#that wasn't a 'my friends and mutuals are the only good users' that was 'it's different to be an idiot in front of someone who knows you'

[hypokeimena]

I don’t think you’re referring to me so that’s not where this is coming from, but I, for one, who didn’t have much of a follower count till recently, didn’t know op or others could so easily see tags unless they went to my blog and still didn’t really think about it until tumblr changes made the notes more visible, I mostly saw the tags as a way to think out loud to myself. I kind of used to go off in them all the time but have held back more since realizing it can make people feel uncomfortable. I mean I don’t know maybe people are addressing you directly or something and that understandably feels weird and even if it’s not that I mean whatever makes you uncomfortable makes you uncomfortable and that’s all valid and not for anyone else to decide I’m just trying to say that people may see this sight differently than you and use it according to their understanding not meaning to offend or whatever. I’ve just seen a growing number of these posts, not just I love my mutuals and everyone else is trash type posts, but like why are people acknowledging the existence of other’s blogs that they don’t already have a prior relationship with and I guess I’m kind of laying a lot in you right now I don’t mean to be all obnoxious I just think different people use this sight differently and see it as somewhere you can kind of have these one sided interactions with strangers and no one needs to acknowledge it and that’s fine to do because it’s in your own space even though everybody can also see it because what is the purpose of having a private account on this website? I feel like I may just be coming off as an asshole and doing the exact thing you were making a total valid complaint about, but I just wanted to throw my two cents in. Which you didn’t ask for! Sorry

yeah this is exactly what i was talking about lol

[joelmillerisapunk]

a sweet arrangement

sugardaddy!Joel Miller x f!reader

Masterlist ♡ Sugar Daddy Masterlist

Wordcount: 3,374

Summary: You sign up for a sugar daddy app. What's the worst that could happen?

Warnings: 18+, fingering, oral (both m&f receiving), light bondage, reader might have pullable hair (i dont rememeber if i took it out) quick mentions of slut, baby, sweet baby, sweetheart, darlin

Notes: tysm @saradika-graphics for the dividers. I was cheated on over the weekend, and I wrote this as a "I wish I could be here" instead of being sad." Just another rich!daddy fantasy

You've been feeling financially stretched lately, and after hearing about the concept of sugar daddies and sugar babies from a friend, you decided to give it a try. You sit on your bed and hesitantly create a profile on a popular app, describing yourself as a young, independent woman looking for a mutually beneficial arrangement. As you sit scrolling through, you can't help but feel a sigh of reluctance escape your lips. You never expected to find yourself on a sugar daddy dating app, but life has a way of surprising you sometimes.

After a few moments of looking around the site, a notification pops up. It's a message from a user named "Contractor_Guy."

Curiosity piques, and you open the message, hoping it's not some creepy come-on. To your surprise, it reads:

"Hey there. I don't usually do this sort of thing, but I figured it's worth a shot. My name's Joel. If you're interested in getting to know me, send me a message back."

Feeling intrigued, you reply:

"Hi Joel, I'm not sure what 'this sort of thing' is, but I'm curious now.”

The response comes quickly.

Contractor_Guy: "Haha, 'this sort of thing' is something I usually avoid. But hey, it's a new day, and who knows what it might bring?"

You: Hopefully luck! But seriously, what exactly are you avoiding?"

Contractor_Guy: "Haha, well that's a bit of a long story, darlin.”

You: "Oh, I don't mind a long story. I've got some time to kill. Besides, I find it intriguing that someone like you is on a sugar daddy app.”

Contractor_Guy: "Well, my last experience wasn't the best, and I'm just being cautious this time around.

But, here's the long version. I met a girl a few years back, and at first, things were great. We clicked, and the relationship was mutually beneficial. I was able to provide for her in a way she couldn't for herself, and in return, she was there for me when I needed emotional support. As time went on, she started to change. She became more demanding and less appreciative. It got to the point where she would expect extravagant gifts just for a simple text or phone call. I realized that she was only interested in my money and not in the relationship we'd built."

You: "I'm sorry to hear that. It's not easy to find someone who's genuine and appreciates what you have to offer."

Contractor_Guy: "Yeah, it was a tough lesson to learn, but I'm hoping to find someone different this time. Someone who appreciates the little things, too, not just the material things."

You: "I think that's a fair expectation. We all deserve to be appreciated for more than just our wallets. So, Joel, tell me more about yourself. What do you do for a living?"

Contractor_Guy: "I'm a contractor. I do mostly residential construction and home remodeling projects. What about you? What do you do when you're not scrolling through dating apps?”

You: "Lol, I'm usually at work. I'm a graphic designer, so I spend most of my days in front of a computer. It's not the most glamorous job, but I love what I do."

Contractor_Guy: "A graphic designer, huh? That's pretty impressive. I've always been more of a hands-on guy myself. But I must admit, there's something intriguing about a woman in the arts.”

You: "And who doesn't love a man who can wield a hammer and a chainsaw with equal ease?"

Contractor_Guy: "Oh, I'm definitely good with my hands darlin' ;). ”

You: "Maybe one day you'll show me just how good you are with your hands."

As the conversation continues to flow effortlessly, you both exchange numbers and agree to meet for a coffee date tomorrow. Before signing off, you send a playful message with a picture attached

You: "Well, I'm off to begin the countdown to our coffee date. I'll leave you with this little teaser. ;)"

Insert a picture of you posing confidently in a cute outfit, with a mischievous grin on your face.

Contractor_Guy: "Wow, that definitely has me counting down the hours! I can't wait to see you in person."

With that, you end the conversation eagerly anticipating your first in-person meeting with the intriguing contractor.

The two of you meet for the first time at a trendy coffee shop downtown, and you can immediately sense Joel's charm and confidence. You can tell he's done this a time or two. He offers to buy you a drink and pulls out the mattest black credit card you have ever seen to pay with. He guides you to a table in the back corner, and you both engage in light conversation, discussing your interests and goals. Joel is clearly intrigued by you, and you feel a spark of attraction towards him as well.

"So, tell me more about yourself," Joel says, his eyes locked on yours.

"Well, like I said on the app, I'm a freelance graphic designer," you reply, “It's not the most stable job, but I love what I do."

"I can imagine," Joel says, a hint of admiration in his voice. "I've always been a fan of the arts. But I'm sure you understand the struggles of making ends meet as a freelancer. That's why I'm interested in this arrangement."

"I do understand," you agree, your mind already contemplating the potential benefits of such an arrangement. "It would be nice to have some financial stability while still being able to pursue my passion."

"Exactly," Joel says, his tone firm but understanding. "And in return, I'd like you to be my companion when I need someone to spend time with. We can go on dates, attend social events, or just relax at home. I value your company, you're easy on the eyes and brain, and I believe we would make a great team."

"I think that sounds fair," you say, feeling a sense of relief wash over you. "I'm looking for something similar - someone who understands my situation and is willing to help me out."

Joel offers to take you to his place for a glass of wine, and as he leads you to his car, the conversation shifts to the details of the arrangement.

"Now that we've established the terms," Joel says, his voice low and serious, "I want to make something clear. I'm going to support you financially in any way you could ever dream of or want, but there's one condition."

"What's that?" You ask, your curiosity piqued.

"I want access to you whenever I please, however I please," Joel says, his eyes meeting yours. "I want to be able to use you for my pleasure whenever I want. Are you comfortable with that?"

Your heart races as you consider his request. You know what he's asking for, and you're not sure if you're ready for that level of intimacy. But at the same time, you can't deny the excitement coursing through your veins.

"I need some time to think about it. This is a big decision."

"Of course," Joel replies, his tone understanding. "Take all the time you need. But remember, this is the condition of our arrangement."

As Joel drives you to his mansion, you can't help but feel a mixture of excitement and trepidation. This is unlike any arrangement you've ever been a part of, and you're not sure what to expect. As you follow Joel upstairs, your heart races in anticipation. He leads you into a large, dimly-lit room, its walls adorned with black velvet and soft, glowing lights. A large bed dominates the center of the room, surrounded by various toys and restraints.

"I want to show you what I mean when I say I want access to you whenever I please.” Joel says, his voice thick with desire.

Joel leads you over to the bed, his eyes never leaving yours. He takes a seat on the edge, patting the space beside him. "Come here, sweetheart," he says, his voice soft and inviting.

You hesitate for a moment, unsure of what to do. But the curiosity and excitement pulsing through you win out, and you find yourself sitting down next to him. Joel's hand reaches out to gently brush a strand of hair from your face. "You're so beautiful, you know that?" he says, his gaze intense.

You feel your entire body get warm at the compliment, your heart racing faster than ever before. "Thank you," you murmur.

Joel's hand begins to trace a path down your arm, sending shivers coursing through your body. "I want to make you feel good, sweetheart," he says, his voice low and husky. "I want to give you pleasure like you've never experienced before."

Your mind is racing as Joel's hand continues to explore your body. You're not sure what to do, but you find yourself leaning into his touch, your body craving more.

"I want to show you something," Joel says, his eyes twinkling with mischief. He stands up and walks over to a large wooden chest at the foot of the bed. He opens it, revealing a variety of toys and restraints. Your heart races as you take in the sight. You've never seen anything like this before, and you're not sure what to make of it. Joel walks back over to you, a blindfold in his hand. "I want to show you how good it can feel to let go and trust someone," he says, his voice soft and soothing.

You hesitate for a moment but something about Joel's words and the look in his eyes makes you feel safe, and you find yourself nodding in agreement. He gently places the blindfold over your eyes, cocooning you in darkness. You can feel his hands on you, guiding you back onto the bed. You trust him, and you let yourself relax into the feeling of his touch.

Joel's hands continue to explore your body, tracing patterns and circles that send shivers of pleasure coursing through you. You can feel the bed shift as he leans over you, his breath hot against your ear. "I want to make you feel so good, sweetheart," he whispers, his voice barely above a whisper. Your breath hitches as his hands continue to wander.

Suddenly, you feel something soft and silky against your skin. It's a scarf, and Joel is using it to gently bind your wrists to the bedposts. You gasp at the feeling of being restrained, but the sensation is not unpleasant. Instead, it heightens your senses, making you more aware of every touch and caress.

Joel continues to explore your body, his hands moving lower and lower until they reach the waistband of your pants. He pauses for a moment, waiting for your consent. "May I?" he asks, his voice low and husky. You nod, your breath coming in short, sharp gasps. He slowly begins to slide your pants down your legs, his hands lingering on your skin as he goes. You can feel the heat of his touch, and you find yourself arching up towards him, wanting more. Finally, your pants are off, and Joel's hands are free to explore your body in earnest. He caresses your thighs, your hips, your stomach, each touch sending waves of pleasure coursing through you.

You can feel yourself growing wet, your body responding to Joel's touch in ways you've never experienced before. You moan softly, your hips bucking up towards him. Joel takes the hint, his fingers finding their way to your wetness. He begins to explore you, his touch gentle but firm. You gasp at the sensation, your body quivering with pleasure. His fingers move in slow, deliberate circles that send shivers of pleasure coursing through your body. You find yourself moaning louder and louder, your hips bucking up towards him as you chase the feeling of release. Finally, you can't take it any longer. You cry out as the orgasm washes over you, your body trembling with pleasure. Joel continues to touch you, his fingers gentle as they bring you down from the peak of pleasure.

Slowly, your breathing returns to normal, and you become aware of your surroundings once again. The blindfold is still over your eyes, and you're still bound to the bed. But you feel safe and content, your body still humming with pleasure. He unties the blindfold, and you blink your eyes against the sudden brightness of the room. He's standing above you, a wicked smile on his face. "Did you like that, sweetheart?" he asks, his voice low and seductive.

"Yes sir," you get out with a hoarse voice.

Joel's gaze travels down your body, taking in the sight of you spread out on his bed, still bound to the bedposts. "Mmm, such a good girl already," he says, his voice full of satisfaction. "I have so much more I want to show you."

He walks over to the wooden chest at the foot of the bed and rummages through it, pulling out a variety of toys and restraints. Joel turns back to you, a pair of handcuffs in his hand. "May I?" he asks, his voice low and seductive.

“You may."

Your heart racies with excitement as Joel cuffs your hands above your head, replacing the soft, luxurious ribbon, and securing you back to the bedpost. You test the restraints, finding that they hold you firmly in place. Your heart is racing with excitement, your body tingling with anticipation. He walks back over to the chest and pulls out a vibrator. He turns it on, the buzzing noise filling the room. You watch as he approaches you. He traces the vibrator over your body, teasing you with each touch. You arch up towards him, wanting more. But Joel is in control, and he takes his time, drawing out the anticipation until you're nearly begging for release."Are you ready for more, darlin’?"

“Yes please,” your breath coming in short gasps.

"Good girl." He traces the vibrator lower, teasing your clit with each pass. You moan, your hips bucking up towards him. But he pulls the vibrator away just as you're about to come.

You whimper in frustration, but Joel just smiles. "Patience, baby, patience," he says.

He continues to tease you, bringing you to the brink of orgasm again and again, but never letting you fully come. You're writhing on the bed, your body begging for release when Joel leans down and whispers in your ear. "Do you trust me, sweetheart?"

You nod, your heart racing. "Yes, I do," you whisper.

Joel smiles, his eyes twinkling with mischief. He leans down and captures your lips in a passionate kiss. You moan, your hips bucking up towards him. You're ready for whatever comes next.

Joel breaks the kiss, his eyes locked on yours. "I'm going to take you to the edge, sweetheart," he says, his voice low and seductive. "And then I'm going to bring you back again. And again. And again. Until you can't take it anymore."

Joel's hand moves back to the vibrator, tracing it over your clit once again. This time, he doesn't stop. He continues to tease and pleasure you. Suddenly, Joel pulls the vibrator away once again. You whimper in frustration, but before you can protest, he's replaced it with his mouth. His tongue expertly teases your clit. His hands roam your body as he brings you to the brink of orgasm once again. This time, however, he doesn't stop. He continues to lick and suck at your clit, his fingers entering you and curling against your G-spot as he pushes you over the edge.

You cry out, your body shaking with pleasure as you come hard against his mouth. Joel doesn't stop, his tongue continuing to torture you as you ride out the waves of your orgasm. As you come down from your orgasm, you gasp for breath, your body still trembling with pleasure. Joel's gaze is intense as he watches you, his face flushed with arousal.

"That was so, fucking good," you manage to gasp out, your voice still hoarse from your orgasm.

Joel smiles, his eyes never leaving yours. "I'm glad you thought so," he says, his voice low and seductive. "But I think it's your turn now."

"My turn?" you ask, your eyes wide with curiosity.

"Yes," Joel says, his smile widening. "It's time for you to return the favor.”

You feel a pang of nerves flood your body. “But I'm still all tied up.”

Joel smirks, leaning in. He grabs the hollows of your cheeks, forcing you to look at him, “ I never said you needed to be untied, did I.”

You swallow hard, your mind racing with the implications of his words. Joel releases your cheeks, his gaze traveling down your body. "You're going to make me very happy tonight, sweetheart. Just remember - I want access to you whenever I please, however I please. Is that clear?"

"Yes, sir," you reply, your voice full of submission.

Joel's smile widens, and he reaches down to unfasten his pants. He steps out of them and his boxers, revealing a hard, thick, ready erection. He climbs onto the bed, his legs straddling your chest. "Now, I want you to take me into your mouth," he says, his voice firm and authoritative.

Your heart is racing as you obey. He brings it up to your lips, and your tongue darts out to lick the tip. You can taste the hint of salt and musk, and you find yourself growing aroused again. You open your mouth wide to accommodate his size. He tastes so good, so intense, and you can't get enough. You begin to move your head, your mouth sliding up and down his shaft. Joel gasps, his hips bucking up towards you.

Suddenly he grabs your hair and holds his cock to the hilt, filing up your entire throat, blocking your airway. You try to gasp for breath as Joel holds you down on his large throbbing cock but it's no use. Your head is swimming with pleasure and arousal, and you're not sure if you can take anymore. Just then Joel releases his grip on your hair, allowing you to breathe again. You take the opportunity to pull away, gasping for air. Joel smirks down at you. "Such a good little slut for daddy already," he says, his voice full of praise. "Daddy wants to see more. Show me how much you want me."

You nod, your heart racing with anticipation as Joel pulls away and undoes your restraints. When he's back on the bed, you take him back into your mouth, your hands roaming his beautiful, full thighs. You begin to suck and lick at his cock, your tongue exploring every inch of him. You can hear Joel growing more aroused, his breaths coming in short gasps.

You feel a hand on the back of your head, guiding you. Joel is thrusting into your mouth, his cock sliding in and out. You moan around him, your hands reaching up to cup his balls. He's tensing, his hips bucking harder with each thrust. Suddenly, he lets out the most primal groan you've ever heard, his cock swells in your mouth. He thrusts into you one more time before coming. You can feel his warm come filling your mouth, and you swallow it down eagerly. Joel groans, his hips stilling as he rides out his orgasm.

You pull away, gasping for air and Joel collapses onto his back, his chest rising and falling rapidly. You can see the satisfaction on his face, and you feel proud of yourself. You've never done anything like that before, and you're not sure how you feel about it. But there's a part of you that's excited, that wants to do it again.

