#longtime rivals new found friends

[elitehoe]

kennyomegamanx: "Did we just become best friends?!"

[pastryfication]

rivalling teams | oscar piastri

a bit of a part one to this. thank u for the idea @insunia 🫶

pairing: oscar piastri x williams employee!reader

summary: the story of how it came to be that a member of logan’s team went on a date with a mclaren driver, and all the hardships you had to face because of your different team colours.

warnings: james vowles being a dick

working in formula 1 had always been your dream, and landing a job as a data analyst for the williams f1 team was that dream come true.

but the thrill of joining such a prestigious team was quickly ruined by the nervousness you felt as you stood outside of the doors on your first day. you were younger and less experienced than almost all other employees and you felt a sense of segregation as you first entered the team.

luckily for you, you were starting at the same time as logan sargeant; a young and talented driver who was also new to the team.

from your first day at williams, logan and you formed a quick bond. both of you were fresh out of adolescent, very ambitious, and more than eager to prove yourselves. the shared experience of being newcomers provided a foundation for a strong friendship and you often found yourselves working late into the night together, enjoying each others company immensely.

it happened one day, after a particularly grueling week, that logan invited you to join him for a casual dinner.

"you need a break," he had said, flashing his characteristic grin. "and i want you to meet an old friend of mine."

curious and eager for some downtime, you had agreed, and you soon found yourself following logan to a small, cozy restaurant.

the old friend he had wanted you to meet was oscar piastri, and you found yourself extremely grateful for logan when you realised that his fellow driver and longtime friend was charming, with a warm smile and a twinkle in his eye that made you feel at ease instantly.

the evening turned into night, and you found yourself drawn to oscar. while he had seemed closed of at first, you had soon realised that wasn’t really the case. the three of you talked for hours, and by the end of the night, oscar asked if he could see you again.

over the next few weeks, you and oscar started dating. he was thoughtful and kind, always making time for you despite his hectic schedule. your relationship blossomed quickly, and you cherished every moment together, even though you had to keep it discreet. you had no idea what the reactions of your employers would be, but you were both nervous to find out.

and find out you did, because the secrecy didn't last long. the williams team found out about your relationship, and the reaction was less than favorable. one afternoon, you were called into a meeting with your boss.

"we've heard about your relationship with oscar piastri," james began, his tone stern as he looked at you. "it's causing concern within the team. we need your full commitment here, without any distractions."

you felt your heart sink at the words. “my relationship isn’t affecting my job, i can assure you of that—“

“i’m not sure i can trust you to do your best for the team while being involved with a rivalling driver.” he interrupted you.

his tone made you feel like a misbehaved kid and you looked down to avoid his gaze. "are you asking me to choose between my job and my relationship?"

he nodded, his expression unyielding. "unfortunately yes, we are."

the news left you devastated and confused. you loved your job and had worked so hard to get there, but you also cherished your relationship with oscar. torn and unsure of what to do, you confided in logan later that day.

"this isn't fair," logan said, frustration evident in his voice. "why should you have to choose? they should be happy for you, not punishing you."

oscar was equally furious as soon as he heard about the situation. "they can't make you choose," he insisted. "we can make this work without affecting your job."

determined to support you and keep what felt like his only friend on the team, logan decided to take matters into his own hands. he arranged a meeting with the team management, his confidence unwavering.

"she’s a valuable asset to this team," logan argued passionately. "her work is impeccable, and she’s extremely committed—even with how negative everything seems right now. it’s not fair to ask her to choose between her job and her relationship."

his words seemed to surprisingly resonate with the management, who began to see the unfairness of their request, and after some deliberation, they agreed to let you stay, recognizing your contributions to the team and the dedication you had shown.

you had never been so grateful before, and the gratitude you showed logan almost made your boyfriend jealous. he couldn’t be though. not when he was just as thankful towards his american friend.

as your relationship continued to flourish, you and oscar found ways to navigate the challenges of your respective careers. sneaking away to see each other on the weekends and convincing the team to let you stay in his hotel room, you cherished every second you got together while still being careful to maintain professionalism at the track.

despite the continued subtlety of your relationship, he relentlessly supported you through the challenges of your job, always there to listen and offer advice, and you did the same for him. the bond you shared deepened, filled with late-night talks, shared dreams and a love that felt completely unshakable.

one evening, after a particularly grueling day, oscar takes you out for a quiet dinner. he holds your hand across the table, his eyes filled with warmth. “i’m proud of you,” he says softly. “for everything you’ve handled, for standing strong.”

you smile, squeezing his hand. “i couldn’t have done it without you.” thinking for a moment, you add: “or logan.”

oscar chuckles at your words. “yeah, he’s been quite amazing too.”

after dinner, you join logan for a movie night, a tradition that started when you first joined the team. as the movie plays, you sit nestled against oscar, logan on the other side of the couch. at one point, logan looks over, pretending to be annoyed.

“you know,” he says with mock exasperation, “i really don’t want to be the third wheel here.”

you laugh, reaching over to nudge him playfully. “sorry, logan. but you’re stuck with us. it’s your own fault, really.”

he grins, shaking his head. “yeah, yeah. just don’t get too cozy over there.”

as the movie continues, you feel a deep sense of contentment. despite the challenges, you’ve found a way to balance your job and your relationship with oscar, thanks to logan’s unwavering support and your own determination. the three of you have become a close-knit team, navigating the highs and lows of the racing world together.

in those quiet moments, surrounded by the people who mean the most to you, you realize that no matter what obstacles come your way, you’ll face them with courage and love. with oscar (and logan) by your side, you can conquer anything.

[sxffrxn]

when love strikes OP81

An Oscar Piastri x Reader, enemies to lovers story

Part One Part Two

Summary: Oscar Piastri and Y/N have a long-lasting feud, nobody knows why. Do they themselves even know why?

Warnings: Reader is very British, swearing, implying the C word (never said), more swearing, probably grammar mistakes, severe lack of interaction between Oscar and Y/N in this one - sorryyy

Word Count: 2.2k

~~

The blazing sun sank low over the horizon, casting a golden haze over the Bahrain International Circuit. The descent of the marigold ball could only signal one thing.

The official beginning to the 2023 Formula One Season.

Y/N was completely focused into her pre-race traditions, firstly consisting of a precise and perfect set of joint and limb stretches. Although, to some, it appears that you don’t need any physical preparation before clambering into the vehicle, Y/N found that if she didn’t, her race would be ruined - call it superstition or something.

The one time that Y/N got caught up in media - and gossip around the paddock - was the first, and only, DNF of her Formula One career. After suffering a loss of power in the 23rd lap of the Italian Grand Prix in Monza, Y/N had to retire the car and make the devastating walk of shame back to the garage.

“1,2,3,4,5” she counted slowly under her breath, dropping her left arm to then hold her right arm stretched across her back in a somewhat awkward position “1,2,3,4,5, breathe” was whispered as she sighed out a breath of anxiety and panic.

Y/N raced for the newly appointed 11th team on the grid, the prestigious Lamborghini. Albeit not having a massive history in Formula One, Y/N saw it as the best offer of her career. In her rookie season - 2022, Y/N raced for Scuderia Alpha Tauri, alongside her longtime friend Yuki Tsunoda. The two were very close, so much so that if you told Yuki something very important and secretive, Y/N would 101% know in the space of an hour.

When news broke that Y/N would not be re-signing with Alpha Tauri for the 2023 season, all hell broke loose. The media and press were so quick to assume that she was ‘not cut out for Formula One’ or that she was secretly dating about 13 of the 19 other drivers. However when it was announced that Lamborghini would be represented in Formula MotorSports, some fans were quick to put two and two together. I mean, the first female driver to score above 75 points in Formula One history - let alone her rookie season - was to be out of the sport before being given a proper chance? That was too crazy. Both Y/N and Robert Shwartzman had signed for the team in 2023, the two had been very well acquainted beforehand due to the history of them in the Prema racing team in Formula Two. Some even dubbed them as the funniest drivers among them all because of the frequent YouTube challenge videos uploaded of them both (and their coworkers I suppose but none of them even came close to being on the same level as Y/N and Robert).

Along with a new team, there came new rookies in the 2023 season. This included one of Y/N’s biggest rivals since her days in Formula Three.

Oscar bloody Piastri.

The two were infamous for being at each other's necks anytime they were put in close proximity to one another, this led to many PR meetings and a whole lot of complications on the grid. The press, being the vultures they are, were so very quick to pin the blame wholey on Y/N, this - understandably - made her despise the aussie even more. Why were the media making her out to be the bad guy when they don’t know the story?

But to be completely honest, neither of the two could pinpoint when they went from being teammates to borderline enemies. It could have been when Oscar clipped the back of Y/N’s car, in a Formula Three race, causing her to spin out and injure her arm from the impact. Or maybe it was when Y/N pushed past Oscar afterwards, purposefully knocking her uninjured arm against his, and muttering a very colourful insult under her breath - she 100% meant for him to hear it.

When Y/N was scrolling through twitter and came across Oscar’s tweet declaring that he will not be racing for Alpine despite their statement, she undoubtedly did let out a small laugh at the embarrassment Alpine must be facing, before reminding herself who he was. After that, Y/N did, albeit very secretively, keep up with all the news on Oscar’s debut in Formula One. Maybe she missed the rivalry on track that determined her to do better, or perhaps she was just keeping up with the competition; the latter is what she kept telling herself is what she was doing.

Just as Y/N was getting ready to leave her motorhome, a knock sounded at her door.

“One second!” she called, and rushed to pick up her helmet. When she opened the door, she was met with the grin of her old teammate.

“Hiya Yuki, you ready for the new season?” she asked, her tone was cheerful, masking the anxiety. The problem she was facing was the unpredictability of the car. Of course she had gone through preseason testing, practice and qualifying without a hitch, but who knows how the car would perform for a long period of time?

“Hey Y/N, I’m feeling quite nervous to be completely honest. Are you not?” he wondered. Y/N let out a laugh,

“No mate, I am fucking shitting myself I can’t lie to you” she said lightheartedly as they begun the walk towards the garages.

“Well I understand that. Good luck for the race” he said, patting Y/N on the back and veering off in the direction to his garage. Y/N called out good luck to him too, and stepped inside the garage. She didn’t think she would get used to the yellowish interior of the Lamborghini garage, but to be completely honest, it was kind of growing on her. If it were some obnoxious fluorescent yellow, maybe she would have been second guessing her move to the new team, but the amber and gold hues that surrounded her did not cause a headache.

The car was absolutely gorgeous, the hints of gold detailed the body of the car from front to back, and the main body of the car being black with carbon fibre helped to really enhance the beauty of the design.

As her race engineer ran through the strategy for this first race, Y/N peered outside and accidentally locked eyes with a certain driver.

Oscar Piastri’s brown eyes almost stared into her soul, when she realised who she was having a stare-off with, the rolled her eyes in a dramatic manner and gave her sole attention to the race engineer, his name was Dan and he was a nice enough bloke, of course Y/N hadn’t really had the time to get to know him but so far he was polite and professional. All the best qualities.

The cars had just begun their warm up lap. Y/N sat comfortably in P7 in qualifying and she was feeling semi-confident with the car. To say it was comfortable would probably be an overstatement but compared to her Alpha Tauri car, it wasn’t too shabby.

“And it’s lights out in Bahrain for the 2023 season!”

Y/N got away quite nicely, managing to pass to P5 in the opening corner. Luckily, she was able to keep that pace for most of the race. As she was gaining on that P4 position, Dan called through her radio, telling her to push. She did just that and was able to take the fourth position. With just 2 laps to go, Dan told her to just defend to the finish line. Unfortunately, in the final corner she had just a little bit of understeer causing her to be pushed to fifth. That wasn’t too bad? Her race engineer called through the radio to let Y/N know her position and she was elated with joy.

“Let’s goooo!!” she spoke through the channel, “Thanks guys! This car is quite something!” she continued.

After the podium presentation, Y/N found herself being whisked away into a hurricane of interviews, most of which asking her the same questions with the same pre approved answers.

“Were your hopes high joining a brand new Formula One team?”

“Did you expect to get the result you did today?”

“How did the car feel?”

“Are you proud with the performance of the car?”

However one interviewer veered off course from the actual racing, and instead started to quiz Y/N on her own personal life. In her rookie season, Y/N was withdrawn and shy, hardly interacting with the media. This new season must have obviously meant she was keen to share every minute detail about herself.

Of course the media knew about Oscar and Y/N’s feud off track, it was hard to ignore them giving each other dirty glares across the paddock whenever they found the chance to.

“So, Y/N, why do you have a longstanding rivalry with Mclaren’s new driver, Oscar Piastri?” he spoke. To be completely honest, Y/N was panicking, she had never blanked in an interview before but this question was quite unexpected. Luckily she was able to compose herself and spoke;

“Well it's not necessarily just a rivalry between me and Oscar, everyone in motorsports is determined to perform better than others. And me and Oscar, being on the same team for a period of time, along with all other teammates on the grid know the expectation to do better than them, your teammate is your biggest competition.” In her mind, Y/N was patting herself on the back for such a calculated response in a short time, however the reporter clapped back with another question.

“But you and Oscar are no longer teammates and were not even in the same series last year, why has your displeasure followed you two since then? Has something happened behind the scenes?” Y/N had to bite her tongue to stop her from saying ‘no it was all broadcasted live, the prick bashed into the back of me’ but she was reserved and just shook her head and smiled.

