#also i know it sounds like hashtag first world problems but having the kitchen on a different floor from my bedroom here is far rougher than | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

alphacrone · 7 years

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country singer bitty accidentally writes a hit about nhl player jack

Based on this post about the inspiration for Dolly Parton’s Jolene, which is somehow even gayer than the song itself. Bless you, Dolly.

It had started out so innocently.

Bitty had been tired after hours of this meet n’ greet, and when that tall drink of water walked up to get his autograph, Bitty couldn’t help the words that tumbled out of his mouth.

“Gosh, well aren’t you the most handsome fella I’ve ever seen,” he said, reached for the outstretched CD--CD! Who even bought CDs anymore?--and readied his Sharpie. “What’s your name, hun?”

“Uh, Jack,” the man said, pretty eyes going wide. If he’d been more awake, Bitty might’ve felt bad for making a fan uncomfortable. But if this Jack really were a fan, then he certainly wouldn’t have a problem with another man complimenting him. And besides, he was handsome, with his wide shoulders and high cheekbones and eyes as blue as the summer sky.

“Jack,” Bitty repeated, signing the CD with little flourish. “Jack. That’s a nice name. Jack. Jack. That sounds like it should be a song, like a good, ol’ fashioned folk song or something. Blue-eyed Jack. Jack with the blue eyes.” He chuckled at his own Beyoncé joke, fatigue weighing heavily on his shoulders. “Here you go,” he said, handing Jack the autographed CD case and smiling widely at him. “Have a great day, Blue-Eyed Jack.”

“Thanks,” Jack said, giving him a shy grin. “You, too.”

Bitty sighed as he turned and left, watching a little too intently as he walked away. So it wasn’t just his face that was beautiful. Bitty would leave that out of the song.

The next fan stepped up, a preteen girl with a bad case of brace-face, and Bitty greeted her with a tired smile, all thought of Jack gone from his mind.

Despite his fatigue, Bitty couldn’t sleep that night. He rarely could on roadies. It wasn’t the proximity to his band that was the problem--Bitty found the sounds of Chowder snoring to be comforting--but more the act of travelling that made Bitty antsy. He kept a small, potted fern next to his bed, hoping that it would make him feel rooted, but it rarely worked. With a sigh, Bitty pulled out his phone and scrolled through Instagram, hoping the ridiculous myriad of selfies from his guitarist, Ransom, would lull him to sleep.

When he enlarged the first photo on Ransom’s page, however, Bitty nearly dropped his phone. There, squeezed between Ransom and Chowder, was Blue-Eyed Jack. He looked even more handsome in this photo, eyes brought out by whatever filter Ransom had used. Met this mofo today, the caption read. #gofalcs #providencefalconers #zimmboni #bittyandthebiscuits

“Falconers,” Bitty murmured to himself. That was the hockey team his band loved, the one whose games he watched from time-to-time. The only player he could name was Alexei Mashkov, however, because of the shrine to him the boys had built over Ransom’s bunk. He wondered if Blue-Eyed Jack was one of Mashkov’s teammates.

Jack, Bitty thought, closing his eyes against the glare of the phone. Blue-Eyed Jack, don’t walk away. Blue-Eyed Jack, I’m here to stay. Lovely boy, can’t you see? Blue-Eyed Jack, come back to me.

“Oh.” Bitty sat up straight, smacking his head against the bunk. “OW.”

“Mmgh-” The bed above him rustled as Ransom woke. “You okay, Bits?”

“Hit my head,” Bitty whispered. “Thought of a song.”

“Cool,” Ransom muttered, clearly still mostly asleep. “Have fun.”

Bitty didn’t respond; he’d already pulled open his Google Docs app and was jotting down everything he could think of, brain whirring away, jumbled up with thoughts of pretty eyes and shy smiles.

Bitty and Ransom wrote the song in a week. By the time their roadie was over and they were back in L.A., the entire band knew Blue-Eyed Jack and their manager, Lardo, got them into the recording studio as soon as she could.

The song was a bigger hit than Bitty ever could’ve imagined. Though he was out--and one of the first publicly gay country singers to not be dropped by his label--Bitty rarely sung directly about men and being attracted to them. It seemed risky, in the past; fans might not care what he did in his personal life, but that was a far cry from listening to two minute and forty-three seconds of a man loving other men.

Blue-Eyed Jack met plenty of resistance, of course, but the support was what totally overwhelmed Bitty. He cried every day that the song stayed at the top of the charts, and was met with merciless chirping from his bandmates. At the end of the day, though, they’d all pull him into a big group hug and let him cry with happiness.

“Dolly Parton’s been tweeting about you,” Ransom said one day, a few weeks after the single had been released. “Dude, I think she wants to duet with you. Dude. Dude.”

“I think I’ve died,” Bitty said, flopping back dramatically on the couch, head landing in Ransom’s lap. “Am I dead? I feel dead.”

Ransom looked up from his phone. “Very possible. Let’s write a song about it for the CD.”

And, yes, their label was now working towards a brand-new album, to feature and be named after Blue-Eyed Jack.

“M-kay,” Bitty hummed, closing his eyes as he thought about a fun twist on death for the next song. The support of fans has slain me dead, tell Dolly to sing at my funeral-

“How’d you even come up with Blue?” Ransom asked, tossing his notebook onto the coffee table. “It’s simple but, like, genius.”

“Oh, ha,” Bitty said, rubbing at his eyes. “You remember that stop in Boston? Where we met with fans for hours before the concert? I met the most beautiful man in the world, there, named Jack, and I was so tired I told him I’d write a song about him, he was just so pretty.”

“El-oh-el, Bits,” Ransom said with a snort. “He was really that pretty?”

“You should know,” Bitty retorted. “You met him, too. On your Insta.”

“Wait…” Ransom scrolled through his phone again, brow furrowing. “Are you talking about Jack Zimmermann?”

“He’s in the pic with you and Chowder,” Bitty said with a shrug. “Hashtags about the Falcs.”

“JACK FUCKING ZIMMERMANN?” Ransom lept up from the couch, hands in the air. “BLUE-EYED JACK IS ABOUT THE LEAD SCORER IN THE FUCKING NHL? THE FIRST PLAYER TO OPENLY DATE A MAN? BITTY, WHY DIDN’T YOU TELL ME?”

Bitty sat up, a little taken aback. “He’s gay?”

“Not the point, Bits,” Ransom hissed, grabbing Bitty’s shoulders. “He’s Bad Bob’s son. He’s magical.”

Bitty shrugged, wondering if Chowder and Dex would have the same reaction. “He’s also very pretty.”

“I’m tweeting about this,” Ransom said, scurrying to the door. “I’m tweeting this. This is epic. This is- I don’t even know what this is.” “Rans!” Bitty lept up, chasing him out of the room. “What’re you doing? Stop that!”

Bitty felt his phone buzz, knowing it was a Twitter notification without having to look.

Justin Oluransi @canadianbiscuit

Apparently @omgittybitty wrote Blue-Eyed Jack about @jlzimmermann1 and didn’t realize it???? EVERYONE SHAME BITTY W ME #shame

“You’re such a dick!” Bitty shouted as Ransom high-tailed it up the stairs to Dex’s and Chowder’s bedrooms. “I swear to Jesus I’m gonna replace you! Just you watch, you traitor!”

All he got in response was Ransom’s laughter and indignant shrieks from Dex and Chowder in response to the tweet. Bitty sighed and stalked off to the kitchen to bake, knowing already that he would be donating the pies that came out of this to the lovely couple nextdoor.

The tweet went viral.

Ransom was banned from pie for weeks.

They ended up on the east coast again to promote the new album before its release. Bitty had eventually forgiven Ransom, and the hockey community as a whole seemed to find the event more funny than offensive. The Falcs had replied to the tweet excitedly and Alexei Mashkov had followed them all on various social media platforms -- as did his teammates Birkholtz, Nurse, and Knight -- much to the excitement of the band.

Bitty told the story over and over again in different interviews that week as they bounced around TV studios, radio shows, and promotional events. He was starting to grow tired of talking about Jack Zimmermann--there were several songs on the album he was really excited about, but no one cared about that when they could chirp Bitty for his crush on a stupid hockey player.

They had a night off after an event in Boston, and Bitty was looking forward to finding some nice restaurant and turning in early, but the boys kidnapped him and pulled him into an Uber before he could protest.

“We’ve got plans, Bits,” Ransom said, slinging an arm around his shoulder. “You’re gonna love ‘em. Promise.”

“You’re still on thin ice, Justin,” Bitty sniped. “Watch yourself.”

The boys and Lardo just laughed and they rode away from the city, through some truly impressive traffic, until they hit 95. Then they were cruising, making smalltalk with the driver and chirping each other like little kids.

It wasn’t until Bitty noticed the signs on the side of the road that he realized just where they were heading. “Providence?” He asked, eyes narrowing. “Is this some sort of joke?”

“No joke,” Chowder said simply. “They’re playing the Flyers tonight. We’ve got tickets!”

“Really great tickets,” Dex added. “Lardo got in contact with their PR people-”

“Who’ve been loving the publicity from Rans’ tweet,” Lardo added.

“-and they sent us seats right up on the glass. It’s gonna be wicked ‘swawesome.”

‘Ugh, I hate you all,” Bitty said, crossing his arms. “The internet’s gonna eat this up and make my life miserable.” “Yep!” Ransom agreed. “Also, we’ve got passes to meet the team after.”

“Driver,” Bitty said, leaning over the console. “Driver please unlock the door and let me throw myself from the vehicle, thank you.”

Sadly, the driver just laughed, and Bitty resigned himself to his fate.

Admittedly, the game was great. Even if the announcer did introduce Zimmermann as “Our very own Blue-Eyed Jack,” much to Bitty’s chagrin. But now, as they waited in a back room to meet the team, Bitty wondered if he still had time to escape. Ransom’s arm around his shoulder was tighter than he’d like, and meant running probably wouldn’t be an option.

“Holy crap, dudes!”

A very large man--Birkholtz--burst into the room, grinning at them all. “If it isn’t the band that made Zimmer-dick legendary!”

“That’s us!” Ransom said cheerfully. Bitty fought the urge to hide his face in his hands.

Behind Birkholtz came Nurse, Knight, and Mashkov, all greeting them exuberantly. Mashkov pulled Bitty into a tight hug, lifting him straight off his feet.

“Jay-Zed’s on his way,” Knight said easily, shaking hands with Lardo and Dex. “He’s been itchin’ meet you guys again since the song came out.”