You're both panting heavily, your mind still reeling from the intense experience you've just shared. Joel's gaze is locked on yours, his eyes full of admiration and desire. "You were amazing, sweetheart," he says, his voice a low rumble. "I can't wait to show you more." A wave of excitement washes over you as Joel reaches out and gently strokes your cheek, his fingers lingering against your skin. "I want to make this arrangement work, darlin," he says, his voice soft and earnest. "But I need to know that you're in this for the right reasons."

Your heart races as you consider his words. You know what he's asking, and you're not sure if you're ready for the level of intimacy and commitment this arrangement requires. But at the same time, you can't deny the excitement coursing through your veins, the thrill of being desired and pursued by someone like Joel. You nod, your heart racing with both excitement and trepidation. "I think I'm ready to accept your condition," you say, your voice low and hesitant. "But I need to know that you're in this for the right reasons, too."

Joel's eyes meet yours, his gaze intense and serious. "I promise you, I want nothing more than to care for and support you, both financially and emotionally," he says firmly. "And I expect the same companionship in return."

You take a deep breath, your mind racing with the implications of your decision. But there's a part of you that's eager to explore this new world, to find out what it means to be truly desired and cared for by someone like Joel.

"Okay," you finally say, your voice full of resolution. "I want to make this arrangement work too."

Joel's face breaks into a smile, his eyes filled with relief and joy. He pulls you into a warm embrace, his arms wrapping around you tightly. "Thank you, sweetheart," he whispers, his voice full of gratitude. "I'm going to make sure you never regret this decision."

---

Thanks for reading ❤️ let me know if you'd like more from these two

[maxverstappendefender]

Hi I was wondering if u can make an imagine with max verstappen where the reader is an athlete also (tennis player please 😮‍💨😮‍💨😭😭🥹🥹) and she is also from Netherlands

her and max were like in the same school or neighbors or even Victoria’s friend and her and max used to be dating since they were young teenagers but they broke up because of their careers (more like she broke up with him lol🤭) and they meet again at a gala or a wedding when they are at the top of their game her being world no.1 and many grand slams winner and him being world champion and then they have a confrontation with a lot of angst and yelling and max being heartbroken 💔💔🤌🏻🤌🏻

other part to this request: "Also about the max and athlete reader like if u can make it inspired by “call out my name” by The Weeknd 🥲"

a/n: this is such a good idea, i love some good angst. i made it a smau and also written parts (more towards the hend). i don't know much about tennis but i tried. the google translate dutch is probably bad but that's fine. hopefully i did your idea justice <3

warnings: profanity (?), alcohol

my masterlist !

The Dutch Athletes

yourusername posted on instagram!

liked by maxverstappen1, landonorris, and 933,481 others

yourusername and that's a wrap on the lovely game of tennis, back to training for next season :)

view all 91,029 comments

user PROUD TO BE DUTCH BC OF THIS LADY AND THIS LADY ONLY

liked by yourusername

landonorris you're serving! (do you get it? im so funny)

-> yourusername ty lan (the tennis jokes are never funny)

-> landonorris not even a pity laugh.

user i see a certain someone hiding in the likes

-> user 🤺🤺🤺 be gone sir

victoriaverstappen cannot wait to see you next week!

-> yourusername i miss my favourite dutch person

-> user max is punching the wall rn

user wait, im new. why is everyone hating on max verstappen here?

-> user y/n dated him a while back but they ended it in 2021 for reasons no one knows. lots of speculation but they never confirmed or denied anything. he still has loads of pictures of them on his insta but she deleted hers, probs wasn't a mutual breakup in that case. she's still good friends with lando, charles, and max's sister!

-> user he probably cheated or something

-> user they both seem happy so we shouldn't make assumptions :)

liked by yourusername

liked by f1fan1, vstppn, y/nflowers, and 14,912 others

y/nmaxupdates still no new content of our favs together so we are doing a little throwback thursday to one of y/n's posts from 2015 (she has removed the post).

comments are turned off

yourusername posted a story!

yourusername posted on instagram!

liked by landonorris, charles_leclerc, and 791,492 others

yourusername vegas baby! vv thankful lando is okay. congrats on the podium charlie!

view all 83,001 comments

charles_leclerc You say congrats but you wear a McLaren hat

-> yourusername only because lando invited me, not you!

user max being cropped out has me CACKLING

user we were so so close to some y/nmax snippet by her posting him but she fucking cropped him out

landonorris i'm so mad i crashed, my helmet was so sick for this race. do you think i can wear it to the clubs tonight?

-> yourusername lando istg if you wear your damn helmet anywhere tonight. you are supposed to be staying at the hotel with me anyways?

-> landonorris i don't see a doctor that will stop me from leaving. but my helmet looked sick right?

-> yourusername eh

landonorris we literally spent like 3 days together before the race and you still chose that ugly picture

danielricciardo VEGAS BABYYY. tonight we party.

liked by yourusername

yourusername posted on instagram!

liked by landonorris, maxverstapen1, and 701,831 others

yourusername 'VEGAS BABYYY. tonight we party.' ~daniel ricciardo (and don't worry, i didn't let lando leave the hotel looking like that)

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it had been a wonderful night so far. lando couldn't drink due to the drugs the doctors gave him so you didn't drink either out of solidarity. lando had gone off to do lando things, probably finding a way to the dj booth or socializing with whoever he can. you were just sat at this couch in the vip area. you were talking to charles for a while before he went off to do celebratory shots. you were so tired from the timezone difference, vegas compared to the netherlands was messing with your system. you had your head leaned back against the couch, your eyes were just looking at some of the drivers having a lot of fun and celebrating in one of the best party cities in the world.

you felt someone sit down next to you on the couch. you didn't know who it was at first but you quickly smelt the cologne and knew. max. you two hadn't really spoken since 2021, when you ended it. it wasn't the prettiest of breakups but we were both stupid kids and in love back then. you both should've known it wouldn't work out. you tried, though. you tried with every single thing you had in you but at the end of the day, fate would always be stronger.

"hey, y/n. haven't seen you in awhile," max finally said, breaking the silence. he sort of had seen you though, on instagram. had he missed you? every fucking day. you broke up with him though, and you seemed happier. if you were happy, he would accept that.

"sure," was all you said. that was your telltale sign that you did not want to talk. but let's be honest, max verstappen not having a conversation when he wants to sounded impossible. he wanted to fix things, he wanted to fix it all. why wouldn't you let him? "any chance we can talk?" he asked you. he wouldn't really take no for an answer. he would just talk to you while you listened, but even that would be stretching it.

you stood up from the couch, careful to not look at him. if you looked at him, you would be a goner and would do just about anything he asked you to. you were a strong person except when it came to max. "see you around," you muttered to him before leaving the vip area. you would infact not be seeing him around, not if you can avoid it. maybe not drinking was a bad idea. you had spotted lando who was busy chatting away to someone. "fuck," you whispered under your breath, realizing that the person who you had to make sure got home safely was still having a good night. you wouldn't want to cut his night short, especially when his night started bad with the race.

you felt some hands wrap around your waist and before you could protest, these hands were pushing you out this door to the club's back alley. you knew those hands though. you knew them all too well. "max, what the hell?!" you shouted at him as you felt the cool night air hit your face. it felt better than how being inside that club felt.

he knew this was probably too far. but when has 'too far' ever stopped him. he was so done with this all. 2 years of not having more than 10 words shared between you two. you two used to talk every single day, where did it all go wrong? he knew this one was his fault. he was the one who had lost you, all for racing. he gave up you for racing. he was a royal idiot for that. "i am so done with you not even talking to me!" he shouted to you. he was thanking god that you two were in an alley and not somewhere public for this.

"i don't want to talk to you," you said to him. not many people held their ground against max, but you always did. you never wanted to talk to him again, not since your breakup. you were happy and had a great life, you didn't need the mess that was max verstappen. "you never do!" he said back. that was true and you both knew it.

"you're right! i never do! because you fucked up," you shouted to him, putting your finger straight to his chest. the breakup was infact not mutual like the media made it seem. you two broke up because you were trying to support him in racing while still building a life in tennis for yourself. you could see the stress eating away at max that year and he still wouldn't let you help. even if it was help from afar. you tried to be there. he didn't even try to be there for you and your goals either.

"i know i did. believe me, i know i fucked it up," he said to you. there had been quite a few sleepless nights where his brain just wouldn't turn off. he had only been thinking about you. tonight was just his breaking point. he was done acting like he hadn't been thinking about you.

there was a moment of silence as we just looked at eachother. we had grown up a lot since we last got close like this. "so then why? just why?" you pleaded to him to just give him a real answer. 2021 had been a hard year for him and you knew that. but you were his girlfriend. you were meant to be there and help him but he wouldn't let you. he pushed you away at any chance he got. then you were alone. it was an endless cycle of you trying to help max with his stress, him pushing you away, and then you also getting lost to your own stress.

he put his hands on either side of your face. he knew he couldn't give you the answer he had given you when you asked this question 2 years ago. he couldn't say "just a tough year" because although that was a part of it, it wasn't the entire truth. and you deserved the truth. "i pushed you away before you could push me away," he said to you as he looked into your eyes. he felt like an idiot for saying that but it was the whole truth.

you gave him a slightly confused look. that had been a different answer than what you got 2 years ago. how could he even think you would push him away? you loved him so much and you had for years. you would have clung to him, even in death. "if i wouldn't have won in 2021, there was that thought that you would be gone," he admitted.

"i wouldn't have left. i wouldn't have ever done that," you quickly said. you had to say that really quickly before he spoke again. clearly your words took him aback a little. he really felt stupid for ever thinking that you would leave, let alone leave simply because he won a championship. mentally, you said 'fuck it', and just kissed him. you pulled away for a second to whisper, "je bent een idioot, max verstappen (you are an idiot, max verstappen)". then you kissed him again.

he smiled in the kiss, his hands in your hair and yours in his. your words were true, he was an idiot. he would probably have to kiss you a million times to make up for him pushing you away. and that was a price he was willing to pay. he felt you pull away and as desperately as he wanted to pull you back into him, he knew you had some more words to say.

you pulled away. "but you left. you left when it got hard and i will never put myself in that position ever again," you said to him. your lips stung with how much desire you had for max. but you had to make smart decisions, you could not get hurt again. and deep down, you knew he would leave if it got hard again. him leaving again would hurt too much. you had a good life now, he had a good life now.

he felt his heart shatter at your words. but he knew you were right that he had left when it got hard. he had taken the coward's way out. he wanted you to be happy and you seemed so happy with your life now. he couldn't take that from you. he nodded his pain away and spoke softly to you, "i hope you have nothing but happiness in life". then he walked away. he walked away but this time for your sake. he knew you wouldn't walk away from him so he walked away from you. he really did hope you had nothing but happiness in life. he could hear all about your happiness from the bits that victoria shared with him.

liked by y/nlover, heartsfory/n, mvfan, and 19,254 others

y/nmaxupdates NEW CONTENT!! I REPEAT NEW CONTENT OF MAX AND Y/N!! that kiss?? oh we are SO back.

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[kyleoreillylover]

Chapter 2- The Test

Series Summary/Masterlist

word count: 14,522

tag list: @southerngirl41 @venusesworld @jeysbae @reci1996 @tbonesteakwithasideofmashngrav @hope4more @selena-tyler-564 @saintaquarius @whatdoeseverybodywant

warnings: wrestling related violence, manipulation, mentions of cheating.

Chapter Summary: You and Jey are getting a lot closer... and so is your test. You try to focus on making sure everything is going according to plan, but that's hard with Kevin and Sami meddling and having a hard time with being able to let you go, and hurting your loyalty in the process. But Roman and Jey make sure you don't stray too far from the Bloodline, and you make sure that Kevin and Sami know what side you are on.

liked by uceyjucey, sethrollins, y/nfanpage and 500,000 others

wwestan: Y/n spotted at Monday Night Raw Tonight by a fan👀 She hasn't been seen since her lost at Backlash. What do you think she'll have to stir up tonight?

tagged: y/n

view all comments:

user: omg omg mother is back!!

user: face card omg!! ronda tried and failed to stop her face card 😭

user: she looks so good omg??! esp cause apparently Seth and her broke it off 👀 and becky swooped right in 😭

↳user: I mean she said the breakup was mutual and they are still friends🤷‍♀️ but becky getting with Seth so quick is suspicious ngl

↳user: she's way too nice cause if that was me and my friend got with my ex that quick I woulda squared up 😭

user: she better get her lick back from ronda!!

uceyjucey: we missed her ♥️

↳y/n: oh stop it ☺️

↳ uceyjucey: never 😒

↳user: this interaction?? the friendship never knew I needed??

↳user: what's going on here?!!

"Y'know you didn't have to drive me all the way to the arena. I didn't wanna bother you."

"Bother me? How many times I gotta tell you that you can't bother me. You lucky I like you, otherwise the first ten times you apologized for bothering me for nothing I would've stopped picking  you up."

Jey playfully chastised you as he chuckled, flashing a warm grin as you both walked in the hallway, his hand resting lightly on your shoulder. "Besides, it's not a bother at all. I enjoy your company. Plus, I can't let you miss out on my amazing driving skills, right?"

You rolled your eyes playfully at Jey's teasing remark, a smile tugging at the corners of your lips. "Mhm, it's definitely your driving skills I can't miss out on, not the heart-stopping fear that comes with them," you teased back, matching your playful tone.

Jey let out a mock offended gasp, nudging your shoulder gently. "Aye, I ain't complaining. I got to have a pretty girl around to keep me company," he said, his voice warm with affection.

"Besides, it's more fun having you around than driving solo. Ever since Jimmy got injured I been riding with Big Uce, but he is boring and doesn't appreciate good music like you do."

You blushed at the compliment, feeling a warmth spread through you at Jey's words. 

The two of you... have been getting close these past few weeks. Ever since he comforted you a few weeks ago and told you he likes having you around, the two of you have been spending more time together, growing closer with each passing day.

He wasn't as hesitant to open up about his thoughts and feelings, and you found yourself enjoying his company more and more. Jey was funny, charming, and caring beneath his tough exterior. Your kind heart was drawn to his genuine personality, and he appreciated your sweet nature and the companionship you offered.

Sometimes he'd make comments like 'You know, you're the only one who can make me smile like this,' or 'I don't think I've laughed this much in ages,' you could tell they weren't just words. There was a sincerity in his voice that made your heart skip a beat.

But you didn't know if he was flirting with you or if he was simply expressing his sincere feelings. Jey had a habit of mixing playful banter with genuine affection, making it hard to decipher where his friendly teasing ended and his true emotions began. Besides, you didn't wanna end a friendship because of a fluke emotion. 

As you both reached the arena hallway, you felt a comfortable ease settle between you. Jey's arm slid from your shoulder as he stopped, facing you with a soft smile. "You want me to grab you a coffee from catering?"

You sighed and crossed your arms at his question. "Do I really look that nervous?"

"Honest answer or answer you wanna hear?" Jey questioned you, but his eyes told you everything you needed to know.

"I do, don't I?" You groaned and held your face in your hands, feeling a bit embarrassed. "It's just been so long since I've been in the arena, and I don't wanna mess up my return to the scene, you know?"

Tonight was the night you would finally show your face to the WWE Universe after your match with Ronda, and you'd be making your return by confronting Becky in the ring and asking her to include you in the 4 woman chamber match for her Raw Women's Championship.

You and Becky were friends… or at least she thought that.

You've been riding with her to various shows, training together, and even spending time outside the ring like going out for dinners or hitting the gym together. She wasn't suspicious in the least about your intentions or why you forgiven her so fast.

She was too blinded at the thought of your friendship ending and was so relieved that you seemed to have moved past the incident and wanted to rekindle your friendship that she didn't think much of your motives. She had her best friend, and the love of her life with her, why would she question your intentions.

And as for Seth, you broke up and you made him believe that it was a mutual decision and that the cheating was a mere misunderstanding or lack of communication. Seth was Seth and took what you said at face value, and was happy that you seemed to have moved on amicably.

Guess he never really knew you at all.

Jey was honestly your saving grace, without him you would pulled your hair from your head from pretending that you were fine and had everything under control.

With every lie you told, Jey would seek out the truth and comfort you when you were on the verge of breaking down.

When the faking would make your tongue tie in knots, Jey would let you call him and pour out your heart to him, happy to help your heart hurt slightly less.

And when the anger would threaten to consume you and mess up the plan, he would remind you that it wasn't worth losing yourself over them, that they weren't worth the trouble.

Jey observed your nerves with a sympathetic gaze, stepping closer to gently lower your hands from your face. "Hey, this ain't the same person that gave Ronda Rousey the literal beating of her life. You remember that? You were fierce, you were strong, and you showed the whole world what you're made of. This ain't no different. You're walking in there to claim what's rightfully yours. Cause that title is yours, and you gotta show em that by showing out."

You let Jey's words soothe your nerves and make you feel at least a bit better. He was right. You should be on top of the world right now. You were about to make a statement and demand what you deserved. Becky should be the one nervous right now. But the nerves still tugged at your confidence, making you doubt your resolve.

With a deep breath, you straightened up, trying to gather your resolve before your promo. "I'll take that coffee, actually. It'll give me a little boost before I go out there."

Jey's smile widened, pleased to see you regaining some confidence. "Gotcha. You sit tight pretty girl, I'll grab it for you." Jey left before you could even think about the nickname he just used for you. Whether he chose that moment on purpose to call you that so he could slip away or accidentally did so, you didn't know. What you did know was that you had to get your head in the game before you were up there.

