#what ya'll think?

[lunanight2012]

Peeps. Im thinking about having Sanji somehow run off to Germa in Maybe in Another Life. What we thinking? Yay or nay? Like keep Sanji on the strawhats where he keeps avoiding Zoro because his heart is in pieces, or have him go back to his abusive family and hope they might just marry him off again?? Please let me know!!

[spacebubblehomebase]

"A New Day Will Dawn."

-Said some guy named Luke probably.

Welcome to my #HHStargazersAU! Stay Tuned~♡? -Bubbly💙

[dolly-spit]

"don't worry he don't bite"

version w/o dialogue under the cut

[penelopecolinb]

it seems like some of you don't really understand the social implications in regency england for an unpopular debutante when her good friend who also happens to be one of the most eligible bachelors of the ton declares that she's not worthy of courting in her own damn garden after being seen taking multiple liberties with her.

it has nothing to do with the fact that he doesn't return her feelings. it has everything to do with how absolutely careless he was with her. even if he didnt realise he was leading her on, that's what he did. he made things harder for a woman who already had so little by her side. he used to be one of the reasons she could stand being part of the ton, but in that moment he instantly became just like one of her bullies. and obviously that breaks her until she becomes what we saw in the sneak peek for s3.

people will see how her friends treat her and think it's fine to mock her to her face. she is the embarrassment, the laughingstock and it was fine when she thought she had the bridgertons by her side. but now she knows what colin really thinks of her. he validated all the bullies she had, when she was mocked for her looks or her shyness. that is such a painful betrayal, especially when not TWO FUCKING SECONDS ago he claimed that she was special to him!!!!!!!

is that not worthy of grovelling?????? cuz i fucking think it is.

[raycatzdraws]

ribbonwood

[achillean-knight]

Part 2

[toxintouch]

TOUCHSTARVED WISH LIST:

✦ Vere going absolutely feral after he sees the MC getting hurt ✦

It's a Soulless that hurts them?  The monster barely gets a swipe in before Vere is on it.  He's ripping it apart with his fucking teeth.  He can't stop growling, even after the thing is already dead, blood dripping down his face, splattering his chest, smeared all over his chains.

He's a force of nature - beautiful and deadly in equal measure.  

His ears are going to stay pinned back for a while.  He can't relax.  MC can try to calm him down and comfort him but his disposition won't go back to normal until he's satisfied.  (Satisfied with patching them up, fussing over them in a way that's just this side of an insult.)  He'll take them to bed, but only in the most literal sense.  (He just wants to listen to their heartbeat with his tail wrapped around them until he feels better.)

 . . . But what if it is a human who does it? Say, someone from the Senobium… 

Vere wants to blot them from the face of the earth but he can't.  Not with the collar on.  He has to resort to trickery or manipulation if he wants MC's assailant to stop.

 (And he has to act unaffected.  He can't let on…)

 It's absolutely maddening because he could squash their attacker like a bug if he wasn't so chained.  He wouldn't have to watch this happen if -- he shouldn't have to watch this happen, they're his -- but he can't stop it, not the way he wants to.  His hackles are up.  His claws absolutely itch with the need to tear this vermin to shreds.  His handlers will write it off as hunger, blood lust.  (They'll be right, if only partially.)

Bonus Points: Vere seeks Kuras' help willingly in order to save MC's life.

 The MC getting grievously injured…

Vere picking them up bridal style and carrying them to Kuras' clinic. 

He doesn't wait in the line.  (Not that there's going to be much of a line, people scatter like rats once they see his face.)  

He'll break down the goddamn door if he has to.  He doesn't say a word, just snarls at Kuras and refuses to be removed from the room while MC is treated.

 (Does he fume in the corner the whole time?  Or does he hover near Kuras, distrusting the angel, accepting the proximity despite his distaste?)

 Kuras doesn't say anything either.  He just gets to work.

