#never played a Kirby game before so I’m excited!!

[candyheartedchy]

Kinda late to the game but I just bought Kirby Star Allies!

[duck-at-midnight]

Cabin Fever

Summary: In efforts to keep Tara from catching the flu, she gets a case of cabin fever with a not so friendly reminder she has asthma.

The cold New York winter had settled in leaving the core four to remain inside as much as possible. The snow was exciting at first but had quickly grown to be annoying as the college students made their way to classes. Chad had been the first to get sick with Mindy following close behind. Kirby had brought home the flu and hadn’t been to visit in a week, and Danny hadn’t been around since illnesses were seemingly everywhere at the prison.

To Sam’s relief, Tara hasn’t picked up any illness except for cabin fever. Sam been extra careful when coming home from work being sure to shower immediately. She remembered when Tara got the flu when she was four and didn’t want the girl to relive that. It helped that Tara hadn’t been little in what felt like weeks.

“Tara, you ok?” Sam stepped out of the bathroom fully dressed, drying her hair with a towel. Not hearing a response, she called out again. “Tara?”

Looking onto the couch and seeing Tara’s legs, she approached quietly thinking the girl might be taking a nap. She saw Tara scrolling through her phone with headphones on.

Shaking her head as she sighed, she tapped on Tara’s head lightly twice.

“Hey, I didn’t realize you were home.” Tara said as she sat up.

“Just got in.” Sam said sitting next to her. Smiling as Tara pulled her hand into hers. “How are you doing today?”

She sighed with a hint of frustration. “I’m so tired of winter.”

”We’re almost through it.”

”It’s not going fast enough.” She dropped Sam’s hand to look up at her. “I miss Chad, Mindy, Kirby, and Danny.”

Sam pushed Tara’s hair back. “I know you do, and I do too.”

“Then can we invite one of them over. Chad and Mindy are better. Danny never even got sick!” The younger girl pleaded.

“Hey, calm down.” Sam said, stroking her cheek. “I just don’t want to risk either of us getting sick. I can’t miss work and we don’t know how bad it will be for you.”

”I’m fine, it’s not like I’m never going to get sick again.” Tara pointed out. “We can’t cut ourselves off.”

“I’d just really like it if neither of us get sick right now.”

With a tense silence between the sisters, Tara finally broke it. ”Fine.” She stood up and started walking towards her room. “I’m going to play Pokémon.”

Letting out a sigh as Tara shut her door and let her head fall against the couch. She knew that Tara was missing everyone. The only time she got out was for school. Sam was just as irritated over the situation as well. She wanted to see her partners.

Later that night, Sam finished cooking and opened Tara’s bedroom door with a light knock. She smiled at her sister’s focused face as she pressed buttons on her switch.

“Hey, ready to eat?”

Tara shook her head. “Not hungry.” Her eyes never leaving the game.

“C’mon, Tara, it’s dinner time.” Sam said in a bit more of a stern tone.

Rolling her eyes. “Fuck off, I’m not little. I said I’m not hungry.”

“Tara, please. I know you haven’t ate since this morning.”

“Fine.” Tara said putting her switch into sleep mode and on the charger.

As the two ate in quiet, Tara was eating slowly and moving her vegetables to the other side of the plate. Sam was focused on eating but took note of Tara’s lack of appetite. “You ok?”

The small girl shrugged. “I told you, I’m not hungry.”

“Are you feeling ok?”

”Yeah, just tired.”

”Maybe if you hadn’t been staring at a screen inches from your face for the past 2 hours.” Sam teased.

Rolling her eyes playfully. “Can’t help it, I got lost and was trying to figure it out. Danny isn’t here to help.”

”You’d let Danny help you?”

”I’d be open to ideas.” Tara clarified. “I wouldn’t let him take over or tell me what happens.”

”Pretty soon, everyone will be back over and we’ll have a nice movie night. All of us.” Sam said with reassurance.

With a sad smile, Tara nodded. “I can’t wait.” The sisters shared a silent moment before Tara broke it. “Can I go back to my game now?”

Looking over her sister’s plate, Sam wishes she would eat more but accepts defeat. “Go, but let me know if you get hungry later.”

Around eleven, Sam woke up to Tara cuddling with her on the couch. The two had fallen asleep while watching a movie. Tara felt like she was boiling against her but was shivering.

“Hey, Tara, wake up.” Sam said calmly.

Her eyes blinked before she started coughing. It continued and panic was setting in for both sisters. Tara looked to Sam in a panic feeling the lack of air setting in.

Running to Tara’s room and digging through her nightstand looking for Tara’s inhaler before grabbing the orange plastic. She ran back, shaking it for Tara before handing it to her sister who puffed it in her mouth.

Both looked in horror when the medicine didn’t dispense.

“Alright, Tara, breathe.” Sam said, picking her up. Her sister was trying to breathe with her coughing slowing but loudly wheezing with every breath. “It’s ok, I’m going to take care of you.” Sam started walking down the hall.

Meeting a familiar door, Sam pounded loudly on the door hoping the resident would wake up if they were sleeping. Not waiting longer than a minute, she pounded again until the door swung open.

The grumpy man looked into his girlfriend’s panicked eyes before seeing Tara wheezing against Sam’s shoulder. “What’s wrong?”

”We need a ride to the hospital.”

”What happened?” He asked putting on shoes and throwing on a jacket.

“She’s having an asthma attack and might be sick.” Sam filled him in as they started walking to his truck.

In the truck, Tara sat in Sam’s lap. Danny drives as quickly and safely as possible.

“You ok, little duck?” He asks looking over at the barely breathing girl before focusing back on the road. “We’re almost there.”

He dropped the sisters off at the Emergency Room entrance. “I’ll find a place to park and meet you inside. It’s going to be ok.”

For once in Tara’s life, she didn’t have to continue her asthma attack in the waiting room. They got put back in a room immediately with Tara receiving a steroid shot. To her displeasure, it was followed by a swap up her nose to test for the flu before having an oxygen mask put on her face.

The girl was settled on the bed watching the late night cartoons as she was breathing feeling better.

”I’ll be right back, Danny is waiting. Ok?”

She nodded with heavy eyes.

When Sam returned to the room with Danny in tow, she was surprised to see Tara bolt right up and make grabby hands at both of them. In the midst of the chaos or right as she left, it seems that Tara dropped.

Sam climbed into the bed with her younger sister letting Danny take her abandoned chair. “You feeling better?”

“Yes! When can we go home? You forgot cuddles! I miss my bed, it’s more comfortable!” Her speech seemed to be picking up before she started wheezing from the lack of oxygen.

”Woah, calm down before you have another asthma attack.” Sam reminded.

“I wanna go home!” Tara whined loudly as the doctor opened the door.

She gave a smile to Tara who tried to hide. “I see that steroid shot is already working its magic. You feel better, sweetie?”

At the little’s silence, Sam spoke up. “Yeah, it seems like she’s doing much better.”

“Good, but I’m sad to say that Tara has tested positive for the flu. I sent for a prescription for her inhaler and some steroids to keep her airways open so you don’t end up back here.”

”That sounds great, thank you.” Sam said with relief. If she didn’t have enough money for it, she’ll be sure to call Gale.

”Any questions?”

”Can I go home?” Tara asked.

”Sure can, sweetie.” She smiled. “Let’s get that monitor off you.” A nurse came in and freed Tara making her run out the door before Sam.

Danny chased after her and picked her up. “Can’t get home with us, duck.”

Once back in the truck, Tara sat in the middle seat with Danny’s phone and her thumb in her mouth. Sam joined them in the passenger seat after signing papers and collecting their belongings.

“Tara.” Sam said sternly, pulling her thumb out receiving a whine.

”Check the glove box. I think I have one in there.”

In the glove box were two pacifiers in protective cases. “Are they clean?”

”They should be. I think I found them in my pockets.”

Sticking one in Tara’s mouth before buckling her and driving back home. She leaned against Sam as she watched Scooby-Doo.

“She’s going to be so pissed when she comes out of this.” Sam said in disbelief. “But at least she’s ok. Thanks for driving us.”

“Of course, anything for my lady and duck.”

[skatesnstuff]

first meeting ~ c. dach

summary: the overprotective big brother meets the boy his sister is in love with. what could go wrong?

a.n: another instalment of caufieldsister au!! i’m really excited to make this an au, and i’m planning an instagram edit soon. hope y’all enjoy!!!

“colton. calm down.” he looks over at me, eyes wide.

“what if he doesn’t like me?” i scoff, hand gripping the steering wheel a little tighter. “he will! he loves your brother, and you’ve met cole before. you guys got along really well!!” he sighs. “yeah but never in this capacity. i was his new teammates little brother, not his only sister’s boyfriend.”

i don’t say anything as we pull up to the bell centre. cole had invited me to come out and watch a rec game some of the canadiens players were participating in while i was in montreal for the week, and i’d asked if my boyfriend could come as well. he’d been suspiciously okay with it.

“baby, look at me.” i say as i park the car. he does, anxiety still etched on his face. he leans into my touch when i place a hand on his face, and i exhale lightly. “you know how much cole means to me. but i also want you to know that you mean just as much, and that his opinion will not change how much i love you. okay? so just relax.” he smiles lightly.

we both jump at the knock on my window. i roll it down, rolling my eyes at kirby’s grinning face. “fucking hell, dach. you could’ve given me a heart attack.” he’s still grinning at my words. “i knew colton would have the balls to ask you out soon enough. how’d it happen?” “that’s none of your business.” i giggle at colton’s tone as i hop out of the car.

colton’s quick to come out after me, and we follow his brother into the arena.

“seriously, though. don’t you go to university in like michigan or something? how’d you two meet?”

i look over at him. “i play for the women’s hockey team at umich. we actually travel to seattle more often than you’d think, they’ve got a pretty decent women’s team there too. we went out to celebrate at a bar one night, saw each other, and-“ “and nothing else. he doesn’t need to know whatever you’re gonna say next.” i cheekily smile at colton. “what, colts? he doesn’t need to know how you told me i had pretty eyes? or that you’d liked me ever since we met each other when kirby got traded? none of that?”

he clenches his jaw as kirby cracks up, slinging an arm around my shoulders. “i like you, caufield. you seem to piss off my brother more than i do!” i shrug. “i’ve had practice. i have a very annoying brother.”

“that is rude and uncalled for.” cole’s voice sounds from behind us. i can practically feel colton tense from beside me, even though he’s not touching me.

“hi, coley.” he smiles, hugging me lightly before ruffling my hair. “cole! don’t be an asshole!” “it’s good to see you too, buggy. now where’s this boyfriend of yours? still in the car?” i blink once at him before shaking my head slowly. “no. he’s right there.”

cole’s head turns slightly to look at who i’m pointing at, and the surprise is clear on his face. “…you’re dating kirby’s brother? but i thought you and jack were together!” i cringe at his words, especially at the look on colton’s face. he looks devastated.

i can tell cole’s noticed what affect his words have had on my boyfriend, and he quickly backtracks. “not that this is a bad thing! i’m just surprised!” i sigh as cole tries to fix his mistake. “just stop talking cole.” he does, if only for a second.

“so… how long have you been dating?”

“almost six months.”

his eyes almost come out of his skull. “SIX MONTHS? AND YOU DIDNT TELL ME?”

i cringe back again, this time being reassured by colton’s hand in mine. “i’m sorry, coley! but we wanted to take it slow, and i haven’t seen you since christmas.” he pinches the bridge of his nose. “you two weren’t together then, were you?”

i shake my head. then shrug. “we were talking but no, we weren’t together.”

he glares at me. “i can’t believe you’ve been dating for six months and didn’t tell me.” i shrug. “sucks to suck.” he glares harder. “i hate you.”

i smile sweetly at him. “you could never hate me.” i pull colton along with me to the stands as kirby and cole follow us. “i’m sorry, honey.” he shrugs. “i’m just glad he wasn’t mad it was me. i just don’t like it when everyone assumes i should be jack.”

we stop, and i pull at his hand to get him to sit in the stands with me as we wave goodbye to our brothers. i we’ll see them after the game.

“i know you do, and trust me so do i. my whole life everyone’s always said ‘oh, you and rowdy would be perfect for each other’ and ‘wow, won’t you make the perfect couple’. but i want you, colton. i chose you. nothing is gonna change my mind, i promise.” he nods. “i love you.” i smile. “i love you too.” he leans in to kiss me, but a slam from the ice makes us turn our heads.

