Leo and Calypso

Ninjago: Cole and Vania {} Nya and Jay {} Zane and Pixal {} Kai and Skylor {}

LEGO Friends: Mia and River {} Emma and Ethan {} Emma and Matthew {} Olivia and Jacob {} Mia and Martin {} Olly and Paisley {} Leo and Zac {} Zac and Sky {} Nova and Liann {}

Lockwood & Co.: Lucy and Lockwood {} George and Flo {}

Hooky: Dorian and Monica {} Dani and Nico {} Will and Damien {}

Miraculous Ladybug: Chat Noir and Marinette {} Ladybug and Chat Noir {} Marinette and Adrien {} Marinette and Luka {}

Sonic the Hedgehog: Silver and Blaze {} Sonic and Amy {} Amy and Shadow {} Knuckles and Rouge {}

FTRS/RAR: Gilly and Jax {} Heath and Devin {} Sasha and Logan {}

The Inheritance Games: Max and Xander {} Avery and Jameson {} Nash and Libby {}

Other: Pip and Ravi {} Bel and Ash {} Red and Arthur {} Conner and Bree {} Branch and Poppy {} Chote and Gina {} Tobias and Amarinda {}

Links:

-My Quotev Account

-My Ao3 Account

Some of My Fanfics:

"Hashtag Hilarious" - A KOTLC Human AU, with Tam and Keefe being besties and roommates; one day, Keefe convinces Tam to make a shared social media account together. Chaos follows.

"Lilies For Lilly" - A Ninjago fanfic in where it's the anniversary of Cole's mother's passing, and this time, he goes to drop off some Lillies.

"Don't Touch Me (Don't Talk To Me)" - A Trolls one-shot, in where Branch let's himself be rude to John Dory (A second part to this is called "Wet William" which is Bruce's turn).

"Random Hooky Stuff" - Just some Hooky content there's almost 0 out there. Drabbles, headcanons, incorrect quotes, ships, fluff, and angst. All of the above!

"Tiana One-Shots, Skits, Memes, And More!" - A Quotev book with a bunch of Tiana (Tam and Biana) related content is in, blessing the world with more Tiana.

"KOTLC Characters React And Have Fun!" - A Quotev fanfic in where the KOTLC crew react to human stuff and just have fun.

"5 Days {KOTLC Sleepover Fic}" - A KOTLC Sleepover Fic on Quotev, and this sleepover lasts all week. Drama appears, and fun memories are made.

Some Fanfics in The Drafts (or in my head)

KOTLC Human Coffee Shop AU ("Keepers of the Coffee")

KOTLC Rewrite

KOTLC Human Musician Mash Up Tour AU

KOTLC Road Trip AU

Ninjago Movie Secret Identity AU ("Two Faces Of the Same Life")

Ninjago Regular/Human Tea Shop AU

Ninjago Normal Life ("Cuckoo Crazy")

Hooky High School/College AU

Percy Jackson x KOTLC Crossover

Ninjago x KOTLC Crossover

Hooky Coffee Shop AU

KOTLC Hogwarts AU

KOTLC Song Twins Circus AU

Some Quotes:

"Because when I annoy, I annoy hard." -Tam Song, Nightfall.

"Look, I know I don't talk about it, but it happened to me before. Losing someone dear to me. I can't let that happen again." -Lockwood, to Lucy.

"Better question; are you a narc?" -Tiny Diamond

"I am the M.C... the Mighty Cole!"  -Cole, Rebooted

"I guess I'll just send some happy shadow thoughts into your head." -Tam Song, Flashback 

"-And dying to see Tam. My sister's a fan of silver bangs." -Fitz Vacker, Unlocked.

"Quick, quick Tell me something awful Like you are a poet trapped inside the body of a finance guy" -I Hate It Here, Taylor Swift

"Kill him then claim my throne and my queen." -Dorian Wytte, to Monica. 

"I looked around in a blood-soaked gown And I saw something they can't take away 'Cause there were pages turned with the bridges burned Everything you lose is a step you take So make the friendship bracelets, take the moment and taste it You've got no reason to be afraid" -You're on Your Own, Kid, Taylor Swift

"Dude, save your daddy issues for another time." -Tam Song, Neverseen.

"Maybe not. But that doesn't mean you stop trying." - Tam Song, Legacy.

Side Blogs: @flasher-boi-endal @a-poet-yet-forced-finance-guy

DNI IF: Homophobic, racist, sexist, Trump fan, Israel supporter, etc etc. THIS IS A SFW BLOG! PLEASE RESPECT THAT!

That's about that! <3 Have a beautiful day or night! Mya out!

[hp-abandonshipfest]

Abandon Ship Fest Masterlist

Ahoy there! Our voyage is now at an end, and we, the mods, are delighted to announce that we have 23 spectacular gen works for your perusal! Thank you to everyone who engaged, commented, reblogged, and followed along. Your support means so much and we are so grateful! Without further ado, here are our entries ⚓

Fine Print by nocturn Marietta's maxims for a life well-learned and well-lived.

Where the Heart is by silver_fish - a Podfic by @cailynwrites After the events at the Department of Mysteries in June—and all that came after—Harry finds himself once again stranded at Number Four Privet Drive. With only his own thoughts to keep him company, he takes to writing letters to the only person he thinks can help, if only he were still alive to do so.

Collected Correspondence by Artemisaki, jtimu Correspondence between Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy regarding publication of novel findings in magizoology and wizarding space. 

Maybe this is enough by Patriceavril Scattered moments throughout a doomed friendship.

All The Whys To Map The Stars by @nogenrealldrama  Sometimes Astronomy feels like the least magical subject at Hogwarts. But while the influence of the planets can seem subtle, it’s also ever-present. This fic is a short narrative exploration of how Astronomy might affect magic in the Wizarding world.

Eat Your Death, Draco by @sillywives Draco's first dinner with the Death Eaters isn't what he expected.

The Ostentation by @lumosatnight, @nanneramma Lucius Malfoy: the boy, the man, the bird.

[ART] Never Been in Love by @okeydokeylackey Little piece of art/gif of Voldemort with an aro/ace flag 🧡💛🤍💙🖤

The Winds Forbid by @dodgerkedavra The third letter Petunia receives from Albus Dumbledore simply can’t be right.

The Sacred Blood We Spilled by @bunnieblair Her sisters were her ever-present companions in life. Their presence at her side firm and unyielding. Years of treasured girlhood, of never being alone. A lifetime spent fighting, learning and growing together.