“I wouldn’t say displeasure, just competition, if you look at other drivers on the grid, are they getting questioned on their past with another driver? No.” Y/N cocked her head as if she was genuinely asking a question. Finally, her assistant managed to grab her away after the awkward encounter on the pretence of going over some data.

When she was a good distance away from the cameras, Y/N let out a breath that she didn’t know she was holding. God could that have been any more stressful? Her assistant told her that she wasn’t actually needed for data review yet and that she was free to relax wherever she pleases. Y/N smiled at her and said a thanks before bolting off to the catering. God she was so hungry, she could eat a hors- no way that's gross! She was so hungry, she could demolish at least 3 full sandwiches.

Her mind wandered as she sat down with her food, why are both Y/N and Oscar so petty, I mean the crash was years ago?! Anyways, Y/N decided she didn’t care about the ‘right’ or ‘logical’ thing to do - apologise for making such a fuss about nothing - and instead concurred that the best solution was to continue to act as though Oscar had done something crazy like kill her firstborn child.

Y/N stood up with a stretch making her back pop, and took her rubbish to the bin, as she was leaving, her eyes glanced over to a flash of orange. Ugh. She physically rolled her eyes. What she didn’t realise though, is that the orange was approaching her. Y/N had turned around to walk to the garage and go over her and her teammates’ performance. She felt a tap on her shoulder and turned around to meet the face of a certain Mclaren driver. This one, however, is the one she would have most preferred.

“What’s up with you and Oscar? I saw you two glaring at each other and then in your interview, all they did was ask about Oscar.” Lando asked with one eyebrow raised.

“Hm? I don’t know what you’re talking about?” she told him innocently, flashing him a smile.

“No, no. I asked him first. He says it’s because you brake checked him in Formula Three and got hurt.” Lando replied digging further, God he really is nosey.

“I did not brake check him. He rammed his car into the back of mine!” Y/N snapped back, pointing accusatory into Lando’s chest. Lando raised his hands in surrender,

“Hey, hey, don’t shoot the messenger, I was just curious.” Lando quickly replied. Y/N huffed and rolled her eyes. Y/N turned to walk away after saying a quick bye to Lando.

Y/N came to an absolutely shocking revelation

Oscar Piastri is a massive pain in the arse.

A/N: hey guys!! first part is officially out. I hope you guys enjoy. If you have any requests for what to include in later chapter then please don’t be shy to. Also please correct any errors it is greatly appreciated. Hope you guys have a lovely day !!!

[ask-nyc-boroughs]

😈😈 I’m cooking up some comics. Anyways “To Prevent Consequence” is the title for my American Revolution arc in Nor’easter verse. The first of these I made back in April to help introduce major characters in this arc in a fun way. I will note that these “cheat sheets” are an oversimplification of positions at the beginning of the American Revolution. I’ll keep this as a navigational post, and I’ll try to update it as each comic page comes out. Also links to all my comics can be found here & you can follow the tags #tpc comic for updates on the comic.

Denise/Quebec & Thomas/ Nova Scotia belongs to my friend ekuos.art on Instagram.

Also feel free to ask questions!

For reference, these are the chapters that I have mostly completed as of August 2024:

The End: Most of the 13 colonies see no other option, but to agree with their people and declare independence from Arthur thus putting their lives on the line. However some colonies remain on the fence. Furthermore, the colonies can’t seem to agree upon one of their own to lead them, or really have as a figurehead. In general the colonies can’t seem to even decide if they want to be independent together, or strike it out on their own. Henry (Massachusetts), a fierce advocate of independence, and an advocate of remaining together proposes that his cousin Alfred Jones, who was once Plymouth colony (yet his exact role in the present is unclear), be their figurehead while they unite together. However Henry & Alfred face great opposition from their peers.

The Ashes: Following the Battle of Long Island, Jennie Van Slyke (New York State) wakes up in Albany, hurt and disoriented. There she finds her longtime rival and now ally in independence, Henry with her.

lol I realize the font is small in case you needed a close up here it is.

Other notes:

You may be familiar with the Haudenosaunee as the Iroquois Confederacy, some suspect the name Iroquois comes from an insult and was later adapted by colonists. I put their names in their respective languages so Mr. Seneca (O-non-Dowa-Gah), Mr. Mohawk (Kaniek’kehá:ka), Mr. Onondaga (Onoñda’gegá”), Cayuga (Gayoghó:no’), Oneida (Onyota’a:ka), & Ms. Tuscarora (Skarùr:re).

Mr. Cherokee = Mr. Anigiduwagi

Mr. Mohican = Mr. Muhhekunneuw. Also Lynn/ NYC’s biological father

I focus mostly on settler colonial histories. I try my best to research and understand indigenous histories, but as this is a piece of fiction and I’m not a historian - I will be prone to error in my work. If you notice something egregious in this regard & have sources to lead me to, do let me know via private message.

[south-of-heaven]

Enemies to lovers with Rhea where they are both rivals for the world womens championship but they have to face chelsea and sonya for a regular match and they realize their feelings for each other

Rivalry || Rhea Ripley x Reader

Summary: You and Rhea are rivals, but when you get put in a tag match against Chelsea Green and Sonya Deville, sparks fly.

The roar of the crowd filled the arena as you stepped into the ring, ready for your tag team match. Tonight, you found yourself paired with your longtime rival, Rhea Ripley, against the formidable duo of Sonya Deville and Chelsea Green. The tension between you and Rhea was palpable, but you both knew that you had to set aside your differences to take on the common threat.

The match started, and the atmosphere was charged with electricity. The rivalry between you and Rhea had been fierce over the years, with each of you vying for the spotlight and the Women's World Championship. But tonight, there was a shared goal – to defeat Sonya and Chelsea.

As the match progressed, you and Rhea found yourselves working together surprisingly well. The chemistry between you two was undeniable, and you seamlessly complemented each other's strengths and weaknesses. It was as if all the years of rivalry had prepared you for this moment, pushing each other to be better competitors.

However, as the intensity of the match increased, so did the animosity between you and Rhea. The temptation to go back to your old ways and treat each other as rivals was strong, and you found yourselves exchanging heated words in the heat of the battle.

But just when it seemed like all was lost, something clicked between you and Rhea. You both realized that your rivalry, though fierce, had also driven you to become better wrestlers. The passion and determination that had fueled your clashes could now be redirected into working as a united front.

As the adrenaline surged through your veins, you and Rhea found a newfound understanding and respect for each other. You knew each other's moves and tactics so well that you could predict each other's next move. It was as if you were dancing in perfect sync, anticipating each other's actions before they even happened.

With a final, coordinated effort, you and Rhea managed to secure the victory against Sonya and Chelsea. The crowd erupted into cheers, recognizing the incredible display of teamwork they had just witnessed.

As the referee raised your hands in victory, you and Rhea shared a moment of unspoken understanding. The rivalry between you had transformed into a shared bond of respect and admiration. You realized that while competition was important, there was also room for camaraderie and friendship between fierce competitors, maybe even more than that.

In the aftermath of the match, as you caught your breath and celebrated your hard-fought victory, you and Rhea found yourselves drawn to each other. The sparks that had once flown from your rivalry were now replaced by a different kind of energy – one of mutual respect and a newfound connection.

From that moment on, your rivalry with Rhea took on a new dynamic. While you still competed fiercely against each other, the animosity had softened into a deeper understanding. You continued to push each other to be the best versions of yourselves, but now it was with the knowledge that you were also allies on this journey.

Over time, your relationship with Rhea Ripley grew stronger, transitioning from rivals to friends who understood each other in a way that no one else could. The Women's World Championship would always be a point of contention between you, but now it was accompanied by a shared journey of growth and mutual support.

And so, the rivalry that had defined your relationship with Rhea evolved into something more meaningful. The sparks that flew during your tag match were just the beginning of a deeper connection, one that continued to surprise and inspire you as you faced new challenges together. Who knows what the future holds for you and Rhea, but one thing was certain – your rivalry had transformed into a powerful friendship that would stand the test of time, and that friendship would surely turn into something more.

[moonlit-midnight]

One More Happy Ending

Characters: Azul Ashengrotto, Jade Leech, Floyd Leech.

Genre: Remarriage, Romance, Mild angst.

Summary: In which your sick husband asks you to remarry as his final wish.

Warnings:

Character death in the first part. Reader is a female, has a child with Jade and has long hair.

The wedding setup is inspired by one of my fave movies.

—

“If I would die today, my darling, I would die knowing that your life was my life’s best part. I would remember that you were the heart that kept me alive.”

Hanging your head low, you desperately held back the unshed tears from falling.

You couldn’t look at your husband without crying because looking at him in that state shattered your heart into pieces.

His illness took a toll on him, but despite being on the brink of death, Jade Leech never lost his smile. His dazzling smile that rivaled the shine of the sun was still present.

“I have one last wish. Would you hear me out and fulfill it, my love?”

“What is it, sweetheart?” you got up from the chair, taking the empty space beside him on the hospital bed.

“I wish you all the happiness in the world, so after you move on from my death, I want you to marry Azul.” Jade held your hand, his grip was tight as if his life depended on it. “Once you get married, don’t feel guilty about it.”

He paused briefly, bursting into fits of coughing.

“I know that you love Azul as much as you love me, and he loves you too more than anything.”

Another pause ensued, followed by a weak sigh, then eventually his body went limp and still in your hold.

Minutes later, Dr. Riddle Rosehearts, the doctor in charge who was also your longtime friend rushed inside the ward, his expression heartbroken and crestfallen.

“I pronounce Jade Leech dead. Time of death 10:04 A.M.” He announced tearfully as he pulled you into a consoling hug. “I’m very sorry for your loss.”

After Riddle left, you stared at your deceased husband, allowing your tears to flow freely.

After weeping for a long time, a faint smile embraced your lips as you recalled what Jade told you a week ago.

My darling wife, when I leave this world, I hope you’re here beside me.

I hope I look peaceful with the sun shining down on me.

Indeed, Jade died while you were by his side, looking serene and at peace, as if he never suffered from an illness.

He died in a sun-lit room, his face glowed beautifully beneath the mellow sunlight of the autumn season.

“Thank you for sharing your love and your life with me. You made my dreams come true, and I am forever grateful.” you smiled, brushing one last kiss on his face.

★ —

As you and Azul placed a bouquet of violets in front of Jade’s gravestone, a painful pang struck you like a bullet.

Seven years flew by since you lost Jade, and the heartache was still there.

When he died, you and Azul couldn’t tuck him in your hearts because he couldn’t fit.

He died young, and before his time, so you couldn’t seal him away like that because sealing meant forgetting.

“I loved Jade from the moment I met him. We were like long lost soulmates who finally found each other.” you said softly, gazing at the wide, blue sky.

“He was really a great friend.” Azul chimed in, smiling afterwards.

Despite not moving on from his death, you and your best friend still managed to find new happiness and new beginnings.

You lived a joyful life with your daughter whom you were expecting when Jade passed away.

She was named Daisy, in loving memory of your late husband who always gifted you bouquet of daisies during your dates.

She was born five months after his death, and she was seven years old at the moment.

Daisy was the female version of Jade.

She had the same glimmering mismatched eyes and gorgeous teal hair except hers was wavy, and the way she smiled was exactly like him.

She was a little prankster and mischievous like her uncle Floyd, and she enjoyed teasing you a lot.

She was your light when all hopes were lost, and that’s what you loved about her the most.

★ —

“Uncle Azul!” Daisy clung onto Azul’s leg.

Although the latter was busy baking, he still acknowledged the girl.

“Yes, my little flower?”

“When will I start going to an elite school like NRC?”

“When you turn sixteen.” Azul glanced down at her.

“Hmph, still a long way.” Daisy pouted.

He lifted her in his arms, and with a grin, he smeared a blob of icing on her tiny nose.

“Gee uncle, why do you always smear icing on my nose every time you bake?”

“Because I love you.” The silver haired man smiled, lightly pinching the child’s cheeks.

“And I love you more than mama.” your daughter giggled, putting her small arms around Azul.

“Daisy Leech, how dare you say that!”

They froze upon hearing your voice. They turned around, only to see you glaring at them in a playful manner.

“Oh, hey dear best friend.” Azul grinned.

“Tsk, you and your stupid grin.”

“Uncle’s grin is not stupid!”

“Just kidding.” you chuckled as you stood beside Azul.

While watching him putting icing on the blueberry cake which he usually baked during Sunday mornings, you felt your daughter tugging on your sleeve.

“Mama and uncle Azul, can we sit down for a few minutes? I have something to tell you.”

Upon hearing that, the man set down the icing nozzle as he sat on the floor, and you followed suit.

“Last night someone visited me in my dreams. I think the man was my late father.” said your daughter. “He asked me if uncle Azul is treating us well. I told him yes, and I told him that he makes mama so happy. Father seemed relieved hearing my answer.”

“Uncle Azul, I know it’s not my place to say this, but will you do the honor to marry my mama, and adopt me?” The girl reached for your best friend’s hand, her eyes glistening. “I always considered you a family, but I want us to be a real family.”

It wasn’t shocking hearing such thing from your child, but you didn’t expect that she would bring this topic in the open one day.

“I would be happy to marry your mother and have you as my daughter, but only if your mama is okay with it.” Azul glanced at you, a gentle smile adorning his face.

“Of course I’m okay with it.” you returned the same smile, feeling a new love blooming in the empty space in your heart.

★ —

(Two years later)

Today was supposed to be your another big day, but it was postponed due to a small incident.

Three days ago, you were hanging out with your daughter in your treehouse, and while heading down, you missed a step and fell down.