“ABSOLUTELY NOT! no pda, children!” i roll my eyes at cole as he glared at us before skating away. this was gonna take some getting used to.

a.n: continuation especially for @kjohnson-91 !!!! thank you for the support, i hope you like it!!!

[jojo-schmo]

So, I know your current focus is likely on your amazing roleswap comic for Forgotten Lands. But I do wanna know if you have any thoughts on the current stuff going on with Magolor in the Return to Dreamland Deluxe remake?

YO, I AM SO FRIGGIN EXCITED FOR THIS EPILOGUE!! The orignal RtDL was such a core childhood memory for me and I played it so much and drew so much about it!! I remember following the supposed development of Kirby GCN and combing through every E3 reveal list for years before they finally announced it. I can still remember my raw excitement when I watched the RtDL trailer. It felt like the best thing that ever happened to me at the time. You know, in the way kids feel things! The way I cried tears of joy in the first moments of the first level, and to the first notes of the ending credits. I could write way too much about how dear that game is to me.

But get this. Waaaaay back in 2011, I think baby Jojo accidentally predicted a few small things about the epilogue.

For a few pages in this old notebook of mine, I drew this pathetic bandage-clad Magolor who was lost somewhere non-specific (I never explored it further). He was supposed to be disgraced and stripped of his cool powers after his defeat (this was before the 20th Anniversary Collection came out that showed us all he was alive and okay somehow). I guess Apollo sneezed in my general direction that day and gave me the vaguest, lamest powers of prophecy, haha

But yes when I saw the trailer I just lost it because we’re finally learning how this guy managed to be totally okay after fading into space! I’m so glad I get to play this! These next 11 days are going to feel like the past 12 years, LOL

[crownednova]

I’ve only seen love directed towards RtDLDX, and while I think that’s lovely, I’ve always had several issues with it that I haven’t seen many else talk about. So that’s what I wanna do… talk about it. This was originally gonna be in the form of an essay, but I wrote the first draft half asleep, there is no saving that, and I think more of a point form, individualised analysis would get my point across better. This also means there isn’t going to be much for positives. Pretty much anything I don’t mention should be assumed I am either fine or happy with. Despite that though, I do still think the negatives are enough to cause me to not enjoy RtDLDX, at least not as much as I wish I could. But enough preamble.

New White Wafers Dialogue

Let’s start off with the two least impactful gripes. In fact, I’m just gonna get this one out of the way before getting onto the actual topic. Ability Stars look so much worse now. I get they’re 3D models now, but man, they just look so flat. Where are my RtDL Ability Star fans at? Okay, now to actually begin. All the other changes to Story Mode are great, but wow, I do not like his “Such Easy Targets” line. It feels like a betrayal of his facade. I’ve said in the past that RtDL has my favourite Magolor, which is why this stings. This isn’t like any of his other new/changed dialogue, while his Extra Mode dialogue also stands out, it still feels closer to how he acts. Not to mention, this is him finally being honest. He’s allowed to drop the facade here, it makes sense. But in White Wafers? I just can’t see him saying that. In the original, he does come off as shady, and he does mess up his story, but in a completely different way. I feel a similar slip up is when he calls Kirby a Hero in Cookie Country. At that time, he isn't supposed to know that. He also changes his story from “Just Crash Landing” to “Being Attacked by Landia.” Those are his brand of slip ups, I can’t imagine he’d mess up that badly as to say “Man I love scheming. Oops I mean crocheting ☺️” It’s also a lot more relaxed than what I expect from him. I always interpreted RtDL Magolor as having this stress to his dialogue. His ship is in shambles and he needs to keep up a lie. He still goofs around, but it’s in a completely different tone, it still has undertones of panic. This however, reads more like one of his upgrade lines in the Epilogue. Some may find that appropriate, but Magolor is never written consistently, and trying to add connections only makes things worse. Also, forgot to mention, this is just a straight up spoiler. Sure, the game is 11 years old, but Forgotten Land introduced so many new Kirby fans, people who know nothing about the series, to reveal your biggest twist, especially in a way that feels like a betrayal to the character you’ve written, I just can’t understand the idea behind this change. Because what is the point? I keep asking myself this and I genuinely can’t comprehend it.

Extra Mode Changes

Extra Mode got a glow up in RtDLDX, that’s obvious from the first stages, so then why do I find myself preferring the original? It’s consistent. 1-1 is probably the most fun I’ve had with RtDL in years, so to be greeted by that, only to be met with the exact same mode I’ve played countless times, it’s crushing. It feels like it was set up to get you excited, just to pull the rug from under you. I could get it if it was deliberately there to convince you to buy the game, but if you’ve made it this far, you already own it. So why? While this inconsistency ruins the mode for me, I can’t help but have a more, sympathetic outlook. The original mode is a clear sign this game was rushed, while most of the game, you wouldn’t even be able to tell. I don’t know if those who worked on it were happy with how Extra Mode turned out. Maybe that’s presumptuous of me, but DX was their chance to fix this, but they didn’t. If it isn’t obvious, I think Extra Mode was once again rushed. 1-1, while maybe a bit unfair, still felt like there was love put into it, as much love as the bosses. And 2-1 and 3-1 also got noticeable attention, but much less. The fact the first levels got this attention, makes me feel like they were just developing the levels they could, I can’t explain it as well as I’d like, but it still stands out to me that way. But, while I appreciate the effort, it only makes it feel more unfinished than the original. I’m just so sad about this because this was their only chance to fix the original, it just stands out compared to all the other Extra Modes from the games after. Even something simple like letting Player 1 be Dedede, Meta or Bandee would have done so much for this mode. And, as I’ll soon say, Magolor Epilogue does nothing to circumvent  this. Magolor Epilogue Part 1 - Gameplay That’s right, a two parter! This is gonna be hard though, as I don’t know where my biases begin, and where they end. While this is obviously all subjective, I still would like some ground to stand on. So, I’m gonna start with what I like and what I think works. Let’s start with the bosses. Besides the marketing, which really should have its own section, they’re pretty cool! They innovate on the original bosses, Electicky Dooter is my favourite boss from this game. But it does suck they aren’t more original, or the fact the minibosses are still the same ones from Story and Extra Mode. It just makes the fact all the world bosses were spoiled for us hurt all the more. Next are Ordeal Doors. I love them. They work around the required upgrades so perfectly. Being able to know what the player will have means they can make memorable and fun stages. The regular stages are the exact inverse of this. They’re bland, forgettable, they have to work around the fact that you may never upgrade your abilities. I often see people praise the freedom the upgrade system provides, but I only see the inverse. It’s restrictive. The most the regular stages can do is play around with the boss abilities. However, those are often so weak, done so much better in the Ordeal Stages, or aren’t intuitive for movement that they can’t stand out. The combo system is much more interesting as a mechanic, and the game can properly play around with it, but the upgrades encapsulate everything I dislike about how it feels to play. No, everything I dislike with this whole Epilogue. Magolor Epilogue Part 2 - Tone and Story

I get it’s Kirby, but Kirby has done good and serious stories, so then why is Magolor Epilogue such tonal whiplash. The intro and tutorial capture it perfectly. Magolor almost died, he basically did. He lost his friends, his magic, he’s alone. Good thing he can think uppity thoughts! That’s unfair, I love his upgrade dialogue, I don’t want them to take away the humour, but there has to be some sort of middle ground! Make it clear his jokes are a form of coping, make the pause screens talk about his thoughts rather than vagueing towards Grand Doomer being the final boss 4 times in a row. Give us a look at how he actually feels!!! This is worse in the ending, we never see him actually feel guilt for what he’s done. We’re just told he’s redeemed now, we’re told that on a pause screen that’s not even accessible for 30 seconds!! It’s not even a case of show don’t tell, because they don’t even tell us anything! What I find worse is that he doesn’t even have to confront Kirby to apologise, not really, he literally gets to start living out his dream, stalling until the whole situation blows over until he just gets to show up on Pop Star, somehow, where there is barely any tension left. He gets off easy, he dies, and he gets rewarded for it. LITERALLY TOO!! I’ve never liked his Star Allies moveset. It was so clearly busted, that it felt like he’s stronger without the Master Crown. So in response to this, they canonise this moveset and it’s even more busted. It all comes back to the fact he’s constantly rewarded for his betrayal. He loses nothing. And it’s infuriating, because how am I supposed to expect him to be redeemed when he didn’t have to suffer for anything he did. Sure, he cries at the end of the mode, too bad we never know how he’s feeling anywhere else. They didn’t even answer how he got back to Pop Star, instead answering how he got to the Dream Kingdom. Idk about anyone else, but I just kinda assumed he got there with the Lor, the “real” answer doesn’t feel satisfying at all. He doesn’t even do anything interesting in the Clash games, nothing, not unless we get another Clash sequel. I just, I just wanted him to apologise to Kirby, but instead, it feels like HAL is doing everything in their power to make sure he doesn’t. The worst part is that I’m still hoping for that Clash sequel, I’m waiting for them to execute what they’ve set up, but I just don’t think it’s happening. I just wish I could see what everyone else sees in Epilogue, but I just can’t.

Merry Magoland

I guess I should wrap this up with Magoland. It’s not that bad, but I think it suffered the most from feeling slapped on with no real purpose. I like the Minigames, but I’m more talking about the park itself. I don’t like how it looks. It might just be because I’m not a fan of Magolor’s ego, or at least never saw it being this kind of ego, but it doesn’t work here for me. From what we’ve seen of Magolor’s work in the past, it’s always had this sort of child like aspect to it, like it was made with crayons and cardboard or building blocks. It created a nice aesthetic, albeit, a rather disconnected one, Drum Dash and Dream Collection look nothing alike. But to see them completely ignore what those two set up for a boring DisneyLand parody? Especially one played so positively? Idk, maybe I’m expecting too much asking for another “Capitalism is Bad'' metaphor, but still, Disney is very well known for being a garbage company so???? It’s funny how a place meant to look as innocent as possible is immersion breaking for being as innocent as possible. In reality, it’s not that bad, Manager Magolor acts nothing like Story Mode Magolor, but that’s a consistent thing with all his appearances so whatever I’ve grown to accept it. I just wish Dream Collection and Drum Dash got more love. Especially since Last Land of all things was referenced back in Dream Buffet, I still love that btw. Some sort of visual link might have helped, but even without them, I just think gaudy isn’t Magolor’s style? Like it totally is, but this brand of it doesn’t feel like him. However, I don’t write for him, idk his “true” personality, his “true” taste, maybe he likes Glitter and I can’t stop him. It just serves to make the new stuff feel out of place juxtaposed to the more natural, magical and mechanical settings of Story Mode.

And I guess that’s it, I never want to do this kinda thing again. Being this negative, although my true feelings, is just exhausting. I hope no one agrees with my issues, but if you do, hope it’s nice to see someone talk about it lol. I’m not giving up on this game though, I want to come back in a few months and see how my feelings have changed. I doubt it’ll fix everything, but I hope I can gain a new appreciation for this game, critiques and all. I guess thanks for reading as well, it means a lot to know people care about what I have to say.

[cloudstation]

I’M ABOUT LOSE MY MIND LOOK WHAT SHOWED UP IN THE MAIL TODAY!!!!

I made a post a while ago about my love for Gamecube and in particular my love for Kirby Air Ride aka The Game of All Time. I loved this game so much when I was younger, but sadly I no longer had it and trying to find a copy in the wild would cost a lot. So just I made a post about it and didn’t think anything of it.

Well some time later I got an extremely generous offer from @yesterdayssoggycock in my inbox offering to give me their copy of the game. I asked if they were sure and they said yes because they would like their game to go to someone who would appreciate it.

Needless to say when I opened the package today I was not expecting THIS!!!! quite literally shocked by their kindness and I am very thankful. I love all these games, but wait THERE’S MORE. Super Mario Sunshine was actually a Metroid Prime disc (a game I haven’t played before, but am stoked to try) and each game case had a memory card in it!

@yesterdayssoggycock thank you thank you I can’t say it enough. I will treasure these for a very long time and I’m excited to share them with my partner and my friends who’ve never played them. 

[chicagolive]

Hi Doly!!!

I hope you had a lovely day today and that your week passed stress free and that you have a great weekend!!!