Between Truth & Repose by @caitriona-3 Lily figures the assignment is as good a chance as any to ask her question - why are the three curses unforgivable?

Aniseed by @poljupci The Art of Identifying the Things which No Longer Serve You

These Dreams That Deepen Our Desires by Clueless Anxious Ghost of Hayhay (ShadowfoxFreyja) Narcissa finds herself in Azkaban, unwillingly dwelling on her past experiences.

The Diary of T.M. Riddle by @midnightstargazer On a visit to the Malfoys, fourteen-year-old Sirius insists on sneaking off to explore. What happens when he and Regulus find a blank diary hidden deep within the Malfoys’ library?

Ollivanders and Potter: Makers of Fine Wands since 382 B.C. by That_Dark_Forest_Witch The wand may be the one to do all the choosing, but wandmakers are needed to help the pairs find each other. The getting-ready-for-school rush in Diagon Ally is one of Harry's favourites now that the shop is his.

A Good Place (Believe Me) by SquibNation10 Five-year-old Harry's idyllic summer in Godric's Hollow takes a dramatic turn when he meets Tom, a troubled boy. Tragedy strikes: Harry's sister, Luna, is missing. Can Tom and Harry solve the mystery together?

The boy and the dogfather by HadrianPeverellBlack Trouble is very protective of the young boy.

The Secrets We Keep by sky_watcher_rose Minerva knows who the black cat with the brown eyes is, but she never says anything. After all, as she keeps telling herself, she has no proof.

Learning to Unlearn by @offthemap A Pansy Parkinson character study. Over the course of a year and a half, Pansy starts to become more open-minded about the world she lives in... though at first not on purpose. A series of vignettes.

My brothers, my boys, my twins by @lucigoo Percy was unintentionally parentified at a young age. Now, on his first birthday without Fred, he finds himself with George and Harry. Reminiscing about the boys he all but helped raised.

Missing Pages by @nightfalltwen Something isn't right with Monica Wilkins' life. It's like reading a book with the pages torn out and she doesn't know.

Unbreakable bonds by x_manga_Bleach_x Bill was Ginny's favourite brother. She'd never tell Ron though. He'd pout and sulk for days.

our house in the middle of our street by daniko A neglected orphan, a former and future spy, and a convicted felon take up residence in a grim old place.

[cwseriesshowdown]

Round 3: Nancy Drew vs Legends of Tomorrow

Nancy Drew: Nancy Drew is a brilliant teen detective whose sense of self had come from solving mysteries in her hometown of Horseshoe Bay, Maine -- until her mother's untimely death derails Nancy's college plans. Devastated by her mother's passing, Nancy swears off crime-solving while crossing off the days until she can reapply to college. But when a socialite is murdered, Nancy finds herself a prime suspect in the crime, along with a group of other teens present at the scene: Nancy's nemesis from high school, George Fan; a rich girl with a mysterious past, Bess Marvin; Nancy's secret boyfriend, Ned "Nick" Nickerson and amiable burnout Ace. The five of them must team up to clear their own names, encountering emotional entanglements and even more mysteries along the way.

Legends of Tomorrow: After seeing what doom the future holds, time-traveling rogue Rip Hunter realizes heroes alone are not enough to prevent the impending catastrophe that threatens the planet. Tasked with recruiting both heroes and villains, Rip brings together a ragtag team of divergent talents, which includes the likes of Sara Lance, Ray Palmer, and Heat Wave. Although the team continually adds and loses members, their goal is always the same -- prevent supervillains from destroying time itself.

[girlbosswar]

ROUND 1 MASTERLIST

So uh… yea

No I didn’t actually include everybody submitted but I included most of them

Polls will go up around tomorrow at 4:00 PM CST

If you make any edits or art or whatever make sure to tag this account

SIDE ONE

Sharpay Evans (High School Musical) Vs. Misako Montgomery Garmadon (Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu)

Queen (deltarune) Vs. Tanya Degurechaff (Youjo Senki)

Reko Yabusame (Your Turn To Die -Death Game By Majority-) Vs. Mai Zenin (Jujutsu Kaisen)

Sunset Shimmer (My Little Pony: Equestria Girls) Vs. Scheherazade (One Thousand and One Nights)

Megaera (Hades) Vs. Clementine (The Walking Dead)

Agent 8 (Splatoon 2: Octo Expansion) Vs. Palutena (Kid Icarus)

Nobara Kugisaki (Jujutsu Kaisen) Vs. Amy Rose (Sonic the Hedgehog CD)

Lucretia (The Adventure Zone) Vs. Maya Fey (Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney)

Phi (Zero Escape: Virtue’s Last Reward) Vs. Morganthe (Wizard 101)

Bo Peep (Toy Story) Vs. The Administrator (Team Fortress 2)

Audria Rose (Descendants) Vs. Chandrelle Stormblaze (The Hex)

Mion Sonozaki (Higurashi No Naku Koro Ni) Vs. Motoko Kusanagi (Ghost in the Shell)

F!Nefarious Tropy (Crash Bandicoot) Vs. Toriel (UNDERTALE)

Nagisa Misumi (Futari wa Precure) Vs. Aspheera (Ninjago)

Sara Chidouin (Your Turn To Die -Death Game By Majority-) Vs. Renée Minkowski (Wolf 359)

Callie (Splatoon) Vs. Romana (Doctor Who)

Marina (Splatoon 2) Vs. Junko Enoshima (Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc)

Jolyne Cujoh (Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure) Vs. Kagami Tsurugi (Miraculous Ladybug)

Ema Skye (Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney) Vs. Maki Zenin (Jujutsu Kaisen)

Edelgard von Hresvelg (Fire Emblem: Three Houses) Vs. Daisy (Super Mario Land)

Hinomori Shiso (Project Sekai: Colorful Stage) Vs. Nyota Uhura (Star Trek)

Regina George (Mean Girls) Vs. Lisa Lisa (Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure)

Olivier Mira Armstrong (Fullmetal Alchemist) Vs. Yor Forger (Spy x Family)

Lady Iron Fan (Monkie Kid) Vs. Claire Elford (Witch’s Heart)

MEIKO (Vocaloid) Vs. Hornet (Hollow Night)

Franziska von Karma (Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Justice for All) Vs. Prudence (Papa Louie)

Ningguang (Genshin Impact) Vs. Eleanor Shellstrop (The Good Place)

Buffy Anne Summers (Buffy the Vampire Slayer) Vs. Kokomi Teruhashi (The Disastrous Life of Saiki K)

Gertrude Robinson (The Magnus Archives) Vs. Larxene (Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories)

