#getting to reconnect with an old buddy by chance has been nice too. it was so funny we just HAD messages on discord already

[butchpeabody]

man coming back to tome as like. an interest has been so nice for me actually. forgot how much all these guys mean to me

[dontcallmecarrie]

Ohhh I’d love to see the Doom POV!!! Justin X Doom has my vote

Loki would be cute too, much drama with the avengers

Honestly? This snippet mostly summed up my take on Victor von Doom in this AU, and I'm not sure how in-character he is considering my main reference base for him is the 2005-7 movies and a handful of comic book panels.

Apologies for any inaccuracies, I'm playing very fast and loose with how I would have made him fit in the MCU. Plus this AU's turning out a lot, lot fluffier than I'd originally expected, too, considering the original premise was supposed to just be 'SI-OC as a villain protagonist, let's see where it goes!' and not much else.

.

Okay, so if we're talking about potential crushes, then it's obviously very one-sided at first [because Justin's brand of obliviousness has him younger-sibling-zoning anyone remotely his age for the longest time].

After all, these two met in boarding school, and were only physically reunited years later but if we're exploring how this ship would work, here's how I think it'd go:

Victor von Doom didn't think much of his study buddy, at first.

Because at first, he just wanted a quiet place to read, and most other children his age were rowdy and kept trying to get him to play with them, or tried to pick childish fights over nothing, and he had no patience for anything of the sort because he was here, at boarding school instead of with his family, and he'd heard the whispers of growing tensions and he knew they'd sent him away for his own safety but that didn't mean he had to like it.

So he mostly kept his nose in a book, and focused on his studies, and just generally tried not to think too much about what was going on in his home country.

If that meant he was a bit more snappish than the average child, he didn't particularly find it in him to care. Sure, this place was lauded as where the social elites sent their spawn to network from an early age, so what?

...as such, he didn't expect to make any friends.

But he did, starting from the moment they wordlessly agreed to share the alcove because there weren't many other quiet places to study for the upcoming exams.

From there, what Victor would have expected to be a one-off turns into a strange sort of routine as they meet up week after week from then on, giving each other a brisk nod as they pull out their books and set to work.

It's...surprisingly nice, having someone to study with. Victor's not certain how old his companion is, but he's quiet and hardworking and generally less draining to be around than most children their age.

Their first conversation is several months after they've first met, when Victor didn't notice he'd forgotten to grab a pencil for his worksheets and his...schoolmate[?] lends him a spare.

From then on out, their friendship is something gradual, something comfortable. Victor's companion respects boundaries in ways he hasn't really seen outside of his family— is sensitive enough to his moods that he knows when to change the subject, and when Victor's struggling to articulate his feelings and just needs time to do so.

...it's one of, if not the thing Victor misses most, when he gets pulled out of boarding school.

Because after that, things only go downhill from there.

.

Latveria's civil war was... bloody, let's just leave it at that.

Brutal, with a laundry list of factions and alliances that were forged and broken from one breath to another and Victor hadn't set out to be the leader of his faction— but it wasn't like he had any other choice.

He was one of the last surviving members of his family, if there was any hope that his country would be anything other than a fragmented mess then he had to step up.

Even if that meant a teenager was the face of one of the most eminent factions of this damn war, someone nobody really took seriously, and if Victor hadn't had years of seeing his oldest friend's charisma at work then he honestly has no clue how he would've managed to get as far as he had.

And then things escalated even more, and Victor honestly hadn't expected to live to see the end of the fighting, let alone what came after.

One of his advisors was the one to suggest making one last attempt at buying their weapons through a vaguely legitimate source; nobody with any sense was selling to their region, but the black market favored some of their biggest rivals and things were getting desperate enough that Victor signed off on it.

It was a long shot, and they all knew it.

...as such, that first shipment of Hammer Industries weapons took them all by surprise.

.

Victor had never set out to become the new leader of Latveria.

But here he was now, loved and feared and reviled around the world and he doesn't know where to go from here, but... the fact that he's alive to even be able to think about a future after the war was an incredible boon as it was.

Now that he is where he is, he can afford to think about more than just surviving from one day to another, and apart from working on rebuilding Latveria, he's also got some personal projects going on.

Such as finding out who came through at the eleventh hour, because now that he has the time and space to look a gift unicorn in the mouth he's realizing just how many laws must have been broken for those first few shipments to have gotten there.

The paper trail is a dead end, but once Victor starts poking around it should be so, very easy for him to get answers.

After all, Victor was a warlord-now-technically-dictator with access to black-ops personnel and honest-to-goodness death squads, getting intel on what he wanted should not be this hard. Sure, Hammer Industries had good information security, but... apparently, Hammer Senior wasn't the type to get involved in this sort of mess, which meant Victor had no idea who was responsible and he wanted answers—

In the end, one picture is all it takes.

Actually— when he'd first seen the picture, Victor had been in the middle of a meeting with some of his most trusted advisors and generals.

...suffice it is to say, nothing productive got achieved after he recognized the face of the heir of Hammer Industries, once he realized he'd never actually gotten his childhood friend's full name.

The less said about his reaction to the picture, the better, too: Victor's advisors had seen him at his best and at his worst, why they'd freaked out so much was anyone's guess.

So what if he'd kept it, after the meeting was over? Those looks were uncalled for!

.

Victor owes Justin more than he can name— so when there's a ghost of a chance to reconnect, he takes it.

.

Regrets were had.

Everyone at the UN summit looked at him, and he gritted his teeth as he faced off against seasoned politicians twice and thrice his age and he knew what they were expecting, knew they called him a dictator where his country called him a hero and neither of them wanted him here but Latveria had to re-enter the international sphere somehow so they were stuck with him.

Until Zemo got his act together and finished that international relations course, at least. Oh, and got out of the habit of shooting his problems, that too.

Victor had managed to get them diplomatic immunity, but that'd be a hard sell.

...it's funny. Latveria's civil war was over, but... he found himself at odds as to where to go from here.

.

It's funny, how the more things change, the more they really, really don't.

Victor had been a quiet and antisocial bastard back in boarding school, surviving a civil war hadn't exactly done much for his temperament either.

Or his social skills, for that matter.

And just like always, Justin's mere presence was weaponized sunshine.

...Victor never stood a chance.

[rambling-at-midnight]

Ten Years

Request: could I request a Five x Reader, where Reader has a child (the same age as Claire?) and Five comes back from the future to see that, and at first Five thinks she’s found someone else and gets jealous and Reader notices because of how he acts, and then he realises that the Reader and her partner have split up plzzz

I sorta messed up the timeline a bit—in this story, Five jumps to the future and gets stuck when he’s sixteen.

Y/D/N: Your daughter’s name

Pairing: Five x Reader

All the mirrors Five has seen have been smashed or even melted. Save for the reflections he occasionally sees in puddles, he has no idea what he looks like. He knows he looks different; he’s gotten a lot taller, his facial hair is scruffier, and his body leaner, muscles more defined, but he doesn’t really remember what color his eyes are. And what color would his skin be if it wasn’t so caked with dirt and burnt by the relentless, pounding sun? Is his hair really that light, or is that just the dust and bleach from constant sun exposure?

It’s been ten years since he jumped to the future and each day feels like torture. No one to talk to, nothing to do except wander around, looking for food and a fellow survivor, no matter how unlikely the prospect of the latter is. Surely whatever killed the entirety of the human race couldn’t have killed them all; he can’t think of anything that could wipe people out like this.

A sickness, yes, but there would have been quarantines and settlements of people not contaminated. Unless there are people in Africa or another continent that are still alive, sickness is out. Besides, sickness wouldn’t be able to destroy everything and everything, unless everyone goes crazy with it. But even if it is a sickness that makes people go crazy, there has to be a few people that are still suffering from it. If Five got here on the day the apocalypse began, he should have seen people dying from the sickness, but nobody is here.

So sickness is out. Next is natural disaster.

That one seems the most likely. Towers and buildings have toppled, some looking almost scorched. That indicates a wildfire.

A crazy thought occurs to him and a wild laugh bubbles out of his mouth, but he doesn’t care; nobody’s here to judge him for it. Maybe everyone’s left and gone to Mars. That would explain the utter lack of people.

To be honest, he doesn’t even really care anymore. He’s almost given up on ever getting back to his time and stopping the apocalypse.

The only thing that keeps him going is you, Y/N Y/L/N.

You weren’t one of the 43 children, but you lived close to the academy and attended the same secondary school as them. You also worked at Griddy’s, which meant the kids saw you often. To be honest, nobody expected you to get along with any of them except maybe Ben and Vanya.

You were aware of their powers and maybe a little intimidated by them, which meant you were always on your guard around Allison. You never talked much to Luther; you two didn’t have similar interests. Klaus you held in slight contempt, as Five did himself, truthfully; he may be silly but you have little patience, and one requires a lot of that in order to deal with Klaus. You and Diego seemed to respect each other but never found a reason to speak.

You and Ben were reading buddies. You both enjoyed fiction tales and would often talk about them at the lunch table. Vanya you always treated with kindness and respect. You felt a little bad for her, especially because she was so nice.

Five was the one you got along with the best, and everyone had actually expected you to get along with him the worst. You can stick up for yourself but you’re generally soft-spoken and non-confrontational. Nobody expected you to actively want to hang out with the confrontational and sometimes downright cruel Five, but you snicker when he dresses someone down in public, and he was protective of you to the point of people being scared to even look at you wrong for fear of Five hurting them.

You’re also brilliant. You’re above average at school (but not as above-average as Five is, because Five is pretty much Albert Einstein reincarnated). Where he excelled at science and math, you countered with your English, foreign language, and, most importantly, street smarts.

Only Five knows about your screaming household. It’s why you’re so quiet; as long as you don’t draw attention to yourself you’re generally left alone. It’s also the reason you’ve got a vindictive streak a mile wide; after so long of being wronged, who wouldn’t? It’s just perfect Five was just the person to actually carry out the dark thoughts.

You’d made him smile. You knew his coffee order and had it ready for him every time he walked into Griddy’s, and he saved you from the asshole customers you couldn’t tell off. You weren’t his first kiss, but you were the first person that made the cliché butterflies flutter in his stomach. Apart from Vanya, you were the only person he ever wanted to defend. He was almost going to tell that he loved you. The thought had crossed his mind, but he hadn’t gotten around to it before leaving.

Five wasn’t your first crush, but he was your first kiss. He was the first person you ever held hands with. He’s the only person you’ve ever fallen asleep while cuddling with.

Then, almost exactly ten years ago today, Five had been so fed up with Reginald telling him that he couldn’t do this, couldn’t do that, that Five snapped. He jumped to the next winter, and then he jumped to the spring after that.

He tried to jump to the summer after that spring, but he slipped and staggered while jumping, and he ended up fourteen years later in a future no one would have seen coming.