Stardew really should have a recap! I just started playing the last save I made and have no idea what I was doing! It’s year one and it’s winter and I’m very discombobulated!! I have the absolute worst memory. I also love customizing!!! When we reveal ourselves I should show you my house on my year six save where I’ve married Elliot.

Trinkets are my everything. Like it’s just so fun to show off all the cool little things I’ve got! You’ve gotta show me your Kirby knickknacks!!!

Oh, I’d lose my mind being in front of Louis. I’ve thought about it a lot and I think I would just cry?? He means so much to me and has done so much for me that I think I truly couldn’t even be in the same room as him I’d be shaking and just a mess. I don’t think I can do it I’d be so embarrassed.

I’m so excited for Niall’s new album, he never misses! I can’t wait and I hate that HW didn’t get to be toured it would’ve fucking rocked.

Speed round:

What’s your favorite little trinket/weird thing you have? I think mines a sad blue dog piggy bank or this new table lamp I got at an estate sale!

What’s your primary way to game? Console or PC? Mines console but hopefully PC soon!

Do you cook? I don’t really but I wanna learn and cook more I just get freaked out and don’t want to waste food cause what if it’s bad? And I don’t like being judged so I have to cook alone!

Do you have a favorite flower? I’m not sure I do now that I’m thinking about it! I’ll have to get back to you on that.

Finally, tell me a weird/interesting fact about you!!!

I hope you’re doing well and I love being your holiday pal, I hope you’re enjoying it as well!!!

-🎉❄️

Hiii, love!! Happy Friday!! Wishing you a well-rested, long and relaxing weekend!! ✨

Yes omg!! I would love to see your farm and the progress you’ve made in that save!! I’ve never seen someone have a save as long as year 6!! I’ve only ever made it as far as maybe year 3 only because I lose interest to play and then I try and go back only to forget what I was doing 🫠. Cheers to having shit memory 🥂. Other than Stardew, what other video games do you enjoy playing (if you haven’t already answered this question already lol)?

I would love to show you my collection of Kirby knickknacks lol. It very much ranges from plushies to figurines to travel hand sanitizer covers to lanyards… the list goes on!! I also enjoy collecting Funko pops, but had to lay low recently cause I don’t have the space to put them if I were to keep collecting them. Every now and again, I take one home, but it’s been a hot minute since then. Do you have a collection of anything in particular?

Louis truly does have that affect on people. I’d definitely do the same thing; probably cry before I pass out lol. I just have such a good feeling that 2023 is gonna be Niall’s year and I cannot wait what he has in store for us!!

Speed Round Answers!! Favorite Trinket? Other than like fandom memorabilia, I have a pretty decent owl figurine collection!! Owls are one of my favorite animals and so I really like collecting figurines mostly because they’re not very common and you can’t find many everywhere!! My one college roommate visited my house for the first time back in college and they said I had an “owl shrine” because of all the figurines. I haven’t added anything new to that collection since in a long time. I know it’s not one trinket, but I’d say that entire collection would have to be my favorite!! Primary Gaming setup? I’ve been playing console games up until about 2 years ago!! I created a steam account and have a couple of games there, but my laptop isn’t really the best when it comes to games, so I stick with consoles and hope that certain games get released on the switch!! I would love to have a full pc setup, but my apartment isn’t very big to be able to have a full setup that I envision myself having. Cooking? Sadly, I’m not very good at cooking very large meals. I know how to make very small things, but not like a full course meal kinda deal. I should have listened to my mom when she was explaining her recipients to me 😬. But it’s never too late to learn!! I know exactly what you mean about wanting to cook alone in fear of being judged!! I’m the same way, to an extent!! Favorite Flower? I’d say either magnolias or orchids!! But I also find cacti to be very cool so I’m adding them on too!! Weird/Interesting fact? I guess a lot of other people also do this, but I can’t sit down and have a proper meal unless I’m watching something as I do!! I’m always watching YouTube at dinner time or eating my breakfast and watching Netflix/Hulu!! I believe that is fairly common, but I think it’s kinda interesting lol.

🥺💕✨ I love being your holiday pal too, hun!! I’m really enjoying the conversations thus far!! You’re doing phenomenal, sweetie!! Until the next one!! 🎄✨

[celestial-frequency]

Preordered Kirby & the Forgotten Land to get that little serotonin juice flowin for a day lmao

[incorrectsmashbrosquotes]

Poker Face 2

(Continued from Poker Face 1)

[The Super Smash Texas Hold’em World Championship is on again. Once more, like before, four contestants are sitting around a table, while Master Hand narrates]

Master Hand: Welcome back to this year’s coverage of the Super Smash Texas Hold’em Poker World Championship! We’ve got some very familiar faces in our final four tonight.

Master Hand: First up, King Dedede, one of last year’s finalists. Rumours have spread among the Waddle Dees that he has gotten an organ transplant that… didn’t quite go so well.

[King Dedede is completely stonefaced and pale-faced]

King Dedede’s thoughts: (…Stupid monkey kidneys…)

Master Hand: Next up, last year’s million coin winner, Princess Daisy, who is clearly doing well for herself.

[Daisy once again shows nothing on her face]

Daisy’s thoughts: [sobbing] (…I’m in so much debt…)

Master Hand: Amazingly, Kirby’s here too, even though last year it was painfully clear that he did not know how to play poker.

[Kirby smiles innocently]

Kirby’s thoughts: (HAHAHAHA! Oh, the fools! They’ve no idea that I’ve spent the last year learning EVERYTHING there is to know about poker. They’ll NEVER see it coming! Mmm, sandwiches.)

[He swallows an entire footlong in a single bite]

Master Hand: And our one new face, Lucina! Future daughter of the late prince Chrom, who passed away at this very table.

[Lucina, like Chrom before her, is calm and collected]

Lucina’s thoughts: (This is for you, father.)

[She plonks down an urn containing Chrom’s ashes on the table]

Master Hand: [As Mario deals the following cards] And here comes the flop, with the King of Clubs, the Seven of Spades and the Queen of Hearts.

[King Dedede starts coughing madly]

King Dedede’s thoughts: (Yeah! Finally, I have a good hand!)

[Continues coughing]

King Dedede’s thoughts: (Stop coughin’, ya fool! They’ll know you’re excited!)

[Stops coughing]

King Dedede’s thoughts: (*koff koff* Much better. *koff* *hack* Wait… *koff* am I coughin’ into my own brain? *wheeze* *koff*)

King Dedede: Two hundred thousand.

Daisy’s thoughts: (I just HAD to use my winnings to buy a yacht made of gold, WHICH SUNK IMMEDIATELY, didn’t I?)

Daisy: Call.

Daisy’s thoughts: (Now all the Cheep Cheeps are living large on my boat, and all my friends are dead in their solid gold life vests.)

Kirby’s thoughts: (Let’s see: King of Clubs, Queen of Hearts, Seven of Spades… I have an Ace and a King, which puts my odds of winning at…)

[Computer typing and whirring noises]

Kirby’s thoughts: (62.48%. Excellent.)

[Reaches to place his chips on the table, but stops himself short]

Kirby’s thoughts: (But play it cool! They don’t know that you know how to play now.)

Kirby, feigning confusion: Call?

Kirby’s thoughts: (Mmhmm, and the Oscar goes to: me.)

Lucina’s thoughts: (Breathe… You’ve got this.)

Chrom’s ghost: (Remain calm, Lucina.)

Lucina’s thoughts: (EEEEYYAAAAAAAHHHH!! FATHER?!)

Chrom’s ghost: (Yes. I am speaking to you from beyond the grave. Or… urn, rather. I’m here to help. My one mistake was that I panicked. I don’t want you to-)

Lucina: Call.

Chrom’s ghost: (What are you doing?! You haven’t looked at your cards!)

Lucina’s thoughts: (I DIDN’T LOOK AT MY CARDS!)

Master Hand: Four players, eight hundred thousand in the pot, this could get interesting!

[Mario deals another card]

Master Hand: And there’s the turn, with the King of Diamonds.

King Dedede’s thoughts: (Hahaha! I’m winnin’ that pot now!)

[Splat!]

King Dedede’s thoughts: (ooOOOOHHHH!!! OH MAH GOODNESS! MAH KIDNEY’S EXPLODED! AH’M DAIYIN’!!!)

King Dedede’s thoughts: (Must…finish…game…and…get…to…hospital…)

King Dedede: F-five hundred thousand.

Daisy’s thoughts: (GRAAHH! I need to win so I can buy a silver boat to rescue the gold boat!)

Daisy: Call.

Kirby’s thoughts: (That King puts my odds at 89.07%!)

[Smiles, but stops himself]

Kirby’s thoughts: (No! Don’t be happy!)

Kirby: [Starts crying] Call…

Chrom’s ghost: (What is wrong with you?! How do you not look at your cards?!)

Lucina’s thoughts: (I’m sorry! It’s hard to concentrate when your deceased father starts talking in your head!)

Chrom’s ghost: (Sure, blame the dead guy! JUST LOOK AT YOUR CARDS!)

[Lucina fumbles forward, but accidentally knocks Chrom’s urn over, spilling the ashes all over the table]

Lucina’s thoughts: (AAAAAAAHHHHHH!)

Chrom’s ghost: (AAAAAAAHHHHHH!)

Master Hand: Oh, gross!

Chrom’s ghost: [As Lucina is frantically scooping up his ashes] (Forget about me! Play the game!)

Lucina: Call.

Lucina’s thoughts: (AAAAAAAHHHHHH!)

Chrom’s ghost: (YOU DIDN’T LOOK AT YOUR CARDS!!)

Master Hand: Ooookay, I guess we’re just gonna pretend that didn’t happen.

[Mario hurriedly deals the next card]

Master Hand: And there’s the river- it’s the Ace of Spades! That’s great news for anyone holding an Ace right now.

King Dedede’s thoughts: (NOOOOOOOOOO!)

Daisy’s thoughts: (NOOOOOOOOOO!)

Kirby’s thoughts: (YEEEEEEEEEEEEESSS!)

Lucina’s thoughts: (DAAAAAAADDDDDYYYYY!!)

King Dedede’s thoughts: (Oh, what am I gonna do? That Ace’ll muss up the whole shebang! What’re the odds that someone even has a King AND an Ace?)

Kirby’s thoughts: [smugly] (…0.01%.)

King Dedede’s thoughts: (I’ve gotta go for it… my one remainin’ kidney ain’t gonna-)

[Splort!]

King Dedede’s thoughts: (SWEET SAKURAI! AH AIN’T GOT NO KIDNEYS!! AH HAVE MOMENTS TA LIVE!!!)

King Dedede: [trembling voice]…All-in…

Lucina’s thoughts: (AAAAAAAHHHHHH!)

Daisy: All-in.

King Dedede’s thoughts: (AAAAAAAHHHHHH!)

Kirby: All-in.

Daisy’s thoughts: (AAAAAAAHHHHHH!)

Lucina: All-in.

Chrom’s ghost: (AAAAAAAHHHHHH!)

Lucina’s thoughts: (WHY DON’T I LOOK AT MY CAAAAAAARRDDSSS?!)

Chrom’s ghost: (I DON’T KNOOOOWW!!)

Master Hand: Millions in the pot, but there can be only be one winner. Dedede will show first.

[King Dedede shows his cards]

Master Hand: A strong hand there: three Kings!

King Dedede’s thoughts: (FASTER!!!)

Master Hand: And Daisy…

[She shows her hand]

Master Hand: …only has two pairs: Queens and Sevens. Looks like she won’t be a repeat winner tonight.

Daisy’s thoughts: (That’s it… it’s over. I wonder how much I could get for one of my kidneys…)

[She trails off as she glances at the kidneyless King Dedede]

Daisy’s thoughts: [smirking] (…Like the wind.)

Master Hand: I’m almost scared to see what Kirby has-

[Kirby shows his hand]

Master Hand: O-oh my… Kirby’s got a FULL HOUSE! Kings full of Aces!

Kirby’s thoughts: (AAAHAHAHAH! THE PADAWAN HAS BECOME THE JEDI!)

Master Hand: And no one knows what Lucina has, including Lucina herself.

Chrom’s ghost: (Let’s just leave! I can’t bear the shame anymore!)

Lucina’s thoughts: (…I have to know.)

[Lucina retrieves her cards and flips them over. It’s absolutely mind-blowing.]

Master Hand: Lucina has a pair of Aces! SHE’S WON IT ALL!

