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#when i say this was a cultural reset
kinnbig · 1 year
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happy 1st anniversary to the best first kiss in television history
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awakefor48hours · 8 days
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The Legend Of Korra: *spent years fighting an uphill battle of misogynoir and queeephobia*
Korra and Asami: *kiss and announce they’re a couple before gay marriage was even legalized in the United States*
Fans: Korrasami is a bad and underdeveloped relationship. Why do people even like it?
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mihai-florescu · 2 years
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Hiyori overheard when Eichi told Arashi to work hard at being loved as an idol to normalize lgbt people in japan and he made it his life's mission to outdo both of them
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maiappas · 27 days
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..
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leatherbookmark · 4 months
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ootd features the words "black dress" in its lyrics and people are like oh! this is a reference to another group's song, "black dress"!
i'm unwell.
#shrimp thoughts#also 'you people just Don't Understand' part 2: apparently there will be Part Two. just like with gee idle's allergy and queen/card#which. lol. apparently 'when allergy came out people were shocked because the it was basically 'if you're ugly tough shit just get a#surgery' but once queen/card came out everything was clear!' and like. how was it clear. what was clear.#one song is 'boo hoo i'm so ugly i hate looking at myself in the mirror and no one likes me i should get plastic surgery'#and the other is like 'ya hoo i'm so hot and sexy i'm like these two western celebrities!!!! i'm so cool i'm twerking on the runway'#kp/op kinda sucks balls in that it's like.... musical equivalent of tjlc crossed with marvel. it's basic ass pop made to sell except with a#faux deep garnish. and sometimes the garnish stands on its own! like if you take guerrilla it's clear that there's actually no deeper or#more detailed philosophy behind it. it's not really n.o where the 'rebellion' was actually supposed to be against something concrete#it's like. we want to feel! we don't want... not to feel! but the sound and visuals are strong enough that you don't mind it#like fuck yeah the lads are staging a revolution now! and now they're outlaws in a western! sort of! and now it's alice in wonderland!#but v often the companies actively make use of the fact that kp/op stans will obsessively look for Depth and Serious Themes in their#cultural reset slaying sotys. a girl looks at a butterfly? oh the song is about having an identity crisis like in that one poem about a guy#dreaming about being a butterfly. it's actually very deep and you can see it was all planned because there was a little butterfly icon#above the tracklist. and the fans get so attached to their headcanons theories and interpretations that they don't stop for a second#to check if there was anything in the 'text' in the first place#remember that one magritte post? this is also how kp/op stans interpret things. she wears a blue dress here and blue is the color of summer#and summer is when you have holidays and don't have to go to school! so by this blue dress she's trying to say that you should love#yourself and strive to be the best version of yourself by embracing your hobbies and extracurricular interests. this is so genius 😭
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ox1-lovesick · 1 year
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my life has been changed forever
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lasshoe · 2 years
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happy one year anniversary of this to all those who observe 
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xxlumos · 11 months
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Still very sad poland didn’t win ESC with the butter churning they did on stage with their tits out 😔🤧
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canonicallyanxious · 1 year
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anyway what is the best homestuck song and why is it heir of grief
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kyuala · 7 months
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nobody can argue about 2018-2019 kpop w me i will cut a bitch over it
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maddy-ferguson · 8 months
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i read this in 2021 and it changed my life like why does it make so much sense
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thursdayg1rl · 2 years
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i can wait I can wait I can sit wondering what in the world you think about..... I dont think im ever gonna figure it out...……..
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fandom · 1 year
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Deltarune
This is Toby Fox’s website and we’re just living on it. For more than seven years, his games have cast a spell on Tumblr, stealing the hearts of fans with their winning combination of storytelling, innovative gameplay, and characters filled with heart and determination. Our first look at Toby’s world of monsters and humans came in 2015 when Undertale was released. We learned the meaning of mercy and that while talking through conflict might not be the easiest path, it’s always the right one. When the first chapter of Deltarune came out in 2018, absolute chaos ensued. We met Kris, Susie, and Ralsei and set off on a brand new adventure where you fell in love with the Undertale universe all over again.
The second chapter came as a complete surprise and was one of the best gifts Tumblr received in the past year. You immediately latched onto the continuation of some of the best lore in gaming and memed the living heck out of it. You also spammed our dashes with a tiny little man in pink and yellow sunglasses—so much so that he ended up becoming the #1 video game character on all of Tumblr this year. Spamton had a chance to become a [[big shot!]] and, boy, did he take it. 
And he wasn’t the only new character Deltarune threw into the mix. As a game with a combat system based almost entirely (if you’re playing correctly) on social interactions, its characters are key. They're relatable and make you want to root for them. Even, and often especially, for the bad guys. We can almost hear you yelling, “I can fix him!” into the void, and we believe you! Remember that one time you talked about the Deltarune villain, Queen, so much you skewed the tag data for one of the biggest bands of all time and the actual Queen of England? We sure do. And when Noelle Holiday joined the party, your team was finally complete.
This year marked the first anniversary of Deltarune’s second chapter, and you celebrated with every post type Tumblr has to offer. You survived the Tumblr Sexyman poll and the Spamton Sweepstakes, and for that, you all deserve the shiniest gold ribbon.
All of this to say that Toby Fox wins Tumblr. Undertale, for Tumblr, was a total cultural reset, and its impact is still felt even seven years later. It first appeared on our weekly video games list way back on September 21, 2015, just days after the game’s release—and it has been on every single list but one since then. So we’ve always known that Deltarune would find a loving home on Tumblr, and it truly has been so loved.
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Birdie
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John "Bucky" Egan x female!reader
Summary: A rare night out in London has Bucky coming to terms with his feelings for you.
Word Count: 2.9k
Tags: mechanic!reader, songbird!reader, female!reader, she/her pronouns used, drinking culture, cursing, mutual pining, moderate bouts of denial, insecurities, women supporting women because it's what we deserve, let's pretend that The Old Therebefore is an ancient Appalachian folk song in this universe, maybe she's a Mary Sue idgaf, I just wanted to write something happy so LET ME LIVE, WWII era, there's no Y/N but reader has the nickname "Birdie"
A/N: Yeah, I'm obsessed with Masters of the Air. I had to write something for my mans before the creative procrastination literally killed me. Please leave a like, comment, or even a reblog if you're so inclined :)
You can read my OC version of this story on AO3!