“Oh, Lord,” Bitty whispered. “So he doesn’t hate it?”

Knight and Nurse exchanged an incredulous look. “Hate it? Dude,” Nurse laughed. “He loves it.”

“Oh.” Bitty felt his cheeks flush. “Well. That’s good.”

“You guys wanna get drinks once Zimmboni gets here?” Mashkov asked.

“Yes!” Ransom and Chowder shouted at the same time. Dex shrugged and nodded, trying to look cool. Bitty just sighed.

“What about me?”

Bitty felt his heart skip a beat. There, in the doorway, stood Jack Zimmermann, his eyes as blue as ever and his cheeks pink from the game. Lord, if Bitty hadn’t already written a song dedicated to this man’s beauty, he’d be writing one right now.

“Oh,” Jack said, a small smile blooming on his face. “Hi, again.”

“Hi,” Bitty said, forgetting basic human language as he drank in the sight of post-game Jack, freshly showered and glowing.

“Alright, we’ll meet you guys at the exit,” Birkholtz said, ushering the others from the room. “Have fun, use protec-”

He was cut off by Knight, who all but shoved him out the door, winking at Jack.

Then they were alone and Bitty thought he might pass out.

“So, um.” Bitty scratched at his neck. “I hear you like the song?”

Jack nodded, eyes cast down at his shoes. “I do. A lot. You really...wrote it about me?”

Bitty nodded quickly, not trusting his voice. Jack looked pleased, and the light of it in his eyes made them look even bluer and prettier.

“The guys mentioned getting drinks right now,” Jack said, shoving his hands into his pockets. “But, uh, I could really go for some food right now. Euh, dinner. With you? Tonight? Now?”

Bitty chewed on his bottom lip, nodding with every word Jack added. “I’d like that,” he said.

“Great.” Jack just smiled at him for a moment, then seemed to remember he needed to say something else. “I know a great Italian place not far from my apartment…”

Bitty felt his body burning at the implication, and nodded again. “That sounds perfect.”

“Perfect,” Jack repeated, and he held out his hand. Bitty took it and let Jack lead him from the room. They were almost at the parking garage where Jack’s car was kept when Jack paused with a wicked grin and asked, “So, you really think my face is that pretty, eh?”

Bitty pouted. “You keep up that chirping and you’re eating alone, mister. Teasing’s reserved for the third date.”

Jack laughed and kept walking, squeezing Bitty’s hand. “Guess I’ll have to wait until then.”

Bitty nodded, unable to hide his smile. “Guess you will.”

[READ PART 2]

[My writing tag]

[OMGCP Country Singer AU]

[My online novel, The Discourt Knife]

#zimbits #zimbits fanfiction #omgcp fic #anna writes things #check please!#otp: hit me like a ray of sun #au #musician au #(ok but you know the fans things bitty and rans are boning)#(they're SO HANDSY and their tumblr stalkers are OBSESSED WITH IT)#omgcp country singer au

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simplyaroha · 7 years

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Love is selfish - Part 1

A/N: I really tried T.T the story was really impromptu in my mind and I thought of just spamming my ideas out. Sorry for making Moon Bin an asshole in this story and making Y/N so selfish! ☹ I also apologize for every grammatical mistake (It’s really messy) and so many ‘you(s)’ in this story. Please let me know if you want a part 2. Yea, it’s quite dramatic.

Word Count: 6311 words

The next two hours of Economics lectures hurts your brain, and the hashtag - TGIF isn’t working out well in your life anymore. You realized that you had more or less than 13 minutes left to head for the next lecture, you gathered notes that were essential for it. You took a big gulp of water while making your way to leave the classroom. Without watching where you were going, you bumped into someone that made you lose balance and fell on the floor. “Sorry- sorry! I wasn’t looking.” He apologized, not knowing who did you exactly bump into. You were just picking up your notes that were scattered all over the floor.

“It’s okay.” You replied and looked up at him. Looking at each other felt as if that the both of you didn’t talk to each for the longest time ever. He helped by picking up your notes.He passed you the notes and offered you a hand. You took it without hesitation, in a swift, he pulled you off the ground. He cleared his throat as he walked around the classroom as if he was looking for something. “What are you doing here?” You asked, and he looked at you as if he was surprised at your question.

“Where is Rocky’s table? I gotta grab his shirt.”

You pointed to him Rocky’s table, and he scratched his head, nodding. He avoided your eyes and walked towards Rocky’s table. “Moon Bin, when are you stop avoiding me?” You asked impatiently.

“Y/N, your class is starting in 10 minutes time. You’ve got to go.” His tone towards you sounded foreign like he was trying to push you away.

You walked to his side, “Can we meet tomorrow? I didn’t catch up with you for three weeks.”

“I’ve got a project to do.” He looked at you, expressionless. “See you another time.”

The lesson was extraordinarily boring, and none of the contents of the lecture is absorbed into your subconscious mind. Staring at the projector in the lecture hall, you sighed as you scribbled Moon Bin’s name on the paper. You just can’t get forget how Moon Bin has pushed you away for the first time.

“Y/N?” You looked up clueless as the lecturer spit your name through the microphone. “What’s the answer to this question I asked the class?” Ms. Park eyes bored into your soul as you panicked to answer, not even knowing what was the question. “You were not paying attention, Y/N. If it’s that boring, get out of my class.” She snapped at you.

You tried paying attention to the lesson, and nothing was making sense so far whatever Ms. Park was teaching. You left the classroom clueless about the topics taught today, as Min Ji was ranting about how terrible her boyfriend was yesterday leaving her alone in the club. You were listening, but the thought of Moon Bin pushing you away is etched onto your mind.

“Y/N! God! Are you even listening?!” Min Ji raised her voice.

“Yea Seo Joon scolded you for being a b****.” Repeating what she told you. She rolled her eyes, “At least you’re listening. God, can you believe that? How can my own boyfriend say that……?” She continued.

The buzzing sound vibrated vigorously in your pockets. “Sorry, wait a minute.” You cut Min Ji off unintentionally and hold up a hand signal. She rolled her eyes at you but held up an ‘ok’ signal. “Yup, Y/N here.”

"Y/N, Han Seok here. Is everything okay?” He asked nicely.

“Yeah? Why?”

“Ahhh, I guess you forgot about the movie date today?”

You facepalmed yourself, “Right! I’m sorry. It totally slipped my mind!” Min Ji gave you the why-am-I-not-surprised look at you as you quickly waved goodbye to grab your school bag from the classroom.

"Oppa!” You waved your arms in the air to get his attention. The moment he turned around, he smiled brightly as he waved back and ran to your side. You smiled at him, as he took your hands and intertwined your fingers with his. For the first time, butterflies weren’t flying in your stomach when you walked beside him, unlike the previous times. It felt more like guilt for being with him. It wasn’t right.

Getting rid of those thoughts, you shook your head and focused your attention on him. “Y/N, are you okay?” Han Seok stopped in his tracks and turned to face you. “You look very worn out today, did anything happen in school?”

You bit your lips, “ Nothing. Sorry, Oppa it’s just school stuff that’s stressing me out. ”

Han Seok looked at you, “Sorry that I wasn’t by your side.” He pats your head. You didn’t lie in general, things really did happen in school but it wasn’t nice to tell him about the friendship problems you are currently facing with Moon Bin. “You wanted to watch the Mummy right? Let’s go.“ You changed the subject. He nods his head in agreement and pulled you along to the cinema.

The Mummy was worse than you expected. You didn’t get thrilled nor scared at all. Han Seok reached out for your hands and gave you a small smile. "Hey is everything okay?”

“Yea, it is just boring. Not interesting much.” You whispered. Some couple just asked the both of you to shut up from the back that you and Han Seok stuck your tongues out back at them.

Your phone flashed 4.53pm. Whatever happened in school was still clinging onto your mind. How are you supposed to enjoy the movie if these incidents are going to keep replaying on your mind? Suddenly, you heard strange sounds that you started to look around. You spot a man snoring in the cinema and the scenes bring you back to a time when you watched the Conjuring 2 with Moon Bin.

“Do you know why man always falls asleep during a horror movie?”

You shook your head, “No?”

Moon Bin pointed out, “It’s because he always breaks winds when he is tense so he will use his snores to cover them up.”

Throwing a popcorn at his face, “Don’t be lame. It’s not funny.”

Moon Bin defended himself, “No! I am serious. See?!” The movie showed a nun coming jumping out of the curtains that you heard a faint fart from the side your ears. You and Moon Bin stuck out to see a little boy snoring on the chair and faced each other laughing.

“Hehe.” You snickered to yourself as you watched that man. Han Seok tap your shoulders and you turned to face him, “Hm?”

“Let’s go.” Han Seok stood up and pulled you out of the chair. You silently apologized for blocking the screening of the movie to the people sitting behind you. Dragging you out of the cinema confused, you asked, “Oppa? I thought you liked the movie.”

“But you didn’t. You could have been honest with me, Y/N.” You were taken aback at what he said. You felt guilt the next moment because your mind was just filled with memories of you and Moon Bin the whole time when you were beside Han Seok.

You reached out to him, “I’m sorry, it’s been a really tiring day at school. I thought since you like the movie I should have accompanied you.”

“Which part of ‘dating’ do you not get it? Y/N, can’t you see I am trying hard to resolve what I destroyed?” He asked you angrily.

“Han Seok, what’s wrong with you?! I have already forgiven you. Isn’t it good enough?” God, did his time of the month came?

He let out a heavy sigh, “It’s just that I never seem to figure out what do you really like. I mean everything we are doing right now seemed to be all about me and not about you.”

“I like theme parks. Let’s go there another time.” You mentioned, stopping the fight from continuing. Everything that happened today is too much to handle.

He nodded his head, “Okay, I will buy tickets for the both of us. I’m sorry, Y/N. I was too mad at myself.”

Slinging your bag on your shoulders, “I want to go home.” And from there, you took your leave. The both of you walked home hand-in-hand, and things solved along the way as time passes by. He tried making you feel even better by laughing but you just can’t seem to be yourself when you are with him.

“Okay. Go in, your mom would be worried by now.” He lets go of your hands.

You nodded and reminded him, “Be safe.” Waving at him, he suddenly grabbed hold of your wrist and stole a quick kiss from your lips. Your eyes widened at what happened that left yourself tongue-struck, not knowing what to say.

