#also the fact her full name shows up was probably a Big Scare for Candy cuz of her Von Schweetz surname eluding to royalty

[king-crawler]

i think way too much about this movie.

anyways the announcer has more energy while saying the names of royal racers COUGH COUGH KING CANDY FORGOT TO REMOVE VANELLOPE'S

It’s like this video but the opposite .

#🎬 #analysis #also the fact her full name shows up was probably a Big Scare for Candy cuz of her Von Schweetz surname eluding to royalty #oopsies!!! #thats why he waters her down to just vanellope and glitch #more so just ‘Glitch’ #I think he only calls her vanellope 2 or 3 times and most of them are when hes manipulating ralph to get through to him #the first one was out of shock #VANELLOPE??? #I think just cuz he heard the announcer voice and was repeating it #but yeah he loves dehumanizing her Like That #king candy #vanellope #wreck it ralph #sugar rush #Youtube #video

[cloveroctobers]

ROBERT “BOBBY” MCKENZIE —

IG info/bio : @/returnofdamckenzie | 426k followers | @/mclitgs2 is my forever boo🤟🏽😍 while @/cardib is my WIFE! She just doesn’t know it yet ❤️ support my work & be part of my family: @/bobbymckcares

24 (25) years young

Born in Dundee, raised in Glasgow, Scotland

Jamaican father named Badrick who is a African studies professor

Caucasian/Scottish mother named Catriona who used to be a au pair but now works as a receptionist in senior living — one eye is honey hazel and the other a dark brown

It was difficult growing up in a school that didn’t accept Bobby being biracial, it resulted in bullying to the point where he needed to switch schools (A lawsuit was also in place) The next school was slightly better but Bobby slowly learned to accept himself as it was not something he could control and not something he would want to in the first place. He was proud of where he came from and never thought he was better or less than anyone else, that wasn’t how he was raised

He’s an only child, his parents thought about adopting (and fostering) but with Bobby they had their hands full and he was just enough for them

His family is very family-oriented so he would never have to feel lonely since they gave him a lot of attention, slightly making him spoiled but he was also around his cousins & spending time with them as well

He’s extremely close to his younger cousin (only by a few months) Femi who he views as his sister. They’ve been through a lot together and are always there for each other so it only makes sense

Most likely an active kid always up to some sort of shenanigans whether it’s by himself or with his group of friends, “why would you do that Bobby?” “Don’t ask why but ask, why not!?”

Definitely suffered some broken bones, concussions, & sprain injuries but would never show signs of pain...guys got a high pain tolerance that’s for sure

Fan of films/series “stand by me” & “the goonies” & “scooby doo” since he feels they relate to his life??

Hospital caterer and loves making those feel better with food that he’s created. If he can’t put a smile on patients face with words then he feels like he can show them with food

Food is an art to him. He went to school for culinary & it’s very important for him to show how much it is to him. He picked up the craft from of course his family, who always used food for numerous of things: to bring people together is one of them

Perfected Jerk haggis, it is now he favorite dish next to desert & breakfast!

I’m struggling to figure out what sign he maybe? He’s very playful which may come off as childish at times, which makes me think of Leo? (Maybe Gemini?) Only because they usually hold onto their childhood as best as they can, very generous, & give their energy to you but I also don’t see him being a fire sign at all? So maybe very little Leo in his chart. I also feel like he might be a bit of an empath? He knows when situations around him don’t feel right, knows how to read the room, and always wants to help others by lighting things up.

Idk but I’m feeling he’s libra sun + Gemini moon + Leo rising? Who knows

Probably lived in a 2 bed flat with his old uni mate. It was small and a bit shit but it was their shit and they made the best of it

Now lives in a stone cottage or farmhouse with MC that was built in the 1900’s & is slightly haunted. He’s decided to call them Duncan??? But he believes they’re a good spirit, maybe even a friendly ghost!? since he got comfortable with the bizarre happenings in the new flat & it doesn’t seem like they want to hurt them

Lottie offered to bring her ouija board next time she visited—Bobby declined

House is mostly neutral based but three of the rooms in the flat are covered in ridiculous patterned walls or furniture much to MC’s distaste but, “what’s yours is mine” right? No. But Gary approves!

Has two dogs: a terrier & a collie since MC wasn’t down for getting a sheep

They do have chickens to raise their own eggs tho!

Definitely the kind of significant other that will ride on the cart when they’re out grocery shopping, will make you breakfast in bed, & will send you memes while he’s at home and you’re out or even when he’s at work and you’re at home, let’s you put his arm to sleep when you’re laying on it in bed (big ass head gang!), definitely chooses the candles from bath & body works that smell like food items (majority of them suck let’s be honest)

Probably smells like cucumber, melons, lemons, and eucalyptus

Has your wedding date in his IG bio & is proud

Annoys Gary & Lottie with his food pics, “oh, Not this shit again! 😡 looks brilliant, but enough!”

Has zoom/FaceTime movie nights with Marisol & MC who stopped feeling like she was third-wheeling months ago

Talks to hope & Noah (in the background) as much as he can. Feels like they’re his inspiration for love, even tho he’s the only one married out of the villa

He values marriage just like his parents do and often has Sunday dinners with them & MC ofc

Probably has relationship guide books and only reads them out of boredom but finds fascinating facts/advice if he pays attention & tries to apply it to his relationship with mc. If it works, it works! & If it doesn’t, you can’t say he didn’t try!

Works long hours but will still come home to cook for MC or brings leftovers from the events he’s catered (most are for the hospital but occasionally he’ll do other events)

Has a separate IG for his work

When WAP dropped, he almost lost his shit. Even tried to get MC to do the challenge with him, he’s pretty bad but MC eventually learned it just for him 😜

Is thrilled that Cardi made the best decision EVER on divorcing offset, “are you thinking of leaving me now?” “... I might.” “BOBBY!” “Haha, I love you!

Absolutely loves Christmas!!! It’s his favorite holiday and he loves giving back to everyone in his life. Usually he’s working overtime for the holidays & it makes him emotional due to the stories he hears & he puts a little extra love in his food

Goes all out for Christmas. Tries to buy/make everyone something. Even if he doesn’t really care for them...he’ll at least send them a x-mas card, if they keep it or burn it it’s entirely up to them—if he knew about it he’d probably be a little sad not gonna lie...he’s a soft king

Once bought Lottie black crocs with spooky pins , “are you joking Bobby?!” He knows she secretly loved them

Uses salt and peppermint in his dark hot cocoa...

Rather make deserts for Christmas than the food, he feels like it’s his duty

King of giving the thumbs up, especially when situations have gone to shit. He’ll still shoot them up with a smile or a grimace

Always inviting someone somewhere. “Bobby, hun. You’re 4-6 hrs away and it’s 1 am.” Hope groaned after listening to his bright idea, thinking something bad happened. “Ah, you could still make it if you tried, lassie.” “I’m gonna hang up now. Good night, bonkers man.”

Needs constant reminding when to get his locs touched up & moisturized

Either has a trampoline or a funhouse jumper in his backyard (maybe both) “we’ve got the space and this is better than a pool, or almost!”

Wants children, a whole footie team! There’s no specific time frame for him, when it happens, it happens

Used to cool & wet temps & loves vacationing in Greenland. Sure the hot weather he experienced in the villa was awesome & something different than what he’s used to but you can’t take the scot out of the man. So he typically sticks to places that are similar in temps, that way he doesn’t have to change his clothing choices much

Loves a good bath. Bubble baths are better than bath bombs to him, PERIOD!

Loves bubbles so much he put too much laundry detergent in the wash (does this on purpose now) and came back home to the dogs and room covered in it. Do you think he cleaned it up before MC came home? No. He decided to have a bubble party in the room with a Caribbean playlist playing in the background

MC definitely posted about it the first time & joined him for a bit, dreading the work that came with cleaning it all up. Now whenever Bobby needs a bubble party, he knows what to do. MC preferred him to have his little bubble party in the tub but 50% of the time he chooses not to listen & they leave him to pout & clean it himself

Likes to hold hands with fingers interlocked. When it’s cold and if you’re both wearing hoodies, he’ll slide his hand inside the arm of your hoodie to help keep you warm

Canon: His version of a snack is spaghetti hoops on toast & can eat that for the rest of his life & be content

If he didn’t end up marrying MC, probably finds his significant other working as a nurse at one of the hospitals he caters to or a volunteer at a old folks home

Never had a serious relationship, very few hookups, was either always placed in the friend zone or there was one person he wanted to be serious with but they rejected him and continued loving someone else who treated them like shit—so he kinda swore off of relationships and just flirted a bunch and kept his love life non-existent

Fav ice cream? Rocky road ice cream with one scoop of cotton candy & one scoop of cookie butter blue

Doesn’t believe in measuring when it comes to culinary. He uses his eyes as his measurement, could be a bad thing, could be a good thing, that’s up to you

If he’s up at night, he’s eating something sweet. A nice glass of single malt scotch whiskey + a splash of coconut milk (🤢) with a slice of angel food cake & he’s out like a light

Absolutely loves shopping for the kitchen, finds immense joy in doing so. If you lose him in a store, one of the places you’ll most likely find him is in the kitchen decor area

Owns a bagpipe & wants to get better at it, even tho he scared the living shit out of his dogs & chickens

Wears his shades quite a bit even tho the weather is hardly sunny and mainly windy & damp

Will hold the door for strangers even if they don’t say thank you

He’s open when it comes to music. Will listen to anything but feels like the music has to be a purpose for something...Everything he does in his day to day life has to feel like a soundtrack to him since in his mind he’s daydreaming about his life being made into a movie. Who isn’t?

He thinks wentworth Miller should play him in a film and that kid from blackish should play him when he was a wee lad, Marcus Scribner

Always keeps a positive attitude because he knows what it feels like to feel low and he doesn’t want anybody else in the world to feel like that so he wants to uplift and if he can try to be someone’s happiness he’ll gladly be that— which isn’t always the right move, he learned

Listens to: Rotimi, Shaggy, Sean Paul, Skip Marley, H.E.R., Jhene Aiko, Jorja Smith, UMI, The Kooks, The Killers, Cold War kids, Milky chance, Blood Orange, The 1975, Vampire Weekend, Bad Suns, BRYSON TILLER, Kilo Kish, & Ella Eyre (although he misses her old music)

Celeb crushes? Cardi B is his mfkin celeb wife okay?! Nobody else comes above her! He also thinks FKA twigs is pretty & super talented, sevdaliza!, Tia & Tamera, Iman, and brandy from the 90s makes him swoon

Anthem = jaden, “Boys and Girls”

#litg #litg s2 #litg2 #litg Bobby #litg au #litg headcanon #litg headcanons #litg gary #litg lottie #litg marisol #litg mc #litg hope #you asked and you shall receive

[headoverhiddles]

Universally Loathsome - Marilyn Manson x Reader

Synopsis: After his show at the Hard Rock in Orlando, you and your man put your complimentary Universal Studios park passes to good use. 

Notes: I wrote this because Universal Florida is my happy place, and I need a pick me up right now lol. Also, this takes place right after this concert, so Heaven Upside Down era. 

His lazy drawl fills the Hard Rock Cafe arena, as the strobes go crazy.

"I love you beautiful motherfuckers so much," he points to the crowd, to a response of deafening cheers, "Florida's where it all started for me, and... I almost got arrested for indecent exposure in Jacksonville, which is... pretty close to here." More cheering. "So if any willing gentlemen in the crowd would like to come up here... and let me put my dick in their mouth..." The cheers grow. "...History can repeat itself." He grins, stumbling around and leaning on the mic stand. "I wonder what would happen if I... oops," he pops the top button of his vest open. "Oh no, I can't believe I just showed you all my tits, ahh, I'm such a slut..."

The crowd is going absolutely insane, and he winks over to you suggestively. You watch your boyfriend, trying to hold in your giggles. He's in what he likes to call rascal mode tonight, you can tell. And good thing-- you two roped complimentary passes inside the theme park for the rest of the night to celebrate, so he can let out all this energy after the show. The regular park closes in a half an hour, horror nights too, with it being Halloween, but the extra hour is just for you two, paid for well no doubt.

After Mar's done and the strobes distract the audience enough for him to bound off stage, he runs into your open arms. After you hug your sweaty man, he picks you up, spinning you around and smiling like a big kid.

"Let's go play." 

"Shower first," you give him a stern look. He nods, resigning himself to the fact that he's really gross and covered in sticky glitter makeup.

You hang out backstage as he gets cleaned up, saying goodnight to some of the roadies. You check social media and search for this concert, as you do sometimes just for fun, and see people already sharing photos they'd taken of Marilyn screaming or wading into the crowd.

You snort to yourself, and save one that looks right up his nostril. Beautiful angle, and perfect for blackmail when he's being a dick.

"Let's do this."

You turn, and see him dressed in a hoodie that reminds you of the full body zip from his High End Of Low days.

"I know what you're thinking, and no, this is not the depression hoodie," he sticks a finger in your face and wags it. "I burned that a long time ago." You pretend to bite his finger, and take his arm.

Your bodyguards, who warily agreed to leave the two of you alone once you get into the park, lead you down, out the back door of the hotel venue, and through a citywalk shortcut to the front gates of Universal Studios Orlando.

"I haven't been here since I was a teenager," you grin, listening to the entrance music and sighing from the nostalgia. "This has always been my happy place."

"I've literally never been here," he tells you, "We go to the one back home in LA, but I've never been to this one myself. I used to live here but I only ever wreaked havoc on Disney with Twiggy."

"Oh, Universal was spared?"

"Until now, yeah. So you'll have to be my tour guide here." He takes his sunglasses from his face, hands them off, and turns to his guards. "Okay, that's fine, we're fine."

"Sir, we really think--"

"We talked to the park operators, and there's like... nobody here right now, we're both fine," Marilyn insists, "Bye." So, you two are left alone as you walk toward the gates.

Your passes are scanned by an older woman who doesn't seem to recognize Marilyn, since his name on the pass is Brian. For the best. To your left, towers one of your favourite rides.

"The Rip Ride Rockit," Marilyn reads the sign, "Ooh. Ooh, I wanna do this. Fuckin cool looking."

"Bri, you get sick on roller coasters."

"I'm too drunk to be sick, the drunk sick makes me not motion sick."

"Well, glad to hear your body has a system," you sigh, and he takes your hand as you two run toward the lit up ride.

"You get to pick your song as you ride," he muses, "Motherfuckers should have my songs on here."

Because he likes to stir shit up and see what he can get away with, Marilyn uses a VIP lanyard with his face on it to get into the express lane.

"Uh..." the young employee hesitates, frowning, "Sir, this is a meet and greet for that concert, not for--" Marilyn puts his hood down, and the guy's eyes widen. He waves you both through, starstruck. 

"Whoever said you shouldn't use your fame to get stuff... probably wasn't even famous," Marilyn says, pulling you up the steps.

"What's the hurry?" you laugh, trying to keep up, "You're just gonna throw up all over me anyway."

"It's a music ride, that's very exciting to me," he says. You can't deny you've missed this ride too, so you keep up.

You're the only two on the roller coaster train as you both pull the bar over from the side to strap yourselves in. The employee working comes over to check, and gives a thumbs up to the operator.

"Give me a handjob," he giggles.

"No! I'm gonna rip your dick off if we do that on this!"

"Nah, that'd happen like... on the Mummy." Apparently he remembers what the Mummy is like in the LA Universal park, and he's not wrong. "Uh. Uh," he starts to snap his fingers as the ride goes up, "Yeah. Hell yeah."

"What song?" you laugh.

"Stronger, by my boy Kanye."

"He's a dickhead, you know."

"So am I, doesn't make my music any less amazing."

You smirk. You'd picked Stronger as well, anyway. 

After the ride, Marilyn hangs onto you, a little bit woozy. "That was a mistake."

"I told you."

"I don't listen, I'm a child, you know this. I don’t like the rides, but the rides like me."

You two walk through the park, past the San Francisco area of the water in the middle.

"This is nice. Just walking."

"Yeah," he says. "It's nice not to vomit." You rest your head on his shoulder, giggling.

You two do a few more rides-- he has way too much fun in Men in Black shooting at everything, and Simpsons becomes a favourite, even if the only part he could keep his eyes open for was the funny queue playing the episodes. He even takes some dark, creepy pictures with the employees in Diagon Alley, posing in his new Slytherin scarf he bought.

"Can this be used for sexy purposes?" he asks one of them, holding up a wand. The girls giggle, and you roll your eyes.

"Um. Wouldn't recommend it," one responds.

"On the other hand..." the second one shrugs, "It's magic. You could just make it into something that could be used for sexy times."

"I like the way this one thinks," Marilyn smirks. "(y/n), I'm gonna use this in you."

"Like hell you are.”

“Please?”

“You can use it to spank me.” You lean in to whisper. “It’s too thin to put it in.” 

Marilyn buys the wand just to make up for the trouble he's causing the poor employees.

You head out of Harry Potter world, and circle back around to do ET.

"I wanna do the Mummy again. And what about those big ones across the citywalk thing? Spiderman, he's cool. I wanna do his ride." 

"That's the other park. If you wanna deal with your manager having a meltdown by requesting another day here tomorrow, that's your call." He immediately takes out his phone, and you huff, feeling sorry for the guy, always having to rearrange flights last minute. 

"Yeah, hey. It's me," Marilyn drawls into the phone, "I need another day here tomorrow. No, I'm just... I'm gonna be really hungover. Lots of vodka and drugs and stuff. Yeah. Amphetamines, got my face in a big... yeah, really bad, I won't be able to fly tomorrow." His eyes light up like a kid in a candy store as he sees the Halloween Horror Nights 2018 tribute store. "Gotta go, I'm snorting coke off (y/n)'s tits. Cancel my flight!"

You both run in, and get shirts from inside-- yours is a Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers one, and his is a Killer Klowns from Outer Space one, with a little clown in boxing gloves on it that says 'Shorty's Boxing Gym: Knocking Blocks Off Since '88." He poses for a picture of the new shirt in front of an old horror movie poster, hands in his jacket pockets and doing his signature sneer. He posts it on his Instagram, captioning it: 

Next motherfucker's gonna get my metal. Pic📷: @(y/handle) #justustwoclowns #wannatussle #truelove #wehatelovewelovehate #happyhalloween #universalorlando #shooterjennings.

You head inside the Egyptian crypt that leads to the Mummy, listening to Brendan Fraser's fake interview about the strange things going on on set. 

"I met him once," Marilyn tells you, "He was scared of me, he thought I was flirting with him."

"I can see how he would. You're just overly affectionate," you pat his arm.

"And high as fuck, but I wasn't flirting with him. He's too much of a pretty boy for me." 

"Yet you still wanna fuck Johnny," you tease him, and he grins, unable to refute that.

You finally get to the loading area after Marilyn stumbles over four posts in the dark queue. The lady there squeals. She's a different one than the one working earlier, and she's obviously a fan.

"Sorry for her," her coworker says, "She's a huge fan of your stuff."

"Nah, it's cool," Marilyn offers a smile.

"I was at the concert, which is why I'm working late," she explains hyperactively, "God, you were soooo amazing!" Marilyn thanks her. She waves at you as well. "By the way, I see your pictures together on insta at shows and premieres and stuff, you two make a really cute couple. Goth icons!" You smile at the girl, and thank her and her coworker for working late for you two. An obligatory selfie later, you and Marilyn get into the ride, and start heading through the darkness. You get to the part where Imohtep's face appears and fire blows beside you.

"You say god," he mutters. "I say Say10."

You get off the ride, and you nearly lose your shit when you see the ride photo. You fall to the floor, and Marilyn looks up at the screen in inquiry.

"Oh my god."

"We're buying it!"

"Absolutely fucking not. Look at my chin!"

"I love your chins, baby."

"I only mentioned one, but thanks."

You dash over to the counter, ordering the picture in the biggest size. It's gold. In it, you've got one hand up happily, the other looped with Marilyn's, and you look generally normal, other than your hair blowing a little from the force of the acceleration. His eyes are glinting yellow from light reflection, so he looks legitimately possessed; he's got his chin pressed down into his neck folds, and his mouth is halfway open, like he just remembered something he wanted to say. It's the most awful picture of him you've ever seen, so naturally, it's getting framed at the house next to his lovely prosthetic limb collection.

"Mm, makes me wanna fuck you," you lick your lips, "Give it to me, baby, I wanna look into those sexy yellow eyes while you destroy my pussy."

"You're fucked up."

You nearly collapse in laughter again.

Despite the terribly candid ride picture, Marilyn decides he likes the Mummy a bit more than the Simpsons, and after riding it four more times without fail, he's nauseous as all hell (as are you) and done in for the night.

You hold hands, heading to the gates. "Hey. Want to stop at Ben and Jerry's on the way out?" you ask.

"Nah," he drawls, hand moving down to your ass and giving it a spank, "You're the only thing I wanna lick tonight." Even motion sick and half-way to hungover, he's still in rascal mode.

A car comes to pick you up, and some press follow you to the car for a bit, taking photos and asking Marilyn for comments on the park and the show until Marilyn wraps his Slytherin scarf around his face. He gets into the car with you, and rolls the window up. The paparazzi obviously saw the Instagram post.

That makes you think...

Messing around on your phone as you're driven back to the hotel, you giggle. Marilyn keeps looking over, but he's currently too nauseous still to speak. You giggle again, and send off what you'd just done.

"Happy Halloween," you grin, punching his shoulder playfully.

He looks at his buzzing phone, and snorts. His bad Mummy picture and stylish posing Instagram picture are side by side, with your accompanying text: "Get you a man who can do both." 

#marilyn manson #marilyn manson x reader #reader x marilyn manson #brian warner #Brian Warner x reader #reader x brian warner #brian hugh warner #hard rock hotel #hard rock #orlando #universal studios #universal studios orlando #universal orlando #universal studios hollywood #theme parks #this is gloriously self indulgent #but the depression is hitting hard tonight so I'm gonna make myself happy by posting this #hopefully this gushy shit will make a few others happy too #concerts #fluff #marilyn manson imagine #marilyn manson fanfiction #heaven upside down #heaven upside down era #twins of evil

[rikerxworf]

for the otp ask pls answer them all

this is the first ask I got for this meme and it’s honestly giving me life you guys;;

1.       Who laughs at their own joke and who deadpans at the joke?

Will definitely laughs at his own jokes, and he will not stop just because Worf won’t react to them and would just stare back – that’ll only make Will laugh even more. As soon as he looks around though (and realizes that in fact NO ONE laughed), he might shut his mouth and look down lol.

2.       If they had a secret handshake, how would it go?

A Klingon one, maybe! Like the Qapla’ greeting just one each other’s shoulder instead of their own. Or just a really low high five, like super casual, maybe even without looking at each other, that’d be cool as well.

3.       It’s movie night, what movies are they gonna watch together?

The classics. Disney movies because Will loves them, and Worf learns to appreciate them over time. War movies, but those with hyper homoerotic subtext (I imagine those must be all over Klingon cinema lol). Queer cinema in general. The stuff Worf can get overly invested in lol

4.       It’s time to name their pet they adopted together, who gets to name it? How do they come to this decision?

Worf comes up with a name so great Will just says yes. He’ll probably choose something with an elaborate meaning. (Even though the name is already short, Will finds a way to construct a diminutive.) The Real Question is, what kind of pet would they adopt? Not a cat, I presume. A dog, rather. A big, ugly, dangerous-looking Klingon beast. Maybe. Like a warrior sehlat that everybody is afraid of, and then Will comes in like “Aren’t you a good boy??? Who’s a good boy???? You’re a good boy!!!” and it would whine like a puppy lol.

5.       Who would they love to go on a double date with?

Will would love a double date with just about anyone, simply because he likes double dates so much. Worf probably needs some persuasion, but he too would go on a double date with Geordi/Data or Deanna/one of her many girlfriends, if the location is to his taste. However, both Will and Worf draw a line when it comes to Lwaxana Troi, who is the greatest fan of double dates in the quadrant.

6.       Who wakes the other up in the morning? How do they wake them up?

I don’t think either of them has a problem getting up early in the morning, first of all. Worf gets up earlier because he wants to train on the holodeck before duty. When he comes back, he wakes Will with a gentle hand on his shoulder. When they are on vacation, say on Risa, Will gets up first to prepare breakfast. He goes to wake up Worf with a cup of coffee in his hands and whispers his name before he sits down on the edge of the bed. Once Worf is awake, Will gives him a kiss. (I’m getting soft just imagining this y’all)

7.       How do they celebrate Halloween?

To Will, it is just another opportunity to dress up like a slut and eat candy. Worf dresses up with a little accessory. They prepare sweets for the ship’s kids who do trick or treat, which is the quiet part of the evening. Once Alexander is in bed, they go to Ten Forward to celebrate with the other officers. Will gets very drunk. And flirty. Worf doesn’t mind, of course.

8.       Who is more likely to call their partner ‘dude’?

Will lol. Probably when Worf does some disgusting Klingon ritual that even Will can’t look at.

9.       During a thunderstorm how do they react? Is one scared? Do they both love it? Do they take pictures?

Both are fans of thunderstorms! Maybe in Klingon culture, a thunderstorm means that the Heavens are having some warrior’s party or something. It’s loud, it’s messy, it’s raw nature, that’s why Worf stands by the window and stares with a wide smile. Will does too. However, I’m playing with another idea: that he’s scared/nervous/concerned, and Worf needs to do some comforting – but that’s just my voracity for H/C speaking. Oh, another idea: Worf insists on going outside to experience the storm as intensely as possible, and Will worryingly recites thunderbolt protection rules in the hopes that Worf doesn’t get himself killed lol

10.   Who would looking lovingly at their partner and call them ‘idiot’?

Worf definitely has some gentle expressions going on from time to time, but Will is this pair’s Heart Eyes Department, so he’d stare lovingly at Worf, who is I don’t know, trying to brush his teeth or so, failing, and then say ‘idiot’ with a soft chuckle. And then he’d help him, of course ♡

11.   It’s time to get groceries, who likes to look at everything and who just wants to power through and get everything done so they can go back home?

I can imagine either version! Will being so enthusiastic about cooking that he’d check every shelf they pass, and Worf just clutching the (hover) shopping cart, praying that it’s over soon. Or, the other way around: Will has his quick shopping routine but can’t get anything done in time because Worf is so fascinated by everything they walk past on the market.

12.   Who is more likely to make a mess in the kitchen?

Worf. When Will cooks, it’s mostly orderly and not that much to clean up. But Worf – let’s just say Klingon kitchens are something else. Plus Worf doesn’t know shit about cooking because he’s so used to replicators. When he does try to cook (maybe to do Will a favor?), he not only messes up the kitchen, but also himself – face full of flour and apron bespattered with sauce, eyes wide – and Will finds him helpless like that, only to smile at him gently and help him clean up. And help him cook as well, think standing behind Worf and coordinating his hands while burying his nose in long curly hair~ uwu

13.   Who likes to try to prank their partner?

Definitely Will. Surprise parties, surprise kisses, lame joke items, lying (“Nope, no idea where your hairband is…”), but it’s never something serious or overly elaborate like those fake youtube pranks.

14.   When scrolling on their phone, who is more likely to show their partner a cute picture/video of an animal?

For cute animals, it’s Will showing them to Worf: “Aw, look, a bunny! Look at its tiny eyes and the fluffy ears! Look!!!” For dangerous/awesome animals, it’s Worf: “Have you ever seen a creature this majestic? Look at its eyes. The eyes of a warrior – a pause – The bunny is nice as well.”

15.   Who causes the tomfoolery and who has to try and stop the tomfoolery?

Will may cause deliberate tomfoolery. If at all, Worf is more of an involuntary troublemaker with the best intensions, whereas Will can be quite mischievous from time to time, I imagine. Although it’s all in good fun, things can take a turn for the worse when in combination with his clumsiness.

#thank you for asking!!! <3 #text post #headcanons #ask meme #riker x worf #*

[cami-chats]

I Always Have You

Fandom: Marvel

Pairings: Bucky Barnes & Tony Stark

Warnings: Mentioned pedophilia (but nothing happens or even comes close)

Summary: From Tony's first day on the earth, he had a soulmate looking after him. Not everyone wanted Bucky to be that close with him, but they manage.

Also on AO3

Bucky was half excited and half scared. Mostly excited because it's not like this was his baby, it was his friend that was having a kid. Which meant he got to have all the fun and none of the headaches. Ply him with candy so Bucky was his favorite, but then he wouldn't have to deal with the kid bouncing off the walls at bedtime. He had it made, and he loved it. 

Maria's labor didn't take very long according to people that knew more about birth than him, and when Howard came out to retrieve them, they filed in with quiet steps but eager faces-- Peggy and the Howlies minus a noted few. 

Peggy was the first to hold him of course, positively beaming at the scrunched up little face. Bucky was next, and he was careful that his left arm was already perfectly in place when Peggy eased the baby into his arms. 

Maria was exhausted but smiling, strands of hair sticking to her face from sweat. "His name's Antonio Edward Stark," she said, pride clear as day in her tone. 