Songs Mentioned in This Fic:
Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy by The Andrews Sisters
G.I. Jive by Johnny Mercer
The Ole Therebefore (Accapella) by Rachel Zegler
Disclaimer: I own nothing. This story and any recognizably named characters are based solely on dramatic portrayals of the characters from the series, not the real individuals they represent. All the respect to the actual service people who fought and died in the Second World War. Also, don't copy my writing without explicit permission. That includes you, you AI sonuvabitch.
Your heels clicked on the cobblestone streets, turning into the pub you’d heard so much about. You were out celebrating a very rare weekend off. The Brass had somehow allowed you and twenty other mechanics from base two days leave, so you took advantage of the opportunity and headed straight to London.
Your two best girlfriends from base were with you. Teresa was one of the toughest nurses you’d ever come across. She could give you a wide grin, crinkles around her hazel eyes, and reset a broken bone without breaking a sweat. It helps that she was already working towards becoming a nurse back in New Mexico, the war just sped along that process. You had bonded over your love of books, giving each other recommendations almost weekly.
You’d met Irene on the boat to England. She puked on your shoes almost thirty minutes exactly after leaving the port in New York. You gave a small grin, offering her a handkerchief and a piece of ginger candy and the rest was history. Finding out that she was a fellow mechanic was the icing on the cake. Coming in at a whopping five foot two, the spritely blonde could easily be found in a crowd with her loud Appalachian accent.
It seemed almost like fate for the three of you to have found each other. Being some of the few women on base naturally made you close, but you were closer with Irene and Teresa than any of the others. That’s not to say that you weren’t friends with any of the men, because you were. Friendly. 
All three of you were dressed to the nines, in contradiction to your everyday work wear. You all got ready together in your hotel room, giggling while you applied makeup here, spritzed some perfume there. You all felt confident and were ready to have a good time. You spotted some familiar faces and made your way over towards them, your friends linked arm-in-arm with you. Lemmons was the first to greet you.
Of the fifty men on the ground crew, Sgt. Ken Lemmons was the most welcoming of them all. From the get-go, he didn’t care if you were a man or woman. He just wanted to know that you were capable. You were sure he had to go through some hazing because of his age, which probably changed his perspective on gatekeeping the job. This made earning and maintaining respect a lot easier for the women on your crew. We all came over with the same goal, it was better for all if we just helped each other out.
“Hey Birdie! Nice to see you out and about.”
Ah, the famed nickname. You tend to hum and sing under your breath when elbow-deep in a project. It helps you pass the time and clear your mind. Of course, the rest of the ground crew quickly caught on to this habit of yours, which quickly earned you the nickname “Birdie”. You, of course, never sing solo in public, so this confuses anyone who’s not around you while you’re working. But the name stuck, so here you are. Birdie.
Chairs are quickly cleared for you and your friends, which you all graciously take. You go up to buy some drinks, knowing what your friends like, and quickly return with your drinks of choice. Conversation flows, laughs are shared, and a few drinking games are played over the next hours. Teresa soon speaks up on a topic you’d been hoping to avoid.
“Do you think he’ll be here tonight?”
You shrug and look into your drink, “Dunno. Why does it matter?”
Irene, the ever supportive best friend that she is, backs up Teresa. “What do you mean ‘why’? This is your chance to finally make a move!”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” You quickly deny, taking another sip.
An unladylike snort leaves Irene, “My ass! You and Major Egan have been making googly eyes at each other when you think the other’s not looking for months. I’m saying it’s time for you to perk your tits up, buck on over and ride that—!” You slam your drink on the table, pressing your hand over Irene’s mouth, heat rising to your cheeks in embarrassment.
“Are you insane?” You whisper harshly, looking around to make sure no one overheard you. You seem to be in the clear, which makes you calm down a bit. Irene pushes off your hand, takes a swig of her drink, and consults the person who started this whole conversation.
“Am I wrong?” You look to Teresa, who cringes slightly in agreement.
You gape at the pair of them. Normally, you were the median between the two girls who had vastly differing opinions. But this is what made them come to a consensus? Unbelievable.
“Look, I’m not saying that I don’t want to.” You start, which makes your friends nod encouragingly at you. “It’s just that… Is he really as interested as you think he is?”
They both groan and slump against each other, like they’d just run a marathon. Teresa sits up, scooching your chair in closer so that the three of you were in a private triangle, cut off from the rest of the group.
“Let’s look at the facts here, okay?” Teresa starts to tick off a finger with each point she and Irene make. But you seem to always have a rebuttal at the ready.
“He brings you coffee every morning.”
“I thought he does that for everyone.”
“He constantly fixes his hair when you’re around.”
“He takes care of his appearance!”
“He walks you to the mess hall every day for dinner.”
“We just happen to be going the same way. And we happen to have the same dinner schedule.”
“He read The Hobbit when you said how much you loved it.”
“He’s an adventurous guy, it’s an adventurous book, what’s not to like about it?”
“You two literally will walk and talk outside alone for hours.”
“A man can’t have a stimulating conversation with a woman?”
“He laughs at all your dumb jokes.”
“Hey! They’re not all dumb. Like, the one with the goose and the—”
“Point proven. Anyways! He has your picture in the inside pocket of his jacket.”
That one stops you in your tracks. You brain tries to justify this meaning but comes up blank.
“He…” You struggle with an excuse. “He…” Your best friends give victorious smirks in your direction.
“He… likes the extra padding in his jacket?” You stutter over what is possibly the most pathetic, sorry excuse you could have ever come up with.
“When are you gonna admit to yourself that he likes you? Like, actually truly likes you?” 
You gave a sad sigh, letting the insecurity you were feeling deep down come to the surface. “I just… He’s just so…” You had stomped down your feelings for so long that it was becoming hard to articulate what exactly you’re feeling.
“He just seems so unreal. Like, of everyone he could have chosen, why me? I mean, I know I’m great. But you’ve seen the other girls on base. They’re all so beautiful, smart, classy… and none of them are covered in engine oil ninety percent of the time.” You looked down at your hands, specks of grease and oil peeking out from beneath your nail beds. It seems like it would never completely wash out, no matter how hard you scrubbed. You hadn’t even painted your nails for this weekend, knowing it would be money wasted come Monday morning when you’re back on the clock.
Teresa and Irene share a look that you don’t see, then come forward and grab each of your hands. 
“The words you just used to describe those girls. All of that is you, Birdie. That and more. You being a mechanic doesn’t make you any less of a woman, and to hell with anyone else who thinks otherwise.”  You nodded in agreement, Irene’s words of encouragement slowly washing away your anxieties.
Teresa spoke up next, “You deserve someone who will rearrange the stars and the whole night sky for you. And I’m more than willing to bet that Major Egan is up for the job.” 