The worst thing wasn’t that he couldn’t get back. The worst thing wasn’t that a lot of people were dead. The worst thing was that Five’s family, and especially you, were dead. He hadn’t recognized his siblings except for the umbrella tattoos on their wrists, but you’d been unmistakable, even fourteen years after the last time Five saw you. Your hair was shorter and your jawline slightly sharper, but your eyes—terrible, open, unseeing eyes that Five still sees when he’s asleep—were the same, and so was the little freckle on your right eyelid that Five loves.

You’d been beautiful, but you’d been dead.

Five had screamed, he’d cried, he’d tried to force himself to jump, but nothing worked. His voice echoed and no birds were startled by it, no one came to check on the screaming, grieving boy, no deer raced for the hills. He was utterly stuck. He is utterly stuck.

The worst thing about his predicament isn’t that he’s wasted ten years of his life in a wasteland. It isn’t that Five might be stuck here forever. It isn’t that he hasn’t heard a single voice apart from his in ten years.

It’s that, even if he gets back, everyone still dies. You still die.

And he can’t even get back, anyway.

Or so he thought.

On the 3,748 day of being stuck in the apocalypse, Five was able to jump. If he was more driven by emotion, he would have stopped, he would have marveled, he would have exclaimed and maybe even missed his chance. He’d been dreaming of this moment for a full decade, so he doesn’t even hesitate; he knows exactly where to go.

2015. Sometime in 2015. That means he’ll be the same age as you and the rest of his siblings.

Sound, glorious sound, assaults his ears the moment he lands, and it’s both terrible and great at the same time. It’s a relief to have something to listen to, after so long of listening to only his voice grow deeper and hoarser from all the dust in the air, and a shock to his ears.

Five lands on the hard stone courtyard of the academy. He’s greeted by Grace, Pogo, and Reginald, all with matching serious looks on their faces. They all look the exact same as they’d looked when he left, all for various reasons (Grace is a robot, Hargreeves is so old Five can’t notice him aging more, and Pogo is a monkey).

“Number Five,” is all Reginald says. He’s not surprised to see him. The old man never lets anything surprise him nowadays, but you’d think being missing for 10 years could dampen someone’s expectations that someone else will return. “How old are you now, exactly?” Down to business already. How does he know that Five could be any age instead of the one he should be? He knew Five was trying to time travel, but he doesn’t know if he actually accomplished it. As far as Hargreeves knew, Five could have simply ran away and joined the circus.

Five doesn’t bother to dignify him with a response. He turns on his heel and jumps. He’d found the book Vanya had written during his time in the apocalypse, and it had mentioned her address.

He goes there.

You’re chatting with Allison happily while Claire and Y/D/N run around on the playground. Thank goodness they get along; you’re thankful for that every day. After Five left, you and Allison became closer, to the point where you don’t know how you’d be able to survive without her. She’s so much more suave than you, and she’s helped you a lot. You’ve helped her, in turn, reconnect a bit with Vanya.

Allison was the first person you went to, still with tear tracks on your face, after learning that Five had disappeared. You’d demanded that she rumor you and say that Five never ran away, and she had, but then you’d only thought Five hadn’t run away. It hadn’t brought him back. Allison un-rumored you, explained to you, and tried not to feel too awkward when your tears began anew. It was the beginning of a close friendship.

Now you’re a screenwriter, a pretty successful one, too, and all but one of your five movies Allison has either starred in or had a large role in. You even add Vanya’s music into the soundtrack. It’s a pretty sweet compromise. After all, in a family filled with boys, don’t the girls have to stick together?

“Patrick’s been trying to get custody of Claire, but his claims that I’ve rumored her are crazy!” Allison exclaims. “Thank god the judge sees that. I mean, god, I’ve been tempted, and that’s when I always call you, you know, but still. I’m just so glad that I haven’t. It would be terrible to be apart from your child, you know?”

“I know,” you say softly, watching Y/D/N run around on the playground. Truth be told, you hadn’t wanted kids. They hadn’t been part of your life’s plan. You’d been worried, too, that you’d turn into your mother. You never want to be anything like that raving lunatic.

You’re grateful for Y/D/N, though. You’ll never tell anyone that Allison had to convince you (thankfully without rumoring you) to keep her. The both of you have agreed to carry the secret to your separate graves. She was an easy baby, thankfully, and a sweet and easygoing child. You don’t want her to feel like she’s unwanted.

God, though, after Five left, you were messed up. You’d really loved him. You just couldn’t understand why he would leave without a word—you still can’t. There’s not a day that goes by where you don’t think of him—is he okay? Where did he go? Why didn’t he say a word to you?

It’s weird. You alternate between worrying about him in a mothering sort of way—you’ll always remember Five as the closed-off teenager that just needed someone to hold his hand and love him unconditionally, and the mother in you comes out—and worrying about him in the way you would your lover. You’ve tried to imagine him as twenty-five years old and you can’t.

At first, life without Five was hell. There was the constant worrying about him, and then your home situation got way worse. There was no one to protect you from bullies at school—Vanya and Ben were too quiet to stand up to anyone, and you were too nervous and ashamed to ask Diego or Luther for help.

You were still messed up when you’d met Y/D/N’s father. He reminded you of Five but he wasn’t smart enough. He didn’t style his hair the same way, and his eyes weren’t the same precise shade of green.

It only lasted a little bit, but that little while was enough. He was long gone before you even knew you were pregnant.

God, you barely even remember his name. What was it… Max? Rick? You’ve no idea.

Your phone rings, cutting Allison off, and you shrug at her. “Sorry, give me a sec.” It’s Vanya that’s calling. “Hey, Vanya,” you say, letting Allison know who it is. “What’s up?”

“There is someone in my apartment,” she whispers. “Where are you?”

“Oh, my God,” you reply, standing up. “I’m—we’re on our way! I’m only about five minutes from you if I run.”

“Thank you,” she whispers, and you can hear in her voice that she’s about to cry.

“Hey, call 911,” you instruct. “Allison and I will be right over.” You may not be superpowered, but you do know how to fight. Diego had insisted when you’d become closer to the family over the years. He even gave you a knife for your 18th birthday. You sneakily take said knife out of your pocket and hide it in your palm. You’ll not hesitate to stab someone if it comes to that.

“What’s going on?” Allison asks with concern. “Y/N?”

“There is someone in Vanya’s apartment,” you reply.

“Oh, my God.” Allison looks around frantically. She grabs the arm of an old lady walking past. “I heard a rumor,” she says quickly, “that you brought our children back to the Umbrella Academy safely and then left and forgot all about this conversation.”

“Y/D/N!” You yell, waving her over. “Claire!”

“Come on, girls,” the old lady says kindly.

“She’s going to take you back to Uncle Luther,” you whisper to the girls. “Me and Aunt Allison have to go see Aunt Vanya, all right?”

“Bye, Mommy!” Y/D/N says cheerfully. She takes the old lady’s hand and they walk away.

“Nice thinking,” you mutter to Allison, barely waiting to see them start walking before breaking into a run yourself.

“Well, powers can be useful at times. As long as I’m not hurting anyone. Besides, it’s urgent,” she says back between pants.

You don’t even want to think about what might happen to Vanya if the intruder finds her. Are they violent? Are they looking for money? Together, you and Allison might be able to get them out, but you don’t want to risk them hurting Vanya when you’re not there.

You almost step on Mr. Puddles, who’s escaped again, when you make it to Vanya’s floor of the apartment building. You can’t hear any loud sounds coming from her apartment, which could be good or bad.

Allison holds one finger to her lips and pulls her key out of her pocket. You wince when the lock creaks as she turns it and prepare yourself to get attacked, shot, or worse.

Allison manages to open the door slightly without making a sound. You peer around it. The person in Vanya’s apartment doesn’t seem to be stealing anything. It’s a he, you’re pretty sure, and he just seems to be looking around.

Allison counts down from three on her fingers. You kick the door open and lunge at the intruder, ready to hold your knife to his throat. Allison’s already trying to rumor him, but he does something neither of you would have expected. It makes you drop the knife in your hands and it stops the words in Allison’s mouth.

The man spacial jumps, complete with the blue light and everything.

Vanya peeks out from around the corner, completely bewildered when she sees all three adults just staring at each other.

You take in the man’s appearance. He’s dirty like he hasn’t taken a shower in weeks or maybe even months. His clothes are torn. His jaw is sharp but messily shaven and his eyes have bags under them like he hasn’t slept for days. He has the tattoo of an umbrella on his wrist.

You suck in a choked breath. It can’t be.

“Tell me it again,” Luther demands.

Five rolls his eyes. “I’ve already told you three times, dumbass. I traveled to the future, got stuck for ten years, and traveled back. That’s it.” He’s bouncing his knee so aggressively he’s shaking the entire table. His stomach rumbles, making Diego flinch, but nobody else moves. It’s too much for everyone to take in, so they just stare at Five.

Five’s eyes are glued to the one person he’s been most excited to see.

You won’t meet his gaze.

“Where in the future did you go?” Klaus asks.

“2019.”

Diego whistles. “Wow.”

“Impressive until you remember you couldn’t travel back,” Reginald says from the back of the room, as always sounding like he thinks of himself as a king, and you stand up abruptly. You can’t stand him, but you also can’t pick a fight with him—he is your friends’ father, after all. You try to avoid him as much as possible. You won’t stand for him insulting Five like that, even if you were thinking the same thing.

“I have to go,” you mutter, standing up. Allison squeezes your hand for a brief moment, smiling at you, but you don’t return the gesture.

Five jerks in his chair, but Allison pins him down with a glare. She knows better than anyone how much his disappearance messed you up, and he thinks he can waltz right back in here?

Well, he can. Allison knows that beneath your overwhelmed exterior, you are bursting with excitement. She hates Five a little bit, for that; the way he captured you and abandoned you, the way you could never let him go, and how you’re going to take him back when he very well might leave again.

“Miss Y/D/N is with Grace in the drawing area,” Pogo speaks up.

Five frowns with confusion. Y/D/N? Who’s that?

“Thanks,” you mutter and hightail it out of the room. This is too much. It’s so much.

Five’s stomach rumbles again and Vanya finally turns around. She grabs bread, peanut butter, and marshmallows and starts to make him a sandwich, and Five just might cry. It’s been so long since he’s seen his favorite sister, and it’s been so long since he’s been in a house that’s not even remotely demolished, and it’s been so long since he’s eaten something that isn’t from a can.

He smiles at her without teeth when she hands it to him and mutters “Thanks”.

“Why were you stuck?” Luther asks without prompt.

“If I knew, I would have gotten unstuck a whole lot earlier,” Five hisses, but the effect is slightly ruined when he takes a big bite out of the sandwich.

It’s going to be a long day.

He’s waiting for you when you get home from Y/D/N’s dance lessons. You walk into the house and jump when you see him there, browsing through the family photos like he hadn’t just broke into your house. Your daughter follows you in and screams.

“Mommy, there’s someone in our house!”

“I know, honey,” you say soothingly. “That’s just Five. Do you remember all the stories I told you about Five?”