"Aw you little thing," Bucky cooed, "they'll probably call you Tony. Do you like that? Tony?" He wiggled a finger in front of his face, then stroked it over a chubby cheek. The he froze as the world... exploded. There was no other word for it. Color didn't seep into his vision like it always belonged there, it was like a knock to the head that landed so hard his vision whited out before blowing back in. 

"Bucky?" Howard was asking from in front of him, clearly no the first time he had said his name. 

"Yeah," Bucky said nonsensically, glancing down at Tony for a moment before shoving him into his father's arms. As if that wasn't enough to warn everyone in the room that he wasn't feeling right, he fumbled the door knob when he tried to stumble out into the hallway. He didn't bother trying to find a chair, he just leaned against the wall right next to the room and slid to the floor. 

He had a soulmate. Shit. Shit. He'd always thought that if it wasn't Steve it wasn't going to be anyone, and he was fine with that. But now he had a soulmate and he couldn't even begin to know how to handle that. He was going to have to go to a goddamn class to learn what all the colors were. He probably wouldn't have to take the meds that would prevent him from getting headaches the first week because of his healing factor, but that was a pale comfort. He didn't know how to be a soulmate to anyone let alone a baby. He was good with kids when the occasion called for it, but that was a hell of a difference to helping raise one. But maybe he was getting ahead of himself because there was no guarantee that Howard would even let him see Tony again. 

Howard was kneeling in front of him now, face concerned and saying his name over and over to try and catch his attention. When Bucky finally met his eyes, he gave a small smile. "It's okay. We're just uh-" he glanced at the closed hospital door- "not going to tell Maria for a while. She'd panic, but it's not like anything's going to happen. Take a couple of breaths and get back in there, okay?" 

"You're takin' this better than I am," Bucky noted, doing as instructed and taking several deep breaths. 

Howard shrugged, staying where he was on his knees so Bucky didn't feel rushed. "He's not going to have it easy being my son. I feel a lot better knowing that you'll be there to look after him." He clapped Bucky on the shoulder, and it actually made him feel better. He was still freaking out, but he knew that it was temporary. 

*

Bucky spent more time at Stark Mansion than his own home. Howard offered him a room full time, but Bucky turned it down, citing Maria as an excuse. Even so, he ended up spending the night about half the time. 

Tony was absolutely adorable, all wide-eyed curiosity and demanding that Bucky explain things to him. It only took a couple years before Tony was asking questions he didn't know the answer to. 

"Dad says you knew Captain America," Tony said one day, a Bucky-bear in one hand and an official Captain America action figure in the other. 

"Yeah." 

Tony tilted his head. "Like the one in the comics?" 

"Yep, only I knew him before he got super." 

Tony looked at him skeptically, so full of doubt in a way only kids could manage. "He's always been super." 

"Really? I thought the comics showed him getting bigger." 

"That's not real," Tony said like it was obvious. "Nobody grows that much in one minute, it takes years." 

Bucky was the one that had corrected him on that originally, explaining that everyone had to wait years to get big and Tony would too. Evidently Tony had taken that to heart. "That's how it is for you and me, but Steve was... special." 

"I thought I was special." 

"You're special too," Bucky assured him. "It's just in a different way." 

Tony hugged the Bucky-bear tighter, Captain America falling to the side, forgotten. "Different," Tony repeated. 

"That's right." 

Bucky-bear firmly clutched in one hand, Tony crawled onto the couch and put himself in Bucky's lap. "Was Captain America different too?" 

"Yeah kiddo," Bucky said, laying a kiss on top of Tony's messy hair, "he was different too." 

*

"Why do people wear white to get married?" Tony asked. He was lying on his stomach, arms propping up his head while he wrinkled his nose in disgust. 

"I dunno," Bucky said. "Purity, I think?" 

"Well it's boring. They should wear red. Red's the best color." 

Bucky shrugged, and Tony continued to frown. It should have been so innocent. Tony knew that Maria worked with fashion, so if Bucky didn't know why people wore white to weddings, maybe she would. He sought her out a little later, when Bucky had to leave to do some boring adult thing. "Mama?" 

"Yes?" 

"Why do people wear white to weddings?" he asked. Then, because he wanted someone to agree with him, "Wouldn't red look better?" 

Maria froze. "Red?" 

Tony nodded, sure that she was about to say 'Yes Antonio, you're right, red would be much better'. 

"Who taught you your colors?" 

"Bucky." It had been a little game, pointing at candies. When Tony got the color right, he got to eat the candy. Tony was too big for that game now, but he still did it sometimes. 

"Bucky," Maria repeated, jaw clenched and something steely in her gaze. Tony didn't know why she looked like that. Bucky was great! He gave hugs anytime Tony wanted them, and he was always warm and squishy. Plus, anytime Tony asked, Bucky would carry him around like he didn't weigh a thing. 

Without answering Tony's question, she left the room, yelling for Howard. Tony waited for her to come back at first, but nothing happened. With a put-upon sigh, Tony went to go look for him. He heard the yelling long before he saw them. 

"I want you out of my house!" Maria screamed. 

"It's my home, and I say that he'd not going anywhere!" Howard yelled right back. 

"Think of our son!" 

"That's who I am thinking about!" 

Him. They were talking about him. Tony ran to get closer, stopping just outside the doorway so they wouldn't see him. 

"You have no idea what he's going to face in the future, wouldn't you like it if he had some protection?" 

"He needs protection from him!" 

"Maria-" Bucky tried to say, but she cut him off. 

"Take your shit and get the hell out of here!" 

"No," Howard snapped. "He stays." 

There was a tense, long pause. "Fine," Maria spit, and Tony ran back to the parlor so he wouldn't get caught. He had no idea what was going on, but it sounded bad. 

Three days later, Maria told him he was going to boarding school, cheery smile on her face and his already packed bag by her feet. 

"What?" 

"Boarding school, darling. It'll be better for you than staying cooped up in this house with only the occasional visit from your tutors." 

"I'm not cooped up," Tony protested even though he knew that she'd already made up her mind and no amount of protests would change that. He couldn't help but try though, especially since what she said was wrong. Bucky brought him out all the time, and Howard taught him things the tutors didn't know. He didn't say any of that aloud, remembering the strange argument he'd heard before. 

Maria looked at him in that way adults did when they thought he didn't understand what they were saying. "This will be good for you Antonio. I want you to be happy, and this decision's already been made." 

"My name's Tony," he muttered, and Maria's face hardened though she didn't say anything to correct him. 

"It's time to go darling, we wouldn't want for you to be late." 

"We're leaving right now?" 

"That's correct." 

"Are Bucky and Dad coming?" 

"They're both awfully busy Antonio. It'll just be you, and, and Mister Jarvis. Doesn't that sound like fun?" 

No. In fact, it sounded weird and like nothing they'd done before. But when she took his hand and started pulling him towards the door, he didn't try to get away. 

*

When Tony had realized that boarding school had meant never going home and not getting visitors, he'd tried to leave. When he got shipped back, he figured that she couldn't do it again if the school wouldn't take him. So he got himself expelled, but instead of everything going back to normal, Maria found a different one to stick him in. He got kicked out of that one. He tried telling her that he was miserable, the classes too easy and the other students too mean, but nothing worked. For whatever reason, Maria was determined to keep him away. 

Before he knew it, he was in college, shoving all the engineering tools he was unwilling to part with in a tiny dorm room that was painted slate grey. 

Tony was busy trying to shove boxes under the bed when the door opened. The only part of him that was visible were his calves and feet. 

"You must be Stark." 

"Yeah that's me!" This thing was stupid heavy. If Bucky'd come to help, it wouldn't have been a problem, but Bucky had looked all awkward and said, "I don't think I should. Call me when you get there though, yeah? Let me know if I can help." It finally shoved into place, and he wiggled out from under the bed. He rolled over and saw his roommate. James Rhodes was plenty handsome, but god at what cost? Tony had no idea a shade of red that horrible existed. He looked nice though, and Tony wasn't going to make Rhodes annoyed with him quicker than usual if he could help it. "Rhodes?" 

"Yep." He offered Tony a hand up, and Tony forced himself to take it because he wasn't allowed to be squeamish with his classmates-- Maria had made that pretty clear. "Listen man, I know this is college and all, but you're way underage so don't expect me to get you beer or anything." 

Tony snorted. "Yeah don't worry. I'm sure if I want some, I can get it on my own." He almost went back to putting things away, but he wanted to check on this before it became a problem. "Try not to bring too many people to our room, yeah? Who you sleep with is your business, but people have a tendency to 'accidentally' pick up my things when they leave and I'd prefer not to deal with it." 

"Shit man. Yeah, you got it." 

"Thanks." 

"No problem, it's not like I was hooking up with a whole bunch of people anyways." He looked at his side of the room, nodded to himself then said, "Ignore the ten different people helping me move three boxes. My family all insisted they come even though I told them I didn't really need the help." 

His entire family was coming? Tony had Howard and Maria for family. Past that, the help he could expect would come from Jarvis of Bucky (of course). But Maria wasn't exactly that kind of mother, so wherever she was was where Jarvis would be. Howard had a trip planned for this entire month, and they'd known about that before they even knew Tony was going to college. Bucky's help had been a given to Tony, all the way until Bucky had given him that look and been entirely uncertain in his own skin. "I'm probably going to clear out if it's all the same to you," Tony said, and Rhodes grinned. 

"Don't want to deal with them? Smart move. See you around." 

Missing out on the family interactions was definitely a bonus, but mostly Tony needed to find a phone so he could call Bucky. It was easy to find a phone, and he didn't have to wait for anyone else to be done, because everyone else on campus was busy moving. He dialed the number for the Mansion, assuming that's where Bucky was. 

"Stark residence." 

"Hi Mrs. Jarvis, it's Tony. Can you put Bucky on?" 

"Mister Barnes is not here," she said, and Tony waited for her to elaborate but nothing was forthcoming. 

"Uh, okay. Thanks." 

"Of course sir," she said, then hung up. 

Well. Maybe he'd be at his apartment, though only Bucky and god knew why he bothered to keep it. He tapped the receiver down then dialed the much less familiar number for Bucky's apartment. It didn't make it to two full rings before he answered. "Barnes." 

"Hey Bucky." 

"Tony," Bucky said, noticeably happier. "How was moving in?" 

"Would've been better if you were here." 

"Yeah, I'm sorry. Maria sorta hates me though, so I would've just gotten in her and Jarvis's way." 

"Their way?" Tony asked. "They didn't come." 

"...what? Then who helped you move in?" 

"No one." 

"Fuck Tony, I'm so sorry, I would've come to help you if I'd known. Maria told me-" Bucky blew out an angry breath "-or I guess she implied that she'd be there to help you so I wouldn't have to show up. I'm sorry I wasn't there. I know it doesn't do you a whole lot of good now, but next time something like this happens, you can call me before you start and I'll come help you." 

"I will." 

"I'm so sorry," he said again. "You shouldn't have had to do that alone." 

"It's okay," he said, though he was still a little hurt; he just wanted Bucky to be happy again. "What are you doing at your old apartment? I'm surprised you spend the money to keep the lease running when you spend all your time at the Mansion." 

Bucky made a noncommittal noise. "Without you or Howard there, there's not much point in me staying, y'know?" 

"It's your home too." 

"I'm happy you think that kiddo, but technically I'm only visiting. And again, without you there, there's not much point." 

Normally, Tony would have been comforted by the reminder that Bucky liked him, but something in the phrasing was off. Was Bucky a babysitter? Is that... why he always spent so much time with Tony? He didn't want to believe it, but it was a familiar pattern in Tony's life. Teachers, tutors, and friends, they'd all been bought for him before. What was a babysitter in the face of that? All the fond smiles Tony remembered, all the times he'd thought that Bucky was rescuing him from boredom, bought and paid for. Tony swallowed around the lump in his throat. "I should probably get back to unpacking." 

"Yeah of course. Did you want me to come down and help you finish? Not as good as being there from the start, but better than nothing." 

Tony thought about saying no and pushing him away. But the truth was that even if Bucky's time was paid for, Tony liked him, and he wasn't willing to give that up. "I'd love that. If you have the time." 

"I always have the time for you. I'll get there as soon as I can, and don't bother trying to finish before I arrive. Sit around and work on that AI of yours or something, yeah?" 

"Yeah." He thought about saying something else, something about how much he appreciated him. He settled on, "Thanks Bucky." 

"Anything for you kiddo. See you soon." 

*

"Hey sugar patch, can you hand me the screwdriver?" 

"Which one?" 

"The red-handled one." 

"Uhh, right. And which one is that for us normal people?" 

Tony looked up from his project frowning. "It's that one," he said, pointing to the one on Rhodey's left. "Do you not... know your colors?" It seemed ludicrous to him, but he didn't have a better guess. 

Rhodey handed it over with a snort. "Man, I can't even see my colors, let alone tell them apart. When did you meet your soulmate?" 

"My who?" 

"Soulmate," Rhodey repeated. Now they both looked confused, and that was never a good place to be. 

"Am I supposed to know what that means?" 

"I mean, I thought you would, but I guess not. You're... you and- you have a soul, right?" 

"Okay," Tony said slowly. It was the same tone he used when Rhodey was explaining why he thought Han could use the Force.

"So, the idea is that there's at least one person out there with a soul that complements yours." 

"That's nice. What does this have to do with me?" 

"When you touch them, you can see colors. It's how you recognize them from everybody else." 

Tony blinked. "Seriously? You're not messing with me or anything, this is real." 

"Yeah it's real." 

"It sounds like romanticized bullshit." 

"Some people think that, but it's still true. Until you meet a very specific person, you won't see colors. It's not perfect obviously, since some people are blind and some have the medical condition of color blindness, but it's legit." 

"But I've been able to see colors my entire life. There was never a chance to meet anyone." 

"You probably met them really young. I don't think there's actually ever been anyone born with them." 

Tony started to say that well, he must be the exception because Bucky definitely would have told him. Then he froze. Bucky. "Are soulmates- um, romantic?" 

"Most people think so." 

"But you don't?" 

Rhodey shrugged. "My older sister has a soulmate, and she swears up and down that she'll never love him that way even though she loves him more than anybody else in the world. Maybe that'll change, or maybe they'll keep being best friends the way they are now. Nobody really knows but them, y'know? Everybody's different." 

"I see." Bucky... if by some chance he wasn't Tony's soulmate, he'd definitely know who was. "I'm gonna make a call." 

"I'll clear out," Rhodey said getting to his feet and stretching. "I've been craving a meatball sub for hours." 

"Okay," Tony said, even thought they both knew Rhodey was only leaving to give him privacy. "Thanks man." 

Rhodey pat him on the shoulder as he left, and for a brief moment, Tony stared at the phone without moving. What was he hoping to hear? That Bucky was his soulmate and maybe the obligation he felt had nothing do with Howard or money, but was solely because he cared about Tony? That was exactly what he wanted to hear actually, but what then? If that was true, Bucky would've been keeping it a secret this whole time. Even if it wasn't Bucky, he had to know, and he still hadn't told Tony a damn thing. He picked up the receiver and dialed the number for Bucky's apartment since that where he spent all his time these days. 

"Barnes," he answered, like after all this time he was still expecting a military call. 

"Hi Bucky." 

"Hey Tony," Bucky said, smile evident in his voice. "How's it going?" 

"Who's my soulmate?" he blurted. He expected a pause, some sort of stalling, but there was nothing. Bucky answered immediately. 

"Me. Unless you've got some big news for me," he joked. 

Tony couldn't often say that he'd been struck dumb since most of the time when he was quiet it was by choice. But right now he wanted to ask how the hell Bucky could say that so casually, but he couldn't force the words out. 

"Tony?" he asked, sounding worried. "You okay?" 

His throat worked, and he choked out, "No one told me." 

"No one told you what? Tony? Are you okay?" 

"Soulmates. I didn't- no one told me." 

"...oh." It was amazing that one little word, more of a sound than anything else, could hold so much emotion. "I thought you knew." 

"I didn't even know that soulmates existed. Rhodey mentioned it and I sounded fucking stupid. Are people really born not seeing colors?" 

"Yeah. Shit, it never even occurred to one me that you wouldn't know. Of course you wouldn't, we all just assumed that you'd know, somehow." 

"Maria," Tony said suddenly. "This is why she hates you, right?" She thinks you're going to take advantage or some shit." 

"Basically. And Tony, I would never-" 

"I know. Fuck's sake, you're better to me than I am." 

"I wouldn't go that far," Bucky said, but it was a blatant lie. 

*

Tony felt numb. He'd felt numb (and more than a little disbelieving) when the police told him that his parents had died in a car crash. He'd felt numb when Obadiah clapped him on the shoulder and said that he'd take care of things until Tony was ready. He'd felt numb as they made the funeral arrangements and Bucky had to leave the room to cry because he didn't want anyone to see him like that. He'd felt numb through the wake, with old friends and business partners huddled together in the grass as reporters took pictures and filmed from the sidelines. 

He didn't know how long feeling numb would last, but he guessed another week. He wasn't expecting it to hit when they got back to the mansion after the funeral. It's not like he saw something that reminded him, but he realized that Howard was never coming back; he wasn't on a trip, he was just gone. 

Bucky already had an arm around his shoulders, so it was easy to turn and smush his face against Bucky's chest as he cried. Tony didn't say anything, and Bucky didn't say anything. He simply held him, like a warm shield between Tony and the rest of the world. 

It was probably the first time Tony truly understood that Bucky was his soulmate, not just a friend who had always been there for him. In the midst of a tragedy, snot clogging his nose and cheeks sticky with tears, he felt true comfort. It didn't fix anything, and in the moment it didn't even make him feel better. But he clung to Bucky that much harder, and in return, Bucky squeezed him tighter. 

"I've got you," Bucky said when the tears tapered off. He pressed a kiss to the top of Tony's head. "I've got you."

#fanfic #bucky barnes #tony stark #marvel #soulmates #platonic soulmates #my writing

[mashitandsmashit]

America’s Got Talent: Season 15 - Auditions 2

11: Thomas Day. Is it okay to mock his hair, or is the Ace-Ventura-in-that-scene-where-he-was-wearing-a-tutu look just in these days? Alrighty then, let's get to the talent...He was good...And that's about it...I generally agree with Howie that his nerves somewhat got in the way of an otherwise charismatic presence, but I suppose he was JUST likable enough that I'd give him a pass...Though this does tell me that he's probably already been advanced to the live shows, because why else would they show an otherwise unremarkable audition in full...?

10: Kelvin Dukes. It's like if Steve Urkel WASN'T irritating and was actually kinda likable! Personality aside, his singing was also...good...Nothing mindblowing...So that's two of three singers at the bottom of my list...I assure you, the other one is much higher!

9: Simon y Maria. Cute and likable, which is always the magic formula for child dance duos. They're very talented for their age, though they better pray they never get pitted against that Indian duo from last week...

8: Frenchie Babyy. I'm usually fine when watching people contort in all these nasty ways, but this time I actually did get a slight bit queasy...Not sure how he stacks up against Strauss Serpent, but I do see potential...He just has a way to go before my enjoyment of him overshadows how much I cringe at him looking like his arm's about to come loose...

7: Divas and Drummers of Compton. STRAIGHT OUTTA...Yeah...This made for a very fun opener to the show, and everything from the precision to the choreography came together excellently! Obviously that three-year-old (looking scared out of his mind of the giant audience) is just there to add a little extra cute factor...Otherwise, they were clearly keeping him off the stage for both said stage fright and to avoid him getting kicked like a football into the field they usually cheer on...Anyway, I see a lot of promise with these kids!

6: Florian Sainvet. This is where the list gets a little tricky, because I greatly enjoyed everyone from this point on...But I guess this human disc burner gets the lowest spot, because I can very much see him...well...burning out...If he can prove me wrong, great! Until then, this was very slick and a lot of fun to watch! I guess the only issue is watching him drop those CDs all over the place...Those things aren't cheap, you know! That said, Howie looked unimpressed, and they didn't show him giving his opinion and whether he said yes or no...Chances are, the Shin Lim Effect came into play here, though in my opinion, this was far enough removed from the usual card tricks that I see Shin as a non-factor...

5: Jennifer and Daiquiri. I'm also quite surprised that there hasn't been a magic dog act before...(I have once pictured a DANGER dog act, though that would probably bring the ASPCA knocking faster than you can say “Woof!”) But this was a fun twist on the usual pet trick formula! And the most baffling trick of all was getting that big dog to fit through that little hoop! I'm all for this act! I legitimately hope they do well!

4: Usama Siddique. Finally, a comedian that isn't a middle-aged woman or has a disability! This is another case where I wish he went longer, but I almost come to expect that by now...Though since Heidi actually called it out this time, maybe that will change real soon...

3: Bonavega. Move over, Hans! There's another flamboyant superstar in town! I won't lie, I was expecting a disaster as well, but aside from being energetic and fun, the dude was actually a pretty decent vocalist...Granted, I didn't hear what he was saying a lot of the time, but I guess it's hard to hear him over all the noise he's making as well as the cheering he got...Oh yeah, and he's not half bad at guitar either! Last year I thought that the drag queen with the beard would be Hans 2.0, but this time I would say Bonavega HAS to be the successor...He has everything Hans had, and more!

2: Roberta Battaglia. When this girl came in with still over half an hour to go, I knew one of two revolutionary things would be happening with the Golden Buzzer...Either the act that I predicted would get it just from looking at the promos would NOT get it, and it would instead go to something different from usual, or they finally refrained from putting the GB at the very end of the show...I was mostly hoping for the former, but the latter makes perfect sense! Why would you want to make it a formula to put the awaited reveal at the end of every show, when that could lead to many of your viewers just tuning in at the very end? What's more, Sofia's selection is very much justified! Not only could this girl sing about as well as Lady Gaga could, but she emulated all of the inflections and tones from the song perfectly! She SOUNDS like Lady Gaga, and I could see her doing a good Miley Cyrus as well! (Say what you will about her music, but that chick can sing!) So far she's the most likely candidate to win this season, though I have my doubts because she doesn't quite have any of the unique draws that helped every other winner stand out...That said, I believe I've heard that she has a lot of fans (from another Got Talent she competed in or something), and we're yet to see how big her video's gonna be or how much media attention she gets...We'll just wait and see if another act comes along that fits the mold better...Though if nothing else, I can totally see her as the runner-up!

1: Bello Sisters. When I read their names on the Wiki before watching this show, I was thinking that Bello Nock's daughter was back with two sisters I didn't know about before...But I guess what we got instead wasn't too far off...Anyway, this had everything you could ask for from an act like this! Already they're putting the Messoudi Brothers to shame (at least when comparing auditions)! And I guess it's only fair, as after said distaff counterpart gave some eye-candy to the ladies, now the dudes get to watch three hot sisters put their hands and feet all over each other! The formations were mesmerizing, and I really hope this act goes at least as far as Messoudi did! Though it is worth noting that there are far more female viewers of this show than the male ones...Just keep them from competing the same night as say, Thomas Day, and we'll be peachy...

This was another overall solid episode! Sure, a few of them weren't anything amazing, but the fact that I consider more than half of the passing acts tonight slam dunks is a good sign! I'm still hoping that MAYBE they can find a Golden Buzzer that doesn't sing, but as long as they're great like tonight's choice, I don't mind too much...

Let's see if that lady they've been hyping up in all the promos gets it next week...

[mentally-dumb]

Headcannons for markiplier egos:

Actor!Mark: 5'4 fucking shit lord. That's about it.

Dark: As cute and hilarious as short dark is, I personally love tall dark, probably 5'8 ft or more... but he's not all tough guy, so what I'm about to say makes up for it. He hates nicknames... but doesn't really seem to do anything when called one. HE'S TERRIFIED OF BUGS- or loves them. he cries like a fucking baby, screeching like a bird... but also wants to pet it and look at it and he's kinda curious about it.(you'll see why he has mixed feelings about Bugs in a moment.) He hates when it's pointed out. He hates social interaction but loves animals. Kinda dramatic in appearance but not so much in personality. Both him and Wilford are slightly giggly bitches by nature, a lot like mark. He says he will kick someones ass, but usually has wilford do it for him cuz he's kinda a wuss at times. May or may not have a soft spot for wilford... cuz wil is baby- if it isn't wil teasing him or joking around, he would probably back hand them... more than likely, he doesn't take any shit, and he most certainly isn't submissive... but he's also a gentlemen... usually. He's kinda hot headed, but very rarely is it shown. For the most part, he's emotionless. Maybe a little ocd. Once you get yo know him... He's not so bad at all.

Wilford: is BOOTIFUL bubblegum boi. He's a little more on the short side cuz yes... about 5'4 ft at the most, maybe less. He has a candy addicted to candy and all things sweet he's a bit of a sap at times, and gets kinda lovey dovey at times. Of course... He's obviously mentally insane, and really sensitive. He's a bit immature and childish, usually, and tends to play with sharp or dangerous objects for fun. He loves pranks and making really cheesy jokes, he's just a big baby. UwU. Both, Dark And Wil have a very dark sense of humor. He may or may not like dark. They are also both very protective, but Wilford tends to get really upset or worried easily so he's usually the one to get concerned first. But when flirted with, or anything that level, hes kinda oblivious and it's adorable xD. Nay have ptsd.

Errik:like 5'6. is absolute shy insecure baby and is in need of protection at all times. All the egos except maybe actor and Ed adore and love him. Definite ptsd

Yandere: 5'4. pretty much everyone is senpai, but no one knows who his real senpai is. He is also a little bit of a drag queen... lol

Bim: 5'5. he is... a self centered little fuck. That just wants a tv show. He is of course, a canibal. But, despite these things... He's actually pretty nice.

Ed: 5'2. He's a short hot headed cowboy. He's also really self centered as well. When he isn't talking about himself, he's talking about how much he wants some kfc.

King of the squirrels: 5'6, a squirrel in a man's body lmao. Jk. He's an animal loving sweet heart, the loves to help others. He's very playful at times, and is often full of energy... but maybe not as much as wil.

King of fnaf:also... 5'6... he has been jumpscares and attacked by animatronic so much, to the point that he no longer fears them... or much of anything really. Except dark. He's terrifying. He's a mechanic/engineer (your welcome mark.)

Silver shepard: 5'7. a grown man who wears a onesie and leggings in public. (Jk I love you-) he's super friendly and loves being helpful... is always trying to help people. Cuz he's a hero. Yes.

Dr.iplier: 5'4. he is constantly concerned for everyone's physical and mental health, and attempts to help in any way possible... even if it doesn't always work out.

The host: 5'3. Kinda short. an absolute book writing genius. He can be often really serious, but he has a few jokes up his sleeves.

Google: 5'5. he's a fucking robot... literally and metaphorically. He doesn't feel emotions but he's really helpful, and when he isn't attempting to destroy mankind, he's being helpful. The more you hang out with him, the more he seems like a real person.

Bing: 5'5. everyone's immature big brother. Big skater dude of course, he makes a lot of pranks and enjoys getting on people's nerves. Despite this, he has more emotion and love for people then google does. He doesn't have real ones, but he enjoys seeing others being happy, and occasionally, so does google.

Weather man jim: 5'6. he's kinda chill at times and goes with the flow or where ever the wind takes him (literally). He seems kinda cool, but he is severely camera shy, hence why he fucks up his weather reports when on tv.

Camera man jim: 5'6. he has being seen. He's a bit anxious and also camera shy, but he's actually a lot more chill. In fact... He doesn't really talk... at all.

Reporter jim:5'6. he's very jittery and often paranoid. He's the most anxious out of the three. He calls everyone "_____ Jim." Mainly because he never sticks around in one place long enough to actually learn people's names.

Celine: 5'6. alright. I know what your thinking. This one and Damien will be super depressing. But it's not. Celine is a very hot headed independent women that will kick your ass if you get on her bad side. She loves bugs and she thinks their really cool. She will often be suction on a porch, poking at a spider with a stick. Even as a grown women. She is super protective of her brother. Other than that, she's super nice... bit hard to reason with.

Damien:5'5 1/2. he is charismatic, sweet man. He is very polite towards others and wouldn't hurt a fly... Mainly because he's scared of them. That's right. Damien is the part of dark that's is TERRIFIED OF BUGS. He squeals and hides behind Celine or William every time he sees one. He's the side of dark, that will be polite and reasonable with you. It's Celine you should worry about at times... but often, he is the one to prevent fighting or argument. He often hates taking sides. And loves compromising... guess why that makes him a good mayor.

William:5'4. despite his tough and rough exterior, he is an absolute sweet heart. He loves being around others, and helping people. He's very polite, but also stern. He hates when people are taken advantage of or taking advantage of others, and he also hates picking sides. He wants everyone to love one another, a lot like Damien. He hates being alone, or left out. Just a big baby. In any form.

Yancy:5'4. he is just a misunderstood bean, the had a fucked up past, a lot like dark and wil. He seems like the type to go around starting fights, but really, he loves getting along with people and making people happy. A real performer at heart. A real friend at heart.

