starters blog

@championstarters

@championstarters

delilah had become trapped at a table with three athletes arguing passionately over whether karaoke counted as "performing under pressure." which, frankly, felt deeply concerning for all professional sports involved. she took a slow sip of her margarita before finally glancing toward the person beside her, southern amusement warm in her eyes. "i need you to settle somethin' for me, sugar," she said. "is confidence attractive or can a person actually have too much of it?" she asked, head nodding toward someone yelling a nickleback song on stange.

jalen was halfway through laughing at one of his teammates completely missing a drake verse when he noticed somebody hovering suspiciously close to the karaoke sign-up sheet. immediately, his grin widened. "nah," he said, pointing at them from across the bar like he'd just caught a crime happening in real time. "don't start looking at that clipboard unless you serious 'cause if you sign up," he added, nodding toward the stage where somebody was aggressively off-key, "you gotta commit. none of that shy halfway singing. if you embarrass yourself, you do it confidently."

𝗼𝗻𝗲  𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗸  𝗶𝗻  𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀  𝗰𝗶𝘁𝘆  and  the  krummacher  boy  is  grateful  for  the  excuse  to  drink  (  not  that  he  ever  needs  one,  but  there  is  half  a  pleasure  in  conforming  to social  norms  ).  he  finds  himself  alone,  the  music  ebbs  and  flows  in  the  background  &  the  bass  vibrates  through  his  neck  as  he  leans  on  the  wall  outside.  beer  in  one  hand  and  half  a  cigarette  in  the  other,  he  slumps  down  on  the  curb  and  takes  a  puff.  there  is  a  cacophony of sound  nearby  and  he  does  his  best  not  to  roll  his  eyes,  “  hope  you  are  not  drunk.  if  so,  just  lay  on  your  side  in  the recovery  position.  then  help  will  come. ” he  takes  another  drag  of  his  cigarette  and  mutters,  “  not  from  me,  but  someone,  surely.  ” @championstarters

︵ིྀ ⠀ ♡ ⠀۪ ⠀𖥻   🛻 ㅤ      "  hahaha,  "  a  mocking  tone  slipping  past  his  lips  as  his  build  rests  against  the  bar  top.  "  nah,  you  can't  be  serious  …  you  gotta  be  one  fry  short  of  a  happy  meal  if  you  think  i’m  gettin’  up  there.  "

" i would honest to god rather donate half my salary than get up on that stage . it's not happening , i don't care how much you pout at me . "

beau had somehow spent the last hour becoming everybody's unpaid security, therapist, and designated "you're not actually singing that drunk, sit back down" person. he wasn't entirely sure how it happened, probably because he looked responsible enough for people to start handing him problems automatically. leaning against the bar with a beer in hand, sleeves rolled to his forearms, he watched as somebody near the stage missed an entire chorus with dangerous confidence. the crowd still cheered anyway. a slow shake of his head left him, amused despite himself. "starting to think this fundraiser's about to financially recover the little league entirely off emotional damage alone."

          luca   had   spent   the   last   twenty   minutes   pointing   at   himself   like   there   had   clearly   been   some   kind   of   clerical   error,   shaking   his   head   at   every   teammate   who   walked   past   wearing   the   sort   of   grin   that   immediately   made   him   suspicious.   the   setup   had   been   annoyingly   coordinated   too.   a   hand   on   his   shoulder.   a   drink   shoved   into   his   hand.   somebody   hitting   him   with   a   c’mon,   man,   it’s   for   charity   like   public   humiliation   suddenly   counted   as   community   service.   so   now   he   was   standing   under   stage   lights   he   never   agreed   to,   one   hand   around   the   microphone,   staring   out   at   the   crowd   with   the   look   of   a   man   actively   reconsidering   every   relationship   in   his   life.   his   eyes   landed   on   his   teammates   crowded   near   the   bar   and   narrowed   immediately.   one   slow   point   in   their   direction.   “   just   so   we’re   all   clear…   ”   a   pause.   “   i   hold   grudges.   ”   the   room   laughed.   luca   let   out   a   breath   through   his   nose,   dragged   a   hand   over   his   face   and   looked   toward   the   screen   as   the   first   notes   started   playing.   he   stared   for   a   second,   looked   back   out   at   the   crowd,   then   back   at   his   team.   “   ...oh,   you   are   all   unbelievably   dead   to   me.   ”