#ty5000

[artificialqueens]

When it all gets too much -(Shalaska) by Ty5000

A/N: I Know y’all are waiting for Soccer Punch but I’ve had a really bad few days and I didn’t want to take it out on that universes Sharon and Alaska so instead I wrote this monster oneshot. This is around 5k words which I didn’t event think I was capable of producing in one night but here you go I am really proud of this.

Massive Trigger warnings for eating disorders, depression, suicide and Self harm. It’s pretty dark but I wrote it as a kind of vent/ form of therapy please listen to the triggers and stay safe ily <3

P.S Its 6am and I’ve been writing all night so I proof read the best I could but there may be some mistakes.

Summary : College freshman Alaska suffered with poor mental health in the past and thought that she finally had it all in control until it all gets a little too much .

“Hi, it’s me, I’m just calling to say I won’t make it in today.” Alaska’s voice came out soft and quiet as if she hadn’t spoken all day, well she hadn’t so that made sense.

“Is everything okay sweetheart?” Her boss Kasha replied sounding genuinely concerned for her health.

“Yeah, I’m just not feeling well.” It wasn’t completely a lie she really didn’t feel just not the kind of unwell that you would expect. She wasn’t sure why she was expecting Kasha to believe that though, her boss was incredibly attentive and had made Alaska spill about her past with mental health when she had saw her taking her medication during her first week on the job.

“Okay, Well I’ll ask Courtney to cover your shift tonight it shouldn’t be a problem just let me know if you’ll make it in tomorrow.”

“Thanks Kasha.”

“Take care Alaska.” The older women replied with empathy that she pretended to not hear as she hung up the call. 

Alaska let the phone fall from her hand onto her bed, there was nothing she hated more in the world than letting her mental state get in the way of her life. Since starting at university almost three months ago now she had done her best to stay on top of things and worked through the occasional bad spots more so as a distraction than anything else. She had always known in the back of her mind that going to college would be a lot of pressure and despite the doubts from her parents there was no way she wasn’t going to do it, performing arts was her dream and now that she was steadily on that path nothing was going to stop her.

Well that part wasn’t entirely true as it was 2’Oclock in the afternoon and her Broadway history class was just ending yet here she was curled up in bed the same place she had been since she woke up from a troubled sleep at 5am that morning.

  That’s the thing about depression, the thing that most people don’t necessarily get: A depressive episode doesn’t need to be caused by anything (It can be of course.) but depression is funny like that it doesn’t need some sad event to rear its ugly head in fact often sadness doesn’t make you depressed, depression makes you sad. It makes you so sad that you almost can’t remember ever having felt anything else, and then just when you think you are used to the sadness it stings you deeper and makes you numb. Numb is okay right? numb is better than feeling miserable right? wrong. The numbness is what paralyses you, what drives you insane, leaves you bed ridden and wishing to just feel something.

Alaska had been feeling it for a week now, the beginning stages of a depressive episode. Her first one since… she thought she was in recovery. It had been over a year. Yet here she was again, and she recognised the feeling all too well: the ball of sadness, loneliness and general irritation brewing inside her, but she fought the urge to curl up on her sofa and instead choose to power through. She had too much at stake. Everyday she would wake up, shower, get ready and leave for class, eat her lunch, go to rehearsals, and then head off to work at the diner. Some days her girlfriend Sharon would come in on her way home from work and spend her break with her. They were both so busy during the week with college and jobs, so the hour of each others company was always welcomed. Routine was key, if she stuck to her routine she could beat this, that’s what the doctors had said.

 However yesterday had been the downfall of it all.

  Rehearsals weren’t going well. Half of the dancers were away on a field trip and the lead male was extremely hungover and constantly muddling up his lines. Alaska didn’t have a huge part in this play, as a freshman it was extremely difficult to get a notable part in any of the full class productions. As small as her three-lined part was she was just lucky to have a part at all.  Only she wasn’t feeling lucky at all, they had been in this room for over half the allocated two hours rehearsal time and they weren’t even close to her lines. She was extremely tired having stayed up most of the night to study for her test in music theory which had caused her to sleep in and almost miss the test itself. Come lunch she had discovered that her wallet had been left at home, Alaska really tried not to skip meals after…. But this couldn’t be helped. Now here she was sitting in the old theatre which was cold in the late November weather and seemingly getting nowhere.

 She thanked a god that she didn’t believe in that Wednesdays were her day off and that Sharon Didn’t need to be in work until 12pm on Thursdays meaning she would get to spend some long-overdue time with her girlfriend. Sharon had been so busy since starting her new job working at a popular alternative website keen to make a lasting impression that she didn’t get to see her as much anymore. The selfish part of her liked to awaken her self-doubt and tell her that Sharon didn’t care anymore but Alaska knew better than to let thoughts like that get to her. Sharon had been incredibly lucky to get her foot in the door of her dream job straight out of college and Alaska was happy for her. Really.

Finally, her theatre professor Miss Monsoon let them go, sending them off with a “Good work today people.” That Alaska couldn’t bring herself to believe.

She left the building and walked the ten minutes to her flat in what felt like a record speed beyond excited to be away from the cold for the day and back in the comfort of her own home.

 Once safely back at home, curled up on the sofa under a blanket with a mug of warm tea to heat her up and also to curb off the hunger until she could eat with Sharon she pulled out her phone to text her girlfriend.

To : Noodles (at 5.36pm)

God, I have had the worst day I think the worlds out to get me!

What time are you coming over? I need pizza and cuddles.

She casually flipped through some pizza menus mentally preparing her order as she awaited her response

To: Lasky (at 5:40pm)

I’m sorry Lasky I promised Raja I’d work late tonight, we need to finish that article on some cool new punk band but the research department didn’t bother to fact check so I promised I’d help out. Raincheck?

Alaska sighed deeply, of course the world would be so against her today that she couldn’t even have the one thing she had been looking forward to all day.

To: Noodles (at 5:41pm)

You work too hard ☹

I miss you

To: Lasky (at 5:43pm)

I know

I’ll come to the diner on your break tomorrow okay x

To: Noodles (at 5:44pm)

Okay <3

It wasn’t okay.

Alaska’s eyes burned with tears, she felt stupid for crying over something so trivial, but she couldn’t help it, she had been holding onto this one good thing throughout all the shit she’d dealt with today and now it was gone and with it went any remains of a good mood. Just like that the plug she had firmly pressed down over her feelings for the past week was pulled and a wave of surprised emotions emerged sinking the ship that was Alaska. Once the tears started they didn’t stop, she cried and cried a cocktail of sadness, anger, loneliness ,  exhaustion and stress. Loud aggressive sobs wracked her small frame, her hands reached up to grab her hair pulling tightly as her teeth dug into her lip subduing the urge to scream.

When she finally got herself somewhat under control a good while later her chest was tight and breathing erratic due to her sobbing, her throat and eyes burnt like fire, her head was pounding like a small army was marching on her brain and her bottom lip throbbed angrily from where she had bit down. A stinging in her arm drew her attention down where she discovered angry red scratch marks from where she had subconsciously dug her nails into her skin. It wasn’t by far the worst she had done in the past but staring down at the bright red standing out on top of the white skin already flawed from the past. This is when she realised she was in too deep and she needed someone. She needed Sharon.

To Noodles ( at 7:12pm)

Are you done with work?

Normally Alaska wouldn’t want to bother Sharon with her problems, she always felt that Sharon saw her as a child and found her poor mental health to be an inconvenience more than anything else. She put this down to the fact that she was 18 and could easily be easily seen as a child in the eyes of her 21 year old college graduate girlfriend. Being a freshman who could barely juggle her classes, part time job and social commitments without a daily dose of prescribed medication being seen as immature or too much for her girlfriend to handle was one of biggest insecurities. Sharon however despite appearing to be much more mature with her full-time job right out of college in her chosen field, her own apartment which she had gotten without special circumstances unlike Alaska and a cat was not perfect and had her own problems too. She worried endlessly about the wellbeing of her girlfriend and would never consider her lesser because of her past no matter what Alaska thought. 

       -     -    -

Alaska and Sharon first met the previous December almost a whole year ago at the university open day, Alaska had begged her mom to let her come. Her Mother had been hesitant due to the fact her daughter had just been released from the hospital and was unsure if college was such a good idea in her state, especially one three states over that she wouldn’t be able to get to in an emergency but eventually she gave in agreeing that maybe it’s exactly the distraction she needed.

Alaska had bumped into Sharon within her first half an hour in the building, there she was standing behind the information stall for the GSA with two other people who Alaska would come to know as Danny and Katya not that she really noticed them at first, all she saw was the tall girl with the dyed grey hair and black lipstick wearing the torn misfits shirt.  She remembered how self-conscious she felt in her black skinny jeans and her pink sweater practically falling off her body as she wobbled like a baby deer towards the stall. She remembered their first words, Sharon being as overly confident and bold as normal and Alaska being shy and quiet in a way that must have come across endearing. She remembers getting more freebies from that stall than anyone else. (she knows this because one of the stickers had a phone number scrawled across it.) She remembers the first time they met up and how lovely it was, she remembers the conversation where they agreed that they had to stay just friends at least until she turned eighteen and she remembers finding her closest friend at GSA stall.