Illinois:5'6. he's a fucking dingus and I love him. He often doesn't take no as an answer, but if told no, is commonly okay with it. He may seem a little self centered, but he's really friendly.

Captain Magnum:6 ft or more. EVERYONE'S DADDY- I will admit, that sounded better in my head, but its true. He's a big teddy bear by nature. He loves making others hapy, weather it be with presents or HIS presents, he want Everton to be happy. He is, quiet literally, like the father of the group. Loving yet stern.

#Markiplier #egos #headcannons

[pops-and-kids]

5 per commander THIS BE A LONG POST BOI LET’S GO

Pops:

Only somewhat decent with math. He didn’t really get an education and instead learned on the go by book. Most of his math related knowledge revolves around ship related things as he was already on a pirate crew at a young age.

NEVER. FORGETS. A NAME. How he does this no one knows, but he ALWAYS can put a name to a face, even after only meeting them once.

He can sing pretty well, and because of his larger than life lung capacity he can sing for quite a while without having to take a breath.

Whitebeard isn’t against female pirates, but the courtesies from when he was younger, like “open a door for a lady” and “offer to take a ladies coat for her” are so ingrained in his mind that he prefers they stay out of the line of fire and protect them. Of course this doesn’t apply to every woman on the ship as they are capable fighters and he wouldn’t hold them back against their will.

Loves picking up and holding his children. If someone needs attention or is having a rough time he will pick them up and hold them close; Unless they’re too large in which case he’ll just hug them.

Marco:

Has made a bird joke about himself once and regrets it. Thatch will never let him live it down.

Whenever someone yells his name to get his attention there’s at least 5 people who yell out “polo” in response at all times.

Actually somewhat nearsighted and needs glasses but refuses to wear them.

When the crew was smaller he used to turn into his bird form and sleep on Pop’s shoulder. Now he won’t unless they’re in private.

He has a bad leg. Despite his healing abilities his right leg tends to ache after fights.

His neck acts the same in human form as it does in bird form when he’s not paying attention and coffee deprived. It’s kind of both hilarious AND unsettling.

Ace:

There’s a billboard in the dining hall to remind people to catch Ace before he face plants in his food during a narcoleptic episode. Do people listen to it? No, but it’s there.

Was shipwright enemy #1 during the 100 days of trying to kill Pops. It’s still joked about to this day.

Can actually fly with his fire but hasn’t trained with it enough for it to be viable.

He can control fire, but only to a certain extent. If there’s a cart on fire he can try and drag it to him, but a forest fire or a large house is impossible. His own fire can be put out easily by his will, but non-devil fruit related fires has a will of their own.

Had never seen a horse before and Haruta took advantage of that fact, convincing him they didn’t exist. Naturally, when he first saw one he freaked out and legit thought they were some mythical or extinct creature.

Jozu:

Loves hard candies because of the baffled and horrified expressions everyone gives him as he cracks through 3 jawbreakers like it’s nothing a la diamond teeth.

He’s well known for throwing himself over his family to protect them. In cases were the Moby is taking canon fire suddenly and there’s people too close to the railing he wont hesitant to yank them out of the way and turn himself into diamond to protect them.

When scared or startled he will freeze up like a deer in headlights. It would be funny if his fight or flight instinct didn’t kick in seconds later and now there’s a human shaped hole in the wall.

Wears tank tops and jeans on a daily basis. That armour is stuffy and you think he wears it 24/7? Hell no.

Nervous eater.

Thatch:

Has like 40 recipe books and knows which one has what recipe he wants.

His memory isn’t as impressive as Pops, but he KNOWS when he recognizes a face, even when he has no idea what their name is.

Keeps track of what you like and dislike religiously.

How did he get that scar? Who knows! It’s a different story each time

He just wants everyone to be happy and feel loved, which has led to him earning many scars both physically and emotionally.

Vista:

Sings in the shower 100%

GREAT during parties on islands! Not only does he have plenty of tricks to show but he can mix a damn good drink as well.

Would 100% be that one kid in drama club that takes things too far.

Scarily good actor and it’s a good thing he’s naturally honest. If he were to lie in your face you wouldn’t know unless he told you.

If you hear “Do you want to hear a story?” prepare for a roller coaster of emotions.

Blamenco:

WILL GIVE YOU THE BIGGEST HUG IN ALL THE LAND

Soft boi

His weight fluctuates with how much is in his pockets. If he’s near empty he’s much thinner and muscular looking, but carrying a lot and he has his signature lorge friend shape.

Can’t hold a living creature in his pockets for too long without it feeling too weird.

Doesn’t hold items for Haruta and Thatch all too often due to unknowingly hiding weapons of war (aka prank items)

Not a hoarder despite what one may think upon seeing his devil fruit

Rakuyo:

Macey is a demonic chain chomp and you can’t say otherwise.

He’s constantly added more details and layers to his outfits. He’s not into fashion, but he definitely has an eye for it.

Takes the quickest showers out of anyone

Has daggers under his clothes. Never unarmed.

Room is tediously cleaned except when he’s having a fit. You can always tell his mental state by the state of his room.

Namur:

Never hated humans like some fishman, but was very wary of them before meeting Pops.

His division has other fishman in it, but they mainly stay in the water and are rarely seen on the ship.

Any jokes about cannibalism because of the ‘fish’ side of fishman will result in a retort about him maybe being a cannibal of the ‘man’ side. He’s scared newbies half to death with this.

His room has been mistaken as a bathroom as he doesn’t have a bed or bathroom but instead a shallow pool with shells and coral from the sea.

Has fought to the death with other fishman to protect his family and has seen his family fight to the death with other humans for him. He’s not proud of it and hates how things get that far.

Blenheim:

Carries family around on his shoulders often because he can.

When he has a task he hyper focuses on it, even if it means he pulls an all nighter to finish.

Loves obstacle courses and if it weren’t for his immense size would probably complete Wipe Out or American Ninja Warrior in record time.

Is very indecisive about things outside of work. Knows EXACTLY what parts be needs to keep the ship going but has NO idea what the hell he wants for lunch.

May seem intimidating but is very much a teddy bear on the inside

Curiel:

“WHATEVER YOU DO DON’T FILL A SUPER BIG GULP CUP WITH FIVE HOUR ENERGY AND CHUG THE WHOLE THING”

Has a manic episode at least 3 times a week.

Colour blind. His goggles are tinted red because of a formula that allows him to see colour. They’re also a hybrid of eye protection and glasses.

Is covered in scars from both childhood and projects gone wrong, mainly on his back and legs.

Has invented a duck-themed weapon just so he can yell “DUCK” and it actually be a duck. A duck that is a bomb, that is.

Kingdew:

Has an AMAZING singing voice and can play the guitar. When the crew has parties he’s always nominated to play.

Has written songs before but is too shy to share them. Thatch stole one of his song sheets before and ended up in the nurse's room after a thorough asswhooping.

Soft boi x2

Is farsighted and needs glasses to read small print, but he doesn’t need them outside of that.

The rings that seemingly bolt his cape to his shoulders are actually there for medical reason.

Haruta:

Partially blind. Their eye colour isn’t like that for no reason. They aren’t fully blind however, and can still see distinct features, silhouettes, and some very watered down colour.

Because of their partial blindness Haruta actually has some of the strongest haki out of the whitebeard crew as they use it to navigate around. Started haki training under Marco and Izou and it grew very strong as they developed.

Learned their double sword technique from Vista, who is also their closest brother.

A complete lil shit. An absolute gremlin. 100% a memelord.

Has a hoard of assorted doo-dads. They have bags full of stuff that seemingly has no purpose, but they have it. Also has a very extensive bottle cap collection!

Atmos:

The jolly green giant.

Loves partying and drinking and likes to live in the moment.

Need a hug? Go to Atmos, he’ll hug you and let you cry it out while telling you some nice stories.

“MY HELMET IS STUCK” “Maybe you shouldn’t CHARGE LIKE AND ACTUAL BULL then”

Braids his beard when nervous.

Jiru:

Dyslexic. He was trying to fix this before he met Pops as he truly did want to be a doctor, but couldn’t because of his condition. When he met Pops, however, he not only gave him a chance, but assisted him in overcoming it.

Since his division is 85% nurses he knows ALL the ship gossip and rumors. And he WILL use it against you if you refuse treatment.

Goes stir crazy when not on an island for a long time. The boy needs to run free!

Is allergic to cats but he must pet them each time he sees one. Who cares if he’s sneezing for the next hour and can’t see, he got to pet that cute calico!

He’s tried to get his siblings to use shields, but so far only a handful do. A shield isn’t just for protection, it can also be used as a weapon and he wishes more people saw them as less of a cheap cop-out and more of a defensive tactic.

Fossa:

Is the quietest commander, not for shyness or lack of things to say, but because he prefers to plan his words carefully and watch those around him.

Works at a steady pace and encourages others to do so to lessen injury and stress.

Always has a cigar on him and a collection of lighters.

Pops may be their father but Fossa is very much the uncle of the crew and some see him as a second father figure.

The flaming sword was an accident but it’s a perfect intimidation weapon, especially for when he doesn’t actually feel like fighting.

Izou:

The designs he has on some of his guns were made by him and done by Fossa.

Has been accused of wearing a wig before because of how perfectly kept his hair is. The accuser was tied to the mast for 3 hours until the shipwrights could figure out how to undo the knots.

Got gossip? Izou already knows.

Will sell your soul for a cornchip if you piss him off badly enough.

Doesn’t wear kimono’s 24/7 despite what you may think. That’s his go-to outfit, yes, but his wardrobe is expansive, going from from crop tops and shorts to expensive suits and elaborate dresses and kimonos

#answered #((I HOPE YOU LIKE THIS!! IT TOOK A LONGASS TIME)) #headcanons #Pops : Whitebeard #Whitebeard pirates #Whitebeard #Marco #Marco the phoenix #Portgas D. Ace #Jozu #Diamond Jozu #Thatch #Vista #Blamenco #Rakuyo #Namur #Blenheim #Curiel #Kingdew #Haruta #Atmos #Jiru #fossa #Izou #((HOLY MAMA that too forever)) #((Both the headcanons and the tags)) #((lol)) #((long post is long))

[makeste]

BnHA Chapter 184: JP Hero Billboard Chart

Previously on BnHA: We spent the whole chapter enjoying the cultural festival. Class B entertained with a fantasy play that drew inspiration from no fewer than four separate intellectual properties, proving that it’s not just Monoma who likes to copy stuff. Hounddog handed out some of the most terrifying discipline we’ve seen since Orca’s EXTRA GUIDANCE. Eri regaled Deku with her enthusiastic recap of the concert in vivid detail including sound effects and both Deku and Mirio were thrilled to see her so happy. Those jerk upperclassmen from before apologized for their bad attitude. Everyone was grateful to class 1-A for lifting the school’s spirits. Hadou won the Miss Con competition at long last. Bakugou conquered the warped wall. Shinsou traumatized several class A students for life. Mei successfully wowed people with the support team expo and then promptly passed out afterward. Deku presented Eri with a handmade candy apple and bid her farewell. And lastly, over at the police station, the cops processed Gentle and La Brava and seemed to be taking steps to rehabilitate them. All in all it was the most wholesome chapter ever and I’m almost sorry to see this arc end, but the plot must go on.

Today on BnHA: Aizawa brings Eri back to U.A. and is all “oh yeah by the way, she lives here now.” We learn that Tokoyami interned with a hero named Hawks and YOU ALL KNOW WHO THAT IS. The Pussycats visit the 1-A dorms and announce that they’re coming off their hiatus and that Ragdoll will be supporting them as an OL which is some bullshit but at least she’s okay. Pixie-Bob explains that shockingly, All for One was not inclined to just give her quirk back just like that! We learn that the JP Hero Billboard Chart, the organization that ranks active heroes, will be presenting the new official rankings -- the first without All Might -- shortly. Right now, in fact! We then travel to Kamino for the live presentation. The top 10 heroes are introduced, the highlights of which are Ryuukyuu at #10, Kamui Woods at #7, my new bunny fave Miruko at #5, Edgeshot at #4, Best Finest Elite Superlative Jeanist at #3, and THAT MAN, Hawks, at #2. Oh and Endeavor at #1. With a new suit. I WONDER WHO THIS ARC IS GOING TO BE ABOUT.

(As always, all comments not marked with an ETA are my unspoiled reactions from my first readthrough of this chapter. I’ve read up through chapter 207 now, so any ETAs will reflect that. Just to clarify real quick, my stopping right smack dab in the middle of my boy’s big fight isn’t by choice, lol. I’ve been sick for the past few days, but I’m finally starting to feel a bit better, so hopefully I’ll have the energy to resume soon.)

GASSPPPPPPPP

IT’S THE THING. THE THING WITH THE RANKS. THE HERO RANKINGS!!

omg. are we going to get to see how they do it finally? AND ARE WE FINALLY GOING TO MEET FORMER NUMBER THREE AND CURRENT NUMBER TWO HERO IDOL HAWKS?? THE MYSTERIOUS HAWKS WHO HAS WINGS, AND I ASSUME HE HAS THE POWER OF HAWKS. MAYBE. EXCEPT THAT’S KIND OF A LAME POWER TO SOMEHOW GET HIM ALL THE WAY TO NUMBER TWO ABOVE PEOPLE LIKE EDGESHOT AND FUCKING BEAST JEANIST. HAWKS WHAT ARE YOUR SECRETS

maybe I should READ THE CHAPTER and find out. hmmm

anyway so November is ending! that means we’re entering December! which also means I think Bakugou is going to get a new costume soon! and also he and Todoroki have only one month left before they get to retake their exam oh gosh. so much excitement so little time

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

ERI GOT ADOPTED BY EVERYONE!?!??!??!

AIZAWA IS OFFICIALLY HER DAD. OH MY GOD. I’M GOING TO CRY. LOOK AT HIS NONCHALANT FACE. “hey Deku meet my new kid”

(ETA: and he says “U.A.” but we all know it’s really just him. I don’t see anyone else from the school stepping up. Aizawa it’s okay you can admit that you’re completely incapable of turning your back on a child in need and so you stepped in and took responsibility for her and only afterward actually went and asked Rat Principal if it was okay and thankfully he said yes because he’s also a pretty cool guy. just like you. my god I love you)

ERI’S SO HAPPYYYYY

LOOK AT ALL OF HER NEW BIG BROTHERS AND SISTERS!!!

THE FULL STORY IS YOU ALL ADOPTED A KID, DEKU!!!

Nejire put her hair in pigtails omggggg

and Tsuyu, she is your sister now. GET USED TO IT

so now Aizawa and Mirio are leaving her with Tamaki and Nejire and calling the 1-As outside to talk

so they found out that Eri was abandoned by her parents, and that her grandpa is the comatose Precepts boss

and Mirio says that her horn, which you recall had shrunk quite a bit after the Overhaul battle, started to grow again recently. although it’s still pretty small

so they figured U.A. would be the safest environment for her, rather than a foster home

GOOD. I’M GLAD YOU ALL FIGURED THAT OUT

AHHHHHH

(ETA: btw Mangastream’s translation says “teachers’ dormitory” rather than lounge, which makes a great deal more sense)

HE REALLY DID ADOPT HER IT’S OFFICIALLLLLLLLLL

oh my god. he cares so much. obviously it’s not something he had to do, but he obviously grew fond of her and knew it was going to be the best option for her

so now you have a six-year-old daughter, Aizawa. good thing your twenty other kids can help babysit

and also this guy!

so Mirio is now a full-time live-in nanny. I approve

omgggg

yesssssss

but that’s not to say that this the only reason he’s doing this. that will be the happiest ending but he still loves her regardless

“it’s been a while since we did anything gay, Mirio. how bout it”

yes. pretty neat

now Aizawa is asking if the third years can take Eri for a little bit. I guess he has to go and take care of some teacher things. he’s such a busy guy

Mirio says they’re happy to, and he’s saying they should all play Othello

apparently this is not referring to the Shakespeare play but it’s another name for the board game Reversi. that was really confusing for a sec lol. I’ve never heard of this game before

Deku’s asking if they can join in, but Aizawa’s telling them to go back to the dorms

ah??

OH? DO TELL

and now we’re cutting to the dorms and Tokoyami is suddenly sneezing quite forcefully

LOOK AT THESE CUTIESSSSS

why is Kiri wearing a button down shirt. are you going on a date. none of your usual suitors seem particularly dressed up

(ETA: and what is going on with Kami and Momo there oh my. you two sure look mighty cozy)

Kaminari is teasing Tokoyami about the old superstition that if you sneeze it means someone’s talking about you somewhere

AHHHHHH WHAAAAAAAT

THE FUCK!?

fuck me, what? Tokofuckingyami interned with the former number three himself and no one fucking said a thing?!

and was this his actual internship or his work study? I wonder how many other kids had actual internships that we didn’t hear a damn thing about

also why does Ochako look about 8 years old in that panel. holy shit her eyes are big

anyway, Toko is flatly saying he doubts he has any fans yet and that it’s too early

and now the door is cracking open and Iida is announcing that their guests are here!

EYYYYYYYYYYYY

IT’S BEEN A WHILE YOU ASSHOLES

Ragdoll! ❤❤❤ glad to see they didn’t dump you and that you’re keeping your spirits up even after everything that happened

DID THEY BRING KOUTA. THEY SHOULD HAVE BROUGHT KOUTA. he’s probably in school now though. damn

-- NO HE’S HERE!!!

BE CAREFUL WHEN GREETING HIM YOU KNOW HOW HE GETS!

I love that everyone’s so happy to see them and Mina and Hagakure are even running over for hugs. that’s so heartwarming to see, especially given how the camp ended and the scared and sad terms they must have parted on last time

speaking of those events!

it’s nice that he apologized. even though it wasn’t their fault (mostly). but I’m sure Bakugou doesn’t particularly like to be reminded of it and would rather just pretend like nothing happened. so I hope they take their cue from him and try not to make him uncomfortable

something like 90% of AO3 is convinced Bakugou has Secret PTSD from this incident, and while I tend to stick to Confirmed Canon Only and thus am more on the side of he probably doesn’t, I’m sure that it’s not something he likes to think about all the same and the subject probably does put him on edge

(ETA: and! come to think of it, the one thing we do know he came away with for sure is a lot of guilt! so it’s more than possible that he actually blames himself for being the cause of the attack and for indirectly being the reason why Ragdoll lost her quirk. so to have them come up and apologize to him when from his perspective he’s the one who caused all the trouble to begin with... now that is something I can see really bothering him, actually. oh Bakugou)

Jirou, who as you recall was also injured during the attack, says that they’re all doing well

and meanwhile Tora brought bread for all of them and Mina’s waving it around excitedly and Ochako looks over the moon. she always loves sweets

YESSSSSSSSSS

MY TINY ANGRY SON

LMAOOOOO

DEAR MIDORIYA I’M REALLY SORRY

lmaooooooo

look how much better he’s gotten now, though! he’s graduated from groin punching to handshaking! he’s actually super thrilled to see Deku again and you can tell and he’s trying so hard not to show it and I fucking love it omggg

OH MY GODDDD

HE MATCHED DEKU’S SHOES HOLY SHIT. HOW DOES THIS SERIES KEEP OUTCUTEING ITSELF!?

oh my god. Deku really is his hero. I can’t. why do I suddenly want to cry omggg

anyway! so now Satou’s asking why they’ve come to visit U.A.

and Pixie says they came “to celebrate her reinstatement”

???! Ragdoll???

:(!!!!!!

OH COME ON WHAT THE HELL

okay but like. her quirk was all mental anyway. physically she’s still just as strong as she ever was. I don’t see why she couldn’t be out there fighting crime even without the pokedex quirk. sure, it leaves her a bit more vulnerable not being able to track people or knowing their moves and stats ahead of time, but there’s still a lot she could do goddammit

and now Pixie says they got a report from Tartarus omg!

(ETA: okay so I posted Mangastream’s translation here as it makes much more sense than Jaimini’s version. so you can ignore all the confused commentary below. this makes it clear he’s just taunting them and saying “why sure, I’d love to give back all the quirks I stole, but I can’t do that while you’ve got me all tied up :’) too bad.”)

oh my god sudden All for One holy shit. I don’t think we’ve seen him since like chapter 116?? oh snap

so I’m not quite sure what he’s saying here. is he saying he physically can’t return the quirk, or that it’s use it or lose it type of deal? or is he just saying he doesn’t feel like returning it, sorry, too bad so sad?

I’m going to assume it’s that last one, seeing as he’s a dick

but like, there was never really any chance of that happening anyway. we all know the only way that quirk is coming back is if Deku does in fact turn out to be his kid and he takes the quirk himself and gives it back to her

AHHHHHHH

OKAY BUT. THE SHOT OF KACCHAN’S FACE THOUGH! Kacchan being part of the inner circle yesssssss. holy shit. I’ve been waiting so long for this?? thank you, manga, for this friendly reminder that he is the only other one who knows the full story of All for One and his connection to Deku. I love how serious and somewhat apprehensive they both suddenly look just at the mention of him

anyway, so Mandalay is saying it’s going to be broadcast soon, but that on the most recent JP Hero Billboard Chart they were ranked 411th

holy shit what?! weren’t they in the top 50 before?! that’s an insane slide. I know they lost a member and also had a kid get kidnapped on their watch, but still

AHHHH DETAILS ABOUT THE JP HERO BILLBOARD CHART YESSSSSSS

lol actually this is all stuff that we already knew

BUT LOOK AT THAT SILHOUETTE IN THE NUMBER THREE POSITION THOUGH! fucking Rawk Hawk is about to be revealed at long last omgggg

okay yeah, Deku says the Pussycats were previously ranked at #32

so Kiri says oh, that’s why they’re starting things up again, so they can fight their way back to the top after such a steep drop

oh my god

“NO YOU GUYS DON’T UNDERSTAND, WE FUCKED UP REALLY BAD”

they’re saying that the fact that they didn’t drop even lower means that there are still fans rooting for them, and so they have to work hard

lol Kiri’s sobbing into his arm at how manly they are

and now the kids are all “oh yeah come to think of it, the second semester rankings haven’t been presented yet” and that it’s probably because of all the crazy shit that’s happened recently

are they usually presented before now? I just figured it was a twice a year June-and-December type thing

“exciting” isn’t quite the word I’d use, but okay. sounds more depressing than anything :(

ahhhh now we’re cutting to the presentation!

they’re broadcasting from Kamino of all places

so there are a ton of people and a bunch of stretch limos and such, and it seems to be like an Oscar-level event

oh, but apparently it’s not normally like this

RYUUKYUUUUUUUU

HEY WHAT THE FUCK

WHAT FUCKING GIVES. THERE HAD BETTER BE AT LEAST ONE MORE BADASS LADY IN THE TOP TEN THEN OR I’M GOING TO BE REALLY FUCKING PISSED THAT THE TOP TEN RANKINGS GO “GUY GUY GUY GUY GUY GUY GUY GUY GUY, AND I GUESS WE’LL THROW IN A GIRL HERE AT THE END NOW BECAUSE WE’RE SO GENEROUS”

ffff

number 9 is some old samurai asshole

go fuck yourself Yoroimusha. what makes you so special that you’re ranked above my dragon queen

number 8...

...okay he can stay

oh shit Kamui fucking Woods made it all the way to number 7!

fffffff they showed Mt. Lady and for a moment I thought it meant she was at no. 6! but noooooo she’s all the way at #23. despite having participated in the same missions as Kamui. do you know what, the JP Hero Billboard Chart can go fuck themselves

who the hell

“Crust” lmao. toast hero. sandwich hero

OH GOOD

so now women make up a full 20% of the top ten rankings rather than a measly 10%. we really smashed that glass ceiling, y’all. gender equality has been achieved. you’re welcome

(ETA: I feel like this needs more :/ faces to get my full feelings across. :/ :/ :/ :/ :/ :/ :/ okay that’s better)

anyway if she’s in the top 5 she must be pretty cool and I hope we get to see what her power is someday

(ETA: seems to be your basic run-of-the-mill animal-themed super strength, but damned if Dabi did not want to fuck with her though. you go Miruko)

Edgeshot is at number 4, which is expected since he was previously in the number 5 spot before All Might’s retirement. good boy Edgeshot

except for Mt. Lady apparently

AHHHHHHHHHHHH

BEAST JEANIST

GET WELL SOON YOU SEXY PUNK

AHHHHHHHHHHHHH

IT’S HIM!!!!!

RAWK HAWK

HOLY SHIT HE’S SO FINE. LOOKS JUST LIKE I REMEMBER FROM ALL THE FANART. HAWKS YOU SEXY BITCH

“HOW EXCESSIVE”

IT’S LIKE AIZAWA’S FACE AND ATTITUDE WITH ALL MIGHT’S HAIR, OH SHIT WHAT A LEGEND

BUT DON’T THINK YOU CAN JUST AUTOMATICALLY WIN MY APPROVAL OVER JUST LIKE THAT! YOU STILL NEED TO PROVE TO ME WHY YOU DESERVE TO BE RANKED ABOVE MY BOY BEST FORKING GODDAMN ONE AND ONLY JEANIST

and of course, number one is Endeavor

lol what he gets the whole last page to himself. why. just because he got a new costume?? I honestly didn’t even notice the difference lol

but okay fine let’s take a look

well, he’s definitely trying! did he make himself a fire antennae thing. and does he have a cape now I can’t tell

god there’s so much fire. just turn it off when you’re not in action and be fucking normal you asshole

and so that’s it. I guess

what I took away from this chapter is that the people of Japan voted in a washing machine over a fucking dragon. given the choice, they would rather have him on the scene, tossing in red shirts with the villains’ white loads to turn all of their clothes pink. I mean, sure then. whatever

BONUS: Miruko’s profile!

OH SO YOU LIKE CARROTS HUH. I don’t know what I was expecting lol

so her last name means “rabbit mountain.” I guess the mountain part is just cuz she’s strong as hell? idk

and I wonder if her first name has any meaning since it’s just written in katakana. I know the notes say something about it being a reference to a professional fighter, but I have a feeling that’s talking about her hero name rather than her given name

I fucking love her. I wish to god there were more than two fucking female heroes in the top ten, but at least the two we have are pretty badass

#bnha #boku no hero academia #aizawa shouta #midoriya izuku #eri (bnha) #toogata mirio #bakugou katsuki #class 1-a #miruko (bnha) #bnha spoilers #mha spoilers #makeste reads bnha #okay so I'm sure I'll do a proper rant about this soon #but long story short #you know how horikoshi ended up gender-swapping hagakure and tsuyu because he realized he only had four girls in class 1-a? #I *really* wish he had ended up doing this with one or two of the jp hero top ten #specifically hawks #he is such a great character #and you know what #there is absolutely no reason why he had to be a dude #it wouldn't have changed any aspects of the character or the story #we could have had a badass lady as the number two hero in all of japan #doing badass plot things and generally being amazing #I'm not saying that I don't love him regardless #but this is probably the one thing about this arc that I personally would have changed #anyways that's my tea for today lol

[strandedhaze]

ONE : MEET ZANE

FULL NAME: zane dariel gomez. PREFERRED NAME: zane. NICKNAME(S): z, zee, zed and riel. DATE OF BIRTH: march 12th, 1999. GENDER: cis male. PREFERRED PRONOUNS: he/him/his. ORIENTATION: heterosexual. RELATIONSHIP STATUS: single in main verse. RELIGION: christian. OCCUPATION: footballer, a midfielder for nycfc - on loan from man city. CURRENT RESIDENCE: new york city, new york ; he resides in a townhouse in upper east side.

TWO : ZANE’S BACKGROUND

HOMETOWN: london, england. NATIONALITY: english. ETHNIC BACKGROUND: trinidadian. LINGUISTICS: english is his native language, he knows the basics in a few more languages but he wouldn’t dare trying to talk them. EDUCATION: he graduated high-school. CRIMINAL RECORD: clean. BIRTH ORDER: third. FATHER: malik sean gomez was born on july 16th, 1975 in cheshire, england. he is a personal trainer who, currently, resides in london. MOTHER: tanya keisha gomez (née nelson) was born on august 23th, 1976 in port of spain, trinidad. she is a nutritionist and resides in london, england. SISTER(S): aisha marie gomez was born on may 17th, 1994 in london, england. she is finishing her phd in bioengineering ; leanna sophie gomez was born on july 28th, 2005 in london, england. BROTHER(S): jayson willian gomez was born on february 9th, 1995 in london, england. he is a p.e. teacher. OTHER RELEVANT FAMILY: none. SIGNIFICANT OTHER: zane is single. CHILDREN: none so far. FRIENDS: tbd. EXES: iman wilson, nevaeh evans and camille richards. PETS: none so far.