“I’m going. Bye.” He waved as you blinked several times. It wasn’t a dream, it just happened like that. Your finger reached out to your lips and touched them. Why are you not a bit excited about that kiss at all?

Pondering over what just happened, you noticed someone was watching all the time. You looked up at the house next to you, Moon Bin’s home. You saw your best friend at the window staring at you as he stood in front of his yellow curtain. Your mood lightened up at the sight of him and waved, but he stood there with his hands stuck in his pockets. He was angry… because he saw everything. The next moment he ignored you like you were invisible and pushed the curtains away from him and disappeared into thin air. What have you exactly done to deserve this attitude from him?

“Mommmm, I’m home.”

Her butt was standing out from the kitchen while she was washing the dishes. “Honey! Your dinner is on the table!”

Dropping your school bag on the floor, you flopped down on the sofa in frustration. “URGHHHHHH” You roared that your mother stuck her head out to look at what’s going on.

She removed her gloves and walked into the living room worried. “Baby, what’s wrong?”

Sighing, “I don’t want to talk about it. The more I think about it, the more I might burst!” Your mother wanted to say something, but knowing your mood will get worse she snapped her fingers as if she had something else that could cheer you up.

“How about going Lotte world with your friends next week? I have two tickets with me here.”

“Lotte world? How did you even get the tickets?” Cocking one side of your eyebrows at her. She clapped her hands together, “Ahhh, today Moon Bin’s mother and I went shopping again. They said if we got the beauty skincare masks, we each can get two free tickets to the Lotte World!”

Chuckling at her bubbly character, “Mom, you have to seriously stop with your fetish over free stuff.”

“Hey, at least I’m giving them to you! I’m too old for this.” She put it on the table, “Its next two following Fridays. Go have some fun, honey. The school is stressing you out.” She pats your head, as she continued with her housework.

“Thank you, chupchupchup.” You blow kisses to her and she shook her head slightly.

Holding the tickets in your hands, you walked along the classroom corridors. Should you call Han Seok? Moon Bin? The answer was clear when you caught sight of Moon Bin leaning against a wall. He was concentrating in his phone, and your eyes dilated. You sped up, as you wanted to ask him to go to the theme park with you. The both of you are most hyped up about theme parks since young.

You waved at him and called out, “Moon-”. Seung-min came out of her classroom and kissed Moon Bin on his cheeks. Dropping your hands to your sides, you realize why Moon Bin has been avoiding you. He has a girlfriend. Turning around, your heart started to ache. Was it because you felt betrayed that he did not update about his life or was it because you didn’t want him to date?

Taking part in the life science club after school was the decision you never regretted. You got to deal with chemicals and many sciencey kinds of stuff that is not exposed to the actual science lessons. But today was awkward, the teacher assigned you to work with Seung Min, your junior. You coughed awkwardly as she sat down and smiled sweetly at you for acknowledgment. Seung Min hasn’t really done anything to offend you, so it’s best that you should respect her relationship with Moon Bin.

“Hello! Let’s get started on this together.” You said nicely, and to your surprise, she was the cutest human being you’ve ever met. No wonder that Moon Bin has taken a liking on her.

As you squeezed 2cm3 of ammonia acid into Copper hydroxide that Seung Min was holding in her hands, you envied at how cute and pretty she was. “So… last long with Moon Bin. I saw you and him together at the cinema last week.” You teased her. You wanted to make a friendship with her just like how you are friendly and well-respected with everyone in the life science club.

Her body tensed as she looked at you, ‘’ Unnie, are you being sarcastic? “

Alarmed by her question, “What?! No, sorry. Did I mention anything wrong?” You asked sincerely.

“I mean, you and Moon Bin were close. I thought that you would hate me for it.”

“Oh please, you’re Moon Bin’s girlfriend! Of course, I would support the both of you together. Plus, I’m dating too.” You blushed while mentioning your dating status.

She shot up in a sudden, that you thought the chemical could have spilled out of the test tube and made contact with her skin, “Really?! Since when?!”

“Heyhey! Careful!” You reprimanded, “You could’ve hurt yourself!”

“Sorry.” She whispered as she watched the test-tube placed on the stand. You continued, “Yea, it has been for a month now.”

“Ahhhhhh, last long!!” Seung Min clapped her hands together that you laughed in embarrassment.

“Thank you. You too, Seung Min.”

As the both of you worked together, the more you liked that adorable character of hers. You felt guilty for having a little hatred when you first saw her kissing Moon Bin’s cheeks. She wasn’t as bad as you thought she was.

“Now class, get the chemical X and dump into Y. And be careful! If it touches you, you might not want to face the world anymore!” The teacher warned but in a funny manner that the whole laboratory students laughed together at her. As Seung-min took chemical X from the end of the table to pour into Y, she tripped on the legs of the chair and it created a commotion.

“SEUNG MIN! CAREFUL!” Ms. Kim warned. Everything happened in a slow motion when the chemical spilled onto your hands, leaving behind a burning and stinging sensation, making your eyes tearing.

“SAN HA, CALL MR. LEE FROM THE RED CROSS CLUB NOW. SEUNG MIN AND Y/N ARE IN DANGER.” Ms. Kim ordered him. He nodded and took off immediately. Everyone started to crowd around your table. Some attended to Seung Min, while some attended to you. You started tearing for feeling physical pain for the first time, it stung so badly as if your skin was ripping off from your flesh and blood.

Mr. Lee started marching in, looking horrified at the situation. The dance members also started to peep in. San-ha quickly asked the teacher-in-charge (TIC) to take a look at my hand. “Unnie, Are you okay? There is steam coming out from your hands!”

You shook your head silently at him. At the side of your eye, you saw Moon Bin looking horrified and pushed himself through the crowd. You wanted to tell him that Seung Min is injured in the process. “Moon Bin! Seung Min is injured- ‘’

“SEUNG MIN!” Moon Bin ran past you without acknowledgment of your presence. His knees were on the ground next to Seung Min. He worriedly checked every side of her and made sure she was okay but he did not take a look at you at all, despite the burning sensation that was stinging your hands. You could only stare at the sink.

You only could hear Moon Bin asking worriedly, “Mr. Lee Is everything okay for Seung Min?”

“She only received a cut from the test-tube on her knee. You can just bring her to the General Office to touch up. We need to attend to- “

Moon Bin carried Seung Min within his arms, not listening to what Mr. Kim has to say. “Okay, I’ll bring her.” He rushed out of the laboratory as everyone watched the scene. Whispers started to circulate among the club members, ‘’ Is Moon Bin over-reacting? Her cut is barely even less than 2cm.”

Mr. Lee took over by trying to bandage your hand before sending you to the doctors. You continued to hear more of the members’ conversation, “How did Seung Min get her knee getting cut from the broken test-tube? Not like it’s a grenade bomb that caused her to fall on the ground.”

“That’s why! How is it possible? I mean the least she could have been injured is a tiny cut on her finger. Isn’t it?”

As Ms. Kim drove you to the hospital, your mom totally freaked out from the news and wanted to quickly rush to the hospital that you are heading to but you convinced her to stay at home to prepare for dinner. “Is there a need to drive me to the hospital? I’m fine with a nearby clinic.”

“No, it’s necessary. The school requires any chemical injuries should be directed to the hospital right away.” Ms. Kim replied. You sighed. How the hell did Moon Bin did not take a look at you or even cared for you at all? Is he blind? Was he not going to recognize your existence at all? You felt extremely betrayed by his actions.

Ms. Kim stood beside you as the doctor attended to you, “Make sure that you apply this cream onto your hands every night before you go to sleep. This way, your hands will be back to normal again, okay?” You nod your head as he touched up your wounds and wrapped her hands tightly with the bandage. “There you go. The counter will give you what you need.”

You walked beside Ms. Kim awkwardly, “Sorry Ms. Kim I must have worried you badly.” You smiled awkwardly as you rubbed the back of your neck.

She pointed her finger at you, “You’re lucky it’s not your face this time! The school will cover your medical fees so don’t worry about it.”

“Thanks, I’ll make a call.” You mentioned and Ms. Kim went to the counter to settle the payments. You keyed in Han Seok’s number with one side of your hands awkwardly, but that sense of achievement and pride rose in you when the phone call managed to reach Han Seok.

“Y/N?” Han Seok answered.

“Oppa, I’m at the hospital. Can you drive me home? It’s inconvenient for me to go back with my teacher so…”

The call ended with beepings and you looked at your screen, “Hello? Hello?’’ You haven’t finished your sentence and the next moment, Han Seok ran towards you in his Doctor Uniform? Is that what they call it?

“Y/N! What happened?” He kneeled in front of you and noticed your bandaged hand, “Your hand! Why? Goodness sake, stop being careless!”

To stop him from nagging at you, you poked his cheeks with your index finger to get his attention, “I’m okay.” He examined your bandaged hands. “Y/N, this is…” Ms. Kim came to you and looked at Han Seok.

“Oh, Ms. Kim HELLO, well um this is my boyfriend? “You grinned awkwardly, which student would introduce their partners to their teachers? Han Seok stood up, “I’m Han Seok.” He introduced himself as he exchanged a handshake with Ms. Kim, and in return, she introduced herself as your teacher and explained what happened in school.

“I guess I’ll take it from here.” He took the cream that the doctor prescribed to you, and carried my bag, “Thank you for taking care of her.”

“No problem, so Y/N, I’ll see you in school tomorrow.” You nodded your head in reply and waved her goodbye.

Han Seok drove with a frown formed between his brows and did not speak a word to you at all, you turned to face him from your seat, “Oppa, I am sorry, I didn’t mean to hurt myself.”

“It’s not within your control, Y/N. You don’t have to apologize.”

“Then talk to me.” You pleaded.

“Let’s not go for the Lotte World, shall we?” He asked.

“I want to go! With you!”

“But… your hand…” He sighed as he made a turn, “I don’t want you to get injured further okay?”

“I promise we won’t sit for the aggressive riders. I mean, my hand is totally fine! Look!” You shook your bandaged hand aggressively in the air to prove him that it is a small matter. It went into a total fail when you started to groan in pain.

Han Seok pressed on the brakes at the side of the road, “That’s what I meant!” He unhooked his seatbelt immediately and took your injured hand, “Is it painful?”

You nod your head gently, but that’s not the point. You want to go to the Lotte World with him, to treat him better. “Please, can we go to the theme park?”

“No rollercoasters.” He glared.