[colorfullyminded]

TLDR

Okay I cannot believe I'm about to go off like this, but this has been bothering me for awhile, and it's only making me more spiteful. I have been enjoying the influx of Billford art lately. Amazing, great wonderful. What I have Not been enjoying, is the absolute vitriol the Billdip fans have been getting since the influx of TBOB. I was a billdip shipper for awhile. Hell I was a billdip shipper when I was a Parapines shipper-- I liked shipping Dipper with boys. I was also like 14 or 15 at the time. Obviously, if you follow me now, you'll probably notice what my main ship for Dipper is. I grew out of Billdip, and moved on to Pinescone. I have been shipping Pinescone for 10 years. However, not once did I go around saying "Lol, glad I matured and became a better person and shipped something healthier", nor did I post in the billdip tag, condeming people for a fictional ship! And saying mine was better because it was less problematic.

"I'm really glad people stopped shipping Bill and Dipper together. Bill is a 1000 year old triangle demon, and Dipper is 13--" Stop. Repeat what you just said.

"Bill is 1000 year old triangle--"

Repeat that last word to me. "....triangle?" TRIANGLE! I'm sorry what?! This ship is already completely wild enough. You're getting mad at this fictional age gap-- AND BILL IS A FUCKING SHAPE! A FUCKING SHAPE! This ship was weird from the moment GO! And Billford isn't any better. IT'S STILL A SHIP WITH A FUCKING SHAPE! And you're going to sit on your high horse and look down on the Billdip community. On top of it-- they have an age gap too! Bill is still thousands of years old or whatever-- however long it's been, who knows? And Ford was in his 20s or so when he met Bill. That's still a huge, ridiculous age gap-- that Bill could easily use and manipulate; which he did....and then also caught feelings and became a sad ex, but that's beside the point~ Both of these ships are still insane. And again, the bigger thing I think people are just ignoring about these ships--is that Bill is a TRIANGLE! THREE LINES CONNECTED TOGETHER! And this is the hill you're going to die on? ...Cause apparently it's mine. First of all-- as many people pointed out-- Ford Pines did not exist until the second half of the final season. People couldn't ship Fordbill because there wasn't any Ford to introduce.

"Well, even before Ford, I never shipped Billdip! I always disliked it." ...Okay, that's totally fine. Not everyone needs to like or agree on the same ship. Lord knows there's probably people who don't really care for Pinescone either. There's a lot of popular ships that I can't stand. But I'm don't go into a ship tag I don't like, screaming to a void for self validation. I don't go around mocking other people for ships that they had in 2014-- or even still today! It doesn't matter! I did that when I was a kid-- and then realized that was rude, and it was better to just ignore the ships I didn't like and enjoy the ones that made me happy. And grow a community of kind, like minded friends. And listen, I am all for safe spaces and being able to block things that make you uncomfortable. I am not saying people who find the BillDip ship uncomfortable to be idiots or babies or overly sensitive-- or anything like that. I think if something makes you uncomfortable, that is okay and I think it's perfectly fine to blacklist a tag that you don't want to see. I also think it's imperative that people tag things as accurately as they can so people looking at your work can know if one of your pieces has a thing that they don't like-- and therefore can avoid. What I don't appreciate is the fanhate for this ship that is sprouting up like weeds. You can not like something, you can be disgusted by it (I have my Gravity Falls ships I can not stand, nor do I feel comfortable with), but attacking real people for a FICTIONAL SHIP-- two characters who are drawings on a piece of paper and can not be affected mentally, physically or emotionally by fanwork; who still retain the same shape after everything we put them through-- to the point that you send death threats, or threaten to Doxx, or just harass relentlessly, I have always found that more childish and disgusting. You are causing real world pain to people. Me fucking up Dipper Pines is not going to do anything to him-- because he doesn't actually exist. He's a cartoon character. I could squash him and stretch him in Wonka's taffy machine--- I could throw him mock speed at a wall and watch him explode on impact-- but he still exists. He's not dead; I can pick him up and dust him off, and If I wanted-- I could decide that eh, 'Not a scratch on him'. And I'd be right. Because he is a cartoon character, and I am just a fangirl. I can not change anything about him-- I have no ability to make anything I headcanon canon. And even if I was the original artist-- it doesn't change the fact that Dipper would still be nothing more than a creation. A construct of shapes; he can not be hurt or traumatized in a way that leads to real life consequences-- because he is not real. I am not a cartoon character. My friends are not cartoon characters. Artist and Writers who stay in their lane...are not cartoon characters. If you hurt us...it will linger. It will leave a scar. If you can not tell the difference between Fiction and Reality, then I think maybe media might be too much to handle-- and I think you need to really reevaluate yourself.