The treehouse wasn’t high, but it still left you with one twisted ankle.

You weren’t upset, but you were a little sad that your wedding was postponed until you recovered.

Unbeknown to you, your friends already planned everything.

“Rise and shine. You gotta get ready.” Floyd gently shook your sleeping figure awake.

“Get ready for what?” you mumbled before fluttering your eyes open.

“For your wedding.” Floyd leaned forward, a big grin plastered on his face.

“What wedding are you talking about? It’s postponed for a week.”

Floyd could only giggle, looping an arm around your body to help you get up.

Once Floyd was done with your makeup and your other friends helped you dress up, you headed to the wedding venue.

You could swear that your friends were creative.

With a permission granted from the hospital administrators, a makeover was done to the hospital’s cafeteria, turning it into a wonderful wedding hall.

“You guys really did this?” you marveled at the beauty of the place.

“Yeah, and Azul helped too.”

“W-what? He really did?”

“I know that he’s the groom, but it was honestly your man's idea in the first place.” Floyd winked at you.

Thrilled and giddy with excitement, you clamped a hand over your mouth to muffle your squeals.

“You’re one lucky lady.” Floyd remarked, chuckling softly.

★ —

Once all the invited guests arrived, your chosen wedding soundtrack started to play in the background.

Your right hand was in Floyd’s grasp, fingers interlaced, and your other hand was holding tight onto the crutch.

“Scared?” He asked quietly, his thumb brushing your knuckles to calm your nerves.

“Not at all.” you beamed a smile. “Just make sure I won’t fall.”

“You won’t,” Floyd smiled back. “You have me.”

The two of you began walking down the aisle, heads high, and postures calm and relaxed.

You looked beautiful in your simple yet stunning wedding gown, handpicked by Mrs. Leech, your previous mother-in-law.

Your hair was curled, radiating beneath the lights, and a pretty crown of blue daisies sat atop your head.

You teared up when you neared Azul, and you almost cried when you spotted your beloved nine year old daughter in the front row, cheering for you.

“I’m so happy for you, mama.” she said, smiling brightly.

★ —

“Do you, Azul Ashengrotto take (...) to be your lawfully wedded wife, to love her and cherish her to the end of your days?”

Azul looked at you, drowning into your gaze, and your enchanting smile spared him a breath.

“I do.” He exclaimed as he placed the ring on your finger. “From this day forward, I promise you that even when the skies tear apart, even when the sun burns out and the lights go out, I will love you to whatever end awaits us.”

The man who officiated the ceremony turned to you.

“Do you, (...) take Azul Ashengrotto to be your lawfully wedded husband, to love him and cherish him to the end of your days?”

“I do.” you responded, eyes glittering like gemstones. “From this day forward, I vow to share my love, my happiness and my sadness with you. As long as we shall live, I will be here for you, for love and death go together.”

The man announced. “I now pronounce you husband and wife.”

As soon as you and Azul shared a kiss, the room erupted with clapping, gleeful cheers and cheerful squeals.

Some had happy smiles on their faces, and some had tears of joy in their eyes.

It was a heartwarming feeling seeing the guests genuinely happy and excited for you, but what mattered the most at the moment was the two of you.

Under the bright blue skies, you found a home in each other, and you’d never be apart.

For you and Azul, home was never a certain place.

It was anywhere as long as you were together.

[marizch]

just have been here imagining a tgcf band au...

in my mind the main point would be the rock band "ghost city", with hua cheng as its lead singer, composer and guitarist; he xuan as bassist; and yin yu as manager and drummer. of course it was hua cheng's idea to start it and the other two were dragged by him. btw, yin yu might be overworked as usual, handling the bureaucratic and financial situations that involve the band, while he xuan also works as an actor (from where he knows shi qingxuan), but he lost a bet to hua cheng and now have to play with them.

on the other hand we have xie lian. he also used to be part of the music industry, maybe playing classical instruments in the same group as mu qing and feng xin. but after a lot of things went down, they’ve decided to quit it and follow their own paths, maintaining little contact. I can imagine him working in a flower shop now, but still enjoying music very passionately, looking for new bands and stuff, which leads him to being a fan of the upcoming success group, “ghost city”. he's also a longtime friend with shi qingxuan, who's an actress. one day she invites him to go to a show of that band he likes, because her work-colleague, who happens to be a member of it, gave her two tickets, and xie lian gladly accepts.

now thinking about the connection between xie lian and hua cheng. in his best days as a musician, xie lian could have founded a project to bring musical education to children and teenagers in need. that’s how he met hua cheng, a shy teenager wearing an eyepatch, who was very interested in his lessons and showed great potential, gaining his teacher's affection. 

xie lian had many students, as well as volunteers helping with the project, so it would be hard for him to recognise someone after all these years, especially when the person in question has changed so much. however, hua cheng never forgot the man who got him into music, gave him his first guitar and has been his inspiration since then. so it's a big surprise to him when,  after a show, xie lian and shi qingxuan meet the band in the back stages due to he xuan’s invitation.

xie lian also gets very surprised when the enchanting leader of the band shows to recognize him from his years as a classical musician, something that hasn't happened in quite a while, demonstrating also great knowledge about music in general. he doesn’t say anything about their past, but they get along well together since the beginning, to a point in which hua cheng insists that xie lian should open an exception for them and help them produce their next album. although being honored by the idea, the former musician asks for some time to think about it, they exchange numbers and decide to keep in touch no matter the decision. anyway, after some reluctance due to past traumas, shi qingxuan excitedly encourages him, and he decides to accept the offer. so he starts working with them almost daily, while keeping working in the flower shop half shift.

(another detail i think might be funny is that qi rong also auditioned to be part of “ghost city” at some point, but was rejected. since then, he has been working as a metal singer, and he consideres himself a rival to the band, although they never really cared about his attacks - and his music isn't even that good.)

[daughter-of-melpomene]

𝐑𝐄-𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐑𝐎𝐃𝐔𝐂𝐈𝐍𝐆… 𝐌𝐘 𝐆𝐋𝐄𝐄 𝐎𝐑𝐈𝐆𝐈𝐍𝐀𝐋 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐀𝐂𝐓𝐄𝐑, 𝐈𝐕𝐘 𝐊𝐄𝐊𝐎𝐀

❝ Ivy was well aware that she wasn't the only victim of bullying at McKinley High, but she was also well aware that, unlike most of her fellow victims, she'd never exactly done much to try to blend in. An outspoken feminist who frequently swore in Hawaiian, dressed in a style that was entirely unusual for such a small town as Lima, Ohio, and spent most of her time writing songs and dreaming of being on the Broadway stage, she was prime fodder for cutting words from McKinley's famous Cheerios and facefulls of slushies from the knuckle-dragging jocks, but she always did her best to try and ignore all that. Someday, she knew, she'd get out of this small-minded little town, land a starring role on the Great White Way, and then none of those future gas station attendants would ever have the right to sneer at her again.

And then one day, she'd spied a sign-up sheet that would forever alter her life. After being persuaded by her best friend Mercedes to join Mr. Schuester's new glee club, Ivy had been determined to finally prove to McKinley High's assholes that she was destined for greater things than any of them - and, hopefully, show up her longtime rival Rachel Berry along the way. Instead, she'd gained a few friends, her relationship with Rachel had mellowed if it hadn't exactly turned friendly, and she found she no longer cared half as much about proving herself.

But that was sophomore year. Now a junior, Ivy, along with the rest of the New Directions, is right back to being at the bottom of McKinley's food chain, ridiculed and slushied as often as she's looked at. But there is something different about this year. This year, McKinley has a new student, Sam Evans, who, in addition to being infuriatingly good-looking and sweet, can sing like the stupid blond cherub he is. And, perhaps most surprisingly, he seems interested in Ivy.

Ivy has always sworn, to herself and anybody who would listen, that she'll never date a jock or cheerleader as long as she lives. But Sam really is sweet... and maybe the two of them just might be able to make a perfect harmony. ❞

General Taglist: @hiddenqveendom, @foxesandmagic, @artemisocs, @reyofluke-ocs, @endless-oc-creations, @stanshollaand, @ginnystilinski-reblogs, @luucypevensie, @ginger-grimm, @arrthurpendragon, @fakedatings, @impales, @claryxjackson, @dancingsunflowers-ocs, @eddysocs, @lucys-chen, @ocappreciationtag. (Also tagging @manyfandomocs.)

[gvzel]

heeellooo, it's your girl dee again asking for plots hehe. i would really love to have new longtime writing partners! definitely in for any kind of slice of life mumu. i really love brainstorming and sharing muse posts / make pinterest boards for my muses. so expect me to bother you a lot. i write f/m & f/f and write both females or males. i really have muse for both.

some fc’s i really have muse for (to write & write against, bolded up names mean i have highly muse for): bensu soral, demet özdemir, diane guerrero, janhvi kapoor, pelin uluksar, melisa asli pamuk, aslihan malbora, kriti sanon, pooja hegde, hazal filiz küçükköşe, ahsen eroğlu, cemre baysel, ayça ayşin turan, naz sayıner, meltem akçöl, alperen duymaz, michael evans behling, kivanç tatlituğ, yusuf çim, theo james, burak çelik, kerem bursin, engin özturk

some plots i would love to do can be found under this cut!

PLOT IDEA 1: (based on NO 309): muse a is getting pressured by their parents to get married because if they get married before their cousin it means they will get the family business like their grandparents promised. whoever gets married first will own the company. muse a eventually gives in and agrees to go on a date with the other that their parents picked. muse b on the other hand is getting pressured by their mom because they just want to see them being happy and have their own little family.

muse a & muse b were supposed to meet someone else that night but muse a has the same name as the person muse b was going to meet, so they accidentally end up spending the night together & the next morning they agree to never meet again.

3 months… later muse b finds out she’s pregnant and muse a just got engaged to someone else, THE ANGST

PLOT IDEA 2: friends to LOVers, maybe one of the muses has feelings for the other and has always been so clumsy around them and is like trying not to show off but … fails

PLOT IDEA 3: a “my dad is a retired mafia and i’ve met you during my most vulnerable time and we became best friends and i’m slowly starting to have feelings for you. wait, what are you doing at my house? what did my dad just announce? is he getting back into the underground business that brought so much damage to our family in the past? did you just became my dad’s right hand man?!?!” kind of plot.

PLOT IDEA 4: this plot !!!!!!!!!

PLOT IDEA 5: always in for some forbidden love, as for example, maybe their families are rivals

PLOT IDEA 6: a non famous muse x a famous soccer player, we could make this a mumu. as for example the soccer players x their significant others. ideas can be discussed!

PLOT IDEA 7: nepo baby x non famous muse

PLOT IDEA 8: any kind of celeb plot, whether it's fake pr dating to real dating and having to separate or any other kind of other celeb plot

PLOT IDEA 9: a wealthy family and their partners mumu (such maybe like modern family idea)

i’m literally up for anything really, as i mentioned before i’d love to brainstorm and come up with more ideas as well! if you’re interested in plotting with me then lms and i will come & bother you! 😇

[bumblesimagines]

So, we're already onto season 3 of OBX which means Midnight Beach will soon be coming to either an end or a hiatus (haven't decided yet as this season left me underwhelmed and I don't have high expectations for next season). This means, we'll be moving onto another series once it's over and done with/put on pause.

That brings me to three series I have either halfway fleshed out (as in plot, relationships, etc) or completely fleshed out. Keep in mind that regardless of the end result, the TWD fic will happen sooner or later as I have muse for it and plan to subject you all to 11 seasons of it cause if I suffer, you suffer <3.

The Walking Dead / The Last Days

(Y/N) Morales and his longtime friend and work buddy, Glenn Rhee, find themselves fighting to survive in a world newly plunged into a zombie apocalypse. Due to the goodness of their hearts, they rescue a fella named Rick Grimes and their lifes become intertwined with his as they travel together and try to stay alive while battling both the dead and the living. Follow (Y/N) as he's forced to make tough decisions and try to form a new life for himself.

TW/CW: Violence, gun mentions, lots of cursing, descriptions of gore/death, mentions/talk of depression, typical warnings you'd expect from a zombie show and/or The Walking Dead, 11 seasons to go through

Tropes: Found Family, Opposites Attract, very brief enemies to lovers (twice w different ppl), Right person wrong time, Shared Trauma, obnoxiously long Slowburn, Grump x Sunshine, Death of many loved ones, Friends with Benefits

Endgame Romance: Daryl Dixon BUT he is the slowburn and right person wrong time (later on becomes right person right time) so (Y/N) forms romantic relationships with others throughout the fic including guys and gals because we stan a bi king.

Game of Thrones / The Youngest Hound

After being taken to King's Landing as a child by his brother Sandor Clegane to protect him, (Y/N) Clegane earns himself a reputation for being as ruthless and frightening as his older brothers. Assigned as the Sworn Shield to the young Prince Tommen, (Y/N)'s had the unfortunate luck of practically being part of the Lannister-Baratheon family. Due to his job, he accompanies the family to Winterfell where he first lays eyes on the naive Sansa Stark who he brushes off as just another vain lady. But fate has a funny sense of humor and after a series of events, he flees from King's Landing with her when King Joffrey is murdered. Follow (Y/N) as he deals with everything life throws at him and Sansa Stark.