“Besides, none of that 'unreal' stuff. At the end of the day, John Egan is nothing more than a man. If he can’t look past his nose and his d—" You gave a squeak to cover up the vulgar word Irene was about to blurt in public. She rolled her eyes fondly and continued.
“If he can’t see what you’re worth and make the effort to treat you a hundred times better than that? That’s on him. Not you. You know what you deserve, and you deserve everything you want. Absolutely everything.”
You sniffed, happy tears coming to your eyes. You brought your best friends in for a hug, thanking them profusely. 
“Don’t sweat it,” Teresa grins into your shoulder “every girl needs to be pulled out of her well sometime.”
You pull back from the hug, grabbing your glass and tipping your head back, finishing the rest of your drink. “Even if he’s not gonna be here, let’s have a ball!” Your girlfriends cheer as the three of you go to the bar for refills.
One drink turns into two, which turns into a few more, and suddenly you’re buzzed. Your group are having a rambunctious time, Irene dancing by the local piano player. Once Irene looks over to you, she stops and whispers in the player’s ear. He nods, then starts a new tune. Irene starts up her voice, walking over to you and Teresa, encouraging you to join her. 
The alcohol has loosened you up enough that you don’t feel the nausea you usually associate with being perceived, so you join in the harmonies you and your friends have practiced in your bunks at night.
He was a famous trumpet man from out Chicago way
He had a boogie style that no one else could play
He was the top man at his craft
But then his number came up and he was gone with the draft
Soon the whole pub was jumping and dancing along to the tune as you brought a new vibe to the pub. It was like a spark that started an entirely new night and everyone was eager to go on forever.
One song turns into an entire set, which ends with a full rendition of G.I. Jive, which had everyone singing along. It was a magical moment; made you feel like you were a part of something important.
Irene sidles up to you, giving you a hug. She says in your ear,
“I think it’s time to slow it down a bit. How about you sing that song I taught you.”
She means an old Appalachian folk song that’s been in her family for generations. You had heard her sing it one night and immediately loved the dark, but strong nature of the lyrics. It was an honor to learn it from her. 
“I don’t know, it’s your family’s song and…”
“And I can’t think of anyone better to sing it to these soldiers.” You gave each other a look, her slight eyebrow raise gave you the courage to nod in acceptance. She smiled, hugging you again, her voice yelled out to the crowd. 
“Birdie’s gonna sing solo!”
The announcement is met with raucous applause, Irene and Teresa shoving you towards a dodgy looking table. Crank offers a hand up, which you take gratefully. As you find your bearings on the tabletop, you quickly spin around and find all eyes on you. 
The crackling energy in the air seemed to simmer, the fast-beating hearts of the pubgoers recognizing a moment to acknowledge you. Nausea starts to make an appearance, but a deep breath quells the sensation within you for the time being.
You take another deep breath. Inhale, exhale. Inhale. Exhale.
You close your eyes, open your mouth, and sing.
Meanwhile…. 
Majors Gale Cleven and John Egan walk down the familiar street, one eager to catch up with his fellow countrymen’s alcohol intake, the other just happy to spend time with his friends. They were arriving later to the festivities due to being caught up in filling out reports. By far the worst part of having a higher rank was the paperwork.
“It’s pretty quiet.” Buck acknowledges. “They’re usually rowdier by this point.”
Bucky sniffs, shrugging off the concern. “Ah, it’s probably nothing.” 
As the two men approach the pub, they find that a crowd has formed. Soldiers, civilians, RAF, USAAF, old, young— people had obviously stopped to watch whatever was going on. It was dead silent, save for a voice singing. Was there a radio show on or something?
A familiar face peeks out at them from the crowd, DeMarco quickly waving them over. 
Bucky is quick to question, “Hey, what’s going on?” but is immediately shushed by nearby crowd members. Buck cringes in apology, despite not being the one to disturb the peace. His best friend, ever unshaken by the opinion of strangers, carries on.
DeMarco leans in, whispering, “Your girl’s taking us all to church.”
“My girl..?” Bucky’s nose scrunches in confusion. He makes space through the crowd and quickly makes sense of DeMarco’s words. It was you.
I’ll catch you up
When I’ve emptied my cup
When I’ve worn out my friends
When I’ve burned out both ends
Standing on a tabletop, watchful eyes sat all around you like baby ducks flocking to their mama. You were captivating everyone with each note and word that flows from your mouth. Damn, you've got a set of pipes— a voice that belongs on the radio, in concert halls, on Hollywood records. He had no idea.
His little Birdie.
“Wow.” Buck mutters in awe from behind him, and Bucky couldn’t be more in agreement.
When I’m pure like a dove
When I’ve learned how to love
He hadn’t noticed before, but her eyes were closed. Like she needed to concentrate on each and every breath she took, every single movement her body made, before letting them out in an angelic melody.
As if by divine intervention, her eyes pop open and lock on his as she belts “how to love” 
It could’ve been an eternity, for all he knows, the amount of time that they spent locked in each other’s gaze. The world pauses around them, everything frozen. Her eyes were already the kind to knock a man clean off his feet with a single gaze, but he thinks- for a brief moment- that his heart completely stops beating.
John Clarence Egan would swear every day from then on, until his dying breath, that the course of his life was altered in that very moment. He knew how it would continue from then on, and how it would end. How he wanted it to end.
Then the world starts back up and carries on.
Right here in the old therebefore
When nothing is left anymore
Her final hums are joined by a short blonde woman who stands nearby, another face he recognizes from base. 
The applause that picks up after the end of the song is near deafening. The star of the hour gives a shy smile, a quick curtsy and is given a hand to step down from the table.
Everyone soon starts mingling, the normal chatter of the bar returning. But Bucky is stuck in his spot, dumbfounded. In all the conversations you’d had together, somehow this never came up. He should’ve put two and two together, as he recalls overhearing your hums one morning as he made his daily coffee delivery to you. But you had been caught off guard, so much so that you tripped off the ladder you stood on and fell. Luckily, his quick reflexes kicked in to catch you before any serious injuries occurred. 
Remembering the sensation of his hands on your waist and thighs, face just inches from yours, sent his brain into a tailspin. That’s not even considering just how damn cute you were when, after a beat, you turned away from him and playfully mourned the cups of coffee that were splattered all over the hardstand.
“John. John?” A hand waving in front of his face knocks him out of his reverie. He blinks once, twice. Then looks to his best friend.