And just to vent some other things that i keep seeing that are frustrating: You can't claim the twins are only 13-- and then on August 31st go "Happy 20-something Birthday Mabel and Dipper!" And then proceed to drop a picture of them as adults. Well which is it? Do they age or not? Because Gravity Falls showed them canonically aging. If you think the twins age-- then you can't suddenly turn around and go, 'no you can't ship them-- Dipper is a child!' but you drew him as an adult. So sorry, it looks like you can't draw the twins grown up anymore. You claimed they're 13, so better draw them 13 forever--. Aged up stories and works exist for a reason, especially for a fan who grew up on the series. The characters might have grown up alongside them. It's not unlikely for a person to ship Billdip when Dipper is much older.

And on that note, for people who are like 'well older billdip is fine-- it's just people shipping him during the show that deserve to die.' Okay... and like I said, this rant is coming from a recent influx of Billford shippers spitting on Billdip shippers. You know? The TOXIC Old Man Yaoi!

You're still shipping something that is problematic. You are still shipping something twisted and wrong. And I am not judging you. I am here for this divorced arc. I am thriving. But you can't just pick and choose what is and isn't okay. And let me first off explain; if there is something that personally triggers you about a toxic ship, and you want to avoid that-- again, perfectly understandable. Perfectly reasonable. You are the makers of your content space. And I am not judging anyone for that. I want people to be safe. I want people to have a good time in fandom spaces. I want people to not have to deal with the things that upset them or frighten them, or disgust them. But you can not say one is fine, and one is not. They're both bad! They're both toxic. In real life, these ships would both be charged with serious crimes! And yes, there are some crimes that are worse than others, and if you asked me what I thought was more problematic-- I'd say Billdip-- but both of these ships are extreme, and severe in their problematic content. You are still consuming problematic content. If it's a personal thing, that's fine; avoid it. But don't sit there throwing stones from your glass house.

[ichosetenderplaces]

Howling For You

!Prince!HybridPiglin!Technoblade x !Knight!HybridRabbit!Reader

Now playing: It will come back by Hozier

You know better, babe, you know better, babe

Than to look at it, look at it like that

You’ve been at Prince’s side from the point you’d first met at the youth military training camp, albeit a bit unwillingly. Having been rivals since you first knocked him into the dirt on the first day - you two didn’t exactly get along. Granted, you certainly didn’t know who he was at the time - not until Sam decided you could be of use at the castle at the end of your youth training. At first, you took up the opportunity with absolute enthusiasm…and then you’d seen him step out of the royal’s carriage with the King on your way back to the castle. You did everything in your power to avoid him and his father. The camp was much too small to avoid him forever though. The Prince didn’t immediately notice you, in fact, the one who did was King Philza. Your wonderful, friendly, enthusiastic King decided the second he’d seen you that you’d be shadowing Sam as Prince Technoblade’s personal guard - sealing your grave as his eyes landed on yours. 

You know better, babe, you know better, babe

Than to talk to it, talk to it like that

From that point on, you’d become Prince Technoblade’s second shadow. Much to the delight of Sam and the King. Not that he didn’t make it incredibly difficult. He tried every trick he could possibly think of to be rid of you. He ran, hid, accused, and did everything to try and convince his father to get you demoted. Unfortunately for him, you’d dealt with his special brand of personality for nearly four years at this point. You knew exactly where he’d be, where he’d go, and what exactly he’d do. He was overjoyed once he realized he could order you around and send you on wild goose chases. Unfortunately for you, you couldn’t talk to him the same way you did at the camp. After all, he is royalty. So, you’d follow his orders, say ‘Yes, your Highness’, and be on your merry way looking for books in the library that didn't exist, food he didn’t need or want, and do whatever he pleased. 