TW/CW: This is such a dead dove do not eat fic. Violence, descriptions of death/gore, implied abusive brother (Gregor), Joffrey and Cersei are warnings alone tbh, abusive relationship/actions (Half the men Sansa interacts with), trauma, predatory behavior (Baelish, Cersei) typical GoT warnings honestly, 8 seasons to go through

Tropes: Brief Rivals/Enemies to Lovers, Grump x Sunshine, Protector x Protectee/Bodyguard x Bodyguarded(?), Royalty, Opposites attract, Slowburn, Unrequited Love for a bit

Endgame Romance: Sansa Stark

Legacies / Forgotten Fairytale

Note: This will be rewritten from part 1 since this unfinished series makes me cringe when I read it. This does mean I'll be slowly getting around to finishing series that have been left uncompleted.

Sent to spy on the students at The Salvatore School for the Young and Gifted, (Y/N) (L/N) makes his presence known from day 1. Being a dragon-vampire hybrid with a sarcastic and often times mean personality, (Y/N) lands himself the bad boy role amongst the students and gets himself on the bad side of infamous Hope Mikaelson. However, he soon changes his tune and becomes a part of the Super Squad, although his many secrets make it hard for others to fully trust him.

TW/CW: Foul language, violence, mentions of things like demons and such, uhhhh yeah.

Tropes: Enemies to Lovers, Slowburn, Right Person Wrong Time, Villain x Hero, Antihero x Hero, Shared Trauma, Unrequited Love (different character from love interests), Found Family, Bad Boy x Good Girl, slight Miscommunication

Endgame Romance: Hope Mikaelson BUT (Y/N) does have a serious romantic relationship before her

[elitehoe]

about a name for kenny and okada, i saw someone on twitter suggest “devil’s rain” which i love

I love that, devils rain or even angels rain is perfect for them. Now let's hope this wasn't a one off thing and we get more of them tagging together!!

[justminawrites]

Five Days of Fire Flowers - Chapter 1: Red Oni, Blue Oni

AO3

Summary: The spring of love has finally begun blooming in Inazuma, but longtime friends and rivals, Arataki "The One and Oni" Itto and the town's sweetheart, Naganohara Yoimiya, seem to be the only ones who think nothing of the change. After all, those umeboshi competitions, near-death encounters, and complicated silences they've been sharing more and more often, don't really mean anything.. do they?

1 | TBC

“And then I sent the jerk flying– right down into the dirt!”

“Woah! That’s amazing!”

“But Mister Itto– didn’t it hurt?”

“Ha ha! A little pain isn’t going to stop someone like me, y’see, I’m The Pride of all Oni kind!”

“You’re so cool!”

Arataki Itto puffed out his chest at the compliment and flashed a toothy grin at the kids that flocked to him eagerly. 

They were sitting right outside the shrine of Inazuma City, near the grassy plains with the cherry-blossom trees in full bloom, safely away from the watchful eyes of the Tenryou Commission. 

Itto had challenged a certain fireworks expert to a duel to win the hearts of Inazuma’s children and the spunky blonde had picked Storytelling to be their weapon of choice this time. Whosoever told the best tale was considered the winner.

He regaled them with his latest adventures fighting a group of bandits by Musuo Blade Canyon, sure of his victory; there was no way Yoimiya could beat him when it came to exciting encounters, she may stir them with her little sparklers or whatever, but he had the grit and scars to show for his various battles with opponents far stronger and more renowned than he. And it seemed to be working, at first.

The three little ones, Matsuzaka, Iwao and sweet Saika, looked absolutely enthralled by his tale, their earlier fears forgotten as they ran their tiny fingers over his mace and Itto turned his smirk on the blonde perched on the bough of a nearby tree, swinging her feet and awaiting her turn. 

The Naganohara heir met his smile with a wicked one of her own and jumped down from her place, dusting off her orange kimono as she did.

“Won’t hold it against ‘cha if ya just admit defeat now, Sparkie,” he grinned as she passed him, 

“No shame in losing to someone more superior, after all.”

“Appreciate the offer,” Yoimiya said wryly as she resumed seat on a large stone opposite to him, “–but I wouldn’t be so quick to count my chickens yet, Arataki-san.”

“You haven’t even heard my story yet!”

“Yoimiya’s telling us a story!” Iwao gasped, immediately looking up.

“Yoimiya’s stories are the best!”

“Which one is it going to be this time? The Fire Diamond again?” Saika asked excitedly, turning to her friends.

Itto tried not to huff in irritation as the kids abandoned him to huddle under Yoimiya’s rock expectantly; whatever it was, it couldn’t be as good as single-handedly taking on a group of electro Kairagi warriors to protect a village. 

“No, today’s special,” she began, crossing her legs, “So I’ve got a new one for you. It’s called Red Oni, Blue Oni.”

The children collectively turned back to give him a surprised look. Itto felt a strange sense of deja-vu pass over him and found himself refusing to meet their eyes. He knew the story of course, it was one of the very first stories he’d learned growing up.

“Oni? Like Mister-Itto?”

“Nope,” Yoimiya winked, “These were very different oni. They used to live in the mountains of Liyue, far, far away from Inazuma, back when the Archons first roamed Teyvat.”

“Oh..”

“Once upon a time, almost 2000 years ago, two oni friends lived in a cave, high up in the mountains above a small human settlement. One had red skin, the colour of Dendrobium flowers, and the other blue, like the sky.”

The children leaned in close, already invested. 

“The Red Oni really wanted to befriend his neighbours, so he tried his best to accommodate them; he laid out sweets they liked, invited them to his cave, even tried to help them with their things a few times, but they all ran away screaming when they saw his face.” 

Itto couldn’t help but get swept up into the story too as Yoimiya began gesturing animatedly, using her hands to describe what was going on.

“The humans were all very terrified of the two friends, you see, it was a time of great strife among their community and they didn’t trust each other, much less the oni who looked very different from them; so they would curse or throw beans at him if he got too close to the village.”

“That’s not fair!” Matsuzaka cried outraged, leaping to his feet, “They shouldn’t be mean just because of something stupid like that!”

The other two nodded sternly.

“Ah, ah,” the storyteller wagged her finger in his direction and shook her head, “Remember how you all were afraid of Mister Itto when he first came to Inazuma?” 

“You thought he was the Great Mujina Yokai, here to steal you away from your homes, didn’t you?”

Itto snorted and the children flushed guiltily; Matsuzaka sat back down without protest.

“Fear makes people do stupid things,” Yoimiya continued kindly, jumping back into the story, “–and the Red Oni knew this, so he would never hold it against them when they rejected his friendship. But he never gave up trying to win them over either.”

“One day, the Blue Oni had just about enough of watching his friend get constantly rejected and devised a plan to help him gain the humans’ trust. I’ll pretend to attack the village, he said, and you stop me. The Blue Oni knew that humans loved heroes more than they feared them, and smartly decided to take advantage of this for his friend’s benefit.”

“A terrible plan if you ask me–“ Itto interrupted, snarling, he knew how the rest of the story went and couldn’t help himself but the kids shushed him immediately.

“So they executed the plan, and it worked!” She didn’t falter, much to their delight.

“The Blue Oni stomped his way into the town and began burning down a few houses, taking care not to hurt any of the people on the way, of course. The Red Oni pretended to intervene and chase his friend all the way back up the mountain, finally earning the approval of the humans. Once he returned, they brought him into their homes and celebrated his victory by feeding him and bringing him gifts to show their thanks, eagerly accepting his invitations to come over as soon as possible! In fact, the Red Oni became so popular that even other villages heard of his brave exploits and humans journeyed all the way to the mountain just to meet him!”

Itto furrowed his brows; this version was a little different from what he’d grown up hearing. Yoimiya caught his eye and winked, as if they shared some kind of secret.

“That’s great!”

“Good for him!”

“But wait– what happened to the Blue Oni?” Saika asked suddenly, looking up at the storyteller. 

“Excellent question!” Yoimiya replied cheerily, not missing a beat, “Well since the Red Oni had so many friends coming over he moved into a new cave, with a super secret entrance that only a few people knew about. He wasn’t as fond of humans as his friend, preferring to sit inside and read instead, so he spent the rest of his days like that, happy to see that the Red Oni was happy too.”

“But they still stayed friends?” Saika pressed, leaning forward. 

“Forever and ever!” She affirmed, soothing the little girl’s troubled expression by adding, “They never stopped being friends, no matter what! The End!”

“Now– time for the results! Whose story was better?”

The children turned each other excitedly, ready to discuss the stories and give their final verdict.

“Hey, wait a minute!“ Itto interrupted again, now he was sure there must be some kind of mistake.

“That’s not how it MMPFH–“

Yoimiya was on him immediately, covering his mouth with her hands to stop him from saying anymore. He nearly toppled over with surprise at her action, but caught himself just in time, regaining his balance just long enough to hear her whisper-shout Don’t into his ear. He met her alarmed eyes with borderline confusion that steadily bled into understanding.

Iwao, Saika and Matsuzaka gave them a weird look but didn’t think much of it, more invested in debating the victor instead. After a few tense seconds, during which she still refused to take her hands off his face, the children came to a decision.

“Yoimiya won this round,” Iwao declared seriously, the other two nodding alongside him, “Mister-Itto’s story was good too but hers was a little bit better.”

“MMPFH!” The half-oni pleaded his case, but his captor beamed a brilliant white smile and mercilessly shooed them away. 

“Well, now that’s settled, you children better be heading back to your parents. It’s getting dark and you don't want to miss the fireworks show, do you?”

The children exchanged a startled glance and looked up to see the red sun setting into the horizon.

“Buh-bye, Mister-Itto! Bye, Yoimiya!”

As the three waved their goodbyes and ran home, Itto shot a sideways glance at Yoimiya, who waved back happily, completely unaware that her other hand was dangerously close to his demon-teeth. 

“Precious little things aren’t they?” She smiled, watching Saika’s head disappear past the green outcropping. 

Itto pretended to bite her arm, playfully nipping at the edge of her fingers with his fangs and she yelped and jumped backwards, more out of shock than pain. 

“Don’t be such a sore loser, Arataki-san!”

“Yeah, yeah. Ya got me today Sparkie, but it won’t be so easy next time.”

“You say that every time, and still haven’t managed to beat me once,” Yoimiya stuck out her tongue but he frowned in return, his mind still on the story.

“Why’d ya lie to ‘em anyway?” He asked, uncharacteristically serious for once, “It doesn’t end like that, y’know.” 

“Is it really lying if I just happen to forget a few small details here and there?” She joked, still bouncing on the balls of her feet, but slowed down a little when he looked away, his arm subconsciously tightening on the hilt of his mace.

“Arataki-san? Is everything alright?”

“Hmm,” He rumbled in assent, but his red eyes were clouded with memory. 

Itto first heard the story when he was ten, sitting in grade school with all the other village kids, and had memorised the way it had ended. 

The truth was that once the Red Oni gained the humans’ trust, they declared him the saviour of their village and would rely on him for everything. He helped them out at first, feeling guilty about the broken homes, but soon found himself unable to leave the villagers at all; there was always more work, always more guilt and always someone left to help. 

One day, when he’d found a little time for himself, he snuck away and up the mountain to the cave he shared, only to find it dusty, like no one had lived there for days. A letter awaited him on their little table and once he’d read it, the Red Oni couldn’t stop crying. 

The letter was from the Blue Oni, it said: Hello, Old Friend. You have not been back in days so I hope this finds you in good health. I have decided to go on a journey far, far north and I pray you will not come looking for me when I do. You finally have the love of the humans, which you so greatly deserve, but love is a fickle thing and I fear you may lose it if you’re seen with me again; the Evil One. Do not worry for me, I shall manage as I always have, but I hope it’s not selfish of me to ask that you keep me in your memory still. I shall always be thinking of you too. Sincerely, Your Friend.

Itto remembered the way everyone around him either erupted into tears, or gaped around in dazed confusion, like they couldn’t fully grasp what was happening. 

Even his teacher had looked a little misty-eyed, dabbing at her cheeks with a white napkin, but he knew at once that none of them truly understood what the story meant. Sacrifices couldn’t change the past. The Red Oni only had their respect so long as he could protect the humans. 

He involuntarily narrowed his eyes. Monsters were only loved as long as they were useful.

“Itto?” A feather-light touch on his forearm slipped him out of the memory, and he found himself blinking as two gold eyes, like moons, looked up at him from under a head of choppy blonde hair.

Yoimiya wrinkled her nose, stood up and bumped his shoulder with her hip pointedly so she could sit beside him. He obediently scooted to the side to make space for her and she gave him a small smile as she took her place.    The once-pink sky now bruised a quiet shade of blue and a faint hum of anticipation hung in the air. The fireworks show would start soon. 

Only when Yoimiya leaned her head against his forearm did Itto realise she’d been speaking.

“–didn’t want to spoil their fun,” she sighed, tucking a blonde curl behind her ear, “They didn’t need to know about all the sad bits with everything that’s already going on. The vision hunt decree’s got a lot of folks down and confused, it’s a miracle these kids haven’t lost their energy in the fuss.”

“Huh.” Itto raised his eyebrows. He hadn’t thought of it like that.

“And besides-” she peeked up at him mischievously, “-who’s to say the story doesn’t end there anyway?”

“It doesn’t!” Itto puffed, insistent, “It ends when the Red Oni finds the letter, even an idiot could tell ya that much.”

“Stubborn as ever,” Yoimiya made a face and reached out to poke his cheek, “Don’t be so bullish, Arataki-san, use your imagination! Isn’t there any other ending you can think of?”

He let her prod at his face as he pondered the question; this was a normal occurrence between the two of them. 

He’d challenge her to a duel, she’d find some roundabout way to best him, and then she’d go on to break all boundaries between them like they were best friends, even though he’d only known her for a few months at most. 