His voice comes out uncharacteristically weak in response, to which he then clears his throat and corrects. “Yes—yeah?” He pops the collar of his sheepskin jacket to try and hide the rampant red of his ears that signals the heat radiating from them.
Buck just shakes his head and gives him a knowing smile. “You sure know how to pick ‘em, Egan. Never thought I’d see the day.”
“See what day?” Bucky starts to consciously return to his body, leaning on the bar.
“The day when a girl finally knocks you on your ass. I knew you had a thing for her, but that?” He points to his face and motions to indicate where they had just been standing. “That’s something else. That’s something real.”
Bucky gives another shrug in response, to which Buck throws back an unconvinced frown. He turns his head to gaze over the pub patrons and is distracted by you once again. Any denial he was about to spout immediately dies in his mouth when you lock eyes with him again and give him a dazzling smile. The world starts to fade away again.
His heart pumps faster in his chest at the sight. Damnit. He sighs, telling his best friend the truth he’s been privately wrestling with for a while now, all the while keeping his eyes locked on yours.
“I know, Buck. I know.”
Bucky smiles back at you and is elated when your face lights up. You give him a wave.
“She kinda snuck up on me.”
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elliesbelle · 9 months
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nobody compares to you
chapter 8
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pairing: ellie x reader
synopsis: you're in your junior year of college and at a party, you run into the girl who broke your heart: ellie williams. despite the time it took to reset your life, will you risk a broken heart again for her?
content warnings: modern college au, cursing, angst, lesbian flirtationship?, mentions of kissing, mentions of a weapon (it's just ellie's switchblade), descriptions of injuries and bruising, abby is hot and cocky (duh), minors do not interact
word count: 4k
chapters: one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven, twelve, thirteen
series masterlist
my masterlist
i have a ko-fi if you like my work so much that you feel compelled to tip me ♡︎
the "nobody compares to you" spotify playlist
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You’d spent the last few days texting back and forth with Abby. She hadn’t changed much since your freshman year, still confident and charismatic and charming as always. 
It was nice, taking a step outside of your comfort zone. It had been a while since you’d regularly socialized with someone other than your usual group of friends. The older you got, it seemed harder to feel comfortable getting close to new people. 
But Abby made it easy, keeping things casual and light. She’d ask about your day, talk about hers, and inquire what you were up to. She’d flirt every now and again, and you’d cautiously flirt right back, but she never pushed much further than that. 
You hadn’t told anyone yet about reconnecting with Abby. The girls from the Wilson Crew would no doubt be incredibly supportive, having partly seen you going through some of the disastrous aftermath with Ellie. But as loving and encouraging as they were, having six girls simultaneously asking you questions and being loud & abrasive about your love/sex life was too overwhelming a thought. 
You considered disclosing your secret to Dina. But though you loved her deeply and she was the closest thing you’ve ever had to a sister, Dina was just a tad bit judgy. She wouldn’t say anything, but after a few years of knowing her and her mannerisms, you’d recognized her pursed lips and her one raised eyebrow as her judgy face. And right now, the last thing you needed was to be evaluated when you’re trying to break from behind the walls you’ve built the past couple of years. 
After musing over it for a while, you kick yourself for not realizing right away who it was that you could confide in.
Jesse. 
Jesse was an easygoing person, effortless to chat with and always cracking jokes. But when it came down to it, he cared about you and knew how to listen, judgment-free. You used to have long talks with him back in freshman year, separate from Dina and Ellie, while you watched old movies or played video games together. After Rafael died, he made sure constantly that you stayed stable and took care of yourself. He’s never failed to be a great friend to you.  
Thursday morning, you make the decision to text Jesse as you get ready to leave for your first morning class. 
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You let out an audible “uhhh” as you remember that Jesse shared an apartment with Ellie. Jesse seems to suddenly remember as well a few seconds later. 
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You chuckle as you read Jesse’s last text before putting your phone in your pocket and walking out the front door of your apartment. 
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“So, you free tomorrow night?” Abby asks. 
“Mm, that depends.” 
“On?” 
“On why you’re asking.” You reply cheekily. 
Abby chuckles. 
You were making your way to your Race and Sexuality in Popular Culture class and Abby, who supposedly had some time to kill, was walking you over. 
“Oh, just curious.” Abby says. 
“Uh-huh, just curious.” You reply, rolling your eyes playfully. 
You stroll down the brick path holding a large textbook to your chest that you couldn’t stuff into your backpack with the rest of your things. Abby’d offered to carry it for you, but you insisted that you were a “strong and independent woman who didn’t need anyone to carry their books for them,” to which Abby laughed. 
“Oh, I’m just fucking around,” Abby continues. “Wanted to see if you wanted to maybe come to this bar with me and my friends. It’s pretty close by.” 
“Wow, getting drunk? On a weekday, Miss Anderson?” You joke. 
“Friday night counts as a weekend, you weirdo.” Abby chuckles. 
“Which bar is it?” 
“The Bow and Arrow on Waverly Street.” 
You purse your lips at this. 
The Bow and Arrow was a lesbian bar that was near the university’s campus. It was a pretty small place with a nice set-up: friendly and welcoming bartenders, TVs that played a variety of movies or that were connected to old consoles for patrons to play retro games on, and a spacious dance floor on the rooftop. 
Last year when you were still freshly heartbroken, you’d gone to the Bow and Arrow with a few friends from the Wilson Crew. Somehow, you ended up making out with a random girl in a dark corner who’d been eyeing you all evening. But after they’d asked if you wanted to go home with them, you chickened out and muttered a quick apology before rejoining your friends. 
Before then, you’d gone a few times during your freshman year. But after one fateful December night that involved a random stranger, the dance floor, and Ellie, you didn’t frequent it much afterwards. 
Abby doesn’t notice your hesitation, which allowed you a second to come up with a calculated response. 
“Do you mind if I think about it? Tomorrow’s kind of a long day for me. Might be too exhausted after all my classes.” You say. 
“Sure, that’s totally fine.” Abby replies. “No pressure at all. If you wanna have a chill night, you could also come over and we can watch a movie or something instead.” 
You smile at her thoughtfulness. 
“You’re sweet,” You say. “But it’s okay, don’t change your plans ‘cause of me. You should go anyway and have fun with your friends.” 
“Still trying to avoid hanging out alone with me, huh?” Abby jokes. 
You roll your eyes and smile. 
“Yes, that’s exactly why I’m letting you walk me to class today.” You reply sarcastically. “Definitely trying to avoid being around you right now, Anderson.” 
“Oh, you’re ‘letting me’ walk you to class, are you?” 