THREE : GET UP CLOSE & PERSONAL

HEIGHT: 5′11″ ( 181 cm ). WEIGHT: his weight oscillates between 160 lbs ( 72.5 kg ) 165 lbs ( 75 kg ). BODY TYPE AND BUILD: despite being athletic, zane doesn’t have your typical muscular frame. in fact, at first glance, most would describe him as lean. he manages to maintain his weight at a pretty reasonable number, if you will, and through a strict diet and a lot of training, both in practice and gym work, he keeps an athletic build without being particular muscly or over the top. all in all, you can tell he’s an athlete and that he takes care of himself and his body. EYE COLOR: deep brown. EYESIGHT: he has perfect eyesight. HAIR COLOR: brown. HAIR STYLE: though his hairstyle is pretty much always the same, zane is ridiculously picky and lowkey paranoic about it. he has fresh trims every other week to keep his hair in the most immaculate way possible.  DOMINANT HAND: right. NOTABLE PHYSICAL TRAITS: if you asked him, there are big chances his response would be his impeccable hair and his smile. only the later applies. adding onto that, his overall build and his eyes or more so, the fact they can be rather expressive. SCARS AND MARKS: the most recent and more prominent is the one on his right leg, courtesy of his surgery back in december. otherwise, he has the mundane scars and marks that aren’t all that notable or distinct, and often are a result from training and the games. TATTOOS: he has a half-sleeve tattoo on his left arm. PIERCINGS: none. VOICECLAIM: jadon sancho. ACCENT AND INTENSITY: he’s a londoner through and through, not even a few months in new york have eased down the accent or taken away the slang. the intensity is the same as if he was home, it becomes all the more obvious when he’s angry or frustrated, also right in the mornings when he wakes up and his voice is still sleepy. ALLERGIES: lactose intolerant, wheat and bananas. PHOBIAS AND FEARS: drowning, it’s the only thing that scares him senseless. MENTAL ILLNESSES: none so far. PHYSICAL ILLNESSES: none so far. SCENT THEY WEAR: on an every day basis, he’ll probably do a little concoction of his favourite scents (like a mix of malin + goetz leather with malin + goetz petitgrain fragance oil) or he’ll choose something like versace atelier collection figue blanche or luna rossa black by prada. if we’re talking nights out, whether it’s special occasions or in dates he’ll actually put effort in, you’ll find him wearing something along the lines of amyris homme by maison francis kurkdjian, sellier by byredo, cairo by penhaligons and rose smoke by atelier cologne.  ALCOHOL USE: very rarely, and only during off-season. he prefers not to drink though. SMOKING: he doesn’t smoke. OTHER NARCOTICS USE: no. INDULGENT FOOD: no ; he has a strict diet with a lot of restrictions and he isn’t a fan of indulging in food. SPLURGE SPENDING: he’s responsible and knows his limits so you won’t finding him splashing cash if he knows he can’t do so. GAMBLING: no. ADDICTIONS AND VICES: training, it can get to a point where his trainers and coaches need to call him out so he doesn’t overtrain.

FOUR : DIG DEEPER

CAN THEY DRIVE? yes. CAN THEY COOK AND BAKE? yes and ish. CAN THEY CHANGE A FLAT TIRE? yes. CAN THEY TIE A TIE? ish. CAN THEY SWIM? yes. CAN THEY RIDE A BICYCLE? yes. CAN THEY JUMP START A CAR? yes. CAN THEY BRAID HAIR? no, he’s helpless. CAN THEY PICK A LOCK? yes. EXTROVERTED OR INTROVERTED? extroverted. DISORGANIZED OR ORGANIZED? organized. CLOSE OR OPEN MINDED? open minded. CALM OR ANXIOUS? calm. PATIENT OR IMPATIENT? patient. OUTSPOKEN OR RESERVED? outspoken all through and through. LEADER OR FOLLOWER? leader. OPTIMISTIC OR PESSIMISTIC? optimistic. TRADITIONAL OR MODERN? modern. HARD-WORKING OR LAZY? hard-working. CULTURED OR UNCULTURED? cultured. LOYAL OR DISLOYAL? loyal. FAITHFUL OR UNFAITHFUL? faithful. NIGHT OWL OR EARLY BIRD? early bird with a big night owl twist. he loves the night. HEAVY OR LIGHT SLEEPER? heavy sleeper. COFFEE OR TEA? neither, he has a restricted caffeine intake and he’s not a fan of tea. DAY OR NIGHT? night. TAKING BATHS OR SHOWERS? showers. COCA COLA OR PEPSI? neither, he doesn’t drink fizzy drinks. CATS OR DOGS? dogs. NETFLIX OR CINEMA? netflix. SHOWS OR MOVIES? movies. LAPTOP OR GAMING CONSOLE? gaming console. HEALTHY OR JUNK FOOD? healthy. ICE CREAM OR FROZEN YOGURT? neither. PIZZA OR HAMBURGER? neither. LOLLIPOPS OR GUMMY WORMS? neither, he doesn’t like sweets. BEACH OR POOL? beach in the summer, pool in the winter. SNOWBALLS FIGHTING OR ICESKATING? iceskating. LITERATURE OR SCIENCE? science. HISTORY OR ART? art. CHOCOLATE BARS OR COTTON CANDY? same as above, neither. XBOX OR PLAYSTATION? playstation. FACE-TO-FACE OR PHONE INTERACTIONS? face-to-face interactions. DRAMA OR SCI-FI? sci-fi. HORROR OR COMEDY? comedy.

FIVE : ZANE’S LIKES & DISLIKES

FAVORITE ACTIVITY: training and playing football. FAVORITE ANIMAL: lion. FAVORITE BOOK: he doesn’t have one so far. FAVORITE QUOTE: ❝ everything negative - pressure, challenges - is all an opportunity for me to rise. ❞ — kobe bryant. FAVORITE COLOR(S): grey. FAVORITE DESIGNER: none that stands out enough to be deemed his favorite. FAVORITE CUISINE: there isn’t an exact favourite because he likes to mix and match, as well as try different things as long as it fits in his diet. FAVORITE DISH(ES): give him buddha bowls and you’ll have a very happy guy. he loves a good caesar salad too and he really does love sushi. sushi might be his favourite thing. FAVORITE DRINK: boring as it might sound, limeade. FAVORITE FLOWER(S): chaconia. FAVORITE GEM: diamond. FAVORITE HOLIDAY: he enjoys christmas but he doesn’t favour any particular holiday. FAVORITE MOVIE: training day. FAVORITE MUSIC GENRE: hip hop and r&b. FAVORITE SONG(S): nonstop by drake. GO TO KARAOKE SONG: he’d probably end up choosing something by drake but he doesn’t have one since he doesn’t do karaoke all that much. FAVORITE SCENT(S): vanilla, bergamot, musk and chocolate. FAVORITE TELEVISION SHOW(S): he has a hard time keeping up with shows but he’s been enjoying shows like atlanta and insecure, he also likes watching a good special on netflix for the laughs. he’s started watching when they see us and he’s really enjoying it too. FAVORITE SPORTS: football and basketball. SPORTS TEAM THEY SUPPORT: he doesn’t disclose what football team he really does support and instead, simply says there are teams everyone can appreciate and learn from. as for basketball, he really likes the celtics, la lakers and the bulls. FAVORITE EMOJI: 🔥 — he just likes how it looks really. FAVORITE WEATHER: summer weather all through and through. not just summer but hot summer days with that tropical twist, he doesn’t mind the thunder and the rain. he loves that island weather quality. FAVORITE SEASON OF THE YEAR: summer. FAVORITE PLACE(S): his grandparents house in port of spain is close to maracas beach and since he was a kid, he’s always felt very much at home in that particular place. SUPERPOWER THEY WISH THEY HAD: healing. VACATION DESTINATION: he really likes koh samui and thailand in general as a holiday destination.

#tbt / zane.

[surveys-at-your-service]

Survey #217

“roses are red, and my heart is black. we creep about the floor to indulge like rats.”

Do you know anyone who works in a laboratory? No. What was the very first social media site you signed up for? MySpace. Can you see yourself marrying your current partner? (if you have a partner) Easily. If you were in a coma, who would be making healthcare decisions for you? My mom. Are you the type of person who knows exactly what they want in life? Not entirely, but mostly. Do you have commitment issues? Not at all. What was the last thing you had an allergic reaction to? Silver. Have you gone out to dinner in the past week? No. What’s something you’ve done that sounds too crazy to be true? The only thing I think someone would actually find "crazy" would be I've been in a psychiatric hospital five or six times (I seriously can't remember). Are there any flowers planted outside your house? No. Well, not by us. There's a camellia tree by our back door that we didn't plant. What’s the weirdest decoration you’ve seen in someone else’s home? I'unno. I generally don't find decorations strange. Spice up your house with what you like. Did you have your own bathroom when you were growing up? No. Do you know anyone who never disciplines their children? I know of people. What’s the longest you’ve gone without leaving the house? Weeks. Are you more of a practical thinker, or more of an imaginative thinker? I think I can be on either end depending on the situation. Does anyone in your family smoke? My dad does. How well do you know your neighbors? I've never interacted with the ones to the right of us, but Mom knows the woman to the left, and she's apparently very nice. Mom was talking about her just the other day about how she always brings our trash can back to the fence, actually. How far are you into the book you’re currently reading? N/A Have you ever had a pet escape and run away? I don't believe so, at least not permanently. Do any of your exes know each other? Jason and Juan did. Girt and Jason know each other because of me; we all hung out a few times. It's both funny and sad now to know how friendzoned Girt was... ha ha. Sorry man. What’s an opinion you find impossible to take seriously? "Dinosaurs didn't exist." What the fuck are fossils then, bitch. What was the very first election you voted in? I haven't voted in any yet. Do you know how to make omelettes? No. I could probably figure it out, but I don't know for sure. What is your favorite summer month? Fuck summer. What do you want to be for Halloween this year? One of the witches from Hocus Pocus would be super cool, but yeah, I don't have the money to even try to make a costume. Do you have a desk in your room? If so, do you use it as a desk that you sit and work at? No. Do you wear band tees? if yes, which one is your favorite? Yes. I love my Metallica one. It's got a really cool design. Would you ever want to live in a home with all-white walls and furniture? "Not white furniture, no. That seems like it’d be a pain to keep clean." <<< Definitely. Do you have pajama days often? I'm literally always in pjs unless I have to leave the house and get out of the car. There's no point in changing otherwise; I'd just be creating more laundry. What is one thing you’re behind on? Instead of the usual "life in general" answer, I'll make it more interesting. RP. Jesus fucking holy Christ, I am over a year behind in SO MUCH because I just haven't had motivation, all the while plots have grown like mad. Thank god my partners are really damn patient, lol. And/or have other business, too. Do you ever re-arrange your room? No. I HATE moving/changing shit. Do you share a room with anyone? No. Who was your first roommate? Jason, Jacob, and Amanda. What season do you want to get married in? AUTUMN!!!!!!!! FUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Frosting: chocolate or vanilla? Chocolate. Ice cream: chocolate or vanilla? Vanilla. Milkshake: chocolate or vanilla? Chocolate, more often. Do you drink protein shakes? EW that shit mad gross. What was the last type of candy you ate? Uhhhh what was it. I don't have candy a lot now, so uh... I think Airheads? What was the last craft project you completed? It was VERY weakly a "craft," but Sara's first Valentine's Day present. Which is better: starting things or finishing them? Finishing. I start things all the damn time and never finish them. What is the highest name-brand thing you own? Good question. What color GameBoy did you have as a kid? Red. What was your favorite GameBoy game? Hm. I liked a lot. We had a whole case of different ones. I suppose maybe the Spyro one I could never get far into. But I liked it anyway because yeah. Spyro. What was your favorite Backstreet Boys song? "The Call" probably tops the list, but also you're full of shit if you thought "Larger Than Life" wasn't a fuckin BANGER. Damn, "The Shape of My Heart" was great, too. BSB were/are just great, man. Did you ever wonder what it felt like to get slimed? Ha ha you mean like on Nickelodeon? Yup. Did you ever name a pet after an imaginary friend? I never had one. Do you believe in angels and demons? I don't know. I believe in spirits, but I don't know about actual angels and demons. Do you have a PayPal account? No. What race do you consider yourself? ... You can "consider" yourself a race? You don't get to pick that. Whatever, I'm Caucasian. Should unwanted animals in shelters be killed to make room? Fuck that shit. Should cows be killed for human food? See, this is why I want to return to vegetarianism. TECHNICALLY, no. It's murder upon a conscious, feeling, living being. But at the same time, humans are designed as omnivores, and surviving off of a plant-based diet is, sadly, extremely difficult. It's difficult to obtain the proper nutrients and their advised amounts to be healthy. Therefore, I can't confidently answer this question. I wish they didn't have to be, but human civilization would have an incredibly more difficult time continuing with all meat products removed for consumption. Does the technique used to kill an animal matter to you? I mean if I KNEW, yes, but at least from the research I've done, there's no real "humane" method used to kill livestock. Most live in awful conditions/are already unhealthy, too, and that should matter . Should farmers be allowed to cause suffering in animals to save money? Fuck off. Should production of medicines be justification to cause animals to suffer? No. We neeeeeeed to find other ways. Use pedophiles or some shit. Should violence against animals; such as rodeos/ bullfights be legal? Fuck to the hell no. I get some kind of dark pleasure out of hearing about shitheads being gored and stuff for it, honestly. Should homosexuals be allowed to work with children? This shit pisses me the fuck off. Of course they should be. Like I'm sorry, but your children aren't going to be hidden from them forever. Do you believe homosexuality is caused by genetics? Well yeah. You don't get to choose your sexuality; something has to be responsible. Are Americans are truly free, or suffering from controlled freedom? CONTROLLED FREEDOM JFC TRY TO DENY IT. Are there other countries that offer more personal freedoms? Not that I KNOW of. Like yeah, my above answer clearly states I think America could be better, but I don't know I place where it's actually better. Do you trust your government? Fuck no. They hide a lot of shit. Should religious beliefs outweigh science in the making of laws? Lolololololol no, hunny. Separation of church and state. What is one moment that you missed out on that you wished you didn’t? Hm. OH, that solar eclipse that happened I think last year? We saw nothing here. :< Do you or have you ever had braces? For a long time. Got them on, then didn't have the money to take them off for a while. Can you text? Yeah, but not quickly. I am - usually - very thankful for autocorrect. Have you ever had a nervous breakdown? OH BOY HAVE I!!!!!!!!!!!! What are you scared to death of? My mom dying, for one. I DO NOT know what would happen to me. Are you good at art? I'm told so at least; I'm aware I'm at least decent. It also depends on the art form. Are you afraid of needles? Nah. What TV show is the stupidest to you? I honestly had a really big problem (and have, if it's still even on) with the Teen Mom series. Yes, I do in fact believe it made looking like one cooler and more normal than it is. Do you hate being ignored? Yes; I start to think I'm not cared about, badly. Especially if it's family or "friends." Like no, I don't at all expect attention constantly, or even a lot of it, but I think it's only natural people who claim they love you should not pretend they don't know you, particularly when you actually reach out. THEN it hurts. Where do you currently live? North Carolina, please get me out. Do you like marijuana? I wouldn't know. Do you donate to charity? I can't. I seriously don't have money. Where is your favorite place to go out to eat? Olive Garden. What is your favorite TV station? Discovery. Do you think you’re clever? No. Did you wear socks today? No. I avoid wearing socks as much as I can. Know any magic tricks? I don't remember the ones I learned as a kid. Do you sleep well most nights? No. When’s the last time you baked a cake? Never. What’s your preferred frozen snack? Ice cream, yum. Do you work better in a clean or messy environment? CLEAN. It inspires me to do well and with an organized strategy. Do you know any vegans? I don't believe so. Earphones or headphones? I personally prefer earphones since they go into the ear and are just more comfortable than a weight on your head that can move easier. Do you like bananas? Yeah, but the timespan in which I enjoy them is short. They have to be "perfect." What’s a film you’ve seen that confused you? I know there are some, but none are coming to me curr- WAIT NO okay so I saw Warcraft when it came out into theaters, and I barely understood a single thing because the orcs' voices were way too deep. I need to rewatch it with subtitles. Do you ever wear black lipstick? I pretty much always do if I wear lipstick. What would you change about yourself appearance-wise? HEY can I Please fix my fucking weight??? Because I do like everything I can do already & nothing works??? :') How long do you normally spend in the shower? Just short of ten minutes, I think. If you were to get a tattoo, what would it say or what would the graphic be? *opens novel of ideas* Don't make me pick just one. When trick-or-treating as a kid, was there any kind of candy that you didn’t like to get? Tootsie rolls, ew. What is your favorite memory of Christmases past? The time my mom, sisters, and I went to a Christmas light show one night, and we got back to the car only to realize Mom left the keys in there. Sooo while we waited for my drunk dad and brother to come help us, we all chilled on the car's hood with chocolate covered peanuts and THE best hot chocolate. That place is no longer around, and I'll forever be mad tilted about it. What is the most outrageous thing you’ve done for God? Lmfao remember the days I denied evolution and gay rights? Them were the wild times. When you were in grade school, what did you want to be when you grew up? Why? First, paleontologist because I adored (and still adore) dinosaurs, then a vet as I wanted to help animals. In high school, it changed from movie director to game designer. Name the most famous person you’ve had a face to face encounter with. No one. If you could spend 15 minutes with any living person, who would it be and why? Um like have y'all ever heard of this guy named Mark Edward Fischbach because I have time to enlighten you of all the reasons- What article of clothing most closely describes your personality? Pj pants, lmao. Who was your hero when you were a child, and what did you do to be like them? Steve Irwin. I adore animals in general, push very firmly for conservation, and madly support proper education of wildlife, especially your local kinds. How did you learn to ride a bicycle? I had a bike with training wheels at first, then my dad took them off and would jog alongside me, holding the bars and then releasing them after a few moments for me to go on my own. Repeated 'til I got it! Based on something you’ve already done, how might you make it into the Guinness Book of World Records? This is going to be VERY embarrassing to share, but fuck it. I have so little reason to leave my bed that my legs have actually experienced muscle atrophy. My knees especially are extremely prone to awful pain when standing or walking. I don't really have a way to exercise in this tiny house, my road is too sketchy to walk along, and at least this time of year, I physically can't handle the heat if I was to walk in the back yard. I'm dying to go somewhere where I can swim to fix this shit. I could ramble on forever about how painful it is to be on my feet. I'd be happy enough with even just a treadmill. When was the last time you did something for the first time? What was it? Hm. I guess foreplay with a girl. I don't exactly experience new things much. What is your concept of a fruitful day? Actually doing productive shit. If you could rid the world of one thing, what would it be? Violence. What is your best personal characteristic? I am like, incredibly passionate. If I believe in something, you'll know. If I love something, it's to an insane degree. If you had to enter a competition for the “Most Uselessly Unique Talent,” what would your talent be? Being able to hide my thumb under my palm to where it looks like it's entirely non-existent lmao. What is your worst personality characteristic? I am VERY sensitive. I also have a hard time taking criticism without beating my ass up because I feel like I did something "bad." I don't get defensive, I just get hurt. Man, I could go on. There's a lot I don't like about myself. If you had to be a teacher of something, what would you teach? I'd be most interested in teaching science. How would you like to be remembered? I loved ferociously and spoke strong of peace. What is one thing that you constantly think about (other than material things)? The future. Does your country have free healthcare? *points at top five list of things America needs to fucking fix* Does your job allow visible tattoos? N/A How is your road rage? I drive so timidly and rarely that I don't think I really even have a clue. Who are your closest friends and how did you meet them? I'll exclude Sara as she's more than "a close friend." I don't have many close friends otherwise tho, so really... I think only Girt applies. We met in high school band. Well, then there's Alex, but considering she now acts like I don't exist as well, I don't know how close we really are. But anyway, we met in WoW because we were both camping the time-lost protodrake and talking w/ others in the general chat... but she and I really clicked. That was an awesome day. Started some damn adventures with her lmao. Are you still cool with any of your exes? The only two who may still have a problem with me are Jason and Tyler, but I have no bad feelings towards them. What Hogwarts House are you in? I took quizzes once for a survey because I was curious, but I couldn't answer most of the ones I found bc they had HP references I didn't get. But anyway, I think Hufflepuff and Gryffindor were pretty much tied. What’s the next special event in your life? Returning to school. :') Whose birthday is coming up soon? My nephew's. :''''') Do you delete people from Facebook if their views are vastly different than yours? It depends on the views and their severity. Usually I can handle averse opinions if you're actually a friendly person and composed and mature about what you believe and how you express that. What’s your favorite thing to put on bagels? Cream cheese. What’s the most important key on your key ring? I only have one, and that's to my house. What was the last argument you got in about and who was it with? AHAHAHAAHAHA okay so. There was a video on FB of a pet meerkat having its belly rubbed, and it was chirping happily. It was very cute, but especially because this video was on a big page, I commented how awful and unhealthy of an idea it is to have a pet meerkat for both it and yourself. It's illegal in a lot of places for good reason. I got a lot of agreement, but of course there was one imbecile who disagreed enough to tell me to shut the fuck up. Now I am normally very, very terrified of confrontation or even the HINT of it, but for once in my life I couldn't have been more unfazed. At what age did you start picking out your own outfits? I don't know. I've come to find via surveys that I can't really remember events by ages. How spicy do you like your food? Pretty spicy. Spicier than most like, but I don't enjoy it when it's just pure pain. What was the last really intense pain you felt? You know that awwwfuuuulll pinch of pain you sometimes get in your ribs when your lungs expand to a certain, small amount? That. I couldn't take deep breaths for anything. What is the best thing that’s ever happened to you? Recovery from the breakup. What are three things you have been a victim of? Uhhhh. Idk, nothing major. What is your passion? Wildlife conservation, probably more than anything. When was the last time you truly felt alive? Ha, good question. How many siblings do you have? Technically six, but I don't know one at all. Are you married? No. Are you dating someone? Yeah. If not, do you wish you were dating someone? N/A Do you want an indoor or outdoor wedding? I'm not sure. What states (or countries) have you lived in? Just one. Does your first crush know you liked them? No. Do you wish on stars? Nope. Are you happier now than you were 10 years ago? I don't know. I can't really remember exactly what I was like at 13. I think I'm maybe happier now? Are you happier now than you were 5 years ago? Yes. ^If not, why not? N/A ^If yes, why? My depression is under control. Do you live in your dream house? Definitely not. What was your first job? Sales clerk at GameStop. ^Did you like it? No, thanks to feral social anxiety. Have you been bullied? No, very thankfully. What do you wish people knew about you? I sincerely care about my loved ones, a lot, even though I have trouble being the one to reach out first. What health issues do you have? A lot. Don't even feel like putting them all together. Do you still cross paths with your first crush ever? No. What is your favorite Bible verse, and why? None. Do you have a secret nobody knows? Yes. It's nothing major, just little things I don't want to share. Who are some of the most selfish people you have ever met? I don't know. Is there anyone you want back in your life? Yes. What color was the house you grew up in? True shit, I somehow don't remember for sure. I think it was brick? What was the name of the first pet that you loved? Charcoal, a cat, was the first pet I had a serious, deep bond with. Do you receive more insults or compliments? Compliments, I guess. Do you meditate? No. Do you pray? No. Have you ever seen a spirit/ghost/shadowy figure, etc.? I've sure as hell seen something. What would you ask a genie for, if you had three wishes? World peace, end of disease, and the end of poverty. When someone messages you and you know it’s going to be rude, do you ignore it and not read it, or do you read it and reply? Honestly, most of the time, I ignore it. I am so, SO sensitive, so my feelings are super easily hurt by what others have to say. Do you find online drama stressful? Yes. Even more than irl drama because you have to wait painstakingly for them to reply, and you can't hear their tone of voice. How stressful is your life? I'm pretty damn stressed for someone who's trapped inside their house lmao. Was any of your home decor inspired by Pinterest? No. Do you do yoga? No. What is something you have tried and hated? Oral is NOT my jazz. Do you have regrets? Yeah. Are you mad at someone? No. What is this month’s calendar picture? I don't have a calendar. What is your last ex-boyfriend’s or ex-girlfriend’s name? Technically Donald. Do you have an ex-friend that you miss? Yep. What color do you want your wedding dress to be? Most likely black. Would you rather go out for pancakes or steak? Pancakes. I like them more in general, and I'm also suuuper picky with steak. What’s your favorite Ramen noodle flavor? The only kind I've ever liked is the Yakisoba brand of spicy chicken. How do you feel when you read the Bible, if you read it? Encouraged? Angry? I don’t read it. Have you ever suffered from anxiety? I had some anxieties as a little kid, and I was officially diagnosed with it in the 6th grade. Have you ever suffered from depression? Since the 7th grade. What is something a lot of people like but you don’t? Pie is what came to mind first. What’s an uplifting song you like to listen to? "High Hopes" by P!ATD. Think about the person you fell hardest for. Why do you think your feelings for this person were so strong? How is he/she different compared to everyone else you’ve had feelings for? Well, he was my first real love. They're always special. I was fucking crazy for him, and it grew to an unhealthy degree. Trust me, you can love too much. He made me happy when so few could back then, and we had a connection unprecedented in my whole life. He himself felt like my home. I could write you a goddamn novel on why I felt so strongly. Have you ever caught your friend cheating on their boyfriend/girlfriend? If you have, what did you do about it? If you haven’t, what do you think you would do? No. Quite honestly, I'd tell them. I could NOT keep that a secret. Whether they believe me or not, I'm not withholding that from them. When your last relationship ended, how long was it before you felt ready to think about being with someone else? I know this technically sounds bad, but Sara and I started dating the day after I broke up with him. One of the reasons we split is because I realized I liked her. It was so quick because I never had to "move on;" I never came to be truly interested in him romantically. Who was the last person you talked to before you went to sleep last night? Do you remember what you talked about? Sara and I were texting, but I don't remember about what. When are you at your happiest? When I'm with Sara. How many people have you kissed? Three or four. I don't really remember if I ever kissed Girt. How many of those people are you still friends with? Two. Where did you go, the last time you left your house? Mom and I went to multiple places. She had errands to run. Do you like your singing voice? Rarely. I think it fits only a few songs. Are most silences awkward for you? UH-HUH UH-HUH. Name someone you wish you had never met. Why? Jabari. He was scary and almost assaulted someone in my family. Who has the nicest singing voice, that you know personally? Probably Sara. Say something nice about someone you really don’t care for: He loves his kids to death. Ever won school awards? Yes. Do you drink more soda than anything else? Not anymore, thankfully. Do you curse a lot? I curse possibly more than anyone you know. Have you ever been in a courtroom? Yes. Do you eat a lot around Thanksgiving? No. I actually don't like 99% of Thanksgiving food. Were you a chubby child? No. Are you afraid to sing in front of people? Yes. Do you enjoy your family? Yeah. When did you last dance with someone? I forced Sara to last June lmao. Do you feel awkward watching sex scenes? VERY. Did you ever have senior photos done? No. Are your parents protective of you? Mom is for sure. I don't see my father much, and he's changed a LOT since the divorce, so I can't really answer for him. I know he is to some degree, I just don't know how much. Have you ever been bullied? I've had some mean shit said to me, but I don't believe I've ever really been consistently "bullied." Do you ever help decorate during the holidays? No. I just don't have the motivation and don't really care enough to put things up that're only coming down in two months. Do you have carpeted floors? Only my room and my sis's old one. Can you count to ten in another language? German, yeah. Have you ever been arrested? No. Do you always lock your door at night? Yeah. Do you get allowance? No, never did. Do you have a Facebook? Yes. Do you enjoy the presence of children? In most cases, no.

#survey #quiz #questions #random #bored

[superlepato]

With Love from Memory Lane

I want to thank @benalras for correcting my grammar so I would be able to post the chapter today. I was going to actually post it yesterday, but I wasn’t ready.

You can say Hi in AO3 too.

I think I’m the only weirdo that is still posting stuff for the @harringroveweekoflove  

Chapter 1 / Chapter 2

Chapter 3

The next day was charged with excitement and expectations. Everyone knew where they belonged and today they were going to act upon it. Should Billy raise his chin? When would be the right time to posture? Would he be able to growl? He had so many questions that he didn’t ask his father, afraid of ruining the good time they were having, so he let them die in his throat at the moment.

His next worry was Stevie. He hadn’t seen him yesterday after the lecture. How were things between them? Would they change?

Billy went directly to his new locker. As the majority of things in high school, these were set according to the students' labels. The alphas lockers were first, betas (the majority) took the rest of the place, and in case that there were any omegas that year they would be located at the near end since they were a minority and were easy to accommodate that way.

The first class, Language Arts, was one of the classes that didn’t require separating the students by their designation. Stevie would definitely be there; maybe they could sit together.

He was indeed there, sitting next to the window close to the last row.

“Hey! My dad gave more money today. If we put it together with yours we could buy a pile of candy.” He was already imaging a pile of Laffy Taffy, Bubble Yum, and Jelly Belly. Maybe if there was something left they could buy a chocolate cigarette at the store after school.

Stevie was the one that bought most of the candies since his allowance was bigger and more consistent. If they put it together they could buy at least two candies from each of the brands they sold at school but Stevie didn’t share his enthusiasm.

“Dad didn’t give me any money today.” He grumbled on his desk, laying on his arms.