“Fine.” You gave him a smug look that he shook his head smiling, he gave up arguing with you. He pressed his lips on your forehead, “I was so worried when you told me you were in the hospital.”

“I’m really sorry. At least you came to me.” You said sarcastically but bit your tongue the moment you said it. Snap what did I just say.

“Huh?” Han Seok pulled away from you, and you cleared your throat. “At least you’re worried and the first thing was to look for me, right?”

“Of course, I would!” He answered in a defending manner, and he hugged you. “You’re all that I have now.”

“Oppa…” Han Seok’s eyes fell your lips and pulled in for a kiss. You wanted to, and you thought you were ready until his phone rang loudly that totally caused the both of you to jump back to your seats. (A/N: GUYS I STRUGGLED WRITING THIS SCENE I CRINGED SO BADLY IDK WHY OK MOVING ON)

“geez.” You fanned yourself in awkwardness and swiped away that fake sweat that you thought was rolling down the side of your face.

“I suck.” Han Seok cussed under his breath that was almost unnoticeable but you clearly heard what he said about himself, it must have been very discouraging for him and you felt extreme shame for yourself.

He picked up the phone call concerning some doctor-y stuff as you distracted yourself by looking out through the car’s window. Your house is just down the lane. “Yea, okay, I’m heading back soon.” Han Seok watched you and you looked at him, as he spoke on the phone, “Okay see you at the hospital. Bye.” He ended the call.

“I can walk back myself. It’s okay.”

“But, your hands…”

“I’m 17.”

“Okay. Let me open the car door for you.” He walked out of the car, and you watched him coming to your side opening the door for you and unlocked your seatbelt. You stepped out of the car as he helped to put on your school bag on your shoulders.

He placed both of his hands on your shoulders, squeezing them tightly, “You sure you’ll be okay?”

“Yes, I promise. Remember, 2 O’ CLOCK.” It’s your turn to remind him this time.

“Okay, take care.” He kissed your forehead, even though the both of you knew what was missing but you chose to ignore it. “Bye.”

“Bye.” You walked away, feeling a sense of relief somehow that like a time bomb froze at the last second before you thought it would explode.

“Y/N.“ The voice sounded as if you didn’t hear it for decades, like a song that was hidden at the very back of your playlist. The both of you stood respectively at your own gates. Clenching your fists, "Wow, you’re finally willing to talk to me after a whole month?” Your tone sounded sarcastically without any intention.

“What have I exactly done to make you so angry at me? You decided to date that toxic guy first.“ He commented.

"Excuse me? Is that the only thing you want to tell me after avoiding me for a month?! How about you getting a girlfriend? Oh sorry, I’m not your friend anymore. Aren’t I?! You didn’t even look at when I got injured by the chemical!” You screamed at him, letting go of the grudge you held against him for so long.

He sighed, as he reached out his hands into his pockets, “It’s not that, I wanted to tell that I have two–”

“You have a girlfriend.” You continued the sentence, turned to the gate and unlocked it.

Moon Bin removed his hands from his pockets, showing two familiar tickets to you. His patience with you slowly forms into a spite with you, “Yea! I have a girlfriend. So, you’re saying I should give than to Seung Min, right? I’ll listen to my dearest, DEAREST best friend.”

“FINE, ENJOY WITH HER THEN!” You argued back, and the next thing you did was you slam the gate behind you and stomp back to your bedroom.

You grabbed a cute white-laced tank top and a pair of shorts slipped on a pair of black converse. Tying your hair into a cute messy bun, you shouted: “Mom, I am going out for Lotte World soon!”

“Wait for a second,” Your mother exclaimed as she ran down the stairs with a lip-gloss in her hand. She pouted her lips to you, that you mimicked her facial expression as she applied a shiny light pink liquid your lips as you pierced your lips continuously together to even them out. You looked at the mirror for the last time, and your total facial appearance was at least more presentable. “Thank you.” She was like your best friend.

“No worries darling, and make sure to come back before 12 midnight! Promise me you’ll be happy again. Okay?” She cupped your faces in her hands and you nodded. She pecks your cheeks and chased you out of the house. “Bye.” You smiled at her.

As you stepped out of the house, you heard a car honked, and you saw Han Seok waving at you as he stepped out of the car. Waving back, you quickly rushed to Han Seok side. He pulled in again for a kiss on your lips that you giggled slightly. “Let’s go, shall we?” He asked as he pressed his lips against the back of your hands that you chuckled out, “Yes.”

He opened the car door for you and you stepped in, taking a seat. You know today he is going to make you feel better and he will take good care of you. You started to leave all worries behind the back of your mind. As Han Seok closed the car door for you, you looked out of the windscreen and saw your mother watching from the curtains, smiling at the both of you. You waved at her again, and Han Seok noticed who you were looking at. “That’s my mom.” You pointed.

He smiled and nodded at her, and also waved. Your mother felt relieved and waved again before she closed the curtains. “Now I see where you get your beauty genes from.” He winked at you.

Smacking the sides of his forearms, “Stop it and drive.” He laughed as he stepped up the engine and drove past your neighborhood. Your eyes followed Moon Bin’s home as it got past you, and a sudden small hint of pain was still lingering onto your heart. You decided to just shake it away.

Han Seok drove through the ticketing counter and you passed the counter, the tickets that you got He gave each of you a wristband that was supposedly worn around your wrist to be able to play for everything. Han Seok left his car for valet servicing and held your hands.

“What do you want to do?” He asked. You bit your lips together and you thought maybe you can give it a try to convince him to sit for the rides. The smug look must have appeared in your face without you knowing that he narrowed his eyes at you, “You’re not thinking about it.”

You grabbed his hands, “Come on! Please!!!”

He shook his head, and you pout your lips. That was every guy’s weaknesses that Han Seok let out a heavy sigh. “No 360 degrees ride.”

“VIKING!!! Let’s go!!” You pulled him along in excitement. The rides were relatively fun and scary, that for the first time, Han Seok actually screamed in the ghost train ride made you laugh like crazy, his reaction was beyond control that your cheeks started to ache. He got out of the ride tickling the death out of you that you ran away from him and you laughed harder, ‘’We have to sit on it AGAIN!” He widened his eyes and rejected in fear. It’s already 6 o’clock from all the rides, that you were dead tired back there.

“We only left one attraction site, I thought we said no 360 ones! You tricked me.” Han Seok’s eyes widened at the map as you sneakily smirked at him, “Hey you had a part in wanting to sit for many rides too.” You formed a victory sign with a smug look that made him narrow his eyes on you, you win.

Han Seok grinned, “It was too fun. What do you want to play now?” He asked. You looked around and saw this dart board game where the soft toys caught your attention.

‘’How about that dart board game?” You pointed to the darting booth corner. Han Seok shrugged his shoulders, indicating that he was cool with it. Both of you walked to the booth, the toys looked fluffy and adorable that you wanted to just hug them in your arms already.

“Which one do you want? I’ll get it for you.” Han Seok said to you as you looked around. You saw this rounded-shape huge Winnie the Pooh pillow and pointed to him the one that was hanging on the ceiling in clear plastic bag.

The worker cut in and smiled at us, “You have to score five bullseyes in a row without failure to get that toy. Are you ready for the challenge?“

Han Seok took the darts and aimed, and the first one he aimed.

The second time, he hit it again! 🎯🎯 Everything tenses up when he is finally aiming for the last bullseye. "Please please please please.” You chanted as he licked his lips and threw it at the dartboard.

“YES!” You screamed excitedly at the top of your lungs as you jumped and hug him.

The girl working at the booth giggled at us, and she told us that she will get us the toy. Until another worker walked past her sulkily, “Damn it. The guy there needs to chill. He is wiping out all the toys already.”

The girl glared at him, “But they have won the toy already! Give that pillow to them” She hissed. Han Seok and you exchanged glances at each other, wondering what was going on until you heard a girl squealing and cheering.

You turned to see Moon Bin hugging Seung Min from the back, and grabbing her hand and aimed for the dart board. They hit the bullseye that he demanded the toy that you wanted to bring home. Jealousy starts to form around you again.

“Sorry? I believe that toy belongs to me. We clearly won it first.” You demanded strictly from the workers. The girl hesitated, as she tried to handle the situation.

“Let me talk to the gentleman there, please give me a minute.”

Han Seok held your hands and turned you around to face him, “How about this? Let them have it. I will buy one for you.” He offered but you shook your head reluctantly.

“No! You won that for me, and I must have it.” You argued as you turned back to see Moon Bin creating a commotion with the workers.

Walking forward to the scene you interfered into their conversation, “Sorry sir, May I help you?” You smiled arrogantly at Moon Bin.

Moon Bin looked at you as he hung his arms around Seung Min’s shoulders, “Clearly, I won this toy and it should belong to my girlfriend. Is there anything wrong here?” He was clearly trying to make you pissed off and pick a fight. He isn’t pleased with Han Seok as Han Seok wrapped his arms around your waist.

“Look, since you have won so many toys, does it kill you to give us a toy?” Han Seok spoke up.

“Yes, it’s for my girlfriend anyways.” The more he emphasized on the word girlfriend, the more you felt like your emotions were about to erupt.

The worker lifted the table and stood in between of us to handle the situation. “Okay, how about this? We will play a different game.”

She pushed out two nerf guys on the table to Han Seok and Moon Bin. “Here’s the rules, if you are able to target the clown’s red nose on all three of them. You win and will get the toy. Is that fair enough?”

Moon Bin and Han Seok bored into each other’s souls as you shook your head in embarrassment. “Why are we settling this like kids again?” You thought to yourself, but you didn’t mean to voice it out.

Together they replied you, “You wanted the toy first!” They shouted in unison that you were absolutely speechless. They are not fighting for the toy. They were fighting for you.

Moon Bin and Han Seok took turns to shoot. To aim the lowest and the second clown’s nose was easy. But the highest was a little hard to aim that they made sure they had to adjust. They shoot together at the same time.

They scored. It’s a tie… until Han Seok’s one slipped off its nose and fell on the ground. Seung Min ran up to Moon Bin and hugged him, jumping with joy while you stood there sulkily watching them. “Ugh forget it,” You told Han Seok as you turned to face another way. He rubbed the back of his neck, feeling apologetic towards you as he truly wanted to win. But you knew he tried.

“Thanks, for trying.” You took his hand and gave him a peck on his cheeks purposely for Moon Bin to catch. You looked back to see Moon Bin’s nose flaring and you smirked at the sight. You thought he deserved it to see it.