Lucina’s thoughts: (WHAAAAA?!!! AAAAAAAHHHHH!) [joyfully] (HAHAHAHAHAH!)

[As the other contestants wallow in their failure…]

Master Hand: What an unbelievable end to this unforgettable tournament!

Master Hand: And now we close. King Dedede is quickly leaving, most likely to a hospital…

[King Dedede weakly shuffles off. Daisy quickly gets up to follow him]

Master Hand: …with Daisy closely following behind him…

Daisy’s thoughts: (HERE COMES THE WIIIIND!)

Master Hand: …and Kirby consoles himself with a sandwich.

[The crowd awws as Kirby, genuinely teary-eyed, sobs as he stuffs another footlong down his gullet]

Chrom’s ghost: (You’ve done it, Lucina! Now you can afford to buy me an urn with a television in it!)

[As Lucina rakes in her winnings, she accidentally knocks Chrom’s urn to the ground, spilling more ashes]

Chrom’s ghost: (Whoa! I’m everywhere!)

Master Hand: Super Smash Bros. thanks you for joining us, and good night!

[souleatergroot]

Temporary Grump (Dan x Reader) Part 2

Synopsis : You and Dan record your first video. Type : Fluff E/C : Eye color Y/N : Your name Y/N/N : Your nickname A/N : I honestly feel like this one is poopy buuuutt I hope y’all like it <3

(Low key inspired by this gif so thank you ❤️)

As you walk back down the hall towards the grump room you can hear Dan frantically rushing to set things up. You cant help but laugh, he must really be backed up on videos.

You turn into the grump room and Dan is ready on the couch. Somehow (without giving you any warning) he is already recording.

“Welcome back to Game Grumps! I am sad to say that our dear friend Arin is sick right now. Don’t worry, it’s nothing life threatening! But for the time being we have a lovely coworker to come and fill in! Y/N please come and say hello, you amazing, wonderful, human, you!”

As you walk over to the couch he butters both you and the lovelies up, trying to make up for backing you up on work. You sit on the couch, taking a purposefully long time to get settled and comfy in the couch with the mic, making funny noises as you do. Suddenly you stop, listening to Dan’s cackling that already started, you love to make him laugh.

“Hey lovelies! I’m so glad to be here right now! I’ve never been on any YouTube video so I hope this goes well.” You laughed, honestly pretty nervous about the whole situation, being alone with Dan and recorded for the world to see.

“It’s going to go amazing I’m sure” he soothes you, though it seems like he’s bouncing off the walls a little himself. “Today we’re playing Kirby’s Nightmare In Dreamland!” Dan announces, you don’t notice his eyes watching you, waiting to see your reaction.

You gasp, pulling your legs up and really getting comfortable. “Oh my god Danny!”

He laughs in joking cockiness, “I know I know I’m amazing~” He flips his floofy hair over his shoulder. “I mean, you’ve asked me to help you on almost all the hard parts. So I knew you were playing it and I bought it on the Wii U for your series.”

You can’t form words at first. “Danny wow… first of all, I didn’t ask you about ALL the hard parts… just the really hard parts.” But you don’t care to really hear his answer to that so you skip to the next part. “But what do you mean my series?”

His smile is wide, but there’s a hint of nervousness behind it. “Well, if you and the lovelies are up for it, this game isn’t that long so we could do one video now and a session later and it be your series we put you in the intro of course and everything…” After a moment Dan realizes he’s rambling and slows to a stop allowing you to speak.

“I love that idea! I feel so honored and a part of the Grump family” Your heart melts at the fact that Dan went through all this trouble… to buy your favorite game and to agree to make breakfast early before work. You really felt right at home with him.

“I’m so glad Y/NN, are you ready to embark on a new adventure?” He smirks, handing you your controller.

“Absolutely” You laugh, pushing start on the game.

You and Dan spent the next half hour playing your favourite game ever. The entire session was filled with nothing but laughter, smiles, and blushy cheeks.

Once time was up you both said goodbye and Dan ended the recording. “See? That wasn't so bad was it?” He ruffles the top of your hair playfully.

You pout, going to fix your hair. “I had a great time Dan, I'm really excited for next time. I just hope the lovelies like me.” You laugh a little bit, honestly a bit nervous about how the fans will react to you.

“Y/N the lovelies will love you I'm sure of it and I'm always right behind you no matter what” His kind smile reassures you and all your worries melt off your back.

Suddenly, you feel something tickling at your feet. Your legs are rested up across the couch and Dan is wiggling his toes against yours. You squeal and jump your feet back, pulling your knees to your chest.

“Dan quit!!”

He just laughs “What you don't like feet Y/N? What's wrong?” as he continues to slide across the couch sticking his feet in your face. You don't hesitate to get up and run to he other side of the room.

“Dan stop!!” You can't help but laugh as you whine to him. “I have to get back to work!”

He stops coming to chase after you, not wanting you to stop spending time with him but not wanting you to be stressed about work.

“Alright we’ll a deals a deal, I'm coming help you.”

Though you try to tell him to work on whatever he needs to, he insists on helping you with your work. You both spend the rest of the day in your office working on your backed up work. There's a lot of laughs but also a lot of good work gets done.

At the end of the day it's finally time for you both to head home, you stand outside next to your cars for a while, unable to end the conversation.

“Y/N I had a lot of fun with you today, we need to work together like this more often.” His smile is beaming at you, in the setting sun you can barely see his slightly pink cheeks. He can't take his eyes off you, your E/C practically glowing in the sunlight.

“Me too Danny, thanks a lot for helping me today.”

You both stand there for a moment and there's a tension in the air as you share a hug. It felt so right to be in his arms, you wondered if he was feeling the same things or if this is all in your head. You back up shyly and start to head to your car.

“See you tomorrow for breakfast right Danny? Drive safe” you call to him as you get into your car.

As you start up and drive away you can't get him out of your head. Your heart is pounding as your mind speeds with thoughts of tomorrow morning. You're going to be spending a lot of time together for these next couple days, you hope your heart can take it.

//This one was so all over the place I'm so sorry

Part 3 : Temporary Grump (Part 3)

[prettyboyjackhughes]

-Little Crosby- |D. Cozens| [Epilogue/Part 8]

This is the end of Little Crosby and I don’t think I've ever been this sad for one of my fics to end. I fell in love with Dylan and Ava’s story and I absolutely loved getting to write this with @prettyboycozens​. This story turned into something I never thought it would and I am so thankful to everyone who supported, encouraged and got to read this story! So thank you for all the love and support for Little Crosby! Enjoy the last part!

“Momma?” I hear Wes call from the top of the stairs as Dylan tugs me down onto the couch next to him.

“We’re down here, Baby!” I call, relaxing into Dylan’s arms. Wes is 4 now and looks just like Dylan. Dad says he acts just like me though. He’s your typical little boy, all dirt, loud and hockey. He loves hockey, of course, and getting to go to his dad, grandpa and uncles’ games and spending time with all of his family. He’s grown up surrounded by cousins which he absolutely loves, even if they are 3 hours away.

“We have to leave for dinner in about 15 minutes. Are you ready?” I ask, looking up at Dylan. He shrugs and I move off of him, letting him get up.

“I need to change and let the dog out, then we can leave.” He says, heading back to our room. Wes runs out of his room. He rushes down the stairs and jumps up onto the couch, a Sabres jersey hanging off of his already tall and skinny frame. As he jumps, I see a flash of black and I smile. Underneath the Cozens jersey he has on is a Crosby jersey; the one Dad got him for Christmas last year. When he knows he’s gonna see Dad, he always wears both jerseys.

“Hey Buddy, why don’t we pick one jersey to wear tonight? You’ll want the other one clean for tomorrow’s game.” I say, walking over to the couch and sitting down as he bounces over to me.  

“We’re gonna see Grandpa! We’re gonna see Grandpa!” Wes yells, still jumping on the couch.

“Yes we are. Why don’t we take Daddy’s jersey off and you can wear it tomorrow. Wear Grandpa’s tonight.” He finally stops and lets me tug the Sabres jersey over his head, leaving the black Crosby jersey on.

It’s been 6 years since the Canada trip that Dylan and I met on. Dylan and I have been living in Buffalo for 5 years, having just moved into a new house right before Wes’ last birthday. We still haven’t gotten married but the ring Dylan gave me all those years ago, that still has a place on my finger, still reminds me and him about the promise he made, what seems like forever ago in that hospital bed. So we’ll get around to getting married one day. Everything’s been going wonderfully in Buffalo. Dylan’s been playing well, Wes is loving preschool and I’m working at a doctor’s office as a pediatric nurse. With it being the first time I’m more than 20 minutes away from Dad and my family, even after 6 years, it’s taken a while to get used to planning weekend trips to Pittsburgh and Chicago to visit Dad and the uncles, along with Kirby and Carter.

Carter and Kirby stayed together while Carter was in college on the west coast, and are talking about getting married now that she’s graduated, which is really exciting. My uncles’ kids have all started to grow up and become actual humans, which has been really fun to watch. They’re all happy and living life. The biggest change has been that Marc and his family moved back to Pittsburgh. He ended up getting traded back to Pittsburgh, which meant our not so little family was all together again, at least when Dylan and I come to Pittsburgh. He plans on retiring in Pittsburgh with Dad, Kris and Geno, when the time comes.

“Come on Dylan! We’re going to be late for dinner!” I call as Wes returns to bouncing on the couch. Dylan finally comes out of our bedroom, our dog following behind him.

“Let me let Milo out then we can leave.” He calls as he opens the back sliding door and Milo runs out, barking. Dad had called a family meeting while he and my uncles were on a road trip to Buffalo. He usually only calls family meetings when something important happened so I was a little nervous to see what he needed to tell us. We were meeting at a restaurant about 20 minutes away from the house with a big room since there were going to be all 16 of us together in Buffalo, for the first time since Christmas. Dad hadn’t mentioned anything happening the last time he and I had talked on the phone earlier this week but maybe something had happened since then. Wes climbed into my lap and snuggled into my chest. I knew he wouldn’t stay this little forever but I wanted him to. I loved how his big brown eyes somehow managed to get bigger when he was talking about something exciting. I loved how he talked with his hands, waving and pointing to make sure everyone understood exactly what he was saying. Most of all, I loved how he called me “Momma” and loved to cuddle and be cuddled. Dylan and I had talked about having more kids, which I loved the idea of, but I was savoring every minute of it being just the 3 of us.

“Okay Baby, let’s get going.” Dylan says as he lets Milo back inside and gets him into his cage.

“I’m nervous, why am I nervous?” I ask as Dylan tugs his coat on then kneels down to help Wes zip his coat and put his shoes on.

“Because the last family meeting your dad called was when we told your uncles you were pregnant?” I roll my eyes and zip my coat up.

“You’re really not helping.” Dylan laughs as he picks Wes up and we head out the door.

“Maybe he’s retiring?” Dylan offers as I climb into the passenger seat and he straps Wes into his carseat. Wes is preoccupied by his ipad, oblivious to what Dylan and I are talking about.

“He would’ve told me first. If it was something that big. But I really have no idea what it could be.”  Dylan shrugs as he gets into the driver’s seat.

“Babe, it could be nothing. Maybe he just wants us all together. Don’t think too much into it.” He says, softly kissing my cheek before starting the car. We drive in silence, the only sound in the car is Wes’ ipad. As we pull into the parking lot of the restaurant, I see Carter and Kirby heading inside.

“Okay this must be really big. Carter and Kirby are here too.” I say, trying to fight the building anxiety rising in my chest. Dad wasn’t old, only 39, but he had been playing in the NHL for 21 years. Maybe he really was retiring. Or maybe something else had happened.

“Momma! I’m hungry!” Wes cried from the backseat, his ipad now forgotten on the seat next to him.

“Alright Buddy, we’re gonna go inside and see all your cousins and aunts and uncles, and Grandpa. It looks like Aunt Carter and Uncle Kirby are here too!” I say, turning around and smiling at him as Dylan puts the car in park. Wes bounces excitedly in his seat, waiting for Dylan and I to get out and unbuckle him. Carter must’ve seen us because she and Kirby are waiting in front of the restaurant for us.

“Whatever Dad tells us, promise me it’s gonna be okay?” I ask, looking over at Dylan before climbing out of the car.