She recalls the night about two months later when her sleeve rolled up too far in the car and Sharon caught sight of her scars. That was the night she told her everything. She told her how she felt worthless how the smart kids thought she was dumb and how the theatre kids didn’t think she was good enough, she told her how she would try to starve herself to perfection and how she’d dig a blade into her skin to punish herself and cry herself to sleep almost every night. She told her about that Halloween night when it all got to much and she chased a bottle of pills with a litre of vodka and went for a bath. She remembers crying, she remembers Sharon crying and she remembers feeling proud for the first time as she tells her that she’s getting better and she really believes it.

She remembers her eighteenth birthday a month later how she celebrated the day with her family and a close group of friends but really all she wanted was for the next day to be here when she could spend it with Sharon. She remembers that day so well how she took her ice skating and to a vegan restaurant because she knew high calorie foods still stressed her out. She remembers the ride home and kissing her goodnight.

She remembers getting her first girlfriend and being happy and confident for once, Sharon makes her happy and confident. (not all the time no one is capable of that, but she helps.) She remembers crying down the phone to her girlfriend when she got the acceptance letter. She remembers her girlfriend crying on her at her graduation because she didn’t know what she was doing with her with life. She remembers the road trip back for her own high school graduation. She remembers how she didn’t go to prom instead she spent her prom night with her girlfriend kissing every inch of her and calling her beautiful and making her see stars all night long.

She also remembers their first fight like it was yesterday. It was the week Alaska moved into her apartment a few days after classes had begun and Sharon was constantly on her back trying to help and offering to do practically everything and worst of all, constantly asking her if she had remembered to take her medication that day. To an outsider it’s an innocent question, a nice incentive but to Alaska it was patronising and made her feel like she couldn’t take care of herself. Of course, when she told this to Sharon she had gotten offended and it had ended in a huge fight. It had been loud and quick with both parties failing to see the others valid view. It ended soon enough with Sharon finally realising that she may have been full on and apologising for worrying and assuring Alaska that she knew she could cope. She finished of her apology with one last line before they cuddled up on the sofa to watch The Golden Girls.

“Just remember if it ever gets to be to much I’ll be here, no questions and no judgement.”

And that is how Alaska fell asleep curled in on herself on the sofa with makeup stained checks and her phone in her hand, thoughts of Sharon running through her head.

                                                                   -   -   -

When Alaska jolted awake it was dark out and her mouth was dry, she stumbled blindly into the kitchen for a glass of water, relishing in the brief relief its coolness brought her before moving through the living room, grabbing her phone on her way to the bedroom. Her movements seemed robotic almost working on memory rather than necessity as she whipped of her tear streaked makeup and changed into sweats and a comfortable shirt. She didn’t bother with her usual routine of moisturising or brushing her hair or teeth instead just pulling her hair out of her already messy bun and crawling into the comfort of her bed. Only then did she allow herself to check her phone, the bright screen blinded her momentarily and made her migraine call out in anguish, quickly she turned the brightness all the way down before daring to look again.

The time on the top corner informed her it was almost ten thirty meaning she had been asleep for just over three hours, not that it did anything she was still exhausted. Both mentally and physically.

She pulled down her notification menu to see she had one missed call from her mother (she’ll check that later.) and one text from Sharon. She clicked on quickly eager for a nice distraction from her mind.

To: Lasky  (at 9:43pm)

I told you I was working late, I just got home.

Is everything okay?

Alaska paused there was one of two ways she could reply, and she wasn’t sure which would be worse.

To: Noodles ( at 10:29pm)

No. I’m getting bad again Sharon.

I’m scared, I need you please come over.

Her finger paused over the send button, if she sent that she knew Sharon would worry and come over right away with comforting words and soft touches but part of her, the part that had won the battle earlier told her that Sharon would be laughing at how pathetic she was being. Surely, she could get through this without her, she wasn’t a kid after all.

She deleted the message and started again.

To : Noodles (at 10:31pm)

Everything’s Fine I just miss you.

No, it’s not.

To: Lasky (at 10:32pm)

Are u sure?

To : Noodles (at 10:33pm)

Yeah.

No.

See you tomorrow <3

To: Lasky (at 10:34pm)

See u tomorrow bby

I love you

No, you don’t.

To : Noodles (at 10:35pm)

I love you back .

She locked her phone and placed it on the nightside and rolled into her usual sleeping position, not that she was expecting to get much sleep in this condition.  So, she lay there lonely and let her thoughts take over.

Her brain tortured her all night reminding her of every wrong move, every stupid question, every time she messed up her lines, every rejection email and every failed attempt at friendship through her life. She’s flashed back to the one party she went to in high school where she hadn’t eaten more than a banana in almost 2 days got super drunk super quick and threw up and passed out in the living room of an acquaintance. Absolutely any memory that she wanted to forget resurfaced over the next two hours.

Just when Alaska was beginning to become exhausted and hot tears were burning behind her eyes as she was pleading with her head to just shut up and let her sleep the worst memory was projected to her.  Halloween night 2017.

She still remembers it like it was yesterday. It wasn’t a spontaneous decision made in the climax of a mental breakdown like it’s portrayed in the movies, no this was a carefully planned for and researched event. Let’s be clear by this point Alaska was pretty secure in the fact that she was dying even if she didn’t directly “pull the trigger” herself she was still dying, she was wasting away with each skipped meal but that was too slow, and she couldn’t wait any longer. It wasn’t an emotional decision for her it was just something that had to be done and it should scare her how little she cared about the impending end of her life. She was numb.

The letter had been written almost two weeks in advance, the Pills secured from a source she couldn’t disclose and finally as an extra measure she had stolen a litre of vodka from the local store. She felt no remorse or guilt for that either. She was numb.

She chose Halloween because it was her favourite day, the only day where she felt like she could be anyone without judgment, the only day where she didn’t have to be herself. It made sense to her to go out on the best day rather than on the “worst day of her life.” A nice ending, not that she deserved it.

When the day comes, she takes care of herself, she sleeps in till 10am, later than she’s slept in so long. She changes into a dress that she had meant to wear to the schools Halloween ball that night, Its short black and lacey with hues of green glitter. It was meant to be part of a witch costume, but she much prefers this use.  A glance in the mirror brings her to tears; she looks beautiful, she looks like she’s already dead.  She had planned to indulge in one last meal, a cheese cake she’d picked out herself but decided against it, what if her parents wanted an open casket?

Before she knows it, she’s sitting cross legged on her bed, the bath is already waiting. She lays the pills out in rows and takes them two at a time with a mouthful of vodka in between each until she starts to feel fuzzy, not drunk fuzzy, this was different. She took this as her sign to go to the bathroom. She got in with the rest of the vodka just in case and waited and waited and waited. She had to way to tell how long it had been, but she was sure it was hours, her parents must be due home any moment. Just as panic began to set in and she really began to worry about what exactly she had did wrong her ears began to ring and black spots appeared in her vision.

She doesn’t remember much after that, in fact the next few days are a blur of screaming, crying, pain, needles and doctors. She knows that her mom found her in the bath covered in vomit and called an ambulance.

Once at the hospital they pumped her stomach, gave her various IVs with different things such as medication, fluids, and nutrients that her malnourished body craved. She was placed on suicide watch for a week and was admitted to a physch ward where her “recovery process” began but of course her mind didn’t want to focus on the positives.

                                                                 -     -     -

Alaska is brought back to reality then a shaking, crying mess. She’s slick with sweat and her heart is pounding at speeds that should be considered dangerous, it’s the same flashback she’d wake up from in the weeks following her attempt screaming and crying but she hadn’t thought about this in so long and she hadn’t been ready to live through it again.

She sprints to the bathroom as waves of anxious nausea make her dizzy, hardly making it as she spits bile into the toilet bowl. It does act as a cold reminder that she hasn’t eaten today. She briefly remembers her sessions with Doctor Visage who has helped her establish an eating schedule to help keep herself on track, she hadn’t really stuck to that in over a week now.

Once her breathing had returned to normal she manages to get herself a glass of water and a protein bar, which she just manages to finish before she passes out into a dreamless sleep.

                                                                      -      -      -

Which brings us back to where we left off on Thursday Afternoon.

After the guilt of blowing off her shift for a mental health day had worn off slightly Alaska made the mistake of checking her emails. She didn’t have many as she usually stayed on top of them pretty well, but she did have an email from her Broadway History professor sent only a few minutes ago waiting for her. The subject line “you were absent in class today.” Made the details of the email very clear but never the less she opened it.