That was weird, one of the things Stevie was well known for was his parents’ money. What they didn’t know at the moment was that it would take three months for his parents to give him his allowance again.

In years to come, he will develop a theory of what must have happened in that strange period of time where Stevie came in a weird mood and without snacks. And also, what could have happened to Hannah.

It was universal knowledge that an alpha couple could only have an alpha kid, maybe a beta one if recessive genes came into collation. Still, they would never be able to have an omega child. Which Steve, unfortunately, ended up being -- only to accidentally prove the blatant infidelity of Mrs. Harrington. Steve just became collateral damage.

Billy could only imagine the fight that had to have been unleashed in that house after Steve showed them his test and schedule that needed to be signed.

Billy doesn’t know what kind of agreement they came up with, but the fact was the Harringtons didn’t divorce and still lived in the house. Well... they still stopped by the house when they were in town.

Frederick Harrington never denied Steve, never disowned him or physically hurt him after the events, but something changed after that day. The time he spent at work went on to the point of spending days or even weeks without setting foot in the house. His relationship with Steve started becoming uncomfortable, cold and denaturalized.  Understandable to a point if you consider that Steve’s presence reminded him of that infidelity and the fact that he raised a bastard all this time.

Martha Harrington was kind of a mystery. Nobody knew much about her past. She just showed up (a few times over the years she would share bits of her past with a glass of wine in her hand ). She wasn’t emotionally open, just a hard working woman even before meeting who would then become her husband, which might be why many of the adults at the time were surprised that she even had the time to have an affair.

He supposed that she did care for her son in her own way. But still, Billy wasn’t going to forget or forgive them easily for how they neglected Steve.

Those first weeks of school Billy took the lead and persuaded Stevie to play.

If the Harringtons home was chaos, the school wasn’t much better. You see, Billy wasn’t the only one that cared about displaying the proper behavior according to your designation. A few weeks after the start of school, you could see the attempts of several classmates to establish dominance over others and ensure a good position in the hierarchy of the classroom, and Stevie became an easy target as a result.

People weren’t prone to ignore the fact that Steve was the only male omega in the classroom, so a bit of taunt was to be expected. That was what he thought at the time, and why he didn’t intervene at that moment, mostly because he agreed with most of the things that were said.

I was a little bigoted shit, and again, I’m sorry, Steve.

They were playing basketball during recess and Stevie fell, scraping his knee. Not a big deal, it wasn’t the first time that any of them hurt a part of their body. He was wrong, because when the homeroom teacher found out, all of them were lectured on how they shouldn’t play so roughly with an omega, to the point of quoting the saying “you don’t touch an omega even with the petal of a rose”, which he always thought  was a stupid thing to say. Anyway, that crap ended up hurting Stevie more than any other game of basketball.

The teacher’s good intentions backfired after that day. Stevie wasn’t allowed to play with them, nobody wanted to be responsible for “hurting” an omega. Steve would end up being by himself all grumpy during recess until a teacher encouraged him to play with the omega girls.

Billy and Stevie would play together at Stevie’s home like always as if nothing had changed in their little world. They would still play outside and wrestle in the bathtub but Stevie never cried or decided to stop playing with him over a bruise or a scrape, and even though he knew that Steve was equally tough as any other kid, the boundaries were set, what happened at home stayed at home and what happened at school stayed at school.

Anyway, the teacher’s solution would never be permanent. First, because Steve didn’t have anything in common with those girls apart for their designation, and second, the “solution” only brought another problem -- Stevie was baptized with a new nickname after his new found fragility.

Stevie Queenie. It wasn’t a secret that Billy called Steve “Stevie” (it was that Steve called him Silly Billy), but he was the only one allowed to do that. After the taunting and some weak nicknames, that was the one that stuck in everyone’s minds.

Steve didn’t allow him to call him Stevie again after that.

One of the bigger problems at school was the fact that Billy didn’t do anything to defend him for a while, especially because for once Steve fought back. Maybe it was that Billy didn’t intervene, or how annoying and persistent the other could get, but Steve grew a backbone out of it.

One day, Steve just had enough of it.

It happened during recess. Billy was working on his homework so he would have less things to do at home. He tuned out the noise, so he didn’t know how it actually started. But basically, what happened was that a group of boys were talking about collectible cards or something, and that lead to what someone’s cousin said, which then led to that cousin’s job. This ended with them touching the topic of the future jobs they were going to have as adults, and then Michael told Andrew that he couldn’t be a professional football player because they were mostly alphas, the betas players weren’t as famous or popular to count. That lead to how betas would always marry other betas, until David, Jason or Mark (the name changed every time the story was told) said that the only omega that Andrew could have was Steve. Immediately, a series of eww’s, nooo’s and giggles exploded.

Billy doesn’t know how much of it Steve heard, but he did, and he proved it when he stood up from his seat and punched Andrew in the face, pushed Michael off his seat, and probably would have done the same with the rest of the group if Jason hadn’t stopped him.

Billy stood up when he saw Steve struggling and Jason about to do something while holding him. The teacher wasn’t there at the moment, so the fight easily went out of hand, and it didn’t stop until Jason was crushed under the two-door metal locker they used to store school supplies.

The only reason why the Millers didn’t take that incident to a whole new level was because legally confronting the Harringtons would’ve been unsuccessful, and because it would have to be made public that their son was being an asshole with a bunch of other kids to the only male omega in town (and were too cowardly to take full responsibility and do more than pointing fingers at each other), and also because Jason wasn’t seriously injured.

Everyone got a warning, the teachers got scared, and Steve wasn’t talking to him for a reason he couldn’t understand --I mean, I defended him, why was I having the silent treatment?

#stranger things #steve harrington #billy hargrove #harringrove #omega steve harrington #alpha billy hargrove #a/b/o au #my writing #with love from memory lane #first kiss au #harringroveweekoflove

[joyofcrime-elinorhigh]

Scary Godmother: Halloween Spooktacular REVIEW:

Hello there, everybody. My name is JoyofCrimeArt and Halloween is right around the corner. Enjoy it while you can because the minute Halloween is over you know that big business and mass media are going to start bombarding us with Christmas music and advertisements twenty four seven, (assuming they even wait that long.) But regardless of that THIS time of year is celebrated with candy, pumpkin spiced everything, and of course Halloween specials. You got your Charlie Brown's and your Over the Garden Wall's and such, but if you ever watched Cartoon Network during the month of October during the early to mid two thousands their is one special you must of at least glimpsed at least once. That special is Scary Godmother: Halloween Spooktacular!.......Ah, I see what you did there, it's a pun on... yeah, well played special.

In case you don't know Scary Godmother is an animated CGI Halloween TV special created by Rainmaker Entertainment in 2004. It is based on the children's book and comic series of the same name created by Jill Thompson. This special was a staple of Halloween on Cartoon network for many years and even got a sequel entitled "Scary Godmother: Jimmy's Revenge" the following year. Now is this special any good. Ehhh-Ye-No....Sorta? Let's talk about it.  The first thing you'll notice about this film is it's animation. It's...not the best looking by today's standards for sure. CGI from this era is definitely dated by this point, but it's hard to blame the special for it's animation given that it was only 2004. Plus the special does offer up it's own sort of style in many respects. The character designs on the humans aren't very good, as a lot of the time they do just looked like pallet swapped versions of the same model, but the designs of the actual monsters later in the special are really creative looking, just like in the books. Plus they do this neat thing where a lot of the backgrounds will be hand drawn illustrations and certain props will have a cool "pop-up book" element to them. So yeah, the animation is pretty dated, but I'm glad that they did something to make it have it's own unique look. So I can forgive it for the most part.  The special opens up on Halloween night as we see three kids, Daryl, Bert, and Katie dressed in Halloween garb outside of the haunted "Spookhouse." Katie is dressed up as a cat, which is sensible enough, but Daryl is dressed up as a piece of candy, Bert is a baseball driver in his SUV. It's dumb and cheesy but in a charming and kinda amusing kind of way. Anyway, then we Jimmy appear on top on a tombstone dressed in his devil pajamas, but he is quickly knocked off of the stone be the light from a flashlight held by his younger cousin, Hannah, our main protagonist for the story.  Now here is where things start to get a bit odd. Jimmy asks why Hannah is flashing the flashlight around, and then the three other kids jump in calling for a "flashback." Now some fourth wall humor isn't the weird thing, but what's weird is the fact that we don't actually get any real "flashback." instead we get a scene of the characters reenacting a scene where Hannah's parents give Hannah the flashlight with Daryl and Katie playing the part of Hannah's parents. But the thing is, 1.) Jimmy and Hannah clearly came to the Spookhouse separately from the other three kids because they show up afterwards, so there's no way that Katie and Daryl could of known the specifics of how Hannah got the flashlight. 2.) Jimmy was in the flashback, picking Hannah up before going trick-or-treating! So how was he confused by Hannah's flashlight? He saw Hannah's parents give the flashlight to Hannah! I mean I suppose he might not have been paying much attention to what Hannah was doing since Jimmy wasn't in the exact shot where Hannah's Dad (played by Daryl.) gave Hannah the flashlight, but still! Also then there's like this wipe, where Hannah comments that that was close to how it all went down. With, Bert even being annoyed he didn't have a role in the flashback, so I'm not even sure if that scene even happened at all! It's hard to explain but it's a really bizarre scene. Point is, Hannah's dad gave Hannah the flashlight, saying that light from a flashlight could scare away monsters.  Anyway, while Hannah is off flashing her flashlight around Jimmy talks to his friends. Jimmy comes with the idea to trick Hannah into enetering the old Spookhouse. That way Hannah would run home scared and they could trick-or-treat without her, since there "big kids" and she isn't. The other three are against it at first but end up being tempted into evil by the silly devil hoodie clad little boy. So they tell Hannah that there is a monster in the Spookhouse, and every Halloween the new kid must go inside and give the monster a piece of candy or else the monster will come out and eat every kid in the world. So Hannah goes into the house, and is tricked into thinking the house is full of monster due to Jimmy's amazing work at creating hand shadows.

I DON'T CARE WHO YOU ARE OR HOW GOOD YOU ARE, HANDS DO NOT WORK THAT WAY!  Anyway the big kids run outside the house leaving Hannah in, holding down the door knob so she can't run away. Even though the whole plan was to make her run away. They just want to traumatized the kid a little more. Y'know, for the lol's and such. Anyway Hannah starts crying until suddenly her Scary Godmother appears! Hannah is at first to sad to even notice this, but eventually Scary Godmother is able to get her attention. Now you may be wondering what is a Scary Godmother, and the answer to that is obvious! It's..um...I guess there like Fairy Godparent's but...spoopier? Or something? I dunno, it's not really touched upon much. All that matter's is that Scary Godmother is going to kidnap-I mean-invites Hannah to her home on the "Fright Side" for her Halloween party, so she can introduce Hannah to all of her monster friends in order to help her get over her fear of monsters.  We get this weird scene where Scary Godmother has Hannah get on her broom and they fly up the chimney and into the sky to get to the Fright Side. They fly through this weird cloud monsters mouth and then end up there, but what I don't get is if Hannah flew up the chimney how come none of the big kids saw her? Also later in the film they don't seem to need to fly back in order to get back into the Spookhouse. I figured that the Fright Side was tied to the Spookhouse but they seem to be flying away from the house in order to get there. WHAT ARE THE RULES HERE! NO, YOU'RE OVER THINKING THIS!  Anywho they end up in Scary Godmother's house located on in the Fright Side. I like the design of the house, it oozes Halloween and the pop up book aesthetic really shines here. Scary Godmother begins introducing Hannah to all of her friends. Starting with her "Broommate." (Yeah, I hope you like puns, cause you're going to be getting a lot before this 44 minute film is over.) Mr. Pettibones, a Skeleton who lives in peoples closets. Much like Pearl from Steven Universe his main personality trait...is being really gay. *OH MY GOD, IT WAS A JOKE, PLEASE DON'T KILL ME STEVEN UNIVERSE FANS* I swear as a kid I never got the joke that he was suppose to be a skeleton "in the closet." but it's actually kinda clever looking back on it now. And all joking aside he's not a bad character. He does act as the sassy gay best friend to Scary Godmother but he is a funny character who has a role in the story. He's the one setting up most of the party. Mr. Pettibones also explains more to Hannah that not all monsters are bad.  We then cut back to Deryl, Bert, Katie and Jimmy waiting outside of the house waiting for Hannah to come out screaming, annoyed that it's taking so long and-OMG WHAT THE HECK!

We get a Black Hannah and what I think is just a literal clone of Katie, except she's in a bee costume. Who cares about this story, I want to know about the secret underground cloning lab that exists in this town! Anyway as I said the big kids are waiting for Hannah and Daryl and Katie are trading candy, because they decided to trick-or-treat a little before meeting up with the rest of the gang. Katie offers Deryl a piece of candy for "three kisses." And they go in to kiss before Bert interrupts them. I wonder where this romantic subplot will lead........  (It leads nowhere.)  Back on the Fright Side it's time for Hannah to meet another one of Scary Godmother's monster friends. This time a werewolf (or is it wolf man?) named Harry. Harry is...pretty much the worse. He's dumb, arrogant, rude, and overall self absorbed, with food being the main thing on his mind as he mooches off all of his friends. And I'm not saying this as an insult to the film, because the film acknowledges it! Nobody in the film likes this guy! And to be fair he's not too annoying to the audience, as he seems far more annoying to the characters in the film, but still. It's weird why they even bother inviting this guy. Even when Harry isn't doing something wrong everyone at the party seems to have disdain for him, which in some ways makes me actually feel bad for him. But then he does something else selfish or annoying to make me feel less sympathy towards him, which I guess is good since the film isn't trying to make him sympathetic I guess? You'll see more as I go forward with the review, but yeah. Harry is THAT guy. The guy we all know, the friend that we don't like but we just got to put up with.  Harry goes up to Hannah thinking that she is an actress in his favorite "Skelevision" show. (Ha Ha! The puns have returned!) I wonder where this subplot of Harry thinking Hannah is an actress will lead........  (It leads nowhere.)  Though I do appreciate the film diverting from the cliche "Vampires vs Werewolves" rivalry, instead opting for a "Skeletons vs Werewolves" rivalry, which makes a lot more sense when you think about it. Though this rivalry probably has less with race and more with everyone hating Harry.  So after that it's time for the next guest to arrive. We get the vampiric couple of Count Max, Ruby, and their son Orson. Wait a minute....Max....Ruby.... 

 MY GOD!  Scary Godmother invites the vampires in. (Because vampires can't enter a house uninvited.) and Hannah starts befriending Orson. It's a really cute scene and makes some great use of a rotating camera angles. Orson is also really fun with his awkward childishness contrasting the fact that he is a vampire. Hannah and Orson's friendship just feels like a genuine friendship in the way kids there age becomes friend. (Also it's a better love story then Twilight, am I right? Yuk Yuk Yuk?)  Oh and there's also a pointless chase scene...moving on.  Also throughout the film Harry keeps becoming incapacitated. First he get's peanut butter stuck to the roof of his mouth making him unable to talk earlier in the special, and then he get's hypnotized into a trance by Count Max.  We then get our next guest, the monster named Bug-A-Boo. A giant multi-eyed fanged monster. I love his design due to it's uniqueness and while he's not actually scary looking to the audience, if you where to imagine this thing being in the real world it would be terrifying. And Hannah agrees with me as Bug-A-Boo is the monster that causes her to finally freak out. And can you blame her. One of his teeth is the SIZE OF HANNAH!

Also there's a genuinely funny bit with Hannah screaming, then Scary Godmother telling her to breath. She breaths and then starts screaming again. Good stuff.  Anyway another chase scene begins and Hannah tries to shine the flashlight on Bug-A-Boo. Only to find out it doesn't have any effect. Scary Godmother lies to Hannah telling her that flashlights only work on monsters who live in the closet, not under the bed. Hannah says she wants Bug-A-Boo to leave and he begins to comply. This is when she see's that looks don't matter, and that Bug-A-Boo is actually nice. Though is he that nice? We learn that his job is to scare children by hiding under there beds, which is pretty much the same thing that the big kids do to Hannah, and their treated as the villains. Also do you think whatever company Bug-A-Boo works for is a rival company with Monsters Inc?  With all of the guest arrived the monsters and Hannah begin their Halloween party. We cut back to the big kids and theirs a bizarrely funny bit with a Bert saying that his "Door is ajar." there's no logical reason I find it funny, but I do. Also that cut to the big kids lasted exactly 19 and a half seconds and only exists to do the "Door is ajar" bit. WORTH IT! Then we get a very brief dance sequence with the monsters and then cut BACK to the big kids. Because...why not? The night is ending and the big kids have, for all intensive purposes ended. Katie wants to go an rescue Hannah but Jimmy is insistent on waiting for her to come out of the house on her own.  Jimmy you're plan isn't very good! You have your little cousin run into an old abandoned house that has a frickin' GRAVE YARD it it's front yard, and then spend like, hours, waiting for her to run out. Why not just go in there and see if she's scared? If she is she'll probably agree to have you take her home. I means she's must of been there for a while since all of the houses are turning there lights off, so if she wasn't scared before what would make you think that she's be scared now. What do you think she's been doing this whole time?! You wasted your whole Halloween on faulty logic! If you wanted to get more Trick-or-Treating done you should of just cut your loses and given up long before now! But no, you still hold on to this plan. What is she was attacked by a murderous clown or something!? Who knows what kind of non supernatural threats could be inside this creepy old house. Jimmy you are so stupid!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SgxYUxqcg1Q

Ugh! So anyway Jimmy says that they should continue with his idiotic plan because he's the leader, and all of the big kids get into an argument on who the leader is. There's a bit decide to do a vote on who should be leader and they each get one vote each. Bert and Jimmy vote for themselves and Katie and Daryl vote for each other. (Which is a cute moment and the one of the only bits of continuation for their "romantic subplot.") Then if that wasn't pointless enough we get a scene of Bert demanding recounts and Daryl recounting the votes. Granted the scene is kinda funny, but I would be lying if I said it wasn't pointless.  Back in the Fright Side we get more interactions between our colorful cast of characters, and we get to see a bit more of Hannah and Orson and also some interactions with Max and Ruby. We get to see Max is sort of introverted and behind the times. He wants to be, in his own words, "groovy." I like Count Max a lot because of this and most lines from him get a pretty good laugh out of me. He's kinda like a less silly version Count Dracula from the Hotel Transylvania series. Again, it's good stuff.  So then it turned out that Harry, the Scumbag Steve of the monster world, has eaten all of the buffet. (Though in Harry's defense, before this scene none of the other monsters where letting him eat any of the buffet, which does seem a bit unfair. It further goes to show how odd it is that they even invited him if he wasn't even allowed to partake.) So now that there's no food left And thus Bug-A-Boo suggests that they should order pizza. And thus we begin the pizza sub plot! I call it the sub plot because the whole pizza scene takes up a total of four minutes (not counting the cut back to the big kids that occurs in the middle of said subplot.) and contributes almost nothing to the story! I know that four minutes does not sound like much, and it really isn't, but consider the fact that the special is only 44 minutes long. So that's an eleventh of your whole story! Keep that in mind.    So we then get a scene where we learn that Bug-A-Boo and Hannah both like pizza with extra cheese and olives on it. Further cementing that fact that Bug-A-Boo is nice and doesn't eat little girls. Proving that no matter how different people look or act we can all bond over are love for pizza. World peace is truly a possibility here folks.  So they have Harry order the pizza's because they clearly haven't learned there lesson by this point and he ordered twelve pizza's, and Scary Godmother doesn't have enough money to pay for it. There's a funny bit where the pizza delivery boy offers to give them the pizza's on the house is Scary Godmother gives him her soul, but she declines. Scary Godmother, Mr. Pettibones, and Hannah try to get some money by taking all the money that got stuck to Bug-A-Boo from being under the beds all day. Hooray for stealing money from your friends! (Which he accidentally stole from children!) Also the pizza's are said to cost about 200 dollars, and Hannah even mentions finding a 50 dollar bill. I know Bug-A-Boo goes under a lot of kids beds but how many kids who are young enough to be scared of monsters under the bed really have that much money under there beds. Even I've never seen a fifty dollar bill before, and I'm way older then those kids would be!  So then Scary Godmother chastises Harry for buying to many pizza's, telling him that he's going to make it up to her by working for her until he makes up the money. This is actually a major plot point in the second special, if you can believe that. Also Harry doesn't get any of the pizza. Poor Harry. If only he wasn't so darn awful I wouldn't feel so conflicted in feeling bad for him!  There's also a funny joke where Count Max recalls an old conversation he had. "-But other then that, Mrs. Lincoln, how did you enjoy the show!" It's funny because her husband was shot right in front of her...oh, now I've bummed myself out.  Then Hannah tells the monsters why she's here, and gives Bug-A-Boo a piece of candy in exchange for not eating everyone in the world and that's when the monsters tell Hannah that she had been lied to by Jimmy. We also learn that Jimmy is one of the kids on Bug-A-Boo's route and that even big kids get scared. Then Scary Godmother comes up with a plan to get back at Jimmy. It's time to go Toy Story on those fools.  Outside the Spookhouse the big kids finally decide to enter the house, even though by now they seem scared to enter it themselves, which would make a logical reason why they didn't go in to get Hannah by now, except they where in the Spookhouse earlier in the film when Jimmy was making his magical shadow puppets. They walk inside and see Orson, thinking he's just a kid in a costume. Orson get's mad that they don't think that he's a vampire and called out his parents form the closet, as Count Max and Ruby say that there going to eat the big kids. They run in fear from the actual vampires and end up coming across all the other monsters all threatening to eat the kids. Harry ends up actually trying to eat Daryl thinking that he's a actual piece of candy. So that's one potential human casualty that could of occurred as part of this plan. They then find Hannah and Hannah uses her flashlight to "defeat" the monsters, as every time she points the flashlight at one of the monsters they pretend to die. Scary Godmother even frickin' melts. The big kids end up running out of the house scared and Scary Godmother gives Hannah a magic key, telling her that if she ever wants to return to the Fright Side she can, and all that she would have to do is use that key on any door. Jimmy asks if Hannah wants to hold his hand for "her protection" and she agrees. The special ends on the valuable moral that "Revenge is great!"  So in conclusion, is Scary Godmother: Halloween Spooktacular any good, and is it worth watching? Ehhhhhh, I think it depends on who you are. This special, from a technical standpoint, isn't that great. There are a ton of flaws with it. The animation is dated, the special is overall pretty plotless, there is a ton of filler, and some of the choices made by the characters don't make to much sense. So if you want a special that is better on a more technical level, one with better story, animation, ect. then this special probably won't be your cup of cider. But if you have nostalgia for the special, or if you don't mind some cheesiness and just want a fun but kinda dumb special that will put you in the Halloween mood, you might end up enjoying it. I had more fun watching this special for this review then I expecting to be honest with you. So maybe consider checking it out sometime.  What do you think of Scary Godmother? What do you think of the sequel (which I hope to review next Halloween, from what I remember it's one of the few sequels that is better than the first one, though that not that difficult considering this special.) Leave your thoughts in the comments down bellow, I love to hear what you guys think. Any suggestions for things I should review. Suggest them down bellow and maybe I'll do em' if I find them interesting enough. Please fav, follow, and comment if you like my review and have a great day and Happy Halloween!  ...Oh, and did you know that Scary Godmother is played by Rarity from MLP:FIM? And Hannah is Princess Cadance? It's weird. (I do not own any of the images or videos in this review all credit goes to there original owners.)

#Scary Godmother #Cartoon Reviews #Halloween #2000's #Review

[impfiltration-archive]

@pafallende​ liked for a thing after the holts are kidnapped, shiro is rather susceptible to katie’s tears

Katie had never felt so small. 

It was more than just her size. Humans scaled on the smaller side throughout this grand universe; the girl has stood before giants, and her confidence was never this shaken. 

She’s trembling like a scared animal, now—curled up on herself and trying not to cry. Neither of her parents had ever spoken about feelings as some kind of shameful act; in fact, they were quite insistent about expressing yourself. Katie did not like to cry, though. One time, when she was enrolled in the private institute for prospective engineers in the albidax system, she cried and everyone laughed.

Her face was ugly when her eyes were all puffy and her skin turned blotchy; what’s more, she was pathetic for wailing like she was still an infant.  

Tears were fine when they were absorbed by her mother’s lap, but not in the big, open halls of the central precinct. That shame shouldn’t be as palpable as it is now—not after the fresh trauma of a home invasion. However, it seems like that one string of pride is keeping Katie from shrieking ugly, high-pitched cries and tearing at whatever’s around her. The method is only barely working, though—there’s little, needling tears making their way down her reddening face, and Katie keeps sniffling. 

As plush as her seat might be, there’s not anymore cushion for her to sink into; instead, Katie just tries hiding her face behind her knees. Whenever she closes her eyes, the masked figures are tearing through her room again—it’s better to just barely peek over her legs, then stare at the floors as all the noise of the precinct plays overhead.  

There’s footsteps, chatter, and lots the ringing. Katie hopes there’s something about her family throughout all the chitchat and calls. Maybe someone spotted the shuttle that took them, or the investigators already figured out who ransacked her home—yet no one comes to talk to her. Everyone just keeps walking by, doing nothing that might help her family.

It’s all just a bunch of other nonsense. 

Her gaze hardens, but before any agitation can really consolidate, a hand settles on her shoulder. Katie sits up instantly and her head snaps to the right. It’s Shiro and Katie has never felt so much relief in that exact moment. Her wide, frightful eyes crinkle into something soft as she surges from her caved-in position to cling onto the man, all the while crying, “Shiro!”

The hug is awkward—the girl wound up standing up on her knees, and was practically spilling out of her chair. She trapped Shiro in an odd stance, too. His left arm is stuck to his side, now, and he’d been standing at an angel. It hardly matters, though, as his relief was also immense. He winds up settling his free-hand around her shoulders, then squeezes just enough to provide some comfort. 

It’s upsetting to find out she’d just been left out here. There’s a well of shame that’s been pooling in the recesses of his mind, and it just ended up even deeper. Not only did he fail his post, but he also left his youngest and now only charge to in some lobby. 

Not like he had much choice with the latter-half. The intruders had used sedatives—Shiro could barely move by the time any reinforcements arrived, he was lucky he could be treated at the precinct instead of being hauled over to the hospital.

There’s no convincing him of any immunity, though. A good guard wouldn’t have let intruders get past the front doors, must less stick him full of tranquilizers. Shiro even felt a pinch of shame over how eagerly Katie received him. Given the circumstances, she should be screaming at him. Being terminated by a twelve year old would be a fitting end to his time as a personal guard. 

He buries all that ignominy in the wake of Katie’s abject state, though; she’s obviously scared, confused, and in need of consolation. Yet he can’t think of anything to say besides a long series of apologies. 

I’m sorry I didn’t stop them. I’m sorry I didn’t protect your family. I’m sorry you were left alone. I’m sorry your father put so much faith in someone that failed him.

His hand moves from between her shoulder-blades to the back of her head, and Shiro hopes that somehow conveys at least a fraction of his remorse. Katie just peels her face away from his side to reveal a snotty, tearful look. It pierces straight through his heart and drops it somewhere at his feet. She looks so fragile, his blood boils when he remembers the intruder that had picked her up—kicking and screaming—by her hair. 

“Takashi,” she only ever used his first name when serious, and her voice was as pitiful as her face, “I don’t want to be here anymore.”

Katie’s grip had loosened enough for Shiro to crouch down more around eye-level. His own hues are watery but the man’s jawline is tight; he’s trying to maintain a calm facade for Katie’s sake. He cups her face with one hand, and says in earnest, “I know, we just have to stay here a little longer while they figure things out. They need to decide who’ll be taking care of you.” 

Immediately, Katie is whimpering, “I don’t want to be sent to some place! I want my family.”

Were this situation more mundane, Shiro might remind her that “young adults” don’t whine. This isn’t the place to assert etiquette; if anything, Shiro wishes he could cave in to her doe eyes. If only he could pull the Holts out of his pocket like an extra piece of candy. Unfortunately, Shiro can’t succumb to her sniffles, or even the way her little hand rest over his.

He might as well been curb-stomped. 

“I’m sorry, Katie,” somehow, he keeps his voice from wavering, but there’s no denying just how soft it just went, “you’ll need to stay somewhere while they look for your family.”

Her bottom lip trembles and Katie pulls away from him before more or less crumbling into the armrest. Shiro could hear some muffled hiccuping, meaning Katie had finally broken into full-blown sobbing. He’s taken aback for a tick—unsure whether this is a cue to give her space or smother her in his arms. Neither option sound quite right, so Shiro opts to brush back her hair as he whispers ever so gently, “Hey, they’ll probably send you to Kaylana. You know she’ll take good care of you until your family is rescued.”

Her head shifts, like she had been shaking it no, then she speaks in a muffled tone, “But she lives so far away. They’re probably just going to send me somewhere on Earth. What if the kidnappers come back? What if I end up with someone who’ll just use me for dad’s name?”