When Itto had first arrived in the Hanamizaka District in Inazuma, the locals had been wary to say the least. If seeing an oni was rare, seeing a half-human one was even rarer, and he couldn’t hide the glaring red horns peeking out of his stark silver hair, though the horrified stares he garnered grew with each time he came out in public. 

Not that he would either way– Itto had leaned into the half-demon persona with gusto; leaving the red birthmarks on his face, chest and arms on full display and only making the occasional attempt to tame his wild mane– which brought its own set of problems. 

Vendors would run from him when he tried to buy food, tripping over their carts in fear; priestesses would avert their eyes and pray to the Electro Archon for salvation and even the guards on patrol had a wary hand on their blades every time he passed, like they were waiting for him to snap and attack. 

He was used to it. Though born and brought up in Inazuma, he’d been outcasted for his heritage most of his life, to the point where the gasps of shock no longer bothered him. They would all change their tune soon enough.

It was the same in every district, the locals would be horrified by his presence until they saw him punishing a wicked landlord or catching a bandit or defying some other injustice they’d been putting up with, and then the tables would turn instantly; he’d be hailed as a hero. 

Itto soon disregarded the opinions of people around him completely and let his strong moral compass do the talking– the culprits would take one look at his glowing yellow vision and the club slung over his shoulder and would admit defeat almost immediately. 

Unfortunately, he lost his vision right after that so it made the aforementioned talking, among other things, a lot more difficult. 

He’d challenged the general of the Tenryou Commission, Kujou Sara, to a duel and got his ass handed to him; she’d taken his pride and his power, refusing to respond to his demands for a rematch and leaving him with bottled up frustration that had him using his fists to settle matters instead, sending him to jail more and more often.

That was where he’d first met Yoimiya.

“Arataki-san? Did you fall asleep?”

Itto opened one eye to find her unabashedly pulling his cheek now, any pretense of decorum between them forgotten. Though it seemed that everyone else in Inazuma had inherited an intense fear of demon-kind, that particular gene seemed to have slipped the Naganohara heir this generation. 

Yoimiya was one of the few brave or foolish, (he’d yet to decide), ones that would voluntarily spend time with him, who wasn’t part of his gang– though not for lack of trying on his part. 

“Yoi-chan–“ He began, but she already knew what was coming.

“No, Arataki-san, I’m not going to join your little club,” she huffed and let go of his face immediately.

“Gang. The Arataki Gang. And why not––“

“Because,” she looked up at the sky expectantly, no doubt waiting for the fireworks to begin.

“–some of us have actual jobs around here.”

“I do have a job–“

“Beetle-fighting is not a real a real job, Arataki-san,” Yoimiya laughed, nearly tumbling backwards. 

He caught her with his palm, helping her regain her balance without even having to move his other shoulder but squinted suspiciously when she sat closer than she had before. 

“Thanks,” she smiled, and Itto’s frown deepened. 

Was she really not afraid of him? Not even a little?

“Eat any pickled plums lately, Arataki-san?” She teased as he leaned a little closer, looking for the tell tale widening of the eyes, the sudden flinch of her shoulders as she realised how huge he was compared to her. How his claws could shred her to bits with one swipe. 

Itto waited for the gasp of fear and shock that he’d become accustomed to hearing his whole life.

Yoimiya only blinked at him once, twice, in confusion, then leaned forward and pushed his bangs back from his face. They were close enough that he could see the deep brown undertone of her gold eyes, when she reached out and touched his red horns.

Now any self-respecting demon with half a brain could tell you that under no conditions whatsoever must you touch an oni’s horns. Not only are they one of the most sensitive parts of the oni’s body, the loss of one is akin to the loss of a limb. 

Some demons even go so far as to wrap their horns with cloth to hide them from any unnecessary stimuli, but of course, Itto had never seen any reason to. It’s not like he had people lining up to touch his head– even the children had only just begun to warm up to him. But, of course, Yoimiya hadn’t the faintest idea.

“Arataki-san,” she said as he gaped at her in surprise, “Your face is heating up. Do you have a fever?”

Itto jumped back like she’d scalded him, cheeks aflame, trying maintain a semblance of his swagger but found his thoughts unraveling as she eyed him micheviously instead. 

Yoimiya had been called a lot of things by the citizens of Inazuma– a chatterbox, a messy eater, a delinquent, a doll, even the occasional jail-breaker– but she’d never ever been mistaken for stupid. The girl was as bright as the fireworks she set off on a regular basis, and he’d found out this the hard way.

“Or could it be..” Yoimiya grinned and moved closer but Itto scrambled backwards at the sudden proximity, trying not to think about the sensory overload: how her hair smelled like citrus and gunpowder, or how her lips, her soft, pink, entirely human lips were inches from his own, or how he was fully and thoroughly screwed now that she’d figured out his weakness.

Shit, shit, shit. 

“Don’t tell me it’s because you’re..”

BOOM!

She trailed away as the first firework burst in the sky, sending gold flakes of light sparkling across the midnight blue. 

As his cheeks cooled down, Itto watched Yoimiya shift towards the sound as more and more explosions joined the original one, now in colours of green and red, her eyes glazing over at the blinding display. It was another thing about her that left him puzzled; despite never being at a loss for words, the only time he’d seen her fall quiet was when she was watching the fireworks. 

No matter how many times she’d seen them before, no matter who she was seeing them with, Itto could see how transfixed she was by the little bursts of light that faded away into the vast darkness that swept over them, as though there was a story written in the smoke that only she could read. 

“Yoi-chan,” He mumbled, but just as he’d expected, the Naganohara heir barely batted an eyelash, too lost in her own world to notice her friend.

Itto sighed and looked down at his hands; the stark red tattoos banding his knuckles, the claw-like nails, and thought about what she’d said. Isn’t there any other ending you can think of?, she’d asked, genuine and curious in a way that got on his nerves for reasons he couldn’t explain.

He thought he knew how humans operated; they loved anything that was of use to them and respected anything that instilled fear in them. 

Itto had no desire to be useful to anyone. It was why he refused to get a job in the first place––  he wasn’t some kind of arse-kissing, mercenary-for-hire, though he’d met many a sleazy businessman who needed to be told that repeatedly, with fists. So he settled for being a nomadic warrior instead. 

He’d earn their respect with his fearsome displays of justice and make his mark his own way, The Itto Way–– going so far as to graciously recruit members into the Arataki Gang so they could fully appreciate all that his protection had to offer.

Even Kujo Tengu had a begrudging respect for his strength, he was sure of it, (though she still refused to respond to his challenges for a rematch).

He thought his philosophy was ironclad– until Yoimiya came along and shattered it to pieces. Not only did she not fear him to the point of ridiculousness; she didn’t try to push him into doing her chores with her either; in fact, he suspected that she actively blew off work just to partake in their competitions! 

To add insult to injury, Itto doubted she even considered him a real rival for the children’s affections– wouldn’t she show a little more persistence if she wasn’t merely humouring him?

But then again, that was always Yoimiya’s style. She approached everything with such sincere recklessness that you’d really have to stop and wonder how much of it was real, and how much was an act. Not that he’d ever wondered, of course. Her recklessness had gotten him out of jail, after all.

It happened on a day like every other one he’d had since he lost his vision. 

He’d gotten into a fight with a particularly cruel landlord and found himself on the wrong end of the Tenryou Commissioner’s katana both in a single day, (talk about bad luck), when he’d first met Yoimiya. 

The guards had tossed him into the nearest holding cell, not even bothering with cuffs this time - they knew as well as he did that he had nowhere else to go anyway - and spent the rest of the afternoon getting drunk over a mahjong table. 

The Shogunate’s iron tight influence over Inazuma meant that anyone who caused even the slightest infraction was either immediately banished or executed by the Raiden herself, so there was no one left to line its jail cells except petty pickpockets or walking nuisances who dared to bare a little teeth, like him.

Itto rolled his eyes as the two foot soldiers snored away into the fading evening light, just beginning to get comfortable on his own makeshift bed of rope and hay when a loud clink! resounded throughout the room and a he turned to see a tiny blonde girl swear under her breath as she knocked down more tiles across the floorboards, sending the tiny rectangular pieces skittering through his wooden bars.

He remembered wondering three things that day - why this strange girl looked so familiar, what that bauble in her hair was, a hanging lollipop-like ornament resembling a dango, and wether she’d let him eat it just to be sure - as she carefully placed a few of the mahjong pieces back on the board. 

“C’mon Yoimiya, we don’t have time for this!”

Itto hadn’t noticed she was accompanied by another person till then, with short, shaved hair and the nondescript grey robes of a street vendor; the man was frantically gesturing towards the exit. 

It seemed that a jailbreak was taking place.

“Coming, Hanshirou, just let me get this one–” Yoimiya called back, reaching for the tiles that had fallen under the table. As the man, Hanshirou, fretted to himself and tried not lose temper, Itto got an answer to one of his questions. 

“Hey! Hey, you–– Naganohara girl!” He said quickly but quietly, sliding a game piece through the bars, so as to not startle her. She whirled around in surprise as it landed at the base of her ankle, and in typical Yoimiya fashion, shifted towards the unusual instead of away from it. 

She crept to the front of his cell and peered through the wooden framework curiously.

“How ‘bout ya bust me outta here too,” He proposed when she was close enough that he could see the red tattoos on her forearm, “–and, in exchange, I’ll owe ya one.” 

“Whaddya say? Sound like a deal?”

“Your eyes,” Yoimiya said softly, cocking her head to one side, oddly transfixed. 

Itto bristled. 

He wasn’t unused to people pointing out the traits of his half demon heritage, hair and eyes especially; but it was always the way they did it that irked him. Their features lined with fear as they took in the silver and red, like they couldn’t believe it existed. Like they believed he shouldn’t. But the Naganohara heir had other intentions.

“And? What about ‘em?” He tried not to growl, crossing his arms defensively.

“They’re like firework shells,” she replied, undeterred, pressing her face against the bars to get a better look.

“They’re.. what?” 

Itto resisted the urge to lean closer to make sure he heard her right. 

“Firework shells? What’re ya on about, Sparkie?”

The unprompted nickname seemed to shake her out of whatever daze she’d been in. Yoimiya blinked in surprise, gasped and briskly turned around to wave at a horrified looking Hanshirou, who looked like he was about to faint.

“Wait a second!” Itto huffed as Yoimiya placed the final mahjong tile on the table between the two unconscious soldiers and turned to leave, “Don’t ya want anythin’ from me?” 

“A favour from The Oni Sumo King ain’t nothin’ to turn yer nose up at, y’know!”

“No thanks,” she shrugged carelessly, not even pretending to consider his offer. 

“I’m all out of requests at the moment. But if you need my help that badly, Arataki-san, I’d be willing to play you for it.”

Itto was so surprised by her answer that he forgot to ask how she knew his name.

“Fine,” he accepted resentfully; he would’ve corrected her except she was right. Itto did need her help, even if he wasn’t willing to admit it. Playing for it seemed less humiliating than begging anyway.

“What’re we playin’?”

“Rock-paper-scissors!” She grinned.

They played for hours straight. 

Round after round, until the last of the evening’s light bled into claustrophobic night, neither of them getting close to victory in the game meant to settle petty children’s squabbles. 

Hanshirou had slipped away by their twenty-seventh game, and a pregnant moon had risen through the high windows, bathing the happy-go-lucky girl and the frustrated half-oni in its dreamy white glow. 

A moon much like the one that embellished the sky today; this time a dull, monochromatic backdrop for the rainbow of light that was steadily being punctuated by sharp, sudden bursts of sound. 

BOOM!

Itto released a breath and leaned back against the rocky wall, as the sound of the fireworks nudged him out of the memory, and back into real life. 

He did end up losing that final match to her (35 to 44), but she’d still unlatched the door to his cell anyway, reasoning, with a wink, that anyone who was willing to play janken with her for four full hours, couldn’t be that much of a villain.

This kindness had, of course, irritated him to no end, so he’d hunted Yoimiya down the very next morning and demanded a rematch. She’d been surrounded by children then, showing them some new toy she’d dug out from back of her shop– they’d been afraid at first, but took a liking to him when Yoimiya beat him again, (this time a pitiful 75 to 4). 

Thus began their legendary rivalry for the children’s attention, although, if he were being honest with himself, it really should be renamed Arataki Itto’s Longest Losing Streak in Existence. To a girl who had no trouble winning, no less. 

Itto tried not to sulk as he shot a sideways glance at the girl in question; Yoimiya hadn’t torn her gaze away from the fireworks display all this time. 

Though it had been a few weeks since the start of their unlikely friendship, Itto found himself unwilling to believe she didn’t need anything from him. 

Everyone always needed something from him. It was a fact; wether it be protection or strength, or even just a picture. That was just how humans were.

Why else would she have let him out of jail? Or bothered to show up for yet another sour-plum eating contest, four days in a row. Why else would she bother hanging around him at all?

Whaddya really want from me, Sparkie?

He hadn’t realised he’d said it out loud until the explosions finally faded away and Yoimiya turned around.

“To be your friend, Arataki-san,” she said softly, her perpetual smile strangely sad under the moonlight.

“If you’ll have me.”

The abrupt silence gently sloughed into the soft hiss of cicadas, and rustle of wind on branches as nature took over the symphony with its own, unique orchestra. 

Something odd happened to Itto then.