To: AlaskaThunder5000@gmail.com

From :ProfJinkxMonsoon@univeristy.com

Subject : You were absent in class today

Hi Alaska,

I see that you were absent today, I am sure you had a very good excuse which I would be understanding about had you notified me before hand as per college protocall!

You missed a fair bit today so please get in contact with me as soon as you can.

Prof.J.Monsoon

Alaska closed out the app as soon as she was finished reading and threw her phone onto her bed, she was not in the right frame of mind to be dealing with whatever work load was waiting for her and she didn’t want any added stress she was already on the constant brink of yet another breakdown.

Instead she chose to listen to her body and attempt to make herself some food. She started of slowly easing her sore body our of bed for the first time in over twelve hours. She entered the bathroom and washed her face which felt swollen from all the crying, she made sure to avoid the mirrors as she did this.

“Okay Alaska you’re doing so good, baby steps.” She whispered to herself as she made her way into the kitchen. This was already so much more than she could handle in a normal depressive episode, but she was determined that this wasn’t going to beat her this time.

She opened the cabinet and tried desperately to ignore that voice that yelled out the calorie count for everything she saw. Soup, yes soup was safe she told herself. The next step was to get a pot and turn on the stove. She could do this.

From her bedroom she heard her phone ding with a notification, but it could wait she decided, distractions weren’t a good idea right now.

Once the stove was hot enough she poured the can of soup into the pot and began to stir it. She was doing so well.

Suddenly the phone began to ring startling Alaska from her train of thought and causing her to drop the spoon. And that’s when it happened.

As she was coming back up from picking up the spoon she accidently nudged the edge of the pot causing it to topple over and spill hot soup right onto Alaska’s bare feet.

“Fuck!” She screamed out as the hot liquid burned her skin. She Jumped away from the mess attempting to find a cloth to clean it up.

“Why are there no fucking cloths!” She yelled as her hand reached up to pull at her hair in frustration.

Her phone began to ring again. “Shut up” She suddenly screamed at the object in question. “shut up shut up shut up shut up!” hot tears burned behind her eyes. God why couldn’t she do anything right.

She turned around quickly remembering that there were some clean clothes in the cupboard above the stove, as she did this she slipped on the soup puddle on the floor. She reached out to grab onto something to save herself and slammed her arm down onto the hot stove. She yanked it away almost immediately with a yelp of pain but instead of running to put the burn under running water she pressed her finger against the inflicted area and winced at the searing pain.

Oh no.

Before she knew what she was doing Alaska was pressing her other wrist down onto the hot stove, and again and again and again until she was sobbing and shaking with the pain.

Unable to take anymore and completely mentally exhausted she slid to the floor and wrapped her arms around her knees crying out brokenly.

At this exact moment the door opened.

“Alaska baby?” Sharon’s voice called out from the hallway clear worry evident in her voice. “Are you home? I went by the diner after work like we planned, and Courtney said you called in sick.”

Alaska bit her lip to stifle her sobs as Sharon came closer to the kitchen, it was a fruitless attempt as she would have to find her eventually.

“Alaska?” She called again “You’re worrying me sweetheart.”

Alaska closed her eyes now preparing for the worst as the footsteps reached the edge of the door way. No going back now.

Sharon gasped as she turned the corner into the kitchen, she probably would have screamed if she had been capable of making any noise at the moment instead she stared at the scene in front of her before bouncing into action.

“Lasky, what happened?” She asked kneeling down beside her and reaching out to touch her shoulder.

 Alaska jerked away from Sharon’s touch like it was searing hot, she didn’t deserve this she didn’t deserve to be treated so nice she’d ruined everything. She wanted Sharon to yell to tell her how she’d fucked up and how much of a mess she was but instead the older women just looked at her with sympathy and hurt shinning in her teary eyes. That’s what broke Alaska’s shield. She had cried so much in the last twenty-four hours out of frustration and anger and hurt and exhaustion but this time when the tears started it was an over flow of sadness and of realisation. If she had asked for help last night when she felt herself reach breaking point maybe she wouldn’t be in this position, but she was too scared or too proud and now here she is in the middle of a complete relapse after eleven months and she truly hates herself for that.

“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry” Alaska cried out, she wasn’t sure if she was apologising to Sharon, to herself or just because it felt like the right thing to say in this situation.

“Shh it’s okay, it’s okay.” Sharon whispered almost as if she was too scared to speak any louder and scare her off. She reached out to touch her shoulder again only this time Alaska didn’t shy away and instead collapsed into her touch sobbing uncontrollably. Sharon let her lay on her and rubbed her back for as long as she needed until the sobbing subdued.

Alaska lifted herself from Sharon’s lap, hyper aware of the pain that radiated from almost every part of her body.

“I’m sorry you had to see that.” She rasped, her voice hoarse from crying for so long.

“Don’t be, I’m glad I got her before…” Sharon didn’t dare finish her sentence. “You should have told me you were suffering again.”

“I didn’t want to be a burden. You’ve got so much going for you right now and you’re so busy you don’t need a mentally ill kid girl friend too.”

“Hey, no don’t you talk like that.” Sharon began frowning slightly. “I knew exactly what I was getting myself into when we started dating, I always knew this was a possibility, god I hoped it wouldn’t, but I always knew it might and I’d be an asshole if I was willing to throw away the best thing that ever happened to me because she was hurting.” It was Sharon’s turn to cry this time a rare site.

“Do you remember what I said to you after our first fight?” She asked.

Alaska shook her head.

“I said that If it ever got to much again I’d be there.  I meant that then and I mean it now, you got through this before and we  can get you through it again. It’s going to be okay. You are going to be okay.”

                                                                        -     -    -

She was going to be okay.

Not right away because that’s not how these things work, it’s going to take a lot of hard work, a lot of pain and tears and self-discovery but in the end, she’ll be okay. Because if it’s not okay then it’s not the end. 

[artificialqueens]

Soccer Punch - Chapter 1 (Shalaska) - Ty5000

A/N : I’m back back back again with a Shalaska sports rivalry fic that nobody asked for but i’m writing her anyway. I got this insperation from Alaska’s look from the Come to Brazil video. 

PSA I am from the UK, we play football and I’m not sure how similar the terms are so I home you understand the little terminology I actually used.

enjoy- Ty

If you are a Teenager in middle of nowhere northern Pennsylvania then you are likely to fit into one of the following two groups: Part of an average lower to middle class family and a student at Knoxville High or you are lucky enough to be blessed with some kind of talent and parents rich enough to send you to Castle North Private School.

Now along with the natural rivalry that comes with the territory of being the only two schools in a thirty-mile radius it also so happens that their female soccer teams are two of the best in the entire state. That’s right for the past ten years The Knoxville High Queens and The Castle North Elites have beaten out every other team in the high school soccer league and fought head to head at the state championships.

This is where our story begins but this isn’t as it appears for this isn’t a story about soccer but about a rival romance developing through time; a Modern day Romeo and Juliet if you will, hopefully you’ll prefer this ending.

 April 2013 -  The week of the state championships.

The final weeks before your first ever state championship can be a scary time, there’s a lot of pressure on the entire team to succeed but even more so on Alaska Thunder, the only Castle North freshman chosen to play on the competitive team this year. She’s good, really good in fact she has basically been raised on soccer, both her parents are huge soccer fans and her mother was even on the same team as a teenager; until she got pregnant at the start of her senior year. Alaska knows she’s ready, she was one of the best players all season scoring nine goals and she really felt like a valuable member of the team but this is the first time she would be up against their infamous rivals from Knoxville high and she knew too well that she couldn’t let them win.

Across the city Knoxville were also preparing for the big game however freshman player Sharon Needles didn’t seem to be feeling the pressure in the same way as the others. You see Sharon wasn’t soccer crazy like everyone else, in fact she hated everything about the sport, she hated running, she hated being told what to do , she hated waking up early to train , she hated spending her weekends at games and she hated how the black uniform shorts rode up her legs with every step and made her feel uncomfortable. At this point you might be wondering why she is on the team…

Well you see Sharon Needles is what you might call a rebellious teen, perhaps not as rebellious as the ones portrayed on television, she wasn’t an alcoholic or addicted to hard drugs or anything like that but let’s just say that the fifteen-year-old was certainly no stranger to the substances either. Instead Sharon was often found skipping class, smoking, staying out past curfew or not coming home at all and on the rare occasion she showed up to class she was boisterous, disruptive and didn’t turn in any work. Needless to say, it only took three months of this behaviour before the school councillor stepped in and declared Sharon’s life to be lacking structure and discipline and secured her a place in the team expecting her life to suddenly have a positive goal. Spoiler Alert: It didn’t …at least not right away.

Game day is always the last Saturday of April and traditionally it is also the first day that any manifestation of summer descends the north side of the state, so when the Knoxville girls troop off the bus outside the main entrance of Castle North at 11am with skin already sticky from the heat and leather seats and their moods suitably lowered for that reason they knew it was going to be a long day.