Don't give it a hand, offer it a soul

Honey, make this easy

He soon grew tired and ran out of random errands to send you on, so you stayed right behind him. You often watched his sparring practice with Sam. The older going easier on him in the presence of the King. You weren’t the only one to notice this, and Prince Technoblade became more and more frustrated. He locked eyes with you, the one contender who continuously beat him at the camp, and got an idea. The sweat rolling down your forehead from the hot armor only continued to make you more nervous. You saw that look in his eye, the need to be taken seriously, the competitiveness, the frustration. And then, he doesn’t even spare Sam a glance before he starts walking towards you. 

Leave it to the land, this is what it knows

Honey, that's how it sleeps

Internally, you fought back the urge to take a hesitant step back as he neared closer to your spot by the wall. Keeping your face blank in neutrality, he stops before you. The sweat starts to make its way down your neck. 

-“You. Spar. Now.”

The same curt tone he always took on when addressing you. Especially when requesting you spar with him. Atleast at the training camp you were allowed to tease him for being so rude. But here, with the King watching, you figured it’d be a death sentence.

-“Yes, your Highness.”

He tosses you a beat up practice sword. One that was recycled through the lower guard before ending up here. It’s chipped and cracked in plenty of places, but you were never one to be picky with your choices. Most armor and weapons are not made for someone of lower stature and weight such as yourself. 

-”And lose the armor. It’ll be an easy fight if you’re bumbling around because of its heaviness.”

What you’d give for half his own self confidence. You start shrugging off the heavy chestplate and leggings. The cool breeze that envelops you is almost enough to make the spar worth it. Almost. You pick up your practice sword and get in position. Sam is giving you a look, not that he needs to, you already know to throw the fight somehow. But, he’s already frustrated with Sam for going too easy, he’ll catch on immediately if you do the same. His wrath is not something you can afford. You’re not like Sam, he won’t give you a glare and a cold shoulder. He’ll do something much worse, you’re sure of it. 

Don't let it in with no intention to keep it

Jesus Christ, don't be kind to it

Honey, don't feed it, it will come back

It’s not like you can just humiliate him in front of the King. The King could do much much worse than Prince Technoblade. Winning is not an option, but losing on purpose isn’t much of one either. He takes his position, and you think of anything and everything you could possibly do to get out of this. And then, you look down at your sword. Your cracked, chipped, brittle sword, and you get an idea. He lunges, his powerful swing shakes your sword as you block, and you feel it crack the slightest bit. As he takes another swing, you angle your pathetic little sword just right. You feel the blade fracture and break as it rings down the length of your arms. The tip of his blade lightly grazes your cheek before you hit the ground underneath him. He looks at you with an expression you’ve rarely seen, gobsmacked surprise. 

You hear the King gasp and stand as Sam rushes over to you still on the ground. Prince Technoblade grabs your upper arm and lifts you the second Sam has made his way over, still looking at you with that foreign expression. Then his ruby eyes land on the cut on your cheek and his eyes narrow with a wince of sympathy. He opens his mouth to say something but Sam beats him to it. 

-”Are you alright?”

Sam had always tried to treat you with a hint of delicacy due to your nature as a hybrid rabbit, but you were never having it, always demanding to be treated the same if not harder than your peers. Especially with the Prince around, you didn’t need him getting any bright ideas on how to make your life any more difficult. You stood, offering the Prince and Sam an awkward smile before replying.

-”Yes Sir, I’m fine.”

He goes to reply before the Prince responds, in his usual rude curt tone before softening it slightly. 

-”Go to the infirmary, and do not return until it is properly cleaned and bandaged.”

An unusual case of kindness from the Prince, something you are not going to take for granted. His usual attitude being curbed by sympathy. Something you didn’t know he could garner towards you. Giving him a slight smile at his little act of kindness, you reply. 