“It’s gonna be okay. Everything’s gonna be fine.” He says, watching me with intent eyes. I nod and open Wes’ door, unbuckling him and holding him close.

“I wanna go see Uncle Kirby, Momma!” He shouts, excitedly. So I let him down once we reach the sidewalk and he runs to Kirby who scoops him up and tickles him. Dylan’s hand finds mine and we meet up with Carter and Kirby.

“Any idea why we got told to come to Buffalo for the weekend?” Carter asks. I shrug and she grimaces a little.

“Are we in trouble?” She asks, taking Kirby’s hand as Wes runs ahead of us and waits at the door to the restaurant.

“Not that I know of. Why, did you do something to get us in trouble?” I ask, nudging her and laughing. She shakes her head and leads the 5 of us into the restaurant. The hostess leads us back to the room where my 3 nephews are running laps around the table while my nieces are huddled in the corner with one of my aunts. Wes runs to join the boys and I spot Dad on the other side of the room with Kris. We exchange a wave and I notice a woman I’m not familiar with next to him. Geno and Marc are sitting at the table, making sure the boys don’t break anything.

“Who’s the lady?” Kirby asks, attempting to hide himself pointing at the woman next to Dad.

“Your guess is as good as mine, Kirbs.” I say, shrugging as Dad walks over to me.

“Hi Sweetheart, good to see you!” He says as my hand slips out of Dylan’s and he hugs me. No matter how old I get, my anxiety seems to melt away whenever Dad hugs me.

“You know, you’ve had me freaking out ever since you called me to tell me about dinner.” I say as Wes jumps into Dad’s arms.

“Hi Buddy! I told you on the phone there was nothing to be worried about, Ava.” I cross my arms and look up at him.

“Uh huh. You know how I get, Dad.” He nods and wraps an arm around my shoulders.

“I think you’ll like this announcement.” I groan internally but nod. Dylan’s hand has found its way back into mine and he leads me over to where my uncles are now all sitting.

“Who’s the lady with Dad?” I ask as we sit down with the 3 of them.

“Kathy? You’ve met her, Ava. She works for the team as a physical therapist.” And as Kris answers, I start to realize he’s right.

“Oh yeah yeah I remember her. But that doesn’t explain why she’s here.” I say, looking between her and my 3 uncles sitting around me.

“She always travel with us.” Geno says, crossing his arms and leaning back in his chair.

“I’ve told her about 10 times that she shouldn’t be freaking out but she doesn’t listen to me.” Dylan injects, his arm resting around the back of my chair.

“Hey you’re the one who reminded me that the last family meeting we had was to tell everyone I was pregnant so now my mind is going all sorts of places.” Marc laughs and shakes his head.

“I don’t think it’s anything that big. Just calm down Ava.” I shrug and look around the room, watching Wes, who is still clinging to Dad, talk animatedly to his cousins gathered around them. Kathy is standing with Veronique, Marc’s wife, talking. I watch her glance at Dad whose eyes are already on her. There’s definitely something there but I can’t put my finger on what. Dad finally lets Wes down and he wanders his way over to Dylan, climbing up onto his lap.

“Daddy I’m hungry. Is it time to eat yet?” Wes asks, cuddling into Dylan’s chest.

“Almost. I think Grandpa has to tell us something and then we’re gonna eat dinner. Did you have fun with all your cousins?” Wes nods, playing with the hem of his jersey.

“Did you show Grandpa that you’re wearing his jersey?” I ask, smoothing Wes’ hair down. His hair is dark, just like Dylan’s and is in a constant state of bedhead.

“He liked it. He told me a story about when you were little and had one of his jerseys, Momma. Daddy, I’m wearing your jersey for the game tomorrow.” Dylan smiles as Wes slides off his lap. He runs over to Dad, who is now standing at the head of the table.

“Hey, if you wouldn’t mind, I think it’s time for my announcement.” He says he picks Wes up and everyone starts to sit down.

“It’s great getting to see everyone here, together. Especially with the news I’m about to share. Everyone, this is Kathy. Ava and the guys know her. But she’s one of the physical therapists that works for the team. Um, she and I have been dating for the past 3 years. I asked her to marry me a little over a month ago and she said yes. So...We’re getting married.” My mouth drops open and Dylan glances at me, trying to gauge how I’m handling this news. As I glance around the room, trying to figure out if I heard that right, everyone’s faces look the same as mine.

“You didn’t know about this?” I whisper, turning to look at Marc with wide eyes.

“We had no idea! He doesn’t tell us things!” Marc says, his eyes as wide as mine. It takes Dylan’s hand finding mine to keep me in my seat and somewhat grounded.

“I know this is a shock but we’re very happy. And we want you all to be a part of our wedding.” It’s like everyone gets snapped out of a trance. Everyone is up, congratulating Dad and Kathy and I’m still in my seat. I’m frozen, unable to move from the shock. I see Dylan glance back at me, before talking to Dad. Kris comes to check on me, kneeling down in front of me.

“You okay, Kid?” I shake my head and he stands, tugging me to my feet and into a hug. Wes runs up and hugs my legs.

“Momma! I’m gonna have a grandma! Does that mean she’s your momma now?” He asks, his eyes bigger than dinner plates. Somehow, that manages to snap me out of my trance and Kris lets me go. I bend down to Wes’ level and he puts his hands on my shoulders.

“Sorta. She’ll be my step mom, Baby. Have you told Grandpa congratulations?” He shakes his head and I gather him in my arms.

“No! I wanna tell them ‘gratitations!” He says, bouncing in my arms. I smile at his mispronunciation of the word and start to walk in the direction of Dylan and Marc.

“Let’s go find Daddy and then we’ll go tell Grandpa and Kathy congratulations.” Wes rests his head on my shoulder and wraps his arms around my neck. My family has always been a comfort to me, and it’s definitely one I need today. I’ve always wanted Dad to find someone and fall in love. But it’s just been him and I for so long, even with my uncles and aunts, cousins and now Dylan and Wes. My heart hurts a little, thinking about letting Dad go, but I see how happy Dad is and I can’t help but push those feelings aside for him to be happy. He’s put so much on hold for me, waiting until I was ready and on my own, I can’t help but do the same for him. But there’s still a part of me that’s not sure about all of it. A part of me that’s terrified about losing my dad. That fear keeps me from being able to be as happy as Dad deserves me being.

“Hey Baby.” Dylan says, his arm automatically going around my waist and pulling me close. Wes squirms out of my arms and runs to Dad who is now walking over to us, Kathy in tow. He presses a kiss to the top of my head and ruffles Wes’ hair.

“Congratulations Dad. Kathy, I can’t wait to get to know you better!” I say, trying to hide the other emotions threatening to break through.

“Thank you so much, Ava. I’ve heard so much about you and the last time I remember seeing you was probably when you were in middle school. You’ve grown up so much. And you must be Dylan.” Kathy says, reaching out to shake Dylan’s outstretched hand. He nods, the smile on his face genuine, unlike the fake one I’m trying to pass off as real. Dad keeps glancing at me, probably because he can see right through the fake smile.

“And you’re Wesley. But you like being called Wes, right?” Kathy asks, bending down to Wes’ level. He grins shyly and leans against my legs.

“I’m Wes. Momma, can I say ‘gratitations now?” He asks, looking up at me with big eyes. I nod and he grins.

“Gratitations! Are you gonna be my grandma now?” He asks, looking up at Kathy.

“I’d like to be your grandma. Is that okay with you?” He nods and launches himself at her, hugging her. She smiles, hugging him back and then returning him to my arms.

“I think we should definitely think about doing dinner or something soon. Maybe before you guys head back to Pittsburgh.” Dylan says, looking down at me. His hand slips into mine, stopping me from twisting my ring. It’s been a habit since he put it on my finger, usually one that’s a sign of how anxious I’m feeling.

“We definitely can do that. I’d love to see your house.” Kathy says. I’ve spent the last few minutes just watching Dad. He’s been focused on Kathy and the look in his eyes says everything. He loves her, which should make me happy, to see Dad this happy but it’s still tearing me up. This is so much harder than I ever imagined it would be.

“We have a puppy. His name is Milo! He likes to play hockey with me.” Wes says, obviously warming up to Kathy already. He’s not really shy, usually he talks strangers’ ears off, so it doesn’t surprise me that he’s comfortable with her already. Dylan and I have had to talk to him a couple times to get him to understand the whole stranger danger thing. It doesn’t make sense that both Dylan and I are pretty reserved, quiet people and somehow we end up with a kid who is the most outgoing child ever.

“Well I would love to come over and meet Milo.” Wes suddenly runs off, calling goodbye to Kathy,  going to play with his cousins.

“He’s a sweet boy. He looks just like you, Dylan.” Dylan smiles. Kathy and Dad share a sweet smile and I stay quiet.

Eventually, everyone sits back down and we have dinner. Everyone laughs and talks. Carter, Kirby, and Dylan won’t stop checking to make sure I’m okay, even though I’ve told them all a thousand times I’m fine. We make it through the evening and head back home. We’ll see everyone tomorrow at the game so it’s just a few quick goodbyes. Carter and Kirby come over to the house and Wes ropes them into watching Cars 2 with us. The day has taken a lot out of me and I fight sleep the whole movie.

I feel Dylan get up from beside me, taking Wes from where he was laying, cuddled between us. Carter and Kirby left a little while ago, whispering goodbyes since Wes fell asleep about halfway through the movie. The play menu for ‘Cars 2’ lights up the living room and I sit there, lost in thought. I need to call Dad, talk through today. But I can’t bring myself to grab my phone off of the table and press call on his contact. I’ve only ever wanted Dad to be happy, that’s what he’s always wanted for me. After spending most of the evening talking to Kathy, I know how in love she is with Dad and that she’s good for him, it’s just hard letting go of my dad.

As I’m sitting there, contemplating calling Dad, my phone starts to ring. It snaps me out of my thoughtful state and I rush to check to see who’s calling. Dad’s name stares back at me as I pick my phone up. I take a deep breath and press the answer button.

“Hey Baby.” Dad’s voice breaks through the noise in my head.

“Hi Daddy. It’s late, why are you still up?” I ask, tugging my knees into my chest and running my free hand through my hair.

“I’ve been thinking about you. You seemed off tonight. You okay?” I sigh and lean my head against the back of the couch.

“I’m-I’m okay. I was just a little surprised with your announcement, that’s all.” His voice sounds tired.

“I know Sweetheart. I wanted to tell you sooner. I wanted you to meet Kathy before I told anyone, before anything happened. Are you sure you’re okay with this?” Dylan suddenly appears in the doorway without Wes. He must’ve gotten Wes into bed pretty easily. He raises an eyebrow, making sure I’m okay and I nod. He comes over to me, dropping a kiss on my forehead and whispering he’s going to bed. I nod, squeezing his hand as he walks away.

“I just wasn’t expecting it. I’m really happy for you both, Dad. There’s plenty of time for me to get to know Kathy before you get married and even after you guys get married. You put so much on hold for me while I was growing up. But I’m all grown up, now it’s your turn. I’ll always be your little girl, no matter what, but I have Dylan to take care of me now. You need someone else to take care of now, and that person is Kathy now. So don’t worry about me, Daddy. I’ll be okay.” And as I say I’m okay, it's the first time in a few hours that I’ve actually felt okay and haven’t been lying. I hear Dad sniffle a little on the other end of the call, which of course makes me tear up.

“Baby, you’re absolutely amazing. You’re a wonderful mom to Wes, you love Dylan so much and I would never trade being your dad for anything in the entire world. You’ve been the highlight of my life. Not winning the Stanley Cup, not playing in the All-Star game. You are the reason for all of it. Getting to share you with our family and now with Kathy is beyond a dream come true. Thank you for being so supportive.” His voice breaks a little and I’m full on crying now.

“I love you Daddy. I’m happy for you. Dylan and I are happy for you. And I know Wes is so excited for Kathy to be his grandma.” Dad clears his throat and I try to control the tears running down my face.

“I love you too, Ava Grace. Now you probably need to head to bed so I’ll let you go. Good night.” He lets me say goodnight then ends the call. I lean my head against the back of the couch and take a deep breath. The tears slow and I regain my composure.

“Hey Avs, you okay?” Dylan asks, sitting down on the couch next to me and pulling me into his lap.

“I thought you went to bed? But I’m okay.” He kisses my forehead and relaxes into the couch.