Tohru Honda (Fruits Basket) Vs. April O’Neil (ROTTMNT)

Sasha Waybright (Amphibia) Vs. Princess Carolyn (Bojack Horseman)

Madoka Kaname (Mahou Shoujo Madoka★Magica) Vs. Zora Salazar (Epithet Erased)

Reagan Ridley (Inside Job) Vs. Vera Oberlin (Monster Prom)

Jay Ferin (Just Roll With It) Vs. P.I.X.A.L (Ninjago)

Katherine Pierce (The Vampire Diaries) Vs. Monika (Doki Doki Literature Club)

Lumine (Genshin Impact) Vs. Korra (The Legend of Korra)

Bulma (Dragon Ball) Vs. Siobhan Roy (Succession)

Lady Macbeth (Macbeth) Vs. Alice (Zero Escape: Virtue’s Last Reward)

Susie (deltarune) Vs. Kim Wexler (Better Call Saul)

Fairy Godmother (Shrek 2) Vs. Kanaya Maryam (Homestuck)

Rumi Usagiyama (My Hero Academia) Vs. Jess Valenzuela (National Treasure: Edge of History)

Lauren Mallard (Welcome to Night Vale) Vs. Hitori Gotoh (Bocchi the Rock!)

Bayonetta (Bayonetta) Vs. Erza Scarlett (Fairy Tail)

Azula (Avatar: The Last Airbender) Vs. Banica Conchita (The Evillious Chronicles)

Frye (Splatoon 3) Vs. Piper McLean (Heroes of Olympus)

Ann Takamaki (Persona 5) Vs. Haru Okumura (Persona 5)

GLaDOS (Portal) Vs. Princess Leia (Star Wars)

Kyoko Sakura (Mahou Shoujo Madoka★Magica) Vs. Poison (Street Fighter)

Beidou (Genshin Impact) Vs. Gertrude Robinson (The Magnus Archives)

Clawdeen Wolf (Monster High) Vs. Chiemi Serizawa (Raging Loop)

Alcina Dimitrescu (Resident Evil) Vs. Lois Lane (DC)

Miss Piggy (The Muppets) Vs. Starlight Glimmer (My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic)

Lord Dominator (Wander Over Yonder) Vs. Homura Akemi (Mahou Shoujo Madoka★Magica)

Aradia Megido (Homestuck) Vs. Maika Halfwolf (Monstress)

Dahlia Hawthorne (Ace Attorney) Vs. Shiva (Final Fantasy)

Lucina (Fire Emblem) Vs. Jade Claymore (Willow)

Makima (Chainsaw Man) Vs. Marie (Splatoon)

Loona (Helluva Boss) Vs. Toph Beifong (Avatar: The Last Airbender)

SIDE TWO

Hatsune Miku (Vocaloid) Vs. Misa Amane (Death Note)

Opal Koboi (Artemis Fowl) Vs. Solar Flare (Plants vs. Zombies)

Mia Fey (Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney) Vs. Fleabag (Fleabag)

Adagio Dazzle (My Little Pony: Equestria Girls – Rainbow Rocks) Vs. Agent 3 (Splatoon)

Yashiro Uzuki (The World Ends With You) Vs. Isabelle (Animal Crossing: New Leaf)

Panty Anarchy (Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt) Vs. Tabitha Chrysanthemum Scarlet (Scarlet Hollow)

Rosemaster (Cucumber Quest) Vs. Astrid Hofferson (How To Train Your Dragon)

Athena Cykes (Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Dual Destinies) Vs. Lucifer (Helltaker)

Rapunzel (Tangled) Vs. Alana Bloom (Hannibal)

Nami (One Piece) Vs. Yukina Minato (BanG Dream!)

Nadja (What We Do in the Shadows) Vs. Kathryn Janeway (Star Trek)

Bridget (Guilty Gear) Vs. Liezel (Papa Louie)

Vriska Serket (Homestuck) Vs. Fish Mooney (Gotham)

Nina Cortex (Crash Bandicoot) Vs. Yosano Akiko (Bungo Stray Dogs)

Celestia Ludenberg (Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc) Vs. Chloé Bourgeois (Miraculous Ladybug)

Tsunade (Naruto) Vs. Helen Richardson (The Magnus Archives)

Akane Kurushiki (Zero Escape: 9 Hours 9 Persons 9 Doors) Vs. Violet Muller (Court of Darkness)

Mikasa Ackerman (Attack on Titan) Vs. Clementine (Stray)

Nancy Wheeler (Stranger Things) Vs. Katelyn (Aphmau)

Annabeth Chase (Heroes of Olympus) Vs. Test Tube (Inanimate Insanity)

Tifa Lockheart (Final Fantasy VII) Vs. Jinx (League of Legends)

Jude Duarte (The Folk of the Air) Vs. Lotus (Zero Escape: 9 Hours 9 Persons 9 Doors)

Yang Xiao Long (RWBY) Vs. Dark Noël (Shadows Over Loathing)

Her Imperious Condescension (Homestuck) Vs. Kitty Softpaws (Puss and Boots)

Boss (AI: The Somnium Files) Vs. Nathalie Sancoeur (Miraculous Ladybug)

Coco Adel (RWBY) Vs. Mary Katherine Blackwood (We Have Always Lived in the Castle)

Harumi (Ninjago) Vs. Tina Templeton (The Boss Baby: Family Business)

Nya (NInjago) Vs. Lady with an Ermine (Leonardo da Vinci)

Edalyn Clawthorne (The Owl House) Vs. Leslie Barbara Knope (Parks and Recreation)

Kanon Tachibana (NEO: The World Ends With You) Vs. Darling Charming (Ever After High)

Pearl (Splatoon 2) Vs. Amelia (The Amelia Project)

Mira (Zero Escape: Zero Time Dilemma) Vs. Carmelita Montoya Fox (Sly Cooper)

Hollyberry Cookie (Cookie Run) Vs. Vex’ahlia (Critical Role)

Yumeko Jabami (Kakegurui) Vs. Queen (Chess)

Lup (The Adventure Zone) Vs. Moonshine Cybin (Not Another D&D Podcast)

Taiga Aisaka (Toradora!) Vs. Sweetheart (OMORI)

Sister Beatrice (Warrior Nun) Vs. Millie (Helluva Boss)

Katara (Avatar: The Last Airbender) Vs. Kyoko Kirigiri (Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc)

Samus Aran (Metroid) Vs. Amelia Hughes (Infinity Train)