Running your lines through your head, a tap on your shoulder jolted you from your thoughts. Expecting it to be Jey, you stopped short, ready to thank him for the coffee, but when you turned around, it was Sami. Your smile dropped as soon as you saw his face.

"Sami." You greeted him with a polite nod, trying to keep your tone neutral despite the discomfort his sudden appearance brought. "What do you want?"

"What, I can't say hi to my best friend I haven't seen in a while?" Sami countered, a sad expression clouding his features. He adjusted his jacket, trying to appear nonchalant, but there was an intensity in his gaze that made you want to run into his arms and find comfort, yet you knew it was too late for that.

"We both know that's not what this is about," you replied, trying to keep your voice steady despite the rush of emotions his presence stirred within you. "I made myself clear, Sami. We can't keep pretending things are the same between us."

"I just miss you, okay? I miss our friendship," Sami admitted, his voice tinged with desperation. "Can't we just talk? I miss talking to you, hanging out like we used to. I just miss you."

Damn Sami and his ability to tug at your emotions, you thought, feeling a pang of guilt and sorrow at his words. You sighed softly, feeling guilt and frustration.

Sami was a good guy, but you needed to focus on your own path right now, and you couldn't do that with someone from your past pulling you in different directions.

You knew with him came Kevin, and unfortunately for Sami, it was something you couldn't afford to get involved in. You took a step back, composing yourself and trying to maintain a sense of firmness in your voice.

"Sami, I've moved on," you stated, your tone gentle but resolute. "I need to focus on my career right now, and things have changed. You know that," you replied, your voice softening slightly despite your resolve. "I can't go back to how things were before."

Sami's expression turned crestfallen, and you could see the hurt in his eyes. "You can't go back to how it was, or you are too scared to?" Sami's voice cracked slightly, his eyes pleading for a different response. "Look, I'm sorry for how that night went. I should've focused on comforting you instead of feeding into what Kevin wanted. But you can't just hold that against me forever."

You sighed, feeling a mix of emotions swirling within you. Sami's words were a reminder of a painful past, but you knew deep down that you couldn't let yourself be swayed by his guilt or the emotions tied to their history.

But it was really hard when he was looking at you like you were the only person who could save him from drowning and was standing so close to you that it felt like all the old memories were rushing back. And some memories were making you feel hot inside.

"It's not about holding things against you forever, Sami," you began, your voice tinged with forced calmness. "It's about moving forward. I can't keep dwelling on what happened. I need to focus on my career, on myself."

Sami looked down for a moment, his hands clasping together in a mix of frustration and resignation. "So, that's it? You're just going to shut me out completely?"

His voice cracked with emotion, and you could see the struggle he was facing to keep his composure. "You think that shutting me out is gonna make me forget about everything we had? You were my best friend, my confidant. You can't just erase that. And I know you. I know that you're hurting too, but pushing me away isn't gonna make it any better."

"I'm not hurting." You retorted, but Sami 's gaze bore into yours, seeing through the facade you tried to maintain. You felt the weight of his words, the echoes of the past pulling at your heartstrings.

"You are, and you know it," Sami rebutted, running a hand through his hair in frustration. "I see it in your eyes, in the way you try so hard to act like everything's fine. But it's not fine, and you shutting me out isn't going to change what happened between us. You can't lie to me about your feelings."

He took a step closer, and his body heat was driving you mad as he closed the gap between you, your faces inches apart and  his voice lowering to a pleading whisper. "You know you can't."

The tension between the two of you was so strong that you could barely catch your breath. Sami was staring at you like you were the answer to all his problems, his eyes searching yours for some sign of hope or reconciliation, and you knew that if you let him keep talking to you, that if you kept looking into his baby brown eyes that this conversation would only get more complicated.

You needed to pull away, to distance yourself before everything crumbled around you. But Sami's presence, his proximity, made it nearly impossible to think straight.

"Sami, please..." You whispered, your voice barely audible as you tried to maintain your resolve.

“Don’t lie to me...” He whispered back just as softly, his gaze was unwavering, his eyes pleading and filled with a vulnerability that tore at your heart and made your body heat up…

"Aye, Y/n, I gotcha coffee!"

Before either of you could say another word, Jey's voice interrupted the moment. Jey appeared, holding a cup of coffee, and the smile he had walking up to you dropped and his  expression turned guarded as he assessed the scene before him. His eyes flickered between you and Sami, sensing the tension thick in the air.

"What's going on here?" Jey paused, looking between the two of you, his tone carrying a hint of protectiveness and anger.

You quickly took a step back, trying to regain your composure, feeling flustered by Jey's sudden arrival. "Nothing, Jey. Just catching up, that's all," you replied, trying to sound casual, but the unease lingered in your voice.

Sami cleared his throat, adjusting his jacket once more, attempting to mask the discomfort that had crept into his expression.

"Yeah, just a little chat. But I'll let you guys catch up." He offered a forced smile before nodding curtly at Jey and then turning his gaze back to you. "Think about what I said, okay?

You glared at Sami for the last sentence he uttered, a mix of irritation and vulnerability bubbling up within you. "I will," you replied curtly, your voice tinged with a hint of finality, before turning your attention back to Jey as Sami left the two of you alone. 

Jey's demeanor softened slightly as he handed you the coffee, concern etched in his features. "Everything alright, pretty girl?" he asked, his voice low and filled with a protective edge.

You forced a smile, trying to dispel the tension that lingered in the air. "Yeah, everything's fine. Just catching up with an old friend, you know?" you replied, hoping your attempt at casualness would reassure Jey.

Jey's thoughts flickered between you and Sami once more, his expression unreadable for a moment. “You’d tell me if he was getting in your face, right?”

You nodded, sipping the coffee to compose yourself. "Of course, Jey. You know I would."

“And you would tell me if something serious was up?" Jey persisted, his eyes searching yours for any sign of distress.

You paused for a moment, considering his question before responding. “Of course.”

“Then tell me why he was talking to you like that.” Jey's voice was calm, yet there was an edge to it as he gestured vaguely in Sami's direction.

You hesitated, not wanting to dive into the complexity of the situation. "It's nothing, Jey. Just an old friend wanting to catch up. Sami just wanted to say hi to me. That's all." You attempted to downplay the encounter, hoping to move past the moment swiftly.

But what you failed to realize was that Jey has been reading your body language for the past few weeks and could tell when something was truly bothering you.

His expression remained guarded, and there was a protective undertone in his voice as he probed further. “Then why you looking at me like you're trying to convince yourself it's nothing when it clearly is?"

Jey's keen observation left you momentarily speechless. You glanced down for a moment, collecting your thoughts, before meeting his gaze once more. “He just… was trying to talk to me about the past. You know how it is, sometimes old friends can bring back memories you'd rather leave behind," you explained vaguely, hoping Jey would drop the subject.

Jey's expression softened slightly as he studied you, but the guarded look was replaced with a painful look in his eyes, as if your words were cutting deeper than he'd expected and made him resist memories he'd rather leave behind as well.

"I get that." He responded cryptically before letting out a small sigh. Was there a hint of jealousy in his tone? Or was it just concern and protectiveness for your well-being? 

 It was hard to decipher. "Just... be careful, a'ight? I don't wanna see you getting hurt."

You nodded, feeling a mix of gratitude and discomfort at Jey's protectiveness. "Thanks, Jey. I'll be careful, I promise."

He offered a small, reassuring smile before a techie walked up to the two of you. "Y/N, it's almost time for your segment," the techie interrupted, noticing your presence.

You nodded in acknowledgment and turned to Jey, holding the coffee cup. "I gotta go. Wish me luck?"

Jey's warm smile returned, and he nodded. "You don't need luck, pretty girl. You got this. Go out there and show 'em what you're made of."

You hesitated for a moment before pulling Jey into a quick hug, feeling a surge of gratitude for his support. "Thank you, Jey. For everything," you whispered before pulling back, flashing a quick smile, and heading towards the entrance to the stage.

Jey felt like his head was spinning with a whirlwind of emotions as he watched you walk away. He stood there for a moment, trying to shake off the unease that had settled within him, a feeling he couldn't quite place.

Part of him was happy to finally have a friend that he could trust, but another part of him was grappling with his own emotions, ones he hadn't fully acknowledged or understood, making his thoughts spin wildly in his mind.

Could he really trust you? Could he trust his own feelings for you? The way you and Sami interacted had stirred something within him, something he couldn't quite articulate or comprehend.

"Jey, the Tribal Chief has been looking for you." Paul Heyman's voice cut through his thoughts, interrupting his contemplation. "Are you okay, Jey?" Paul furrowed his eyebrows at Jey's skittish demeanor.

Jey straightened up, refocusing his attention. "Yeah, I'm good, uce. What he want?"

Paul Heyman eyed Jey for a moment, sensing something amiss, but decided not to pry further. "He wanted to discuss the plan. He's waiting in his office."

"Alright, I'm on my way," Jey replied, shaking off the lingering thoughts as he headed towards Roman Reigns' office, trying to push aside the unsettling feelings that had surfaced during his encounter with you and Sami.

Maybe he would test that trust tonight.

“Becky, Becky, Becky.”

Becky looked up from the ring in shock at your voice and music interrupting her. You came out with a confident stride and cryptic smile, a mic in hand and your hair seamlessly cascading over your shoulders.

The arena erupted in cheers, the anticipation palpable as you made your entrance, the spotlight now firmly on you. You were dearly missed by the crowd, and they showed it by cheering for you so loud your ears hurt. 

"Surprise, surprise! Look who's back!" you exclaimed, your voice cutting through the arena with a blend of confidence and determination.

Becky's expression shifted from surprise to a mix of disbelief and a slight tinge of apprehension as she stared at you, mic in hand. She hadn't expected your return tonight, especially not in this manner.

You circled the ring, eyeing Becky with a steely resolve and a sweet smile. “Hi bestie! It's good to see you!" You tilted your head slightly, the sweetness in your voice carrying a hint of underlying tension.

Becky narrowed her eyes, a flicker of suspicion crossing her features as she held the mic up to respond, but was happy to see you nonetheless. "Lass, it's good to see you! Welcome back, we've missed you!" Becky responded with a mixture of surprise and genuine warmth, trying to maintain a composed front despite your unexpected appearance. 

 You chuckled softly, the cryptic smile still playing on your lips as you paced around the ring, taking in the crowd's reaction. "I missed you too. And look at you know. The Raw Women's Champion,  dominating the scene like you always do."

Your words dripped with a mix of admiration and something else, something Becky couldn't quite place. "And don't get me wrong, I'm proud of you! But I've been watching you dominate, watching you stand at the top, and I can't help but wonder… where do I fit in this picture?"

Becky's brow furrowed slightly, a perplexed expression crossing her features as she regarded you with curiosity. "What do you mean, where do you fit? You know you're always welcome here, Y/n."

The crowd buzzed with anticipation, sensing the tension between you and Becky. You walked into the ring, that sweet smile still on your lips. "I know Becky! And as your best friend, I want to stand by your side. I want to be cheering you on, but I also want to prove myself, show everyone what I'm capable of, and prove that I belong in the ring with the best of the best."

Becky's expression shifted from confusion to a mix of skepticism and concern, as she sensed an underlying motive in your words. "I get that, but what are you talking about? You've proven yourself time and time again."

You chuckled softly, the sweetness in your voice never wavering. "I haven't been given the chance to prove myself lately, have I though?" our tone shifted slightly, carrying a hint of determination. "I've been so close to getting to the top, but something always gets in my way. Something always stops me. But you know what Becky? I'm sick of being stopped. And you're my best friend, right You know me better than anyone, right?"

Becky paused for a moment, sensing the shift in your tone and the gravity behind your words. She nodded slowly, happiness and wariness creeping into her expression. Happiness because she finally had her best friend back. Wariness because she could sense an undertone in your words that seemed to hint at something beyond a simple desire to compete. She held the mic closer, ready to respond, but you continued, your voice now carrying a determined edge.

 "So, Becky, I'm asking you now, as your friend and as a competitor... as someone who knows what it's like to get what you wanted for so long and have it taken away from you. Put me in the 4 woman chamber match for the Raw Women's Championship."

Becky's expression shifted from surprise to a mix of apprehension and disbelief at your challenge. You stood across from her with a determined gaze, the crowd cheering at your words. Becky's eyes narrowed slightly, a mix of concern and confusion evident in her expression as she processed your request.

You would never try to sabotage her right? This wasn't you trying to hurt her, this was just you expressing your desire to compete at the highest level, and wanting to not blindside her. You were her best friend, so sweet and caring.

She shook her head. Of course you wouldn't try to sabotage her. This had to be about proving yourself. 

"Y/N, I know you want nothing more than to get to the top. But to do that you have to step to the Man, and if you want to step to the man you have to be prepared to go through hell. You want your shot?" Becky stepped closer to you, her expression serious yet tinged with a hint of concern.

"You got it. But remember, that chamber is unforgiving and so am I." How ironic, considering she was the one that incurred your wrath. "Be prepared for the Chamber, cause it's going to be a battle. You want in? You're in. You wanna prove yourself? Prove it."

You smiled at Becky's response, a mix of gratitude and determination coloring your features. The crowd erupted into cheers, sensing the intensity building between the two of you. You got what you wanted, but you'd get what you needed soon enough.

"Trust me, I'm gonna make sure everyone knows what I'm made of," you replied, your tone carrying a confident edge as you held the mic up. "And I'll prove that I belong in that ring, alongside the best, which is you."

Becky nodded,  a faint smile playing on her lips. "I have no doubt about that, Y/n. See you at the Chamber." Becky held her mic up, signaling the end of the confrontation, and made her exit from the ring, leaving you to bask in the cheers and excitement of the audience.

The camera caught the sly smile on your face as you watched Becky leave, a victorious glint in your eyes that widened when you saw Becky turn around and get blindsided by Shayna Baszler and Natalya, who struck the champion down and initiated a brutal assault on Becky, leaving her lying in the middle of the ring.

You quickly dropped your mic on the ground and went to the aid of Becky, swinging at Natalya and Shayna, attempting to fend them off and help Becky. The ring erupted into chaos as Becky recovered and helped you gain the upper hand.

Shayna tried to lock in the Kirfuda Clutch on Becky, but you threw Natalya into her and super kicked Shayna, creating an opportunity for Becky to hit Shayna with the Manhandle Slam, knocking her out cold. The audience roared in excitement as the chaos unfolded in the ring as officials guided Natalya and Shayna out of the ring. 

You stood tall, breathing heavily but the adrenaline pumping through your veins. Becky was panting as she sat on the canvas, looking on and smirking at Shayna and Natalya who were yelling at the two of you before turning towards you, who was holding her dropped title in your hands with a satisfied smirk.

You sensed her gaze and looked at the title once more- as if claiming it already- before locking eyes with her and handing it over to her with a sweet smile. 

"Champ." You handed her the title with a respectful nod, a glint of determination shining in your eyes. The crowd erupted into cheers at the display of sportsmanship between you and Becky.

You extended your hand to help Becky up, and she took it, getting back to her feet with your support. The two of you shared a brief nod of mutual respect before Becky raised the title high, you standing by her side, sharing a smile with her as the the arena roared with excitement.

This was too easy. 

“You did good.” Roman complimented you from across the table, his arms crossed as he observed you. His gaze was inscrutable, his eyes examining you with a sense of curiosity that made you slightly uncomfortable. Paul stood behind Roman as always, his face stoic yet knowing at the same time.

"Thanks, Roman," you replied, feeling a mix of relief and tension at his compliment. You shifted slightly in your seat, trying to read Roman's expression but finding it difficult to decipher his thoughts.

"You were assertive out there. Got what you wanted," Roman continued, his tone carrying a hint of something you couldn't quite place. “She trusts you. She thinks that you’re just looking to prove yourself and to have a fair shot. She doesn't see what's coming."

Roman leaned back in his chair, a faint smirk playing on his lips. "Paul booked you a match with Becky against Shayna and Natalya, and I want you to be ready to show everyone a glimpse of what you are capable of. You've got the opportunity, now make the most of it."

You nodded, trying to mask the unease that had settled within you at Roman's words. His demeanor was calm, but there was an intensity in his gaze that made you feel like he knew more than he let on. You pushed aside the unease, focusing on the task at hand. "I'll be ready, Roman. I won't disappoint."

Roman  studied you for a moment before nodding approvingly. "Good. Remember, everything you are doing for this family. All the heartache you are experiencing  is  for the grater good, for our legacy, and will be worth it when you are holding up that championship at the end of it all." Roman's words were cryptic yet carried a sense of assurance that made you feel a bit more secure in your actions.

Paul Heyman chimed in, his tone carrying a sense of pride yet wary all the same. "Y/N,  the Bloodline is built on strength and loyalty" Paul moved from behind Roman and leaned forward slightly, emphasizing his words with a knowing look. "Are you loyal to the family?" 

His tone confused you, it seemed like there was more to his question than a simple inquiry about loyalty.

You met Paul's gaze, feeling a slight sense of apprehension at the weight behind his question. "Of course, Paul. I'm loyal to the family." you replied, trying to maintain a composed front despite the uncertainty swirling within you. "I always will be."

"Then why were we informed that you were speaking with a certain individual earlier?" Paul's voice dropped slightly, his eyes narrowing as he watched your reaction carefully. "Do we have a reason to worry about your loyalty?"