“I could hear you on the phone. I wanted to make sure you were okay.” I snuggle into his chest and sigh.

“It’s been a long, surprising day but I think I’ll be okay.” I can feel him smile and he moves so we’re laying down on the couch, me resting on his chest.

“Your dad is happy. He’s going to have what all your uncles and we have. I think it’ll be fun to plan a wedding with your dad. Speaking of, we need to talk about us getting married.” Dylan says, looking down at me. I sit up a little, resting my chin on my hands and looking into his eyes.

“Oh I like when we do this. I want a big wedding.” I say, punctuating my sentence with a kiss on his lips.

“With all of our friends and family. And Wes as the ring bearer.” He says, twisting a few strands of hair between his fingers as I smile.

“Oh he’d be so cute in his little suit!” Dylan smiles and I settle back down on his chest again. We spend pretty much the rest of the night talking about our wedding and everything the future would bring, including siblings for Wes and in the morning, Wes finds us cuddled up on the couch and joins us, snuggling into Dylan’s side.

Dad calls a little after breakfast and asks to take Wes for the day, giving him some time to get to know Kathy. I agree and he picks him up, Kathy sitting in the passenger seat of his car. I wave from the doorway and she smiles, waving back. As I close the front door, Dylan scoops me into his arms and we head back to our room for his pregame nap, even though the game isn’t till later tonight. We end up sleeping until right before Wes gets home and Dylan needs to leave to be at the rink. Wes ends up laying down for a nap, which gives me some time to pick up the house a little and start getting ready for the game tonight. I love getting to spend games with my aunts and the rest of my family. It’s also nice to see all my uncles, Dad and Dylan all on the ice together.

Wes wears both of his jerseys, like he always does for Penguins-Sabres games, and is so excited to leave and head to the arena. Since I wear Dylan’s jersey for every other game, my tradition is to wear Dad’s jersey for games when he plays Dylan. All of the aunts, the kids, Wes and I hang out in a box, the kids running all over the box and back and forth with the other wives’ boxes for both the Sabres and the Penguins. It’s nice getting to sit and talk to my aunts. I don’t get to spend as much time with them as I do with my dad and uncles. We spend the whole game talking, making sure the kids don’t get too rambunctious while also watching the game at the same time. The game ends with the Penguins on top, 3-2 but Dylan scored and Dad did too with an assist from Geno. We all celebrate with dinner and drinks back at our house, giving me a chance to give my aunts an official tour, not over facetime. Wes shows off his playroom, bedroom and rink down in the basement that Dad and Dylan built him for his birthday. It’s the perfect ending to a family-filled day.            

Thank God Dad waited till the off season to get married. I couldn’t imagine planning a wedding during the season. But if I see one more sports website or magazine with the title ‘Sidney Crosby to Marry Team Physical Therapist! Letang, Malkin, Fleury, and Cozens among those in attendance’ or something like that, I will scream. It seems like this is the event of the year and it’s all anyone can talk about. Kathy and I have spent months, along with my aunts to plan the perfect wedding for her and Dad. The boys had been no help at all, being typical boys. Kathy and I had tried to get Dad involved in the planning but he had just kissed Kathy’s forehead and told her to do whatever she wanted. That night, I had gotten off the phone with the caterer for the wedding and collapsed into bed beside Dylan.

“I swear, if you don’t help me plan our wedding, I might break up with you before the wedding even happens.” I groan, rolling over to face him. He smirks and rolls over, eyes locked on mine.

“How do you manage to still be absolutely adorable while threatening to break up with me?” He asks, gently kissing me.

“Because you love me.” I say, smiling and letting him pull me closer.

“You’re right. I love you very very much.” He says, his forehead pressed to mine and his eyes wide.

“You’re cute, Babe. Now go to sleep. I have to fight with the florist in the morning.” He laughs but doesn’t say anything else. I manage to fall asleep, a list of what we still need to do for the wedding playing over and over again in my head.

The time between that night and the wedding flies by and before we know it, it’s the rehearsal dinner and I’m having to make a speech. And as I stand in front of my family and a few other people, I realize just how lucky I am.

“Hi everyone. You all know who I am so we can skip the introductions. But anyways, Dad and Kathy, congratulations. I had been waiting for the day that Dad told me he was getting married. And honestly, I was a little worried it would never come. But then Kathy came into the picture. She turned Dad’s world upside down and with that, turned everyone else’s lives in our family upside down. And I will always thank her for that because of the light and love she has brought into our family. Our family is complete now with her in it. So Kathy, I just want to say thank you. I can’t wait for you to officially join our family tomorrow. So here’s to Dad and Kathy, enjoy your last night apart.” I say, raising the glass of wine I’ve been sipping on all night. Everyone filling the dining room does the same and we all drink. The rest of the evening is carefree, enjoyable and fun. We all leave the dinner exhausted but excited for tomorrow. I collapse into bed and manage to sleep without having to worry about wedding plans.

The next morning is complete chaos. Everything that could be going wrong, seems to be going wrong and everyone is panicking. And as I try to get everything figured out so Dad and Kathy don’t have to worry, Dylan pulls me aside and kisses me softly.

“You’re doing amazing, Baby. The wedding is going to be perfect, don’t worry.” He says, running his hands up and down my arms, eyes locked on mine. He automatically calms me down and I’m able to finish getting everything worked out.

Thank God the wedding went off flawlessly. Dad only cried a little, I cried a little; everybody cried a little. Wes made it all the way down the aisle, only getting distracted by his cousins sitting in the front row and he looked adorable in his little tux. Dylan and I walked down the aisle together, being the maid of honor and Dylan being a groomsman. The whole time we’re walking down the aisle, in front of everyone, Dylan is whispering goofy things in my ear and making me giggle. Wes keeps looking up at Dylan, making silly faces throughout the whole ceremony. And as soon as we walk back down the aisle, he’s off and running with his cousins. Everywhere I look during the reception, there’s a hockey player. Which is something I should be used to, after being the kid of a hockey player and now dating a hockey player but I’m not. The later it gets, the more everyone drinks and the louder the music gets. After Dylan and I have both had a few drinks, Dylan pulls me out onto the dance floor and we dance the night away.          

A few weeks after Dad and Kathy’s wedding and honeymoon, he and Kathy drive up to Buffalo to spend a couple weeks with us. It’s wonderful having them at the house with us, giving Dylan and I a little break from Wes. One night, we’re all having dinner when Dylan turns to look at me.

“We’ve been together for how many years now? 7? And you know what? I still get butterflies every time you look at me.” Dylan says, looking deep into my eyes. I smile, watching him and trying to figure out what’s going on with the sudden outburst of mushiness.

“What I have with you? I don’t want it with anyone else. I choose you and I’ll choose you over and over again. You and Wes are the best things I could’ve never planned. I’m getting the future I’ve always wanted, with the girl I always wanted it with.” He says, taking my hands and pulling me to my feet. Dad sits behind us, Wes in his arms and Kathy holds close to his side, watching everything.

“I know I’ve done this before but we were young. So I’m doing it right this time. Ava Grace Crosby, will you marry me?” Dylan asks, slowly getting down on one knee and opening a ring box. My mouth drops open and I know I shouldn’t be surprised since we’ve already done this once but after what he said, I can’t help it.

“Are you kidding me? Yes!” I cry, pulling him to his feet and kissing him, my hands cupping his cheeks. I can hear Wes and Dad cheering, Kathy clapping. I pull away from Dylan, laughing and resting my cheek against his chest as his arms encircle me. Dad lets Wes down and he runs to us. Dylan scoops him up and he’s giggling, clapping his hands.

“Gratitaions Momma! Daddy!” He shouts. Dad and Kathy both join us and hug us. As I stand there, surrounded by my family, I think about how I’m getting the happy ending I’ve always wanted. I have the future with Dylan that I’ve thought about since we met, a son who I love more than anything in this world, the most amazing, supportive, and loving family. It’s everything I could’ve ever dreamed of and I’m completely in love with my life.

Tag List:

@theblushinglittle

@2manytabsopen

@nhlboyshavemyhart88​

@kirbyy-dach​

[taking-thyme]

Comforting Things for Bad Days

I made this list for myself, but I figured I'd share it in case anyone else may need it. It's just a simple guide of things that help when I'm upset, so if it helps you as well, I'm glad. Godspeed, everyone

🍜 Cooking food!! I was having a really shitty day awhile back, just feeling incredibly exhausted, and even after a nap it didn't seem to be getting much better. But then I made myself some Ramen and I just felt so much nicer than before. Even just boiling some water to get it started felt so fulfilling. Food is such a soulful thing, it never fails to make me feel better, especially if it's handmade. So go pick up some cucumber and slice it into bits, then throw together a salad while you’re at it! It’ll nourish your stomach and your soul. This also applies to baking too, of course! Some banana bread or brownies sure do sound good right now!

☕ Make yourself some tea. I find that Raspberry Tea is a personal favorite of mine, so I always make some when I really need it. Warm drinks in general are proven to make a person feel warmer and more pleasant too, so hot chocolate or whatever floats your boat is probably fine too. And, of course, you can never go wrong with water. It’s the only drink that can make you feel significantly better after one sip, so pour yourself a cool glass and enjoy.

🐉 Watch some really nice Animation. Like Studio Ghibli, or Moomins, or Cartoon Saloon. Or even something like Loving Vincent if you're in the artsy, melancholic mood for it. Rewatch Spirited Away or The Cat Returns while you’re at it! I don't really have a super solid explanation for this one, except that Animation makes me happy. It inspires me. So it should be a good and kind friend in those darker moments too!

🕹️ Play some video games! Much like Animation, I love me some video games, so when I'm feeling up to it they can be a good stress relief when needed. I find that Zelda games, Kirby's epic yarn, and other games like Undertale are especially good for this. Try and pick something that's not too high-octane action. Well, unless you're mad and need to take it out on some Bokoblins, of course. Then that is perfectly acceptable. As long as it helps you, you’re doing just fine.

🧵 Re-experience some old things you used to love! Visit that Japanese Market you used to love as a kid, or pull out your old stuffed animal and cuddle with them again. Research Diplodocus like you used to as a kid, watch Peter Pan again, and accept all the emotions and nostalgia that comes with seeing these things with new eyes. Don't judge if you get a bit teary eyed, that's normal. Feed your inner child for once, they've been getting awfully hungry lately.

📕 Sit down and read. Like actually, genuinely read. Modern life always seems so fast paced and crazy, it can be hard to remember the quieter moments in there too. Reading helps us remember them. Pick up that Encyclopedia of Spirits tome you got forever ago, or one of those Art and Concept books that you love so much. It'll nourish your soul, I promise.

🕰️ Take a Nap!! Exhaustion kills, quite literally in fact. So just curl up somewhere, and doze off. Set a timer for a twenty minute power nap, or sleep for 5 hours on a Thursday afternoon! There are no rules for how much sleep you're "allowed" to get, so if your body needs it, do it!

🧹 Clean!! When you’ve got the energy for it, cleaning is a great way to clear both your room and your mind. Break it down into steps. Start with a very small section of your space and clean it thoroughly, then move on to the next. You’ll have the whole room done before you know it! A messy room may be fun, but it also creates a chaotic energy that can throw you off, so it’s good to go through and organize every once in a while to clean the space and the energy there.

🌾 Nature! For the love of god, just go outside. It doesn’t matter where it is, as long as there’s grass and trees and greenery, you’re in the right place. There’s a reason why Houseplants are so important to people; Humans need that greenery for both our physical and mental health. Go listen to the birds, take a walk that leads to nowhere, go water some plants and trees while you’re at it! Take care of the world, and it’ll care for you back. Hell, you can even build a little shrine to some nature spirits or a tree, and start leaving offerings there! Take care of your life in the most literal sense! Home is where the heart is, after all.

✏️ Draw! Something, anything, when it’s in your head, draw it out! Or look back at your old drawings and admire them sometimes. Like that drawing of Princess Peach in the heart-shaped glasses, or that Capybara eating ramen that you made a while ago. Remember how much fun you had making those? Remember the pencil lead stains on the side of your hand? Let the emotions of that drawing come back and fill you up again. Let them comfort you, feel them, and then let them go. Drawing is nourishment for the heart, so it’s important to do sometimes.