Shiro felt something fold over in his gut. He wants to pat her back until these dramatics subside, but there’s no denying that there is some validity to Katie’s worries. The kidnapping was very clearly a coordinated attack, and what’s more, the kidnappers had aimed for all the Holts. 

Sam made sense. Shiro only ever stood outside the meeting hall or lab doors, but that man had dealings with almost every colony in this quadrant and Central Command. He had enough clout to be a prime target for rebels and foolhardy bounty hunters. If someone had targeted not just him, but his whole family, then something nefarious was brewing, and Katie was apart of it.

A second kidnapping was likely, and if not, then there were plenty of low-leveled officials that would see her being orphaned as a chance to bolster their career. Taking custody of a Holt child would put them in the favor of dozens of different diplomatic figures.

Admittedly, Shiro can feel his sense of reason start to fray at the edges. These concerns had standing, but they were based off the assumption that her case would only be treated haphazardly. He can imagine why Katie feels that way after she’s been left here all alone, and he tries not to agree. 

Again, he smooths out her hair. It’s getting harder and harder to steel his expression into something cool and collected, He’s only managing it now because Katie is crying into the armrest. “That isn’t going to happen. You’ll be protected, I promise.”

Shiro bites his lip when Katie shows the white of her eyes. They’re wet, puffy, and continuously overflowing with fat teardrops. “Does that mean you’re staying with me?”

His reluctance to answer or even meet her eyes in answer enough. Katie sits up again; by this point, she’s well past pride, and feels no shame in exposing her ugly crying face. “But who’s suppose to protect me then? You promised you’d always be there.”

Shiro winces at that. He knows the exact moment she’s talking about, too—back when she was much younger, and he had first been assigned to the Holts. He had made a big, noble pledge about how he’d protect her from all monsters and creeps, and this is the first time he ever regretted it. “I’m.. not going to be assigned to you anymore after tonight.” 

He failed. And Sam had been the only thing keeping him from some military outpost. The Garrison scored him as perfect solider material, and various generals had hounded after him before Sam made a request for a personal guard. Shiro does not mention this; that’s not Katie’s problem, and this is a fate he deserves at this point. 

Katie didn’t care about any of Shiro’s brooding though, and she grapples onto one of his arms like it might’ve been a stuffed animal that was being taken away from her. “No, you can’t leave me!”

He winds up with an armful of snot, but Shiro only moves to try and calm her. Katie’s hold turns into a death grip, and eyes seethed with a sound dissent at Shiro’s quiet, little, “Katie.”

“You’re suppose to protect me! You can’t leave me here-- They’re going to send me to someplace horrible, or the kidnappers are just going to come back. Please, Shiro, don’t leave me here.”

She was picture-perfect is someone ever wanted to phorogrpah desperation. Shiro stared right into those tearful, honey eyes and felt a little bit of his soul wither away. 

He closed his own eyes and sighed something long and tired. Shiro wanted to remind himself that he was too close to the situation. He was reading into it, just trying to insert himself back into the narrative. There’s the clanking of metal boots somewhere behind them that catches his attention instead. Of course, it was a Galra solider (That clanking was always a precursor to being berated at the Garrison). For a second, she seemed to be heading for them—perhaps to act as escort for Katie to some actual accommodations—but the woman simply passes through. Probably making some rounds; you could always find a solider or sentry on patrol in any big or heavily-populated space. 

Either way, she was just another body in this hall of white noise. 

Shiro’s eyes still trail after the solider for a handful of moments, though. He eyed her armor specifically, and felt bile raise in his throat at the sight of it. Despite all his shame, Shiro can’t quite stomach the thought of being fitted into his own armor (His doubts with the empire were repressed somewhere in his subconscious, then masked over with simple repulsion). It almost happened to him once already, but Sam had saved him from that fate. 

Now his daughter was clinging onto him like he was her lifeline, begging for his help with every fiber of her being. 

Shiro looks back into her eyes and sees a reflection of Sam. All the sudden, Shiro feels the flighty sense of impulse in his chest steel over, and scans the whole of the lobby. There’s all sorts of people—either milling about or working at different terminals, but no one’s paying attention to them. It would take something obnoxious or truly suspicious to draw any eyes. 

Keeping his voice low, Shiro carefully eases his arm out of Katie’s grip, and mutters under his breath, “Keep your head down low and don’t make any sound.”

Katie’s brows raise up with momentary confusion before she nods. Her tears are finally thinning out, and she sniffles one last time as Shiro stands back up. As big as Katie might be getting, Shiro can still pick her up like she’s six. Katie easily fits into the position, and tucks her head into the space between Shiro’s shoulder and neck—just as he instructed.

She also digs her fingers into the collar of her uniform, and Shiro settles his hand against the back of her hand in turn. This way, her hair wouldn’t be noticeable. He doesn’t waste any further time situating her; Shiro pivots around, then makes his way to the main doors. His pace was brisk pace, but not too much so.

Being nonchalant was key here. There was a little bubble of paranoia forming in his chest, and Shiro imagines Katie is experiencing the same anxiety—her grip was getting tighter and tighter. There were dozens of people in their peripherals, and all all they had to do was notice her. Shiro just swallows hard and keeps his eyes forward; he could already see the nighttime sky through the glass doors. 

Once he got Katie through them, it was just a matter of finding a shuttle and leaving before anyone noticed they were gone. He been trained to fly just about any standard ship, and stealing one from the precinct lot wouldn’t be hard—security was minimal unless you were in a military facility. 

Step by step, Shiro made a sort of catalog of things they’d need immediately, and how to get his hands on them (He had practice when he was young, and dreamt about running away to live in nebulous clouds).

As nerve-wrecking as every step was (Traitor, traitor, traitor), there’s no denying the burst of excitement that Shiro felt when the cool, night air finally hit them. He rubs reassuring circles into Katie’s back as that giddiness starts to mix with his neuroticism into a manic cocktail.

He’s finally escaping. 

They just need to get out of here before he’s found kidnapping a diplomat’s daughter. 

#[ DRABBLE ╰☆] #v; runaway child #pafallende #no proofreading we die like men

[notsugarandspice]

Take it back!

Read it on AO3.

for @itfandomweek prompt: Break Up/Divorce

Reddie, Rated G, Fluff and Crack, Henry Bowers is a piece of shit

“You’re breaking up with me?”

“Yeah. So just take it.”

“What? No-”

“Eddie, take it, I don’t want it anymore.”

“You didn’t even eat it! It’s Sour Apple! It’s my favorite!”

“Yeah, okay. Why don’t you give it to Myra, she looks like she could use twenty more boxes of these to totally complete your mom’s look.” Richie stalled off to the other side of the playground.

“You take that back, Tozier, that was so mean!” A couple of kids turned their heads to look in Eddie’s direction, eyes all googly as if they’ve never heard a kid scream. Eddie stuck his tongue out at all of them, and they turned away, whispering among themselves.

Eddie was so enraged at this point that the only logical solution was to stomp his foot and throw the green ring on the ground. The candy shattered in every direction but Eddie’s shriek was what made Richie turn around, his mouth opening in shock.

“Yeah, go ahead! You broke it just like you broke my heart.”

Eddie started in Richie’s direction, pointing his finger towards his ex-husband’s form that was now walking away from him. “I kissed you on the cheek. I only kiss my mom on the cheek!”

Richie turned around and walked back towards Eddie, his hands shaking, face red from exasperation. “Boo hoo, Eds. You’re the one holding hands with Myra all over the place.”

“She asked me to hold her hand to make Dylan jealous! I’m her friend, why wouldn’t I?!” Eddie was basically spitting all over Richie’s glasses at this point, standing on his tippy toes because he could not allow himself to be smaller in this situation. Divorce is life and death, and Eddie’s not a cheater.

“Because she likes you, Eddie, everyone knows that! Are you really that stupid?” Richie pushed on Eddie’s temple lightly.

Eddie swatted the hand away, and his eyes started to well up with tears. It doesn’t matter. I don’t like her. “Don’t call me stupid! And I don’t like Myra! So stop being such a turd!”

“You are stupid! You gave me a ring! Was that all fake?” It was a miracle Mrs. Peterson didn’t hear them yet - most kids were circled around the farthest edge of the playground where the fight was taking place and not on the swings in the middle of the yard.

“Punch, h-huh-him, Eh-Eddie!” screamed Bill from the sidelines and Eddie couldn’t help but roll his eyes.

“Stop stuttering my name, Bill! And mind your own business. All of you!” he screamed towards the crowd surrounding them, and only three people walked away towards the slide.

Stan stepped into the circle, talking to Richie with his back to Eddie. “Richie, stop. You’re going to make all the teachers come out.”

“Stan, get out of the way!” screamed Eddie, trying to drag Stanley by the hem of his sweater vest.

“Don’t touch him, he’s my friend!” Richie stepped closer, pushing Stan into Bill, almost making them both fall over.

“I can’t believe I spent twenty cents on that ring. That’s all I had for a week. Ma is going to kill me!”

“Yeah, if she manages to catch up to you!”

“Shut up, you four-eyed-”

“You shut up, you wheezy little gnome!”

Eddie screamed loud enough for his own ears to hurt and grabbed Richie’s glasses from his stupid face, throwing them on the ground. He heard the lens break, and his face was covered with a satisfied sneer, not that Richie could see it now.

“Stop smashing things! You think you’re Hulk or some-“

“Now you can’t see me holding hands with anyone! Congratulations!”

Apparently, their voices have been raised loud enough for the teacher to hear and she ran up to them, pushing through the rows of kids congregated around the danger zone. “Edward! Richard! What on Earth is going on?”

“He started it!” screamed Richie, pointing in the direction of the trees.

Eddie could hear Mike and Ben stifling laughter on the bench where they always quietly read their books, and he would’ve joined in if he wasn’t so irreversibly bitter about the whole situation. “I didn’t start anything! Martha, I gave him a ring! Your husband took your ring, how did that feel?”

Mrs. Peterson’s eyes almost fell out of their sockets, and she stuttered on her response, reminding Eddie of when Bill tried to talk to Audra in the cafeteria. “O-okay, Edward, it’s time to go.” She put her hand between Eddie’s shoulder blades, pushing him towards the classroom.

Eddie stomped his foot and pointed at Richie. “What about him?”

Mrs. Peterson seemingly forgot about the other perpetrator in her shocked daze and waved at Richie to come with them. Except they were halfway towards the building when she saw the dark-haired boy stumbling towards the woods, all the kids standing on the side with muffled giggles. Martha rolled her eyes and left Eddie standing with his arms crossed while she retrieved the other boy. She took him by the hand and picked up the glasses on her way back muttering under her breath.

They ended up sitting on opposite sides of the room, missing the last fifteen minutes of recess. Eddie turned his back to Richie, hot tears silently streaming down his face. They hadn’t talked the rest of the day and Friday seemingly ended before it began.

—

The entire weekend was pure torture to Eddie. Ever since he met Richie in first grade, they’ve never been apart for more than one day. Their parents weren’t close, but they struggled through ice cream meet-ups to make sure their sons could hang out. But this weekend, Eddie spent all two days in his room, interrupted only by Frank coming in to check his homework and Sonia bringing him food. He was sad, and he missed Richie. He decided to try to talk to him on Monday when he gets a chance. But he was not apologizing.

But the second he came into the classroom, his eyes fell on Richie sitting at his desk at the end of the room, staring out the window all still and quiet. Richie was never still and quiet. He’s always the last kid to sit down, not that Eddie spends too much time looking at Richie. But he now looked sad, and it made Eddie want to cry or hug him. Or both. He decided to wait until lunch to talk.

Richie hadn’t talked the entire day. He was quiet during the math game aka his favorite thing in the world, and Eddie constantly turned his head to watch his ex-husband fidget without actually moving or bothering anyone. It was weird and upsetting. Eddie wanted him to be back to normal.

Lunch came around, and Richie sat on the other side of the table instead of with Eddie like he always did. They were also on the same side so Eddie couldn’t even steal glances at him. Bill and Stan were blushingly whispering about Audra and Patty, and it was starting to really irritate Eddie. He also wanted to whisper things to Richie. Except he didn’t like Audra or Patty. He didn’t like girls at all - they were mean and gossipy. And Richie had pretty blue eyes.

Something was bubbling in Eddie’s gut, and he decided to be extremely radical today - he took his tray and walked to the other side of the table, pleased to see that the teachers were too busy talking to notice. There was a sliver of space next to Richie and Eddie plopped down there, happy that he was small enough to fit. Richie didn’t look up but looked at Eddie’s knee sadly, his shoulders slumped, head down. Eddie wanted to cry again.

“Hi,” said Eddie, scooting even closer, their knees bumping. Richie blushed, and the corner of his mouth jumped. Progress.

“Hi,” responded Richie, playing with the apple juice box in his hands. His voice was a little muffled.

“Are you mad at me?” asked Eddie, turning his back to the table full of annoying fifth graders, completely facing Richie now.

“Not anymore.” Eddie didn’t know if he imagined things, but Richie seemed to have developed a lisp in the span of two days.

“Why are you upset then?” Eddie poked Richie’s forearm, and the other smiled.

Richie lifted his head and parted his lips, teeth stuck together. Although it wasn’t a smile - Richie was showing Eddie his braces. “Oh! They look so cool.” Richie had blue strings holding the wires together, and they matched his eyes.

“No, they don’t.” Richie looked at Eddie with a sad expression and a lopsided smile. Eddie decided to buy him another ring pop and his heart was beating fast from fear. He didn’t know if Richie would accept his proposal.

“I think they-“

“Hey, look at that! Princess Richie has a metal mouth.” Eddie’s whole body went still from Henry’s voice.

Richie stayed quiet, eyes jumping from Eddie to his lunch tray. He wanted to say something, Eddie could tell, but was probably scared of opening his mouth, of getting more insults. Eddie hated seeing him like this.

“What, your parents finally noticed your buck teeth? Thought they don’t want a beaver for a kid?” Eddie’s entire body suddenly felt big, and his hands started shaking with anger. He saw a tear run down Richie’s cheek and that was it. He stood up on the bench to be slightly taller than Henry, fists clenched and numb from pressure.

“Shut up, Henry! You can’t talk to him like this.” Eddie was deeply satisfied with the utterly shocked expression on Henry’s face.

But a second later he sneered, getting closer to the table. Eddie wanted to bang something on top of his head and see him go into the floor like those games in the arcade where you squashed squirrels. “D’ you say something, fairy boy? Your boyfriend here summoned you for protection?”

Something about the way Henry said ‘boyfriend’ made Eddie see red: as if it was something vile, wrong, disgusting. Eddie loved Richie, and he didn’t care what Henry thought about it. In fact, he didn’t care what any of them thought. Eddie bent down to pick up his bowl of mac and cheese and smashed it straight into Henry’s sweaty face, grunting and pushing it to make sure it stays there. In fact, he was so entranced in the motion that he didn’t feel himself tipping forward when Henry started stepping back but felt hands wrap around his knees, holding him in place. He looked back when he regained stability and saw Richie grin at him from below, eyes shining and teeth showing. Just like Eddie liked him. He grinned back and was about to take Richie’s mac and cheese to continue the attack, but Beverly beat him to it, squeezing out all of her apple juice into Henry’s back from where she sat in front of Richie and Eddie. Richie whistled loud and started clapping, getting the teacher’s attention. Henry stood with a vicious expression on his face, and when he saw Mrs. Peterson, he stormed off huffing and puffing. Eddie didn’t miss an opportunity to throw the empty apple juice at the back of his head. He felt exhilarated like he could run thirty laps.

But he never got to go to recess, and neither did Richie and Beverly. They all stayed in the classroom imprisoned for their bravery. Eddie thought it was unfair but he loved being alone with Richie, and he liked Beverly a lot, she wasn’t mean and gossipy. She quietly read the book in her corner while Richie and Eddie sat by the window cross-legged, watching the other kids play.

“Eds, I’m sorry I gave back the ring. It was stupid.”

Eddie never apologized, but the image of Richie’s warm eyes in the cafeteria kept floating in his mind, begging him to be more reasonable. “Don’t call me that.” He paused, breathing out the irritation. “I’m sorry I called you four-eyed. I like your glasses.”

Richie involuntarily pushed them further on his nose, frames taped but lenses new and shiny, except for a couple of fingerprints on the right one. “I’m sorry I called you a gnome. You’re just compact.” Richie tried to suppress the grin, but it blossomed anyway, making Eddie’s stomach feel uneasy.

“It’s fine. I broke the ring, so I guess you don’t have to hold my hand anymore.”

Richie suddenly stood up and ran towards his backpack. Eddie and Beverly’s eyes met in mutual confusion but then Richie returned, reaching his hand out to Eddie. In front of him was a sour apple ring pop, neatly wrapped, the candy sticking to the package from the heat. Eddie could feel his face heat up, and he took it from Richie’s hand, his own shaking a little.

But then Richie grabbed it back, opening it quickly. He explained himself when he saw Eddie’s furrowed brows. “I’m supposed to do it, not you.” He took the ring out and grabbed onto Eddie’s left hand, sliding it on the ring finger. Only it instantly fell to the side, too lose to hold on its own. Richie chuckled all embarrassed, cheeks pink and braces shining from the pouring sunlight. Pretty.

“Spaghetti, your fingers are too tiny.” He took the ring out and turned Eddie’s hand to fit it on the thumb. It was still too big but not big enough to completely fall off. Eddie instantly put it in his mouth, his jaw clenching from the sour taste. His face got small, nose scrunching up as the taste got sweeter. Richie’s hands flew to Eddie’s cheeks, squeezing them a little. “Cute, cute, cute!”

Eddie slapped his hands away, blushing the deepest red. He giggled and extended his pinky. “Peace?”

Instead of completing the gesture Richie laced all of their fingers together and quickly leaned in to kiss Eddie on the cheek, wet and loud. Eddie laughed, wiping his face with Richie’s hand and he never felt more happy and light in his life. Maybe it was throwing things at Henry, maybe it was the sugar, but Eddie thought it was all Richie. He was married again. Everything was good.

Perma Tag: @d-nbroughs @tinyarmedtrex @aizeninlefox @j0ys @constantreaderfool @its-stranger-than-you-think @studpuffin (I’m removing some people who don’t interact - I’m not here to force my work on anyone, so no hard feelings. Let me know if you want to be removed/added to a perma list or a specific fic ♡)

#reddie #richie tozier #eddie kaspbrak #it fandom week #prompts #my writing #these kiddos will be the death of me #bill denbrough #stanley uris #patricia blum #audra phillips #ben hanscom #beverly marsh #mike hanlon #fluff and crack #teehee

[5hfanfiction]

You Feel Like Magic To Me (1/2)

A/N: Hi guys! I’m back with a super duper long ass fic that i hope you guys will like :) It’s based off your typical ‘friends to lovers’ AU and the trigger warning is very mild as there are mentions of coming to terms with sexuality and coming out in general. I hope y'all stick around and read chapter 2 as well! :) Enjoy!

      Lauren Jauregui was only six years old when she saw Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone in the theaters.

      It was her first time watching a movie on the big screen and it was safe to say, she was enamored. Not only by the huge pictures in front of her eyes, but also because Harry was a wizard. The thought that someone could have magical powers and that a whole different world existed amongst humans was amazing to Lauren. She watched the entire movie with a new-found interest in magic and the imaginary school; excitedly telling her mom with a huge smile on her face and pigtails whipping pass her face, that “One day, I will be attending Hogwarts,”. She spent weeks talking with wide eyes about wands, moving pictures and broomsticks that her mother, Clara, knew exactly what to drees her up as for Halloween.

        Lauren’s squeal could be heard by her neighbors when her green-eyes set on the Gryffindor robe presented to her by her mom. She had taken the liberty to rent it from a Halloween store near her house. Her tiny feet clad in socks covered in cartoon lightning bolts could not contain their excitement as they jumped up and down. Her father, Mike Jauregui, looked up from the daily newspaper he was reading, glasses perched up on his nose, with a small smile at his child’s antics. Lauren hugged her mother mercilessly mumbling small high-pitched thank yous into her body.

           When the day to ‘trick or treat’ rolled about, Lauren was ready in her rented robe, circular glasses, a thin lightning scar on her forehead (drawn by herself with her mother’s lipstick) and a “potions pot” to collect candy, she was ready to hit the streets and get some sweets. She pretty much led the way with her mother trailing close behind to each of her neighbor’s houses, knocking on the door with heaps of other children dressed in their typical Halloween costumes; ghosts, Dracula, robots, zombies and the attire of random occupations. Lauren felt special in her robe that was threaded with yellow and red until she visited Mr. Howard’s house.

             As it was already getting a bit late, there weren’t many children left. With a five-minute warning from her mother who was trailing behind her cautiously, she promised that this would be the last house. As she walked up to the house patio, she caught sight of another Gryffindor robe in front of her; worn by a girl who was most probably her age as well. Her brown hair was in a ponytail and her chocolate orbs was curious as to who was approaching and locked eyes with her. Lauren noticed that she had a broomstick with her and she felt stupid for not thinking about it. However, she was more excited to meet the girl who was also a Harry Potter fan. Walking closer to her and eyeing her outfit, Lauren smiled at the other girl; watching the other girl shyly smile at her back. She put out her hand, and said:

             “Hi, I’m Lauren. What’s your name?”

      The other girl looked startled at the polite gesture. She smiled, taking a while to understand her, and said “Camila Cabello”.

       Her Spanish accent was strong, and Lauren was flabbergasted when the girl continued to talk to her, gesturing to her robe, in Spanish. Unfortunately, Lauren had very little knowledge in Spanish and could only nod. Camila must have realized that she couldn’t understand her, and her cheeks grew red. She looked helplessly to her mother, Sinu, who was also conversing with Lauren’s mother. “It’s okay,” Lauren assured her, causing her to look back at her, not sure if she could understand her, “I’m just happy someone else knows Harry Potter,” she declared with a small chuckle. After that, Mr. Howard finally came out to give them the candy they came for and they shyly waved to each other as they parted ways.

         “Ma are they new here?” Lauren curiously asked her mom, as they walked back to their house hand-in-hand, her “pot” full of candy. Her mom looked at her with a smile.

          “Yes, baby. They just moved her from Cuba a few weeks ago, it’s nice to have other Cuban people in this neighborhood,” Clara admitted, ruffling Lauren’s hair that was wild around her shoulders. “Apparently, the girl you saw today will be joining you in 2nd Grade next year. She’s taking English classes now so that it’ll be easier for her to follow the subjects here,” her mom clarified for her. Lauren nodded and thought about the girl in the robe. She wouldn’t mind being friends with her. Especially if she was nice, and she seemed like it.

—

         A year passed, and Lauren was slowly riffling through the pages of the first Harry Potter book with her short chubby fingers that was in her hands as she sat in her 2nd Grade class waiting for the teacher to walk in. Her brows furrowed as she sat in class, trying to understand the difficult words in front of her. She made it her challenge to finish that book in a month. So, anytime she had free time, she would read the book. Her attention was snatched away when she heard someone calling her name, in a shy voice.

                “Lauren?”

        She looked up to find familiar brown eyes looking back at her and she smiled as recognition settled in. She got up from her chair and nodded, suddenly feeling shy in front of the Cuban girl; not knowing if she was better with English now. As if she was reading her mind, Camila’s eyes widened.

          “Uh, I’m actually okay with English now,” she informed her, looking down at her shoes; her voice high-pitched and squeaky, then her eyes darted up to meet Lauren’s eyes, “I’m quite the fast learner, I mean, I still have more to learn and all but I-,” Camila rambled until Lauren cut her off with a hand on her shoulder and a smile on her face.

         “Hey, that’s completely fine, Camila. You can hang out with me. I’ll show you around if you want,” the green-eyed girl politely offered her as Camila smiled at her and sat down next to her. After a few seconds, the teacher walked in, effectively cutting out any further communication between the two girls and Lauren shot her a sympathetic smile and silently gestured ‘later’ with her fingers to the Cuban girl.

         Once class ended and it was time for their 30-minute recess, Lauren led Camila to the bench behind the school overlooking the worn-down playground in the yard; lunchboxes clutched in their hands as they sat next to each other on a bench. Coincidentally, the presence of PB&J’s could be seen in both of their lunchboxes and they exchanged a knowing look with each other; then quickly blabbering about how it’s their favorite food in the world. Unable to contain her curiosity, Lauren launched herself into a series of questions that ranged from “So, you’re from Cuba?” to “Do you like Frosted Flakes?”.    

         The two girls clicked immediately, bonding instantly over their shared heritage (“I’m Cuban too!). Camila entertained Lauren with stories on how she picked up learning English by watching TV Shows as well as through the classes she attended which helped her tremendously. She learned that Camila’s dad was still in Cuba and that he would find a way to come to America once he found a way to. Lauren noticed the mild sad look that flashed across Camila’s face even though Camila had denied it.

         “He will come soon Camila, I’m sure of it,” remarked the raven-haired girl to her new friend. Camila simply smiled and asked Lauren to tell her about herself. Lauren talked to her about her obsession with Harry Potter which Camila quickly replied to with a “Me too!” and they ranted about the infamous movie together. She also talked to her about her favorite subject, English, and offered to help Camila in any way she could. The brunette smiled shyly but her reply was interrupted by the bell. They both shared a giggle before returning to class; the thought of making a new friend elevating both their moods. There was a certain ease that flowed between them; as if they were always meant to talk to each other.

Lauren had a feeling that this friendship would last.

——

       “Laur……. wake up,”

     Camila whispered as she nudged the sleeping girl next to her. This must be her 80th sleepover over the past 6 years. It was almost 5’oclock in the morning and Camila couldn’t sleep. The raven-haired girl was curled up in a fetus position next to her on the king-size bed in her own room. The thick duvet was tangled in between Lauren’s legs, naturally stealing the whole thing from Camila’s side. Her hair was in a mess; sprawled all over her shoulders and her face. Camila shifted her position, so she was propped up on her elbows and facing Lauren.

      “Laur…. c’mon… it’s important,” the brown-eyed girl tried again, this time using her free hand to shake her friend’s shoulder slightly and sports a small endeared smile when she saw Lauren stirring awake with an irritated look on her face. She raised a hand and attempted to tame the thick mane of hair on her head; running her hand through her hair. An action that Camila had seen so many times throughout the years; knowing it to be a tick of nervousness, and in this case, restlessness. Sometimes Lauren reminded her of a cat when she woke up; the slight arch of her back and the lack of movement of her limbs.

     “Camz,” Lauren said with her emerald eyes struggling to open, voice rough with sleep and tone threatening; causing Camila to slightly shuffle backwards instinctively. Camila had been on the receiving end of that tone many times, and it’s safe to say, it kind of scared her.

         “I swear to you, if you woke me up just to ask me a stupid question I am gonna kick your a- “

    “Do you think I’m funny?” Camila interrupted her, her voice low but determined, like she had been contemplating on this fact for hours (and she had); now sitting cross legged on the bed facing Lauren, a serious look adorning her face. Lauren, now fully awake, irritably sat up, wiping her eyes; hoping to make her tiredness vanish. She pulled down her slightly ridden up oversized black shirt and looked into Camila’s eyes; alarmingly intense for someone who just woke up.

         “Yes.” Camila brightened up, a megawatt smile etched on her face.

        “Really, are you serious?”

        “No.” Lauren deadpanned and fell back into her previous position, turning her back to Camila, and mumbled something about “kicking ass”. Camila, flabbergasted at Lauren’s rudeness (not aware of her own) huffed and moved fast; grabbing Lauren’s shoulder, effectively turning her back around. Lauren’s eyes snapped to hers, and Camila pouted her bottom lip, hoping that it had the same effect on Lauren that it always has. Lauren’s eyes darted to her lips and she let out a sigh. Why did that always work? She brought her arm up to her forehead and focused her gaze on Camila; almost as if telling her to say what she wanted to say, now that she has her full attention. Camila took a deep breath and clapped her hands in front of her (something she always did when she was about to rant).

       “Well, we’re starting high school in two months,” Camila ventured and played with her own fingers but was interrupted by a loud groan from Lauren; also earning an eye roll from her beloved best friend. The amount of times she had to hear Camila rant about high school was insurmountable. “Let me finish, you vampire,” Camila remarked restlessly, calling Lauren her favorite nickname for her as it coincides with her flawless alabaster skin and the sharp canines that are present in her mouth. She prided herself for coming up with that one. Lauren brought a pointer finger her to her lips; telling her she would be quiet now. Camila let out another sigh before she continued.

           “We will be meeting so many new people and we will, unfortunately, have to interact with them. Ugh, interact!” Camila exclaimed loudly, causing Lauren to give her a look that said shut up or my parents will never let you sleep over again.

           Camila got it (they have some telepathy link, don’t question it) and whisper-yelled, “I can’t do that! You, by first-hand, know how much of an awkward shy mess I was when I met you and now I must have more than one friend or else I’ll look like a total loser and complete loner! And we are gonna be stuck with the same group of people for 4 years! Don’t you think it’s a bit weird that we are our only fri-,” Camila stopped when she saw the glare that Lauren gave her.