-”Yes, thank you, your Highness.” 

He gives you a slight nod before looking at Sam and his father. As you walk towards the infirmary, you faintly hear them talk about future spars and taking better care of the training swords. The mention of future spars makes you stop in your tracks. You look back, and see Sam giving you a meddling smile. The way your stomach drops makes you feel down to bedrock as the Prince and the King agree to future spars. Sealing your fate twice in a row in only a matter of a couple months.

You know better, babe, you know better, babe

Than to smile at me, smile at me like that

You know better, babe, you know better, babe

Than to hold me just, hold me just like that

As time continues to go by, the Prince slowly gets used to your presence behind him. Sam is often now needed elsewhere to continue training new recruits for the royal guard. You are still among them, but your time is mostly taken up by the Prince. Something that you are beginning to hate less and less as the days continue on. After so many months of you calling him ‘Your Highness’ he demands you call him Technoblade as all his close servants do so - only in the presence of no one but yourselves that is. You two continue to spar, but without Sam or the King watching over you. After your first ever spar, though he never let you know he knew, he demanded you always give it your all when it’s just the two of you. And you’ve held yourself to that ever since. 

When it's like this, there are no onlookers, there are no real rules, there is just you, him, and your blades. Unfortunately for you, you seem to lose a lot more these days. He has shot up in height and muscle while you only continue to refine your skill. A fact he seems to only point out more and more these days. 

-”Are you sure you’re big enough for that sword? You’re only a little rabbit after all.” 

-”This ‘little rabbit’ knocked you on your ass ten minutes ago, you brute.”

He chuckles, and you smile right back. Oh, how he starts to crave seeing your rare small smiles at him. Just as you crave hearing him chuckle at your small spitfire responses. It fills you with a warmth you know better than anyone, one that you know you’re not allowed to have. He is no better, a warm embrace makes its way across his heart before he even realizes it's there. 

I know who I am when I'm alone

I'm something else when I see you

You don't understand, you should never know

How easy you are to need

On days where you’re busy with Sam, and he has another guard he doesn’t care for, he becomes acutely aware of your typical presence that is not there. When he reads, there is no quote for him to parrot back at you. As he spars, there is no challenge or invigorating comments you make at him. There is a silence that grows uncomfortable, a silence he refuses to face. For he fears that if you were aware of this craving he has for you, you would become just like the potential brides the noble families pitch at him. It is a baseless fear, but it reaches down into his soul, and it will not let go until he knows he has nothing to worry about. He can try and distance himself, but it only ends in him needing you more. 

Don't let me in with no intention to keep me

Jesus Christ, don't be kind to me

Honey, don't feed me, I will come back 

You begin to try and put some distance between you and him, but it does nothing but confuse him and leave you with a gaping hole in your chest from the guilt. The day after always leads with you being kind to him and going back to normal. It’s a vicious cycle of trying and failing to stay away from each other. This only fans the flames of your growing softness for each other. He always comes back, just as you do.

It can't be unlearned

I've known the warmth of your doorways

Through the cold, I'll find my way back to you

Oh, please, give me mercy no more

That's a kindness you can't afford

I warn you, baby, each night, as sure as you're born

You'll hear me howling outside your door

Soon, you’re named Technoblade’s official personal guard. Your training with Sam dwindles to only aptitude tests. And none of your feelings have changed. You will not risk your spot as Technoblade closest confidant. Not until you know nothing is at risk. To be closer to him, you are moved to your own quarters nearby. Something that you both secretly take enjoyment in. He begins to seek you out after your shift is over. On long, hard days, the only person he wants to see is you. He feels the warmth from your doorway and an embrace from that soft smile you give him while inviting him in. To smile at him so softly as his tired eyes meet yours is a mercy you can’t afford. He feels like a selfish man taking you away from anyone else. But, you’ve always been his long before the two of you had ever realized. You feel selfish just like he does, you are only a knight, comparing yourself to those fancy noble women has always stung you. You will not take him away from a woman you believe he belongs to. Though you should’ve realized long ago, he has always been yours.