Mari Ohara (Love Live!) Vs. Clover (Zero Escape: 9 Hours 9 Persons 9 Doors)

Pomegranate Cookie (Cookie Run) Vs. Jessie (Pokémon)

Fiona (Shrek) Vs. Asuka Langley Soryu (Neon Genesis Evangelion)

Dana Cardinal (Welcome to Night Vale) Vs. Zakuro Fujiwara (Tokyo Mew Mew)

Aqua (Kingdom Hearts: Birth By Sleep) Vs. Rose Lalonde (Homestuck)

Nadia Vulvokov (Russian Doll) Vs. Tron Bonne (Megaman)

Lucille Sharpe (Crimson Peak) Vs. Ocean O'Connell Rosenberg (Ride the Cyclone)

Statue of Liberty (USA) Vs. Undyne (UNDERTALE)

Ryūko Matoi (Kill la Kill) Vs. Bea Bottom (Something Rotten)

Mari (OMORI) Vs. Petra (Minecraft: Story Mode)

The Manger (The Hotel) Vs. Rosalina (Super Mario Galaxy)

Mamimi Samejima (FLCL) Vs. Weiss Schnee (RWBY)

Miriam Maisel (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel) Vs. Elizabert Megafig (Bugsnax)

Cleo de Nile (Monster High) Vs. Green Shadow (Plants vs. Zombies)

Quinn (Papa Louie) Vs. Skylor Chen (Ninjago)

Barbie (Barbie) Vs. Shiver (Splatoon 3)

Cynthia (Pokémon) Vs. Kaede Akamatsu (Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony)

[rocknrollbabe14]

Another Sad Love Song (Tom Grant x Reader)

Rating: 18+ MINORS DO NOT INTERACT!

Warning: Cursing, depressing behaviors such as not eating, not cleaning, and not sleeping, Tom is very wounded in this fic as well as his manhood,  drunk unprotected sex (however the reader is on birth control and consent is mutual), angst, harsh words?, regret? Let me know if I missed anything!

I didn’t proof read this so if there’s any mistakes, please forgive me. Maybe he will get a 2nd part??

Your cab ride to Cornwall was long, grueling. You stared down at your hands. It had been awhile since you had seen him. Not that you didn’t want to see him or couldn’t see him. He often wrote you or called you every now and then to check in. Last you had heard Ruth was coming to see him. Ruth was his long time girlfriend of three years. You knew it would be good for him. It was hard for him to be apart from her, often detailing in letters how much he missed her. 

You decided early on into their relationship, you’d give him space. You told him you’d always be there for him. No matter what happened. However, you also knew what a girl best friend could do to a budding relationship. He understood, but reminded you that you all had been friends way before Ruth had came into the picture. You didn’t back down on your stance. 

You remembered the phone call you’d received just last week. 

“Y/N…”, a familiar voiced sobbed on the other end of the line.  

It was borderline sad but you also heard the anger laced in your name. You almost dropped the phone, tightening your grip on it quickly.

“Tom?”, you asked, surprise evident in your voice. 

“Fuck.”, he cussed, desperation coming out in his voice.

“What’s wrong? Are you okay? Is Ruth okay?”, you asked quickly. 

You had met Ruth several times. You and Tom would go on double dates during high school, bringing Ruth and whoever you decided to take out at the time. There were a few different ones—Adam, George, Harry. None stellar enough to knock you off your feet. Ruth would barely speak to you, acing as if she was jealous of you. It had taken you aback, even surprising Tom.

“She fuckin’ cheated on me.”, you could hear him gritting his teeth.

“What?”, you asked, not sure you had heard him correctly.

“She—fuckin’—cheated—on—me, Y/N.”, he spoke slower, his voice breaking. 

“Oh—Tom. I’m so sorry.”

Ruth may not have had your total seal of approval but you didn’t want her to wreck Tom and hurt him.  That’s why you didn’t butt in or give your true opinion on certain matters. You didn’t want their breakup or fights to be blamed on you. But this puzzled you—they had hardly ever fought to your knowledge. Tom was silent on the other end of the line, something you weren’t used to. He usually joked with you and asked how things were back home.

“Tom?”

“I can’t fuckin’ believe this.”, he muttered. 

Your heart sank. Tom was always light-hearted, fun, and easy-going. He would do anything for anyone.  It was so odd to hear him so upset. You were unsure what had happened just in a few short weeks since Ruth’s arrival. What had went so wrong? Which guy had she cheated with? Tom mentioned his friend Kai often, but surely Ruth wouldn’t have cheated on him with someone he worked with. Or would she? 

“When can you be here?”, Tom asked sadly.

“Um….let me check my schedule.”, you sighed, looking to your refrigerator. 

The other end of the line was silent as you went through the days. 

"Friday?”

“You’ll come? Please. I just need you.”, Tom asked, sniffling.

Your heart skipped a beat at his words. 

“Yes, I’ll be there as soon as I can. Has Ruth left?”, you asked, leaning against your countertop. 

“Yes.”, his voice cracked again. 

It killed you to see Tom like this. He was your best friend. Through everything you all had still remained friends. 

“It’s not because of me, is it? The letters and phone calls?”

“No.”, Tom answered easily. 

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, Y/N. I’m sure.”

He was a little more firm with his answer and you decided to drop it. You all finalized plans for you to come out. You would come Friday. You were off from work and it would be the best day to see him. You were going to worry about him up until that point but it was out of your hands.

You paid your cab fare. It was morning. It was foggy and dreary outside. You could already hear the waves crashing against the shore. Tom had told you exactly which trailer he lived in. It was windy which caused your to pull your jacket tighter. You passed trailer upon trailer before coming to Tom’s. In your mind, you wondered who all stayed or lived here.  

You walked up the small steps, eyeing the door. You knocked gently. No answer. Your brow furrowed in confusion. Tom said he was off from work today. He worked on the property maintaining the trailer park. Did something go wrong and they asked him to work? You knocked again a little louder this time. There wasn’t an answer immediately. You were about to try the knob when the door opened unexpectedly, causing you to jump back, a small squeal escaping you.

“Tom.”, you breathed.

He was shirtless with just pajama pants on. His necklace around his neck. You took him in. It had been a long time since you’d last laid eyes on him. He looked like he had lost a little weight. You gulped down any more of a response.

“Sorry, didn’t mean to scare you.”, he rubbed his eyes before he rubbed his face. 

Tom looked tired, exhausted to put it nicely. He looked like he had barely slept in days. You were sure your face was full of concern. 