          “Okay, okay,” Camila surrendered with her hands up. “My point is, maybe if I’m funny, which to be honest with you, I really think I am,” Camila said with a small shrug of her shoulders, letting out a dramatic huff when Lauren coughed into her hand a strangled “yeah right”. Camila pointed an accusatory finger at her best friend with incredulity swimming in her eyes and justified her statement, “You know you laugh at my jokes, right? Who are you trying to fool, Laur? Hmmmm? You are the one giving me false hope!” Camila accused and ran her fingers through her hair and resumed before Lauren could interrupt her by putting up her pointer finger.

           “All I’m saying is, to fit in, I think I need to be funny. People find funny people likable right? I can make more puns than usual…. Oh, I can even google some jokes online! People love jokes right? Ah, I’m just so stressed Laur, okay? I think I might have social phobia, I think I might need a therapist, I think i-“ Camila’s ridiculous speech is interrupted manually when Lauren leaned forward and put her hand over her mouth, a perfect eyebrow arched as she eyed Camila. There were too many rhetoric questions which the green-eyed girl couldn’t keep up with.

           “Are you done yet? My head is hurting… listening to you speak,” She said with a yawn, taking her hand down from Camila’s mouth and instead taking Camila’s hand in hers and intertwining their fingers. She could see the heavy breaths that her best friend was taking so she looked intently into Camila’s eyes; hoping to calm her down.

           “We’ve talked about this before Camz, just be yourself,” Lauren assured slowly, making sure Camila heard her, “And even then, if no one wants to be friends with you, then they don’t deserve to be your friend. And okay, I admit it,” Lauren said, rolling her eyes playfully, “You might be a little funny, but having a good sense of humor isn’t the only thing that makes someone eligible to be a friend. You don’t have to try to improve yourself so that others like you, likability isn’t everything. And besides, you still have me, right?” She told her in a low tone, brushing her thumb over Camila’s knuckles. Camila managed to even her breathing, listening to Lauren talk. Lauren was always the rational and sensible one, whereas Camila tended to overthink everything and make herself panic for no reason.

        Lauren always had a way to bring Camila back to Earth and she was forever grateful for that. She didn’t even know she had her eyes closed until she opened them and saw emerald eyes focused on her with a smile that was infectious. Camila nodded, taking in Lauren’s words and holding them close to her heart. She fell back onto the bed; finding a comfortable position on her pillow. She turned her head to her right and she saw Lauren still watching her. Camila gave her a cheeky smile.

        “I know I’ll always have you Laur,” confirming Lauren’s words from earlier, “but I think I’m getting a little sick of you,” she said feigning nonchalance as she checked her fingernails and a small smirk grew on her lips. She then heard Lauren’s laugh bounce across the room; causing her heart to jump as her best friend mumbled a quiet shut up, you love me, now sleep into her neck as she cuddled closer to Camila. Her quiet snores filled the room in mere minutes and Camila felt content.

                She really did love her best friend.

                Platonically of course.

——

      Both took a few deep breaths before walking into the alma mater that would be their source of education for the next four years. They had picked out their outfits with slight panic (mostly Camila) the day before, hoping that they will be able to convey good vibes through them. Lauren particularly cared less, sticking to her standard skinny black jeans with a few torn holes in them and a faded band t-shirt, whereas Camila shuffled through her whole closet looking for the outfit that was the one. She emphasized to Lauren that “first impressions matter”, and she really didn’t want to look like a noob, especially since her elementary school clothes looked like they were puked out by a unicorn and suddenly seemed too small for her. All bright colors and glitter. The opposite of Lauren’s wardrobe. Lauren found it cute.

        “Of course you do, you’re blinded by our friendship!” exclaimed a frustrated Camila to Lauren who was laying down on Camila’s bed, having gone through her wardrobe for the fifth time, still unable to find something that satisfied her. With that, Lauren, finally having enough of Camila’s antics got up from the bed and took her hand, dragging her out from her bedroom and down the stairs.

        “That’s it,” she said with a definite tone to the brunette whose hand she was holding, “You are coming over to my place and you can borrow my clothes. And, no, don’t fight me, we are going shopping tomorrow after school to get you the clothes that you wouldn’t be embarrassed to wear. Okay?” she said without waiting for an answer from Camila and letting her walk with her free will once they were outside to Lauren’s house which was just down the street.

        Finally, Lauren managed to find an outfit for Camila which was suitable in Camila’s eyes. She settled with dark blue jeans and a white flowery blouse. Lauren had to admit that Camila looked good, her eyes raking up her friend’s body proudly. Thankfully, they were around the same height, so they could borrow each other’s clothes if they wanted. Camila wore a white bow on her head (as she had an extensive bow collection) paired with the outfit, though she admitted to Lauren that she might stop wearing them soon.

        As they walked toward the auditorium for their orientation, they felt as if they were fresh bait, and in this situation, they kinda were. Gone were the days of boys who were shorter than them and sported boyish looks that were immature and unattractive.

       The boys they saw had chiseled jaws and towered over them; some wearing their signature sport jackets. It was obvious that there were a few boys who were crossing the line of appropriate and flaunted their ego as they whistled when the two girls walked by. Lauren wrapped a protective arm over Camila’s shoulder as she saw her best friend’s cheeks flush like she’s never seen them before. Camila eyed Lauren and mouthed “How are they so hot?” as they walked into the auditorium, finding seats for them amongst the sea of freshman. Lauren simply rolled her eyes at her response, not expecting anything less from her friend of 6 years.

       She’s seen enough movies with Camila to know that her friend was easily attracted to boys. She’s heard her fawn over the lead actor and wish that she was in the heroine’s position. She was a romantic and a sucker for a good-looking dude. The only downside is that 80% of the good-looking dudes were also douchebags. And she has told Camila this fact many times but was often waved off by Camila asking her “not to kill her vibe”. The boys from the school hallways didn’t really phase her much.

      She always found herself feeling as if boys didn’t really interest her much. Maybe she should give them some time.

       Because Lauren was blessed with goddess-like features, she was often the target for boys, though she never pursued them; telling herself that she was too young for a relationship (but in truth, she was just scared). She had piercing green eyes and thick eyebrows that framed them, followed by a perfect nose and plump lips. Lauren did not look her age, and she blamed it on puberty. She only got the devil’s curse last year, but it had made some major progresses in the way that Lauren looked; sharpening her features and even making her voice lower than it already was, giving it a slight rasp.

     Camila on the other hand, was a late bloomer, often complaining about the lack of boobs and butt her body possessed. The only real effect it had on Camila that was noticeable for now was her voice; her once high-pitched and squeaky voice was now low and controlled. Lauren assured her that her body will change, and it will take time, “Every person is different Camz, and please stop poking my boobs, you’ll get your own soon”.

        On a few alarming events, Lauren had found herself admiring a girl or another at random places. Maybe at the shopping mall, or the streets or even the theaters. She had always admired heroines on screen (Hermione Granger, duh) and lead actresses, but she always chalked that up to admiration. She wanted to be like them. She idolized them and their qualities. She didn’t dwell on it much, even today when she noticed the cheerleaders and the beautiful girls in the hallway alongside the jocks too. She told herself it’s admiration like a mantra; for she was afraid that it might be something that she couldn’t come to terms with then.

        She was snapped out of her worries when she heard the deafening screech of a microphone as the Principal tried to talk into it. Half the auditorium flinched, including the brown-haired girl next to her.

       “Hello everybody, and welcome to Miami High!” announced the grey-haired Principal with an excited tone. The students clapped, though rather unenthusiastically, and listened to the rest of the Principal’s speech. After that, the students were divided into five groups and escorted around the high-school so that they were able to see the field, the gym, the cafeteria, the likes of their classes, the office, the teacher’s lounge and so much more. Excitement and slight apprehensiveness filled the air as the freshman felt like their lives were going to accelerate from this point on.

       At the end of the day, all the students were gathered at the gym so that all clubs and societies that wished to promote themselves, could. Clubs like Science and Mathematics, Debate, and even those that revolved around religion made their short presentations, giving the freshman the details of where and when their meetings would be held and what to expect if they joined the club.

      Camila, however, perked up when the Glee Club made their speech. She always felt at home with music; it always being there no matter what language she understood. She remembers listening to the radio on the way to America for the first time, the notes and the melody of whatever song that was playing calming her instantly. Ever since then, music had always been her passion. She learned the guitar at the age of ten by herself and found equity doing so. Naturally, she started singing as well. Lauren, after hearing her for the first time, was flabbergasted at her talent. She complimented her with wide eyes and a bright smile, telling her that her voice was “amazing and unique!” and proceeded to give her a tight hug; telling her she was going to be a superstar. The alabaster skinned girl always found a way to boost up her ever-unsteady confidence.

        On the other hand, Lauren was always inclined to sports. She had a history of playing softball with her family and even in elementary school. She loved the thrill it always brought her; the air stacked with competitiveness and the hammering of her heart when she felt sweat roll off her face. It also helped that she looked damn good in a uniform, as pointed out by Camila. “You’ll have an ass like mine soon, don’t worry Camz”, Lauren had cheekily retorted to her best friend; earning a playful punch to the shoulder for that.

        So, when she saw that the Softball team was recruiting, she was excited to join. Not to mention the fact that the girl who was presenting was breathtaking with her wavy blonde hair and lithe figure, but Lauren would never admit that to herself.

         “Lauren, I think I know what club I’m joining,” A distracted Camila with reddening cheeks remarked, still eyeing the cute boy with the blue eyes and curly hair who had presented for the Glee Club. A minor perk, she thought; attempting to get rid of the butterflies in her stomach. She always found colored eyes beautiful, ever since she saw Lauren’s.

         “I think I know too,” Lauren replied as she followed the blonde head until she disappeared out the gym; a thundering heart conflicting the staged thoughts in her head.

——

        “Who the hell picked Mulan for the five-hundredth time?” Camila huffed as she sat down on the carpeted floor of Lauren’s living room in her pajama pants and faded Spongebob t-shirt; eyes catching sight of the Disney symbol appearing on the TV.

    “Don’t look at me, Chanch…. you much rather look towards your best friend over there,” a tall dirty-blonde haired girl remarked from her slumped position on the black leather couch. She was in the process of checking Twitter for the umpteenth time that day and indignantly pointed her finger towards the kitchen where her green-eyed friend remained preparing the popcorn.

    “How do you even know it’s Mulan? … It hasn’t even started, also, I’m pausing it because the girl of the house isn’t here yet, Lauren hurry up!” a dark-skinned girl with flawless skin and perfect teeth bellowed, taking the remote from the tall girl next to her on the couch and paused the DVD player.

    “Mani, the kitchen is really not that far away, I can hear you fine if you talk with your normal volume thank you very much,” the raven-haired girl sassed as she walked into the living room seconds later with two green bowls filled to the brim with popcorn in each hand; the buttery smell causing everyone to whip their heads to the delicious snack; earning collective “That smells so good” and “God, I’m hungry”.

     Lauren passed one bowl to the two girls on the couch and maneuvered around them, sitting next to Camila on the floor and placed the other bowl in front of them.

      “I know it’s Mulan because,” Camila directed her narrowed gaze to Lauren who had a messy bun on her head as she sported a done-with-your-shit tone when Lauren pretended to pay attention to the movie that had just been resumed, “It’s the only Disney DVD that this vampire possesses. And we have watched it a million times,” she finished with a whine; head tipped back.

        “I don’t mind though. Mulan is such a badass,” retorted the dark-skinned girl, munching on popcorn and Lauren turned her head around with a huge smile on her face and gave her friend a high-five with a “Yes, Mani understands”.

       “It wouldn’t hurt to have a Lion King disc in this house,” the dirty-blonde retorted, sending an unamused glare at Lauren and holding it; her phone finally put down. “I mean, its only the best movie Disney has ever created,” she said with a small smirk as she saw Lauren whip her head to the opposite side of the couch with her jaw comically open; ready to start a debate.

       “Okay, y’all better stop before it even starts,” Camila quipped, putting both her pointer fingers up, one directed at Dinah, and the other at Lauren. “Forget I said anything, lets just watch the movie okay? Okay,” she answered herself.

        Lauren simply narrowed her eyes at the blonde and the other does the same back. She playfully does the I’m watching you gesture with her hand and the other girl does the same back to her with a smirk placed on her face. Lauren broke her serious façade and chuckled throwing popcorn at the other girl who, with surprisingly fast reflexes, caught it and popped one into her mouth; giving her a victorious wink. Lauren childishly stuck her tongue out at her and whipped her head back to the TV with a chuckle; entertained by her friend’s antics.

       Dinah, the dirty-blonde, became friends with Camila through Glee Club. When Camila attended the audition for Glee Club, looking like a scared puppy, Dinah, the ever-active social butterfly who was also a freshman, approached her with her boisterous attitude and personality. Camila was majorly shy at first, thinking Dinah was older than her because of her height and her looks. Who the hell looks like this at fourteen, she thought to herself eyeing her mature features.

       But when Dinah sat with her throughout the meeting and made funny jokes and highly inappropriate comments about the teacher as well as some seniors, the brunette had her hand covering her wide-open mouth as she couldn’t believe the straight-forwardness that the blonde had; deciding that she needed this person in her life and unable to deny the spontaneity of their friendship. It continued to progress as they talked about their passion for music and their favorite artists and deepened even more when they heard each other sing.

      Dinah’s voice was smooth like silk but at the same time strong and soulful; it had Camila’s mind reeling with disbelief and amazement.

       “Are you sure you’re not related to Beyoncé? Because you kinda look…. and sound like her” Camila extolled her with genuine curiosity, totally starstruck after listening to her new friend’s audition.

      “Pfft, I wish,” the dirty blonde flipped her hair over her shoulders playfully, giggling after that with a shy smile on her face and voiced a soft thank you.

       After Camila’s audition, the blonde practically ran towards her and engulfed her in a bone-crushing hug. Camila, not used to that type of contact with a person she had met only a few hours ago, had cheeks red as a tomato once put down by the other girl whose smile was so pretty that it was hard to look at.

       “I’m sorry,” she apologized sheepishly, still grinning at Camila, “I’m just so happy that you’re amazing at singing, cause I want to stay friends with you cause you’re really nice, and I can’t be friends with you if I have to lie to your face all the time, that’s just cruel, so thank God that you can sing,” she rambled, gesturing wildly with her hands; her chocolate orbs meeting another hue in Camila’s.

Camila’s smile couldn’t go any wider.

       And when she introduced her to Lauren the next day during lunch at the cafeteria, her heart soared when they clicked instantly, comparing passions and jokingly throwing jabs at each other. Both of their carefree spirits clashed, and a new friendship bloomed right in front of Camila’s eyes. She was so happy.

       Lauren met Normani Kordei during the softball tryouts. The other girl was warming up, bending in positions that Lauren couldn’t even dream of reaching and found herself staring. Embarrassingly, that’s how they met for the first time.

         “Take a picture, it’ll last longer,” the dark-skinned girl mocked as she felt the green-eyed girl’s eyes boring into her.

           Flushing a deep red, Lauren instantly looked away and attempted to explain herself; just realizing just how creepy it was to stare like a moron.

           “I’m so sorry, you’re just so flexible,” she explained with a shy grin, her eyes unable to meet the other girl’s; reprimanding herself for being a weirdo. Attempting to steer clear of an awkward conversation she added, “Do you do gymnastics or something?”.

           The dark-skinned girl who had been watching the girl with a lopsided grin adorning her face, let out a small giggle; getting up from her position on the ground, sweat shining on her forehead. “Yeah, I actually did,” she confirmed, showcasing her pearly whites. “What’s your name?” she asked.

          Lauren sputtered, not expecting her to engage in conversation after acting like she did. “Um, I’m Lauren. Lauren Jauregui, I’m a freshman” she told her, a shy smile on her face. The other girl gave her a toothy smile in return and told her, “My name’s Normani, I’m a freshman too and it’s nice to finally meet someone new… even though you kinda forced our interaction,” the black-haired girl who had her hair in a ponytail teased her with a smirk on her face.

 Lauren’s eyes widened.

         “I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to stare, I know it’s rude, but I swear I’m not a weirdo,” she ranted, her eyes meeting the dark ones of the other girl’s pleadingly; hoping to have repaired some damage. Normani just lets out a laugh and slings an arm around Lauren, urging her to walk with her on the field, effectively turning her around in the process. “I’ll be the judge of that,” she commented, smirk still in place. Lauren was about to respond but got interrupted by the blow of a whistle. Normani only shrugged and let go off her, leaving Lauren to let out a frustrated sigh.

        The tryouts carried out flawlessly for Lauren. She managed to meet the coach’s expectations and she even passed the fitness training that they had. She felt content with her tryout and felt ecstatic when the coach gave her two thumbs up after she was done. She met Normani’s amused glare a couple of times and simply shrugged. She also realized that the blonde who had presented on the first day was there with all the other team members, watching and assessing the newcomers and she felt a blush warm up her cheeks as she managed to get a closer look at the girl.

        She noted her long blonde hair that was in a ponytail just like hers was and her sharp features, especially her jawline. She shook her head, getting rid of her wandering thoughts; not wanting to be distracted on this important day.

       Normani wasn’t far behind; her speed and agility were prominent. She would be perfect to run base, Lauren thought, amazed with her skills. The coach seemed to like her as well, giving her two thumbs up as well.

         As she gathered her stuff in the locker room, the blonde from the auditorium approached her and Lauren felt like throwing up. Out of fear or out of excitement she couldn’t tell.

       “Great play out there, I’m looking forward to seeing more of you,” she complimented, a soft palm on her shoulder; causing Lauren’s brain to short circuit for a second before replying with a soft “Thank you. I hope so too” before the blonde, flashed her perfect white teeth and rushed off. Holy shit, she’s so beautiful, Lauren thought absentmindedly; as she replayed the moment in her head repeatedly, not realizing just how incredibly gay she was acting. It’s probably just a minor girl crush. People have those right?

        Before exiting the locker room, Normani caught up with her; her outfit changed after taking a shower and proceeded to sing her praises. Lauren blushed and thanked her, before finally starting a conversation that did not start on a bad-note. She fawned over her amazing skills as well before asking her about her previous school, her parents, her passions and Normani did the same with her. They spent their time walking and talking back to the entrance of the school and they exchanged numbers. Lauren found out that Normani had a great sense of humor and was a very humble person; it warmed her heart.

       She introduced her to Camila and Dinah the next day and felt her smile grow when they speedily gelled with each other; questions and puns bouncing off the bubble that the four of them had created for themselves. She met Camila’s eyes at the table and smiled at her; holding her gaze, knowing that they were thinking the same thing.

They couldn’t have asked for a better pair of friends.

          This lead to them hanging out whenever the four of them could. Basking in each other’s company and building a bond that was solid. So much laughter, meaningful talks and even inside jokes developed between them. Trips to malls, theaters, amusement parks, and the regular sleepovers that happened in either girl’s house were a constant for them. Because they also had classes together, they even studied together and opted to be paired with each other whenever there were paired assignments or groupwork to be done.

           “We have successfully formed a clique! Isn’t this exciting!” exclaimed Camila one day; effectively interrupting the heated debate that was going on between Normani and Lauren about the likes of pineapple on pizza; causing them both to turn to Camila with annoyance.

           “Mila, why do you make everything sound uncool….,” Dinah said uninterestedly from her position on Camila’s bed, during their first ever sleepover together as a foursome.

           “Shut up CheeChee,” Camila huffed her nickname for Dinah and rested her head on Lauren’s shoulder next to her. Lauren instantly lost her irritation.

           “Aw, Camzi, don’t be sad, you’re uncool, but we like that about you,” Lauren purred into Camila’s ears with a baby voice; causing Normani in front of her to wince.

            “Girl, speak for yourself,” the dark-skinned girl supplied, feigning indifference, and got a high-five from Dinah who had leaned over Lauren and Camila with a loud “Yas girl!”; practically shoving her boobs in front of their faces.

         Camila sat up abruptly and shoved Dinah away from Normani with one hand and got fake angry, trying to suppress a smirk as she pointed a finger at her. “You traitor! You will pay!” she yelled as she jumped on top of her, simultaneously grabbing a pillow and straddling her and whacking Dinah’s body with it.

 (Camila can be coordinated if she really wanted to, even though she was an uncoordinated mess 80% of the time)

          All of them knew that Dinah was strong enough to beat all of them up without even using half of her strength, but she feigned weakness as she cried “Stop it! I’m dying! You’re a monster!” to Camila in a British-accent (nobody knows why), with her hands outstretched in front of her and trying to stop the blows from the pillow Camila was holding.

         Lauren and Normani exchanged a look that can only be translated to why are we friends with these children before smirking at each other and snatching the pillow from Camila’s hand. They then pull Camila off Dinah into the space next to her. She screamed bloody betrayal as all three of her friends ganged up on her and tickled her, her laughs ricocheting and echoing through the room.  

           Which brings us back to their Mulan movie night a year later, where Camila heard Dinah and Normani’s slight snores behind her. And where Lauren’s head was on her lap and her fingers subconsciously ran through her luscious hair. Camila silently watched as the heroine in front of her saved China and she couldn’t be more satisfied.

——

       No matter how much time the foursome spent together, Lauren and Camila would always find time only for the both of them. They hung out mostly at their own houses, just reveling in the presence of the other girl. Lauren laid down on Camila’s bed as Camila strummed a few notes on her guitar, sitting on the chair adjacent to the bed.

Sophomore year is about to end soon, and it scared them how fast the years are going by.

       There were small changes that resided between both the girls, externally and internally. Externally, it was more related to the reputation that they had in school. Lauren was known as one of the best softball players on the team. Her name was chanted during every game; often being the player which manages to win them the game. Every time, she sees Dinah and Camila on the stands, shouting their heads off; faces painted with their school’s softball team colors. Knowing how much Camila despised sports in general but still took time to learn the rules and regulations of the game just so that she could come and support Lauren, meant everything to her.

       Dinah was much more aggressive than Camila, shouting expletives at the referee at every foul he gave the school team (even though sometimes he would be right); causing Camila to clumsily cover her mouth and try to calm her down before they got kicked out from the stands. Every time Lauren would hit a homerun, she’d run all bases and whip her head to the stands just to give Camila a flying kiss.

(She convinced herself it was for Dinah too)

(But deep down, she knew that was not true)

       The emerald-eyed girl found out the blonde girl from the auditorium’s name as she played on the team as well. It was Ashley Frangipane and she thought it was the most beautiful name ever.

It got harder and harder for the girl to dismiss the way her body reacts whenever she sees the other girl.

       She had only ever exchanged friendly-teammate conversation with her; mostly talking about the game or new tactics that they could use. The blonde was also the captain of the team, so she was always there for every practice and it made Lauren’s heart trash around. As they always played mock games, Lauren’s eyes would find themselves trained on the blonde girl and her limber figure.

       They trailed over the curves of her body constantly and spent the most time on the girl’s face. Plump lips, prominent cheekbones and a sharp jawline had turned Lauren into complete mush; unable to control her ever-growing crush. Normani had caught her staring and being distracted one day, and she confronted her about it; noting the dreamy look in Lauren’s eyes.

        “Something you want to tell me, Lauren?” Normani asked with exhortation lacing her tone as their practice ended, a small smirk on her face as her black eyes shifted to Lauren’s.

        Lauren flushed and gave Normani an angry look, suddenly feeling defensive but mostly fear. “There’s nothing to tell, Normani. Now back off, and mind your own business,” she reprimanded with an annoyed gaze aimed at Normani, tone hard but faltering at the end, reflecting the fear she possessed as she rushed to the showers without waiting for Normani.

        She felt guilty for letting out her frustration at the dark-skinned girl and immediately apologized to her as she exited the shower; finding her in the locker room with a sad smile and an apologetic look on her face. Lauren simply shook her head and wrapped her arms around her; mumbling a “sorry” into her neck. Normani nodded; she understood.

       Lauren thought about her feelings for Ashley that night. She had been feeling this way for a long time and Ashley was a senior. And to make it an even more impossible catch, she had a boyfriend and was very blatantly straight. She often caught Ashley talking about boys or gushing about the cute things her boyfriend did for her. She always felt a twinge of jealousy in her heart and she despised it. It makes her feel sticky and disgusting, but it hurt her even more because she knew that her love could never be reciprocated.

       She doesn’t know why it’s so hard for her to accept. She supported the LGBT+ community with her whole soul, but it didn’t occur to her just how much of conflict they go through finding themselves until she experienced it herself.

       It made sense, she figured. The constant excitement to see heroines in action, the constant rejection of boys who had asked her out, the confusing dreams, the way her heart thumped against her chest when she saw beautiful girls like Ashley, or even Cami-, oh no, that was her best friend, she dismissed.

(She thinks of the word beautiful, and all she can come up with are two names. Not knowing the significance of the latter until later)

         But she finally realized that it wasn’t admiration, it was longing. She was finally coming to terms with who she was; a tear slipping out of her eye as she thought about how her traditional family would ever accept her or how her beloved mom would react. It’s the uncertainty that was killing her.

        Camila was popular in her own way. She was known for always performing at school events with the Glee Club by her side. She enjoyed it, feeling the rush of a combination of both excitement and nervousness before grabbing a mic and giving her all into it. People seemed to love her voice, often getting compliments from random students after her performance and people begging her to start her own YouTube channel. She even had the chance to play a side character, Anita, in her school’s adaptation of the musical “West Side Story”.

       With each performance, Camila’s shyness was slowly stripped away to bare a much more confident woman that wasn’t scared of social interaction anymore. She had a shining new attitude and Lauren beamed at the changes her best friend was going through; watching from the sidelines and feeling so proud. Lauren was there for every single performance, shouting at the top of her lungs once they were done; clapping her hands ferociously and catching the sight of Camila looking at her with huge smile on her face.

      Sometimes, Camila looked for her in the audience and when she found her, she cracked a smile and winked; Lauren’s heart thundering in its cage for the sole reason that she was in love with Camila’s voice. Yes, her voice.

That’s what they did, support each other.

       Camila’s crush for the blue-eyed boy in her club was slowly growing to be unmanageable. He had a smile that made Camila’s knees weak and a voice that made her heart skip a beat. They would usually sing together as their voices go well together.

(Camila liked to think that they would go well together too.)

       “Cheechee, I swear Drew looked at me when he was rehearsing today,” she informed Dinah excitedly, daydreaming about his broad shoulders and lean body along with the angular features that shaped his face. She just wished she could run her fingers through his shabby black hair. Dinah simply yawned, “Ugh, why are you so gone for this boring white boy, haven’t you seen Mario?” Dinah retorted, licking her lips thinking about the senior. “Mmmm, now that’s a tall drink of water,” Dinah fantasized, thinking about the chocolate-skinned hunk who was also in Glee Club with a voice so smooth it made butter seem rough, as Dinah would put it.

        Camila would just roll her eyes, mumbling something about “not getting it” as she daydreamed for the rest of the club meeting. She had talked to him a few times, mostly about practice and which notes she could improve on, but nothing more. However, sometimes, she would catch him staring at her during practice; only for him to quickly turn away when she does. She internally squealed every time, so sure that it could mean something.

       Does he like me back? The brown-eyed girl pondered; a little excited but scared at the same time having no experience in relationships at all. He was a year older than her, but that was because he had to repeat his sophomore year.

Camila was determined to find out though, she had to shoot her shot.

         Returning to Camila’s room, Lauren’s head swam as she thought about ways to break the news about her new discovery to the brunette. She slowly sat up and leaned against the headboard of the bed; her eyes darting over to the brunette who was concentrating on her guitar as she strummed a few notes that strangely sounded like “Hello” by Lionel Richie. Her eyes raked over the messy brown hair that framed her friend’s face; noticing how her face had been looking a little bit more mature lately. It had become longer in a way, making her cheekbones stand out; giving Camila a strong Latin look. Lauren smiled as she took all of this in in awe and thought, my best friend is so beautiful.

Camila looked up then, feeling Lauren’s intense eyes on her; goosebumps rising on her skin. She gave her a lopsided smile, putting her guitar down and climbing onto the bed next to her. Her long legs stretched out in front of her; matching Lauren’s position and looks over to the emerald-eyed girl who is still staring ahead. She had a tense air around her which made Camila frown.

         “Hey,” she said, putting a few fingers on Lauren’s chin and turning it so she would face her; but her eyes were trained on Camila’s plain red shirt instead. Camila saw the furrows between Lauren’s eyebrows and coaxed, voice low, “What’s wrong, Laur?”. Lauren visibly tensed up then, her eyes slowly making their way up to Camila’s face and settling on the two chocolate orbs that always seemed to be there for her when she needed them. They looked into each other’s eyes for a moment and Lauren’s heart pounded in her chest; not because of their proximity (that’s what she told herself) but because she was about to reveal a part of her that she had kept hidden from Camila for a few weeks, and her acceptance meant so much to her; it hurt for her to think otherwise.

        Lauren took a deep breath and looked away from Camila, breaking their eye contact. She then shifted her position to sit cross-legged so that she was fully facing her. She closed her eyes and took another deep breath, putting a finger up to silence Camila’s worried “What’s going on?”.