“Yup,” You say. “Now leave me, I no longer require your services, Miss Anderson.” You joke, gesturing for her to leave the opposite direction. 
“Bossy.” Abby chuckles but continues to walk alongside you. 
It’s a slightly chillier day today as October began to slowly approach November. You’d opted for an oversized sweater that used to belong to your cousin Rafael (it had his alma mater stitched onto the front and your uncle had gifted it to you sometime after his passing), a beanie, and a pair of thick leggings. When you’d met up with Abby, you pretended not to notice her eyeing your ass in your leggings for half a second when she first spotted you. 
“Alright,” Abby continues. “How about tonight? You busy?” 
“Can’t tonight, sorry.” You say. “Meeting up with a friend.” 
“Oh?” 
“Yeah, just having dinner with my friend Jesse.” 
“Oh, Jesse Chang, right?” 
You blink at Abby’s recognition. 
“Yeah, you know him?” 
“Just seen him around and all.” Abby explains. “He’s at the gym sometimes when I’m there. He lives with that friend of yours, Ellie, right? They’re both there together a lot.” 
Your face drops at the mention of Ellie, but Abby has her eyes straight ahead and doesn’t catch it. 
“Oh, and I see him sometimes playing guitar on the quad.” Abby continues. “He’s pretty good.” 
You quickly compose yourself. 
“Y-yeah. He’s known to play since he was a kid. A, uh, a family friend taught him growing up.” You say. 
You feel a pang in your heart. Joel taught Jesse how to play the guitar when he was younger. Jesse and Ellie. 
That summer that you’d spent in Jackson, Ellie’d told Joel during a Miller/Williams dinner night about how you were musically inclined. You’d felt embarrassed but you remember thinking that it was sweet how excited he got. Joel then proceeded to gush all about how he taught Ellie and Jesse how to play the guitar when they were just teenagers.  
Jesse’d already known how to play piano from lessons he’d been taking and was curious to branch out (Ellie made a comment that he just wanted to learn because playing guitar looked so much cooler to girls). According to Joel, he had been a good, attentive student. When Ellie found out Joel was teaching Jesse, she competitively insisted on being taught too. 
You remember chuckling when Joel’d told you how much of an impatient and temperamental student Ellie turned out to be. She’d easily get frustrated when she forgot a chord and curse herself out when her fingers would slip to play discordantly. But along with her hotheadedness came passion, and Ellie ended up teaching herself quickly into mastering the instrument anyway. 
Something inside ached when the memories of Jesse and Ellie casually strumming on their guitars flooded back. You’d watched in admiration as they fucked around and even occasionally wrote songs together. Sometimes you’d sing along to whatever they’d be playing, and they would joke about how they should start a band (to which you’d tease that Ellie didn’t play nice with others to handle being in an organized group). 
“That’s nice.” Abby says, interrupting your trance. “You’re pretty close to him?” 
“Oh yeah,” You reply. “I’d say he’s one of my closest friends here.” 
You quickly feel guilty saying that out loud, knowing that you’d pulled away from both him and Dina the past year. 
“That’s pretty sweet,” Abby smiles. “He seems like a really chill guy.” 
“He’s the best.” You say, smiling back. 
“Well, I won’t get in the way of some bestie bonding then,” Abby says. “But at least consider coming out with us tomorrow night?” 
You’re approaching the building of your next class now with just a couple of minutes to spare. You grip your textbook to your chest tightly, almost like it was a source of stress relief. Going out and actually being in public with Abby was a nerve-wracking concept. But you don’t want to disappoint her either. 
“I will,” You say. “I promise.” 
“Good.” Abby smiles. 
“Now, go and get out of here,” You tell her. “You’re gonna be late for your next class.” 
“Why are you always so eager to get rid of me?” Abby teases. 
You roll your eyes, amused. 
“You’re just so sickenly nice to me that I can’t stand to be around you.” 
“Get used to it then.” Abby replies. 
“Mm,” You muse. “We’ll see.” 
Abby chuckles. 
“Alright, well, I’ll text you.” She says, waving as she walks off. “See you, pretty girl.” 
You feel blood rushing to your cheeks at this flirty comment as you wave her off. Your grip on your textbook loosens before you turn and proceed into the building. 
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“Another strawberry milkshake? Really?” You ask as the server walks away. 
“What?! I’m having a craving!” 
You chuckle before taking a sip of your water. 
Ever the responsible and reliable friend, Jesse was ten minutes early to the diner for your meet-up. He’d pulled you into one of his classic bear hugs when you came in, and your heart jolted and your eyes teared up. You’ve really missed being around him. 
“So, how’ve you been, kid?” He asks, leaning back into his chair and crossing his arms. 
“Mm, short or long answer?” 
“Long,” He smiles. “I wanna know everything.” 
You return his smile uncertainly. 
“Don’t really know how to start, Jess.” 
“How ‘bout telling me how classes have been going for you?” 
You go on for a while about how you’d been handling your schoolwork, Jesse occasionally chiming in about his own classes. He laughed at your anecdotes and asked all the right questions at all the right times. Your orders were placed in front of you as you were complaining about your Women in Classical Antiquity professor who you swore has a vendetta against you. 
“Then she looks at me like I’m crazy!” You complain before stuffing your face with a slice of chocolate-chip pancake. 
“Yeah, a buddy of mine had her last year, and apparently half the shit she was teaching made no sense.” Jesse replies, licking whipped cream off the top of his milkshake. 
“It doesn’t!” You exclaim. “Like, I’m sorry that I corrected you in front of the rest of your students, but like? Do your job right the first time then, bitch!” 
Jesse guffaws as you pour more maple syrup over your pancakes. 
“Dude, she’s gonna fail you for sure if you keep it up.” 
“Fail me for knowing more about Greek mythology than she does,” You grumble. “Get me up on that podium, and we’ll all learn something for a change.” 
You continue your tirade for a couple of minutes until the conversation shifted from your classes to your friends. 
“It’s so cute that they’ve been together since freshman year,” You say, discussing your friends Tara and Astrid who were celebrating their two-year anniversary in a couple of months. “Although I guess to you and D, two years is nothing.” 
“Hey, still an impressive feat. And I definitely agree that they’re real cute together.” Jesse replies. 
“Nice to know love is real after all.” You joke. 
Jesse smiles at this but then suddenly looks thoughtful before speaking.
“How about you, dude?” 
“What about me?” You ask, finishing off the last of your pancakes and attacking your side of grits. 
“How’s your love life been going?” 