“It’s okay. How have you been, Tom?”, you replaced your look of concern with the same smile he was used to seeing. 

“Makin’ it.”, he responded, giving you the saddest smile you’d ever seen.

You nodded easily, rain beginning to fall.

“Come in, (Y/ Nick Name).”, he moved aside.

You cleared his doorway. You could see straight down the hallway to his bedroom. His bed was unmade, like he had just climbed out of it. You weren’t blaming him if he had. It was just surprising to you. You looked around, taking it all in. 

“Sorry, I just woke up.”, he apologized, sitting down on his couch. 

“It’s fine.”, you slid your coat off easily, laying it down on the chair before taking a seat beside him.

Your eyes immediately panned to Ruth’s pile of things—she clearly had left. Your heart instantly sank into your stomach. Tom must have noticed what had caught your attention.

“She’s not-not here. I just haven’t been able to return her things.”, he sighed, his brown eyes on you.

“Where is she?”, you asked quietly, treading lightly on the subject. 

“Somewhere here.”, he muttered. 

It took you a minute to comprehend his words. You wanted to sound caring but not overbearing. You didn’t want to try and pry the information from him. He would give it to you when he was ready. That was your theory. 

You nodded uncomfortably. 

“In the caravan park.”, he specified. 

You nodded again. It must have been one of his coworkers. 

“I see.”

“She cheated on me—with a woman.”, he looked down at his hands before his brows furrowed as if he could cry at any moment. 

“A woman?”, you repeated.

  “Jade.”, he choked out.

Your eyes widened, nodding. 

“Just—I wish she’d told me she didn’t want me instead of fucking a girl I work with.”

You nodded, surprised by the use of his candid language. Tom was visibly still upset that she had cheated on him. That was normal. His manhood had been wounded. He felt as though he was inadequate in all this. But this wasn’t Tom’s fault. It wasn’t his fault that Ruth wanted something different and had felt a connection with Jade. The sooner Tom accepted this fact, the better off he would be. 

“Tom, it’s not your fault.”, you said simply. 

He scoffed at you, eyes narrowing. “How is it not? Should I have moved here? What could I have done different?”

He was exasperated, clearly confused himself. He was trying to make sense of all this. Tom was reading too much into this. You couldn’t really relate to him. You had always been the one to end relationships. Never by cheating but because you weren’t satisfied with them. Currently, you were single. You had been out on a few dates but they hadn’t went anywhere. You didn’t want them to. 

You sighed easily before reaching for his hand.

This was not out of sorts for you both. Physical touch was your all’s love language. It always had been. You both were very close to one another. Looking back, you could see why Ruth was jealous of you. Before she and Tom had grown more serious, you all hung out constantly. When you were together, you all could talk about anything even with Ruth in the room. It appeared he almost completely ignored her while you were around. You’d shove him playfully when he said something stupidly funny. He’d laugh at the contact. 

He eyed you, his eyes softening from your contact. 

“Tom, it’s not your fault. I know you think it is right now. But you moved out here. You told her she could come too. She didn’t want to at the time. There’s nothing you could have done different—except maybe getting rid of me.”

No, this wasn’t Tom’s fault. If anyone was at fault, you were the domino that set all this into motion. You looked down at the floor, your all’s contact not breaking.

Tom sighed before getting agitated at your assumption. “No, no, no. You’re not fucking putting this on yourself.”

You smiled sadly. “Why do you think I backed off?”

Before Ruth came into the picture, there were many nights you’d go over to Tom’s house. His parents often stayed out of town, working. You all would drink a little and fall asleep in bed together. Not sexually just from being hungover and exhausted. Some mornings you’d even wake up with his arms around your waist. He never made moves on you and neither did you on him. You felt safe with Tom. You could trust him. Your parents loved Tom. It was nothing for you to bring him over to your house. At least he’d get a hot dinner. 

Tom eyed you, tears forming in his beautiful brown eyes. “What?”

You eyed him back. “I didn’t want to cause problems between you and Ruth. It’s quite obvious she was jealous of me. And, well, I didn’t want to ruin your relationship.”

Tom looked down, nodding, eyeing the floor of his trailer. “And who’s here now?”

You perked up easily. You didn’t want to get ahead of yourself. Tom was your best friend. But there was more to this that Tom didn’t exactly know. You weren’t happy in any relationship because they weren’t him—they weren’t Tom Grant.  You were going to tell Tom how you felt about him. You were going to tell him that you knew you both were best friends but you couldn’t stop thinking about him. The answers were already prepared for his possible protests. 

You’d tell him you knew this was risky. You were aware it could ruin your friendship. But he was worth that risk. 

You were silent, eyeing him. There was a knock the came to his door—causing you both to jump. You eyed him as you rose up from the couch. You had silently decided to answer the door in the event it was Ruth or Jade. Tom watched nervously from the couch, peering around you. Your hand shook slightly as you put your hand on the door knob, mentally preparing yourself for who was on the other end.

  Without any more hesitation, you opened the door. A short haired man stood in front of you. 

“Is Tom around?”, he asked easily.

“Who are you?”, you shot back. 

“Kai. And I could ask the same to you.”, he eyed you up and down.

“Y/N. I’m a friend of Tom’s.”

You heard Tom get off the couch, coming behind you. He was so close to you, you felt your breathing hitch. You swallowed down the feeling quickly.

“Ah, there you are,”, he began eyeing Tom. “This one’s much prettier. Where have you kept her hiding?”

Kai finished with a smile but Tom was frowning. 

“Don’t talk about her like that—she’s not some object.”

You could see the fire in Tom’s brown eyes. 

“Always so defensive here lately. I’m just saying she’s prettier.”

There appeared to be some unresolved tension in the air among them. If you had a knife, you could have cut the tension. You looked down nervously. 

Tom sighed, quickly resolving his anger. “What do you want, Kai?”

“Look, mate I’m just saying I’m sorry I was right about Ruth.”

Tom looked up at Kai, visibly annoyed at his words. “Did ya come here to brag?”

Kai eyed him. “No. I am sorry, Tom. But you’re better off without her.”

Tom looked back at you. “Do you care to give us a minute?”

You shook your head easily. Tom grabbed his hoodie from the couch as he closed the door behind him. Tom and Kai stood at outside. You went to the kitchen, looking out the kitchen window. Tom and Kai were talking. Things appeared to be under control for now. You hoped they stayed that way. Maybe you could be nice and make breakfast for Tom. You went over to the fridge. There was barely anything inside. What was he eating? There was probably enough to get through breakfast but you’d definitely have to go to the store for him before you left.