Han Seok asked you to wait for you at the bench as he headed for the toilet. You patiently waited as you scrolled through Twitter until someone in pink took a seat beside you. You almost jumped off your seat when you saw Seung Min sitting beside you. “Oh, hi Seung Min.” You waved.

“Unnie,” She called you as you switched off your phone and placed your attention on her, “You like Moon Bin? Don’t you?” She looked at me, with her eyes turning a shade darker as you took in a big gulp. That was really scary for her to look at you that way.

“No. I’m dating Han Seok. We talked about this at the lab before, remember?” You mentioned softly, trying to reassure her that nothing was going on between you and Moon Bin. She looked at you closely again, and suddenly she smiled widely all of a sudden at you. “Of course, you wouldn’t like Moon Bin! Right?” She let out a weird laughter. You watched her warily as you nodded your head slowly, “Yea… of course.” Was she possessed?

“How is your hand? It didn’t hurt much. Right?” You gave her the are-you-serious-look. Really? The first thing people normally do was to apologize but instead, she looked like she is mocking your injury. She was the one who caused you to have a bandaged hand in the first place. You stood up hastily and asked, “What do you mean by that?”

She stood up slowly, “You know what I mean. Good dogs don’t stand in the way.” She said it in a very manipulative way, that she contradicts her sentence with her looks and cute voice. You scoffed as you were amazed at the two-faced girl you were dealing with. Taking a step closer, you wanted to reply something ruthless back until Moon Bin and Han Seok came back together.

“What’s going on?” Moon Bin asked.

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tonystarktogo · 7 years

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The Topmodel AU I hadn’t realised I need

Kicking this AU Weekend (more infos here) off early because I’ll go on a trip later today and won’t be back until Saturday evening, so most of my posts will have to wait until Sunday&Monday (yes, I’m counting Easter Monday as part of the weekend, sue me). So let’s just talk about my Topmodel!AU headcanon for a sec, shall we?

Not gonna lie, I came up with this ten minutes ago, so expect lots of incoherent rambling.

Alright, so. Tony is nineteen, just finished his master degree and determined to piss his father off as much as possible--a dangerous combination that ends with him signing up for the next topmodel casting instead of starting to work for SI like Howard wants. He didn’t really expect to make it through, he’s too short to be a model, damn it, and he really doesn’t appreciate Rhodey howling with laughter. But his father’s expression when he learns of it is so worth it.

And well, Tony is good with cameras, alright? He’s confident, knows how to put on a show, and suddenly those abilities aren’t just a necessity, they’re actually really helpful. He moves into a house with the other models (though having to give up his phone and being cut off from the internet is hell, seriously, how do regular people survive this?).

He makes friends with some of the other models, a pretty redhead named Pepper who walks in heels like she was born to be on the catwalk, the sharp-tongued Maria who doesn’t appear to be interested by anything--she doesn’t even blink when they get to shoot a short clip with famous actor Steve Rogers, Tony is convinced she’s secretly a cyborg--and Clint who, by virtue of being the only boy, immediately becomes Tony’s new best friend.

The judges can be harsh in their critic, but their trainer Bruce is an absolute sweetheart. Also the first time Natasha Romanov compliments Tony on the expressiveness in his photo shot is a world-altering experience.

Sometimes being locked into a house with so many people can be a bit much though. That’s when Tony sneaks into the kitchen at two AM, just to get some time for himself. Which is how he meets Bucky. Well, he doesn’t meet him that way, Bucky is a camera man on the crew after all, and he’s always around. But sharing a sandwich in the middle of the night is a different kind of knowing, okay?

There’s also the fact that Tony may or may not have a tiny little crush on the guy--Bucky is attractive and witty and has this super secret ability of stalking them all day with a camera and not making it weird, and also his abs, really, Tony’s never had a chance. So. There may be a bit of flirting involved in their midnight meets.

Which is not a problem, Tony flirts with everyone, it’s his thing. His bisexuality isn’t a secret either, in fact the fans are shipping ‘Clony’ very insistently. And though that’s just a terrible ship name--Tony tells the interviewer as much--he and Clint do like to play it up a little, just for fun. The problem is, Bucky isn’t shy about flirting back, and as it turns out, that’s something Tony’s brilliant brain can’t handle.

What also turns into a bit of a problem is that Tony isn’t exactly subtle, no matter how hard he tries to hide his crush. There’s a lot of blushing and stuttering involved for one, and that’s just plain awkward. Tony doesn’t blush, alright, especially not when someone calls him cute. He’s not cute. He’s hot. He’s handsome. But not cute. And the way Bucky smiles and nods at him indulgently isn’t fair at all.

Then, there’s the week eight incident. The sexy shoot. Yeah. Let’s just not talk about that. [Everyone is talking about it. Clint and Pepper refuse to shut up about it. And Tony knows he did well, that his photo was the best of that week, but it’s still embarrassing because he knows he was throwing that smoldering look straight at Bucky--and who had placed him behind their photographer, damn it--and it’s just weird.]

Maria leaves them at the end of week nine and Tony resolutely refuses to cry. It’s part of the show, he’s known that from the start, and it’s not like he’ll never see her again. Which is what he very insistently tells Bucky who just as insistently convinces Tony to drink the hot comfort chocolate he’s smuggled in from Starbucks.

“I can’t do this,” Tony tells him, stares sadly into his half-empty cup. “I’m not supposed to be a model, I can’t be a model, what am I even doing here?”

“Tony," Bucky interrupts the beginnings of his panic attack, voice serious. “I’ve seen you out there, you love being a model. You love being on that stage, you own it. Look, take it from someone who’s been filming at this show for three seasons, you’ve got talent. You’re improving every week. And it’s true that that’s not the only thing it takes, model business is tough. Not everyone can handle that, but I don’t have any doubts that you could.”

“You think so?” Tony asks and hates how hopeful he sounds. Because this was supposed to be joke, a way to annoy his father, he wasn’t supposed to care about this.

“I do,” Bucky nods, then smirks. “You’ve got the ‘bitch please’ attitude down already too.” To which Tony sniffs derisively. Somehow the night ends with both of them laughing, and when Tony returns to his room, Clint sends him a knowing look.

“What?”

“You know what.”

“No I don’t.”

“Yes you really do.”

“Fuck you.”

“Love you too.”

“You’re in love with him, aren’t you?” Rhodey asks two minutes after his arrival. Tony is too overwhelmed by his surprise visit to even bother denying it.

“Oh, Tony,” Rhodey sighs, pulls him into a hug, and Tony melts. He’s missed this, missed it so much. Clint is a great guy, but he refuses to cuddle Tony the way Rhodey does. To be fair, nobody cuddles Tony like Rhodey does but that shouldn’t stop his friends from trying. “Now, tell me about that almost-porno-photo shooting I keep hearing so much about.”

Tony squeaks in mortification.

Clint leaves them at the end of that week, and this time Tony does cry. He’d deny it but the bastard took pictures. Actually, who are we kidding, he still denies it.

Paradoxically, with the house becoming more and more empty, Tony ends up spending more and more time with Bucky. It felt crowded and overwhelming in the beginning, but now the silence is bothering him. He’s already dreading going back to his tiny little flat or worse, his parents’ mansion.

By now Tony’s crush on Bucky is common knowledge, basically. Pepper keeps making not at all subtle comments, the rest of the filming crew constantly hang around in hopes of catching the first kiss, there are jokes and knowing smirks--and Tony is getting sick of it all.

He gets it, alright? Bucky has shown no interest in him--isn’t even allowed to have interest in him--and really the man can’t be that obvious. Clearly is kindly sparing Tony the embarrassment of being rejected in front of an audience. Tony appreciates that. And he’s trying hard not to make things awkward, but he can’t help his feelings, so if everyone else could just cut it out, he’d really appreciate it.

In the end, Tony makes it into the top five. He’s got talent, Natasha and Fury of all people assure him off that, but he’s also had a bad week and his picture just wasn’t as good as those of the other participants. So, Tony packs his bags, says goodbye to everyone, resists the urge to kiss Bucky just for the fuck of it, and flies back home. He doesn’t cry. He’s too numb.

Not until he’s in the privacy of his own home at least, where the stress, the excitement, the weight of those last few incredible weeks finally catches up with him. It seems like such a waste suddenly, such an embarrassment, and god, he’s a failure, he’s never going to leave his apartment ever again.

He does. Rhodey makes sure of it. Makes sure to remind him that this is not in fact the end of the world because Rhodey is sadly a very rational person who’s far too used to Tony’s dramatics.

“You’re not gonna give up on something you want, Tony,” Rhodey tells him one night. “It’s not your style.”

He turns out to be right.

Tony doesn’t want to work for SI, not right now at least. Because he genuinely liked modelling, and he doesn’t- he wants to give this a shot. He’s young, he’s got lots of time to argue with boring, old board members later. He starts looking for shootings instead, takes a job here and there. Looks up a couple of offers he gets because of his surprising popularity on the show too. (He honestly didn’t expect so many people to follow him on Instagram, what the hell?)

By the time the live finals roll around, Tony is excited again. Excited to see the other models one last time, excited to walk on that stage one last time, just excited. There are a lot of hugs and tears at their reunion, lots of things to catch up on.

When Tony walks down the catwalk on the night of the finals, with all the other models who’ve been part of the show, he wears a beautiful, glittering, evening gown, murderously high heels and the worlds most brilliant smile--because Tony Stark never does things half-way. (Tony Stark never passes up an opportunity to give Howard an aneurysm.)

He asks Bucky out that night. Bucky gapes at him, blurts out, “Don’t you already have a boyfriend? That Rhodey guy?”, causes everyone in their vincity to groan in annoyance and disbelief.

“Seriously?” Pepper glares--and wow, that’s a terrifying sight. “I’ve watched the two of you pining after each other for three months, if you don’t kiss and make up right now I’m gonna stab you with my heels!”

And that is the story of how Clint got to twitter a picture of Tony’s and Bucky’s first kiss, hashtagged #IdbeheartbrokenifIdidntshipit #Sorryclonyfans.

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icecreamandknishes · 4 years

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Decade End Round-Up

Let’s look at the past ten years of food trends.

I started blogging 8 years ago which gave me an insider look into food trends and watched many of them born.

Social media, Instagram have all have a major influence on what we have eaten the past ten years and what we will eat for the next ten.

At the start of the decade food blogs were popular and people gained easy access to recipes and food ideas without having to buy cookbooks.

Yogurt took over our lives when new types such as Greek yogurt became trendy.