        “Camz, I’m going to tell you something and you have to promise me you will not say anything forat least 30 seconds, not until you process it, okay?” Lauren drawled nervously, her voice shaking slightly; like she was holding in tears (and she was). Camila opened her mouth to say something but closed it and nodded instead, now sitting cross-legged as well as she faced Lauren as well; feeling like she could cut the tension with a knife.

There was pin drop silence before Lauren blurted out the two words that she had been dreading for weeks.

“I’m gay,”

       Lauren kept her eyes on Camila and was slightly mesmerized by the series of expressions that passed her face.First, it was very neutral, her eyes just looking at Lauren like she was trying to connect the words she just heard to the person who was sitting in front of her. Then, it was recognition. Her eyebrows arched higher than Lauren knew they could ever go and her mouth parted slightly, like she was dumbfounded by the information. And lastly it was happiness, a wide grin taking place on her face as she processed the new information and Camila felt her eyes brim with tears of joy and relief, worried that Lauren would tell her some horrible news; and this was nowhere close to that.

              Before the 30 seconds was up, Camila had jumped forward into Lauren arms, hugging her like a Koala Bear; her face buried into Lauren’s neck and long arms clutching onto her. Camila felt Lauren hugging her with equal desperation and she felt tears on her neck; her heart wobbled in her heart and she moved her hands up and down Lauren’s back trying to tell her that everything was going to be okay. She didn’t say anything though, keeping her promise to Lauren that way. After what felt like 2 minutes but was probably only 20 seconds, Camila pulled back and brushed the tear tracks that were on Lauren’s cheeks with a watery smile and chastely kissed each one before hugging her tightly again.

         “I’m so happy you decided to tell me, Laur. You know this doesn’t change anything for me, right? You’ll still be my vampire, Laur, you can’t get rid of me that easily,” she murmured into Lauren’s ears; lips brushing her earlobes. Lauren was ticklish, so she let out a little giggle and kissed Camila’s cheek when she pulled back.

                “I love you,” Lauren said, her eyes shining with happy tears.

               "I love you more,” came the instant reply from Camila. “I’ll be with you every step of the way, Laur. I’ll always be by your side,”

          And Camila kept her promise when Lauren decided to tell her family the next week, standing right next to her. She was there when her mother simply smiled at Lauren and replied, “And the sky is blue,”.

        She had the pleasure to see the blatant dubiety in Lauren’s eyes before they filled with tears and she ran into her mother’s arms. Clara and Lauren both told her father later in the evening when he came back. Camila simply waited in Lauren’s room assuring her that she will be right there; not wanting to intrude on an unofficial family meeting. When Lauren opened her bedroom door, walked in without a word and sat on the bed, Camila assumed the worst. She quickly shuffled closer to Lauren, ready to comfort her when Lauren simply burst out in laughter. Camila was slightly worried until Lauren collected herself and searched for Camila’s eyes.

         “He said the same thing, Camz. The same…. freaking…thing,” she declared, wiping the tears from her eyes and hugging Camila tightly.

 “I’m so grateful for all of you. So grateful,” Lauren croaked, her voice breaking in the end.

        When the news was broken to Dinah and Normani after they came over after school, they simply shrugged and said, “We know,”. Dinah gave a pointed look at her and disclosed, “Haven’t you seen the way you dress?” with a raise of one of her perfectly trimmed eyebrows.

        Lauren looked dumbfounded, superbly confused at all the nonchalant reactions she had been getting from the people who were close to her, well, excluding Camila, but Camila was a master at being oblivious, so no surprise there.

         Normani simply said one word, “Ashley,” and Lauren’s cheeks turned a deep red. Seeing the fierce reaction from only the mention of a name, Dinah gasped loudly and glared at Lauren, “Oh girl, you better have not be keeping the details of a juicy relationship from me,” she taunted, cracking her knuckles and taking a step closer to Lauren.

“You better tell me who this Ashley girl is, or so help me Lauser, I wi-“

       “Okay, okay jeez guys, can ya’ll just chill, there’s no such relationship” Lauren tried to calm them down but only managed to heighten Dinah’s feeling of being left out; “Oh, I am chill, you haven’t seen me not chill”.

       Camila, however, felt a sudden pang in her chest at the mention of the girl’s name and the implications behind it. It confused her, a frown taking place on her face, but she categorized it to feeling left out as well. She then joined in on Dinah’s you-better-tell-me-now-or-I’ll-kick-your-ass speech to Lauren. Lauren waved her arms up and down yelling “Okay!”multiple times before diving into her story of her crush and the total failure it came to be.

Camila felt a bit better after that.

(It’s only because Lauren isn’t keeping anything from her anymore, nothing else)

——-

        Lauren and Camila got their first kisses in the middle of their junior year; both their kisses happening in slightly different ways that they had imagined.

         Once junior year started, Lauren had fully embraced her new self and was completely open with her sexuality in school. News travelled like wildfire throughout the narrow hallways of the school and the students took it relatively well, though she still got some dirty looks from her peers. She didn’t really care though, because those that were most important to her were right next to her with their never-ending support. Lauren became sort of a safety beacon, as after she came out, other boys and girls alike came out themselves. It was as if they needed someone to do it first for them to have the confidence to. A few of them had come up to Lauren with words laced with candy, praising her bravery and her confidence. She could only blush deeply and say “thank you” when they did.

It also seemed like puberty had decided to take another round on her.

           She had become taller, curves shaping her body at all the right places; highlighted by the torn black skinny jeans and low-cut t-shirts that she always wore. Her cheekbones and jawline were much more prominent than they were before, bringing out her eyes more than usual. Also, because of softball, she gained a toned body that was flawlessly showcased whenever she wore crop tops; her slight abs peeking through. She lost all the excess baby fat that she had. She looked hot and the stares she often got confirmed them.

However, she was not the only one.

         Dinah had pleaded and begged and probably bribed Camila (Lauren chose to believe that) to join a beginner hip-hop dance class with her that was just outside town. The excuse she used on Camila was connected to the lack of coordination that she possessed and convinced her that she needed it if she wanted to be the lead actress for the musical production of ‘Grease’ that the Glee Club was going to produce for their senior year. Camila reluctantly agreed and followed her to the first class. She had almost quit right after because of the obvious lack of dancing skills that she possessed, but Dinah (like the Devil) pestered her, persuaded her that it was very common and all she had to was just be a bit confident with herself. Class after class passed by, and major changes were being achieved in both Dinah and Camila. Both weren’t even plump to begin with, but with the unusual sweaty activity that was foreign to both of them, their bodies slowly started to lose all the baby fat that resided in it as well.

          Dinah lost weight in her face and her hips, making her look leaner and taller than usual. Her cheekbones making a more pronounced appearance, and her curvalicious body turned heads.  Camila’s face was slowly losing the fat in it which made her jawline only that much sharper. She also ditched her lengthy bow collection and got a better hairstyle; side bangs and layered brown luscious hair flowing from her head.

         Puberty finally made an appearance as well, making her grow a few centimeters. Her butt curved considerably more and even a slight presence of boobs had Camila sprouting exuberance.

         Lauren still remembered the day she noticed the obvious change that had happened in Camila. It had been a few months into junior year when Camila wanted a sleepover at Lauren’s house; claiming that she needed her “Lauren Time”. Lauren was reading ‘To Kill A Mockingbird’ on her bed for probably the third time in her life whilst waiting for Camila. She looked up from her position on the bed when she heard the door open and sure enough, Camila walked in with a loud “Hi, Lo!”; throwing her overnight bag on her bed. She had come straight from her hip-hop class with Dinah (Lauren still laughed at that, always earning an unamused glare from her best friend), so she was still sweating. She was wearing a gray crop top that was drenched in sweat and black tights; her hair up in a loose ponytail, a few strands escaping to frame her face along with her bangs.

          Lauren’s eyes found Camila’s body over the cover of her book, and it widened comically; thanking the Gods that Camila was focused on her shoes so that she couldn’t see her reaction. Camila suddenly looked like a stranger; causing Lauren’s jaw to silently drop. Her eyes ran down her body and choked slightly when Camila bent down to untie her shoes. She did get an ass like mine, Lauren’s subconscious chimed somewhere in the daze that Lauren was going through.

         It was a struggle to tear her eyes away from her best friend as they found the silver of abs peeking through the exposed caramel skin between the hem of her crop top and tights. It didn’t help that they were glistening.

Get a fucking grip, Lauren.

She didn’t even notice that her bottom lip was held captive by her teeth until she let it go, running her tongue over it. She cleared her throat and forced herself to look back at the book; playing it cool. “Hi, Camz,” she replied after what felt like an eternity; mortified when her voice came out low and husky. Camila walked close to her and grabbed the book out of her hands; Lauren’s eyes snapping to her face and widening slightly again. Her eyes graced the once familiar face she had known, now mature with new lines and prominent cheekbones and a jawline that could cut her decorated with shining eyes; strikingly attractive.

Lauren was speechless as she watched Camila’s lips move, but not hearing her; still caught in her stupor.

              “-again. And-, Lauren are you even listening to me?” Camila accused, snapping her fingers in front of Lauren’s gorgeous face. It was then Lauren finally got a grip of herself, slightly hypnotized by the movement of Camila’s plump lips.

         “Sorry babe, I spaced out,” Lauren tried to play off. She returned to her best-friend mode right away though, “Maybe you should take a shower Camz, you smell like something the cat dragged in,”.

         Camila only dropped her jaw in offense and gave Lauren a push that barely moved her; mumbling “Shut up” under her breath loud enough for Lauren to hear. She proceeded to take her clothes from her bag and step into the shower that was right next to Lauren’s bedroom.

         Lauren willed herself to stop the irregular beats of her heart as she tried to calm down. I like girls, so it is normal to feel attracted to pretty girls, and my best friend is pretty. That’s it, Lauren reminded herself like a mantra in her head. Never mind the fact that her friend suddenly looked like a supermodel. She cleared her throat and tried to get the image of Camila in sweat out of her head.

          When Camila returned, she had to get these new (or so she thinks) thoughts out of her head by normalizing it. She was always open with Camila anyway. So, when Camila walked in with only booty shorts and a faded black shirt with Spongebob’s face on it and wet hair, Lauren was rather harshly reminded that this was a girl that she had known forever. She situated herself next to Lauren on the bed and grabbed a book from Lauren’s nightstand, but before she opened it to read it, Lauren jokingly faced her and asked her:

          “So, when did you get an ass?” she questioned with a sly tone and a wiggle of her eyebrows. She smirked when she saw the blush to rise to Camila’s cheeks as her jaw dropped opened.

          Camila let out a playful scoff and pushed Lauren’s shoulder away from her. She pursed her lips and gestured with her right hand to nothing.

          “Turns out, all I needed was some exercise,” she confessed playfully flipping her wet hair over her shoulder (a habit she learned from Dinah), “who knew I had to sweat a little for puberty to finally hit me,” she joked, her tone incredulous and eyes wide.

          “Well, you still got a long way before you get an ass like mine so…,” Lauren trailed off, lying through the skin of her teeth and pretended to resume reading her book, her voice raspy.

 She then felt Camila chuckle next to her and her heart warmed up.

          “Wow, you’re so humble,” Camila said eyeing Lauren’s symmetrical side profile, silently admiring it; identifying a crack in her façade, “but it’s true though, your ass is amazing,” she concurred, admitting to Lauren’s submission and causing Lauren’s breath to hitch.

(She was so used to Camila complimenting her, so why does it suddenly have new effects on her?)

            Lauren, begging her upcoming blush to go away, looked at Camila then with a hand on her heart; simulating shock. “Oh my God, that’s the nicest thing you’ve ever said to me Camz,” she whisper- yelled at her, dramatically wiping a non-existent tear from her eyes; causing Camila to have full-fledged laugh, her wide smile stimulating feelings in Lauren she couldn’t explain.

           It was June when Lauren got her first kiss. Being the Casanova that she was in high school and earning looks of longing from many people, she was bound to get a few date proposals. Ashley was long gone but she still rejected most of them, due to just pure fear of a full-blown relationship; knowing that she must concentrate on her studies to get into the university that she had always dreamed of going to along with Camila; and commitment just takes up a lot of time.

        However, when a petite-brunette called Ariana Grande that was in her Biology class asked her out with fluttering eyelashes and a sly smile, she had to reconsider the ‘rules’ that she had made for herself in her mind. This girl was beautiful in every sense of the word. Dimples at the side of her mouth whenever she flashed her toothy smile at Lauren along with Italian features that popped out; high-key causing Lauren to stare at her a few times. Her wavy brown hair rushed past her shoulders, making Lauren’s hands itch to run her fingers through them. So, when Ariana shyly approached her after one class, her heart jumped up to her throat and found herself automatically saying “Yes” to her when she asked her if she wanted to watch a movie that night.

          Camila, who was beside her at that time, suddenly felt a pinch in her heart. She was confused as to why she suddenly felt like throwing up and slapping Ariana at the same time. She forced a smile on her face when Lauren squealed and jumped up and down with her after Ariana left the class; three words leaving her lips that caused Camila’s stomach to ache, “I have a date!”.

         The Latina chalks up her confusing body reactions to just pure concern for her friend’s feelings. This was her first date, and she wanted it to be great for her. It didn’t help that she barely knew this Ariana girl, and she felt slightly jealous.

No, not of Ariana. But, of Lauren.

          She had been trying to get Drew’s attention for so long. Camila had hinted that she liked him so many times every time she talked to him, but it always ended up with him chuckling awkwardly and fleeing the conversation.

But it was so easy for Lauren to get dates. People were throwing themselves at her.

(Maybe it’s cause she’s so hot, a distant part of Camila’s brain blurted, and Camila merely pretended not to hear it)

          “What is it about me, Dinah?” she had asked Dinah, frustrated and a little hurt after a particularly useless interaction with Drew after a Glee Club practice they had.

          “I have no idea, Chanch, maybe he just can’t handle the fact that you’ve turned into a hot mama in the past few months,” Dinah assured her, putting a comforting hand on her shoulder but Camila only rolled her eyes; mumbling something like “I’m not a hot mama” under her breath.

          “He’s just shy. Maybe you should make the first move,” advised the dirty blonde to the girl with the sad milk chocolate eyes the week before. Ever since then, Camila had been building up the courage to ask the boy out, ideally during the Glee Club practice they were going to have tomorrow.

Maybe that’s why she was feeling a little put off with Lauren getting a date before her.

         She texted Lauren before her date, commanding her to tell her all about it after she came back from the date; finding her rationality after the minor emotion lapse she experienced at school. She had offered to help her with her outfit, but Lauren had declined distractedly. She said that she already knew what she was wearing. So, as enthusiastically as she could, Camila hyped the raven-haired girl for her date seeing that her best friend was incredibly shy.

         “You’re gonna be fine, go kill it, Laur,” she had encouraged her. She waited patiently by her phone; knowing Lauren would keep her promise and call her.

            It was half- past ten when she received the call from Lauren. Unsurprisingly, Camila had fallen asleep and was woken up by the steady ring of her phone. She shot up and grabbed it as soon as she remembered the occasion when she saw “Vamp” flash across her screen.

           Breathlessly and living vicariously through Lauren, she impatiently questioned her. Without even a ‘hello’, Camila garbled, “Oh God, how was it? Tell me everything!”.

           It was quiet on the other side for a while, and Camila felt her smile slipping off her face; suddenly worried that the date was horrible. But before she could cajole Lauren, she heard her soft voice through the phone, and this time, her smile did slip off her face.

         “She kissed me,” came a low voice, emotionless, until it was repeated, much louder and dripping with excitement, “She kissed me, Camz! I just got my first kiss holy shit,”

          Camila felt her heart beating in her chest, and that’s all she could hear for a while. She felt the same pinch in her heart earlier and this time she knew she was jealous of Lauren. She had gotten her first kiss before her.

(It couldn’t possibly be anything else right?)

           She really wanted to be happy for her friend, but the thought of her kissing someone else only made her skin crawl. The thought of Ariana kissing her best friend was causing her to feel sick.

          “Camz, say something! I’m freaking out here!” Lauren exclaimed, and Camila was so thankful the alabaster skinned girl couldn’t see her right now. She didn’t know how she would have been able to control her expressions.

         She didn’t know what she was expecting. People kiss on their first dates, that was normal. So why was she so shell shocked? She used her drama skills to feign excitement and scream back “Oh my God Lauren! That’s amazing,” as her chest heaved and her voice high-pitched, “Spill the tea!”.

          And she heard how Ariana held her hand through out the whole movie and shared her popcorn with her. How she had bought her chocolates. How she looked so cute in her floral summer dress. How she picked Lauren up and kissed her on the doorstep.

         “It felt amazing, Camz,” Lauren gushed to her and Camila could only hope that her first kiss would be like that; the burning in her heart intensifying. It gave her everything she needed to ask Drew out the next day.

         After Glee Club practice and some supportive thumbs up from Dinah who was creeping from outside the room, Camila sauntered over to Drew; confidence and determination radiating from her pores.

She couldn’t pine over him anymore, she had to grow a pair.

       So, she took a deep breath as she stood in front of him and asked him out to a dinner date with her. Drew could only stare at her for a moment; unable to comprehend the fact that Camila had just asked him out before he could. He then nodded stupidly, a small “Sure” coming out from his mouth. Camila grinned victoriously and gave her his number, and also taking down his. She finally did it, she’s finally going on a date with someone she had a crush on since freshman year.

      Why the hell did it take Lauren getting into a relationship for her to pursue one as well? She waved goodbye to him shyly and turned around; catching a glimpse of Dinah’s happy dance outside the room. She rushed over to her and joined her in it.

She was finally going to get her first kiss that she had always dreamed of!

Oh shit.

She was finally going to get her first kiss that she had always dreamed of.

      After school, Camila had texted Drew and confirmed the date to be on next Friday so that she could get to know him more and pick a restaurant that would appeal to both of them. She had told Lauren and Normani the moment she saw them after their softball practice, jumping for joy. Normani had given her a proud tap on her shoulder and announced, “My baby is growing up,” before taking her into her arms.

Lauren, on the other hand, had a bittersweet feeling swirling in her heart.

(Actually, quite like the feeling that Camila had gotten)

      Camila was finally going on a date with the boy that she couldn’t stop talking about since freshman year, and knowing about how romantic she is, this must seem like a sign to her. Lauren was afraid for Camila. Afraid that she would get manipulated by the boy, afraid that he would take advantage of her, afraid for her security, at least that’s what she told herself; but then again, she had never really talked to the boy.

       Sure, she had been pointed to his direction a few times by an effusive Camila and that was it. He could be an actual nice guy for all she knew, he already had the good-looks part down. But she was happy for her, she was gaining new experiences just like she was with Ariana. She had no say because Camila had been completely nice and supportive about her growing relationship with Ariana. They had planned to go out again after school, and Lauren was smitten by her. With that thought in her mind, she dismissed any weird feelings in her heart and embraced the brown-eyed girl, mumbling into her ear with her low voice, “I’m so proud of you, Camz,”.

       “If you need any help with your outfit, you tell us Chanch. We will be there in no time,” assured Dinah with a hand on her hip, and Normani nodding beside her.

       “Yeah, Camz,” Camila’s attention snaps to the emerald eyed girl, “Just let me know if you’re doubtful about anything okay?” she said to Camila, grabbing onto her hand and brushing her thumb over her knuckles. Camila’s cheeks flushed for some reason at the action, and she thanked all of them. She went back home with two words drilling into her head: first kiss.

And it was those same two words that caused her to panic a few days before the date.

       Camila paced around her room, overthinking the whole situation as usual. She had managed to pick out a suitable restaurant, but her mind was going haywire over the fact that she might be kissed in a few days.

       She didn’t know how to! She thought about all the possible situations where she drastically embarrasses herself and she felt anxiety course through her veins.

       What if she accidentally bites him? Or what if he wants to use tongue? What if she drools on him? All the what ifs were only heightening the nervousness in her. So, she did the one thing she could think of, she called Lauren.

       Hearing the troubled tone in her voice, Lauren had abandoned her plans to call Ariana and instead rushed to Camila’s house with distress. Camila hadn’t told her the problem and she was worried. She reached her house and greeted her father on the way in.

(Camila’s father had finally made it to America when she was nine)

       When she reached her bedroom after taking two steps at a time, she opened the door to find Camila sitting cross-legged on her floor and biting her fingernails; a nervous tick of hers. Lauren quickly shuffled next to her, sitting in the same position and putting a hand on her shoulder.

        “Camz, tell me what’s going on, what’s worrying you?” Lauren coaxes, removing Camila’s fingers from her mouth causing her to finally look up into her eyes. Lauren’s tone was rough but smooth at the same time; calming Camila instantly. She wondered how Lauren did it. Lauren noticed how Camila started fiddling with her fingers before she let out a sigh.

          “Kisses,” she whispered, looking anywhere but at Lauren, feeling her cheeks ablaze with the shame from her confession. Lauren only gulped, Wow this is new, she thinks. She knew that her date with Drew is in a few days and that is probably the source of this lip virgin panic. Lauren slightly shuddered at the sex panic that Camila would go through if she was this panicked about a kiss.

          Lauren herself had kissed Ariana a few times, feeling her heart soar whenever she did. She used to think that it probably didn’t feel that great, but she refuted her thoughts once she felt her lips touch Ariana’s. It felt like she was floating. She only used tongue once with her, and the sensation made her feel like she was drowning; her pupils dark after. But she was still an amateur and only a little bit more experienced than her brunette friend.      

          “Camz, c’mon, look at me,” Lauren started, cupping her face and turning her back to face her. “It’s fine to feel nervous, but please don’t overthink it,” she cajoled, meeting Camila’s watery eyes.

         “All you have to do is let the vibe guide you, just pucker up and you’ll be fine,” Lauren advised her with a smile, intertwining their fingers. Camila frowns, running her free hand through her hair and flipping it to the side (a habit she learned from Lauren).

         “I’ve watched enough movies to know that Lauren, I just don’t want to be bad at it, it’s the worst scenario,” she frustratedly explained, her eyes dimming. “He has had girlfriends before, Laur. And he’s gonna compare me to them, and what type of girlfriend will I be if I can’t even kiss right?” she whined, a stray tear running down her cheek.

         Lauren’s heart ripped at the edges as she watched her best friend crumble in front of her. She felt like she would do anything to stop her from crying; to make her stop. She hated to see her friend hurting. She shuffled closer to her and hugged her from the side, running her hand over her lithe back.

         “Camz, you’ll be fine. I have gone through this before. I went in unprepared but look at Ari and me! We’re still together right? And she’s even complimented me on my kissing skills, Camz,” she informed her with a smile, her voice soft and soothing; reaching her hand over to tuck a stray hair behind Camila’s ear, “Practice makes perfect, Camz,”.

          An epiphany had hit Camila when she heard those last words, like she had just found a tool in her toolbox that could finally complete her project. It made so much sense, it was the perfect plan.

She didn’t have to go in unprepared…. not when she could practice.

         She looked up abruptly then, facing Lauren with wide eyes and parted lips. The tracks of her tears drying.

(It’s a decision that Camila would come to regret…or be thankful of, later)

         “Kiss me,” Camila softly told Lauren, her cheeks on fire. This was one way she could have an honest opinion about her kissing skills.

        Sure, she would be giving her first kiss to Lauren, but she rather it be with her; someone she trusts with her life, than a boy that might leave her in a few months for a petty reason.

         Lauren could barely hear her, she thought she had to clean her ears. She was sure she heard wrong. Or Camila had gone crazy. It had to be either one. Though her heart was racking up a storm in her chest, she didn’t want to get her hopes u-believe it.

        Her eyes bulged out of her skull and she had one eyebrow arched. Camila would laugh at the comical look if the atmosphere around them hadn’t thickened like oatmeal in the last two seconds.

 “I’m sorry……what?” a dumbfounded Lauren looked at Camila; praying to God that she was joking.

But Camila was dead serious.

The 16-year-old turned her whole body to face Lauren, having a determined look on her face.

          “Just think about it Laur! It’ll just be a peck! Just so I know what to expect with Drew,” Camila explained, her hands gesturing wildly around her, eyes wide. “Please Lauren, it’ll just be two seconds and then it will be done! We will keep this between ourselves, its just practice, Laur,” Camila begged her, still eyeing an expressionless Lauren who couldn’t find any word in the dictionary that she could use to reply to Camila.

         “We don’t have to do it if you’re uncomfortable, I understand, but please think about it, please,” Camila drawled out, catching onto the hesitation her friend was exuding. She had a partner for God’s sake.

          Lauren realized the extent of the situation, she would be kissing her best friend. Her beautiful best friend. The best friend that induced a few feelings in her that she didn’t understand. The best friend with doe eyes that could make her do anything, and oh shit- she has pouted.

          Lauren covered her face with her hands, needing to not look at Camila’s full lips right now. The image of Camila’s bottom lip jutting out replaying in her mind for more reasons than one.

But it’s Camila. And she would do anything to stop her from hurting.

She was gonna regret this.

          “Okay,” she murmured dejectedly into her hands before she heard an excited shriek erupt from the brunette. Lord have mercy.

           Camila calmed down after that and smiled cheekily at her, not paying attention to who she was about to kiss but more to the action that she was about to commit. For Lauren, it was the complete opposite. Camila’s smile was wide before she closed her eyes and she took a deep breath, calming herself and taking both of Lauren’s hands into her own. She peeked one eye open to see an incredibly nervous Lauren and said the magic words,

                 “Ready when you are,”

           Lauren wanted to get it over with, so she inched as close as possible to Camila’s face. Taking in her long eyelashes, the slope of her perfect nose, her plump lips; she shuddered internally.

Fuck, what am I doing? She thought disbelievingly as she felt Camila’s breath hit her face and suddenly felt like she had to prove something.

She held her breath and leaned forward to place her trembling lips firmly on Camila’s, feeling all her senses heighten as she felt electricity course through her veins; as if Camila was a power source. Lauren’s heart pounded against her chest and she worried that Camila might hear it.

           Even though she had kissed Ariana multiple times, none of those kisses matched this and she was afraid that this would happen, feeling like she finally found a missing piece of a puzzle while she kissed her best friend.

           It literally took her breath away and she couldn’t control herself for the life of her. Lost in all things Camila, she enclosed Camila’s bottom lip in between hers for a second before letting it go, her forehead resting on hers; breathing in her air for a few seconds before pulling away to see Camila open her shining eyes the same time as she did.

           The kiss lasted for less than 3 seconds, but it felt like an eternity. Camila then simply brushed her lips with her pointer finger and thumb. As if she was trying to inspect or recreate the feeling that she felt a few seconds ago.  She tasted like cherries, Lauren thought licking her lips as she eyed Camila’s lips, still swimming in a charged stupor.

What she didn’t notice was Camila was looking at her lips too.

          She snapped out of her daze and gave Camila a shy smile, flipping her hair to the side with her fingers and trying to play off the now painful beats of her heart. She felt as if things were slipping into place, but she felt sick because it was.

She couldn’t explain it.

        She couldn’t explain why Camila made her feel things Ariana couldn’t. Too mortified to even consider the other option.

(Actually, she could, she just didn’t want to)

           “So,” her voice came out husky and cracked, “How was it?” she asked Camila, who had been staring at her the whole time; like she was ruminating something. She took a few seconds to reply, giving Lauren a smile that didn’t really reach her eyes.

               “It felt magical,”

Lauren almost choked on air.

               “And,” Camila resumed, voice vulnerable, “How was I?”

          Lauren felt her throat dry up, as she felt an inevitable lump forming in her throat as the thoughts in her head went wild. She identified the truth burn on her tongue, but she couldn’t say anything. She couldn’t admit it. She couldn’t for now, so she simply gave her a winning smirk, her eyes missing the way Camila’s chest heaved for a second.

           “Eh, you need a little work,” Lauren joked, earning a chuckle from Camila; effectively cutting the fiery tension between them. Camila shuffled back to be situated on Lauren’s side as she just laid her head on her shoulder, her eyebrows furrowed. Lauren felt like she had to clarify; like she had to let Camila know at least half of the truth.

           “I’m kidding Camz…. you felt magical too,” Lauren uttered to her after she gathered her confidence, her cheeks ablaze as her voice became shaky. Camila turned to look at her then, her eyes fixed on Lauren’s for a few seconds and Lauren felt the air get charged around her. But it was broken just as swiftly when the Latina broke eye contact with her and gave her a lopsided smile, playing with her own fingers.

           “I’ll let Drew be the judge of that,” she delivered with her tongue stuck out and her voice teasing, and although Lauren smiled at her, she felt her heart fracture at her words.

There’s always gonna be another Drew, Lauren.

           So, stop, while you’re ahead. Unless you want to ruin this irreplaceable friendship that you have, her inner voice barked at her.

So, she listened.

#UPDATE #series #AU #camren #laurmani #caminah #normila #norminah #laurinah #angst drama #humour #romance fluff #submission #You Feel Like Magic To Me