You pause. This is exactly why you’d invited Jesse out, to confide in him. And yet somehow, you feel your mouth go dry and your heartbeat rapidly increase. 
Jesse notices your hesitation and puts his elbows on the table, resting his chin on his hands. 
“We don’t have to talk about it, bud. But I’m here if you need someone. Judgment-free zone.” 
You give him a soft smile. Jesse was so perceptive sometimes. 
“Well, umm,” You start. “I’m sort of… seeing someone? Or trying to see someone, I guess. Not sure what to call it yet.” 
“Oh, yeah? What does ‘trying’ to see someone mean exactly?” 
“It means…” You sigh. “…it means I don’t really know what I’m doing or what’s going on or if I want to go further.” 
Jesse chuckles. 
“Well, what do you want?” He asks. 
“I’m not really sure,” You reply honestly. “I guess, I’m a little tired of feeling lonely, and she’s so nice to me. She makes me feel good about myself. I don’t know. I just haven’t actually dated anyone in such a long time.” 
“That’s okay. It’s been a rough couple of years for you. I don’t blame you at all.” Jesse says. 
You look at him sadly before popping a spoonful of grits into your mouth. 
“Well, I don’t think you should completely force yourself into something you’re unsure about,” Jesse says after taking a sip from his milkshake. “But I also think that you deserve to be happy. And unfortunately, that means putting yourself out there.” 
You scowl at his sage advice. 
“Do I have to?” 
“Sorry, kid.” Jesse chuckles and you grimace. 
“I just want to see you be yourself again,” Jesse continues. “Whether that’s because you start going out with someone new or because you just leave your apartment more often, it doesn’t matter. Do you think this girl could be good for you?” 
You contemplate his question seriously for a few moments. 
“Maybe?” You reply, unsure. “She could be. I don’t know.” 
“Well, you don’t have to know now,” Jesse says. “Just do what makes you happy, okay? That’s really all I want.” 
You feel something warm growing instantaneously in your chest. Gratitude was too small of a word for what you felt towards Jesse, and you make a note to yourself to start hanging out with him more. 
“Thanks, Jess. You really are the best.” You say. 
“Hey, that almost rhymed.” He jokes. 
“Oh my god,” You laugh, rolling your eyes. “You’re so annoying.” 
“You’re a poet and you don’t even know it!” He cackles. 
You take one of your used, syrup-y paper napkins, ball it up, and toss it at his face. He catches it easily, chortling to himself. 
“God, you’re a fucking dork!” You say. 
“Don’t be a hater!” He says, holding his hands up defensively. 
You giggle. 
“I missed you, Jess.” You say. 
“Missed you too, kid,” Jesse replies, eyes softening. “You’ve got to come over sometime. I haven’t beaten your ass at Smash in forever!” 
You give him a hesitant smile, which he notices. 
“Just come over when she’s not there.” He says, accurately assuming the reason behind your reluctance. 
“Dude, I don’t know…” 
“We’ll do it sometime when she’s not home. It’ll be fine, I promise.” Jesse reassures. “Plus, we haven’t had a jam sesh in forever. I miss my jamming partner.” 
You smile, remembering the times when Jesse would convince you to teach him something new on his guitar or have you sing along to a song he’d been learning. He almost roped you into performing at an open mic with him back in freshman year, but you ended up chickening out. 
“Don’t you have Ellie for that?” You ask timidly. You find that her name hurts to say out loud. 
“She judges me too much for my exquisite and refined music taste,” Jesse complains. “She nearly threw her knife at me for trying to get her to duet a Taylor Swift song with me.” 
You laugh, despite yourself. 
“Yeah, well, that’s what you get.” You tease. 
“Hey! This is a judgment-free zone. No judging my Swiftie habits.” 
You roll your eyes playfully. 
“Hey, by the way,” Jesse suddenly says. “Who’s the lucky lady?” 
“What?” 
“The girl that you’re ‘trying’ to see or whatever.” 
“Oh. Right.” You say, biting the inside of your cheek. “It’s umm… Abby Anderson.” 
You look up to see Jesse with an expression on his face that you don’t fully recognize. His eyebrows are furrowed and it looks as if he was trying to connect the dots about something you weren’t privy to. After several moments, you see what seemed like a sudden realization reach his eyes. 
“Oh shit, umm.” He starts. “Yeah, she’s pretty cool.” 
“What is it, Jesse?” You ask skeptically. 
“No, nothing. Just processing.” He replies unconvincingly. 
“Jesse,” You press. “What is it?” 
“Seriously, it’s nothing.” 
“Dude, come on. Don’t bullshit me.” You assert. Jesse sighs. 
“That just…That just explains a couple of things, that’s all.” 
“What things?” 
“I—” Jesse starts but his eyes suddenly wander away from you and towards the front door of the diner. “Oh, fuck.” 
You follow the direction of his gaze. You feel your throat close up and your stomach lurch as you recognize the figures of Dina and Ellie entering the restaurant. The instinct you’d developed the past year to suddenly look elsewhere whenever Ellie entered the room vanished completely when your eyes fell on her face. 
Ellie was sporting a black eye with a dark gash right underneath. The bruising didn’t look fresh, but you can easily tell it happened recently. Your eyes trail down and see that her right hand is also bandaged. 
“Shit.” You hear Jesse mumble, breaking you out of your wildly unraveling thoughts. You turn to face him. 
“I’m so sorry, man. I had no idea that they were gonna pass by—” Jesse immediately starts to apologize. 
“I-it’s okay, Jess.” You stutter. “I just—” 
You fall silent as you glance back towards the pair, your eyes inadvertently meeting Ellie’s ocean green ones. Your faces make the same panicked expression before you both break eye contact to hiss at your respective friends. 
“You didn’t tell Dina where we were meeting?” You whisper fervently. 
“I told her that we were gonna hang out, but I completely forgot to mention where.” He says apologetically. 
“Jesse…” You whine. 
“I know, I know. I’m sorry, bud. Do you, uh, want me to go over there and—” His sentence is cut short as Dina approaches your table. 
“Hi, babe.” She says, directed at Jesse. “So, what the fuck?” 
“Why are you here?” You and Jesse demand simultaneously. 
“We ordered takeout and we came to pick it up so we didn’t have to pay delivery fees.” Dina explains. “Jess, why didn’t you tell me—” 
“I’m sorry! I didn’t think you were coming out with El!” He says defensively. 
“Fucking hell,” Dina says before turning to you. “I’m sorry, honey. Are you okay?” 