Your heart sank at Paul's question, realizing he was referring to the encounter with Sami earlier. Jey must've told him. You quickly tried to gather your thoughts, knowing that the wrong words could create a rift with the Bloodline. "It was nothing, Paul. Just an old friend wanting to catch up. Nothing more," you responded, attempting to downplay the situation.

Roman's expression remained stoic, his gaze unwavering as he assessed your response. "We don't need any distractions, especially not from someone who's not a part of this family." His words were firm, a hint of warning in his tone. "Sami is outside of our circle. He's not someone you need to be associating with."

Your brain and heart were at war with each other, torn between your allegiance to the Bloodline and your personal connections outside of it. You knew Roman's expectations of maintaining loyalty, but your bond with Sami and emotions made it hard to completely sever those ties. Yet, you were also aware of the consequences of going against Roman's wishes.

""I understand, Roman. I'll make sure it doesn't happen again," you replied, your voice resolute yet tinged with a sense of conflict. Unlike with Kevin, Sami represented a more complex situation, a friendship you weren't ready to completely let go of. But you knew you needed to appease to Roman in order to maintain your place within the Bloodline. And if Roman said to cut ties with Sami, you had to comply.

Roman regarded you for a moment longer, his gaze holding yours so intensely that it felt like he was seeing right through you. "I know you're new to how we operate, but we do not entertain distractions or associations that could compromise us," Roman stated firmly, his tone carrying a finality that left no room for argument.

"We're a family, and loyalty to the family comes above all else. I already gave you a pass the last time, but this time, there won't be another warning. As of today, no more hanging out in the ladies locker room, you will be in the Bloodline's locker room. No more interacting with outsiders, especially ones that can bring unwanted attention or complications. Jey will be watching over you to make sure you're following through with this. No more rooming with Becky or anyone else outside of the family. Do I make myself clear?"

You swallowed hard, feeling the weight of Roman's words and your heart hurting. You thought Jey trusted you, but it seemed like that was not the case. This was the line in the sand, a directive that required unwavering compliance. "Crystal clear, Roman. I'll make the necessary changes."

You glanced over at Paul Heyman, hoping for some leniency or understanding, but his expression remained impassive, his eyes fixed on you as if waiting for any sign of defiance.

Roman nodded once, his gaze holding yours for a moment longer before he leaned back in his chair, signaling the end of the conversation. "Good. Make sure you follow through. This family doesn't tolerate distractions. Do you want to room with me or Jey? Those are your only options."

You felt a mix of emotions swirling within you - disappointment, confusion, and a tinge of resentment. You knew aligning with the Bloodline came with its rules and expectations, but you didn't think that it would demand cutting off connections completely. But you knew that you had to comply if you wanted to remain within the Bloodline's circle.

"Jey will be fine, thank you," you replied, your voice steady, though there was a hint of sadness behind your words. "I'll make sure to comply with the family's wishes."

Roman nodded, his expression unreadable. "Good. We need everyone focused and aligned." With that, he stood up, signaling the end of the conversation. You rose from your seat, a sense of disappointment weighing heavy on your chest. ou couldn't help but feel torn between your loyalty to the Bloodline and the connections you'd built outside of it.

Jey was waiting outside, a concerned look on his face as he observed you leaving the meeting room. He immediately stepped forward as you approached, his gaze searching yours for any sign of distress. "Aye, you good? You look tense as hell."

You shot him a glare that made him shift slightly, sensing your frustration. "Jey, I'm fine," you replied, your tone curt as you tried to mask your emotions. "Let's just go to the locker room."

Jey's expression softened with concern, but he didn't press further, respecting your need for space. He nodded, falling into step beside you as you headed towards the Bloodline's locker room, a sense of unease and conflict gnawing at him.

"Are you sure you good?" Jey asked when you guys made it to the locker room, as if he wasn't the reason for your anger.

He opened the door for you, but you barely acknowledged his existence as you ducked under his arm and entered the room, getting your gear and walking past him to go to the bathroom, slamming the door shut hard. 

Ouch. 

"Are you sure you good? You actin' real distant." Jey said, his voice concerned as the two of you walked to your hotel room.

The match went well, at least by Jey's standards. Everyone noticed you were more vicious than ever. Your kicks were more violent, your strikes harder, and your demeanor in the ring was more intense than usual. Jey noticed, as did your opponents.  It was clear that you were channeling your frustrations and emotions into your performance.

You got the win on Natalya, making her tap out while Becky hit the manhandle slam on Shayna to help seal the victory. The win was satisfying, and the crowd's reaction was electric, but the tension from earlier still lingered within you.

"I said I'm fine, Jey." You mumbled to yourself, your voice barely audible as you kept walking ahead, your steps quick and determined.

Jey let out a frustrated sigh, trailing behind you, his concern evident in the way he glanced at you every few steps. "Look, I ain't know what Roman said, but you don't gotta take it out on me. I just want to make sure you're okay. You know I got your back, right?"

 "Do you, Jey? Because it sure doesn't feel like it." You walked ahead of him, trying to avoid looking into his eyes. The frustration and hurt within you were like a simmering pot threatening to boil over, and Jey trying to reach out only added to your inner turmoil.

Jey's steps faltered, his brow furrowing in confusion and hurt at your response. He tried to get you to look at him, but you kept your gaze fixed ahead, your jaw clenched tightly. "What's going on, Y/N? Talk to me. I thought we were cool."

You scoffed as you pulled out your keycard, unlocking the door to your shared hotel room and pushing it open, not bothering to wait for Jey. "I thought we were too." You tried to grab your luggage, but Jey beat you to it, swiftly grabbing your bags before you could.

"Talk to me, Y/N," Jey pleaded, his voice tinged with concern and confusion as he followed you into the room. He gently placed the bags down by the bed and turned to face you, his expression a mix of worry and frustration.

"There's nothing to talk about." You couldn't help but feel a tinge of something as you saw Jey as frustrated as ever, still be a gentleman. Why did he have to be so persistent? Your mind screamed. "I said I'm fine, Jey. Just drop it."

Jey's frustration was evident as he ran a hand through his hair, pacing slightly in the room. "You clearly ain't alright, and I ain't just gonna stand here watchin' you drown in whatever's goin' on in that head of yours." Jey's voice was tinged with a mix of concern and exasperation, his eyes locked on you as if trying to break through the emotional barrier you'd put up.

"Then you only have yourself to blame that for whatever this is." You shot back, your tone laced with frustration and hurt. The floodgates threatened to burst open, but you fought hard to keep your emotions in check.

Jey's expression softened, his frustration giving way to a genuine concern. "I don't understand what I did, Y/N. I'm just trying to help."

"You seriously thought I wouldn't find out you told Roman about Sami?" You paused, the words hanging in the air, the weight of the accusation heavy between you and Jey. The silence that followed felt suffocating, tension crackling in the air like electricity.

Jey's eyes widened in shock, his mouth slightly agape as he struggled to find the right words. "I... I didn't... Y/N, I didn't mean for it to--"

"Save it, Jey." You cut him off, the hurt in your voice palpable. "I trusted you, and you went and told Roman about Sami, didn't you?"

Jey took a step closer, his hands held up in a placating gesture. "Y/N, I was just--"

"Just what?" You interrupted, your frustration boiling over. "Trying to prove your loyalty to Roman? You threw me under the bus without even talking to me about it!"

"I wasn't tryna prove nothing!" Jey shot back, his tone defensive. "I saw you getting distracted by him, and I couldn't let you get in your head so close to such an important match. I didn't want Roman to think you were goin' against the family."

“Well now he thinks I'm not completely aligned with the family, thanks to you!" You retorted, the anger and betrayl seeping into your voice. “Now I have to have a protector hovering over me at all hours of the day which newsflash- is you! So have fun being my babysitter!"

Jey's expression shifted from shock to regret as he took in the impact of his actions on you. "I was just tryna look out for you, Y/N. I didn't mean to mess things up."

"Well, congratulations, you did." You turned away from Jey, trying to hide the hurt and frustration welling up within you. Jey tried to reach out for you, but you evaded his touch, moving to the other side of the room. You grabbed your night bag, slinging it over your shoulder and making your way to the bathroom. “

“I’m gonna shower, and I expect you to just be quiet and not talk to me when I come out.” 

Jey's shoulders slumped in defeat as he watched you leave the room, his expression a mix of regret and sorrow. He sank down onto the bed, running a hand through his hair, feeling the weight of the rift he had created between the two of you.

He let his stupid jealousy run him to Roman and craete this mess in the first place. God, why did Jey have to be such a hothead? He honestly didn’t have a good reason for his actions. All he knew was that when he saw you and Sami interact, all he felt was red hot jealousy, anger and fear that you might be swayed away from the Bloodline's loyalty. Jey's instinct was to stop anything and anyone from making your alliance sway, even if it meant crossing lines. But now he realized that his impulse reaction was very stupid. 

He sighed again and reached out for his phone to scroll through twitter and distract himself from everything until you came out. He plopped down on the bed again and went scrolling before he sat up in a panic and looked around, realizing what you and him both missed when you walked in the room while you were arguing. 

There was only one bed.

You came out of the bathroom with a fresh face and fresh pajamas, your hair wrapped in a bonnet and towel slung over your shoulder. Your eyes avoided Jey as you made your way to the bed, trying to ignore the tension that hung heavily in the air.

He looked handsome even in his frustration, scrolling through his phone. You were both too stubborn to acknowledge the awkwardness of the situation that you realized when you came out and saw him laying down on only one bed.

You cleared your throat, trying to break the silence. “There’s some food from catering that the staff left in the fridge if you get hungry.” Even if you were mad at him, you couldn't deny the urge to look out for him, especially after a tense confrontation. “Uh, I’ll take the couch, you get comfy there. Good night.”

Jey looked up at that, his eyebrows furrowed at your words. You really thought he’d let you sleep on the couch after everything that had just happened? His heart ached at the thought of you feeling uncomfortable or hurt. "Nah, I’ll take the couch, Y/N. You take the bed. I messed up, and I should be the one to make things right," Jey offered, his voice soft and apologetic.

You shook your head, your resolve unwavering despite the inner turmoil. “I’d rather take the couch, Jey. It’s fine. I need some space anyway.”

Jey glared at you, his tone firm yet pleading. "Stop being so damn stubborn, Y/N. You don't need to take the couch because of me. I’ll sleep on the couch, and that's final."

The tension in the room was palpable, the unresolved emotions lingering between you both. You stood your ground, not wanting to relent despite the ache in your heart. "Jey, I said I'll take the couch. End of discussion."

Jey was just as stubborn, and glared at you again and again. "Y/N, I’m not letting you sleep on a couch because of my stupid mistake. You’re taking the bed."

Your frustration peaked, and you threw your hands up in exasperation. "Why can't you just listen for once? I don't want to argue about this, Jey. Just take the bed and let me have the couch. It's not that big of a deal."

“Y’know what? This bed is big enough for both of us. You gon have to learn how to share.” Jey stood up, determined, and walked towards the bed, pulling back the covers on one side, leaving the other side for you.

You stared at him, caught off guard by his insistence. The conflicting emotions within you raged as you met his gaze. “Jey, I don’t think that’s a good idea. I can just—”

“You not sleeping on the couch. You gon get in these covers, sleep right next to me, and that’s final.” Jey’s assertive voice was firm, and it made you feel even hotter all over when he patted the bed, signaling for you to join him. The air between you crackled with tension, your thoughts racing a mile a minute as your eyes flitted between Jey and the bed. 

The intensity in Jey's gaze made you feel both conflicted and flustered. You took a deep breath, trying to calm the storm of emotions within you.

“Fine. But you stay on your side of the bed,” you finally relented, moving towards the bed but keeping a noticeable distance between you and Jey. Slipping under the covers, you positioned yourself as far away from him as possible without falling off the bed, your back facing him.

Jey sighed, feeling a mix of relief and regret. He sighed again when he turned around and saw you grabbing pillows and positioning them as a barrier between the two of you.

“Do you really gotta do that?" Jey's voice was soft, filled with a tinge of disappointment. He shifted slightly closer, his hand reaching out to gently move the pillows away from between you two.

You stiffened at his touch, but didn't resist as he adjusted the pillows. "Yes, I do," you replied, your voice barely above a whisper. The proximity between you and Jey made your heart race, and you found it difficult to relax despite your exhaustion.

Jey's touch lingered for a moment longer before he withdrew his hand, respecting your boundaries. He settled into his side of the bed, leaving a respectable distance between you both. The air was thick with unresolved tension, and the silence felt deafening.

"Goodnight, Y/N," Jey murmured softly, his voice carrying a sense of regret and longing.

"Night, Jey," you responded quietly, the weight of the evening's events weighing heavily on your mind as you closed your eyes, trying to find solace in the darkness of the room. Sleep, however, remained elusive as you grappled with conflicting emotions, the events of the night replaying in your mind.

Jey fell asleep rather quick, but you tossed and turned, unable to shake off the lingering turmoil within you. Despite the exhaustion, sleep seemed to evade you entirely.  You didn’t know how long you were turning, but you yelped when Jey’s arms wrapped around your waist and he pulled you closer to him, nestling his face in the crook of your neck.

"Jey, what are you doing?" you whispered, your heart racing at the sudden intimacy, a mixture of surprise and confusion flooding your mind.

Jey stirred slightly but didn't let go. "Shh, just relax. It’s 2 in the morning, and you still ain’t sleeping. You need to rest." Jey's voice was gentle, his breath warm against your skin as he held you close, his embrace surprisingly comforting despite the initial shock.

You were caught off guard by the unexpected gesture, your mind racing as conflicting emotions surged within you. His touch was warm and soothing, and you found yourself melting into the embrace, despite the inner turmoil. Part of you wanted to push him away, to maintain the boundaries you had set, but another part yearned for the comfort he offered.

"Jey, we can't—" you started, your voice wavering, but he tightened his hold, his breath tickling your neck as he whispered.

"Just for tonight, Y/N. Let yourself rest," Jey murmured, his words laced with a tenderness that touched your heart. His embrace felt safe, and against your better judgment, you allowed yourself to relax in his arms, the weariness finally taking over as you drifted into a much-needed sleep.

 Jey tightened his grip around you protectively, holding you close as both of you eventually drifted off into a peaceful slumber, the weight of the day's events momentarily fading away.

You were the first to wake up in the morning, the sun peeking through the curtains, casting a warm glow across the room. Disoriented, you blinked a few times, trying to recall the events of the previous night. Memories flooded back, and you felt a pang of guilt mixed with confusion and a lingering sense of comfort from Jey's embrace.

Jey was still asleep, his arm draped over you protectively. His face was serene in slumber, and you couldn't help but notice the gentle rise and fall of his chest as he breathed softly.

 Despite the initial discomfort and the tension between you two, the way he held you close had been surprisingly comforting. 

And you couldn’t deny that he looked good like that, his features softened in sleep, his usually intense gaze replaced by a peaceful expression. His handsome features were more pronounced in the morning light, and you found yourself watching him for a moment, feeling conflicted yet oddly at ease in his presence. You didn’t know if you wanted to stay in his embrace or create some distance.

Jey made that decision for you, tugging you closer in his sleep, nuzzling into your neck with a contented sigh. His hold tightened instinctively, as if he sensed your hesitancy and sought to reassure you even in his slumber.

Despite knowing better- you sighed and relaxed into his arms, his warm weight making you feel surprisingly safe and at peace. You brought your hands to his hair, hesitantly running your fingers through it, a small smile tugging at the corners of your lips when he nuzzled closer to you and his arms wrapped around you a bit tighter in response to your touch. 

Just when you got comfortable, your phone buzzed. You tried to ignore it, but the persistent vibration urged you to check the notification. Glancing over Jey's sleeping form, you carefully maneuvered to reach your phone on the bedside table without disturbing him. 

“I know we’re at the same hotel, so delete the excuses I know you are about to give me. Meet me for breakfast in the lobby. I’ll try not to fight this time.”

You sighed, already knowing who it was. You knew you should just ignore what he said and tell him to shove it up his ass, but you couldn't bring yourself to completely cut off the person reaching out to you. Despite what you have said to him, he still held a place in your heart dear to you. 

Before you could respond, Jey started to stir, his eyes fluttering open as he became aware of the warmth beside him. You turned off your phone, and his gaze met yours, and for a fleeting moment, there was a sense of understanding and unspoken emotions exchanged between you.

"Morning," Jey murmured, his voice husky with sleep, his hold on you loosening slightly as he shifted to look at you.

"Morning," you replied softly, a hint of uncertainty in your voice, unsure of how to navigate the newfound intimacy between you two after the events of the previous night.

Jey offered a small, sheepish smile, his gaze lingering on you. "Didn't expect to wake up like this."

You chuckled softly, trying to lighten the atmosphere. "Me neither. I guess the bed isn't as big as we thought."

The tension seemed to dissipate gradually as Jey's smile widened. "Guess not." He hesitated for a moment before continuing, his tone more serious. "About last night... I'm sorry, Y/N. I shouldn't have gone to Roman about Sami. I messed up."

You sighed, feeling the weight of his apology. "Yeah, you did. But it's in the past now, Jey.”

Jey shook his head, a hint of regret in his eyes. “Nah, it ain’t in the past, not until you forgive me. I messed up, and I’m sorry, Y/N. I should’ve talked to you first instead of acting on impulse.”