The game kicks off at noon as it has every year previously all polite smiles and handshakes forgotten as soon as the piercing note of the starting whistle breaks the air.

“Goal! 0-1 to Castle North”

“1 all!”

“Yellow card Sharon! penalty kick to Castle North!.”

“Goal! Good job Alaska, 1-2 to Castle North!”

“Willam Yellow card! Penalty to Knoxville”

“Half time.”

When the half time whistle sounds throughout the field the players head robotically to the locker rooms where a refreshing drink of water and a towel awaits their tiring bodies.

“Okay ladies, good job out there!” Castle North captain Naomi begins. “We might be ahead but don’t get ahead of yourselves, Knoxville have been putting the work in if we relax for even a second they will pummel us.” The Junior states confidently and for a minute it’s clear to see why the tall beauty was voted captain this year, other than being one of their best players, she’s tall, all legs and oozes confidence.  

“So, what’s the game plan captain?” Willam, a sophomore pipes up.

“For starters you are going to hang back a bit you’ve already been warned, and we can’t do this with ten players, so play it safe.” Willam nods begrudgingly.

“Courtney and Manila, I need you both to up your defence, poor Jinkx is wide open all the time we’ve already had some near misses.” She continued glancing over at the goalie whose knees and arms were already dirt stained from diving for the ball.

“…And Alaska, good job on that goal but don’t hog the ball so much okay?”

Alaska smiled sheepishly, she did have a problem with keeping the ball to herself and shooting from riskier spots than others might dare, but she only did it if she was sure she’d make the goal, and she did was what was their problem. “Sorry.”

Next door a similar conversation was taking place…

“Sharon what were you thinking out there, are you trying to get benched?” Captain Raven screamed the minute everyone had shuffled into the small locker room.

“Anything would be better than running about on that field, my tits are sweating.” Came her nonchalant response. The rest of the team remained silent, no one else ever dared to talk back to Raven, in fact the elder player may only have been voted captain on the reasoning that everyone else on the team is scared of her yet here this freshman was talking back and picking dirt from her nails seemingly unbothered.

“Well that’s just great Needles it really is but maybe for once you could try and be a team player because this game is actually important to some of us.”

“Well considering I don’t even want to be part of this team in the first place.”

“Well like it or not you are part of this team so start acting like it.” And with that Raven turned on her heel and walked out.

The whistle blows again.

“Good Pass Phi Phi!”

“Goal! 2 all!”

“Foul! Sharon, out! “

“Knoxville Queens are down to ten players.”

“Goal” 2-3 to Castle North”

“Time!”

“And the Castle North Elites are this year’s Pennsylvania State Champions.

The crowd erupted into cheers, blurs of yellow and blue as Elite’s fans celebrated their third consecutive win as down on the field the girls were all over each other exchanging hugs and high fives.

However, if you looked around the excitement of the celebrating teenagers, you would see another team; fresh losers, being yelled at by their captain and one freshman girl looking unexpectedly disappointed when she thought no one was looking…

“Alaska!” Naomi called from the side-lines distracting the blonde  “Come get the trophy girl you earned it.

Alaska turned and jogged over to her team mates eagerly waiting to pass her the trophy, and sure it’s not her first trophy (it’s her 9th but who’s keeping count?) but the satisfaction of her team mates cheering her name as she held the trophy over her head was something that had never felt so good. She was State Champion. 

[artificialqueens]

Soccer Punch - Chapter 2 (Shalaska) - Ty5000

A/N - I’m back with a quick update I really have so much fun writing this which probably means it’s going to be over quickly since It’s only supposed to be 4 or 5 chapters long. Anyway I hope you enjoy this next part! -Ty

April 2014 – The week of the state championships

The following year the captains had arranged a team mixer the weekend before the game with the idea that if everyone bonded more  then game day would be purer and more focused on the task at hand. Winning.

The night started somewhat awkwardly, team members would arrive and join their respective teams in the opposite corners of the room talking quietly amongst themselves seemingly trying to forget the presence of their competitors.

“Are we gonna get this party started or not?” Sharon exclaimed, jumping up from her spot where she had been sitting silently and heading towards the table top where the nights alcohol supply sat.

“ Alaska isn’t here yet.” Courtney, an Elite called out, but just as she said that the door burst open.

“I’m here, I’m here ! “The tall blonde player yelled almost tripping over herself as she made her way into the main room.

“You’re late.” Sharon stated eyeing the other girl closely while still trying to keep her face blank, Alaska had really “Grown up” since their last encounter and the sleek deep maroon dress she was wearing really accentuated just how grown up she was. Sharon pulled her shirt down over her waist band slightly, she wasn’t normally the self-conscious type, she didn’t give a fuck normally.

“Sorry, some of us have lives..” She replied sauntering over to her friends with a classic red solo cup in hand; When had she even poured that?

“Okay now we can party.” Willam announced as she connected her phone to the speaker and the loud pop beats exploded from the sound system.

“Great.”

                                                     …

“She is so obnoxious, I really don’t like her Katya.” Sharon said to her friend as they stood outside smoking. The party had been going on for just over an hour now and the previous awkwardness between the two teams had subdued slightly as the alcohol had encouraged relaxation amongst the girls.

“You are too quick to judge her.” The other observed following her statement with a long drag of her cigarette.

“ I just get a bad vibe from her , I don’t like her at all I-“

“Who don’t you like?” Whatever Sharon had intended to say was interrupted by the subject herself sauntering over to them a cigarette in one hand and her drink in the other.

Sharon let a breath of surprise slip out of her mouth mentally scolding herself for watching her legs as she walked closer to them.

“Well?” Alaska asked lighting up the stick which had previously been resting unlit between her fingers and taking a long drag.

“That’s bad for you.” She said, hoping she didn’t bring up her previous question, not that Sharon usually had a problem telling people what she thought about them.

“Says you.” She retaliates. Sharon glances down at her own cigarette, flicking the ash onto the ground.

“Well I’m not exactly trying to be America’s best athlete, am I?”

“Is that what I’m doing?”

“Apparently.”

Sharon looked to her left ready to continue her conversation with Katya to escape from this awkward encounter only to notice the other girl had left already.

“If your looking for your friend shes over there.” Alaska spoke up again , gesturing to where Katya was inside the screen doors laughing loudly with Thorgy and some of the Elites whose names Sharon didn’t know or care to learn.

“Oh, well I better..yeah im gonna ..” Sharon stuttered slightly hoping she could put it down to alcohol consumption as she stood up and made her way back towards the house. Anywhere is better than here.

“Later babe.” Alaska’s voice followed her.

Overall, despite what everyone initially thought when they heard about the party, it went surprisingly well, by the end of the night the two usually competing teams mixed well and actually got along pretty well with one another.

Sharon spent the whole night stuck with her usual crowd of two, Katya and Thorgy which subsequently meant when they began to bond with the Elite goal keeper Jinkx and to Sharon’s dismay Alaska she had no choice but to join in on the conversation.  Well she didn’t actually do much of the talking instead listening to the another four girls get drunker as the night went on until she finally had enough.

“Alright I’m gonna go” Sharon finally said after several mind numbingly long hours, she reached into her pocket to retrieve her cigarettes for when she got outside. “Can I borrow your light?” She asked in Alaska’s direction; the first words she’d said to her all night.

“Sorry I don’t smoke.” She replied her vocal fry drawing out slightly more with the effects of the alcohol.

“Oh, my mistake.” She was much to drunk to question what kind of bullshit was going on and choose to ignore it for now.

“I’ll see you at the game I guess.” And with that she turned and left.

                                     ————————-

                                         Game Day

     Game day came quickly like it does every year and suddenly the moment that the months of practising had lead up to was staring them in the face. The girls did seem somewhat friendlier with one another than they had the previous year but tight lipped smiles was all they dared exchanged as they shook hands and prepared to play the game. It was a competition after all.

Sharon took her position on the field with a sigh, there was one hundred and one other things she would rather be doing on the first warm Saturday of the year than spend it kicking a ball around again, a cold bottle of beer in her backyard sounded amazing right now but it would have to wait.

From her position on the other side of the field Alaska was thinking similar thoughts. She was the star player and as she was so often reminded; the reason they took home the trophy last year but something about this whole experience didn’t feel as thrilling as last time. Don’t get her wrong she loved soccer, she loved the game and thrill and the amazing memories she had with her team she just didn’t want it to be the only thing people thought of when her name was mentioned.

Her thoughts were cut short by the shriek of the whistle, it was game time.

       Goal! The first point of the game goes to Knoxville !

       God job Katya!

    Yellow Card Phi Phi, Penalty to Castle North!

    Good Pass Manila

   Goal to Castle North, 1 all!

The whistle blows.

The atmosphere in the Castle North changing room is tense, no one says a word as they sip their waters.