Maybe it was the way she was staring right through him, or how the absence of fireworks left a visible vacancy in her eyes; hell, it could’ve just been because he’d never seen the Naganohara heir look anything short of bright and bubbly–– but an inexplicable sense of guilt pricked his heart. 

The buzzing feeling traveled from his chest to his knees, and then right back up to his stomach where it settled, burning a hole straight through his intestines.

He’d been so sure that she had some kind of ulterior motive in befriending him, that he hadn’t realised his suspicions were slowly pushing her away. Granny was right. He could be a real jerk sometimes.

The half-oni sighed, stood up and held out an arm. 

Yoimiya glanced up at him perplexed.

“You’re really bad at it then,” He huffed when she didn’t take it immediately. 

“Arataki-san this, Arataki-san that–– if I didn’t know any better I’d think ya only met me yesterday, Sparkie.”

The fire in Yoimiya’s eyes flared as the meaning behind his words clicked. 

She took his outstretched palm in hers and he pulled her up.

“You know, if you don’t like your name you should just change it yourself– AHH!” Yoimiya began to tease, but shrieked when he bent forward and picked her up by her thighs instead, hoisting her whole frame over one of his shoulders in one fell swoop.

“Put me down,” she laughed as she steadied herself against him, but Itto only shook his head and supported her with one arm, turning to point out the sky with the other.

BOOM!

Yoimiya gasped as the fireworks show resumed, relaxing her grip on his triceps to reach out her hand to the night instead, like she was trying to catch the glittering light between her soot smudged fingertips. 

Itto watched her fall silent just as quickly as before and resisted the urge to grin. He wasn’t the biggest fan of the annual light show but watching them with Yoimiya wasn’t half bad.

She absentmindedly placed her other hand on the top of his head, near the base of his horns and he felt a flicker of electricity pass through him, prickling his spine and shaking his passenger in the process.

“Don’t touch the horns,” Itto grouched when she looked down at him in confusion. Her eyes sparkled wickedly then and he wondered if it was morally acceptable to fling her off the cliff right then and there.

“Don’t tell me you’re ticklish,” she laughed again, but obediently moved her hand back down to his neck, much to his surprise. 

“Hey, it’s not my fault! Oni horns are extremely sensitive, alright?”

“Alright, alright. Horns are off limits. Got it.”

After a few seconds of comfortable silence, Yoimiya whispered into his ear.

“Itto.. san?”

“Hm,” He rumbled in assent.

“No, I was just wondering if that’s what you wanted me to call you,” she replied, pulling on his earlobe impishly.

“Or what about.. Taki.. san? Oh I know– Taki-kun!”

Itto felt his face (and his ears) flush, even though her hands were safely away from his horns, and mumbled something incomprehensible into the night air. She leaned over to hear him better.

“No I’m not going to call you Arataki Burning Passion for Battle Itto,” Yoimiya snorted, “It’s too long. And it’s not cute at all, Itto-san.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Itto rolled his eyes, “Just don’t sweat it with all that Arataki-san business. I ain’t my old man, alright?”

“Okay, what about.. hm..”

BOOM!

Itto didn’t need to look up to see that Yoimiya was once again lost in the fireworks. 

Darkness burned away under the onslaught of tiny silver and gold bursts, briefly turning their night to day, and he felt his sensitive demon eyes shirk against the sudden flash. 

The sparks fizzled out and fell, covering the sky in a mock meteor shower, each flicker leaving behind a burning white trail and for a second he imagined the white hot light raining all around them, sputtering out into tiny glowing fireflies as they fell.

It was gone as suddenly as it arrived, the blinding flare, and Itto found himself blinking spots out of his vision as the Naganohara Fireworks Show fittingly came to an end.

“Hey, Sparkie,” he began, gently nudging the girl atop him out of her own daze, “Hey, I thought about what ya said.”

“About.. the name?” She mumbled confusedly, rubbing stars out of her eyes. “About the story.”

“The story?” Yoimiya tilted her head.

“Yeah, the story. ‘Bout how ya said it didn’t have to end like it did?”

“Oh! The Oni story,” she smacked her own forehead, “Is that what you’ve been thinking about all this time?”

“No,” Itto lied, looking anywhere but up. 

Yoimiya narrowed her eyes suspiciously.

“Anyway, I think I figured it out.”

“Does the Red Oni stay with the humans and have fun forever?” She volunteered, only half-joking. 

Itto shook his head.

“He goes searching for the Blue Oni, and brings him home.”

“That’s great,” Yoimiya said kindly, stifling a yawn, “Good for.. (hah).. good for him.. he deserves it.”

Itto nodded, almost to himself. 

It was an idea he’d been toying with for a while now. If he were the Red Oni– well, let’s just say the story would’ve gone much more differently if he were in it, but suffice to say he definitely wouldn’t have let his friend sacrifice himself. Hell, he probably wouldn’t even let his enemies sacrifice themselves for him; Itto was very anti-sacrifice all around.

“But you know-” Yoimiya mused, “-I think the humans might be a little jealous if they have to share the Red Oni now.”

“Huh?”

“Think about it Ara– um, Itto-san,” She said, stumbling over the unfamiliar moniker, “If the Blue Oni comes back, the Red Oni’s probably going to spend all his time with his best friend.”

“Yeah, and?” 

“And, wouldn’t you be jealous if your best friend didn’t spend time with you anymore?”

Itto considered this.

“Nah, not really,” he admitted after a few seconds of deep thought, “Ushi usually comes back home at the end of the day so I ain’t too worried ‘bout the little guy.”

“Little guy?” She raised an eyebrow, “You’re talking about that tiny ox that follows you around, aren’t you? That doesn’t count, Itto-san.”

“For your information,” the half oni crossed his arms, “Ushi’s a Bull, who also happens to be the Third Foundin’ Member of the Arataki Gang and my best friend.”

“Right,” She rolled her eyes, “But I’m talking about a real person. Sort of like... hmm– oh! Like General Kujou Sara, for example.”

“Kujou Tengu?!” Itto replied, scandalised, “We’re not friends, we’re rivals.”

“We’re rivals,” Yoimiya gave him a pointed look and he resisted the urge to immediately correct her by saying that it was different. 

Kujou Tengu was cold where Yoimiya was warm; distant where the latter hadn’t fully grasped the concept. It was different. He just didn’t know how to put it into words.

“I still don’t get it,” he grumbled instead and she shook her head pityingly.

“Poor, poor Itto-san,” Yoimiya teased, petting his hair, “Imagine if you found out that Kujou-san hadn’t been responding to your challenges because she was too busy fighting someone else.”

Itto jaw twitched. 

While it was true enough that he’d been clamouring for a rematch against the general of the Tenryou Commission, he had a strong suspicion that she did not share his sentiment. Still, the thought of the countless noticeboards he’d desecrated in order to get her attention had his hackles raising– surely it couldn’t be that hard to make time for another battle with such a worthy opponent as himself. 

Yoimiya’s eyes sparked, catching the minute shift in facial expression and mistaking it for something else entirely. 

“Aww, it’s alright,” she grinned, “There’s no harm in feeling a little jealous now and then.”

“No idea what yer on about, Sparkie,” he squinted, trying not to recall Kujou Tengu’s sharp gaze or her infuriating smile as she rubbed her victory in his face. 

He wasn’t jealous; if anything he was tired of being disrespected by someone who, in all fairness, should’ve been part of his gang but settled for being the Raiden’s lapdog instead. 

“I’d be jealous if it were me.”

Itto almost didn’t hear Yoimiya mumble the words into his hair at first. 

He waited a beat but she didn’t elaborate. 

“Ya would?” He prodded finally, trying to tilt his head back to see her face, in vain. 

“Mhm,” he could feel her breath on his scalp, “If the Red Oni suddenly left without explanation and spent all his time with the Blue Oni, I think I’d be terribly jealous of her.”

Her?

“I’d feel like she stole my friend away from me, y’know?”

Silence bloomed between the two after that– a silence that was different from all their other ones, now filled with mystery and the promise of something unsaid. Itto had a faint suspicion that Yoimiya wasn’t talking about the story at all, and for the first time since he’d met her the half-oni wondered how well he really knew the Naganohara heir. 

For all of her playacting and childish games, the fireworks expert had never worn her heart on her sleeve the way he did, and it hadn’t occurred to him to ask why, till this very moment. 

But before Itto could open his mouth and come up with a response that wasn’t one syllable long, Yoimiya laughed and smacked him on the top of his head, sending a mild shock through his body.

“Oh, look at me running my mouth off like an old spinster,” She huffed, the smile returning to her voice, “Thoma did always harp on and on about how I had no filter. Guess I should’ve taken his advice when I had the chance, huh?”

“Listen, Sparkie,” Itto began, unsure what any part of their conversation had to do with Inazuma’s most well-known Fixer, but she only laughed again, and gestured for him to put her down. 

He reluctantly leaned forward so she could easily slip off of his shoulders and onto the same rock they’d been sharing before, and Yoimiya stretched as she did so, her nimble arms extending with fox-like grace. 

The tattoo on her forearm rippled with the motion and Itto found his eyes drawn to the single koi fish intertwined with branches of cherry blossoms, all stained a dark, inky red– suddenly realising that he had no idea what the meaning was behind it all.

In all the time they’d known one another he’d learned much about Hanamizaka’s best pyrotechnician; how she took her ramen (with ridiculous amounts of chili sauce), what her favourite hobby was (fireworks), where she hid out when she wanted to get away from people (the beach)– but next to nothing about her past. Not even how she got her vision (though he must’ve told her about his own more times than he could count.) 

There were still so many things he didn’t know about his friend. 

“Yoi-chan,” he tried again, but she was already bounding away from him, across the plain, up the sakura tree, her quick feet finding purchase in the elegant, brown bark as she hoisted herself up to the top of the trunk.

“You should get up here,” She waved excitedly, “The view is great!”

“Wait a minute! We gotta talk!” He called back, bending over to straighten his mace, which had somehow fallen over and rolled into a nearby bush in all the excitement. 

Something smacked the back of his head and he looked up in confusion to find Yoimiya perched higher than she was before, flicking a small, round object at him.

“Hurry up, Itto-san!” She giggled, tossing another one.

He caught it with ease this time, so she stuck her tongue out at him and leapt to her feet to resume her ascent. Itto opened his palm to reveal the tiny, unique shape of a cherry blossom seed taunting him. 

“Would ya listen to me for a second, Sparkie?” He squinted upwards, letting it fall from his palm harmlessly, but Yoimiya’s bright orange kimono was already disappearing into the pale pink cluster of flowers. 

“I’ll listen to whatever you’ve gotta say when you catch up to me, slowpoke!” 

Itto waited a few seconds before he began to climb, straining his ears to hear the faint sound of her laughter that seemed to be coming from all around him. As he heaved himself over the first couple of boughs he felt the wood crack into splinters under his nails and winced. 

He wasn’t fond of tree-scaling for many reasons, usually because he felt like the tree wasn’t too fond of him either. Yoimiya had laughed and laughed when he told her that the trees here were sentient. Next thing you know, you’ll be telling me that the Raiden Shogun isn’t the Shogun at all. 

The view gave way to an endless cliff on one side - a result of the tree growing out of the rocky outcropping no doubt, which was punctuated by a twenty foot drop into a shallow pool of water - and the distinct, triangular roofs of the Inazuman buildings on the other, glossy under the milky sheen of starlight.

Itto climbed higher and higher, chasing flashes of telltale orange he’d glimpse once in a while, but found himself face to snout with a baby kitsune instead. 

He knelt, so as to not scare the creature and watched as it silently opened its big purple eyes and gave him a once-over. Though Itto wasn’t unfamiliar with the foxes - they huddled in the wilder parts of Inazuma and occasionally snuck around the back alleys of the city - he’d never taken a liking to their more secretive natures, even when Granny Oni made him place offerings with her. 

If you ever see a raincloud burst while the sun still shines, it’s a sure sign of a kitsune’s wedding, she’d warned him when he’d tried to scare them away once, So I’d try not to anger them if I were you Itto-chan, or they could ruin the perfectly good day you’re having.

He’d assumed it was all superstitious nonsense, like breaking combs or throwing beans, but looking into the oddly intelligent eyes of the animal in front of him, he felt the stirrings of doubt in his stomach. Go on, he prodded mentally, make it rain.

The fox pawed at its ear for a second before letting out a deep sniff and hopping off to a higher branch. He watched it escape, moonlight slicking the path behind it as it ran, and tried not to feel disappointed. 

Before he could really appreciate the peace and quiet, however, the unmistakable sound of a branch breaking came from above him.

“Itto-san?”

Itto looked up in horror to find Yoimiya balancing precariously on a thin bough and clutching the branch nearest to her like a lifeline, mirth steadily draining from her face as the one under her feet let out another dangerous crack!.

“Yoi-chan?!”

She caught sight of him then, her gold eyes wide with terror, and managed to muster up a frightened smile.

“I think I might’ve gone too far,” she joked but her voice trembled as she said it, betraying her feelings. 

Itto was already on his feet, steadying himself against the tree trunk as he kicked off his sandals.

“Jump!” He yelled, arms outstretched as another crack split the night air in two.

Yoimiya hesitated. 

A thousand expressions seemed to flit across her face at once; facets of fear, panic, surprise, each overlapping the other, a Venn diagram of uncertainty mapping itself out on her features as she considered potentially taking both of them down with her fall. 

A sudden plop! echoed into the night as a raindrop landed squarely on her scalp, making the decision for her. Then another. And another. The sky was filled with soft hiss of rain in a matter of seconds, drowning out the sounds of the night in favour of covering everything with its wet embrace.