You looked at Jey, his sincerity evident in his eyes. Part of you wanted to hold onto the anger and hurt, but another part understood his actions came from a place of concern, even if it was misguided. “It hurt, Jey. I understand you were trying to look out for me in your own way. But if you do something like that again, it will be the last time. If you feel like something up, then talk to me first, okay?”

Jey nodded earnestly, a sense of relief washing over his features at your words. "I promise, Y/N. I won't make that mistake again. I'll talk to you first, no matter what." He reached out, tentatively placing a hand on your arm, seeking reassurance in your touch.

You glanced down at his hand on your arm, feeling a mix of emotions at the gesture. “Good, othwerise I’ma have to kick you out the bed next time.”  You offered a teasing smile, trying to ease the tension between you two.

Jey chuckled, relieved at the hint of humor in your words. “You weren’t complaining last night when I was the big spoon,” he teased, a playful glint in his eyes.

You couldn't help but laugh, the tension dissipating further at Jey's lighthearted comment. "Well, maybe I needed a little extra warmth," you teased back, a playful smirk on your face.

Jey grinned, feeling a sense of relief at the more relaxed atmosphere between you two. "Guess I'll have to keep you warm more often then," he quipped, a smirk playing on his lips.

The banter between you two felt oddly comforting, and you found yourself relaxing further into the conversation. "We'll see about that," you replied, a playful glint in your eye as you bantered back and forth.

Jey smiled, a genuine warmth in his expression as he looked at you. "For what it's worth, I'm glad you're here, Y/N. I got jealous cause… you so ama zing, and I didn't want anyone else to take you away from the family. I just need to make sure you're safe."

Jey's confession made your heart flutter a little, a hint of vulnerability shining through his words. His soft voice and even softer touch, his apologetic tone, all made your resolve waver. You looked at Jey, seeing a side of him that you hadn't fully acknowledged before.

And it made you like him even more.

“Jey, there’s no reason for you to be jealous. I am here with you because of my own choice. You're part of why I'm here. I get it, you were looking out for me. But it's a two-way street. I need you to trust me too, okay?" You placed your hand on top of his, offering a reassuring squeeze.

Jey looked down at your hand atop his, trying to will away the blush that threatened to creep up on his cheeks. "I trust you, Y/N. I promise, I do," he replied sincerely, his gaze meeting yours with a sense of earnestness.

You smiled softly, feeling heat flutter in your chest at his words. "Good. We're on the same page then." You squeezed his hand again before withdrawing your touch, feeling a sense of warmth and understanding settling between you two.

Jey nodded, a genuine smile spreading across his face as he looked at you. "Yeah, we are."

You smiled back at him just as warmly before glancing at the clock on the bedside table. “Guess its time for breakfast?”

You giggled when Jey groaned and in one swift movement, he pulled you back into his arms, burying his face in your neck again. "Can't we just stay here a little longer?" Jey murmured, his voice tinged with a hint of reluctance.

You chuckled at his reluctance, feeling a sense of comfort in his embrace. "Okay then, how about I go get us breakfast, and you sit your cute ass here and go to sleep till I get back?" you teased, poking fun at Jey's sudden attachment to the bed and to you.

Jey laughed softly, the sound rumbling against your neck. "Deal. But you better bring me something good, pretty girl." he replied playfully, his heart aching at your nickname for him and his arms tightening around you momentarily before he released you.

You slipped out of his embrace, feeling a strange sense of warmth from the shared moment. "I'll see what I can do," you teased back, grabbing your phone and the nearest jacket and heading towards the door.

"Don't forget to get me a coffee too!" Jey called after you, a soft smile on his face as he watched you leave the room, enjoying the playful banter.

"I won't" You shouted back as you shut the door behind you, a smile tugging at your lips as you made your way downstairs to the breakfast area. The morning air felt refreshing as you walked through the hotel lobby, heading towards the restaurant area where breakfast was being served.

Talking things out with Jey had left you feeling lighter, the tension from the previous night slowly dissipating. He was truly an enigma, you thought to yourself. His protective nature and genuine concern, mixed with a fiery temper, made him both frustrating and endearing at the same time. But that's why you liked him.

The aroma of freshly brewed coffee and a variety of breakfast items greeted you as you entered the restaurant. You made your way to the buffet, selecting an array of items, making sure to get something for Jey that he would appreciate.

"Was beginning to think you stood me up."

You didn't bother to look up from loading your plate as you heard the voice behind you.

"I keep my promises, unlike some people." You retorted, putting on a blank face as you turned around to face Kevin, who was leaning against the counter, a knowing smile on his lips.

Kevin ignored your remark, his eyes scanning the food on your plate. "Looks like someone's hungry. Didn't know you were into breakfast dates," Kevin remarked casually, a playful glint in his eyes as he teased you.

You rolled your eyes at his comment, trying to brush off his teasing. "It's not a date, Kevin. Just grabbing some food for a friend," you clarified, picking up a coffee and adding it to your tray before turning to head back to the room.

Kevin fell into step beside you, his smirk widening. "A friend, huh? Didn't know Jey was that close of a friend to get breakfast served to the room," he teased, nudging you playfully as you walked.

You sighed, feeling a little exasperated by Kevin's persistent teasing and a little worried Roman or Paul would see you with Kevin. "Cut the bullshit, Kevin. What do you want?"

Kevin noticed your guarded tone and nervous demeanor and dropped the teasing, adopting a more serious expression. "This! This is what I wanted to you about! You acting like there's some of curfew on you ever since you joined the Bloodline!"

You shot him a glare at his loud accusation, trying to keep your voice low. "Keep your voice down, Kevin! You know I can't be seen chatting with you like this," you hissed, glancing around nervously to ensure no one from the Bloodline was nearby.

Kevin shot his arms out, looking like he was seconds away from exploding because of your words. "Oh my god, Y/N, this is ridiculous! You're tiptoeing around like you're on eggshells all the time. When was the last time you had a normal conversation with someone without looking over your shoulder? Without your Tribal Chief watching your every move?"

Your expression hardened at Kevin's words. "I am not walking on eggshells!"

"Oh really? Because it sure looks like it! You're acting like a robot following orders, not a human being!" Kevin's frustration was evident, his voice carrying a mix of concern and exasperation.

"I'm doing what I have to do to stay where I am!" you shot back, feeling defensive at Kevin's accusations, trying to walk away from prying eyes. "I want to get to the top, and Roman is helping me to get there!"

Kevin shook his head, his expression one of disappointment. "At what cost, Y/N? What's the point of being part of something if you can't be yourself?"

You bristled at Kevin's words, feeling a mix of frustration and internal conflict. "Let's not act like you haven't been through this before, Kevin. You know how it is. This is the business. This is how things work!"

Kevin's expression softened, his voice turning more empathetic. "I get it, Y/N. I've been there, I know how the business works. But you're different."

You glared at him, tired of his line of thinking. Why couldn't he just be happy for you? "Because I'm weak, right?"

"No. Because you're my best friend."

That shut you up. Kevin actually looked heartbroken, actually looked like he cared about you. His eyes were filled with genuine concern that made you stop in your tracks, a look you hadn't seen in a long time.

"Kev…" you started, but before you could finish, footsteps approached, and you quickly glanced around, feeling paranoid about someone overhearing your conversation.

Paul and Roman were making their way towards the breakfast area, engaged in conversation. They hadn't seen you yet, but you couldn't take any chances. Kevin noticed your sudden unease and the change in your expression, quickly grasping the situation.

"I gotta go, Kevin." You pleaded with Kevin, feeling the urgency of the situation and not wanting to draw any more attention. You glanced nervously at Paul and Roman, hoping Kevin would just listen to you for once and finally let you be.

Kevin followed your gaze, face dropping when he spotted Paul and Roman, his face turning back to you with a disappointed expression that made your heart hurt. "Fine, go. But we're not done talking about this, Y/N. I meant what I said. I'm not letting them take you away from me" he said firmly, his eyes conveying both frustration and concern.

You sighed but didn't have time to argue with him, giving him a grateful yet conflicted nod before hurriedly making your way out of the restaurant area, feeling the weight of the conversation with Kevin tugging at your thoughts. Heading back to Jey's room, you tried to shake off the mixture of emotions clouding your mind.

Upon entering, you found Jey sitting on the couch, scrolling through his phone. He looked up as you entered, a warm smile spreading across his face. "Hey pretty girl, you're back! Got the coffee?" he asked with a grin.

"Yeah, got your coffee and some food," you replied, trying to push away the lingering unease from the encounter with Kevin. You placed the tray on the table and handed him the coffee.

Jey took the coffee with a grateful nod, then glanced at you, his expression shifting slightly. "Everything alright?"

You hesitated for a moment, debating whether to share the encounter with Kevin. But before you could respond, your phone buzzed in your pocket. Checking it quickly, you saw a message from Kevin:

"I meant what I said. And if I have to take out Roman to protect you, I will."

Your heart raced at Kevin's message. Why couldn't he just leave things be? But he wouldn't be Kevin if he wasn't stubborn as hell. You swiftly pocketed your phone, trying to mask the anxiety bubbling within you.

"Yeah, everything's fine," you replied to Jey, forcing a smile. "Just had a small encounter downstairs. Nothing to worry about."

Jey studied you for a moment, his expression thoughtful. "Alright. Just know I'm here if you need to talk about anything." He reached out, gently squeezing your hand in a supportive gesture.

You smiled at the gesture, biting your lip at the way Jey was looking at you- all concerned and caring. You squeezed his hand back, your hands fitting together perfectly. "Trust me, you have nothing to worry about."

You could only hope that was true.

"Welcome to Friday Night Smackdown! It is the go-home show before Elimination Chamber! I'm Michael Cole here with Corey Graves, and what a night it's shaping up to be, Corey!"

"Absolutely, Cole! The anticipation is at an all-time high as we lead into Elimination Chambe- Oh my god! We are getting life feed o-of Raw Women's Champion Becky Lynch being attacked!"

The camera quickly cut and panned to the hallway where Becky was sprawled onto the floor, a hooded figure beating down on her, grabbing a metal pole and smashing her arm into it. The attacker's face was hidden by the hood, but the assault was relentless. Security personnel rushed to the scene, attempting to intervene and pull the assailant away, but the attacker managed to escape, disappearing into the chaos of the backstage area.

"Becky, are you okay?" The medics tried to assist Becky, helping her sit up as she winced in pain, clutching her injured arm.

"I'm fine." She spat , trying to shake off the pain, her expression a mix of anger and frustration. "Get off me! I'm going to find that son of a…" Becky's words trailed off as she winced again, her arm clearly causing her significant discomfort.

"Becky!" You shouted, running towards Becky, concern etched across your face as you arrived at the chaotic scene, flanked by security and other WWE personnel who were attempting to assess the situation and offer help.

"What happened? Are you okay?" Your voice was filled with worry as you knelt beside Becky, who was visibly in pain, holding her injured arm close to her body.

Becky glanced up, her eyes filled with frustration and anger. "I don't know who it was, but they blindsided me and went after my arm. Son of a… I'll find them myself!"

The medics gently tried to examine Becky's arm, but she shrugged them off, pushing herself up despite the pain. "I'm fine, damn it! Just give me a minute to clear my head."

"She said she's fine!" You barked at one of the medics that tried to examine Becky's arm, your protective instincts kicking in. You gently put a reassuring hand on Becky's shoulder, trying to calm her down. "Let's get you some ice and take a look at that arm, Becky. We'll figure out who did this, but your health comes first."

Becky shot you a grateful yet annoyed glance, her frustration evident as she reluctantly allowed the medics to help her. "Fine, do what you need to do. But I'm finding out who did this, and they're going to regret crossing me."

"They will." You pursed your lips and help her stand up, wrapping her good arm around your shoulder and supporting her weight as you guided her to the medics. The cameras caught the tense scene, focusing on your support for Becky as you assisted her before the scene went black. going back to Michael Cole and Corey Graves in the commentary booth.

"An absolutely shocking turn of events here tonight, Corey. The Raw Women's Champion, Becky Lynch, attacked backstage before Elimination Chamber. The question on everyone's mind is, who could be behind this assault?"

"I have no idea Cole, but what I do know is that the rest of the compeitors in the Women's Chamber match just got an easier path to potentially winning the title if Becky's arm injury impedes her performance. What this means for Becky though, well keep you updated with any further developments as they come. We'll have to wait and see how this injury might affect her match at Elimination Chamber."

The screen flickered, transitioning into an ad break, leaving the audience in suspense.

You left medical after helping Becky settle down, ensuring she was receiving proper care for her injured arm. The chaos backstage was palpable, with security and WWE officials scrambling to understand what had just occurred. Everyone was gossiping in hushed tones, on edge and trying to speculate on who might be behind the attack on Becky Lynch.

You felt a knot of concern and apprehension form in your stomach as you walked in the hallway, concerned for Becky's well-being and troubled by the uncertainty and tension lingering backstage.

“I know you did it.” You looked up at the voice making the accusation, coming face to face with the man that broke your heart- Seth Freakin' Rollins.

"Excuse me?" You started, taken aback by Seth's sudden accusation.

"You heard me." Seth's tone was stern, his eyes locking onto yours, filled with accusation and anger. "You attacked Becky, didn't you?"

Your jaw dropped in shock. "What? No! Why would you even think that?" Your voice came out in a mix of disbelief and offense.

"Don't play innocent with me!" Seth's voice rose, drawing the attention of nearby personnel. He stepped closer, his finger pointed accusingly. "You've been acting too nice lately! I know you've had issues with Becky, and now this happens? It's too much of a coincidence!"

Your eyes widened in disbelief. "Seth, you have it all wrong. I would never do something like that! I care about Becky, despite our differences."

Seth scoffed, shaking his head in disbelief, getting in your face. "You might have the rest of the roster fooled with your nice girl act, but I know better."

Your frustration mounted as Seth continued to accuse you. "First of all, you lost the right to talk to me at all when you cheated on me, so stop acting like you know me or my intentions. And secondly, I would never attack someone, even if had issues with them. So get out of my face or else."

Seth's expression softened slightly at your words, a flicker of doubt crossing his features, but his accusatory stance remained, and he moved closer to you, his tall figure towering over you. "Or else what?'

"Or else you and your girl are gonna have matching casts." Roman's gruff voice cut through the tense air, causing both you and Seth to turn your heads to find Roman standing a few feet away, his presence commanding attention.

Seth straightened up, eyeing Roman warily but not backing down entirely. "You have nothing to do with this Roman, so let me handle my business."

Roman's eyes were locked onto Seth, his demeanor radiating a warning. "You come at her again, and you won't just be dealing with her. You'll be dealing with me."

Seth seemed to contemplate his next move, glaring at both of you. "What do you even have to do with Y/N?"

Roman 's gaze didn't waver, his tone firm and unwavering. "She's family. And that's all you need to know."

Seth hesitated, clearly weighing his options. He shot one last piercing look in your direction before stepping back, his eyes still filled with suspicion and anger. "This isn't over," he muttered before turning on his heel and walking away.

You let out a deep breath, feeling the tension slowly dissipate as Seth moved away. Glancing up at Roman, you saw a mixture of concern and reassurance in his eyes.

"He's getting closer." You warned Roman, feeling the weight of Seth's accusation and the looming threat in the air. "He's not as dumb as I thought he was, Roman. He's putting things together."

Roman's expression tightened slightly, his protective instincts evident. "I'll handle it. Don't worry about him."

You looked at him with worry, not entirely convinced. "But if he-"

"I said I'l handle it," Roman interrupted, his voice firm and reassuring. "He won't be a problem after tonight. Trust your Tribal Chief."

You nodded, trusting Roman's assurance, but the unease lingered within you. Roman's voice meant business, and you had to trust him to handle it. You had no other option.

"I do trust you, Chief." You assured Roman. Roman seemed satisfied with your trust in him, giving you a nod, his demeanor still protective. "That's all I need to hear. Just focus on what's ahead. Go to the locker room to calm down. We've got a big night tonight."

You breathed out with a sigh, nodding in agreement with Roman's advice. Yeah, I'll do that. Thanks, Roman." You looked up at him, giving him a grateful smile.

"No problem. And," Roman stopped you from leaving just yet, his voice turning serious "I promised you I would make Jey handle Seth, remember?" You nodded, and Roman continued, "That promise will have to come a little early. It will be cashed in tonight, trust me. Tell Jey it's time."

With that assurance, you nodded again, feeling a mix of relief and gratitude toward Roman. "Thank you, Roman. I appreciate it."

Roman offered a reassuring nod before stepping away, leaving you to gather your thoughts and emotions as you made your way to the Bloodline's locker room, trying to calm your racing thoughts and the tension knotting your muscles.

You opened the door and saw Jey sitting on a bench, lacing up his boots. He looked up as you entered, a curious expression on his face.

"Hey, everything good?" Jey asked, noticing the tense energy you brought into the room.

You took a deep breath, trying to steady your nerves before responding. "I need your help."

Jey stopped what he was doing, giving you his full attention. "What happened?" It was rare you would ask him for help, you didn't like bothering people with your issues, but Jey could see the urgency in your eyes and knew it was serious.

"Seth knows." You blurted out, your voice edged with worry.

Jey's expression turned serious, his eyes narrowing slightly as he processed the information. "How much does he know?"