As the day approaches night, and you’ve retired to your quarters, you hear a small knock on your door. Knowing exactly who it is, you rush to open the door with a small smile. You see the man who’s loved you since the day you knocked him into the dirt, and in his eyes you see an emotion that mirrors your own. You yearn for him just as much as he yearns for you. He takes a small step closer and finally bridges the gap in between you two. You look up at him with a blush and begging eyes as he leans down and captures your lips with his own.

Don't you hear me howling, babe?

Don't you hear me howling, babe?

Don't you hear me howling, babe?

Don't you hear me howling?

Don't you hear me howling?

Don't you hear me howling, babe?

[adrift-within-snow]

hey guys just letting u know i redesigned my saint LOL if any of you are super opposed to me using the new design for this blog let me know but. yeah! the beast! this blog is still real ive just been preoccupied/burnt out lately

[daily-odile]

Odile patting Molly Epithet Erased on the head, you know why

have two bc i care them

[happy-xy]

Omar Rudberg Behind the Scenes of Young Royals Season 2

[mothsakura]

UI............................. i need UI................. watcher dlc better have UI lore.................................. i want UI lore................... video cult, if you're hearing this, tell us more about UI.......... please....................................begging.......................................... UI :( :( :(................................................................................................ i need-

[jovieinramshackle]

Hey. *drops art*

(Click for better quality)

Happy gay month to these queer people

This was intended to be a simple coloured sketch but I passed out and this appeared on my screen instead

(full under cut)

tagging: @ramshacklerumble @thehollowwriter @summerspook @scint1llat3 @skriblee-ksk

@cyanide-latte @twistedwonderlandshenanigans (lmk if you wanna be added)

[alicesbread]

Give me a party where Dracula, Carmilla, Hyde, Frankenstein's monster, and every other monster from gothic literature are there just interacting and doing silly stuff

[jtl-fics]

Fluent Freshman - Part 40

PREV

The Winter Banquet.

Where the Spring Championship announcements happen for Collegiate Exy. A formal event meant to allow the ERC to showcase how their stars weren’t just brutes on the court. Look at how beautiful and handsome they all were. Look at how they danced together. Look at the smiles and laughter and-

Wait.

No.

Put that down.

Who had the great idea to put the Jackals next to the Terrapins? Things have been tense between the teams since the Captain of the Terrapins stole the Captain of the Jackal’s date during the Fall Banquet!

I thought we all agreed that there would never be any more steak knives! What was the point of paying for all the pre-cut tenderloins if we’re just going to give them steak knives?! 

Really gotta find an intern to pin this fiasco on.

Oh great the Foxes are leaving! Did we even get a picture of Kevin Day in his suit? Fuck it’s going to be a two intern firing kind of day isn’t it.

Someone get an eye on the Ravens before they try and grab some hapless idiot and sacrifice him to revive Riko Moriyama. If there’s even one more damn tabloid with a blurry photo of ‘Riko Moriyama’ to prove that his death was faked then heads will roll.

Honestly, the biopic that some Edgar Allan Film student is making about him seems pretty interesting. The ERC just wishes people would stop taking pics of the ‘lead actor’ and sending it to tabloids as proof that the King hadn’t died.

Fuck, the Foxes left before we got any decent pictures.

Well just great.

You’d think that after all these years of the Foxes leaving early they’d have learned that getting pictures as they arrive is the most important thing. 

Oh thank god it looks like the Trojans are starting to mediate the fight. You can always count on good ol’ Jeremy.

Fuck.

A Raven got too close to Jean Moreau and now Jeremy Knox has punched a Backliner. Great. The Trojans have formed ranks around Moreau but the kid’s just too damn tall. Someone has hit him in the head with an especially saucy meatball, he’s not injured, just confused. The Trojans are acting like it’s a gunshot he just took to the head.

The refreshment table just seemed to collapse in on itself and god wasn’t that just an allegory for this entire damn evening.

Anita Flores sighs as she watches yet another banquet go down in a riot. Honestly, she doesn’t know why they think these will end up differently. She finds herself often missing when she used to coordinate banquets for football teams.