Tom came back in, the sound of the door closing causing you to look up. 

“Tom, what have you been eating?”, you asked him easily.

He shrugged. “Haven’t really been eating.”

You eyed him. “Clearly.”

He smiled softly. You grabbed the egg carton in his fridge, checking the date on it. He had a little bit of a small loaf of bread left and you found some bacon that Tom said had only been used a couple days ago. You sat everything out and turned his oven on. He took the hoodie back off, sitting down at the table and sighing. 

“Can I ask?”, you looked at him.

“Kai told me about Ruth. Said she was into Jade. I thought he was just fucking around with me.”

You were digging through his cabinets, trying to find a skillet. “And?”

“Well, one day she came back from the beach, soaking wet. Me and Kai and a few others were working. Jade was with her and she was wearing her jacket. He made a comment and well, we kinda got into a little scuffle.”

You weren’t looking at him. You sat the skillet on the stove before cracking a couple eggs, hearing them sizzle in the pan. 

“I see.”

“I guess I really shouldn’t be mad at him. He was trying to spare me some grief.”

“Trying to be a friend, maybe?”, you asked easily. 

Tom nodded. “I just never saw this coming.”

“Neither did I, honestly.”

Tom was quiet for the next few minutes as you fried the eggs and bacon. You dropped the toast in his toaster as you sat his plate in front of him. You gave him some orange juice, one of the only drinks in his fridge. He looked up at you easily. He looked like a sad, little puppy dog. Your heart ached to see him like this. This wasn’t Tom. Or at least the one you were used to being around. 

You grabbed your plate and cup of orange juice, sitting down across from him. You both ate in silence for the first few minutes. 

“We’ve been talking about me so much.”, he sighed. “What about you? How’s work? Your love life?”

You smirked easily. “Work’s great. I just got a promotion at the office. Love life is non-existent.”

Tom’s eyes widened easily. “Really? Josh is no more?”

Josh had been your latest flavor of the month as you liked to call them. Josh was nice and everything even good-looking, but he wasn’t Tom. 

“No, he was nice and all but we just didn’t have enough chemistry.”, you took a drink of your orange juice. 

“You say that about every guy you’ve dated since high school.”

You nodded. “I guess I’m just hard to please.”

You were hard to please—you wanted Thomas Grant. 

Tom chuckled easily. This was the first time you had seen him laugh since you arrived. It made you smile. If he only knew how you felt about him. Right now wasn’t a good time to tell him—he had loved Ruth. You were sure he still loved her. 

“You’ve always been picky and hard to please.”, he teased lightly. 

You rolled your eyes playfully. “Whatever.”

You both finished breakfast. You were relieved Tom had actually eaten. You cleaned the table up, placing the dishes in his sink among the others. Tom went to his bedroom for a few minutes. You were determined to do his dishes and go to the store before you returned home. You eyed Ruth’s stuff in the corner. Was Tom planning on her coming and getting them or taking them to her? You weren’t sure but preferred if she didn’t see you in Tom’s trailer.

You could imagine what she would say. “I always knew you wanted her, Tom.” “Already moving on, huh?” You shook your head, trying to remove the negative thoughts away from your mind. Tom came through dressed in his work pants and black shirt. You eyed him easily.

“Thought you weren’t working today?”, you asked him.

You immediately cursed yourself for your choice of words. You probably sounded nagging like Ruth.

“Just a small job Kai needs help with. I promise I won’t be long.”

You nodded. “Promise?”

“Promise.”, Tom smiled as he outstretched his arms, asking for a hug. 

You leaned in, wrapping both arms around him. He followed suit, wrapping his arms around you. If you could have, you would have melted into him there and then. You had missed feeling his arms around you. Even if it was just for a hug or when you all had fell asleep together. All felt right in the world in this moment. You all pulled away easily, eye contact hanging on as he smiled and walked out the door of his trailer. 

__________________________________________________________________

While Tom was working, you decided to turn on the television at least to have some noise. The quiet was driving you crazy. You had went to his bedroom, noticing he had let his laundry pile up. You grabbed the hamper easily, bringing it to the living room. Tom wasn’t like this normally. You chalked it up to depression. You’d go do his laundry shortly. You stripped his bed, unsure of how long he had let it go. You brought another hamper into the living room. 

You went into his bathroom, tidying up the counter. You hunted for his cleaning supplies, beginning to clean his bathroom. You threw your hair up with the ponytail holder you had on your wrist. Once finished with the bathroom, you moved on to his bedroom. You straightened things up, careful not to go through his stuff. You wanted to respect his privacy. 

Next, you moved into the kitchen. You washed all his dishes he had. You wiped his counters and table off. You slid your coat back on, grabbing the hamper with his bedding first. You closed his door and sat out to find the laundromat on site. It wasn’t too hard to find. You started his bedding before heading back to get his work clothes. You made quick work of doing his laundry, multitasking them. 

You put the sheets and comforter back on Tom’s bed. You were in the process of hanging up his clothes when he came through the door. 

“Y/N?”, he asked, not immediately seeing you.

“I’m in here!”, you called out from his bedroom. 

He walked in the doorway to see you hanging his work clothes up. 

“You didn’t have to do that.”, he began easily.

“It’s okay, Tom. I’m only here for a day so I thought I’d make myself useful.”, you smiled back at him.

You already dreading leaving Tom. You had missed him a lot. One day just wasn’t enough time to catch up and spend with him.

His head dropped at your words. “Do you have to leave so soon?”

Your heart skipped a beat. “I didn’t bring any clothes or makeup.”, you smiled sheepishly.

“You can have one of my shirts to sleep in and we can launder your clothes and you don’t need makeup.”, he eyed you.

“And just where am I gonna sleep?”, you smirked at him, trying to ignore the thought of sleeping in his shirt.

“My bed…I can go to the couch if you feel more comfortable.”, he offered. 

“Are you sure, Tom?”

He nodded. “I have missed you, Y/N.”

You smirked. “Well, we definitely have to go to the store.”

______________________________________________________________________

Later that evening, you and Tom took a cab out to the nearest town to grab some groceries from the store. Tom seemed to slightly be returning back to himself. You knew it was going to take more time, but even seeing him slightly joke and smile made you feel better. You all bought enough for the weekend and you offered to make Tom some easy meals he could just warm up.

Tom asked if you wanted some alcohol. He chose some beer while you chose some fruity seltzers, not able to handle the beer. You all arrived back at his trailer. He had Saturday off as well. He had informed you if that when you all were on your way back in the cab.  You both put the groceries away. For a moment, it felt like you two were more than just friends. You both were smiling, making small jokes. A lot like old times.