You sighed, trying to collect your thoughts. "He knows enough to get suspicious. He yelled at me, and Roman stepped in before things escalated. But he's not stupid, Jey. He's putting the pieces together."

Jey stood up immediately, his demeanor shifting to a more alert and protective stance. "Did he threaten you?"

You shook your head quickly. "No, not exactly. But he's getting closer to figuring things out. He's not letting it go."

Jey let out a frustrated sigh, running a hand through his hair. "Damn it. I'll handle it."

You held up a hand, stopping him from rushing off. "No, Jey. That's not what I need. Roman said it's time."

Understanding flashed in Jey's eyes as he comprehended Roman's message. "Got it. I'll handle Seth tonight."

"Please be careful," you pleaded with Jey, worry lacing your tone. The tension in the air was palpable, and you couldn't shake off the feeling of impending conflict.

Jey gave you a reassuring nod. "I got this. You just focus on what you need to do tonight. Focus on your match tomorrow, not this, okay? That's the only thing you need to worry about, you got it?" Jey stood up and cupped your face, gently ilting your chin up to meet his eyes, his expression serious yet comforting.

You nodded, trying to steady your nerves. "Okay. I'll focus on the match."

Jey's hand dropped from your face, but he maintained eye contact, his gaze intense. "I mean it, pretty girl. Leave this to me. Go out there and kill it tomorrow."

You nodded again, feeling a mix of gratitude and anxiety. "I will. Thank you, Jey."

Jey smiled at you reassuringly, bringing you into a hug, his strong arms encircling you in a comforting embrace. "Anytime, Y/N. You got this. Now go get ready for tomorrow. We'll take care of the rest."

You reciprocated the hug briefly before pulling away, a grateful smile on your face. "Thanks, Jey. I appreciate it." You didn't know if you could fully leave the situation in their hands, but for now, you had to trust in Roman and Jey's ability to handle things.

Jey's hand tightening its grip on your cheek brought you out of your reverie. "You're gonna be alright," he assured you once more, his tone soothing. "Just focus on what's ahead. Promise me you won't get caught up in no mess."

You paused, taking a deep breath, feeling the weight of Jey's words. "I promise, Jey. I'll stay focused on my match and won't get caught up in any mess."

Jey nodded in approval, releasing your cheek. "That's my pretty girl. Now go chill out and I'll find you after I'm done with my match, and we can ride to the venue together."

You managed a small smile, feeling reassured by Jey's support. "Alright, I'll see you after your match."

With another hug and smile, Jey left the locker room, leaving with your thoughts, which was never a good thing. You thought of going to see Becky and check on her, but you knew she needed space right now. Maybe you could find a quiet spot backstage to clear your head?

Your phone buzzing made you pause your train of thought, and you checked it to find a message from someone you didn't want to see right now.

Sami: "I heard what happened. Meet me backstage. We need to talk."

You tried to pocket your phone, but another message came through from Sami:

Sami: Fine, you won't come to me than I'll come to you. I'm on my way to the Bloodline's locker room.

Your eyes widened in alarm at Sami's messages. He seemed insistent on meeting you, and the last place you wanted to face him was in the Bloodline's locker room.

You: Do you want to get killed?

Sami: I'm more afraid of losing you then of Roman.

You: And you're not afraid of me?

Sami: I'm coming. You can't avoid me forever.

You quickly made a decision, knowing you couldn't risk any unnecessary confrontations or disruptions, especially with Sami involved. Leaving the Bloodline's locker room swiftly, you navigated through the backstage area, trying to avoid running into Sami. The urgency to get away from the situation was mounting, and you found a secluded spot away from the main areas.

Sami: "Y/N, where are you? I'm looking for you."

You were on edge, your heart racing as you received Sami's message. You tried to stay out of sight, not wanting to engage in any conversation with Sami right now.

Sami: "Answer me! I know you're here somewhere."

Your phone buzzed again with another message from Sami, and then another.

Sami: "I just want to talk. Please."

You hesitated, feeling torn between wanting to avoid the situation altogether and understanding that Sami seemed persistent about speaking with you. But you knew this was the best thing to do, to avoid any more trouble or confrontation.

Taking a deep breath, you quickly tried to type out a response, but Sami beat you to it.

Sami: Fine, you won’t talk to me, then I’ll have to get your attention.

Your heart caught in your throat at Sami's ominous message. He better not do anything stupid and rash, you thought to yourself, trying to quickly think of a way to de-escalate the situation before it got out of hand.

"Shut up, Kev." You reply with a hint of urgency in your voice, hoping to divert Kevin's attention away. But of course Kevin was Kevin and wouldn't listen to you.

"I told you that we would continue our conversation," Kevin persisted, his tone serious despite the playful jab. "Love the red look." Kevin gestured to your newly dyed red hair. "But at the end of the day, we both know you are not blood, and you don't belong with them."

Then where did you belong? With Kevin, who has betrayed you time and time again, or with the Bloodline, where you found a sense of belonging but constantly faced challenges and suspicions? It seemed like no matter where you turned, there was always someone questioning your loyalty or motives. And you wanted that to stop.

You gritted your teeth, trying to maintain your composure despite the rising tension and your underlying worries about Sami's unpredictable behavior. "And why do you say that?" You stood up, glancing around to ensure no one else was within earshot, trying to keep Kevin's attention focused solely on you.

"Because I know you, Y/N," Kevin replied, his voice softening slightly as he met your gaze. "I know you better than you think."

"No, you don't." You glared at him, feeling frustration bubbling within you. "You think you know me, but you don't. You never have."

Kevin seemed taken aback by the intensity of your response, his expression softening into a more concerned look. "I know you are not cut out for this life, Y/N. You've always been different, and that's okay. But being with the Bloodline… it's changing you. It's not who you are."

Your eyes were intense with emotions, a mix of frustration, anger, and uncertainty. "And you know who I am?" It was almost scary how you seemed to waver between conflicting emotions, your voice edged with frustration and vulnerability. "Did you know how I felt when you betrayed me, Kevin? When you left me to fend for myself? You moved closer to Kevin, lowering your voice as you spoke. "Do you know how ost I felt after that?"

Kevin seemed to falter for a moment, his expression showing a flicker of regret. "I didn't mean to hurt you, Y/N. You have to believe me."

But your patience was wearing thin. "Believe you? Like I believed you before? Like I believed in our friendship? Look where that got me, Kevin. And look where I am now." You gestured to yourself, and Kevin could feel the anger rolling off of you, could feel how different you were. Could see the cockiness from your time with the Bloodline seeping into your demeanor.

"I am this close to getting that title, to becoming someone, to finding my place here. And I promise you, that if you stand in my way, that I will not hesitate to make sure you regret it." Your voice was firm, your gaze unwavering as you confronted Kevin, the frustration and determination evident in your words.

Kevin's expression turned solemn, his eyes reflecting a mix of regret and concern. "You're bluffing." He scoffed, not wanting to believe that you'd changed so much. "This isn't you."

You stared at Kevin, your expression hardening as you stood your ground. "Oh really?" You pointed to the TV that was behind the two of you. "Look at the TV, Kevin."

Kevin's eyes flickered to the TV screen as you pointed, and he saw Roman and Jey sending Seth through the commentary table, bruises and scratches evident on Seth's face as Jey grabbed Seth's face, making him face the camera.

"This is what happens when you mess with the family!" Jey growled , his voice echoing through the TV speakers. Roman stood beside him, his expression unreadable but menacing. "This is what happens when you cross the Bloodline!"

Kevin's eyes widened at the sight on the screen, his expression a mix of shock and realization. He turned back to you, searching your face for any signs of regret or hesitation. But all he saw was determination and resolve.

"That's what happens when you cross me, Kevin." You spoke with an eerie calmness that sent a shiver down Kevin's spine. "That's the kind of power I have behind me now. And if you don't stay out of my way, you'll end up just like Seth. So, back off."

Kevin's expression turned serious, a mix of concern and disbelief clouding his features. "You wouldn't do that to me."

You didn't flinch, your demeanor steady and resolute. "Are you sure?" You pointed to the TV again, and Kevin turned to see Sami jumping Roman, fists clenched, trying to land punches before Jey tackled him to the ground. Chaos erupted on the screen as Jey and Roman fought back against Sami's attack, punching him and trying to subdue him.

"See that?" You met Kevin's eyes once more, your voice low but filled with conviction. "I knew Sami was gonna do something rash, and trust me, I tried to stop him. But he wouldn't listen. Just like you're not listening to me now. So I had to get creative."

You knew Sami wouldn't listen to you, wouldn't leave you alone, so you lured him to Roman and Jey, praying he would listen to them. "You're risking getting involved in something you shouldn't, Kevin. And I won't be responsible for what happens next if you don't back off."

Kevin's expression was a mix of shock, concern, and disbelief. He looked at you, seeing a different person from the friend he once knew. The sweet and caring individual he had been friends with had seemingly transformed into someone unrecognizable — and it was all Roman's fault.

"They've changed you," Kevin said softly, almost to himself, the realization sinking in as he looked at you. "And I'm not gonna let them do this to you any longer."

You sighed, feeling a pang of regret but also a sense of determination. "This is my last warning to you, Kevin. I don't want to hurt you. Stay out of it. You can't change what's already happened."

Kevin seemed torn, his expression reflecting a mix of worry and regret. "Y/N, please. Let's talk about this. You don't have to do this."

But you were resolute, your mind made up. "I'm warning you for the last time, Kevin. Stay out of my business."

You moved towards him, your faces inches apart, and the tension between the two of you was thick. "Stay away from Roman, or you'll regret it," you finished firmly, your tone leaving no room for negotiation or argument.

Kevin looked at you, the reality of the situation sinking in as he processed your warning. He took a step back, a mix of concern and disappointment on his face. "I hope you know that I've never listened to your warnings before, and I'm not gonna start now."

You didn't respond, merely holding his gaze for a moment longer before turning away, striding purposefully in the opposite direction, leaving Kevin behind with a whirlwind of emotions swirling within you.

Time was ticking, and the pressure was crushing you, eating at your conscience.

And you've never felt more alive.

a/n: this chapter was so much fun to write, so I hope you guys enjoyed it!! sami and Kevin just can't let go lol. also y/n will be played by savannah lee smith cause she's a literal goddess!! lemme know how you guys liked this chapter in the comments!! elimination chamber and test next chapter, so be prepared for that 👀

[that-spider-fan-over-there]

Okay I have calmed down from the leaks since last night- And I have opinions (some of them are salty; again, it's because I hate leak nights XP)

Yeah I stand by what I said: This isn't the end for Tenko, since his Quirk is still half of Overhaul's, there's a chance he'll get a Quirk Awakening the vestige world (or wherever the frick that dude is, AFO/OFA all but were mutually destroyed).

So maybe it is a rebirth (If there's a chapter called "Tenko Shimura: Rising" or "Rebirth" remember I called it XD) for him, either rising from the ashes like a phoenix or even shedding that coccon from the butterfly metaphor, it is one of his motifs after all.

I'm also split 50/50 on Izuku ending the series Quirkless, but I believe it's a red herring- because he and Tenko did fist bump before he decayed, bloodied fist. OFA has a conscience of it's own, so if you say it was a "Heroes: Rising" ending I'm gonna have to ask "from the drafts" or the "final product". But to be fair I was already biased when it comes to this outcome.

Also, that thing from Chapter 362, I'm still on edge about that one; because it could've been an afterlife thing but he doesn't even know what Aura Might looks like, so maybe we'll get a return on that (I'm sorry for constantly bringing it up but I refuse to believe that was a small easter egg HORIKOSHI WHY WAS KATSUKI THERE-)

Oh yeah, speaking of which: if the goal was a perfect victory with no casualties, then Izuku won against AFO to save Tenko, but the mission isn't finished yet until he sees Tenko taking his hand with a smile; how is he gonna do that, unsure, but he does have a knack for making unlikely things happen. Remember, Eri herself wasn't saved until she smiled at the Cultural Festival.

Also maybe (and it's a huge maybe) that's the thing that breaks the hidden POV- faced with a failure from the very thing he was trying to avoid, breaking down because. Well look at everything he got thrown at him post-PLF, burdened to save the world, failing to save someone and realizing he can't be a sitting duck, finding out one of his friends was a traitor, didn't even get time to process Katsuki's death, thought he'd be unable to stop Toshinori's, for a brief moment lost his arms-

This one might actually make him get close to a Despair Event Horizon, (I'm 100% sure if Mirio wasn't there he'd shut down by 367) ... then somehow, he gets convinced to not give up, of course it's by Katsuki (he's already there might as well XP) because he's the only one that can make things stick in Izuku's head atp, finding the motivation and getting that mixed with determination to say it's not over yet. And it isn't.

Besides, I don't trust the leakers to do a good translation over bait interactions, they've done it three times that I know of, so uh maybe don't gather your emotions from what they say; trust me, it's an annoying spiral of doomerism.

... plus if Tenko actually somehow transferred something of AFO/OFA they don't have the vestiges anymore so uh maybe something is still shimmering under the surface (I'm getting my own hopes up XD). Also again I do want a follow-up on 362 because I want Tenko and Katsuki to interact it'd be very funny even with the angst in my freaking opinion please-

And one more thing: I have yet to see Izuku reaching out with a smile to save others like he wanted in the first place.

TL;DR: It's most likely a red herring, Tenko is gonna shed the Tomura mask he was trapped in and come back somehow, maybe the vestige world is intact but without the users or AFO, and I still wanna know what the fuck was 362 about. Also no offense but.

This fight is only gonna be a loss if Izuku finally breaks down, gives up and no one (*cough*letsberealitsKatsuki*cough*) is able to convince him otherwise. And we get a shit time skip. Either of the last two would have to happen for this to be real and it hasn't yet so wait this ain't over.

[jerzwriter]

I wanted to take the high road; I really did.

First, no one comes here for drama. I know I've contributed to that in the past, but I have learned from it and made a conscious choice to focus on the positive going forward.

Second, the other party has publicly stated that they are coping with serious mental health issues. I'm not a monster. I don't want this person to spiral. I don't want to add to their obvious pain. I thought I'd stay quiet; they'd get bored and move on. Well, that didn't happen, and I'm doubtful it ever will.

Third, I don't share private conversations. Anything you share with me is in confidence, and I expect the same courtesy in return. Even if we're no longer friends. Even if we are enemies. So, even after this person and some of their friends broke that trust with me, I still chose to do the right thing and keep our conversation private. But it's come to the point that I feel they're taking advantage of me being a better person than them, and I'm done.

Jeremeykau's blog was taken down last week. It was taken down because he consistently posted, telling me to kill myself. Wishing that I would die and saying other things that were beyond vile. In fact, they went so far as to link those sentiments to Discord after Tumblr took down numerous posts for violating standards. When they didn't stop, Tumblr took the blog down in its entirety. I'm happy to provide screenshots if needed.

For those who blame me or think the blog was taken down due to fandom drama... I don't work at Tumblr. I don't have friends working for Tumblr. I do not control Tumblr policy. Tumblr does not take down blogs because of drama between users, but they do take them down when someone is posting daily, telling another person to enjoy their s*icide.

For those lucky enough to be unfamiliar with this drama. J and I spoke 3 months ago. I made ONE post. ONE. After months of J's "vague" posts, then some not-so-vague ones. It was after one of the latter that I finally responded publicly. My purpose? To say I see you, and I want the shit to stop. I didn't call for anyone to be harassed - in fact - I made it clear I didn't want that. But it wasn't a deterrent and J continued to post shit about me directly or indirectly. I didn't reply. ONE POST. Versus dozens now hundreds of J's.

After some time, a mutual friend told me J wanted to talk, and I was uneasy. I have dealt with people like this in my life, and I know it is a dangerous proposition. I had friends warn me not to. But I chose to give J the benefit of the doubt in hopes that we could work things out. Why? I want to live in peace here, and I wanted J to be able to live in peace here, too. But J doesn't want peace.

I've linked our full conversation below. Feel free to see it for yourself. It's our entire conversation. I redacted when J talked about mental health issues because even if they wish to share those details publicly, it's not for me to do. I'm not about to do that. I also redacted the names of others because they don't deserve to be made public.

See it for yourself. It was a surprisingly pleasant conversation, and J seemed to be as grateful as I was. We worked on apologies together. Together. The only thing I refused to do was gaslight people by saying J never said KY when they had publicly many times. I don't gaslight. Outside of that, J said my apology was "GREAT." We ended by saying we were happy we talked, and if we ever had issues with each other again, we would come to each other and discuss them privately.

I even reached out after to see if J was doing well. Since we had unblocked each other, I could see all posts, and I tell J's mental health was not good. I was honestly worried when they threatened self harm, and I reached out to offer an ear if needed. Foolishly, I actually cared.

There was no response. The next thing I knew, J and a couple friends were back to their campaign against me. They never once came to me to discuss. One of those other friends and I also apologized to each other and said we were happy it was worked out. What changed? I have no idea. I never contacted any of them outside of what you can see here; I never discussed them publicly. As far as I knew, this was dead and buried. But none of them gave me the courtesy of reaching out privately... as J promised to do. Because none of them want this worked out, and they seem to want to subject the entire fandom to it.

Please note in the conversation that J says it was really all J's fault for starting this. That it was done over some petty shit. Where J admits to not being a nice person holding grudges, yet was glad it worked out. I was glad, too, but I was sincere.