“Okay, we weren’t playing to our best out there but it’s not over yet it’s still anybodies game we can do this!” Naomi says trying her best to deliver a believable pep talk like a good captain should.  No one looked convinced but she continued to go over their game plan anyway.

“ Don’t look so defeated girls!” she smiled “ Our ten year streak isn’t going anywhere.”

Meanwhile in the Knoxville girls changing rooms there was an air of hope and confidence surrounding them, the idea of taking the title of state champion back with them for the first time in over a decade was fresh in everyone’s minds.

“Don’t get ahead of yourselves they could have anything up their sleeves, stay vigilant we can relax when we have that trophy!” Raven relayed to her team

“I want a few more people defending Thorgy just to be safe make sure they don’t stand a chance.” As the Capitan continued giving out her orders Sharon sipped her water and allowed herself to think for a second about how good it would feel if they actually won.

“Alright, lets do this.”

The whistle blows again

Good Pass Manila!

Good save from Thorgy!

Yellow Card Alaska! Penalty to Knoxville

Goal To Knoxville!

2-1 to Knoxville!

The whistle blows.

Alaska’sheart is beating fast, too fast, she’s shaking and possibly also crying she doesn’t have the energy to find out if the wetness on her face is sweat or tears. She was so used to winning that losing was always going to hurt but the fact that it was all her fault.. Well that was a hard punch to take.

Across the field Sharon is having a similar reaction, her heart is beating faster than it ever has, her legs are shaking and she’s grinning so wide her jaw hurts. Not only has she just scored a goal; her first ever goal but it also just so happened to be the winning goal of the whole entire game. She zoned back into reality just in time to have the trophy thrust into her arms by Raven .

“Congratulations Stoner you did something good.” She’s smiling the whole team is and Sharon likes this feeling, she likes it a lot. 

[artificialqueens]

Soccer Punch (Shalaska)- Chapter 3 - Ty5000

A/N-  Hello my lovelies, I’m back again! Thank you so much for the feedback I hope y’all are enjoying this as much as I am enjoying writing it. This will be my last update before Christmas so I would just like to wish you all very Happy Holidays and I’ll see you soon. - Ty

P.S - It’s 4am, If I missed any mistakes i’m sorry.

                                 Summer Break 2014

Sharon had always loved summer break and awaited it each year with anticipation and a childlike joy. She may not be a massive fan of the increased temperature that makes her red, splotchy, sweaty and not to mention tan but there are a few things she did enjoy about the time off school. Mainly no homework or dealing with teachers or school in general was a huge plus. Being able to stay up as late as she wanted, go out as often as she liked, party as often as possible and sleep until the sun was beginning to set again were some of her favourite pass times and thankfully summer had a lot of time for her to pass.

For the first few weeks that is exactly how her summer played out, she would roll out of bed around 2pm and find herself some breakfast; usually leftover pizza or a bowl of cornflakes which she messily prepared while checking her phone for updates. Once her meal was finished and the dishes left in the sink to be worried about later she gets dressed (usually in black despite the summer heat) finds some plans to crash or mischief to cause and leaves the house not to return until the wee hours of the morning usually as the sun is rising and normally varying levels of drunk or high or both to pass out in her bed. This routine continued pretty solidly for the first three weeks of the vacation until one particularly hot Wednesday afternoon.

 Sharon lay on her bedroom floor (her bed was too warm) beside her electric fan as she mindlessly swiped through her phone becoming increasingly more frustrated by the minute at the lack of notifications. She couldn’t find one single thing to do, the party she had been planning to attend that night had been cancelled due to the host’s parents choosing to stay in town after all and all her other friends appeared to be busy, Thorgy was in Florida on vacation and Katya had been summoned to some family only barbeque. Hell, even her dealer was ignoring her!

She let out a final sigh of boredom, tossing her phone across the room lightly, it was much too hot to be doing anything anyway she decided as she made her way downstairs to grab a cold beer from the refrigerator.

It was that chain of decisions which lead Sharon to where she was now; laying on the sofa watching a soccer game. Now don’t get her wrong the choice hadn’t been completely voluntarily as there was literally nothing else on TV worth watching and she would rather watch the game than sit in silence and let her mind slowly rot in the heat.

Twenty minutes later Sharon surprised herself as she yelled out in anger as the cute twink like boy she had been following around the screen for a while now and developing a soft spot for was tackled by a much buffer burly man on the opposite team. She hadn’t been aware how invested she had become in the game at hand sure she played the game (begrudgingly) but watching a game with her own eyes was usually enough to put her to sleep yet here she was her finding herself actually enjoying the show.

Maybe that warm Wednesday afternoon would be a turning point for Miss Needles, the point in which she would completely give up her party animal ways and devote herself to a fitness journey revolving around her soccer star dream. Well it was doubtful but only time will tell.   

                                                -  -  -

Meanwhile across town Alaska’s summer was going in a completely different direction. It started out like every other summer had for the past two years, she’d wake up early; not as early as a school morning but still early enough. Then she would take a run around her neighbourhood and return home a sweaty red-faced mess for a shower and healthy well balanced breakfast of toast, eggs, avocado and a fruit smoothie which she ate while her Mom hovered nearby with a watching eye to ensure her daughter was getting the right nutrients to build her into the super star athlete she didn’t get the chance to be. Alaska’s mother was an amazing player destined for greatness until she fell pregnant with Alaska at just seventeen years of age, after she was born her Mom had tried to get back into the sport before falling pregnant again just two years later with Alaska’s sister Nebraska. She gave up her dreams after that and replaced them with motherhood so you could imagine her delight when from a young age both her children displayed an interest in the game providing a perfect canvas for her to project her hopes and dreams.

Alaska could never be more grateful for having such supportive parents who cared so much about her passions they put her through years of Soccer training from as soon as she was able to walk until she was able to join a team at the age of eight, they even petitioned the middle school to start a girls team and when she started at Castle North they got her a summer job as a soccer coach for a local camp to ensure she didn’t miss out on practice over the break.

Without them constantly pushing and encouraging her to work and train she would have broke right after the championship loss, sometimes she wonders if it’s her mothers plan to not let her think about that day to not give her a chance to crash.

It was the third Wednesday of the summer when the camp called just as she was preparing to leave for work. Something about “High temperatures, too much physical activity and keeping the kids in doors .” The basic idea of it being to inform her that she wouldn’t be needed for work that day. The news came as an unexpected but welcome surprise with the realisation that she was home alone for a few hours meaning she could actually have some time to herself for the first time that summer. Naturally she chose to spend that time the only way she knew how; watching a game and eating ice cream. (Don’t tell her mother.)

The game was going well and Alaska was really enjoying the opportunity to watch instead of play for once, that is until out of nowhere a tall burly player came rushing onto the screen kicking the ball from beneath another players feet causing him to fall over. The whistle blares alerting the offender to his warning and signalling the other team to take their penalty shot. They score.

Everything comes flooding back to her in a wave, she hears the whistle, the flash of yellow, sees Sharon’s foot connect with the ball and Jinkx diving and missing as it hits the net. She sees the flash of disappointment in her teammates eyes when she looked at them. It was all her fault, they lost the game, the championship, and their decade long winning streak because of her. She was a disgrace to the team, she’d be surprised if they even let her back next year and if they did she absolutely wouldn’t get voted captain.

Of course, this was the exact moment her mom would arrive home from work to find her daughter curled up on the sofa, tears streaming down her face and sobs wracking her small frame.

“Alaska Sweetheart what’s wrong!” She exclaimed rushing towards her daughter and reaching out to rub her shoulder supportively.

Alaska jerked away instinctively rejecting the touch, she didn’t want anymore false support. “I’m Sorry.” She whispered in between sobs as she wrapped her arms tightly around herself.

“Sorry for what?” Her mother replied. “Talk to me baby.”

 “I failed you. I failed the team. I failed myself. I failed.” Each new sentence was punctuated by a loud hiccup like sob.

It was that exact moment that her mom noticed the game playing on the TV. Oh.

“No sweetie, no no no” She reached forward again desperate to comfort her daughter. “You didn’t fail anyone. You made a mistake, they happen to the best of us. Knoxville were on top of their game this season and that had nothing to do with you, it couldn’t be helped.”

As she spoke Alaska’s sobs began to slow slightly but she didn’t look convinced.

“Come here” her mother sighed softly gesturing her daughter into a tight hug. She rubbed her back softly.

“It’s okay to be upset, but please don’t beat yourself up over it.”

“It’s hard.” Came her muffled reply

“I know. Can I teach you a trick I learned to help with when you’re feeling down?” She nodded still pressed tightly against her mom’s chest.

“Write.”

Alaska pulls away and looked up at her sceptically “Really?”

“Trust me. Grab a pen and paper and go to town don’t hold back anything. It really helps.”