“I, umm,” You start, your eyes unwittingly wandering back to Ellie. She was standing awkwardly by the host’s podium, bouncing back and forth between her feet and twindling her fingers. She seems determined to look at nothing else but at her Chuck Taylor sneakers. You shift your gaze back to Dina. 
“Y-yeah. I’m okay.” You say weakly. 
She smiles sympathetically, putting a comforting hand on your shoulder. 
“Is…” You begin timidly. “Is that a black eye? O-on Ellie?” 
Dina and Jesse share a worried look. 
“Did you tell her anything?” She asks him. 
“No, not yet.” He replies. 
Dina sighs. 
“Tell me what?” You ask, eyebrows furrowing. 
Dina’s hand squeezes your shoulder lightly. 
“It’s—” She begins. “It’s kind of… private.” 
“Oh” is all you say in response. You feel a little rebuffed and excluded, but you decide not to press further. You knew it wasn’t your business. And after all, you were no longer a foursome. 
“We’re just gonna grab and food and go, okay?” Dina assures. “I’ll text you later, hun.” She says to you. 
“O-okay…” You reply meekly and watch as Dina makes her way back to Ellie. 
Neither you nor Jesse say anything. From your peripheral vision, you see Dina and Ellie seemingly argue about something for a few moments before the hostess arrives with a plastic bag of food, which Ellie grabs with her good hand. They leave without another glance back at you. 
“Jess, I’m…” You say after a second or two of silence. “I’m gonna go use the bathroom real quick, okay?” 
Jesse responds with a simple “okay.” His eyes meet yours with an acknowledgment that you merely needed a second to yourself. You nod, silently thanking him for his understanding before making your way to the diner’s bathrooms. 
As you shut the door behind you, you lean against it and weep silently. 
Why? Why am I here again? 
You realize that it hasn’t even been a week since you were in this same, empty diner bathroom, breaking down and crying tears of frustration. 
Am I not allowed to catch a fucking break? 
You spend a couple of minutes breathing deeply the way your old therapist taught you before you can wrench yourself off from the door and look at yourself in the mirror. 
Please, just… please. 
Your right hand unwittingly comes up to touch your face, right where Ellie’s injury had been on hers. 
What the hell did she get herself into? 
Ellie wasn’t inherently a violent person, but she didn’t shy away from it either. She was reckless and impulsive, something about her that you used to love but also dread. A memory starts forming in your head, of you and Ellie and that December night at the Bow and Arrow. 
Your reminiscence is suddenly interrupted by your phone buzzing in your pocket. You take it out to see you got a text. 
Abby? 
You unlock your phone, giggling when you read her message. 
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She really is so nice to me. 
Your heart starts to feel warm before it stops completely upon reading her follow-up texts. 
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O-oh. Oh, okay. 
You gulp and feel a chill going down your spine. You almost feel the need to look around and make sure nobody was watching you, only to remember you were alone in the bathroom. Your phone buzzes with another message. 
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You chuckle nervously at Abby’s last message. 
She’s bold, I’ll give her that. 
You chew on your lip for a few moments while one hand grips your phone tightly and the other taps nervously on the bathroom counter. You take a deep breath. 
Fuck it. 
Remembering Jesse’s advice, you make the decision to put yourself out there again. 
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Hastily putting your phone back in your pocket before Abby can text back, you feel every nerve in your body tremble. Your heart hammers rapidly in your chest, but you stare at your reflection resolutely. 
Abby likes you, okay? I think. And I think I can like her too. This is a chance to be part of something healthy for once. 
You stand in front of the mirror, conducting your breathing exercises and attempting to convince yourself. 
Back at your table while waiting for your return, Jesse is hastily questioning Dina through text if Abby Anderson was the reason that Frat Guy Adam was nearly beaten to a bloody pulp by the hands of Ellie.
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author’s notes:
omg a million years later and i finally update? gasp. now everyone clap for belle (pls clap)
tbh i was too lazy to do all the phone texting parts with the format i did in the past chapters cause i hate having to mess around with the html format for the customized grey text, so my lazy ass just did screenshots of the texts instead, sorry slfkjsddsf
if you recognize the lesbian bar that i loosely based the bow and arrow on, no you didn’t
i’ve been replaying tlou2 lately and i know many of y’all headcanon jesse as a himbo which i honestly love, i’m obsessed with himbo!jesse, but i personally didn’t wanna ignore the fact that jesse’s actually a very intelligent and level-headed guy who’s extremely organized and who’s a natural leader and etc. let’s acknowledge this jesse more!
also jesse’s last name is merely inspired by the last name of the actor who plays him (stephen chang)
also jesse is a musician because i say so. i’m also hcing him as having taken piano lessons as a kid cause which of us asian kids weren’t forced to take piano lessons or whatever when we were kids, let’s be real (i took them briefly but they were boring and i’d already known and i also mostly taught myself anyway)
the part about reader's professor not knowing how to teach her own class is just me being still bitter over a mythology professor who kept trying to fail me cause i knew more about greek mythology than she did (she couldn't cause i was literally correct all the time). the bitch even tried to accuse me of plagiarism! i'm still mad.
i added in the part about ellie not inherently being a violent person as a passive-aggressive reference to craig mazin, the creator of the hbo show, who says that ellie has a violent heart when she does NOT, he does not understand our girl at all
the image i used as abby's selfie is of the body model that they based abby's character on, colleen fotsch!
wow i added waaaay too much in the author’s notes lol sorry belle has adhd everyone
anyway thank you for bearing with me as i take time uploading. replies and reblogs and messages are fuel to new chapters, so pretty please! indulge me!
taglist: @lonelyfooryouonly, @elliesinterlude, @sawaagyapong, @peppesgirl, @iconsoft, @maybeidohaveadhd, @ellieswifee, @valiantllamapersonpony-blog, @nil-eena, @echostinn, @uraesthete, @softbunlvr, @cherriesxinthespring, @amitycat, @thefishymissy, @yevheniiaaaa, @machetegirl109, @bertandfearnie, @ximtiredx, @efam, @elliesnumber1gf, @digit4lslut, @tayyyystan, @emothurman, @livvy-2000, @abigaillovestoread, @gold-dustwomxn, @liabadoobee, @yuckyfucky, @qtefolleunpez, @libr4sonsa, @17luv, @robinismywifee, @villainousbear, @ashlynnnnnnnn15, @scarlettadore, @vianna99, @g0n3girls, @totheblood, @embermdk, @awyunh, @kenz-ee, @marvelwomen-simp, @eleactric, @simpforellie, @omgidksblog, @anxiouso, @nyrastar, @lillysbigwilly, @hopeless-y, @elliesbabygirl, @alexpritch, @thestarsanctuary, @aethelwyneleigh27
please let me know if you'd like to be added to the taglist or if you'd asked previously and i missed you!