In 2012 The National Post started a weekly two page spread on Saturdays called Gastropost, posting photos from Instagram. I became a faithful “Gastroposter” and through it I had the opportunity to meet fellow bloggers and get invitations to food events and meet celebrity chefs.

This is one of the first photos I took in 2012 for the Gastropost. I barely knew how to work a camera and had no clue about operating a computer, except knowing how to turn it on.

Fortunately I had help from my family and they still are talking to me even though my need for help continues. I joined a writing and photography group. There still is so much to learn - just how do I change the white balance on the camera again?

Pulses, chickpeas, lentils and dried peas found their way onto our plates more frequently the past decade.

2016 was declared Year of the Pulses by the UN and events and promotions were held across the world.

Canada a major producer and exporter of pulses in the world and had a first class event, bringing together chefs, dietitians, farmers, and media to promote pulses.

Allison Ammeter, Chair, Board of Directors, Pulse Canada, is a farmer who spoke about growing pulses at the event. She gave us an insight into the challenges of farming. Today Canada’s pulse sales are suffering due to political problems with China, a major importer who cancelled its Canadian imports.

I got to meet many celebrity chefs and attend cooking demonstrations.

At Taste of Toronto Chef Christina Tosi of Milkbar and Masterchef USA fame came over to personally help me during her cooking demonstrations. (I was talking too much and fell behind.) We made cake truffles.

Tosi’s Compost Cookies and her traditional white birthday cake with sprinkles became very popular. Sprinkles are still very trendy and will continue on into the next decade.

I got up close to Martha Stewart at the Delicious Food Show. After a cake decorating demonstration (truly talented) she walked around the food show, very curious to learn new things.

Some foods have tremendous marketing pushes from their country of origin behind them. Avocados from Mexico showed up everywhere and people happily paid fifteen dollars for avocado spread on toast. Another current trend is Korean food, and the Korean Government had a large booth at Grocery Innovations Show.

Kimchi has now made its way into many foods we eat.

For kitchen technology the Instant Pot is the piece of equipment to have. Unfortunately I don’t have any room left in my kitchen for one.

Diets have been evolving in popularity, at the start of the decade the low fat diet was still popular and has been replaced by low carbohydrates instead. Then there are the other trendy diets, paleo, keto, meatarian (only eating meat) fruitarian (only eating fruit), various forms of fasting diets, and Weight Watchers re-branded itself as WW. I know I have missed many other trendy diets to list.

Gluten free diets are popular with many more gluten free products available on the market and this trend will continue.

Vegan was popular but it is now being taken over by the hashtag #plantbased.

The UN and large global organizations are encouraging people to eat more plants to save the planet earth. They also tried to convince people to eat insects as a regular part of their diet but that plan didn’t succeed very well.

There is more awareness of the fragility of the oceans and chefs like Ned Bell of the Vancouver Aquarium is a sustainable seafood ambassador for Ocean Wise to teach and encourage us to be careful of what seafood we eat.

The once ever so famous Chef Mario Batali became a pariah as his sexual harassment of female staff became public. He has now sold his shares in his restaurants and Eataly. The trend towards treating restaurant staff fairly is on the upswing and will hopefully continue into the next decade.

Restaurants are being challenged by high costs and food delivery services. Supermarkets are getting in the game and are selling ready to heat up meals that you can buy and heat up at home and avoid delivery costs.

High rents in the hot real estate market of Toronto has caused the demise of many long standing restaurants.

We get so much advice on what to eat our heads should be spinning. Celebrities, Instagram stars and influencers are making huge amounts of money telling us what to eat whether they are qualified to or not. Some vegans have come out and admitted that they were becoming ill on their diets and have started to add meat and dairy products to their diets.

What I have learned is that even the most benign sounding dietary advice has big money and big companies behind it, including major food companies promoting #plantbased diets as a way to save the earth.

So what should we eat in the next decade?

Some future trends will be plant based, zero food waste, non alcoholic cocktails made with sophisticated non alcoholic botanicals, food prices are going to keep rising as the carbon tax gets higher and there are concerns about food insecurity and changing of food shopping habits. Food safety is becoming a major concern as there are more frequent recalls of lettuce and other healthy vegetables due to contamination, causing illness, hospitalization and in rare cases death.

What I have learned as a food blogger, is the joy that cooking food and sharing it with friends and family can bring. I know that time and energy are not always in supply today, but what I do recommend is to take the time to cook something, even a little something when you can.

And if you don’t have time or energy to cook, order in something good and share it with friends.

Well, maybe I can always recommend having a nice bowl of Chicken Soup with Matzah Balls. It is winter and a little Jewish penicillin can’t hurt.

Happy New Year. Keep on cooking.

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newssplashy · 6 years

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Opinion: The iGen Shift: Colleges must change to reach the next generation

They are, of course, superconnected. But on their terms. Which is why college-bound iGens (Gen Zers, if you prefer) present a challenge to the grown-ups on campus eager to reach and teach them.

Consider orientation season. Katie Sermersheim, dean of students at Purdue University, has a mother lode of information and resources to share (including wellness initiatives and a new mindfulness room). But getting iGen’s attention?

“It can be frustrating slash extra challenging to figure out how to get the word out, whatever that word is,” Sermersheim said. “I do get discouraged.”

A generation that rarely reads books or emails, breathes through social media, feels isolated and stressed but is crazy driven and wants to solve the world’s problems (not just volunteer) is now on campus. Born from 1995 to 2012, its members are the most ethnically diverse generation in history, said Jean Twenge, psychology professor at San Diego State University.

They began arriving at colleges a few years ago, and they are exerting their presence. They are driving shifts, subtle and not, in how colleges serve, guide and educate them, sending presidents and deans to Instagram and Twitter.

They are forcing course makeovers, spurring increased investments in mental health — from more counselors and wellness messages to campaigns drawing students to nature (hug a tree, take a break to look at insects) — and pushing academics to be more hands-on and job-relevant.

They are a frugal but ambitious lot, less excited by climbing walls and en suite kitchens than by career development.

Most critically, they expect to be treated as individuals. Students raised amid the tailored analytics of online retailers or college recruiters presume that anything put in front of them is customized for them, said Thomas Golden of Capture Higher Ed, a Lexington, Kentucky, data firm. He sees group designations evolving into “segments of one.”

Students want to navigate campus life, getting food or help, when it is convenient for them. And, yes, on their mobile devices or phones. “It’s not really technology to them,” said Cory Tressler, associate director of learning programs at Ohio State University, noting that the iPhone came out when most were in grade school.

It is why Ohio State this year, rather than battle device use, issued iPads to 11,000 incoming students. The school designated 42 fall courses “iPad required” (21 more will be added in the spring) and is building an app that in addition to maps and bus routes has a course planner, grades, schedules and a Get Involved feature displaying student organizations.

In the works is more customization, so when students open the app it knows which campus they are enrolled at, their major and which student groups they belong to.

Speaking to students on their terms just makes sense, said Nicole Kraft, a journalism professor at Ohio State who takes attendance via Twitter (she has separate hashtags for each of her three courses). She posts assignments on Slack, an app used in many workplaces. And she holds office hours at 10 p.m. via the video conference site Zoom, “because that is when they have questions.”

Kraft does not use email for class, except to teach students how to write a “proper” one. “That is a skill they need to have,” she said.

While these students are called “digital natives,” they still must be taught how to use devices and apps for academic purposes, Kraft said. She’s had students not know that they could use Microsoft Word on an iPad. “We make a lot of assumptions about what they know how to do.”

Campuses have been slow to recognize that this age group is not millennials, version 2.0.

“IGen has a different flavor,” said Twenge of San Diego State University and author of “iGen: Why Today’s Super-Connected Kids Are Growing Up Less Rebellious, More Tolerant, Less Happy — and Completely Unprepared for Adulthood — and What That Means for the Rest of Us.”

It is tricky to define a large part of the population. But Twenge said big data sets revealed broad psychological patterns shared by those coming of age amid defining social, cultural and economic events.

The difference between growing up in the prosperous 1990s versus seeing family members lose jobs and homes during the 2008 recession alters one’s perspective, she said. It is why iGens are so focused on debt and insist they get skills and experiences that will lead to a career.

The prevalence of school shootings and domestic terrorism has also shaped them.

“This generation defies the stereotypes of young adults,” in terms of risk-taking, Twenge said. They are “more receptive to messages around safety” and less eager to get driver’s licenses, and they come to college “with much less experience with sex and alcohol.”

They are also more cautious when it comes to academics, fear failure and have learning preferences distinct from millennials, said Corey Seemiller, professor at Wright State University and co-author of “Generation Z Goes to College,” who queried 1,200 students on 50 campuses.

“They do not like to learn in groups,” favor videos over static content and like to think about information, then be walked through it to be certain they have it right.

“They want a model” and then to practice, said Seemiller, who posts samples when assigning a paper. “I’ll say, ‘Let’s look through them and see what works.'” Having grown up with public successes and failures online, she said, students are hungry to have a big impact, yet “worry they will not live up to that expectation.”

And despite their digital obsession, Seemiller’s research shows this generation favors visual, face-to-face communication over texting. They are not always good at live social interaction, but they crave it. “They want authenticity and transparency,” she said. “They like the idea of human beings being behind things.”

As a generation that “has been sold a lot of stuff,” said Seemiller, iGens are shrewd consumers of the tone and quality of communication. That’s pushing colleges to focus not only on what they say but also how they say it.

Which is what orientation leaders and staffers in Princeton’s office of the dean of undergraduate students — known on social media as ODUS — have tried to master in the way they welcome the Class of 2022.

A brainstorming session in March generated what became a Princetified cover of Taylor Swift’s “22,” a video with orientation leaders and ODUS staff members as extras, a cappella groups singing the score and Nicolas Chae, a sophomore, directing.

Cody Babineaux, an incoming freshman from Lafayette, Louisiana, whose video of his acceptance to Princeton has 4.6 million Twitter views, appreciated it, especially the Harvard shirt sniffed and tossed out in the first 20 seconds. “It was hilarious,” he said. “It didn’t try too hard.”

Getting student attention and keeping it matters to administrators trying to build excitement for campus events but also in prodding students about housing contracts and honor codes. “We are an office that enforces university standards. We can’t be firing off,” said Thomas Dunne, deputy dean of undergraduate students. “But you have to be animated and human-sounding. Our voice is very personal.”