“You’re Five?” Y/D/N asks, staring at him with undisguised curiosity. “Where have you been?”

“I went to the future,” Five replies, staring at her with a look you can’t quite read on his face. You’re nervous; what will he think about Y/D/N? What will she think about him? “I just got back today.”

In your most secret fantasies, you’ve dreampt about him coming back and being like a father to Y/D/N. You remember, though, his disdain for children when you were younger. You’d shared the disdain, truly, and though you’ve changed, you don’t know how much he’s changed.

“The future?” Y/D/N’s face screws up with confusion. “You can do that?”

“Y/D/N, Five is special just like Aunt Allison and Uncle Luther—”

“And Uncle Diego!” she adds. She really, really loves Diego, and it might have something to do with the way you’ve caught him multiple times trying to teach her how to throw knives. “You know, you should be my daddy,” she continues, and you choke.

“Y/D/N!” you exclaim, coloring. To his credit, Five only blinks at her. You get the feeling he’s more curious about her than he is put-off or annoyed.

When his gaze transfers to you, however, it changes. His eyes narrow and you see the way they zero in on your left hand and the lack of a ring on your finger. “Yeah? And what happened to your daddy?”

“He left, just like you,” Y/D/N says, and Five flinches.

“I think that’s enough, honey,” you say softly. “It’s time for bed, yeah?”

“Mommy, is Five gonna be my daddy?” she asks while you carry her upstairs. It takes her a little bit longer to go to bed than usual because she’s so excited about the newcomer in your house, but when you come down the stairs Five is still milling around the living room, the ultimate missing puzzle piece. Except the puzzle he’s missing from is your past, and now that he’s been forced into the future it all doesn’t look quite right.

“You have a daughter,” he says immediately and unnecessarily.

“Obviously.” You cross your arms and chew on your lip. There’s an unspoken tension between you two that you almost don’t want to confront.

It never used to be awkward to talk to Five.

“And I’ll take it her father is… out of the picture?”

“Why, are you jealous?” you tease. It just slips out. You haven’t been able to tease Five for so long.

Ten goddamn years.

“I mean…” He looks away from you and shrugs. “I guess I don’t really have any right to be, but…”

“What was the future like?” you ask, genuinely curious.

He lets out a long breath. “Goddamn terrible. So lonely.” He hunches his shoulders and stares at the ground. You’ve never seen Five look so defeated. It kills you a little bit.

“I get that you’ve only been back for a little while—”

“Two hours,” he corrects.

“Two hours,” you concede, almost unable to keep yourself from smiling. “I get it if your feelings have changed. But Y/D/N was right. She does need a father figure.”

He looks up at you, a little incredulous that you’d just accept him back like that. “Seriously?”

“I mean, god, I’m going to kill you for leaving,” you say, shaking your head and laughing a little bit. “But I’m just so happy you’re okay, you know? And I missed you. Every day for ten years.”

Five wraps his arms around you, and if he’s crying you don’t ask why. You get the feeling he went through more than he’s letting on in the future, and you’ll be damned if you don’t get it out of him later, but right now you’re content to comfort him. God knows you need a hug. It seems like he needs one too.

Five years later, you and Allison go together to Leonard’s cabin to talk to Vanya. She tries to stop Allison from rumoring her, but you jump in front of her and it’s your throat Vanya slices instead. Allison calls Five, who’d been working out equations in your shared bedroom while watching Y/D/N, and he jumps to you immediately. He doesn’t even take Allison with him when he jumps back to the Academy, where Reginald watches all the processings with a stern eye. He’d never had to drink poison to get all the kids back together; you and Five did that all on your own.

He doesn’t leave your side the entire time you’re unconscious. Nobody tells Y/D/N about what’s going on and just say instead that you’ve gone on a vacation and drop her off at the park with a trusted friend.

Luther has to knock Five out at one point when nobody’s sure if he’s going to stick to the plan of trying to talk to Vanya. The way he’s vibrating with energy and won’t put down his favorite gun doesn’t give them a lot of hope.

He’s  the one to greet Vanya when she comes to the Academy just after waking up. Everyone else had left to try to find Vanya and also so Five could cool down so he wouldn’t try to kill Luther on sight.

“Is Y/N… is Y/N okay?” she asks timidly.

“She will be, thanks to Grace,” he says coldly.

“Can I… see her?”

“No!” Five snaps immediately. “God, no. First of all, she’s resting right now. Second of all, you need a good grip on your powers and your emotions before I let you see her.” He glares at Vanya, arms crossed and hackles raised. He doesn’t offer the comfort she so desperately needs, but then again, she knows she doesn’t deserve it.

The truth may hurt, but it’s better than being locked away, like Luther had threatened to do, so Vanya nods, tells Five she’ll be in her room, and leaves to feel guilty in private.

You can’t talk when you wake up.

“Ssh, don’t try to talk,” Five comforts, wiping your hair away from your face. “Do you know what happened?”

You nod, one hand going to your sore neck.

“She’s here but I can make her leave if you want,” Five explains calmly. “She wants to see you, but I told her I wouldn’t let that happen until she’s under control.”

You close your eyes and a tear leaks out from beneath your right eyelid.

“I—here.” Five hands you a pad of paper and a Sharpie. “There you go.”

When you ask if you’ll ever be able to talk again, Five’s at a loss.

April 1, 2019 passes and nothing happens. Reginald and Vanya have an explosive fight, of course, about him hiding her powers, but she does have to admit that her slicing your neck open not two days after learning about her powers don’t exactly help her case. Everyone, even Vanya, can see Reginald’s logic.

Doesn’t mean she likes it, but she understands.

When you first see Vanya, you hold Five’s hand so tightly he loses feeling in his fingers, and he glares at Vanya the whole time, waiting for the moment he needs to jump as far away from her as possible. He’s got mixed feelings about her; on the one hand, she couldn’t control her feelings and threw a temper tantrum so huge she nearly killed you, and on the other hand, it is pretty shitty that Reginald kept her powers a secret from her for so long.

He’s already lost you before. He’s not about to do it again.

I’m fine, you’d written to Vanya. I’m glad everyone’s okay. You’d given her a small smile but made no move to hug her.

It’s going to take a long time before any trust is built back up.

At least the world hasn’t ended.

You and Five don’t have enough children, but that’s okay. He probably would have gotten annoyed if there were too many running around. You and Y/D/N are enough.

Every now and then, he just stares at you. The memory of your dead body has faded, and now the memory of this new, older Y/N is fresh in his memory. Yes, you’ve changed; you have a child and you’re more forgiving now, but he’s also changed. He may not want a huge family, but he’ll fight like hell for the one he has now. His time in the apocalypse changed him in ways you’ll not even begin to understand, mostly because he won’t tell you that the apocalypse had ever been an option, but you do know that he had been lonely.

Thank goodness you somehow changed in the same ways so you could still fit into the puzzle together.

Different puzzle, different pieces, but you still click, and that’s all you need.

Umbrella Academy Taglist:

@fentanvl @deathswretch @lightningidiot @five-hg @iamsnek666@ameliatrh @ihatecheesyusernames @dora-the-grownup @emilyt0314 @idklol707

Five x Reader Taglist:

@statsvitenskap

Forever Taglist:

@lemirabitur @annymcervantes

I’m taking requests for Stranger Things, Umbrella Academy, Supernatural, and Marvel. Send in some!

Take a look at my prompt page if you need inspiration!

[bamon4bamily]

TVD 9x01 (part 2) Enjoy! =)

Cut to – Damon at the Grill, talking on his cell with Bonnie. In the background, the news report about people dropping unconscious.

DAMON: Bon-Bon, I got to tell you, things are really getting wacky around here. I know you are out there finding yourself, but I think you should consider coming home soon…

BONNIE: (Sarcastically) Ah, you miss me that much? How sweet!

DAMON: (With a smirk) I might, just a little bit. But, since I know you won’t come back for me, at least do it for the greater good…

BONNIE: Drama Queen!

DAMON: (Laughs) No Bon, but seriously, something is going on…

BONNIE: (Standing behind him) I know…

DAMON: (Turns around and is absolutely ecstatic to see her) Bonnie?

BONNIE: One and only…

DAMON: Ahrrr!!! (Hugs her as tight as he did when she came back from the prison world) I can’t believe you are here! I’ve missed you so much, you hocus-pocus, gone with the wind witchy-psychy!

BONNIE: Uff Damon, you are losing your touch, that’s officially the worst nickname ever!

DAMON: Well, that’s what happens when you leave your BFF behind to travel the world, Bon-Bon! I lost my inspiration, plus this human thing really doesn’t help either. Come here! (Hugs her again) I can’t believe I’m actually seeing and holding you in the flesh! (Looks up and down at her, she looks absolutely breathtaking) Wow, you… you look amazing Bon (gives her a smirk).

BONNIE: Thank you, Damon, you’re not looking bad yourself (smirks back).

DAMON:  So, tell me everything! Is it true that the Irish can out drink me?

BONNIE: (Soft laugh) Well, you already know the answer to that, and pretty much everything else about my world tour Damon; we practically talked every day…

DAMON: I know, but it’s different to hear it while I’m actually with you, I’m old fashioned that way. Now, tell me, in all honesty, did you really do that Bon?

BONNIE: O.K, fine! I’ll own up to it, yes, I did! I ate everything from snails to deep-fried scorpions, ant eggs, worms… you name it, I ate it, and I don’t regret any of it!

DAMON: (Disgusting face) No, no, no! You see what happens when you spend too much time away from me? That’s just disturbing Bon!  

BONNIE: Don’t knock it until you’ve tried it, Damon. It was actually quite yummy… well, some of it anyway.

DAMON: I think I can live with the doubt, Bon… But, kidding aside, you look incredible. I’m really happy you experienced the whole Eat, love, pray thing… and happier that you are finally back!

BONNIE: (Laughs, he clearly hasn’t seen the movie or read the book) Me too, this trip gave me perspective, you know? … But, let’s move on to you, how are you holding up?

DAMON: Uff, you just jumped right into that. At least let me get my favorite drinking buddy a bourbon first! (To a waiter) Tom, please get me two bourbons from my special reserve. Wait, who am I kidding? Just bring us the bottle. (They sit down at a table, Damon serves her a bourbon, they cheer).

DAMON: To a very long-awaited reunion…

BONNIE: I’ll drink to that! This is really good Damon (referring to the bourbon).

DAMON: Only the best for my bestie.

BONNIE: So, now that we have officially settled… tell me, how are you doing? I worry... you know?

DAMON: I won’t lie, it’s been hard Bon… and not having you here hasn’t made it any easier.

BONNIE: You know I’m here for you, cyber or in the flesh, you can always count on me.

DAMON: I know Bon-Bon, and you have no idea how grateful I am. You have my back, and I have yours, no matter what. I mean, I know we talked all the time, but it’s different, you know? Being in the same place, at the same time… it’s really nice….