Now Alaska didn’t believe her, nor had she ever written anything that wasn’t a shopping list or school work, but she was desperate to stop feeling this way. So, she thanked her Mom, apologising again much to her dismay, and made her way upstairs where she wasted no time in pulling out a pad and beginning to write and write and write, pages upon pages of thoughts and feelings and anything that came to her head.

Huh. This really did help. 

[artificialqueens]

Ugly Christmas Sweater (One shot)- Ty5000

AN: Yep This is a Christmas fic in July I have nothing more to say on the matter. Inspired by Ugly Christmas Sweater by the AAA girls. I haven’t really read through this yet so sorry in advance for any mistakes. 

Alaska sighed at she checked the time on her phone for the fifth time in the last twenty minutes; just over four hours till Christmas. When she woke up this morning the last thing she had been expecting was to be spending the night alone in her dorm room of the now almost empty school. By now she should have been with her family in Canada enjoying a well needed holiday away from this place. The weather however had other plans and a thick layer of snow had grounded all planes flying into Toronto leaving Alaska no choice but to stay in the school for at least the first few days of the holiday period until the weather cleared up.

 It was eerily quiet, even at night it was never silent for too long, Sunny Manor has five hundred enrolled students of which more than three hundred girls took residence in its dorms. Of course, with everyone gone it was much different, even the few teachers who stayed behind to care for the remaining students hardly showed their face all day which is why when Alaska heard footsteps coming along the hall way for a second she was somewhat startled until the “Intruder” showed their face.

“ Yo Thunder get dressed and meet me in the senior common room in ten minutes.” Willam called from the door way.

“Why?” She asked sceptically the senior was known for being somewhat of a trouble maker, she didn’t really know much about her other than that she had been good friends with Alaska’s ex Sharon who has been expelled after a mysterious incident in her junior year.

“We’re having a Christmas party!” She replied mischief laced in her voice as she turned away. “Where something festive!” she added already half way down the hall.

Now Alaska new that whatever Willam had in mind was probably against at least one of the school rules, and while she wasn’t a complete goody goody she also wasn’t in the habit of getting into trouble often. Then again there was little else she could entertain herself with tonight…

With a final sigh, she pushed herself off of her bed and over to her still packed suitcase, thankful that her reindeer sweater was sitting at the top.

Well if you can’t beat them you may as well join them.

 When Alaska made it to the senior commons just over ten minutes later she was surpised to find Willam wasn’t alone. A small girl who she recgonised from her home economics class was sat beside her sporting a baby pink sweater decorated with little penguins which made her look incredibly soft in comparison to the other girl in “Santa’s Bitch” sweater.

“You’re late.” She says finally looking up from her phone.

“Hardly. Hi my names Alaska, what’s yours?” She asked the other girl who had been silent up until now.

“I’m Courtney.” The girl spoke up with a strong Australian accent.

“Oh yeah! We have home economics together; your cooking is amazing.” Alaska replied dragging her words slightly.

“Thank you.”

“All right losers let’s get this party started!” Willam yelled suddenly pulling a bottle of makers mark out from under a sofa cushion.

“Oh, um I don’t really drink.” Courtney mumbled while eyeing the bottle with wide eyes.

“You do tonight miss Sandy.” The older girl says passing her the bottle.

Courtney looked at the bottle worriedly for a second before bringing it to her lips and taking a small sip, immediately regretting it as the amber liquid burned on its way down making her face scrunch up in disgust. She passed the bottle on quickly to Alaska who despite not being much of a drinker herself took a mouthful with more confidence than the aussie girl had.

“You girls are pathetic, pass it here let the boss show you how it’s done.” Willam butts in grabbing the bottle for herself and taking three big gulps.

“Sorry we can’t all be alcoholics like you Will.”  Alaska laughs beginning to settle into the company. She simply shrugs in response before taking another mouthful of the drink.

“It’s not like there is anything else to do around here is there. Why are you still here anyway Alaska? Word on the street is you were off to Canada for the break.”

“I am… once the weather over there calms down.” She reaches for the bottle while she speaks, Willam is right there is nothing better to do.

“What about you Court, No Mommy and Daddy waiting for you down Under?” The senior questioned.

“Of course I do, it’s just too far to travel for just a week and they are really busy with work anyway, I wouldn’t want to get in their way.” She said hoping no one would detect the slight sadness in her usually happy demeaner.

“How precious.” Was Willam’s sarcasm laced response.

“What about you why are you spending the holidays here Willam?” Courtney asked expectantly.

Alaska looked at Willam across the room, in her whole four years at Sunny Manor she had never seen or heard of the other girl ever going home for any holiday, not even over summer. She just knew there was a story there.

“Oh, you know the usual story. Mom got remarried and her husband isn’t a fan of the “troubled” daughter so he pays a shit ton of money to keep her away. “No one in that moment would be able to detect any kind of negative feelings from her response if the sentence hadn’t been punctuated with a large swig of whiskey.

“Oh, I’m sorry.”

“Yeah that’s terrible Will.”

“Oh, hell no we aren’t doing this pitty party it’s all good. I’m cool, I couldn’t give a shit.” Her reply was met with silence. “Oh whatever Christmas sucks anyway, let’s change the subject.”

                                                .          .            .

Three hours and almost a full bottle of whiskey later the three girls had really warmed up to each other.

“…and that’s the story of how I blackmailed a guy for $225” Willam concluded grinning as the others laughed at her story. She really liked these girls.

“I’m so drunk this is the best Christmas ever!” Courtney yelled bursting into a fit of giggles. She was only just slightly worse than the others who were only really tipsy yet the others still cooed at her in awe. Within a few hours she had become like a baby sister to Alaska and Willam.

“Shit! Court that gave me an idea.” Willam called out suddenly. “‘Laska quick, what is your worst Christmas memory?”

Alaska looked up at the others in shock, all her Christmas memories had been lovely and spent with family. Up until now of course, but she was enjoying herself too much to use this as an example, but then something came to mind.

“So, there is this one year and it was Christmas, and my brother got karate patches and I really wanted to get karate patches, So I thought I was gonna get karate patches, and then I didn’t get karate patches.”

“ Jesus girl, no karate patches? That is so tragic.” Willam pipped in sounding bored.

“Oh yeah like you have anything better.”

“Don’t try me I have plenty of terrible Christmas stories. Like This one time my mom got so pissed she threw our tree into the pool or the next year I got super drunk, it was cool no one noticed anything they were all too busy cooking. It was great until I woke up under a tree miles from home.” She recounted her stories happily almost like she was gloating, grinning even wider when she saw her friends shocked reactions.

“C’mon court your turn.”

“Okay so a few years ago my entire family were supposed to be on the morning flight to Paris, but the night before they punished me and sent me to the attic. The next morning everyone woke up and rolled out. Mum forgot about me until she was  on the plane and freaked out. While they were gone two guys tried to break into my house but I was smarter so I set a bunch of traps, set a guy on fire.”

“Shit that’s wild” Willam said shocked that Courtney had actually done something interesting for once.

“Yeah, I nearly died.” She added nodding for sincerity.

“Wait a second that sounds really familiar …” Alaska spoke up “That’s the plot of home alone!.” She suddenly shrieked laughing aloud. 

“Do they even have Christmas in Australia?” She asked once her laughter had dulled down

“No…” She sighed defeated. It really did feel that way.

“aww it’s okay Court at least you got to experience Christmas with us and our ugly Christmas sweaters.” Alaska said gesturing around the room at the three teenagers dressed up in their various Christmas attire.

“I guess everything is better in my ugly Christmas sweater.” She replied smiling softly.

“Shit!” Willam screamed suddenly looking at her watch. “I’ll be right back.” She shouted before running upstairs leaving the other girls confused. She returned barely a minute later with a large bottle of champagne.

“How did you get that?” Alaska asked raising her eyebrow suspiciously?

“I have my ways… but who cares because guess what! It’s Christmas!!” She replied popping the cork and letting the champagne spill out onto the floor for a second before taking a big gulp and passing it on.

“Merry Christmas you guys” Alaska cheered before she and Willam were dragged into a group hug by Courtney.

“Thank you for making this a Christmas to remember.”

[artificialqueens]

Disneyland (Katlaska) Chapter 1 – by Ty5000

AN: Ya boy finally got round to writing this after months of having the idea. For some reasons I’m really nervous to post this but yeah, enjoy.

Moscow, Russia

“… and the families have agreed to take you in until you reach eighteen and find your place in America.” Yekaterina sighed as the women continued to tell the small group about her program, the program that could potentially allow for many of the others just like her to escape Russia and go to somewhere much safer for them. America. Adeline had been with the group for the last month and for a while it had seemed like another empty promise of salvation and a chance to be free and to be accepted as the days went on everyone had slowly began to let themselves believe in the chance, and now they would be leaving in just 2 weeks.