She sighs and thinks about her least favorite interns.

Alex had been getting a bit too cocky lately. He’d make a good sacrifice.

***

(Three hours earlier)

The Palmetto State Foxes were on their way to the Winter Banquet. From what FF understood it was categorically always a 90% chance of a shitshow. Honestly FF was surprised that the percentage was that low.

There was a general tenseness in the air surrounding it that went beyond the Banquet’s propensity to become a fight. 

This year the Winter Banquet was going to be held up at the Binghamton Bearcat’s stadium. The nation knew the story from the news and FF knew the story from both that and from the Foxes themselves who were there at the time in bits and pieces.

Captain Neil had been kidnapped from this stadium and then he’d been tortured. FF hadn’t even been on the team when it had happened and he was anxious about Captain Neil going anywhere near the stadium.

“He was just…he was just gone.” Matt had said, “Neil was gone and Kevin said that he was probably dead when Andrew got back with his phone.” He continued as the two of them sat up late in the living room of the dorm one night back in early October.

“I thought Andrew was going to kill me y’know.” Kevin had said bottle in hand as FF tried to help him up the stairs because apparently he would 100% guarantee vomit if he was in the nausea box. “I thought that maybe I deserved it, since I didn’t help Neil. I just let him walk to his death.” He said and despite assurances that he wouldn’t puke FF’s shoes did not make it through that journey unscathed.

“We called…we called everywhere.” Nicky had stared up at the ceiling of his hospital room, “Andrew was adamant that he was still alive even though Kevin kept saying he was dead and that dead was the nicest thing he could hope for. I thought that was a terrible thing to say.” Nicky curled up closer to him.

“I told you, Andrew dragged me like I was nothing to get to Neil. I don’t think he even noticed the guns.” Wymack said to Abby as the two sat on the back porch during Aras’ going away party. “His eyes were on Neil.” he gestures towards where Andrew was watching Captain Neil wrestle with Matt.

“He looked like shit.” Aaron had said unable to stomach a diagram of different degrees of burn in his medical book. “At least he was alive.” He adds.

“A hero.” Andrew’s voice had been what could be considered teasing from Andrew, “Someone who looks like her.” he had said touching Captain Neil’s burn scars as they drove away from the stadium after coming back to pick FF up.

Captain Neil had come to him the day before they were set to drive out, “Take me somewhere no one will find me for an hour.” FF hadn’t quite understood what Captain Neil meant, he never hid anywhere. People just failed to realize where he was.

“Ok.” he says instead of trying to explain because being unnoticed means no one hid codes from him.

The roof of the Library wasn’t that much different from the roof of the Tower, only that it was taller and bigger. Captain Neil had shut his phone off after texting something, likely to Andrew, and then put it into his pocket.

FF settled on the roof, sat with his back against a heating vent to stay warm. Captain Neil settled next to him and they sat in silence. It felt like back at the start of this where Captain Neil and Andrew would come find him and just sit in silence. 

It was nice. He had missed-

“They act like the stadium is the thing that kidnapped me.” Captain Neil says.

Oh okay, quiet time is over apparently.

FF doesn’t say anything, figuring that nothing he could say right now would be the right thing and maybe Captain Neil just needs to talk through some stuff.

“That stadium is where I thought I’d have my last good memory.” Captain Neil explains, “I’m not scared of it and yet Andrew’s acting like I’ll die if I’m left alone for more than 2 seconds while we’re there. Every time we go there they all act like the most important thing in the world is that I get on that bus at the end of the night.” Captain Neil explains.

FF does remember how Andrew had grabbed Captain Neil after their October game up in Binghamton. How Captain Neil had complained bitterly but had gone after looking at Andrew.

“He’s dead!” Captain Neil exclaimed and FF couldn’t help but look over at the entrance and hoped no one heard them. “He’s dead! I watched him get shot! He can’t kidnap me again!” Captain Neil continued to yell and FF couldn’t help but worry that they’d be heard below, or worse bother a student trying to study below.