💕 Be kind and do nice things for others. Write a letter or send an email to someone you haven’t seen in forever! Give someone a compliment and strike up a friendly conversation! Make something or do a chore or errand for the ones you love! Humans are sociable creatures by nature, that’s pretty much the only reason we’ve survived this long, so give in to your compassion and do nice things! By helping others, you’ll help yourself even more.

🧼 Take a Bath or Shower! Go all fancy with it too! I’m talking your favorite playlist, some candles if it’s dark enough, maybe some bubbles or an open window to smell the fresh breeze. Really get into it, but make sure nobody’s washing dishes or anything, so you can have all that nice, hot water to yourself. Getting clean and feeling clean will help cleanse your soul as well! Oh, and make sure to pick out new clothes afterwards. You’ve probably been wearing those for awhile now, plus new clothes help drive home the cleansing feeling that comes with a bath.

⛲ Pick or schedule something to look forward to! Take a small trip to somewhere you really wanna visit, or go swimming for a bit after work! Even if it’s just something small like a nap or a meal you’re really excited for, try and find motivation to get you through until then. Having something to look forward to makes the day more bearable, so try and find something like that everyday!

📬 Make something! Put together a recommendations list of all your favorite things, with short notes about why you like them, and why others should enjoy them too. Make some memes about something you really like, or an idea that’s been stuck in your head for forever. Pick up a hobby like animation, so you can finally see your own drawings come to life, like you’ve always dreamed! A pen can’t win a battle, but the sword can’t heal the heart.

🍶 Start a Collection! Choose an item you really like, and start trying to find them everywhere you go. It helps make trips more meaningful when you’re actually looking for something at those gift shops. How about a collection of Witchy-themed Books, or Letters and Notes from meaningful people? That sounds so nice, doesn’t it?

[1tsnoya]

✧･ﾟ playing smash ultimate together ✧･ﾟ headcanons

↳ a/n: i kept thinking about this last night when i was playing smash with my friends LOL enjoy!

💌 kenma kozume x reader, tsukishima kei x reader, bokuto koutarou x reader, kuroo tetsurou x reader

↦ warnings: none

🌟taglist: @spriteandnicotine @fatheadthemango @tokobaby @virgosetter @tobiokvgeyama @bokutoscake04

→ alrighty. we know how baby boy is a streamer right? my dream boyfie

→ he had texted you an hour before his weekly stream and asked if you wanted to join him in playing smash ultimate

→ his viewers loved watching when the two of you were together because kenma just became a huge softie, teaching you the controls, combos, and even telling you about the top and low tier characters

→ he started the stream with you in his lap, one gamecube controller in his hand and the other in yours — everyone watching got so excited when they joined and the chats were already blowing up

→ the chats were just calling kenma Soft because his arms were around you while he rested his head on your shoulder since you were in his lap

→ he lowkey went easy on you lol but when u started bragging about how you kept winning, he went Tryhard

→ when he wasn’t really trying, he played as red kirby but when he went tryhard?? he whipped out inkling who is high tier btw LMFHSHS

→ yeah he just left you •—• when u lost and he still had a full stock (3 lives)

→ he stuck his tongue out at you like :p not so confident now hm?

→ don’t worry he still loves you. after - he taught u a bunch of new combos to use so u could try and beat him next time

→ this ASSHOLE

→ mains bayonetta...please hear me out on this

→ you know this annoying ass combo?? (the first one) HE DOES THAT AS SOON AS YOUR SCREEN SAYS “go!!”

→ he just loves how frustrated you get and how you start mashing all the buttons to get out of it

→ omg and he taunts every. single. time. after you die. i’m telling you he’s a total dick LMAO

→ tsukki: “huh. you really do suck hm?”

→ you: “KEIIIII🥺SHUT UP i’m trying my best”

→ tsukki: “your best isn’t very good”

→ you: ...

→ just seeing you slightly pout or really focus on the game warms his heart. you can just tell when you find him staring at you and smiling to himself

→ when you occasionally win, he’ll give you a little pat on the head - “see? i knew you could do it”

→ you: “you just said that i sucked..?”

→ tsukki: “well, yeah”

→ if he notices you getting super frustrated, he’ll just drop the controller and say “alright. let’s watch a movie instead. you’re about to break that controller”

→ when you guys play against other people though? uh oh, forget it. he’ll put you on a team with him and you’ll absolutely destroy the other two players

→ yes. you’re just that couple. and it’s the cutest thing

→ bokuto loves playing video games with you!!

→ it however goes one of two ways

→ A.) he gets very into it. lots of shouting and “HEY HEY HEY!!” ’s while he’s jumping up and down with the controller in his hands

→ or B.) super pouty because he’s either not winning, beating the level, or just doesn’t get how to play😭emo mode to the Max with this one

→ when you’re playing smash together? it’s a mix of both. just depends on whether he’s winning or not

→ he is so LOUD when playing. literally rambling or shouting the entire time about how he’s doing well, about to die and running away from you, or is about to win/lose

→ and when he does well? “Y/N!! DID YOU SEE THAT? HAH! I WON!!”

→ a literal child. he is a child LSHSGAJ

→ he mains wario. if you don’t know, wario is TOP tier, one of the best people to main...does bokuto know this? no. does he even know how to play as wario? no.

→ he doesn’t even know how to use his character’s final smash with the smash ball. he was just running around like “IM GLOWING WHATdO I DO?!??!1!”

→ while he does get pouty when he loses, he still reminds you of how proud he is of you just for winning LMFOAKA

→ “THATS MY Y/N!! I KNEW YOU COULD WIN”

→ kuroo knows his fair share of video games because of kenma. he knows about smash because kenma pre ordered and waited DAYS just to play it

→ is he good? not really... is he bad? no! he’s actually kind of decent kenma still reminds him of how much he sucks though

→ he either mains as someone he finds attractive like him or as someone he thinks looks cool, like bowser LMAO

→ once he learns how to taunt with that specific character? it’s over. he. will. never. stop.

→ ur about to grab him for a combo and he just starts TAUNTING.

→ kuroo: “babe. look at this-” *taunts*

→ you: “tetsu...baby...we’re still in the middle of a game😭”

→ kuroo: “okay?? BUT LOOK HOW HOT-“

→ id say it’s pretty 50/50 between who’s winning. like i said, he’s actually pretty decent! he’s seen kenma go absolute TRYHARD with it so picked up most of the controls

→ keyword: most

→ he doesn’t know how to block or shield?? whatever u wanna call it

→ and when he sees you do it? — “oi. how do you do that???”

→ you: “block?”

→ kuroo: “...yes”

→ when he finally figures out how to do it, he pulls a dummy move and holds it for too long, making his character unable to move for a bit

→ dork. this boy is a dork.

→ omg and as the game is counting down to start, he’ll say things like, “alright. if i win, you gotta give me a kiss”

→ that’s when he really focuses because he wants both bragging rights and a kiss

[askaceattorney]

Turnabout Memories

Hello and hap’piraki, everyone!

(Whoa...  Déjà vu.)

Now that we’re finally nearing the end of this (*twitch, twitch*) year, and now that I’m preparing to step off this blog for a time, I’d like to take a moment to reminisce about all the ground we’ve covered since the day I first discovered the uniquely fun experience of Ask Ace Attorney.

It all began a few years ago when...

Oh, right -- this’ll probably be pretty lengthy, so I’ll continue below the cut.

It all began a few years ago when I discovered Ask Ace Attorney through a Google search.  I don’t remember most of the details, but when I first found out about a blog that attempts to bring video game characters to life through blog posts and the power of imagination, I thought the idea was both strange...and amazing.

I’d only recently started getting into Ace Attorney at the time (after seeing Matthew Taranto’s hilarious mashup between it and the Kirby series), so I decided to send in a few letters and see if they’d get an answer.  Sure enough, a few months later, I saw the first response to one of them!  It was a pretty exciting feeling, to say the least.

I’d share that letter response here, but unfortunately, it included my real name, so we’ll have to save it for later.  For now, here are a couple of the earliest ones from me: a deeply emotional one from Dahlia to Iris (a little far-fetched, maybe, but I CAN SEE IT HAPPENING, THE MOD), and a short, punny one from Moe to Phoenix.  Not surprisingly, I enjoyed seeing the characters react to them in ways I found believable as much as I enjoyed writing these and several other letters.  I knew the Mod (the only moderator here at the time) wasn’t affiliated with Capcom, but his character portrayals were spot-on each time, and my creative spark and love for Ace Attorney received some constant fuel for a while thanks to this blog.

And then...this happened.  For a brief moment, I thought about how fun it would be to see if I could do what the Mod had been doing for so long, but then I decided it’d probably be better to leave it in someone else’s hands.  Sure, I was a huge fan of Ace Attorney and its loveable characters, but did I really love them enough to pretend to be them on a hugely popular blog?  Naaah.

I went over the rest of that story once before, so I’ll just give a brief recap here: my friend the Modthorne won the audition to become the next de Modder, I asked her if I could join, and then it ended up just being me here, followed by Mods Paups, Kristoph, and Maya.  That’s the way we became the Ask Ace Attorney bunch.

So, when I first made my debut as the Commode Co-Mod, my only real strategy for answering letters was to emulate the Mod's style.  I honestly wondered if I could accurately portray so many different personalities in a believable way, but, with a few hiccups along the way, I somehow managed to pull it off to some degree.  I also started developing my own style and becoming less conscientious about how my portrayals looked (that definitely took some time, though), and worrying less about the blog’s popularity and overall performance review.  That, I believe, was a big part of what made both of those steadily rise over time, until we ended up reaching and surpassing 12,000 followers!  (I’m still geekin’ out about that one.)  Just relaxing and going with the flow made things a lot easier for me, and apparently helped Ask Ace Attorney reach its current level of popularity.  Something tells me that choice paid off in the end, and thank goodness.

I of course have to give credit to the popularity of Ace Attorney and its characters, as well as the Mod for giving me and the other moderators so much material to start off with, but I sure never expected my role in helping to build the Ace Attorney fandom’s strength and size to be quite this large.  Heck, just getting to create things for so many people is a huge honor, so...what can I say to that, except a huge thank you to Capcom and the Mod?

Don’t worry, I’ll get to thanking all of you in just a moment.  ; )

So, anyway, that’s all the general stuff.  Let’s talk about the highlights of the last three years, now, shall we?

My first holiday-related post was an April Fool’s Day one, so let’s start there.  We came close to hearing about Phoenix’s lawyer camp incident...

...gave a few of the characters a chance to ask some questions of their own...

...had a little run-in with some of the bad guys...

...and briefly opened the window into some characters’ minds.

We sure didn’t fool around when it came to fooling around, did we?

Then there was Halloween.  We dealt with a creeper in the darkness...

...let one of the lesser-known characters go on a brief venture beyond the fourth wall...

...let some characters switch outfits and personalities for a short while...

...and paid homage to a classic interactive cartoon by letting them give out candy.

We sure had our fill of sweets and spooks, didn’t we?

And then there was Christmas, which included some of my favorite content.  We enjoyed a musical performance by several members of the Ace Attorney cast...

...a less flattering musical performance by yours truly...

...a short play taking place in Pearls’s dreams...

...and a fan-made song parody about a non-canon (but believable) incident involving Phoenix and a reindeer.

(Sorry if that image cursed anyone for life, by the way.)

I don’t know about you, but I loved every bit of our holiday hijinks.

And of course, we can’t leave out some of the great moments that occurred on non-holidays, including Her Benevolence falling victim to a classic comedy gag...

...Pearls meeting herself from a different time period somehow...

...Apollo taking a trip to the Pokemon world in his dreams...

...Athena getting tricked into thinking she had passed on briefly...

...Trucy getting caught red-handed by Arnold Schwarzenegger himself...

...and, uh...this thing happening to Iris.

No idea what I was thinking back then.  Sometimes you just have to go with the moment.

Not to mention one letter response that received an unexpected explosion of popularity.  Edgeworth always did know how to drop a sass bomb, didn’t he?  And one moment I’ll likely never forget is the letter regarding Athena’s hair.  For the record, I thought the shorter hairstyle looked okay, but somehow I didn’t think she would feel the same way.  Make of that what you will.  X )

Of course, it wasn’t all fun times and laughter -- I ended up stepping on some toes by accident, making a few jokes in bad taste, struggling to keep a balance between blogging and the real world, and...well...

...that happened.  I don’t regret a moment of it, though, because if Ace Attorney (and life) have taught me anything, it’s that powering through the less enjoyable moments in life is what makes us stronger, and what makes the good times that much more enjoyable.