And since you're bringing other people into the mix now? I'll just say as eager as she was to reach out to you, I will give her the courtesy of not sharing our story here. I won't share our conversations or the MANY conversations from others in various choices fandoms who had plenty to say about their sins. I'm letting sleeping dogs lie, but if I get bit, I'll bite back.

Look - no one has to like me. You can have the shittiest opinion of me. You can hate my fucking guts, and I honestly don't care. Block me and move the fuck on with your life. But you WILL Not publicly harass me, you WILL not tell me to kill myself and wish death upon me publicly, you will not stalk my blog and present your twisted version of the truth non-stop and think I'm going to take it. I hate that I've probably fed J's narc supply for months with this. I literally hate it. But to be honest, this isn't for J - it's for transparency in the fandom. You can all see how "horribly" I behaved here and you can see who violated the pact we made to be kind and decent to each other. It was not me.

If I have hurt anyone other than the three people involved in this - please reach out to me. I am happy to talk to you, happy to listen, and will apologize if I hurt you. I assure you, it was never my intent and I am as flawed as anyone else. Could I make mistakes? Of course. But if you think I'm going to apologize to vile bullies, my grace towards them has long expired.

I AM ADAMANTLY TELLING EVERYONE NOT TO SEND HATE THEIR WAY. But to be clear, I don't control anyone but myself. Some in the fandom think I have the magic ability to control people. It's about time to take responsibility for YOUR actions. You don't get hate because of me; you get hate because of your behavior. If anons get that bad, turn them off. The same way I have had to BECAUSE OF YOU. It's a 2-way street - and I HAVE NOT had an ongoing campaign against you for damn near a year. ONE POST. And I have not had my blog taken down because I've never done to you what you've done to me. This has gone on long enough.

FULL CONVERSATION

Have at it.

[piracytheorist]

For no particular reason (really) I woke up today remembering a peculiar situation I brought myself into in this hellsite some years ago.

So, to give some context, I have a long-time friend who has been a die-hard of anything related to Tolkien for longer than some of y'all have been alive. But because she is a hopeful person, she got excited when she heard about the Rings of Power show. Particularly because of how it was hinted at on Twitter while it was in production.

So because I wanted her to have a good experience, I also wanted the show to be good. I mean, who knew, maybe this time would be an exception, right?

Anyway, first trailers drop and discussions arise, and someone on tumblr makes the mistake of fake-newsing everyone by posting a promotional video (which in all fairness was bad) and claiming it was the show's opening credits. A mutual reblogs the post - which already had some additions mocking the "credits" - I go into the comments, I see that it's not the real credits, and I make a comment of the nature of "Maybe we should watch the real credits before we make a critique of it" and a comment later I say "also pirate the stuff, amazon won't starve without your money".

Of course, tumblr being tumblr...

I got an anon calling me a bootlicker. Me, tumblr user piracytheorist, who in the second breath of talking about it suggested we should pirate stuff, am a bootlicker. I mean, they tried. A random person in the comments of the post tried to talk back, I said we should critique the show but OP was misinforming people and we should at least make sure what we're critiquing it for, and they were like "What was the misinformation?" so yeah, they also tried.

But then, the worst offender was what I think that same mutual vagueblogging about my comment. Which is why, if you have a beef with a mutual - especially one you've connected with before outside of fandom stuff - take it to them and don't vagueblog. I was in the guilty position of vagueblogging once, and yeah it did cause a friendship to break apart (though we figured things out recently).

I mean, they could have been vagueblogging about literally anything else. But that's the problem with the vague part of it. I'll never know. Because seeing the mutual passionate in dragging the show through the dirt, and then vagueblogging about "not being affiliated" with something via a The Incredibles meme after I questioned the legitimacy of that specific critique... it could have been that, it could have not. I will never know.

Anyway, we watched the show, my friend didn't like it but is still a little hopeful for at least seeing cool backgrounds, I didn't like it and I still haven't watched the last two episodes, lol. But I can assure you the fake credits video had absolutely nothing to do with the things I disliked about it. I was only invested in it because my friend was invested and I wanted it to be good so that my friend would enjoy it. But alas, money spoke above all and it wasn't good. And also alas, tumblr is tumblr and how dare you not hate something the way I hate it - misinformed.

So yeah. Don't vagueblog, kids, especially if it's about mutuals 🫠

[aleprouswitch]

I didn't want to talk about this out in the open, but I've been dealing with a situation here on Tumblr since late August involving a user who has sent me several messages claiming that a mutual/friend of mine here is a white supremacist. The accuser wasn't following my blog and had never interacted with me until the first message I got. I'm still perplexed as to why I was even contacted about this in the first place. In any case, I tried to be polite and told this guy that I'd speak with my friend about whatever issue might be present.

Several weeks passed, and honestly the whole thing just slipped my mind because I've been really busy with work and other responsibilities. I get another message from this accuser asking if I had talked to my friend yet about his alleged white supremacist behaviors. I told him that I forgot about it (which I did) and that I would message this friend privately to discuss things. We did talk about these accusations, and based on our conversation, I felt like there was nothing to worry about and carried on with my business.

Last Saturday, I got yet another message from this guy where he sent me one of my own posts where I was discussing a completely different incident of someone being accused of white supremacy despite the fact that this user is a black man, which is so absurd and why I made the post to begin with. This accuser thought I was instead talking about the issue with my friend and self-righteously asked if I "even bothered" to talk to my friend at all about his "disgusting N@zi behavior". He even threw in the whole "I'm old and have been fighting N@zis all my life, blah blah blah".

While this message irked me, I decided to be civil and write a very thought-out reply explaining that based on my interactions with this mutual/friend and our conversation, I saw no evidence of any wrongdoing. I also made sure to let this accuser know in a polite but assertive manner that I'm 35 years old, this isn't my first time at the proverbial Leftist rodeo, and I think that my judgment is sound enough to where I can make my own decisions about who I associate with, and that he as essentially a stranger shouldn't be invested in who I associate with in the first place.

Surprise surprise, I got no direct response from this guy, but he made sure to show up today to leave a laugh-react emoji on a post I made that was anti-fascist in nature, seemingly to suggest that I was a hypocrite or some kind of a clown. I blocked him. I have no doubt he'll probably lurk this blog and see this post, so let me make it clear again: I can be friends with whoever the hell I want to, your "evidence" that my mutual friend is a bigot was not really much evidence at all, and you have absolutely no right to sit on some kind of moral high-horse, especially considering your own blog content.

The only clown here is you. You're a total clown, a bozo even. The veil of performative leftism you're wearing is thinner than the one-ply toilet paper at my old high school's bathroom. You need to sincerely get a life, leave me alone, and if you want to do something that's actually mature and big-boy panties in nature, try talking to my friend directly and make all those accusations to him directly. Maybe go outside for a little bit and get some fresh air, too. It will do you good.

[aanzhen]

Hello, everyone it's Osh here. I've been devating on making this post but wasn't sure until today but it seems like the situation has worsened and now I feel like I need to take action for the safety and security of my friends.

Please block tumblr user Murextrunculus and his twitter Drematurgy.

I encourage to maintain your distance to him as he is currently going through a delusional mental state and spouting baseless racist, homophobic and down right vile accusations and engaging stalker behaviour towards innocent people. Its very bad, to the point I will not post screenshots of the rants I've read. He’s been hiding all his inflamatory posts under mountains of retweet/reblogs.

I also ask that you not harass him either. Just report the inflamatory posts if you feel like you can help but don't antagonize him. As awful and horrible his behaviour is I still hold an amount of care for him as a once good friend. I only hope he can come out of what ever state he's in one day.

I just wanted to put out a warning for my mutuals who I know he reblog/retweets from to avoid bans/blocks. I know this is not my usual carefree post but this situation has gone one for a long while and I need to warn people of what is happening.

Thank you all and stay safe.

[donnerpartyofone]

I just had the misfortune of seeing that 100k post where someone is commanding Twitter migrants to reblog all the fan art they see, on the premise that if an artist has a reblog:like ratio of 1/50 or something then they'll be so discouraged that they'll quit. OP then reblogs their own post to say that there's someone who sometimes reblogs the first post 200 times a day--which like, my reaction to that was "wow that's completely unhinged and not good", but what OP meant was that we should all cater to whatever that person wants to make them happy. I generally don't see the point in yelling at strangers on the internet, but I really had to restrain myself from pointing out that this was the stated motivation on the Staff post about fucking with the chronological feed: that if we all have too much power to curate what we see, then some users will feel unpopular. Which is like, completely normal and acceptable, in reality. There are just so many problems with this attitude:

Nobody owes you attention. Most people don't enjoy random waves of applause just for existing, and most of us have learned to live with this and place importance on things other then validation from strangers.

If your principle reason for making art is NOT the art-making itself, and if you know that you would stop making art if it never got you some form of fame and fortune, then you should literally stop making art. Just stop right now, and find something to do that is more rewarding and less psychologically perilous for you.

If you have ever tried to work in any creative industry at all, then you should know that it can take absolutely forever to get good at something. And it might never happen. And even if it does happen and you turn out to be a genius, still, people might not notice or care--especially if you're really original. There's a reason it's become cliche for people to remind each other of how famous writer X wasn't published until he was 50 or famous painter Y only became important posthumously. If you can't take the heat, see above.

If you're just begging your personal friends to help circulate your work, that's between you and them. But you can't order people who just got to this platform five minutes ago to fill up their accounts with stuff that maybe they like enough to hit the like button, but they don't like it enough to add it to their own page. People are allowed to like your art on a limited basis.

If you're so emotionally dependent on popularity that you think its acceptable to strong-arm strangers into shilling for you, then you should probably take some time to get to know yourself better and figure that out, before you rake yourself over the coals of social media conflict about it. I used to have a mutual (not an artist, just a guy) who had really serious behavioral problems in this department: One day I reblogged a very popular post that had been making the rounds, and suddenly this guy was up my ass with righteous anger about why I didn't reblog it from him personally. I actually took the time to explain that the post itself was doing a lot of traffic, I had no idea that he was one of the thousands of people who had reblogged it, and I can't bother to go combing through his blog every time I see something I like just in case I can reblog it from him individually. Incredibly, he didn't even get what I was saying, he was so invested in the idea that I should conscientiously use my blog to pay tribute to him, and eventually I had to block him for being rude like this all the time, and he was really sad about it. Don't be like that guy.

And finally, the post I'm referring to counted as art things like gif sets and "edits" (a vague concept I think barely counts as creative work but whatever) from TV shows and all kinds of other fan posts. And like, that is just a bridge too far. I shouldn't even have to explain why. And I won't.

[sherifftillman]

get to know me!

anna @keerysquinn filled this in and i was thinking about my own answers and realised they go on for ages so i figured if y'all ever wanted a super lore drop about me. here it is!

since my answers are so long, i'm not going to tag anyone, but if you also get inspired to answer, i'm more than happy to learn about people so you can tag me in as the reason you want to answer these!

(under the cut bc of how long it gets lol)

Name(real or alias): rj. letter r, letter j. (i have to spell it out especially when i'm in america bc people think i'm saying audrey) it's an abbreviation of my given name, which considering it's common knowledge that i'm afab, it's probably pretty easy to guess? but i don't want anyone calling me anything other than rj, or ridge

ridge comes from the sounds 'ruh' and 'juh' being said real quickly in succession. my friend jamie once sent me an ask on my old blog forever ago that started with 'hey ridge' and i fell in love with it, but something feels weirdly overfamiliar when people call me it who i'm not mutuals with?? anyway, that's why my user tag is userridge, bc it wasn't being used and it is a legit nickname of mine i've had for years

Age: [schmidt from new girl voice] TWENNY-NOINE

Country you live in: england (derogatory). the oldies at the care home i work at (not for much longer!!) always assume that bc i visit my friends in america so often, i'm planning on moving there, but tbh as much as i'd love to not be an ocean away from the people i love most, domestic day-to-day life in america isn't worth the move. i'd rather sensationalise the one or two trips i get to wal-mart every year, lol

Fandoms: the only fandom i actively participate in, in terms of consuming regular fanart, fanfiction, character analysis, gifmaking and shipping, is stranger things. i have a lot of other interests in other media that i love to consume, but i don't necessarily feel any particular urge to take part in most, if any, parts of fandom culture within those interests like i do with stranger things and other projects affiliated with its actors

Why are you on tumblr (writer or reader or both): i've gone from being strictly a stranger things reader insert writer, to an all-characters-played-by-the-joes reader insert writer, to a sometimes reader insert writer but not for stranger things, sometimes pairing writer but only for stranger things rarepairs, and also now gifmaker!

Favorite thing about yourself: i can take care of people, and i'm good at it. i can make people feel better, and i can stand up for them when it's needed

Something you think you are known for: being the co-captain of cheerscoops, and The Ralph Mutual (which is a kind way of saying the mutual mentally unwell enough to write a six-figure word count about a character with six minutes of screentime)

Who are you in a friend group(partier, mom, talkative, etc): lol what's a friend group? i kid, i kid. i don't really have any irl friend "groups" anymore, but even back when i did, i was more of a gap filler. like, i wasn't one of the first people invited to things, but then later on if someone dropped out or if the group realised more people could come, then i'd be offered

in online groups, i like to think i'm someone who makes people laugh? i'm definitely the indecisive one who needs to crowdsource every choice put in front of me, but that's what you get when you befriend a nonbinary bisexual lol. i also like to bounce ideas back and forth with people, though admittedly despite how often i do it, i do also hold myself back from it a lot bc i don't want people to think i'm taking their idea and running with it

Who do you love the most: keep this clip in mind as you read the next part of this sentence: ask me that again and look at my url. i haven't felt such a (distantly) parasocial connection towards (not with, there's a difference) any celebrity in a long time that i do with the joes. like, i don't want to know anything about their personal lives in the slightest, but i'm always excited to see what they're doing next, in a way i'm not necessarily about anybody else

What brought you to tumblr in the first place: this blog started out because @denim-mixtapes and i, who met through our former blogs dedicated to A Fandom We Don't Talk About Any More, were yelling about eddie munson via snapchat, discord, instagram, our public twitter accounts and our private ones, tiktok, maybe more? and then @fanatictypist, also a friend from AFWDTAAM and deep in the brainrot but never having taken the break from tumblr that mandy and i did, suggested taking our ideas to tumblr bc this was july 2022 when hype was INSANELY real

before that, i made a blog specifically for AFWDTAAM because a) i missed the fandom blog i'd had before that which i had previously deactivated, and b) i realised there was reader insert fanfiction for said fandom, but not enough featuring the person that i liked the most, so i started writing. i'd never written x reader before then.

before that, as i said, i had a fandom blog. it was the one i used to join rp groups on tumblr, which was fun until it wasn't. and i realised that i was going through a cycle of finding a new group, enjoying their company, having major drama ensue, and eventually instead of just moving to another rp group to see the same thing happen over n over again, i just deactivated entirely. i miss rp-ing, but also i wouldn't go back to it at the age of 29

Is there something you regret doing: i have a lot of things that i have learned from, and i regret the fact that actions i've made have hurt people, always inadvertently, but still. i wish that the things that helped me to grow weren't at the expense of other people feeling bad about something in regard to me, but i don't think that constitutes regret.

being autistic, a lot of the time, people seem to just drop me out of seemingly nowhere. and my irl bestie does tell me that a lot of the people i end up befriending, are people she gets a bad vibe from or doesn't really trust, and they're always the ones who don't stick around. but i do feel as though i must be accountable, too, and i know and understand that nobody owes me an explanation if i have done something that warrants them no longer wanting me in their life, but also, how do i know what i need to do to salvage important relationships to me if they don't think it important enough to tell me? that's why i'm a big advocate that your friends should not be your 100% hype men. if they are, i don't trust them. i need people to call me out on my shit and tell me if i'm doing something wrong, or going too far. and i need to feel like i can do the same with them, without them getting offended. it's for both of our benefits

Top five songs: ugh okay each of these has a v significant meaning so here goes

fool - djo: as previously mentioned, am autistic. i got myself diagnosed at 20, and everything suddenly made sense. my mum refused to accept it, told me that everybody's a little on the spectrum, that i only think i am bc i've looked it up and aligned myself with the traits. i learned at 28 that actually, i've had a diagnosis since i was 4. mum just never ever did anything to help me. not when i was going through school wanting to **** ****** bc i knew i was the "weird kid" but i didn't know what made me so weird that everyone ganged up on me so i didn't know how to fix it. turns out i couldn't. i could have gotten more support, but i didn't. and even now that they know i know about the og diagnosis, my parents refuse to acknowledge it. for years, they would scold and bully me away from behaviours that were actually just me stimming, and merely existing as an autistic kid. so i have to put on a persona for them, i have to be their "fool" to appease them rather than just getting to be my authentic, autistic self like i can be around my friends

consequences - lovejoy: going back to the earlier not-quite-regret-but-definitely-Something feeling of knowing that someday friendships and relationships will almost certainly be doomed. this sing encapsulates that for me a lot

car lights - james marriott: the queer anthem of all time. m+d have always said that they "don't care" who i bring home but whenever they talk about me having a future they talk about a husband, or a potential father of my children (which idek if i want) even though i've had relationships with women. it again feels part of something i have to hide from them

soft - motionless in white: a new contender thanks to kai and acey. i've always been the "wholesome" one, i've never really felt rage specifically, or had an outlet for it, but being a lifelong people pleaser and having something to inspire me to work on giving less of a shit what other people are thinking/saying about me has been a game changer for the ol self-esteem

undertale - toby fox: i can't explain this one. it just makes me cry every time i listen to it. like, weep actual tears. every time.