BONNIE: I know, and for the record, it was hard for me too… not having my best friend by my side through this absolutely insane experience. You would have totally loved some of the places I visited Damon… Sometimes I would imagine exactly what you would say or do at certain situations, and I’m pretty sure I nailed it.

DAMON: Funny, I did exactly the same thing Bon, and I am 100% sure I nailed it, every single time (they laugh). But listen, before we jump into the inevitable subject, I need to know how you are doing, I know this experience opened a whole new perspective on who you are and what you can do… It can’t be easy not to be overwhelmed by it all. So, Bon, look straight into my eyes, so I know you are telling me the truth when you say you are fine.  

BONNIE: (Looks deep into his eyes) I’m fine Damon, really. Yes, it can be very overwhelming, sometimes terrifying. It’s a lot to handle, and so much responsibility. But I’m fine, I’ll be fine, I just take it one day at a time.

DAMON: Bon, seriously? You are one, if not the most, powerful being in the world, that has to be hard to process, let along control.

BONNIE: Seriously Damon, I’m fine. Like I said, one step at a time. So, no more deviating and let’s get to the point. How are you?

DAMON: I’m surprisingly good, I think. I mean, I had some low times, you know that, but I think that for the first time in my almost 200 years of life, I handled things the mature way. And, if I’m being honest, it had a lot to do with our friendship… You ground me, confront me, don’t take any of my crap, which is very annoying, but I love you for it. You are the only person I can openly talk to this about, or anything for that matter, the only one that really listens, the only one I can truly trust and know that won’t judge. If it weren’t for our friendship, I don’t think I would have ever found the courage to not only get through this but also grow from it.

BONNIE: Well, I guess we can scratch out “judgy” from the list (smirk)…

DAMON: The thing is Bon, I really thought I had everything I wanted, a human life with Elena. Me, the bad brother, the least viable choice, had finally gotten the girl. You’d think I would have been ecstatic, I’d been obsessed with it long enough, and I was, for a while. Yet, somehow, I couldn’t help but feel that something was wrong, that, once again, my selfish side prevailed. I couldn’t do that anymore… not to her, not to me, we don’t deserve that, she doesn’t deserve that.

BONNIE: No, she doesn’t, nor do you; you both deserve to be happy. Thing is, I can’t understand why it wasn’t with each other.

DAMON: You know why Bon-Bon, don’t make me say it.

BONNIE: Say what Damon? That it’s because you wish you were a vampire again? We all know that, and Elena would love you, either way.

DAMON: No, not that, I know she would. The fact that we were wrong for each other, as much as I hate to admit it, we were, and deep inside you know it too.

BONNIE: For the sake of honesty, I’ll agree that your relationship didn’t always bring out the best in you both. But Damon, it’s hard for me to wrap my fingers around this, you guys meant everything to each other.

DAMON: We did, we might still, in a different way. But, when loving each other means hurting each other, and anyone else who gets in the way, no matter how hard it is, choices need to be made; and we made a choice.

BONNIE: I have to admit Damon, wouldn’t have expected such selflessness from you, I’m proud.

DAMON: That warms my warm living heart, Bon-Bon!

BONNIE: O.K, I think I get the Elena thing; but tell me, why do you want to be a vampire again?

DAMON: Because all of this has made me realize that I am deader as a human than I ever was a vampire. How ironic and twisted is that?

BONNIE: Ironic, maybe, but not twisted. When we go through a transformation process our perspectives change, we realize things about ourselves we hadn’t before. It doesn’t mean it’s wrong or right, it just is. But we have to be strong and accept it, be honest with ourselves and others. Do right for what we truly believe is right. It’s not a question about being a vampire or a human, you are what you are in that department. You just need to find and reconnect with that Damon vamp side you feel you’ve lost. Look deep inside and you’ll find it, human or vampire, Damon is Damon, no matter the label.

DAMON: But that’s the thing Bon-Bon, turns out that between the supernatural and the human thing, labels do matter. You know that better than anyone. I mean, I can’t be fighting the front lines with this puny little body; granted it is still very fine by the way, don’t get me wrong (smirk), but I can’t get some real action! 

BONNIE: But you can Damon! Look at Matt and Alaric, Jeremy, they get plenty of action.

DAMON: Seriously Bon, I mean, really? Do you think that any of them would ever stand a chance against Count Damon and the almighty Bonnie the Salem witch?

BONNIE: (Referring to the nicknames) Uff, just keeps getting worse!

But don’t underestimate humanity Damon, if history has taught us anything, it’s that humans are as much capable of destruction as any supernatural is, sometimes, even worse. But I have to admit, if I could have Damon vamp back, the first thing I would be grateful for would be the nicknaming, human Damon really sucks at it! (They laugh).

DAMON: Always on point Bon-Bon, there is no bullshit with you; that’s why I hate to love you, and love to hate you!

TO BE CONTINUED...

[roxaeri]

hello! your akward family is the best. i wonder... will they ever go to grace? like i belive atreus would be realy curious to know how the rest of his family is? but here are kratos deimos and caliope going into protection mode. or maybe just go there in secret without telling the rest of the horrible family. idk... akward fam vacantion? caliope guiding atreus and aloy through the old ancient city parts. having fun. atreus plactesing more his greek. kratos and deimos building sandcastle?