ODUS has become an active presence on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Twitter with a vibe that winks, pokes, weaves in memes and slang terms like BAE (before anyone else) and on fleek (flawlessly styled), and applies hashtags with wit (a free ice cream for dropping by the ODUS office with dance moves worthy of Dean Dunne? #GetServed, #GameOfCones).

Dunne, whose Facebook page began as a student prank without his knowledge more than a decade ago, leans on staff members who include 20-somethings. One, Ian Deas, who favors Snapchat, identifies student “influencers,” following them on Facebook and Instagram.

In posts, he looks for “those trendy phrases that help us stay in the conversation.” When ODUS staff members respond to student posts, it amplifies their reach. “When we are being interactive, our stuff pops up in other people’s feeds” and drives curiosity about “who is behind the voice.”

Being social on social media attracts students who might tune out official communication. Babineaux said he and his friends noted when college posts sounded “goofy” or “like your grandfather trying to say swag.”

He also notices that his generation is criticized “because we are always on our phones,” which gets interpreted as being disconnected. In fact, he said, “we just have more connection with everyone all the time.”

It is also how students like Babineaux learn and get information.

“Social media has helped me get a lot more prepared for Princeton,” he said, adding that he has scrolled through old posts of campus (“I have never seen snow”) and watched videos, including of graduation. “I thought, ‘That will be on my Instagram page in four years.'”

——From Nature to Instagram

By Laura Pappano

Innovative ways that some colleges and universities are engaging their iGen students.

GET DOWN WITH NATURE

At Wellesley College, Suzanne Langridge, director of the new Paulson Ecology of Place Initiative, invited students to look at insects and to adopt trees. Students need technology, but Langridge wants them to “connect more deeply to each other and to a sense of place.”

PHOTOS OR IT DIDN’T HAPPEN

So what if the college president hauls boxes on the day freshmen move in? Without images, it’s a rumor. Which is why John Swallow, president of Carthage College in Kenosha, Wisconsin, will be dressed to help come Sept. 2. He’ll want pictures for his Instagram. He joined the site in September and runs it himself (with advice from his daughter). #picsoryoudontexist

MENTAL WELLNESS

Last fall, Ohio State University opened the Stress Management & Resiliency Training Lab. During 40-minute sessions, students learn mindfulness and deep-breathing techniques to lower anxiety while hooked up to a biofeedback monitor so “they can see in real time how their body reacts to reducing stress,” said Damon Drew, a graduate associate who helps run the lab.

TEACHING IGENS

Daniel Guberman of Purdue’s Center for Instructional Excellence has worked with colleagues to help professors revamp 400 courses to be more engaging, include video and choice for students to show what they know. College is no longer “about identifying the best students,” he said, but presuming “all of these students are here because they are capable of succeeding.”

TOOLS, NOT AMENITIES

The country club era is over as students are “more acutely aware of who is paying for that,” said Raymond Maggi, an architect who has built more than 20 student life projects on college campuses over the past decade. That means shared, fluid and public spaces for tutoring and meeting. Libraries need cafes, he said, and academic departments need lounges with “comfortable seats and cafe tables” with writable surfaces.

source http://www.newssplashy.com/2018/08/opinion-igen-shift-colleges-must-change_4.html

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justinelaryne · 7 years

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Justine, They’re All Absurd: This Is Your Life At Age 23

@justinelaryne The second I turned 21, major excitement came with heart breaking changes in my new life year... And the hell-oh adult world that Really freaks me out to death . Goodbye, School & home days. Hi, I don't want to be part but I have to..Scary WORLD! I had survived the past years without ever getting into any legal trouble. But, My 21st was one hell of a sh*t — from what I remember, at least. But, my 22nd & 23rd birthday felt a bit different. At the stroke of midnight, I found myself on wandering, overlooking the intercostal with my new friends. It was not one of those “pinky out” kinds of place. And, it certainly was different comparable to last year’s birthday celebrations I had with preteen, teen, parents. Maybe it was just the environment. Adult celebration thing. Now, I know it sounds silly to claim my mature evolution overnight, but I won’t deny the sudden shift in I feel in mentality. I felt like my past year of 21 was a vacation, a year I didn’t take too seriously. A span of 365 days, where it was borderline socially acceptable for me not to have my sh*t together. Well, in My 22. It’s not too big of a time gap, I’m aware. I understand I‘m still considered a kid to some, but turning 23 felt like a promotion from a young lady to a woman. I’m starting to make little changes that make life significantly easier. I’m realizing things I never knew before despite them being painfully obvious. But, I’ve also found myself formulating some dramatic scenarios and “what if” concerns that are just complete bogus. I guess a few seem legitimate, while others are outrageous, and I’m sure my someone would show concern if they really knew half the sh*t over which I stress. I had never even considered these to be issues or dilemmas prior to turning 23. And guess what, they say 23 is the crucial age, where no one like you! Plus, all the other questions and concerns: 1. Do I need to start making legit grocery lists? And by that, I mean one that doesn’t include instant noodles, cereals and different flavored junkfoods snacks? Maybe I’ll keep the snacks. You can’t NOT be happy while holding a bag of chips, right? 2. How can I prevent fire hazards if I don’t even know what they are? Fun fact: It’s a fire safety hazard to turn your toaster on its side to drunkenly heat up pizza. I’ve also learned that it’s generally a good idea to stand in the kitchen when heating soup on the stove instead of ordering in. How have I made it to 23? 3. What’s financial responsibility? Why did it take me this long to realize that spending the extra $75 for free shipping is not actually worth the original $5 I would pay for my $25 dollar online item? My bank account is experiencing one of the worst droughts the southeast has ever seen. 4. Did I miss “How To Function Like A Human 101?” I still don’t know how to work a manual stove, that's why I prefer electric ones and I literally just figured out what cc: and bcc: stand for on emails. Is this common knowledge that I tuned out at some point or am I a bit behind? 5. Do others see me as a grownup? Do I come off as a responsible and caring individual? Multiple people have told me that I’m crazy. Will that title stick forever? My shenanigans have certainly decreased. I don't sleep till noon and im learning How to use makeup on my face and I make my bed and change bed sheets every 1-2 weeks. Impressive, I know. 6. Do you really need to be in or be with a random relationship? Hey, wait, what? So you have to play to have Experiences? I don't get it? Yes I know I never been, I have never done it, never... not yet experience such... But because As for me love is not like that, I wish it to be my first & last... my future husband will be my everything First.. If that make sense... #V.g. 7. I’m getting used to deal with my biological clock. Yes it's hard to wake up in the morning but you see I'm trying my best to get up in bed. So please bear with me. 8. I'm still not into kids. I’m SO not ready to deal with them. If I ever become a mother, what will I name my kids and how many would I want? I know I’m not at this stage in life yet, but I love pets! Cats & Dogs, maybe that counts? Maybe by the time I’m ready to consider kids, they will have some kind of rent-a-kid service to see if you’re apt to be a parent. 9. Is IT required for adults to drink alcohol? Do I need to stop ordering fresh fruits as a drink and take on the maturity of a glass bottle? I only drink red wine, well occasionally. What if I’m at some fancy restaurant with a charming gentleman, and he orders us a bottle of red wine? Can I ask the waiter for an ice cubes? Preferably include some slice of orange & lemon, please. 10. Are you my future husband, Mr. Stranger? Well, I have an ideal date. And Someone ask me. So naturally, I feel obligated to envision my life with someone, 15 years from now. What will our kids look like? Will he provide mental, physical, emotional and financial support? Why am I even ask these questions? With a total stranger. Yes I know I've never been in a relationship for decades! All he did was ask for my private number, not my hand in marriage. But in all honesty, I don’t think it’ll work out. I want my children to have hazel eyes. He has brown. My friend laugh hearing those words! 11. And another friend bites the matrimonial dust. Another one of my friends just got engaged. That’s the seventh engagement this year. Will I get invited to the wedding? I’ll have to bring a date. I don’t even like anyone, but I’ll be judged if I show up alone. That’s it. I’m not going. 12. I don’t care how old I am; “Downton Abbey” will always be boring. If someone asks me what my favorite TV show is, can I still respond with “The Vampire Diary?” It’s the truth. Or should I come up with like, a more matured family and less crude TV series? I my top list of loved TV shows are Pretty Little Liars, CSI, Supernatural, American Horror Story series. 13. When I thought blacking out was the epitome of fun. Did I just say no to that shot? It’s like my alcohol tolerance said “peace out” and retired at the young age. I used to hold my liquor really well. Or, was that just something I believed at the time? Sorry I don't drink! Maybe at the age of 35-40 I'll do.. 14. Holy hangover… am I dying? More importantly, am I going to die from this hangover? What were my hangover remedies last year, and how the hell did I make it through the booze binges with such ease? Ops... it's not about alcohol dude.. it's about vacation hangover! 15. I need more dress shirts and fewer crop tops. I feel like I need to invest in some nice professional attire for future interviews. I have this snazzy blazer, but it’s also leather, so I guess that won’t work. If Slash or Steven Tyler were the employer, I think they’d hire me, but likely not the case. 16. I'm not good at cooking, ok! Yes, I graduated with a degree in HRM. But please don't expect me to be great at it because I'm not a culinary. Why it's always like that? People please stop asking me what's my favorite dishes to cook? I'm only a eater not a cook. But FYI, I'm good at desserts & pastry... I can make you my special Blue Berry & Oreo Cheesecake. 17. Is autocorrect making me dumber? My text lingo has to stop. Am I contributing to the loss of the English language? I feel my IQ drop with each second that passes as I struggle to remember how to spell the word, “definitely.” Because it sure as hell isn’t spelled, “deff.” 18. Do I have to get wasted on dates? My usual Friday night texts used to consist of, “Hey, want to go to *insert bar name here or coffee shop here* and drink till we can’t feel our faces?” Sorry! First off I don't drink alcohol & coffee anymore! Would it be weird if I ask you to go get pizza or ice cream with me instead? It’s kind of the same thing, right? You still gonna feel wasted after all... hunger satisfied. But maybe I can go with you not getting wasted? Idk 19. Do you wish to study again for a second degree with license or work already? I felt it's a trick of a mind. A year where you can play it as months go by so fast. I was given the options because I asked for it. It was given to me right away in my table. So What's my problem? 20. I don't drink Sodas for almost 5 years now Why, because any form of soda are high in sugar content. But I do cheat if I don't have a choice or option to drink. Like for example when I eat out in fast food. 21. Best Friends are drifting apart I recall and remember my childhood friends, my playmates in school and in our village before. Trying to remember their names.. Best friend... I miss the idea of it. I have close friends but not best friend. 22. I'm a bit sharer? Yes, I started over share lately this pass 2 years. I guess it's because of being independent abroad that I was exposed to "communication is very important formula to build a good relationship with other people." Hashtag love the foreigners dislike the locals 23. Is karma my religion? Am I the only person who comes up with this sh*t and creates weird, “what if” scenarios in my head? Does anyone else harbor the terrifying thought that the hell we put our parents through will come back to haunt us through our own spawn? Or, maybe... Oh just shut up already brain... I need more sleep and less Movie watching. Xoxo @justinelaryne

#open letter #random #thoughts #Random thoughts #20something #twenty something #life #year #23 #birthday day #maturity #change

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minnievirizarry · 7 years

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5 Instagram Metrics That Truly Measure Your Efforts

It’s just another normal day at the office as a social media manager. You start replying to Tweets, scheduling a few Facebook posts and put up a couple pictures of last night’s company dinner on Instagram. Then one of your executives comes to you and says “I need you to pull a report of our Instagram progress for the past three months.” You say sure, no problem. But once she leaves, you sit thinking to yourself, what in the world should I put in this report?