“What’re ya waitin’ for?” Itto roared, the sense of urgency striking him red-hot and fast, like metal in a forge. Rain ran down on him, dampening his hair and pricking his skin. Somewhere in the distance, he imagined the curled up frame of a ginger fox, giggling to itself. Ask only what you wish to receive.

“You gotta jump now!”

“Swear you’ll catch me.”

He gaped up at her, bewildered, wondering if this too was some lame attempt at a last-minute jest, but Yoimiya’s expression was beseeching and wholly, undeniably serious.

“Whaddya think I’m doin’, Sparkie?” He motioned for her to let go of the branch and for a short second he thought she might. 

But she pulled back almost immediately. 

“I can’t!” She cried, clinging tighter. Itto felt his heart leap to his throat as the twig in her hands snapped instantly, sending a domino effect of breaking sounds across the whole tree. 

“Itto-san?”

The terror on Yoimiya’s face doubled as she balanced on the weak branch, both arms out like a tightrope walker, her breaths coming in short bursts, one wrong move away from toppling twenty feet down into a shallow, watery grave.

He moved to the very edge of his own branch, ignoring the rain that streaked down his face relentlessly, crouching a little, so she’d feel like he was closer than he actually was. 

“I swear I’ll catch ya, Sparkie. You have my word,” he nodded holding out his arm comfortingly.

“Don’t ’cha trust me?”

Yoimiya took a deep breath. 

And jumped.

There was a brief second between her leaping off the branch, (it gave one final, feeble crack before shattering under foot), and her falling into his arms that seemed to last all eternity. 

Time stretched, wrapped and melted around them all at once, so all he could remember was the hush as the rain quieted all around them, the few metres of distance between his skin and hers, before it rapidly accelerated forward then he was hugging her, holding her, pressing her very cold, very alive body onto his and taking giant heaving breaths.

As Itto steadied himself so they both wouldn’t have to suffer a less deadly but equally painful landing at the base of the tree, Yoimiya wiped away the rain and tears that had mixed with one another on her face, and took a seat in an attempt to quell the shaking in her legs.

The moon had wedged itself between a slit in the clouds, so that only a sliver of its light was able to illuminate their surroundings. Itto took a seat beside her, letting the adrenaline wear off under the cooling rain that dripped all around them. 

“Itto-san,” He turned to her curiously.

 Yoimiya gave him a small smile.

“I think I’m finally ready to listen now.”

[chrisryanspeaks]

Jorja Smith Soars with Vibrant New Single and Video “High” – A Celebration of Growth and Joy

Jorja Smith’s return last month with her stunning single “High” has now been accompanied by a vibrant new music video. Filmed in her hometown of Walsall, the video captures Jorja in a state of celebration, exuding joy and a zest for life. Directed by the talented KC Locke, the visual is a fast-paced, kaleidoscopic journey that mirrors the exhilarating energy of the track itself. Jorja shared her excitement about the collaboration, expressing, “I always wanted to do something with the talented KC! I just wanted to have some fun with this one!” KC echoed this sentiment, noting, “Jorja is a real one. It was a pleasure to finally link up and bring the world of ‘High’ to life.” “High” is a sleek, house-infused anthem that pulses with summer vibes, crafted by her longtime collaborators DAMEDAME*. Reflecting on the inspiration behind the track, Jorja explains, “It’s a song about finding a friend within myself. Even through the lows, you have to find the highs.” This sentiment is echoed in her lyrics, “I’ve had my lows, You weren’t always there for me, But time has shown, And I can love myself again.” This release marks Jorja’s first original music since her critically acclaimed second album, *falling or flying*, which dropped late last year. The album, with its mix of sleek R&B and raw alternative sounds, showcased Jorja embracing a new chapter in her artistic journey—acknowledging her inner struggles while learning to love and respect herself. The album quickly garnered praise, solidifying its place as one of 2023’s standout records and earning Jorja a BRIT nomination for Best R&B at the 2024 ceremony. Jorja Smith stands as one of the most compelling voices in British music today, writing with an intensity and urgency that few can rival. Since the release of her debut album *Lost & Found* six years ago, she has captivated audiences worldwide with her evocative songwriting, powerful delivery, and raw emotional depth. In recent years, as she’s navigated her mid-twenties, Jorja has undergone a reflective and transformative period, evolving both as a songwriter and as a woman. Through it all, she’s remained in control of her journey, growing stronger and more self-assured with each step. With “High,” Jorja Smith reminds us that no matter the highs or lows, she’s thriving and fully in command of her destiny. Read the full article

[audiofuzz]

Jorja Smith Soars with Vibrant New Single and Video “High” – A Celebration of Growth and Joy

Jorja Smith’s return last month with her stunning single “High” has now been accompanied by a vibrant new music video. Filmed in her hometown of Walsall, the video captures Jorja in a state of celebration, exuding joy and a zest for life. Directed by the talented KC Locke, the visual is a fast-paced, kaleidoscopic journey that mirrors the exhilarating energy of the track itself. Jorja shared her excitement about the collaboration, expressing, “I always wanted to do something with the talented KC! I just wanted to have some fun with this one!” KC echoed this sentiment, noting, “Jorja is a real one. It was a pleasure to finally link up and bring the world of ‘High’ to life.” “High” is a sleek, house-infused anthem that pulses with summer vibes, crafted by her longtime collaborators DAMEDAME*. Reflecting on the inspiration behind the track, Jorja explains, “It’s a song about finding a friend within myself. Even through the lows, you have to find the highs.” This sentiment is echoed in her lyrics, “I’ve had my lows, You weren’t always there for me, But time has shown, And I can love myself again.” This release marks Jorja’s first original music since her critically acclaimed second album, *falling or flying*, which dropped late last year. The album, with its mix of sleek R&B and raw alternative sounds, showcased Jorja embracing a new chapter in her artistic journey—acknowledging her inner struggles while learning to love and respect herself. The album quickly garnered praise, solidifying its place as one of 2023’s standout records and earning Jorja a BRIT nomination for Best R&B at the 2024 ceremony. Jorja Smith stands as one of the most compelling voices in British music today, writing with an intensity and urgency that few can rival. Since the release of her debut album *Lost & Found* six years ago, she has captivated audiences worldwide with her evocative songwriting, powerful delivery, and raw emotional depth. In recent years, as she’s navigated her mid-twenties, Jorja has undergone a reflective and transformative period, evolving both as a songwriter and as a woman. Through it all, she’s remained in control of her journey, growing stronger and more self-assured with each step. With “High,” Jorja Smith reminds us that no matter the highs or lows, she’s thriving and fully in command of her destiny. Read the full article

[recentlyheardcom]

WASHINGTON (AP) — Before House Speaker Mike Johnson was elected to public office, he was the dean of a small Baptist law school that didn't exist.The establishment of the Judge Paul Pressler School of Law was supposed to be a capstone achievement for Louisiana College, which administrators boasted would “unashamedly embrace” a “biblical worldview.” Instead, it collapsed roughly a decade ago without enrolling students or opening its doors amid infighting by officials, accusations of financial impropriety and difficulty obtaining accreditation, which frightened away would-be donors.There is no indication that Johnson engaged in wrongdoing while employed by the private college, now known as Louisiana Christian University. But as a virtually unknown player in Washington, the episode offers insight into how Johnson navigated leadership challenges that echo the chaos, feuding and hard-right politics that have come to define the Republican House majority he now leads.The chapter is just the latest to surface since the four-term congressman's improbable election as speaker last week following the ouster of former Speaker Kevin McCarthy, a reminder of his longstanding ties to the Christian right, which is now a dominant force in GOP politics.It's also a milestone that he does not typically mention when discussing a pre-Congress resume that includes work as litigator for conservative Christian groups that fiercely opposed gay rights and abortion, as well as his brief tenure as a Louisiana lawmaker who pushed legislation that sanctioned discrimination for religious reasons.Johnson's office declined to make him available for an interview and did not offer comment for this story.“The law school deal was really an anomaly," said Gene Mills, a longtime friend of Johnson's. “It was a great idea. But due to issues that were out of Mike's hands that came unraveled.”J. Michael Johnson Esq., as he was then known professionally, was hired in 2010 to be the "inaugural dean" of the Judge Paul Pressler School of Law, named for a Southern Baptist Convention luminary who was instrumental in the faith group's turn to the political right in the 1980s. The board of trustees who brought Johnson onboard included Tony Perkins, a longtime mentor who is now the president of the Family Research Council in Washington, a powerhouse Christian lobbying organization that the Southern Poverty Law Center classifies as an anti-gay “hate group.”In early public remarks, Johnson predicted a bright future for the school, and college officials hoped it would someday rival the law school at Liberty University, the evangelical institution founded by the Rev. Jerry Falwell.“From a pure feasibility standpoint," Johnson said, “I’m not sure how this can fail." According to the Daily Town Talk, a newspaper in Alexandria, Louisiana, he added that it looked "like the perfect storm for our law school.”Reality soon intruded.For several years before Johnson's arrival, the college had been in a state of turmoil following a board takeover by conservatives who felt the school had become too liberal. They implemented policies that restricted academic freedoms, including the potential firing of instructors whose curriculum touched upon sexual morality or teachings contradictory to the Bible.The school’s president and other faculty resigned, and the college was placed on probation by an accreditation agency.But a shale oil boom in the area also brought a wave of prosperity from newly enriched donors. And school officials, led by president Joe Aguillard, had grand ambitions beyond just the law school, which included opening a medical school, a film school and making a movie adaptation of the 1960s pastoral comedy TV show “Green Acres.”Bringing Johnson into the school's leadership helped further those ambitions. As dean of the proposed law school, Johnson embarked on a major fundraising campaign and described a big-dollar event in Houston with former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, then-Louisiana Gov.

Bobby Jindal and Pressler, according to an account Johnson wrote in a 2011 alumni magazine.But he struggled to draw an adequate amount of cash while drama percolated behind the scenes. That culminated in a flurry of lawsuits, including a whistleblower claim by a school vice president, who accused Aguillard of misappropriating money and lying to the board, according to court records.A law firm brought in to conduct an investigation later concluded in a 2013 report that Aguillard had inappropriately diverted funds to a school the institution hoped to build in Africa, as well as for personal expenses.Aguillard declined to comment on Tuesday, citing health reasons.Meanwhile, the historic former federal courthouse in Shreveport that was selected as the law school’s campus required at least $20 million in renovations. The environment turned untenable after the school was denied accreditation to issue juris doctorate degrees and major donors backed away from their financial pledges.“Mike worked diligently to assemble a very elite faculty and curriculum,” said Gilbert Little, who was involved in the effort. But “fundraising for a small private college is very, very difficult.”Johnson resigned in the fall of 2012 and went back to litigating for Christian causes. He also started a new pro-bono firm, Freedom Guard, which Perkins served as a director, business filings show.Five years later, Pressler, the school’s namesake, was sued in a civil case that has since grown to include allegations of abuse by multiple men who say he sexually assaulted them, some when they were children. The matter, which is still pending in court, helped spark a broader reckoning by the Southern Baptist Convention over its handling of claims of sexual abuse.Little said the school was named after Pressler because he had a close relationship with the institution's leaders. Johnson didn’t stray entirely from the school. He represented the college for six more years in a case challenging a mandate in then-President Barack Obama’s health care law that required employers to provide workers access to birth control, court records show.It was the type of case that has defined his legal career.The 51-year-old Johnson was born in Shreveport, Louisiana, the eldest of four children in what he has described as a “traditional Christian household.” Tragedy struck when Johnson was 12.His father, Pat, a Shreveport firefighter and hazardous materials specialist, was critically injured when ammonia gas leaking inside a cold storage facility exploded during an emergency repair — leaving him permanently disabled, while killing his partner.“None of our lives would ever be the same again,” his son wrote years later in a commentary piece published in the Shreveport Times.Johnson and his wife, Kelly, married in 1999, entering into a covenant marriage, which both have touted for the difficulty it poses to obtaining a divorce, and the couple served as a public face of an effort by evangelical conservatives to promote such marriages. In 2005, Kelly Johnson told ABC News that she viewed anything less as “marriage-light."Johnson has said he was the first in his family to graduate college, enrolling at Louisiana State University, where he earned a law degree in 1998. He also worked on the 1996 Senate campaign of Louis “Woody” Jenkins, where he had an early brush with a contested election.Jenkins, a conservative state lawmaker, narrowly lost to Democrat Mary Landrieu amid allegations of voter fraud, including ballots cast by dead people and voters who were paid. A subsequent investigation by the Senate’s then-Republican majority found no evidence “to prove that fraud or irregularities affected the outcome of the election.”But in the wake of Trump’s 2020 election loss, which Johnson played a leading role in disputing, the congressman offered a differing view of the decades-old contest while describing himself as a young law student “carrying around everyone’s briefcases.”“Even though we had all