((This isn’t going to go how you might have thought))(((Trigger Warning: Descriptions of PTSD symptoms. Brief explanations of memories. Correlating Health Issues.)))All Atreus ever knows about his living extended family in Greece is that even thinking about them is enough to put his dad and sister in a bad, closed off mood.But he is extremely curious. How could he not be?Mimir once told him that his aunt was super close to his dad, once upon a time, but that ended when she refused to walk away from their family when shit went down so long ago.Atreus is somewhere in his 20’s, maybe around mid-20’s, and is probably an established online entertainer. I mean, he’s been working this gig since he was 11. Over a decade of hard work.Maybe it’s a video project for a brand deal or something. Would probably be the younger half of DBPG.Atreus, Aloy, Trucy, Efi, and maybe the Brothers M&M for camera work.The idea is to reconnect them with a part of their lives they never really were part of.Like, for Aloy it’d probably be following her mom’s life before Aloy and Rost. Getting to know the people she knew and finding out more about this woman neither she nor her dad knew very well.Trucy–she’s Atreus’ manager but she is one of the public faces of DBPG. She has a half brother she’s never met and has barely spoken to.Efi hasn’t been back to her birth country since she left, but she keeps in regular constant contact with her friends and family there.M&M are there for camera work and translation help when they head north to where Atreus’ mom is from.So this big project has them traveling around discovering pieces of their lives that weren’t really there while they were growing up. A deeper look for their audience into their lives.Atreus is standing there on the island his mom was born on, taking it all in and fucking crying because he misses his mom. It’s getting close to two decades since she died. And he’s blubbering in Faroese, not hiding the fact that he’s a mess and that he’s been in pain and nauseous the whole trip.“I never had to hide this from my mom. And it’s not like I could lie to her. She just knew. She knew everything.”It’s getting towards the end of their stay on the island.“So, baby brother. Your thoughts?”“I’m entirely amazed. She was born here. It’s the first place where she spent her life before she explored the world. Before she settled back home. Before Dad. Before me. It’s easy to forget she had an entire lifetime before the life we had together.”“You’re telling me. I’ll never not be amazed by your parents’ stories. Or at least the ones I know.”“I’ve been entirely lucky with them.”“Alright. I was given this letter and instructed not to open it until today.”“Okay?”“I’m told it’s a surprise for you. Since you’re basically the main star of the show and our boss.”“Nah, Trucy’s our boss.”“Right? Anyways, let’s see what–”The shock on Aloy’s face before she shuts down her emotions has him worried. Everyone starts to worry when she signals for Magni and Modi to cut the cameras.“Aloy?”“I’m not reading this for a show.”And it takes a good while of arguing with the woman before she gives in, handing the letter to Atreus. The cameras are still rolling because even if they don’t show what happens next, their sponsors have to see why it could potentially be a horrible idea. Or it would be the most dramatic part of the series.“Atreus Loki Theodoros-Laufeyson. We would firstly like to thank you for nearly 16 years of dedicated entertainment, in sickness and in health. For all of the years we have followed along, it is obvious your wish to see the homeland of your Father and Sister. So our surprise for you is that we have booked you and company to visit Greece … As thanks for all your hard work.““You okay buddy?”“I just–I don’t know what to think.”Atreus spends their last day before they leave the next contemplating their sponsor’s offer. Magni stays with the main group, taking in the reactions.“How are you doing Aloy?”“I don’t like it. I want to be angry. Look at him. But it’s not my decision to make. Whatever he chooses, I’m there.”“So, got something against the country, or what?”Modi tries not to squirm in the uncomfortable silence as he has his camera trained on Atreus.“Whatcha thinking kid?”“I’m torn. I mean–it was offered as a gift. So I already feel bad about thinking of turning it down.”“Got a problem with the country?”“What? No! God no. I’ve wanted to go ever since I was a kid. This is the closest I’ve ever been to actually doing it.”“Then what’s stopping you? Your dad and your sister are from there.”“It’s just–it’s not my story to tell. Even if I knew that story, I wouldn’t talk about it. All I know both of them and Calliope’s mom swore to never go back. It’s kinda a learned thing for me to–avoid it. To stick to what I know about Greece. And what I know is it makes my family uncomfortable. Well, not really for uncle Deimos. He still goes back now and then.”It fuckin hits him them. Atreus needs to call Uncle Deimos.At this point Atreus is as fluent as he can be in Greek. His family has worked hard to get him to this point.“Uncle, I want to know your opinion on something. We’re recording, by the way, if that’s fine.”“Of course. And that is?”“How fucked up would it be for me to go to Greece?”He’s met with silence and that worries him. (And everyone who’s gathered nearby where they can hear him. (But they can’t understand a word of Greek themselves.))“… Is that where you’re supposed to go next?”“It’s a surprise offer. I have today to decide before we leave tomorrow. We’d be there about a week as well. But–well, you would know better than I do.”“That I do… . Listen Atreus. You’re an adult now. You can make decisions for yourself.”“I don’t want to upset–”“I know, Atreus. I know. I know better than you do about that. And as much as I love them, too, I still go. I never made the promise they did. I never lived their lives. If you can travel to where your mother was born, even with all the negatives in her life, why are you hesitating about going to Greece? What is the one thing your Father always tells you?”“‘Dammit Atreus, you need to sleep,’?”“–the next thing he always tells you.”“'You live your life for yourself. Not for me.’”“Does that help?”“Yeah. It does. But–you won’t tell them if I do it right? I’d rather not have radio silence if they find out. Which you know will happen.”“I won’t tell them. I’ll send you some suggestions on where to go.”“Thanks Uncle.”Atreus is all nerves. Jittery and bouncing and chewing hard on his lip. Atreus is a fuckin mess and when the hell are his meds going to kick in and finally work–its been a long ass flare up and while he’s held himself together pretty well, it’s made the entire project harder for everyone. But they couldn’t keep postponing it for his sake alone. And dammit he’s gonna be there for his friends.They spend the day they arrive resting and making plans for the next day, when they meet their guide who’s supposed to help Atreus with translating and knowing exactly where the places his uncle recommended are at.Atreus is in a balanced state of exhaustion and absolute excitement. He’s read up on Greece any chance he had without his dad knowing. Basically interrogating Mimir and Deimos when his dad wasn’t around to disapprove.“Hi. Atreus Theodoros-Laufeyson. Co-host of DBPG.”“Funnily enough, I know. My name is Athena Theodoros.”“… As in you know me from my work? Or you know me because you’re my aunt from my dad’s side?”“Oh fuck …““Your father is my brother, yes. I was contacted because I am your aunt and the fact that I work as a celebrity guide for all of Greece.”“As grateful as I am for meeting you and you coming out to meet us–I can’t in good conscious do anything else that would upset my family.”“I believed this might happen. I created this itinerary for you based on what you sent to me yesterday. Deimos always knew the best places. And thank you for making it possible to see how my brother is doing.”“Yeah, sure.”Atreus isn’t really sure what to make of the exchange (entirely in Greek), as he looks through the binder. It’s super high quality for being made in such a short time for an entire week.“My contact information is inside if any of you need my help as all.”Athena is nice and the vibe he gets from her tells him why she and his dad were close once. It’s the knowledge that she dropped all contact with his dad after what happened that makes him uneasy around her.Atreus spends the next few days in Greece enjoying his time, even as he struggles and is forced to sleep between destinations or even take a long break at a few.Even as everyone keeps a close eye on Atreus, Trucy and Efi keeping him between them, no one is prepared for when Atreus just fucking drops on the stairs.It’s a childhood nightmare revisited as Efi checks on him, Aloy beside them, unable to get a response. Trucy scrambles for Athena’s card for translation help because Magni and Modi can’t find a single person who speaks English well enough to give them the advice they need as they wait for an ambulance someone tells them they called in stilted English.But the time she has Athena on the phone, there’s more people who can walk them through it. A young woman–a fan that’s passing by–is the exact help they need as they plan to follow the ambulance and meet Athena at the hospital.It’s all over the internet, from fans that spotted them and followed their project quietly in Greece.Calliope can’t be mad that Atreus didn’t say anything about going there. She’s calm and collected as she talks to Aloy and the others. But she’s fucking terrified and on the verge of breaking as she calls her father.“Calliope–”“Call Aloy or Trucy. Atreus collapsed in Greece. I’m on the next flight out.”“I will be as well.”“Send me all the information I’ll need to know.”“I will.”The few hours it takes her to get there are too long. She breaks down on the plane, praying when she’s never prayed before. And it’s not to any god.“Faye, please–”Her anxiety is high and Lena doesn’t let go of her hand the entire flight. Calliope is sure she’d lose it even more if she did. The memories hard and hot and coming back too fast as they land. And she’s not sure which she would rather face: the memories, or the dread of what might be happening to her baby brother.But she doesn’t get a choice.Calliope faces both once she’s at the hospital and Aloy throws herself into her arms, with Athena shrinking away as she’s spotted.Athena isn’t what matters, or even if her grandfather or the family finds out they’re here.“Where is he?”“I don’t know,” Efi speaks up, the only one able to. “Athena said the doctor was waiting for you. Kratos said you would have Atreus’ entire health history.”“Mimir sent it while I was on the plane.”By the time she sees him, it’s obvious something is horribly wrong that they all missed.Atreus is pale–paler than when she last saw him. He’s bruised wherever he’s been handled–the worse in the areas of medical equipment. There’s also a dark bruise on his head where he hit the steps before any one could catch him.“… Calliope–”“You don’t deserve to be here. You don’t deserve to speak to him.”“I only want to help.”“Then leave! You didn’t help my father when Ares nearly killed him. You didn’t help when he set our house on fire trying to kill us! You stayed to work for the man who left us to his tender mercy. You, aunt Athena, don’t deserve to even know Atreus.”Magni’s heard enough, even if he only understands the sound of anger in the woman’s voice. The tears already falling from Calliope’s eyes. He sees how her entire body shakes, and the look on her face tells him that she’s not just seeing her brother in a hospital bed.Were it Modi, and their family, Magni wouldn’t hesitate to swing.He doesn’t say a thing to Athena before he herds her out of the room without touching her. He stays, silent, sure Atreus wouldn’t forgive him if Magni had let his sister suffer. He’s heard unedited footage of Atreus mentioning that Calliope refused to ever step foot in Greece again before he requested Aloy cut that out. The entire situation has to be absolute hell for her.“I almost died from smoke inhalation when I was eight. Both of my parents have burn scars.” He’s seen the ones on Kratos under the tattoos. “My father’s second wife died from cancer. He’s already almost lost Atreus once to childhood cancer.”“And now?”“–I-I’m scared we’re all going to lose him.”Calliope is on the edge of breaking, but holding Atreus hand keeps her together just a little bit more.“I swore I’d never come back. But if he dies, I swear I’ll be stuck here for the rest of my life.”“He won’t die. I’ve never met anyone with more fight in them than that kid.”“You don’t know that for sure.”“Neither do you.”He has to look away as Calliope rests her head on the bed, looking up at Atreus with teary eyes and a blank face, fingers running lightly along his bruised arm, kissing his fingers.“You have to stay, Atreus. Whatever’s wrong, we’ll fix it. I’m selfish. I can’t lose you when you’ve become such a large part of my life. I want to see you live out your dreams as I have. I want to still be apart of your journey. So please, be strong enough to make it through this.”In her scrambled thoughts, she sees her brother as he is, but also as the eleven year old who worked himself into a coughing fit the first time he saw her. The kid who cried the first time he saw her perform live on stage. She breaks, her body hollow and aching and burning and suffocating in more memories than the ones of actual fire.“Please Atreus. Please be okay. I need you.”

[harrycook]

27

June 12th 2018 was my 27th birthday.

Here are 27 things I feel like I have learnt about life so far:

1. Don’t Argue With Stupid People.

You get nowhere. It’s like playing scrabble with a dog, no matter how well you play, the dog will end up shitting on the board and walking away like he won anyway.

2. Eat The Damn Cake.

Yes I know that eating right and exercise is important for your health, but if you are in the vicinity of a cake or delicious bite of something, just eat it.

3. Working Is A Part Of Life, Not The Entirety Of Life.

Unless you adore what you do for a living and it is your pasison and life’s mission, take a deep breath and don’t take it all so seriously. At the end of the day, a job is to pay the bills and have pocket money to go and enjoy yourself when you’re not working. Unless you are genuinely passionate about your career, don’t sweat it. Don’t break your back worrying about a job that would replace you within a week if you dropped dead.

4. Don’t Take Anything Seriously, Seriously.

Unless you are performing open heart surgery or have the cure for cancer in your back pocket, lighten the fuck up. No matter what your job is, ask yourself if it will matter in 100 years? If not, giggle and let it go. The world won’t stop spinning if you miss a deadline or make a mistake. Breathe. It’s all good.

5. Ignorance Is A Choice.

Yes. It’s 2018. There is no excuse for ignorance or stupidity when we have more information on our phones than a public library. If you don’t understand something, research it. Pick up a book, scan the internet, question everything, especially the news. Be curious, ask questions and most of all, don’t be lazy. Educate yourself so the world can be full of kinder, more worldly individuals who know what they are talking about.

6. Throw Away Anything You Thought You Knew That Doesn’t Sit Well With Your Values.

We grow up in a society that feeds us garbage from the moment we enter the world. Boys are taught to be one way and girls are taught to be another. It’s a system that hasn’t changed in hundreds of years because society wants us to constantly keep within the mold. Screw that. Break the mold and let people be who they want to be. Go after a job you want, not what society wants for you. Travel, see the world, stop worrying about what everyone else is doing and go after the stuff that means something to you.

7. Laugh At Every Chance You Get.

Nothing beats a good belly laugh. Plus, it’s also extremely healthy. Laugh as often as you can. This goes straight back to the not taking anything seriously thing. Giggle more. It works wonders for the soul.

8. Get A Hobby.

The past year I have picked up the piano again (not literally 'picked it up', obviously, but started learning again), attempted to learn Spanish, set a goal of reading a book a fortnight (up to book 25) and started working out a minimum of three times a week. Each year older I start realising how quickly time goes and how many amazing things are at my disposal to learn or try.

9. Read The News, Then Read It Again, And Then Research Some More.

Don't take anything at face value. Just because the news tells you one thing, don't take it as gospel. These news shows are run by multibillionaire white men and corporations with agendas. Don't take it at face value. Look in to things. Read as much as you can and become your own private investigator for the truth. Just because a news show says something, doesn't make it fact.

10. Read More.

Nothing opens up the heart and mind more than a good book. The excuse of not having enough time to read doesn't cut it. Instead of watching an hour of Netflix, take an hour to open a good book. It's good for the soul. Trust me.

11. Get A Pet.

YASSSSSSS. Get a dog. Then get another dog. Then when you think you simply can't handle the amount of snuggles you are getting, get another dog!! In all seriousness, dogs are extremely good for your health. They reduce stress and anxiety, boost happiness and are wonderful snuggle buddies. Adopt don't shop! There are plenty of rescue animals in need of good homes.

12. Sometimes People Hurt You. It Sucks.

Yes. Sometimes the people you never in a bazillion years thought could hurt you, will hurt you terribly. I had an experience in recent years with extended family that completely shifted my entire outlook on people in general. Sadly, some of the people you think you know are far from what you think. It sucks, yes, but once you acknowledge it, it slowly stops hurting. You can move on with your life when you realise that sometimes a wake-up call is all you need to realise that you're better off without certain people in your life. And that's totally ok.

13. Log Off. Often.

The age of social media is WONDERFUL for so many reasons. Keeping in contact with people, viewing beautiful content, learning things with a click and the hours and hours of streamable content are all fantastic reasons to use social media. But on the flip side, it can also be an information overload and I highly advise switching off, taking a bath and leaving your phone somewhere away from you for a few hours. It can't be healthy getting a constant stream of negative news 24/7. So unplug. Those cute puppy pics will be there when you get back.

14. Exercise.

I know, I know, YUCK. Exercise isn't the most fun of activities, and I am the first to admit that whenever I heard someone say "but the endorphins are good for your happiness levels" I'd roll my eyes so far back in my head I could see my brain. But it's completely and utterly true. Just a 40 minute run 3 times a week has improved my mood ten fold. I've suffered with depression, anxiety and addiction for years, but exercise allows me to completely refresh and enjoy the day on a belly full of endorphins. Do it for the feeling you get, not to achieve some unattainable body. It works a treat. Trust me.

15. Napping Is AMAZING.

Yes. Napping is one of the best damn things to do. Nothing beats an afternoon nap. It refreshes you for the rest of the day and is a great way to reboot the system. Don't let people tell you otherwise. It's bloody fantastic.