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whohasthecards · 9 months
Text
HC that after the mission and the dagger squad gets closer, Mav ramps up his petnames game as he showers his adopted children with affection. He doesn't even notice he does it. The first few times everyone was embarassed, but leaned to it. However, they realized that Hangman seemed to be affected the most. Constantly blushing or looking down or shutting up whenever Mav gave him a particularly affectionate pet name.
Most commonly used by Mav/Ice to everyone: Buddy, Kiddo, Kid, Son, Baby
Some of the most used petnames for the squad (although he uses the same nicknames for the others, some nicknames stuck more to certain people):
---
The dagger squad stayed over for the night after movie night went on for far too long. Most of them still sprawled around the living room, some on the couch, air mattress, or straight up on the floor. Bob woke up the earliest that day and started up the coffee.
Mav clambered down a moment after, drawn by the scent and Bob handed him a mug.
Mav smiled at him and reached out to ruffle his hair, "Thank you, sunshine."
Mav clambered out the kitchen saying something about ordering breakfast for them, as Bob stood there blinking mouth wide open.
---
Phoenix and Mav were debating strategy regarding case studies of past missions that could be applied in the future. The argument got a bit heated as they couldn't decide on the best solution for one of the sections.
Phoenix sat down with a sigh, "Dammit, both have good points, both have flaws, but the only deciding factor would be the people doing the mission, but it's not like we have detailed information on the personnel for this case study!"
Mav chuckled, "Didn't expect you to get this riled up, how about we put our opinions on what kind of personnel are best suited for each mission, yeah?"
"Sure, Mav," Phoenix muttered. "Hand me that pen?"
"Of course, Firecracker," Mav said smiling as he handed over the pen. "Hey, how about we go on break? There's a bakery nearby I've been meaning to try, and maybe that would reset our minds, yeah?"
Phoenix blinked at the nickname, then started standing up when Mav mentioned a break. "Yeah, let's go, Admiral, you're paying though," Phoenix said smirking at him.
---
"Mav, I need some advice regarding some maintenance on my car, since I know you fix stuff up," Payback said walking beside the older man.
"Sure kid, what's up?"
They started troubleshooting the best course of action, and who to took too to get the plan approved and implemented. This went on for a while until they were both satisfied.
"Thanks, Admiral Mitchell," Payback said smiling shyly as he realized how much of the man's time he took up.
Mav snorted as he clapped a hand around the younger man's shoulder, "Don't start with that Admiral shit when it's just us, kid. Come on Champ, let's get that car of yours fixed up."
---
"--The different seasons of the show have a variety of reviews, personally I found the first season good, and it kind of went a bit downhill from there, but that could just be nostalgia talking--," Fanboy babbled on gesturing wildly as Mav nodded along listening as he got caught up on Pop Culture.
It was very interesting, and as long as Fanbog kept on talking, he'd be able to keep up conversing with the others.
"--and then there's also the movies which are a classic-- oh sorry," Fanboy said suddenly freezing looking down on his lap.
Mav frowned, "What's wrong, kid?"
"I was talking too much and annoying you--"
"No, you weren't," Mav said putting an arm around his shoulder. "Now, come one whiz-zy, tell me more about the movies I should watch."
The smile Fanboy gave him made him realize that he should probably get a Netflix account, now.
---
"8 ball to corner pocket," Coyote said before lining up his shot.
"You got this, kid," Mav said sipping on his beer as the younger man lined his shot up.
Coyote focused on trying to see the angle to bank the cue ball on the rail, to hopefully brush the 8 just enough to push it to the corner. If he messed up, he'd practically be setting Mav up to win.
He took the shot. 8-ball went in.
He gave a small cheer in celebration as he whirled around to look at Mav who gave him a salute with his beer.
"You're buying drinks, old man," Coyote said grinning wildly as he rested his cue stick on the wall.
"Of course, Cub," Mav said patting the younger man's back as he walked to the bar to order one of those fancy craft beers the younger man, liked.
---
Bradley woke up to the white ceilings of the sick-bay, where he was herded to with Mav after that suicide-not-so-suicide, mission.
"You up, buddy?"
Bradley turned his head to his side to see Mav, sitting up on his own bed, munching on, McDonald's?
"How'd you get, McDonald's-?" Bradley croaked out, squinting to see if this was real.
Mav snorted, before eating another fry, "Ice brought us some, here's your share, kiddo," Mav said standing up to hand Bradley his own greasy, McDonald's paper bag.
"Are you supposed to be standing up-? Are we supposed to be eating this?" Bradley said sitting up as he took the food handed to him.
"Hey, do you want the food or not?" Mav said , raising a brow.
"... Thank you, for the food, Mav," Bradley said as he munched on his fries.
Mav gave him a bright smile, before pulling Bradley in for a quick hug and a kiss to the forehead. "Of course, Baby Goose."
Bradley stared up at Mav wide-eyed as the older man pulled away and Mav noticing this, winced.
"Sorry, Rooster, I shouldn't have overstepped-"
"NO! No, it's fine," Bradley said looking down on the food on his lap as he tugged lightly on the older man's shirt. "It's fine, Uncle Mav."
He missed this.
---
Jake felt a hand run through his hair, making him humm in content as he leaned towards the touch.
"Hey, buddy, how are we doing today?" The gentle voice of his Captain said.
Jake blinked his eyes open, wondering why Mav was here sitting on the edge of the bed. Wait. Where is he?
"Mav?" Jake croaked out.
"That's me, buddy, are you feeling better?" Mav said continuing to stroke Jake's haid.
Right, he was sick, Mav noticed, brought him home to sleep in his guest room for a nap..
"Hmmm, not sure, a bit I guess," Jake said. "What time is it?"
"Dinner time, are you up for some soup?" Mav asked as Jake shrugged.
"Not really hungry."
"How about some soup and hot chocolate?" Mav asked, smiling when he saw Jake perk up.
His hot chocolate was one of Dagger Squad's favorites.
"Can I have extra whipped cream?" Jake asked, eyes pleading up at Mav as he nuzzled towards the older man's side.
Mav kept on running his hand through Jake's hair as he pressed a smile to the boy's temple. "Of course, little prince."
---
Later on the Dagger Squad practically combusts when Iceman starts doing the same thing to them.
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