You all wasted no time in cracking open the alcohol. You all turned on the radio, continuing to drink and talk. Tom stood up after getting three beers in his system, beginning to dance. You began giggling, taking another sip and finishing off your second drink. Tom was smiling from ear to ear, clearly feeling himself. Hell, so were you. You got up from the couch, joining him. 

You both were laughing, Tom twirling you around. It was late. Almost midnight. But you all had lost all concept of time. All you were focused on was each other. 

“I need a shower.”, you said randomly, sure it was the alcohol talking. 

“Go shower.”, he smiled. 

You smirked at him. “What am I gonna wear?”

“This.”, he smiled as he dug through his drawers, tossing a t-shirt to you. 

You caught it easily before slipping off into the bathroom. You eyed yourself in the mirror. You were definitely a little wasted. You laid his t-shirt on the counter top before stripping your clothes off, tossing them on his floor. You turned the hot water on, letting the shower warm up before climbing in. You felt your eyes closing, ready to be warm. You stepped in easily, feeling the warm water rush over your skin. Luckily, Ruth forgot her shampoo and you didn’t mind to use Tom’s body wash. At least you’d smell like him.

Just as you were about to grab her shampoo, you felt a presence. You opened your eyes to see Tom standing there. 

“Tom!”, you squealed easily. 

“Sorry I just wanted to make sure you made it in the shower.”

“It’s fine.”, you eyed him easily. 

You saw his eyes widened, taking in your body. “Fuck.”

“What?”, you asked him easily. 

“Just—I’ve NEVER seen you na-”

“Naked?”, you finished for him.

He nodded.

You smirked easily. 

“Ruth always accused me of fuckin’ around with you.”, he eyed you.

“Can I tell you something stupid?’, you smirked.

If you weren’t drunk you would have never told Tom what you were about to tell him. Looking back, you weren’t sure if it was smart or not. Why were you going to confess this in the middle of a shower, naked in front of Tom? You had no idea. 

“Nothing’s stupid when it comes to you.”, Tom smiled.

You felt your cheeks grow warm. “Well, I kinda have always liked you. I was gonna tell you how I felt about you but you met Ruth.”

Tom looked slightly surprised. “Really?”

“Really.”

Your faces were inches from one another. Tom’s brown eyes softened and you bit your lip. Steam was rolling out of the shower where you had the door cracked. Without warning, he grabbed your face, bringing you in for a kiss. It didn’t take long for you to realize this was real and not some fever dream, even if you were drunk. You reciprocated his kiss, placing your hands on his shoulders. He didn’t seem to mind they were wet. 

You all deepened the kiss, his hands finding your waist. 

“Can I finish my shower?”, you broke the kiss easily.

“Yes, love. I’ll wait for you in the bedroom.”, he smiled.

Love. He had never called you that before. You all kissed once more before he headed to the bedroom. You quickly soaped up your hair and washed your body. You rinsed and grabbed the two towels he had laid out for you. You eyed yourself in the foggy mirror. You looked okay. Your eyeliner and mascara had slightly washed down your cheek. You wiped it away quickly before drying your hair as best you could without your hair dryer. 

You felt satisfied and finished drying off before sliding Tom’s shirt over your head. It hung down just below your mid thigh. Enough to cover everything up for now. You exited the bathroom and walked back into his bedroom. He heard you enter the bedroom, his eyes immediately shooting up. A smirk was across his face. He was under the comforter, his right hand obviously busy. He was leaned back against the pillow, resting on his left arm. His eyes watched your body, taking you in.

Your mind could only imagine his hand stroking his rock hard cock. You came on his side of the bed. He immediately ceased his actions, opening the comforter up, inviting you in. You obliged. 

“Just fuckin’ look at you in my shirt.”, he breathed as you slid in bed beside him.

You giggled easily. Your buzz was still very apparent. 

“Want to take it off?”, you whispered as he pinned you down on the bed, climbing on top of you. You felt his rock hard cock brush your thigh, causing your stomach to turn and twist deep with desire. 

“Yes.”, he responded breathlessly in your ear, beginning to kiss from your ear down your cheek before landing on your lips. 

You let out a sigh as he reached for the hem of his shirt you were wearing. His finger brushed your legs. You were glad you had shaved the night before. He smirked into the kiss as he brushed his fingers against your skin, teasing you. He knew exactly what he was doing. He brushed your outer thigh before finding your inner thigh, trailing up, causing shivers down your spine. He easily stopped right at your throbbing clit. 

Without warning, he slid two finger deep inside of you causing you to elicit a moan. 

“No panties? You really want this, don’t you?”

You nodded absentmindedly. 

“God, you’re already so fuckin’ wet. How long have you been fantasizing about our first time having sex?”

You looked up at him, shrugging. “A while.”

“How bad do you want it right now?”, he asked.

“Very bad.”

He easily grabbed the hem of his shirt, pulling it up and off of you, leaving you completely exposed. You felt the chills climb all over your body. 

“Just fuckin’ look at you.”, he groaned easily. 

“Are you gonna put it in me?”, you asked hazily with a love drunk smile.

He nodded, clearly feeling his buzz from both the impending sex and alcohol. He steadied himself, beginning to brush himself against your entrance, teasing you. Your breathing hitched, looking into his deep brown eyes. 

“Tell me what you want.”, he whispered easily barely audible. 

“I want you to fuck me, please.”, you eyed him, whispering back.

He leaned down, you both sharing another passionate kiss. Your hands moved to his head, running your hand through his curls. 

He moaned into your kiss as you felt him line himself up against your wet pussy.

“Guide me in.”, he whispered, breaking the kiss. 

You wasted no time in answering his request. You reached down inbetween you both, grabbing his rock hard cock. You felt him pulse in your hands as your guided him to your entrance. You let go before he began easing himself into you, causing you to grip the bedsheets easily. He was much thicker than you had imagined or expected. You gasped as he finished shoving himself inside. At least even when you were drunk off your ass, you didn’t have to worry about popping a birth control pill. This was the very reason you went to the shot. 

“God, you feel so good.”, he groaned as he began working in and out of you, his pace smooth and steady. 

He was so good at this. God, was he so good at this. He looked down at you, desire burning deep in his brown eyes as he watched you take all of him. It was just the boost of confidence he needed during this time. 

“Do I?”, you smirked groggily. 

He nodded. “Yes, I want you to cum all over my cock.”