16. Journal.

I've written a journal since I was ten years old and looking back on all the adventures, worries, achievements and memories throughout the years is something I cherish so incredibly much. Studies have shown that journalling is really healthy for the mind and soul. Grab a notebook and get doodling.

17. Take Photos.

If taking selfies is your thang, go for it. If taking pictures of trees, animals or the sunset gets you going, snap away. Taking photos is therapeutic for a number of reasons, but most of all it's a lovely way to document your life with things to look back on. Get snapping.

18. Never Think You Know It All.

It's easy to be arrogant when we are conditioned all our lives with things we are expected to believe. "Boys should do this", "girls should do that". But just because we've been taught it from a society that has never been challenged to think differently, doesn't make it right. Question everything. Stay curious. Look into things and don't dismiss stuff you know nothing about. Not only is it a really ugly personality trait, it gets you nowhere in life. Opening your mind and heart is a surefire way of experiencing life in all its' beauty.

19. Go After What You Want In Life.

Jim Carey did a graduation speech about his father who never went after his dreams because he wanted to do the ‘safe thing'. Have a 'stable' career that would provide for his family. From memory, his father failed and lost everything in his 'stable' career. The moral being that if you are going to fail at something, at least let it be something you love, because the fact is it is just as possible to fail at something you hate. Give it a go. Life is too short to not go after what you want.

20. Travel. Travel. Travel.

See the world. It'll show you that we humans are all the same. It replaces ignorance with knowledge and shows you how vast our planet is. Get out there.

21. Someone Who Is Nice To You But Not Nice To The Waiter Is Not A Nice Person.

I love this quote because it's so damn true. Don't be a dick to service people. Don't think you're better than anyone because you're not. End of story. Period.

22. Get Over Yourself.

Sort of a continuation of the above, this is just a reminder to get over yourself, have a giggle and realise that just because you have a fancy car, a nice suit or well manicured hands means absolutely sweet F.A. Being a good person, showing kindness, empathy and caring about the planet and human beings as a whole is what counts in my books. Just be a good person. It's that simple.

23. Tell Your Loved Ones You Love Them And Don’t Go To Bed Angry.

Pretty self explanatory this one, but all the same, something to remember constantly. Life is far too short to go to bed angry at someone. Throw away silly arguments and tell the people you care about how you feel.

24. Screw What People Think Of You.

I mean it. Who cares what someone else thinks of you? That's their stuff. How they perceive you and how they feel about you is none of your business. Water off a ducks' back. Let it go.

25. Try Not To Worry So Much.

I know. Easier said than done, but sometimes it helps to take a step back, take a deep breath in and ask a few key questions: Can I do anything to change the current situation? If yes, do it. If not, let it go. Breathe through it and remember all we ever have is right in this moment.

26. Meditate.

YASSSSSSSSS times a million. Meditating is one of the most powerful things I have ever learnt in my 27 years on this planet. Taking a moment to just sit and reflect and focus on the here and now is one of the most intensely wonderful ways of reconnecting to what matters. There are a million different apps you can use or simply sit and count your breaths. It works wonders.

27. Life is what you make it, but most of all it’s about love.

Love, family, friends and making memories is the most important thing in life. Every year on this earth I realise more and more how utterly stupid it is to worry about material things. Now, I'm not saying you shouldn't enjoy material stuff whatsoever, but it shouldn't be what you go after in life. Nobody ever gets to the end of their life clutching on to their Chanel bag. The things that matter are the people you love and the memories you make.

So go for a walk, take in the view, have a laugh and breathe in every moment of every day. It's all we ever have.

- Harry.

[writingdayandnight]

When We Were Young- Steve McGarrett Imagine

Pairing: Steve McGarrett x Reader

Word Count: 1121

Request: Hey! I was wondering if you could do a Steve McGarrett x Reader. Where the reader and him are old Navy friends and when she gets into town they catch up and Steve introduces her to the team who tell her that he's always mentioning you. And it ends with either getting asked on a date or admitting feelings? I love your work and not enough people write for Hawaii Five-0!- @teatimewithtiya

A/N: This is a super cute idea and has been the musing of my many fic ideas. Sorry for the wait, but I hope you enjoyed! Drabble and headcanon requests may be open soon! x

***

Stepping off the plane and into the warm Hawaiian air was a shock. You grew up in the Northeast, so the heat was your biggest enemy. Though this time it wasn’t much of a concern. You were more worried about reconnecting with your Navy buddy, Commander Steve McGarrett.

After ten plus years of service, you decided it was time to call it quits. You were a surgeon in the Navy. It was the perfect job for an adrenaline junk like yourself, aside from the crash that came after each deployment. It was all fun and games until you had no one to come home to.

In the perfect twist of fate, an opening for a trauma surgeon opened at Queen’s Medical Center in Honolulu. Hawaii was a place you always wanted to visit, but like most people, you never pictured yourself living there before retirement, no matter how hard Steve tried to persuade you. Though you never thought you’d be the type to accept a hot shot job as the newest trauma surgeon at a level two trauma center, here you are, standing in Hawaii.  

You hailed a taxi and headed towards the hotel, your new place of residence until you could find somewhere to stay. You dropped your bags and changed into something nicer than the lounge clothes you had worn on the flight. You were too excited to be reunited with Steve to unpack.

You decided to walk to Steve’s place, seeing as it was only a few blocks away. While walking, you began reminiscing on the fun times you and Steve had shared. Your mind immediately wandered to your first meeting. Steve brought in one of his SEAL members, who had just been caught on the edge of a landmine explosion. You rushed him into a nine-hour surgery. When you came out, Steve was still there, waiting for any news he could muster out of you. He came and visited his SEAL buddy every day for the two weeks that he was in the infirmary. You and Steve had become friends as well, but you dreaded the thought of losing connection when his friend was released. Of course, that didn’t happen because it’s Steve McGarrett. He was back within a month with shrapnel lodged in his leg. Then seven months later with a bullet hole in the bicep. He always told you he would take bullets just to see you, but you brushed it off as a simple joke. You knew you could never pursue a relationship while you both still in the Navy.

When you finally hit Steve’s street, you couldn’t contain the smile growing on your face. You were finally going to be reunited with your best friend after seven years. Taking a deep breath, you knocked on his door, hoping that he was home.

“Coming,” you could hear him shout from inside the house. You made a mental note to critique him on that tactical error later.

As he opened the door, he stopped dead in his tracks, “Y/N!” he pulled you in for a hug, lifting you off your feet.

“It’s been a long time,” you smiled, as he invited you inside.

“Hey, that’s on you, not me.”

“I’m sorry, I tried asking Sec. Nav. for some time off from saving lives just to see you, but he said no. Too bad I don’t answer to him or the United State Military anymore,” you smirked, motioning the act of wiping your hands clean.

“Seriously? You must have been discharged. What did you do?”

“I left on my own, Steve. It was time to call it quits.”

“I never thought I would hear those words come out of your mouth,” he laughed.

“Want to hear something else that you probably thought you never would? I’m moving to Hawaii.”

His jaw seemingly hit the floor. He gave you a tight squeeze, cheering in excitement.

“Who are you and what have you done with my Y/N,” he asked pulling back, “No, but honestly, I’m so happy you’re going to be staying here now.”

He went to pull you in for another bear hug but was interrupted by a phone call.

“McGarrett,” he answered, pausing for a few moments, “I’ll be right there.”

“Duty calls?”

“No, that was my partner. You down for drinks?”

“I thought you’d never ask.”

As you walked into the restaurant, you saw a big group sitting out back. Steve loosely grabbed your hand, directing you back to the table. There were seven people sitting at the table. Steve introduced them one by one as Chin Ho, Kono, Adam, Lou, Jerry, Kamekona, and Danny

“So, you’re Y/N, the ‘bravest Navy doc out there.’ I never thought we’d get a chance to meet you. Steve said you were reluctant to visit,” Chin Ho laughed.

“It was hard to fit a trip in during my time off, but I have to admit, I’m sort of disappointed I didn’t come here sooner. It’s lovely.”

“What brings you here, anyways? I heard you were a Northerner like me,” asked Danny.

“I just got a job as a trauma surgeon at Queen’s Medical Center.”

“Congratulations!”

“Here’s to finally learning the real Y/N and not just the hearsay version from Steve,” Kono smiled, raising a glass to toast.

The night went well. You began to learn more about Steve’s friends, including how much they knew about you. They all seemed incredibly nice and for the first time, you were excited to be in Hawaii for reasons other than Steve.

“So, your friends seem to know a lot about me,” you giggled, leaving the restaurant, arms interlocked with Steve’s.

“Yeah, I guess I talk about you a little too much,” he admitted, cheeks turning a rosy red.

“I think it’s cute. I used to tell stories in surgery about you and how you were always my favorite patient.”

“You just got a job at Queen’s, I’ll be seeing a lot more of you, doctor.”

“I wouldn’t mind that,” you smirked, biting your lip.

Steve stopped in his tracks, turning to face you. He gently caressed your hands, swinging them softly like you were both high schoolers on their first date.

“I have a confession. I’ve liked you since the first time I saw you at work. I mean, when you have the scalpel in your hands, it’s incredible. I’ve never seen someone so passionate. When you knocked on my door, I swear it felt like a dream. I thought my chance with you was over, until today. Y/N, will you go out with me?”

“I thought you’d never ask,” you grinned, kissing him under the moonlit Hawaiian sky that in a matter of four hours, you had learned to call home.

[gethealthy18-blog]

17 Reasons You Don’t Have Any Friends

New Post has been published on http://healingawerness.com/getting-healthy/getting-healthy-women/17-reasons-you-dont-have-any-friends/

17 Reasons You Don’t Have Any Friends

Harini Natarajan Hyderabd040-395603080 August 13, 2019

Do you seem to lose touch with friends? Are you repetitively being let down by those you consider your best friends?

The feeling of being ignored by those who are friends in your eyes can be the worst thing ever. You may jump to the conclusion that you are not a nice person, and no one wants to hang out with you. Don’t be so hard on yourself.

You may be making a few inexcusable mistakes that are pushing people away from you. Or you may be a total pushover, and people take you for granted and do not appreciate all the things you do for them.

Here are 17 reasons your friends are ignoring you, and you are getting those ‘We don’t want you here’ vibes. Go through the list and figure out if you are doing any of these consciously or subconsciously. If you are, make a conscious effort and change yourself for the better.

Why Don’t You Have Any Friends

1. You Try Just Too Hard

via GIPHY

It is so obvious! You come across as too needy and clingy. If you are constantly hounding your friends to meet you, even when they seem to have no time or are not too keen on hanging out, you may be pushing too hard.

When you meet a group of friends, are you constantly trying to get everyone to stay back for longer, even when it is quite clear that they want to leave? Girl, you aren’t doing it right.