FF reached out and touched Captain Neil’s arm and bright blue eyes turned to him, “We’re on a library. Don’t yell.” FF said and Captain Neil looked at him incredulously.

Then he laughed. He laughed and laughed and FF was worried that he’d gone and broken his Captain.

He suddenly felt bad about his own bout of hysterical laughter a while back.

“Thanks Smith.” Captain Neil had said with a smile.

They had sat up there until it was dark and Andrew had started calling FF’s phone and Captain Neil took the call to say he was coming back.

Now they’re on the bus, dressed nicely, and on their way up to Binghamton’s stadium. Captain Neil and Andrew are hidden in the far back of the bus with Andrew looking far more like a watchdog than anything else the closer they got to their destination.

Captain Neil had seemed largely resigned to this treatment at this point. Eventually they were at the stadium and shown to their seats. They were sat across from the Trojans and it seemed like the rest of the team was quite pleased with that.

“Smith!” Captain Jeremy Knox is smiling at him, “Nice to see you again bud, nice name change too.” he says.

“It’s nice to see you too, Captain Jeremy.” FF says and doesn’t notice how Captain Neil’s head whips around to look at him.

“You two know each other?” Nicky asks looking between the two of them with excitement.

“Of course! We offered Smith a spot at the USC Trojans.” Captain Jeremy says and FF feels his stomach cramp at the memory.

That had been terrifying.

Coach Rheman and Captain Jeremy wanted to sit down to make their offer with his parents. He was still 17 and unable to sign anything legal without their permission. He’d tried to decline and move past them and Captain Jeremy had put the final nail in the coffin at the time for any thought that he could go to college on the power of his apparent Exy capabilities.

“I saw in your file that you have brothers! USC always gives a second look at student applicants who already have siblings in the university. You could go to school with your brothers!” he had smiled brightly like he wasn’t issuing FF one of the most terrifying threats he’d ever heard in his entire life.

He had given the firmest ‘No thank you, I’m not interested in playing Exy in college.’ he could and was running to his Grandma’s to breath into a bag for twenty minutes.

“I see you changed your mind about playing Exy in college.” Captain Jeremy said with the same smile that still feels like a threat.

“Coach Wymack and Captain Dan were convincing.” he says and looks to see if there’s any way he can move further away from Captain Jeremy’s attention.

“Can I ask what convinced you to be a Fox?” Captain Jeremy asks, “I’m always trying to see what support we should be offering. I found out last year that we missed out on Andrew because we didn’t offer spots to Aaron or Nicky. I thought since you had brothers that’d be the thing that got you.” Captain Jeremy leans across the table but stops when he notices the Foxes all tense. “Whoa, what’s up?” he asks.

Jean Moreau sighs from next to Captain Jeremy, “Not everyone wants to go to college with their family, Jeremy.” Jean says, “Did it not cross your mind that he changed his entire name?” he asks with a raised brow.

Jeremy blinks, “Oh,” he looks at FF, “I guess that wasn’t the right thing to offer.” he says leaning back in his chair.

“I guess I should thank you for offering that?” Nicky says wryly before turning to look at FF, “You look better in orange anyways.” he says.

“Thank you Nicky.” FF returns loyally.

The banquet gets started shortly afterwards. Food is served. The bar is opened. People are talking. FF finds himself relaxing the longer the conversations around him go on. Matt is talking with a backliner on the Trojan line named Todd in good cheer. Captain Neil, Kevin, and Jean are all talking about the latest updates with Ichirou in French with the occasional gesture towards FF. Jean Moreau looks at him with a raised eyebrow but gives him a single nod when Captain Neil explains what happened.

Jeremy is chatting with Jack and even Jack was finding it hard to maintain his usual level of rudeness in the face of such unbridled positive energy. Nicky was talking with Katelyn and Alvarez. Aaron was chatting with a fellow med student college athlete who was an offensive dealer. 

It was shaping up to be a good night.

MASTERPOST FOR ALL PARTS OF FLUENT FRESHMAN AU

NEXT