But out of all the fun, hilarious, thought-provoking, and deeply touching moments that stood out in the last three years of blogging, the one I would say I enjoyed the most is this one.  It was my first attempt at responding to a letter in character (with one of the biggest “characters” in the series, no less), but, as with many of my letter responses, it also included some of me in it -- specifically, the part where Athena tries to sound optimistic, but not too prideful.  That was the sort of attitude I wanted to have whenever I answered letters -- I wanted to keep the fun and creativity of Ace Attorney and its characters going without injecting too much of myself into it.  The series wasn’t mine, after all, and neither was the blog, so my main goal was simply to sound like the characters.

And with that in mind, let me just say this: If any of these letters (even one of them) have made you smile or laugh on an unpleasant day, made you think about things from a different perspective, or simply helped you suspend your disbelief for a moment and believe you’re actually talking to someone from a video game, then my goal has been reached.

Anyway, I didn’t mean for this to be my goodbye speech (I’m saving that for later).  What it is is a sincere thank you for the fun and creativity that I and the rest of the moderators were able to engage in with all of you, thanks to our shared love of Ace Attorney, its characters, and its unique humor and depth.  Every last piece of witty dialogue, every picture, every song, and every custom sprite (the last of which can be found here), was inspired by your creativity and willingness to participate in this imaginative collaboration work.

I hope you’ve enjoyed it at least half as much as I have.  You guys are awesome.

-The Co-Mod

[chicagolive]

Hey there! I’d love to send a pic of self titled but I dont think I can while being anonymous!

Red is for sure midnight memories color but I also think a certain shade of purple would look amazing since the original MM cover has some purple and that color would be perfect imo! I really think four should’ve been brown as well!! Blue would’ve looked really nice too. I love yellow as well buuut I think it doesn’t work color scheme/theme wise for the album.

Oh, self titled really is that bitch, no one was ready for her, truly. I think my favorite is Woman, I just fell in love with that song when I first heard it and she’s everything to me still. I think FTDT is up there too. For Fine Line I’d say TPWK was one of my immediate favorites as soon as I heard it and she still is which I know is somewhat controversial since people did not like TPWK. Also Lights Up and many more. For Harry’s House my favs are Grapejuice, Satellite and probably Matilda. The whole album is amazing honestly I loved it. As for the rest of the boys it goes like this, Louis: Don’t Let it Break Your Heart, Defenseless, Only the Brave, Chicago, All This Time, Holding onto Heartache, Saturdays and Angels Fly, Niall: Paper Houses, Flicker, Fire Away, The Tide, Bend the Rules, Arms of A Stranger, Everywhere, Cross Your Mind, San Francisco and Still. Zayn: it’s you, fool for you, blue, scripted, good years, and sour diesel. Same with Liam, his stuff just doesn’t really pull me in 😔

I hope you enjoy severance and the devils hour if you check them out!! They were definitely some of the best tv I’ve seen in a long time and the aesthetics of severance I’m just obsessed with. Pitbulls really are gentle giants, all my pitties are the biggest babies and love attention and scratches. Thank you! Photography is a hobby of mine I pick up when I feel motivated at times and the idea of traveling the world and getting those amazing shots just sounds like a dream.

I’ve not played BOTW or Cult of the Lamb but I’ve seen the streamers I watch play them! I myself never got into Pokémon but my brothers/cousins definitely were. Now, don’t even get me started on Stardew, I love that game! I’ve been told I dont exactly play it right but who cares I’m still having fun! Who has been your favorite to marry and who’s your favorite non-bachelor/bachelorette character? Are you excited for the new game ConcernedApe is putting out? I’m very excited! I dont think you can go wrong with Kirby! I main Yoshi as well when playing Mario party unless I’m playing the one that has Monty Mole, then I’m Monty. With Mario kart I’m always dry bones!! Oh my, this message is already so long but I’ve still got quite a bit to say!

The decline of physical media is my villain origin story. I think what I miss most is physical photos. It used to be so easy to get little disposable cameras and easy to get the film developed but now it’s such a hassle and the cameras are not as cheap. One of the worst parts of declining physical media imo is that trends are cyclical so no matter what they’ll always come back as a trend at some point like vinyl and Polaroid which means the price will just keep going up when the trend picks up. I feel like photo albums, physical ones, are somewhat in the past now because all the photos you ever take are on your phone and that’s a nice convenience of course but it also breaks my heart cause I love pulling out old photo albums and shoebox’s filled to the brim with old photos and film. I wish disposal FujiFilm/Canon cameras were just like 5/10 bucks and I could just pick one up at the checkout of Walmart like before. Also letters and postcards should be a big deal again and like colorful clunky 80s home phones/rotary phones. Like I just live for hands on media and that’s why I love vinyl because you’re engaged with it. You have to clean it, adjust things, press buttons and flip the vinyl. I’m in my early 20s so I didn’t really get to experience some of these I suppose. I just hate the way these forms of physical media are dying/declining and don’t even get me started on dvds. It’s crazy to me that streaming sites can just like erase a show from their platforms and it’s gone forever? Also books, I love holding/feeling books and picking out cool covers. I too love trinkets and tend to fill my room with whatever I can find!! This is so long so I need to stop here and do quick speed round questions.

Speed round: If you could pick any skill to suddenly have, what would it be? I think mine would be easy to learn languages! I’d love to learn ASL.

Do you have a favorite board game? I really like scrabble and clue!

Do you have a preferred brand of shoes? If you look at my shoes I’m always wearing some weird/patterned vans!

Is there a car you’d just die to have? I think mine would be an old Volkswagen Van!!!

Lastly, is there a hobby you want to pick up but just haven’t yet? 

Hope you’ve had a lovely day and again I’m so sorry for the late message and length! I just feel like I need to reply to everything you’ve said! Wishing you a happy/good day tomorrow ❤️

-🎉❄️

Hello, hun!! Wishing you a happy Monday/Tuesday your way!!✨

Ahhh, I see lol. I didn’t know until just recently that you can’t send pictures while on anon and I almost sent a picture to one of my secret santas this year 😬. Would have been a short lived secret santa if I had done so lol. Hopefully, I can remind you to send a pic of the record once we all reveal ourselves!!

Purple would look amazing for the Midnight Memories pressing!! That’s so smart!! I can see it now!! It can be a mix on purple and blue, almost in a swirl!! That would look so nice!!

Self-titled sits on a pedestal that no one can really reach!! Love that for her!! TPWK was also my favorite when fine line came out!! I remember seeing everyone online saying she was the weakest song off the album, to which I understand cause everyone has their preferences!! But look at her now!! People love hearing her live!! I knew I stanned the right one lol. Oh, to hear Lights Up just one more time live!! All of your favorites listed from the other boys are so valid omg!! Did you have a favorite member of the band? Mine has been Zayn from day one up until he left (he still has such a special place in my heart tho 💕). I’d say now my favorite is Louis, but it very much jumps around from time to time to Niall and Harry!!

It does sound like so much fun to be able to fly around the world and take such stunning pictures of the things you see!! Rooting for you to be able to do that one day!!

Stardew Valley has such a special place in my heart!! I love that game so much so seeing that other people have played it as well makes my heart so happy!! My only problem is that I start a new save, play it for a week and a half straight, forget about it and then try and play it weeks later not remembering what I was doing in the first place 😅. If I remember correctly, I’ve only ever married Leah and Maru, but I would love to be able to explore the rest of the available bachelors, like Harvey, Penny and Abigail!! My favorite non-marriageable characters have to be Evelyn and George. He’s such a grumpy old man but Evelyn is such a sweet old lady; their dynamics are so funny and I would like to get to know their story a bit better!! Might have to go after Alex for that, I guess.

I didn’t even know that the game developer was releasing a new game!! I really like the art/gameplay style of Stardew so I guess is am pretty excited about this “Haunted Chocolatier” game that’s coming (edit: I just saw the trailer/early gameplay footage and I’m now actually very hype for this release!!).

Ayyeee Yoshi gang!!! I’d love to hear anything more you have to say about these Nintendo characters!! Never fear if the message is too long, love!! I love reading all of it!! ✨

Now that you mention it, it is very difficult to find disposable cameras nowadays without paying more that $15-20 for it, especially if it becomes so high in demand to meet the trends, like you said… that’s just capitalism, I suppose. I remember when I was younger and getting my parents mail from the mailbox and wishing I had mail, even if it was just spam lol. Now I’m only waiting for the important stuff in the mail and shred everything else. The idea of postcards and letters really does sound nice!! That’s also the same reason why I wanted to get into vinyl collecting!! Your feelings about declining physical media are so valid!! We should all be excited to collect things and show off our trinkets to our friends/family/strangers on the internet just out of pure excitement to have them!!

Speed Round Answers: Sudden Skill? Digital Media!! I want to be able to make digital paintings/drawings/edits of the ideas that pop up in my head!! I wish I knew how to use photoshop in that way, I suppose lol. Board Game? I don’t play many board games as much as I did when I was younger. Me and my brother played Mouse Trap/Operation a lot, so I would probably say those!! Shoes? I also really like vans!! I have about 10 pairs, maybe, of vans and always want more lol!! Lately though, I’ve been really into platform boots!!!

These have been catching my attention for the longest time, but never got around to actually buying them!! I will one day, for sure!! Dream Car? Right now, I have a Toyota Corolla (2008), but I really want a compact SUV, doesn’t really matter the brand, I suppose!! I’ve just always had low cars for as long as I can remember!! I’d say I’m a pretty tall individual, so it would be nice to have a car my size lol. Those old Volkswagen vans are so cute, I totally get the hype!! Next Hobby? There are definitely more things I wanna do, but never got around to actually doing!! I’ve always wanted to learn how to crochet, but out of the multiple times that I have attempted to learn, I’ve failed horribly at lol. Maybe I’ll get back into it at some point, but who knows!! 🎄✨

[thejasondogman]

About today’s Nintendo Direct (mostly regarding the stuff that interested me)

   I would be more excited with the new Kirby if I didn’t have the unlucky to came accross a leaked promotional artwork while googling. Anyway. The concept of Kirby exploring a lost land got me invested and it’s very unique from Kirby standards. I’m bit concerned with how they will handle with the game’s exploration and I hope they show more gameplay with other copy abillities but regardless, I’m very happy we are finally getting a 3D mainline Kirby game. 

   Still pretty hyped with who will be the last Smash fighter and can’t wait to 10/5 :)

  Very glad they’re adding N64 games. They should have been on the service since the beginning. I liked a lot the selection (especially the other ones they are planning to release).Nice that they also added Sin & Punishment. I haven’t played yet but it’s a Japan-only so it’s good it’ll gain a little more accessibility.  Seen Dr. Mario 64 was very unexcpected honetly. But it’s a cool fun little game. Hope people will enjoy.

   You know what else was unexpected. The Genesis games. Castlevania Bloodlines speacilly was a nice pick considering it only have been rereleased once on the Castlevania Anniversary Collection and it’s a very good game (although I’m still planning to play the rest of Bloodlines). But I’m happy it was added. It also felt funny the timing this is happening considering recently I bought Dynamite Headdy and Vectorman on Steam to finally finish those.

   Splatoon 3 I can’t say about the gameplay cause I haven’t played other Splatoon games and I don’t remember all the weapons on the previous games. But if I’m not wrong they have added a lot of new weapons in this from what I remember. And I’m glad it doesn’t seem the story will be “zapfish got kidnapped” again and hope it will have the same ambition and care like Octo Expansion had. Can’t wait to see also how the new idols will look like and if Off the Hook will make an apperance.

  The Mario Movie news was..... something. I think I heard of Chris Pratt before but I don’t remember watching a movie where he was in. So I don’t know if he’ll do a good job dubbing Mario but the fact Charles Martnet will be in the movie not as Mario is just fucking lame. Can’t also say too much about the VAs for Peach, Toad and Luigi. Jack Black as Bowser seems like an odd choice and Seth Rogen as DK is just hillarious.  

I’m indifferent towards the presentation of the ActRiser remake. But the original is another game I never finished so maybe I’ll consider buying the remake.

   And I’m very happy for Bayonetta fans that Bayonetta 3 finally got gameplay footage.

   Overall it was a very solid direct. I’m pretty satisfied with most of the stuff they showed. And hope you guys enjoyed what you saw on the direct too.