Spending time with your friends may mean a lot to you, but if you try too hard, people may perceive you as extremely annoying and clingy. You need to chill and be more laid back.

2. You Are Just Too Negative

If you are the Negative Nancy of the group, you should know that people feel uncomfortable and anxious around you. People feel drained when there is someone who is constantly cribbing or crying and just does not want to be happy. When you are too full of bitterness, negativity, and anger, people will start avoiding you, even your friends.

Seek counseling and help if you feel you are getting too negative minded. Do it before you start losing friends. Also, focus on self-development rather than fishing for friends. When you are a different person with a positive personality, people will flock to you.

3. You Don’t Understand Social Cues

The person you are so animatedly talking to is getting super bored and has already yawned twice. But you are too involved in your story even to notice it. They have already looked at their watch twice and are obviously waiting for you to finish. Sounds familiar?

Just because you are having fun doesn’t mean everyone else is. Pay close attention to others’ behavior when you communicate with them. Stop the chatter or change the topic the minute you feel your friends are starting to get zoned out or distracted.

4. You Are Selfish And Don’t Really Care About Others

No one is going to tell you this to your face – but if you are selfish, people are slowly going to cut you out of their lives. If your friends feel that whenever you meet them, you are only concerned about yourself and you having a great time, they will d-i-s-a-p-p-e-a-r.

If you only think about why you are not having fun, people will cut you out so that they can have their fun. Control yourself. If you are not willing to give others a chance, you are not going to get an invite in the first place.

5. You Assume Things

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You constantly assume that everything is about you and the whole world revolves around you – and just you. So, a buddy shared something on Facebook. Did you just automatically assume that it was about you, or worse yet, a dig at you? You think there was a secret message in that, addressed to you? You feel people are always talking about you, whether good or bad? Stop!

There is no hidden meaning or agenda behind every single thing a person says or does, and it doesn’t have anything to do with you. When you decide to make everything about you and start reading between the lines all the time, you will end up making a lot of incorrect assumptions. Incorrect assumptions can kill any relationship.

6. You Are Whining All The Time

People detest whiners. If you want to get rid of someone from your life, all you need to do is whine constantly, and they will be gone before you can spell R-U-N. If you are always complaining about something all the time, do others and yourself a favor – stop it!

Instead of reaching out to people who care about you and trying to reconnect with them, you mope about how you have no friends! Try to be happy – it is a process. Learn not to dump your emotional baggage on other people.

7. You Create Psychological Barriers

Do you sometimes refrain from sharing a thought or incident with your friends because you think they will judge you for it? Do you put up a fake persona because you are uncomfortable being your true self around your friends? If yes, you must know that you are fooling nobody.

Your altered body language will be picked up by your friends’ subconscious minds, and they will feel restless and uncomfortable around you. Be your true self. Even if you lose friends that way, you will be true to yourself.

8. You Are Boring

You talk about stuff that just does not interest your buddies. And you don’t know how to shut up. Here is a sign: if your friend listens to what you are saying without making any effort to comment on the topic or adding their own views to it, it is likely they are plotting their escape plan. Don’t be that person.

Find common ground and direct the conversation there. When you see your friend reciprocating, you will know you can have a discussion about it.

9. You Are A Toxic Friend

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You always leave your friends in a bad mood when you bid them goodbye. Your friends are happier after you have left than when you are around. Maybe it is the things you say or the way you say it or the choice of words you prefer to use to put your point across that just makes people want to curl up and die.

If you find out that your friends are planning hangouts and get-togethers behind your back and ‘forgetting’ to invite you, you need to take a good, hard look at yourself. There is a good chance that you are a toxic friend. If you want your friends back, it is time to reevaluate yourself.

10. You Are Hanging Out With The Wrong Crowd

Sometimes, no matter how hard you try or how nice you are, things will not click. Narcissistic people will not like you, even when you are really nice. It is probably because they have a preconceived notion about you.

The effort of trying to convince such people is just not worth it. I know this is hard to hear, but if you are hanging out with toxic people just because you are lonely, you will end up getting hurt eventually. These people are not your friends. They will suck the energy out of you and then make fun of you behind your back. It is better to be lonely and respected than being kicked around by people.

11. You Think You Are Always Right

You argue with others over the stupidest of things. You assume that a heated argument is the best way to keep a conversation going. But, can you really have a healthy, interesting argument?

You need to curb the urge to contradict people aggressively over little things. You may be trying to prove them wrong or make yourself feel better, but eventually, if you keep on doing this, you will lose your friends.

Here is a cue – if people give up on arguments easily around you within a minute of your starting them, it is not a case of you winning it. It is a case of people wanting to end the conversation with you rather than trying to win the argument.

12. You Forget Your Friends When You Don’t Need Them

Do you really care about your buddies? Do you pay attention to them? Or do you avoid them when you start dating someone? Do you hang out with them to have a good time and then ignore their calls when you are having fun with another gang? If this is true, you really should think about it.

You may not realize it now, but you may be taking your gang for granted. You may assume that they will always stick around, no matter what, but your friends may feel hurt because of your behavior and choose to avoid you. There will be a time when you may need their love and support, but they may not accept you back because they would be too afraid you will hurt their feelings again.

13. You Are Very Insecure And Jealous

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You have major trust issues. You feel threatened every time your buddy meets someone new – it doesn’t matter if it is a romantic interest or a general buddy. You make it a point to subtly make your friend feel bad for spending time with others and hanging out with someone other than you.

When you are jealous, it shows. Eventually, the clinginess will get to them, and your friends will hate being around you. Don’t try to make others feel guilty for having a life outside your world. This usually happens when you have a single friend, so try to expand your friend’s circle.

14. Your Social Status Changed

Most people like to hang out with people of their own social status. They are more comfortable that way. It is a hidden secret. Everybody knows it, nobody says it.

So, you suddenly got a big promotion, or your startup made it big? Are you suddenly the richest among the group? Your friends may start feeling uncomfortable around you and ignore you. They may be jealous and feel insecure and threatened by your success.

In such cases, you should try your best to make them feel comfortable and never change your habits and practices around them. If they still don’t want to hang out with you, let them go. They are not your true friends.

This also applies if you were a rich person a year ago, and due to some unfortunate circumstances, you lost your money and status. There is a good chance that your old buddies are now bitching about you behind your back and think lowly of you. Probably because you can’t keep up with the lifestyle they lead. But, you just can’t do anything about this. Don’t lose heart though – just find yourself new friends who will appreciate you for who you are and do not care about your bank balance.

15. You Are An Introvert

Are you happiest when you are alone? Perhaps you are an introvert who wants to make new friends but doesn’t know how to go about it.

You may seem disinterested or rub someone off the wrong way because of your keeping to yourself attitude. You may be terrified of rejection, so you rarely reach out to people to check if they are too busy to hang out. You wait for others to initiate the conversation, but they never do.

Don’t worry. There is always an extrovert for your introvert, and you will find him/her eventually. Learn from your past experiences, take your time, and make sure you don’t hang out with people who don’t understand you or want you there.

16. You Are Just Too Demanding

You have a lot of expectations from everybody, especially your friends. You voice your displeasure when they can’t do something for you and are very vocal about it. You have this belief in your head that you are entitled to things from your friends because friends are meant to help, and it’s your right to push them for it when you need something.

It may have worked very well in your school days, but it is time to grow up. You really can’t expect your adult friends to give in to your silly whims whenever you want.

17. You Never Make The Effort

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If you are trying to meet new people, sitting at home and hoping for a miracle to happen is not going to help. Making friends requires effort, just like making money or making time for something. But you won’t regret it if you find a really good set of friends.

You may have lost touch with your friends from school and college because it is hard to take time out for a social life, especially when you are working most of the time. Get your priorities sorted. If you want them back, you need to be the one who picks the phone up and makes the first move.

If you are one of those who make plans weeks in advance and then cancel them at the last second, you will lose any remaining friends you have.

When you make a single friend, you have opened a window. That friend will lead you to two more friends or many more. And then those new friends will lead you to many, many more! But you should work on yourself if you want people to enjoy your company or be interested in being your buddy. At the very least, you need to be pleasant and giving.

However, if you don’t have friends, don’t just assume it is all your fault. If someone doesn’t appreciate you as a friend, you should be able to walk away with your dignity intact. There is no reason to hang on to someone who doesn’t make you a priority in their life. You will only look silly and obsessed if you try to hold on to someone who is desperate to get away from you. To be a good friend, be your own friend first.

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[russellthornton]

How to Make Friends After College: 15 Ways to Make It Effortless

Finishing college feels a little daunting. Not to mention worrying how to make friends even more so. Here’s how to make friends after college and have fun.

Many people say that your best days are college days. So, for many, the world after college seems daunting. Making friends at college feels easy. For a start, there are a whole bunch of people the same age as you, all in the same boat, looking for friends. Then there are clubs, organized events, nights out, and classes where it’s super easy to meet like-minded people. But how to make friends after college can be overwhelming.

Of course, when you graduate the real world feels different. You might be moving to a new place, getting a new job, or going off on an adventure to explore the world. Whatever you end up doing after college, after years of having it easy, with little effort, you feel a little anxious about finding, making, and keeping new friends in the future.

How to make friends after college

Well, the good news is that by putting a little time and effort into making new friends you open yourself up to whole new groups of people. No matter how lonely you feel, you’ll find you have a new group *or even several groups* of great friends in no time.

So how do you go about making friends after college? Here are 15 great tips.

#1 Take a class. What better way than to learn something new and make friends at the same time? Taking a class is a great way to meet like-minded people, learn a new skill, and have some fun.

Whether it’s learning a new language or brushing up on your computer skills you will no doubt be able to find something useful, as well as a chance to meet new people. [Read: How to become an intellectual: Learn to fake it ’til you make it]

#2 Hit the gym. The gym doesn’t have to just be about working out! It is also a social space where you find new friends. Gyms offer fun classes. Why not try to find a fitness class that interests you and attend regularly?

You’ll soon get to know the familiar faces and find it easy to strike up conversations. The gym cafe is a great place to have a smoothie and get to know people better too!

#3 Take up a new sport. Sports are simply made for meeting new people. Figure out what your favorite sport is and find out where to join a team. You may just want to have a knock about playing football after work with a casual team, or you could join a tennis or rowing club, get into yoga or go sailing. The world really is your oyster!

Just try to pick something you do in a team. Then you already have something in common with common goals from the outset—perfect!

#4 Reconnect with old pals. If you move to a new city, maybe you know someone who used to live there that you could reconnect with. Also think about family and family friends to get back in touch with.

It might be that you don’t have a lot in common anymore, but you never know, you could end up getting on like a house on fire! [Read: How to make new friends as an adult: 15 ways to do it right]

#5 Meet friends of friends. When you make a new friend become a bit of a friend thief! Chances are if the two of you get on you’ll get on well with all their friends too. Try to orchestrate situations where you meet up in groups. Then try to make bonds with the rest of them too!