You see as someone who identifies as a transgender woman, Yekaterina wasn’t safe at home or really in her country at all which is why for three years the secret identity of her true gender had stayed just that; a secret until she had read about the “Radical” new charity offering refuge in America for transgender youths. Not wanting to waste any more time feeling trapped she left out her bedroom in the middle of the night with nothing but the clothes on her back and never looked back. Thankfully she had made the right decision and after arriving outside the centre almost blue with cold after a freezing night long walk she was welcomed with the care she had been craving her whole life. She had been equipped with everything she would need to get her to her new home including a crash course in the English language and in depth therapy sessions, one of which had been more helpful than the others. Now finally, finally it was time.

“I’ll now pass out your packages that detail where you are going and who you will be staying with.” Adeline states, knocking Yekaterina out of her daydream and back into the room of young Russians collecting their envelopes with a wide mixture of nerves and anticipation in their eyes that surely matched her own. It felt like forever before a package landed in her own lap feeling as heavy as the anxious bubbles brewing in her stomach and swirling around her brain. She couldn’t let these feelings consume her right now, not when her future was sitting right in front of her, so with a deep breath she shakily began tearing it open and pulling out the inside. She scanned the letters content quickly, thankful for the Russian translations that allowed her to take in all the information as quickly as possible. Pennsylvania, she was going to Pennsylvania in two weeks.  

Pennsylvania, United States

“Alaska honey could you come here a moment please?” Thomas Thunder called out barely a few seconds after his daughter had walked through the door. It was somewhat a strange and suspicious sight to see both of her parents sitting at the table waiting for her when she came home.

“What’s up?” Alaska asked eyeing her parents as she sat down and praying her nerves weren’t obvious.

“How was group today?”

“It was good, the usual you know? We spoke about any problems or whatever then broke into smaller groups and just chatted until time was up.” She drawled. “I really don’t know why you make me go every week.”

“We’ve been over this Lasky, the group is beneficial for you. You need to make better friends who support you.” Mary says, reciting her words as if she has said them a million times before, which she had.

“I have Aaron! He’s my friend.”

“Aaron isn’t your friend, look what happened last time sweetie.” Her Dad cut in. “A real friend wouldn’t have let you get into that state.

“But it would be different this time, I’m better now.” She tried.

“I don’t care Alaska, we can’t take that chance.” He said back exasperated.

Alaska rolled her eyes not prepared to fight over this again. “Is that all you wanted? Can I go now?”

“No, we actually did want to talk to you about something.” Her Mom said pausing briefly before she was signalled to go on. “You know how your dad and I both completely support your decision to be Alaska?”

“Yeah.” she replied wary of where this was going, she had come out to them as transgender three years ago when she was fourteen and they had been nothing but understanding. She hoped they weren’t changing their minds.

“Well as you know not everyone can be as lucky as you, in fact some people can’t even think about coming out.” Alaska nods in acknowledgment and guilt, she was pretty lucky. “That’s why we decided to give back to the community.”

“What do you mean?” She quizzed, confused slightly.

“We are going to House a Russian refugee!” Her Dad exclaimed passing forward a picture of a teenager, with short blonde hair and bright red lipstick messily applied onto her lips. “This is Yekaterina and she’s going to come live with us for a while.

Alaska was silent, it’s not that she was angry, she actually thought it was pretty cool of her parents to do this for someone, who needed it but she just didn’t know what to say. Her parents apparently had taken her silence as a que to continue because they had begun to talk again.

“She ran away from home and joined a program that aim to get lgbt youth out of dangerous situations. Your Mom read about it on one of her websites and we thought it would be a nice idea. You never know you might even find a new friend, lord knows she was will need one.” Her Dad continued smiling.

Alaska should have known there was a small hidden agenda in their kindness, she didn’t need friends. Aaron was a great friend and the drugs hadn’t been completely his fault. Never the less she resisted the urge to roll her eyes.

“So, when does she come?” She asked.

“Two weeks.” 

[artificialqueens]

Disneyland (Katlaska) Chapter 3 – Ty5000

AN: Look who managed to get one more update out before College starts back! This one is shorter but it does show a bit of Alaska’s history. As usual I hope you enjoy reading as much as I enjoy writing it. -Ty

P.s There is a brief mention of a past suicide attempt so beware if that easily triggers you. 

Diner had been pretty uneventful and had gone ahead exactly how you imagine a meal with a new guest would go: Mainly periods of intense questioning and brief answers followed by periods of semi awkward silences when no one knew what to say. Katya was very quiet and only speaking when spoken too, Mary and Thomas put it down to the language barrier but Alaska was much more hesitant in assuming the same as her parents. She had saw the pools of fear and shame in the younger Russians eyes that reminded her so much of herself less than a year ago. That’s why when Mary suggested the two girls walk home instead Alaska didn’t put up much of a fight. While her Mom may think it’s a great opportunity to show Katya around the town (and maybe it was) but it would also be a chance for Alaska to talk to the newbie alone.

This is why the two girls were walking along one of the main streets at ten o’clock.

“So, do you like America so far?” Alaska asks the other struggling to think of any other subject to begin a conversation with.

“I do, is much nicer than in Russia.” Was her quick reply.

“What do you like about it?” She prodded desperate to get some more conversation out of the foreigner.

There was silence and for a minute Alaska was sure that she wasn’t going to answer but then her voice broke the silence. “In America, you can be yourself and not needing to be worried about your life. America has all kinds of people, all with different stories and here it is okay to be your own person. In Russia, our leader he wants us to be all the same, he is not understanding how it’s like to not be like everyone else. Is not safe there but America you the are land of freedom, acceptance and magic.”

“Magic?”

“Yes! Disneyland is Magic. It is the happiest place on earth, you can’t be sad there because everyone is feeling love and magic. I would very much like to be in Disneyland.” Katya explained.

Alaska smiled recalling her own trip to Disney when she was twelve years old, she knew the exact feeling that Katya was referring to. It’s a feeling of invisibility like all the bad just can’t reach you there. During some of her worst nights when all she wanted was to disappear she would close her eyes and dream of escaping back to the land of Mickey and Minnie, it helped.

“I’ll take you there some day.” She said without stopping to think.

“Fuck Disney World is almost a full day’s drive away. Why did I say that?” She thought once the reality set in, but then Katya’s eyes lit up for the first time all day and a real smile spread across her face.

“Really?” The Russian exclaimed almost squealing with glee, and oh god how could Alaska say no to true joy.

“Sure.” She shrugged. “It’s pretty far from here but one day we can go.” At that point, she was pretty sure that the other might actually attack her with hugs.

The rest of the walk home had been pretty quiet, but Alaska still considered it a success, she was determined to break down Katya’s walls and become her friend. She couldn’t let her turn out like she had, after all there’s nothing worse than isolating yourself from the world, it’s a dark and lonely spiral that she barely managed to pull herself out of alive. The last year or so of Alaska’s life was a time she would rather forget, she had convinced herself that no one wanted to be around her, she stopped going to classes and spent most of her days with Aaron wasted and high on whatever they could get their hands on. In all honesty, she couldn’t remember much of that part of her life but It all came to devastating climax one night just over a year ago. It had all became too much and she ended up in hospital getting her stomach pumped and being questioned by mental health specialists. To this day, Alaska will still deny that there was any attempt to purposely end her own life but truthfully that night is a blurry spot in her memory and knowing how she had been feeling there really was no doubt in her mind about what her intentions had been. Don’t get her wrong she is very much glad to be alive now, she was happier than ever (although the healthy daily dosage of anti-depressants might help with that) and she hadn’t touched a drug besides alcohol since that night either and to top it all off after months of monitoring and tests she could now proudly say she was on hormone replacement therapy and one step closer to becoming a real woman.

So maybe it is true that it has to get worse before it gets better but there was one thing she knew for sure and that was that she couldn’t let Katya experience any of those feelings, at least not anymore.  

[artificialqueens]

Disneyland (Katlaska) Chapter 2 - by Ty5000

AN: Looks who is back again! I don’t normally update so fast but I can’t stop writing this. Thanks so much for the feedback so far! -Ty

The plane engines roared to life as the large Aeroflot airlines jet headed for the runway. Yekaterina sighed, wiggling around nervously in her seat as they lifted off. This was it. The past two weeks had been a whirlwind of meetings, phone calls, more English lessons, and sleepless nights full of worries and what if’s that had tortured her right up until this moment and would surely nestle itself in the back of her head for the remainder of the flight. As the Russian soil disappeared below them she allowed herself to finger over the package on her lap, of course she had read it a million times by now; in fact, she had almost memorized the whole sheet but she found herself finding comfort in the familiar descriptions of her new home and the wonders of what it would be like. Of course, Yekaterina’s only experiences with other teenagers had been at school (which had been less than pleasant.) and the others in the group whom she had only made contact with when absolutely necessary. You could say she wasn’t really a people person, much too used to spending her evenings alone as the only child of a businessman and socialite mother tends to do. The interactions she did have with other humans never were that desirable either, although you could say, crippling social anxiety paired with a gender identity everyone in your country is against and dancing on the edge of alcoholism at just sixteen years of age would do that to a person. Never the less something in her brain, no matter how small that part may be was telling her that this new start would be different. It would be better. With her old country, far behind her and a promising future on the horizon Yekatrina allowed herself to drift to sleep.