Your stomach twisted into a thick knot at his words, causing you to close your eyes, exhaling deeply. He could tell he was easing you right on near an orgasm. He smirked as he continued to thrust into you, each one hitting just the right spot. You gulped down a moan as he ran his free hand that he wasn’t using to steady himself through your hair. He took a fistful of it, twisting it easily causing you to mewl under his touch. 

“Tom.”, you moaned easily.

“Hmmm?”, he hummed, satisfied at how you were faltering under his touch. 

“I’m getting close…..”, you trailed off easily. 

You were close—so close. You didn’t want to admit how quickly your orgasm was going to wash over you under his touch. Your subconscious knew how much you had wanted this—how much you had craved this with him. Now, it was happening. It probably would have been a little better sober but you needed Tom and he needed you. 

“Cum for me, love. Cum all over my fuckin’ cock—right now.”, he groaned, his thrust going deeper if that was even possible. 

You hiccuped a moan with each of his thrusts, realizing you were about to loose your uphill battle. Holding it back was becoming damn near impossible. No other man you had slept with had this effect on you. He had you down for him so badly. He just didn’t know it. Your eyes began closing, your breathing hitching. Tom smirked at the sight, recognizing your impending orgasm was sure to follow. His job was almost done, almost accomplished. 

That’s when your back arched against his mattress the last inkling that your orgasm was coming hard and fast.

“Tom.”, you breathed shakily. 

“Yes?”

“I’m gonna—gonna cu—cum like right now.”, you hiccuped easily.

He smirked, this was the moment he had been waiting for. “Cum for me.”

His words instantly sent you over the edge. You gripped his shoulders, needing something to sink your fingertips into. You moaned out, feeling your release wash over your entire body. You felt your muscles tighten around his cock causing him to close his eyes and his breathing to hitch. It was obvious he wouldn’t be far behind you. Your head felt dizzy and began slightly throbbing from the rush of your high—or maybe the alcohol. You weren’t sure. 

Your chest was heaving, trying to catch your breath and recover. Each time he continued to fuck himself into you, it felt so much more intense. Between hazy eyes, you continued to watch him as he fucked himself into you, his thrusts becoming more sloppy. 

“Are you ready for me to cum?”, he grunted through breaths.

You nodded groggily.

That was all it took for him. He fucked himself into one last time, hitting the spot that made you forget your name. His thrusts ceased, his hips stuttering. His chest was heaving as he felt his cock pumping his cum deep inside of you. You both stared at each other groggily before both your lips twisted into a smile. Once was satisfied he was finished cumming, he slid himself out of you causing you to whimper at the loss of contact. God, did you look spent and it was all thanks to him. 

He pulled the comforter on top of you all, you both laying in bed, trying to make some sense out of what just happened. He smiled over at you. 

“God, that was fuckin’ amazing, Y/N.”

“It was.”, you agreed.

You both leaned in for another kiss before he took you in his arms, just like he always did. Only this time—it was different. It didn’t take long for you both to give into your exhaustion and slip into a stupor from the alcohol consumption. Rain began to fall harder outside, but you both were oblivious as you had created your own storm.

___________________________________________________________________________

The sun was shining through the window, a surprise this time of year in Cornwall. You began to blink your eyes open, feeling your head pounding. You opened your eyes in a panic. You felt just the soft satin material of the comforter against your bare skin. You had no clothes on. Panic immediately rose in your chest as you dared to look beside of you.

There was Tom, his arm still lazily wrapped around your waist. 

“Shit, shit, shit.”, you began to mutter.

You had slept with your best friend while you were drunk. The damage was done. This is not how you intended to tell Tom about your feelings for him.  A nauseating feeling rose in your stomach and you were unsure if it was your nerves or the hangover you had. 

Tom’s eyes fluttered open. He removed his hand from your waist, bring them to his eyes and rubbing them as if it would help him wake up. 

“Y/N?”, he asked easily.

Your eyes shot over to him. He still wasn’t fully conscious in that moment. But it didn’t take long for him to become fully aware of the situation.

“Shit.”, he responded, sitting straight in the bed. “Did we sleep together?”

You sighed. “I think so.”

“Fuck.”, he groaned, rubbing his head.

Your heart sank, realizing this was probably a mistake. He acted like he wasn’t exactly happy this had occurred between you both. 

“I’m sorry.”, you began, feeling a pain in your chest. Your heart physically hurt while you apologized to him.

“How did we? Why did we?”, he began asking.

“I don’t know.”, you answered, meekly. “I think we were drunk.”

Tom groaned. “This was a mistake.”

“A mistake?”, you choked out, repeating his words.

“It can’t happen again. We’re best friends.”, he looked at you, visibly bothered. 

He did think this was a mistake. Your heart sank and it was taking everything in you not to break down. 

“I mean I’m not over Ruth and now I’ve fucked my best friend…..”

He trailed off, clearly in a daze. He was trying to accept the consequences of his actions. 

You scoffed slightly, him oblivious to it. 

You got up from the bed, wrapping the bedsheet around you. You were silent as you went to the bathroom, grabbing your clothes. Tears were burning your eyes as you choked them back. You couldn’t let him see you cry. You wouldn’t let him see you cry. You slid your clothes on, dropping the sheet on his bathroom floor. You didn’t speak to him as you walked back into his bedroom, the only path to the living room. 

“Y/N, we need to talk.”, he said easily, following you.

He was now dressed in pajama pants.

“Just forget it, Tom.”, you sighed as you grabbed your jacket.

“Where are you going?”, he asked.

“Home. Since I’m such a fuckin’ mistake.”

You slid your jacket on, not looking at him.

“Y/N, I didn’t mean it like that—I’m just shocked.”

You rolled your eyes. “How else did you mean it? Look, I am so fuckin’ sorry about this. Believe me, if I could take it back, I would.”

Tom eyed you, clearly becoming exasperated. “Please don’t leave me, Y/N.”

Your heart was breaking in two, listening to him plead with you. But you knew you had fucked up and made a huge mistake. Probably just ruined your friendship with Tom. One of the only people who truly understood you. 

You looked back at him, no response escaping your lips. You had never felt more empty in your entire life. 

You gulped down the tears threatening to fall from your eyes, turning away from him and grabbing the door knob. You took a deep breath, somehow mustering the courage up to walk out the door. It was the hardest thing you’d ever done. 

“So now you’re just going to fuckin’ walk away too?!”, he yelled, tears in his voice.

A tear slid down your cheek as you walked away from Tom Grant, the only man you ever loved.