#6 Go online. The internet is a great place if you are looking for new friends. Here you’ll find all sorts of information about events going on in your area that leads to you meeting a whole bunch of new people, from book clubs to gigs, fairs and events, to organized walks or sporting activities. Going online should become your new best friend—until you find actual ones that is!

#7 Get some new hobbies. If you want to meet new people find new things that interest you. Take a martial arts class, join the local choir, take up tap dancing or join a knitting club.

Whatever you think you might be interested in, give it a go and see where it takes you. You might have to go out of you comfort zone every once in a while, but the pay off in great friendships will be well worth it.

#8 Make an effort with your coworkers. Starting a new job might feel daunting, but one of the easiest ways to make new friends is by making an effort with your new coworkers.

Not only do you have your work in common, but you see each other almost every day. You can bond over work stresses and highs and lows, so this is one of the best places to start on your hunt for new friends. [Read: How to be good friends with your coworkers]

#9 Try a Meetup. Meetups are a great way to meet like-minded people and start new friendships. Almost every city has Meetups available to suit different people looking for different things. Simply search for Meetups in your city online and find one that sounds like fun to you, then go along.

#10 Use social media. If you want to know how to make friends after college while sitting your ass at home, just try social media. Social media is super helpful if you are looking for new friends in your area, so make sure you use it. Look for Instagram and Twitter accounts of people in your area and connect with them if you like the sound of them.

It might not be the fastest way to being bosom buddies, but it serves you well in the long run.

#11 Explore your city. Get out there and explore your city, find out what great things there are about it and decide on your favorite places to hang out.

You might get to know the bar staff at your local bar or just end up bumping into the same person who walks their dog in your local park over and over. Friendships happen so easily if you get out there and explore! [Read: How to have fun with friends: 30 really fun ways to beat boredom]

#12 Make the first move. When it comes to making new friends after college don’t be afraid to put yourself out there and make the first move. Moving from ‘the girl you say hi to at yoga’ to ‘going for a friendly drink together’ might feel daunting, but if you don’t ask then you might never move on from that.

#13 Keep up the momentum. Once you have made an effort to reach out to someone, keep up the momentum. Make sure you remember to call or text someone when you say you will. If you had a nice chat with someone at a class, make sure you go back the next week. If your work holds lots of social events make sure you go to them even if it feels like a bit of an effort from time to time!

#14 Get set up on a ‘friend’ date. If you don’t know anyone in your city but your friend does, ask them to hook the two of you up. It’s an easy way to meet new people that you know have already been ‘vetted’ by your friends! [Read: Good friends are like stars: 18 ways to build lasting relationships]

#15 Be approachable. The more approachable you are the easier it will be to make new friends. Be friendly, smile, take an interest in others, and you’ll find yourself with a great group of new friends in no time at all!

[Read: Don’t have friends? Uncomfortable reasons why your life’s how it is]

When it comes to knowing how to make friends after college, you can’t just sit in your apartment and expect a million new people to flock to you. But if you are willing to step out of your comfort zone from time to time, you’ll definitely be able to add more friends and have a more exciting life.

The post How to Make Friends After College: 15 Ways to Make It Effortless is the original content of LovePanky - Your Guide to Better Love and Relationships.

[isaacathom]

ok so heres the idea for the evil team. most of the time, the villainous teams are making a statement. their appearance means something very specific, its engineered. team flare, for instance, is flashy and attention grabbing, and youre supposed to give them all of your attention, that sort of thing. team plasma are dressed as medieval knights to support an idea of chivalry, of shining armour and good deeds, to make the public believe theyre the good guys.

so you take it a different way. a team that wants to act in the shadows, individual agents acting in harmony with the greater group but ultimately alone. calls late at night deep inside houses. innocent business trips and weekend holidays. its all sneaky.

but you still want to give them a recognisable design. something that does mark them out as a group, unified. so, you keep them mostly ordinary, but with a few key items that might cause a second glance, but without context just seem like some style trend youve just sorta missed. stuff like all of them having long coats and collars that can cover their faces. stuff like them all wearing scarfs even if its summer. stuff like the same coloured shirts. stuff that individually looks generic enough, but when all combined, looks a lil smth smth. stuff like fancy lapel badges and necklaces, a belt with too many filled pouches, a hood that seems to be up more often than not. and then, in an ideal world, there’d be minor variants within that team. like, say they all that a coat and a scarf and a lapel badge. some have long skirts, some have pants, some have a button up pale shirt and some have turtleneck dark shirts. one of them has a set of hair pins that matches the badge, another wears bright coloured leggings, like you just sorta vary it up. the whole point is they seem like ordinary people. you dont think hard about seeing them.

itd get different with the higher ups, and even people like the YT. They’d have a lil more insignia stuff, like itd be more obvious. maybe one higher up is a person with a hoodie that has the teams symbol on it. then the leader, whoever that is, probably has something more formal, like a suit with the logo, a tie with the logo, shit like that. looks like its business for them.

its basically a team of secret agents, almost like team plasma v2 except they arent ninja pirates with a flying fucking ship that shoots ice lasers. 

i just think itd be fun. there could even be an element of it being homemade, like some of the first grunts you encounter clearly handsewed their insignia on their shirt’s left breast and instead of lapel badges theyve got like, those cheap paper badges that you laminate in a circle and draw with texta? like theyre more ramshackle earnest. the higher up you get, the more professional it gets, and harder it becomes to spot them in a crowd because theyve tailored their Look Perfectly.

thatd be a way thered be a brief misdirect with YT. when you first meet them, they look nice and professional, though ofc their aggressive and try to tell you to go home and they probably wont let you leave town (until you beat the gym and cause a progression in the time force). but the grunts you encounter soon after, theyre so clearly members of an evil team but dont share any obvious elements with YT beyond like. dark colours, maybe. or, alternatively, the grunts are super heavy handed in how theyre clearly in the evil team, but YT just looks. like a normal person. a light coloured coat buttoned up but loose at the bottom, jeans, a scarf. just normal. but then as you progress later, and keep seeing YT (but not strictly in direct correlation to the team) and you fight the more sophisticated grunts, you notice the commonalities, the coats, the scarf.

thatd be kinda cool. like for a brief bit you might think YT is a gym leader or maybe even roaming E4 with an ego that manifests in telling people they arent worth shit. then when you notice the commonalities and connect th dots, its like OH its a fucking evil team admin. fuck there they go!

also, itd be fun if theres a slight branch. in the sense that, when you first encounter YT as a confirmed member of the evil team, heading a bit in a city, they dont tell you their name until after you beat them. as they go to leave, they tell you their name, and tell that to the older trainer whose been mentoring you. and you can just choose not to do that. you will encounter the older trainer, shortly after in fact (they dont walk in just after the guy leaves, you meet back up with them after you leave the building). and when the older trainer demands answers to what you were doing, you get the typical pokemon limited responses. you can say ‘i was fighting team [whatsit]’ or ‘i met that guy again’. you say you were just fighting team whatsit, he goes off in a rage about how he told you not to, blah blah. but if you say you fought THAT guy again, he pauses. what about him? then, w/o dialogue choosing, your trainer tells him who YT is, like their name and what they said. and the elite trainer stops. they tell you angrily you shouldnt have gone after team whatsit, but they sigh alot. its basically the same as the other branch, but with a lot of extra pauses and that additional YT mention at the start.

then, when you get to the scene where the elite trainer attempts to flee without you, the confrontation between them and YT will play out differently. if the elite trainer KNOWS thats YT, he’ll be composed if nervous, he’ll be begging for chances, he’ll be rationalising why he fled. if the elite trainer doesnt know its YT, that revelation will shake the fuck out of him, he’ll be a quivering wreck, overcome with the emotion of the fact that YT didnt die, but survived and wants to squarely kick him in the gut off the side of a skyscraper. or something. elito knowing YT is YT will be diplomatic. elito not knowing YT is YT will be emotional. i mean both would be but still. and itd slightly alter YT’s dialogue, they’d be angry at you if you didnt tell elito, but they’ll also be sadistically pleased that they get to see how elito feels. if you did tell elito, yt is actually more emotional, because elito prepared slightly for this confrontation and yt was caught off guard.

itd make slightly less changes later. like, end game. itd have some tiny dialogue changes before that. but like, after the villain story is wrapped. lets say that once you beat the villain and leave and go celebrate, YT comes and just socks elito square in the jaw. just because theyve wanted to for years. they make a speech about how his cowardice caused people to suffer. itd be pretty bitterly emotional for YT. but how THAT ends depends on the choice. like. if you told elito, YT would actually then offer elito their hand and help him back up off the ground, they’d make a sort of apology thats a bit stumbling and weak and full of digs, but itd be clear theyve thought about what elito said in this grunt gang bang and they want to put this behind them. if you DIDNT tell elito, YT will end his speech by spitting at elito and leaving. YT would show up later, possibly as part of post-game content, or maybe they fuck off into the ether like N does, idk.

it might also change elitos outcome. if they reconnect with YT and start making amends, theyd end up in a different place post game, maybe at YTs old home, talking to their parents, and theyd commit themselves further to not doing this again. if they dont connect with YT, theyd remain in their e4 villa or whatever, cowardly again, hiding from the outside.

the idea is that if YT reconnects, it affirms to the elite trainer that theyve at least slightly changed for the better, and that they can continue to improve. if they dont reconnect, they simply fall further into that anguish. fall of the wagon, as it were. the end of that story would be them resigning their elite post and simply fading from the news.

or SOMETHING like that. there could be more variables. the idea is that you can help YT and elito at least talk out their problems and help them reconcile what happened, help elito apologise for his awful behaviour and help YT sort of atone for the bad shit they did in seeking that apology (since, yknow, they sided with the villains and did some villainous shit while also pursuing that revenge). like you can basically mediate and help them at least start a dialogue. whether itd end well or even amicably between them would be debatable. but itd be better than the two of them never really getting that chance to talk it out, to just say what they thought and have it bubble inside them for years? yknow. hence why the non-reconnect ending is all bitter. it leaves elito a cowardly wreck. it leaves yt as someone who doesnt feel satisfied with their revenge and thus continues to exercise that aggression through villainy. its Bad End, buddy.

i mean itd be stupid if bad end was tied just to that one dialogue choice so it possible be possible to mention it at other points, like when elito is just standing around and doesnt have hyper fixed dialogue, you can approach them and youd get some minor options about stuff to say. dialogue choices, mother fuckers. like you approach him and you can ask how his day is, giving you basically a semi relevant thing about how he feels at that moment. and then youd have like, an advice one, like ‘got any advice’ and hed tell you something semi relevant. and then thered be the 3rd, unique option - ‘ive got something to tell you’ and that gives you the chance to tell him about YT if you picked the other option at the original dialogue. and maybe, just in general, that third option after you tell elito about YT would let you ask about YT and get a general backstory on the kid, expanded from what elito tells you in ‘vanilla’.

tl;dr i love this idea i love this shit godddddddddddddddd