“Ladies and gentlemen please fasten your seatbelts we will be beginning our descent to John F Kennedy airport shortly.” The pilots voice came over the speaker awaking yekatrina who had surprisingly managed to sleep most the ten-hour flight. She glanced out the window through sleepy eyes observing the land that was getting closer by the minute. Home.

Getting through the maze of JFK airport had seemed like an impossible and never ending task, each new line and checkpoint appearing to last forever but finally here she stood, right in front of the arrival doors and just seconds away from meeting the people she would be spending the next two years with. The familiar feelings of anxiety, doubt and fear bubbled deep within her and she could feel her fingers begin to shake as she reached forward and pulled open the doors. Almost immediately Yekatrina was met with a sea of people, a wave of signs signalling for the arrivals and a wall of sound as loved ones were reunited .It was incredibly distracting and overwhelming only adding to the difficultly of the task at hand; finding the thunders.

“Yekatrina! Over here Sweetie.” Came the sound of badly pronounced Russian and joy. She quickly whipped her head around sourcing the origin of the call to be from the two people she recognised as Thomas and Mary Thunder holding a large sign that said “ Добро пожаловать! Екатерина” (welcome! Yekaterina.) she made her way over to them slowly with a nervous smile on her face.

“Well hello there, come over and let me give you a hug honey!” Mary exclaimed as soon as she was close enough, reaching her arms out expectantly for the anxious young Russian to embrace her.

“It’s so lovely to finally meet you. How was your flight?” Thomas asks as the girls break apart from their hug.

“F-fine thanks.” She replies silently cussing herself for sounding so scared, I mean she was but she didn’t want to look weak in front of them.

“Hey, there’s no need to be nervous around us, it’s safe here I promise.” Mary said softly rubbing her shoulder gently causing a small less anxious grin to grace the teens face.

“Right, let’s not waste any more time shall we? It’s a bit of a drive back to Pennsylvania.” Thomas declared whilst reaching to take Yekatrina’s suitcase. “Let’s go ladies.”

Meanwhile

To: Lasky

From: Aaron

Hey u wanna skip last class and get a few beers?

To:Aaron

From: Lasky

I can’t today. I need to be home on time that Russian kid is coming today remember?

To: Lasky

From: Aaron

C’mon Lask u know she won’t be here for hours yet. Just a few beers Kay?

To: Aaron

From:Lasky

A few beers always turns into me getting home wasted at dawn and you know it

To:Lasky

From: Aaron

I’ll keep an eye on u, come on it will be fun.

To:Aaron

From:Lasky

Why don’t I believe that at all?

…

Fine

Meet me by the science block in 5 Xx

Alaska sighed as she locked her phone feeling like she would probably regret this but she grabbed her bag pack and headed towards the science block anyway. Yekatrina’s flight had just gotten in she had three maybe four hours before they would get back, she just had to pace herself, no more than three beers.

“Hurry up bitch before someone catches us!” Aaron whisper yelled as soon as Alaska turned the corner, urging her to speed up causing her heels to click clack on the floor as she went.

“C’mon bitch let’s get our drink on.” He exclaimed as soon as she got to him.

“Okay okay okay, but it really just has to be a few” she said as she followed him out the door and into his car.

                                    .  .   .

If anyone was to walk past the Needles family home right now they would likely be able to hear the infectious laughter coming from inside the front bedroom.

“Wait wait wait so he just cleaned himself off and left just like that?” Alaska asked a slight slur to her words

“Yes! He just pulled out and was like, well this was fun we should do it again some time and walked out!” Aaron Cackled as he recalled an encounter he had the previous weekend.

“Omg that’s hilarious!” Alaska laughed out loud, the alcohol enhancing the humour of the story ever so slightly. Suddenly she stopped mid laugh and her eyes went wide in panic. “Time! Shit, Aaron what time is it?” she screeched in her panic as she scrambled for her phone.

“It’s just after six, why?” He asked clueless.

“Fuck! Aaron my parents are going to be back by now.” She cried finally locating her phone and unlocking it too see 3 missed calls and 4 texts.

To: Alaska

From: Mum

Where are you?

You better be home in the next 10 minutes

I’m going to be very disappointed if you are with Aaron again Alaksa.

To: Alaska

From: Dad

Come home when you get this Lasky.

“I have to go.” She said pushing herself onto her feet and wobbling slightly. “God damn I thought we said only a few drinks?” She observed the many empty beer cans, at least she wasn’t super drunk but considerably more than just tipsy.

“Girl I lost count after the first one you know me.”

“Yeah, Whatever I got to run.” Alaska called behind her already half way out the door and dialling her Mom’s number at the same time.

She answered on the first ring.

“Alaska Thunder where on earth are you!” She exclaimed as soon as she picked up.

“I’m so sorry I lost track of time I’m on my way home right now/” Alaska replied, thinking her words over carefully hoping she could pass as sober.

“Have you been drinking? We expected you to be home, Yekatrina is here.” Mary said clearly agitated.

“I know, I’m so sorry. I’ll be home in a few minutes.”

“Don’t avoid the question Mrs, we will talk when you get home.” Mary replied before hanging up the phone.

 As soon as Alaska got home she heard her Dad calling her name.

“Lask, is that you? Come meet Yekatrina.” His voice echoed from the family room.

“Coming!” she replied, taking a quick glance in the hallway mirror, thankfully she had sobered up slightly during her walk. She took one final deep breath and turned the corner.

Alaska wasn’t sure what she was expecting to see but she wasn’t expecting it to be such a normal scene, Her Dad was sitting on his usual arm chair, her Mom was in her normal spot on the left side of the sofa and on the other arm chair was a girl holding a coffee mug. She had a messy blonde haircut that somehow suited her and the same familiar smudged lipstick Alaska had seen in the photo.

“Alaska, come meet Yekatrina.” Her Mom said, giving her a look that said that they would talk about this later.

“Hello, I’m Alaska, Sorry I have no idea how to pronounce your name.” She said truthy, dodging the glare her Mom sent in her direction.

“That’s, Okay It is pretty difficult for English speaking people to say.” Yekatrina said her accent seeming very thick but extremely visually appealing to Alaska. “You can just call me Katya, If you like.”

“Alright, Katya. I like that.” Alaska smiled

“Lovely.” Mary cut in before any conversation could begin. “Now that you have joined us Alaska shall we go get some dinner.”

Alaska smiled again and nodded following her parents and new house mate out to the car. One thing is for sure the next two years are going to be interesting.

[artificialqueens]

Soccer punch is OFICIALLY one of my fav shalaskas ♡♡ I'm really into Alaska's mystirious and low key dominant personality. I think SP is perhaps the only fic where Alaska isn't that submissive insecure baby (which is fine, but is also good to see a new perspective of her). Good job!!

[artificialqueens]

Soccer Punch is soooo good. Alaska's character is really intriguing me and Sharon is an adorable badass.

[artificialqueens]

Is Disneyland going to be continued?

[artificialqueens]

I know I'm a bit late buuuut "Ugly Christmas Sweater" by Ty5000 was soooo cute!!! I loved the story and the characterization! If you ever made more one shots set in that universe I'd love to read them!

[artificialqueens]

Disneyland is going to be updated??

[artificialqueens]

I can't wait for chapter 3 of Disneyland :)

[artificialqueens]

Queue time :) -Vixen Supersonic; Kintsugi (Raja x Raven & Rajilia) - Shadyqueenie Gold Dust Woman, Ch. 1 (Shalaska) - Citrus Your life is gonna change me Chapter 1 - AbbieNeedless A Heartbeat's Leading The Waltz (Shinkx) - Eevee The Breakup (Biadore) - Whiskey Neat The rED Bracelet AJ (Violet centric/Viadore/Jivy/Alaskie) When it all gets too much -(Shalaska) by Ty5000 Technicolor (Shalaska) Chapter 2 - Catrina Until the Flavor's Gone (10/?) (Biadore) - Kitschy Pixel

[artificialqueens]

Here’s tonight’s queue guys! - Tiff

Castways: Chapter Two (Jadore) ~ Mistress & Eevee

Fame is free, it even happened to me - Gothicc Girl

There's plenty of fish in the sea (but I only want you) - Bramble (Biadore 1/6)

I Loved Her First Ch. 1 (Trixya) -Rainbow

just the two of us (hogwarts au) part twelve - shalaska - pureCAMP

You Bastard, I'm Through (Max/Violet) - Edith

Soccer Punch (Shalaska) -Chapter 4 by Ty5000

Just The Game We're In- Chapter 7, Part 2 (Ortega)