If that scenario sounds familiar, you’re not alone. With social media sites like Facebook, Twitter and even Pinterest, you have plenty metrics to measure the success of your campaigns. But with Instagram, it’s not as simple.

Although the company is taking steps to make the app more marketer friendly, it’s not all the way there yet. Thankfully there are some Instagram metrics you can (and should) track to measure your efforts.

1. Comments Received

What this metric tells you: How engaging is your content.

The first metric most brands look at to measure social media engagement on Instagram is the number of likes for their photos. Likes are nice, but comments are an even stronger indicator of engagement. Think about it. It takes more time to think out and write a comment than it does to like a photo. TrackMaven found brands average 18.54 likes per photo per 1,000 followers, but just 0.63 comments.

When your followers go beyond double tapping your photos and take the time to leave a comment, it’s because they resonated with it. Comments, whether positive or negative, are the result of a person feeling some type of emotion for your content, your brand or both.

If your average number of comments per post starts to increase, it could mean you’re building a community and a loyal following, which is a big goal for most companies. On the flip side, if you notice you’re barely getting any comments or the number of comments you’re getting per post is declining, it could be a sign that your followers aren’t connecting with your content.

Don’t put up the white flag just yet. Use it as an opportunity to go back to the drawing board and think of ways to create better photos and boost your engagement. Try adding videos instead of just pictures, or get more creative with your Instagram captions.

2. Most Engaged Hashtags

What this metric tells you: Which hashtags you should use.

Hashtags and Instagram go together like peanut butter and jelly. Not only do Instagram posts with hashtags get more engagement, but hashtags also make your posts more discoverable. There are a few different Instagram metrics you can track when it comes to hashtags, but measuring which hashtags are getting the most engagement is your best bet.

Since Instagram is one of the few social media platforms that encourages the use of multiple hashtags in your posts, you should start putting together a list of the ones that get the most likes and comments. That way you can add them into relevant posts as often as you need to. Remember, hashtags on Instagram function like keywords for search engine optimization. The hashtags with the most engagement are like your keywords that bring in the most traffic. Learn what those are, and you’ll have a lot more success.

Argentinian inspiration in our gelato- and our coffee! Dulce de leche latte- available hot or iced at all of our locations.

A post shared by dolcezza (@dolcezzagelato) on Apr 27, 2017 at 9:06am PDT

Another overlooked benefit of this metric is that it gives you an idea of what type of content you should post. For instance, in the screenshot above we see that #cafe, #coffee and #espresso received a lot more engagement than the other hashtags. As a cafe, this tells you that you should post more pictures inside the coffee shop, or pictures of drinks. You can never go wrong with the classic coffee art photo.

If you find that your posts aren’t getting the amount of engagement you’d like, look over this metric. The problem could be your hashtags.

3. Engagements Per Follower

What this metric tells you: Your engagement relative to your audience size.

Looking at companies like Nike and Starbucks that get thousands of likes and comments on each post can be very overwhelming if your photos and videos only average a couple hundred likes. But there’s one thing you’re forgetting. Nike and Starbucks have millions of followers, so their posts have more reach. The engagements per follower metric is perfect because it shows you how many likes and comments your posts are getting per individual follower. This way, you don’t get wrapped up in comparing your company’s numbers with larger brands. It’s possible for a smaller page to get more engagements per follower than larger ones, even if they have less engagement overall.

When this metric is increasing, it shows that your followers are resonating with your content, and that your page is a priority for them since they’re liking and commenting on multiple posts. If this number is low or shrinking, it means users are engaging with your content every once in a while but probably not checking your page regularly.

In order to boost this number, you can try posting more exciting content so that people look forward to checking out your page every day. For instance, photographer Joel Strong takes pictures throughout New York and uses replacement heads of celebrities and famous characters. Followers can’t wait to see what’s going to be posted next, so they constantly come back.

cold days are for cuddlin with your uncle jesse. (w @melbrazilia my oprah) part 9 #mydaywithoprahonadate

A post shared by joel strong ❤️👌🏻 (@mydaywithleo) on Mar 22, 2017 at 4:04pm PDT

Another good idea is to upload new content on a regular basis. Aim for at least one or two new posts each day.

4. Followers Gained

What this metric tells you: The total reach of your posts.

Up until this point, the Instagram metrics we’ve looked at have centered around measuring your engagement and the activity around your account. But let’s not overlook one of the most universal metrics in social media, followers. Although it’s more important to have engaged followers than just a huge amount, there is strength in numbers.

Ideally, the number of followers you have will grow over time as you build your brand. Whether it’s through shoutouts from influencers, word of mouth between friends or even paid ads, you want to grow your audience for social proof and to be able to reach more people.

When you look at this metric, measure it over a period of time. Tracking it day by day isn’t going to give you the information you need in order to make informed decisions. For example, if you notice that you’re only earning a handful of new followers each month, you need to ramp up your marketing efforts. On the other hand, if you see the number of followers you gained one month and noticed a huge spike on one specific day, then you should look into what you did to achieve that growth so you can replicate it.

Some marketers look at your number of followers as a vanity metrics, and in some ways it can be. However, the real benefit of measuring your follower count is to know what your brand’s potential reach is for the content you’re publishing. Pages with more followers have more reach. The fewer people that see your posts, the less engagement you’re going to get. Getting more followers gives you a better opportunity to get your content seen.

5. Referral Traffic

What this metric tells you: How much traffic your website receives from Instagram.

One of the biggest complaints businesses have about social media marketing is not being able to track the return on investment (ROI). Although we know that it’s possible to track social media ROI, Instagram threw marketers for a loop because the app doesn’t allow clickable links within posts. So what do you do if you want to promote a new piece of content or a special on Instagram, and be able to easily track the results? Use UTM parameters of course.

UTM parameters are tags that you can add onto a URL to give Google Analytics more information about the link. By adding UTM parameters to the links you share on Instagram, you can accurately track your campaigns and credit traffic that comes directly from Instagram. Here’s a complete guide on how to setup UTM parameters for your social media. Since the URL’s will be a bit long, it’s a good idea to use a URL shortener like Bitly when you’re including links in your captions. That way, people can open up their browser and type in the URL.

Another option that’s more convenient than adding URLs inside captions is to use your bio. Instagram allows you to have one clickable link in your profile section. Some brands like to use this link to promote special deals or new content. Whenever you have something new to promote, it’s as simple as changing the link.

Or, you can go the route of Apartment Therapy. The apartment design website shares photos of design inspiration on their Instagram page. They create a corresponding page on their website (linked in their bio) where people can go to get more information on the design.

For example, take a look at this post.

It's hard to believe this kitchen was once a dark, drab and crowded space. Even though no major changes were made to the layout, fresh updates gave it a bright and stylish new look. Click the link in our for the complete before and after. (Image: @erikasalum)

A post shared by Apartment Therapy (@apartmenttherapy) on May 3, 2017 at 6:11am PDT

Notice the call to action to click the link in their bio. That link, which is tracked, directs you to a page with all the images from their Instagram profile. You can see the corresponding image for the post above.

6. Instagram Stories Metrics

What these metrics tells you: How popular your Instagram Stories are.

With Instagram Stories now becoming a significant feature, more brands have jumped on board to test it out. But how do you know if what you’re doing is actually working?

Similar to Snapchat, Instagram doesn’t give you a whole lot of data on your Stories. But using a combination of their data and some math, you can get a decent idea of how your Stories are performing. Here are some metrics to track:

Unique views: This is the number of people that saw your story. You can also see the number of people that saw each individual slide in your Story.

Completion rate: Your completion rate shows you how many people view your full story. This isn’t a metric Instagram gives you, so you’ll have to do some math. Don’t worry, it’s simple. You’re going to divide the number of people that saw your last story by the number that saw your first one. Then multiply by 100.

Direct messages to your story: The number of people who send your brand a direct message from your Story. Right now, this is the closest thing you have to an engagement metric for Instagram Stories since users can’t Like or share them. If you want to get a make-shift engagement rate, divide the number of DMs from your Story by the number of views.

Also keep in mind that you won’t have historical data on your Stories within the app. So if you want to track your performance over time, you’ll have to do it manually through a spreadsheet or elsewhere.

Compare With the Competition

With Sprout’s Instagram Competitors Report, you can not only see important metrics for your brand, but your competitors as well.

With this report your can benchmark success on metrics like:

Media sent

Comments

Likes

Audience size and growth

Get a leg up on the competition by measuring their statistics.

Start Measuring

The thought of dealing with metrics, data and social media analytics might not seem like the most exciting thing in the world at first, but don’t get discouraged. As your Instagram account grows, you’ll start to look forward to checking your numbers and watching the progress. Plus, with Sprout Social’s spiffy Instagram reports, you won’t have to worry about being totally confused by data, which is a huge bonus.

The only way to make improvements and move forward is to know where you started, and where you currently stand. Tracking these six Instagram metrics will make it easier for you to see what’s working for your business and make the right moves to help you grow.

What Instagram metrics do you track? Leave a comment and let us know!

This post 5 Instagram Metrics That Truly Measure Your Efforts originally appeared on Sprout Social.

from SM Tips By Minnie http://sproutsocial.com/insights/instagram-metrics/

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newssplashy · 6 years

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