If you could go anywhere where would you go: i've always wanted to go to japan, but i also don't like going to countries where english is not a first language without having a basic understanding of the mother tongue of that country and japanese is fuckin difficult to learn. i've also always wanted to go to australia, even before anyone in particular came into my life tyvm

What is your hobby: fanfic writing, gif making, video game playing. procrastinating is a hobby at this point, lol. i like to try craft things, but i'm not very good at keeping up with them

Any tv shows you watching: i'm rewatching stranger things bc gifmaking has ruined my perception of the actual timeline of events. i'm actively watching the afterparty s2 and only murders in the building s3. it's not really a tv show, but i watch it on my tv, dimension 20's current campaign, mentopolis, is also something i'm actively keeping up with, on top of all actively releasing dropout content

What movie did you last watch: the last movies i put on were the mamma mia films, as background while i wrote, and ever since i've been slowly cooking a mamma mia stranger things au bc i'm basically incapable of consuming any media without relating it to stranger things at this point. i can relate each of the 3 canon characters to eddie, steve and jonathan, but i can't shake the idea that like. what if argyle was one of the potential dads. it wouldn't be a direct parody bc he's so different from any other character in the mamma mia franchise but i think it would be so fun to include him, too

Last thing you read(book, fanfic, etc): i'm reading rebel robin, atm, bc idk why i never really thought to indulge in the stranger things books before now? i used to read doctor who books so it's not like i'm a stranger to consuming media outside of its original format. i'm also currently reading through @pearlypairings' photocheer fic there is a light that never goes out!

Last text message you got: HAHAHA this one's funny. my sister's getting married next month and she's asking if we've all paid for our parts, I told her I'd paid it and her fiance told me they'd receievd it (he's an accountant so he's dealing with the money side of things) but my sister couldn't spot anything from me even though i told her what her fiance had told me, so my last text from her is "unless he's financially gaslighting me, or he's tucked it away in his fuck-off fund" (which i should establish is a joke bc he is 1000% not like that in the slightest)

Last text message you sent: sending to my sister, above: "or he's gaslighting me into believing i've sent it when it didn't go through, classic Dishonest [fiance name redacted]!" (again, all a joke)

Any pets: none atm :( i still live with my parents who have never wanted any of us to have pets, but now that my older sister has her dog, jasper, my family are obsessed with him. i mean, they have a photo of him in our living room that's bigger than any photo of any of us kids

[liskantope]

could you expand on the "practically dealing with romantic feelings" thing? how does it work differently for you? no pressure if you don't feel like answering this

I was up well past my bedtime writing about that last night and struggling with a way to express it, and even a day later I haven't really thought of a better adverb than "practically" (maybe "matter-of-factly" is better?), but the distinction could be described as follows.

If I have a crush on someone (to the extent that I'm even still able to feel things like that; I've never been much of a crusher and tend to feel more of deep, complex, and involved romantic interest instead, and I'm not even clear on the most recent time I've truly succeeded in feeling that, but I certainly used to at least when I was younger), it's not a feeling that I can easily compartmentalize. It's not just going to go away once I realize they don't feel that way back, or turn into something I can push to the side out of sight. If I confess to the person that I feel this way, unless of course this instigates a relationship it's hard to imagine ever feeling not awkward around them in the future (not that I really know from experience, because I've always inhibited myself from doing this partly for that reason?). If I confess it to a mutual friend instead, that's easier but still risks some degree of awkward feelings on my part whenever the three of us are all interacting.

I think as I've grown older and more socially adept, I can take more of these things in stride and would know ways to feel less awkward, etc. But still, when I feel like that towards someone, that feeling has a sort of seriousness I guess and is not something I can really be matter-of-fact about?

And for much of my life, it appeared to me that everyone was more or less similar to me in this regard, perhaps without as many acute neuroses as I've always had in this general arena, but generally experiencing interest as a deep feeling that they usually couldn't just push aside to be non-awkward platonic friends, even less so if a whole friend group knew of the feelings.

In the Questionable Content universe, however, the characters, most of whom are very sexual and each find themselves attracted to many people as months go by, and who often get pretty emotional over their brewing love interests, handle these feelings very matter-of-factly when they turn out not to be reciprocated. They are handled in the most rational way possible towards the goal of avoiding drama and awkwardness and maximizing friendliness. I may have first noticed this way back some years ago around comics #2000-and-something when Elliot had a crush on Padma (I think) but Marten wound up getting together with her, and Marten was momentarily worried that Elliot (who is about twice his size) might take it out on him but instead Elliot greeted him with a smile and a high-five. And like seriously, good for Elliot, I guess. Something about that kind of response to Padma choosing another guy over him (which, as I mentioned before, is in line with how all the good men are in the fantasies of a certain type of feminist who was railing against Nice Guys a decade ago) kind of makes me suspect that his feelings for Padma must never had had much depth in the first place. But okay, in practical terms, the world is a happier, friendlier, and more drama-free place if everyone finds themself able to cope in the way that Elliot did here.

(I once saw my above comment about suspecting that the crush wasn't very deep in the first place put in much stronger terms by a (female) Tumblr user back 7-8 years ago, in the context of standing up for Nice Guys: she said that if anyone confessing interest in her who got rejected were to react by shrugging and saying, "No prob, I'm happy to be your friend still, see you around!", as according to SJ feminism was the only right way to react, she would suspect that he was a psychopath who hadn't had true feelings for her in the first place.)

This kind of thing happened in QC during the most recent thousand comics, involving a triangle between Clinton, Brun, and Elliot, with Renee in the background in on the whole situation and the feelings of everyone involved, which turned out to be a mess of confessed feelings (Cinton and Elliot were both into Brun, but Elliot was also into Clinton while knowing Clinton was into Brun, and the situation only got resolved after Brun clarified that she wasn't into anyone). It was all cute and only mildly awkward and entertaining to read, but it's hard for me to imagine a group in which discussions like this go down and don't end up blowing the whole social dynamic up in flames. It's also hard for me to imagine Clinton going on to date Elliot and just managing to set aside the fact that both were really into Brun and Brun just feeling totally non-awkward around the two of them henceforth.

It's a "well I feel X way towards so-and-so, so I should just let them (and others who can advise me) know and figure out what they feel so that I can decide what makes sense to do going forward; I can now just turn off my feelings and awareness that everyone knows of them if it makes rational sense to do so" type of rational practicality.

But it seems that that's just how some people really do cope with these things, and they're certainly not psychopaths, and they may truly feel things deeply in the moment but have a natural knack for just setting those feelings aside and getting on with life. (I could cite a very close personal example but would rather not right in this post.) It appears to be more the case among queer social groups and often taken to quite an extreme among poly groups. (The QC social circle effectively could mildly be considered a queer group, I suppose, and I strongly suspect the same is true of the social circles the creator runs in.) Well, I can't fault them for norms that seem to result in less individual suffering and less drama for everyone.

Anyway, that's my attempt to explain what I meant there in many more words than I'd intended, and I'm still not sure I did an effective job at expressing the way I truly experience and perceive this, but I tried.

[lancerious]

Just wanted to send a post out there to all of my mutuals :).

This is gonna be extremely random and unexpected, but I just wanted to thank all of you. Those who interact with my posts, those who send me asks/questions, and those who throw me into a pit with other random Tumblr users and have me fight to the death (you know who you are). I really feel like I'm starting to build a little community here full of people who support one another, and it reminds me of where I was several years ago.

This was back in 2019/2020. I had been playing Roblox fairly consistently--still do to this day--and had recently stumbled upon a Roblox group. It was very small; there weren't even 20K members in it when I first joined. I didn't say anything for some months because I had never made a major presence in any form of social media before and was anxious. But I eventually started talking in there, and quickly became well-known and well-liked. As I said, the group was very small at the time, and everyone knew one another as online friends and buddies. There were a collection of active members--including me--who would often play Roblox games together, mess around, and have fun. Eventually, a few of us group friends are in a Roblox chat with the only admin in the group, and a couple of my group buddies came up with the idea for me to copy the group owner's avatar. I did that, but used the opposite colors--the owner's avatar was red, mine was blue/purple. It was such a big thing that the group admin adds the group owner to our chat, and we all have a conversation and generally have a good time. I got a higher role, and not even a week later, I became the second admin.

I was the admin--and later senior admin--for that group for a very long time, about a couple years. Eventually though, I left. The group had gotten so large--it had a couple hundred thousand members, and it has 317K+ members as of typing this. I left because of a couple reasons. One, the group was primarily focused on horror and things related to horror, as the group owner created horror-focused games. My interest started drifting away from horror and into other genres, and I wasn't as enthusiastic. The other reason is because moderating the group simply wasn't much fun anymore. It was fun back when the group was small. As I said earlier, everyone knew one another, and we played games together. That was what made the group so enjoyable. But once the group started growing, it got cluttered. We all stopped playing games together. And over time, the ones I knew from the beginning left the group, one by one. It felt different. So I left.

The reason I'm mentioning this is because this, Tumblr, reminds me of that time. A time when I had made my mark in a community, even if it was a small one. A time when I would chat and interact with others almost like I knew them IRL, even though I did not. Those memories are some of the happiest memories I have, and I'm really glad Tumblr is giving me those same feelings and memories.

I know I can be fairly random, silly, and forgetful sometimes. I know I can make goofy mistakes. And I know I have a habit of constantly posting about specific fictional characters I adore *COUGH Lancer and King/Spade King COUGH*. But honestly, Tumblr is one of the only places where I'm comfortable being me. Where I don't feel like I'm being judged or looked down on. It's a really nice feeling to have.

So, again, thank you. Even if you're not a mutual, thank you. Thank you for being here, for following me, or just being a random user and interacting with my posts or sending an ask. All interactions make my day, and I've been happier overall the longer I'm a Tumblr user. I'm so glad I've stumbled upon this platform, and I wished I had discovered Tumblr sooner.

And to think the entire reason I made an account on here was to tell someone how much I loved their art and what they did on here, lol.

[asirensrage]

Did you get my ask about the user who is stealing OCs? I have caught them stealing from another OC creator very recently called Maddy who has a Stranger Thing OC like this. Maddy is actually my mutual and friend so I am really concerned about this and by extension, you as well. You put so much heart and soul into your OCs only for some teen to steal it and claim all the credit.

Alright, are we really going to do this? Again? Aren't you tired?

I got the last ask you sent me and I screenshot it and deleted it because it's the same nonsense and accusations you've been trying to make for years and I decided I wasn't going to deal with it. I was going to let things lie, but you can't help yourself, can you?

First thing: Which Maddy are you talking about? Could it be the same Maddy who multiple people have long receipts and screenshots of proof of THEM stealing ocs and ideas and shutting down anyone who initially raised any concern? The one who disappeared when the proof was laid out only to eventually come back without a real apology to the people they hurt? That Maddy? Is that really who you're trying to defend in this ask while at the same time accusing someone who has never had the proof shown against them? In fact, any time proof was asked for, suddenly the asks would get angry or defensive in an attempt to ignore the request for evidence.

Second, you're not concerned about me. Don't bullshit me. We both know better. You're only here to use my response to further spread your lies and make someone feel better. It sure as hell isn't me but I doubt it's going to be you either with this reply. You're not worried about my ocs, otherwise, you would have been there when someone did try to steal one of my fics, along with a bunch of other people's, but seeing how they targeted specific people including the person you're accusing, I highly doubt you were around to help when people actually needed it.

At what point are you going to realize that this strategy isn't going to work for you? You've tried this before. I don't know why you're so obsessed with the person in question you're claiming to warn me about. It's honestly super fucking creepy how you can't seem to let go, especially as you claimed to keep an eye on them. Get some help, babes. This obsession isn't good for you.

In the meantime, do us both a favour and block me.

[galaxialdarktale]

My Sun, Stars, All The Galaxies, And Beyond

2017 was not a good year and the further into it I got, the worse it seemed to get. I had just moved to Florida from Indiana, a cross-country move of my own choice, with my family the day of my graduation the previous year and I was utterly alone. I rarely left my room, typically only to eat or use the bathroom, and I had yet to even consider going back to school to further my education. I had started finding solace in my solitude, the emptiness of my bedroom during the day, and in the brief two to three hours of sleep I was managing every night.

When I was awake, I was drowning - metaphorically, of course. My emotions were out of control, my mental health in shambles, but I had two things to keep me steady: fanfiction, which I had come to see as my closest companion when I discovered it when I was 12, and YouTube - specifically, YouTube Gaming. Gaming wasn't something I watched ever. I was more the "YouTube is for music or vlogs" kind of person before, but I was desperate for any kind of interaction I could get, and at the time, those communities were a safe haven. And that's how I found Markiplier and Jacksepticeye - well, actually, I found them through fanfiction, but got into their content through the wide world of lets plays, but I digress.

The past year had been a whirlwind. When my emotions got to be too much, I found happiness in their ramblings to video games. And, the two had just started their "ego" stuff. So it was of no surprise that on August 6th, 2017, the day Jack uploaded the Henrik video with Anti in it - we all know the one - I immediately went to Tumblr, here, an account I have long since abandoned. My request was simple: I wanted someone, anyone, to talk about the video with. I didn't have any friends and I was terrified to reach out to my mutuals, so I made a post asking if I could talk about this video with anyone because I was so excited. I made this post at roughly 2PM EST. Not long after, my family decided it was a beach day and I was dragged out of the house, away from the safety of my computer, until close to 6PM that night.

Tumblr mobile wasn't something I used at the time, though it is something I'm quite familiar with now, so I didn't have notifications going off for me while I was sitting on that beach and then in the restaurant for dinner. I didn't know I had a reply, an ask!, until I got home and booted up my laptop and pulled open Tumblr. When it loaded, when I saw that little "1" next to the envelope, my heart stopped. Surely, I thought, this is where the hate starts. I hesitantly clicked on it and waited on my ancient computer to load, only to be greeted with a message from a user saying that they'd love to talk to me about that video, about any of Jack's content, about anything. That their dms were open and, if I was comfortable, x was their Discord tag.

Now, here I sit, 5 years later - and god, has it really been 5 years? - , on Skype every single day with this person. Here I sit, thanking any God that will listen that I found them. Here I sit, so in love with them that they take my breath away. Because that user, the reason behind the tattoo on my wrist, the big bold numbers in their handwriting - "8617" - is who I'm spending the rest of my life with.

I would cross any ocean, climb any mountain, take down any enemy, whatever it took, to get to them. And that will never stop. A smile, a laugh, an "I love you" from them and my day has brightened immeasurably and I will not lose that, not for any price in the world. I would lay my life at their feet if they asked and do so willingly, for they already own me, body and soul.

[jackiemeandthispod]

I'M CONFUSED ARE YOU GUYS STRAIGHT?? BI WITH MALE PREFERENCE?

This lovely user has just hit on THE EXACT HILL I HAVE BEEN WILLING TO DIE ON MY ENTIRE LIFE. My thesis, my magnum opus, is as follows:

I have known, from a very young age, that I am definitely not straight. And for a good period I was happy to sit contentedly and quietly on the idea that I had an attraction to women- even a preference for women- but also had no problem conforming to the heteronormative expectation to be interested in men as well. I existed, label-less, carefree, calm and collected until I met my soulmate, my damsel, my dearest co-host astrid who would NOT have this "let her sexuality be ambiguous" bullshit. In fact in the first 6 months of Astrid and I's friendship her and a mutual friend would frequently text each other speculating about my sexuality- mostly brought on by the fact that I would dress so gay, it HAD to be straight (which, I say in my head to toe hiking gear, is a fair criticism). And so, under her corrupting influence I was for the first time shoved into the ill-fitting uncomfortable bi label, which by all definitions I am, but still I hate all labels on me. Recently, I've been flirting with the pan label as I think that this is what is most representative of how attraction actually works for me- it's totally person based and not really gender based (I also don't have my septum pierced which I think is an entry requirement).

Another thing that makes me cringe at having to pick a label is I feel like my attraction to male presenting and female presenting people are completely different, like just COMPLETELY different feelings. So naturally my identity tends to shift depending on who I'm seeing/ interested in at the time. Beginning of this year I would have told you pan with a preference for women. Now, I feel the feverish hands of trad heterosexuality reeling me in. This will probably change completely again in another 6 months.

Another aspect of this is I have existed for all of my young adult life in a queer bubble where being gay was the norm not the exception. I haven't experienced being consistently ostracized/targeted for my sexuality, it was just kind of always there and no cared because they are gay too.

I know someone who clumsily, but cutely, refers to my sexuality as "but she also likes women!", and this I feel is kind of the definitive label. I like women, and (please try to forgive me) I also like men, and for different reasons. I also hate many women and hate many men, I like to think that I'm very egalitarian in this respect. (And for all you NBs I like you and hate you in equal measure too, don't you worry).

Now this only applies to the way I feel about my own sexuality, so don't try to stuff yourself into my little orientation box- it wasn't meant for you to fit in too. I'm also not stupid enough to think that this is an evergreen take, catch me in a couple years and maybe I will completely reject this mindset. Like Ryan, I have a very complicated inner world.

I'll let astrid give her own take (or not- silence is also an answer :p).