the evidence all wrapped up,” Johnson, told Louisiana radio host Moon Griffon in 2020, the Senate “put it in a closet and never looked at it again.”Even though Jenkins lost, Johnson drew notice from conservative activists who worked on the campaign.Among them was Perkins, the founder of the Louisiana Family Forum, who has long promoted an existential clash between pious Christians and decadent liberals. He did not respond to a request for comment.Mills, a longtime Perkins confidant who now leads the Louisiana Family Forum, called Johnson's ascension to House speaker “a wonderful day in America,” adding, “if you don’t believe God is at work in the midst of this, then you aren’t paying attention.”Of his initial interactions with Johnson, Mills said, “he just glowed.““The reality is Mike added value everywhere he went. And that was evident from the early days,” Mills said.Soon Johnson was representing the group and others during his roughly decade-long tenure as an attorney for the Alliance Defense Fund, a nonprofit legal organization still in its infancy, which presented itself as a bulwark for traditional family values.The group is no longer an upstart. Now known as the Alliance Defending Freedom, or ADF, the organization raised over $100 million in 2022 and conceived the legal strategy that led to the Supreme Court last year overturning the constitutional right to an abortion, among other conservative wins it helped secure from the high court.Much of Johnson’s early work for ADF was far more prosaic. In court and before public boards, he represented conservatives on issues related to the exercise of faith in schools and alcohol regulations, as well as zoning disputes over casinos and strip clubs.But Johnson’s vehement opposition to the burgeoning gay rights movement in the mid-2000s soon garnered greater attention.In 2004, Johnson and the ADF filed suit, seeking to overturn a New Orleans law that allowed same-sex partners of city workers to receive health benefits, which a judge rejected.He also wrote a semi-regular guest column in the Shreveport Times, where his defenses of “religious liberty” included stridently anti-gay rhetoric, including a prediction that same-sex marriage would be a “dark harbinger of chaos and sexual anarchy that could doom even the strongest republic.”“If we change marriage for this tiny, modern minority, we will have to do it for every deviant group. Polygamists, polyamorists, pedophiles and others will be next in line to claim equal protection,” he wrote in a July 2004 column, as previously reported by CNN. “There will be no legal basis to deny a bisexual the right to marry a partner of each sex, or a person to marry his pet.”Another column lamented the Supreme Court’s decision in 2004 to overturn a Texas law that outlawed same-sex intimacy, which Johnson referred to as “deviate sexual intercourse.”His advocacy did not occur in a political vacuum. Then-President George W. Bush’s reelection campaign was looking to energize turnout among social conservatives, tapping allies across the U.S. to place referendums opposing gay marriage on the ballot in hopes of doing so. It’s a role Johnson leaned into.In 2004, he represented the Louisiana Family Forum in opposing a case filed by gay rights supporters who sought to block a voter-approved state constitutional amendment that prohibited “civil unions” — a legal precursor to same-sex marriage — and codified marriage as between one man and one woman.The amendment was overwhelmingly approved in an unusual and low-turnout election, held weeks before the 2004 presidential contest, in which it was the only issue on the ballot. The election was marred by the late delivery of voting machines to the Democratic stronghold of Orleans Parish.In a legal brief, Johnson chided gay rights supporters for challenging the outcome in court.“Discontent with an election’s results does not entitle one to have it overturned,” he wrote. Nearly two decades later, Johnson, then in Trump’s corner, would effectively argue the opposite.

Johnson’s harsh rhetoric in the early 2000s surrounding the issue of gay rights contrasts starkly with the amiable image he cultivated following his election to public office, which is punctuated with appeals for “a respectful, diverse society where citizens from all viewpoints can peacefully coexist.”Yet his arguments often obscure a far more striking reality.The Marriage and Conscience Act, which he sponsored as a freshman state representative in 2015, would have effectively blocked Louisiana from punishing business owners and workers who discriminated against gay couples, so long as it was for religious reasons — similar to arguments invoked during the Civil Rights era against interracial marriage. The bill was rejected by lawmakers in both parties.The following year, critics charged that his “Pastor Protection Act,” which was focused on gay marriage, would also create a legal defense for clergy who opposed interracial marriage. Johnson, who has an adopted Black son, acknowledged the point but argued it wasn’t a big deal because opposition to interracial marriage was an issue of the past — unlike gay marriage.“Maybe there are some people out there who do that. But it’s not a big current issue, I think we would agree, at least in the courts and the court of public opinion,” Johnson said during a 2016 committee hearing.The bill was rejected by lawmakers in both parties. Johnson was elected to Congress the next fall, drawing his short tenure as a lawmaker in Baton Rouge to a close.Lamar White Jr., a progressive who wrote a widely read Louisiana political blog, said his interactions with Johnson were always pleasant, even if he “disagreed with everything he stood for.”“His climb to the top is not surprising considering his personal charm, his charisma and intellect, which were disarming,” said White. “That obscured the end goal and what he was really up to.”____Associated Press writers Richard Lardner and Trenton Daniel in New York contributed to this report.

[mayhemproduces]

Lacey Karmens has resigned over the Fatales division for six months now, after becoming the one to break the undefeated streak of their predecessor, but they've found themselves in a sticky situation. On paper, Bayley has been screwed left and right. She won the #1 Contendership scramble, but the person she pinned was given another chance, while Talia was given a path into the match just because she asked. But then you look at what the Apex has done, pulling out every dirty trick in the book just to get themselves back into championship glory, but tonight, they might have bitten off more than they can chew. The pedigrees of Talia Rogue and Riho make them a danger in any ring, and Lacey Karmens has a death grip over the golden belt on their shoulder for a long time now, but tonight, has karman run out, or will Lacey remain unstoppable?

The bell tolls, and a buzz runs through the crowd. This one can end any way, and Lacey doesn't even have to be pinned to have a new champion. In past multi-person matches, Lacey has stacked em and pinned em every time, and the fans are eager to see that happen again. But that positive mood turns a bit sour when Bayley decides to roll to the outside, and take a seat on the ramp way. Both Rhea Ripley and Toni Storm are ringside tonight, and sit next to Bayley, telling the three in the ring to get started without her. As always, trying to take the easy way out, but the other three are eager to get this match under way, starting off by circling each other. Three hands extend, Lacey locking hands with Talia and Riho, Riho and Talia locking their free hands, when Lacey kicks Talia, getting Riho into a side headlock. Quickly squeezing her head before Riho gets them to the ropes, pushing them off and into Talia, who grabs Lacey's hand and whips them around, nailing Riho with a dropkick! A bit of incidental tandem offense from longtime "rivals", but this one's on purpose as Lacey grabs Talia's hand, sending her into Riho with a huge back elbow, squashing Riho in the corner. She snapmares Riho to the mat, both her and Lacey running the ropes, going for double standing leg drops, but Riho moves! She jumps to her feet, planting both of them with running bulldogs!

An exciting start to this four way, but as the three in the ring take a breather, they all lock eyes, seemingly under a silent agreement, before looking over at Bayley. Sliding out of the ring, they all go after her, Lacey taking out Rhea, Riho going after Toni, but Talia gets captured with a high-angle Exploder suplex, and dumped on the ramp way! Bayley grabs Lacey and tosses them, shoulder first, into the barricade. She whips around, decking Riho with a Thrust kick, taking all three down with a sense of ease, but that's what happens when you even the odds with your friends, much to the disappointment of everyone in the Barclay's Center this evening. We went from an exciting contest,  Bayley strolls into the ring to a shower of boos, cupping her ear and telling them to get louder for what she's planning to do next.

With everyone gathering up on the outside, Bayley positions herself in the top rope, her back to the gathering pool of wrestlers. Rhea and Toni look worried, as Bayley jumps from the top rope, wiping out everyone with a HUGE top rope Moonsault! Everyone's down, and Bayley puts Talia in the ring to finish this!

1… 2… Kickout!

Talia out at two! Bayley looks annoyed, but sinks right into an arm-trapped Crossface. This may not get the submission victory, especially with the other competitors lurking on the outside, but it'll soften Talia up, maybe take out one of her arms in the process. The submission won't be long lived, however, as Lacey and Riho roll into the ring. Lacey picks Riho up, breaking it up with a powerbomb right on top of them! Lacey grabs Bayley, battering her with forearms. Lacey had to be pissed about being in this situation, knowing Bayley and the Apex are going to do everything they can to steal their championship. And that's without the added factor of Riho and Talia! But Lacey is a fighting champion, and they'll take on any challenge put before then, including Bayley, as she's taken out with a superkick! Bayley rolls to the floor, a hand over her jaw, when Talia bounces off the ropes, wiping her out with a tope suicida! Bayley's thrown back into the barricade, the willy Talia taking flight, but anything she can do, Lacey can do better, the champion running the ropes. Lacey goes a bit higher, soaring over the top rope, and landing on Talia and Bayley with a Tope Con Hilo! No sooner than they come crashing down, Riho climbs up to the top rope. Standing high above all as she waits for them to stumble to their feet, before wiping out the field with a top rope Crossbody! Everyone's down!

Surprisingly, Talia is the first to come up from this, grabbing Bayley and tossing her inside the ring. Talia rolls in as well, and she plants Bayley with a Spinebuster! Trying to roll Bayley back to her feet, but Talia's accosted from behind by Riho, allowing Bayley to slip to the apron as Riho attempts an Irish whip on her much latger opponent. Talia reverses it, but Riho cartwheels past her on the rebound, nailing Talia with a dropkick! Talia goes ass over ankles, rolling right back to her feet, as Riho comes off the ropes, trapping Talianin a victory roll before she springs up, crushing Talia with a double foot stomp! Riho pulls her into the cover!

1… 2… Broken up!

Bayley keeps the match alive with a running knee strike, blasting Riho in the side of the head. With her fingers locked deep in Riho's hair, Bayley lands knee after knee, keeping it short range and powerful. She pulls Riho to the ropes, nailing her with a knife edge chop, before she goes to run the ropes, but Lacey jumps up on the apron! Bayley runs right into an enzuigiri! Rocked, Bayley's left wide open for Talia to plant her with a German suplex! Bayley lands high on her shoulders with enough momentum to put her back in her feet, so Lacey can springboard into the ring, knocking her out of it with a dropkick! It's just Talia and Lacey now, and there's no hesitation as they go ahead to head, swinging ferocious forearms back and forth. Neither one giving an inch, but as Lacey comes off the ropes, trying to build up for a bigger attack, Talia DECKS them with a Big Boot! Lacey's down! Talia gets both legs hooked, trying to take the big one home!

1… 2… BROKEN UP!

Riho breaks the pin attempt with a diving double foot stomp, and rolls back to her feet. Charging Talia, but Rogue scoops her up, planting her with a Northern Lights Bomb onto Lacey! Lacey rolls to the side as Talia picks up Riho, and Riho nails her with a forearm! A smirk passes over Talia's face, nodding to herself, before she gears up, nailing Riho with a forearm! Talia is the biggest wrestler in this match, Riho the smallest, but their power was almost matched. However, Talia may be a heavier hitter, nailing Riho with quick, alternating shots, winning the fuel, but Riho wins the battle as she rolls Talia up!

1… 2… Kickout!

Talia jumps to her feet, and decks Riho with a big boot! Scooping Riho up, planting her with the Gory Neckbreaker! Talia rolls her over, grabbing both legs for the cover!

1… 2… Broken up!

Lacey throws themselves at Talia to break up that cover, as we almost had a new champion! Lacey wastes no time nailing Talia with a roundhouse kick, trying to sink into the Black Widow, but Talia holds on! She turns it around, swinging Lacey back for a Tombstone, wanting to spike them, but Lacey blocks and ends up back on their feet. Elbowing their feet out. Lacey charges, tossing Talia with a hurricanrana. Talia rolls back to her knees, Lacey making a beeline to her, wanting that San Fran bicycle, but Talia had them scouted, pulling on the front of Lacey's tights, and throwing them right out of the ring! As Lacey hits the floor, Talia gets crushed by the double knees from Riho! Shoulders down to steal it!

1… 2… Broken up?!

The pin gets broken up by Rhea Ripley, the Eradicator beating down Riho! With no rules in play, this one is perfectly illegal, no matter how much everyone hates it. And boy, they do. It only eggs Rhea on more, as she picks Riho up - when Lacey grabs her foot! Lacey pulls Rhea out of the ring, momentarily sparring Riho, and throws Rhea into the barricade! Lacey hammers down on Ripley, tired of the Apex, tired of all these shenanigans - when Bayley CRASHES a chair into Riho's head! Riho drops, and Lacey tries to dive into the ring to save the match, but Toni's holding them back! Bayley has Riho folded up! Not like this!

1… 2… KICKOUT!!

RIHO KICKS OUT!

Bayley and Toni freeze in place, as the Barclays Center explodes! Not like this, indeed!

Suddenly, the sound of steel slapping flesh and Rhea's screams has their heads whipping to the side, as Talia nails her with a steel chair! Rhea drops to her knees as Talia sets down the chair, and drops Rhea with a DDT, directly on the steel! On the other side of the ring, Lacey shoves Toni into the staircase, and crushes her skull against it with the San Fran bicycle! Rhea's out, and now Toni's out! Bayley's all alone!

Panic boils over as Lacey and Talia roll into the ring, Lacey helping Riho to her feet. Bayley's literally backed into a corner, trying to plead her case, as the walls come closing down around her. The Apex will not be able to steal this match, and Bayley's about to feel the consequences of her actions full frontal.

When Io Shirai slides into the ring, and nails Lacey in the back of the head with a steel chain?! Lacey drops and gets thrown out of the ring! The chain is wrapped around Riho's throat, choking her with it, as Bayley shitcans Talia to the floor! Io releases Riho, and wipes Talia out with a Moonsault, as Bayley delivers the Rose Plant to Riho! She's stacked up deep!

1… 2… 3!

"Here is your winner, and the NEW Fatales Champion, BAYLEY!"

Well, fuck.

It seems the Apex has a new member, and adds a new title to their collection. Lacey was taken out of the equation instantly, and had no chance of securing their title reign. We're sure that this is far from over between Lacey and the Apex, but Darkness Falls has to roll on.